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Volume #103 | Issue #8 | March 4, 2019 | depauliaonline.com
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SHANE RENE | THE DEPAULIA
DIBS roams the floor at Wintrust Arena as he tries to rally fans during DePaul’s home loss Jan. 16. As the face of school spirit, DIBS is often left with few students to interact with at basketball games.
State of school spirit leaves room for improvement By Brian O’Connell & Allegra Acosta Contributing Writers
DePaul women’s basketball coaching legend Doug Bruno exits the Sullivan Athletic Center, walking south on Sheffield Avenue. Two female DePaul students walk in the opposite direction past Bruno. One of the women says to the other, “That’s the women’s basketball team’s head coach.” The other responds, “Really? Wow. I know nothingabout this school.” Besides the eye-catching mural of St.
Vincent de Paul on McCabe Hall, Bruno is one of the most visible figures at the university – yet this is an example of the lack of athletic recognition at the nation’s largest Catholic university in the country’s third-largest city. Athletic recognition and school spirit typically go hand-in-hand at universities with well-recognized athletic programs. Does school spirit rely on athletics? School spirit is a sense of identity and community shared by the students, faculty and alumni of an institution. People can show school spirit by wearing their school’s apparel or colors on and off campus.
DePaul’s Blue Crew, the official student section of the Blue Demons, personifies school spirit at all athletic events, but their foremost concentration is at basketball games. Michala Leber, a junior and president of the Blue Crew, says school spirit at DePaul goes beyond being in the stands. “Having school spirit is being proud of being a student at DePaul,” Leber said. “People do that through going to basketball games, community outreach and joining clubs.” Representing DePaul throughout the Chicagoland community is an important
idea to understand in the discussion of school spirit at the university, but athletics is typically how universities rise to prominence on a national stage. As school spirit can derive from the success of athletic teams, DePaul may lack in thatdepartment, said senior Tim Stebbins, assistant general manager of RadioDePaul Sports. “You might not be proud of DePaul as a student because the school doesn’t have a whole lot to be proud of at the moment,” Stebbins said. “The women’s basketball
See SPIRIT, page 6
Lightfoot, Preckwinkle advance to mayoral runoff By Shane Rene, Emma Oxnevad, Carolyn Bradley & Bianca Cseske Managing Editor, Asst. News Editor & Copy Editors
Chicago voters won’t elect a new mayor until a runoff election on April 2, but one thing is for sure: Chicago will have a black woman in the mayor’s office for the first time in its history. After a late surge in the polls, former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot topped the 14 candidates vying for the mayor’s office with 17.5 percent of the vote. President of the Cook County Board Toni Preckwinkle slid into second place with 16 percent, punching her ticket to the April 2 runoff election. “This, my friends, is what change looks like,” Lightfoot said to a crowd of supporters at her election night event. “I want to thank the voters of this great city
for fighting through the noise and coming to a place where we brought in the light.” If Lightfoot wins the runoff election, she will also become Chicago’s first openly gay mayor. Preckwinkle greeted an enthusiastic crowd at her campaign event at the Lake Shore Café Tuesday night to celebrate the historic results and reminded voters that the campaign will continue for another month. “The fight is far from over and there’s a lot more work to do,” Preckwinkle said. “But let’s first acknowledge how hard we worked to get here. We worked shoulder to shoulder to shape a campaign that reflects our vision, our values and our hopes for Chicago.” With only about 50 percent of precincts reporting, supporters at the Preckwinkle
See ELECTION, page 4
ERIN HOOLEY | CHICAGO TRIBUNE VIA AP
Lori Lightfoot placed first in a field of 14 candidates in the Tuesday mayoral election.
2 | News. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
First Look The DePaulia is the official student-run newspaper of DePaul University and may not necessarily reflect the views of college administrators, faculty or staff. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Benjamin Conboy eic@depauliaonline.com MANAGING EDITOR | Shane René managing@depauliaonline.com NEWS EDITOR | Carina Smith news@depauliaonline.com
Interested in writing for The DePaulia? Contact our Editor-in-Chief, Benjamin Conboy, to see your name in print and get real journalistic experience. Email eic@depauliaonline.com to get started.
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Check out our campus crime database, Crime Watch. This map is updated on a weekly basis with data made available to The DePaulia from the City of Chicago data portal and DePaul’s Office of Crime Prevention.
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News. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 | 3
Valerie Johnson brings activism to academia DePaul political science professor Valerie Johnson combines her academic prowess with her dedication to social justice to bring reform to DePaul from the inside.
By Patsy Newitt Contributing Writer
DePaul professor Valerie Johnson is, in one word, a presence. She commands a room at five-feet-six-inches with a force that paints her as at least six-feet-threeinches. Her presence, however, comes from a place of altruism. Johnson, a political science professor at DePaul, is comprehensively an advocate. She has a reputation for being an inconvenience to power structures by asking hard questions and holding those in authority accountable. But she doesn’t do it for herself, instead focusing on those who don’t have a seat at the table. “Advocacy is about recognizing that some people are powerless and using your voice to help,” she said. Johnson has had a notable career in academia and politics. It became clear in an interview on Feb. 11, however, that she’s most notable for her advocacy, a tenet she adheres to in everything she is and does. Her office is an endearing mess, with books scattered everywhere and a jelly bean dispenser at the center of her desk. These is a clear indication of who she is: intensely academic without sacrificing character. “Please excuse me for sweating – I’m drinking matcha tea,” she said, in between anecdotes about dealing with the intense racial and economic disparities between suburban and urban school systems. Johnson has been an associate professor at DePaul for almost 16 years. She’s the chair of the political science department, specializing in urban politics, public policy and the politics of race. She grew up in Buffalo, New York to working class parents who stressed education and celebrated social justice. She cites her father’s labor activism at the steel mill where he worked as inspiration for her career. His involvement with the union gave Johnson a familiarity with advocacy at a young age.
Johnson became the national of the most outspoken faculty members. education spokesperson for the Rev. Jesse “You can be silent, or you can use your L. Jackson Sr. and his Rainbow/ PUSH voice to make a difference,” she said. “For Coalition, a nonprofit social justice better or for worse.” organization, in 1997. There, her main The worse, as she describes it, comes job was, of course, advocacy. in many forms. For one, she feels alienated Though she didn’t work for Jackson by upper-level DePaul administration. long, only four years, the time was She felt this alienation was exemplified impactful. at the annual State of DePaul address “I always say they were like dog years,” for faculty and staff at the Holtschneider she said. “They felt like 28 years.” Performance Center. When the event As the was opened up for national education questions, Johnson spokesperson, she quickly stood up, traveled around the asking questions country challenging about what DePaul disparities in school was going to do funding. about the racial “It’s a snoozefest climate on campus. to explain and not “They were really a sexy topic, immediately like, but really important ‘Professor Johnson, stuff,” she said. “We can you please wrap gave a lot of people it up,’” she said, really necessary legal laughing. “They assistance.” think I’m too extra.” DePaul political science Proof of this Her points professor on DePaul’s need assistance is just a Google click to better address away. In Decatur diversity ring true. County in 1999, six African-American “[DePaul administration] is like ‘oh, students were expelled for two years for let’s have a MLK event,’” she said. “And a 19-second fight at a football game. All I’m like ‘No, let’s change the processes six, even the victim, were subject to two and structures to ensure that diverse years of suspension and some of them groups are able to matriculate and thrive were seniors. here.’” Johnson was directly involved. “Oh! I made up a little data sheet for “I talked to the superintendent and this,” she said, jumping out of her chair to the president of the board of education to print a copy from her computer. appeal to them that there was no societal She pulled out a DePaul Student advantage to expelling kids for two Statistics sheet reporting the low years,” she said. “Essentially asking, what percentages of DePaul’s racial will that accomplish?” composition and graduation levels. Black The work, however, she found students who started at DePaul in 2013 discouraging. reported a 52.5 percent graduation rate, “I found that the more minority kids, compared to the 75.7 percent graduation the more expulsions and suspensions,” rate of white students. she said. “There was a direct correlation She cited the consequences of her […] and that was disheartening.” outspoken nature in instances like not Despite these demoralizing setbacks, getting considered for the university’s Johnson has remained vigilant as an agent new Diversity Fellows program, where for change. At DePaul, she’s known as a professors would be released from their strong proponent of diversity and one classes to focus on diversity initiatives at
“You can be silent or you can use your voice to make a difference. For better or for worse.”
Valerie Johnson
JEFF CARRION | DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
DePaul. With her background, Johnson is uniquely qualified and, despite having glowing recommendations and a reputation for prioritizing inclusion, she was not even a finalist for the program, she said. “It’s a powerful lesson of how you can piss people off at the top,” she said. “The very people who are the so-called advocates marginalize you, and that goes to show you can be alienated when you speak your truth.” Though she claims to attract negative attention from her higher-ups, Johnson is popular amongst her colleagues. Molly Andolina, the associate chair of the political science department who works alongside Johnson, was more than willing to comment on Johnson’s character. “[Johnson] is strong-willed and has a deep and abiding commitment to values of equity and justice and they structure where she puts her time and energy, which is always to causes that are bigger than herself,” Andolina said. This is mirrored in her teaching. Johnson is recognized for connecting and advocating for students on a personal level. When a black male student came to her after being racially profiled on DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus a few years ago, she made it her duty to address the racial prejudice in treatment by security officers. She spoke to the president, and ultimately the university began mandating diversity training for all DePaul security officers. “She levels the playing field with her students,” Timmy Arnold, a DePaul student, said of Johnson. “She treats them as equals.” Johnson is not concerned about her standing amongst administrators at the university, her chief concern is with equity, and this trend has been consistent throughout her 57 years. “We look at each influential moment in life as a chapter,” she said. “If there was a defining trend [in my life], it would be activism.”
4| News. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 ELECTION continued from front generation, which is a big generation. I think they would prefer someone like Lightfoot. Daley, to a lot of people, represents the old.” State Comptroller Susana Mendoza was also considered to be a strong contender in the race, but came up short of the runoff with only 9 percent of the vote. She conceded early in the night. “Here we were on a historic run to elect the first Latina mayor the city has ever had,” said Mendoza’s campaign co-chair Mae Whiteside. “She had a very solid plan, and I guess it didn’t resonate with as many voters as we thought. It was a low turnout.”
event rejoiced not only about the pending success of their own candidate, but about how the 2019 election would mark a major victory for people — particularly women — of color, and long neglected neighborhoods on the South and West Sides. “The days of neglecting the folks in Austin and Garfield Park, North Lawndale — those days are over,” Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson said to the crowd of Preckwinkle supporters. “A just and equitable Chicago is in front of us. The grip of the racist past in this city — that grip is coming to an end.” It seemed likely that Bill Daley, who had a robust fundraising operation and the strongest name recognition in the field, would find his way into the runoff with either Lightfoot or Preckwinkle, but he came up 6,437 votes shy. Third place finishers within 5 percent of the second place candidate were allowed to request a discovery recount (which recounts 25 percent of the ballots cast), but the younger brother of former mayor Richard M. Daley and son of former mayor Richard J. Daley elected to conceded the election to Lightfoot and Preckwinkle Tuesday night at his campaign event. “No matter who wins in April, our commitment to Chicago will never end,” Daley said. “I don’t know the demographics of who voted for Lightfoot, and I’m not sure if it was a lot of younger voters. There’s a big gap there,” said Daley supporter Brian Benedict. “I think you have the millennial
Nineteen-year-old DePaul freshman David Krupa lost his bid for alderman of the 13th Ward by a landslide to incumbent Marty Quinn, racking up a mere 14 percent of the vote. The race was contentious as Krupa leveled allegations of voter tampering against Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan, whose legislative district is in the 13th Ward. “It goes to show that you can be under federal investigation and still win an election in Chicago,” Krupa said. Krupa is currently suing the Chicago Teachers Union along with Madigan and his opponent Marty Quinn for allegedly trying to force him off the ballot last December. He has also battled a handful allegations against himself, including an order of protection filed against him by a high school girlfriend as well as bullying and harassment claims from middle school teacher Jan Muir, according to news
AP PHOTO | ASHLEE REZIN
Toni Preckwinkle adresses a crowd of supporters Tuesday. She will face Lori Lightfoot in the runoff election, marking the first time in the history of Chicago a black woman will be elected mayor.
reports. One of his supporters, Pete Sofus, said he believes the community is due for a big change because of Quinn and Madigan. Incumbent Lincoln Park Ald. Michelle Smith will enter a runoff election with challenger Derek Lindblom after she received 38.7 percent of the vote. Turnout for the election reached a near
historic-low throughout the day as young voters once again cast fewer votes than any age group, answering questions of whether or not the strong millennial turnout in the 2018 midterm would carry over into the municipal election.
