DePaulia
The
Volume #106 | Issue #4 Oct. 4, 2021 | depauliaonline.com
‘It feels very defeating’ DePaul counseling services outsourced to third-party app, leaves students feeling in limbo and detached By Nadia Hernandez News Editor
Ever since she committed to DePaul in early spring, freshman Lauren Hunt was eager to take advantage of DePaul’s counseling services. But when Hunt reached out for help, the university left her in the dark. Two weeks ago, Hunt took t h e
first step towards treating her mental health by calling UCS to receive her first consultation. “No one picked up, it rang a couple times and it went to the voicemail,” she said. Hunt tried again the next day to find out UCS would not accept new student patients. Instead, they recommended My Student Support Program (SSP) — a third party app that connects students to 24/7 with free mental health support. When a student logs in, they have the option to fill out several assessments for general anxiety, depression, alcohol and drug intake. My SSP gives a recommendation for treatment based on the results of the self evaluation. “I wasn’t really sure what I should do first and so I tried the anxiety diagnostic, it was like a couple questions and basically like the response at the end was, it seems like you have anxiety, probably get help for that,” Hunt said. “It
See COUNSELING, page 8
Chicagoans march in opposition to Texas’ abortion ban By Nadia Hernandez News Editor
Supporters of all ages and genders gathered to protest against Texas’s abortion ban Sat. Oct. 2. The protesters gathered at the Daley Center before marching through the Loop to protest against Texas’s Senate Bill 8, which outlaws abortions after six weeks. Opponents to the law argue the month and a half window is too narrow, supporters claim the fetus has a heartbeat after six weeks and therefore immoral to abort it. Citizens can also legally prevent a pregnant person attempting to receive an abortion after six weeks, even in cases of incest and rape. People are allowed by any means to stop a pregnant person from receiving an abortion if they suspect it’s after six weeks. The courts can then issue
NADIA HERANDEZ | THE DEPAULIA
People of all genders and ages rallied at the Women’s March in the Daley Plaza to protest a new Texas law banning abortions after six weeks.
up to a $10,000 reward to plaintiffs who win. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott defended the law saying it is not an outright ban. This law is constitutional under Roe v.
Wade. However, due to Texas lawmakers finding a loophole that allows the law to apply to private citizens, not institutions. Supporters of Roe v. Wade feared abortion bans soon after late Supreme
Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed last Sept. Jo Greep, director of Planned Parenthood Illinois, emphasized that people must keep fighting for abortion rights. “I think we’re in a really terrifying spot, because we’re looking at 50 years of legal precedent that might be scrapped next summer by the Supreme Court,” Greep said. “That really motivated a lot of people.” Protestors showed up in opposition of abortion bans but also in support of Texas citizens affected by the law. “I’m here because women are more than 50 percent of the population, because women should have equal rights to men because [specifically white] men have always had the power, because the more
See WOMEN’S MARCH, page 7
2 | News. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
First Look
CAMPUS COVID-19 CASES
Sept. 24, 2021 - Oct. 1, 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 | Riley Andrews artslife@depauliaonline.com SPORTS EDITOR | Darcy Waskiewicz sports@depauliaonline.com
SOURCE: COVID-19 DASHBOARD | DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Visit the Covid-19 Dashboard for information on how to report positive cases on campus.
ASST. SPORTS EDITOR | Joshua M. Hicks sports@depauliaonline.com ART EDITOR | Alicia Goluszka art@depauliaonline.com PHOTO EDITOR | Audrey Champelli photo@depauliaonline.com COPY EDITORS | Luke Myers & Corey Schmidt SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR | Lily Lowndes social@depauliaonline.com ADVISOR | Marla Krause mkrause1@depaul.edu
La DePaulia es el noticiero oficial estudiantil en español de la Universidad DePaul, enfocado en proveer una voz para la comunidad latinx. Nuestras opiniones no necesariamente reflejan las opiniones de la administración, facultad o personal de la universidad. JEFA DE REDACCIÓN | María Marta Guzmán eicladepaulia@depauliaonline.com GERENTE EDITORIAL | Erika Pérez managingladepaulia@depauliaonline.com EDITOR DE OPINIONES | Bryan López opinionesladepaulia@depauliaonline.com
FOLLOW US:
CONTACT US:
EDITORA DE MULTIMEDIA | Julie Atencia multimedialadepaulia@depauliaonline.com
depauliaonline.com facebook.com/TheDePaulia
thedepaulia
ASISTENTE EDITORA DE MULTIMEDIA | Jocelyn Diaz assistantmedialadepaulia@depauliaonline. com PERSONAL DE MULTIMEDIA | Isabella Eckardt assistantmedialadepaulia@depauliaonline. com
GENERAL PHONE (773) 325-2285
twitter.com/TheDePaulia
thedepaulia
OFFICE HOURS Thursday: 6-8 p.m. Friday: 10-6 p.m. Sunday: 10-5 p.m.
NEWS TIPS news@depauliaonline.com
ADVERTISING business@depauliaonline.com
News. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 3
‘WE ARE SUFFERING’ El Milagro workers fight for better work conditions
HALLIE LONG | THE DEPAULIA
ERIKA PEREZ |THE DEPAULIA
The El Milargo factory in Little Village, in Lawndale, Chicago. Around 100 people gathered outside on 26th street on Thursday, Sept 30 to demand better working conditions.
By Erika Perez La DePaulia Managing Editor
El Milagro workers hosted a rally with the organization Arise Chicago on September 30, a day after they asked them to hold a meeting with workers to hear their demands on safer working conditions. During the press conference, El Milagro production workers continue to report unlawful practices and violations. Some include excessive workloads, extreme heat, low wages and sexual harassment Arise Chicago has filed an unfair labor charge against El Milagro at the National Labors Relation Board. The company is avoiding negotiations with their workers “I have been working for El Milagro for 13 years. The problems we face are awful,” said Alfredo Martinez, a worker at El Milagro. “Workers are being overworked and not getting a decent wage. We are suffering.” As a single father of two girls with autism, Martinez wants to be able to work in a safe environment. “The three of us live alone so I am afraid, it is logical because I have to support and take care of them but I am not going to stay with my arms crossed my whole life,” Martinez said. “Now is the time to speak.” El Milagro workers were surrounded
by the community and elected officials in support of their demands. Daisy Navar, a resident of Logan Square, has been buying El Milagro tortillas for as long as she can remember. “I’m a consumer, and I think it’s important for consumers to be aware of the working conditions within what we’re buying,” said Navar. El Milagro products, especially their tortillas, are in high demand. This demand is causing shortages of the torillas In response, the company placed a limit on how many tortilla packs can be bought by customers. At first, many speculated that Amazon was buying large amounts of the product to be sold online. In reality, the shortages were caused by unsafe working conditions that were causing employees to demand change. “We will stand up with them because they are part of the community. We want them to live well and [live] long lives,” Navar said. “We want to build wealth in our community; we can’t build it with these working conditions.” State Senator Celina Villanueva, representing the 11th district, said the work injustices at El Milagro are close to her because she not only represents La Villita but is also a resident. “I’m the daughter of working class parents and when I see injustices like this it’s one of those things that gets me so mad, because honestly these are our parents and cousins, these are our com-
munity members being treated like this,” said Villanueva. In April 2020, El Milagro had to stop production after an employee passed away and others were sick due to Covid-19. According to the Chicago Tribune, this caused production to fall by 75 percent. After the outbreaks of Covid-19, working conditions got worse. Out of fear of losing their jobs, workers didn’t show up to the rally. “I understand the fear because that’s the paycheck that helps pay the bills and that keeps a roof over their head, but there is really no amount of money that compares to the dignity and respect of a worker,” Villanueva said. Workers continue to return to work, but some say they have been threatened to lose their jobs if they continue organizing with Arise Chicago. Up until now, workers have not said they will be going on strike. “The bosses are intimidating workers causing them to feel fear, that is why they do not participate in the rally,” Martinez said. Villanueva expresses that as long as the injustices in the workplace don’t change, they will not stop from supporting workers. “I think what’s devastating is that it’s Latino owners of a Latino business that is treating Mexican and Latino workers like this,” said Villanueva. “This is not how we should be treating each other.
ERIKA PEREZ |THE DEPAULIA
Pack of tortillas with Che Guevara quote. We are a community that deserves respect.” Arise Chicago is asking consumers of El Milagro products to call the president of El Milagro, Raulinda Sierra, and request she meet with the workers’ committee. “We want our bosses to sit down with us and try to fix the problems we face, because in reality it is a benefit for them,” Martinez said. “They can fire us but the problems will continue if they don’t fix them.”
4 | News. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
Study abroad returns, student safety at the forefront By Nadia hernandez News Editor
Study abroad resumed in person this year after DePaul cancelled trips due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Trips will continue throughout the pandemic internationally. Applications are currently open for trips to Asia, Europe and Latin America. According to the study abroad website, DePaul will continue to make programs available despite Covid-19 unknowns. “While there continues to be uncertainty regarding the pandemic, we are moving forward with planning for a limited number of both term-long and short-term study abroad programs,” an update from August read. Students enrolled in study abroad trips had to take several precautions before their trips. These include full vaccination, proof of a negative test and purchase of a Covid-19 test. DePaul junior Angelina Davila, who is currently abroad in the U.K., had to do all of this and show proof, while paying out of pocket for it before taking off. “Different airlines had different Covid-19 guidelines so I had to make sure I did all my research on Covid-19 guidelines for my airline, Iceland Air,” Davila said. The U.K. had specific requirements for those entering from the U.S. The country ranks different countries on a traffic light system, depending on their Covid-19 status. The U.S. is ranked amber. “In order to get into the U.K., I needed to fill out a passenger locator form, have a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of my trip, pre-purchase a Covid-19 test from a U.K. company called BIOGRAD to take on my second day,” Davila said, adding that the test cost her 90 pounds out of pocket. “I had to print proof that I did all this and once I got to check-in for my flight, I was asked to show these documents.”
The U.S. announced this past week 700,000 Covid-19 related deaths . CDC recommendations include vaccination, masks and social distancing where possible. Rachel Miller, a DePaul junior also studying abroad in London, said she tries not to pay attention to Covid-19 cases in the U.K. after the recent spike. “I haven’t followed the numbers because it overwhelms me too much,” Miller said. “If I got Covid-19 in London I would get treated better and faster [than in the U.S.] though.” Davila said the pandemic in the U.K. feels “nonexistent.” “It’s almost as if there isn’t one happening,” she said. “People here do seem to think that the U.K. government is handling the Covid situation quite well currently.” However, international travel is taken more seriously. “Despite the recent spike in cases here, many locals say that it’s not reflective in hospitals which is likely because so many people are vaccinated and don’t show severe symptoms the way they would pre-vaccination,” Davila added. The U.K. has made take-home tests widely available while the U.S. has CDC-approved take-home Covid-19 tests before international travel. “The self tests [are] being given out for free like candy on the street,” Miller said. “I think people want to try and control it while returning to a normal life.” DePaul study abroad programs mostly span Europe, with programs in over 10 countries across the continent.
NADIA HERNANDEZ
NADIA HERNANDEZ
Rough transition to in-person instruction
ART BY ALICIA GOLUSZKA
By Jana Kunz Contributing Writer
In the time since the fateful March of 2020, DePaul professors have dealt with many changes to their class formats. The slow transition back to in-person classes and campus life has brought both new challenges and new habits. Associate Provost Caryn Chaden is helping DePaul navigate and communicate this transition and Covid-19 regulations. She spoke to The DePaulia about the university’s process of making online teaching more manageable. The pandemic forced 4,000 classes online. Since then, instructional designers at the Center for Teaching and Learning have guided about 200 professors through online teaching workshops. The university also used money from the government to buy extra monitors and speakers, enabling about 100 classrooms to have a flex option, which allows students to decide whether to come in person or log onto Zoom, Chaden said. “This fall is more complicated than last fall,” Chaden said. Returning to campus means complying with the governor’s orders to wear masks and get vaccinated. These practices make in-person classes now much different from in-person classes in the past.
Chaden said preferences for the online format are personal. “I think we are seeing that it totally depends on the program,” Chaden said. “And it depends on the person, too.” Some classes don’t translate well, like acting classes and chemistry labs, while others, like classes through the College of Business, can still offer many online classes since students with jobs downtown appreciate the flexibility. While the switch to online learning was abrupt and difficult to manage at first, Chaden thinks there have been benefits for the long run. “I think people have learned a lot about how to teach online more effectively than when we first started last spring,” she said. “And so I think some of those practices are sticking.” For the immunocompromised and disabled, online classes offer more than mere convenience. Computing and Digital Media professor Jessica Westbrook’s Type 1 diabetes made it essential to continue teaching online this quarter because of a new rule prohibiting eating and drinking in class. She empathizes with students who are in the same situation. “Ableism is pervasive and difficult. Calculated risk is not standardized,” Westbrook said in an email. “Many folks have been navigating layers of health and safety — even
before the pandemic. The disregard for vulnerable populations since March 2020 has changed the way I understand things. It has been clarifying, but also heavy. I’m glad to be offering online classes for students who need and like them.” Jakub Rudnik came to DePaul to start his teaching career in the spring of 2020. In his classes, he’s experienced the whole range of classroom settings, from fully online to hybrid and in-person models. Still, teaching from a computer posed some difficulties. Although he had used Zoom before, dealing with the technology in a classroom setting was very different. In a physical classroom, he had to manage internet issues in addition to teaching, and the rhythm of an in-person lecture or discussion didn’t quite translate. Rudnik said there was much less engagement in the online format. “You would just be looking at blank screens with people’s names and maybe their picture, three people would have their face on even if you were encouraging it, you’re getting answers like pulling teeth,” he said. “Online just felt pointless sometimes, you always feel occasionally like a student is zoning out … but when everyone’s cameras are off and you’re getting no reception, that was the hardest.” In the hybrid style, the class was split in half, and the two groups took turns coming
in and working from home. Rudnik’s class was the only one on his floor, held in a large room, and usually consisted of three to eight in-person students. In terms of Covid-19 safety, he said it was “as good as it could be.” However, these first classes were held before the vaccine became available. Rudnik took extra measures, like driving through traffic instead of taking the train to be sure he wasn’t taking the virus back to his wife and parents. “I was nervous to some extent until I was vaccinated,” Rudnik said. “That definitely changed my mindset.” It was also more complicated to deal with multiple teaching styles at once. “There was so much going on, you’re teaching two things at the exact same time and trying to format your lessons to both, which means you’re really formatting your lessons to neither sometimes,” Rudnik said. In comparison, he said fully in-person classes have been the most natural and helpful for teaching. “We’re only four weeks in but I feel very good about this quarter,” Rudnik said. “The engagement levels are far higher than they were in the spring. I’ve never felt the energy like this as a professor, so I’m certainly very happy that it’s back in person.”
