The Daily Illini Vol. 150 Issue 42 March 22 by The Daily Illini

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MONDAY March 22, 2021

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Vol. 150 Issue 42

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A University police officer pulls away from a scene after responding to a call on Oct. 8. The University of Illinois Police Department plans on hiring a social worker to assist with mental health concerns on the job.

UI Police seek social workers: Faculty expresses concerns BY VIVIAN LA ASSISTANT DAYTIME EDITOR

The University of Illinois Police Department is looking to hire a new social worker as a part of their plan to increase mental health services, much to the concern of faculty and students. This concern comes from members of the Working Group for Public Safety, Policing and the Justice System, a task force that discusses the role of police on campus. The task force is made up of various faculty, experts, law enforcement officials and one student.

Lack of hiring transparency claims

A. Naomi Paik, task force member and associate professor in LAS, said she heard “through the grapevine” about UIPD trying to hire a second social worker for mental health crisis calls. Rather than finding out about it from UIPD directly, Paik said she heard from a faculty member who heard it from someone else. “ Without tra nspa rent information from the UIPD, there’s no accountability,” Paik said. “We have been consistently asking in writing and in every single meeting for transparency

about these issues.” Chief Alice Cary, task force member, said the UIPD isn’t “hiding any information whatsoever,” and that it takes time to gather information to communicate to the public. A posting for a “crisis counselor,” UIPD’s title for the social workers, was added on March 1 and closed on Monday. Lieutenant Aaron Landers, head of the UIPD Community Outreach and Support Team that oversees the social workers and mental health initiatives, said they have only received two applications

which is “uncommon.” The team plans to take the job posting down and edit it to get a better response, Landers said. Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Sean Garrick said in an email that he is aware of transparency concerns and is working to ensure that information requests are received. “Data is critical for members of the working group to fully understand the landscape, as well as determine what changes could be made and the impacts of those changes,” Garrick said.

University creates energy reduction plan

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The Abbott Power Plant stands at 1117 S. Oak St. in Champaign on Saturday. The University plans to reduce energy usage by converting to renewable energy sources. BY ALEX CHANG CONTRIBUTING WRITER

facility delegated to Prairieland Energy Inc., a subsidiary corporation of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. Prairieland Energy and Sol Systems are partnered for the construction of the site. Another possible energy generation strategy in the plan is the installation of a micronuclear reactor for experimental use and as a trial for research experiments. The plan notes that “small-scale nuclear reactors showed promise with regards to providing reliable power with low environmental impact.” Currently, “there are several faculty in the Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering Department on the U of I campus that are moving forward with an effort” to get approval for the reactor, according to Attalla. alexrc2@dailyillini.com

The aim of the REACH team is to connect students to long-term health care services, Cary said, but faculty and students have concerns about the department taking away resources from other areas of campus. “We’d eventually like to get an overall vision of having someone respond to these calls for service, but in the interim, these calls keep coming in and we keep responding,” Cary said. Patrick Wade, UIPD senior director of Com-

ASSISTANT DAYTIME EDITOR

As the campus election season comes to a close, this year’s candidates for student trustee all hope to address the lack of communication between University students and the UI System’s board of trustees. The student trustee serves as the main point of contact between the board and the student body and is responsible for hearing student concerns then communicating them with the board. “The key to a student trustee is making sure we listen to the voice of students,” said Alexis Perezchica, student trustee candidate and junior in LAS. St i l l, t he st udent trustee candidates believe there is some form of disconnect between the board

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of trustees and the student body which they hope to bridge. Adrian Wong, student trustee candidate and graduate student, seeks to establish better two-way communication between the board and different University campus groups. To do this, Wong hopes to work together with different stakeholders on campus and hold “town halls” in order to form a more cohesive plan to present to the board. “Right now, I see a lot of organizations and a lot of micro and macro communities not talking with each other enough,” Wong said. “So they’re not able to build the amount of momentum and synergy that would be required to make effective

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A recent Massmail highlighted the University’s commitment toward reducing the environmental impact on campus, the main goal being a 50% reduction in energy consumption campus-wide. The key to this plan is the increased expansion of renewable energy sources, continued upgrades to heating, cooling

and power generation facility efficiency, as well as a focus on reducing electricity usage for high-impact areas such as residence halls and labs. Two major renewable sources are outlined in the plan: construction of Solar Farm 2.0 and continued annual purchase of 25,000 (megawatt-hours) of wind power from the Rail Splitter Wind Farm located in Lincoln,

Illinois. One of the biggest takeaways is the proposed $20.1 million Solar Farm 2.0, the next iteration of the University’s continued development of solar power. According to Dr. Mohamed Attalla, director of Facilities and Services, “Solar Farm 2.0 accomplishes an objective in the 2015 Illinois Climate Action Plan – to generate at least 25,000-MWh per year from solar on campus.” This solar farm is planned to occupy 54 acres, generating approximately 20,000 MWh annually. “Once completed, the University of Illinois will be the third-largest user of renewable power produced on campus for all higher education facilities in the entire country,” Attalla said. Solar Farm 2.0 is a key step in reducing the net energy consumption for the University, with the operation of the

munications, said creating these mental health teams was not something discussed prior to Chief Cary’s arrival in July. “They were things that Chief Cary had implemented successfully at her previous departments, and so they were at the top of her priority list,” Wade said in an email. For some students, it’s concerning to hear that the police budget is expanding instead of investing in the community. “It ’s already widely known that our mental health services are over-

Faculty and students concerned by UIPD mental health model

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• Burglary from a motor vehicle was reported on the 1800 block of Cypress Drive around 12:30 a.m. on Monday. According to the report, a subject’s unlocked car was entered and a change jar worth $10 was stolen. • Theft was reported on the 200 block of North County Fair Drive around 9:10 p.m. on Sun-

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day. According to the report, a manager at Texas Roadhouse reported a theft of meat from the restaurant.

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East Main Street around 10:45 a.m. on Thursday. According to the report, a black terrier mix was running loose, transported to Champaign County Animal Control and returned to the owner. news@dailyillini.com

• A stray dog running at large was reported on the 1300 block of

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As a result of the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), the saliva-based test developed by the University to detect COVID-19 is now being used in locations beyond campus. The test recently gained an EUA from the Food and Drug Administration. A letter of authorization was released for the EUA on Feb. 24. When the test was first developed, it was used as a lab-developed test with its jurisdiction limited to the campus. The University was aware of the growing interest in the test and applied for the approval on Dec. 30. “Many were hesi-

tant earlier, but are now excited to use and implement the test,” said Rebecca Lee Smith, associate professor in AHS, in reference to those who were skeptical about the test’s efficacy earlier. This authorization is expected to allow for a statewide use of this test. “It’s always nice to see the things you believe in validated by an outside entity,” said Ben Taylor, spokesman for SHIELD Illinois. “ We have believed in the accuracy and usefulness of this test since it was developed, and the FDA emergency use authorization shows that they agree with these claims.” As far as in-state test-

ing is concerned, 30 entities are being provided with testing right now. These entities consist of colleges and universities, school districts, companies and government entities. More than 150,000 total tests have been processed outside of the University, and SHIELD is working on increasing that number rapidly to serve even more of the state. “Shield T3 has already built a number of relationships with entities outside of Illinois and is testing at a fairly large scale,” Taylor said in regards to prospects for implementing the test out of state. They are currently

testing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Vanderbilt University, the University of Maine and a location in Washington, D.C. that serves multiple universities and Baltimore City Schools. The test has multiple advantages over other tests, such as getting reports on the same day and costing less. SHIELD Illinois’ price is $20 per test for public entities and $30 for private universities and companies. The EUA and the low cost of this test will potentially increase its distribution, both inside and outside the state. payalr2@dailyillini.com

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other departments is one step, using traffic stops and pedestrian stops as a potential example. “How many more tragedies must it take for the administration to see the amount of resources that they’re putting into policing versus the amount of resources they’re putting into student care and say, ‘hey, we’re doing something wrong’?” Ting said. The counseling center also needs more resources and funding, Ting said. Arnoldo Ayala, senior in LAS and speaker of the senate in Illinois Student Government, is the only student representative in this task force. It’s “frustrating being the only representative,” especially when “policing mostly affects students,” Ayala said. As a senior who is graduating soon, Ayala is also concerned about not being able to help his successor in this position. Paik also criticized the University’s overall response to changing the way policing is done on campus. She said she was assured by Garrick, who put together the working group, that the group would produce immediate change in addressing campus policing. Immediate steps will be taken after the group produces recommendations for the steering committee, Garrick said. A report on what the steering committee decides to do per those recommendations will be released on June 1. “Our University is committed to evaluating and acting on the recommendations from the working groups with urgency,” Garrick said. Working group co-chair and law professor Margareth Etienne said in an email that the task force does not have the role of authorizing or vetoing new hires and that recommendations from the group will be available through a report in May. “It is not within the authority of our working group to halt any processes that are already underway or to eliminate departments,” Michael Schlosser, working group co-chair and director of the Police Training Institute, said. Cary said she keeps hearing about defunding, but no concrete plans about how that would work. “I think there just needs to be a better understanding of all the moving parts within the police department,” she said. Cary also said that UIPD is trying to be careful about how they approach these issues. “ Unfor tunately, the wheels of the University can move slowly at times,” she said. “We’re also trying carefully to be thoughtful about how we do things.” Overall, Ting said that community care is what produces safety. “The amount of turning a deaf ear to the needs of the student body are, especially during a global pandemic, especially during an economic crisis like this, it’s unconscionable,” Ting said.

