APRIL 2025 HUMANS HUMANS CU CUOF
THE DAILY ILLINI
1001 S. Wright St., Champaign, IL 61820 || (217) 337-8300
The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois UrbanaChampaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Company. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois’ administration, faculty, staff or students.
All Illini Media Company and The Daily Illini’s articles, photos and graphics are the property of Illini Media Company and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the publisher.
How to contact us
The Daily Illini is located in the basement of the University YMCA at 1001 S. Wright St. Our office is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
General phone numbers
Front Desk: (217) 337-8300
Advertising: (217) 337-8382
Newsroom: (217) 337-8345
Newsroom contacts
Online: If you have a question about our website, dailyillini.com, please email our Managing Editor at online@dailyillini.com.
Visuals: If you have a question about photos, graphics or The DI’s social media, please email our Visuals Director at visuals@dailyillini.com.
Employment: If you would like to work for The DI’s editorial department, please fill out our online application at dailyillini. com.
Calendar: If you want to submit events for publication in print and online, visit dailyillini.com.
Letters to the editor: Letters are limited to 300 words. Contributions must include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must include their year in school and college. The DI reserves the right to edit or reject any contributions. Email opinions@dailyillini.com with the subject "Letter to the Editor."
Advertising
Placing an ad: To place an ad, please contact our advertising department at (217) 337-8382 or email advertise@illinimedia.com.
Corrections: When we make a mistake, we will acknowledge it with a correction. We strive for accuracy, so if you find an error, please contact Editor-in-Chief Sam Gregerman at (224) 458-7445 or email editor@dailyillini.com.
Editorial Team
Editor-in-Chief: Sam Gregerman editor@dailyillini.com
Managing Editor: Maaike Niekerk reporting@dailyillini.com
Visual Director: Matt Stepp visuals@dailyillini.com
Special Sections Editor: Chloe Barbarise specialsections@dailyillini.com
News Editor: Qaasim Jatoi news@dailyillini.com
Arts & Entertainment Editor: Annisyn Krebs-Carr entertainment@dailyillini.com
Sports Editor: Brendan Gallian sports@dailyillini.com
Copy Chief Ian Cunningham copy@dailyillini.com
Photo Editor: Isaac Pinkus photo@dailyillini.com
Graphics Editor: Rikkie Gunawan graphics@dailyillini.com
Design Editor: Hadyn Nuttall design@dailyillini.com
Audience Director: Audrey Lutz social@dailyillini.com
Editor’s note
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
SAM GREGERMAN editor@dailyillini.com
In a world where speed and efficiency dominate public expectations, mainstream news can easily become a hot topic of conversation.
While The Daily Illini is committed to providing accurate, comprehensive news about the University and communities within Champaign-Urbana, we wanted to take a print edition to hone in on some important players that often get glossed over: the people.
This April, Humans of CU returns to The DI’s pages for the first time since 2023. This edition features a wide array of stories, each highlighting something unique that its subjects contribute to C-U.
17 unique narratives comprise the following pages. Writers worked to build relationships with students and community
members to put their stories onto the pages of The DI.
After turning this first page, you will find Maaike Niekerk’s profile on Herra Winn, a local drag queen dedicated to fostering queer art in C-U.
If you want to know more about the operations of local businesses, check out Amelia Benson’s story about the owners of The Space on page 10.
The DI also sat down with a variety of Illini, ranging from Barry Houser, director of the Marching Illini, to Josie Liu, a student committed to raising awareness about human trafficking through her RSO, Dressember. Read those stories on pages 16 and 20.
No matter where your interests lie, this edition has something for you. These stories paint a picture of the diverse, colorful community we live in, offering insight into the lives of people who prioritize passion as they navigate the community we call home.
ON THE
COVER
Champaign-Urbana is home to various unique individuals: You just haven’t met them yet. The Daily Illini hopes to represent the vast number of people in C-U who may be strangers now, but won’t be for long. You can learn about the lives of the Humans of CU in the following pages.
RIKKIE GUNAWAN THE DAILY ILLINI
ISSUE
Herra Winn cultivates acceptance with Drag Menagerie
Herra Winn cultivates acceptance with Drag Menagerie
Good Judys builds connections a dozen bagels at a time
‘Elite’ business owner Vidhi Chavda opens CU nutrition hub
The art of canning with Tiger Gardens
The Space duo cooks up out-of-thisworld dining experience
Elizabeth McLane works overtime on, off the ice
Hoops to honky tonks: Meyers Leonard begins new path after NBA retirement
Puzzles 17 20
Barry Houser provides leadership, support for Marching Illini
8-year-old Milo discovers passion in Marching Illini
Theater production students run the show backstage
Josie Liu co-founds RSO for a cause
Strength in solidarity: Heather Fairbanks leads SEIU through community organizing
Stefan Djordjevic, ‘The Lighthouse’
Spanish as action: Ann Abbott’s mission in motion
Dan Simons unveils minds’ limits
Brendan Harley runs toward cure for cancer
Mattie Fash wields witchcraft, poetry in selfdiscovery quest
Herra Winn cultivates acceptance with Drag Menagerie
MANAGING EDITOR
MAAIKE NIEKERK maaiken2@dailyillini.com
On the first and third Saturday of every month in downtown Champaign, The Space comes to life with the sights and sounds of Herra’s Drag Menagerie — ChampaignUrbana’s very own “open” drag show.
The mastermind behind the Menagerie is Herra Winn, self-described Queen Mother of Herratics, high priestess of the Herasy and arch nemesis of the imperium of man.
“She almost has the energy of a cult leader,” said Grim Bastard, local drag performer and Winn’s drag son. “She’s like hoarding all of these drag babies and bringing people into her world. She’s very fun.”
“The world does not want us performing drag ... It is so important having these open stages and having places for baby drag performers.”
Grim Bastard, local drag performer
Winn, who grew up in Danville, Illinois, started drag after Season 2 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” inspired her. She attended her first drag show at Chester Street Bar, downtown Champaignʼs former gay nightclub, which permanently closed on July 6, 2017.
After beginning to perform drag locally about eight years ago, Winn took a break just before the pandemic. She jumped back into the scene with her own idea — Herra’s Drag Menagerie.
“There aren’t a lot of places in Champaign where new and up-and-coming performers can truly go,”
Winn said. “Not everyone has cars; not everyone can get into an actual bar. So giving people that are local, people that might not be able to get into a bar, a chance to do drag — let me pass on what I love to the next generation.”
Winn emphasized that while C-U provides competitive opportunities for drag performers, there’s an additional perk to having a more relaxed show setting.
“I think (competing) is a very important part of drag — it teaches you to be ready, know how to read a room, engage with the crowd,” Winn said. “I also feel like it’s not conducive to really letting people experiment because, in a competition,
you’re trying to win versus really getting to dig in and find what makes you.”
One local performer, Big Top Circus, made their drag debut at the Menagerie after starting makeup on their own. Circus compared Winn to a drag mother figure, saying the show brought the two of them closer and simultaneously unlocked a new world of inclusivity.
“It’s just kind of crazy to me, as someone who’s a very awkward person and was a very awkward kid, how quickly I feel like I have been accepted into this very established family,” Circus said.
Liv Orlandi, an employee at The Space, said that the restaurant primarily hosted punk shows in its early days. According to her, since integrating the Menagerie, The Space has gained popularity as the show nears its first anniversary.
Kristen Unakis is a local comedic performer who has worked with Winn since the Menagerie’s debut. She specifically praised the
Herra Winn, a local drag queen from Danville, Illinois, poses before a comedy show at The Space on East Main Street in Champaign.
“open mic” part of the show, which creates a truly special opportunity for C-U to come together.
“I think that it’s amazing for the community,” Unakis said. “Open mic for drag, newbies, anybody can start out. You have somewhere to practice.”
With the dissolution of C-U queer spaces, like C-Street, Bastard emphasized that Winnʼs community is more important now than ever before.
“The world does not want us performing drag,” Bastard said. “They don’t want to let us have this art form; they don’t want to let us have any art forms at this point. It is so important having these open stages and having places for baby drag performers.”
Winn said that the Menagerie will remain at The Space as long as possible. With full support from the restaurant’s staff, the show will continue to be a testament to the welcoming queer space Winn has created in C-U.
“As long as people get to come and enjoy it, and try it, that’s all I want,” Winn said. “I want to be able to keep giving people a chance to really do the thing that I love, that I wanted to do for so many years.”
MARY PIACENTE THE DAILY ILLINI
Good Judys builds connections a dozen bagels at a time
SENIOR ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REPORTER
BRYANA PEREZ bkperez2@dailyillini.com
In the summer of 2023, while sailing through the icy waters of Alaska, Jeffrey and Dakota Thomas-Wilhelm had a vision. A cozy, welcoming café where members of the Champaign-Urbana community could feel at home, sip coffee and enjoy fresh, warm bagels.
That Alaskan cruise planted a seed, and back in C-U, the idea of Good Judys Espresso & Bagel Bar started to take shape. So, they decided to take a leap of faith.
Jeffrey, co-owner and general manager of Good Judys, was stuck in a job that drained him and left him questioning if it was what he wanted to spend his life doing.
But Dakota, co-owner and public relations manager of Good Judys, did not let his husband abandon hope.
“(Jeffrey) straight up wanted to give up at one point … He was getting ready to apply to random jobs,” Dakota said. “I was like, ‘Absolutely not, because if you apply to another random full-time job that you are not going to enjoy, you are not going to take the time and energy to develop this business any further.’”
That push was precisely what Jeffrey needed.
Without a storefront or experience in the food industry, Jeffrey started small — experimenting with bagel recipes in their home kitchen, tweaking flavors and textures until he found the perfect balance.
At the same time, he applied to Espresso Royale,
working as a barista at the Grainger Engineering Library and Oregon Street locations. Jeffrey immersed himself in the world of coffee to learn the ins and outs of what it would take to run his own business.
All the while, Dakota laid the groundwork for Good Judys. He secured a Champaign County Chamber of Commerce microloan after various potential funding sources denied him and was able to start Good Judys as an online business.
They took their bagels to the C-U Winter Farmers Market, where they quickly experienced their first sellout — the moment that confirmed they were onto something special.
“After all the denials we got in the fall of 2023, I did not think we would be going back to the bank six to eight months later like, ‘No, you really need to help us this time because we cannot keep up with this demand in our house,’” Dakota said. “We accidentally got a cult following for our bagels.”