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News. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 | 5
XAVIER ORTEGA | THE DEPAULIA
An election volunteer helps an elderly voter into Jamieson Elementary School, in the Budlong Woods neighborhood, as the snow and cold weather ice over the stone staircase.
Chicago treads to the polls with surprisingly low voter turnout By Emma Oxnevad Asst. News Editor
Despite a wide array of candidates and a tumultuous two terms from current mayor Rahm Emanuel, voter turnout was remarkably low during municipal elections on Tuesday. By 7 p.m. on Tuesday, approximately 539,000 votes had been cast, making up about 34 percent of registered voters in Chicago. This marks one of the lowest voter turnouts in recent memory, with the 2007 mayoral election, which saw only 33 percent of the city take to the polls. There was an incredibly low amount of millenial votes cast during the election. By 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the amount of votes by residents younger than 35 was just over 15 percent. The low voter turnout starkly
contrasts from the the 2018 midterm elections, in which there was a 96 percent increase in early voter turnout when compared to the 2014 midterm. This election saw an overwhelming female presence in the voting booths. Approximately 54 percent of early voters were female, with 59 percent of mail voter applications also being women. Mayoral candiates Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle were the top vote getters and will compete in a runoff on April 2. Lightfoot and Preckwinkle beat out Chicago heavyweight Bill Daley, whose policies and experience were believed to be more popular with older voters in Chicago. Regardless of who wins the election in April, the results are already historic. XAVIER ORTEGA | THE DEPAULIA
Megan Hyska, a volunteer for Ugo Okere, waits for people to walk by so she could talk about voting in the aldermanic candidate for the 40th ward of Chicago.
ASHLEE REZIN | CHICAGO SUN-TIMES VIA AP
Chance the Rapper votes in the Chicago municipal election. The Chicago native was a vocal supporter of Amara Enyia for mayor, donating $400,000 to her campaign.
ASHLEE REZIN | CHICAGO SUN-TIMES VIA AP
A resident casts their vote in the municipal election at Ike Simms Village, 333 W. Maypole Ave.
6| News. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 SPIRIT continued from front program is something to be very proud of, but many schools rally around the men’s programs. If men’s basketball was competitive on a national level, I think students would be more proud to represent DePaul.” Competing with local universities such as Loyola, DePaul students’ school spirit may be difficult to verify with the success of other Chicago universities’ athletic programs. Last March, Loyola University’s men’s basketball team was one of the Cinderella stories of the year in the world of sports. The team fought its way to the Final Four in the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Championship. Because of the run the Ramblers made, school spirit is alive and well with our neighbors in Rogers Park, said Summer Scott, a Loyola freshman. “We care a lot about our sports at Loyola, so it’s easy for me to take pride in my school,” Scott said. The Ramblers’ magical run was not just a boost for student’s morale, but the Final Four appearance also enabled sports fans in the city of Chicago to represent a local university on a national level. Laurence Holmes, an adjunct professor of media at DePaul and host at 670 the Score and NBC Sports Chicago, said that the Final Four run was an important story in the Chicago sports landscape at the time. “It was great to see the public get behind Chicago’s team,” he said. “And the city really needed it.The Bears had been awful for five seasons. The Bulls were in rebuild. The Blackhawks had fallen off the table. The city was hungry for anything to get behind.
“I don’t necessarily define school pride as wearing blue and red every day. I’d prefer to represent the university with my character when I am on my way to and from campus.”
Ethan Brady
DePaul commuter student A successful athletic team can do more than just enhance school spirit at a school. “I have friends who work at Loyola and the exposure that they got on the national stage was immense,” Holmes said. “Enrollment will go up.It looks like DePaul’s team is maybe on the verge of a breakthrough. If they even come close to being a tournament team, they will see a similar reaction. Everyone is rooting for them to return to relevance.” School spirit does not have the same meaning to everyone. Ethan Brady, a commuter student, says he rarely notices DePaul apparel on public transit, but he thinks students should show their school pride by representing DePaul to the best of their ability while commuting. “I personally never wear any DePaul apparel,” he said. “I love the university, but I don’t necessarily define school pride as wearing blue and red every day. I’d prefer to represent the university with my character when I am on my way to and from campus.” While many students express their school spirit at athletic events, others do not rely on athletics alone to display their
affection for DePaul. To some, wearing DePaul apparel is a way to show spirit. In 2015, DePaul’s Student Government Association created an affinity marketing campaign to motivate students and faculty to represent the Blue Demons on Thursdays by wearing blue. Over the past couple of years, Student Government Association has distributed, ‘On Thursdays we wear blue’ T-shirts at falland winter involvement fairs. A university just north of the city limits, Northwestern, differs from DePaul because it has a campus where students come together in a campus community. Exploring Northwestern’s spirit domain, previous vice president of Northwestern’s student body, Riley Judelson puts campus life into a different perspective. “Northwestern’s physical structure is what fills the holes that DePaul is missing with its student body,” Judelson said. “There is a campus where beyond the gates, little student interest peaks.With DePaul having two centralized locations in the busiest parts of the city, it’s no wonder students don’t behold the same amount of pride in their school, they are too busy in the city exploring everything else Chicago has to offer.” Hunter Gerard, a senior and the executive vice president of SOA for Student Government Association, says DePaul’s school spirit is on a different wavelength compared to other schools. “It’s rare that our entire student body is in the same room at the same time,” Gerard said. “If your only conception of unity is a massive stadium filled with painted faces and noisemakers, the unity we have – in our commitment to the mission, in our deep care for our city, in the many venues and organizations that our students find community in – may feel just a bit different.” Students who are part of different organizations on campus make impactful efforts in various different ways. However, there is one thing all DePaul students have in common, and that is getting to class. For many students, getting to class will be a memory in itself. Nearly 90 percent of the total population commutes or lives off campus, according to the Division of Student Affairs. With only 10 percent of students living on campus, it may be challenging for commuters to develop relationships with their peers aside from in-class responsibilities. Stebbins, a commuter from the Portage Park neighborhood, says making friends at DePaul can be difficult. “You hear these kids in class talk about their one- to two-hour commutes from the suburbs, so it is even more challenging for those students to find the time to meet new people,” said Stebbins, whose home is six miles from the Lincoln Park campus. James Stewart, the director of Adult, Veteran, and Commuter Student Affairs at DePaul, leads the charge in assisting new students with their commute to and from their homes around the Chicagoland area. Stewart said that about 40 percent of students commute from suburban neighborhoods. A possible reason as to why students
may not participate in events on campus may bebecause of the lack of discounts for DePaul students who ride the Metra rails everyday. Metra trains cost the same for college students as for normal passengers. Because of the pricing of Metra tickets, it may serve as a reason for why students do not spend as much time on campus. This is an issue Stewart has confronted with DePaul Student Government Association members in the past. “This issue arises from student concern regularly. A few years ago, DePaul SGA leaders and Student Affairs leadership sent a letter joint with several other Chicago universities advocating Metra Board to consider this. Unfortunately, the board did not act,” Stewart said. With two campuses in a bustling city, many students are proud to call this one-ofa-kind city home, no matter what the issue may be. Nahal Hashemian, a senior and president of DePaul’s Student Government Association is proud of her unconventional college experience. “I think DePaul students, and DePaul specifically, is a very unique university in that with our urban nature, most students are commuter students and don’t live in one specific area,” Hashemian said. “I think DePaul is an amazing institution that prides itself on being in Chicago, stating that, “The City is Our Campus,” and I think all DePaul students are proud to say that.” DePaul school spirit may not stem from the success of athletic teams, but it may relate more to the story of being an aspiring professional in a large city. Students live in areas around the city and surrounding suburbs. With two campuses, it may not be possible to designate one area where DePaul students come together as one. One thing they take pride in is representing the city the university is located in. The reputation of a school is carried on by those who past attended. The Office of Alumni Relations reported that they believe our alumni has a strong foundation. “Alumni engage with the university through a variety of ways,” said Sarah Albert, an assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations. “Many alumni attend events, both locally and regionally, throughout the year. Additionally, ways alumni can make an impact on the university are highlighted at these events and through all alumni engagement efforts including helping students find internships and jobs.” At the moment, DePaul has two campuses, advancing athletic programs and a 90 percent commuter student population. The school spirit at the university does not lie solely in athletics. People believe it lacks in relation to all three of these things. Without singling out the athletic department and taking a broader perspective at DePaul’s student body and community, the subject of school spirit at DePaul remains a mystery. There are different variables that need to be explored or explained. Moving forward, is school spirit an issue because of the lack of student involvement? Do commuters need more resources to become more involved? Will people be happy when Wintrust Arena is sold-out with a top 25 ranked men’s basketball team featured on an ESPN primetime game? The answers remain unclear, but what the DePaul community does know is the fact that we do not compare to most universities because of our uniqueness in having two campuses, a substantial commuter population and our main athletic venue being located miles away from Lincoln Park, where the majority of dorms are located.
News. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 | 7
Chicago finalizes plans to install world’s first floating eco-park By Carina Smith News Editor
Chicago may be home to the world’s first floating eco-park. The proposal would place this one-of-a-kind project on the Chicago River in an effort to boost biodiversity and wildlife within the area. The architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has taken up the project. The mile-long eco-park would utilize the channel walls to support it and would provide a habitat for a number of different species and pollinators while also offering a unique recreational site to the city. The eco-park, which has been named the Wild Mile Chicago, is planned to be located on the River between Chicago Avenue and North Avenue. SOM designed the project, and it has the support from the city of Chicago and Urban Rivers. Wildlife are not the only ones benefiting from the Wild Mile plan. Chicagoans will be able to walk, run or bike on paths that run alongside the structure, as well as take kayaks out onto the river to see the ecopark from a different angle. “This project sounds like the push that Chicago really needs,” said junior environmental studies major Ryley Moore. “Every step forward is a positive step at this point.” The eco-park was included in the city’s 2017 North Branch Framework Plan that was approved by the Chicago Plan Commission. The plan was created to build
MARLEE CHLYSTEK | THE DEPAULIA
on the “vision of a renewed urban ecology for the city of Chicago and helps to generate cleaner, healthier water and more vibrants wildlife ecosystems,” according to the Wild Mile Chicago website. The Chicago River has been widely seen as an unsuitable habitat for many wildlife and is generally seen as unclean, according to Urban Rivers. The Wild Mile Chicago project aims to find a solution to this problem by utilizing the flow of the water through the eco-park for the roots to absorb, which in turn will naturally clean the water and rid it of waste and other substances that do not belong. The Chicago River was not always a tourist attraction of any sort. During the 19th century, the River was used as the sewer for the city, severely impacting the
cleanliness and biodiversity of the River as a whole. “Until 1900, the River flowed into Lake Michigan, discharging lots of human waste and stormwater,” said environmental science professor James Montgomery. “This lead to pollution of the Lake and outbreaks of water-borne diseases like typhoid and cholera. The reversal resulted in a radical improvement to the Lake and the River.” Throughout the years, however, the city has put in effort to try to revitalize the River. “40 years ago, the River was mostly biologically ‘dead,’” Montgomery said. “It basically served as Chicago’s sewer. Few folks dared to venture on the River, and most buildings in the Loop had their backs to the River. Who wanted a front
door facing the River? Fast forward to the early 1990s and redevelopment along the River began, with the River becoming an aesthetic amenity that people actually sought.” The eco-park is the start to creating more environmentally friendly, educational spots within Chicago, but some hope to see these initiatives move further throughout the city as well. “We need more green space, particularly in low-income communities of color,” Montgomery said. “Every kid should be educated in some way on Chicago’s environmental history and current environmental conditions. Most people don’t know what the health of their soil is and how contaminated soil can affect their health.” Pollution and biodiversity issues plague both Chicago and Illinois. According to Montgomery, invasive species have been invading many of the rivers and lakes around Illinois, as well as forest preserves. Some communities within the city also have issues with the air quality and lead infecting the drinking water, which adds to more harm for many Chicagoans. “Over 85 percent of Chicago homes have [lead service lines],” Montgomery said. “These should be removed to prevent lead leaching into our drinking water and poisoning young children.” Plans for the park are said to be finalized sometime this month and the project is slated to be completed by mid2020, according to SOM.
