The Daily Illini Vol. 150 Issue 50 April 19 by The Daily Illini

THE DAILY ILLINI

MONDAY April 19, 2021

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Vol. 150 Issue 50

First Column paints ads on Main Quad, upsets student body

ly making matters worse, adding,“The permission we originally obtained from the Illini Union was in error.” According to Illini Union Director Rebecca Salzman, First Column never contacted any official Union personnel regarding the ads. However, the Union only has authority over advertisements placed on and inside the building and does not grant permission for advertisements on the Main Quad sidewalks or any other part of campus. Kubarycz also believes the company could have done a better job of taking ownership of the mistake, explaining that denial and aggressiveness set a bad tone for a company students entrust with their living arrangements. Although the Union doesn’t grant permission for chalk art and painted advertisements, the Student Code of Conduct clearly states the permitted uses of chalk on campus sidewalks. “The use of water-soluble chalk, easily removed by rain, for the purposes of promoting events, encouraging participation in student elections and expression of current issues is permissible on University sidewalks,” according to the Student Code of Conduct. It is apparent that the advertisements were not painted with water-soluble material, as they have remained largely unscathed despite several instances of rain in the past two weeks. Additionally, ‘corporate advertisement’ is not listed as a valid reason under the Student Code. First Column declined to comment.

BY THOMAS DEMOUY STAFF WRITER

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEFUNDUIPD

Photos, candles, flowers and posters are placed on a bench in front of the Illini Union to honor the late Daunte Wright. The vigil was held by University students to honor victims of police brutality.

Vigil honors police brutality victims BY MONA ALRAZZAQ ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

University students gathered on the Main Quad last Thursday to honor the life of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man who was fatally shot by a police officer in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota after he was pulled over for a traffic stop. The City’s recently resigned police chief claimed that he believed that the officer mistook a taser for a gun when she shot Daunte Wright, according to the Associated Press. This shooting occurred during the third week and about 10 miles away from the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer currently being charged for murdering George Floyd. In addition to the recent shooting, footage of 13 yearold Adam Toledo’s shooting by a police officer in Chicago was recently released. Both of these tragedies sparked national outrage as well as more protests and demonstrations against police brutality. Defund UIPD, a group on campus advocating for the divestment of money from

the University of Illinois Police Department and into local community campus resources, facilitated this vigil and opened up space for community members to honor Daunte Wright and other victims of police brutality. “I don’t think there’s a stronger case for defunding the police other than the case that the police made for themselves this past week,” said Hiba Ahmed, junior in Business and member of Defund UIPD. Attendees were encouraged to bring “candles, posters, flowers, poems, songs and thoughts to honor Daunte,” according to Defund UIPD’S Instagram page. There was also an open platform for anybody to speak about their experiences or views on the topic. “In many cases, we have to grieve and fight at the same time,” said Candace Livingston, graduate student in Education and member of Defund UIPD. “We wanted to open the space to just grieve.” Drake Materre, former University student and local activist, spoke at the vigil and also emphasized the importance of taking time to heal

after hearing news like this and in the middle of advocating to defund and abolish the police. “We need to defend ourselves so that there can be no more Daunte Wright, no more Toldeos, no more George Floyds, no more Breonna Taylors, but we also need time for healing,” Materre said. As for the University, Materre condemned Chancellor Robert Jones and the University administration for their silence on police brutality at the time. Enoma Egiebor, sophomore in AHS and student body president, also spoke at the vigil. She mentioned that she and her running mate, Nicole Arnold, sophomore in LAS, experienced racism from one of their competitors while they were running for student body president and vice president with no accountability taken. Egiebor mentioned the importance of not only recognizing injustice, but actively fighting it when it happens to friends and colleagues and discussed how she believes “whatever happens on college campuses, especially college campuses

of this size, is truly a microcosm of the entire world.” “It’s one thing to just post on your Instagram story, but it’s another thing to stand up against racism in your everyday life,” Egiebor said. Egiebor also mentioned that there is a “pattern in policing,” and police officers need to be held accountable for their actions. “We need to call for accountability because in any other job, that wouldn’t be ok,” Egiebor said. “If you’re a doctor or if you’re a nurse and you mix up medicine and fentanyl and the patient dies, you’re going to jail or going to get in trouble.” The vigil that was organized was intended to be a pause to collectively grieve prior to a potential protest, according to Livingston and Ahmed. “We know that one vigil or one collective effort or collective moment to grieve is not enough to express what everyone is feeling right now, and we want to let the campus know that we are here and self-preservation is key in this fight,” Livingston said.

Painted advertisements for First Column Student Living have remained largely intact on the sidewalks of the Main Quad, drawing an overwhelmingly negative response from the student body. It has been two weeks since pictures of the advertisements were first posted on the r/UIUC subreddit. As of Saturday, most of the advertisements were still clearly visible on the Main Quad sidewalks. Since the initial Reddit post, First Column has received a barrage of negative Google reviews and additional Reddit posts from dissatisfied students. The company has responded to the reviews in various ways, ranging from claiming “fake review” to more thorough responses. “Steven, we did not chalk campus without permission. The student union gave us permission to chalk,” one response noted. Claudia Kubarycz, graduate student in FAA, was outspoken in her criticism of the advertisements. “I was very upset to see the spray-painted advertisements on the sidewalks because the (Main) Quad is a place that is enjoyed and respected by thousands of students, faculty, alumni and other University affiliates as the beautiful and symbolic center of (the University),” Kubarycz said. “It is unfortunate that local businesses do not seem to share in that sentiment.” A Reddit account claiming to represent First Column later stated that the initial responses were the result of a misunderstanding and apologized for potential- tdemouy2@dailyillini.com

monaa2@dailyillini.com

Jewish affiliated housing to open in fall BY NESHMIA MALIK & SOPHIE CASABURI STAFF WRITERS

The University will be opening its first campusaffiliated housing option for Jewish students in the fall.

The Illini Chabad property, a former fraternity house built in 2017, will be accessible as resident options for Jewish students in the upcoming fall semester. W hile the house is

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

The Illini Chabad sits quietly at 209 E. Armory Ave. in Champaign, Illinois Sunday morning. The University will be opening the Illini Chabad in the fall, which will be the first campus-affiliated housing option for Jewish students.

catered to Jewish students, it is open to nonJewish individuals as well. The Illini Chabad consists of 32 two-bedroom suites, study rooms and more. This project was put in motion after the University released a Joint Statement on anti-Semitism in which they committed to having an inclusive community with no tolerance for hate. W hile the University created an advisory council to combat anti-Semitism on campus, this housing option was made to give Jewish students more of a comfortable community. The building was purchased about a year ago from Chabad Center for Jewish Life and has been running programs for Jewish students. Their prior location on campus differs from this one because it

did not provide opportunities for on-site living, an action that will go into full effect by the fall. Lauren Ramshaw, manager of the residential aspect of the Illini Chabad, CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI discussed the timeline of Spray-painted advertisements from First Column Student Living getting the housing option line the Main Quad Tuesday evening. The chalked walkways in motion. have upset many individuals in the student body. “It moved pretty quickly but it’s been close to two years since the University’s discussion to consider the private housing option,” Ramshaw said. According to Ramshaw, the University has shown full support for making the Illini Chabad a part of the private housing options on campus. Ramshaw mentioned the Sports: Illinois opens many luxuries that will be Opinions: Lost for 2021 campaign included in the housing 17 years, Campus option for the 32 students under new staff Scout returns who decide to live there.

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Last week the University hosted Moms Weekend during a pandemic. The activities this year looked very different because of COVID-19, with the in-person activities being replaced with virtual events. “Typically we have oncampus activities for Moms Weekend, but we had a number of virtual events this weekend instead,” said Mayura Kumar, vice president of External Communication for the Moms Association. According to Illini Moms Association, some of the virtual events that were

planned for Moms Weekend were Mother and Student Video, Illini Talk with Judy Hsu, Illini Virtual Scavenger Hunt and the University’s Moms Association Annual Meeting and Awards. “ W hen we started planning these (events) we wanted to make sure that we were planning events appealing to both students and moms,” Kumar said. “We wanted to make them as interactive as possible because everyone is already on Zoom all day long.” Dylan Kanner, freshman in DGS, had his mom come over for Moms Weekend.

“I don’t really know what Moms Weekend would have been like (before the pandemic),” Kanner said. “The virtual event was on Zoom. It was as interactive as it could be (while remaining) virtual. They made break-out rooms around 5 (p.m.) and we worked together for the scavenger hunt. It was kind of fun.” Furthermore, there were many students and moms going to the bars last weekend. With the pandemic still not fully under control, there were concerns about the influx of visitors from other cities. “Any time we see an

influx of folks from out of the area come to the area, it is possible we would expect to see some disease transmission,” said Justine Kaplan, director of the Master of Public Health Program. “This happens regularly with things like the common cold, as well as with bigger issues like (COVID-19).” Kaplan mentioned that the best steps in avoiding transmission with an influx of visitors would be wearing a mask, washing your hands, social distancing and getting the vaccine, if possible. alia6@dailyillini.com

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THE DAILY ILLINI PRESENTS

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Wednesday, April 28th • 3pm-7pm COVID safety measures will be followed FEATURING: The Suites at Third • The Tower at Third

• Lofts 54 • Gather Illinois • Campustown Rentals • 212 East • Bankier Apartments • Burnham 310 • Latitude • 309 Green • Campus Circle Apartments • The Dean Campustown • First Column Student Living • Green Street Realty • HERE Champaign • One Illinois • The Pointe at U of I • Smile Student Living • Gefen Property Group • Midtown Lofts

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3A MONDAY April 19, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

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HOUSING

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

An abandoned house sits in a quiet neighborhood in New Buffalo, Michigan on May 20. A recent report from the Illinois Government and Public Affairs mentions there could be a potential housing crisis which could have severe effects on the low-income rental market.

