TheDePaulia
Noelle Malkamaki
took her shot at being a Paralympian
— and scored gold
By Peyton Hopp Asst. Sports Editor
There’s a wall in Noelle Malkamaki’s Chicago home where many of her achievements are displayed. While her two gold medals from the 2023 and 2024 World Para Athletics Championships are on that wall, her newest gold medal from the 2024 Paralympics is still sitting on a random table nearby.
“This is a new dream for me,” Malkamaki said as she sat on her living room couch, holding hands with her high school sweetheart and husband Robert Malkamaki. They both smiled as they reminisced about their time in Paris at the Summer Paralympics, where Malkamaki won a gold medal for F46 shot put.
Malkamaki has broken the world record for shot put four times within the past two years, with her most recent record being 14.06 meters. In simpler terms, it’s like throwing a nine-pound weight the length of three Jeeps.
She threw for DePaul for five years and she got an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19. She graduated from DePaul in Dec. 2023 with a degree in English, and she’s thinking about whether she wants to go to graduate school for environmental science.
Malkamaki, who is from Decatur, Illinois, was born with a disability called amniotic band syndrome, which gave her an undeveloped right arm and hand. She
said she didn’t really identify herself as disabled until she was 20 years old, but that didn’t stop her from wanting to compete.
Her coach, Brandon Murer, told her she should give adaptive sports a try.
“It’s funny how a lot of athletes talk about a moment like that and it’s … ‘I’ve dreamt about this since I was a kid,’ and I can’t say that,” Malkamaki said. “For me, I was 20 years old when I realized I could do this, which is great. It’s still important.”
Now 23, Malkamaki became the third person in DePaul history to win an Olympic or Paralympic gold medal, sitting alongside taekwondo athlete Arlene Limas (1988 in Seoul) and DePaul women’s basketball coach Doug Bruno (2012 in London and 2016 in Rio de Janeiro).
While Malkamaki participated in F46 shot put at the Paralympics, she also has done discus throw, hammer throw and weight throw.
Her best shot put throw was 14.06 meters, which she accomplished at the Paralympics and also on April 13 at the Gary Wieneke Memorial. She also was selected as a 2024 Big East Woman of the Year Honoree.
Malkamaki said all the work at DePaul has paid off.
See Noelle Malkamaki, page 16
Why scootering around the city is so dangerous Page 5
I think that says a lot about the DePaul community. They take care of their own”
Noelle Malkamaki Paralympics Shot Put Athlete
OPINION: Horror is getting out of hand Page 7
How
DePaul athletes stay sharp in the classroom Page 15
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CAMPUS CRIME REPORT
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
Drug & Alcohol Assault & Theft Other
Lincoln Park Campus Crimes: Oct. 2
1) A Simple Battery and Criminal Trespass report was filed for an incident in Cacciatore Stadium.
Oct. 2
2) A Criminal Defacement of Property report was filed for markings on an emergency call box near Sheffield Square Apartments.
Oct. 2
3) A Theft report was filed for a bicycle stolen in front of the Sullivan Athletic Center.
Oct. 3
4) A Theft report was filed for a bicycle stolen from the McCabe Hall bike rack.
Oct. 3
5) A Criminal Defacement of Property report was filed
for markings on the McCabe bike repair station.
Oct. 3
6) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report, as well as a Fake Identification report, were filed for an incident occurring in University Hall.
Oct. 5
7) A Theft report was filed for a cell phone stolen in the Richardson Library.
Oct. 6
8) A Criminal Trespass report was filed in the Sullivan Athletic Center.
Oct. 7
9) A Simple Assault report was filed for an incident in the Student Center.
Oct. 2 - Oct. 8, 2024
LOOP CAMPUS
LOOP CAMPUS
Loop Campus Crimes: Oct. 3
1) A Stalking report was filed for conduct occurring in the DePaul Center.
Oct. 3
2) A Theft report was filed for an item stolen from CDM.
Oct. 6
3) A Graffiti report was filed for markings found on the Daley building.
The DePaulia is the official student-run newspaper of DePaul University and may not necessarily reflect the views of college administrators, faculty or staff.
Helene and Milton: Back-to-back hurricanes rock the coast
By Angelina Ruggiero World Politics Beat Writer
On Oct. 9, Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida as a Category 3 storm.
The storm was originally projected to hit as a Category 4 storm, but is still the fastest intensifying Atlantic storm on record.
Milton brought multiple threats to Floridians, including high winds, tornadoes, a deadly storm surge and torrential rain.
Fourteen counties were under evacuation orders ahead of the hurricane.
“If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die,” Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said in an interview with CNN.
Just two weeks before Hurricane Milton made landfall, Hurricane Helene struck Florida’s Big Bend as a Category 4 hurricane. Helene is now the second deadliest hurricane to strike the United States, following Hurricane Katrina which killed 1,833 people in 2005.
Dedrick Mobley Jr., a North Carolina and Georgia native, shared photos of the destruction that Helene left behind in his hometown of Savannah, Georgia.
“Debris (is) everywhere,” Mobley said. “I worry for my family in Georgia.”
The debris Helene left in Florida is one of the reasons why Floridians struggled to evacuate, along with a lack of gas and shortage of shelters.
In an effort to help evacuees, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis teamed up with Uber to offer free rides to shelters for affected counties.
Carl Ternier, an Orlando native who now lives in North Carolina, helped his family evacuate Orlando.
“The debris (is) the main problem,” Ternier said. “My family is stuck in Orlando due to closed roads.”
There have been 38 eyewitness reports of tornadoes in Florida as a result of Milton.The state only sees on average 50 tornadoes per year.
More than 2.3 million people are without power in Florida and the death toll continues to rise.
The National Weather Service said that 19 inches of rain fell in the St. Petersburg area and a storm surge of 10 feet was reported in Sarasota County.
Nathaniel Lauck, a close friend of Mobley and Ternier, talks about how the devastation has affected his friends and family.
“Watching two horrific storms hit the south makes me wonder what is next for all of us,” Lauck said.“The recovery efforts are going to take a long time, especially in rural areas where families are still lost.”
FEMA has activated disaster recovery centers in Florida, along with emergency response resources. Flordians impacted by Milton are now able to apply for disaster relief
Chasing new opportunities: The experience of out-of-state students at DePaul
By Ashley Mezewich Contributing Writer
The start of a new school year marked an important milestone for first-year out-of-state students, not just because they were starting their university career, but because they left home. Two of the top 10 feeder states in the 2022 freshman admission summary were California, with 150 students, and Missouri, with 48 students.
California was the top-feeder state and Missouri was eighth on the list. Some other top states were Michigan, Minnesota, Florida and New York.
In a note about the Fall 2023 Census from President Robert L. Manuel, it was shared that 30% of the 2,943 freshmen enrolled in 2023 were from out-of-state.
This is a drop from 2022, where 37% of freshmen were from out-of-state. Still, out-ofstate students continue to enroll.
Peyton Deck, a freshman from California chose an out-of-state school because she wanted a transition to a new state for college.
“I always had intended to attend an out of state school. I think I had just been craving a
due to the declaration of Milton as a disaster.
So far, 1,200 people and 140 animals have been rescued by search and rescue teams on the ground.
Evacuees were able to return on Oct. 11 to clean up debris, but came back to destroyed homes and flooded neighborhoods.
Rescue crews are still surveying the damage, with officials using airboats to reach people in north Tampa.
Orlando International Airport resumed flights on Friday, Oct. 11, suffering only minor damage as a result of the storms.
Florida’s tourism sector, such as Disney World and Sea World, opened their doors to the public on Friday as well.
Paul that helps undergraduate students reach their academic goals.
On Oct. 10, President Joe Biden held a press conference on recovery efforts for Hurricane Milton. Biden promised Floridians that they will get the help they need and stressed that it is still too early to properly assess all damages across the state.
Biden told former president Donald Trump to “get a life, man. Help these people” over the spread of misinformation about Hurricane Milton.
Several aid organizations are already on the ground, helping with recovery efforts.
“The south is strong, we will get through this, but this storm worried me like no other,” Lauck said. “People were left to die due to mother nature.”
transition like this for a long time,’’ Deck said. “I wanted to be able to exercise my independence and to just gain new experiences in a new place.’’
First-year Lydia Azar, from Missouri craved a new place and different experiences as well.
However, the two chose DePaul for different reasons. Deck chose the university because of the academics; Azar chose the university because it was her favorite school and she received a “great scholarship.’’
After making their decision to attend DePaul came move-in day, which required packing up their childhood rooms and leaving home for Chicago.
“It was very strange. It was a weird feeling, seeing my room empty and cleared out,’’ firstyear Lucy Penrose from Kansas City, Missouri said. “I was sad but I was also very excited for this new thing to come.’’
Penrose also said saying goodbye to her house was “bittersweet’’ and an “eerie feeling.’’ She did not know what lay ahead but knew she was no longer living in her home of 10 years.
One resource available to help these students is Success Coaching, a program at De-
“Through regularly scheduled one-onone meetings, Success Coaches work with students to address challenges that may hinder one’s overall experience at DePaul and create plans to address these challenges,’’ the Division of Student Affairs website said.
During these meetings, the coaches help students navigate college, create goals, improve time management and productivity, join and create organizations and identify resources.
One challenge is keeping in contact with families – these students have succeeded.
Azar texts her mother often, and she tries to FaceTime her family nearly every day.
“They’ve told me crazy stories of what I missed from home and I tell them crazy stories about what has happened here already,’’ Azar said.
Deck has also had a good experience keeping in contact with her family. She and her family call enough to feel connected, but not too much where she feels overwhelmed or pressured.
Deck had a “surreal’’ experience her first nights on campus as well.
“My first couple nights in my dorm were very surreal. To go from living at home with your own room to living in a dorm building is such a huge difference,” Deck said. “I got to know my roommate better the first few days though, which was very nice.’’
