Last newsletter of 2023, an editor’s farewell, and Ohio votes to protect abortion rights
Plus, some new movie releases
Welcome back to ‘In the Loop’! We’ve got a good one for you today. It’s your newsletter team — Alexandra, Billie, Noël, Lauren, Sam, Annabelle, Elizabeth and Emily — back with another Monday night newsletter and wishing good luck to all students working on finals this week!
First, 14 East Deputy Managing Editor, Billie Rollason, bids the 14 East newsroom a fond farewell as she embarks on a new journey as a soon to be DePaul alum. I have had the great pleasure of working alongside Billie after contributing for 14 East to working in management together. The bright energy Billie brings to the table at the weekly staff/management meetings will be missed by everyone. We can't wait to see what she does with her skills next!
Also, this is the last newsletter edition for the 2023 year, so keep a lookout for more coverage after the winter break. We hope you have a restful break and a Happy New Year!
In other news, last Thursday the DePaul student body received an email from the Office of the Dean stating they had to remove ‘triggering’ and unauthorized posters scattered around campus. Also, Chicago City Council voted on Thursday and approved that Chicago workers receive paid leave of 10 days off per year with the vote passing 36-12. Nationally, voters in Ohio approved the inclusion of abortion rights in the State Constitution.
If you want to show support for 14 East and ‘In the Loop,’ we invite you to donate directly to our newsroom. Whether it’s a one-time contribution or a monthly gift, every cent helps us build a newsroom that serves you, our readers, and we get 100% of your donation.
With that, let’s get into tonight’s news!
Fond Farewell to 14 East Magazine
By Billie Rollason
I started working with 14 East Magazine in January of 2022. I was well into my degree program but had yet to dip my feet into student media. As a student who transferred in the middle of the pandemic my professional growth was stunted but I knew 14 East would be a good place to start. I liked the idea of being a magazine writer.
Over my first quarter as a staff writer, I learned how to fact-check, work in a team and report confidently. Notably, I had my first byline published in collaboration with our former editor-in-chief, Grace Del Vecchio — it was a glowing photo essay, “An Escape from The Heteronormative: DePaul’s Queer Prom.”
Due to work conflicts in the Winter Quarter, I could not attend our weekly meetings, but by the spring my schedule changed. I was finally able to attend the staff meetings and our little corner of 1 East Jackson (surprise! Our office is NOT located in 14 East Jackson) began to feel like home. The journalists around me were a beacon of hope. Newsroom camaraderie felt so good.
I wrote more articles, got involved with our newsletter and performed at our annual storytelling event, 14 East Live. I was willing and ambitious, made lots of mistakes, took lots of advice and found good friends. I felt like a real journalist for the first time.
At the same time, I was coping with the recent diagnosis of my chronic disease. After medically withdrawing from classes I knew it was time to take leave from the journalism program. I had months to rest, find better medical care and get back on the horse.
When I returned to DePaul in January of this year it was business as usual. That was until I was assigned to fact-check 14 East alum Cam Rodriguez’s investigative story covering DePaul’s history of discrimination against Black students. I was used to fact-checking but not at this scale. Mariah Hernandez and I spent months sifting through historic and archival documents to confirm truly horrific facts about our university’s past. This story took lots of teamwork and had many moving pieces. It displays the power of student journalism and the important work it accomplishes.
Today, I work as 14 East’s deputy managing editor. I run our website, edit stories, assist in managing the newsroom, snoop through facts, and write niche articles. In a few weeks, I’ll be an alum donating time to 14 East’s (very exciting!) upcoming accessibility initiative.
Our managing team has been a delight to grow alongside and I am eager to see what comes next in their newsroom development. Thank you to our amazing faculty advisor Amy Merrick, who has been a compassionate, smart, tuned-in mentor and professor. She has offered me real-world perspectives, technical talents, a variety of writing skills and lots of guidance. The amount of gratitude I have for her and our entire staff is immeasurable. I will miss them all dearly.
I am sure 14 East will continue to breed witty, hardworking, well-informed, fact-finding journalists who change our industry for the better. This is my testimony that student media is a hub for community, growth, strength and development.
Thank you to Grace Del Vecchio, Monique Mulima, Hailey Bosek and the many great figures in 14 East editor-in-chief history! 14 East forever <3
Need a writer, editor, fact-checker or communications employee? Contact me at BROLLASO@depaul.edu. I am unemployed, very hireable and a hardworking (soon-to-be) graduate.