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A pair of students enjoy the weather on the Main Quad on Oct. 18, 2019. The Student Affairs Wellness Committee is hosting multiple activities in the coming days for Wellness Week.

Wellness Week launches in-person activities BY GEORGE PHELAN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This week, students will have the opportunity to participate in Wellness Week, a program hosted by the Student Affairs Wellness Committee. The program includes both in-person and virtual activities focused on the development of wellness and well-being in students. Giveaways will also be hosted at various locations throughout the campus, giving away free food and University of Illinois merchandise. Dr. Deidre Weathersby, associate director at the Counseling Center and a

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change.” In addition to representing student interests, Wong also wants to give University faculty and staff a voice on the board and represent their interests. Mariama Mwilambwe, student trustee candidate and sophomore in LAS, noted the importance of having students affected by the board’s policies “at the table,” when making decisions. “The most important part is that the students being

co-chair for the Wellness Committee, sees wellness as a multifaceted approach to improving quality of life. “There’s a core understanding of wellness being an eight-dimensional realm which we can all understand and quantify,” Weathersby said. This eight-dimensional realm can include not just physical wellness, but also emotional, financial, mental and even environmental wellness, in order to fully optimize well-being. The week includes various activities; each seek to target the various dimensions of wellness, both physical or mental.

An important distinction must also be drawn between wellness and wellbeing, according to Alana Harris, associate director for Assessment and Student Wellness. “Wellness is a set of habits and behaviors, and wellbeing is a state of mind,” Harris said. The goal of Wellness Week is primarily to encourage habits and behaviors which contribute to well-being as a mindset. A collaborative effort from departments across campus, Wellness Week includes both virtual and in-person events, although all in-person activities will

be modified to comply with COVID-19 guidelines. The in-person activities target habits such as fitness and social engagement, while the virtual activities primarily focus on teaching new habits and skills to students. Giveaways will be hosted across campus to encourage students to get outside and be active. Another aim of Wellness Week for this year was “demonstrating that we can do some stuff in person safely too for those that need connection, in person and to their community,” Harris said.

discussed are there, they’re at the table, and they’re having those conversations that are about them,” Mwilambwe said. Perezchica, who is the current Illinois Student Government student body president, said that she will continue to work with students on furthering the initiatives she started under ISG, noting that she has done the same in ISG for the past three years. “If I am elected trustee, I know that I will be able to create change and work with other students because I’ve done it before,” Perezchica said. “Students don’t have to

worry if I will be working on those goals because I have, and what I haven’t been able to accomplish, I have set a strong foundation for.” Justin Huff, student trustee candidate and junior in ACES, believes that most students do not know much about the student trustee despite it being “one of the most important (student) government offices on campus.” Mwilambwe agrees with this, noting that “a lot of students are not aware of the student trustee position.” “They aren’t aware of the things that the board of trustees might be able

to accomplish for them,” Mwilambwe said. Huff, who served as student trustee for Kaskaskia College before transferring to the University, said that he found holding “student forums” helpful at Kaskaskia College and will hold similar forums if elected student trustee. “I think that (student forums) helped the board get a perspective of what students want, and it also helped me to share with students what the board expected of students and what they wanted for students to help them succeed,” Huff said.

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extended, understaffed, underfunded and they need help,” Angela Ting, graduate student in FAA, said. “Yet, what do we get? Therapy dogs? More social workers for police calls? It’s completely ridiculous.” Ting is also active with the organization Defund UIPD, which is calling for some responsibilities of UIPD to be allocated to other departments. UIPD’s first socia l worker, Megan Cambron, was hired in early February as part of UIPD’s new Response, Evaluation and Crisis Help, or REACH team. “ Nobody wa nts to be in a crisis,” Cambron sa id. “ Nobody wants to feel like that.” Part of her job responsibilities include finding ways to connect students they help with areas of the University that can provide support. She said groups like the counseling center or student organizations can help with mental health support. While she said her current responsibilities are focused on planning and organizing the REACH team, the second social worker the UIPD is looking for will ride with officers during crisis calls. Cambron, the first social worker hired through UIPD’s new teams, is also available to provide counseling to officers who need it as well as students if needed. “It is our belief that having a trusted person within the department who can guarantee confidentiality could make officers more likely to seek counseling services and mental health care,” Wade said. “And officers make better decisions on the job when they are in a good mental place.” But Paik said the social worker’s responsibility to officers and students is a serious issue. “There is a fundamental conf lict of interest built into the jobs of those social workers that they’re hiring,” Paik said. “They’re designed to be counselors for the cops because (cops are) so traumatized by cop work, and they’re also supposed to be social workers and counselors for students in crisis.” Landers said crisis calls don’t come in as mental health calls and UIPD is simply trying to find a better way to respond better and help the community while using less resources. “Essentially, we’re trying to fill in the gaps that other services don’t provide,” he said. “Whether we have these services in place or not, the 911 calls are going to continue,” Wade said. “So we need to be prepared to provide the best response that we can.”

UIPD and the University faces criticism amidst calls for defunding

“Success would mean that students feel safe and feel healthy on campus and in their environment,” Ting said. “We need less money going to the police. This is not a concept that’s new to people anymore.” Ting said redirecting vla2@dailyillini.com certain responsibilities to

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Student Trustee candidate Mariama Mwilambwe poses for a professional headshot outside of the Illini Union. Mwiliambwe is one of several students running for the position. DAILYILLINI, DAILYILLINISPORTS

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Institute asks students to avoid plastic KAYLA MISH STAFF WRITER

Plastic is all around us, even in places we might not expect. It’s in clothes, oceans, streets and has even been found in fish. It’s detrimental to the planet and difficult to always avoid. For Emily Dickett, sophomore in Engineering and intern at the University's Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment, the fact that plastic is so prevalent was enough for her to want to make some changes in her life. She decided to start living a plastic-free lifestyle and is working with the Institute on its plasticfree challenge throughout March to help other students make small, lasting changes in their lives. Plastic-free living is the effort to avoid plastic in everyday life because plastic is difficult to recycle. Recycled items are not always recycled properly, which leads to a lot of plastic in landfills and oceans. “Because of the deception of recycling, it is much

more beneficial to refuse plastic first before you repurpose,” Dickett said. Putting something in the recycling bin with the hope that it gets recycled, even if it isn’t a recyclable product, is called wish-cycling, and it can cause a lot of problems in the recycling process. Things like black plastic and paper towels are common items that people believe can be recycled but should really be thrown out. Meredith Moore, sustainability programs coordinator at the Institute, is passionate about helping the environment and living a more sustainable lifestyle. “Plastic is all around us, in the most sneaky of places,” Moore said. “It’s very difficult to avoid, especially in our very consumerist lifestyle, which is really the whole premise of this whole challenge — to make people more aware of the amount of plastic that is around us everywhere.” One hundred-thirty-four people have signed up for

the virtual challenge so far. The goal is to throw out as little plastic as possible and create more eco-friendly habits. Every week, contestants submit a sheet that has their point total. Each plastic product is worth a certain amount of points and the goal is to have as few points as possible. Moore said she realizes that this isn’t easy, but notes the benefits it offers for people and the planet. Dickett said that she realizes how daunting it can be to make these changes in your life, but explains that starting small and taking small steps is the best way to go about it. “We would rather have a lot of people do plastic-free imperfectly than a few people do it perfectly,” Dickett said. “Sometimes people don’t know where to start, because you hear plasticfree and that sounds really scary and really hard, but you don’t have to be perfect.” Dickett said that just by making small changes in your life and having other

people see you make those changes can create a snowball effect. Dickett suggested that students pick one or two things to pledge to do for the environment and stick with it forever. For Moore, that is never using a plastic bag or a plastic straw. “If we can help 50,000some students know how to live a sustainable lifestyle or a minimal lifestyle, and those 50,000 students can take those changes into their future careers, the world would be a much better place and a much less wasteful place,” Moore said. Alexa Smith, junior in ACES, lives a plastic-free and zero-waste lifestyle. She said that it has benefited her in many ways. “I don’t purchase useless items, like disposable things, and I make more durable purchases,” Smith said. “I tend to buy in bulk and mostly fresh fruits and vegetables that aren’t covered in plastic. So I guess that has benefited my health.”