Study finds COVID-19 may spur housing crisis BY THOMAS DEMOUY STAFF WRITER

A recent report by the Illinois Government and Public Affairs highlights a potential housing crisis which could have severe effects on the low-income rental market. According to the report, the variety eviction moratoria laws at the state and federal levels have prevented a large-scale crisis. As the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic begin to subside, a substantial amount of low-income tenants still face the threat of eviction once the eviction bans expire. The moratorium in the state of Illinois is set to expire on May 1, while the federal

moratorium lasts until June 30 and only applies to federally subsidized properties. According to the report, approximately 28% of U.S. rental units fall under the federal eviction ban. Andrew Greenlee, associate professor in FAA and co-author of the report, said that the COVID-19 pandemic worsened an already existing crisis that has disproportionately affected low-income renters. “(COVID-19) has made the tenuous connections which many of us have to our jobs and housing more apparent,” Greenlee said. “(COVID-19) has also helped to reveal the ways in which females and

minorities face disparate impact to economic and social disruptions. None of this is new, but we’re observing impacts at a scale that more people are paying attention to now.” The market for low-income renters has worsened over the past year, resulting in a shortage of over 6.8 million units in that market alone. Individuals who fall into this market are also more likely to contract COVID-19 due to the overcrowding created by this shortage. However, tenants can take certain measures to protect themselves from eviction. The report found that tenants who hire legal repre-

sentation generally have significantly better outcomes. Although legal aid is not always free for civil cases, there are reduced-cost programs available for eligible renters. Michelle Layser, assistant professor in Law and another co-author of the report and mentioned that there are many options available for low-income tenants who face possible eviction. “The biggest thing is for people to educate themselves on the programs that are in place and to understand what actions they need to take to ensure that they are protected,” Layser said.

All rooms will come with a flat-screen TV and brand new furniture. There will be housekeeping twice a week and complimentary snacks and beverages in the lounge for students to feel at home to create a concierge-style living environment. “ We like the smaller population that ’s more personalized, making it feel like a tight-knit community versus a 700 person dorm,” Ramshaw said. The house was originally built for Lambda Chi Alpha when they were on campus, then was purchased for $5.5 million dollars. While the former frat house has a capacity for 76 students with bunk beds in each room, Illini Chabad decided to keep one student per room to enhance the experience. “Because of its size being limited to very few residents, we were able to do a lot more things with the building,” Ramshaw said. When being asked to compare the Illini Chabad to other faith-based housing options like Newman Ha ll, Ra mshaw mentioned the disparity in size between the two locations. “We are much smaller than Newman,” Ramshaw said. “Newman can house 100 students and we only have 32 beds, but we have the same idea.” Just as other University-affiliated housing, the Illini Chabad will have residential advisers in the same hall for student support if needed. The Illini Chabad is expected to be full for the upcoming year with 32 students. They currently have six students registered to live in the housing.

Although the campus area may seem like an exception to this possible crisis, it is important for all renters to be aware of the challenges they may face through the next year, according to Layser. The University offers free legal aid to students through the Student Legal Services office in the Illini Union. “I don’t think that the college community is insulated from the problems that are described in the report,” Layser said. “It is very much a national problem, an urban problem and a rural problem. The scope of the potential nmalik20@dailyillini.com crisis is enormous.” sophiec4@dailyillini.com tdemouy2@dailyillini.com

University professor receives esteemed Guggenheim Fellowship BY ALEXANDRA GERGOVA STAFF WRITER

the AIDS Crisis,” focuses specifically on Black gay activism and traces major movements between the 1950s and 1990s. “I also proposed my new book,” Mumford said. “My new project is about the origins and politics of hate crime statistics, and it’s about the history of hate crimes from the late 1960s through the 1980s.” The project will focus on the legislative process as well as individual cases of crimes — such as vandalism, assault and homicide — against Black men, gays, Asian men, Arab Americans and Jewish Americans. Through this project and his fellowship at Stanford University in the fall, Mumford hopes to explore and establish a transnational perspective on his specific focus on hate crimes. “I’m really interested in how, for example, the new KKK that emerged in the 1980s found steps in Germany,” Mumford said. Mumford is interested in studying neo-Nazis in addition to the aforementioned transnational Klan activity. Besides simply the book, Mumford hopes to reach a broader audience through other efforts. According to Mumford, scholars of color across campus have indicated that there is not sufficient respect or value provided to them or their works, which is why this fellowship is extremely significant and empowering for Mumford. “This award world just makes me feel so good about feeling valued and respected,” Mumford said. “Like the University of Illinois News Service did a story on this and put it on the front page of the website. I was like, ‘Oh, I feel so proud of myself and my University for stepping up and saying this PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN MUMFORD is also an excellent scholar!’” Kevin Mumford, professor in LAS, poses for a photo. Mumford was recently awarded the prestigious 2021 Guggenheim

Kevin Mumford, Professor in LAS, was recently awarded the prestigious 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship alongside 184 other writers, artists, scholars and scientists. The John Simon Guggenheim Foundation offers fellowships to “exceptional individuals in pursuit of scholarship in any field of knowledge and creation in any art form, under the freest possible conditions,” according to an official press release on April 8. The fellowship provides recipients with $50,000, which can be spent at the discretion of the recipients and is not stringently monitored by the Foundation. The ability to utilize the funding in any way you wish lends itself to the imagination and feels empowering, according to Mumford. The application process, which spanned roughly nine months, entailed submitting three works that reflect the applicant’s field of study. Due to the pandemic, the Guggenheim Foundation abandoned its traditional non-digital approach to application materials and enabled all applicants to submit digital materials as opposed to tangible copies, according to Mumford. “So I decided to take e-books where I could,” Mumford said. “My oldest book wasn’t in e-book form, so I actually substituted an article that I was super proud of for that.” The first book that Mumford submitted as part of his portfolio chronicled riots and Black politics in Newark, New Jersey titled “Newark: A History of Race, Rights, and Riots in America.” The second book, which was released more recently in 2016 and is titled “Not Straight, Not White: Black Gay Men from the March on Washington to gergova2@dailyillini.com

Fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.

MONDAY April 19, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

LIFE & CULTURE

David W. Chih discusses anti-Asian racism BY FIZZA HASSAN STAFF WRITER

The University of Illinois is home to students of all backgrounds. About 40% of the total student population are students that represent the Asian American and Asian international community according to the Asian American Cultural Center. To provide these students with a space to gather, the Asian American Cultural Center celebrates their shared cultures that reflect Asian American experiences at the University. David W. Chih, director of the cultural center, spoke to The Daily Illini via email about how students can help recognize and combat antiAsian racism. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Daily Illini: What could the University do to bring awareness to the Asian American community on campus? David Chih: We hope everyone will validate what has happened to Asian Americans recently and throughout the past 150 years of history. Naming what has been happening this past year to Asian Americans as racist is powerful because race

in this country is so often categorized as a BlackWhite issue. Denying the existence of anti-Asian and anti-Asian American racism further marginalizes Asian Americans and their concerns. We hope more people will learn about the history and experiences of Asian Americans. Asian Americans are often left out of the narrative of U.S. history and of race relation which contributes to our invisibility. DI: How can students help combat racism? DC: Develop greater racial empathy in part through learning more about Asian American history and current issues. Support people when they tell you about their experiences with racism. Speak out when they see injustice. Through our bystander intervention training, participants will learn how to raise awareness of what Asian Americans have faced in history, from microaggressions to violence to systemic racism. Further, participants will learn how to intervene safely the next time they witness anti-Asian harassment. DI: When faced with a situation of racism, how

should one react? DC: Please report all biasmotivated incidents that occur within our University community to the Bias Assessment and Response Team, bart.illinois.edu. To learn more about anti-Asian hate and to report incidents that occur anywhere, visit stopaapihate.org. DI: What additional information would you like students to takeaway from this story? DC: People have become emboldened by racist rhetoric and the use of “China virus” or “Kung flu” to refer to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people believe this has fueled antiAsian prejudice and bias this past year. However, anti-Asian xenophobia and scapegoating certainly is not new. We can easily trace systemic racism historically from the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, to the forced relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, to the 1982 murder of Vincent Chin by laid-off autoworkers, and nearly 20 years ago to the post-9/11 hate crimes against Middle Eastern and South Asian Americans. fhassan3@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID W. CHIH

David W. Chih, director of the Asian American Cultural Center, poses for a headshot. Chih spoke with a reporter from The Daily Illini about how people can help recognize and combat anti-Asian racism.

