September 5 - 11, 2022 Vol. 31 No. 36 $1.85 + Tips go to $3Vendoryour
Our Vendors
StreetWise has not increased the price of our magazine to the vendors or customers since 2008! It was only the second increase in the 30-year history of StreetWise.
The cost of living has gone up 34% since 2008. A dollar's worth of goods in 2008 would cost $1.34 today. Our vendors deserve more money in their pockets to offset the rising costs of food, transportation and housing.
The price increase, by expanding one of the most reliable income sources we have, will give StreetWise vendors an income they need to thrive, and not just survive. Deserve a Raise!
StreetWise magazine is an award-winning weekly publication that also serves as a platform for people with lived experience to share their stories and their views as writers and more.
$3JuneStarting27Streetwisewillcost+Tips
We Are Giving Our Vendors a Raise!
Why now?
The new price of $3, with vendors paying $1.15 for their papers, means each paper sold nets the vendor a solid $1.85. It raises the floor so that our vendors earn a wage that is worth their while. It’s time for this to happen. We talked with our vendors and received feedback from some of our customers and supporters. We have nearly unanimous support for the price increase. Now is the time.
Beginning June 27, StreetWise costs $3.00 + tips. Vendors will now earn $1.85 per issue instead of $1.10 for every magazine sold.
Post-COVID inflation has hit us hard. Our production costs have increased 25% over last year. Selling StreetWise is a Job Selling StreetWise isn’t begging, and it isn’t asking for charity. It’s a job. Our vendors are self-employed micro entrepreneurs who build relationships and create connections between and across communities that change perceptions about homeless and low-income individuals.
From the Streets
opinions, positions or strategies expressed
The Playground
HealthWise Looking out for the warning signs of dementia.
On August 24, StreetWise celebrated its 30th anniversary, and vendors new and old stopped by our headquarters for a party.
are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opin ions, or positions of
The Changing Face of Science series launches at the Field Museum, featuring the late Lynika Strozier.
The SportsWise team discusses NASCAR turning Chicago streets into a race track next summer.
authors and those
Cover Story: oibokkeshi Naoki Sugawara, a playwright and director who is also an actor and caregiver, created the theatre company OiBokkeShi. It picks out the points in common between theatre and caregiving and focuses on aging (Oi), dementia (Bokke), and death (Shi). OiBokkeShi’s method of connecting theatre and caregiving aims to involve people in the community in their work and to connect with members of the younger generation who are struggling with life.
Inside StreetWise
DONATE To make a donation to StreetWise, visit our website at www.streetwise.org/donate/ or cut out this form and mail it with your donation to StreetWise, Inc., 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL 60616. We appreciate your support! My donation is for the amount of $________________________________Billing Information: Check #_________________Credit Card Type:______________________Name:_______ We accept: Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express ExpirationAccount#:_____________________________________________________City:___________________________________State:_________________ZiAddress:_____p:_______________________Date:________________________________________________Phone#:_________________________________Email: StreetWiseChicago @StreetWise_CHI LEARN MORE AT streetwise.org Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher dhamilton@streetwise.org Suzanne Hanney, Editor-In-Chief suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com Amanda Jones, Director of programs ajones@streetwise.org Julie Youngquist, Executive director jyoungquist@streetwise.org Ph: 773-334-6600 Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616 4 6 7 8 15 14 12 Arts & (Home) Entertainment More and more events are happening in Chicago, and we want you to know about the best of the best! SportsWise
ON THE COVER: The promotional poster for "Happy Song." THIS PAGE: On the stage performing "Portable Toilet Theatre" March 23, 2018, in Okayama, Japan. Both images courtesy of DISCLAIMER:OiBokkeShi.Theviews, by the providing comments StreetWise.
Printers Row Lit Fest
Aquatic Beats!
(HOME) ENTERTAINMENT
Dance the Walk
Shedd After Hours: House Party W hat better place to experience house music than overlooking the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan? Vibe with local DJs as they spin the beats. Catch your breath as you come face-to-face with fascinating animals from across the globe. Take in stunning, ocean-themed architecture fit for King Neptune. Admission ($39.95 / $19.95 for Chicago residents / $14.95 for Shedd Members) includes all aquarium exhibits and entertainment. Food and beverages are available for purchase. 21+, Photo ID required at 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive. www.sheddaquarium.org/programs-and-events/shedd-after-hours/shedd-after-hours-house-party
You Can Dance If You Want To!
