Student-run newspaper since 1962 tuesday, october 9, 2018
Volume 38 Issue 5
www.neiuindependent.org
Professor’s Photography in art exhibit
What students need to know about NEIU’s Immunization Record Requirement Nicole F. Anderson
See pg. 3
A response to Kavanaugh A student’s take on the sexual assault allegations. See pg. 10
‘I was raised on the internet’ Art exhibit showcases how the internet influences our society. See Pg. 12
Mail email address, signature, etc.). The immunization record form is available to download on the NEIU website under the Student Health Services page. Students must show at least three vaccinations, or doses, of Tetanus/ Diptheria/Pertussis. One must be Tdap. These “booster” shots last ten years. If students do not have a Tdap vaccination, Student Health Services offers the vaccination for $40 (check only). Students must show at least two vaccinations, or doses, of MMR that were received on or after their first birthday. Students whom are unable to provide immunization records of MMR may provide lab results of MMR immunity. Student Health Ser-
read online exclusives Visit neiuindependent.org for more news stories and exclusive event coverage.
vices offers the lab test for a fee of $20 (check only). Students under the age of 22 (born after 1995) must provide proof of at least one vaccine for Meningococcal conjugate; however, if the student received first vaccination before the age of 16; proof of a second vaccination is required. Religious exemptions and medical exemptions are different. A religious exemption must provide a detailed objection to immunization in regard to the immunization(s) conflicting with their religion. A medical exemption is a signed form or record from a certified doctor stating the student... See IMMUNIZATION, pg. 3
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FAFSA applications opened Oct. 1.
state employee, if your doctor turned in your medication or turned in your vaccinations are reported your vaccinations, I’m able to do that [view records].” NEIU students have until 2020 before being penalized for not turning in their records. Lasko said that while students have until 2020, students should turn in their records by the end of the semester because “some students are going to wind up being compliant in 2019 because they had their shot in 2009, but then as soon as 2020 comes, they’re going to be non-compliant.” Along with providing immunization records, students must fill out the top portion immunization record form (name, student ID number, N-
online
#EarlyFAFsa Workshops
screenshot by nicole f. anderson Visit Student Health Services located in E 051 (under the bookstore) or the immunization section under Student Health services on the NEIU website for more information.
Arts & life
NEws
Nathan Mathews is shining a bright light on dull architecture with his photography. Mathews’ collection “Ersatz” focuses on architecture and ways people respond to it, specifically unappealing architecture. It’s being displayed in the Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery at Presence Heritage Village in Kankakee, Illinois, until Oct.14. Recently tenured, Mathews has been teaching at Northeastern Illinois University since 2009 but has been teaching photography since he was in graduate school at Columbia College Chicago in 2006. Mathews’ photography was displayed in more than 50 locations in the last ten years. Gretchen Charlton Art Gallery at Presence Heritage Village is located at 901 N Entrance Ave. Kankakee, Illinois, and is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Saturday
Opinions
Nicole F. Anderson
Public university students are required by the state of Illinois to provide the written records of their immunizations. NEIU students are being strongly urged to bring in their records by the end of this semester to find out if they are compliant with the immunization policy. Students are being asked to provide immunization records on the following vaccines: Tetanus/Diptheria/Pertussis, Measles/Mumps/ Rubella (MMR) and Meningococcal conjugate (meningitis). NEIU’s Administrative Nurse II, Jennifer Lasko, is the lead staff member on the immunization committee. Lasko said, “We’re trying to encourage students to come in and do an immunization review with us. Every single record that we receive, every single student, will be actually be reviewed by a nurse. Because we want to make sure that they’re hitting all of those little nuances per category.” Student Health Services offers the immunization review for free. Lasko said, “I can look up your records if you’re from Illinois, have lived in Illinois… About 23 years ago, a lot of doctors started to download the vaccinations that they gave their patients in a state website. And as a
Let us know! NEXT ISSUE IS OUT oct. 23 Our office is located in E-049 at the main campus.
2 News | october 9, 2018
Independent Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Cecilia G. Hernandez News Editor Nicole F. Anderson Opinions Editor Amaris E. Rodriguez Arts & Life Editor Robert Kukla Sales Director Tsetan Lungkara Marketing Director Ashley Mathis Payroll Manager Francisco Sebastian Writers Will Jones Joanna Vaklin Alejandro Marroquin Daphne Watson Armando Flores Grace Yu Copy Editors Bisma Zafar Cartoonist Brandi Nevarez Photographers Angelica Sanchez The Independent is a public forum for all of Northeastern Illinois University’s campuses and surrounding community. The Independent is entirely student-run and is published bi-weekly, except during summer and semester breaks. The editor-in-chief is responsible for the content of the Independent, and views presented do not necessarily represent those of the administration, faculty and students. The Independent is a member of the ICPA and ACP. For further details email theneiuIndependent@gmail.com.
