Feb. 17, 2020 | The Columbia Chronicle

FEB

17

2020

‘IT’S THE CORONAVIRUS, NOT THE CHINESE VIRUS.’ Coronavirus epidemic is fueling discrimination toward Chinese students

» JOHN SAMMIS/CHRONICLE

Story by Nick Forsythe | See Coronavirus, page 3

Campus, page 4

Arts & Culture, page 8

Metro, page 12

Opinions, page 15

Two students are finalists to create a commercial for Coca-Cola

This troupe is upholding Mexican culture through dance

Visibility issues with bike barriers are causing injuries

Opinion: In the 2020 election, keep expectations of media realistic

The college must do more >> staff to combat coronavirus discrimination editor’s note

MANAGEMENT

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

» ALEXANDRA YETTER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

D

uring my freshman year of college, unidentified people drew swastikas in the Dwight Lofts’ graffiti room.

In response, the college sent out an email to students—not even identifying it as anti-Semitic hate speech—just referring the Nazi hate symbols as “offensive graffiti.” The symbols were covered over with a fresh coat of eggshell-colored paint, as reported Monday, Feb. 12, 2018, by the Chronicle.

Nearly two years later, another minority group on campus is facing discrimination, this time as a result of the coronavirus, a steadily-growing global health emergency.

To address the virus—which has reached Chicago with at least two confirmed cases—the college sent out an email Monday, Jan. 27 with information on the virus and how to stay healthy. It listed recommendations such as getting a flu shot, practicing respiratory etiquette by using tissues when sneezing, knowing the signs of the flu rather than the coronavirus and staying away from individuals if you have the flu.

In the email, the college also emphasized that, per direction from the Chicago Department of Public Health, there is no immediate threat to the campus, and there is no need to wear medical masks or gloves.

The message held no mention of dissuading discrimination against students of Asian descent, or even facts to combat the widespread misunderstanding associated between the coronavirus and China.

In actuality, the coronavirus is in no way the fault of Chinese people, it merely originated in Wuhan, China, but it is really a disease most commonly found in bats and camels that has evolved to be contracted and spread among humans.

As a campus that has a significant Chinese student population—more than 100 students in Fall 2019, according to Institutional Effectiveness—and located in the center of Chicago, where cases have already been detected, Columbia has a responsibility to counter this narrative.

As reported on page 3 of this issue, several Columbia students have felt discriminated against in the city, with one student

VOL. 55, ISSUE 18

Alexandra Yetter

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

MANAGING EDITORS

SENIOR VIDEO EDITOR

Ignacio Calderon

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Shane Tolentino

Mike Rundle Mari Devereaux Kendall Polidori Main Line: (312) 369-8977 Editor-in-Chief: (312) 369-8834 Director of Photography: (312) 369-8961 Managing Editors: (312) 369-8963

REPORTERS

NEWS EDITOR

Paige Barnes

OPINIONS EDITOR

Margaret Smith

REPORTERS

Isaiah Colbert Dyana Daniels Nick Forsythe Lauren Leazenby Myer Lee Mateusz Janik June Keating Val eria Mancera-Saavedra Jonah Ocuto Ryan Rosenberger

recalling an incident on the train when a man covered his mouth when he saw her.

The college cannot use email announcements and eggshell-colored paint to cover up larger issues of discrimination on

COPY campus and the surrounding area. Part of touting its progressive diversity, equity

COPY EDITORS Summer Hoagland-Abernathy and inclusion initiatives is going the extra Brooklyn Kiosow Ella Watylyk mile rather than doing the bare minimum.

What should have been done in the 2018 GRAPHICS swastika case and what could be done in 2020’s coronavirus case is campus-wide

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Jennifer Chavez educational forums to explicitly address Wesley Enriquez discrimination, in this case on destigJohn Sammis Lucas Smith matizing the coronavirus and reactions stemming from it. Additionally, professors

MULTIMEDIA should be required to hand out literature on recognizDEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Camilla Forte or have in-class discussions PHOTOJOURNALISTS Justin Anderson ing and combating cognitive bias when Zac Clingenpeel it comes to the coronavirus, specifically.

Mengshin Lin Student-led talks and workshops can also Jacqueline Luttrell Steven Nunez be a method, holding events in conjunction with the Student Diversity and Inclusion

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Blaise Mesa Office as a place for students who feel discriminated against to feel safe and be ADVERTISING/ supported by fellow students. Finally, the MARKETING college could make good on its activist image by holding a campus-wide initiative

MEDIA SALES REPS Cale Holder Sunjoy Walls to send care kits, including medical masks Katie Williams and gloves, to those who need it worldwide, where more than 60,000 have been diagSENIOR STAFF nosed and 1,300 people have died.

College campuses are not only a place GENERAL MANAGER Travis Truitt for students to learn their crafts, they are

FACULTY ADVISER Curtis Lawrence also hubs for educating the next generation of active citizens and moral people.

Continually having conversations to bring factual awareness and knowledge on national issues should be a reflex, not something that needs to be advocated for by the student body.

2 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 17, 2020

ayetter@columbiachronicle.com

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(312) 369-8960 Senior Video Editor: (312) 369-8959 Senior Graphic Designer: (312) 369-8995 News Editor: (312) 369-8956 Opinions Editor: (312) 369-8925 General Manager: (312) 369-8955 Faculty Adviser: (312) 369-8905

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campus

Coronavirus epidemic is fueling discrimination toward Chinese students » NICK FORSYTHE STAFF REPORTER

symptoms and the way it spreads through coughing or sneezing.

