March 15 | The Columbia Chronicle

MAR

15

» VALENTINA PUCARELLI/CHRONICLE

2021

South Side hunger strikers tell their story Campus, page 4

Arts & Culture, page 9

Metro, page 6-7

Opinions, 11

Black Souls Welcome exhibit features Black Columbia students’ art

Magic Selfies museum in the South Loop lets visitors take Insta-worthy selfies

Hunger strikers describe their experience protesting for environmental justice

Dr. Seuss is not ‘canceled,’ times are just changing

editor’s note

Editor’s Note: To document history as it happens, journalists must find time for their mental health » MARI DEVEREAUX CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE can agree on is

the last year has been a lot. It has been more than 365 days since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, and the stress of living in it seems to increase with each passing day.

Around 525,000 people in the U.S. have died due to COVID-19, and millions more have lost their jobs, experienced food insecurity and been unable to pay rent or see family for extended periods of time.

On top of this stress, mass protests over systemic racism and police brutality, along with extreme weather such as wildfires, hurricanes and snowstorms have pushed many people to the breaking point.

As journalists, we have our own sources of daily stress. For me, this comes in the form of juggling work for classes and internships, running a newsroom, motivating myself to get out of bed and eat during depressive episodes, worrying about family members who have tested positive for COVID-19 and, more recently, realizing that I missed payments for six months’ worth of electric bills.

Journalists also often accumulate anxiety from reporting on serious, monumental topics on a daily basis with no break or sense of relief.

We listen to sources in tears over the phone and on Zoom, describing how COVID-19 stole their final moments— and in some cases, weeks—with a loved one. We speak with those who don’t know what they will do to put food on the table and those who contracted COVID-19 and will physically never be the same.

We hear from those who have lost their businesses and livelihoods due to the pandemic.

We do this because it is our job and these stories are too important to go untold. We do it because we care, and we hope that telling these stories will inspire those in power to take action and help. But over time, it takes a toll.

According to preliminary results from a 2020 survey by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and the University of Toronto, 70% of international journalists surveyed indicated they

2 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE MARCH 15, 2021

suffer from psychological distress as a result of reporting during the pandemic.

Within that group, 26% had clinically significant anxiety and symptoms that align with generalized anxiety disorder.

Another 11% of respondents reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder due to traumatic COVID-19related events.

Even if we aren’t actively working on a story, constantly immersing ourselves in daily news that features few positive stories can magnify the inescapable gloom and doom.

Student and professional journalists I have talked to frequently share the wear-and-tear of this career on their mental health, especially during a time like this. The general sentiment is usually that we have to just push through it because “the news never stops.”

But if journalists burn themselves out in the long haul, then what? Who will be left to report on these issues? We need to take care of ourselves in the short term and allow ourselves to take breaks, rather than spiraling out of control. This may mean investing in therapy, finding a relaxing outlet for our stress or putting a limit on the amount of work we do weekly.

Welcomed vaccinations aside, this pandemic isn’t ending any time soon, and we won’t last if we keep sprinting through this marathon.

As journalist Al Tompkin wrote in July 2020 for the daily Poynter briefing “Covering COVID-19,” reporters are affected by current events just like the general population and experience many of the same hardships.

“Stories about racial tension, economic instability and a pandemic are not just stories you are covering about other people; they are your own stories as well,” Tompkin wrote.

It is difficult to balance the demands of our jobs with our own needs, but we have to do it, so we can continue to provide important information and hold those in power accountable. Just like doctors, nurses and all frontline workers, it is imperative that journalists take care of themselves so they are able to serve the public.

MDEVEREAUX@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

»staff MANAGEMENT

Editors-in-Chief Managing Editor Director of Photography Audience Engagement Editor Sales Manager

Opinions Editor Senior Reporter Multimedia Reporter Staff Reporters

Copy Chief Copy Editors

Mari Devereaux Brooklyn Kiosow Dyana Daniels Camilla Forte Paige Barnes Cale Holder

REPORTERS

Isaiah Colbert Mateusz Janik Shane Verkest Anna Busalacchi Camryn Cutinello Amaris Edwards Noah Jennings Rachel Patel Amina Sergazina Erin Threlkeld

COPY

Summer Hoagland-Abernathy Justice Lewis Ella Watylyk

MULTIMEDIA

Jonah Ocuto Multimedia Editor Deputy Directors of Photography Abby McFarland Kaylie Slack Photojournalists Zac Clingenpeel Sophia Felino K’Von Jackson Mengshin Lin Valentina Pucarelli

GRAPHICS

Lead Graphic Designer Lead Page Designer Graphic Designers

Savanna Steffens Vicki Lei Ryan Brumback Chloe McMullen

Faculty Adviser General Manager

Curtis Lawrence Travis Truitt

ADVISERS

VOL. 56, ISSUE 11

The Columbia Chronicle is a student-produced publication of Columbia College Chicago and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of college administrators, faculty or students.

All text, photos and graphics are the property of The Columbia Chronicle and may not be reproduced or published without written permission.

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Views expressed in this publication are those of the writer and are not the opinions of The Columbia Chronicle, Columbia’s Communication Department or Columbia College Chicago. Letters to the editor must include full name, year, major and phone number. Faculty and staff should include their job title. Alumni should include year of graduation, or attendance, and major.