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8| News. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
News. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 | 9
Nonprofit tackles racial issues on campus and beyond By Julia Hale Contributing Writer
Nonprofit group Black Girls Break Bread held a two-day event last Tuesday and Wednesday focused on navigating race and gender at DePaul and beyond. Black Girls Break Bread was founded in October 2016 by Jessica DavenportWilliams, Jazzy Davenport-Russ and Khadija Warfield for the purpose of uplifting, empowering andinspiring black women and girls in the Chicagoland area. Black Girls Break Bread achieves this by creating safe spaces that encourage engagement and intellectual discourse. “[We] offer opportunities for intergenerational conversation, definitely on college campuses, but we also visit middle schools, high schools, as well as [other]communities within the Chicagoland area,” Davenport-Williams said. The event was the third that the group has hosted at DePaul, but it was the first two-day event they’ve done here. Tuesday’s event began with a hot Mexican meal and a discussion about triggers. “For me, one of my triggers is when there are white women who try to compare their journey or experience to that of black women,” said one woman in attendance. “Intersectionality is a thing. I can never separate my being black from my being a woman.” The rest of the conversation was filled with anecdotes about white people, in particular DePaul students and faculty, overlooking or or taking up space over black women. Even in classes focused specifically on black women or the Black Lives Matter movement, there were stories of
ANNALISA BARANOWSKI | THE DEPAULIA
white people speaking over black women. There were recurring themes of feeling invisible, unseen or unheard, and also feeling painfully visible due to being a minority at a predominantly white university. “Is it because I’m a woman or because I’m black?” an attendee asked of the discriminations she faces. The sentiment of black women being silenced or excluded when discussing social justice occurs in practice, as well. The modern feminist movement has been critiqued by man black feminists
for being exclusion of women of color, labeling the movement “white feminism.” Later, the women discussed feeling the need to prove oneself, advocating for oneself and the concept of “taking the high road.” Finally, Davenport-Williams and Davenport-Russ asked the young women in the room what they needed from DePaul. While the following discussion of campus resources was useful, Black Girls Break Bread goes beyond DePaul. “We’ve worked in various communities in the South and West
Sides, so communities like Roseland and Austin and South Shore, to create that intergenerational safe space with black women and girls there,” Davenport- Russ said. “We’ve also worked with Elevated Chicago to advocate for transit equity.” While DePaul is often praised for being a diverse institutions, statistics on the university suggest otherwise. 50% of students enrolled at DePaul are white, making DePaul a predominantly white institution. Zeph Kaffey, a physics major at DePaul, was at Tuesday’s meal, following encouragement from her sister to attend. “This is actually my first time coming to one of these meetings,” Kaffey said. “I thought it would be good for me to come since [my sister] had a really good experience. Attending a predominantly white school, there’s not a lot of safe spaces for someone like me, who is black and who is a woman(...).and I can’t really separate those identities. It’s hard finding spaces where I can speak with other people who have insight on what living in this identity means.” This is precisely why the group Black Girls Break Bread was created, according to Davenport-Russ. “As black women and girls we have a unique experience at predominantly white institutions, and just in America,” Davenport-Russ said. “It’s important for us to get together and unpack our experiences so that we don’t feel like we’re the only ones dealing with and navigating challenges.” While validation is important, Davenport-Russ also sees the importance in sharing each others’ successes, too. “[It’s important] to share our successes together,” says DavenportRuss. “It’s important for us to get together and have some black girl time.”
CAMPUS CRIME REPORT: February 20, 2019- February 26, 2019 LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
LOOP CAMPUS
1150 W. Fullerton 3
4
4
Richardson Library 1
5
3
Kelly Hall 5
DePaul Center 6 5
Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center
3 8
6
7
2
8
2
7
4
Assault & Theft
Drug & Alcohol
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
Other
LOOP CAMPUS
FEBRUARY 20 FEBRUARY 23 FEBRUARY 25 FEBRUARY 21 1) A theft report was filed for items taken by an 4) A criminal tresspass warning was issued to an 8) A criminal tresspass warning was issued in unknown subject in the Richardson Library. individual who spat on a passerby near the 1150 6) A retail theft report was filed for a basketball the DePaul Center. FEBRUARY 21 2) A theft report was filed for a bicycle taken from the Ray Meyer Fitness Center bike rack.
FEBRUARY 22 3) An battery was reported at 1150 W. Fullerton
W. Fullerton building.
taken from the DePaul Center Barnes and Noble.
FEBRUARY 25 5) A theft report was filed for a jacket taken from
FEBRUARY 23 7) A disorderly
Kelly Hall.
conduct report was filed for someone in the DePaul Center.
10 | Nation & World. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
Nation &World
Okinawans vote against relocation of US air base By Brian Pearlman Nation & World Editor
It was an important moment. On Sunday Feb. 24, with a voter turnout of more than 50 percent, 434,273 voters in the southern Japanese prefecture of Okinawa rejected the proposed transfer of the U.S. military base in Futenma to another location in Henoko. The nonlegally binding referendum also saw 114, 933 votes in favor of the transfer, which has been discussed since 1995, and 52,682 votes for “neither.” America’s military presence in Japan has long been a divisive issue for local residents, many of whom have complained about loud noise, falling pieces of aircraft and even violence against women. In 1995, the rape of a 12-year old girl by several service members prompted widespread outrage, and in 2017 U.S. army base worker Kenneth Franklin Shinzato was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for raping and murdering a woman in 2016. Even though Okinawa makes up less than one percent of Japan’s total land area, it hosts over half of all American military personnel in Japan. Most of the U.S. NATHAN KEIRN| WIKIMEDIA COMMONS military presence is concentrated in the Japanese people protesting against the US Marine Corps base Futenma in Ginowan on Nov. 8, 2009. On Feb. 24, voters in southern portion of the island. Mayor Denny Tamaki, who was elected Okinawa rejected the proposed relocation of U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma to another location in Henoko. in October of last year and is half-American, celebrated the results of the referendum. A Brookings Institution, said that while U.S. longtime critic of building additional U.S. air bases in Japan are important for regional bases in Japan, he said he would call for security, he believes ground-force bases for the U.S. and Japanese governments to stop Marine infantry need not be stationed on their planned relocation of the base. Okinawa. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stressed that “I think there are lots of concepts he would continue to listen to the concerns for alternative arrangements, including of Okinawans even as the relocation with forces in the region and the U.S., project, which has been in the works for combined with greater strategic lift and more than 20 years, gets underway. pre-positioning to move them faster to the Gunnery Sgt. Derek Carlson of the region if needed,” he said. United States Forces-Japan Public Affairs The U.S. hasn’t left Japan since 1945. directorate said the U.S. military presence During the Korean War, Kadena Air in Japan is important for security in the Base, the biggest on Okinawa, was a key Indo-Pacific region. launching point for U.S. operations in “The 54,000 service members stationed Korea. Camp Schwab in northeastern across Japan give the United States a vital Okinawa played a similarly important role forward deployed capability that deters in U.S. actions during the Vietnam War. aggression, aids in Japan’s defense, and According to Article 9 of Japan’s enhances regional peace and security,” he constitution, Japan’s own military is not said via email. permitted to wage war outside its borders. “The 2018 National Defense Strategy But in 2014, Abe’s administration approved KIMIMASA MAYAM| AP recognizes that North Korea, China a new interpretation of the clause that Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands at the and Russia all present unique strategic would allow Japan to defend its allies if war start of their meeting at the latter's official residence in Tokyo, Friday, March 1, 2019. challenges for the United States,” he is declared against them. continued. "Our alliance with Japan and Alexis Dudden, a professor of history our robust U.S. military presence here, at the University of Connecticut who she said. "One of the women that gave the reviewed. And in 1997, a majority of voters including in Okinawa, not only helps our specializes in modern Japan and Korea, most powerful testimony said: 'Look, my in Nago City, which is near the Henoko [sic] both of our nations address these said Okinawa’s new governor has helped boyfriend is in construction, this is how district relocation site, voted in opposition challenges but also helps develop and to bridge the divide between older and we're paying for our kid. If we build the to the construction. enhance regional partnerships with like- younger activists, who are critical of the base, I have a house. If we don't build the One of the biggest issues of America’s minded nations around the Indo-Pacific. base my boyfriend's going to leave me and continued presence in Okinawa, Dudden U.S. presence in the province. When asked how U.S. forces in Japan I'm going to be a single mom ... does that said, is the question of if Japan is in truly in “I think Denny Tamaki has made it are addressing the concerns of local fresh, because he’s kind of an unusual make her wildly pro-American? This has control of its own borders. communities in addition to their broader figure insofar as not only is he half- nothing to do with it. It's rent." While protests will continue, future security mandate, Carlson said: “Our Japanese half-American, but he’s not antiThis isn't the first referendum over conversations between local politicians forces in Japan and Okinawa in particular American military per se,” she said. “He’s the relocation of Futenma Air Base. A and Tokyo will likely focus not on how to work very hard every day to balance the anti ‘another base.’ So what he’s really doing non-legally binding referendum in 1996, keep the U.S. presence out, but on how concerns of local communities with our is making this a Japan-Japan issue rather one year after the 1995 rape of a Japanese to prevent it from spreading through treaty obligations for Japan’s defense and than Okinawans versus the United States.” girl, saw residents voting in favor of both Okinawa any further. our wider responsibility for promoting Dudden visited Japan this past summer reducing and consolidating U.S. bases regional security.” when talk of the referendum was picking in Okinawa. The referendum also asked Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow and up steam. whether residents thought the Japan-U.S. director of foreign policy research at the “I interviewed people on both sides,” Status of Forces agreement should be
Nation & World. March 4, 2019. The DePaulia | 11
Summit on clergy sex abuse light on concrete action By Brian O'Connell Contributing Writer
Pope Francis and some of the world’s most influential leaders in the church gathered at the Vatican Feb. 21-24 for an unprecedented summit on counteracting clerical sexual abuse of minors. Pope Francis convened the historic summit to further address the same issue that has dampened the church’s reputation for decades. The church has been facing immense pressure because of the lack of concrete solutions it has put into place to address the problem, as well as the slow pace of GIUSEPPE LAMI/POOL PHOTO VIA AP reforms. Pope Francis celebrates Mass at the Vatican, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, capping off a historical summit Judy Jones, the Midwest regional leader on clergy sex abuse. The four-day gathering featured church leaders from around the world. at Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said victims are not pleased with immediately reported to law enforcement City. William Cavanaugh, a professor of instead of being dealt with internally by the Catholic studies at DePaul, said the summit the actions that took place at the summit. proved that the problem of clergy sex abuse “Victims are very disappointed with church. “SNAP calls for the pope to compel needs to be dealt with on a global stage. Pope Francis and the papal summit; it “There are parts of the world where ended with just more words and not bishops around the world to turn their files over to law enforcement for independent people in the church are denying that it is decisive actions,” she said. At the summit, the pope encouraged investigations into their handling of clergy a problem. The summit showed that this is something that needs to be dealt with in a bishops to take stern action against sex abuse cases,” she said. While victims and their advocates worldwide manner,” he said. abusive clergy members and to embrace While abusive priests are sometimes accountability in protecting faithful generally remained dissatisfied with the outcome of the event, some say momentous punished within the church, Cavanaugh Catholics in their respective dioceses. But Jones believes that abuse should be strides were made last weekend in Vatican believes that bishops, who oversee priests,
also need to be disciplined for covering up priests’ actions. “It needs to happen in a more regular way; there needs to be a procedure for disciplining and removing bishops,” he said. Sister Mary Paul McCaughey, coordinator of the Catholic Educational Leadership Program at DePaul, said she believes reforms are coming. “The insidious and blatant evil of both the abuse and its cover up must be addressed in action,” she said. “As a part of that mandate, I believe the United States bishops will soon refine something very concrete, including addressing the betrayal of the cover-ups and a culture of clerical entitlement.” Although there is still no concrete policy set in stone, perhaps the biggest takeaway of the summit is that the highestranking officials in the church seem ready to confess their mistakes. “The summit was the modern equivalent of a sinner kneeling on the steps of the Cathedral,” said McCaughey. “This acknowledgement of sin, however, is not enough — the takeaway is in the action for justice, healing, and the dismantling of any system or attitude which allowed this cancer.”