Urbana fencing club confronts COVID-19 challenges BY KAYLA MISH STAFF WRITER

Every summer, children gather at summer camps to play games, hone their sports skills or learn more about nature. When Liz Feller’s mom told her that she had to attend an athletic summer camp, she wasn’t thrilled. She much preferred reading books until she saw a flyer

The

that said something along the lines of, ‘Come Play with Swords!’ From then on, fencing became a huge part of her life. “Fencing is honestly one of the best things in my life as a sport and as a community,” Feller said. Feller has been fencing for 14 years and is a fencing coach at The Point Fencing Club & School in

Urbana. The club accepts all skill levels and can be a place to practice and meet new friends. Club Manager, Kelly Hill, said that it’s been hard for them during the pandemic. At first, they had to completely shut down and they have gone from about 60 members to 15. “We’re a membershipbased group so when people

are not fencing they’re not paying a membership and so there’s just no income,” Hill said. The club was able to get financial support from a former Illini Fencer and co-founder of the club, Michael Vitoux. Hill said that they are fol low i ng COV ID -19 guidelines by wearing masks, practicing outside

and opening back up slowly for their members, but like many other organizations, they are still struggling. While they have had to change a lot of logistical aspects of the club, Feller said besides having a bit of your vision obstructed by having a mask under your fencing mask, the sport adapts pretty well to the pandemic guidelines. They are hoping that things will start looking a little better in the summer, in terms of what they can do and in membership numbers. “We look forward to the rebuilding and rebooting happening gradually,” Hill said. In addition to the decrease in members, tournaments have been cancelled. Martin Bohn, president of the club, went into fencing with his son. He grew up in Germany and saw how a lot of people loved the sport and thought it would be a good father-son activity. Fencing is popular in Europe and the west and east coast of the United states, but not so much in the midwest. “Fencing is an outlet for me to exercise my body and that is very important because I really believe and I experienced that only through a healthy body there is a healthy mind,” Bohn said. While keeping his mind and body sharp, Bohn said

The

fencing taught him how to be in the present moment. When fencing, Bohn said all of his problems disappear and he becomes super focused on what is going on around him. He compared it to a chess game, where you have to be aware of everything going on at the same time. “You have to be in the moment if you want to be successful,” Bohn said. Bohn said he found himself doing online fencing classes when everything first shut down. He said the fencing community was really trying to stay strong and create a sense of normalcy. While fencing is physically demanding, Bohn loves the mental aspect of the sport: reacting fast, reading your opponent and making a move. “When you are on the strip and you have to compete with another person you try to dominate that person,” Bohn said. “You try to make the person make mistakes and try to move the person into a situation where they are not able to respond anymore. You also have to remember that the other person is trying to do the same thing to you.” Bohn said when everything comes together, fencing is a beautiful form of expression. “Fencing is a way of life,” Bohn said.

American Case Law

L aw 1 9 9 :

PHOTO COURTESY OF POINT FENCING CLUB

A multitude of fencing swords line the wall at the Point Fencing Club & School in Urbana, Illinois. The club has struggled since the beginning of the pandemic but hopes the summer will bring more members.

kmish2@dailyillini.com

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American Case Law

Earn 3 credit hours in our 2-week online summer course, designed to be an introduction to U.S. case law.

July 19-30, 2021 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. weekdays More info at law.illinois.edu/best-case

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Monday, April 19, 2021

Historic vote elects new representation BY FARRAH ANDERSON ASSISTANT LONGFORM EDITOR

A daughter of Nigerian immigrants sat in the middle of a circle of her classmates in her second-grade classroom. Small hands stroked her hair, which was in braids at the time. As the only Black student at an entirely white school in the suburbs of Chicago, for most of her life, Enoma Egiebor, now a sophomore in LAS, said she often felt like she had to represent the Black community. “It’s so tiring sometimes having to be like, ‘Oh, I have to be perfect because I’m the only one that looks like me here and if I mess up people will look at all Black people in a bad way,’” Egiebor said. Egiebor and her running mate, Nicole Arnold, sophomore in LAS, were recently elected Illinois Student Government president and vice president with 55% of the vote. They’ve now made ISG history as the first all-female and all-female-of-color ticket to win. However, their victory wasn’t met with the traditional

celebration because of the pandemic. Instead, Egiebor and Arnold said they instead found themselves screaming to each other on FaceTime. “It was a big moment for us and there was a lot of emotion,” Egiebor said. “After all of these odds against us, we still managed to win.” The odds Egiebor referred to were the fact that they are both women of color in the midst of heightened racial prejudice. Egiebor said representing so many identities during this hot-blooded time was a huge worry throughout the campaign. But after seeing they had won, she said she was relieved. “People have a lot of discriminatory thoughts so I thought that may play a factor,” Egiebor said. “But we ended up winning so I just felt relief.” Sophia Jandry, freshman in LAS and ISG senator, campaigned for Egiebor and Arnold’s campaign throughout March. As a Muslim woman, Jandry said she got involved with ISG because of the racial disparities she saw on campus.

“I realized that a lot of the time minorities and people of color aren’t treated with respect or given as many resources as they are promised,” Jandry said. Running on a platform built on diversity, equity and inclusion, Egiebor and Arnold said they have plans to improve the experience of students of color at the University. As a woman of color, Jandry said she believes that the representation of women of color in office shows that they will focus on the needs of students of color. “These women come from a place of understanding and represent some of our most marginalized groups on campus including Black, Asian and LGBTQ+ students,” Jandry said. “This is why I believe they will fight harder for marginalized communities and advocate more on behalf of them.” Preparing to take office April 21, vice president-elect Arnold said she thinks the biggest challenge will be proving to ISG that they are established leaders, that are also women.

“We need to be able to prove ourselves,” Arnold said. “And that’s not something that men usually have to think about.” While Egiebor was one of the only people of color at predominantly white institutions growing up, Arnold said her experience was the opposite. Arnold, a queer woman of color, grew up in a diverse community where it was rare for people to attend a school like the University. Arnold said the reason she and other students from her high school were able to attend the University was the announcement of the Illinois Commitment which guarantees free tuition for in-state students with family incomes under $67,100. To her, initiatives like that are an important step in allowing more students of color to have the opportunity to come to the University. “I want to see more people like me here,” Arnold said. “I want this to be a place where more people who are people of color can feel comfortable coming here and have the opportunity.” Although several allfemale candidates have run

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINOIS STUDENT ELECTIONS

Enoma Egiebor, sophomore in LAS, poses for a photo at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Egiebor and her running mate Nicole Arnold are the first all-female and allfemale-of-color duo to be elected Illinois Student Government president and vice president.

for student body president and vice president within the last few years, they were never elected. Now the first, Arnold, in tears, said she’s not sure why the student body chose them. However, she said their victory proves that progress is being made for students

of color to find leadership opportunities on campus. “It shows a lot about our progress as an institution,” A rnold said. “Maybe freshmen will come and see us in office and know that they can succeed.” farrah2@dailyillini.com

Lila Sharif illustrates history of anti-Asian violence BY FIZZA HASSAN STAFF WRITER

Recently, the University issued an official statement on ‘The rise of antiAsian violence across the nation’ condemning the recent attacks and resurgence of hate-bias against

Asian-Americans, while also acknowledging the need to stand in solidarity throughout testing times. Academic departments and RSOs have independently called out the misconduct and expressed their support for the community.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LILA SHARIF

Lila Sharif, assistant professor in LAS, spoke with a reporter from The Daily Illini about the ongoing rise in racially related hate crimes against the Asian and Asian-American communities.

Recently, Lila Sharif, assistant professor in LAS, met with The Daily Illini to talk about ongoing uprise in racial crimes against the Asian-American community. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Da ily Illini: How has anti-Asian violence been addressed by the community? Lila Sharif: Anti-Asian violence has long been addressed by Asian and Asian American communities. This is because anti-Asian violence is not new and does not operate in isolation from the ongoing realities and experiences of people of Asian descent as well as those who are perceived to be sex workers, perpetual foreigners, model minorities, terrorists, disposable labor, etc. The Asian American community, its leaders and allies, have addressed this latest expression of white supremacy and misogyny by publishing statements, creating workshops, facilitating forms of community care that do not rely on police and policing (who have historically served

systemic violence), protests, rallies, talking to news outlets, checking in with other community members and collaborating on critical work on anti-Asian violence contextualizing the violence as part of a legacy of settler colonialism, labour exploitation, white supremacy, material violence, patriarchy, imperial relations to Asian and other systemic factors and failures. This is not an “Asian problem” — this is a national problem that runs deep and connects to racist sexual violence, as well as class, gender, U.S. interventions abroad, colonialism, white supremacy and a whole host of other structural problems that promise more violence against people of color. As Dylan Rodríguez Cathy Schlund-Vials and Scott Kurashige of the American Studies Association stated, “Narratives of the Atlanta shootings as exceptional, individualized reactionary violence, as a ‘hate crime,’ fail to understand the complex, normalized linkages between sex worker criminalization,

anti-Asian state rhetoric, anti-black policing, urban gentrification and accelerating white nationalist mobilizations — among other things.” Rodriguez is absolutely correct, and we need to understand the response as part of this ongoing struggle. One example of the work being done in the fields of American Studies and Ethnic Studies is a curated collection of resources tentatively named “ASA living archive: Addressing AntiAsian, Anti-Sex Worker Violence.” DI: What are some underlying, unaddressed issues the Asian and Asian American community faces? LS: We cannot see this incident as isolated from the broader reality of racial violence. A lot of people have been quick to point out that anti-Asian violence has increased 150% as a result of the Trump administration, which blamed a global pandemic on Asians, especially Chinese folks. At the same time, there are many stories of racial violence that are fatal and ongoing that are not limited to individual instances, such as Rob-

ert Aaron Long’s targeted murders at three Atlantaarea spas that ultimately claimed the lives of eight people. These instances are also not “exceptional” in the sense that they do not occur in isolation. We have to do better collectively and there is a long way to go. DI: How have these issues started to aggravate? What is the instigation? LS: These issues have been present since the inception of the United States. I cannot offer justifications of why they occur, however, I can point to the fact that they do occur, and are systemic — not isolated incidents by crazed individuals having “bad days.” DI: In your view, how do these incidents grow and gain momentum? LS: Certainly, one can point to the upsurge in an audacious form of white supremacy wrought by Trump — however, these problems have always been present and require us to rethink “business as usual” as extremely violent and problematic. fhassan3@dailyillini.com