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campus

The Call of the Cauldron Club brings modern witchcraft to Columbia » ColumbiaChronicle.com

Columbia alumni star in Second City news parody with a Black perspective, ‘positive vibrations’ » ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL/CHRONICLE THE SECOND CITY’S SHOW TITLED “BLACK & WHITE NEWS: THE PLAN!” WAS WRITTEN, DIRECTED AND PERFORMED BY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND HAD VIRTUAL SHOWS VIA ZOOM ON FEB. 18 AND MARCH 4.

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL PHOTOJOURNALIST FOR TERRENCE CAREY, live audience inter-

action is one of the most important parts of improvisation. Hearing the “ooh” and “ahh” from the crowd lets him know his jokes had an impact.

Because the pandemic moved many live shows online, Carey, a 2015 theatre alum, and his fellow performers had to rely on feedback from a live chat that played during their recent show with The Second City, titled “Black & White News: The Plan!”

“The energy was alive ... virtually,” Carey said. “It felt different, but it was still electric.”

Carey and Kayla Pulley, a 2011 theatre alum, were part of The Second City’s first-ever Black, Indigenous and people of color-led virtual improv comedy debate show. The show debuted on Dec. 9, 2020, and there were also shows streamed via

Zoom on Feb. 18 and March 4, marking the last performance.

Carey came up with the idea for the show’s theme when Second City started looking to put together a debate show. He wanted to tie it in with news because he was currently engrossed in news, he said, just like a lot of other people over the past couple of years.

The show was put together by Preach, a Black-led improv comedy group that Carey helped co-found after graduating.

In the show, comedians and actors took on the role of news anchors and debaters and addressed contemporary topics related to race and current events by parodying the news.

The writers’ room was “fully BIPOC” according to Carey, and was composed of Carey, Pulley, Max Thomas, Lauren Walker and Atra Asdou, along with Asia Martin, who was the director of the show.

The actors in the show broadcast vir-

tually and used eccentric costumes with wigs, suits and hats and used lower-thirds graphics labeling them as news anchors and correspondents to parody daily news visuals. Actors first presented news and contemporary issues, then moved on to debate and ended the show by presenting a plan for America to address the issues discussed.

The show tackled issues related to flat Earthers, astrology, Christianity, herd immunity and quarantine.

“The show’s objective is to promote higher, positive vibrations while also hosting a racially-charged political debate,” Carey said. “It is a vehicle to talk about news from a Black perspective.”

“Black & White News: The Plan!” was created in part to diversify The Second City’s content after co-owner and executive producer Andrew Alexander resigned last summer amid allegations of racism, as reported by NBC Chicago on Feb. 2.

Pulley said she has been a fan of Preach for years, and due to an invitation from a friend, she was able to participate in her first Second City show.

“This is a show that’s so good and personal to me that I am making with the people I respect and admire the most,” Pulley said.

Because of the research that had to be done on different current events, Pulley said the show required much more preparation than a typical improv comedy show.

“We’re smart people, so we’re gonna make sure we back up our jokes,” Pulley said.

Pulley said performing with Preach also gave her lifelong friends.

“The first couple of times [I performed], I was terrified,” said Pulley.

“And now I just love it. They are like my brothers and sisters.”

ZCLINGENPEEL@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM MARCH 15, 2021 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 3

campus

Black Souls Welcome continues celebration of Black History Month » ANNA BUSALACCHI STAFF REPORTER FROM PIECES EXPRESSING that Black lives matter to showing Black pride, Black Souls Welcome hopes to encompass important themes that Columbia students deem important. Through the perspectives of four Black artists at Columbia, this exhibition aims to show that being Black is not a monolith.

“The intention behind Black Souls Welcome is to showcase Black artists that don’t really get spotlights very often,” said Angel Page Smigielski, a senior acting major and creative director for Black Souls Welcome. “I would like to make sure that artists in different mediums get to experience showcases.”

Columbia Student Diversity and Inclusion’s talent showcase Black Souls Welcome is hosted by students and provides a space for Black Columbia artists to explore and celebrate the many facets of being Black in America.

The showcase is available for viewing through March 30 and is dispersed throughout three buildings on campus. Locations include the Student Center, 754 S. Wabash Ave., the second floor of 618 S. Michigan Ave. and at the SDI office on the fourth floor of 618 S. Michigan Ave. Students and faculty can reserve a ticket to view exhibits in-person. A virtual viewing of the event is also available through the Columbia College Chicago website.

Smigielski, who has worked for SDI since their sophomore year, is showcasing a poetry and photo exhibit called “70th & Throop.” It was inspired by their grandmother who lives on 70th and Throop streets and is displayed on the walls of the fifth floor of the Student Center, mirroring the “scattered remains of [Smigielski’s] mind.”

“I really wanted to showcase work that not only talks about me being Black, but me being a person in this Black skin I have,” Smigielski said.

Isaiah Moore, television and cultural studies major and peer mentor at SDI, helped with the media coverage and distribution, taking pictures of the spaces for the virtual showcase and recording and editing video interviews with artists.

“I was happy to be a part of it because I believe in representation of our marginalized groups in our society, and what better way to do that than by giving space,” Moore said.

The showcase is a continuation of the collaborative effort between students and SDI to host events every February to celebrate Black History Month, despite the pandemic. Smigielski chose the artists Phylinese Brooks, Jordan Mundy and Alana Lacy for Black Souls Welcome with the goal of giving Black women-identifying and Black non-binary artists the opportunity to showcase their talent.

