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The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale 43 weeks per year, with an average weekly circulation of 12,000. Fall and spring semester editions run every Wednesday. Free copies are distributed in the Carbondale and Carterville communities. The Daily Egyptian can be found daily at www.dailyegyptian.com for the most up to date news.
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“If you really want to be a diverse, inclusive community, then you have to make that a priority. Not a rhetorical priority, but an actual, budgetary, crisis, priority.” -Father Joseph Brown
SIU community discusses issues facing Black students, faculty and staff members Keaton Yates | @keatsians
is not an increase of staff who are culturally connected or competent. “If you really want to be a diverse, inclusive community, then you have to make that a priority,” Brown said. “Not a rhetorical priority, but an actual, budgetary, crisis, priority.” Austin Lane, first-year chancellor of SIU, plans to meet with students, faculty and staff. Lane said as SIU’s new chancellor, he will be learning about SIU’s current state by speaking with students, faculty and staff. “That’s really our job,” Lane said. “We need to make sure students have that experience and that they remember that experience when they leave and graduate.” In what Lane calls his listening and learning tour, he will be meeting with student, faculty and staff groups on campus and asking what they love about SIU and what needs improvement, he said. Lane said the beauty of new leadership is having a new chancellor be able to learn about the state of SIU and to mention things that should be implemented to help students. Lane said he and SIU System President Daniel Mahoney are working together with all diversity council representatives across the system to create a task force. “These will be ongoing conversations that will last a long time,” Lane said. “I’m very committed to making sure this is really part of a strategic plan. It’s a plan that will be developing here, one of the pieces of that plan will be culture, diversity, and inclusion” Brown said the university leadership is trying its best, but more will have to be done with fewer people. “I don’t want to say more with less, but the people who are going to be the best for this new issue and these students coming back are the ones who are already overworked,” he said. Brown said SIU jumps to an immediate solution and that it will not work this time. “I don’t want people to tell me, I see you, I understand, and Black Lives Matter, but six months ago you didn’t say that or feel that when I Chloe Schobert | @chlo_scho_art asked about issues or tried
Students, faculty and staff are anxiously waiting to see how SIU responds to issues facing Black students. Father Joseph Brown, an Africana Studies professor, said the declining number of faculty and staff of color is an issue at SIU. He said while minority student enrollment is increasing, there is no effort to increase the number of faculty and staff of color. “The number of faculty is declining at an alarming rate and the different offices where there is direct involvement with students of color, or should be [...] We don’t see an increase of staff who are culturally connected or competent,” Brown said. Brown said resource centers such as the office of diversity, counseling center, financial aid and academic advising are lacking minority faculty and staff, and this affects the success of students of color. Tadzia Lee, a junior at SIU, said she hopes SIU can bring people together and ensure students are being exposed to different cultures and ideas. “Lots of students come from small towns with people that have the same exact views and culture as them,” she said. “They are afraid to be introduced to people that are different from them, which is where I hope SIU comes in.” Brown said the number of faculty where there is direct involvement with students of color, including but not limited to the counseling center, financial aid and academic advising, is declining and there
to express the hurt and pain I felt,” Brown said. “I’m going to ask you, when you say that, do you realize how you’ve had to change and do you know whether or not that change is just to make me happy or if it’s really down deep inside of you.” Helping other people adapt will not be effective unless change is carried with us, Brown said. The Black Lives Matter movement reminds Brown of past movements he’s witnessed. “Protests today build on those from the past,” Brown said. “ I get a little tired of people in the media who have never taken a real history class in American history that’s been accurate.” Some people are saying that the protests today are different from the 1960s but Brown said they are not different from the eighteen sixties. When students come back to campus after protesting radical systematic change, they are going to want to know what SIU is doing differently, Brown said. Lee said she hopes SIU does not try to stop peaceful protests and that they find a way to educate everyone. “I just hope they are supportive and continue to prove that they are working to make a change,” Lee said. Lee said protesting is important in Carbondale because it will educate people who come from smaller towns. “I know it will probably cause tension which will be interesting,” Lee said. “Tension allows people to show their true colors so it will be interesting to see who stands where during the protests.” Brown said Carbondale is displaying real, beautiful, moments because of protests. “This movement is organized by and completely energized by young people, but all of these movements have been that way,” Brown said. The Daily Egyptian contacted campus police to get their perspective on what SIU can do to better serve and protect Black students. The DE tried to reach campus police via a phone call, an email and by leaving messages but DPS declined to speak with DE reporters at the time of publication.
Staff reporter Keaton Yates can be reached by email at kyates@ dailyegyptian.com or on Twitter @keatsians.
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
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Letter from the new chancellor Dear Saluki Student, As the new chancellor of SIU Carbondale, I am excited to welcome you to campus this fall. I chose to join the SIU Carbondale family because this university provides an outstanding education, and our faculty and staff are committed to student success. Everyone I have met has been warm and welcoming. The beautiful campus and friendly community are a bonus! I know I’ve come to the right place, just as I know you are at the right place for your education. I will spend much of the fall semester on a listening-learning tour getting to know the campus community. While most of the tour will be virtual by necessity, I will welcome all input – whether it comes in person or through a videoconference, email or phone call. Whether you are taking classes on
campus or online, and whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student, your voice is important. What do you value most about SIU Carbondale? What can we do better? How can we help you succeed? While I hope to hear from you in person, you can reach me now by going to the chancellor’s website. By now you have probably reviewed our Fall 2020 plan and Saluki Safety information. Please let us know if you have questions. We understand that you may be nervous about the fall. We have spent the summer planning carefully, making sure we are following guidance from state and local health agencies. Our primary goal is to give you the highquality education you expect while ensuring that we have all of the right measures in place to protect your health and safety. I look forward to getting to know you. Austin A. Lane Chancellor, SIU Carbondale
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
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Carbondale Elementary School District 95 moves to remote learning for fall semester 2020 Keaton Yates | @keatsians
As of July 23, Daniel Booth, superintendent of Carbondale District 95, announced that schools within the district will be teaching students remotely. “I’d encourage any parents of our returning students to complete our online registration, which is now open through August third,” Booth said. “We’ll have a new student registration on August fifth.” According to the Return to School Plan on the CES#95 website, the full in-person learning model is unlikely to be used this school year unless there is a vaccine or effective remedy to COVID-19, and will only be used if Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker permits it. A full remote learning model means that all students will be placed on a remote schedule Monday through Friday, where they will use district-distributed devices and connectivity. “The biggest challenge will be transitioning to this mode of learning, but we’ve seen that our teachers are ready to go, they’re excited about it, they feel like it’s the safest way to begin this school year,” Booth said. “We have processes in place, we’re working where every student has a Chromebook and connectivity.”
