September 21, 2020 | The Columbia Chronicle

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21

2020

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL/CHRONICLE

SHOTS FIRED DAYS BEFORE HYBRID AND IN-PERSON CLASSES RESUME Story by Paige Barnes, see page 3

Campus, page 5

Arts & Culture, page 9

Metro, page 10

Opinions, 11

Chicago artists and scientists collaborate on climate change

A photojournalist’s experience volunteering during the pandemic

Hundreds celebrate postponement of ICE’s “Citizen’s Academy”

How the Chronicle would like to see climate change covered

editor’s note

Spread kindness, not the coronavirus » MARI DEVEREAUX CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF OVER THE LAST six months, I have wit-

nessed countless discouraging events that leave me questioning my faith in humanity as both a journalist and a human being.

Since the coronavirus pandemic began, we as a nation have seen an influx of cruelty and hostility toward one another.

In businesses, we see customers yelling at essential workers after being asked to wear masks, and in some communities landlords are threatening to evict tenants who cannot make rent due to a loss of work.

On the CTA or walking down the block, we avoid mask-less people or those who wear their face covering as a chin guard, and we notice those on our block throwing large parties that do not follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, putting others’ health and safety at risk.

At times, the bad news feels overwhelming and never ending—from the economy free falling to large corporations receiving stimulus funding over small businesses, to rising death tolls and threatened livelihoods, to political divides, to continued social injustice and police brutality.

But in spite of the hardships people have faced at the hands of others, I have also seen a lot of good. Recently, the Chronicle has covered innovative leaders at Columbia pioneering clear face masks and students hosting virtual events to bring people together from afar.

During the summer various organizations across the city regularly delivered food to the elderly and worked with marginalized communities to address needs during the pandemic. Neighbors communicated with positive Post-it Note window messages and hung signs applauding medical workers.

Generous donors have stepped up, giving grants to those struggling to make a stable income, and activists have initiated direct action from leaders toward addressing systemic issues of racism, economic inequality and climate change.

While Columbia is not perfect and as a publication we continue to hold the school accountable, its coronavirus guidelines and safety protocols, as well as its anti-racist initiatives, are a promising start toward real change.

The college is faring better than others, including the University of Notre Dame and Oklahoma State University, which have turned to entirely remote instruction and quarantined students due to large outbreaks, and schools like the University of Akron in Ohio, which has laid off a significant number of faculty and staff.

What I have learned from this is that there is a time for understanding and kindness. Especially because the coronavirus, or COVID-19, affects people differently on account of their health, race and socioeconomic status and we do not always know what is going on in their lives.

Although the pandemic may look different to everyone—some who have lost loved ones to the virus, others who must work from home with small kids attending school virtually and those who do not have the option of working from home if they want to keep their jobs— we all have to get through this together by having respect for others’ emotions and health.

This means, yes, wearing a mask and looking out for one another by actively attempting to stop the spread of the coronavirus. It can also mean calling a family member or friend once in a while, volunteering, showing appreciation and compassion, performing random acts of kindness or just trying to peacefully coexist with co-workers, roommates and community members.

Why not go forward with purpose, remembering the lessons we have learned about kindness, and help our fellow neighbors during this time? Even if Zoom calls are wearing us down, the feeling of hopelessness is slowly creeping in and the fight against injustices feels like an uphill battle, we can at least come out of this closer to those around us—both virtually and physically—rather than more polarized.

We may not have control over how long the pandemic will last or what the next year will bring, but we can control how we treat those around us.

This is essential in improving our community at Columbia and the world at large. The fact that there are caring people out there working to preserve humanity with patience and grace gives me hope.

2 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

MDEVEREAUX@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

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VOL. 56, ISSUE 2

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campus

Alexander Rybak takes on music composition at Columbia » ColumbiaChronicle.com

» K’VON JACKSON/CHRONICLE

Shots fired near the administration building THE SCENE AT MICHIGAN AVENUE AND HARRISON STREET WHERE SHOTS WERE FIRED NEAR COLUMBIA’S CAMPUS REMAINED STABILIZED WITH THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT ON SITE.

» PAIGE BARNES AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR

PBARNES@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL/CHRONICLE

Harrison Street and Michigan Avenue before noon Tuesday, Sept. 18, according to a collegewide email and phone alerts sent to the Columbia community.

The alerts directed anyone near the area to avoid Harrison Street between Michigan Avenue and Wabash Avenue, despite the scene being “stabilized.”

Four suspects fled the scene in a vehicle, eventually crashing near 700 W. Roosevelt Road before being taken into custody, according to Ron Sodini, Associate

» K’VON JACKSON/CHRONICLE

SHOTS WERE FIRED at the intersection of

Vice President of Safety and Security.

