DePaul and DEI, Presidents Day protests, and 500 days since the beginning of the war in Gaza
plus, a cozy novel for the cold weather
Welcome back to ‘In the Loop’! It’s your newsletter team Lauren, Meredith, Ellie, Noel, Sam, Jana, Annabelle, Estella and Mason. We’ve got a good one for you today.
To start, we have a new form of communication: the contents of coat pockets. Then, we have a brief on DePaul’s plan to address threats to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) from the federal government, a protest against Lurie Children’s Hospital’s surrounding gender-affirming care, Zelensky on a discuss between Trump and Putin about Ukraine, and a passenger plane flip in Toronto. To wrap up, we have a petition against Sueños festival headliner Grupo Frontera and a recommendation for “The Island of Missing Trees” by Elif Shafak.
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With that, let’s get into it!
Talking to Each Other through Our Coat Pockets
By Meredith Bach
Living in a city in my twenties means I’m thrown into a million different social situations — in class, on the street, in cafes, at shows, on the train — the list goes on. In every scenario, the conversation varies: sometimes we play cards, sometimes we trade songs. Somehow, I always discover a new form of communication.
This weekend, I got to know a lovely handful of folks through their coat pockets.
Allow me to explain:
I’ve always been a huge fan of the idea that how we choose to customize ourselves can speak volumes about who we are. There are so many conversations between the clothes we adorn ourselves with and the decorations we wear.
In his essay “Possessions as Persona: How Gifts Guide Our Identity,” writer Brendon Holder best articulates this form expression, writing:
“For those fortunate, consumption isn’t always about practicality; it’s about symbolism,” he writes.
“...the act of buying something over another, the item devoid of its label, is a legible smoke signal for characterization.”
With every item we might choose to buy and display, we suggest a statement about ourselves that is spoken beyond words. It is a form of communication I’ll never tire of!
Last summer, I stumbled upon the work of Sergey Stroitelev, a Berlin-based photographer who took pictures of the inside of people’s bags. He brought the idea a bit further, investigating what the privacy of someone’s items might say about them. Unlike the decisiveness of an outfit or the statement of a pair of glasses, he saw that the hidden contents of our bags describe us unintentionally; these items, tucked away from the public eye, present a more personal painting.
In the series, photographs revealed a diverse display of wallets, pens, notebooks, lip balms, and keychains. Some bags even contained more unique contents, like an entire saw, rubber gloves, or old photographs. Ultimately, assumed narratives about these people poured from their bags quicker than the contents did. Why did they choose to carry these things around with them every day? Who are they outside of their performances to the world?
I was so moved by the project that I have found ways to replicate it in my personal life. I’d always ask a friend for a bag tour or take note of what my own purse might say about the day. I even took to documenting the bags of my own apartment, carefully arranging their contents on the floor to meticulously photograph.
This weekend, my roommate threw a birthday party at our place. Despite the frigid temperatures, flocks of new faces flooded our apartment, dropped their coats in my room, and swarmed the dance floor. We danced and we drank, but I didn’t really get to know anyone too well. It was the kind of function where you just let the lights, the music, and the movement do all the talking for you. (Yet again, another form of communication.)
So, I spoke with everyone to a certain extent, but the dance floor could only reveal so much about us as people. It wasn’t until everyone had left — until the apartment was empty and still — that I really got to know the company of the evening.
I’m not sure if it was the chaos of midterms wrapping up, or the heavy pour of the kitchen ‘bartender,’ but a dozen folks forgot their coats entirely, leaving a hefty pile of them in my room. As the worried texts streamed in, we began to sift through the collection to try and identify what belonged to who.
I was emptying pockets of old house keys and high-rise keycards, beat up cigarettes and plastic vapes. Did the person say they had gum or rum with them in their coat? There was a hot-pink lighter in the right pocket? Gotcha, I have it right here.
Slowly, my ideas from both Holder and Stroitelev’s work fused. On its own, the jacket said so much about its subject: what they like and how they want to present. Then, the privacy of the pocket provided a more honest description: what they value, where they live, or what they spend their money on. By the end of the search, I felt like I had gotten to know the partygoers a bit more. All these beautiful strangers — of so few words among the walla of a college party — had sparked a conversation after all, through the contents of their pockets.
