The DePaulia 2.5.2024

DePaulia

The

Volume #108 | Issue #12 | Feb. 5, 2024 | depauliaonline.com

‘It was our moment of blessing’ CARY ROBBINS | LA DEPAULIA

The Mota-Rivero and Kessler-Flauto families stand in front of the tree remembering the day they first met after eating dinner together on the night of Nov. 5, 2023. Since that day, the families have started to eat dinners together and feel their families have merged into one.

Migrant family finds a home with the help of a DePaul professor

By Cary Robbins Managing Editor, La DePaulia

The home of Kelly Kessler, a DePaul professor, was louder than usual one night in early November. She and her wife Elizabeth Flauto were preparing chicken and dumpling soup to share with who they call their new family. The Venezuelan couple and their young son had just landed in Chicago five months before, after a long journey from their home country.

The sound of cards flipping — while Kessler and Pablo, the young boy, played cards — intertwined with the sounds of pots clanking, knives cutting cheese and laughter.

When Emilio Mota came to the U.S. with his partner Albani Rivero and their 4-yearold son, Pablo Mota, they had high hopes of finding safety and a home for Pablo. They were escaping extreme poverty and misery caused by Venezuela’s political turmoil.

They didn’t immediately find a home but did find Kessler and her wife, who opened their house and heart to them a few days after arriving in the city. Thanks to the cou-

ple’s support, the migrant family has a lawyer helping them with their asylum case, and they also have an apartment after months of struggling in the city-run shelters.

Leaving their native country wasn’t easy.

It took Rivero and Mota months to prepare, and the day they decided to make the trek North was “a day of much thinking,” Rivero said.

After their son ingested a poisonous chemical, they realized they could not afford to take him to the doctor. This pushed them to make a definitive decision to say goodbye to their loved ones in Guarico, Venezuela.

For months, the family traveled through South and Central America on foot. When they finally arrived in Chicago, they found themselves feeling hopeless.

Though they had found safety in a migrant shelter at Wilbur Wright College on Chicago’s Northwest Side, they were lost as they tried to navigate life in a new city.

That’s when Flauto, Kessler’s wife, found them in June. The family was standing underneath a tree outside their house in Jefferson Park. Rivero said they were trying to find a

way to Skokie to fill out paperwork required by the shelter.

When Rivero saw Flauto come outside, she felt an instinct to ask her for help.

“It was our moment of blessing,” Rivero said.

Neither of them spoke the other’s language.

Mota opened a translator app on his phone. He used it to explain where they needed to go.

Flauto invited the family into her backyard. She offered them fruit and tortilla chips.

Her mother-in-law grilled chicken and gave the family as much food as they could carry to take with them.

Flauto arranged transportation for them to get to Skokie and before they left, they exchanged phone numbers.

“So that was day one,” Kessler said. “And it just kind of went from there.”

Later that same week, Mota went to their house to do yard work. But the side job would turn into family dinners.

“He was so dedicated to finding a job and taking care of his family…” Flauto said. “I sort

of fell in love with them.”

By November, after countless dinners together, the two families seemed to have become just one.

Before they had dinner once more at Kessler-Flauto’s house on Nov. 5, Rivero sat on the couch and turned to Flauto’s mother, Cissy Hubbard, to say, “I love you” in English.

As Flauto prepared soup in a vibrant orange kitchen, Rivero came in and out, helping to prepare the table in the dining room.

It took a few months for the family to feel that comfortable in the Kessler-Flauto house, and those months consisted of a few moments of give and take on both sides.

Kessler and her wife quickly realized that the Mota-Rivero family also needed financial help. So they created a GoFundMe account that raised nearly $10,000 to pay for the lawyers to file their asylum case. Much of their family, friends and DePaul community donated to the fund.

In October, the family was notified that their asylum case was in process, and now Mota has a work permit. This is something that seemed distant and unattainable when

SEE MOTA FAMILY, PAGES 5 & 10

CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL PASSES

RESOLUTION FOR CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA

PAGE 3

2 | News. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2024

News The DePaulia is the official student-run newspaper of DePaul University and may not necessarily reflect the views of college administrators, faculty or staff.

CAMPUS CRIME REPORT LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS

CRIME DATA REPORTED BY DEPAUL CRIME PREVENTION

Jan. 24 - Jan. 30 2024 LOOP CAMPUS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Nadia Carolina Hernandez eic@depauliaonline.com

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ONLINE MANAGING | Samantha Moilanen online@depauliaonline.com

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PRINT MANAGING | Lilly Keller managing@depauliaonline.com NEWS EDITOR | Lucia Preziosi news@depauliaonline.com ASST. NEWS EDITOR | Rose O’Keeffe news@depauliaonline.com OPINIONS EDITOR | Nadine DeCero opinion@depauliaonline.com FOCUS EDITOR | Una Cleary focus@depauliaonline.com ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Claire Tweedie artslife@depauliaonline.com ASST. ARTS & LIFE EDITOR | Sam Mroz artslife@depauliaonline.com SPORTS EDITOR | Ryan Hinske sports@depauliaonline.com ART EDITOR | Maya Oclassen art@depauliaonline.com DESIGN EDITOR | Jake Cox design@depauliaonline.com DESIGN EDITOR | Zoe Hanna design@depauliaonline.com PHOTO EDITOR | Kit Wiberg photo@depauliaonline.com ASST. PHOTO EDITOR | Erin Henze photo@depauliaonline.com CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER | Quentin Blais photo@depauliaonline.com COPY EDITOR | Amber Corkey copydesk@depauliaonline.com SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR | Vanessa Lopez social@depauliaonline.com COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EDITOR | Ruchi Nawathe community@depauliaonline.com ADVISER | Martha Irvine mirvine5@depaul.edu

La DePaulia es el noticiero oficial estudiantil en español de la Universidad DePaul, enfocado en proveer una voz para la comunidad latinx.

Nuestras opiniones no necesariamente reflejan las opiniones de la administración, facultad o personal de la universidad.

JEFA DE REDACCIÓN | Alyssa Salcedo eicladepaulia@depauliaonline.com EDITORA DE NOTICIAS | Rodolfo Zagal managingladepaulia@depauliaonline.com GERENTE EDITORIAL | Cary Robbins crobbi10@depaul.edu ASESORA | Laura Rodriguez Presa larodriguez@chicagotribune.com

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LINCOLN PARK CAMPUS

LOOP CAMPUS

Lincoln Park Campus Crimes:

Loop Campus Crimes:

Assault & Theft

Drug & Alcohol

Other

Jan. 27 1) A Criminal Trespass Warning was issued to a subject who was causing a disturbance on campus.

Jan 24 1) A Simple Battery report was filed regarding an incident that occurred in front of the CDM building on State Street.

Jan 27 2) A Theft report was filed for personal item taken from Daley Building.

Jan 29 3) A Disturbance was reported in the DePaul Center and a Criminal Trespass to Land warning was given.

News. The DePaulia. Feb 5, 2024 | 3

LUCIA PREZIOSI | THE DEPAULIA

Dozens gather in Chicago City Hall in support for a cease-fire in Gaza on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. Chicago is the biggest city to pass a resolution for a cease-fire.

By Lucia Preziosi News Editor

Chicago is the largest city in the U.S. to call for a cease-fire in Gaza after City Council members voted in a narrow resolution Wednesday, Jan. 31 with Mayor Brandon Johnson casting the tie-breaking vote in the symbolic decision.

Community organizers, activists, students and families crowded the City Hall lobby, awaiting a decision after the Mayor cleared the council gallery of spectators.

Originally introduced in December

by Alds. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33rd) and Daniel La Spata (1st), the alderpeople called City Council to support a cease-fire in Gaza as the humanitarian crisis worsens.

More than 25,100 Palestinians, including 11,500 children, have been killed since Oct. 7 in Gaza by Israeli forces.

The resolution also called for the immediate release of the remaining 132 hostages, most of them Israeli, in Gaza.

Johnson became the first big city mayor to vocally express his support for a cease-fire, condemning the acts of Hamas in a Jan. 24 press conference and emphasizing the immeasurable loss of life in Gaza as a reason to call for a cease-fire.

