FAST FACTS

Fashionable fight against human trafficking

Dressember looks to raise awareness, funds for those affected

By Hannah Hernandez

hannah.hernandez@marquette.edu

For some, December is a time to put on a coat, but others wear a dress in an effort to raise awareness for human trafficking.

Dressember began in 2009 when Blythe Hill, founder of Dressember, challenged herself to wear a dress every day in December after hearing about human trafficking. Years later, Dressember became a movement to spread awareness and create change.

The Dressember challenge consists of wearing a dress or tie every day of December, campaigning to raise awareness and fundraising to support trafficking victims and survivors. Since 2013, $16 million has been raised.

Gracie Clifton, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, began participating in Dressember in high school. This will be her fourth year participating.

“I continue to participate because I have learned so much about the issue and want to educate myself and others on how we can help. It’s such a unique organization and people are always interested to hear more about why I wear a dress every day,” Clifton said.

Richard Friman, a professor of political science, teaches a class that explores anti-trafficking campaigns ranging from efforts against the transatlantic slave trade and the white slave trade to those against present-day sex and College of Health Sciences, said she participates in Dressember because she wants to use her voice for those that don’t have a voice.

“I want to live in a world where people are treated equally and sold for their bodies or their labor. Everyone deserves to live a free life and millions of

people all over the world today are suffering and in modern-day slavery,” Layer said.

Layer said she hopes people learn about the cause and choose to use her voice to fight against human trafficking.

“It is hard to wear a dress for 31 days in the middle of winter, but when you walk around campus and people notice your pin on your dress that says, ‘Ask me about my dress,’ it spreads awareness for an underrepresented cause. People asking about your dress can change the way people think about their ethical choices and can help change the world one person at a time,” Layer said.

In the U.S., 14,500 to 17,500 individuals are trafficked yearly into the United States. Approximately 600,000 to 800,000 individuals are trafficked annually across international borders worldwide and about half of these victims are younger than 18. “A common misconception is that issues like this have been solved or won’t affect us in the United States. But, the reality is that trafficking happens everywhere, and Dressember gives the issue the visibility it deserves,”

Clifton said.

If you suspect someone is being trafficked, please call the Milwaukee Police at (414) 933-4444. If it’s an emergency, dial 911.

National Human Trafficking Resource Center’s 24hour hotline number is 1 (888) 373-7888.

Donations can be made directly at dressember.org or through MU Dressember Rah Rah’s fundraising link. More information about MU Dressember Rah Rah can be found on their Instagram page.

labor trafficking.

“[Milwaukee] and Wisconsin have a long history of human trafficking that first attracted national attention in the late-1880s investigations of sex trafficking in Wisconsin lumber camps. Present-day MKE faces a number of trafficking challenges that stem in large part from broader issues of poverty and discrimination in the city,” Friman said.

Sex traf ficking offenses are positively associated with proximity to the interstate highway and the number of cheaper motels. Marquette is at the intersection of I-94 and I-43.

Human trafficking is a $150 billion industry and there are currently 40 million victims of modern-day slavery, including 20.2 million in forced labor, 15 million in forced marriage and 4.8 million in forced sexual exploitation.

Ella Layer, a first-year in the

Illustration by Lily Werner

elizabeth.werner@marquette.edu

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FAST FACTS UPCOMING EVENTS

Last Saturday Former President Donald Trump called for the termination of the United States Constitution in order to overturn the 2020 election results and return him to power.

This year Hannukah will begin on the evening of Dec. 18 and end on the evening of Dec. 26.

Waukesha held their annual Christmas parade this past Sunday. At last year’s parade a deadly SUV attack left six dead and dozens wounded.

On Friday the Milwaukee Brewers promoted Marti Wronski to Chief Operating Officer. She is the only woman to hold the role across all 30 MLB teams. Christmas card making with the Polish Student Alliance in the AMU from 7-8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 7

Thursday, Dec. 8

Latin American Student Organization will be selling holiday grams on the 2nd floor of the AMU from 12-3:30 p.m.

Sibling connections lead students to attend Marquette

Wisconsin, Illinois among top home states for undergrads

By Grace Cady

grace.cady@marquette.edu

When it comes to the decision to attend Marquette, a sibling bond can be a driving force.

Cosmo Hersch, a sophomore in the College of Communication, came to Milwaukee all the way from the West Coast.

“My sister went here, so I visited a couple of times, and I loved the campus,” Hersch said.

Hersch noted that his exposure to the campus from his sister’s attendance was how he heard about Marquette in the first place, and was a factor in his decision to come here.

