10 31 2017 independent full issue

Northeastern Illinois University’s

ndependent @NEIUIndieNews Tuesday, October 31, 2017

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@NEIUIndie Vol. 37 Issue 5

INSIDE Helpful ways to spend spring break Page 4 Tasty bites at a great price Page 10 Just how real is pro wrestling?

Page 12

Denice Frohman Performs ‘Accents’ A student’s takeaway on the poet’s interpreation on the strength behind accents

News NEIU, North Park partner for change Sarahy Lopez NEIU’s Undocumented, Resilient and Organized (URO) and North Park University’s Rising Dreamers United held an immigration rally to protest the removal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program on Oct. 18, joined by high schools Roosevelt and Von Steuben.

“Undocumented, unafraid! Immigrants are welcomed here! All of us, or none of us,” the crowds chanted between speakers.

URO is an organization of undocumented and fellow students dedicated to provide access to resources, leadership opportunities and a network of support for student success in school. U ​ RO believes in full education, full access to resources and participation in all programs at NEIU, no matter the students’ immigration status.

Partnered with North Park’s Rising Dreamers United organization, multiple speakers came forward during the rally to share their experiences as undocumented students, to recite poet-

Staff Writers Alex Carrizales Josh Furstoss Jenn Lee Eterniti Wiley

ry and to protest the change in the legislation.

President Donald Trump moved to end the DACA pro- A student speaks to a crowd of supporters during the Undocumented, Resilient and Organized rally gram in early to resist President Trump’s movement on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

S e pt e mb e r.

Photo by Sarahy Lopez About 800,000 young adults qualified for the five-year-old alone in this country with no financial aid, no her mother when she was only five years old. program, allowing them to remain without im- support. I’m staying, and I’m letting everyone She revealed her difficult experiences of trying mediate removal from the country, and giving know that no matter what, we have to support to adjust to her new life. them the right to work legally. each other.”

“I feared going to class. I hated English. I “I’m working three jobs. I’m a full time Roosevelt High School student Amy Alcala couldn’t speak it. Many of you may think that student, and I’m staying,” NPU student Sheyla talked about her recent encounter with a couple immigrants come to the United States just beCasianos said. “I’m not going back to Hondu- of CTA passengers who were throwing racists cause, but do you understand how expensive it ras. My parents left three years ago. My dad got remarks about immigrants. is to migrate? This is a life decision,” Vazquez deported...why now? Why should I leave? I was “We are all the same,” Alcala said. “We all said. Her family lived on Maruchan noodles for only nine years old when I came here.” have the same rights. I’ve always felt united with a while, a cheap meal that was not available to “I’ve been here ten years, three of those everyone, regardless of labels.” them in their town of Jalisco, Mexico. years without my parents. Three years I’ve been Carolina Vazquez traveled to the U.S. with See Rally Page 9 Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief - Robin Bridges Managing Editor - Rut Ortiz Production Editor - Chris Laurent News Editor - Sarahy Lopez Opinions Editor - Cecilia G. Hernandez Arts & Life Editor - Bisma Zafar Sports Editor - Patrick Casas Online Editor - Miguel Casimiro Social Media Editor - Nallely Padilla Marketing and Advertising Director - Christopher Starnawski Payroll Manager - Cheryl Johnson

The Independent is a public forum for the university and the community surrounding Northeastern Illinois University and its satellite campuses, El Centro in the Logan Square community and Jacob C. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies in Kenwood/Hyde Park. The Independent is completely student run and receives no prior review of its content by anyone other than its student editors. The Independent is published every other week except during summer and semester breaks. Deadlines are nine (9) days prior to the issue in which a contribution is to appear.

Views expressed in letters are those of the university community and not those of the Editorial Board. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the content of the Independent, and views presented do not necessarily represent those of the administration, faculty or students.

The Independent is a member of the Illinois College Press Association and Associated Collegiate Press.

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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

3

Goodwin lecture gets Savage on money matters Chris Laurent Are we hurtling toward an economic downturn?

This is just one of the questions Terry Savage presented during her discussion titled “The Savage Truth on Money” at the main campus auditorium as part of the Daniel L. Goodwin Lecture Series on Oct. 24.

Savage is a registered investment advisor for both stocks and futures and she discussed the trends in the current market and how members of the audience can best plan for their financial future.

“Don’t bet against America,” Savage stated during her opening remarks. “There have been some tough times in our past, but on the surface, it looks like things are going pretty well.” She said despite her apparent distaste for the current political regime governing the nation.

Among the members of the audience was Richard J. Helldobler, the university’s interim president, who commented on the discussion series as a whole to the nearly standing-room-only crowd.

Savage is a registered investment advisor for both stocks and futures.

