DePaulia
The
Volume #106 | Issue #6 | Oct. 18, 2021 | depauliaonline.com
‘She is our MVP’
PHOTO COURTESY OF USA TODAY
Chicago Sky guard Allie Quigley jumps into the arms of center Stefanie Dolson after defeating the Phoneix Mercury 80-74 on Sunday at Wintrust Arena to clinch the franchise’s first WNBA title.
Allie Quigley stars in Chicago Sky’s victory over Phoenix Mercury to clinch franchise’s first WNBA title By Joshua M. Hicks Asst. Sports Editor
Former DePaul women’s basketball player Allie Quigley has been outspoken regarding winning a championship with the Chicago Sky. As one of the two remaining members from the WNBA Championship, aside from her wife and point guard Courtney Vandersloot, the Joilet, Ill. native is now participating in a dream-toreality experience as the Sky become this year’s WNBA champions. After losing the Finals in 2014, the Sky have brought the championship full-circle, celebrating their finals-clinching 80-74 victory over the Phoenix Mercury in front of their home fans at Wintrust Arena Quigley had been on five teams within the first four years of her career. She finally found her role here in Chicago, and now she is a champion. She highlighted how she almost gave up on the journey, but made the commitment to stay and grew from the experience. “I feel like that was in my mind, going to be my last go-around,” Quigley said. “I think I just gave everything I had for this last chance because it was home, and I wanted it to work so bad. I think it was just a combination of all my years overseas, gaining confidence playing against WNBA players and feeling like I really belong and just waiting for my chance. ” DePaul women’s head coach Doug Bruno coached Quigley from 2004-2008. He praised
Quigley for her perseverance, hard work and being an example to other young women not just around the world, but for the university as well. “She is our MVP,” Bruno said. “She may not have been the team’s MVP, but she is our MVP.” As a DePaul alum, Quigley won her first championship on the home court of her alma mater. She discussed what inspired her huge play down the stretch. “It was from my coaches, teammates, they tell me I am the best shooter in the world,” Quigley said to ESPN’s Holly Rowe during the championship celebration on the court. “The crowd feeds me the energy to get me through.” Quigley acknowledged that the team experienced a rough patch in the middle of the season and that the team had to make a choice to quit or keep fighting in pursuit of a championship. “I think it was just the struggles you saw on the court,” Quigley said. “It was our inconsistency playing. We just didn’t know who we were. I feel like we were frustrated with ourselves, with each other just really buying into our defense and this new way that we all wanted to play and we all believed in.” She believed that the team found their groove in the Dallas series, and that team bought into the new system ever since. “First game of the playoffs in Dallas, we found who we were, and it was by the leadership of our coaches and each other just really buying into our defense and this new way that we all
wanted to play and we believed in.” Quigley said. The team stood on their new identity, starting off the game strong with a putback layup by Vandersloot. Vandersloot continued to push the pace offensively and contributed in an all-around game, finishing the first half with 6 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. Quigley led the way offensively, hitting timely shots that included a 3-point jump shot within the final seconds of the first quarter. The team only had 2 bench points in the first half and struggled offensively from the three, shooting only 15 percent and 40 percent from the field. The Mercury bounced back, playing better than the first half in Game 3. The team was mostly without star Diana Taurasi due to a technical foul and three personal fouls, but was able to manage through the play of Skylar Diggins-Smith and Brittney Griner. Diggins-Smith kept the team afloat while executing a game plan that featured Brittney Griner getting a plethora of touches in the paint. Griner led the way with 18 first-half points on an 80 percent shooting. The team also got some offensive help that featured a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from guard Sophie Cunningham at the end of the first quarter. The Mercury went into halftime with a 44-37 lead thanks to a 9-0 run to end the first half. The team surpassed their Game 3 point total within the first moments of the third quarter.
See QUIGLEY, page 25
2 | News. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
First Look
CAMPUS COVID-19 CASES
Sept. 3, 2021 - Oct. 8, 2021
The DePaulia is the official student-run newspaper of DePaul University and may not necessarily reflect the views of college administrators, faculty or staff. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Lawrence Kreymer eic@depauliaonline.com PRINT MANAGING | Nika Schoonover managing@depauliaonline.com ONLINE MANAGING | Nate Burleyson online@depauliaonline.com NEWS EDITOR | Nadia Hernandez news@depauliaonline.com ASST. NEWS EDITOR | Josephine Stratman news@depauliaonline.com NATION & WORLD EDITOR | Sonal Soni nation@depauliaonline.com OPINIONS EDITOR | Erik Uebelacker opinion@depauliaonline.com FOCUS EDITOR | Kiersten Riedford focus@depauliaonline.com ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Chinyere Ibeh artslife@depauliaonline.com ASST. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Amber Stoutenborough artslife@depauliaonline.com
SOURCE: COVID-19 DASHBOARD | DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Visit the Covid-19 Dashboard for information on how to report positive cases on campus.
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News. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 3
‘Not all crises are the same’
Students grapple with finding outside counselors, no staff updates By nadia hernandez News Editor
University Counseling Services (UCS) are still in a transitional phase, and out-of-state students are struggling to connect to therapists and counselors in the meantime. DePaul students h a v e gone almost an ent i r e academic quarter without direct counseling services after a year and half of virtual classes UCS is currently making individualized referrals based on students’ needs, according to UCS director Tow Yau. “UCS refers a student to an outside clinician when counseling needs are best met by clinicians that offer long-term care or higher levels of care, such as inpatient or partial inpatient treatment, or specialized services,” Yau said in a statement to The DePaulia. While outside referrals are mainly for long-term care, UCS recommends students to My Student Support Program, a 24/7 mental health app, for short-term needs, according to Yau. Students can look for specific traits in a clinic or therapist including language preferences, proximity to home and affordability. However, out-of-state students face additional obstacles. Many still under their parent’s insurance aren’t covered outside of their home state. “I [feel] like if the insurance didn’t cover our first options ... then we’d
have to diminish the quality of care, or perhaps a specialization and I’d be in an incongruous space for my needs,” s a i d De-
Paul sophomore Savio Will, a Michigan native trying to find an outpatient program in Illinois. UCS does not work with any specific clinics around the Chicago area. Instead, they refer students based on their insurance plans. “For students who have issues with insurance coverage, we try to find therapists with a sliding scale fee,” Yau said in a statement. “Since it is a referral, we give students the contact information and coach them about how to make the call to the outside provider to set up an appointment.” Although UCS will “coach” students to create an appointment, some
students feel uncomfortable with this process. “I definitely think I’ve benefited from having someone else [make an appointment for me],” said DePaul junior Isabel Cartwright, who
worked with her sister to arrange appointments. “It’s important that you have the vocabulary, I can see how that would be helpful.” For Will, this coaching method may not work, as students may struggle with scheduling consistent appointments. “I understand the desire to help students feel more independent and responsible for their actions,” she said. “But not all crises are the same. Not all mental health issues are the same. Not all lived experiences are the same, so I don’t think coaching is necessarily the most effective solution for making sure that mental health is properly account-
ed for for the students.” UCS recommends using My SSP or calling 911 in the case of a mental health emergency. “In a high-risk scenario where a student has ideation to harm themselves or others, students can call My SSP 24/7 to immediately be connected to a counselor,” Yau said in a statement. “The intake specialists will assess the level of risk, and contact campus/community emergency contacts where applicable.” As they continue to hire, Will thinks UCS should have specialized counselors for crises as well. “I understand that DePaul is, first a school, not a counseling clinic,” Will said. “We need absolutely more expertise than just something added on to something that’s more than just mental health.” Yau confirmed to The DePaulia that there were no updates in staffing for UCS. “That, in itself, should be more imperative to getting hires in creating a more robust UCS environment, to have no interest in expanding or altering the system in order to better the mental livelihood of students is really frustrating,” Will said. “It’s like I’m trying to call [UCS] them in the middle of the day, but they’re still asleep,” she said.
ART BY ALICIA GOLUSZKA
4 | News. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
‘Kalahi’
means of the same heritage Student organizations celebrate Filipino History Month By nikki ramos Contributing Writer
October is Filipino American History Month, a time to commemorate the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the United States, and a time to celebrate what it means to be Filipino in America. The Chicago metropolitan area is home to over 130,000 Filipino Americans as of the 2010 census, and the population is continuing to grow as the fourth-largest ethnicity immigrating into Chicago. As our presence grows in Chicago, our presence at DePaul follows suit. Because of its sizable and growing Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander population, DePaul is eligible and currently in the process of applying to the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) program, which provides grants and related assistance to AANAPI-serving institutions. And yet, many students and faculty members had noticed when they first arrived that DePaul did not have any organized spaces geared specifically toward the Filipino community — it wasn’t until 2019 that a Filipino student organization was founded. So it comes as no surprise that these students and faculty members took it upon themselves to create these communities for themselves and others who share their Filipino identity, and this month they are celebrating those trail blazers at DePaul. DePaul’s Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Cultural Center Coordinator Jane Baron, grew up in the Philippines and immigrated to the Chicago area when she was 10-years-old. Throughout her time at Loyola University Chicago for undergrad and then as a graduate student at DePaul, she recalls spending many of her formative years in predominantly white spaces. Baron found few Filipinos in positions of mentorship and had trouble discovering communities that shared her cultural identity. “In high school, it was bringing lunch that was more ‘American,’ you know?” Baron said. “It felt like needing to hide parts of who I was in order to find that sense of belonging.” During her time at DePaul from 2017 to 2020, Baron noticed that it was increasingly difficult to find spaces. “In classes, we didn’t really talk about different identities that I hold,” Baron said. “That was something that I noticed at DePaul, and even when I was in undergrad.” Gertrude Palillo, the senior advisor and former educational chair for Kalahi, DePaul’s Filipino Student Association, echoes Baron’s concerns about DePaul’s lack of organized events for the Filipino student body. “I’ve never seen a dedicated event
PHOTO COURTESY OF GERTRUDE PALILLO
Gertrude Palillo (far left) pictured with her Kalahi Pamilya members.
“Helping with the creation of Kalahi will always be a memorable experience for me because being a part of this club is the most I’ve ever been immersed in Filipino culture. ”
Gertrude Palillo
Senior Sdvisor and Former Educational Chair for Kalahi from the school celebrating Filipino American Heritage Month specifically,” Palillo said. “It wasn’t until Kalahi started did we begin organizing events for students to celebrate the Fil-Am (Filipino American) community and uplift Fil-Am voices both past and present.” Palillo, originally just a member of DePaul’s Asian Cultural Exchange (ACE), noticed DePaul didn’t have a Filipino-specific student organization when she arrived as a freshman. After helping establish the basis for Kalahi as one of its first executive board members in 2019, Palillo has since worked to help facilitate a place to rebuild community by holding weekly meetings and raising awareness for Filipino events throughout the city, always encouraging members to attend. “Helping with the creation of Kalahi will always be a memorable experience for me because being a part of this club is the most I’ve ever been immersed in Filipino culture,” Palillo said. “I grew up not knowing many Filipinos other than my extended family, so suddenly being able to be a part of Kalahi and meet
Fiipino students around my age has been an amazing opportunity and experience. It’s really broadened my understanding of the Philippines and helped me reflect on what it means to be Filipino American.” Similarly, Baron has taken strides in the journey to make DePaul a truly AANAPI-serving institution. Being a Filipina faculty member has compelled Baron to be a mentor to young Filipinos, and she strives to create what she lacked growing up: a community where students can openly talk about their identity. “People are excited to have a staff member who identifies as Filipina,” Baron said. “A lot of students that I’ve interacted with are used to being in predominantly white communities, go to classes that are led by predominantly white professors and teaching assistants. And so I think that I found community right away as a staff member because the students are eager to find that community as well.” As a member of DePaul’s staff, even when Baron isn’t interacting with Filipi-
no students, one of her goals is to infuse some of her most cherished values into the workplace. She strives to facilitate connections deeper than those at surface-level and takes pride in finding the greater good in small moments. “I think that I bring a lot of values from the Filipino/Filipinx community,” Baron said. “It’s very community-based, and I think that’s what I try to bring into work and into the center, whether that’s talking, sharing food, saying ‘hi’ to people, or feeling like you’re connected to someone. Even if it’s someone you just met, it’s being able to connect with them on a personal level.” To many Filipino students, including myself, Filipino History Month is about feeling closer to their roots through whichever aspect of our culture that best resonates with us. To Filipino-Hawaiian student Hokupaa Melim, that means learning through one of his favorite pastimes — cooking. “I’m finally learning how to make adobo — properly — from my Nana,” Melim said. Adobo, a tangy, garlicky, slightly sweet, slightly spicy and fall-offthe-bone chicken dish, injects warmth into the hearts of many in the Filipino community. “It’s a dish that I would eat a lot as a kid, and it makes me feel very nostalgic,” Melim said. “Learning how to make it is kind of a tribute to my Nana and my Filipino-ness.” Outside of helping organize Filipino History Month events, Baron and Palillo are also finding ways to connect with their roots daily, both small and large. “For me a lot of what brings me comfort is wearing a lot of the things that remind me of the Philippines,” Baron said. “The Filipino sun is an important symbol, so I have a lot of accessories, like earrings, with the Filipino sun.” Palillo added how she’s involved in other Filipino organizations outside of DePaul. “I’m also a member of the Chicago Committee [for] Human Rights in the Philippines, a grass-roots organization of Filipinos and non-Filipinos that support genuine democracy and peace in the Philippines,” Pallilo said. “I’ve been making time in my schedule this month to help out with more events and encourage Kalahi members to participate.” No matter how we are celebrating, it’s clear that October is a vastly important month to all who are a part of the Filipino community. This month, try to make it a point to attend one of the many events for APIDA, which can be found on Instagram @APIDAUprising, or Kalahi, which can be found on Instagram @kalahidepaul.
The future is accessible
News. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 5
Students form first disabled student organization By angela sampers Contributing Writer
Accessible Futures DePaul (AFD) is the first on-campus student organization for disabled students. Founded and led by junior Gwenyth True, with support from treasurer David Hupp and faculty advisor Kelly Tzoumis, AFD is building a community space on campus to advance disability justice for students. “This is our first academic quarter of organizing together and I’m thrilled to already see students rallying around these issues,” True said. This academic year, they plan on holding meet and greet events, inviting guest speakers and collaborating with other student organizations, academic departments and more. The inspiration to create this organization came from True’s conversations with other students about disability issues on campus. These interactions led her to recognize the need for an organization that encouraged disabled students to join together in a community at DePaul.