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ACROSS

1 Vehicles on snowcovered hills 6Watering place for a camel 11 Indoor animal 14 “The Fox and the Grapes” storyteller 15 Trick-taking card game 16 Messenger ___ 17 Large bird of prey with a brownishyellow neck 19 Suffix with cynic or skeptic 20 Pleased 21 Hombre 22 Pool stick 23 Make excited, as a crowd 26 Smooshed into compact layers 28 ___ carte (ordered separately) 29 Blue race in “Avatar” 31 Kind of pickle 32 ___ for tat 33 Actor Kevin whose last name shares four letters with his first 35 Eric Clapton hit that’s over seven minutes long 38 Light bulb unit 40Butchers’ offerings 42 Like tops and tales 43 Speak extemporaneously 45 Boringly proper 47 Conclude 48 Greek god of love 50 Away from the wind, nautically 51 It’s just a number, they say 52 Single, double and triple, on the diamond 55 Shows mercy to 57 Plant bristle 58 Poet’s “before”

35 41

45 49

26 29

19 21

42 46

PUZZLE BY PHILIP K. CHOW

59 Olla podrida, for one 60 Sheep’s cry 61 Where you can find a 17-Across perched on an 11-Down devouring a 25-Down 66 Noah’s construction 67 Opening remarks 68 One of the Allman Brothers 69 Envision 70 Valuable item 71 New York’s Memorial ___ Kettering Cancer Center

DOWN

1 Droop 2 Zodiac sign before Virgo 3 Course for some immigrants, in brief 4 Historic Kansas fort name

5 Explore caves 6 Like debts 7 “Bingo!” 8 Letter after rho 9 Cuba or Aruba 10 Sign maker’s pattern 11 Cactus with an edible fruit 12 Follow as a consequence 13 No longer feral 18 Incendiary bomb material 23 Formal ruling on a point of Islamic law 24 Trojan War epic poem 25 Venomous predator with a vibrating tail 26 They get smashed at parties 27 “Sadly …” 30 Strives for victory 34 And others: Abbr.

36 Sudden forward thrust 37 World’s longest continental mountain range 39 Lose stamina 41 Afternoon nap 44 European region that lent its name to a nonconforming lifestyle 46 “Could be …” 49 Ambulance sounds 52 Rum-soaked desserts 53 In the loop 54 Messages that sometimes contain emojis 56 Really, really bad 59 Get off ___-free 62 Fury 63 Philosopher ___-tzu 64 Get ___ on (ace) 65 Four-star officer: Abbr.

The crossword solution is in the Classified section.

MONDAY April 19, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

OPINIONS ‘Montero’ spotlights Christian intolerance MICKY HORSTMAN COLUMNIST

forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Religious scholars have debated the morality of homosexuality for centuries. Regardless of which side of the argument one falls on, there is no denying its prevalence throughout history. Scholars have identified some Christian saints that appear to be homosexuals, as well as historical figures such as Leonardo Di Vinci, Otto III and even Alexander the Great. Even Pope Francis made remarks that offered support for same-sex marriage in October 2020 before walking the comments back in March. Lil Nas X’s release of the song during Christian Holy Week intentionally sparked a heated dialogue that addresses the shifting environments. Christianity has always used fear-based tactics in discussing sexuality and desires — this video offers a satirical analysis of that phenomenon. Politicians, spiritual leaders and social media personalities alike stormed Twitter claiming the song promotes satanism, with Governor Kristi Noem declaring that Lil Nas X corrupts the childrens’ “God-given eternal soul.” Lil Nas X fittingly replied by saying, “do ur job!” The strategy of backlash and disapproval enacted by individuals opposed to the video has been ironically counterproductive. By drawing more attention to the video, these people promoted the song and propelled its chart rise. They also assume that Lil Nas X’s target group is young children, and while the artist hopes to set an example for LGBTQ+ youth, he has never catered his career as an explicit rap artist toward children. Additionally, there is controversy regarding the song’s international streaming. Many fans, the artist himself and his record company have reported that some countries have blocked access to the song on music applications. Billboard has denied these claims. Amidst the confusion, many are left wondering if the alleged suppression of the artist’s material is a result of his homosexually-charged content. Such an impediment of personal liberty should have the pro-free speech right up in arms — but instead, their hypocrisy is showing. Exposure to gay culture doesn’t equate to creating homosexuality — it only allows for individuals within that community to come closer to acceptance. Similarly, exposure to Katy Perry’s overtly heterosexual “California Girl” music video didn’t erase homosexual feelings for any gay viewers but rather amplified them. Christian parents and leaders need to have an open and supportive dialogue with their kids regarding sexuality. As a viewer, if one walks away from the video thinking “This is a sick promotion of satanism” and not “We should stop telling children they are going to end up in a boiling, infernal hellscape because of who they love,” they are a part of the problem. Until Christianity acknowledges basic human rights, artists like Lil Nas X are going to rightfully and rigorously fight to break down repressive and religious barriers.

il Nas X redefined gay culture within the music industry with his release of “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name).” The song debuted on the Billboard Top 100 and Rolling Stone Top 100, with 46.9 million streams during its first week. The music video, sitting at well over 100 million views on Youtube, has been the topic of heated debate by shining a light on the historic and current religious persecution members of the LGBTQ+ community endure. The artist rose to fame after his country-rap song “Old Town Road” spent nineteen weeks atop the Billboard Top 100, becoming the longest-running JONAH OZER THE DAILY ILLINI number-one song since the chart debuted in 1958. While topping the charts, Lil Nas X came out as a bottom — per his 2020 single “Holiday” — during Pride at the national level were ly more people recognize up packets etched into the Month 2019, becoming the CAMPUS also disoriented beneath this targeted violence and concrete. only artist to do so while SCOUT the campus tunnels these banded together? Even Although no one was having a number one. SATIRE last 17 years. From the Scout understands the sim- there to congratulate The music video for continued occupation ple yet effective universali- Scout, he’s fully aware “MONTERO (Call Me by eneath the interconin the Middle East to a ty of Black lives mattering. that Mrs. Scout’s smilYour Name)” is flooded nected tunnels of cam- stooge stumbling across Wait — this just in folks ing down from her pricey with historical and relipus and through the the White House, Scout’s … Scout’s sources reveal — yet worth it for the view gious references. Set in shattered Armory wincomforted that the players that, like all things pre/ and “granite” countertops three locations, each with dows, Scout rises. may change, but the game post-2004, incompetent — apartment. its own significance, Lil Ascending above the remains the same. whites strike again. Life is busy, and it Nas X tells a story that weathered — or possibly However, Scout’s utterly Whether formulating a requires a reliable, indehighlights Christian idecoffee-stained — sidewalks astounded by the sociredundant intervention to pendent investigator to ology and questions its of C-U, but not eclipsing etal camaraderie that build “peace in the Middle scour for the truth. Which- modern treatment of the frugally manufactured reacts to the police vioEast” — by way of tortuever rabbit hole or tunnel homosexuality. apartments as that would lence’s onslaught: espeous tanks and “shock and beneath campus it leads — The song’s critics have be a lease violation, Scout cially how everyone united awe” — or policing Amerithat may or may not make expressed concerns that returns from his somfor Eric Garner. Especially can streets, life beneath the Scout vanish for a decade the music video gloriber slumber since 2004. how everyone united for crude is dreadful. or two — Campus Scout is fies Satan. In actuality, Immediately upon return- Michael Brown. EspecialStill, since Scout’s home- on the hunt. the video challenges the ing, Scout is satisfied to see ly how everyone united for coming, hope prevails. With the help of trusted Christian norm that assothings haven’t changed too Tamir Rice. Especially how Scout’s astounded by the sources, Scout looks forciates sexual freedoms much. everyone united for Breon- campus’ vibrancy and ward to once again bringwith eternal suffering. Despite his antiquatna Taylor. Especially how breadth of life even amidst ing the University’s triThe first act, set in the ed age — 110 this fall, by everyone united for George a pandemic. Meanderumphs and tribulations Garden of Eden, depicts golly — Scout is presently Floyd… ing around the Six Pack, to the people: cool, calm both the story of original relieved to see a fellow Lost And now Daunte Wright? Scout couldn’t help but and collected. The search sin as well as symbolizes Generationer occupy 1600 Another innocent life was admire the luscious tree continues. Lil Nas X’s struggle with Pennsylvania Avenue. taken by the police? Good buds awaiting winter’s accepting his sexuality. Similarly, Scout’s pleasthing the C-U police aren’t retreat. Additionally, Scout Friend of Scout? Submit Lil Nas X fights his sexual antly surprised, if anylike the rest. Right … ? felt immense dignity when tips of any kind to: desires, which have manithing, to see that matters Well since ‘04, surepicking up tossed ketchopinions@dailyillini.com fested themselves as the snake, only to succumb to his urges and embrace his identity. During the Garden of Eden scene, a quote in Greek from Plato’s “Symposium” is inscribed on the Tree of Knowledge. The quote reads, “After the division of the two parts of man, each desired his other half.” “Symposium” tells an origin story of ancient Greece where bodies, some men-men, some womenwomen and others menwomen were separated. The story serves as a classic representation of multiple sexualities being mainstreamed. The second act portrays Lil Nas X as a Christian martyr stoned to death for his sexuality. As he ascends to “Heaven,” he is greeted by a winged figure representing the Greek figure Ganymede. In Greek lore, Ganymede’s beauty was so intense the god Zeus turned him into an eagle LANIE HIEBEL THE DAILY ILLINI and flew him to Olympus to A group of students play Spikeball on the Main Quad on April 3. The pandemic has negatively impacted many peoples’ mental be his cupbearer and lover. health. The ascension portrayed in the video acts as another his past year has firsthand from many But our frontline workspecifically to the frontaffirmation for Lil Nas X’s been tough. It has friends who are fronters need it the most. line workers, telling them sexual desire. been unpredictable, line workers how mental They will need to process that it is ok to seek help The final act is the most heartbreaking, stresshealth has been affected everything that they have for the mental stress and controversial. Described by ful and fearful due to the by this pandemic. People seen and gone through burnout they are expeboth Lil Nas X and social COVID-19 pandemic that have lost their jobs, lost this past year and find riencing. I hope that in a media as the #PoleDanceturned everyone’s life loved ones and had to put healthy ways to cope. time where we have been ToHell, the song concludes upside down. The people their lives on hold. These It is important that as a separated, we can come with the artist giving Satan a that may be able to under- things alone can affect community and a countogether and support lap dance before killing him. stand this the most are someone’s mental health try, we recognize this and those struggling with their As he approaches the throne our frontline health care negatively. Now imagine take away the stigma surmental health. After all of hell, Lil Nas X passes the workers. It is unarguable watching patient after rounding mental health. I they have done for us, we Latin phrase which transthat they have had one of patient, day after day, die hope that in my communeed to make sure they are lates to “They condemn the toughest years yet. from the COVID-19 virus. nity, I see more awaretaken care of as well. what they don’t underAs a graduate student The next crisis will be ness surrounding mental stand.” This phrase bears of social work, I am a the mental health crihealth and more commuRachel is a graduate student a striking resemblance to huge mental health advo- sis. People will need help nity resources. I hope that in Social Work. Jesus’s last words before Micky is a sophomore in LAS. cate. I have witnessed processing and healing. all communities reach out, opinions@dailyillini.com dying on the cross, “Father, mah10@dailyillini.com

