The Red Issue | Spring 2019

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IN THIS ISSUE flashFIVE PG. 6

A CHART, A GLOBE AND A SHOEBOX PG. 16 Strength, Sweat and the shops of grand avenue pg. 18 Red’s mark on a green field pg. 20 battling red shirt pain pg. 21 fishing for phantoms pg. 22 a forgotten legacy pg. 25

RED ALERT: LIFE AS AN EMT PG. 26 being the difference pg.28 alpha phi for heart health pg. 28 blind spot pg. 31

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P IS FOR PRETTY PG. 32 sweeping the nation: efforts take root pg. 34 theaters and truck stops pg. 38 hard to define pg. 42 taboos prevent discourse of slavery pg. 44 trafficking: an ugly reality in milwaukee pg. 45

ROCKING RED PG. 47 My worst ‘date’ pg. 52 top date spots pg. 52 a chance on love pg. 53 families divided pg. 54 Singing on pg. 55

Q&A WITH THE RED DOORS PG. 57 Abodes of the arts pg. 58 left on read pg. 60 press play on paula pg. 61 m(yo)uTubers pg. 61 ace the axe pg. 62 sheep thrills pg. 63 wine wins pg. 63

CHOCOLATE IS THE NEW COFFEE PG. 64 south side spice pg. 65 under fire pg. 66 SPRING 2019

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Executive Director of the Marquette Wire JENNIFER WALTER Managing Editor of the Marquette Journal ALY PROUTY EDITORIAL Assistant Managing Editors SYDNEY CZYZON, EMILY ROUSE, NATALLIE ST. ONGE, MACKANE VOGEL Executive Editors MAYA KORENICH, MATTHEW MARTINEZ, JOHN STEPPE Assistant Editors KELLI ARSENEAU, ZOE COMERFORD, REILLY HARRINGTON, DANIEL MACIAS, ANNIE MATTEA, DONNA SARKAR, JENNA THOMPSON, JENNY WHIDDEN Copy Chief EMMA NITSCHKE Copy Editors JULIA DONOFRIO, MIKE JELCZ, ELEANOR MCCAUGHEY Contributing Writers DAN AVINGTON, JOSEPH BEAIRD, LELAH BYRON, MARGARET CAHILL, EMMA DILL, ALEX GARNER, MATTHEW HARTE, CLAIRE HYMAN, CLARA JANZEN, ALEXA JURADO, SARAH LIPO, ARIANA MADSON, AMANDA PARRISH, TYLER PETERS, STEFAN REUTTER, MEGHAN ROCK, TARA SCHUMAL, GRACE SCHNEIDER, EMMA TOMSICH

DIGITAL General Manager of Marquette University Television TARA SCHUMAL General Manager of Marquette University Radio GM POWELL Executive Producers CHELSEA JOHANNING, MEGHAN ROCK, LARSON SEAVER Assistant Producers KENDRA BELL, KAITLYN BROSS, RYAN HAGAN, SHANE HOGAN, DAVID KLINGER, JACK PHILLIPS Assistant Radio General Manager NICK CORDONNIER Audio Producers DAN AVINGTON, HARRISON HOLLAND ART Design Chief CHELSEA JOHANNING Executive Photo Editor ANDREW HIMMELBERG Designers KELLI ARSENEAU, KATIE DELIA, ANABELLE MCDONALD

ADVERTISING Sales Manager ADRIANA BONILLA

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Photographers ELENA FIEGEN, JORDAN JOHNSON, RICKY LABRADA

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editor’s LETTER

hen I was 3 years old, I obsessed over one thing: “The Wizard of Oz.” Believe me — when I say “obsessed,” I mean it. I rocked pigtail braids. I started calling my mom “Auntie Em” and my dog “Toto” (keep in mind I had a great dane as a kid). If I try hard enough, I’d likely still be able to recite the whole movie — songs included — from memory, and parts of various editions of the book.

Obviously, I’ve owned my fair share of blue gingham dresses over the years, but what Dorothy look would be complete without ruby slippers? When I think of the color red, I think of my sparkly, red ballet flats I pranced around in. It was that special pair of shoes that brought a smile to my face.

“Give a girl the right pair of shoes and she can conquer the world.”

Those were my right shoes.

People argue the correct magic slippers were silver, as that was what author L. Frank Baum intended. The movie, however, changed the color to red because they looked better onscreen. By swapping the hues, the shoes could not only be seen, but they made a statement. They drew attention.

The color red is often used to stress the importance of something.

It forces people to notice.

There’s one prominent red symbol, we just couldn’t ignore any longer. A bright red “X” represents the END IT Movement, which works to combat human trafficking.

END IT is a national nonprofit organization, but for some, the fight to end human trafficking starts on campus. A Marquette club, Sold Out aims to bring awareness to the international issue of modern-day slavery, as it manifests itself in our city. It hits home. Literally.

An estimated 340 people were forced into sex trafficking ine Milwaukee alone, in a four year timespan, according to a report released by the City of Milwaukee, in March of last year.

Milwaukee is nationally recognized as the “Harvard for pimps,” having been included in national sweeps to arrest traffickers and free victims since 2012. In 2017, the FBI made 82 arrests in Milwaukee in three days time.

Modern-day slavery exists for many reasons, but one of the biggest issues perpetuating the phenomenon is us.

Yes. Us. As city residents, a community and simply members of the human race, we continue to turn a blind eye to human trafficking. People are being ripped away in front of our eyes and we refuse to see it.

“Blind Spot” (31) takes a hard look at the numbers and explains the facts. In our cross-platform project series, we aim not only to inform, but to engage and tell the stories of those we haven’t heard from in so long — because their voices deserve to be heard.

They deserve to be seen.

Photo courtesy of Kate Prouty

They deserve to conquer the world.

I urge you to take off your own personal blindfolds. Pay attention to others and those who need you most.

Take it off in other ways, too.

Venture out of the “Marquette bubble.” Head to the south side of Milwaukee next time you crave spicy food (“South Side Spice,” 65).

Reach out to someone and show you care. You never know what others are going through. Mental health affects all of us, including you, your classmates, your hallmates, your professors and even athletes (“Battling Red Shirt Pain,” 21).

Push your own personal limits. Walk through life with your eyes open, even if you’re afraid. Don’t let fear stop you. It didn’t stop us from tagging along on a paranormal investigation (“Fishing for Phantoms,” 22).

Start looking around. If you can’t see something well enough, change your hue.

Aly Prouty Managing Editor, Marquette Journal SPRING 2019

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flash FIVE A stage lights up with a ruby glow during a local concert.

PHOTO BY RICKY LABRADA

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flash FIVE Wayne’s is a 1950s style drive-in in Cedarburg, WI.

PHOTO BY JORDAN JOHNSON

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flash FIVE The Rave/Eagles Club sign illuminates in the middle of the night.

PHOTO BY ELENA FIEGEN

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flash FIVE

An abandoned bike sits alone under the shade of thin trees.

PHOTO BY JORDAN JOHNSON

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flash FIVE Derek Sanders fronts American rock band, Mayday Parade.

PHOTO BY RICKY LABRADA

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A Chart, a Globe and a Shoebox JOHN STEPPE

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crowded Fiserv Forum interview room buzzing with chatter quickly goes silent.

The man of the hour walks in wearing a black suit with a white shirt, black tie and a sleek collar pin.

He smiles looking back at a picture of himself in a Marquette jersey from nearly two decades ago, says, “Who’s that guy?” and sits down ready to reminisce about 20 years of college and professional basketball, which includes wearing the red of the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls. It will come to an end this April when he retires at age 37.

The story of how Marquette’s most accomplished alumnus in the National Basketball Association arrives to campus in 2000 has a humble beginning.

Dwyane Wade’s list of prospective suitors does not resemble most of now-head coach Steve Wojciechowski’s recruiting targets. There are not dozens of possible schools. Not even a handful. Three schools offer him scholarships.

“Maybe two-and-a-half,” Wade quips.

Rob Jeter, then an assistant under former Marquette head coach Mike Deane, is the first coach to reach out to Wade.

Wade’s high school coach, Jack Fitzgerald, takes him to a Marquette-Wisconsin game to give him “a taste of Marquette.”

It’s probably not the taste Marquette wants its recruits to get. Marquette loses 61-45 and only scores 10 points in the first half.

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”Dwyane turned to me at halftime and said, ‘Coach, I think I could play here,’” Fitzgerald says.

Lori Nickel describes the Golden Eagles as resembling “an intramural team at times” in the next day’s issue of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The only upset against No. 20 Wisconsin, as Nickel puts it, is in the stomachs of Marquette fans.

When the athletic department fires Deane, new head coach Tom Crean continues recruiting Wade, and thankfully for Marquette, the recruitment is better than the 10-point first half.

Then-Marquette head coach Tom Crean, who succeeds Deane in 1999, comes into Wade’s house to visit him, his future mother-in-law Darlene Funches and Fitzgerald.

Growing up, Wade’s father isn’t heavily involved in Wade’s life while his mother is in and out of jail. As a result, Wade spends a lot of time with the family of his girlfriend Siohvaughn Funches, who he eventually marries and divorces.

Crean has three things: a shoe box, a chart and a model of an arena, as Fitzgerald remembers it. ”I saw a lot of presentations (with other kids), but I really thought Tom Crean gave one of the best home visits I’ve ever seen,” Fitzgerald says. “Everyone kind of gives the same spiel about the dorms and campus life.”

The chart has every AAU game Wade played in. Next to it is which Marquette coach watched the game. Each and every one had a complementing name. ”That kind of impressed me that they were really

M(yo)U: active interested that they’ve been to every one of Dwyane’s AAU games,” Fitzgerald says.

The model is a replica of the United Center, where the Chicago Bulls play. A miniature Wade stands in the middle of the court with his high school number, 25. ”Dwyane got a big kick out of that. He said, ‘Can I have that?’” Fitzgerald says. “Crean says, ‘Well, no. I can’t give you anything.’”

The coaches tell Wade to put what’s in the shoe box on. It’s a cap and gown. ”It looked like a pair of shoes, and I’m here thinking, ‘These guys can’t give him a pair of shoes. ... I know that can’t be legal,’” Fitzgerald says. “He comes out wearing a Marquette cap and gown, and that impressed the mother-in-law, so they hit all three of us during the visit.”

Wade, who describes himself at that time as “just a shy kid from Chicago that had some talent in basketball,” did not have the test scores most Division I schools were looking for.

“I was struggling to pass my ACT at the time,” Wade says.

“I was starting to let my mind go toward the next route for me.

Maybe junior college or things of that nature.”

That doesn’t bother Crean, though.

“He promised me that I will be at this university,” Wade recalls. “I later found out that he didn’t have any clearance to promise me that. Marquette had never taken a prop-48 before.

Wade says he never heard things like that before.

“That meant a lot to me,” Wade says. “His goal was for me to graduate. I never had nobody even talk to me about those things with me and believe that I could do those things. ”Lack of clearance aside, the promise has Wade confident about Crean and Marquette men’s basketball.

“I was sold on him,” Wade says. “I was sold on him being the leader of men. I wanted to be part of his vision of turning the Marquette University program around, and I believed him.”

Fitzgerald has seen plenty of talented players from his high school coaching days, but Wade sticks out for his incredible athleticism and drive. Fitzgerald institutes a drill where Wade isn’t allowed to drive to the basket to negate his incredible driving ability. If Fitzgerald has to punish Wade, he keeps him out of practice.

Wade takes a visit to DePaul as a favor to Fitzgerald, who is friends with longtime DePaul women’s basketball coach Doug Bruno and other Blue Demon coaches, but the best choice for Wade seems obvious to Quentin Richardson, who hosts Wade at DePaul. ”Quentin (Richardson) actually thought that Cardell Henry would take better care of Dwyane at Marquette,” Fitzgerald says. “Quentin didn’t give DePaul a very good rap.”

He also takes a visit to Illinois State, but Fitzgerald describes the Redbirds as a “distant second.”

Henry has possibly the easiest job as Wade’s host, which includes playing video games and hanging out. ”I didn’t take him that many places. He was already sold,”

“I later found out that he didn’t have any clearance to promise me that.”

Dwyane Wade Photos courtesy of Marquette Athletics & Getty Images

Henry says. “I kind of picked up on his energy and his vibes that he was coming anyway. I kept it low-key and I kept the little money that we had ‘per diem.’”

The easiness ends at the visit. Henry can still recall Wade’s intensity in practices once they were both on campus. ”He was fierce. He was a competitor,” Henry says. “I thought I was fast with and without the ball, but every time we had a sprint or anything, I looked to the side, whether it was to the left or to the right, and D-Wade was like right there with me.”

That quickness leads to three NBA titles, an Olympic gold medal and a plethora of other awards.

More than 18 years after his basketball career takes off, Wade gets up from his seat at the front of Fiserv’s 60-seat interview room, takes another look at the picture of the “shy kid from a Chicago” and leaves the room with media slowly trailing him.

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Strength, Sweat and the shops of grand avenue ZOE COMERFORD

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ead down Wisconsin Avenue on a Saturday morning, walk inside The Shops of Grand Avenue and you may hear a DJ blasting tunes.

Follow the music, and it leads to a gym with red walls called 9Round. Greeting people at the front desk is the location’s five-year owner and Marquette alumna Delia Luna.

“What we do is we take cardio and strength training at the same time and combine it into a circuit routine,” Luna says. “It’s for all fitness levels. Our job as trainers is just to push everybody to do their best.”

The alumna chooses Milwaukee for her 9Round location because of her ties to Marquette and love for the city.

Unlike a typical membership-based gym, 9Round incorporates kickboxing as part of its workouts, and there are no class times or appointments.

This gym has a circuit system where there are a total of nine rounds, hence the name 9Round. Each round consists of three-minute timed workouts with either strength training, kickboxing fitness or abs and core workouts. Kickboxing starts on round three and ends on round eight.

“The heavy base that we have here, by punching and kicking the base, the resistance of it, that’s where you’ll build and tone your muscles,” Luna explains. “If you think about the resistance of punching a 100-pound bag, you’ll notice the change and definition of your muscles.”

9Round always has at least one trainer on the floor to help

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throughout a workout. Depending on the time of day, there could be up to three trainers.

“You’ll never not know what to do,” Luna says. “The workouts change daily so you’ll never get bored. Trainers will make sure that you’re doing it properly and keeping you motivated during that time frame. There’s no class times or appointments so you just show up, and the rounds literally go off every three minutes.”

Luna says some of her routine clients include professional athletes from the NBA, NFL and MLS. 86 percent of Luna’s 250 members are 25 or younger.

Although some students are from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Milwaukee School of Engineering, many of the members, like first-year dental students Carly Kirkpatrick, Gabbie Pung and Maddy Zastrow, come from Marquette.

Pung is the one who convinced Kirkpatrick and Zastrow to join her at 9Round in September 2018.

“Prior to coming to school, I wanted to try with one of my friends who had been going to 9Round for a couple of months,” Pung describes. “I was working out at a different gym … (but) I was looking for something else to do when I moved to Milwaukee.”

Already, the trio has learned how to work out in a style that is better than if they had a trainer, in terms of gaining strength. They never stop sweating through the duration of their workout.

“It definitely makes me incorporate high-intensity workouts ...

I usually won’t do that on my own,” Zastrow says. “I really wasn’t familiar with that before (I started at 9Round).”

M(yo)U: active

“I didn’t go in with a lot of upper arm strength,” Kirkpatrick says. “So being able to incorporate boxing into it is definitely a really good arm workout. That’s something I feel like I was lacking just doing cardio or abs.”

Kirkpatrick, Pung and Zastrow say they have become very close with the staff, and 9Round isn’t usually overcrowded, so they are able to get one-on-one time with the trainers.

“They always make accommodations if we’re trying to work on specific areas or if we want to do specific workouts,” Kirkpatrick says.

“They teach you the different punches or kicks that you would do,” Pung says. “At each station they’ll tell you, ‘We want you to do this combination of punches and kicks’ or ‘We want you to do all these punches.’”

Plus they’ve learned the correct stances and footings as if they were going to be in a boxing match.