Columbia has also taken action, informing students and faculty of the virus through a collegewide email Monday, Jan. 27. While it said there was “no immediate threat” to the Columbia community, it stated the Student Health Center has received instructions from the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Chicago Department of Public Health regarding triage procedures to address students who report flu-like symptoms.

Dean of Students John Pelrine said the college sent the email because of the number of people voicing their concerns to faculty and staff on the impact the virus may have on campus.

“People were relying on leadership at the college to keep them

informed,” Pelrine said, adding that the college wanted to reiterate standard hygiene practices while assuring people that the coronavirus will not affect Columbia in any way.

Pelrine said the college is still monitoring the situation closely.

He said only one student had recently traveled from Wuhan.

Pelrine said the student checked in with the Student Health Center after returning to Chicago and has not developed any flu-like symptoms.

According to 2019 Institutional Effectiveness data, the latest data available, 142 students at Columbia are from China.

Pelrine said students should go to the Equity Issues Office or the Student Diversity and Inclusion Office for support and resources if they feel tar-

geted for discrimination during this time.

Charee Mosby-Holloway, the director of Student Diversity and Inclusion, shares office space on the fourth floor of 618 S. Wabash with international students and scholars and said “our office space is available and open for all students at Columbia that are looking for a space ... to feel safe and included.”

Ackermann reminded students to be sensitive to others and to not give in to fear and discrimination.

“Don’t let your fear blindside your ability to see humanity,” Ackermann said.

“There are some things you can’t control in life, but you can control how you respond to your fear.” nforsythe@columbiachronicle.com »WESLEY ENRIQUEZ/CHRONICE

ANNA LEE Ackermann, a junior interdisciplinary documentary major, was taking the Red Line, she noticed a middle-aged man staring at her from the other side of the train car.

“I was trying to mind my own business,” Ackermann said.

“Every time I looked up, he would be looking at me.”

It was not until the man pulled his jacket over his face that Ackermann understood why he may have been looking at her.

“I remembered the coronavirus is a real fear for a lot of people right now,” said Ackermann, who was adopted as an infant from Jiangxi, China. “I understand the fear surrounding it ... but your fear shouldn’t be a reason to be afraid of an entire race.”

Several international students at the college, including junior cinema art and science major Sophia Huang, said they are more conscious than ever of Americans’ perceptions of Chinese people due to the global outbreak.

The virus was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and has infected more than 60,000 people worldwide, with 15 confirmed cases in the United States—two residents in Chicago tested positive for coronavirus, as reported Friday, Feb. 7

by The Chicago Sun-Times.

Illinois is the first state in the country to be able to test for the coronavirus without having to send specimens to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, allowing Chicago medical officials to identify and contain any possible spread of the virus, as reported Tuesday, Feb. 11 by the Sun-Times.

The initial detection of the virus in China is causing widespread reports of racial discrimination in the WHEN

U.S., despite the virus reportedly originating in animals such as bats.

Huang said people need to remember “it’s the coronavirus, not the Chinese virus.”

Other students like Zibo Lin, an international cinema art and science senior from Beijing, attempt to ignore the discrimination.

Lin said he finds it “funny” when people look at him as if he is actually carrying the virus.

While the U.S. declared the coronavirus a national public health emergency on Friday, Jan. 31, Dr. Jonathan Martin, an infectious disease physician with Cook County Health, said the threat of the virus to the general public is very low.

“There is no evidence for sustained person-to-person spread in the United States,” Martin said.

He added the virus is notably similar to influenza, better known as the flu, in regard to its

FEBRUARY 17, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 3

campus » JACQUELINE LUTTRELL/CHRONICLE

Student finalists ‘pop’ in Coca-Cola commercial Columbia cinema majors Mia Elliott (right) and Miguel Garcia (left) work with a cast member on set while filming a commerical for Coca-Cola filmed at the Regal City North, 2600 N. Western Ave. » NICK FORSYTHE STAFF REPORTER MIA ELLIOTT’S last day producing for the film “Discontent” for her practicum course at Columbia in Fall 2019, things were finally winding down and she was looking forward to taking a break.

But before she knew it, Elliott, a senior cinema art and science major, found out she would be producing all over again—this time, for the largest beverage company in the world. Along with Miguel Garcia, a 2019 cinema art and science alumnus, Elliot learned she had been chosen as a finalist in the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films contest.

“Once you get in, they have a really high bar set for you,” Elliott said. “They really get you to work, but it’s an invaluable experience, and I’m thankful to have it.”

Created in 1998, the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films contest invites a pair of students from film schools across the country to create a 30second commercial.

Elliott and Garcia originally applied when Coca-Cola was still partnered with Regal Theatres for the contest, but the companies have since separated for unknown reasons. Previously, the winners would have their commercial played in Regal Theatres across ON

the country for an entire year, while the other commercial spots were displayed on the website. But, as of press time, neither Coca-Cola nor Regal have commented on how this will affect the finalists and eventual grand prize winners.

To enter the contest, a team of two students from participating schools must submit a script and budget for their commercial. One student must take on a producing role while the other can operate as director, director of photography or editor, among other positions.

Per a new rule as of this year, one member must identify as female, said Aviva Kleiner, the contest’s program director.

“We want to empower a lot of people,” Kleiner said. “The goal of having a program like this is to give back to the next generation of filmmakers.”

Applications for the contest open in September and close in October. After making it through the semi-finalist round and several script revisions, five finalists are chosen in November, and each pair move on to produce their commercial with a budget of $15,000.