Sorority Life recruits 170 new members across chapters By Hallie Long Contributing Writer
After a year of Zoom classes and virtual campus activities, DePaul Panhellenic held in-person Fall Formal Recruitment this past week. As with every organization, business and industry, there has been a tremendous amount of adaptation in the Panhellenic community to sustain Greek life participation, primarily during the past academic year. One-hundred-seventy women signed up to participate in formal recruitment, according to Kacie Koenig, the vice president of recruitment counselors on the Panhellenic Executive Board and a four-year member of Phi Mu. Formal Recruitment is a five-day process where potential new members talk to and get to know active members from different sororities. At the end of Recruitment, undergraduate women join a sorority. “Greek life has been a great way to make friends with my own chapter, other chapters, and even outside of Greek life,” said Alyssa Byers, a four-year member of Alpha Omicron Pi. “It’s been a really easy way to get involved in the community, as well as give back to others through philanthropy events.” DePaul’s fraternity and sorority life is a fairly small community, making it easy for students to find closer communities in a large university setting.
Each of the five days offers an opportunity to talk about the sorority’s sisterhood, philanthropy and chapter. On the fourth day, called Preference Tea, potential new members narrow down their top two sororities while active members start deciding who they would like to welcome into their sisterhood. Bid Day concludes the five-day event where each of the Panhellenic sororities welcomes their new members through fun celebrations and activities. “It was so exciting to be back in person,” said Megan Davies, who joined Chi Omega during virtual recruitment in the fall of 2020. “Recruitment was such a fun time, especially since it was my first time recruiting.” This year’s recruitment may have been the first for many. Still, some sorority members who saw the changes in recruiting new members have been active in the Panhellenic community from freshman to senior year. “As someone who has been a freshman being recruited, a sophomore doing the recruiting, and a junior and senior who operated on the Panhellenic side,” Koenig said. “I have genuinely never experienced a more enthusiastic group of students carrying out the recruitment process.” Despite the joyful excitement and cultivation of bonds brought on by recruitment, coming back on campus to recruit new members certainly raises concerns about the safety of such events regarding the spread of Covid-19.
“Even though recruitment was largely in person, Panhellenic offered a parallel virtual version of in-person recruitment which operated completely over Zoom for those who did not comply with DePaul University’s vaccination mandate,” Koenig said. Not only was there an option to rush virtually for those who could not attend in-person recruitment, but steps were taken to keep those rushing on DePaul’s campus safe as well. “Every individual present during recruitment was required to be masked, which was enforced by Panhellenic and DePaul University Staff,” Koenig said. “Panhellenic provided masks and hand sanitizers to all the new members participating in recruitment.” In order to adjust to the new normal of Covid-19, Panhellenic organized virtual recruitment for the fall quarter and winter quarter. Rushing happens at the beginning of Autumn quarter and informal recruitment follows during winter quarter. “It was definitely different from the previous two years,” Koenig said. “Given that the medium of communication jumped from in-person, face-to-face contact, to a completely digital form.” Panhellenic recruitment was conducted entirely on Zoom both Autumn and Winter Quarter last year, which certainly had its obstacles, as did virtual classes and other events. “Sometimes it could be challenging with technical difficulties and such,” Byers
DEPAUL PANHEL/INSTAGRAM
DePaul sorority Delta Zeta on Bid Day said. “But I think both the recruiters and the potential new members did a great job adapting under the circumstances.” Even with a lack of in-person gatherings for the Panhellenic community last year, sororities were still successful in recruiting new sisters. “As someone who joined a sorority during virtual recruiting, I had a great recruitment experience,”Davies said. Going forward with the year, Covid-19 continues to be a significant factor in how on-campus organizations and clubs operate. Nonetheless, the Panhellenic community plans to hold in-person activities. “As the year goes on, I’m really looking forward to experiencing in-person events and building on my sorority experience with new memories,” Davies said.
6| News. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
CAMPUS CRIME REPORT:
Sept. 27, 2021- Oct. 2, 2021
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
LOOP CAMPUS Seton Hall 5 6
990 W. Fullerton vvv 1
Ozanam Hall
The Quad
Sanctuary Hall 3
2
2
DePaul Center
6
8
7
Student Center
2
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS SEPT. 23 1) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor
Assault & Theft
Drug & Alcohol
Other
SEPT. 25
2)
W. Fullerton.
LOOP CAMPUS
SEPT. 24 7) A Harassment report was filed in University
Hall. Person was transported to Illinois Masonic Hospital by Chicago EMS.
report was filed for a room Ozanam Hall. Person was transported to Illinois Masonic by Chicago EMS. A Stalking report was filed for a person who was followed from the Quad.
9
4
Center.
SEPT. 26
6) A Graffiti report was filed for markings on 990
8)
A Graffiti report was filed for markings on Lewis Center.
SEPT. 24
SEPT. 28
3) A Public Indecency report was filed regarding
9)
A Graffiti report was filed for markings on DePaul Center.
a person exposing themselves outside Sanctuary Hall.
4)
A Disturbance was reported in the Student Center.
5) An Illegal Consumption of Alcohol by a Minor report was filed for a room in Seton
It’s Simple DePaul University Alumni members could save more with a special discount GEICO partners with the DePaul University Alumni Association, which means you could get exclusive savings on car insurance. You could also get 24/7 customer service through the top-rated GEICO Mobile app, online, or by speaking with a friendly, licensed agent.
geico.com/alum/duaa | 1-800-368-2734 | Local Office Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. GEICO contracts with various membership entities and other organizations, but these entities do not underwrite the offered insurance products. Discount amount varies in some states. One group discount applicable per policy. Coverage is individual. In New York a premium reduction may be available. GEICO may not be involved in a formal relationship with each organization; however, you still may qualify for a special discount based on your membership, employment or affiliation with those organizations. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. GEICO Gecko® image © 1999–2021. © 2021 GEICO 21_ 729866103
News. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 7
NADIA HERNANDEZ| THE DEPAULIA
Protesters carried signs highlighting their outrage of the Texas abortion ban, such as equating the regulation to gun laws. Signs were colorful and artistic with catchy slogans.
NADIA HERNANDEZ| THE DEPAULIA
Two members of the Revolutionist Communist Party held a banner demanding accessible abortions at the Daley Center 50 W Washington St, Chicago, IL.
WOMEN’S MARCH continued from front page that women have equal rights, the more everyone can have equal rights,” protestor Debbie Sandstrum said. Protesters across generations attended the event, highlighting the inter-generational fight for abortion rights through time. “You can pick anyone in this crowd, and this will not have been the first march they’ve been to lately,” Sandstrum said. “If you pick a number of people in this crowd, they’ve been marching since the ‘70s.” Roe vs. Wade was ruled in the early ‘70s as Generation X was growing up. “We see all ages out here,” Greep said. “We have older and younger folks who remember a time before Roe v. Wade, and are scared to relive it. And younger folks who hear those stories and don’t want to experience that.” Sandstrum highlighted the solidarity between generations as they continue to fight for people’s autonomy. “If you pick the younge r
people in this crowd,” Sandstrum said. “I think they probably can’t believe that they have to be here, because they grew up thinking that abortion was legal, knowing that it was legal, having more rights than any than their mothers did, and their grandmothers did. And they probably can’t believe that this is such an assault on their autonomy. I’m grateful for the younger generation because the assault on women is endless.” Several political organizations also attended the rally, including the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), which advocates for abortion is healthcare. “We think it’s really important for us to be fighting back against this right wing assault,” PSL member Aviva Levine said. “We really believe that abortion should be legal once and for all across our country.” Levine emphasized that abortion providers also provide gender affirming care. Women are at the fore- front, but transgend e r m e n , non binary and femme bodied people get pregnant and need
abortion services. “A lot of these providers of abortion care, also providers of gender affirming, oftentimes, only providers in an area,” she added. “So anytime they’re coming out there, they’re pulling out their resources. That’s so many people, not just women, not just trans men, not just anyone who has access to that healthcare.” The support from other organizations helped create the rally’s large attendance numbers, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. “A lot of progressive organizations are working together in coalition to really lift this up because reproductive justice and reproductive health matters to a lot of folks,” Greep said. “This has been a fantastic effort.” Illinois has no restrictive bans on abortion, allowing for people t o
recieve an abortion up until 24 weeks, and after only for medical emergency. “That’s just the law. One bad election and one different governor, and that could change,” Greep said. “We need people to stay in the fight. We need people to support abortion providers. We need people to support their local abortions bonds and all the people that are helping connect people to the essential health care they needed deserve.” The fight for reproductive justice and health continues after the march. “ T h e assault on women is endless,” Sandstrum said. “We’re still here.”
8| News. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
JOSEPHINE STRATMAN | THE DEPAULIA
The door the University Counseling Servies (UCS) remains shut to students in search of help. UCS is located in the Lincoln Park Student Center room 350. management. For ongoing counseling sup- insurance or is that something that [you’re] COUNSELING continued from front port, counseling staff will provide resources going to have to go to a different place for? It page and referrals.” is all a very, very stressful experience.” “They need to be way more transparent At Lincoln Park Therapy Group, near about what’s going on, there’s a whole weird DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus, intake seswas disappointing and frustrating.” almost secrecy, and like not wanting to dissions start at $145 while individual sessions According to UCS Director Tow Yau, close what’s happening, ” Hunt said. can go up to $190. UCS underwent major changes in April My SSP offers exclusively virtual help — “Therapy is not cheap. That’s really im2021, when “some” employees left the debut students may need the face to face expeportant to acknowledge, ” Morrison added. partment “to pursue other employment” rience more. College students may need help with according to Yau. After completing the survey, My SSP adtransition to independent living, academics To fill the staffing gap, DePaul partnered dresses the needs of the situation based on and a new environment, according to Best with My SSP. the urgency. One of the result options reads, Colleges. UCS has one counselor employed at As midterms and finals approach, stuDePaul, but they are not accepting new “You seem to have been struggling with some important indicators of depression. dent needs and demands for counseling will students. UCS is actively recruiting , “one We’ d like to help, and if you’re ready to get grow stronger. However, there is no timeline full time Associate Director for Counseling started we’ d recommend that you explore for when the transitional phase will end, acServices, two temporary part-time mental our resources, complete the assessments cording to Yao. health clinicians and one temporary partand when you’re ready, contact us via phone “We understand that the last year and a time outreach specialist,” according to Yau. or chat. ” half has been incredibly difficult for everyWithout any on-campus counselors, “[The counseling function] does feel one in the DePaul community, but especialstudents are left with either finding off-camreally impersonal, ” Hunt said. “You’re even ly our students who have gone through so pus support or using My SSP. removed from like seeing this person over much, ” Yao said in a statement to The DeDePaul junior Jillian Morrison has used zoom or something” Paulia. “We are here to support them 100 UCS in the past, and believes that this could Hunt said this makes her feel detached percent and continue to look for ways to ofpotentially sway students away from getting from her potential counselor. fer that support while we work to get back to help. “It creates [a] disconnect, ” Hunt said. full strength staffing wise. ” “It’s very discouraging, especially if NADIA HERNANDEZ| THE DEPAULIA “It feels you’re somebody who has never gone to “They could be from anywhere, they could be anyone. It’s a very different experience very deing (CIT) during their training. therapy before,” Morrison said. “I think it is than connecting with a counselor and havfeating, ” Hunt said. “I feel like isn’t too much “I don’t want a person who has a gun something that could turn somebody away ing telehealth calls, and then just being givto ask from a college, just having a couple showing up to my mental health crisis,” from even considering going to a different en this app. ” of counselors to be able to see the students Morrison said. “If anything, it makes it mental health clinic.” Of course, students can also pursue that need long term help. It almost feels like worse. There’s no way in hell that I would Vice President for Student Affairs Euoff-campus therapy. However, seeking what’s the point then... What’s the point?” want to call the police. ” gene Zdziarski sent out a university-wide Students will either have to commit to Until then, students must wait for the email advertising My SSP for students. off-campus help provides its own set of hurdles. Out-of-state students may not have finding a right match or wait until UCS rehelp they need. However, it didn’t explicitly state that UCS insurance coverage in Illinois, even in-state opens. UCS did not provide a timeline. “We’re not really in a secluded place; counselors were unavailable — just that the students may struggle to find a counselor in “There’s so few people that are willing there’s therapists around here,” Hunt said. new option was available. their insurance network. to, especially if you’re going through a cri“You’re just not doing anything about it. De“In May 2021 DePaul expanded its “[If] you go to an outside provider, you sis, to continue to stick with that all the way Paul has the resources and the capabilities to counseling services program for ALL curhave to make sure that they accept your inthrough, ” Morrison said. “So I can’t imagine manage this better in the meantime.” rently enrolled DePaul undergraduate and surance, ” Morrison said. “You have to make anybody wanting to do that. ” graduate students with the addition of My If a student has an urgent mental health Student Support Program (My SSP),” he sure the therapist is accepting new clients. You have to worry about maybe [wanting] crisis, the University recommends calling wrote. “University Counseling Services at to see a psychiatrist. Is that something that 911. However, policemen are only required DePaul is also available for phone or virtual is also going to be in network with [your] to take 8 hours of crisis intervention traininitial consultations, triage and brief crisis
News. The DePaulia. Sept. 27, 2021 | 9
10 | Nation & World. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
Nation & World
BILAL HUSSEIN | ASSOCIATED PRESS
Students leave their school in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021 during the first in-class academic year after the pandemic.