Printers Row Lit Fest, the largest outdoor literary showcase in the Midwest, returns with 100% free programming for book lovers on September 10 and 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Presented by the Near South Planning Board, the highly anticipated festival kicks off with Pulitzer Prize winner, two-term United States Poet Laureate, and recipient of the 2022 Harold Washington Literary Award Natasha Trethewey. Printers Row Lit Fest features new, old, rare, and hard-to-find literary treasures in tents stretching out over five blocks of Dearborn Street from Polk Street north to Ida B. Wells Drive in Chicago’s historic Printers Row neighborhood, in addition to engaging literary events with local and national bestselling authors and more than 100 independent and diverse booksellers—plus spoken word perfor mances, readings, writing workshops, and more. This year’s festival features a dedicated poetry tent with program ming by The Poetry Foundation and a multitude of events geared towards children and young adults, offering familyfriendly fun and opportunities for writers and book lovers of all ages. Learn more at printersrowlitfest.org.
4
& ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS
ARTS
'Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” has become a bloody worldwide success since winning eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, for its Broadway premiere. An infa mous tale, Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, returns to 19th century London, seeking vengeance against the lecherous judge who framed him and ravaged his young wife. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, a resourceful proprietress of a failing pie shop. Mrs. Lovett’s luck sharply shifts when Todd’s thirst for blood inspires the integration of an ingredient into her meat pies that has the people of London hungry for more. Stephen Sond heim’s and Hugh Wheeler’s tasty, thrilling, theatrical treat has simultaneously shocked, awed and delighted audiences around the world. Playing every Wednesday - Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 5 p.m. through November 6 at The Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., $40 at kokandyproductions.com/sweeney-todd/www.
A Close Shave!
Links Hall is celebrating the Year of Chicago Dance with FREE performances and community workshops on the Riverwalk! Movers, makers, musicians (and perhaps a flash mob or two!) showcase the city’s dynamic dance scene. All are invited to take their turn on the “dance floor” at pre-show classes for all ages and abilities on Septem ber 10. At noon, a workshop begins on Japanese Festival Dance with Yoshinojo Fujima, aka Rika Lin. At 1 p.m., the performances start, featuring Shubukai and Tsukasa Taiko, Yoshinojo Fujima, Murda Mommy, and The Sampson Brothers. At Columbus Plaza, on the Riverwalk, just east of the Columbus Drive Bridge.
Literature For All!
Compiled by Dave Hamilton
Lot Jams Lot Jams is a free, family-friendly music and dance series hosted by the North River Commission and the Albany Park Chamber of Commerce. At 6:30 - 9 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, catch Sama Sama Project. Translated as "united, together," Sama Sama Project began as a Chicago Filipino Folk Fusion band in 2008. The band truly lives up to its name, creating a blend of Filipino folk, rock, ska, and Latin music, inspired by a 1970s musical movement called Manila Sound. Playing live at Heartland Health Center, 3737 W. Lawrence Ave. FREE. Art in the Streets!
Pump Up the Jam!
A New Beginning!
Innovative Performance!
The 79th Street Festival is an annual historic family-friendly festival for all ages, featuring mainstage celebrity talent Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick. There will also be performances from local entertainers including Ric Wilson, Casper The Slide Man, South Shore Drill Team and the Jesse White Tumblers. This event is free and open to the public and sponsored by Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. September 10 at the intersection of 79th and Racine streets.
17th Annual Lakeview Festival of the Arts
5
Cooler by the Lake: South Shore Arts Party
The Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce hosts the 17th Annual Lakeview East Festival of the Arts, which showcases more than 125-juried artists featuring world-class original paintings, sculpture, photography, furniture, jewelry, and more, along Broadway from Bel mont to Hawthorne. In addition to the diverse artists’ booths, the Festival also includes live music on multiple stages, a children’s play area, wine, beer and food booths, an interac tive garden oasis and much more. Hours are Saturday, Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. with additional hours for live music, food and drink tents until 10 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. A $5 donation is requested for admission. Visit http://www.lakevieweast festivalofthearts.com for more information.