Experts divided over demise of NYC Amazon deal By Paul Gordon Contributing Writer
True to the theatrical nature of Valentine’s Day, Amazon announced in a blog post on Feb. 14 that its $2.5 billion HQ2 development in Queens was being scrapped. It came as a shock to New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, who said during a Feb. 15 interview with radio station WNYC that he had “no indication” the project would fail. The proposed project, part of the tech giant’s plans to expand outside of its main Seattle headquarters, was to be situated in Long Island City across the East River from Midtown Manhattan. Amazon said it would bring in 25,000 jobs and billions in tax revenue and investments. While Amazon seemingly had the green light to build in November after it picked New York over 19 other finalist cities, the company ultimately decided against construction amid a barrage of local criticism. Among the project’s fiercest critics were New York state Sen. Michael Gianaris, New York City Councilman Jimmy van Bramer and Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez. Jacob Stump, a professor in DePaul’s International Studies department, sees the move as a testament to New Yorkers’ agency over their community. “The people who opposed the Amazon HQ in NYC were opposing something more than a building built by the richest guy on earth and his corporate behemoth,” he said. “They were opposing what Amazon
symbolizes about the American economy.” Among anti-Amazon activists’ main grievances was the fact that Amazon doesn’t pay federal income taxes, would be siphoning money from public funds as part of a $3 billion incentives package and would fail to deliver on promises to local communities. “Amazon made billions in profits and paid no federal income taxes over the past couple of years,” Stump said. “I'm a contract teacher here at DePaul and I paid more in income taxes than Amazon last year.” Daryl Koehn, the Wicklander Chair in Professional Ethics at DePaul’s College of Business, questioned why New York would subsidize a wealthy, wellestablished company in a freemarket economy. “If a firm does not in fact deliver on the promised jobs, can a government claw back its subsidies?” she said. Critics of the Amazon deal also expressed concerns over housing, noting that the insertion of high-wage jobs into the area could increase rent and the cost of living — potentially driving residents out. But proponents of the deal argued the economic benefits outweighed the disadvantages, and Amazon, Cuomo and others repeatedly cited polling data showing most New Yorkers were in favor of the headquarters. The results of a Siena College poll released on Feb. 12, for example, showed that 56 percent of registered New York voters surveyed approved of the deal; a Qunnipiac poll released in early
HANS PENNINK | AP In this Feb. 11, 2019 file photo, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks during a news conference at the state Capitol in Albany, N.Y. Cuomo said Feb. 15 he had "no indication" Amazon's proposed HQ2 project in Queens would be scrapped.
December showed 57 percent approved, with respondents divided 46-44 percent over whether they approved of the $3 billion in incentives for Amazon. According to Daniel Heiser, Chair and Associate Professor at DePaul’s Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, the project “was expensive, but well worth the investment.” “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” he said via email. “The only money ‘saved' by the cancellation is money that never existed — unless/until the project moved forward. The lost opportunity to fund new schools, infrastructure and expand social programs from economic growth is nothing short of tragic.” In the aftermath of the deal’s collapse, Amazon announced
that it will continue growing organically but with no explicit plans for a replacement HQ2. That didn’t stop cities across the U.S., including Chicago, from immediately swooning at the chance to land its next project. Cuomo's office released a statement Feb. 14. accusing "a small group [sic] politicians" of putting "their own narrow political interests above their community." "The New York State Senate has done tremendous damage. They should be held accountable for this lost economic opportunity," the statement continued. And on March 1, an open letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos from a variety of business, academic and political figures was published in the New York Times, pleading for the company to
"reconsider, so that we can move forward together." “Amazon is more likely to seek out smaller clusters of talented people by targeting expansion in multiple mediumsized communities — like Austin, Indianapolis or Nashville,” Heiser said. “Chicago, like many cities, is likely to see some expansion in Amazon's local footprint.” In early November, before Amazon announced its final pick, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo joked he’d change his name to “Amazon Cuomo” in order to woo the tech giant. With a number of New Yorkers still smarting at the sudden pullout, Amazon may yet be one of the most popular names in politics this year.
12 | Opinions. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
Opinions
Juuls, teens and taxes E-cigarette taxes aimed at eliminating teen nicotine use does a better job of preventing adult smokers from finding healthier alternatives
MARLEE CHLYSTEK | THE DEPAULIA
By Shane Rene Managing Editor
I enjoy cigarettes, I won’t lie. And I will admit that they have become sufficiently imbedded in my life. As I walk out the door each morning, I pat myself down and go through the checklist: phone, wallet, keys, cigarettes, lighter — the essentials. Every so often people will ask me why I like cigarettes and there is really no good answer to that question. I just do. And it’s hard to be a cigarette smoker these days. No longer can you light up in bars or coffee shops (which, at 21, I was never able to experience, but I’ve seen “Mad Men” and all the Tarantino classics, and it looks nice). “Sin taxes” continue to intensify the financial burden on smokers in urban areas, and smoking in the year 2019 is more likely to leave you cold and alone on a rainy sidewalk than in an interesting conversation with a stranger. Not to mention the impending cancer and heart disease. All of this makes for a decidedly terrible hobby — it’s suicide at a glacial pace. But in an effort to generate extra tax revenues and keep teenagers from becoming addicted to something they aren’t old enough to buy in the first place, the city of Chicago decided to levy extra “sin taxes” on e-cigarettes, one of the most effective anti-smoking products known to man. “Tobacco and vaping is a public health nightmare,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said when the tax was approved this past September. E-cigarettes have come under fire over the past year for their popularity among high school students. E-cigarette companies like JUUL, which makes a remarkably discrete, thin, black bar with a small pod containing nicotine oil clicked into the end, have specifically been called out for marketing their product to younger people with fun flavors like mango and mint and a perfect design for circumventing the rule of mom and dad. “It’s no secret vape products, particularly easily hidden, flavored liquid products, have risen in popularity in recent years,” Emanuel said. “We need to counter marketing to prohibit youth access, and I am
MARLEE CHLYSTEK | THE DEPAULIA
committed to expand restrictions on e-cigarettes, supporting youth to make healthy choices — and protecting residents from tobacco.” John McCarron, an adjunct lecturer at DePaul and expert in local tax policy said that the motivation for this tax likely comes from two places. The first is a desire to increase tax revenue without hiking up highly unpopular
property taxes by taxing consumers at the counter. The second is to discourage younger people from using nicotine products by jacking up the price. While some may see the latter as a cover for the former, McCarron says otherwise. “It’s really more of a two-for,” he said. But while protecting young people from the vicious addictive properties of nicotine is a necessary and worthwhile pursuit, using tax policy to get us there is misguided, particularly because making e-cigarettes less accessible only makes tobacco a greater threat to those trying to quit. The science behind how harmful vaping and e-cigarettes won’t be conclusive for some time, but most cancer research organizations, including the American Cancer Society, say that research suggests vaping is significantly less harmful than combustible cigarettes, which contain upwards of 7,000 chemicals. A 2016 study on vapor products and tax policy from the Tax Foundation conducted by economist Scott Drenkard found that vape products have a much lower risk profile than traditional cigarettes, about 95% less harmful, according to findings issued by the British Health Department. That same study found vape product to be an effective method of quitting. The most interesting finding, however, is that these taxes are inadvertently effective and preventing smokers from trying new alternatives, according to Drenkard’s analysis of every e-cigarette tax in the United States. At The DePaulia, we have a handful of current and former smokers on staff and there is one thing we all have in common: e-cigarettes have us smoking less and less or not at all. We are all happier, and presumably healthier, but our wallets are starting to ache because Emanuel’s plan to tax teenagers out of the e-cigarette world has left us broke college students struggling to afford a healthier alternative. There is an important and fundamental conversation to be had about the role of government merits of micromanaging people's’ choices with taxes, but I think most would agree that a tax which prevents citizens from making their own healthy choices is a bad tax.
Opinions. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 | 13
Before the internet age, students would de-stress by reading a book or watching television, but the best de-stresser is right at their fingertips as oddly satisfying videos ANNALISA BARANOWSKI | THE DEPAULIA
By Luc Fougere Contributing Writer
Whether it’s a squish, pop or crunch, we have all seen those oddly satisfying videos on social media at some point. Whatever your ASMR preference, there is probably an Instagram or YouTube page dedicated to it. The short, repetitive videos are designed to relax and calm the viewer, leaving them mesmerized by its smooth and precise movements. Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR, is that calming or even scalp-tingling sensation you get when you watch something satisfying. Every viewer has their own trigger, and the choices are endless. They range from the mesmerizing soap cutting and slime videos to the more… unusual, soft whispering and food mastication. The majority of the videos are created by young women for young women. They are primarily uploaded as minute-long clips on Instagram while the longer or full-length videos can be watched on YouTube. Professional satisfying accounts have created web stores to sell their own ASMR products. Instagram pages like ‘satisfyingvideo,’ who have accumulated an enormous 1.5 million followers, sell the same type of slimes used in their videos on their website, satisfyingstore.com. Even though the primary viewership is younger individuals, all ages can appreciate and enjoy the quality and intricacies of some videos. Psychology Professor Verena Graupmann had some insight into why these videos soothe the viewers. “The satisfaction derives, to some extent, from the haptically pleasing sensation of the mostly soft materials used,” Graupmann said. “It seems that most of the involved materials are reminiscent of either edible or safe and clean objects, so there is comfort, safety and therefore stress relief associated with them.” These videos have the ability to detach the viewer from all of the busyness and worries around them, leaving them in calm and tranquil. All of the squishing and cutting of these comforting materials can also create a trancelike state for the viewer, where it could be minutes before you finally snap back into reality. With finals coming up, videos like these provide a perfect escape from your work and studying. Student Mira Nepomuceano frequently utilizes these satisfying accounts on Instagram to relax and clear her head. “If there’s all this stuff going on around me, and I just want to detach, I love watching and hearing the little soap cubes just glide off the bar,” Nepomuceano said. “The wavelike motion of the knife cutting underneath the cubes really really calms me. I think it’s important for you to be able to step away from what you're doing and just zen out sometimes.” Videos like these are “satisfying when actually done by people themselves, so it makes sense that there is some satisfaction in the vicarious experience of watching somebody engage in them,” Graupmann said. While most ASMR fans wish they could squish slime and cut soap cubes themselves, it’s just not practical.
