TheDePaulia
‘That’s
not doing security to me’: Privately contracted security guard relocated off DePaul campus
By Jake Cox
Digital Managing Editor
When Terrance Freeman was hired as a privately contracted security officer on DePaul’s campus, he said he knew nothing about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. For him, the job was simply about keeping people safe.
Standing in front of a crowd of more than 200 pro-Palestinian protestors, Freeman restated that sentiment on Sept. 12 at a Students for Justice in Palestine rally at the Lincoln Park Student Center, held to kick off the year and speak in support of Freeman.
Freeman, a former security officer for DePaul, claimed he was ultimately moved off DePaul’s campus for being “too friendly to Palestinian students.”
The news of Freeman’s removal was orig-
inally announced on the Students for Justice in Palestine’s Instagram page on Wednesday, Sept. 11. This prompted some to believe that Freeman was fired from his position; however, he was relocated to continue his work with Guardian Security at a different location.
When asked for a comment on the issue, a university spokeswoman had this response.
“The security guard was a contracted employee and is no longer assigned by their employer to work on our campus,” Kristin Claes Mathews, senior director of strategic communications at DePaul, said in an email to The DePaulia.
Before his relocation, Freeman claims he was called into DePaul’s Public Safety office. He also said he was reprimanded for taking photos and embracing students.
“Terrance, you know, you put your arm
around them,” Freeman said a Public Safety dispatcher told him. “and you have to understand that, you know, there’s sexual harassment issues that can come behind this.”
In addition to potential sexual harassment issues, Freeman said Public Safety also had concerns that his actions may show bias when a security guard is supposed to be there to protect students and stay neutral.
“What do you think about the other side, in terms of the (pro-)Israelis, what they would think about that?” he said he was told.
Freeman, however, does not believe this was a valid concern. He said that as part of his job, he seeks to protect everyone, regardless of their political opinions, ethnicity or race.
“I wasn’t interested in keeping an eye out for one nationality or one Palestinian group,” he said. “That’s not doing security to me, and
that to me, that’s a violation of security.”
He took it a step further, saying that he felt DePaul Public Safety discriminated against Palestinian students during last spring’s pro-Palestinian encampment on DePaul’s Quad.
“The saddest thing is that they would come to a college campus, they mamas or their parents, paying for them to go to school,” Freeman said. “Hoping that they could come there and be treated with dignity and respect, they got to be treated differently because they’re Palestinian.”
When asked about Freeman’s statements about DePaul culture, Mathews included this in the written statement to The DePaulia:
“The safety of our students, faculty and staff is a top priority at DePaul. Staff continue to work closely with our student groups
See SECURITY GUARD, page 4
Terrance Freeman hugs a supporter after speaking at a demonstration organized by Students for Justice in Palestine at DePaul University in Lincoln Park on Sept. 12, 2024. Freeman’s removal from his position as a campus security officer sparked outrage.
WILL ROBSON | THE DEPAULIA
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | CLAIRE TWEEDIE EIC@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
DIGITAL MANAGING | JAKE COX JCOX@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
CONTENT MANAGING | LUCIA PREZIOSI LPREZI@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA | KIT WIBERG KWIBER@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
CITY NEWS EDITOR | LILI JARVENPA LJARVE@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR | AVERY SCHOENHALS ASCHOE@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
OPINIONS EDITOR | BRIELLE KOHLBECK BKOHLB@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | GRACE LOGAN GLOGAN@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
ASST. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | APRIL KLEIN AKLEIN@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
SPORTS EDITOR RYAN HINSKE RHINSK@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR | PEYTON HOPP PHOPP@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
ILLUSTRATION EDITOR YU YU BLUE YBLUE@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
ASST. ILLUSTRATION EDITOR | PRECIOSA RIOS PRIOS@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
DESIGN EDITOR | ZOË HANNA DESIGN@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
PHOTO EDITOR | QUENTIN BLAIS QBLAIS@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
ASST. PHOTO EDITOR | WILL ROBSON WROBSO@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
ASST. PHOTO EDITOR | JEREMY BATTLE JBATTL@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR | LINA GEBHARDT LGEBHA@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
COPY EDITOR AMBER CORKEY ACORKE@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
ASST. COPY EDITOR | ANNIE KOZIEL AKOZIE@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR | NADINE DECERO NDECER@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & FUNDRAISING COORDINATOR | JADE WALKER COMMUNITY@DEPAULIAONLINE.COM
FACULTY ADVISER | MARTHA IRVINE MIRVINE5@DEPAUL.EDU
JEFA DE REDACCIÓN | Alyssa Salcedo eicladepaulia@depauliaonline.com
GERENTE EDITORIAL | NUPUR BOSMIYA
REDES SOCIALES | Rodolfo Zagal EDITORA DE NOTICIAS | ALONDRA CASTAÑEDA
ASESORA | Laura Rodriguez Presa larodriguez@chicagotribune.com
CAMPUS CRIME REPORT
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
Sept. 4 - Sept. 10, 2024
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Claire Tweedie eic@depauliaonline.com
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
Drug & Alcohol Assault & Theft Other
Lincoln Park Campus Crimes: Sept. 4
1) A Fake Identification report was filed in Centennial Hall.
Sept. 4
2) A Harassment report was filed for an incident in Lot H.
Sept. 4
3) A Simple Battery report was filed for an incident at the Ray Meyer Fitness Center.
Sept. 4
4) A Deceptive Practices report was filed on Fullerton Ave for an individual requesting money.
Sept. 5
5) A Theft report was filed for a wallet stolen from the Sullivan Athletic Center.
Sept. 5
6) A Disturbance report was filed for an incident in the Quad.
Sept. 6
7) A Battery report was filed for an individual who was pushed near the Art Museum. .
Sept. 8
8) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed in Munroe Hall.
Sept. 8
9) A Theft report was filed at the corner of Fullerton and Sheffield for a jacket that was stolen.
Sept. 8
10) A Theft report was field in Centennial Hall for clothes taken from the laundry room.
LOOP CAMPUS
Sept. 10
11) A Harassment report was filed for conduct occurring on the Fullerton CTA platform and the Richardson Library.
Sept. 10
12) A Theft report was filed outside of the Theatre School for two stolen bicycle tires.
Loop Campus Crimes: Sept. 6
1) A Battery and Attempted Theft report was filed in Barnes & Noble in the DePaul Center for individuals who were attempting to steal items.
Sept. 9
2) A Harassment report was filed for conduct occurring outside of the Lewis 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.
Lyft rolls out new pilot program to increase safety
By Sarah Hendry Current Events Beat Writer
Lyft became the second rideshare service to roll out a rider verification program in cities across America in an attempt to improve driver safety. In Chicago, the process began Sept. 5, 2024. Rider verification, part of an effort to reduce the use of false names, is designed to help drivers ensure that the person they are driving is who they say they are.
“The Rider Verification program is a direct response to what our driver community has been asking for,” Audrey Liu, Lyft’s executive vice president of rider experiences and community safety, told The DePaulia. “(This is) a way to enhance their peace of mind and ensure they can trust who they are picking up.”
Uber, a competing rideshare company, launched a similar rider verification program last April.
Lyft’s verification process includes cross-checking user provided information, such as their name and phone number, with a trusted, third-party database, according to Lyft’s press office.
If the information does not match the
database due to inconsistencies like a false name, riders are asked to correct the information and input their legal name, according to Liu. If more information is required, riders are then prompted to upload a photo of government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license, passport or state ID card.