Cheers, to a new form of communication then! And cheers, to all the lovely folks who left their jackets for us to chat with; you guys have impeccable taste!
(P.S. If you are still missing an awesome black north face puffer, find my name in the DePaul email list, and let’s chat about those receipts from the MCA gift store; I want to know what you got!)
DePaul News
By Ellie Shelton
DePaul President Rob L. Manuel sent out a mass communication early today on new federal policies surrounding race-based programming and spending. The email follows an unprecedented letter issued this past weekend declaring race-based scholarships, cultural centers and graduation ceremonies illegal.
In a “Dear Colleague” letter published on February 14, U.S. acting assistant secretary for civil rights Craig Trainor presented a broad interpretation of a 2023 Supreme Court ruling striking down affirmative action. According to the ruling, those who do not comply within 14 days will be subject to investigation by the U.S. Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and may get funding rescinded.
The letter penned by Trainor claimed that “In recent years, American educational institutions have discriminated against students on the basis of race, including white and Asian students.”
Although the initial ruling was specific to admissions, the Trump administration has gone to argue that this may not be the case. Notably, the letter outlined several university programs and policies that are now subject to OCR investigation including, “hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.”
Going beyond the scope of the initial Supreme Court ruling, the letter also stressed that any race-neutral university policy that could feasibly be a proxy for racial consideration would be strictly prohibited.
The department has noted that they will provide additional legal guidance for universities in the coming days; however, DePaul has been quick to respond with their own plan of action.
Manuel’s email reminds students of the university's strong Vincentian values and their importance in the university’s operations.
“This commitment is at the heart of who we are as a faith-based institution—and we will continue to uphold it as we navigate these changes,” Manuel wrote in the email.
The email also stressed that the university is actively assessing how this new federal guidance may affect university policy as the college continues to push for policies that prioritize student needs in higher education.
Manuel ended his email with a reminder to all students that “we remain steadfast in our mission, dedicated to academic freedom, and committed to our institutional priorities.”
As the policy continues to affect universities nation-wide, students can expect updates from the Office of the President in their DePaul email.
Chicago Headlines
By Noel Reyes
Protest against Lurie Children’s Hospital’s pause on Gender-Affirming Surgeries — Hundreds gathered at 225 E. Chicago Ave just outside of Lurie Children’s Hospital Saturday afternoon to protest the pause on gender-affirming surgeries. The rally drew families affected by the executive order titled, “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” President Donald Trump signed on January 28, attempting to ban gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youths. This order has put pressure on health care providers creating a conflict between state and federal law despite challenges to the ban’s constitutionality. On Monday, Lurie Children’s Hospital told WTTW that it would pause gender-affirming surgeries for youths under 19 years old, but would continue prescribing hormone replacement therapy and puberty blockers. In an effort to showcase their aversion toward the decision by Lurie Children’s Hospital, attendees held up the light blue, pink and white trans pride flag, chanting, “Trans rights are human rights!” Block Chicago’s Taylor Moore has more on the protest.
Logan Square’s new affordable apartment complex — Saturday morning marked the official grand opening of the new affordable apartment complex in Logan Square. The 89-unit Encuentro Square complex on 3745 W. Cortland St. right off the Western terminus of the Bloomingdale trail marks the beginning of a two-phased plan for affordable residential apartments to combat the breakneck gentrification within the area. Amenities include a children’s playroom, teaching kitchen, private courtyard, lounges, laundry rooms on each floor and ample bike storage. Logan Square, along with surrounding neighborhoods Humboldt Park and Avondale, have historically been Latino working class communities. Lately a shift in demographics have favored a white, young professional class, however. The $67.5 million development is supported by low-income housing tax credits along with grants and other financial aid to fund the project which broke ground in 2023. Block Chicago’s Charles Thrush has more on the development.
Cook County explores Planned Parenthood partnership in Englewood — Planned Parenthood of Illinois announced in January that it would close four clinics across the state. Englewood’s Planned Parenthood clinic is one of the four that is set to shut down March 27, however Cook County officials hope to figure out how to save the South Side center. The Englewood center serves thousands of patients seeking reproductive care. Not only does it connect pregnant patients to prenatal care, it also educates the community on sex and gives out free condoms to promote safe sex. Illinois is a haven for reproductive care and the state has seen an influx of out-of-state patients seeking abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Planned Parenthood’s Cristina Villareal told the Tribune “we’re still in early conversations and looking at all options. I think there’s the immediate need of wanting to keep staff in place and stay open, and then I think there’s an opportunity to really partner in new ways in the future and create this model that’s different… we also know that we need to kind of move quickly.” While there is no definite solution to save the clinic, options remain open. From the Chicago Tribune, A.D. QUIG has more on the issue.
