PAGE 3: SGA officers plan for more engagement with student body
PAGE 12: Explore what Columbia was like in 1968
PAGE 9: New York-based brand Glossier highlights diversity in Chicago PAGE 19: Lyft to provide reduced fare to help register voters Volume 54, Issue 1
September 4, 2018
ColumbiaChronicle.com
Convocation: Columbia’s first dance
SEE PAGE 7
» MIKE RUNDLE/CHRONICLE
editor’s note
The Chronicle expands coverage, opportunities for student staff » ARIANA PORTALATIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
W
hen readers open up a weekly print issue of The Chronicle, pull up our website, visit our newsroom or check our social media, they may notice quite a bit of change. That’s because the organization has made some changes to improve its coverage of the city and campus and increase opportunities for its student employees. Beginning in summer 2018, The Chronicle’s management team rebranded the organization to look and operate differently to adapt to changes at the college and in the journalism industry. Our print edition has exciting new design elements, including an updated logo and new colors and fonts to separate the sections of coverage. The Metro section is specializing its city coverage to connect more with the college community. Our Campus section will connect more with the campus by continuing its coverage and increasing communication with students, professors and administrators. We now have exclusive social media and web content, emphasizing our new daily coverage. Our multimedia reporters are working to tell stories with visual elements, including interactive graphics, long-form documentaries and photo or video packages to accompany published articles. This expands our multimedia coverage from previous years while allowing the multimedia desk to collaborate with their fellow staff reporters. The Chronicle is also part of a partnership with the Frequency TV and WCRX networks to establish a “media hub” for the campus community. Together, students from all organizations can utilize each other’s resources and collaborate on projects for each platform, including weekly radio shows, podcasts and broadcast content. Additionally, staff reporters have the benefit of diversifying their portfolio work with an open pitching system. No longer does The Chronicle limit reporters for Campus, Metro and Arts & Culture. Staff reporters can now produce work for all reporting sections each week, allowing them to improve their writing and reporting skills to prepare them for their post-graduation careers. The Chronicle has also begun to offer 10-hour positions in addition to our 2 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
MANAGEMENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITORS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR AD & BUSINESS MANAGER
Ariana Portalatin Molly Walsh Blaise Mesa Samantha Conrad Micha Thurston
REPORTERS
NEWS EDITOR STAFF REPORTERS
20-hour positions. These new positions provide employment opportunities for COPY CHIEF COPY EDITORS students with busier schedules who may have other jobs, part-time internships or heavier course loads, but still want to build their portfolio during the week SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER with Chronicle assignments. ` GRAPHIC DESIGNERS New staff positions have also been created, as can be seen on The Chronicle’s masthead, such as News Editor, who is responsible for coaching reporters, editing content and tackling STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS larger stories; Brand Manager, who will run social media platforms and ensure The Chronicle has an established and unique presence to stand out from other publications; and Multimedia Editor, MULTIMEDIA EDITOR who edits and finalizes all video content MULTIMEDIA REPORTERS to ensure consistency and quality. The Chronicle is at the height of its success, and the changes made are proof that excellence is our top priority for our staff and audience. As we near our 45th MEDIA SALES REPS anniversary, we know this is still only the beginning. Our staff is committed to setting the BRAND MANAGER bar high for journalistic merit and keeping it there. Our success does not stop when an award is won or a WEBMASTER milestone is reached. Those accomplishments are a reward for hard work and a reminder that the hard work must continue. FACULTY ADVISER These changes, while challenging at first, are here to push The Chronicle above and beyond what has already been achieved. As a 2018 Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker finalist— on top of the already heaping amount of awards won over the years— it is The Chronicle’s responsibility to continue to set the standards for what an award-winning student publication should be. aportalatin@columbiachronicle.com
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GRAPHICS Jocelyn Moreno Patrick Casey Jeremy Marynowski Grace Senior
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MULTIMEDIA Zack Jackson Bridget Ekis Miranda Manier Kevin Tiongson
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campus
Comedy musical ‘Tootsie’ to debut in Chicago » ColumbiaChronicle.com
SGA gets creative to increase student involvement » ALEXANDRA YETTER STAFF REPORTER
C
olumbia’s Student Government Association executive board plans to focus on better student engagement, acquiring more resources and increasing the number of student initiatives for the 2018-2019 academic year. “We’ve had meetings, we’ve had sitdowns and we’re ready for this year,” said Kierah King, a junior dance major and SGA executive vice president. “This
year is the first time we’ve had an allwomen [executive] board, and I’m excited about that.” In addition to acting as a voice for students, one of SGA’s goals is to remake its social media platforms, said Jazmin Bryant, a junior cinema art and science major and SGA president. “We plan to put our stamp on it and make video content for SGA,” Bryant said. “That goes back to accessibility and making sure students can match a face to a name.”
I want [to] give [students] reasons to care, creating incentives and just making it a more artistic, free [and] fun place for them.
JAZMIN BRYANT
SGA will also recruit more students to become senators and attend meetings in the The Loft, 916 S. Wabash Ave., every Tuesday at 5 p.m., including the Meet SGA event Sept. 4 at the 623 S. Wabash Ave. Building. Bryant said student involvement is important and attending SGA meetings is one way to get involved at the college. Bryant also encouraged students to present ideas to the organization to help create more initiatives. “The more senators we have, the more initiatives we can put out, the more change we can make in our school,” said Simone Heim, a sophomore cinema art and science major and SGA executive vice president of communications. King said bringing student feedback to college administration is the most effective route to improving resources. “I’m taking what you’re saying, and I am personally going into the offices to tell them, ‘This is what students are saying, this is what needs to be fixed, this is how they feel and this is what you need to change,” King said.
Part of SGA’s agenda will be opening communication between students and administrators with town halls to discuss the new Student Center, which is set to open in early 2019, as reported Dec. 7, 2017, by The Chronicle. Bryant said many students are upset about the new building because they mistakenly believe it is funded by increased tuition rates. Instead, SGA plans to get students thinking about the positives and excited for opportunities the building will provide, such as increased student employment, dining options, a new SGA meeting space and possible new funding for future initiatives and scholarships, Bryant said. “I want [to] give [students] reasons to care, creating incentives and making it a more artistic, free [and] fun place for them to be,” Bryant said. “People get caught up in the politics of [SGA] and into the logistical side of things. However, we can have fun too, and we can also be creatives and collaborate.” ayetter@columbiachronicle.com » HALIE PARKINSON/CHRONICLE
SGA Executive Vice President of Communications Simone Heim (left) and President Jazmin Bryant (right) plan to increase engagement with social media and increase the number of student initiatives.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 THE CHRONICLE 3
campus
Chicagoland Transfer Award offers students opportunities for success » MADISON KELLER STAFF REPORTER COLUMBIA IS TRYING to strengthen relationships with local community colleges with the new Chicagoland Transfer Award, which was awarded to 11 incoming students this fall. Students transferring to Columbia from nearby community colleges were able to apply for one full-tuition scholarship and ten $10,000 scholarships, awarded based on the scholarship committee’s review. “[Community colleges are] part of the same community that we are and those relationships are important to us,” said Cynthia Grunden, Assistant Vice President of Student Financial Services. “We also see students who transfer from these colleges are successful at Columbia.”