Garcia and Elliott previously made it to the semifinalist round of the contest in 2018 but were encouraged by faculty and Kleiner to rethink

4 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 17, 2020

their concept and resubmit Posse, an assistant professor what I learned from Columbia,” in 2019. in the Cinema and Television Garcia said. “As the director, Elliott and Garcia’s 2019 Arts Department and faculty you get the freedom to say what commercial concept, “Magic,” adviser for the commercial. you want on the screen, but tells the story of a high school “Sometimes, it is about when you work with a client, student named Matthew who stepping back and rethinking you also have to represent tries to cheer up his friends by the way that you approach the brand.” transforming a pair of playing a story.”

Elliott and Garcia’s commercial cards into movie tickets so they After the commercials are has already been filmed and is can go to the show and have a completed, Coca-Cola’s red ribbon currently in the post-production magical time. Garcia said he got panel of industry professionals process. They expect the the inspiration as a longtime fan judge each spot. The spot with the commercial to be finished of magic. highest score wins the contest, in March.

“I thought of different concepts Kleiner said.

“I’m honored,” Elliott said. that will convey the idea of Garcia and Elliott said “We worked really hard, popcorn and Coca-Cola being a Columbia prepared them and we hope we make the magical combination to have at a well to work for a client as big school proud.” theatre,” Garcia said. “I wanted to as Coca-Cola. nforsythe@columbiachronicle.com have that parallel between actual “Practice and experience, that’s magic and the magic of being at the movies.”

This year, Josh Bell and Isabella Gianesi, junior filmmaking majors, were also semifinalists but were not selected as finalists.

“The biggest lesson in all of this is not to be discouraged when things don’t go right the first time,” The concession area of the Regal City North, 2600 N. Western Ave., is turned into a commercial set said Carolina for the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films contest.

campus

Columbia fashion students get a lesson in the fabric of activism » ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL PHOTOJOURNALIST MELISSA

BLOUNT

BEGAN

teaching a “Fabric of Cultures” class, which focuses on how fashion is used and made in nonwestern societies.

“I was hoping ... they could think about how they could mobilize some of the political issues that we’re discussing in this class through their practice as designers and product developers,” Peters said.

The event and Blount’s display were arranged by Colbey Reid, chair of the Fashion Studies Department, in an effort to engage more with people in the South Loop.

“That’s our small way of, instead of having closed doors and walls to the community, opening them up,” Reid said. “[We’re] trying to actively engage with the streets that we’re on.” zclingenpeel@columbiachronicle.com

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL/CHRONICLE

making quilts in 2017 after her husband, Ben Blount, began his art project “275 Holidays” to memorialize black men who lost their lives to violence in Chicago during 2016. Her first quilt was made to honor black women who lost their lives to violence and to start a conversation about domestic violence.

“I am making the attempt to humanize black lives and to enlarge the narrative around violence,” said Blount, a local clinical psychologist and quilter. “People tend to want to stigmatize and reduce violence to just happening on the South and West Sides, but I want to enlarge the conversation.”

Blount’s latest project, which

she explained during a Black Lives Matter Sewing Circle she led in the lobby of 618 S. Michigan Ave. Thursday, Feb. 6, is to raise awareness of violence against black transgender women.

Members of the circle, including students and faculty, embroidered patches with the names and ages of transgender women of color who lost their lives in 2019.

“I want to raise awareness and consciousness around the level of violence and who it’s happening to,” Blount said. “While it’s happening to all transgender persons, most of the violence is directed toward transgender, black women.”

Many of the sewing circle attendees included students of Lauren Downing Peters, an assistant professor in the Fashion Studies Department, who is

Attendees are given the name and age of a transgender woman of color by quilter Melissa Blount (top left) to learn more about the circumstances in which they were killed, and to embroider their names and ages into the fabric for Blount’s quilt. Blount also played a documentary about quilters from Gee’s Bend, Alabama, from whom she draws inspiration.

FEBRUARY 17, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 5

campus

Staff union hosts ‘Love-in’ rally before negotiations » DYANA DANIELS STAFF REPORTER SURROUNDED

BY

CUT-OUT

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL/CHRONICLE

paper hearts, an assortment of markers and union paraphernalia, the United Staff of Columbia College celebrated Valentine’s Day with an hour-long rally before sitting down with the college’s administration to continue contract negotiations.

In the lobby of the Student Center, 754 S. Wabash Ave., USofCC

discussed health care, benefits and a pay raise—some of the staples of their contract—during the “Love-in.”

“Our numbers have gone down because of layoffs and job eliminations,” said Craig Sigele, USofCC president, part-time faculty member and academic manager in the Communication Department. “But people are still very dedicated to the union because of the benefits.”

Contract negotiations have

USofCC made valentines ahead of negotiations with college administrators.

been underway for more than a year, as reported Wednesday, Jan. 15 by the Chronicle. The union is looking to raise pay for staff to combat the increase in health care costs. Staff salaries are currently 7% below the average cost of living due to accepting lower raises in the past, Sigele said.

“In order to continue with quality health care and affordable rates, it is an understood agreement with administration that we would accept small pay raises in lieu of not having to pay astronomical rates for health care, which most people do,” Sigele said.

A college spokesperson said they look forward to more productive conversations going forward.

On a paper-shaped heart during the “Love-in,” academic adviser Paula Brien wrote: “Raises are due. Good benefits, too. Keep up with inflation, or staff will leave you.” Brien has been part of the union since it formed in 2006.

“One of the things I have seen

happen at Columbia is, in the early days if there were a focus group with the staff, you would hear so much love for the entire school from the top layers to the bottom layers,” Brien said. “People came here on a mission, and wanted to be here.”