There were no reports of injuries from the shooting. The incident came just days before some students, faculty and staff return for in-person instruction Monday, Sept. 21.

In a Friday Sept. 18 email to faculty and staff, Senior Vice President and Provost Marcella David said some classes r​ equiring movement or exertion will have to wait another week to begin face-to-face classes due to a delay in receiving ventilation and filtration equipment to prioritize health and safety.

THE COLUMBIA COMMUNITY WAS NOTIFIED OF SHOTS BEING FIRED NEAR CAMPUS SEPT. 15 AT THE INTERSECTION OF HARRISON STREET AND MICHIGAN AVENUE.

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF SAFETY AND SECURITY RON SODINI (LEFT) AND PRESIDENT AND CEO KWANG-WU KIM (RIGHT) TALK AFTER REPORTS OF SHOTS FIRED NEAR 600 S. MICHIGAN AVE. SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 3

campus » LUCAS MARTINEZ/CHRONICLE

Student organizations transform for online college experience » RYAN ROSENBERGER STAFF REPORTER WHEN THE COLLEGE first closed its buildings

mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, student clubs and organizations were forced to make a quick switch to operating remotely.

For Emily Fischer, a senior marketing major and captain of the Columbia Renegades Dance Team, going remote basically ended their semester because of the lack of in-person interaction among teammates.

In-person rehearsals and performances were swapped out for almost no activity at all.

“When we went remote, we didn’t do very much,” Fischer said. “It was hard to get everyone’s schedules together.”

With the start of the Fall 2020 semester, Fischer and the dance team are once again finding themselves in the same position as every other on-campus organization: navigating the challenges that come with organizing remotely.

Fischer said the college is not allowing the dance team to rent out on-campus space for in-person rehearsals as a safety precaution, which will affect how they effectively function.

“You can talk to friends on Zoom, but it’s not the same as feeding off of someone’s energy,” Fischer said. “You can’t interact with other people if you’re in your own space.”

In response to not carrying on as planned, Fischer said the dance team will be much more informal during the fall semester.

Instead of having an official team that participates in performances and

competitions, Fischer said the plan is to invite whomever is interested to have team workouts and “dance nights” over Zoom.

Paige Brunsen, senior cinema art and science major and president of the Editors Guild, said the this semester the organization will be having weekly online meetings, Kahoot trivia nights and guest speakers talking about their experiences with breaking into the film industry.

Brunsen said members of the guild, which is a community of students interested in post-production for cinema, television and advertising, are trying to be optimistic about operating remotely and making the best out of a “bad situation.”

“It’s hard for everyone,” Brunsen said.

“A lot of students right now just really need some kind of interaction with each other. We’re making this a space where we can talk about the difficulties that students are having.”

Despite being remote, Brunsen said members are still getting the full experience of being a part of the guild because they are doing the same actities, just in a remote setting.

Kin Marie, a senior marketing major and president of the Black Student Union, said in lieu of hosting weekly Zoom meetings this semester, BSU will be taking a media-based approach, releasing internet content on a daily basis to stay engaged with the Columbia community.

One of the content projects is a “cultural foods” series, where four members will come together and try new foods from different cultures and film

4 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

their reactions, Marie said.

“We’re developing a way to create this online digital community that is active and consistent and provides a [virtual] space for incoming and current Black students to still feel like they have a community to connect with,” Marie said.

Despite the college enduring a “severe financial shortfall” for the 2020-21 academic year, as reported by the Chronicle Aug. 14, Coordinator of Student Organizations Stephaine Villanova wrote in a Sept. 11 email to Student Organizations Council leaders that student organizations’ budgets this year will remain the same as last year.

“Student organizations will have the opportunity to apply for funding through SOPs [or Student Organization Proposals] and ask for ‘up to’ $1,400 this academic year,” Villanova wrote in the email.

Isaiah Moore, senior television and cultural studies double major and president of the SOC, said SOPs specify the amount of funding requested from the council and how it will be used.

Marie said a downside of having to change course for the upcoming semester is that the BSU cannot host its biggest event of the school year, “Black Out,” a dance party usually held to kick off the school year.

Although no official event is scheduled in its place as of publication time, Marie said the BSU is considering throwing a socially-distanced event called “The Cookout,” where designated spots would be set up in Grant Park and students can bring picnic blankets to enjoy food and live music while

social distancing.

Justus Hightower, a junior filmmaking major and SOC representative for BSU, said despite operating remotely, he has never questioned whether he wanted to remain in the organization.

“I made my decision about joining BSU long before [the campus shutdown], and my level of excitement for being a part of the organization was way too high to be mitigated by [being] remote,” Hightower said. “Any way that I can be a part of the community, I want to be.”

Freshman playwriting major Logan Czernia, a new member of the Trans Student Union, said he joined the organization because it is an easy way to meet people while not being able to socialize with other people on campus.