Johnson’s role in the resolution is significant, according to Muhammad Sankari, an organizer with the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, Chicago.

“Brandon Johnson was put into office by a movement in this city,” Sankari said. “He was not a political favorite candidate. He came out of the union movement, and he was put in office by a Black, brown progressive coalition in this city. His vote is a reflection of that.”

City Council’s only Jewish member, Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th), urged the City Council to amend the ordinance to show more support for Israel and criticism of Hamas.

“We all want an end to the bloodshed and an end to the war, but it is vital to understand what caused the conflict,

We are deeply committed to ‘never again,’ meaning ‘never again’ for anyone, including our Palestinian loved ones, our community members, our comrades in Gaza and the West Bank.”

Arielle Rebekah

Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago and we should pass a resolution that addresses the issue responsibly,” Silverstein said during the meeting.

In City Hall, crowds of multi-ethnic, multiracial and multi-religious groups gathered to show their solidarity and support for Palestinians and a cease-fire.

These progressive, intersectional coalitions are vital to the Palestinian liberation movement, according to Omar Younes, co-founder of Jisoor, an organization bridging the Palestinian movement for liberation with other liberation struggles.

“It has become clear that it’s not just Palestinians that are fighting for a ceasefire,” Younes said. “This means that the Palestinian fight itself spread and made these connections to other fights. … It’s a massive unifying movement in Chicago.”

Arielle Rebekah, representative for Jewish Voice for Peace-Chicago, an organization calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and blockade on Gaza, echoed similar sentiments of intersecting coalitions and their impact on the city’s decision.

“By joining a coalition in solidarity with our Palestinian partners, we send the message that anti-Zionism is not antisemitism, because we are Jewish people who are deeply committed to our

faith and liberation for all people,” Rebekah said.

Rebekah emphasized their Jewish faith as reasonings to continue exercising support and solidarity for the Palestinian liberation movement.

“We are deeply committed to ‘never again,’ meaning ‘never again’ for anyone, including our Palestinian loved ones, our community members, our comrades in Gaza and the West Bank,” Rebekah said.

Despite the City Council resolution being symbolic, meaning it won’t directly impact foreign relations, many are hoping the decision will send a clear message to the Biden administration before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August.

“I would assume that folks in D.C. follow and look at what happens in Chicago,” Sankari said. “(Johnson’s) vote will hopefully be resonating in the halls of Washington, D.C., to really wake people up.”

A Reuters poll taken in November shows that three-quarters of Democrats support a cease-fire in Gaza as President Biden continues to face backlash for his support for Israel.

Biden is exercising consistent support for Israel, but recently began advocating for a two state solution, calling

for the existence of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

Sankari says that the administration is “way, way behind the times,” and isn't properly reflecting the majority of Democrats calling for a cease-fire and an end to the violence.

Young voters under 35 represent a large portion of those expressing their disapproval of Israel’s response to Hamas’ attack and the Biden administration's unequivocal support for Israel.

A Quinnipiac poll taken in November found that 66% of those young voters disapprove of Israel’s response, and 50% believe the U.S. is too supportive of Israel.

In Chicago, young student activists were particularly vocal about their support for Palestinans, with hundreds of Chicago Public School students walking out Tuesday, preceding the City Council vote. Students flooded City Hall and surrounding streets to rally support.

“When we see hundreds of young people, most of whom aren’t Palestinian, doing what they did, it really can’t be ignored,” Sankari said. “This is touching the very soul of our city. Young people are always out first and show us the way forward. We need to listen to our young people.”

Younes expresses the significance of young people, particularly students, in activism across Chicago.

“The students are always fighting the toughest fight,” Younes said.

Despite the City Council’s resolution being characterized as “a victory for us, and for our movement and our people,”

by Sankari, many say this does not represent the finish line for the fight for Palestinian liberation.

“These last four months felt like a sprint, but in many ways is a part of this marathon that we’re now all a part of,” Rebekah said.

4 | News. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2024

AI, democracy and disinformation:

How to stay informed without being influenced by fake news YÙ YÙ BLUE | THE DEPAULIA

By Rose O’Keefee Asst. News Editor

Educators, actors, writers and journalists are concerned about the impact of generative artificial intelligence on intellectual integrity. However, concern for AI infiltration also affects the political sphere, especially leading up to the 2024 election.

According to the Journal of Democracy, AI has the power to hurt democratic elections when used to produce disinformation that influences voters.

A 2022 NPR poll found that 64% of Americans surveyed believe democracy is at risk because of widely publicized disinformation.

Jacob Furst, a DePaul professor in the School of Computing, said AI — whether used to create flashy deepfakes or personalized algorithms — makes disinformation harder to distinguish from factual information.

“Essentially, there is no tried and true way, technologically speaking, to distinguish AI content from non-AI content,” Furst said.

With so much information and such short attention spans, Furst said people do not have the time or energy to dissect all the media they consume carefully.

Bamshad Mobasher, professor in the School of Computing and leader of DePaul’s forthcoming AI Institute, said AI is nothing new, but the more sophisticated it becomes, the greater the social responsibility it requires.

“Disinformation is not happening because of AI,” Mobasher said.

Instead, he said people and organizations with poor intentions use AI to circulate disinformation.

“It is easy to attribute all the problems to technology, but we must remember technology can be used in both good ways and bad ways,” Mobasher said.

He cited AI’s ability to detect and detract misinformation as a beneficial use of this technology.

Nevertheless, the Brennan Center for Justice reported political candidates have already used AI to influence voters leading up to the 2024 election. For instance, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign — which has since been suspended — released AI-generated images of former President Donald Trump hugging conservative enemy Anthony Fauci.

Furst considers deepfake disinformation like this to be politically-sponsored deception. However, he insisted that “politicians have been lying for centuries.”

Indeed, propaganda, slanderous political ads, and even political speeches have aimed to influenced the electorate for decades, with the early 20th century seeing stark polarization reminiscent of today. But Furst said AI’s accessibility sets it apart from other forms of propaganda or disinformation.

“The barrier to entry is lower, meaning anyone can use AI, and therefore the spread of info is much more vast and harder to consistently sift through,” said Furst.

This is why DePaul political science student Ean Rains believes critically analyzing mass media content is crucial in a democracy.

“Media literacy is not always at the forefront of people’s considerations when ingesting political media,” Rains said.

He said this has allowed misleading or false information to become increasingly influential.

According to Boston University, 72% of Americans surveyed said media literacy is essential when confronting potentially misleading content online.

However, the survey also reported that there is a partisan divide, with 81%

of Democrats attesting to the importance of media literacy and 61% of Republicans.

Aside from the partisanship that informs people’s media choices, the Boston University survey also reported that many of those who want to advance their media literacy skills do not know where or how to do so. Therefore, access to media literacy training increases the disparity between privileged and underserved communities, which are often targeted heavily by misinformation campaigns.

Rains said he takes a “pluralistic approach” to consuming media by checking many sources and seeing what information adds up.

“I think it’d be very difficult to teach those skills to someone who didn’t grow up thinking that they were necessary,” Rains said.

On the other hand, Mobasher said bias and hyperpolarization in the current political climate stifle civil discourse and make people more stubborn and less likely to change their beliefs due to disinformation.

“I’m skeptical about the degree to which these technologies are going to affect the outcome of the election. I think for the most part they’re going to amplify people’s biases, rather than change any opinions,” Mobasher said.

He does not think AI-generated disinformation will affect national elections but said smaller local elections are more susceptible to harm.

The Biden administration recognizes concerns surrounding AI, not just related to politics but in most aspects of American life.

In 2022, The White House unveiled a blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, built on five main principles: safe and effective systems, protection against algorithm discrimination, data privacy,

notice and explanations and human alternatives.

On Tuesday, Jan. 30, the U.S. Senate proposed a bipartisan bill to address the creation and distribution of sexually explicit AI-generated imagery. This comes after a slew of pornographic deepfakes of Taylor Swift flooded X, formerly Twitter, in January. Nevertheless, first amendment rights can make AI-related regulation difficult.

Mobasher said governmental AI regulation is a double-edged sword.

He said there should be guidelines for preventing discrimination, disinformation and data stealing while keeping AI development on track. Mobasher said a freeze on development would hinder the output of promising technology that can fight disinformation and improve life altogether.