According to all three dental students, the best part about 9Round is it’s just down Wisconsin Avenue.

“It’s a five-minute ride, so the convenience factor is really nice,” Kirkpatrick says. “We’re really busy with school, … so it’s nice to just do a 35-minute workout with a trainer guiding you and everything. You can get there and back within an hour, which is awesome.”

The one drawback is the lack of student discounts. Luna says the membership plans span from one-year terms to month-bymonth payments. There are also day passes for $20, but $88$120 is the common monthly membership fee for 9Round. The

membership includes unlimited workouts at the gym.

“I was able to offer (a deal to students) at one point in time. But the franchise ... set a minimum across the board, and we’re at the minimum,” Luna says.

Kirkpatrick, Pung and Zastrow, who pay about $79 per month, believe there should be a student discount at 9Round, but they appreciate the services 9Round offers.

“It’s reasonable compared to other gyms. It would be nice if it was a little less,” Pung says. “I’m debating on keeping the membership just because it is that extra cost, and I do actually have a gym in my apartment building. It’s just harder for me to pick out a workout and do it myself.”

Luna, who recommends going at least three times per week, says she has seen significant results from her clients. Sometimes men will lose up to 30 pounds. As her clients lose weight, she’s looking to make professional gains by expanding her business.

“In the end I really want to focus on the two locations and just getting to know my members and helping them succeed in their goals,” Luna says. “We’ve grown pretty fast over the last five years, so I’m excited to see the brand growing.”

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Red’s Mark on a Green Field DAN AVINGTON

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Photos courtesy of Marquette University Archives

our-time NFL champion. Field general. Revolutionary quarterback. Ironman.

Joseph “Red” Dunn, who is nicknamed “Red” for the color of his hair, played for Marquette’s football team from 1921-’23 prior to the program’s discontinuation in 1960. His career also includes taking the Chicago Cardinals to the 1925 NFL title and being a 1976 Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame inductee after winning three championships for the green and gold.

On offense, his position is quarterback, but that is not the same position we see today. ”When you think of quarterback, it was a different time period,” Packers museum curator Brent Hensel says. “Now we think of the quarterback handling the ball at all times, throwing the ball, calling the signals. The quarterback at that time was a blocking back, a fullback often.”

But Packers head coach Curly Lambeau was so impressed with the talent of Dunn that Dunn actually ended up handling all of those duties: controlling, throwing and running the ball, calling signals and serving as blocking back and tailback occasionally.

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quarterback in the fullback role.

As Lambeau’s field general, Dunn threw for 4,641 yards — the second-highest in the pre-statistical era — and is even dubbed the best quarterback in Lambeau’s tenure.

He had plenty of roles on special teams and defense, including safety, punter, kicker and punt returner. ”Football was very low scoring at this period. Teams even averaged below 10 points a game and it was all about field position, so punting was extremely important,” Hensel says. “(Red) was also a great returner. In fact, unofficially, he’s the (Packers’) alltime leader in returned punts. ”Despite the fact Dunn is in the team’s Hall of Fame, his name is forgotten by many because his playing career ended far before most current Green Bay fans were born.

Although Dunn’s name is not revered like former Packers quarterback Bart Starr’s, the franchise might not be the same if it weren’t for this quarterback.”He’s the quarterback that started it all,” Hensel says.

“He’s the first one that won championships. He won the first three for the Packers. He started the tradition (of championship-winning quarterbacks).”

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BATTLING REDSHIRT

PAIN DANIEL MACIAS

Photo by Jordan Johnson

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early 20 years ago Mike Nelson is running for Truman State University and a bone scan reveals he has a stress fracture in his right femur.

After hearing the news, Nelson is relieved.The injury comes after over-adjusting from not running at all to 77 miles in one week. Something seems off, but he assumes it’s soreness or tightness, until one day he can’t walk and gets the bone scan.

“The injury that I had was my fault,” Nelson says. “My heart was in the right place, but my head wasn’t. ... It was kind of like, ‘Oh it’s not all in my head.’ Something was actually wrong.”

This leads to Nelson redshirting.

Nelson, now head coach of the Marquette cross country team, faces redshirting decisions with his players. He says a redshirting decision is a case-by-case basis and describes two reasons why players redshirt: injury or development as an athlete. Redshirting is when a college athlete sits out a year without using a year of eligibility.

Women’s basketball redshirt sophomore guard Lauren Van Kleunen and men’s soccer redshirt sophomore Manuel Cukaj both have a fifth year in their collegiate career due to circumstances out of their control. Each were healthy after their redshirt years.

During Van Kleunen’s first year of college basketball in 2016, she finds out she had blood clots in her lungs.

“It was definitely tough because throughout my whole playing career I never had been injured like that,” Van Kleunen says. “Maybe a sprained ankle here or there or a foot injury but (there was) nothing that was one, life-threatening, and two, possibly taking away the chance of me playing basketball.”

Right after Cukaj makes the BIG EAST All-Freshman Team, he has to undergo two surgeries. ”I did a couple of MRIs, and then we found out that my hip joint is not very smooth and the cartilage was gone because of some of

the friction in there,” Cukaj says. “So I decided to get hip surgery on both of my hips.”

Nelson says the way players react to their injuries can vary. One player may want to be with the team all the time to encourage them.

Another player might want to rehab alone to avoid the reminder that he/she can’t play.

Nelson says he remembers being the latter of those athletes.

Van Kleunen says during her redshirt year, her sickness and schedule makes her feel as if she is on an island at times. She says she knows she’s a part of the team, but it’s in a different capacity. She doesn’t get close with the team until the middle of the year.

She says visits from teammates and coaches in the hospital boost her morale.

Cukaj builds relationships with teammates while being at practice and traveling with the team to away games during his year off the field.

“I felt really close to the team even though I wasn’t able to play or participate in practice,” Cujak says.

Cujak says benefits include improved mental strength and patience. It also allows him to appreciate his athletic ability when healthy.

While spending time on the sidelines with women’s head basketball coach Carolyn Kieger, Van Kluenen remembers realizing she wants to become a coach after her playing career. She can get her master’s degree, which previously is not an option.

“I still to this day believe it is a blessing in disguise,” Van Kluenen says. “I 100 percent believe that. It took me a couple of weeks after for me to realize that.”

Now, Nelson is helping his athletes on cross country navigate through hiccups like his own at Truman State.

“Experiencing injury at a pretty serious level numerous times, hopefully I’m able to provide (my players) with some sound advice of ways to avoid serious injury or ways to deal with it both physically and mentally so that they are able to get everything out of their career that they want to,” Nelson says.

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Fishing for A Phantom

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MACKANE VOGEL

am not sure what to expect when I arrive at the Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear. I have passed the museum before, but never thought much of it. But partnering with the Paranormal Investigators of Milwaukee is what makes this visit truly unique.

I walk into the museum lobby and greet two PIMs. Noah Leigh, the founder and lead investigator of PIM, and Michael Graeve, a senior investigator, stand with several large cases full of unfamiliar gadgets, special cameras and audio recorders. Leigh and Graeve begin to set up cameras on the first, second and third floors.

I begin to talk with the curator of the museum, Joel Willems, to learn more of the place’s history and the possible ghosts that haunt the location.

Since 1869, the house has served a number of different purposes, almost all of which have artifacts still in the museum today. The house was home to Daniel Shultz and his family, and before that, a man named Albert Seeboth obtained the house with his family, which included his daughter, Emily. Emily is one of the ghosts rumored to linger on the premises. After the Seeboths moved out, Dr. Joseph J. Eisenberg moved in and ran his clinic out of the house.

Weeks after a museum-goer claims to have seen a young girl in the house, Willems finds a mysterious mini chalkboard with the name Emily written on it.

It is not until 1966 that artifact collector Avrum Chudnow purchases the house.

Chudnow, a 1937 Marquette Law School graduate, used the home for his management company and law office. As his collection of antiques and artifacts expanded, Chudnow began to display some of his items around his office. By the time of his passing in 2005, Chudnow accumulated many one-of-a kind artifacts and his family settled on the house and his old office for the location of the official Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear. The museum did not open until 2012 due to remodeling needs.

While the museum cycles through several exhibits a year, permanent aspects like a first-floor drugstore, train station and a second-floor toy store remain. Even a doctor’s office complete with a life-size mannequin of Dr. Eisenberg sitting at a desk stays as visitors tell Willems they’ve felt uneasy because they swear the mannequin moves.

The third floor is not open to the public.

Producer Pointer: Listen with headphones!

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M(yo)U: scare The PIMs instruct Willem to shut off the power in the house and head home for the evening as soon as the history lesson ends.

Marquette Wire videographer Larson Seaver, photographer Elena Fiegen and myself are now alone in a dark museum with Leigh, Graeve and now investigator Brandon Rugzie, who shows up late.

Leigh explains the ground rules for investigating. He tells us how important it is to remain silent and listen for responses from possible ghosts. If any of us accidentally make a noise, like a sneeze or a stomach growl, he instructs us to immediately say in a loud voice, “It was me.” This allows the investigators to label different time stamps of the recording so they won’t misread a normal sound for being paranormal.

Another aspect of paranormal investigating is to have all investigators spread out so it is easier to track the location of a given sound.

Once we all situate ourselves in different locations, we begin with a moment of silence to hear the natural noises of the house. We begin to ask questions in an attempt to communicate with ghosts. Leigh, Graeve and Rugzie ask the majority.

They encourage us to speak, though the PIMs explain we are unlikely to get a response.

It’s unsettling sitting in a supposedly haunted museum in complete silence waiting for any slight noise as a response to questions.

Some questions are simple. “Who are you?” or “How old are you?” Others are a bit more nerve-wracking: “If there is someone in here, tap the shoulder of the person you like the least,” or “Emily, is that you?” “Dr. Eisenberg are you here?” “Do you like what Mr. Joel has done with the place?”

We ask questions and hear a knock or thud, usually coming from a different floor than the one we are on. If the noise wasn’t any of us, the PIMs document and time stamp the sound to review for later.

The floors get scarier as we go up. After a fairly uneventful first floor, we make our way to the set of stairs. The PIMs set up a small table in the doctor’s office. They place two bullets standing upright, a deck of cards with the ace of diamonds face up on top, a pair of dice, a lone cigarette and a cigar still in its plastic wrap on the desk.

They say these items are things that can hold sentimental value for people and tie ghosts to the real world. For example, if someone was a smoker when they were alive, they might feel comfort by the sight

of a cigarette or cigar. The dice and the bullets are meant to easily track whether movement occurred or not.

I am told to choose between the second-floor doctor’s office or movie theater to settle into. I can’t decide which is scarier, but I choose the comfy theater seat. We then purposely position all the other seats upward in hopes that a ghost will flip one down to take a seat. After five minutes, Rugzie asks a question. ”If there’s someone here, could you take a seat in the theater next to Mackane?”

As we listen for a response, I hear a noise close to me. I ask the other five if it was them, but they deny it. I shine my flashlight, but none of the seats appear to be in a different position.

We try to recreate the creaking noise I heard and when we flip the seats near me, I am positive it’s the same sound. Neither of us are able to make sense of this. Upon more questioning, nothing happens.

The third floor, our final stop, is not open to the pubic. There are more than a dozen doorways on this floor and each room is full of artifacts like old signs, boxes of documents, even a baby carriage and a ventriloquist dummy. Some rooms are too cluttered to enter but PIMs instruct me to sit at the far end of the hall in a doorway of one of the offices.

The PIMs begin asking questions, but this time the questions are much more intense and specific. ”Why did you do it?” Rugzie asks. “Did they do something to make you mad?” ”They never found the seventh body, can you tell us where it is?”

Leigh says.

The questions get more intense as the three PIMs all ask about a gruesome murder of seven people. Elena, Larson and I all manage to exchange concerned looks in the dark.

After we finish the third floor, I ask the PIMs if they were trying to scare us with the murder details. They don’t answer and instead, tell us to Google it.

I did. And found nothing.

It’s safe to say that even ghost hunters can appreciate a good prank and a man-made scare. As for any confirmed ghostly presence, the PIMs will continue to examine footage for several more weeks.

SPRING 2019

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I wish to meet a unicorn Shelby, 7 congenital anomalies

You have the power to transform a child’s life.

Join Wishmakers On Campus, a student organization at Marquette and make a difference in the life of a child battling a critical illness.

Learn more by contacting Christine Hazel, Wishmakers On Campus Advisor, at christine.hazel@marquette.edu. wisconsin.wish.org/wishmakers

TRANSFORM LIVES, ONE WISH AT A TIME 24

MARQUETTE JOURNAL

PHOTO BY ROOST PHOTOGRAPHY

M(yo)U: scare

A Forgotten Legacy

CLARA JANZEN

F

Photo by Stacy Mellantine

amous Marquette University alumni include the likes of Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler and Chris Farley. Joseph McCarthy, who graduated with a law degree in 1935 and changed the American political sphere in ways that are still visible today, is among the famous alumni too.

“It is a safe bet that very few of the current students (at Marquette) are even aware that McCarthy is an alumnus. … This unawareness, however, is excusable. The halls, offices and classrooms of most law schools are teeming with portraits, plaques and busts of prominent alumni,” reads a 2001 article in the Marquette Law School Review.

“It is not uncommon for law schools to name buildings, classrooms, courtrooms, professorships and scholarships after prominent graduates. At MULS, however, Joe McCarthy, undoubtedly the law school’s most famous alumnus, is persona non grata (an unwelcome person).”

McCarthy, who served as a Republican senator from 1947 until his death in 1957, is best remembered for the national campaign against communism he largely lead. McCarthy is one of the most visible faces of Cold War tensions and widespread fear in the United States.

Lowell Barrington, chair of the Political Science department whose teaching and research include post-Communist politics and courses on Authoritarianism, says McCarthy’s legacy is not one the university wants to advertise ties with.

“Part of the problem for Marquette latching onto him, is that ultimately why he was famous were these things that ended up being discredited… he didn’t have a long, grand political career,” Barrington says.

McCarthy contributed to what is referred to as the Red Scare, the idea that communism, anarchy and radical leftism were going to take over the country, and Soviet Russia had insurgents and sympathizers everywhere, even within the highest levels of government. The term ‘McCarthyism’ refers to the fanatical campaign that accompanied the Red Scare, where many people were falsely accused of being associated with the Communist Party, were blacklisted and lost their jobs.

Today, the term is used to describe what is considered to be reckless unsubstantiated accusations, or public attacks on the character or patriotism of political opponents. ”He was certainly not the first by any means to engage in attacks and claims without actual factual basis,” Barrington says, noting however, those tactics are how McCarthy made his name.

Following McCarthy’s death, his widow Jean Kerr Minetti donated thousands of documents, letters, photographs and other relics of her late husband’s life and political career to Marquette’s Raynor Memorial Library Archives, which is located on the third floor. According to the archive’s website, the documents were closed to research use at the request of the donor, until her death in 1979.

Due to legal issues, the papers were not opened until 1988 when

Joseph Minetti, whom Jean had married following her first husband’s death, turned over the remaining papers in his possession, including 9 cubic feet of McCarthy’s investigative files, and consented to the opening of all “clearly public” material, such as press clippings and recordings of speeches. The “private files” will remain closed until the death of his daughter Tierney Minetti, meaning there are multiple boxes that are still unavailable to the public.

Amy Cooper Cary, head of the Special Collections and University Archives, says, “We have one of the best collections in the country.”

The total collection comprises nearly 100 cubic feet of boxes.

Students, faculty and staff can view the public files by going to the third floor archives office and submitting a request for the files to be brought out.

The idea of McCarthyism has resurfaced as a topic of conversation in American politics, as President Donald Trump’s political tactics have been compared to the McCarthy era. President Trump took to Twitter to compare the current investigation of himself and his associates for collusion during the 2016 election to the Red Scare. His post reads, “Study the late Joseph McCarthy, because we are now in (a) period with Mueller and his gang that make Joseph McCarthy look like a baby! Rigged Witch Hunt!”