Independent
Early voting at neiu campuses Nicole F. Anderson The voting polls for early voters opened on Thursday, Sept. 27 for the gubernatorial elections. All Chicagoan citizens who are registered to vote can cast their ballots early at any of the early voting locations. Any Chicagoan who is not registered to vote can register online, mail, in-person at an earlyvoting location, at the Secretary of State’s office (while getting a new ID) or at their ward’s polling place on the day of the election. In order to be eligible to vote in Illinois, there are five requirements: must be a United States citizen, must be 18-years-old on or before the general election, live in the location where the election is being held for at least 30 days before the election day, must not be currently incarcerated and may not vote anywhere else. To register to vote online, visit https://ova.elections.il.gov/ and fill out the Illinois online voter registration application. The application is free, and the deadline is 11:50 p.m. on Oct. 21. To register for vote through the mail, download “FORM 275 Rv. 03/18” from the Chicago Election website or by searching the form in a search engine. Fill out the form and mail it to the Board of Election Commissioners at 69 W. Washington St. STE 600, Chicago, Illinois 60602-3012. The letter will need a stamp and the deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 9. To register to vote at an early voting location or at your ward’s designated polling place on the day of the election (Nov. 6), two forms of identification will be needed. One of the two forms of identification must show current residence address. For more information on the requirements of registering to vote, please visit: https://www.elections.
Produced by David Orr, Cook County Clerk. il.gov and view the information under the “voter information” section. NEIU’s El Centro campus (3390 N. Avondale) will be open the following hours for early voting hours: ·Mon, Oct. 22 through Sat, Oct. 27: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. · Sun, Oct. 28: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ·Mon, Oct. 29 through Fri, Nov. 2: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ·Sat, Nov. 3: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ·Sun, Nov. 4: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. · Mon, Nov. 5: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
From Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, NEIU’s main campus, along with Chicago State, UIC and University of Chicago Reynolds Club, will open to early voting from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All voters are allowed to bring in notes into the polling booths on candidates, referendums, etc. The State Board of Elections website offers a 2019 Candidate Guide to help voters learn more about what to expect on the ballots. It’s available as a free, downloadable PDF.
Guess the Editor
This editor joined the Independent’s news team in January 2018. She is a junior at NEIU and communications, media and theatre major. In her free time, she writes for her own blog, yungmiga.com, which focuses on the culture of the Chicago LGBTQ+ community. She also enjoys writing short stories, screenplays and poems. Her creative work has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, the Wright Side and SEEDS literary and visual arts journal. This editor won first place in the Daredevil’s writing competition for her short story, “The Bottle of Gin,” which is also printed in the 2018 edition of SEEDS. This editor can always be spotted around campus with a large coffee in one hand and a notebook in the other. She loves hearing from students and is always willing to sit down and chat. Email guesses to the Independent and the first one to guess correctly wins a prize.
october 9, 2018 | news 3
Student Newspaper
flyer courtesy of dear aunaetitrakul
Filing FAFSA Early with workshops
Nicole F. Anderson Oct. 1 began the application period to file for FAFSA. NEIU’s Early FAFSA Task Force committee “#EarlyFAFSA” has a goal of completing 7,000 FAFSA applications with NEIU’s school code. NEIU’S Financial Aid Executive Director Maureen Amos founded the #EarlyFAFSA initiative at NEIU in 2016 after being a part of the National Early FAFSA Task Force led by the Obama administration. Amos’ experience with the national taskforce led her to bring the Early FAFSA Taskforce to Northeastern. The Pedroso Center’s Assistant Director Dear Aunaetitrakul is involved with the #EarlyFAFSA initiative. “We assist the task force with outreach and marketing strategies,” Aunaetitrakul said. “In addition, we are hosting a session on October 23 from 4pm-6pm to target evening students to do the FAFSA application early.” “We feel that #EarlyFAFSA initiative is important and critical to student success here at NEIU. The sooner students can complete their
FAFSA application, the higher the chances for them to get more financial aid packages,” Aunaetitrakul said. There are 19 members in the #EarlyFAFSA initiative that will be at NEIU’s main campus, El Centro and CCICS hosting workshops to help students fill out their FAFSA applications and answering questions. The following are #EarlyFAFSA events and workshops: Jacob Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies 700 East Oakwood Boulevard, Chicago, IL 60653 Oct. 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. El Centro Festival de la FAFSA 3390 North Avondale Avenue, Chicago, IL 60618 Oct. 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Main Campus - Alumni Hall & B Building Computer Lab 5500 North Saint Louis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625 Oct. 13 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs FAFSA Fiesta 5500 North Saint Louis Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625 Oct. 23 from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. EagleFest FAFSA Promotions Oct. 29 – Nov. 1 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. The Nest Franks for FAFSA 3659 West Bryn Mawr Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625 Oct. 31 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. The #EarlyFAFSA Task Force at NEIU completed three cycles. In the past there was only one priority file date, but now there are a few more. Amos said, “We have a few because we want milestones, or benchmarks.” FAFSA applicants are to use prior-prior year (PPY) tax information, meaning to file for the 2018-2019, applicants will use 2016 tax information. Nov. 1 is the priority file date for federal funds. March 1 is to find students’
eligibility for state grants and institutional scholarships. “The unique thing about 19-20, is that we have another state scholarship we’re going to get. It’s called Illinois Aim High… It’s only for the new class coming in, freshman, but it’s money that we need to expend and there’s a chance that it can be [sic] exhausted, quite early,” Amos said. Aim High is for freshman with a high school GPA of 3.0 and it is renewable for three years. Amos said, “If you’re not eligible for federal benefits, you are more than likely eligible for institutional scholarships and private scholarships.” Haydee Hernandez, financial aid coordinator, added, “And depending on the bracket they [students] fall under, they might be eligible for state, but not necessarily federal.” Amos said, “We have about 70% of our students that receive some form of financial assistance. And obviously that percentage goes up as the year goes on, because people can still submit FAFSA. You know, even during spring semester, so that percentage goes up.”