For Penrose, it is intimidating being the only one among her friends and community that is “super far’’ from home.
“I can’t just go home for a weekend, which is a little bit scary,’’ Penrose said. “I think about (how) I would love to go home for a weekend, or I would love to go see my friends.’’
Roommates help make these difficulties easier. Deck shared that her suitemates are mindful and respectful and help make adapting easier.
Azar’s roommate, Ashlynn Redhage, helped her adapt as well, providing comfort and collaborating with her to ensure the other has the dorm to themselves for a period of time.
Penrose feels that spending her free time at the university is different from how she would spend it at home.
At home, she would hang out with her friends or lay in bed. At DePaul, she does not want to sit in the dorm all day; she wants to be outside and meet people.
“I’ve made a lot of good friends here, so that really helps me, because it kind of feels like I already have a little community,’’ Penrose said.
Her residence hall has a lounge, where she and others meet at night.
“We kind of just talk, and it’s just really fun,’’ Penrose said. “It feels like you’re living in a neighborhood where a ton of kids your age live and are always outside.’’
People are rescued from an apartment complex in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Clearwater, Fla.
MIKE STEWARTAP PHOTO
‘Housing is a human right’: Pending affordable housing closures threaten North Side residents’ homes
By Isabel Riley Contributing Writer
Chicagoans who once found solace in affordable housing face instability as property companies threaten to shut down multiple low-income apartment buildings on the North Side.
Prompted by the planned closure of affordable housing in the Uptown and Rogers Park neighborhoods, nonprofit organization ONE Northside hosted a town hall on Sept. 29. ONE Northside members, local government officials and other community members gathered to support affordable housing, community safety and green public schools.
“People united will never be defeated,” attendees chanted. Handmade signs and t-shirts saying “The rent is too damn high” echoed the sentiments of the 14 speakers called to the stage by ONE Northside. They called for preserving single-room occupancy housing, also known as SROs, and for property companies to stop evicting low-income tenants.
ONE Northside primarily focused on two buildings when discussing affordable housing: the Leland Hotel at 1201 W. Leland Ave. and San Miguel Apartments at 907 W. Argyle St. Welfare institution Heartland Housing owns these buildings but they have gone into foreclosure after Heartland Housing filed for bankruptcy last year.
Jeff Martin, a tenant at the Leland Hotel, said he moved there after becoming disabled from a stroke. Martin said he could not afford rent due to his disability and received an eviction notice filed from his previous landlord. He credited the Leland Hotel with saving him from living in a nursing home. Since then, the building has gone into foreclosure, risking the displacement of 137 tenants, according to the ONE Northside website.
Anthony Perkins, leader of ONE Northside’s Housing Justice Committee, said he has experienced the consequences of in-
accessible affordable housing firsthand and through working with other struggling tenants.
“The removal of affordable housing is getting more people on the street,” Perkins said. “It’s getting more people living in tents, sleeping on trains, and sleeping wherever they can.”
The loss of affordable housing remains a widespread issue, although it has disproportionately impacted Chicago neighborhoods like Uptown, Edgewater and Rogers Park, according to Angela Clay, the alderwoman for Chicago’s 46th Ward, which includes Uptown.
A 2023 study from DePaul’s Institute of Housing Studies states that Uptown and Rogers Park saw a 12.5% decline in affordable apartments available for low-income renters between 2012 and 2021. Only the Logan Square/Avondale and West Town/Near West Side categories saw bigger drops with 15.3% and 14.6% respectively.
“It’s coming to parts of the city that have historically been hubs for diversity,” Ald. Clay, a lifelong Uptown resident who grew up living
SGA challenges DePaul administration’s response to Oct. 7 walk out
By Sadie Springer SGA Beat Writer
On Monday, Oct. 7, Students for Justice in Palestine led a student walk out to honor those who have died in Gaza. The DePaul University Public Safety Department and Chicago Police Department responded with the threat of arrest and trespassing charges even while the protest was being conducted peacefully. In response, DePaul Student Government Association (SGA) promised their support for student advocacy in a statement issued on Oct. 9.
“SGA members firmly believe students must feel welcome to take up space, express themselves, and advocate — as embodied by the life of Saint Vincent de Paul — without fear of retaliation,” SGA said in the statement.
In their statement, SGA declared their challenge of DePaul’s current demonstration guidelines, which they say make it extremely difficult for students to voice their concerns and ideas peacefully without the threat of punishment.
“Enforcing the space reservation requirement to hold demonstrations while restricting organizations’ ability to reserve spaces leaves students vulnerable to legal repercussions,” the statement read.
SGA cited the DePaul Divest Referendum in their advocacy, which passed in the spring 2024 election. The referendum mandates that SGA advocate for DePaul University to divest from companies and organizations that contribute to the suffering of the Palestinians for the duration of the 2024-2025 SGA session.
The referendum question asked if students believed that the university should release their investment portfolio for public view.
“Ninety-one percent of the student population that voted in SGA’s election last spring voted ‘yes’ to the referendum question. The majority of DePaul’s students want the university to release to the public what they are putting their money towards,” said Kiersten Riedford, the chair of marketing and communication of SGA.
in affordable housing, said. “In Uptown we’ve had a melting pot that is becoming less full because people cannot afford to be in this beautiful community.”
The Leland Hotel and San Miguel Apartments fall under Clay’s jurisdiction. She said that removing other affordable housing has already negatively impacted the neighborhood, decreasing access to resources that the community relies on.
“It’s tearing at the fabric of our community because it places people against each other based on their interests,” Clay said.
Clay said that nonprofit agencies that once stationed themselves in Uptown have moved, forcing residents to travel further to receive medical services, mental health support and public libraries. Schools also have seen lower levels of enrollment.
People have struggled to preserve affordable housing in neighborhoods like Uptown for varying reasons. According to Clay, there’s a lack of funding for affordable housing providers to maintain their buildings.
SGA plans to continue to support Students for Justice in Palestine in their activism efforts, along with other student organizations in light of recent kickback from DePaul’s administration.
“With the passing of the statement, SGA believes DePaul should not require students to reserve spaces on campus to demonstrate or protest on campus. SGA does not want a university community where students feel afraid to act or take on activism because of the institution,” Riedford said.
In closing their statement, SGA called on their colleagues in other branches of university government to speak up.
“We call on our colleagues in shared governance — Staff Council, Faculty Council, and those who make important decisions for DePaul — to speak out against this attempt to deny the DePaul community their right to create a sanctuary of lively discourse and bring the DePaul mission forward,” SGA said in the statement.
SGA and Public Safety leaders met to discuss concerns on Oct. 11. In a statement to The DePaulia, DePaul maintains that the demonstrations that took place on Oct. 7 did not meet DePaul’s demonstration guidelines.
“We don’t have a pot of money for affordable housing providers who have been in our communities for decades to pull from to upgrade the building, to make sure that they’re providing long-term subsidies,” Clay said. “We leave them on their own to care for vulnerable people who have limited resources.”
Beth Rochford, a member of ONE Northside’s police accountability team focusing on community safety who spoke at the meeting, said that gentrification also increases the risk of losing affordable housing.
“As Uptown gentrifies, they are building luxury places and getting rid of reasonably priced SROs,” Rochford said.
The increasing closures of affordable housing have motivated local government officials and low-income renters to act against foreclosures.
“I see a bright future for affordable housing,” Perkins said. “We have our alderpeople saying that they’ll step up and get all of this paid.”
The five alderpeople, the Department of Housing Commissioner, the state representative and the state senator in attendance at the meeting agreed to prioritize preserving affordable housing in their jurisdictions. They plan to help by funding foreclosed affordable housing buildings that Heartland Housing can no longer afford. The officials in attendance also promised to standby those protesting the eviction of affordable housing tenants.
Despite the impending closure of affordable housing buildings, the town hall attendees have hope for their future.
“Where I live, they have a new ordinance that protects affordable housing,” Rochford said. “It’d be great if they could get something similar in this area too. If the people affected by rent increases work together, I think that we can have reasonably priced housing in this area.”
“Those gathered on campus property did not have a reservation for the space. As a result, protestors were asked several times by Student Affairs and Public Safety to relocate to a nearby public walkway,” said Kristin Claes Mathews, DePaul’s senior director of strategic communication.
According to DePaul’s demonstration guidelines, “Events, including demonstrations, that require a space reservation must be registered ahead of time. This includes events held inside campus facilities or outside on campus grounds.”
“When protestors did not relocate after several requests, they were informed that remaining in the space could lead to arrest. At that point, protestors complied and continued their demonstration at the corner of Belden and Sheffield,” Claes Mathews said. Claes Mathews reiterated DePaul’s commitment to its students.
“DePaul remains committed to nurturing a safe environment where our students, faculty, and staff can engage in meaningful dialogue as well as demonstration activities in accordance with the university’s policies,” Claes Mathews said.
llinois Sen. Mike Simmons of the 7th ward speaks at a town hall meeting convened by ONE Northside on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. Simmons expressed his support for affordable housing units having grown up in public housing, like the Leland and San Miguel Apartments.
AUBREONNA CHAMBERLAIN | THE DEPAULIA
Safe scootering is hard to do
By Connor Upshaw Contributing Writer
More people are using electric scooters and e-bikes for faster and more eco-friendly transportation. Last year, there were over 3.7 million rides taken using city-sanctioned scooters from Divvy, Lime and Spin, according to city data. However, the rising number of injuries are causing concern.
Sebastian Roszkowski, a DePaul senior, uses his own scooter daily. He says that using it helps him get around quicker but recognizes how dangerous it can be.
“Scooters are very reliable but not very safe,” Roszkowski said. “There’s been times when an Uber driver didn’t see me and has almost hit me while I’ve been riding.”
