The Daily Northwestern — January 23, 2020

The Daily Northwestern Thursday, January 23, 2020

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arts & entertainment

Ilana Peña creates new Disney+ show

A&E

CARP meeting reevaluates goals One focus was renewable energy, building efficiency

By JULIA RICHARDSON

the daily northwestern @juliaa_grace

The City of Evanston Office of Sustainability held its second Climate Action and Resilience Plan coordination meeting Wednesday to address some of the many environmental factors pertaining to the plan’s implementation.

The plan, which City Council passed in late 2018, pushes for complete carbon neutrality by 2050. In the meeting, the office developed strategies to meet sustainability goals described in the plan.

“What we’re doing here tonight is starting to fill in some of the details as a next step in the CARP implementation,” said Jonathan Nieuwsma, a co-chair of the utilities commission. “We’re not going to get to the promised land tonight. This is the next step in a series of 1000 more steps.”

The event featured six different tables focusing on a spectrum of elements within the CARP plan. The topics discussed were urban green space;

zero waste; health impacts of extreme heat; rebuilding efficiency; transportation and mobility; and outreach, education and behavior change.

After an introduction from Nieuwsma and Kumar Jensen, the chief sustainability and resiliency officer, meeting attendees visited tables to contribute their suggestions and learn more about current initiatives “(We’re) trying to build bridges and opportunity between organizations to help move this plan forward,” said Jensen.

One of the tables focused on building efficiency and renewable energy, where attendees discussed topics such as energy consumption and electric appliances. Citizens’ Climate Lobby member Laura Winston said she hopes to increase activism focused on raising carbon prices to combat global warming.

Winston said carbon dioxide fossil fuel emissions are already expensive, but because emissions are such a strong contributor to global warming, society should pay an even steeper price. She said higher prices will encourage consumers to convert to clean energy sources.

“If that were passed, it » See CARP, page 6

Caroline Megerian/ The Daily Northwestern

Raina Bhagat, Tyler Williams and Krithika Ashok discuss the new Indian citizenship law.

Group talks discriminatory act

South Asian Solidarity NU discussed new Indian citizenship act

By ANUSHUYA THAPA

the daily northwestern @anushuyathapa

South Asian Solidarity NU organized a teach-in event at the Graduate Student Commons on Wednesday discussing new

citizenship laws in India that are widely-considered anti-Muslim.

The group was formed earlier this month in response to the current political climate in India.

Krithika Ashok, professor at Jindal Global Law School and Tyler Williams, a University of Chicago professor, spoke to an

audience of about 55 attendees.

They discussed the constitutional legality of the new act, as well as the ties between American universities and the Indian government.

The ruling Hindu nationalist party, Bharatiya Janata Party, passed the Citizenship

Amendment Act (CAA) in December 2019. It grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian minorities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan while excluding Muslim minorities. » See CITIZENSHIP, page 6

ASG discusses Senate seat decrease Organization plans Speaker of the Senate proposed reduction due to chronic low attendance

By YUNKYO KIM

the daily northwestern @yunkyomoonk

Matthew Wylie, speaker of the Associated Student Government Senate, introduced a statement during Wednesday’s session in favor of reducing the number of seats due to chronic low attendance by senators.

According to the Weinberg sophomore’s statement, low attendance rates have been a consistent “burden plaguing the Senate.” Cutting Senate seats would improve problems for weekly sessions, both logistical and philosophical, Wylie said.

“I just want to see a more vibrant Senate,” Wylie said.

“I wouldn’t take these steps if I didn’t think it would help improve our proportional attendance.”

ASG currently has 51 senators: 20 from undergraduate schools, 20 from student groups, three from the Interfraternity Council, three from the Panhellenic Association, two from the National Pan-Hellenic Council and two from the Multicultural Greek Council.

to build new kitchen Meals of Wheels Northeast Illinois hopes to expand

By MOLLY LUBBERS

the daily northwestern

Yunkyo Kim/The Daily Northwestern

ASG speaker of the senate Matthew Wylie introduces a statement in support of lowering senate seats. It passed 20-5-1.

Weinberg sophomore Margot Bartol spoke in favor of reducing seats, saying it can have significant financial implications for the Senate’s decision-making capacity. When she was a senator last year, Bartol said, ASG had to make important decisions with relatively low input.

“We had some very important

Serving the University and Evanston since 1881

discussions with (about) 20 people here and it was very concerning that we were discussing large sums of money with not a lot of people here,” Bartol said.

“So maybe we shouldn’t do that anymore.”

According to the ASG constitution, at least 26 senators must attend a session to

continue conducting business.

Still, ASG has had to ignore this rule to make timely decisions on the necessary matters, Wylie said.

Since ASG’s 58th Senate session in 2018, the average attendance rate was 56 percent, » See ASG, page 6

Meals on Wheels Northeastern Illinois plans to build a kitchen in its new location after a 2018 move, expanding its capacity to produce meals in greater quantity and quality, Executive Director Debi Genthe said.

Having operated for 51 years, the organization, previously called “Meals at Home,” currently delivers meals to 250 homebound clients in Evanston, Skokie and surrounding northern areas annually, Genthe said. On Oct. 31, 2018, it moved from an office space on Emerson Street to 1723 Simpson St. “The big thing is just to serve more people,” Genthe said. “I think this location itself has the ability to do a lot in terms of community.”

Right now, Evanston hospitals, restaurants, and assisted living facilities supply the food that Meals on Wheels brings to

clients. When the new kitchen is installed, Food Service Director Sam Landman will lead trained volunteers in cooking the majority of food served.

“It’s going to be more like home-cooking here, something that they would make for themselves if they were capable,” he said. “Then also healthier foods as well, with health being the key factor for older adults.”

He added that he creates nutritious meals tailored to seniors’ changing tastes, since many clients are older. For more specific, medically-prescribed diet foods, Meals on Wheels will split production with Evanston hospitals, Genthe said.

Another planned change will allow clients to choose between two options for both the hot and cold meal delivered each day, according to Genthe. Additionally, Landman said he will practice “just-in-time cooking,” meaning he will prepare the meals immediately preceding packaging and delivery.

As he creates the menu, Landman said he wants to incorporate more “culturally diverse” » See MEALS, page 6

INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Arts & Entertainment 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8

2 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

AROUND TOWN City’s Chinese restaurants to celebrate Lunar New Year

the special menu signify wealth, seafood panfried noodles represent longevity, and the lychee chicken symbolizes prosperity and strong family relationships.

In addition to the food, Koi will host a Lunar New Year performance on Saturday. At 7:00 p.m., professionals will perform the lion dance, a traditional Chinese dance with music intended to bring luck and good fortune.

An assistant manager at the restaurant said although some staff celebrate the Lunar New Year with their families, they still have fun with the festivities at Koi. The kitchen staff also “gets creative” with the menu for the holiday, he said. Whether they see new or regular customers, the staff of Koi is accustomed to working on Saturdays and Sundays, and they look forward to celebrating with customers, the employee said.

