Going apartment hunting? The DePaulia has provided tips and suggestions, Pages 14-15.
Cinco De Mayo is just around the corner. Read the true reason for the season, Page 21.
DePaulia
The
Volume #106 | Issue #23 | May 2, 2022 | depauliaonline.com
By Sam Moilanen Staff Writer
Former president of DePaul, Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, along with select students, staff and faculty, developed the university’s first sustainability plan in November 2011. Now, over a decade later, the university is in the process of finalizing a new plan that will be released next fall. The topic of sustainability at DePaul was brought to Holtschneider’s attention after the Sierra Club, an environmental nonprofit, released a report in 2011 comparing the sustainability rankings of 118 universities, in which DePaul ranked 46th, spurring conversations among faculty and staff. In the report, each ranking is determined by scores in 10 categories, in which DePaul ranked fairly low in energy, academics, and financial sustainability. In response to the increasing push for more sustainability efforts at DePaul, a sustainability plan was released on Nov. 6, 2011 by the Sustainability Initiatives Task Force (SITF) created by Holtschneider. The plan focused on five SITF groups:curriculum, operations, administration and planning, research and engagement. Hugh Bartling, the director of the sustainable urban development program at DePaul, is an avid advocate for sustainability and participated in the creation of the plan as part of the research working group. “As a faculty member, I was more focused on things I could do specifically
Decade-long university sustainability efforts coming to fruition like curriculum development, and the sustainable urban development program came out of
those conversations,” Bartling said. In 2017, Bartling and Mark Potosnak, the chair of the environmental studies department, developed a minor in climate change science and policy.
“There have been a lot of things happening on the curricular level, but there still hasn’t been a lot of buy-in in other elements,” Bartling said. “Still, it hasn’t been at the top of the administration’s agenda for a long time.” One byproduct of the first plan in 2011 was the desire to have someone working in administration whose main focus was sustainability, according to Bartling. “We asked the president to create a staff position, and it was never really acted upon,” Bartling said. Now, a decade later, President A. Gabriel Esteban established the new President’s Sustainability Committee in October 2021, with the goal of developing an institutional sustainability plan that aligns with the values outlined in Pope Francis’ book, Laudato Si. In the Laudato Si, the Pope calls on each person to take action to stop the degradation of the planet and partake in environmental sustainability. Last year, Esteban signed an agreement for DePaul to become a Laudato Si university, which influenced his push for sustainability at DePaul, according to DePaul’s Office of Mission and Ministry. The former sustainability plan was not fully developed, according to Rev. Guillermo (Memo) Campuzano, DePaul’s vice president for mission and ministry. He said DePaul is currently rethinking the plan they made in October 2021. DePaul is putting together their first meeting with the stakeholders to assemble a document compiling the committee’s work with the sustainability plan created during the Holtschneider administration.
See SUSTAINABILITY, page 9
ART BY KIERSTEN RIEDFORD
Search for new president continues, no announcment in April By Lawrence Kreymer Editor-in-Chief
DePaul made a promise in March to the university community that the Board of Trustees would meet in late April to review the presidential search and hope to appoint a new president. April has come and gone. But the university has yet to announce the appointment of a new president. President A. Gabriel Esteban is stepping down from his position when the current academic year ends on June 30, which means the new president now has less than two months before they have to assume the role. The DePaulia reached out to the university for a comment on Friday if DePaul was planning to announce the hiring of the new president. And, if not, we asked why there has been a delay in making the hire. The university did not respond for comment in time for publication.
KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA
The office for the president of DePaul is completely empty during a week day in the afternoon. DePaul is currently searching for a new university president. In March, Judy Greffin, chair of the search advisory committee, said that DePaul has selected three finalists for consideration. In her statement, Greffin said that the finalists would get interviewed the week of April 4, and the Board of Trust-
ees would meet in late April to review the search “with the goal of appointing the next president of DePaul University.” DePaul is now down to only three finalists after having a month between February and March to find additional candi-
dates. It is still unclear when the university will decide to make an appointment and when that announcement will come. Throughout the process of finding a new president, DePaul has not been very forthcoming with the progress of its search. It has not revealed the names of any of the candidates and has not provided a progress report since March 17. The university has only provided eight statements in the nine months since it initiated the search after Esteban announced last summer that he will be stepping down after the 2021-22 academic year. In 2017, DePaul announced in February that Esteban — who was coming over from Seton Hall — would be taking over for Rev. Dennis Holtschneider later that year. Loyola University is also currently in the midst of searching for a new president and has not provided an update since March 15.
2 | News. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
First Look
CAMPUS COVID-19 CASES March 18, 2022 - April 29, 2022
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 | Kiersten Riedford news@depauliaonline.com NATION & WORLD EDITOR | Jackson Healy nation@depauliaonline.com OPINIONS EDITOR | Erik Uebelacker opinion@depauliaonline.com FOCUS EDITOR | Josephine Stratman focus@depauliaonline.com ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Amber Stoutenborough artslife@depauliaonline.com ASST. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Lilly Keller artslife@depauliaonline.com
SOURCE: COVID-19 DASHBOARD | DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Visit the Covid-19 Dashboard for information on how to report positive cases on campus.
SPORTS EDITOR | Darcy Waskiewicz sports@depauliaonline.com ASST. SPORTS EDITOR | Joshua M. Hicks sports@depauliaonline.com ART EDITOR | Alicia Goluszka art@depauliaonline.com PHOTO CHIEF | Emily Soto photo@depauliaonline.com ASST. PHOTO CHIEF | Sofia Leal photo@depauliaonline.com COPY EDITORS | Luke Myers & Corey Schmidt copydesk@depauliaonline.com SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR | Lily Lowndes social@depauliaonline.com ADVISOR | Marla Krause mkrause1@depaul.edu
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News. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 3
‘The violent actions of others do not define you’
Clothesline Project Exhibit allows survivors to share their story By Grace Vaughn Contributing Writer
Rows of colorful shirts created a collective art display from afar, but as students and staff members stood closer, each piece of clothing told its own story. One shirt read the phrase, “The violent actions of others do not define you,” and another titled, “If he found out I had PTSD, I would be called a liar,” described a contributor’s experience with abuse. Around 50 students and staff members showed their support for survivors of violence at The Clothesline Project Exhibit held in DePaul’s Lincoln Park Student Center on April 26. In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness month, volunteers from the Office of Health Promotion & Wellness (HPW) and the Women’s Center spent the last three weeks tabling on campus to encourage members of the community affected by violence to decorate a T-shirt. With Sexual Assault Awareness month events being held virtually for the past two years at DePaul due to the pandemic, the project’s organizers wanted to take advantage of being able to show tangible expressions of pain and healing. “We haven’t been able to involve physical representations at out events, so I thought of doing this clothesline project,” said Sara Heidbreder, a sexual and relationship violence prevention specialist at DePaul’s HPW. The roots of this project date back to 1990 as a coalition of women’s groups in Massachusetts worked to educate the public on the staggering number of violent acts against women. Rachel Carey-Harper, a visual artist, created the concept as a way for survivors to “hang up” their pain and walk away. Since then, the project has developed in many ways, including the colors of the clothing indicating different types of violence. Hundreds of organizations and universities across the globe have created their own clotheslines with an estimated 60,000 shirts created, according to the Clothesline project’s official website. Various resources were available at the event for attendees. One of them being a private space for those looking to speak confidentially with professionals about their feelings or experiences surrounding violence. “It is a very sensitive topic, but I want survivors to know they’re not alone. I think talking is the first step, and we can figure out what’s next from there,” Heidbreder said. Greenlight Family Services, a social services organization based out of McKinley Park, and Broadway Youth Center, a LGBTQ+ youth health facility located in Buena Park, set up information booths to discuss their available services for local students. “It’s startling to see how many shirts are up there, but I think it’s important because it shows a lot of people have been affected by this issue,” said Aviv Goldman, a senior at DePaul. On U.S. college campuses, 13 percent of all undergraduate and graduate students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or
SOFIA LEAL | THE DEPAULIA
A display of T-shirts hangs in the atrium at the Clothesline Project Exhibit on April 26 during Sexualt Assault Awareness Month. incapacitation while attending, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. “I hope it helps people see that we need to do more preventative work around violence. Not just supporting people after the fact, but really making sure that our campus is a space actively working against instances of violence,” Goldman said. The collaboration between HPW and the Women’s Center came naturally for this project due to their closely aligned goals and practices. “The Clothesline Project offers a space to visualize community and come together to find common ground around a difficult topic,” said Keisha Lozano, a student worker at the Women’s Center. SOFIA LEAL | THE DEPAULIA “The Women’s Center wants to offer Broadway Youth Center spoke with a student about their different types of a space that isn’t just comfortable but healthcare and social service programs at the event on Tuesday, April 26. helps our community find each other, so it made sense for us to offer to help with the project.” The shirts were not censored for language or content, but including full names was discouraged out of respect for people’s privacy and safety. The mission statement explains the purpose behind the visual display is “to provide another avenue for them [survivors] to courageously break the silence that often surrounds their experience,” according to Clothesline. “From speaking with students afterwards, the display helped them not just think through things alone but speak with other students that were present,” Lozano said. Members of the DePaul community facing sexual and relationship abuse and violence can visit the Women’s Center and the Office of Health Promotion & Wellness on campus for safe spaces, resources and professional counseling.
SOFIA LEAL | THE DEPAULIA
A student looks at a display of t-shirts with written messages from victims and families affected by violence. There was a mix of T-shirts from victims at DePaul and nonaffiliated victims.
4 | News. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
Shuttle bus pilot goes through updates since start of program By Preston Zbroszczyk Contributing Writer
It has been over a month since DePaul debuted its intercampus shuttle bus pilot program which has given students another form of transportation between the Loop and Lincoln Park campuses. The shuttle bus was recently approved to continue at the start of the 2022 fall quarter. The Student Government Association (SGA) and the Faculty Operations worked together to implement the shuttle bus. The idea was presented while at a student safety town hall, early in March, according to previous reporting. It was not until March 28, following the first day back from spring break that the shuttle was ready to launch. DePaul partnered with Signature Transportation Group and its drivers to shuttle students from 4 p.m.to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Back when the program launched, Lenin M. Plazas, senator for commuter affairs, told The DePaulia that it was implemented for students’ safety. “Of course, it’s always a priority to make sure that [transportation is] accessible to all students, make sure that all students feel comfortable, and they feel like they’re not a burden or that they have the liberty to go on these buses with no hesitation,” Plazas said in March. Avery Schoenhals, SGA senator for the college of communications, rode the bus for the first time on Monday and wants to make
sure this shuttle continues to be an option for students. “One of the things I am running on the election for is making sure that the shuttle is here to stay,” Schoenhals said. Students at DePaul have experienced discomfort when riding CTA’s Red Line. Through enhanced public safety measures, crime still continues, according to previous reporting. “I think that the numbers are improving as far as ridership,” said shuttle bus driver Aaron Halliday. “The only one that is really consistent is the 9 o’clock with those night classes.” Students have struggled to find a schedule telling the times each bus will arrive. The most accurate scheduling found is the one taped to the window of the bus as students enter showing times of each bus from the first to the last. The signs across campus advertise the shuttle, but no times. There are signs posted outside the elevator lobby in DePaul’s Loop student center in reference to the shuttle, even giving a barcode to scan, yet this only takes students to the parking services website where no postage of a schedule can be found. “One of the things I have noticed and overheard being talked about was their timetable, so I am going to reach out to parking services to see if we can get that on the website,” Schoenhals said. Halliday said the pick up location behind DePaul’s student center at the Lincoln Park campus on North Sheffield Avenue has creat-
SOFIA LEAL | THE DEPAULIA
A student steps onto one of DePaul’s shuttle busses in front of the Barnes and Noble. ed problems for the drivers in the first month. The shuttle pilot program offered two out “We have no business pulling into that of the three buses to be Americans with Disparking lot,” Halliday said. “It is just a haz- abilities accessible during the spring, requestard, we have to pull in and pull out and when ing up to 24 to 48 hours in advance, accordthere are cars parked on either side of the ing to parking services. road in front of the ray, we have to make a Each bus arrives within 20 to 30 minutes three-point turn.” depending on the traffic, and because of unA possible alternative parking may be certainty due to traffic, parking services have easier for the drivers to access, but also for yet to place a schedule informing students students to have time to locate the bus. about the arrival times of the shuttle buses. “It would be a lot better if we came DePaul has been able to keep the safety of around and they made space for us in Shef- students a priority and the shuttle program, a field, maybe even a block and a half north of month after its launch, has exceeded expecthere,” Halliday said. tations. The number of riders has varied throughI think it’s a good idea,” sophomore Nate out the days, with the first bus arriving at the Wilhelm said. “I understand why it runs at Loop around 4:45 p.m. night, because if I had a night class I would “Usually like this trip [the 4:45 pick up take it.” time] that we are doing right now on Monw day, I had about 30 people,” Halliday said.
CAMPUS CRIME REPORT: April 20, 2022 - April 26 2022 LOOP CAMPUS
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS
Welcome Center 3
Univeristy Hall 4
Sanctuary Hall 1
5
Sheffield Parking Garage 2
7
Lewis Center 6
DePaul Center 5
6&7 &8
LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS April 25 1) A Possession of Cannabis report was filed in Sanctuary Hall. 2) A Theft from Vehicle report was filed regarding a catalytic converter removed from a university vehicle parked in Lot W.
Assault & Theft
6
Drug & Alcohol
Other
LOOP CAMPUS April 20 5) A Retail Theft report was filed regarding a theft from a DePaul Center retail space. April 21 6) A Criminal Trespass Warning report was filed for a person soliciting in the DePaul Center.
April 26 3) A Disturbance was reported in the Welcome Center.
April 24 7) A Graffiti report was filed for markings on the DePaul Center.
4) A Battery report was filed regarding an altercation in University Hall.
April 26 8) A Simple Battery report was filed regarding an incident in the DePaul Center library that involved inappropriate touching.
News. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 5
Free & Freaky: Chicago Reader will become nonprofit By Nadia Hernandez News Editor
The Chicago Reader will become a nonprofit organization after co-owner Len Goodman announced he would sign off and step down this past Wednesday. This comes after the Chicago Reader Union started mobilizing to transition into nonprofit status on April 14. They held one rally at Goodman’s residence on April 21. The union found out about Goodman’s announcement ten minutes after the Tribune had broken the story. “We found out everything that was within that article, it hit all of our Slack channels around 10 minutes of it,” said Yasmin Zarcaria Mikhaiel, the Reader’s audience engagement manager and union member. “[It] didn’t feel real in a sense.” The union had another rally planned for the next day at Goodman’s residence where they would work in front of his Lakeview home. That was canceled following the news. Union members were finalizing publishing their April 28 issue when they got the news. “It was a workday when it dropped. We still had a paper to be put out that is now currently on the streets,” Mikhaiel said. “There’s some shock and disbelief that comes in seeing that piece hit the internet and not knowing what paperwork has necessarily been signed.” Tracy Baim, co-publisher, and Karen Hawkins, co-publisher and editor-in-chief, wrote to their readers about
KIERSTEN RIEDFORD | THE DEPAULIA
[Left] Philip Montoro, the Reader union chair, embraces Tiffany Walden, editor-in-chief of the Triibe. [Right] Protesters demand freedom. the announcement as well. Union members expressed their gratitude towards Goodman and fellow members. “We could not have reached this conclusion without my colleagues in the unit advocating for the jobs of all of our coworkers,” said Leor Galil, Chicago Reader staff writer, in the Reader newsletter. Philip Montoro, the Reader union chair, said in a statement in the staff announcement that their win symbolized the industry coming together rather than being divided by competition. “I think that’s the way forward for
all local media organizations given how hostile the economic landscape is, that we are all colleagues now, not competitors,” Montoro said in the announcement. “We’re a team, and we’re fighters, and we have a future again.” The union’s work does not stop after their win. The 18 union members will now fight for contract negotiation. “We’re preparing to go to the bargaining table with management,” Mikhaiel said. “Although we’re really grateful for the support we’ve seen, we know that we deserve more and better compensation and different resources for our staff.” Many of the staff work multiple jobs
or also freelance to support themselves financially, according to Mikhaiel. “We’ve been working in a very untenable state already, prior to this crisis,” she said. The union also wants to work to rebuild morale internally after mobilizing and working the past three weeks. “We definitely are hopeful for a future where we can build morale back up and give each other some rest,” she said. The Reader will transition under the Reader Institute for Community Journalism.