The Illinois Education Association is the parent union of USofCC and has been helping the staff union with negotiations since they began more than a year ago. With an increase in health care rates, IEA created an information sheet to show USofCC what will happen if their salaries are only raised by 2.25%.

The information sheet was broken down to show how much a member who makes a $45,000 and receives a 2.25% salary increase would lose because of the cost of health care. If pay increased by $1,013 per year, members with a family would lose $3,531, while members with a spouse would lose $2,650 and

Now Hiring

single members would lose $262.

These figures take into account the cost for monthly premiums, deductibles and out-ofpocket expenses.

Staff have not had a raise in two years, and it has been more than a year since the last contract ended, Sigele said.

The “Love-in” was not meant to be confrontational, Sigele said.

Rather, it was meant as a community bonding moment.

On USofCC’s Instagram, Sigele posted a video encouraging members to come show their support.

Once the “Love-in” was wrapped up, USofCC members gave the hearts they made to the negotiation team to pass along to the administration, who they hope will recognize their concerns.

“The staff is appreciated, but we need to be appreciated with compensation,” said Sigele. “We do not live on air.” ddaniels@columbiachronicle.com

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6 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 17, 2020

A gaming duo is creating a game based on H.H. Holmes » ColumbiaChronicle.com » STEVEN NUNEZ/CHRONICLE

arts&culture

This 17-year-old producer is cooking hits for big Chicago names Ra Gordon is currently developing his career as a producer, bringing in more than a million views on streaming platforms for original beats and tapping into other mediums such as DJing and engineering.

with other artists, seeing what they wanted for their music.

Now, he defines his sound as RA GORDON, A 17-year-old promore polished, being a producer ducer, made a name for himself that delivers the same quality by posting leaked music on Instaas today’s hottest artists such as gram and YouTube from Playboi Young Thug, Lil Keed, Gunna and Carti and Pierre Bourne, bringing Lil Baby. in more than a million views. But Gordon had his first big break when people came to his channel, after connecting with Renzell they also discovered he made his Roque, co-founder of The Future own beats.

Kingz, who reached out to him Two years ago, Gordon disthrough Instagram. This eventucovered his talent for producing ally led to “KANGSTA WOK,” the music during his freshman year first song the two made together. of high school at Chicago’s Global “It’s surreal. I never thought I Citizenship Experience Lab would ever do that,” Gordon said.

School when he took an elective “It’s pretty insane. I knew it was that taught how to make beats. going to happen, but I just didn’t even know how to feel. It was just like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe that I did this.’

I’m just thankful that I was able to do that and be a part of that project.”

Gordon and The Future Kingz’s most recent collaboration is “3 VETS,” released For Gordon’s original beats, he made his own signature producer tag: “Ra it’s not that serious.”

We d n e s d a y, » STEVEN NUNEZ

PHOTOJOURNALIST

From then on, he began looking for other ways to create music outside the class.

“I started off just kind of having fun, not really putting a lot of effort into it and just messing around,” he said.

Now, Gordon is raking in over a million streams on both Spotify and YouTube by working with notable names like Chicago dance group The Future Kingz on their song “KANGSTA WOK,” released in 2019.

Within the span of those two years, Gordon noticed drastic growth in his sound—which he described as “loose” when he first started—when he began working

Jan. 8, a track with its own dance challenge called #3vetschallenge on Instagram and Tik Tok. Due to his success with The Future Kingz, Gordon is also working with another Chicago-native artist, Supa Bwe, whom he also connected with through Instagram.

“He sent me [a] post and was like, ‘Bro, I’m this hot, we need to work,’” Gordon said. “And a couple of days later I joined his live, we chopped it up and ... the rest is history.”

Through working with Supa Bwe, Gordon was taken under the wing of Peter Cottontale, a record producer who has worked with notable Chicago artist Chance The Rapper. Cottontale has given Gordon space in his studio to help develop his talent.

“He’s helped me so much, especially with music, helping me layout certain melody patterns and helping me with drums and just trying to expand my overall view of music,” Gordon said.

Cottontale is teaching Gordon to branch out and be different as an artist. In Cottontale’s studio, Gordon plans on learning how to engineer, mix and DJ. Being 17 years old and working with a high level of talent, Gordon said it can be overwhelming.

“It can be stressful at times, especially if an artist is working on their project or if they’re working on something that’s really important and they just need super high-quality beats,” Gordon said. “Working with a lot of artists can be challenging to stay creative and continue to make hits consistently.”

In these stressful moments, Gordon seeks out support from his high school friend Deshawn Rivers, who is now his manager.

“We literally are pushing each other up. Everything that [Gordon] does is going to benefit everybody,” Rivers said. “Whenever something happens for one of us, it’s good for the group— there’s no bad end.”

Family, friends and music are what keeps Gordon motivated in his career. In return, he stays true to his circle by producing beats for his friends’ up-and-coming rap music careers through their collective “Exit The Premises,” while still balancing his work with professional talent.

“In my eyes, music is meant to be shared,” Gordon said. “That’s what I do, and I’m going to share my blessings.” snunez@columbiachronicle.com

FEBRUARY 17, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE

7

arts & culture

In class, ensemble members practice footwork from the dance they are currently learning. Originating from the Mexican state of Jalisco, the choreography incorporates symbolism from Mexican folklore. » CAMILLA FORTE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY ANY GIVEN weeknight, a small dance studio on the edge of Chicago’s Austin neighborhood is filled with the chorus of tapping Folklorico shoes and the sounds of shouted eight-counts.

