Chicagomaroon011618

JANUARY 16, 2018

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892

VOL. 129, ISSUE 21

Sig Ep Disaffiliates and Re-Brands as Epsilon Club

BY EMILY MAO NEWS REPORTER

The University’s Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep) fraternity chapter has disaffiliated from its national organization and rebranded as the “Epsilon Club.”

The statement of disaffiliation established that economic reasons played a motivating role behind disaffiliation. The history page on their new website reads: “In forming an independent organization, we were also able to lower dues by 37 percent and thus reduce the barriers to entry for low-income students and further improve the diversity of our organization.”

The vast majority of members supported disaffiliation, but chap-

ter leadership acknowledged that the vote was divisive enough that some members decided to leave on “amicable” terms.

“In 2017, 83 percent of the members of the chapter decided to withdraw their membership from the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity and form an independent organization that is built on the foundations of the culture, camaraderie and traditions of our local chapter’s alumni,” the club’s website reads.

The Epsilon Club hopes to remain integrated in the Greek culture on campus, since their motivations for disaffiliating stem mainly from conflicts with the national organization, not UChicago’s Greek community.

Sophia Corning

Continued on page 3

Law School’s Exoneration Project Gets Murder Charges Dropped

BY EMILY MAO NEWS REPORTER

Alexandra Nisenoff

The Epsilon Club at its 62nd and Ellis location.

Grounds of Being Releases Documents, Holds Forum

BY SPENCER DEMBNER NEWS REPORTER

As Grounds of Being (GoB) defends its status publ icly against the Divinity School administration’s call for rent, G oB and the Div inity Students Association ( DSA) put out a new timeline of events last week, which claims Divinity School Dean Laurie Zoloth “raise[d] the possibility of a Starbucks in the basement” during a November 16 discussion and said the coffee shop’s existence was in question.

The document, posted on the two g roups’ website on January 12, include a detailed timeline of rent negotiations since June, as well as e-mail exchanges with Zoloth. On the same day, around 80 Divinity School students, faculty, and community members attended a public forum GoB hosted on its future in the Divinity School.

GoB has been in negotiations over rent payments to the Divinity School since last June. They began following a Continued on page 2

Murder charges were dropped last week against Thomas Sierra, who spent 22 years in prison, following legal efforts by the Exoneration Project, a pro bono legal clinic at UChicago Law School.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office dropped charges against Sierra on January 9 after determining that the evidence presented in his 1997 trial did not meet the burden of proof.

At the age of 19, Sierra was convicted for the gang-related murder of Noel Andujar, who died in the backseat of a car during a Logan Square shooting.

After eyewitnesses Alberto Rodriguez and Jose Melendez identified Sierra as the gunman, Sierra was sentenced to 45 years in prison. But both eyewitness say they were pressured by former Chicago Police Detective Reynaldo Guevara to identify Sierra.

Doubts about Guevara’s credibility heightened during a recent revisit of his testimony against abuse allegations from Gabriel Solache and Arturo Reyes, who both claimed Guevara coerced false confessions out of them in

their 1998 double murder conviction. There, Cook County Judge James Obbish labeled Guevara a “bold-faced” liar, undeserving of credibility as a witness.

As cases determining Guevara’s illegitimacy surfaced last spring, Sierra contacted the Exoneration Project, a UChicago-based free legal clinic that offers representation to those wrongfully accused. Exoneration Project At-

torney Josh Tepfer explained to The M aroon during a phone call interview why his team took Sierra’s case: “Thomas had been contacting me and my colleagues [saying] that he had been another victim of this rogue and corrupt detective from the Chicago police department… [and] the witnesses who originally claimed that they identified Continued on page 3

Courtesy of the Chicago Sun-Times

Thomas Sierra addresses the press after his charges are dropped.

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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 16, 2018

Events 1/16–18

Early Action Applications Surge at Harris

Today UChicago MLK Celebration 2018 with Dorothy Butler Gilliam Rockefeller Memorial Chapel, 6–7:30 p.m., free.

Dorothy Butler Gilliam, the first African American woman to work as a Washington Post reporter, will give this year’s keynote address in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Opening Reception for Lewis Achenbach: The Sonic Story Logan Café, Logan Center for the Arts, 7:30–9:30 p.m., free.

Chicago artist Lewis Achenbach is a fixture in Chicago’s jazz rooms and festivals, where he works to do the impossible: capture the elusive artform of jazz in visual form. The Sonic Story showcases some of Achenbach’s extensive portfolio of jazz paintings and portraits.

Wednesday Offen Poetry Reading by Duriel Harris Seminar Terrace 801, Logan Center for the Arts, 6–7 p.m., free.

Duriel Harris selects a student from a group of anonymous submissions to read their original work. Harris will read her work as well.

Thursday UChicago LEADS Lunch with Michele Rasmussen Reynolds Club, 12–1 p.m., free.

Dean Rasmussen will discuss the leadership challenges and successes women encounter in the STEM fields. Lunch is provided; people of all genders welcome.

Party at the Smart: Radioactive Smart Museum, 8–10 p.m., free.

Inspired by the anniversary of the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction, the Smart Museum will present performances and exhibits which reflect on the dawn of the nuclear age. Included in the lineup are original songs and dance routines, a circus performance, and a glow-in-the-dark poster-making activity.