She has won numerous awards, including the National Press Club award for Outstanding Consumer Journalism. She is the author of four best-selling books on personal finance. “The Savage Truth on Money” was named one of the top 10 money books of the year by Amazon.com in its first edition.

“These discussions are part of our commitment for intellectual discourse,” Helldobler stated during his welcome comments. “We are the people and this is the place to have these discussions.”

In continuing the discussion, Savage used numerous visual aids to support her stance on the econo-

my and what people should do to invest their money to stabilize the future and how this impacts society today. She used the typical terminology of the bull and bear markets. Many who are aware understand that a bull market are markets moving up, yielding profit and prosperity, while bear markets are on the downturn.

Terry Savage answers questions from the Savage reminded audience during her discussion at the the audience that main campus auditorium. the bull and bear Photo by Chris Laurent terms are used to describe markets like insured deposits in a bank.” regarding risk-yielding stocks. She Following the discussion, Savage also recalled the valuation of comfielded questions from members of panies during the dot-com bubble, the audience and provided inforwhere numerous companies soared mative responses to every query. in value and seemed to become Unfortunately, the lack of time did insolvent overnight when the bubnot allow the scheduled book signble burst. As there are profits to be ing to happen. made from these, the risk to lose it Daniel L. Goodwin, the series all is just as plausible. namesake underscored the need for Savage mentioned a third animal the discussions. to define how people should invest “I am a big advocate of free their money they cannot really afspeech and we want this program to ford to lose. The term she used was stimulate thought and bring forth “chicken.” This is money that will new ideas,” he explained. essentially yield a lower return on The Daniel L. Goodwin Distininvestment, but will also lower the guished Lecture Series was creatoverall risk. ed in 2015 by Daniel L. Goodwin, “Think about the money you want Chairman and CEO of Inland Real to invest to plan for someday buying Estate Group of Companies, as part a house or sending your children to of his historic $2.5 million comcollege. This is money you will rely mitment to Northeastern Illinois on one day, so you can’t really afford University. The lecture-series fund to lose it. I call this chicken money provides support to bring promithat should be invested into more nent and well-respected thinkers secure avenues,” she said. “What to the university for presentations do you do with money that you in conferences, seminars and major don’t want to lose, or can’t afford to lose? You stash it in a safe place, See Money Page 9

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Tuesday, October31, 2017

NEWS

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An alternative for spring break Sarahy Lopez Applications have gone up for the 2018 Alternative Spring Break program, a series of trips that students can take during their Spring Break vacation to help improve the lives of others.

Meals and lodging will be provided to those accepted into the program. Students would need to pay a non-refundable $50 if selected, and will be expected to fundraise another $50 or $150 to be used by the group for a project that will benefit the local community.

However, the program is not just a service trip, it is an immersion into the everyday experiences and real life conditions of people from different communities. One trip exposes students to the border between Mexico and the United States, and the immigrant life when crossing it.

“It’s not glamorous,” Assistant

Director of Student Leadership Development Rae Joyce Baguilat-Bukovsky said. “You’re not being fed feasts. It is about trying to walk in the same footsteps as them. It’s not about sympathy, it’s about empathy.”

The trips will take place next year, with four different options for students to choose from. Students may apply to all four trips, with their preferred choice being the first one.

If accepted, they will be interviewed to see if they qualify.

All trips will leave on Sunday, March 17 and return on March 24.

The first option for a trip goes to Washington, D.C., where students will be exposed to the life and culture of those who experience homelessness. Those participating will work at a homeless shelter, providing all manner of services like serving in a soup kitchen.

The second option is to travel to Tucson, AZ, to examine the re-

lationship between Mexico and the U.S. near the border. Students will also cross the border to witness the harsh reality of immigrant life and courthouse procedures, according to Billie Kersh, an NEIU grad student who attended the trip earlier this year.

“The most powerful thing I saw was the lists of remains that have been recovered,” Kersh said, when her group went on the “desert walk,” the dangerous path that immigrants take to cross the border.

“Some were not even identified and just read ‘unidentified female.’ We went around in a circle and had a moment of silence for them.”

The language barrier and the lack of knowledge of court procedures often places immigrants that are to be deported at risk, Kersh said, as the judge asks them difficult questions in legal jargon. They agree to be sentenced to a detention center for months and the charges remain

on their permanent record forever.

“We visited the detention center and sat down with the people who were living there,” Kersh recalled. “I talked to a 27-year-old man from Ecuador who has been living in the center for 14 months. He didn’t know how long he’d be there, and he was currently seeking asylum.”

“He told me that he didn’t feel safe in his own hometown. That at least he had a clean bed and food to eat here. He never got to truly experience the U.S.,” Kersh said.