“This pilot marks the latest step in our work to make Lyft the safest way to get around,” according to Lyft officials.
The rider verification pilot program comes after Lyft recently expanded their safety advisory council to include 13 organizations. They include Polaris, an organization working with survivors to end human trafficking, the National Organization for Youth Safety, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives and ADT.
The partnership with ADT allows for drivers to connect with the security company ADT to contact 911, track their ride and request emergency services.
In the last several years, there have been rideshare drivers who were threatened with weapons, or shot. A rideshare driver was shot in the neck on June 21 in the Burnside neighborhood of Chicago.
Despite the new changes to protect driver safety, rideshare customer Camila Courreges questioned the timing of the implementation. She and other riders wonder if such action would have been more useful if implemented in the years following the pandemic, when carjackings reached a high in Chicago.
According to data gathered from the Chicago Data Portal by the Chicago Sun-Times, there were 632 carjackings this year before Aug. 21. Carjackings peaked in 2021 with 1,851 reports, according to the article.
“I’m sure drivers have been asking for some form of safety program for a while,” said Courreges, a library assistant in Irving Park and regular Lyft rider. “I think that tech that checks names with databases can easily be used to harm riders.”
Max Soroka, a DePaul freshman, questioned the impact of the rider verification program on transgender and nonbinary Lyft passengers who use a name other than their birth name.
“There are trans people who use a different name than their legal name,” Soroka said. “What about people who are in a database with a different name? Someone’s name doesn’t fully confirm their identity.”
Lyft also recently expanded their Women+ Connect feature to all US cities. This program connects women and nonbinary drivers with riders.
Lyft’s pilot program is currently live in Detroit, Jacksonville, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Denver, Seattle and Miami.
Student Government Association inherits new structure, aims to focus on community and collaboration
By Sadie Springer SGA Beat Writer
DePaul University’s Student Government Association held their first general body meeting of the school year on Wednesday, Sept 11. SGA’s primary goals for this school year are expansion, professional development, outreach and collaboration.
Earlier this year, SGA adopted a revised version of the Constitution of the Student Body and a new structure of government.
“In previous student government years we had a senate,” student body president Isabella Ali said. “However, SGA voted on a new constitution which restructures our entire government. So now we have representatives based on the population per college.”
SGA’s previous system of elected senators and executive vice presidents stunted members’ ability to work on multiple tasks at once. To address this, the SGA House of Student Representatives was created.
“I think it gives us a more expansive view, an expansive voice, because now we have a certain number of positions based on college,” SGA vice president Samara Smith said. “Versus just having different reps for different identity based things.”
This newly inherited structure allows the current SGA administration to give representatives more autonomy over the issues they want to address and to amplify the voices and unique perspectives of SGA members. SGA representative for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Gerald Zink holds one of 55 seats in the organization.
“The structure of SGA and the membership of SGA opened up significantly during that rearrangement because we switched
from senators to representatives,” Zink said.
SGA leaders are advocating for productive collaboration between student organizations and SGA in hopes that it can give everyone an opportunity to get involved and strengthen their impact through SGA support.
“We are now going to have a liaison program,” Ali said. “We will reach out to a club and ask them to appoint an SGA liaison. And that liaison will be our point of contact for that club.”
While SGA had reintroduced its liaison program during the 2023–2024 term under then community engagement coordinator Samara Smith’s direction, it had a difficult time recruiting organizations to appoint a liaison.
Another main priority of SGA this year is professional development of both its members and the student body. They plan to host workshops that teach transferable profession-
al skills such as resume and email signature seminars.
“We thought this was a perfect time to collaborate with the Career Center for example,” Smith said. “We’ll be able to bring those resources directly to students, and also bring in non-SGA members and be like these are workshops that are available to you too.”
SGA wants to push the student body to engage with local politics through Advocacy Day, a day on which a coalition of Illinois universities travel to the state capital in Springfield to campaign for various causes and legislative priorities.
Advocacy Day had been largely on pause during the last couple of years as the state battled and recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“DePaul once organized an Advocacy Day where I think 1,000 students from DePaul showed up and advocated that that program should not get shut down, and we suc-
ceeded and now that program still continues on for all Illinois students,” Ali said.
SGA representative for the College of Computing and Digital Media Dhruti Amin wants to advocate for improved tutoring services and to tackle crucial steps to make sustainable positive impacts at DePaul.
“I hope to institute and advocate for more of the CDM students and make sure that we have resources,” Amin said. “I see a lot about cybersecurity and coding and things like that for women, but there’s not a lot of active steps being taken for that, at least from my own student perspective.”
Wednesday’s meeting concluded with a vote to confirm newly appointed members. Joining the executive branch, Lily Lauritson was designated as chief of staff and Kayla Hodge as executive secretary.
The judicial board embraced nine new members, including Parveen Mundi, Cade Primack, Isabelle Robichaud, Zack Azmy, Mariah Stevens, Leen Hashlamoun, Seyi Akinmusire, Naiomi Alemu and Jessica Taylor.
“All of our members seem very very motivated and eager,” Ali said. “What’s so brilliant about last year’s election for this year is that we had the highest voter turnout ever in DePaul history.”
Ali believes that the turnout of the last SGA election reflects the refreshed interest of the organization for DePaul students.
“We are working very hard on making sure that we are relevant to 100% of the student population and we’re reaching out to every niche, every corner, every year to get them involved in university decision making,” Ali said.
GISELLE CALDERON | THE DEPAULIA
Student body president Isabella Ali and vice president Samara Smith lead a meeting of the House of Student Representatives on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. The meeting marked the first ever meeting of SGA under its new constitution.
AIKO TAI | THE DEPAULIA
SECURITY GUARD, continued from front:
to hear and respond to their concerns, while ensuring DePaul remains a welcoming space for our diverse university community.”
We will continue to fight until our universities start protecting all students.”
fice of his supervisor at Guardian Security.
“Well, we can’t put you out there anymore (at DePaul),” Freeman said he was told by his supervisor.
Henna Ayesh, board member of DePaul’s Students for Justice in Palestine, talked about the care DePaul students had for Freeman, during a rally in support of Freeman at DePaul’s Student Center.
“I discovered that the one security guard on this campus that Palestinian students truly felt safe with was wrongly interrogated because they refused to discriminate against Palestinian students on campus,” Ayesh said during a press conference. “We will continue to fight until our universities start protecting all students, because time and time again, you have shown that your protection of all students does not encompass Palestinian students.”
Terrance Freeman Former Security Officer for
DePaul
Freeman, who is 50, also made connections to his own experience growing up in the Robert Taylor Homes, a housing project in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
“I can’t imagine them having to deal with that every day on that campus,” said Freeman, who teared up as he spoke. “And I’m a grown man, 25 years in security, been through hell myself growing up in the projects with bullets coming through my window. And you know what I mean, no, kids don’t deserve that.”
Freeman continues to work for Guardian Security — he now does private security at a parking complex in River North.
Freeman said he was called into the of-
An adjunct instructor in Health Sciences, Anne d’Aquino spoke at the press conference in support of Freeman. D’Aquino was terminated on May 8 for “the introduction of political matters into the class,” which were “unrelated to the course.” She was found to have had her academic freedom and due process violated by DePaul by the faculty appeals board, which recommended reinstatement. After this decision was handed down in June, d’Aquino was reinstated by Provost Salma Ghanem.
“Now, DePaul has removed Terrance, an individual who genuinely and authentically protected students and helped foster a warm, inclusive and accepting environment on this campus for being too friendly to Palestinian students,” d’Aquino said.