Brooks, a senior acting major, began photography during quarantine and found a passion for being able to “preserve a moment in time for people.”

Brooks’s exhibit “Black Joy” is a collection of some of her earlier and more recent work. In her exhibit, her photos are situated on tables covered in red and white checkered tablecloths on a grasslike carpet with folding chairs, red solo cups, and different food serving trays and condiments including a mini grill, incorporating the feeling of an outdoor barbecue in the summer.

“I based it around asking Black bodies in my life what Black joy meant to them, and I got a lot of being with family, being able to laugh and talk and party together, and that’s how I got my concept for the exhibit,” Brooks said.

Brooks wants everyone to find something to take away from her exhibit. She said she wants people of color to forget about the weight of the world and live in a moment of Black joy.

For non-people of color, she wants them to appreciate and respect Black culture and remember it is sacred and should not be taken lightly.

Mundy, a senior marketing major and president of Columbia’s Picture Perfect modeling troupe, is showcasing a fashion exhibit called “Be Yourself.” It is centered around embracing individuality.

“I believe we all should understand the knowledge of self so that when we share, when we have these impacts, it

will be at a greater frequency because I can only be me and you can only be you, so I might as well appreciate me for me, and you might as well appreciate you for you,” Mundy said.

Some of the fashion pieces in her exhibit, including a fiery red jumpsuit, come from small local brands in Chicago, Los Angeles and her hometown of St. Louis. The exhibit also includes unreleased fashion films from Picture Perfect.

Mundy also has multiple interactive posters in her exhibit with space for people to write down answers to questions like, “How do you embrace your natural self?”

The modeling industry can cause people to be easily persuaded to view their body in a negative way, Mundy said, which is why she wanted to create conversations around embracing flaws instead of trying to change them.

Mundy sees herself as a positive role model for her little sister through her art and wants her sister to understand she does not need to look a certain way to be accepted.

“I want her to see, you don’t have to be slim and medium- to light-skinned to be a successful creative,” Mundy said.

“I love the dual effect of how I am able to care for myself [and also] care for other people that I know and that I don’t know.”

ABUSALACCHI@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL/CHRONICLE

» ZACHARY CLINGENPEEL/CHRONICLE

ANGEL PAGE SMIGIELSKI STANDS IN FRONT OF THEIR EXHIBIT IN THE BLACK SOULS WELCOME SHOWCASE “70TH & THROOP” ON THE FIFTH FLOOR OF THE STUDENT CENTER, 754 S. WABASH AVE.

4 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE MARCH 15, 2021

ISAIAH MOORE, A PEER MENTOR WITH THE OFFICE OF STUDENT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, STANDS IN FRONT OF A PHOTO OF THEMSELF THAT IS A PART OF SMIGIELSKI’S EXHIBIT “70TH & THROOP.”

campus

March of Miniatures exhibition enters realm of virtual reality

THE FORMAT GIVES COLUMBIA STUDENTS, ALUMNI, FACULTY AND STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE THEIR ART IN A VIRTUAL GALLERY SETTING.

From there, the viewer can decide to take a guided tour that gives information about the artist behind each piece, or roam freely around the exhibition.

The exhibition features 36 artists, including junior illustration major Jamar Etienne, who contributed cartoons “Agaricus Muscarius” and “Hygrophoropsis Aurantica.” Etienne said he enjoys the virtual reality component for students who prefer not to speak in front of people about their work.

“It’s easier to just upload it to a website and forget about it and maybe get into a show,” Etienne said.

» SCREENSHOTS/CHRONICLE

VISITING ART EXHIBITIONS has proven difficult during the pandemic. But when it comes to ShopColumbia’s latest exhibition, visitors can walk around the gallery freely from the comfort of their own home, and the commute is reduced to simply opening an app.

ShopColumbia’s annual March of Miniatures exhibition is back with a twist as viewers can now roam the halls of artwork virtually.

“We learned what worked [and] what didn’t work, and I’m excited at this new process with uploading and being able to virtually go through a gallery,” said Tracey Drobot Brouwer, operations coordinator at ShopColumbia.

The exhibition is an opportunity for current Columbia students, alumni, faculty and staff to showcase and sell prints of their work. The only requirement is that the submitted work be 8-by-8 inches or smaller.

The exhibition runs through March 31, and 8-by-8 inch prints and 3-by-3 inch stickers of all the art featured can be purchased on ShopColumbia’s website.

Immediately upon entering the virtual world, the viewer is placed in front of a 3D-rendered building and is guided to walk through the automatic sliding glass door into the exhibition.

» SCREENSHOTS/CHRONICLE

» NOAH JENNINGS STAFF REPORTER

THE MARCH OF MINIATURES EXHIBITION PLACES VIEWERS IN AN INTERACTIVE, VIRTUAL UNIVERSE.

Drobot Brouwer started using virtual reality for ShopColumbia exhibitions beginning with Manifest in May 2020.

She is considering keeping the virtual exhibit around even in a post-pandemic world so friends and family of artists not living in Chicago can experience visiting the exhibition.

In previous years, artists were expected to cover the costs of printing their work. But because the exhibition is completely digital this year, Drobot Brouwer said she decided to cover those costs.