Located at 5824 W. Roosevelt Road, this space is the home of ON

the Mexican Dance Ensemble and its youth program, Mexican Dance Ensemble Jr. Here, instructors provide students with a nurturing, constructive environment through which they can build community and connect with their peers through a shared identity.

“In the political atmosphere that we are in, this is a space where students can feel like

The studio is stocked with colorful, back-up practice skirts and worn-in leather dance shoes for performers to use.

they belong ... [and] express themselves safely,” said Blanca Acevedo, the junior ensemble’s artistic director.

In the past year, Chicago, in particular, has been the subject of chides from and immigration raids ordered by the Trump administration due to its sanctuary city status and large Latinx population. According to July 2019 census data, Hispanic or Latinx residents

Dancers balance Gatorade bottles on their heads during class as a way to practice controlled movements.

8 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 17, 2020

represented nearly 30% of Chicago’s population.

The dance program was founded by Samuel Cortez in 2001 to focus on preserving traditional Mexican culture by teaching students the dances and folklore of the country’s various regions.

“I feel like ... being fourthgeneration Mexican, [I] lost a lot of that culture,” said Denise Carrasco-Volk, who has enrolled both of her daughters in the program. “It means so much [to me] because I didn’t have that growing up in Chicago.”

The program itself is structured to ensure the tradition the ensemble aims to preserve stays alive through the troupe’s training system. As dancers progress through the two age-based groups that make up the junior and the adult company, they can continue to share their knowledge with future generations and pass on the tradition.

Elizabeth Corral, who now teaches the 5- to 10-year-old age group, became an instructor after dancing in the adult company for many years.

Corral said this opportunity has allowed her not only to pass on her knowledge but also to channel her passion for

teaching in a way that connects her to the community.

“When I start [classes], I teach them about the state and what certain [words] mean … and how that affects our dances,” said Corral, referring to the troupe’s regional dances meant to educate students on different aspects of Mexican states. “It’s great just to see them put that knowledge out to the world.”

This cultural education also allows kids to better identify and connect with their families by allowing them to have experiences similar to those of their parents.

“A lot of the parents previously danced when they were in Mexico or … when they were in middle [or] elementary school,” Acevedo said. “So now, when they see their children dancing, they ... have that connection.”

For many of the parents who have enrolled their children in the program, the experience has proven to be priceless.

“In their heart, they really want to learn—they want to learn Spanish; they want to learn more about the culture,” Carrasco-Volk said. “I’m happy to drive them 30 minutes here and 30 minutes home … it’s worth it to me.” cforte@columbiachronicle.com

» CAMILLA FORTE/CHRONICLE

Junior ensemble helps young dancers tap into their Mexican heritage

arts & culture

‘One Woman Hamlet’: ‘To be, or not to be’ aware of mental health issues event where the walls were decorated with taxidermied fish and a disco ball dangled from the rafters, patrons may be distracted from the main event.

But at Kate Smith’s “One Woman Hamlet,” powerful commentary on mental health and goosebump-inducing acting kept viewers’ eyes on what they came for.

Smith, the creator of the show— who doubles as a professional performer and trauma-sensitive yoga teacher by day—spent 3 1/2 years writing and combining the classic William Shakespeare text “Hamlet” with stories from her own experiences, ranging from her battle with mental health to the trials and tribulations of her friends.

The subtitle of the show is “Shake(speare) the Stigma Surrounding Mental Health.” The culmination of the text, puppets, AT ANY OTHER

WE WANT

pre-recorded skits and mental health advisories came together for the premiere of her latest work Tuesday, Jan. 28 at The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave. “The main thing I want people to walk away with is feeling like they are not alone,” Smith said, “and to feel safe if it’s the first time they realize they might be struggling.”

Smith prefaced the show by saying it is not a fix-it guide or a venture into every crevice of the mind.

Rather, it is a niche performance that merely attempts to increase curiosity on the subject of mental health to make the pressure people experience seem more relatable and less lonely.

The extreme pitfalls of one’s battle with mental health, such as suicide, and the small victories, like waking up some mornings and feeling more yourself, are brought to the stage in a manner similar to that of a teacher who took the time after class to help you through whatever

you were troubled by—never condescending, always enlightening.

Every second of “One Woman Hamlet” is for the audience. Every time Smith lets us into her mind, every self-deprecating joke, every mention of the mental health professional on-site was for the ease and entertainment of those who spent the hour-and-a-half production feeling like friends in her home, rather than estranged theatregoers in the back room of a bar.

The show is both urgent and whimsical. The audience never knew what prop or puppet Smith— our Hamlet—would pull from behind the projector next or what clip of audio would be broadcast or when she’d pop back up with another skit.

Regardless of its niche approach, Smith wasn’t afraid to venture into more complex issues surrounding mental health, even highlighting those who are imprisoned as a result of those challenges.

While Smith hopes to expand the

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Kate Smith spent 3 1/2 years creating her production, “One Woman Hamlet.”

show outside of the city someday, for now, her goal is to bring it across Chicago—specifically into at least five different zip codes in order to reach a number of communities in the city.

“There’s something different about somebody in your community talking to you about what is going on, as opposed to somebody coming from out of town, [though] there is value in both,” Smith said.

Having completed the first show— and after the subsequent four productions yet to be announced—the show will transition from being

open to the public to being featured in Chicago Public Schools, a project that is sponsored by Hope For The Day, a Chicago nonprofit that offers mental health guidance through the arts.