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Smith said that it has also helped declutter her space, clear her head and reduce her stress. “The plastic-free challenge is awesome because it’s at this stage of our lives that we are becoming independent people and the habits that we establish at

this point in our lives will be lifelong for the most part,” Smith said. “If we can instill those values of reducing plastic and being sustainable in our daily lives, that will carry on into the future.” kmish2@dailyillini.com

Jubilee Cafe combats food insecurity in CU JACQUI NGUYEN STAFF WRITER

While walking down Green Street, with its wide selection of restaurants and grocery stores, it may be difficult to see the underlying issue of food insecurity on campus and in the rest of the Champaign-Urbana community. To address this, the Jubilee Cafe provides freshly made meals and other food items to people in the community, including University students, every Monday from 5 - 6:30p.m. at the Community United Church of Christ. Johnell Bentz, professor in Education, came up with the idea for the Jubilee Cafe with a group from the church when they decided to use the church kitchen to better serve people in the community. As one of the managers of the Cafe, Bentz is in charge of the front of the house where she gets supplies ready and makes sure all the meals are ready to be packaged and served. She is also responsible for contacting community partners for food and monetary donations. “From talking to people around town, I know that there is a lot of food insecurity on this college campus,” Bentz said. “A lot of people come to campus to panhandle and ask for necessities.” This obser vation inspired her to look more into this issue. “We wanted to make sure we were addressing a need, so we did more research on

other places feeding people and decided Monday nights would be most beneficial to the community,” Bentz said. Before the pandemic, Jubilee Cafe operated like a restaurant; A server would come up to each table and take orders. Patrons could pick from a few different food options that would be freshly made by volunteers in the kitchen. Guests would be able to sit wherever they wanted at the large tables, allowing opportunities for different members of the community to meet. “With this model, people would come and sit with folks they may have never had a chance to meet,” Bentz said. “Our tables would seat around eight or nine people and we got to see people interact in a way that would have never been possible before.” This pre-pandemic model also allowed the Cafe to take in many volunteers. One volunteer, Emily Galfano, has been with Jubilee Cafe since October 2019. As a senior in ACES majoring in Human Nutrition, Galfano wanted to center her volunteer work around food insecurity. Her inspiration to get involved not only stemmed from its important work for the community, but also the Cafe’s awareness of dietary restrictions and nutrition. As an establishment that aims to be conscious of dietary needs, the Cafe ensures that the food they serve is nutritious in addition to tasting good.

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The Covenant Fellowship Church houses Jubilee Cafe and stands at 805 S. Sixth Street in Champaign on Sunday afternoon. The cafe serves free food on Monday’s to University students and community members to combat food insecurity.

“I love that we had a variety of food options available including a meat and a vegetarian option so that there was something for everyone,” Galfano said. “We’re also community oriented in that we get our food from local farms and small businesses.” The Jubilee Cafe’s focus on the community has continued throughout the pandemic even though this restaurant model is currently not possible. To abide by social distancing guide-

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lines, the Cafe individually packages hot meals that patrons pick up from the church. Volunteers also put together a variety of pantry items including canned goods, donated food from local businesses, sanitary products and more. The Cafe not only serves members of the Champaign-Urbana community but also emphasizes serving college students. In fact, many University students are regular patrons and utilize the Cafe’s

services. “Students who come here may struggle to pay all the bills,” Bentz said. “Some students may be able to pay their tuition but have trouble paying for food.” Although there may be a hesitation to get food from a kitchen, the Jubilee Cafe addresses the often overlooked issue of food insecurity among college students. In addition to tuition, students are often faced with the cost of rent, school supply fees

and accumulating student debt. Food may not always seem like a priority, but it is a basic necessity. “I know that there may be a stigma around kitchens that serve free food,” Bentz said. “People may not want to come to a place that is just for poor people, but I want people to know that anyone, undergraduates, graduates, those without a permanent address, can eat with us.” jnguye75@dailyillini.com

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Monday, March 22, 2021

University police officer defies stereotypes FARRAH ANDERSON ASSISTANT LONGFORM EDITOR

When Tara Hurless of the University Police Department, a 38-year-old woman with short blonde hair, approached a man as a back-up officer on duty, he insisted he was being targeted because he was gay. However, Hurless said she was sure he wasn’t expecting her response. “‘You are talking to the wrong person because I’m just as gay as you are,’” Hurless said. Hurless has worn many different uniforms: a plaid skirt as a Catholic school student, Dri-FIT jerseys as a University of Illinois and international soccer player and a black ensemble with the number “101” ironed on the sleeve as a University police officer. “I represented the University of Illinois wearing orange and blue number 16 and I get to do that again,” Hurless said. “I just have a different number.” Hurless reports for duty in a squad car on campus with the University of Illinois Police Department. As a part of the community outreach and support team,

she said her main focus is building relationships with the campus community. Hurless’ super v isor, Sgt. James Carter, said he thinks people can see the authenticity in the way Hurless approaches her work in the community “When you get Tara, you get Tara,” Carter said. When Hurless came to the department, people told her to not say anything about the fact that she was gay. But she said she never wanted to hide who she was. Hurless said she was proud after a coworker told her that he decided to come out after seeing her talk about her identity. “He said, ‘never until you got here for you being who you are did I feel comfortable telling people about me,’” Hurless said. If you Google the name Tara Hurless, Hall of Fame records and photos of her kicking a ball might be the main result. However, Hurless said her personal identity wasn’t as public. “I had two different lives,” she said. “I came to school and I was very successful in soccer. But going

home, there was always this thing I was hiding because of how I was brought up.” Although her wife Jess, a listing coordinator at The Nate Evans Group in Mahomet, said that her and Hurless now have a huge support system, both of the women’s families haven’t always been supportive. Jess was raised in a Mennonite family. Hurless, a Catholic one. To their families, a same-sex relationship like theirs went against their religious convictions. But Tara said she tried explaining to her mom that she was still the same person, gay or not. “I basically said to my mom, ‘I’m still the same person you never had a problem with before,’” she said. “I’ve never been this person to mold into what you want me to be.” Even after dating Jess for almost two years, Hurless said her mom still couldn’t accept the fact that she had a daughter who was gay. “When I told my mom in 2015 that I was going to propose to Jess, she begged me not to,” she said. “I think it was the stigma that goes

along with being different.” Hurless proposed to Jess during a ride in a two-seater airplane. At their backyard wedding in 2016, Hurless said her mom didn’t understand until the celebration was almost over.

“I had two different lives... going home, there was always this thing I was hiding because of how I was brought up.” TARA HURLESS UIPD OFFICER

“Not until halfway into the night was my mom able to sit back and be like, ‘Wow, it doesn’t matter. People just love them for who they are,’” she said. Jess’ family didn’t come to the wedding, and for the couple, they both said it was hard not having the support of their families. “We were just disappointed that we didn’t have one side or the other that were on board,” Jess said. “But we were still able to focus on the good and the

excitement and the love.” Jess said she didn’t want to come out to her family until someone serious came into her life. And once she met Hurless through a mutual friend and had her support, she said she was finally ready to do it. “I was going to wait until it was someone of great importance in my life so they couldn’t look at it as a phase,” Jess said. In 2018, Hurless donned her new uniform: a mom to Hazel, a mischievous blonde toddler. Hurless and Jess experienced difficulties in starting a family. After securing a donor and getting pregnant, Hurless suffered a miscarriage. And then another. Once she had her first miscarriage, Hurless said she couldn’t understand why no one ever talked about them. “No one told me that this could happen,” Hurless said. “Maybe I live under a rock but people do not talk about miscarriages. It’s just not a topic people share.” Even though Jess said she could empathize with

Hurless's fertility struggles as a woman herself, she said it was incredibly difficult to watch her wife not feel good enough. “It was hard watching her feel like she was letting us down or me down because she had a plan of what she was going to do for our family,” Jess said. After undergoing expensive fertility treatments and surgeries to address a cyst and endometriosis, Hurless said an in virto fertilization treatment finally worked. W hen the plus sign emerged on the thin plastic strip, Hurless said Jess wouldn’t believe it until they saw the word “pregnant” appear. After driving to another town and taking another test, it finally sunk in. Hurless said she wants Hazel to become independent and proud of her identity. “I want her to be able to be whoever she is and know that we want you to be who you are and be a good example of strong women,” Hurless said. farrah2@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF TARA HURLESS

Tara Hurless proposes to her wife in front of a small propeller plane in 2015. Hurless’s life has been a series of twists and turns that have shaped her into the woman she is today.