In the following weekends, the couple met new customers, shared their story and watched as people returned for their bagels week after week. The farmers market
Good Judys owners Jeffrey and Dakota ThomasWilhelm wash dishes together on March 21. The couple, originally from Iowa, opened the espresso and bagel bar in 2024.
gave them visibility, but more importantly, it proved that their vision resonated with the C-U community.
In December 2024, the two officially opened the doors to their brick-and-mortar shop at 2740 S. Philo Road, which turned the home-based bagel business into a reality.
Kari Bartelson, longtime friend of Jeffrey and Dakota, spoke about the thought the couple put into creating the physical space.
“They took so much time and detail to figure out how they really wanted to present Good Judys,” Bartelson said. “It definitely reflects who they are as people, their style and really having a place where people can come together — that is Good Judys.”
For Jeffrey and Dakota, that sense of uniqueness and belonging is exactly what they set out to create.
The name “Good Judy” itself is a nod to LGBTQ+ culture. It refers to the icon Judy Garland, a well-known supporter of the LGBTQ+ community in her time. It is also a term of endearment used to describe a trusted friend, a safe space or someone you can count on.
That identity is embedded
in every aspect of the shop, from its friendly staff to the mural of Garland herself.
For many employees, the location is more than just a workplace; it’s a space where they feel seen, valued and free to be themselves.
Gabriel Gonzalez, employee at Good Judys and graduate student studying dance, shared his experience working closely with Dakota and Jeffrey.
“They are so sweet, and behind the scenes, it feels like I am hanging out with friends,” Gonzalez said. “We have a lot of musical moments where we are just blasting music and making bagels before the sun is even up. It feels like a very special experience.”
Gonzalez has noticed that even on their days off, employees choose to spend time at Good Judys — a true testament to the welcoming and inclusive space Dakota and Jeffrey have built.
Through setbacks, doubts and a journey that took Jeffrey and Dakota from a small home kitchen to a thriving café, they never gave up on their dream of creating something meaningful for the people of C-U.
“I try to remember the names and build connections with our customers, which helps set us apart,” Jeffrey said.
As the doors to Good Judys open each morning, it becomes clear that the café is more than just a business — it is a reflection of the couple who brought it to life. It is a testament to the kind of people Jeffrey and Dakota are — dreamers, creators and above all, Good Judys.
SAM RINK THE DAILY ILLINI
‘Elite’ business owner Vidhi Chavda opens CU nutrition hub
It was winter break of freshman year, and Vidhi Chavda was back in her hometown of Bartlett, Illinois, after her first semester at the University. Chavda, now a sophomore in Engineering, and her friends walked into Elevate — a health-conscious store where she had fallen in love with its sunset bowl and welcoming community.
In the store, a whiteboard read: “In what city would you like to see another location?” Chavda marked Champaign. A year later, she holds the keys to Green Street’s newest addition — Elite.
Elite is a health and wellness store where customers can buy protein shakes, refreshers and more. Chavda’s mission is to create a “nutrition club,” hoping to do more than bring healthy food options to Campustown by having Elite double as a networking hub for students.
She has computer science students working on the website, marketing students helping with social media and computer engineers setting up the store’s loyalty system.
“If I can give students personal projects as well as help the business grow as well as help the resumes grow, it’s a win-win situation,” Chavda said.
Entrepreneurship isn’t new to the sophomore who grew up behind the register of her father’s grocery store, learning the ins and outs of running a business.
“I don’t really fit into organizations; it’s kind of not my thing — even in high school,” Chavda said. “I was (in) a photography club I started ... it’s always been something that I started myself.”
Her family, especially her parents, have constantly supported her throughout this intricate process.
When Chavda first came to them with the idea of opening a business in Champaign, they didn’t dismiss it — instead, they asked her to explain everything. Her father was even at the very first meeting that Chavda had with her mentor and owner of Elevate, Tanya Johnson.
On opening day, 40 of her family members drove over four hours down to Champaign. Each family member took turns buying something and congratulating her.
During the official March 1 grand opening, over 250 people from the Champaign-Urbana community came in to support the new business owner. Since its opening, the community response has been overwhelming; the store is even starting to have regulars. The response to Chavda and the impact of her story has been even greater.
“I’m absolutely impressed,” said Saya Spells, sophomore in LAS and Elite employee. “It’s honestly kind of inspiring to be able to do this. It is a lot of hard work, but it makes me feel like maybe one day, if I would ever want to open a business, that it’s an achievable goal.”
The name of the store is inspired by March Madness. The Elite 8 basketball round
in the NCAA tournament inspired Chavda, who was amazed at the crowds of excited people in the streets and fell in love with the energy. The word “elite” stuck with her, and now it hangs on the front of her very own place.
The process of opening the store took 14 months. Chavda spent time getting the required permits, working with her mentor and learning to collaborate with an architect.
“She lived everything — from training (at Elevate) to finding a location to setting up her shop to training employees,” Johnson said. “The most important piece of this journey is her.”
In an average week, Chavda spends every morning and most afternoons working at Elite, alongside attending her lectures. Her evenings are filled with meetings for her RSOs — Illinois Women in Engineering and Illini Solar Car.
“She defi- nitely is always there for us, even if she’s not (at Elite); if we have a question, she’s basical ly always on call, ready to answer us,” said Carleigh Lazar, sophomore in AHS and Elite employ ee.
The biggest expecta tion that Chavda has for her staff is to talk with cus tomers and build personal relationships with them. She encourages her employees
to ask engaging questions beyond routine “hellos” in hopes that the store’s refreshing flavors and welcoming environment will brighten people’s day.
Chavda has always been hard-working, and that hasn’t changed in her years as a college student.
“In elementary school, she was super nerdy,” said Samantha Blanchard, sophomore in Engineering and Chavda’s best friend. “She’s very motivated, still very smart.”
Chavda manages her time with a colorful Google calendar and prioritizes work at the store and academics above everything else. Elite is a physical representation of her hard work and commitment to achieving her goals.
“Seeing that someone so young can embark on this, I mean, there’s no limits to the people that she’s going to be able to inspire,” Johnson said.
RUHI HARYADI THE DAILY ILLINI
The art of canning with Tiger Gardens
Sue Tiger’s journey as a gardener and canned goods aficionado began with a tomato.
As a child in Pekin, Illinois, she enjoyed fresh, delicious and locally grown tomatoes from her grandfather’s hand. Decades later, she was perplexed by the obvious decline in the quality of produce available in grocery stores. She scoured her local supermarket but couldn’t find a single tomato grown in the United States.
Sue learned that produce sourced from distant locations must be picked before it is ripe to last through transportation. As a result, it lacks the nutritional benefits of locally grown produce.
After visiting Urbana’s Market at the Square, she dove into the world of gardening — and then canning. In 2016, she married Tim Tiger, and the pair began selling their canned goods at the market three years later.
Now co-owners of Tiger Gardens, their dedication to serving the ChampaignUrbana community remains strong.
The path from fresh-picked produce to the final product is lengthy. Ingredients must be washed, combined, cooked, properly sealed and labeled before being sold. Sue and Tim use a pressure canning process to ensure that each product is preserved for at least 18
months, unopened.
To accommodate the extensive process, the Tigers prepare ingredients in the mornings before heading to their full-time jobs and continue canning and picking recipes in the evening when they return home
“It’s a labor of love, definitely,” Sue said. “It’s like making art.”
The Tiger home is decorated with jar-littered tables and a constantly-running dishwasher — testaments to their unfaltering work.
After nearly six years of selling at the farmers market, Tiger Gardens has built a rapport with returning customers.
“We will always sell at the farmers market because that’s the only way to have a close relationship with the people that are consuming our products,” Sue said.
The market is open on Saturdays in downtown Urbana from May to October. Market Coordinator Bryan Heaton said the vendors and customers are close, and the Tigers frequently source their ingredients from other vendors.
Heaton met the Tigers six
years ago when they began selling at the market and has been impressed with their range of products, relationships with customers and passion for their work.
“They’ve really taken what was probably a pretty basic business and made it very complex and very local,” Heaton said. “I have a lot of respect for them.”
Other vendors at the market sell canned goods, Heaton said, but Tiger Gardens stands out in several ways. Their commitment to service and practicality shines through their return system — Sue and Tim clean and reuse jars returned by customers, who they compensate with store credit.
Small food productions like Tiger Gardens offer the kind of intimacy between producers and consumers that is typically absent from corporate and chain grocery stores.
“You’d be surprised how happy jam makes people,” Sue said. “They get to ask me questions about how we make it, what recipes we’re making. They get to recommend stuff.”
In addition to an active blog and YouTube channel, Tiger Gardens has expanded
their reach by leading classes at the ARC. Their Valentine’s Day class was overflowing with eager pupils, to Sue’s amazement.
“All these … college kids came and made strawberry jam and pizza sauce on a Friday night and were happy to do that,” Sue said. “I’d love to see that everywhere.”
Katerina Alikakos, sophomore in Engineering, attended the Valentine’s Day class, hoping to enjoy the holiday and learn about saucemaking. She met a full room of couples and friend groups — and left with new skills.
Alikakos said she expects the recipes she learned will help her cook when she moves into an apartment next year.
“I know how to make jam because I went to this class,” Alikakos said. “I think that’s super cool, so I would definitely be interested if she kept doing classes.”
Sue hopes to shift perceptions of canning and interest younger people in the craft. She commented that marketing in the canning world should brand the process as youthful and highend to attract new audiences.
“I want people to not think of canning as preserving and as preparing for the zombie apocalypse,” Sue said. “I want them to think of it as adding value to your pantry.”
Sue and Tim have built a successful business in canned food production over the years. Along the way, they have fostered joy, trust and community with their C-U neighbors.
RIKKIE GUNAWAN THE DAILY ILLINI
The Space duo cooks up out-ofthis-world dining experience
SLOTTER AMELIA BENSON ameliab8@dailyillini.com
With multitudes of internet tutorials at our fingertips and libraries of cookbooks and recipes galore, anyone can learn to cook. Ian Nutting and Doug Hodge are living proof of this philosophy.
Dynamic duo Nutting and Hodge are the owners of The Space — a restaurant, bar and venue in downtown Champaign. It serves as a concert venue and a place for drag, comedy, open mic events and more.
The Space was born from Nutting’s obsession with smoking meat. He invited Hodge to share this hobby after fatefully meeting at a party one evening.
In 2021, their newfound partnership blossomed into a hot sauce company, Weird Meat Boyz. The company puts an emphasis on “weird,” offering unique flavors like “ghost pepper. cherry + blueberry. tequila.”