A speaker at the pro-Palestinian rally speaks into a microphone towards the crowd in Lincoln Park on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. Protestors chanted for university divestment from Israel, the freedom of Palestine and academic freedom.
CLAIRE TWEEDIE | THE DEPAULIA
‘They’re eating the cats’: First debate sparks meme-worthy moments and important material
for undecided voters
By Lucia Preziosi and Lina Gebhardt Content Managing Editor & Multimedia Editor
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris took to the debate stage Tuesday night to participate in the first, and perhaps only, debate ahead of the election.
Donald Trump had his first goaround with debates for this election season in June when he debated President Joe Biden, an event that prompted Biden’s departure from the race. Harris then became the Democratic nominee.
Tuesday’s 90-minute debate, hosted by ABC News and moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis, garnered 67.1 million viewers and generated several meme-worthy moments.
The debate also saw unprecedented rules. Candidates’ microphones were muted after their allotted time to speak, they were not allowed to bring notes nor ask each other questions and there was no live audience present at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.
Some moments stood out to viewers at home, especially those who may have tuned into the debate for entertainment purposes.
“They’re eating the cats,” Trump said,
while speaking about the perceived threat he sees of immigration. This comment particularly saw waves on social media.
Zach Frye, a DePaul senior and community organizer in Aurora, Illinois, felt disappointed overall by many moments of the debate, but “a few entertaining soundbites came out of it, which is always appreciated.”
But presidential debates aren’t just a moment for live-tweeting and professional commentary. They also pose a vital opportunity for undecided voters to make their decisions, especially in crucial swing states, such as Pennsylvania, where the debate took place.
Benjamin Epstein, a DePaul political science professor, said there are still a significant number of undecided voters.
This can include those who are considering a third party candidate and land more moderate on the political spectrum, according to Epstein.
“Much of the country is much more moderate than the voices we hear the most,” Epstein said.
He said this debate was unique because it gave Harris an opportunity to
introduce herself to the American public.
Epstein called Harris “relatively unknown to a lot of people,” which may also impact undecided voters.
Senior political science student Delaney Kaufman was originally planning to monitor the debate via social media, but tuned in to get a glimpse of Harris’ performance.
“I ended up watching it because I was really interested in seeing how Harris would perform,” Kaufman said of Harris’ first appearance on the debate stage as a presidential candidate and Democratic nominee.
Others also changed their original debate plans to hear the new candidate’s policies.
“Initially, I wasn’t planning on watching this debate,” said DePaul sophomore Ben Baker, who was with friends who were watching the debate. When Baker noticed moderators would be live fact-checking the debate, Baker recalled “listening more actively” with his friends.
“Beyond the absurdity of the things Trump was saying, I feel that the debate was actually productive in the sense that I was able to get definitive policies from Kamala Harris that I did not know about previously,” Baker said.
The economy is one of the main areas of concerns for bipartisan voters, but 67% of Democratic voters identify abortion as one of their top issues.
“I think that Kamala’s abortion answer was perfect,” Kaufman said. “It was emotional and strong, and I think that this is really important to a lot of women on both sides of the aisle.”
Epstein also complimented Harris’ approach on abortion, saying she was confident about the issue and this is something she has always done well.
The conversation on abortion resulted in a fact check, when Trump claimed that Democrats allow “‘execution’ of babies after birth.” Linsey Davis noted that post-birth abortions are illegal in all states, even without Roe v. Wade in place.
Frye, the community organizer, expressed discontent with both candidates’ performances in the debate and said he continues to be disappointed in a two-party system that leaves him without adequate choices.
“The debate did nothing but reinforce my plan on voting third party this election season,” Frye said. “Because at the end of the day, we keep us safe, nobody else does.”
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris participate during an ABC News presidential debate at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept.10, 2024, in Philadelphia.
ALEX BRANDON | AP PHOTO
Personality in politics
By Brielle Kohlbeck Opinion Editor
The first election I remember was in sixth grade. It was 2016, Hillary Clinton against Donald Trump. On an early October morning, in my first-period social studies class, I realized the reality of all elections: they’re stressful.
We were asked to take an online poll and vote for who we wanted to win the upcoming election. I sat at my desk quietly, conflicted.
I spent half my time with my parents and half with my grandparents. In one home, I was confronted daily with InfoWars in the background of my dinner and a “Hillary for prison” bobblehead staring at me from the kitchen window-ledge. In the other, I overheard evening news tearing down Trump and his policies from my room as I tried to fall asleep, all while my grandpa discussed his agreement from his seat on the couch.
As I stared quietly at my computer screen, I had two options, and I realized I really knew nothing about either of them except that half my immediate family wanted one in jail and vice versa. With both villainized, I had no idea if there was a point in choosing anyone.
Little did I know Trump would still be on my computer screen eight years
later, just with a new opponent: current Vice President Kamala Harris.
And now, not just members of the public want him in jail. Wherever you stand regarding candidates, it is indisputable that Trump has had a messy few months legally, which makes this election particularly interesting.
Harris also is not facing all praise. As younger generations continue the fight to end ties with Israel concerning the war in Gaza, her response and plan are extremely elevated, and as of now, young voters are not seeing the urgency they want.
In an election of this nature, there is a battle like never before for our two main candidates to save face. There is also a need to examine their tactics that are already working on people, and they know this.
“He’s a chaos agent, right? That’s what he does. He’s a fearmonger. He’s a demagogue. He does those things really well, they’ve worked for him,” Ben Epstein, a DePaul political science professor, said when discussing the tactics utilized by Trump. “He has been really effective at solidifying a base that views him, I mean, as the absolute pinnacle of what they look for. … He has a really solid floor. He has a
really solid ceiling.”
Harris, on the other hand, has a different angle with the Democratic Party. “They’re trying to paint an image of a very positive, hopeful, future-oriented campaign,” Epstein said. “I think that is very refreshing for a lot of people, but it’s very clear that fear, anger, and to a lesser
Emotional appeal, more often than not, is more persuasive than logical appeal”
Gael Delgadillo Undecided sophomore at DePaul
extent, sadness, are really motivating.”
And it’s not just the experts that know this.
“Emotional appeal, more often than not, is more persuasive than logical appeal,” said Gael Delgadillo, an undecided sophomore at DePaul with interests in political science. “Hillary Clinton, when she was facing Trump, was all policy and that she was not emotionally appealing at
all … and she did not humanize herself at all … and she lost.”
It’s clear playing to emotions in any party is necessary to raise the reactions one needs, whether that be fear, hope, anger or a combination of them all.
This has become more apparent with the progression of media in politics. From the first televised debate, we saw what it meant to people, how it shifted opinions when seeing how people appeared as they spoke, their body language, and the aspects of being truly human, because it’s easier to judge when you know who’s being dealt with. This is also why so many undecided voters need events like the debate to make final decisions.
I think with the innovativeness of today’s media, there is no way for a candidate to not showcase themself to the public, which is a good thing. There is so much you can tell about a person or a leader based on what they say and how they say it, whether it is collected or unhinged.
After eight years of media, debates and political ups and downs, I know the people on my screen. Whether it’s them or the tactics they have created to captivate me, I can work with it.
Above all, I know when I look at my ballot this November, I won’t be completely hopeless about who I’m choosing.
STEPHANIE POSEY | THE DEPAULIA
HOT TAKES HOT TAKES
of the DePaulia Staff
Avery Schoenhals, Campus News Editor - “Dog Haus is low key mid,” “Sbarro in the DePaul Center is an underrated DePaul food spot.”