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1 Dance at a Jewish wedding 5 Chemical that burns 9 Chevrolet muscle car 15 Home of Waikiki Beach 16 Capital of Italia 17 Brought (in), as a fish 18 Vittles 19 “What ___ goes!” (parent’s pronouncement) 20 Task to “run” 21 “Rush Hour” and “21 Jump Street” [Clinton] 24 Handle with ___ 25 Friends’ opposite 26 TV deputy of Mayberry [Bush 43] 30 Leave out 34 Kind of port on a computer, in brief 35 Zig or zag 36 Anticipate 38 Dines 40 The Buddha is often depicted meditating under it [Obama] 43 Numerical information 44 Windsurfing locale NE of Honolulu 46 “Superfruit” berry 48 Cousin of “Kapow!” 49 Boxer Spinks who upset Muhammad Ali 50 C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C, e.g. [Biden] 53 Linguist Chomsky 55 Small amounts 56 What the starts of 21-, 26-, 40- and 50-Across are, for the presidents in their clues 63 Prayer beads 64 Shoe bottom 65 More than magnificent 68 Smitten 69 ___ of Arendelle (Disney queen)

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70 Device that makes a TV “smart” 71 Combs to add volume, as a stylist might 72 Not the passive sort 73 Part of a stairway DOWN 1 Go ___-wild 2 Means of propelling a boat 3 Baked dessert made with tart red stalks (and loads of sugar) 4 University that’s also a color 5 Really dry 6 Cloth used to cover a teapot, to Brits 7 Apple on a desktop 8 Respite from work 9 ___ brûlée (French custard) 10 Spray can mist 11 ___ Griffin Enterprises

12 13 14 22

Jai ___ Actress Russo Probability Mosquito repellent ingredient 23 Author Edgar Allan ___ 24 Like Friday attire in some offices 26 Play music in the subway, perhaps 27 Rhyming title character who plays the tuba in Cuba, in a Rudy Vallee song 28 Curly hairstyle, for short 29 1099-___ (bankissued tax form) 31 Plenty steamed 32 Stuck, with no way out 33 Sums 36 Orchard fruit 37 Identify 39 ___-mo

41 Howard’s best friend on “The Big Bang Theory” 42 “Green” prefix 45 Rattle 47 “What ___ be done?” 50 Founder of Communist China 51 Made smile 52 Basketball players, quaintly 54 “You got that right!” 56 Legal order 57 Sharpen 58 ___ Verde (locale of San Juan’s airport) 59 Tourist town in northern New Mexico 60 By oneself 61 “If all ___ fails …” 62 Letter starter 66 Prez with the pooch Heidi 67 Saucer go-with

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OPINIONS

MONDAY

March 22, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

Hillary Baldwin appropriates culture attempting to absolve ANDREA themselves of their MARTINEZ whiteness by clinging onto COLUMNIST another heritage while simultaneously retaining their white privilege. nown as the “Latin This is nothing new, but beauty from Spain,” rather a phenomenon with Hilaria Baldwin is an extensive historical adored by many. Or shall background and socially I say, Hillary Baldwin, nuanced connotation. a Massachusetts bornOne might ask, why is and-raised, full-blooded this phenomenon bad? American? What is the problem with Hillary Baldwin was appreciating other cultures? recently outed for her false While there is nothing claims of Spanish heritage, inherently wrong with which brought her into appreciating cultures, the ongoing conversation it becomes a problem surrounding authenticity when people of the same and cultural appropriation. ethnic background While she spent a period being appreciated are of her life in Spain, many discriminated against in the sources show she fabricated same breath. All the while, her origin story from being people like Baldwin who a girl whose family has been present a fabricated image in Massachusetts since the of such cultures reach American colonial era to an success abusing a foreign ethnically Spanish woman persona. — right down to the foreign For example, while accent. Hillary Baldwin’s “Spanish When she addressed the accent” left people in claims against her, Baldwin awe of her bilingualism, seemed to misinterpret the real natives of Hispanic situation as an attack on her countries were being denied childhood experiences and opportunities for their failed to acknowledge that “unintelligible” or “hard-toshe allowed the media to understand” accents. Native present her as an ethnically people of Latin American Hispanic woman, which she cultures are stopped and profited off of in terms of racially profiled in their being a socialite and gaining American communities. internet clout. Baldwin was able to “turn However, that is not off” her Spanish accent and the issue at play — the remove her tan as she saw implications of such falsities fit. Yet my cousins, parents run much deeper. and grandparents cannot Baldwin’s “Latin” hide their accents despite features, and her “Spanish having lived in this country accent,” were proven to be for over 20 years. fabricated characteristics My dark-skinned family she was able to turn on members cannot hide their and off depending on tans resulting from mixed the situation. In that races and having worked same realm of having in physical labor for most Latin features and of their lives. Their tans Spanish accents lies the are seen as the mark of a irony illustrated by the laborer, while rich white discrimination and racism women are lauded for their immigrant minorities face tans gained by leisure under for possessing those same the sun. characteristics. But why did Baldwin go However, because Hillary to such lengths to be seen Baldwin is a white woman as a foreign ethnic woman? presenting carefully crafted Baldwin is not the first ethnic characteristics, she example, nor will she be the was fawned over, praised last. and ultimately defended There is a disturbing when her fabricated identity pattern of white guilt was brought to light. coming to light in America. Why does this matter? It is not new, but its blatant In the greater conversation presence in the Black Lives of authenticity, Baldwin’s Matter era is most certainly scandal brings up the entertaining. issue of white Americans Among influencers

Disney+ bolsters TV buzz

and scrolling through fan theories on TikTok — I simMICKY ply cannot get enough. HORSTMAN After the seventh epiCOLUMNIST sode of “WandaVision,” a concluding song peaked at number one on iTunes’ rowing up alongside soundtrack chart. Without streaming services the excitement that’s been like Netflix, Hulu and building every week since Amazon Prime, my gen“WandaVision” debuted, eration has seen successnone of this content would ful program launches and have been created. massive streaming failures. The hype isn’t exclusive We’re spoiled in our ability to “WandaVision,” nor is it to access any information exclusively online. “Baby from the cellphones in our Yoda’’ broke the internet pockets. more times than I can count. Relishing an “old school” Likewise, these shows have style with Disney+, howflooded the merchandising ever, has fostered dialogue market, inspiring everybetween my friends and me thing from action figures to that mirrors our parents’ Halloween costumes. conversations about NBC Netflix originals generate Thursday Night’s “Friends,” conversation for a weekend, “Seinfeld” and “ER.” Disbut Disney has ensured their ney’s weekly release schedcontent stays profitable ule has revitalized the and trending for months. If classic TV model and has “WandaVision’’ and “The created upbeat energy, Mandalorian’’ are indicators excitement and conversafor the success of these projtion between each episode ects, Disney+ has created a that’s unparalleled to any model that will take over the other streaming platform. streaming market. PHOTO COURTESY OF JAMIE MCCARTHY/GETTY IMAGES/TNS “WandaVision’’ recently According to Digital TV Hilaria Baldwin and Alec Baldwin attend the opening night of concluded its jaw-dropping Research, Disney+ will sur“West Side Story” at Broadway Theatre on Feb. 20, 2020, in run as the most-watched pass Netflix in new monthly New York City. Columnist Andrea Martinez argues that Hilaria television show in the world subscribers by 2025, making Baldwin is a perfect representation of cultural appropriation according to Parrot Anathem the fastest-growing because of the lies surrounding her heritage. lytics. Audience demand streaming platform to date. ranked the show 59.4% Disney’s weekly release like the Kardashians — she went to school in higher than any show on model also stimulates a conwho are notorious for Spain, speaks Spanish and the market; less than 1% of versation on social justice, “blackfishing” — or white participated in Spanish Action and Adventure shows the coronavirus and free men starring in 90 Day culture for a period of her receive this kind of buzz. speech. Fiancé to find their “meek life. What then would that Joining “WandaViAn unforeseen conseand docile” Asian wife, the mean for the hundreds of sion’’ in this elite categoquence of elongating “The attempts of white people millions of people living in ry is Disney+’s first origiMandalorian” was actress finding ways to bring a state of diaspora who do nal series: Star Wars’s “The Gina Carano gaining a sigculture into their lives in not or cannot retain those Mandalorian.” Recently, nificant following on social a controlled and socially certain aspects of their “The Mandalorian” conmedia. Carano received acceptable manner is culture? cluded its spectacular serious backlash for sharincredibly controversial. I am ethnically Mexican, second season in Deceming insensitive social media Many people in America but I did not go to school ber 2020. “The Mandaloviewpoints that likened seem to be obsessed with in Mexico. I did not get to rian,’’ also, was the first American conservatives to ethnic culture while participate in Mexican Disney+ original to shatHolocaust victims. simultaneously rejecting culture the same way that ter TV streaming records, This was not her first conthe parts they do not deem Baldwin got to participate while captivating audiences troversial stance, previously worthy — it is a sight to in Spanish culture. I do not and generating huge social Carano received backlash behold. fit the parameters of what media attention. for tweets suggesting users Hillary Baldwin’s Hillary Baldwin believes is It’s no surprise that both be “anti-mask” during the scandal does nothing what entitles her to claim an “WandaVison’’ and “The COVID-19 pandemic, and but undermines the ethnic heritage. Does this Mandalorian’’ are ranked repeatedly tweeted about experiences of people of make me any less Mexican? in the 99th percentile for all the 2020 Presidential Eleccolor living in America White people need to action and adventure titles tion being “fraudulent.” that are ostracized for own up to being white — in the United States. These past actions and their culture. Baldwin otherwise, racial inequities Disney has had a comthe trending #FireGinawas born and raised on will never change. Time and plicated relationship with Carano resulted in Disney the wealth and privilege of time again we must repeat streaming services in the terminating her contract. being a white American, to white people: Our culture past. Originally, Marvel had Had Disney released all the and faking an entire ethnic is not a costume. It is not a deals with Netflix, Hulu episodes of “The Mandaloribackground is nothing personality trait, nor is it a and ABC to release excluan” in one-weekend, Carano less than disrespectful to profitable quirk. sive content. However, after wouldn’t have gained this marginalized groups. acquiring Lucasfilm and social media fame, and her She claims an ethnic Andrea is a junior in LAS. 21st Century Fox, Disney comments would likely have Spanish heritage because amart249@dailyillini.com needed a central streaming gone unnoticed. location. Due to the COVID-19 In anticipation of launch- pandemic, many traditioning Disney+, Marvel termial media outlets have been nated most of their popualtered or outright canlar Netflix, ABC and Hulu celed. Streaming became programs. the way to fill the void for Instead of consolidatmany people in this trying ing all of their streaming time, but the weekly release material onto Hulu, Disney model is the superior way to opted to maintain separate digest television. streaming services, using Instead of flooding audiHulu to house their mature ences with bingeable culshows or those for which ture, Disney decided to they acquired the rights. prolong their content and Meanwhile, Disney+ would encourage worthwhile be the hub for family-friend- discussion, attention and ly movies and TV shows, patience for their consumdividing the platform into ers. Disney has excited five main categories: Disney, their audience and generPixar, Marvel, Star Wars ated enormous amounts of and National Geographic. social media attention, all What pleasantly surby maintaining the clasprised me was the amount of sic television model. Tune content that was created as a in Friday mornings to catch result of the weekly release. the latest episodes on DisMy friends and I have gotten ney+ and balance with the into heated debates regard- social media buzz surrounding plot points and even ing them. mystery guest stars. I’ve found myself cackling over Micky is a sophomore in LAS. ANGELINA CHAN THE DAILY ILLINI reaction memes on Twitter mah10@dailyillini.com