Many students start at community colleges because they may not feel prepared for a fouryear university or prefer to save money, Grunden said. The award creates another option for students at community colleges, she added. To be eligible for the award, a student must have earned a minimum of 45 college-level credit hours and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, according to the college’s website. They must also submit an essay of 1,000 words that answers the questions: How has your experience at your community college prepared you for success at Columbia? How do you plan to make the most of your Columbia education? Of the 70 applicants, the 11 winners were chosen based on their academic record and essay, Grunden said.
“There were far more than 11 deserving students,” Grunden said. “We were very excited about the quality of the applicants.” The winner of the full-tuition scholarship this year was Alejandra Cosio, who earned an associate of arts degree with high honors from Harold Washington College in May 2018. Cosio is now a junior advertising major. After she graduates she plans to attend law school to become an immigration lawyer, she said. “It was an opportunity to continue my education,” Cosio said. “Without the scholarship I wouldn’t [have been] able to transfer to Columbia.” Sabrina Szigeti, a junior fiction major, is a recipient of the $10,000 renewable scholarship. Szigeti had plans to transfer outof-state this fall before a profes-
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sor at Waubonsee Community College, who attended Columbia, convinced her to submit an application to the college and apply for the award. “I like the amount of creativity and collaboration the school has,” Szigeti said. “I don’t think I would’ve gotten [that] from any other school.” To increase the number of applicants for next year and years to come, Columbia plans to publicize the award earlier in
the spring. The application for the award is also expected to be offered earlier in the spring to eligible incoming transfer students,Grunden said. “[The award] inspires other community college students to also fight for their dreams,” Cosio said. “[It inspires them to] keep working toward what they want and never settle for anything less than they deserve.” mkeller@columbiachronicle.com
» GRACE SENIOR/CHRONICLE
campus
PRESIDENT KWANG-WU KIM IS PLEASED TO OFFER
STUDENT OFFICE HOURS FOR THE FALL 2018 SEMESTER Do you have a suggestion about how to make Columbia better? Want to share your story and experience with President Kim? Appointments are 20 minutes and are held in President Kim’s office, on the 5th floor of 600 South Michigan.
Please RSVP for a date You must be available within a 10:00 a.m. − 11:40 a.m. window.
September 21, 2018 October 26, 2018 November 30, 2018 To register for a slot, please visit: about.colum.edu/president/student-office-hours Space is limited so register today! Limit one slot per student. If you have any questions, please contact officeofthepresident@colum.edu
SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 THE CHRONICLE 5
campus
Senior ‘Asiagoes’ to moon with Sci-fi film » KATHERINE SAVAGE STAFF REPORTER
I
n the summer of 2017, senior cinema art and science major Christopher Rohrbeck studied in Arizona as part of Columbia’s “Honors Paleontology Field Observation and Methods” course. One night, he looked up at the sky and saw a perfect view of a large moon, which inspired him to write and direct “Moon Miner,” a Sci-Fi film about a miner, Ludwig, who mines for cheese on the moon and deals with new technology. Ludwig encounters a new mining robot with whom he has to partner in order to save his moonmining career. “Moon Miner” is set to be released midSeptember and Rohrbeck plans to showcase the film at one of Columbia’s screenings. The Chronicle spoke with Rohrbeck about his work, his decision to go into film and his time at Columbia.
ROHRBECK: Last summer, I was thinking about capitalism in space. As campy and silly as “Moon Miner” is, capitalism in space is a bigger topic now. People are talking about mining asteroids, sending droids to asteroids and people are wondering how we are going to divide up land in space. Even though it’s playful, I like to think that there is something there, topical at least.
are when you build a good environment and people will play pretend with you. It’s sort of tongue-in-cheek, but it feels like you and your crew are going someplace. Even if it is just in that realm of imagination. What influences you?
Astrophysics and space. I think about economics and our relationship to technology. When the robot was included, that was inspired by a trip to McDonald’s. I care about the plight of the working class, but I just have to use that little machine. It’s too convenient. That incorporates itself into the story. Technology is coming, and you have to be able to adapt rather than try to collide.
How would you describe “Moon Miner”?
It’s about the coal- mining generation coming in contact with new technology. Someone who enters Ludwig’s world is this robot, who is designed to be a moon-mining robot. They have to become friends and make amends to build the future together, a working relationship and partnership. It calls back to a lot of campy films in the ‘60s that you’d find with Sci-Fi movies. It’s very playful and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. What made you decide to go into film?
THE CHRONICLE: What was your inspiration for “Moon Miner”?
» STEVEN NUNEZ/CHRONICLE
someone you should know:
It was a combination of a lot of different things I enjoyed. I liked the visual art of
What’s left to be done before the movie is released in September?
Senior Christopher Rohrbeck discusses his new Sci-Fi film, “Moon Miner,” about a miner who is confronted with new technology.
painting and drawing. I liked being able to see new places and travel. What better place to travel than the moon? I may not be actually going, but some of the best parts on set
Right now it is in the visual effects stage. When we premiered it at the end of the directing class, the effects weren’t done, all the sound was temporary, it wasn’t colored and it wasn’t framed correctly. What was already a campy film got even campier. Now, we are building planets out of mesh and adding in green screens and refining those looks so they look silly, but not ‘we don’t know what we’re doing’ silly. ksavage@columbiachronicle.com
12/31/18
6 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
» STEVEN NUNEZ/CHRONICLE
New students dance their way through Convocation
Students spent the afternoon in Grant Park learning about new oppourtunities at Convocation Aug. 31. » TESSA BRUBAKER NEWS EDITOR NEW STUDENT CONVOCATION welcomed freshman to Columbia with a party in Grant Park, during which thousands of bubbles floated in the air, balloons flew high, student organizations stood behind tables filled with activi-
ties and souvenirs and everyone danced to music. Students had the opportunity to meet new people, eat free food, learn about the college, listen to live performances and signup for student organizations before classes began Sept. 4. To kick off the event, orientation leaders crowded on stage
campus to welcome new students and encourage them to be an active participant on campus during their time at Columbia. President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim addressed the crowd of excited new students, saying he wants them to own their Columbia experience. It is important that students who need help or have questions speak up for themselves, he added. “It’s not that we don’t care; we may not know. So be active, be proactive, be bold,” Kim said. “That’s why you came to this school in the first place.” Other speakers included Jazmin Bryant, president of Student Government Association and senior cinema art and science major; Orterio Villa, Director of Student Organization and Leadership; as well as a performance by Manifest 2018 song competiton winner Chinaa. During her performance, student orientation leaders popped confetti onto the crowd. Adriana Baca, a senior cinema art and science major and presi-
dent of Latino Alliance, said convocation is important for new students because it shows what Columbia provides in addition to academics. “It’s really fun for all the [student organizations] to get together and [show students] in addition to your new major, here’s the fun things that can really enrich your life while you’re here at Columbia,” Baca said. “It’s a good way for us to get to know the new students [and] to make them feel welcome.” Bella Crum, a junior poetry major and orientation leader, said it has been great to see convocation come together and meet the incoming students. She added that convocation is a great way for students to get to know members of Columbia’s community, both new and returning. “You should know who the president is when you’re walking down the street,” Crum said. “That makes you feel more comfortable on an urban campus and know who to go to if you need a resource.”