However, the process of watching someone else do it can provide the same level of satisfaction, without the hassle. People view these clips in quick succession on Instagram’s explore page, and it’s easy to fall into watching 10 videos in a row. But the beauty of social media is the ability to send that content with your friends. “Sharing videos of something positive is a way of connecting with others, so that can explain why this has become a thing in an era where sharing events through video has become so easy and convenient,” Graupmann said. This social media craze seems to be purely innocent and fun, and while it is for the middle school audience, a possible underlying reason for its popularity in slightly older generations may not be what you think. Psychology Professor Roberta Garner believes the satisfaction derived from these videos is because “we are in the middle of a big sex recession.” Yes, you read that right. “People are having less sex than in the past […] so folks have to find some other way to feel warm, wet, relaxed and happy,” Garner said.“And what could be better than mushing slime, soap and sand? [The trend will continue] as long as the sex recession is on.” Regardless of the reason you enjoy these types of videos, it’s still a free and effective option for releasing immediate stress and chilling out.
MARLEE CHLYSTEK | THE DEPAULIA
The opinions in this section do not necessarily reflect those of The DePaulia staff.
14 | Focus. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
Focus
Out with the
...
The inclusive climate of 2019 has encouraged the creation of over 200 new emoji which showcase demographics of people who previously had no relatable emoji.
Madi Garner Contributing Writer
When seeking out those in char approval, not many would look to a a name as bland as “Unicode Co which is the name of the company responsible for deciding which emoj your phone. The group was origina to ensure that symbols could be rea devices--like how Chinese symbols phone will also appear when a link opened. Still, most of the attention t stems from emoji. Emoji are a form of nonverbal c tion created in Japan that expresses language does in real life. “The use of emoji is not solely nology, but seems to me as rather communication pattern,” said Yuki DePaul associate professor and expe representation, in an email. “Peop may depend on non-verbal com more so than strictly verbal comm which explains why emoji was gene pan, and is expanded further.” Because emoji-usage is ever across the world, there are proposal for new symbols. The Unicode Con leased their most recent list of emoj which is gaining a lot of attention fo and inclusive features. Some of the popular updates inc drogynous person, service animals in wheelchairs and with hearing aid tic couple emoji will expand to incl drogynous emoji, and all pairs wil adjust skin tone. Objects like a rick white heart, and several new colors and circles will be added, among oth “It sounds dorky, but my part
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Focus. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 | 15
...and in with the derfluid, and they’re really excited that there is gonna be an emoji that doesn’t have a man or woman label,” said Chicago resident Marie Ternan. Adding an emoji is not as easy as simply sending an email to the Unicode Consortium. In order to propose a new emoji, a case must be built in the emoji’s favor and submitted as a formal Emoji Proposal. The three most important factors in deciding whether an emoji will be approved are “high expected usage; distinctiveness (eg, “breaks new ground”, substantially different from anything there is now); and broad scope (eg, can represent many different things),” according to the Unicode Consortium website. While anyone is able to go to the website and submit a proposal, several groups or individuals have taken to petitioning, hoping that a massive support group could make approval more likely. Current and previous Change.org petitions have asked for emoji ranging from beans and turkey to movie icons like Shrek and Lightning McQueen. There has even been a petition to “make the lion emoji happier.” While some petitions may be jokes used to spur social media memes, others were created by organizations in hopes of certain emoji allowing users to discuss their products more easily. Emoji can also be changed. This job is done by art departments within the companies presenting the emoji themselves, like Google and Apple. Most recently, Google changed their salad emoji to be eggless in an effort to be more vegan friendly. Though the process to change emoji is more difficult than most assume, many agree it’s still an important practice. “I would never go through that effort,” said Columbia College sophomore Andy Patel, “But I’m glad there are people that do. If not, then certain groups would never be represented.”
16 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
Arts & Life MARLEE
CHYLSTE
K | THE D
EPAULIA
Gender inequality in local music scene highlighted by recent abuse allegations By Cailey Gleeson Staff Writer
Ryan Adams' prolific solo career has been marked not only by his own music, but also his seeming dedication to jumpstarting the careers of younger female musicians. It wasn’t until The New York Times wrote an exposé on his relationships with several of his protégées that revealed the sinister nature of Adams’ role in their careers. The report describes behavior observed by “seven women and more than a dozen colleagues” that allege the mogul “dangled career opportunities” towards younger female musicians while pursuing them sexually and engaged in various forms of harassment when rejected. While Adams denied the allegations, he took to social media to apologize for his actions as fans and critics alike continue to voice their support for his victims. Justin Sinkovich, associate professor and the graduate program director of the Master of Arts Management (MAM) in the Business and Entrepreneurship Department at Columbia College, recognizes the shift in attitude towards abusers in entertainment. “More and more people feel safe enough to come forward, and now they
are seeing they will be heard without fear of retribution,” Sinkovich said. “And the legal system, these industries, and society as a whole are starting to take action, the new indictment of R Kelly is case in point. The dominos are going to continue to fall, and we are most likely just seeing the start of a long list of perpetrators being made public.” Not only is Hollywood reeling from the allegations—dubbed “Hurricane Ryan”— but the local music scene is also feeling its effects as the disempowerment of female musicians becomes more apparent. Lucy Baker, a sophomore vocal performance major at DePaul, says that her male peers have more influence, especially within her experiences in the classical musical world. “As a singer, it’s a little different because only a female singer can sing female repertoire, but especially in the administrative side of it, there’s definitely a strong male presence,” Baker said. “The classical, and especially jazz, worlds are overwhelmingly male-dominated, and my female colleagues struggle to find their place.” Baker also says that the ways in which music is taught is inherently male. “It's taught to us in a very scientific and mathematical way rather than discussing the things which really make music
beautiful, like the emotions it makes us feel,” Baker said. DePaul junior Lili Trifilio says that her own start in the industry was marked by discouragement. “Before I started making my own music, this Chicago band was looking for a vocalist and I reached out since I had been interested in singing,” Trifilio said. “They told me they weren't interested in a female vocalist.” Disappointed yet unphased by the experience, Trifilio continued to pursue her passion for music and founded Beach Bunny—a surf pop-rock group that has truly taken the local music scene by storm. Despite the success she’s experienced— from a set at Riot Fest to a tour with Remo Drive—she recognizes that disparities exist within the heavily male-dominated Chicago scene. “DePaul music and the Chicago college scene highly revolves around garage rock and indie rock,” Trifilio said. “Chicago garage rock in particular has a very small percentage of women in compared to some other scenes I've been involved with.” The lack of representation of female musicians within the local scene reflects larger issues within the music industry. Female performers are sexualized, controlled and often excluded from
certain opportunities available to their male counterparts—especially within particular genres. “I think there is an assumption by some, that men need to manage a female artist regardless or not if she wants help,” Trifilio said. “Or that men need to advise her in some way or another.” Revelations surrounding Adams’ abuses towards his protégées are not only the latest case in the #MeToo movement, but also raise awareness to this disempowerment that has always existed within the industry but seldom been addressed. Trifilio says that she has experienced instances in which she has felt “disrespected, dismissed, and taken advantage of career-wise” and emphasizes that much more work needs to be done to eradicate disempowerment of female musicians. “There is already a major increase in accountability for men in the music industry,” Trifilio said. “In regard to industry corruption and other negative aspects of the male-dominated music industry that are not ‘allegations’ necessarily, but are harmful nonetheless, we have a long way to go.”
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 | 17
HGTV hypnosis
As millennial homeownership drops, entertainment and envy combine IMAGE COURTESY OF KJ SACHS/LAMB REALTY
This 18-room house, located in scenic South Jersey, is an example of the many homes millenials are hoping for, despite this real estate remaining largely out of reach.
By Matthew Zaiff Contributing Writer
Millennials are buying fewer homes than Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers. They are choosing to rent longer and marry later, lending to the national homeownership rate of 64.4 percent. In addition to remaining single longer, young Americans are dealing with increasing student debt. Average debt at graduation is around $30,000. So, why is it that they love HGTV, a channel that focuses entirely on homeownership and home improvement? HGTV has ascended to become one of the most watched channels among college students. With hit shows like “Property Brothers,” “Fixer Upper,” and “House Hunters” it isn’t hard to understand why HGTV is a top performer. According to Aadweek, HGTV ranks third for both prime- time and total- day viewing for a basic cable network. “One of the main things I love about HGTV is that it gives viewers a glimpse into what home ownership [is], and
everything that comes with it,” said DePaul senior, Rebecca Kandefer. “Shows like House Hunters— (and all of the shows that branched from it, like International, Tiny House, etc—) did she say this or did the writer add it in? give viewers the experience of what homes look like in a certain place and also help them to understand their own tastes. I think ultimately, I like that watching these shows gives me a better understanding of what I like for when I actually am in the market for a house. Kandefer said HGTV helps viewers with more than just the housing market. “There are just so many options for people’s interests and that’s really great,” Kandefer said.. “It also helps people who may actually be doing their own projects see that they have many options within their budget as long as they get creative. That being said, I also really appreciate the creativity that comes out on these shows, especially with tiny homes - all the storage solutions are so cool!” There is something to be said about the decline of homeownership among
millennials and the increase in viewership of HGTV. For the same reasons that shows about dangerous jobs are successful, HGTV viewers are vicariously experiencing the excitement without any of the risk and debt. “As with most reality television, HGTV shows us an aspirational life— - it shows us what we think we can have, (or deserve to have),” said DePaul Media and Cinema Studies professor, Paul Booth. “It's enjoyable to imagine ourselves in the difficult situation of having to choose between fixing or flipping, even if it's not something we ever will have to deal with in our life. It's also relatively mindless, so it's something we can put on without having to really think about it, so it can be relaxing. We enjoy watching things that we can't do. Most of us aren't going to be doctors, lawyers, or billionaires, but we love medical dramas, law dramas and reality television about entrepreneurship.” There is something to be said about HGTV’s programming. Each show features a dynamic cast with unique personalities
and skills. Every episode has a positive conclusion, with all parties satisfied. Real life home improvement is not nearly as exciting or consistent. “I love 'Fixer Upper.' Chip and Joanna Gaines are not just wonderful at their job, but they are quality people too, said Kandefer said. “I really love anything that takes something that is ugly and turns it around into something really beautiful. I think a lot of this is because of my dad being a general contractor.” With a strong lineup and new the new Chicago centered, “Windy City Rehab,” HGTV aims to continue capitalizing on the Chicago market. Whether you’re watching to learn or experience homeownership vicariously through strangers, HGTV has a show for you. “I like HGTV because it makes me feel more grown up when I watch it,” said DePaul senior, Ellen Mullen. “My mom and I always watch it when I’m home and talk about it. It’s an easy go-to channel where I know I will always find something I like.”