The third trip will take students to the refugee settlement in Clarkston, Georgia. Participants will learn about refugee settlements and will work closely with elementary students to serve refugee youth and families in need.

And lastly, the fourth trip will take students to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they will work on restoring the wetlands and gardens to support the region’s environmental

sustainability. Activities include planting large weeds to protect the land from wind erosion and other projects on the culture and arts of New Orleans.

“It is a humbling experience,” Angelina Pedroso Center student aide worker Adriana Mata said.

Mata’s first trip took her to the Tantre farms in Michigan to learn about healthy organic produce, and how oftentimes junk food will be more available than more nutritional options.

“It’s eye opening. You learn about how everything is a snowball effect.

One thing leads to another. And you get to help those communities in need.”

“The experience is life changing,” Kersh said. “For me it was an incredible experience, connecting with other students. We became like family.”

Previous participants of the alternative spring break program pose for a group photo during their time in Tucson, Arizona.

Photo by Rae Joyce Baguilat-Bukovsky

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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

5

Dare to McNair Rut Ortiz

NEIU has earned its fifth McNair Scholars grant in 2017, equipping 14 students of minority and underserved demographics to attain their higher-education goals for the next five years.

“The universities compete to get the program,” said Angela Vidal-Rodriguez, the director of the program. “It is a research-based program.”

The McNair Scholars Program is a federally funded pipeline which includes academic coaching, a research thesis, conferences, workshops and a final research project that has to be completed by all of the students who are chosen to take part in the grant.

“The other set of activities…is preparing them for graduate school,” Vidal-Rodriguez said. “We help (students) to grasp all of the components of the grad school experience.”

Chosen students must attend their respective graduate school the semester immediately following their graduation with a bachelor’s degree. Criteria for the program includes being a student who is first-generation and from a low-socioeconomic status.

If a student meets one eligibility but not the other (such as coming from a low-income background but is a first-generation undergraduate), the program will still consider these candidates if they come from an underrepresented group as defined by federal guidelines.

According to an Illinois Board of Higher Education report from 2016, data collected from 2014-2015 reflected that the two highest underrepresented groups who participated in the NEIU McNair pipeline were of Hispanic/ Latino and African-American ethnicity. The McNair program housed at NEIU has served a total of 165 students.

The report states that since its inception, NEIU’s McNair has had a 100 percent participation rate, 36 percent of students belonging to a STEM major. “(Students) need to have a huge interest to go to graduate school and they need to commit to do it as soon as they graduate,“ Vidal-Rodriguez said. “The main goal of McNair (program) is to diversify the number of PhDs from underrepresented groups.”

Among the criteria mentioned, students who apply must have a GPA of 2.8 and above

Official Portrait of Ronald McNair

By NASA via Wikimedia Commons

and the minimum number of schools that the scholars have to apply to as per the program is 12. The program aims to give the chosen scholars the direction that may be needed during the transition from undergrad studies to master or doctoral degree studies.

“I think is because in the United States, going to grad school, it’s a complicated process and it can be very stressful,” Vidal-Rodriguez said. “The McNair (program) helps them to organize that process.”

Currently, NEIU does not offer doctoral studies. However, through the program, scholars can learn about the grad school experience and obtain a master’s degree.

“It gives (students) the opportunity to dig deeper in their understanding of certain issues,” Vidal-Rodriguez said about experience of graduate education.

Additionally, when scholars become NEIU alumni, even if they pursue graduate studies at another university, they are not forgotten.

A McNair Scholar obtains a post-baccalaureate education within a specific amount of time.

“We have to follow them for 10 years,” Vidal-Rodriguez said about the follow-up the program shares with its scholars. “Once a McNair, always a McNair.”

The McNair Scholars Program has been in existence since 1989 and first came to NEIU in 2004. Students who are interested in the program can read more information about it at neiu.edu.

Opinons

Why I Refuse to be Silent: #MeToo Jenn Lee

I logged onto my social media profiles on Oct. 15 and the words “me too” flooded my feeds. Moved by the allegations of decades of abuse perpetrated by powerhouse producer Harvey Weinstein, survivors of sexual assault and harassment shared their experiences online with the hashtag “Me Too.” Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr became venues of protest, demonstration and support. The sheer volume and inescapability of “me too” proved a powerful exhibition of the extent to which our culture is rape culture.

Actress Alyssa Milano tweeted that “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted, write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet,” unknowingly putting a national spotlight on Tarana Burke’s “the Me Too campaign.”

Ten years ago, youth worker Tarana Burke, a survivor of sexual assaults, was inspired to create the Me Too campaign after she felt she mishandled a young girl’s confession of sexual abuse. Burke was unable to reach out and tell the girl, “Me too.”