Besides having fun and meeting new people at convocation, Sophia Schirmer-Beiermann, a freshman comedy writing and performance major, said she’s excited to collaborate with different departments during her time at the college. “I’m really excited for the collaboration,” Schirmer-Beiermann said. “It’s exciting to finally get into my field.” Before wrapping up his speech, Kim said there is a lot of racism, discrimination and hate in the world, but students will not find that at Columbia and that it will not be tolerated. “We honor freedom of speech. We want you all to have the full range of opportunities to express your ideas, your beliefs and who you are,” Kim said. “Hate speech, targeting people based on identity is not a part of what this school is about and it will not be tolerated so I want you to keep that in the back of your head as you explore this place.” tbrubaker@columbiachronicle.com
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arts culture
Strikes pave way for Labor Day observance » ColumbiaChronicle.com/Multimedia
Glossier pops up to highlight Chicago diversity » OLIVIA DELOIAN STAFF REPORTER
shop in the West Loop by New York-based Glossier showcases diverse artwork to give Chicago customers an interactive experience of the company. Glossier has become a notable name in the beauty industry, and Chicagoans on Instagram reacted with joy at the news of a local pop-up. Glossier’s Aug. 22 announcement of the shop, located at 114 N. Aberdeen St., received more than 74,000 likes and comments. The shop opened Aug. 23 and will remain in the city until Oct. 28. Deun Ivory, a photographer whose work is featured in the shop, said Glossier first asked for her art to be included along with other local artists before deciding only to feature her work. “[Glossier] wanted to highlight their community members in Chicago,” Ivory said. “I’m happy that we were able to create magic together in this way, and that they trusted my vision and creative eye to do what I do best.” In an Aug. 30 email interview with The Chronicle, Kim Johnson, Community Manager at Glossier, said the company’s
Ivory said she believes her work in the pop-up will give people an accurate representation of the Chicago community as she sees it. “My portrait work, when I moved to Chicago, became more mindful about the messages I wanted to communicate, who I wanted to photograph, how I wanted to photograph, cultivating my own voice and my own signature aesthetic,” Ivory said. “I [definitely] feel like I have been able to do that successfully.” odeloian@columbiachronicle.com
» PHOTOS MICHAEL RUNDLE/CHRONICLE
A NEW POP-UP
admiration of Ivory’s work led to an incredible connection when curating the project. “Working with [Ivory] helped bring Glossier to Chicago but also to bring us to the city through a new lens,” Johnson said. “We feel very lucky to have built such an incredible, collaborative relationship with her.” Ivory said her photography consists of self-portraits and portraits of other women of color. Her vision of diverse work is consistent with Glossier’s, making collaboration inevitable, she added. “This was a celebration of diversity and highlighting many different types of cultures, many different types of black women,” Ivory said. “[The photographs were] celebrating the nuance of women of color and showing how beautiful and brilliant we all are.” Ashley Lake, a designer and long-time Glossier customer, said she attended the pop-up, and it did not disappoint. “It was well-executed, and [a very] well-designed space,” Lake said. “I was running out of some of their products so it was really cool to be able to go in the store and sample everything.” Amy Mercado, a senior television major, said she discovered the Chicago pop-up
through Instagram and is eager to attend and try out some of Glossier’s beauty and skincare products. Mercado, who frequently produces makeup tutorials on her own YouTube channel called HelloStayChic, and after following the company on social media for years, said she is happy the shop has finally reached the city. “Most of the famous stores or events [are] always known in LA or New York, and Chicago is slept on,” Mercado said. “This pop-up shop with Glossier is a step-forward in bringing other opportunities to Chicago.”
Glossier’s pop-up, located at 114 N. Aberdeen St., gives Chicago customers an opportunity to sample a A collaboration between local photographer Deun Ivory and Glossier highlights diversity in the beauty range of beauty and skin care products, otherwise only available online. industry and brings new exposure to Chicago’s beauty scene.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 THE CHRONICLE 9
arts & culture
Social media proves a ‘paw-sitive’ force for pet adoptions “[Bruno the fat cat] was sitting caption should be a description up, and if it wouldn’t have been for of the type of adopter that would that post, I can almost guarantee be best suited for that animal, AFTER MONTHS OF searching for something like that would’ve not said Angelica Staniszewska, the a ‘fur-ever’ home, Wright-Way went viral,” Paukstis said. founder and director of Chicago shelter posted a picture of Bruno, When posting to social media, Animal Advocates. a 25-pound Russian Blue on the goal is to use unique phoStaniszewska said when the Facebook with pictures of him tos and videos that capture an Chicago Animal Advocates crestanding on his back legs. The animal’s behavior. The online ate posts, they try to give detailed image quickly went viral. descriptions of the animal, includShelter animals are often overing its history. looked, but social media posts can “We learn a lot about their pergive people a better understanding sonalities [through fostering], but of an animal’s personality, said we also learn a lot about their medDawn Isenhart-Copp, President ical [history],” Isenhart-Copp said. of Lulu Locker’s Rescue, located Paukstis said she decided to in Frankfort, IL. foster a Pitbull named Poe when Clear, vibrant pictures that she fell into the hands of Animal make the animal stand out have Care and Control at 11 years old. the most success in finding the Poe was thought to have only had animal a home, according to six to eight months to live, but now Isenhart-Copp. she is 17 and has been Paukstis’ “Social media lends a huge companion for the last six years. hand into helping us expose how “She’s outlived her lifespan, triwonderful these animals are and pled it, so she’s happier than she’s there’s nothing wrong with them,” ever been,” Paukstis said. “She’s said Jillian Paukstis, a dog rescue Bruno Barlett became a viral sensa- so grateful to be alive, and I feel tion after being posted to Facebook. volunteer from Logan Square. so good about that.”
»COURTESY JILLIN PAUKSTIS
» MADISON KELLER STAFF REPORTER
»COURTESY @THEEBRUNOBARLETT
From left to right, Jillian Paukstis’ three rescued Pitbulls, Finnegan, Penny and Poe are happier than ever in Logan Sqaure since their adoption.
When adopting from a shelter, the connection should play the largest role in deciding which pet to take home, not the animal’s age, Paukstis said. “You may have had your eyes set out on a puppy, then you meet a two or three-year-old dog and they’re the most loving animal you could ever ask for,” Paukstis said. “It’s only because you gave them a chance.”
Approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized each year—670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats—according to the ASPCA. “It’s gonna be [an] uphill battle,” Paukstis said. “Until people start adopting and considering they can find their best friend at the local shelters or rescues.”