The organization is not affiliated with the college, but Columbia students are free to join, according to the Student Diversity and Inclusion website.

The remote nature of the organization is no issue to Czernia, though, as he has made friends over the internet since he was 12 years old.

Moore said they still encourage students to join on-campus organizations, despite the lack of in-person events and interaction.

“I think it’s really important for students to see what the college has to offer in terms of student organizations,” Moore said. “If we don’t have something that necessarily fits who you are, or if [nothing] stands out to you, you can always start your own.”

RROSENBERGER@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

campus

» ALEXANDRA YETTER SENIOR REPORTER SEVEN ARTISTS AND seven scientists walk into the Indiana Dunes National Park. But it is not a punchline; it is the basis of a new gallery at Columbia that visualizes the impacts of the climate crisis on Chicago.

“Third Coast Disrupted: Artists + Scientists on Climate” opened Sept. 8 and runs through Oct. 30 at Columbia’s Glass Curtain Gallery, 1104 S. Wabash Ave. The gallery features new work from seven local artists in a variety of mediums.

“Third Coast Disrupted” is the “brainchild” of Christine Esposito, the project director and lead curator. Esposito was inspired by a similar project in Fairbanks, Alaska, which found that 71% of those who attended the exhibit left wanting to learn more about the scientific topics featured.

The exhibit is the result of a yearlong conversation between the project’s artists and climate scientists on how Chicago is and will be impacted by the climate crisis. The conversation began in September 2019 with a retreat at the Indiana Dunes National Park.

The retreat was followed by periodic gatherings where participants congregated—eventually on Zoom due to the pandemic—to talk about their work.

The exhibit is one of the first in-person exhibitions for Columbia after a summer spent reimagining what art looks like in a socially-distanced age, said Meg Duguid, senior consultant and director of exhibi-

tions in the Department of Exhibitions and Performance Spaces at Columbia.

To keep both staff and visitors safe, Duguid said the space will be limited to 10 visitors at a time, and no student workers will be present. A webcam will be installed so visitors can also check out the gallery virtually and there will be Zoom lectures with climate scientists throughout the fall semester.

“At the base, scientists and artists are both really interested in finding new knowledge,” Duguid said. “We were really interested [in the exhibit] because climate change is something that many artists have taken on over the course of the last decade.”

Participating artist N. Masani Landfair decided to take a personal approach to their piece after learning about how certain areas in Chicago are not equipped to sustain modern infrastructure because of the lakefront climate.

Landfair began to document the physical and mental toll of living in a home on Chicago’s South Side that has flooded many times because of an increase in the frequency and severity of rainfall, resulting in black mold growing in their home.

“Not only did it create havoc with our property, but with our health,” Landfair said. “We started experiencing illnesses due to black mold because it was creeping through the walls.”

Other participating artists, like Andrew S. Yang, went with a more data-driven approach to the exhibit. Yang installed a large-scale, silk-screen printed wall draw-

» K’VON JACKSON/CHRONICLE

Chicago artists, scientists join forces to craft conversation on climate change ing with 1 million black dots to represent air molecules, and 415 red dots to represent the current level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leading to global warming.

“As unfortunate as it is to have an exhibition at a time where people are less likely to access it, the theme of being disrupted couldn’t be more timely,” Yang said.

“There’s not many exhibitions opening right now at all. Since this is actually avail- HECTOR DUARTE’S “REQUIEM FOR TWO SPIRITS, DEFENDERS OF THE able, hopefully, peo- MIGRANT TÜMÜ” IS A SCULPTURAL MEMORIAL OF TWO LONGTIME ple will take the time ACTIVISTS WHO WERE MURDERED IN MEXICO. to visit it in-person or take part in the that does not only affect polar bears, online conversations.” she said.

The artists were not the only ones influGrossman said she hopes attendees will enced by the collaboration. not only listen to what the artists and sciParticipating scientist Ele- entists have to say but also walk away with na Grossman, program director a feeling that something can be done to of Building Resilience Against Climate battle the climate crisis.

Effects at the University of Illinois “As humans, we progress through hope,” at Chicago, said one of the biggest chal- Grossman said. “It’s very easy to throw lenges in the scientific world is com- your hands up to a situation like climate municating the concept of an issue in a change that feels so drastic and dark. … But way that people understand, wheth- by providing hope—and there should be er it is discussing climate change or hope because there are things that we can the coronavirus. do—it empowers people.”

