Rice is a staple for cultures all over the world — our Arts & Life team explores the versitility of this humble grain. See Arts & Life, page 21.
Without effective disability services, college can be more of a struggle than an opportunity. See Opinions, page 25.
DePaulia
The
Volume #104 | Issue #11 | Jan. 21, 2020 | depauliaonline.com
Chicago reflects on King more than 50 years after Marquette Park violence By Patsy Newitt & Mackenzie Murtaugh Asst. News Editor & News Editor
Back on track ALEXA SANDLER | THE DEPAULIA
Pantelis Xidias (bottom left) and DePaul’s bench celebrates a three-point shot as the Blue Demons continued to pile up points in the second half Saturday.
Historic season sees new life with win over No. 5 Bulldogs By Nate Burleyson Asst. Sports Editor
Saturday was a game that the Blue Demons needed desperately. Sitting at 0-4 in Big East play without a win since Dec. 21 against Northwestern, DePaul was due for a game like the 79-66 drubbing of No. 5 Butler. Reeling after a four-game losing streak with the demons of their past knocking on the door, DePaul and head coach Dave Leitao made a statement that cemented them as a team to stick around in the Big East. The skill of the Blue Demons is undeniable even during a losing streak. Questions could be raised about different parts of their game, but the 12-1 start to the season let everyone know this potential is there. “If we come together, I’ve said all year that we can beat anybody,” Leitao said. On the opposite side, things can get ugly quick in this conference. And a loss against Butler would have continued the bleeding. “But also if we don’t [come together], anybody in this league can beat us,” Leitao added after the game. This caution and calmness has been typical of Leitao this season. It’s one of the most promising starts and talented group of players he’s had at DePaul. Even during the lowest points of the season, there has been a level of faith. The defensive identity that
ALEXA SANDLER | THE DEPAULIA
Junior guard Charlie Moore flashes a big smile as his team stunned Butler.
the team took on is part of a system that the coaching staff drew up that the players bought into with such intensity. All five starters play their defense on a high level.
“I love playing defense,” freshman Romeo Weems said. Weems has played a locked-in defense all season – the six feet seven inches wing had three steals and a block to go with his 11 points on 3-of-4
shooting from beyond the arc. Most of the former Michigan Mr. Basketball’s impact doesn’t show up in box scores. “Going out and doing it for my teammates – trying to make the game easier – that’s my role,” he said. The Blue Demons played a gritty game reminiscent of their contest at Iowa on Nov. 11 where they blew the Hawkeyes out of their own building. Speed and athleticism were big factors for DePaul, who was able to get whatever they wanted against Butler. Paul Reed was one of the biggest positives for DePaul. In games he has scored 18 points or more, he has shot 65 percent from the field. This efficient offense not only leads to plenty of points, but helps everyone else. NBA scouts are looking at Reed for a reason. The thirdyear forward was the Big East’s most-improved player last year and is averaging 16 points and 11 rebounds this year. He can score from anywhere on the court; pick and pops, drives, catch-andshoot 3’s, as well as his back to the basket game. “As a big who can actually move his feet and be agile enough so it makes it a lot easier for guards, knowing that you got somebody like [Reed] right behind,” senior guard Jalen Coleman-Lands said. DePaul did everything they’ve wanted to do at the highest level they’ve been at all season. They opened the game on a 22-6 run with Reed sitting at 13 points after just eight minutes. The Blue
See MBB, page 25
In an all-white Marquette Park on Aug. 5, 1966, Martin Luther King, Jr. was struck by a rock while protesting housing segregation. The civil rights leader and his supporters were met with extreme hostility by white residents and the march resulted in 30 injuries and 40 arrests. “I have seen many demonstrations in the South, but I have never seen anything so hostile and so hateful as I’ve seen here today,” King said to the Chicago Tribune afterward. In the South, he said, the history of Jim Crow kept the lines of segregation clear. In the North, segregation was blurry and messy from years of racially-motivated policy. Chicago has a particularly deep civil rights history and connection to the late Dr. King, who would have turned 91 yesterday. The city celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 20, commemorating his work and focusing on what there is left to do. King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference turned their attention to Chicago in January 1966 with the Chicago Freedom Movement, an effort to shed light on the conditions of blacks in the north. King appropriately chose Chicago, a city that today remains one of the country’s most segregated. He moved his family to the neighborhood of North Lawndale in 1966 and began working to address issues of housing access and racial inequality in Chicago. The Chicago History Museum showcased King’s legacy with its annual MLK Jr. Day celebration. The family-friendly five-hour event featured crafts, storytelling, a performance by the Chicago Chamber Choir and a reenactment of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The event celebrates its 37th year in 2020. Since 1983, the museum has taught many Chicago children and residents the impact King has had on the civil rights movement. It was an easy decision to begin the annual celebration in 1983 after President Ronald Regan signed the national holiday into law. But because of his polarizing opinions on civil rights, the process of making Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a national holiday was arduous. This process was an uphill battle — it was not finally recognized by all 50 states until 2000. See MLK, page 4
2 | News. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
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News. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 3
Despite cold weather, Women’s March succeeds By Ella Lee Arts & Life Editor
Women and allies took to Chicago’s slush-filled streets Jan. 18 for the fourth annual, largescale Women’s March Chicago — the last before the 2020 election. The march started at 11 a.m., but people began to line up as early as 9:30. Though the turnout was smaller than in past years, an estimated several thousand people marched the route between Grant Park and Daley Plaza. One of those women was Annika Teaumulla, 17, the president of the Girl Up club at her high school in Michigan. Teaumulla and the other girls in her club road-tripped to Chicago to participate in the protest; they said they marched to make sure their future and their rights were secure. “We want changed perspectives on social issues that affect people of color and women,” she said. This year’s protest honored marchers with disabilities and several local female elected officials, including Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Juliana Stratton, lieutenant governor, according to a press release; they led the march. “Our local politicians, senators and congressmen are listening,” said Veronica Graham-White. “That’s the whole reason that we’re out here. The White House doesn’t give a damn.” Other issues raised by marchers included the upcoming census, gun control, climate justice and voting. From the beginning of the route to its end, there was at least one chant for each issue, though no one chant ever caught on with the entire crowd. The move to include multiple issues as opposed to just women’s rights comes after the Women’s March brand received criticism for a lack of inclusivity. In 2018, some women of color and transgender women boycotted the march. “We’re connecting a variety of issues now, not just women’s issues,” said Samantha Jacobs, an organizer with the Party of Socialism and Liberation who has attended all four marches. “It’s trans rights and immigration rights and fighting imperialism — they’re all connecting struggles.” In Chicago, the shift was clear in both the social issues present The wide range of issues brought another demographic to the forefront of the event: men. Though the crowd was overwhelming female, a significantly larger number of men showed up to join in protest than in previous years. Will Himmler, 25, said his focus was “fighting back” against Trump’s policies and energizing voters. He showed up to march for his mom, a doctor who raised him to respect strong women.
JONATHAN AGUILAR | THE DEPAULIA
Illinois comptroller Susana Mendoza and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot lead the annual Women’s March Chicago.
JONATHAN AGUILAR | THE DEPAULIA
Protesters march down East Jackson Drive during the annual Women’s March Chicago. This years march wanted to bring awareness to people with disabilities.
“We’re connecting a variety of issues now, not just women’s. It’s trans right and immigration rights and fighting imperialism — they’re all connecting struggles.”
Samantha Jacobs
Party of Socialisn and Liberation organizer
JONATHAN AGUILAR | THE DEPAULIA
“She deserves a better president,” he said. No formal counter-protests lined the route, though some individuals attempted to patronize the crowd. Info Wars’ Alex Jones and Kaitlin Bennett, known online as
“Kent State Gun Girl,” attended Chicago’s march, who shouted that “only women get periods,” among other things. Other men stood on barriers shouting chants into megaphones: “It’s not your body; it’s not your choice.” But the protesters were not
A protestor calls for president Donald Trumps removal from office during the annual Women’s March Chicago. discouraged; they cheered back with messages of mobilization for the upcoming 2020 general election. After the crowd traveled the designated route, many went on to protest in front of Trump
Tower. “The women’s movement has grown stronger,” said Lily Melvin, 21. “Women are standing up and not taking [Trump]’s bullshit anymore.”
4 | News. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
XAVIER ORTEGA | THE DEPAULIA
A visitor looks over drafts of King’s letters in the exhibition about his time in Chicago.
MLK continued from front South Carolina was the final state to recognize the holiday, after a massive protest by African American leaders in 1999, when over 46,000 protestors gathered against a confederate flag flying at their State House Dome. The fight for recognition makes the celebration of this day even more meaningful. “The value of a history museum like this gives you something in the present to reflect on the past even though there is still a lot that can still be done,” said Dean Rodkin, a volunteer at the museum since 2006 and a former south suburban teacher. “That’s a significant thing and specifically with him. The country today is very divided, polarized like it was back in his day, and I think that’s a significant value of today.” The day’s festivities began with some kid-friendly arts and crafts activities with artist Sue Romanelli. The children were asked to doodle and create art that helped them express what King means to them. As they day went on, the kids were repeatedly reminded of King’s mesmerizing speeches and life-altering sacrifices he made that oc-
curred not only in Chicago, but around the country, before many of their parents were even born. Storyteller Gwen Hilary and musician Enoch Williamson took the children on a bit of a wild ride as they taught the kids about King’s upbringing and his efforts towards social change. After, a more mature theater production was put on to contextualize King’s journey in a more modern sense. A review of this one-woman play can be found on page 5. More than 50 years after his death, King’s legacy lives on as a fierce advocate for social change and a martyr for equal rights of African Americans. In Chicago, he is immortalized on the South Side’s Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Across the country, he is remembered best for his rhythmic and robust verbiage in his “I Have a Volunteer Dream” speech. “He had the personality, charisma and ability to galvanize the country and pull it together, not fragment it,” Rodkin said. “He captured the whole country, and it’s something that I don’t know if we have today. That’s the value in remembering him.”
“He had the personality, charisma and ability to galvanize the country and pull it together, not fragment it. He captured the whole country, and it’s something that I don’t know if we have today.”
Dean Rodkin
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News. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 5
Community theatre celebrates MLK Jr.’s legacy as civil servant and peace advocate PHOTO ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have turned 91 yesterday.
By Patsy Newitt Asst. News Editor
The Writers Theatre’s 14th tour of the MLK Project: Fight for Civil Rights kicked off at the Chicago History Museum’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration this past Monday Jan. 20. The one-woman play follows young Chicagoan Alaya’s personal evolution after being assigned a project on the Civil Rights Movement. Previously resorting to violence when solving problems, Alaya efforts to come to a modern understanding of King’s press for peace with the help of current and former Chicago activists. Throughout the year, the Writers Theatre tours 40 schools, community centers, libraries and museums. The Writer’s Theatre updates the script yearly, and was written using real interviews with activists, poetry and hiphop. Director Sophiyaa Nayer said localizing the play was simple thanks to Chicago’s rich civil-rights history. The play makes the 50-year-old civil-rights struggles currently relevant, drawing parallels to the Black Lives Matter Movement and Chicago’s struggle with gun violence and police brutality. This relevance is necessary in reaching their younger audiences, many of whom are students on Chicago’s South and West Sides. “A lot of conversations [when writing] were about how things haven’t really changed,” Nayar said, “and we still have people who are fighting for their own version of Civil Rights in 2020. These conversations often turned to the issue of policing, Nayar said, prompting them to include a scene with Alaya struggling to process the balance between her father being a police officer after learning about police violence during Civil Rights movements in the city. Reid also portrays the characters that Alaya meets throughout this process, including Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Earle Sardon, a South Side activist who passed away in 2009 and Margaret Taylor-Burroughs, the woman who founded the DuSable Museum of African American History.
“Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an important day because King fought and stood for so many things that are still relevant. He’s an amazing person (...) He went from a small town in Alabama all the way to a national holiday with how he could bring people together. Sam McQueen
Audience member
“[Audience members] get to see how multiple different community members from multiple different aspects of life can all come together and enact change,” said Adhana Reid, the actress who plays Alaya.. This year, Nayer chose to include Fred Hampton, the member of the Black Panther party whose murder by the Chicago Police Department was covered up by $1.5 million in settlements to survivors. In the post-show discussion, audience members, made up largely of young students, said they were particularly moved by the inclusion of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African-American boy who was lynched in Money, Mississippi in 1955. Till was accused of sexually harassing a white woman in a grocery store. One audience member said the
inclusion of Till resonated with her because she was the same age as Till when he was murdered. Another said it made her think of her own son. For audience member Sam McQueen, the humanizing of Till had personal significance. His father was good friends with Till’s brother, and was at his home when Till’s mother received the news of her son’s murder. “Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an important day because King fought and stood for so many things that are still relevant,” McQueen said. “He’s an amazing person… he went from a small town in Alabama all the way to a national holiday with how he could bring people together.” The MLK Project: Fight for Civil Rights humanizes historical characters and emphasizes that the King’s
work is not yet done. At one point, the story compares the Chicago after the death of Martin Luther King to Chicago after the murder of Laquan McDonald – angry and restless. “Fortunately and unfortunately [the current relevance] is what makes the story-telling easier,” Reid said. “A lot of the systemic problems that existed back then exist now… that’s what resonates, they can see the parallels.” Reid hopes that the play’s proponent of art to affect change will resonate with the young audiences, especially considering decreases in funding for art programs. “I hope the seeds are planted,” she said, “and someone says says to themselves ‘maybe this little hobby could become my passion, and I could change people’s minds, and hopefully the world.
6| News. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
Students on ‘high alert’ as campus safety stagnates By Griffin Wright Contributing Writer
Many DePaul students have had their own run ins with crime around the Lincoln Park campus, and others believe the rates of these incidents have been increasing. As fall turns to winter and the days get shorter, anxiety around crime on campus is rising. Jonathan Nevarez is a senior at DePaul who has had some run-ins with crime. His first experience with crime came when he was trying to sell a pair of shoes and went to meet with potential buyers, when they stole the shoes from him and ran without paying. “I made the mistake of giving them the box instead of just one shoe to look at,” Nevarez said. “As soon as I gave it to him, he just started running.” One of the thieves stayed behind and Nevarez stopped him asking to come to the police station with him. The thief was cooperative until they got close to the station. “The guy was being cooperative until I got to the doors of the police station then he just started booking it. “It was like a scene out of the movies I was running in the middle of the street chasing this guy,” Nevarez said. “I ran half a mile and I caught him.” After apprehending one of the thieves Nevarez took him to a restaurant to wait while he called the police. “The police came and I told them I want my shoes back or my money and the police officer said the only way we can do that is if you press charges on the kid that I had,” he said. “ I told him I guess I have to because I’m not leaving empty handed. Nevarez thought at this point that things would be okay and that he would get his shoes back. This however was not the case. “I got a call like a week later with the status on it was like, ‘oh yeah you don’t have enough information to press any charges you don’t have enough evidence,’” Nevarez said, “I was upset you know obviously because the evidence was that he took it there’s nothing more that I can prove in that.” Nevarez claims that his story isn’t unique and that the rates of crime around campus seem to be getting higher. “There is scary stuff happening around here and I think its growing too,” Nevarez said. “When I commuted the first year and lived in Lincoln park the second there wasn’t really much of anything and then this past year there’s been a lot more severe stuff happening.” Nevarez’s story is just one student’s encounter with crime, but there are many more students with similar stories. Katherine Bellew, a 21-year-old DePaul student, was the victim of a phone theft not too far from the Student Center. “It happened last June on Kenmore about a block away from the Student Center,” she said. I was walking and passed three teenagers, about sixteen years old. They came up behind me, shoved me, and took my phone and ran. I was very startled and cried until a neighbor walking their dog saw and brought me back to campus.” That day, DePaul was having their annual Fest concert on the quad, which included police and campus public safety presence. “I did file a report with public safety because I kind of forced to because they saw me talking to the cops on campus and then started to ask me questions,” she said. The theft left an impact on Katherine, not only because she lost an expensive and important item, but also a harsh reminder that anyone is a target on urban campuses.
“Always be aware of your surroundings and don’t go on your phone if possible, also try not to walk alone,” she said. This was in the daytime and I still got targeted.” Despite contacting campus public safety and the Chicago police, her phone was never found. Mike Marterie, a sheriff with the Chicago Police Department, shared some helpful safety tips for students when walking on or around campus. “Don’t ever wear two ear buds when walking day or night,” he said.. “Always have your keys in your hand with the key sticking out, it makes a great weapon if you have to defend yourself. Stay off the train especially after dark. When walking, keep your face out of your phone and always look at people walking towards you and look behind you often.” For campus safety, Public Safety is the go-to security service that is accessible for 22,000 plus students to use 24 hours a day, seven days a week and houses all the crime statistics reported on and off-campus. In their 2019 Safety and Security Information Report, they’ve reported the types of crimes committed in the Lincoln Park campus and residential facilities between 2017 and 2018, which can be seen in the graphic to the left. Looking at these numbers, it is noted that all of these crimes, except for liquor violations, have not changed by a drastic amount, less than 20 reports. The DePaulia also reported on these crimes statistics, agreeing that they appear stagnant with little change, but have also added that there are some crimes that went unreported, either by students not reporting them or these reports are compiled in a different report other than Public Safety’s. They’ve also stated that Public Safety knows about these reports and are in their best interest to provide support and any way to prevent any further crime from happening. Despite these efforts, some students still don’t feel as safe. “It makes me feel really unsafe because I work and live in Lincoln Park,” Aggie Kallinicou, a DePaul senior, said. “I’m al-
BIANCA CSEKE | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul students worry about their safety on campus, especially durimg the late night hours. ways walking around at night and I don’t feel like I can walk by myself. I’m on high alert, looking around to make sure no one’s around me.” Crime is looking stagnant for the Lincoln Park campus, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. These reports show that students have to face the challenge of safely maneuvering around campus while being on alert for any potential threat. Students shouldn’t take these little changes in crime rates lightly and need to be prepared at all times when living both on and off-campus. This is where students should use the available resources at their disposal to provide the best possible chance of avoiding any unwanted interactions.