According to the campaign’s website, metoo.support, “While the work we do is still largely focused on Black and Brown women and girls, it also included those who identify as women and those who don’t conform to any gender.”

Burke’s admission that she initially struggled with the ability to reach out to other survivors struck a chord with me.

I don’t generally volunteer information about my own experiences with sexual assault, abuse and rape. My practice has been to hint at my status of survivor enough that whomever I’m speaking with feels comfortable in continuing to discuss their own stories with me.

I have become an expert at talking around my trauma.

This is because, as a survivor, availability of deniability is important. Talking is a risk, whether you’ve known the person you’re talking to for hours or decades.

After living as a survivor for over twenty-six years, the only thing I am certain of is that there is absolutely no way to predict how

someone will react to the topic.

I’ve been hugged, disbelieved and threatened; offered drugs and alcohol, offered oral sex, and offered violence. I’ve even been hit on. Once the subject of sexual assault is raised, all bets are off.

The conversation becomes a free-for-all.

However, this Sunday was different. Survivors shared their stories explicitly. In others, I recognized the way they hinted at the deep trauma that lay just under the words they wrote. Friends and loved ones shook me with their brave honesty.

I witnessed some push back. People in comments and replies asked why they didn’t

part of life. She normalizes it, making it ok to harass another person.

She confesses that she has received catcalls in the past and clearly doesn’t consider it sexual harassment, but rather just a part of life.

Catcalling makes victims feel like they are in danger. Catcalling is a form of sexual harassment since it’s unwelcome, unwanted and objectifies the victim.It’s not okay and it shouldn’t be accepted as another part of life, even if you don’t mind it.

Wilhelm also compares men getting yelled at randomly to people being objectified through catcalls. She compares two scenarios that have nothing to do with each other. A

name names or press charges or otherwise behave the way these people thought survivors of assault should behave. They asked what good this actually accomplished and claimed that this was all well and good, but nothing would actually change.

Chicago Tribune writer Heather Wilhelm said that receiving catcalls “is life” and correlated receiving catcalls with “men [getting] yelled at and hav[ing] to dodge clearly disturbed people on the streets, too” in her article “Where #MeToo goes off the rails.”

While it’s nice that Wilhelm “cannot honestly say #MeToo,” she downplays the effect catcalling has on the receiver by saying it’s a

person getting yelled at for being in an area is completely different to receiving catcalls.

Catcalls are a calculated move to demonstrate domination over another human being. They are a way to tell others that their bodies are open for public and sexual comment. They aim to tactically place others in a state of fear.

Catcalls are not, and should not be, just another part of life.

Wilhelm seemed to be responding to Angelina Chapin’s article in the Huffington Post, explicitly quoting Chapin when she wrote, “If every woman you know has been harassed or assaulted, then every man you know has likely made a woman feel unsafe.”

I agree with Wilhelm when she says this statement is “nonsense...untrue” and “unjust,” but not for the same reasons as Wilhelm.

While it seems that Wilhelm thinks it’s untrue because she believes in “gender equity” and not all men are “bad,” I agree that this statement is untrue because perpetrators can be anyone, regardless of their gender.

Women are not the sole victims, as men and gender-nonconforming people are also victims of sexual assault and harassment.

This leads me back to the original purpose of #MeToo, which was to open the dialogue for survivors to voice their trauma, and to raise awareness of how our society tolerates living in a thriving rape culture.

Chapin’s claim that all the #MeToo’s won’t make “a difference until men ― all men ― acknowledge how they perpetuate misogyny and commit to making a change” is not true.

Change is a possibility once we open up a dialogue.

And for me, something absolutely changed.

I could not sit quietly and not let other survivors know that I was there for them, that I was a safe person to talk with.

I needed to speak.

I needed to demonstrate to other survivors, who are in darker places, that there’s no shame in surviving, no matter what others might push you to do. I needed to let them know that there is no wrong way to survive.

There is only survival.

Not long after midnight on Monday, Oct. 16, I typed two, tiny words into a Facebook post.

I trembled so badly that it took multiple attempts to type five letters. Adrenaline coursed through me, leaving a bitter, metallic taste in the back of my throat.

But after the shaking subsided, I composed a second post. And then a third; a fourth.

I found, once I let my words out, I could not stop talking about it. I could not stop saying, in a million different ways, me too.

I guess I still haven’t stopped saying it.

Me, Too.

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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

7

Denice Frohman Embraces ‘Accents’ Cecilia G. Hernandez

In her red plaid shirt and black jeans, Denice Frohman passionately and comedically recited her poem “Accents” in the Angelina Pedroso Center on Oct. 17.

Frohman shared with us how her mother’s accent “got too much salsa to sit still,” and something in me clicked. Growing up with a Spanish-speaking mom, I wished her accent stood still, invisible to the English-speaking world, so that she wouldn’t be victim of racism.