Parents will be responsible for devices, including power cords, and will have to agree to financial liability for any lost or damaged devices. Gerald, a parent who chose to go by this name for fear of retaliation for his comments, said he thinks solely implementing full remote learning is a mistake and that it will affect the students and parents negatively. “Initial communication received earlier this summer told us it would be a partial week, maybe three days remote, two days onsite,” Gerald said. “I think that was a fair option.” Gerald said his preferred learning method would have been a hybrid option that parents could choose based on what would be best for themselves and their children. “I have many friends who are dual income homes. I don’t see how they’ll be able to swing the change without severe impact to at least one of their jobs,” he said. Booth said CES#95 is working with local community partners, such as the Boys and Girls Club and the Carbondale Park District, who will be able to offer support to families who work. Brooke Chrombar, a third grade teacher at Thomas Elementary, said she feels the safety of Carbondale
staff and students were put first in the district’s decision. “It is going to prove challenging to meet the true needs of students through a computer screen, but we will all do the best we can,” Chrombar said. “ However, I’m up to the task and am so eager to get started.” In the beginning days of remote learning, students will complete assessments to see if learning loss has occurred over the breaks, and during the first few days, teachers will teach students how to use the devices, according to the School Plan book on the CES#95 website. “Academic gaps are going to be there. Our students lost a full quarter of learning in the spring, experienced the summer slide, and will now be learning in a much different format than ever before,” Chrombar said. Gerald said he is anxious that his children and other students will fall further behind than what they have already following last spring’s abbreviated semester. “I’m glad that there is a remote learning plan. If or when in-person school resumes, if my children or other children are ill they will be able to work remotely and hopefully not miss too much school work,” he said.
For remote learning, a daily schedule and all materials will be provided to ensure students can work on self-paced assignments and ensure they learn from live instruction. “Teachers will be teaching live from their classrooms. Some lessons may be recorded,” Chrombar said. “Students will have expectations as far as attendance, behavior, and work completion.” Booth said classes such as physical education, music and art will be taught every day instead of only a few times a week. Parents will be able to meet with teachers virtually at designated times if they have concerns about their child’s learning. “I would encourage parents to reach out to their principal. They will be able to walk them through and support them,” Booth said. Updates will also be communicated through email an CES#95’s Facebook, Twitter and their website, ces95.org. Along with Chromebooks and Wifi, CES#95 expects to deliver meals to bus stops on regular routes and possibly additional pick-up sites. “CES #95 has ordered 2,000 Chrmebooks to replace existing Chromebooks in our schools,”
Dustin Clark | @dustinclark.oof
Chrombar said. “The district is also working to provide WiFi for families who need connectivity, working with various internet providers. Families can also contact the district office with their needs.” During the first two weeks of school, time will be devoted to focusing on students’ social and emotional health due to COVID-19, which will address students’ social and emotional needs and help students to integrate back into school. “When we resume school, social and emotional learning will be our first priority with students. Academics are, of course, important, but the well-being of our students trumps everything,” Chrombar said. Surveys will be conducted to know which students need support and a list of resources will be sent to families that can be used to provide other social and emotional learning support for students, according to the website. Services for students with specific health or support needs will also be addressed individually with families. Gerald said he has worries about special needs children such as his own who will miss therapy both in and out of school, which will worsen learning delays. “[Special needs students] will indeed need a great deal of support. The district will be working with Tri-County and the district special education department to plan for our special education students,” Chrombar said. “Special education will be a part of their remote school day.” Special education and related services will use secure, digital platforms to ensure privacy for families, who may provide consent to participate in teletherapy sessions. Booth said he encourages parents to be flexible as the situation changes and they will be taking time to look at cases in Jackson County and Carbondale. From there, they will make a decision on whether or not they will be staying in remote learning or go into a blended model. “If we all do our part, this situation is temporary. Everyone is doing the best they can in a situation where you can’t make everyone happy, and everyone feels so strongly in their own opinions. Be patient. Have grace. Be kind. We’re all in this together, ”Chrombar said.
Staff reporter Keaton Yates can be reached by email at kyates@ dailyegyptian.com or on Twitter @keatsians.
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
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From King Tut to the Blair family: The history behind the SIU Carbondale Saluki Jacob Lorenz | @jtlorenz6
If you have ever been to a major sporting event at SIU or a student-oriented event, there is a chance you got to pet real salukis. This tradition started shortly after SIU changed their name from the Maroons to the Salukis in 1951. SIU purchased an 8-month-old Saluki pup named King Tut from Mr. and Mrs. Travaro from Farmer City. In 1951, the student body held a vote to change their name from the Maroons. The ballot options were Egyptian Warriors, Colonels and Flyers. The day after ballot voting, however, a disgruntled person stole the votes from an administration office before they were counted. The student body held another vote later that semester. The name ‘Saluki’ wasn’t even on the ballot of new names until the future mascot visited the campus one day in 1951. In King Tut’s short reign as the mascot, he became an instant icon and ever since his untimely death in 1954, SIU has made it a tradition to bring actual Salukis to big events. Vicki Blair and her husband, Jim, have been residents of Herrin for over 30 years, and since 2006 they have become the reason for real saluki appearances at SIU events. Ever since the first Saluki, King Tut, there have been several owners who brought their salukis to big SIU events, but now nearly all the events are attended by the Blair family. Vicki and/or Jim can typically be seen greeting people with two or three of their dogs at events in the Student Center or on the sidelines of basketball and football games. Vicki is semi-retired. She is the lead docent at the John A. Logan Historical Village, serves on the Herrin historical board and attends events with the 11 salukis her family owns. “We’ve been here 30 plus years and my kids, my son was born here, my daughter, we moved here when she was in third grade,” Blair said. “I’ve gotten to know the area a lot.” Vicki said when she and Jim originally moved here from Michigan, she had no idea about SIU. “I’ve always had a passion for animals, anyway, but it goes back to when I was in grade school,” Vicki said. “We were studying geography or history about the Middle East, and