Campus Scout escapes Armory tunnels

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS | opinions@dailyillini.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor.” The Daily Illini reserves the right to edit for length, libel, grammar and spelling errors, and Daily Illini style or to reject any contributions. Letters must be limited to 300 words. Contributions must be typed and include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must include their year in school and college.

MONDAY April 19, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

Illini prepare for first game under new coaching staff BY JOSH PIETSCH ASSISTANT ON-AIR EDITOR

The Illinois football team will get game experience for the first time since 2020 during its spring game Monday. With an almost entirely new coaching staff, position battles on both sides of the ball and newcomers hoping to make a difference, the Illini have a lot to look forward to Monday night. Arguably the most a nticipated matchup between two players right now is that of Brandon Peters and Isaiah Williams, the two quarterbacks battling for the starting spot. Bret Bielema hasn’t released the rosters for the two teams yet, which will basically be a depth chart of starters and backups, but the one certainty on the roster will be Peters and Williams on opposite teams. The quarterback room has four players with at least some starting experience, but offensive coordinator Tony Petersen has made it obvious that it’s a two-man race at this point. Peters and Williams both showed many bright spots last year, and two years ago in Peters’ case, but the one thing the two of them both have to work on is consistency. They’ll both get the opportunity to show how their games have evolved, and consistency will be something to look out for. The spring game doesn’t determine the starting roster for the regular season in any way, but this will be Illini fans’ first glance at whoever the starter may be come the fall. Another position group that hasn’t yet finalized its starters is arguably the strongest group on the team: the offensive line. Alex Palczewski, Doug Kramer and Vederian Lowe are pretty much lock-ins at this point at right tackle, center and left tackle, respectively, but the left and right guard spots seem to be up for grabs. There are a number of contenders for the two spots, but one guy that

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRETT MOORE/FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS

Redshirt freshman Isaiah Williams sprints down the field in a game against Rutgers Nov. 14. The Illinois football team will play its first spring game Monday with an almost completely new coaching staff and altered player positions.

people will have their eyes on is Julian Pearl. Pearl came in last season to play right tackle when Palczewski went down, and he received praise from Lovie Smith and his staff for the work he did last season when the team needed someone to step up. Offensive line coach Bart Miller has complimented Pearl’s athleticism and has hinted at him potentially earning a starting spot at one of the guard positions, though he’s been practicing a lot at right tackle with Palczewski still recovering from his injury. Blake Jeresaty, Alex Pihlstrom, Verdis Brown and Jordyn Slaughter are other contenders for the two open guard spots, with former FCS All-American Jeresaty another guy to watch out for as a potential favorite to earn

a starting role. One of the thinner spots on the roster at the moment is wide receiver after top target Josh Imatorbhebhe decided to forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the NFL Draft. After playing defensive back last year and being one of the highest recruits by Lovie Smith in five years, Marquez Beason has switched to wide receiver, and fans will get their first look at him in his new spot Monday night. The switch came as a surprise to many, as Beason was a very talented and highly recruited defensive back coming out of high school, but Beason and wide receivers coach George McDonald have spoken on the move and like Beason’s fit there. Donny Navarro and Brian

Hightower will also be looking to make strides and improve enough to be the team’s top targets in the fall. At tight end, Illinois has two talented players in Daniel Barker and Luke Ford. Barker caught significantly more passes last season than Ford and was one of the top targets for the quarterbacks all season long. Ford, though, could see more receptions in 2021. The spring game will be a good chance to see how Petersen plans to use Ford, as he was used mostly for blocking last season. Ford has tons of skill and could be a dangerous piece if he also can be used properly as a receiver. Defensively, the spring game will reveal a lot about two things: what scheme will be run and how the position adjustments are going for

certain guys. Defensive coordinator Ryan Walters has said multiple times that they’re not yet focused on one scheme in particular, but that they plan on mixing it up with a few. Walters has listed the “4-3”, “4-2-5” or a “3-4” as possibilities for schemes for next year. A little confusing to say the least, so Illini fans will get a true look at how the defense will shape up Monday night. The defense also saw a number of position changes. Owen Carney, Seth Coleman and Isaiah Gay all moved to outside linebacker from the defensive line, an unfamiliar spot for the trio. But Walters clearly sees potential at OLB in each of them. Carney, Coleman and Gay are all big, athletic guys that have a chance to thrive at

outside linebacker. However, Carney was an All-Big Ten Second Team inclusion at defensive end last season, so the position change came as a small surprise to some. Either way, Carney, along with Coleman and Gay, will be able to show off their skills at a new position for the first time Monday. The return of Jake Hansen at linebacker, a talented running back group and position changes at defensive back will be other fun things to look out for during the game. The game is set to begin at 7 p.m. Monday evening at Memorial Stadium and will be the final game-like feel for Illini fans before the season opener Aug. 28 against Nebraska. @Jpietsch14 pietsch3@dailyillini.com

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Team hits stride, defies expectations despite early tournament exit BY ANGELLE CORTES ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

It was a cold Thursday night April 8 when Illinois and Iowa met in the first regional round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini had beaten the Hawkeyes 3-0 earlier this year, and they had earned the No. 2 seed in the West division and were playing at home the same week of the Demirjian Park grand opening. Everything was looking

up for the Illini, but a golden goal in overtime by Hawkeye freshman Meike Ingles put their season to bed. A sudden end has the team looking ahead to summer training and the eventual fall season to not have that upset happen again. “It’s hard not to look at that last game and say disappointing in terms of what we were hoping for,” said head coach Janet Rayfield. “We didn’t play

our best on that last day, and that will sting for a while.” Regardless of the Illini getting knocked out of the tournament quickly, their postseason run doesn’t reflect what we saw during the season. After the regular season, Illinois finished tied for fifth with Indiana with a record of 6-4-1. The fifth-place finish was reminiscent of the 2018 season when it ended the season 6-5-0 and

in sixth place in the Big Ten. Usually, positions in the table are decided by points, but due to teams missing games due to COVID-19 issues, points per game was the marker. Prior to the season, the Big Ten preseason poll pegged the Illini in 10th place in the conference. The fifth-place finish bettered their 11th place finish in 2019; exceeding the Big Ten’s preseasons

expectations.

