The Daily Illini: Perspectives Edition Fall 2021

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NEWS

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Buy Black Chambana hosts pop-up shop

By Brendyn Jones Assistant Sports On-Air Editor

Buy Black Chambana, an online directory that aims to document and share Black-owned businesses in the Champaign-Urbana area, hosted the Urban Market Pop-up shop for the fourth week in a row on Saturday.

The market, set up in Helm’s park, offered spaces for local businesses and vendors to sell products and offer services to community members. Saturday’s market included food trucks and a dance performance by a dance team from Danville called “Royal DystruXion.” The market was scheduled this year for five Saturdays from Aug. 28 to Sept. 25.

Mariah Madison created Buy Black Chambana to connect the community to Black businesses in the area. Madison owns a small business called Nannyville LLC, which offers nannying services in

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the community. Her own experience of being a Black business owner in Champaign pushed her to pursue connections with other business owners.

“Our events are always about creating positive spaces for people of color to really embrace their culture and celebrate who they are,” Madison said about the environment of the markets and what they mean to the Black community.

She says it creates a community of business owners that helps them create relationships and is the “difference between a business owner giving up and continuing to push forward.”

Madison says that even if she doesn’t see the progress on her own, the feedback she gets from other people reminds her of her growth.

The location for the market was only secured around a week in advance, so reaching out to businesses and advertising the events was a struggle. The market

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The "Royal DystruXion" dance group from Danville performs at the Buy Black Chambana hosted pop-up shop in Helms Park on Sept. 11. now has the Helms Park location secured for the coming years, so planning for the future can start earlier. brendynjones@dailyillini.com

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Corrections The editorial published in our Housing Guide edition on Sept. 22 incorrectly referred to Off-Campus Community Living as its former name, The Tenant Union. The Daily Illini regrets this error.

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NEWS

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

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GEO criticizes University's COVID-19 inaction Graduate students protest shortfall of virus precautions

By Alex Chang & Willie Cui

Staff Writer and Assistant Daytime News Editor

Members of the Graduate Employees’ Organization protested outside of the Henry Administration Building Thursday morning, demanding that the University take more responsibility and care for its teaching staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Grad workers and undergrad students are being exposed to COVID-19 in classes, and the University has no notification system for that,” said Lesley Owens, member of the COVID-19 Impact Bargaining and a co-president of the GEO. Instead of relying on the ChampaignUrbana Public Health District or the Safer Illinois app, the GEO wants the University to implement a system for notifying instructors and students when a student in one of their classes tests positive for COVID-19. The University allows faculty to check students’ Safer Illinois Building Status in the classroom; however, students are not required to disclose their vaccination status to faculty.

In particular, the GEO believes that exposure notifications from the Safer Illinois app are ineffective at properly tracing in-class exposure.

Owens notes that the Safer Illinois app

only generates an exposure notification after spending two hours or more with someone infected, “which means that pretty much every class there could be someone sitting there with breakthrough infections.”

“The notification system that we are advocating for is based on enrollment,” Owens said. “So if a student tests positive, all of their classes and all of their classmates in person are told so the instructors don’t have to do it and the student doesn’t have to do it.”

In addition, the GEO also demands that the University give instructors more latitude in choosing the format of their courses.

“If you request to move online, it depends on your department,” Owens said. “I know people in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences whose requests were turned down for no reason, they were just told, ‘No, you have to be in person,’ even though they had major concerns about teaching in person.”

This inconsistency in COVID-19 policy is a major source of contention for the GEO, Owens said. Each department can set their own policy, and there is a lack of direction from the University on how to handle COVID-19.

“I have heard in my own department of people being threatened with discipline for taking their classes online,” Owens said. “In fact, if we hear that a student in our class tested positive, the University tells us not to tell any of those students and to keep going to class as usual.”

The GEO also believes there aren’t

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEO AT UIUC #ILLATILLINOIS FACEBOOK PAGE

Members of the Graduate Employees' Organization protest outside of the Henry Administration Building on Thursday morning. The group demands the University take responsibility for its teaching staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. enough Wellness Support Advocates checking Safer Illinois status for students, forcing instructors to waste class time checking statuses and potentially exposing themselves to COVID-19 in the process.

Over the summer, the University stated that WSAs will still be conducting daily spot checks across campus at various classroom buildings.

“Certain buildings may also choose to

hire their own WSAs for the semester,” the Massmail reads.

“The University wants to claim things are going great, but we know that they are not and a lot of people on campus aren’t testing,” Owens said. “And we know that there are breakthrough infections circulating that are not being reported.” alexrc2@dailyillini.com williec2@dailyillini.com

COVID-19 update: Campus cases continue to decrease

By Sophie Casaburi Staff Writer

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

Nora Rafaty and Hulya Goodwin, students in LAS, study in the upstairs lounge of Ikenberry Commons while wearing masks on Sept. 18. COVID-19 cases have decreased in the last week.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on campus has decreased from last week.

This week the University recorded 33 new cases, according to the University testing dashboard. This is a decrease from the 58 new cases from the previous week, with a 7-day positivity rate of 0.18%.

The highest number of new cases for this week was reported on Monday and Thursday with 10 new cases each day. This is a decrease from the highest recorded number of cases in one day on Aug. 30, with 74 positive cases.

Compared to Champaign County, the University’s 7-day positivity rate is lower than the county’s, which is 6.2%, excluding University data. However, including the University, the 7-day positivity rate is 4.6%. The county recorded 238 new cases on Sept. 19 since Sept. 12.

In Champaign County, the greatest density of cases is in Rantoul, with 110 active cases.

The University area has the second-greatest density of cases.

Additionally, the greatest number of cases by age comes from those 20 to 30 years old, with 440 cases for that age bracket thus far for September.

Compared to the rest of the state, the Illinois Department of Public Health records 3,304 statewide cases as of Sept. 24. Illinois has a 7-day test positivity rate of 38%.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Champaign County is an area of high transmission, along with the majority of the country.

However, hospitalizations remain relatively low in comparison to the rest of the country, accounting for just 0.2% of cases.

sophiec4@dailyillini.com

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The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Siebel Scholars Class of 2022 The Siebel Scholars program was founded in 2000 to recognize the most talented graduate students in business, computer science, bioengineering, and energy science. Each year, over 90 outstanding graduate students are selected as Siebel Scholars based on academic excellence and leadership and join an active, lifelong community among an ever-growing group of leaders. We are pleased to recognize this year’s Siebel Scholars.