Their success online and at local farmers’ markets opened their minds to the possibilities of experimentation with food components beyond sauce.
“We came at this whole thing with a couple of things in mind,” Nutting said. “One is food. This town could have a cooler, hipper food scene.”
It was easier said than done. Both parties had zero culinary education, formal or informal. They learned
the basics through weekly dinners while Nutting’s wife was abroad in Bulgaria and soon began experimenting.
“I’ve cooked my whole entire life, but I started taking it really seriously during those weekly dinners,” Hodge said. “I think that’s what sparked a lot of just wanting to … be creative and trying new things.”
Nutting later went on to visit his wife overseas. The COVID-19 pandemic rained on plans for Hodge and his wife to join them. Hodge quickly pivoted, devoting this newfound time and unspent cash to more cooking.
“So I took all the money I saved up for that trip and went out and bought dozens of cookbooks … and a bunch of ingredients,” Hodge said.
Combining their experience in the hot sauce business with connections they made in
and
the community and their newfound culinary skills, Nutting and Hodge decided to open up their own space — no pun intended.
The Space officially opened its doors in April 2023. It was hosting shows before serving a single meal. According to Hodge, the pair always intended to combine their love of music and food to create more than just a restaurant.
“The pandemic kind of wiped out the Champaign side of the music scene with all the venues and everything,” Nutting said. “And so we wanted to help bring that back to life and help the culture.”
Hodge had experience in the music industry as a drummer in punk groups and as a tour manager. But nothing could have prepared them for the struggle of being business owners in 2025.
“We found out very
quickly that, unfortunately, the reason that there’s not a bunch of local music venues is that local music doesn’t make any money for the establishment,” Nutting said.
What keeps him going, however, is the love of the craft and the privilege it is to give the gift of food to others — not the money.
“If you’re following the rules or just doing what makes money … we would be McDonald’s plus very generic, stupid music,” Nutting said.
Instead, he puts his heart into concocting recipes unique to Champaign, like his favorite on the current dinner menu, “dressed wings” fried in duck fat.
For Nutting, the opportunity to cook something special for a customer is unmatched. It brings him happiness that makes the pair’s efforts worth it.
Doug Hodge
Ian Nutting, owners of The Space, standing in the kitchen of their restaurant on the corner of East Main Street and North Fremont Street.
CLARK ANDERSON
THE DAILY ILLINI
“I find joy in cooking for people, for specific people, and in delivering them that, giving them that sort of experience,” Nutting said.
When you cook in a restaurant or prepare a meal for your family at home, Nutting explained what makes it special is a real person gets to savor and indulge in something unique you created.
The vibes of The Space begin in the kitchen with the smell of decadent food. The staff’s passion helps to amplify that unique atmosphere. Liv Orlandi, the bar manager, pours more love into the craft of mixing drinks and brewing a unique cocktail menu than your average bartender.
“I love working here,” Orlandi said. “It’s like we’re all genuinely friends, and I think that’s a really cool
dynamic to have in the workplace.”
Its employees are hard at work keeping The Space spinning on its axis. Known affectionately as “The Space Force,” they have as much love for each other as they do for the job. Without this bond between the staff, The Space would not function as well as it does, according to Orlandi.
“A big thing that we do is we all dance on the line, which just makes the shifts go by faster,” Orlandi said. “It makes them more fun. And it’s like, we all just try to have a good vibe, no matter what.”
Hodge feels that The Space has created a place for the C-U community to come together in a variety of ways.
For one, they’ve worked to provide a safe space for expression and an audience for overlooked local music. Many of their menu items’ ingredients are sourced
in-state, specifically from Central Illinois farmers.
“If it hits the fan and things aren’t going well, we will have supplies for things because we know farmers, and we get our produce and our meat and our eggs and things from local farms,” Hodge said. “And so we also want to be thinking about being a community hub for that, too.”
While Nutting and Hodge may not have grown up in C-U, all things considered,
employees work diligently grilling and dressing
they are townies, without a doubt.
They hope The Space can continue to be a space within the community they have grown to love.
“What makes me fulfilled at the end of the day is when people say that they can feel safe here, they feel happy here, and that they love what’s going on, and they like the vibes, the energy, that sort of stuff,” Nutting said. “That’s when I know we’re doing things right.”
Two
burgers in the kitchen of The Space on the corner of East Main Street and North Fremont Street on March 29.
CLARK ANDERSON THE DAILY ILLINI
Elizabeth McLane works overtime on, off the ice
SPORTS EDITOR
BRENDAN GALLIAN
bdg4@dailyillini.com
The life of a student-athlete is already taxing as is, but the balancing act that junior goaltender Elizabeth McLane puts on is at another level. McLane is a member of two University club hockey teams and an Army ROTC cadet while pursuing degrees in sociology and psychology.
“I feel like I definitely sacrifice sleep, of course, as we all do as college students,” McLane said.
The junior not only plays for two different teams — the more advanced American Collegiate Hockey Association team and the beginner Women’s Central Hockey League team — but also plays two different positions.
McLane is a goaltender for the ACHA team and a forward for the WCHL team. She said it’s already a tough transition equipment-wise, but the mental change required is even more challenging.
“As a player, I’m not stressed going into games,” McLane said. “I’m sure people are, but as a goalie, I’m always like, ‘Got to lock in.’ As a player, I’m like, ‘La la la la la.’”
WCHL team president and senior Irene Bogusz agreed that the mental transition is one of the most important and difficult parts of the positional change.
“Changing your style so much from completely defense to fully offense — that takes a lot of brain,” Bogusz
said. “She’s been getting, for over 10 years now, ‘Stop pucks,’ ‘Don’t leave the goal.’ Now, she’s a forward, one of our best scorers and throwing herself into the game.”
ACHA team head coach Kim Nelczyk said she’s impressed by McLane’s ability to commit to both hockey teams and ROTC.
“I think it’s very impressive,” Nelczyk said. “I think she’s very disciplined in order to do all of those things and give 100% while she’s here.”
The fact that McLane suits up for two teams also means she has twice as many practices. The two teams have less-than-ideal practice and game times, with some days at the rink continuing until nearly midnight.
“We have practice that goes until 11:45 p.m. on Wednesday nights and then practice that goes until 9:30 (p.m.) on Mondays, which is way better,” McLane said. “That 11:45 practice time … Every Thursday, I have to be awake at 5:30 a.m., so yeah, that’s just what that is.”
As busy as McLane is, she might be even busier next year. Her teammates recently voted her in as the next presi dent of the ACHA team after she served as vice president this season.
Bogusz said Mc Lane’s approachabil ity and demeanor are some of the reasons the team selected her as its next president.
“She really gets to know everybody and has good communi cation with them,” Bo
gusz said. “She has a good relationship with everyone. It’s very calm conversation with her always.”
On the ice, McLane plays center for the WCHL team, a position that naturally requires strong communication skills.
“You have to be a leader for that,” Bogusz said. “You have to be able to direct people in the right direction.”
McLane said her leadership experience, both on and off the ice, helps her in ROTC, while ROTC keeps her well-conditioned for the rigors of hockey.
“I think hockey helps me in ROTC for leadership because, this year as VP, I had to do a bunch of stuff both behind the scenes and in front of people,” McLane said. “I was not that confident in my leadership before, and now, that leadership from hockey is reflecting into ROTC, whereas my fitness from ROTC reflects into hockey.”
One change McLane hopes to see going forward in her new role is to
hance the program’s reputation. The current ACHA team spent last season in the WCHL playing “old women teams,” as McLane described them.
“Being non-ACHA in the past, the team is almost like a beer league team, minus the fact that, obviously, we don’t drink or anything,” McLane said. “But now we’re trying to be a more competitive team and take it more seriously.”
That more serious style was immediately apparent in the team’s new opponents.
Instead of playing against teams like the Beverly Bombshells and Mother Puckers — both opponents of the current WCHL team — Illinois defeated teams from Miami, Iowa and Notre Dame this season.
The program will see a significant chunk of its members graduate this year. As frantic as her schedule is, McLane is already looking for more players for next season.
“She really wants (the program) to get better,” Nelczyk said. “Having that drive in order to do so will motivate her to continue to work hard to get as many followers as she can, as far as people who believe in her and believe in her mission and just continue to promote the team and continue to grow it.”
Hoops to honky-tonks: Meyers
Leonard begins new path after NBA retirement
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
SAHIL MITTAL
sahilsm3@dailyillini.com
When you think of Meyers Leonard, some obvious descriptors come to mind: Illinois basketball star, NBA lottery pick and a 10-year NBA career. But country music singer? That’s a big deviation from the path Leonard has been on over the last 15 years.
“Good In Goodbye” is the title of Leonard’s first song. Leonard used it as his goodbye to the NBA when he announced his retirement on March 3 to spread the message that there is always a positive in moving on in life.
Leonard came
years old, and his mother was mostly homebound due to back issues that made it difficult to work.
Through all that, Leonard led his high school to a state championship his senior year and continued his basketball journey in college.
“I had to leave my hometown that believed in me, loved me just because I was Meyers,” Leonard said. “I wasn’t a big-time player or anything. They just loved me because my family was struggling. So there was good in goodbye because they wanted me to chase my dreams.”
Leonard found all the good he was looking for when he moved two hours north to Champaign. Yes, he turned into the No. 11 pick in the 2012 NBA draft, but Illinois gave Leonard much more than the development to become a
Campus became the foundation of Leonard’s life. He met his wife, Elle, and gained some of the fondest memories of the sport he had played since he was little. Portland, Miami and Milwaukee were places where Leonard eventually made millions, but Champaign remained the one with the most meaning.
“I loved it here,” Leonard said. “I can’t tell you what it felt like to check in to or go through starting lineups for the University of Illinois. I loved the NBA — I did. But there was something really special about this place to me.” Illinois held such an important place in Leonard’s heart
over the years that he decided to give back monetarily in 2022. Meyers and Elle donated $500,000 to the renovation and improvement of the Richard T. Ubben Basketball Complex, Illinois’ now stateof-the-art practice facility.
The former Illini has also shown his support in person at his old stomping ground. He has been seen courtside multiple times in recent years, chugging beers and hyping up the players on the court after big plays. Illinois Athletics Director Josh Whitman praised Meyers and Elle, referring to them as “incredibly passionate individuals who love life, basketball and this University” in a press release.
Leonard’s love for the Illini community translates into his general attitude toward life: being a good person. Leonard explained that being able to tell his story and help others is a goal he’s had his entire career.
Now, that mission is being accomplished by the words and messages within his songs. The 7-foot-1 basketball star, known as “The Hammer,” delved into country music as a way to continue telling his story.
