MULTIMEDIA / ICE Protest
Scan for more about the student-led ‘ICE OUT!’ protest at Te Arch
4 A&E / Grammys Music and political activism collide at the 2026 Grammy Awards
12 SPORTS / Football Northwestern will return to Ryan Field on Oct. 2 to host its Big Ten home opener
Plex West has the first IFANCA-certified halal station at NU.
By TAARIQ AHMED the daily northwestern
As the presidential search commitee solicits input from the Northwestern community, some students expressed they want to see academic independence from the federal government and support for diversity, equity and inclusion in the University’s next president.
administration, specifcally referencing the agreement.
“I want somebody who will stand up to the Trump regime,” Simon said. “I want somebody who is going to defend Northwestern against the attacks on academic freedom, civil rights and freedom of speech, especially.”
Simon pointed to specific policies around transgender students, which she feels amount to erasure. She also said protections for Jewish students that she, who is Jewish, will instead politically endanger them.
Weinberg frst-year Xander Hampton echoed similar concerns about the deal compromising NU values.
NU hosted two virtual listening sessions: one for undergraduate students on Jan. 26 and one for graduate and professional students on Jan. 28. Outside of the sessions, students’ wishlists were largely shaped by national politics.
Independence from federal government
By ISABELLA JACOB daily senior staffer @isabellaj313
Te Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America approved a halal station at Foster-Walker Dining Commons in October to
improve reliable access on campus afer Te Daily reported food identifed as halal was mislabeled and cross-contaminated multiple times in dining halls over the past couple years.
Te possibility of adding a station to another dining hall is being explored, according to a Compass
Chris Van
to be sworn in on Feb. 9
By ANAVI PRAKASH daily senior staffer
Chris Van Nostrand (Kellogg ’09) has been appointed to the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 Board of Education, Board
President Patricia S. Anderson and Board Vice President Nichole Pinkard wrote in a message to families Monday. He will be sworn in at the board’s Feb. 9 Commitee of the Whole meeting, according to their leter.
April Jordan, the district’s regional superintendent, informed the board of her decision earlier in the day, the board’s leadership wrote.
“We believe that Chris’s perspective as a D65 parent and his administrative experience will be extremely benefcial to our governance discussions,” Anderson and Pinkard wrote. Van Nostrand will fll the seat vacated by former Board member Omar Salem in November and
serve for the remainder of his term, which ends in April 2027 Salem stepped down, citing a “unique opportunity” taking his family out of Evanston for several months. Salem announced his resignation in a Nov. 2 letter published by the Evanston RoundTable.
Te parent of two District 65 students and founder of Strength Wise Barbell, Van Nostrand was the sixth runner-up for the District 65 board in the April 2025 municipal election, which elected four new members.
“Te most unbiased and democratic approach to fll the vacant seat, and still honor the voice of the community, was to rely on the 2025 school board election results and pair that information with those who formally applied with the Evanston-Skokie School District 65 Board of Education to fll the seat,” Jordan wrote in a Tuesday statement to Te Daily. Van Nostrand focused his April campaign on improving students’ experience amid the district’s budget shortfall. In a Monday statement to Te Daily, Van Nostrand called being
Group spokesperson.
Weinberg sophomore Yalmaz
Javaid, a member of the Muslimcultural Students Association, said halal accessibility has improved in the past year.
“It would be very rare to fnd a halal section, and now every day I fnd at least two options,” Javaid
By YONG-YU HUANG daily senior staffer @yong_yuhuang
With the March 17 primary election less than two months away, candidates running for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District have fled reports with the Federal Election Commission for the last quarter of 2025
More than $11 million in funds has fooded the 19-candidate race to replace U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston), who announced in May that she would not seek reelection.
Mayor Daniel Biss, progressive content creator Kat Abughazaleh, State Sen. Laura Fine (D-Glenview), State Rep. Hoan Huynh (D-Chicago) and former FBI hostage negotiator Phil Andrew have all raised more than $1 million, according to reports from the FEC. Abughazaleh reported a yearly total of $2 7 million, Biss raised $1 98 million and Fine raised $1 92 million, while Andrew collected $1 21 million and Huynh’s haul totaled just over $1 million.
According to a spokesperson for Abughazaleh’s campaign, the campaign is “encouraged” by its
said. “I defnitely see the impact.” Pork, meat that is haram, or considered forbidden in Islam, was found in the halal section at Allison dining hall in the fall of 2024 After the incident, two
fundraising lead.
“It aligns with expectations for a grassroots campaign that relies on broad participation rather than corporate or special interest donors like AIPAC,” the spokesperson wrote. “Te scale and consistency of small-dollar support at this stage reinforces confdence in the campaign’s strategy and trajectory.”
According to FEC flings, Fine ended the year with the most cash on hand, with over $1 43 million — just ahead of Biss’ $1 37 million, followed by Andrew with $961,000, Abughazaleh with $810,000 and Huynh with $737,000
A spokesperson for Andrew’s campaign partly attributed the fundraising numbers to previous government experience. Andrew is a frst-time political candidate.
“I think you can see a diference in the various campaign funds between the candidates, those who have held ofce before — clearly in Senator Fine and certainly in Mayor Biss,” they told Te Daily. “So there’s certainly some fundraising advantage, I would imagine, because people know his name.”
The spokesperson said that as the last few weeks of the race approach, Andrew’s campaign will focus its spending on both digital
Many students brought up academic freedom, especially in response to the University’s Nov. 28 deal with the Trump administration to restore federal funding and end civil rights investigations into the University.
Communication sophomore Holly Simon criticized what she called “cooperation and appeasement politics” with the Trump
“We’re heading toward the trend of giving in to authoritanism, which is not something that I nor do any of my classmates support,” he said.
DEI protections for research, University programs
Several students also expressed hope that the next president will stand up for social justice and DEI issues on campus.
Hampton emphasized the need for a president who responds strongly to fears surrounding Immigrations and
and mail communications.
Fine has faced criticism from opponents, including Biss and Abughazaleh, for accepting donations associated with AIPAC, the country’s largest pro-Israel lobbying group. AIPAC has not publicly endorsed Fine but has sent at least two fundraising emails on her behalf.
AIPAC also drew attention after former candidate Bruce Leon accused the group of pressuring him to withdraw from the primary race.
In a statement to Te Daily, a spokesperson from Amiwala’s campaign wrote she had completed her 270th meet and greet in the district
and has one of the “strongest indistrict donor bases and grassroots operations.”
“We’ve been thoughtful and responsible with every dollar because this is a people-powered campaign, backed by neighbors across IL-09,” the spokesperson wrote.
A spokesperson for State Sen. Mike Simmons’ (D-Chicago) campaign wrote in a statement to Te Daily that Simmons would never be “the candidate that appeals to the wealthy and powerful or raises the most money from them,” based on his life and work.
By ALLISON KUESTER
the da&ly north,e-tern
@allisonrkuester
Illinois clinics and hospitals are reckoning with how to continue caring for patients after the recent expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Tax credits to reduce health insurance costs for patients enrolled under the ACA expired at the start of this year. The expiration followed a record-long federal government shutdown in the fall, caused by partisan gridlock over the credits.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a three-year extension to the subsidies in early January, which has yet to pass in the Senate, where a similar vote failed in December.
“It was meant to be temporary. It was only meant to go through the end of .0.5 ,” said Betsy Cliff, professor of public health sciences at the University of Chicago. “But Democrats and even some Republicans realized that when these subsidies expired, it was going to greatly increase cost for people who had previously been getting those subsidies.”
The subsidies were introduced in .0.1 during the COVID- 19 pandemic by President Joe Biden and later extended through the end of .0.5 by the Inflation Reduction Act. The enhanced premium subsidies applied to those with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level, which factors in both income and household size.
According to CNBC reporting, the expiration of enhanced subsidies could raise insurance premiums for about .. million previous recipients. Additionally, a million fewer people signed up for an ACA plan this year than last, according to new data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
“It essentially comes down to whether you choose to have food on your table or see a doctor,” said Donnica Austin-Cathey, the chief hospital executive for John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago.
Health care providers at Cook County
Health have worked to continue providing care to patients who cannot afford insurance, she said. Cook County Health created a CareLink Program to help uninsured and unenrolled patients and residents afford care.
The Illinois Association of Free and Charitable Clinics also continues to provide care to uninsured and underinsured patients, according to its Executive Director Laura Starr. They anticipate a return to pre-ACA conditions and a dramatically increased demand for their services over the next year as more people seek out free health care options, she explained.
Notably, the changes in subsidies may disproportionately affect rural communities. According to a National Rural Health Association
policy brief, more than a third of adult workers in rural areas are not offered employee health insurance, and . 8 million ACA enrollees live in rural communities.
As more patients are unable to afford care due to the tax credit expiration, hospitals are left with less funding, which especially burdens rural hospitals in Illinois and elsewhere that already struggle with resources, according to an Urban Institute study.
“This could further exacerbate their challenges in low-income and rural communities where people have to travel longer or further to see or seek out medical attention,” AustinCathey said.
