DePaul grad selected for NASCAR internship program, Cuddle Bunny, and Mayor Brandon Johnson’s transition report
Plus, a review of the new dystopian TV show “Silo”
Welcome back to ‘In the Loop’! We’ve got a good one for you today. It’s your newsletter team — Alexandra, Grace, Lauren, Sam, Elizabeth, Hailey, and Emily — here to bring you a new and exciting edition to start off your week.
Jumping off, have you ever been to a bunny sanctuary? This is the perfect opportunity to go and check out Cuddle Bunny, an adorable community in Lakeview that fosters a shared love for animals and even provides bunny yoga classes and other unique evening activities. In other recent news, Mayor Brandon Johnson released a transition report that has been in the works since mid-April, mapping out the next four years in office and a DePaul graduate was selected for the NASCAR Diversity Internship Program.
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With that, let’s get into the news for tonight!
Care, Community and Cuddle Bunny
By Grace Golembiewski
As I sat in the playpen with Barbara Burdick or Bb, the owner of Cuddle Bunny in Lakeview, we looked at the two bunnies grooming each other’s ears. Bb cooed, looking at the bonded bunnies, and with love in her eyes, said, “Oh, this is why this never gets old.”
The two bunnies that Bb and I spend time with are Kirby and Pepe, and they are just one of the many bonded pairs at Cuddle Bunny. There are 14 bunnies in rotation, six of which have chosen each other to be friends for life.
During the pandemic, Cuddle Bunny opened in June 2020 and has since become a place for bunnies and people to relax.
“My idea was to start a cafe, similar to the ones that they have in Japan, only featuring bunnies because Chicago has cat cafes, but there were no bunny cafes. So, I thought that this would be kind of a unique offering in the city,” said Bb.
Here those across Chicago can come to relax and pet incredibly soft buns, leave their beloved rabbits overnight when away or even get involved in one of the many community events Cuddle Bunny offers, to share in the love of animals through poetry readings and bunny yoga. Bb refers to these as the three C’s of Cuddle Bunny: club, care and community.
“I think we do a really good job of treating our boarded bunnies similar to the way we treat ours. I think you can tell if you’ve been in there, you can see how much we love them and what good care we take of them, and it’s fun. It’s the best job that doesn’t really feel like a job. It’s a rough job, but somebody’s gotta do it,” Bb said.
Tyler Odom is another person who has that “rough job.” Tyler is one of the many workers who ensure the bunnies in the interaction and boarding spaces are diligently cared for. Like clockwork, Odom ensures each customer receives cilantro, and I’m not just talking about human customers. The cuddle bunnies loved the greens; even the shyest bun hops up to Odom for a morning snack.
As Odom walked me around the small space with purple-painted walls and bunny-themed decorations, they were able to tell me each of the fluffy animal’s small traits and quirks of their personality and breed, mentioning that they were biased toward Rex and Lola.
“Those two, in particular, have such a deep connection for each other…and it is so sweet, especially with two bunnies that are obviously so different. The 14-pound Continual Giant with a three-pound Dwarf Lionhead,” Odom says with a soft smile. “Just watching them be themselves, it fuels me a little bit, you know? Like, it feels good just to be in their presence.”
Julie Kaufield, a DePaul alumna, came with her daughter Sophia to destress and cuddle some bunnies. The two were visiting from Seattle and used to live only four blocks away from Cuddle Bunny. After hearing about this place from her parents, Julie thought it would be a fantastic experience, learning more about the bunnies and enjoying a good spring break activity.
“I think we’ve always gravitated, since the kids were little, towards animal experiences. I think that connecting animals and humans together, that connection is something that can be very rewarding in so many different ways,” said Julie.
I, too, got to experience the calm bunny atmosphere that is created while at Cuddle Bunny. For my mom’s birthday, I took her to bunny yoga to relax. Pepe, the black and white bunny I had met only a few days prior, came up and stayed on my mat for half the class! I like to think we have become friends.
For one hour, we could forget all our worries and truthfully laugh at some bunnies as they flew across the room while we were all in downward dog. It may seem silly to some to consider these creatures a source of comfort, but that is what they are. These animals ask nothing of us and give us everything in return, a laugh, a smile and a chance to break away from the outside world. In a sense, Bb cares not only for these beautiful animals but all those who walk through her door looking for a chance to unwind.