Lebanon schools suffer from nationwide crisis By Sarah El Deeb ASSOCIATED PRESS
This fall, the academic year in Lebanon is gripped by the same chaos that has overwhelmed everything else in the country in its financial and economic meltdown. Thousands of teachers are on strike, demanding salary adjustments to cope with hyperinflation and the currency’s free-fall. A month’s pay is now barely enough to fill a vehicle’s gas tank twice. With severe fuel shortages, it is not even certain they can fill up. School buses are no longer a given, and heating for classes in the cold winter months is far from guaranteed. The start of school has been postponed several times as the cash-strapped government negotiates with the teachers’ union for an adjustment package estimated at about $500 million. As a result, while some private schools have begun classes, most of Lebanon’s 1.2 million students still don’t know when they will go back to school. Meanwhile, teachers have been quitting in droves, looking for better opportunities abroad. Many fear not just a missed academic year, but a lost generation in a country that prided itself in competing globally with the number of scientists and engineers it graduated. Schools have already been disrupted the past two years by a series of events — protests starting in late 2019 that interrupted the academic year, the switch to largely online classes in 2020 because of the pandemic and rising poverty. Some 400,000 children were not in school in 2020, according to UNICEF. Struggling parents have moved their children from private schools, usually touted as first-class education, to public schools. More than 50,000 students transferred last year, and the number is likely much higher this year, said Alaa Hmaid, of Save the Children. This pressures the under-resourced public sector, likely at the expense of enrollment of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, who rely on Lebanon’s public
“If they don’t save the education sector, then we will have nothing.” Naima Sadaka
Founder of “Schools of Lebanon” system. “We don’t want to create a potential gap in the future where a full generation would be without education,” Hmaid said, calling for more resources for education. According to U.N. figures, 55% of Lebanon’s population now lives in poverty, compared to 28% in 2018, effectively wiping out the once large middle class. Salaries plummeted as the currency lost 90% of its value against the dollar. No fewer than 15% of Lebanon’s 53,000 private school teachers have left the country, creating a large shortage, said Rodolph Abboud, the head of the Teachers Union. Adding to the woes, last year’s Beirut port explosion, which devastated the capital, damaged more than 180 educational facilities. Amid the hardships, parents are resolutely searching for ways to keep their children in schools. Lara Nassar, 38, has been managing her family’s slow descent into poverty. She was once an Arabic kindergarten teacher, her husband ran a thriving food business, and their three children went to private school. But for the past three years, to cut costs, she was forced to move her two boys, now 18 and 15, out of a top-end private school, first to a cheaper school, then to a public school. It was a tough decision, but she wanted to ensure she could afford to keep her youngest, now in 5th grade, in private school until the end of her primary education. “I am keeping her in the picture. She knows that in two years, I will have to move her to a public school. We can’t continue like that,” Nassar said. Nassar was laid off last year because
of the reduction in face-to-face classes during the pandemic. Because of the financial crisis, her husband had to lay off his staff and scale back his business dramatically. Instead of preparing homecooked meals, he runs a small, basic grocery with no fuel and unreliable refrigeration. Nassar is now his only employee. Amid the teachers’ strikes, Nassar’s kindergarten offered her her job back. But she declined so she could help her husband. “We are living drip by drip,” she said. She was able to secure financial assistance from her daughter’s school — a 50% reduction in the fees. A week before classes start, she is still searching for second-hand books at local charities. She broke down in tears talking about her sons’ love of basketball. They used to save their allowance to buy new shoes every year. Now she can barely get them shoes for school — their cost is worth nearly a month’s salary at the national minimum wage. “See what kind of things we have to worry about?” she said. Naima Sadaka said she watched the economic crisis unfold on the Facebook page she set up three years ago to help figure out which schools to enroll her kids in, after she returned from Saudi Arabia with her family. Over the last few months, membership in the “Schools in Lebanon” page grew by 50% to 12,000. The queries and comments changed from parents seeking recommendations for private schools to posts advertising second-hand books or arranging car-pools amid shortages of school buses. Many reached out to Sadaka in private messages asking for second-hand
school uniforms, too embarrassed to post on the page, Sadaka said. A parent should be worried about their kids’ development and skill set, but “here, we worry about just getting them to school,” said Sadaka, who lives in the southern city of Sidon. There is almost no public transportation, school bus fees have tripled and government officials are no help; so Sadaka had to figure out rides to school for her three kids on her own. For her 9- and 10-year-olds, she arranged rides with a neighbor who works near the school they attend, which is funded by an Islamic charity. For her daughter, a first grader in a public school, Sadaka accepted a job there teaching French, which basically pays for gas. Her husband drops her and their daughter off there every morning. Once a teacher in Saudi Arabia, Sadaka said she regrets coming back. “It is as if I went back 15 years,” accepting a meager salary, she said. After Lebanon’s banks and hospitals, once a source of national pride and cash, were crippled by the economic crisis, she said, “if they don’t save the education sector, then we will have nothing.” Maya, a mother of two, took no chances. She decided to leave in August after fuel shortages became so severe and no date for a return to school was set. She and her husband left to Cyprus, where she enrolled her 6- and 8-six-yearold kids in an English language school. The island’s only French school has been overwhelmed by recently arriving Lebanese students. Speaking by phone from Cyprus, she asked that her last name not be used to maintain her privacy as she adjusts in the new community. At her kids’ private school in Lebanon, at least 50 teachers and half of the students in her daughter’s class have left, she said. “Who will teach our kids? What friends will they have left? This is what I worried about. It is not the same standard anymore.”
Nation & World. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 11
Art Institute of Chicago workers continue unionizing efforts Museum employees join growing trend to unionize cultural organizations By sonal soni NATION & WORLD EDITOR
Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) employees and supporters gathered outside the museum on Sept. 22 for a press conference to raise awareness for their unionization efforts. If successful, they will become the first major Chicago museum to form a union. The Art Institute joins an increasing unionization effort among art museums nationwide. For instance, workers at The Guggenheim voted to form a union, along with three other major New York museums. Institutions across the nation are following suit as the popularity of unions continues to grow. The pandemic brought on layoffs and furloughs, and AIC employees are requesting higher pay and better working conditions. The museum terminated 76 workers in 2020 and furloughed 109 employees this year. The accumulation of layoffs alongside the financial stress of the pandemic sparked the formation of the Art Institute of Chicago Workers United (AICWU). According to AICWU, “Unionized staff at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, American Museum of Natural History, MIT, Chicago Public Library, Harvard, the Library of Congress, and many other cultural and educational institutions have been able to improve their wages, benefits, and rights at the workplace effectively through collective bargaining.” Organizers announced their union campaign on Aug. 3, 2021 in a public letter signed by numerous employees. If successful, the union would represent over 300 non-management positions which include art installers, curators, custodians, librarians and retail workers. While the movement initially started among AIC workers, workers from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) would also be represented in the union. According to the Chicago Tri-
COURTESY OF ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO WORKERS UNITED FACEBOOK
Art Institute employees and supporters gather outside the museum to advocate for the unionization movement on Sept. 9, 2021. bune, the school terminated 65 full-time positions, 12 part-time positions and 26 contract positions in 2020. Approximately 300 academic advisers, administrative assistants, mailroom employees and other staff would be included in the union. Organizers collected signature cards from AIC and SAIC employees, where a majority voted to form a union. On Sept. 22, AICWU organizing committee members sent formal letters to the museum requesting they grant voluntary recognition for workers to form their union. If museum management voluntarily recognizes their union, it will be certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) — an independent federal agency that assures fair labor practices nationwide. Once certified, AIC management will be legally obligated to bargain a union contract agreed on by employees. However, according to AICWU, the museums’ leadership hired anti-worker lawyers and PR consultants, who use union busting tactics like circulating anti-union sentiment. “They’re using tactics like sending
all-staff emails full of anti-union rhetoric, coaching management in anti-union talking points, misinforming employees that we’re ineligible for union representation, and stifling open forums when union supporters speak,” AICWU organizers wrote. According to the Economic Policy Institute, U.S. employers collectively spend $340 million per year on union avoidance consultants. Organizers and community members criticized the museum’s decision to hire the law firm of Cozen O’Connor and the PR management consultancy firm, Reputation Partners. “We think museum patrons and school students and alumni would be upset to know this is happening at the same time that senior leadership told staff they’re projecting a budget deficit for the 2022 fiscal year,” said organizing committee member Myia Brown, assistant director of career and professional experience at SAIC. The Sept. 22 conference ended with a march down Michigan Avenue, stopping in front of the museum. Organizers and
supporters gathered among the steps between the iconic lion statues, which symbolize the union. Prominent Chicago politicians also attended the press conference to show their support including State Senator Celina Villanueva, vice chair of the Illinois Senate Labor Committee; State Representative Marcus Evans, chairperson of the Illinois House of Representatives Labor & Commerce Committee and Alderwoman Sue Sadlowski-Garza, chair of the Chicago City Council Committee on Workforce Development. Organizers continue to gather employee signatures to further encourage museum leadership to voluntarily recognize employees’ unionization efforts. If AIC and SAIC management refuse to do so, employees will hold a formal union election. “We are making history together as AICWU,” Brown said. “It’s an amazing feeling to know that we are standing together, united, with a solid majority of our coworkers, in support of one another and our union.”
Oregon school board votes on political symbol ban By Eder Campuzano ASSOCIATED PRESS
BETH NAKAMURA | ASSOCIATED PRESS
Community members protest symbol ban on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021, in Newberg, Ore.
An Oregon school board that acted last month to ban educators from displaying Black Lives Matter and gay pride symbols has broadened the policy to prohibit district employees from displaying all types of political symbols. The move by the Newberg School Board last month to keep staff from displaying BLM or gay pride flags prompted strong criticism and threats to boycott the town of about 25,000 people southwest of Portland and its businesses. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported the board rescinded that rule Tuesday night and enacted a more sweeping policy banning any kind of political symbols, including those that support BLM or LGBTQ issues. “We need to get moving back towards education,” said Board Chair Dave Brown, who joined the majority in the 4-3 vote approving the new policy. “We’ve been derailed for quite a while.” The board’s initial move last month generated a backlash from Newberg city council members and members of color of the Oregon Legislature. The Oregon State
Board of Education called on the school board to reverse course, saying student identities should be welcomed and affirmed. Newberg School Board Vice Chair Brian Shannon said after Tuesday’s vote that it was time to move on. “This policy is so innocuous. It just says that teachers can’t display political symbols at work while they’re on school time,’ Shannon said. “I don’t want to spend five, six more minutes on this issue, let alone six more weeks.” School Board Director Brandy Penner, who voted against the new, broader policy, said Shannon’s statements were a “ridiculous attempt at pretending this is nothing.” “Maybe it is nothing to you as a white, privileged male,” Penner said. “But, it’s a really big deal to a lot of our community, and a lot of our staff, and a lot of our students.” Newberg Superintendent Joe Morelock said the policy could be difficult to enforce. “I think the difficulty is that we’re going to have different people in different buildings, different leaders who will be taking these complaints, and I think one of the biggest challenges is for us to have consistency across all the buildings about what’s OK and what’s not OK,” Morelock said.
12 | Opinions. The DePaulia. Oct. 4 2021
Opinions Less is more Why the fourday work week is good for business and better for workers
An office in London. An estimated 21 percent of office workers spend more than 5 hours per week on non-work related activities.