B I OENGINEERIN G JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY WHITING SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Elana Ben-Akiva Ariel Isser Alexandra N. Rindone Julie Shade Alycen Wiacek MIT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Rebecca Black Connor Dobson Emi Lutz Divya Ramamoorthy Sydney Solomon STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Louai Labanieh Sarah Lensch Bauer LeSavage Misha Raffiee Camilo Ruiz UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING Kristen L. Cotner K.L. Barry Fung Kazuomori Lewis Alden Moss Soo Hyun Shin

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO JACOBS SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Daril Brown Andrea Castro Pamela Duran Lauren Severance Jiarong Zhou

BUSINE S S MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT Alex Berry Emily Cetlin Vanessa Labrador Qing Qing Miao

Lauren Sakerka STANFORD UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Marcia Austin Andrew Hanna Evan Mendez Caroline Sohr

Christopher Stromeyer UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO BOOTH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Brian Carlson Ryan Hoerger Kira Tebbe Hardik Parikh

Srividvatha Sridhar

COMPUTER SCIENCE CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Karan Ahuja Priya Donti Yasmine Kotturi Ryan Shi Kayo Yin HARVARD JOHN A. PAULSON SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & APPLIED SCIENCES Mitali Bafna Yamini Bansal Xueyuan Han Lillian Pentecost Chara Podimata MIT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Shyan Akmal Surya Mathialagan Christopher Scarvelis Olivia Seow Shangdi Yu PRINCETON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE Xiaoqi Chen Huihan Li Nikunj Saunshi Jiaqi Su Kaiyu Yang

STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING Ruth-Ann Armstrong Moo Jin Kim Siyun Li Henry Mellsop Vinh Ton TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Chaoyu Guan Jiabin Liu Tianyu Liu Wende Tan Runji Wang UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING Sagnik Bhattacharya Jay Shenoy UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE Natalie Ayers Jonathan Baker Caton Brewster Weijia He Chengcheng Wan UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING Garvita Allabadi Shengyu Feng Revanth Gangi Reddy Eleanor Wedell Yiqing Xie

www.SiebelScholars.com

NEWS

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

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New climate law has little impact on UI power

By Brendyn Jones Staff Writer

On Sept. 15, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act into law, pledging that Illinois’ municipal power plants would be carbonfree by 2045.

This law makes Illinois the first state in the Midwest to have legislation that completely moves away from carbon. As the state lessens its dependency on coal, it will provide subsidies to alternative forms of energy like solar and nuclear power.

Most of the University’s energy comes from the Abbott Power Plant located on Oak and Gregory streets on the west end of campus. Abbott can use natural gas, coal or fuel oil to use power, which makes it adaptable for many conditions.

Abbott is responsible for around 85% of the University’s total energy demand and around 50% of the electricity used. Even though Abbott uses fossil fuels, it will not be under the same requirements that other municipal power plants in the state will be.

“According to the legislation, Abbott Power Plant is not defined as an electric generating unit (EGU),” said Manager of Communications & External Relations with Facilities and Services Steven Breitwieser via email.

“This conclusion is because no asset in the facility has a nameplate capacity greater than 25 megawatts (MW), and the facility does not produce electricity for sale,” Breitwieser said. “For similar reasons, Abbott is

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

The Abbott Power Plant, 1117 S. Oak St., is responsible for about 85% of the University's energy and will not be impacted by the recently passed climate act because it is not considered an electric generating unit.

not considered a large GHG (greenhouse gas)-emitting unit due to asset capacity.”

Because of the conditions of Abbott, it is not under the same requirements that other, larger power plants are after the law was passed.

Abbott uses the best available emissions control technology and exceeds or meets all Environmental Protection Agency emission standards. Its technology removes 90% of all air pollutants, according to the Facilities and Services website.

The University is focusing on creating sustainable energy on campus by building solar farms. The most recent, named Solar Farm 2.0, was completed in January.

This solar farm joins other sustainable energy sources the University plans to get energy from to expand its clean energy consumption.

“By combining utility-scale solar installations, integrated facility rooftop arrays and wind power purchase agreements, clean power usage at the U of I will increase to more than 52,000 MWh per year, which is over 10% of the projected campus electrical demand,” Breitwieser said in an email.

However, with the creation of energy sources that move away from fossil fuels, there is still concern about other areas of sustainability.

Michael Ward is a wildlife ecologist and a professor in the department of natural resources and environmental sciences at the University. His focus is wildlife conservation and he thinks there can be ways to create clean energy sustainably.

“I think it’s a combination of solar and wind power, both really important going forward as sustainable sources of energy,” Ward said.

As a part of the solar farm, the panels have pollinator habitats beneath them in order to sustain the indigenous plants and wildlife in the area where the farm was built.

@Brendyn_Jones brendynjones@dailyillini.com

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The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

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OPINIONS

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

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A new, personal approach to opinions van, religious hypocrisy toward the LGBTQ+ and numerous more.

Correspondingly, a stand-alone PerThe Daily Illini’s opinion section has spectives piece will originate from all long held a rich tradition of communiIllini, community members and anyone cating students’ viewpoints. Comment- who holds a formidable outlook. Furing on astronomical events and publish- thermore, these writings pull back the ing countless ostentatious judgments, curtain on opinions and disclose the opinions has regularly been a habitat formation of one’s viewpoints. for debate and conversation.

In this issue, readers may notice the However, this prolonged conversation prevalence of DI Voices within Peris changing. spectives. As this is a relatively new In a polarized age such as ours, it is endeavor, currently columnists are more cumbersome than ever to pierce the main sources of these works. If the veil of composure to understand you wish to contribute or have quesone’s viewpoint. Therefore, with last tions about presenting your perspecsemester’s launch of “Perspectives,” I tive, opinions@dailyillini.com is always am ecstatic to welcome readers to this available for your viewpoint and pernew era for opinions. sonal narrative.

An ecosystem for civility and personWhether a DI Voices or Perspectives al perceptions, “Perspectives” pushpiece, each describes and informs reades the boundaries of opinions through ers as to why one possesses the values articulation and creative means. In they do and where those are applied. contrast to the typical column, readWhere columns, in their nature, are ers can expect perspective pieces to be argumentative and compel the reader profoundly personal in their narratives to question their stances, perspectives and deliver opinions through a more seek to reveal backgrounds and flatdistinctive, intimate medium. ten the debate arena into more intimate Additionally, within “Perspectives,” terms. the audience can anticipate two varietAn additional observation readers ies of writing: DI Voices and downright may witness with Perspectives is the Perspectives. reign of creativity.