Alejandro Cerrudo: 'It Starts Now' Internationally acclaimed choreographer and Pacific Northwest Ballet’s first Resident Choreographer Alejan dro Cerrudo brings "It Starts Now," a silky, cerebral, and spellbinding work to the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St. "It Starts Now" is an invitation to be fully engaged in the present and a contemplation of the nonlinear nature of time. Eight dancers deconstruct the space of the theater in this dramatic, mind-bending work, Cerrudo’s first independent project, co-produced by Joyce Theater Produc tions. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, September 8, tickets start at $20 at www.harristheaterchicago.org
Comedy Dance
79th Street Renaissance Festival
Chicago
Sunday Funday!
Chicago Humanities Festival is partnering with South Shore Works to host a day-long Arts Party at the South Shore Cultural Center: pop in and out of mural painting, collaborative art installations, tours of South Shore, po etry readings, house music on the lawn, and more. Plus, join in on the big-name events CHF is known for: a chat with award-winning food blogger Michael Twitty on Black and Jewish cuisine, a podcast taping of the popular Some of My Best Friends Are… on what it means to be a Chicagoan, and live musical performances from the legendary Great Black Music Ensemble and Hypnotic Brass Ensemble. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. September 11 at South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. Shore Drive. FREE. www.streetwise.org
Comedy Dance Chicago’s unique style of comedy is sure to make your face hurt… from laugh ing! Their combination of sketch, physical comedy, and dance, along with word play, music, and overall goofiness, has entertained Chicagoland audiences for years. A different kind of comedy show, a different kind of dance show. Bring a blanket/chairs or a picnic to North center Town Square, 4100 N. Damen Ave., for the FREE show at 7 p.m. September 10.
A South Side Tradition!
John: Well, I’ll say this: I do feel that any business coming to Chicago—in this case, NAS CAR—is a good idea…except for the back-to-back timing of Lollapalooza’s and NASCAR’s Donaldweekend.:Chicago’s so full of activities during the summer, it’s probably tough to figure out a good time to schedule any thing. If Chicago’s leaders feel they can manage these events, then so be it. Let’s let them get at it; shoot, see what’s really go ing on, right?
Donald: Agreed. We need people to come back. Another need of mine? NASCAR for those couple of days in July 2023. This could be hot. Any comments or suggestions? Email pedwards@streetwise.org
Russ: What’s getting me most about the event is that it’s a street race, so it’s going to look like what we see on the video games—not the regular oval we always see. And it’s set for three years. I’m really excited.
John: It’s relatively new; it’s when drivers drive with the car’s rear end “sideways” as much as possible around every Patrickturn.: Oh, yeah, that sounds cool. I’ve definitely seen that… well, at least on the Fast & Furi ous PatrickRussseries.:Right!:Bythe way, fellas, be fore we finish up, here’s a quote on how the race’s route’ll twist: “The 2.2-mile, 12-turn course will include Lake Shore Drive, Michigan Avenue, Columbus Drive and surrounding streets with the start/finish line and pit road along South Colum bus Drive in front of Bucking ham Fountain. The course will pass through Grant Park and approach the northern edge of Soldier Field.” So, any last words, fellas?
Donald: Before we go too much further, what’s drifting?
Patrick: I’m excited, fellas. NASCAR is bringing hot wheels to the Windy City! We’re hosting NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race Weekend in 2023, July 1-2.
John: Well, not so sure that’s a fun thought! What with some of the local issues we’ve been Donaldhaving.: True. But, for the mo ment, I want to live off of the joy and excitement that we’re sure to have when the event’s here. Also, I read there’ll be music, live entertainment, Russfood….:Now, let’s not forget that the City Council is about to
SPORTS WISE
Vendors Russell Adams, John Hagan and Donald Morris chat about the world of sports with Executive Assistant Patrick Edwards. crack down on drag racing and something called drifting. If passed, the ordinance gives po lice the power to impound cars that drivers raced or drifted, us ing videos as evidence. It would also increase fines for car own ers. $2,000 fine or impound ment. The penalty is already $5,000 - $10,000, plus a $500 fee for towing, so to add $2,000 to that isn’t a small thing.