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Voter registration bill sparks controversy over implementation By Patsy Newitt Asst. News Editor
Automatic voter registration seemed to be the only thing Illinois state Democrats and Republicans could agree on in 2017. The bill received not only bipartisan, but unanimous support by state senators, making Illinois the 10th state to sign in automatic voter registration in August 2017. Throughout the process of implementation, however, many advocates have had concerns with how the Secretary of State’s office has carried out the bill’s provisions. The initial criticism was with the delay of implementation, which state officials tied to Illinois’ struggle to roll out Real ID. While the law set an original deadline of July 2018, most provisions were not enacted until July 2019. Advocates are now concerned with what they describe as unnecessary roadblocks the secretary of state’s office has included in the registration process. Currently, citizens have access to an optout model of automatic voter registration when receiving a Real ID; when citizens receive a Real ID, they are automatically registered to vote unless they choose not to. There is an opt-in process when getting a standard driver’s license or state ID in Illinois. Citizens need to check a box and sign their name attesting to citizenship to ensure that non-citizens don’t accidentally get registered, according to Matt Dietrich, spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Voter Registration. But, during the process, Illinoisans are required to submit a second signature — something advocates of automatic voter registration are wary of and feel is a requirement unrelated to voter eligibility. Real ID and standard ID applicants sign their names electronically at the beginning of
the process and sign their name on a paper form later, according to Ami Gandi, senior counsel at the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. The paper form is then scanned in and uploaded. According to Secretary of State spokesperson Dave Druker, this signature is necessary to protect against non-citizen voter registration. The office claims that this signature bars not only accidental registration, but also deportation for committing a felony – voting without citizenship. “Our point has been that people who are eligible for a driver’s license may not be eligible to vote,” Druker said. Because the secretary of state’s office cannot ask applicants in advance if they’re U.S. citizens, the process includes two boxes to be checked: one saying an individual is above the age of 18 and the other that they are a U.S. citizen. Then, the second signature. But some advocates say the extra signature is unrelated to citizenship affirmation and doesn’t prove citizenship; with proper implementation of the bill and engagement of community organizations, both the optout and opt-in processes should be safer for non-citizens. Just Democracy, a coalition of organizations pushing for the removal of the second signature, is comprised of nonpartisan immigrant rights organizations. Gandi said they receive regular input from immigrant community members about the safeguards they would like to see so that both immigrant citizens do not have access to voting and non-citizens are not accidentally ensnared in the voting registration process. “Under no circumstances do any of us want to see community members deported for improper voter registration or engage-
News. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 7
“Any extra steps in the registration process beyond what the law requires ends up increasing barriers to voter registration for historically disenfranchised communities.”
Ami Gandi
Civil Rights Attorney ment,” Gandi said. “Just Democracy knows [better] than the secretary of state’s office what is going to be the real harm in communities… non-citizens should be able to show documentation and they should be screened out of the voter registration process.” “We take very seriously the importance of protecting immigrant community members,” she added. “But that does not excuse adding signature requirements or other bureaucratic steps that are unrelated to checking or ensuring voter eligibility.” Druker said there’s nothing illegal with adding more signatures. But extra regulations like these, Gandi said, typically end up affecting disenfranchised communities, including communities of color. There’s a history of American voter suppression of communities of color. Requirements like multi-page registration forms and multiple forms of ID have been used in southern states to make voting seem more intimidating. Literacy tests and poll taxes weren’t banned until the Voting Rights Act of 1964. In Georgia, Secretary of State Brian
Kemp was sued in 2018 for holding nearly 50,000 voting registration applications made up mostly of minority voters because of Georgia’s “exact-match” law during his gubernatorial campaign. “Any extra steps in the registration process beyond what the law requires ends up increasing barriers to voter registration for historically disenfranchised communities,” Gandi said. Druker disagrees that this process discriminates. “It takes 10 seconds to check off those two boxes to say yes, do you want to vote and sign the form,” he said. “I can’t see how anybody has been discriminated against.” Jay Young, executive director of Common Cause Illinois, an organization part of Just Democracy, cites basic human psychology as an important aspect of limiting barriers. “The human brain doesn’t like obstacles; you want to make it as easy and as seamless as possible,” he said. “You don’t want to make people...jump through as many hoops.” Additionally, according to the Department of Voter registration, a part of the bill that instates opt-in processes at other agencies has only been partially implemented. While the bill has registered around 740,000 voters since July 2018, according to the Department of Voter Registration, advocates believe effective implementation could specifically limit barriers to disenfranchised communities. This effective implementation of the law would include reforms like proper language access, training employees to answer applicant questions and making the system as streamlined and electronic as possible to keep it from being confusing. “It’s profoundly frustrating,” Young said. “Particularly in a time when we have all this idea, whether real or not, that the government is not designed to work for you… and automatic voter registration is designed to push back against that.”
Rideshare tax increases travel fare downtown By Elena King Contributing Writer
Chicago, home to some of the highest taxes in the nation, introduced a new rideshare tax on January 6. This tax, brought on by Mayor Lori Lightfoot, aims to alleviate much of the traffic congestion in Chicago as a form of incentivizing commuters to take public transit or shared rides in order to lessen traffic and pollution. Additionally, it hopes to generate $40 million in revenue for the city. This tax will likely change the way people commute, especially for those arriving or leaving the downtown area. Private, or solo trips on services such as Uber or Lyft will have a $1.25 tax. For those traveling in a private car to or from the downtown area between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. during the weekdays, an additional charge of $1.75 will be added to those rides, but solo riders are not the only ones being hit by higher fares. For shared rides, like Uber Pool, passengers will be charged 65 cents outside of the downtown area and $1.25 for shared trips downtown. “The tax is high enough that it’s going to shift traffic to other modes like walking, biking and transit,” Joseph Schwieterman, director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development and professor at DePaul’s School of Public Service, said. “The ef-
fects, though, will be very small. The biggest benefit will be less disruption from inappropriately parked rideshare vehicles, rather than a large scale reduction in traffic all together.” The congestion tax aims to target the central business district, or what’s widely known as the downtown area, but many Chicagoans are unaware of where the boundaries of this district lay. According to the Chicago Data Portal, the central business district makes up of several neighborhoods including the Near North Side, River North, Fulton River District, New East Side, Streeterville, Greek Town and the South Loop. This grouping of neighborhoods represents the areas where business is most dense and most populated with work and spending, and in turn, most congested with traffic. Those who view rideshare services as a luxury might believe that their consumers are unlikely to be discouraged by a hike in pricing, while others in support of the tax believe that it will inevitably help mobility in the city. Schwieterman predicts that a $3 increase in price could lead to a 15-20 percent reduction in short hop trips by rideshare. “That’s not scientific, but when you change the price from $0.72 to $1.25, a quick 6 block trip on rideshare suddenly doesn’t look so good.” Jenny Lupita is a DePaul student who recently moved to the
suburbs. Lupita says that location matters a lot when making a decision to travel via rideshare or public transit. “Now I’d probably just suck it up and pay the $3 because the distance is so much more,” Lupita said. “A year ago when I was close to public transit I’d probably just take the CTA. I think it depends on how close you are to the CTA.” While the congestion tax may benefit vehicle mobility in the most populated areas of Chicago, drivers who will likely suffer from the tax are facing a different reality. Riders who live far from public transit may be forced to change their morning routines to accommodate for a longer commute. Drivers, many of them living on the south and west sides of the city, and plenty others in the suburbs, will likely suffer financially as a result of this tax. A higher price on single rides could mean more consumers choosing shared trips. This is an attractive offer to riders, but for drivers, it is one that requires more work for the same pay as a single ride. Enriqueta Hyde has been driving for Uber for six months and has concerns for what this could mean for her. “It’s been slower since New Years and there have been less surges for what I’ve noticed,” she said. “I used to drive longer hours when I didn’t reach my quo-
ta, now it sometimes feels like a waste of gas and time.” Another concern for drivers could be the ways in which customers tip at the end of their rides. According to an article by Curbed Chicago which recorded data dating back to as early as 2018, 82 percent of riders did not tip their driver. If a passenger is paying $3 more than what they are used to in order to get to a location, passengers who normally tip may now be less inclined to do so. Julia Cary, a senior at DePaul University feels apprehensive about getting around at night after the introduction of the con-
gestion tax. Cary currently works in the loop area and depends on services like Lyft to get her home on nights when she works late or on nights that she goes out. “I definitely rely on Lyft and Uber,” Cary said. “Not every day but when I need to go to meetings that are far and not near trains, then I have to take it. I also would not go out as much at night if I had to take public transportation.” Cary, much like many young women, depends on rideshare services as a form of security at night and believes that an increase in pricing may influence the ways women navigate the city after hours.
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8 | News. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
CAMPUS CRIME REPORT:
Jan. 8 - 14, 2020
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
LOOP CAMPUS
1150 W. Fullerton 5
Clifton-Fullerton Hall University Hall 7 3
11
4
9
8
McGowan North
Student Center
1
2
10
10
DePaul Center
Munroe Hall
12 2
13
1
14
9
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS JAN. 10 1) A Criminal Trespass Warning was issued to a person at McGowan North. 2) A Criminal Trespass Warning was issued to a person at the Student Center. 3) A Smell of Marijuana report was filed in University Hall. No drugs were found.
JAN. 11 4) A Smell of Marijuana report was filed in
University Hall. No drugs were found. 5) A Disturbance report was filed for a person screaming in the lobby of 1150 W. Fullerton. 6) A Theft report was filed for a person whose items were taken from their backpack. 7) A Smell of Marijuana report was filed in Clifton-Fullerton Hall. No drugs were found.
Assault & Theft
Drug & Alcohol
JAN. 12 8) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor
report was filed for a person in University Hall. Person was transported to Illinois Masonic by Chicago EMS. 9) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed in Munroe Hall. Person was transported to Illinois Masonic by Chicago EMS. 10) A Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed for a person at Munroe Hall. Person was transported to Illinois Masonic by Chicago EMS. 11) Jan. 12 A Smell of Marijuana report was filed in Clifton-Fullerton Hall. No drugs were found.
Other
LOOP CAMPUS JAN. 9 12) A Criminal Trespass Warning was issued to
a person in the DePaul Center library 13) Criminal Trespass Warning was issued to a person in the DePaul Center lobby.
JAN. 13 14) A Theft report was filed for a wallet taken from a person in the CDM building. 15) A Bicycle Theft report was filed for a bike taken from the rack outside the CDM building.
News. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020| 9
The 606 trail’s relationship with displacement Faculty council discusses diversity, enrollment strategies
By Brita Hunegs Staff Writer
Last Wednesday, the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University released a new report, examining how the 606 trail has intensified the displacement of people in the neighborhoods surrounding it. The study was released just one day after the City Council, and the mayor, approved a six-month moratorium on demolition for the area surrounding the elevated bike and walk trail that first opened in 2015. Results from IHS’s investigation show prices for one to four flat homes have increased 344 percent since 2012. In that year, the median sales price for a two to four flat was $97,000. By 2018, it was $462,000. Higher volume housing has historically offered more affordability, and the rising cost means less accessibility to housing and subsequent displacement of longtime residents, often vulnerable ones like minority and low-income people. Gentrification has become part of the Chicago real estate ethos. So have efforts to curb it. However, Professor of Geography, Sustainable Development and Director of the School of Public Service Euan Hauge, says the moratorium is unprecedented “to actually do a demolition delay because of where a neighborhood is, is breaking new territory.” The ban is a compromise for Aldermen Carlos Ramirez-Rosa and Roberto Maldonado who championed the freeze and whose wards partially encompass the trail. The original ordinance called for a 12-14 month halt in demolitions, building permits and zoning changes. The approved moratorium will ban demolition permits for six months. Much of the property around the 606 was built before the first zoning laws were introduced in 1927. Demand to live in the area has incentivized developers to convert the multiple unit buildings into luxury single family homes, a process known as downzoning. There is disagreement whether downzoning, or its inverse, upzoning, is the culprit behind gentrification. In some cases, upzoning is incentivized by developers who want to capitalize on an in-demand area and maximize their profits by increasing the number of units available. However, upzoning can also be used to keep supply steady, and therefore keep prices down. North of the 606, Alderman Matt Martin recently decided not to down zone blocks of the ward, a decision that went against some in his community. Martin’s Director of Development and Infrastructure, Josh Mark, said Martin ultimately made the decision in order to stave off developers replacing 2-flats with condos, because he said it would reduce the availability of housing in the area. “We agree that this housing getting torn down and affordable units are disappearing from the market, but we don’t agree that downzoning is the solution,” Mark said. Zoning determines what can be built, not what can be taken down. In Andersonville’s neighboring North Center, teardowns have been rampant and lower density homes haven’t maintained affordability. Mark cites this as part of the Alderman Martin’s reasoning. “Older single family homes and 2 flats are getting replaced by mcmansions which are even less affordable,” he said. But zoning also doesn’t account for what rental prices can be set at. Meaning, an upzoned building with higher density could still be listed with decidedly unaf-
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
A Loop-bound Pink Line train makes it way into the Kedzie station in the Norht Lawndale neighborhood. The neighoborhood has seen effects from the 606 trail.
“What we see is it’s perfectly legal to demolish and put something new in its place. The new stuff tends to be as big as possible as allowed by that zoning code. this determines how neighborhoods develop all over the city.”
Euan Hauge
Director of the School of Public Service
fordable prices, if demand in the market allows for it. “What we see is it’s perfectly legal to demolish and put something new in its place,” Hauge said. “The new stuff tends to be as big as possible as allowed by that zoning code. This determines how neighborhoods develop all over the city.” Resident of Martin’s ward and member of the neighborhood association, South of Foster Zoning Committee, Dan Nelson advocated for the downzoning that Martin ultimately decided against, “Everything becomes harder when you start to jam ppl into an area that are designed for smaller places,” Nelson said. “If the alderman said ‘I want to build some affordable housing,’ you’d see 200 ppl show up and sign onto that. But that’s not what their doing. They’re just building giant expensive properties.” Imbued into the tension is the history of aldermanic prerogative, the ability for aldermen to dictate what gets built in their ward. Mayor Lightfoot has maintained will be dismantled through her tenure “What we’ve seen historically is once a neighborhood starts gentrifying it’s very hard to stop it. It often comes down to who has the resources to make their case” Hague said. “People see their neighborhood changing and don’t know anything about it and therefore they feel they have no control over where they live. That’s a real sense of being attacked.” Mark agrees with Lightfoot that the tradition is problematic because it doesn’t allow for comprehensive planning, and allows too much discretion up to the individual alderman “This has been disruptive to our city,” Mark said. “Zoning has the potential to be used as an aggressive, exclusionary, racist tool and that is all the more the case when you make zoning decisions at the smallest scale possible.”
But last year’s city council election ushered in a wave of progressive aldermen with motivations Hague thinks differs from their predecessors “We’ve seen across the city the election of aldermen who represent the community that is feeling threatened by the type of development, rather than representing the community that is moving in, or potential investors.” Mark says the progressive caucus, of which Martin counts himself in, has a goal to fight against segregation and increase affordable housing making the stance against aldermanic prerogative murkier, “We’re not going to vote to give ourselves less power to do good things unless we can develop citywide legislation to enforce the kind of outcomes we’re aiming for,” Mark said. “If Rosa and Maldonado didn’t have the type of influence they have over their ward, this would have never happened.” Nelson thinks the solution is to financially incentivize the building and preservation of affordable, multiple unit properties, “You decide 2-flats are the most impt thing in the city and you make it so profitable to have one that ppl wont deconvert them,” Nelson said. But resolutions like this happen at the citywide, macro level and Chicago’s land planning occurs at a smaller scale. This is the hurdle that Hague says eventually needs to be addressed for any real progress to be made. But for now, the moratorium is a beneficial measure, “It is good that there is a period where we can have as a city a discussion about what these types of investment how they impact the city what it means for the residents” Hague said. “There’s always this tension between what’s best for the city and what’s best for the neighborhood.”