LiLi Jarvenpa, City News Editor - “La Colombe coffee is mostly milk and does not deserve a line out the door.”
Claire Tweedie, Editor In Chief - “Country music is good, y’all are just haters.,” “Ranch is disgusting and should not be used for anything.”
Nadine DeCero, Social Media Editor - “Everyone should work in the food service industry once in their lives for at least 6 months.”
Peyton Hopp, Assistant Sports Editor - “Women’s sports is better than men’s sports.”
Brielle Kohlbeck, Opinion Editor - “The summer is way too hot and not at all enjoyable. It makes me irrationally angry”
Lina Gebhardt, Multimedia Editor - “The last bite is never the best bite. In fact, the last bite is probably the worst bite.”
Ryan Hinske, Sports Editor - “Bears fans will regret trading Justin Fields”
Jake Cox, Digital Managing Editor - “The CTA is the only thing stopping Chicago from being a world-class city. ”
Lucia Preziosi, Content Managing Editor - “I am very anti-cereal. I think it is a disgusting breakfast food and is too crunchy.”
De las Finanzas al Folklorico: Ofelia Guerra y sus bailarines se preparan para subir al escenario en El Grito Chicago
By Alondra M. Castañeda
La DePaulia News Editor
Una deslumbrante variedad de coloridas faldas bordadas giraban en sincronía y el sonido de las botas resonaba mientras los bailarines de Ballet Folklórico de Chicago practicaban para la ceremonia de clausura de El Grito Chicago, el domingo 15 de septiembre en el Petrillo Music Shell en Grant Park.
El Grito Chicago es un festival de dos días que honra el Día de la Independencia de México, y el cual tiene la esperanza de revivir y expandir una celebración para conmemorar a la comunidad inmigrante mexicana en Chicago.
El grupo se apresuró al unísono para prepararse para el gran día.
Ofelia Guerra, fundadora del Ballet Folklórico de Chicago, nunca imaginó que abriría una escuela de danza sin fines de lucro, considerando que ni siquiera es bailarina.
Guerra, quien se graduó de la Universidad DePaul en 1997, ha trabajado en finanzas en Citigroup durante más de 20 años.
Pero hace unos cinco años, comenzó Ballet Folklórico de Chicago para sumergir a sus dos hijas en su cultura mexicana a través del idioma y la danza. Lo hizo después de darse cuenta que el trayecto a la escuela de folclore
mexicano más cercana no era sostenible, dijo Guerra.
“Al principio pagué a la ahijada de mi hermana para que enseñara a mis hijas danza folclórica mexicana, y si alguien de la comunidad quería unirse, también eran bienvenidos”, dijo Guerra.
El grupo comenzó como una pequeña organización en el distrito de parques que poco a poco fue creciendo. Hoy, la escuela ubicada en Portage Park, tiene nueve instructores que enseñan a alrededor de 500 estudiantes.
Personas de todas las edades con pasión por disfrutar de la riqueza de la cultura mexicana son bienvenidas, dijo Guerra.
Paola Cardona, de 13 años, ha estado bailando desde que tenía 10 años con el Ballet Folklórico de Chicago. Dijo que, mientras aprende danza folclórica, también puede hacer amigos de su edad dentro de la comunidad latina.
Cardona y sus compañeros de baile lucieron diferentes trajes tradicionales con el Mariachi Monumental, que los acompañó en el escenario para la última presentación de El Grito Chicago, que cerró el festival de dos días.
Uno de los atuendos más simbólicos del grupo es el “vestuario de Chicago,” que presenta los distintivos colores azul, blanco y rojo de la bandera de la ciudad, junto con las cuatro estrellas en sus tocados.
Representan el amor por su ciudad y su cultura en un solo conjunto, dijo Guerra. Este será exhibido en el Museo de Historia de Chicago en 2025, agregó.
Una de las organizadoras del evento, Korina Sánchez, quien forma parte de Third Coast Hospitality Group, y Germán González, de Somos Hospitality, formaron un grupo llamado “Grito 916.”
En conjunto con la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Illinois y el consulado mexicano de Chicago, las organizaciones se reunieron para llevar a cabo el Festival de la Independencia de México.
“Queríamos encontrar una manera divertida de aliviar todo el tráfico y la congestión que suele ocurrir el Día de la Independencia de México aquí en la ciudad”, dijo Sánchez.
Grito 916 había estado trabajando estrechamente con Jaime Di Paulo, director ejecutivo de la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Illinois, cuando recibió un aviso del Departamento de Comercio y Oportunidades Económicas de Illinois (IDCEO) sobre la
subvención del Sector Privado de Turismo.
Presentaron una solicitud de 10 páginas a la ciudad para obtener apoyo financiero para el festival y finalmente lo consiguieron a principios de este año.
“La comunidad mexicana en este país es un ejemplo de tenacidad y trabajo duro”, dijo Reyna Torres Mendivil, Cónsul General del Consulado General de México en Chicago. “Sabemos que los mexicanos son talentosos, responsables, trabajadores y emprendedores”.
“La presencia de los mexicanos no solo beneficia a la economía, sino que fortalece las comunidades con nuestros valores y cultura; invitamos a nuestras comunidades de Chicago a celebrar nuestras fiestas patrias con orgullo, unidad y responsabilidad”, dijo Mendivil.
Guerra dijo que está feliz de proporcionar un espacio en Chicago, a través de grupos de danza como Ballet Folklórico, porque muestran el orgullo que los mexicoamericanos tienen por su comunidad.
Lila Salabert, ahora de 13 años, ha estado bailando con la compañía durante tres años.
“Mi parte favorita de bailar con ellos es poder aprender las historias detrás de los bailes y poder compartir mi cultura a través de las presentaciones”, dijo Salabert.
Una bailarina del Ballet Folklórico de Chicago posa para una foto, mostrando los colores de su vestido, en el Millennium Park de Chicago.
ALONSO VIDAL | LA DEPAULIA
Arts & Life
DePaul students let the good times roll at Rooftop Retro Night
By Grace Logan Arts & LIfe Editor
As the sun began to set, roller skate wheels flashed pink and blue, illuminating the top floor of Sheffield Parking Garage. Some students chose to brave the rink while others opted to relax and enjoy a bite to eat.
For the finale of Multicultural Campus Takeover, the Cultural and Resource Centers hosted their second-annual Rooftop Retro Night on Thursday, Sept. 12. This event was in partnership with the Office of Student Involvement and featured a Cultural Student Organization Fair in addition to the rooftop roller rink. Sabs Salvador, program manager at DePaul’s Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Cultural Center, was responsible for planning this event.
Those involved spent the summer imagining and reimagining Rooftop Retro Night, hoping to curate an event that would be special to student attendants, Salvador said.
“The first quarter, especially the first few weeks, is a period when (students) are thrown into new transitions, changes and experiences,” Salvador said. “It was especially important to have this event during welcome week so that students, first-year students specifically, could find community.”
The Cultural and Resource Centers collaborated with a handful of different departments and offices across campus with the hope of raising awareness and recognizing marginalized communities within DePaul, Salvador said.
A total of 30 student organizations were in attendance at Rooftop Retro
Night. Among those tabling, Christine Lichauco was there to represent Kalahi — the Philippine Student Association at DePaul University.
“For people who are new to DePaul, from a cultural background or looking for a place to make friends, this is a good place to come,” Lichauco said. “As a freshman and a commuter it was so hard to find my footing socially. Kalahi really helped me with that.”