DI Voices will be — and have been The fashion of columns has continu— contributions from columnists who ally attested that personal experiencexpress “perspectives” on countless es and innovation distract from the topics: the coping power of humor, arguments being made. With Perspecthe relationship with one’s minitives, originality and individuality are

By Nathaniel Langley Opinions Editor

JULIA EVERSMANN THE DAILY ILLINI

encouraged for overpowering narratives demonstrating why someone occupies specific positions/values.

Columns still occupy the critical worth in elongating conversations, yet their purpose is to change one’s mind, not explain one’s rationale and level with the audience.

Likewise, what society neglects is that we — students, community mem-

bers, etc. — hold a stake in the culture’s conversations. Perspectives is this space for appreciating one’s portrait in the vast cultural discussions. Without an acknowledgment of how or why one arrives at their conclusions, society is adrift in meaningless quarrels.

Nathaniel is a junior in LAS. ntl3@dailyillini.com

Perspective | The good life is what you make it DYLAN BEASLEY SENIOR IN LAS What do you want to do with your life? It’s a question that some have never heard and others hear every day.

What do you do when you’re a senior, it’s your last year of undergrad and you have no idea of what the hell you’re gonna do with your life? I am someone — as I assume that there might be others in a similar situation — that has studied something that they thought they wanted to do with their life. However, the façade of wanting to be a lawyer has crumbled down and now I look toward the future. I can say nothing but — in a more G-rated

manner — what the heck… what am I to do?

Having society tickle your anxiety with the idea that you’re supposed to have it all figured out by the end of undergrad is abhorrent. I could simply live my life as I want and move to New York City to audition for acting gigs and perform in any reasonable capacity that entertains an audience. God, I just don’t wanna be a gross, tacky, sellout of a lawyer. But one can’t deny the fact that wealth, to some high degree, brings comfort in today’s world.

I do not come from money. I also am not trying to make this a lament about poor me. No. I am proud of all that has gotten me to this point. Is it that pride that stimulates worry because I don’t want the hard work to be the shattered vase on the floor? Maybe? While

I wiggle around like a worried worm trying to figure out life, there is one good payoff that studying political theory has got me. I spend time thinking about what “the good life” ought to be and help discover my own definition of what I want my good life to be.

Now, we could open the floor to a discussion about whether there exists the concept of “good” in the first place.

However, for mental energy’s sake, let’s say that good exists and it has some sort of palpable aspect.

So, I don’t know what I want to do with my life, however, I have some ideas of what sounds good. Should I progress with what I think sounds good? If that is so, then feelings of regret for getting a bachelor's in Political Science might arise. But also, without the studies I have completed

in political science, I wouldn’t be so inquisitive about what the good life is.

I one day could pack it up, move to NYC and live how I’ve always wanted to live my life. But what I’ve observed — and wish you take away from this personal antidote — include a few things. It’s probably OK to “not know” and anxiety about “not knowing” just makes things worse. Take a few political theory or philosophy courses.

Lastly, I know this is going to sound abrupt and not extremely well connected to this observation, but love yourself if you don’t already. I know this is easier said than done, but really, it’s something that has helped me tremendously. If there is one thing that I’m proud of is that regardless of whatever direction my life goes, I know I have myself and I love myself regardless.

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OPINIONS

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

DI Voices | America is void of its post-9/11 unity DENNIS AUSTIN SENIOR COLUMNIST

The anniversary has passed, but what remains are the memories that encapsulated America’s collective consciousness on September 11, 2001.

I was seven years old at the time and remember watching on live television the shock, awe and horror of the Twin Towers collapsing. Even more profound was seeing the images of people falling from these towers to their deaths — a heinous choice of death by fire or death through other means.

I will never personally forget my mother who was concerned about her family.

My sister worked inside of the Sears Tower that day and my brother attended a private catholic high school where his only means of transportation was through the CTA’s bus and train systems. You can imagine the anxiety our mother had until they returned home safely.

It’s a bit shocking how fast time has gone by: As the old cliche goes, “it feels as if this happened yesterday.”

What’s more shocking is that there is now a generation of Americans who have no recollection of 9/11. It’s emblematic of the changing culture and times, but one thing that was present soon after the tragedy was American unity.

Our country was united in grief and the pursuit of justice for the perpetrators behind this savage act. I’m not here to opine about President George W. Bush’s politics nor foreign policy, as that would be appropriate for another time. I’m here to remark upon my adolescent memories of a president, who helped America heal during a time of uncertainty; a time where we didn’t know if September 11th was a singular event or if that was the beginning of more to come.

George W. Bush was a president who sought to bring this nation together.

He did, and more than that, displayed what true love of country looked like.

It’s a far cry from present-day America, where citizens are emboldened by the divisive rhetoric of a former president who helped encourage an act of domestic terrorism. On January 6, nearly 20 years after this nation revered the heroics of law enforcement — which became a target of disdain

PHOTO BY MANDEL NGAN/AFP

Former President George W. Bush speaks during a 9/11 commemoration at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa., on Sept. 11, 2021. by rabid Trump supporters — suddenly had its right-wing support vanish as these brave men and women defended our nation from tyrannical actors.

A contrast indeed where citizens today reject science, peddle anti-vaccination campaigns, engage in racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination — all while calling victimhood against efforts to dispel them.

We are not that America who stood shoulder to shoulder in the wake of a terrorist event. We have become a nation so enamored and spoiled by the advantages and privileges of being an American citizen and living in the western world, that any public health measures to protect us from the dangers of the coronavirus are seen by some as tyranny.

I would imagine that true tyranny would be in other parts of the world where freedom of speech, political opposition and women’s rights are

notably absent: Citizens of Afghanistan fearing the return of the Taliban clung to the side of American aircraft and fell to their deaths on airport runways.

Even as this nation endured its struggles, I can’t ever recall a time where citizens in modern America clung to the side of an aircraft to escape.

Death to these individuals was more welcoming than living in a state of tyranny. Of course, I’m not saying America is without its issues, but you would be hard-pressed to find women who worry that they will no longer be able to attend school in this country based on gender.