“When I was playing in the NBA, the community events almost meant more to me,” Leonard said. “What I mean by that is I love to compete, I love my teammates, I love the chemistry, I love all of it. But the ability to look out to 10 or 100 or 1,000 people when I’m telling my life story and to see smiles, crying, all of the above, that’s what meant a lot to me. ”
Other NBA stars have gotten into music, but
mostly rap and hip-hop. Former Portland Trail Blazers teammate Damian Lillard has seen a lot of success as Dame D.O.L.L.A., doing songs with Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg and others. Leonard hopes to find the same success in the country genre.
“I had never sang in my life,” Leonard said. “In fact, I still barely sing in front of Elle because, truthfully, I’m a perfectionist. I want to sound good. I’m OK. I can carry a tune a little better than I once did. I never played an instrument. I have no dancing rhythm. But I just fell in love with it.”
“Good In Goodbye” was just the beginning for Leonard. He recently released his second single, “Honky Tonk At Home,” at the end of March. For anyone skeptical of Leonard’s new path, he’s not planning on slowing down anytime soon.
“I’ve got 20 songs done,” Leonard said. “I fully plan on releasing a song a month until the end of the year and probably dropping an album in the first month of 2026. Anything I do, I take it very seriously.”
Similarly to basketball, Leonard is putting his all into his new journey. Basketball allowed him to support his family and guarantee a comfortable future for them.
However, that doesn’t mean Leonard will take it easy with country music. If anything, his family and spending more time with them are inspirations for his writing and music career.
“I feel just insanely blessed and grateful,” Leonard said. “My baby boy Liam is two and a half, going to be three in June. My wife’s pregnant and due May 8. Just trying to live life, love the people that I love and write good country music songs.”
JAMES HOECK THE DAILY ILLINI
Familiar Faces
Familiar Faces - Claudia Madsen
I’d imagine takes place in the Foreign Languages Building
46. Common allergenboth tree and pea varieties
ACROSS
Cheaper than usual
**The Beckman Institute’s nearest and dearest student
47. For most people, dried seaweed used to wrap sushi. For cool people, also Elina’s new friend in Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia
49. Indonesian island East of Java
**The Natural History Building’s prehistoric protector
Mall pretzel purveyor ___ Anne’s
50. **Memorial Stadium’s most heralded Harold (fun fact for you there!)
One who has fled before a flood, say
54. Like Sabrina Carpenter
57. Duolingo owl’s online girlfriend ___Lipa
TikTok clip that now begins before you even swipe to the next video! Ugh
Long fish
Phonies
58. Knocked out
61. You all should write one of these because I am nosy and need to know your life story
65. Toddlers and ___, hit reality show where Honey Boo Boo made her first splash
**Open-armed ambassador at the intersection of Green and Wright Intl. oil group
66. **A certain Main Quad building’s eponymous president, or at least part of him
67. **Learning’s partner in watching over the Altgeld construction project (along with 21Across!)
An affliction of golfers and baseball pitchers that cramps their vibes... and their wrists
68. Woos
Tall tale
Missing fish
Possible response to “Are the floors EVER dry at Kam’s?”
Sudoku
Barack Obama’s zodiac sign (now you know)
DOWN
1. Last Greek character
2. Having to do with maritime militia (NOT bellybuttons, as I initially thought. Check your spelling!)
3. Insincerely polite or overly smug
4. You might take an MTD trek out to the one in Champaign for a date night
encountering Purdue
fans
36. “Kiss from a Rose” singer who starred in a particularly strange Super Bowl commercial this year
66. **A certain Main Quad building’s eponymous president, or at least part of him
5. Chicagoland pizza favorite ___ Malnati’s
6. Summer in Paris
7. The place to be on campus the second it’s over 54 degrees F
8. Oneness
9. “___ be an honor!”
10. Dance Moms star Sioux 11. Infamous Try Guy Fulmer
37. 180
38. Violeta o rosa
39. Oft-memed Juno actor Michael
40. **Grainger Engineering Library’s most dedicated reader
Crossword Puzzle
67. **Learning’s partner in watching over the Altgeld construction project (along with 21Across!)
68. Woos
13. Weight 14. The Simpsons Kwik-EMart owner
DOWN
19. Looked inward 20. Thomas Jefferson’s zodiac sign (this one I’m REALLY sure you didn’t know)
41. One of eleven for Taylor Swift (I think? Please don’t come for me Swifties)
45. Smaller volleyballer
48. Like recess when it rains
51. “Sold!”
52. Remorse 53. Rakes in 55. Shakespearean girl dad who picks favorites
56. Drake rly can’t talk to these guys... 21 can you do it?
1. Last Greek character
22. “If it ___ broke...”
23. PG-13 committee
24. That ‘70s Show star Kutcher
26. Machu Picchu’s home 27. Like Fall Out Boy’s music
58. OutKast’s second studio album, ___iens
59. “Chandelier” singer known for her face-obscuring bangs 60. Your STEM roommate might have a four-hour class here - yikes!
2. Having to do with maritime militia (NOT bellybuttons, as I initially thought. Check your spelling!)
28. **The Stock Pavilion’s bronziest bovine, Broadus White Socks
3. Insincerely polite or overly smug
31. Potentially appropriate reaction to
62. What a DJ might speak into 63. Ambient music artist Brian
64. Franchise that began with Iron Man in Apr. 2008
4. You might take an MTD trek out to the one in Champaign for a date night
51. “Sold!”
52. Remorse
5. Chicagoland pizza favorite ___ Malnati’s
6. Summer in Paris
53. Rakes in
55. Shakespearean girl dad who picks favorites
Sudoku By The Mepham Group
Provided by The Mempham Group
What a coxswain instructs their teammates to do
All over U of I, a way to describe the starred clues
Illini Union staple, Just ___ Açaí
No prescription needed, for short French island
Type of exam I’d imagine takes place in the Foreign Languages Building
Common allergen - both tree and pea varieties
For most people, dried seaweed used to wrap sushi. For cool people, also Elina’s new friend in Barbie Fairytopia: Mermaidia Indonesian island East of Java
**Memorial Stadium’s most heralded Harold (fun fact for you there!)
Like Sabrina Carpenter
Duolingo owl’s online girlfriend ___Lipa
7. The place to be on campus the second it’s over 54 degrees F
8. Oneness
9. “___ be an honor!”
10. Dance Moms star Sioux
11. Infamous Try Guy Fulmer
13. Weight
14. The Simpsons Kwik-E-Mart owner
19. Looked inward
20. Thomas Jefferson’s zodiac sign (this one I’m REALLY sure you didn’t know)
22. “If it ___ broke...”
23. PG-13 committee
24. That ‘70s Show star Kutcher
26. Machu Picchu’s home
27. Like Fall Out Boy’s music
28. **The Stock Pavilion’s bronziest bovine, Broadus White Socks
31. Potentially appropriate reaction to encountering Purdue fans
Sudoku By The Mepham Group
36. “Kiss from a Rose” singer who starred in a particularly strange Super Bowl commercial this year
56. Drake rly can’t talk to these guys... 21 can you do it?
58. OutKast’s second studio album, iens
59. “Chandelier” singer known for her face-obscuring bangs
60. Your STEM roommate might have a four-hour class here - yikes!
62. What a DJ might speak into
63. Ambient music artist Brian
64. Franchise that began with Iron Man in Apr. 2008
Knocked out
Level 1 2 3 4
You all should write one of these because I am nosy and need to know your life story
Toddlers and ___, hit reality show where Honey Boo Boo made her first splash
37. 180
38. Violeta o rosa
39. Oft-memed Juno actor Michael
40. **Grainger Engineering Library’s most dedicated reader
41. One of eleven for Taylor Swift (I think? Please don’t come for me Swifties)
45. Smaller volleyballer
Barry Houser provides leadership, support for Marching Illini
ANNISYN KREBS-CARR annisyn2@dailyillini.com
Music has been an inseparable part of Barry Houser’s life from an early age.
Though not formally trained, a young Houser experimented with singing and playing piano and keyboard. His fascination grew as he did — watching marching bands in parades and football games. Eventually, Houser participated in marching bands in high school and college.
Now, Houser is the director of the Marching Illini, providing leadership and support for the 400-person band since 2011.
“I get to work with truly and absolutely amazing and talented students that come from a variety of backgrounds,” Houser said. “I just feel very fortunate that I get to be part of their lives, and hopefully, I make a difference in theirs.”
Houser is also the associate director of bands, conductor of the wind orchestra, director of the Fighting Illini Athletic Bands, clinical associate professor and the chair of the conducting area in the School of Music.
Despite his passion for music, conducting wasn’t Houser’s first plan. He originally wanted to be a lawyer, then taught at public schools in Florida and Indiana before he began teaching at Eastern Illinois University.
He later came to the University, drawn by the
rich history and excellence of the band.
Houser’s transition wasn’t easy. He brought a significant change to the band, and students expressed discontent with his work.
“We made it through some of those challenges, and then with each year, things seemed to get better and better,” Houser said. “It’s never perfect each and every day, but the fact that our students are aware of this, and a big part of the solution, helps tremendously.”
One of Houser’s main focuses is listening to students’ needs and learning what’s important to them.
According to Alex Hall, 2024 graduate and Marching Illini drum major, Houser does this exceptionally well.
“He puts everyone first, whether it’s health, safety, a good experience,” Hall said.
Hall also admires the work Houser puts into the band, recognizing the extent of what goes into the band’s performances and practices.
Houser arranges music for every instrument, ensures the arrangement fits into the allotted performance time, creates different formations and flag designs and reviews dance routines for the dance team.
“He’s always putting in so much behind-the-scenes work that nobody ever talks about or knows because he’s humble,” Hall said. “He doesn’t share any of that really.”
Houser’s behind-thescenes efforts extend beyond daily rehearsals. According to Houser, the performance
process is “extensive,” and preparation for the next year often starts immediately after the season ends.
Despite the Marching Illini’s success, including playing on the NBC Today Show and the ISSMA State Marching Finals, Houser said they are continuously evolving.
“I don’t feel like we’re coasting,” Houser said. “I feel like we’re constantly tweaking and putting the entire program under the microscope.”
According to Houser, one of the major components of the band’s success is playing things that students enjoy and making shows memorable while staying true to the band’s tradition.
The Marching Illini first began as a small military band in 1868 and gave their first formal concert in 1890. Houser considers the band — and its long history — part of the school’s framework. He aims to represent past and present students, remaining traditional while still being innovative.