University’s negligence for breaks impairs students’ health MARYKATE GREEN SENIOR COLUMNIST

ick days are an essential part of school. Students need to be able to take sick days when they’re sick, overwhelmed with personal issues or just need a mental health day. Sick days were some of my favorite days in high school because even if I was actually sick, I got a break from waking up early for school and having to stress myself out with homework. I was also blessed with a mom who let me take mental health days whenever I needed them, no questions asked. Mental health days are underrated and underused for students in high school and college. There are times where you need to let your brain rest for the day and take a break from studying and working on homework. A mental health day is not an excuse for students to be lazy, but to help reduce school stress and anxiety. With school being mostly virtual these days, it can be hard to distance yourself from school. Sick days are harder to take because some professors feel that students should still be able to log on to Zoom and come to class, regardless of their health. While I understand the

logic of still being able to log on to Zoom while you are sick, students should till be allowed to take sick days. Sick days are just as important now, if not more important, as they were prior to the pandemic and online classes. If a student is sick, it can be hard to sit up for long periods of time, let alone be presentable enough for class. Some professors require our cameras to be on at all times during class and when you are feeling awful, being on camera for your whole class to see is one of the last things you

want to do. If a student is overwhelmed or needs a mental health day, it can be hard to take these days when teachers require you to be excused to miss class. Or, in the case of some college classes, professors don’t allow you any absences since they feel the “real world” doesn’t allow absences. Being able to take a break from classes, whether it’s a mental health day or an actual sick day, is especially important during this difficult time of online schooling. A lot of students

are feeling overwhelmed, burnt out and disconnected from school. Taking time to give your brain a break from learning and studying every once in a while is essential for students. Teachers and professors need to realize that while it is possible for students to still get on Zoom and attend class, it should not be required. Sick days should remain as they have been so students’ needs can be fulfilled, whatever they may be. Marykate is a junior in Media. mg22@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMBD

Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen star in Disney’s “WandaVision” television series. Columnist Mickey supports Disney+’s utilization of a weekly release model to elongate conversations.”

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

March 22, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

SPORTS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Top-seeded Illinois upset by No. 8 Loyola Chicago in second round

PHOTO COURTESY OF KELSEA ANSFIELD / ILLINOIS ATHLETICS

Sophomore Kofi Cockburn goes up for a contested layup against Cameron Krutwig during the game against Loyola Chicago Sunday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Illini fell to the 8-seeded Ramblers 71-58, ending their season. BY BRANDON SIMBERG STAFF WRITER

INDIANAPOLIS - Seven days ago, Ayo Dosunmu sat in the locker room of Lucas Oil Stadium, left hand gripping the Big Ten Tournament trophy. He was posing like the late Kobe Bryant and posted the picture on Instagram with the caption, “Job not finished.” Illinois had big hopes for this NCAA tournament. They talked about it all year. Before they left for Indianapolis, they packed for a month, planning to be there until April when the Final Four would take place. But, Loyola

Chicago played the spoiler to Illinois’ magical run. It took Illinois wire to wire, putting on a clinic, taking down Illinois, 71-58. Just 0.6 miles from where Dosunmu was cutting down nets last Sunday, he was embracing his teammates and managers for the final time as an Illini. Dosunmu waved to his family seated in the 100 level, took off his black face mask and walked into the tunnel, donning the Illinois scripted jersey for presumably the final time. “We wanted to win this game,” Dosunmu said. “We didn’t get it done. At the end

of the day, you gotta take your medicine. All the good that’s come this season, when we were at our high and we played well, we won a Big Ten championship. The lord had different plans for us now.” The Ramblers entered the game with the nation’s No. 3 defense, and they flexed their defensive muscle early. Porter Moser’s group was flying around the court defensively, actively closing down any driving lanes. Whenever Kofi Cockburn got the ball, the Ramblers sent in defenders from all directions. The Illini big man, who has just five assists on the season, was

flustered, shooting 3-8 in the first half. The Ramblers also trapped most ball-screens involving Dosunmu as the handler. They eliminated his right hand and forced him to throw some tough skip passes, resulting in four firsthalf turnovers. Illinois finished the game with 17, tied for their second-highest total all season. “You can’t turn it over 17 times in an NCAA tournament game against a good team and expect to win,” Underwood said. “Turnovers were the undoing.” The Ramblers, led by

the best big in any game he’s been in, but Krutwig’s multifaceted game and combination of footwork gave Cockburn fits. He finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Krutwig’s versatility allowed Loyola slow the tempo, limiting Illinois’ transition opportunities. The Ramblers dictated the pace. “With Krutwig, it gets hard to take anything away because he can play at the top of the key,” Underwood said. “He’s got an unlimited dribble. As soon as you run somebody at him, he dices you with the pass.” Ultimately, the momentum never shifted toward Illinois. Dosunmu got a three to fall from the right wing to cut the game to just six points with over 12 minutes remaining in the second half, but that was as close as the Illini would get. The Ramblers scattered eight straight, and the lead was back to 13. In late-game scenarios, Illinois has been able to rely on their masked superstar, but not on Sunday. The Ramblers pressured and trapped him, forcing Dosunmu to go 4-10 with six turnovers. He didn’t get much help from his supporting cast. Seniors Trent Frazier and Da’Monte Williams went a combined 1-13. Andre Curbelo had nine points, but turned the ball over four times. Nothing went right for Illinois’ guards. Dosunmu was as classy as ever in his postgame press conference. He answered the questions the right way, acknowledging the problems Illinois faced. Still, it’s a disheartening end for a team that had so much promise just seven days ago.

senior Cameron Krutwig who was a key contributor on their 2018 team, had all the answers on offense early. An Adam Miller three cut the lead to six, and Loyola responded with four straight points. Giorgi Bezhanishvili cut it to 21-16, but then the Ramblers rallied for six straight. The Illini scored the last five points of the half to make it a 33-24 game, and Dosunmu hit a midrange to make it a 33-26 game, but the seesaw affair continued. Krutwig scored two more buckets to push the lead to 11. @BrandonSimberg In two seasons, it’s been a simberg2@dailyillini.com rarity for Cockburn to not be

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Dosunmu faces friend, former rival in showdown with Loyola Chicago BY GABBY HAJDUK STAFF WRITER