“All students, regardless of personal disability status, that care about disability issues on campus and beyond [are] welcome to join our community,” True said. According to Tzoumis, the university’s Center for Students with Disabilities assisted 1,200 students last year. However, she says the number continues to fluctuate and is inaccurate. Before this year, DePaul didn’t have an organization for disabled students and faculty. “Other cultural groups have these spaces on DePaul’s campus to form communities, meet one another and talk about the specific experiences of their identities,” True said. “A physical space would support the success of disabled students and faculty in a way that other resources are currently not achieving.” The Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) services are available to students with diverse physical, learning, medical, mental health and sensory disabilities. One of the concerns that AFD addresses is the lack of accessibility and ineffective communication management in the CSD intake process. “Those of us that receive accommoda-
tions understand how vital they can be to our success and want every disabled student to have that opportunity, regardless of socioeconomic status, energy-limiting chronic illnesses, geographic location or other factors that would make it extremely difficult to access the documentation necessary to receive CSD accommodations,” True said. The main problem the CSD is facing is there’s “not enough funding,” Hupp said. This limits the number of resources and accomodations available to students. “[The CSD] knows they don’t have all of the resources they need to provide accommodations for everyone,” said Hupp, the Student Government Association senator for disabled students and the treasurer of AFD. “At the end of the day, the CSD’s job is to ration those resources.” Hupp added that there’s a lot of room for improvement in regards to accessibility, accommodations and resources at DePaul. “Within the bureaucracy of DePaul, disabled students are often an afterthought,” Hupp said. “I’m hopeful that there are a lot of people in CSD who want to make dis-
ART BY ALICIA GOLUSZKA
abled people’s lives easier.” True said that the top priority of AFD is to serve the wants and needs of the community while working towards making a difference. “We plan to do this by talking openly about the experiences of disabled students, by working with other justice-oriented student organizations to apply an intersectional lens to the issues we care about and by forming an open, inclusive community that is welcoming of all,” True said. Tzoumis’ goal as the faculty advisor is to support the students and the organization itself. The formation of this student-led organization could potentially lead to a multitude of positive changes within the DePaul community, as well as within the CSD. “I’ve seen DePaul listen to students,” Tzoumis said. “Students can have an impact on policies at DePaul.”
Jury deliberates for former DePaul student accused of helping ISIS By Zach elliott Contributing Writer
The trial for former DePaul student Thomas Osadzinski charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS will resume Monday. As closing arguments wrapped up this Friday, the jury for Osadzinski, who started at DePaul in fall 2017, left to deliberate from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m, then adjourning until Monday. He is charged with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Osadzinski, 22, allegedly spoke to and shared terroristic views and ideas with undercover FBI agents he assumed were Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) sympathizers in online message boards in 2019. Osadzinski was a computer science student at DePaul. In June 2018, he allegedly sent a message to an online chat room looking for instructions on building an explosive frequently used by terrorists and suicide bombers, landing him on law enforcement’s radar. He was ultimately apprehended in November 2019. The first ISIS-related arrests were made in the U.S. in March 2014, and there have been a handful of arrests related to ISIS every year since 2014, according to George Washington University’s extremism tracker. “What he intended to do was provide his services to ISIS,” Alexandra Hughes, a Justice Department trial attorney, said in trial closing statements on Friday. Osadzinski’s case was thought to be the first of its kind when he was arrested in November 2019, given that it is a terrorism case brought against a U.S. citizen involving
ART BY ALICIA GOLUSZKA
computer code, per the Chicago Sun-Times. Using a complicated extension of Python computer script, Osadzinski created what he referred to as “Operation Heralds of the Internet,” a piece of code used to disseminate ISIS information and messaging faster than any human being could. In addition to creating this code, Osadzinski actively offered to teach the undercover FBI agents how to utilize his code. “He described this as a ‘very valuable project,’” Hughes said.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, defense attorneys Steve Greenburg and Joshua Herman contended a year ago that the undercover federal agents Osadzinski was messaging with “dangled opportunities” in front of him, and that he “did not provide funds to ISIS, plan violent activity, acquire weapons, or take any tangible steps to causing real-world harm.” The defense’s case revolved around the idea that Osadzinski was first offered the chance to support ISIS and was partially
goaded into the support he did provide. Second, Greenburg and Herman argued that – despite the radical content of his messaging – the defendant was nothing more than an “internet troll.” The prosecution argued that, despite the lack of tangible action, there was more than enough evidence of action intended to help materially aid ISIS. Osadzinski wrote in his messages that he would try to accommodate the code of his project, “Operation: Heralds of the Internet for Android” and other platforms “so brothers without computers could use it.” Combined with correspondence with agents posing as ISIS supporters and the purpose of his personally created code, these actions build the foundation of the prosecution’s case. “Osadzinski’s computer process would automatically copy and preserve ISIS media postings in an organized format, allowing social media users to continue to conveniently access and disseminate the content,” read the Department of Justice’s original statement. “These [...] are not the services he’s charged with providing,” Hughes said. “But they do show his intent.” After deliberating from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. the jury adjourned for the weekend, and will recommence on Monday. Osadzinski’s fate is tied to whether they see him as an overzealous sympathizer, or someone who is desperate to explain away his desire to materially support ISIS and their mission of terror. “There’s an expression,” Hughes said. “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”
6| News. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
CAMPUS CRIME REPORT:
Oct. 7 2021- Oct. 12, 2021
11
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
LOOP CAMPUS
12 12 8
9
7
Seton Hall
10 4
Ozanam Hall Univeristy Hall 1
Munroe hall 2 3
6
The Quad
11
Sheffield Garage
13
McGowan North
4
Belden- Racine Hall
6
DePaul Center 14 15 17
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS OCT 07 1) A Smell of Marijuana report was filed for a room in University Hall.
OCT 08 2) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor
report was filed in Munroe Hall. Chicago EMS provided transport to Illinois Masonic Hospital.
3) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor
Assault & Theft
Drug & Alcohol
Masonic Hospital.
5) An Assault report was filed for a person who was the recipient of unwanted physical contact by the offender.
OCT 09 6) An Illegal
OCT 12 11) A Theft
7) A Possession of Cannabis report was filed in
12) A Criminal Damage to Vehicle report was filed
Possession of Drug and Alcohol report was filed in the Quad.
Seton Hall.
4) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor
9) A Harassment by Electronic Means report was
8) A Disturbance was reported in Ozanam Hall. filed for a person in Ozanam Hall.
LOOP CAMPUS
OCT 10 OCT 07 10) A Battery report was filed for a person who 14) A Liquor received unwanted physical contact from another individual on the 1200 block of W Fullerton.
report was filed in Belden-Racine Hall. Chicago EMS provided transport to Illinois Masonic Hospital.
report was filed in Munroe Hall. Chicago EMS provided transport to Illinois
Other
16
report was filed regarding fire extinguishers missing from the Sheffield Garage. regarding damage to a vehicle parked in Lot L.
13) A Theft report was filed in McGowan North.
Law Violation was reported in University Center.
15) A Battery was reported at University Center. OCT. 11 16) A Graffiti
report was filed for markings on
DePaul Center.
17) An Aggravated Assault report was filed regarding an incident at the DePaul Center Barnes & Noble. Chicago Police took the offender into custody.
News. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 7
‘A Tale of Two Cities’
JOSEPHINE STRATMAN | THE DEPAULIA
Rev. Beth Brown speaks to the congregation at the Oct. 16 vigil. The vigil honored young victims of gun violence and focussed on divesting from police.
JOSEPHINE STRATMAN | THE DEPAULIA
Rev. Beth Brown speaks to the congregation at the Oct. 16 vigil. The vigil honored young victims of gun violence and focussed on divesting from police.
Church honors victims in 6th annual ‘Vigil Against Violence’ By Josephine Stratman Asst. News Editor
As homicide rates in Chicago rise to levels not seen since the mid-1990s, Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church hopes to bridge divides between the North and South Sides. On Saturday, people gathered at the church’s sixth annual “Vigil Against Violence.” There, they mourned the lives of 75 young Chicagoans lost this year to gun violence and considered solutions for the systemic issues organizers said underlie the violence. The theme of the event was “creating safe communities for all” — regardless of zip code — focussed on financial divestment from policing. During the vigil, speakers stressed a need for white North Siders to show solidarity with residents on the South and West sides. Pastor Beth Brown sponsored the event. She said the event was intended to bring awareness and support to the problem of gun violence. “If we don’t show our support, the city will be lost,” Brown said. “So many people on the North Side have no idea of what is going on in the city.” Seventy-five photos of each of the young victims lined the sidewalk outside the church, inviting passersby to look at their faces and “pray their names.” The display has been met with some resistance from the community. Longtime parishioner Steven Hunter said that while some people have applauded the display, the church has also received plenty of complaints.
“We’ve actually faced a good amount of backlash,” he said. “People say, ‘Do our kids have to see that?’” “I think a lot of people on the North Side don’t want to think about this,” said Hunter, a criminal rights lawyer and Lincoln Park resident. The display calls on Lincoln Park residents to recognize that each of the victims, all 18 or younger, died because of a citywide gun violence problem, Brown said. “We want to invite the people of Lincoln Park to see each of these young people as our young people,” Brown said. Addressing decades of intentional disinvestment from the South Side must be a team effort, speakers and attendees said. “This is not a Black and white thing. This is a community thing,” said Michael Victor, an Englewood native and current Flossmoor resident who drove up from the south suburbs to come to the vigil. “If you let it happen on the South Side, it’s going to happen on the North. If you don’t care about those who have less and those that are living beyond your means, eventually it’s going to hit you.” The six event speakers spanned a broad range of backgrounds and organizational experience, but all had a singular goal: To build safe communities through investment and disinvestment from police. There have been more than 600 homicides in Chicago this year to date, according to police data, far outpacing years prior and reaching numbers not seen in the city since the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1990s. “This is the violence that racism and
white supremacy have wreaked on our communities,” Brown said. The South and West sides disproportionately carry the weight of this violence, according to a data analysis by the SunTimes. “When we talk about violence in the city, we can’t neglect to talk about police violence,” Ciera Bates-Chamberlain, executive director of Live Free Illinois, said to the crowd. “The actual violence is state-sanctioned violence.” The solution to this violence? Take money from the proposed $1.9 billion police budget for 2022, and distribute it to mental and physical health services, new legislation and community organizations. “We need to build alternatives to policing,” said Cosette Ayele, organizing director at Raheem. “We need to ask: How can we rely less on police and more on each other?” Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s proposed 2022 budget aims to invest around $400 million in community safety initiatives, $52 million in mental health initiatives and $240 million in affordable housing programs, among several other investments. However, activists said that funds still need to be taken from the police. “If we want to save lives, we need to reduce policing,” Bates-Chamberlain said. “The root causes of this violence are racism and poverty.” Arturo Carillo, a social worker and leader from the Collaborative for Community Wellness, said he wants structural change for mental health resources. Residents of the most affluent neighborhoods in Chicago have access to 4.5 therapists per 1000 residents, while resi-
dents in low-income neighborhoods have just 0.2 therapists for 1000 residents, Carillo said, referencing a 2018 study done by his organization. “It’s a tale of two cities,” he said. “Who gets the majority of the mental health services? …Our main social service is policing.” Amika Tendaji, executive director of Black Lives Matter Chicago and co-founder of Ujimaa Medics, spoke on the importance of physical health services and education. Tendaji trains people in life-saving medical techniques like how to treat gunshot wounds and asthma attacks. “You don’t have to be a doctor or a nurse to know how to care for someone in your community,” Tendaji said. Bernard Johnson, 62, from Lawndale, can personally testify to the power of investment. Johnson lost his son to gun violence in 2006 and struggled with homelessness. Five years ago, Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church first pulled him out of homelessness, he said. “We don’t invest in people,” he said. “But the church invested in me.” The vigil ended with a call to action to continue fighting for the victims of gun violence and safer communities. “We have some real work to do,” Rev. Brittany “Smash” Caine-Conley, a co-sponsor of the event said. “The only people unsafe in wealthy white neighborhoods are people of color and people experiencing homelessness.”
8 | News. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
‘Tentative’ Chartwell’s contract argeement reached By Josephine Stratman Asst. News Editor
After negotiating into the early hours of the morning, DePaul Chartwells finally reached a tentative contract agreement with parent company Compass. “Last night, UNITE HERE Local 1 reached a tentative agreement with Chartwells at DePaul University,” Elliott Mallen, a UNITE HERE Local 1 spokesperson, said in a statement on Thursday. “More details will be released when workers vote to ratify the contract.” The two groups had two days of negotiations last week: from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday and from 2 p.m. until midnight Thursday, said Chartwells employees and union shop steward Isabel Avila. “It wasn’t easy,” she said. “It was proposal, proposal, proposal, refuse, refuse, refuse. So many things, they had to check. And finally, we have a deal.” “I feel so good,” she said. “It feels really emotional. I didn’t do it for me. I did it for everybody.” Nobody sees us. How hard it is to work here and feed our families.” Students have stood in solidarity with Chartwells workers over the past few weeks. DePaul student organizations have hosted events to show support, and students have been sporting small pins reading “I heart campus workers.”
“I’m sure we couldn’t do it without the student support,” Avila said. Three weeks ago, DePaul dining employees voted to authorize a strike against Chartwells with 92 percent support. If this agreement passes the rest of the workers, the strike will be averted. The Chartwells employees have been fighting for a higher wage and consistent health coverage since January 2020. Many workers have been working at DePaul for decades and still receive minimum wage pay. Their demands included $19.88 minimum pay. DePaul President A. Gabriel Esteban stayed out of the labor dispute. “I have a good deal of empathy for them, but it’s a relationship between Chartwells and the union,” he previously told The DePaulia. “You don’t insert yourself there ... There are so many big companies: Chartwells, Aramark. It’s one or the other.” Chartwells is a division of Compass Group, a global service company that operates in 50 countries and employs around 600,000 people worldwide. UNITE HERE Local 1 represents food service workers at Northwestern University as well, where workers have faced similar struggles. The agreement was only agreed upon between the union representatives and the Compass Group. DePaul workers will vote to confirm the terms later this week. The next negotiation day to finalize will be Tuesday, Oct. 19.
UNITE HERE LOCAL 1 | TWITTER
DePaul Chartwells voted to strike around three weeks ago.
“It feels really emotional. I didn’t do it for me. I did it for everybody. Nobody sees us. How hard it is to work here and feed our families.”
