TheDePaulia
SHOT DOWN
Vetoing city council vote, Mayor Brandon
Johnson abandons ShotSpotter
By LiLi Jarvenpa City News Editor
Chicago ended its multi-year contract with ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection technology provider, on Monday, Sept. 23, pulling the plug on the service after midnight on Sept. 22.
The Chicago City Council voted 33-14 on Sept. 18 to keep ShotSpotter in the city in an attempt to overturn Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to remove the technology in Chicago.
In a statement from SoundThinking, ShotSpotter’s parent company, the company said they were pleased with the City Council’s support of the technology in Chicago; however, Johnson vetoed the City Council’s decision, saying he wanted to explore other options.
“We are gratified by the support of the
many alderpeople and civic leaders across the City who recognize the undeniable fact that ShotSpotter saves lives,” SoundThinking said in the statement.
ShotSpotter is a technology that uses artificial intelligence and a network of around 2,500 microphone sensors to identify gunshots around the city. It then sends the data to the police. From the beginning of 2024 to the end of August, 29,829 ShotSpotter alerts were recorded.
Shotspotter is in operation in over 150 U.S. cities, and Chicago has spent around $49 million on its contract with ShotSpotter.
Willa Mankin, a new Chicago resident, said she worried about safety before she moved from Champaign, Illinois, to Chicago in August. She said that even if police do not act on each gunshot notification, she is glad
SHOT SPOTTER, continued on page 4
YU YU BLUE | THE DEPAULIA
FILE - Timmy Knudsen, 43rd Ward Alderman, talks during a press conference in April 2023. Knudsen formally approved DePaul's proposed basketball practice facility on Friday, Sept. 27, in an email to constituents.
GEBHARDT | THE DEPAULIA FILE PHOTO | THE DEPAULIA
reflect the views of college administrators, faculty or staff.
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
La DePaulia es el noticiero oficial estudiantil en español de la Universidad DePaul, enfocado en proveer una voz para la comunidad latinx. Nuestras opiniones no necesariamente reflejan las opiniones de la administración, facultad o personal de la universidad.
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. 18 - Sept. 24, 2024
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
Drug & Alcohol Assault & Theft Other
Lincoln Park Campus Crimes: Sept. 18
1) A Simple Battery report was filed for conduct occurring near 1145 W Fullerton.
Sept. 19
2) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed in University Hall.
Sept. 19
3) A Liquor Control Act violation was filed in Munroe Hall.
Sept. 20
4) A Verbal Threats report was filed for an incident at the Holtschneider Performance Center.
Sept. 20
5) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed in Ozanam Hall.
Sept. 20
6) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed in Belden-Racine Hall.
Sept. 20
7) A Criminal Damage to Vehicle report was filed near Cacciatore Stadium.
Sept. 20
8) A Verbal Harassment report was filed for an incident in the Quad.
Sept. 21
9) A Criminal Damage to Property report was filed at the Holtschneider Performance Center.
Sept. 21
10) A Fake Identification report was filed near the DePaul Bookstore.
LOOP CAMPUS
LOOP CAMPUS
Sept. 24
11) A Theft report was filed for items taken from a laundry room in Ozanam Hall.
Loop Campus Crimes: Sept. 18
1) A Graffiti report was filed for markings found on the DePaul Center.
Sept. 23
2) A Theft report was filed for headphones stolen near the Jackson Red Line station.
Sept. 24
3) A Theft and Criminal Trespass report was filed in Barnes & Noble in the DePaul Center.
The DePaulia is the official student-run newspaper of DePaul University and may not necessarily
A deadly drug: Whippit use rampant; DePaul professor calls for laws to curb access
By Sabrina Castle Contributing Writer
Teens and young adults in the United States are risking death to get high as recreational use of nitrous oxide — commonly known as whippits — is “rising rapidly,” according to doctors at the Yale School of Medicine.
Though nitrous is officially used as an oral and surgical anesthetic and as an ingredient in whipped food products, whippit users inhale it from canisters to experience a “short-lived” feeling of “relaxation,” Yale experts said. While whippits, also called “hippie crack,” have been used for centuries, three major factors are driving their recent surge in popularity: their current virality on internet platforms, their widespread accessibility and their new marketing that appeals to young consumers.
“People get a sense that if more people are doing it, it must not be all that bad … when in fact it is,” Geoffrey Durso, a DePaul assistant marketing professor, said.
Experts are concerned about the rising use of whippits because of the extreme health risks associated with them. While overdoses can be deadly to users, even nonfatal incidents can cause brain and nerve damage, among other complications, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.
“I think it’s so dangerous within social
networks because there’s an impression that things that are legal are safe,” Austin Lim, a DePaul neuroscience professor, said.
In recent months, content of “influencers, celebrities and teenagers” using whippits began trending on social media platforms, particularly on TikTok. Videos of people inhaling whippits on the app show an instant change in users’ demeanors, as it induces euphoria, numbness, sedation and giddiness, according to the ADF.
Durso said this type of content breeds “a sense of trust” that can lead young consumers to make misguided decisions about using the substance – a risk which led TikTok to ban any videos or searches related to whippits.
“It’s just harder to read science articles than it is to watch TikToks,” Durso said.
In promoting the use of whippits, he said content creators frequently fail to acknowledge the many dangers of using them. Long-term, regular use can induce memory loss, brain and nerve damage, loss of muscle control and disruption to the reproductive system, while a sudden overdose can cause a loss of blood pressure, fainting, heart attack and death, according to the ADF.
“I don’t think that (young people) have the scope or scale to visualize the risks versus the short-term benefits or pleasure they’re getting from the drug,” Lim said.
Unlike other potentially fatal drugs,
the Drug Enforcement Administration does not classify nitrous oxide as a controlled substance, meaning that it’s legal to sell and use for its “intended purpose,” according to a report in USA Today. This classification allows nitrous companies to market and sell the substance as a food and beverage ingredient in stores and online. And as there’s no age restriction to purchase it in any state besides New York, the substance is widely accessible to young consumers for illegal recreational use, the report said.
“If it was actually supposed to be marketed as a food product, it would be in a gray stainless steel tube with no colors,” Lim said. “But they come in flavors. Why do you need strawberry nitrous oxide? The companies are intending for young people to be the target audience.”
Last week on the social media app X, singer SZA publicly questioned the intention of the branding nitrous companies are using to promote and package their products, claiming that the substance is being “mass marketed” to young consumers. For example, the company Galaxy Gas offers many flavors of nitrous (such as “Mango Smoothie” and “Vanilla Cupcake”) and uses different neon colors and prints to package each one.
“Those (flavors) are all targeted by design. It’s meant to influence people to feel like it’s fun and hide potential health concerns,” Durso said.
Galaxy Gas’ website displays an automatic pop-up warning to users, stating that its products are meant for “culinary food use only,” and that misuse is “unlawful.” In a statement to The DePaulia, the company also added that its owners are “deeply concerned about the recent news reports and social media posts of individuals illegally misusing (their) products.”
In light of the potentially fatal consequences of using whippits, Lim said that initiatives to spread information about the substance’s risks need to catch up to the speed of its rising popularity.
“The fact that this product is becoming so popular so quickly isn’t giving any of those slow-moving institutions like the government or NIDA (the National Institute of Drug Abuse) any chance to really do something about health messaging,” Lim said. “So people aren’t fully aware of the risks because they’re not told about it from the beginning.”
Durso said he hoped that the national popularity and extreme risks of whippits will motivate legislators nationwide to enact stricter laws to regulate the substance. ww
“If there’s no (age) restrictions now and there continues to be news coverage about the consequences, it sounds like something that might see bipartisan legislation,” Durso said. “ It needs to have more guardrails in place and there needs to be regulation.”
Cans of whippets stand on display for sale among nicotine products on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, at a vape shop a couple of blocks from DePaul’s Loop campus. The product comes in a variety of flavors and is being marketed as a drug.
SABRINA CASTLE | THE DEPAULIA
they know that shots were fired.
“I feel like maybe another system in place (with) the same concept would be really good,” Mankin said. “And I feel like it would also make me feel safer knowing like the police are on top of it.”
However, questions of ShotSpotter’s effectiveness have been raised. Johnson even called it a “walkie talkie on a pole.”