there was just this very short, one sentence about the saluki hunting dogs out in the desert.” From there, her interest was piqued. “I always tried to find what I could about them, which wasn’t much, and you know, as the years pass, things change but I never lost my interest in [salukis],” Vicki said. Vicki said she found out about SIU’s mascot when she took her daughter shopping in Carbondale. “I thought it was just kind of amazing, it was like it was meant to be,” said Blair. She had developed a contact with a breeder in Florida and got two saluki pups, a male and a female. Now the Blair family has 11 salukis, and have raised two litters since their first pups. Vicki said they have six females and five males, and of Jim Blair and two of his salukis run the field wearing “ Thank a Veteran” vest on course, she can name them all Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019, before the Salukis’ 37-14 win against the Missouri State by heart. Bears in Carbondale. Nicole Tillberg | @NicoleTillberg The names are all have roots to Egyptian culture just like the breed itself. Their six females are Salukis by nature are aloof dogs and appear stoic compared Kia, Tiy, Isis, Cleo, Tari and Jasmine, and the males are Seti, to other breeds. They bark, but not at other dogs. They let you Meti, Ari, Jafar and Pharaoh II. pet them if they come to you. Vicki said there is no particular order in which she brings Vicki said from observing her dogs that salukis will her Salukis to events, since all are specially trained for being acknowledge other salukis, and tolerate other breeds. in public. Even though this may seem like deviant behavior, Vicki said “We start socializing and training them from when we have her dogs are nice towards others. them as pups,” Vicki said. “You’re always training them. You Vicki said its different training a saluki compared to other never are not training.” dogs. Due to their high intelligence, salukis can get bored easily. “With a saluki, you can work on a sit or stay, or something, six or eight times and then they’re like ‘I’m done with this.’ And they don’t want to do it anymore, they simply don’t,” Vicki said. They are the best dogs at ignoring people, according to Blair, so the family is always finding new approaches to training. Since salukis are larger hounds with the physique of an athlete, the Blairs make sure their dogs run every day, rain or shine. “We make sure they exercise everyday, even if the weather is bad,” Vicki said, “I don’t think anybody has gone through more rain gear than my husband and I.” Vicki and Jim are very diligent about the wellbeing of her salukis. They make sure when they are puppies they don’t run too hard before their muscles are developed as early life muscle problems can affect them later in life. The exercise the dogs get isn’t just running around in the backyard, but from actual walks with Vicki and her husband. This goes for all 11 salukis. Vicki said she is surprised when people ask her to name all of her salukis on the spot. “They’re like your children!” Vicki said. “Of course you remember their names.”
A Saluki dog looks towards the crowd on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, during the Southern Illinois Salukis’ matchup against the Evansville Purple Aces at SIU Arena in 2019. Brian Munoz | @BrianMMunoz
Former staff reporter Jacob Lorenz can be reached at jlorenz@dailyegyptian.com or on Twitter at @jtlorenz6
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Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Welcome Back! MCMA students, for any questions and help along the way, contact me.
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Wednesday, August 12, 2020
WELCOME BACK SALUKIS! In accordance with SIU, Illinois, CDC, IDPH guidelines we are taking extra precautions to help our students and staff stay safe and healthy. This includes extensive cleaning protocols, enhanced procedures, and social distancing practices within our facility. We’ve listed COVID-19 facility changes in the Reopening Guidelines webpage on our website. Please make sure to check the guidelines to understand our new check-in process, guest code of conduct, what areas of the REC are available at this time, and new pool guidelines. Things can change quickly, so please check this webpage frequently. Our guidelines may change to adapt to University or Government Mandates at short notice.
REC.SIU.EDU/REOPENING-GUIDELINES •
Masks are required to enter the facility and should be worn in all common areas such as hallways, lobbies, locker rooms, pool deck. May remove when actively engaged in exercise.
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Personal use hand towels will be available at the reception desk. Wipe down all equipment you touch before and after use.
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Lifting to be done in a safe/weight-appropriate manner as to NOT require a “spotter”
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All users must maintain 10’ social distance while working out. Group Fitness classes have designated 10’ squares on Court 4 in East Gym for each person’s use.
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Adherence to all designated room max capacity signage.
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NO equipment check out.
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Carbondale nightlife adjusts as students are expected to return Brooke Buerck | @bbuerck25
Editor’s note: Due to the changing nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the information in this article is subject to change after the print deadline. Please check our online version of this article for the latest updates on the Carbondale bar scene at dailyegyptian.com. With SIU students soon to return to campus for the semester and COVID-19 and the restrictions that come with it still present in the Jackson County community, nightlife for students will have a different look. Since shutting down over four months ago, many of Carbondale’s bars and entertainment venues have since reopened under new state and city regulations, welcoming business once again while modifying their practices to keep patrons and staff safe. As of June 26, Illinois is in Phase 4 “Revitalization” of the Restore Illinois plan, which includes indoor facility reopening with accommodations for social distancing, limiting parties to 10 people and standing areas to 25% occupancy. The Carbondale City Council approved an additional step for bars last week, limiting their indoor capacity to 25% or up to 100 people, whichever is less, said Steven Mitchell, economic development director in Carbondale. “In this respect, Carbondale is a bit more restrictive than the state’s Phase 4 guidelines,” Mitchell said. “But frankly, what the city council is seeing when they considered this [...] is a major, major spike in the states south and west of Illinois and a lot of bars are closing and all that. We don’t want our bars to close.” Mitchell said bars and restaurants have the option to serve patrons outdoors in addition to or as an alternative to indoor service and many have utilized this ability. Below are several of Carbondale’s bars and entertainment venues and information for each regarding their plans for the early part of the semester. Traxx As of a July 23 Facebook post, Traxx is temporarily closed due to an employee reporting they tested positive for COVID-19. “[Upon hearing the information] we immediately closed down,” the post said. “As per the Health department and CDC recommendations the employee has been put into quarantine and we have notified all other employees that could have been exposed.” Traxx’s first night open was July 17, with precautions in place such as a 50-person occupancy limit, hand sanitizer placed at and around the bar, tables rearranged to accommodate social distancing and asking patrons to wear a face mask when not seated or at a table. The bar, located on S. Illinois Ave., closed on March 16 before the mandatory shutdown and remained closed for the past four months. The post states that reopening is currently unknown. “Prior to this our employees were following strict rules such as wearing masks, constantly washing their hands and sanitizing their work area diligently,” the post said. “We promise to continue these practices once we reopen as well as adding anything necessary to ensure the safety of our staff and customers.” With their previous July 17 reopening, owner Bryan Woodruff had said future plans for the bar were already uncertain with the possibility of closing down again still present. “The goal is to be open as much as possible, but if we’re losing money [by] being open then it doesn’t make much sense for us,” Woodruff said. Woodruff had said as far as planning special events is concerned, “it’s hard to say [this far in advance]” but will Traxx would keep its hours set to opening at 3:00 PM and closing at 2:00 AM and staying closed on Sundays. “As far as special events, we will really just have to see how
everything goes, it’s really hard to plan anything right now,” Woodruff said. Traxx had announced drink specials on their Facebook page since reopening, and plans to keep music and themed nights similar to before they closed. “We’ll probably be similar to what we were doing before, as far as a country-themed night and some other mixed-genre [nights] as far as music,” Woodruff said. Saluki Bar N’ Grill As of a July 16 post from the Saluki Bar N’ Grill public Facebook page, the bar is currently closed. The post, as well as comments from Saluki Bar N’ Grill underneath it, cited Carbondale’s restrictions on capacity limits as a reason for closing. “23 person capacity including staff just isn’t feasible at this time,” the post said. “Sorry to our loyal customers and staff. See you all when this is over.”