Matches

Illinois started off its season strong against Purdue and Iowa, winning 1-0 and 3-0, respectively. But Penn State and Wisconsin were up next, and they are some of the stronger teams in the Big Ten. Going against the previous Big Ten Tournament and Big Ten champions, it was going to be tough for Illinois, and

PHOTO COURTESY OF CRAIG PRESSMAN/FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS

Members of the Illinois women’s soccer team celebrate after their teammate scores a goal during the game against Ohio State March 21. The team finished the regular season with a 6-4-1 record.

they ended up losing 2-0 and 1-0, respectively. The following three games were against Minnesota, Indiana and Nebraska. The game against the Golden Gophers was the lowest point of the season, as the Illini failed to convert any shots on goal. The game ended scoreless thanks to Sami Sample blocking nine shots. Against Indiana, Illinois ended its scoring drought of three games after Eileen Murphy headed the ball into the goal after a cross from Aleah Treiterer. It wasn’t until the game against Nebraska when the Illinois offense began to turn things around. Kendra Pasquale got her second goal and first assist of the season against the Cornhuskers in the Illini’s 3-1 win. From that game on, Pasquale emerged as a frontrunner on the team, getting a goal in nearly every game. The last game of the season was Senior Day aga inst Ohio State. Emotions were high as the team was celebrating its seniors, and parents were in the stands for the first time since 2019. While Pasquale scored the first goal of the game, it wasn’t enough, as Ohio State came knocking and scored two goals in less than two minutes to seal the 2-1 win. The remaining three games were away at M ich iga n , M ich iga n State and Northwestern. Illinois got outmuscled by a powerful Michigan squad and lost 2-0. Against the Spartans and Wildcats, the theme was SEE REWIND | 3B

2B Monday, April 19, 2021

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

VOLLEYBALL

Cooney remains loyal to Illinois, returns for fifth year BY WES HOLLENBERG STAFF WRITER

When Megan Cooney committed to Illinois as a bleary-eyed sophomore in high school, she was an elite prospect committing to play for an equally elite coach, Kevin Hambly, a man who had turned the program into a powerhouse capable of making deep runs in the NCAA tournament year after year. But before she had even arrived on campus, Hambly had leveraged his success into a new head coaching job at Stanford and left Illinois with a vacancy at the helm. At the time, Cooney was left in a flurry of confusion and unanswered questions as Illinois attempted to find a strong replacement as quickly as possible. Eventually, Illinois landed on Chris Tamas to fill the void, and one of the first things he did on the job was call Cooney. “It was just a sigh of relief when Chris was hired and he brought on his staff,” Cooney said. “(After) the first phone call, (I knew) I trusted him. I decided I really like this coach; I want to play for him.” Once that trust was established, Cooney got to work. Nonchalantly, she seized a starting spot the second week of her freshman year on a roster stocked with All-Americans and depth at every position. From that point on, the 6-foot-4-inch hitter started almost every match she played in and has been a mainstay of Illinois’ offense. Since Tamas made that decision to start Cooney in the 2017 season, results have followed. “We were not seeded heading into the tournament in 2017, and we knocked off Washington on their home floor to make the round of 16,” Tamas said. “That (following) summer, everyone was on a mission, and (Cooney) was a big part of that. She was very strong

for us on the right side. Bigtime blocker on the right. She was very efficient as an attacker in a position in demand.” Since her freshman year, Illinois has made the tournament two more times, including a run to the Final Four in 2018. This past season, however, the Illini went a dismal 7-11 and missed the tournament for the first time in Cooney’s career. There are plenty of reasons for the subpar finish—the year was affected by COVID-19 complications, the team faced one of the toughest schedules in the nation and they lost redshirt freshman Ellie Holzman, who was expected to have a breakout season, to a torn ACL two weeks into the season — but the fall from having tournament expectations to enduring a 10-match losing streak was disappointing for everyone. As the toughest season of her collegiate career neared its close, Cooney had a decision on her hands. The NCAA was allowing an extra year of eligibility for athletes that competed this season, so if Cooney wanted, she could come back and compete for a fifth year. Four years after finding out she’d be playing for a different coaching staff than the one she committed to, Cooney was given something truly rare in life: an opportunity at a redo. If she opted to come back next season, Cooney would get to play for exactly who she’d committed for in Tamas and his coaching staff. In doing so, she’d be doing more than just playing an extra season of volleyball; a commitment to come back to Illinois would also be an affirmation that the past four years had been worth it. Though Tamas wasn’t the coach she’d committed to in 2014, a decision to return would be as close as she could get a new commitment

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY WESTRAND/FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS

Senior Megan Cooney spikes the ball during competition. Cooney will return next year for a fifth season with Illinois volleyball.

to him in 2021. Ultimately, the decision for Cooney was relatively simple and came down to getting into Illinois’ graduate school for speech and hearing sciences to study her passion in speech pathology. Fortunately, she got in a few weeks ago, and she will now get one last chance to make a run next season. “ Not ma k ing the tournament this season is not how we wanted to end the season,” Cooney said. “I think it’s about getting another chance to show what our team is about and have

a great season. I think this team has a lot of potential, so I’m really excited to get back in and work with everyone this summer and continue to grow and show all the talent that we have on this team. “I’m excited to get another shot to play with the same girls again and prove ourselves this next season.” Now entering her fifth season as an Illini, Cooney has experienced just about everything college volleyball has to offer, making her an invaluable asset as a leader on the team. Teammates often come to her for advice and rave about her rare calm

disposition in a sport full of intense emotions. “We have weekly team meetings, and she’s one that often speaks up,” Tamas said. “She’s not going to talk for the sake of talking. She’s going to speak with meaning, both out of experience and out of care for the team. You look for that in anyone, not just your seniors, but especially having all that experience behind her goes a long way. The team really listens to her.” Cooney ’s return is undeniably helpful for Illinois from a volleyball

perspective, but it might be even better for them from a coaching sense. Tamas has yet to coach a match at Illinois without Cooney on the roster, and at this point, she’s a piece of the team’s soul. This past season was a far cry from success, but with some momentum to end the season and an extra year of eligibility, Cooney has an opportunity to flip the script and have a storybook ending to her Illinois career. All she has to do now is take it. @WesHollenberg wih2@dailyillini.com

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Monday, April 19, 2021

FOOTBALL

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Illinois head coach Brett Bielema directs his players during Spring practice on March 23. Bielema has now completed 12 spring practices, with the spring game scheduled for Monday.

Illinois welcomes fans, family back to Memorial Stadium BY GABBY HAJDUK STAFF WRITER

Bret Bielema hasn’t had much time to soak in his new home of Champaign. On top of COVID-19 restrictions inhibiting everyone’s daily activities in the community, Bielema has been working nearly 24/7 the last four months to revive a dying Illinois football program. And in the little free time he does have, Bielema uses it to bond with his wife and two daughters, especially on Fridays when he gets out of the office a little earlier to pick up his girls from daycare. With the weather finally breaking in the midwest, Bielema took Briella and Brexli to the park Friday for some quality daddy-daughter time, rare moments he cherishes the most. While sitting on the

FROM 1B

REWIND

game-winning goals. Both games were in a deadlock, and the Illini were the team to break it. A goal in the 84th minute by Makena Silber got them the 2-1 win against Michigan State. Pasquale was speeding down the left flank and sent a cross into the box, Summer Garrison pulling her defender to the front post and Silber converted a wide-open, onetouch shot. During the in-state rivalry against Northwestern, this time it was Silber who was running down the right flank and sent in a cross. Bouncing off a couple players in the penalty area, the ball fell to Garrison, who passed it right to Pasquale, sending the ball off her left boot into the back of the net with one minute and 13 seconds left in the game. In the postseason, the Big Ten Tournament was different than in most years. Usually, the teams who finish in the top eight advance to the tournament. This year, however, all fourteen teams were invited and played in elimination games over two weeks. The fourteen teams were split based on divisional alignment, and Illinois earned the No. 2 seed in the West division. As one of the four hosts for the regional weekend, No. 2 Illinois went against 7-seed Iowa. Unfortunately for Illinois, its first tournament appearance since 2018 ended quickly, as it lost 2-1 in overtime. Kennedy Berschel’s goal was not enough for the Illini to advance in the tournament.

swings, deciding whether to move to the jungle gym or the balance beams next, Bielema was approached by a gentleman who snapped Bielema back to the reality of working in a college environment. The man, who was happy to see Bielema as the new Illinois head coach, expressed his excitement for Monday’s Orange and Blue spring game, saying, “I can’t wait to get in there Monday night; it’s been a long time,” referring to Memorial Stadium. “It took me back to being in a community and being a normal person in this community,” Bielema said. “And also the outreach we will have. It’s the first time we’ll have people in Memorial Stadium in a long time. It’s the first time the community has been able to

see this new edition of what we are at the University of Illinois. I know there’s a lot of excitement and for that I’m excited.” On Monday, the Illini football head coach will get the opportunity to embrace even more of the Champaign community for the first time while showing off the progress he’s made with a struggling Illinois program with the spring game, which will allow for about 7,500 Illini fans and family of student athletes. While there’s plenty of excitement surrounding the new staff, Bielema is more excited for his team to play in front of their families for the first time in over a year and get a real look at each player’s in-game potential. The majority of power-five teams played their spring

games over the weekend, giving the Illini a chance to headline the Big Ten Network Monday night. “I think they’re excited to be in front of their family and friends,” Bielema said. “I just think there’s a certain element to you as a player that you know your parents are going to be there; your family, your friends, you’re being watched on national TV, is gonna bring you a little juice. I think we’ll see a good, active frenzy on Monday night, and we’ll play within our mind and play a safe, effective ball game and see where we stand.” The game will feature an orange team — the group Bielema feels would be starters as of now — and the blue team — the backups. It will be mostly a traditional football game in terms of

scoring, but scores for the blue team will count as double the points. There will be no live kicking situations, but after the first and third quarters there will be rapid fire field goals — the execution of six field goals as quickly as possible. Having completed 12 spring practices now, Bielema and his staff have seen growth from the entire team, not just from a football and physicality standpoint, but also by the way the guys approach practices and recovery. Now, Bielema is ready to see the strides his team and each position coach has made when it comes to the new schemes and goals. While the staff won’t get too caught up in the final score or some of the miniscule stats, Bielema does need to see his new

team compete at a high level and minimize controllable mistakes. “I’ve been preaching to our guys quite a bit … before you can win a game you’ve got to stop losing it,” Bielema said. “The three easiest ways to lose a game are through turnovers, mental errors and penalties. So if we can be positive in that area and we can not turn the ball over offensively, create some turnover defensively, which is a tough situation when you’re playing each other. But if we can have few to no penalties and few to no mental errors, if we can make that step and show that we can execute and put ourselves in position to win a game, then we’re going in the right direction.”