Immunization in question cannot receive a certain vaccination due to a medical reason, i.e. allergies to vaccination, life-threatening reaction to medication, etc. Student who wish to be exempt from the immunization requirement must fill out the religious exemption form, provide detailed objection, sign the form and meet with the Student Health Center to discuss risks of not being immunized. According to the Student Health Center’s page on the NEIU website, “The objection must set forth the specific religious belief that conflicts with the immunization. The religious objection may be personal and need not be directed by the tenets of an established religious organization. General philosophical or moral reluctance to allow immunizations will not provide a sufficient basis for an exception to statutory requirements.” The religious exempt form is available on NEIU website under Student Health Services. International students attending NEIU must schedule an appointment with Student Health Services in order to have immunization records reviewed and receive a Tuberculosis (TB) screening. Immunization and TB records must be translated into English and signed by a medical provider or health clinic. Student Health Services ask international students bring their international certificate of vaccination, or their “yellow card,” to the appointment. Student Health Services offers the TB screening for free; however, the Quantiferon-Gold TB test is $50 (check only). Students can send their records to the Student Health Services by uploading them to the NEIU Student Health Portal, faxing them to 773442-5808, mailing or hand-delivering them. For more information, visit Student Health Services is located in E 051 (under the bookstore) or by visiting immunization section under Student Health services on the NEIU
4 News | october 9, 2018
Independent
neiu to begin tackling ‘unsolved problem’ in physics: dark matter Joanna Vaklin NEIU is contributing in the tackle of discovery in evidence on dark matter, the “big unsolved problem” in physics. The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded a grant to NEIU to help be part of the PICO project. The $169,858 three-year grant will help NEIU students and faculty create and maintain software in order to run experiments that will search for dark matter. The project uses a bubble chamber experiment that will potentially “directly detect dark matter.” Dr. Orin Harris, a Physics Professor at NEIU, helped NEIU join the PICO project. “A large percent
of matter is a type we can’t see,” Harris said. His team of students and faculty will help develop a “software that helps run the detection of dark matter and allows us to view data coming from experiment” of the PICO bubble chamber. The PICO project is a “world leading experiment in search for experimental signs of dark matter…Students at NEIU will have the opportunity to work with scientists from all around the world in disentangling backgrounds from our data,” Carsten Krauss a experimentalist from PICO said. Dr. Paulo Acioli, NEIU physics department chair, said the NSF receives “a number of calls for
proposals” from different schools and institutions every year. Harris’ “enthusiasm for the dark matter project” led to his proposal to the NSF for funding. Acioli said the funding for students from outside sources is the “ideal way, because for this big research project, the budget is well beyond what we usually have here,” and in the past a “lot of the funding came from The Student Center for Science Engagement (SCSE).” Other schools received a piece of the large grant, including Penn State and Indiana University. Each school is “contributing on building the pieces” of the bubble chamber experiment Harris said. NEIU student Adam Provost
worked with Dr. Harris and a number of other students on the project. He said this grant will “provide students an amazing opportunity to work on an international physics collaboration from here at NEIU.” Provost encourages his fellow students that if they find this research “interesting, but feel intimidated by how mysterious ‘dark matter’ sounds,” they should set up a meeting with Dr. Harris. “I transferred in from community college with zero research experience and I was able to work with Dr. Harris this summer… It will be challenging but Dr. Harris will make it attainable and I can attest that it is incredibly reward-
ing and absolutely worth the effort,” Provost said. This isn’t the first time Dr. Harris gave scientific opportunities to students. Last year he took “students to the SNOLAB to visit the bubble chamber that is two miles beneath the surface of the earth,” Acioli said. “This is a cutting-edge experiment that students could be involved in at NEIU.” Acioli said, “Having a direct measurement and evidence of dark matter will be big step” for the future of NEIU. Students can be a part of large scale experiments. “There is competition in science experiments and we are one of them,” Harris said.
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6 News | october 9, 2018
Independent
Pre-SOMA’s First Medical Student Panel Answers ‘What’s next?’ Daphne Watson The Pre-Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA) at NEIU hosted their first medical student panel discussion on Oct. 2. Four Midwestern University medical students spoke to NEIU students about preparing for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the medical school application process, their decision to enter the field of osteopathic medicine and what their hopes for the future were. In 2015, more than 17% of doctors entering medical residency training were doctors of osteopathic medicine (DO) and the number is rising as cultural competence and a holistic approach to medical care are more widely accepted, according to the Oct. 2017 Health Affairs journal. These doctors, many trained at Midwestern University’s Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (CCOM), have similar knowledge as a traditional medical doctor (MD). They must pass the same board exams, complete the same years of residency and earn comparative salaries. Specializations such as internal medicine or anesthesiology are the same in both disciplines.