CITIZEN BULLETIN Kwame Raoul, the son of Haitian immigrants and Hyde Park’s representative in the State Senate, responded this week to disparaging comments reportedly made by Donald Trump. “I don’t think there’s any apologizing out of this. He’s demonstrated himself to be unfit, unknowledgeable about the history of this country and the history of contributions that immigrants, particularly Haitian immigrants, have made to this country.”

Find more at chicagomaroon.com/contributor/citizen-bulletin.

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Courtesy of University of Chicago

Harris School Dean Katherine Baicker.

BY JAKE BIDERMAN NEWS REPORTER

Early Action applications to the Harris School of Public Policy surged by 168 percent this year, following a recent upward trend in applications.

The 2017 class is currently the largest in the school’s history, after a 42 percent increase in applications last

year. A similar rise is expected this year after the final deadline passes in March.

“We’re on track for an increase in applications of about 30 percent,” said Ranjan Daniels, Harris Associate Dean of Student Recruitment and Global Outreach.

Harris had 1,505 applicants last cycle and expects to receive about 2,000

applications this time around.

Daniels attributed the increase in interest mainly to the current political atmosphere. “There’s a lot going on in the world in terms of very heated debates about public policy and politics,” Daniels said. “Harris hasn’t changed since November of last year. The world may have, but our approach to public Continued on page 3

Professors Receive Diversity Leadership Awards

BY ANNABELLE RICE NEWS REPORTER

Three members of the University community will be honored with Diversity Leadership Awards during the annual MLK commemoration on Tuesday.

The recipients are Randolph Stone, Sunny Fischer (A.M. ‘82), and Scott Cook, who will be honored for demonstrating unparalleled advocacy for underrepresented communities.

Stone, a clinical professor of law at UChicago, founded the Criminal Juvenile Justice Project (CJJP) as a collaborative platform with law and social work students. The project focuses on defending children and young adults and ensuring

fair treatment under juvenile and criminal law policy.

Stone also serves on the board of Youth Advocate Programs Inc. and the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. The CJJP was primarily created on a local scale to counteract the spread of harmful, criminalizing stereotypes towards black children, and to help instigate broader change regarding the manifestation of these stereotypes in courtroom practices.

Fischer is dedicated to funding businesses with female leadership and gender diversity as executive director of the Sophia Fund—the first private women’s foundation exclusively concerned with women’s issues. In addition, Fischer

co-founded the Chicago Foundation for Women, and played equally influential roles in the Women’s Funding Network and Chicago Women in Philanthropy.

Her mission also concerns the stereotypes surrounding public housing and low-income neighborhoods, which she challenged by founding Chicago’s own National Public Housing Museum. The museum uses exhibitions of public housing residents’ art and culture to invoke a deeper understanding of race, poverty, and the necessity of social justice.

Scott Cook, an employee of the University of Chicago Medical Center and Biological Sciences Division, found his philanthropic passion in universalizing Continued on page 3

Grounds of Being Resists Call for Rent Continued from front

budget change which includes the cost of space in divisional budgets.

The coffee shop released an open letter on its discussions with Divinity School administration on January 3 and has been vocal about the need for public input on its future.

Just a few weeks after the Starbucks comment, negotiations broke down following a December 5 e-mail from Zoloth.

The shop posted photos of the e-mail, which appears to misunderstand the shop’s bargaining position, and claims a clarifying e-mail was never answered.

Participants in the forum had diverging ideas about strategy going forward. Some felt that excessive blame on Divinity School administrators was unfair, but several others argued for using public pressure as leverage with the Divinity School.

“There is a power differential that’s

Courtesy of McGuire Igleski & Associates

Grounds of Being Coffee Shop, in the basement of Swift Hall. extreme,” said Divinity School professor Simeon Chavel. “There is an issue about how exactly to leverage [public attention] so you provide some form of balance to the conversation.”

Other concrete proposals included

the establishment of a faculty committee to advocate for GoB or mediate with administrators, and a plan to fundraise from alumni on the shop’s behalf.

The University could not be reached before publication.

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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 16, 2018

Sig Ep Disaffiliates Continued from front

Varshant Dhar, president of the Epsilon Club, along with Chaplain Will Darling and various members of the Epsilon Club, wrote to The Maroon: “Both alumni and current members express a general sense of apathy towards the national organization, as well as a general discomfort towards the implicit association we have with Sig Ep chapters across the nation. There are also many of us who feel that nationals imposes an unreasonable financial strain on our operations which inhibit our recruitment efforts, and our ability to hold member events.”

“Our decision isn’t the result of a specific incident,” Dhar said. “It’s the product of years of deliberation, voting, revoting, and consideration.

This just happens to be the year when the motion passed.”

He said disaffiliation has been discussed informally among members for years.

“This issue came up at least once every year for the past 20 odd years. And while we haven’t been holding parliamentary style debates at chapter, brothers have talked amongst each other about this issue for some time. In terms of the actual logistics, we spent last quarter holding chapter presentations from both sides, and then took a vote. Once the motion passed, we contacted nationals and they provided us with the necessary paperwork.”

A final vote came after months of deliberations. While the majority of members voted in favor of disaffiliation, Dhar said, “Some of [the dissenting members] came around to the idea of the Epsilon Club, and now endorse the move wholeheartedly. Those who haven’t [have] left the organization on amicable terms.”