DePaul News
By Noël Bentley
‘Inflammatory’ posters caught on campus
This past Thursday, November 9, the student body received an email from the Office of the Dean stating they had to remove unauthorized and ‘triggering’ posters that were scattered around campus. The buildings mentioned are Arts & Letters, Richardson Library and SAC on the Lincoln Park Campus. None on the Loop Campus were reported. The email states that the posters go against university policy, “we are actively working to determine if those who are responsible can be identified based on the security footage.” Find out more about the statement on the incident here.
Career Fair wrap-up
Thursday, November 9, marked the end of the Fall Career Fair Season. This past quarter, the Career Center hosted four total Career Fairs. The “All Majors” Career Fair, the Technology and Data Analytics Fair, The Virtual Career Fair, and its debut, The Media, Communication, Arts and Entertainment Career Fair. The debut Fair made impressive numbers, hosting 20 employers ranging over companies in Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, Film and Sound development. The fair also piloted hosting three workshops/panel events during the fair. Members from the Youth Advisory Board hosted an engaging panel about “What Can I Do with a Communications Degree?” with Savannah Parker, a senior Communications and Media major and the current President of DePaul’s National Association of Black Journalists, acting as moderator. The panel also held coffee chats afterward. Attendees could also visit the Fair Prep Lounge to talk with one of our career advisors, print their resumes, and get free professional headshots. The next in-person Career Fair is set to take place on Thursday, February 22 in person. Find out more about upcoming Career Fairs and events here..
Vinnie Van schedule come winter
Come winter, DePaul has an inter-campus shuttle that transports students from DePaul’s Loop campus to Lincoln Park campus. The shuttle runs Monday to Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. The university also has Vinnie Van services, which provide free drop-off transportation from Lincoln Park Campus to any residential address within DePaul’s defined boundaries. The Vinnie Van runs Sunday to Thursday, between the hours of 8 p.m. and 12 a.m. Vinnie Vans will not be running during December intersession. Find out more about the Vinnie Van schedule for the Winter Quarter here.
Chicago Headlines
By Lauren Sheperd
Restorative Justice Community Court graduates 46 – A restorative justice court in the North Lawndale area graduated 46 people on Thursday. The program focuses on helping those caught in the legal system get a fresh start. The program is sponsored by social justice nonprofit Heartland Human Care Services, helps participants get access to housing, jobs and the potential for a clean record. The program – which started in 2017 – focuses on helping mainly 18 to 26 year olds with non-violent felony or misdemeanor charges. Block Club’s Trey Arline has more on the program and the graduation.
Protesters gather in Brighton Park to fight proposed migrant camp – Hundreds of protesters gathered in Brighton Park on Friday to protest against a proposed winterized migrant camp in the southwest neighborhood. The cold-weather tent camp is to be built on an empty lot in the neighborhood near the intersection of W. 38th Street and S. California Avenue. The camp is in response to the flood of migrants Chicago has received over the past months, as well as the impending cold weather. Brighton Park residents are angry, however, and some are concerned about overcrowding or a lack of community participation in the decision. Chicago Sun-Times reporters Violet Miller and Pat Nabong have more.
President Biden met with protesters in West Town – Several hundred protesters gathered outside of a fundraiser the President Joe Biden was expected to attend on Thursday to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. The protest – which began at Armour and Hubbard – was to show Biden that without a ceasefire in Gaza allowing innocent civilians to escape, he will not win their votes next November. Protesters say that Israel’s response to the October 7 attack by Hamas has been disproportional and can be compared to genocide. The crowd was diverse and for some, the cause is deeply personal. ABC Chicago’s Mark Rivera and Liz Nagy have more.
Chicago workers to get at least 10 days of paid time off – The Chicago City Council voted on Thursday to approve that Chicago workers receive at least 10 days of paid time off each year. The issue was strongly opposed by a coalition of business groups, but ended up passing with a vote of 36-12. This vote is a huge victory for Mayor Brandon Johnson, as the proposal was a major part of his labor agenda. The proposal will take effect on December 31. WTTW’s Heather Cherone has more.
National Headlines
By Sam Freeman
Harvard, Columbia and Penn promise to fight antisemitism on campus – Alumni and faculty members criticized university presidents for not appropriately condemning antisemitism after the Hamas attack in Israel. At Harvard, the university president spoke out against the phrase “from the river to the sea,” which has been called antisemitic. Columbia suspended two pro-Palestine student groups. The president at the University of Pennsylvania spoke against antisemitism rhetoric. All three of the universities created task forces to address issues of antisemitism on campus. “Let me reiterate what I and other Harvard leaders have said previously: Antisemitism has no place at Harvard,” Claudine Gay, the president at Harvard, wrote in an announcement on Thursday. Anemona Hartocollis, Stephanie Saul, Nicholas Fandos and Alan Blinder from The New York Times have the story.