National Headlines
By Sam Freeman
Zelensky says Ukraine won’t accept a deal it didn’t help negotiate — In an interview with NBC News, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the country would “never” accept a deal if Ukraine doesn’t have a seat at the negotiating table. Last week, Zelensky had a phone call with President Donald Trump after Trump and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia spoke for 90 minutes about Ukraine. In the NBC interview that aired yesterday, Zelensky recalled his call with Trump: “I said that he is a liar,” Zelensky said he told Trump of Putin. “And he said, ‘I think my feeling is that he’s ready for these negotiations.’” Marco Rubio, the secretary of state; Mike Waltz, the national security adviser; and Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy who also works on Ukraine-Russia issues are expected to meet with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia to discuss a peace deal. It would be the first significant talks after Russia’s full-scale invasion three years ago. Maggie Haberman from The New York Times has more information.
Polar vortex expected to spread across the U.S. — A polar vortex is expected to dominate the Rockies and the Northern Plains after cold temperatures struck the east over the weekend, killing at least 13 people. The National Weather Service predicts “life-threatening cold” into Tuesday. Temperatures in northeastern Montana are expected to dip as low as 45 degrees below zero. Meteorologists said several states would experience the 10th and coldest polar vortex event of the season. In Kentucky, more than 1,000 were stranded by floods and had to be rescued over the weekend. Gov. Andy Beshear said the death toll rose to nine. In Birmingham, Ala., the weather service said it confirmed a EF-1 tornado had touched down in Hale County. A state of emergency was declared in Obion County, Tenn., after a levee failed on Saturday, flooding the community of Rives. The Associated Press has more information.
Protests to take place on Presidents Day — Protests took place in major cities across the U.S. today. According to activists, they were organized by the 50501 Movement, which stands for “50 protest. 50 states. 1 movement.” The protests are in response to "the anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration,” according to the organizers. The protests come after a slew of executive orders signed by Trump, including several orders led by Elon Musk. Sydney Wilson, a local organizer in Pittsburgh and national press liaison for 50501, said: "We are still very much calling for the removal of Elon Musk. We find it very concerning that there is a non-government official that has the access that he does. And we would like to see the strengthening of anti-discrimination legislation." This is the second nationwide protest led by the group, following their first event on February 5. Chandelis Duster of NPR has more information.
Ed Martin is nominated for U.S. Attorney General in Washington — President Trump announced on Monday that he nominated Ed Martin, who was present at the January 6 riot and election denier, for the interim U.S. attorney for Washington D.C. Martin, who has limited prosecutorial experience, must be confirmed by the Senate before he can take the position. The nomination effectively swaps leaders committed to prosecuting the crowd that stormed the Capitol on January 6 with a man who sat on a board that helped raise cash for the Capitol rioters and who stood outside the Capitol on that historic day. He could participate in Trump’s efforts to seek retribution on those involved in his two federal indictments and the prosecution of his supporters. He was already called upon by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to scrutinize the alleged weaponization of the Justice Department during the Biden administration. It is not clear yet if he would be selected to permanently lead the office. Glenn Thrush from The New York Times has more.
International Headlines
By Jana Simovic
500 days since the War in Gaza and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visits to Saudi Arabia — Monday marks the 500th day since the war in Gaza began as well as about a month into the current ceasefire. Over 2 million Palestinians face uncertainty as Israeli government officials appear to embrace the Trump administration's proposal of relocating them from their home. In Israel, protests have been sparked by calls for urgent progress on ceasefire negotiations for the over 70 hostages to be returned from Hamas. The latest sign of the Israeli government’s embrace regarding President Trump’s proposal stems from their claim that the Israeli Defence Ministry will establish a government body that will aid in the “voluntary departure of Gaza residents.” The idea, now newly legitimized within Israel, has been relegated to views of far-right Israeli’s. Rubio, who is on his first trip to the Middle East since taking office, has met with the Saudi Crown Prince and previously mentioned that he will be discussing potential alternatives for Trump’s proposals of relocating Palestinains. This has not been confirmed by either country, since press releases have only stated they have discussed regional and international developments. To read more details on this topic, you can check out the Associated Press's coverage here.