For some, Marquette’s city environment could be intimidating, but with the comfort of family and familiarity, it can be exciting.

“It’s a college town environment, but across the freeway, you are in a city that has everything you could want,” Hersch said.

Hersch stated that without his sister coming to Marquette, it may have been a different scenario.

Considering over ¾ of Marquette is made up of students from Illinois and Wisconsin, students from anywhere else are in the minority. Although, there is a portion of students that are “legacy” students, meaning that they had a sibling or parent attend Marquette. Some of whom may have extended beyond Wisconsin and Illinois residencies and been exposed to Marquette by family.

Liam Pyne, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences who is originally from Massachusetts, said that his brother also attended Marquette.

“I went to a Jesuit high school, so I had heard about Marquette from a guidance counselor. But, my brother also attended here and graduated in the class of 2021, so

of MU undergraduate population is from Wisconsin

of MU undergraduate population is from Illinois

Graphic by Lily Werner elizabeth.werner@marquette.edu

that was really something that allowed me to see the campus,” Pyne said.

Pyne mentioned that his brother’s experience led him to be interested in Marquette and that the culture is different from his hometown.

“I don’t think it’s in any kind of problematic way, but it’s definitely a Midwest school,” Pyne said.

He also noted that it was more important for him to find the “right fit” and Marquette was that for him. Between the city atmosphere, friendly students and educational opportunities, Pyne said it was the right school for him.

“I was looking for a school in the city and it kind of checked off that box,” Pyne said.

Hersch being from California and Pyne from Massachusetts may have been a roadblock in them finding Marquette and choosing to attend, but their family connections led them here.

It can be noted that the total undergraduate population at Marquette is composed of 38.7% of students hailing from Illinois and 36.7% from Wisconsin.

“We recruit heavily in these two states, but each year we develop and update a recruitment plan that creates meaningful engagement opportunities with any student interested in pursuing their undergraduate education at Marquette University,” Brian Troyer, associate vice provost for enrollment and management and dean of undergraduate admissions, said.

Marquette is predominantly attended by Wisconsin and Illinois residents, despite this, Troyer notes that the university makes a conscious effort to reach broadly in the recruitment process.

“Aligning our efforts within our mission is a first step, but utilizing a wealth of data and expertise that we have in admissions as another key component of our recruitment process. We recruit broadly (nationally and internationally), and aim to be as data-driven as possible,” Troyer said.

In recruitment, Troyer said that Marquette aims to uphold diversity and inclusion.

“There is a lot that can be said about how we prioritize diversity and inclusion at the forefront of our recruitment process. There are a number of strategic and mission-centered efforts that we have developed, sustained, and updated over the years to live out Marquette’s mission,” Troyer said.

Milwaukee students unite for Palestine culture night

MSOE, Marquette, UWM among MKE schools represented

By Trinity Zapotocky

trinity.zapotocky@marquette.edu

If you walked into the Islamic Society of Milwaukee’s community center this past Saturday, you would be greeted with an atmosphere filled with Palestinian culture thanks to Marquette University and University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Students for Justice in Palestine’s Palestinian Culture Night.

The Palestinian night consisted of several events, including: a comedy show by comedian Zaid Fouzi, a dabke — traditional line and circle dancing — performance by FAA entertainment, henna, games, live music and a traditional Palestinian dinner.

Some of the traditional foods included qidreh, which consists of a meat — usually lamb, sometimes chicken — with chickpeas and rice with added spices. Alongside qidreh, desserts such as baklava were served. Baklava is sweet with phyllo dough, finely crushed pistachios and a simple syrup.

The event was open to everyone in the Milwaukee community and over 100 people attended.

“Celebrating our culture is a way to stay united and ensure that our identities are never lost,” Gianna Rupnick, a senior at UW-Milwaukee and co-president of SJP-UWM, said.

The night was dedicated to celebrating Palestinian culture and elevating Palestinian voices. SJP is a political organization that vouches for Palestine’s freedom from Israel’s military occupation and the general freedom of Palestinians.

“The meaning behind culture night tonight is to highlight the talent in the community, but also show solidarity to the Palestinian people who have been displaced from their homes and country,” Ayisha El-Refaie, a firstyear at Marquette in the College of Business Administration, said.

One reason it is important to showcase Palestinian culture and all of its diversity is because culture is resistance, Rupnick said.

“When it comes to Palestine, everyone always talks about the conflict of it … but I think it is also important to take a step back and realize what exactly you’re fighting for. And culture obviously is a big part of it, a nice positive to a negative, ” Janna Zaibak, a senior at UW-Milwaukee and co-president of SJP-UWM, said.