Sou
10 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
mkeller@columbiachronicle.com
arts & culture
Fitness gurus shift conversation about being plus size
continued. The modeling agency to inspire other girls like her. After she found no one, she decided to because she viewed social media was all too happy to see Willcox teaching herself how to eat healthy become that person. as the antithesis of yoga. However, gain weight and become the “ideal” and be active, she created her blog, At first, Emre was met with neg- she decided that the body-positive KATIE WILLCOX RECALLS a time plus-size body shape, she said. Healthy is the New Skinny, to ativity from people saying she was awareness they provide outweigh when she went on a six-mile “That was really weird, to get prove health does not come with a bad influence for plus-size peo- the negatives. group hike up a mountain with positive reinforcement,” Willcox a weight attached, she said. ple because she did not advocate “What’s inspiring to people is a more-than-300-pound woman. said. “[I gained weight] because I Motivational speaker and plus- weight loss, but she continued to seeing a real person who is unapolAt the top of the mountain, the wasn’t being healthy and I [didn’t] size fitness coach Tulin Emre said use social media as a journal, she ogetically themselves and [does] woman told Willcox that she did feel good, yet I’m getting money she migrated to social media to said. Eventually, she built a posi- not censor themselves for society,” not understand why she was over- and opportunities and praise for it.” find “someone with a body like tive community that grew into the Stanley said. weight until she was diagnosed Willcox said she considered mine in motion, someone whose 400,000-member online following Willcox said the mispercepwith polycystic ovarian syndrome. quitting modeling, but her hus- belly got in the way” to inspire that it is today, she said. tion in society of the capabilities She had been confused because band encouraged her to keep going her own fitness journey. When “They’re always amazed at of plus-size women comes down she was following typical weight what’s possible in their bodies,” to symbolism. Thinness subconloss instructions: working out, Emre said. “They really do have sciously symbolizes happiness, dieting and eating the right foods. that inner badass waiting to love, validation and success, while “You don’t need to justify it to me,” come out.” fatness is thought to represent the Willcox said to her. “I know you’re Jessamyn Stanley, a social opposite, she said. doing those things; otherwise you media influencer and plus-size “We need to change the converwouldn’t be able to get to the top of yoga instructor who travels the sation around health to include the mountain.” world to lead yoga classes, also more than what we’re eating and Willcox, like many other plusfound a negative response at the [how we’re] moving our bodies,” size women, said she grew up with beginning of her online yoga jour- Willcox said. “We don’t have to be what she calls a toxic relationship ney. Users would comment that sectioned off into every possible with her body. While working as a they “didn’t know fat people could group based on what we look like, plus-size model in college, Willcox do yoga,” she said. our size and our color.” began to gain the “freshman 25” Katie Willcox, plus-size model and founder and CEO of Healthy is the New Skinny, For a time, Stanley said she as her unhealthy eating habits said the next step in the body positivty movement is eliminating divisions. considered deleting her accounts ayetter@columbiachronicle.com » ALEXANDRA YETTER STAFF REPORTER
» COURTESY KATIE WILLCOX
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SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 THE CHRONICLE 11
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STORY BY ARIANA PORTALATIN DESIGN BY SAMANTHA CONRAD
1 » COURTESY BOB BOLDT
50 years later: Columbia in 1968
2 » COURTESY GETTY IMAGES
3 » ORLANDO PINDER/CHRONICLE
12 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
Alexander Logan monument across the street from Columbia’s current Michigan Avenue buildings. Anti-war protesters arrived at the DNC to challenge the Democratic Party stance on the Vietnam War. Then-Mayor Richard Daley prepared the city by deploying 12,000 police officers and 15,000 state and federal officers to contain the protesters. Gall said he would not have wanted to be anywhere but Chicago during convention week, describing it as “a time like no other time in our lives.” “[There was] a lot of gas. A lot of adrenaline. An astonishing display of a police department out of control,” Gall said. “I’m reminded of it when Black Lives Matter talks about police violence in 2018, and yet the origins of police violence go back to 1968. We’ve had a police department out of control for 50 years, doesn’t seem to matter who the mayor is.” Gall added that faculty also participated in the DNC protests, including the late John Schultz, a creative writing professor who joined the college in 1966 and became the college’s first chair of the former Writing/ English Department. Also protesting during the convention was then-lecturer Staughton Lynd, who was arrested Aug. 28, 1968, and fined $500 for not following police orders to leave a sidewalk at 43rd and Halsted Streets, according to a May 1, 1969, Chicago Tribune article. Associate Professor in the English and Creative Writing Department Tom Nawrocki spent convention week differently. Nawrocki wouldn’t enroll at Columbia until 1970, immediately following the end of his military service, but in 1968 he was almost faced with confronting demonstrators. “If you didn’t get into college right away you were going to be drafted, so there were a lot of us who, rather than be drafted into the army for two years, you would enlist so you would have some sort of control over what was going to happen to you,” Nawrocki said. He became apprehensive about the war after hearing from returning veterans and losing his cousin during the Tet Offensive. “There was such turmoil in America. I enlisted to be a Marine and defend my country against communism in a foreign country, and in 1968, they started training me to be a riot control officer to go into the American streets and break up riots in American cities,” Nawrocki said. “I would be putting a bayonet in the face of somebody I might’ve gone to school with.” Nawrocki began riot training following MLK’s assassination and was on standby in North Carolina for the DNC protests. He questioned the war but felt pressured to follow military orders, even as others discussed fleeing to Canada if deployed for riot control. Nawrocki faced a moral dilemma. He said he is happy he was never deployed to Chicago.
FEATURE
ominated by political turmoil and public unrest, 1968 is a year imprinted on U.S. history. The United States continued its involvement in the Vietnam War and launched the Apollo 7 and 8 flight missions. The civil rights movement reached new heights after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in April. Much of the U.S. was devastated, and flames engulfed Chicago’s West Side as protestors took to the streets. Just a few CTA stops away from the center of the protest marches sat Columbia’s main campus building, 540 N. Lakeshore Drive, where many students and faculty studied and participated in the movements. In January 1968, Columbia had 70 faculty members and approximately 500 students. The small but growing college worked toward its goal—which some would say has been achieved—of creating a center for contemporary film education by establishing a department of motion pictures, among other expansions. Also in 1968, Columbia adopted its mission statement, which is still used today, to encourage students to author the culture of their time. Then-President Mike Alexandroff challenged trustees and faculty during a January 1968 speech to produce these unique students, saying: “We cannot turn back from the transcending moral imperatives of our times. We’ll be damned if we do.” Heidi Marshall, head of Archives and Collections at the Library, said Columbia’s continuous social engagement is the result of the philosophy of the college during the ‘60s. “Columbia has involved itself historically in a lot of large social movements. In the ‘60s, Vietnam and Kent State reactions, and up through the ‘80s, when you had the provost and president picketing outside the South African consulate to protest the apartheid government in South Africa,” Marshall said. “There has always been this engagement with the community.” Bert Gall, a 1969 alumnus who studied journalism, worked in the campus bookstore during 1968 and went on to work at Columbia for 34 years. A regular protester and activist, Gall said Columbia was a natural place for people like him because he grew up around activism. Before walking as valedictorian at commencement in a Viet Cong flag and rice hat in protest of the war in 1969, Gall remembers participating in the Democratic National Convention demonstrations, a week of protests at the end of August that began in Lincoln Park—the neighborhood where the majority of students lived—and shifted to Grant Park, culminating at the John
FEATURE