Chicago has had scooters in the city since 2019, with two pilot programs that introduced them for public use. In the 2020 e-scooter pilot, about 10,000 total scooters were deployed by three companies: Bird, Lime and Spin. Since then, the number of scooters has dropped to only 4,000 split between Lime and Spin.
Erica Schroeder is the director of public information at the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), and based on their analysis, riding a scooter is
as safe as riding a bike in Chicago.
But that doesn’t mean they’re always safe — and researchers have found that growing usage of both e-bikes and e-scooters has only led to more injuries.
Bike, scooter and e-bike accidents have increased over the past couple of years.
According to a study by JAMA Network, the number of e-bike injuries nationwide increased from 751 to 23,493 from 2017 to 2022. E-scooter accidents increased from 8,566 to 56,847 in that same time.
Divvy, the premiere bike-sharing service that launched on June 28, 2013, was expanded in March 2019 when Lyft bought into it to expand the service while still giving the city revenue.
Users that already have the Lyft app set up with their form of payment can easily ride a Divvy bike by going up to one of the many parking kiosks located around the city, scanning the QR code attached to an individual bike and unlocking it.
Even on Divvy’s website, the tagline “It’s so easy” is said with no mention of a quiz or safety: just unlock it, ride it, and
park it.
Kate Bondurant, a spokesperson for Lyft, is aware of the safety concerns.
“We actively promote the rules of the road to our bike and scooter riders through our in-app safe riding tutorial, which reminds riders to ride in bike lanes where available and to follow local traffic laws,” Bondurant said.
Roszkowski, the DePaul senior, who is Polish, has some ideas that could transfer over to the United States. In Poland, people need licenses to own and ride bikes, implying a greater understanding of road laws and safety.
“You don’t want to restrict people’s freedoms, but you also don’t want to see them get injured or killed on the road,” Roszkowski said.
However, compared with a driver’s test for a car, which emphasizes the ideas of traffic laws and the fundamentals of being behind the wheel, a biking test like Divvy’s is minimal.
Like most places in the United States, wearing a helmet while using e-bikes, scooters and bikes is not a law in Chicago. There are guidelines on the websites for Divvy, Lime, Spin and even CDOT. Divvy, for instance, offers a “Scooter 101” tutorial online for those who go out of their way to access it.
According to the American College of Surgeons, 35% of all e-bike-related trauma happens to users under the age of 18. In addition, e-bike riders are more likely to sustain fatal injuries when col-
liding with a motor vehicle.
John McTaggart is originally from New Jersey but has moved to Chicago recently. His main form of transportation is his car and he has experienced people using scooters as a driver in both New Jersey and Illinois.
“One thing that bothers me about people on scooters in Chicago is a lot of the time they’ll take them on the sidewalk,” McTaggart said.
The law that e-bikes and scooters must be used on the road or bike path is intended to keep traffic laws balanced and to uphold the safety of pedestrians. The Chicago Complete Streets program aims to make the roadways of the city as inclusive and safe as possible, taking into account bike, scooter, pedestrian and driver safety.
“Last year CDOT installed more than 50 miles of bikeway projects, including 27 miles of new and upgraded protected lanes and 18 miles of new neighborhood greenways,” Schroeder, director of CDOT public information, said.
McTaggart and Roszkowski both agree that the responsibility for safety does not fall on one party. They said there should be a greater push to make people wear helmets but also stricter laws and standards for drivers.
“Driver’s licenses are being given out like candy and people need to have refreshers so that they understand the road is being shared,” Roszkowski said.
A helmeted Divvy scooter user rides down N Lincoln Avenue on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. The city of Chicago’s first rule for scooter usage is wearing a helmet.
JEREMY BATTLE | THE DEPAULIA
FKA Twigs’
‘MAGDALENE’ album is a reminder of the existence of toxic
By Lindsay Freiberger Contributing Writer
Listening to FKA twigs’ album “MAGDALENE” reminds me of her raw talent. Writing from her own experience, the angelic artist reflects on the pain she endured when Robert Pattinson fans bullied her, giving us the masterpiece that is her second studio album but at a horrific cost.
Released in 2019, the emotion-filled album is heavily influenced by twigs’ threeyear relationship with “Twilight” actor Pattinson. Twigs underwent scrutiny while the two dated in the public eye, with Pattinson’s fans fueled by racist comments toward the English and Jamaican singer.
Even though the album is five years old, celebrity relationships between fans are still problematic. Singer Chappell Roan recently made a statement on the parasocial relationship between her and her fans, relaying the importance of boundaries, after which I thought about twigs.
“If I were wearing a red dress, they would put a monkey standing next to me wearing a dress too,” twigs said in Louis Theroux’s 2021 podcast “Grounded.” Twigs recalled the racism she faced as a kid and how even as an adult, the wound still feels tender when someone is severely unkind.
“I thought that I handled these comments when they affected me when I was young in my adult life, but it takes me back to being five when I didn’t know how to react and stand up for myself,” twigs said in the interview.
Twigs said that the constant bullying left a body dysmorphic effect on her. It is extremely cruel for fans to inflict pain on a person because they disapprove of the woman chosen by the person they idolize. A woman thinking they’re not good enough reflects our society, but we don’t think about how scary it is when women hold the mirror and make each other feel that way.
In 2018, on his podcast, Howard Stern asked Pattinson if he ever wanted to respond to the racist bullying his fans did to twigs.
“It’s like attacking a reflection in the water. You look crazy,” Pattinson said, attempting to explain how hard it is to fight a faceless enemy when people comment on social media behind aliases. “The only way to show some kind of strength is having a mindset that none of this shit touches me.”
In the opening song of “MAGDALENE,” twigs sings, “If I walk out the door, it starts our last goodbye. If you don’t pull me back, it wakes a thousand eyes.” Before repeating the line, she says, “I am so cold with all these eyes.” How does one ignore a
fandoms
thousand eyes?
John Woodhouse, a DePaul junior and FKA twigs fan, believes “MAGDALENE” is one of the best albums ever. However, he says that twigs, being the creative genius that she is, could have made something equally as phenomenal even if the fan disrespect never existed.
“None of the music was worth what she went through, but the way she channeled heartache into this album, she succeeded,” Woodhouse said. “Pattinson being a white man informed his reaction and lack of reaction, but it’s easy in any scenario to create boundaries if you love someone.”
He sympathizes with the complexity of Pattinson’s situation, which his fans put him in, but ultimately, he feels for twigs.
The celebrity couple are dating separate people today, but I can’t help but replay twigs’ point of view on Pattinson and his fans. She said in the Theroux interview that “he was their white prince charming, and I think they considered that he should definitely be with someone white and blonde
and not me.”
The comment makes my heart heavy every time with the way fans reduce twigs to a mere reflection of their revolting fantasies.
Now that Pattinson has a child with blonde model and actress Suki Waterhouse, it pains me how much his fans love the couple. Although I am a big fan of Waterhouse, every time I turn on the album, I still find it challenging to get over how Pattinson’s fans treated twigs.
Devin Blair, a DePaul junior studying film and public relations, believes Pattinson should have done more to defend twigs. Although Blair isn’t familiar with much of twigs’ work, she is an annual “Twilight” watcher.
“He is dating this woman of color, and his fans are attacking her while he’s not doing anything about it, and even though his career is blowing up, why not protect your partner?” Blair said. “I understand him not wanting to anger the crazy fangirls, but even from a PR standpoint, you don’t want
anyone talking about you or the person you love, so I don’t know why no one stepped in.”
Twigs is a phenomenal songwriter whose ethereal voice and lyrics profoundly encapsulate melancholy. The last song on “MAGDALENE,” “cellophane,” is a beautiful ballad about unrequited love in which she metaphorically compares herself to being wrapped in cellophane. The album ends with lyrics referring to Pattinson’s fans, where she sings with a softened voice. At the same time, the piano fades, leaving you feeling empty inside but full of perfectly articulated feelings of loss and longing.
“They’re watching us, they’re hating, they’re waiting, and hoping I’m not enough,” twigs sings.
When fans idolize celebrities, holding them to impossible standards, it dehumanizes them, resulting in agony. Even though everyone is entitled to their opinion regarding celebrities, we must ask ourselves the purpose of making our opinion known.
PAULA AREVALO | THE DEPAULIA
Horror’s getting out of
footage
By Brielle Kohlbeck Opinion Editor
This is hard for me to admit as an avid Halloween lover, but I’m starting to see the scary truth: horror is getting out of hand.
If there’s one thing I love more than anything, it’s horror. Anything that will give me the creeps is something you can sign me up for. That’s what horror’s always been about, seeking out that experience that gives you a feeling different than any other. The thrill of self-inducing an intense sensation of fear is a thrill you can’t get anywhere else.
I learned quickly after moving to Chicago that my favorite place to spend time in October is the Music Box Theatre. This local Southport theater takes horror movies pretty seriously, getting fans together for films, themed drag shows and horror movie marathons all while allowing them a space to be full-on horror freaks.
From dressing up in full costume to simply being able to scream at the screen during your favorite scenes with no judgment, is the environment I think a horror fan was built to thrive in, and many fans agree.
Madeline Nevis, a Chicago resident and
“I feel like they just have such a good horror program (for) all of October,” Nevis said.
A member of Nevis’ moviegoing group, Maddie Baoi, added, “And like, a horror drag queen show? I’ve never experienced that before.”
But, like most groups, the horror community is facing scrutiny from gatekeepers.
Each year horror fanatics rave about a scarier, more psychologically tripping film leading to a competitive drive within the fandom based on who can bear to watch the most traumatic scenes.
As individuals battle to have seen the most underground and chilling films, people find themself pushing further than their limits just so they can call themselves a horror fan.