Russ: Well, if NASCAR’s looking for a new audience, they’ll find it here next year.
John: Another reason I’m not good with the timing is that we need people to get back— now—to working downtown.
The first street race in NAS CAR history…and it’s on its 75th Donaldanniversary.:Andthis is the first time with NASCAR’s national series that it’ll be brought to a street course. I mean, think about it: fast cars zooming around the city of Chicago—
Russ: I’m hyped, too. I mean, I know it’ll probably bring about a different crowd, one that per haps may not be as fond of me as of others, but I’m really ex Patrickcited.: Yeah, I just talked with someone who mentioned this was a worry—that there will be race issues that could get all caught up in the mix. I can see that, but just a lil’ bit. I imagine everyone will feel the way I do: that this is some new, exciting stuff. Something we want to experience over and over.
Rashanah Baldwin
Dementia makes it difficult for people to remember, learn new things and communicate. It may cause changes in mood and personality or lead to depression. In the early stages, memory loss may seem like foggy thinking. Later, behavioral changes and other problems may create issues for family members and care givers. Over time, it may be hard for people with dementia to care for Symptomsthemselves.ofdementia
The Warning signs of Dementia
can appear over time or all at once.
•
Other symptoms may include:
• Misplacing things or putting them in unusual places
Someone with dementia may forget words or use wrong words. Confusion about time and place They may get lost in a familiar place. They may forget how they got there or how to get back home.
right now, there is little that can be done to pre vent or avoid dementia.
They may have trouble getting dressed. They may forget how to tie their shoes or put things back in the refrigerator.
Some causes of dementia can be treated by slowing or stopping more brain cell damage. When the cause of dementia cannot be treated, care plans can be implemented that focus on helping the person with their daily activities and reducing symptoms.
Reference: https://familydoctor.org/condition/dementia/ Dr. Marina Claudio is a board-certified family physician who has been in practice since 2003. She's a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago and completed her residency in Family Medicine at the UIC/Advocate Illinois Masonic Family Medicine Residency Program. She is currently a Medical Director at Molina Healthcare of Illinois/Wisconsin.
by Dr. Marina Claudio
Personality changes
•
• Social changes, or not wanting to go places or see others
Communication difficulties
Dementia is not related to normal aging. It is caused by damage to brain cells. Brain disease, like Alzheimer’s, may cause demen tia. It can also be caused by brain tumors, head injury or a stroke.
• Mood changes, or sudden mood swings
HEALTH WISE
If you have concerns, please talk to your doctor. Sometimes family members or caregivers may notice symptoms. If this happens to you, see your doctor. Your doctor may ask about your history and do a physical exam. More tests can be done, if needed, to find out if dementia is the cause of your symp toms. The sooner this is done, the sooner treatment options can be Unfortunately,discussed.
7
People with dementia might temporarily forget things. It’s pos sible they may never remember. Difficulty performing familiar tasks
It is important to address concerns early. There are many resourc es available for patients and their families and caregivers. Please be sure to talk to your doctor if you or your loved one experience symptoms of dementia.
• Problems with difficult thinking or tasks
Memory loss
Absent-mindedness
Sometimes individuals may notice the symptoms themselves. Sometimes those around them may notice them. Those who have dementia may have:
8 COVER STORY
ConnectingOiBokkeShi: dementia and theatre
Naoki Sugawara performs with a participant in "Theater of Wandering: Night Never Gets Darker." The two actors stroll, while an audience gathers along the (OiBokkeShisidewalkphoto).
job. Facing scenes of death, and coming into contact with people with dementia, people who are almost bedridden due to gastric fis tula, and people who can’t talk after having a stroke, I couldn’t help but face basic ques tions like ‘What is life?’ ‘What is aging?’ ‘What is communication?’”
“There are no better actors than the elderly. They have such a sense of presence,” Sugawara said. “Listening to each of their life stories is one of the charms of the caregiver’s
After graduating from Oberlin with a degree in integrated cultural studies, Sugawara worked a part-time job and con tinued to work in theatre as a freelance actor. He got qualifi cations to be a level 2 home caregiver when he got married and had a kid in the latter half of his 20s. Then, at his work place in a nursing home in Chiba, he sensed what he calls “the good compatibility of acting and caregiving.”