The archive includes digitized audio records of the late Senator, in which his anti-communist tirades can be heard. Some of the recordings are available online, such as one where Senator McCarthy is speaking out against homosexuals in the State Department, arguing that homosexuals are susceptible to communist blackmailing and therefore pose a security risk. That was the first time he a list of alleged government subversives. Or in another recording where he claims some Harvard faculty members are communists, singling out Wendell Furry, a faculty member and scientist. ”In addition to that (McCarthyism) has come up in the context of (intergovernmental) investigations, it also connects to how in political science right now we’re dealing with waves of populism,” Barrington says. ”When theres any kind of populist movement, theres always a ‘other’ that is meant to mobilize people or mobilize support by essentially scaring them.”

While the validity of the Mueller investigation is a matter of opinion, the idea of political witch hunts and government corruption are fresh on the minds of politicians and their constituents.

“One of the things about the McCarthy period… is that there are things that he did that are the kinds of things that when democracies allow them to happen can start to erode people’s confidence in thew institutions and the democracy itself,” Barrington says.

SPRING 2019

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Red Alert: Life as an EMT EMMA TOMSICH

M

any students admit it’s hard to balance extracurriculars, jobs and academics on a daily basis. But for students who also work as Emergency Medical Technicians, their daily schedules include constant running around, trauma coverage and the thrill of

the unknown.

Derek Gross, a sophomore in the College of Health Sciences, says to be no stranger to this fast-paced lifestyle. He first started as an EMT at Paratech Ambulance Service Inc. in mid-October 2018.

As a biomedical sciences major hoping to go to medical school, Gross says he wants to be an EMT to work toward his goal of becoming a trauma surgeon, gain early experience working directly with patients and give back to the community.

Gross is currently working one four-hour weekend shift per week, but occasionally picks up extra shifts during the week. He says he plans to work 24-hour shifts this summer and continue being an EMT while he is in medical school if he can handle it.

When he works his weekend shift, a day in the life of Derek Gross is far from slow.

SATURDAY 9 a.m. — After hitting snooze a few too many times, Gross wakes up from his Friday night of fun ready to take on a day of work. He gets himself ready for the day and stops at The Commons for a quick bite to eat before walking to the library to be productive.

“Over winter break I had this realization that I need to be way more efficient with my time,” Gross says. “I’ve always not been a morning person, and I’ve decided that I need to be.”

10 a.m. — Being a biomedical sciences major, it’s common for Gross to drown in homework. To stay on top of his massive to-do list, he says he tries to put in at least three hours of work per day at Raynor. Though his physiology and anatomy lessons in class help him understand conditions and diseases he sees in the field, being an EMT does not make school much easier.

During the week, Gross prioritizes school. He says he has to take care of classwork before anything else. But when he is at work, Gross says it can’t be that way.

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“No matter what I have going on, I have to be 100 percent there at work doing my job because people depend on EMTs to give them the best care possible,” he says. “I don’t even bring homework to work because I need to be focused on what I’m doing there.”

Gross says it’s weird going back and forth between work and school.

“I feel like I’m living two lives when I’m at work and when I’m at school,” Gross says.

1 p.m. — After checking a few things off his to-do list and eating a quick lunch, Gross hits the gym or goes to his ultimate frisbee team’s practice to blow off some steam and stay in shape.

5 p.m. — Gross gets dinner with some friends and chills with them in their residence hall before they go out to enjoy their Saturday night. When it starts to get late and people are planning on going out to do something fun, Gross says he knows it’s time for work.

8 p.m. — Gross suits up in his uniform and is ready to begin his EMT duties. He says once his uniform goes on, he is no longer a student.

“You kinda feel like a bada--,” Gross says, describing the feeling of wearing his uniform.

“Sometimes I’m walking around campus with my uniform on, and even though I’m just a regular student, at the same time I know that I have the training to do certain things that not everyone has the training to do,” Gross says. “It’s a good feeling.”

9 p.m. — After walking from The Commons to his station on James Lovell Street and Wisconsin Avenue, Gross clocks in for his shift and calls dispatch to say he’s ready. Because it is the Saturday night shift, Gross says his ambulance is nicknamed “the drunk car” for good reason. Until he receives a call, Gross waits in the station, uniform on and ready, watching Netflix. He says that sometimes he gets a call right away, and sometimes he doesn’t get a call for a couple hours.

“Once you get a call, there’s an expectation that you’ll be in your ambulance ready to go within one minute of getting the call,” Gross says. “So they really never let us take off our uniforms or anything when we’re at the station. The only thing they let us take off is our boots.”

M(yo)U: health On average, Gross says he typically gets one call per four-hour Gross begins thinking methodically, taking a split second to follow shift, sometimes two. He says he has only received three calls once the “ABCs” and check his patient’s airway, breathing and circulation. in a four-hour shift.

He puts her on oxygen and drives as fast as he can to the hospital.

A Milwaukee EMT working a 24-hour shift may see about 20 calls 12:15 a.m. — Arriving at the hospital, Gross isn’t sure what will because the call volume is through the roof. Gross says calls may happen to his patient. He stays at the hospital to finish documenting include regular transports from nursing homes to doctors appointand filling out reports. After completing a call, Gross says his main ments and also 911 calls. He says he sees all types of patients. job is documentation.

“Sometimes it’s just driving a person to their destination, but “When you’re documenting, you’re creating legal and medical sometimes it’s like, ‘Oh crap, we’ve got to make sure this person documents, so details and accuracy are extremely important,” Gross is okay,’” Gross says. “You see a lot of things (and) you learn a lot.” says. “It’s actually a pretty stressful part of the job as well.”

10 p.m. — At the sound of the emergency alarms, Gross is in12:45 a.m. — After his call, Gross says he feels sweaty and tense. stantly alerted of his call. He learns his patient is a weak, older womAfter finishing documentation, Gross is still concerned about his paan and an ambulance is already at the scene. He begins to imagine tient. He later learns that the paramedic went in and checked on her situation, and the stress creeps upon him. Gross says being the patient. She says the patient had a bleed inside of her bladder an EMT is like going back and forth between stressful and nonwhich was causing the abdominal distention and a massive infection stressful moments. all over. Gross says it was a miracle the patient was still alive when “Sometimes you’re just sitting around in the station doing noththey got to her because she had been living like that for four days. ing, and the next thing you know, you’ve got a call and for the next Gross says he likes to think that his patient that day turned out hour or so you’re going to be like, ‘Go, go, go, go, go,’” Gross says. alright, but he will never know for sure.

For the most part, he says it feels like a switch flips when he gets “You don’t really know,” Gross says. a call.

But he says that from the amount of detail that he put into his call, “You kind of just get really focused on what you’re doing,” Gross he is positive she will have a good recovery. says. “Nothing matters besides the call that you’re on.”

1:30 a.m. — Gross makes his way back to the station, feeling like 10:01 p.m. — Gross hops in the driver’s seat, speeding to the he made a difference. That night, he does not have a second call to scene and reviewing protocol in his head. follow the first.

“Any person in (Emergency Medical Services) will tell you that the 2 a.m. — When his shift ends, he takes a campus LIMO back to his first thing they think about is ‘Is my scene safe?’” Gross says. “It’s one residence hall, exhausted after a night of hard work. First semester, of the biggest things they drill in your head in class. You always make Gross had a night when one call went until 3:30 a.m. and by the time sure that the scene is safe.” he was able to go to sleep, people were already starting to wake up.

Gross says he’s never been put in any scary situations, but going Some nights, Gross only gets four or five hours of sleep. out on calls at 1 a.m. in rough neighborhoods with no police around 2:30 a.m. — As Gross lays his head on his pillow, he drifts to a can be nerve-wracking. deep sleep after a night filled with adventure.

“At at lot of places we go into, there’s a lot of drunk people and (the) smell of marijuana,” Gross says. “It’s much different than being on Marquette’s campus.”

10:45 p.m. — By the time Gross arrives at the scene, the fire department has already gotten the woman on her feet and ready for Gross’ team. Gross grabs his supplies and rushes to the house.

11 p.m. — When Gross finally makes it up to the patient’s house and sees her, he runs many checklists in his head. He says the first thing to do is figure out if the patient is experiencing a trauma-related incident or medical problem. Gross’ patient is experiencing a medical problem. He makes sure he only has one patient, and he checks for spinal injuries. Inspired by trauma surgeon Owen Hunt on “Grey’s Anatomy,” whose bright orange hair bears a stunning resemblance to Gorss, he grabs his proper technical equipment: gloves, goggles and masks, and he loads his patient onto the ambulance.

11:15 p.m. — By the time Gross gets his patient in the ambulance and takes a set of vitals, the oxygenation level in her blood significantly lowers, and she has a 103 degree fever. Even worse, his patient’s abdomen is fully distended, meaning it is full of blood.

“So there was a lot of things going wrong all at once, and she seemed stable, but particularly the abdomen distention was really, really concerning,” Gross says.

Photos by Jordan Johnson SPRING 2019

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Being the difference ALEX GARNER

I

n 2005, a girl from Arizona came to the BloodCenter of Wisconsin in Milwaukee with the hopes of finding a potential donor. She suffered from aplastic anemia, a disease resulting from a lack of blood cell production.

Meg McElligott served as the administrative director of the BloodCenter’s Diagnostic Lab where donor matching and testing Photo by Andrew Himmelberg took place. She is current chief quality officer for Versiti.

McElligott says the team at the BloodCenter could not find a bone marrow donor for the little girl in the United States, but was able to find potential donors in China. She says her team knew they would either get a match or come back empty handed. This wasn’t a situation where the results would be inconclusive.

“The little girl got the transplant and she did well,” McElligott says, adding when you work at a place like the BloodCenter, you can make a difference every day.

McElligott has worked at the BloodCenter of Wisconsin for 42 years, first working in the transplant compatibility lab after graduating from Marquette University with her Bachelor of Science in biology.

“It was cutting-edge (and) I thought, ‘This is a way we can help people,’” McElligott says. “I really liked immunology from my time at Marquette and I decided that’s what I was going to do.”

After working in the lab for about a year and a half, she got the opportunity to launch the BloodCenter’s unrelated bone marrow donor program, which helps find donors for patients who don’t have family members that match.

McElligott also served as the manager of the Diagnostic Lab and vice president of quality at the BloodCenter of Wisconsin.

She brought an organ and tissue procurement program to the BloodCenter in 2010 and helped set up the National Marrow Donor Program, now called Be the Match.

Jackie Fredrick, former CEO and president of the BloodCenter of Wisconsin, says Meg is tremendously hardworking, very tenacious and is always eager to work on the newest innovation.

The two women met in 1980 while working at the BloodCenter.

“Meg practices her values in everything she does,” Fredrick says. “And she’s a very caring person.”

McElligott enjoys reading, traveling and like most Marquette grads, watching Marquette basketball with her husband and spending time with her son Liam and daughter Maureen.

She says camping out for tickets with other students and going to basketball games were some of her favorite memories at Marquette.

“Marquette had a great team during the time I was a student,” McElligott says. “The arena was sold out for every game.”

She says the university’s mission really aligns with her passions about making a difference in the community.

“I wanted to make a difference and help people,” McElligott says. “That’s something that really influenced me.”

Alpha Phi for Heart Health

A

ALEXA JURADO

lpha Phi, a sorority on Marquette’s campus, celebrates Cardiac Care Month during February. Their philanthropy focuses on women’s heart health, and the Alpha Phi Foundation annually awards the Heart to Heart Cardiac Care grant to an organization focused on women’s cardiac research.

One member of Alpha Phi Lauren Vasko, a sophomore in the College of Business, says she was particularly interested in the sorority when she went through recruitment last year.

Vasko says she was drawn to Alpha Phi because of her personal connection to the philanthropy. She suffers from a heart condition called POTS, or Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

The condition affects 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 Americans, 80% of which are women.

Unfortunately, because of her health conditions, Vasko had to withdraw from Marquette last semester. Vasko will return fall of 2019.

“It’s a condition affecting the blood flow, and the heart rate rapidly increases when a person stands up,” Vasko says. “We get symptoms of dizziness, heart palpitations, headaches, fainting, so a lot of stuff like that.”

She says she believes raising awareness specifically for women’s heart health is important.

“A lot of people don’t know how many women it affects, and even young women aren’t aware it can affect them,” Vasko says.

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SPRING 2019

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Mondays Golden Eagle Sports Report 7 P.M. followed by

New Music Monday

Wednesdays Marquette Now 7 P.M. Marquette Lately 7:30 P.M.

marquettewire.org/mutv 30

MARQUETTE JOURNAL

blind spot

Blind Spot

The United Nations defines human trafficking as “the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons by improper means (such as force, abduction, fraud or coercion) for an improper purpose including forced labor or sexual exploitation.”This definition might conjure images of far-off brothels and people toiling in fields half a world away for no pay. The truth, however, strikes much closer to home. This is happening in America. This is happening in hotels. This is happening in nail salons and restaurants. This is happening in our own backyards.

Human trafficking occurs within the blind spot of our society.

Many people walk past it every day without realizing, but oftentimes its hidden in plain sight.For some Americans, it may be hard to fathom that this is happening here. For some Wisconsinites, it may be hard to fathom that Milwaukee has a reputation as one of the biggest hubs of human trafficking in the nation. But no country is immune.Human trafficking takes on many forms: domestic servitude, labor trafficking and commercial sex trafficking. In the following pages, you will read about the government’s and local community organizations’ efforts to counteract modern-day slavery. You will read about how a lack of data and information has led to misconceptions of the issue.This is the start of a cross-platform investigative series focusing on an issue that is both pressing and misunderstood.

Photo and Edit by Sydney Czyzon and Chelsea Johanning SPRING 2019

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P is for Pretty Natallie St. Onge

Art by Natallie St. Onge 32

MARQUETTE JOURNAL

I

t’s funny. Seeing things you don’t want to believe.

It was there as much as I was, except everything within me knew I shouldn’t have been there. It knew its place.

I knew where I was sitting, too, on a bed with quilts and pillows left behind for the wash. It sits on the nightstand underneath the TV that tries to make the room look new, but it owns the place as much as he did. It was wrong as much as it was right, it being there. Just there. Me, being there.

Just there.

The room is carved from the ‘70s, stuck in a world far away.

Mustard lights and square blankets, a white bathtub that screams for privacy guarded by a door that will never be shut unless he closes it. I sit on the bed, on the edge of the past, on the ledge hoping for a better tomorrow.

“It’ll get better.” I tell myself.

“It’ll be okay.” I say again.

“You’ll get out.” I lie.

I was his target.

“He loves you.”

My arms are weak. My eyes are tired. My stomach is scarce and my voice is gone. I didn’t want to ask for anything. There’s food off to the side, not for me unless I earned it. My ears bleed from the noises, from the words, from the boisterous smiles that deceived me into believing I was something more than a girl on her way home from school. My body is numb.

My body is hurting.

It’s taunting me.

I stare at the trigger, across the carpet with stains and too many footprints to count how many of us there are. My footprints are there, embedded in the ground like they’re waiting for me to fill their place. Nothing else matters, though. Not now. Not even the silent tears breaking the floor from the girl who just finished her round. Not even the scraping of voices, the clash of wants making themselves known like the stars in the pitch black of night. Nothing else matters right now.

Its metal stiffens, its gunpowder teases as I can feel it tighten my throat again. The worry of its trigger releasing, the fear of his hand slipping.

The fear I won’t be able to see the neon lights again.

Neon lights. They are my friends. The neon lights outside of this place will always be there for me. The neon lights won’t ever leave me. They are my constant.

I don’t want to leave them.

I stare and remember everything.

Life isn’t fair, but it is good. I know that now, anyway. I have a bed and warm blankets that keep me safe at night. I have people who want to love and give for me, but I push them too far outside of my world before they can even try to be in it again. I have food an arm’s length away, a voice to speak and a life to truly live. Sure, I’m not happy all the time. I’m not grateful for everything, always wanting more than I or my family can afford, but now, I know I have everything in this world. I have it all.

That was then. This is now.

I had so much hope before a hotel room off the highway sucked it all away.

He tells me I am pretty.