By Lacey Latch Managing Editor
DePaul’s faculty council spent much of their Jan. 15 meeting addressing concerns regarding diversity and inclusion throughout their ranks. When Valerie Johnson, the chair of the political science department presented her motion to prioritize diversity in the hiring process for Associate Deans, she noted that the proposal comes “about 7 years late.” Initially introduced in 2012, this diversity in hiring motion never actually made its way across the desk of the Faculty Council, until now. “At the Associate Dean level and up, we struggle with hiring people of color,” Johnson explained in the meeting. As of now, there is no explicit priority placed on diversity or inclusion when it comes to Associate Deans. As was discussed in the meeting as well, this motion is seen as a building block for making upper-level management more diverse in all positions, overall creating a clearer pathway for people of color. As it stands today, of the 29 Associate Deans at the University, 16 are female and 13 are male, just 3 are black and only one is Latinx, according to Interim Provost Salma Ghanem at the meeting. One of the Associate Deans in the Business school raised a handful of his concerns, namely that diversity is not clearly defined in the motion, begging the question of whether it could refer to many things like the “diversity of thought or practice.” After much discussion, Johnson responded that the diversity in question is “the diversity that matters,” she said. “The diversity that makes a difference.” Despite receiving near-unanimous support from those in Faculty Council, the matter was tabled until next month’s meeting as Johnson fine-tunes the wording of the proposal. Due to time constraints, a comprehensive report on DePaul’s faculty over the last decade related to trends in rank, gender and race or ethnicity was also pushed to next month’s meeting. On the enrollment side of things, while this fall saw the largest freshman class ever on campus, there was a decline in overall enrollment, largely due to a decline in transfer students. Paula Luff, the new Vice President of Division Planning and Management, attributes much of the decline in transfers to the national trend of less and less students attending community college, where we recruit the majority of our transfer students from. As a result, President Esteban has hired an outside consultant to look at our admissions process as well as four individual recruiters responsible for increasing DePaul’s visibility out-of-state, which Luff admitted is “a slow process.”
Nation &World
10 | Nation & World. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
Judge temporarily blocks Texas refugee ban By Cailey Gleeson Nation & World Editor
Under an executive order by President Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott announced last Friday that Texas would no longer be accepting refugees—prompting nationwide backlash. The Sept. 2019 executive order aimed to increase involvement of local governments in the refugee resettlement process by allowing states to place limits on—or even veto—the amount of accepted refugees. Nationwide, 42 governors have consented to allowing refugees within their states,making Texas the first known state to refuse. Rev. Craig Mousin, University Ombudsperson and professor of refugee and forced migration studies, said The Refugee Act of 1980 outlines terms for individuals to seek asylum within the United States. “If you have a fear of persecution or have been persecuted on account of race, religion, nationality, political, pin, your social group, we will consider you for asylum as rich,” Mousin said. “We also have a separate provision of the law that allows the president each year to say we will resettle X number of refugees.” In Abbott’s letter to the State Department, he cited financial reasons as to why Texas could not accept any more refugees. “At this time, the state and non-profit organizations have a responsibility to dedicate available resources to those who are already here, including refugees, migrants and the homeless,” he said. Rajit Mazumder, an associate history professor at DePaul specializing in refugee and forced migration studies, said the move was detrimental given the amount of refugees Texas has accepted in the past. “In the last few years, Texas has taken in the second largest number of refugees only after California,” Mazumder said. “So this is a big blow to the entire world of refugees and refugee settlement in the United States.” The amount of refugees accepted in the U.S. has drastically declined since Trump took office. 110,000 refugees were resettled under President Obama in 2017 while only 30,000 were resettled during the 2019 fiscal year. A record low 18,000 refugees are proposed to be resettled in 2020. 2,500 refugees resettled in Texas during that time period, according to Pew Research Center. Hadiya Afzal, a junior political science major at DePaul, said the gravity of the “intensely troubling” decision is not understood because many do not understand the process of seeking refuge. “Texas has resettled the most refugees of any state over the past few years, so this next step is intensely troubling and speaks to the pure partisanship of the decision,” Afzal said. “Most Americans don’t understand just how hard the refugee process is for anyone traveling to the United States, and the disgusting decision to switch to an “opt-in” system for states and cities is only exacerbating the resettlement crisis.” Mazumder said the decision reflects ideas of citizenship central to the Trump administration. “It’s pandering to a certain kind of idea that people had about what it is to be America, what it is to be American and therefore who what kind of people they want to be allowed into the country,” Mazumder said. While this most recent instance speaks to the current political climate, the relationship between refugees and the U.S. has always been tumultuous.
JAY JANNER | AP In this June 21, 2019 file photo, Gov. Greg Abbott, left, speaks at a news conference at the Capitol, in Austin, Texas. Abbott says the state will reject the re-settlement of new refugees, becoming the first state known to do so under a recent Trump administration order.
Shailja Sharma, a DePaul international studies professor, said the U.S. “hasn’t always gotten it right in terms of refugees.” “Before 1951, the term didn’t exist as a legal category so each country was free to do what they wanted,” Sharma said. “The US kept out many groups fearing disease or from not wanting people from certain countries. Until 1943, they refused to accept Jews from Europe. When ships full of Jewish refugees docked in NY they were sent on to South America.” Mazumder said that while attitudes towards refugees has fluctuated in the past, recent instances of antipathy appears to be a part of a more troublesome trend. “The recent antipathy towards refugees in particular, especially against refugees of color, especially those coming across the southern borders as a very specific kind of background to it in the sense that it seems to be part of a greater kind of wolf whistle to white racism in the country,” Mazumder said. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Peter Messittee issued a preliminary injunction, temporarily blocking the Trump administration from enforcing the executive order. Mousin said it is important to understand what the injunction means, as enjoining an order in an emergency does not permanently overrule it. “If you don’t issue the injunction, the harm is going to happen and we won’t be able to fix that harm,” Mousin said. “So it stops it from going into effect, let the case continue and then you decide over here whether it’s should be overruled or not. The administration didn’t immediately com ment on whether or not an appeal will be made regarding the decision. Mousin said the backlash to the order has created ‘some signs of hope’ for future attitudes towars refugees. “I feel very strongly that this administration’s opposition to refugees has helped fuel a climate that’s for some people,” Mousin said. “It makes it easy to be anti-refugee, I should say. There’s also some signs of hope that it’s also engaged more people to realize that we should be more hospitable refugees. So it’s sort of a backlash to this is also happening and seeing more student groups, church groups, other groups looking for ways to be more hospitable to refugees.”
Impeachment Inquiry week in review By Cailey Gleeson Nation & World Editor
TUESDAY, Jan. 14 — The House released documents that show Trump’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani requested a private meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskiy with “Trump’s knowledge and consent”—a claim Trump denied to reporters on Jan. 16. The documents came as part of evidence turned over to investigators by Lev Parnas – an associate of Giuliani under federal indictment on campaign finance charges. Other documents released by Parnas show communications between him and Ukrainian prosecutor Yuriy Lutsenko complaining about the Trump administration not firing the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch. WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15 —The House of Representatives voted to send articles to impeachment—charging President Donald Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress—to the Senate. The move came after Speaker Nancy Pelosi named the House managers for the Senate trial. The seven legislators who will prosecute the case against Trump are: Reps. Jason Crow, Val Demings, Sylvia Garcia, Hakeem Jeffries, Zoe Lofgren, Jerry Nadler and Adam Schiff. Parnas said Trump knew about the communications with Ukraine. THURSDAY, Jan. 16 — Articles of impeachment read to the Senate, officially initiating the third impeachment trial in American history. The Senate swore in Chief Justice John G. Roberts to preside over the trial, who then administered the same oath to senators. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has yet to deliver a resolution regarding trial procedures, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the vote for witnesses will likely be forced on Tuesday. Former National Security Adviser John Bolton and White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney are among proposed witnesses, but Republicans and Democrats have been split on the role of witnesses in the trial.
UNCREDITED | AP
In this image from video, President Pro Tempore of the Senate Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa., swears in Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as the presiding officer for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020.
Ceremonial functions of the impeachment trial were conducted before the Senate adjourned for the long weekend, with the official commencement set to begin next Tuesday. Outside of the Capitol Building, the General Accountability Office concluded the White House violated the law when military aid was frozen to Ukraine. FRIDAY, Jan. 17 — Trump expanded his defense team to include famed prosecutors Kenneth Starr, Robert Ray and Alan Dershowitz. SATURDAY, Jan. 18 — Trump officially responded to the charges of impeachment against him, with his legal team claiming the charges to be illegitimate and an attempt to hurt Trump’s chances in the 2020 election. THE WEEK AHEAD: On Jan. 20, Trump’s trial brief is due. On Jan. 21, the House’s rebuttal to the president’s brief is due and the trial will officially kick off. Depending on the content of McConnell’s resolutions, a forced vote on trial witnesses may occur.
Nation & World. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 11
Chicago residents speak out on Puerto Rico earthquake By María Guerrero Managing Editor, La DePaulia
Following the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Puerto Rico on January 7, about 60,000 residents are left without power and over 4,000 people are now living in shelters, causing the island to experience the worst earthquake damage in decades. Karina Cruz Pagán, a Puertorican and student at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, was visiting her immediate family in Caguas, Puerto Rico for the holidays at the time of the earthquake. “At 4:24 a.m. I woke up from the movement of my bed – my door and my mirror were moving with an intensity I had never witnessed before,” Pagán said. “Later it happened again – there was another one at 7:20 a.m. with a 6.0 magnitude.” CARLOS GIUSTI | AP The 6.4 magnitude earth- People take pictures of the Immaculate Concepcion Catholic church hours after a magnitude 5.9 earthquake, following a previous earthquake earlier in the week quake hit the southern part of collapsed part of the church in Guanica, Puerto Rico. the island. Towns like Guayanilla, A year after Maria more than from María – we haven’t been over ganizations like The Puerto Rican Guánica, Sabana Grande, Yauco, Ricans are anxious, it’s a horrible uncertainty. Hurricane Maria left one-fifth of residents on the island it and the government is not helpful Agenda of Chicago are calling local Ponce and Peñuelas were heavily afresidents recovering from the expeneeded and received mental health when it comes to that.” and national leaders for action. fected as they sit near the epicenter. rience. ” services, while 13 percent said they Joe Tafoya, a Political Science In a press conference held in The next day, Gov. Wanda Hurricane Maria, a category started a new or higher dose of preprofessor at DePaul, was visiting Humboldt Park, Iris Martinez, IlVazquez declared a state of emerfour hurricane that impacted the scription medication to ease emoSan Juan days after the earthquake linois state senator and resident of gency and President Donald Trump island on September 2017, killed tional complications. The emotional for the Southern Political Science Albany Park, said that as Puerto Risigned an emergency declaration, approximately 2,975 residents and impact on the storm caused a spike Association conference. cans and as a community, they need authorizing the Federal Emergency leaving Puerto Ricans to suffer from in suicides, drug use and domestic “The whole time I was there, to show the island they are offering Management Agency to provide the post-traumatic stress disorder. violence in adults. there was no mention, no response, the support they need. necessary assistance and resources Ebony Calderon, 19, a Puerto Calderon said Puerto Ricans in the way the federal government “Our call to action is making to the impacted regions. Rican and freshman at DePaul Uniwere still recuperating from María is going to help, ” Tafoya said. “Nothsure that our congressmen and senPagán said Puerto Ricans are versity, said she was living in Puerto when the earthquake shook the ising at all, the United States is not ators are making sure the resourcliving in shelters and residents are Rico at the time of the hurricane. land. prioritizing Puerto Rico. I like to es are getting to Puerto Rico in a without electricity since 4:24 a.m. “It was horrible, ” Calderon said. “People say the island is doing think that Puerto Ricans are U.S. very quick manner, ” Martinez said. on the day of the earthquake. “My generation hadn’t seen anybetter but actually the island hasn’t citizens and are equal to us but I “That should be the priority of con“One way or another, the whole thing like that and when the earthrecovered. ” Calderon said. “I see don’t think the U.S. government gress at this time around. ” island is affected by this. Even those quake occurred, we thought it was my friends videos on Snapchat and thinks that. ” away from Puerto Rico are suffering their afraid. Everyone has PTSD While in Chicago, nonprofit oremotionally,” Pagán said. “Puerto going to be María all over again.”
Senate committe evaluates Trump nuclear energy policy By Camille Koch Contributing Writer
On Jan. 15, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing to discuss the one-year progress of the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act. The act, signed into law by President Donald Trump on Jan. 14, 2019, seeks to regulate the Nuclear Regulatory Commission . The law demands “performance metrics and milestone schedules must be developed for activities requested by applicants and licensees. In addition, the NRC must implement processes to ensure accurate invoicing.” The law required the commission to develop a new licensing process for “commercial advanced nuclear reactors” and were given 270 days to implement these changes, according to the Jurist. Under the law, the commission is required to have created a regulatory framework that is technologicallyinclusive for “licensing commercial advanced nuclear reactors,” the Jurist said. The meeting started off with an introduction of the topic led by U.S. Senator John Barrasso, the chairman of the committee. In his speech, he described Nuclear Energy as “clean, reliable and Carbon-Free.” “It is cleaner, but ‘cleaner’ is also subjective,” said Tyler Barron, a policy fellow at the Environmental Law and Policy Center. “Our big bugaboo about
nuclear [power] is the simple fact that Unfortunately, the ‘fire’ of the reaction can there are certain products that are also run out of control, causing meltdowns, cleaner that don’t come with the adherent explosions and spreading of radioactive risk and necessary cleanup and necessary material.” overhead and oversight and necessary After an opening statement from Sen. investment that nuclear comes with.” Tom Carper, D-Del., the mic was handed Barron said the center is against the off to the two witness of the hearing, use of nuclear energy Ma r g a re t altogether. Doane, the “Why do we executive want to spend all director of of this money, all operations at of this oversight, all the Nuclear of this regulatory Regulatory necessities to invest Commission, in an energy that we and Ben Ficks could get from wind Jr., the deputy and solar without chief financial the extra baggage?” officer of the Barron said. commission. Mark Potosnak, “Over the an associate professor past year, the for environmental NRC staff has science and studies successfully at DePaul University, implemented said storing nuclear N E I M A’s waste is a major ELPC policy fellow re qu i re m e nt s concern of nuclear and met all energy production. of NEIMA’s “First, some of the smaller atoms are deadlines,” Doane said. radioactive and therefore very dangerous This included actions such as to human and animal health and long- implementing “risk-informed and term safe disposal is very difficult,” performance-based techniques and Potosnak said. “Second, once started, guidance for the resolution of numerous the reaction of splitting atoms is self- policy issues regarding new reactors,” sustaining, somewhat like lighting a fire. and creating a “draft regulatory guide
“Any investment in clean energy that produces a significant return on investment will spur more production of clean energy,”
Tyler Barron
technology-inclusive, risk-informed, performance-based licensing approach for advanced reactor licensing.” Ficks touched on the fiscal side of the act. He highlighted the improvements the commission has made in the past year including adding new data elements to their energy systems and implementing a new billing systems that allow them to be more transparent in their money spending. This act was created with the intent of increasing the use of nuclear power across the country. Potosnak said Chicago is already a hub for nuclear energy. “We currently have a large nuclear industry in Chicago. Much more of our electricity comes from nuclear compared to other parts of the country,” Potosnak said. With an increase of nuclear power plants, Chicago could be at risk of new nuclear power plants in the area. “My concern with the increase of nuclear power plants would be any nuclear malfunctions,” said DePaul junior Patrick Mont. Barron believes this nuclear energy is still a step in the right direction despite shortcomings. “Any investment in clean energy that produces a significant return on investment will spur more production of clean energy,” Barron said.
12 | Opinions. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
Opinions
A helping hand
GRAPHIC BY GINA RICARDS
Without proper disability services, education becomes a barrier rather than an opportunity By Isabelle Garreaud Contributing Writer
Starting college is a daunting adventure of meeting new people, learning new material in classes, and overall, figuring out your future. But for students with disabilities, there is an added worry of being properly accommodated so they can learn just like their other classmates. Imagine in every college class you took, you only heard about 20 percent of what the professor was saying. Imagine how much information you would miss, how much harder learning the subject would be, and how insecure you would feel for being left out of the conversation. That was my unaccommodated life in college because of my hearing loss. Yet, I’m not the only one with a similar story. According to The National Center for Educational Statistics, about 20,000 hard of hearing and deaf students attend college every year. The National Federation for the Blind states that less than 16 percent of blind or visually impaired individuals have earned a college degree. Postsecondary National Policy Institute’s research reported that 11 percent of all undergraduates have at least one disability that impacts the way they learn. While disability laws require students to be accommodated, schools can get away with doing the bare minimum or without having the proper resources to accommodate the wide spectrum of disabilities. I experienced those bare minimum accommodations as I was only provided with student notetakers, which wasn’t all that helpful, preferential seating, and priority registration for classes. Without the proper accommodations and not fully knowing their rights, students with disabilities can have a very challenging time at college. I spent four years teaching myself
INFOGRAPHIC BY LACEY LATCH
Left: Only 16 percent of blind or visually impaired individuals are college graduates, according to The National Federation for the Blind. Right: About 20,000 hearing impaired students attend college every year and just 18 percent of hearing impaired adults have earned bachelor’s degrees, according to the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes. through Google, or asking my classmates for help so I could pass my classes. My university’s disability office was unable to give me the accommodations I needed and my professors didn’t know how to help me besides go easy on me when grading. After I graduated from college in 2017, I never wanted to step foot in a classroom again. To me, school was for people who didn’t have disabilities. This year, I decided I wanted to be a paralegal, which requires studying and obtaining a certificate. DePaul University not only has a Paralegal Certificate Program but also has the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD), that strives to make sure each student gets the proper accommodations they need to succeed. After going through their enrollment process, CSD set me up with closed caption real-time translation services so I would never miss a word. Everything the teacher or students said was transcribed to a mini-tablet they give me.