As the club moves in a new direction, Dhar said he hopes to preserve the chapter’s best traditions.

“We always try to provide a welcoming and relaxed social environment. And with our new in-

dependence, we hope to improve upon that standard,” he said. “For starters, we remade our yearly Student Excellence Scholarship into a $500 grant for first-years.” The Student Excellence Scholarship is an annual sponsorship rewarded by upperclassmen to chosen first-years determined as high achieving and promising members.

In November, the National Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon announced a ban on alcohol at social events. This is a common policy for national fraternities, though it is often disregarded.

Despite the close timing between the announcement and the chapter’s disaffiliation, Dhar insisted that the change held a trivial impact on the club’s ultimate decision.

The Epsilon Club plans to continue hosting social events, and the club’s leadership said they have been working on their sexual assault and harassment policy.

“Our new sexual assault and harassment policy will be signed by every member of the Epsilon Club’s executive board. It’s built from the original FCS [Fraternities Committed to Safety] policy, but includes new articles that address predatory behaviors and sexual misconduct,” Dhar said.

While developing their policies, the Epsilon Club sought counsel from Co-President of the Phoenix Survivors Alliance Simone Brandford-Altsher, who helped construct provisions.

Dhar concluded by saying that he hopes this new independence will guide the club away from the worst elements of Greek culture at the University.

“We hope to maintain the same relationships with UChicago’s Greek community as we have in the past,” Dhar said. “That being said, we also hope this move will be the first of many to craft an organization that might surpass the toxicity of current Greek culture, while preserving its good qualities.”

Harris School Applications on Track to Increase by 30% Continued from page 2

policy—data-driven, evidence based, multidisciplinary, looking at a host of different disciplines to come to the best policy solutions—I think one could say right now that that’s resonating with young people.”

Hal f of Ha r r is students are international, a proportion that Daniels anticipates w i l l rema i n consta nt once this year’s application process comes to an end. “ We expect an even mix between U. S. and inter national students,” Daniels said.

“We want to show diversity in terms of students of color and underrepresented minorities...

I think it will provide a richer experience for students if we have a student body that represents the vast diversity of the policy landscape.”

The class of 2018 will be the first to utilize the Keller Center, the construction of which is meant to accommodate the growing number of students

matriculating at Harris. The center, which is a renovation of what was formerly New Graduate Residence Hall, is currently under construction and is scheduled to be completed by the end of this calendar year.

Named after donors Dennis and Connie Keller, the Center will be the new main building for Harris classes, speakers, and events.

T he constr uction of the building is designed to accommodate the rapidly growing number of students matriculating each year. Harris is currently the second-largest graduate program at the University of Chicago after the Booth School of Business.

Daniels described Harris as currently being in the “fourth i n n i ng ” of the appl ication process. Round One, the next round of applications, will close on January 23, followed by Round Two on March 20.

Professors Honored on MLK Day for Diversity

Courtesy of University of Chicago

From left to right: Sunny Fischer, Randolph N. Stone, and Scott Cook.

Continued from page 2

culturally conscious health care and minimizing health care inequality.

Cook serves as deputy director of Finding Answers, a national program that promotes healthcare equity by targeting payment and delivery system issues in need of reform. Cook

expressed gratitude for his reception of the Diversity Leadership Award.

“I am humbled by receiving the award,” he told T he M aroon.

“There are so many people who are doing tremendous work and making sacrifices to advance diversity, inclusion, and equity.”

Regina Dixon-Reeves, assis-

tant vice provost for diversity and inclusion, hailed the three advocates for demonstrating “inclusive excellence valued by the University of Chicago.”

The commemoration will take place on Tuesday in Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at 6 p.m.

Obama Center Hosts Open House

BY EMMA DYER NEWS REPORTER

The exhibition team tasked with designing the Obama Presidential Center museum hosted a community forum Monday evening at the Experimental Station, inviting the public to learn more about the Center’s plans for the museum’s creative direction. The forum allowed community members to provide feedback on the Foundation’s current plans directly to the exhibition team.

Structured as an informal open house, people of all ages mingled over coffee and cookies before the first presentation, which overviewed the exhibition plans. Louise Bernard, director of the museum for the Obama Center and the creative design team Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA), presented the exhibition’s aims.

“We are really thinking about building a presidential museum for the future,” Bernard said to the crowded room. “What does it mean to create a space that will draw peo-

ple in and to really help them think and understand what it means to be part of the United States?”

The entire back wall of the Experimental Station room consisted of a blackboard, where attendees were encouraged to write their thoughts on citizenship and suggestions for the exhibition team about the museum.

Poster displays with plans and maps lined the far wall, and the official three-dimensional, six-foot Obama Center design diorama was brought out for public viewing.

The exhibition team plans to digitize as many artifacts and documents from the museum in order to increase accessibility to the museum’s resources, Bernard said.

Creative technologist Hans Neubert, a member of the exhibition team, will be working as an intermediary of sorts, utilizing technology to actualize his team members’ desire to create an interactive visitor experience and a digital platform which will make museum resources more accessible to the public.

Neubert described the impor-

tance of sharing Barack Obama’s story throughout the exhibition while discussing the development of RAA’s initial proposal to the Obama Foundation. The museum maintains this focus on narrative from its material artifacts to the lower level architecture connecting the museum, forum, and library.