The primary difference in the medical training is that allopathic medicine (traditional MDs) is focused on the diagnosis of symptoms and treatment, whereas osteopathic medicine is holistic and focused on disease prevention and views the patient as a “whole” where all parts of the body work together and influence one another. DOs also practice Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT), which is a literal hands-on diagnosis, treatment and prevention technique. According to the Chicago Cancer Health Equity Collaboration (ChicagoCHEC), the “whole patient” approach is of particular importance to Chicago’s underserved, low-income African-American and Latino communities where cancer death rates double the national average. NEIU’s Pre-SOMA President, Alexis Chappel, said her and Pre-SOMA Vice President Rut Ortiz met over the summer of 2017 at ChicagoCHEC. Along with other students from Northwestern Medical and University of Illinois Health, they engaged in joint cancer research education with medical students, physicians and other health professionals. The opportunity to experience
mock interviews and MCAT workshops, Chappel said, “gave her a greater understanding of how difficult the path to medical school truly is.” Chappel and Ortiz formed a local Pre-SOMA chapter at NEIU “to be a support system and resource for pre-med students at NEIU.” Panelist Min Chang shared how she shadowed doctors for more than 100 hours before being admitted to medical school and urged NEIU students to pursue volunteer and job-shadow opportunities at palliative care centers, nursing homes and hospice programs. All the panelists stressed the importance of passion and perseverance. The current MCAT is a seven and a half hour test. Free and subsidized study aids are available online. “Volunteering and shadowing isn’t about checking boxes for your medical school application,” Min said. Min retold of a time when she worked with an uninsured and largely immigrant population at a DO office and witnessed how OMT relieved chronic pain for many patients. Panelists Tom O’Brien and Adilda Dema explained that the applicant must speak with confidence
Students engaging with the Pre-SOMA panelists on Oct. 2. Photo by Daphne Watson. and passion during the interview to demonstrate a depth of understanding regardless of the field. Panelist Samrin Samad added that some students in her classes have undergrad degrees in fields such as software engineering and that “passionate communication sets you apart.” Questions and answers ricocheted around the room and covered a few specific topics in great depth. Many wondered aloud how to balance life when in medical school. O’Brien stressed to the audience the importance of time management, effective study habits and
perseverance. Min encouraged everyone to “be present with the people you care about. Most are very supportive, so when you have the time to give, be fully there.” Their next event will cover MCATs in November. For more information on Pre-SOMA NEIU, visit https://neiu.campuslabs.com/ engage/organization/presoma
Sept. 22: P.E. Complex: NEIU Police conducted a wellness check on a person lying on the ground but was determined they were sleeping.
Sept. 25: The Nest: Officers responded to call of people stuck in elevators. Engineers and the Chicago Fire Department arrived and were able to safely free the students stuck in the elevator.
Sept. 24: BBH: Facilities were notified for clean up after an unknown subject wrote graffiti on the wall. Sept. 24: Student Union: Officers questioned, warned and released a male student who had complaints filed on him for inappropriately approaching female students sitting alone in the Student Union.
Transcribed by the Independent
Sept. 27: CCICS: Officers responded to CCICS’ pump room after a fire alarm went off. Electricians reset the alarm because there wasn’t any smoke or fire. Sept. 27: B-Building: Officers were notified of unknown person taking large amounts of school newspaper.
Student Newspaper
OCTOBER 9, 2018 | news
7
snapshots of neiu community
Top left and top right: Bernard J. Brommel building under construction during fall 2018 semester. Photos by Brian Garoutte
Bottom left and bottom right: NEIU’s Sociology Club held IMPACT event led by Martha Thompson. Photos by Angelica Sanchez.
october 9, 2018 | news 9
Student Newspaper
Transcribed by the Independent Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. was nationally founded in Jan. 1908 but the Pi Nu chapter was chartered at NEIU in March 1992. There are 1,018 established chapters worldwide with more than 300,000 members. 143 of them joined through the Pi Nu chapter at NEIU. Alpha Kappa Alpha was the first black Greek Lettered organization on campus. During the Fall semester of 1989, the idea of starting a chapter on the campus of Northeastern Illinois University came to life. Danielle Lorraine Porch and Carmen Nicole Hampton saw the need for a vehicle that would allow African American women to work together. Alpha Kappa Alpha was that vehicle. The following are upcoming events being hosted by the Pi Nu Chapter: • Oct. 23: Taffy Apple Fundraiser • Nov. 1: Book, Eyeglasses and Shoe Drive • Nov. 13: Annual Angel Tree Program Kick-off The sorority was founded on a mission comprised of five basic tenets that have remained unchanged since the sorority’s inception more than a century ago: “Cultivate and encourage high scholastic and ethical standards, to promote unity and friendship among college women, to study and help alleviate problems concerning girls and women in order to improve their social stature, to maintain a progressive interest in college life, and to be of ‘Service to All Mankind.’” Pi Nu President LaShonda D. Tate said, “As a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., I am committed to preserving our historic and rich sisterhood that was established in 1908.”
Tate said, “Pi Nu Chapter perpetuates the core values of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. by focusing on service, scholarship and sisterhood.” “We are committed to providing service to all mankind, maintaining high scholastics, and promoting unity among college women,” Tate said. The following are basic requirements to join Pi Nu: •
•
•
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Must be a full-time undergraduate student at the campus where the chapter is located or a full-time undergraduate student at an accredited school affiliated with a city chapter in the community. Must have earned 12 (or more) hours for Spring or Fall session, or have at least one grading period as a full-time student at the institution affiliated with the chapter, immediately after submitting the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. application. Must have a cumulative and a semester average of a C plus (a 2.50 GPA on a 4.0 scale) or higher, immediately after submitting the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. application. Must be in attendance at the official Rush.
Photos used with permission from Pi Nu.