DePaul News
By Alexandra Murphy
DePaul Night at Soldier Field
DePaul hosted DePaul Night at Chicago Fire on Saturday, July 8, inviting all DePaul employees, families, friends and alumni to watch the match as Chicago Fire takes on Nashville SC in an exciting game. Chicago Fire defeated Nashville SC 1-0 with Fabian Herbers providing the one and only goal at the 33-minute mark. Meaning, with this victory Chicago will move up to 11th place in the Eastern Conference. Find out more here.
Social Transformation Research Collaborative 2023-2024 Fellowship Cohort announced
DePaul granted scholars from women and gender studies, history, Spanish and social work to compose the second cohort for the Social Transformation Research Collaborative. Rocío Ferreira, Juan Mora-Torres, Maria Ferrera and Jacqueline Lazú. The staff will spend their fellowship studying topics of Peruvian culture, Mexican neighborhoods in Chicago and narratives of asylees. Associate professor of Spanish and the chair of women and gender studies, Maria Ferreira, and the associate professor of history, Juan Mora-Torres have been awarded 12-month faculty research fellowships which provide extended paid leave and research assistance. Find out more about the fellowship announcement here.
DePaul grad selected for NASCAR Diversity Internship Program
Recent DePaul graduate, Angelina Davila, was one of 37 people around the U.S to be selected for the 22nd class of NASCAR’s Diversity Internship Program. Davila is also the only intern from Illinois to be selected for the program. The weekend of July 1 - 2, NASCAR headed to Chicago for the Grant Park 200 with a 220-mile street race. The race closed down Jackson Drive between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive. Davila, who currently works with the organization’s communications office, graduated from DePaul with a bachelor’s degree in English. Find out more here.
Chicago Headlines
By Lauren Sheperd
Migrants moved out of police stations – Migrants are being moved out of a West Side police station following allegations of Chicago police officers having “improper sexual relations” with immigrants. One officer from the 10th police district was accused of impregnating a teenage girl, and other officers have been accused of other sexual misconduct. A police spokesperson has confirmed that the department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability have begun investigating the incidents but have not released any further details. Now, community activists are calling for all migrants to be moved from police stations. Block Club Chicago’s Madison Savedra and Jacqueline Cardenas have more details.
Mayor Brandon Johnson releases 223-page “blueprint to transform” – Brandon Johnson released a transition report to serve as a road map for the next four years on Thursday. The report – which can be accessed here – is divided into 11 sections: arts and culture, economic vitality and equity, education, environmental justice, health and human services, housing, human rights, equity and inclusion, immigration, public safety, transportation, and workers’ rights and labor. The report was created by 11 subcommittees and has been in the works since mid-April. While Johnson has received criticism on how long it took to release the report, he said this was deliberate and to make the report right for the people of Chicago. WTTW’s Heather Cherone has more.
Northwestern football coach could face heavier punishments – It is likely that Northwestern University head football coach Pat Fitzgerald will face harsher punishments from the university following a hazing investigation into the program. The investigation began last November after reports of hazing within the NU football program arose. Following the investigation, Fitzgerald was initially issued a two-week suspension. However, a statement released by Northwestern University President Michael Schill on Saturday night following reporting conducted by Northwestern’s student newspaper – The Daily Northwestern – alluded to possible further punishment. WGN’s Brónagh Tumulty, Eli Ong and Judy Wang have more.
One woman has died after a wrong-way driver hit a CTA bus – An SUV going the wrong way on DuSable Lake Shore Drive collided with a CTA bus, killing a woman inside the car and injuring 13 people on the bus, including the driver. The driver was heading south in the northbound lanes in Uptown when the collision occurred. All injured passengers on the bus were taken to local hospitals with unknown injuries. The driver of the SUV and two passengers were taken to a local hospital in critical condition where one woman later died. The driver of the SUV has been taken into police custody and charges are pending. Block Club Chicago’s Mack Liederman has more.