IMAGES COURTESY OF JENNIFER BOOMER/GETTY IMAGES & RACHEL WHYTE
Left: An open-concept kitchen with a wall of windows overlooking water. Right: A formal dining room designed in the farm-house style typical of many HGTV programs.
18 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
By Amanda Sallman Contributing Writer
Finally, winter quarter is almost over and we can start looking forward to the light at the end of this cold, desolate tunnel—spring break. Some people are going jet setting to vacation destinations outside the city; others are remaining in the (still) frigidly cold city. Whichever you’re
opting for, it’s never a bad idea to have a book companion to keep you company. I asked a few DePaul students for some book recommendations, and this is what they told me. You can find any of these titles and more at bookstores or online. There are always amazing new books being published, and if these don’t catch your eye, we’re lucky enough to have a Barnes & Noble on both campuses. Take
a look around and see if anything matches your style. Just remember — don’t judge a book on its cover! If you’re looking to get out of your apartment or the dorms and find a new environment to read in, students suggest coffee shops, parks (once it gets warmer), those windowsills just outside of the JTR Library, and the quad in hammocks (again, wait until it’s a little warmer.)
While we’re sometimes too busy to sit down and give ourselves time to read a book we’ve been thinking about, now is the time to start collecting those titles in preparation for some much-deserved time off. Take full advantage! Don’t you want to be able to say you read the book before the movie came out?
"The Glass Castle" Jeanette Walls In this heartbreaking memoir, Wells recounts her and her four younger siblings’ upbringing in a deeply dysfunctional home.
"The Haunting of Hill House" Shirley Jackson Read the book that inspired the Netflix series that keeps you up at night.
"The Lonely Hearts Hotel" Heather O’Neill This story, taking place in the early 1900s, is about two orphans in love who were separated as teens but reconnect as adults to display their talents around New York City.
"Modern Lovers" Emma Straub This novel focuses on three friends from college, Andrew, Elizabeth, and Zoe, and the dilemma they face once their children grow up.
"The Lonely City" Olivia Laing Another memoir, yet under a slightly more upbeat theme. Laing recounts her time living alone in New York City in the ’90s, where she learns to cope with loneliness and gain independence.
"The Postmortal" Drew Magary Immortality is the new normal in this novel. It sounds utopic; however, this comes with deadly consequences for society.
ALL DESIGN BY ANNALISA BARANOWSKI | THE DEPAULIA
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 | 19
Additonal recommendations from The DePaulia include: - “Moonglow” by Michael Chabon - “The World to Come” by Dara Horn - “The People of Paper” by Salvador Plascencia - “The Keeper of Lost Things” by Ruth Hogan - “The Anatomy of Dreams” by Chloe Benjamin - “Little Bee” by Chris Cleave
- “Year Zero” by Rob Reid - “Then We Came to the End” by Joshua Ferris - “Circe” by Madeline Miller - “The Bellwether Revivals” by Benjamin Wood - “Hope: A Tragedy” by Shalom Auslander - “Up Jumps the Devil” by Michael Poore
20| Arts & Life. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
Third time's a charm
IMAGE COURTESY OF IMDB
Jay Baruchel and America Ferrera star as Hiccup and Astrid in "The Hidden World," the third installment of the "How to Train Your Dragon" series.
By Garret Neal Staff Writer
It can be easy to complain about the constant stream of sequels pouring out of Hollywood every year and lament about the loss of originality and true storytelling. But it’s films like “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” that can serve as a reminder of the rush of emotions that can accompany the completion of a trilogy of three welldone films. A rush that can never be equaled by one standalone film. This rush requires buildup. This rush requires a long journey, for the audience as much as for the characters. The journey “The Hidden World” brings to an end is that of the scrawny Viking Hiccup and his pet dragon, Toothless. In the first film, the two met and became unlikely friends. Their love for each other showed the rest of Hiccup’s Viking tribe that dragons were not threats to kill on site, but just animals that needed love. The second film saw the pair faced with a villain who utilized his skill of hypnotizing dragons to bring destruction to his enemies. To defeat him, Toothless and Hiccup had to learn what it meant to lead; Hiccup became the chief of his tribe and Toothless became the alpha dragon. The final film puts another difficult challenge in their path. Grimmel is a hunter lusting for dragon blood. All of it. When Grimmel captures Toothless, both the dragon and Hiccup must learn to fly on their own if they want to come out on top. While that moral is one that makes sense for the series, after two films of Toothless being literally incapable of flying without Hiccup, the delivery method at times feels overly familiar. It hits many of the same notes of Hiccup’s journey to become chief in the second one. Particularly with the villain often feeling eerily like Drago. He’s just another guy who feels like he’s been wronged by dragons in the past and wants to destroy their way of life. He hopes to kill them all instead of enslave them. Up to you if that’s a step up or down. The biggest new thing it brings to the table is the introduction of a new
IMAGE COURTESY OF IMDB
The series follows a young Viking who forms an unlikely bond with a dragon. Night Fury/Light Fury to serve as a romantic interest for our dragon friend Toothless. Their relationship is brought to life through Toothless’ hilariously hapless courting attempts and his female friend’s initially horrified responses. The interactions seem to draw expertly from various existing animals to give the
mating process a grounded base while still feeling unique to the dragon species. Throughout the film, both dragons are given expressive faces, from those looks of horror and confusion in the beginning to the more ‘“inviting” glances later — though thankfully things never got as ridiculous as Nala’s bedroom eyes from
“The Lion King.” The expressions on the dragons wasn’t the only area where the animation stood out. This film continued the series tradition of delivering stunning visuals across every aspect. While the first film has admittedly started to show some age, especially in the hair department, the second one still stands strong as one of Dreamworks Animations’ most visually impressive movies. This is partially because of master cinematographer Roger Deakins being brought on as a visual consultant. He returns to that role, and the animators do not disappoint in their roles either, delivering the most stunning visuals the series has to offer. Dragons shoot through lightning storms, castles melt below rivers of oozing lava and the hidden world itself features oodles of eye goggling visual banquets. I’d love to come out and say how this just raised the whole series to a new level of quality and sent everything out on a high note, but I can’t. It was satisfying, but it was no “Toy Story 3.” This film isn’t really going to surprise anyone. If you haven’t seen the first two or have and didn’t enjoy them, you’ve likely already written this off and I won’t try to change your mind. “Hidden World” follows a similar blueprint, and the ending will seem out of nowhere and over-the-top to those without the requisite emotional investment. To those returning to a series they enjoy, you’ve likely seen it already or are planning on it. If you are, for one reason or another, on the borderline for this, trust that it will deliver you just as much joy as you got from taking in the previous two films, which, if you are on the border, probably wasn’t that much. Still, making a satisfying trilogy should not be scoffed at. It is a feat that is rarely accomplished. Almost every franchise that reaches the length of three films has at least one weak link. “The Matrix” was great, the sequels, not so much. The Godfather Part I and II are two of the greatest films out there, but the third was a significant departure from that quality. While “Dragon” may never reach those highs, its consistent, strong quality is still an achievement.
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. March 4 2019 | 21
"Jessica Jones," "Friends from College" and "The Punisher" were the three most recent Netflix originals to get the axe from the streaming service.
ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF IMDB
Wave of cancellations leaves critics, creatives, consumers concerned By Angelina Korniyenko Contributing Writer
When the show you watch religiously gets canceled, it is almost as if you lose an important part of yourself, and suddenly you don’t know how to cope with this loss. To the big disappointment of many fans and critics, Netflix continues to cancel favorites. At the end of February, “Jessica Jones,” “The Punisher” and “Friends From College” faced the chopping block. It left many people wondering what the reason is behind Netflix ending shows, and which show is next. The five-year partnership between Marvel and Netflix has come to an end. Netflix announced on Feb. 18 that the two remaining Marvel dramas would be canceled — “The Punisher” and “Jessica Jones.” “Daredevil” was the first of liveaction superhero TV show launched on the streaming service, followed by “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage” and “Iron Fist.”Fans and critics overwhelmingly loved and supported these shows. It is not surprising that it left Marvel fans in tears when they found out that Netflix decided to cancel these shows. The cancellations even promoted hip hop artist Eminem to protest on Twitter on Feb. 20. “DEAR @NETFLIX, REGARDING YOUR CANCELLATION OF THE PUNISHER, YOU ARE BLOWING IT!! SINCERELY, MARSHALL,” he tweeted. The cancellation of “Friends from College” closely followed the decision— and fans began to worry that their favorite show could be next. “Friends from College” was canceled within weeks of the release of season two. Show co-creator Nicholas Stoller announced on Twitter that the Netflix comedy is canceled. “Friends from College will not be
returning for a third season,” Stoller wrote. “Thanks to everyone who watched it. Happy Presidents’ Day!” Many fans felt heartbroken after hearing such sad news, and they didn’t understand exactly why this was happening and what caused Netflix to make such a decision. “Netflix canceled a lot of shows, even the good ones,” said Marlon Vargas, Loyola student. “‘Friends from College’ was such a great show. I really enjoyed it, and it makes me so angry that I won’t be able to watch it anymore on Netflix.” In response to their recent cancellations of shows and confusions among fans, Netflix posted a statement on Twitter: “Cancelling shows is always painful – but it’s also a very careful, case-by-case decision.” According to Forbes, Netflix wants to be the modern-day equivalent of Walt Disney Animation or the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Having exclusive movies and television shows is an important strategy for services like Netflix; the streaming industry grows and becomes increasingly competitive. By the end of 2019, Disney+ will become available to consumers, adding yet another subscription-based service for viewers to invest in. The new service will feature content from “Star Wars” and Marvel, as well as other Disney movies. “Like any media corporation, Netflix is controlled by its bottom line — money,” said Paul Booth, Digital Communication and Media Arts professor at DePaul. “So, I would imagine that Netflix has decided that it's more profitable to use their money to create or purchase different shows than to continue making some shows. It's always a financial decision.” A service like Netflix found initial value for consumers because of originals like “House of Cards,” “Daredevil” and
“Orange Is the New Black.” People were able to find any show or movie they wanted because Netflix provided a huge variety to choose from. Right now, with the recent cancellations, many individuals are left with few options, and it makes them wonder whether it is still worth it to have an account. “I am genuinely curious to see the direction the company goes in, because they lose so many subscribers for high prices and not quality content,” said Solana Oliver, DePaul junior and Netflix subscriber. “They are supposed to be providing shows for people to watch, and
they seem to have lost what kind of service they are with all their original content.” If a show doesn’t get as many viewers, it won’t bring as much money to Netflix, because it makes revenue directly from viewers who pay to access its content. “Netflix's business model is different than traditional television, because it doesn't rely on advertisers,” Booth said. “So, they need to make sure they retain their current customers by always offering something they want to watch and trying to attract new customers by producing content that would be enticing.”
22 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
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Arts & Life. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019 | 23
what’s FRESH on Netflix
Workin' Moms
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Netflix’s latest bingeable comedy series is an import that has found wide acclaim and success up in Canada about a quartet women who try to adjust and balance their lives after finally returning to work from maternity leave. There it has also garnered nominations at the Canadian Screen Awards and the International Emmys. After two well received 13-episode seasons, the CBC decided to make the show’s domestic success an international one when it sold to Netflix for its Feb. 22 release.
This film is the feature directorial/writing debut of Academy Awardnominated actor Chiwetel Ejiofor. It’s based on the autobiography of innovative Malawian engineer William Kamkwamba about his bold pursuit to help his village by crafting a makeshift wind turbine that will power his family’s house and that of other farmers. This made Kamkwamba a worldwide sensation leading to several awards and even a TED talk.