Everyone told me I was pretty before. That my eyes are the most beautiful, my nose is cute, my smile is contagious and bright. Everyone told me I was pretty. One of a kind, a gem, a diamond in the rough.

But he really tells me.

I feel it when he tells me, too. He spells it out for me and makes me understand what the word actually means. He makes the world know it, too. The way he came up to me

Blind Spot in the middle of the aisle, a sly look disguising his crooked smile, his dimples too deep to dig himself out of the mess he is making. Yet, he told me, his hands caressing my face, his green eyes lighting up my world and daring me to tag along.

He offered to buy the candy, two if I really wanted. It was just some stupid gummy I was craving for over a week and finally got the allowance to buy. I stood in the aisle staring at the sweets, wanting to go in and out as fast as I could just to rip the bag open. But instead, I walked in and saw him. It was like he knew I was there. He knew I was coming.

I wasn’t that pretty. At least, not now anyways.

I have scabs and bruises in places I never knew I could get, in the places my childhood has yet to leave, my innocence still intact. My hair is fried from straightening it too much, for making it look the way he wants it. Sleek and shiny hair on a girl who is slim and just starting to announce her curves. That’s what he wants. And that’s what he got.

He carved a letter P close to my heart just so I would know.

Not that I was “pretty,” but to know that I was his.That I am his pawn. That I am being trafficked. My body is too numb to even be human anymore.

Blisters, though, are my scars that tell me I still have hope.

That I am not attached to this enough. That I can hang onto one more night dancing and earning and crying and lying and being someone I am not. My blisters don’t bleed like everything else does.

By not bleeding, I’m not giving in. I know I can get out.I don’t have to be his.

Besides, I have the neon lights waiting for me.

I stare and remember where I was, who I was. The girl I used to be. The girl who walked into that store who knew who she was, where she was going.

I stare and remember everything he has done, the echoes and the noise around me too loud to even hear. I stare and dream of never seeing anything like it again.

The gun.

Him. This trafficking world.

This girl that I am.

I stare and know there is a way out. Powerful. Patient. Positive. Purpose. Proud.

Pretty.

That’s what P stands for.

It’s funny. Being something you can believe in.

This is a fictional story based off of true events of human trafficking. The case was a milwaukee case based off human trafficker ‘pimpin paul.’ if you or someone you know are trafficked, seek help by calling 8883737888.

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Sweeping the Nation: Efforts take root

MATTHEW MARTINEZ & CLARA JANZEN

E

very October since 2012, Operation Cross Country, which aims to draw the public’s attention to the problem of sex trafficking, took place in various cities around the United States as a joint operation between local law enforcement and FBI field offices. Every October, that

is, until 2018.

Operation Cross Country is a four day undertaking, where law enforcement sweeps cities in areas known to have trafficking problems and make substantial arrests. In 2017, the operation led to the recovery of 84 sexually exploited juveniles and the arrest of 120 traffickers nationwide. Of the 120 arrests, 82 were in Wisconsin.

The 2017 operation involved 55 FBI field offices and 78 FBIled Child Exploitation Task Forces composed of more than 500 local law enforcement agencies. Every year hundreds of law enforcement officers take part in sting operations at hotels, casinos and truck stops as well as social media sites known to be frequented by pimps and their customers. Operation Cross Country is part of the FBI’s Innocence Lost National Initiative, which began in 2003. The program resulted in the identification and recovery of more than 6,500 children.When October 2018 rolled around and the media prepared for its annual coverage of Operation Cross Country in Milwaukee, they were left disappointed.

For every year Operation Cross Country took place, Milwaukee was chosen to participate. Not every large city participates every year, but Milwaukee was routinely invited back because of what happened the first year the sweeps were executed: Milwaukee tied with Las Vegas for the third most victims rescued and pimps arrested.

The fact that medium-sized Midwestern Milwaukee could produce the same numbers as a city with rampant gambling

Photos by Elena Fiegen 34

MARQUETTE JOURNAL

and prostitution was shocking to many. In addition, seven minors were among the recovered victims, the highest of any participating city.

When October 2018 rolled around and the media prepared for its annual coverage of Operation Cross Country in Milwaukee, it was left disappointed.

The Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Act, the landmark legislation from 2000 that is the base of federal human trafficking laws, expired in September 2017, leaving some programs and facets of federal agencies without allocated funding. Before the TVPA, states had their own protocols and laws, jurisdictions were unclear and agencies did not share data. No statement has been released as to the exact reason Operation Cross Country did not take place nationwide Before the first Operation Cross Country, Milwaukee already had a track record of issues with human trafficking.

The Human Trafficking Task Force of Greater Milwaukee traces its roots back to 2008, LaShawndra Vernon, co-founder and former chairwoman says. Thanks to an impetus provided

by U.N. Resolution 1325, which called for cosigners to devote increased resources to prevent violence against women and girls in their respective countries. The United States was on this list and the State Department began selecting cities to have independent audits of domestic trafficking.

Vernon was working with an organization called the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom when she was contacted by the state department.

“Milwaukee was chosen because it was a bit of a hub,” Vernon says. “It was a gateway between the larger cities in the Midwest and it was a place where they could hide the girls for a short time … and I should say not just girls. Boys were also impacted by this.”

Blind Spot

Vernon says the founding members of the task force originally presented findings in a report on the state of trafficking in Milwaukee to the Milwaukee County Board, who allowed them to establish the task force independently. After their tenure with the county was up, they became included in city government through the Office of Violence Prevention, chaired by current task force member Reggie Moore.

“We started with a report,” Vernon says. “The state had done a report [in 2008] as well, but the report really identified that we were not tracking any of the human trafficking. So in our report we started talking about … these things we could track to prove the trafficking is happening and we could start using the definition authentically when we were taking people into our … intimate partner violence shelters and programs.”

Vernon says this was the key to getting more accurate numbers. Once they began getting more information, they could figure out which areas needed the most focus and could put resources there. The numbers, once they began coming in, warranted action.

“There was a study in 2010 that basically talked about 340 … children and young adults that have been missing over a three-year span,” Moore says. “That comes down to two children per week in our state.”

The task force has three central imperatives: coordinated services, education and awareness, and policy and legislation.

Coordinated services provide resources to survivors of human trafficking and those who are still within the system. Education and awareness involves organizing events and disseminating information to the public.

The policy and legislation branch details their work in the state legislature to get anti-trafficking measures passed. This February, they went to Madison to speak to legislators doorto-door.

The task force is made up entirely of volunteers. There is no

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outside funding.

One of the key figures in the fight against human trafficking is Milwaukee Police Department Lt. Dawn Jones. Jones, who is retiring this March, has been involved in the arrests and convictions of several major Milwaukee traffickers. Derrick “Pimp Snooky” Avery was sentenced to 20 years in prison thanks to Jones’ work.

Jones says when she began looking for similar cases, she immediately found three open investigations. She says it was initially very difficult to get trafficking victims to come forward with information.

“Who ... thought you could trust a law enforcement officer when you were being trampled?” Jones says.

She says working with trafficking victims has been the most rewarding assignment of her life. When talking about the survivors whose lives she helps change, Jones says she is proud of their transformations.

“Think of nurses and CNAs and physical therapists in a society that a decade ago thought they were throwaway people and that it was their fault,” Jones says.

While the U.N. has dedicated tremendous resources to combating human trafficking, it has a checkered past with the issue. In the early 2000s, U.N. official Madeleine Rees, a lawyer by trade and the current secretary general of the International Women’s League for Peace and Freedom, was working on assignment in Bosnia. There, she began to uncover that U.N. peacekeepers and contractors were both directly involved with and helped cover up human trafficking in Bosnia. When she came forward with this information, she was dismissed by the U.N. until investigations revealed nearly a decade later she was right.

The State Department now releases an annual Trafficking in Persons report in which they detail the state of trafficking around the world by ranking countries on a three-tier system.

A country in tier 1, like the United States, has passed legislation and made considerable efforts to reduce human trafficking within their own borders. A tier 2 country has made efforts, albeit unsuccessful, to address trafficking and has a considerable presence of trafficking. This would include countries like Turkey, Ukraine and Greece. A tier 2 watchlist country is at risk of becoming classified as tier 3. A tier 3 country has made little conscionable effort in addressing trafficking.

Legislative countermeasures also found their way to the floors of the House and Senate.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2013, introduced by Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), made it possible for the government to cancel grants and contracts with any organization or individual found to have been involved in human trafficking without penalty. It is also stipulated in section 1703 of the bill that the recipient of any contract or grant doled out in excess of $500,000 must have implemented anti-trafficking plans and procedures.

The Customs Facilitation and Trade Reauthorization Act of 2009 placed a prohibition on the import of any goods which were produced by human trafficking on an international scale.

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Blind Spot Despite this, America still has trade deals in place with tier 3 countries like Russia and China.

The Women, Peace and Security Act of 2017, introduced

by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D- New Hampshire), mandated anti-trafficking training for members of the State Department and the Department of Defense. When President Donald Trump signed this bill into law, the administration agreed to submit a Women, Peace and Security Strategy a year later.

As of the writing of this article, this strategy is not available to the public and no statements have been made concerning whether it has been submitted. This legislation replaced the long-standing National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security which was enacted via executive order by President Obama in 2010. Both the WPS and NPA were byproducts of UN Resolution 1325.

President Donald Trump signed the reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act Jan. 9, and said in his 2019 State of the Union Address that the United States has a commitment to fighting human trafficking.

Previous iterations of the reauthorization acts have evolved the legislation to adapt to challenges in enforcement. The 2003 reauthorization, for instance, included human trafficking charges on the list of federal crimes that can be charged under a Racketeering Influence Corrupt Organizations (RICO) predicate. The 2008 reauthorization expanded the definitions of trafficking to aid in convictions. And the 2013 reauthorization provided extra assistance to state and local enforcement agencies.

Even with all of these changes at the federal level, work remains to be done. The Human Trafficking Taskforce of Greater Milwaukee continues its efforts in Milwaukee, actively trying to erase the reputation of Milwaukee as the “Harvard for pimp schools,” as coined by current task force chairwoman Dana World-Patterson.

Let’s just stick with the facts and continue to raise the issue that human trafficking must be eradicated,” World-Patterson says.

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Theaters and Truck Stops Jenny Whidden & Claire Hyman

Across the nation, nonprofits, actors, Marquette students and even truckers are fighting human trafficking and helping victims in their own ways.

These organizations function in different capacities and offer various services, but one thing nearly every group agrees on is there is significant misinformation about human trafficking. One misconception is that people who are trafficked step into the cycle willingly.

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Blind Spot Mary Leach-Sumlin says this is not the case.

Leach-Sumlin is the associate director of Franciscan Peacemakers Street Ministry and the director of Clare Community, a two-year residential community where women who were previously trafficked receive financial and legal support, as well as intensive outpatient treatment for addiction.

“It’s a time for them to not have to worry about paying living expenses while they work on themselves, getting ready to lead a full life outside of Clare Community,” Leach-Sumlin says.

Leach-Sumlin says she often meets people who think women involved in trafficking are willing participants. Previously, she even thought that herself. However, she says trafficking stems from an invasion of trust or sexual abuse.

“Everyone has their own story and their own experience, but it usually comes from being taken advantage of in some way,” Leach-Sumlin says.

The Franciscan Peacemakers also provide employment opportunities for the women living in Clare Community. Through the Franciscan Peacemakers’ social enterprise Gifts for the Journey, the women hand make soaps, lotions and candles. They also participate in the distribution of these products.

Since the Clare Community residence opened in 2013, one woman has completed the program and currently works as a production manager for Gifts for the Journey.

At a boutique on West du Lac Avenue in the Sherman Phoenix, similar efforts are being made to employ those who stepped out of the cycle of trafficking. Queen’s Closet boutique is a consignment shop that grew out of a nonprofit called Grateful Girls, which was founded by Executive Director Chandra Cooper.

Cooper said one of the ways to help women get out of trafficking is to provide care and employment opportunities.

“Our hope and our goal is to have Queen’s Closet be a place that gives hope and sustainable living as well,” Cooper says.

Sold Out, a student organization at Marquette, aims to raise awareness about human trafficking and support those exploited by the sex trade.

Chloe David, co-president of Sold Out and a junior in the College of Engineering, says the club is named for its purpose.

“We are trying to get those who are sold, out,” David says.

One of the organization’s goals is to educate the Marquette community about human trafficking, David says.

“I’d just like to see that a large population of Marquette students know that human trafficking is such an issue here,” David says.

The club organizes events such as an annual 5K and an information session at the Alumni Memorial Union to raise awareness and funds for the cause.

Sold Out also participates in Shine a Light on Slavery Day, a human trafficking awareness day initiated by a national coalition of organizations called the “End It Movement.” This year the day fell on Feb. 7. Members of Sold Out had a table at the AMU where students and faculty could learn about human trafficking. Student could also get a red X on their hands to show support for the fight against trafficking.

“If no one’s aware of it, there’s nothing we can do to fix a problem

as big as human trafficking,” Alysia Santamaria, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, says. “Spreading awareness and increasing education is the first step. I hope people walk away from the table thinking about human trafficking and taking a pause in their day to really think about this issue.”

Sold Out has a goal to support other local organizations that provide resources and opportunities for people affected by trafficking.

Sold Out makes lunches and raises money for two local organizations. One is Ruby’s Place, a nonprofit providing shelter and services for victims of domestic violence or human trafficking. Inner Beauty Center, the other organization, provides a number of different services each week supporting women affected by trafficking. These services include haircuts, clothing, meals and a support group called “Chick Chat.” On Mondays and Fridays, a team from the center goes out into high-trafficking areas to provide food and personal care items.

Deanne Lawson, the executive director and founder of Inner Beauty Center, first opened the organization’s doors in 2012. She says they find most of the center’s visitors through street outreach.

As women begin to frequent the center, Lawson says the center’s goal is to build a trusting relationship with each individual. From there, the center supports women through whatever they need next, whether that be getting drug rehabilitation, a GED certificate or relocating.

“We’re really an entry point,” Lawson says. “Our goal is client advocacy. We are there to walk them through their journey.”

Lawson says women are often tempted to return to the sex industry because they cannot find a financially stable life outside of it.

She thinks women are more successful when they relocate outside of Milwaukee because they can make a fresh start. When women stay in Milwaukee, Lawson explains, they are likely to run into people they know from the sex industry network.

When confronting the difference between trafficking and prostitution, Lawson explains there is large overlap between the two. The majority of times, people in the sex industry are victims of trafficking, Lawson says.

“Typically, most women who are in the sex industry and not under a pimp have been under a pimp in the past,” Lawson says. She says she uses the term “prostituted woman” rather than “prostitute” because most of these individuals are under a form of coercion, whether that be a pimp, drug dependence or a lack of money.

“We want to take away that one thing that makes them think they should go back to the streets,” Lawson says.

Prior to the center’s establishment, Lawson had little to no understanding of trafficking. In 2011, a girl who was being sex trafficked approached her at her church and said, “God told me if I came in, you would help me.”

Lawson went on to help the girl return home to her mother and after that she knew she had to do something.

“We began to understand the issue was happening right on our steps,” Lawson says.

According to data provided by Lawson, Inner Beauty Center was visited by 103 women, served 480 meals and accumulated contacts

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with 251 individuals in 2018.

Paige Szczepanek, who founded Sold Out at Marquette and graduated in 2016, spends two Friday evenings each month with Inner Beauty Center, distributing resources and talking to people affected by trafficking.

Szczepanek says she gets into a van with other Inner Beauty Clinic volunteers and offers — but does not force — lunches and hygiene products to people who are likely being trafficked.

“We’re not making any assumptions,” Szczepanek says. “We’re just saying you’re out on the street. It’s cold. Maybe you look hungry.

Maybe you’re making eye contact, which is a very good gauge of the fact that you’re working.” Szczepanek says if the women say no, the volunteers simply move on.

Szczepanek first learned about the prevalence of human trafficking during her junior year at Marquette when she went on a mission trip to the Philippines.

A report by the United Nations Global Programme against Trafficking in Human Beings says, as one of the largest migrant countries in the world, the Philippines has a particular problem with migrants coming for work and being deceived, then coerced into sex trafficking.