According to another study by the Urban
Institute, the expiration of the subsidies will also reduce spending on hospital services by $14 . billion nationwide, leaving hospitals to pick up the slack. The IAFCC does not have the resources to withstand the increased demand of hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans in need of care, Starr cautioned.
However, she remains hopeful.
“I would encourage folks not to lose hope yet, but to keep watching the news and see if our legislators are able to help to continue to provide this affordability,” Starr said. “But if they can’t, Free & Charitable clinics will continue to be here and be a resource.”
a.kuester@dailynorthwestern.com
By NATALIE GORDON daily &enior &ta,,er
-e Institute for Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being at Northwestern is up and running a.er the University received a $25 million gi. in May from an anonymous donor.
Located in the Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences psychology department, the institute houses faculty with academic backgrounds in adolescent development.
Director Vijay Mi al said the institute intends to collaborate with researchers in other departments on their ndings on adolescent development and mental health. He said he also wants to introduce guest speakers, starting with a spring visit from University of Virginia Prof. Joseph Allen, an expert with research on social anxiety and imposter syndrome. From a brain science perspective, Mi al said college students are both adolescents and adults. He said this makes adult decision-making di cult, as their brains aren’t fully developed.
“I’m always interested in adolescence, because I think that’s really a place where vulnerability really starts to unmask,” Mi al said. “You start to see symptoms that get in the way of people not enjoying their lives or reaching the potential they wanted to reach.”
Mi al said these obstacles are especially prevalent among college students, who are navigating changes in their brains and bodies at the same time. However, the institute’s research could help combat these feelings before they become too severe, he said.
Psychology Prof. Jennifer Tacke , a research fellow at the institute, said she is excited to collaborate with Student A airs to implement these potential strategies.
According to Tacke , one of the Institute’s rst studies will look at the psychological development of Northwestern student leaders. -is includes helping students develop leadership skills and learning more about their mental health and wellness.
“We know that burnout and stress is a really common negative consequence of leadership roles,” Tacke said.
Vice President of Student A airs Susan Davis hopes to partner with the institute to create a health and well-being survey for incoming students. She said the survey will most likely be implemented before the incoming class arrives or during Wildcat Welcome and will help guide the institute on future programming and initiatives.
Both Davis and Mi al emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration at the
institute. Mi al said the launch is an opportunity to produce new research insights and enhance the student experience on campus.
Davis added that the institute’s faculty are also communicating with global counterparts.
“I really do believe that there’s the ability to have national and global impact,” Davis said.
nataliegordon2028@u.northwestern.edu
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By AUDREY CULLINANE and ANAIKHA ADVANI the daily northwestern
A&O Productions’ benefit concert supported the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights at Evanston SPACE on Thursday night. Pop rock group LAUNDRY DAY and student band Static Transmission were the musical acts of the event.
The benefit drew a full house, with both groups performing to a sold-out crowd. While tickets were free, QR codes throughout the venue gave students the opportunity to donate to the organization, with $5 being the amount recommended by A&O.
Weinberg first-year Julia Knispe, a member of the A&O Street Team, said she was passionate about advocacy for the immigrant community in Illinois.
“It’s definitely a really important cause now more than ever, helping people that come to our country and helping them adjust to life,” Knispel said. “It’s really amazing and gratifying to be able to help them in some way on the difficult journey they’ve already had.”
ICIRR aims to promote the rights of immigrants and refugees to “full and equal
By RAINEE LI the daily northwestern
@rainydayrecords
Tis review contains spoilers.
Afer her smashing success of a memoir, Jennete McCurdy has set out to desecrate more hearts with “Half His Age.”
Released on Jan. 20, the novel follows Waldo, a 17-year-old girl who has been served a hefy sentence of sufering. With a neglectful mother and an absent father, she harbors a ravenous yearning, desperate to ignore her reality by losing herself in shallow desires. It starts with her addiction to fast-fashion. It devolves into a crush on her creative writing teacher. Trough short, vignete-style chapters, Waldo becomes obsessed with Mr. Korgy, a vulnerable, tortured writer nearly six years older than her mother. Afer a stint of sexually charged convincing from her end, he agrees to a relationship, making her feel wanted when she doesn’t particularly like herself. Teir relationship would be her perfect escape from her lonely reality, if not for his wife. As she juggles a neglectful home life, Mr. Korgy
participation in the civic, cultural, social and political life of our diverse society.”
Established in 1986 , the organization’s efforts include helping more than 100 , 000 immigrants prepare and apply for citizenship and creating the Office of New Americans within the Governor’s office.
Static Transmission opened the event, performing a mix of original grungaze songs, including “Duel of Arms” and “Stitches,” to the cheers of the crowd. The band concluded its set with a call to action to donate to the ICIRR.
“A lot of our members are children of immigrants; this is very timely,” Static Transmission guitarist and Communication junior Nailah Archer said. “As a child of immigrants, I feel honored to be asked to do this specific show.”
Following Static Transmission’s set, New York-based pop-rock band LAUNDRY DAY took the stage. Lead singer Jude Ciulla-Lipkin got the crowd to raise their hands in the air and dedicated the band’s second song of the night to Northwestern.
The band ended their set with a cover of Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the U.S.A.,” with students joining in an energetic sing-along.
“LAUNDRY DAY is definitely a little bit more underground, typically for benefit it’s a
bit of a smaller artist,” said A&O Productions member and Weinberg sophomore Hattie Saal. “It seems like people are excited.”
Medill senior Mary Randolph, former Daily staffer and member of the A&O Executive Team, remarked on how the event marked the culmination of longstanding efforts to bring the band to campus.
The process of selecting bands is extensive, with single members of each branch of A&O reaching out to different music agencies and balancing contracts, and preference not always being taken into account. Booking LAUNDRY DAY for the event felt like a victory for members who had been vouching for the band over time.
“LAUNDRY DAY we’ve been wanting to bring to Northwestern for at least two or three years,” Randolph said. “It’s been in talks since at least my sophomore year, and it always just hasn’t worked out in terms of they have either been too expensive for the budget we were working with or we didn’t have the right production means to bring them here.”
Randolph said securing LAUNDRY DAY as this year’s benefit artist was a mutually beneficial arrangement, as they expressed enthusiasm at supporting the cause.
While they are based in New York, the group was especially interested in partnering with A&O due to their involvement with local nonprofit organizations, according to Randolph.
“They seemed excited. It seems like they sort of took a walk around campus and made some TikToks,” Saal said. “I think this is very much their age group and their vibe of people. And then when we told them it was also a benefit for the Illinois Coalition, they seemed really excited to promote that.”
Every aspect of the event, from the calls to action during performances to the QR codes on A&O member’s shirts, highlighted the core message of the event: donating to the ICIRR.
The benefit is most recent in a series of events combining pop culture and charity held by A&O, showcasing the organization’s appeal to the student population.
“I think that also adds another dimension to the show,” Saal said. “The event is supposed to be a really fun and engaging entertainment opportunity for students, but it is an opportunity for us to give back and use art for the better.”
audreycullinane2029@u.northwestern.edu anaikhaadvani2029@u.northwestern.edu
constantly ditches Waldo as he balances his marriage, his infant child and his underage mistress. He becomes manipulative and controlling, pressuring Waldo into being understanding of his faky behavior. Don’t misunderstand: Waldo is not your perfect victim. She is self-centered, judgmental, condescending and creates obnoxious fantasies of those around her. Her mindset is simultaneously cruel and childishly adrif from reality — believing her only friend is using her to fulfll a savior complex and convincing herself she can read the thoughts of Mr. Korgy’s wife.
McCurdy masterfully captures this dichotomy between the wisdom and immaturity of the teenage mind. Waldo had to grow up too fast, raising herself as her mother bounced from man to man.
Still, every claim of her maturity only refects her naivete — she may be parentifed, but she makes a slew of poor choices rooted in inexperience. Te couple breaks up twice, once by Mr. Korgy and the other by Waldo. Both times, they reconcile, with the second instance resulting in the end of a marriage.
As their relationship fades in and out, Waldo begins to realize that this is not love. Afer she moves in with him following his divorce initiation, she
begins to reject his advances. Although she is afraid and uncertain, she refuses to let this sad, compromising reality be hers.
Troughout the story, she incessantly ignores her hardships in an efort to appear more desirable, both to herself and others. In the end, she recognizes that this constant wanting for more has only hurt her.
She quits her consumerism and recognizes how the people she’s pictured as perfect have only ever let her down. Desperate and desolate, her regretable actions host remarkably relatable emotions.
However, this story is not without cavities.
Te plot circles over the same events — shopping, sex, hatred, more sex — without much depth. While the punchy writing style makes for a selection of gut-wrenching quotes, it lef me wanting more prolonged glimpses of the vulnerability Waldo so desperately tries to hide.
Furthermore, the constant shock and vulgarity become grating. Waldo is both a victim and factor in her own undoing, but the unrelenting sexualization and crudeness began to feel surface-level.
Tere is no real commentary on how detrimental and predatory her relationships are. Mr. Korgy is the same as every stock male manipulator boyfriend. He
is an archetype of possessiveness, blame-shifing and guilt-tripping.
Since Waldo is aware of and seemingly enjoys his toxic behavior, their imbalanced power dynamic gradually becomes less poignant.