“Technology is never something that exists in a vacuum,” Mobasher said. “It exists in a social and economic framework.”

Similarly, Furst, the DePaul professor, emphasized that disinformation is not solely a technology problem; it is a problem driven by the people who use technology for problematic purposes.

“People are the protagonists and the antagonists, and AI is a tool used to further their agenda,” Furst said.

Just as people create problems using AI, Furst said people have equal power to create solutions. Civil discourse across party lines, responsible journalism, fast debunking of disinformation, and media literacy are democracy-promoting solutions Furst has confidence in.

“Keep an open mind, look at both sides and remain skeptical,” Furst said.

News. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2024 | 5

CARY ROBBINS | THE DEPAULIA

Albani Rivero grabs dishes to set the table as Elizabeth Flauto prepares dinner in her kitchen on Nov. 5, 2023,. Rivero said she loves cooking, but that night, she did not want to because she loves the food of her “amiga.”

with gratitude and given us unconditional support. They’ve given us so much love.”

Alyssa N. Salcedo contributed to this piece.

MOTA FAMILY, continued from front page they first arrived in the city.

They could not have done it without Kessler and Flauto’s support, the migrant couple said.

Beyond legal difficulties, the Mota-Rivero family faced struggles living in two different migrant shelters before finding a home of their own.

In one shelter, Pablo became sick after getting an infection, Rivero said. Flauto and Kessler gave the family ointments and helped the parents find medical care for the young boy.

Eventually, Kessler took the parents to apply for the public health insurance for Pablo, through the Illinois program for kids.

It has not been easy for anyone, Kessler included. There were long nights when Kessler and her wife would drive the family to Walgreens to get medicine or to take blankets to them in the shelter.

But they all agree it’s been worth it.

“We’ve been really thankful for the ways we’ve been able to help them…” Kessler said.

“They’re smart, and they’re kind, and they’re hustling so hard to do all of the things that they’re supposed to do.”

In December, Flauto and Kessler cosigned a lease on an apartment for the migrant family. When Mota and Rivero settled into their new home, they felt “peace.”

Walking down the stairs to their apartment, there is a red toy car that Pablo drives as he plays in the snow. Mota laughed when he talked about how Pablo had adjusted to the snow much more quickly than they had. The living room is towards the left, where there’s a couch, some chairs and a table with roses displayed. The room looks onto their kitchen with a table sitting in the middle.

The kitchen in their new home feels sacred to them. They were finally able to make a home-cooked meal.

“We made caraotas,” Rivero said, referring to a traditional Venezuelan black bean meal. She smiled as she remembered that moment.

Since then, Mota has gotten a job at Whole Foods. The family also bought a car with some of the remaining money from the GoFundMe donations.

Kessler and Flauto tell them that they will always support them.

They’re smart, and they’re kind, and they’re hustling so hard to do all of the things that they’re supposed to do.”

Kelly Kessler, DePaul professor in College of Communication As they sat for dinner, Flauto looked at the pictures of her family on the wall behind her and turned towards her phone to translate. Flauto told Mota and Rivero she needed a picture of them on the wall now, and she smiled.

“We adopted a family,” Kessler said.

It was not just about providing financial support. She and her wife wanted the Mota-Rivero family to feel they had a home with them.

“They are our American family,” Rivero said while sitting in the Kessler-Flauto family’s living room.

Luisela Alvaray, a professor of media and cinema studies at DePaul, who is also from Venezuela, has watched the bond between the families grow. Throughout their relationship, she has served as a translator, allowing them to talk more fluidly than the phone app they have used allows.

Last August, right after the families met, Alvaray sat with the families and helped Mota and Rivero to more fully share their story. It was then that Kessler and Flauto understood how their new friends ended up under the tree in their front yard.

“Everybody cried,” Kessler said.

While at first the family was tentative and shy when coming into Kessler-Flauto’s house, now they sometimes come in unannounced.

The Mota-Riveros miss their family in Venezuela the most, but they are grateful they were able to meet Kessler and Flauto.

“Truthfully, they’ve been our angels,” Rivero said. “They’re people who have filled us

CARY ROBBINS | THE DEPAULIA

Pablo Mota drives his toy car while his mother Albani Rivero watches in their new apartment on Jan. 22, 2024.

CARY ROBBINS | THE DEPAULIA

Pablo Mota and Kelly Kessler, DePaul Media and and Cinema Studies professor, look at Kessler’s phone on the floor of the Kessler-Flauto family’s living room on Nov. 5, 2023

6 | Opinions. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2024

Opinions

The Chicago Bears and White Sox don’t need our tax dollars

MAYA OCLASSEN | THE DEPAULIA

By Delaunay Krauter Contributing Writer

I grew up in one of many divided households in Chicago sports. The dividing factor: sports. My mom, a Cubs fan, passively condoned my dad’s devotion to the White Sox. As a fan of Chicago lore, I find myself somewhere in between. I’ve never cared much for football, but even I have a soft spot in my heart for the Bears.

But the Chicago football team might be leaving Soldier Field after over 20 years with hopes of building a new stadium, and the White Sox are considering moving too, according to a report by the Chicago SunTimes, published Jan. 17.

I’d love to see both teams stay in the city.

After all, the Sox are a Chicago staple.

But new stadiums are expensive, and if the teams plan on relying financially on the people of Chicago, I don’t think it’s not worth it.

This isn’t completely out of the question.

Taxpayers are still paying for renovations to Soldier Field and for the construction of Guaranteed Rate Field where the Sox play.

Despite this, the Sox are in serious talks to build a new stadium in the South Loop.

Their lease at Guaranteed Rate is set to expire in 2029.

Some fans are looking forward to the possibility.

“It would be nice to have a better stadium,” said DePaul junior James Stowell III, who said he’s been to about 15 Sox games over the past five years. “Also it’s better than Nashville.”

Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf first floated the idea of moving the team to Tennessee in 2023. Although there hasn’t been any traction made on that threat.

The parcel of land that could be home to a new Sox home plate lies at the intersection of Roosevelt and Clark St..

Just a few minutes walk from the Roosevelt CTA station, the riverfront property is accessible via the Red, Green and Orange CTA lines.

All of this has made the property an attractive purchase for Related Midwest, the development company that owns the space.

The vacant 62-acre plot is called the “78.”

It’s the largest parcel of undeveloped land in downtown Chicago and is named for its potential to become the city’s 78th neighborhood.

Related Midwest has big plans for the land, according to the project’s website.

In addition to a massive University

DELAUNAY KRAUTER | THE DEPAULIA

This photo taken Jan. 26, 2024 shows Chicago’s largest plot of undeveloped land located in the South Loop. Its called “The 78” and is being considered for a development that could include a new stadium for the Chicago White Sox baseball team.

of Illinois tech research center called the Discovery Partners Institute, their vision includes “next-gen offices, inspired new homes, essential retail, local shops and Chicago’s favorite new restaurants.”

Plans for a new Sox Stadium at the 78 have yet to be finalized, although talks between Sox and city hall officials seem to be positive.

The idea of such an innovative “nextgen” addition to the city sounds promising lovely on paper.

In reality, it’s sounds expensive and accessible only to people who can afford to live, shop and eat there.

If plans for the new stadium go through, that would limit other possible uses for the space.

Chicago needs affordable housing, not a new sports facility.

And still, the question remains, where will the funds for a new stadium come from?

It definitely shouldn’t come at the cost of Illinois residents.

However, taxpayers are still paying it off.

The construction of Guaranteed Rate, where the Sox play now, was made possible by an increase in the tax on Chicago hotel rooms with the city and state pitching in $5 million annually, according to the SunTimes report.

A last-minute deal by Illinois lawmakers in 1988 to keep the Sox from pursuing a move to St. Petersburg, Florida, offered the Sox a great deal to build a new stadium across the street from Comiskey Park, their original home.

Taxpayers are still paying it off.

Meanwhile, the Bears are facing tax-related roadblocks in their plans to build a stadium and mixed-use entertainment district in Arlington Heights.

The team purchased a former race course there from Churchill Downs last year for $197.2 million dollars. The team’s lease is set to expire at Soldier Field in 2033.