I, as a gay Black man, do not fear being murdered by my government because of who I choose to love. We have forgotten what true tyranny is to some extent which has clouded our nation’s judgment on what is and isn’t a tyrannical government.

I miss that post 9/11 period, not for any longing of tragedy, but what that

place and time represented. It wasn’t about skin color or gender or any other qualifier. It was about being American.

Unfortunately, that unity wasn’t for long. Discrimination against Arab and Muslim Americans occurred — sometimes violently. We endured an economic crisis, two wars which the American public turned their backs against and the election of the first Black president that, while represented a turning point in American history, oftentimes resulted in white supremacy rearing its ugly head.

Then there was the Donald Trump era. America receded from that time of unity following the attacks and we’ve never seemed to recapture that essence 20 years on. Maybe soon we will and perhaps it won’t take an act of terrorism for us to realize what it means to be united as one.

Dennis is a senior in LAS. dennisa2@dailyillini.com

OPINIONS

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

9

DI Voices | Forgive me, for I have not sinned of queer people. I could not be Catholic while being true to myself.

Many queer Catholics and ex-Catholics On Sept. 6, 2019, I desperately desired God’s have similar experiences — we share the guidance as I entered the chapel of St. John’s impact of the hatred and alienation we faced, Catholic Newman Center. While waiting to which reverberates in our ears like church confess, I knelt at a pew, praying for guidance. bells to this day. When the time came for ConAfter confessing a half-hour later, I left the firmation, I decided against it and stopped chapel and floated down Armory Avenue in a attending mass. daze of guilt. Slinking across the quad to my In 2019, after moving to C-U for college, apartment, I felt I had failed God. I wanted to regain the sense of community Growing up in Elmhurst, Illinois, many Catholicism had given me. I went to mass at people there — myself included — were Catho- Saint John’s Catholic Newman Center — it lic. I was an altar server at a local church, and was my first mass in over five years.

I loved every second of it. My connection with The Gospel reading that Sunday was the God was so strong that I even hoped to join the Parable of the Prodigal Son — the significance priesthood someday. of which was not lost on me, as it seemed like Nearing adolescence, though, a gap between a message welcoming me back. Despite this me and the Church began to grow. My beliefs poetic return, the inconsistency between my increasingly clashed with Catholic teachings. sexuality and Catholic doctrine gnawed at me.

Struggles with my mental health made me Although I debated whether talking to a priest question if God was really with me. Shortly would help, I would have to walk to the chapel thereafter, I realized I was queer — this was through the late-summer heat to find out. the last nail in the coffin of my faith.

Getting up from the pew, I anxiously strode Most Catholics I knew had negative views to the confessional and knelt at the lattice

By Judith Race Columnist

which separated me from the priest. I began my confession like any Catholic would: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.” After an initial exchange, I explained that I was queer and felt unsure of my place in the Church.

He likened this to his own struggle — he was attracted to women but had to remain celibate. He faced temptations every day but vowed not to act on them. I explained that I had already acted on my temptations, but he reassured me that it was not too late to stop sinning. Too crushed to challenge him, I accepted my penance in fear that God would reject me if I “lived in sin.”

Perhaps it was foolish to think a priest would preach some inclusive Gospel, but we are all fools when we want to fit in. Something good did come of this, though — a month after my confession, I let go of fitting in and accepted that I was a trans woman. I have found many people since then who will stand with me no matter who I am.

Hopefully, future generations of queer and trans people will not find similar barriers in their places of worship. Rather than convinc-

JONAH OZER THE DAILY ILLINI

ing us to be straight or cisgender, Newman Church’s clergy and parishioners could do as the Prodigal Son’s father did and welcome back their queer and trans siblings. I patiently await this reunion so we may rejoice together again.

Judith is a senior in LAS jdrace2@dailyillini.com

DI Voices | A month with nai nai is a lifetime of love

By Rayna Wuh Columnist

This past summer, I spent a month with my grandmother under the picturesque backdrop of towering evergreens, mountains and sunny skies. Devoid of the regular gray and rain present during other seasons, the Seattle suburbs were a perfect place for me to recuperate after a challenging semester.

I am often called a grandma by friends and family because of my affinity for crafts like embroidery and crochet, baking and early bedtimes. Living with my grandmother or nai nai (paternal grandmother in Chinese) allowed me to test that hypothesis and bring in a welcomed change of pace from my regular lifestyle.

In addition to including me in regular aspects of her routine, she also let me tag along to group gatherings she had with her friends. Everyone else in the room was several decades older than me and they spoke to each other exclusively in Mandarin.

I have not formally learned any Mandarin since my junior year of high school, and I seldom speak or hear it at home. However, despite these language barriers, I felt immediately welcomed by her circle of friends.

When I had trouble understanding what they were saying or responded

RAYNA WUH THE DAILY ILLINI

By connecting with her older family members this summer, Rayna observed that love can spread across great distances and time. entirely in English, they reassured me that it helped them practice their English, something they hardly used during the pandemic.

My grandmother lived in Shanghai during the time of the cultural revolution so her family moved to Taiwan before all of mainland China became occupied by communists. She moved to the Seattle area in the 1970s and she has been there ever since. Over the years, some of my grandmother’s friends from both China and Taiwan also moved to the states. My nai nai explained that even though some of them had not seen each other for long stretches of time or were not particularly close in the past, they began to gather after ending up in the same area.

I found it fascinating that in an age prior to social media, this whole group

managed to converge. My grandmother only stayed in touch with a couple of people after moving, but they stayed in contact with several more people and so on until, eventually, they all found each other through mutual friends.

A lot of our connections now seem to hinge on the presence of social media and networking applications. It was comforting to see how long-lasting friendships can form and reform without the need for constant contact over decades.

The conversations among my grandmother’s friends were always loud and lively. I felt at home as they readily included me in their gossip and laughter.

The way they converse now is probably no different from the way they did when they were teenagers.

Although there were many nonfamil-

ial aunties and uncles whose names I had previously heard in stories or met in passing, this was my first time truly getting to interact with them. I loved getting to know their specific idiosyncrasies and hearing stories directly from their sources.

Grandma Anna loved retelling a story from when I went to a buffet with her several years ago and insisted we ate “up to the value.” Grandma Cindy immediately wanted details into my love life and Grandma Linda and I bonded over our shared love for books.

In the past, I was unable to spend more than a couple of hours with my nai nai at a time because she lives relatively far away and my whole family’s schedule tends to be hectic. During those times, I rarely got to spend it with her one-on-one. I am so grateful for the extra time I had this summer to regularly chat with her and get to know her better as the lively, social butterfly she is.