It’s something so simple but it completely changed my outlook on school. I don’t have to guess what is going on or try to learn the subject on my own. My insecurities went away. I am now raising my hand in class to answer questions or give my opinion. I’m excited to go to class and learn. I know what the assignments are and the instructions on how to do them. It’s the experience I wish I had when I attended college, but I’m grateful that DePaul University inspired me to want to learn again. Emelia Patterson earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Missouri and has severe bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. She also had a great experience working with her college’s disability office, where she was accommodated with microphones in each classroom and subtitles on all videos watched in class. “All of the accommodations I received were so helpful and instrumental to my success,” she said. “It’s a big part
of my identity that I’m proud of, and Mizzou always celebrated that.” When asked what advice she has for incoming college students with disabilities, she said, “I’d say take advantage of what’s available, be open-minded, and never stop advocating for yourself and your needs.” The number of students with disabilities attending and receiving a college degree can be greater if colleges stop doing the bare minimum set by disability laws. Rosalee Wolfe is the division director of Human-Computer Interaction and team lead for the American Sign Language Project, which is creating a digital English-to-ASL translator using an avatar named Paula. “There are many situations where members of the Deaf and [hard of hearing] communities face challenges in sharing information with the hearing community,” she said. Wolfe created Paula, named for DePaul University, with the hopes that it will help bridge the communication between deaf and hearing worlds. “However, for a classroom situation, machine translation is not capable of replacing a certified sign language interpreter,” Wolfe said. “Interpreters have knowledge of history, of culture and of context which is not available to a machine translator,” she said. If you have a disability, don’t be afraid to ask for help, because you have every right to be equipped with any tools you need to earn your degree. As for colleges, you have a duty to educate your students and those with disabilities should not be left out of your mission statement. Don’t wait for your first student with hearing loss, vision impairment, and so on to walk through your doors to figure out how to accommodate them; be prepared to know exactly how to accommodate them.
13| Opinions. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
By Rebecca Meluch Focus Editor
The prince may have found his princess, but it wasn’t all happily ever after. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced last week that they decided to take a “step back” as senior royals. Although social media and news outlets reacted heavily to the announcement, I believe the media was one of the many reasons why the couple decided to shed their royal status in the first place. Erik Tillman is a DePaul professor who specializes in European politics and public opinion. Tillman believes that there are many different factors that should be accounted for in the couple’s decision to resign from senior royal status. “I think there are a variety of overlapping factors,” he said. “I think one of the issues that has driven this has been is Harry and Meghan feeling like they haven’t been treated well by the media.” Not only did the Duke and Duchess step back as senior royals, but they also announced that they will no longer participate in the traditional royal press system that grants exclusive access to very few media outlets, as well as gain financial independence and live part time in North America. Ever since people found out about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s engagement in 2017, the tabloids never gave the young couple a break. Tillman also said that Markle being something of a non-traditional addition to the Royal Family may also be a reason for the media’s cruel portrayal of her, as well as the intrusiveness the media has
used on her. The media and the royal family have had a history of extreme and unhealthy coverage for decades now. Prince Harry’s mother Princess Diana – was constantly caught by the paparazzi wherever she was, and it seemed that her private life was publicized in every way imaginable . Perhaps the similar treatment to Meghan is what convinced Harry to step back from the royal family. When Meghan and Prince Harry announced their engagement in 2018, the British media welcomed her as an exciting and beautiful addition to the wilting royal family. However, it didn’t take long for the media to turn its back on Markle and spark up the racist controversial coverage. The press began to discuss her “exotic dna” and call her a “dictatorial” bride soon after the wedding. A Daily Mail headline also described her Los Angeles roots as “(almost) straight outta Compton” and “gangscarred”. There’s also been a sense of scrutiny in the media – either condemning or denouncing the young couple’s decision to leave senior royal status – not just by British tabloids, but by Canadian ones too. After the young couple announced they wanted to split their lives between Europe and North America, several Canadian tabloids like the Toronto Globe and Mail were very clear that the young couple wasn’t completely welcome there, or that Canada wasn’t a “halfway house” for anyone hoping to remain royal. Many criticizers have questioned what kind of special treatment and privileges the young couple will receive, and how are they so easily able to give up their royal responsbilities?
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, pictured on their wedding day. DePaul freshman Frankie Plourde easily found answers to these speculative questions. “Britain hasn’t been a monarchy for so long, the royal family are all figureheads and Megan and Harry’s decision to leave just shows how little responsibility they have,” she said. Meghan Markle was a successful actress to begin with before Prince Harry came into the picture, and after announcing financial independence, I believe the former-royal couple will be just fine and successful without their family’s power. And although the media has been invested after the couple’s announcement, there is also a lot of sympathy for Meghan and Harry for how they’ve been portrayed. When Prince William and Kate Middleton got married, the media only covered her in good light and still seem to do so in order to compare her and Meghan. In fact, a dozen or so side by side screens have gone viral this past week, showing a tabloid of Kate, right next to a tabloid of Meghan almost doing the exact same thing as Kate-but criticised. There could be many different reasonsbehind the young couple’s decision to take a step back from the Royal Familybut clearly, there has been an influx of harsh, critical , racist, and misogynistic
GRAPHIC BY GINA RICARDS
Acing the test By Xavier Ortega Photo Chief
With public opinion of the medicinal and recreational consumption of cannabis changing, many companies are sticking to their outdated ideas on what makes a “capable employee” by subjecting employees to drug tests to weed out the competition. In order for companies to be more progressive, while still maintaining a set safety protocol, impairment tests should replace drug testing. Drug testing traditionally consists of employees giving urine or saliva for pre-employment, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, or random drug testing, in order to look for evidence of the use of a small number of illegal drugs. Testing positive for specific drugs also does not mean that the person is impaired at that time or during work hours, which can be unfair to many employees that consume legal drugs for recreational or medicinal purposes outside of the workplace. Depending on the type of test and your personal consumption habits, if you test positive for cannabis, even if state law allows the recreational and medicinal use of cannabis, you could be terminated or penalized for having cannabis in your system.
Impairment testing works slightly differently from drug testing and does not require bodily fluids, which respects the employee’s privacy while also allowing the employer to check if there is anyone that isn’t fit for work. These tests measure actual impairment at the time of the test, rather than traces of past activity. Impairment tests determine whether workers in safety-sensitive positions are putting themselves or others at risk by measuring the workers’ current fitness for duty. Precise, computer-administered tests are available over the internet and do not require special equipment and could be administered on a daily basis. Impairment tests are also accepted by advocates of personal rights, such as the American Civil Liberties Union. Amy Hildebrand, an executive assistant at 4Front Ventures, a cannabis-investment company, is a medical and recreational cannabis user and supports the use of impairment tests rather than conventional drug tests. Hildebrand is a DePaul graduate and one of the founders of the Students for Sensible Drug Policy chapter at DePaul. During an internship with Students for Sensible Drug Policy, she saw that the chapter worked with impairment tests, which she believes to be better than traditional drug testing.
coverage on Markle herself for simply being a “royal outsider” and a biracial American woman. Some have even gone as far as calling her the modern day “Yoko Ono” for causing tension and breaking up the royal family. After the birth of the couple’s son, Archie Harrison, British radio host Danny Baker was fired after comparing the young couple’s child to a picture of a chimpanzee, a blatantly disrespectful and racist comment on Markle’s heritage. After parting ways with the radio station, Baker still felt like he didn’t say or do anything wrong, even after other media outlets and hosts condemned the former radio host for being outright racist and prejudiced. After keeping up and observing how much of the media treats Meghan Markle, getting swifted away by “Prince Charming” and living happily ever after in a palace doesn’t seem like it’s a fairy tale at all. Truly-Disney failed to show us what happens further past the “royal wedding”. Being a young American girl- who only dreamt of being swifted away by my “prince charming” and living happily ever in a palace- I was so excited for Meghan but truly-Disney failed to showed us what happens further past the “royal wedding”.
XAVIER ORTEGA | THE DEPAULIA
Impairment testing is believed to be more accurate than drug testing “I’m against the giving of fluid samples to prove that I’m a capable employee. I think that’s wrong. I think it’s against my personal and bodily autonomy. I am very much anti-drug tests,” says Hildebrand. “I am not anti impairment tests. I think that impairment tests are really important. My father is a career union electrician who operates heavy machinery and has a very very dangerous career. I do not want him or any of the men or women that he works with to be under the influence of anything whether it’s something that’s going to show up on a drug test or not.” Impairment tests are not perfect, but they are significantly better than drug tests because impairment tests search for “impairment”, which offers a wider scope of workers that may be unfit to work, than the workers that might use illegal or legal
drugs. Exhaustion impairs people, along with other drugs, to the point where they can be a safety hazard to themselves or others, especially in more safe-sensitive occupations. If a workplace enforces pre-employment and/or random drug testing, exhausted workers that have not consumed legal or illegal drugs will still be cleared to work and be a safety hazard. Another company that administers impairment testing, however, would prevent those accidents from occurring because it tests for impairment, not drug use. Drug tests are outdated and should be replaced with some kind of impairment testing system, just based on the benefits of impairment tests and how well it is received by employers and employees.
14 | Focus. The DePaulia. Jan.21, 2020
Focus
Thing to know be
For users By Rebecca Meluch Focus Editor
Illinois rang in the new year with the legalization of recreational cannabis for use and sale. On the morning of January 1, dispensaries were filled with customers and amongst college students. With legalization in effect, there are many facts and guidelines consumers must know, especially those that are college students. College students are highly recognized for using cannabis products across the country; as more states legalize it, there is no doubt that the trend exponentially increases. But before you exercise your new rights by lighting up a celebratory joint in the middle of DePaul’s quad, know all of the terms.
Legalization in effect Just like alcohol, the new law legalized cannabis for those who are 21 and over. Cannabis products can now legally be purchased at licensed dispensaries all over Chicago. Cannabis is legal to sell and possess in the state of Illinois but is still illegal at the federal level. The federal government still classifies cannabis as a schedule 1 drug — which means
it is perceived to have no medical value and users are susceptible to abuse it. These laws also allow the growing of cannabis for medicinal users only, but there is a limit to how many plants can be grown. Similarly, there is also a limit to how much of the flower one can buy and possess, and for people coming from out of state, there is a bigger limit.
Public restrictions Although legalized and if you are over the age of 21, you cannot smoke - or otherwise consume cannabis products in public - similar to open container laws for alcohol. You cannot walk around campus drinking a White
Claw out in the open, just like you can’t smoke a blunt out in the open. Consumption is limited only to private residences, including balconies and front porches exposed to public space.
DePaul’s restrictions “As a university, I expect that DPU [DePaul University] not allow students to smoke on campus grounds in the spirit of not ‘promoting’ cannabis use, same as alcohol use should not be promoted,” Justin Bodner, a DePaul junior, said. “I support the institution in this case. My academic campus is not the place nor the time.” Although student housing is considered an enclosed space, just because cannabis use and sale is legal still doesn’t mean you can use or distribute it around your dorm and campus. Before legalization in Illinois, the use of and distribution of cannabis products was prohibited- the same
regulations inside student housing still stands- and students who do not comply with the regulations can face consequences. Resident Assistant Johnny Milas shared that depending on if there is a usable amount of cannabis found, the resident director of the dorm will be notified and will call the Chicago Police Department to remove it. “As the university receives federal funding, DePaul must comply with federal law since cannabis is still illegal at that level,” he said. “DePaul must have a policy in place to comply with those laws or the university could be subject to fines or loss of funding.”
Effects of cannabis overuse The brain continues to develop until age 25 and some studies show that overuse in young people can impair brain development. Heavy use by younger people can affect short term memory as well as learning capabilities.
Overuse of cannabis can often lead to hallucinations, paranoia, abnormally fast heart rate, panic attacks, nausea and vomiting. Use cannabis products safely and responsibly.
“Weeding out” the mis legalization of can
Focus. The DePaulia. Jan.21, 2020 | 15
efore lighting up
sconceptions about the nnabis in Illinois
For citizens Even if a student or a consumer lives in a state where cannabis use is legalized, it is important to be aware that possessing, buying or selling cannabis products is still a federal crime. Beginning with the Obama administration, the federal government approached the cannabis legalization in a more flexible manner at the state level, allowing states to do as they wish as long as they meet certain criteria.
Legalities and travel restrictions The Trump administration initially approached the legalization suggesting it would take a more strict approach at the state level, but instead went with more Obama-like policies. When flying around the country, traveling through airports and going through TSA, possessing cannabis from a legalized state can be an extremely coincidental situation. Listed on the TSA guidelines website, it states that people may travel with certain cannabis products either in their carry on or their checked bag. Along with a variety of special instructions for
how cannabis products must be packaged and transported, there is also a legal limit for the amount of THC a person may travel with (0.3% THC according to dry weight basis). TSA officers are required to report any suspected violations of the law to any local, state and federal government. Chicago is currently working with TSA personnel at O’Hare International Airport as well as Midway Airport to finalize rules for passengers since airports in states where cannabis is legal must come up with their guidelines.
Dispensary payment restrictions Another thing that consumers should be aware of before they go to purchase at a dispensary is that very few dispensaries allow customers to pay in any other method but cash. For a long time dispensaries have struggled with banking issues in terms of receiving loans and establishing accounts. Since canna-
bis legalization is only on a state level and banks are financially supported on a federal level, it is difficult for dispensaries and banks to work together. Without the cooperation with banks, cannabis dispensaries are forced to operate solely with cash, unable to write checks, make deposits, and receive loans.
Uses and strains of cannabis A number of studies show that cannabis has the potential to aid various medical conditions like anxiety, chronic pain and epilepsy. Medically or recreationally, each strain of cannabis can bring on different effects to the body. Generally, cannabis is divided into three different strains: sativa, indica and a hybrid of the two. The sativa strain has a more energizing effect on the user while the indica strain tends to have a more relaxing and calming effect. Although many dispensaries and providers like to group strains of cannabis, the expected effect is not always 100 percent guaranteed and different people experience different effects. Most dispensaries offer a wide variety of strains and products strains, many of which could bring on the effects of being energized, relaxed, relieved of pain, tired and creative. Cannabis can now legally be sold in the forms of the flower itself, ingestible oils, edibles, vaporizers, oil and wax. Cannacaps are small capsules contained with THC that are extremely popular
amongst the crowd of users as well as dabs. Dabs are concentrated forms of cannabis created by extracting THC from the plant and mixing the extraction with a solvent like butane, ethanol or carbon dioxide which then takes a wax-like form after combining. Users can also consume cannabis by smoking it through a dab rig, bowl, bong and rolling papers. Another way of using cannabis is in the form of an oil, which often contains more CBD than THC. Many users also consume cannabis through food and drinks. By using cannabis oil and mixing it with regular cooking oil, users are easily able to make snacks or meals infused with THC to bake common edibles like cookies or brownies. Up to 30 grams or one ounce of the cannabis flower can legally be purchased at once by a consumer, as well as edibles that are no more than 500 milligrams of THC, and five grams of cannabis concentrate products.
GRAPHICS BY ANNALISA BARANOWSKI | THE DEPAULIA
Arts & Life
16 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
Welcome to DeParty
A good time is just around the corner in Lincoln Park
KEIRA WINGATE | THE DEPAULIA
McGee’s Tavern, which is located on Webster Avenue in Lincoln Park, is widely regarded at DePaul as a top spot for partying on weekends.