“For this, we wanted to do a little something extra for our artists, because I knew we weren’t going to be able to have a physical exhibition,” Drobot Brouwer said. “What we wanted to offer is that the shop would take the cost of printing digital prints of all of the accepted works as part of the exhibition … but the artists still receive their consignment rate.”

Nik Brecht, a junior illustration major, who has his portraits “Aphrodite” and “Apollo” on display, said he hopes viewers can walk away from the exhibition recognizing the level of work artists dedicated to their pieces.

“Hopefully [viewers have] an appreciation for how hard it is to really put on something like this in a pandemic, because we’ve never had to necessarily do this before,” Brecht said. “And the

fact that it all kind of pulled through and [we] still made it happen is pretty awesome if you ask me.”

Drobot Brouwer said the variety of the art included in the exhibition is what stood out to her the most.

“I’m continuously impressed by Columbia students,” Drobot Brouwer said. “I do feel we have some really talented artists. And if you go through the exhibition, you can really see the variety of subject matter, color palette [and] technique used in all of the submissions in the exhibition.”

The vast variety of work can be seen through pieces from Brecht and Etienne. Brecht’s portraits of Greek gods showcase Aphrodite and Apollo with a “dream-like aesthetic,” while Etienne’s cartoons aim to make the viewer laugh at the world around them, specifically with anthropomorphic, smiling mushrooms.

Etienne said the exhibition is a representation of the Columbia community’s work ethic.

“We’re trying our hardest to make the best of the situation [and] keep turning out work so that people don’t feel so gloomy and depressed all the time,” Etienne said. “It’s a gnarly situation outside, but we can always make the situation better [for] ourselves.”

NJENNINGS@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

MARCH 15, 2021 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 5

How female-led Chicago organizations are celebrating Women’s History Month » ColumbiaChronicle.com » VALENTINA PUCARELLI/CHRONICLE

metro

South Side hunger strikers tell their story: ‘A fight for the right of every Chicagoan to breathe clean air’ » VALENTINA PUCARELLI PHOTOJOURNALIST AFTER 25 DAYS of hunger striking with Southeast, Southwest and South Side community members, Yesenia Chavez, an Olive-Harvey College student, addressed the crowd on March 4 in front of Grace United Methodist Church, describing her declining health in detail.

“I experienced anxiety attacks; I experienced doubt, impostor syndrome, irritability, hunger pains, heart pains, various types of headaches, pains in my skull, random muscle spasms, chest pain, hair loss [and] weight loss,” Chavez said outside of the Logan Square church not far from the home of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “[I’ve spent] countless hours crying myself to sleep, worried I wouldn’t wake up but praying I would, and by the grace of the universe, I did.”

On Feb. 4, several community members on the Southeast Side began a hunger strike in an attempt to pressure Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health to deny the scrap metal-shredding business General Iron an operating permit.

General Iron’s North Side facility was shut down in 2020 due to a history of structural hazards and explosions— after having been targeted multiple times since the 1990s by federal environmental regulators.

Now it plans to relocate near the Whiting, Hegewisch and East Side neighborhoods, blocks away from George Washington High School, where residents—primarily Black, Indigenous and people of color—already experience 6 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE MARCH 15, 2021

the highest rates of air pollution and adverse respiratory conditions in the city.

Like many social justice movements, youth and community organizers have been at the forefront of this hunger strike, fighting against environmental racism and to prevent General Iron’s operation from coming to the Southeast Side.

Oscar Sanchez, Breanna Bertacchi and Chuck Stark, a biology teacher at George Washington, were the first three organizers to start the hunger strike, keeping the quickly moving timeline of the permit approval in mind.

“We said, ‘Let’s do something to get eyes on us,’” Sanchez said.

Throughout February, they were joined by Chavez, William “KiD” Guerrero, Melany Flores, Maritza Darling-Ramos, Audrey M. Harding, Jade Mazon and 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez.

“This is a fight for the right of every resident and every Chicagoan to breathe clean air and have clean water—that should not be determined based on zip code,” said Sigcho-Lopez, whose ward includes the predominantly Latinx Pilsen community. He joined the strike on Feb. 23.

In addition to those striking, others campaigned for the cause on social media and took to the streets in protest.

Not long into the hunger strike, strikers began noticing serious health repercussions.

Sanchez, a co-founder of the Southeast Youth Alliance, said going 30 days without solid food took a heavy toll on his mind.

“I went through more emotional and mental breakdowns than physical,”

Sanchez said. “I was tired, drowsy, and that [led] to me feeling lazy and unproductive, and then it made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough for my community.”

He added that he experienced cloudy thoughts and short term memory loss, in that he was unable to remember conversations he had only days before.

While Sanchez experienced negative side effects, one of the perks, he said, is seeing how this campaign is inspiring people, especially young people.

“I think that’s the biggest part ... realizing the power that people have,” he said.

Guerrero said he learned a lot from the Washington High School students who have been participating in the movement and attended the March 4 Logan Square rally against General Iron.

“How powerful their voices are, how resilient they are, how brave they are to be in a position where they can finally speak freely, and not worry about Lori [Lightfoot] saying this and that, because they deserve to be heard,” he said. “At the end of the day, that was a youth led Southeast Side unity environmental justice march.”

