The Daily Northwestern - April 15th, 2024

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New Vertigo production portrays high school life

Hear the sounds of Tonik Tap’s “Timeless” spring show

To open Arab Heritage Month, MENA Students Association hosted Weinberg junior Ritaj Abdulquani for a henna

Students re ect on Arab heritage MENA Student Association to host cultural events througout April

By KAAVYA BUTANEY daily senior staffer @kaavya_butaney

When she was eight years old, Medill junior Daniella Karras immigrated from Egypt, her home country, to the United States. In California, she found connections and community within her church. But, when she came to Northwestern, she said her home away from home became the Middle Eastern North African Student Association. Karras, now MENA Student Association’s co-president, is not the only one who feels this way. When Weinberg sophomore and MENA Student Association co-president Lucas Kritz transferred to NU, he said

NU to renovate Deering Library

the organization welcomed him with open arms and bonded him with his culture.

“Arab Heritage Month is a month where we show our presence on campus, and we get to

8 SPORTS/Baseball Baseball takes rst Big Ten series since 2023

Activists urge climate equity

Environmental justice series has its inaugural event

By HANNAH WEBSTER the daily northwestern @hannahe_webster

The Evanston Environmental Justice Conversation Series hosted keynote speaker Cheryl Johnson, executive director of People for Community Recovery, and a panel of environmental activists Saturday for its inaugural event at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Center.

Conversations centered around the disproportionate effects of climate change on marginalized communities and measures activists have taken to address these issues.

“The environment is us,” Johnson said. “Either we’re going to get it right, or we’re going to continue to do it wrong, and we’re going to experience some of the devastation that comes along with it.”

The Evanston Environmental Justice Conversation Series is a biannual series created by The Center for the Church and the Black Experience and the Stead Center for Ethics

and Values at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in collaboration with the Evanston/North Shore NAACP.

According to the event’s website, the series serves to foster “rich conversations between community members, environmental justice advocates and civic, religious and academic leaders.”

In her address, Johnson reflected on the work People for Community Recovery — a Chicago-centered environmental nonprofit founded by her mother in 1979 — has accomplished to combat discriminatory environmental issues over four decades.

She said she grew up in a “toxic doughnut” between landfills, leaking underground storage tanks and hazardous operation facilities, which motivated much of her mother’s initial work. Johnson said the organization was responsible for several environmental health reforms, including removing lead and asbestos from public housing in the South Side of Chicago.

“The only way to improve the quality of life — in not just my neighborhood, but for every neighborhood — is that we unite and come together,”

Evanston Made hosts art workshop

Community invited to create communal projects, nd their inner artist

By BEATRICE VILLAFLOR daily senior staffer @beatricedvilla

Northwestern will close Deering Library for the first time in over a decade during the 2024-2025 school year to undergo renovations, the University announced Thursday. The renovation will focus on the Martin Reading Room, the third floor lobby and Room 208. It will feature restored woodwork, furnishings and flooring. They will also introduce an elevator to the space.

Construction will begin after this year’s commencement and is expected to conclude in September 2025. According to the news release, funds for the renovation come from philanthropic gifts.

Construction will remove non-original shelving from

Construction to begin this summer, last through 2025 »

the Martin Reading Room to create more seating opportunities. Deputy University Librarian D.J. Hoek said the plan is to restore the layout of the room to its original state. Hoek added that maintaining Deering’s history is an integral part of the renovation. In Room 208, fluorescent lighting will be removed. Plans include bringing new technology into the room, offering it more flexibility as an event and gathering space.

“We really see 208 as a key part of the renovation, because in its renovated form we hope (it) really becomes a very active center of activity, not only for the library, but for the whole university,” Hoek said.

Lastly, Hoek said, NU will add digital screens to the third floor lobby to provide context on current exhibits on display.

Plans for the renovation were approved in Spring 2022, according to Hoek.

By AVIVA BECHKY daily senior staffer @avivabechky

On Saturday afternoon, children and adults alike crouched along 25-feet-long pieces of blank paper on the floor at the Robert Crown Community Center. They drew circles and filled them in with colorful paint before adding petals, stems and leaves. Soon, a cheery, whimsical design emerged.

The event was Evanston Paints, a workshop hosted by the local arts group Evanston Made to encourage people of all ages to get creative with a communal project. Over the course of Saturday afternoon, about 70 people painted six strips of paper, each one bright with spirals, flowers and dots. Evanston Made plans to hold a similar workshop again in May and then display the works of art at the Evanston Art Center starting June 1.

Kathe Stoepel, a member of Evanston Made, suggested holding the event, inspired by the communal art project Ideal Exhibition with Hervé

Tullet. Years ago, she did a similar event in Lake Forest, Illinois, and wanted to bring something similar to the Evanston community, she said.

“Kids’ art is great — I just like how they’re uninhibited,” Stoepel said. “We’re also making the point that everybody’s an artist. So, anybody that wants to come and draw can do it.”

Evanston Made member Sholo Beverly directed the workshop. She guided everyone through the activity step by step, instructing people to start with circles, switch places along the paper and add decorative flourishes.

Both she and Evanston Made artist Liz Brent said they were excited to see how everyone turned Beverly’s instructions into pieces of art.

“This is a very loose and free art experience where everybody’s working on circles and lines,” Brent said. “So, it’ll be interesting to see how people create their own.”

For Delphine Declerck, who turns 7 this week, adding her own flourishes meant painting green squiggles and purple raindrops. She said her favorite part was turning her drawings into flowers.

Delphine’s mother, Evanston resident Ke Gong, said she found it meaningful to create a work of art with so many other people. The event, she said, was definitely up her family’s alley.