By Elena King Contributing Writer
Local bars on DePaul’s Lincoln Park Campus make going out easier for students on a budget. With classes back in session for DePaul students, the joy and freedom of winter break already seem so far gone for those who find themselves staying in to finish the daunting task of writing another paper or completing a lab assignment. While students prepare for a long quarter ahead, bars on DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus offer deals that feel irresistible to DePaul students and others still on break from their colleges or universities. One thing numerous college students have in common: they are navigating life trying their best to balance school and fun on a college budget. For many, this means gravitating to bars that understand the struggles of student finances and offer generous deals at a low price. “Wednesdays have always been a popular night for Kincades, I believe they have some sort of a deal but I rarely participate,” said Alana Beck, a senior. “I prefer Kincades because it has somewhat of a seniority status.” Bars like Kincades, Beaumont, McGees Tavern and Kelly’s Pub, to name a few, are popular bars in Lincoln Park, all offering different specials every night of the week. Winter break means many out-of-state students at DePaul have to return to their hometowns for the six-week break, while a large population of students at colleges outside of Chicago are returning home and looking to go out in the big city. “Outside of campus I tend to go to old town for the convenience, or if I really want a night out and am willing to dress up and
spend more money then I will go to River North.” Beck continued, “During break, The River is a huge University of Illinois bar and McGees is a big freshman/sophomore bar.” Bartenders and other employees at college bars face numerous challenges relating to their job, both at work and in their personal lives. A busy night at a bar invokes a much different feeling for that bars’ customers than its employees. Staff members at college bars are given the responsibility of accommodating customers while also dealing with underage or intoxicated people. Bar staff typically work long hours as they are forced to wait until customers trickle out at bar close so they can finally start the long process of closing down for the night. “Coming home after closing up the bar is exhausting,” said a previous bouncer at McGees Tavern. “In general it’s easy to get dragged into an unhealthy lifestyle because it’s almost inevitable that you get less sleep, consume more alcohol and unhealthy bar food and have less time for other things.” Because of the party culture surrounding college life, the bar scene on DePaul’s campus is unique as it reflects the habits of behavior-including drinking and spending- of college students. Though it likely means an inexpensive night out for partiers, it can also mean harder work for less pay for those supplying the fun. “As you can imagine it’s a different scene than a bar downtown,” the bouncer said. “A lot of people misbehaving, drinking too much, people not tipping or trying to sneak in.” Sporting events and major games tend to bring large crowds into bars, especially those that are known for supporting a certain college team. McGees, though it’s
on DePaul’s campus and is often populated with students from the area, is mainly an Ohio State University bar. This means when Ohio State plays in a football game, students and alumni alike will gather at McGees, either to celebrate a big win or drink to forget the team’s loss. Local bars don’t only cater to fans and followers of college sports. Depending on the day and the bar, there are events and games that accommodate those not interested in cheering on a specific team. “I would say my friends and I gravitate towards bars based on deals and stuff happening like music shows or trivia nights,” said Peter Uhll, a senior at the University of Notre Dame. Since the start of DePaul’s winter quarter, students continue to go out, but not as frequently as before. “Things have slowed down, but not dramatically.” Said James Foster, a bouncer at McGees. “DePaul students come because of the deals and the atmosphere,” he adds, “they’re just becoming legal and they want to thrive here as adults.” For those looking to have a more laid back night while still being kind to their wallet, places like Rose’s Lounge are a perfect alternative to the chaos that surrounds the main bars on Lincoln Park’s campus. Rose’s offers an old-timey, warm feeling and is packed with couches that encourage people to sit back and get comfortable. With knick-knacks and angel lights lining the back wall of the bar, it’s quirky decorations resemble what would happen if a fraternity house and grandma’s cabin ever meshed together. Rose’s offers plenty of deals, a jukebox and a pool table that charges $0.50 per game. Rose’s welcomes a diverse clientele with regulars and newcomers coming in
KEIRA WINGATE | THE DEPAULIA
Kelly’s Pub in Lincoln Park. to unwind, listen to music and even have a friendly conversation with the bartender. “We have everything from motorcycle groups to professors coming in with their classes.” Said Sean “the maestro” Scully, a bartender at Rose’s. The atmosphere at Rose’s is warm and friendly. As an old-school Chicago bar must, they offer the famous Chicago Handshake - a shot of Malört paired with an Old Style Beer- for $6. For those who want to stay away from the hard stuff, Rose’s also offers $1 wine shots every day.
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 17
‘Brooklyn Bridge’ elevates Mac Miller’s ‘Circles’ is different children’s theater, takes than other posthumous albums audience seriously By Nate Burleyson Asst. Sports Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA ABLES | THE THEATER SCHOOL AT DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Actors in DePaul’s production of ‘Brooklyn Bridge’ look through binoculars on stage.
By Jessica Grekowicz Contributing Writer
The DePaul Theater School showcased the production of “Brooklyn Bridge” on Saturday, Dec. 18, presented by Chicago Playworks for Families and Young Audiences. “Brooklyn Bridge” starts its tale with 10-year-old Sasha as she attempts to write a book report on said bridge. Sasha knows every fact about the bridge and often describes herself in “awe” of the great architectural feat. The only problem is, the book report is due tomorrow, and Sasha doesn’t have a pen. Thus the audience is taken with Sasha on her adventures through her apartment complex to find a pen. With the help of her eccentric neighbors, Sasha explores her community only to find more questions than answers. As the pen begins to unveil itself as procrastination, Sasha has to confront the real reasons for her inner turmoil. Despite portraying itself as a children’s story, audiences might be surprised by the emotional depth of Sasha’s journey. She discovers that there is a community out there willing to help as long as you’re willing to look for it. “Brooklyn Bridge” is a part of the Playworks Series, a partnership between DePaul University and Chicago Public Schools. According to Stage Manager Dana Beech, the Playworks Series brings in students every Tuesday and Thursday to see plays which Beech says are “often the first time seeing
a theatrical production for CPS students”. On the opening night of “Brooklyn Bridge,” January 16, the Merle Ruskin theater welcomed 768 public school students. Beech adds that part of what makes “Brooklyn Bridge” unique is the representation of its key audience. “The play gives different students of different age levels the opportunity to see people like them reflected on stage,” Beech said. ”They see someone dealing with a lot of certain situations that they also might be dealing with either at school or at home.” As Sasha’s situation becomes less about a pen and more about her identity, children might find comfort in seeing another young person struggle with the same issues they face. Children experience a range of complex and different emotions, from internal cultural conflict to abandonment and separation anxiety. Kamari Saxon, who played Sam, one of Sasha’s quirky neighbors, believes that it is crucial for students to see “Brooklyn Bridge.” “This is really important because this is where most societal things, that we as adults struggle with, begin,” he said. “It begins in childhood and it’s in the things that we watch.” After watching the play, children will not only walk away feeling seen, but hopefully knowing that they have it within themselves to find a community for help. “Brooklyn Bridge” is playing through Feb. 22 at the Merle Reskin Theater.
“Circles” is late rapper Mac Miller’s sixth studio album and the first release since his death on Sept. 7, 2018. Not only is “Circles” a companion album to his heartfelt and personal “Swimming” released on Aug. 3, 2018, but it is his first music released since he passed away. This feels like a posthumous album in a different sense than other music released after hip hop artists’ deaths. Rich and poetic, Circles picks up right where Swimming left off. Conceptually, it fits a clear vision that was carefully curated by people close to Miller, including producer Jon Brion, who worked on both recent albums and worked on getting “Circles” ready for release. 22 “My God, it goes on and on. Just like a circle, I go back to where I’m from,” Miller raps on “So it Goes,” the closing track of “Swimming. This line helps set up what Circles is a dazzling yet melancholic reflection on a young man’s life that may have felt too cyclical at times. It’s something that is easy to relate too. It’s a trap that youth sets up, falling into a routine where we constantly clash with ourselves. Mac Miller’s family announced the album on Jan. 8 on Miller’s Instagram page, which had been inactive since his death. The post started with a certain reluctance and easing brevity that helped set up the announcement. “Here we are,” his family wrote. “The act of having to write this at all feels surreal. At the time of his passing, Malcolm was well into the process of recording his companion album to Swimming, entitled Circles.” The rapper’s death was a heartbreaking event that was a part of a string of recent deaths by young creatives in the hip hop world. A few different recent artists have had music released after their deaths like Juice WRLD, Lil Peep and XXXTentacion. There is a moral dilemma when it comes to marketing and proceeds from a dead artist’s work. You can never be sure that the music was released in the way that the artist intended. What eased me about Circles was the silence before it. There weren’t all these teases and rumors and leaks that, in some cases, cheapen a person’s soul and life down to the works they created. “Good News” was the first single released a week before the album’s debut on Jan. 17. The song immediately resonated as a beautiful and somber reflection on life in Miller’s current space. In September of 2018, Miller was reaping the benefits of Swimming’s success while still hard at work on Circles. Summer 2018 had not been kind to
AMEOBA.COM
Miller. He and girlfriend Ariana Grande broke up, and he was arrested on a DUI charge not long after. Grande got engaged to comedian Pete Davidson just six weeks after the breakup as well. Despite struggles, Miller was said to be in “good spirits” a week before his passing according to collaborator Ty Dolla $ign, who was working on a project with him. Good News reflects on the things going on in Miller’s life. It’s a search for the things in life that spark his joy and creativity. “Swimming in Circles is the concept,” the Jan. 8 Instagram post wrote. Circles is perfect as a companion to Swimming. The same themes of uncertainty and reflection run through the album. Continuing the same themes is a huge factor in assessing this work as a posthumous album. When people are wary of works released after an artist’s death, they wonder if people are just trying to squeeze out money from unfinished works. It’s often sad to see works from dead artists paraded around and commercialized to a great extent. A recent example is the death of XXXTentacion, who was murdered at the age of 20 in June of 2018. The young rapper had two studio albums released since his death with no shortage of unease from the hiphop community. A quarrel with his family stained the music being released after his death. Some felt as if his music was being pushed out too fast and too incomplete. Although he was just 20, he had loads of unreleased work that felt stretched to fit multiple releases. What often becomes a problem when money is made off posthumous works is who it is going too. Record labels still make most of the money off of music released after death. People around Miller wanted this to be released in the right way, which makes it an easier listen. The album doesn’t falter and is ultimately satisfying. Keeping a clear vision, having a polished and finished sound, and a reasonable, cautious rollout all help Miller’s Circles celebrate a life and a body of work in an unquestionable manner.
Netflix’s ‘The Circle’ highlights dangers of internet, catfishing By Chinyere Ibeh Staff Writer
As the new year rolls in, Netflix premieres several different shows and documentaries, including a new reality tv show competition. “The Circle” serves as a mix between “Big Brother” and “Catfish” and gives a unique twist to the reality TV competition genre. Because of this, it can be seen as a new way to view society as a whole. The premise of the show revolves around how people interact on social media. Each contestant enters their own apartment room and sets up their own profile. They have a choice of either posing as
themselves, a version of themselves or as a totally different person. The goal for each contestant would become the most popular within “the circle” in order to win a cash prize of $100,000. Whoever’s the most popular by the end of the competition, they’ll get the cash prize. The “circle” within the show is a voice-activated system, like Siri or Alexa, which each person uses to interact with other competitors. Through the voice-activated system, competitors create group chats, private chats and even play small ice breaker games. Since all of the competitors live in the same apartment complex and the show doesn’t want to give away the entirety
of its premise, they are confined to their own rooms. The seclusion of the players is something that I caught onto very quickly - it begs the question of how we as a society interact through our phones and in person. We’re in an age where phones and voice-activated systems have taken over how we perform our everyday routines. “The Circle” essentially takes our everyday lives and condenses it to the environment of a reality tv show. This show exemplifies that we are so connected while being so disconnected at the same time. People are so glued to their phones and technology but forget about human interaction. This show deals with one of the many
dangers of the internet – catfishing – which is when someone pretends to be someone else on social media. This internet phenomenon was popularized by Nev Schulman’s documentary and his show with Max Joseph, called “Catfish.” The Circle does an amazing job with executing its concept – purposeful catfishing mixed with a popularity contest. It deals with the topic of a dangerous internet environment in a different way that we’re not used to seeing. Viewers should expect a refreshing take on reality TV competition but shouldn’t let the underlying message – the dangers of the internet, specifically social media – go over their heads.
18 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
Buying beauty Here’s a look at which new celebrity makeup pallettes are worth your paycheck By Hannah Mitchell Multimedia Editor
The new decade anticipates the restock of last season’s most hyped eyeshadow palettes. Jeffree Star Cosmetics’s Conspiracy Palette, Tati Beauty’s Textured Neutrals Palette and Morphe’s The James Charles Palette have dominated social media feeds, yet have makeup enthusiasts wondering if these products live up to their hype. Jeffree Star’s Conspiracy Palette, in collaboration with Shane Dawson, sold 1 million units within hours. According to Star’s self-proclaimed profit margins, that would leave Star and Dawson with an estimated $32 million gross profit. Star’s former close friend, Tati Westbrook, launched her new company, Tati Beauty, with the Textured Neutrals Palette Vol. 1. According to Westbrook, her palette sold 100,000 units in the first 12 hours. “Morphe X James Charles The Mini Palette” launched a few weeks apart from Westbrook’s and Star’s palette and did not sell out like it’s larger companion did the year prior. Given the size of each of their following, it’s fitting to put each palette in a beauty battle. Jeffree Star Cosmetics’ Conspiracy Palette has the feel of a high-end product. The thick cardboard, metal latches and large mirror seem to surpass packaging standards. Unfortunately, it is hard to store and hard to travel with. At least with the sturdy packaging, I know that my palette will travel safely. Personally, I prefer the packaging on the Tati Beauty and Morphe palettes instead. The eyeshadows are the most blendable eyeshadows that I have ever used. If someone is afraid of using black eyeshadow, the shade My Ride’s Here is the perfect black shade to experiment with. However, some shades blend so well that sometimes they blend into dust and disappear. I have struggled to layer shadows and get them to blend together. Another con that I have come across is that the eyeshadows have a lot of fall out. I have to switch up my routine and try applying eyeshadow before the foundation with this palette. The eyeshadow colors are stunning in the pan. Some shades disappoint me, like the pink Trisha shade which lacks pigment, while others have become go-to’s like Tanacon and Just a Theory. Certain matte shades seem to have unexpected glitters in them, which become visual on the eye. They remind me of Tati Beauty’s hybrid eyeshadow glitter/matte
hybrids called equin. The top row consists of wearable shades while the rest of the palette can be more challenging on a daily basis. This Conspiracy Palette could be a great addition to your collection if you want something that blends effortlessly and you enjoy bold looks. When I first got my hands on this palette, I felt much more creative with my looks and wanted to use this every day. Tati Beauty’s Textured Neutrals Palette Vol. 1 displays six shades with four different finishes. The sleek packaging with a large mirror makes the Tati Beauty palette a great option to store and allows the user to enjoy it, without the extra steps like unclasping. The soft rubber texture is prone to makeup smudges and would need more maintenance than the Conspiracy and The James Charles Palettes. The flattering tones of this eyeshadow calls to me like sirens do sailors. The mix of cool and warm shades can give users an array of monochromatic looks to glam up using glitter and metallic shades. Shades can be mixed and matched for an endless supply of sophisticated looks.
The metallic shades are soft and creamy. They are the best I have used and are quite under-rated, compared to their glitter counterpart. The star of the show, the glitters, apply better than most pressed glitters. They don’t need a glitter glue base and are much less messier to apply on the eye than loose glitter shadows, but there still is glitter fallout. Even with a gorgeous supply of glamourous looks, this palette lacks the ability to give users variety. I would never reach for this palette on a day I wasn’t prepared to glow up with glitters. Without these glitter shades, the palette is uninspiring and shades I already own. The sequin shades do not serve enough purpose to be 25 percent of the shades. I could not think of a single instance where I would need them. The matte shades are pigmented, but blend more like a Morphe eyeshadow shade. I have to work with them more than I am used to after using the Conspiracy Palette. It is perfect for creating flattering, and dare I say, feminine looks. There are a limited amount of shades that stand out and
I don’t see myself wearing glitter frequently enough to make use of this palette. I also have not been thrilled about any of the looks I have created with it so far. Morphe’s the James Charles Palette sold out in less than 10 minutes during its original launch in 2018 and themini sequel didn’t get the same response as the original palette. The 39 pan eyeshadow palette is the underdog, but is actually more in the running than many people may think. When I was considering purchasing this palette, I played with Morphe’s best selling palettes at Ulta Beauty. I tested their original 35 eyeshadow palettes, the raved Jaclyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette, Hill’s vault collection and Charles’ palette. The shadows couldn’t compare to the James Charles Palette’s pigmentation and soft texture. The packaging is my favorite type: thin, black and magnetic. Plus, the packaging has similar material to the Conspiracy Palette, so it’s relatively smudge resistant. The full-size palette does not have a mirror, but the mini version does. I normally use a wall mirror, so eyeshadow palette mirrors don’t impress me. This eyeshadow palette inspired me to create looks that I never thought I would wear. I dabbled in blues, yellows and greens. So much so, that I had to put it away and pull out a neutral palette to curb my growing addiction. That’s not without the growing pains of a palette that is lower in cost and not all of the shades perform the same. Some shades, like Cola, are so dry that you’re practically scraping the pigment so you can glue the scraps down with eyeshadow primer. While others, like So Good, is actually so good. The palette gives more users every shade they could need to complete varying looks. It is a great companion palette to have, especially if you only wear colorful looks on days you’re feeling frisky. There are better quality eyeshadows on the market, if you’re willing to pay a higher price. All three influencer-backed eyeshadow palettes have taken over the social media feeds of every cosmetic enthusiast with a wifi connection. As these palettes restock, just remember that these influencers are called influencers, because they can influence you too.