up her team in a 3-5-2 formation, but this season we saw it change from a 4-51 and eventually a 4-4-2. Why the change? It suited the team better, especially the defense, having four at the back rather than the typical three. “The group we have right now is most effective in a four back if you look at, especially our outside backs,” Rayfield said. “If you put Ashley Cathro in a three back, you take away her attacking abilities she provides, but yet you want her defensive ability in the back line. “Similar to Lauren Stibich or Summer Garrison, who played there (against Iowa). It really does allow our outside backs to kind of have the attacking mentality that they have right now. I think when you play in a three back, those three have to have certain characteristics and qualities, and I think this system fits the personnel we have.” From there, Rayfield says you have to look at your attacking six and figure out what will complement the outside backs to get them into the attack. The ultimate decision was to use one forward up top, but the challenge with that is how do you get numbers forward in the attack. Later on, it finalized to two up front and four in the midfield to have more players going up and targets to look for.

and defend to block a shot or steal a ball off the opposing team. Sample finished the season with four shutouts, first in the Big Ten with 56 saves, a College Soccer News Player of the Week award and a Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week honor in her first season as the starting keeper. Following in the footsteps of Jaelyn Cunningham, Sample had big shoes to fill, and she did just that. She was a brick wall in goal at times and helped the Illini throughout the season. Hope Breslin finished the season with no goals and only one assist. Arguably the best player for the Illini, but that clearly didn’t show up in the stats sheet.

Regardless, the skillful midfielder dribbled past defenders and made her presence known in the midfield. Getting bodied in every single game, she was knocked down a lot, but none of it had any effect on her. Though no goals were credited to her name, she took her chances when she could but was unlucky. Silber was a clutch player for the Illini. All three goals scored from her were gamewinners that proved crucial, especially in the game against Michigan State. Also named to the All-Big Ten Third Team, Silber showed grit on the field. With the endless amount of fouls from the Spartans on Silber, it didn’t stop her. By the end of the game, she

ended up getting the gamewinning goal. Honorable Mentions Eileen Murphy’s head. She got two goals off her head and leapt over her marker to get the goals. She nearly got a third against Northwestern and had more chances to get something off her head. Joanna Verzosa-Dolezal. The only freshman to start and play every single minute is a huge accomplishment. As the other center back with Treiterer, she had a presence in the back line. Though the youngest on an already young defense, Ver zosa-Doleza l ha s stepped up on the field as a vocal leader. Her work this season earned her a spot on the All-Big Ten Freshman

Team. The bench. W hen games were intense and close, the bench was there to cheer and motivate the players on the field. On Senior Day when Kendra Pasquale was playing her best, the bench was exuberant. Every time she touched the ball, made a tackle or had a good play, the bench was cheering her on. While that’s only one game, there are plenty of other games where the bench could be heard from far away. Main credits are to Elizabeth Cablk, Katie Le and Zoey Kollhoff, who kept the cheering, dancing and screaming going.

Key Players

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Pasquale was one of the best players for the Illini this season. The All-Big Ten Third Team inclusion was the team’s top goal scorer, and the fast and crafty midfielder got herself out of several sticky situations. While we saw a lot of her Formation going up the field, she also PHOTO COURTESY OF CRAIG PRESSMAN/FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS Rayfield usually lines had the ability to come back Senior Hope Breslin battles for control of the ball during the game against Ohio State March 21.

4B Monday, April 19, 2021

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Monday, April 19, 2021

buzz calendar

Justice Hill debuts indie album BY RAINA KUTLIROFF STAFF WRITER

As a Michigan native and up-and-coming musician, Justice Hill has long awaited the release of his well-deserved debut album, “Room With a View,” which comes out on April 20. After losing a close friend and mentor and living out of his car only a short seven years ago, Hill knew he needed to make a change for himself and his career. He moved to Chicago to care for his grandmother while working as a bartender to buy his own instruments. This is exactly what Hill proceeded to accomplish. While writing his album, Hill never ceased his writing, even after receiving the soul-crushing news that his grandmother had passed away. Between his deep personal life and the COVID-19 pandemic, Hill felt that he needed to escape from his own world and enter his well-known world of music. “At that moment I just tried to escape myself and to find a room where I could look out and see everything, to try and see all the paths, the cause and effect of everything in my web,” Hill said. During the pandemic, Hill spent most of his time in his bedroom alone, only comforted by the sounds of his instruments and creative mind. While he was frustrated with the pandemic at first, Hill still ultimately completed his masterpiece that is “Room With a View.” “I honestly don’t think I would have finished it by now if not for the existential dread of last year, but I’ve learned by now that that’s how life works,” he said. Hill’s soulful, baritone voice floats over the album’s mixture of pop, indie-alternative, electronic and rap notes. His master piano skills are showcased along with his balance of electronic programming. Hill works closely with the band Eshé

BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR

The buzz calendar is a compilation of events happening in the Champaign-Urbana area. Follow our top picks in Monday’s and Thursday’s papers for ideas on what to do on any night of the week, from where to eat to what to watch. Want to submit an event? Email calendar@readbuzz.com.

MONDAY, APRIL 19

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21ST

Illini Football – Orange and Blue Spring Game

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUIET PTERODACTYL NFP, INC.

Justice Hill’s debut album called “Room With a View” is shown above. Hill wrote the album which will be released April 20, during the pandemic as he overcame feelings of loss.

All Day Hues on the album after he met Eshé in 2017. The album also features vocalists such as Swäm, guitarists such as Rob Campbell, Charles Corley and Noah Gitlis, saxophonist José Guadalupe and bassist Conor Roe. All of these creative minds worked closely together to create several versions of “Room With View” until the near-perfect version was finalized. Fans of Frank Ocean, Digable Planets, Vanilla and Clams Casino will find similar sounds in Hill’s debut album. The release of the album follows the single, “Outta This,” released in early March of this year also featuring Eshé. The album starts with “Enter,” a well-constructed piece that introduces listeners to Hill’s versatile high and low tones of his sweet, smooth vocals, along with the use of other electronic instruments and sound effects. The second track of this album features an Eshé All Day Hues and Justice Hill duet, “Outta This.” The two voices blend to create a near-flawless track. “Empa-

thy Machine” allows fans to listen to a more emotional Hill singing about a lost love. “Missing Room’’ highlights Hill’s impeccable piano skills played over a Bon Iver similar-sounding hallucinating vocal tone. “Without Them,” a personal favorite, features a rhythm and blues sound over vibrant techno dance music and an extremely catchy chorus. “Takeout,” featuring Swäm, will be stuck in listeners’ heads as Hill and Swäm sing about eating takeout versus making out. Hill ends his long-awaited album with “Coming Down,” a piece that beautifully concludes his thoughts. Justice Hill is a promising young artist with hopes to surprise listeners with his unique sounds and soulful baritone. His musical journey has been intense, though it’s only just beginning. “I couldn’t finish ‘Room With a View’ until I was forced to find one for myself,” Hill said.

 7 p.m.-9 p.m.  Memorial Stadium  Free, registration required The University of Illinois has announced it will allow limited fans to attend the Orange and Blue Spring Football game on Monday, April 19. Game time is set for 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. The 2020-2021 Illinois men’s basketball team will also be honored in a ceremony at halftime and will feature the unveiling of the Big Ten Tournament championship banner. The event is free, but reserved seating tickets can be claimed on FightingIllini.com while supplies last.

YWCA of the University of Illinois Stand Against Racism Campaign

 Noon -4:00 p.m.  Online event on Facebook  Free The YWCA of the University of Illinois is holding a series of online presentations during April 19-22, joining YWCA’s across the country in the Stand Against Racism campaign, “Racism is a Public Health Crisis” and its call to action for local communities. The series will include four days of brief, virtual presentations and reflections on the theme of racism and its relationship to public health, drawing on examples from Champaign-Urbana. All talks can be viewed on the YWCA of the University of Illinois Facebook page: @ ywcauofi

Connecting You with Nature – Virtual Hikes

 Noon-1 p.m.  Virtual event hosted by Urbana Park District  Free Join staff from the Anita Purves Nature Center during these virtual hikes through district natural areas. Explore the plants, animals and unique natural history of each unique and beautiful preserve. These programs are a great way to learn about nearby nature before visiting on your own. To watch, find the Anita Purves Nature Center on Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/APnaturecenter.

Lunchtime Live Storytelling

 1:15 p.m -1:45 p.m.  Virtual event hosted by Spurlock Museum  Free Take a soothing lunch break and join Kim Sheahan Sanford, the assistant director of education and resident storyteller, for family-friendly stories from around the world.