“(Delphine) loves to draw,” Gong said. “We both draw at home, so I figured it’d be a fun mother-daughter bonding experience.”

Elsewhere, Brian Bowen and Caroline Kerns brought

Kaavya Butaney/Daily Senior Sta er

workshop Thursday.

LENS hosts quarterly Los Años Dorados event

By MISHA OBEROI the daily northwestern

Nine years a er Latinos en Evanston North Shore President Mercedes Fernández’s father died, she started “Los Años Dorados,” or “ e Golden Years,” as a tribute to him.

“He was the best father I could ever dream of in the whole life … when I was working here, struggling with my three children with one income, my dad was there for them,” said Fernández, who also co-founded LENS.

Fernández said her father helped around the household and taught his grandkids to take pride in their culture. But because he was undocumented, he could not work a job, she said.

He o en struggled to interact with people due to language barriers, Fernández added.

Fernández said e Golden Years aims to foster community among Latine seniors living in the North Shore.

e event is also meant to educate the community about issues that may be relevant to them and includes speakers from di erent organizations. e program takes place entirely in Spanish, the second most commonly spoken language in the city.

e Golden Years took place at YWCA Evanston/North Shore from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. More than 30 people were in a endance. e organization began holding the events in 2022, and outreach for participation is mostly by word of mouth.

LENS Vice President Fabiola Zdrubecky said she called several of the participants herself to invite them.

Small plastics bill 2960 passes in state Senate, advances to the House

is quarter’s event included information about wills and healthcare, according to Zdrubecky. Financial coach Enrique Juarez from Catholic Financial Life discussed the nancial implications regarding the event’s general theme at the event.

“In Evanston (and the) surrounding suburbs,

The Senate passed bill 2960, sponsored by State Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview), to end the use of small, single-use plastic bottles in Illinois hotels on Wednesday.

e Small Single-Use Plastic Bo le Act requires hotels with at least 50 rooms to discontinue use of small, single-use plastic bo les of personal care products in rooms and public bathrooms.

The policy will take effect beginning July 1, 2025. Hotels are expected to complete the transition by 2026.

they don’t have activities for Latino seniors in Spanish,” Zdrubecky said. “We are trying to just ll that gap.”

Other activities included bingo, Mexican lo ery, singing, chicken-dancing and more.

Fernández sang a rendition of “Todo Cambia” by late Argentine singer Mercedes Sosa. e song’s

title translates to “Everything Changes.”

Currently, the events are free to a end. To fund the food and games, the group relies on donations from the community, Zdrubecky said.

She added that she feels Evanston doesn’t do enough for Latine seniors. When LENS asked the city to allow them to use Levy Senior Center for their events for free, the city refused.

“ ere’s zero services for seniors in Evanston,” Zdrubecky said.

Cook County resident Isabel Velez, a frequent event volunteer and a endee, said she enjoys helping LENS out whenever she can.

Velez said her favorite part about the event is the music and the information provided.

“(Juarez) gave us information about di erent things like the wills, and sometimes people don’t know about this stu ,” Velez said.

LENS also honors the lives of community members who have passed away recently at the events. On Saturday, organizers spoke in remembrance of a woman who passed away in February.

Velez said she learned about the importance of appreciating life for what it is.

“Your life is not secure in the way that you can say, ‘Oh, tomorrow, I’m going to do this, or next month, I’m going to do this,’” she said. “Life is not like that, so appreciate what we do at the moment.”

LENS also hosts an annual Book Readers Club. At the club, LENS volunteers teach Latine members English grammar and vocabulary for free. e group is planning to start the next batch of the club in the next few months.

mishaoberoi2027@u.northwestern.edu

“Personal products available in plastic bottles are common in hotels and pose immediate risk to our environment once they are thrown away,” Fine said in an April 10 press release. “This bill puts our state on the path to being part of a solution by reducing plastic pollution.”

Fine added that the legislation has the potential to “drastically reduce” plastic waste in Illinois.

e bill will proceed to the House for discussion.

Misha Oberoi

Last year, Fine helped pass a bill requiring state agencies to track single-use plastic foodware purchases and work to reduce them. “We need to take the steps that we can now to prevent our state from adding to the rise in plastic pollution nationwide and help people to be more mindful of the daily waste attributed to single-use plastic,” Fine said.

Misha Oberoi/The Daily Northwestern

Over 30 people were in attendance at “The Golden Years,” held quarterly by Latinos en Evanston North Shore at YWCA Evanston/North Shore.

International Wildcat Welcome rebrands

By JOYCE LI daily senior staffer @joyycee_li

Starting in September, International Student Orientation will go by a different name: International Wildcat Welcome.

The program’s student executive board members said they are optimistic the rebrand will bridge the gap between the international student orientation experience with that of domestic students.

SESP sophomore Sarah Norman said she and other International Wildcat Welcome executive board members were initially skeptical about the change because there wasn’t a strong relationship between Wildcat Welcome and ISO in the past.

“Some greater clarity has definitely come to light as to why that rebranding has taken place,” Norman said. “We’re hoping that the more that we brand it as one big event, the resources, attention and acknowledgement that Wildcat Welcome gets will also come to this international experience.”

International students arrive on campus a few days before Wildcat Welcome every September for orientation programming that helps them navigate immigration requirements, set up phone and bank accounts, and meet other international students.

Students involved in the program have criticized the University for providing ISO with fewer resources and assistance than Wildcat Welcome.

In previous years, international students have had to pay a $50-per-night early move-in fee for the duration of ISO — one that students on financial aid said they couldn’t waive. During the program’s annual trip to Chicago, students were also required to pay for their own meals and commute, according to Norman.