While the museum’s content will primarily focus on the stories of Barack and Michelle Obama, it will also include black history, the history of progressive movements, and the events leading to Barack’s election.

Along with the Obama administration’s victories, the museum also hopes to share counternarratives and challenges to Obama’s legacy, including racism and nativism.

According to Bernard, 700,000 visitors are expected to come to the Center annually, making it a forceful presence within the community. As part of the exhibition team, artists from Chicago have been hired to offer their knowledge of the area and help implement community-driven content into the exhibition plans.

Wrongfully Convicted Thomas Sierra Exonerated Continued from front

Thomas made the identification only because Guevara told them to. That was significant because that happened twenty years ago, before news about Guevara came to the forefront of the public.”

Worried that his case was slipping through the cracks, Sierra asked the Exoneration Project for representation. “My colleagues and I decided we would help him and quickly took action,” Tepfer said. “Eight months later he was exonerated.”

Tepfer recalls Obbish’s denouncement of Guevara as important to the progression of Sierra’s case. “[W]e took that information in our case directly to the Cook County State Department to the decision makers and said: ‘Look, Reynaldo Guevara is instrumental in this investigation and solely responsible for Sierra’s convic-

tion.... That a judge has called his credibility in question should cause you to reexamine whether you can keep this conviction intact.’”

The Cook County State Department “quickly agreed” and abandoned the case.

According to Tepfer, the process of obtaining exoneration posed many administrative and preparatory challenges. Due to the case being decades old, they also had to ensure their information was accurate, which involved “reviewing enormous files.”

“Ultimately, the biggest challenge is convincing courts, judges, prosecutors, decision makers that they got it wrong,” he said. “Judges and prosecutors and juries and other parts of post conviction have already looked at it and determined nothing’s wrong…[causing] a big uphill battle.”

Following the court hearing,

Sierra told reporters: “It’s still, you know, unreal right now. I did all the time for something I didn’t do, and now here it is, two months after being home.”

Tepfer recalled Sierra’s strong reactions during his exoneration.

“He broke down. This meant so much to him, to be with his family and brother when it happened.”

“Thomas is a very intelligent, kind, thoughtful, and warm man.

I just want to support him in whatever he chooses with his new start in life,” Tepfer added.

As the Exoneration Project pushes onward, Tepfer aspires to secure representation for more individuals convicted wrongfully.

“We got lots of other clients who are fighting for the same results that we got for Thomas. We are just going to keep fighting for our clients, the ones we believe in, the ones that we believe we can prove that they are innocent.”

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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 16, 2018

VIEWPOINTS Service Starts at Home The University’s Commitment to Community Involvement Does Not Extend to Hyde Park’s Homeless Population

Kathleen Cui All current students can recall the many packets and pages of paraphernalia from both before and after their admittance to the University of Chicago, in which the school boasted of its extensive resources, diverse RSOs, and community involvement.

Coming from the Bay Area, which touts a homelessness crisis largely overlooked by its population of high-income STEM field employees, I had hoped that Chicago’s dense urban culture would involve an increased awareness of local socioeconomic disparity.

Indeed, it is common knowledge that as an expansive metropolis, Chicago is home to numerous marginalized communities.

However, I never expected to meet a woman, cold and desperately crying from hunger, begging for food just across the street from Bartlett Dining Hall. My disbelief that the school’s professed magnanimity ended at the intersection of University Avenue and 57th Street only grew upon finding a man stationed at Hull Gate, just across the street from wRegenstein Library, extending a white cup for spare change while students passed by on their way to class. Conversations with my peers have revealed that these experiences are not anomalies; others have witnessed impoverished individuals unaffiliated with the University lingering around fraternity parties and student events.

Upon further investigation, it appears that the University contributes significantly to research about homelessness and poverty.

Chapin Hall recently succeeded in the task of determining the percentage of youth who have experienced or are experiencing displacement within a year—one in 10. Urban Labs has organized groundbreaking programs and policies about integral contributors to the issue.

But when it comes to direct involvement, there are few University-organized, publicized opportunities for students to volunteer firsthand. Out of the 376 RSOs on campus listed on Blueprint, only two are specifically dedicated to serving the homeless: Homeless Food Run and Community Health Initiative.

Interestingly enough, my encounter with the woman outside Bartlett occurred immediately after I participated in one of the events

hosted by Homeless Food Run, in which a group of students assembled food packages and distributed them to homeless individuals on State Street. In hindsight, there is something structurally unsound about a system that encourages and funds students to make food packages for displaced persons situated all the way downtown, but turns a blind eye to those in need at its very doorstep.

Similarly, UChicago Dining sources its produce from local, minority-run businesses, donating its leftover food to the organization Pacific Garden Mission. Yet this shelter is located approximately 20 minutes away downtown, again neglecting the needs of individuals in the Hyde Park community—especially accounting for the difficulty of scraping together the funds necessary to access the El train and CTA bus service without the convenience of a Ventra card. At a school with an endowment of nearly $8 billion, the homeless in the immediate vicinity should not have to turn to the initiative of students and student-run organizations for their next meals.

The Council on University Programming (COUP) is mandated by UChicago to host well-attended, engaging events such as Kuvia and Snowball. The school has the full financial ability and influence to encourage COUP to integrate community involvement and service with other events, addressing the need for a more localized approach to poverty. One can hope that students would gain awareness from proactive service, rather than stumbling upon those neglected by this flawed system. Simple moves such as designating nearby off-campus locations to provide blankets and leftover meals on especially cold nights and encouraging students to assist with these efforts would hugely impact both campus culture and the surrounding community.