Silk road and World Music

 4 p.m.-5 p.m.  Virtual event hosted by Ascending Aesthetic  Free, registration required Tour the Museum for ‘Silk Road’ related Cultural clues with Beth Watkins. Enjoy soulful music from C-U Cultural members Tania Coambs, Augusto Espíritu, Maria Cardoso, Naznine Agassi and SPIC MACAY.

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buzz

Julian Gollop of ‘Phoenix Point’ gives gameplay advice BY AIDAN FINN STAFF WRITER

The Extraterrestrial Combat Unit formula, at least where it stands, is a rare example of a subgenre that hasn’t run itself into the ground. I remember the mid-Xbox 360 days, a time when I was distracted by the likes of Sonic Generations. I vividly remember visiting an older cousin of mine and finding his room a holy shrine to Call of Duty with “World at War” posters, discarded bottles of Dr. Pepper and a mountain of 360 game cases younger me couldn’t spell. It was an era where every game was a brown and grey military firstperson shooter, most running on Unreal Engine 3. It seemingly burnt itself out with the advent of the eighth generation, but with the reboot of the XCOM series in 2012’s “XCOM: Enemy Unknown,” the turn-based strategy formula has seen a boom with tons of original and great titles the likes of “Hard West” and “Rebel Cops.” Even big AAA titles take the subgenre for a spin with “Gears Tactics.” But go all the way back to the ‘90s and one game stood out, that being the origin of the XCOM series with the 1994 classic PC title “X-COM: UFO Defense.” Designed by Julian Gollop, the series would be expanded and essentially be the catalyst for the signature style of strategy game. Now, he’s back with “Phoenix Point,” a new strategy game that sets out to

bring a spin on the subgenre and provide a fun, familiar experience. Buzz had the opportunity to speak with Julian and his team at Snapshot Games about the title, what drove him to pursue such and tips to ease the transition into the game’s high difficulty curve. buzz: What was the driving force that made you want to make “Phoenix Point?” Julian Gollop: I have wanted to revisit the basic idea of XCOM since I finished “X-Com: Apocalypse” in 1997. In fact, we did work on a spiritual successor called “The Dreamland Chronicles,” but we were not able to finish it. Also, the fact that the new XCOM games reinvigorated the “turn-based tactical” genre made it more possible to make “Phoenix Point.” buzz: We have spoken with many developers about what advice they would give to college students looking to enter the gaming industry. What advice would you give? JG: My strongest advice is to make simple games and iterate on them since game development is a creating process, and you learn most by creating. If you don’t have all the skills needed to make a playable game, team up with someone else. Having demonstrable, playable games in your portfolio is invaluable for convincing potential employers that you understand something about game development. The development team of

“Phoenix Point” would elaborate on the title. buzz: How would you describe “Phoenix Point” to someone unfamiliar with it? Snapshot Games: “Phoenix Point” is a turn-based tactical strategy game that puts players in the midst of a desperate fight to take back the earth from a mutating, alien menace. As the leader of the Phoenix organization, players must research and develop new technologies, build bases and forge diplomatic ties with other surviving factions, and explore and reclaim a ravaged globe. But with an evolving threat at your heels, victory is not easily won! buzz: Given there are many titles emulating the XCOM formula of strategy gameplay, what unique aspects of “Phoenix Point” do you believe make it stand out? SG: There are quite a few features in “Phoenix Point” that we believe differentiate us from other strategy titles. In particular, our Free Aim system allows tacticallyminded players the ability to counter enemies by targeting body parts that disable their abilities. Coupling that with our realistic ballistics, where every bullet is physically calculated and you’ll find that “Phoenix Point” takes a lot of the random chance out of games of this type. And you’ll need that advantage as our creepy creatures are no pushovers! Also, as time continues

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEAM

A screenshot of the videogame “Phoenix Point” is pictured above. Julian Gollop, one of the game’s creators, answered questions about the title.

to run out, players simply can’t do everything and save everyone, allowing multiple paths to victory with different unique endings. No one game will ever play the same. buzz: I was shocked by how many aspects the player had to juggle on top of the familiar turn-based combat. What tips would you like to share with players struggling with the difficulty curve? SG: While we offer different difficulty levels to cater to casual and more seasoned players, here are some simple tips for players in the first half of the game as well: Explore the area around your initial base for new rewards and missions before expanding to other bases.

There are often some easy resources or positive diplomatic events that can come from this to give you a leg up. Always be doing something. The only time your aircraft and soldiers should be idle is when they’re in need of some R&R. Otherwise, be exploring points of interest, defending havens or destroying Pandoran colonies or even trading with the different factions. On the Geoscape level, always have Research running and be spinning up new bases with additional facilities to help scan or expand your domain. Conversely, don’t manufacture items you don’t intend to use. Yes, you can scrap them, but the time investment is always

better spent on essential gear for your new recruits. Short of save-scumming, slow and steady is the best course of action on many tactical missions. Through careful use of overwatch, you should be able to counter most early threats … but always come prepared with extra ammunition and medkits. We also encourage new players to check out our early game strategies video we shared on our YouTube channel, or visit our Discord channel to chat with other players about their strategies! “Phoenix Point” is available on PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. aidanf3@readbuzz.com

Polyvinyl supports artists with independent, DIY mentality BY SYDNEY WOOD BUZZ ASSISTANT EDITOR

In 1994, Polyvinyl Record Co. planted its roots in Champaign. Almost 30 years later, the record label has spread across the country and prides itself on its friendly relationship with artists and Midwestern origins. Polyvinyl’s Operations Director Chris Hassen began working with the team as an intern in 2008 before he began working full time doing order fulfillment. He oversees the production department and online sales, including the manufacturing of vinyls, CDs, cassette tapes and other

merchandise. Hassen said Polyvinyl’s tight-knit staff has always worked closely together despite being spread out across different cities throughout the country. When COVID-19 hit, the staff was already accustomed to a portion of staff members working remotely, so they had a preexisting set-up to facilitate the transition from in-person to remote working. For the majority of last year, Polyvinyl had a small staff working in the warehouse to receive shipments and send out online orders. Hassen said Polyvinyl’s Champaign-based

staff returned to the office earlier this month to resume inperson working after receiving their vaccinations. Hassen said it’s been challenging to help artists remain active in the music industry after last year’s tour dates, music fests and promotional events were repeatedly rescheduled and ultimately canceled. He said it was difficult to navigate these challenges because every band on the label was experiencing the same circumstances all at the same time. Because artists could no longer interact and connect with their audiences via in-

PHOTO COURTESY OF POLYVINYL

The Polyvinyl record label office sits quietly at 717 S. Neil St. in Champaign. Operations Director Chris Hassen and his team have worked toward supporting artists in the midst of the pandemic with a humble mentality.

person shows, Polyvinyl had to figure out how to support artists at a time when the number of options available was incredibly limited. Hassen said Polyvinyl helped artists create merchandise and schedule livestreams to keep revenue coming in. Polyvinyl also had issues with factory closures that delayed the label’s merchandise output, so Hassen and Polyvinyl’s staff have run into problems where certain products aren’t available because of shortages and other supplychain issues. He said there’s been an uptick in Polyvinyl’s online vinyl sales over the past year, which means the label must re-press records in larger quantities, leading to more and more orders being sent to the manufacturing plants. Poly v inyl recently reopened its demos submissions portal for artists to submit their music. Hassen said the label briefly closed its demos inbox due to the heavy influx of submissions it was receiving, but it didn’t want to exclude artists from submitting their music. “Over the past year or so, we’ve had some internal conversations about wanting to make sure that we’re not closing ourselves off to any oppor-

tunities or preventing people that want to have their music heard by us from being able to have that chance,” he said. For a long time, Polyvinyl depended on prior connections with bands and booking agents to locate new artists, but by reopening its demo submissions, the label hopes to become less reliant on this method. “We really work closely together with the bands and their teams to make sure that everybody’s happy with how things are represented,” he said. “We’ve put out a lot of records from a wide range of people and genres. We definitely want to continue to be as diverse as possible.” Polyvinyl embraces its humble, hard-working Midwestern roots and its independent, do-it-yourself mentality. Hassen said Polyvinyl’s Midwestern roots are reflected in the positive, close relationship the label has with its artists. “We try to have really closeknit relationships with our bands and the different artists and musicians on the label,” he said. “We feel like our DIY mentality comes into play in the sense that whatever the artist requests, we do our best to make it happen.” Polyvinyl prides itself on its hand-in-hand partner-

ship with artists, and the label’s independent origins allow artists to retain their creative freedom and control while guiding them on the path to success. Hassen said Polyvinyl isn’t restricted by a concrete set of guidelines, so the label can tailor new releases, market campaigns, record artwork and other elements around what the artists want. “If an artist comes to us and they want to do something that’s a little more unorthodox or outside the box, then we’re definitely willing to entertain those things and see what we could do to make them happen whenever possible,” he said. Hassen said Polyvinyl provides a stable, helpful infrastructure to help artists achieve their goals. He said the label is a valuable asset for artists because of its knowledgeable, passionate staff who have experienced many different releases and situations. “It’s kind of like instantly having this entire team of people working on your behalf,” he said “I think through that, you’re able to just kind of naturally accomplish a lot more than what a band could do only by themselves.” swood2@readbuzz.com

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