As these films compete to get more uncomfortable, many become rumored to be snuff films. This is a very particular type of psychological horrors that include scenes of real murders, suicides, etc. “Faces of Death” was one of the first films of this nature to gain major traction after its release in 1978.
While I believe there’s a time, place and audience for these gory and intense films,
be respected. This is especially apparent for younger generations on social media, as these films are pushed out there.
Blair Davis, DePaul professor in the College of Communication, has expertise in comics, horror movies and, most importantly, he knows all about the trend of those
seeking out the worst, despite their comfort level with it.
“You had that phenomenon in the early 1980s of kids deliberately seeking out snuff in video stores because their parents weren’t looking and they were exceptionally gory,” Davis said. “Like, the “Faces of Death” series … For younger generations, like myself growing up, that was the sort of ultimate taboo, much like what modern viewers are discovering through social media.”
As technology evolved, the accessibility of horror was bound to get more dangerous for young fans, but it will only get worse.
This pressure is often directed towards the “cheaper” and “raunchier” films, often consisting of found footage. We saw this in the hype of 2011 film “Megan Is Missing” and in similar movies on the bottom of the horror movie iceberg such as “August Un-
derground.”
Delaney Gobel, a grad student who spent her senior thesis studying found footage horror, allows a special place in her heart for this style.
“I love the idea that it (found footage) makes creating horror content more accessible,” Gobel said. “I don’t always appreciate what people choose to film and I think there are a lot of people that try to push the boundaries of content in a way that isn’t suited for me.”
Horror fans who have seen the “August Underground” film, along with others that are similar, have vouched for the fact that it’s hardly entertaining and nothing else but an excuse for filmed torture.
These films can quickly get less professional and focus solely on extracting a more extreme reaction out of a viewer with excessively gory content. These found footage or documentary-style films that add the effect of realness can lead to pushing the boundary from innocent fear to real torture.
There should be no competition in any group, let alone the ones that allow people to tap into their most raw, unedited selves. Those who desire to seek out an experience already different than any other shouldn’t have to traumatize themselves to feel “part of the group.”
“I think if you experience being scared, and you like that experience and you’re interested in seeking it out again, then you can call yourself a fan,” Gobel said.
From screaming at the Music Box screen to entering any haunted house I see, I will always call myself a horror fan. I’ll call myself this even though I’ll probably never watch “August Underground,” and I’m not afraid to admit it.
Ramona Slick, the host of the Music Box drag show “Rated Q,” posing in her “Carrie” costume before the film showing on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. Slick hosts a drag show preceding a film monthly at the Southport Theater
BRIELLE KOHLBECK | THE DEPAULIA
La DePaulia
Exhibición en Chicago muestra cómo mujeres migrantes bordan, ‘poco a
poco’,
su camino hacia nuevas vidas
Por Riley Sommers
La DePaulia Contributing Writer
En un refugio en Nogales, México, Wendy López Aguilar no podía dormir una noche. Preocupada por su hijo pequeño en el hospital, canalizó su angustia emocional bordando escamas de sirena en una manta, una servilleta decorativa.
Cuatro años después, sus mantas están expuestas en la Casa de Cultura de Chicago en la exhibición “Bordando Esperanza”, que presenta mantas creadas por migrantes en la frontera entre Estados Unidos y México. La exhibición está curada por Artisans Beyond Borders (Artesanos más allá de la frontera), una organización que brinda recursos a mujeres migrantes para que puedan bordar mantas como apoyo financiero y para su sanación emocional.
Valarie James, fundadora de Artisans Beyond Borders, ayudó a organizar la exhibición. James es voluntaria en la frontera y en Tucson, Arizona, proporcionando alimentos, refugio y asistencia legal a solicitantes de asilo.
“Cuando a veces sentíamos que no hacíamos lo suficiente, siempre recordaba esto: poco a poco, sólo poco a poco”, dijo James. “Pienso en eso con el bordado, porque así es. Es como esto, suave, poco a poco”.
Bordando su camino hacia los Estados Unidos
López es una de las muchas artistas migrantes presentadas en la exhibición. La artesana dijo que el bordado le brindó tanto apoyo económico como terapia artística durante su viaje a los Estados Unidos.
Antes de emigrar a los EE. UU., recuerda vivir en El Salvador, donde las pandillas extorsionaban a su familia, exigiendo que pagaran “renta” por su hogar y negocio. Dice que a su familia le cobraban sumas exorbitantes en muy poco tiempo.
“Me asaltaron cuando iba a la universidad. Se llevaron todo lo que tenía conmigo”, dijo López. “Dijeron ‘este es un mensaje para tu familia, que no estamos jugando y que hablamos en serio’.”
López viajó a México dos veces para solicitar asilo en Estados Unidos. La primera vez que estuvo en EE. UU., le entregaron una orden de deportación.
“Mi abuelo no me llevó a mi cita, a mi audiencia con inmigración”, dijo. “Esto sucede a menudo a las personas migrantes, que no tienen transporte confiable o personas que las ayuden a ir a sus citas”.
López se enfrentó a más obstáculos la segunda vez que regresó a la frontera. Su entrada a EE. UU. se retrasó debido al cierre de la frontera debido a la pandemia
del COVID-19. Durante ese tiempo, su hijo pequeño se enfermó y estuvo hospitalizado durante 11 días. A pesar de todo, López siguió bordando.
“Incluso en las noches que no podía dormir, el bordado era una oportunidad para mí… para relajarme, sanar durante ese tiempo tan difícil”, dijo.
La sirena que bordó en su manta es uno de sus proyectos favoritos, ya que le ayudó a sobrellevar la estancia de su hijo en el hospital, dijo López.
“Bordé escamas en toda su cola… una por una”, dijo. “Siempre quiero que mis bordados sean diferentes. Es muy raro ver uno de los míos repetido”.
Preservando el arte en la frontera
Artisans Beyond Borders y “Bordando Esperanza” cuentan con el apoyo de La Casa de las Misericordia y Todas Naciones de Nogales, México, un refugio dirigido en parte por la hermana Angélica Macías.
Mientras estaba en Nogales, López se quedó en el refugio La Casa de las Misericordia y Todas Naciones, donde conoció a la Hermana Macías.
Juntas, Macías y James proporcionaron a López y a otras migrantes mantas y materiales artísticos pre-hechos para comenzar su recorrido en el bordado.
“Comencé a ver los efectos físicos, emocionales y espirituales del bordado en la vida de las mujeres que se quedaban en nuestro refugio”, dijo Macías.
Desde entonces, el programa de Macías ha alojado a un total de más de 2,500 migrantes y ha supervisado programas relacionados con todo, desde oficios y escuela primaria, hasta huertos comunitarios. Según el sitio web de La Casa de las Misericordia, el 88% de los migrantes que pasaron por el refugio llegaron a EE. UU. de manera segura.
“Valarie nunca, nunca me ha dejado. Siempre me ha tomado de la mano”, dijo López sobre James.
“Mi vida ha cambiado mucho”, dijo López. “Durante todo el proceso, Dios nos ha permitido llegar [a EE. UU.], y desde que llegué aquí esta vez, Dios me ha rodeado de personas realmente maravillosas”.
López ahora trabaja para Artisans Beyond Borders con James, sirviendo como administradora asociada para llevar el arte del bordado a migrantes en la frontera y en el refugio de Macías en Nogales.
James recuerda que todo comenzó después de haber encontrado algunas mantas desechadas en la frontera junto con otros materiales personales y artículos religiosos dejados por los solicitantes de asilo en su camino hacia EE. UU.
“Cuando comenzamos a encontrar estos [bordados] en el desierto, nos impresionaron”, dijo James.
Aunque algunos medios de comunicación han llamado a estas mantas “basura de migrantes”, las historias detrás de ellas contienen una abundancia de vida para los artistas y quienes ven su arte, dijo James.
“Eso nos mató... como residentes de la frontera, como mujeres. Comenzamos a rescatar esta belleza y protegerla, tratando de cuidarla, como sabíamos que lo harían las mujeres que la crearon, y se convirtió en una colección”, dijo James.
Las mantas en exhibición en Chicago reflejan las historias de las mujeres migrantes que las hicieron, pero también hablan a algunos espectadores a nivel personal. A través de este “humilde arte”, los solicitantes de asilo tienen una vía de expresión y voz, dijo López.
López dijo que comprende por qué muchas personas no quieren recordar recuerdos dolorosos, pero que compartirlos es importante para el proceso de sanación, razón por la cual no ha dejado de bordar.
“Las voces de las mujeres, estas bordadoras anónimas, que hicieron este hermoso trabajo, sus historias nunca se conocerán. Fueron silenciadas para siempre y quedaron en el desierto. Ahora... podemos realmente darle una voz a Wendy [López]”, dijo James. “¿Estas mujeres? Se niegan a permanecer en silencio. Sus voces están emergiendo ahora, cuando finalmente, nuestra cultura está lista para escucharlas.”
Wendy Lopez Aguilar posa junto a una de sus mantas bordadas a mano, en exhibición en la Casa de Cultura en la exposición Bordando Esperanza en Chicago el 21 de septiembre de 2024. La exhibición está curada por Artisans Beyond Borders, una organización que proporciona recursos a migrantes.
RILEY SOMMERS | LA DEPAULIA
Cantante de Chicago lleva la música tradicional latina a nuevas alturas
cantante Nicole
baila en el centro del escenario durante su concierto el 26 de septiembre de 2024 en
fusión latina coreografían sus propias actuaciones de baile.
Por Emily Diaz
DePaulia Arts & Life Editor
Dejando que el ritmo se apodere de su cuerpo, Nicole Nicolalde a menudo se encuentra ensayando sus actuaciones de salsa y cantando con pistas de karaoke en su cocina. Para ella, la salsa no es solo una mezcla de música latina, sino un catalizador para la fusión.