Taxpayers are also still on the hook for renovations there, too.

And while the Sox might not be satisfied with their current home, I don’t see anything particularly wrong with Guaranteed Rate, and others agree.

“It’s not, it’s not the nicest field in the league, but it’s not the worst,” said Stowell said, the DePaul junior. “There’s always room for a better stadium, although I don’t know if the taxpayers would like that that much.”

As for the Bears, the same sentiment rings true. If they can find ways to finance the new stadium and entertainment district that doesn’t burden taxpayers, my only disappointment would be seeing the Bears leave Chicago.

Kyra Ferber, a DePaul graduate and Bears fan from Palatine, a suburb close to Arlington Heights, feels differently.

“It would be very exciting just because it obviously, for me at least, has an emotional connection to it,” she said. “And I think it would be interesting for a lot of people, especially in Arlington Heights, because it’s obviously not as big of a city as Chicago.”

Still, Ferber said losing the Bears would be a big deal to a lot of Chicagoans who have a connection to the team.

“Football in America is just a big way of bonding for a lot of people,” she said. “The Bears mean a lot to the city of Chicago, even though recently they aren’t a very great team by any means. I still think that they do mean a lot to a lot of people.”

I’d personally like for the Bears to stay in Chicago, but Kyra is right about one thing –.

Chicago teams mean a lot to our city.

And while new stadiums sound exciting, I can’t justify their construction at the expense of taxpayers.

Our money is better spent elsewhere, particularly at a time when the city and its people are in desperate need of affordable housing.

The opinions in this section do not nessecarily reflect those of The DePaulia staff

Opinions. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2024 | 7

Turn off your phone; you’re too accessible

MAYA OCLASSEN| THE DEPAULIA

By Nadine DeCero Opinions Editor

If you’ve texted me within the past year, there’s a good chance that you saw, “Nadine has notifications silenced,” pop up at the bottom of your screen.

This is not me trying to ignore notifications altogether, but rather a boundary that I am setting between myself and whoever is texting me. It’s also letting them know that I may not see it right away, and therefore, it may take me longer to respond.

“Boundaries are deciding what limits that you want to have in relationship to your time, or other people,” said Rebecca Michel, associate chair of DePaul’s counseling program in the College of Education.

“It’s deciding what is right for you.”

Everything and everyone we want to access is on our smartphones, at our fingertips, making connection a top priority.

Every day, dozens of emails are sent to our inboxes. Notifications on our phones pinging constantly from coworkers, professors, bosses, friends and family.

Most times, we aren’t able to just ignore these notifications, especially as college students who want to appear timely and professional to potential employers and other higher-ups. And when it comes to our personal lives, we can’t leave people hanging in fear that they’ll say we “ghosted” them.

Still, we can’t be in go mode all the time. Some days, we want to be left alone.

Unfortunately, we can’t tell our employers or professors that we need some alone time.

But what do we do when we want it to stop?

Of course, we can turn off our phones or silence notifications, but that only postpones the work we need to do until we shift back into work mode.

However, is there such a thing as being too accessible?

The answer is yes.

I will admit that having my phone on the “Do Not Disturb” setting so often gets me in trouble, especially with friends that I mainly communicate with through text. By putting my phone on DND, I often forget to respond to some messages or just don’t

see them at all.

At first, I was selfishly confused as to why my lack of response would upset anyone. I thought, “I can’t be that important.”

The truth is, my response did not matter; it’s the fact that it’s common for people who don’t get a response immediately to take it personally.

“Many people understand that if another person does not respond quickly to their messages, it is a sign of disinterest and that they do not care about the other person,” said Aura De Los Santos, clinical and educational psychologist at E-Health Project.

“This can add a lot of pressure on the recipients because people assume sending a message to someone means getting a quick response.”

I’ve been on both ends of this argument; I’ve been the person who doesn’t respond for hours, or even days, on end, and I’ve been the person checking my phone every two minutes to see if I got a response back.

The problem here is that everyone is expected to be reachable all day, every day. The constant pressure to respond to people in a timely manner, and keep up on conversations causes people to be on their phones more than they need to be.

I can use my current situation as an example: I’m at the library trying to get this story done before my deadline. But my mom and I are texting, and she’s one of the people who gets upset when I don’t respond for a while, and since I’m already on my phone, I start scrolling through my camera roll for fun or making a new Spotify playlist because why not?

It’s a constant back and forth between work and play, but unfortunately, play takes over more often than not.

“If possible, have different devices that you use for work or professional settings … if you can’t have two different computers, then you can just even use two different browsers,” Michel said. “Also, just setting limits for yourself … you can put timers about how long you want to spend on certain apps or even your phone in general.

I really recommend doing that.”

However, setting limits do get a little bit trickier once in a professional setting, especially with Gen Z entering the workforce.

Setting boundaries with employers can feel awkward and may not even occur to some people as something they can do.

According to a study done by the University of Toronto, “...those with job-related resources report that their work interferes with their personal lives more frequently, reflecting what we refer to as the ‘stress of higher status.’”

When it comes to balancing work life and home life, it’s all about keeping the two separate, and communicating those needs to those who need to hear it – in this case,

your employers.

“It is so important to set these habits early on in your career so that you have a really good work-life balance or integration,” Michel said. “I work with a lot of people who experience burnout. And oftentimes, it’s because they are taking their work home with them.”

Setting boundaries can be scary and uncomfortable. But if we want to have a healthy relationship with our phones, workplaces, friends and family, we must work through the uneasiness of it all.

8| Focus. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2024

Focus

‘I’ve been collect

Richard Wilford, paramedic, finds new purp

By Linnea Cheng Contributing Writer

Richard Wilford is quite literally the man on the corner. Whether he is chatting with customers or waving at familiar faces passing by on Broadway, it is clear that Wilford’s open door is a central point for the community. But the shop is only half the story.

Richard Wilford is the founder of Richard Alan EstateOptions, a curated estate sale storefront in the Edgewater neighborhood. Wilford started the business as a popup shop in April 2021. The event’s popularity led to more pop-up sales, eventually leading Wilford to establish permanent residency in the building.

Unlike thrift stores or pawn shops where items are donated or bought from people walking on the street, Wilford’s goods are a conglomeration of hand-picked hidden treasures from local families’ homes.

When he isn’t tending to the storefront on weekends or combing through homes filled with forgotten items, Wilford is working his 50-hour-per-week day job at an ambulance company. Wilford began working as a paramedic at 18 and since transitioned into overseeing the billing department.

Wilford starts his day at 5 a.m., commutes to Skokie, and then returns to the city to work through an estate in the evening.

From there, he decides what is trash, treasure or could be donated.

What does not go into the Edgewater store or discarded is staged in the house for an on-site estate sale.

Many of his clients are people who are transitioning into assisted living or families who have recently lost a loved one and are at a loss for what to do with a house full of stuff. Wilford tries to complete an estate job in about 20 business days, allowing families to slow down the moving process — something typical estate sale companies disregard.

When he started his business, Wilford initially aimed to take on one estate at a time. Right now, he has four.

“They always say it’s not work if you enjoy it, and I truly enjoy both things that I do,” Wilford said.

“Helping families, as a paramedic and taking care of people who are sick and injured...this (the estate business) is a kind of continuation of that part in my life.”

Wilford keeps a wide range of items in his store, from Tiffany jew-

LINNEA CHENG | THE D

Richard Wilford welcomes customers into his Edgewater store on Oct. 22, 2023. Wilford makes a point to keep his front door open so passerby feel mor clined to come in.

elry boxes to Beanie Babies. The eclectic nature of the store often results in a forehead print on the front door when Wilford opens the shop, he said.

“I’ve been collecting my whole life,” Wilford said.

Wilford’s love for all things unique goes back to his childhood when his mother would take him to flea markets on the weekends.

“We love antiquing and shopping for eclectic and one-of-a-kind

items,” said Marissa Covert, who stopped in with her friend Jen Sampson on their way to dinner.

“I don’t like HomeGoods or Target and buying something that everyone else is going to have in their house. Finding those unique pieces … tells a story.”

Currently, Wilford is working on an estate in Uptown. The apartment in the 19th-century building is almost 1,000 square feet. Wilford has been working on it three nights

a week for nearly three weeks.