To live up to the visionary admissions letters that brought us here, the University must first confront the disconnect between its claims of community involvement and its actions.

Kathleen Cui is a first-year in the College.

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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 16, 2018

ARTS The Revival’s Hyde ya Kids Hides Behind Buzzy Issues

BY PERRI WILSON ASSOCIATE ARTS EDITOR

The Revival’s winter sketch set, directed by Jonald Jude Reyes and cleverly titled Hyde ya Kids, Hyde ya Park!, is as local a celebration of Hyde Park as one could imagine. The cast of seven first filed on stage for an oddly factual song about the recent graduate student unionization issue. This was a part of a sketch on the stereotypes of Chicago neighborhoods, riffing on the common language of characters and places so familiar to the audience. Yet, what at first appeared to be a standard comic bit quickly became a perplexing lesson about the nonprofits of Hyde Park. Using humor to slightly lighten the discussion, it eventually became clear that the sketch, again strangely factual, was a promotion for Surviving Life After a Parent Dies, a nonprofit founded

by Hyde Park teen Genevieve Liu. Alternating between song and sketch, cast members showed off their varied talents. While Angela Oliver’s strong voice carried the group through the musical portions, including a song on “black stuff,” Jordan Stafford’s physical comedy was consistently hilarious. Through this broad

[1/17] Wednesday 6–7 p.m. Join MURAL Magazine for a writing/art study break with snacks, writing prompts, and art supplies! MURAL is a bilingual publication that celebrates Latin American perspectives through creative writing, visual arts, and cultural events. Harper Memorial 135, free.

[1/18] T hursday 8–10 p.m. Remembering the 75th anniversary of the first self-sustaining nuclear reaction, which took place at UChicago,

range of comic styles, the sketches never strayed far from local subjects. In almost every bit, the cast wove in references to the area—one drawn-out piece, set as a séance, brought back characters from the Chicago World’s Fair, while another took place in professor Obama’s classroom.

However, even with their focus on locality, the sketches managed to cover a range of bigger issues (and non-issues).

From modern love to race to fidget spinners, the performers zoomed out from Hyde Park to examine more universally trendy topics.

If anything, they zoomed out too far at times. The “Professor Obama” sketch was a hasty attempt to jam in as many references to current events as possible.

Subtle jokes, which the group was clearly capable of achieving, were often sacrificed for vague shout-outs to broader issues involving Trump, the Clintons, or “rappers” as a whole.

The show’s funniest moment came when the cast stepped away from the intricate scenes of Hyde Park, politics, and local issues. Acting out meaningless banter between a barber and his client, Stafford and Devin Middleton had the audience laughing hysterically for the only

Jimmy Chung Photography

Hyde ya Kids seemed more concerned with trending topics than humor. time that night.

By the end of the hour-long show, which finished with a political satire song asking men to “please put your dick away,” it became clear that this broad range of issues was the group’s main concern, with humor as a secondary consideration. Like the opening sketch, the final song came across more like a spiced-up lecture, us-

ing humor more so as a means to quickly touch on the topic of sexual harassment than to make the song truly funny in its own right.

poets for a poetry showcase. Contact chicagostudies@uchicago.edu if you are interested in performing! Logan Performance Penthouse, free.

7–9 p.m. UChicago’s largest literary magazine, Sliced Bread, turns 10 this year! Join them for their launch party, which will feature an open mic, refreshments, and a performance by the professional local storytelling troupe 2nd Story.

McCormick Tribune Lounge, free.

7:30 – 9:30 p.m. UChicago P resents will be hosting jazz songwriter

and vocalist René Marie for a performance of her first, entirely self-penned original album, Sound of Red. Logan Center Performance Hall, $11 students/$31 staff and faculty/$39 general.

Exhibit [A]rts

Party at the Smart: Radioactive will present an after-hours party that features access to current exhibitions, glow-in-thedark crafts, and performances from campus groups and artists such as PhiNix, Le Vorris & Vox Circus, and Chief Wicked.

Smart Museum, free.

[1/19] F riday 6–8 p.m. Chicago-based poet Kevin Coval will discuss his latest book, People’s History of Chicago, and share the stage with students and other performing

Photos by Sophia Corning Classical Indian dance group Apsara performed “Parinati,” Sanskrit for transformation, on Sunday January 13, accompanied by the South Asian Music Ensemble.

Hyde ya Kids, Hyde ya Park will be running each Saturday evening from January 20 through February 24 at The Revival.

[1/20] Saturday 5 – 9 p.m. Stop by Nando’s for ArtShould’s annual fundraiser. 40 percent of the proceeds will help the RSO fund arts education in the public schools of Hyde Park and Woodlawn. 1447 E. 53rd St.

Photos by Patrick Yueng Drawing inspiration from physical and abstract reflections, fusion dance group Maya performed their winter showcase, titled Reflections, on January 12 and 13 in Logan Theater East.

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THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 16, 2018

Portrait of the Artist as an Activist

BY JAD DAHSHAN ARTS STAFF

Last Thursday, the Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality hosted a conversation with artist and activist Syrus Marcus Ware and diversity advocate Precious Brady Davis, moderated by scholar and writer Jenn Jackson. The discussion revolved around Ware’s and Davis’s efforts and experiences in activism, particularly within the Black Lives Matter movement and LGBTQ+ advocacy, as well as their view of art’s role in driving social change.