However, art is a powerful way to comAYETTER@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM municate climate change as something

» K’VON JACKSON/CHRONICLE

» K’VON JACKSON/CHRONICLE

THE NEWLY-OPENED EXHIBIT “THIRD COAST DISRUPTED” RUNS THROUGH OCT. 30 AT GLASS CURTAIN GALLERY, 1104 S. WABASH AVE. THE EXHIBITION FEATURES SEVEN NEWLY-COMMISSIONED ARTWORKS IN A VARIETY OF MEDIUMS ON THE TOPIC OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

JEREMEY BOLEN’S “ALBEDO” PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE 41 UNCLAIMED BODIES OF THE MORE THAN 700 PEOPLE WHO DIED DURING THE 1995 HEATWAVE IN CHICAGO. THE SCULPTURAL MEMORIAL SERVES AS A REMINDER OF THE DANGERS OF GLOBAL WARMING. SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 5

campus

Michael F. Guidotti remembered for passion, work in every Columbia building » SAVANNA STEFFENS/CHRONICLE

» MATEUSZ JANIK STAFF REPORTER MICHAEL F. GUIDOTTI, a dedicated engineer

and director of planning and construction in Columbia’s Facilities and Operations Department, was known for going “all in” on every project he was a part of.

“He always took a lot of pride in his job and made an impression on my family, but he always just had to work hard and make a living doing what [he] liked to do, ” said his son, John Guidotti.

Guidotti, known as Mike to his family and friends, suffered a stroke on Aug. 24 and died Aug. 30 at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, surrounded by loved ones. He was 65.

Those who had the opportunity to meet Guidotti knew him as someone who took pride in his work and always had time for family and friends, his son said.

Guidotti’s daughter, Katie, a 2015 marketing alum, said her father was the most complex person she knew because of his passion and dedication to anything he took on.

During her time at Columbia, Guidotti’s daughter said she would always stop by her father’s office at 600 S. Michigan Ave. just to say “hi” or to keep him updated on things happening around campus.

“He really cared about the students and what was going to make their lives better or a more fun environment for learning,” she said.

Guidotti, who lived in the western suburb of Roselle for the past 25 years, began working at Columbia in 1999 as a building engineer when the college purchased the 33 E. Ida B. Wells Drive building.

Guidotti held a number of roles in the college’s Facilities and Operations Department including chief engineer, interim assistant vice president of facilities and construction, interim director of construction and physical plant, and most recently as director of Planning and Construction.

Some of the projects Guidotti worked on include the 33 E. Ida B. Wells Drive HVAC replacement and gallery renewal and the establishment of

the Digital Print Center at 623 S. Wabash Ave. John Guidotti recalled going to work with his father on campus when he was younger and how he would follow him on his daily routine of checking buildings and taking inventory in the utility closet.

“He gave me some busy work to keep me out of the way, not in a bad way, but a way that would be expected and appropriate so he made me feel included,” John said.

For Ann Kalayil, associate vice president of Facilities and Construction, Guidotti was the first person she met on campus when she started working at the college nine months ago.

“I can’t remember how many days we were [on campus] until 7 p.m. together just working on things and talking about what are some of the solutions to construction-related problems, ” Kalayil said. “There wasn’t anything that he couldn’t do.”

Up until he was hospitalized, Kalayil

6 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

said Guidotti worked tirelessly on the college’s COVID testing facility to make sure everything was in place and ready for reopening.

Kalayil said Guidotti was particularly proud of his work in the Dance Center’s first-floor lobby and classroom, 1306 S. Michigan Ave., because he “single-handedly” made the dance classroom there.

Tanya Harasym, director of the Academic Center for Tutoring, said she remembers 20 years ago when Guidotti saved her partner’s handprint art pieces plastered on the wall of her old office by cutting the drywall attached to the art pieces and delivering them to her new office.

“Rather than taking the easy route and just sanding it down, he actually did that for her,” Harasym said. “All kinds of people have stories like that about Mike.”

Harasym said she was shocked to hear the news and recalled seeing Guidotti two weeks prior just walking by until he stopped to talk with her.

“He stopped dead in his tracks and caught up and told me what he was up to, and I told him what I was up to, and it was all fine,” Harasym said. “It’s a big shock, and the more people I talk to— they feel the same.”

When he was not working, Guidotti was either cooking food on his smoker, taking cruises in his Mustang, fishing on Deep Lake in Oxford, Wisconsin, with his son or golfing with friends on the weekend.

Katie and John Guidotti said there was never a dull moment when he was not doing something with or for someone else.

Mike Guidotti is survived by his wife, Debra Guidotti, and children, John and Katie Guidotti. He will be remembered fondly by his co-workers, and his impact will continue to be felt in the buildings across Columbia’s campus where he worked and by the people who keep them running.

MJANIK@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

arts&culture

Step inside Geekd’s dreamlike reality with “The Fairytale Starlight” » ColumbiaChronicle.com

» COURTESY/VIC SPENCER

Review: Vic Spencer and SonnyJim take listeners back to basics in Spencer for Higher 3’ WITH THE RELEASE OF “SPENCER FOR HIGHER 3,” VIC SPENCER REINFORCES HIS PLACE IN CHICAGO’S HIP-HOP AND RAP SCENE.