Wilford will mostly comb through an estate by himself. Occasionally, he will have one of his parttime employees come in and lend an extra hand. For the Uptown estate, Wilford enlisted DePaul student Alex Nance to help get the house in order.

“I’ve definitely learned so much since I started working with Rich,” said Nance, a second-year animation student. “There’s so much to

ting my whole life’

Focus. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2024| 9

pose in estate sale storefront in Edgewater

Marissa Covert , left, and Jen Sampson look at a dragonfly necklace in Richard Wilford’s Edgewater storefront on Oct. 22, 2023. Sampson ended up purchasing the necklace and a dog statue that looked like her own.

LINNEA CHENG | THE DEPAULIA

learn that comes with these houses.”

Once a house is ready, Wilford stages an on-site estate sale where people can come into the house and purchase whatever they like. Everything down to sponges in the kitchen and the light bulbs in lamps are for sale.

Wilford is hoping to make his estate business his full-time job eventually. His dream is to retire into collecting, with aspirations to expand his work to include every step of the estate process, including selling the home.

Despite the thousands of items Wilford encounters, he still avows their history is invaluable.

“Bring back the heirloom,” Wilford said. “There’s so much value in our possessions and what we pass on to our loved ones.”

LINNEA CHENG | THE DEPAULIA

Richard Wilford talks with a customer in his Edgewater storefront on Oct. 22, 2023. Every item in the store, from Tiffany jewelry boxes to Beanie Babies, is handpicked from local families’ estates.

DEPAULIA

re in-

LINNEA CHENG | THE DEPAULIA

LINNEA CHENG | THE DEPAULIA

A cameo pin Richard Wilford recently found from an estate is on display in his store on Oct. 22, 2023. Wilford always looks for unique and antique jewelry when he takes on an estate.

Artwork hangs in the hallway of the Uptown Estate on Oct. 25, 2023. Richard Wilford fills estates’ walls with clients’ art pieces and decor before showings.

10 | La DePaulia. The DePaulia. 5 de Febrero 2024

La DePaulia

CARY ROBBINS | LA DEPAULIA

Las familias Kessler-Flauto y Mota-Rivero comen sopa de pollo juntos en la casa de la familia Kessler-Flauto el 5 de noviembre. Emilio Mota sacó su teléfono para traducir que su hijo, Pablo Mota, trató de lavarse el pelo en el baño para “borrar” su corte de pelo.

‘Nuestro momento de bendición’: Familia migrante encuentra un hogar con la ayuda de una profesora de DePaul Por Cary Robbins

Gerente Editorial, La DePaulia

La casa de Kelly Kessler, una profesora de DePaul, estaba más ruidosa de lo normal una noche a principios de noviembre. Ella y su esposa Elizabeth Flauto estaban preparando sopa de pollo y dumplings para compartir con su nueva familia. Una pareja venezolana y su hijo pequeño que acababan de llegar a Chicago cinco meses antes.

El sonido del barajeo de cartas, mientras Kessler y Pablo, el niño pequeño, jugaban, se entrelazaba con los sonidos de sartenes golpeando en la cocina, cuchillos cortando queso y risas.

Cuando Emilio Mota llegó a Estados Unidos con su pareja Albani Rivero y su hijo de 4 años, Pablo Mota, tenían la esperanza de encontrar seguridad y un hogar para el pequeño. Habían escapado de la extrema pobreza y miseria causada por la situación política en Venezuela.

No encontraron un hogar de inmediato, pero sí encontraron a Kessler y su esposa, quienes les abrieron las puertas de su casa y su corazón unos días después de llegar a la ciudad. Gracias al apoyo de la pareja, la familia migrante cuenta con un abogado que los está ayudando con su caso de asilo, y hace poco se mudaron a su propio apartamento después de vivir meses en albergues administrados por la ciudad.

Salir de su país no fue fácil.

El día en que decidieron comenzar el viaje hacia el norte fue “un día de mucho pensar”, dijo Rivero.

Después de que su hijo inhalara una sustancia venenosa, se dieron cuenta de que no podían llevarlo al médico. Esto los llevó a tomar la decisión definitiva de decir adiós a sus seres queridos en Guarico, Venezuela.

Durante meses, la familia viajó a pie por Sudamérica y América Central para después cruzar México y llegar hasta Chicago.

Aunque encontraron seguridad en un

CARY ROBBINS | LA DEPAULIA

Emilio Mota habla con su hijo Pablo Mota mientras está en la casa de la familia Kessler-Flauto para cenar el 5 de noviembre. Cuando llegó por primera vez a Chicago, Pablo Mota se quedó cerca de su padre, pero después de conocer a Kessler y su familia, se siente seguro estando lejos de su padre solo por un poco.

refugio para migrantes en el Wilbur Wright College en el lado noroeste de Chicago, se sentían perdidos al intentar asentarse en la nueva ciudad.

Fue entonces cuando Flauto, la esposa de Kessler, los encontró en junio.

La familia estaba parada debajo de un árbol afuera de la casa de Kessler en Jefferson Park. Rivero dijo que estaban tratando de llegar a Skokie para completar unos formularios requeridos por el refugio.

Cuando Rivero vio salir a Flauto, sintió el instinto de pedirle ayuda.

“Fue nuestro momento de bendición”, dijo

Rivero.

Ninguno de ellos hablaba el idioma del otro.

Mota abrió una aplicación de traducción en su teléfono. Lo usó para explicar a dónde necesitaban ir.

Flauto invitó a la familia a su patio trasero, donde les ofreció frutas y nachos. Su suegra asó pollo y les dio tanta comida como pudieron llevar consigo.

Flauto organizó el transporte para que la familia llegaran a Skokie y antes de irse, intercambiaron números de teléfono.

“Así que ese fue el primer día”, dijo Kessler. “Y simplemente siguió desde allí”.

Esa misma semana, Mota fue a casa de Kessler para trabajar en su jardín a cambio de unos dólares. Pero esa oportunidad de trabajo se convirtió en cenas familiares. “Él estaba tan dedicado a encontrar trabajo y cuidar a su familia...”, dijo Flauto.

“De alguna manera, me enamoré de ellos”.

Para noviembre, después de innumerables cenas juntos, las dos familias parecían haberse convertido en una sola.

Antes de cenar una vez más en la casa de Kessler y Flauto el 5 de noviembre, Rivero

La DePaulia. The DePaulia. 5 de Febrero 2024 | 11

CARY ROBBINS | LA DEPAULIA

Albani Rivero toma platos para poner la mesa mientras Elizabeth Flauto prepara la cena en su cocina el 5 de noviembre. Rivero dijo que le encanta cocinar, pero esa noche, ella no quería porque ama la comida de su “amiga”.

se sentó en el sofá y se dirigió a la madre de Flauto, Cissy Hubbard, para decir “te quiero” en inglés.

Mientras Flauto preparaba sopa en su cocina de color naranja vibrante, Rivero entraba y salía, ayudando a preparar la mesa en el comedor.

Tomó unos meses para que la familia se sintiera cómoda en la casa de Kessler, y esos meses consistieron en algunos momentos de dar y recibir por ambas partes.

Kessler y su esposa se dieron cuenta rápidamente de que la familia Mota-Rivero también necesitaba ayuda financiera. Así que crearon una cuenta de GoFundMe que recaudó casi $10,000 para pagar a los abogados que presentaron su caso de asilo. Gran parte de su familia, amigos y la comunidad de DePaul donaron a la cuenta.

En octubre, la familia fue notificada de que su caso de asilo estaba en proceso, y ahora Mota tiene un permiso de trabajo.

Algo que parecía distante e inalcanzable cuando llegaron por primera vez a la ciudad.

No podrían haberlo logrado sin el apoyo de Kessler y Flauto, dijo la pareja migrante.

Más allá de las dificultades legales, la familia Mota-Rivero enfrentó problemas mientras vivían en refugios para migrantes antes de encontrar un hogar propio.

En un refugio, Pablo se enfermó después de contraer una infección, dijo Rivero. Flauto

y Kessler les dieron algunos remedios caseros y ayudaron a los padres a encontrar atención médica para el niño.