By Erik Uebelacker Opinions Editor
Work is a massive part of our lives — it’s where the average American spends a third of their life. But with only 15 percent of the world’s population actively engaged in their job, many businesses are exploring ideas to make work more palatable. The four-day work week, which gives employees a three-day weekend every week, is one of those concepts. The five-day, 40-hour work week has been the norm in the United States since the late 1930’s. Since then, there haven’t been significant changes to the schedule of the American worker. Enter The Financial Diet, a personal finance website for women that has been experimenting with the four-day work week since the beginning of the summer. “We had to become a lot more efficient in our communication,” Chelsea Fagan, CEO of The Financial Diet, said. “That meant that our workdays became a lot more effective and less redundant, and therefore a lot more enjoyable, too.” Fagan described how she and her employees experienced an increase in productivity by cutting down to a four-
day, 32-hour week. Despite her staff working less for the same pay, Fagan said that there was no real financial downside to the shift. “We have not seen any decline in revenue or engagement,” Fagan said of the experiment. “In fact, we’ve had some of our best months.” The Covid-19 pandemic has forced employers around the world to rethink the concept of work. Many workers benefited from getting to spend more time at home through remote or hybrid work environments. “There is a lot of evidence that time away from work, through things like time off and vacations, can actually make individuals more productive,” DePaul economics professor Brian Phelan wrote in an email to The DePaulia. “The increased productivity comes from both being more-present (mentally) when one is at work and improved decision making that comes from stepping away from a problem. A four-day work week is simply an extension of this idea.” Given how common burnout can be, particularly in office jobs where so much time is wasted, it’s unsurprising how successful four-day work week trials have
been thus far. Iceland began several trials of the concept between 2015 and 2019. Employees received equal pay, despite working less hours per week. As a result, workers in these studies reported feeling less stressed at work and saw improvements to their physical and mental health. They also reported having more time to spend on hobbies, household chores and activities with family. In fact, the results from these studies were so successful that four-day work weeks became the new norm in Iceland. 86 percent of the country’s workforce either already has a four-day work week, or is currently moving towards it. Their economy has been virtually unaffected by the shift in employee scheduling, while workers are reaping the benefits of a better work-life balance. Here at DePaul University, students have a unique perspective on the idea of a four-day work week, as most students only have class from Monday to Thursday. This gives students more time to socialize, relax, study, or work on the long weekends. DePaul senior Tyler Malone took the extra time to pursue his passion for music. “Having three days in a week to focus
PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
on working outside of school has actually allowed me to set myself up for a future career,” Malone told The DePaulia. Malone explained that the three-day weekends gave him the extra time to turn his hobby of music production into a sustainable source of income, now earning between $1,000 and $2,000 a month. “DePaul giving me the time to do this might be the most valuable asset that I could have gotten,” Malone said. Given the success that students like Malone have found with an extra day off, it’s easy to see how beneficial a four-day work week can be for workers nationwide. Providing employees with a better work-life balance could decrease burnout and inefficacy, while contributing to a healthier, happier and more creative workforce. Granted, it may not be possible for every industry or business to switch to this schedule right now. But it’s been over 80 years since the structure of full-time work has substantially changed. Based on the success in companies like Fanan’s and nations like Iceland, maybe it’s time to modernize the way we see work in 2021.
ART BY ALICIA GOLUSZKA
The opinions in this section do not necessarially reflect those of The DePaulia staff.
13 | Opinions. The DePaulia. Oct. 4 2021
It’s time to end the unpaid internship
Response to “DePaul doesn’t need a mask mandate” By Isabelle Earl Contributing Writer
ALICIA GOLUSZKA | THE DEPAULIA
By Angela Sampers Contributing Writer
It’s almost impossible to escape. In the search for an internship, I often stumble upon applications with a long list of responsibilities only to find the position to say “unpaid” at the very bottom of the page as if they’re trying to hide it. As put by congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, “experience doesn’t pay the bills,” highlighting the fact that not all students can afford to work for free. Further creating a broader discussion on the basis of ethics, fairness and the downfall of unpaid internships. Amanda Powers Snowden, the director of communications and operations at the DePaul Career Center said in an email, reports from DePaul’s Handshake in 2020-21, 73 percent of internship postings were paid, while 27 percent were unpaid. “Nationally, research reports that 43 percent of internships by for-profit companies are unpaid,” Snowden continued. Although the number of unpaid internships is decreasing, for-profit companies continue to promote them. Free labor occurs frequently and unpaid internships are one facet of this issue. As a student, you constantly hear about the importance of having experience beyond academics. Internships are all about gaining hands-on experience to prepare you for the future. Mya Whitton, a DePaul neuroscience major, took on STEM-related internships that were unpaid. “Though the work was plentiful, I enjoyed taking on tasks that made me feel like a big part of the organizations I worked for,” Whitton said in an email. “While I think some of the extraneous tasks I did should’ve been paid, I do not regret taking on these internships because it has provided me something to stand on in healthcare interviews and interviewers tend to point [to] my last internship.”
“I do think the balance is shifting towards more internships being paid than not,” Michael Elias
DePaul College of Communication Internship Director With any internship, there are benefits to familiarizing yourself with your desired field. From practicing the skills needed to learning from professionals to networking, all of which can help push you in the right direction. However, as a person who is just starting down their career path, there is this desire to feel like you and your work are respected and appreciated. For companies that hold high expectations for unpaid interns, it can cause more harm than good. Going through the unpaid internship process can lead to low self-esteem and confidence issues due to feelings of your work not being appreciated enough to be financially rewarded. From my experience, although I developed a foundation of career skills and knowledge, I felt like my hard work and talent as a student wasn’t appreciated enough to be rewarded financially. I was working a part-time job, taking on a full-time class load, staying involved on campus and putting down 20 hours a week as an unpaid intern. The further I got into it the more I started to realize how unethical and unfair unpaid internships really are. The work I completed and the time I spent was taken advantage of. “My problem with unpaid internships is the lack of recognition for the unpaid work you put in as a student, and if you have another job the internship work ultimately builds on,” Whitton said. “I think [employers] should care for the person’s financial stability and well-being as much as they care for
the work they produce.” Employers are able to cover up and take advantage of their interns by guaranteeing “real-world” experience without providing any compensation for their work. To remain ethical, the employer should align the workload expectations to whether the internship position is paid or unpaid. As a for-profit company, if there’s the space, time and money for an intern, you should be compensating them in some way or another. Although you may argue that unpaid interns are compensated through experience and references, there is no financial security or support. “There are many multi-million-dollar companies that can pay their workers; there is no excuse,” Whitton said. “Considering the ongoing pandemic, to not pay your interns is quite bizarre and hurtful.” Michael Elias, director of the College of Communication internship program at DePaul, thinks unpaid internships aren’t going anywhere. “I don’t see unpaid internships going away in the immediate future, but I do think the balance is shifting towards more internships being paid than not,” he said in an email. Moving forward, companies must consider avoiding unpaid internships the best they can to show that they are both fair and ethical. In any situation, interns must be treated fairly and deserve to be paid for what they are worth.
Prior to the start of classes, a letter to the editor from DePaul student Dace Potas was published in The DePaulia that criticized the university’s decision to require masks on campus. The letter stated that, “The administration’s decision to reinstate the University mask mandate is completely unnecessary and not based in science.” Perhaps some science that was disregarded from the author comes from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website, stating that masks are a barrier that block the transmission of respiratory droplets. Later in the letter, Potas claims that since getting the Covid-19 vaccine is a requirement to return to campus at DePaul, masking is unnecessary. The CDC also states that while being vaccinated reduces the risk of intense sickness from the virus, anyone can still become infected with Covid-19 and spread it to others. Shermar Price, a current junior at Depaul, supports the university’s decision. “The objective is to stop the spread of Covid-19,” he said. “Wearing a mask decreases the spread of the virus.” A concept that Potas failed to consider was the fact that DePaul students who support the mask mandate are not apprehensive about death or severe symptoms from this virus. The concern is ending the pandemic, and the university’s decision to enforce a mask mandate reflects that concern. Price, who is fully vaccinated, later disclosed that he was exposed to Covid-19 directly but credits his mask in preventing him from contracting and spreading the virus. Layla Walcott, a student living off campus, stressed the importance of the campus mask mandate. “I believe it is very necessary and I wish more people agreed,” she said. Walcott was concerned prior to the return of in-person classes that many individuals would be nonchalant about the pandemic now that they are vaccinated. However, being vaccinated is not a magic button that neutralizes the risks of the pandemic. Much of DePaul’s student population lives off campus. The naïve claim that the university should not require masks because campus vaccine rates are high and the population is relatively low-risk is tone-deaf to commuter students. While many can relate to the irritability of wearing a mask for a year and a half, selfishness is not the solution to solving this annoyance. Continuing to wear a mask is no longer for us — the vaccinated and low-risk individuals. It’s for the protection of the high-risk elderly Chicagoans that need to take the train every day. It’s for the safety of children who are unable to get vaccinated. It’s for the disabled and immunocompromised students and staff of this university. Ultimately, wearing a mask is about empathy. Potas signed his letter with the signature “A Fed-Up Student.” And to that, I give you: Sincerely, Isabelle Earl, A Student Who Wants To See My Grandma At Thanksgiving.
14 | Focus. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
Focus Survey Says:
Mental health is benefited by game shows
By Kiersten Riedford Focus Editor
It’s a weeknight, approximately 7 p.m. Someone is clicking the channel button, perusing through the infomercials and soap operas, looking for something the whole family can enjoy because no one can agree on a movie or a TV show. Suddenly, the words “This is Jeopardy!” are spoken by a narrator’s voice followed by thinking theme music as contestants are introduced. This is the typical experience when discovering a game show. DePaul junior Caylah Johnson said her first experience with game shows was in her early childhood.
“I have very fond memories [of game shows],” Johnson said. “The suspense they created with the challenges had me in knots right along with the contestants. I would always proclaim that I could easily accomplish the challenges despite being, like, five years old.” Johnson is not alone in this, many students at DePaul experience watching game shows in their youth, especially with the rise of cable TV in the late 1990s to the mid-2000s. Many DePaul students like Johnson and sophomore Emily Townley said they associate game shows with happy memories from their childhood, specifically with their families in the evenings.
“My family and I watch ‘Family Feud’ at 7:00 and ‘Jeopardy!’ at 7:30, at least when I am around,” Townley said. “My absolute all time favorite game show is ‘Jeopardy!.’ This is no part due to how awesome Alex Trebek was. His humbleness and intelligence never ceased to amaze me. I moved around a lot, and one of the most consistent things about my life was sitting down to watch Jeopardy.” In March, the Journal of Psychological Rehabilitation and Mental Health conducted a study on the correlation between game shows and mental health. The study found peoples’ mental health increased when watching game shows.
This is due to their interactive nature, allowing the mind to be engaged in something other than what may be deterring their positivity, therefore establishing a more positive space. But, junior Lazarus Howell said he disagrees. “I would not link game shows with my happiness nor with my mental health at all,” Howell said. “I believe it’s just a form of content for people to consume. [Game shows] have not helped me through tough times.” Johnson said she agreed with Howell. She said game shows made her feel happy in her childhood and made her feel smarter, but they no longer serve that
Jeopardy!
most difficult Jeopardy! questions: Can you solve them? READER’S DIGEST | SOURCE KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | GRAPHIC
FINAL Jeopardy!
A 2012 poll by Britain’s national army museum voted this man, born in 1732, as the nation’s greatest enemy.
He was featured on the Sept. 22, 1947 cover of Time with the caption “He and the boss took a chance.”
On Aug. 15, 1994, 59 years and one day after FDR signed the original act, Bill Clinton made this an independent agency.
A Christian hymn and a Jewish hymn are both titled this, also the name of a 2009 Tony-nominated musical.
A popular product was born when Jean Naigeon of this city substituted the juice of unripe grapes for vinegar. This country’s coat of arms features a palm tree and a 19th century American sailing ship.
Focus. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021| 15
$
b
5 6 5 0 6 5 0 urk 5 0 0 0 0 tp 0 0 0
W $
$
$
E $
a n
$
6 5 7 $ 7 60 5 0 0 6 0 00 0 0 0 0 0
$
us that we as a society refuse to improve.” Townley disagreed with Johnson and Howell. She said the study aligned with her experiences, especially during the pandemic. “‘Jeopardy!’ made the pandemic slightly more bearable,” Townley said. “[Game shows] definitely boost my mood. Watching ‘Jeopardy!’ takes my mind on things that stress me out. Whenever I watch it, my goal is to play along with the characters, and not to focus on what is going on around me.” Despite these positive correlations between mental health and game shows, Johnson said she does not go out of her way to watch them, they just happen to be on at home or in a public setting. “Game shows were something I used to watch when I had to watch live TV,” Johnson said. “Now that we live in a day
E
$
$
$
of
b
purpose. “Game shows don’t necessarily boost my happiness now because now that my grandmother is gone I don’t really have anybody I enjoy watching them with,” Johnson said. “Plus now that I’m older, it’s harder to watch the contestants and know that they are playing because they genuinely need the money. It’s not a game they play for fun, it’s a game they play to pay [their] mortgage or fund their children’s tuition. There are real people struggling in America that are on these shows. As a kid I thought it was encouraging that there were people just like me, just as smart as me, who [have] the chance of winning thousands and pulling themselves out of debt! Now, it’s frightening to think that people just like me could be put in stressful financial predicaments simply because of systems that have failed
H E EL
E
$
0
F
Hint: An expression of happiness or relief upon returning to one’s home, especially after an extended period away from it.
0
7 0 0
t $ $ u 8 5 r 0 n 0 00
O RTU N
0
6
$
$
$
$
y pla
a
a $ n 5 $ 9 k 0 $ 5 0 ur 0 05 6 0 p 0 5 00 t 0 0
WHEEL OF FURTUNE 60
e Fre
lose
of age where one can pick and choose what television they watch at all times, I usually just pick fictional shows to watch or reality television.” While game shows were applicable to peoples’ happiness, especially in their early to late childhood, many do not relate in their adulthood as of now, especially with the age of streaming being more relevant now than ever, according to NPR. Even Techjury said 82% of United States adults streaming internet TV claim it is more entertaining than cable. But, to adjust to the ever changing market, Game Show Network (GSN), the cable network that televised “Family Feud,” “Wheel of Fortune” and others, has shifted to also being available to stream. Currently, GSN is streamed on Philo, Sling TV, FuboTV and DirecTV Stream. It is also still televised on cable.
KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | GRAPHIC
Scan to view streaming options to watch Game Show Network.