Other critics like the ACLU claim that ShotSpotter over polices neighborhoods that have a majority of Black or Latino residents.
Lauren Huston, 24, has lived in Chicago her whole life and says she has noticed the impact of gunfire detection technology.
“In lower income areas, I’ve definitely seen a change and there’s more cop cars, there’s more people patrolling, stuff like that,”
Huston said.
Data on ShotSpotter’s effectiveness was released by the city on Monday, Sept. 9. It showed that response times from the ShotSpotter alerts were about three times faster than 911 calls.
However, only seven of the 143 victims who got help because of an alert got that help without an additional 911 call.
“I think it’s a shoddy business, and they said they were going to help with gun violence, and they haven’t done it,” said Alderman Andre Vasquez of the 40th Ward.
Michael Boland, a graduate student studying business at DePaul, says he generally feels safe in Chicago regardless of gunshot detection technology.
“I think that, while it is important to make people feel safe with technology such as ShotSpotter, there are better ways to spend the city’s money,” Boland wrote in an email
to the DePaulia. “Investment in low-income communities and working to fix the issues that cause crime would be an alternative way to spend city resources that could do more than band-aids like ShotSpotter.”
Huston, the Chicago resident, also hopes the resources dedicated to ShotSpotter can be reallocated away from law enforcement. She said she would like to see more investment put into mental health services in the Chicago school system.
Even though ShotSpotter has been removed in the city, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) reaffirmed its commitment to Chicago residents.
“CPD frequently adjusts our public safety efforts based on the needs of our residents and the resources available to us. This is no different,” the department said in its statement.
Johnson said that he was committed
to finding other measures to keep Chicago communities safe.
“We’re going to find a pathway forward. We’re going to find a technology that actually works. And we’re going to keep this in mind — we’re going to invest in people,” Johnson said at a news conference on Wednesday after the City Council vote.
Johnson also issued a Request for Information (RFI) on Sunday before ShotSpotter was dismantled, asking firms to submit proposals for an alternative gunfire detection system.
“Through this RFI process, the City of Chicago will be able to aggressively look at equitable alternatives to help first responders acquire the absolute best community safety resources to aid them in reaching and responding to emergency scenes,” Johnson said.
SPARK Center debuts with environmental data-driven neighborhood project
By Jeremy Battle Asst. Photo Editor
Featuring a massive LED display wall and two mounted touch screens on each side of the room, DePaul’s brand-new SPARK Center opened its doors to its first-ever event, Explore ChiVes, on Sept. 17.
Dozens of event-goers were given a firsthand look at the new space in the DePaul Center of the university’s Loop Campus. President Robert Manuel was among the guests, and he gave a brief address before the ChiVes presentation.
Formed in 2022, ChiVes is a NASA-backed, community-driven Geographic Information System centered in the greater Chicago area. The platform provides environmental data across Chicago’s communities, such as air quality, number of trees and surface temperature. Since the site launched, over 5,000 people have used the site, but they hope to use events like this to expand further.
ChiVes has ties to DePaul, notably via NASA co-lead Winifred Curran and NASA Project principal investigator Michelle Stuhlmacher, who are both professors in the university’s geography department.
Its creators say GIS like ChiVes presents data that illustrate environmental racism via factors like green spaces in marginalized communities. The platform aims to provide these communities with the information they need to campaign for parks, trees and other resources that would improve their communities.
“Our goal is that through having all the data together in one place, people can access and use the data for environmental justice and other community-led advocacy in Chicago,” Stuhlmacher said. “This could be something like a community organization having easy access to data that could make their grant application more compelling or a neighborhood advocacy organization having the data to back up their request for more transparency on lead pipe remediation.”
The Explore ChiVes event aimed to get the word out about this platform and equip
people with the knowledge to use it.
“Making sure the data in ChiVes was usable and digestible was a big focus of our grant,” Stuhlmacher said. Their team made ‘hundreds’ of User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) changes ‘based on formal focus groups and community feedback.’
Eventgoers got to see these UI changes firsthand, as they were directed through the website by Erin Koster and Salise Sepulveda, both DePaul seniors and research assistants on the project.
“We’ve both written tutorials that live on the site and can help people navigate it properly,” Sepulveda said. “We want to help people make the most of the platform.”
ChiVes aims to push the boundaries of what a GIS can do, and Curran believes that begins with their interpersonal approach to
this science.
“We started with an environmental approach, but we started to uncover a lot of socioeconomic and health concerns and that became our core,” Curran said.
ChiVes has since formed partnerships with community organizations like “Mujeres por Espacios Verdes” (Women for Green Spaces) and “Instituto del Progreso Latino” (Latino Progress Institute).
Much of ChiVes’ content is sourced directly from and determined by their community partners, researchers and civic groups. Their content reflects this, as it pairs environmental data with socioeconomic classifications.
The center opened on Sept. 1 as a part of the Designing DePaul Initiative. Organizers say projects like this reflect the
SPARK Center’s mission.
“While ChiVes isn’t a SPARK project, it’s a great example of the type of work we will be doing,” Leanne Wagner, director of the SPARK Center, said. “It has the mix of the community partners, the academic partners, policymakers, and even people from other schools, all working together to address challenges in our communities.”
Wagner said she hopes the space can be used for more community projects and events.
“Our vision for the space is for it to be a catalyst for change in Chicago,” Wagner said. “We want to use data and visualization to help convene partners around socioeconomic challenges, sustainability, and other areas of the Designing DePaul Initiative.”
Community members watch a presentation at the Explore ChiVes event in DePaul’s new Spark Center on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. Curran hopes events like these will spread the word and enable community organizing. The center can fit over 50 people.
JEREMY BATTLE | THE DEPAULIA
Plastic bottles out, hygiene concerns bubble up
By Lina Gebhardt Multimedia Editor
Plastic is everywhere — even in hotel rooms. Since the 1970s, people have come to expect travel-sized toiletries during hotel stays, but starting in 2025, that will change.
The Single-Use Plastic Bottle Act is part of Illinois’ broader effort to reduce plastic waste, especially in the Great Lakes. Sponsored by Democratic State Sen. Laura Fine, the bill was signed into law on Aug. 9, 2024.
The act will require all Illinois hotels with 50 or more rooms to stop distributing travel-sized personal care products in rooms as of July 1, 2025, and those with less than 50 rooms by Jan. 1, 2026. Some chains like Hilton are already phasing out mini bottles in favor of bulk dispensers to reduce waste.
“Nobody wants to be the plastic bottle police,” Fine said, whose district includes several suburbs north of Chicago, told The DePaulia. “For the hotel and motel industries, not only does this look good for them because they’re being greener — but it also saves them money.”
She said Illinois legislators worked closely with the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus and the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association to fine-tune the bill, which had widespread support across the aisle — including from Democratic Rep. Kam Buckner.
“I think about my son who’s two-and-ahalf years old and the fact that we’ve got to do all that we can do to leave (the next generation) with a better environmental and climate situation,” said Buckner, whose district includes Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.
“The passage of this act reflects that Illinois has a commitment to protecting the environment and mitigating the harmful effects of plastic waste,” Buckner said.
While the primary goal of the legislation is to curb plastic waste, some advocates are concerned about how the policy might impact vulnerable communities, including those who are unhoused.
Homelessness in the U.S. rose in 2023. Officials at Lincoln Park Community Services, a 24-hour homeless shelter in Chicago, said they served over 4,000 guests across two facilities last year.
Along with housing and healthcare support, LPCS offers guests care kits which consist entirely of pre-packaged and travel-sized items. “For the convenience of people who are mobile and for sanitation purposes, those (smaller-sized) products are much more valued and preferred,” said Cheryl Hamilton-Hill, the organization’s CEO.
Items that are in high demand at the shelter include shampoo, conditioner, individual bars of soap, razors, feminine products and
diverse hair products. Hamilton-Hill says providing guests with their own products helps maintain a sense of individuality and self-agency during difficult times.
“It’s better to hand someone their own personal items so they’re not in contact with communal spaces of products,” Hamilton-Hill said. “It’s important to provide ownership to something — and that’s important.”
Travel-sized bottles with shampoo and other personal care products are still available at pharmacies and other retailers, especially since the U.S. Transportation Security Administration limits liquids carried onto airplanes to 3.4 ounces.