Finalmente, Kessler llevó a los padres a solicitar el seguro de salud público para Pablo, a través del programa de Illinois para niños.

No ha sido fácil para nadie, incluida Kessler. Hubo noches largas en las que Kessler y su esposa llevaban a la familia a Walgreens para conseguir medicinas o les llevaban mantas al refugio para protegerse del frío.

Pero todos están de acuerdo en que ha valido la pena.

“Hemos estado realmente agradecidos por las formas en que hemos podido ayudarles...”, dijo Kessler. “Son inteligentes, amables y se esfuerzan mucho por hacer todas las cosas que deben hacer”.

En diciembre, Flauto y Kessler firmaron conjuntamente un contrato de arrendamiento para un apartamento para la familia migrante.

Cuando Mota y Rivero se instalaron en su nuevo hogar, sintieron “paz”.

Bajando las escaleras hacia su apartamento, hay un coche de juguete rojo que Pablo conduce mientras juega en la nieve. Mota se rió cuando habló de cómo Pablo se había adaptado a la nieve mucho más rápido de lo que ellos. En la sala, que está a la izquierda, hay un sofá, algunas sillas y una mesa con rosas. La habitación da a la cocina con una mesa en el medio.

CARY ROBBINS | LA DEPAULIA

Pablo Mota conduce su coche de juguete mientras su madre Albani Rivero mira en su nuevo apartamento el 22 de enero. Pablo Mota, de cuatro años, juega con el coche en la nieve, que sus padres dicen que se está ajustando a mejor de lo que son.

La cocina en su nuevo hogar les parece sagrada. Fue donde finalmente pudieron hacer una comida casera.

“Hicimos caraotas”, dijo Rivero, refiriéndose a una comida tradicional venezolana de frijoles negros. Sonrió al recordar ese momento.

También, Mota ya consiguió trabajo en Whole Foods y la familia logró comprar una pequeño auto con parte del dinero restante de las donaciones de GoFundMe. Kessler y Flauto les dicen que siempre los apoyarán.

Mientras se sentaban a cenar, Flauto miró las fotos de su familia que cuelgan sobre la pared detrás y se volvió hacia su teléfono para traducir. Flauto le dijo a Mota y Rivero que ahora necesitaba una foto de ellos en la pared, y sonrió.

“Hemos adoptado a una familia”, dijo Kessler.

No se trataba solo de proporcionar apoyo financiero. Ella y su esposa querían que la familia Mota-Rivero sintiera que tenían un hogar con ellos.

“Son nuestra familia Americana”, dijo CARY ROBBINS | LA DEPAULIA Rivero mientras estaba sentada en la sala de Pablo Mota y Kelly Kessler, profesor de DePaul Media y estudios de cine, miran el telé- Kessler y Flauto. fono de Kessler en el piso de la sala de estar de la familia Kessler-Flauto el 5 de noviemLuisela Alvaray, profesora de estudios de bre.

medios y cine en DePaul, también de Venezuela, ha observado cómo crece el vínculo entre las familias. A lo largo de su relación, ha actuado como traductora, permitiéndoles hablar de manera más fluida que la aplicación telefónica que han utilizado.

En agosto pasado, justo después de que las familias se conocieron, Alvaray se sentó con ellas y ayudó a Mota y Rivero a compartir más plenamente su historia. Fue entonces cuando Kessler y Flauto entendieron cómo sus nuevos amigos terminaron debajo del árbol en su patio delantero.

“Todos lloraron”, dijo Kessler.

Si bien al principio la familia era cautelosa y tímida al entrar a la casa de Kessler y Flauto, ahora a veces entran sin previo aviso.

Los Mota-Rivero extrañan mucho a su familia en Venezuela, pero están agradecidos de haber conocido a Kessler y Flauto.

“Sinceramente, han sido nuestros ángeles”, dijo Rivero. “Son personas que nos han llenado de gratitud y nos han brindado un apoyo incondicional. Nos han dado mucho amor”.

Este artículo sólo pudo escribirse con la ayuda y las traducciones de Alyssa N. Salcedo.

Arts & Life 12 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2023

Leslie Sophia Pérez: Lessons from the

DePaul classroom to the Steppenwolf stage

By Claire Tweedie Arts and Life Editor

Leslie Sophia Pérez remembers the beginning of her acting career with fondness. Mostly, though, she happily remembers the mooing.

Years into her Catholic grammar school’s theater program, she finally landed her starring role in fourth grade: the cow in an adaptation of “Jack and the Beanstalk.” She remembers being onstage next to Jack every night, crafting a character out of the moos she was given and mooing her heart out.

“That’s the only line I had, just ‘moo,’” Pérez said. “I made sure every line was different and that I had a backstory, a character laugh, everything.”

Pérez is gearing up for her next big role after her nostalgic days of elementary school stardom. This time though, she’s the lead in Steppenwolf Theatre’s upcoming production of “a home what howls (or the house what was ravine),” opening Feb. 7.

Pérez plays Soledad Vargas, a young Mexican American woman fighting for her family’s right to live on their land amid displaced communities and city politics.

“This show has been very humbling, to say the least, because it’s been a while since I’ve done theater,” Pérez said. “It feels good to be in this environment again. I’m the youngest one in the cast so everybody I’m working with has years of experience, every day feels like one big class.”

Pérez graduated from The Theatre School (TTS) in June 2023. She knew DePaul’s acting program produced wellknown alumni — her classmates told her so — but none of that mattered to her. Joe Keery, Gillian Anderson, John C. Reilly and David Dastmalchian were names that littered the Letterboxd diaries of film students. They did not hold weight in her idea of personal success.

The only aspect she truly cared about for her future was the opportunity to learn — not only as a student in the classroom but as a professional, putting her skills to work post-graduation.

“My classmates would tell me that we

PROVIDED BY JOEL MOORMAN

This photo provided by Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater shows the cast of Steppenwolf’s world premiere of “a home what howls (or the house what was ravine)” includes, from left to right, Eddie Torres, Isabel Quintero, Leslie Sophia Pérez, Charín Álvarez and ensemble member Tim Hopper.

were the best conservatory in the country but that didn’t necessarily matter to me,” Pérez said. “I wanted a school that was going to actually help me in the long run and I think DePaul really helped me face my biggest challenge, which was me, which was my head.”

A year into her time at TTS, Pérez landed a role in Steppenwolf ’s production of “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.” The play was the world premiere adaptation of Erika L. Sánchez’s novel and sold out before its opening performance Feb. 26, 2020.

Sandra Marquez, who directed the original production of “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter,” remembers

PROVIDED BY JOEL MOORMAN

From left to right, Leslie Sophia Pérez and Isabel Quintero rehearse for Steppenwolf Theatre’s world premiere of “a home what howls (or the hoUse what was ravine).”

Pérez for her artistic instinct both in the audition room and onstage.

“One of the things that stood out when I was working with [Pérez] was that she constantly feels comfortable sharing ideas and thoughts about how something can be done,” Marquez said. “Not all actors can see the specificity of their own work, let alone the big picture, and she is already able to do both.”

Two weeks into the show’s run, Covid-19 hit.

“It felt like such a huge, dark cloud because when the show got shut down, it was quick,” Pérez said. “The next day, I took everything from my dressing room and went back home, not to my apartment, but home to quarantine with my family.”

Pérez had already taken a gap year to be part of “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter,” but in the middle of a global pandemic and without her show, she felt discouraged.

“I’m a huge believer that everything happens for a reason,” Pérez said. “When [Covid-19] was going on, I think the most important thing I realized is that I can’t give up on myself. You have to have a really tough mind for this industry and I needed to feel that loss to become mentally stronger than I was.”

Three years later, “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” found a new life at the Seattle Rep Theater. Determined not to take another gap year, she found a way to finish her degree online while performing in a show on the West Coast.

“I didn’t want the same crossroads where I had to choose between school and a show,” Pérez said. “I definitely had to fight for this opportunity in meetings with my school’s administration and faculty

members. I had to figure out the plans to make it work because no one was going to do it for me. When I was given the green light, all I could think was ‘thank God.’” Since starting her career, Pérez has shot multiple commercials, booked her first episode of “Chicago P. D.,” been in various stage productions, and worked on TV show pilot “Computer School” with comedian Tim Robinson.