Similar to the relationship we all have with our own mental health, audience members were not always sure what to expect next. They could find solace and joy in the silver linings of the show: laughter, Shakespearian text and human connection. msmith@columbiachronicle.com

2/ 24

7PM K ST 5 75

R LA C S

ART CLUB

DRINK & DRAW

SIP & SKETCH

POUND & PAINT

Gather together as a community to support, network, share ideas, and talk about what we are working on as artists. No judgement or rules apply to this gathering; Art Club's intent is to provide a creative space for artists to connect. Come with your own supplies or use some of ours, drink or don't drink, draw, paint, doodle, or just chat!

All inquires please email emily@halfsourchicago.com

FEBRUARY 17, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 9

metro

Columbia professors honored at League of Women Voters Centennial » ColumbiaChronicle.com

The last straw: Columbia prepared for city’s proposed single-use plastics ban » PAIGE BARNES NEWS EDITOR » LAUREN LEAZENBY STAFF REPORTER

City Council plans to consider legislation that will demand more of its citizens in the fight against the

» JENNIFER CHAVEZ/CHRONICLE

AS THE CHICAGO

climate crisis, Columbia faculty, students and administrators say they are prepared to jump on board.

A resolution—the result of increasing pressure from alderpeople and youth climate activists—was passed by the City Council Committee on

Environmental Protection and Energy on Monday, Feb. 10.

It declares a “state of climate emergency” and calls on the City Council to work with the mayor’s office to develop a budget addressing lakefront erosion and other environmental issues.

The recent action by the Environmental Protection committee follows the push for a “Plastic-Free Water Ordinance,” proposed last month by Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) and Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza (10th), that calls for a city-wide ban on nonbiodegradable styrofoam, the elimination of polystyrene food packaging and single-use plastics, such as plastic cutlery in businesses and restaurants.

Andrew Dutil, director of C o l u m b i a ’s Student Center, said because of an early push toward sustainability, the Student

10 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 17, 2020

Center would be equipped for such a ban.

Most, if not all, of the disposable food service products currently used in the Student Center’s food court are compostable—a condition of the proposed ordinance, if a change to fully reusable materials is not possible.

Dutil said the company that operates food service in the Student Center, Aramark, will comply with any future city regulations regarding single-use products, which are proposed to go into effect in 2021.

David Dolak, a professor of instruction in the Science and Mathematics Department, said the proposed ordinance is a response to the fact that plastics are generally harmful to the environment.

Plastics are not biodegradable, meaning plastic waste ends up in the environment and cannot be broken down, Dolak said. Then, animals may eat that waste, or it can end up in waterways.

“Single-use plastics are a problem all the way around,” Dolak said. “Give people choices to move away from them and then accept that.”

What could arise from such a ban, Dolak said, is a slight increase in prices as restaurants switch to compostable or reusable materials

that cost more.

Stores and restaurants on the South Loop campus, such as 7-Eleven, Harold’s Chicken and BeeZzee Fresh Food, currently use styrofoam material for drinks and containers.

Sam Toia, president and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association, said in a Monday, Feb. 10 email statement the proposed legislation should take into account the challenges restaurants already face.

“Any proposed regulations on plastics need to consider the additional financial hardships that will be placed on operators and implications for safety and sanitation, customer requests, drive-through areas, medical necessity of plastic food-ware and other considerations,” Toia said.

Restaurants that do not have space available to wash reusable food ware or cannot find affordable alternatives by the date of the ban can apply for a waiver that would push back the compliance date for up to a year.

Although the ordinance had the support of 17 alderpeople in addition to Waguespack and Sadlowski Garza when introduced, Colleen Smith, legislative director for the Illinois Environmental Council, said in a Monday, Feb. 10 email statement to the Chronicle that industry efforts have heightened in an attempt to block the proposal’s passage, claiming polystyrene is good for the environment.

“We are continuing to meet with stakeholders and aldermen about our ordinance— which is needed

to protect public health,” Smith said. “While it is unclear when a vote will occur, we are continuing to build support and momentum in support of this ordinance.”

Michelle Rafacz, an associate professor in the Science and Mathematics Department, said people need to look beyond the inconvenience and see the bigger picture.

“At this point in the game, with things like microplastics in the oceans and the Great Lakes, and now it’s in your drinking water, we’ve got to start somewhere, and there’s gonna be sacrifice,” Rafacz said. “If we all want to be on the planet and have a healthy planet, it’s going to take sacrifice on the part of everybody.”

Student Government Association President Kierah King said students are ready for a “positive change” regarding the environment.

King, a senior dance major, said she has witnessed students mobilizing to make Columbia more environmentally friendly, including making Manifest completely sustainable.

“It would be a change for the campus,” King said, referring to a plastics ban. “But it would be something that’s beneficial for the environment and for reducing our carbon footprint that we’re leaving on our campus.” pbarnes@columbiachronicle.com lleazenby@columbiachronicle.com

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Ready, set, undress: Hundreds run in their undies for charity » JUSTIN ANDERSON/CHRONICLE

» MATEUSZ JANIK STAFF REPORTER MOST PEOPLE, running through the cold in their underwear seems like a good idea only after a long night of questionable decisions. But for more than 300 people, it is the best way to donate money.

On Saturday, Feb. 8, Cupid’s Charity, a non-profit raising money for neurofibromatosis research, hosted its eighth annual Cupid’s Undie Run at Sluggers World Class Sports Bar, 3540 N. Clark St. Started in 2010 by two brothers from Washington, D.C., Cupid’s Undie Run has expanded to 27 different cities. In this year’s Chicago run, more than $110,000 was raised, according to Cupid’s Charity website.

Visit ColumbiaChronicle.com for additional reporting.