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6 | News. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
Chicagoans adjust to lifted mask mandates on CTA By Halie Wingo Contributing Writer
Now that the mask mandates have been lifted by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), students are finding that it has become a challenge to navigate when to wear a mask. On April 19, 2022, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced that masks would no longer be required on public transit or in travel hubs. This includes airports, trains, train stations and buses. Wearing a mask has become commonplace for many people around the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Mask mandates have been lifted around the United States, despite the number of cases increasing, according to illinois. gov. The mask mandates were lifted for public transportation in the city of Chicago on April 19 in accordance with Pritzker’s announcement. The CTA no longer requires masks to be worn on any of their trains or buses around the city. Most DePaul students use the CTA to travel between campuses for classes or to explore the city. Commuter students and staff also ride the Metra trains to go home to family or on vacations. Mary Omelina, a professor in the College of Computing and Digital Media, must use public transportation to teach classes. Omelina believes that the mask mandates being lifted may be positive. “I think it’s a good thing, but it is taking some getting used to,” Omelina said. DePaul does not require masks for students and staff anymore, but people on and off campus are still wearing masks. As the city slowly lifts mask mandates, more people are taking their masks off in public.
“There are people still wearing masks everywhere I go — trains, the station, dining establishments, school, but the number is very low,” Omelina said. Omelina still wears her masks in more crowded conditions, but she is excited that the mandates are being lifted. She has become more comfortable without a mask because of the recent statements by the CDC stating that some masks do not provide much protection. “I thought the mandates were specious,” Omelina said. “Especially since cloth and surgical masks offer little protection against Covid.” Despite being excited that the mask mandates are going away, Omelina still has concerns about catching Covid-19. “I am concerned, though my concern is waning,” she said. “I have multiple conditions that are cause for concern and I am my elderly parents’ primary caregiver. I get tested several times a month. I have been purchasing and wearing N95s and KN95s since the very beginning when they were very hard to get. I still wear them, though less frequently as time goes by.” DePaul junior Skylar Benninghoff is still concerned about Covid-19. She said she was surprised when the mandates were lifted because she is still worried for herself and others who could catch Covid-19. As someone who uses public transportation to get to school and work, she notices that the change is affecting her. “I was honestly surprised the mandate was lifted, even though it was lifted in other places in the city,” Benninghoff said. “I rely on public transit for everything; going to work, classes and recreationally as well. I am lucky, however,
that I do not work or go to school in an environment where I am surrounded by a susceptible group.” Just like many people, Benninghoff is looking forward to a normal life, but she recognizes that public spaces like the CTA are not always clean and safe for everyone. “Of course, my pre-pandemic self was happy [the mask mandate] was lifted, but Covid is still a very prevalent issue, especially in a high-density city like Chicago,” she said. “I was a bit apprehensive because public transit is already not the cleanest place, as any public area would not be, because it is covered in surfaces being touched by hundreds of people.” The daily average cases in the City of Chicago is down to 1,640 cases per day, which puts the city at only a medium risk. Despite this, Benninghoff is still using public transportation. She said that it seems like people are still wearing masks, but she is seeing more people without one. “For some reason, it feels really wrong not to wear it,” Benninghoff said. “I have noticed that the large majority of people are still wearing their masks, but a good handful are not.” DePaul sophomore Renee Zhou noticed that people have started taking the CTA without their masks. She personally still wears her mask in most spaces for comfort and to keep herself and her loved ones safe. “I see mostly students wearing masks on the train,” Zhou said. “When I take the train at a time that coincides with a Cubs game, I see massive amounts of people without their masks on the trains.” Zhou believes that the crowding on the buses and trains can still be danger-
EMILY SOTO | THE DEPAULIA
A man steps off of the train without a mask.
ous, but she understands that some people’s preferences differ when it comes to wearing a mask. “Things are looking better,” Zhou said. “As we go into warmer months, it’s understandable that people are trying to push for this.” As the mask mandates are lifted around the city, it is becoming more common to see people without a mask in public spaces. According to its website, CTA still encourages customers and employees to wear masks, but masks are not required, though pandemic conditions have not been improved.
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News. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 7
Chicago establishes monthly income program for lowincome communities
MATT ROURKE | AP PHOTO
A man, wearing both gloves and a mask, sifts through different types of bell peppers at a market. Five thousand Chicagoans are eligible to receive $500 per month from this program.
By Jacqueline Cardenas La DePaulia Editor-in-Chief
Five thousand Chicagoans will be eligible to receive $500 in cash monthly through the Chicago Resilience Communities Pilot, helping assist low income communities most impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Any resident can apply, regardless of immigration status, as long as they are at least 18 years old, have experienced economic hardship related to Covid-19 and their housing income falls at or below 250 percent of the federal poverty level, according to the City of Chicago website. For example, the highest eligible income a household of five can earn is $81,175 whereas a household of six can only earn up to $92,975 to be considered. The program is a part of a $31.5 million commitment from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the City of Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS), placing an emphasis on cash rather than traditional government program credit. “While these programs can provide an immense amount of help, they aren’t flexible to meet the unique needs of individual families,” said 49th Ward Ald. Maria Hadden. The city has partnered with the Inclusive Economy Lab at the University of Chicago to conduct research to track the impacts of families having a fungible option. “The theory behind cash assistance is that the people experiencing financial hardship are the experts of their lives and thus can decide for themselves how best to use the money,” said Misuzu Schexnider, program director at Inclusive Economy Lab. Recipients can choose their preferred method of payment, such as through a bank transfer or a prepaid reloadable gift card. Recipients also have the choice to switch their payment methods once the yearlong program begins. Recipients can use the money leisurely such as for groceries or buying school supplies.
Recent aid programs, such as the Child Tax Credit (CTC), show that Illinois families experienced lower rates of severe food insecurity after they received cash payments, according to 2021 U.S. Census data. The census data also shows that only 53 percent of Hispanic households received CTC compared to 70.5 percent of white households. Other income pilot programs, such as the 2019-2022 Stockton Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) in California, found that recipients reported spending most of their money on basic needs like food, merchandise, utilities and auto costs. Organizations such as YWCA Metropolitan Chicago have partnered with the city to ensure proper outreach to communties. The nonprofit has set up opportunities for residents who need access to the internet to apply for the estimated 2030 minute pilot by offering support online and in person such as at the Englewood Community Service Center located on 1140 W. 79th St. Jill O’Donovan, the chief innovation officer at YWCA, said their organization and five others have been meeting weekly since March to coordinate efforts and strategy. “Now that the application is live, those meetings will also include an analysis of the application data to see what areas of the city and or special situations might need additional outreach,” O’Donovan said. The Chicago Pilot is one of the largest pilot programs in the country which allows researchers to examine how the cash distribution differs across various subgroups. Roughly 95,000 applications were received April 25, the day of the launch, according to Schexnider. The number of qualified applicants is currently unknown but depending on which areas the city receives the most applications, “that will help dictate how we pivot,” O’Donovan said. “We will use the lessons learned and benchmarks from this pilot to share with
lawmakers and policymakers at the local, state and federal levels to demonstrate cash works and advocate for expansion of similar programs,” said Brandie Knazze, commissioner of DFSS. This is not the only direct cash assistance program DFSS will implement this year, according to Knazze. Plans to coordinate similar programs as one-time $500 payments will be specifically aimed at “supporting domestic workers and those left out of previous Covid relief efforts as well as survivors of gender-based violence,” said Knazze. Despite efforts to reach various Chicago communities, 22nd Ward Ald. Michael Rodriguez said his concerns about the pilot are that certain sectors of the community might be underrepresented. “The undocumented community tends to not want to apply for these things because they don’t want to out themselves, you know,” Rodriguez said. “I’m concerned young families might be disproportionate to non-applicants because they just don’t know how to get involved properly.” According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in Chicago from 2016-2020 is $62,097, leaving 17.3 percent of people in poverty. The percentage is higher in Black and Latino community with 30 percent of Black families and around 25 percent of latino families living below the poverty line according to the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy at UIC A DePaul student who wishes to remain anonymous is part of an immigrant family who has distrust in the pilot despite there not being a legal status requirement. “I wouldn’t want to risk anything,” the anonymous source said. She said her family also doesn’t have insurance and that since her parents are getting older, “Things that we’ve been pushing off like normal pain is becoming more serious and we could use that money to help get that checked out.”
What to know The highest eligible five-person family income for the program is $81,175. The highest eligible six-person family income for the program is $92,975. Families that fall under these categories can receive $500 monthly. 95,000 people applied for the program as of April 25, which was launch day. The median family household income in Chicago from 2016 to 2020 was $62,097. CHICAGO RESILIENCE COMMUNITIES PILOT WEBSITE, CDC | SOURCES
8 | News. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
News. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 9
Sustaining DePaul In the ranking for university sustainability, out of 118 universities, DePaul ranked 46th. In the report, DePaul ranked fairly low in energy, academics, and financial sustainability. On May 12, there will be a meeting to coordinate how to make DePaul a more sustainable institution. SIERRA MAGAZINE, DEPAUL UNIVERSITY | SOURCES
SUSTAINABILITY, continued from front page The first sustainability plan was not entirely implemented after Holtschneider left DePaul. Although faculty members like Bartling and Potosnak were able to incorporate sustainability into the curriculum, and Facility Operations have been working to decrease the university’s carbon footprint each year, efforts to decrease sustainability campus-wide have not been a priority until 2021. On May 12, there will be a meeting with the President Sustainability Committee and the stakeholders — including the president and provost — to coordinate how to make DePaul a more sustainable institution, Campuzano said. “We are taking the main pieces of the [2011 sustainability plan] to see what was accomplished, what was not accomplished, and what else we need to do to implement the plan in a comprehensive way,” Campuzano said to The DePaulia. Lameka Hayes, Student Government Association senator for sustainability, is working on the new plan to ensure it is representative of student’s opinions for how the university can increase campus sustainability. “I always sit in on meetings and make sure that the plan is inclusive of students and student needs, and that it’s readable for students, not just faculty, stakeholders and administrators,” Hayes said. “One of the problems that I’ve seen over the last year that I’ve been in this position is there’s always something wrong with the language, it’s just not digestible enough.” Over the years, there have been a lot of documents pertaining to sustainability on campus that it has become confusing for students to discern what the university’s actual plan is, according to Hayes. When Campuzano joined DePaul’s Mission and Ministry Division in March 2020, he was tasked with the revision of the university’s mission statement, a
process that involved over 700 people and encouraged the university to reconsider making sustainability a main priority. “The key factor that invited us to rethink our sustainability commitment was the process of the revision of the mission statement,” Campuzano said. “We are listening and paying attention to what the community is saying.” The revised mission statement includes a line emphasizing sustainability as an important element of DePaul’s Vincentian mission and core beliefs. “Through education and research, the university addresses the great questions of our day, promoting peaceful, just, and equitable solutions to social and environmental challenges,” the revised statement reads. The university is making sustainabil-
MAYA OCLASSEN | ART
“The key factor that invited us to rethink our sustainability commitment was the process of the revision of the mission statement.”
Rev. Guillermo Campuzano
Vice President for Mission and Ministry ity a primary focus and is in the process of drafting a new plan that should be finalized and released for the 2022-2023 academic year. Although it has taken many years for the DePaul administration to prioritize sustainability, Campuzano believes it is an issue that has always been relevant. “The sustainability of life and the
sustainability of humanity is profoundly connected with the sustainability of this planet, and we are failing on that,” Campuzano said. “There is one thing we can all agree on at DePaul: sustainability is central.”
10 | Nation & World. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
Nation & World
Over 137 million in US breathing dangerous air Climate change a growing contributor to poor air quality
SEAN GOLIGHTLY | ARIZONA DAILY SUN VIA AP
Smoke from a wind-whipped wildfire rises above neighborhoods on the outskirts of Flagstaff, Arizona, on Tuesday, April 19, 2022.
By Jackson Healy Nation & World Editor
Over 40 percent of the United States — more than 137 million Americans — live in places where air pollution levels make the air too dangerous to breathe, according to a new study. And as vehicles and industry continue to pump out pollution, climate change-induced heat and wildfires are only adding to the issue. Every year, the American Lung Association releases its State of the Air report, a comprehensive evaluation of the nation’s air quality on a local county scale. This year’s report, released April 21, found that 63 million Americans live in counties with dangerous levels of daily particulate matter pollution — an increase of nearly nine million from last year’s report. On top of this, about 20.3 million people were found to live in counties where year-round particle pollution levels fail to meet the national air quality standard. “When an old diesel bus or truck goes by and a big plume of black smoke comes out the tailpipe, you’re witnessing the creation of these primary pollutants of aerosols,” said Mark Potosnak, a professor and department chair of environmental science and studies at DePaul. “A lot of [particulate matter also comes from] burning fossil fuels in an unclean way. A big one here is the diesel trains — all the trains that run around the city, including the Metra, but also the freight rail — you get a lot of emissions from those.” For particulates to be defined as fine particles, they must have a diameter of 2.5 microns in diameter. For scale, a single human hair is typically between 60 and 80 microns in diameter. While these fine particles’ size may make them seem harmless, it’s their size that allows them to wreak havoc on the human body. “Bigger particles get caught in your nose hairs or in mucus in your nose and throat, and generally, they don’t make it into your lungs,” said Brian Urbaszewski, director of environmental health programs at the Respiratory Health Association. “The problem with these really small particles is that they bypass all
those filters in your body. They tend to get into your lungs and into the deepest portions of your lungs, where they can also get into the bloodstream, where they’re associated with a lot of health issues.” Additionally, the study found that about three out of eight Americans — over 122 million people — live in counties with dangerous levels of ozone pollution. While ozone in Earth’s stratosphere protects the planet from harmful rays emitted by the sun, it’s also toxic, and when it’s in the lower sections of the atmosphere, it can damage the respiratory system if inhaled. “[Ozone is] extremely reactive,” said Richard Jackson, a pediatrician and professor emeritus at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability. “If it hits your nose and you’re breathing it, you get burning in your nose. If you get it into your lungs, it irritates your lungs and causes bronchitis. And if you get enough of it, it begins to cause chronic lung disease.” The State of the Air report notes that climate change has played a significant role in exacerbating the nation’s poor air quality in two major ways. For one, higher temperatures over longer periods of time have allowed for higher quantities of ozone to form in the air. “Ozone formation is dependent on temperature,” Urbaszewski said. “The hotter it is, the more energy there is and the faster the chemical reaction runs that makes the ozone. So if you get longer, hotter summers, you’re most likely going to get more ozone.” Secondly, climate change-induced heat and drought have increased the frequency and severity of wildfires across the Western U.S., releasing an excess of particulate matter into the air as a result. According to the study, all but one of the 25 worst cities for daily particle pollution are located in the West, largely driven by the area’s uptick in wildfires. “We woke up in September of 2020 with the sky as red as a rose and air quality terrible,” Jackson said. “We’ve had many days like that with the fires out here.” These fires don’t just impact the West’s air quality, though — some have recently been so severe that their impacts have been felt across
the country. “We’ve had fires in British Columbia and California affecting air quality in Chicago and downstate,” Urbaszewski said. “Fairly small urban communities have had unhealthy air pollution levels largely caused by wildfires hundreds, if not thousands, of miles away.” Additionally, the study found stark inequalities in air pollution along racial lines — about 72 million people of color live in counties with at least one failing grade for ozone, daily particle or annual particle pollution. Furthermore, over 14 million people of color live in counties receiving failing grades on all three measures — a rate 3.6 times higher than that of white people. “Part of the trend is because there’s more people of color in cities and air quality is poorer in cities, so that does explain some part of it,” Potosnak said. “But even within the city, it’s stratified by race.” Potosnak notes that Chicago’s air quality serves as a strong example of this respiratory inequality. “Part of it’s transportation,” he said. “The big railyards where all those cross-continental trains switch, they’re all located on the South and West Sides of Chicago. All the wealthy and more white people don’t live next to those railyards.” Additionally, Potosnak noted disparities in industrial regions as contributing factors. “Right here in Lincoln Park about 10 years ago, there was one steel mill left along the river called Finkl Steel,” he said. “It was noted because it was in a very dense urban area, and [the location] was closed up, but they moved it to a largely Black and Latino neighborhood on the Southeast Side of Chicago.” While poor air quality continues to impact the lives of millions of Americans, a number of mitigation efforts have been proposed. “One of the things we’ve been pushing for is to get Gov. Pritzker to sign onto an agreement that 17 other states have signed onto, which sets a goal of having 30 percent of new medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sold be zero emission by 2030, and that 100 percent
JACKSON HEALY | THE DEPAULIA
of [these] new vehicles be sold in 2050 would have to be zero emission,” Urbaszewski said. On a federal scale, November’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill contains a number of remedies for poor air quality as well. “One tiny stream of it is going to be for electric school buses,” Urbaszewski said. “There’s money in that infrastructure bill for transit, so it may help CTA and PACE buy more electric buses. There’s money in there for electric vehicle charging stations — Illinois DOT is going to get almost $150 million to build EV charging stations along highway networks over the next several years.” Individuals can protect themselves from air pollution by monitoring their local air quality and avoiding exercise on bad air days, as well as switching car vents to recirculate air when driving on busy roads. However, Urbaszewski notes that unless systemic changes are made, there’s not much that can be done on a personal scale to mitigate the issue. “Part of the challenge of air pollution is that there’s not a lot you can do to protect yourself from a health threat that’s essentially everywhere, that you can’t avoid,” he said.