“I’m excited for the trajectory of Leslie’s career and what she ends up doing, whatever that winds up being,” Marquez said. “A lot of times in American culture, success means a TV show, but that’s such a limited view for an artist. I think a successful artist is one who is able to find people they can create with and enjoy that process, enjoy the actual artistic spark.”

Director Laura Alcalá Baker previously worked with Pérez during a short play festival before the pandemic and thought of her when casting the Steppenwolf show.

“Overtime, you change as a person, you change as a creative,” Alcalá Baker said. “Getting to know her now, I can see how much growth has happened, how much her process has shifted, and how mine has as well. I can see she is learning constantly but knows herself as an artist in a way that gives her a unique viewpoint stepping into the [play’s] text.”

Performances of “a home what howls (or the house what was ravine)” run through March 2. Tickets begin at $20 for public performances.

“I think back to any performance I’ve ever given, every opening night I’ve ever done, and it just makes sense to me,” Pérez said.

“I love telling stories. I love being able to take a character and have a little bit of me within the role. I love being able to

Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 5, 2023 | 13

Chicago’s International Puppet Theatre Festival returns with vibrant stories Puppeteers perform at the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at Chicago’s Navy Pier.

By Addison Rogers Staff Writer

Last week, Chicago’s International Puppet Theater Festival returned for its sixth edition of hand-crafted expertise.

Located in various theaters across Chicago, the festival is packed with over 100 performances, workshops and artist intensives, shining as the largest event dedicated to puppetry in North America.

Founded by Blair Thomas in 2015, the 11-day festival features local and visiting artists in venues across Chicago to promote peaceful justice from a worldwide perspective.

In 2021, amid the Covid-19 quarantine, the festival faced closure, necessitating a new plan for sharing puppetry. A group of volunteers gathered and created a strategy team to help puppetry through the cultural upheaval happening across the globe. The team aimed to guarantee the festival’s stability using focus groups, artist-led interviews and meetings with local thought leaders.

Over the course of a year, the team strengthened its footing in the arts scene while devising its plan.

“The Festival reclaims and strengthens its trajectory and even more firmly

establishes Chicago as a cultural center for puppetry for Chicago and the world,” said director and founder Blair Thomas in the team’s re-worked mission statement.

The project’s outcome was a five-year strategic plan to ensure future growth and sustainability. After the plan’s release, its contribution to Chicago’s evolving artistic community led to sponsorship by the Arts Work Fund and the SmartGrowth Program from The Chicago Community Trust. The International Puppet Theater Festival has since grown to include artists from five continents and draws audiences of over 14,000 visitors yearly.

This year’s mix of free and paid performances pushes genre boundaries and demands openness from audience members.

“You can expect the unexpected,” said Caitlin McLeod, the studio production manager. “You can have a puppet in space, underground, swimming in a river of lava, or talking to beetles, all using creative staging techniques. Be open to a story that feels more like magic than classic drama.”

McLeod, who started as a volunteer and designed her way into a leading position, explains how puppetry mystifies

JESSICA GOSKA | THE DEPAULIA

A puppeteer entertains the crowd at the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at Chicago’s Navy Pier.

storytelling.

“Puppetry opens a world of imagination,” McLeod said. “You’re no longer tied down to reality. Audience members can see the puppet and recognize it as a puppet, but your brain ignores the puppeteers and accepts the world’s rules.”

Puppet Festival attendee Imani Johnson said puppetry’s ability can transcend the audience’s understanding of reality.

Johnson is a returning festival guest who first visited during opening night in 2022.

“There’s nothing like puppetry,” Johnson said. “It makes you queasy and uncomfortable, but it also makes you want to cry tears of joy and jump out of your seat laughing.” In addition to performances, the festival offers workshops through the Chicago Puppet Studio and Chicago Puppet Lab for puppeteers looking to master their skills.

Quinn Kempe, a DePaul comedy arts student, hosted their own puppet show with the help of other students in The Theatre School. Kempe and DePaul’s comedy arts students brought over 20 puppets to life in under an hour and a half, leaving audiences equally shocked and amazed. From this experience, Kempe witnessed firsthand how much dedi-

JESSICA GOSKA | THE DEPAULIA

cation and precision learning puppetry requires.

“I made every sock puppet for the show,” Kempe said. “You infuse life and meaning into an object and are responsible for keeping it alive, which is intense.

Education on puppetry is not easily accessible, so if you have the interest and means to take a masterclass at the International Puppet Festival, you absolutely should.”

The festival concluded on a high note with the “Closing Night Cabaret” on Jan. 28. The multi-puppet extravaganza featured accordionist Iliya Magalnyk and the world-renowned actress, puppeteer and director Yael Rasooly, summarizing the past 11 days of storytelling. Johnson further expressed enthusiasm for the festival’s events.

“I couldn’t wait for the festival to start, and now I already want more,” Johnson said. “All week, I was thinking how lucky I am to be in Chicago to see accessible and powerful art.”

Look out for next year’s International Puppet Theater Festival, featuring art that challenges reality’s limits onstage.

JESSICA GOSKA | THE DEPAULIA

A child reacts with glee at the at the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at Chicago’s Navy Pier.

14 | Arts & Life. The DePaulia. Jan. 5, 2023

St.Vincent’s

D e JAMZ “Spinning fresh beats since 1581”

By Jake Cox Design Editor

I’m sure this is a DeJamz that has been told in one way or another before. In writing this, I’m drawing inspiration from a former DePaulia editor — who happens to be the voice in my head telling me to enjoy my college years. My nineteenth year felt fixed on a precipice. I’m looking toward adulthood but fixed on a romanticized epoch of my life: being a teenager. Semantically, that chapter is ending and I will no longer be a teen. But I hope to hang on to any shred of joy and delusion that makes us kids — but life continues, on to the Jamz.

“Ribs” Lorde Nothing fills me with more melancholy and joy than “Ribs” by Lorde. This ethereal lament on the woes of growing up has spoken to me throughout my adolescence but even more now as my teen years come to an end. 20 isn’t a year of anything grand, no driver’s license, no alcohol (well… legally), no renting cars! This song is an elegy for my youth, “And I’ve never felt more alone / It

feels so scary, getting old.” “all-american bitch” Olivia Rodrigo I need to balance out that depression somehow and this fits the bill. I’m still not sure about our stance about swearing in the paper but rules be damned — “All-american Bitch” needed to be included. Olivia Rodrigo, a former Disney Channel actor, released her debut album “Sour” out of thin air. Nothing could’ve prepared me for the hits that ensued. In Rodrigo’s sophomore album “Guts,” “All-american bitch” sticks out as a reminder of the rage and joy of being a teenager — “I know my age and I act like it.”

“Motion Sickness” Phoebe Bridgers This song has been through it with me.

I am reminded of the day I listened to it 40 times on loop senior year while working on a scholarship application… good times.

Driving home from a friend’s house sobbing… to this song. Anyway nothing serves as a better reminder of my lows than “Motion Sickness,” but I digress, it’s a banger!

Crossword

“betty” Taylor Swift “folklore,” Taylor Swift’s debut into the indie music space, was released as a surprise in July 2020. For more reasons than I can name or remember 2020 was an awful year; But “folklore,” was a high point. “Betty,” with its country twang and dreamy lyrics of teenage love filled me with indescribable joy. However, the first time I heard “I’m only seventeen, I don’t know anything but I know I miss you” after I had turned 18 left me broken for a hot second.

Going on to 20, three years senior of 17, I can start to see how I’ve grown since then and can look back with fondness.

“Landslide” The Chicks (Cover) While Stevie Nicks’s original is perfect and wonderful, nothing reminds me of my childhood more than listening to The Chicks with my mom. I’ve had an up-anddown relationship with country music, especially the “I love America and guns” brand, but The Chicks’ storytelling and twang is so fun. The lyricism gives me the warm fuzzies: “Even children get older / And I’m getting older too.” I look back with

ACROSS

1) Address an audience 6) “All in the Family” character 11) Pranks a yard on Halloween (Abbr.)

14) Drink with marshmallows 15)_Lama 16) Three in Roman numerals 17) Like the first overtime points 19) Dispose of leftovers 20) Reunion attendee 21) “Disgusting!”