ALICIA GOLUSZKA | ART
16 | La DePaulia. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
La DePaulia
“No es el milagro, es el maltrato”
Trabajadores de El Milagro continúan luchando por mejores condiciones laborales
FOTO CORTESIA DE ERIKA PÉREZ | LA DEPAULIA
Alrededor de 100 personas manifestaron afuera de la tienda El Milagro en la calle 26 el jueves 30 de septiembre
By Erika Pérez Gerente Editorial, La DePaulia
Los trabajadores de El Milagro, una factoría de tortillas, organizaron una manifestación con la organización de derechos de los trabajadores Arise Chicago el 30 de septiembre — un día después de que pidieron una reunión para discutir las demandas sobre la seguridad y las condiciones de trabajo. Durante la conferencia de prensa, los trabajadores de producción de El Milagro continúan denunciando prácticas ilícitas y violaciones. Algunos incluyen cargas de trabajo excesivas, calor extremo, salarios bajos y acoso sexual. Arise Chicago ha presentado un cargo laboral injusto contra El Milagro en la
Junta Nacional de Relaciones Laborales. La empresa está evitando las negociaciones con sus trabajadores. “He trabajado para El Milagro durante 13 años”, dijo Alfredo Martínez, un trabajador de la compañía. “Los problemas que enfrentamos son difíciles. Los trabajadores están sobrecargados de trabajo y no reciben un sueldo decente. Estamos sufriendo”. Como padre soltero de dos niñas con autismo, Martínez quiere poder trabajar en un ambiente seguro. “Los tres vivimos solos así que tengo miedo, es lógico porque tengo que apoyar y cuidar de ellas, pero no me voy a quedar con los brazos cruzados”, dijo Martínez. “Ahora es el momento de hablar”. Los trabajadores de El Milagro estaban rodeados de miembros de la comunidad y
funcionarios electos en apoyo de sus demandas. Daisy Navar, una residente de Logan Square, ha estado comprando tortillas El Milagro durante mucho tiempo. “Soy una consumidora, y yo creo que es importante que los consumidores sean conscientes de las condiciones de trabajo dentro de lo que están comprando”, dijo Navar. Los productos de El Milagro, especialmente sus tortillas, tienen una gran demanda. Esta demanda está provocando escasez de tortillas. En respuesta, los supermercados han puesto un límite a la cantidad de paquetes de tortillas que pueden comprar los clientes. Al principio, muchos especularon que Amazon estaba comprando grandes cantidades del producto para vender en
línea. En realidad, la escasez fue causada por condiciones de trabajo inseguras que estaban haciendo que los empleados exigieran cambios. “Los apoyaremos porque son parte de la comunidad”, dijo Navar. “Queremos que vivan bien y tengan una vida larga. Queremos generar riqueza en nuestra comunidad; no podemos construirlo con estas condiciones de trabajo”. La senadora estatal Celina Villanueva, representante del distrito 11, dijo que las injusticias laborales en El Milagro son cercanas a ella porque no solo representa a La Villita sino que también es residente. “Soy hija de padres de clase trabajadora y cuando veo injusticias como esta es una de esas cosas que me enoja tanto, porque honestamente estos son nuestros padres y primos, estos son los miembros de nuestra comunidad siendo tratados así”, dijo Villanueva. En abril de 2020, El Milagro tuvo que detener la producción después de que un empleado falleciera y otros se enfermaron del Covid-19. Según el Chicago Tribune, esto provocó que la producción cayera en un 75 por ciento. Después de los brotes de Covid-19, las condiciones laborales empeoraron. Por temor a perder sus trabajos, los trabajadores no se presentaron a la manifestación. “Entiendo el miedo porque ese es el sueldo que ayuda a pagar las facturas y que mantiene un techo sobre su cabeza, pero realmente no hay una cantidad de dinero que se compare con la dignidad y el respeto de un trabajador”, dijo Villanueva. Los trabajadores continúan regresando al trabajo, pero algunos dicen que han sido amenazados con perder sus trabajos si continúan organizándose con Arise Chicago. Hasta ahora, los trabajadores no han dicho que irán a la huelga. “Los patrones están intimidando a los trabajadores provocando que sientan miedo, por eso no participan en el mitin”, dijo Martínez. Villanueva expresa que mientras no cambien las injusticias en el lugar de trabajo, no dejarán de apoyar a los trabajadores. “Creo que lo devastador es que son los propietarios latinos de un negocio latino los que tratan así a los trabajadores mexicanos y latinos”, dijo Villanueva. “No es así cómo deberíamos tratarnos unos a otros. Somos una comunidad que merece respeto”. Arise Chicago está pidiendo a los consumidores de los productos de El Milagro que llamen a la presidenta de El Milagro, Raulinda Sierra, y solicitan que se reúna con el comité de trabajadores. “Queremos que nuestros jefes se sienten con nosotros y traten de solucionar los problemas que enfrentamos, porque en realidad es un beneficio para ellos”, dijo Martínez. “Pueden despedirnos, pero los problemas continuarán si no los solucionan”.
La DePaulia. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 17
Una tienda en Pilsen expresa su doble cultura a través de sus diseños de ropa By Jocelyn Martínez-Rosales Contributing Writer, La DePaulia
Ubicada en la comunidad mexicana de Pilsen, Sin Título — una compañía de camisetas que demuestra la cultura latina — está atrayendo mensajes de activismo y poder a compradores locales. A medida que se baja la temperatura y el aire se pone fresco, es el tiempo perfecto para visitar a Sin Título para comprar un suéter. Entro y miro inmediatamente a Iraís Elizarraraz, dueña de la empresa Sin Título. Ella se pone de pie para saludarme, es alta, tiene el pelo largo y negro y luce un suéter negro con un bordado que dice: “Sin Título”. Su hermana Itzel permanece sentada con una camiseta teñida azul y blanca. “Comencé con un chat grupal y pensé ¿cómo nos vamos a llamar?” dijo Elizarraraz, recordando el comienzo de su negocio. Elizarraraz y sus dos hermanas estaban de camino a una tienda para recoger algunas cosas para el inicio de Sin Título y estaban usando el nombre temporalmente. Sólo más tarde, cuando estaban creando su logo, decidieron continuar con ese nombre. Junto a Elizarraraz están sus dos hermanas Itzel y Diana Elizarraraz y su mamá Belem. Las tres hermanas tuvieron la idea de crear un negocio de camisetas. Elizarraraz e Itzel se graduaron de la Universidad de Illinois en Chicago y Diana es una graduada de la Universidad de Western Illinois. Todas dejaron su hogar, Harvard, Illinois, para seguir una educación superior. Belem apoya al negocio de sus hijas desde casa haciendo gorros y agregando toques
FOTO CORTESÍA DE JOCELYN MARTÍNEZ-ROSALES | LA DEPAULIA
Las hermanas Elizarraraz, posan en su oficina con ropa de su marca, Sin Titulo finales a las piezas. Mientras que Elizarraraz es la voz de Sin Título, Itzel trabaja más por detrás de las escenas. La pareja se complementa bien con valores alineados y lidera su marca con intencionalidad. Ambas querían crear una marca que representara su cultura latina. Los diseños de su marca tienen dichos como “Más Abogados Negros” hasta “El Pueblo Unido”. Es una marca que atiende a los jóvenes de color. Los clientes también pueden solicitar diseños personalizados. Itzel se asegura de que su ropa nunca falte diseños y dichos del cantante reggaetonero Bad Bunny.
Itzel menciona que se siente más cómoda y libre usando su productos y marca en una ciudad como Chicago. “Donde crecimos, nuestro condado es tan rojo,” dijo Itzel. “Cuando vuelvo a casa, no me siento cómoda usando esa [ropa] allí. Cuando estoy aquí [en Chicago], lo uso todo el tiempo. Representa y muestra de dónde venimos y de dónde vinieron mis padres y las luchas que hemos tenido al crecer”. Sus padres son de Michoacán, México y a menudo se inspiran en su cultura. Pero cómo toman inspiración de su cultura, también donan a través de su filantropía, Home Roots. Proporcionan recursos a estudiantes desfavorecidos en Michoacán. El 15 por
ciento de las ganancias de sus ventas de sudaderas con capucha se destinan a Home Roots. Desde el lanzamiento de su negocio de camisetas en agosto de 2020, Sin Título ha aparecido en eventos pop-up, ocupando las ventanillas por un día y vendiendo en eventos comunitarios como el Festival Michelada. Recientemente, Iraís fue invitada como panelista para un evento de “Café, Hip Hop y Salud Mental”. “Lo que realmente me gusta de nuestra marca no es sólo el aspecto de la camiseta, pero tenemos el aspecto comunitario de ella”, dijo Elizarraraz describiendo su evento de aniversario de un año. “Invitamos a todos los que han sido modelos, fotógrafos, videógrafos de cualquier forma, si nos ayudaron con nuestro negocio, queríamos invitarlos”, dijo Elizarraraz. “Y luego les dimos a todos paquetes con una camiseta con nuestro logo, una tarjeta de agradecimiento y botella de tequila”. Itzel e Elizarraraz tienen grandes planes de futuro para Sin Título. Ellas quieren organizar eventos fuera de Chicago y expandirse al resto del país. Actualmente, Itzel está trabajando en Sin Título a tiempo completo, mientras que Elizarraraz trabaja en la tienda cuando no está en su trabajo corporativo .Elizarraraz quiere algún día hacer de Sin Título su trabajo a tiempo completo. “Hablo repetidamente de nuestra marca, pero también es una extensión de mí mismo. Siento que la marca soy yo y yo soy la marca”, dijo Elizarraraz.
Manifestantes toman las calles de Chicago para protestar contra restricciones estatales al aborto
Manifestantes en Chicago protestaron el sabado 2 de octubre contra el aumento de las restricciones estatales al aborto. dura”, dijo Greep. adquiriendo un significado completamente By Julie Atencia “Sabemos que el aborto es seguro, sabemos nuevo”. Editora de Multimedia, La DePaulia que el aborto es fundamental, y sabemos que el Maddison Mutschler, ex-alumna de la aborto es salud. Nos sentimos bien con lo que Universidad DePaul y manifestante, compartió Miles de manifestantes protestaron hacemos, estamos orgullosos y sin disculpas su razón en participar en la protesta. en el centro de Chicago el sabado 3 de por brindar la atención que brindamos.” “Es importante para mí marchar hoy octubre sobre la reciente ley en Texas que ha Cientos de letreros que tenían mensajes porque en realidad pasé por el proceso de un puesto restricciones al aborto y el derecho escritos como ‘mi cuerpo, mi decisión’, ‘mi aborto el año pasado. Me dio la libertad de constitucional a los procedimientos de aborto. útero, mis reglas’, etc. llenaron la plaza del vivir mi vida como quiero sin remordimiento Organizaciones como Planned Centro Richard Daley. de esa decisión por el resto de mi vida” Parenthood of Illinois, Indivisible Chicago, Cada mujer presente en la marcha tenía su Monk compartió que está preocupada She Votes Illinois y muchos más organizaron el propia historia. por las restricciones reproductivas que estados evento con activistas de la salud reproductiva y Madison Monk, una joven manifestante, como Texas están ocurriendo. de la justicia reproductiva. tenía un letrero que leía ‘querida futura hija “Ahora quiero luchar para que todas las Jo Greep, Directora de Comunicaciones esto es para ti’, y compartió por qué quiso mujeres puedan hacerlo”, dijo Monk en Planned Parenthood, habló sobre su marchar. Con las recientes restricciones en Texas, experiencia trabajando en salud reproductiva. “Trabajo en el cuidado de la salud. Soy hay preguntas de cuál estado será el próximo “He trabajado profesionalmente con una asistente médico obstetra/ginecóloga, así para pasar una ley similar. Greep explica Planned Parenthood durante un año y medio que cuido mujeres durante toda su vida”, dijo su preocupación sobre el futuro de la salud y debo decir que cuando trabajas en el cuidado Monk. “Pero también tengo 18 semanas de reproductiva. del aborto, los derechos reproductivos y la embarazo de una niña, por lo que este año está “La ley SB8 es definitivamente una justicia reproductiva, tenes que tener la piel
FOTO CORTESIA DE JULIE ATENCIA | LA DEPAULIA
preocupación, el hecho de que la corte suprema lo dejó en pie por ahora es una realidad realmente preocupante”, dijo Greep. “Ya estamos viendo que algunos estados aprobaron o intentaron aprobar leyes de imitación”. Con la posibilidad de restricciones similares en otros estados, organizaciones y activistas de justicia reproductiva continúan presionando para que esas leyes no pasen. Marj Halperin, vicepresidenta de Indivisble Chicago, empezó su activismo cuando era una estudiante universitaria. “He estado luchando por estos derechos toda mi vida,” dijo Halperin. “Y pensar que hoy estamos en la misma lucha por el acceso al aborto y la salud reproductiva por la que luchamos a finales de los 60 y principios de los 70 no solo es desgarrador sino motivador y es por eso que todas las personas están hoy en la lucha.”
Arts & Life
18 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
Boba culture comes to Lincoln Park
AUDREY CHAMPELLI | THE DEPAULIA
TSAôCAA Fresh Tea location in Lincoln Park near DePaul University’s LP campus. Customers come in to enjoy the new location’s fresh tea and various BBQ items.