By GABRIELLE RANCIFER

the daily northwestern

Evanston residents can ring in the Lunar New Year this Saturday at several local Chinese restaurants, some of which are within a few blocks of each other.

Based on lunar cycles, the Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, takes place on the first full moon of the lunar calendar. This year, the Lunar New Year will be on Jan. 25, and restaurants such as Peppercorns Kitchen, Koi Fine Asian Cuisine & Lounge and 527 Cafe have planned events for community members to join in the celebration.

Peppercorns Kitchen

Peppercorns Kitchen, a restaurant specializing in szechuan cuisine, plans to serve traditional dinner this weekend. The specials range from braised frog, pig and chicken feet, to mango tapioca, to home-style steamed beef and dumplings with shrimp and chicken.

As part of the celebration, the restaurant is also running a promotion for reservations of six to eight people. But a server at the restaurant said anyone interested in this discount will have to wait until 2021 because Peppercorns Kitchen is completely booked for the meal.

527 Cafe

Daily file photo by Zack Laurence

Peppercorn’s Kitchen in downtown Evanston. The restaurant will be selling traditional Chinese New Year’s

Koi Fine Asian Cuisine & Lounge

serving a special menu for the Lunar New Year, with each traditional dish representing

different characteristics for good luck in the upcoming year. For instance, the spring rolls on

POLICE BLOTTER

they thought they had locked the doors when they left, but they weren’t certain.

As of now, Henry said there are no suspects and no people in custody in relation to the case.

to EPD. Henry said the bicycle was valued at approximately $1000. The resident told EPD he was uncertain if he left the garage’s side door open or unlocked, but Henry said there were no signs of forced entry.

EPD has no suspects and no people in custody in relation to this case.

Peppercorns Kitchen’s neighbor, Koi, is also

Playstation 4 stolen from house A house at 2002 Emerson St. was burglarized on Tuesday, Jan. 21, between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Evanston police Cmdr. Brian Henry said a PlayStation 4, valued at approximately $400, was stolen. There were no signs of forced entry, and Henry said the victim told EPD

Trek bicycle stolen from garage

A Trek bicycle was stolen from a garage at 2032 Cleveland St. at some point between Jan. 14 and Jan. 21, the date the theft was reported

­— Jacob Fulton

527 Cafe will also remain open on the Lunar New Year. They plan to serve traditional food, including desserts such as black sesame rice balls and sweet rice cakes.

Although appetizer-sized, special shrimp, pork, and chive dumplings will be available to order during the Lunar New Year. 527 Cafe also offers bubble tea. A cashier at the restaurant said red date and black sesame are two of the restaurant’s most popular flavors over the holiday. gabirancifer2023@u.northwestern.edu

Setting the record straight An article published in Wednesday’s paper titled “EPL panel discusses various mass protest movements” misstated the name of the Weinberg College Center for International and Area Studies. The Daily regrets the error.

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THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 3

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

ON CAMPUS

Students push for campus sustainability

By YUNKYO KIM

the daily northwestern @yunkyomoonk

Growing up near the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, Communication junior Maggie Olson said she naturally became passionate about the environment.

At Northwestern, Olson started working at sustainNU, where she wrote communication materials on Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design, a program that certifies campus buildings that are resourceefficient. Through the job, Olson said, she found her calling.

“I am very into waste management,” Olson said. “I am obsessed with it.”

Olson is not alone in supporting sustainable practices while studying at NU. While statistics on student sustainability habits are unavailable, a 2015-2016 survey by the Associated Student Government reported 73.2 percent agreed or strongly agreed that they or student organizations would use reusable plates and utensils if they were provided for free.

Olson said she is now working on developing a universal symbol and a bin color for composting, the “next step of waste management.”

In her off-campus apartment she shares with two other students, Olson composts through Collective Resource, a food recycling service that charges $20.50 per household every month for Evanston residents.

Other students said they found themselves concentrating their efforts elsewhere.

Sam Liu, a Communication sophomore, co-founded NU Thrift after seeing that there were no affordable second-hand clothes shopping options near campus. The program, which opens a thrift pop-up at Norris University Center selling items for about $2 each, has plans to expand to a more permanent location, Liu said.

Producing cotton and other fabrics use a

lot of water and energy, Liu said. Once people throw away clothing items, they usually go to landfills or are incinerated, which creates even more pollution.

“There’s a lot of life in certain articles of clothing and because it’s out of style or people are just done with it, they throw it out — this should not be the case,” Liu said. “If you do reuse an article of clothing ... that entire process (of creating and destroying garments) is foregone, so you don’t waste those resources.”

Besides thrifting for clothes, Liu said students can practice sustainable consumption by carrying reusable bottles and get around campus by energy-efficient means.

Lauren Simitz, a McCormick junior and chair of sustainability at ASG, said she is involved in educational initiatives that inform students about being more environmentally friendly on campus. She said she is also working on an initiative that replaces energy-inefficient lights on old campus facilities as well as implementing a system of conducting a student energy audit. “(The audit is) very much of an exciting long term project to really demonstrate that students can help support university initiatives that are not necessarily being taken on due to time constraints,” Simitz said.

Simitz also said she was looking forward to increasing education in the new year, including an initiative that consults student groups interested in decreasing waste during events.

Simitz said she discouraged that some wash their clothes too frequently because some dyes can be harmful to the environment. She said she also recommended air-drying clothes to save energy.

Javan Whitney-Warner, a McCormick senior and co-president of Engineers for a Sustainable World, said the student group was spearheading initiatives to talk with dining services to compost and introducing hydroponics to dining halls. They also developed SmartTree, a solar-powered charging station that enables people to sit outside with their

The Daily Northwestern www.dailynorthwestern.com Editor in Chief Troy Closson

devices.

Whitney-Warner said change should happen on an institutional level. She said students should support Fossil Free Northwestern’s petition which proposes that the University divest from fossil fuels completely and redirect its investments to renewable energy companies.

In the 2015-2016 ASG survey, 62.2 percent of those who answered agreed or strongly agreed that the University should increase funding to reduce energy consumption.

“I think Northwestern likes to brand itself as a green school,” Whitney-Warner said.

“But practicing what you preach is really important.”

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Students are taking sustainability initiatives at the Northwestern campus.

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Wildcat Crossword

by Henry Alford

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A&E arts &

4 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

entertainment Evan Robinson-Johnson/Daily Senior Staffer

Evan Robinson-Johnson/Daily Senior Staffer ‘Kechi graduated from Bienen in 2019 with a concentration in classical and contemporary voice and composition. “The Light” is his second EP.

Q&A: ‘Kechi speaks on identity, new EP “The Light”

By STEPHEN COUNCIL

daily seniior staffer @stephencouncil

He goes by ‘Kechi. He is well-versed in both classical music and vocal composition. He’s a Northwestern graduate and a Chicago native. All these identities have come to shine in “The Light,” Ikechi Ihemeson’s (Bienen ‘19) long-in-the-works second EP. The seven-track blend of lyrical soul, R&B, jazz, hip-hop and gospel is dropping this Saturday, and The Daily caught up with the alum a few days before his release.