Some students from the Milwaukee School of Engineering also gathered to enjoy the night of culture and the different types of fun and entertainment.

Leena Afifi, a first-year at MSOE, came with the intention of learning more about her culture and having the opportunity to reunite with some foods and traditions.

“I am really glad Marquette and UW-Milwaukee give students from different schools to the? opportunity to attend their events. College can get very busy, and being in a clubspecific towards learning about my heritage and more about my culture and traditions truly means so much to me,” Afifi said.

Jamilah Arabiyat, a sophomore at UW-Milwaukee, said one of her favorite parts was the clothing aspect and that dressing up in cultural clothing adds to the fun.

“The cultural foods, songs, and the men‘s dabke performance was so beautiful in reminding all these people that came of the tradition of occupied Palestine,” Afifi said.

Zaiback also enjoyed the various activities involved and said that they embody Palestinian culture.

“I just love the culmination of everything, like all of the different

Photo courtesy of SJP Marquette

Food, comedy, traditional dance and music were present at the event

ways Palestinian culture is expressed through food, through music, through dance, I think it’s a fun culmination of everything,” Zaibak added.

These events provide a welcoming environment and people from all over the community come together to celebrate the beautiful traditions and countries, El-Refaie said.

“My favorite part was being able to connect with others who share the same culture and beliefs, even though we live thousands of miles away from our home countries,” ElRefaie said.

Thanks to SJP Milwaukee and SJP Marquette, those that attended were able to celebrate and learn about Palestinian culture and traditions and connect as a community Afifi said.

“Through some music and a gathering with friends, a remarkable night in which more people could learn more about this amazing culture was possible,” Afifi said.

Inked in the dorms: From bedroom to tattoo studio

Marquette student offers affordable skin art on campus

By Hannah Hernandez

hannah.hernandez@marquette.edu

It started off as a hobby. Now, Izzy Ward, a sophomore in the College of Communication, leaves a legacy that is inked on indefinitely. Ward gives tattoos to about two clients a week in her dorm room.

“I got into it because I really hate paying for tattoos. They’re so expensive and I’ve kind of always been into art so I figured ‘Why not buy a tattoo gun and save all that money,’” Ward said.

Ward first practiced tattooing on fake skin and then tried it on herself and her friends. She also watched YouTube videos and spoke to a tattoo artist for tips. She officially began tattooing this past summer.

Nate Fisher, Izzy’s boyfriend, has received multiple tattoos from her. One of his favorites is an abstract skull that is on his arm.

“This one is probably one of my favorites because of how amazing the linework is she did on it and because of how visible it is because it is very like tedious work in there,” Fisher said.

Over time, Fisher said he has seen Ward’s passion for art.

“She used to draw on her doors and make cool galaxies and stuff, and she fell in love with tattoos, watching tattoo shows and all sorts of stuff. Seeing her watching and critique on there to like critique your own stuff was really, really cool, especially to see how far she’s come to her first and now,” Fisher said.

Fisher bought Ward’s first tattoo gun for her birthday, and he said it has been cool to see her improve.

“Once she got better at doing them, like this one [a tattoo of a skull on his arm], it kind of got dangerous after that because she’s gotten so good to the point where I’m getting comfortable with her doing better and better stuff. I have this free opportunity to get as many as I want,” Fisher said.

Jaiden Loreti, a sophomore in the College of Communication, said it has been amazing to see Ward and their roommate, Geena Brumm, a sophomore in the College of Communication, who does nails, be able to promote themselves and work.

“I feel like their little princess. It’s pretty cool having them in here, and it’s really cool that’s how I met Izzy through Gina, doing nails. So it’s also, a really cool way to meet people while working hard in promoting yourself,” Loreti said.

Ward has done multiple tattoos on Loreti. She got a pair of dice filled with hearts, cherries, a peace sign and others all done over a span of about four hours. Ward has also done tattoos on Loreti’s leg and the back of her neck.

“Even when I was little, I used to look at people with

Photo by TJ Dysart theodore.dysart@marquette.edu Potential clients can schedule a tattoo appointment through Izzy Ward’s Instagram. Prices start at $20. tattoos and be like, ‘Oh they’re really cool.’ My mom has two tattoos, and my dad isn’t really the biggest fan of tattoos, but I always like, ‘Oh my gosh, like that’s so awesome,’” Loreti said.

Loreti said she always planned to get tattoos and now she has 21 of them.