The Black Student Union also had a table at Rooftop Retro Night. Vice President and Treasurer Dana Wolfe reinforced the significance of this event and its ability to help students find their own space at DePaul.
“(This event) is important, because DePaul is a (predominantly white institution),” Wolfe said. “The cultures we
have here — it’s so robust, there are so many different things you can join. You can find your place, even if you think you can’t.”
By the end of the night, about 400 students had checked in at Rooftop Retro Night through DeHub.
Freshmen Caitlyn Crismor and Nadia Campbell decided to attend to try out roller skating together. Campbell believes college can feel isolating, but events like Rooftop Retro Night can help students meet new people.
“It presents a sense of community and is a way to bring people together,” Crismor said. “You will get to know people. You might fall in the rink and someone might help you up. That could create a meaningful and lasting friendship.”
A student dances while rollerskating at Rooftop Retro Night on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. Music, varying from Michael Jackson to Soulja Boy filled the top of the parking garage in celebration of DePaul’s Multicultural Campus Takeover.
LINNEA CHENG | THE DEPAULIA
Sounds of Sheffield, Volume One, takes over the Student Center
By Grace Logan Arts & Life Editor
As classes come to an end on the first Monday of Fall Quarter, the Student Center begins to fill with hungry individuals looking for a place to kick back and relax. To their surprise, live music echoes throughout the atrium.
The DePaul Activities Board hosted its annual Sounds of Sheffield, Volume One on Monday, Sept. 9 as a part of Welcome Week. Concerts chair Aiden O’Neal was responsible for putting together the event.
“The planning process started around the beginning of the summer, this past quarter,” O’Neal said. “Once we have our (event proposal) approved, vendors reached out to and confirmed, all the setups and reservations in order, and the marketing all in place, it’s down to last minute preparations.”
Following the tradition of years past, Sounds of Sheffield, Volume One was hosted in the Student Center Atrium to centralize its location, O’Neal said. With this event, among others hosted during Welcome Week, the DePaul Activities Board hopes to get students involved and build campus community.
“It’s really important for freshmen to have this experience,” O’Neal said. “Getting people involved, and seeing the campus life around DePaul, especially when you’re brand new — it’s really important that we
express ourselves as a very welcoming and open group.”
Sounds of Sheffield, Volume One featured folk-punk artist Schlupp and pop-soul fusion artist Rachel Brown. Providing students with entertainment that can be shared among friends is an amazing experience, Brown said.
“Music is responsible for so many of our emotions,” Brown said. “(It) either helps us feel them, or we look to music to help ex-
‘Degenerate’ market showcases taboo materials not easily found in public
By April Klein
Asst. Arts & Life Editor
CW: This article features sexualization of subjects that readers may find uncomfortable or triggering.
Ageplay, drug use, piss, slurs and myriad other taboo desires — issue 1 of Degenerates Magazine warns (or rather promises) that these subjects will be covered in its pages. Clarifying text on the bottom of the first page mentions that “cop fetishism, raceplay, or cisssexual people” will not be included.
“Said” zine was organized by the Degenerates Collective, a band of trans artists and writers from around the Midwest. On Saturday, Sept. 7, these artists gathered in a modest backyard on the South Side of Chicago to promote the zine as well as sell materials that may be a bit too scandalous for other communal bazaars.
Atlas Feigel, one of the co-founders of the collective and a DePaul alumni, did not initially plan for the event to be this big.
“We had friends who were trying to sell kink and sex-based art at other markets and they weren’t having much success,” Feigel said. “Me and my partner, Violet Jordan, set up a small market for our friends last November, and it ended up going really well.”
From there, Feigel and Jordan, the community outreach coordinator for the collective, began hosting more markets.
“We’ve curated a space that, while encouraging people to support fellow trans people through the marketplace, also acts as a place to just hang out,” Jordan said. “We wanted to create a queer community base that both airs on the side of kink and one that finds a home on the South Side, where you don’t see as much activity for events like this.”
The collective has attracted former visitors to contribute and become vendors themselves. Stevie Peters, a Chicago-based tattoo artist, was attracted to the idea of working the market after attending a previous event.
“I wanted the opportunity to have more of a salacious flash knowing that the market for that sort of thing would be here for it.” Peters said. For tattoo artists, a flash is a preexisting piece displayed on their stand so that customers can order and the artist can perform it quickly. Stevens claimed the system was a success, as he had sold five pieces in the span of only two hours at the market.
Outside of tattoos, there was a bevy of wares on display. Dotting the backyard on prop-up plastic tables were warped polaroids of naked bodies, linoleum woodcut prints of chastity cages and jockstraps, so-called “lil stinkies” (diapers in sealed ziplock bags) and a full-on novella detailing the author’s experience with ageplay both as a source of trauma and one of sexual pleasure.
In regards to the leather community,
press ourselves. It’s a really special tool to connect with each other and bond over shared experiences.”
Attending this event were sophomores Maeve Dwyer and Maggie Lopez. Both saw freshmen stop by and believed Sounds of Sheffield, Volume One to be a good introduction to the Chicago music scene.
“I think it’s a fun way for people to learn more about what’s going on in Chicago, and not just necessarily DePaul,” Dwyer said.
Schlupp, a Chicago-based artist, has played house shows at Bookclub, Schubas and other local venues. Performing at these events allows Schlupp to meet people who feel passionate about music and create an emotional connection with audience members.
“Wherever I play is important to me, because I write these songs to get emotions out,” Schlupp said. “It’s a very strong feeling that I have for music. When I play these shows and write these songs, I hope I can provide (the audience with) the feelings that my favorite bands provide for me.”
Schlupp hopes to start attending DePaul by this coming winter. He commented on the beauty of the music school and referred to it as a “dream.”
“I thought (this event) was a good stepping stone, a foothold into DePaul,” Schlupp said. “I’m really excited to be at the school, dig into the music scene, meet people, take classes here and be a demon.”
Sounds of Sheffield, Volume One is the first installment of six total volumes — about two per quarter, O’Neal said. Volume Two is scheduled for Oct. 16 and will be a part of the annual Fall Flea Market on the Quad. The names of featured artists have yet to be announced.
“If I could keep doing music for the rest of my life, I absolutely would,” O’Neal said. “Even if (it was) unpaid, I’d probably still do it. I really like music and I hope I can bring that to other people.”
there was a bootblacking station available for those with interests in the subculture. Bootblacking is the act of caring and maintaining leather accessories.
“A lot of what I do is just meeting people,” Pup Finch, a burgeoning leather enthusiast and bootblacker, said. “If I can be in an environment to teach people how to properly tend to their leather while making friends and a community along the way, that’s great.”
Despite having a heavy focus on Chicago, members of the market came from all around the Midwest. Minneapolis, Detroit, Milwaukee and Iowa City were just a few of the other cities represented at the event.
Saturday marked the fourth official market gathering, with a few pop-up stands at
places like the leather bar known as Cell Block Chicago interspersed to promote the collective.
Further plans look to expand to other cities around the Midwest, with a scheduled debut in Minneapolis this coming October and a potential move to Michigan sometime in the near future. Feigel said he plans to keep the market’s goals intact even as they expand.
“We want to remain an explicitly sex-positive environment, not just a sex-neutral one,” Feigel said. “We have three guiding principles: one, we’re here to take things that won’t be welcome elsewhere. Two, anything that the masses hate, we love. Three, we’re not cops. Bring whatever you want and we’ll accept you.”