Illinois’ push to reduce plastic waste goes beyond hotel toiletries, with additional efforts like the ban on polystyrene (styrofoam) products.
As the state works to protect the environment at the legislative level, on the ground level – advocates such as Lydia Stazen, executive director of the Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness, urged lawmakers and the public to consider the impact on unhoused people and to help with solutions.
Illinois’ environmental agenda may pose challenges for facilities like LPCS and advocates like Stazen, who emphasized that access to personal care products for the unhoused is about more than cleanliness—it’s about dignity and ownership.
“Access to hygiene products is important for anyone experiencing homelessness,” Stazen said. “We need to ensure that everyone has a home of their own where they can store all the products they need.”
Cabinet members appointed, membership chair resigns as Student Government Association prepares for fall election
By Sadie Springer SGA Beat Writer
DePaul’s Student Government Association appointed and elected two new positions at its general body meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Senior Madison Comeau was elected as parliamentarian, and sophomore Margo Halbleib as election operation board chair.
“My interest in this position is mainly just upholding election fairness and justice and making sure that the elections are run duly and properly,” Halbleib said. “I’m really specifically passionate about justice and election justice, making sure that is all in due process, and being done correctly and fairly.”
The appointment of the EOB chair position is necessary in determining a timeline for the SGA fall election. The election operations board committee consists of the EOB chair along with four other SGA members that will help facilitate all SGA elections to ensure compliance with election bylaws and processing of election data.
Fall SGA elections will be held in October; however, they have not yet released a timeline. SGA is seeking out representatives for the College of Business and College of Computing and Digital Media, along with representatives for the theater and music schools. The parliamentarian position earned by Comeau oversees the organiza-
tion of all SGA procedures by making sure members follow the SGA Constitution and bylaws.
SGA chief of staff Lily Lauritson will be temporarily taking over the duties of the chair of membership after the resignation of Louis (Will) McRae, the previous holder of this position who won in an uncontest-
ed election in the spring. McRae has not responded for comment on his recent resignation.
“Even if one of us moves the whole GB (General Body) can’t just fall apart. It’s good because we do a good job at delegation and making sure we’re sharing responsibilities,” Smith said.
Chair of campus affairs Cade Primack is leading multiple efforts for both community involvement and service this quarter. The SGA campus affairs committee is hosting a kickball tournament open to DePaul students and staff on Oct 10.
“We thought a kickball event would be a great way to bring all of DePaul together in light of some of the tension on campus. It’s a great way for students to interact with faculty and for faculty to interact with admin,” Primack said.
Primack is also working to promote DePaul’s Vincentian mission of service for the surrounding Chicago communities.
Primack shared plans for a project that would allow “underprivileged” elementary students to attend their classes on the DePaul campus in November and December. He hopes to “get them down to Wintrust” so they can see a basketball game.
In addition, the campus affairs committee plans to take part in a project to reduce food waste by providing excess food from DePaul dining halls to places such as shelters and schools that need additional resources.
“We want to expose as many people as possible to DePaul and what DePaul is” Primack said. “There’s a lot of ways that you can go about it, and this accomplishes that mission, but it also gives back to people who might need a little bit more”
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
A worker holds up a personal hygiene kit, which contains of pre-packaged single-use items, on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, at the Lincoln Park Community Services shelter. Illinois will soon ban single-use plastic bottles from being distributed inside hotel rooms, in an attempt to curb plastic waste.
LINA GEBHARDT | THE DEPAULIA
Presidential debates should be title matches
By Luis Caro Contributing Writer
Editor’s note: This story is a satire piece and does not reflect the opinions of The DePaulia staff. Our publication does not condone violence of any kind, including political violence related to the 2024 presidential election. If you have any concerns regarding this satirical piece, please send them to eic@depauliaonline.com.
I awoke in a cold sweat, visions of the future clouding my mind.
“Elections … presidents … fighting … elections should be a combat sport!”
I immediately dialed my editor.
“What?” She answered the phone in a groggy haze. “Luis, are you alright? That’s possibly the stupidest thing I’ve ev— ....”
She might never understand. But I’m sure you, dear reader, can.
In my mind’s eye, I see the Capitol’s dumb dome replaced with a grand
Thunderdome, entrapping our electoral candidates in glorious combat — a process much fairer and more efficient than our current political process.
I’m sure the last presidential debate is old news to you now. Of the four DePaul students I interviewed, all had at least seen the clips that took over social media, yet none had seen the whole thing. So if young voters don’t watch the debates in full due to their unserious nature, how effective are our debates?
Solutions like punishing excessive topic derailment (sometimes straight-up lies from the candidates) with fees and less air time or an upper age limit (or even a test to differentiate between Volodymyr Zelenski and Vladimir Putin) could ensure candidates could engage in real conversations. Their lack of effectiveness cues disappointment from younger viewers.
Deeksha Chitturi, a DePaul graduate student in marketing analysis, conceded
ers. They should not be a source of public ridicule.
A big step towards fostering more productive debates has been the muting of candidates’ microphones when it’s not their turn to speak, but muting mics doesn’t touch on issues such as making sure our candidates are’t two steps from a nursing home. Which is where title matches come in.
Think about it: one of the biggest payper-view events in history was Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, a boxing match streamed to millions. Doing that with our presidential candidates would probably lead to a debate at least as informative as Harris versus Trump, with half as many comedic distractions.
The student consensus on such a match is clear.
“I’d definitely tune in more,” Leal said. “This would be like watching my grandparents fight.”
“If they were involved in, like, a fight, I would really want to witness that because that’s a real record for the history books,” Bri Batila, a freshman at DePaul’s film school, said.
Even those who might disagree morally give way to its potential effectiveness.
“The only time I deem the showing of violence in the American broadcasting system to be appropriate is in professional hockey — the NHL— particularly when the Blackhawks are playing against the Red Wings,” DePaul sophomore Robert Regan said. “I would say a duel between the candidates for the 2024 presidential election would be shocking. … It may garner more attention.”
Presidential combat would even solve the other issues I mentioned.
Candidates too old to think? That means they would be too old to pack a punch and would soon be packed up by quicker-witted competition.
that she’s not “the best” at keeping up on debates and has mostly seen clips on Instagram and other social media, like the majority of our generation.
“I don’t know if I should say this, but (I’ve seen) lots of memes,” Chitturi said.
“You know the one where Trump says they’ve been eating our cats and dogs?”
Alejandro Leal, a DePaul junior majoring in business, said he watches debates for “comedic purposes.”
“I think they were talking about their golf scores? They’re just not on topic at all,” Leal said.
That golf comment was directed at the first debate this year between our favorite old men — former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden — but the point still stands. Our candidates are immensely off topic.
Debates should be a source of information to potential voters, they should turn the undecided and solidify support-
Batila did add that this method might promote fights in the rest of the country, which would be “not a good thing” and “a sign of bad leadership.”
Regan also said, “I do not deem bloodsports ethical and thereby worth my attention or the attention of any person.”
So, I’ll concede a step. A fight, and then a debate.
There’s too much tension between the candidates anyway. So how about we “get them closure,” as Chitturi said, and move on to the real topics we need to address.
Debates need to move on from pointless bickering. Candidates can either catch the people’s ears by being a clash of policy and ideals or catch their eyes in grand bloodsport.
As for the Thunderdome? I’d say take it out of the defense budget. I doubt they’d notice another trillion gone missing anyway.
The opinions in this section do not necessarily reflect those of The DePaulia staff
YU YU BLUE | THE DEPAULIA
The news never sleeps — even when annoying pop-ups block your view
By Sam Mroz Contributing Writer
I’ve always been a fan of the news. I got my start with health magazines and lifestyle columns, but any new publication my mom ordered became a favorite pastime to open, unfold and finally read.
There were always advertisements parked next to the latest stories. But as a kid with the option to flip from one page to the other, this rarely was an issue. Random furniture ads never stood a chance.
Now, I rely on my phone for essentially everything, especially the media I consume. My favorite papers have turned digital and instead of a single story panel, I’m looking at websites and apps.
Accessing my preferred media had never been easier.
However, a good thing only lasted so long, and like everyone else, I have quickly become overrun with pop-ups — a pesky form of advertising that suddenly appears upon entry to just about any news site. An annoying addition, these ads feel repetitive, misplaced and ultimately destructive to news accessibility.