Brad Underwood isn’t one for storylines, especially not during the most important time of the year for the head coach of a 1-seeded March Madness team. So, when asked about the meaning of Illinois’ Round of 32 in-state matchup against Loyola Chicago in a Saturday morning Zoom, Underwood couldn’t give much of an answer. He hadn’t thought about the game beyond the fact that it’s just another stepping stone to reach his, and the team’s, ultimate goal: a national championship. He hadn’t put thought into Sister Jean being on the sidelines, or the Ramblers’ electric 2018 Final Four run or even Ayo Dosunmu’s history with Loyola guard Lucas Williamson. But even he can acknowledge how significant it is for the state of Illinois’ basketball status. “I have to look at it from the basketball perspective of next game,” Underwood said. “I think it’s great for our state. I think it speaks volumes to their program and the job Porter (Moser) has done. I’m excited to be back in the tournament for our program, where I think it should be … I’m giving a bad answer. I probably haven’t thought enough about that. It can’t be anything but great in the state.” W h i le Under wo o d needed to remain focused on advancing to the next round, there’s no denying the game provided extra storylines beyond a typical March Madness matchup. The last time Illinois and Loyola met in the NCAA tournament was in 1963 when the Ramblers beat the Illini in the Mideast regional finals. More recently, the programs met during the regular season in November 2011, with Illinois coming out on top. Sunday’s game was also the first time since 2016 that

PHOTO COURTESY OF KELSEA ANSFIELD / ILLINOIS ATHLETICS

Junior Ayo Dosunmu goes up for a shot over Loyola Chicago’s Lucas Williamson (1) during the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 21. Dosunmu and Williamson both grew up in Chicago, played together on a small-fry team and competed at different universities, yet they are still close friends.

Dosunmu and Williamson will face off against each other. Longtime competitors and friends, the pair of Chicago guards have known one another for over a decade. “I grew up with Ayo,” Williamson said in Loyola’s postgame press conference Friday. “We played on the same small fry team. I know his family really well. We’ve been competing all our lives, and it’s going to be something special in the back of my head. I’m going to be thinking about

it going in to play some old friends.” While the two initially played together growing up, they were on opposing teams in high school, with Dosunmu playing for Morgan Park and Williamson playing for W hitney Young. Both players helped w i l l their respective teams to t wo Illinois High School A ssociation championships. Dosunmu led Morgan Park to the 3A title his junior and senior year, while Williamson

was the only freshman on Whitney Young’s 4A title team and in his senior season, the leader to another 4A championship. As a senior in high school, Dosunmu averaged 25.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game, while Williamson averaged 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists. Both guys were First Team All-State selections. Williamson might not have the All-American status of Dosunmu at Illinois, but the Rambler senior has made a name

for himself in the Missouri Valley Conference as the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year. He also averages 8.6 points and 2.1 assists per game while shooting 43% from the field. B ec au se D osu n mu doesn’t spend much time on social media or responding to messages, other than those from close friends and family, the pair haven’t talked in a while. With Williamson as Loyola’s guard, he gave Dosunmu at times, which will give

the pair a chance to catch up a bit. “I’m pretty focused on my team,” Dosunmu said. “I really don’t be texting a lot of people. Really don’t be on social media. But that’s my guy. That’s my guy, like 10, 15 years strong. You have relationships with people where you don’t have to talk to them every day but the love is always there. He knows that.” @gabby_h11 ghajduk2@dailyillini.com

2B Monday, March 22, 2021

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

PHOTO COURTESY OF KELSEA ANSFIELD / ILLINOIS ATHLETICS

Trent Frazier looks to pass the ball during the game against Drexel on Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Illini have been resting during their stay in the NCAA bubble to get ready for upcoming March Madness games.

Illinois uses downtime in NCAA bubble for rest, relaxation BY BRANDON SIMBERG STAFF WRITER

I m me d i at ely a f t er winning the Big Ten Championship title in Indianapolis, the Illini didn’t have much time to celebrate together. Illinois had to prepare for the NCAA tournament in the Indy bubble, which started with a 24-hour isolation period at their hotel. Once cleared, the Illini were allowed to hang out with each other. Senior guard Trent Frazier admitted that day wasn’t easy. Some guys played video games, while some

caught up on Netf lix shows; Brad Underwood is doing a rewatch of “Peaky Blinders.” After a stretch of three games in three days, Underwood said the break was much needed. “Our guys slept and rested their bodies,” Underwood said. “We did nothing. Watched film, got caught up on our next opponent ... Other than that it’s been great.” The Illini have done a terrific job of following protocols all season, so this time in the hotel doesn’t vary much from their lives in Champaign.

One difference is the food they are served by the NCA A. While some have complained about the selection, the only thing missing from their regular food routine is an omelet station, but other than that Underwood said his group has no complaints. Even with the team being super close, they still need to find ways to pass the time throughout the day. Some teams have taken to making TikToks to kill the time; Iowa played a team wiff le ball scrimmage, while Wisconsin was seen throwing a football around.

Illinois’ players aren’t too active on TikTok, but they have their activities. Spikeball, a game that was wildly popular amongst the team over the summer, has found life in the hotel. The games get competitive, and Frazier claims he and redshirt junior forward Jacob Grandison are the best. Underwood’s group also got a kick out of Kofi Cockburn’s soccer skills being put on display in a team meeting. A f ter the isolation period, Illinois was able to get back to actual basketball activities as

well. The hotel set up a court in a convention center where participating teams rotate time slots. Strength coach Adam Fletcher brought weights for the team, which they set up in the team meeting room. On Wednesday, they spent 90 minutes getting shots up at Indiana Farmers Coliseum, where they played on Friday. This season, and this NCA A tou r na ment experience in particular, are nothing like the norm, but this close-knit Illinois crew takes it all in stride. After not making

the tournament for eight seasons and having last sea son’s tou r na ment canceled, they are happy to be in the bubble and are making the most of it. “These moments are special; everyone’s taking it all in,” Frazier said. “It’s an exciting time to be able to play in March Madness and be able to play basketball. Our season got taken away from us last year, so to be where we at today and know we have a game on Friday, that’s exciting news for us.” @BrandonSimberg simberg2@dailyillini.com

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Monday, March 22, 2021

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL GLASGOW / ILLINOIS ATHLETICS

Sophomore Kennedi Myles looks to shoot during game against Northwestern March 10. Though the team suffered many losses this season, the Illini hope to enter the Big Ten Tournament with a higher seed next year.

Season in review: Illinois gains momentum too late BY CLAIRE O’BRIEN SPORTS VIDEO EDITOR

The Illinois women’s basketball team finished the regular season 4-17 before going 1-1 in the Big Ten tournament. Defeating Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament was head coach Nancy Fahey’s first Big Ten Tournament win and Illinois’ only win away from State Farm Center this season. “It was great because we got Coach Fahey her first Big Ten tournament win,” said freshman guard Aaliyah Nye after Illinois defeated Wisconsin. “It feels great just as a team because we know how hard we work, and this is just the culture that we’re building here at Illinois.” Coming into the season, the team was very young, as they have just two seniors on the roster: Nancy Panagiotopoulou Andritsopoulou and Lyric Robins. However, Panagiotopoulou is technically listed as a redshirt junior, and both players can return next season since winter athletes were granted an extra year of eli-

gibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Freshmen guards Aaliyah Nye and Aaliyah McQueen and freshman forward Erika Porter recently joined the team. Redshirt junior center Eva Rubin transferred to the program in December 2019 and received a waiver in August to play for the season. NCAA rules require an athlete who transfers from one Division I school to another to sit out a year. Junior forward and center Geovana Lopes joined the team after playing two seasons at Odessa College, and in November, junior guard Tara O’Malley walked onto the team after serving as a team manager for two years. Illinois played most of its games in conference this season, going 2-1 in the nonconference schedule before spending the rest of the season in Big Ten play. The Illini began Nov. 25 with a 68-49 win over Indiana State. They then narrowly lost to Valparaiso Dec. 2, 62-59, and would exit nonconference play with a 53-50

win over Nebraska-Omaha. Illinois began conference play Dec. 10 against Nebraska, losing 78-72. The loss began a 10-game losing streak for the Illini before the team got its first conference win. Next up on the schedule was Michigan on Dec. 19 and then Southern Illinois on Dec. 22. Both games were canceled due to COVID-19 issues in Michigan and Southern Illinois’ programs. The Illini closed out 2020 with a New Year’s Eve loss at Indiana, 79-56. Getting a win would be just as difficult at the start of 2021, as Illinois got blown out by Iowa Jan. 3, Ohio State Jan. 7 and Michigan Jan. 10. Michigan State and Illinois were set to play Jan. 14, but the game was called off due to COVID-19. After a span of 11 days without games, Illinois lost to Northwestern, 73-54, in the first matchup between the teams, which would eventually face each other twice more during the season. After another string of losses to Nebraska, Penn