The entire month was a refreshing experience. The pandemic has been a largely isolating experience and it has become so easy to feel out of touch.

However, I left Seattle with a renewed sense of faith in lasting human connection and a closer bond with my nai nai and her friends which I will cherish for years to come.

Rayna is a sophomore in LAS. rwuh2@dailyillini.com

10

OPINIONS

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

DI Voices | Respect refugees, stop Haitian deportation NICK JOHNSON ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR In 1971, my mother immigrated from the former Yugoslavia to the United States with her sister and my grandparents. She was nine years old, didn’t speak a word of English, but was thrilled for the opportunity to leave her agrarian lifestyle and move to what had been hailed to her as “The Land of Opportunity.”

My family’s story will never fail to inspire me. Without their determination to leave everything they knew and immigrate to the U.S. as economic migrants — that is, people who migrate seeking out economic opportunity — I wouldn’t be here today.

However, not all migrants are so lucky — a tragic number are fleeing from immediate danger.

The recent developments at the southern border of Texas have been emotionally taxing. As the child of an immigrant from a country that was torn from existence by civil war, it’s astronomically disheartening to observe the measures taken by our federal government toward asylum seekers.

Over the past several weeks, Haiti has experienced a devastating earthquake, an unprecedented augmentation in street violence and the assassination of its president.

Fearful of their lives and with nowhere to turn, millions of Haitians have rationally opted to flee their home country and seek asylum in the United States. The problem: they’re being deported back to their hostile country without undergoing proper proceedings for asylum applications.

Per international law, this is flagrantly illegal.

PHOTO BY CAROLYN COLE/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

A Haitian man carries his children as he crosses the Rio Grande River on June 24, 2018.

Since 1968, the U.S. has been party to the UN Convention on Refugees, which legally binds the complying states to allow migrants fleeing from immediate danger to apply for asylum. The Biden administration, however, has extended President Trump’s policy which allows the expulsion of migrants with the alleged purpose of mitigating the spread

of COVID-19. The move has been condemned by the UN Refugee Agency and led a senior U.S. diplomat to Haiti to resign from his position.

Haitian asylum seekers being sent directly back into peril is difficult not only because it’s a gross affront to expressly deliberated human rights law, but also because I cannot

help but be reminded of my family’s horrific experience with the Yugoslavian Civil War. My Serbo-Croatian relatives, who were living in what is present-day Croatia, experienced what my mother could only describe as “total devastation” when the war broke out.

My mother spent weeks on end beside a telephone, anxiously awaiting calls to hear if her relatives were still alive. All her family’s homes were seized or burned; her grandmother fled from soldiers and hid in nearby woods for four days; her cousin was imprisoned and beaten. The rest of my relatives knew what would happen if they stayed, so they sought asylum in Slovenia, Russia and Australia.

Speaking to my mother in preparation for this article, she didn’t mince words when I asked if she believed the rest of our relatives would have survived without being able to seek asylum in other countries — “Absolutely not.”

When I see the images of Haitians being deported en masse to their fractured homeland, I picture my relatives. I painstakingly wonder what could have happened to them if those countries they fled to turned them away at the border and sent them back to war-torn Croatia.

Although President Biden’s website on immigration reform boldly declares that he will “Reassert America’s commitment to asylum-seekers and refugees,” the Haitian migrant crisis has seen his administration circumvent international human rights law and spit in the face of this crucial promise.

From a relative of asylum seekers: Please give these suffering people what they are legally entitled to.

Nick is a junior in LAS. nmj5@dailyillini.com

DI Voices | To lose a library book is to lose your mind CAROLINE TADLA COLUMNIST I lost my library book and owe them $250. I also have been on this campus for three weeks.

Saying these two sentences together out loud suggests that I’m less equipped for the college experience than as I once thought. But perhaps this is the price I must pay for “LARPing” as an intellectual because — to be completely transparent — I find reading to be a drag.

But my desire to be admired as a girl

who reads is almost as strong as my disdain for the boring task at hand.

There are several things my dorm is too small for: having pets, owning a stove and, most importantly, losing a book.

How I cannot find something in a room of approximately 10 square feet amazes me; yet here I am on my hands and knees, looking under my bed for a book I was never going to read.

I never considered this, of all things, would be my downfall.

And if my roommate is reading this, I sincerely apologize for all the dirty looks I gave you when I suspected my prized possession was stolen. I realize you probably have better things to do with your

time than to terrorize local book readers.

I just could not come to terms with the fact that I am that irresponsible.

After several fruitless searches, it came to my attention that my book grew legs and ran away.

But quite frankly, I wish him all the best. I like to imagine my book in the countryside, settled down in a sensible home with a beautiful wife and a couple of little books of his own running around: a fairytale ending.

Nevertheless, I find it inhumane for books to be locked up in libraries days on end and personally feel as though I did the literary world a humane favor.

So here is my suggestion for anyone

who is considering reading for fun this fall season: Do not. Go apple picking instead. I’ve never heard of anyone being fined $250 for losing an apple. I’ve also never heard of anyone baking a delicious pie made of books.

But if you must check something out from the library, please remember to keep track of it. Save yourself the headache and financial blow.

Lastly, if you see a copy of “Metropolitan Life” by Fran Lebowitz lying around, please contact me.

Caroline is a freshman in Media. ctadla2@dailyillini.com

LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

11

Krannert Art Museum honors Louise Fishman Illinois alumna's art carries on her legacy of feminism

By Farrah Anderson Assistant Investigative News and Longform Editor

Amy Powell, Krannert Art Museum’s curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, was putting the finishing touches on Louise Fishman’s exhibit when she got the news.

Fishman passed away on July 26 — just a month before the exhibit was scheduled to open.

Louise Fishman, who graduated with an M.F.A. in painting and printmaking from the University in 1965, was a worldrenowned abstract expressionist artist.

Fishman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but spent a majority of her career in New York.

Krannert Art Museum debuted “A Question of Emphasis: Louise Fishman Drawing” this August. Throughout KAM Fest, an annual Welcome Week event held at Krannert Art Museum, hundreds of students had the opportunity to see the new exhibit and the work of the distinguished alumna.

Powell said she debated whether or not to change all the art descriptions to the past tense. Instead, she said she decided to keep them in the present.