Nation & World. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 11
Steven Donziger released after nearly 1,000 days of house arrest By Erik Uebelacker Opinions Editor
Former human rights lawyer Steven Donziger was released on April 25 after serving a combined 993 days in home detention. Donziger famously won a landmark case against the Chevron oil corporation in 2011 for environmental damages to Ecuadorian indigenous land, which left inhabitants with poisoned water and high rates of birth defects and cancer. Chevron was ordered by the Ecuadorian court to pay $9.5 billion in damages. Chevron launched a legal attack against Donziger after the ruling, claiming that the case was won fraudulently. He was placed on house arrest in August 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of criminal contempt of court and remained there until his release last week. He even served a 45-day jail sentence late in 2021 before returning to home confinement. In September, the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights ruled that Donziger’s home detention was illegal under international law. “There’s never been a lawyer ever forced to go to jail for the criminal offense I’ve been convicted of,” Donziger told The DePaulia in October of 2021. For environmentalists around the world, Donziger’s unprecedented punishment was an example of corporate oil using corruption in the justice system to silence activists. “This case has been a really important one for our organization for so long,” said Paul Paz y Miño, the associate director of Amazon Watch. The organization is aimed at protecting the rainforest and advancing the rights of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin. Paz y Miño and Amazon Watch have
STEVEN DONZIGER | COURTESY OF INSTAGRAM
Steven Donziger poses with his release papers, Monday, April 25, 2022. been fighting alongside Donziger since Chevron’s legal retaliation began. “We have been targeted by Chevron as, in their words, ‘co-conspirators’ of Donziger and the Ecuadorians in their alleged fraud,” Paz y Miño told The DePaulia. An ally of Donziger and others fighting on behalf of justice in the Amazon, Paz y Miño was pleased to hear that Donziger had finally been released. However, Donziger’s legal battle with Chevron is far from over. “His bank account is still frozen,” Paz y Miño said. “He still has to deal with [Judge Lewis] Kaplan’s orders and Chevron trying to extort over $30 million for legal fees. Those are still battles he still has to fight. It’s only the criminal contempt situation that’s finally over.” During his time under house arrest, Donziger went on a virtual media tour, sharing his story with online media outlets and advocating against environmental destruction and corruption in
the justice system. In the process, Donziger accumulated nearly 200,000 followers on Twitter and became a figurehead for environmental and judicial activism around the world. Paz y Miño says that Donziger’s popularity growth during this time highlights the flaws of Chevron’s legal strategy. “Absolutely, it backfired,” Paz y Miño said of Chevron pursuing Donziger in court. “Because in 2017, I was basically the only person talking to Steven ... And now, people realize that this was an outrageous attempt to silence somebody that has been effective.” “[Chevron’s] playbook has essentially been exposed,” Paz y Miño continued. “The story is not just what they did in Ecuador, which is bad enough. But it’s the anatomy of a corporate hit job and how they fight back against those who are successful at holding them to account.” Both Chevron and the private law
firm that prosecuted Donziger have faced public backlash over their role in his imprisonment. Now released, Donziger is using the momentum he built as an activist to unite other causes against corruption. He hosted a block party on his release date in Manhattan, where he was joined by Amazon Labor Union President Christian Smalls. Rabyaah Althaibani, a prominent New York activist, was also among those in attendance. “The atmosphere was electrifying,” Althaibani told The DePaulia. “Everyone was feeling hopeful for the first time, and really happy that he’s finally free.” Fellow attendee Brian McHale reiterated that the event didn’t just shed light on Donziger’s case with Chevron. “It wasn’t just about [Donziger],” McHale said. “He brought [Smalls], who gave a great speech. He brought some other community leaders that are doing some really awesome things. It was really about building community around these issues that we all find important.” Donziger’s story is far from over. He’s established a community of those hoping to hold companies like Chevron accountable. Meanwhile, Chevron is continuing to deny any corruption or wrongdoing on their side of the legal battle. “The Ecuador judgment against Chevron has repeatedly been found to be fraudulent,” wrote James Craig, communications advisor for Chevron in a statement to The DePaulia. “Steven Donziger is an adjudicated racketeer and fraudster who was disbarred for his illegal and unethical acts in the Ecuador case and held in civil and criminal contempt for flouting lawful court orders.” Donziger didn’t respond in time for comment.
Trump, fighting contempt fines, says he doesn’t have records By Michael R. Sisak Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s lawyers, seeking to reverse their client’s $10,000-per-day contempt fine, provided a New York judge Friday with an affidavit in which the former president claims he didn’t turn over subpoenaed documents to the state attorney general’s office because he doesn’t have them. The judge, though, was unmoved and refused to lift sanctions he imposed on Trump on Monday. Judge Arthur Engoron criticized the lack of detail in Trump affidavit, which amounted to two paragraphs, saying that he should have explained the methods he uses to stores his records and efforts he made to locate the subpoenaed files. In the affidavit, which bore Trump’s signature and Wednesday’s date, the former president said that documents sought in Attorney General Letitia James’ civil investigation into his business dealings weren’t in his personal possession. Trump, who is appealing the contempt ruling, said he believed any documents would be in the possession of his company, the Trump Organization. In other affidavits, Trump lawyers Alina Habba and Michael Madaio detailed steps they took to locate documents in the Dec. 1 subpoena, including meeting with Trump last month at Mar-a-Lago in Florida and reviewing prior searches of his company’s files.
JOE MAIORANA | ASSOCIATED PRESS
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Andrew Amer, a lawyer for the attorney general’s office, said in a court filing that while the affidavits “provide some additional information” about Trump’s efforts to comply with the subpoena, more extensive searches were needed — including of Trump Tower, his residences and electronic devices — before the judge should consider reversing the contempt finding. Frank Runyeon, a reporter for the legal publication Law360, said that Engoron held an impromptu hearing Friday, without a court stenographer, in which he addressed the affidavits from Trump and his lawyers and ruled to keep the contempt fine in place.
Runyeon, one of the few members of the news media to attend the unadvertised hearing, reported that Engoron was insistent that Trump provide the “who, when, where, what” of his search, with the judge asking at one point: “Where did he keep files? I assume it wasn’t all in his head.” Habba filed a notice of appeal Wednesday with the appellate division of the state’s trial court seeking to overturn Engoron’s contempt ruling. Trump is also challenging Engoron’s Feb. 17 ruling requiring that he answer questions under oath. Oral arguments in that appeal are scheduled for May 11. James, a Democrat, has said that her investigation has uncovered evidence that
Trump may have misstated the value of assets like skyscrapers and golf courses on his financial statements for more than a decade. Her Dec. 1 subpoena sought numerous documents, including paperwork and communications pertaining to his financial statements and various development projects. James asked Engoron to hold Trump in contempt after he failed to produce any documents by a March 31 court deadline. In his ruling, Engoron said that Trump and his lawyers not only failed to meet the deadline, but also failed to document the steps they had taken to search for the documents, as required under case law. Trump, a Republican, is suing James in federal court in an effort to stop her investigation. Oral arguments in that matter are scheduled for May 13. Bragg said this month that the 3-yearold criminal investigation he inherited in January from his predecessor, Cyrus Vance Jr., is continuing “without fear or favor” despite a recent shakeup in the probe’s leadership. Trump’s lawyers contend that James is using her civil investigation to gain access to information that could then be used against him in the criminal probe. So far, the district attorney’s investigation has resulted only in tax fraud charges against the Trump Organization and its longtime finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, relating to lucrative fringe benefits such as rent, car payments and school tuition. The company and Weisselberg have pleaded not guilty.
12 | Opinions. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
Opinions GRAPHIC BY ERIK UEBELACKER
By Hank Mitchell Contributing Writer
The recent announcement of Elon Musk’s plan to buy Twitter has caused controversy about whether the acquisition is good for the social media company and its users. Musk presents himself as an advocate for free speech, however his political beliefs are somewhat unpredictable, seeming to change to fit whatever is good for business. This acquisition questions if the world’s wealthiest man can be trusted with direct, unmoderated communication with 217 million Monetizable Daily Active Users, according to Twitter’s Selected Company Metrics and Financials report, last updated Feb. 2, 2022. There are a few reasons that Elon Musk should be monitored very carefully as he grows his family of corporations. Musk is a self-proclaimed supporter of the right to free speech but has shown that he can change his mind on that if the truth is bad for business. Tesla fired former Autopilot employee John Bernal after he posted a video review showing Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta system. The firing came after a video in which the FSD beta program was engaged, and the car knocked over multiple bollards. Musk has shown that he is capable of using his social media presence inappropriately in the past. He settled a case with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over a post from 2018 that he made which resulted in the settlement in which Musk and Tesla agreed that, among other conditions, “Tesla will establish a new committee of independent directors and put in place additional controls and procedures to oversee Musk’s communications,” as stated in a press release from the SEC on Sept. 29, 2018. The SEC’s charges alleged that Musk’s post claimed a specific financial valuation of Tesla when Musk had not discussed the price with potential financial partners. This settlement came after the SEC brought securities fraud charges against Musk for a post that he made claiming that he could take Tesla private at $420 per share, that funding was secured for this, and that the shareholder vote was the only remaining delay. The SEC’s complaint alleged that Musk’s misleading tweets “led to significant market disruption” and “lacked adequate basis in fact.” More recently, the SEC responded to a court filing by Musk in March 2022 challenging a subpoena filed by the SEC requesting proof of board oversight of Musk’s Twitter account. Musk’s filing sought to terminate the settlement
agreement made in 2018 between Tesla, Musk and the SEC. According to Barron’s, the SEC determined that “There is no valid substantive basis to challenge the subpoena.” “I just think that he wants to make more money,” said Ellie Booth, a Junior at Roosevelt University. “I worry that he is going to be able to say whatever he wants without anyone stopping him. If he does turn out to be a bad person, isn’t that a lot of power?” Musk posts multiple times daily, expressing himself on his Twitter account. Often, the posts seem casual and comedic, like this post about Musk buying Coca-Cola next. These posts have the structure and tone of normal social engagement, as if the account were a personal account. Some of his followers feel that they have gained a sense of who Musk is over the years as a byproduct of his social media presence. “He has a good sense of right and wrong, you can see that from his actions,” said Nick Marsh, 29, of Avondale. “He’s my favorite famous person.” “I don’t understand why Musk buying Twitter is any different than some other mega-rich guy owning it,” Marsh said. “He obviously likes to use Twitter; why would he do anything bad to it?” This concern over Musk’s character is complex because Musk’s personality traits are being presented to the public through the lens of social media. “I think the biggest misconception of any public figure of that level is that they are just sat there on their mobile phone ready to write a post,” said social media content specialist Andreas Georgiou. “For the most part, at that level, somebody’s profile is a business tool. Therefore, I believe there is a lot of business thought that goes into what Elon posts, and I would be incredibly surprised if there were not multiple people involved in that process of what gets published.” The SEC has determined that Musk should have oversight making sure that what he posts is legal, but this potential acquisition could mean that there are fewer people able to moderate what he is able to say. “Social media is regulated by the platform itself, by the people who want the platform to be used and to be run in a certain way,” Georgiou said. “There isn’t oversight above that level.” Musk’s social media presence has given Booth reservations about what he might accomplish as the owner of Twitter. “I don’t pretend to know what the guy [Musk] is like, but I know that he posts a lot about money and I don’t like that,” Booth said. “I worry that with all of the analytics available to people these days, someone that smart can take advantage.”
Musk’s Twitter Timeline
GRAPHIC BY ERIK UEBELACKER
Georgiou explained that public opinion will play a part in how Musk might act in the future. “He has to deliver on his promises,” he said. “You could argue that it is like an election campaign. I do think that because he is so scrutinized, it would be very difficult for him to do something immoral without some level of transparency. But even with transparency, when you have total ownership of something, you can still do what you want whether people agree or not. That is something that definitely needs to be monitored.” If Musk begins to take Twitter in a direction that is bad for open communi-
cation and free speech, the only people who can stand in his way are now the many Twitter users that determine the platform’s success. That is my concern. I have seen a lot of Elon Musk, and I find him to be charismatic and entertaining like many others. I have even heard some of his political rhetoric and thought it to be interesting. I also see that what Musk is showing us is potentially just that, a show. I am both scared and excited to see what happens next.
The opinions in this section do not necessarially reflect those of The DePaulia staff.