Passenger plane flips over in Toronto — Amid severe weather conditions on Monday afternoon, a Delta passenger plane flipped over at the Toronto Pearson Airport. As of this writing, officials have said that 15 people have been taken to the hospital, with three being critically injured. All 80 passengers have been evacuated while official investigations are underway. Recent winter storms have blanketed the city with snow, hazardous transportation conditions as well as airport delays. To follow any future developments, see BBC’s live coverage here.
Rebels occupy second largest city in Congo — M23 rebels have occupied the city of Bukavu in the eastern region of Congo following their occupation of the country’s largest city in late January of this year. Congolese troops have been drawn out of the densely populated areas in order to minimize the risk of fighting, a decision that potentially contributed to a rise in looting in the area. As local shop owners lose livelihoods from their storefronts, M23 forces have said via radio that "Our forces have been working to restore the security for the people and their property, much to the satisfaction of the entire population.” For more details on this coverage, check out further developments from Reuters here.
Brazil targets illegal logging in Amazon raids — Following a promise made by the country’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) in 2022, Brazilian environmental agents have seized more than 5,000 truckloads of timber from illegally logged regions in the Amazon. The effort is one of the most significant in recent years that has been implemented to curb illegal logging in the country, however local conservationists state that it is not enough to fully grasp the scale of the devastation resulting from illegal industries located in the forest. Learn more from Ueslei Marcelino of Reuters here.
14 East Pueblo: Petition asks for Grupo Frontera’s removal from Sueños after allegedly supporting Trump
By Annabelle Rivera
Popular Mexican-American band Grupo Frontera faced intense backlash over a now-deleted TikTok video of the members dancing to the Village People’s hit “Y.M.C.A.” Now, people are petitioning for their removal as one of the headliners of Chicago’s upcoming Sueños festival.
The controversy isn’t about “Y.M.C.A.” itself but the implications. President Donald Trump often dances to the hit song at his political rallies, and fans have taken the TikTok as a subtle display of support for the president, who has publicly slammed Mexicans.
A petition began a few weeks ago calling for their removal as headliners for the Sueños festival in Grant Park this May. As of Monday, the petition has over 10,000 signatures. The petition organizer told the Sun-Times that the video itself wasn’t directly supporting Trump, but the timing was suspicious given it was posted when it became clear Trump would win the election.
The band released a statement on Instagram Stories saying they have “no affiliation or alliance with any political party that is against immigrants and the Latino community.”
One of the co-founders of Sueños, Christopher Den Uijl, posted a note on his Instagram page saying “Our festival was created with one purpose — to celebrate, uplift and bring joy to the Latino community … that has always been our mission and that will never change.” The post did not specifically mention Grupo Frontera nor state if they will remain as headliners.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Featured Columnist Estella Gabor
Grab your coziest blanket, a cup of tea and your favorite reading spot because once you start reading this book, you won’t be able to stop. “The Island of Missing Trees” by Elif Shafak is a beautifully written novel that intertwines history, love, nature and family in an amazing narrative. Set between London and Cyprus, the story follows two lovers — one Greek, one Turkish — who are separated by the island’s violent history, and their daughter, who struggles to understand her heritage.
Using a fig tree as an unexpected narrator, Shafak wonderfully blends historical fiction with an essence of something almost magical. The tree immerses us into the scents and flavors of Cyprus, guiding us through themes of displacement and resilience amongst the Turkish Cypriots, a narrative that pulls at our heart strings.
The novel is both heart-wrenching and hopeful. It humanizes real historical events, showing us how political turmoil can shape personal stories — a theme that is almost congruent with the current state of affairs. Conflict can seem inevitable, but this story reminds us of how much love there is all around.
This is the kind of book that stays in your mind long after you’ve turned the last page. With one of the coldest weeks ahead of us, now is the perfect time to pick up a copy of “The Island of Missing Trees” and let Shafak guide you through a journey of love and loss.
Resources
Need resources regarding cooling centers, rental assistance, abortion access, COVID-19 testing and vaccines or mental health? Check out our complete list here.
That’s it for today! See you next Monday.
The 14 East Newsletter Team