State, Wisconsin and Michigan State, Illinois picked up its first Big Ten win Feb. 7 against Purdue at the State Farm Center. A 54-49 win, Illinois held Purdue scoreless in the final minute while scoring the last seven points to defeat the Boilermakers. Illinois wasn’t able to capitalize on this win, losing to Minnesota, Indiana, Maryland and Rutgers before a competitive Northwestern game Feb. 24. The Illini chipped away at their deficit but ultimately the 67-61 loss was Illinois’ narrowest margin of defeat since falling to Penn State by four on Jan. 28. Illinois also dropped the Purdue rematch, 70-66, after tying the Boilermakers late in the fourth quarter. But the Illini closed out the regular season on a high note, snapping their losing streak and defeating Minnesota in the regular-season finale, 72-64. Then came tourney time. Coming into the tournament with a 4-17 record, any outcome other than a championship would almost cer-

tainly end the Illini’s season. First up: a rematch against Wisconsin Mar. 9. Illinois hadn’t defeated the Badgers in over two years, and Fahey was seeking her first Big Ten Tournament win. The Illini had a much stronger performance against Wisconsin than they had in most of the other games this season, outscoring the Badgers 24-2 in the first quarter. Illinois built on its strong start throughout the afternoon and ultimately went on to win 67-42. Fahey got her first Big Ten Tournament win and was rewarded with a water shower when she walked into the locker room after the game. It was also the first time the team won consecutive games all season, and they were eager to keep the momentum going. But the winning streak was short-lived, with the season coming to a close the following day against rival Northwestern. Illinois came close to defeating Northwestern in the second matchup, but the third

time was not the charm for the Illini. Northwestern had a 38-8 lead by the half, holding Illinois to just two points in the second ten minutes. Despite Illinois outscoring Northwestern in the third quarter, the 30-point deficit was too much for Illinois to erase. In a reversal of the previous day’s game, the Illini lost 67-42, bringing their season to a close. In a season where the Illini found their momentum toward the end of the year, they are seeking to build on it and have a higher seed in next year’s Big Ten Tournament. “It’s important to get out of the 12 and 13 spot, you know, the 13 out of the (13, 14) because you’re gonna have to play a lot of basketball,” Fahey said after Illinois’ loss in the Big Ten tournament. “So, as we take away from this, it’s like, that’s a good win, but we got to get ourselves in a different position at this time of year.” @obrien_clairee claireo3@dailyillini.com

SOFTBALL

Sickels contributes calmness, confidence, courage to Illini

PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS

Junior Sydney Sickels pitches during competition. Sickels has been an essential asset to the softball team this year. BY ALLENDE MIGLIETTA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Junior pitcher Sydney Sickels shared three things that guide her performances: calmness to feel comfortable, confidence to overcome challenges and courage to enable determination. Illinois’ motto is to have a “no-fear mentality,” where confidence overrides doubt. This helps them believe that they can compete at the highest level, where their mindset translates onto the

field. Sickels is one of these players who strives to push distractions aside and put her all into the given moment. “A challenge that I’ve struggled with is gaining that confidence, especially during times where things may not be going well. This has been something that I’ve been trying to overcome,” Sickels said. “An example of this would be giving up a big hit that could potentially change the game, and rather than getting down on myself and learning just how, as a

team, we can bounce back from that.” Like most sports, there will be letdowns that obstruct a team’s development toward success. Sickels, along with the rest of her teammates, focuses on how to prevail. When she steps onto the plate, fear is not an option. “Be where your feet are,” Sickels said. Sickels’ strategy on the mound is to be present in the moment. This motivation influences her to take

each play one step at a time, not allowing herself to rush into anything too soon. That approach helped the Illini dominate the field with a nation-leading 0.84 team ERA through 83 innings pitched. “Right now, my thought on (our ERA) is how can we keep it there,” Sickels said. “Just focusing on what we do to keep ourselves with this top contending stat, and how we can continue competing at this high level.”

Mindfulness has developed Sickels into an outstanding player. She focuses on her own awareness in the present moment, staying calm, yet confident. With courage, she is ready to tackle the rest of the season, starting with Minnesota. Sickels has found her footing, and she is not stopping there. Her performance at Sleepy Hollow Sports Complex in Leesburg, Florida, was rewarded with Big Ten Pitcher of the Week honors. Sickels went 3-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 21 innings pitched. Her performance included 31 strikeouts without allowing a walk and back-to-back one-hit, 10-strikeout complete games. Sickels says her optimistic mindset helps her manage expectations going into games. Her mental and physical state allows her to take advantage of the given moment. Being a team player, Sickels recognizes that to win, a team needs to work as a cohesive unit on the field, not as nine separate players. “My goals for the rest of the season are to continue to help my team win and help keep the runs down, so my teammates can do what they need to do to finish the inning without making their job too strenuous,” Sickels said. She pushes herself to be the best she can for herself and her teammates. Sickels spoke on how it is easy to get caught up in your own individual mindset and goals, yet for the Illini, focusing on the team and the next task at hand is the way to go.

Illinois’ softball program promotes unity, as they influence their players to stay calm, confident and courageous. Sickels demonstrates this not only with herself but with her teammates as well. She focuses on both mental and physical improvement. The Illini focus on trying to overcome any mental blockage developed from the past and are learning to master a positive mindset. “While playing (at Illinois), a vital aspect that I’ve learned is to stay calm during games. That just goes back to when I had spoken about feeling comfortable on the field,” Sickels said. “Rather than getting flustered and overwhelmed about a mistake, the key to jumping back is calmness.” Softball is both a mental and physical game. It is evident that Sickels’ approach to pitching has helped her thrive over the years. She does not let distractions get in her way, whether they are difficulties on the field or disparaging comments. “If I could go back in time, I would have told my younger self to just keep working hard and not let the naysayers get in your head. There will always be those people who don’t believe in you and don’t think you’re good enough,” Sickels said. “However, there will also be people who believe in you wholeheartedly and want you to do well, so listen to those people. Don’t let those who don’t believe in you get inside your head.” @allendeauguste allende3@dailyillini.com

4B Monday, March 22, 2021

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Monday, March 22, 2021

buzz calendar 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.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEAM

The front cover of the video game “Doom 3” is pictured above. The game was released on Aug. 3, 2004.

‘Doom 3’ offers intense gameplay BY AIDAN FINN STAFF WRITER

It’s an unfortunate yet very common occurrence when a good title, whether it be a game, movie or even song title, is overshadowed by a triumphant success released in the same window. We’ve seen it in 1982 when the science-fiction classic, and my favorite movie, “Blade Runner” was crushed at the box office by the runaway hit “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” which is my mom’s favorite movie. We’ve seen it with games such as 2010’s “Vanquish” being kicked off stage by the mega-hit “Fallout: New Vegas.” Case in point, 2004 saw the release of “Half-Life 2,” a classic that truly embodied the label of “generation-defining” with superb graphics and a physics engine so versatile it still sees use to this day. But while “Half-Life 2” was showered with its much deserved praise, “Doom 3,” another anticipated title, received mixed reviews at the time for its weird take on the iconic Doom series and thus dropped dead taking the franchise along with it for 12 years. Many were quick to write off “Doom 3” as it went away with the rock ‘n’ roll, ultrabadass power fantasy of the first two titles and favored a more slow-pace, horror tone. But was this game bad in the

end? Or was it just a title in the wrong place at the wrong time? “Doom 3” was released in 2004 on PC and later released on the original Xbox in 2005. An expanded and remastered edition titled “Doom 3: BFG Edition” was released on modern consoles in 2012 and later in 2019. Developed by id Software, it saw players taking up the role of a nobody space marine on Mars amidst a demonic invasion from hell. You’ll embark on a 10-hour quest to close the portal to hell while facing off against signature enemies of the Doom series. Your arsenal is packed with iconic weapons revamped into the third dimension, as well as some new tools like a plasma grabber and a discount gravity gun. Where the main difference comes into play, and what makes “Doom 3” stand apart from the series is its atmosphere. Dark, foreboding steel hallways with loud and disorientating industrial machinery running rampant. A blood-covered wall and cracked window are all the storytelling needed to tell players something terrible has happened. I will adamantly say “Doom 3” has one of the best game introductions ever. After a literal descent into hell, you

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arrive at the Mars research base, isolated and alone, and your few encounters with the residences of this lab become fewer and fewer as you go further into the planet. Combine this tense atmosphere with phenomenal sound design, and you have sci-fi horror so good it would be the precursor to the likes of “Dead Space” and “SOMA.” It’s not flawless, however, and its biggest weakness is unfortunately the core of “Doom:” its combat. The claustrophobic hallways give way to frustrating firefights where you don’t really have any cover, and dodging is hard to pull off given you have no space to fight in. The dark lighting also works against the game at times, as your gun doesn’t light up the room when fired, and the flashlight can reveal how dated the early 2000s texture work is. But overall, I highly recommend this title to not just fans of “Doom” looking for a new experience but to those who desire more sci-fi horror reminiscent of “Alien” or “Event Horizon.” It’s a good title that did not deserve the doomed launch it had. “Doom 3” is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.