I binged the series over the course of a week and its universal appeal is obvious from the get go. Star, writer, director and producer Catherine Reitman walks a fine line between the vulgar, outrageous and hilarious and the poignant, sometimes even sad, moments of emotional honesty. It’s a rollercoaster of a series to binge but there isn’t a single moment of it that rings false. Reitman brings a clear sense of personality to it and her as well as the rest of the cast have amazing rapport with one another. It’s all very deeply lived-in and entertaining. This is not just made for new or seasoned moms, it’s a tailor-made delightful viewing experience for everyone open to comedy and sincerity.
Ejiofor not only writes and directs the film, he also co-stars as Williams’ father Trywell Kamkwamba alongside Maxwell Simba in an amazing acting debut as William. This film generated a modest amount of positive buzz at Sundance this January and Netflix has given it a rather sizable platform not only streaming but playing in select theaters around the world (including Chicago’s very own Century Centre Cinema). It’s a simple film but one that lends a palpable sense of humanity and inspiration. The actors all give committed heartfelt performances and Ejiofor sticks to his vision confidently. I had not been aware of Kamkwamba’s story prior to the film, luckily Ejiofor makes an engaging and enlightening discovery with purpose.
MICHAEL BRZEZINSKI | THE DEPAULIA
MICHAEL BRZEZINSKI | THE DEPAULIA
In theaters & upcoming films Feb. 13 “Isn't It Romantic” A women wakes up after an accident to learn that she is the star of a romantic comedy in an alternate universe. Stars: Rebel Wilson
March 1 “Saint Judy” The true story of Judy Wood, an immigration attorney who changed the U.S. law of asylum to help women Stars: Michelle Monaghan, Common
Feb. 14 “Fighting With My Family” Two people who grew up in a wrestling family attempt to become World Wrestling Entertainment superstars. Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Lena Heady
March 8 “Captain Marvel” Carol Danvers transforms into one of the most powerful heroes in the universe when Earth is caught in an intergalactic war. Stars: Brie Larson
Feb. 22 “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” Hiccup searches for "The Hidden World," a secret dragon utopia, before a hired tyrant finds it first. Stars: Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Kit Harington
March 15 “Five Feet Apart” Two crtically ill teenagers meet in the hospital and fall in love but their life-trheatening illnesses get in the way. Stars: Haley Lu Richardson, Cole Sprouse
24 | Arts &Life. The DePaulia. March 4, 2019
St.Vincent’s
DeJAMZ
“Spinning fresh beats since 1581”
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Explore Reckless Records for these DeJamz and more By Lacey Latch Arts & Life Editor
Country music serves as the perfect vessel for which the best male singers of the day can compete for the hearts of teenage country fans everywhere and actually produce quality music in the process. The most recent wave of “bro-country” has infused the genre with the perspectives of countless young, good-looking men singing about love lost. As Valentine’s Day rests in the rearview mirror and spring break remains on the horizon, now is the perfect time to dive into some new country hits from some of the best looking crooners in Nashville.
1. “Take It From Me”Jordan Davis In the first hit of the group, Jordan Davis tries desperately to win over the sight of his desire, wagering just about everything he has to offer in the process. The result is this infectiously catchy tune that will have you rolling your windows down before you know it, regardless of the weather outside. Davis fits right in with the rest of the country singers he came up with – young, male, reasonably attractive and musically talented. Luckily for us, Davis has taken it a step further and has blessed us all with what may just be the best beard in country music today.
Crossword
2. “Drunk Me” – Mitchell Tenpenny There’s something about songs that remind me of my inability to sing that draw me in and “Drunk Me” certainly fits the bill. Mitchell Tenpenny belts the chorus with unmatched power and sincerity in a deep voice that is familiar only to country music. In the song, Tenpenny places himself in the position of the good guy in the scenario, pulling you in all the more.
Across 1. Warning shouts in golf 6. Mark down drastically 11. PC brain 14. Kind of cabinet 15. Yukon garment 16. Acorn’s source 17. Regardless of the consequences 19. Bird of the past 20. Like finger-paint 21. Rods’ partners 23. Division into factions 26. Oft-stubbed item 27. Plays the killjoy 28. Bad luck 30. Caravan number 31. Code name? 32. Cleopatra’s snake 35. Winning serves 36. “Here ___ trouble!” 37. Asian cuisine choice 38. Where Goldilocks was found 39. Portion of a
3. “Best Shot” – Jimmie Allen Jimmie Allen is one of the handful of black faces in the country music scene and he is also coincidentally one of the best looking of all of the artists performing right now. “Best Shot” marks Allen’s first big hit single – a catchy song that is practically begging to be put on repeat on a late-night drive. Having anyone sing their best intentions to you is great but when it’s someone this talented and this handsome? Priceless.
broadcast 40. Use digits? 41. “Hooray!” 43. Mozart composition 44. Fall collection? 46. Poorly made 47. More sick 48. Not yet a fire 50. Item in a lobster restaurant 51. Just deserts 57.Part of IOU 58. Type of legend or sprawl 59. With mouth wide open 60. It goes through withdrawals 61. Avian baby deliverer 62. Exclude from practice Down 1. Broadcast watchdog letters 2. “And what have we here?” 3. ___ shot
4. “Look What God Gave Her”- Thomas Rhett Thomas Rhett has been the boyish face at the front of the “bro-country” movement for years and his relationship with his wife Lauren has cultivated a devoted following of its own. As such, Lauren has been the subject and inspiration for a slew of his biggest hits. His newest single, the first from his upcoming album, returns to Rhett’s familiar summer-in-the-country roots with the same energy as some of his most iconic songs once again focusing on Lauren.
(drummer’s quickie) 4. 180 deg. from WSW 5. Plank producer 6. Writer’s cramp, e.g. 7. Back muscles, in brief 8. West Point athletes 9. Calypso relative 10. Fun rural diversion 11. Reach the critical point 12. Sao ___, Brazil 13. Authoritative proclamation 18. Name on a green toy truck 22. Feature of many a prima donna 23. NASA milieu 24. Chris Rock or Kevin Hart product 25. Beats a hasty retreat 26. Workplace honcho 27. Wound covering 28. Kin of “bro” and “dude”
29. Two-tone treat 31. Pie a la ___ 33. Unlike fresh water 34. Galileo’s birthplace 36. The four in a quart 37. Watch the bar or goal 39. Short synopses 40. Dr. Scholl’s product 42. “___ got an idea!” 43. Send overseas 44. Gadhafi ruled it, once 45. “The Waste Land” poet T.S. 46. Moved like a coward 48. Boss on a shield 49. Within earshot 52. Leftover tidbit 53. Kind of limit 54. Capture, as a burglar 55. IRS calculator? 56. Suffix with “ballad” or “mountain”
Sports
Sports. March 4, 2019. The DePaulia | 25
Legal sports betting on the horizon, but money may not follow By Kevin Donahue Contributing Writer
The DePaul Blue Demons took on the Creighton Bluejays on Feb. 20 in a basketball game that didn’t go DePaul’s way. However, in sporting events across the country, there is a game within the game. Billions of dollars a year are bet on sporting events around the world. In the past, the way to place these bets would be a shady bookie or a questionable website. However, these could be a thing of the past for the state of Illinois. The Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 in May. This act outlawed sports betting nationwide. However, once the act was struck down, eight states now have laws that allow full-scale sports betting. Two more bills have recently passed in Arkansas and New York to legalize sports betting in those states in the near future. Illinois could soon be the next state in line to pass legislation. During Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s budget address, he called on the legislatures to pass his budget, which includes the legalization of sports betting. “I am calling on the legislature to take this up immediately so that Illinois can realize hundreds of millions of dollars, create new jobs, and bring sports betting into a regulated environment that will protect citizens from bad actors,” Pritzker said. “If we do it this year and become the first state in the Midwest to move on this initiative, we can realize more than $200 million from sports betting fees and taxes in FY 2020.” New Jersey is one of the states that Pritzker is surely keeping an eye on. New Jersey legalized sports betting on June 11, 2018. Just a few days, later they opened their first sportsbooks on June 14, 2018. Since then, over $1.6 billion have gone through the sportsbooks in New Jersey. The sportsbooks have made over $100 million in revenue from these wagers. With the tax of 8.5 percent, New Jersey has walked away with over $13
ANNALISA BARANOWSKI | THE DEPAULIA
million in taxes. DePaul professor Michael Lynch explained that the money coming to the state is really not a whole lot. “If I place a $1,000 bet on the Bulls,” Lynch said. “If I win that bet, I will only get $900 from that bet. The $100 is the profit for the location where I placed the bet. If they put a 5 percent tax on that, the state will get $5.” There needs to be a huge amount of bets for the state to realize the $200 million goals that Pritzker laid out in his plan. To get to $200 million, people need to become interested in sports betting. Brandon Alpert is the CEO and founder of Booga, which is a hedge fund that doesn’t bet on stocks but instead on sports. Alpert explained that there is a new interest in sports gambling
because it has gone mainstream. “Sports gambling is being talked about on major sports news sources all the time now,” Alpert said. “The popularity of this form of entertainment is getting more people to want to bet on games.” Interest can grow even more if Illinois were to legalize sports betting. Lynch broke down the interest of gambling into the three As. “The three As of gambling are acceptability, accessibility and availability,” Lynch said. “[If legalized] People would be more comfortable and they would have the idea to give betting a chance.” When more people bet, more tax money will go to the state of Illinois. However, the states that have passed laws so far have certain
restrictions. Only four states currently allow for sports betting online. Also, many states have restricted bettors from placing wagers on teams that come from the state. In New Jersey, you cannot place a bet on any team, pro or college, that comes from the state, even if the game is being played somewhere else. The future for sports gambling in Illinois is still up in the air. However, fans can look towards the future for what may come soon. During the Feb. 20 basketball game, graduate student Phil Prombo explained his thoughts on if he would bet on the game if it was legal. “I don’t think I would gamble but I know a lot of people who would,” he said. Prombo went on to say that if the availability to bet on sporting events is easier, it would be a lot more “enticing” to bet.
STOVALL, continued from back page defender, Bruno said. He sees her becoming more aggressive, both on defense and offense. The next is to find the perfect balance of aggressiveness . Size has been a challenge for Stovall at times as well as well. To improve and face this challenge she has gone to the gym and the weight room and trained outside of practice. “Everybody is big in college,” Stovall said. “You have to get faster. Everybody is stronger.” Stovall ran track in high school, which helped her improve her quickness as a basketball player. She said it feels good to see that hard work pay off. “I know I’m good enough to be out there with everybody,” Stovall said. “I just have to keep working.” Stovall wants to keep improving every day as her basketball career progresses, and she become a more versatile player as time goes along. Stovall said she wished she could improve shooting 3’s; she can make them but she would rather get to the basket and get her team a high quality shot. Senior forward Mart’e Grays said Stovall brings a lot of energy to the team, runs the offense well, and her defensive presence gives the team a lift. “She's just a really solid player for us at this point in time,” Grays said. Senior guard Ashton Millender said
JONATHAN AGUILAR | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul freshman guard Maya Stovall guards Xavier's Aaliyah Dunham during the second quarter on Feb. 22 at Wintrust Arena. Stovall's defennse gives the team a lift. “When Maya puts her mind to it, she can guard anybody,” Millender said.
Grays said Stovall has made a big impact because of the type of player she is. “I bet she doesn’t even realize how much
impact she has had thus far,” Grays said. “I think that’s a good thing. Her head is in the right place at the right time.”
26 | Sports. March 4, 2019. The DePaulia
RICHARD BODEE | THE DEPAULIA
Seniors Femi Olujobi, Max Strus and Eli Cain pose with family, coaches and admistration following DePaul's senior day victory over St. John's at Wintrust Arena.