Isabel Avila
Chartwell employees and union shop steward
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9 | News. The DePaulia. Oct. 18 , 2021
10 | Nation & World. The DePaulia. Oct. 11, 2021
Nation & World
Election mania
AARON FAVILA | ASSOCIATED PRESS
Supporters of former Philippines senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gather in Metropolitan Manila on Oct. 6 as they wait for him to register for next year’s presidential elections
Overseas filipinos gear up for 2022 Philippine elections By Jessica Nalupta Contributing Writer
Across the globe, the roaring clamor of Filipinos is clear — go register to vote and actually vote when it’s time. Put in a unique spot, overseas voters can cast their ballot by mail as early as April 10 before the official election day on May 9. Originally, the deadline for voter’s registration was on Thursday, Sept. 30. On that same day, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11591, extending the deadline until Oct. 30. “The last day of registration of voters for the 2022 National and Local Elections shall be thirty (30) days after the effectivity of this Act,” RA 11591 reads. However, the extension only applied to voters based in the Philippines. For overseas Filipinos, they only had until Oct. 14 — even if the law doesn’t explicitly make a distinction between local and overseas voters. This raised a question of legality for some. Nerissa Allegretti, midwest coordinator for the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON), worked on a campaign to extend the registration particularly because of Covid-19 restrictions, time constraints and lack of proper information dissemination. “Because of Covid, it’s even harder to vote,” Allegretti said. “If they’re overseas ... and not looking into the consular announcement and have no access to [that] information, they might not even be able to vote because their names might already be taken away.” Those who did not vote during the
“Many of our kababayans [countrymates] who are undocumented are afraid to go out and think they are living in the shadow.”
Nerissa Allegretti
National Alliance for Filipino Concerns midwest coordinator 2016 national elections must re-register due to inactivity in two consecutive polls. Jing Diggs, who is originally from Quezon City but now resides in a western suburb of Chicago, was one of them. On Oct. 8, right after current vice president and opposition leader Leni Robredo officially announced her presidential bid, Diggs decided to vote for the first time since 1992 — even saying that Robredo’s candidacy was “the deciding factor” if she would vote or not. “I’ve always been apathetic about Philippine politics, but it’s been too much,” Diggs said. “This time, hopefully my vote will count.” Diggs was committed to voting this time around. She requested to leave work early to ensure that she could since the consulate is only open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Allegretti wishes the process was more accessible for people voting abroad and suggested possible alternatives. “I tried to call last week and told them [consular representatives] that what if
the Filipino community can organize in a church or Seafood City and get people registered on a particular weekend,” Allegretti said. “They said it’s too late. They don’t have the manpower.” In the midwest, all of its 12 states are under one consular office in downtown Chicago. Meaning there’s only one location for potential voters to go to. This presents more complications for those who are undocumented and live miles away from the city. “Many of our kababayans [countrymates] who are undocumented are afraid to go out and think they are living in the shadow,” Allegretti said. “Who will drive to or fly to Chicago [on a weekday] when everyone’s busy working?” According to the study of Migration Policy Institute, there were an estimated 313,000 undocumented Filipinos in the U.S. from 2012 to 2016. “This is not a joke… compare voting [to] losing their job,” Allegretti adds. “It’s not only the main family, there are still extended families [that will be affected.]”
DePaul University professor and researcher Micaela Cayton Garrido, who worked as an elections monitor in the Philippines and Uganda, sees yet another issue that may arise this election season — social media. “One of the biggest risks of the elections is the role of social media ... no one was really paying attention to what happened to the Philippines in 2016 and only realized afterwards,” Garrido said, noting the rampant disinformation during the national elections. “A lot of that came from the Facebook feeds.” Facebook has completely saturated the Philippines with around 76 million users as of July 2020 out of the country’s population of 110 million — largely because the app has been free in the country since 2013. Users can access the app even without WiFi or mobile data. For many Filipinos, this opened the door to the online world. “When you’re working in a country where people will get their news where they can get it for free, that’s [already] the best,” Garrido said. With six months away from election day, Garrido commits to spreading accurate and fact-checked information and reminding peers to base their votes on the truth. “I’m just hoping that people really try to see what is the real legacy of those folks and look into how they performed in their current position [because] there are still revisionist narratives and pure denial of the damage that was done,” Garrido said.
Nation & World. The DePaulia. Oct. 11, 2021 | 11
France commemorates the 1961 massacre of Algerians in Paris By Arno Pedram and Sylvie Corbet Associated Press
PARIS (AP) — Hundreds of people, including Algerian protesters and their descendants, on Sunday commemorated the 60th anniversary of a bloody police crackdown in Paris during the final year of Algeria’s independence war with its colonial power. The tribute march was organized in Paris to honor the victims of the Oct. 17, 1961 massacre of Algerians — which French authorities have sought to cover up for decades. The commemoration comes after French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that “crimes” committed that day were “inexcusable for the Republic.” The move was part of steps taken by Macron to address France’s brutal history with Algeria, which had been under French rule for 132 years until its independence in 1962. Protesters in 1961 had answered a call for a peaceful demonstration by the French branch CHRISTOPHE ENA | ASSOCIATED PRESS of the National Liberation Front (FLN), which was fighting for Algerian independence, Demonstrators holding Algerian flags chant slogans in Paris on Oct. 17 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the 1961 massacre that had started the month before, including against a discriminatory nighttime curfew tar- there were so many deaths. The FLN had told say it is a state crime.” us, ’do not bring anything, any kind of weapon, Macron’s words did not go far enough, police raids in slum areas where Algerians geting Algerians in the Paris region. were living on the outskirts of Paris, with some “The repression was brutal, violent, not even a pocket knife or a knife’ so it was … Kaki said. “He went to the crime scene without nam- homes being destroyed and corpses found in bloody” under the orders of Paris police chief pacific and they transformed this into a masing the criminals,” the writer said. the Seine even before the protest. Maurice Papon, Macron said in a statement re- sacre,” he said. His 25-year-old brother was arrested by Macron paid tribute to the victims on “It’s the culmination of a period of terror,” leased Saturday. About 12,000 Algerians were arrested and dozens were killed, “their bodies police as soon as he went out of the metro sta- Saturday at the Bezons bridge over the Seine he said. The Movement against Facism and for thrown into the Seine River,” the statement tion. They both survived, and Toul now wants River in northwest Paris. He was the first presito transmit the memory to his grandchildren. dent to attend a commemoration event for the Friendship between People, or MRAP, desaid. Wissam Xelka, 30, an anti-racist activist of massacre. plored that Macron’s statement did not include Historians say at least 120 protesters died, Another gathering taking place Sunday in “any word about the context of the Algeria some shot and some drowned, according to Algerian descent, said the 17th of October is Macron’s office. The exact number has never “a symbol of the whole colonial treatment… the southern city of Marseille, home to a large war, any word on colonialism, nothing about archives... even less about reparation.” been established as archives remain partially (It) was not an accident. It lasted for years and Algerian community. years.” Fabrice Riceputi, a historian who recently Earlier this year, Macron announced a closed. The activists called on authorities to fur- published a book “Here, we drowned the Al- decision to speed up the declassification of Papon later became the highest-ranking Frenchman convicted of complicity in crimes ther recognize the French state’s responsibility gerians” about the event, told the AP “it’s a late secret documents related to Algeria’s 1954-62 against humanity for his role in deporting Jews in the “tragedies and horrors” related to Alge- colonial massacre, we’re a few months away war of independence from France. The new ria’s independence war and to further open up from Algerian independence, but (it’s) also a procedure was introduced in August, Macron’s during World War II. starting point in the history of the Republic’s office said. Ahmed Toul was 13 when he went to the its archives. “We can not forget,” said M’hamed Kaki, a treatment of immigrants.” In 2018, Macron formally recognized the protest with his older brother “well-dressed as The massacre “speaks of a moment when responsibility of the French state in the 1957 the FLN told us, wearing suit and tie.” They writer and member of a collective that is urgunquestionably there was state racism, of colo- death of a dissident in Algeria, Maurice Audin, wanted “the entire world” to know “that Al- ing the recognition of a state crime. “It is not a police mistake. It is not an initia- nialism,” he said. admitting for the first time the French miligerians living in France want independence,” Riceputi described the bloodshed as “the tary’s use of systematic torture during the war. he told The Associated Press during the Paris tive from Papon or a few police officers,” Kaki said. “No. There was political approval at the climax of police harassment and violence march on Sunday. “The police were full of rage... That’s why time (from the government) ... That’s why we against the Algerians in the Parisian region”
Top Democrats woo Black voters in Virginia governor’s race By Will Weissert Associated Press
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Voting rights advocate Stacey Abrams on Sunday urged Black churchgoers to turn out for Democrat Terry McAuliffe in next month’s Virginia governor’s election, saying that what happens in the most watched race this year will “tell the world who are” in future contests with even higher stakes. Abrams has become a leading national voice in the party since narrowly losing the 2018 race for governor in Georgia. With her appearances at three churches in Norfolk, Abrams is joining other political heavyweights in trying to ensure that a state trending increasingly Democratic in recent years does not flip back to the Republican column on Nov. 2. McAuliffe, governor from 2014 to 2018 and a former Democratic National Committee chairman, visited separate Black churches and later planned to lead worshippers from the pews to an early voting station. His Republican opponent, former business executive Glenn Youngkin, held a series of weekend events, including rallying Latino voters in the Washington suburbs. “I am the daughter of not one but two pastors,” said Abrams, who like all attendees entering Second Calvary Baptist Church showed a card indicating that she was fully
STEVE HELBER | ASSOCIATED PRESS
Stacey Abrams encourages voters to vote at a church service in Norfolk, Va. on Oct. 17 vaccinated against the coronavirus. turning out in force for McAuliffe. The pastor, Geoffrey Guns, wore a black First lady Jill Biden campaigned with T-shirt emblazoned with “VOTE” and told him on Friday. Former President Barack the congregation that what’s “coming up Obama is coming this week. Atlanta Mayor is a very important election.” He repeated Keisha Lance Bottoms visited three Black the phrase to louder applause and cries of churches in Richmond on Sunday. Biden ”Amen.” plans to visit the state. President Joe Biden won Virginia by Youngkin has largely shied away from 10 percentage points over Donald Trump outside Republican stalwarts, hoping to atin 2020, but the McAuliffe-Youngkin race tract independents disillusioned by Trump. appears to be coming down to the wire. To Youngkin has not campaigned personally shore up a contest they hope will give them with Trump, though they both phoned into momentum heading into next year’s mid- a Virginia rally hosted last week by Steve terms, when the party’s narrow control of Bannon, a longtime Trump strategist. Congress is at stake, national Democrats are Abrams told the congregations that in
McAuliffe’s first term as governor, he increased funding for education and ensured that tens of thousands of former felons and others who had been removed from voter rolls had their right to the ballot box restored. “I know you get tired of being called a bellwether state but I’m going to tell you — as someone from one of those newly purplish states — we’ve got to look to you for wisdom,” she said, referring to once reliably Republican Georgia backing Biden and two Democratic senators last cycle. At Faith Deliverance Christian Center, where congregants gathered in a gymnasium, the pastor, Sharon Riley, thanks Abrams for not being elected Georgia governor because “we now see that God had a plan” and that Abrams’ work since in defense of voting rights has made her one of the “most significant” people in the nation. Abrams said when she first began running for office, she felt mixing politics and church was bad. But, she said, her mother eventually reminded her that “politics is always in the church” and her father said that the Bible “is one of the most intense political texts ever written.” “Voting is an act of faith,” Abrams said. “I need you to do the job.”
12 | Opinions. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
Opinions
Give us more: The case for interfaith classes at DePaul By K iersten Riedford Focus Editor
Searching for a course on religion is not hard: There are 158 classes that count towards the general requirement for religious classes at DePaul. But, out of these 158 options for required classes there are only three classes geared towards Hinduism, seven for Buddhism, seven for general Christianity and none for interfaith. Some may argue there are classes for interfaith like Debates about God or Religion and Culture in America, but none of the options shown in class registration to discuss how to respect people practicing their religion or to discuss religion respectfully. For all these students know, it will be more of a lecture about the different types of religion than an experience of discussion where students can learn about different religions through their peers. Freshman Ethan Siebel thinks religion classes should not be a requirement. He said if the religion class requirement remains, he would like some different classes to be offered. “I like the concept of offering a class on religious tolerance [or] interfaith as an alternative to the current religion course credit requirement,” Siebel said. “I also think a class on spirituality and its mental health benefits could be a good alternative course to fill the religion credit requirement.” Sophomore Liz Bazzoli said a class on tolerance would be a subjective type of class, not providing much benefit other than surface level. “I think there should obviously be [an] all-inclusive education covering multiple religions, but I also think ‘tolerance’ is an easily problematic trap to fall into,” Bazzoli said. “Religion is a deeply personal and individualistic practice, and I think it’s easy to generalize what Hinduism is or Judaism is, for example. By just teaching religious texts or basic beliefs you run the risk of erasing the nuance of religious belief and practice and almost dehumanize it in a way, so I think it’s a fine line to walk. Just being ‘tolerant’ doesn’t really give due respect to religion.” Freshman Nickolas Kreuger agrees with the concept of having a class that goes more in depth into different religions. He said, “I think that [it] would be cool to have an interfaith class but I think it would be better used as a module like the alcohol modules [used in explore and discover classes].” Religious classes should not be a requirement at DePaul, despite the school’s identity as a Catholic university. Students at DePaul who are of a different religion should have an equal amount of classes available to them so they can have an opportunity to get into a class they best align with rather than being forced to go into a class based on Catholicism as a backup. There should at least be an interfaith class as an option for students who are enrolling in their classes later than most.
MADDY MAES | THE DEPAULIA
Students study at DePaul’s John T. Richardson Library in Lincoln Park, a building filled with religious imagery.
“I really don’t think [religion classes] should be [required],” Krueger said. “I can understand why [there is a requirement], but when you’re at this age, you’ve already been raised a certain way or have your own values. If you’ve wanted to find a new religion or such you’ve done the research already. There’s only so many enlightenment stories of people being required to take a class and then falling in love with it.” Additionally, according to the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, to be classified as a Catholic university or college, the school has to be faithful to tradition, has to have Christian values, vision and goals, must be committed to service and must reflect Christian faith. Nowhere in the requirements is there a necessity for students to attend nor pass a religion class, so DePaul would not be negatively affected as an institution by pulling this requirement from the school. If anything, DePaul would benefit from this change in curriculum. Those who don’t practice religion would feel more comfortable at DePaul instead of feeling forced to engage with religion through a required course. Students who have a specific religious belief should have more classes offered to them that pertain to their religious affiliation. Those who are interested in religious studies should have more unique classes available if they wish to explore different religions, academically or spiritually. Those who follow a religion besides Christianity may feel more represented at DePaul if these classes are implemented. But if there is not a more inclusive spectrum of courses pertaining to different religions, DePaul should not require students to take religion classes.