These barriers made ISO, a mandatory program for students on F-1 visas, feel like an afterthought to Wildcat Welcome, students said.

“The community is fantastic and they’re amazing,” Norman said. “It’s just that (International Wildcat Welcome) is organized solely by students … it doesn’t have all this fancy programming and speakers and the merch.”

One of the biggest challenges the program has

faced is a lack of funding. International Wildcat Welcome is managed and funded by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services.

OISS — designated as a primarily academic office — is responsible for supporting international students throughout the year, leaving it with a smaller budget to allocate to orientation programming, International Wildcat Welcome team members said. Wildcat Welcome, on the other hand, is organized by the Office of Student Transition Experiences, a department dedicated solely to orientation services.

Bienen and Weinberg junior Dami Akanni, an International Wildcat Welcome executive board member, said he hopes the rebrand draws more attention to the disparity between the two orientation experiences and paves the way for improvements.

“If they see that the branding of (International Wildcat Welcome) is also in the same likeness as Wildcat Welcome, but the quality isn’t on par, that could lead to some raised eyebrows,” Akanni said. Deborah Cohen, the executive director of the Buffett Institute for Global Affairs, said the institute has been collaborating with the International Wildcat Welcome team to plan this year’s orientation

programming.

Cohen said the rebrand intends to ensure closer collaboration between the teams behind Wildcat Welcome and International Wildcat Welcome, allowing for a more seamless transition between the two programs for international students.

“The change is to eliminate repetition, so students who have heard some of this information in International Wildcat Welcome won’t hear it a second time,” Cohen said. “And it’s to make clear that this is all part of one thing.”

The Buffett Institute — the umbrella organization that includes OISS — has expressed a willingness to make the program more accessible for low-income students, according to Communication junior and International Wildcat Welcome executive board member Juan Barrera Lopez.

“That means paying for housing, movers, helping with transportation and meals,” Barrera Lopez said. “Nothing is 100% secure, but it’s very evident that the leadership team in the Buffett Institute is looking to help us.”

joyceli2025@u.northwestern.edu

Evanston artist paints to bring awareness to the city

By ELENA SCOTT the daily northwestern @elenamarielll

Daniel Burnett, an Evanston artist whose work fills various coffee shop walls, draws inspiration from everything from Pablo Neruda to stories of acid trips.

His unique style of bright colors is easily recognizable to many residents, and his work adorns the walls of The Brothers K Coffeehouse, Reprise Coffee Roasters and, soon, the bar Bitter Blossom. Burnett derives inspiration from his life experiences as he attempts to speak to residents, he said.

“My artwork comes from a place where I felt like I was really struggling and didn’t have anything else in life,” Burnett said. “I felt like art was able to help me through tough times, and if my art can do the same for anyone else — even just one person — then the entire thing is worth it to me.”

Growing up, he said he felt there was greater

community support for marginalized groups at that time. He added that public support for people without homes has dwindled in recent years.

Burnett said art can be used as a medium to connect with underserved communities in Evanston, adding that the theme of homelessness is often present in his murals.

The theme also serves as a personal connection to Burnett, as his father struggled with homelessness, he said.

“Growing up when your dad is somebody on the street, it really recontextualizes the way that you see those populations,” Burnett said.

Apart from his murals, Burnett is alleged to have crafted multiple graffiti paintings around the city.

He was arrested in December 2023 on felony charges for alleged graffiti tagging after surveillance footage captured someone who appeared to be Burnett marking an electrical box. He is currently working to get the charges dismissed.

Burnett said graffiti as an art form often is not given due credit. He highlighted Lee Krasner, Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning as influential figures in graffiti’s artistic history.

“Why is it denied being a formal art form?

What it really comes down to is the same old story of small-minded suburbia,” Burnett said. “Where the problem lies is that the general population completely misunderstands it.”

He said graffiti has problematic elements, but he does not think that should completely invalidate its artistic nature.

Local photographer Diana Sanabria said she is often drawn to art around Evanston, especially graffiti.

Sanabria’s attention to detail often causes them to photograph and appreciate art that most people pass daily, she said. They have taken photographs of a number of works believed to be Burnett’s.

“There are some graffiti pieces that are really impressive that I feel deserve a spot out there in the world,” Sanabira said. “I feel like people

decorate the world with their graffiti or their street art.”

Weinberg sophomore Erin Poe, a member of the Northwestern Art Review, said she sees a large value in appreciating Evanston’s local art scene.

Through Northwestern Art Review, Poe said she has gotten the chance to dive deeper into the city’s art scene.

“There’s so many cool local artists that we can shed more light on,” Poe said. “Focusing on smaller galleries and local artists can give so much more community to Evanston.”

Burnett said he hopes to continue to pursue art full time, but he has a hard time saying no to painting for free.

Burnett hopes he can continue to offer his art and perspective to the community.

“There’s maybe something missing here, and I feel like I could be a resource to the city for some of the voids I see,” he said.

elenascott2026@u.northwestern.edu

Asian Pop-Up Cinema screens film ‘Shankar’s Fairies’

By MISHA OBEROI the daily northwestern

Shot over a 35-day span, “Shankar’s Fairies,” directed by Irfana Majumdar and written by her mother Nita Kumar, is a bittersweet, unembellished glimpse into Kumar’s childhood in 1960s Lucknow, India.

The 2021 film was screened Wednesday as part of the Asian Pop-Up Cinema at The Block Museum series.

The inaugural initiative is the brainchild of Northwestern’s Department of Asian Languages and Cultures and Asian Pop-Up Cinema, a Chicago film festival aiming to foster appreciation for Asian culture through cinema. The series included screenings of four films from South Korea, Japan, India and China on April 3, 4, 10 and 11, respectively.