Newsletter ‘Meet the greeks:’ Pi Nu
Left to right: The 30th (current) Central Regional Director Sonya L. Bowen; Pi Nu Chapter President LaShonda D. Tate.
For additional information regarding membership, please contact the Graduate Advisor Gloria Winston at cynsmom79@aol. com or visit: http://aka1908.com/ membership/aspiring-or-prospective-members#undergraduate
Corrections: In the Sept. 25 version of the “Meet the Greeks: Pi Nu,” the headline read: “Aplha Psi Lambda” and did not state Alpha Kappa Alpha as the founder. The Independent apologizes for the incorrections.
Left to right: The 29th International President Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson; Pi Nu Chapter President LaShonda D. Tate; the 17th Central Regional Director Johnetta Randolph Haley; and the 29th Central Regional Director Kathy Walker Steele.
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opinions
october 9, 2018 | Independent
It Is Never The Victim’s Fault: a response to the kavanaugh controversy Robert Kukla “She shouldn’t have been wearing that outfit.” “She was drunk.” These are some of the many things I heard throughout my lifetime to discredit victims of sexual assault. President Trump made one of those comments when responding to the controversy regarding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, saying that her credibility is challenged because she was drinking. At a campaign rally on Tuesday Oct. 2, Trump taunted Ford’s statement about her sexual assault. “How did you get home? I don’t remember. How’d you get there? I don’t remember. Where is the place? I don’t remember. How many years ago was it? I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t know,” Trump said to a crowd of people in Mississippi. “But I had one beer. That’s the only thing I remember.” Everytime I hear statements and taunting such as this, it brings me back to my own assault when I was 19 years old. I was raped by my own boyfriend after he beat me up. I heard people say that when you’re in a relationship, it doesn’t count as rape. According to the Department of Justice website, rape is defined as: “the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” As you see, nowhere does it mention whether the person was
drunk, whether they were in a relationship with the perpetrator or any mention of clothing choice. Yet, we live in a society that is notorious for wanting to put blame on the victim instead of the rapist. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) out of every 1000 rapes, 994 perpetrators will walk free. Perpetrators of sexual violence are also less likely to go to jail than other criminals. As a country, we need to change the way we treat victims of sexual violence. It should never be the victims’ fault that they were assaulted. The fact is that the moment someone does a sexual act to you without your consent or without your ability to consciously consent, it is rape. As a society, we need to stop
blaming victims for not coming forward and not reporting it the moment it happened. Dr. Ford waited 36 years to come forward, according to her testimony in the Brett Kavanaugh hearing, but it doesn’t diminish the fact that he raped her. According to Psychology Today, one of the primary reasons why someone doesn’t come forward right away after being raped or sexually assaulted is shame. Victims often blame themselves for what happened. This was and still is how I feel sometimes when I look back at my own rape. I often find myself thinking, “What if I left sooner, what if I had paid attention to the red flags?” On the surface, I know that it wasn’t my fault, but for some reason,
I can’t get my brain to accept it. According to another transcript from the hearing, Senator Kamala Harris told Ford, “Dr. Ford, first of all, just so we can level set, you know you are not on trial. You are not on trial. You are sitting here before members of the United States Senate Judiciary Committee because you had the courage to come forward, because, as you have said, you believe it was your civic duty… . And so I want to thank you. I want to thank you for your courage and I want to tell you I believe you.” The eloquent statement from Sen. Harris reflects the way, as a society, we need to change the way we approach victims of sexual violence. It doesn’t matter if the rape occurred five minutes ago or 30 years ago, it is still rape. I am very fortunate to be able to attend a university like NEIU that takes sexual violence seriously. According to Student Health Services, all the nurses and staff are considered mandated reporters, which means that they are obligated to report any mentions of sexual assault that happens to students. One of the big things they stress is confidentiality. Any reports remain confidential and they provide victims with the tools and resources they need such as referrals to physicians, counseling, STI testing, medications, etc. Director of Student Health Services at NEIU Sharon Heimbaugh informed the Independent about a recent grant that NEIU received that specifically goes towards funding NEIU’s Sexual Assault and Violence
Prevention (SAVP) project. According to the abstract, the grant “seeks to enhance the prevention of, awareness of, and the response to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking (SADDVS) on campus... NEIU will convene a coordinated community response team, enhance mandatory SADDVS education for all incoming students, conduct prevention and education programming; provide training for campus safety officers, investigators, faculty, and staff; and improve the cultural relevance of NEIU’s response to SADDVS for first-generation, low income, LGBTQ, veteran, ethnic minority, and immigrant students.” The grant is good for three years, with $100,000 awarded each year towards the project. Knowing this information puts me at ease and makes me feel safe on campus because I feel that the university is doing everything to take issues of sexual assault seriously. If you are or have been the victim of sexual assault, there are plenty of resources to help you. Bellow is a list of contacts and crisis hotlines. For NEIU students: Student Health Services: 773442-5800 or Student Counseling Services: 773-442-4650 National Hotlines: Rape, Abuse and Incest National Hotline (RAINN): 1.800.656.HOPE and their email is: www.rainn.org National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1.800.799.SAFE (7233) or 1.800.787.3224. Their email is: www.thehotline.org
Arts & Life
Student newspaper | october 9, 2018
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‘Insomniac’ Gives Us the Spider-Man Game We Deserve