ROBERT ANTOON | THE DEPAULIA
The Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Lincoln Park.
The opinions in this section do not necessarially reflect those of The DePaulia staff.
13 | Opinions. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
Why I’m scared to have kids in the United States By Erik Uebelacker Opinions Editor
GAGE SKIDMORE | CREATIVE COMMONS
Andrew Yang speaking with supporters at the Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the 2019 Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa.
Andrew Yang’s “Forward Party” Why third parties are destined to fail By Michael Boland & Erik Uebelacker Contributing Writer & Opinions Editor
Andrew Yang recently announced his own political party, departing from the Democratic party in an attempt to disrupt the two-party system. Many progressive politicians have expressed their distaste for the Democratic establishment. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and “The Squad” have been at the forefront of this infighting, but continue to try to enact change within the system. Yang’s announcement of his own political party is certainly unique, but it remains to be seen if it will make an impact on the political landscape? “Third parties have four major strikes against them,” Wayne Steger, a political science professor at DePaul University who specializes in political parties, told The DePaulia. The first strike presented by Steger is the “cumulative legal barriers,” including single-member plurality: the way we most commonly vote in the United States. This strategy of determining representation can be understood as a winnertake-all process, in which the party that receives the majority of votes receives all the representation. A transition to an election system that keeps losing votes from being no more than a inconsequential protest, such as ranked-choice voting, would make the introduction of a third-party more possible. Steger also explains how voters’ loyalty to current parties makes the emergence of a third party difficult. “The vast majority of voters are loyal to parties, which makes it very hard for third party candidates to get to a plurality,” Steger said. Many voters pledge their loyalty to parties regardless of how representative they are of their political views, since the two-party system is easily digestible and makes representation simple. If a broader spectrum of political parties existed, voters may better identify with new third-parties. Another obstacle Steger explains is that major parties often adopt popular third-party policies to their platforms. In order to gain voters that don’t directly
“The vast majority of voters are loyal to parties, which makes it very hard for third party candidates...” Dr. Wayne Steger
DePaul University Political Science Professor align with Democrat or Republican ideologies, parties will shift their narrative in order to gain a larger range of support. Many Democratic candidates in the 2020 primaries had to shift their policies slightly to the left in order to appeal to the growing populist left sector of the Democratic party, which is commonly characterized by politicians including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Steger added that the two-party system has made the Democratic and Republican parties into large coalitions of a variety of viewpoints, rather than focused parties with the rigid agendas that third-parties often have. This makes it more difficult for third-parties to appeal to voters, since they often sport more niche and specific policies. However, Yang seems to be circumventing this by appealing to centrism. He seems to be targeting Americans “in the middle” who are tired of the two party’s extremes. While this could be an effective strategy to grow the party’s interest, targeting Americans who lack a strong ideology could lead to policy inaction down the road. Tommy Virgil, a 21-year-old film student at DePaul feels the skepticism that many progressives have about the establishment of a third-party. He wasn’t convinced that a third party politician would ever become mainstream enough in American politics to make an impact. “The entire way that we vote would have to change, and right now there’s no collective movement that will work to make that change,” Virgil said. “Democrats have the House [of Representatives], the presidency, and the Senate but they won’t pass essential voting rights legislation, so expecting them to make
third-parties possible is absurd.” Virgil is right. A majority of the politicians that are currently in the system identify with either the Republican or Democratic party. Within the population of politicians that identify with different political beliefs, most of them work within the establishment to make change, rather than trying to disrupt it. It would be surprising if the politicians that benefit from the two-party system worked to make third-parties viable, as it would only steal power from them. Even Yang himself, in a blogpost on his website, states a similar argument, making his decision to leave the Democratic party more puzzling. “I am NOT suggesting that you also change your voter registration to Independent, as I have done,” Yang wrote. “Doing so could disenfranchise you if you live in the 83 percent of the country that is very blue or very red. For this reason, I considered either not making this change or not talking about it.” I see Yang’s new party as a bland attempt at gaining notoriety among those dissatisfied with the current state of American politics. In the blogpost, Yang argues “I’m not very ideological. I’m practical. Making partisan arguments – particularly expressing what I often see as performative sentiment – is sometimes uncomfortable for me.” I’m disturbed at this attempt at mobilizing Centrists by labeling them the voice of reason, labeling a lack of ideology as practical. Not that Centrists do not have valid experiences and beliefs, as do members of all parties, but being “practical” is not a policy stance - practical is a matter of opinion, which is intrinsically partisan.
It is not my intention to sound ungrateful or unpatriotic. I’m fully aware of how fortunate I have been to be raised in the United States. It’s a diverse nation with a high standard of living, sprawling with educational and professional opportunities. My parents raised me to appreciate and seize those opportunities, and one day I hope to be in position to encourage a family of my own to do the same. With that being said, there are a number of socioeconomic trends that make me hesitant to do so. Raising a family has always been expensive — that’s no secret. But coupled with a rising cost of living, stagnation of wages, a volatile job market, and a lack of sufficient social safety nets provided to citizens, having a family in the U.S. frightens me. According to data on the topic, I’m not alone. U.S. birth rates fell to a 35-year low last year. A 2020 Morning Consult poll showed that 59 percent of childless millennials in the U.S. said they didn’t want kids due to the financial burden. This is pretty unsurprising considering the consolidation of wealth in older generations of Americans. Despite making up the largest portion of the workforce, millennials own less than 5 percent of American wealth. Additionally, wages in the U.S. have remained virtually stagnant over the last 40 years, despite the cost of living increasing. This doesn’t bode well for family-building, and is one of the reasons why it scares me so much. American policymaking doesn’t make it any easier. Of the 193 countries in the United Nations, only three lack national paid parental leave: Papua New Guinea, Suriname and the United States. Norway and Cuba mandate 18 weeks of paid leave, Cameroon and New Zealand require 14, Mexico requires 12. America requires 0. Essentially, there’s no guarantee as an American citizen that I, or my significant other, would get paid parental leave when having a child. That terrifies me, especially as somebody entering an industry with as volatile a job landscape as journalism, which is becoming increasingly reliant on part-time work. Granted, President Joe Biden did propose a nationalized paid parental leave program in his American Families Plan, but it remains to be seen whether this will stay after the package is inevitably slashed in Congress. Considering nearly every other country in the world already has parental leave, it’s shocking that the U.S. hasn’t taken this basic step to make having a family just a little bit easier. Speaking of policies on which America is behind the curve, let’s talk healthcare. Americans with insurance paid an average of $10,808 for childbirth in 2015. In Spain, that number is $1,950. Considering American health insurance varies so much in coverage, my cost could very well be higher. I want to have children one day. I can’t imagine a more rewarding experience than raising a family. I’m only 21 years old. Perhaps many of these fears I have will dissipate with age. My little brother is planning on living in Austria after high school — they have universal healthcare and parental leave there. For now, I’ll leave the task of passing down the family name to him.
14 | Focus. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
Focus ALL-OUT VS ALL-NATURAL Students say skin color and figure make expressing themselves difficult By Kiersten Riedford Focus Editor
MADDY MAES | THE DEPAULIA
Sophomore Josie Moore stares at the clothes in their closet before grabbing at any clothes. Depending on the day, Moore chooses to dress masculine or feminine, or androgynous if they do not feel like deciding. “I spend most of my time in The Theatre School (TTS) and a lot of students here have very similar senses of styles, but there’s also a huge range of appearances,” Moore said. “I mean, it’s a theater conservatory for crying out loud, there isn’t exactly a ‘wrong’ way to look.” Moore isn’t alone, many students at DePaul feel they are accepted for dressing or looking however they want to. Freshman Gylani Oliver said she doesn’t think there is a de facto dress code at DePaul, which helps students feel like they can express their true selves. “I feel like DePaul is partially accepting of it,” Oliver said. “DePaul has this unwritten rule of ‘as long as it’s not too overbearing or makes the school look bad, you’re good.’” Freshman Vanessa Ramos said she also thinks DePaul has an accepting atmosphere for people to dress how they would like, but despite the atmosphere, Ramos said there is still potential to be rejected by some students. “In a perfect world everyone would be accepting of everyone’s looks, but in all honesty you can get outcasted by any group and anyway you look like,” Ramos said. “It might not be in a bad way, but after going to school here for a while, I don’t think they are as judgmental compared to going to a school where style isn’t considered cool.” Aside from general style, Moore said that when it comes to feeling accepted for your appearance at DePaul, race cannot go unnoticed. “I think it’s really important for me [to address] that my appearance carries a lot of privilege solely because I am a white person,” Moore said. “I know that this privilege has a big part in whether I feel accepted at DePaul.” Oliver felt the same way. “While there is an influx of white people at this school that have a tendency to dress a certain type of way, I don’t believe Depaul’s atmosphere pressures me to dress in any kind of way,” she said. “I believe I’m able to dress how I want without feeling like I’m completely out of place. In the Lincoln Park Campus, I do feel like there’s a sort of stigma against looking too ‘ghetto.’ Like I said before, there is a large influx of white people and a small population of Black people. If I were to dress in a stereotypical way according to my race, I would definitely be judged.” Ramos said there is a level of importance in the representation of yourself as a person of color, especially in an area like Lincoln Park. “As a person of color [being comfortable with expressing yourself] truly depends on who you associate with and how you represent yourself,” Ramos said. “It is difficult being a person of color because of all the stereotypes, but I haven’t felt unsafe being a person of color here because Chicago is already such a diverse place and we have multiple resources and staff members that always want the best for us.”
Focus. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 15
Moore said there is a lot to take in with being in Chicago, especially in terms of encountering different types of people. But while there are benefits that come with each person being different in their own way, they said there is always a negative side to being expressive through your appearance and style. “DePaul absolutely doesn’t exist in a vacuum away from the real world,” Moore said. “Slut-shaming is a huge problem. People of color are constantly getting hit with microaggressions and targeted comments about their hair or traditional clothing they might wear. Transgender folks can’t always appear the way they want to because they feel as though it isn’t safe for them to come out, or maybe their gender expression doesn’t perfectly align with their gender identity the way this cisheteronormative society deems it should. Fatphobia is still a huge problem everywhere and shapes the way fat people like myself feel like they can appear. These are problems everywhere in the world that I absolutely do not doubt.” Moore said they experienced some of these issues, especially with being a plus-size person in the theatre school. “I know I am larger than a lot of my classmates,” they said. “I identify as a plus-size person and that’s been something I’ve really been embracing over the last year or so, and while I am trying to be more comfortable in my own body and I know most of my classmates aren’t judging me on the basis of my size, it’s still an insecurity that lingers in the back of my mind — especially in more movement-based classes.” Moore, Oliver and Ramos said despite the challenges someone may face when expressing themselves as they wish, the outcome of expressing themselves will always outweigh those difficulties. Ramos said if someone dresses as they prefer, they are more likely to feel like
MADDY MAES | THE DEPAULIA
[Top Left] Seniors Carmen Eggleston [left], Jesse Lane [middle] and Taylor Tate [right] stand on a staircase to show off their outfits. [Top Right] Freshman Gylani Oliver shows off her tattoos. [Bottom Left] Sophomore Josie Moore sits in the quad. [Bottom Right] Sophomore Michael Krane rides a skateboard in an alleyway. themselves. “Honestly, go with whatever Oliver said the challenges one may face think of you is just an ignorant mindset that you want at the end of the day,” Ramos are great, but Chicago is the best place for comes from fear of individualization. If your said. “You are going to end up regretting someone to express themselves especially mentors or professors or even the adminwhat could have happened and, you never with the different types of people in the city. istration is judging you based on what you know, maybe someone will compliment “Dress how you want,” Oliver said. “You’re wear, then speak on it because that’s such an you or appreciate you from afar.” in Chicago, Illinois of all places. What they ignorant and outdated way of thinking.”
Jeremy Jarmuz | Freshman I think DePaul is accepting of everybody. There are so many different skin colors, classes, nationalities, styles of wear, and everybody is mixed together here. The city is a very diverse place so DePaul is as well so it’s inevitable that DePaul will accept everybody.
Macy Bristol | Freshman I have heard a lot of people, even in my own friend group, be like “oh that person looks cool, I want to be their friend,” and if you don’t fit into how everyone else looks it’s less likely for you to be approachable to other people, just from my observations.
Michael Krane | Sophomore If you’re worried about trying something new and changing your look, try wearing what you like in your home, then go for a walk. It’s easier to stop caring what people think once you realize most people don’t care what you look like. If someone ends up not liking it they’re probably just lame.
Scan to view the statistics of the diversity within the student body at DePaul. Did you know? Of the 22,437 students enrolled at DePaul this fall, 8,750 (or 39 percent) are students of color – the highest in DePaul’s history. DEPAUL UNIVERSITY| SOURCE
16 | La DePaulia. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
La DePaulia
Cubs Charities apoyan a la próxima generación de jóvenes latinos
Tony Rodriguez, entrenador de la liga pequeña de La Villita, posa con sus jugadores en Wrigley Field.