Despite the work that goes into leading the band, Houser said his biggest challenge is ensuring everyone is heard.
“I take it to heart,” Houser said. “I really work to make sure that I know everyone’s name … I want to make sure that it’s not just a number … I think with our big University, it’s easy to fall through the cracks.”
Lia Pappas, junior in FAA, had never participated in a
marching band before joining the Marching Illini. She said Houser’s kindness and commitment to his students made her transition into the band easy.
“It’s not just someone who knows how to teach, but it’s someone who treats every member of the ensemble like they’re … a human with real feelings and real issues,” Pappas said. “He makes everybody feel at home within the band, like we’re all a family.”
Pappas and Hall say Houser’s leadership has cultivated a culture of musicality and community within the Marching Illini and is a driving force for the band. His hard work, dedication and commitment to both his students and the band itself continue to inspire and motivate those
8-year-old Milo discovers passion in Marching Illini
EDITOR–IN–CHIEF
SAM GREGERMAN sg94@dailyillini.com
On a dining room table in Savoy sits an assembly of miniature animal figures, artfully arranged into one of the Marching Illini’s many formations. The mastermind behind this display? A second-grader named Milo.
The 8-year-old describes himself as the “biggest fan” of the University’s prestigious marching band. Milo’s parents, Derek and Emily Neal, support their son wholeheartedly, and try to see the band as often as possible.
“We’re kind of like Marching Illini groupies,” Derek said. “Anytime it fits with our schedule and his schedule, we’re going to their practices (and games). Whenever we can do it, we are where the band is.”
Milo fell in love with the band on Oct. 19, 2019, when Illinois played Wisconsin at Memorial Stadium. He was 2 years old, and his passion remains unshakeable nearly six years later.
The Marching Illini performs the same routine before every home football game — they start at the Armory, organize into their parade block and march to Memorial Stadium. Milo
can almost always be found marching alongside them with a miniature saxophone or trombone.
“If there’s any dance moves that go along with some of the songs we play, Milo has those down to a tee,” said Barry Houser, director of the Marching Illini.
The Neals first bridged the gap between Milo and the band at his fourth birthday party in 2021. Still dealing with the after-effects of COVID-19, students in the Marching Illini volunteered to perform together for one of the first times in over a year.
“I wanted him to feel like a part of the band.”
As a music education major, Swartz was especially inspired by the support Milo’s family offers him as he explores his interests and passions.
“Going into music education, it fills me with so much joy to see a child that is so passionate about marching band and about music and to see that his family is so supportive of it as well,” Swartz said. “It really supports my belief that music is inspiring, exciting and is something that people can really fall in love with at any age.”
Houser echoed similar sentiments, proud of the legacy the University’s marching band imparts to younger generations.
“Thirty band members showed up,” Derek said. “They jumped out of cars. They played all their songs for these 4-year-olds at the park. It was the coolest thing ever.”
Heather Swartz, senior in FAA, played piccolo in the Marching Illini her junior year. After meeting Milo in 2023, she took it upon herself to sew him a miniature version of the uniform’s cape and baldric.
“I was kind of nervous to give it to him, but it was so rewarding to see the shy smile on his face and see him wearing it at every event,” Swartz said.
“To see that someone that young has an interest in what we do, I think, speaks to a little bit of the impact that this group of college students has on the general public,” Houser said.
Milo’s passion for the Marching Illini also spans into his broader love for music. His favorite instrument is the sousaphone, and he eagerly awaits the day he grows big enough to learn how to play the instrument.
The band has continued to stay involved with Milo — over 20 members went to one of his Little League Baseball games last fall.
“They’ve kind of adopted him as this little mascot,” Derek said. “It makes him so happy. It’s also opened my eyes to all the band does. It’s really incredible how much goes into a game day, so I think I have a bigger appreciation for what they do and all the extra things they do for Milo.”
Theater production students run the show backstage
enlivens a show is a result of hours of relentless work from a dedicated team of theater production students.
As the lights dim and the curtain falls, it’s easy for an audience to overlook the orchestrated chaos that occurs behind the scenes. It’s even easy for those involved in theater to doubt the value of that work while it’s ongoing.
Yet, every set piece, every lighting cue, every crafted sound and every detail that
At the University of New Mexico, Emmaleah Stapp concentrated her theater studies on lighting design. During her time there, she was tasked with designing the lighting for a dance piece, carefully selecting shades to complement the performance.
However, the dancer looked at Stapp’s male
professor with visible skepticism, and Stapp recalled that the expression in her eyes seemed to silently ask, “What is she doing? What is she doing? I don’t trust her.”
“I faced a lot of hardships with being a young woman in the space,” Stapp said. “It is (mainly) men in lighting … I don’t think I was very respected, or (others didn’t think) I could do much with the knowledge that I had learned.”
Stapp — now a junior in FAA — transferred from UNM to the University and shifted her focus from lighting design to stage management. She thrives under the pressure of being everyone’s go-to person.
Her responsibilities include spending an average of 40-plus hours a week in rehearsals, managing technical aspects like props and costumes, writing reports and creating schedules.
All of this is done while answering many questions about “what’s next” and sending more than 60 emails each night. The emails consist of rehearsal reports and daily calls — a schedule for the following day.
This hectic nature of theater production is familiar to other students, like Trinity Nett, junior in FAA. As head electrician, Nett spends 30-40 hours completing paperwork before tech rehearsals. She compiles information provided by the lighting designer into packets for the electricians, guiding them as they assemble, hang and
circuit the lights.
The process is followed by constant checking and re-checking. She compared it to preparing for a final, but one that lasts for over two weeks. Outside life is put on hold, and although Nett finds fulfillment in the work, it can still be exhausting, even defeating.
“There’s always a point in tech where you’re just doing too much work, or you feel like it’s too much, and I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m not getting enough recognition for this,’” Nett said. “I remember a show I did, and they didn’t even put me on the program after I put in so many hours of work.”
Despite the extensive hours, misunderstandings can arise about the expertise and roles of theater production students.
Drew Bagby, sophomore Parkland Pathway student, was hired as the summer sound designer at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. An older staff member frequently corrected him on how to lay cable properly, but how they described it to Bagby was how he had completed the task.
“I’m younger,” Bagby said. “I’ve always been the younger person … People honestly think you’re green (inexperienced) just because you’re young, so they think you don’t have the knowledge that you do … which is interesting since some people don’t ask (about) your background or how long you’ve been doing this. They just go off your age.”
However, the three students remain committed to their respective crafts,
Drew Bagby, sophomore Parkland Pathway student, handles stage rigging on March 27.
BRENDAN AOKI
THE DAILY ILLINI
working to build a longlasting collaborative community.
Each has developed transferable skills that extend beyond theater, including communication, adaptability and, most importantly, time management.
“I think the hardest part of it all is you’re dedicating so much of your time; your evenings are gone for months at a time,” Stapp said. “And you kind of have to figure out how to be a full-time student and a fulltime stage manager.
“And a lot of us have parttime jobs. A lot of us are in other RSOs. It’s a true test to our time management, but usually, it is all worth it by the time the show opens and closes.”
For Bagby, the payoff came in Fall 2024 when he spent 40 hours in a week
to ensure a 360-degree soundscape ran flawlessly for Parkland Theatre’s “12 Angry Jurors.” One of his contributions was that car horns would echo throughout the room when actors would open a functional window.
It’s a meticulous craft, according to Bagby. Specific noises must be precisely selected for the various elements within a show, like birds chirping or the aforementioned horns.
“If the sound is off just a little bit, people will notice, and it kind of brings people out of the whole story,” Bagby said. “If you’re in 1942 and you hear a current car honk, you’re like, ‘That’s not (right).’”
Nett feels most rewarded by the support system she’s built around herself. She showcased her lighting design skills in October Dance 2024:
REWIND/REMIX, and it garnered recognition from her friends and family.
Stapp recalled a recent moment when she felt truly appreciated for her unwavering devotion, proudly representing the stage management department.
“After we closed (the) Theatre Studies New Works (Project), the actors had bought flowers for me and the assistant stage manager, Sofia (Cruz), and that felt
like a culmination of all our work and dedication to that team,” Stapp said. “It’s very rare that stage managers get flowers.”
Although rare, Stapp said it felt like a real recognition for the work put into the performance.
Theater production students tirelessly labor behind the curtains, and despite this lack of visibility, they appreciate their flowers, too.
Emmaleah Stapp, junior in FAA, practices stage management at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on March 28.
BRENDAN AOKI THE DAILY ILLINI
Josie Liu co-founds RSO for a cause
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
SOPHIA VASILAKOPOULOS sophiav5@dailyillini.com
During her freshman year of high school, Josie Liu discovered Dressember, an organization that raises awareness about human trafficking.
It sparked a passion in her to raise awareness about human trafficking in any way she could — such as by wearing dresses and ties for the Dressember challenge with her friend Charlie Carr, junior in LAS and technical communications officer of Dressember. This led the pair to co-found Dressember at the University in Spring 2024.
Liu, now a junior in Media, is the president of Dressember. Its recent events have raised $2,000 for the International Justice Mission.
These included its first Circular Fashion Exposition runway, a house show with Concordia, a Mia Za’s fundraiser and a dog therapy session dedicated to helping human trafficking survivors.
Dressember has other ways of bringing awareness to human trafficking, like its passion for fashion sustainability and how the fashion industry drives it.
Dressember’s dedication to bringing the severity of human trafficking to light was presented at its recent CFE runway.
Emily Huffman, sophomore in Media and Dressember’s secretary, said it was mainly Liu’s idea for the group to host the runway and address Dressember’s roots.
“It was her idea to get us involved in CFE, and she knows a lot of people on the CFE board,” Huffman said. “We are a fashion-leading club, and Dressember started as a fashion challenge, so we’re kind of leaning into that.”
The runway wasn’t created overnight. The RSO hosted several craft nights for people to make their outfits before the big day.
“We held socials for our models,” Liu said. “I hosted a painting night in my apartment where we had a ton of cardboard cut out like stars and moons and painted a bunch of pins to put together a more cohesive look.”
Dressember’s events wouldn’t work without the connections Liu made during her time on campus.
“It’s really nice to work with someone who has an arsenal to pull from,” Huffman said. “Because even if we have an idea, she’s like, ‘Oh, I have this person’s contact that we can reach out to and see if they’d be willing to do something with us.’”
Liu’s leadership and networking abilities have inspired other executive members to act similarly with how they apply themselves to other RSOs.