The trip began in Manila, where Szczepanek shared information about trafficking with mothers. She went on to the red light district in Angeles City. There, she stayed with girls who had recently broke out from the cycle of trafficking.

Szczepanek says the trip opened her eyes. When she returned to Milwaukee from the Philippines, she asked herself, “What is actually being done for the city that I live in?”

A year later, she founded Sold Out. Since then, she had lunch with University President Michael Lovell, wrote several articles and spoke over 20 times, educating the Marquette community about human trafficking.

Awareness does not always come in the form of exhibitions or tabling. At Milwaukee’s Renaissance Theaterworks, awareness is raised in the form of theater. In January 2018, the organization put on a production of “Russian Transport,” a play in which a family immigrates to 40

America and finds themselves involved with human trafficking.

Renaissance Theaterworks partnered with three organizations to aid them in their production: Exploit No More, Lotus Legal Clinic and the Benedict Center.

“Because ‘Russian Transport’ talks about human trafficking, it was the perfect time to partner with some of the organizations in our community that work hard to prevent those things from happening,” Suzan Fete, the theater’s artistic director, says.

Each organization worked with the cast to teach them about human trafficking. Fete draws similarities between “Russian Transport” and her experience with the organizations. One of the most significant takeaways is human trafficking often has a familial origin.

“It was inspiring to everyone that worked on the show to know that this is a problem happening right in our community,” Fete says.

“Milwaukee is a sex trafficking hub. I think it made all of us feel that this was truly an important story.”

After one performance of “Russian Transport,” representatives from the three collaborating organizations took the stage to speak about human trafficking in Milwaukee and to answer questions from the audience.

During the production, Renaissance Theaterworks also held a donation drive for Exploit No More, which is a nonprofit that raises awareness, advocates and provides aftercare for child victims of trafficking in Milwaukee. All the donations went to people who are at risk or were affected by trafficking.

“Our organization in general is a believer in holistic awareness,” Melania Klemowits, the executive coordinator of Exploit No More, says. “Not only did (‘Russian Transport’) offer a story about what trafficking looks like, but it also offered a way for people to become aware without having to sit and listen to me talk for an hour.”

Awareness is one of the core approaches Exploit No More undertakes. Klemowits says research points to awareness as the most significant area for dismantling human trafficking. This is partly because to pursue direct aid for victims such as advocacy and aftercare, awareness is needed.

“Aftercare is really expensive, and there’s a lot of red tape and a

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Blind Spot lot of laws that need to be changed in order to make aftercare really effective,” Klemowits says. “With that, advocacy within the law is so important, but it’s a huge feat because it takes a lot to write a law and pass a law. So awareness and prevention on so many different levels … continue to come in first.”

Klemowits also says educating students and making them aware is a primary step to fighting trafficking.

“The most important thing is if we can offer awareness and prevention to students who may be vulnerable or at risk of being trafficked, they can then recognize what’s going on in their life or in their friend’s life, and we can avoid aftercare altogether,” Klemowits says.

One national nonprofit is mobilizing a community of 3 million people to fight human trafficking. The group has more people on America’s roads and highways than law enforcement at any given time.

They are truck drivers.

Kyla Lanier, co-founder and deputy director of Truckers Against Trafficking, says the founders realized truckers happened to be in a lot of the places where traffickers were moving victims: truck stops, rest areas, hotels and motels.

“We thought, you know, how perfect if the bystander could be disrupting this trafficking network,” Lanier says. “If they could see it, recognize it for what it is and report it, law enforcement could then respond and victims could be recovered. And that’s exactly what’s been happening.”

In the 10 years since its establishment, TAT data indicates the organization has trained over 680,000 truckers, resulting in over 22,000 calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. These calls identified around 612 cases of human trafficking, involving 1,133 victims.

“We’re the eyes and ears of America,” William Brady, a Minnesota trucker, says. “We’re all over the country. We wake up in the morning in one place and by evening we’re somewhere else. We’re constantly seeing things that could be out of place.”

A trucker for 22 years, Brady is constantly traveling through Midwestern states, including Wisconsin.

Brady says one of the most significant things TAT teaches is people often assume sex trafficking victims choose prostitution, when in fact they are being forced. As such, during his day-to-day routine, he looks out for body language suggesting someone is in an unwanted situation.

Though TAT’s main operation is mobilizing the trucking community to operate as lookouts, the nonprofit has nine other programs with various goals.

One such program is the Freedom Drivers Project, a mobile exhibition inside of a truck that raises awareness for human trafficking.

Truckers like Brady haul the exhibition across the U.S. to trucking shows, political events, state fairs and more.

“The project is to educate members of any transportation industry, but also just members of the public because this is a crime that’s affecting all sectors,” Lanier says. “We also want to show within the (Freedom Drivers Project) how the trucking industry is making a difference and then how other industries can as well.”

Lanier says awareness is key to solving the issue of human trafficking because traffickers depend on the ignorance of bystanders.

“Traffickers count on people being ignorant and not understanding this crime,” Lanier says. “They are counting on their victims being

Photo by Name

the ones that sort of get the ire of society. So that’s people hating on the prostituted person, seeing her as the criminal, things of that nature and so on.”

TAT also advocates at the legislative level, working to make sure each state’s motor vehicle department is equipped to fight human trafficking. In the U.S., each state has a section of its state patrol that operates to regulate commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses, Lanier says.

“What we started to do was work with (those) units around the country within that state patrol by training those officers on what human trafficking is so that they would be able to identify it,” Lanier says. “No. 2 is helping them to see the importance of the trucking and busing industry in combating this crime.”

On its website, TAT recommends the Iowa Motor Vehicle Enforcement model created by David Lorenzen. The model’s six key components include training state patrol and other officers to respond to human trafficking incidents and distributing information about trafficking at weigh stations. TAT provides assistance to any states that are looking to adopt the model.

“Lorenzen developed a series of strategies for how they could raise awareness within the commercial industry about human trafficking, and the Iowa MVE model has now been adopted in 40 states either in part or in full,” Lanier says.

Wisconsin has adopted the Iowa MVE model in part. Lanier says TAT is working with the Wisconsin attorney general’s office to further its endeavors.

Additionally, the nonprofit is working to mandate TAT training for all entry-level commercial driver’s license holders. A bipartisan bill, 2019 Senate Bill 25, containing that mandate will be brought before the Wisconsin State Legislature this year. The bill was introduced by State Senator LaTonya Johnson and 13 other senators and cosponsored by Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt and 35 other representatives.

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Hard to Define Lelah Byron

here is no cookie cutter. It can happen to anyone,” Nancy Yarbrough, founder of Fresh Start Learning, says. The organization is a nonprofit which advocates for and provides resources to victims of human trafficking.

Yarbrough was raised in a middle-class, two-person-income family. She was never forced to endure traumatic experiences inside her own home. She had the trendiest fashion and the newest toys. She did, however, lack one thing: a feeling of acceptance.

As early as her teenage years, sexual abuse began at the hands of family acquaintances and relatives. As her signs of trauma were reduced to “teenage rebellion” by her then-separated parents, Yarbrough looked to alternative sources of affirmation. At only 17 years old, still very much a child, she was lured into the sex trade.

“I just wanted somebody to appreciate and love me for who I was,” Yarbrough says. “I didn’t even know who I was.”

Now an adult, Yarbrough is able to share her experiences. She says she finds herself constantly destroying the “cookie cutter” notion that each experience can be generalized.

“To end exploitation and violence is such a personal, deeply felt call,” says Corinne Schwarz, a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Social and Cultural Sciences at Marquette University.

Schwarz felt that call when she began her research in February 2016. After receiving a National Science Foundation grant to conduct her dissertation, Schwarz drove across the Midwest to gather information about human trafficking. What she found in her 54 interviews, Schwarz says, was illuminating.

“This happens to young white women. This also happens to young women of color, undocumented women, undocumented men, men of color and LGBTQ folks,” Schwarz says.

What she and thousands of others now hope to dispel are the malignant stereotypes of human trafficking by collaborating with other researchers, nonprofits and law enforcement. One must first achieve a basic understanding of what sex trafficking is, Schwarz says. Differ42

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ences in definitions can lead to disunity, even among academic and activist communities.

The Wisconsin State Legislature defines human trafficking as “recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining, or attempting to recruit, entice, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain an individual.”

A 2018 Medical College of Wisconsin report used the Wisconsin State Legislature’s definition. However, Lindsay Emer, an MCW research scientist who worked on the publication, says this particular legal definition remains far from universal. Emer notes the challenges in comparing studies that do not use the same definition of trafficking.“ You have to look at, well, how did the other study define it?” Emer says. “That might make it more challenging to compare studies.”

As a result, advocates often rely on their own personal ideologies and perspectives rather than stagnant definitions to guide their work.

Claudine O’Leary, an independent consultant who coaches outreach programs for Milwaukee-based nonprofits, says this leads to a better understanding of trafficking.

“For me, it almost feels like people change the definition without actually asking people whether or not that makes sense,” O’Leary says. “The (teenage victims) I work with do not use the word ‘trafficking,’ generally speaking. When they use the word, it’s like speaking a foreign language because they’re talking the language of adults.”

Researchers often utilize the word “trafficking” in their work. However, trafficking encompasses different forms of exploitation, not all of which activist groups may agree on. The intersection between sex work and sex trafficking is one example.

“You have some organizations and individuals who say that sex work is sex trafficking and that sex work can never be consented to,” Schwarz says. “And then you have survivors, advocates and policymakers who see them as two different things.”

With definitions so wildly inconsistent, it is especially challenging to identify demographics of victims. Images on billboards which portray young white females, episodes of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and the specific wording of public policy all contribute to po-

Blind Spot tential misinformation, Schwarz says.

“We’re not getting the full context,” O’Leary says.

The incomplete notion that a trafficking victim will most likely be a white woman is intrinsically linked to the “taken narrative,” an outdated and fallacious misconception which dates back to the 20th century and codes men of color as abductors, Schwarz says.

The stereotype emerged as early as the 1900s. As women from rural communities migrated to hubs of industry to gain economic autonomy, the “white slave panic” rapidly arose. Traffickers, then coded as men of color, purportedly threatened young girls into sexual servitude. A moral hysteria emerged, still influential in policy and practice, Schwarz says.

Schwarz also says coding men of color as traffickers remains a persistent stereotype in spheres of public discourse. President Donald Trump, who recently shut down the government for 35 days in hopes of securing funding for a wall on the southern border, says, “Human trafficking cannot be stopped without a wall.”

The statement, Schwarz and O’Leary both say, embodies two critical misconceptions: human trafficking requires movement and human trafficking is primarily a foreign quandary.

“Exploitation can exist regardless of whether you’re crossing a border or not,” Schwarz says.

She says the mere insinuation of trafficking solely residing abroad both stigmatizes people of color from other countries and disservices American survivors. With the race and gender of victims varying, a common thread across demographics is financial precariousness.

“The number one answer is always about money,” O’Leary says.

The Midwest offers a particularly unique set of economic challenges which makes certain states susceptible to increased rates of trafficking, Schwarz says.

Wisconsin is predicted to lose 50,000 non-farm jobs in 2019, raising the unemployment rate to 4.2 percent, according to an economic report published by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fiscal insecurity, both from unemployed and employed people, may be a contributing factor for entering the sex trade, O’Leary says.

“A lot of the stuff that I heard from the people who I interviewed was difficulties finding stable work that paid a living wage,” Schwarz says. “So, not just a minimum wage, but a living wage was super important.”

Additionally, limited public transportation infrastructure may have an impact on economic opportunity, Schwarz says. As America is considered a driving nation, individuals who lack access to cars may be geographically isolated, O’Leary says. In 2013, the Brookings Institution reported 90 percent of Americans were using privately owned vehicles to go to work. Without a car, people’s economic opportunities can be much more limited, making them more vulnerable to trafficking.

However, even this observation does not fully account for motivations, Yarbrough says. Yarbrough was motivated less by monetary concerns than she was by a need for emotional support.

While the understanding of victims as a diverse population is conveyed anecdotally through nonprofit work and Schwarz’s research, it may be difficult to capture in other forms of aggregated data.

O’Leary raises concerns regarding the sole reliance on certain publications.

“Every time you see reports that rely on criminal justice data, it’s

really important to contextualize that information,” O’Leary says. Research conducted with police reports, such as the MCW’s publication, versus research conducted by nonprofits has produced startlingly disparate results.

The majority of victims, 97 percent or 225 out of 231, included in the MCW’s report are female, with only four males included in the data. Pathfinders, a service provider for runaway and trafficked youth in Milwaukee, assessed 6,879 youth in 2017. Only 29 percent of victims in their report are female.

“What gets reported in like a police department is different perhaps than the true nature of what we’re actually seeing in our community,” O’Leary says.

Emer admits the difficulties of reporting accurate demographics and actively acknowledges shortcomings in the published report.

“What we were trying to do is establish a baseline understanding of the magnitude of sex trafficking in Milwaukee knowing that, wherever we started, we would have limitations,” Emer says.

As the Milwaukee Police Department expressed a willingness to share information with researchers, they became a primary source for the final publication, Emer says.

“People may have been hesitant to get involved with the police for any reason and that could limit the number of individuals that we could count in our kind of final number,” Emer says.

One of those reasons may be that in Wisconsin, it is still legal for minors to be criminally charged with their own prostitution.

“I really, really want to caution people that the reports we’re seeing are significant and important,” O’Leary says. She stressed that the information victims might divulge to social workers may be different than the information they share with clinicians or law enforcement, she says. For that reason, Emer says research must become more interdisciplinary to broaden understanding.

Emer and her colleagues have contacted several outreach projects, particularly those who have conducted research in health care settings. Additionally, the team has reached out to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families.

“We’re trying to overcome the limitations of only having a data set from one jurisdiction and it being criminal justice focused,” Emer says.

Schwarz says the benefit of quantitative research is the ability to view the issue from a more objective standpoint. For Schwarz, the job of researchers is to identify major themes and convey those to other communities.

“I’m not a trained law enforcement officer. I’m not a trained counselor. I haven’t spent years getting a (Master’s in Social Work) doing that important work,” she says. Both Yarbrough and O’Leary suggest directly building relationships with victims.

“It is so important that you have an identity with the street because you can’t learn that in school,” Yarbrough says.

Ultimately, Schwarz says, while people disagree about how to define trafficking, those very disagreements prove just how many people want to solve the issue.

“Even if some people 150 percent support the dominant narrative, and other people 150 percent think that it’s a stereotype ... at the end of the day, everyone just wants to help end exploitation and violence,” Schwarz says.

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Taboos Prevent Discourse of Slavery

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REILLY HARRINGTON

lavery is a hard topic to talk about in America. The history of slavery is a defining element of American history education, but the specifics and gory details of that history are often left out of public discussion. It is an embarrassing and shameful element of our past as a nation, but a part of our past nonetheless. The manner in how we address modern slavery, human trafficking and the modern embodiment of unjust human bondage has undoubtedly been affected and deemed taboo as a consequence of our apprehension toward fully confronting our shameful past of human bondage.

As history is taught to young Americans, slavery is often presented in tandem with the American Civil War. This conflict, at its core, fueled by the question of emancipation, concludes in 1865. The 13th Amendment is ratified and slavery as an institution ends in America.

However, as a result of oversimplification in mainstream education, this narrative is incomplete.

The deep roots of American slavery leading up to the Civil War is lost in this limited and simplified history. By framing most people’s primary educational experience with slavery almost exclusively in its relation to the Civil War and the institution of chattel slavery in America, the broader subject of indentured labor and human bondage becomes murky. Most Americans see slavery to be an open-and-shut issue, as the Civil War heralded the oft-discussed and supposed end of slavery in America.

A false end to slavery in America is presented through this narrative. The 13th Amendment, praised for bringing an end to American slavery, contained an exception to the dissolution of slavery: “except as punishment for a crime.” This exception is the primary driving force behind America’s storied and checkered past with penal labor and the ethical complications of such an element in the justice system. The 2016 documentary “13th” by director Ava DuVernay offers a compelling and in-depth look at the current aftershocks of slavery in our criminal justice system.