Overall, it seemed like McCurdy tackled too much in “Half His Age.” Despite its heartbreaking themes, the novel sufers from a lack of introspection, resulting in shallow insights and disappointing depth. Still, I read all 288 pages in four hours. Personally, I would never date a man older than my mom. But McCurdy took me along for the ride. It lef me shatered, and only afer stewing for a couple of days did I gather enough rationality to earnestly critique her work.
While “Half His Age” is not groundbreaking, I am intrigued to see where McCurdy will go next. I truly cannot describe how impactful this experience was — you will just have to read it yourself. McCurdy made me walk in Waldo’s shoes as she asked, “Where’s Waldo?” I’m not sure if we truly found her.
r.li@dailynorthwestern.com
By ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ, EMILY LICHTY, BETSY LECY, RAINEE LI & GABE HAWKINS
the dail( )o+th,e-te+)
@alexbespeakin / @emilylmlichty / @betsy_lecy / @rainydayrecord / @gabejournalist
A er 95 awards, 18 main stage performances and many show-stopping red carpet out ts, the 68th Annual Grammy Awards have o:cially come and gone. Known as “Music’s Biggest Night,” the show, presented by the Recording Academy, took place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Feb. 1 Notably, Bienen School of Music faculty and alumni were among this year’s winners. Bienen faculty members Alan Pierson and Gavin Chuck took a gramophone in the “Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance” category for “Donnacha Dennehy: Land of Winter” with Alarm Will Sound. Marco Paguia (Bienen ’99), music director of “Buena Vista Social Club,” won his rst Grammy for “Best Musical .eatre Album” and Ron Blake (Bienen ’86) was part of the “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album” win for his contribution to Christian McBride Big Band’s album “Without Further Ado, Vol 1.” With an incredible three-and-a-half-hour show on CBS, Arts and Entertainment Editor Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez, Editor in Chief and former Arts and Entertainment Editor Emily Lichty, Print Managing Editor and former Arts and Entertainment Editor Betsy Lecy and Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editors Rainee Li and Gabe Hawkins share their favorite moments.
Alexander:
When Puerto Rican rapper, singer and fashion icon Bad Bunny won his rst Latin Grammy in 2;19, he took the opportunity to call out the Recording Academy for not including reggaetón artists in major awards like Album, Song and Record of the Year. .e award-winning record, X 1;;pre, was his debut studio album and featured artists like Diplo, El Alfa and Drake.
Six albums, 47 combined Latin Grammy and Grammy nominations and multiple broken records later, Bad Bunny dropped “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS.” Not only did it have a profound impact on me last year, but it became a major cultural moment and has developed into a greater message: Latinos are not criminals. Receiving six nominations at this year’s show, I knew he would walk away with some gramophones for the album.
Sporting the rst custom haute couture Schiaparelli menswear look, calling out Immigration and Customs Enforcement in his Best Música Urbana Album speech and having a fun, on-the-spot performance with host Trevor Noah made Bad Bunny the talk of the town amongst a endees and viewers. When Harry Styles announced him as Album of the Year winner, the win became more than a viral phenomenon; it was a revolutionary moment.
Not only was “DeBÍ Ti R MáS FOToS” the rst all-Spanish album to win the prestigious award, but it was an emotional milestone for the artist and Latino community. In a time where the Trump administration continues to actively criminalize immigrant communities, Bad Bunny is truly a star that defends the culture and he deserved the win — no questions needed.
Ahead of his Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show this weekend, there is no doubt that this is an era for Latinos to be proud of despite unnecessary targeting.
As NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said, “Bad Bunny is one of the greatest artists in the world, and that’s one of the reasons we chose him, but the other reason is he understood the platform he was on.”
Emily:
British pop star Olivia Dean’s win for Best New Artist was a standout moment from this year’s ceremony, which I predicted in November when nominations were released. Dean is a groundbreaking new voice in the industry, known for her eclectic melding of pop, jazz and soul genres. .e pop charts are currently infected by viral, over-the-top TikTok tracks, but Dean’s peaceful con dence and unique nuance make me optimistic about the music industry’s future.
Dean’s moment on the Grammy’s stage was exhilarating — not only because it was thrilling to see her recognized for her innovative tracks, but also because it was refreshingly human. Her tearful acceptance and nod to her background as a granddaughter of immigrants brought powerful authenticity to the excessive routine of awards season.
.e win is linked to the September release of her sophomore album “ .e Art of Loving,” a project that rightfully catapulted her to mainstream status. Dean’s complex picture of romantic and self-love captures a new, modern way to investigate music’s most explored topic. .e record is warm and grounding, using light piano and harp melodies to cultivate peace. Highlights such as “Nice to Each Other” and “Man I Need” prevent the album from becoming dinner party background noise, instead highlighting her versatility and earworm potential.
A crucial element of the “Best New Artist” title is not just extreme commercial popularity, but an artist’s ability to pave the future of the industry through early career genius. .rough her most recent project, Dean proves she can follow in the footsteps of the award’s past recipients, such as Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish and Adele, while establishing herself as a key inspiration to the industry. Hopefully, this win won’t be Dean’s last — her voice is desperately needed as the quality and passion required of good music declines.
Betsy: .ere was one true monster at the Grammys this year: ICE. A er federal raids escalated towards protesters and immigrants in Minneapolis and other communities, artists were vocal about their opposition to this federal enforcement.
Upon her Grammy acceptance, Dean detailed that she is the “granddaughter of an immigrant” and is a “product of bravery.” Shaboozey, who won his first Grammy for “Amen,” dedicated his speech to his mother, who immigrated from Nigeria. SZA, accepting “Record of the Year” alongside collaborator Kendrick Lamar, asked the audience not to fall into despair. Noah even quipped that President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton were linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
But the Grammys are no stranger to political commentary.
During Pharrell Williams’ performance at the 2;15 show, his backup dancers held up their hands in the “Hands up, don’t shoot” gesture, referring to the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. In 2;14, while Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed “Same Love,” Queen Latifah performed a mass wedding ceremony for ?? couples, both gay and straight.
.e Grammys are one of the few nights a year when an entire industry congregates in one arena
with millions of viewers. Stars who cut through the typical script of “ .ank you’s” land straight in the headlines with their ability to discuss topics of political discourse. Art re ects the political environment we’re in, and it ultimately makes the spoken words bigger than the award itself.
Rainee:
A er Billie Eilish’s “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” was ghosted at last year’s show, I was thrilled to see “WILDFLOWER” win Song of the Year. Every nominee in the category was phenomenal in its own right — I have no arguments about that. However, I loved “WILDFLOWER” as soon as it dropped in the 2;24 album, and though it has been overshadowed by trendy songs on TikTok in recent months, its musicality has deservedly shone through with this prestigious recognition.
I have already begun seeing social media posts about how Sabrina Carpenter and Lady Gaga were robbed, but I don’t think we should be dragging “WILDFLOWER” down in our sympathy for the artists who didn’t win. Yes, it is disheartening to see the camera pan to artists who lose every time a winner is announced. Yes, “WILDFLOWER” was released over a year ago, but the timeline for Grammy deliberations is really strange. Despite these considerations, Eilish nevertheless created a remarkable song, and she hands down earned that Grammy.
I also appreciated Billie Eilish’s acceptance speech. A er being snubbed in the previous Grammys, she could have unpacked all the blood, sweat and tears that went into the song. Instead, she chose to speak out against ICE, stating that “No one is illegal on stolen land.” Many celebrities wore “ICE OUT” pins at the award show, but I harbor a distinct gratitude
for those who used their speaking time to further combat the desolate situation.
Also, shoutout to Billie’s out t. I wish I could rock shorts like that.
Gabe: . ere was no moment more gratifying than watching Lady Gaga take home the coveted “Best Pop Vocal Album” for “MAYHEM,” a 2;25 project that just might be her greatest album yet. A er waiting hours in the Ticketmaster trenches to secure tickets for her “Mayhem Ball,” it felt full-circle to watch the album be given its hard-earned owers, something I predicted last March.
Gaga commemorated the album with a frenetic performance of “Abracadabra,” a high-intensity earworm that so aptly epitomized the year of 2;25 in music, it feels almost criminal that it was snubbed for “Song of the Year.” Rocking an Alexander McQueen out t adorned with red feathers and stru ing the red carpet with a feathered black Matières Fécales gown, her fashion choices were boldly evocative of the devilish lyrics on “Abracadabra.” While I was hoping to see a di /erent song from “MAYHEM” performed a er Gaga debuted the now-Grammy award-winning track at last year’s show, her fantastic showmanship compensated for the minor redundancy.
To my regret, Gaga did not earn her rst “Album of the Year” title on Sunday, but I’m overjoyed that “Mayhem” got the recognition it deserved.
a.hernandez.gonzalez@dailynorthwestern.com
e.lichty@dailynorthwestern.com
b.lecy@dailynorthwestern.com
r.li@dailynorthwestern.com
g.hawkins@dailynorthwestern.com
‘Drag is Art’ stuns at Northwestern’s annual drag show
By MICAELA RIVERA PORRAS the dail( )o+th,e-te+) @micaelariverapo
From Zara Larsson’s “Midnight Sun” to .e Cranberries’ “Linger,” the Louis Room at Norris University Center transformed into a stage for Chicago-based drag talent at Northwestern’s annual Drag Show.