“I realized that the work itself is so strong and it’s already memorializing her in a very strong way that I didn’t need to add on to,” Powell said.

Fishman entered the abstract expressionism sphere and injected her own feminist spin on the male-dominated specialty throughout her lifetime, according Powell. Fishman’s work often drew on her identity as a queer, Jewish woman.

Laurie Hogin, associate director of the School of Art & Design, said abstract expressionism has historically been a male-dominated style of art.

“I would say that there were plenty of women practicing abstract expressionism in Fishman’s generation, but they just weren’t necessarily getting their due or being included,” Hogin said.

When she looks at Fishman’s work, Hogin said she sees a desire to be recognized as a woman in a maledominated space.

“I think that one of the things that Louise brought to the table was a level of determination,” Hogin said. “I look at the work and I think about her strength and her agency in making herself heard.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF JULIA NUCCI KELLY

Above: Louise Fishman, who received her M.F.A. in painting and printmaking from the University in 1965, poses in front her painting during a campus visit in 2019. Fishman passed away this July only a month before Krannert Art Museum's newest exhibit (left) dedicated to her work was set to open.

Gerry Hayes, an American painter who received his M.F.A. from the University in 1966, met Fishman while they were both M.F.A. students living on campus and they became friends. Hayes said that many students interested in contemporary art banned together to discuss the art that was happening in New York.

Fishman was more experienced in art

like most of the instruction she received from professors at the University, she said her cohort of friends meant the most to her.

Hailing from the East Coast, Powell said Fishman told her how she didn’t feel like she fit in at the University a lot of the time. According to Powell, ChampaignUrbana was the farthest west she ever lived. Powell said the racial segregation she saw here stunned her.

“She noticed how segregated things were here,” Powell said. “And that made her uncomfortable because she didn’t support or want to be in a racially segregated environment.”

Once she graduated with her M.F.A. from the University, Fishman moved to New York. In 2012, she married Ingrid Nyeboe, a graphic designer, in New York City. Nyeboe is now the studio manager of the Louise Fishman Studio.

Although Powell was able to fly to New York and visit Fishman and Nyeboe many times, she said there’s still so many things she would like to know about her and her time at the University.

“I still have lots of questions for her,” Powell said.

Hayes said he saw her work change throughout her life. He said many artists try to curate a brand and stick to the same style for the rest of their career.

But Hayes said Fishman was constantly trying new things and evolving her style of art over the years.

“A lot of artists do the same painting over and over for their entire life,” Hayes said. “But someone like Louise would not hold back in terms of changing.”

Although he stayed in contact with Fishman, Hayes said he had spoken to Fishman about her coming to visit him soon.

“I had so much hope of seeing her again and talking to her face to face after all that time,” Hayes said.

Hayes said he still has an old lithograph that Fishman made while they were at the University together, and he’s followed her work throughout the years.

With the exhibition at the Krannert Art Museum currently on display for the campus community, Hayes said he believes everyone, no matter their taste, can find something to enjoy in her work.

“I feel like there’s something there for almost everyone,” Hayes said. “Any student or anyone that looks can find something that could be inspiring or impressive in their own work.”

than many in the small M.F.A. group of 20 students, according to Hayes. Throughout their friendship, Hayes said her sense of self was constantly inspiring.

“I was always impressed about how she could fearlessly start a painting without any hesitation and just work it out as she developed the work,” Hayes said. “She was just sure of herself.”

Although Powell said Fishman didn’t farrah2@dailyillini.com

12

LIFE & CULTURE

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Sister Cindy, preachers create frenzy on campus

By Aidan Finn Staff Writer

A woman stood rambling in the middle of a circle of students on Sept.

8. Several onlookers said her words were nothing but mindless, derogatory slut shaming. In response, students flipped the bird and smoked pot in direct defiance.

This was a stop on Cynthia D. Lasseter Smock’s (famously known as Sister Cindy on social media) “Slut Shaming Show.” Since the start of the pandemic, preachers have increasingly taken to central campus locations to caution students about what they say are sinful acts.

However, students in attendance said they don’t leave with a new appreciation for God. Instead, they said the gatherings are a form of unconventional entertainment.

Ethan Morady, freshman in ACES, watched Sister Cindy’s “Slut Shaming Show” in humorous amusement, not taking the gospel in seriousness.

“I think it is kind of funny,” Morady said. “I don’t really care, this is more just entertainment.”

Several students shared Morady’s take on the embarrassing scene. Jona Elam, sophomore in LAS, was not concerned about the verbiage Sister Cindy used. However, she said the student reaction was insightful to a broader climate of online preaching.

“I’m Jewish, so theologically I don’t agree with this,” Elam said. “I think it is really remarkable how much of a reaction she gets from people, as much I don’t think she is effective or conceiving of her views. She’s notorious on TikTok at this point.”

Elam connected this event in the movement of younger people away from organized religion and said she believed the crowd gathered was in disagreement with her rhetoric.

Brother Mitch, volunteer of Campus Ministry USA, said he came 89 miles from his home in Indiana to help facilitate the “Slut Shaming Show.” He said preaching on campuses is vital to spreading the gospel of God because young adults will determine the future of religion in America.

“We are following the basic command of Jesus,” Mitch said. “College age is quite the perfect age because these are our future nation’s leaders in all spheres of society. Whether it be economics, government, science, technology, entertainment, etc. We are seeking to win the lost, that they might

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

Sister Cindy poses for a photo with two Illinois students on the Main Quad on Sept. 8. Multiple preachers have been traveling to college campuses across the country to share their beliefs. be disciplined and catch a vision for their lives, and the nation’s.”

Mitch specifically said the University’s LGBTQ+ community is an example of widespread sin and warned of dire consequences.

“They need to be afraid,” Mitch said.

“God does not bear his sword in vain.

Whether it is a gay person, a drug addict, a thief, a liar, a shop lifter, an adulterer, all sin is bad and will be punished eventually.”

Other preachers on campus said they agree with these beliefs. This is the case for David Ramirez, a missionary from Arizona who said he traveled to C-U to spread his divine wisdom.

With all this occurring in such close proximity to the student body, many students said they think the University should take action. Robin Kaler, associate chancellor for Public Affairs at the University, said the University legally can’t do anything.

and anyone who wants to practice and share their religious beliefs, I believe that using such beliefs in a negative connotation isn’t right,” Gossett said.