That is why we need more poets like Frohman, to remind us accents are beautiful; they are evidence of their owner’s hard journey to the U.S., and not an excuse to degrade the people that helped build this country.

When Frohman recited “English sits in her mouth remixed. So ‘strawberry’ becomes ‘estrawberry’ and ‘cookie’ becomes ‘ecookie,” I remembered the times I would try to teach my mom the difference between saying “tree” and “three.” We would spend ten minutes saying the two words over and over again, always ending in laughter because my mom would always say “tree.”

I remembered I loved and hated her for saying “tree.” It was as if her accent was my constant reminder that she was vulnerable to others.

She was a neon-yellow target for belittlement and bullying, something she experienced everyday living in this country.

I recall one vivid memory, one where I was about to punch an employee for harassing my mom in the two seconds I was away. She was yelling at my mom to pick up several sweaters she thought my mom had dropped. In her haste to find the English words to explain it wasn’t her, my mom didn’t realize the employee’s body language promised violence.

I heard my mom repeat “me, no do” before I pushed between the employee and my mom. The employee immediately backed off after I arrived.

Encounters like these are not unfamiliar. Because of my mom’s accent and appearance, many racists see the opportunity to harass her, not knowing I’m not too far behind to protect her.

My mom used me as her translator since I could speak, dragging me along to banks and doctor appointments because she knew Spanish-translators were scarce and often pressed for time.

However, I was more of a buffer between her and the English-speaking world. I was the person other people needed to go to first before they reached her, and the first my mom spoke to in order to communicate with others.

I grew up with fear since I knew people would try to take advantage of my mom. I became anxious when she went anywhere without me, and I developed a short temper

with anyone that expressed annoyance towards my mom’s “broken” English.

I resented her for her accent, for not blending in. I wanted to erase any and all evidence of her alienness since I truly believed she was the one that had to fix herself.

I think my mom saw this because, soon after, she started taking free English classes at Truman College. Little by little, she could finally say “three” within a complex sentence, her accent still audible and bold, but I realized my mom didn’t need fixing.

What needed fixing is this idea that there’s only one “American” accent, and anything other than that is wrong or broken.

Now there’s no telling my mom to be quiet because, as Frohman says in her poem “Accents,” “she doesn’t know ‘quiet.’”

She defends herself proudly while I gaze at her admiringly.

Frohman’s poem reminded me how my mom’s accent is a part of her and will always be loud. Instead of wishing it would sit still, I embrace my own.

“Her accent is a stubborn compass, always pointing her towards home.”

Denice Frohman performs her poem titled ‘Accents’ to students and faculty at the Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs on NEIU’s main campus.

Photo by Cecilia G. Hernandez

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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

www.neiuindependent.org

Immigration rally draws support from nearby schools “It’s something that drives the individual towards the edge. We are forced to leave everything, families, jobs, a culture behind, just to reintegrate into a place we have never been to before. Undocumented individuals are not only students. What about the refugees? Our parents? Our uncles?” Vazquez said.

“We are here to advocate for our undocumented students but we are also here to listen to them, to follow their lead, and to let them guide this movement because our students have agency and they have power,” NEIU’s Undocumented Student Resources Director Luvia Moreno said.

“The very thing they’re asking us to do is to not only advocate for them, but for their parents, for their entire families. Because for this country to move forward and succeed, we cannot separate families, and we cannot divide people with a good immigrant versus bad immigrant narrative,” Moreno said.

President Richard Helldobler recently cosigned a higher education letter to Congress that urges lawmakers to pass a legislation that will protect undocumented students.

“Colleges and universities have seen these remarkable people up close, in our classrooms

Money pro: Don’t bet against America

From Page 2

and as our colleagues and friends. Despite the challenges they face, they have made incredible contributions to our country and its economy and security,” the letter to Congress states.

“They should continue to be able to do so. If we are unable to protect these Dreamers, we will be shutting the door to an entire generation of individuals who seek to contribute their best to America.”

From Page 3

they cannot really afford to lose. The term she used was “chicken.” This is money that will essentially yield a lower return on investment, but will also lower the overall risk.

“Think about the money you want to invest to plan for someday buying a house or sending your children to college. This is money you will rely on one day, so you can’t

really afford to lose it.

“I call this chicken money that should be invested into more secure avenues,” she said. “What do you do with money that you don’t want to lose, or can’t afford to lose? You stash it in a safe place, like insured deposits in a bank.”

Following the discussion, Savage fielded questions from members of the audience and provided informative responses to every query. Unfortunately, the lack of time did not allow the scheduled book signing to happen.

Daniel L. Goodwin, the series namesake underscored the need for the discussions.