Hosted by drag queen Addy Rawls, the show featured drag performers Mats, Lúc Ami, Kerosene, Pagina and DJ Perl.
Organized by the Society of Trans and Non-Binary Students and NU’s Rainbow Alliance, the theme for this year’s event was “Drag is Art,” aiming to showcase the creativity behind drag as an expressive art form.
.e night kicked o/ with Ami lip-syncing to Beyoncé’s “ALIEN SUPERSTAR,” drawing interest and cheers from the crowd as students began tipping the artists to show support to the performance.
Kerosene stunned the audience with a number of “draglesque,” blending burlesque-style entertainment with drag. She began the song wearing a gold dress and black feather boa, gradually removing layers of her costume, incorporating the reveal into the choreography.
Ultimately, she nished the number in a corset-style top with multiple dollar bills sca ered across the stage.
“It’s so hard picking a favorite because they were all just so good,” said audience member and Weinberg
senior Jordyn Simon. “.eir con dence, it just radiated through all the performances.”
As the show continued, Pagina stepped onto the stage dressed in a Pope costume and danced to George Michael’s “Father Figure.” .ey received laughter and screams from the audience every time they dramatized the line, “I will be your preacher teacher,” while kneeling and directly pointing at some audience members.
Mats closed the rst act with a dance-based number, in which she got praise from the crowd due to her exibility and tricks like the death drop.
During intermission, host Rawls invited a endees to the stage to play the game “Are You Smarter .an A Northwestern Student?” in which drag performers competed against audience members on a quiz of historical events and scienti c questions.
A er three students were called for the game, the drag queens and student team ended up in a points tie.
“I just love school,” said Pagina a er the results, being praised by their fellow team members.
.e second half of the show included performances from the same drag artists, giving each one another moment on stage with di/erent out ts and songs.
Kerosene returned to stage in a new purple out t and tro ed around the a endees, interacting with the roughly 15 students present.
Pagina took a more comedic approach to her second number, dressing as a Beanie Baby while lip-syncing to .e Cranberries’ “Linger.” Wrapped in a trash bag, the
performance referenced how these plushies have been replaced by newer plush toys.
.e event ended on a high note as Rawls changed into a rhinestone bodysuit and performed the hit song “Midnight Sun” by Zara Larsson.
Finishing her number, Rawls thanked the audience for being present, reinforcing the idea that in events like this drag show, the “community” stays strong.
“.is is my second year doing this show, and I love Northwestern, the students are so engaged,” Rawls said. .is show allows students to be a part of that (the drag scene), and get their own inspiration. Who knows who in the crowd is going to be performing at some point?”
SESP junior and president of STANS Shepherd Williams said the planning for this event started towards the end of winter break to coordinate with the University and performers
Likewise, both Williams and Rawls agreed that these events help the student LGBTQ+ community feel more included in this environment despite their young age.
“Queer folks on campus deserve to do things that are fun, and this is one of those things. I think seeing drag when you’re under 21 is not easy,” said Williams. “.e audience always has an amazing time. I remember my rst drag show here, I had such a wonderful time, and it’s what really motivates me to keep doing it.”
micaelariveraporras2029@u.northwestern.edu
By AUDREY PACHUTA daily senior staffer @audreypachuta
At its Monday night meeting, Evanston’s Rules Commitee inched closer to eliminating procedural uncertainty over who would lead city government should Mayor Daniel Biss emerge victorious in the crowded race to represent Illinois’ 9th Congressional District.
Per state law, if Biss is elected to Congress, City Council will vote to appoint one of its existing members as acting mayor, whose term length would depend on the timing of Biss’ hypothetical resignation from the role.
If he were to win the March 17 Democratic primary and the Nov. 3 general elections, Biss would not be required to resign as mayor until he is sworn into Congress on Jan. 3, 2027. However, at a November candidate forum hosted by Northwestern Political Union, he commited to resigning before Nov. 27, the latest date that would trigger a special election to choose Evanston’s next mayor.
Should Biss resign afer Nov. 27, the unelected acting mayor would serve until 2029, the rest of his term.
In a 5-5 split, the commitee — which consists of all nine councilmembers and Biss himself — failed to reverse course on a June vote that requires a two-thirds supermajority to select an acting mayor Monday night.
At the commitee’s Oct. 6 meeting, Ald. Shawn Iles (3rd) frst motioned to reconsider that decision in favor of requiring only a simple majority, afer missing the initial vote due to a pre-planned vacation.
In October, those deliberations stalled afer the commitee failed to reach a consensus on whether city rules permit revisiting a vote on changes to a draf procedure.
On Monday night, Alds. Krissie Harris (2nd), Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th), Juan Geracaris (9th), Iles and Biss voted in favor of reverting back to a simple majority.
Alds. Clare Kelly (1st), Bobby Burns (5th), Tom Sufredin (6th), Parielle Davis (7th) and Mat Rodgers (8th) voted to uphold the commitee’s initial decision.
Rodgers spoke passionately about the need to adhere to decisions previously agreed upon in commitee, noting those opposed to aspects of Evanston’s recently-approved comprehensive plan were “very
restrained” when it came to “relitigating maters in which we lost.”
He added that even though most Illinois cities require only a simple majority to appoint an acting mayor, Evanston prides itself on being “right at the cuting edge” of municipal governance.
“I don’t know who’s interested in this position, who’s not interested in this position,” Rodgers said, referring to the acting mayor role. “But if I were interested in this position, I would work hard to get a sixth vote.”
Before the commitee’s vote, fve public commenters all spoke in support of upholding the twothirds supermajority.
Former mayoral candidate Jef Boarini, who lost to Biss in Evanston’s 2025 consolidated elections,
spoke in favor of the supermajority rule. Afer securing more than 37% of the vote in April, Boarini told Te Daily over the summer that he is still interested in the job.
“Tis is what residents expect of you, to debate the issues and come up with a reasonable compromise and select someone that is the best decision you can possibly make,” Boarini said.
Boarini wasn’t the only former mayoral hopeful to speak out against going back on the Council’s June vote. Lori Keenan, who ran against Biss in 2021, criticized the mayor for using the role as a “political stepping stone.”
She said the city has “paid the price” for Biss’ political ambitions, which she believes would be further exacerbated by his atempt to infuence the
selection of his successor.
Keenan added that if the commitee was unwilling to uphold the supermajority rule, it should pursue a “fair alternative” like appointing Boarini as mayor, which Burns later clarifed is impermissible under state law.
“Rewriting rules when it becomes inconvenient undermines public trust and feels more like Washington politics than Evanston governance,” Keenan said.
Te debate over a two-thirds supermajority, in addition to adopting other rules changes, will move on to a fnal vote at City Council, where Biss will not have a say unless he is needed to break a tie.
a.pachuta@dailynorthwestern.com
By CHELSEA LIM the daily north,e-tern
It’s almost unavoidable now. Si.ing at the top of search engines or operating digital assistants on social media apps, arti cial intelligence is silently permeating into our phones, computers and other devices.
On Tuesday, three librarians hosted a workshop at University Library focusing on generative arti cial intelligence, its strengths and limitations, and how students should use it for research
Distance Learning and Professional Studies Librarian Tracy Coyne shared that several students have used sources they found through AI. When using AI, however, sources are hallucinated and citations are incomplete, she said.
User Experience Librarian Frank Sweis helped host the event. While someone may have to re-evaluate their methods or end up somewhere completely di erent from where they started in the research process, he said AI can be a shortcut to avoid that struggle.
He also observed that the rigorous grading style at a higher education institution like Northwestern can a ect AI usage.
“You’re determined by grades. at’s what your success is,” he said. “ ere is room to struggle in higher education, and o entimes these AI tools are advertised or marketed as shortcuts to that.” e debate about students’ use of AI is ongoing, even outside University Library. For Communication sophomore Henry Blocksidge, AI acts as a shortcut to summarize his homework readings in a timely manner.
As an aspiring screenwriter, however, Blocksidge said he prides himself on brainstorming creative ideas on his own and that other people should do the same. He also highlighted the divides in AI stance between areas of study. Compared to STEM professors, humanities professors o en have an anti-AI stance, Blocksidge said.
“Last quarter, my English teacher said do not give your ideas away to a machine, and a lot of humanities people feel the same way,” he said. Weinberg sophomore Defne Onursal studies data science and economics. She said her classes and assignments even encourage her to embrace and understand the intersection of data science and AI. In a recent data science class, she had a coding assignment that encouraged generative AI use to show its bene ts.
“ e assignment was focused on how to use generative AI and the fact that you should use it, because ultimately if you don’t, you’re going to fall behind,” Onursal said.
Onursal said she is still cautious about overreliance on AI, and makes sure that when the time comes, she can solve problems by herself for her midterms and nals.
Medill senior Kederang Ueda said he holds a complex stance on AI usage as a biology and journalism major. Biology professors don’t tend to care about AI use, as long as it’s not used to fabricate scienti c claims, he said.