“Regarding the surge of preachers and other religious affiliated people on campus, it is frustrating, but also of no surprise to me.”

Gosset went on to highlight the politically divisive times of today and that religion does play a role in such.

However, their rhetoric is not just targeted at the LGBTQ+ community.

It mostly targets women, identifying them as the primary sinners.

Mikayla Brechon, senior ambassador for CHAARG, a women’s athletic and empowerment group, witnessed such rhetoric and expressed her disdain.

“It’s obviously upsetting to us,” Brechon said. “All that we are about is pro women, and to have a group behind us kind of limiting our voices and our rights, our bodies, a choice to do what we want with it, goes against what we are saying.”

The preachers are not found just on the quad, but rather all over Campustown in what they said are sinful environments.

On Sept. 4, individuals wearing black T-shirts spoke to partying students gathered outside of The Red Lion from across the street about engaging in prayer.

These individuals are members of Jesus Illinois, a group that encompasses several local churches with a goal to spread their gospel.

Jay Peters, media representative for Jesus Illinois, spoke about the group’s mission on campus — to spread prayer.

“We felt the Lord wanted us to go (outside of Red Lion) and bring hope,” Peters said. “They can know hope isn’t just a philosophy, they can know hope is a name, and that's Jesus.”

Ali Samani, sophomore in LAS, partied his Friday night away with fellow actuarial science majors in the basement of Murphy’s Pub. He shared his take on the negative rhetoric being thrown by preachers toward partiers like him.

“I think these types of preachers got the wrong idea,” Samani said. “I don’t think they know what they are talking about, and it’s safe to say that they haven’t been to the parties themselves.

I don’t think there is a problem with kids trying to have fun, however that may be. That’s kind of the point of college.”

“We are a public university,” Kaler said. “So most of our outdoor spaces are accessible to the general public as long as they follow any relevant policies such as the Quadrangle Noise and Demonstration and Protests policies. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides strong protections related to the content of speech and expression. As always, when students, faculty and staff feel threatened by others, they can access the Bias Assessment and Response Team’s reporting process.”

The University is home to many students who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community, and many who have said they feel uncomfortable with much of the rhetoric used by such preachers. Jonathan Gossett, sophomore in LAS, is a member of the community and shared his reactionary thoughts to the practices by campus preachers.

“While I completely respect preachers aidanf3@dailyillini.com

SPORTS

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

13

Freshmen focus on fall fixtures, first impressions

By Renato Arteaga Staff Writer

Eichelberger Field is back in action for fall play for the first time in more than a year.

The Illini softball team competed at home for its first fall exhibition games of the season on Saturday and Sunday.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellations of these fall exhibition matches, as well as all playoff competitions, last year.

Head coach Tyra Perry will be entering her sixth season with a chance to get her team back to NCAA Regional competition for the first time since 2019.

Last year, the team finished its shortened season with a 24-20 record and finished with a 7-9 away record.

These fall exhibition matches will mark the collegiate debut for quite a few underclassmen on the team, including freshman Paige Berkmeyer.

Berkmeyer, a native of Wadsworth, Ohio, is one of eight freshmen who joined the program this past summer. She praised her freshman class for all the abilities they’ve showcased so far in practice.

“I love our class,” Berkmeyer said. “We have a lot of different positions with a lot of depth. We have good speed, good power and good energy between all the freshmen, so it’s a good dynamic.”

These upcoming games also mark the first time some sophomores are competing during the fall, since

many of them didn’t get a chance to perform due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year.

Regardless, there is still a ton of development opportunities for these underclassmen thanks to the large senior and graduate student class on the team, according to Berkmeyer.

“When we came in, they came and took us like we’ve been on the team,” Berkmeyer said. “We were very welcomed. They know we’re freshmen, so they always back us up and show us good leadership.”

Berkmeyer also praised Perry for the great influence she has had for all the younger athletes on the team so far this season.

“Coach Perry knows what she’s talking about,” Berkmeyer said. “From fundamentals to hitting, she allows us to learn from her and play on her team, and overall, she makes it a great environment to be around.”

Berkmeyer understands her inexperience might be challenging for her first collegiate competition, but she praised her team’s winning mentality as their greatest attribute for their upcoming fall game.

“I know I’m not going to be perfect, so I came in wanting to be aggressive and not be so hesitant or hold myself back at all,” Berkmeyer said. “As a team, we are very big on being aggressive. We want to compete and compete hard. We don’t want to give away easy wins, so I think it’ll be a great season.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DELLA PERONE/ILLINI ATHLETICS

Sophomore Kelly Ryono and senior Bella Loya embrace during renatoa2@dailyillini.com the game against Ohio State on May 8.

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SPORTS

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

PURDUPED!

Illini offense falters, defense shines in ugly 13-9 loss in West Lafayette

By Josh Pietsch

Assistant On-Air Editor

Illinois traveled a short distance to face the Boilermakers on Saturday and lost a low scoring battle, 13-9.

Short-handed on both offense and defense, the Illini were missing running back Chase Brown, defensive back Devon Witherspoon and linebacker Jake Hansen.

Purdue also had multiple starters missing, including star receiver David Bell.

The biggest moment of the game was when Illinois, leading 9-6 midway through the fourth quarter, had a fourthand-2 inside the Boilermaker 40. Instead of attempting a field goal, Bielema and staff elected to punt, while kicker James McCourt was three of four on the day at the time. Purdue drove down the field and scored a touchdown, putting it up four, and Illinois was unable to get in the end zone after that.

Be aggressive, Bret For the second week in a row, a questionable call by Bielema and his staff may have cost Illinois a football game. Last week against Maryland, Illinois punted on a fourth-and-1 in the fourth quarter in Terrapin territory, and ultimately gave up a touchdown anyway to lose the game. The same thing happened at Purdue.

Once is a fluke, but twice is a pattern.

You would think that after last week’s mistake, Bielema would have learned. But his questionable play-calling probably lost Illinois the game. Had they kicked a field goal instead of punting, they would have been up 12-6. If the Purdue touchdown stood, which would have put them up 13-12, the Illini drove into field goal range on their final drive and could have won 15-13.

The difference between 1-2 and 3-0 in conference play probably comes down to play-calling. McCourt had already hit a field goal from that length against Purdue, and there was no reason to doubt him. The defense deserved a win for the second week in a row, but play-calling once again prevented them from that. Not good at all, Coach.