National Headlines
By Sam Freeman
State Senator Roland Gutierrez seeks Senator Ted Cruz’s seat – Roland Gutierrez, a Democratic senator from Uvalde, Texas and advocate for gun control, announced today that he aims to unseat Sen.Ted Cruz. Gutierrez is the second prominent Democratic politician to enter the race. Gutierrez gained prominence for his stern gun control advocacy after the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 19 children and two teachers. While Gutierrez is a gun owner himself and believer in the Second Amendment, he pushes for better policies to protect kids. Policies include raising the age to buy AR-15 rifles and implementing more thorough background checks. Gun control has become the heart of Gutierrez’s campaign. J. David Goodman from the New York Times has the story.
Extreme heat in the Southwest and Florida is expected to continue – Intense heat waves in the Southwest and Florida are predicted to get worse this week. According to Jeff Goodell, author of “The Heat Will Kill You First,” heat waves are getting hotter and lasting longer due to increased fossil fuel usage. Temperatures in Phoenix are predicted to reach between 111 and 118 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, while central Texas could experience heat between 105 to 112 degrees. There are currently heat advisories in Arizona, Texas, and Florida, warning people of the potential health ramifications from too much time spent in the heat. Juliana Kim of NPR has more information.
Oklahoma judge dismisses potential reparations for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre – Three survivors of the racist rampage filed a lawsuit in 2020 to gain justice for the destruction of the Black neighborhood, Greenwood. The lawsuit, brought under Oklahoma’s public nuisance law, claims that the consequences of the riot, which killed hundreds of Black residents and destroyed Black businesses, continue to affect the city today. Compensation was never provided by the city or insurance companies, and, according to the lawsuit, the Tulsa Race Massacre contributed to the current racial division and tension that is prominent in Tulsa today. Judge Caroline Wall, a “Constitutional Conservative,” dismissed the case based on previous arguments from the Chamber of Commerce, which claimed that the effects of the massacre were awful yet not prolonging. Jake Bleiberg from the Associated Press has the story.
The overturn of affirmative action changes college admissions and business hiring – Affirmative action, a set of policies intended to give racial minority groups equal access to educational opportunities, was recently overturned by the Supreme Court, leaving behind an unpredictable college admissions system. This directly alters the college admissions process by eliminating diversity tools. It will likely decrease the importance of test scores and increase reliance on essays for admissions. Beyond the college admissions process, the decision also changes how companies recruit employees. Many companies, like REI and Mattel, diversify their recruits and collaborate with identity-group partners. They pull from top universities from which there may be fewer racially diverse applicants; some students from minority communities won’t apply since they may not be desired candidates. Corinne Lestche from Forbes has more information.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Columnist Elizabeth Gregerson
Fourth of July celebrations are over. You’ve listened to Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) more times than you’d like to admit. You’ve set up your Threads account like Instagram told you to but still aren’t sure why. You have to wait until July 21st for Barbenheimer, also known as the day both the Barbie and Oppenheimer movies get released. What are you supposed to do now?
Consider watching the Apple TV+ show “Silo.” Audiences may not have realized that Apple TV+ has television shows other than “Ted Lasso,” but it does!
“Silo” will not fill the heartwarming ensemble comedy-shaped void left by Lasso and crew. “Silo” is a decidedly deeper television show. So deep, in fact, the entire series takes place underground.
Claustrophobics breathe easy, the world of “Silo” is spacious. The utilitarian underground silo is immense, offering 144 levels to its citizens who have been willingly living inside the silo for at least 140 years.
“Silo” highlights complex characters grappling with their understanding of why they stay inside, a notion they’ve never questioned until now. Actors Rebecca Ferguson and David Oyelowo lead a diverse and capable cast whose performances feel fully developed and intensely authentic.
The exact time period of the show is unknown. The set and costume design gives off a distinct midcentury vibe while being strangely technologically advanced enough for personal computers. Even stranger is the slow realization that photography does not exist, but mandatory birth control does.
Reminiscent of shows like “Snowpiercer”, “Westworld” and “The Leftovers”, the story of “Silo” brings a unique interpretation to the dystopian drama genre. Based on a series of novels by Hugh Howey, creator Graham Yost blends subtle symbolism as the narrative unfolds. Whether the show leads you to ponder present day political dilemmas or sends you down a philosophical spiral, “Silo” is an engrossing and entertaining series you do not want to miss.
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