By Jessica Nalupta Contributing Writer
Bubble tea, pearl milk tea or boba — whatever you wish to call it, just be delighted that the concoction of flavors had made its way to campus. TSAoCAA, pronounced “tao-tah” joins the handful of shops specializing in freshly brewed tea as it debuted on Sept. 10 located at 1337 W Fullerton Avenue. Prior to entering the well-lit café, passersby can already get a glimpse of the booming fruits and 12 different tea bases displayed on the countertop through the wide mirror windows. Owner Jack Shi is in-charge of hunting down every store and every market in the city for the best ingredients. “When I graduated in 2010, most tea shops only used powder instead of loose leaves,” Shi said. “It’s not very healthy.” Shi and his wife, Jenny Zheng, decided to franchise TSAoCAA in Chicago, a Chinese chain currently widespread in Pennsylvania and Nevada, which is known for using natural ingredients. Aside from using fresh tea, the couple also makes their amber tapioca in house and opts out of using syrup and frozen store-bought fruits. “Key code is don’t buy too much,” Shi said during a phone interview as he parked on the curb and braced himself for another day of fruit-picking. “Just buy the freshest quality.” Anne Saw, associate professor at DePaul’s department of psychology, was one of TSAoCAA’s first customers. Saw visited the new business after her fellow Asian American academic “alert-
ed” her of the opening upon seeing it on Instagram. “My family and I went last weekend and wanted to extend some grace since it was their opening weekend,” Saw said. “I’m sure they are [still] working out the kinks.” In addition to being a clinical-community psychology professor, Saw also teaches Explore Chicago’s Asian American Food, an experiential learning class designated for freshmen to help them integrate into the city. This past Friday, one of the class topics was how the boba generation came about and how, for many Asian Americans, there is more depth to boba than your usual 500ml plastic cup. “In all communities, but one could argue, especially in communities whose histories and cultures are not widely taught or shared, food is often a way for those in [the] community to strengthen connections and develop knowledge of pride in their cultures and histories,” Saw said. “Boba is one of those foods that is uniquely Taiwanese, but has been embraced widely by Asian Americans and non-Asian Americans.” Shortly after Shi and Zheng opened their first TSAoCAA branch in Chinatown in December 2018, they decided it was time to expand. Almost three years later, here comes their Lincoln Park branch. “Chinatown’s consumer base is mostly Asian Americans and we’re doing great there,” Shi said. “Now I want to get our name out of the Asian [American] population.” Just like Saw, Sumana Syed, a sophomore at Columbia College Chicago, also heard about the new business on social
media. Being an “avid boba drinker [who has] tried so many different kinds of drinks and flavors,” Syed had to pay a visit. Syed even convinced her sister to tag along on this boba adventure. Syed ordered the sakura oolong milk tea with strawberry popping boba with 70 percent sweetness and less ice. “It was very good and just the right amount of sweetness,” Syed said, who used to work at OneZo, a boba shop in Texas. “It also made me feel nostalgic for the drinks I have back home.” Along with their specialty teas like what Syed tried, the newly-opened café also offers food options such as Korean fried chicken, takoyaki (ball-shaped Japanese snack made out of flour-based batter and octopus), bingsu (Korean shaved ice dessert) and many others. The couple turned business partners don’t only emphasize freshness of tea and fruits, but also their chicken. However, this comes with a more expensive price tag, which Shi acknowledges. “Our fried chicken may be on the pricier side, but it’s worth it,” Shi said. “It’s crispy on the outside and tender on the inside because of the olive oil blend [that] makes all the difference.” To make it more accessible, TSAoCAA in Lincoln Park offers a 10 percent discount for DePaul students and lunch menus for $10.95. Lunch menus come with your flavor choice of boneless Korean fried chicken, french fries and soda. This is valid from Mondays to Fridays at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Menu Items CHICKEN (Whole, Boneless, Wings) .
K-Food
DDEOK-BOKKI ROSE DDEOK-BOKKI MALA DDEOK-BKKI KIMCHI FRIED RICE .
Teas
PINEAPPLE GREEN TEA COLORFUL FRUITS BLACK TEA JASMINE MILK GREEN TEA MILK GREEN TEA with HERB JELLY CLOUD-MIST MILK GREEN TEA PEACH OOLONG TEA UJI MATCHA TEA
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 19
Chiiild stops in Chicago while touring their sophomore album By Caroline Zeeman Contributing Writer
CAROLINE ZEEMAN
Chiiild’s frontman, Yonathan “Yoni” Ayal, holds a fan’s hand while performing.
Pronounced “child,” the experimental soul band has been stealthily making waves in the music industry, recently dubbed “Montreal’s most soulful secret” by Complex. The genre-bending group is fronted by Yonatan “Yoni” Ayal, who is also known as a producer and writer under the name xSDTRK (pronounced “soundtrack”). The band is finally stepping into the limelight after working behind the scenes with some of your favorite artists, from Diplo and Skrillex to Usher. Chiiild is touring their recent sophomore album, “Hope For Sale,” stopping in Chicago at Schubas Tavern following a set at Lollapalooza’s Lake Shore stage. Sonically, the group is elevating the genre bending that is continuing to evolve in today’s music scene. Smooth soul R&B is integrated into every ounce of Chiiild’s music. That strong foundation allows for songs to move into experimental territory where influences of Wu Tang, Marvin Gaye, Pink Floyd, Tame Impala and D’Angelo can be heard. The energy inside Schubas Tavern on Sept. 29 was exemplary of the relaxed undertone carried throughout Chiiild’s discography. As Yoni graced the stage, shoulders began to hit and bodies began to sway. The command that the band has over
Let me plan your date
The infamous Bourgeois Pig Cafe features a portrait Abraham Lincoln, some bookcases, some leather seats, and a beautiful fire place.
AMBER STOUTENBOROUGH
an audience is clear through their silence and attentive eyes. Basslines and dreamy vocals with heavy audience interaction is reminiscent of Giveon and Daniel Caesar with an indie twist. As Yoni pointed out, no two Chiiild shows are the same; why go to see a show and hear what you could stream on Spotify? Chiiild’s promise for diverse remixes and one-night-only energy did not miss. Stand out hits from the night were “Pirouette,” “Weightless” and “Sleepwalking.” It was clear that the night was meant to exist in that moment, and that moment only. This is seeming to become a trend following the permitting of live music to resume after the pandemic. Collaborators and fans Emotional Oranges stood front row to cheer on their friends on stage. It was clear that the night had a pre-pandemic vibe in the room; dancing, singing and drinks all around. Chiiild capitalized on that energy and gave it right back to the room. Humbly accepting praise, Yoni was sure to send praise and thanks right back to fans for working hard to make the night happen. If you are ever looking for a soulful night, an evening with Chiiild cannot do you wrong.
By Amber Stoutenborough Contributing Writer
College dating doesn’t have to be a tinder match straight to Netflix and chill. Living in Chicago comes with so many opportunities to have fun dates and experience more than the endless hook up to ghosting cycle. Consider a chill coffee date followed by a stroll, an easy start to anyone’s beginning of school year love life Bourgeois Pig + Alfred Caldwell Lily Pond You don’t have to hop on the train to have a fun date. If you are looking for a more relaxed first meet up, grab your soon-to-be partner and meet up at Bourgeois Pig for a cute coffee date. Bourgeois Pig, located on Fullerton Avenue, is just a few steps away from DePaul’s Lincoln Park campus. This cafe has an antique row house style with wood floors and crystal chandeliers. Accompanied with a literary-named menu and wide coffee selection, the Bourgeois Pig, or “The Pig,” is a DePaul classic. Try the Great Gatsby Panini and your favorite coffee while finding all the antique toy animals hidden around the cafe, my personal favorite is Edgar the ant-eater. After you transition out of the awkward first convo, make your 15 minute walk way down to the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pond on 125 W Fullerton Pkwy. You still have time to visit this historic Lincoln Park hidden garden before it closes mid-November and take a walk to enjoy the green scenery of Chicago. This pond has a full circle walk with little waterfalls, benches and beautiful architecture but make sure to get there before 5 p.m. when the pond closes. A short and sweet getaway right in the city is the perfect way to get to know if you want that second date.
20 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 4 2021
what’s FRESH
Netflix’s ‘Heist’ features the stories of former criminals
‘Candyman’ remake fails to meet original expectations
PHOTO FROM IMDB
A reenactment of Heather Tallchief dressed up as a grandma to escape recognition.
By Chinyere Ibeh Arts & Life Editor
“Heist” follows former criminals as they describe the crimes that landed them in jail. The series features three different stories with three different ex-criminals — each getting two-part episodes. The first former criminal would be Heather Tallchief and her time with Roberto Solis. The couple ended up stealing millions of dollars from an armored truck that transported money to casinos. The two-parter episode features a light-hearted tone to a serious crime done by an ordinary person. Viewers don’t feel the dreariness that usually comes with true-crime shows. It’s as if the audience is having a conversation with the people on screen. The show’s relatable and conversational approach almost makes you feel sympathetic towards the criminals and the crimes they committed. In fact, I found myself chuckling at various points of Tallchief speaking about her crime. She talks about her crime as if it was this glamorous thing. Whenever Tallchief would describe anything, it was as if I was listening to a friend. I found myself nodding along like she was talking to me specifically. Whenever you talk to your friend, you tend to be sympathetic to what they’re saying. With Tallchief candid way of speaking, you feel that you’re listening to a college friend. The bright lighting that draped Tallchief added to the light-hearted energy of the story. Rather than have her in a dark room with dark light covering half of her face, Tallchief is lit up. It’s almost as if she’s speaking from the privacy of her home or a well-lit studio. Unlike many other true-crime programs, “Heist” didn’t draw upon dark and harrowing images to tell the story. With
Tallchief ’s story, we saw her as a grandma during reenactments and we hear her talking like it’s one of the best times of her time. We aren’t seeing dramatizations of the crime rather we are seeing the glamorizations of the crime. What makes Tallchief ’s story similar to other true-crime programs is how it’s formatted. Usually, we hear a basic synopsis of the crime at the beginning — this essentially works as the show’s hook. Then, we get into what led up to the crime, then the crime itself, and what happens until the crime is resolved. Many people close to Tallchief were part of the two-part episode, including her father, brother and her son — which she had with Solis. Interestingly enough, Tallchief was part of the series as well — via an actress. That actress recited all of Tallchief ’s words as if they were her own, so it came as a surprise when she was revealed to not be the real Tallchief. Tallchief was revealed at the end, but her face was blurred out and her voice was possibly distorted. Usually, we don’t see the actual person in any capacity when they call for anonymity. When the real Tallchief was revealed with her blurred face and distorted voice, she didn’t want Solis to find out about her. Along with this being a story of crime, this is a story of love gone wrong. The whole point of her being disguised and using an actress was to keep herself hidden from Solis. The lighthearted approach of “Heist” allows the audience to forget the tough subject matter. With the bright lightning and the comedic storytelling, the audience can easily lose sight of the crime Tallchief committed with Solis. It’s easy to lose sight of how Solis manipulated Tallchief into doing his bidding. Netflix’s “Heist” sticks out from the saturated market of true-crime documentaries with its comedic timing and bright
PHOTO FROM IMDB
One of the official movie posters for Jordan Peele and Nia DaCosta’s “Candyman.”
By Amber Stoutenborough Staff Writer
Candyman (2021), a direct sequel of the fan favorite 90’s horror, is in theatres this fall and has spurred mixed reviews. Directed by Nia DaCosta and co-written with Jordan Peele, the new Candyman is a retelling of the Chicago urban legend from the perspective of a Black artist looking back. The original movie, directed by Bernard Rose, stars Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle, a grad student researching murders connected to an urban legend at a housing project in Cabrini-Green. The legend tells a story about a hook-handed man that appears when you say Candyman in the mirror five times. The story peaks her interest and she is inspired to take on the project of debunking the mystery. The original remains famous among fans and left high expectations for the remake. This mediocre rendition, however, does nothing meaningful to contribute to the horror genre. The story follows Anthony McCoy, played by Yahya Abdul Mateen II, an artist unraveling the past stories of Candyman only to be consumed by the horrors himself. With numerous famous actors featured, the film itself has so much potential, which made this missed mark increasingly more disappointing. Overcompensation of baseline repetitiveness on the description of gentrification comes off more as a middle school essay. When Anthony McCoy (Yahya Abdul Mateen II) is told to find new inspiration and talks about his struggles of the south side being too “overplayed” McCoy reaches towards other forms of oppression for his artistic gain. The irony of portraying an
artist exploiting Black pain for art in this movie almost seems too on the nose for the amount of heavy handed police brutality brought up randomly throughout the movie. The film itself goes perfectly with Hollywood’s obsession with appropriating Black struggle and displays this through the horror genre, selling the burden of people of color in a neat package. While there were themes brought up that are “culturally sound,” like the scene with Anthony McCoy and William Burke in the laundry mat connecting over mutual trauma it comes off as repetitive performance activism, instead of paving the way for more inclusive creative films it feels like it fills the mediocre spot of accommodating others as a checklist instead of a new way to pave the way for better films. With Jordan Peele’s background, our expectations were high for an original movie with a twist on white washed revision. Get Out, and Us portray different versions of our expectations on cinematography. The script and Dialogue alone were grabbiling for reference towards a deeper meaning and this is just another example of movies reaching towards cancel culture. The film received mixed reviews when it released, but steadily rose to a 72% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, filling a void in a starved pandemic-ridden box office. The film grossed $58.9 million domestically, placing it 12th overall in the year. “Candyman” doubled its budget of $25 million.
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 21
what’s FRESH
Upcoming Movie Releases
PHOTO FROM IMDB
PHOTO FROM IMDB
No Time To Die
Halloween Kills
The latest James Bond film will stream free of cost on Amazon Prime. The film follows the former secret agent as he enjoys a tranquil life until a CIA friend asks for help.
The saga continues betweens Michael Meyers and Laurie Stodie with this new installment of the Halloween series. The film will be released in theaters and on Peacock simultaneously.
October 8, 2021
Dune
PHOTO FROM IMDB
October 22, 2021
October 15, 2021
This is a film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s book of the same name. It features the son of a noble family trusted with the protection of most valuable and vital elemebt of the galaxy. The film will be released in theatres and on HBO Max simultaneously.
PHOTO FROM IMDB
Last Night in Soho October 29, 2021
An aspiring fashion designer manages to enter the 1960s where she meets a wannabe singer. All that glitter isn’t gold as dreams of the past begin to crack and spinoff into something darker.