Nicolalde, una cantante ecuatoriana de primera generación de Portage Park en Chicago, es una artista joven que fusiona la música latina clásica con sonidos modernos.
Su camino hacia los escenarios despegó cuando ella y su banda ganaron el primer lugar en la competencia Biggest Mouth de este año en Columbia College Chicago. La banda compitió contra otros 12 artistas por la oportunidad de ganar un premio en efectivo, una presentación en el Manifest Arts Festival y cobertura de medios locales.
Desde entonces, Nicolalde ha estado entreteniendo al público con conciertos vibrantes, el más reciente el 26 de septiembre en Haus Caliber.
Los miembros de la familia de Nicolalde también son músicos y siempre apoyaron su talento musical, dijo. Abrazaron las presentaciones en español y la cultura ecuatoriana. Aunque el español es su lengua materna, enfrentó inseguridades al cantar en español
frente a un público predominantemente angloparlante con el que creció.
A medida que Nicolalde exploraba diferentes estilos musicales, incluido el teatro musical, se fue sintiendo más cómoda cantando en español, dijo.
“Sentía que no era lo suficientemente ecuatoriana o no lo suficientemente estadounidense”, dijo. “A medida que fui creciendo, aprendí que esa es la parte única. Soy algo propio y es algo nuevo”.
A medida que Nicolalde establecía su identidad musical, formó su propia banda mientras estudiaba en Columbia College Chicago. Los otros ocho miembros, a quienes conoció en la universidad, tocan una variedad de instrumentos, desde bongós y bajo hasta saxofón y trombón. El español ahora es parte integral de sus presentaciones, ya que la banda interpreta canciones tanto en inglés como en español.
“El lirismo en español está en un nivel completamente diferente”, dijo Nicolalde. “Es mucho más expresivo que el inglés, poético y hermoso. De eso me enamoré, especialmente de artistas como La India y Selena, que son las principales personas a las que admiro”.
La salsa es central en el estilo musical de Nicolalde, y ella incorpora a artistas contemporáneos como Rosalía y Kali Uchis en versiones de canciones de músicos más antiguos
“Una cosa que quiero hacer con mi música es ser intencional con lo que sucede tanto vocal como instrumentalmente”, dijo. “Ambos se juntan y cuentan una historia al final. Si estamos haciendo bien nuestro trabajo, no importa en qué idioma lo cantemos... solo tienes que sentirlo e interpretarlo a tu manera”.
Nicolalde usa tanto el canto como el baile para contar historias en el escenario. A menudo coreografía sus propios bailes de salsa con sus compañeros de banda, incorporando coreografías de Ariana Grande, dijo. Le encanta lo “alma” que tiene la música salsa, lo que provoca una inclinación natural a moverse y bailar.
“Simplemente dejo que la música me diga qué hacer en el momento”, dijo Nicolalde. “Improviso con el público... y hago pausas para bailar cuando todos [sus compañeros de banda] están haciendo solos. Ese es el mejor momento para hacerlo y volverse loco”.
También aprovecha su experiencia en teatro musical para expresar las narrativas detrás de las letras de sus canciones. Su primera y próxima canción original, una pieza de salsa llamada “Again” está muy influenciada por estos elementos teatrales, dijo.
Aunque todavía está en proceso, Nicolalde dijo que sus temas giran en torno a los enamoramientos y las inseguridades al navegar el amor.
Aunque la banda de Nicolalde solo ha estado junta por un año, ella tiene grandes sueños para su futuro y planea incursionar en la composición de canciones.
El reconocimiento es solo una pequeña parte de la satisfacción que obtiene al hacer música; su mayor motivación proviene de la diversión de crear arte. Su objetivo es viajar al extranjero y compartir su fusión de salsa con “todos y cualquiera”, dijo.
como Celia Cruz.
Los costos financieros de formar bandas grandes y la nostalgia por la salsa clásica impiden que crezca en la escena musical cambiante, dijo. Nicolalde busca revivir el género de una manera que mantenga su esencia original, pero que esté a la altura de los tiempos.
“Lo que queremos hacer es honrar las raíces, porque las raíces son muy importantes”, dijo Nicolalde. “También queremos hacer algo nuevo, algo fresco. Esa es la belleza del arte. Puedes hacer lo que quieras con él”.
Nicolalde y su banda disfrutan de interpretar desde temas de Jackson Five y canciones de Selena en estilo disco, hasta melodías de la cantante argentina Nathy Peluso. Su concierto más reciente incluyó números de jazz latino y un remix de la canción “Despechá” de Rosalía, hecho por uno de los compañeros de su banda. El remix fusionó el merengue con el estilo mambo-pop de la canción. Otra parte influyente del enfoque de Nicolalde para hacer música es dar la bienvenida a personas latinas no hispanohablantes a sus presentaciones. Ella las anima a disfrutar de las canciones sin vergüenza por no hablar el idioma. El estereotipo del “no sabo kid”, que se burla de los latinos que no son fluidos en español, puede hacer que se sientan excluidos, dijo.
Nicolalde anima a otros artistas latinos a abrazar su herencia cultural en su música. Hacer redes con otros artistas latinos, aprender de sus experiencias y fomentar una comunidad no competitiva son algunos de los muchos beneficios de ser músico en Chicago, comentó.
A través de la narración musical, Nicolalde espera inspirar a una nueva generación de artistas y fanáticos, mientras lleva la música latina tradicional a nuevas alturas. Su objetivo es ser un puente entre el pasado y el presente, invitando a otros a bailar junto a ella.
Lo que queremos hacer es honrar las raíces...También queremos hacer algo nuevo, algo fresco.”
Nicole Nicolalde Cantante Ecuatoriana
La
La
Nicolalde
Haus Caliber de Chicago. Ella y su banda de
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LAUREN ROSE | LA DEPAULIA
Arts & Life
Fighting Pretty: in the corner of cancer survivors
By Grace Logan Arts & Life Edtior
Holding a wig in each hand, Sara Flores looks at her two-year-old daughter. The young girl, giggling and intently watching her mom get ready for work, enthusiastically points to the wig she wants her mother to wear.
Flores had her daughter May 16, 2022. The following year, in early July, she found a lump in her breast. On August 1, 2023, at 37 years old, Flores received her diagnosis: triple-positive breast cancer.
“I don’t (know) any people my age who have cancer,” Flores said. “It didn’t run in my family. I don’t carry the (BRCA) gene. There’s no real reason that they know of other than … they call it ‘environmental,’ why I have cancer.”
Every cancer treatment is unique. For Flores, it consisted of a six-week round of TCHP chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy. To completely eliminate any residual cancer cells, she is now undergoing fourteen rounds of KADCYLA chemotherapy accompanied by radiation every three weeks. Her treatment will be finished January 2nd.
For her mastectomy, Flores had to arrive at the hospital early. The procedure lasted about six hours.
Her general surgeon cut deep, beginning at the base of her armpit and slicing across the top of her chest. Three lymph nodes were
removed. A plastic surgeon then placed expanders in the empty pocket created by the outer layer of skin. The foot-long incision was sealed with surgical glue, and she was discharged the next day.
Her daughter was only 20 pounds then, but the incision didn’t allow for any physical excursion. Flores couldn’t pick her up for eight weeks.
To help women throughout their cancer treatment, Fighting Pretty is a charity that works to create a community and provide support among survivors. Elliot Keifer and Clair Martyn brought the organization to DePaul University in January 2024, establishing the first Chicago-based college division.
“I learned about the organization and I felt like I really resonated with their mission,” Keifer said. “I thought it was a super awesome idea to implement on campus because it’s very doable for college students. It doesn’t cost money. It is very hands-on. You can directly see the impact that you are making.”
Fighting Pretty DePaul gained $1,000 through community donations and held its first packing party on May 7, 2024. The group put together 100 Strength and Beauty care packages, containing mini boxing gloves and lipstick to inspire women going through treatment, said Alyssa Gawlinski, president of the Fighting Pretty board of communications.
“We support women (who) are battling
PROVIDED BY SARA FLORES
any type of cancer at any stage of their cancer battle,” Gawlinski said. “They could be diagnosed today or 10 years into their survivorship. We are a community here to em-
We support women (who) are battling any type of cancer at any stage of their cancer battle.”
Alyssa Gawlinkski President of the Fighting Pretty board of communications
power them through their journey.”
After receiving her diagnosis, Flores heard about Fighting Pretty in passing. She had also received a pair of life-sized pink boxing gloves when she began her treatment from a family friend, similar to the signature fighting pretty keychain. Flores saw an event held in her local area on social media and contacted Gawlinski.
“I reached out to (Gawlinski) on a whim and said, ‘I would love to be more involved
in the area and events like this,” Flores said. “I’m going through it. I’ve been through it. I would love to connect with other people in my area going through this.”
To receive KADCYLA, Flores had a port implanted under the skin above her right breast. With each round of chemotherapy, a needle punctures her skin and pumps the treatment into a catheter that distributes the medications throughout her bloodstream. Her daughter calls it her “button.”
“She’s too little to understand (right now),” Flores said. “Part of me is grateful for that but eventually, one day, I will talk to her about it when it’s appropriate. She’s going to need to understand the impact of me having cancer on, potentially, her health. It doesn’t mean she’s going to get it. But, because of my diagnosis, she should get tested much earlier. I want her to advocate for that so she stays healthy.”
Flores urges all women to be advocates for their own health. If anything ever doesn’t feel right, go to a doctor and trust that intuition, Flores said.
“It’s very easy to be like, ‘oh, it’s nothing,” Flores said. “When I found my lump, it wasn’t painful. It was just there. I could have let that go and that could have been detrimental. Did I want to go through chemo? Did I want to have surgery? Nobody chooses this path. I’m grateful that I have the option to do something about this, versus waiting too long and … that may not have been an option for me.”