Asian Pop-up Cinema founder and Executive Director Sophia Wong Boccio said she originally watched “Shankar’s Fairies” when it was chosen for the 57th edition of the Chicago International Film Festival in 2021.

“It’s such a personal movie, too, because it’s three generations of people involved with this: mom’s memory, her memory growing up in the house and also the house itself — it’s like a cast,” Wong Boccio said. Based on true events from Kumar’s childhood, the film depicts a tender relationship between Anjana, a girl growing up in an upper-middle-class household, and Shankar, a personal servant of the family.

Although Anjana and Shankar’s warm friendship frequently lights up the screen, the film is often a commentary on the silent hierarchical relationships in the household — either within the family or within the

larger class system that haunts post-colonial India, said Majumdar.

“I think that the hierarchical nature of the household is one of the main reasons why (my mother) wanted to tell the story,” Majumdar said in a Q&A after the screening.

She added that it was important to work with her family to bring this story to life.

Majumdar’s husband Gaurav Saini had many roles in the film’s production, including as an actor and associate director.

Majumdar also acted in the film.

“We had a lot of arguments, as you can imagine, but I have always believed that one should do those really hard things with the people who are closest to you,” she said.

Wilmette resident and producer Kayenn CocoMay said he was walking past The Block Museum when he saw an Indian film playing and decided to check it out.

CocoMay said his wife grew up in an Indian family with similar relationship dynamics and felt he could deeply relate to the film.

“I could relate to this movie in every sense of the way,” he said. “I like that the story was told exactly the way I’ve seen it, witnessed it in person.”

History Prof. Melissa Macauley, the chair of NU’s Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, said collaboration with Asian Pop-Up Cinema aims to bring films like “Shankar’s Fairies” to the North Shore to expand people’s awareness of Asian culture.

Macauley said the department has also found ways to incorporate the screenings into its curriculum. Japanese language Prof. Noriko Taira Yasohama said she

tasked her students with writing a review of the Japanese film in the Japanese language. She then passed on the reviews to the director of the film.

“We are hoping to make this an ongoing relationship,” Macauley said. “I think the students really do enjoy it. Writing a movie review that the director himself is going to read … I wish I could do it.”

Both Macauley and Wong Boccio said they hope to make this partnership an annual series.

Malia Haines-Stewart, associate film programmer at The Block, said the museum is eager to continue supporting Asian Pop-Up Cinema by providing space and future iterations.

“I feel very good, and the department seems to be happy about it,” Wong Boccio said. “For next year, we should do even better.”

mishaoberoi2027@u.northwestern.edu

Misha Oberoi/The Daily Northwestern

Irfana Majumdar made her directorial debut with “Shankar’s Fairies” in 2021.

Elena Scott/The Daily Northwestern

‘Pity the Woman’ writes complicated love, hate letter

By JILLIAN MOORE the daily northwestern @jillian_moore7

Vertigo Productions’ spring play “Pity the Woman Who Never Spills” follows no prom queens or quarterbacks. The gauntlet of high school has left the five characters seeking refuge in the choir room, where they endure unrequited love, codependent relationships and anxieties about their futures. Although the show struggles to pace a story that takes place primarily in passing periods, the actors create an emotionally rich artifact of a senior year. The student-written and -produced play had four showtimes in Shanley Pavilion Saturday and Sunday. Playwright and Communication senior Judy Lawrence notes in the program that she Googled “choir songs about women being messy” to find inspiration for the play’s title — and Elizabeth Alexander’s “Why I Pity the Woman Who Never Spills” struck a chord.

Indeed, the plotline showcases women being messy. New choir teacher Stella Sanders (Communication junior Caroline Drapeau) sees herself reflected in understated student Sammy (Communication senior Abby Aldrich), who harbors feelings for her best friend Mary (Communication freshman Mila Levit), who in turn develops a crush on their teacher. Their interactions are further tangled by another student, Tim (Communication freshman Casey Bond), and guidance counselor Mr. Wallace (Communication sophomore Henry Davis-Piger) — both of whom are in a depressing state of arrested development. Sanders and her unshown wife appear to be a distorted reflection of her students, Mary

and Sammy. Drapeau’s portrayal of Sanders is particularly intriguing. She skillfully creates a character stoic in front of her students but full of raw emotion behind the beaded curtain that separates her office from the choir room.

The passage of a school year is marked by festive drawings or writing on a chalkboard. Dialogue ends abruptly as the lights fade to blue. The semi-autobiographical nature of the play leaves scenes feeling like diary entries, with emotions clearly stated and conflict repeatedly unpacked.

The play’s themes are at times undercut by the lack of connection between the piano at the center of the stage and the characters’ motivations. The power of music is a heavy point of conversation, but we rarely actually see them play music. Instead, the show focuses on the discomfort of fights between characters and their aftermath.

Among these, humorous moments executed with precise delivery arrive at the right times. “I need to get away from this town and like … my mother,” Mary said of her plans after high school. Although these lighthearted lines are written primarily for an audience of young people with experience in the performing arts, there is also a certain element of universal reliability in Lawrence’s highly personal play.

In this sense, the experience of senior year in the late ’10s is lovingly preserved, down to the inspirational posters on the walls and the familiar costume design. The specificity of this setting offers insights into the cultural perceptions of social status, sexuality and romantic relationships that our generation has grown up with and shaped.

Although the struggle of finding a stronger sense of self is well-developed as a central theme, the play builds toward a culmination

of conflict that is ultimately unsatisfying. It misses opportunities to solidify the deeper message: acknowledging your feelings is crucial to grow as a person.