The world of advertising started changing for good a decade ago. A 2011 report from the Pew Research Center and Forrester Research projected a 40% growth in U.S. digital advertising between 2011 and 2015 alone — and it hasn’t stopped since.
Consumers, like me, learned to endure the five seconds worth of pop-ups to get our daily news updates.
At first, it felt constricting but manageable. Now the ads are so rampant that some news consumers are unnerved and turning against the very media sites they once admired.
“Ads either come too often and discourage me from reading on, or it prevents me from accessing the site entirely,” DePaul senior Walli Baig said. “It takes away its credibility in my eyes.”
In the end, obnoxious or distasteful marketing like this can hurt the reputation of journalism, which relies on credibility and maintaining the public’s trust.
“The problem is bad marketers who ruin it for the rest of us,” said Jacqueline Kuehl, a senior instructor and executive director of the digital marketing program at DePaul’s Driehaus School of Business. “Bad marketers are marketers with a short-term, short-sighted approach, sacrificing user experience for clicks and money.”
It sounds pretty bleak if honest, genuine news outlets are only out to make a quick buck. But the devil’s advocate in me also knows they need to survive, especially as traditional advertising sales from the days of print have plummeted.
Just last year, national publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times laid off hundreds of staff members.
Online sites such as Buzzfeed and Yahoo News faced similar struggles.
So, unfortunate as it is, pop-up adver-
tisements offer some needed support and provide a bit of a lifeline, although online ads don’t bring in as much revenue as tradi tional print ads. When done well, pop-ups can also inform audiences about products they might actually want to learn about.
“If advertisers are not targeting the right message to their target market, then it is very annoying,” Kuehl said. “But the advertisers that do it right, those are the ad vertisers that are not intrusive, and it’s more like inspiring you along your journey.”
If I said I could predict the future of the media, I would be a liar. It’s a field that is constantly changing, whether by the sway of its audience or the economies that support it.
Despite that, I can assume that the industry is currently under some major pressure. Forced into a narrow corridor of tight budgeting and tighter ethics, it’s an avenue that many are trying to navigate.
As a journalist, I approach overstuffed web domains with that knowledge.
As a viewer, I’m less sympathetic because I understand that most readers probably don’t think like I do. Most readers teach, practice law or even pave roads.
They aren’t thinking about why their favorite websites are stuffed with grocery coupons and loyalty reward programs. They are thinking about how hard it is to read their neighborhood beat report, if they’re reading the news at all.
In this instance, I sympathize more with the reader than the journalist.
La DePaulia
‘Siempre habrá mariposas’: Madre mexicana lucha por convertir a Chicago en un espacio más verde
Por Alonso Vidal
Editor Multimedia
Claudia Galeno-Sánchez, una madre inmigrante mexicana, recuerda haber pensado que sería sólo otra noche en su hogar en Pilsen, cuando de pronto escuchó a su hija llorar en el patio trasero. Los susurros de una tormenta acercándose también la tomaron por sorpresa.
Cuando abrió la puerta, encontró a su hija, Claudia Bicchieri, protegiendo a una oruga mientras le suplicaba que la llevara adentro.
Mientras Galeno-Sánchez intentaba disuadirla de llevarla a dentro de la casa, su hija gritó: “¡La tormenta viene! Tenemos que salvarla.”
Como esa oruga, Galeno-Sánchez recuerda alguna vez haberse sentido atrapada.
Sin documentos, tuvo que cruzar la frontera desde México a Estados Unidos escondida en el maletero de un coche. Poco después de instalarse en los EE. UU., su padre falleció.
“Me sentía como en una jaula, sin poder regresar a México, sin poder cruzar fronteras, sin la libertad de volver a mi país,” dijo Galeno-Sánchez.
Al igual que la oruga, Galeno-Sánchez sobrevivió a la tormenta.
Después de ser cuidada y alimentada por madre e hija, la oruga se transformó en la primera mariposa cola de golondrina negra en el patio trasero de Galeno-Sánchez.
Aunque en ese momento no lo sabía, ese fue el primer paso en su misión de darle más espacios verdes a Pilsen y La Villita, gracias a una subvención del Departamento de Salud Pública de Chicago.
“Sus alas le dan la libertad de poder ir, viajar, cruzar fronteras, cruzar países,” dijo Galeno-Sánchez, describiendo a las mariposas monarca, un símbolo para millones de migrantes mexicanos.
Después de criar a la mariposa con su hija, Galeno-Sánchez decidió salvar a más. Fue entonces cuando creó un santuario en su patio trasero.
Comenzó a aprender sobre mariposas y plantas nativas a través de talleres en el “El Valor Guadalupe Reyes Children & Family Center”, donde sus hijos comenzaron su educación temprana, dijo Galeno-Sánchez.
Paso a paso, comenzó a recolectar huevos, plantar más arboles y albergar orugas. Su objetivo era crear “un espacio donde las mariposas pudieran emerger”
después, más miembros de la comunidad se unieron a la iniciativa. Juntos, aprendieron no solo sobre mariposas, sino sobre las plantas nativas, que son un elemento clave en la ruta migratoria de la mariposa monarca hacia México.
Hoy en día, ese grupo de vecinas se conoce como Mujeres Por Espacios Verdes. La organización se solidificó como un proyecto a través del comité de mujeres en Working Family Solidarity (WFS), una organización sin fines de lucro con sede en Chicago.
El grupo tiene como objetivo “unir a mujeres de color de bajos ingresos” para expandir los espacios verdes en vecindarios como Pilsen y La Villita para mejorar las condiciones ambientales locales y salvar a especies en peligro de extinción.
“Urge en Pilsen. Necesita mucha reforestación, como están otros espacios,” dijo Bertha Ontiveros, residente de Pilsen y miembro de Mujeres Por Espacios Verdes.
Ella recordó cómo Galeno-Sánchez “impulsa” a los demás miembros de la comunidad a seguir fomentando el cambio al organizar talleres para enseñar a otros sobre las plantas nativas y la importancia de los espacios verdes en la comunidad, dijo Ontiveros.
“Es difícil y triste decirlo, pero las especies de mariposas, las especies de aves y muchas otras especies animales están desapareciendo”, dijo Galeno-Sánchez.
en su patio trasero como una forma de enseñar a sus hijos sobre la naturaleza durante la pandemia.
Como no podían salir de casa durante ese período, comenzó a pedir a sus vecinos que le trajeran las plantas y herramientas necesarias para crear su santuario.
La noticia se extendió, y poco
Para combatir esto, la organización planta árboles nativos en Pilsen, La Villita y El Barrio de las Empacadoras. Los árboles son esenciales para la supervivencia de estas especies, especialmente plantas como el algodoncillo, que las mariposas necesitan para poner sus huevos y las orugas para alimentarse, dijo Galeno-Sánchez.
Winifred Curran, profesora de la Universidad DePaul, especializada en Geografía, Sistemas de Información Geográfica y Desarrollo Urbano Sostenible, dijo que las plantas nativas no requieren mucha atención en comparación con las plantas no nativas.
ALONSO VIDAL | LA DEPAULIA
Claudia Galeno-Sánchez frente a un mural de mariposas en su casa en Pilsen, 9 de septiembre de 2024
Los hijos de Claudia Galeno-Sanchez exploran la vegetación de River forest junto a otros dos niñas, hijas de miembros de Mujeres Por Espacios Verdes durante la excursión el 7 de septiembre de 2024.
No necesitan tanta agua ni pesticidas, no son invasivas, por lo que pueden coexistir fácilmente con otras plantas y tienen más posibilidades de sobrevivir, explicó.
Los espacios verdes no solo apoyan el medio ambiente, sino también a la comunidad, dijo Galeno-Sánchez.
Mujeres por Espacios Verdes ha realizado talleres con estudiantes en Pilsen, en la Academia Orozco y la Escuela Pública Peter Cooper, para concientizar acerca de la importancia de las plantas nativas. A menudo, estos estudiantes, junto con sus madres y vecinos, ayudan a plantar las plantas nativas donadas por la organización.
Pero para expandir estos talleres a más escuelas, como sueña Galeno-Sánchez, necesitan más expertos que lideren los talleres y un mayor presupuesto, dijo.