Flores, a 24-year-old mother and Southeast Side community organizer, joined the strike on Feb. 15. Flores said strikers cut out all solid foods from their diets and only consumed the bare minimum necessary to survive, including fruit smoothies, broths and other liquids.

“It mostly ended up being broths that I would intake, because that made me feel really full,” Flores said. “I didn’t really need the shakes anymore, so I could definitely feel my stomach changing and the things that it could intake.”

Flores said she struggled both mentally and physically while striking.

“My anxiety definitely spiked; I was very irritable; I would have to go to sleep a lot earlier, and being cold was probably one of the worst things,” Flores said.

“I honestly don’t know what was worse— being cold or being hungry.”

On top of it all, Flores said those striking had to be strategic about how they managed their energy and schedules.

“The hunger strike ... isn’t the main thing we do every day,” Flores said.

“This is something that we do other than work, being a mom, being a dad.

We all have other responsibilities.”

Guerrero, a 19-year-old Pilsen resident, also joined the strike on Feb. 14, and said by day seven his father was very concerned about his health.

“He said that my skull [was] starting to show,” Guerrero said. “He’s like, ‘Mijo please, this is not your fight. I wouldn’t want to lose my child to a hunger strike that is not part of this community.’”

Despite the difficulties, Guerrero said he is very thankful for those on the Southeast Side allowing him to have a platform and a voice.

“I’ve gained a lot of motivation; I’ve gained a lot of [confidence] to speak in front of the people [and] to actually to express my thoughts and my emotions,” he said. “I’m really grateful and humbled to have that opportunity.

I’ve gained allies.”

Darling-Ramos, an American Sign Language-English interpretation major and Southeast Side community organizer, said she was only able to go without food for a week.

» VALENTINA PUCARELLI/CHRONICLE » SOFIA FELINO/CHRONICLE

virtual campaign, organizers are still demanding that the CDPH deny the final permit to relocate General Iron to any residential neighborhood, Guerrero said.

Audrey Harding, a South Side political organizer and member of United Neighbors of the 10th Ward, said the strike was important in showcasing how structural racism is, even when it comes to the environment.

“If [General Iron is] kicked out of [Lincoln Park], why would it be appropriate for them to be in any other neighborhood, let alone a Black and Brown neighborhood that’s already overburdened with a lot of industry and pollution?” Harding asked.

She said bringing a General Iron facility to the Southeast Side would be damaging for community members’ health.

“There [is] a large amount of particulate matter that they would be emitting into the air, and this will cause high cases of asthma as well as [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] that the residents are currently already experiencing from other plants,” Harding said.

Darling-Ramos said she has asthma, which makes this issue very personal to her.

“This is my neighborhood. This is where I grew up. This is where I want to stay,” Darling-Ramos said. “We deserve clean air.”

On General Iron’s website, the company indicates it is “a recycler, not a polluter,” and Reserve Management Group CEO Steve Joseph wrote an October 2020 commentary in the Chicago Tribune defending the company’s processes.

Currently, there is a lawsuit filed by two South Side ministers against the city of Chicago for helping to relocate General Iron as a source of pollution. The lawsuit aims to stop the business’ final operating permit, according to Block Club Chicago.

U.S. District Court Judge Mary Rowland said in a March 8 hearing for the lawsuit that she plans to rule on whether or not to stop the permit by early April, according to reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times.

Flores said one of the main things she has noticed since the strike began is how much love and solidarity has come their way.

“Now there are so many people who are also trying to take care of us, we definitely built a community,” she said.

“This is just such a big movement that we didn’t even think that it would get here.”

Sigcho-Lopez has been able to see firsthand how impactful this campaign has been in Chicago communities.

“The hunger strike has made visible the issue of environmental justice in Chicago, the issue of environmental

» VALENTINA PUCARELLI/CHRONICLE

“I started to feel very weak and very out of it,” she said. “So now I have been eating in the morning and just fasting for the rest of the day until the next day.

Transitioning back into solid foods has been very difficult.”

Sigcho-Lopez, who joined the hunger strike late, said he cannot imagine what it was like for those who were striking for the full 30 days.

“Having to work and having to fulfill the same duties during the hunger strike was not easy,” he said.

In her public address on March 4, Chavez announced that while the hunger strike was ending, the fight for clean air is far from over.

Sanchez said strikers wanted to put their lives on the line until the permit was denied and justice prevailed, but they chose to prioritize their health and wellness as the symptoms became overwhelming.

“We’ve seen the weight loss; we’ve seen the cramps; we’ve seen the mental breakdowns,” Sanchez said. “And we don’t feel like [Lightfoot] is gonna care if we die.”

In spite of this, Guerrero said he felt ending the strike meant letting Lightfoot win.

“I was like, ... ‘This sucks, screw Lori’ and all that,’” he said. “But they were like, ‘No, we need you alive, eat so that you can have more energy, and so you can do more good things.’”

Darling-Ramos said the hunger strike was just one of the many ways community organizers have been protesting General Iron for almost a year now.

“We have done multiple public meetings; we wrote letters to the mayor; we did marches in front of [10th Ward Ald. Susan Sadlowski Garza’s] office as well as the mayor’s office, and they still haven’t heard us,” Darling-Ramos said.

“It’s very upsetting.”

On Feb. 23, Lightfoot sent a letter to hunger strikers and said she was “committing to an open dialogue,” but did not indicate whether she intends to deny the permit to General Iron and support the strikers’ movement.