The Daily: Your last EP, “Late Night Love Confessions,” was poetic, lyrical, and quiet. What’s new, and what’s the same in “The Light”?

‘Kechi: I definitely go back to the intimacy of

“Late Night Love Confessions.” For each whole song, it’s definitely a lot of instrumentation put into it, the arrangements are definitely more developed.

It’s definitely a big difference, a bigger sound, but still very personal.

The Daily: Are you pleased with how the EP turned out, and how “you” the music is?

‘Kechi: Even a few months before finishing it, I was asking myself: “Do I find myself resonating this music right now?” because it’s hard to finish a project when you’re not really into it. It’s not really a part of you. So I had to find a way to get back on track. But I was able to, and I’m really happy with the way it sounds right now.

The Daily: Has your life and mentality changed since graduating from Bienen?

‘Kechi: Man, it’s been quite a journey. I’ve just

been diving full on into music, been really getting around the scene meeting a lot of incredible artists and groups and just networking with them. Chicago has a very beautiful sort of artistry and mentality. The more I’m in it, the more people I get to meet, get to collaborate with. There’s ups and downs for sure, because music is not an easy industry to get into, but it’s been all good. It’s been all love.

The Daily: What has living in Chicago done for your music?

‘Kechi: There’s soul in Chicago, and I found myself listening to a lot of Erykah Badu and D’Angelo on the regular, and actually studying it, and seeing how they develop their sound and how I can incorporate that to the unique sound that I’m trying to make with my love for soul. That’s been guided by a lot of great artists, a lot of gigs, a lot of open mics and different pockets of the Chicago scene I’ve been able to interact with.

The Daily: You led this EP with a release of the single “Bells.” Why that song?

‘Kechi: It’s one of the oldest songs that’s included on there. It was one of those songs I definitely spent the most time on at that point, just in terms of production and writing. And I feel like it’s a proper introduction to who I am, who ‘Kechi is.

The Daily: The EP drops this Thursday, what comes next?

‘Kechi: One way or the other I’ll definitely be performing live music, and I’m working on the next releases. I’ve set a lot of goals for 2020 in terms of putting out content and putting my name out there as a musician to be reckoned with… Y’all should keep an eye out for that. There’s more ‘Kechi music coming. scouncil@u.northwestern.edu

Artists, social justice orgs launch citywide art initiative

By JENNIFER ZHAN

the daily northwestern @jenniferzhann

To longtime community artist Indira Johnson, nonviolence is a creative way to get things done.

Born in Mumbai and raised in the teachings of Gandhi, Johnson has promoted peace and nonviolence through multiple art projects in the Evanston and Chicago area. Her latest brainchild is the 2020 Year of Kindness and Nonviolent Action, an initiative that aims to foster a more inclusive, peaceful Evanston.

The project will launch with a two-hour kickoff event on January 26 at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center. Over the course of the year, the initiative is set to hold a variety of programs, including workshops, collaborative art making, and other forms of interactive public art. “(Community art) automatically brings people together on a level that is very natural because you

all have the same goal, the success of this art project,” Johnson said. “It’s a very subtle way of getting people to engage with and learn about each other, especially people who might not normally talk to each other.”

The project’s advisory council includes artists and residents from across Evanston, as well as leaders of local social justice organizations.

According to Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre artistic director and initiative coordinator Tim Rhoze, the initiative is designed not only to start conversations but also serve as a call to action in Evanston, which has “a history of division.”

“I just hope it’s going to be another step moving toward a more positive community on all levels, regardless of race, sexual orientation, educational level, socioeconomic level, all those things,” Rhoze said. “At the end of the day we are all human. If we humanize our existence, then we have the hopefulness that we can live a better life.”

Rhoze will emcee the kickoff event, which will also serve as the debut of the Kindness in Action

City-Wide Art Project, a yearlong series of free workshops facilitated by artists and initiative coordinators Melissa Molitor and Angela Lyonsmith.

In an effort to be as accessible as possible, the workshops will take place in over a dozen spaces throughout all nine of Evanston’s wards. Molitor said the focus will be on making art around what kindness means to each individual.

“There are a lot of people who feel that kindness is sort of a Band-Aid,” Molitor said. “If you say, ‘Oh, it’s just really important to be kind,’ a lot of people feel like that’s erasing the experiences and the voices of people for whom that is not enough.”

To Molitor, kindness without awareness of difference, acknowledgement of privilege, and commitment to justice is not truly kind. But she said she loves that the initiative provides the opportunity to explore rather than ignore different perspectives.

In September, Evanston artists will curate an art show called “Visible and Invisible,” referencing both the “visible” components of violences like guns and actions and the “invisible” causes that Johnson said

were discussed from the council’s first meetings.

“When we talked about what aspects of violence were most impactful for Evanston, poverty and mental health came up as having the most votes,” Johnson said. “Those two will be recurring topics throughout (the year’s programming), in trying to address those concerns.”

She said the 2020 Year of Kindness and Nonviolent Action also plans to engage the public through other performances and interactive art opportunities such as street painting.

Rhoze said although specifics regarding certain programming may not be completely set, Evanstonians can expect one thing.

“Everyone involved is involved for all the right reasons,” Rhoze said, “the reasons of uniting, igniting and firing up the community to be aware that we can be kinder to one another. We can be the frontline of stemming the violence that happens within our community.” jenniferzhan2022@u.northwestern.edu

Mudlark Theater explores history of desegration in city schools

By EUNICE LEE

the daily northwestern @byeunicelee

In 1976, Evanston’s only all-black school closed its doors. With its new production “Concerning Foster,” Mudlark Theater is bringing its story to life.

The new play, written by Dru Smith and alumna Kenya Ann Hall (Communication ’15), recounts three specific events in Evanston history and explores the case of Foster School, the district’s only all-black school, which closed in 1976. “Concerning Foster” will run from Jan. 24 to Feb. 9 at the Noyes Street Theater in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center.

As part of the research process for the play,

Mudlark collaborated with Shorefront Legacy Center, a historical center that chronicles the black experience on Chicago’s North Shore. The Playwrights also spoke to several former Foster School students, parents and teachers.

“I really loved the interview process because we were going straight to the sources to hear and learn about these stories of history,” Hall said. “By spending time with the actual sources and learning about how this compares to kids’ school experiences today, I know that I am writing something that sounds authentic to their voice.”

The majority black cast combines youth actors from Mudlark and The Art of Evolution, a local theater company and enrichment program for children of color. Mudlark Theater’s artistic director Andrew Biliter said the theater company has

an interest and commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Biliter said he hopes to continue telling stories of Evanston-specific issues in future shows. Since partnering with The Art of Evolution, he’s realized a growing appetite in the Evanston community to discuss issues such as racial identity in Evanston, equity, microaggressions and current events.

“As a white-led theatre organization, we have the lengths to work with different artists of color, but it’s not in any way our story to tell,” Biliter said. “We listen to what people want to hear stories about and we make ourselves a platform for that.”