After the Great East Japan earthquake in 2011 – a triple disaster that involved Japan’s worst-ever, 9.0-magnitude quake, tsunami and meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant, the loss of more than 15,000 lives and the dis placement of half a million people – Sugawara moved to sunny Okayama Prefecture. While continuing his caregiver job, he searched for what he terms “a way to express what I felt on the ground at my caregiver job using theatre.
“For those with dementia, the core symptoms expressed are disorientation; not knowing when it is, where they are, and who the person in front of them is,” Sugawara said. “Also, they may be seeing a dif ferent world than the rest of us, and if they keep having ex periences where this is denied or disregarded, then their self-esteem and self-worth is damaged. Behavioral and psy chological symptoms may appear, such as violence, wan dering, and acting out.”
Sugawara, who wanted to study theatre in college, attended an open house at J. F. Oberlin University in suburban Tokyo. He had an eye-opening experience at the playwright Hirata Oriza’s theatre workshop.
Nurturing feelings of curiosity and respect Aware of the challenges and frustrations that those with dementia face, Sugawara had a thought: “If the caregivers become actors, empathize with the world that the people with dementia see, and do a performance, then maybe we can reduce dementia sufferers’ behavioral and psychologi cal symptoms.”
“The part we were to play was someone that asks, ‘Are you traveling?’ to someone that just happened to be sitting in the same carriage on the train, but us high schoolers couldn’t say that line very well,” Sugawara recalled. “Then, Mr. Hirata said, ‘Maybe it’s easier to start the conversation by talking about hobbies?’ so we had the opposing actor read a soc cer magazine. That way, you could start the conversation with small talk like, ‘What do you think about the next World Cup?’ and then move to the question ‘Are you traveling?’ In that moment, the technique of ‘change the environment to bring out a natural performance’ left a deep impression on me, and I decided to go into theatre.”
And so, in 2014, in the town of Wake, Okayama, Sugawara started OiBokkeShi, a theatre company that puts on per formances based on the themes of aging, dementia, and death. The thought behind the name is, as Sugawara ex plains, to “create a culture that faces aging, dementia, and by Mariko Katsuki
Naoki Sugawara, the leader of the theatrical company Oi BokkeShi, has loved movies since he was a junior high stu dent. That’s when he had the thought, "Someday, I would like to make a movie."
"In high school there was no movie club, so my start was joining the theatre club,” Sugawara said. “I was not good at talking with people, so I thought being behind-the-scenes would be good, but once in a while I auditioned for nonspeaking parts if I could. It was fun to play parts that were similar to the regular me, like a shut-in boy just sitting in the living room holding his knees and being quiet. If I didn’t win those parts, I wouldn’t have become an actor.”
Sugawara’s first step was to set up a workshop in Wake for dementia care using theatrical techniques. “I have the par ticipants play the part of the person with dementia and the nursing home staff. They act out a scenario where the person with dementia’s words and actions are corrected, and anoth er one where they are accepted. They should experience the differences between them. When regular people try to act like people with dementia, they tend to feel pressure while trying to think of what the person with dementia would say next or how they should react, and they can’t play the part very well.
“However, about 1 out of 5 people who have experience working in nursing homes are the opposite,” Sugawara con tinued. “They say, ‘I was excited to hear what the person playing the person with dementia would say and it was fun.’ I also understand that feeling. I mean, if we perceive the world that people with dementia live in as a different culture [that can be tapped into], then I think that curiosity and feelings of respect for them begin to grow.”
Wake is also home to Fuji Park, the largest wisteria park in Ja pan, with 100 varieties gathered from all over the nation. Pink and white flowers bloom in late April and early May, and a 1,500-foot, purple tunnel envelops visitors with a sweet scent from the three-foot, trailing bunches of flowers.
www.streetwise.org 9 death through the arts.” He has since held his theater and aging workshops all over Japan.