FOR

mjanik@columbiachronicle.com

Mike Lambert was named as one of the top fundraisers for Cupid’s Undie Run.

FEBRUARY 17, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 11

campus

» MARI DEVEREAUX MANAGING EDITOR BUCKLEY, A part-time faculty member in the Humanities, History and Social Sciences Department, was crossing the intersection at Harrison Street and Wabash Avenue on Tuesday, Feb. 4 during her commute to work, when she fell over the lower end of a concrete-protected bike lane near the crosswalk and shattered her kneecap.

After heading to the emergency room and later seeing an orthopedic specialist, Buckley was fit with a full leg brace and learned the healing process for the interior surface of her kneecap would likely take longer than six weeks.

“I’m managing to hobble about, but I just really am annoyed that they would put these bike lanes in and basically camouflage [them],” Buckley said, “because the curb is the same color as the street.”

Concrete barriers are meant to protect bike lanes and ensure cyclist safety by separating the pathway from car lanes.

However, they can also create an unexpected tripping hazard for cyclists and pedestrians due to visibility issues exacerbating the ongoing battle between pedestrians and bikers.

Accidents like Buckley’s are becoming more and more common, according to anecdotal reports from Columbia students, staff and others who frequently travel on foot in the Loop.

Paula Brien, an academic advisor in the College Advising Center, said she has witnessed a number of people trip and fall over the low ends of the concrete dividers around Harrison Street CON

and Wabash Avenue, leading to ripped jeans, bloody gashes and personal belongings flung across busy streets.

“I know the bike lane dividers are created to keep the bikers safer,” Brien said. “But what I’ve been seeing is they’re also causing problems.”

Junior cinema arts and science major Charles O’Brien said as he was walking to class on Harrison Street outside of Starbucks he saw a man fall over a divider while crossing the road.

“I’m pretty sure he tried to leap to clear the concrete, but his foot got caught, and he went facedown,” O’Brien said.

Freshman illustration major Talia Blevins has tripped over the bike lane dividers several times while walking and said they are not always effective in keeping out cars.

“They’re pretty close to the same height as the street, [and] they’re not that much of a barrier, honestly,” Blevins said. “They’re not super noticeable.”

Anne Alt, a paralegal at Freeman Kevenides Law Firm in Chicago, said her friend was injured after crashing into a concrete divider on a bike.

At a December Mayor’s Bicycle Advisory Council meeting, Alt said she suggested the Department of Transportation add paint to the barrier edges to increase visibility and prevent further accidents.

“When I raised the issue of these, I was told the reason for having these lower curb heights was that there’s a big issue with truck traffic,” Alt said. “They’re concerned about the curbs getting completely destroyed if they are regular full height. So they’ve done this design where it’s very

12 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 17, 2020

» CAMILLA FORTE/CHRONICLE

South Loop bike lanes hazardous, cyclists and pedestrians say Con Buckley, part-time faculty member in the Humanities, History and Social Sciences Department, stands with her leg brace and walker near the concrete-protected bike lane that she tripped over, shattering her patella.

low at the leading edge and then it steps up.”

The barriers feature several thin strips of concrete approximately 24 to 27 feet long and 6 inches tall, separating the bike lane from adjacent traffic lanes. Some barriers are topped with white posts and others, near the crosswalk, are about 13 feet long and 2 to 2.5 inches tall with no paint or markers to differentiate the raised surface from the street.

Architect and urban designer Jacob Peters, who serves as a representative on Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Bicycle Advisory Council, said installations of the one-way protected “cycle tracks” began in summer 2019 as a way to prevent drivers from parking or loitering in existing bike lanes.

While the Chicago Department of Transportation’s response rate for feedback on cycle track construction “is often wonderful,” Peters said the bigger problem is often the opposition from elected officials making compromises for vehicles without keeping all of their constituents in mind.

“There have been multiple bike lanes across the city that have been made less safe during the design process because of feedback from aldermen and community members who wanted the street to be faster rather than safer,” Peters said.

Ald. Sophia King (4th Ward), who represents constituents from

Hyde Park to the South Loop, has been criticized on bicyclist advocacy platforms, such as StreetsBlog Chicago, for focusing on parking and decongesting traffic over infrastructure for bicyclist safety.

Despite multiple phone conversations with King’s staff, voicemails and email exchanges with her office personnel between Friday, Feb. 9 and Friday, Feb. 14, King was not available for comment as of press time.

When the Department of Transportation first presented plans in 2017 to add concrete curbs to existing bike lanes on several streets in the South Loop, construction was delayed due to an emphasis on adding more parking spaces instead, according to StreetsBlog Chicago.

A number of people have voiced complaints in ward meetings and on social media about King’s obstruction of the updated bike lanes, as reported May 7, 2019, by the Chicago Sun-Times.

In the Chicago Sun-Times article, King said while she had been described as a “bike hater,” she thought the barriers were “a pretty good proposal,” even if they wouldn’t make everyone happy.

Joshua Mark, director of development and infrastructure for the 47th Ward, said if the concrete barriers pose a safety issue, it is up to the Chicago Department of Transportation to change the design, something

he said alderpersons do not have much influence over.

“The alderman’s power, officially, is calling for or paying for a specific tool,” Mark said.

“CDOT has their own ways of implementing things based on what they believe to be best practice based on their own engineering assumptions.”

However, Mike Claffey, CDOT spokesman, said they work frequently with alderpersons who “have a big say,” along with other stakeholders advocating for and funding bike lanes.

Claffey said CDOT has not heard of any safety complaints about the protected bike lanes, adding that the bigger issue is cars parking in bike lanes.