Strikers released a statement on Feb. 24 calling her response “insulting.”

Sadlowski Garza tweeted on Feb.10 that she had asked the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to delay the permit until the Southeast Side community “had a meaningful opportunity to voice their concerns” but her request was rejected.

“They’re acknowledging us, but they’re not saying anything that’s worth anything,” Darling-Ramos said.

Emboldened by a petition signed by more than 3,500 people and pressure from supporters gained through their

A CROWD OF PROTESTERS LAY ON THE GROUND FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE WITH RESPECT TO ALL THE LIVES LOST DUE TO AIR POLLUTION.

STUDENTS FROM COLLEGES AROUND THE CITY, INCLUDING DEPAUL UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, ATTENDED THE MARCH 4 RALLY IN LOGAN SQUARE TO SHOW SUPPORT FOR SOUTHEAST SIDE RESIDENTS.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS BROUGHT A WOODEN COFFIN AND SIGN WITH THE MAP OF CHICAGO TO THE MARCH 4 PROTEST AND HAMMERED DOWN A NAIL FOR EACH DAY THE HUNGER STRIKERS WENT WITHOUT FOOD.

racism [and] the issue of lack of oversight at every level of government,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “[Community members] have been able to raise awareness and build a coalition of environmental activism and environmental justice that I think is growing stronger.”

Chavez emphasized that the commitment of organizers and strikers moving forward will maintain the same

momentum as when they started. “[We will] keep working toward policy and representation to improve the environment for everyone, but especially for Black and Brown communities throughout the city of Chicago that face the burden of industrial polluters,” she said.

VPUCARELLI@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM MARCH 15, 2021 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 7

The app “Gravvity” aims to cut the toxicity out of social media » ColumbiaChronicle.com » K’VON JACKSON/CHRONICLE

arts&culture

» K’VON JACKSON PHOTOJOURNALIST

WITH SPRING FAST approaching and temperatures in the city reaching 60 degrees over the past few weeks, Chicagoans are enjoying the outdoors once again. Photojournalist K’von Jackson went out to document the early celebrations of warm weather.

KJACKSON@COLUMBIACHRONICLE.COM

» K’VON JACKSON/CHRONICLE

BIKERS AND JOGGERS FLOCK TO THE LAKEFRONT FOR EARLY MORNING EXERCISE AS THE SUN RISES.

» K’VON JACKSON/CHRONICLE

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A CANADIAN GOOSE TAKES FLIGHT OVER LAKE MICHIGAN TO JOIN A SKEIN, OR A FLOCK OF GEESE FLYING IN FORMATION, SQUAWKING IN THE DISTANCE.

BOATS COAST PAST THE MARINA TOWERS, 300 N. STATE ST., UNWRAPPED AND PREPARED TO LAUNCH.

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CHICAGOANS DITCH HEAVY COATS AS TEMPERATURES CLIMB AHEAD OF THE START OF SPRING.

A JOGGER STOPS AT SUNRISE TO DO JUMPING JACKS ON THE LAKEFRONT TRAIL TUESDAY, MARCH 9.

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RESIDENTS SURVEY CLOUD GATE, 201 E. RANDOLPH ST., ON A SUNNY AFTERNOON, MARCH 11.

arts & culture

But first, let me take a selfie at the South Loop ‘selfie playground’ » PAIGE BARNES AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR RAINBOW METALLIC STREAMERS hang near a

life-sized blue and silver birthday cake as a neon sign lights up with the words “Let’s Party.” In another room, a bubblegum-pink shaggy carpet takes up the floor space underneath an equally pink vanity that sits waiting for a “bimbo” to claim her seat. All while a larger-than-life unicorn sits in the lobby, waiting for guests to snap a picture.

This is anything but a typical playground.

Magic Selfies, 1143 S. Delano Court, is a “selfie museum” with 17 different set designs to choose from that encourage people to Instagram away.

Owner and creative director Zhazha Casanova said the place is more of a playground rather than a museum because she encourages patrons to “run wild” with their phones and interact with the sets.

Casanova, a 2010 marketing alum,

is a set designer at heart. Her first endeavor was creating Studio G, a Chicago business lounge for women, followed by the House Of Beetle Pop Up Bar and A Holly Jolly Christmas Popup in 2020.

Then, on Feb. 5, she opened Magic Selfies.

“I fell in love with ... creating experiences for people and seeing how much people enjoyed going out and actually doing something that’s not like the club or your typical day out,” Casanova said.

She also admired the Museum of Ice Cream—a New York and San Francisco-based selfie museum and cafe—but said she did not have enough bandwidth to pull off a similar concept. Instead, Casanova began brainstorming and thought of the idea on a smaller scale to create multiple rooms where people could take “dope” selfies.

Casanova said during quarantine, she worked on the selfie experience by creating sets and using her daughters as models.

Designing these various sets was a way for her to release her creative energy when there was nothing else to do, she said.

Though she said it is hard to choose her favorite set, the one with money lining the wall and dollar bills on the floor is one of her favorites because it represents “manifestation.”

“Every time people come [to this set], they just feel so rich,” Casanova said. “I love seeing them throwing up the money [and putting it] in their pocket. They don’t even know that they’re manifesting this ... in their life.”

For coronavirus safety precautions, occupancy is limited, parties are kept at a safe distance from one another, masks must be worn when not taking photos and Casanova continuously wipes down the props.