Biliter added that youth theater companies have a rare opportunity to tell stories that feature young people. He said Mudlark Theater was interested in the challenge of a story in which decisions were

being made for young people -- by forces they can’t know or see.

Bilter said this story of Foster school is “complicated,” and weighing the good of integration against the disruption and pain that can be caused by the way that its executed and who gets to make those decisions is challenging. Biliter hopes that audiences will leave the show reflecting and continuing this conversation about desegregation in Evanston’s history.

“Our goal is to bring life to this history that as an Evanstonian growing up here, I didn’t learn and wasn’t taught,” Biliter said. “This is a story that’s important to a lot of people. They wanted this story to be told and they want it told right.” eunicelee2021@u.northwestern.edu

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 5

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

Sundance film festival to premiere alum’s documentary

By REBECCA AIZIN

the daily northwestern @rebecca_aizin

The moment Ashley Brandon (Communication MFA ‘17) and Dennis Hohne found out their film was submitted for Sundance was one neither will ever forget.

A self-proclaimed nerd, Brandon calculated the exact day she would hear from Sundance. But when the call came, she assumed it was a telemarketer.

When she ran into the next room, Hohne took one look at her face and said, “We either got into Sundance or someone died.” Luckily, it was not the latter.

This weekend, Sundance Film Festival will premiere “Dia de la Madre,” a short documentary by producer Nevo Shinaar (Communication ‘17), director Brandon and co-director Hohne.

Shot in one day, “Dia de la Madre” is a snapshot of the cultural lives of children from South America as they prepare a Mother’s Day mariachi band performance. Since neither director spoke a word of Spanish and had no budget, Brandon she resorted to Google Translate during editing to write English subtitles.

“Even though we had no idea what was being said, we were still out there filming and understanding what was happening,” Brandon said. “It was such

Source: Ashley Brandon

A still from “Dia de la Madre.” The short doc will be making its premiere at Sundance Film Festival

an emotional experience that the story is beyond the barriers of language.”

Hohne said the crew was worried about overwhelming the young mariachi singers with their presence, but found that the children were excited to have their performances filmed and never felt threatened by the cameras. Hohne credits this to the choice to use smaller equipment and cameras that

were less intrusive.

Hohne echoed Brandon’s concerns about the language barrier, but said while he was nervous at first of making the kids uncomfortable, the language ultimately was not as important as the unspoken words.

“It was mainly about the music, so we kept it mainly about the communication of the music,” Hohne said.

Brandon met Shinaar at Northwestern, where both were enrolled in the MFA in Documentary Media program. She said they clicked after working on a few projects together.

Shinaar cited Northwestern as the root of his and Brandon’s success. He said the technical and theoretical skills they acquired while in school taught him how to work with others by compromising and making peace within groups.

“Working with my classmates and professors, I learned it’s okay to be different in the stories I want to tell and this story is definitely different,” Brandon said. “You think of documentaries (as) sad stories. Being there taught me it’s okay to be playful with documentaries and blur the lines of fiction in a tasteful way.”

Hohne said he was in complete disbelief when Brandon told him the good news. It wasn’t until he saw it in writing that they had been accepted that he believed it, since they didn’t know anyone in the industry and had been going solo throughout filming.

Shinaar, however, never doubted the success of his best friends’ work.

“I always believe that every film I work on and every person I work with can reach for the stars,” Shinaar said.

Dia de la Madre certainly has. rebeccaaizin2023@u.northwestern.edu

The Block brings transgender filmmakers to campus

By AARON WANG

the daily northwestern @aaronwangxxx

In 2003, Chicago-based artist Oli Rodriguez began documenting his gender transition with a handheld camera, along with his brother’s struggle with depression and anxiety. The filming took place over six years and accumulated more than four hundred hours of footage.

“Capturing it with a camera was a way to sort through and reckon (with) all the transformations that came in,” said Rodriguez, who began to compile the footage with his friend and mental health social worker Victoria Stob after leaving the tape untouched for five years. “It was almost like a therapeutic way of sheltering myself from an explosion.”

The final result, a 30-minute long documentary titled “LYNDALE,” will screen alongside filmmaker André Pérez’s “A Family Matter,” this Thursday at the Block Museum as part of a film series that presents

a portrait of families across generational and cultural lines. Both directors will be present to discuss their films and their experiences as trans filmmakers in Chicago.

The screening event is co-presented by Block Cinema with the Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities, the Northwestern University Queer Pride Graduate Student Association, the Sexualities Project at Northwestern and the Northwestern University Women’s Center. This event is also part of the Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities Dialogue 2019-2020: Memorializing, which promotes expansive, interdisciplinary discussion and debate.

“LYNDALE” explores the combative relationship between Rodriguez’s brother and his mom, and gradually delves into topics such as childhood adversity, queer identities and mental illness within his household. Rodriguez said he often forgot about the presence of the camera, which resulted in the film’s “disarmingly frank and forthcoming” quality.

Michael Metzger, the Block’s Pick-Laudati curator of media arts, echoed the sentiment. He said the

presence of the camera fostered the love and connection of the family members that played out through the film.

“The camera can be a way of seeing yourself from the outside or of getting some distance, either with yourself or between yourself and the people around you,” Metzger said. “It’s another way of creating intimacy or changing the terms of a relationship. How the members of the family are speaking to one another is pretty remarkable.”

He added that because “LYNDALE” was filmed on handheld cameras in varying formats, it also tells the story of shifting media dynamics and records the digital revolution of the early 2000s.

“They really illustrate the power of the digital camera at a particular moment in time,” Metzger said, “and how the ability to document and preserve the experiences of the people around you and to interact with your family through the camera is really remarkably well-represented in the film.”

The other documentary short that will be featured, “A Family Matter,” is an episode from Pérez’s web

series “America in Transition,” which profiles the experiences of trans people of color. The episode gravitates toward the mother-son dynamics during one subject’s transition, Metzger said. “America in Transition” has produced a four-episode first season, tackling subjects such as religion, military service and immigration in the context of transgender people’s experiences.

Sarah Brown, the program manager at the Women’s Center at Northwestern, said she was excited to bring these stories to the screen, because trans stories are often underrepresented and ignored. She added that it is important to tell the stories of trans people with complexity and nuance, especially when portraying their experiences in relation to family and community.

“We can forget that students have whole lives going on outside campus, whatever their identities might be,” Brown said. “It’s important for us to be reminded that a lot of people are navigating things beyond exams and daily tasks.” xuandiwang2022@u.northwestern.edu

NU groups hold Lunar New Year celebrations on campus

By VIVIAN XIA

the daily northwestern @vivianxia7

Every year, cultural groups on campus gear up and prepare Lunar New Year celebrations so students of Asian backgrounds can gather and celebrate their culture.

The Chinese International Student Association is hosting their annual Spring Festival Celebration on Lunar New Year, Saturday in the Ryan Family Auditorium. It will feature performances from various dance and a capella groups, including Refresh Dance Crew, Fusion Dance Company, K-Dance, Typhoon Dance Troupe and Treblemakers.