spread of Covid-19.” The tweet said there had been no active cases at the bar. The Cellar For patrons 21 years old and older, The Cellar pub announced on Facebook a May 28 reopening of their outdoor patio seating area and announced the reopening of indoor facilities on June 26. Both posts asked patrons to wear a face mask and refrain from moving tables and chairs from their original position. In addition, the June 26 post said no pool, darts, or shuffle board would be available, hand sanitizer would be placed around the bar for use and employees would sanitize tables and chairs in between customers. The Cellar is located on S. Illinois Ave. and their hours of operation at the indoor pub as of a July 6 Facebook post are Monday-Wednesday 5:00 PM to 12:00 midnight, ThursdaySaturday 1:00 PM to 2:00 AM and Sunday 1:00 PM to 12:00 midnight. Outdoor patio hours are Thursday 5:00 PM to 12:00 midnight and Friday and Saturday 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM. PK’s Since June 3, PK’s has offered a cafeteria beer garden in the side alleyway next to their building on the Carbondale Strip for patrons 21 or older to enjoy drinks or food. The bar, which is on S. Illinois Ave., opened up indoor facilities on June 26 with rearranged seating accommodations, hand sanitizer throughout the bar and with employees wearing masks and patrons being asked to do the same. Walter Wit, a manager at the bar, said if the city of Carbondale would allow, the bar would like to host musical performances outdoors on Saturday nights. Wit said the bar encourages patrons to choose outdoor dining, which is allowed to continue until the end of the year if needed. PK’s regularly posts drink specials and updated information to their Facebook page, but Wit said planning events far in advance is difficult with uncertainty of the COVID-19 situation.
Dustin
The bar later posted an update on July 21 reaffirming that their shutdown was due to a decision about the business, but also stated that “some loyal patrons and close friends of our staff may have been affected by Covid-19.” “As a precaution, those staff members went to get tested for the virus and we recently learned a couple of them have received positive results for Covid-19,” The post said. “As a result, the rest of our staff will be getting tested and following the proper procedure in cooperation with the health department, thus delaying what we had hoped to be a speedy reopening.” Saluki Bar N’ Grill, located on E. Grand Ave., first announced a reopening of their outdoor patio area on May 29 under Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan. On June 26, the bar announced on Facebook they were “social distancing indoors (with regulations),” and served patrons both out- and indoors until closing approximately three weeks later. Saluki Bar N’ Grill’s time frame surrounding the bar’s reopening is currently unknown. Hangar 9 As of July 29, Hangar 9 announced on Twitter they would temporarily close as a “preventative measure to prevent the
The Varsity Center After announcing their closure Clark | @dustinclark.oof on March 12, live music venue The Varsity Center has transitioned many of its events to a virtual format, offering live music entertainment and comedy shows for streaming. Cara Recine, The Varsity Center’s executive director of operations, said they have kept indoor activity low in order to protect staff and patrons. “Right now we are offering very limited activity, just because our venue holds so many people and we are limited to how many people we can have,” Recine said. On July 11, The Varsity Center initiated a Music Under the Marquee series as well, which features live music performances on the sidewalk in front of the building’s entrance on the Carbondale Strip. “It’s on Saturday nights from 7 to 11, it’s outdoors only, and the bar is open, you just have to have a mask to come in,” Recine said. Recine said the Varsity Center as of July 21 plans to continue the outdoor series, which so far has featured musical guests DJ Alvarado and Tajaj Lonell Taylor. The Varsity Center is located on S. Illinois Ave. and posts event updates on their Facebook page, which Recine said is the best way to stay informed on future activities. Editor Brooke Buerck can be reached at bbuerck@dailyegyptian.com or on Twitter at @bbuerck25.
Wednesday, August 12, 2020
Opinion
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Selfless semester of education Danny Connoly | @DConnollyTV
Very soon from now, SIU students will sit down in their first class of the semester, as instructors pass around a syllabus and kick off with ice breakers and questions about how they spent their summer. Yet, most students will be more awkward than ever before, because of the anxiety of the prognosis of the coronavirus pandemic. Southern Illinois University had two positive cases of COVID-19 in the spring when all classes were virtual and few students returned to campus, and one student-athlete tested positive with the virus last week. Unless a medical miracle happens, SIU will have members of the community contract the virus during the fall semester while having in-person classes and students living on campus. Of course, there’s a big difference between a few isolated cases and an outbreak, but that difference is entirely dependent on the SIU community’s responsibility to take steps to mitigate this public health crisis. 1. Start practicing wearing masks for long days. One of the most important strategies to stopping the spread of COVID-19 is having everyone wear a face mask from their nose to their chin. Masks can get hot and the condensation from wearing one is uncomfortable, but everyone NEEDS to wear one for their entire day on campus. This point is non-negotiable. Thousands of people moving around different buildings breathing uninhibited while a new airborne virus is rampant is a lethal outbreak waiting to happen. 2. Get multiple masks. If you’re planning on wearing reusable masks, I recommend getting multiple so you don’t have to wash your mask nightly. (Also start washing your reusable mask.) If it helps to get one that coordinates with your favorite outfits, start searching online for one now or learn how to make your own with an old t-shirt or sock. If you’re planning on using disposable ones, buy in bulk and don’t litter.