MONDAY, MARCH 22

TUESDAY, MARCH 23

Spring Exploration Activity Guide Rain Garden Workshop  All Day  Online event hosted by Champaign County Forest Preserve District  Free Spring is here! Head outside to look for signs of spring, from wildflowers to migrating birds and the return of the butterflies! Download the activity guide or pick one up at one of our facilities to help you explore nature at the preserves or even your own backyard this spring. Grab your gear and start exploring!

Women’s History Month Read Aloud: Gloria Steinem

 1-1:30 p.m.  Online event hosted by Museum of the Grand Prairie  Free Join the group for this picture book biography of feminist icon, writer and activist, Gloria Steinem: “Gloria Takes a Stand: How Gloria Steinem Listened, Wrote and Changed the World,” by Jessica M. Rinker; illustrated by Daria PeoplesRiley.

Pet Photos with the Easter Bunny  5 p.m. - 7 p.m.  Market Place Mall, 2000 North Neil Street  Free, but reservation required Bring your pets to strike a pose at Market Place Mall in an Easter-themed photoshoot taking place on Mar. 22 and Mar. 29! All cats and dogs are welcome, but spots go fast so be sure to book your reservation today.

 4-5 p.m.  Online event hosted by Allerton Park & Retreat Center  Free, but registration required University of Illinois Extension’s Eliana Brown and Layne Knoche will talk about rain gardens, why you might want them and the basics of creating one. They will use the example of the Red Oak Rain Garden on the University of Illinois campus to explain how to approach native plant selection.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24

Connecting You with Nature Virtual Hikes

 Noon-1 p.m.  Online event hosted by Anita Purves Nature Center  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, visit the Anita Purves Nature Center on Facebook.

Lunchtime Live Storytelling

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

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buzz

Queen mars shares life lessons in debut EP ‘Trust Issues’ BY BRIDGET BASTEIN STAFF WRITER

Chicago-born a r tist queen mars debuts her first extended play (EP) “Trust Issues” on April 9, and after hearing a promotional spoiler for the EP, I would say this EP is a must to check out! Queen mars said she’s both nervous and excited about her first EP, noting that while she has previously written several singles, this was the first time she took on this type of project. She was very intent on telling accurate stories and incorporating a narrative structure to her EP. Although this is her first EP, she has been singing and writing poetry since childhood. When her grandmother gave her a keyboard when she was 12, queen mars said she taught herself how to play so she could accompany her own singing by banging around on the keys and listening to what sounded good. Only after studying music theory later did she realize what techniques she discovered at the time. Originally music was just a private hobby shared only with close friends, but she gradually started sharing her music on social media in her late teens. By her 20s, queen mars had realized that she had wanted to create a certain type of music and created the persona of queen mars to be her socalled “Sasha Fierce.” This persona allows her to step out of her more conservative background and express herself in a different way and sing about more expansive themes. Queen mars

describes her music style as cinematic and ambient with big sounds that still sound just as compelling when stripped away of all production back down to the basics of vocals and piano. Although queen mars has been involved with music since childhood, this project only began last year at the start of quarantine. Before that, queen mars was too busy with other work, but once the lockdown hit, she made the most of her time by reflecting on her relationships and using these themes to create the five-track EP “Trust Issues.” Compared to previous releases where queen mars said she was “too strong for emotions,” she said she has realized that there is more strength in vulnerability than pretending not to care, and she’s taken this latter approach when making her EP. While queen mars has always written her own songs, she has just recently begun self-producing, which she said has allowed her to spend more time experimenting with all sorts of sounds. “LONELY,” the last track queen mars wrote for the EP a bit later into quarantine, will be her first self-produced track and will be getting its own music video on April 7, just two days before the EP’s release. Queen mars said she was extremely excited about this music video because this would be a new style of video for her where she tried to go all out — she even coded an app for it! It is certainly something to look forward to.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS NWAJEI

Artist queen mars poses during a photoshoot. Queen mars spoke with buzz writer Bridget Bastien about her debut EP, “Trust Issues.”

For the rest of the songs on the EP, “BOYS LIKE YOU,” “F U,” “YOU” and “TRUST ISSUES,” queen mars worked alongside producers Austen Nobles, Zaptra and Chason. Queen mars also approached her longtime friend D’mitri Williams and asked if he would like to be on the EP, which he instantly agreed to. His vocals are featured on the third track “F U.”

Queen mars said her past relationships have made her stronger and more knowledgeable about what she wants in a relationship. Some of the key lessons queen mars said she learned were how to set boundaries, what the difference is between compromise and self-sacrifice, to not minimize herself for anyone else’s sake and to make sure people actually deserve trust

before giving it to them. She hopes her personal growth and negative experiences that caused her to learn these skills will translate well in her EP. She also hopes people will relate to her own relationship experiences and will be able to have an emotional release through her bluntness and vulnerability. The EP will drop on all

streaming platforms on April 9, but for those who want a spoiler, two of the EP’s tracks, titled “BOYS LIKE YOU” and “YOU,” and their corresponding music videos have already been released. Those who want to learn more about queen mars or follow her socials can go to her website. bastien3@readbuzz.com

Lana Del Rey takes listeners on musical journey through past

JULIA EVERSMANN THE DAILY ILLINI

BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR

”Chemtrails over the Country Club” is the polarizing title of Lana Del Rey’s newly released, seventh studio album. The idea of harmful chemtrails flying over an affluent and otherwise untouchable country club embodies the delusion of our current state of affairs, where life seems upside down and no one is completely innocent. Del Rey is known for her iconic imagery and reflections of

American culture, and this album serves as her intimate impression of herself, her relationships and the world we live in, full of spirit and tradition. Before the release of “Chemtrails over the Country Club,” Del Rey has been repeatedly under fire in the media in the past year for poorly worded defenses of her work and her relationship with artists of color, in which her apologies and clarifications have been under scrutiny where many

are less reluctant to forgive, unsure where her intentions lie. Her songwriting prevails, however, and especially after the success of her previous album, “Norman F------ Rockwell,” critics are eager to see what she has in store for this record. As the music industry begins to take Del Rey’s music more seriously, seeing the ways this compares to her earlier releases will be interesting. “Chemtrails” contains 11 tracks, each one flowing

into the next, carrying Del Rey’s spirit throughout. The first two track releases of this album were the namesake “Chemtrails over the Country Club” and “Let Me Love You Like A Woman.” “Chemtrails over the Country Club” connects her past with her present as she sings, “I’m not unhinged or unhappy, I’m just wild.” The song is melodic, as she reiterates that she’s not unhappy, but rather finding new freedoms and being herself even in the simplest moments. The familiarity and simplicity of this track are reflected in the rest of the album, and it is no wonder why she chose the striking intimacy of this song to name her seventh record. “Let Me Love You Like A Woman,” Del Rey’s first single off of “Chemtrails,” is much more romantic, and less about her submission but instead her powerful presence as a lover. The folkiness of this record is strong, but this is definitely not a country album. Del Rey’s ability to transform alternative pop music has made her an industry gem. In songs like “Tulsa Jesus Freak,” “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” and “Yosemite,” she takes listen-

ers on the journey to find freedom and embrace Americana. In “Tulsa Jesus Freak,” a track she teased earlier on, she sings, “We’re white-hot forever and God only knows.” In “Not All Who Wander Are Lost,” she sings, “The thing about bein’ on the road / Is there’s too much time to think.” In “Yosemite,” she sings, “It’s not like I’m invisible / Not like before when I was burning at both ends.” Throughout these tracks, she reflects on her time on the road and fame, incorporating evangelical themes of religion, wanderlust and her way of forming attachments. Other tracks on the album include “ W hite Dress,” “Wild at Heart” and “Dark but Just a Game.” “White Dress” opens the album, where she reflects on her life before fame, setting the album as a fusion between a nostalgic past and evolving into herself. In “Wild at Heart,” she sings “If you love me, you’ll love me / ‘Cause I’m wild, wild at heart.” Lana doesn’t want to be tied down by any external force, but she certainly wants to be loved for who she is, regardless of

any personal limitations or the pressures of fame and the media. She reinforces this sentiment in “Dark but Just a Game,” as she sings, “We keep changing all the time / The best ones lost their minds / So I’m not gonna change / I’ll stay the same.” The final three tracks are “Breaking Up Slowly” featuring Nikki Lane, “Dance Till We Die” and “For Free” featuring Weyes Blood and Zella Day. In the gradual but assured close to the record, Del Rey captures the feeling of living how she wants, with whoever she wants and how “We won’t stop dancin’ ‘til we die.” “For Free” is a cover of Joni Mitchell’s song with the same name, a track from 1970. In “Chemtrails over the Country Club,” Del Rey demonstrates her song-writing prowess once again, along with producer and songwriting legend Jack Antonoff. She takes listeners to a past of her own design, where life is how she makes it, through the traditional spirit of America and the evolution of her own heart. rukayah2@readbuzz.com