“I had to think, if [Marines] refuse to go, then I’m going to have to sign documents to send them to prison,” Nawrocki said. “It’s odd to be put in that position, to carry a rifle with a bayonet on the end and think that you have to put it in an American’s face with hostile intentions. I didn’t sign up for that, but there it was.” Nawrocki said the divide over the Vietnam War took place largely between older generations who survived World War II and held trust in the government, and younger generations who began to suspect the government was lying about the events of the war. Andrew Wilson, an adjunct professor in the Humanities, History and Social Sciences Department, said the Tet Offensive was seen as the end of the U.S.’s involvement in the war, but also when people began to see the truth behind the war. The Tet Offensive was a series of coordinated attacks against U.S. and South Vietnamese militaries by North Vietnam and Viet Cong forces in January 1968. “It was because of Tet that many people began to see that what the United States had been telling the American public about progress in Vietnam wasn’t actually the case [and] that this war was not going to be over anytime soon and that it was going to cost a lot more American and Vietnamese lives before it ended,” Wilson said. Chris Broadhurst, an assistant professor of Higher Education at the University of New Orleans, said an influx of student activism during 1968 was due to the emergence of counter-culture among youth that defied societal norms. “Cities like Chicago, New York or San Francisco had larger centers of resistance,” Broadhurst said. “There were a few [college presidents] that wholeheartedly supported
[student activism and] there were some that vehemently opposed any form of activism and disruption. No college president, even the ones that supported the right to voice their views in support of the causes, are going to support disruptions of classrooms.” However, Nawrocki witnessed Alexandroff’s support even in 1970, when the college shut down in support of anti-war student protests at Kent State University. “He left it up to the student body and we said, ‘There are other schools that are closing down for a week to protest this action, these killings at Kent State, and there’s going to be protests in the street and we want to join that.’ He said ‘Ok. The school will shut down, we will suspend the classes and there won’t be any penalties.’ I was out on the streets protesting the war with hundreds of thousands of people.” Norman Alexandroff, Mike Alexandroff’s son and communication coordinator for the Library, said Columbia’s focus in 1968 was creating opportunities for underserved and minority communities and becoming more connected with the city. Columbia expanded into the Lincoln Park neighborhood with a dance center and The Free Theater, an admission-free public theater run by then-music program director and musician Bill Russo. Albert Williams, an associate professor of Instruction in the Theatre Department, was a student studying music in 1968 who joined the theater company in 1970. According to Williams, “The Civil War” was a 1968 production directed by Russo that compared the civil war of the 1860s to the divide in America during the 1960s. “The end of the show was a song about a mother grieving over her son who has been killed in the war and the last lines of the show are ‘The war is a mother that takes
back youth,’ and that was repeated over and over again. The audience was stunned, and it launched The Free Theater as a viable theater company to produce other works,” Williams said. “It established Columbia as a presence on Chicago’s cultural scene as the voice of the new, young people.” The theater was once turned into a makeshift hospital for anti-war protesters driven out by police with tear gas during the DNC protests, which solidified the production’s message, according to Williams. As part of the college’s community engagement, Mike Alexandroff hosted an “Arts in the Inner City” conference in 1968 to bring together artists and educators from minority and working-class communities from around the country to address a lack of representation of African-American and Latino communities. When COBRA, the Coalition of Black Revolutionary Artists, unexpectedly took over the conference to protest white power structures that controlled arts funding, the college found itself embroiled in controversy. “It was the first time there was a black, white confrontation in the arts and because a lot of the foundations were invited, they recognized that they needed to reorder their priorities to serve communities of color,” Norman said. “It was an effort to create some publicity for the college, but it also started a conversation that resonates to this day in terms of minority representation and the need for communities of color to shape their own communities.” Norman said the social activism of 1968 is embedded into the college’s DNA due to Mike Alexandroff’s commitment to producing socially aware artists and communicators who could lead social action and change. “In 1967, Martin Luther King had called on Columbia students, faculty and staff to
join him at the march in Marquette Park, where other college’s had presidents standing on tanks,” Norman said. “Columbia was organizing marches in support of Dr. King. Columbia was the center of this counter-culture movement in the country and Chicago in particular.” Issues of 1968 are still fought by students today, using similar tactics, Broadhurst said. Bert Gall sees movements he participated in reflected in today’s demonstrations. “I look at the kids in Parkland, who are impressive as can be, organizing against gun violence,” Gall said. “As you look at things like the women’s march in Washington after the Trump election, you think the reach of much of that goes back to the 60s.” Norman added that Columbia’s relationship with society during the 60s was reciprocal in that the social movements contributed to the college’s growth just as the college’s community helped shape Chicago. “It’s hard to separate the time and place of Columbia from the 60s, particularly 1968,” Norman said. “Columbia is a byproduct of the time and place and it’s hard to imagine we would have existed or grown in the same way had we not been central to these mass movements of people in the 60s.” aportalatin@columbiachronicle.com
1
“The Civil War” was a production performed at The Free Theater, an admission-free public theater, that compared the Civil War of the 1860s with the social divide of the 1960s.
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Students and faculty stormed the John Alexander Logan Monument in Grant Park during the August 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago to protest the Vietnam War. The John Alexander Logan Monument still stands as a popular tourist attraction in Grant Park today across the street from Columbia’s South Michigan Avenue buildings.
» COURTESY AP PHOTO
SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 THE CHRONICLE 13
top five
SPOTIFY PODCASTS » ARIANA PORTALATIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
‘90S SITCOMS » KEVIN TIONGSON MULTIMEDIA REPORTER
arts & culture
INSTAGRAM-FAMOUS BASSET HOUNDS
WAYS TO STEP OUT OF COMFORT ZONE
» MOLLY WALSH MANAGING EDITOR
» BRIDGET EKIS MULTIMEDIA REPORTER
Nocturne:
Frasier:
@deanthebasset:
In this playlist, host Vanessa Lowe talks all things night, including stargazing, lucid dreaming and, my personal favorite, overnight beat reporting. You’ll never get bored of this playlist.
Commute to a new place without GPS:
Dr. Frasier Crane is a radio psychiatrist who moves back home to Seattle. There, he reunites with his brother Niles and his retired father, Martin. The comedy comes from Frasier’s interaction with them and his work at a radio station with his producer, Roz.
Dean the Basset is the alpha internet hound. This four-year-old pup has 237,000 Instagram followers for a reason. His ear span, drool, howl and costume-clad content is always welcome on my homepage.
Use street signs and landmarks to help you navigate. The next time someone tells you to check out a new place, you might be able to identify the location before you look it up. Just remember to be safe!
10 Minute Writer’s Workshop: As a journalist, I’m always looking to improve as a writer. This podcast is a short, convenient length. It is interesting to hear from other writers about what inspires them, which in turn can inspire you. The Daily: The New York Times’ podcast is the perfect way to stay updated on current events without taking up too much time. I typically listen to this podcast while getting ready in the morning or commuting home from work. Sleep With Me: I’m the type of person who likes to fall asleep with something playing in the background. Host Drew Ackerman tells stories that get more boring as the episode continues to help listeners sleep. Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations: Oprah continues to be the life coach we need in this podcast, during which she interviews thought-leaders, best-selling authors, spiritual luminaries and health and wellness experts. This podcast will guide you through life’s big questions while keeping you entertained.
Everybody Loves Raymond:
@chiefthebasset
Talk to a stranger:
Chief is Dean’s best friend. Chief can often be found taking naps, eating peanut butter or posing for photos at Dean’s lake house with his friend by his side. Chief settles in as the second-best Instagram-famous Basset Hound.
Waiting in line at Starbucks? Long elevator ride? What a great opportunity to strike up a conversation with someone new! I promise they won’t bite. Ask them about something you’re interested in so you can ensure the best outcome.
@satchmo_thebasset:
Order something different:
Cleverly written and satirical, this show was ahead of its time. It used real-life celebrities as guests playing fictional versions of themselves, re-popularizing the mockumentary format for TV.
His Instagram bio is literally “Fat basset living in Toronto.” This Basset Hound deserves to be on this list for many reasons, but mainly because of his hefty size. His chubby cheeks enhance the features of his droopy face.
This can be a challenge when you typically order the same thing everytime like I do. Next time you dine out, order an appetizer that is interesting and different. If you don’t like it, you still have an entrée to look forward to.
Dharma and Greg:
@archibaldthebasset:
Stick to your word:
The show follows a married couple who are the archetypal mismatch. Dharma is a yoga instructor and a flower child, while Greg is an Ivy League lawyer. Their opposite personalities create hilarity.