Another complicating element of the discussion of modern slavery and human trafficking is the sheer taboo of discussing such a disturbing reality about the world today. Being confronted with the reality and continued presence of human trafficking — in this country and around the globe — is an uncomfortable task. It leads to the deeper underlying truth that our modern and so-called civilized world is still rife with the capacity to exact abject, degrading cruelties upon the innocent; it is a sobering reality.

It is a stark and unpleasant reality. In essence, it is the illumination

of a great failure in the American values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The idea that so many innocents are ripped from their lives and suddenly lost in this way is simply abhorrent.. There has been an admirable and concentrated effort to combat human trafficking and modern slavery, both domestically and abroad, for some time now. However, these men and women who dedicate their time and energy speaking for the voiceless face a greater challenge: an unaware public.

The country is not lacking in challenges. Economic inequality and labor oppression, the ongoing persecution of people of color - a cultural reverberation as a result of slavery - and the fight for sexual and reproductive rights are all at the forefront of American political debate. The damages we do to the environment threaten mankind with terrifying consequences. It is unsurprising and deeply unfortunate that the fight against human trafficking has become lost in the deafening roar of other modern social struggles.

It should be disturbing that the notion of human bondage and kidnapping could be forgotten in the national discourse. Given the unique relationship the United States has with slavery, paired with American ideals about freedom and individual liberties, the discourse surrounding modern slavery should dominate public discussion. Over 400,000 Americans live in what the Walk Free Foundation defines as contemporary slavery, per the 2018 Global Slavery Index.

While the notion of slavery anywhere is horrific, the fact that so many Americans face this oppression within the borders of their own nation founded on the ideals of liberty and justice seems like some sort of cruel, cosmic joke.

However, the great discomfort at fully acknowledging America’s active role in the slave trade so many years ago is worsened by the necessary revision that slavery never really ended in the United States. A bloody and vicious war ended, many people were granted greater civil rights, but slavery in America was not completely eradicated in 1865.The exploitation of people’s bodies and labor is a heinous crime. Degrading people’s humanity by commodifying them and trading them like livestock is inhuman in its callousness and despicable by its very intention. These people are stripped of their most basic human rights and their agency to stand up for themselves.

If we as a nation seek to right the wrongs of slavery, admitting our true and shameful place in its history and our failure to end it is a crucial first step in breaking down the taboos surrounding the discourse of human trafficking and modern slavery.

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TRAFFICKING: AN UGLY REALITY IN MILWAUKEE MATTHEW HARTE

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hen Milwaukee community members think of major hubs of human trafficking, they likely picture poor and developing countries. They may not consider their own hometown, which has been called a “mecca for sex trafficking” and the “Harvard of pimp schools.”

Milwaukeeans must become informed about the prevalence of human trafficking in the area, and learn the warning signs. This will help them understand how to protect themselves, their families and their neighbors.

Human trafficking is the exploitation of other people for economic gain, comparable to modern-day slavery. In the U.S., the most widespread form is sex trafficking, in which victims are forced into a situation of dependency on their trafficker. Traffickers use force and coercion to maintain control over their victims.

An estimated 340 individuals age 25 and under were victims of sex trafficking in Milwaukee between 2013 and 2016, according to a 2018 report by the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission. Of this number, 97 percent were female and 65 percent were African-American. These 340 individuals represent only about 0.1 percent of their age demographic in Milwaukee. However, the study likely underestimates the full scope of trafficking in Milwaukee, as it only involved victims who had made contact with the police. Human trafficking is often underreported due to the secretive and controlling nature of traffickers.

While the true number of victims remains unknown, Milwaukee’s reputation as a trafficking hub is expounded through high-profile prosecutions of local pimps. Milwaukee pimp Terrell Shankle, nicknamed “King Relly,” was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sex trafficking in February 2018. The Department of Justice notes Shankle recruited girls as young as 16 years old with “false promises of money and a better life.” Shankle’s victims testified he used violence to exercise control over them, even forcing some to get tattoos of his name.

Milwaukee’s economic circumstances are likely a contributing

factor to the prevalence of trafficking. The city has a poverty rate of 27.4 percent, which is more than double the national poverty rate, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Impoverished victims are more susceptible to trafficking, as their trafficker may promise improved housing, economic and educational opportunities.There are several warning signs a person may be a victim of sex trafficking, as listed by nonprofit Shared Hope International. These include signs of physical abuse, such as burn marks or cuts.

Another sign could be an unexplained tattoo, especially of a man’s name or a barcode. Pimps are often significantly older than their female victims, so spotting a young girl with a seemingly much older boyfriend may be alarming. These warning signs may resemble those of other types of abusive relationships. However, trafficking victims also often feel responsible for their trafficker’s financial stability, which can be a differentiating factor.If you believe someone is being trafficked and you can talk with the potential victim privately, the U.S. State Department recommends asking questions such as, “Can you leave your job if you want to?” and “Have you been hurt or threatened if you tried to leave?” Their responses may further indicate if they’re victims. In this case, it’s recommended to contact local law enforcement or the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

There are also numerous Milwaukee groups already working to educate community members and combat trafficking. Sold Out is an advocacy group at Marquette that supports organizations for women who have been sexually exploited. Local nonprofit, Exploit No More, collaborates with schools to give presentations on tactics used by traffickers. Finally, the Milwaukee Health Department’s Human Trafficking Task Force holds public monthly meetings with representatives of government agencies, survivors and faith communities to improve the city’s response to trafficking.Milwaukee community members have an obligation to work toward ending the suffering of the city’s trafficking victims. This can be done through informing neighbors and family members about the warning signs of trafficking and joining local activist groups. These steps will work toward eroding the city’s reputation as a hub for sex trafficking.

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Culture

SPRING 2019

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Rocking Red Jenna Thompson Photos by Jordan Johnson

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ed in fashion often means three things: bold, bright and powerful. One does not slyly wear red lipstick, red kicks, casually wear a red dress to class or red heels to a meeting. Whether it be a gown on the red carpet or simply red earrings to the grocery store, red is a statement.

One of the best ways to wear red is through accessories.

Pair a bright red lip color with an all-black outfit to immediately elevate the look. Go all out and pair a bold red jacket with any sort of black base. In men’s fashion, a red tie pairs well with a black dress shirt and pants. For a more subtle look, a simple red scarf is a great way to incorporate red through the winter months.

Red earrings can transform a simple outfit into something that pops. Red shoes can add an essential accent. Red lipstick can tie the whole ensemble together. Red high tops or a red snapback accents an outfit without making too bold of a statement. While some may stray away from red in fashion, embracing the trend can add simple yet bright statements to one’s style every day.

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Culture

SPRING 2019

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Culture

SPRING 2019

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My Worst ‘Date’

M Grace Schneider

y worst “date” consists of many red flags. However, I remain blissfully ignorant until it’s too late.

An admittedly immature Twitter rant over an ex-girlfriend led to a childhood friend reaching out with what I think are intentions of supporting me. This boy, Tom*, asks if we can hang out sometime. I am desperately trying to avoid confrontation, so I give a clearly uninterested response. However, Tom does not take the hint and is determined to spend time with me — first red flag— and I cave and agree.

The night of the hangout comes and I am thinking, “This won’t be that bad.”

I’m wearing casual jeans and a T-shirt, appropriate for what I thought was two friends hanging out. I hear him pull up to the house in his old, dingy, radio-less, compact car, so I greet him at the door and Tom and my dad start a conversation. I notice Tom is trying to impress my dad — second red flag — and I begin to realize that this might not be just a casual dinner.

The entire ride to the restaurant we are struggling to start a conversation and end up in an awkward silence — third red flag. Anyone who knows me knows I am not one to sit in silence.

Finally, I start leading a one-sided conversation for what feels like an eternity.

Tom struggles to park in downtown Milwaukee while I think to myself , “Wow — maybe it is going to be that bad.” We’re eating dinner and the awkward silence resurfaces. Finally, the time comes to pay the check and end this awful dinner, and I suggest splitting the check and Tom tells me that I can’t pay for any of the $12 check — fourth red flag.

We leave the restaurant and I tell Tom he needs to be in the furthest right lane to get onto the southbound highway, but he doesn’t listen to my advice and we are on our way north — yet another red flag. He’s rectified the problem, but I don’t recognize the neighborhood we are in. I start to realize where we are when the smell of the lake intensifies and we pull into a marina parking lot — big red flag.

We spend some time looking at the city lights and listening to music. I’m thinking, “Okay, this could still be worse,” but the awkward silence comes back when his portable speaker dies. I was hoping this was the sign to head back but — to my surprise — I suddenly notice he’s trying to make a move! He is slowly leaning toward my side of the small car and I have to act, fast. I am nearly squished into the car door when I pull out my phone and fake an emergency text from my dad. “Oh my gosh, my dad is so mad I’m not home yet. We have to leave right away!”

From the second we pull into my driveway, I open the car door and I’m ready to run. Tom stops me and tries to say something but I am too quick, “I see my dad in the window, he’s really mad. I have to go.” I sprint up my driveway and fumble with the keys knowing my dad isn’t anywhere near the door to open it for me. I slam the door behind me and my dad tries to ask me how the night was. I ignore him as I am mortified and retire to my bedroom to make sense of the events that just occurred.

While Tom is kind and a nice guy, I had absolutely no idea he thought we were on a date and evidently, he had no idea that I had no intentions of kissing him, or dating him or any man. In the following weeks, Tom continues to message me and I try my hardest to show that I am not interested without hurting his feelings. A year later, after Tom graduates, a friend of mine tells me he had absolutely no idea I was a lesbian. *Names have been changed.

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Top Date Spots SARAH LIPO Photos by Elena Fiegen

Recently, Vogue came out with an article proclaiming Milwaukee to be one of the coolest and most underrated cities in the United States.

As a broke college kid, it can sometimes be difficult to find fun, inexpensive things to do in the city with your significant other or even a friend or two. These locations across the city offer exciting and new activities that won’t break the bank.

Avalon Theater and Cafe Corazon: Nestled in Bay View, the Avalon Theater opened in 1929 and offers a night sky-like ceiling to give movie-goers an outdoor and romantic feel while they watch box office hits. After the movie, Cafe Corazon offers authentic Mexican food right across the street.

Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory: Only a few minutes bus ride from Marquette, the Mitchell Park Domes are a perfect escape from the frigid winter temperatures for only $5 with a student ID. The different rooms in the domes house different types of plants and ecosystems and its warmth can bring some heat to a date.

Picnic on Bradford Beach with sandwiches from Green Kitchen: This warm weather excursion starts off at the Milwaukee Public Market. Stop by Green Kitchen, and grab one of their massive panini sandwiches to-go. Next, hop on the bus and head to Bradford Beach for a picnic dinner on the sand.

Black Cat Alley and Ma Fischer’s: Open 24 hours, seven days per week, Ma Fischer’s diner offers breakfast all day, along with an endless menu of sandwiches, pastas, stir-fries and even meatloaf. Right behind Ma Fischer’s is Black Cat Alley, an intricately decorated area where local artists can come and express themselves through the images on the walls.

Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum and Renaissance Garden and Colectivo Coffee by the lake: Grab a coffee at the Colectivo, and take a walk up the winding hill away from the lake. The Villa Decorative Arts Museum is housed in a Italian-inspired villa right above the lakefront. Perusing the museum’s changing exhibits is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Culture

Photo by Sydney Czyzon

A Chance on Love

SYDNEY CZYZON

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year apart from one another at Marquette, Rob and Jane Panther never met on campus.

But the two aspiring health professionals would connect shortly after their graduations — Rob’s in 1986, and Jane’s in 1987 — and become involved in what Jane calls a “whirlwind romance.”

As a nursing graduate, Jane was at her first job at Northwestern in Chicago. Rob, a health sciences graduate, was studying nearby at Loyola University’s medical school.

The two met on a blind date, but it wasn’t with each other.

“I was on a date with somebody else,” Rob says. “My friend who introduced us was in the back seat with Jane and another friend.”

From the back seat, Jane interjected with funny comments, impressing Rob. “The blind date didn’t go so well,” Rob says. “(Jane) was kind of making fun of the whole thing … I think I was more interested in Jane than the blind date.”

A few days later, one of Jane’s friends came to her with a surprise message: Rob had been asking about Jane since the blind date.

Never having called a man in her life, Jane decided to take a chance.

Rob didn’t remember her name, she says. The two planned a dinner date at an Italian restaurant in spite of Rob’s forgetfulness.

“We went out on a date, and that didn’t go so well because he had no money and I ended up paying for dinner,” Jane says. “And I’m like, ‘Oh my god, if I never see this guy again, it will be too soon.’”

Despite the early setback, Rob invited Jane to play tennis days later. Rob’s tennis skills earned his redemption.

The pair walked around, shopping and sauntering into music stores. They connected over their mutual love for Bob Dylan and Tracy Chapman.

It was merely a week or two before the pair shared their love for one another, Jane says.

“We knew right away,” Jane says. “He’s totally awesome, and I just knew he was the one. I was crazy about him.”

Not long after, Rob proposed to Jane in a pizzeria without a ring.

“He thought you just had a ring at the wedding ceremony,” Jane says. “So we had no money … we looked for the cheapest ring.”

Their wedding was held at St. Josaphat Parish in Chicago, and the couple soon started a family.

“I was going to go into pediatrics until I had a kid,” Rob, who is a cardiologist, says.

They had four kids: Jim, Ellen, Elizabeth and Celia, who all have attended or plan to attend Marquette.

Jim, a 2014 Marquette Law School graduate, is currently engaged to 2011 Marquette nursing graduate Megan Heinen.

They met at the wedding of two of their mutual friends, who both attended Marquette.

“At their wedding, he asked me to dance,” Megan says. “Then, he got my number and took me out on a date the next week.”

After recently getting engaged on the pedestrian bridge in front of the Milwaukee Art Museum, the two are currently planning their Aug. 10 wedding.

For Jim, Megan’s nursing background was a plus.

Megan says her nursing aspirations made her a “big hit” in Jane’s eyes. Jane says her own nursing experience benefited Rob’s treatment of his staff.

“All the nurses just love working with Rob because he’s so great to the nurses and all of the staff, and I always say, ‘Well that’s because I trained him how to work with nurses,’” Jane says.

While Jane and Rob don’t often talk about their love story, Jim and Megan view the shared values of Jim’s parents as inspiration for their own relationship.

“You don’t boast about it, you just live it, and I think that’s what I see in their relationship and I think that goes a long way,” Jim says.

Megan says she felt welcomed into the Panther family from the beginning.

“Knowing that he came from a big Marquette family with sisters and parents and everyone else that loved Marquette as much as I did was something that immediately lets you feel more compatible and more comfortable,” Megan says. “I think that we’ll definitely be able to bring that to our future family.”

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Families Divided Tyler Peters

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or some Marquette student-athletes’ families, choosing who to root for in the Marquette-Wisconsin rivalry isn’t so easy.

Sometimes it’s because of a parent who played at Wisconsin. Other times, an athlete’s sibling who dons the Badgers’ white and cardinal.

Women’s soccer sophomore forward Kylie Sprecher’s mom played for the Badgers’ soccer team during her time at Wisconsin.

“I look up to my mom a ton, so of course, growing up playing soccer, I always wanted to be just like her. Naturally, I rooted for the school she played for because she loves it so much,” Sprecher says. “Being from Wisconsin, our family cheered for all (Badger) sports (teams). I was in an environment where Wisconsin was ‘the school.’” Sprecher says she didn’t think about attending Marquette until her current head coach Markus Roeders watched her play in high school and reached out to her club coach.

“If I had to pick a school to go to in Wisconsin, my first choice at that time wouldn’t have been Marquette. Then, I came here and visited (the campus), and I loved it,” Sprecher says.

Then her allegiances changed quickly to blue and gold. “(I) kind of just got that feeling that I could see myself here,” Sprecher says. “I had been to Madison’s campus so many times, and I never had the same feeling that I got when I was on Marquette’s campus.”