The celebration will feature a Chinese xiangsheng, or crosstalk, a traditional form of comedy.

In addition, there will be a raffle where guests have the chance to win items such as a Nintendo Switch Lite or a Fuji Instax camera.

This is the second year CISA is hosting its Spring Festival Celebration, and it plans on opening up the celebration to non-Chinese speakers.

“Last year we only had (a) Chinese host, and we also had speakers come in but they didn’t know (English),” Communication sophomore and CISA president Gabrielle Tsoi said. “So this year, we use both English and Chinese hosts and most of our programs can be understood in English, so all are welcome.”

Tsoi said the Spring Celebration Festival is part of an initiative by CISA to open up more of its events to English speakers.

In addition to CISA’s Spring Festival Celebration, the Chinese Students Association and the Taiwanese American Students Club have collaborated to host their annual Lunar New Year show, Celebrasia, on Feb. 15, at Cahn Auditorium. It will feature performances by Treblemakers, Refresh, Typhoon and K-Dance.

Several professional Asian artists will perform at the show, and the groups will host a meet-and-greet after the event. As of now, only

one performer has been revealed — KoreanCanadian beatboxer and singer KRNFX. There will also be skits performed by members of the committees of Celebrasia centered around the animal of the year — the rat.

“It’s kind of an intermission,” Valerie Fong, Communication sophomore and programming chair of CSA, said. “They’re really cute, they’re really engaging, and they’re usually based on the animal of the year.”

Regarding Celebrasia, Fong said the

celebration unites the community of Evanston with the Northwestern student body.

Although the performers, dates and animals change each year, the show is always centered around the holiday.

“The goals of this show are always the same — to promote and celebrate the Lunar New Year,” Weinberg junior and TASC president Anthony Wang said.

Through Celebrasia, TASC and CSA want to spread awareness of Asian culture on

Northwestern’s campus, Wang said.

Fong said Lunar New Year is an important holiday for people in many Asian cultures. The event unifies them, and allows them to celebrate their similarities and take pride in their customs.

“You see Asian performers up there and it kind of makes you proud to be, you know, Asian,” Fong said. “To be proud of your background and your heritage.” vivianxia2023@u.northwestern.edu

A&E arts & entertainment

Editor Wilson Chapman Assistant Editor Rebecca Aizin Jennifer Zhan Designer Emma Ruck Staff Aaron Wang Eunice Lee Vivian Xia Stephen Council Source: Gabrielle Tsoi

Members of CISA. The student organization will be producing their annual Spring Festival on Jan. 25.

6 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

CITIZENSHIP From page 1

The act also resulted in the government creating a National Register of Citizens (NRC), which would arrest and deport current Muslim residents and stirred ongoing nationwide protests in India.

“It’s hard for me to be so far away from home when all these things are happening,” said Shankar Salwan, a graduate student from Delhi who attended the event.

Salwan attended in search of a politically active community he could join. He said other South Asian students at NU should speak out against the act and that the current situation in India should not be “taken lightly.”

Reflecting on the history of citizenship laws and the legality of the present-day amendment, Ashok said “the right to have rights” was important.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 “The question of who is an Indian citizen is ultimately a reflection of what is India,” Ashok said.

“Which is why many have waged this battle against the CAA in the name of the very soul of the country.”

Ashok said the changes in the law were “unconstitutional and discriminatory” and have little rationale.

She voiced concerns that it would be difficult to differentiate people based on religion, and that doing so would not be true to the act’s stated aim of “protecting persecuted religious minorities.”

“The desire to identify, detain, deport undocumented immigrants [not protected by the act] is manifesting itself in the demand for (a) nationwide register of citizens,” Ashok said.

If the proposed registration was carried out in the same way as the on-going efforts, Ashok said it would be “immoral, unconstitutional and inhumane,” putting pressure on marginalized communities.

Williams emphasized the parallels of Indian

ASG

CARP

Wylie wrote in his statement. At its least-attended meeting, only 17 senators showed up.

Wylie’s opinion was shared by the majority of the attending Senate members at the session, who voted 20-5-1 to pass a sentiment ballot.

While this is not an official decision, the result confirms that the Senate move forward to decrease the seats. Still, ASG is considering cuts as steep as 50 percent. In the upcoming weeks, Wiley will present a written constitutional amendment with an exact number of Senate seats and methods of implementation.

ASG has considered officially cutting the number of Senate seats in the past. Last May, it reached an agreement with the Greek councils to change the proportion of representation, reducing the number of seats from 10 to four, which would have lowered its size from 51 to 45. This agreement, while supported by ASG, has yet to be adopted in the Constitution and will be discussed further upon the new draft of the legislation.

Weinberg sophomore Elizabeth Sperti, the body’s parliamentarian, said shrinking was necessary to create a better-functioning Senate. Sperti, who has been in charge of creating metrics based on weekly attendance in the past year, said she tries to be proactive about chronically-absent members.

Sperti said she noticed that attendance was high toward the end of fall quarter and the beginning of this quarter. Attendance can be dependent on individual members’ tendencies to join executive boards of other student organizations in the spring, she said. Sperti said cutting the seats would make them more competitive, which might lead to better attendance.

“Decreasing the Senate sounds reasonable to me,” Sperti said. “If there’s a problem, this is the solution to try.”

would greatly speed the transition to renewable energy and would really help to keep fossil fuels in the ground,” Winston said.

To draw attention to CCL’s plan on a national level, volunteers are dedicated to gaining more support on the municipal level, and then expand to partner with other cities, such as San Francisco, Philadelphia and Chicago.

“We would like to go to City Council, but we really need the support of the Evanston green community, as many voices as possible,” Winston said. “A city resolution costs nothing, but it could make an enormous impact.”

Another table focused on eliminating waste.

It laid out potential improvements pertaining to single use plastics, universal recycling, food waste and disposable shopping bags. Conversations revolved around composting in schools,

From page 1

From page 1

yunkyokim2022@u.northwestern.edu

MEALS

From page 1 and trending foods, along with meals similar to those Meals on Wheels previously provided.

“It gets me really excited when I get to introduce older adults to foods that they aren’t used to or haven’t tried before, and they say, ‘Wow, I never would have thought of eating that before, but thank you,” he said.

“That’s really satisfying.”

Meals on Wheels is still delivering meals as it awaits renovations and the new kitchen.The Chicago Tribune reported the city has approved its permits, but Genthe said they are waiting for the general contractors to finish working with the city before they begin building.

Volunteer Coordinator Matti Moran said as Meals on Wheels will need more volunteers to support its growth. The application process involves

nationalism and the rise of similar policies and rhetoric in the West. He said the Patriot Act and more recent facial-recognition usage in the United States is an example of such oppressive policies.

He said this type of reasoning resonated in India’s Aadhaar system,a 12-digit identification number issued to Indian citizens and passport-holders that granted them state benefits while tapping into their biometric and demographic data.