Archibald the Basset is in competition with Satchmo for the chubbiest hound on Instagram. His fat rolls accumulate around his neck and make his short paws seem stubbier than they already are. An overall good Basset Hound.
If you say you’ll hang out with a friend on Thursday, do it. When you hold yourself accountable for these actions, you’re also agreeing to the discomfort that might come with them.
Ray Romano stars in a semi-autobiographical show about Ray Barone, a father and sportswriter who usually works from home. This opens up avenues of comedy with his wife, Debra, and their three kids. The Larry Sanders Show:
Ellen: This show is incredible. It’s funny, smart and sharp. It’s also known for making history when Ellen DeGeneres and her character came out as a lesbian in the famous “The Puppy Episode.”
14 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
@franklinthebasset: Residing in Los Angeles, Franklin ends my list. Franklin is a smaller Basset, but what he lacks in size he makes up for in personality. He has the best puppy-dog eyes I have ever seen.
Ask questions: Ask the people close to you something you’ve always wanted to know. If you’re transparent and explain why you’re asking, they likely won’t reject you. Try your best to ask earnest questions.
arts & culture
Blaqrock blurs genre lines with new album ‘No Love for Blaqkid’ BACON: We all brought individual influences
» KACI WATT STAFF REPORTER
W
THE CHRONICLE: How did the band start? MCFADDEN: It started with me. I wanted
to be in a band because I like music and I like rapping. I wanted to express myself in a way other than film, because it was a hard medium. I contacted a lot of people who were in the Music Department, and asked people to jam. Over time, some people left and some people stayed, and from there on I found out who wanted to be in [the band]. What other bands or artists inspire your overall sound?
throughout the city of Chicago. Then hope- younger or could have listened to when I fully branch out from the city and and the was younger. There are songs that I wish country as time goes on. were made and I want to make them. MCFADDEN: To make sounds and music kwatt@columbiachronicle.com that I wish I could’ve made when I was » COURTESY MADDY HARLOW
hat started with one student’s vision resulted not only in a band, but in an album. Blaqrock, a Chicago-based rock rap group formed in 2015, consists of current and former Columbia students. Their debut album, No Love For Blaqkid, is available now on Spotify, iTunes and YouTube. The Chronicle spoke to vocalist Gardner McFadden and guitarist Myles Bacon about the band’s Sept. 14 show at the Cubby Bear, located at 1059 W. Addison St., and their plans for new music.
from everywhere. We didn’t all come together and decide on one band to emulate. I’m a huge Guns N’ Roses fan and our bassist and drummer are into progressive rock, so we all come from different places with the music. How would you describe the band’s songwriting process? MCFADDEN: If I feel some type of way about
something, I write it down. If I listen to a song and like a melody or a riff in it, I keep that in mind. Then I record myself making those sounds and think about how the drums would sound in it and how the guitar would sound. Or sometimes Bacon will play something and we’ll go off of each other and make something up on the spot. What do you have planned for your September show? BACON: It’s our last show with our
current bass player, so we’re expecting a really big turn out. It is our first time playing the Cubby Bear, so we’re excited to be there.
What are your goals for the band? BACON: For us to keep getting recognized
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SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 THE CHRONICLE 15
opinions Arming teachers makes schools more dangerous, not safer
A
student opens their backpack on the first day of school to find textbooks, highlighters and pencils. Somewhere in a classroom, a teacher opens their desk drawer to find a gun. This may become our reality. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is considering allowing states to use federal funds to buy guns for educators, as reported Aug. 22
by The New York Times. Because weapon purchases are not specifically prohibited in the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants, states may be able to use these grants to buy guns for teachers as a precaution against school shootings. The idea was promoted after the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, and again after the 2012 Sandy Hook
» GRAPHICS PATRICK CASEY/CHRONICLE
Kneeling for justice: a veteran’s response to NFL protests » JERMAINE NOLEN STAFF REPORTER
W
hen Colin Kaepernick first protested during the national anthem on Aug. 14, 2016, I was stationed in Souda Bay, Greece. The game was broadcast at
3:00 a.m. there, so I was not watching football while I was serving my country. I missed the controversy created by the protests, and when I was able to see what was happening, I simply could not understand what the big deal was. Veterans rarely have opportunity to speak for themselves, but as a veteran, I am not offended by the NFL players’ national anthem protests. Veterans support any form of democracy as long as it does not threaten the rights of citizens. I decided to serve my country to defend the freedoms of all Americans, regardless of their cause. The Sailor’s Creed, a pledge that every United States sailor knows, states: “I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me to defend freedom and democracy around the world.” When Kaepernick was asked by NFL media reporter Steve Wyche why he decided to kneel instead of stand with
EDITORIAL Elementary School shooting. According to an Aug. 23 Vox article, the National Rifle Association believes that arming teachers will keep students safe. NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre said during a Dec.12, 2012, NPR interview, “The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun.” Can we assume every teacher is a good guy? Can we assume bringing guns into a classroom will make classrooms safe? Putting guns in schools will not solve our problems. It will make them worse. According to a May 2018 study by the Harvard Injury Control Research Center, there are higher risks of homicide in areas with more guns. There is not any research proving arming teachers is beneficial. Teachers already deal with the burden of low salaries, long hours and heavy workloads. We should not give them more responsibilities, especially the responsibility of a gun. We cannot assume teachers will be able to handle that, nor should we expect them to. Beyond the strain on teachers, possessing and carrying a gun in school can cause a power imbalance between students and teachers. A study about gun violence conducted between 2008 and 2016 by Annals his hand over his heart during the 2016 NFL preseason, he responded: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” Two seasons later, misconceptions continue to swirl around the anthem protests. NFL owners unanimously approved a policy that would require players to stand, and if they did not, they would have to remain in the locker room. Players in violation would be subject to a fine. However, this policy was rescinded before the season because of outrage from the NFL’s player association. After more than two years, nearly 200 NFL players have taken a knee, stayed in the locker room or held up their right fist during the national anthem. In response,
of Internal Medicine shows that black men were more likely to die in homicides involving guns than white men. This can cause people of color to be scared and uncomfortable in situations where authority figures such as teachers are armed. Schools should be a welcoming environment. Weapons drastically change that. Also, using federal funds to purchase weapons is extremely problematic as schools nationwide struggle to purchase school supplies. According to a May 2018 New York Post article, public school teachers spend an average of $480 of personal money on school supplies per year. Instead of purchasing weapons, federal money should be used to improve counseling services, create safety education programs and improve campus security. Students should use their voices to advocate for change. Call local representatives. Be informed on the candidates and, most importantly, vote. tbrubaker@columbiachronicle.com
COMMENTARY President Donald Trump took to Twitter to say these players were disrespecting the flag of the United States and the troops that serve our nation, according to a Feb. 4 Vox article. Trump told players protesting to get off the field and to find a country that works better for them. What concerns me is not the protest, but the attempted censorship of people’s voices. The idea that social status prevents someone from taking issue with injustice is a dangerous one. The foundations of democracy rest on equality and justice for all. Freedom and democracy are basic rights guaranteed to every American citizen as stated under the U.S. Constitution. Anyone who chooses to protest an issue they care about has the freedom to do so. I served to ensure your freedom to demonstrate. jnolen@columbiachronicle.com
Editorial Board Members Tessa Brubaker News Editor Blaise Mesa Managing Editor Alexandra Yetter Staff Reporter Katherine Savage Staff Reporter Kaci Watt Staff Reporter Jermaine Nolen Staff Reporter
Olivia Deloian Staff Reporter Madison Keller Staff Reporter Maddi Roy Staff Reporter Halie Parkinson Staff Photographer Orlando Pinder Staff Photographer Bridget Ekis Multimedia Reporter