Sara Flores poses for a selfie with her daughter on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023. Flores was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer in August of 2023 and established a connection with Fighting Pretty after her diagnosis.
Students at the Fighting Pretty packing party work to assemble care packages for women undergoing cancer treatment on May 3, 2024. DePaul’s Chapter of Fighting Pretty put together 100 care packages that were given to Gilda’s Club Chicago -- a cancer support community that would distribute the packages to hospitals throughout Chicago.
JESSICA GOSKA | THE DEPAULIA
‘A Different Man’ review: Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson play two sides of the same coin
By April Klein
Asst. Arts & LIfe Editor
Aaron Schimberg’s “A Different Man” is about its own creation. Around halfway through the film, the character of Ingrid Vold (Renate Reinsve) discusses the ethics of casting her theater production about someone with a disability.
“It’s a tricky situation,” Vold says. “If you have someone in mind when it was written, do you cast someone with the same kind of affliction? If you can’t find that person, do you cast anyone with a disability? In that case, does it not generalize the individual experiences of those with facial deformities? At what point does that representation become exploitation?”
Schimberg’s third feature explores the morality of its own existence in a way which never feels like an outright commentary. “A Different Man” is a different kind of beast, one in which the real issues of stigmatization and loneliness are put into a mirror. It reflects what society thinks about people with disabilities while also giving its marginalized characters agency in their own lives.
The film focuses on actor Edward Lemuel (Sebastian Stan), a man with a debilitating facial deformity. Not only can he hardly see or use his mouth, his appearance has rendered him incapable of making any real social connections aside from his kind playwright neighbor Ingrid Vold. When he goes through a procedure which changes his appearance entirely, he abandons his life as Edward and becomes ‘Guy Moratz,’ a stocky and confident real estate agent. But when Ingrid decides to write a play about her experiences with Edward, Guy must return in order to perform his life — only written by someone else.
With a droning opening credit sequence reminiscent of the retrofuturist technology in Ken Russels’ “Altered States,” Schimberg masterfully conducts an audience’s attention towards the minutiae of Stan’s performance.
For most of the first act, Stan is in prosthetics with his face obscured. As a result, his physicality lends itself to the simultaneously awkward yet sympathetic mannerisms of a man who never learned to be comfortable with another person. It’s “The Elephant Man” in a modern, meaner context. His interaction with every other character is charged with a palpable anxiety delivered purely through his stilted body language and mumbled dialogue.
Halfway through the film, Schimberg introduces us to the breakout star of the film: Oswald (Adam Pearson). As an actor with an actual facial deformity (you may remember him from Jonathan Glazer’s “Under The Skin”), Pearson plays the inverse of what Stan’s character internalizes – he’s taught himself to be comfort-
able with others.
Oswald’s involvement in the film disrupts the sympathy the audience holds for Guy, a trickly narrative shift which reframes the way the audience perceives how much his former disfigurement was affecting his life. Pearson’s infectious bubbliness and natural charisma contrasts against Stan’s mopey stoicism, and lends itself to a tense second act as things begin to unravel for Guy.
As the film reveals itself further, there arise a few minor problems. The pacing of certain scenes can drag a touch, and the epilogue (of sorts) feels like a bold choice that rushes by too fast for the audience to grasp onto. Massive time jumps occur in short periods and it feels as if Schimberg is rushing to the ending when most would gladly see it take its time a little more.
Regardless of those issues, “A Different Man” flying under the radar feels like a shame. Despite not receiving its dues now, the film feels destined to become a cult classic. It’s not just Umberto Smerilli’s operatic score, Pearson’s electric performance or Stan’s turn into more interesting fare than whatever he’s being contractually obligated to do as the Winter Soldier that give the film this power. It’s Schimberg’s ability to humanize a group of people that are so commonly either demonized or victimized.
STEPHANIE POSEY | THE DEPAULIA
FIDLAR ‘On Repeat’ at the Vic
By Annie Koziel Asst. Copy Editor
Concertgoers lined up around the block waiting for the doors to open at the Vic Theatre in Lakeview on Oct. 5. The event? FIDLAR’s first show in Chicago since the Sept. 20 release of its new album “SURVIVING THE DREAM.”
“I love FIDLAR,” DePaul junior Darci Michon said before the show. “I have for years. I never thought they would (tour) after their last one, and I was just really excited.”
“SURVIVING THE DREAM” is FIDLAR’s first full-length album in five years, though they did release a seven-song album,
“unplug,” in 2023. The new album features 13 tracks, including singles like “NUDGE,” “LOW” and “BREAK YOUR HEART.”
“This record is about doubling down on what you love,” FIDLAR (which stands for “F---It Dawg, Life’s A Risk”) frontman Zac Carper said in the press release. “For us, it’s about playing shows and making music.
Coming back after a few years away, our intention was to self-make an album that the 3 of us are stoked on.”
With Carper’s raw vocals accompanied by drummer Max Kuehn and bassist Brandon
Schwartzel, FIDLAR describes itself as a “SoCal surf-punk trio.” They span a wide variety of genres — from the angsty, crunchy “FIX ME” to the bouncy punk “DOWN N OUT” to the softer, more introspective “HURT.”
The album has received mixed reviews — some have heralded it as a triumphant return, while others call it a failed attempt at a more mature FIDLAR. The album certainly jumps from genre to genre, but also invokes a stylistic playfulness. Regardless of the mixed response, fans expressed excitement about seeing the group’s new songs performed live.
“It’s fun to support them, rather than just buying albums or vinyls or whatnot,” concertgoer Arik Aninos said inside the venue. “We’re just happy to go see them.”
Concertgoer Christopher Valdes came to the show with little prior knowledge of FIDLAR.
“Well, my friend had an extra ticket,” Valdes said. “I just checked out some of their music, and I like it a lot, and I’m just looking for a good time. … I plan to use the Shazam app a lot tonight.”
Valdes attended the concert with his friend Matthew Tiltges, who introduced Valdes to FIDLAR and hits like “40oz. On Repeat” and “Cheap Beer.”
“My first exposure to them was actually in (Grand Theft Auto) 5 with ‘Cocaine,’” Tiltges said. “That got me into them and then I’ve listened to a couple songs here and there, but then I saw they had the concert tonight. I was like, oh, hey, I know some songs. Why not actually get into their discography?”
Valdes and Tiltges, while new to the band’s music, had high expectations for the
show.
“Being very close is one of the highlights already,” Valdes said, gesturing around the Vic Theatre. “I didn’t know how this place would look at first. So being so close and seeing how there’s just a lot of people here? We’re gonna have fun tonight.”
Jade Alvarez, like Valdes, was introduced to FIDLAR by a friend, Luke Underwood.
“I started listening because of him,” Alvarez said. “But I just love live music. I love hearing live music and being in the scene.”
Others went to the show as longtime fans, excited for the band’s return.
“I’m really just excited to see them live again,” Michon said from the center of the front barricade just before the show began. “It’ll be my second time seeing them, and they’re just really fun. They put on a great show.”
After an opening performance by Illinois native Sugar Pit and a quick soundcheck, FIDLAR took the stage to cheers and a nearfull pit.
With quips and commentary, mosh pits, flashing lights and a moment for bassist Brandon Schwartzel to sign a fan’s copy of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” the performance left fans with hearts pounding and ears ringing — but that’s what they went there for.
“I think it was worth the wait, really,” longtime fan Luke Underwood said. “It was worth the five or six years or however long it took. I think it was genuinely worth it.”
Sugar Pit performs before FIDLAR takes the stage at the Vic Theater on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. Sugar Pit joined FIDLAR on their US tour which will go through the end of October.
ANNIE KOZIEL | THE DEPAULIA
Frontman Zac Carper performs for a packed pit at the Vic Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. FIDLAR performed after the release of their new album “SURVIVING THE DREAM.”
ANNIE KOZIEL | THE DEPAULIA
FIDLAR bassist Brandon Schwartzel plays during FIDLAR’s Chicago show at the Vic Theater on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. FIDLAR’s headline tour was their first in five years.
ANNIE KOZIEL | THE DEPAULIA
Bridging the communication gap between students and professors
By Connor Upshaw Contributing Writer
Brandon Lopez, an adjunct instructor in DePaul’s School of Cinematic Arts, reserves one class per quarter holds a day in his class once a quarter where students can show up in their favorite cosplay, play games, converse, and make tier lists of Disney movies without the stress of school weighing them down.
LopezHe hopes to bring everyone together and , make thea learning environment more comfortable, helpingcomfortable, and helping to close what some see as a communication “gap” between professors and students.
“I took the time to say, ‘Hey, let’s just do nothing since you guys have been working pretty hard’,” Lopez said Lopez., an artist who teaches animation.
Stefanie Demetriades, a DePaul professor in the College of Communication, spoke has been talking with her students this quarter about the gap that both professors and students can feel when trying to understand one another. She says the traditional, higher education model, as in learning only class material, can sometimes create a power dynamic that can make professors feel inaccessible. But Demetriades she is among those who want to make the university setting as productive and engaging as possible.
“One of the places where there can be a gap is around the expectation of what a professor’s role is and what a student’s role is,” Demetriades said.
In one of Demetriades’ classes, she asked her students, “What do you wish your professors knew about you?” While it may seem like a broad question, it gave way to meaningful class discussions on this topic.
When asking senior Muhammad Umer one senior named Muhammad Umer this question, he said that he wishes professors knew “the background where (students) come from,” and added that “it makes it easier for professors to understand what we may have experienced or not.”
Demetriades said she and other professors often see themselves as a resource for students, not only for knowledge but also for emotional support so students can learn with as little distraction as possible. She said that also means creating a learning environment in which students can voice opinions and be real with one another.
Olya Glantsman, a DePaul psychology professor, said engagement with students could also be correlated to teachers not being as approachable as they could be. With a rapport between students and teachers, she said there might be an opportunity to be inclusive and more fully invested in the class.