Ueda said he was surprised that his journalism professors do not tend to be explicitly anti-AI, and
that instead their policy usually states to simply cite AI if it was used. ere are some “heinous” uses coming from it, Ueda said. He referred to the recent controversy surrounding Flock Safety, the surveillance company that uses AI-powered cameras for license plate scanning to aid tra c law enforcement agencies. Despite its intended use for law enforcement agencies, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has reportedly used the company’s data to track people who are undocumented.
Interactions with AI pose an ethical challenge because it can be used for good, but can also be used for bad, Ueda said. In general, AI is something to be careful around, especially because we are still in its
developmental stages, he said.
Similar to Blocksidge, it is important to Ueda that users remember that AI is a machine and a corporation that wants to grow. And like Onursal, Ueda does feel wary about overusing AI, as it can be a cognitive shortcut that changes the way we think and engage with the world.
“When interacting with AI, you should almost have a voice in the back of your head that’s telling you this is not a person,” Ueda said. “ is is a machine that has put things together for me, and it’s based o of somebody’s code, at some place in Silicon Valley in some data center.”
c.lim@dailynorthwestern.com
In a speech at the Claremont Institute last summer, Vice President JD Vance gave a blunt reading of American identity:
“Identifying America just with agreeing with the principles of the Declaration of Independence, that’s a defnition that is way overinclusive and underinclusive at the same time … it would include hundreds of millions, maybe billions, of foreign citizens who agree with the principles of the Declaration of Independence. Must we admit them tomorrow?” Vance said.
It is the narrowest, most fallible interpretation of what it means to be American, and it exists only to justify the violent crackdowns on illegal immigration we have seen in the last year.
Tat much is obvious. Yet, so is the fact that Vance and the Trump administration do see this nation as defned by its people’s sense of shared purpose, only their credo hinges on fealty to its leader rather than the enlightened theories of equality posed by our founders in the Declaration of Independence nearly 250 years ago.
In the last year, the president has waged war on those who have dared to disagree with him. He sued news outlets and froze federal funding for
GEORGE KOUTROUVELIS
ASSISTANT OPINION EDITOR
I love the “L.” I love its accessibility. I love the colorful station maps hanging above the seats, and I even love the bumpiness of a train car when it goes over an uneven track.
What I don’t like, though, is how it leaves people with a superfcial view of Chicago.
It’s easy to get lost in the speed of the train while you’re looking out the window as the neighborhoods roar by, forgeting the outside world exists until you reach your stop. In doing so, people fail to see that each stop is more than just a blur on their ride downtown; they are their own microcommunities, teeming with life and history.
When I decided to take on a journey to truly explore the city of Chicago, I wanted to start by slowing things down, and I found no beter way to do that than by starting on the slowest train of them all: the Brown Line.
Founded in its current form in 1949, the Brown Line, then known as the Ravenswood Line, transformed barren farmland on Chicago’s northwest side into bustling urban neighborhoods. Te line was new and fashy, serving many of Chicago’s upand-coming northwest neighborhoods.
Tat was until the 1960s, when train systems
It is impossible to see the world as good. I have tried looking at it from every angle, twisting and turning it over in the palm of my hand.
I have gazed up at the world from a child’s point of view, and I have observed it from the tops of city skylines and peaks of untouched mountains. I’ve traced my fngers along its veins and tried to fnd its pressure point, thinking that maybe with enough time and faith I’d fnally understand what’s wrong. But even if I knew, I could not fx it. Every morning, I make tea in the hallway by my room, and as I wait the two minutes it takes for the water to boil, I look through my notifcations. Te news is never good. Te world is at war with itself, and it feels as if it always has been. It is almost sadistic, like a form of self-deception, to believe that it can ever be any diferent.
I hold this feeling tightly and let it press against my ribcage and numb my fngertips as I move through life with a quiet sense of angry acceptance. I go to classes that go through thousands of pages of readings that eventually get to one point: Tere is no solution, there are only complications.
universities like Northwestern, launched investigations of his political opponents and said that the American lef followed “the Devil’s ideology.”
Simultaneously, he was forced to stave of ideological insurrection by his own stalwarts. Prominent infuencers like Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and Nick Fuentes repeatedly cornered the president on foreign policy issues. Likewise, the president found a number of Republican detractors in Congress over his botched handling of the Epstein scandal, including longtime allyturned-critic former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who resigned from Congress in January.
But if we take Vance’s word for it, consensus on principles or these issues maters litle for procuring a strong sense of identity. For purposes of testing Vance’s heritage theory, let’s use his base of support.
According to Pew Research, in 2024, Trump made signifcant gains with naturalized voters — voters born outside the United States — splitting the group’s vote approximately half-and-half with his opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris. He gained nine points with this group from 2020 to 2024
Likewise, Trump made gains with Black and Latino voters in 2024. Taken together, Trump’s movement is as multiracial, multiethnic and multinational as it has ever been.
So if a group cannot unite around a cause because they have no shared heritage, how can
they rally behind a “Golden Age?”
Tey can’t. Vance’s assertion that a nation united by principle is too squishy to endure is a projection of political insecurity: Te Make America Great Again movement has neither shared principle nor shared heritage, and that is why it is failing to supplant a nation that has endured because of a consensus on freedom and equality that has — for generations — transcended shared ancestry.
In a massive display of the consensus they are up against, thousands of people fooded the streets of Minneapolis in response to the second killing of an American citizen by federal immigration ofcials in the city within three weeks. At frst, Trump ofcials portrayed the victims — poet and motherof-three Renee Nicole Good and Department of Veterans Afairs intensive care nurse Alex Preti — as “domestic terrorists” and “agitators” who sought to infict harm on law enforcement.
Smartphone video of the incidents called the administration’s bluf, prompting the removal of Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino (made famous by his direction of Chicago’s Operation Midway Blitz) from Minneapolis on Monday. Te same day, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavit said there would be an investigation into the Preti shooting.
Te Trump administration’s initial responses to these shootings were not only typical of its public relations strategy. Tey refected its broader mission of revising the American story and identity as
they see ft.
It is one they are failing to accomplish because the American consensus on the values set forth in its founding documents is much stronger than that of the “Golden Age” founders on exactly what kind of nation they are hoping to create.
As it stands, our government derives its “just powers from the consent of the governed.” Against all odds, the protestors in Minneapolis are winning — and that is why I am still shamelessly American. It’s not for a misplaced optimism or an endorsement of the absurdity of America’s place in the world today — it’s for a confdence that what has united a people for a quarter millennium is much stronger than the temporary fxations that threaten to divide it.
Our inalienable rights, conceived of in the Declaration of Independence, which have perpetuated the endurance of our fawed, ever-evolving representative democracy, are wholly incompatible with this “Golden Age.”
And the “Golden Age” — and all of its benefactors — will lose because of it.
Aidan Klineman is a Medill junior and author of “Of-Campus: White House.” He can be contacted at a.klineman@dailynorthwestern.com. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Leter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. Te views expressed in this piece do not necessarily refect the views of all staf members of Te Daily Northwestern.
like the “L” were pushed aside and the city began investing heavily in new automobile infrastructure. Chicago then began pouring millions into the Dan Ryan and Kennedy Expressways, which were thought to modernize the city and “serve people beter.” Tis meant that for the already small and overlooked Ravenswood Line, ridership tanked in the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Tat was until the late 1980s and early 1990s, when areas like Albany Park and Irving Park became lively “ports of entry” for many Korean, Filipino and Colombian immigrants coming to Chicago.
Suddenly, the newly renamed Brown Line saw an infux of ridership, creating economic prosperity for the line while simultaneously connecting immigrant communities rich in distinct cultures.
Come 2009, the city’s eforts to reimagine the system came to fruition as the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project modernized 18 stations and increased train service to an eight-car capacity. Now, as the line continues to fourish, so too do the rich cultural areas around it.
For me, what makes the Brown Line special is the way it weaves through neighborhoods, telling Chicago’s story of reinvention. As I rode, I saw townhomes and corner bakeries, schoolyards and family-run restaurants, all overfowing with life. Many houses had fags of diferent countries — some Colombian, others Irish, all proudly displayed for commuters to see.
I began at the Kimball stop in Albany Park, an area historically known as Koreatown, and immediately, I was struck by the neighborhood’s strong cultural infuence.
Interspersed between strip malls and grocery stores, Korean signage and storefronts stand proud on Lawrence Avenue, colloquially known among residents as Seoul Drive.
And though signs of the old Koreatown have faded, the roots of what was once a bustling hub for Korean culture are still present.
Further down the line at Irving Park, the neighborhood’s history revealed itself in subtler ways. Walking away from the station, I passed Colombian restaurants and markets proudly advertising their heritage through food. For example, Pizza y Pan Pa’ Ya had the country’s fag hanging on the walls above patrons’ seats.
It was truly beautiful to see how a neighborhood so rich in culture didn’t announce its history loudly, and instead preserved it quietly, through cuisine.
Te atmosphere shifed entirely at the Western stop. Lincoln Square felt vibrant and unique. It didn’t feel like it relied on a culture to provide an identity. Independent shops lined Lincoln Avenue: I passed record stores, small bookshops and the landmark Davis Teater.