We see you, Josh McCray Freshman running back Josh McCray is already making his presence known as an Illini. After an impressive performance last week, the strong rusher helped Illinois move the ball from start to finish

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID CRAAN/ILLINOIS ATHLETICS

Josh McCray stiff-arms an approaching Purdue defender during the game in West Lafayette on Saturday. A dismal performance from the offense canceled out a career day for McCray and an impressive defensive display, which included two interceptions. against Purdue.

McCray finished with over 100 yards for the first time in his young college career, and the Boilermakers struggled to bring him down all afternoon. Some credit should go to the fully healthy offensive line, but the broken tackles are all McCray.

With Chase Brown out due to injury, McCray stepped up as needed. He adds to an already impressive running back room, which was the only bright spot on Illinois’ offense Saturday.

Offense: D+ I wish I could split this category into passing and rushing, because the two were very different stories. As I just mentioned, the Illinois running backs had a great day. McCray was great, and Jakari Norwood also had a nice day, as Illinois finished with 175 yards on the ground.

The passing game was a whole other story. Peters threw 14 passes for 26 completions, finishing with only 100 yards.

He also got extremely lucky in the third

quarter on a pass that should have been picked off.

Peters was OK at times, but the receivers also struggled with dropped balls again, which killed some highmomentum drives. To win a game, you have to score points, and not getting in the end zone once killed the Illini on a day where the defense was so good.

Purdue was moving the ball on. Joseph’s came at the end of a long drive that had the Boilermakers deep in the red zone.

For a defense that had been criticized so heavily after three games, it has now held its own the last two weeks, and the team doesn’t have a win to show for it.

Defense: B+

Blake Hayes did his thing. He punted a ball 80 yards that only counted for 60 due to a touchback, but he did his job. He’s the best player on the team and the best punter in the country.

McCourt prevents the special teams from an A+, since he did miss a 54-yard field goal, but he was perfect other than that. Makes from 51, 35 and 45 showed for a great day from the Illini kicker, who should have been given a chance to extend the lead for his team in the fourth quarter.

It’s a damn shame he didn’t.

Special teams: A-

It wasn’t an A for a few reasons. David Bell didn’t play, the Purdue running group was thin and the final Boilermaker offensive drive wasn’t great. But it would be completely unfair to say the defense didn’t do its job in West Lafayette.

After Purdue kicked a field goal on each of its first two drives, the defense didn’t allow a score until late in the fourth quarter, which was ultimately the gamewinning touchdown. Purdue finished with zero second-half rushing yards after only 40 in the first half.

An interception each by Kerby Joseph @JPietsch14 and Tony Adams killed two drives that pietsch3@dailyillini.com

BUZZ

The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021

15

CU celebrates LGBTQ community with Pride Fest

By Carolina Garibay buzz Editor

For the past couple of months, committee members at Uniting Pride of Champaign County have been hard at work planning Pride Fest, one of C-U’s most beloved celebrations. This year’s festivities started last Monday and continue throughout the week with the highly anticipated Pride Parade taking place last Saturday.

Nicole Frydman, director of operations at Uniting Pride, said Pride Fest allows the community to gather and proudly celebrate who they are.

“C-U Pride Fest is all about celebrating the traditional heart of pride, which is to be out and proud in public in our communities,” Frydman said.

She cited the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which inspired the first pride march in 1970, reflecting on the importance of LGBTQ spaces and celebrations.

Frydman said the energy and passion of this first pride march is woven into current pride festivals today, even though the LGBTQ community and climate has changed since the ‘70s.

“While so much of how exactly pride is celebrated from year to year might change, which it should, because it’s a living thing that reacts to the realities and the issues of the day … the heart of pride is exactly the same as it was then,” Frydman said.

One of the ways C-U is making Pride Fest its own is by centering events around a specific theme, which was “What the Health? Fighting, Surviving, Thriving.”

Frydman said this theme was both a way to honor the 40th anniversary of the HIV/AIDS crisis and to incorporate the current and lasting effects COVID-19 is having on people, specifically the LGBTQ community.

“The queer community has had a lot of experience with illnesses that are transmissible through physical contact, and we have watched as so many people died young or got lifelong illnesses and issues,” Frydman said. “We also watched as certain groups did nothing about it and didn't care. You know, this is eerily familiar for our community. It feels nearly impossible to not draw the connections.”

Though many places are reopening and loosening COVID-19 restrictions, Frydman said that the pandemic is still very real. All Pride Fest events, including the Pride Parade, required that attendees wear masks, both indoors and outdoors, and anyone attending in-person events had to show proof of

SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI

The local LGBTQ community and its allies walked in this year's Pride parade on Saturday in Urbana. Committee members at Uniting Pride of Champaign County have spent the last weeks organizing this event, which took place after a week filled with other Pride activities. full vaccination.

“We’re very much still in the heart of COVID-19, and we know that, but we’re feeling incredibly lucky that science has advanced such that we can at least do these events in these ways,” Frydman said. “I know I’m very hungry for it myself, and I can only imagine that that’s very true for a lot of people.”

Pride Fest had no shortage of events, with every day filled with entertaining, educational and interactive events.

Last Monday, for example, the Spurlock Museum hosted a conversation about “To Survive on This Shore: Photographs and Interviews with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Older Adults,” and last Thursday, Uniting Pride and The Trauma and Resilience Initiative are teaming up for a discussion about

the effects of the HIV and COVID-19 pandemics on under-supported communities.

Like these two events, many of Uniting Pride’s events featured some type of collaboration with another organization that supports Uniting Pride and its mission, which Frydman said brought about another unintentional theme.

“The sort of undercurrent theme that accidentally happened is all about community partnership,” she said. “This is a nearly all-volunteer effort, and nearly all partnership effort and that’s why we are where we are.”

Several of these organizations are going to be at the Vendor Fair Saturday from noon–6 p.m., which is followed by the Pride Parade at 3 p.m. in Downtown Urbana. Julie Pryde, C-U public health

leader, will be leading the parade, which will feature local businesses, community groups and entertainers.

Frydman said she feels lucky to be in a community where there’s such rich arts and culture and that being at the parade in C-U this weekend will provide a unique, magical experience for the community.

“Our particular brand of special sauce is about the deep sense of joy felt when you are living your true self out and proud,” Frydman said. “It's not something I think you really feel at any of those other events in exactly the same way. There's no other place that you can get that feeling.” garibay5@readbuzz.com

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The DI · Wednesday, September 29, 2021