Opinions. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 13
Journalism graduate classes should be more available
By Darcy Waskiewicz Sports Editor
Every student knows the stress of curating their class schedule every quarter. Some classes you need in order to graduate, others you’re just interested in, but they all feel like they take place at the same time. Graduate students hope to leave that behind in undergraduate, but at DePaul, finding the right classes can be as stressful as taking the classes. For a traditional two-year graduate student in the journalism program, they are required to take 12 classes total, which typically means two a quarter. The program has three core classes that students must take to graduate, along with some amazing electives. However, the way those classes are offered is difficult for journalism graduate students trying to check off every degree requirement while still taking classes that interest them. DePaul should restructure their journalism classes to offer more classes and times to help accommodate graduate students. The journalism graduate degree has four concentrations – data, multimedia, reporting metro Chicago and sports. Each concentration has its own class requirements, yet many of those classes are only offered one or twice a year. “The biggest challenge when taking classes is knowing which quarters will have what classes,” sports journalism graduate student Austin Edmonds said. As a sports journalism student, I am fortunate that a few of these classes are sports-based, yet still wish there were more offered. However, for other students in the journalism program, it might be hard to find other classes that interest them. “They should definitely have more options for grad students,” journalism graduate student Bailey Curtiss said. “Right now, I’m realizing sports may not be my true passion, and I think I want to work in music journalism. For the [Special Topics in Journalism] classes specifically, I think more if not all of them are sports oriented, and that’s kind of unfair for the people like me who might not want to focus on that topic.” There are some classes, like the core courses, that are offered every quarter. Students know they will always be offered and don’t have to worry about trying to schedule them into their schedules. Then, there are other classes that are unique and focus on specific parts of a degree or concentration. Often taught by experts who have jobs in that field, these
ART BY ALICIA GOLUSZKA
“There are not nearly enough good offerings during the evenings, and I’ve found that it can be somewhat ‘take what you can get,’ which is frustrating as a graduate student,” Luke Elder
DePaul University graduate student classes are tailored towards specific topics and concentrations. And yet, it feels like they are offered once or twice and then never seen again. “I often find that three classes I want to take will all meet on the same exact time slot, and I can only pick one,” journalism graduate student Bailey Curtiss said. “I think classes should have multiple options for time slots, as that was always the case for me during my undergrad time at the University of Cincinnati.” Part of the reason is probably due to the teachers. Many have full-time jobs and are giving up their time to teach these classes for the quarter. However, it’s not fair for the students who want to take these classes but cannot.
For classes that are offered less regularly, DePaul should consider offering a second time period, so that other students have the chance to take it as well. If a class has done well in the past and shows success, then it should be offered more regularly to give more students a chance to take it instead of a class that they are not as interested in. Luke Elder may be a digital communication and media arts graduate student, but he has struggled to find classes to take as well and has found himself taking journalism classes outside of his program. “There are not nearly enough good offerings during the evenings, and I’ve found that it can be somewhat ‘take what you can get,’ which is frustrating as a
graduate student,” Elder said. “I’m here to gain a heightened and specific sense of knowledge, not take courses that are unhelpful to my professional studies.” While graduate classes are scheduled in the evenings to accommodate students who work full-time, there are also classes during the day that graduate students can take. They are mainly made up of undergraduates, with one or two graduate students sprinkled in. “I think there should be more afternoon options for grad students,” Curtiss said. “I have an afternoon class right now that meets twice a week and [I] love it, but it makes my once-a-week night class feel dragged out and I’m always pretty tired by the end of it.” However, by only offering these classes during the day, it unfairly takes the opportunity away from graduate students who work full-time and cannot attend. That is why the school should consider offering the class during the day and then a version at night that is tailored for graduate students. Graduate school classes are all about giving students the extra experience and knowledge in the field that they are interested in entering. By increasing the access and options of classes for graduate students, the students are already being put on a better track towards success.
Focus 14 | Focus. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
It's hunting seaso Roommate tips 1. Communicate. Your roommate can’t read your mind — if something bothers you, say it. You won’t get anywhere by being passive aggressive. 2. Don’t be a slob. Clean the bathroom regularly, wash your dishes and take out the trash. 3. Don’t take without asking. If you share food, make sure to communicate that beforehand. 4. Compromise. Living with others is a give-and-take — sometimes, things won’t play out perfectly for you.
Questions to ask before you move in What’s your budget?
Make sure you agree on a budget that works for both of you. How much in rent can you afford? How will you be paying rent and utilities, and will that change?
Where do you want to live?
Consider work, school, affordability, transit options for all roommates, and make sure you’re on the same page before you start your search.
Who will buy furniture?
Sharing a space with someone means sharing furnature, too. Who will buy what, and how will you split upfront moving costs.
What are your deal breakers?
Is your potential new roomie dying to get a dog, but you’re allergic? Or maybe they’re a closeted Trump supporter.
Breaking down the trials and tribu
With weather warming and the end of the school year approaching, studen the first or the fifteenth time, brings a mix of excitement, stress, hard work work — consider this a starting point for your apartment search. Happy hu
By Hank Mitchell Contributing Writer
As weather begins to change and Chicagoans get ready for summer, Adele Larson, a 29-year-old Irving Park resident, is looking for a new apartment. “I really hate moving, but I like to do it in the spring because it just feels more hopeful,” she said. With graduation and summer vacation approaching, DePaul students may be looking for new residences for next year. Because the season coincides with the time many Chicagoans are looking to move, competition for apartment rentals may be high. “You know, this [spring-time] is when a lot of people are looking, and pretty much everyone I talk to is looking for the same thing, in-unit amenities like laundry machines,” said Akash Patel, a real estate investor and rental property manager in Carpentersville, Illinois. The task of choosing an apartment can seem overwhelming because there are so many things to consider. With real estate being scarce lately, available properties have been limited, Larson said. “I already know what neighborhood I want to live in, but I have had to be patient for listings,” Larson said. “My lease is over in less than two months and I have been looking for three weeks already.” It is important to know what you
want and also to be persistent, Larson explained. “I have looked at hundreds of apartments online, but I have only gotten to see three units in as many weeks,” she said. “I keep calling on listings that are already rented.” Once you’ve decided what you want, it is also important to know what you might not want. “I don’t really need that much, but there are a few things that I definitely know I don’t want,” Larson said. “I hope I never live somewhere without in-unit laundry machines again. I also need an elevator, I am tired of moving everything up a flight of stairs.” The average rent for a studio apartment in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago has risen 10 percent over the past year to an average of $1,160 per month, according to rent.com, further limiting options for those looking for affordable housing. Procrastinating in real estate can cause some additional problems. “I spent my entire junior year in a studio apartment because my roommates and I couldn’t find an apartment that allowed my dog,” said Jacob Drayling, a senior at Columbia College. Drayling warned against procrastination. “If I had to say one thing I definitely wouldn’t do, it’s
look for a plac ute,” he said. “ long and expe where you don These rules “Typically w ment commun owners associa building and “They all hav tenants to abid flexible and so it comes to pet restrictions and they usually lim can have.” A homeow make rules for ing, Patel said. “Some of th you can put u idays,” he said. association that your garbage o your garbage ou up, they will fin Homeowner more thing to loo
Focus. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 15
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stud
ents
“You find that a lot actually, these associations think that they still own these places even though there are often private owners and tenants,” he said. Patel also warned to review the additional costs aside from rent. “One thing that is important to look for is whether utilities and parking are included in the rent; some people don’t think about that extra cost,” he said. With so many variables to consider, some value past experience the most, according to Drayling. “I really want to meet the neighbors when I move again,” Drayling said. “I really like my neighbors here and I didn’t realize how important that would be to me. When you are looking for a place, there are some things that I think are obvious, like location, but I think it is just as important to know what the people in your building are like.” Larson still hasn’t found her perfect apartment, but she remains optimistic. “I have been trying to have fun with it, with work and everything I am just looking at it as shopping for a new kitchen,” she said.
Lincoln Park
Average rent: $2,010 Distance from LP campus: 0 mi. Distance from Loop campus: 5.5 mi.
Pros: Convenient — a top choice for students moving off campus for the first time. Close to Red, Brown and Purple lines. Nightlife, restaurants and shops galore. Cons: A sometimes hefty price tag.
Uptown
Average rent: $1,341 Distance from LP campus: 3 mi. Distance from Loop campus: 8 mi. Pros: More diverse and less gentrified. Home to some of the best Vietnamese and Thai food in the city. Live music and nightlife scene. Cons: Not many. No Brown line train.
Near North Side
Average rent: $2,559 Distance from LP campus: 2 mi. Distance from Loop campus: 2 mi. Pros: Busy city feel, close to both campuses. proximity to both the Loop and Lincoln Park, nightlife, great restaurants, shopping options. Cons: Steep rent, higher crime rents.
Logan Square
Average rent: $1,881 Distance from LP campus: 3 mi. Distance from Loop campus: 6.8 mi. Pros: Live music venues, spacious parks including the 606 bike path. Cons: Gentrifying neighborhood.
Lakeview
Average rent: $1,735 Distance from LP campus: 1.4 mi. Distance from Loop campus: 6.8 mi. Pros: Lively. More bang for your buck than Lincoln Park. Packed with bars, shops and restaurants. Cons: Lively. Your upstairs neighbors throw a party every Tuesday and Cubs fans swarm every summer.
Loop
Average rent: $2,520 Distance from LP campus: 5.5 mi. Distance from Loop campus: 0 mi. Pros: Live just steps from iconic Chicago attractions, not to mention DePaul’s Loop campus and State Street shopping. Cons: High prices, smelly, ghost town feel on weekends, lack of community.
Lincoln Square
Average rent: $1,293 Distance from LP campus: 3.8 mi. Distance from Loop campus: 8.5 mi. Pros: Cute, German culture, cozy, family-oriented. Community events like farmers markets, summer concerts and wine walks. Good small business scene. Cons: Sleepy and slow. Public transit options to campus.
MAYA OCLASSEN \ THE DEPAULIA
16 | La DePaulia. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
La DePaulia
Chicago establece un programa para ayudar a las comunidades de bajos ingresos By Jacqueline Cardenas Jefa de Redacción, La DePaulia
Cinco mil habitantes de Chicago serán elegibles para recibir $500 en efectivo mensualmente a través del Piloto de Comunidades de Resiliencia de Chicago, ayudando a las comunidades de bajos ingresos más afectadas por la pandemia de Covid-19. Cualquier residente puede presentar una solicitud, independientemente de su estado migratorio, tienen que tener al menos 18 años, haya experimentado dificultades económicas relacionadas con el covid-19, o si sus ingresos de vivienda son iguales o inferiores al 250 por ciento del nivel federal de pobreza, según el sitio web de la ciudad de Chicago. Por ejemplo, el ingreso elegible más alto que un hogar de cinco personas puede ganar es $81,175 mientras que un hogar de seis solo puede ganar hasta $92,975 para ser considerado. El Programa es parte de un compromiso de $31.5 millones de la alcaldesa Lori Lightfoot y el Departamento de Servicios Familiares y de Apoyo (DFSS) de la ciudad de Chicago, que enfatiza el efectivo en lugar del crédito del programa gubernamental tradicional. “Aunque estos programas pueden proporcionar una gran cantidad de ayuda, no son flexibles para satisfacer las necesidades únicas de familias individuales”, dijo 49th Ward Ald. María Hadden. La ciudad se ha asociado con el Laboratorio de Economía Inclusiva de la Universidad de Chicago para realizar una investigación a fin de rastrear los impactos de las familias que tienen una opción fungible. “La teoría detrás de la asistencia en
Lo que debe saber: - El ingreso familiar de cinco personas más alto elegible para el programa es de $81.175. - El ingreso familiar de seis personas elegible más alto para el programa es de $92.975. - Las familias que pertenecen a estas categorías pueden recibir $500 mensuales. - 95,000 personas solicitaron el programa a partir del 25 de abril, que era el día de lanzamiento. - El ingreso promedio de los hogares familiares en Chicago entre 2016 y 2020 NADIA HERNANDEZ & KIERSTEN RIEDFORD| THE DEPAULIA
FOTO CORTESIA DE MATT ROURKE | AP
De acuerdo con datos anteriores del programa de asistencia en efectivo, la mayoría de las familias utilizan su dinero en comida.
efectivo es que las personas que experimentan dificultades financieras son los expertos de sus vidas y, por lo tanto, pueden decidir por sí mismas cuál es la mejor manera de usar el dinero”, dijo Misuzu Schexnider, directora del programa en Inclusive Economy Lab. Los destinatarios pueden elegir su método de pago preferido, como una transferencia bancaria o una tarjeta de débito administrada por el gobierno, además de tener la opción de cambiar sus métodos de pago una vez programa de comience. Los destinatarios pueden usar el dinero para cubrir sus necesidades básicas como compras de supermercado. Los programas de ayuda recientes, como el Child Tax Credit (CTC), muestran que las familias de Illinois experimentaron tasas más bajas de inseguridad alimentaria grave después de recibir pagos en efectivo, según datos del Censo de EE. UU. de 2021. Los datos del censo también muestran que solo el 53 por ciento de los hogares hispanos recibieron CTC en comparación con el 70,5 por ciento de los hogares blancos. Otros programas piloto de ingresos, como la Demostración de Empoderamiento de Stockton (SEED) en California, descubrieron que los beneficiarios gastan la mayor parte de su dinero en necesidades básicas como alimentos, mercancías, servicios públicos y mantenimiento vehicular. Organizaciones como YWCA Metropolitan Chicago se han asociado con la ciudad para garantizar un alcance adecuado a las comunidades. La organización sin fines de lucro ha creado oportunidades para que los residentes que necesitan acceso a internet soliciten el programa piloto estimado de 20 a 30 minutos que ofrece apoyo en línea
y en persona. Tal es el caso del Centro de Servicios Comunitarios de Englewood ubicado en 1140 W. 79th St. Jill O ‘Donovan, directora de innovación de YWCA, dijo que su organización y otras cinco se han estado reuniendo semanalmente desde marzo para coordinar esfuerzos y estrategias. “Ahora que la aplicación está activa, esas reuniones también incluirán un análisis de los datos de la aplicación para ver qué áreas de la ciudad y/o situaciones especiales podrían necesitar alcance adicional”, dijo O’Donovan. Chicago Pilot es uno de los programas piloto más grandes del país que permite a los investigadores examinar cómo difiere la distribución de efectivo entre varios subgrupos. Aproximadamente 95,000 solicitudes se recibieron el 25 de abril, el día del lanzamiento, según Schexnider. Actualmente se desconoce el número de solicitantes calificados, pero dependerá de las áreas en las que la ciudad reciba la mayor cantidad de solicitudes, “eso ayudará a determinar cómo pivotearemos”, dijo O’Donovan. “Usaremos las lecciones aprendidas y los puntos de referencia de este piloto para compartir con los legisladores y legisladores a nivel local, estatal y federal para demostrar que el efectivo funciona y abogar por la expansión de programas similares”, dijo Brandie Knazze, comisionada de DFSS. Este no es el único programa de asistencia directa en efectivo que el DFSS implementará este año, según Knazze. Los planes para coordinar programas similares como pagos únicos de $500 tendrán como objetivo específico “apoyar a las trabajadoras domésticas y a las que quedaron fuera de los
esfuerzos de ayuda anteriores de Covid, así como a las sobrevivientes de la violencia de género”, dijo Knazze. A pesar de los esfuerzos por llegar a varias comunidades de Chicago, 22nd Ward Ald. Michael Rodríguez dijo que sus preocupaciones sobre el programa piloto son que ciertos sectores de la comunidad podrían estar subrepresentados. “La comunidad indocumentada tiende a no querer solicitar estas cosas porque no quieren salir del armario, ya sabes”, dijo Rodríguez. “Me preocupa que las familias jóvenes puedan ser desproporcionadas para los no solicitantes porque simplemente no saben cómo involucrarse adecuadamente”. Según la Oficina del Censo de EE.UU., el ingreso familiar promedio en Chicago entre 2016 y 2020 fue de $62,097, lo que deja al 17.3% de las personas en la pobreza. El porcentaje es mayor en la comunidad negra y latina con un 30 por ciento de familias negras y alrededor del 25 por ciento de familias latinas que viven por debajo del umbral de la pobreza según el Instituto de Investigación sobre Raza y Políticas Públicas de la UIC. Un estudiante de DePaul que desea permanecer en el anonimato es parte de una familia inmigrante que desconfía del piloto a pesar de no existir un requisito de estatus legal. “No me gustaría arriesgar nada”, dijo la fuente anónima. Dijo que su familia tampoco tiene seguro y que, dado que sus padres están envejeciendo, “las cosas que hemos estado postergando, como el dolor normal, se están volviendo más graves y podríamos usar ese dinero para ayudar a que lo revisen”.