“If you don’t feel connected, it is easy to lose a student,” Glantsman said. “That personalized connection is so important.”
The Covid-19 outbreak and ensuing lockdown completely reformatted how schools operated. Instead of in-person classes where students and professors interacted and shared ideas in a space that they could
Crossword
feel comfortable in, classes during 2020-2021 were forced to be online. Some people may have been in their sophomore or junior years of high school or college, but f
For those starting or ending ending and starting the next parts of their education careers, the pandemicit may have had an impacted on their learning habits.
“Engagement has been a problem for as long as we can remember,” Glantsman said of studies on the professor-student dynamic., “It’s not a completely new issue, but Covid did not help.”
Demetriades said it’s also important to understand that students and professors are not automatically engaged just simply because they are together, in person or online. She said both sides have to make a conscious effort to be there.
“I don’t think that connection just happens magically,” Demetriadesshe said.‘ “It takes work.”
Certainly, students are there to learn from
ACROSS
1) Cassettes, e.g.
6) Cain’s brother check 1
10) Plants a butt
14) As a whole 15) _ Scotia
16) Insanity, in a courtroom
17) 35 . . .
20) Matronly address 21) Some abdominal exercises
22) Bedazzle
24) Minor fight
27) Examine a patient again
28) Shower alternatives
31) Close to identical
33) “To_ is human ... “
34) Involve
36) Santa_ (California track)
38) 10 . . .
42) Passed crookedly, as a
43) Big name in hogs
45) _ Sec.
48) Harvest wool
50) Dusty chasers
51) Land for development
53) Many have gray underneath
55) “ ... for what_ worth”
56) Imprisoned, e.g.
58) King topper
61) 100 ...
66) Fall lead-in?
67) Miscellaneous mix
68) Prophetic deck
69) “Auld Lang_” 70) Bread from a tandoor
71) Kind of house or glasses
professors who know the subject, but breaking down barriers is valuable, said Demetriades., who keeps cookies and tea in her office to lure students in for conversation.
“Nothing is more exciting than an excited student who wants to talk about something,” Demetriades said.
So in the case of Lopez’s class, what lessons can be taken from a class where no work gets done?
By the end of Lopez’sthat class, he said, everyone was talking and having fun. Some students who had never spoken up in class had finally begun to come out of their shells.
Lopez said that Oonce theat competitive aspect of education is gone, he said he and his students connect in new ways.
“Passing and failing is secondary to learning those interpersonal skills,” Lopez said. “Working with other people, talking to other people, making friends, being happy with doing your own thing and other people doing their own thing too, is core college life.”
DOWN
1) Singer McGraw
2) “The Phantom Menace” boy, briefly 3) South Carolina’s state tree
4) “Enchanted” girl in a
2004 film
5) Was an aggressive baserunner
6) Lack of vigor
7) Automaton, briefly
8) The day before 9) “_ and the Real Girl” (2007 film)
10) Deliberately annoy
11) Mistreat
12) Type of tantrum
13) Backtalker
18) Thing to get pinned on
19) Arson’s easy target
22) Mr. Lincoln, briefly
23) Magician’s prop
25) June 14 U.S. celebration
26) Fish appendages
29) It preys overhead
30) Ominous
32) _ and kin (friends and relatives)
35) “Mono” attachment
37) Start for “dynamic”
39) Require
40) Town in “Hamlet”
41) Word with “road” or “hearing”
44) “Affirmative”
45) Trees no more
46) Cantankerous
47) Long-sleeved garment
49) Judge to be probable
52) Home of the Minotaur’s labyrinth
54) Jrs.’ elders
57) Black, in verse
59) “The Iron Chancellor” Bismarck
60) End of a film shooting
62) Pie_ mode
63) Spy agcy.
64) Split Asian peninsula (Abbr.)
65) Posting at JFK
YUYU BLUE | THE DEPAULIA
St.Vincent’s
D e JAMZ
“Spinning freSh beatS Since 1581”
By Claire Tweedie Editor-in-Chief
Last year when I took on the role of Arts & Life editor, I had to come up with a new intro for our weekly pitch list emails. The previous editor used “Howdy” as her greeting and while I loved it, I wanted to honor its whimsy rather than copy it directly. Instead, I went with “Ahoy.” Every week, every contributor would receive an email from me starting with that fateful word. When I left the Arts & Life editor role for content managing editor, I sent our contributors an email notifying them of the change. That email was titled “One Last Ahoy.”
This is my last issue at The DePaulia as editor-in-chief, a role I’ve held briefly but that means so much to me. This student newspaper has been the center point of my entire college career, and while I’m stepping away to pursue other opportunities, it’s still bittersweet. I’ve held five different positions at The DePaulia during my time here. With five songs to showcase on the DeJamz, I thought it was only right to attribute each one to my titles over the years. Here’s to one last ahoy.
“Waste My Time” by The Crystal Casino Band
I was hired onto The DePaulia as a staff writer while I was still a senior in high school. I only held the position for maybe two weeks before I was moved to a beat writer title, but it marked the beginning of a new era in my life. I moved to Chicago for college without knowing anyone, and The DePaulia quickly changed that. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some of my closest friends and greatest mentors in this newsroom. None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t been a bit too eager to become involved in student media. I remember listening to this song the first few weeks of my freshman year, when eating alone in
the dining hall still terrified me and I had no idea how to use the CTA. It’s crazy how time changes everything, and I know not a second of my time was wasted here.
“Gossip” by Måneskin
My true calling at this publication was my time as Arts & Life Editor last year, much to the dismay of everyone currently on staff who silently prays I’ll shut up about how much I love this section. I had nearly free reign to publish as many movie reviews I wanted and write DeJamz nearly every week. To put it bluntly, I was insufferable and having a damn good time doing it. One of my first DeJamz featured a Fall Out Boy song and it feels right to reconnect with my roots, especially since I got weirdly into covering Chicago’s music scene during this era. Arts & Life Editor really was the title where I finally felt secure in my position within this newsroom. I gained confidence in my abilities, a new outlook on Chicago as a city full of entertainment stories, and a reassurance that I chose the right career path. I look back on this time with rose-tinted glasses. It wasn’t perfect, but for a moment during my college career, everything felt right.
and a slew of personal problems and situationships. Basically, all of last quarter I was running around with my hair on fire trying not to drown under the weight of everything. It was admittedly a very low point in my life but The DePaulia was a constant — for better or worse. The insanity of DePaul during this time though meant I came out the other side ready to take on the world. My playlists may have sounded depressed, but the lowest of lows just mean the wins feel even sweeter.
The DePaulia really became integral in my daily routine here when I was moved into the Student Government Association Beat Writer position. It’s a very long title for a freshman, I know. Every week, though, I’d attend the weekly SGA meetings on Thursday, write up the article in the library that same night to meet the deadline, and edit it in time for publication that Monday. Måneskin was usually blasting through my earbuds while I cranked out these articles… until a John T. Richardson library employee came to kick everyone out at midnight. It was a very quick turnaround — with many long nights listening to senators argue over comma placements in statements — but it taught me a lot about myself and my limitations in journalism. I met some of my closest friends in this role, some as SGA members and others as former beat writers. The people I’ve met during my time here have been more invaluable than any byline or breaking news story could ever be. “Chicago
“The Edge” by Sydney Ross Mitchell No newsroom is complete without its shakeups, and my time as Content Managing Editor last quarter exemplified that. I didn’t hold this position for very long — hell, I think it may have only been a few weeks — but it was hectic. I took on this role in April and within the span of a few weeks I had: Battle of the Bands, midterms, the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, a Laufey concert, DePaul’s Pop Culture Conference, the start of the pro-Palestinian encampment on DePaul’s Quad
“Nocturne (Interlude)” by Laufey
There’s a bittersweet feeling I can’t quite shake as I write this. Even now, I’m sitting in the mostly empty office staring at the whiteboard wall in front of me that fills up with quotes and doodles from each year’s staff. You know it’s rough when the journalist can’t find the words to articulate herself. I can’t really imagine DePaul without The DePaulia tingeing every memory I’ve made during college. I honestly don’t know what it’ll mean when I’m gone. It’s weird how seemingly inconsequential things can mean the most to us — how a basement office I complain about every week has become a safe space for me throughout the years. This newspaper has been the bane of my existence, the greatest part-time job I’ve ever had, the place I’ve met my best friends, and a place I’m both elated and terrified to leave. There’s a laundry list of things I’m proud of during my years here but I think I’m proudest of the staff I’m leaving behind. Here’s to one last ahoy, I love you all.
COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
From left to right: Sam Mroz, Claire Tweedie, Grace Logan, Rose O’Keeffe
QUENTIN BLIAS | THE DEPAULIA
COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
DePaul Athletics helps student athletes ace academic excellence
By Peyton Hopp Asst. Sports Editor
Every year for the past 13 years, the Big East Conference has recognized more than 150 DePaul student athletes for their academic performance, naming them to the conference’s All-Academic Team. Last academic year, 168 DePaul student athletes — 80% of all student athletes at DePaul — made the team.
“I think our coaches are very good at setting expectations of coming to school here and being a student athlete at DePaul,” DeWayne Peevy, the vice president and director of DePaul Athletics, said. “If you’re not academically focused or don’t plan on trying to pursue a degree, … it’s usually not a good fit from the start. Inherently, we get better athletes who are students from the start.”
Big East says that in order to make the Big East All-Academic Team, student athletes must have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 for the previous academic year and have earned a minimum number of credits.
In addition to the All-Academic Team
awards, DePaul received five Team Academic Excellence Awards this summer in men and women’s tennis, women’s basketball, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball.
DePaul has academic advisers specifically for athletes. Kate O’Brien, the associate athletics director for Academic Advising and Life Skills Programs, is among those who helps new student athletes get integrated into DePaul.