By Erika Pérez Gerente Editorial, La DePaulia
Los entrenadores latinos de los programas Cubs Charities están creando un cambio en las vidas de los jóvenes en Chicago. Los entrenadores de béisbol están enseñando valores importantes de la vida, preparando a los jóvenes para un futuro exitoso. Cubs Charities tiene programas de béisbol que conectan a los jóvenes de la ciudad de Chicago con el béisbol. La programación se recorre a través de las comunidades de Lakeview, La Villita, Humboldt Park, Midway y muchas otras. El programa Cubs Jr. All-Stars, empodera a la próxima generación de líderes. Los Cubs trabajan con varias organizaciones para enfatizar los valores de la salud física a través del béisbol y el softbol. De manera similar, el Cubs RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) es un programa juvenil de Grandes Ligas (MLB) diseñado para aumentar la participación y el interés en el béisbol y el softbol entre los jóvenes. Héctor Rodríguez, Cubs Jr. All-Stars Coach y maestro de Educación Física en la Primaria James Ward en Chinatown, se unió a Cubs Charities en 2018, donde entrena a estudiantes de K-8. Cubs Charities ofrece un currículo que junta el aprendizaje profesional con el béisbol. Rodríguez dijo que pudo colaborar en el currículo donde compartió puntos de enseñanza que se pueden conectar a través del béisbol. “Trabajo en Chinatown, donde la población estudiantil tiende a ser mayoritariamente asiática, afroamericana y latina”, dijo Rodríguez. “Cubs Charities fue una oportunidad perfecta para la inclusión y la diversidad dentro de
esta demografía estudiantil donde los estudiantes nunca antes habían jugado béisbol”. “Estaba recibiendo consejos de un entrenador de béisbol de las Grandes Ligas antes de su gran partido de playoffs, fue una gran oportunidad que me trajo alegría”, dijo Rodríguez. Ser entrenador no es solo decirles a los estudiantes qué hacer, también es ayudar a los jóvenes a aprender más sobre sí mismos. “Incluye la conciencia para tomar decisiones empoderadas, conduce al cambio. Estoy en condiciones de hacer una diferencia en mi comunidad”, dijo Rodríguez. Cuando los estudiantes terminen con el programa, Rodríguez espera que con las habilidades que aprendieron, sus estudiantes continúen motivados. “Siento que el trabajo nunca se termina, el viaje continúa”, dijo Rodríguez. Tony Rodríguez, entrenador de Little Village Little League y Cubs RBI All-Star dijo que se involucró con Cubs Charities cuando era entrenador de béisbol en Piotrowski Park, ubicado en La Villita. En 2015, Cubs Charities patrocinó el programa en el que era entrenador, lo que permitió que Piotrowski Park recibiera algunas renovaciones. “Gracias a Cubs Charities podemos tener prácticas en el parque sin temor a que oscurezca demasiado debido a las nuevas luces”, dijo Tony. “Ahora tenemos bancos para que la gente pueda venir a nuestros juegos y mirar cómodamente. Cuando hay un campo en malas condiciones, los jóvenes no están motivados”. El programa All-Star de Cubs RBI dura un año en el que los estudiantes atletas no solo juegan béisbol, sino que también son voluntarios en eventos de la comunidad. “Tener este programa en La Villita es enorme”, dijo Tony. “En
muchos vecindarios difíciles, quieres esa consistencia positiva, no quieres negatividad”. Al final del programa, Tony quiere que los jóvenes se lleven consigo los valores de respeto, integridad, disciplina y amor. “Ser mentor viene con el título de entrenador”, dijo Tony. “Ser entrenador me mantiene alerta para ser un modelo a seguir en su vida. Tengo que mantenerme concentrado y positivo porque ellos están mirando. En cierto modo, también aprendo de ellos”. Rodríguez comparte que a través del programa tuvieron la oportunidad de conversar con el ex-entrenador de los Cubs Joe Maddon. Hablar con Maddon inspiró a los jóvenes. Un atleta joven que estaba teniendo dificultades para golpear la pelota recibió consejos de Maddon. Tony espera que, como latino, pueda inspirar a los jóvenes a que también busquen puestos como el suyo, donde está haciendo un cambio en la comunidad. “Ser latino en el Cubs Charities es genial porque inspiramos a las generaciones futuras a verse a sí mismas como líderes en el deporte del béisbol”, dijo Tony. “Algunos de los jóvenes que entreno me han dicho que les gustaría ser entrenador algún día. Les muestro que existe la posibilidad de pasar incluso más allá de mí, quiero que sean más grandes que yo”. Jennifer Vargas, una Cubs Scholar es un ejemplo de estudiantes que crean cambios a través de la programación de Cubs Charities. A través de las habilidades de liderazgo que ha aprendido como Cubs Scholar, está empoderando a los estudiantes latinos a través de la Asociación de Estudiantes Latinoamericanos (ALAS), un programa creado en Jones College Prep para estudiantes latinoamericanos.
FOTO CORTESÍA DE CUBS CHARITIES | FACEBOOK
“Como oficial, organizo y dirijo reuniones para difundir la conciencia sobre problemas en la comunidad hispana, orientar a los niños que se preparan para la escuela secundaria y aceptar las diferentes culturas”, dijo Vergara. Ha formado nuevas amistades con otros Cubs Scholars de diferentes partes de la ciudad que comparten el mismo objetivo de sobresalir en la universidad y retribuir a nuestras comunidades. Como Cubs Scholar, Vergara recibió orientación para solicitudes universitarias y a conectado con profesionales en diferentes campos. “Ser un Cubs Scholar es una experiencia muy fructífera y gratificante”, dijo Vergara.“ “Me ha fortalecido de tal manera que me desafío más a mí mismo demostrando iniciativa en el salón de clases y conocer diferentes universidades y carreras”, dijo Vergara. Al continuar su carrera, Vergara dijo que llevará los valores de la perseverancia y la individualidad. “Persistencia porque incluso después de todo lo que logré, sigo ambiciosa”, dijo Vergara. “Valoro la individualidad porque todos hemos pasado por diferentes experiencias que nos hacen quienes somos, las cuales podemos contribuir a promover lo mejor hacia nuestra ciudad”. Vergara dijo que ser una Cubs Scholar latinx es importante porque le permite ser una defensora para la comunidad latina. “Mientras trabajo para retribuir, puedo expresar las experiencias y desafíos que enfrenta la comunidad latinx, lo que traerá más conciencia y promoverá el cambio”, dijo Vergara.
La DePaulia. The DePaulia. Oct, 18 2021 | 17
Organizadores y residentes de La Villita comienzan una granja local para promover un estilo de vida saludable By Stephania Rodriguez Staff Writer l, La DePaulia
Todo lo que se siembra, se cosecha. Después de una lucha de más de 20 años para lograr la justicia ambiental, La Villita finalmente sembrara una granja comunitaria localizada en La Villita Park. La granja, que se extenderá 1wricultura urbana bilingüe en españolinglés y una porción cooperativa para los vendedores. La granja se abrirá en la primavera del 2022. “Estamos construyendo una granja para mostrarle a nuestra comunidad que podemos crear espacios ecológicos y seguros que cultivarán beneficios económicos, mental, física, espiritual y emocional,” dijeron líderes del grupo. Los residentes de La Villita han dicho que quieren que La Villita Park tenga servicios y programas que respondan a las necesidades de la comunidad. Manny Guzman, un voluntario, está emocionado de que la granja inicie trabajos de estilo cooperativo como jardineros, trabajadores de la tierra y coordinadores de grupo en donde “cada uno es su propio jefe.” “Lo que está sucediendo aquí es producto de años de organizarse y hablar con miembros de La Villita y averiguar qué quieren hacer con este espacio que tiene un historial de contaminación,” dijo Gabriel Bergman, un voluntario. La Villita Park, que abrió en diciembre de 2014, antes fue ocupado por el sitio de Celotex — un fabricante de techos de asfalto que fue localizado en la calle 31st y Albany. Esta fábrica contaminó el área de La Villita por bastantes años. Miembros de la comunidad lucharon por más de dos décadas a lado de La Organización de Justicia Ambiental de La Villita (LVEJO, por sus siglas en inglés) para remediar la propiedad. El LVEJO y residentes también presionaron para limpiar y remediar más de 177 casas en la zona. La Villita además ha sido una de las comunidades en los lados sur y oeste más afectadas por la inseguridad alimentaria, especialmente durante la pandemia. Los líderes de la organización esperan que esta granja sirva como otra fuente útil para que la gente pueda disfrutar de alimentos frescos y aprender más sobre cómo alimentarse. La gente de La Villita es predominante Latina y la mayoría de los residentes son Mexicanos. Varios de los residentes tienen conocimientos ancestrales sobre el trabajo y el cuidado de la tierra. “La belleza de esta granja, es que la experiencia ya existe en la comunidad,” le dijo Viviana Moreno, una organizadora de la justicia alimentaria, a la publicación Block Club Chicago. “Mucha gente viene de [ranchos]…. No es necesario un gran esfuerzo; la gente ya sabe cómo hacerlo de forma orgánica.” LVEJO ha estado organizando una serie de días de voluntariado para ayudar a construir la granja. Los próximos días de voluntariado serán el 22 de octubre y 30 de octubre de las 9 a.m. a la 1 p.m en La Villita Park, ubicado en 2800 S. Sacramento Ave. Para muchos como Guzman, la comunidad está recuperando, limpiando y manteniendo la tierra con el propósito de ser “autosuficiente e independiente como una comunidad minoritaria”.
FOTO CORTESÍA DE STEPHANIA RODRIGUEZ | LA DEPAULIA
La Organización de Justicia Ambiental de La Villita (LVEJO) y varios voluntarios ayudaron a organizar una granja comunitaria.
FOTO CORTESÍA DE STEPHANIA RODRIGUEZ | LA DEPAULIA
La granja comunitaria organizada por LVEJO esta localizada en la calle 31st y Albany.
Arts & Life
18 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
Full of WNDR
GRACESON KENNEDY, THE DEPAULIA
One of the new art exhibits is “Colorwave”, made in 2021 by WNDR Studios creates waves of colors coordnating the emoji or photo you text into the system.
Interactive art museum reopens after pandemic disruption By Amber Stoutenborough Asst. Arts & Life Editor
The WNDR Museum has finally reopened and is here to stay with new art pieces that reflect on the virtual world that a majority of consumers experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, the WNDR museum had just moved to Chicago in 2019. The interactive art experience is described as an opportunity for everyone to find the art in themselves and create a platform for up and coming art creators. One the most famous exhibits is done by the iconic Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, known for her creation of infinity rooms. Yayoi Kusama’s exhibit in the WNDR Museum is called “Let’s Survive Forever.” Created in 2017, the exhibit takes place in a single room completely filled with mirrors and stainless steel balls. The exhibit creates the illusion of infinite mirrors surrounding you, a result of the mirrors reflecting against each other. While Kusama is the most known attraction, other pieces of artwork are growing in popularity due to their work displayed in the WNDR Museum. ANTIBODIES is a new piece that came out this year, pinpointing the disconnection humans experience through technology, specifically through video conference calls. The art piece is designed to look like a “virtual get-together” that scans your face and projects it on the screen in layers with haunting audio. The walls then add your face with the faces of previous visitors to make a “gallery of disembodied human beings.” Hannah Shanker, the Curatorial Coordinator and social media manager, said she is excited for museum-goers to finally experience ANTIBODIES.. “The first piece was created out of quarantine and has a very interesting commentary, based on how social interaction changes,” Shanker said. “They created it based on video chats and how we use to socialize you would only see who you’re talking to, but video chats, you just see yourself. So that’s where facial tracking comes in, very important commentary on things like how the world is evolving and how we interact
with each other.” Shanker started working at the WNDR museum in February 2019 and told the DePaulia she believes museums like WNDR are important for the future of art where everyone can interact through their own perspective. “We like to disrupt the traditional museum experience with the intersection of art and technology,” Shanker said. “As you walk through most of the work isn’t completed without your interaction so we truly believe that everyone that comes here is an artist, and is capable of being a part of something bigger.” The WNDR museum has been judged as just an “Instagram” museum because of the idea that people go to take photos of themselves. Shanker told the DePaulia she believes it should be up to each individual how they want to explore WNDR. “I’m not here to dictate how people decide they want to interact with art like I don’t think it’s cool to hate on something that other people find joy in,” Shanker said. “We do get people who come here just to take pictures and then we do get people who come here looking for deeper meaning and anyone can find what they’re looking for here.” Shanker’s favorite piece at the moment is “I heard there was a secret chord” by WNDR Studios Which is a dark room filled with microphones of virtual people humming to Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” based on the data of how many people are listening to the song at the same time. AMES, made in 2018 is the optical illusion room that distorts size when two people go in and the WNDR light floor, made up of over 100 LED motion censored panels creating waves when you walk across the bright colored floor are just two of the iconic and “instagrammable” at the WNDR Museum. The WNDR museum is never going to be the same experience as the art pieces are always changing and creating new ways to express art into our lives. With the theme of finding the artist in yourself, the WNDR museum curates a long lasting impression on everyone who gets to experience it.
GRACESON KENNEDY, THE DEPAULIA
New exhibit at WNDR Muesum called “Analog | Digital” from 2021 by WNDR Studios
AMBER STOUTENBOROUGH, THE DEPAULIA
“Let’s Survive Forever.” created by Yayoi Kusama 2017
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 19
‘Battlefield 2042’: A series veteran’s first impressions By Brandon Yechout Staff Writer
The highly anticipated latest entry in the “Battlefield” series, “Battlefield 2042,” launched into open beta on Oct. 6. While the game’s full launch is not due for another month, this early release has provided hundreds of thousands of players with the chance to get their hands on the next generation of “Battlefield” for the first time. I’ve played every game in the “Battlefield” series since the first, and I was able to spend a lot of time with the “Battlefield 2042” beta in the brief period that it was available. Here are my honest first impressions as a grizzled series veteran. I should begin by outlining my disdain for the series’ previous outing: “Battlefield V.” The game’s notoriously insulting and tone-deaf marketing campaign, its contemptuously laughable depiction of World War II and its appalling lack of content at release have all ensured that “Battlefield V” remains one of the most contentious and generally disliked in the whole series. My view is more or less in line with the consensus of the community. And yet booting up “Battlefield 2042” for the first time, it comes as such a gut punch to see how little of the previous entry’s DNA remains. For all its faults, “Battlefield V” in its eventually patched state looked like heaven and played smooth as butter. So why is it that “Battlefield 2042” seems to look and play worse than its controversial predecessor? It’s as though DICE, the studio behind the “Battlefield” games, heard the negative feedback and figured it’d be best to scrap just about everything — not even retaining the things that did work from “Battlefield V.” And yet, many of the more dubious designs introduced in “Battlefield V” remain intact in “Battlefield 2042” or have even been expanded upon. Simple tasks such as reviving fallen allies have been rendered more janky and laborious. Why “fix” what isn’t broken? The flamboyant cosmetic personas of “Battlefield V” return in “Battlefield 2042” in the form of “specialist” characters which replace the series’ long-standing class system. These are essentially watered-down classes; each specialist is a unique character with a backstory, a well-defined appearance and a small set of passive abilities and unique equipment. In the open beta, there are only four of these specialists to choose from — on servers with up to 128 players, I might add. This is exactly as hilarious as it sounds. Battles frequently unfold between units which consist of the same character on both sides. Oftentimes you’ll lose track of who’s friend and who’s foe amidst the chaos, and the game draws no clear distinction between which specialists are on your team and which are enemies until the dust has already settled. The “Battlefield” games have never been renowned for their visual clarity, but that such an integral part of the experience could have been so botched in this way is frankly remarkable. And for this to be our replacement for the class system is frankly unacceptable. I’m of the mind that the “Battlefield” games haven’t been conducive to meaningful team play since “Battlefield 2.” But this
PHOTO FROM IMDB
PHOTO FROM IMDB
change snuffs out the final bit of life that anyone could’ve argued the series’ tactical side may have still had in it. Squad play no longer exists. Everyone on your team is the same idiot with the same goofy player model and an effectively random selection of weapons and gadgets. If you need any health or ammo, good luck finding it amidst the cacophony of “Boris” and “Mackay” clones, any of which could have any assortment of equipment items on them. How this lunacy even made it past the design document let alone all the way to the open beta is sincerely
beyond my comprehension. As I mentioned, classes are gone. This would’ve been egregious enough by itself. But the laundry list of missing features only begins here. Dying on the ground and waiting for a revive? You’ll never know if a medic’s on the way because the ‘distance to medic’ indicator from previous games has been removed. The map screen has been removed. The scoring system and leaderboards have been gutted. Movement and melee takedowns have both been overhauled, and neither for the better. The chat
wheel is not present. Leaning appears to have been removed. These are only the missing features which I can recall off the top of my head. Players have taken to Reddit in highlighting countless more in addition to the game’s technical instability. While the beta build we were given was allegedly several months old, these are critical features nowhere to be seen, and are not to be brushed away with the “beta” excuse a month out from release. That all being said, I promised my honest first impressions. And honestly? In spite of all that, I very much enjoyed my time with the beta. Even more so than “Battlefield 4,” dare I say it. While the game struggles with something of an identity crisis, there are two key elements of the “Battlefield” experience that “Battlefield 2042” succeeds in providing to greater effect than most, if not all other games in the series: scale and spectacle. The game’s gargantuan maps, which seem to dwarf even the classic “Battlefield 1942” maps of old, the increased player count from 64 to 128 (in spite of the inclusion of bots in multiplayer matches; another of the game’s many annoyances) and some impressive setpieces all come together brilliantly to create a “Battlefield” that I simply found fun as hell to play. Oh, and that tornado might be even cooler than the zeppelin crash from “Battlefield 1.” I don’t want to dwell too much on any of that, though. The fact of the matter is that the game appears severely lacking in too many crucial areas; I’ve got to show it tough love. There’s a hell of a lot of potential here, and the “Battlefield Portal” mode not available in the beta will be essential to the game’s success and longevity. All they have to do is deliver on what was promised. For now, while there’s plenty of cause for concern, I look forward in earnest to the game’s full release. Come on DICE, make us not embarrassed to be “Battlefield” fans again.