16 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
Patrick Casey Graphic Designer Dennis Percevecz Media Sales RepJay Berghuis Copy Chief Eden Bunna Copy Editor
Did you catch a mistake, think we could have covered a story better or have strong beliefs about an issue that faces all of us here at Columbia? Why not write a letter to the editor? At the bottom of Page 2, you’ll find a set of guidelines on how to do this. Let us hear from you. —The Columbia Chronicle Editorial Board
opinions
COMMENTARY
McCain stood up to Trump, but did not stand up for the marginalized » JAY BERGHUIS COPY CHIEF
I
n the wake of John McCain’s death from glioblastoma Aug. 25, headlines have defined his legacy: a “maverick,” according to Rolling Stone; a man with “a rare sense of honor,” according to NBC; “courageous,” according to The Washington Post. McCain was a war hero, a survivor of torture and one of few politicians on the right side of the aisle willing to stand up to President Donald Trump. McCain was all this and more, but these headlines and the larger discourse emerging in the wake of his death ignore decisions he made that harmed many Americans. When a public official dies—whether the official is politically as close to center as McCain or as far right as former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia—Americans are often swept up in honor and fond remembrance. It is considered rude to speak ill of someone recently deceased. But it is better to be rude than to ignore the harm caused by those who have held power over millions and used that power to vote against anything that threatened their privilege. McCain held a hard anti-abortion stance throughout his political tenure and voted against federal minimum wage increases 19 times. Despite gaining notoriety for speaking out against Trump, McCain voted in favor of Trump’s stances 83 percent of the time. He
voted to strip Planned Parenthood of funding, to stop employers from keeping record of worker injuries and illnesses and to repeal the Affordable Care Act, according to congressional voting records. He voted in support of nearly every Trump appointee, the people now implementing policies which harm marginalized groups across the country. Much of the posthumous praise for McCain has been for the rare occasions when he defied Trump, including when he famously criticized the president for making racist remarks to the parents of a veteran who died in the Iraq war, according to an Aug. 27 Washington Post article. The moments when McCain called out corruption are the moments he shined, but a legacy is much more than the occasional moments a man stands up for what is right. A legacy is a reminder of the people he stepped on to gain a platform, including women and the working class. During a time when truth often rests feet below a murky surface and when journalism faces more criticism than ever, the way we assess the world is important. To deny the harmful parts of McCain’s legacy would be to deny the nuances of history and the complexities of the world we live in today. The world has never been black and white, and even the courageous mavericks with a rare sense of honor live much of their lives in the gray. jberghuis@columbiachronicle.com
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COMMENTARY: If media outlets spent less time on high school and middle school sports and more time on professional female athletes, women in sports would have a larger fanbase, says Blaise Mesa.
COMMENTARY: If media outlets spent less time on high school and middle school sports and more time on professional female athletes, women in sports would have a larger fanbase, says Blaise Mesa.
» SAMANTHA CONRAD/CHRONICLE
SEPTEMBER 4, 2018 THE CHRONICLE 17
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metro
Lyft drives voting initiative forward » BLAISE MESA
MANAGING EDITOR LYFT WANTS TO help voters during November elections by reducing ride fares and providing registration information as part of its Ride to Vote initiative. Lyft partnered with organizations such as Vote.org, Nonprofit Vote and TurboVote to provide coupon codes that offer would-be voters 50 percent off rides to polling places Nov. 6, according to Lyft’s Aug. 23 press release. Lyft also partnered with Voto Latino, local Urban League affiliates and the National Federation of the » FILE PHOTO Blind to provide free rides for people in Shermer said social media can act as “a underserved communities. good conduit for translating knowledge and It is unknown what communities Lyft ensuring turnout” by pushing important plans to select as of press time. information. But providing voter registraAn estimated six million people tion information to drivers may not reach ages 18-29 were unable to vote in 2016 customers as few people actually talk to due to lack of transportation, accord- Lyft drivers during a ride, Shermer said. ing to the Center for Information Sharon Bloyd-Peshkin, associate proand Research on Civic Learning fessor in the Communication Department, and Engagement. said she helps register incoming freshman CIRCLE estimates 20 percent of youth— to vote during Columbia’s Convocation. with and without college experience—did Bloyd-Peshkin said students may not not vote in 2016 due to problems with know how to register, where to go to get voter registration. registered or where their polling places The Ride to Vote initiative attempts may be. to solve a problem which mainly affects Conrad Wight, an economics and low-income Americans. The inability political science major at the University to get to voting polls suppresses their of Wisconsin-Madison, received help vote and can hamper turnout, said registering to vote and said he found Elizabeth Tandy Shermer, associate face-to-face interaction helpful during professor in the History Department the process. at Loyola University Chicago, author Wight, who has a Lyft account, said he and journalist whose work includes would consider using the service to American politics. help him vote if he needed transLyft will also use social media to remind portation last minute. people of registration deadlines, provide Lyft wants to drivers with voter registration handouts provide more and have voter information at its 13 hub locations nationwide.
opportunities to help people vote nationwide, said Kate Margolis, corporate communication lead at Lyft in an Aug. 26 email to The Chronicle. We want to use our services to remove the burden of finding transportation from the voting process and ensure people can head to the polls. Lyft is available in all 50 states, and accessible statewide in 48 states, according to Margolis.
That makes Lyft available to 96 percent of the population, she added. Transportation is just one problem that could occur when voting, Schermer said. Voters may not have time to wait in lines, or be able to take off work. Bloyd-Peshkin agrees that Lyft’s Ride to Vote initiative can be beneficial, but added the company cannot solve every problem. “Anything that helps people get to the polls is a huge benefit,” she said. “[But] they are a rideshare business. They can’t open voting stations or solve other problems.” bmesa@columbiachronicle.com
» JOCELYN MORENO/CHRONICLE
SEPTEMBER, 4 2018 THE CHRONICLE 19
metro
McDonald’s Youth Opportunity Initiative to launch in Chicago
» JERMAINE NOLEN STAFF REPORTER MCDONALD’S ANNOUNCED ITS
Youth Opportunity Initiative to help combat unemployment, and Chicago has been selected as the first location. According to an Aug. 22 press release, the initiative aims to
reduce barriers to employment for young people, aged 18-26, by providing pre-employment job readiness training, employment opportunities and workplace development programs. The corporation plans to give $1 million in grants to local community organizations. The four programs scheduled to receive grants
» JEREMY MARYNOWKSI/CHRONICLE
20 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 4, 2018
are After School Matters, Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, Phalanx Family Services and Central States SER. These programs are designed to help participants learn self-awareness, communication and problem-solving skills. “The vast majority of students I work with have minimal knowledge of résumé building,” said Rashad Jefferson, history department lead and ninth grade physics teacher at Butler College Prep. “That is a gap we are trying to fill at our school.” Jefferson said many students get a bad reputation because they come from broken homes or other social and economic situations. If McDonald’s is willing to provide opportunity, then he is “all for it,” Jefferson said. According to the press release, McDonald’s also plans to donate another $1 million to Skills for Chicagoland’s Future to
develop a new apprenticeship program with City Colleges of Chicago. McDonald’s has joined the Chicago Apprenticeship Network and plans to provide scholarships to pay for time spent in class by any student who is a McDonald’s employee. “The problem isn’t that we have students that do not have the skills needed. The problem is that students don’t know how to articulate the skills they have,” said Brian Socall, assistant director for Career Development st Columbia’s Career Center, 618 S. Michigan Ave. “Seventy-five percent of candidates are excluded from an interview just because of mistakes or [they have] a poorly designed résumé.” The program asks people to apply through McDonald’s website. Requirements for applicants include a high school diploma or GED, Chicago residency, qualification for the City Colleges of Chicago associate degree program and the ability to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays.