Start brainstorming leisure activities that are either virtual or can take place outside with masks and social distancing. Indoor activities are linked to higher transmission rates. Apps like Netflix Party and Kast are perfect for virtual movie nights. I highly recommend looking into Jackbox Games and Tabletopia for casual online games to play with friends that only require a device with an internet browser. This semester, I plan on trying out SIU’s seldom-used frisbee golf course and exploring Shawnee National Forest with friends. 3. Quarantine before moving into Carbondale. If you are planning any last minute trips this summer, try to make them at least 2 weeks before moving in, just in case you are an asymptomatic carrier. My future roommates and I have all agreed to quarantine ourselves before moving into our apartment. 4. Develop a COVID contingency plan with your friends. If you have to be isolated or quarantined for at least 2 weeks, it’s better to figure a plan now before you have to do it on top of assignments for 5 classes. Assign a non-roommate buddy to drop off items at your door in case you need anything from the store. Find spaces designated for work and leisure within your dorm or apartment, and find a hobby or TV series to consume while you are stuck in your living space. 5. Understand how contact tracing works. Contact tracing is the study of identifying people with an infectious disease and learning who they may have spread the disease to stop the spread. For COVID-19, health departments have 72 hours after a case is identified to potentially tell dozens of contacts to quarantine for two weeks before they can infect others. The more you can educate yourself on contact tracing, the easier their job is to keep everyone safe. I highly recommend taking John Hopkins University’s six-hour course on coronavirus contact tracing before coming to campus. 6. And finally, cooperate with the Jackson County Health Department. Jackson County Health Department will be working nonstop to keep SIU as safe as possible. Follow the guidelines So
if they want you to get a COVID test, get one. If they tell you to isolate or quarantine, isolate or quarantine. Not listening to the experts is irresponsible, and irresponsible right now can quickly turn deadly. If you don’t think you can stick to these guidelines until Thanksgiving break, then I beg you to stay home and either take entirely online classes or unenroll completely for the semester. I respect anyone who makes the decision to put their education on hold or spend a semester online over potentially transmitting a deadly virus to a large group of people. Since March, I’ve missed working at WSIU and River Region Evening Edition. I wanted more than anything to have one last family meal with my friends at college, or be in one more music rehearsal with my fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha. I was surprised I even missed going to classes that weren’t on my couch in my pajamas. To me, this is worth the sacrifice of wearing a mask, social distancing, and never going to big social events this semester. When former Chancellor Dunn announced SIU will have in-person classes in the fall, he said “There is no doubt that fall 2020 will look a lot different than fall 2019. But the goal of providing a quality educational experience in a safe environment will be the same.” Following guidelines is the way we keep our educational environment safe. Fall 2020 will be different with social distancing, masks and SIU traditions being adapted or cancelled. But if you want a semester where all classes don’t switch to virtual partway, where hundreds of community members are hospitalized and on ventilators, where the DE publishes COVID obituaries, you have to accept the reality of the pandemic NOW and follow the rules when you’re in Carbondale.
Guest writer Danny Connolly is the River Region Evening Edition Executive Producer. The Daily Egyptian can be reached at editor@dailyegyptian.com
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Springfield & Carbondale: Illi
Alexandera Steven (left), 21, Jessica Morrissey (middle), 23, and Cassie Sarcinelli (right), 21, react to cars as they honk while driving by a Black Lives Matter protest in front of Sam’s Cafe, June 3, in Carbondale. Ana Luiza Jacome | @aluizaphotography.
Two members of the Bardwell family and two members of the Banks family ride together during the Black Lives Matter SPI’s Solidarity Procession in downtown Springfield on Sunday, May 31. Jared Treece | @bisalo
Michael Coleman and Travis Washington lead the Black Lives Matter march down South Illinois Avenue on Fr
Protesters take to the streets of downtown Springfield on Saturday, June 6, chanting and carrying signs in support of Black Lives Matter in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Jared Treece | @bisalo
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inois protests across the state This summer, demonstrators took to the streets to protest police brutality and declare that Black Lives Matter after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor at the hands of law enforcement officers. As of the print deadline, these demonstrations have continued for 67 days. Since they began, these protests have sparked the creation of new legislation in various states regarding law enforcement accountability, licensing and misconduct. Recently federal officers have been sent to cities such as Portland, Ore., where tensions are highest. These officers have been seen on camera pepper spraying and beating nonviolent protestors, and they have been caught throwing protesters into unmarked vans and driving them to undisclosed locations. Featured in this photo spread are images taken at demonstrations by the Daily Egyptian’s photo staff.
riday, June 5, 2020. Ana Luiza Jacome | @aluizaphotography
Kacia Houston, 21, addresses the crowd in front of the Carbondale Public Safety Center during a Black Lives Matter protest, June 5, 2020. Ana Luiza Jacome | @aluizaphotography
A protester cries while laying in the street with several other protesters as they re-enact the position George Floyd was in when he died while in police custody. The on Monday, Jun. 1, 2020 in Springfield, IL. Jared Treece | @bisalo
Sports
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MVC delays start of fall sports Brooke Buerck | @bbuerck25
The Missouri Valley Conference announced July 27 they are delaying the start of fall sports until Sept. 18. Upon resuming, MVC men’s soccer, women’s soccer and volleyball will see competitions between conference-only teams. The delayed start does not include football, since the Missouri Valley Football Conference falls under a separate jurisdiction. Saluki football is currently scheduled to begin their season on Aug. 29 against University of Kansas at Lawrence, Kan. “Fall competitive schedules for men’s and women’s cross
country, men’s and women’s golf and women’s tennis will also be delayed until Sept. 18, as will the non-championship fall seasons for baseball and softball,” the MVC’s announcement said. In addition, practices for MVC-sponsored sports will not begin until Aug. 17. The post said winter and spring sports are not impacted as of now, but the MVC and its council will “monitor national developments and, if necessary, will consider additional action as dictated by circumstances.” Saluki women’s soccer is scheduled to face Valparaiso at home on Sept. 18 with a 6:30 kickoff, while Saluki volleyball’s
first game is currently scheduled on Sept. 28 for 5 p.m. against Bradley University at home. SIU men’s golf ’s first scheduled invitational tournament will be on Sept. 23 at the Graeme McDowell Invitational, and Saluki women’s golf is scheduled to compete in the Pirate Collegiate Classic tournament at East Carolina University on Sept. 21. SIU cross country teams are not scheduled to compete until Oct. 3 at the Gans Creek Classic at the University of Missouri. Editor Brooke Buerck can be reached at bbuerck@dailyegyptian. com or on Twitter at @bbuerck25.