Tis is what the Brown Line gets right. It doesn’t just move people through neighborhoods; it gives them reasons to stay.
Lincoln Square is the successful product of a
community holding on long enough for investment to fnally follow; a neighborhood that once depended on the line now grows alongside it.
Tis is why the Brown Line is an urbanist’s dream.
Te line supports Chicago’s fashy downtown by being a reliable transit option, serving as the backbone upholding these northwest neighborhoods’ cultural identities. Afer all, the neighborhoods along the Brown Line grew because people could live near where they worked, shop near where they lived and exist without total dependence on cars. And yet, the Brown Line remains underrepresented in conversations about Chicago transit. It lacks the spectacle of the Loop, the length of the Red Line or the commuter appeal of the Blue Line’s connection to O’Hare. It is rarely at the center of discussions about city growth, despite demonstrating how transit-centered infrastructure can revive communities decades afer construction. Perhaps that’s because the Brown Line doesn’t announce its success loudly, but trust me, you can see it if you look past the blue tint of the windows. George Koutrouvelis is a Medill feshman and author of “Trough the Blue Tint.” He can be contacted at g.koutrouvelis@dailynorthwestern.com. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Leter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. Te views expressed in this piece do not necessarily refect the views of all staf members of Te Daily Northwestern.
The Daily Northwestern Volume 146, Issue 15
To respond to a column, see instructions on page 10.
Children are being ripped apart from their families. Governments are pawning lives for land. Ice caps are melting, and we are freezing as we lose our faith in gods and religions that promised beter. Divinity begins to feel cruel, and we let these feelings fester until our eyes water.
I do not know how to move in an echo chamber of despondency. I don’t know what to say.
Ten, on a Monday afernoon, a stranger in Kresge Hall compliments my sweater. I buy a hot chocolate at a cafe, and my friends press it against their palms to share in its warmth. A passerby invites me to greet his dog, an animal whose whole body wags along with its tail, and the man smiles and says, “He seems happy to see you.”
Snow falls on frozen pavement, and my roommate and I make snow angels in the untouched patches of white. While my fngers are numb and my ribs begin to hurt, it is not the same hopelessness as before.
Tere are cathedrals everywhere for those with the eyes to see.
When I frst heard this phrase, I didn’t quite understand what it meant. I didn’t feel that I could look around Evanston streets and see anything profound or moving enough to rival the beauty of something built to worship.
But there really is divinity everywhere you look.
If I were to believe in a God, there is a part of me that thinks the sharing of warmth and exchange of words
is where you’d fnd Him.
Within resistance, it is simple to believe there is an evil worth fghting. It is also easier to believe that change must come in the form of a monolithic structure, rather than small moments.
On picket lines and in street protests, we feel our chests aching as we suck in enough air to be heard. We feel the pain of loss and frustration as though it is what is native to us. As if that is what we were born to feel.
Resistance is not what blooms in the face of evil or in the wake of goodness. I do not believe in a malevolent god who requires sufering in exchange for change.
Resistance is holy in ways that buildings cannot be. Cathedrals can be constructed in the streets and shelters and within the warmth of solidarity.
As long as there is love, there will be grief. I will not make this poetic so that it stands: I am heartbroken over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids. I am devastated over what is happening in Gaza. I am beyond frustrated with the country I love hurting the world in ways only we can, and only being able to react with an opinion piece. I am upset and I am angry and I carry these feelings with me constantly.
Te frustration and grief are proof of life. Te protests are proof of love. Te unrest is proof of hope.
Te world can’t be all bad if millions of parents saw a litle boy detained and recognized their own sons in his eyes. Love is not gone if “love thy neighbor” has turned into people being willing to get shot for theirs.
It is no longer red versus blue or good versus evil. We cannot quantify the complications of our feelings in those terms. It is humanity versus a world that cannot be good. Our humanity is our greatest strength, but we cannot be fully human if we give up our impossible, reckless and reverent belief that the world could be beter.
Make snow angels, hold warm tea and compliment people who pass you by. See yourself in the people you stand up for and feel the way it moves you. Allow your humanity to seep into every aspect of your resistance.
It all gets to this: there is no solution, but there are cathedrals waiting for those with the hands willing to build them.
Gabriela Hamburger Medailleu is a Medill junior and author of “Of the Record.” She can be contacted at gab rielahamburgermedailleu2027@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Leter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. Te views expressed in this piece do not necessarily refect the views of all staf members of Te Daily Northwestern.
By YONG-YU HUANG
daily senior staffer @young_yuhuang
Evanston clergy leaders took to the aisles of a Target store on West Howard Street on Monday morning to deliver a letter to store management, calling on the Minneapolis-based corporation to oppose federal immigration enforcement and affirm its stores are Fourth Amendment-protected workplaces.
Signed by clergy members from Lake Street Church of Evanston, Unitarian Church of Evanston and First Congregational Church of Evanston, the letter urged Target corporate leadership to denounce the deployment of federal immigration agents to Minneapolis and call on Congress to halt funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
It asked the store to publicly post signage denying entrance to federal immigration agents without signed judicial warrants and provide staff trainings in the event of illegal entrance by agents. It described Target as “a homegrown Minnesotan corporation” and invoked the recent fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
The Evanston letter was part of a nationwide clergy-led effort, with over 500 religious leaders across the country signing onto a coordinated letter demanding the company speak out against ICE.
“This is an issue that affects corporate management levels, people here locally, people at headquarters, and it’s important that this message gets across to every level of this company,” LSC Rev. Dr. Michael Woolf told members of the branch’s managing team.
Woolf explained they were demanding Target “speak up” about ICE and its “dehumanization” of immigrant communities. He added that people are looking for leadership — especially from companies like Target — and urged employees to alert the Evanston community if they spot agents.
He cited an “extremely troubling” incident at a Minnesota Target where the store “allowed” ICE agents to enter and arrest employees in early January.
For Woolf, the incident was “not just problematic,” but “morally reprehensible.”
“It’s against all of the values that our faith brings to bear,” Woolf said. “So we’re asking you, as faith leaders in Evanston really take that seriously and to bring those Evanston values to this location.”
He emphasized that as local clergy and faith leaders, the letter’s signatories want the store to enforce Fourth Amendment rights to protect employees.
Afterward, the clergy members linked hands to form a circle, and Rev. Jason Coulter of First Congregational Church of Evanston led the group in prayer.
“Help us melt the heart of the pharaoh that is Target,” Coulter said. “Speak out that they can join us in the fight for liberation, so that all your children, all those born here, born across the world, all of your children, might receive respect and dignity.”
The Target employees present Monday morning declined to join them in prayer. They
also declined to comment on the letter.
Rev. Stephen Heaviland, a retired pastor at LSC, said the staff was “very receptive” as they listened to the clergy’s concerns.
“Our concern is that if they do come back, that they will be prepared not to allow ICE agents to enter into the parking lot, but also into their building, that they have a moral obligation to their employees,” Haviland said.
LSC congregant Jennifer Mueller added she is encouraging people at her church to write letters and boycott Target.
The letter comes as Target’s new corporate CEO Michael Fiddelke, who assumed his position Feb. 1 , faces increasing pressure to take a clear stand against ICE activity in Minneapolis.
Protesters also rallied outside of the company’s Minneapolis headquarters Monday morning — the first business day of his tenure — continuing demonstrations from recent weeks across various Target stores.
Mueller added she hopes that new leadership will take “different actions.”
“We’re talking to Target because they used to be a good company. They were one of the better corporations in this country, and so we’re hoping they will return to that,” Mueller said.
After presenting the letter, Woolf acknowledged it was “an uncomfortable situation” for the Target employees on the managing team, but that it was necessary to demand “more leadership and accountability.”
He said the clergy hoped to continue a grassroots movement in solidarity with Minnesota residents.
“We hope that they’re going to act on their word and bring this in,” Woolf said. “We’re hoping to continue pressure from the local so they realize this is a grassroots movement, and so we hope they’ll move it up the chain of command.”
y.huang@dailynorthwestern.com
members of McSA and Associated Student Government created legislation to prevent mislabeling and cross-contamination from reoccurring.
“We really want to ensure that the health, the dietary needs of Muslim students on campus are met,” ASG Senate Executive and Weinberg sophomore Rayan Lahlou-Nabil said.
Lahlou-Nabil and McSA’s ASG senator, Nur Yalinbas, passed the ASG legislation in fall of 2024 to create a reliable halal station. Lahlou-Nabil added that ASG and Northwestern administration have been “very supportive” in passing and implementing the legislation.
The Daily Northwestern
Volume 146, Issue 15
Editor
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Anavi Prakash
Multimedia
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Creative Directors
Christina Lin
Matt Wasilewski
Opinion Editor
Aidan Klineman
Assistant Opinion Editors
DJ Harrison
George Koutrouvelis
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With a station at Plex West and the possibility of another, Lahlou-Nabil said the goal of the agreement with the administration is to ensure there are halal options available on both North and South Campus.
Mary Belovich, Compass Group’s district marketing manager, confrmed the dining hall’s contract with IFANCA.
“We are now ofcially certifed by the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) to serve zabiha halal food at Plex West and remain commited to providing inclusive, trusted dining options for our students,” Belovich wrote in a statement to Te Daily.