“I think that she can read a room very well and sort of tell the appropriate course of action based upon individual personalities and values within that room,” Carr said. “I think it’s an effective style of leadership, and it really influenced me to take a similar approach
in some of my other RSOs.”
Carr wasn’t the only one inspired by Liu’s leadership — it gave George Taylor, junior in FAA and outreach chair for Dressember, the courage to help run a club focused on sustainable fashion.
“I would not have been confident running a club like this that was originally fashion-focused if it were not for Josie’s encouragement that I’d be good at it,” Taylor said. “She’s a big presence in general and can get focused on something and build it from nothing.”
When she isn’t proposing new ideas for Dressember events or going to the weekly executive meetings, Liu is an intern at the Women’s Resources Center, in two bands — Wyrd Sisters and Lovebite — and is involved in her sorority, Phi Sigma Sigma.
Liu’s internship as the gender equity chair started with her desire to get drink-testing kits at the WRC to prevent spiked drinks on campus. Today, she’s focusing on expanding its social media presence.
“I’ve done a lot of posts with Women’s History Month,” Liu said. “I just want to expand the scope of the Women’s Resources Center because no one
Josie Liu, junior in Media and co-founder of Dressember, sits outside on March 13. Dressember is an annual fundraiser and awareness campaign that fights human trafficking internationally.
knows what it is.”
Lovebite was meant to be a girl band. That changed when Liu discovered Carr was a great guitarist. Wyrd Sisters started as a joke with the members of BLNKD until they decided to go for it.
“It’s been really fun,” Liu said. “I learned how to play the bass, and I’m starting to learn how to sing.”
When it comes to Liu’s involvement in two bands, she says that both meet at least twice weekly for practice.
Despite the struggle to practice around everyone’s busy schedules, she said Lovebite has a concert date set for April at Purdue University.
Dressember will also take the stage in April, continuing its hard work and collaboration with other clubs to raise more awareness.
“We’re going to start working with organizations traditionally focused on immigrants’ right to work,” Taylor said. “We’re going to educational campaigns about the overlap between immigration enforcement and human trafficking and the way federal enforcement can sometimes make human trafficking worse.”
ANH-KHOI PHAM THE DAILY ILLINI
STRENGTH IN SOLIDARITY:
Heather Fairbanks leads SEIU through community organizing
STAFF WRITER
PATRICK HERR
prherr2@dailyillini.com
When one enters the University’s various dining halls, the buffets of food and limitless options appear almost magical. A range of choices refill almost instantly upon their depletion. But it’s hardly magic.
In truth, a tireless staff of food service and building service workers man the University’s dining halls and dorms. Among their ranks is Heather Fairbanks.
By day, Fairbanks is a part of the University’s housing staff who help feed thousands of students filing into the dining halls three times a day, every day. By night, she’s a powerhouse of union organizing and fighting to protect the rights of University employees.
Fairbanks serves as the president of Chapter 119 of the Service Employees National Union Local 73 — the labor union representing the FSWs and BSWs at the University, as well as public school workers in Decatur.
A Champaign local, Fairbanks began working for the University in 2012 and became involved with the union out of curiosity. She became an active member of Chapter 119 shortly after. She had never held a unionized job before.
“The first time that Heather took a petition out … to her coworkers and brought it back, we had a big
meeting, and everybody was handing in their petitions, and most people have one or two sheets and maybe a few more, but Heather had this stack of petitions,” said Ricky Baldwin, assistant director of the Municipal and Schools Division of SEIU Local 73. “If you can just find those people and inspire people to come out of their shell a bit like that, you can really make a difference. And that’s Heather.”
Baldwin met Fairbanks before she became president, describing her as “outspoken” and “interested in being involved.”
Fairbanks’ trajectory to the presidency wholly reflects this sentiment.
Starting as the secretary and treasurer, Fairbanks became the vice president right before last semester’s housing strike. That strike shut down a considerable portion of the University’s housing services at the beginning of a record year for new student admissions. Those on strike and SEIU Local 73 leadership cited understaffing, low wages and poor working conditions as their motivation.
Fairbanks served on
A group of SEIU Local 73 members hold signs during a strike in 2022 due to contract negotiations.
the negotiating team that ultimately ended the strike and shortly thereafter took over the presidency after the sitting president, Melody Decker, stepped down from the position.
Today, she’s continuing her efforts to help her union — in her own words, “fighting for things where change needs to come.”
On March 25, Fairbanks and hundreds of SEIU Local 73 members held a rally at the Illinois State Capitol Building. The goal was to garner support for several pieces of legislation and pressure the state to invest more in wages and benefits for University workers.
One particularly relevant piece of legislation is Illinois House Bill 1654, which would provide unemployment compensation to support staff in K-12 schools and higher education workers.
The bill, sponsored by Democratic representatives Jawaharial Williams, Michael Crawford and Debbie Meyers-Martin, would amend the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act. It is currently working its way through the Illinois House of Representatives.
“It’s more on the state than the University of Illinois, but they (both) treat us like we are professors,” Fairbanks said. “We have to fill out an academic questionnaire, and we’re not teachers. We’re not really understanding why we shouldn’t be allowed to get unemployment because we’re laid off for three months.”
On campus, Fairbanks fights for positive change for workers in other ways — getting ice cleats for BSWs to wear while salting and clearing snow and creating a vacant shift schedule so workers can pick up extra hours when available.
“A union is all about power for its members in the workplace,” Fairbanks said, emphasizing her union’s importance.
Teresa Deaville, Chapter 119’s vice president, highlighted her unwavering dedication and willingness to do it all for the union.
“She will do what she can for anybody, and her main goal is to just be there and help however she can,” Deaville said. “She is that person that always feels like she’s got to defend everything and everyone.”
Fairbanks’ dedication to her union is an example worth following and one that has cemented her as a pillar of the Champaign-Urbana community.
Her valiant spirit is the epitome of leadership, and having just begun her term, Fairbanks’ greatest successes have yet to come.
JAMES HOECK THE DAILY ILLINI
NEWS EDITOR
Stefan Djordjevic, ‘The Lighthouse’
QAASIM JATOI qjato2@dailyillini.com
When Anthony Erkan arrived at the University, Stefan Djordjevic helped him register for classes. Now a senior in LAS, Erkan said Djordjevic has been continually supportive — reviewing his graduate school essays, supervising his senior thesis and supporting him through personal struggles.
“There really is no Department of History without Stefan,” Erkan said. “He’s the face of and the embodiment of the department as a whole and of the field as a whole.”
Djordjevic, associate director of undergraduate studies in the Department of History, earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Northwestern University in 2011. Later that year, he
studying 19th- and 20thcentury Eastern Europe.
During his graduate studies, he taught courses, led discussion sections and earned his master’s and doctorate in history. Over time, Djordjevic came to greatly appreciate connecting with students and forming long-term relationships with them.
“That was really the most meaningful part of work,” Djordjevic said. “Helping them work through the material … but also (asking myself), ‘What can I do to facilitate their growth?’”
Now, Djordjevic advises dozens of students each semester — often for years. He said advising starts with listening to all they have to say.
Many students aren’t sure what they want out of college when they arrive, and he tries to meet them where they are. In both cases, Djordjevic sees advising as a collaborative process that helps students reflect on what matters to them and what growth looks like individually.
“It’s okay to move away from that plan and to not think of it as sacrosanct and unmoving,”
Djordjevic said.
That unique approach resonated with Erkan, who said he admires Djordjevic as a mentor and person. When Erkan dealt with personal issues, Djordjevic checked in regularly and offered support in whatever way he needed.
During Erkan’s graduate school application process, Djordjevic helped him at every step — reading drafts, helping him compare programs, writing
recommendation letters and guiding him along the way. When Erkan was accepted to a dual-degree master’s program at Georgetown University, Djordjevic was there to celebrate.
“He’s not really the captain of the ship, but he’s the lighthouse,” Erkan said. “He’ll guide you to where you need to go, but he won’t sail you there.”
That mindset — guiding rather than directing — is part of what makes students trust him. Still, Djordjevic is quick to deflect recognition. He sees his role as supportive and not the sole reason for a student’s success.
“You might help facilitate a conversation or connect them to a mentor,” Djordjevic said. “But the hard work is always done by the student. You were a facilitator, but they’re the ones who produced.”
Beyond helping students find their way, Djordjevic also challenges them to think about what their journey actually means.
“Don’t think about just what you did, listing: ‘I took this class, I got this GPA, I was a member of this club,’ but really what you accomplished,” Djordjevic said. “That record of what you did versus what you accomplished are two different things.”
Being able to articulate that growth — whether to a recruiter, a personal relationship or in public life — is one of the most powerful and impactful things a student can walk away with, according to Djordjevic.
One of Djordjevic’s
colleagues, Anna Ivy, a senior academic adviser in the Department of English, said the “extraordinary amount of time and effort” that Djordjevic puts into advising has a profound effect on students.
“He’s a knowledgeable guide but also a fellow traveler … able to relate to their interests and understand both the challenges and the rewards of the discipline,” Ivy said in an email to The Daily Illini.
Outside of work, Djordjevic leads a summer study abroad program in Prague, plays Dungeons and Dragons, regularly attends trivia nights at Pour Bros. Craft Taproom and enjoys traveling. On top of all that, he’s also training for a marathon by running 10 kilometers each day.
While students expect Djordjevic to spend his free time playing or watching soccer — because of his European roots — or reading history, his interests often surprise them.
“My students are always surprised that I’m a big NBA guy,” Djordjevic said.
What stood out most for Erkan wasn’t Djordjevic’s knowledge or experience but his ability to relate. He said Djordjevic’s passion for history and his motivation to support and develop impactful relationships make him an effective mentor for students like him.
“He’s both a student of history and an instructor at the same time,” Erkan said. “I think he walks the rope perfectly.”
RYAN NICHOLS THE DAILY ILLINI
Spanish as action:
Ann Abbott’s mission in motion
STAFF WRITER
MARIANA QUEZADA mquez3@dailyillini.com
When asked about professor Ann Abbott, her colleagues and students smile.
“I can’t even figure out where to start,” said Brady Hughes, senior academic adviser and colleague in the Department of Spanish & Portuguese. “She is such a compassionate, knowledgeable person to work with.”
Abbott has made a mark on campus by teaching Spanish not just as a language but as a lifeline, a bridge and an act of social justice.
“I feel like it can be such transformative learning,” Abbott said about learning the language. “It changed my life. It opened up the world to me.”
Abbott is the kind of professor students feel an impact from, the kind they say changed everything. She is also someone who, after 20 years of teaching at the University, remains fiercely committed to reinvention.