In a style heavily reminiscent of other media covering the high school experience, conflict centers around conversations heard through the walls and kisses seen through windows. The play, which has a running time of about 100 minutes, spends a heavy-handed half hour covering apologies and confessions.

While the audience is plunged into teenage moments most of us would want to forget, nostalgia touches the edges of the actors’ performance. The show reminds us that growing through what is complicated and uncomfortable takes unseen bravery. After casual declarations of love from Mary throughout the play, the last words of “Pity the Woman Who Never Spills” feel truly meaningful: “I love you.”

jillianmoore2027@u.northwestern.edu

Cosmia uplifts underrepresented opera composers

By JILLIAN MOORE the daily northwestern @jillian_moore7

Move over, Verdi — there’s a new generation in opera. The Cosmia Opera Collective is bringing students’ work to life, especially that of historically marginalized composers.

According to Bienen sophomore Cecelia Olszewski, who founded the collective this year using a grant from the Office of Undergraduate Research, it empowers students to self-advocate for their work. She said their work often combines modernity with antiquity.

“The idea of contemporary opera is to revitalize and bring life to a genre that a lot of people consider to be dead, and opera is not dead,” Olszewski said. “Opera isn’t going anywhere. Opera is always shifting and changing, but it’s never going to die as an art form.”

The collective’s first show, “devoted,” which played in the Ryan Opera Theatre on March 30, follows the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene after they have died and found themselves in a “teenage girl bedroom purgatory.”

The characters reflect on the biblical events they bore witness to and their relationship with Jesus — someone who “took everything from them.”

Bienen sophomore Isabel Yang, who starred as the Virgin Mary, said she has struggled to find her place in a historically white-dominated classical field. She added accessibility to the music was a priority for the collective, which also offered free admission to “devoted.”

“I had only really sung purely operatic roles, and this was a mix of styles,” she said. “It wasn’t purely classical, although a lot of it was. It was just a really new experience.”

A student-organized seminar produced the show this spring, and students had the

opportunity to earn class credit. Alumni also participated in “devoted.”

Seth Lauver (Bienen ’23), who played vibraphone for the show, said one Cosmia Opera Collective goal is to support young musicians with diverse perspectives.

“That’s actually a bit of a discourse in the classical music community, that no one ever plays music by composers that are still alive,” Lauver said. “It’s always people who have been dead for hundreds of years.”

The show also starred Azalea Twining, a Columbia University freshman, as Mary Magdalene. Cosmia flew Twining in using an alumni fund from Luna Composition Lab — a program which provides mentorship for young composers — where Twining and Olszewski met. Olszewski said the Luna Composition Lab and the summer festival Wildflower Composers were crucial for finding her community in spaces for female and gender-nonconforming musicians.

“I had these two really strong backbones supporting me as I entered college in this maledominated space,” she said. “That’s the main reason why I feel so confident with this idea of self-advocacy, because of that upbringing.”

The collective will release a 40-minute recording of “devoted” by the end of the month on Vimeo and YouTube.

Yang said the Cosmia Opera Collective hopes to continue supporting student-directed and student-casted performances. She added that she envisions another student-organized seminar in collaboration with Bienen’s undergraduate opera company.

“I really want to be a part of contemporary music, contemporary operas that really shape and shift the definition of the genre itself and that new audiences can enjoy,” she said.

gracewu2027@u.northwestern.edu

‘Don’t Forget Me’ returns Maggie Rogers to rural Maryland

By MAYA WONG the daily northwestern @mayaw0ng

It took five years, but singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers is finally home.

After a video of Pharrell Williams reacting to her first single “Alaska” went viral in 2016 — Rogers’ debut album, “Heard It In A Past Life,” blended folk and European dance pop with high production. Her sophomore record, “Surrender,” incorporated more alternative indie-rock.

Rogers released her third studio album, “Don’t Forget Me,” Friday, marking a homecoming to the outdoorsy folk of her youth.

A native of rural Maryland, Rogers grew up playing the banjo and singing folk music. “Don’t Forget Me” is stripped back with more country influences, perfect for a road trip drive. She seems most comfortable as she returns to her roots.

Comprising ten songs written over the course of five days and organized in chronological order, the introspective album showcases Rogers’ most vivid lyrics to date. A Harvard Divinity School graduate, Rogers proves her time studying has served her well.

At its core, “Don’t Forget Me” is a breakup album. The first track, “It Was Coming All Along,” documents the end of a relationship that both partners were anticipating.

Following that, Rogers takes listeners through various stages of grief: drinking to cope (“Drunk”); resenting the former lover (“So Sick of Dreaming”); reminiscing on good times (“The Kill”); feeling guilt (“If Now Was Then”); wanting them back (“I Still Do”); feeling anger and defiance (“On &

On & On”); seeking someone else (“Never Going Home”); accepting the relationship’s end (“All the Same”); and, finally, moving on (“Don’t Forget Me”).

Rogers’ masterful storytelling stands at the narrative’s forefront. Lyrics like “My world’s a honey shade of blue” and “You kept my secrets and stole my weaknesses” spark imagery and feeling, whereas others, like the diary-like lines in “If Now Was Then,” narrate specific events to build Rogers’ world and draw listeners in. Rogers’ soulful voice marks perhaps the most impressive aspect of the record. Blending beautifully

with the album’s simplistic production, Rogers’ unique ability shines through. Gravelly and on the verge of cracking (but never actually doing so), it’s clear that alternative folk is her forte.

Thematically, “Don’t Forget Me” ponders beginnings, endings and the passage of time. At moments, she wants to turn back time — in others, she wants to catch up with everything and everyone around her.