Jackson, a Ph.D. candidate in the political science department focusing her research on intergroup and intragroup political differences within the black community, initiated the exchange by referring to the ubiquity of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag on social media, especially during the protests following the 2012 murder of Trayvon Martin. Ware, a founding member of Black Lives Matter in Toronto, expressed his belief in the occurrence of a modern-day black cultural renaissance much akin to the historical Harlem Renaissance. The Afrofuturist artist described his collaboration with Blackness Yes!, a Canadian black and queer community-based committee, in producing Blockorama, a series of multimedia performances on one of the biggest stages at Toronto Pride.

Having worked for over 15 years in lead-

ership development and youth empowerment, Davis also sees current movements for social justice as revivals of history. “We [have] always taken that which oppresses us to liberate us,” he stated, evoking the Black Panther Party and the role art played in propagating their message, including Emory Douglas’s galvanizing images of “bad policemen,” as an example. Her own activism involves a lot of public speaking; she’s given talks at universities around the country.

Cosponsored by the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture, the conversation was preceded by a three-hour live drawing performance by Ware as part of his Activist Portrait Series. These 12x5 foot larger-than-life portraits of activists are meant to reverse the art-historical convention of reserving large-scale portraiture for white, male authority figures; instead of immortalizing popes or kings, Ware has chosen to celebrate those he believes are putting their lives on the line to better their communities. In a similar vein, another one of Ware’s projects pays tribute to underappreciated activists; in Activist Love Letters, Ware invited participants to write letters of thanks to their local activists and went on to mail them.

Most of Ware’s art is inextricably linked with his activism, and although it has won him praise, that wasn’t always the case. As an art history and visual studies student at the University of Toronto, his art was often

criticized for being too political. In addition to being taught a predominantly white curriculum, Ware reported being taught that black women did not start making art until the 1970s; he described these experiences as “invisibilizing.” This casts a new light over his gargantuan portraits: they’re informed by a need to recognize, record, and reify a section of society that will likely otherwise be neglected—or ‘invisibilized’—by a patriarchal white society.

Precious Davis had comparably devaluing experiences throughout her own educational career. During the talk, she recounted being undermined by her Columbia University musical theatre professor for experimenting with gender identity (before coming out as trans). Davis would later return to her alma mater as the Assistant Director of Diversity Recruitment Initiatives, a position from which she could challenge key administrative figures to reform institutional policies concerning admissions and community engagement. Living in the intersections of black, trans, and queer communities, she made sure that “diversity” became an actualized practice that produced an environment of “inclusion, equity, and justice.”

The panelists’ work demonstrated that there are many ways in which one can be an activist: Syrus Ware leads a three-week activism and arts training camp for children; Jenn Jackson performs research that allows

Courtesy of Syrus Marcus Ware

Ware reimagines large-scale portraits to celebrate activists of color. for meaningful dialogue about the best ways to tackle such ingrained injustice; and Precious Davis works within bureaucratic structures to make them more inclusive.

SPORTS Swimming Jumps Back In SWIMMING AND DIVING

BY THOMAS GORDON SPORTS STAFF

On January 12, the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams had a double dual meet with Lewis University and Olivet Nazarene University. Considering that this was the first meet after winter break, the teams were looking to return to peak fitness.

The women’s team swept the meet and absolutely crushed Lewis, 222–65, and narrowly beat Olivet Nazarene, 154–144. The men’s team had more of a mixed meet, crushing Lewis as well, 177–99, but losing closely to Olivet Nazarene, 146–133.

On the women’s team, first-year Elizabeth Shen had a very successful meet, winning her 100- and 200-yard freestyle races and finishing second in the 200-yard IM. Another individual winner for the Maroon women was first-year Nadia Rezda in the 1000-yard freestyle, who finished with a blistering 10:42.86.

Rezda was extremely happy with her individual and team results.

“Overall, it was a great result for the

team, especially considering we were racing some events that are not our usual events to keep us well-rounded and in shape. To come out of this with a win is just the icing on the cake,” she said.

The women’s team crushed its relay events, winning both the 400-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay. The team is determined to develop versatile swimmers to allow for more flexibility for upcoming events.

Taye Baldinazzo won his 200-yard freestyle race and was the runner-up in the 100yard freestyle and the 200-yard individual medley. In addition to this strong individual performance, the men’s team dominated the relay events. Like the women’s team, the men’s team won the 400-yard medley relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay, capping off a successful meet for the swimming and diving team.

Next weekend, the swimming and diving teams will resume their competitions with a home meet against the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Defne Anlas

Men’s swimming bested Lewis University, but faltered against Olivet Nazarene.

Maroons Grapple Their Way to Seventh WRESTLING

BY KEVIN JOHNSTON SPORTS STAFF

The Maroon wrestling team was back in action on Saturday when they participated in Elmhurst College’s 36th Al Hanke Invitational. The Maroons managed to place a respectable seventh out of 12 teams at the meet, with six of the team’s wrestlers managing to place. The hosts, Elmhurst, took first place in the team rankings.

A particularly bright spot for the Maroons in terms of individual performance was the team’s 157-pound weight class.