Upcoming Game Releases Marvel’s Guardian of the Galaxy Game 10/26/2021
Mario Party Superstars 10/29/2021
Forza Horizon 5 11/05/2021
Halo Infinite 12/8/2021
20 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
“On My Block” left major questions unanswered
PHOTO FROM IMDB
During the seventh episode of the fourth season of “On My Block,” titled “Chapter Thirty-Five,” the quartet is on a beach as they pay respect to a lost one.
By Chinyere Ibeh Arts & Life Editor
“On My Block” was a hit when it first arrived on Netflix in March 2018. With the fourth and final season coming out on Oct. 4, many viewers were disappointed, and rightfully so. The season didn’t live up to the hype and it was lackluster in regards to closing up loose ends. The Netflix show follows four friends in Los Angeles as they deal with the struggles of high school and street gangs. Throughout the series, the lifelong friendships of Jamal, Cesar, Monse and Ruby are tested by the various aspects of adolescent life. The fourth season picked up two years after the previous season and things had
changed drastically. The quartet had broken up and they hadn’t spoken to one another during those two years. We spend the first half of the season observing the dynamics that led the group to drift apart. It came to a point, though, that I knew they were going to reunite due to the show’s dependency on interconnected relationships. The show’s premise is based upon the life of four friends and their relationships with one another. The relationship between the four of them is the core of the show, so take that away and the show is forced to focus elsewhere. When the quartet wasn’t friends, the show had to focus on the relationships they had with other people. If you watched the other seasons of the show, you know that Cesar and Monse
were a thing. They had kept it a secret for some time, but they eventually revealed their situation to the other two. The duo had to find a way to navigate their relationship, especially since Cesar had a new girlfriend. It’s one of those things where two people clearly still have feelings, and there’s plenty of things left unsaid, but they can’t hash it out due to circumstances. This season frequently used flashbacks to give us glimpses before the two-year break-up. The audience came to understand why the group fell out due to these memories. What the audience couldn’t come to understand would be where the Rollerworld money went. We’re still wondering who got it or if Oscar managed to hide it somewhere. That storyline wasn’t fully explored as it should’ve been. “On My Block” is known for its come-
dic timing as well as its dramatic storytelling. This season, I gave a few chuckles here and there, but it didn’t give what it was supposed to give. It became clear that this show was on its last legs, because having a season five may have dragged it out farther than necessary. The Netflix hit resonated with audiences, but its ending was handled well all the way through. Though, if you’re one of the people who couldn’t get enough of the “On My Block” universe, there is a spinoff coming out as well. “Freeridge” will feature a new set of friends and a new adventure. We got a taste of that towards the ending of the last episode when the OG quartet saw a quartet of small kids looking over the fence at them during an event.
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Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 21
Halloween style
Fashion will be the utmost importance for holiday By Nikki Ramos Contributing Writer
Halloween 2021 is set to be an extremely fashionable one. With last year’s holiday being sabotaged by the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, this year DePaul students are itching to go all-out. TikTok influencers and Netflix obsessions offer many students inspiration this year, but many students agree that we may be looking at a comeback for many ‘90s and early-2000s popular culture influences to take over the DePaul costume scene. “I think this year a lot of people are going to opt for ‘90s-inspired costumes,” said senior Emma Ludman. “It seems as though ‘90s and early 2000s fashion has made a really big comeback so I’m excited to see how people carry the trend into Halloween.” Ludman’s theory aligns with a serious trend on social media platforms includingTikTok and Instagram where users dress in different outfits that correspond with characters to their favorite ‘90s shows. One Tik Tok useruser, @ssiiena on TIkTok, posted a video of her in various outfits reminiscent of the ‘90s show “Gilmore Girls,” captioning the video “Fits if I Robbed Lorelei [sic] & Rory Gilmore’s Closet.” Similarly, an Instagram creator @romneyellen recently uploaded a video titled “Outfits Inspired by: Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” during which she posed in different outfits inspired by the wardrobe of the ‘90s show’s main character Sabrina. “I also have a feeling that cartoon character costumes are going to be big, because my roommates are going as Shego and Kim Possible,” Ludman said. “But similarly, I think a lot of people will be dressing as their favorite childhood cartoons — think The Flintstones, The Mys-
tery Gang, The Jetsons.” Ludman doesn’t think that the ‘90s and 2000s fad will end with beloved characters from that era. She predicts even popular culture celebrities will make appearances at costume parties. “I’m imagining a lot of early 2000s pop stars: Brittany Spears, Avril Lavigne, Paris Hilton, Destiny’s Child,” Ludman said. Yusra Shah, a student at DePaul who has a passion for fashion, is really honing in on this idea for her costume. She prefers not spending too much money to compile a look, while showcasing her style in the smaller
details, like hair and makeup. This year, Shah is considering going as Christina Aguilera in the iconic outfit she wore for her “Dirty” music video: a red-and-white striped bikini top with red shorts and black chaps, and using extensions to mimic Aguilera’s epochal blonde-and-black hair. “I feel like a lot of people are going for the ‘90s or 2000s looks because they’re super fun and easy to achieve while also being different from what we’re used to,” Shah said. “For me, Halloween is all about looking cute and going all out with hair in makeup in a way that I can’t for everyday life.” While it’s true that last year’s celebrations were miniscule if not none x i s tent,
“I think this year a lot of people are going to opt for 90s-inspired costumes.”
Emma Ludman
Senior at DePual
some students believe that the energy bottled up from 2020 will fill this year’s holiday, potentially resulting in parties that are more crowded, more rowdy and more dangerous for Covid-19. “I kind of feel like they’re going to be big, to be honest,” said senior Christopher Dunn. “Maybe not shoulder-to-shoulder pre-Covid big, but I feel like parties have gotten progressively bigger as Covid has gone on and more people have gotten vaccinated.” Dunn doesn’t believe it’s fit to say parties will be “bigger than ever,” as many people still harbor guilt surrounding large Covid-19 events, and in the end still want friends and family to remain safe. He echoes a sentiment that White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci expressed last week, who said, “It’s a good time to reflect on why it’s important to get vaccinated, but go out there and enjoy Halloween.” Because it’s difficult to mandate masks or vaccines at college parties, Ludman is interested in the ways people may creatively incorporate safety into their costumes. “The nice thing about Halloween being a costume-centered holiday is that it will be so easy for people to incorporate face masks into their costumes,” she said.
Upcoming Movies
Dune October 22, 2021
The French Dispatch October 22, 2021
Last Night in Soho October 29, 2021
Antlers October 29, 2021
22 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
Chicago Makers Pop Up Shop now open in Bucktown and West Town
JANA KUNZ | THE DEPAULIA
The Chicago Makers Pop Up Shop features about 30 locally-owned shops. The pop-up shop is only open from Wednesdays to Sundays in both locations.
By Jana Kuz Contributing Writer
A short walk from the Damen Blue Line stop, past Milwaukee Avenue and the 606, is a new Chicago attraction called the Chicago Makers Pop Up Shop that opened its doors on Oct. 6, 2021. The store is artistically crowded with jewelry, soap, plants, photography, cutting boards, dog treats, mugs, stickers, embroidery, coffee and more — all homemade or homegrown by local artists. From one corner, David and Moira Rose cut-outs from the hit show “Schitt’s Creek” keep watch over the store. References to the show can be found scattered throughout the shop, left over from a Rose Apothecary pop-up that many of the makers participated in with Replay Bar in Lincoln Park earlier this year. This store is at 2064 N. Damen Ave., one of three locations. Another store in West Town, at 1821 W. Chicago Ave., also opened on Oct. 6 and a final Wicker Park location, at 1279 N. Milwaukee Ave., will open in early November. The stores are open from 12-7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 12-6 p.m. on Sundays with an option to reserve private tours after hours, and they will stay open until Dec. 23, 2021. The owners, Anna Romo and Monica Little, first met at the beginning of 2020 through their small businesses: Virtue Alchemy Candle Co. and Plant Based Beauty, respectively. Their relationship began as a friendship and networking opportunity, but turned into more as the pandemic hit and markets started to close. They sensed a need for a space for local businesses to promote their products, Romo said. The first pop-up, in Wicker Park, all came together in the span of two weeks and opened on November 1, 2020. It was a huge success, with lines out of the door. Next came a Bucktown version in January, and the Rose Apothecary joint effort with Replay, Romo said. Over the summer, Covid-19 regulations relaxed and makers transitioned back to markets as they reopened. Now
that the weather is cooling and the holidays are approaching, the Chicago Makers Pop Up Shop is back. The three stores display items from almost 100 small businesses. On top of that, the store’s Facebook group consists of over 700 small business owners, all in Chicago. They stick with 30 vendors at a time at each location to keep things personal, according to Romo. “That way we’re actually able to get to know them as people, as business owners, what are their dreams and goals, how can we help them accomplish those dreams and goals,” Romo said. “And we offer more than just shelf space if people want it — we offer coaching and networking, collaborating and extra opportunities.” Romo said that it’s been awesome to get to know this group of people. “Every product and small business has its own special flair,” Romo said. “The person who’s making them adds their own special touch, and has their own intention, their own drive.” Tammy Riegel sells professional photographs of landscapes, flowers, wildlife and more. She was an art school graduate working as an account management contractor when she got burnt out and wanted to explore something new. Luckily, she had a large collection of photos to pull from her frequent travels with her husband, who works at an airline, and turned that hobby into a job. The daughter of a beekeeper, Rachael Sloan, used her knowledge and experience with her father’s 25-year hobby to create a soap-making business called Nature’s Trace Co. When she and her husband moved to the Independence Park neighborhood of Chicago, they managed to fit beehives and a garden into their small apartment lot. “I’ve always loved handmade soaps,” Sloan said. “I love the way they smell, how they feel, and I had all of this beeswax, honey and flowers, and I was like, why don’t I try to just make my own?” Phil Wingo was searching for a job when he developed an interest in coffee
roasting. After reading some books and experimenting with different blends and regional tastes, he took his coffee to local farmers markets under the Sandhill brand. A fan of the outdoors, he sees coffee as a way for people to connect to others and to nature, he said. Since starting up, these owners and their businesses have evolved and also been shaped by Covid-19. Riegel was discovered over Instagram and was able to do one show before the pandemic. “I kind of got the bug to do more shows and then Covid hit and shut everything down,” she said. “But I have started doing it again.” Sloan’s soap business, on the other hand, actually benefited from the pandemic. She was already operating mostly online, so she didn’t have to adapt much of her process. “I think we all needed beautiful things, and soap is just very simple,” she said. “A lot of people call it a little luxury — everybody needs soap.” She also started making limited-edition travel bars using scents and ingredients from around the world. Some of these, with rose scent, were displayed in the Rose Apothecary pop-up. Wingo was ready to transition from selling online to opening a café at the beginning of 2020. Instead, he picked a middle ground and went mobile. “I got a concession trailer that I can tow with my car, and it’s a full café on wheels,” he said. “It has an espresso machine, and I serve cold brew and coffee, and I got connected with a local baker.” Through the changes, many found it was helpful to rely on some support from family, friends and their community. Wingo hired a team of five part-time employees who allow the business to “be in more places at once,” and Riegel’s husband has always tagged along on their photography adventures. Sloan said her husband helps behind the scenes, her best friend designs her packages and her neighbors come together when she needs extra hands. “I had a giant order for the field museum last year — just hundreds of the bars
— and I told my neighbors, who wants to come to a soap wrapping party?” she said. “This was pre-pandemic. And they came. And we sat around and we wrapped bars of soap for hours and it was amazing. So even though it is a one-woman show, I have a lot of love and support from people like that who pitch in when I need them to.” Still, it’s a big investment — “all the things and not all the time,” Sloan said. Owning a business comes with a lot of creativity and agency as these entrepreneurs have shown, but the flip side is it can take a lot of time and effort to make the essential connections that move the process forward. This is where the Chicago Makers Pop Up Shop comes in. All of the makers emphasized the Chicago Makers Facebook group as a huge support structure and connection point. For some, it was the way they found out about the pop-up market and started selling. “They’re very outgoing and very inclusive and try to get everybody talking to each other,” Riegel said. “Before them, I didn’t really know how to reach out and meet other makers like this in the community. If there’s another community that exists out there like the one that they’ve set up, I don’t know about it.” Romo said she was glad to provide “a lot of collective networking power.” “All of a sudden the world starts to shrink,” she said. “It’s really nice. We want to help foster collaboration and partnership so it’s been really cool to see it happening.” Romo’s hope is to help the businesses under her umbrella and get the word out about the shops while they’re here. “We just hope that everyone thinks of us when they start looking for spooky home decor,” she said. “We have pumpkins and gourds, we’ve got some cute and spooky stickers and pins, earrings, jewelry, candles ... It’s like the perfect one-stop shop.”