SPAN 232: Spanish in the Community is Abbott’s passion project turned into reality. The course has grown from 12 students and one community partner to a program that immerses 90 students for a semester in service learning.
As part of the class, students translate at refugee centers, tutor children of immigrants and help non-English speakers with interpretation.
Abbott pitched the class in 2004 after a call for proposals from what was then the University’s vice chancellor for
public engagement to create service-learning courses.
The concept was simple: Students would not just learn Spanish but actively use it for a noble cause.
“You take that course and get to know the local immigrant community through your volunteer work,” Abbott said. “Learning the facts about immigration and learning about our local immigrant community.”
Abbott doesn’t just teach — she advocates. According to her colleague Florencia Henshaw, director of advanced Spanish, she has cultivated an environment of reflection and growth.
“Professor Abbott has a very empathetic way of relating to people that I deeply admire,” Henshaw said. “She has a way of asking the right questions, of listening, of allowing you to explore, to learn from your own steps.”
Abbott’s passion for teaching is evident in the way students talk about her. Her dedication goes beyond the classroom, shaping the lives of those she mentors.
Flor Quiroz, senior in LAS and former student of and teaching assistant for Abbott, credits her with
Associate Spanish professor Ann Abbott in her office on March 24. Abbott teaches SPAN 232: Spanish in the Community, in which students help non-English speakers across ChampaignUrbana.
profoundly influencing her academic journey.
“The experience in (SPAN 232) is exceptional,” Quiroz said. “It changed a lot of my trajectory and what I wanted to study and my approach to my career because I’m a Latina, and I want to do clinical psychology, and it really helped me understand my place in that.”
Abbott has left a lasting impression on her students by supporting them through their challenges. Yaxeny Muñoz, junior in Social Work and former student of Abbott’s, praised her unwavering dedication, even after Abbott suffered from a bike injury.
“Even though (Abbott) was recovering from the accident and she was going through such a hard loss, she still did everything to teach the class and give it her all every single time,” Muñoz said.
Muñoz considers Abbott a role model and a source of inspiration, highlighting the professor’s profound influence even from a distance.
But Abbott’s commitment extends beyond her students. She has worked with the refugee center, local schools and advocacy groups across Champaign-Urbana.
Through her work, Abbott inspires others to challenge their beliefs. She told the story of a moment from class when a student reflected on immigration through a more religious lens.
“One of my students wrote, ‘I’m a Christian. I had no idea that I could think about immigration through this lens,’ and to me, that is so important,” Abbott said. “Because it’s not just teaching you the facts about immigration, which I do, or about our local immigrant community — I want you to open your mind in new ways ... and ask why we think about immigration in only one way when we don’t have to.”
It’s a strange time to be doing this work, Abbott admitted. There is a tangible fear about what can and cannot be taught and how quickly a lifetime of work can be politicized into something dangerous.
“It’s a little bit scary to be in this environment, but that’s nothing compared to the fear that our local immigrants feel right now,” Abbott said.
Yet, Abbott continues to advocate for Spanish-speaking communities, not just within the classroom but far beyond it.
“(You want) to have someone who can be right there, not only to challenge you and inspire you but also to cheer you on,” Henshaw said. “Someone who wants to know what you want to work on and then to encourage you to go for it. And for that, definitely, the first name that comes to mind is (Abbott).”
EMILY NNODI THE DAILY ILLINI
Dan Simons unveils minds’ limits
STAFF WRITER
LAUREN CASTALDO
lnc4@dailyillini.com
Throughout Dan Simons’ career, he has made us see the invisible — not by revealing what is hidden, but by proving how little we notice.
Simons, professor in LAS, is best known for co-creating a short video for a cognitive science research methods course at Harvard University in 1999. It asked viewers to count basketball passes while an actor in a gorilla costume walked through the scene.
The video is commonly known as “The Invisible Gorilla,” named after the later-published book. The book discusses inattentional blindness, the idea that focusing too intensely on one task can cause someone to miss other obvious stimuli.
By creating this video, Simons discovered a startling truth — most viewers never noticed the gorilla. He utilized the video to illustrate the limits of humans’ perception of the world.
“We did this thinking that probably everybody’s going to notice the gorilla, so much so that it makes it hard to get past that intuition, and for me, that’s the most interesting thing about inattentional blindness,” Simons said.
Simons explained that many puzzling components of the concepts he perceived in his research and through The Invisible Gorilla Theory correlate to self-confidence.
The idea of self-confidence proved that most people believe they will “obviously” notice a change — especially
one as drastic as a person in a gorilla suit.
“When we made changes, we found that so often no one would notice anything, and it became so interesting to me, it was almost serendipitous,” Simons said.
Simons’ genuine interest in his research and his unparalleled creativity have set both him and The Invisible Gorilla Theory apart from similar studies, such as those developed by Ulric Neisser in 1979.
“He’s willing to go beyond what a lot of other people will do in terms of creativity and humor and making the whole thing fun — he wasn’t ever self-conscious,” said Christopher Chabris, Simons’ teaching fellow and collaborator on The Invisible Gorilla video.
Chabris praised Simons’ teaching style, making it apparent that Simons knew how to approach his work and his students since he first began teaching.
“He was not selfconscious or a conformist; instead, he was going with it … where most scientists only go as far as putting a funny title on an article, he was okay with running with it, using the gorilla suit and so on,” Chabris said.
The elements that others in the scientific community might have seen as obscure or humorous tactics were what propelled Simons to his success. These tactics laid the foundation for a career defined by innovation
and a commitment to understanding the mind.
Simons’ broader research delves into visual perception, self-confidence, memory and limits of awareness, challenging the precedent ideologies of how the mind works.
“I really didn’t know what I wanted to study until I took an introductory psychology class in my second term, and I really liked it,” Simons said. “Mostly, it was just taking classes across the range of psychology, not even in my focus area, and I enjoyed it enough that I ultimately decided to pursue it.”
After discovering his love of psychology during his undergraduate studies at Carleton College, Simons sought higher education and earned a doctorate in experimental psychology from Cornell University.
Simons has never strayed from his passion for understanding
“I think a lot of his work is not just doing psychological research or academic research, but he really wants to make a positive impact on his own community,” said Yifan Ding, graduate student studying attention and perception under Simons.
Ding and Simons are collaborating on a project centered around individual human perceptions and confidences while utilizing research subjects on a global scale. Ding is the only graduate student in Simons’ lab, which allows them to have a close relationship.
“Dan has taught me … that there’s more to it than just the theoretical work we do, and there’s a lot of value and importance to communicate ideas to a broader range of audiences in terms they understand — which Dan does very well,” Ding said.
Through decades of research, training and public engagement, Simons has reshaped our understanding of the mind’s limitations — not through exposing its flaws but by better understanding its strengths.
By making the invisible visible, Simons has advanced the field of cognitive science and research on inattentional blindness.
“The responsibility of a scientist should be first to the truth, second to their own field of work and then, only third, to their own personal work, and I think Dan certainly has that,” Chabris said.
RYAN NICHOLS THE DAILY ILLINI
Brendan Harley runs toward cure for cancer
STAFF WRITER
NAVEED AHMED
naveeda3@dailyillini.com
“Never give up” is a phrase that has inspired many, including Brendan Harley, professor in Engineering, who battled acute leukemia when he was 17 years old.
Following his diagnosis, Harley underwent intense chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. While hospitalized, he noticed that several doctors had engineering backgrounds, sparking his interest in merging medicine and engineering together by focusing on chemical and biomolecular engineering.
“A lot of mid-20s doctors or MD students, and a bunch of them had been engineers,” Harley said. “It got me thinking, ‘Maybe there was a future for putting engineering and health together.’”
Now, 30 years later, Harley has turned that thought into reality. His research focuses on tissue engineering and methods to regrow tissue.
“Half my group works on designing biomaterials that can be put in the body to regenerate tissues,” Harley said. “They‘re typically musculoskeletal, rotator cuff, craniofacial bone defects, so after cleft palates, repair, after traumatic injuries, after cancer resections, ‘How do you grow back large amounts of tissue?’”
Despite the challenges of researching deadly
diseases like brain cancer, he emphasized the importance of supporting future advancements in cancer treatment. He also acknowledged the profound impact on patients and their loved ones.
“I think it’s always important to support the next generation of studies,” Harley said. “One of the things I’ve learned being part of the cancer research community is that the work we do today benefits the population of cancer patients a generation from that, the basic science work to understand mechanisms, to identify new drugs.”
Harley plans to run the Boston Marathon on April 21, fundraising for cancer research. This year marks the 129th Boston Marathon, well-known for its legendary course.
The fundraiser’s website says every dollar raised will contribute to studies conducted at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“Raising money for the basic cancer research that‘s done at Dana-Farber, I think it‘s an incredible opportunity to support cancer for everything, from $1 to whatever people want to give,” Harley said. “It‘s a great chance to support the research that changes the lives of people with cancer now and into the future.”
Growing up in a suburb of Boston, Harley ran cross country in high school. After college, he went back to running in hopes of being able to run marathons.
“I’ve been running a lot,” Harley said. “I think this is close to 20 marathons I’ve run over the years. It’s an act of persistence to run a marathon, which speaks to my experience as a patient.”
This year‘s Boston Marathon carries special meaning for Harley, who received life-saving treatment in the city decades ago.
“I’ve run in a number of years to support research through the American Cancer Society, but running Boston this year was a chance to raise money, and DanaFarber is one of the medical research and hospital facilities in Boston,” Harley said. “My bone marrow transplant was actually at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber, and so they were part of the treatment process that saved my life 30 years ago.”
In Harley’s research lab, Génesis Ríos-Adorno, graduate student studying musculoskeletal tissues, conducts her research with a focus on combining different materials to regenerate the tendon-to-bone transition.
“(Harley) is very open and willing to let you do your own
En-
on April 1.
research and follow your own interests,” Ríos-Adorno said. “He‘s very supportive of my projects, not limiting me on what I need to do or what he wants me to do.”
Ríos-Adorno praised Harley‘s understanding of her and how certain situations could affect her work and research.
“He looks into you ... not only you as a student ... but as a person that actually has feelings,” Ríos-Adorno said. “He‘s very understanding of that, and he gives you the space to work around it.”
Alison Nunes, research scientist in the ChBE department and Harley Lab, is collaborating with a research physician to study Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a hereditary connective tissue disorder. Like Ríos-Adorno, Nunes appreciates the space and support provided by Harley for her research.