“I am a big advocate of free speech and we want this program to stimulate thought and bring forth new ideas,” he explained.

The Daniel L. Goodwin Distinguished Lecture Series was created in 2015 by Daniel L. Goodwin, Chairman and CEO of Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, as part of his historic $2.5 million commitment to Northeastern Illinois University. The lecture-series fund provides support to bring prominent and well-respected thinkers to the university for presentations in conferences, seminars and major lectures.

NEIU​ ​Southside​ ​Campus welcomes new health center CARRUTHER’S CENTER, Oct 19 - Students, faculty and administration gathered to celebrate the opening of the CCICS health center. The​​health​​ center​​hopes​​to​​staff​​at least two​​nurses when it opens for appointments.​​ CCICS​ ​students​ ​will​ ​receive​ ​a​ ​survey​ ​by email, which ​will​ ​help​ ​determine​ ​ the​ ​most​ ​convenient​ ​schedule​ ​for​ ​the​ ​center.​ ​​Students are pictured at left with NEIU Interim President Richard Helldobler, CCICS Interim Director Dr. Barbara Scott, Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Daniel Lopez, Acting Provost Wamucii Njogu, CCICS Program Assistant Monica Smith.

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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

9

Morning Drive’s Felicia Middlebrooks at NEIU Josh Furstoss WBBM’s Morning Drive host Felicia Middlebrooks spoke to aspiring journalists and reporters at a NEIU News Writing class on Oct. 26.

Middlebrooks shared her story before deviating into an individualized advice session.

She went around the room speaking to students with the intent to build their character and give meaningful advice on how to improve their future experience in the news industry.

Middlebrooks began with some valuable advice: “Always recognize a gift, and then develop that – do not take your gifts for granted.” She explained how much struggle she had to overcome to get where she is. and reinforced that starting young and focusing on a path is paramount.

As one of four daughters born to a steel worker in Gary, Indiana, Middlebrooks had to learn early on that there was no such thing

as “men’s work.” Being handy and self-supporting was something she had to develop quickly and at a young age.

“Hard work was never something we were afraid of,” Middlebrooks said.“We had to be like the boys - we could build a house together with all the skills we had together jointly.”

Growing up in a working class household,

Events Approved by COC Oct. 5, Oct. 12, and Oct. 19 Meetings Earth Science Club Mock Field Camp at Lasalle Anticline $53.97 Dancers Society Dance Club American Central Conference - $2,200.00 Delta Tau Lambda Salute to Latinas $3470.86 Eagles Dance Crew Halloween Knight $684.10 Muslim Student Association MSA Comedian Night $1521.86

Black Caucus Black Homecoming $1862.56 Pin@y Club Coming Together Conference - $843.30 Beta Gamma Sigma Global Leadership Summit - $3357.90 Linguistics Honor Society Linguistics Beyond and Within 2017 - $627.14 Earth Science Club SEPM Fall Field Concerence - $1,756.90

Student Veterans Club Veterans Day $1364.25

Council of Clubs Updates

Middlebrooks was admitted to Purdue University, although she admits that being forced to go to school in-state originally seemed like a curse rather than a blessing.

After three successful years at Purdue, financial hardship forced her to return home.

Felicia and her sister took up jobs at the local steel mill and became the first women to work at the site.

During this time, she found time to work at local radio stations before getting her big break – working for Channel 2 in Chicago.

Middlebrooks persevered through school and eventually moved to Chicago where her career blossomed.

Eventually she would become the first female host on a CBS radio broadcast as well as the first African American to host on the station.

Middlebrooks spread the message that getting into journalism is not for the faint of

Events Funded by Student Activity Fee for Oct. 31 - Nov. 14 Oct. 31 - Golden Eagle Dance Crew - Halloween Knight 6pm - Alumni Hall Nov. 10 - Students Veterans Club - Veterans Luncheon Peace Garden outside of Cafeteria Student Leadership Development Oct. 31 - Halloween Hangout 3pm-4pm - Pedroso Center

heart, and only those who truly have a passion for the job should pursue radio.

Middlebrooks wakes up at 2:30 a.m. every day to gather and prepare news documents.

However, she claims the pressure and hardship of the role – and life in general – is what helps create strong individuals.

Middlebrooks explained this by saying, “If you’re going to be a good writer, then write – writing is like a fine wine it takes practice and time to create.”

Today Middlebrooks still works at WBBM as the host of Morning Drive where she has presented the news for over 35 years, and works as a part-time professor at DePaul.

As a student who originally took seven years to graduate with her bachelor’s degree, Middlebrooks hopes to inspire many as she goes forward completing her third graduate degree, while spending her spare time talking to aspiring reporters in the Chicagoland area.