First-years Will Britain and Jason Crary managed to place second and first, respectively. Crary was crowned the champion of

his weight class after defeating Britain by a 6–1 decision.

Third-year John Jayne was particularly impressed by the overall team spirit exhibited by the team, and the fight shown by Britain and Crary.

“The lads showed great spirit, especially our freshmen duo, who ran a train through the 157-pound weight class,” Jayne said.

Although Britain missed out on a firstplace finish, he did manage an incredible overtime upset against the second seed in the weight class, on his way to the finals.

Other notable placings included thirdyear Duncan Payne, who took third in 197 pounds with a 4–1 record that included two victories by major decision and a single pin.

First-year and fellow teammate Quinton Mincy managed to place sixth in the same weight bracket. Another first-year, Will Hare, took fifth in the heavyweight class, ending with a 4–2 record. Finally, first-year Gage Bayless grabbed sixth with a 2–3 record in a competitive 141–pound bracket.

Bayless’s two victories included two first-period pins.

Head coach Leo Kocher, in a statement to the Athletics Department, emphasized that the coaching staff wanted to primarily use the competition to ensure that those who had not been able to participate as much were given the opportunity to do so. Kocher indicated that the results of the event really showcased the depth of the team, given that

a weakened lineup still managed to place admirably. The team’s emphasis on youth is a valuable philosophy—it ensures that the team stays competitive for the years to come by giving the younger wrestlers competitive experience that cannot be overstated. Kocher noted that the team did not field wrestlers in every weight class, suggesting that the team’s performance was only a glimpse of their true potential.

The Maroons return to their home mats this weekend, when they face off against the second-place finishers at the Elmhurst Invitational, North Central College, at 1 p.m.

The Maroons hope that they can build off their experiences at Elmhurst and other previous meets in order to gain another victory.

7

THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 16, 2018

The Lumen Christi Institute,The Martin Marty Center for the Public Understanding of Religion at the Divinity School, The Institute of Politics, & The International House Global Voices Program present

RELIGION and

RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION in the ACADEMY and PUBLIC LIFE with special guest

ROSS DOUTHAT New York Times op-ed columnist and panelists

WILLIAM CAVANAUGH

Professor of Catholic Studies at DePaul University

WILLIAM SCHWEIKER

Edward L. Ryerson Distinguished Service Professor of Theological Ethics at The Divinity School

GEOFFREY STONE

Edward H. Levi Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago Law School

LAURIE ZOLOTH

Dean and Margaret E. Burton Professor at the Divinity School

Photo by Justin Kern

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 4:30-6:30PM | INTERNATIONAL HOUSE, 1414 E. 59TH ST. Free and open to the public. For more information and to register online visit www.lumenchristi.org.

Persons with disabilities who may need assistance should contact the Office of Programs & External Relations in advance at 773-753-2274 or mdestefa@uchicago.

8

THE CHICAGO MAROON - JANUARY 16, 2018

SPORTS Maroons Break Out of Slump MEN’S BASKETBALL

BY AUDREY MASON SPORTS STAFF

Sweeping the competition this weekend, the UChicago men’s basketball team has begun making a comeback in the UAA conference, emerging victorious over NYU 80–70 and beating Brandeis 77–67. The team now has a record of 6–8, finally breaking out of its four-game losing streak prior to the weekend.

UChicago started strong against NYU with second-year Jordan Baum assisting three baskets and making a three-pointer, immediately raising the score to 12–5.

Throughout the first half, UChicago pulled farther ahead, with fourth-year Jake Fenlon scoring six points and third-year Ryan Jacobsen throwing down a slam dunk. With a three-pointer and two free throws, Fenlon increased the lead to 41–22, and second-year Cole Schmitz finished the half with a put-back in the last second. The Maroons went into halftime with a 43–24 lead over NYU. As the second half began, an advantage of 58–42 had the Maroons confident for the rest of the game. However, NYU improved its

defense, climbing back to make the score 59– 57. Eight points in a row by Fenlon and second-year Collin Barthel gave the advantage back to UChicago, and a series of free throws made for an 80–70 win by the Maroons.

Two days later, the UChicago men’s basketball team came back to Ratner to play against Brandeis. Brandeis took the lead in the first half, and although third-years Justin Jackson and Noah Karras helped to decrease this lead, the opposition still led the first half of the first period 19–12. However, the Maroons quickly came back with help from Fenlon and second-year Sam Sustacek, finding themselves with a lead of 39–34 going into halftime. Fenlon made three three-pointers, and Sustacek scored eight points. By the end of the game, Sustacek would score a total of 19 points, a career best. Third-year Max Jacobs also scored six points, perfectly hitting all three attempt drives.

The Maroons never backed down as the weekend came to a close, continuously scoring against Brandeis to win with a final score of 77–67. Fenlon and Sustacek each scored 19 points, both team bests, while Jackson

Defne Anlas

Third-year Justin Jackson was one of the key players in Sunday’s game. scored 14 points, and Karras made 13 points.

Baum led the field in assists, ending with a career-high 12 assists. Sustacek and firstyear Dominic Laravie led the Maroons with eight rebounds each, and Jacobs grabbed six rebounds.