Wake, located roughly 300 miles west of Tokyo in central Ja pan, would seem to be the perfect setting for such a the atre. With a population of roughly 15,000, Wake is famous for its Wamojiyaki festival that takes place every year during the mid-August Obon holiday. Similar to the Mexican Day of the Dead, Obon rituals commemorate deceased ancestors, whose spirits, it is believed, return home to visit their relatives.
Tadao Okada, a leading actor at OiBokkeShi, is 96 years old and was a workshop participant. Okada, who was 88 years old at the time, was caring for his wife with dementia who was the same age. “He was hard of hearing, and it looked hard for him to walk, so I thought it would be hard for him to do the workshop,” Sugawara says. “But he had a lot of drive! In the last performance, he didn’t need the script and put on a won derful performance. It seems he was an extra in an Imamura Shohei film [in the past].”
10
Okada’s lived experience informed the production “Portable Toilet Theatre.” The main character, worried about caring for his wife with dementia, auditions for a play and finds a new purpose in life. It depicts a change in his approach to care giving. Okada speaks from the heart; it isn’t really acting, and his aimless speech takes up most of the 90 minutes.
Bottom: Wisteria trees in Fuji Park (Okayama Prefecture Official Tourism photo).
It has been eight years since Okada started doing plays. “In his real life, Okada now needs nursing care, and it’s hard for him to even go to the local supermarket,” Sugawara said. “But in the theatre his performances have gone up from one time a year to two to three times, his lines have increased, and he can do more and more. It’s my belief that if you share the things you like and build trusting relationships, then vari ous potentials and possibilities will be opened up to you, and you can do things you thought were impossible.”
Theatre can be a rehearsal for real-life communication
“In the past when his wife with dementia would say, ‘I’m go ing to resign today,’ and try to leave the house, Okada him self used to get angry and say, ‘What are you talking about?’, and they would often argue,” Sugawara said. “But when he started getting into his wife’s world, saying, ‘All right, write your resignation notice,’ he could enjoy being in the here and now with her.”
Every year more and more people are involved with Oi BokkeShi. In the production “Happy Song,” performed in November 2020 in Nagi, Okayama, a woman who had been in theatre in Tokyo returns to her hometown during the coro navirus pandemic. The production opens with her meeting a strange old man with dementia. The world of the dementia of the old man and the lives of the other characters mix, creat ing a performance that brings in a strange new reality and humor. Local people, including local government officials and former public health nurses, also make appearances in the Variousproduction.generations come together in the OiBokkeShi work shops, which are regularly held in Nagi, and Sugawara be lieves that this is a very positive thing. “Aging is a topic that can result in confrontation between family members,” he says. “Each person in the family has their own viewpoint, and if we make a play based on those perspectives, then at the end, the workshop participants become like a psuedofamily. They can say what they really think precisely because they’re playing a part. The play becomes a rehearsal for conversations where people with different values each make new values. It might be close to ‘Open Dialogue’ [A method for people with mental illness to repair relationships through multiple dialogues that involve their medical team and the people in their life] in that respect.”
First Column: On the stage during "Portable Toilet Theatre" on March 23, 2018 in Okayama, Japan. Second & third columns: On the stage during "Happy Song" on November 28, 2020 in Nagi, Japan. Fourth Column: Top: Naoki Sugawara (all photos provided by OiBokkeShi).
www.streetwise.org 11
-Suzanne Hanney, contributing, from online sources
Courtesy of The Big Issue Japan / International Network of Street Papers
In “The Extra Party,” which opened in July this year, the performers are people living with developmental disorders, cerebral palsy, and dementia, and the cast includes young people. “Emiko, who lives with dementia, was afraid in the workshop that the things she would say would embarrass the people around her,” Sugawara said. “But once she under stood that we would accept however she chose to express herself, she was bursting with confidence, and her husband Yasunari, who participated with her, also gave a surprisingly energetic performance. Even if you can’t remember the lines, you can act by expressing emotions.”
To read about the presentation in Coventry, England, visit: Toentelechyarts.org/tow/watchavideoofthe wandering theater, visit: vimeo.com/619082085
Sugawara believes that productions like this are mirrors of reality that can help people engage with dementia in their everyday lives and in their communities. “[A production like this] connects to the process of how the various people living in the town get to accept dementia, and an inclusive society is realized on a stage,” he says. “If that feeling is spread to the community through the audience, then fiction becomes reality, and all sorts of difficulties in people’s lives go away,” Sugawara says, his voice tinged with hope.