From the Marquette women’s cross country and track and field team, senior Mary Hanson’s mother and two of her sisters are all former Badger student-athletes.

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Growing up, Hanson says she wasn’t a huge Badger fan, but like Sprecher, she roots for them because she was raised in a Badger family.

Hanson says her older sister, Michaela, who ran track for Marquette from 2003-’07, had a significant role in Mary’s decision to go to Marquette.

“My oldest sister Michaela always talked about Marquette like it was a really special place. I just got a really good gut feeling, and I ended up getting in touch with Mike Nelson, our coach,” Hanson says. “Now that I’m here, I cannot imagine being anywhere else. The relationships I’ve built here have been authentic, and they’ve made me braver. Running for Marquette has been a lot different than what my experience would’ve been at Madison.”

Both Hanson and Sprecher say while there is a competitive atmosphere among their families, they embrace it nonetheless.

“It’s a fun rivalry,” Sprecher says. “For basketball, my mom will always root for Wisconsin, and I will always root for Marquette.”

Culture

Singing on

COMING MAY 2019

TARA SCHUMAL

Many 10-year-old girls may find interest in video games, “The Greatest Showman,” hot pink and Ariana Grande. Not all 4th graders belt out the national anthem for the Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette University men’s basketball. But when someone starts harmoniously singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” at age 2, maybe it’s not surprising.

Liamani Segura still remembers the first time she sang in front of a public audience. She was 6 years old with butterflies in her stomach before performing at the school talent show. She sang on.

Four years later, she’s doing the same thing in front of an even bigger audience. The Milwaukee native just auditioned for “America’s Got Talent”, receiving a unanimous “yes” from all four judges. She now awaits to a call-back. As she took the floor during the famous Marquette-Wisconsin rivalry basketball game, fans erupted. The energetic, ecstatic fans sing along. Channeling powerful singers she admires like Whitney Houston, Judy Garland and Michael Jackson, Liamani always sings her heart out.

“It was so cool to hear everyone singing that along (with) me,” Segura says. “I was cheering for... Marquette. They were crazy and having fun. I had a blast.”

As she continues to make singing videos, her hopes are to grow up and be like her mother, who is a nurse.

Her goal is to be a singer and a doctor. That way she can sing to the patients, and hopefully they can get better.

“I just like singing to people. Hopefully they’re happy and I touch their hearts. It’s amazing, and I want to thank all those people out there who support me and come along this musical journey with me,” she says. “It’s amazing to have people knowing that they have my back for me and it’s just … awesome.”

Photos by Sydney Czyzon

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Culture

Photos courtesy of Sam Lenzini

Q&A With The Red Doors Stefan Reutter

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ince the spring of 2017, a group of Marquette students have been playing as a band named randomly for the doors to their practice space. The Red Doors is made up of: Colton Schroetter, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, Jake Grimes and Jon Fink, both seniors in the College of Engineering, Tim Fair ‘18, a graduate student in the College of Engineering, and Matt Ricciardi ‘18. Each member brings their own style and talent to the band, and their musical abilities are particularly popular at Murphy’s Irish Pub, where the group often plays shows. The group also finds inspiration from some of their favorite bands as well as one of their favorite artists, Bob Ross.

So how did you guys first meet? When did this all start?

CS: Jon and I lived together in O’Donnell our freshman year and we found out that each other played bass and guitar respectively so we started jamming. We both knew Jake through engineering courses, so the three of us played starting junior year.

JG: Yeah we started playing regularly and we pulled in Tim and went through a bunch of drummers. I initially started on drums, but then I brought in my good friend Matt, who I know from running club, who happened to be a drummer.

MR: I’ve drummed since I was like 10, but I took a break in college before (Jake) pulled me in to jam. After that first rehearsal we took it from there.

Do you have any particular inspirations or people that have influenced you?

TF: Bob. Ross.

CS: Actually yeah, originally our name was Bob Ross and the Happy Little Trees before we changed it to Red Doors. We have a lot of varied influences within the band like The Rolling Stones and White Stripes. There’s some metal influence, personally I listen to a lot of alternative music.

JG: It’s very diverse music, we have some blues to countryish to alternative to rock to metal, so we play a wide variety of exclusively covers right now. We wanna play stuff that people know and that people can enjoy.

JF: A lot of times when people play their own stuff people can get lost or lose interest. Like even when we play stuff that we know but other people may not know they might be like “Oh we don’t know this let’s go.”

TF: Really though our biggest influence is Bob Ross and the magic he does with the paintbrush.

If you had to pick a favorite song what would it be?

CS: As of the moment it’s “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” by Tame Impala.

JF: One that I’ve been listening to a lot is “Hasn’t Hit Me Yet” by Blue Rodeo.

TF: “Wonderwall” by Oasis.MR: “Resistance” by Muse.

JG: Anything authentically by The Rolling Stones.

Do you have any upcoming shows or projects that you’re looking forward to?

CS: Oh yeah, we’re kinda a Murph’s house band at the moment so we’re playing Feb. 22, March 2 and April 2, then maybe something for senior week in May. JG: I’d say our biggest goal is to really get off campus and get downtown a bit. We want to try and get some more exposure in the spring when there’s more outdoor stuff going on. We’re looking to get our feet in the door but right now it’s a little hard since no one wants to be outside.

How did you get the name?

TF: We practiced at a place with a red door.

CS: We all pitched like a million different ideas that we thought were good but everyone hated everyone else’s ideas. We were practicing in a house with a red door and someone was like, let’s do TheRed Doors, and everyone was okay with that.

TF: We should be called Bob Ross and the Happy Little Trees.

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Abodes of Art KELLI ARSENEAU At first glance, Marquette University does not seem like a hub for performing arts. There is no college of fine arts and the university is more widely known and nationally recognized for Division I basketball than for musical theater.

Yet with student dance groups like Dance Inc., Pure Dance, Hype, Mazaa Bollywood Dance and Saoirse Irish Dance, acapella groups like the Gold ‘n Blues, The Meladies and The Naturals and acting groups like Marquette University Players Society, Just as some theaters and auditoriums on campus are often overlooked by those unacquainted with the performing arts scene on campus, Marquette’s vast community of musicians, actors, singers and dancers can sometimes go unnoticed. But they’re there; whether center stage or behind the velvet curtains, student performers find opportunities to showcase their talents and shine.

WEASLER AUDITORIUM For many groups on campus — particularly student-run organizations — performances occur wherever they can find space.

The Weasler Auditorium, considered both an auditorium and a smart classroom, can hold large lectures, guest speakers and other events. But it also provides a functioning theatre for performing groups. Adjacent to the main building of the Alumni Memorial Union, the Weasler seats 496 with a 32-foot stage. It additionally has a box office, a coat room and two dressing rooms.

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HELFAER THEATRE Home to Marquette’s Theatre Arts and Dance programs, Helfaer Theatre was built in the ’70s. Seating is traditional yet intimate.

Catey Ott-Thompson, an adjunct instructor in the dance department, describes the theater as “so quaint.”

“It’s clearly not a studio theater,” Ott-Thompson says. “It’s still a proscenium, but it has a sense of cushion and hominess to it.”

Marquette’s dance program allows students from any major to pursue a minor or simply take classes they enjoy.

Ott-Thompson teaches six courses in rotation: Ballet I, Ballet II, Modern I, Modern II, Dance History and Composition and Choreography. She also works with students in independent study.

To showcase students’ hard work, the dance department puts on an annual spring concert.

Since she arrived at Marquette in 2013, Ott-Thompson says the spring concert has been at of Marquette’s three main theaters. Depending on space and availability, the showcase rotates between Helfaer Theatre, Weasler Auditorium and Varsity Theatre.

Ott-Thompson says the concert returns to the Helfaer this year, which she describes as the program’s “home theater.”

“Our dance studio is there,” Ott-Thompson says. “We have no issues with the other two venues, it’s just nice to be home.”

Marquette’s Theatre Arts program also uses Helfaer as its home.

Maaz Ahmed, a freshman in the College of Communication, is involved in Marquette’s Theatre Arts program. Like many other theater students, Ahmed finds a haven in Helfaer Theatre. Ahmed says when he takes small breaks between classes, he often heads to the Helfaer and sits in the green room to pass the time.

Ahmed says while he and some others would support a renovation or update of the building, it functions well as a home for Marquette theater.

“It doesn’t have any windows. You walk in there, and then 20 minutes later you walk out and it’s pitch black outside and like five hours have passed,” Ahmed jokes.

Ahmed says he believes Marquette theater is sometimes overlooked by students outside of the program.

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ulture VARSITY THEATRE Carl Wacker, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences and member of The Naturals, says the all-male acapella group has performed in various locations across campus. He says the ensemble appreciates any opportunity to perform, but Varsity Theatre is its favorite venue for concerts.

“It’s just a really cool space. Acoustics are really, really great,” Wacker says. “It’s a big stage. It’s a lot of fun to perform on. It’s got a certain feel to it, a certain, like, aura that’s kind of really energetic. ”Varsity Theatre houses 1,075 seats and a 32-foot stage. The theater is technically a part of Holthusen Hall, which was originally built in 1937 as the Varsity Building before being renamed in 1985.

Besides providing a venue for various performing groups on campus and occasionally hosting large classes, guest speakers, presentations and weekly movie nights, Varsity Theatre is home to the university’s band program.

Erik Janners is Marquette’s director of music. He leads the music programs, which include two concert bands — Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band — two jazz bands, an orchestra, the Marquette Chorus and the pep band.

Janners teaches Wind Ensemble and the orchestra classes, and he co-directs the pep band. Each ensemble rehearses on the Varsity’s stage, right where they perform during their three to four concerts a year.

Janners says rehearsing in the performance location is beneficial for the ensembles.

Varsity Theatre undergoes a renovation in 2007 — the same year Janners is hired — to improve the theater and build a home for the Marquette band program. The renovation includes practice rooms and office spaces in the basement of the Varsity and adjustments to the house of the theater to improve sound.

“It was great, because prior to this being created, there wasn’t a central place for music at Marquette,” Janners says. “It’s our home. It’s where the band students come to socialize and see their friends. And it’s where we prepare for pep band before we get on the bus to go down to Fiserv (Forum) or walk across the street to the Al (McGuire Center). So it’s really a sense of a home base for the band program.”

STRAZ THEATRE Perhaps the least well-known performing space on campus is in Straz Tower, which was once a YMCA. It contains a small theater, complete with a stage, music closet and ample seating, which students and groups can rent. MUsic regularly inhabits the miniature auditorium.

MUsic is a student-run organization that works to create a community for musicians and music lovers to share their work and listen to others.

“We aim to bring together artists and musicians on campus who wouldn’t find each other otherwise, and we kind of try and like, create connections,” says Julia Bellair, a junior in the College of Communication and vice president of MUsic.

Bellair says the theater, which other groups like ROTC, Marquette University Players Society and some acting classes use, is small but functions as a working theater, with lights and a control board in the back. MUsic takes advantage of the music closet inside the theater to hold instruments for students to borrow.

“It’s a little bit smaller, but it’s pretty quaint. I really like the vibe in there,” Bellair says of the Straz Theatre.

HELFAER DANCE STUDIO Marquette’s theater scope extends beyond just the three main theaters. Not all performance groups on campus seek a big stage and space for a large audience.

The Helfaer dance studio, Ott-Thompson says, can be converted into a small, casual studio theater for senior projects and other small performances. There is a basic lighting system, curtains to cover the mirrors and chairs available to bring in for an audience of about 40, she says.

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Left on Read Margaret Cahill

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he first stages of a relationship can be fun and carefree, talking and texting quickly back and forth as time flies by.

Until out of the blue, one of the people in the relationship is left on read — a phenomenon referred to as “ghosting.”

“The sudden, unexplained nature of ghosting is likely to be confusing and distressing, and to lead the victim to try to figure out what went wrong in the relationship,” John Grych, a professor of psychology at Marquette, says. “It’s a form of rejection, which is hurtful for most people, but is harder for some than for others.”

For a few Marquette students, it’s a bit more personal.

Ellie Marino, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, says she was “ghosted” by a guy she met at a Greek event. They talked all night, and after the event they Snapchatted regularly for about a month before the guy abruptly stopped communication.

“Maybe he liked me and thought I was cute but didn’t want a relationship,” Marino says. “So talking for that period of time was kind of initiating that something longer-term would happen, so he cut it off.

But I’ll never know exactly why he did it.”

Simon Howard, a professor of psychology at Marquette, says he believes the “ghost” stops communication because it is less work than having a conversation about why the relationship is not working. Then, the “ghost” may feel bad and try to tell themselves that he or she did the right thing.

But as someone who was the “ghost,” Julia Paulsen, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, says she regrets her choice of cutting off communication with a girl in her hometown.

“I felt guilty because I should have just been upfront with her about my feelings,” Paulsen said. “I’m not sure how she felt because she worked at a coffee shop that I just don’t frequent anymore in (South Bend, Indiana) to avoid any awkwardness.”

And in an era where social media allows a layer of impersonality, ghosting is becoming even easier.

“At the end of the day, that person is not necessarily a person, it’s a profile,” Howard says.

Read Yesterday

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Press Play on Paula

Culture

Grace Schneider

I

f you have something to say now is the time to say it, and someone will watch your video,” Paula Tews, a graduate of the College of Communication, says as she urges anyone looking to start a YouTube channel to “just frickin’ do it.”

TEWSIMPLE As a junior in high school, Tews made beauty and fashion videos. She says at that time everyone was a beauty guru, so she wanted to be one too. Tews took her Cannon EOS Rebel T4i and went to work.

“As I started college, that’s when my channel really blew up,” Tews says. “I started to make college advice videos, (like) my dorm room tour, which everyone has watched apparently, which is embarrassing.”

Tews explores many different types of videos including daily life vlogs and story time videos. She gained nearly 9,000 followers and even gets recognized on the street.

Lily Welen, a 2017 graduate from the College of Communication, has been Tews’ best friend since their freshman year at Marquette.

Tews and Wellen always enjoy making videos together. Both girls see the videos they make as precious memories they will look back on fondly forever.

Murphy’s and karaoke night were a weekly ritual for Tews and her friends while at Marquette; she filmed her favorite videos there. “I

have so many vlogs of us singing karaoke ... which may be obnoxious to some, but to me they are cherished memories.”

Wellen agrees; watching the vlogs they made studying for classes and running around Marquette’s J-Pad serve as great memories to look back on and remember their time at Marquette.

During their time at Marquette, Amanda Keeler, assistant professor of digital media and performing arts, had Tews and Wellen in class.“They were just my favorite kind of student,” Keeler says.

“They want to be there, they want to ask questions, they want to learn the material, they were just interested in learning new things.”

Keeler adds she may have had to tell the friends to stop talking during class, however, time fogs her memory.

Tews learned a lot pertaining to her YouTube channel during her years studying digital media. When she started making videos for YouTube, she kept her camera on auto and did not know how to set her exposure. She says digital media classes also taught her how to use a microphone to improve sound quality.

Tews was inspired by the classes she took as well as other YouTubers, such as vlogger Alisha Marie and makeup guru Kathleen Lights.

Tews is now living her dream working at a broadcasting company in Chicago with her best friend by her side. She says she plans to pursue her passion and make videos for a long time, particularly for herself to look back on and to show her family one day.

M(yo)UTubers Ariana Madson

Name: Kayla Kajita Channel: DoubleK0711 College: College of Communication Year: Sophomore Kajita started making videos in May 2012. Her channel is categorized as lifestyle, and her videos include vlogs, makeup, beauty and fashion. Her goal with her channel this year is to focus more on lifestyle, healthy eating and body confidence. Some of her videos include a residence hall tour, insight into winter fashion and an adventurous girl’s getaway weekend vlog. Her channel keeps an enjoyable, uplifting vibe for her viewers.

Name: Kristen Carter Channel: heyymscarterxoxo College: College of Communication Year: Sophomore Carter, originally from a South Suburb of Chicago, started her YouTube channel the summer of her senior year when she went to California for the first time. Her channel is beauty and lifestyle, and it includes a mixture of videos. Her favorite video she has created was her Los Angeles look book. Carter says one of her favorite YouTubers is Charisse Christine because she loves her vibe and energy.