» RYAN ROSENBERGER STAFF REPORTER FOR YEARS VIC Spencer has been a

mainstay in Chicago’s hip-hop scene due to his colorful lyricism, diverse array of instrumentals and aggressive attitude toward musical output.

Despite not having the same name recognition as some of the contemporaries he came up with like Chance the Rapper or Vic Mensa, Spencer’s work ethic and penchant for consistency have garnered him a steady stream of fans, which has allowed him to establish his spot in hip-hop culture.

Spencer released the latest installment to his “Spencer For Higher” series in collaboration with UK rapper/producer SonnyJim, “Spencer For Higher 3,” on Aug. 24.

SonnyJim produced the album in its entirety, which is the fourth project to come out under Spencer’s name this year.

Without any grandiose overarching concepts or a centered lyrical focus, Spencer and SonnyJim take listeners back to the

basics. Over the course of 15 tracks—43 minutes in length—Spencer delivers quality rap verses and soothing vocal deliveries over SonnyJim’s jazzy, sample-based instrumentals, creating a rich ambiance throughout.

“Spencer For Higher 3” kicks off with “I Ain’t Got No Weed Stash.” SonnyJim provides a stripped-back feel with an array of distant jazz cymbal hits and a piercing synth motif reminiscent of something that would land on an old Odd Future album.

Spencer comes in with cartoonish bars and facetious musings on just about anything that can get a laugh out of a listener.

“They know my bars cold as Klondike, invite all the slow rappers to the bull fight,” Spencer jokes in the album’s opening verse.

The intro is the perfect tone-setter for the rest of the album as SonnyJim’s production is consistently thick and slow paced, teeming with throwback soul samples and nifty jazz percussion work.

The album’s sixth track, “Caressing Diamond Swishers,” is a dreamy

weed anthem, featuring a string section and off-kilter bass drum hits that create an intoxicating vibe further driven home by murky guitar chord progressions.

Lyrically, Spencer and SonnyJim make for a perfect pairing on the album, as both exhibit a relaxed demeanor perfect for the instrumentation.

“Eloquent Listening,” the second track, displays lyrical chemistry between the two. Spencer kicks it off with a witty verse about work ethic and his infatuation with weed, and SonnyJim rolls in with unique humor of his own, comparing getting high in a Corvette to a “nuclear warhead.”

When Spencer isn’t rapping about his love of weed, his work ethic or spitting funny one-liners, he gives listeners a glimpse into the more intimate aspects of his life, showing off his love for the city he calls home.

On “The Soul of Harold Washington,” which might be the album’s finest moment, Spencer pens an ode to his home city lining his verses with his experi-

ences in Chicago, which include days spent at Lake Michigan, trips to Har old’s Chicken with his uncle and proudly calling the Willis Tower by its former name, the Sears Tower.

“Spencer for Higher 3” is absent of trap beats or club bangers, filled strictly with relaxed, sample-based production rooted in hip-hop tradition and countless songs with quality bars for hip-hop purists to rewind and fall in love with.

For two veteran artists who have been around the block once or twice, it is clear at this point in their careers they will likely never have mainstream name recognition or a number one hit, but that doesn’t seem to matter much.

Spencer and SonnyJim are simply focused on sticking around in the rap game as long as it will have them. As long as they keep churning out records like this release, they should have no problem achieving that goal.

RROSENBERGER@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 7

arts & culture

Upcoming ‘artivism’ exhibit to deliver strong, timely statement from Columbia

» MYER LEE STAFF REPORTER TANDREA HAWKINS, KNOWN professionally

as “T-Star Verse,” said her recent music has mostly revolved around activism.

Typically, Hawkins, a junior music business major, creates and performs upbeat, fun and motivational ballads.

Now, she would rather use her voice and writing to spread awareness about violence against the Black community, she said.

Hawkins said she is feeling inspired and is considering submitting a song or poem to Columbia’s Artivism Black Lives Matter exhibit this fall.

The exhibit will focus on the crossroads between art and activism, specifically highlighting the Black Lives Matter movement. It will be located on the first and second floors of the library, 624 S. Michigan Ave., and available online.

Kristy Bowen, access services assistant for Columbia’s library and

co-curator, said she expects the exhibit to open by Oct. 16. Bowen co-curates the Aesthetics of Research, a project devoted to the intersection of libraries and the arts.

Students and other Chicago artists interested in participating must email three to five images of their work with the subject line “BLM Exhibit” to Bowen at kbowen@colum.edu. All submissions must be sent in by Sept. 25.

Bowen said she and co-curator Jennifer Sauzer will take as much art as they can fit on the walls of the first and second floors of the library and post the exhibit online so people can see it from anywhere.

