The Daily Northwestern Wednesday, October 16, 2019
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Students react to Democratic debate Co-hosted watch party sparks range of responses By ISABELLE KENAGY
the daily northwestern @isabellekenagy
Associated Student Government, Political Union and College Democrats co-hosted a watch party Tuesday night for the Democratic Presidential Debate in Harris Hall that included free pizza and real-time reactions. Weinberg sophomore and ASG Speaker of the Senate Matthew Wylie said the watch party was similar to past ASG events and was hosted in an effort to get students engaged in national politics. Students who attended said they were interested in various topics the candidates covered, such as health care and climate change. “We’re excited to get students to engage with the democratic process however we can,” Wylie said. ”If buying a few pizzas can do that, we’re happy to do it.” Wylie said he looked forward to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s (D-Mass.) performance as one of the new frontrunners and wondered if Warren would receive more criticism throughout the debate as a result of her new status as a frontrunner leading
a number of polls. The crowd was dynamic throughout the debate with claps for Warren and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro and boos to businessman Tom Steyer as the candidates walked out. People showed enthusiasm when U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) spoke about climate changes and laughs were scattered as moderator Erin Burnett repeatedly steered the conversation away from reproductive rights and toward job opportunities. Most dramatic, however, was the reaction to the muchanticipated discussion of former Vice President Joe Biden’s son’s Ukrainian connections. The room quieted as soon as moderator Anderson Cooper broached the topic, and the candidates weighed in on the topic. Several students also said they found the discussion of health care repetitive. SESP senior Kai Kuo expressed frustration with the issue and said they were disappointed that the candidates talked about health care so much. “We’re hearing the same debate about Medicare for All versus public option,” they said. “I think that there are a lot more policy issues that could be addressed.” On the other hand, Communication sophomore Camille » See DEBATE, page 6
Emma Edmund/Daily Senior Staffer
Albert Gibbs and Trisha Connolly. The two filed a complaint against Ald. Peter Braithwaite (2nd) based on comments he made at July 15’s City Council meeting.
Braithwaite found not in violation Board of Ethics: 2nd Ward alderman didn’t violate city’s Code of Ethics By EMMA EDMUND
daily senior staffer @emmaeedmund
The Evanston Board of Ethics found Ald. Peter Braithwaite (2nd) did not violate the city’s Code of
Ethics at Tuesday’s meeting. Evanston residents Trisha Connolly and Albert Gibbs accused Braithwaite of an abuse of power of office, a breach of impartiality and intimidation by a public official based on comments he made at the July 15 City Council meeting.
During that meeting, aldermen discussed a proposal to censure City Clerk Devon Reid, and some residents said racism fueled the city’s actions toward Reid, who is black. Braithwaite expressed frustration with white people talking
about racism. “I really sit here and have a difficult time when I hear white folks admonishing me and using the word racism like it’s some coin phrase that you just came up with,” » See ETHICS, page 6
Business turns dog hair into clothing South Africa JR Knit Your Dog celebrates, shares the old art of spinning dog hair By CATHERINE KIM
daily senior staffer @ck_525
When Jeannie Sanke sits down at the wooden spinning wheel located in the center of her living room, she talks about the hand cramps caused by countless hours of spinning yarn. She lays her palms out as proof and says it will take about two years to catch up with the backlog in orders. The items that are in demand: hand-knitted garments made out of dog hair. The art of spinning dog hair isn’t new. Also known as chiengora, the textile dates back to prehistoric Scandinavia but remained widely unknown around Chicago until Sanke opened an Etsy shop for her business, Knit Your Dog, in 2014. Business was slow until she found unexpected fame through 60 Second Docs, a popular YouTube documentary channel that featured her in 2017 –– and her business hasn’t slowed down since. She’s attracted customers from all over the world,
program to change U.S., European outlets to be now offered in addition By NATALIE CHUN
the daily northwestern
Catherine Kim/Daily Senior Staffer
Jeannie Sanke poses with her dog Kaya next to her spinning wheel. Sanke runs Knit Your Dog, a business that will turn dog hair into knitted garments.
including Canada, Britain and South Africa. The popularity of a gif featuring her with the caption “Man, white people just do the craziest things” is just an inconvenient side-effect. “I just keep thinking, people
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must have better things to do,” she said. “I’m just an old woman with a spinning wheel and a dog.” Sanke’s house displays how her business has recently gotten out of hand. Her small
apartment, located by the Howard station, is more of a workshop than a home. There’s a tall stack of orders on her office desk. A huge cart, filled » See DOG, page 6
Medill recently announced several changes to the Journalism Residency program in South Africa, including the addition of U.S. and European news outlets to South African ones. The program, which takes place in the spring, offers students internship opportunities in Johannesburg and Cape Town, and ranges from seven to 15 students. In the more than 15 years the program has run, undergraduate students worked at South African news outlets, but the program will now offer some U.S. and European outlets with bureaus in South Africa. Prof. Douglas Foster, one of the faculty advisors for the Journalism Residency program in South Africa, said graduate students have worked at international outlets the past 10 years, but the opportunity will open undergraduate students for the
first time this spring. “But whether we will, will depend on student interest,” Foster said. “It’s pretty much an individual placement based on the long term, employment objectives of the student and what’s needed on the side of the employer.” Medill senior Sumin Woo, who went to South Africa for her journalism residency, said the opportunity to work in an international newsroom is something she would have found tempting — at first. Ultimately, she wouldn’t trade the experience she gained at a domestic newspaper. “I genuinely feel like I was integrated pretty well with at least the professional side of what it was like to be a reporter in South Africa,” Woo said. “I’m not sure what my experience would have been like I’d worked in like a U.S. or European outlet that just had an office there.” That experience working in a newsroom of a different culture has a learning curve, according to Foster. It’s one of the reasons students take a course the » See SOUTH AFRICA, page 6
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