Williams also mentioned that institutions of higher education such as Northwestern University and UChicago are often related to such policy changes.

“I am currently teaching in a university that supplies technical expertise, resources and even personnel to the Indian state,” Williams said.

He noted that the heads of certain U.S. universities “regularly meet with and advise” Indian heads of state, and that it is necessary for scholars here to speak out prohibiting restaurants from distributing plastic waste and prioritizing recycling.

“The disposable plastic shopping bag is probably the easiest for us to accomplish in the shortest term,” said Michelle Redfield, a member of a zero waste working group under the Evanston Environment Board. “Probably the one with the highest impact, but also the most controversial, is the universal recycling.”

Currently, only 9 percent of commercial properties in Evanston recycle, and the idea of a universal recycling law has been on the rise. Jensen said he believes the law would not have much of an impact unless someone is hired to enforce it. He said without enforcement, Evanstonians may not take it seriously.

“People think we’re doing better than we are,” he said.

However, Jensen also said, “the city is ready for a variety of these waste policies.” juliarichardson2023@u.northwestern.edu background checks and training.

Moran said volunteers are the “eyes and ears” of the organization.

“We’re more than a meal — that’s part of our mission,” she said. “Many of our volunteers deliver on a weekly basis, so they get to know the clients pretty well. A lot of times they just update us on certain things. It’s a way of making sure our clients are okay.”

Moran said they are testing software called ServTracker that will allow volunteers to track if a meal is delivered, and if not, why. Installed on iPads that drivers can bring along the route, the program also lets them alert leadership if there is a problem with a client.

Genthe said in the past, volunteers have helped clients who needed 911 calls or let Meals on Wheels know if something didn’t seem right.

“Many times the volunteer will be the only person who will see a client the whole day,” Moran said.

“Those relationships are very meaningful to us and

against the “exporting” of such models and policies.

“We want to express not only solidarity with the protestors,” Williams said.”We want more to instrumentally stop those networks of patronage and stop the discursive support that prop up the current regime.”

Raina Bhagat, a member of South Asian Solidarity NU said she was excited by the turnout and prospect of future discussions.

The group is planning on organizing protestors to join a protest under the banner “Coalition to Stop Genocide” in Chicago on Jan. 26th, India’s Republic Day. “Before you even take a political stance on something, you need to know what these laws are, how they’re affecting people,” she said. “That being our goal, I think we were definitely able to achieve that tonight.” anushuya@u.northwestern.edu

Daily file photo by Katie Pach

Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center. The City of Evanston Office of Sustainability held its second Climate Action and Resilience Plan coordination meeting Wednesday.

to our volunteers.”

As the transition approaches, Meals on Wheels also continues to raise funds. Development Director Claress Pettengill said Meals on Wheels has raised about $450,000 of the $500,000 it set as its goal last July.

Meals on Wheels wants to raise beyond the $50,000 remaining to cover peripheral expenses, make the space “cutting edge,” and create long-term sustainability, Pettengill said.

Pettengill said Meals on Wheels is on the threshold of something “really huge” with the new kitchen’s construction.

“We are making sure that we have our mission and our program reach to the whole communities, so that they are aware we are here,” Pettengill said, “that we are creating and impact, that we are transforming lives every day.” mollylubbers2023@u.northwestern.edu

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DAILY CROSSWORD Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

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ACROSS 1 Spunky 8 Longest-serving Japanese prime minister 11 Ave. crossers 14 Steel foundry input 15 Tractionimproving 17 “Try some!”

18 Lamaze class attendee 19 Expectant time 20 One of the family 22 About 24% of the U.S. Congress 23 Stations 26 Place for choppers 29 Not quite right 30 Oodles 31 Broadway song that begins, “The most beautiful sound I ever heard” 33 Brief encounter 34 Flag thrower 37 Co-tsar with Peter I 38 Saucepan cover 39 Missile Command game company 41 Place to stay 42 Newcastle Brown __ 43 Starts bubbling, maybe 44 Fleecy one 45 Loafs 47 Strong suit 48 Lost, as a big lead 49 Way back when 50 Rum drink 54 Competition that includes snowboarding 57 Pianist Rubinstein 58 California’s __ Gabriel Mountains 60 Egg cells 61 Like the most busy busybody 64 Mid-Michigan city 67 Uganda’s capital 68 Accessory for an Aquaman costume 69 Before, in poems 70 Coffee hour sight

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71 “Sounds right to me” DOWN 1 Positioned 2 Really want 3 New Year’s Day event in Pasadena 4 Tiny toiler 5 Name in eerie fiction 6 Proper to a fault 7 Himalayan legend 8 “Furthermore ... ” 9 Fluffy wrap 10 Finish impressively 11 Sportscast technique 12 River near Vatican City 13 Exhausted 16 “Hold it!”

21 Lamb Chop puppeteer 24 Short, in a way 25 It helps you go places 27 Gives the slip 28 Part of LAPD 31 Pedometer unit 32 Swear 33 Sport coat

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34 Get support, in a way ... and what the puzzle circles do 35 Writer Gardner 36 Rock that, oddly, loses to paper 40 Puccini opera 46 Boxer Laila 49 Ventura County city 50 German word of gratitude 51 Wildly cheering

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52 Knocker’s words 53 Zinger 55 Chris of “Captain America” 56 Handled 59 Wine made from Muscat grapes 62 Camera type, for short 63 You basked for it 65 USO show audience 66 Wyo. neighbor

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 7

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

Freshmen lead NU to win over Iowa after loss

By PATRICK ANDRES

the daily northwestern @pandres2001

They may be from different parts of the globe — one from Parma, Italy and the other from Vasteras, Sweden — but freshmen Federico Burdisso and Hannah Brunzell have made themselves right at home in Evanston, Illinois.

The proof was in their weekend performances, which helped Northwestern rally from a pair of blowout losses to Notre Dame on Friday evening to stymie Iowa the next afternoon in two dominant wins. Both Burdisso and Brunzell were awarded the honor of Big Ten Freshman of the Week for their efforts.

In the Wildcats’ first Friday dual meet since a November sweep of Oakland, the Fighting Irish jumped all over both NU squads, defeating the men 151-92 and the women 169-74 — easily the worst losses of the season for both teams in dual play.

“The Notre Dame Friday night meet, that was

just rough all around,” coach Jeremy Kipp said. “We were very mediocre, and they were a very good team that night.”

The Irish won all but five of the 26 events on the docket between both the men’s and women’s teams in South Bend. The Cats captured gold medals in the

Alison Albelda/The Daily Northwestern

A Northwestern swimmer does the freestyle. The Wildcats had mixed results in two meets last weekend.

women’s 400-yard medley (swam by junior Calypso Sheridan, Brunzell, sophomore Miriam Guevara and senior Malorie Han), the men’s 200-yard butterfly (Burdisso), the men’s 200-yard backstroke (sophomore Manuel Martos Bacarizo), the men’s 1-meter dive (sophomore Yohan Eskrick-Parkinson), and the women’s 200-yard breaststroke (Brunzell).