The show must go on: Fall sports to return, but with restrictions TĀmar Mosby | mosbytamar
As spring flowers began to bloom, so did the coronavirus, and with it came the disappearance of sports. Four months later across the world, professional sports, like soccer and basketball, have resumed, and now that the new semester is around the corner, we are seeing several universities announce their plans to participate in the 2020 fall athletic season. Among the bunch is SIU, which plans to have five different sports teams competing in the upcoming season including football, volleyball, soccer, golf and cross country. At the beginning of July, many Saluki student-athletes arrived on campus, with one contracting the coronavirus within the first weeks of the return. In order to maintain the health and safety of their athletes, many collegiate athletic conferences and associations are choosing to forego the 2020 season. These include the Colonial Athletic Association, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the Patriot League, the Ivy League, the Centennial Conference, and the NJCAA. Saluki athletic director Liz Jarnigan said she and the athletics staff at Southern went to work forming a plan for fall when they heard news of the indefinite suspension of the 2020 spring season. “We consulted with a lot of different entities in order to work on developing our plan,” Jarnigan said. “We’ve consulted closely with the Jackson County Health Department. We are keeping close watch over the governor’s requirements of our state and the ‘Restore Illinois’ plans and ensuring what we plan to do falls within our health department and governor’s guidelines. We consult with what the CDC has to say and we’ve also relied heavily on information from medical personnel at the NCAA, his name is Dr. Hainline”
Dr. Brian Hainline is the Chief Medical Officer of the NCAA and head of the association’s newly commissioned COVID-19 advisory panel. The panel itself consists of some of the foremost medical, public health and epidemiology experts and has discussed and helped develop a protocol for universities who decide to participate in the 2020 season. Among the strategies thought of by the NCAA, Jarnigan said, is a tiering system where each of the university sports is ranked in terms of risk. “The NCAA has an outwards, sort of tiering model in terms of high risk, moderate risk, and low risk with regard to COVID and that model is based on guidance from the CDC,” Jarnigan said. “Those of our fall sports [football, volleyball, and soccer] are classified in the high risk and cross country is obviously much lower.” The protocol Jarnigan and the department developed was implemented at the beginning of the month and contains pages of details that address building entry and usage, sanitation and athletespecific regulations. “We had to shut down access to our athletics facilities to the general public to maintain the safest environment that we possibly can. Many of us worked remotely from home through May, then we started to bring more staff in in June. We’ve changed traffic patterns within our facilities and there is signage everywhere. We have limited the use of lavatories. Cleaning components have [also] gone into place for our facilities,” Jarnigan said. Athletes arrived on campus in what the athletic department has called “gates” with the first gate consisting of 50 student-athletes from the football and men’s and women’s basketball programs. The second gate came a bit later and sang the arrival of more students: this time to the tune of 77.
Once the student-athletes returned to campus, they attended meetings with staff and underwent the appropriate medical testing. “Upon their return they went through a detailed education session with our staff,” Jarnigan said. “We did multiple sessions to keep groups of 10 or less [with] social distancing and wearing masks. Towards the end of that period, they quarantined for seven days then tested for COVID-19.” While no official practices have been started by the SIU athletics program, the facilities are open for voluntary workouts and access to athletic training for the athletes who have been tested and quarantined. As far as practices, the NCAA has not released specific guidelines for universities to implement, but coaches are likely to base practices on the information provided to them by the department Jarnigan said. When the competitive season begins, Jarnigan has plans to monitor the athletes participating with regular temperature and symptom checks. She is also currently a member of an MVC COVID Competition Working Group that is working on plans to keep athletes safe throughout the season. “We’re working on those [practices meant to monitor the athletes’ health during the season],” Jarnigan said. “As guidelines from the CDC and Health Department change, we’re having to keep up with those guidelines almost on an hour-to-hour, day-to-day basis to ensure that we get to a place where competition is safe. We feel good about the plan that we have and the protocols that we have in place for when a positive COVID test pops up.” It is not certain whether regular testing will be offered as a part of the monitoring process but if an athlete tests positive for COVID-19 the health department will take over and conduct contact tracing
to determine which individuals are required to quarantine. For the tests Southern has conducted thus far, SIH has been the facilitator and provider. In regards to fan attendance, the number of individuals allowed to enter the outdoor facilities must be decreased with certain restrictions and social distancing practices put into place, while there are to be no fans permitted into the indoor facilities. “We will be following the mandate that was given to us by the governor of our state and currently the mandate is that we limit outdoor capacity to 20%,” Jarnigan said. “There is no allowance for fans in indoor facilities at this date [and] there is also no tailgating allowed at this point.” Luckily, many of the fall sporting events take place in outdoor facilities meaning fans will be able to attend events for all but one of the fall sports SIU is taking part in. Volleyball games are currently unable to be attended by fans as the sport is held inside Davies Gym. As far as the selection of who will make up the 20% capacity crowd at football games, Jarnigan said that there has been no decision made, but named season ticket holders and students as priorities in the process. Because student attendance at university football games has been sparse in the past years, Jarnigan is unsure of the amount of students they will allow to attend games. “As things stand right now, we have our priority list to make these determinations. Students of course are a part of the equation and we certainly want to allow students in,” Jarnigan said. “Unfortunately, in past years, students have just not been showing up for events [and] it’s been discouraging and sad. If we have students that are going to want to come in, we want to be able to accommodate them to the best of our ability.” The number of Southern Illinois fans within Carbondale purchasing
football tickets has steadily decreased every year. Based on records from the 2019 season, SIU was ranked seventh out of 11 teams in home game attendance in the Missouri Valley Football Conference with an average of 6,456 guests, only topping Missouri State’s average by six. This problem, which has been plaguing the Saluki athletic department for years, could also be a saving grace. Because attendance has been so low in recent years, it is possible that Southern may not lose any money due to capacity cutbacks. “When we’re talking about football, unfortunately people haven’t been coming to our games. So to fill our football stadium at 20% capacity, we can pretty much allow those people who have come in the past in with a new seating place, making sure that we have social distancing concepts implemented,” Jarnigan said. “The good news is, we think we can seat everyone who is used to coming.” The prioritization of season ticket holders and students however, could mean the discontinuation of single ticket sales for other fans if capacity is exhausted. Jarnigan stressed that if fans want to attend the games, it is important to get tickets now. No live streaming information was given for fans who are unable to attend games, but a large majority of SIU sporting events can be seen on ESPN+ with a subscription. Jarnigan said that much of the protocol is not set in stone as new information is constantly provided to her concerning the virus. Regardless of this, Jarnigan says she is confident in the plans that have been made and hopeful for statewide improvement by December.