Senate Updates There are still open SGA positions for Senators and Council of Club Representatives. If you are interested in being in Student Government, please contact Olivia Goree at o-goree@neiu.edu To read approved Senate minutes and passed legislation visit neiu.edu/sld and check out the SGA tab.

Nov. 2 - Alternative Spring Break Trip Deadline Applications are accessible at neiu.campuslab.com/ engage/submitter/form/start/143848 Nov. 13-18 - National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week Northeastern Programming Board Nov. 6 - I Love Mondays Churros, Peppermint Spice Mocha 1pm-4pm - Village Square Six Flags Tickets $20 ticket - 2 tickets per student (with student ID) Purchase your tickets in NPB Office E-060.

Last day: November 17

STUDENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

To request disability accommodations please contact Student Disability Services at (773) 442-4595 or SDS@neiu.edu at least 48 hours in advance.

A&L Review: Makki Fast Food & Grill Nallely Padilla Looking to grab a quick bite that’s tasty yet affordable? Makki Fast Food & Grill is located at 4702 N. Kimball Ave. It is a pared-down Middle Eastern counter serve with a halal menu of gyros, burgers, fries and more.

Makki Fast Food & Grill offers delivery through both Uber Eats and Grubhub which comes in very handy. The restaurant consists of six tables total. With only a few tables, the restaurant creates a cozy environment that’s great for groups of four.

Makki Fast Food & Grill was quiet on a Tuesday afternoon around 4:30 p.m. As we walked in we were greeted by a very friendly man who seemed to be the only one taking care of the front of the restaurant.

I was able to grab a menu that was right at the counter by the register.

They also have a display of the food they sell with pictures and prices pinned to their wall.

The relaxing atmosphere was perfect for me and my friend to catch up as we waited for our food. She had the hot dog meal which falls under the “Value Meal” category on the menu and I had the chicken wrap under “Makki Specials.”

When our food was ready, I was surprised that the “hot dog meal“ actually came with two hot dogs! I wished the menu was more clear about what exactly came with the meal, but nonetheless it was more than filling and we were able to take the extra hot dog home for later. The hot dog came with the usual condiments which included mustard, onion, tomato, relish and pickle. I took a bite and it tasted great! The meal

included a side of fries and a drink.

For my chicken wrap, I expected an ordinary cold chicken wrap with lettuce, tomato, chicken and so on.

But when I received it it looked very different, maybe that’s why it’s under “Makki Specials.”

The chicken wrap consisted of chicken, grilled onion, grilled peppers, cheese and mayonnaise tossed in a spicy salsa. You have the option of getting your wrap spicy or not spicy. I got mine spicy with the salsa.

It was definitely not what I expected but it was very good. It was a hot wrap, filled with a lot of flavor and a kick at the end of each bite.

Aside from the chicken wrap and hotdog, Makki Fast Food & Grill also offers pizzas (chicken, beef or gyro), seafood, rice dishes, chicken wings, chicken tenders, an assortment of other appetizers and ice cream for dessert.

The ice cream options offered are a variety of different flavored popsicles in a freezer right by the entrance of the restaurant. We had to get one before we left, so I had a cookies and cream popsicle and my little companion had a pistachio popsicle.

As for the beverages, they don’t have fountain drinks. They have mostly canned soda such as Crush, Mountain Dew and Sprite. They also have Jumex, Sangria soda, Jarritos and Gatorade.

Makki Fast Food & Grill is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. - 10 p.m. You can also follow their facebook page by searching the keywords “Makki Grill” and remain updated on new items and specials.

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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Yo-Kai Watch 2: Not Pokémon Eterniti Wiley When it comes to monster collecting games, most people might think of Pokémon and it’s catchy “Gotta catch em all” slogan.

However, Pokémon isn’t the only game that centers around collecting monsters, there are many out there with the same goal, but with different twists.

One of the lesser known monster collecting games is “Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters,”a game where you collect monsters that are based off of actual Japanese yokai.

The Yo-Kai series got split into 2 sequel games. Similar to the Pokémon franchise with Gold and Silver, Black and White and the list goes on and on. This sequel was also split into two games:“Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits” and “Yo-Kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls.”

Now it’s a fully extended game that even if you complete the main story, there even more quests for you to do.

Now that you have some background on this ghostly game, let’s compare how different they are from Pokémon in terms of its pros and cons.

The biggest difference with “Yo-Kai Watch: Psychic Specters” and any of the Pokémon franchise are the battle system and the monsters themselves. In battle instead of you choosing the moves, the yokai chooses for themselves and even act mostly on their own throughout the whole battle.

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Psychic Specters has an auto battle system, unlike Pokémon’s control system, which means you have to be wise about how your team will perform. You can train your yokai in a gym to boost stats and buy items to change their play-style in battle to give them better performance.