“Quiero ayudar al cuidado de la naturaleza. Quiero ayudar a dejarles a ellos, a sus hijos, a sus nietos, un mundo con más árboles, un mundo con más flores, más plantas”, dijo Galeno-Sánchez.
Dado que los árboles y los espacios verdes son más escasos en vecindarios como Pilsen y La Villita, necesitan más recursos en comparación con otras áreas “más adineradas” de Chicago.
“Pilsen y La Villita han sido olvidados, de cierta manera, por la ciudad. Han sido olvidados por el distrito de parques”, dijo Galeno-Sánchez.
Debido a la disponibilidad de trabajos en fábricas, estas áreas han sido históricamente “barrios industriales” y “puertos para inmigrantes” y la clase trabajadora, dijo Curran.
Por esa razón, hay un legado de agua, tierra y aire contaminados, con efectos nocivos en la salud de sus residentes, que continúan hasta el día de hoy, explicó Curran.
La plantación de árboles alivia muchas de estas consecuencias ambientales, según ella. Beneficia la salud física y mental, reduce la contaminación, ayuda a bajar las temperaturas urbanas y limpia el aire para combatir el asma, una enfermedad común en estas comunidades.
Raed Mansour, director de la Oficina de Innovación en el Departamento de Salud Pública de Chicago (CDPH), dijo que la segregación racial ha impedido el desarrollo ambiental en estos barrios. Sin embargo, es optimista sobre el cambio positivo.
“Tomará tiempo corregir estos errores, pero estamos avanzando, un barrio a la vez”, dijo Mansour.
Aunque cree en la necesidad de un cambio, Curran teme que si proviene de la ciudad, la inversión pueda traer gentrificación.
Con la gentrificación ambiental, cualquier inversión en la comunidad podría potencialmente aumentar los valores de las propiedades y el desplazamiento de residentes de largo tiempo. Por lo tanto, “la toma de decisiones debe venir desde el nivel comunitario”, dijo Curran.
“Las personas que han sido afectadas deben decidir la mejor manera de resolver estos problemas. No puede ser una respuesta única dictada por la ciudad”, añadió Curran.
Este año, Galeno-Sánchez fue seleccionada como Tree Ambassador, lo que le dio acceso a una subvención de $14,000 de la ciudad, la mayor que ha recibido hasta ahora de cualquier donante.
El Departamento de Salud Pública de Chicago, en colaboración con la Iniciativa de Árboles de la Región de Chicago del Morton Arboretum (CRTI, por sus siglas en inglés), proporciona capacitación y herramientas a los miembros de comunidades históricamente privadas de árboles para que puedan identificar hasta 100 espacios verdes en propiedades públicas, dijo Melinda Escobar, especialista del Programa de Tree Ambassador.
El programa tiene como objetivo plantar 75,000 árboles en cinco años, dijo Mansour.
Para él, es clave que los miembros de la comunidad, que conocen íntimamente sus vecindarios, lleven a cabo el proyecto y le den forma a su hogar como mejor lo consideren.
“Este no es un programa de la ciudad donde se hace hacia la comunidad o para la comunidad; se hace con la comunidad”, dijo Mansour.
Galeno-Sánchez dijo que con esta subvención también ha podido proporcionar estipendios a los vecinos voluntarios y miembros de Mujeres Por Espacios Verdes que la han ayudado en su misión de encontrar 100 nuevos espacios verdes.
En el futuro, a través de los nuevos espacios verdes, Galeno-Sánchez espera crear empleos para los miembros de la comunidad, para que puedan permitirse quedarse en los barrios actualmente afec -
tados por los altos impuestos a la propiedad.
“Este proyecto no existiría sin toda la ayuda que la gente, la comunidad, nos ha brindado”, dijo la madre.
Galeno-Sánchez ya ha encontrado 70 espacios verdes. Aunque los árboles tardan en crecer y cada año menos mariposas monarca parten de su santuario, dijo que mantiene la esperanza de que los árboles y las plantas nativas en su comunidad ayudarán a que la próxima generación de mariposas prospere.
Ella espera que los colores en las alas
que vio volar por primera vez sigan impresos en las mariposas del año siguiente, incluso, cuando ya no esté para verlas partir.
“Cuando muera, regresaré en forma de mariposa”, dijo Galeno-Sánchez a sus hijos.
“Mamá, voy a ayudarte a seguir plantando árboles. Voy a ayudarte a seguir plantando plantas”, respondió su hijo menor, Leone Bicchieri.
“Siempre habrá mariposas, y siempre estaré contigo”, dijo Galeno-Sánchez a su hijo.
Claudia Galeno-Sánchez se maravilla con una mariposa Monarca que acaba de emerger de su crisálida en su santuario del patio trasero en Pilsen el 9 de septiembre de 2024.
Una miembro de Mujeres Por Espacios Verdes sostiene una oruga de mariposa monarca durante la excursión al Museo Trailside en River Forest el 7 de septiembre de 2024.
Claudia Galeno-Sánchez y su hijo abrazan un árbol durante la excursión de Mujeres Por Espacios Verdes al Museo Trailside en River Forest el 7 de septiembre de 2024
ALONSO VIDAL | LA DEPAULIA
ALONSO VIDAL | LA DEPAULIA
ALONSO VIDAL | LA DEPAULIA
Una niña posa mientras su rostro completa la pintura de una oruga de mariposa monarca durante la excursión al Museo Trailside en River Forest el 7 de septiembre de 2024.
ALONSO VIDAL | LA DEPAULIA
Arts & Life
DePaul Art Museum unveils two Chicago-focused exhibits
By Grace Logan Arts & Life Editor
Passersby who glance into the front window of the DePaul Art Museum are greeted by long rolls of wallpaper cascading from the ceiling. On the first floor, museum attendees view various artworks of diverse mediums completed by Chicago-based artist Edgar Miller (1899–1993) and his collaborators.
The “Edgar Miller: Anti-Modern, 1917–1967” exhibition officially opened its door alongside its companion show, “The Spaces We Call Home,” Sept. 12. These exhibitions will be available until Feb. 23, 2025.
History of Art and Architecture Adjunct Professor Marin R. Sullivan guest curated these exhibitions as part of the city-wide initiative of the Terra Foundation for American Art, “Art Design Chicago.” This initiative works with local artists, art organizations and curators to produce exhibitions that showcase Chicago’s art scene.
Sullivan began working on the “Edgar Miller: Anti-Modern” exhibition about six years ago in partnership with Edgar Miller Legacy, a nonprofit organization that preserves and promotes the works of Miller. Never before has there been a full, retrospective exhibition of Miller’s work that showcases the entirety of his practice, Sullivan said.
“Edgar Miller was not only a Chicago-based practitioner, but also did a lot of work in DePaul’s backyard,” Sullivan said. “He (has) projects in Lincoln Park and in Old Town; it’s not just a local show, it’s a hyper-local exhibition to have at DePaul University.”
Some challenging aspects of putting together this show, Sullivan said, were tracking down Miller’s work – held in different
private and public collections – as well as selecting the piece that could be featured in the museum space offered.
According to Sullivan, DPAM’s permanent collection is home to over 100 works by Miller — the rest of his body of work is either dispersed, fragmented or lost. It was important to Sullivan to represent Miller’s diverse creative output.
“Miller was a polymath, a multifaceted
creative practitioner,” Sullivan said. “An architect, a designer, a curator, a fine artist, an illustrator — he did everything. We really wanted to make sure that everything in the show gave an idea of that.”
According to Executive Director of Edgar Miller Legacy Zac Bleicher, after his death in 1993, Miller’s work fell into obscurity with only hundreds of people remembering him, many of whom lived in the buildings that feature his installations.
“(Miller’s) work has always been public, (but) not necessarily focused on who created it,” Bleicher said. “He was not pushing to have his name published in magazines. He was not writing a teaching manual for his particular art. Nothing like that was ever published.”
In the fall of 2023, Sullivan hosted a class dedicated to the creation of the first single catalog of Miller’s work.
Prior to its publication, there was no primary chronology documenting Miller at length. Emily Bylsma, now working at DPAM, was one of the students involved in the creation of this catalog. In addition to a traditional chronology, Blysma said the students included vignettes to try to encompass more of Miller’s several mediums, multiple collaborations and lived experiences at length.