“It’s a really cool way to express yourself. If you like them, I think it like adds to your style. It’s not just clothing or makeup hair,” Loreti said.

When a client comes in for a tattoo, Ward prints off the picture of the tattoo on stencil paper and then traces it on them. The client then sits down where they are most comfortable, which is sometimes a bean bag. Once Ward finishes the tattoo, she instructs them with proper aftercare.

“It feels the exact same as when I got it professionally done, so I trust her,” Fisher said.

If you are interested in getting a tattoo done by Ward, she can be contacted on her Instagram page. Her pricing depends on the tattoo, but it typically ranges from $20 to $60.

TJ Dysart contributed to this report.

Tuesday, noveMber 22, 2022 Marquette alum behind viral news TikTok account

“thepocketreport” has gained over 300k followers since 2020

By Erin Howard

erin.howard@marquette.edu

As of November 2022, a Marquette University alum named Gina DiVittorio has grown a following of over 325,000 on TikTok and has reached a like count of over 6 million. The achievements of her Twitter and Instagram accounts follow close behind.

The Pocket Report was started in 2020. With the slogan, “Bringing you a sub-par look at news in a timely fashion,” The Pocket Report social media accounts recap and comment on the latest updates in politics through the lens of DiVittorio, a 27-year-old writer and comedian.

DiVittorio graduated from Marquette in 2017. She said that her inspiration to create this account drew from the downtime she experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“My two main interests were public policy and comedy,” DiVittorio said. “During that first COVID-19 winter, I decided to start The Pocket Report to entertain both these interests and as a release to do something that felt somewhat productive.”

Allison Dikanovic, a 2017 Marquette graduate and former classmate of DiVittorio, said that she is not surprised by the following that DiVittorio gained.

“Gina has always been brilliant, strategic, hilarious and compassionate,” Dikanovic said. “She is such a talented writer and she works harder than anyone I’ve ever known.”

Despite its current status, DiVittorio said that The Pocket Report did not start off as an immediate success. Instead, DiVittorio had to post numerous times before the content resonated well with her viewers.

“Honestly, my first few episodes were not good at all,” DiVittorio said. “Not only did they barely receive any views, but the writing and the lighting also just needed a lot of improvement until I was really satisfied with it.”

Since then, DiVittorio said that she has become more confident and proud of the content that she puts out to her viewers. DiVittorio also said she hopes that The Pocket Report is able to connect people of all ages with each other.

“I want The Pocket Report to bridge the gap between the younger generation and late-night TV, which has kind of lost a large amount of its younger audience,” DiVittorio said. “I also know there are many people who are exhausted with today’s political media, so I want the Pocket Report to be something that everyone is actually excited and willing to engage in.”

For Nicole Rizzo, a 2017 Marquette graduate and former roommate of DiVittorio’s, The Pocket Report delivers information to people in a way that is relevant to today’s society.

“The Pocket Report dips into both camps of information and humor, and it perfectly reaches folks in a digital age where news is accessed most broadly from quick, easy and digestible clips,” Rizzo said in an email.

As someone who spent her college years becoming accustomed to the Jesuit principles that Marquette promotes, DiVittorio said one of those principles has especially stuck with her since creating The Pocket Report.

Cura personalis is Latin for “care for the entire person,” and it is a hallmark of Ignatian spirituality.

DiVittorio said that the concepts surrounding the idea of cura personalis are what she often turns to in order to guide herself when creating content.

“Similar to how Marquette talks about caring for the entire person, when I present political issues online, I try to do it in a way that considers the entire problem,” DiVittorio said. “I try to always look at underlying policies, how something is being funded and the historical significance behind it.”

For those interested in potentially

Photo by Isabel Bonebrake isabel.bonebrake@marquette.edu Divittorio started the account during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

pursuing a career in social media similar to her own, DiVittorio said that it is most important to stay committed to being one’s self, even though it may become difficult.

“I would really encourage someone to not attempt to build their following by imitating what they see,” DiVittorio said. “Instead, I always say that I think it will be way more sustainable and meaningful for the creator to be their genuine, authentic self at all times.”

J. R. R. Tolkien, English, 1892–1973, The Book of Mazarbul, first of three facsimile pages, third version, ca. 1940–1941, Ink and colored pencil on paper, 8 3/8 x 6 7/8 in. (212 x 174 mm), Raynor Memorial Libraries, Marquette University, MS. Tolkien, 3/4/12/1a, Credit: © The Tolkien Estate Limited 2004, www.tolkienestate.com August 19 – December 23, 2022 Tickets and more info: mu.edu/haggerty-museum

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