La DePaulia. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 17
Melissa Ortega conmemorada en mural de La Villita By Andrea Juárez Hernández Editora de Opiniones, La DePaulia
En La Villita, un nuevo mural fue pintado por Milton Coronado y The KiD de Pilsen en honor a la vida de Melissa Ortega, baleada a inicios de este año. La estudiante de ocho años, fue asesinada a tiros en la cuadra 4000 de West 26th Street mientras caminaba con su madre. Ortega se había mudado a Chicago desde México, por lo que su asesinato ha dejado especialmente impactada a la comunidad de La Villita. Según un informe de CPD, en octubre de 2021, 356 personas fueron baleadas en Chicago. Milton Coronado presentó recientemente una nueva obra de arte público en La Villita para honrar a la niña. El mural de Melissa representa a la niña sonriente que una vez vivió rodeada de nubes esponjosas, flores vívidas, globos rojos, suaves gotas de lluvia y un arcoíris bajo un sol abrasador. Hablé con Milton Coronado y The KiD de Pilsen, dos de los artistas involucrados en la creación del mural. Coronado ha estado creando arte desde la escuela primaria y se graduó en la Academia Estadounidense de las Artes con una licenciatura en ilustración
y diseño, y lleva casi dos décadas pintando murales. “Dependiendo de lo que pintes, el arte puede influir en las personas en diferentes direcciones. Tiene el poder de unir y embellecer una comunidad, así como de dividir y generar conflicto”, Coronado dijo. El mural de Melissa Ortega es un símbolo de paz en este caso, uniendo a las personas contra la violencia en nuestras comunidades. El KiD de Pilsen es un fotógrafo de 20 años que ayudó a crear el mural como parte de la conmemoración de la vida de Melissa Ortega. “Todo empieza en casa, los adultos tenemos la responsabilidad de proteger a los jóvenes. Somos la generación a cargo del futuro de nuestra próxima generación. Necesitamos fondos adecuados para nuestros programas extracurriculares. Necesitamos enseñar a los jóvenes los próximos pasos para triunfar en la vida”, explicó The KiD de Pilsen. Le pregunté a Iveth Mortis, estudiante de DePaul y miembro de la comunidad en Little Village, sobre su opinión sobre el mural. “Creo que es algo especial ver la vida de Melissa ser recordada tan bellamente con arte, todos deseamos que la violencia pare y
FOTO CORTESIA DE FRANKIE PEREZ | LA DEPAULIA
Milton Coronado y The Kid From Pilsen pintaron el mural en honor de Melissa Ortega despues de su muerte en La Villita. viendo el mural es un recordatorio de que estas tragedias pueden ser evitadas.” The Mural Movement y Rackem Team organizarán una vigilia el domingo 1 de mayo a las 4:00 p. m., frente al mural de Melissa en
West 26th Street and South Keeler Avenue. Cualquiera puede unirse y traer una rosa o una vela.
Sangre y alcohol: la historia del Cinco de Mayo By Santiago Posada-Jaramillo Gerente Editoral, La DePaulia
Las imágenes que les vienen a la mente a la mayoría de los residentes de los Estados Unidos cuando piensan en el Cinco de Mayo son banderas mexicanas, sombreros, bigotes largos, tequila y, en general, un ambiente de celebración y fiesta. Pero, ¿de dónde viene esta celebración y cómo ha cambiado con el paso del tiempo? Era cerca del mediodía del 5 de mayo de 1862, cuando los soldados mexicanos que defendían la ciudad de Puebla vieron al ejército francés marchar hacia su posición. Estos eran días oscuros para la nación de México. Habían perdido la mitad de sus tierras ante los Estados Unidos hace menos de dos décadas, la deuda paralizante con las naciones europeas había empobrecido a todo el país, la división entre conservadores y liberales no podía ser más profunda, y ahora el ejército francés había llegado a reclamar a México como suyo. Estos jóvenes e inexpertos soldados mexicanos nunca hubieran creído que horas después estarían festejando mientras el ejército francés, el mismo que a principios de siglo había iniciado una guerra contra toda Europa y casi ganan, se retiraba bajo una fuerte lluvia. “Sí, celebramos la victoria del ejército mexicano sobre el ejército francés que invadió México, se conoce como la Batalla de Puebla”, dijo Benjamín Villanueva García, residente de Cancún, México, de 43 años. “En México es más una celebración patriótica, en el sentido de que un ejército invasor extranjero fue derrotado”. El recuerdo de esta batalla llena de orgullo a la mayoría de los mexicanos. En aquella época la idea de México como una nación soberana estaba siendo constantemente desafiada tanto por fuerzas externas como internas, y la victoria en Puebla parecía un motivo para sentir orgullo y esperanza, como que lo imposible era posible. Juan Mora-Torres, profesor asociado de Historia Latinoamericana en la Universidad DePaul y autor del libro “La creación de la frontera mexicana”, le dijo a La DePaulia lo que significa el Cinco de Mayo para él. “Desde su independencia, [México] había sido un país dividido, sin sentido de
nación, todo tipo de conflictos políticos y conflictos militares entre ellos “, dijo. “Perdieron la mitad del territorio a los EE. UU. Las cosas no iban bien, ¿verdad? Entonces, [La Batalla de Puebla] fue como la primera sensación de que algo bueno sucedía desde la independencia”. Lamentablemente, duró poco. Francia continuó su campaña para tomar el control
los Derechos Civiles”. Delia Cosentino, profesora asociada de Historia del Arte y la Arquitectura en la Universidad DePaul, tuvo una opinión similar sobre el tema. “Para aquellos que conocen la historia, tiene sentido querer celebrar una especie de pelea de David y Goliat en la que el jugador menos poderoso gana la batalla
FOTO CORTESIA DE FRANKIE PEREZ | LA DEPAULIA
de México y terminó logrando instalar a Maximiliano I como emperador de México. Pero el La Batalla de Puebla terminó convirtiéndose en un poderoso símbolo para los mexicanos residentes en Estados Unidos. Mora-Torres sugiere que la fecha todavía se recuerda, no necesariamente porque la victoria haya tenido implicaciones importantes en ese momento, sino porque resonó con otras luchas que los mexicanos, y luego toda la comunidad latina, enfrentaban en los EE. UU . A medida que pasaban los años, diferentes generaciones de latinos en los EE. UU. podrían ver sus propias luchas contra fuerzas inmensamente poderosas como un paralelo a lo que sucedió en Puebla hace siglos. un obtiene generación “Cada Mayo”, de Cinco del significado diferente dijo. “Y en mi caso, la juventud de mi generación encontró valor en eso porque ese fue el momento del Movimiento por
(es decir, México contra Francia)”, dijo Cosentino. “Podría ser una analogía para las comunidades marginadas en los EE. UU. que se sienten empoderadas frente a las agresiones políticas y sociales de los anglosajones hacia los latinos y los mexicoamericanos en particular”. “Cualquier festividad que reúna a personas de una herencia compartida puede servir como una forma de pegamento social, brindando un sentido envalentonado de comunidad”, continuó. Este de Los Ángeles, 5 de marzo de 1968. Comenzó con los estudiantes de Garfield High School organizando una huelga y terminó con miles de estudiantes latinos saliendo de sus propias escuelas por toda la ciudad. Ni siquiera la policía pudo silenciar al movimiento chicano que exigía ser escuchado. Estos estudiantes se opusieron al racismo estructural del gobierno que los despojó de sus derechos y de sus
identidades, y al racismo cotidiano que los alejó de las oportunidades de una vida mejor y del respeto que merecían. Esperaban que algún día superarían las adversidades y despertarían en un país que no los tratara como ciudadanos de segunda clase. Hoy, el Cinco de Mayo se celebra en Estados Unidos con bailes folclóricos y mariachis, con sombreros y fuegos artificiales, pero sobre todo con enormes cantidades de cerveza y tequila. De acuerdo a Nielsen, una firma de datos y medición de mercado, se compraron cerveza y bebidas de malta por un valor de más de $735 millones en los EE. UU. en el Cinco de Mayo de 2016. Mora-Torres explica que cuando hay potencial de ganar dinero, las empresas lo aprovechan. Margaritas, tequila, cervezas mexicanas, nachos: todos estos se han convertido en parte de la celebración del Cinco de Mayo. “Hay que celebrar”, dijo Mora-Torres. “Ahora la celebración ha tomado control y la política se ha descuidado, ¿verdad? Pero cada generación encontrará algún valor en el Cinco de Mayo”. “En mi generación, se trataba de derechos civiles”, dijo Mora-Torres. “Y así, los jóvenes encontraron su agenda. Y creo que usarán el Cinco de Mayo como metáfora, porque es un evento que destaca la lucha de David contra Goliat […] Pero no tengo problema en celebrarlo. Bueno. Ha sido un invierno muy largo. Llevamos dos años con el Covid”. Es mayo de 2022, Chicago. Mientras atravesamos un invierno que no quiere terminar, escribo este artículo en mi habitación mientras se pone el sol. Como estudiante latino en los EE. UU., no puedo apartar mi mente de las luchas actuales: como todavía hay personas que son tratadas como ilegales por tomar una decisión difícil para forjarse un futuro mejor, o como todavía los estereotipos en torno a los latinos enmarcan lo que se espera que seamos capaces, o como los vecindarios con una mayoría de población latina están siendo descuidados incluso en una ciudad que se enorgullece de ser liberal. Al final me siento aliviado, porque sé que la razón por la que David vence a Goliat es porque nunca deja de tirar piedras.
18 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
Arts & Life
LESLIE WILLIAMSON | THE DEPAULIA
A sketcher reaches to find her sketchbook after the artists displayed their finished work in the "throwdown" of more than 30 pieces of art laid down at the end of their meeting.
Chicago Urban Sketchers make a springtime return By Leslie Williamson Contributing Writer
The Chicago Urban Sketchers gathered in Millennium Park’s Lurie Garden to draw together for the first time in months on a Saturday afternoon on April 23, one of the only warm days of this year’s spring, As the more than 30 sketchers arrived in the park, they passed around homemade macaroon cookies in celebration. Besides being the first day back as a large group this year, it was the Chicago group’s 10th anniversary. Urban sketching is the practice of drawing the scene around you, on-location and in real-time. A global urban sketching community was started in 2007 by Gabriel Campanario, a news illustrator in Seattle who created an online forum for people to share their sketches. Today, there are more than 300 in-person chapters in cities all over the world. The Chicago chapter is the second largest in North America, and although it began with just four members back in 2012, today there are 1,700 members in the group’s official Facebook group. “[The size] was never the goal,” Alex Zonis, the founder of the Chicago chapter, said. “The goal was the spirit and drawing together. “It took a while, probably two to three years to get the substance of it,” Zonis continued. “But once we became like 300 as a group, it began to have a gravity of its own.” Since last fall, the group’s monthly meetups had been put on pause, avoiding meeting inside to protect everyone’s health during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the height of the pandemic, sketchers would follow online prompts on their own and share their work in the Facebook group. Recently smaller groups of twos or threes had been meeting in cafes or local hangouts to continue to sketch. But now that spring is here, the sketchers are back outdoors and back to their full capacity. “Drawing in little cafes and parks on one’s own without [the large group meet-
LESLIE WILLIAMSON | THE DEPAULIA
Chuck Stull colors his sketch of the city skyline in watercolor inside the Lurie Gardens. ings] is hard,” Zonis said. “This is the drive, this is the engine.” Sandwiched by rain on Friday and Sunday, the weather seemed to have saved this Saturday as one of the nicest days of this year’s Chicago spring for the sketchers’ reunion. The sketchers quickly began to spread out around the park, choosing a spot to set up their folding chairs and travel-sized watercolors. The Lurie Gardens’ scenery provided lots of artistic inspiration, where the artists could choose to draw either the city skyline or the newly bloomed flowers. “I wish more people would sketch,” Barbara Weeks said as she sketched the flowers in front of the Art Institute, sitting in a red folding chair in the center of the garden. Weeks has been sketching all her life and has practiced urban sketching since the community’s beginning online in 2007. She introduced Zonis to the concept and helped her in founding the Chicago group. “It's not a matter of how good you are,
it's a matter of observing,” Weeks said. “Because what you see when you sketch is incredible.” Although the group is filled with talented professional artists, graphic designers and architects, one of the group’s key points is that it’s open to everyone. Chuck Stull works as an economics professor at Kalamazoo College and drove down to Chicago to see the city views and the sketching community. Although he had little background in drawing or painting, he picked up urban sketching about six years ago while on sabbatical visiting England and Spain. “It was fun because it didn't matter if you were good,” he said, using watercolors to paint the city skyline. “You didn't have to be good at all, [and] it was free. Some people were working with just a piece of paper and a pencil and other people had whole big art kits with easels.” If there’s one quality that defines the urban sketchers, it’s that they’re incredibly welcoming. Newcomers have easily found
friendship in the group, whether they're college students or retired. “It’s a great community and it's one that anyone can participate in,” Stull said. They even encouraged me to try my hand at sketching. One member, Peggy Condon, even gifted me a viewfinder and shared her watercolor palette with me. She gave me tips to not focus on perfectionism, but on simply capturing the moment. This summer will also see the return of the Chicago chapter’s annual sketch seminar, a weekend full of drawing and art workshops. The global urban sketching group organizes a yearly symposium hosted by a different city every year, where sketchers from all over the world gather to meet and draw together. The Chicago chapter has become large enough that they’ve begun to host annual seminars of their own since 2014. But while the international events can double as pricey vacations, Zonis said their Chicago seminars are priced as low as possible, with ticket sales simply covering the cost of the event. “My goal at the end of the event is to come up with zero profit,” Zonis said. The group brings in local artists to teach classes on sidewalks and in parks, and hosts other events like sketch walks. After being canceled for the past two years, the seminar will take place July 9-10. After almost three hours of drawing, the artists reconvened as a group for what they call the “throwdown,” where they all put their sketchbooks together on the ground to display their completed works side-by-side. The artists were barely noticeable when all spread out, quietly blending in with the garden. So when they all gathered together after sneaking away to sketch, it was a cacophony of sketchbook pages, with no two illustrations alike. After admiring everyone's drawings, the nearly three dozen sketchers held up their artwork and posed for a group picture. “It’s beautiful to see what the group has become,” Zonis said. “I’m so proud of it.”