Marvel’s Spider-Man was developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4. photo by insomniac Games facebook page
Alejandro Marroquin Over the years, gamers have been blessed with good Spider-Man games but for every good game there was a bad one. First teased to the video game community in the summer of 2016, Marvel’s Spider-Man game by Insomniac Games was finally released in September 2018. It was worth the two-year wait for comic book fans and gamers. Set in New York City’s Manhattan borough, the game features a SpiderMan who has been fighting crime for eight years already, skipping his origin story. Story wise, the game succeeds in delivering an original story that players can enjoy. There are changes from the comic books, but these are not an issue since writers are not restricted to comic book storylines. The game has Spider-Man dealing with new threats that test his personal life and relationships. Notable characters such as Mary-
Jane Watson, May Parker and Miles Morales are featured, as well as a notable roster of Spider-Man’s well known criminal antagonists. The game is a love letter to New York and Spider-Man as it’s able to capture the spirit of the city. Being able to swing past the Empire State Building, Times Square and the Freedom Tower (One World Trade Center) makes you feel like you are in the Big Apple. The duality of Peter Parker and Spider-Man has always been important to the development of the character, and the game does an amazing job in capturing Peter’s struggles with being an adult and Spider-Man’s responsibility as a hero. When you start the game, there is much to do, which can feel overwhelming, but in a good way. The city is divided into nine districts such as Hell’s Kitchen, Harlem, etc. The game’s map is riddled with tasks and side missions that give the player an opportunity to explore the
open world and boost Spider-Man’s attributes. However, since each district has a setlist for completion, a lot of the tasks tend to become repetitive and tedious and may leave the player annoyed. The combat is very similar to the Batman Arkham series, but lacks fluidity at times. Despite these flaws, the game play is incredible and immersive. Overall, Insomniac Games delivers a subversive and gutwrenching story that is bound to leave players in tears in the end. It has the honor of being the greatest Spider-Man game so far.
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12 Arts & Life | october 9, 2018
Independent
‘i was raised on the internet’ reflects on the effects the internet has on today’s society Grace Yu Our world as we know it is dominated by the World Wide Web. The lives of many people in the 21st century were profoundly formed and informed by the Internet and a slew of various web-related technologies and applications. The exhibit “I Was Raised on the Internet” at the Museum of Contemporary Art is an attempt to showcase how art - in a wide spectrum of material forms from painting and sculpture to photography, video and mixed media - utilizes the Internet as both medium and subject. The exhibit showcases how the internet both resists and encourages speed in communication and social change, and frustrates and inspires social connection. Even the title of the exhibit, “I Was Raised on the Internet,” inspires multiple meanings. “I was raised on the Internet” can mean one’s diet, like we are relying on the internet for nutrition to grow. Or it can mean we are living on the internet as if the Internet were a planet, a place. A brief walk-through stimulates reflection on how the Internet and 21st century technologies are incorporated into visual and narrative craft, especially in works that are more conceptual and depend on the expression of a concept or abstract idea. Argentinian artist Amalia Ulman’s photographic work “Excellences & Perfections (Instagram Update, 5th September 2014)” fascinated me the most because of the way social media was manipulated to reflect how it’s a form of communication. It is an artistic and social experimental piece, a performative work in which she gives herself an extreme makeover (parts of which were
In Douglas Coupland’s photographic prints, faces are painted over with colorful blocks with in acrylic paint as a symbolic statement to attempt resistance of the social implications of facial recognition software and other digital means of data retrieval.
“The exhibit
showcases how the internet both resists and encourages speed in communication and social change, and frustrates and inspires social connection.” - Grace Yu, Writer
photo bythe Mca chicago Eva and Franco Mattes’ My Generation, 2010. Video is 13 minutes and 18 seconds displayed in a broken computer with loudspeakers. The exhibit “I Was Raised on the Internet” is available for viewing at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) through Oct. 14. The MCA is located at 220 E Chicago Ave.
faked), documented the changes on Instagram, and subsequently fielded and tracked comments from a large number of Internet trolls. Similarly, the intrigue of creative works that are Internet-based in both form and/or content can be seen in Dutch artist Constant Dullaart’s photographic series, “Jennifer in Photoshop, Creative Suite 6.” The pieces in the museum collection “Glowing Edges_7.10” and
“Plastic Wrap_20.15 15” I believe question the very nature of authorship and of curation and exhibition since Dullaart chose the photograph for his series but did not take the original photograph or edit it into any of its versions. The photograph was taken by the cofounder of Photoshop John Knoll. It depicts his wife Jennifer sitting on a beach. Dullaart found it (presumably somewhere online) and
argued that it should be considered a piece of the history of photography and viewed publicly. Push-back from the Photoshop community insisted that it should be considered private property. Matthew Angelo Harrison’s series of 3-D printed African masks use a high-tech tool to interrogate the politics of appropriation, and the limits and potential of reappropriation.
Rounding out the exhibition are a number of very weird (but good) video installations, interactive components to encourage patron activity, and a thorough online archive of scholarly articles offering critical theoretical perspectives on artistic and social engagement with the world of the Internet. The exhibit “I Was Raised on the Internet” is available for viewing at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) through Oct. 14. The MCA is located at 220 E Chicago Ave. Admission on Tuesdays is free for all Illinois residents; however on other days, student discounts are offered with a valid student ID. Bring a date! Bring a friend! Go see this exhibit!