Editor Tāmar Mosby can be reached at tmosby@dailyegyptian.com or on Twitter at @mosbytamar.
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Saluki Athletics rethinks SIUC student-athlete’s kneeling protests Janae Mosby | mosbyj
In 2017, three SIU cheerleaders took a knee during the national anthem at a home football game to protest police brutality. Following the protest, the SIU athletics program took action by releasing statements requiring SIU athletes to be neutral on political issues while in uniform. During this time, the cheerleaders were also removed from the stadium during the national anthem. Czarina Tinker, Alyasia Brandy, and Ariahn Hunt are the cheerleaders who participated in this protest. Brandy is the only cheerleader that has returned to the squad. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem during the regular season in 2016 to draw attention to the injustices that were happening in the African American community such as police brutality. Since then, many other athletes followed his lead and knelt during the national anthem in solidarity and protest. The recent death of George Floyd at the hands of police has sparked conversation concerning the issues these cheerleaders and other athletes knelt for once again as individuals
worldwide have taken to the streets people do,” Jarnigan said. and not disruptive to the academic to protest police brutality. Despite this, Jarnigan says that environment,” Lane said. Saluki athletics made their stance there will be no change in the Code Lane also mentioned a diversity clear on this issue in the past and of Conduct which states that any task force that will look at the with the current social climate in display of activism will result in policies around the university that our country, their stance has shifted. the individual’s removal from their relate to diversity and injustice Current Saluki athletic and make sure they do director Liz Jarnigan not negatively impact the had spoken about this students or staff. issue in 2018 stating: The athletics program “It is a privilege and not instagram page recently a right to be a student participated in “Black athlete, cheerleader Out Tuesday,” which was or spirit member meant to draw attention at Southern Illinois to the black lives matter University.” movement. When asked about Jarnigan said, “Athletics her stance in a recent does not have a specific interview, Jarnigan platform when it comes to stated, “I support all anything that’s political, I of our students in our In 2017, then Sophomore pre-med major Alaysia Brandy, of Chicago, will say that there are those kneels during the national anthem before the Salukis’ matchup against the department and their University of Northern Iowa at Saluki Stadium. Brian Munoz | in our community who @brianmmunoz right to free speech.” believe that the statement Though no new Black Lives Matter is policies are going to be put into respective program. political. For me personally, for us, place, student athletes will not be Newly appointed Southern and for our institution black lives prevented from protesting in their Illinois University Chancellor matter and we see that as a matter programs. Austin Lane supports students of humanity and not a political “We don’t have any specific rights to protest as long as it does statement.” policies in that regard, other than not affect the learning environment. A recent release of a video of a we are not going to keep anyone “Students have the right to be former Saluki baseball player saying from kneeling if they feel like they able to express themselves and yes a racial has caused some tension need to do that during the national their constitutional rights should be within the SIU community. Jarnigan anthem. We are not going to upheld. Students should be allowed has spoken about this incident mandate one way or the other what to protest as long as it is peaceful saying that it was “incredibly awful
and horrifying” and that it has moved the department to do what’s right. The current social climate of our country has caused many people to become more informed about injustices that African Americans go through everyday. The SIU athletics department currently does not have any diversity and/or sensitivity training, but Jarnigan is working on finding ways to educate their athletes. “Due to the climate of our country, we realize that more needs to be done and so …. We need to find ways that go beyond words. Words are important when it comes to inclusivity but they are not enough”, Jarnigan said. Lane mentioned that there is going to be some work done within the athletics department with Jarnigan and Todd Brison, the associate Chancellor for diversity. They are going to look into training in diversity and programs for student athletes. Lane wants to discuss these programs not only in athletics but across the University. Sports reporter Janae Mosby can be reached at jmosby@dailyegyptian. com or on Twitter at @mosbyj.
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Letter to the Editor: Graduate Assistants United statement on SIUC’s COVID-19 response
From the Graduate Assistants United Executive Committee and Covid-Response Task Force
Graduate Assistants United (GAU) -- comprised of Graduate students who hold assistantships at Southern Illinois University Carbondale -- has consistently advocated for remote learning with the Southern Illinois University (SIU) administration. Despite repeatedly voicing our concerns about the danger of face-to-face (F2F) learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, the administration has chosen to offer number of in-person classes to SIU students this Fall. On June 16, GAU and other union leadership met with SIU administrators to discuss plans for Fall instruction. At this meeting, we proposed a plan based on accessibility and equity which would have our campus operating under the clear assumption that any class that can be taught online, will be taught online, unless individual instructors opt-in to teaching F2F. Also during that meeting, the administration shared a rough outline of their “Planning Document for Fall 2020 Instruction,” which included that “some freshman courses” will be offered F2F (including English and Communication Studies 101). We asked for clarification on this point, as to whether the SIU administration intended to offer some sections of those some courses, or all sections of those some courses? We were told those details had not yet been decided. We reminded the Provost that Graduate Assistants (GAs) are most likely to teach those 100-level courses, and we are also the demographic on campus who has repeatedly voiced our preference
for teaching online. Since that meeting, GAU and the Southern Illinois University Faculty Association (SIU-FA) outlined our “Principles for a Safe Fall” as a proposal for how the opt-in F2F method could work on our campus. Our proposal states the following priorities: 1. Health and safety of students and staff; 2. Preserving the quality of education, research, and service; 3. The long-term financial health of the university. We believe we can only meet our third priority, SIU’s financial health, if the first two priorities are met. In addition, we do not believe that the first two priorities are achievable if individuals are forced to work on campus when doing so poses a notable threat to physical and psychological health. This threat will not allow for quality educational experiences. Instructors of freshman-level classes and their students (many of whom will already be experiencing the stress of adapting to a new lifestyle) would bear the brunt of any social distancing and cleanliness mandates that come with being forced into F2F settings. This will add another unavoidable layer of anxiety to our students’ lives - not just whether they can keep their grades up or assignments and responsibilities fulfilled, but also whether they might catch a deadly virus just by going to class. Teaching during a pandemic in a country that is now the worldwide hotspot for COVID-19 is not teaching under