These initiatives are attracting attention even in England, where the connection between social welfare and the arts is strong. Sugawara had put on “Wandering Theatre” [a style of theatre usually called “walking theatre.”] Sugawara’s wan dering theatre “Night Never Gets Darker” involves actors in an arcade and the audience walks around the arcade like people on a tour, watching the play. This production made a deep impression on an English artist, and they collaborated on “Theatre of Wandering” in September 2021.
Translated from Japanese by Kevin Sword
“We had workshops in Coventry, England. People, includ ing doctors, police officers, and nursing home residents, discussed how to include people with dementia living in the community,” Sugawara said. “We created the story from these conversations. I am planning a wandering theatre production that will incorporate the stories of workshop participants.”
Someday, Sugawara says, he wants to “build a platform for people interested in social welfare, medical care, nursing, and theatre to connect.”
OiBokkeShi website: https://oibokkeshi.net/english/
Even though she was just beginning her research career, Lynika was critical to the effort. “Lynika had hands of gold!” wrote Matt Von Konrat, head of botanical collections at the Field, in an email to The Scientist. “Our entire team entrusted Lynika with extracting DNA from old dried plant material of over 15 years and only very little ma terial from which to do so.”
12
Lynika was a Black woman, a Chicagoan, a person with a learning disability, an educator, and a scientist, until her death in June 2020. Despite facing challenges, Lynika made a difference in people’s lives while also leaving a mark on the Field Museum, according to the mu seum’s prepared material. People also remembered her for the great person she was. Visitors to the exhibit can see some of Lynika’s per sonal items including the birds, ants, and lichen specimen she worked on, personal lab equipment, and lab tutorial videos in which she is featured."Nika was something else. I'm so proud of her for representing our family and getting the chance to tell her story,” said Sharon Strozier Wright, Lynika’s grandmother, “And this exhibition helps other kids get into science? That's even better."
Lynika Strozier, an Afri can American woman who worked in the Field Mu seum’s DNA lab until her death at age 35 from COV ID-19, is the first person in a new Field Museum exhibi tion series, “The Changing Face of Science.” The se ries, which opened August 26, highlights the work of scientists and science educa tors who are women and/or people of color. The goal is to inspire and support preteens and teens who are interested in science and to create equal opportunities and careers for them.
Lynika obtained her master’s in biology from Loyola University in 2018. Seeking a career in education, she simultaneously obtained a master’s in science education from the University of Illinois at Chi cago. After graduation, she managed the Science Lab and Bio Art Lab at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In January 2020, she became an adjunct instructor at Malcolm X College, where she taught biology. –Suzanne Hanney, from prepared and online materials School of Art Institute of Chicago photo
“With this series, our goal is to expand one's un derstanding about the field of science and who a sci entist can be,” said Katie Arnold, project manager at the Field Museum. “Visi tors should expect to learn more about who Lynika was – both as a person and as a professional DNA scientist and educator. Our hope is that guests will understand how vibrant she was, especially given the significant challenges she faced, and walk away inspired by her story.”
Lynika was born in Birmingham, AL and moved to Chicago when she was six months old, according to a 2012 story in the Chicago Tribune cited by the-scientist.com . Her mother struggled with ad diction, and her grandmother raised her from age 6. Diagnosed with a learning disability at age 8, Lynika found reading and writing difficult. But through research and performing experi ments on cell lines at Truman College, she learned she was good with her hands. “Research allowed me to gain the confidence that I never had before,” Lynika told an audience of Field Museum trustees and donors in 2020. With a new motivation for biological research, she received an associate degree in biology from Truman. While studying for her bachelor’s degree at Dominican University, Lynika completed her first summer internship at the Field Museum in 2009, sequencing lichen DNA. From 2011 onwards, she worked as a research assistant in the Field’s Pritzker DNA Lab. The Field Museum “has always been my second home,” she said in 2020 to Field Museum trustees and donors.
In 2012, Lynika worked on a publication describing a new species of liverwort, Frullania knightbridgei. This was the first non-flowering plant species, and second new plant species overall, to be officially described through an electronic submission.