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october 9, 2018 | Arts & life 13
STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Armando Flores Halloween is around the corner and not only does this mean pumpkin spice lattes are back, but most importantly, it begins the annual release of horror movies. “Hell Fest” was a film that had so much potential but instead we are given a film with a lot of issues.
“‘Hell Fest’ is a poorly
paced film with little to no redeemable qualities, except for the concept of a killer running wild in a Halloween carnival. ” - Armando Flores, Writer
The characters are poorly written. There is one scene where you could see the genuine terror in the actors’ faces. However, these unfortunate actors had to portray three couples who decide to go to Hell Fest, a horror inspired carnival. These “friends” are terrible to each other. One of the couples made out constantly at the park while another couple made fun of the third couple by maliciously pointing out how much they liked each other. After the first act, I was rooting for the killer— that’s how terrible these people were. All great slasher films are memorable because of their killers. “Halloween” has Michael, “Friday The 13th” has Jason and “Scream” has Ghostface. “Hell Fest” introduces us to The Other, a killer with no backstory other than the fact that he
killed once, years before the movie takes place. Unlike the killers who were previously mentioned, The Other lacks “a je ne sais quoi,” or a distinctive quality, that his cohorts share. It’s apparent because Hell Fest tries too hard to follow in the footsteps of other iconic slasher movies. We’ve talked about the killer as a character but another thing that makes a great killer are their kills. The Other kills five people in a two-hour movie. This wouldn’t be a bad thing if the deaths were good or entertaining, but they were plain, bland and boring. I was expecting the setting to play a part in the deaths, making The Other booby trap a ride (i.e. “Final Destination”) or change a prop chainsaw to a real one and have an actual cast member kill someone. But no. We have The Other stabbing people. There is one death that is memorable only because it reminded me of Gallagher and his comedy routine. As previously mentioned, there are five deaths in a two-hour film, two of which happen in a span of two minutes. The rest of the time we are forced to watch moments of suspense that made me think, “This is it. He’s going to kill her!” Nope. The suspense builds up to nothing, leaving the audience disappointed and bored. Overall, “Hell Fest” is a poorly paced film with little to no redeemable qualities, except for the concept of a killer running wild in a Halloween carnival. The story is a mess, the pacing is terrible, the characters are horrible people and the film was not well executed. I wouldn’t recommend “Hell Fest.”
‘hell fest’ promo poster via facebook
‘Hell Fest’ Provides More Eyerolls Than Screams: a review
Independent
14 Arts & life | october 9, 2018
Goodman Playwright Shares Family’s Shame In Powerful One-Man Musical Daphne Watson
Poster by the goodman theatre
The opening of the 2018-2019 season at the Goodman Theatre was sounded with the gentle tinkling of harp strings in the world premiere of David Cale’s one-man show/memoir “We’re Only Alive for a Short Amount of Time.”
“The musical numbers are not bombastic showpieces of exposition but subtle biographies that move fluidly from scene to scene and character to character.” - Daphne Watson, Writer Birdcages hung from invisible hooks above a bare stage where Cale tells of his love for birds and his longing to escape his life in Luton, England, with great tenderness, vulnerability and humor. As Cale transitioned from himself to portraying other members of his family, it’s as if a complete set and costume change took place. Yet he never left the stage. The tone and pitch of his voice rose to a quizzical and sultry manner, complete with a fluidity of his posture when he channeled his mother. He adjusted his imaginary skirt, corrected his posture, crossed his legs and brushed his nonexistent hair off his forehead. The audience saw the dress, the heels, the curl of brown bangs. I felt how his mother is trapped in a life she did not want but found joy in her quest to understand
“We’re Only Alive for a Short Amount of Time” runs through Oct. 21 in the Albert Theatre at the Goodman Theatre.
her peculiar, eldest son. Cale’s father interjected in a slow, lumbering, tongue-too-big-for-hismouth kind of way. He was a sloping man, largely present yet absent in David’s life and his own. A lifetime of alcohol abuse skewed his memory and perception, or at least that’s what he wants the courts and the public to believe after the murder of his wife, Cale’s mother. There is a moment where Cale embodies multiple people at once; it is a marvel. A young David disagreed with his imprisoned father, who loses
all gentility and reminds his son that he’s “killed before” is especially chilling. Cale’s almost imperceptible response was even more heart rendering. Cale’s captivating storytelling is elevated by the accompaniment of a six-piece orchestra that sat on the stage behind him and led by cocomposer and pianist, Matthew Dean Marsh. A black gossamer-like screen adds to the dream-state David Cale and the set designer created. The musical numbers are not bombastic showpieces of exposition
but subtle biographies that move fluidly from scene to scene and character to character. Cale’s songs were a conduit to which the story travels from point to point. Although I did not find the songs particularly singable, they left an impression. They are odd,offbeat and deep. Cale’s vocality is most powerful because of his sincerity -- used to best effect when singing of his brother’s displacement in the world. In this age where authenticity is championed, “We’re Only Alive for a Short Amount of Time” shared the
truth of a woman through her son’s perspective, who seeks to honor her silenced voice. This story is deeply personal, yet the familiar elements reach out and grab the audience, holding us for a full 90 minutes. There aren’t many of the world who hail from Luton, England, but we know loss and longing and duty. I think David Cale hoped we became more familiar with kindness, acceptance and love, because that is what his mother showed him in the short time that she was alive.
october 9, 2018 | Arts & life 15
STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Drogas Wave: A Composed Masterpiece Chicago’s very own Lupe Fiasco released an album filled to the brim with enlightenment, history and a well-crafted tale within the first eight tracks. Folks, prepare to be infatuated with the elements of this album. This album is entirely too complex to break down every single track. I am still trying to wrap my head around the concepts that Fiasco spins but I will start with the first eight songs. The first song is a short poem that sets the scene on the coast of Africa. The typhoon the poem creates within it’s distinct lines thrusts you into the following song, Drogas. The two minute song is in Spanish and Lupe’s bilingual skills are on full display. “Drogas” is Spanish for drugs. The music lyrics website, “Rap Genius,” helped me translate the lyrics. Fiasco has a line I adore, “Paz, paz, paz, paz sin pistolas.” Rap Genius translates this line into: “Peace, peace, peace, peace without pistols.” I wish there was more peace in this world. The next song,“Manilla,” is one of my favorite songs. There is a huge amount of wisdom and intellectual facts wound in the lyrics in this five minute song. I interpreted the setting as a group of slaves from Africa on a dock struck with fear because they are getting sold to slavers. Fiasco teaches his audience about the importance of manilla in our history. In his lyrics, Fiasco says that manillas were copper alloy bracelets that varied from copper to brass. The song goes, “The local chiefs on the slave coast of West Africa traded their human cargo for many different commodities and manilla was one of them. This manilla was manufactured in Birmingham between 1830 and 1850 was being shipped to Africa to be bartered for one slave.” This song enlightened me and blew my mind but this was only the beginning. “Gold vs the Right Things To
Lupe fiasco’s album cover
Will Jones
Do” is the following track and it adds another layer onto this tale. Fiasco starts out with a Rastafarian accent that plays well with the grittiness of this song. I envisioned it as the middle of the journey from Africa to the Americas or the West Indies. Towards the end of the song, the sounds of a ship falling apart and the frantic cries of people sent chills down my spine. Some slaves made the ultimate sacrifice by jumping overboard, but I believe for this tale, a group of slaves are able to walk and breathe underwater. In the second verse, “The weight of the chains on the slaves, pullin’ down to what they think are they graves, afraid as they sink from the surface of the sea, ‘til a soft voice in the water tells them, ‘Breathe.’” “The Slave Ship Interlude” starts off with a haunting violin that sets the eerie tone of the slaves that were forced into the cargo hull of ships.
The perilous journey, the uncertainty of doom, the fear that was more than likely coursing through their veins the violin captures all of the emotions extremely well and captures the cries of agony and despair coming from the slaves who went overboard. “WAV Files” is another one of my favorite songs because it’s like biting into a chili pepper after the calming interlude. Fiasco continues the tale with the group of slaves beginning their long journey back to Africa. In the third verse, he starts naming off a bunch of slave ships. Prepare to have Google ready! The beat really feels like you are walking on water trying to find the way home to Africa. “Down” is an excellent song too because it feels as though you are floating closely to the Atlantic Ocean floor. Fiasco’s imagery in this song is phenomenal because he brings the aquatic beings of the ocean to life. He
uses ocean life like dolphins, lobsters and sharks as friendly beings, not food. The next song is titled “Haile Selassie” and appears to be the end of this tale. I had to do a little research on who Selassie was. The song goes, “Emperor Haile Selassie I worked to modernize Ethiopia for several decades before famine and political opposition forced him from office in 1974. During his tenure, he brought Ethiopia into the League of Nations and the United Nations. Moreover, he was even regarded as the messiah of the African race by the Rastafarian movement.” It’s like the group of slaves found the path back to the promise land and Selassie was welcoming them with open arms. There’s more of a darker side to Selassie’s story, but he’s only a small aspect of this album. These first eight songs are like an
exploding minefield with short fused bomb at the end of the field. There are plenty of honorable mentions on the rest of the album. For starters, Fiasco brings life back to children who died of unfortunate deaths. The following song, “Alan Forever”, is defined by Rap Genius as, “a song dedicated to Alan Kurdi, a boy who drowned as his family attempted to flee to Europe during the immigration crisis in September of 2015.” Some of you might remember the viral image of the boys body that was circulating on international news channels. The other dedicated song, “Jonylah Forever,” is about a baby from the south side of Chicago. She was killed in a deadly shooting at only six months of age. Fiasco reimagines both of the children’s lives as Alan becomes an Olympic swimmer and Jonylah grows up to become soulful woman who tries to help people in her community. Fiasco goes on to celebrate the life of one of Chicago’s famous DJs, DJ Timbuck2. The song is titled, “Happy Timbuck2 day.” DJ Timbuck2 sadly passed away in December of 2015 from a battle with kidney cancer. Songs like “King Nas,” “Stack That Cheese” and “Imagine” are filled with vibrant rhyme schemes that will make your head spin. “Sin and swim in my trunk like jumps in deeper ends We the gems, your daughter, we’ll teach her hymns, From the annals of crime channels that dismantle her wants for weaker men.” Those lines are from the second verse of “King Nas”. There are plenty of other honorable mentions but the tale in the beginning is extremely hard-hitting. This album is incredible in many ways and leaves room for a variety of interpretations. This is definitely Fiasco’s best produced album from top to bottom. It will be echoing off of every skyscraper in downtown Chicago for a long time.
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