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 19
Fans conflicted over Depp defamation trial SOPHIA IQBAL | THE DEPAULIA
By Lilly K eller Asst. Arts & Life Editor
The libel trial of Johnny Depp versus his ex-wife Amber Heard officially began on April 12. Initiating in 2019 when Depp sued Heard for defamation, when one party making a false statement about the other results in harm, after she published an op-ed in The Washington Post. Heard's article, titled "I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change," does not mention Depp by name, merely alluding to her ex-husband, according to the New York Times. Highlighted within her op-ed, Heard states that her career suffered after she became associated with representing victims of domestic abuse in Hollywood. "Friends and advisers told me I would never again work as an actress — that I would be blacklisted," Heard said within her feature. In the two weeks since this trial began, Depp maintained his innocence on never hitting Heard or any other women he's come into contact with. Rather, Depp accuses Heard of allegedly being the aggressor and instigating verbal bouts of assault that quickly turned physical. Depp testified in favor of multiple acts of violence against himself, such as Heard throwing a handle of vodka at him, causing an open fracture on his middle finger. Yet, testimony on behalf of Heard's attorney reveals a more complex story, revealing a clip of violence between the couple. "The next move, if I don't walk away ... it's going to be a bloodbath, like it was on the island," Depp says on the recording. In another, he can be heard cursing at Heard, saying, "You stupid f-," according to CBS News. Despite neither party appearing seemingly innocent, individuals weigh in on the evidence before them. Simmons's University Sophomore Annamay Brown believes there is more to the dispute than the media portrays. "I think there is some truth to both sides. There definitely seems to be evidence of abuse at the hands of Heard which is unacceptable but it also seems like some of the texts and things coming out in the trial are showing that he [Depp] also made some poor choices," Brown said. Both Depp and Heard have remained adamant in their innocence against one another despite evidence surmounting against them both. Ben King, Heard and Depp's property manager, recently testified to the state of the ex-couple’s home after one of their altercations, describing the residence as a scene of shattered glass, blood and fractured countertops, according to the New York Times. As for the outcome of the legal proceeding, Brown remains certain that Depp will
face stricter consequences to his life and career. "I think that this trial will end with some compensation going to Depp because I do believe that he endured some abuse which eventually led to him being limited in his career," Brown said. "I think it would be very difficult for Depp to return to his former position in Hollywood because of the polarizing nature of this trial and the risks his presence plays in association to it." DePaul Sophomore Lauren Lantz indicated mixed feelings on how widely this case is covered and projected through social media. "I think the amount of press it's getting could be positive, but it also has negative effects such as choosing sides and victim blaming," Lantz said. Victim blaming is a form of condemnation, discouraging survivors from coming forward, but also altering the focus away from the individual who is actively harming them, according to the Sexual Assault Center of Edmonton. Lantz fears that the contrast between the mass amount of publicity and lack of each individual’s knowledge regarding the trial will create a harmful environment for survivors to come forward in the future. "I honestly feel like some people hear about this situation and don't know what to believe, it could definitely cause some harmful notions, especially about believing women," Lantz said. Enida Flowers, a survivor of domestic abuse and crisis line worker for the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, expressed the plausible cause and effect the trial will have on survivors of domestic abuse. "Sometimes seeing other survivors come forward gives others the courage to let them know they are not alone and not the only ones who suffer domestic violence,” Flowers said. “Yet, for others it makes them recoil further into the hands of their abuser." As a crisis line worker, Flowers conveyed the importance of treating survivors with respect and recognition for their bravery when initially calling for help. "When a victim comes forward, the first thing we do is congratulate them because we know that it is one of the most challenging moments in their lives," Flowers said."So often when survivors come forward, they are not thinking of themselves, but their children. It is our job to let them know that there is protection, and a life beyond the abuse they have endured." In terms of Depp and Heard, Flowers believes it isn't a matter of one party being correct nor a means to victory or celebration. "We will listen to both sides of the story and we will not know who is right or wrong,” Flowers said. “But still, no man, no woman, no being has the right to hit their partner. Not ever."
Johnny Depp & Amber Heard: A History 2009
2012
Heard and Depp meet on set of “The Rum Diaries"
Depp and Heard begin dating
2015 Depp and Heard get married on Feb 3
2016 Heard files for divorce on May 23
2018
2018
Heard publishes Op-Ed about being a victim of domestic violence in Washington Post
Depp is fired from Pirates of the Caribbean
2019 Depp sues Heard for defamation
2021 Depp's appeal for libel case is denied
2020 Depp loses role in "Fantastic Beasts"
2022 The defamation trial begins in Virginia on April 11 LILLY KELLER | THE DEPAULIA
Although the phrase "mutual abuse" has begun its circulation through social media, experts such as Ruth Glenn, the president of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, argue that there is always an instigator, according to NBC. Despite Depp’s time on the stand coming to a close, the legal proceedings are far from complete, with Heard set to testify on May 2.
While there may be a victor, in this legal case, it is crucial to understand the public will never truly understand what happens behind closed doors. For more support or resources, visit Sexual & Relationship Violence Prevention, or contact the National Domestic Violence hotline at 800-799-7233 for free, confidential help.
20 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
DePaul author challenges stigma surrounding mental health in new book
By Nadia Hernandez News Editor
Growing up, author and poet Erika L. Sánchez did not have a bookshelf in her home. Her parents were unable to read to her after being too exhausted from working long hours at factory jobs. Reading and writing weren’t encouraged in her household. However, Sánchez’s passion for writing bloomed when she began writing poetry at 12 years old. “I was good with words,” Sánchez said. “I was able to express myself and I just kind of clung to that.” Her love for poetry began to grow from there. She became the first writer in her family. Sánchez is a first-generation college graduate. Her parents immigrated to Cicero, Illinois in 1978 from Mexico. They worried about how she would make a living through writing and believed it was not a secure or promising career. “I always emphasize that poetry isn't often respected in our culture, isn't deemed important,” she said. “Poetry is something that encapsulates so much; it's this art form that, in some ways, is boundless, there are no true rules, you could do whatever.” Fast forward two decades, Sánchez is now a writer in residence at DePaul’s Latino American and Latino Studies program. She focuses her teaching on Latinx poetry and writing workshops and connecting with students. “We're talking about literature, it's not like science, this is about matters of the heart, what it means to be alive,” Sánchez said about her teaching philosophy. “From my experience, professors don't really care about what you think and how you feel. I refuse to be that way.” In 2019, Sánchez published her first young adult novel, “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter,” a mystery and coming of age story about Julia, a first-generation Mexican American young woman who wants to go to college in New York. Sánchez called upon her experiences growing up in dual cultures, which often left her feeling unworthy. “So many of us have this experience of belonging to a family where we don't really fit in, and we don't know how to be ourselves in this environment and we feel like we need to leave in order to grow,” Sánchez said. Cale Ruiz, a student at School of the Art Institute of Chicago, recently read Sánchez’s work in a Latinx literature class. They related to the main character’s stress of living up to her family’s expectations while wanting to become herself. “This book accurately describes the immense pressure on first-generation Latinx individuals to uphold the traditions and culture of their family, while simultaneously navigating American society,” Ruiz said. Latinx coming of age stories written by Latinx people are critical to accurately represent these unique experiences. “Being Latinx myself, exposure to books like ‘I'm Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter’ as a young adult would have undoubtedly helped with my own struggles of finding identity,” Ruiz said. DePaul junior Cindy Rocha was immediately drawn to the book upon seeing the cover art, which features the main character with her back turned to readers, when she read it in her junior year of high school. “The title itself with the cover art felt
EMILY SOTO | THE DEPAULIA
Erika Sanchez, a professor in Latin American and Latino studies at DePaul, is the author of the new book, Crying in the Bathroom.
like such a call to the standards which are high for particularly eldest daughters in a Latino household,” Rocha said. “I bought it and read it in about three days.” Rocha loved the book’s message about mental health, intergenerational trauma and immigration. “This book felt like home,” she said. Sánchez will also be the co-producer of the “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” Netflix film, which will be directed by America Ferrera with a screenplay by Linda Yvette Chávez. “[This] has the potential to bring this important story to a larger audience as well as further represent Latinx individuals in the film industry and media,” Ruiz said. Sánchez’s second book, “Crying in the Bathroom,” is a memoir and will be released in early July. Although it is not a sequel to her first book, she’ll continue many of the themes from the first, including mental health among Latinas. “Crying in the Bathroom” focuses primarily on the time Sánchez was in Spain as a Fulbright scholar. It was her first time being alone without the expectations of her family. She was able to engage with poetry on a level she couldn’t at home. “I flourished,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh, man, this is a life that I can have.’ I just had to, like, kind of reinvent myself there.” But as she returned, the 2008 recession made it difficult to find a job. Sánchez despised corporate life and was left feeling helpless. “I would be writing all the time on the side,” she said. “It was like, all I wanted to do, and I didn't know how to make it happen. So it was really frustrating.” It was difficult undergoing the writing process for her memoir. Sánchez was confronting the moments when she was most depressed and crying in the bathroom. But through writing about it, she freed herself as well. “It also felt like it was cathartic,” she said. “I was extracting something from my soul.” Unlike her first novel, her memoir will be her personal experiences with mental health. She will be vulnerable and honest about this taboo topic in Latinx culture, she said. “But I think it's important to be that honest and vulnerable because people connect to that,”
Sánchez said. “If I had something like this, it would have changed my life in some form. I want to make someone feel like this.” “Serious mental illness (SMI) rose from 4 percent to 6.4 percent in Latinx/Hispanic people ages 18-25, and from 2.2 percent to 3.9 percent in the 26-49 age range between 2008 and 2018,” according to Mental Health America. “I grew up feeling like I didn't matter,” Sánchez said. “When did I ever see someone like me doing anything interesting? The women in my family did not have it easy.” One story at a time, Sánchez is breaking the barriers of discussing difficult topics in Latinx culture. Sánchez is slowly starting to read to her 18-month-old daughter. “It's been really fun to read with her and take her to the Art Institute,” she said. “I'm doing very different things now with my daughter.”
PHOTO FROM @ERIKALSANCHEZ INSTAGRAM
Erika Sanchez's new memoir titled "Crying in the Bathroom," out July 12.
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Arts & Life. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 21
Blood and Booze
Mexican-Americans reflect on different celebrations of Cinco de Mayo as holiday approaches By Santiago Posada-Jaramillo La DePaulia Managing Editor
The images that come to mind for most people in the United States residents when thinking of the Cinco de Mayo are of Mexican flags, sombreros, long mustaches, tequila and, in general, a vibe of celebration and partying. But, where did this celebration come from and how has it changed with the passageing of time? It was late noon of May 5th, 1862, when the Mexican soldiers defending the city of Puebla saw the French army marching towards their position. These were dark days for the nation of Mexico. They had lost half their lands to the United States less than two decades ago, the crippling debt to European nations had impoverished the whole country, the division between conservatives and liberals could not get any deeper, and now the French army had come to claim Mexico as their own. These young and inexperienced Mexican soldiers would never have believed that some hours later they would be celebrating as the French army, the one that had at the start of the century started a war with all of Europe and nearly won, was retreating under heavy rain. "Yes, we celebrate the victory of the Mexican army over the French army that invaded Mexico, it is known as the Battle of Puebla,” said Benjamín Villanueva García, a 43-yearold, resident of Cancún, Mexico. “In Mexico it is more of a patriotic celebration, in the sense that a foreign invading army was defeated.” The memory of this battle brings pride to most Mexicans. At the time, the idea of Mexico as a sovereign nation was constantly being challenged both by external and internal forces. And the victory at Puebla seemed like a reason to feel pride and hope; like the impossible was possible. Juana Mora-Torres, an aAssociate pProfessor of Latin American History at DePaul University and author of the book “The Making of the Mexican Border,” Juan Mora-Torres told alked to The DePaulia about what
FRANKIE PEREZ | LA DEPAULIA
Cinco De Mayo means to him. “Since its independence, [Mexico] had been a divided country, no sense of nationhood, all kinds of political conflicts and military conflicts among themselves,” he said. “They lost half the territory to the U.S. Things were not going well. Right? So [the Battle of Puebla] was like the first sense of something good happening since the independence.,” he said. Sadly, it was short- lived. France continued its campaign to take control of Mexico and ended up succeeding in installing Maximilian I as Emperor of Mexico. But the Battle of Puebla ended up becoming a powerful symbol for Mexicans livingthat lived in the United States. Professor Mora-Torres suggests that the date is still remembered not necessarily because the victory had important implications at the time, but because it resonated with other struggles that Mexicans —, and later the whole Latino community —, in the US were facing in the U.S. As the years passed, different generations of Latinos in the U.S. could see their own struggles against immensely strong forces as parallels to what happened in Puebla centuries ago. “Every generation gets a different meaning from the Cinco de Mayo,”, he said. “And in my case, the youth of my generation found value in that because that was the moment of
the Civil Rights Movement.” Delia Cosentino, aActing cChair of Latin American and Latino Studies, and aAssociate pProfessor of History of Art and Architecture at DePaul University, had a similar view on the subject. “For those who do know the history, it makes sense to want to celebrate a David and Goliath sort of fight in which the less powerful player wins the battle (i.e. Mexico vs. France),” Consentino said. “It could be an analogy for marginalized communities in the U.S. feeling empowered in the face of Anglo political and social aggressions toward Latinos and Mexican -Americans in particular.” “Any holiday that brings people of a shared heritage together can serve as a form of social glue, giving an emboldened sense of commonality,” she continued. East Los Angeles, March 5, 1968. It started with the students at Garfield High School organizing a walkout and it ended up with thousands of Latino students walking out of their own schools all around the city. Not even the police were able to silence the Chicano movement that demanded to be listened to. These students stood against structural racism in the government that stripped them of their rights and their identities, and against the day-to-day racism that kept them away from opportunities of a better life and from
the respect they deserved. They hoped that one day they would beat the odds and wake up in a country that did not treat them as second-class citizens. Today, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the United States with folkloric dances and Mariachis, with sombreros and fireworks, but especially copious amounts of beer and tequila. According to Nielsen, a data and market measurement firm, more than $735 million worth of beer and related malt beverages was bought in the U.S. in 2016’s Cinco de Mayo. Mora-Torres explains that when there’s money to be made, companies will take advantage.; Mmargaritas, tequila, Mexican beers, nachos —, all of these have become a part of the celebration of Cinco de Mayo. But he says that even the first Cinco de Mayo, in San Francisco, had celebrations. “You have to celebrate,”, he said.insists, “Nnow the celebration has taken over and the politics have been neglected, right? But every generation will find some value in the Cinco de Mayo.” “In my generation, it was about civil rights,” he said. “And so, the young people got to find their agenda. And I think they will use the Cinco de Mayo as a metaphor, because it is an event that highlights the David against the Goliath struggle […] But I have no problem celebrating. Okay. It has been a very long winter. We have been two years with Covid. OVID”, he said. It is May of 2022, Chicago. While we go through a winter that does not want to end, I write this article in my room as the sun sets. As a Latino student in the U.S., I cannot keep my mind away from the current struggles: how there are still people being treated as illegal for making a hard decision to forge a better future for themselves, or how still the stereotypes around Latinos frame what we are expected to be capable of, or how neighborhoods with a majority of Latino population are being neglected even in a city that prides itself of being liberal. In the end, I feel relief, because I know that the reason why David beats Goliath is because he never stops throwing stones.