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 23
Podcasting’s revolution may continue to its own demise By Chinyere Ibeh Arts and Life Editor
Despite its rising popularity, the podcast industry has its own complications and complexities. According to Forbes, 37 percent of Americans over the age of 12 listened to at least one podcast in 2020, a significant rise from 32 percent in 2019. In 2020, an estimated 100 million people listened to a podcast each month and it’s expected to rise to 125 million in 2022. Not only are more people consuming podcasts, but more people are making them. Podcasting and its rise in popularity began in 2004, with The Guardian dubbing it the “audio revolution.” The article says that podcasting and amateur radio were set to take off because of the affordability of audio production software and the accessibility of MP3 devices. Seventeen years later, podcasts have become a huge market and consumers are always looking for the next one to indulge in. Jordan Stalker, an adjunct professor at DePaul University’s College of Communication, said the rise of popularity is due to the freedom of selection. “The one that kind of sticks out to my mind is that perception of total choice and selection that traditional radio doesn’t allow for,” Stalker said. “You can choose and mix and create your own station.” Stalker explains that the medium’s rising popularity garners attention from larger legacy media companies. The most popular podcasts typically don’t come from people in their dorm room or their basement. It
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ART BY ALICIA GOLUSZKA | THE DEPAULIA
wouldn’t be just a group of people talking about a subject, either. There’s more production to it, as they’re produced with sponsorships and professional audio engineers. “So, the content is the same, but the way that we can go about choosing it and finding it is different,” Stalker said. “I think that being able to find something in a different way — that’s different from previous generations — is a huge part of [the] appeal.” The appeal of podcasts could be their accessibility. Landon Campbell, a DePaul graduate and host of his own podcast called “inTheir20s,” said it’s easier for people to host a podcast. Campbell also explains how information and networking are easily accessible compared to other industries, such as the film industry. Podcasting has evolved from its humble beginnings in the 2000s, especially with enhanced software and equipment. Even though the industry has changed a lot, Campbell feels that it still has some growing to do. Campbell explains that it can be difficult for podcasters to create content, get sponsorships and build their audience. Podcasters need help in regard to these areas of the industry. “I feel like we still have a long ways to go,” Campbell said. “The barrier of entry can be a little difficult sometimes.” Campbell says that many podcasts quit after the third episode. In August 2021, AmplifiMedia says that 26 percent of podcasts only produced one episode. In the same article, AmplifiMedia says that 44 percent of all podcasts have three or fewer episodes. A common theme that people seem to point out is the oversaturation of the podcast industry. Campbell feels that people don’t understand the difficulty of making a podcast. As a result, people are just picking up and starting a podcast, making it that there are too many podcasts.
The New York Times describes it perfectly saying that people aren’t tired of listening to podcasts. Rather, people are tired of other people saying they’re “one iPhone recording from creating the next Serial,” which is a popular podcast covering a true story over the course of a season. According to Washington Weekly, the bright future of the podcast industry is under threat by monopolistic media companies. The article compares the situation to how Amazon took over the e-book industry. Spotify has started making moves to make itself the gatekeeper of the podcast industry. “So, it’s oversaturated by the big media companies,” Stalker said. “It’s also happily oversaturated by those who want to have and can handle and be okay with a small audience — so long as they’re serving some kind of need.” Podcasts can also be used in a journalistic way. Publications like The Atlantic or The New Yorker produce more engaged and in-depth work since they have the resources to do so. With regular news updates, audiences are only given what they need at the moment while podcasting gives the opportunity to go in-depth on certain issues. Stalker explains how both the journalism and podcast industries are interconnected. “They’re connected on the level of who’s producing the content that gets listened to,” Stalker said. “Journalists can be a value to and create their own podcasts that...either follow the news update or... lead into other aspects of the publication.” With over 500,000 podcasts in 2018, the number of podcasts has jumped to over two million, according to Podcast Insights. The podcast industry isn’t slowing down anytime soon, especially if they continue to be so accessible.
24 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
St.Vincent’s
D e JA M Z
“Spinning fresh beats since 1581”
By Chinyere ibeh Arts & Life Editor
Musicians tend to have their own sound, which may have taken years to fully develop. There are times when they go beyond what they typically do and they step outside of their comfort zone. Sometimes they venture from their typical flow into a more commercialized, pop-centric style. Other times, they get into the grittier and more personal subject material. “Big Energy” by Latto The pop-inspired song branches out from Latto’s typical hard-hitting rap songs. The Kesha’s “Rainbow” was released in Atlanta-based rapper struck gold a couple of August 2017. years with her hit, “B*tch From Da Souf” and its subsequent remix with Saweetie and Trina. “Have Mercy” by Chloe Bailey Part of the sister duo Chloe x Halle, Chloe branches out on her own while Halle is filming for “The Little Mermaid.” This upbeat song features a completely different sound from Chloe as it isn’t the typical R&B sound of Chloe x Halle. “Sorry Mama” by Machine Gun Kelly The song features Phem, an indie music artist and it’s a dark and somber song, detailing the messed up things that they’re not the proudest of. “Sorry Mama” can be seen as part of the rapper’s transition from rap to punk rock. MGK trades in his rapid-fire rap lyrics Nelly released “5.0” in November 2010 and for slowed-down existential themes. it was the rapper’s sixth major solo studio album.
Crossword
“Praying” by Kesha Otherwise known as Ke$ha, the ballad was a strict change from her previous partying hits. “Praying” was released in 2017 and came out three years after initially filing a lawsuit against Dr. Luke. She alleged that she was verbally, physically, emotionally, and sexually abused by the producer. The song can easily be seen as her testament to her legal battle against her label and Dr. Luke. “Daddy Lessons” by Beyoncé The song has a country vibe as there’s a strong presence of the acoustic guitar. Beyoncé is known for her sultry R&B, sometimes hip-hop-inspired, music and “Daddy Lessons” gives totally different energy. The singer has been in the music industry for over two decades, so her style has changed over time, and this is one example of that. “Just A Dream” by Nelly Nelly rose to popularity in the early 2000s with hits like, “Hot in Herre” and “Air Force Ones.” During the early part of his career, he had that Southern-style rap with great rhymes. In 2010, he had a resurgence of his career with a country-pop single called “Just A Dream.” After that, he began experimenting with the sound and he eventually collaborated with Florida Georgia Line a couple of times.
Beyoncé’s “Lemonade” was released in 2016 without prior announcement.
Latto’s debut album, “Queen of da Souf,” was released in August 2020. IMAGES FROM WIKI
ACROSS 1. Interval 4. Collapsed 8. Quick note 12. Source of iron 13. Swear to 14. Racer’s path 15. Sharpshooter’s asset 16. Stuff to be crunched 17. Give temporarily 18. Abstained 20. Flyspeck 22. Container weight 23. One on the go 27. Sheen 29. Kind 30. Pal of Nancy 31. Connect 32. Point of no return? 33. Poor 34. Early afternoon 35. Like some martinis 36. Skating event 37. Rouse 39. Crooked 40. Hurricane’s center 41. “Bewitched” witch 44. Sharpness 47. Fast-moving card game 49. Have a bawl 50. Farm soil 51. Senate attire 52. Neighbor of Mo. 53. Military meal 54. Scurried 55. Scheming
DOWN 1. Lounge 2. Opera highlight 3. Jewels 4. Fishing gear 5. Circumvent 6. “___ a chance” 7. Rot 8. Drops off 9. Party time, maybe 10. “Oh, brother!” 11. Dated 19. Something to do 21. Common deciduous tree 24. Bad breath 25. Dubai dignitary 26. Brinks 27. Dollop 28. Queue 29. Aloof 32. Picks up 33. Smooth 35. Do-it-yourself 36. Group of five 38. Abounds 39. Neutral shade 42. Sushi selection 43. With competence 44. Colonnade tree 45. Buck’s mate 46. Pipe contents 48. Daddy-o
Sports
Sports. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 25
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS
DePaul soccer senior midfielder Youssef Ramadan dribbling the ball down the field
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS
DePaul soccer sophomore midfielder Omar Ramadan pulling away from a defender.
Ramadan brothers have taken DePaul by storm By Darcy Waskiewicz Sports Editor
The Ramadan brothers are living their dream. After growing up in a tight-knit soccer family, Youssef and Omar Ramadan always wanted to play soccer at a high level together. And DePaul has given them that opportunity. Both midfielders on the DePaul men’s soccer team, Youssef is currently a senior, while his younger brother Omar is a sophomore. Despite their different ages, DePaul head coach Mark Plotkin worked to recruit the brothers at the same time. Youssef joined the team in the winter of his freshman year after transferring from St. Louis University. Omar followed two years later. Their close family bond has carried over into their life at DePaul. Youssef and Omar now live together, and love hanging out together and returning home to Huntley, Illinois to visit their family regularly. Remaining close to home was part of the reason they were drawn to DePaul in the
QUIGLEY, continued from front page Griner stayed aggressive, scoring 28 points, 10 points in the second half. The Sky continued to struggle from the three, but Naperville native Candace Parker gave the Sky life, scoring 7 straight points that include a clutch 3-point shot and a fastbreak layup from Vandersloot right before the 2-minute mark of the third quarter. The defense picked up and the Sky cut a 14-point lead to single digits with a 9-0 run but timely free throws from Taurasi and a basket by Diggins-Smith gave the Mercury a 9-point lead at the end of the third quarter. The Sky continued to fight in the fourth quarter behind the hometown players Parker and Quigley. Quigley hit back to back 3-point field goals to cut the Sky deficit to 5 points with eight minutes left in the game, keeping the team as close as possible with her 26 points and 5 3-pointers. The Sky stormed back in the 3-minute mark to take the 2-point lead with 1:22 left in the game thanks to a 11-0 run with defensive stops that led to Kaleah Copper’s fastbreak layup, Parker’s 3-point basket and back-to-back layups
first place. “We both had our options to go wherever we wanted, different places mainly,” Youssef said. “But it was always because we wanted to play together, and at a high level and we wanted to be close to home.” Youssef and Omar have been playing soccer from a young age. Their father, Ahmed Gad, played professional soccer in Egypt, while their younger sister Nadia has played for Egypt’s U20 women’s national team. Soccer is in their DNA, and the siblings, along with their younger brother Ali, grew up loving the sport together. The brothers played for the same club program growing up — Sockers FC Chicago — but never got the chance to play on the same team together until their time at DePaul. Now that they are both at DePaul, Youssef and Omar only get two years together, so they’re trying to enjoy every moment they can. “It’s something that you can’t take for granted, playing together here right now,” Omar said. “Most kids when they get to college, that’s a time when they begin to
separate a little bit from their siblings and stuff. For me and Youssef, we’re playing together, we get to go home and see our siblings and our family every week, so I think that was a really big aspect [of coming to DePaul].” While they are both midfielders, the brothers are very different players. Youssef plays a more offensive game and has scored three goals and four assists in his DePaul career. Omar stays more in the defensive zone and has totaled five assists as a Blue Demon. “They have similar qualities, but they’re different players,” Plotkin said. “And we’ve been very strong on trying to differentiate that, so they don’t really feel like they’re competing because they both play in the midfield, but they both serve different qualities.” Plotkin has a connection to the family himself. He played in the club program that their father coached in. He reconnected with their father while recruiting Youssef and Omar and was able to build trust with the brothers and their family through that connection. “They were highly recruited players,
so it was really important for them to be somewhere where they knew they were going to be looked after and cared for,” Plotkin said. “And their dad knew myself and my family and where we came from, and knew that, at minimum, that we were going to look after them and take care of them and make sure they had a good experience.” While Youssef and Omar have not played at DePaul together for long, the brothers have enjoyed the experience and the moments they have had together. They look forward to creating more memories this year. “It’s only been like a year, unfortunately, but it’s something that we’ll definitely hold together — all the trips, all the times where we were roommates together, all the times we were on the field together at the same time playing together,” Youssef said. “Those are definitely memories because I’m not sure how much longer we’ll have that, so that’s definitely something I’ll cherish forever.”