If there is no more space for art on the library’s walls, participants can also submit work strictly for the virtual exhibit. She said the goal is to get as many people involved as possible.

Bowen said the virtual exhibit also gives creators the opportunity to include video and audio to add a multime-

dia aspect to the gallery, which is what Hawkins plans to do.

Bowen and Sauzer plan to have a list of all participants by Oct. 1. The co-curators will choose submissions that are impactful and reflect the Black Lives Matter movement, Bowen said. The quality of the submissions is not as important as their theme, she said.

“It’s definitely about the message, especially for an exhibit like this,” Bowen said. “It’s more about the theme itself than a perfect painting or a perfect drawing.”

Laura Hawbaker, a resident artist in the Aesthetics of Research program housed in Columbia’s library, submitted her new series “Protesters” for the exhibit.

The series is composed of images of protesters around the U.S., all of whom are protesting the death of Minneapolis man George Floyd at the hands of a police officer. Hawbaker has photos from New York,

Minneapolis, Los Angeles and more.

Within the work, she references photos she has personally taken and others she has seen on social media shared by friends and family.

Hawbaker said her art shows how people interact with cities and spaces by coming together to make a statement. The point of her series is to humanize protesters who are often seen as “political tools,” she said.

As a white woman, Hawbaker said she hopes her voice does not overtake the message of the exhibit. She said she is participating to use her privilege to spread awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement. “[As a person of privilege], you have a privilege and a voice that sadly our society will listen to over other voices,” she said. “You have to take that voice and find a way to support and raise up the people who should be talking.”

MLEE@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM » MYER LEE/CHRONICLE

COLUMBIA’S UPCOMING ARTIVISM BLACK LIVES MATTER EXHIBIT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT WITH A CROSSOVER OF ART AND ACTIVISM. 8 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

» K AYLIE SLACK /CHRONICLE

Volunteering in a pandemic: The importance of maintaining eco-consciousness in a time of unrest PHIL NICODEMUS IS AN EXPERT ON FLORA AND FAUNA. HE IS IN CHARGE OF RESEARCH AND TEACHES VOLUNTEERS HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE NATIVE CHICAGO PLANTS FROM INVASIVE SPECIES.

» K AYLIE SLACK PHOTOJOURNALIST MY FEET HAVE blisters, my shoes are

In addition to the therapeutic release, Urban Rivers gave me the chance to clean up one part of the river and build a home for wildlife in another.

Urban Rivers is different from the other wildlife sanctuaries I have visited. Besides the innovative ways it is planting gardens, it stands out with its emphasis that restoring a missing ecosystem will always come first.

The large floating platforms are filled with native Chicago plants and home to muskrats, turtles, geese and beavers.

They first appear as small, green marshlands, but upon further inspection, one can see the hidden pink flowers and puttering bumblebees.

Where some groups will build for appeal and tourism, Urban Rivers builds to rehabilitate an entire environment.

The beauty is just a bonus.

Urban Rivers welcomes new volunteers to join . Learn more here.

KSLACK@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM » K AYLIE SLACK /CHRONICLE

maintenance over the summer, Alexandra Damato said the pandemic has not impacted the number of volunteers or their consistency.

On Wednesday, Sept. 9, I was given the opportunity to volunteer with Damato and the Urban Rivers team, including Wesley, researcher Phil Nicodemus and several River Rangers.

Together we filled a new installation with LECA, also known as lightweight expanded clay aggregate. We worked for roughly three hours, transporting buckets of LECA from the pile outside the company building to 10 feet below on the floating base.

It was a fun, tiring and slightly strenuous task that did not require much thought. It turned out to be exactly what I needed.

For the first time in months I felt awake and useful. I was creating physical change that I could see, and I was completing hands-on work with passionate people who shared a common goal.

I did not think about the election or the wildfires, and the only reminder of the pandemic was the piece of cloth on my face. I am not naive in thinking we can ignore these problems or that installing floating gardens will solve climate change, but if I can get a few hours a week where I am not overwhelmed with the weight of the world and drowning from anxiety, I will gladly take it.

» K AYLIE SLACK /CHRONICLE

wet and my black T-shirt is covered in sweat. My hair is falling out of my braids and my arms are caked in mud. I am exhausted, dirty and sticky, but I have not felt this satisfied in months.

With the coronavirus pandemic, eco-disasters and ongoing political unrest, it can sometimes feel hard to breathe. Helplessness and hopelessness are suffocating, and it is difficult to imagine there is anything we can do about it.