STUDENT ENROLLMENT OFFER
10 to JOIN
$
10 OFF EQUIPMENT & PRODUCT BUNDLE $
CLAIM YOUR FIRST *Valid for first time, local guests only. Must be redeemed during staffed hours.
1229 WEST FULLERTON AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60614 // (773) 327-1468 HOTWORX.NET/STUDIO/CHICAGO-LINCOLNPARK
22 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 23
Dreamer Boy takes the stage at Schubas
CAROLINE ZEEMAN
Dreamer Boy, real name Zach Taylor, performs at Schubas Tavern on Tues. Sept. 28. He rests his hand on his forehead and looks into the crowd while having a smile on his face.
By Caroline Zeeman Contributing Writer
Zach Taylor, known as Dreamer Boy, has been making waves in the indie scene over the past few years, opening for Omar Apollo, Clairo and Still Woozy. With Nashville roots, Dreamer Boy floats the line between indie, pop and country, carving out a new space with a genre-defining spin that music has been missing. Influences from all genres can be identified in his music, which is becoming a growing trend in new age artists who have grown up alongside technology and music streaming. From guitar-based hits to R&B bass lines, heavy synthesizer use to country twangs, Taylor’s music has been labeled “irresistible cowboy pop” by Ones To Watch, a Live Nation blog showcasing new talent on the rise. Following his debut project “Love, Nostalgia,” Dreamer Boy is currently headlining a tour with his sophomore album “All The Ways We Are Together.” The project not only added to his genre-bending hits, but elevated them with a hazy, sentimental collection
UPCOMING LIVE CONCERTS
of songs about love and meaningful relationships. Its release date, Earth Day, was carefully chosen by Taylor, who grew up everywhere from Washington to Texas to Alabama. The release on Earth Day was tied into various causes integral to who Taylor is as an artist and as a human. Streams from the album helped to plant 1,500 trees in partnership with One Tree Planted. He is also partnered with the local organization Root Nashville which aims to maintain and preserve the urban tree canopy in the city’s historically neglected neighborhoods. His active voice in the environment is evidence of a new generation that does more than just make music, but uses it to provoke change. His involvement in activism rightfully draws an audience with similar values, both musically and morally. Taylor spoke on the album, and how it is not only meant to reflect on the ways we relate to one another, but also the effects we have on the world. The songs are about the different forms of love we have; for ourselves, our friends, and the environment around us. Dreamer Boy headlined Schubas Tavern on Tuesday, Sept. 28. At only 23 years old, Taylor pulls a college-age crowd that shows
up for him hours prior to show time. His fanbase does not just include college kids however, with high schoolers who drove in from Lafayette to 20-somethings and up. Identifiably indie, the crowd came out in numbers; rocking baggy jeans, thrifted tees, button-ups and sweater vests, shag haircuts. Pre-show cigarettes outside with talks of Riot Fest and Pitchfork were common. Prior to entering, vaccination cards are verified at the door, and masks are to remain on while inside. The pandemic requirements did anything but hinder the energy in the venue. Those who have been to Schubas before would know of the side entrance that allows the artist to walk through the crowd to get on stage. From his opening track and walk on, Dreamer Boy had the audience captivated and ready to move. With such a small venue, fan interaction was unavoidable and evidently fueled Taylor’s energy. He continued to bounce on and off stage, forming mosh pits and ending up laying on the floor. In the middle of the set, Taylor found himself sitting on the edge of the stage to slow it down, captivating the audience around him. He was beautifully shocked
J. Cole, 21 Savage & Morray The Off-Season Tour
The Millenium Tour featuring Bow Wow, Omarion, Ashanti, Pretty, & More
Thursday, Oct. 7 | 8 PM United Center 1901 W Madison St
Friday, Oct. 29 | 8 PM Wintrust Arena 200 E Cermak Rd
to find the girl in the front row had flown up from Miami for one night to see him. Throughout the setlist, his stage presence continued to prove to be a testament to his bright future. Mick Jagger-esque dancing that kept him bouncing off the walls proved his artistry and ability to move an audience, some of whom came as dates and left as fans. Constantly grateful for the ability to play live once again, Taylor made it known the collective struggle young people have endured the past few years, and the strength it took to get to where we are today. Dreamer Boy is a young talent bound to rise up among Chicago venues as he continues to tour with new music. His skillset moves far beyond musicality; engaging with a crowd and keeping people entertained for an entire set, while still having the energy to meet and talk to those fans afterwards. Dreamer Boy is an artist to watch for 2021 and the years to come.
Queen Naija The Butterfly Tour Wednesday, Oct. 27 | 6 PM House of Blues 329 N Dearborn St
24 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
St.Vincent’s
D e JA M Z
“Spinning fresh beats since 1581” By Chinyere ibeh Arts & Life Editor
Throwback hits bring a sense of nostalgia to those who lived during the time of the song’s original release. Some of these songs ruled my early childhood and I remember the exact point of time I first heard these songs. There are some songs that were even released before I was born, but I still enjoy their presence and the sense of nostalgia they bring to my playlist. “Soldier” by Destiny’s Child ft T.I. & Lil Wayne This song was originally released in 2004 on Destiny’s Child’s fourth studio album, Destiny Fulfilled. The song was received well by both listeners and it won various awards, including Best R&B/Soul Single by a Group at the 2005 Soul Train Awards along with being one of the Award Winning R&B/HipHop Songs at the 2006 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards. I still sing along to this song to this day. “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne This song hits differently because I remember it so vividly. I was belting my heart out to this song every time I heard it in the car or saw the video on TV. The song was Lavigne’s second most successful hit, second to her 2007 hit “Girlfriend.” The song was
nominated for two Grammys — Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Also, it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is one of the defining moments of my childhood. “Leave (Get Out)” by Jojo Before there was Jojo Siwa, there was the singer who went by the singular moniker — Jojo. And quite frankly, any song by Jojo throughout the early 2000s was a bop, and I lived for every single one. “Leave (Get Out)” was Jojo’s debut hit and it reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song eventually reached number one on Billboard’s Pop Song chart when Jojo was only 13-years-old, which made her the youngest female solo artist to have a number one song in the United States. The song, or any song of Jojo’s, reminds me of the simpler and easier times of my childhood. “I Don’t Need You To (Tell Me I’m Pretty)” by Samantha Mumba This simple and melodic song was a defining moment for me when I first heard it. It was one of two songs by Samantha Mumba that my dad would play whenever we drove anywhere. The two songs would be on a CD and it’d be on repeat the entire car ride. My dad would do this the entire summer and that song was etched into my head with that memory. The song was released in 2001 and I
Crossword
heard it for the first time five or six years later. The song peaked at number 20 on Billboard’s Hot Single Sales chart and it was part of the soundtrack for Reese Witherspoon’s Legally Blonde. This is a throwback song that I hold dear to my heart. “Shine Ya Light” by Rita Ora This song is one of the most recent on this list as it was released only nine years ago. I was a huge fan of Rita Ora during the time, which happened to be during my time in middle school. Those three years of middle school are something I can’t and Ora’s “Shine Ya Light” was a huge part of that. The song had reached number 10 on UK’s Singles Chart, which gave the singer her third top 10 single from her debut album. “What’s Love Got To With It” by Tina Turner This song was way before my time, but it has still found its way into my playlist. The song reached number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and it would be Turner’s first and only number one hit. In 2012, the song was inducted into the Grammy’s Hall of Fame, which gave the singer her third Grammy Hall of Fame award. “I’m Every Woman” by Whitney Houston This is actually a cover that Houston did of Chaka Khan’s hit from her debut solo al-
ACROSS 1. Loot 5. Smudge 9. Some forensic evidence 12. Pottery oven 13. Adriatic resort 14. Surprised cry 15. Chants 17. Go a-courting 18. Tangle 19. Shrewd 21. Long-legged shore bird 24. Horse of a certain color 26. Cast 27. Tae ___ do 29. Squeal 33. Heavenly body 34. Bearnaise or chili 36. Fish eggs 37. Radar unit? 39. Flower holder 40. Harvest goddess 41. Long 43. ___ profundo 45. Quarters 48. Fronted 49. Right this minute 50. Mishaps 56. Large amount 57. Not barefoot 58. Yahoo 59. Helpful connections 60. Dines 61. Nervously irritable
bum, Chaka. The song had established Khan as a solo artist outside of her funk band, Rufus. Houston’s version was recorded for the soundtrack of The Bodyguard, a film starring the musician. The song peaked at number four on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and it went number one on Billboard’s Hot Club Dance Play chart.
IMAGES FROM WIKI
Whitney Houston performs during an HBO-televised tribute to US troops.
DOWN 1. Make tracks? 2. Carry the day 3. PC key 4. Fairy tale figure 5. Thin strip 6. Plum’s center 7. Gray piece 8. Puccini opera 9. Dejected 10. It precedes one 11. Call to a mate 16. Irritating complainers 20. Unspecified number 21. To ___ it may concern 22. Mood 23. Ball girls 24. Itinerary 25. Years ago 28. Cleanse 30. One taking a bow? 31. Cuts off 32. Baja bread 35. Put in 38. Scammed 42. Word that stops fire? 44. Dance partner for Fred 45. Pro’s rival 46. Benefit 47. Keeps 48. Tops 51. Chinese brew 52. Bunk 53. O.K. 54. Big jerk 55. Sloppy digs
Sports
Sports. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 25
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARATHONFOTO
Katilin Ross (in red shirt) with her hands up in excitement as she crosses the finish line at the 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
Student veteran overcomes her challenges in stride By Elizabeth Hernandez Contributing Writer
From Navy bootcamp to the Chicago Marathon, Kaitlin Ross is taking on the ultimate fitness test and lacing up for her second 26.2-mile race. Ross, a Tampa, Florida native and thirdyear student studying exercise science, was introduced to running in 2017 while at the Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago. Her training included fitness tests that consisted of push-ups, sit-ups and a mileand-a half run. Ross figured joining the Navy would be a good opportunity to learn new skills, help pay for college and be a part of a cause bigger than herself. She did not anticipate the innate sense of community among her peers. “You’re all going through the same thing together and that really bonds a group of people,” Ross said. Ross graduated from bootcamp at Great Lakes right before Thanksgiving in 2017. Then, she enrolled in the school for translators in early 2018 at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey Bay, California where she studied Arabic and continued running. On a whim, she joined some of her friends in a 10-kilometer race on Angel Island off the coast of San Francisco. “[That] was the most fun I’ve ever had running or doing anything outside,” Ross said. The energy and camaraderie of that race stayed with Ross, and she would soon seek it out again. Unfortunately, Ross’ time in Monterey Bay was cut short. “I didn’t get to finish my program because I was discharged for my illness, which sucked,” Ross said. “But even with the time
I did have there, [it] was one of the most intense learning experiences of my life. It’s definitely where I learned how to study for real and manage my time.” Ross went back home to Florida to figure out her next life steps. While she was there, she was a personal trainer at LA Fitness. She had two clients there who were training for the 2019 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. She knew she would be moving to Chicago to attend DePaul that fall. Her clients piqued her competitive curiosity. Ross signed up for the 2019 Chicago Marathon through a charity team and raised money for Team Salute, a veteran support charity that is dedicated to meeting the financial, physical and emotional needs of injured military service members, veterans and their families. Ross met up with her Team Salute team on race morning — ready for the challenge ahead. “The Chicago Marathon is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year,” Team Salute coordinator Sue Hussey said. “What each one of those runners raise individually has a direct impact on a veteran family.” Hussey mentioned the minimum fundraising amount is $1,250 — enough to help keep a veteran out of homelessness. According to Megan Richards Martin, founding principal of Page One public relation, 45,932 participants — the most in the history of the event — filled the streets of Chicago Oct. 13, 2019. Through all the runners, Ross found one of her Team Salute members with five kilometers remaining and they crossed the finish line together. Running the last portion of the race with her teammate made finishing the marathon an emotional experience for Ross. “That was how I ran my first marathon,” Ross said. “I didn’t put much thought into
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARATHON PHOTO LIVE
Ross holding two thumbs up as she runs in the HOKA ONE ONE Chicago Half Marathon. signing up, but I’m glad I did it.” Ross admitted that she does not love running — she loves racing. Since the 2019 Chicago Marathon, Ross ran a 15-mile race in Wisconsin and most recently raced the Hoka ONE ONE Half Marathon on Sept. 26. She will be running the Bucktown 5k on Oct. 3 before she lines up for her second 2021 Chicago Marathon on Oct. 10. Ross isn’t racing for a particular charity team this year, but she still raised money for Team Red, White and Blue, which strives to enrich the lives of American veterans by connecting them with their communities. She has been a member since 2018. Martha Seguera, an athletic coordinator for the Chicago Chapter of Team Red, White and Blue, has known Ross for about
two years and puts together social activities for the veteran community. “One thing about Kaitlin is that she is extremely dedicated. When she commits to something, she just gets it done,” Seguera said. “She’s definitely not a quitter.” This weekend she aims to best her time of 5 hours and 45 minutes. Once the marathon winds down and as her legs recover, Ross will keep pursuing her studies as she has a goal of teaching one day. “A marathon seems really big and scary, but it’s only really a few months of my life training for it and racing,” Ross said. “I’m trying to finish something really big now: get my degree. To me, the marathon is like a smaller marathon within this big marathon of my education.”
t
26 | Sports. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE WOLTMANN/DEPAUL ATHLETICS
Yuliya Kizelbasheva swinging her racket into a tennis ball.
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE WOLTMANN/DEPAUL ATHLETICS
Lenka Antonijevic following through on a swing that sent a tennis ball soaring.