Even doing quests is different than Pokémon, you earn experience points for your team, while with Pokémon players need “exp. share.” Now the yokais are more human-like, they even see themselves as humans more than just mere monsters, unlike Pokémon.

The only con Psychic Specters” has is its transfer. If you played “Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits” or “Yo-kai Watch 2: Fleshy Souls”, you may need to keep close eye while transferring your game data.

Players are able catch yokai that are exclusive to the side you’re on and the extras psychic specters gives. So it’s best to trade before or with some online friend who has the opposite version before even thinking about buying psychic specters if you’re a veteran player.

Overall, “Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters” is a great start to experience non-Pokémon monster collecting games. It may not be popular yet but it’s becoming well known.

Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters retails for $39.99 at most supercenters.

Happy Yo-kai hunting!

Sports

WHERE

Wrestling more real than TV Alex Carrizales I love pro-wrestling. I believe it is one of the last great pieces of performance art on stage in the world.

With a love of pro-wrestling comes many skeptics and critics saying, “You do realize it’s fake, right?”

To them I say it’s more real than anything else you see on television these days.

Pro-wrestling is real in the same sense as Daenerys Targaryen is in “Game of Thrones,” or Walter White in “Breaking Bad.” There’s a lot of goofiness in wrestling. There was a cult leader praying to his undead little-girl god, a group of African-Americans selling breakfast cereal every week and a plush cat becoming the manager of a wrestler. There is a suspension of disbelief when it comes to wrestling, but it’s because of this that wrestling creates such an entertaining experience.

Pro-wrestling is long past its golden years of the 90’s. It rode high on WWE’s Attitude Era and the ECW’s renegade anti-establishment world. The WCW’s N.W.O. taking over the wrestling and world changing the way wrestling stories are written and experienced.

For a long time, WWE continued to stay afloat through the 2000s. First by buying and absorbing ECW and WCW. Then by broadcasting two shows: “Monday Night Raw” and “Smackdown.” In this era though, wrestling would lose its mainstream appeal and become niche again, which depressed me as a fan. The rise of superstars such as John Cena, Dave Bautista, Eddie Guerrero and Chicago local CM Punk. These guys would carry the company through what could be called a mediocre period.

Independent wrestling became more prominent with the birth of

companies such as Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Lucha Underground. These companies became the breeding ground for future big names in wrestling, such as AJ Styles, Daniel Bryan, Seth Rollins, Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens. These guys would make their names in these promotions and even become champions in these respective companies.

WWE also implementing their NXT training grounds where they would build home grown talent such as Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, Baron Corbin and Braun Strowman. In the U.S., wrestling was slowly building towards the fu-

I say it’s more real than anything else you see on television these days. ture age we are currently in. However, secretly in Japan the second biggest wrestling promotion in the world would rise: New Japan Pro Wrestling or NJPW. Now, NJPW was founded in the 1970s and shouldn’t really be considered a new company, considering that wrestling legends such as Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, and Brock Lesnar all wrestled or even held their heavyweight championships.

However, it wasn’t until the early to mid-2000s that NJPW finally rose to prominence on the back of their own “Hulk Hogan,” Hiroshi Tanahashi. Tanahashi brought NJPW to mainstream Japan and would bring in a new exciting style of pro-wrestling along with Shinsuke Nakamura, Hirooki Goto and Kazuchika Okada.

But NJPW didn’t reach true mainstream wrestling success with the debut of its most popular frac-

tion, the Bullet Club, but that’s another article.

Now NJPW is considered the second biggest wrestling promotion in the world next to WWE. NJPW is slowly creeping it’s way into the western market of the U.S.A. We are entering slowly but surely into another golden age of professional wrestling that will be led

by WWE and NJPW. WWE have made great strides to gain new talent from other companies such as Finn Balor, AJ Styles, and Shinsuke Nakamura to try and improve and weaken their potential threats.

WWE has created an “Indie all-star league” of sorts using their NXT brand to showcase new incoming indie wrestlers to their company. WWE has also revitalized Women’s Pro-Wrestling in their company on the backs of talented athletic women such as Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Bayley.

NJPW has teamed up with indie promotions such as ROH and CMLL to improve their roster and create their own version of “WrestleMania,” “Wrestle Kingdom.”

NJPW has two annual tournaments; The “G1 Climax” and “Battle of the Super Juniors”, which heavily involve indie wrestlers from all around the world.

Finally, their “International Wrestling Grand Prix Championship” has become the second most prestigious title in the world.

All seems to look well in the future of professional wrestling with WWE and NJPW at the helm.

However, if history has taught us anything with WWE and WCW, Vince McMahon doesn’t like sharing the title of biggest wrestling company in the world.

FRESH & FAST MEET

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