Belovich said “signifcant steps” have been taken to incorporate feedback from the student body to improve operations and ensure transparency.
While NU ofers halal options at other dining halls, Lahlou-Nabil reiterated that Plex is currently the only one with a separate, established halal station. However, Lahlou-Nabil added that he has contacted the University about adding another station in Sargent Dining Hall.
IFANCA visited Sargent in May 2025, according to an email from Stacey Brown, NU’s director of dining, obtained by Te Daily.
Te dining halls are “exploring the possibility of expanding halal dining to a second dining commons,” a Compass Group spokesperson said in an email to Te Daily. Tey emphasized that this plan is still in progress.
Although Yalinbas does not eat in the dining halls
anymore, she has heard that mislabeling continues. However, she added that the issue has goten beter over the years and does not happen as frequently due to the pilot station.
“It was reported by some of my friends and peers in McSA that there was mislabeling again in the dining halls,” Yalinbas said. “But this school year, I haven’t heard anything.”
Yalinbas and Lahlou-Nabil both said they are excited by the progress they have been able to make.
“Te best part is being able to see the impact that it makes on Muslim students in the next years to come,” Lahlou-Nabil said.
i.jacob@dailynorthwestern.com
Nathaniel Foster is a student at the School of Professional Studies and writer of Ducks Dan and Dave. He can be contacted at nathanielfoster2027@u.northwestern. edu or @duckscomics. Lia Kim is the illustrator for Ducks Dan and Dave and is not associated with Northwestern. Te views expressed in this piece do not necessarily refect the views of all staf members of Te Daily Northwestern.
By Tanat Johnny Tungsubutra
SCAN FOR
From page 1
“Mike’s campaign has rejected money from interests that go against this district’s voters and values. at includes rejecting AIPAC, all corporate PACs, charter school PACs, fossil fuel industry contributions, forpro t prisons and detention centers and pharmaceutical companies,” they wrote.
e spokesperson added the campaign believes Simmons has built name recognition among voters through his legislative work rather than his fundraising and “endless TV ads.”
Other candidates in the race have pointed to the geographic makeup of their donor bases as a key
From page 1
Customs Enforcement presence and student safety. He emphasized the need for clearer communication and more acknowledgement of these concerns from the University.
Simon criticized the Trump administration’s a acks against some academic elds related to social justice.
Currently enrolled in classes focusing on gender and sexuality, she worries about how the program will be a ected.
“I am really concerned that by the time I graduate, I will not be able to get a gender and sexuality studies degree that means anything,” Simon said. Hampton also criticized the new de nitions
able to serve on the District 65 board a “privilege.”
“We have a lot of work to do and a long road ahead, but I’m convinced that if we work together, we can create a nancially sustainable school district centered on academic excellence,” he wrote.
Prior to founding his tness business, Van Nostrand worked in higher education marketing and admissions at Northwestern and University of California, Berkeley. He studied political science at Kenyon College and earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
Van Nostrand will begin his time on the board as the District 65 community navigates a time of transition.
Following the 2,25-26 school year, Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies, Kingsley Elementary School and Willard Elementary School’s Two-Way
distinction.
According to a news release from the Biss campaign, the mayor boasts the highest in-state donor ratio of any leading candidate — with more than 75% of fourthquarter contributions and 85% of total donations coming from Illinois donors.
“As Laura Fine is forced to travel the country to drum up support, Daniel Biss has earned overwhelming backing right here at home from the people of Illinois’ 9th District,” wrote campaign manager George Lundgren.
Lundgren described the Biss campaign as “locally powered, locally funded, and locally supported.”
Biss’ out-of-state supporters largely came from Massachuse s and New York, reporting $26,5,, and
for sex and gender introduced in the agreement.
“Another policy speci cally introduced in the document between the federal government and the University goes against the whole concept of a major — and that is gender and sexuality studies,” Hampton said.
Political discussion expansion
Some students said it was important to protect expression for all viewpoints. Weinberg junior Benjamin Barrish said he hoped the president would foster political dialogue at higher educational institutions.
He said there is currently “a narrow window” for discussion and called for more nuanced conversations, especially when led by professors.
Immersion program will close, and Foster School is slated to open this fall, implementing new school boundaries.
e district has already laid out its transition plan, including options for families to apply for return to home school and permissive transfer requests to a end a school di erent than the one assigned to them. Families will be sent their school assignments the week of Feb. 2 and have until March - to apply for transfers. e district is also holding open houses in February and March for each school as an opportunity for families to see their options before making nal decisions.
However, Kingsley and Willard community members still have questions about what the process looks like for them, which started being discussed at districtled community meetings throughout January.
e board voted to close both Kingsley and Willard’s TWI program in January. e unanimous vote to close Kingsley came a er the six-member board failed to
$25,,,, in contributions, respectively. His in-state support totaled to $- - million.
With support from .5 di erent states, 75% of Abughazaleh’s yearly individual donations came from out of state. Californians’ contributions came $32,,,, short of the $95,,,, she received from Illinois residents. is campaign is funded primarily by small-dollar individual donors, both in Illinois and nationwide. at re ects broad grassroots participation, not special interest in uence, and the campaign is accountable to voters here in IL-,9,” a spokesperson for Abughazaleh’s campaign wrote in a statement to e Daily.
Meanwhile, 67% of Laura Fine’s yearly individual donations came from Illinois, with $-9.,-86 98 coming from out-of-state donors — the largest portions being
e president should do a be er job of fostering a di erent climate of political discourse on campus,” Barrish said. “Even if I’m someone who ends up agreeing with the more consensus opinions at Northwestern, it’s still frustrating for me to see this insinuation that there’s one strand of thought and shu ing down, instead of embracing, di erent points of view.”
McCormick sophomore Adan Ciprian agreed that students who want to express their beliefs and opinions should be protected. He added there should be fewer restrictions on student groups — something he described as “the bare minimum.”
“Something nice to see in a president is somebody who is willing to allow students to have the freedom to express themselves and do projects that we want to through our student organizations,”
approve one of its nal four school closure scenarios across two votes in the fall.
e closure resolution also includes the condition that the board revisit the closure of Lincolnwood Elementary School in October 2,26 if the district fails to meet certain nancial stability and building capacity requirements.
In a 5-- vote at its Jan. 26 meeting, board members made the shu ering of Willard’s TWI program o cial, following a district announcement of its closure at the board’s Dec. -5 meeting. e program’s closure was previously a possibility included in every aforementioned closure scenario.
ese closures and program consolidations are costcu ing measures part of the district’s Structural De cit Reduction Plan, which aims to help the district reach scal sustainability.
Jordan’s decision comes on the last day of ISBE’s deadline to name a seventh member to the District
$36,5,, from Florida and $32,,,, from New York.
On the Republican side, IT consultant Mark Su leads the .-person race, with almost $2,,,,, in total receipts and $7,8,, in cash on hand.
Former so ware developer Paul Friedman reported just $2,7,, in both total receipts and cash on hand, while paraprofessional Rocío Cleveland has not reported any funds. Friedman told the Daily in January he’s aiming to raise less than $5,,,, in total fundraising. Pastor John Elleson has not led with the FEC. Independent candidate Delila Barrera has also not reported any funds.
Claire Co ey contributed reporting.
y.huang@dailynorthwestern.com
Ciprian said.
Community building on campus
Some of the changes students said they wanted to see expand beyond politics. Barrish emphasized community building and campus life sponsored by the University.
e next president should encourage more leisure activities on campus, according to Barrish.
“One of the big strengths of Northwestern is that it brings in people with such diverse talents,” he said. “ e University can do a be er job of promoting that and fostering a culture where people enjoy themselves.”
r.ahmed@dailynorthwestern.com
65 board.
Per Illinois School Code, a board has 6, days a er a resignation — for District 65, until Jan. 3 — to name a board member to a vacant seat before the district’s ISBE regional superintendent steps in. e ISBE liaison then has 3, days a er the district’s deadline to name a new member.
e board received 28 applications for the seat, including Van Nostrand, according to reporting from Evanston Now. In three closed-door sessions held to deliberate over candidates, the board failed to choose a seventh member.
“Chris has shared his excitement in joining the school board, and we look forward to working with him to promote an equitable and high quality education for every student in District 65,” Anderson and Pinkard wrote.
a.prakash@dailynorthwestern.com
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By YONI ZACKS the dai$y north:estern @yonizacks
Fans excited to witness the new Ryan Field in-person will have to wait a few weeks into the upcoming season.
Northwestern announced it will start the upcoming season at Martin Stadium for its .rst two non-conference games against South Dakota State and Colorado, according to a Tuesday news release. It will then return to the reconstructed Ryan Field on Oct. 2 to host Penn State in its Big Ten home opener.
“ 8e opening of the new Ryan Field marks a de.ning moment for Northwestern Football and re ects our continued investment in excellence across every aspect of the program,” Athletic Director Mark Jackson said in the release.
8e old Ryan Field hosted its last football game on Nov. 18, 2023, when the Wildcats beat Purdue to clinch bowl eligibility. Its next game will be held on the 100th anniversary of the original opening.