While most of the album wistfully looks at the past and present, it concludes by looking to the future with its standout track and lead single: “Don’t Forget Me,” for which the album is named.

The song’s verses begin with examples of Rogers’ friends at different stages of their love lives than she is. As time passes and those around her continue with their lives, Rogers can only hope that she catches up with them. She wants their memories of her to be just as strong as hers of them.

Here, Rogers is rueful but has a positive outlook on what’s to come. A perfect album finale, “Don’t Forget Me” evokes closure but also optimism. Having turned a stone in her discography by returning to her roots, Rogers’ career has much in store.

Whether a message to her past or future lovers, her non-single friends, or her fans — Rogers’ sentiments aren’t easy to forget.

mayawong2027@u.northwestern.edu

Jillian Moore/The Daily Northwestern Choir teacher Ms. Sanders (Communication junior Caroline Drapeau) speaks to her wife on the phone while choir member Mary (Communication freshman Mila Levit) eavesdrops. Illustration by Sophie Zhang

While Deering will be closed to the public, community members will be able to request content online from the Special Collections housed in the library. These books, mostly from the Art and Asian Languages collections, will be sent to Main Library.

To compensate for the closure, the University also plans to add additional seating in designated study spaces in Main Library.

“We don’t want this renovation to cause any disruption to the teaching and learning and

three kids — though the youngest, about six months old, didn’t join in on the art. Maeve and Nell Bowen, ages 7 and 4, painted geometric and swirly designs in purple, blue and red.

Maeve Bowen, who loves drawing unicorns and emojis at home, said she was “enjoying all of it.” Her parents were happy to see her and Nell collaborate on an art project with other kids, they said. “We just love exposing our kids to new creative opportunities,” Brian Bowen said. “The earlier that they have a chance to make art, the more excited they’ll be about making it for themselves.”

Volunteer Jamie Thome said she was delighted to see all the families, including the

Johnson said.

Following Johnson’s address, local environmental justice activists discussed their experiences and challenges in advocacy in a panel discussion. The panel consisted of Johnson, Evanston Township High School junior Isabella Bernal, Stead Center for Ethics and Values scholar-in-residence Nicole Hoskins and Environmental Justice Evanston co-chair Janet Alexander Davis.

Bernal, the youngest panelist, read a portion of a

research that happens on the campus,” Hoek said. “And so that’s something that we come back to again and again.”

Hoek said he hopes the closure will spotlight underutilized areas in Main Library as spaces like Periodicals experience added foot traffic.

“In terms of the technology and the access to collections, we want to make sure that that is available in the most updated way, but at the same time, recognizing Deering is a really special space that’s really important to a lot of people and it’s like nothing else on campus,” Hoek said. beavillaflor@u.northwestern.edu

Bowens, bringing young kids to the event.

Though she had to stay by the check-in table to talk to newcomers, Thome said she could peek over and feel the joy of the event.

“It’s fantastic that people came out on a beautiful day to make art together and create these wonderful paintings,” she said.

Lisa Degliantoni, co-director of Evanston Made and event producer for Saturday’s workshop, said she loves helping generate that excitement.

“We really feel that one of the most gratifying parts of our work is when we are able to connect artists to the community in a way that makes everybody feel like they’re an artist,” she said. “And that’s really fun with events like this because everybody feels like they contributed.”

avivabechky2025@u.northwestern.edu

letter she sent to U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-Chicago) on how her age impacts her advocacy.

“It’s unfair for my generation to be silenced due to our age and disregarded in our concern when we are the future that will be responsible for addressing the harm that was caused by those before us,” she said.

Davis said that environmental injustice is multifaceted and that racism is still “rampant” in Evanston.

She also referenced the effects of the garbage dump on Church Street in a historically Black neighborhood. She said trucks have damaged the foundation of the roads and the odor from the waste has pervaded the area.

“If you haven’t lived poor, or you haven’t lived Black, or you haven’t lived brown, you cannot experience it the same way that I do, or they do,” Davis said.

Davis added that she understands people most affected by climate issues often struggle to attend meetings such as the speaker series.

She said she hopes to reach out to communities that suffer most from climate issues.

“I would love to see another full room like this of more colors, people of all colors, all races, and say to ourselves, ‘What are we really doing to make a difference in this community?” she said.

hannahwebster2027@u.northwestern.edu

share our culture with people that might not be familiar with it,” Karras said. “That just deepens our interactions with people outside of MENA and outside of the culture — it’s just how we connect.”

The MENA Student Association is hosting events open to the NU community throughout April to commemorate Arab Heritage Month. This year is only the second that NU is officially recognizing the month.

While MENA and Arab aren’t synonymous — one referring to the region and the other referring to a variety of groups that speak Arabic — there is a significant overlap. Kritz and Karras both said being in the MENA Student Association has helped them learn about and share their own culture.

SESP junior and former MENA co-president Eman Hamed said the month will be an opportunity to share the perspective of Arab Americans, separate from the one centered around today’s political climate.

“It’s about cultural appreciation,” Hamed said. “It’s about consciousness of the Arab identity.” Hamed also said it allows them to showcase the diversity of the Arab community in religion, economic status and politics.

For Kritz, representation during the month is especially important to him, he said.

“American media culture as a whole definitely stereotype(s) and discriminate(s) against Arabs,”

Kritz said. “So, being uplifted and celebrating our heritage is especially important to me.”

The events hosted by the MENA Students Association will range from a henna tutorial to Arab Expressions, an event for students to celebrate their culture through clothing, poetry and performances.