Despite the lopsided scores, Kipp viewed the Notre Dame meet as a valuable learning moment for both of his teams. “(The women) were kind of embarrassed with how they did Friday night, and they did not want to end the weekend that way,” he said. “They did a good job of coming together and putting that one behind them. “(The men), they’ve been in some really close meets and haven’t been coming out on top. I was proud of them for the way they stepped up and really competed on Saturday.”

Saturday saw NU bring home 23 of 32 events against the Hawkeyes; the men picked up a 157-143 victory while the women won 199-101.

Burdisso continued his stellar swimming with

three wins, capturing the 100-yard butterfly and setting a school record in the 200-yard butterfly (1:44.14) in addition to victories in the 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay. Brunzell was strong as well, winning both the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke races before closing with a 200-yard individual medley victory.

But as tantalizing of a window into the future the Iowa meet offered, it was Senior Day for the Cats, and Class of 2020 left their fingerprints all over the afternoon’s proceedings. Nicole Aarts got NU off to a strong start in its 200-yard medley relay win, and Han won the 100-yard freestyle by 0.01 seconds before going on to anchor a 400-yard freestyle relay team that also featured senior Krystal Lara. “(The seniors) have had a tremendous impact on me,” Kipp said, reflecting on the six departing seniors, all of whom are women. “They’ve bought into what we’re trying to do here as a staff and as a team… I’m excited for their future, and I know they’ll do great things.” patrickandres2023@u.northwestern.edu

Spektral Quartet talks Grammys, “Franm D’Ayiti”

By WILSON CHAPMAN

daily senior staffer @wilsonchapman6

This is the third and final installment in a series of profiles of Northwestern alumni nominated at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

When Doyle Armbrust (Master’s Bienen ‘00) learned he was nominated for a Grammy Award this year, the first thought that crossed his mind was “finally, I get to see Lizzo perform live.”

Armbrust is a violist in Spektral Quartet, a Chicago-based string quartet that has been active since 2009. The group plays a variety of work, from classics to original work commissioned by other artists. The group received a Grammy nomination this year in the category of best world music album for “Fanm d’Ayiti,” which they worked on with Haitain-American artist Nathalie Joachim. This is the fourth nomination the group has received, following nominations in 2017

and two nominations in 2019, one for the separate Latin Grammy Awards.

“It’s certainly nice to be recognized when you play sort of a fringe type of music that’s not that popular,” Armbrurst said. “The best thing about it is that it makes a wider group of people aware of what it is that we’re doing. More so than flying out to L.A and going on the red carpet, which is a lot of fun. Really, it’s a chance to reach a wider audience. And getting to see an artist like Lizzo, who I’m totally enamored with, totally makes the trip worthwhile.”

Rolen said the albums the group have been nominated for have varied widely in genre and tone, benefitting the diverse nature of the group’s range.

Their first nominated album, “Serious Business” in 2017, was a collection of string quartet songs that each had an element of humor, poking fun at the self-serious reputation of classical music. Last year, the Quartet was nominated at the Grammys and the Latin Grammys for their featured role on acclaimed Puerto Rican musician Miguel Zenón’s album “Yo Soy La Tradición.” Rolen described the collaboration

as a rewarding experiment for the group, who were stretched outside their comfort zone working in the Puerto Rican Latin jazz tradition.

For “Fanm d’Ayiti,” Spektral again collaborated with a solo artist who wrote an entire suite of music, Nathalie Joachim. The album, titled Haitian for “Women of Haiti,” blends Haitian folk with classical string quartet with electronic beats. According to Armbrust, the album is very personal for Joachim, who was inspired to write it by the death of her grandmother, who was an important influence on her decision to pursue music. Rolen said, in the creation of “Fanm d’Ayiti” and the other albums the group records with outside composers, their primary goal is to support and fulfill the artistic vision of their collaborators.

“It’s always fun and interesting to follow a composer to get where they want to go, and to put ourselves in the service of that,” Rolen said. “(Nathalie) sort of defines our role in the piece, and we are happy to lend our expertise and to be excited and enriched by what she brought to the project.”

Feinberg said they think Spektral is a unique group

due to its willingness to explore genres and multimedia elements, and stretch the limitations of what quartet music can be. Although classical music can be alienating to people who weren’t “groomed into it,” Feinberg said the experimentation of Spektral allows the group to appeal to new audiences who lack that formal training.

“It’s very genuine to our character and our personality as a group,” they said. “We take the music very seriously, and we hold ourselves to a high standard, but I think we’re very irreverent people, and we like creating concert scenarios that aren’t this stiff formal, ‘you walk in, sit down, people bow and you clap’ We’re trying to create experiences that are more communal.” wilsonchapman2021@u. northwestern.edu

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SPORTS

ON DECK JAN.

26

ON THE RECORD

A lot of good things are obviously happening for this program right now. Back in the top 25, it’s good for our program.

— coach Joe McKeown

Men’s Basketball Ohio State vs. NU, 5:30 p.m. Sunday

@DailyNU_Sports

Thursday, January 23, 2020

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Northwestern building momentum in Big Ten play

By DREW SCHOTT

the daily northwestern @dschott328

Not that long ago, there weren’t many people who believed in Northwestern.

On Oct. 21, the 14 women’s basketball coaches of the Big Ten and a select group of media members released their preseason conference rankings and predictions for the All-Big Ten Team. Despite junior guard Lindsey Pulliam appearing on the All-Big Ten ballot for both the coaches and the media, the Wildcats were not selected as one of the top five conference teams by either poll.

Three months later, No. 22 NU looks like the best team in the conference.

Currently on a four-game win streak, the Cats (16-2, 6-1 Big Ten) have already upset No. 12 Maryland and No. 15 Indiana. NU is tied with No. 19 Iowa — a team it lost to by 26 in early January — at the top of the Big Ten for the second week in a row.

This week, the Cats play three conference games, including a rematch against the Terrapins, who are currently ranked No. 20. But first, NU will face Michigan State (11-7, 4-3) on Thursday and try to reach six straight road wins for the first time in more than two decades.

Going into East Lansing, coach Joe McKeown said that the Cats can’t take their foot off the gas.

“Our league is crazy — one through fourteen,” McKeown said. “I don’t really get caught up on that and I don’t want our team to get caught up. (They) just have to stay grounded, stay humble.”

NU and Michigan State are both going into the matchup with a lot of momentum.

The Cats are a week removed from upsetting a Top 15 team in the Hoosiers and

No. 22 Northwestern at Michigan State East Lansing, Michigan 5:30 p.m. Thursday

beating Penn State by 26 points on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Spartans upset Rutgers — a team that was tied with the Cats and Hawkeyes at the top of the Big Ten standings last week— by 11 points on Monday.

Currently tied for third in the conference, Michigan State boasts a strong offense that averages 73 points a game and is led by sophomore guard Nia Clouden.

Clouden, the Big Ten’s eighth-leading scorer, averages 15.4 points a game and has the Big Ten’s third-highest free throw percentage at 80.9%.