Micki Leventhal, Buckley’s spouse, said although her wife’s injury had a logistical impact on their lives in terms of doctors’ visits and longer commutes to work, they likely will not pursue legal action against the city.

“There’s a lot of pain and suffering and inconvenience, but we are not litigious people by nature,” said Leventhal, who served as Columbia’s director of Media Relations from 2002 to 2009. “What we really want at this point, our primary objective is for the city to do something about [the concrete-protected bike lanes]; to just be responsible and paint the darn things.” mdevereaux@columbiachronicle.com

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Chicago ‘YZY QNTM’ giveaway draws hundreds and blood » JUSTIN ANDERSON/CHRONICLE » ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL/CHRONICLE

NEWS BROKE of rappers Kanye West and Quavo (upper right) giving away Chicago-exclusive Yeezy sneakers, hundreds flocked to nab the limited-edition shoes.

Among the crowd in a parking lot near the University Center was Gabriel Reyes (left), who went to the South Loop on Friday, Feb. 14 to see the two rappers and potentially get a pair of sneakers.

But in the excitement, Reyes’ fingers were slammed in the door of the company’s van.

Reyes was then transported to Rush University Medical Center with what he said were broken fingers.

WHEN

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL/CHRONICLE

» ISAIAH COLBERT STAFF REPORTER

Visit ColumbiaChronicle.com for additional reporting. icolbert@columbiachronicle.com

Dan Maier (lower right) drove a Sherp Extreme Transport ATV from which the ‘YZY QNTM’ sneakers were distributed Friday, Feb. 14.

Music Center at Columbia College Chicago 1014 S. Michigan Avenue

M u s i c

D e p a r t m e n t

E v e n t s

Wednesday Feb. 19 Wednesday Noon Guitar Concert Series at the Conaway.

12:00 PM

Thursday Feb. 20 SGA Open Mic Night in the lobby

5:00 PM

Saturday Feb. 22 Blues Camp

9:00 AM

FEBRUARY 17, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 13

metro

ALL THINGS MEDIA. ALL THINGS COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO. Frequency TV is the student-run TV group at Columbia College Chicago. Our original programming explores the ideas and interests of the student body, and spans subjects in news, entertainment, lifestyle, events, travel, and campus.

Frequency TV works with volunteers and classes throughout the Cinema and Television Arts and Communications Departments to make our projects come to life. From live broadcast, web series, and emerging media (360ยบ and interactive video) Frequency TV is the platform to experience the workings of Columbia College Chicago.

33 East Ida B. Wells Drive C-212 frequencytv.com @frequencytv 14 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 17, 2020

opinions

Get the latest news in your inbox by subscribing to our newsletter » ColumbiaChronicle.com

In the 2020 election, media literacy is key » CAMILLA FORTE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

“W

distrust of the media can seem like the only sentiment that remains bipartisan.

President Donald Trump popularized the term “fake news” during his 2016 presidential run, but politicians across party lines continue to adopt rhetoric that only fuels that distrust among their supporters.

In 2018, the Knight Foundation published a survey which found that 95% of conservatives lost trust in the media over the past decade, but

» JOHN SAMMIS/CHRONICLE

e know who got us to this point,” said former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang from the stage at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Isadore and Sadie Dorin Forum. “It was not the media companies. It was not the folks in D.C. who are planning years in advance. It was us, it was you, it was the people of this country.”

As the crowd erupted into loud “boos,” the hostility was palpable. Members of the media crowding the press pit paused, exchanging uncomfortable glances before continuing to cover the event.

Being included under the “media” label during that Yang rally in December 2019, this incident particularly stuck with me.

However, such occurrences are in no way uncommon. In an increasingly polarized political climate, a strong dislike and

O PI N I O N

so did 75% of independents, 66% of moderates and 46% of liberals.

Trump is the most aggressive when it comes to discounting journalists, having gone as far as calling the media “the enemy of the people.”

However, countless Democratic candidates—Yang, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), to name a few—have also voiced their distaste for the media.

Such finger-pointing may be great for raising morale at rallies, but it’s useless when it comes to uncovering the truth. Rather, its resurgence suggests we have learned nothing since 2016.

As a journalist, my bias on the matter is clear. That being said, this is not an appeal for people to blindly trust every news story.

“Fake” news does exist. It’s produced by both deliberately unfair outlets, Breitbart News and AlterNet being among the worst, as well as clickbait ads made to seem like they are legitimate articles.

Even well-intentioned media outlets—like any other organization—are prone to mistakes.

Rarely do these issues have to do with a dark conspiracy, as some politicians often suggest. Rather, such

fumbles are often results of unchecked bias or simply poor reporting.

In the age of digital, when anyone can publish anything instantly, it’s unrealistic to expect pure truth from all media.

Hence, it’s more important than ever that we practice active news consumption and learn to read between the lines.

The basic guideline of “Don’t believe everything you read online” still applies, but the importance of actually reading the text of whatever story you’re sharing cannot be overstated.

Being wary of social media as a news source is perhaps the most important precaution, as it is where fake news commonly spreads. A particularly infamous Facebook article gone viral claimed Trump had won the popular vote in the 2016 election when Hillary Clinton had actually done so comes to mind.

Questioning what we are told, even when it aligns with our beliefs, is crucial, as is consuming media from a variety of sources and outlets.

By applying these strategies and noting our biases, rather than dismissing all journalism outright, we may salvage our understanding of current events. cforte@columbiachronicle.com

COMIC » LUCAS SMITH/CHRONICLE

Picking up what you’re putting down FEBRUARY 17, 2020 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 15