SENIOR DAY, continued from back page list in made 3-point field goals. He now has sunk 158 3-point field goals and owns the fifth spot on the Blue Demon's all-time list. He trails his teammate Eli Cain by just five career 3-point field goals. Strus also reached 1,000 career points today. "The more success he had the better he felt, they weren't switching like some other teams," Blue Demon head coach Dave Leitao said after the game. "He pumped it inside and got some baskets for Femi [Olujobi] or some offensive rebounds. What he felt was the same thing that I saw in his body language that his body was squared, he dribbled without hesitation, he wasn't worried so much about the defense. He determined what he wanted to do as opposed to what the defense wanted him to do. So when I saw that I just tried to keep going to him." "The shots were just falling today," Strus said. "I take those same shots every game, teammates did a great job of setting screens and finding me. When they knew I was hot they kept coming to me. I think they did a good job of doing that and coach kept calling my number so just trying to make plays for the team. The most important thing that matters today is that we won. If I would have done this and we had lost I wouldn't have even cared." Strus' historic game overshadowed a rock-solid performance by fellow senior Femi Olujobi. The 6-foot-9-inch grad transfer knocked down 23 points on
8-for-10 from the field, supplementing the scoring with 10 rebounds for his third double-double of the season. The one knock on his performance came at the 2:37 mark in the second half after he sunk a free throw, proceeded to raise his hands in the air to pump up the Wintrust Arena crowd only to miss his second free throw attempt (he was 7-for-15 from the charity stripe for the game). DePaul student manager Aameer Sahi, who has been battling a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, attended the game today providing an extra source of motivation for a Blue Demon team that needed a win. "He continues to be an inspiration to himself, to his family, and to our family," Leitao said. "We will continue to help him with his fight and be there every step of the way until he conquers this and he's doing phenomenal [in his battle]. We just have to continue to support him. His presence today if it DePaul guard didn't pull at your heartstrings to the highest degree then there is something wrong with the insides of you." Forcing the issue offensively and getting to the line helped the Blue Demons absorb an 10-0 run from St. John's to start the game. The Blue Demons attempted 42 free throws, sinking 32 of them (76.2 percent) as the referees called 59 fouls and six players fouled out of the game. St. John's attempted 28 free throws. "I think more often than not, the team that's most aggressive gets most of the calls," Leitao said. "When we don't [get calls] it's because we aren't as aggressive and when we are aggressive [we get the calls]. I mean aggressive in a lot of different ways, not just with the
"I made a couple baskets, we won the game. We're back on a winning streak now. It was getting rough here for a little bit but we're going to turn things around.
Max Strus
basketball in your hands. Doing things as an alpha. You throw the first punch, you take the first step, you set that screen, you drive to the hole all of those things earn you that ability to have whistles go your
way." DePaul returns to action on Wednesday against Georgetown. This is the last home game of the season and it will begin at 7:30 p.m.
Art of the handshake Sports. March 4, 2019 The DePaulia | 27
By Madi Garner Contributing Writer
Imagine this: You’re sitting down on the icy bleachers of Wish Field, the portrait of St. Vinny staring you down and the roar of the train in the background. You’re focused on the feel of the Windy City’s breeze slapping you in the face when you see it- right there in the outfield. A dance, maybe? No, it’s more than that. It’s a handshake- but not a typical greeting. It’s a secret one that’s immediately sending your mind back to the first grade. You can imagine you and your bestie twirling after your very own rendition of patty cake that only you two know. Immediately, you’re jealous. Obviously, you want to know how YOU can once again have a secret handshake like these softball players. But where to start? To begin creating your very own secret handshake, it’s necessary to understand the history of where handshakes come from. They go all the way back to when people were carrying around swords. The extension of one’s right hand, which was the hand typically used to draw a sword or similar weapon, out to their friend or foe, showed that the person meant no harm. When the other person completed the handshake, it showed that the two parties had no ill will against each other and instead came in peace. Now, in today’s day and age, no one is really fearful that someone they’re about to meet is going to stab them with a sword. So the next step in learning how to create your own secret handshake is to understand why people are still shaking hands in the first place. Not only has the shaking of hands morphed its way into an everyday greeting between people, but it’s gone even further to establish a sense of friendship, unity or even secrecy. Handshakes are a form of nonverbal communication, which means that a handshake is “symbolic in the sense that it represents things...but it also means unique things to people you are in a close relationship with,” according to an adjunct faculty member of DePaul’s Communication Studies department, Jamie Campbell. This means that there can be a lot of deeply personal reasons for a handshake. One of those reasons is to deepen the connections between team members, which is exactly what you spotted out in Wish Field. When it comes to being on a team, and the softball team specifically, no one handshake is repeated between members. “Everyone’s got their own handshake with each person,” DePaul softball head coach Tracie Adix-Zins said in reference to her team’s ritual handshakes. Adix-Zins went on to explain that unity and bonding aren’t the only reasons for creating handshakes on her team, instead it’s almost always about superstition. “It’s something that gets you pumped for the game and then you keep doing it because you’ve done it.” In fact, ritual and superstition seems to be an important determining factor of when people use handshakes today. Many sororities and fraternities across the country utilize personalized secret handshakes that all members must learn as they are initiated. “Our handshake is part of our ritual, which makes it super important,” DePaul junior and Alpha Omicron Pi member Lauren Heise said. However, Heise went on to say that the secrecy was not the most important part of the handshake. “It should remain secret because that’s the rules, but I don’t think it’s life or death or anything,” she said. “It’s more important that
JONATHAN AGUILAR | THE DEPAULIA
Sophomore catcher Jessica Cothern signals to the bench after a double during DePaul's game against Green Bay on Feb. 9 we know it than it is that we keep it a secret.” Sorority and fraternity handshakes are also a symbol of recognition, and when a member comes across a member from a different chapter, they are still able to connect through the mutual knowledge of the handshake. The depth of the importance of handshakes reaches far beyond the walls of a gym or frat house. While some societies use code words, several of the world’s most notorious “secret” societies are known to employ secret handshakes. The Freemasons use theirs to identify their own kind among travelers, and even the illuminati is known to have hand signals that only members can point out. While we can’t necessarily identify how these societies craft their own handshakes, we can look towards DePaul’s outfield to see examples of a good handshake. While the term handshake is accurate in the fact that it usually starts off with some sort of patty cakeesq movements, this is only the beginning. One can sprinkle in any mix of snapping, clapping, clapping on another part of your body such as your feet or elbows, spinning or even a chant into their handshake. The cherry on top is commonly a chest bump or hug of sorts. Unfortunately, in 2015, time stipulations were enforced within games in an effort to reduce the total length of a game. Because of these restraints, there is less time for players to perform their handshakes between plays and innings. Instead they are required to simply get the ball back to the pitcher and resume the game. This varies from when Adix-Zins herself was a player and they used handshakes within innings as a form of celebration. “You don’t see them as much as you used to,” Adix-Zins said. Despite this, the culture of handshakes is not failing within softball or within other sports, or society as a whole. Don’t be surprised if out in Wish Field you see a handshake that inspires you.
JONATHAN AGUILAR | THE DEPAULIA
The DePaul bench celebrates a hit during a Feb. 9 game against Green Bay at the Total Control Sports Invitational. The Blue Demons went on to win the game 10-1.
JONATHAN AGUILAR | THE DEPAULIA
Senior third baseman Alysia Rodriguez (right) and sophomore shortstop Maranda Gutierrez do their signature handshake during a Feb. 9 game against Green Bay.
Sports
Sports. March 4 2019. The DePaulia | 28
Strus’
spectacular senior day ALEXA SANDLER | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul senior guard Max Strus lines up a free throw during DePaul’s 92-83 victory over St. John’s Sunday afternoon at Wintrust Arena. Strus finished with a career-high 43 points.
Star guard scores career-high 43 points in win over St. John’s By Paul Steeno Senior Basketball Writer
It was a good day to be a DePaul Blue Demon men's basketball senior. On senior day, the Blue Demons (14-13; 6-10) rode the backs of two of their seniors Max Strus and Femi Olujobi en route to a 92-83 win against the St. John's Red Storm (20-10; 8-9) at Wintrust Arena. The win snapped a fourgame losing streak and completed a Blue
Demon season sweep of the Red Storm for the first time ever. With 1:51 left in the second half, Strus curled to the 3-point line, catching the ball and shooting in one smooth motion to extend the Blue Demon's lead to 8477. Everybody at Wintrust Arena knew it was going in before he even let the ball fly, it was that kind of night for the Blue Demon senior. On the next possession he took a charge as DePaul extended their lead down the stretch through solid
free-throw shooting en route to the ninepoint victory. "We won, that's really all that matters," Strus said after the game. "I made a couple of baskets, we won the game. We're back on a winning streak now. It was getting rough here for a little bit, but we're going to turn things around and that's a first step to do it." Strus poured in a game and a career-high 43 points, the first time since December 29, 2006 when Sammy
Meija accomplished the feat against Northwestern State that a Blue Demon player has scored 40 or more points in a game. The 43 points was the second highest individual scoring output by a Big East player in a conference game this season (Marquette's Markus Howard had 53 points against Creighton on Jan. 9). Strus' six 3-point field goals today also moved him up the all-time DePaul
See SENIOR DAY, page 26
Maya Stovall: On the court to add chemistry to the mix By Carolyn Bradley Contributing Writer
Freshman point guard Maya Stovall works hard to get her team involved and connected so everyone can play a strong game. Her work has paid off, and she has been able to play on the court more frequently as the season continues. Head women’s coach Doug Bruno said the team moved Stovall into the starting lineup because of the impact she made on the team. Bruno said he felt that the team needed a change, and Stovall earned the spot. “She’s a really solid facilitator,” Bruno said. “She’s one of those players that brings cohesion to the group.” Stovall hails from St. Louis, Missouri and attended Parkway North High School, where she helped her team place third. At 5’7”, she has scored 10 points and made two 3-point field goals against Villanova, made three field goals against Georgetown, made four free throws against Providence and made one block and three steals against Marquette. Stovall found her interest in basketball from her brother’s involvement in the game. She started playing because of her competitive nature. She’s been able to meet her goal of being competitive on the team. “I love to win. I hate to lose,” Stovall
ALEXA SANDLER | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul freshman Maya Stovall attempts a free-throw against Butler on Feb. 24 at Wintrust Arena. DePaul extended their six-game winning streak with a 76-62 win. said. Stovall’s mother, Maria Wilson, has attended several of Stovall’s games. Wilson said she knew Stovall was good at basketball
and she couldn’t be more proud. “I always wanted her to somehow find a way to get her athletic abilities to get her to college,” Wilson said.
Wilson said she has seen her daughter grow throughout her first season, now that Stovall has gone from not playing much to being in the starting lineup. “She helps me go hard and keep pushing myself,” Stovall said. Stovall has been doing well, Bruno said, and the team has been better with her on the floor. Bruno said Stovall has had some great moments, some good moments and some freshman-esque moments, when freshmen on the team may think they are more familiar with the game than they really are. “I think in the big picture of her time as a starter, I think she’s done a good job,” he said. “She’s had a lot more great and good moments than she’s had more freshmanesque moments.” Stovall has helped the chemistry improve, which is difficult to have because there is no formula for it, Bruno said. “[Chemistry is] not something you can x and o,” Bruno said. “It’s a synergy among humans. Maya has helped that chemistry.” Bruno thinks Stovall is going to grow, and her growth is going to not only be that she’s happy to be on the floor, but also that she’ll understand herself and the way she impacts both sides of the ball. Stovall can be a “junkyard dog”
See STOVALL, page 25