'Don't be discouraged'
Journalist awardees give advice to students about to enter the field By Amber Stoutenborough Arts & Life Editor
Aspiring student journalists look to those before them for inspiration. On April 28, Bill Whitaker and Heidi Wigdahl visited DePaul’s Advanced Reporting class to answer questions and provide advice for the next generation of journalists. Bill Whitaker, a correspondent on the CBS News program “60 Minutes” came to DePaul along with Hiedi Wigdahl, multimedia journalist at KARE 11 and DePaul alum. Both were honored by DePaul’s Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence, awarded by Carol Marin, former CBS 2 anchor and co-director of the center. In addition, Newton Minow was honored at the ceremony with this year’s Distinguished Mentor Award. Whitaker was honored as the center’s Distinguished Journalist of the Year, after 2 years of the ceremony being held virtually because of the pandemic. After four decades of reporting all around the world from Tokyo to Los Angeles, even embedding in presidential campaigns, Whitaker’s journalism experience speaks for itself. Of his biggest stories includes his “60 Minutes” story on the opioid crisis in
which he won a Peabody Award. In an interview with student media, Whitaker offered advice to student journalists looking to break into the field. “Don't be discouraged. When I first started I was so full of myself that I was determined I was going to get a job in the northeast, or the West Coast, Chicago,” Whitaker said. “I looked for work for almost two years and got rejected by so many places that I was truly ready to give up.” Whitaker said his wife encouraged him to push past the setbacks. That’s when he finally got a job at WBTV. Wigdahl gave similar advice to student journalists. She was awarded the Distinguished Alumna award at this year’s ceremony. When she graduated from DePaul in 2010, she was named “Journalism Student of the Year” by the College of Communication. Best known for her work as a multimedia journalist, Wigdahl believes the best way to start out is to branch out into all formats of journalism. “My first piece of advice would be to do everything- so as you get further along in your career, you most likely will get more specialized, kind of hone in on your expertise,” Wig-
PHOTO COURTESY OF RANDALL SPRINGS (DEPAUL UNIVERSITY)
Heidi Wigdahl (left), Bill Whitaker (middle) and Carol Marin (right) speak to journalism students in the advanced reporting class on the 11 floor of DePaul center in the loop. dahl said. “Just getting out there, trying all the his own personal different types of media forms and then get- experience. Whitaker added that passion is ting into the practice of doing it will help you important for someone’s career to last, it can’t just be about money. so much in the end.” “It's just that the next one is the one you When Wigdahl was at DePaul, she was the News Editor of the DePaulia, worked on Good have to go for. Don't be discouraged. You will Day DePaul and interned with Carol Marin be rejected. Well, you have to have a thick skin and Don Moseley on DePaul’s Documentary and you have to want to do this,” Whitaker Project. Wigdahl believes all of this helped her said. “Once you get it…now, what are you going to do because it's really hard. It's really get to where she is today. “Knowing how to do all of it, and doing it hard. The hours are long, the pain is in the well is really important because a lot of times middle. The pressures and the challenges are you will be asked to do both web and broad- relentless.” cast,”Wigdahl said. Getting over failure and rejection was the biggest takeaway Whitaker emphasized from
22 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
'The Debut' is a holistic representation of the Filipino-American experience By Nika Schoonover Print Managing Editor
For Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I decided to look at art that highlights the Asian American experience. This week, in accordance with my own culture, I decided to watch “The Debut,” a film starring Dante Basco about a Filipino American boy who reacquaints himself with his cultural roots through his sister’s debut. A debut is a large party that celebrates a Filipino girl’s 18th birthday. In the film, Ben Mercado (Dante Basco) trudges through his sister’s debut, sighing at his family’s questions about his future and fighting with his dad about the possibility of art school. Unlike the other teenagers in the movie, he also seems to be the only one who doesn’t know any of the other Filipinos his age, isolating him even more from his culture. The culture he is swearing off is contrasted with the white people he chooses to surround himself with, and the shame he feels when they are acquainted with his family. It isn’t until his white friends meet him at his sister’s party that he is able to shed some of that shame when he sees how much fun they have. Through his experience in the debut, Ben indulges in small moments that help him engage with his culture. He learns to dance, appreciates the performances, including a song his father sings to his sister, and spends time with his sister’s friends.
This film depicts Filipino American culture well, but especially in smaller moments. For instance, the awkwardness when Ben doesn’t “bless” his grandfather, meaning take his hand to his forehead when he greets him, sets the tone for the tense relationship with his grandfather. In addition, the food, actors, dances and decorations all work together to create a depiction of Filipino culture that feels both stereotypical and true to reality when watching this film. “The Debut” is one of the first Filipino American features to be made, making this piece an especially impressive feat. Not only is it rare to see Filipino American representation in the media, it’s rare to have so much of it. The story arc is simple, showing that Ben is struggling with his culture but reaffirms his appreciation for it by attending his sister’s debut. In addition to Ben’s arc, the film reveals his tense relationship with his father who doesn’t want him to go to art school. Later, a scene between Ben’s father and grandfather shows a similarly tense relationship. Like Ben’s father, his grandfather showed disappointment in the path his father chose for himself. By the end of the film, however, a reconciliation between Ben and his father is left open when his father tells him that he’ll “talk to his mother” about it. There is no grand moment and no
PHOTO BY IMDB
Joy Bisco (left), Dante Basco and Bernadette Balagtas pose in the film "The Debut."
tears but the very possibility of this reconciliation seems to be enough. This film depicts Filipino culture in the small moments that many Filipino Americans will be able to recognize
themselves in, but in the cultural and familial struggles they experience as immigrants. Watching this film, I saw so much of myself and my family, and it was wholly
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1016 N. DEARBORN
What’s Fresh Cage playing Cage has charm, lacks overall substance
Arts & Life. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 23
PHOTO BY IMDB
By Jacob Costello Staff Writer
“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is a love letter to Nicolas Cage, one of the most memorable actors to ever grace the silver screen. The movie is an action comedy wrapped in meta humor about Cage. While the movie gets a fair share of laughs out of me it is missing the material needed to stand out amongst Cage’s extensive filmography. “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” follows a down on his luck Cage, played by the man himself. After losing out on a big acting job, Cages takes a $1 million gig to be a guest at a superfan’s birthday party. Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal) is a Cage fanatic who quickly develops a strong bromance with the actor. However, two CIA agents, played by Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz, approach Cage and tell him Gutierrez is a powerful gangster and ask him to use his newfound friendship to gather intel on the dangerous man. Cage is faced with the strenuous decision between his country or the friendship of his close companion. Let me be clear before you read the rest of this review, I am a huge Nick Cage fan. Not as big a fan as Pascal’s character in this movie, but I turn on a Cage movie whenever I need
to feel good for two hours. Cage is a unique actor because of the effort he puts into his performances, regardless of the quality of the movie. It does not matter if he is playing a gruff action hero, a reclusive truffle farmer, a conspiracy-theorist historian or any other of his numerous roles, Cage gives 110 percent of his acting chops into the movie. Sure, this gave us hundreds of memes of his often ridiculous performances, but I think it is amazing that he has been working in Hollywood for over forty years and has not phoned in a single performance. “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” is chock full of Cage-isms and references to his large body of work. While as a Cage fan I got some level of enjoyment out of this, it really is not much more than the movie saying, “Hey! Remember how funny and weird Nick Cage is?” Instead of writing their own clever bits about the eccentricities of the actor, the movie relies on reference humor that plagues many cringe-worthy movies like “Ready Player One” or 2016’s “Ghostbusters.” The best part of this movie is the relationship between Cage and Pascal. They have one of my favorite onscreen bromances I have ever seen. Their relationship starts out as purely transactional, but as the movie progresses the two men find themselves growing
Nicolas Cage and Pedro Pascal star in "The Unbearable Weight of Massive talent."
closer and closer. The chemistry between Cage and Pascal makes it impossible to watch their friendship without a smile on your face. When the movie isn’t showing us a beautiful bromance or fan service references we are given a mediocre action comedy. Cage and Pascal do their best to have fun with it, but the lackluster writing really shows in these segments. The CIA versus gangster plot does not have the love that was so clearly put into the other parts of this movie. The action scenes do not nearly reach highs as Cage’s best action work, same the ” or “Con Air.” This mov“Face/Off as such but lacks the insanity passable, is action ie’s grown to expect with have we that or charm movies. Cage Nick Cage’s portrayal of himself is another highlight. This iteration of Cage is an alcoholic, bad father, and plans to retire from acting. His character has a washed-up feeling that perfectly captures how much of the public perceives the actor. One unfortunate downside of the way this movie portrays him is the figment of his imagination, Nicky. Nicky is a young Cage who reminds the current day Cage of his talent and starpower. As an idea, I really like current day Cage
interacting with a younger version of himself full of the energy and wildness that made him a household name. However, the movie ruins this fun idea with terrible deaging effects on Cage. Nicky looks like an action figure and completely took me out of the movie whenever he was on screen. I love the performance he gives, which is very reminiscent of his role in “Wild at Heart,” but the plastic-like skin of the character takes away from my enjoyment of the character. As a whole package, “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” has a lot to like. The bromance between Cage and Pascal, Cage’s exaggerated version of himself, and the meta jokes about the unconventional actor were easily my favorite parts. The movie is brought down by surface-level writing, mediocre action and a half-baked plot. This movie is at its best when Cage and Pascal are just hanging out and being goofy together. I am very happy this is a movie that exists, but I really do wish it left me with something more. I am giving “The Unbearable Weight of a Massive Talent” three out of five stars.
Going Retro! Lizzo comes through with a disco-inspired banger By Chinyere Ibeh Film and Music critic Lizzo released her latest single, “About Damn Time,” on April 14 and it did not disappoint. The new song will be on Lizzo’s upcoming album, “Special,” which is slated for release on July 15. “About Damn Time” features uplifting affirmations after a stressful period in her life. During the bridge, Lizzo proudly sings “Oh, I've been so down and under pressure // I'm way too fine to be this stressed, yeah.” This part of the song features a common theme in Lizzo’s music: confidence. During the last part of the song, where she repeatedly sings “I’m coming out tonight,” her infamous flute-playing made an appearance. According to her 2019 interview with CBS News, Lizzo began playing the flute in elementary school. She remembers being obsessed with becoming good and she even dreamed of attending the Paris Conservatory after her time in college. Even though she had stopped playing the flute for some time, she eventually picked it back up and integrated it into her music.
PHOTO BY IMDB
Lizzo, singer and songwriter, performs on stage. Her latest single "About Damn Time"
Dubbed Sasha Flute, a nod to Beyoncé’s album “I Am…Sasha Fierce,” it has its own Instagram account with 310 thousand followers. Another instrumental aspect of “About Damn Time,” would be the strong presence of the bass, piano and drums. The combination serves as a reminder of the disco era of the 70s. The second verse starts off with just
the bass and drums and the piano joins in to emphasize the words Lizzo is singing. During the chorus, when Lizzo sings “it’s about damn time,” the piano plays in sync with the words. The accompanying music video matches the song perfectly. It begins with Lizzo in a “Stressed & Sexy” support group; the group leader had asked everyone to recite a poem they made
that compared something that stressed them out to something that made them feel sexy. Of course, Lizzo was called on first to share her poem and the music video ensued. Throughout the video, we see Lizzo dancing throughout the halls of a building and singing what we can assume is the poem she wrote for the support group session. She started out wearing a gray sweat suit and she ended in this purple and sparkly one piece. During the first chorus, we see the hallways turned into a bright and colorful dance floor, with alternating neon tiles. It’s clearly reminiscent of the dance floors of the disco-era in the 70s. Lizzo has been a champion for confidence and self-love for her whole career. Just like much of her discography, “About Damn Time” serves as another commercial-ready hit from Lizzo that centers around healing and finally coming out of an episode of stress. If her upcoming album is anything like “About Damn Time,” it shouldn’t disappoint either.
24 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
St.Vincent’s
D e JAMZ
“Spinning fresh beats since 1581” By K iersten Rieford Asst. News Editor
Music blasts from the living room as I hear my mom singing obnoxiously loud. Her singing gets closer and closer with the second. Mind you, I was just asleep, but I’m not anymore, especially after she slams into the door singing with a broom handle as a microphone. “Get up, sweetie, it’s cleaning time!” My mom yells then leaves the door wide open as she glides off with her broom. With spring showers finally hitting, tulips being planted in the quad and trees beginning to blossom at last, it calls for spring cleaning time. As you dance with your broom or mop and sing into your duster this spring, sing along to some of these upbeat songs that will make you actually want to clean. “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” by Stevie Wonder When I say my mom barged in the door in the morning, it was either to some
loud country music or to this song. This song will make me hop out of bed faster than when you wake up late for a class. It will for sure fuel your cleaning day, especially if you don’t have any motivation to start. Let your dancing feet carry you to the cleaning supplies and get to work. “You Make Me Feel So Young” by Michael Buble This song never fails to make me break out into song. Without fail, this song will have me sliding across wood floors in my socks in the morning, and I am not a morning person. This takes me back to when I was little, washing the windows and glass doors with my dad as he made silly faces at me through the outside of the glass door. “Olivia” by One Direction Usually this song is one that I would blast as I’m flying down a highway with my windows open, but it always makes me forget what I’m doing — which is why it’s perfect for cleaning. You never have to focus on the actu-
Crossword Start to Finish by Alejandro Arakelian
al task again, just listen to Harry Styles' voice singing about a chick named “Olivia” and get all that grime and nastiness off your surfaces. Honestly, listen to this when you clean your stove or your microwave. “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison This song is more of a chill option for when you’re trying to focus on something. It’s more background vibes, but it’s perfect for when you’re trying to organize things. The lyrics are practically ingrained in my head so it’s easy to sing along without paying attention. This would be ideal for going through your closet to find out what to and what not to get rid of. “Summer of ‘69” by Bryan Adams Ending with a banger, of course. This song will give you the final push you need to finish out your spring cleaning. Blast this song, I beg of you. It’ll take you to a different world. This song is perfect for giving you the motivation to finally clean that shower you’ve been avoiding all day.
ACROSS 1 Yucatán native 5 "Ctrl" singer 8 Knocked out of the park 12 Scent 13 Laughs from Santa 14 Give up 15 Jump into the deep end 18 "The Lion King" antagonists 19 Animal that sleeps holding hands 20 Large wardrobe 24 Col. Sanders's chain 27 One of five 28 Acknowledge applause 31 Become extremely happy with one's existence 34 Boyfriend 35 Early email provider 36 Insects in a colony 37 Lost one's v-card 40 What must come to an end 46 ___ Munich (German football club) 47 Eternal 48 Obvious 49 Kind of scheme 50 ___-ified 51 Leak slowly
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIKI
DOWN 1 Insect with fuzzy antennae 2 "An apple ___..." 3 Oxen neckwear 4 Chicago's United Center, for one 5 Librarian's admonition 6 Actress Kravitz 7 Nile viper 8 Sharp 9 Penny 10 Verge 11 One in the headlights? 16 Ankle bones 17 Actress Sophia 21 Explosive unit 22 Waiting to talk 23 Go into hiding 24 Russian spy org. 25 Charge 26 L operator 28 Trash collector 29 Many a time 30 Jazz guitarist Montgomery 32 Affectionate greeters 33 Meztizos 38 ___ cloud: solar system region beyond Pluto 39 Breakfast chain that's open late 40 Bjork's "Venus as ___" 41 Magma on the surface 42 Soapmaking solutions 43 Number of innings 44 Long look 45 Short cut
Sports
Sports. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 25
Golf places ninth at Big East Tournament, look forward to next year By Preston Zbroszczyk Contributing Writer
The 2021-2022 DePaul golf team concluded its season on Wednesday, where the team finished 9th place out of 10 in the Big East Tournament. This was not the outcome the Blue Demons had envisioned when they arrived in Pine Mountain, Georgia. The team had two weeks of preparation and countless examinations of Callaway Gardens Golf Course, but things never fell into place on the green. Head coach Marty Schiene said “we weren’t really not hitting on all cylinders” when it came down to performing their best on the course. “Some of our key players were not playing that well and that gave me a little concern,” Schiene said. The Blue Demons left campus three days prior to Monday’s start, which was something Schiene and his staff had never done to prepare for the Big East Championship in the past. There was more time to take the attention away from golf because of the team’s early departure, meaning more motivational time to inspire the team that anything is possible in these tournaments. “The night before the tournament we watched the movie ‘Miracle on Ice’about the U.S. Olympic [men’s hockey] team who in 1980 won the gold,” Schiene said. “I mean that fired me up, I think it fired the guys up, tried to get some juices going and make them feel good.” Having never played in Pine Mountain in the past, the Blue Demons had to adjust and prepare for more than just certain shots or angles “There are different grasses in Georgia,” Schiene said. “The Bermuda grass is a little different, so we did spend a lot of time around the green, chipping out of that grass, putting in those greens trying to get a better feel.” Junior Artemiy Yalovenko finished 17th and fifth-year senior Nik Gatmaytan finished tied for 22nd, both rounding out the top 25 for DePaul as the two highest performers. The highlight of the tournament was on the final day, as Gatmaytan and senior Grant Boyson took the course one final time as members of the DePaul golf team and truly gave it their all one last time.