“I thought we played extremely well at points throughout the game and really got in a good groove offensively in the second half,” Jacobs said. “It was also great to see

Sam and Justin fill in the void for Collin and Ryan, who are both injured. From a defensive perspective, we weren’t able to piece together multiple stops the way we could versus NYU on Friday. Even though we still won, I think that defense will definitely be a point of focus this week in practice as we prepare for backto-back weekends on the road. In order for us to win on the road in the UAA, we need defensive consistency.”

South Siders Win 10 Straight WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BY DIESTEFANO LOMA SPORTS STAFF

The Maroons continued to dominate conference play with two home victories against New York University and Brandeis University this past weekend, advancing to 3–0 in UAA play and 12–2 for the season, continuing their 10-match winning streak.

The NYU Violets posed a challenge for the Maroons, having gone on a 10–0 run in the beginning of the first quarter. The Maroons struggled to find their groove until third-year Olariche Obi took charge of rebounds and finally scored in the paint. This momentum proved lasting: The score was 24–21 at the end of the quarter.

As the second quarter started, second-year

Miranda Burt was on fire from three, with each shot making it in. This helped the Maroons keep the lead, and two minutes into the quarter they were 27–26.

The second half was dominated by the Maroons, as they were up by as many as 20 points and kept the Violets to scoring only nine points in the third quarter. The final score was 83–59.

In their game against Brandeis, the Maroons started at a fast pace, eventually going on a 14–2 run.

The Maroons eventually began to struggle, with the Brandeis Judges lowering the deficit to one point, but as the first half came to a close, the Maroons led 33–30. The difficulty to shoot the rock was evident, with the Maroons going one-for-nine from three. They

were outscored the second quarter 16–10. The Judges would also outrebound the home team.

The third quarter saw continued pressure by the Judges, who eventually outscored the Maroons 21–16. The quarter ended with the Judges taking the lead at 51–49.

Second-year Taylor Lake took charge in the fourth quarter, relentlessly driving the ball and scoring. She scored 10 points in the fourth alone, totaling 16 points and three blocks. Obi and Burt combined for 28 points, with the bench totaling 12. Ultimately, the Judges trailed by four points in the final minutes and the Maroons extended their lead, making five out of six free throws. In the end, the Maroons came out victorious, 72–63.

When asked about adversity faced in these games, Burt said, “Our focus has been

playing to win every possession, which we have been getting better at so far this season. We had a couple of stretches where the opposing team made a run. We still trusted our game plan, and made sure we were on the same page to stop their momentum. We have a very high level of trust in our coaches and teammates, so we were not panicking and went back to what we’re comfortable with. Offensively, whenever we struggle, we go back to our basic offense and do stuff that we have done well all year. We try to get the ball inside to score there, or open up the perimeter more. We have so many weapons on offense, we trust that we can quickly get out of a slump.”

The Maroons will next play Carnegie Mellon on January 19 at 5 p.m.

Maroons Sweep Phoenix Invitational TRACK AND FIELD

BY ANNA ROSE SPORTS STAFF

This past weekend the Chicago track and field team swept the competition at the 2018 Phoenix Invitational, winning a combined total of 17 events. With both the men and women’s teams placing first of five teams and beating Concordia University, Aurora University, Illinois Tech, and Knox College, the Maroons are off to a strong start. Following this weekend, the women’s track and field team is now ranked seventh nationally.

“This weekend was very exciting and we saw some great season openers. Having the first meet at home allowed the team to start

off with a great dynamic,” said third-year sprinter and hurdler Tali Naibryf. “We are excited to see how the rest of the season will unfold.”

The Maroons placed first in several events, namely the 60-meter hurdles, the 200-meter dash, the 800-meter run, and the mile run.

Second-year sprinter and hurdler Robin Peter was one of the several Chicago athletes to win her event, crossing the line in the 60-meter hurdles in just over nine seconds.

“I’m very excited about the team this season,” Peter said. “It was great to see that in both the 60-meter hurdles and 60-meter dash, Chicago athletes made up over half the final heats.” Second-year Alisha Harris also placed

UPCOMING GAMES

first in the 60-meter dash to add to the team’s first-place wins.

First-year sprinter Nike Reid echoed his teammates’ sentiments and spoke on behalf of the men’s team. “Winning the first meet is a great start to the season for both the men and women. Hopefully it will set the attitudes going into the following meets and we can continue winning.”

The victory was a great starting point for the Maroons, but it was just that: a starting point. The Maroons are looking to improve and make a name for themselves, and will not settle with this past weekend’s win.

“Maintaining our team spirit and continuing to support each other in all of the events is

a priority,” Naibryf said.

In terms of takeaway, the Maroons are gearing up for the rest of the season, and prepared to compete against more competitive teams in the future.

“I think we’re just looking to transition from our fall preseason training into a more competitive mode,” Peter said. “This weekend was a great victory for us, but we must remain focused moving forward and looking ahead to future meets.”

The Maroons do not have much time to spare, as their season begins to kick-start within the next week. Next Saturday, January 20, the Maroons will travel to Illinois Wesleyan to compete in the I-55 Triangular at 11 a.m.

M AROON

SPORT

DAY

Opponent

TIME

Women’s Basketball Men’s Basketball

Friday Friday

CMU CMU

6 p.m.

8 p.m.

SPORT Track and Field Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball

SCORE BOARD W/L

Opponent

Score

W W W

Phoenix Inv. Brandeis Brandeis

1st place 77–67 72–63