“As a research scientist in the lab, (I have) to learn a bunch of new skills to build a project from the ground up,” Nunes said. “(I appreciate) … having the space but also the support from him to just grow a whole bunch of skills that I didn‘t have before I joined.”
Brendan Harley, professor in
gineering, in his office
His shelves and desk were made by students and are adorned with awards.
BIANCA OLSON THE DAILY ILLINI
Mattie Fash wields witchcraft, poetry in self-discovery quest
ASSISTANT ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
FELICITY ABBOTT fabbott2@dailyillini.com
For the average person, leaving the house in the morning is a simple, mundane task. For Mattie Fash, University graduate student, poet, trans woman and witch, it’s a more powerful ritual.
“I live right across the street from Crystal Lake Park, so I’m always greeted with a little bit of nature before I head out the door, which, as someone that grew up in the country, that is really important to me,” Fash said.
This scenic outlook stands as a reminder of where Fash came from and the impact it continues to have on her work and identity. Fash’s upbringing in rural Marshall, Illinois, has shaped her dayto-day life.
Although Fash’s father worked as a farmer, he was ultimately the reason she felt free to pursue creative writing despite its potential for financial instability. The average starting salary for University graduates with creative writing minors is $39,000.
“Watching him love something that much really impressed on me how important it is to pursue what you love, even if it causes you to struggle a little bit financially sometimes,” Fash said.
Fash has written in some way, shape or form throughout her life, and her father has always supported her endeavors.
Due to his unwavering support and passion, he quickly became one of the most influential people in Fash’s life.
“Her father was a stabilizing force for her,” said Fash’s partner, Trenton Guyer. “(Her father was) a force for good.”
Fash went into college as an English major and decided to take a creative writing course her sophomore year. From that point forward, she discovered writing poetry was her true passion and has continued ever since.
“When I first went into it, writing fiction was kind of the plan, and then I discovered my love of poetry, and it was kind of all over from there, really,” Fash said.
The Marshall resident’s upbringing in a rural community continues to impact her work with prominent themes of nature and familial relationships.
“She’s very aware of where she’s from and how she uses that to fuel a lot of her poetry,” Guyer said.
Looking back at her first few pieces, the poet realized that she was utilizing the art form to explore her identity as a trans woman. Before she transitioned, much of her work explored themes of self-discovery and identity through the lens of female characters.
“I reached a point where I couldn’t lie to myself anymore,” Fash said. “I was so exhausted with it.”
When Fash came out as a trans woman last January, she noticed a drastic change
in her writing. She felt that her writing became more honest, and she “unlocked something” in her work.
“What answers can you find if you’re still lying to yourself?” Fash said.
Others took note of the change in her work, including Erin Stoodley, a graduate student studying poetry in Fash’s cohort.
“There’s a sense of play in Mattie’s writing that has increasingly emerged over the years,” Stoodley wrote in an email interview. “I don’t mean ‘play’ in a frivolous sense, but in that essential lyrical way — e.g. the exploration of body as form, form as body.”
While developing her
poetry and searching for her identity, Fash found another outlet that pushed her toward her eventual self-acceptance — witchcraft.
Fash’s female relatives have a long history of practicing witchcraft, and the practice took a special place in her heart. As Fash grew up, she associated femininity with witchcraft.
“This sort of reclamation of feminine objects and feminine power is something I’ve always really felt drawn to,” Fash said. “I think, especially growing up before I fully embraced my transness, this was my way to feel like a woman in a lot of ways. Being a witch
Mattie Fash, graduate student studying poetry, holds books on witchcraft at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana on March 5. Fash lives near the park and visits it often to reconnect with nature.
was the closest I could get to saying I was a woman.”
While Fash recognizes that male practitioners exist, her familial root of Scandinavian witchcraft was dominated by women.
Fash continues to practice witchcraft through divination. She explained the tradition as “the art of gaining information through means other than the five senses.” The poet uses this practice as a way to enact self-improvement.
Through her witchcraft, Fash connected with Guyer’s grandmother, a fellow witch. Before meeting each other, both women practiced individually but have found community within each other. Guyer, being very close to his grandmother, is thankful for the tight-knit relationship that Fash and his grandmother share.
Mattie Fash, graduate student
While it seems unlikely, Fash finds an intersection between her writing and witchcraft to combine her two passions.
Her experience with
witchcraft allows her to add a certain richness to her writing that sets her apart from other poets.
“Mattie is a highly intuitive person whose witchcraft deeply informs her sense of the world,” Stoodley wrote. “It’s only natural that this intuition undergirds her poetry ... both its content and form.”
To the poet, writing and witchcraft are inseparable.
“Poetry, to me, is a kind of witchcraft,” Fash said. “It doesn’t feel like something separate from the way I practice magic. It feels like an act of magic in and of itself.”
Both witchcraft and poetry have undoubtedly allowed Fash to truly embrace and accept her identity — not an easy feat.
As the writer struggled with her journey to selfdiscovery, she was able to rely
on both passions to assist her through the process.
While the path to embracing identity can be challenging and lonely, Fash was always able to count on her ability to write and practice witchcraft.
Although she has accepted and embraced her truth, Fash will continue writing and practicing witchcraft while providing others with the guidance they need to feel comfortable in their own skin.
While the journey was difficult and isolating, Fash is grateful for the wide variety of experiences she had while transitioning.
“She’s just a blindingly intelligent woman, just super creative and passionate,” Guyer said. “I really hope that the people she meets in the future see that, too, because she’s amazing.”
Mattie Fash wields witchcraft, poetry in self-discovery quest
ASSISTANT ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
FELICITY ABBOTT fabbott2@dailyillini.com
For the average person, leaving the house in the morning is a simple, mundane task. For Mattie Fash, University graduate student, poet, trans woman and witch, it’s a more powerful ritual.
“I live right across the street from Crystal Lake Park, so I’m always greeted with a little bit of nature before I head out the door, which, as someone that grew up in the country, that is really important to me,” Fash said.
This scenic outlook stands as a reminder of where Fash came from and the impact it continues to have on her work and identity. Fash’s upbringing in rural Marshall, Illinois, has shaped her dayto-day life.
Although Fash’s father worked as a farmer, he was ultimately the reason she felt free to pursue creative writing despite its potential for financial instability. The average starting salary for University graduates with creative writing minors is $39,000.
“Watching him love something that much really impressed on me how important it is to pursue what you love, even if it causes you to struggle a little bit financially sometimes,” Fash said.
Fash has written in some way, shape or form throughout her life, and her father has always supported her endeavors.
Due to his unwavering support and passion, he quickly became one of the most influential people in Fash’s life.
“Her father was a stabilizing force for her,” said Fash’s partner, Trenton Guyer. “(Her father was) a force for good.”
Fash went into college as an English major and decided to take a creative writing course her sophomore year. From that point forward, she discovered writing poetry was her true passion and has continued ever since.
“When I first went into it, writing fiction was kind of the plan, and then I discovered my love of poetry, and it was kind of all over from there, really,” Fash said.
The Marshall resident’s upbringing in a rural community continues to impact her work with prominent themes of nature and familial relationships.
“She’s very aware of where she’s from and how she uses that to fuel a lot of her poetry,” Guyer said.
Looking back at her first few pieces, the poet realized that she was utilizing the art form to explore her identity as a trans woman. Before she transitioned, much of her work explored themes of self-discovery and identity through the lens of female characters.
“I reached a point where I couldn’t lie to myself anymore,” Fash said. “I was so exhausted with it.”
When Fash came out as a trans woman last January, she noticed a drastic change
in her writing. She felt that her writing became more honest, and she “unlocked something” in her work.
“What answers can you find if you’re still lying to yourself?” Fash said.
Others took note of the change in her work, including Erin Stoodley, a graduate student studying poetry in Fash’s cohort.
“There’s a sense of play in Mattie’s writing that has increasingly emerged over the years,” Stoodley wrote in an email interview. “I don’t mean ‘play’ in a frivolous sense, but in that essential lyrical way — e.g. the exploration of body as form, form as body.”
While developing her
poetry and searching for her identity, Fash found another outlet that pushed her toward her eventual self-acceptance — witchcraft.
Fash’s female relatives have a long history of practicing witchcraft, and the practice took a special place in her heart. As Fash grew up, she associated femininity with witchcraft.
“This sort of reclamation of feminine objects and feminine power is something I’ve always really felt drawn to,” Fash said. “I think, especially growing up before I fully embraced my transness, this was my way to feel like a woman in a lot of ways. Being a witch
Mattie Fash, graduate student studying poetry, holds books on witchcraft at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana on March 5. Fash lives near the park and visits it often to reconnect with nature.
was the closest I could get to saying I was a woman.”
While Fash recognizes that male practitioners exist, her familial root of Scandinavian witchcraft was dominated by women.
Fash continues to practice witchcraft through divination. She explained the tradition as “the art of gaining information through means other than the five senses.” The poet uses this practice as a way to enact self-improvement.
Being a witch was the closest I could get to saying I was a woman.
Through her witchcraft, Fash connected with Guyer’s grandmother, a fellow witch. Before meeting each other, both women practiced individually but have found community within each other. Guyer, being very close to his grandmother, is thankful for the tight-knit relationship that Fash and his grandmother share.
Mattie Fash, graduate student
While it seems unlikely, Fash finds an intersection between her writing and witchcraft to combine her two passions.
Her experience with
witchcraft allows her to add a certain richness to her writing that sets her apart from other poets.
“Mattie is a highly intuitive person whose witchcraft deeply informs her sense of the world,” Stoodley wrote. “It’s only natural that this intuition undergirds her poetry ... both its content and form.”
To the poet, writing and witchcraft are inseparable.
“Poetry, to me, is a kind of witchcraft,” Fash said. “It doesn’t feel like something separate from the way I practice magic. It feels like an act of magic in and of itself.”
Both witchcraft and poetry have undoubtedly allowed Fash to truly embrace and accept her identity — not an easy feat.
As the writer struggled with her journey to selfdiscovery, she was able to rely
on both passions to assist her through the process.
While the path to embracing identity can be challenging and lonely, Fash was always able to count on her ability to write and practice witchcraft.
Although she has accepted and embraced her truth, Fash will continue writing and practicing witchcraft while providing others with the guidance they need to feel comfortable in their own skin.
While the journey was difficult and isolating, Fash is grateful for the wide variety of experiences she had while transitioning.
“She’s just a blindingly intelligent woman, just super creative and passionate,” Guyer said. “I really hope that the people she meets in the future see that, too, because she’s amazing.”