Patrons browse the Degenerates Market on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024. The market has run for 5 years in the backyard of the organizer’s home.
WILL LONG | THE DEPAULIA
Musician Rachel Brown adjusts the microphone stand while performing at Sounds of Sheffield, Volume One, in the Student Center Atrium, on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. Over the years, Brown has toured many college campuses around the country.
GRACE LOGAN | THE DEPAULIA
King, Sondheim, and a Band of Blue Demons: ‘Carrie The Musical’ Comes To DePaul
By Finn Morse Theatre Beat Writer
You were warned never to push Carrie to the limits. Now you must pay the consequences.
Thankfully, one group on DePaul’s campus is ready for the challenge. Equipped with red spotlights and buckets of blood, Blue Demon Theatre prepares to recount the tale of a tragic blood-soaked telepath in this October’s “Carrie: The Musical.”
Before a couple movie reboots after the premiere of the original film, “Carrie: The Musical” was released in 1988, complete with original songs and a retelling of the classic Steven King short story. The original musical had an unfortunately short two-week run on Broadway, before building a cult following in the succeeding decades and spawning several revivals that have been performed throughout the 21st century.
The upcoming adaptation from Blue Demon Theatre will be co-directed by DePaul students Gael Rojas and Anna Maria D’Ortenzio, two long-running members of the group. The two have set out to make their adaptation emphasize the importance of family and acceptance.
Rojas and D’Ortenzio plan to build up an authentic 1970s environment, delving into the roots of director Brian De Palma’s 1976 film adaptation as groundwork for the project.
“Carrie: The Musical” and its costumes will be designed by the same team behind “Heathers” — Blue Demon Theatre’s musical adaptation from last fall.
The musical will feature 1970s inspired outfits and focus on technological unrest in an untried era of electrical advancements.
Blue Demon Theatre also prepares to launch their cabaret, a showcase of songs and performances based around a particular theme. This November, the works of composer Stephen Sondheim will be on full display. Pieces from four of the lyricist’s most iconic works — “Into The Woods,” “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street,” “Company” and “One For The Girls” — will be included in the showcase.
Gabi Petrin and Eddie Nicholson, director and music director of the Sondheim Cabaret respectively, want the quality of the performance to take priority over the quality of singing. The Sondheim Cabaret occurs once a year, typically in the autumn quarter.
The group’s recent information fair shined light on all aspects of their team. Leaders from the club board laid out their schedule for the fall quarter and its events, as well as their budding plans prepared for the winter quarter.
“There’s a wide range of things that we do,” board leader and actor from Blue Demon Theatre Delilah Johnson said. “Usually in the fall, it’s a lot of musicals, but in the winter, we do an original play and another play, ... and then in the spring, we have play festivals as well.”
Blue Demon Theatre is not a closed door club. Conceived in 2020, the orga-
nization is dedicated to giving theatrical students a chance to perform and showcase their musical and acting talents, without having to be enrolled in DePaul’s Theatre School.
“For me and a lot of other people (working with Blue Demon Theatre), it’s the majority of what I can learn at DePaul, it’s not just studying and stuff,” the music director for “Carrie” Dominic Rincker said. “It’s taught me to teach a lot of peo-
ple music, and work with a lot of different majors.”
Free, non-exclusive events and walkup auditions are the group’s way of conveying that they are a welcoming and supportive gathering of theatre lovers. The group prides itself on their kickball and karaoke events as ways of bonding and building friendships.
“With Blue Demon Theatre, even with the people who are in the theater school, they’re so accepting, willing to talk about theater or anything,” stage manager Ella Blanton said. “And it’s such an easy way for me to make friends.”
Upcoming displays and original works like “Speakeasy” run by Mads Wren and Juliet Aquino, “24 Hour Show” and the “10-Minute Play Festival” will be held throughout the rest of the school year.
This winter will be marked by the premiere of “Johnny Cobweb,” an original theatrical comedy written by DePaul student Jason Fennell. The show follows two rivaling funeral homes and a string of mysterious murders.
With all the upcoming projects, Blue Demon Theatre is always on the lookout for fellow students to get involved, whether it be on stage performing or backstage running the show. Videographers and photographers are in high demand as a means of immortalizing the group’s many performances throughout the school year.
“Carrie: The Musical” will be performed in the Greenhouse Theater Center and will run for four performances from Oct. 25 to 27. The Sondheim Cabaret will be performed at Cortelyou Commons, running for two performances on Nov. 8 and 9. Student discounts of up to 50% off will be offered for both productions
Blue Demon Theatre President, Dominic Rincker, watches over students as Anna Marie D’Ortenzio and Gael Rojas explain preparations for the Carrie Auditions on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. Co-Directors D’Ortenzio and Rojas express their excitement for auditions and ease the nerves of anxious performers.
AUBREONNA CHAMBERLAIN | THE DEPAULIA
Anna Marie D’Ortenzio, former club president and co-director of Carrie, explains the audition process to future performers at Blue Demon Theatre’s general body meeting on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. The club hosted its own Involvement Fair, allowing students to get a feel of the club and explore all the opportunities to be involved.
AUBREONNA CHAMBERLAIN | THE DEPAULIA
‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ review: A delightfully spooky return to form for Tim Burton
By Jake Panek Film & Televison Beat Writer
Not that I was alive (or at least conscious) to remember it, but there was a time where the words “Directed by Tim Burton” truly meant something.
Seeing Burton’s name on a project used to immediately conjure wonderful visions in the minds of moviegoers. Not many mainstream filmmakers were able to create worlds oozing with macabre gothicism and populate them with eccentric characters that audiences had never seen before.
And out of a more than forty year long career, with massive successes like “Edward Scissorhands” and “Batman,” few of his films have had a lasting impact on pop culture like his 1988 film “Beetlejuice.” The horror-comedy about a recently deceased couple dealing with a yuppie family moving in and a “bio-exorcist” nuisance is still as wildly original and creatively dazzling as studio filmmaking gets.
So after a slump in the 2010s of projects with consistently middling critical receptions and even worse CGI, it
shouldn’t come as a huge shock that Burton would choose to reboot one of his most celebrated classics. What is pleasantly surprising is that “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is easily his greatest film in almost two decades and a rock solid return to form for the director.
Thirty-six years after the events of the first film, the Deetz family — clairvoyant Lydia (Winona Ryder), her artist stepmother Delia (Catherine O’Hara) and alienated daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) — returns to the town of Winter River, Connecticut for the funeral of the family patriarch Charles.
But amidst an impromptu Halloween wedding, a fling with a local boy (Arthur Conti) and the resurrection of a vengeful ex-wife (Monica Bellucci), they find themselves back in cahoots with the ghost Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) on a wild ride through the afterlife.
If that sounds like a lot of plot for a movie that runs a relatively tight 1 hour and 45 minutes, that’s because it is. But for what bumps and kinks it has, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is still an utter delight to watch.
Burton forgoes prioritizing any one story, instead allowing the film to consistently divert into tangents. Despite how narratively insignificant they may be, they’re made up for with all of the weird, vivid designs and imagery he scatters throughout the afterlife.
Even if I didn’t know how ugly and garish Burton’s CGI nightmares like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Alice in Wonderland” were, it’s truly refreshing to see a new release that’s almost overflowing with so many detailed practical effects and colorful sets. The belowthe-line creative team here, featuring costume designer Colleen Atwood and “Wednesday” production designer Mark Scruton, absolutely deserves the highest commendation imaginable.