GRAPHICS BY ANNALISA BARANOWSKI
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 19
Save your skin
Skincare is more than a trend, essential to daily routine Elena King, Yusra Shah & Lauryn Balark Contributing Writers
Skincare is an essential part of one’s daily routine. Though a proper skincare routine is important year-round, the winter season introduces dryness and cracked skin which makes skincare a must. Having the right products to keep your skin healthy and moisturized seems like an easy feat, but with all of the harsh ingredients in so many of our skincare products, it can be difficult to know what is the best option for your unique skin type. In order to get more tips and tricks on how to maintain a healthy glow through this frigid winter, we spoke to skincare experts and customers to gain insight on what is new and popular for routines that reflect the seasonal change. Skincare expert and Aesop employee, Jasmine Boubas, explained some of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy glow. She also described different skin types and what one should look for or steer away from if they have dry or oily skin. Aside from face washes and moisturizers, Boubas discussed what sets Aesop apart from other skincare brands. “Aesop mainly focuses on the botanical extracts in ingredients. We don’t use any synthetic fragrances, no parabens, no silicones,” Boubas said. Boubas also touches upon the importance of being ethical in creating skincare. Aesop is a cruelty-free company, making it an ethical choice for people who try to steer away from animal-tested products. Julie Glikin is a regular Aesop customer who swears by their face masks. “I use the blue chamomile hydrating
mask from Aesop. It’s super hydrating and it has a lot of vitamins and nutrients that work really well for my skin,” she said. Glikin stated that even though the prices are slightly higher for these products, they are very worth it. One of the perks of buying from Aesop is that employees supply customers with a generous amount of samples. This gives people the opportunity to decide whether a certain product works for their skin type before splurging on the full bottle. Aesop offers great, cruelty free products but other students are using other products in their winter routine. Jade Nolan, a recent DePaul alumna, told us about her skincare routine and she must have products for winter. “I try to stay moisturized my favorite product of all time is rosehip oil,” Nolan said. She recommends the ordinary rosehip oil available at Sephora, which costs around $10 for a 1oz. bottle compared to Aesop’s $75 .9 oz. bottle. “I am a strong believer in oils but be careful about how much you’re using because you may turn out greasy if you use too much,” she said. She’s a fan of Aesop but says the price deters her from using the products, which are in the upper price range of skincare products. “I also really love how this mask makes my skin feel it’s like I can feel it working,” Nolan said. As college students constantly on the go, we forget the importance of keeping our skin healthy. Nolan stressed the importance of using products that work that also aren’t really expensive. She recommends
places like Marshalls, Sephora, and Ulta as places where you can get good products at lower prices. Aesop’s pricing may seem steep to some, but to its regular customers, it provides them with great quality products that are worth the price. One of their most popular items, elemental facial barrier cream, comes in one size, 2.1 oz., and sells for $60. The Barrier Cream is extremely rich and a little bit goes a long way. The Barrier Cream is most popular during the winter as it’s rich and thick formula provides a literal barrier on the face that protects against wind-burn and harsh environmental conditions. Living in Chicago means having to transition into harsh winters, sometimes abruptly. As people begin their seasonal clothing changes, it’s important to hold skincare to the same standard. Chicago is home to a wide variety of skincare brands. Many of these brands stress the importance of having a balanced skincare routine, that involves the right type of face wash, toner, and moisturizer to finish. These steps are important in cleansing, prepping the skin and finally, hydrating. When buying skin care products, it’s important to know the value of ethically made products and the price that comes with non-animal-tested products. On the other hand, price does not define the quality of skincare as it is subjective to different types of skin. In order to get the best experience, people can benefit from trial-and-error when trying new products. Many skincare brands realize the importance of this and will often offer many samples for people to test which ingredi-
GRAPHICS BY ANNALISA BARANOWSKI
ents work best with their skin type. Try to establish your own routine, use these samples to see what works for you and what doesn’t. Research is a key factor in keeping your skin nice as well, if you want to use Aesop products, try finding out which skin care products work for you is hard but sites like Beautypedia give expert and customer reviews so you can see what gives you the best results for your money.
20| Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
The room where it happens Lin Manuel-Miranda’s ‘Hamilton’ leaves Chicago after 3-year run, leaves impact Alayne Trinko Staff Writer
After a three-year run, “Hamilton,” the Tony Award, Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical detailing the life of U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton has closed its curtains. The contemporary yet deeply patriotic musical pushed the envelope and went against the norm of mainstream Broadway. From the music to the casting to the portrayal of American history, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” shocked audiences everywhere. “When I saw it from the audience for the first time and had been working on it for the past three months, I was absolutely overwhelmed,” said Heather Boehm, a violinist, violist and DePaul adjunct professor who performed in the pit orchestra for the entire Chicago run of the show. Boehm got involved with the musical just like any other musician would. After a series of auditions, she soon got the call to play the viola and violin as a regular chair-holder for the pit. “I had a feeling in the first couple minutes that this was going to blow me away,” she added. “And that’s such a wonderful feeling to have in the theater.” When “Hamilton” first started playing in theaters across America, it was applauded for its composition that set itself apart from traditional Broadway musicals, but it was also criticized for its use of hip-hop, pop and sound effects in the score. “I think it’s important to keep an open mind on the way the performing arts are changing,” said Grace Ryan, a music major in DePaul’s School of Music. “We’re not necessarily losing the beauty of classical orchestration, I think it’s just taking on a different perspective.” The music was what made Hamilton unique, and the majority of audiences couldn’t get enough of it. “We had moments with like ‘Room Where It Happens’ where we could feel the excitement of the audience and the groundswell of the applause,” Boehm said. “And, in the pit, you’re covered, so you’re not as connected to it because of the set design, but we could feel the audience sometimes in our feet. The roar would be so loud. It was absolute electricity.” Miranda rewrote the narrative of Broadway by selecting a diverse cast to play the roles of the founding fathers. He delivered messages on inclusivity through his stylistic choices that audiences quickly picked up on. Lily Boyle, a costume technology student in DePaul’s Theatre School strongly favors one line in particular in the musical: “Immigrants, we get the job done.” “As a Chinese immigrant, as someone
PHOTO COURTESY OF @BRIANCASELLA ON INSTAGRAM
Actors in Chicago’s ‘Hamilton’ take their final bow after a three-year run at the CIBC Theater on Monroe Street. who is a person of color, we are still a part of America’s history just as much as the original figures were,” Boyle said. “So, Lin’s choice to have people of color in the cast was on purpose to show that America is diverse, and it is all of our story.” Though some were unable to attend the show itself, with tickets costing up to $600 in Chicago, many fell in love with the soundtrack. “[Lin-Manuel Miranda] is lifting people up,” said Madeline Schuster, a costume technology student in the theatre school. “He’s trying to give people of color a voice. He’s making us believe that maybe we should go out and vote. Maybe we should protest. Maybe we should write a letter
to our congressmen. He is giving people hope.” Even though the portrayal of history in the musical is not completely accurate, “Hamilton” is still a retelling of American history that has encouraged audiences to be curious about their heritage. Emile Blackstone, a freshman at DePaul, said that “Hamilton” provided her an outlook on “how many people gave up their lives” and “risked everything” for her to have her freedom. The show has also become an educational tool that has provoked a renewed interest in the American Revolution. Emily Romeo, DePaul’s visiting assistant professor of history, said she loves
when her students ask her questions about the accuracy of “Hamilton.” “It gets us into conversations about the Revolution, debates about the Constitution, debates about what our government should look like, so it opens up larger conversations that we didn’t really have an easy way to get to as we do with ‘Hamilton,’” Romeo said. The musical ‘Hamilton’ shook up the Broadway scene, rattled critics and left audiences around the world in awe. The musical sparked a new flame in the hearts of many Americans, a flame that has turned the theatrical world upside down and has blown us all away.
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 21
Rice, rice baby
The grain is a staple in many dishes across cultures Keira Wingate Asst. Arts & Life Editor
A pot is sitting on the most used burner on the stove, waiting for a culturally filled staple food to grace its stainless steel walls. The water is at a roaring boil and is now ready to begin the cooking process. Opening up the cabinet and you see it - a bag of rice. Rice is one of the most transformable foods in the world, and is the most important food crop of the developing world, according to Ricepedia. Rice, wheat and maize are the world’s three leading food crops and combine for more than 42 percent of all calories consumed by the entire human population. Any part of the world offers a brand new way of eating rice. Americans eat 20 pounds of rice every year, but other parts of the world consume far more. According to the U.S. Rice Producers Association, people in Asia eat up to 300 pounds a year. Residents of the United Arab Emirates consume 450 pounds per year. Meanwhile, in France, each person consumes an average of ten pounds of rice per year. Rice is a staple food item that can be found in multiple different cultures. It can be found basically anywhere except for Antarctica. It brings people together, whether it be breakfast, lunch or dinner. It can come in such variety and flavor and can be a side or an entire meal. The endless culinary possibilities of rice give it significant cultural depth. Hawaii has some very well know rice dishes such as loco moco and musubi. Hawaiians have the highest per capita consumption of spam in the United States. One popular dish in Hawaii is musubi. Delicious spam cooked in a skillet with soy sauce, sugar and oyster sauce. The sauces create a crust
that gives a good bite to the spam. You put it all together with super wet fingers to form the sticky rice on the seaweed and then you have yourself a delectable Hawaiian creation. “When I was little, I would make musubis with my grandma after soccer practice,” said Rebecca Ouchi, a Honolulu native. They’re the perfect savory snack and can commonly be found near cash registers at convenience stores. Ouchi said that she eats a musubi on her way to work daily. Musubi’s are so entwined in Hawaiian identity that it has become an icon in culture, with cartoon versions found as pillows, on stickers and more. A popular Asian rice dish is fried rice and white rice. Nine out of every ten people in the world who eat rice are of Asian descent, according to ricepedia. China alone consumed more rice than any other country. It is used in almost every meal or just made to have by itself. Fried rice is simple yet creative. There are multiple options and possible combinations of ingredients. Oiling up a wok and cooking a chicken breast with salt and pepper is the start to this dish. After that, adding in some mixed veggies gives it more flavor and color. A splash of yellow fills the pan when the eggs are poured directly in. Fry the rice with all of the flavors in the wok and end with soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper to taste. Takeout will never be the same. “I would say rice would be a staple of our culture, fried rice is just one of the many types of rice versions,” said Yi-Hsuan Shih, a graduate student at DePaul. “It’s convenient to make, the price is cheap, and fried rice could contain every kind of food you want, like meat, vegetables, ham, etc. all mix
together. And there are many kinds of Chinese fried rice.” Spanish rice is a popular dish amongst the Latinx community. Spanish rice is an unknown dish in Spain and is not used by Mexicans even though it is called Spanish rice In Mexico. It is simply referred to as “arroz rojo,” or red rice. It is commonly used as a side dish when placed next to other tasty dishes, such as tacos or enchiladas. There are many different ways to make Spanish rice. One thing to always do is brown the rice in oil before putting in any liquid. After that, add water, chicken broth, or both, to the pot and mix in tomato sauce. Add in some seasoning to give it spice and a good kick. It’s fluffy, soft and the leftovers make for the most delicious breakfast burritos the next day. “As a little girl, my grandma would make me rice and I would eat bowls of it,” said Melyssa Martinez-Guzman, a senior at DePaul. “And now as I’m older and I want to learn how to cook I watch my mom and she lets me help. It’s like if you know how to make that rice then you could learn how to make any dish.” Some easy and convenient rice dishes are ones that come right out of a box. Rice-A-Roni is a yummy meal that can be transformed into a meal with veggies and protein. Get yourself a box of beef-flavored rice and add in lean meat with carrots and you’ll have yourself a perfect meal for lunch the next day. Those tiny grains of rice are unstoppable in any culture. Bringing an endless adventure of taste and excitement. Rice adds a different element to multiple dishes and one of the best things of all is the price. Enjoy incredible dishes and only spend three dollars while you do it.
From top to bottom: Beef-a-Roni, Chinese fried rice, Musubi and Spanish rice.
Here’s how to make some of our favorite dishes
Beef-A-Roni Ingredients
-One box of beef-flavored Rice-Roni -1 cup of frozen peas -1 pound beef -Steak seasoning, salt, pepper, minced garlic, and onion pounder
Instructions
1. Brown the beef in a skillet and season 2. Put the rice into the beef to brown it 3. Add the amount of water it says on the box 4. Five minutes before it is done, put in the peas 5. Top with shredded cheese and parsley
Musubi
Marinate for 15 minutes 3. Once the rice is done, fluff it with a fork and let it sit to cool down 4. Cook the spam in a skillet for about 3 minutes on each side 5. Cut seaweed into 2-inch strips 6. Cut the spam container in half to use as a mold for the rice 7. Put the mold directly in the center on the seaweed and put a little less than an inch of rice. Pat it down to make sure it is sticking together. Have a bowl of water to dip your fingers in to help form 8. Remove from mold, top with a slice of spam and get the tips of your fingers wet to wrap the seaweed at the top 9. Let sit and enjoy, hot or cold
Ingredients
Spanish rice
Instructions
-2 cups long grain rice -⅛ cup oil -8 oz tomato sauce -1 tsp salt, pepper, onion powder -1 tsp minced garlic -4 cups water -1 chicken flavored bouillon cube
-12 ounces of spam -¼ cup of oyster sauce -¼ cup of soy sauce -½ cup sugar -Nori seaweed -1 ½ not cooked sushi rice -Keep spam container 1. Bring the sushi rice to a boil in three cups of water and let it cook on low heat, covered 2. Cut the spam into 8-10 slices and put them in a Ziplock bag with the oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar mixture.
Ingredients
Instructions
1. Heat oil in a pot on medium heat and then cook the rice until golden brown 2. Add the bouillon cube to a bowl with four cups of
water and heat until the cube is dissolved 3. When rice is brown, add in water, seasoning and tomato sauce 4. Stir everything together and bring to a bowl. Cook on low heat for 30-40 minutes 5. Fluff with a fork and serve as a side or a meal
Chinese fried rice Ingredients
-Refined white rice -Two cups of rice -Four cups of water -Frozen carrots and peas -Soy sauce -Salt and pepper to taste -3 Eggs -Chicken (optional) -Sesame oil
Instructions
1. Cook the rice and then let sit 2. Put oil in a wok or large skillet and put on medium heat 3. Put cut up the chicken and put it into the oil. Season with salt and pepper 4. When almost done, throw in frozen veggies 5. When veggies and chicken are done, make a space in the middle of the pan and put in mixed eggs 6. Once eggs are cooked, throw the rice into the wok, mix and season to taste
22 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
The End? The world of entertainment is ruled by nostalgia By Jonathan DeCarlo Contributing Writer
“This will be the final word in the story of Skywalker,” growls Ian McDiarmid’s Emperor Palpatine in last month’s “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.” Watching this movie was a strange experience, I was on the edge of my seat for most of the time, but this line immediately pulled me out of it. I sat there for a moment and thought, “Wait a minute, no it’s not.” As someone who’s been a “Star Wars” fan my whole life, I know that endings in Star Wars and pop culture don’t really stick. I say we give it about 5-10 years, and “Star Wars Episode X” will be drawing in more crowds to see the new and improved ext chapter in the Star Wars Saga. You’d think that people would say, “Okay, enough’s enough Disney, stop making these movies,” but for as many people who may think this, there would be two or more who’d buy their tickets day one for a midnight premiere, myself included. Disney and many other companies are exploiting a very powerful emotion: nostalgia, and to them, nostalgia means money. Think back to something you loved as a kid; a book, a TV show, a movie, or a comic book. Remember how happy that made you and feel that overwhelming return to that time when life wasn’t so stressful? Remember a time when you didn’t have to juggle school, work and whatever other stressors that you have to deal with today? Now sit back and let all those feelings hit you. That’s nostalgia, and it’s a powerful thing.
Knowing how nostalgia affects people, it’s easy to see why big media companies are focused on releasing media that capitalizes on it. “I think from a very practical standpoint it’s because nostalgia sells,” said DePaul Media and Cinema Studies professor, Paul Booth. “They [media companies] have found that if they release a movie, or we see it on tv as well, that preys on our nostalgia, they do very well.” This is the crux of why we’re seeing so many sequels and reboots over the last two decades. Companies know that if they keep churning out something that someone’s nostalgic for, they’re going to make money from it. “They make all these movies because the fans pay their bills,” said Elise Fong, a journalism student at DePaul.“They want to make what their fans want so they can get paid.” This line of thinking tracks, there have been 3 “Toy Story” sequels since 1995, drawing more and more viewers into the world of Woody, Buzz and the rest of Andy’s toys. Disney’s live-action remakes of their animated classics have become a staple in their release schedule, but it seems that none of them have captured the magic of the originals. Outside of Disney, horror movie remakes have become a staple in every year’s release
schedule, with 2017’s “It” garnering praise from both critics and audiences alike while 2019’s “The Grudge” remake showed that not every horror series should be resurrected, at least according to critics. Classics like “The Great Gatsby” and “A Star is Born” have been adapted for new generations, and even show-stopping musicals like “Les Misérables” and “Cats” have had their turn on the silver screen. TV is even getting in on the nostalgia action, rebooting hit shows like “Will and Grace” while “Law and Order: SVU” has been going strong for 21 seasons. Another show that won’t die is AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” which has been chugging along for 10 seasons with an 11th in the works. Let’s not forget the hit medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy,” which has been running for 16 seasons and has been renewed for a 17th. Even animated series have hopped on the nostalgia train, with both “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy” running for 31 seasons and 18 seasons respectively. It’s not hard to see why nostalgia sells so well. “I think we live in a time where people are very scared of the future, so instead of looking to the future, we look to the past,” Booth said. “We’re also at a time where everything is so sped up that we don’t really remember what’s happened, so we want to go back to remember those times we forgot.”