“We had to go through all sorts of archival materials, reach out to the different places he worked on, and ask them questions
about his life,” Bylsma said. “There was just very little written about him; there was just a paper there, a paper there, a news article here and there. We were able to draw on that and make a pretty complete chronology.”
The companion exhibition, “The Spaces We Call Home” features six contemporary artists and designers who share a connection to Chicago — Azadeh Gholizadeh, Kazuki Guzmán, Ania Jaworska (in collaboration with Zack Ostrowski), Roland Knowlden, Sharon and Guy, and Claudia Weber.
Weber made new work in direct response to Miller for the exhibition.
“(Miller) was challenging the norm and how we live, that intrigues me,” Weber said. “When I have a chance to work with such a space I, of course, jump at it because it is an exciting opportunity to respond.”
Sullivan said she is grateful for the opportunity to put a spotlight back on Miller, his collaborators and his contributions that helped to shape the urban landscape of Chicago.
“There’s a lot that makes people smile in the exhibition and, for me, that always is really welcome these days,” Sullivan said. “My hope is that students will come in. Miller provides a really nice opportunity to think about the ways in which there’s no limits [to art].”
A patron observes a piece by Edgar Miller at DePaul Art Museum’s new exhibit on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. Miller was one of Chicago’s most prominent artists during the 1930s.
WILL ROBSON | THE DEPAULIA
An exhibit at the DePaul Art Museum displays pieces by Edgar Miller on Thursday, September 28, 2024. The exhibit, which opened this month, will be open until the end of February 2025.
WILL ROBSON | THE DEPAULIA
All eyes on the wise of heart: ‘Inherit The Wind’ at Goodman Theatre
By Finn Morse Theater Beat Writer
Many pairs of eyes and ears have witnessed the script of “Inherit the Wind,” a dramatic retelling of the Scopes Monkey Trial — the unprecedented historical trial in which a school teacher was arrested for teaching Darwin’s Theory of Evolution in a small southern town with a strong religious following.
This event was the first radio-broadcasted trial in world history, carrying a message of freedom of mind over personal bias. The entire world was watching this trial, making it seem like the audience themselves were the jury in this battle of political giants. So naturally, the case had to go and become one of the best plays of all time.
Goodman Theatre’s production of “Inherit the Wind” immediately showcases the quality of the production through its set design. A block of miniature buildings sits on a hanging wooden halo looking down on Hillsboro, Tennessee. The slanted circular stage platform mimics a compass, representing a battle of polarizing views, with no way for the audience to determine which way points forward.
Among its other strengths, “Inherit The Wind” soars with its compelling characters who make their contrasting views abundantly clear from their very first scenes.
The two who demonstrate the most dif-
ferences are Matthew Brady, a radically religious presidential candidate (Alexander Gemignani) and E.K. Hornbeck, a smartmouthed liberal reporter (Mi Kang). Everything about these two is different. Hornbeck literally bites into an apple and jokes about it being the fruit of knowledge, while Brady asks for lemonade from the townspeople. Sweet and sour. Their fighting never stops.
The voice of reason is found in the protagonist, a defense lawyer from Chicago named Henry Drummond (Tyler Meredith). He embodies the spirit of progression and freedom of thought. Drummond comes to trial not for the money, but to send a long term message of the importance of thinking for yourself and taking all voices into consideration. By contrast, it is clear that Brady is not on the prosecution out of a need for money, but likely to bolster his political campaign.
The words “inherit the wind” – a reference to a line from the book of Proverbs –are spoken twice – the context in which the words are spoken gives them their meaning. hen one of the characters endangers a family member, Brady says, “He who troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind,” using the biblical passage to diffuse a situation and gain him support from the community.
When Drummond says the title in the final scene of the show, he says the passage in full, adding “...and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.” Brady misunderstood the
meaning of the passage, only retaining one half of the sentence, but by interpreting both pieces of the line – and the argument at trial –Drummond understands the passage.
On top of being an engaging and witty script with detailed characters, every aspect of the 70-year-old show is done to near perfection. Every issue I held with content like the movie and other retellings of the story are repaired or elaborated on.
I’d go as far to say that Goodman Theatre’s version of the play is the best adaptation yet (yes, better than the four-time Oscar nominated movie). The stage play version trims all the fat that the film had, along with
recontextualizing already potent plot beats for a modern audience.
With a generational undertone of children carrying on a positive legacy, and its themes of political urgency, “Inherit The Wind” is a must-see for any audience, especially with an upcoming election. While you’re searching for answers, it might be beneficial to catch one of the best versions of this classic story – perhaps the best one yet.
“Inherit The Wind” can be seen at Goodman Theatre until October 20.
MARA LOGAN | THE DEPAULIA
By Jake Panek Film & TV Beat Writer
Let’s cut to the chase: there has never been anything like “Megalopolis,” and there will never be anything like it. Maybe there shouldn’t be. After all, no Hollywood filmmaker has set the bar for overwrought, unruly passion projects as high as Francis Ford Coppola.
The American director has never been one to keep both feet on the ground in pursuit of extraordinary cinematic visions, regardless of their critical or commercial potential. The production of “Apocalypse Now” was so intense and chaotic that it nearly killed its lead actor, and “One from the Heart” bombed so hard it left Coppola bankrupt and in debt for over a decade.
Despite all of that, “Megalopolis” might actually be his most unbelievable achievement yet. Coppola spent more than 40 years and his own $120 million dollar fortune on this Roman epic set in modern America, and the result is as bewildering as it is astounding. “Megalopolis” is a maddeningly radical antithesis to the homogenized state of studio filmmaking and our society as a whole, and a psychotically beautiful fantasy unlike anything in my lifetime.
The film follows Cesar Catalina (Adam
This will no doubt be one of the most polarizing films of this year, this decade and of Coppola’s entire body of work.”
Jake Panek
Film & TV Beat Writer
Driver), an architect determined to build a better future in the declining metropolis of New Rome. Armed with the mystery material Megalon and the ability to stop time, his utopian vision is met with opposition from the corrupt, reactionary mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito). But when Franklyn’s debutante daughter Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel) takes an interest in Cesar and his plans, a debate is sparked about what the future will and should hold for humanity.
On paper, the narrative of “Megalopolis” is fairly simple, true to its subtitle of being “a fable.” But in action, there’s a relentlessly feverish and experimental quality to how it unfolds. The loose, improvisational methods Coppola practiced in composing this behemoth lead to some of the most boundary pushing ideas I’ve ever seen on an IMAX screen - especially
From construction beams dangling above the city to a popstar singing about her virginity alongside her holographic clones, the amount of brilliant images and bizarre details crammed into this film is staggering. The hybrid of fantastically artificial CGI and elaborate production design is even more unreal. Even with how strongly its singular aesthetic clicked with me, it didn’t make any one of these 138 minutes any less dizzyingly dense.
Shia LaBeouf is maybe perfectly cast as Cesar’s demented cousin Clodio Pulcher, but my favorite character in the film has to be Aubrey Plaza’s insatiable news reporter Wow Platinum. Everyone in this massive ensemble cast might as well be in a different movie, but every performance is still endlessly entertaining.
As a vanity project and soapbox for its rich 85 year old director, it’s just as absurd. Cesar acts as a blatant self-insert for Coppola — he’s literally described as an eccentric mad scientist with a dream that could kill everyone. Coppola’s Randian idealism is wildly naive at best, but the sheer romanticism and hopefulness radiating from this film is genuinely transcendent.
This will no doubt be one of the most polarizing films of this year, this decade and of Coppola’s entire body of work. But whether you think it’s a mess or a masterpiece (or both), there’s no denying that the mere existence of “Megalopolis” is a major feat. It’s as essential a reminder as ever of the unlimited potential of the art form of cinema.
GISELLE CALDERON | THE DEPAULIA
Riot Fest brings discourse to Douglass Park
By April Klein Asst. Arts & Life Editor
Douglass Park streets were bustling as streams of visitors to the 19th annual Riot Fest once again took over the area this past weekend. An estimated 50,000 attendees worked their way to the south side of the city each day of the three-day fest.
Irene Tostado, communications director for the Chicago Parks Department, estimated that the festival would bring in $675 thousand in revenue for the city.