It’s also easy to have a good time with this movie when everyone in the ensemble cast, returning players and newcomers alike, is clearly having the time of their life.
Despite all the time that has passed, Ryder, Keaton and O’Hara all feel so natural back in the roles of Lydia, Betelgeuse and Delia. Justin Theroux especially makes for a wonderful de-facto repeat of Otho, the Deetzes’ snarky interior designer from the original film, as Rory, Lydia’s boyfriend/phony producer of her paranormal investigator show.
But to talk about any of the performances in this film is really just to talk about Ortega — who might literally be the most important factor in this movie’s very existence.
Between “Wednesday” and this film, Ortega is proving herself to be a great revitalizing force for Burton’s career. She almost bears as strong of a screen presence as Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter once did for the director, and I’m totally on board for any collaborations between the two in the future.
Ortega has the most important role to play here, and she pulls it off with ease. Astrid acts as a surrogate for younger Lydia’s personality from the first film, but her resentment of her mother’s belief in ghosts is an effective shift for her character, as is her grief for her dead father that’s a driving force for the film.
There’s no shortage of overly reverent fan-service for the original “Beetlejuice,” as well as some overly convenient throwaway explanations to tie up any loose ends between the two films. But screenwriters Miles Millar and Alfred Gough successfully walk the legacy sequel tightrope here, including some of the most famous bits from the first film while bringing enough new material to the table to keep things fresh.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is certainly not a film that’s reinventing any wheels, but as just another “Beetlejuice” vehicle, it gets the job done without any major offenses, and that’s all it ever really needed to do.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now playing in theaters.
AREVALO PAULA | THE DEPAULIA
“Spinning
St.Vincent’s
D e JAMZ
freSh beatS Since 1581”
By Grace Logan & April Klein
Arts & Life Editor, Asst. Arts & Life Editor
Folks, I have terrible news (or fantastic, depending how much mileage you get out of irony poisoning and the color green): Brat Summer is over.
But that doesn’t mean the end of the world! In fact, we here at The DePaulia encourage readers to lean into the cozy and melancholic autumn vibes that the Chicago weather has forced upon us. Now is the time to listen to some tunes that fit our collective malaise.
“Census Designated”- Jane Remover
Can you be envious of people who are envious of you? Do you feel an intense desire towards someone who will make your life irrevocably worse? Are you prone to dreams of abandoning your life and moving out west, destroying every relationship you’ve ever made to try and find something to fill the gaping hole in your chest? Jane Remover has felt that, and expresses it beautifully in this experimental indie rock piece that has a permanent residence on my playlist. - April
“I Wish You Roses” - Kali Uchis About a year ago, Kali Uchis did an inter-
view with Don Toliver discussing her music and, more generally, her life. The two spent a brief moment talking about “I Wish you Roses” and the purity of releasing someone with love. As the seasons change, time keeps moving and we grow older, it is important to send all the valuable characters of summer off with blessings. Some may stay for the fall, some might not — just make sure to keep the best ones close as the season grows colder. Kali Uchis will forever be one of my favorite artists; “I Wish you Roses” will forever be a top track. And to those I left behind in summer, I wish you the best. - Grace
“Epilation Joy” - Uboa
Transition is an act of self-destruction. It not only burns the vestiges of what identity was forced upon you by society but also rejects the biology of the form you exist into. Hormones and a socially supportive environment help, but to truly achieve the body we desire, we must prune ourselves of hair, of flesh, of bone. Pain means progress toward our ideal selves. This track captures the fleeting elation of the momentary hurt of plucking hair, and, in a short time, reveals the grueling cycle of looking in the mirror the next morning to find it’s already back. Joy is an emotion
Crossword
that can only be experienced through the veil of knowing it will end. Like the warm licks of the sun on a hot day fading into the cold isolation of autumn. - April
“Heaven or Las Vegas” - Cocteau Twins On the Brown Line, between Merchandise Mart and Washington/Wells, commuters pass over the Chicago River. It’s a unique view of the city that I can never seem to get tired of, no matter how many times I see it. With my entire heart and soul, I believe that “Heaven or Las Vegas” was written to be listened to while traveling on that overpass. It’s an ethereal song. The Cocteau Twins always seem to linger on my playlist, especially during fall. Up until the New Year, I’ll keep listening to “Heaven or Las Vegas” on the overpass between Merchandise Mart and Washington/ Wells. - Grace
ACROSS
1) “X” may mark it
5) Food quality
10) Haifa fl. oz.
14) Three Bears patriarch
15) Ninth rock from the sun, once
16) Like word-ofmouth
17) Significant periods of history
18) Spritely tunes
19) Long skirt
20) Easygoing attribute
23) Female family nickname
24) Silly goose
25) 15-Across, once
28) Like a shepherd’s staff
30) Indian dress
31) Immature egg
33) Barnyard bellow
36) Longtime beau
40) Some submerged leaves
41) Train lines?
42) Chanel of fashion
43) Far from bored
44) Adolph Coors, famously
46) Not on the level
49) Infant’s abdominal woe
51) Nonmoving picture
57) The Hawkeye State
58) Major blood line
59) Mark’s replacement
60) “That’s an order!” 61) Piece for nine
62) Bone-dry
63) “What_ can I say?”
64) San Antonio hoopsters
65) Fancy wheels
“Sweater Weather” - The Neighborhood Here’s a fun throwback to 2013, when I was a wee 9-year-old. Watching the falling leaves through the window as my mother drove me to school, I would imagine myself a moody girl in New York City, sitting on my windowsill mourning the death of a heartfelt relationship with a boy. I was a very dramatic child. Good song to mope to! - April I had a very similar experience to April. Admittedly, I have never voluntarily listened to this song but it holds a significance in my childhood. The top 40s tracks on the local radio station were all my family would listen to in the car. This song played over and over again during pumpkin picking season in Shawnee, Kansas. Brings back some memories. - Grace
DOWN
1) On_ (with an eye toward selling)
2) “Legal” prefix
3) Gemstone for many Libras
4) Island off Australia
5) Fracture immobilizer
6) Choice invitees
7) Like dime novels and some orange JUlCe
8) “Beetle Bailey” dog
9) One of the “Friends”
10) Small songbird
11) You can’t join Mensa without one
12) Anglo-__
13) The Elder or Younger of Roman history
21) Expected in 22) Word with “strength” or “city”
25) Quiet “Check this out!”
26) Fit for night owls
27) Length x width, for a rectangle
28) Accepts as true
29) Lego las of Middle Earth, e.g.
31) Final notice?
32) Remote control abbr.
33) Siamese-speak
34) More than never
35) Nose wrinkler
37) Trait of a Southerner’s speech
38) Big, fat mouth
39) Common dessert
43) Empathize
44) Swells out of proportion
45) Convoy member
46) “All kidding _ ... “
47) Bar fixture
48) Fuzzy fruits
49) Hom-shaped thing
50) Freshwater carnivorous mammal
52) Some kitchen utensils
53) Target for Carmelo
54) Psychic’s read, supposedly
55) Bluenose
56) Mortar troughs
COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei’s death shines a light on domestic violence
By Peyton Hopp Asst. Sports Editor
The alleged killing of African Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei alarmed the sports world and heightened calls to address domestic violence internationally.
Police said Cheptegei, 33, was severely burned by her former boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema, in Kenya on Sept. 5. She was in critical condition for four days with 80% of her body burned, which led to multi-organ failure. Ndiema died a few days later from burns sustained in the attack.