The commercial success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was predicated on nostalgia, especially in the latter parts of the saga leading up to “Avengers: Endgame.” Fans like me grew up with Marvel Characters over an entire decade, so of course, I would feel an immense sense of nostalgia when I sit down to watch it all end. Watching a Marvel movie takes me back to the days when I was a kid watching reruns of the 90s Marvel cartoons like “Spider-Man” and “X-Men: The Animated Series” on Saturday mornings, and it still baffles me how big these movies have become. An issue that comes from all this nostalgia is that if audiences keep watching these tentpole movies and shows, the studios will keep making them. By focusing on big franchises studios and audiences alike, new creators aren’t getting a chance to let their work be seen, leading to the blockbuster-focused mainstream we see today. “Producers and people in the film field want to put their money into something they can get their money back from, so they make movies they already have fanbases for,” said Brett Vander Wielen, a graphic design student at DePaul. “If it was proven that it worked once, it’s very likely it’ll work again unless it’s a complete flop.” This is why “Rise of Skywalker’s” insistence that it’ll be the final installment in the Skywalker Saga movie rang a little hollow. Thanks to its commercial success, and the fact that “Star Wars” is one of Disney’s most popular and lucrative brands, this probably won’t be the last we see of the Skywalkers and the galaxy far, far away anytime soon.
Find time to read a book, put down technology as a form of self-care By Abbas Dahodwala Contributing Writer
There are plenty of benefits to reading for leisure. Some see it as an escape, while others see it as a tool to advance their own learning and understanding. “When you are reading for fun it, you are taking time for yourself to do something completely unrelated to other things you are doing,” said DePaul sophomore Priya Fink. “When you read a book, it takes you into a completely different world, so it’s kind of like a break.” Reading can also be a calming experience. “I read books to remind me of my childhood and to destress,” said Nathalie Host, a journalism major at DePaul. Students at DePaul University are quite busy with their lives as many not only have full course loads, but they also have other commitments like jobs, both part-time and full-time. This can prevent students from having the opportunity to make time for reading while other distraction can get in the way. According to John Shanahan, the associate dean and director of Liberal Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, social media and the internet have led to reading becoming less analytic and more oriented to short passages instead of longer, more deeper reading. “In the world that students now have grown up in…they read all the time,” he
said. “But what they’re reading is short bursts of text messages, tiny little memes, newspaper articles, so the amount of words passing their faces can be a lot, but none of it is demanding much cognitive attention. Shanahan discussed the benefits of reading novels and why they can help students open their minds and learn. “Look at the diminishing amount of empathy we have around us,” he said. “We have people who treat each other like cardboard cutouts. If you’re not used to being deep inside someone else’s mind, the kinds of things reading novels and fiction mean to do, look what we get? We get superficial people who treat each other like they’re players in video games. I do worry over that.” One of the main issues for students can also be workload. “There is so much going on when you are in college and you are a full time student plus if you have a job or extracurriculars you don’t really have enough time for yourself,” Hoste said. “I barely have time to eat Monday-Thursdays. I eat breakfast and I get home at 10:30.” Fink had a similar thought process as well. “With all the technology and everything, that’s people’s go-to before books,” she said. “They are like an old fashioned thing.” Shanahan spoke of different ways students can try to increase the amount of reading they do, regardless of how heavy of
a schedule they have. “To me, the only strategy would be setting aside some kind of time when you deliberately know [to read],” he said. “I mean this in the same way you’re going to the gym or doing meditation or doing yoga. Read a novel. Read a book. Something that is complex. Something that will stress you.” Beyond that, focusing on not staring at the screen can also help students make more time to read. “We are all staring at our phones too much,” Shanahan said. “There are definitely times where I realize I have just scrolled for 45 minutes.” Hoste spoke of other strategies students can employ to increase their reading time.
“Take a day to be by yourself – even if it’s like three hours – put on a face mask, read a book, take self-care,” she said. “That way you get that in and you are also destressing.” Reading is something that can help students advance themselves and get away from the stresses of daily life. It is imperative that students take advantage of the knowledge available to them.
GRAPHICS BY ANNALISA BARANOWSKI
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 23
Working it out
Going to the gym may seem intimdating. A fitness expert says it shouldn’t be. By Camille Koch Contributing Writer
From what to wear to how much weight you should be lifting, you’re not the only one feeling worried about being out of place at the gym, especially in group classes. Getting past this mentality is the first hurdle on the journey to getting fit, as well as one that is often overlooked. Maggie Smith, a freshman at DePaul, feels like one of the pressures of going to the gym, in general, is just what to wear. “I don’t have any workout gear, I don’t have anything that would like, fit in at the gym,” says Smith. While this may seem trivial to some, this feeling manifests itself in many ways when it comes to summoning up the courage to try a class you have never taken before or even go to the gym in the first place. Carlie Goodlet, a freshman at DePaul, has been working out since the middle of last quarter. “I started going around the middle of first quarter,” she said. “I noticed I was getting really tired and I figured out that it was because I wasn’t exercising enough.” However, she’s still hesitant to try group classes. Some students at DePaul feel like this self-consciousness will only be amplified in taking the fitness classes. “You’re already in the gym around a bunch of people,” said Casey O’Sullivan, a freshman who tends to gravitate towards more solo workouts than group lessons. “Classes would just make every-
RAY MEYER FITNESS CENTER
A fitness instructor leads a class in Zumba at the Ray Meyer Fitness Center. one more close.” Goodlet, who is a theatre student that is used to being in front of a crowd, feels the same pressure. “I went to an arts school in high school so I did a lot of exercises in acting in front of other people but like I don’t know why but now that I’m here, I’m like ‘oh no, no one can see me in a workout outfit,’” she said. Like the others, for Chris O’Neil, this keeps him from stepping out of his comfort zone. “I’m in this vicious cycle where I don’t like going to the gym because I’m self-conscious about the way I look, but I’m self-conscious about the way I look because I don’t go to the gym,” he said. However, sticking out in group classes is a lot harder to do than it may seem.
According to Stephanie Punda, assistant director at the Ray Meyer Fitness Center, classes in the evening range from twenty to forty people. In some of the most popular classes, like Body Pump, yoga and Zumba, the number is closer to sixty. If you would be in a smaller class size with a lighter workout, Punda suggests going during the day. “Daytime classes around lunch hour are geared towards being a little bit more low-impact so you will feel it, but you may not have that cardio aspect,” she said. “This so that people, if they have to go back to work or to class, they don’t have to be super sweaty.” These classes usually contain 10-15 people, according to Punda. In addition to the pressures of being
seen by peers, taking classes also could mean the instructors are judging you as well. “I’m more scared of the teachers,” Goodlet said. “Like who they are. I feel like, in order to work out, I need to be motivated and would like a teacher who is someone that would motivate me, and I’m scared that they are going to yell at me. I know they won’t but it’s just that fear in the back of my head.” As an assistant director, Punda is in charge of running the group fitness classes. She also teaches some of them. “I like to walk around my classes and adjust form as we go,” Punda said. “No one is ever criticized.” Classes are run so that they can accommodate everyone from frequent class-goers to beginners, according to Punda. “There will be levels, there will be adjustments, there will be anything that you need in order to be supported,” Punda said. We talk about taking breaks as much as you need, listening to your body. It’s your workout.” At the end of the day, working out is something very personal, whether you find yourself in a class or not. Just showing up is a success in itself, regardless of what everyone around you thinks. “It is a challenge by choice,” Punda said. “It doesn’t matter what your neighbors are doing. It matters what you’re doing. I care more that you come in and that you’re willing to move for the 45 minutes that you’re there rather than going all out or all of that. If you’re able just to have movement in your day, I’m a happy camper.”
24 | Arts &Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
St.Vincent’s D e JAMZ “Spinning fresh beats since 1581” By Emma Oxnevad
tition of “four dead in Ohio” is something not likely to leave you after finishing the song and remains an iconic symbol of protest. What’s Going On- Marvin Gaye The Vietnam War is a treasure trove of protest music, with a seemingly endless catalogue of songs discussing the violence of the times. Of all the songs to pick from, Gaye’s track best conveys the heartache and confusion of living in a war-torn time in what is arguably his best vocal delivery. The song’s message of love conquering hate is universal and makes for an impassioned plea for a better world. A Change Is Gonna Come- Sam Cooke One of the most recognizable songs of the Civil Rights Movements, this song evokes optimism in a highly pessimistic time. Cooke’s delivery is excellent, as always, and the song evokes the power of holding on to beliefs rather than anger
Opinions Editor
In times of social unrest, art often takes a more political turn, reflecting the distress of the times. Music is perhaps the largest medium for protest, with some of the most iconic songs of the last decades being a result of an unjust world. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the Women’s March, here are some of the best protest songs. Ohio-Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young This song from the folk-rock supergroup was inspired by the 1970 Kent State shooting, in which four students at the university were shot by members of the Ohio National Guard during a protest of the United States’ bombing of Cambodia. This song is a classic of its time, with the thumping beat and emotive vocals conveying the tragedy of the senseless violence. The repe-
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during times of struggle. This song is universal to anyone facing strife and hoping their fortunes will turn. American Idiot- Green Day Arguably the most famous protest song of the Bush administration, this song breathes fury and disgust into an unjust world. The song is full of energy and has a sly sense of humor, pointing out the ways in which propaganda and bigotry permeated the culture of the time. Throw in a catchy chorus and a raucous guitar riff and you have a classic pissed-off protest song. Zombie- The Cranberries This song is a public display of grief, with lead singer Dolores O’Riordan penning the song in response to the death of Jonatahn Ball and Tim Parry, ages 3 and 12, respectively, who were killed in the IRA Bombings of Warrington in 1994. The song is a commentary on the
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1. Hatched 5. Ruckus 9. Cold War grp. 12. Therapeutic plant 13. Missing a deadline 14. Bad thing to invoke 15. Daily buy for many 17. Slightest bit 18. Bar obligation 19. Agenda listings 21. Where the heart is 24. Maldives capital 26. Purge 27. Genesis garden 29. Banjoist Scruggs 33. Dinosaur’s origin 34. Last inning, typically 36. Casino roller 37. A question of timing 39. Chop ___ 40. Marmaduke, for one 41. Grills 43. Baneful bunch 45. Sad piece 48. Emulate Rocky 49. Bother 50. Grinders 56. Alley serenader 57. Surf ’s sound 58. Missile housing 59. Eiger or Eisenhut 60. Dressing flavor 61. Work here and there
endless cycle of violence and the pain associated with the deaths of the innocent. In addition to being an excellent protest song, it is catchy to boot, making for great repeat listens.
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1. Proscribe 2. Grand ___ Opry 3. Cannery or Catfish 4. They’re often out on a limb 5. Love handles, essentially 6. Once around the track 7. Broke a fast 8. Thin ice, e.g. 9. Hawk of a sort 10. Apothecary’s measure 11. Dorm sights 16. Ceremonial Mass plate 20. Ball-bearing device? 21. Hands 22. Mighty companion 23. Advantage 24. Diner stack 25. Cards pitch-in 28. Spinal feature 30. Continues, conversationally 31. Often read act? 32. Flight segments 35. Syringes, for short 38. Chronic critic 42. ___ Tower 44. Draw breath 45. Chart fillers 46. Celebrity, perhaps 47. Breezy film 48. Like a fairy tale cupboard 51. Cabaret wear 52. Cleaning aid 53. Get in the game 54. Slippery ___ 55. Bribe
Sports
Sports. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 25
Welcome home
Hometown kid joins men’s basketball for rest of season By Lawrence Kreymer Sports Editor
When DJ Williams announced he was going to leave George Washington at the end of last semester, he had one destination on his mind — coming home. The Chicago native got his wish on Thursday when DePaul made it official that Williams will be joining the team for the rest of the season, and the fact the he is a graduate transfer, he is immediately eligible to play this season. “It was only right,” Williams said. “Once I got in touch with [DePaul], I just knew — I didn’t want to talk to no one else. I knew I wanted to finish out at home, I’m just blessed to have that opportunity.” Williams became one of the best prospects in Chicago while playing for Simeon high school, he eventually earned a four-star status during his senior season in 2015 before announcing he was going to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana– Champaign. He would spend his first two seasons at Illinois, averaging 2.2 points in just under 10 minutes per game in two years. After an unsuccessful stint at Illinois, Williams left his home state to go and play for George Washington. After sitting out the 2017-2018 season due to NCAA transfer rules, the 6-foot-7 forward played in 31 games for the George, while averaging 13.7 points per game on 40.1 percent shooting from the field. Now, Williams gets to close out his college career in the city where it all began for him — and he gets to do it while playing in front of his family and friends. “This is great, my family can come see me play, friends are not too far from home,” Williams said. “This is special. Growing up in Chicago I always knew about DePaul and growing up watching them play, so this is a dream come true to me.” Back when Williams was still in high school, DePaul was one of the schools to go after the talented player — but at that time, the Blue Demons were still struggling on the court and off the court in terms of Chicago recruiting. Fast-forward six years later and Williams finds himself playing for a program that is looking to get a destination that they haven’t been to since 2004: the NCAA
MBB, continued from front page Demons never trailed and stifled the Bulldogs to 33.3 percent from deep and 41.5 percent overall. It’s hard to pinpoint if the defense’s success was more impressive or the offense more jawdropping. The 9-0 start saw the defense still ahead of the offense in terms of development. Saturday afternoon, the defense and offense were just two parts of the same well-oiled machine. Winning in this league isn’t easy. DePaul was picked by the coaches to finish last in the conference for the third year in a row. The ten teams in the Big East right now all have the potential to beat anyone. Coaching and playing in the conference isn’t for the faint of heart. “With this league with all 10 teams being high-level teams as it stands right now, is going to come down to late-game execution,” Leitao said after a 74-66 loss to Seton Hall on Dec. 30, a game in which DePaul gave up a
ALEXA SANDLER | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul forward DJ Williams smiles while on the bench before the Blue Demons took on Butler on Saturday at Wintrust Arena. Tournament. “Experience, leadership, versatility, be out there and guard certain positions and just bring that energy,” Williams said on what he will bring to the team this season. Getting Williams to DePaul presented head coach Dave Leitao and his staff with a unique set of challenges, getting the necessary paperwork, making sure he was eligible to play this season all needed to be solved before making the move official. Now, that he is in Lincoln Park, a whole new set of hurdles are in front of Leitao. Getting Williams acclimated to the playbook and DePaul’s style of play is the team’s next priority before the forward can take the floor with his new team. “He’s a quality young man, that’s the first that we add to it,” Leitao said. “He’s in a really tough spot because it’s very rare if ever, I don’t remember seeing anything where you want to try and join a team in the middle of [January] and say ‘hey, this is what’s going to happen.’ So, I think he realizes that as well as we do, 9-0 run down the last few minutes to lose. That’s the quote that’s stuck in the air for DePaul. In their next few games, the Blue Demons lost all the games that were within eight points. A few plays here and there, and their Big East record looks completely different. DePaul has struggled particularly with free throws and turnovers. Coming into Saturday’s game, the Blue Demons ranked at the bottom of the conference in free throw percentage, turnovers and assist to turnover ratio. These three stats were glimpses at some of the problems in the flow of their offense. On Saturday, DePaul had 16 assists on 22 made shots and the starters were 23-for-28 from the stripe. Getting to the line hasn’t been the problem for DePaul, once they are able to convert from there, they are dangerous. Now, DePaul sits at 1-4 in the conference, just 2 games back from the middle of the pack. With Creighton and St. John’s coming to Wintrust this week, it’s a prime time to make more statements.
but one of the things we want to do is get him in physical and emotional shape, learn what we are trying to do and then see where it works out. I don’t know if I put expectations on it, so he can do this for us or that for us, we will see in a couple of days.” One of the things that Leitao doesn’t have to worry as much about with a new player this time around is getting him acclimated to a new campus. Not only is Williams from Chicago, so he already knows the area and is comfortable living in the city, but he also has a familiar face on the roster that he knows from his Illinois playing days: senior guard Jalen Coleman-Lands. The two spent two seasons with the Fighting Illini and were roommates during their time together, and even when both of them went their separate ways — the two have stayed in touch. “It’s crazy because DJ was my roommate,” Coleman-Lands said. “We got a relationship on the court and off the court, so I’m looking
forward to what he can bring just in practice competitiveness, making the team better.” Having a friend on the team has made the transition easier for Williams in terms of getting to know the campus, showing him around and letting him know how the team operates. The next item on his to-do-list is getting on the court as soon as possible. While he didn’t play against Butler on Saturday, he sat on the bench and watched his team thump the Bulldogs 79-66 for their Big East win of the season. Williams played off the fact that he might have been a good-luck charm for the team on Saturday. “Our last few practices have been high energy, high level, our guys have been super focused,” Williams said. “I was super focused even though I knew I wasn’t going to play [against Butler] but I was still locked in. All the guys were locked in, the coaching staff. We just knew we needed to get this [win].”
ALEXA SANDLER | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul junior guard Charlie Moore drives past Butler’s Aaron Thompson in the second half on Saturday at Wintrust Arena. Moore finished the game with nine points.
26 | Sports. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS
DePaul track and field sophomore Ryan Taylor runs prior to the 2019-2020 season.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS
DePaul track and field sophomore Dominic Bruce runs prior to the start of the season.