We can vote and wear masks, but it often does not feel like enough. I wanted to do more, so I set out to find a way to better my community, regardless of whether the change would be big or small. That is when I discovered Urban Rivers, 1412 N. Kingsbury St. Founded in 2016 by Nick Wesley, Josh Yellin and Zachary Damato, Urban Rivers is a non-profit with the mission

of transforming city rivers into urban sanctuaries. The organization began by asking a single question: “Can something grow in the Chicago River?”

After research and experimentation proved the Chicago River could sustain both plant and animal life, Urban Rivers expanded its organization by following the framework set by the Wild Mile, a group of five different organizations with the shared goal of creating the first mile-long floating eco-park in the world.

Currently, Urban Rivers has three full-time staffers, 10 partners, five local contributors and around 40 weekly volunteers called River Rangers.

The volunteers are led by Damato’s sister, Alexandra, and must be CPR certified. River Rangers are in charge of cleaning up trash, removing weeds and invasive species, monitoring plants and observing wildlife.

“Our volunteer program is all about gathering, hosting events and being out together,” Alexandra Damato said.

Urban Rivers reopened in July after being closed for multiple months due to the winter and ensuing pandemic. It began this season by installing a more buoyant floating garden and a small lily pond. This new garden is diagonal from the organization’s 2017 installation in the North Branch Canal of the Chicago River.

Despite a rough start to the season with just three staffers working on plant

MATT GREVER, A RIVER RANGER, CATCHES LECA, A LIGHTWEIGHT SOIL MADE OF CLAY PEBBLES, FROM THE CONVEYER BELT INTO A BUCKET TO DISTRIBUTE IT TO OTHER PARTS OF THE LARGE FLOATING BASE.

» K AYLIE SLACK /CHRONICLE ALEXANDRA DAMATO, VOLUNTEER LEADER FOR URBAN RIVERS, TOURS THE RIVER ON A PONTOON BOAT TO SHOW THREE OF ITS VARIOUS FLOATING GARDEN INSTALLATIONS.

BILL WEI AIDS IN CLEANUP BY HANDING BUCKETS, BROOMS AND RAKES UP TO NICK WESLEY, CO-FOUNDER OF URBAN RIVERS.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 9

The environmental impact of sunflowers » ColumbiaChronicle.com » K’VON JACKSON/CHRONICLE

metro

Hundreds march calling for the removal of ICE’s ‘Citizen’s Academy’ initiative PROTESTERS CONGREGATED AT FEDERAL PLAZA ON SOUTH DEARBORN STREET TO HOLD A RALLY ABOUT THE RECENTLY POSTPONED “CITIZEN’S ACADEMY.”

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL PHOTOJOURNALIST STANDING ACROSS FROM the building

including abolishing ICE, defunding the Chicago Police Department and efforts to establish a citizens police advisory council.

Organizations at the event included: Organized Communities Against Deportation, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago, Arab American Family Services, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council and Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

“We’re here to support every marginalized group and every disenfranchised group that is being oppressed by this larger institution,” said Sief Salameh, a case manager for Arab American Family Services, an organization that is part of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

Fasika Alem, programs director for the United African Organization, stressed the importance of police reform and said there is a connection between policing and ICE policy.

“As African immigrants, we stand right at the intersection of [anti-immigrant policy and anti-Black policing policies],” Alem said. “These systems

doubly affect our community.”

Despite being a large gathering, physical distancing and face coverings were encouraged by organizers and attendees were asked to follow pandemic guidelines.

Though the march was originally planned to happen on the street, bike barriers set up by police limited protesters to the sidewalk. As attendees moved into the street at West Jackson Boulevard between South Clark and South Dearborn streets, cyclists in the bike line clashed with the group of protesters.

Organized Communities Against Deportations and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights discussed organizing another protest against ICE, but no official event has been set.

“We know that it is not a permanent shutdown,” Alem said in reference to the Citizen’s Academy. “This is the beginning of a continued action to make sure [the Citizen’s Academy] doesn’t happen ever.”

ZCLINGENPEEL@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL /CHRONICLE

at 101 W. Ida B. Wells Drive, home of Chicago’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office, hundreds of protesters representing dozens of organizations waved Mexican flags and gathered to celebrate the postponement of ICE’s “Citizen’s Academy.”

Marchers met at the Chicago Field Office Tuesday, Sept. 15, to protest ICE and its ongoing initiatives to increase its presence in Chicago.

The People’s Academy Rally and Teach In was originally organized in response to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ initiative known as the “Citizen’s Academy,” which was part of an ICE outreach program created to inform citizens about ICE tactics.

“Citizens Academy” was slated to start Tuesday, Sept. 15, but USCIS postponed it until spring 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times Sept. 3.

The academy will follow a similar

model of other law enforcement academies and will be a six-week training program to teach citizens about ICE policies and procedures, immigration history and demonstrate the training immigration officers undergo, according to an ICE press release from July 13.