by center Stephanie Dolson. Vandersloot scored on a clutch shot off a pump fake in the paint and the last two free throws before Parker’s game-sealing rebound brought home the franchise’s first WNBA championship with an 8074 win. Vandersloot finished the game with 10 points, 9 rebounds and 15 assists, adding to a postseason for the history books. Parker had a double-double, finishing with 16 points and 15 rebounds. Upon grabbing the final rebound and dribbling out the clock, Parker ran to hug her family on the sidelines. She harped more on the significance of that moment, especially to be able to do it in her hometown. “I had flashbacks from high school when I first realized we won the state championship, and it was kind of similar, PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL BEATY/AP NEWS I don’t know,” Parker said. “It was amazing to just hug my dad and my mom and Chicago Sky players celebrating after their first WNBA Championship win on Sunday. my family. It was just an amazing feeling to be from here and see so many people tance of the team sticking together to get cried in elation, reflecting on her work ethic that earned her this experience. in the stands that have been supporting the championship. “We’ve always stuck together,” Wade “I worked so hard and my teammates you since you started. I think it’s just a said to Rowe during the championship and coaches believed me,” Copper said. moment where you just have to really celebration. “As times got tough, we “I stayed ready until it was my time.” take it in, so that’s what that was.” stuck with it and now we have a brought Sky head coach James Wade is the third Black head coach to win a WNBA a championship to the city of Chicago.” Copper was named Finals MVP. She championship. He discussed the impor-
26 | Sports. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021
Morgan Turner shines for women’s soccer in her fifth year By Thomas Gorski Contributing Writer
Morgan Turner is a returning fifth year graduate student for the DePaul women’s soccer team with the hopes of ending her career on her own terms. The Blue Demons season was cut short due to the pandemic last year and she wasn’t able to get a proper send off that a player of her stature deserves. Turner grew up in Maple Grove, a small town located in Minnesota. Yet she has made the transition to the big city of Chicago as her new home over the past few years. She hasn’t only been successful in the classroom, but she has made a significant impact on the women’s soccer team at DePaul as their leading scorer on the season. Turner has been playing soccer for as long as she can remember and it’s always been her favorite thing growing up. Her biggest inspirations as a young player were Mia Hamm, Alex Morgan and anyone who played for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Her love for soccer began at an early age and ever since she could remember, it’s been her favorite thing to do. Turner’s favorite soccer moment came her junior season when the Blue Demons took on Georgetown at home which resulted in her scoring the game winning goal in overtime. The game will go down as her all-time favorite soccer moment that she will cherish forever. Turner played for the Minnesota Thunderbolts Academy her junior and senior year of high school and was recruited by DePaul University at just 16 years old. Turner committed to DePaul her sophomore year at Wayzata High School and knew all along that she wanted to become a Blue Demon and continue her education at DePaul. Since returning for her fifth season, Turner has led the Blue Demons offense in goals scored and shots
AUDREY CHAMPELLI | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul forward Morgan Turner kicking the ball away as a UConn player approaches her in the Blue Demons’ 1-0 win on Oct. 10. on goal for the season. “When I visited DePaul, I already knew my decision was made up and I just fell in love with the campus with it being located in Chicago,” Turner said. “I’m from Minnesota so it’s an easy flight so I wanted to explore something new outside of Minnesota and not go too far away. The location was perfect for me and I loved the coaches on staff to go along with a great
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group of players that welcomed me in.” Throughout Turner’s career at DePaul over the past few years, she has earned 2017 Big East All-Freshman Team, 2018-19 Big East All-Academic Team, 2019 United Soccer Coaches All-North/Central Region All-Scholar First Team and 2020-21 All-Big East Second Team. To go along with her impressive accolades, the Blue Demons are 5-0 when Turner scores a goal this season. Turner has meant so much to the Blue Demons over the last four years at DePaul and she has not only made a huge impact on the program, but on her teammates and coaches as well. “I would say that she is just such a selfless player on the field and she is such an extraordinary teammate to play alongside,” teammate Megan Malecha said. “She has really just been someone that I’ve always looked up to and viewed as such a great teammate.” “Morgan is such a goal-scorer and she is just a different type of player,” head coach Michele O’Brien said. “She’s very athletic and has been tough for opposing defenses to deal with when she’s running at them with the ball. When her shot gets going, I think she’s unstoppable.” O’Brien was recently promoted to head coach and has been on the staff since 2014. She has spent the past four years with Turner and really helped her develop into the player she is today. O’Brien wasn’t involved heavily in Turner’s recruitment but was well-aware of how great of a talent she was. “I was on maternity leave when she was being heavily recruited so I probably only saw her play one or two times before she committed to DePaul,” O’Brien said. “When I did see her play, her athleticism overall really stood out and you can tell she had a ton of determination that were some stand-out characteristics from her in the recruiting process.” Due to the pandemic, the soccer team played a shortened season in 2020. Turner decided to come back for her fifth season and continue her graduate degree at DePaul. According to Turner, it was an easy decision and she didn’t hesitate to return. “Last year with the pandemic was a
really tough year — only having nine games and one of them being canceled and not being able to spend that much time with my teammates was difficult,” Turner said. “Having an opportunity to come back and play with my best friends was a no-brainer for me.” Everyone around the team was thrilled with Turner’s decision to come back for another season. “I was relieved and just so happy for her to be a part of our team and to contribute because last year wasn’t really a true picture of what a fall soccer season is,” O’Brien said. “I wouldn’t have wanted that to be her senior year.” “I was just ecstatic and so excited because this is so key to our season having her here and she’s also one of our captains and such a great leader,” Malecha said. “With us being such close friends, I was really excited about her returning.” Turner has all of the talent to reach the pro level and her teammates and coaches have faith in her ability to get there one day if she decides that is the route she wants to take. “Beyond college, if she wanted to continue her soccer career, I definitely think there is a place for her to continue doing that at the next level,” O’Brien said. “I think her athleticism and competitive mindset are so invaluable that she will learn and she will get better even as a player. I think her potential is so much higher than she has even reached.” Turner isn’t exactly sure what her future soccer career has in store but until then, she will be focused on finishing her masters graduate degree in public policy. She plans on staying in Chicago in the near future and eventually would love to travel. Her dream has always been to travel to Paris and spend some significant time there but when it comes to soccer, everything is up in the air. “I plan on staying in Chicago for sure and eventually would love to travel,” said Turner. “I want to spend some time in Paris but until then, I think my future is pretty much up in the air.”
Sports. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 27 VOLLEYBALL, continued from back page Brown led the team with 13 kills in the game, while Pressly had 12. Krasowski led with 18 digs. “October is a time of year where everybody has a target on their back, no matter how good you are,” Krasowski said. “So, just to show that we came out that hot and swept a team that [is] pretty good just says a lot.” The Blue Demons returned to McGrath-Phillips Arena on Saturday night to take on No. 57 ranked St. John’s and defeated them 3-2 after a game full of ups and downs. The win was DePaul’s first win over St. John’s since September of 2017. The Blue Demons started the game shakily and looked like an entirely different team than the night before. The defense struggled against a strong St. John’s’ offense, while DePaul’s own offense could not keep their hits in bounds. However, a shift occurred halfway through the match, and the Blue Demons began to look like the team they were against Seton Hall. The offense had a new fire to them, and it rattled the St. John’s defense. As the end of the set approached, the Blue Demons scored nine-straight points and finished the set with a score of 25-21 over St. John’s. The Blue Demons struggled in set two and looked like the team that began in set one. They were not able to make the same comeback they did in the previous set and fell 25-12. There was another definite shift in the Blue Demons entering set three. They dominated from the very beginning, which allowed them to pull away and take an early lead that they kept for
the rest of the set. St. John’s challenged the team at times and hitting errors from DePaul allowed them to get close. However, the offense stood strong, and big hits from Brown and Pressly, along with outside hitter Hanna Karl and right-side hitter Emma Price, helped the Blue Demons keep their lead and finish the set off 2519. Following the third set, St. John’s came back with a fire in the fourth. Their dominant offense, along with costly defensive errors from the Blue Demons, allowed St. John’s to win the set 25-18, forcing a fifth set to determine a winner. The final set was back and forth from the outset. Both teams were tied until DePaul pulled ahead, but St. John’s was never fully out of it and never trailed by more than three points. However, DePaul’s offense sparked with help from Karl and Price, who had five kills each. “My passing wasn’t great today, and that’s normally one thing that’s pretty good about my game,” Karl said. “I knew I needed to make it up on some other end for our team, and if I was going to make it up, it was going to be in the fifth set, so I knew I had to make some big moves and come through with my team.” DePaul’s defense looked shaky at times, but also faced off against the strongest arms in the conference in St. John’s right-side hitter, Rachele Rastelli, who finished the game with 27 kills. Being able to hold her off enough to let DePaul’s own offense shine can give the Blue Demons the motivation needed to push for the playoffs. “It’s October, the season’s starting to get long, and so, on some days, your game may leave you,” Zidek said. “It’s really about being able to weather the ebbs and the flows, get yourself into that fifth
KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul outside hitter Hanna Karl jumping to hit the ball against St. John’s on Oct. 16. set, and then put yourself in position to make that one play you need to make to win the match, and that’s exactly what happened.” The Blue Demons are now 5-3 in
conference play and are fourth in the Big East conference. The team travels to Milwaukee on Oct. 20 to take on Marquette University, who is at the top of the conference with a 7-1 record.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, continued from back page points per game last season. Their opponents shot 47.9 percent from the field. And, they allowed 41.7 rebounds per game. All of these marks ranked last in the conference. However, the stigma surrounding the “lack of care” the Blue Demons have on the defensive side of the ball is misleading, according to Bruno. “Because Coach Bruno loves to score the ball,” Bruno said. “It can often be misconstrued by observation that we don’t care about defense here.” “There are two ways to play the style we play,” Bruno said. “One way is to let them score. The second is to try to defend. But, if we defend in a traditional fashion, then what happens is the game can get slowed on our defensive side of the ball. If we play a risk-reward defense, which is a gambling defense, it forces the opponent to speed up.” DePaul led the Big East in steals with 11.1 per game last season. They also converted the largest turnover margin (+7.0) of any team in the Big East. Held recorded 75 steals last season, the fifth most steals by any player in the nation. All these results are true outputs of a “risk-reward” defense that gave the Demons the fourth-best win percentage and the second-best offense in the conference last season. The goals for the team this season are high, but the way in which they achieve them has to be done while having fun, according to Bekelja and Church. “I think the goal for the team is to have fun,” Church said. “We want to dominate our non-conference schedule. We want to finish at the top of the conference. And most importantly, win the Big East and make the [NCAA] tournament.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN TAYLOR
The DePaul women’s basketball team gathers around to listen to head coach Doug Bruno at their open practice on Saturday. “Emphasis on fun, because I think we play our best ball when we’re having fun,” Bekelja said. Now, fans are able to watch the team have fun in person. Not just because Covid-19 protocols permit fans at games, but because the team will be playing all their home games this season at Wintrust Arena for the first year ever. The Blue Demons played there multiple times before and have plenty of fond memories doing so — like Chante Stonewall hitting a go-ahead shot to beat Marquette in the 2019 Big East Champi-
onship. But now, the team is excited to play all of their games at Wintrust Arena, where the Chicago Sky just won their first WNBA Championship on Sunday. Churh connected with one of the Sky players, Lexie Brown, to encourage her to keep giving off “good energy” for the Blue Demons to use when their season starts. “We played our home games there last year because of Covid,” Bekelja said. “That kind of primes us for this year with all our games there. We like play-
ing there, I like playing there. It’s a really nice facility. Obviously, it’s a lot better playing there when we have fans.” Now, the table is set. The players are back, the schedule is out and the Blue Demons are hoping to get back to the NCAA Tournament. “I’m excited about the possibility of redemption,” Bruno said. “I want to have these players prove to themselves that the group here is the one that won 12 out of 14 last season.”
Sports
Sports. The DePaulia. Oct. 18, 2021 | 28
Bring out the brooms
KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul volleyball middle hitter Donna Brown jumping up and tipping the ball over St. John’s blockers as her teammates stand ready in the Blue Demons’ 3-2 win on Saturday.
DePaul volleyball’s offense dazzles in weekend sweep
3-0
By Darcy Waskiewicz Sports Editor
After struggling at home, DePaul volleyball dominated in front of their home crowd last weekend with wins against Seton Hall University and St. John’s University for their first two home wins against Big East opponents. The team began with a matchup against Seton Hall on Friday night. The Blue Demons were coming off a 3-0 win over Providence College on Oct. 10 but were 1-4 at home entering the game. Set one was tight throughout, with both teams never pulling ahead more than three points from one another. Kills from both sides of the net ensured that neither team had the lead for long, while
blocks by middle hitter Donna Brown and DePaul’s defense helped keep Seton Hall’s offense at bay. While Seton Hall was able to keep up with the Blue Demons in the match, it was DePaul who managed to pull ahead late in the set. The Blue Demons finished set one with a score of 25-23 over Seton Hall off a tip by outside hitter Jill Pressly that the Pirates could not defend. The Blue Demons were able to settle after the first set’s tight outcome and came out flying in set two. The team dominated from the very beginning, scoring the first four points unanswered. While Seton Hall eventually recovered and began to challenge the team, the Blue Demons never trailed and won the set by a score of 25-19.
3-2
“I just told them to sustain,” head coach Marie Zidek said. “Seton Hall is a really good defensive team, and they have a lot of different weapons, and we knew that just by creating extra offensive opportunities with our defense, that we would probably be able to gain momentum as the match went on, so it was just about sustaining and creating opportunities and not feeling like we needed to hit the perfect shot all the time.” Brown was a force at the net in the second set, and her blocks and kills came up big in key moments when Seton Hall’s offense was threatening. DePaul’s defense stood strong when Seton Hall’s 6-foot-4 right side hitter, Emilee Turner, challenged them offensively. “I feel going into this game and this
weekend, especially during practice this week, we really honed in on just focusing on the team across the net and just working on ourselves and then bettering the ball so our offense can be as hot as it was tonight,” libero Rachel Krasowski said. The third set was much the same, with DePaul flying from the very beginning. The offense was strong during the entire set, and the defense never let up when Seton Hall attempted to catch up with DePaul’s early lead. The Blue Demons concluded the set with a score of 25-16 and a game final of 3-0 over Seton Hall for their first Big East win at home.
See VOLLEYBALL, page 27
Women’s basketball seniors are ready for their last dance By Ryan Taylor Staff Writer
The DePaul fight song filled the air of women’s basketball head coach Doug Bruno’s spacious corner office in the Sullivan Athletic Center — his phone was ringing. It was a prospective athlete waiting to hear the reasons she should come to DePaul. This season is about to be her answer. If there’s any one person or group that is excited about the upcoming DePaul basketball season and the return of fans — it’s Bruno and his 2021-22 team. However, in the past three years, the women’s team has had plenty of obstacles. Last season, they missed the NCAA tournament for the first time in 18 years. The year before that? Covid-19. And the year before that? An upsetting
first-round tournament loss to Missouri State University. After a gruesome run of tournament mishaps, pandemic woes and one of the most dominant women’s basketball programs re-entering the Big East Conference (the University of Connecticut), Dee Bekelja and Deja Church want another shot. The last dance. “With Covid and everything, our games got cut and we didn’t make the NCAA tournament,” fifth-year senior Deja Church said. “Not really going out on the best note, so I decided to come back and do it all over again.” Church recorded 13.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game last season with the Blue Demons. “It was definitely tough on everybody,” fellow fifth-year senior Dee Bekelja said. “The situation last year was
not ideal, it was not fun. Our parents couldn’t come to the games. But, I think that influenced a lot of people to stay for their fifth year because you want to end it on a good note.” Bekelja and Church are back for their fifth years, while the team’s two leading scorers from last season — Lexi Held and Sonya Morris — are going into their senior seasons. This is something Bruno emphasized is a vital part of his team, saying “you can’t replace experience in college coaching.” The schedule for the season includes six tournament teams from the previous year, with an asterisk on Arizona, the runner-up from last year’s NCAA tournament. This schedule, however, is nothing new for Bruno and his philosophy
around competition. “If you’re gonna ask your players to be competitive, then you as a coach must be competitive,” Bruno said. “I’m so ‘anti-playing-soft-schedule.’ This year has a little bit tougher look to it. But, generally speaking, this is what we do every year.” To prepare themselves for the season, the Blue Demons are working hard. They’re bringing “energy and enthusiasm” to practice on an everyday basis, according to Bruno. Bekelja and Church claim the team put an exclamation mark on defense and rebounding this offseason too, which on paper, looks like they could use it. The Blue Demons allowed 78.4
See WOMEN’S BASKETBALL, page 27