of June, which means we still do not have a clear picture of how opening up bars, restaurants, travel and other businesses and activities will affect our positive cases and deaths. 2. This directive lacks clarity and also provides no justification for the courses that are being offered F2F. The administration fails to provide a reason for why certain freshman courses are deemed necessary for F2F instruction and others are not. 3. This directive makes no attempt at creating a quarantine protocol for these 100 level classes that will be conducted F2F when (not if ) either instructors or students (or more likely, both) get sick. Refusing to plan for (or even, apparently, consider) the “worst case scenario” puts the entire university at risk. 4. This directive disregards the more comprehensive opt-in approach laid out in the SIUFA and GAU joint proposal. It Dustin Clark | @dustinclark.oof also disregards the administration’s “normal” circumstances. Any F2F own COVID-19 instructional course taught or taken this fall preference survey, which indicated by anyone who did not make the that most graduate assistants prefer personal choice to do so would be teaching online. severely hampered by anxiety and 5. This directive was sent out fear that could have been avoided to campus without input from were the class taught online. campus stakeholders, including No amount of “pandemic fatigue” students and members of GAU. or desires for increased enrollment 6. The administration’s directive negate the fact that our country is disproportionately impacts Black in a crisis, and pretending that we and Brown students and those can carry on as if we are not in a with disabilities by requiring crisis is irresponsible, short-sighted, medical documentation in dangerous, and a direct reason our order to opt out of F2F settings. country is still in this crisis in the Medical justification can lead to first place. discrimination, stigma, and lack Shortly after our proposal was of opportunities for years to come. dispersed, the administration Additionally, women, people of released an updated draft of its color, people with disabilities, poor Provisional Planning Document people, and people with a high body (on June 30), and SIU’s coronavirus weight are significantly less likely to information website was updated to have access to adequate health care include the goals of that document. which would allow them to get These documents include the proper documentation. following information: “Some core freshman courses, such as English If SIU administrators are 101, Communications Studies 101, requiring our campus to have a Math 101 and University 101 will F2F element this fall, we ask that be offered face-to-face.” F2F courses be reserved for those We find these documents students and instructors who optdistressing for many reasons: in for in-person learning. We maintain that opting-in to teaching 1. This directive is based on F2F or hybrid is the most ethical short-term and short-sighted desires approach for the fall, if F2F remains for first-year student enrollment, a part of the administration’s plan. rather than the long-term health It allows autonomy for even of students, staff, faculty, the contingent instructors (including Carbondale community, and the GAs), it avoids the discriminatory long-term economic health of the practice of asking for medical university. The administration’s justification, and it signals to the current plan disregards trends across students who wish to enroll in those the country. Many of the states that F2F sections that their instructor are experiencing a surge in COVID actually wants to be there. cases (and recently, deaths) are states Under our proposed optthat opened up in early May. Illinois in policy, all groups would be did not enter phase 4 until the end afforded greater peace of mind and
confidence in the university than if they are to be forced into situations where they feel unsafe. As members of the Carbondale community, as students at SIU, and as undergraduate instructors, we care deeply about the safety of our students and colleagues during this extremely dangerous and difficult time. GAs are contingent workers, contracted on a semester-tosemester basis. We make roughly 13,000 dollars per year, lack adequate health care coverage, and have no guarantee of future employment, income, or health coverage. These factors inevitably affect how comfortable GAs feel working F2F. We are workers in already precarious conditions, and are being asked by people who make over 250,000 dollars a year to sacrifice our health and wellbeing for the sake of new student enrollment numbers. We will not stand for this. SIU has the distinct opportunity to be a leader in this moment, and to demonstrate what an ethic of care at the university level actually looks like. We encourage the SIU administration to send a message acknowledging the ways this virus has exposed our country’s deepseated racism, classism, ableism, ageism, and sizeism, among other prejudices, and the ways that the U.S. doesn’t have this virus anywhere near under control. Help us demonstrate to the university that requiring F2F instruction from a vulnerable and precarious population is unethical and dangerous. Now, more than ever, we need your solidarity and advocacy. There are several ways you can help: 1. Contact Chancellor Austin Lane (chancellor@siu.edu), or write to the SIU Board of Trustees (via Misty Wittington – mistyw@ siu.edu) and tell them why the administration’s current plan is wrong for SIU and urge them to reconsider. 2. We also invite you to contact us at gau.siuc@gmail.com to be added to our growing list of people who stand in solidarity with us, or for more information on how you can help or become a member (you must be a graduate assistant to become a member). We want to preserve the great institution that is SIU by putting the health and safety of our students and faculty first so that we can continue to provide a high-quality education to our students. If we are truly “all in this together,” then our policies should reflect that. Our voices must be heard.
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Anna Ill.: Hope for Change
A group of Black Lives Matter demonstrators are escorted by a police officer as they march along a tree-lined street in the town of Anna, Illinois, Thursday, June 4, 2020. Angel Chevrestt | @sobrofotos
Historic Black Lives Matter protest takes place in what is known as a ‘sundown town’
Above: Janet Gomez, 18, left, of Cobden, IL and Aveon Winfield, 21, right, of Grand Chain, IL participate in a Black Lives Matter demonstration in the town of Anna, Illinois, Thursday, June 4, 2020. Angel Chevrestt | @sobrofotos Right: Janet Gomez and Jessica Moore stand in the middle of Black Lives Matter demonstrators who rallied in the town of Anna, Illinois, Thursday, June 4, 2020. Angel Chevrestt | @sobrofotos
See these photos and more images of the gallery from the June 4, 2020 Black Lives Matter protest at Anna, Illinois on our website:
dailyegyptian.com.
On June 4, 2020, more than 150 demonstrators marched through the streets of Anna, Illinois in protest of police brutality following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minneapolis the week before. The demonstration marked the first of its kind ever to take place in this area of Southern Illinois. Since the turn of the 20th century, Anna has carried the grim reputation of being a “sundown town” - a product of the Jim Crow era, which meant African Americans weren’t allowed after dark. Over time, A-N-N-A became known as an acronym that stood for: “Ain’t No N****** Allowed.” Present day Anna is still viewed as one of the more racist towns in Southern Illinois. During the march, which lasted a little over two hours, there were at least four separate instances when an onlooker had to be ushered away by police after they confronted demonstrators with provocative remarks such as, “All lives matter!” and, “Go home, you don’t belong
here!” In spite of the bigoted ignorance demonstrated by some, there appeared to be many locals that would like to prevail over the racist reputation that Anna still holds, and allow for positive change to arrive and flourish. In the spirit of positive change, during the march a demonstrator offered a promising message as a replacement for the same acronym, “Ain’t No Negativity Allowed!” Daily Egyptian photographer Angel Chevresst attended the histotic protest and captured the images for this story.
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(Answers next week)
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Dustin Clark | @dustinclark.oof Megan Lisota |@m_lisota
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