Protesters have criticized the program for potentially promoting vigilante initiatives in communities with high immigrant populations and serving as another example of white supremacy, according to Antonio Gutierrez, strategic development and operations coordinator for Organized Communities Against Deportation—one of the organizations responsible for the event.

Gutierrez said as soon as his organization learned about the Citizen’s Academy they wanted to plan a public rally in response.

Beginning at the corner of Ida B. Wells Drive and South Clark Street, protesters engaged in several chants before marching to Federal Plaza on South Dearborn Street where multiple speakers discussed a number of issues

THE PEOPLE’S ACADEMY RALLY AND TEACH IN PROTESTERS MARCH DOWN SOUTH CLARK STREET ON THE SIDEWALK WHILE POLICE OFFICERS BLOCK THEM FROM MARCHING ON THE STREET. 10 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 21, 2020

MARCHERS SURROUND AN ENLARGED EFFIGY OF ROBERT GUADIAN, THE SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE FIELD OFFICE DIRECTOR OF CHICAGO’S FIELD OFFICE.

PROTESTERS LISTEN TO SPEAKERS FROM DOZENS OF ORGANIZATIONS TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION POLICIES AND THE HISTORY OF ICE.

opinions

The life of a filmmaker during the panemic » ColumbiaChronicle.com

THE LORAX SPEAKS FOR THE TREES, BUT WHO SPEAKS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE COVERAGE? This hurricane season and the wildfires ravaging the West Coast have been fanned by an unnatural rise in ropical storms Sally and Vicky temperature. When air and water tembecame the earliest S- and peratures rise, they cause precipitation V-named storms on record this to shift, which can make already heavy month. This occurrence is just anoth- downpours heavier and arid areas drier, er natural disaster amplified by hu- causing increased flooding and kindling, man-made climate change and it needs according to the U.S. government’s Nato stop. tional Climate Assessment.

So if climate change is the root cause of these deadly disasters, why is it not on the front page of every newspaper and magazine, or the first phrase out of broadcasters’ mouths? Its effects cause global inequities and nearly 150,000 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization.

» SUMMER HOAGLAND-ABERNATHY OPINIONS EDITOR

» LUCAS MARTINEZ/CHRONICLE

T

EDITORIAL

The coronavirus pandemic is raging on, having already killed nearly 1 million people worldwide. And with protests against police brutality still flooding U.S. streets, there always seem to be more timely headlines and more compelling photos dominating news coverage.

But climate change has been present for a long time, and it is not going away any time soon. Because it is so engraved in our daily lives, it does not seem timely enough to make the news unless there is a major event connected to it—like a destructive hurricane season and an entire coast on fire.

A collection of data garnered from researcher evidence shows that between now and 2100 the Earth’s temperature could rise nearly 6 degrees Fahrenheit, after having already risen approximately 2 degrees in the last 30 years, according to Global Climate Change Explorer.

Imagine, then, what heavier storms and drier areas will look like in the next 80 years.

But hope is not lost. Using biodegradable elbow grease, the Chronicle discussed original ways we would like to see climate change covered by other news organizations and ourselves:

• Make it about us. We want to know how each corner of the world, especially our own, is being affected.

• Stop politicizing it and give us the facts. Hearing political figureheads talk about climate change is great, but sometimes all we need is an easy-to-understand fact sheet.

• Talk about someone other than the white, middle-class third-grade teacher who taught their students to recycle.

How is climate change affected by racial and class inequality?

• We need solutions journalism. Do not tell us we are going to die in 80 years without giving us a call to action. According to the 2017 Carbon Majors Report, 71% of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by 100 corporations. Our call to action is to hold each and every corporation accountable for their emissions and impact on the planet.

While climate change is not always a hot button topic, it is always lurking under other issues. Keeping it in the minds of the public is how journalists can help save the world from becoming drenched and scorched.

SHOAGLANDABERNATHY@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

TOP FIVE

THE CHRONICLE’S TOP FIVE ACTIVITIES TO DO IN THE FALL WHILE QUARANTINED

» BROOKLYN KIOSOW COPY CHIEF

» JENNIFER CHAVEZ GRAPHIC DESIGNER

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL PHOTOJOURNALIST

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5

Learn how to bake a vegan pumpkin pie Carve pumpkins on my living room floor Make my own oat milk

Use that oat milk to make the perfect iced dirty chai Get through the pile of unread books on my bookshelf

Solve 1000 piece puzzles Horror movie/ghost hunting shows marathon with all your blankets Go on walk and collect cool leaves to press, maybe make stickers with :} Read/watch Creepypasta stories Send longing letters to your friends WITH the pressed leaves you made back at #3

Fall nature photography Watch the Halloween franchise Play some video games Geocaching Play some fall-themed role playing games online with friends (like Halloween or Day of the Dead Dungeons and Dragons) SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 11