While the MENA Students Association taught her about the intricacies of her culture, Hamed said it also put into context how Arab students are not necessarily represented on NU’s campus. Hamed joined the club in Winter Quarter 2022 when it was just six or seven months old. She said this allowed her to grow alongside the club and ensure it catered to the current members.

She added that the MENA community at NU often feels underrepresented, both in surveys and physical space on campus.

Among the Multicultural Student Affairs staff, Hamed said, there are “point people” for different groups, such as the Black and Indigenous communities. These point people often advocate on behalf of student communities to the administration and help organize events.

After advocating to the President’s Office, Hamed said NU is adding a point person for the MENA community starting next school year.

“It’s really hard to be seen on the campus when you don’t have those little things that remind you that your existence matters and that your time here at Northwestern is supposed to be meant for you,” Hamed said.

kaavyabutaney2026@u.northwestern.edu

Hannah Webster/The Daily Northwestern Keynote speaker Cheryl Johnson and a panel of climate action advocates discussed the disproportionate impacts of climate change at the Evanston Environmental Justice Conversation Series.

NU hosts South Korean adoption program discussion

By JERRY WU daily senior staffer @jerrwu

Scholars, activists, adopted individuals, journalists and filmmakers gathered Saturday and Sunday to discuss the legacies and present-day impact of South Korea’s adoption program at “Korean Adoption and Its Global Legacies: 70 Years and Beyond,” a conference hosted by Northwestern.

The event featured a slate of keynote addresses, including Brandeis University history Prof. Yuri Doolan. Doolan discussed his new book, “The First Amerasians: Mixed Race Koreans From Camptowns to America,” which examines the history of mixed-race children born to U.S. military servicemen and Korean women and later placed into adoptive families in the U.S.

Photographer and journalist Yong Nam Lee also discussed the need to honor the Korean “comfort women” who served as prostitutes in U.S. camptowns near the Demilitarized Zone. He said these camptowns evolved into centers for human rights abuse, sex industry cartels and trafficking, particularly affecting the lives of comfort women.

“We can’t neglect the lives of these women,” Lee said.

Lee also pointed to the Korean government’s failure to crack down on sex trafficking measures in order to reduce friction with the U.S. military. Lee said the comfort women who contracted sexually transmitted diseases would be sent to detention centers.

These women deserve compensation for the social stigma that surrounds them today, Lee added.

“There’s a harsh social stigma against being a comfort woman when these women are often rejected by their family or neighbors and forced to live in isolation,” Lee said.

Women, gender and sexuality studies Prof. Patti Duncan at Oregon State University spoke about her experience growing up as a mixed race child in the context of war and militarism. Her father, a U.S. military service member, had met her mother while stationed in South Korea. Duncan said media narratives associated with mixed-raced families shaped her childhood.

“My family history relied on narratives of how lucky we were to have been brought up in the U.S. and how my father saved my mother from her life in Korea,” Duncan said. Duncan added that she, like her mother, faced different forms of racism and pressures of cultural assimilation — a problem she had to tackle on her own.

On her first trip to Korea, Duncan said she began tracing her connections with other mixed race and adopted Koreans. It also opened her mind to appreciating the cultural identity inherited from her mother.

“I inherit my mother’s struggles, her experiences of war and her trauma, but I also inherit her strength, her resilience and resourcefulness, her fierce love and devotion for me, as well as her deep sense of pride in our heritage and background,” Duncan said.

A panel of mixed race Korean adoptees discussed their experiences building community and discovering their Korean identities. They said that factors like patriarchy, gender preference and population control policies play a role in people’s adoption decisions.

The conference was held in honor of Ithaca

College anthropology Prof. Sue-Je Lee Gage, a renowned scholar of Amerasians in South Korea. Gage died on May 10, 2020.

Weinberg sophomore Yiju Choi, who served as a volunteer at the conference, said she appreciated learning about stories she otherwise would never have encountered.

“It’s just a very unique experience,” Choi said. “You really don’t get to know these people regularly in real life. We don’t really know their stories and how they got to where they are.”

jerrywu2027@u.northwestern.edu

Jerry Wu/The Daily Northwestern Photographer and journalist Yong Nam Lee discussed the mistreatment of Korean comfort women in U.S. camptowns at the conference.

SPORTS

Northwestern beats Ohio State in front of Belichick

By JAKE EPSTEIN daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

Before No. 1 Northwestern marched into Martin Stadium for its final regular season home game against Ohio State Saturday, a special guest greeted the team in the locker room: Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who donned Lake Show garb on the home sideline.

“The cool part of having him here is for our players to see how humble he is,” coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. “We really preach that humility to our players, and to see someone so successful in his whole life and really has built his whole career, it’s just an honor to have him on the sideline.”

While Belichick’s attendance left graduate student attacker Dylan Amonte and her teammates “starstruck,” the Norwell, Massachusetts, native still scored a career-high six goals to help the Wildcats (12-2, 4-1 Big Ten) secure a pivotal 19-10 conference win over the Buckeyes (7-7, 1-4 Big Ten)

Although she didn’t register a single point in her previous two contests, Amonte said she entered Saturday’s matchup with her head held high.

“I left the Maryland game pretty happy with how I played, regardless of scoring goals, I feel like my role on the team is to get other people open,” Amonte said. “In a game like this where I get more opportunities, especially against a team that plays a zone, it’s nice to put my shots away.”

NU swiftly piled on a barrage of goals after junior midfielder Samantha Smith pulled down

the opening draw control.

Graduate student attackers Izzy Scane and Mary Schumar, graduate student midfielder Lindsey Frank, sophomore attacker Madison Taylor and Amonte each breached the Ohio State defense to help the ’Cats jump out to an 8-2 firstquarter advantage.