“Riot Fest meets the requirements for the Park Enhancement Fund, newly created to allocate 10% of the revenue from multi-day, permitted events with a daily attendance of 3,000 or more and reinvest it directly into the park that hosted the event,” Tostado said.
This success was not without tension, however — some residents of Douglass Park said that they were unhappy with the way Riot Fest took hold of the area for several weeks, including the construction of the festival grounds, the festival itself, and the cleanup efforts afterwards.
Local business owners were also unsatisfied with the crowds, whose size often
blocked regular customers’ ability to access said businesses. This can leave the more vulnerable enterprises to struggle with finances.
When asked by The DePaulia about such concerns, Riot Fest emphasized their “Beyond the Fest” initiative, a push by the organization to promote local Chicago businesses and the area surrounding the festival. Alderwoman of the 24th Ward Monique Scott also cited this initiative as a reason to support the neighborhood through the festival.
Eli Buie, a senior at DePaul, was drawn to the fest because of the community offerings and Douglass Park itself.
“I’m a big fan of the Weeping Willow pond area,” Buie said. “It’s very meditative and therapeutic.”
While the park was a draw, the alternative demographics of Riot Fest’s audience also inspired visitors to purchase on the minimum $270 weekend pass.
“I thought it would be a great opportunity to communicate with awesome like-minded individuals,” Buie said. “If I had the time and the money, I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.”
CAREER FAIRS
A volunteer clean-up member rests in the center of Douglass Park on Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. Riot Fest is held in Douglass Park for a total
APRIL KLEIN | THE DEPAULIA
“Spinning
St.Vincent’s
D e JAMZ
freSh beatS Since 1581”
By Lucia Preziosi Content Managing Editor
I am no stranger to public transportation. You could catch me complaining about a F train delay (in the same way my father still does) at 11 years old on the way home from middle school. I’ve had quite a few cries on the Q train on the hour-and-a-half commute home from my high school in South Brooklyn. I’ve also had some early mornings and late nights on the Brown Line. Despite moving cities, public transportation is a comforting consistency. Even though a crowded, slow train might be the cherry on top of a terrible day, I often find undeniable peace on my commutes. It is a great time to take a breath, look out the window and listen to some amazing music. The train has always taken me in, no matter my state. This DeJamz is dedicated to the years I have spent on the subway, and the tunes that have accompanied me along the way.
PROM/KING, Saba
Even as a teenager on the East Coast, I so often gravitated to Chicago-area rap.
I have been listening to Saba since I had to rely on the 4 train to get to Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center in my high school commute. I think one morning I listened to this song, on repeat, the whole time. Saba is an artist. He is a poet. There is no debate that Saba’s artistic prose isn’t basic hip-hop. This song follows Saba through his teenage years in Chicago, with some of the slang closely resonating to my upbringing. Every time it comes on it sounds like a rainy evening. I am probably exhausted, but I know that the train is about to take me home.
Chicago, Sufjan Stevens
This song is taken directly from my playlist called “The L” that I made in anticipation of moving to Chicago for college. Covid-19 meant my senior year was in my room. This song was a saving grace, repeatedly offering a glimpse into what my life was about to turn into. In a monotonous, lonely time in my life, this beautiful tune made the dark F train seem like it was riding all the way to the Midwest. This song is still a comfort for me and I still can’t help but smile when it comes on during my new commute
Crossword
on the Brown Line. It offers me such a unique perspective while appreciating where I am at this moment.
Lovers Do, The Brummies
Let’s get personal. By that I mean let’s chat about high school trauma. You know when you’re 15, you date someone for a month then it absolutely ruins your whole existence? Some of the only peace that melodramatic lil ‘ol me coming home from musical theater rehearsal (PIT orchestra just to be clear) would have would be on the long commute home, listening to this song. It has stuck with me since 2017, and a rush of solitude overtakes me when the opening melody starts. It may even scientifically lower your heart rate, but I’m just a girl.
ACROSS
1) On one’s toes
6) Developer’s map
10) Hard knocks upside the head
14) Unusual collectible?
15) Grain holder on a farm
16) Assortment of stuff
17) Reward for an outstanding investor 20) Con
21) Color subtlety
22) Societal no-nos
23) Disobeyed a zoo sign?
24) Most like King Solomon
25) Flowering ornamental shrub
29) Exclusive
30) Break one of the Ten Commandments
31) Lass
32) Chickens and ducks, e.g.
36) Transportation choice in Chicago
39) Dress in India
40) Have confidence in (with “on”)
41) Tractor handle?
42) Bulk beer purchase
43) Mixes smoothly
44) Certain iron, in golf
47) Sauce variety
48) Caterpillar case
49) “Eureka!” relative 50) On the briny
54) Privilege for some producers
57) Italian money of old 58) _ out a living (barely scraped by)
59) Certain meat cut 60) “All in the Family” producer Norman
61) Addition column
62) Moms’ relatives?
Marcy Me, Jay-Z
I am overjoyed to finally present you some Jay-Z in DeJamz. It has been long overdue. One thing I can attest to is that nothing makes you feel more unstoppable and confident than listening to some New York City rap on your commute. Blast it, I mean max volume blast it, preferably in some Beats Solo 3’s and implement a strut, just a mild one. Suddenly Harold Washington Library/Van Buren is your very own fashion week. I think Jay-Z is the perfect artist to complete this mood and will remind you of the energy you need to survive in the city. Not only survive, but thrive!
DOWN
1) Tablet brand
2) Hilo feast
3) Blows it
4) Irritate
5) Part of a Happy Meal
6) Prefix meaning “false”
7) Dietary, in ads
8) Late rhyming boxing champ
9) Mexican snack
10) Frigid, molded dessert
11) Unnatural bread spreads
12) Burgundy grape
13) Drunkards
18) Perlman of “Cheers”
19) “_ on Down the Road”
23) Greek cheese
24) Fret
25) Air force heroes
26) “J’accuse” author
27) Affirm
28) Jeans name
29) Emulate a crab
31) “Silly” birds
32) Hightail it
33) “A Prayer for_ Meany”
34) Mr. Cleaver of
classic TV
35) Caustic cleaning supplies
37) Thing on an HO scale
38) One way to stand by
42) Chinese dynasty during Confucius’ time (var.)
43) Crude dude
44) Daring
45) Ghana capital
46) Kind of battery
47) Place for rakes and shovels
48) Kind of phone
49) Baker’s necessity
50) Eastern pooh-bah
51) Con artist’s operation
52) Volcano in Sicily
53) Tries to get an answer
55) Eisenhower’s nickname
56) “Catholic” ending
Peyton’s Power Hour: Derrick Rose’s retirement
By Peyton Hopp Asst. Sports Editor
There is lots of nostalgia currently felt by Chicago Bulls fans. Derrick Rose, one of the Bulls’ best players, announced his retirement on Sept. 26 after playing 16 seasons. Even though he hasn’t played for the Chicago Bulls since the 2015-16 season, Rose remains a prominent sports figure in Chicago.
Why does he mean a lot to Chicago? In the 2010-11 season, the Chicago Bulls went as far as the conference finals. The last time they went that far, they won their sixth championship in the 1997-98 season.
That same season, Rose became the youngest player in NBA history to be named Most Valuable Player at 22 years old. After that season, some fans said that Rose was the next Michael Jordan for Chi-
cago basketball.
Derrick Rose is one of the reasons I started watching the NBA, and why it’s my favorite sport to this day. He played alongside other Bulls greats like Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and Taj Gibson in the 2010s under head coach Tom Thibodeau, and times were good back then.
Rose kept the game fun with his amazing dunks and fast plays. He also gave Chicago fans hope that they could possibly go as far as a championship. Even though that didn’t come into fruition, his playoff runs and the plentiful highlight reels of him are great to look back on.
My favorite Rose memory is when he hit the game winning shot in game three of the 2014-15 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center. He hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer, and everyone in the arena
went berserk (besides Cleveland). This was the last time the Bulls made it to the playoffs with Rose before he was traded to the New York Knicks in 2016.
Rose was a Chicago kid, born and raised in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. He was drafted to his hometown team, and instantly became a star. But in 2012, during a playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Rose tore his ACL. Many people say that he was not the same after this injury.