Evanstonians have seen construction galore on the property over the past few years, as NU rebuilt it from the ground up to create a brand new stadium at a cost of $862 million, the most expensive stadium in college football.
One of the most unique features of the new stadium will be the closeness of fans to the playing surface. 8e Athletic reported that the furthest seat is 136 feet away from the surface, compared to 253 feet away at Michigan Stadium.
8e construction of college football’s newest stadium was not without controversy. A6er a contentious city council vote to approve the stadium, which included a tiebreaking vote by Mayor Daniel Biss, a four-count lawsuit was .led in 2023 by the Most Livable City Association and 13 Evanston and Wilme-e residents regarding the approval of Ryan Field as a concert venue. 8e suit is at the Illinois Appellate Court as of Nov. 6, and there has been no update since.
Beyond football, NU announced Halloween and winter festivals will be held on the new plazas.
y.zacks@dailynorthwestern.com
By SIDDARTH SIVARAMAN dai$y senior sta,,er @sidvaraman
When standout Syracuse a-acker Olivia Adamson entered her name in the transfer portal for her graduate season, she immediately became one of the top portal prospects in the country.
So, when she visited Northwestern, it helped that her tour guide was a familiar face: her old Syracuse teammate and then-NU graduate student goalkeeper, Delaney Sweitzer.
“She was one of my close friends from Syracuse, and just being able to have her guidance, and her talking about her experience coming here and how positive it was — it was de.nitely very in uential,”
Adamson said.
With 012 points to her name over 37 career games, Adamson is one of the jewels in a star-studded 5253 transfer class for the Wildcats. A6er losing eight starters from a team that came up just short in last year’s NCAA Championship game, a new-look NU has
spent the o season integrating a group of nine freshmen and four transfers.
Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said the team learned a lot over the course of last season, and part of the o season work has been imparting those lessons to the new recruits. 8e transfers — all of whom are in their .nal year of eligibility — also bring their outside experiences to Evanston, molding the team into a new unit, redshirt junior defender Jaylen Rosga said.
8e squad takes a yearly trip to Escanaba, Mich., o ering a chance to reset and re ect, Rosga said. Even as NU aims to contend for hardware at the end of the year, Adamson said quality time with her teammates is what she values most in her .nal collegiate season.
Now living o -campus with fellow transfers in senior mid.elder Maddie Epke, graduate student goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco and graduate student mid.elder Annabel Child, Adamson will get plenty of that quality time.
“At the end of the day, this is just a game, and it’s about the relationships we build, who we are as people and how we grow with each other,” she said. 8e experienced transfers bring leadership and
energy to the team, Amonte Hiller said, giving a slight glimpse into her early-season evaluations of her new reinforcements. She speci.cally mentioned Epke and Adamson’s prowess in the draw circle and Child’s two-way ability as skills the new ’Cats could showcase, but she added that she is still “pu-ing the puzzle together.”
NU’s splash in the transfer portal comes as it hosts this season’s women’s NCAA Final Four, the .rst time the championships will be contested outside the Eastern time zone. 8e NCAA is o6en reluctant to put large lacrosse events like the Final Four in the Midwest because of concerns over small crowd sizes, but Amonte Hiller said this year’s edition could be a “great step” for NU lacrosse and the sport’s expansion beyond the East Coast writ large.
“It’s our time to show that no, the growth of the sport is here,” Amonte Hiller said. “It doesn’t ma-er who’s in the tournament, this is the best lacrosse that you’re going to see on the women’s side, and we need to show up for it.”
s.sivaraman@dailynorthwestern.com
By ALEX BOYKO dai$y senior sta,,er @aboyko_nu
With Northwestern’s 34-7 victory over Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl in the rearview mirror, .ve members of the Wildcats’ graduating class were given another opportunity to don a purple helmet and pads once more on their hopeful paths to signing an NFL contract later this year during the o season’s all-star bowl showcases.
Quarterback Preston Stone, defensive lineman Carmine Bastone and defensive back Fred Davis II were the .rst to do so, making the trip to Florida for the Hula Bowl in mid-January. 8e trio played for Team Kai under the supervision of former NFL coach Jon Gruden.
Stone worked closely with Gruden, o6en si-ing beside him in the front row during the week’s install meetings.
“Ge-ing to be on Coach Gruden’s team was a really, really cool experience,” Stone later said in an interview on 8e Touchdown with Doug Smith. “His knowledge and passion for the game is second to none, unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
Bastone and Davis worked primarily with former Bears and Panthers’ coach John Fox, who served as the defensive coordinator for Team Kai.
Together, Stone, Bastone, Davis and the rest of Team Kai utilized an interesting mix of venues to prepare for the .nal game versus coach Jay Gruden — Jon’s brother — and Team Aina.
8roughout the week, the team held walkthroughs in a ballroom at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort nearby the conference rooms it had used for other meetings. Stone and the other quarterbacks
led the huddle and took mock-snaps on the carpeted oor, yelling out their cadences and going through their dropbacks as the team prepared for outdoor practices.
Just a day before the .nal game, a scheduling issue prevented the team from using its normal spot — Stetson University’s Spec Martin Memorial Stadium — so the group took practice to the beach.
Standing barefoot in a grassy lawn mere feet from the Atlantic Ocean, Stone led Team Kai’s .rst-team unit in a padless walkthrough, receiving feedback and some characteristic banter from Gruden along the way.
Although it was originally slated to air on CBS, the game was ultimately not televised. Gruden later released a documentary-style recap video of the week’s events Jan. 32
NU’s signal-caller from last year made quite the impression on Gruden, with his coach naming him a .rst-half captain and giving him the reins for the .rst series of the game.
With the opportunity, Stone impressed, completing a handful of gutsy throws over the middle in his .rst outing and shedding a would-be sack and throwing a dime on the run for a toe-tap catch 55 yards down the sideline the next time out
Stone exited the game with a 52-04 lead, going 5-of-5 with a game-high 18 yards over his two touchdown drives, earning a custom Chucky helmet sticker from Gruden as well as o ensive MVP honors for Team Kai.
Stone and his fellow ’Cats representatives wound up on top as Team Kai defeated Team Aina 38-50, with the quarterback capping his performance with possibly the most illustrious gi6 of all — the opportunity to hoist the Powerade jug and douse his coach’s head at the end of the week.
A few weeks later, in Frisco, Texas, o ensive lineman
Evan Beerntsen and defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard
a-ended the East-West Shrine Bowl. Both players participated on behalf of the West team, although Beerntsen did not play in the .nal competition.
8e .ve-day festivities included player media interviews each day leading up to the game, allowing players to meet representatives from NFL teams and other media members to show a side of themselves o the .eld and make a lasting impression ahead of a busy dra6 season.
“8is is an awesome opportunity for me, for all the guys here, really. It’s a lot bigger than the game,” Hubbard said in an interview with 8e League Winners. Behind a strong graduate season capped by a threesack versus Central Michigan in his .nal game, which Hubbard dubbed the favorite moment of his collegiate career since it gave him one more opportunity to celebrate with his teammates, he climbed to .6h in NU’s career sack leaderboard.
Despite this success, he emphasized in his interviews a commitment to year-over-year improvement and hoped his performance in the Shrine Bowl would put his growth as a player on display.
“Every year, it’s just ge-ing faster, bigger, stronger,” Hubbard said on his goals ahead of the dra6 process.
“Within this game, I want to showcase that I have improved in those areas, and show that I’m an explosive, athletic and versatile player.”
In a 50-07 victory over the East Team, Hubbard put a lot on tape, rushing o both sides of the line, dropping into coverage on occasion and contributing on special teams. With some impressive reps in practice and a pair of strong tackles in the game, he garnered some buzz among media members in a-endance.
A6er already a-ending the Hula Bowl earlier in the month, Davis accepted an invitation to the Panini Senior Bowl.
8e below-freezing conditions in Mobile, Alabama, highlighted by players huddling around heaters on the sideline during the game, were a far cry from beachfront walkthroughs under the Florida sun, but this didn’t prevent Davis from making the most of the extra all-star game opportunity.
A standout during the week’s practices, Davis capitalized on the added a-ention by turning a tipped pass into a takeaway for the American Team, backed up against its own red zone late in the .rst half.
Although Davis played 54 games across six years in the NCAA, the interception was his .rst against live collegiate competition and was one of the many aspects of his performance that propelled his dra6 stock upward during the week, which ended with a 07-1 win over the National Team.
8e cornerback has reportedly met with the Philadelphia Eagles three times — twice at the Hula Bowl and once at the Senior Bowl.
All together, the ’Cats showed out across their all-star game appearances, going undefeated across three bowl appearances and drumming up some hype ahead of the NFL Dra6
With their NU-issued pads now taken o for the last time, these .ve players and the remaining members of the ’Cats dra6-eligible class will have two more key opportunities to shine in front of NFL front o ces — this time in shorts.
8ose lucky enough to get the invite to the NFL Combine will travel to Indianapolis later this month, with events beginning on Feb. 53. NU will also host its annual pro day prior to the dra6, and Stone noted that he is planning to a-end the event, which he said was scheduled for March 07 during his interview on 8e Touchdown with Doug Smith.
alexboyko2026@u.northwestern.edu