“Their first year with us, whether they come in as a first-year student or a transfer, they meet with us once a week,” O’Brien said. “The goal is to hopefully help them become good self advocates and be more independent.”
Less than 2% of NCAA athletes go on to play their sport professionally. There are about 190,000 student athletes in Division I, which includes DePaul.
Aly Kindelberger, a DePaul senior and volleyball player, said she must plan how much time she dedicates to school and to her sport.
Bruno sidelined with health complications ahead of season
By Ryan Hinske Sports Editor
For the first time since 1988, the DePaul women’s basketball team will prepare for the upcoming season without head coach Doug Bruno.
On Oct. 7, the university confirmed Bruno experienced an undisclosed medical incident in September. Entering his 39th season, Bruno will recover at home, and though there is no timetable for his return, the university said he intends to return to regular activities as soon as he is physically able. Associate Head Coach Jill Pizzotti will step into Bruno’s role until his return.
“We’ve heard from Coach Bruno,” graduate forward Jorie Allen said. “He’s just recovering, you know? The man hasn’t taken a day off in probably 35 years … He needs some time to just get healthy and get prepared for our season.”
Allen, entering her fifth season at DePaul, said not much will be different this offseason, even with the temporary shift in leadership.
“It’s just important, for me at least, to block off specific times for homework because there’s four and a half to five hours taken out of my day (for practice and games) that other students have,” Kindelberger said.
Even though a sport can take up a lot of time, Peevy said practices are built around the student athletes’ school schedules.
“It’s very important because I feel like academic success is a lot easier to attain if you’re passionate about what you’re studying,” Peevy said.
O’Brien believes that many student athletes are as competitive in academics as they are in their sports.
“One thing that’s really fun about working with student athletes is that they’re pretty competitive about everything,” O’Brien said. “The competitive spirit kicks in, and they want to beat their rivals in sports and in school.”
“Usually, when a head coach is away, you kind of have a little bit of a lapse in the program, but that’s just not been us,” Allen said. “Coach Jill (Pizzotti) has been holding it down … Coach Jill knows Bruno so well; if Bruno were here every day right now, we’d be doing the exact same thing.”
What is known as “Bruno ball” around the college basketball world continues to be a major focus for the team, which tends to prioritize defensive pressure and forced turnovers. Pizzotti, who has been the associate head coach since 2017, continues to push this philosophy forward in Bruno’s absence.
“We’re working to just be a great defensive basketball team, and we’re putting a lot of emphasis on the defensive end of the floor,” Pizzotti said. “We’re bringing a lot of energy to practice, we’re setting the expectation high in regards to effort and execution, and then we just have to get better at it every day.”
Though DePaul has six freshmen and two junior transfers that did not expect a different head coach to take them through training camp, Pizzotti has been known to be
FILE: Head coach Doug Bruno yells instructions to his team in DePaul’s game against Providence on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, at Wintrust Arena. DePaul’s bench and coaches wore shirts reading “hope, strength, courage” to celebrate the life and legacy of Kay Yow.
the primary recruiter of new players and has a coaching philosophy they can get behind.
“I haven’t been here for very long, but since I’ve been here, Coach Jill … has made getting stops a very big part of our game,” freshman guard Natiah Nelson said. “And getting stops leads into transition offense, knocking down shots, attacking the hoop, everything that we’re supposed to do.”
The team hopes the five-time Big East champion head coach that has been the face of DePaul basketball since the 20th century will return with another winning season in mind.
“We miss him, but we know he’s gonna come back better than ever, and we’re gonna be ready when he gets here,” Allen said.
Dominic Lucchesi attends a tutoring session in the Lincoln Park Athletics Advising Office on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. This space is meant to provide both a quiet place for athletes to study and receive aid from tutors.
WILL LONG | THE DEPAULIA
MAXIMIN CLÉMENT | THE DEPAULIA
THE HINSKE HUDDLE
The $1.8 million baseball
By Ryan Hinske Sports Editor
Shohei Ohtani is literally feeding families.
Miami was in for a “Sho” when the MLB superstar launched a small, white ball, roughly 2.9 inches in diameter, made with a cork center and cowhide, 391 feet deep to right field for what would normally be a routine home run. But it wasn’t; it was history.
It didn’t matter that Ohtani’s Los Angeles Dodgers beat the home team Marlins 20-4, a typically dramatic final score but virtually meaningless in comparison to Ohtani’s achievement. During that Sept. 19 game, the rare pitcher-hitter hybrid and strong base runner became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season.
Somehow, the prestige of Ohtani’s achievement has been elapsed by the legal drama that has followed. The baseball has become more famous than the achievement, but to me, this particular baseball is just a baseball, and our focus should be on perhaps the greatest base-
ball player of all time.
When Max Matus allegedly caught Ohtani’s home run ball, he immediately possessed the potential to become one of the richest 18-year-olds on the planet, but his lawsuit claims Chris Belanski, the man who ultimately left the stadium ball in hand, “wrangled” the inanimate object out of Matus’s grasp.
But that’s not all. A third gentleman, Joseph Davidov, claims that when the ball was careening around the concrete ground below his feet, he grabbed it, “successfully obtaining possession of the 50/50 ball.” If this sounds just like an NFL referee’s ruling of a fumble, it’s because this isn’t just some civil dispute; it’s literally a court case.
Imagine you were Davidov. You had the ball for a split second, unmistakably feeling the cowhide in your left hand, until you lost it to a sea of hands. Would you sue?
Yes, you would. The true possessor of this baseball’s life is about to change. The auction for the baseball will proceed until Oct. 22, with the starting bid of $1.83
million factoring in a buyer’s premium. The amount will remain pending until the case is resolved, which could take months.
For Davidov, it’s a matter of what the court determines as possession of a baseball. The best legal precedent we have is Popov v. Hayashi in 2001, when Barry Bonds broke the single-season home run record. His 73rd homer was caught and possessed by Alex Popov before he lost it and it ended up in the hands of Patrick Hayashi.
The court determined Popov had legal possession because he attained the baseball with the intent to keep it, but that the possession was canceled and possessed by Hayashi. Ultimately, both parties had rights to the possession of the 73 ball and split the proceeds from its auction.
But what about when there’s a third party involved? If the ball did truly go from Davidov to Matus to Belanski, would it be split three ways?
Even if it is, what a payday. Remember, $1.83 million is the starting bid price. I used to collect baseball cards, and I still have all of them. They hold special sentimental value to me, reminding me
of the cards that served as my reward for going grocery shopping with my dad all those years ago. I’ve caught a home run ball or two as well, another reminder of my early sports fandom.
To the person buying this tiny cowhide ball that touched the bat that touched Shohei Ohtani for millions of dollars: at what point does buying sports memorabilia surpass nostalgia? Are you buying this ball because it reminds you of a key moment in your fandom, or do you just want to put it in a shiny box so people can look at it?
At the end of the day, it’s just a ball. It doesn’t have a name; it wasn’t singled out in its factory as “the chosen one.” It was just one of hundreds of thousands of baseballs the MLB uses in a single year.
I don’t believe this case does anything but distract us from the greatness of Shohei Ohtani, but I don’t blame the plaintiffs in this court case. They are just taking advantage of today’s market that went from memories and aura to mere monetary value. It’s just not the same.
Nevertheless, despite my resentment towards the auction of Ohtani’s 50/50 ball, I’d sell that thing if I “owned” it. It’s just a ball, after all.
“Coach Murer and my lifting coach, Jimmy, did not have to be so selfless as to devote so much time and energy to me,” Malkamaki said. “But, I think that says a lot about the DePaul community, they take care of their own.
“… Without that investment, I don’t think I would’ve been nearly as successful in my career. Period.”
When Malkamaki was in high school, she played with able-bodied kids in volleyball and track and field. She then decided that she wanted to do track and field for college. You only need one hand for shot put, so she never thought as far as competing in something like the Paralympics.
“I think that’s what has gotten me so far in my career … never looking at a challenge like a stop sign but more of an opportunity to reframe,” Malkamaki said. “It’s not possible to do everything exactly how my teammates do it, but there’s always a way to get it done.
“Creativity of approach is a good way to look at your disability.”
Her coach said he’s seen Malkamaki achieve great things — and takes pride in what she’s done.
“We were at a Big East meet, and she performed really well,” Murer recalled. “And me being a coach and having high standards, I started to say ‘Hey, you did a good job today, but I think we could’ve ….’”
She stopped him and said “Coach, I’m really proud of what I did today,” and she listed the reasons.
“And that’s a pinpointed moment,”
Murer said, “because here’s a young person that’s standing up for what they did.”
Even though Murer and others see Malkamaki as a pillar of strength, she said it’s not always easy — and shared that she has been going to therapy since last November to deal with performance anxiety on the field. That has become a big part of her training, she said. Her husband is also there to lean on.
“It’s tough to deal with being an athlete like this,” Robert Malkamaki said. “… Throwing is very individual. Your performance is on you, and that’s it.”
He said she considered leaving the sport because of the pressures she felt. But he encouraged her to be patient, telling her, “You’re putting in the work. It’s going to pay off.”
“Now it’s gotten a lot better,” he said.
On Sept. 4, Malkamaki won her first ever Paralympic gold medal in Paris and broke the world record. Lots of media wanted to interview her after that moment, but she was solely focused on seeing her family, coach and husband who were sitting fairly high up in the stands.
Since the Paralympics, Malkamaki has been taking a break from shot put and anything related to it. She is considering her options, including when she’ll return to training, possibly for the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles.
“Being an athlete is very hard and rewarding,” Malkamaki said. “That being said, this is one of the first times in my career that I’m faced with this pivotal moment where I pick what happens next.”
NOELLE MALKAMAKI, continued from front: