Student-run newspaper since 1960
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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Vol. 37 Issue 10
Students eat ‘100 Grand’ for national debt
Inside News Inside Opinions
Parkland, Florida school shooting combusts national gun debate. pg. 7
Students, faculty and staff raise awareness of national debt with “My100Grand” movement. Inside Features
FIST fights to dismantle stigma surrounding formerly incarcerated students. pg. 8
Inside Arts and Life
Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ takes the world by storm, but is it worth the cost of admission? pg. 11
Inside Sports
March Maddness is coming. Check out our how-to and get your bracket ready. pg. 13
pg. 2
The Upcoming Issue
Look out for the next issue on stands on March 10.
NEWS
Eating the debt away, national debt awareness
Pictured left: Student cheer on contestants in the 100 grand cohocolate eating contest. Pictured right: NEIU Biology Majors, Morelia Diaz (left) and Noor Sadaqa (right) contestants in the “100 Grand Challenge”| All photos by Sarahy Lopez
Sarahy Lopez A 300-level economics class organized a chocolate eating contest in the cafeteria on Feb. 22 to bring awareness to the $20 trillion national debt of the U.S. The class is part of a movement called My100Grand that started at NEIU. “It’s not just national debt, it’s your debt,” reads their slogan. The campaign was named after the
amount each citizen would have to pay out of pocket to absolve the U.S. of its debt. My100Grand is partnered with the non-partisan initiative Up to Us—a national campaign which aims to engage and inform students about the U.S. debt and the impact it can have on jobs, families and the future of young generations. Dr. Christina Ciecierski, who
teaches the 300-level class “Non-Profit Management, Admin and Communications,” said that the My100Grand movement was part of her course which focuses on writing, presenting and speaking on behalf of non-profit organizations. She encouraged her students to reach out to the community and use social media marketing strategies to promote My100Grand. The class set up a booth in Student
Editorial Board
Staff Writers
Nicole F. Anderson Robert Kukla Hussain Khemni
Cartoonist Brandi Nevarez
Union and walked around campus, collecting pledges and informing students on the national debt. They also created an informative video on national debt and posted it on the My100Grand Facebook page, including facts such as the U.S. national debt is “your college tuition 333 million times, your student loan debt 800 million times.” “The reason why this campaign is targeting students is because we are
Editor-in-Chief - Robin Bridges Managing Editor - Rut Ortiz News Editor - Sarahy Lopez Opinions Editor - Amaris E. Rodriguez Features Editor - Cecilia G. Hernandez Arts & Life Editor - Bisma Zafar Sports Editor - Patrick Casas Online Editor - Miguel Casimiro Marketing and Advertising Director Christopher Starnawski Payroll Manager - Francisco Sebastian
motivated to work on our futures and we’re energetic about what we want,” said senior student and campaign leader Saira Khan, who is also a current student in Ciecierski’s class. Khan continued, “The debt is like a taboo. Not a lot of people talk about it or know much about it. They assume that the government will handle this...
100 grand| page 15
The Independent is a public forum for the university and the community surrounding Northeastern Illinois University and its satellite campuses, El Centro in the Avondale Neighborhood and Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies in Bronzeville. The Independent is completely student run and receives no prior review of its content by anyone other than its student editors. The Independent is published every other week except during summer and semester breaks. Deadlines are determined on a varying basis. Please contact us for further details. Views expressed in letters are those of the university community and not those of the Editorial Board. The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for the content of the Independent, and views presented do not necessarily represent those of the administration, faculty or students. The Independent is a member of the Illinois College Press Association and Associated Collegiate Press.
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NEIU students motivated by USHLI conference Cecilia G. Hernandez Thirty-one NEIU students and volunteers attended the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute conference, a four-day national conference focused on empowering the Latinx community through workshops and keynote speakers, on Feb. 15 through the 18. Over 6,500 present and future leaders, who represented 40 states, talked about their experiences fighting for equality and their successes. The workshops aim to teach the participants how to “strengthen their leadership skills and become better servant leaders,” according to the USHLI website. During the USHLI conference, junior student Yadira Alonzo was the only NEIU student who received the Dr. Juan Andrade Jr. Scholarship for Young Hispanic Leaders. As an undocumented Latina and DACA recipient, Alonza said one of her biggest challenges is being able to afford her education. Alonza said, “I feel very honored and privileged to have received this scholarship. It not only brings me financial relief, but it also brings me hope.” Student Leadership Development student intern and senior group leader Alfredo Palafox said the best part of USHLI for him was seeing the students before and after. “The after is like, ‘Alfredo, what kind of clubs can I join? What can I do for community service, for volunteering?’ Because they want action already,” Palafox said. “I love that. It’s kind of like a spark ignited.” Being an undocumented student, Palafox said it’s inspiring to see and talk with Latinos who are CEOs, presidents or people with Ph.Ds because “we as Latinos and Latinas do not see that alot.
“Seeing someone who doesn’t have a social security number, who has brown skin or was a first-generation student with low-income rise to a leadership position motivates our students because they’re like, ‘Oh, my god! Maybe I can do that too,’” Palafox said. President of the NEIU Colony of Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Omar Castro said, “(USHLI) is where students get inspired to do more for the community, to reach out to students so they can become leaders and not followers.”
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Huerta is a civil rights activist who co-founded the National Farmworkers Association with Cesar Chavez. “Listening to their story and seeing how they are, I pictured myself within like the next five to six years, being one of them as well,” Rayburn said. “Although I am Black and Native American, I felt like I fit in this crowd because we’re all fighting for rights and a better outcome. I consider myself Afro-Latino because I see that we’re brothers and sisters.”
Something that I learned through this conference is that you can’t help others unless you help yourself first. I need to be open-minded and go for what I believe in, and to never feel inferior to anyone.” - Omar Castro, junior student
Castro is a junior student who went as a volunteer in Palafox’s group to USHLI. He attended once before and helped Palafox spread the information for the application process through Facebook and by word-of-mouth marketing. “Something that I learned through this conference is that you can’t help others unless you help yourself first,” Castro said. “I need to be open-minded and go for what I believe in, and to never feel inferior to anyone.” Junior student John Rayburn found USHLI as “an opportunity to network” and saw the intersectionality of the Black and Latinx communities. Rayburn said two of the memorable keynote speakers for him were Sylvia Mendez and Dolores Huerta. Mendez was denied access to a school due to her heritage at age 8, so her parents fought and won the court case of Mendez v. Westminster in 1946 that desegregated schools in California.
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Senior student Jannedh Lema said she loved being a volunteer this year because she felt more appreciated and got to meet the speakers, specifically Mendez and Huerta. “It was tiring,” Lema said while laughing. “This is my third year going and I noticed that this year was more towards empowering women. (Mendez and Huerta’s) stories about battling sexism, like they still went ‘contracorriente’ (against waves), it was motivating. Like we can do it, we have to fight for equality.” Freshman student Mireya Alvarez went as a participant in the USHLI conference and said, “I thought it was good exposure for how we should behave in a professional setting and to manage your time within the days you’re there. I really thought (the workshops) were helpful for anyone in any major who need to learn how to brand and present themselves.” Alvarez said she learned the importance of being punctual since only a limited number of people
Photo by John Rayburn NEIU Student, Yadira Alonzo receiving the Dr. Juan Andrade Jr. Scholarship for Young Hispanic Leaders. were allowed in each workshop at a time. “I am convinced that USHLI is a good experience for any student who attends because it is a life-changing experience,” Alonzo said. “(Mendez) inspired me to follow my dreams and not let any obstacles get in the way of my success.” Palafox said he was able to take 11 volunteers and 20 students to the USHLI conference this year with the help of Student Leadership Development, Phi Iota Alpha and Dr. Francisco Gaytan with the ENLACE program at NEIU. Students who are interested in attending USHLI must fill out and submit an application, opened usually at the end of the fall semester. Palafox can answer questions
regarding the USHLI conference and application via email at A-Palafox1@neiu.edu. The Dr. Juan Andrade Jr. Scholarship for Young Hispanic Leaders scholarship application is online in the USHLI website www.ushli.org, but is not currently accepting submissions for the 2019 school year. It’s open for any student who has a parent of Hispanic ancestry and is attending a two-year college or four-year university. Applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens to apply.
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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
NEWS
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Now Leasing for Fall 2018! Roll out of bed & into class. Convenient on-campus location at NEIU.
Sarahy Lopez
Pictured (left to right) Adeeb Odeh, Erika Wozniak, Tim Duggan, Reginald Grigsby, Vanessa Ahmed, Troy LaRaviere
Keeping classrooms and teachers healthy Sarahy Lopez Students, faculty and staff attended the “Whole Educator, Whole Child: The Impact of Educator Wellness on Successful Learning Environments” discussion on Feb. 20, hosted by Vanessa Ahmed, founder of Yawpster. The event relates to the current mental health crisis, the lack of support from the government to educators and schools, and the locked in fears of all teachers. Featured speakers included: Troy LaRaviere, president of Chicago Principals and Administrators Association; Erika Wozniak, an award-winning 4th-grade teacher; Reginald Grigsby, an NEIU alum and District 215 educator; Adeeb Odeh, curriculum coordinator for Youth Guidance and Becoming a Man (BAM), and Dr. Tim Duggan, a current professor at NEIU who teaches Secondary Education courses. “This whole journey started for me when, a couple years ago, one of my favorite students came to me and said, ‘you are one of the most brilliant teachers. You’re so wonderful, but you are angry every single day.’ It was at that
moment that I knew I had to quit,” Ahmed said, leading her to start the Yawpster movement. The Yawpster movement is an “integrate progressive educational practices with mental health and wellness treatment models to produce a new way to engage in the teaching and learning process that emphasizes the value of fun, creativity and human connection.” Ahmed officially began the panel when she asked the guest speakers “what role does fear play in our classrooms?” Grigsby said, “I’m constantly thinking about how can I not fail these kids I am a role model to and a teacher, while I worry about what scores they get on these standardized tests because that impacts my livelihood.” Grigsby said that part of that fear comes from not being seen as a professional, being undermined and accomplishing tasks in the classroom that are oftentimes impossible. “I’m terrified,” Duggan said. “There’s a fear of being in an institution that can’t sustain itself because of lack of funding...
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Teach healthy/ page 12
NEIU Police Blotter The following occurred on the main campus between Feb. 7 and Feb. 22: Feb. 7 - Facilities Management: An unknown offender stole an unattended office chair. Feb. 8 - Fine Arts Building: Officers were called to a classroom where a subject not registered to the class was found sitting. The subject left and went to their correct class nearby. Feb. 8 - C-Building: Officers investigated a case of a forged check that was cashed in. Feb. 10 - The Nest: A resident verbally threatened staff after being told to quiet down. The matter was reported to the dean of students for non-academic misconduct. Feb. 10 - The Nest: A resident verbally threatened staff after being denied access to the building from the back door. Feb. 13 - Parking Lot D: Officers responded to a small trashcan fire in the parking lot. The fire was extinguished but the cause of the fire is unknown. Feb. 14 - NEIU: A student reported a threatening email sent to her personal email account. This is an ongoing investigation.
Feb. 15 - Fine Arts Building: Officers responded to the behavioral concerns of a former employee. This is an ongoing investigation. Feb. 19 - The Nest: A resident reported that someone stole cash from his room while he stepped out. The offender has not been identified. Feb. 20 - Lech Walesa Hall: A student reported an anonymous note found in a bathroom stall. The note was personal and does not affect the NEIU community. Feb. 20 - P.E. Building: A student who was upset over a bad referee call during a basketball game kicked a chair against the wall and damaged the chair. Feb. 20 - Parking Garage: An unknown offender damaged a victim’s vehicle while it was parked on the 2nd floor. Feb. 21 - The Nest: An unknown offender stole money from a wallet that was left unattended in a room. Feb. 21 - Parking Lot H: An offender struck and damaged a victim’s vehicle while it was parked in the lot.
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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
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Students unaware of major university changes Nicole F. Anderson The audience of the Forward 150 Program Prioritization meeting was slim as Shelley Bannister, Dr. Wamucii Njogu, Maria Genao-Homs and Henry Owen III discussed changes that would affect the NEIU community on Feb. 15. Student attendance was minimal, at best. The discussion kicked off with Special Assistant to the University President Shelley Bannister reminding the audience of their goal, “creating a sustainable university with reduced state support.” The agenda covered the timeline of Forward 150 for this semester, an introduction to Qualtrics and Task Force reports.
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organize the academic courses that NEIU offers by analyzing which programs can and should grow, which programs should be left as is and programs that could be combined with others or phased out. The Student Life Resources Task Force has 21 members and their mission is to take a hard look at all of the services and programs NEIU provides for students. They also give the Steering Committee their recommendations on “how to effectively strengthen and streamline student services.” The Other Administrative Offices Task Force has 15 members and their goal is to find all of the different improvements that could
I don’t know about Forward 150. Now that I know, I would attend them.” - Cesar Ruiz, Student
“This is the time to be heard…this is our opportunity,” Acting Provost Wamucii Njogu said when introducing the timeline. In the upcoming weeks, Forward 150 members will upload their program reports, the Task Forces will review completed reports and “categorize programs and formulate their recommendations.” Forward 150 started in 2017 as a result of the Illinois’ budget crisis with support from the University’s shared governance bodies: Faculty Senate, SGA, UAC and UPBC. Interim President Helldobler proposed Forward 150 as an effort to “prepare for a future of declining state support and chart our course for the next 150 years.” The two main focuses of Forward 150 are the budgeting process and prioritizing programs. There are five different groups that make up the Program Prioritization Task Force: Academic Programs, Student Life Resources, Other Administrative Offices, Data and Communications. The Academic Programs Task Force has 30 members and their goal is to find new ways to
be made to the administrative offices to make students, faculty and staff have a more efficient experience. The Academic Programs, Student Life Resources and Other Administrative Offices Task Forces aims to “identify programs that should grow, programs that should be maintained, and programs that could be consolidated, contracted or phased out.” The Data Task Force consists of 11 members made up of university staff “who are familiar with and often responsible for the data collection... This task force provides data and necessary information to the Academic Programs, Student Life/Resources, and Other Administrative Offices Task Forces.” The final group, the Communications Task Force has five members and it “exists to communicate with the University community about all aspects of the Forward 150 Prioritization Process.” Four NEIU Targeted Announcements have been sent out to the NEIU community Forward 150/ page 15
OPINIONS
Diversity at NEIU Stage Center Theatre? Cecilia G. Hernandez Show after show, I keep seeing the same faces at Stage Center Theatre productions: white, predominately male-leading actors and directors. While their performances are good, Stage Center does not showcase NEIU’s diverse community enough. Stage Center’s production of Josefina Lopez’s “Real Women Have Curves” in the fall of 2016 was the only play I noticed showcasing both a female director and a complete cast of empowering Latinx women. Managing Artistic Director of Stage Center, Sarah J. Fabian, said RWHC “was a booming success.” However that was two seasons ago. Of course there was Suzan-Lori Parks’ “In the Blood” and Nilaja Sun’s “No Child…” last year that both starred a strong woman of color, but these inclusive plays are recent and rare. Stage Center’s production of Kenneth Lonergan’s “This Is Our Youth” seemed like it was portraying a white, American bubble because the three actors in the play were two white males and one white female. Another fully white cast. I kept thinking, “How is that representing NEIU, our diversity?” Caryl Churchill’s “Cloud 9” and Deborah Zoe Laufer’s “End Days” were other Stage Center productions in 2016-17 consisting of one person of color in the cast. Taking a look at the Stage Center 2014 archives, Marc Camoletti’s “Boeing-Boeing” and Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of “The 39 Steps” were the summer plays performed and both casts were white. Stage Center showcased Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” in the spring of 2014 and only two out of the 10 actors were people of color. This pattern of white cast members outnumbering people of color repeats down the list in the Stage Center archives, with a few plays incorporating people of color lightly disrupting it. I wonder why? Is it because of the play selections or is it because not many NEIU students of color audition? Fabian said, “I would say if people want to see more representation on stage here, then they need to come to auditions. That’s the only way - not to solve the problem, but
Sean Magil, Clark Bender, Rob Bobcock and Ellen Cribbs in Stage Center’s production of “The 39 Steps.” | Photos courtesy of SCT it’s a big piece of the puzzle.” CMT Senior Instructor and Stage Center Director Dan Wirth said, “We want a play that’s supposed to be predominantly African-American cast or Latino, or whatever it might be, but then you don’t get the people, and then what do you do?” Wirth said part of the reason why Stage Center does not have a variety of people “banging on the doors” to be a part of plays is because NEIU does not have a Theatre major and available students fluctuate. “We want to use the best people that we got while they’re here, so we tend to choose plays that will utilize the talent we know we got and also try to welcome in new people,” Wirth said. “There’s no permanence in the theatre here, there’s less because it’s a commuter school predominantly.” When I auditioned for RWHC, there was a roomful of women of color. Why is that? Speaking only for myself, it was because I saw I finally had a fair opportunity to be casted. “That’s something we’re all aware of, even
all of the white, male directors,” Fabian said. “We’re trying our best to pick works moving forward that give us the room to play with diversity. ‘Color-blind’ cast, is the term for that.” I don’t need you to be “color-blind.” I need you to be inclusive. Fabian said since most of the directors are primarily from the CMT department, she wants “to find out first what they’re interested in doing.” That means the directors hold a lot of power in deciding which plays are performed. Wirth said about eight years ago, he tried to do a play with a cast of people of color but he “couldn’t get anyone.” “We’re out grabbing people in the hallways, saying ‘You want to be in this play?’” Wirth said. “People would have to call up their friends who were either not students or were Chicago actors or maybe were even going to other schools, and roped them into being in things.” Wirth said it was so difficult to get actors to do these inclusive plays so many other
directors avoided picking them. He said the presence of The Nest brings hope for more people to participate in Stage Center productions since they’re living on campus. “It’s difficult for people at a predominantly commuter school to get them to stay around for rehearsals in the evenings, and that’s regardless of what plays you’re doing,” Wirth said. Wirth said he’s hoping the upcoming Stage Center’s production of Jose Rivera’s “Marisol” will entice more diverse students to audition. Yet how are these plays selected in the first place? An email is sent out to the CMT department announcing the acceptance of proposals for the next Stage Center season, but not to the entire NEIU community. The Stage Center proposals are Google Forms that anyone in the NEIU community can fill out to pitch the play they want to see...
Diversity/ page 15
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School shooting raises questions once again Amaris E. Rodriguez I wrote previously in our last issue about people’s right to conceal and carry a gun. Within a week, another mass school shooting occurred. Within a week, another 17 people died. 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida., his former high school, on Feb. 14. As the community grieves the loss of those 17 people, the country once again goes into a national debate on gun safety laws. The same issue that arises every time a deadly shooting occurs. Despite its prevalence of those arguments, they seem to fall short every time. Most of the shootings don’t even make the news, showcasing how indifferent our society has become to this problem. Everytown for Gun Safety, an nonprofit organization that works to prevent gun violence, defines a school shooting as “any time a firearm discharges a live round inside a school building or on a school campus or grounds.” But the mass shootings we see on television usually do not include most of these incidents, opting out to report on the suicides and accidentally fired guns, giving the audience a different perspective on how frequent these incidents occur . For now, most of the focus is on the shootings that have the most casualties. The Washington Post reports that their statistics are based on incidents where at least four people died at the hands of a lone shooter, or two shooters in rare cases. With these statistics in mind, the tally counting the victims of mass shootings began in 1966 when a student opened fire from a clocktower at the University of Texas, killing 17 people. Since then, the number of mass shooting victims has increased to 1,077. At the center of the debate regarding gun safety, the type of gun used has been highly controversial. The Washington Post mentioned semi-automatic rifles as one of the most used assault weapons in mass shootings. The AR-15, which was first used during the Vietnam War to replace the M-14 rifle
due to its portability, has been present in some of the deadliest shootings in the U. S. This includes the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas in 2017, where 58 people died, and the elementary school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut., where 26 people lost their lives, 20 of them children. The popularity of the AR-15 has increased since the federal ban on assault weapons expired in 2004. According to an article from CNBC, The National Rifle Association reports that the AR-15 is the “most popular rifle in America,” and 8 million of them are owned in the U.S. The NRA also attributes the popularity to its versatile uses including sports shooting and hunting. But if the gun is made to be used for these purposes, why are shooters turning to them? Dean Hazen, owner of The Gun Experts in Mahomet, Illinois., and a master firearms instructor believes that it is because of the reputation it has developed through other mass shootings and a copycat mentality. Hazen believes mass shooters are often not knowledgeable regarding guns, therefore
they tend to use what has been used before. “Thank God they don’t know any better because if they did they would use much more effective weapons,” Hazen said. It is this copycat mentality that has led to five arrests in the week after the shooting. According to Time Magazine, one of those arrested was as young as 11-years-old. The idea that Stoneman Douglas has been influencing others who might act on those same thoughts is disheartening and extremely alarming. We cannot control people’s thoughts, but we can control their access to semi-automatic rifles and pistols, and also put in place stricter gun laws that allow for screening and safety precautions. In Florida, an AR-15 could be bought by anyone with a clean record who is over the age of 18 with no wait period, making it an easier purchase than a handgun. Not having a waiting period, or any other set federal standards on gun purchases is a deadly mistake on our government’s part. Leaving the decision to the states to implement gun legislature leaves for a huge divide in the country’s security. According to
Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, only eight states have a assault weapons ban. Other states only limit the number of magazines that can be purchased at one time or their capacity. We need a federal law that is implemented across the country that set the same standards for anyone who wants to make a purchase. A waiting period, a background check and a mental evaluation should be routine. Also, implemented nationwide should be what are known as “extreme risk protection orders.” These court warrants, currently used in only five states, allow for people to make court requests to judges to order the removal of firearms from someone who is believed to be dangerous. With the survivors of Stoneman Douglas leading the country in the discussion of gun laws in the U.S., what is important for those who turn a deaf ear to understand is that stricter gun laws do not take away the 2nd Amendment. While there are those who believe guns should be banned, a more reasonable solution would be stricter laws limiting the access to those who would pose a threat. With survivors of the devastating attack claiming that they will be the last mass shooting in the U.S., I hope politicians finally pay attention since they failed to do anything after the other 149 shootings.
Do you think the U.S. should have stricter gun laws?
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FEATURES Raising awareness for formerly incarcerated students Amaris E. Rodriguez Formerly Incarcerated Standing Together (FIST) and The Justice Studies Club will be hosting NEIU’s Annual Day of Reflection on Mass Incarceration in the Student Union and Alumni Hall on March 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. FIST is a club on campus that provides academic and social support for students who have been affected by mass incarceration, including formerly incarcerated students themselves. President of FIST and senior student Michael Fischer, who was formerly incarcerated, said, “My biggest thing with the club is for people who have been incarcerated or whose family has been incarcerated to feel that NEIU is a place where they are going to be welcomed, where they are not going to be stigmatized. I want the presence of the club to send that message.” Mass incarceration plays a large role in the social construct of the United States, with an incarceration rate five times higher than most countries in the world according to the Prison Policy Initiative. President of The Justice Studies Club and senior student Ashlei Ross said, “It affects everyone, even if you don’t have family members that have been incarcerated. It affects our economy, our normal lives. A lot of people, because of the stigma, downplay it as if it’s not important but it really is.” Secretary of FIST and sophomore student Maggie Speer said, “It affects everyone, without question.” For those who are able to relate to the club directly, it can establish a sense of inclusion that is life changing.
After Fischer got out of prison in 2015, he was looking to finish his degree. A google search led him to NEIU’s FIST, which was part of the reason he decided to attend NEIU. “I didn’t know at the time that [FIST] was dormant,” Fischer said. “I thought this would be a good place to go where I don’t have to
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move past that stigma. I think (the administration) wants to think, ‘great but let’s not talk about that. They are here, we know there is a club, we know they are here but let’s not highlight that.’” FIST is hoping, by talking about incarceration issues that many students face, they are able to turn
I felt like this (NEIU) would be a welcoming place. It was the presence of this group that made me feel that way over a place like UIC.
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- Michael Fisher, President of FIST be feel like I am this weird fish out of water, where there is a support system in place. “I felt that this (NEIU) would be a welcoming space. It was the presence of this group that made me feel that way over a place like UIC,” he continued. FIST is hoping the event on March 5 will gain them more exposure to the student body and the administration, who the people in FIST view as still resisting the presence of their club on campus. Fischer said, “A lot of times you mention being locked up or you mention prison, and you can see everyone’s eyes getting big. That doesn’t bother me, I do it anyways. I actually say it because of that.” Ross said, “We have The University Without Walls program where Stateville (Correctional Center) students take classes from here, and it was a very long haul to even get them to accept us giving current inmates college credit. I don’t think our administration has
the campus into an inclusive and safe space for everyone. Ross said, “I would like for a space where even if you haven’t been incarcerated, you know it is a safe place. You can come and you’ll have someone else to talk to about your problems.” Fischer has witnessed this first hand. He said, “There is a weird understanding with people who have been through that in some way. Somebody emailed me, who was thinking about coming here and was incarcerated for 15 years. He reached out because he saw we had this club. I’m glad he thought there was someone here who was in a similar situation who he could talk to, because if you don’t see yourself reflected in a particular student body, you’re not going to want to join that student body.” Email Professor Timothy Barnett at t-barnett1@neiu.edu for more information.
ARTS AND LIFE Who do you serve: Chicago Volunteer Expo Robin Bridges The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (2430 North Cannon Drive) housed more than 100 organizations on Feb. 18, all looking for volunteers in Chicago and beyond. Hundreds of volunteers staffed tables packed with flyers about events and opportunities. This event also had so many resources for something to do over the summer. Graduation is closer than it seems, it was the perfect event for people interested in beefing up their resume.This event went from being a set of information tables to a full-on day of active participation. Senior Director of Public Engagement for the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Jill Doub said, “We got such great feedback (after the first year) both from nonprofits that we exhibit and from the attendees who said ‘This is so much better than trying to google volunteer opportunities in Chicago.’ “You make connections with people who would never turn up in a search engine.” If you were looking for a specific type of organization, the museum provided a map of the tables with a key that broke down what each organization focused on. Tables weren’t grouped inside the museum leaving potential volunteers stumbling around a mix of organizations in each room throughout the museum. It was easy to miss a table here and there, but overall it was inspiring to see so many people interested in volunteering.
Helping other humans A majority of the organizations were looking for volunteers to help other people. From food pantries to fundraising, social media to tour guides, these organizations below are looking for people who want to get involved and help people: For those looking to socialize: Volunteering Untapped VolunteeringUntappedChi.com Find them on Facebook because they are more of a volunteer pool than a single service provider. They partner with local nonprofits to supply volunteers for single day events. They also emphasize their social aspect. After each volunteer day they partner with a local bar to socialize and celebrate over drink specials.
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If someone recieves this mat, they’ll feel that others love them. Maybe it’ll help them to move off the street and come back to society,” - Carl Donis, New Life for Old Bags volunteer
Serving those who serve: USO of Illinois USOofIllinois.org Founded during WWII in 1941, the USO of Illinois serves all branches of the military.
They host single events as well as have centers that can be a place of rest for service members and their families. There are five volunteer staffed centers in the Chicagoland area. Volunteers help visitors to the USO find local resources, grab a snack and relax with their family in a quiet space. For those who get crafty: New Life for Old Bags JoinNLOB@gmail.com NLOB takes used plastic grocery bags and makes them into “plarn,” a plastic yarn that volunteers crochet into sleeping mats for homeless people living on the street. “If someone receives this mat, they’ll feel that others love and care about them. Maybe it’ll help them to move off the street and come back to society,” Carl Donis explained why he volunteers. His wife, Anna, said volunteers don’t need to come to one of the seven campuses to help. “We’ll train anyone who wants to learn. They can take it back and teach others to make mats.” All seven sites accept mats to be donated to shelters across the city. Worth a closer look: GiveNKind GiveNKind.org GiveNKind isn’t exactly a place to volunteer, except that it is. They’re a non-profit whose main goal is to support other charities. They gather “in-kind” donations or donations of material goods in order to give them to charities who are either just starting up or aren’t large enough to have a dedicated development or fundraising department. You can partner with them as a donor to get goods to a charity or
nonprofits can partner with them to receive donations. Helping smaller humans While many organizations focus on helping everyone they can, there were a few who specifically want to help children. Those who want to work with children this section is for you. Mentoring: Ladies of Virtue LOVChicago.org Ladies of Virtue is a program that mentors young girls ages 10-18 from fourth grade through college years. Mentors help girls through tough teen years. They work with girls and their families to make sure that everyone is feeling heard and empowered. You can sign up to be a long-term mentor or a mentor for a day. Skillshare: Girl Scouts GirlScoutsGCNWI.org Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts of America PathwayToAdventure.org These three programs work with children from ages 6 through 21. They build indoor and outdoor skills through the eye of community service. Girl Scouts recently launched an initiative into the field of STEM. Boy Scouts has recently started co-ed “venturing,” an outdoor adventure program that allows boys and girls to choose their own project and work together to complete it. Each group is lead by volunteer leaders who plan, guide and provide resources for the youth in their group. Feel-Good: Cardz For Kidz CardzForKidz.org
Advice for volunteers New volunteers: • Consider what you’re passionate about • Consider your schedule • Don’t over commit • Think about what truly motivates you • Think about what you’re going enjoy doing Step up your volunteer game: • There’s no harm in volunteering at multiple places
Cardz for Kidz partner with local hospitals to deliver uplifting cards to kids around the globe. They accept handmade cards to be sent both to kids in local hospitals as well as kids who have suffered a tragedy anywhere in the world. They have sent cards to children affected by the Sandy Hook school shooting and Boston Marathon bombing. They welcome cards made by kids or adults and in multiple languages. Do-Good: Stand Up For Kids StandUpForYouth.org National Runaway Safeline 1800Runaway.org Both programs focus on helping youth without a stable home. The National Runaway Safeline was established in 1971 and has maintained a crisis line staffed mainly by volunteers. They also have a street team to keep the awareness of the service alive. Stand Up For Kids is a program Service/ page 15
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In the Neighborhood: Hot Dog Station Hussain Khemani The Hot Dog Station, located at 4742 N Kimball Ave., could very possibly be the place to get the best hot dogs in Chicago. If that sounds too good to be true, that just means you haven’t tried one of their hot dogs yet. You can’t go wrong with anything on their menu. I’ve been to this place multiple times over the years. My absolute favorite thing to get there is the “Baltimore Dog”. It’s a deep fried hot dog with bacon wrapped around the weiner, drizzled in melted cheddar cheese and topped with grilled onions (this place isn’t really for healthy eating as you may now realize). You can’t go wrong with a side of their cheese fries either. If you ask nicely, they’ll let you build your own hot dog. Heads-up, that gets pricey. Their menu is filled with flavorful hot dogs that can easily satiate any hot dog lover. There’s the Diablo Hot Dog for those craving a bit more spice, the Chili Cheese Hot Dog for those who love a messy dog, and, of course, the original Chicago Hot Dog. They don’t just have a quantity of hot dogs; each one is of great quality as well. I don’t think I’ve ever left the Hot Dog Station disappointed. Perhaps a bit groggy and full from their Italian Beef, but never disappointed (except in myself when I told myself I would try to be more healthy). They also have great burgers and gyros as well.
The space inside is nothing special, but no real hot dog place has to be. The Hot Dog Station is about the quality of their food, not the space itself. There are some tables and seats, which is all you really need in a place where the food really shines. One thing I will say isn’t great is that there are no easy access outlets so if you need to charge your phone, tough luck. For all of us NEIU students taking the CTA, this place is easily accessible as it’s located directly across the Kimball Brown Line Station. The service is great and quick, once you order your food is piping-hot and ready in minutes. The price is more than fair and if you keep track of their Facebook page, you’ll see they have occasional deals. If you have five bucks and change, you’re set for a hot dog. For a burger, you’ll need a bit more. They also deliver via GrubHub so if you’re tired of ordering Jimmy John’s, this is definitely a good substitute. It consistently baffles me how little I hear about the Hot Dog Station when I’m at NEIU. It’s close by, cheap, and tasty. The fact that it’s not filled to the brim with NEIU students is as much as a mystery as where Tommy Wiseau gained the funds to make “The Room.” The Hot Dog Station is easily one of the best food places in the area and I can’t recommend it enough. If you’re looking for a good hot dog, this place is a true weiner.
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Diversity reigns in ‘Black Panther’ Robert Kukla Marvel finally decided to add some diversity to its cinematic universe with “Black Panther.” Not only did they give us a superhero movie with almost an entire cast of Black and Pan-African people. The movie is set in Wakanda, a nation that outwardly seems like a third world country but secretly houses the most advanced technology in the world. The king of the country is the reigning Black Panther, the chosen leader who is given superhuman abilities. “Black Panther” achieves everything a good superhero movie should, in my opinion. It had a lot of action, excellent visual effects and interesting characters. The visuals in the movie are stunning. All the camera angles in the cinematography help the viewer visualize the landscape of Wakanda. Supervising Art Director Alan Hook worked on other cinematically beautiful films like “Iron Man 3” and “Furious 7.” The character development is excellent as well. Even though there is
a distinct “hero vs villain” plot in the movie, the characters are all complex and struggle with different things that make the viewer able to empathize with the villain, while rooting for the hero at the same time.
Michael B. Jordan plays Erik Killmonger, the villain of the story. However, throughout the film the audience is left questioning, “Is he truly a villain?” That level of complexity in his character is one of the things that
took this movie to the next level. I can’t talk about “Black Panther” and not be in awe of how Marvel was able to give us a movie that does not heavily rely on negative stereotypes of people of color. Not only does the
movie provide strong and diverse representation for people of color, it provides strong representation for women and girls. Every female character in this movie is a strong, powerful and intelligent individual. These are qualities I feel that audiences will see and be inspired by. Two strong female characters are Okoye and Princess Shuri. Okoye is T’Challa’s top general, leader of the Dora Milaje and a strong female warrior. Shuri is T’Challa’s younger sister and is the lead developer of Wakanda’s advanced technology . Overall, I was really in awe and impressed by this movie. It truly was inspiring to see a movie with so much diversity in it, which is something we haven’t seen in any of the previous Marvel movies. I will go out on a limb and say that this is by far the best Marvel movie to date and it not a surprise that it has been a box office success.
Photo by YUBINOXA via Vimeo
According to Forbes, “Black Panther” has already broke the record for biggest grossing movie in North America directed by a black filmmaker.
Feature Writing & Interviewing Workshop Get Personalized Help for Free! Features Writing: Friday, March 9 @ 2pm & Interviewing Workshop: Friday, March 16 @ 2PM Main campus, Room E-049 Sign up by email to neiumanagingeditor@gmail.com Pizza will be served
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Campus Calendar Welcome to the Independent Campus Calendar. Find out what events are happening, where and when. This and our online calendar are for events happening on any of NEIU’s four campuses, as well as off-campus events hosted by NEIU clubs, organizations, alumni, departments and staff.
Young Suk Lee: Thou and I: Feb. 13 to March 16 on Mondays and Wednesdays: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Fridays: 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Fine Arts Gallery. Young Suk Lee’s wildly expressive and fantastical computer-based sculptures are brought to life through viewer interactions such as touch, movement and sound. Money Smarts Financial Workshops: Feb. 27 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Lech Walesa Hall 4029. Project Success is sponsoring a “Money Smarts” Financial Literacy Workshop Series. Contact Project Success at TRIO for complete information regarding session availability and registration deadlines. Black Women’s Liberatory Pedagogies: Resistance, Transformation, and Healing Within and the Beyond the Academy: Feb. 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Golden Eagles Room. Please join NEIU Professors Bethea, Perlow, Scott and Wheeler for a discussion of their recently published book. This interdisciplinary anthology sheds light on the frameworks and lived experiences of Black women educators. Black Women’s Liberatory Pedagogies: A community conversation: Feb. 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Ronald Williams Library Cafe. Afro Latinidad: Feb. 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the Pedroso Center, B-159. The event is sponsored by Phi Iota Alpha, Inc., The Beta Chapter of Theta Chi Omega National Multicultural Sorority, Inc. and The Sigma Eta Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Come learn more about the Mosaic of Latino America and witness traditional Afro-Latino dance and music. Drinks and food will be provided! Ability Awareness Day: Feb. 28 from
3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m in the Recital Hall. Ability Awareness Day promotes support and inclusion of students of all abilities. Guest speakers will use humor and educational insight to learn more about (dis)abilities as well as the experiences from fellow NEIU students. Definding The Box: Individual and Team Creativity [Leadership Pathways Workshop]: March 1 at 4:45 p.m. in the Pedroso Center. Come and learn more about leadership and creativity. Dr. Yunly, Assistant Professor of Management at CBM will be the great speaker. We will be welcoming everyone. This is a talk you DO NOT want to miss, and yes, it’s spelled “Definding,” come Thursday to see why. Stage Center Presents: Episode 26: March 1 through March 3 at 8:30 p.m. in the Auditorium. Inner City Studies Club Recruitment: March 2 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at CCICS. For those interested in being a part of an organization primarily geared towards liberation, economic prosperity and social uplift come join us. All are welcomed. NEIU Pre-law event: Depaul College of Law: March 6 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m in Student Union 217. Join the Prelaw Society in welcoming three law schools to NEIU this March. #MeToo Moment and Momentum: How Do We Make the Deeper Changes around Sex, Gender, Race and Power?: March 6 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., location TBD. The speakers will include Dr. Nancy Matthews, professor, Justice Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies; Terrie Albano, freelance journalist and NEIU alumnae; Dr. Vicki Byard, professor, English. Maya Spirituality & Pyramid Workshop: March 7 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Student Union 216. NEIU Pre-law event: NIU College of Law: March 8 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Fine Arts 153. Join the Pre-law Society in welcoming three law schools to NEIU this March. Don’t see your event? Submit your event to NEIUIndependentOnlineEditor@gmail.com.
Teach healthy Continued from 4 because of lack of funding. It makes you worry. Students also experience fear from a number of different sources. It’s important for educators to understand that they watch us and they can see when we are operating from a place of fear.” Wozniak said, “I am fearful that I’m going to be judged and say the wrong thing. But, I’m guided less by fear and more by anger, anger with the system of public schools and anger that our elected officials are putting special interests over children’s needs and safety. “Anger that I have to waste time on standardized tests and that it’s how I’m evaluated as a teacher. In my first year of teaching—and my dad was a teacher for 38 years— I called him and I said, ‘where’s the student advocacy?’ and he said, ‘Erika, that’s the union,’” Wozniak said. “This is something that not all educators have, but the knowledge that I have a union who’s going to stand behind me, who’s going to work to protect me, so when I use my voice and I use it for the right reasons, I’m going to have backup. Something I hope every teacher in this country has,” Wozniak concluded. “Principals don’t have a union,” said LaRaviere. “So I had a different source. To put it plainly, we teach in a system that is governed by people who are singularly corrupt. And as a result of being corrupt, they end up being profoundly wasteful in passing policies that seem wholly incompetent. “So that’s the environment that we work in. CPS is a $6 billion endeavor. People want to get their hands on that money. And they can’t get that money because it’s currently being spent on something like teachers, books, supplies. In order to get their hands on that money, they have to get their hands on a politician who can control the system and redirect those dollars away from students,” LaRaviere said. LaRaviere spoke about ex-chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett who was involved in a bribery scheme, mayor Rahm Emanuel’s handpicked choice to lead the CPS system. Byrd-Bennett was found funneling about $20 million for a program that would supposedly train principals. “We all went to the training,” LaRaviere said. “We knew it was horrible and we would sit during breaks and talk about how horrible it is, and what a waste of money it was. And at the same time, they had spent that $20 million on that training, they had taken tens of
millions from our schools. And so, we were going through the horrible training that was the reason why we had to lay off 10-20 people across the district and across our schools,” LaRaviere said. “That’s how corruption leads to incompetence.” LaRaviere was a principal for two years before he spoke out against the corruption. He said he was asked multiple times whether he was afraid of losing his job, to which he thought about why he became a principal and an instructor. “I didn’t get into this for a job, I got into this for a purpose,” he said. Ahmed continued with the next question, “as educators how do we create the space for ourselves in our classrooms? How are we going to heal ourselves as educators?” “When you get separated from your purpose as a teacher and why you’re there and what you want to do, that’s a really unhealthy space to be in,” Duggan said. He said it’s easy to get discouraged and burnt out from teaching. Duggan spoke how he first started teaching at his first school in northern California, at only 22-years-old. Duggan said people encouraged him to take on more responsibilities, and he did, even starting a drama club. “I didn’t know a soul there. I was eight years younger than the youngest teacher in my department and I had to sacrifice a relationship, and leave my family. I went in to change, to really have an impact. I was doing a pretty good job, but I still felt like I wasn’t doing anything. So, I took on more responsibilities. “I had nothing else, other than my career. It wasn’t sustainable by the third year, I was starting to have high blood pressure and panic attacks, and there wasn’t a balance,” Duggan said. “And then it was like a tsunami. One of my students committed suicide, and there was a cluster by the end of the year of five kids who committed suicide, and four more who died in car accidents. It became a horrible, toxic place to be emotionally. My intentions were good, it just felt like things were closing down. “I had to get out of there, and it took me about a year or two to come back to teaching. You have to take care of yourself. So as an educator here, one of the things I tell my students is that you have to be a great teacher, but you don’t have to be every great teacher. You do the great things you do. Teach who you are, and the great things you believe in,” Duggan concluded.
SPORTS March Madness know-all and bracket how-to Nicole F. Anderson The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament has basketball teams all throughout the United States tearing up the court to get a spot. The annual single-elimination tournament has become known as March Madness. The infamous “Selection Sunday,” where the NCAA announces the 68 teams, will fall on March 11 this year. The tournament was created in 1939 by Ohio State University coach, Harold Olsen, and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. In 2018, it includes 32 “automatic bids” of Division I Champions to teams with the best conference record. The other 36 teams are “at large” bids, whom
are chosen by the NCAA selection committee. The 68 teams are separated into four regions, East, South, Midwest, and West, with each region consisting of at least 16 teams. These teams play against each other in several rounds: the First Four, the First Round, the Second Round, the Regional Semi-finals (the Sweet 16), the Regional Finals (the Elite Eight), the National Semi-finals (the Final Four) and finally, the National Championship. The First Four, the “play-in games” are when teams play against each other to get into the brackets. It still counts for a tournament win, but it is the determiner to get into the field of 64. The Final Four consists of one team from each region and they compete for the national championship.
Every year, Americans fill out a bracket to try to predict which team will win the tournament.The official NCAA Division I bracket is available on the NCAA website. To successfully fill out a bracket predicting the tournament championship, teams need to be plotted in appropriate “seeds.” The bracket is broken up into four main sections, which correspond to the four main regions of the 68 teams. The top of each bracket has the numbers 1-16, located on the upper right, lower right, upper left and lower left. This is the best team against the worst in each region. Statistics come into play when plotting the 2-15, 3-14, 4-15 seeds, including team and player averages such as points per game, wins, conference ranking and lineup efficiencies.
Seeds 5-12, 6-11 and 7-10 allow for more freedom in choosing the teams. Whereas seeds 8-9 are considered “tossups” and could go either way. The Second Round, Regional Semifinals, Regional Finals and National Semifinals is where viewers choose which teams they predicted to win and plot them into their appropriate seeds, completing their brackets. In the running for Selection Sunday are Duke and North Carolina. Duke’s power forward, Marvin Bagley III, has been sitting out the last four of games due to a knee injury that he sustained from a Feb. 8 game against North Carolina. Bagley has been averaging 21.1 points and 11.4 rebounds per game and is rumored to be a top-five pick for the NBA’s June draft. The 2017 NCAA Division
A preliminary bracket put together by Nichole F. Anderson
I Men’s Basketball Tournament Champions were North Carolina Tar Heels. However, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) holds 11 national titles, which is currently the most championships than any other team. University of Kentucky comes in second places with eight national titles. March Madness games will be broadcasted by CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV. Due to Selection Sunday being more than a week away, some of the teams in this bracket will not be eligible to play in the tournament. The NCAA has teams ranked by their records (road, neutral and home). However, this bracket was not based off that. These teams were chosen and planted in seeds on some of their rankings, their favorability with fans, and their familiarity.
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new organizations approved by coc American Society of Microbiology at NEIU
February 22 Meeting
Council of Clubs Updates
Graduate Allliance of Student Social Workers Film Screening of “The Work” and panel discussion $1,034.66
Generativity Club Dying in The American’s 2018 Las Vegas Conference $686.88
NEIU Chemistry Club American Chemistry Society National Meeting Conference $1,760.92
Muslim Student Association The Hijab Challenge $3,329.99
Health & Physical Education Student Organization SHAPE America Conference $1,624.50
EVENTS FUNDED BY STUDENT ACTIVITY FEE FOR FEB 27-Mar 13 Feb. 27 - Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity Inc., Theta Chi Omega National Multicultural Sorority, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Afrolatinidad 6pm-8pm - Alumni Hall Feb. 28 - Black Caucus Black Card Revoked 5:30pm-7pm - Pedroso Center
Feb. 28 - Ability Advocacy Organization - Ability Awareness Day 3pm-6:30pm - Recital Hall Mar. 5 - FIST & Justice Studies - Mass Incarceration Conference 10am-4pm - Alumni Hall SU 2nd floor *Mar. 12 - URO - Marcelo Castillo Speaker
Student Leadership Development
Mar. 1 - Leadership Pathway Workshop-Definding the Box: Individual and Team Creativity | 5pm-6pm - Pedroso Center
Students, are you interested in making a change at Northeastern Illinois University? If so, you have the opportunity to join the Student Government Association. By joining you will have the opportunity to advocate for the student body. Meetings are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:05 - 4:00 pm. If interested please email at neiusgacares@gmail.com. For further information about the above resolutions or to inquire about upcoming resolutions, please contact SGA President Ashlei Ross at a-ross8@neiu.edu.