22) Chromosome component 23) Suburban school sport 2 6) Computer screen 28) “Black gold” gp.

29) Word with Glory or Testament 32) “Family Guy” creator Macfarlane 33) Move, in Realtor-speak 34) Banana covering 36) Back of a boat 39) Previously used

by Shakespeare?

40) Social service part?

42) Mauna _ (Hawaiian peak) 43) Cavalry sword 45) Beef order 46) Agitation 47) Clean, as a pipe 9) Wistful wishing 50) _ l’Eveque cheese 51) More apt to complain 54) Bow like a girl 56) Decay 57) “7 Faces of Dr._” (1964 flick) 58) Arboreal monkey 59) It’s fit to be tied 60) They cause performance failures 65) Ballerina’s prop 66) Hebrew month 67) Viola’s big brother 68) Bulky phonebook section 69) Annoy successfully 70) Invite off one’s doorstep

COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

nostalgia to my youth and look into the future with delusional excitement. Nothing is scarier than getting older, but I am excited to be going into my 20s. As I get older I see how great life is now and how sucky the teen years were. Manifesting this decade of my life is the best one yet!

DOWN

1) Autumn mo.

2) King of France 3) Expert fighter pilot 4) Cigarette filling 5) Former “College Bowl” host Robert 6) Imported cheese 7) S._ (Neb. neighbor) 8) Widest of the three bones of the hip 9) Does a ballroom dance 10) Part of HRH 11) Got married 12) Key instrument?

13) Eastern lute 18) Second-smallest continent 23) Ointment targets 24) Musical spectacle 25) People fodder?

27) “Addams Family” cousin 30) Jet-set jet 31) Crumble away 35) Angler’s decoy 37) They help control a horse 38) Impeccably dressed 40) Behind

41) Writing instrument 44) Early night, to a bard 46) Elves, pixies and such 48) Cruel one 51) Composed, as a letter 52) Freight train hoppers, stereotypically 53) Cook with dry heat 55) Central New York city 58) Window shade?

61) Sheep’s cry 62) Type, derogatorily 63) Manning of the NFL 64) Future heir, perhaps

Sports Demons score under

Sports. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2023 | 15

40 for first time in 15 years, leave interim coach ‘embarrassed’

By Ryan Hinske Sports Editor

After a 39-72 loss to Seton Hall at home Tuesday, Jan. 30, interim head coach Matt Brady criticized his team’s effort during a postgame press conference.

“This team’s mental strength is fragile,” Brady said. “It’s unusual (for an) athlete in the Big East, scholarship guy, fragile ego, but we have a room full of guys that aren’t confident.”

Brady said a reason for the loss was a lack of toughness from his team, a quality he says their Seton Hall opponents possess.

“That team is not overly skillful, (but) they’re pretty tough, and the reason why they’re winning is toughness,” he said. “So I’ve got to find a way to extract this group’s toughness.”

Brady has been pushing competitive spirit, zeal, toughness and emotional stability for his group since taking over the head coaching position Jan. 22, but said those characteristics got away from them against a gritty Seton Hall team who is 14-8 and

fourth in the Big East Conference standings.

DePaul never held a lead in the game and was outscored 31-18 by the Pirates in the first half.

“We did not play with the same desperation or the same level of heart as they did,” Brady said. “I’m really disappointed with how we performed.”

Brady said interior scoring is crucial to limiting opponents’ scoring runs because it slows the game down and forces free throw attempts; however, his team only scored 12 points in the paint compared to the Pirates’ 44. The Blue Demons also secured just 30 rebounds compared to Seton Hall’s 46, another indicator of limited interior play.

Brady said this was largely due to a lack of confidence in his players.

“All we can do is drive these guys to a higher place emotionally and get the most out of them,” he said. “We’re going to fight with much more ferocity than we just did tonight.”

Brady said he knew a game would get away from the group this season, but he

WILL ROBSON | THE DEPAULIA

Elijah Fisher, 22, helps his teammate Churchill Abass to his feet in a game against Seton Hall Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, at Wintrust Arena. Abass and Fisher were held to a combined 10 points between them.

WILL ROBSON | THE DEPAULIA

Jalen Terry dribbles the basketball past midcourt as interim head coach Matt Brady looks on, in a game against Seton Hall Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, at Wintrust Arena. Terry scored all of his eight points in the first half.

“just didn’t think it would be in our own building.” DePaul has not scored less than 40 points during a game since 2008: a 36-63 loss to Northwestern in Evanston.

After the head coaching change Jan. 22, DePaul played a competitive game against No. 14 Marquette and a strong first half against No. 17 Creighton before falling behind late, signaling some positive momentum against ranked opponents. Tuesday was “two steps back” for Brady’s team.

“I’ve worked with the staff to get our guys in a place where they knew they could win, and I thought for two games, they felt like they could,” Brady said. “I don’t have an answer for this. I’m embarrassed by our performance.”

Injuries affected DePaul’s personnel, as DePaul guards KT Raimey, Chico Carter Jr. and Caleb Murphy were all unavailable, but Brady saw it as another reason for his other players to step up. In the second half, he talked about a bright spot when 6’0 senior guard Jalen Terry forced an offensive foul on the much larger Seton Hall guard Dylan Addae-Wusu by standing strong in the paint and taking a big hit.

“That took real courage that needed to be applauded,” he said. “Those are the players and the plays that can elevate a group, and we need more of that.”

Terry, who scored all eight of his points in the first half Tuesday, played in just his third game in four years of collegiate basketball without his former head coach Tony Stubblefield, who was let go in January.

Stubblefield recruited Terry to play at The University of Oregon, who transferred to DePaul when Stubblefield got the job in spring 2021.

“First it was kind of shocking to me,”

Terry said of the coaching change during a Jan. 24 press conference. “He’s a coach I had for about three years and he recruited me to Oregon. I guess you got to be ready for change.”

DeWayne Peevy, the Director of Athletics, was confident Brady was the right person for the interim head coaching position, citing his experience and familiarity with the team.

“For me, it was pretty simple because of the 12 years of head coaching experience that allowed the rest of the staff to be stable and stay in their same roles without a lot of change for our student-athletes,” Peevy said Jan. 23 during a press conference. “Bringing an outside person in was something I didn’t want to do.”

Brady remains committed to better results before the season concludes in March.

To do this, he said the team has to change their mindset.

“We’re not backing up as a staff and as a program. We’re going to figure this out,” Brady said. “I don’t really care about the results right now. I have a team of guys that want to feel sorry for themselves. Can’t do that.”

DePaul is set to visit St. John’s Tuesday, followed by a Valentine’s Day game against UConn, the nation’s No. 1 ranked team, at Wintrust Arena. Brady said his team needs to show up ready to play.

“You’ve got to bring a competitive zeal that’s unmatched, and I’m struggling with where to go with that with this group,” Brady said. “I’m going to keep pointing it out in a positive way. Competitive spirit is where we need to go with this group.”

Sports. The DePaulia. Feb. 5, 2023 | 16

Murphy out for remainder of season, expected to pursue medical redshirt

By Tom Gorski Men’s Basketball Beat Reporter

DePaul Athletics announced Friday afternoon that senior guard Caleb Murphy will be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a wrist injury.

Having played in only eight games this season, with his last appearance dating back to Dec. 6, Murphy plans to pursue a medical redshirt.

DePaul expected Murphy to be a key contributor for the team this season. Still, this setback was not unfamiliar for Murphy. During the 2022-23 season, he sat out the first 18 games with a similar wrist injury.

During his short time on the court this season, Murphy averaged 5.6 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 53.3% from the field. His best performance was Nov. 11 against Long Beach State, when he notched 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

The approval of Murphy’s request for a medical redshirt remains uncertain. Complicating matters is the recent departure of former head coach Tony Stubblefield, who recruited Murphy as a transfer from the University of South Florida before last season.

Murphy’s return for next season remains uncertain with the transfer portal opening in spring and DePaul being in the midst of a coaching transition.

WILL ROBSON | THE DEPAULIA

Caleb Murphy prepares for a game against Long Beach State, November 11, 2023, at Wintrust Arena. Murphy played eight games this season before sustaining a season-ending wrist injury.

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