Name: Ronnie Terry Jr. Channel: Ronnie Terry Jr. College: College of Business Administration Year: Senior Terry has had a YouTube channel since 2011, but did not start posting on it until the summer heading into his junior year of college. His channel spans from vlogs to entertainment to comedy to self-development. Terry says his favorite video he has made is a video with tips on boosting daily productivity. When his channel first started, Terry’s videos included comical pranks, but he describes his transition to a more professional approach in his video titled “Changes to My YouTube Channel.”

Photos courtesy of respective YouTubers

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Ace the Axe ALY PROUTY We compile your ultimate guide to AXE MKE (1924 E. Kenilworth Place).

This is everything you need to know before you go.

when to head out AXE MKE might be quiet on a weeknight, but head over on the weekends and you’ll be hit with a crowd. Allow an hour to an hour and half to throw axes.

You may want to factor in wait time if you didn’t make a reservation. Sans booking, a weeknight wait took about thirty minutes.

the drinks Drinks are comprable to other area bars both in price and selection. The menu is complete with quite a few speciality cocktails. There are also a few snack options.

While they’re basic, they’re tasty!

JUST ADD WATER Obviously, listen to your “axe master” for your best chance at a bullseye. But only a select few will remember to point out there is a spray bottle of water near each throwing lane. After quite a bit of throwing, the surface of the target will become rough, making it difficult for the axe to stick. Spray it down with some water to better your odds at a successful evening.

Take a gamble AXE MKE takes walk-ins and reservations.

Reservations are slightly pricier at $25 -30 per person, with walk-ins ringing up at $20 a pop.

the axe You’ll be greeted by an axe-throwing specialist who will teach you how to chuck the axe down a throwing lane.

Don’t worry, it isn’t heavy! Although, I’d advise wearing sturdy, comfortable shoes before you step up to the line. The floor is covered in woodchips and you’ll need to protect your feet.

Choosing your axe gang WISELY When you’re planning your trip to Milwaukee’s resident axe bar, be sure to bring some friends. There’s an option to keep score as you swing at targets, or you can take the recreational route and simply go for fun. Just make sure your group is on the same page.

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Sheep Thrills Maya Korenich

B

lack Sheep is an upscale wine bar located in the Walker’s Point neighborhood of Milwaukee, with a wide variety of wines including a unique wine tap, I was intrigued to visit the restaurant. The walls are comprised of exposed brick and feature different colored paintings of sheep.

There is a long bar stretching across the length of the dimly lit restaurant.

I went at around 5 p.m. to get happy hour deals, which included $5 house-made sangria, $8 truffled popcorn and $9 olive tapenade. At that time the majority of the people who came in sat at the bar. There are options to purchase a house pour, which is just one glass, a card to use the vending machines or a list of bottles for sale. I ended up getting a glass of the pinot grigio. It was fruity and mild. Definitely a good wine for someone who isn’t a wine connoisseur.

The vending machine is a good option for groups planning on spending an extended amount of time at the bar. Simply use the debit-like card to dispense any type of wine from a spigot directly into your glass. Each wine has its own individual tap and three pour sizes, good for sampling new types of wine.

I also got a pretzel and cheese board, which comes with two soft pretzels, mozzarella cheese curds and beer cheese. Overall, this board is absolutely mediocre. At $12 I also find it to be a tad overpriced for the amount of food I receive. The highlight of Black Sheep is definitely the wine, and the food seems to take a back seat.

Out of all the people inside, I am definitely among the youngest.

Everyone else seems to be at least five to seven years older than me.

Admittedly, wine is not my favorite beverage, but this crowd also isn’t the most inviting. I feel like a child, somewhat out of place among adults. I get the vibe that the waitress is confused as to why I’m here, as I may not be representative of their typical clientele.

In terms of whether I’d recommend Black Sheep, that is a hard question. If wine is something you really enjoy, I would definitely give it a go. The vending machines are an experience that aren’t characteristic of the typical wine bar. The food and the age of the patrons are the drawbacks. I think the key is going with the knowledge of what the environment will be like. Black Sheep is more reserved and good for chatting with friends. If any of this catches your eye, try it out!

Culture

Wine Wins Meghan Rock

During my visit to Black Sheep, I sampled five wines from the tap: 1. Revelry Merlot (Red): 3/5 stars The mid-palate merlot is perfectly aged with a hint of blackberries and blueberries. This red would be great to enjoy with a savory cheese board.

2. Farmlands Pinot Noir (Red): 4/5 stars Farmlands is definitely a dry and heavy red wine. This pinot noir would pair great with a homemade Italian pasta dish.

3.Dry Rose (Rose): 3/5 stars This brand-less rose was dry, hence the name, but also gave off a bit of sweetness. It would be great for a girls’ night in with a movie and popcorn.

4. Boundary Breaks Pinot Grigio (White): 4/5 stars This Central New York Finger Lakes wine is surprisingly crisp and more on the sweet side. A glass of this would pair effortlessly with a brie cheese board.

5. Jezebel Blanc (White): 5/5 stars This Oregon wine puts a refreshing twist on the similar taste of Boundary Breaks. The wine is a bit drier, which would make it pair well with a roasted chicken dish.

Photo by Andrew Himmelberg SPRING 2019

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Chocolate is the New Coffee

By Amanda Parrish

Photos by Jordan Johnson

R

ichard Koenings, founder and owner of Red Elephant Chocolate in the Third Ward, says he found his way into the chocolate world by accident. With a background in business law, Koenings set out to pull Quality Candy, now Buddy Squirrel, the chocolate and nut shop which was founded in Milwaukee in 1916, out of bankruptcy. After getting a look into the chocolate business, Koenings was inspired to create his own chocolate shop.

While Koenings’ entry into Red Elephant Chocolate was in part an accident, the mascot’s surely wasn’t.

Red, Koenings says, is the color of chocolate’s two most important holidays: Valentine’s Day and Christmas. As for the elephant, its intelligent, social and emotional demeanor encompasses what Koenings wants the soul of Red Elephant Chocolate to be.

Pulling from his vast knowledge of chocolate’s past, Koenings says the purchase of chocolate is historically not a social activity in the way that purchasing coffee or alcohol is. Koenings wants to shift the perceived culture of chocolate with his cafe by applying the elephant’s social nature to the purchase of chocolate to create a space for customers to meet and converse. His seating arrangement in the cafe, which extends to the patio in warmer months, gives it a coffee shop feel and fills the cafe with maps, “elephacts” and “cocoaphacts” to encourage guests to sit, take their time and relax.

“A lot of students from (Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design) and Marquette come to the cafe to grab a drink and study,” says Taylor Congdon, cashier and a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Congdon adds that the tables are usually full.

“This is a product that is available to everybody. Alcohol isn’t.

It’s a product that can be good and healthful for everybody. Coffee isn’t,” Koenings says.

He says studies show the chocolate’s health benefits come from the cocoa bean itself and thus is not limited to the more bitter dark chocolate.

One way to utilize these health benefits is with Red Elephant Chocolate’s drink called “chak’atl.” Unlike coffee, the drink, which 64

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is made from ground cocoa beans and brewed like coffee or steeped like tea, is non-addictive due to its lack of caffeine and sugar and is full of antioxidants that boost the immune system and flavanols can reduce stress, as well as improve memory and mood.

Unlike alcohol, chocolate has no age restriction.

“My market is anyone from age 8 to 80,” Koenings explains.

The cafe has a number of regulars, Congdon says, who often come back for the hot chocolate. She says most customers are locals, but finds that a lot of tourists also visit, especially when summer rolls around.

Red Elephant Chocolate’s current location sits near what used to be the stomping grounds of elephants that were housed in tents for the Circus World Museum Parade, as it traveled through Milwaukee in July from 1963-2009.

Like the elephant, Koenings himself has a connection to Milwaukee, spending a large portion of his life in the city. Milwaukee, he says, is the best place for Red Elephant Chocolate.

“This is a special personality area. If you were to pick out one place that was — in my view — associated with a special product, in a social setting, with a relaxing atmosphere and number of interesting places, the Third Ward seemed to be that,” Koenings explains.

While history and atmosphere are important, Koenings prides himself on the quality of every product.

Sue Krawcyzk, a chocolate maker, has been with Red Elephant Chocolate making treats by hand since the cafe’s opening in 2012.

“It looked fun,” Krawcyzk says. “I liked the idea that it was handcrafted and you can make what you want.”

She says every chocolate is handmade using molds. Some of the chocolates are spray painted with colored cocoa butter, while the more intricate designs are painted by hand.

Shadale Atkins, a warehouse manager, says her days full of packaging, transporting and mold making keep her busy and have helped her become a better chocolate maker.

“We learn a little more every day as we go,” Atkins said.

With its welcoming atmosphere and wide variety of products, Red Elephant is redefining the culture of chocolate.

South Side Spice

Culture

Emma Dill & Joseph Beaird Photos by Jordan Johnson

S

picy food is alive and well on Milwaukee’s South Side.

Check out these five hot spots for a little extra heat.

Kim’s Thai Tucked away in a small strip mall about 10 minutes from Marquette is Kim’s Thai Restaurant. Kim’s Thai is operated by head chef and owner Kim Paneboune and

her family.

This small dine-in restaurant serves a wide array of authentic Thai food deriving from recipes passed down through the family. Each dish is made with care and the intent to provide a high caliber of taste and spice.

Paneboune says the most popular dishes she serves are her curries, fried rice, pad thai and stir-fry. Her dishes are known for their spice, which Paneboune describes on a numbered scale. She says she can tell what level of spice a customer can handle by just looking at them.

“Our spice range (goes from) one to 10,” Paneboune says. “We like a good eight, but with curries we don’t go over a three or four. It’s totally up to the customer. We have some regulars who come in and enjoy a 10. But we like to tell customers to start low and go higher. ”Paneboune and her daughter say they are very happy serving their customers in their current location. Kim’s Thai was originally located inside a grocery store, and the family has enjoyed expanding to its own dine-in restaurant.

The Palomino Bar Recently passed to a new set of owners and chefs, The Palomino Bar is dedicated to serving excellently spiced, authentic Southern-style cuisine.

Derek Peterson, head chef and co-owner of the Palomino Bar, says when he and co-owner Eric Dispro took over the bar about five years ago, they had to overhaul the menu to make everything authentic Southern food that didn’t arrive pre-packaged.

Peterson says their most popular dish at the restaurant is their spiciest dish. Prepared with the Palomino Bar’s unique combination of spices, the hot fried chicken sandwich is in high demand among the bar’s regulars.

The sandwich is carefully prepared from prime, Amish-raised chickens and rubbed with spices a few days in advance of being served.

“It’s a combination of serrano peppers, jalapenos and we throw some habaneros in there as well,” Peterson says. “And we just add some vinegars and hot sauces that we like. … Our food is not overly hot by any means. If you like spicy food, it’s good. If not, we definitely have other good things on the menu.”Peterson hopes the neighborhood and customers will give the restaurant a second chance with its newly authentic menu and carefully prepared cuisine.

Crafty Cow and Hot Head Fried Chicken Owned and operated by head chef Devin Eichler and his father

Dave, the Crafty Cow and Hot Head Fried Chicken is a combined burger and wing joint known for its creative twists on the age-old dive-bar classics.

As head chef, Devin says he is constantly adding new items to the menu and coming up with new combinations for his burgers and fried chicken. These unique dishes include burgers with peanut butter or bacon and a dish that combines nachos and cheese curds.

The most popular fried chicken style, Devin says, is the Nashville hot.

“The chicken and breading balance out (the spice), but you are gonna break a sweat while you’re eating it,” he explains.

Also popular is their 414 fire, which features sauce that incorporates ghost chili powder.

Devin says he prepares 40 gallons of hot sauce per week solely for the fried chicken.

The joint burger and fried chicken bar has recently begun printing menus in-house, something that Devin says allows much more freedom for him and his staff to change the menus get creative and keep up with current food trends.

El Rey Now with four locations throughout the south side of Milwaukee, El Rey started as a grocery store in 1978. It is primarily known for its tamales, but has many other spicy options to choose from.

Founded by Mexican immigrants Ernesto and Heriberto Villarreal, the store was originally established to bring authentic Mexican products to the immigrant population in Milwaukee. As immigrant communities changed, El Rey’s products adapted to cater to a wider Hispanic population, adding foods and flavors from Central and South America and the Caribbean.

El Rey’s four locations not only serve as authentic grocery stores, but also a spot for community events and for educational groups to experience Hispanic culture. Three of the locations additionally sell food at a small cafe known as Taco Loco Taqueria.

El Rey has different types of salsa ranging from mild to very hot, and specializes in traditional red and green salsas. Some of El Rey’s spicy specialties include tacos a la San Diego, with chipotle cream sauce, or tacos de tinga, seasoned with chipotle adobo. For those looking for a more direct approach, try the chile relleno, a poblano pepper filled with cheese and fried in an egg batter and topped with salsa ranchera.

The Spice House Located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee in the Historic Third Ward, The Spice House opened in 1992. The Spice House sells nearly any spice, seasoning or pepper one could possibly imagine.

Its website lists over 300 different spices, ranging from more tame spices like paprika or cayenne to hotter flavors such as teri-teri blend or vulcan’s fire salt. This store is sure to have more than enough to leave someone’s mouth burning.

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Photo by John Steppe

Under Fire JOHN STEPPE

A

s my investigative story on the treatment of a departed track and field athlete hits the Marquette Tribune’s printer in January, I quickly realize it’s not going to be the most popular story.

Emails and comments from track and field athletes begin to flow in, calling the story inaccurate, in bad taste and poorly timed. In one case, an athlete proceeded to critique the layout of the sports section, too, in frustration.

Co-captain Will Eggers tweets, “Gotta stop letting people be ‘journalists’ and write this stuff called ‘news’ sh-t is too twisted nowadays , all that media sh-t needs to be run by AI #realtalk #soldoutjournalists.”

Typos and profanity aside, it’s the first time my reporting has, to my knowledge, made someone publicly proclaim that artificial intelligence should take over my job.

I’ve seen and heard about this type of rhetoric toward national media, but it hits you with a different shock when it happens to you, especially as a 21-year-old journalism student going into sports journalism. You don’t expect it from a fellow student at a university that emphasizes the need for us to be “men and women for others.”

It wouldn’t be fair to mention the outspoken critics of the story without bringing up the persistent supporters of the story. As I stand in shock of Eggers’ tweet, I call a close friend who helps me process the situation. She then publicly stands by my reporting in a series of tweets. My managing editors offer their support via text messages. I’m lucky and proud to call all three of those people my colleagues and friends.

Mentors from as far away as Connecticut and faculty from across the College of Communication also lend incredible support. That includes a former Pulitzer winner.

These types of incidents are becoming increasingly commonplace. As I walk through the Baton Rouge airport last August, I see a bright, prominently-displayed T-shirt saying “FAKE NEWS.” Ironically, it’s in a CNBC store. Even a store with a media outlet on its name has bought into this rhetoric.

Good student journalism doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens with an organization. And nowadays, it’s needed more than ever to hold those making important decisions accountable.

Stories like this one can have a positive impact on their program in the long run. The “Track transfer speaks out” text on the front of every Tribune may sting for the track and field program, but if that means a future transfer at Marquette or any other school doesn’t have to go through the process that Monique Felix went through, isn’t that a thing to celebrate?

Even if Marquette Athletics decides not to change its transfer policy, citing how it’s the way of the world in collegiate athletics, that story could allow a future transfer to at least be aware of the impending consequences of his or her decision.

Many people associate student sports journalism with just game recaps, preview and fluffy features. But collegiate athletics benefit from investigative work in the long run. It holds them accountable and can, when athletic departments listen, lead to real change — change that impacts students’ lives.

Good student journalism doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It happens with an organization. And nowadays, it’d need more than ever to hold those making important deicions accountable.

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Perspective

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The Marquette Wire would like to thank MU Law Alumnus Mike Delzer and Delzer Lithograph Company for generously printing the Marquette Journal. You made our dreams come alive on the page.