Diversity Week Mar. 5-8, 2018 Monday - I Love Monday - Decorate and Fly your Flag and bracelets - Noon-4pm - Village Square Tuesday - Tinikling Dance Challenge - Noon - Village Square Diversity in Politics Panel - 4:30pm-5:30pm - SU 214 Wednesday - Movie in The Nest - 7:30pm - 6th floor Thursday - International Day - 11:30am-4pm - Village Square
Northeastern Programming Board
Mar. 8 - NEIU Talent Show - 9pm - Auditorium
*Mar. 12 - URO - Marcelo Castillo Speaker 1. 1pm-2pm - SU 217 - Lunch and dialogue with Marcelo and about 15 students 2. 3pm-4pm - Pedroso Center - Creative Writing Workshop with 35 NEIU students 3. 5pm-6:30pm - Pedroso Center - Community Lecture/Reading
If you need accommodations to attend these or any University event, please contact Student Disability Services within 48 hours of the time of the event at (773) 442-4595 or SDS@neiu.edu.
Diversity Continued from 6 performed on stage. The deadline was Jan. 1 of this year. Anyone outside of the CMT department wouldn’t have been aware of this opportunity. That’s a shame. How are we supposed to highlight inclusive plays if everyone is not informed about the selection process? Fabian said they’re going to open the acceptance of proposals campus-wide in the 2019-2020 season, and are trying to figure out the logistics of that. “I’m like one of the only people who has to read all of the plays,” she said. “If I were to get 100 submissions, that’s just a lot. It’s a lot of work... “We know as Stage Center, we need to do a better job at getting our publicity materials out sooner so people know what’s happening in this room, in this space,” Fabian said. She said Stage Center is working on finding pathways to make the student body aware that it exists “tucked away” in Building F near Lech Walesa Hall. Fabian is working with the Director of the Angelina Pedroso Center for Diversity and Intercultural Affairs Maria Genao-Homs to have some rehearsals for the upcoming play “Marisol” in that space to expose students to Stage Center.
Service Continued from 9 run almost entirely by volunteers that help youth living on the street or in shelters. One of their goals is to build healthy relationships and provide a link to services to keep youth as safe as they can. The main theme of the day was service. Doub said, “We consider this event a one-stop-shop for any-
“By hosting some rehearsals in there - I know a lot of students hang out in that space, to relax or to do homework,” Fabian said. “It’s a really open and welcoming space so that they get to see the rehearsals.” While I think these ideas for outreach are great, the need for an inclusive theme is extremely important. Fabian said Stage Center is going to become a homebase for Microteatro Ambulante, the first bilingual microtheater company in Chicago, perhaps in the fall of 2019. “We talked about the lack of representation in Stage Center, so (Microteatro Ambulante) might help gain or boost interest,” Fabian said. “You want to be able to come here and see part of yourself or your full-self being represented, right? Being able to have her company present means that they can also help with doing outreach on campus.” Having a Spanish and English-speaking theatre company might help push for more relatable plays, but until then, I think Stage Center and the CMT department need to recruit actors more effectively and make their presence known on campus. We, as students, need to also show up and audition if we want to see ourselves being represented on stage. Stage Center is open to all NEIU students, faculty and staff, as well as the Chicago community.
one looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity in Chicago. We’re so grateful that people turn out year after year and so glad that we could make this impact.” Many organizations were looking to help the environment, wildlife and animals or green spaces. Several were looking to help children and young adults through mentorship and tutoring. Some were looking to help those dealing with an illness. The question that everyone
100 Grand Continued from 2 nationwide debt, but this is a huge problem within our society that is affecting the future and the generations coming. “If each person within the U.S. were to put down $100,000, we could get rid of national debt. Now, are we ready to put down $100 grand? Obviously not, and that’s how bad it is,” said Khan. The chocolate eating contest was another event the class organized in hopes of going viral on social media and catching the attention of onlookers in the cafeteria. The contest awarded $50 in cash prize to whoever broke the record of eating 100 Nestle chocolates in 100 seconds. Participating contestants were provided with multiple chocolates and water as a volunteer kept time, while Khan and other volunteers announced more facts about the national debt over a mic. First-prize winner David Calderon said that while the contest was exciting and fun, he was in shock and disbelief of how much the U.S. was in debt. The economics class is also a part
of a sixth-annual nationwide campus competition with Up to Us. “Oct. 1 marked the start of the new fiscal year for the U.S. government at a time when our country’s debt has surpassed $20 trillion and depression economic issues are trending,” the Up to Us website reads. The winners of the competition will win a free trip to Washington. Ciecierski said that My100Grand brought her class closer together. “This is my first time teaching this class and it’s really hard to get so many people to work together as a team,” she said. Ciecierski said they had issues organizing and doing last minute touches, but that they “got through it” and that “it is truly amazing” to see the team’s efforts come to fruition. Khan said she was proud of her fellow classmates and all the work they have placed into the campaign. The final event will occur on March 3 in Alumni Hall from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. It will be a trivia night hosted by My100Grand and winners will be receiving prizes as well.
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seemed to be asking was “How can I serve?” Doub’s advice for all volunteers: “You’re volunteering. This shouldn’t feel like an obligation. It should be a mutually beneficial relationship. You’re getting as much out of this as (organizations) are.” Doub said, “One of my favorite things about (Chicago Volunteer Expo) is that we’re able to create this really robust mix of organizations so you have big ones like Chicago
Cares and the Nature Museum who use tons of volunteers that are pretty well-resourced. Then we also have tiny little community based organizations that maybe don’t even have a website.. Otherwise you wouldn’t even know that there were opportunities to help them.” For a full list of the exhibitors check out ChicagoVolunteerExpo. com.
Forward 150 Continued from 5 month about Forward 150: addressing concerns of stopping or pausing Forward 150, postponing the Feb. 8th meeting, the updated timeline and reminder of the March 5 deadline to upload reports to the Task Force. Despite the four emails, some students were still not aware of the meetings. Student Cesar Ruiz said, “I don’t know about Forward 150. Now that I know, I would attend them.” Student Gigi Tanaitis said, “No, I don’t go to Forward 150 meetings. I might go if it doesn’t conflict with school or work.” Students Sargon Yousif and Daniel Duque said they also didn’t know about Forward 150 biweekly meetings and if they weren’t working during that time, they would definitely attend the meetings. After the Task Force receives the reports, they then report to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee has 17 members with members from Faculty Senate, University Planning and Budget Committee, University Advisory Committee, Student Government Association, Civil Service Council and the Administrative and Professional Council. At the end of April, the Steering Committee will publish the first draft of their recommendations and take comments and responses from the NEIU community. All recommendations from Forward 150 are due to Helldobler on April 27. “We are the university. We should be able to help provide some form of direction to the administration,” Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Mike Dizon said in an email from Feb. 6, “Changes will be made, regardless of whether we are continuing, slowing, pausing, or stopping.” For more information check out on Forward 150 prioritization check out: https://neiulibrary. libguides.com/F150PP