Track athletes reflect on helping young boy in coyote incident By Lawrence Kreymer Sports Editor
When a student comes to DePaul and goes through freshman orientation, they meet fellow freshmen and go through two days of activities to get accustomed to the campus before they are thrown into college life. Out of the multiple exercises students go through, the most impactful and important one, arguably, is learning about the Vincentian Mission. As DePaul looks to prepare its students for life after college, it’s a school principal while on campus to learn to help others who need assistance, or in other words, to ask “What must be done?” Some students already have an idea of how they want to help other people, and for others, it can take time to figure out what their mission is, or that moment can happen in a blink of an eye. For Ryan Taylor and Dominic Bruce, it was the latter. The two DePaul track and field athletes were on their normal run on Jan. 8 when they heard screams coming from a path near the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park. The sophomores stopped their run and rushed over to find a young boy crying and bleeding after being attacked by a coyote.
“We were on a run and we were heading back to campus, and we heard some screaming,” Bruce said. “I looked over and I didn’t really know what it was, so we crossed the street after we saw it was a coyote. We saw a kid bleeding and the coyote about 15 feet away and it ran into the bush. I took off my sweatshirt, my hat and gloves and gave it to the caretaker.” When Bruce and Taylor arrived to the scene, the coyote was still around the vicinity, so Bruce said he took a stick and helped chase it away. After that moment, the coyote never returned, and the two athletes turned their attention to helping the boy and calling for help. “While [Dominic] was treating the kid, I called the police and I was able to tell them what was going on, where we were so that they can get there immediately,” Taylor said. “From there, I was on the bus with the kid and the caretaker just trying to help him any way I could. Just doing the best we can in the situation to help out.” While a situation like the one Bruce and Taylor encountered is a unique one and doesn’t happen very often, it underlines the point for them that when someone needs help, then you should go over and provide assistance. For Bruce, a sophomore economics major, he said he did what he
hopes other people would do in a situation where someone is hurt or getting attacked. “If you see someone that’s being hurt or attacked, you are supposed to help,” Bruce said. “At least from my point of view, it’s not like I did a good deed or anything like that, it’s more so I did what I hope anyone would do in that situation – which is to help a kid to the best of their ability.” For Bruce, who is from a small town in Lexonard, Mich. that only has a population of 403 people, coming to Chicago was a cultural shock because when he runs in Lincoln Park he is passing by hundreds of people on a daily basis. Back in his hometown, he usually runs by himself and doesn’t have to pay as much attention to the people around him. “I’m from a small town and when I go on a run it’s just me on my own,” Bruce said. “Coming to DePaul in the city, it was kind of like a cultural shock because you expect to be blind to other people because there are so many people … I think this [incident] really made me more conscious of the people around me. Now, as I’m running, you are a little bit more conscious of the people around you, and realizing they are actual people and could happen to anyone in the right circumstances.” Taylor, on the other hand, said the
BUTLER, continued from back page five minutes left in the half. Pleads from head coach Doug Bruno to “move the ball” rang through. When 3-pointers don’t fall for DePaul, the threat of the deep ball keeps teams on their toes and opens things up. “We focus on threes so people focus on stopping us from getting threes so that opens up the floor a lot so we have a lot of driving gaps, a lot of lanes,” guard Sonya Morris said. Senior and leading scorer Chante Stonewall scored just two points in the first half as the offense struggled from the field. Forcing 16 first-half turnovers helped even out the 31.4 percent shooting from the field as DePaul went into the break holding a 36-30 lead after Sonya Morris hit a floater at the buzzer. The Bulldogs had 26 turnovers in the game, and that pressure kept DePaul going well. “Our pressure wears them out and we did a good job of forcing turnovers in the halfcourt,” Bruno said. Campbell’s seven first-half points put her just six away from reaching 1000 points on her career.
RYAN GILROY | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul senior guard Kelly Campbell looks to pass the ball in the first quarter against Butler on Sunday at Hinkle Fieldhouse. A 0-for-5 start in the second half was negated by a Dee Bekelja 3-pointer leading to DePaul’s largest lead of the game at 44-33 a few minutes later after Morris hit a three of her own. That’s how this DePaul team can hurt opponents. A few missed layups or turnovers can lead to a game getting out of hand quickly.
A phenomenon like that happened for DePaul as the Blue Demons went on a 12-2 run to close the third quarter to lead 61-41 after 2.9 seconds left. In a flash, the Blue Demons were able to pull off a run to give themselves a comfortable lead going into the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, both teams came
experience gave him a different look at life when thrown into a situation like the one he was in last week. “I’ve always been pretty self-aware when I’m running or when I’m walking around the city,” Taylor said. “But it’s certainly an interesting experience because I’ve never been apart of something like that where I had to call 911. So, it does give me a new look at life, how it can change in an instance. Something thrown at you, and how fast can you react.” Following what happened with Bruce and Taylor and the victim of the attack the two received positive reactions from their fellow teammates, coaches and the rest of the athletic department. But Bruce credits the school for the values they instill in their students and having students buy into the idea of helping the community. “I think it speaks to the university itself, not everyone comes here and is taken in by what the university tries to instill in people,” Bruce said. “But I think it speaks for the people that come to this school and value what the school tries to instill in us. Everyone I experienced here is fully bought into, especially the athletic department, the idea that St. Vincent de Paul left down and it just leaves a sense of appreciation for the community around us.” out sluggish. The Bulldogs went on a 7-0 run in just forty seconds to cut the DePaul lead to 67-50 with 6:07 remaining. Butler held onto the ball well in the fourth quarter, a good sight for a team that commits over 17 turnovers a game on average. It was Kristen Spolyar that lead the Bulldog rush in the fourth quarter. The forward had 10 points in the fourth quarter to pad her 25 point performance before fouling out with 1:11 remaining. Her fourth-quarter efforts were matched by Stonewall who came through in the final period to score eight of her ten points down the stretch. Kelly Campbell hit from deep with 4:16 remaining to reach 1002 points on her DePaul career. The senior guard had 15 points and six rebounds on the day. “It’s definitely a great accomplishment and a lot of great players before me have done it so it’s an honor to be added to the list,” Campbell said. “Points are never really something I ever worried about so it’s a nice accomplishment, but I’m just glad we are winning.”
Sports. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020 | 27
Hockey returns with intensity, splits with Robert Morris By Ryan Gilroy Copy Editor
DePaul returned to Johnny’s Ice House West this past weekend and split their doubleheader against the Robert Morris University Eagles on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s game featured the Blue Demons long-awaited Hockey Fights Cancer night, as the team went onto the ice for a back-andforth bout against the Eagles. The first period showcased a hot start for DePaul, as they put 20 shots on goal and eventually found the back of the net from Brenton Wadsworth with just three minutes left before the end of the period. Robert Morris was able to capitalize on two goals within the first five minutes of the second period, tilting the ice for the third period and making the score 2-1. The Blue Demons were able to tie the game at 2-2 within the first minute and a half of the third thanks to a goal from Jack Leptich. Wadsworth was able to score a second goal halfway through the 15-minute mark to give DePaul a 3-2 lead, however just 30 seconds later, the Eagles were able to net one of their own, knotting the score again at 3-3. “We were hauling in the beginning – we were scoring goals and trying to make it as good as we could,” Wadsworth said. Robert Morris was able to net a fourth goal with 14:20 remaining to give them a 4-3 lead. Matt Rivera was able to tie the game again at 4-4 with under six minutes in the period, but the Eagles responded quickly again, scoring a goal less than 30 seconds later to regain a 5-4 lead. In a desperate attempt to tie the game for a third time and possibly send it into overtime, the team pulled goaltender Rudy Hodgson with less than two minutes remaining. Unfortunately, Robert Morris was able to get the empty net goal with 45 seconds left and pulled away with a 6-4 win. “Just a great game overall, just a few bad bounces at the end that cost us the game,” forward Jake Camp said. Friday night saw family and friends alike in attendance for Hockey Fights Cancer night, which the team has been campaigning for since the fall. Back in November, the team launched their Hockey Fights Cancer
RYAN GILROY | THE DEPAULIA
The DePaul hockey team celebrates a goal during their game against Robert Morris on Saturday at Johnny’s Ice House West. campaign online, creating a team profile on DePaul University’s Relay For Life page. Since then, they’ve raised over $1,200 prior to Friday’s game, with all proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society. “[Hockey Fights Cancer] has been a big tradition for the DePaul hockey team where we have a game at least once a year,” Camp said. “It’s a great cause and I’m glad we got it all worked out.” While Friday’s game slowly crept away from the team, Saturday’s game was a completely different story. Amassing a total of 23 penalties for 55 minutes, the Blue Demons were plagued from start to finish in what seemed to be a onesided affair. The team didn’t let penalties get to them, as they were able to flip the weekend
around and beat the Eagles on Saturday. Both teams were unable to score in the first period but DePaul was able to kill off every penalty handed their way, going 7 for 7. As the intensity of the game became more prominent in the second, Brock Ash opened the scoring on a breakaway goal assisted from Helf. Later, Jack Hemmingway was able to score a shorthanded goal after forcing a turnover in Robert Morris’ own defensive zone, making it a 2-0 game halfway through the second period. Robert Morris was able to take advantage of a powerplay opportunity with 7:30 remaining in the second making it 2-1, but Camp was able to come away with one of his own with 4:45 remaining, giving DePaul a 3-1 lead after two.
The third period saw the most hectic gameplay of the Blue Demons season so far, as every aspect of the game kept increasing in numbers. The Eagles were able to narrow the score 3-2 less than five minutes into the period, but Wadsworth scored DePaul’s second shorthanded goal at the 13-minute mark, giving them a 4-2 lead as penalties continued to climb. The highlight of the weekend came at the six and a half minute mark of the third, when Helf carried the puck behind the net and scored what’s widely known in the hockey world as the Michigan, giving the Blue Demons a commanding 5-2 lead. “Hemmingway sets it low – I was just feeling it, had a good scoop on it and then… yeah,” he said. Even though Robert Morris was able to score a third goal with just over :30 left in the period, it was too late as DePaul was able to skate away with a 5-3 win. While the Blue Demons were able to kill of 21 of 23 penalties, the integrity of the referee’s decision-making came into question more and more throughout the game. DePaul piled a total of 10 penalties in the third, the most out of any period in the game, while the Eagles only tallied six penalties for 12 minutes throughout the entire matchup. “Today’s game was kind of a tough one to play through,” Rivera said. “It was a little bit tough at times, especially some [penalties] were weaker than others, but we battled through, we played hard and at the end of the day we got the job done.” Despite was forced upon them, the Blue Demons were able to split their weekend with Robert Morris. Hemmingway and Helf each tallied a goal and an assist of their own and goaltender Asher Motew stopped 41 of 44 shots for a .931 save percentage in his first start of the season. With six games remaining on their schedule, every game is a must-win for DePaul, as the top six teams are able to punch their ticket to make it into the postseason. They sit two points behind Robert Morris, who currently holds the sixth spot in the standings with six points.
HISTORY, continued from back page strong defense and smart offense, the Blue Demons tallied off 12 straight points to take a 22-6 lead with 10:56 to play in the first half. But unlike previous games where DePaul has taken their foot off the gas after building a double-digit lead, the Blue Demons stayed in control for the next couple of minutes. DePaul made it a concentrated effort to feed Reed in the first half, the junior would hit all five of his shots to lead all scorers with 18 points in the first half. After picking up two quick fouls, however, Reed was forced to go to the bench for the remainder of the first half, and that is when Butler went on their run. After DePaul took a 31-18 lead with just under seven minutes to play, the Blue Demons’ offense went cold and the Bulldogs started to knock down shots behind Baldwin and Jordan Tucker. The two standouts for Butler scored scored 13 of the team’s next 16 points, and by the two-minute mark they had the game back within four points, 35-31. But DePaul did not make the same mistakes as they have in previous game -- losing momentum going into the break. After Butler got within four, the Blue Demons went on a 9-3 run to close the first half. During that stretch, senior guard Jalen Coleman-Lands hit three straight free-throws, junior guard Devin Gage and freshman forward Romeo Weems knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers to swing the momentum back DePaul’s way.
For anyone who has watched DePaul this season, or the last couple of years knows that DePaul struggles to close halves and has a tendency to come out slow to begin the second half. They made sure the former didn’t happen on Saturday, and they didn’t allow a 15-minute break to slow them down in the second half. Coming out of the break, ColemanLands and Weems hit two 3-pointers inside the first two minutes to give DePaul a 50-36 lead. Following the two early makes to begin the second half, DePaul’s offense went cold in the next seven minutes by only scoring two points during that stretch. But the Blue Demons’ defense stifled the Bulldogs in that stretch by forcing five turnovers and only allowing four points to keep a double-digit lead. With the game still hanging in the balance with 12 minutes to play, junior guard Charlie Moore broke the cold streak for DePaul with two free-throws. After only scoring two points in the first half, Moore poured in seven points for the Blue Demons in the second half. With Moore getting DePaul back on track on the offensive end, the Blue Demons used their strong defense to create good looks on the other side. DePaul was able to get out in transition throughout the game, and hit timely 3-pointers to offset any Butler runs. In a six-minute stretch, DePaul hit three 3-pointers and had one 3-point play to build a 21-point lead, 70-49, with only six minutes
ALEXA SANDLER | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul freshman Romeo Weems guards Butler’s Kamar Baldwin in the first half on Saturday at Wintrust Arena. Weems finished the game with 11 points. to play. But the exclamation point of that run and the entire game came with 9:27 to play when junior guard Jaylen Butz dunked on a Butler player. While DePaul’s defense did its job, forcing 17 turnovers and holding Butler to only 41 percent shooting, the offense stepped up when they had to. Two areas that DePaul has struggled this season, free-throw and 3-point shooting, helped the Blue Demons build their
lead and then keep that sizable advantage in the second half. The Blue Demons shot 10-17 (58 percent) from the 3-point line and 25-32 (78 percent) from the free-throw line. Reed finished the game with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Coleman-Lands finished with 20 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the 3-point line and going 9-of-11 from the free-throw line. After taking a 70-49 lead, DePaul made
Sports
Sports. The DePaulia. Jan. 21, 2020| 28
Bulldogs caged
ALEXA SANDLER | THE DEPAULIA
RYAN GILROY | THE DEPAULIA
Kelly Campbell dribbles up the court in the first half against Butler on Sunday at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Campbell recorded her 1,000th point in the game.
DePaul junior forward Jaylen Butz posterizes Butler’s Sean McDermott during the second half on Saturday at Wintrust Arena.
Basketball teams sweep Butler in historic weekend
80-65
By Nate Burleyson Asst. Sports Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — DePaul women’s basketball is working on another top tier Big East campaign. The Blue Demons made their trip to Indianapolis at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse where they forced 26 turnovers to down Butler 80-65 in a game where senior Kelly Campbell reached 1000 career points. Things may have gotten sloppy for DePaul at some points as 16.7 percent from deep in the first half kept them from lifting off until the third quarter, where a 25-11 scoreline put them ahead for good. “I’m very proud of our players because they came on the road and won a game here, basically putting a very talented team down by 24,” head coach Doug Bruno said. The first quarter started off quite sloppy for both teams. For Butler, it was all about turnovers. They had eight turnovers by the
79-66
first media timeout. DePaul made its first two shots but went on a 2-for-14 drought that let Butler stay within two points. After eight minutes only Lexi Held and Kelly Campbell had scored for DePaul. Oumu Toure had six for the Bulldogs as DePaul lead just 14-12 after ten minutes. A 5-for-19 start from the field keeps the Blue Demons from being able to do what they do best: pressure defense. It’s hard to set up a full-court press off of missed shots. The second quarter opened with Butler hitting a three to take its first lead of the game. DePaul’s shooting woes continued for a few minutes as they missed their first five shots before Lexi Held hit a 3-pointer. The Blue Demons were able to stay in the game through their defense. It was three turnovers that lead to a 9-0 run for the Blue Demons as they regained a 23-17 lead with
See BUTLER page 26
By Lawrence Kreymer Sports Editor
It was 13 years since DePaul last beat a top-five team in the country. It was nearly six years since the last time DePaul knocked off Butler. All of that changed on Saturday when the No. 5 Bulldogs came to Wintrust Arena and got destroyed from start-to-finish. DePaul jumped out to an early double-digit lead, and never looked back to upset Butler 79-66. The fast start for the Blue Demons helped them settle down, and got the biggest crowd of the year into the game right away. After missing their first two shots of the game, DePaul started getting into a groove on offense. The Blue Demons made sure to play through their star junior forward Paul Reed, the Florida native scored eight of the team’s first 10 points and helped his squad jumped out to a 10-2 lead.
With DePaul’s offense was firing on all cylinders to begin the game, the Blue Demons’ defense were lazar focused on stopping Butler on the other end. It took the Bulldogs nearly two minutes to get on the board, but the Blue Demons were doing a solid job on defense forcing the visitors into tough looks and making them shoot deep into the shot-clock. Getting off to fast start has been a theme for DePaul in Big East play, against No. 14 Villanova on Jan. 14 the Blue Demons rushed out to a 21-8 lead inside the first 10 minutes. But the Wildcats would end up crawling back into the game and eventually took a 30-28 lead into the break. DePaul made sure that wouldn’t happen again, especially in front of a gigantic crowd at Wintrust Arena. After Kamar Baldwin rallied off four
See HISTORY page 27