THEFROM STREETS
Field exhibit honors scientist and co-worker lynika strozier
INSIDE STREETWISE streetwise anniversary30thvendor party 14 On August 24, StreetWise vendors new, old, and everywhere in between were welcomed at our headquarters to celebrate the milestone and share their stories and experiences. We shared a meal, stories, laughs, and even got to do some dancing!
Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com Sudoku Solution To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com Solution 1 to 9. ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com Solution 42 Brought up 44 Good earth 47 Rear 50 Frau’s partner 52 BabiloniaSkater 54 “Do as you’re told!” 55 Side dish in India 56 amountAdvance 58 Finger or toe 60 Pigeon’s perch 63 Ethiopian cash 65 Clash of clans 67 subjectPsychoanalysis 68 Tuck’s partner 69 Animal house 71 holderGroceries 67 Perk up 70 Argue 72 Pink ingredientlady 73 Steel ingredient 74 Tropical fruit 75 Get off the fence 76 Trampled 77 Advantage Down 1 Chapeau 2 periodHistorical 3 Camping gear 4 Late bloomer 5 Field event 6 Forever and a day 7 Mars, to the Greeks 8 Cookies,maybe 9 Title role for Arnold 10 ___ Maria 11 Hippie’shangout 12 Military wear 15 Big brass 17 Talk wildly 20 Take in slowly 23 Fissure 25 Fencing sword 27 Dance partner? 28 Knock off 30 Masterstroke 32 Splinter group 35 School ball 37 Cuts (down) 39 Nuisance 40 Perpetually 41 Reserved Last week's Puzzle Answers Streetwise 8/21/17 Crossword PuzzleJunction.com ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com 39 Garlicky sauce 41 Transpire 44 Gun, as an engine 46 Sonnet ending 48 Nocturnalmammal 50 Seared 51 Lively party 54 “It’s no ___!” 55 Squabble 56 Ship Colchisto 58 Secretary, for one 59 Aspersion 60 Handouts 61 Skin problem Across 1 One Maverick 5 Clump 9 Drudgery 13 Creme cookie 14 Vociferate 15 Stair part 17 Outlaw 19 Antipastomorsel 20 Absorb, as a cost 21 Thai river 22 Reporter’squestion 24 Turf 25 LegendaryGiant 26 Ratify 28 Camp craft 30 Hoosegows 33 Billiardsbounce 34 Nile wader 35 Wear a long face 37 “Days of ___ Lives” 38 Prohibit 40 Ordinal suffix 42 Fortify 43 Peter the Great, e.g. 45 Coffee choice 47 Philippinebananatree 49 Blight 51 Garden tool 52 Moredespicable 53 Select 54 Stars and 62 Bit of parsley 64 Forever 67 Colonel’sinsignia 68 Bridge site 69 Teeth holders 70 Snitched 71 Kindergartener 72 Start with while Down 1 Presage 2 District 3 Medical advice, often 4 Apex 5 Spin around 6 Thin 11 Egyptianfertilitygoddess 12 To the (Prefix)left 16 It’s called gules in heraldry 18 Put away, in a way 23 Raise 25 Warbler Yoko 26 Police alert, for short 27 Barnyard male 28 Induce 29 Orderlygrouping 31 Bedouin 32 Elbowroom Crossword ©PuzzleJunction.com StreetWise exists to elevate marginal ized voices and provide opportuni ties for individuals to earn an income and gain employ ment. Anyone who wants to work has the opportunity to move themselves out of handout.”“aStreetWisecrisis.provideshandup,nota All vendors go through orientationan focusing on their rights year.picturewithvendorsVendor.StreetWiseresponsibilitiesandasaMagazineAuthorizedhavebadgestheirname,andcurrent Vendors purchase the magazine for $1.15 and sell it for $3 plus tips. The vendor keeps all of their earnings. Buy MagazineTakeMagazine,thethe When you buy the magazine, take the magazine, and read magazine,the you are supporting our dignity.incomeearningentrepreneursmicro-anwith New vendor orientation is every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at 2009 S. State St. Find your nearest vendor at www.streetwise.org How StreetWise Works