Five people are allowed in a party and no more than 40 people are allowed inside at a time, she said. Guests will have their

temperature taken at the door and are also limited to a one-hour time slot.

In the coming months, Casanova is working on “Season Two” of Magic Selfies with sets that are summer-themed.

Casanova said she has come a long way since first designing sets and it is refreshing to reflect back on her success creating Magic Selfies.

As a Black, Hispanic woman and a mom of three, she has worked hard to prevent societal stigmas from interfering with her dreams. Instead, she has turned her fantasies into realities, she said.

“I never want to stop [outdoing] myself because I feel like I’m my only competition,” Casanova said. “I always tell people that I work with, ‘When you’re doing something and you’re building, try to stay off of anything that can shift your mind from what you really want to do.’”

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HEART-SHAPED LIGHTS ILLUMINATE THE ROOM NEON PINK IN MAGIC SELFIES’ “BARBIE LAND” ROOM.

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ZHAZHA CASANOVA, OWNER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF MAGIC SELFIES, LIKES TO REFER TO HER BUSINESS AS A “SELFIE PLAYGROUND” BECAUSE PATRONS CAN TAKE PHOTOS IN ANY LOCATION.

MAGIC SELFIES OFFERS PRICING FOR BIRTHDAYS, PRIVATE SHOOTS, GROUPS AND SPACE RENTAL.

MARCH 15, 2021 THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLE 9

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Mid- to plus-sized women face struggles in accessing affordable and sustainable fashion » ColumbiaChronicle.com

Awkward: How to respond to catcalls—in person and online

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However, be cautious if you’re going to speak up because you don’t want to be baited into engaging in a confrontation.

“We see this a lot with bullying,” said Jennifer Litner, sexologist and director of Embrace Sexual Wellness. “As long as it creates the rise and the reaction of feeling upset and wanting to be defensive, ... then those people tend to continue.”

However, Lawsin said if this is happening to you on your online platform, you have an opportunity to model better behavior. She said when this happens to her, she acknowledges it and uses it as a teaching moment. “[You can say,] ‘I won’t be talked to like that, ... and if you want to share and support my posts, this is an alternative way you can compliment me,’” she said.

“It may be a pain in the a--, particularly if you get it all the time, but then that’s also where you just copy [and] paste.”

If you choose to do this, you are creating an environment in which shutting down catcallers is customary, even though their behavior is not your responsibility.

While social media can be a scary place with catcallers and trolls crawling around, it can also be a place to cultivate a supportive community. Arcos suggested letting the cat out of the bag and

sharing your story if you feel comfortable doing so.

In doing this, your online space can become a positive outlet for others to see another person dealing with the same thing.

When you share your experience and how you handled it, Arcos said, it gives the opportunity for others to do the same, therefore fostering a supportive community.

Hearing other stories of catcalls and sexual harassment can help you and others see that these problems are not about you, but they are happening to you.

“Catcalls have nothing to do with you,” Lawsin said. “It absolutely has something to do with the person making them.”

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» SAVANNA STEFFENS/CHRONICLE

“It’s a strategy to get attention, a strategy to get validation, a strategy to actually—as ironic as it is—connect,” . ou are really feeling yourself said Catalina Lawsin, Ph.D, a clinitoday. You like your hair, your cal health psychologist specializing eyes, your stomach, your toes, in sex and relationships at her private your thighs—you’re into it all, which you practice. “We don’t want to do anything can’t always say. It’s refreshing to love that is going to positively reinforce that, the way you look, so you post a mirror and so disengagement is one strategy.”

Regarding catcalls that happen selfie on Instagram.

A few friends comment and tell you in-person, Lizzette Arcos, a psychotherhow cute you look today, and what’s this? apist at Youth & Family Counseling in Libertyville, Illinois, said catcalls are Someone sent you a direct message?

“You got great legs, baby. Wish you’d an assertion of power, so to remove that power the aggressor is trying to take, open them for m—” you can ignore them in real time, too.

Before you can read the rest, you This is a great option if you tend to back out of the chat and go to this guy’s freeze up during situations like this. account to block and report him. This But if you like to scratch back, and feels gross. You knew that guy from high only if you feel safe and are around school “Honors Chemistry.” You can’t other people, have a go-to clapback help but think you could have handled prepared, and call out the catcall for that another way, but what else could what it is: harassment. you have done?

Because catcalls are typically aimed The Chronicle spoke with sex experts, from a man to a female-presenting communication professionals and menperson, any male-presenting friends tal health specialists to figure out how to nearby have the opportunity to be an respond to catcalls—in-person and online. ally and speak up for their friend being The instinct to retreat, block and harassed, said Sylvia Mikucki-Enyart, report may not always be the most relationship researcher and assistant satisfying conclusion to a catcall, but it professor at the University of Iowa. is a practical one.

» SUMMER HOAGLAND-ABERNATHY COPY CHIEF

CHILL SONGS TO STUDY TO (AND WHY) » K AYLIE SLACK DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

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» ISAIAH COLBERT OPINIONS EDITOR

» CAMILLA FORTE DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

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“Intro” by The XX Even though it is hard to focus on work while having songs with lyrics, The XX has been ol’ reliable when it comes to their subdued jams and introspective lyrics about love.