Knowing how to narrow her job search when she first entered the workforce would have been beneficial, said Andrea Newell, a Chicago native from Chatham. Newell is a full-time student at Harold Washington College. “I wish I had known how I could narrow my search [to gear it] toward who I was and what skills I had to offer as a 15-year-old high school student,” she said. Newell attended high school on the South Side and said she was familiar with programs such as After School Matters, but found out about them from classmates, not programs promoted by the school. She said the target age group of the initiative was important because, at 18, students are leaving high school and need those skills to support themselves and function as members of society. “It’s a good thing they are doing,” Newell said. “All the money being put into it is fantastic.” jnolen@columbiachronicle.com
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» MADDI ROY STAFF REPORTER CHICAGO’S HOMELESS YOUTH is one of the least visible but most desperate subsets of the homeless population, according to the Pew Research Center. A new city proposal may soon help meet their needs. The Department of Planning and Development issued a Request for Information June 8 about the potential impact publicly-funded tiny houses could have on Chicago’s homeless population. One of the organizations that submitted a proposal to build homes is Chicago Tiny House. The company’s project would include construction of three tiny houses equipped with bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms and living rooms, each under 320 square feet. The target
location in Humboldt Park will also include an outreach center where residents can receive medical care and employment assistance, according to the Chicago Tiny House website. There are more than 11,000 homeless youth living in the city, according to the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, which classifies homeless youth as unaccompanied people ages 14-24. “Homeless youth can benefit from services specific to their needs rather than incorporated into services for the adult homeless population,” states the Health Resources and Services Administration website. Homeless yout hs face an extremely high risk of sex trafficking, according to a 2017 study by Covenant House, an organization which
provides sheltering and support services to homeless youths. “They need places to stay and food to eat,” said Amy Dworsky, research fellow at the University of Chicago. “If someone offers them that, it might seem like an offer they can’t refuse.” Homeless shelters come with risks as well. While there is no official data available for Chicago, the New York City Department of Homeless Services reported 1,698 critical crime-related incidents within homeless shelters citywide in 2016, including 890 deemed “violent.” “[Tiny houses] would benefit homeless people because there are certain people who don’t fit in the shelter, who choose to be on the streets because they feel constrained,” said Sara Wendt, a caretaker at Cornerstone Community Outreach.
» JOCELYN MORENO/CHRONICLE
Tiny houses could provide relief to Chicago’s homeless youth
Each of the tiny houses will be private, unlike many homeless shelters that provide large rooms with multiple beds, sometimes as many as hundreds in one location. “If the mayor approves it this year, we could start as early as next spring,” said Brien Cron, founder and president of Chicago Tiny House. “We can’t go forward until we get permission from [the] zoning [department], and we’re doing everything we can to get the zoning pushed through.” In addition to mayoral approval, Chicago Tiny House hopes to raise $250,000 to kickstart their
pilot program. The organization has another fundraiser Sept. 8 in Lincoln Park Zoo. Other organizations have submitted tiny house proposals to the city, including Catholic Charities, an institution which provides aid to those in need throughout the Chicagoland area, and Via Chicago, an architectural firm in Bronzeville. “I don’t think it’s the full solution, but it may be part of a solution,” Dworsky said. “For youth in particular, the city is moving in the right direction.” mroy@columbiachronicle.com
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Funding restored to Chicago’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program
» KACI WATT STAFF REPORTER CHICAGO’S TEEN PREGNANCY
Prevention Program received $2 million of restored federal funding Aug. 22 following its suspension by the Department of Health and Human Services in July 2017. “If you’re going to try to push through a program for teen moms, there’s going to be pushback, especially if they’re unmarried teen mothers,” said Mary Patrice Erdmans, co-author of “On Becoming a Teen Mother: Life Before Pregnancy” and sociology professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. “Why should we be throwing federal dollars at them? All of that could be avoided if we had a national childcare program.” According to an Aug. 22 press release from the Mayor’s Office, Chicago reported a decrease in
teen pregnancies, aided by the city’s teen pregnancy prevention initiative which focuses on providing education and healthcare services to teens. In 1999, there were 85.2 births per 1,000 women ages 15-19 years old, according to the press release. By 2015, there were only 27.5 births per capita , a 68 percent decrease. The Chicago Department of Public Health, along with 62 other organizations, is responsible for a class-action lawsuit filed to challenge the dismissed funding, according to the press release. Funding was unexpectedly cut only three years into the fiveyear program. During the time the program was unfunded, CDPH was unable to collect vital data needed to evaluate the program’s progress, the release stated. Outreach is critical, according to local advocates.
“It helps for students to feel like they have someone in a space that they can talk to,” said Jurema Gorham, dean of Instruction at Butler College Prep. “It is one thing to console the child and talk to them about the dangers [of teen pregnancy], but it is another thing when you’re educating.” Sex education is just as important as other subjects taught, according to Stay Teen, an online sexual education center targeted to teens. “A lot of [young] girls don’t understand anything about sex. I’m still learning things about sex, and things about my body as a woman, and I’m 20,” said Suzannah Meza, a sophomore early childhood education major. While preventive measures and education are important to reducing teen pregnancy, there are still a lack of resources for those who do become teen mothers, according
» JOCELYN MORENO/CHRONICLE
to a study by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. If a teen mother decides to further her education by attending a two-year or four-year college, she now faces a new world of barriers, Erdmans said. College-aged teen mothers have limited flexibility with schedules and financial standings, Erdmans said. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, four in 10 single, college-aged mothers
attending two-year institutions are likely or very likely to drop out due to dependent care obligations. Erdmans thinks this can change with the addition of childcare services on campuses. “You go to work and you’re there 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but with school you may need to take one class on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. This becomes a problem for you to use regular childcare,” Erdmans said. “To have childcare that would be flexible for mothers to be able to come to class and drop off their child for a couple of hours [would be more helpful.] There needs to be some allowance, some flexibility.” Action would need to be taken on an institutional level to implement childcare services, according to Erdmans. Programs targeting teen mothers often see legislative pushback due to the negative connotations that come with being a teen mother, often due to being unwed at the time of conception, Erdmans said. kwatt@columbiachronicle.com
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» MIKE RUNDLE/CHRONICLE
SITTING IN A church pew at First United Methodist Church, 77 W. Washington St., Staff Reporter Olivia Deloian was eagerly awaiting an evening with gubernatorial candidate JB Pritzker Aug. 30. Not long after, Deloian said she felt a tap on her shoulder and was told the organization had asked her to leave— the press was not allowed. Marj Halperin, an executive member of grass roots organization Indivisible Chicago, said the event was press-free, an opportunity to keep the event exclusive to members and the candidate only. “Indivisible Chicago is an alliance of 12 chapters throughout the region, and we wanted this opportunity for our members to meet the candidate without putting on for the press,” Halperin said. The event’s website did not disclose that press were not allowed prior to Aug. 30.
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