Antonijevic and Kizelbasheva qualify for ITA Super Regionals By Darcy Waskiewicz Sports Editor
With a determination to succeed and form a strong partnership, doubles partners Lenka Antonijevic and Yuliya Kizelbasheva have qualified for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division I Women’s Super Regionals — and they are ready to win. The ITA Super Regionals for the Midwest takes place on Oct. 22-26 at Ohio State University. There, Antonijevic and Kizelbasheva will take on some of the top doubles competition in the region. The two DePaul women’s tennis players qualified on Saturday, Sept. 25 by making it to the quarterfinals at the ITA Midwest Regionals. The Blue Demons secured their spot in the Super Regionals after a hard-fought battle against the University of Michigan’s doubles duo on Saturday. The partners were losing to the Wolverines at match point but did not give up and came back to win the game. “We knew we were going to play a big
“We’re not just doubles partners, we’re also friends.”
Yuliya Kizelbasheva
DePaul women’s tennis player school like the University of Michigan and we knew they were going to be tough,” Antonijevic said. “And we decided before the match started that we were going to stick to our plan and that we were not going to be scared; we had nothing to lose.” That win advanced them to the quarterfinals on Sept. 26 and qualified them for the Super Regionals. While Antonijevic and Kizelbasheva fell to the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Sunday, the weekend was still a success for the duo. Antonijevic and Kizelbasheva have been doubles partners since 2019. In their first season together, the duo claimed victories in four-straight matches at the ITA All-American Championships before falling to No. 2 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Round of 16.
After going 6-4 in doubles competition together last season, Antonijevic and Kizelbasheva swept their opponents at the Redbird Invite on Sept. 17-19 to win their first doubles title of the season. And after being long-time doubles partners, the two have developed a deep friendship and understanding of each other on and off the tennis court. “We’re not just doubles partners, we’re also friends,” Kizelbasheva said. “So, it’s pretty easy for us to express what we feel is going on in our mind, we can always tell when something is not going well.” That communication and trust Antonijevic and Kizelbasheva have in each other will be important in the next few weeks as competition heats up. The team competed in the Eagle
Invitational last weekend, where the duo defeated Oakland University. The team will travel to the University of Washington for the Husky Invitational next weekend. Head coach Maris Arce believes both invitationals will provide chances for the team to prepare for what’s to come. “We’re going to play at the University of Washington and play some of the top teams in the country,” Arce said. “So, that is just a huge opportunity to work for Super Regionals too because we’re going to have to be disciplined and do all the things that we’re talking about doing to be successful there.” While Antonijevic and Kizelbasheva have already qualified for the Super Regionals, they’re not planning to sit back and relax for the next month. The duo intends to use these next few weeks as preparation, and they know what they need to do. “Still keep doing everything we were doing so far,” Antonijevic said. “Because the commitment that we put in, and playing a lot of matches, which gives us confidence, and just practicing is what prepares us for those matches.”
Women’s basketball opens Big East play against Butler By Darcy Waskiewicz Sports Editor
DePaul women’s basketball is kicking off the Big East season at home with a matchup against Butler University. The conference schedule was announced by the Big East on Friday, and the Blue Demons are set to take on every rival twice. DePaul finished fourth in the Big East last season with a conference record of 11-5. Butler at Wintrust Arena on Dec. 3. Two days later, Xavier University comes to town for a game at home. After playing three non-conference opponents, the Blue Demons will travel to take on St. John’s University on Dec. 19. Following DePaul’s last non-conference game against Notre Dame and a break for the holidays, the team resumes Big East play on Dec. 31 when the University of Connecticut comes to Wintrust. UConn went undefeated in conference play last season with a record of 18-0 and claimed the top spot in the division. The Huskies made it all the way to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament before losing to the University of Arizona. The Blue Demons then go on the road to take on Providence University on Jan. 7 before traveling to Milwaukee five days later to take on Marquette University, who
finished second in the Big East last season with a record of 14-4 in conference play. The team returns home for two games, with the first against Villanova University on Jan. 14. Georgetown University comes into town two days later. DePaul then travels to Butler on Jan. 21 for their second matchup of the season. They go on the road to take on Xavier two days later before coming home for a single game at Wintrust against St. John’s on Jan. 28. They then go back on the road for a game against Seton Hall two days later for their first game of the season. The Blue Demons take on Creighton University for the first time on Feb. 4 at Wintrust before taking on Providence at home two days later. DePaul travels to UConn on Feb. 11 for a second matchup against the top team of the Big East last season before traveling to Georgetown two days later. They return home for a game against Marquette on Feb. 16 before going to Pennsylvania to take on Villanova on Feb. 20. The Blue Demons play their last regular season game on Feb. 25 when they face Seton Hall in Chicago. The team then travels to Creighton two days later to end the regular season. The Big East Tournament takes place on Mar. 4-7 in Connecticut.
Home
vs. Butler, Dec. 3, 7 p.m. vs. Xavier, Dec. 5, 5 p.m. vs. Connecticut, Dec. 31, 1 p.m. vs. Villanova, Jan. 14, 5:30 p.m. vs. Georgetown, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. vs. St. John’s, Jan. 28, 6 p.m. vs. Creighton, Feb. 4, 7 p.m.
Away
at St. John’s, Dec. 19, 12 p.m. at Providence, Jan. 7, 6 p.m. at Marquette, Jan. 12, 7 p.m. at Butler, Jan. 21, 6 p.m. at Xavier, Jan. 23, 1 p.m. at Seton Hall, Jan. 30, 3:30 p.m. at Connecticut, Feb. 11, 6 p.m.
vs. Providence, Feb. 6,
at Georgetown, Feb. 13,
2 p.m.
1 p.m.
vs. Marquette, Feb. 16,
at Villanova, Feb. 20,
7 p.m. vs. Seton Hall, Feb. 25, 7 p.m.
12 p.m. at Creighton, Feb. 27, 11 a.m.
Sports. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 27
KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA
Hanna Karl dives for the ball while teammates Rachel Krasowski and Jill Pressly stand ready to make the play in the Blue Demons’ game against UConn on Saturday.
Volleyball lacks offensive spark in back-to-back losses By Darcy Waskiewicz
something else in their game that could get a kill when we needed it.” “I think our defense and our ball control held up really well, especially today against Marquette, who is one of the best offensive teams in the league,” Zidek said following the loss on Sunday. “I think right now, our offense needs to hit an elevated gear in order to keep up with that. We’re so close though.” After two losses at home, DePaul volleyball is now 2-2 in Big East play. The Blue Demons take on Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. next Friday before traveling to Rhode Island to play Providence University on Sunday. “We held up a good fight,” Pressly said. “And I just think we have a lot of improvement to do this week during practice, especially for the offense, but we have something to prove so I think we’re ready.”
Sports Editor
After two sweeps on the road the week before, DePaul volleyball took on their first two Big East competitions at home last weekend with matches against the University of Connecticut and Marquette University. However, the Blue Demons lacked a spark offensively, and fell to both UConn and Marquette 3-0. The Blue Demons opened Big East play on Sept. 24 when the team traveled to the East Coast to face Georgetown University and Villanova University. The Blue Demons came out victorious, sweeping the competition 3-0 in both matches. The team returned to McGrath-Phillips Arena on Friday to take UConn but were not able to overpower their strong offense and dropped all three sets to the Huskies. “I thought we were flat,” head coach Marie Zidek said. “We came out, we’d been practicing well, and it’s just, we play 30 matches in a year, and that was a match that everyone was just a little flat.” UConn started strong in the first set, but the Blue Demons were able to get on the board following a service error by the Huskies. The points went back and forth between the two teams for most of the set, but UConn was able to push ahead, and DePaul lost 25-21. The second set was much the same, with the two teams challenging each other equally while points alternated between them. Outside hitter Jill Pressly, who leads the team in kills this season with 190, had four big kills in this set that the Huskies were unable to return, while middle blocker Donna Brown had three. However, the Blue Demons could not come out on top and fell 25-20. Set three came down to the wire and required extra points for a winner to be decided. Like the other two sets, it was back and forth for most of the set, with no clear leader. However, UConn began to pull ahead towards the end, and the Blue Demons were forced to respond. And they did respond, fighting back to tie the game at 24 points. From there, each team played with fire while trying to be the first to win by two.
Upcoming Events KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA
Jill Pressly leaping up to hit the ball while her teammates stand guard against UConn. The Blue Demons even led at one point. However, the offense could not get the big kill when it was needed and the Huskies pulled ahead and to win the set 29-27. Pressly led the team in kills against the Huskies with 11. Right side hitter Emma Price followed with 10 kills, while Brown had eight. Libero Rachel Krasowski had 12 digs on the night. “As a team, we got our offense going eventually, but it wasn’t quite enough to get us a W,” Price said. “So, I think we can take some lessons away from that and bring it tomorrow at Marquette.” The Blue Demons took on Marquette on Sunday afternoon. The Golden Eagles defeated UConn 3-1 on Friday night and were 3-0 in conference play entering the game against DePaul. The team started out shaky in set one, and a combination of offensive and defensive errors allowed Marquette to take an early lead. The Golden Eagles made some defensive mistakes of their own, though, and the Blue Demons tied the set at 12 after strong hitting by Pressly and Price.
The two teams were evenly matched for the rest of the set, but it was Marquette who pulled ahead in the end and won the first set by a score of 25-23. Set two began in similar fashion, with the Golden Eagles leading early after the Blue Demons’ hitters struggled to match Marquette’s dominant offense. After strong and well-placed hits, Marquette took the second set 25-17. The Blue Demons looked much better at the beginning of the third set. The blocks were strong and they were getting hits past Marquette’s defense. But Marquette’s offense came to life when they needed it to, while DePaul’s could not keep up, and the Blue Demons lost the set 25-17. Pressly led the team with 14 kills against Marquette, while Bailey Nelson had 10. “I feel like it was definitely hard to get kills and it was hard to be hitting around them,” Nelson said. “And I feel like I had to kind of turn myself around and figure out what was going to score for me, and it was a lot of stuff that I don’t usually score on, so I feel like everybody was trying to find
Men’s Golf: -Oct. 4-5 at Tom Tontimonia Invitational
Men’s soccer: -Oct. 6 vs. Creighton, 1 p.m. -Oct. 9 vs at Providence, 6 p.m.
Women’s soccer: -Oct. 7 at Seton Hall, 5 p.m. -Oct. 10 vs. Connecticut, 1 p.m.
Volleyball: -Oct. 10 at Providence, 12 p.m.
Men’s Tennis: -Oct. 2-6 at ITA All-American Championships -Oct. 8-10 at Redbird Invitational
Women’s Tennis: -Oct. 8-10 at Husky Invitational
Sports
Sports. The DePaulia. Oct. 4, 2021 | 28
Back on track
MADDY MAES | THE DEPAULIA
Senior forward Morgan Turner turns and looks upfield during Saturday’s game against Villanova. Turner found the back of the net early to put DePaul ahead in the 11th minute.
Women nab first Big East win over Villanova By Joshua M. Hicks Asst. Sports Editor
An afternoon of relief permeated throughout the women’s soccer team as the Blue Demons bounced back in conference play from Thursday night’s loss with a 3-2 win against the Villanova Wildcats. The win became their first Big East win, creating a 1-2 record in conference play. Lightning struck the game early, not only causing a 40-minute delay before tipoff, but also a boost in DePaul’s offense. DePaul controlled the tempo with their fast-paced play, keeping possession of the ball for the majority of the game and creating 19 shots compared to five shots for the Wildcats. Out of those 19 shots came three goals from senior forward Morgan Turner, bringing the hat trick in the first half that ultimately sealed the deal with the tough win. Turner’s hat trick began with her first goal coming at the 35-minute mark, assisted by Kristin Boos. Her second came at the 20-minute mark, assisted by senior defender Olivia Cooke. The third goal came at the 15-minute mark, stealing a pass and taking it to the house herself. Turner elaborated on her emotions following the completion of her first half hat trick. “It felt really good,” Turner said. “We have been really working on our attacking these past couple of weeks and we have not scored a ton of goals so it felt really good to score three goals in one game.”
Cooke was one of the players that assisted on Turner’s goals. She emphasized support for Turner and what it meant to help her create big moments like that. “It was awesome,” Cooke said. “I feel like this team has been working so hard. It was so good to get to see those results.” Defensively, the team challenged Villanova to play multiple passing strings for the majority of the game. However, in the second half, the defense began to struggle and the Wildcats scored their first goal of the game at the 37-minute mark thanks to senior midfielder Niki Molina and the assist by
Chloe O’Neill. The goal sparked an offensive burst for the Wildcats as freshman forward Lauren Belcoure’s score brought the Blue Demon’s lead to one, making it a 3-2 DePaul lead. However, the Blue Demons prevailed with key defensive stops that held the Wildcats scoreless for the rest of the game. Blue Demon head coach Michelle O’Brien was happy that the team got the win, but she was not pleased with the mentality her team played with in the second half. Comebacks can be inevitable, but
she wants to improve that skill set moving forward. “3-0 in soccer is a dangerous scoreline and I think mentally you feel like you got this one in the bag,” O’Brien said. “That wasn’t my speech at halftime. You can’t take your foot off the pedal for one minute. Psychologically, it is a hard thing to do. It is a learned skill set that you develop as a player. For us to win the game and experience that pressure is a good thing for us down the road.” The Blue Demons’ next game is Thursday, Oct.7 at 5 p.m. on the road at Seton Hall.
DONALD CROCKER | THE DEPAULIA
Senior defender Sydney Parker chasing down a ball past the Villanova defender in the Blue Demons’ 3-2 win on Sunday.