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“All Will Be Well” by The Gabe Dixon Band This is a soft, relaxing song that still maintains a hopeful and positive theme. It’ll remind you that everything will be okay.

“Lake Michigan” by Rogue Wave “Lake Michigan” is an alternative song that you can tap your foot to but that won’t distract you from reviewing your study guides.

“Dirty Paws” by Of Monsters and Men This mellow song tells a story and contains vocal choruses and instrumentals that are inspiring.

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“Home” by Vitamin String Quartet I recommend the Vitamin String Quartet, a group of four violinists who perform string versions of popular songs.

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“Palm Trees” by Lowell This is an indie pop song with smooth vocals that’s upbeat enough to keep you from falling asleep, but not so upbeat to make you leave your desk to dance.

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“Beneath the Mask - instrumental version” by Lyn “Beneath the Mask” has at least four different versions to jam out to while working on homework or getting yourself ready to sleep for the day.

“Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin “Rhapsody” is a near 15-minute song that transitions from calm to frantic, perfectly matching a college student not procrastinating on their homework.

“G.O.A.T.” by Polyphia From the moment you hear the first riff from Polyphia, you will be head bobbing and air guitaring to their jamming instrumentals.

“Swooning Melody” by 2 Mello I will shout my praises forever for any jam made by 2 Mello. Their music is funk incarnate with a video game music flair and hint of lo-fi.

“Crossroads” by Mason Murphy Murphy’s rendition will have you feeling like you’re on a mission with a steady beat to help you focus.

“The Chant” by Fredrik Kronkvist and Martin Sjostedt Band If you’re reading or require a deeper level of focus, this groovy jazz number is the way to go. It’s calm enough to not be distracting, yet complex enough to keep you immersed.

“Tendency” by Jan Jelinek If smooth beats and synth-heavy tracks are more your speed, I suggest you put on some so-called industrial dance music. Don’t let the genre fool you, the tones may be upbeat but this track is gentle.

“golden hour” by sftspkn If you’re looking for a dreamy musical experience that will keep you in the groove, this is it.

“I Love U, Pt. 2” by Panthurr This is a nod to that Chill Beats To Study To Youtube station. Panther was a trend-setter in the world of Chillhop—his spoken word intros and steady beats are tried and true.

Opinion: Oh, the thinks you can think when everything is ‘cancel culture’ » ISAIAH COLBERT OPINIONS EDITOR CONTRARY TO POPULAR belief, news ar-

is simply an inclusive rebranding from Hasbro. Lola Bunny’s design was altered to minimize her sexualization in the upcoming Looney Tunes film “Space Jam 2” even though people are still sour about the change.

The contagious reaction to label progressive change as cancel culture has proven that influential people with a platform do not display the same amount of passion when it comes to discussing pressing issues, and their audience is too eager to take what they say at face value instead of doing their own research.

Outrage is a valid emotional response when you feel disrespected. Although

I do not understand the deep-seated emotional response to C-tier Dr. Seuss books, a customizable potato, or those “simping” for an anthropomorphic bunny girl, I do understand the outrage of being disrespected when something I value has been demeaned.

I use my platform to express my outrage on important issues such as Black Lives Mattering, LGBTQ+ equality and Mirko from “My Hero Academia” being “best girl,” or a favorite character in an anime.

There is nothing wrong with commiserating with people over a shared grievance no matter how inconsequential it is. But let’s say, hypothetically, when the next bare-minimum inclusive shift in pop culture happens, we do not become the fanboy who cried cancel culture.

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ticles go beyond their headlines. The best way to prevent having green egg on your face is learning to read deeper and exercising media literacy.

Despite the many lessons Dr. Seuss imparted in his children’s books, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut” was the only one taken at face value by fans who took to Twitter, TV and the Senate floor in false outrage over the beloved author being “canceled.”

Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced March 2 it would cease the licensing and publication of six books due to their “hurtful and wrong” portrayal of people, according to its website. While the estate claims to have done this to be more inclusive, conservative media would have you believe Dr. Seuss has been canceled.

Conservative personalities such as online political commentator Ben Shapiro, Fox News television host Tucker Carlson and practically the entire guest list at the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual event attended by conservative activists and elected officials, salivated at the opportunity to bust a gasket at the imaginary scenario of there being a culture war to blame for children’s cartoons and toys no longer being distributed.

This change is not a malicious at-

tempt to ruin your favorite thing—it is emblematic of businesses across the country taking it upon themselves to be more inclusive and more marketable to a wider audience.

Is it performative? Yes. Will it end racism and sexism? No. But it means a lot to kids interacting with this media.

While Teresa Prados-Torreira, professor in the Humanities, History and Social Sciences Department, is not usually in favor of censorship, she said the enterprise’s decision makes sense because Dr. Seuss’ depictions of Black and Asian characters are troubling for children who are not taught the historical context of the caricatures.

“What is the point of using books that are reflecting [children] in a negative, racist way?” Prados-Torreira said.

“I cannot justify that in the name of free speech.”

Prados-Torreira said representation in popular culture can have a harmful impact on children. Although in real life Dr. Seuss defended the integration of Black people into the workforce during World War II, she said his negative portrayal of Asian Americans in his war cartoons following Pearl Harbor seemed to validate their treatment in internment camps during the war.

There are other characters that have been reimagined without being “canceled,” such as Mr. Potato Head being changed to Potato Head, which

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