“When we play together, we’re unstoppable,” Amonte said. “We clearly have some of the best attackers in the country.”

With graduate student attacker Erin Coykendall directing offensive traffic and making her presence known on the ride, NU appeared primed for a boat race adjacent Lake Michigan. Coykendall poured in a pair of scores during the second frame, and the ’Cats held an 11-5 halftime lead.

Although Taylor took just 33 seconds to score the second half’s opening goal, the Buckeyes launched a 4-1 run to cut the deficit to just four goals entering the final period. Behind attackers Jamie Lasda and Kate Tyack, Ohio State now held the matchup’s momentum.

This marked the end of graduate student goalkeeper Molly Laliberty’s afternoon, as Amonte Hiller subbed in junior goalkeeper Cara Nugent. Laliberty faced 13 shots on goal and surrendered nine goals.

“We just needed a little more focus, a little more intensity — kind of going back to Northwestern defense,” senior defender Kendall Halpern said of the third frame. “We know what we can do, and (if we) play Northwestern Lacrosse, we’re gonna be okay.”

In the span of just three minutes and nine seconds, Amonte buried three goals, while Taylor and junior midfielder Emerson Bohlig both

notched finishes to turn the game on its head. An apparent close-run fight to the finish shifted into a blowout at a mere moment’s notice.

Amonte said the five-goal flurry was a testament to the attack’s unity.

“Today we — especially in that fourth quarter — came out, and we’re getting each other open and playing for each other,” Amonte said. “That is when we’re at our best.”

The ’Cats proved too formidable of a scoring threat for the Buckeyes to stymie, as Coykendall, Taylor, Amonte and Scane each recorded at least five points in Saturday’s nine-goal victory.

With No. 4 Maryland falling to No. 24 Penn

State Saturday morning, NU will control its own destiny in next Sunday’s Big Ten finale against No. 6 Michigan. A win will shore up an outright conference regular season title and the Big Ten Tournament’s No. 1 seed.

“That was the goal — after the loss to Penn State early on in the Big Ten season, we just really wanted to control what we can control,” Amonte Hiller said. “We couldn’t control the other teams, but we knew we could control what we had to. I’m really pleased with how the girls came out today and just attacked this moment.”

jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

Wildcats secure first Big Ten series win over Terrapins BASEBALL

By ANNA WATSON the daily northwestern @adub_sports

After dropping 10 consecutive games, Northwestern sprung back into the win column with a weekend series victory against Maryland.

The Wildcats (12-20, 2-7 Big Ten) won Friday and Saturday’s games over the Terrapins to capture their first conference series of the year — and their first conference series win since April 9, 2023. NU’s pitching staff made big strides compared to its previous Big Ten matchups, allowing just six total runs in the series’ first two games.

On Friday, both teams traded blows throughout the game. Sophomore Trent Liolios opened the scoring for the ’Cats with a two-run home run to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut down an early Maryland lead.

Down 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, freshman outfielder Jackson Freeman tagged up on senior infielder Vince Bianchina’s flyout. Later in the inning, Liolios struck again with a single through the left side of the field to score another run.

After nine innings, both teams stood at five runs apiece. NU, however, handled business quickly.

Freshman pitcher Garrett Shearer shut down the Terrapin offense in the top of the 10th inning, handing the ’Cats a prime opportunity to end the game.

NU got two runners on quickly after Freeman was hit by a pitch and junior catcher Bennett Markinson singled. Ultimately, senior infielder Tony Livermore walked the game off with a timely single to left field that scored Freeman. Senior pitcher Matt McClure pitched a solid 6.1 innings in relief in game one, allowing four earned runs and collecting three strikeouts.

The ’Cats were able to carry their momentum into Saturday’s contest. After putting up four runs through four innings, a big fifth inning blew the game open for NU.

Four straight ’Cats got on base to open the inning. Junior Preston Knott and sophomore Owen McElfatrick led off with singles. An error during the next at-bat allowed Freeman to reach base and Knott to score. Then, Markinson hit a two-RBI single, forcing Maryland into a pitching change.

NU supplied four more runs after the pitching change, which was topped off after Knott’s second at-bat of the inning led to a two-RBI single.

Graduate student right-handers Jack Dyke and Kyle Potthoff provided standout efforts from the mound that left Maryland scoreless until the ninth inning.

Former ’Cat and Terrapin catcher Alex Calarco ended the shutout with a double to right field, scoring Kevin Keister. However, it was too little, too late for the visitors as NU clinched its first Big Ten series victory of the season with the 11-1 blowout. Game three saw early action from Maryland’s offense. The Terrapins scored three runs over the first two innings, but the ’Cats roared back with four of their own in the bottom of the second and third innings.

Maryland retook the lead in the fifth inning thanks to a rally spurred by four straight hits from Chris Hacopian, Sam Hojnar, Keister and Brayden Martin. The visitors also added two runs in the next frame. Throughout the game’s final stretch, NU slowly chipped away at the Terrapin lead. In the bottom of the eighth, freshman utility player Griffin Mills blasted a two-run home run to right field to tie the game at eight.

Neither team added runs in the ninth inning, and the game

continued into extra innings for the second time this weekend.

The luck did not sway in the favor of the ’Cats this time, as Hojnar homered to left field to score the final run of the match. On the homer, Maryland prevented a sweep and won the series’ last game 9-8.

NU will be back on the field next Friday in a rivalry matchup against Illinois in Champaign.

annawatson2027@u.northwestern.edu

Anna Watson/The Daily Northwestern

Amelia Stone/The Daily Northwestern

Sophomore infielder Owen McElfatrick prepares for a pitch. McElfatrick leads the team with 10 doubles on the season.