He sat out for the whole 2012-13 season, and many people wonder to this day what would have happened if he never tore his ACL. Would he have become MVP again? Could he have beaten LeBron James and his playoff runs with the Heat and Cavaliers? Could he have helped the Bulls to a championship? Lots of questions float in the air during talks about Rose.
While it was a bummer that the ACL injury happened, people love to reminisce on his years with the Bulls. Alongside the MVP, he was Rookie of the Year in the 2008-09 season and a three time All-Star. He also helped the Bulls get to the playoffs six times out of the eight seasons he played with them. The Bulls didn’t go far in many of their playoff runs with him, but witnessing Rose and his incredible play made fans hopeful and excited for a possible seventh championship.
Seeing a player stay in their hometown and achieve great things with their team is an amazing thing to watch. Many of us (aka me) wish he could have signed with the Bulls for one more year and retired with them, but Derrick Rose deserves to retire on his own terms. He will forever be a Chicago Bulls icon, and I will be there when the Bulls retire his jersey.
After Knudsen OK, new basketball practice facility one step closer
Chicago’s 43rd Ward Alderman Timmy Knudsen announced his formal support for DePaul’s new basketball practice facility in a letter to constituents Friday, Sept. 27.
The new $60 million basketball practice facility is planned for the northwest corner of North Sheffield Avenue and West Belden Avenue, across the street from Sullivan Athletic Center and McGrath-Phillips Arena.
“Today, two years after we began, I am proud to announce my office’s formal support of the Proposed Depaul Facility,” Knudsen said in his letter. “In doing so, we introduce a comprehensive Plan of Operation that represents the largest renegotiation of DePaul’s Planned Development since it was created decades ago. The commitments made therein represent a balanced win for the success of DePaul and the future of our community.”
According to DePaul’s Dream Big Campaign Website, DePaul men’s and women’s basketball will move their training, practices, and operations across the street from the Sullivan Athletics Center to the new facility. It will have dedicated practice courts for each basketball program as well as team dining space, nutrition bar, new sports medicine treatment spaces and offices, hydrotherapy, a weight room, and multi-purpose meeting rooms.
“The new facility will provide our student-athletes with a cutting-edge training environment where they can thrive academically and athletically,” Director of Athletics DeWayne Peevy said on X.
DePaul first announced the plans to build a brand new basketball practice facility
in August 2023, but made changes to them in April 2024 due to environmental and preservation concerns for the community.
“In addition to their investment in making an environmentally sound building, I am proud to share that DePaul has agreed to my office’s request that they install a significant number of electric vehicle charging stations on campus,” Knudsen said. “These stations will be accessible to the public and operated by a vendor selected by the university.”
The updated plans from April included bird-friendly glass and rooftop solar panels which will “decrease energy use by more than 10%.”
“This project has long been a shared dream for many,” Peevy said. “DePaul Athletics is grateful for 43rd Ward Alderman Timmy Knudsen’s continued partnership
and leadership in bringing our university’s vision to reality. Throughout every phase, we have remained committed to engaging our Lincoln Park community, ensuring their voices are heard and feedback is incorporated wherever possible.”
In the letter to constituents, Knudsen stated that DePaul has agreed to several items in regards to the community and preservation of certain buildings.
“After careful negotiation, we’ve secured a groundbreaking commitment from DePaul to invest in the formal landmarking of the exteriors of Byrne Hall and Cortelyou Commons,” Knudsen said. “Byrne Hall and Cortelyou Commons are each neighborhood assets with historical significance. DePaul has also committed to preserving O’Connell Hall for future generations with
an investment of several million dollars in maintaining its historic facade and other necessary upgrades.”
Knudsen also said that when the process began that there was “no commitment to preservation or long-term investments on campus.” He also said that these commitments made by DePaul were “integral to the success of the development.”
According to Knudsen’s letter to constituents, the proposed facility has received support from others in the community as well.
The Wrightwood Neighbors Association supported the proposed facility by a nearly unanimous board vote.
“It is crucial for DePaul to remain competitive to attract students,” the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. “We agree that this strategic investment in their athletics department will enhance the overall reputation of DePaul on a national level. A healthy and competitive DePaul University is vital for the vibrancy and health of Lincoln Park. It is an integral part of our neighborhood and supporting their growth will ensure that Lincoln Park remains a dynamic and desirable place to live and visit.”
The next steps for the project according to the “Plan of Operation” are: DePaul will file an application for zoning approval on or around Wednesday, Oct. 2, then it will be introduced to the Chicago City Council. Next, the Chicago Plan Commission will hold a public hearing and issue a recommendation on the project. Then, the City Council Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards will hold a public hearing and issue their recommendation for the project. Finally, the City Council will hold a public meeting to vote on the project.
Timmy Knudsen, 43rd Ward Alderman, talks during a press conference in April 2023. Knudsen formally approved DePaul’s proposed basketball practice facility on Friday, Sept. 27, in an email to constituents.
FILE PHOTO
By Nick Palazzolo Men’s Basketball Beat Writer
Coach Holtmann wants to connect — with you
By Nick Palazzolo
Men’s Basketball Beat Writer
New DePaul men’s basketball head coach Chris Holtmann is looking to do more than just build a winning team on the court. Holtmann and his team are looking to build meaningful, personal connections with students and the DePaul community off the court.
Since Holtmann was hired in March, his presence has been very apparent in the DePaul community.
That is intentional.
“We have to engage with our students, and then we have to put a product out there that’s exciting,” Holtmann said in an interview with The DePaulia.
Tim Anderson, a DePaul alum, coled the student section at men’s basketball games last year. He was typically found in a costume of Steve Harrington from Stranger Things.
Anderson said that he was eager to meet Holtmann for the first time. But to his surprise, Holtmann already knew who he was before meeting him.
“He had done his homework and made sure to know who he needed to connect with when he arrived,” Anderson, who met Holtmann at a DePaul softball game in April, said. “We spoke about building a connection with the student body and helping change the perception of basketball at DePaul with the current generation of students.”
Holtmann’s impact has already been felt in the community before his team has even taken the court for the first time.
“I think he knows how important it is to build a culture on campus,” DePaul junior Ethan Brock said. “From things like ‘Coffee with Coach’ to just showing his face on campus, it’s helping shine a light on our (men’s) basketball program which has been ‘dead’ for about 20 years.”
DePaul is coming off a season where they finished last in the Big East conference. DePaul also has not been to the NCAA March Madness tournament since the 2003-04 season.
DePaul fans and students are hungry for a competitive product to consume.
Holtmann said he wants that for the community too.
“I want us to be a relevant program in the highest levels of college basketball,” Holtmann said. “I want to be a program that people look at and they say this is a program that is relevant in today’s climate and enjoyable to watch.”
Holtmann said he also recognizes the challenges of Wintrust Arena being a 25-minute bus ride from DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus.
“We have some incentives in place,” Holtmann said.
Students may wonder: What kind of incentives?
“We’re going to have a post-game picture together with the entire student section that’s at every game, after every win,” Holtmann said. “After every win, we are going to provide food for all the students. I’m fine if that comes out of my personal bank account.”
However, do not expect Holtmann to cook for you. He said he does not cook for his own team when he has them over to his home for team dinners.
“They would not eat what I cook,” Holtmann said smiling. “I cannot cook. My wife can cook, but we usually cater.”
The need for community, he added, starts with his own team.
I want us to be a relevant program in the highest levels of college basketball.”
Chris Holtmann
DePaul’s
Men’s
Basketball Head Coach
“We just want them in a home setting as much as possible, as they’re away from home,” Holtmann said. “That is important to us. They’re more than just players.”
Holtmann knows the importance of building a community that extends beyond Wintrust Arena and inside the classroom as well.
“(The players are) going to be in class with other students who might have never gone to a college basketball game,” Holtmann said. “They’re going to engage with them and I think it’s going to create an energy.”
The community relationships that Holtmann is working to build are noticeable.
“Coach Holtmann has already spent more time engaging the student body, the community and local media than I have ever witnessed,” Anderson said.
For Holtmann, the goal is clear: create a culture where students are more than spectators but active participants in the team’s success.
“We want them (students) to feel personally invested in our success,” Holtmann said.
DePaul head coach Chris Holtmann directs his players during morning practice on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in the Sullivan Athletic Center. Holtmann was formerly a Big East Coach of the Year.
JEREMY BATTLE | THE DEPAULIA