But NU fields the Big Ten’s second-best scoring defense, only giving up 54.4 points per game.

“Our key emphasis was ball pressure,” sophomore guard Jordan Hamilton said.

“We just… make them frazzled. Once we saw that they were starting to fold, we just kept on applying (pressure) and that eventually led to a win.”

But in this game, Michigan State has one thing that NU doesn’t: home-court advantage. The Spartans are undefeated at the Breslin Center this season, and last year the squad upset No. 3 Oregon, No. 16 Iowa and No. 18 Minnesota on their home floor.

Despite their recent success, sophomore guard Veronica Burton said the team isn’t looking at itself any differently.

“We all just know we’re the underdogs,” sophomore guard Veronica Burton said.

“That just really pushes us and we’re all just motivated. We just really trust each other and… play for each other. We’re really resilient.” drewschott2023@u.northwestern.edu

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Cats’ singles struggles in Miami Invitational

By GRAYSON WELO

the daily northwestern @graysonwelo

Northwestern women’s tennis traded in cold weather for sunshine this weekend as it kicked off its 2020 season at the Miami Invite in Coral Gables, Fla. The Cats competed in three days of singles and doubles matches against Miami, Oklahoma and Vanderbilt.

NU showed mixed results over the course of the tournament, and ultimately fell to all three opponents.

Although this weekend’s results did not favor the Cats, coach Claire Pollard believes the playing experience was worthwhile to the team.

“We are young, and we are not playing with a ton of experience of being in the heat of the battle,” she said. “Even though our results were disappointing, we are close, and we just got to work hard enough from the top of our heads, down to our shoulders.”

NU finished with underwhelming singles results — six wins in 16 matches over the weekend. However, freshman Briana Crowley led the team and won two of her three singles matches.

Crowley beat Miami freshman Nada Dimovska, 7-6 (7-2) 6-3, after clinching the first set in a tie-breaker and later won against Oklahoma sophomore Ivana Corley in similar tie-breaker fashion 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).

Crowley was the only member of the Cats to win more than one singles match during the invitational.

“In the offseason, I’ve been working on staying aggressive and competing really hard,” Crowley said. “I think that was a big thing that helped in my

singles and progressed throughout my matches in the tournament.”

NU found more success in doubles with an overall record of 7-5. Pollard tested nine different doubles pairings throughout the tournament. Sophomore Vanessa Streng won all three of her doubles matches, despite playing with a different partner in each. The coaching staff is using this time to experiment and find the best combinations before the start of the Big Ten season.

“We are quite an emotional team and I think that showed. And maturity will gain as the season goes on,” Pollard said. “They care at such a deeper level to win that they put so much stress on their shoulders, and one another.”

Senior Julie Byrne agreed that mental game is important, especially when playing in Miami where the temperatures are hotter and the outdoor court conditions are slower, causing the game style to change.

Moving forward, Pollard believes the Cats can accomplish a lot this season. The Miami Invite was the first of several occasions where the Cats compete before the start of the Big Ten season in late February. After finishing fifth last year in the Big Ten and losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, NU plans to put themselves back on top.

“We are always a championshipdriven team,” Pollard said. “I can’t tell you that we are there yet, but that is what we are striving for year in and year out, and we are just a team that is trying to get the most out of ourselves.” graysonwelo2023@u.northwestern.edu

NU’s winding road to a top 25 bid To say Northwestern women’s basketball had a good week would be like saying Adele has a great voice — it’s stating the obvious.

An overtime victory over one of the Big Ten’s best in then-No. 15 Indiana at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall highlighted a 2-0 week on the court for the Wildcats, while TikTok propelled the team to social media acclaim and senior Abi Scheid learned the team’s first Big Ten Player of the Week honors since 2016. To cap it all off, NU — after what felt like weeks of waiting — found itself with a No. 22 ranking next to its name.

“A lot of good things are obviously happening for this program right now,” an even-keeled Joe McKeown said at Tuesday’s media availability. “Back in the top 25, it’s good for our program.”

So much of sports is routine: a batter grazing the edges of home plate with his bat, the coordinated dance of a kicker lining up for a field goal, the “clank, clank” of a goalie thumping the posts before a faceoff. And for over a month, the Monday morning routine for most Cats fans featured a steaming cup of joe, scrolling through social media and indignation that the women’s basketball team was not ranked.

For much of the 2019-20 season, NU has looked like one of the best teams in the Big Ten, if not the country. It started just a few weeks into the season when the Cats picked up nonconference wins at Marquette and at Duke. Those two wins put the Wildcats on the national radar. In the AP Poll released the day after the Duke victory, NU received

a single vote thanks to The NewsGazette’s Scott Richey, who put the Cats at No. 25 in his poll.

As the Cats continued to accumulate wins as November continued, the recognition didn’t exactly come along with it. They picked up another vote the following week and then earned three votes the week after that, but a two-point loss to DePaul and an unconvincing victory over middling Boston College pushed the Cats out of the periphery for two weeks.

Success at the West Palm Invitational returned NU to the receiving votes column, and about 10 days later, it seemed the Cats had their marquee victory to catapult them into the rankings. On New Year’s Eve, NU sent off the first fireworks of the day with its 81-58 shellacking of then-No. 12 Maryland, a team projected by some to make the Final Four at the beginning of the season. But a loss to Iowa the day before the release of the polls sentenced the Cats to another week of living life on the outside looking in.

Two wins over Minnesota and Purdue felt like enough to put NU in the poll for the first time since Jan. 24, 2016, but instead the Cats finished once again on the outside, this time with a then-season high 23 votes. They were knocking and knocking on the door, but no one was opening, for some inexplicable reason.

Its wins over the Hoosiers and Penn State last week felt like the equivalent of NU kicking the door in and standing right in the middle of the doorway until it was asked Monday to come inside.

With a No. 17 ranking in the RPI, multiple high-profile dubyas, an undefeated

road record and its only two losses coming to the No. 6 and No. 13 in the RPI, it was an overdue invitation.

Yet, the experts are still split on the Cats.

Some feature them in the top 20 — like azcentral’s Jeff Metcalfe and the Louisville Courier-Journal’s Hayes Gardner, both of whom place NU at No. 16. Others, like Basketball Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo, left the Cats out of their top 25.

It’s been a long road to the top 25 for the Cats, and clearly their spot is far from secure. They still have 11 games remaining in the regular season, including a potential revenge game for the No. 20 Terrapins in College Park, Maryland on Sunday. Plus, the Big Ten is the deepest conference in the country.

At this point, the Cats shouldn’t care about the polls. They’ve accomplished that goal, and this team can do a lot more this year than just be ranked. A conference regular season title is in play, as well as a Big Ten tournament title and success in the NCAA Tournament.

Sure, it will be cool to continue to see a ranking besides “NU” on television broadcasts and in the written word. But this team is good enough to strive and hope for more.

Peter Warren is a Medill junior. He can be contacted at peterwarren2021@u. northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to sports@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.