This is the third time an elite female runner has allegedly been killed by their partner within the past three years in Kenya. In 2021, 25-year-old Agnes Tirop was found dead in her home with stab wounds in her neck. A few months later, 28-yearold Damaris Mutua was found strangled with a pillow over her face.
“So many of us are not encouraged to speak up when we face abuse,” Mailé Nguyen, a worker at a Chicago area nonprofit called KAN-WIN that supports survivors of gender-based violence, said. “Either because we’re afraid of the reaction
or fallout with the harm-doer or because we’re afraid of our peers’ responses.”
With these recent deaths, many reports and conversations have been happening on topics of domestic violence.
UN Women says that 48,800 women and girls worldwide were killed by their intimate partners or other family members in 2022.
“I think, in general, sports are a place designed for and run by men, especially in countries where that patriarchal dynamic is even stronger, or where women have fewer rights or less visibility,” Vincent Peña, a DePaul professor who studies sports media, said. “(Cheptegei) being successful and having independence from a male partner can be something that threatens that structure of that country, especially the gender structure.”
Cheptegei built a 15-year career of running, from cross country, marathons and other long distance running. Her last marathon was at the Paris Olympics this past summer where she competed for her home country, Uganda, and finished 44th.
To continue her running career,
Cheptegei’s parents said that she bought land in Trans-Nzoia County in Kenya and was starting to build a house so that she could be near the country’s elite athletic training centers.
A report filed by the local chief said Cheptegei and Ndiema were heard by neighbors, fighting about the land she had bought, and Ndiema was seen pouring liquid on Cheptegei before burning her.
“Abuse … builds over time. Folks don’t enter relationships where they are being abused, in some way, at the beginning of the relationship,” Sonya Crabtee-Nelson, co-founder of the Illinois Coalition to Address Intimate Partner Violence-Induced Brain Injury, said. “Instead, it’s usually almost over-the-top at the beginning, and a lot of times, that abusive person has some sort of big story to share of their own abuse in their own life.”
Advocates like Crabtree-Nelson, an associate professor of social work at DePaul, said these types of killings shine a light on domestic violence, including cases closer to home.
Kara Welsh, a national gymnastics
champion from Plainfield, Illinois, died in late August at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
According to a report, Welsh was shot during a fight at an off-campus apartment by Chad T. Richards. A medical examiner determined Welsh suffered eight gunshot wounds.
“Sometimes the media doesn’t even list that (the killing) was done by a partner,” Crabtree-Nelson said. “Later, when you really dig into it, you realize it was their abusive partner. Most instances, too, reports say the woman has called the police numerous times before or has tried to get away.”
One report noted that Cheptegei’s dad said he had contacted the police about a previous quarrel between Cheptegei and her boyfriend, but he claimed the police took no action.
“That’s why I think it’s critical for our communities to be educated on gender-based violence,” Nguyen said. “And how it takes many forms, so we can be trauma-informed and empathetic with the survivors in our lives.”
PRECIOSA RIOS | THE DEPAULIA
Proposed basketball practice facility
raises questions of student displacement
By Ryan Hinske Sports Editor
After eight months of renovations to DePaul University’s Sullivan Athletic Center and McGrath-Phillips Arena, the Blue Demon volleyball team played the first home game of their 50th season on Thursday, Sept. 12, with a glimpse into the future.
Head coach Marie Zidek’s team is the only program to play regulation games in McGrath-Phillips Arena since women’s basketball moved to Wintrust Arena in 2021. The team was projected fourth in the Big East Conference preseason poll behind only Creighton, Marquette and St. John’s.
The team has not finished with a winning record since the 2021 season, but Zidek believes an improving roster and new facility will help the team live up to their growing expectations.
“There’s something to be chased here; we’re championship chasing,” Zidek said. “When you want to be big time, it requires big time effort.”
The Blue Demons had to bring their best effort right from the jump. The non-conference portion of the volleyball schedule varies in opponent talent, as opponents can come from any Division I conference regardless of school size and success. DePaul elected to open their 50th season with a serious challenge: the Colorado State Rams, ranked first in the Mountain West Conference preseason poll.
“I wanted to give the moment what it deserved,” Zidek said of why DePaul chose to schedule an opponent as dangerous as Colorado State. “It deserved a high quality opponent, and it deserved a really good volleyball match. … We don’t have sellouts yet, so we’re trying to bring teams in that are going to make volleyball attractive.”
DePaul fell to the Rams in four sets. After dropping the first by nine points, the Blue Demons won the second set by three points, but momentum fell back into Colorado State’s favor after securing a twopoint edge in the third set. The Rams rolled through set four, notching 15 of the first 22 points on their way to a 3-1 victory.
The renovation project involved replacing the northern bleachers of McGrath-Phillips arena with new features such as a second weight room, increased shared space for recovery, nutrition and team bonding, and locker rooms.
Vice President and Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy cited DePaul’s lack of space in facilities as a critical reason for the school’s struggle to recruit more high-caliber talent.
“For one, (the renovation project) provided just having your own personal space,” Peevy said. “I’m sure when you were in high school, you had your own locker. It’s not just the locker rooms; our students didn’t even have their own personal locker to have some of those personal belongings there.”
With the $10 million renovation project complete, each DePaul team now has
their own locker room. Beyond these, shared spaces were hard to come by before the project, with many student athletes having no choice but to dress in the hallways and go elsewhere to spend time with their teammates.
The arena itself now features a 29-foot by 50-foot video board and brighter LED lighting. DePaul graduate Rachel Krasowski is playing her fifth season as a DePaul libero and was celebrated before the match for breaking DePaul’s all-time digs record of 1,950, set on Sept. 6 during a road game against Tulane.
“The intro video was so dope,” Krasowski said, adding that she had never seen the video board in use before the match. “It’s just a good environment to be in, and without these renovations, honestly, that wouldn’t have happened.”
A possible downside for the program is the reduction of McGrath-Phillips Arena’s practice courts from three to two. The limited practice space will have to wait until the completion of the $60 million basketball practice facility, where two more fulllength courts are planned to be added. All indoor sports currently practice on the arena’s two courts, something Peevy said limits individual practice time.
One of the proposed basketball practice facility’s main plans is to be more integrated with DePaul’s campus and more inviting for all students through the use of abundant windows and public benches outside of the main entrance. Peevy maintains connecting students with student athletes was a priority of the current renovations.
“Now that (students) have come in and they’ve seen (the renovated arena), and it gets a new energy with new lights and a new video board, new sound, new paint jobs across it, … you want to come back, and that’s the same thing we’re trying to create,” Peevy said. “I know (men’s basketball) coach (Chris) Holtmann wants to do some more student-only events in this space, where you get a chance to engage with us.”
Turnout at Thursday’s home opener may have been an indicator of this connection, as the new, intimate venue had a turnout of 612, compared to last year’s 378 despite possessing twice the seats.
“We used to have the crowd behind us on the bench,” Krasowski said. “I feel like just having the one side, it just feels so much more packed in here, and there’s just so much more energy … the crowd gets crazy, it bounces off all the walls.”
To continue their home stretch, DePaul will host the “Chicago Cup,” a round robin tournament with matches against neighboring opponents Milwaukee, UIC and Loyola, Sept. 19–21, at McGrath-Phillips Arena.
DePaul volleyball tips off for their 50th season following an eight-month renovation project on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, at McGrath-Phillips Arena. The new-look arena features a 29-foot by 50-foot video board, a refinished court and brighter LED lighting.
JAYDI VASQUEZ | THE DEPAULIA