Softball
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE WOLTMANN/DEPAUL ATHLETICS
DePaul golf graduate student Nik Gatmaytan follows through a swing. He had a total score of 220 at the Big East Tournament. After shooting a comfortable 234 in the three rounds at Georgia, Boyson finished fourth on the team and 46th overall in his final performance. Boyson reflected on what his time at DePaul meant as he pursues medical school next year. “For me, the experience was everything,” Boyson said. “From practices, to traveling to tournaments, being with the guys there is really nothing like it. We are all best friends, even the coaches.” For Gatmaytan, his performance was nearly perfect. In the first round of the tournament, he shot a 73, just one stroke over par. He followed up his first round shooting even par with a score 72 in the second round. Gatmaytan finished his third round with a 75 and a total score of 220, just four strokes over par for the whole tournament. Gatmaytan said his strategy for a good
performance comes in his preparation. “When I get the chance I’ll go through the course on Google Earth, or sometimes we will have classroom sessions where, as a team, we look at the golf course and see if it is very narrow, or very long,” Gatmaytan said. It is no coincidence that those two performed well and have the most experience on the team. Leading up to the Big East Championship, they gave words of advice to the rest of the group, letting them know that the moment wasn’t too big for any of them. “The past [experience] helps other guys, because you can motivate them and kind of explain what to expect and help them play to the best of their abilities,” Boyson said. Although the outcome was not ideal for the Blue Demons, Schiene talked about the fight this team had and how it reminded him of the team he coached in his first year at DePaul, which finished
second in the Big East Tournament. “These guys really care,” Schiene said. “They care about getting better, they care about working hard. They are always bringing new ideas on how we can improve.” As the Blue Demons start to put this season behind, looking forward to next season the team will not look much different. The same combination of experience and new recruits will make the roster. Trying to replace Boyson and Gatmaytan will be a challenge, but returning seven out the nine players from this season means the camaraderie amongst the team will pick up right where it left off. “We will have three of our better players who will be back for their fourth year,” Schiene said. “So experience goes a long way in golf, and a lot of teams that do have success are a little more mature with some older guys.”
Updates from the weekend
Versus Creighton Friday
• 9-4 W, Maranda Gutierrez had three hits, Anna Wohlers had a hit and 3 RBIs, Tori Meyer and Riley Pool each had a hit and two RBIs
Saturday
• 11-6 L, Meyer and Carly Alvers had two hits, Gutierrez, Wohlers, Brooke Johnson, Kate Polucha and Baylee Cosgrove all had one hit and one RBI, Erin Hocker and Julyana Gomez pitched three innings
Sunday
• 9-3 W, Polucha had three
hits and 2 RBIs, Cosgrove a • Griffin Lehnhardt - 2nd in grand slam, Wohlers had a men 3000m, 8:51.00 hit and 2 RBIs • Alex Bernstein - 2nd in men’s hammer throw, 60.61m • Jade Pope - 2nd in women At Clark-Woods Invita400m dash, 54.93 tional • Tori Carrol - 3rd in women • Jarel Terry - 1st in men 100m dash, 11.61 400m dash, 46.52 • Men 4x100m - 1st, 40.50 • Darius Brown - 2nd in • Men 4x400m - 3rd, 3:21.85 men 110m hurdles, 13.99
Track and Field
26 | Sports. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022
DePaul runners leap hurdles to the finish line By Isabelle Bohanek Contributing Writer
It takes an audacious athlete to conquer hurdles. Hurdlers clear nearly three foot high barriers, rain or shine, and change their strategy by the distance. It has to be more than speed, grit and technical ability that gets an athlete to run full-speed through hurdles. “I saw people jumping hurdles, so you know, I decided to jump a hurdle,” freshman Darius Brown said. Brown is a first-year athlete on the DePaul Track and Field team and is already a top performer in the men’s 110-meter hurdles. He took on the hurdles by chance after a hamstring injury in middle school. “I had a really good coach in high school and she actually got me into hurdles. It took off from there,” Brown said. The rising hurdler placed first in the 110 hurdles with a time of 14.05 seconds at the Gibson Invitational two weeks ago. The event consists of 10 hurdles standing at 42 inches placed 9.14 meters apart, much different than the indoor 60-meter hurdle event with only five hurdles. Brown also runs in the 400-meter hurdles which require an entirely different approach. Yet, his success is a testament to the athletic ability he has cultivated over the years. “It changes a lot because for…400 hurdles, you’ve got to go full out every time,” Brown said “There’s a certain amount of steps and a certain way you’ve got to run the race. You can’t just jog up to the hurdle and jump over it in practice — that’s not how it works.” Hurdlers train differently once the outdoor season starts in spring. Rhythm work is a crucial component in their training that allows the athletes to work on their technique and establish a consistent stride for the race. Athletes practice with four to five hurdles during the indoor season but inevitably transition to more during their practices for the outdoor season. While hurdlers benefit from a stable mind, their race is anything but steady. They are constantly seeking a lower center of gravity to accelerate. To achieve this, a hurdler leans into the first leg that clears the barrier. The lead leg is the first leg that goes over the hurdle and the trail leg follows. When an athlete finds their rhythm, they alternate legs and create momentum after clearing each barrier. “I think a lot of it is the foundational sprint mechanics, training, just being in shape, and I think because I’ve hurdled you know, eight years now, my form is my form and it’s pretty well put together,” senior Isabel Ingram said. The 33 inch high barriers did not deter Ingram from competing at a collegiate level for the past four years. She faced unique challenges during her sophomore and junior years due to Covid but has experienced a newfound peace with her racing as a senior. “I came in with a lot of anxiety as a freshman and I had to change my whole way of thinking about the sport,” Ingram said. “I had to find what was fun again and find my joy in order to balance the stress and the pressures of winning. I think I finally got to that this year, so it took me a while, but I think that’s just part of the process and part of growing.”. Ingram runs in the women’s 100-meter hurdles and the 400 hurdles. The consistent hurdler won the 100 hurdles back-to-back at the Gibson
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUL ATHLETICS
Isabel Ingram leaps over a hurdle at the Big East Indoor Track and Field Championship. She placed fifth in the women’s 60m hurdles. Invitational and Louisville Invitational last year. She anticipates success for the team as a whole due to the grit that characterizes their approach. “I want to say I’ve never seen us so invested and, as a whole, just the grit that everyone has,” Ingram said. “They are very serious about it, they are really excited to win, and they’re locked in for sure.” While acknowledging the intense training, Brown and Ingram prefer the outdoor track season to the indoor season. The five extra hurdles in the 100 hurdles, 110 hurdles and 400 hurdles give the athletes a chance to make up for slow starts and get up to their top speed. The only challenge is the unpredictable weather hurdlers when competing outdoors. “I would say that’s the major difference between indoor and outdoor, just dealing with the elements,” assistant coach Stephanie Williams said. “It’s the same for everyone so it’s not like it’s just windy and raining in your lane, but it can definitely be a challenge.” The 2021-2022 track season marks Williams’ 11th season as the assistant coach for the DePaul Track and Field Program. As a former student-athlete from DePaul, she understands the unique challenges athletes face each season and does what she can to support her athletes. “I want to be the coach I needed when I was a student-athlete,” Williams said. “So, I’m really big on those relationships and pushing them, you know, still having fun but we’re also going to handle business when it’s time and they know that. When the switch is flipped, we’re not playing around and I need you to handle your business.” As a hurdling veteran, Ingram isn’t unfamiliar with handling her business or enduring change. Yet, one part of her track and field career that remains nearly unscathed is her pre-race ritual.
“The night before I always make tea — peppermint tea — and I wear the same warmup, old ratty leggings and sweatshirt because that’s just what I’ve worn and what I feel comfortable in,” Ingram said. “I’ve [also] developed this really obnoxious grand opening thing at my start looking side-to-side and doing some rainbow kicks, but then I’m ready to race.” Brown and Ingram will prepare for
the Big East Outdoor Championships the next two weeks before heading to Connecticut the second weekend of May. Like the rest of the track and field team, both athletes hope to put up solid races. “I just got to work a little harder and it’s right there,” Brown said. “It’s just mechanics, I got to prop my nose up a little bit more in between the hurdles, and I should be able to get there.”
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Sports. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 27 SOFTBALL, continued from back page think the joy is they’re freshmen. One, when you’re freshmen, nobody knows you, nobody has information on you, and even though we have a lot of video scouting, they’re still kind of protected a little bit and they’ve taken advantage of a lot of the opportunities that they’ve been given.” Young players not only bring new faces and experience to teams, but they can also be a bright spot for teams down the stretch as seasons begin to end and players get ready to graduate. This season, Cosgrove and Alvers have had the chance to learn from the older members, but also leave their own marks on the team in their first years. “We’ve played in some really cool places for preseason, we’ve played all around the country, so those were some really great experiences,” Alvers said. “And to watch the older girls, like the seniors, watching them succeed has really been a good feeling and cool to see.” DePaul began recruiting Alvers when she was a junior in high school, and while her career at DePaul began slowly, she has made a large impact for the Blue Demons during the past few weeks. The Mokena, Illinois native made her debut on Feb. 19 against Oregon State and began getting more and more at bats, including a game against UIC on April 6 where she had two hits. Against Northern Illinois on April 20, Alvers had three hits in four at bats that scored three runs. “At first, I wasn’t really playing a lot,” Alvers said. “But, when I did get the opportunity, I really succeeded and really helped the team and showed my abilities and what I can do, so I’m just trying to keep going and keep up the hard work.” Alvers was named the Big East Freshman of the Week on April 25 after a dom-
Upcoming Schedule
Softball
• May 3 vs. Northwestern, 4 p.m. • May 6 at Providence, 4 p.m. • May 7 at Providence, 12 p.m. • May 8 at Providence, 11 a.m.
Track and Field • May 7 at the Bob Harris Open in Notre Dame, Ind. DARCY WASKIEWICZ | THE DEPAULIA
Freshman Carly Alvers hits the ball against Georgetown. She had four hits in the series. inant weekend against Georgetown. In game one on April 23, Alvers had two hits and one RBI. In the second game of the double header, Alvers also had two hits, but those two scored five runs, helping the Blue Demons to a 17-0 win. “I was honestly really shocked at first because I was like, ‘wow I never thought this would happen to me like especially
being a freshman,’ but I was super excited,” Alvers said on the honor. “All my roommates were there when we found out and they were really happy for me and I’m just really grateful to play with them and they’re literally my number one supporters.”
Men’s Tennis • May 2 at 5 p.m. selection show to find out first-round opponent in NCAA Tournament
MEN’S TENNIS, continued from back page “Last year, we had never been to the tournament before,” Tuff said. “Having played in it, a lot of guys got consumed by the pressure of the environment. Going into this year, it is about making sure that in part with the Big East tournament this year, we gear up the young guys on the team.” One of the reasons they believe this year would be different is due to the schedule they played outside of conference. Playing against top 30 schools in the country put the team in a better state from a preparation perspective to approach the tournament the right way. “We had a tough schedule,” Tonejc said. “I think it is going to help us, and we can use those experiences to help us get back into our rhythm again.” As the team prepares for the tournament, the emphasis will not just be putting their best efforts forward, but having fun in the process, especially for the new guys. “My message has always been to strive to go about your time here and not have regrets,” Brothers said. “Be in the moment, don’t worry about the last point, and don’t have any regrets. The guys are going to be nervous, but they can work through that. I don’t worry about that with these guys. They are confident.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF TRAVIS BELL
Tripp Tuff, DePaul tennis graduate student, swings into the ball at the Big East Tournament on April 24 in Cayce, South Carolina.
Sports
Sports. The DePaulia. May 2, 2022 | 28
The future is bright DARCY WASKIEWICZ | THE DEPAULIA
DePaul softball freshman Baylee Cosgrove swings into the ball against Illinois on April 27. Cosgrove hada grand slam against Creighton on Sunday and has 19 hits on the season.
The bats are hot for softball freshmen, find success in first season By Darcy Waskiewicz Sports Editor
One of the biggest challenges with college teams is the revolving door of players that graduate or move on from the program. That makes it more important when the young players on the team find early success in their careers. DePaul freshman softball players Baylee Cosgrove and Carly Alvers have found that success. In their first season as Blue Demons, both Cosgrove and Alvers had an immediate impact this spring. In the past
month, Cosgrove and Alvers have come off the bench for the Blue Demons and have left their mark on the field and the scoresheet with dominant offense. From Loda, Illinois, Cosgrove broke out against Villanova in the first weekend of April, where she had three hits that scored five runs, including a home run in the first two games of the series. She has 16 hits and 17 runs batted in this season, as well as four home runs. “I’m from a really small town so visiting here was really cool trying to get something different than what I usually live in,” Cosgrove said. “Then, when I
came on at camp here, all the girls just seemed so fun, and everyone was really welcoming so that was my biggest thing.” In the Blue Demons’ sweep over Georgetown on April 23-24, Cosgrove had four hits, with three of those hits coming from all three times up to bat in game one. She recently had a grand slam against Creighton on Sunday to push the Blue Demons to a 9-3 victory and a series win. “I think I kind of started off rough and had a bunch of ups and downs,” Cosgrove said. “But having some great
leaders and getting us through that and seeing where we both come is really cool to me for my first season.” The team is full of experienced players. Out of all the DePaul teams, softball has the most graduate students and seniors, which helps the younger members get more knowledge and experience by playing with them. And both Cosgrove and Alvers picked that up while also providing depth as new players. “I think they’re doing a great job,” head coach Tracie Adix-Zins said. “I
See SOFTBALL, page 27
Men’s tennis excited for another shot at NCAA title By Joshua M. Hicks Asst. Sports Editor
After completing a successful regular season and postseason that saw them win back-to-back conference championships, the DePaul men’s tennis team looks forward to taking their experiences to new heights as they prepare for the Division I Men’s Tennis Championships taking place May 19-28, 2022. The team is currently still in awe about going to the tournament last season, and have had time to somewhat celebrate their accomplishment, including having freshman Marino Jakic throw out the first pitch at DePaul’s softball game against Illinois. “It was a long time coming,” head coach Matt Brothers said. “Last year was special and a unique group of guys. This year, we are a really young team. I thought anything was possible, but in the beginning I didn’t know what we had. The guys really embraced working hard every day, improving and continued to express that throughout the season. Their hard work paid off.”
The hard work continues as they prepare to play the best competition around the world. The team took two days off after winning the conference championship before getting back into their practice routine. “A lot of our schools had the same schedules as us,” junior Vito Tonejc said. “In practice, we played a lot of points and matches, so I think it was good to refresh a little from the season.” The remaining members of the Band of Brothers participated in both conference championships. Last year they were the younger players learning the ropes of achieving success. This year, they were the veteran presence that led the
ment.”
Tonejc expressed desires to pursue a professional career once the season ends. From an individual perspective, this experience would be a good test for Tonejc, and he is ready to put his competitive spirit to practice playing against the best in the collegiate realm. “It feels good because you want to play against the best,” Tonejc said. “That is a good test for yourself. I like the challenge.” The real challenge for this squad, however, will be how the young core will step up for the team in the tournament. The young guys have proven themPHOTO COURTESY OF TRAVIS BELL
Marino Jakic and Matteo Iaquinto celebrate after their win at the Big East Tournament. team to greatness once again. “It honestly has not kicked in yet,” Tonejc said. “A lot of people said congratulations and that was cool, but we still have to practice for the tourna-
selves to be reliable under the biggest stages. They played a vital role in securing the title as back-to-back champions. “The younger guys made some valuable contributions to this Big East title,”
graduate Tripp Tuff said after winning the conference tournament. “We’ve officially welcomed them to the Band of Brothers.” Similar to the conference championships, the new members of the Band of Brothers will be able to embrace another experience that they have not experienced yet. Tuff believes that it is important to prepare them for the NCAA tournament similarly to the conference tournament. “We have experience in playing in the tournament and against top teams,” Tuff said. “We are doing our best to explain to the younger guys what to expect, but also let them know that they should be confident in themselves and the team with all that we have accomplished this year.” Last year, the team attended their first Division I NCAA tournament. It was a learning experience for them since they had never been in that type of situation before. With that experience under their belt, the elder statesmen believe that this year’s trip can be different.
See MEN’S TENNIS, page 27