Ohio voted to protect abortion rights. Will Florida do the same? – On Tuesday, voters in Ohio approved the inclusion of abortion rights in the State Constitution. Other swing states – such as Arizona, Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania – are grappling with abortion rights after the overturning of Roe v. Wade last year. Like Ohio, Florida’s government is controlled by Republicans, and it’s also implemented a six-week ban on abortions (its enactment is pending approval in the Supreme Court). The similarities between Florida and Ohio give organizers advocating for abortion rights hope that voters will protect those rights. Up until last year, abortion was legal in Florida until 24 weeks. A coalition of groups under Floridians Protecting Freedom have collected over 900,000 signatures to petition for a measure that prevents government intervention until the 24 week mark, which is when the fetus is considered viable. Patricia Mazzei of The New York Times has more information.
Trump joins media outlets in pushing for a televised trial – Donald Trump is advocating alongside certain media outlets to televise his federal election interference trial in Washington. Federal court rules prohibit cameras in the courtroom. However, many media outlets, including The Associated Press, say the unprecedented case of a former president on trial under accusations that he tried to undermine the will of voters should be cause for an exception. The Justice Department opposes, and the trial is set to begin March 4. The defense suggested Trump may try to use the trial to reiterate his claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. “I want this trial to be seen by everybody in the world,” Trump said Saturday during a presidential campaign event in New Hampshire. “The prosecution wishes to continue this travesty in darkness and I want sunlight.” Alanna Durkin Richer from The Associated Press has more information.
Known for its book banning, a school board in Pennsylvania flips Democrat – The Central Bucks School District is known statewide and nationally for board meetings over Pride flags, masks and book banning policies. LGBTQ students have accused the district of discrimination, which led to an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Department of Education. On election night, Democrats won the five seats that were up for reelection. Members of the community are elated to have new leadership after a previously conservative-dominated board. "It was very moving and a very joyous feeling from everyone," said Meghan Budden, one of the parents. "And a sense of relief.” Democrats gathered much of their funding from individual donations, raising a total of over $315,000. The Republican campaigns were primarily funded by local venture capitalist Paul Martino, who donated $239,000 of their $279,000-plus total. Emily Rizzo from NPR has more information.
14 East Pueblo: South Loop’s Tapas Valencia to Give Away Thousands of Free Thanksgiving Meals
By Annabelle Rivera
Tapas Valencia, a Spanish tapas restaurant located in the South Loop, is giving out free meals on November 23.
An estimated 3,000 Thanksgiving meals will be given out by the restaurant, which includes turkey, vegetables, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. As a yearly tradition for the restaurant, reservations for the meals fill up quickly.
Their sister restaurant, Mesón Sabika, will also give away free meals from its location in Naperville. Mesón Sabika began giving out free Thanksgiving meals in 2001, and Tapas Valencia began when they opened. According to Tapas Valencia’s website, the restaurant has long been involved with various charities and has donated millions in products to organizations serving those in need.
“There’s a lot of people in need, and [they] are given an option to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with their friends and family without any questions,” said Josue Cuatlacuato, the manager of Mesón Sabika, in a recent Block Club article. “It’s just an amazing thing that we do as a restaurant.”
Tapas Valencia is located at 1530 S. State St. and Meson Sabika is located at 1025 Aurora Ave. in Naperville. Meal reservations can be made by calling 312-842-4444 before November 16.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Featured Columnist Elizabeth Gregerson
For many ‘In the Loop’ readers, the next week will be dominated by exams, projects and papers. With that in mind, this week’s recommendation hopes to serve as a brief escape from the pressure and stress of finals.
Go to the movies! Or give yourself something to look forward to and make a plan to go to the movies after finals week.
Movies currently in theaters include Killers of the Flower Moon, The Marvels, Priscilla, What Happens Later and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film.
Killers of the Flower Moon and Priscilla are both examples of prestige directors tackling real lived experiences of the characters of their films.
Killers of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese, retells the true story of how members of the Osage Tribe were murdered in the 1920s after oil was found on the land of the Osage Nation. Keep in mind the movie is almost three and a half hours long, so plan accordingly!
Directed by Sofia Coppola, Priscilla clocks in at under two hours. The film revolves around the controversial relationship between Elvis and Priscilla Presley. Based on Priscilla Presley’s memoir, Elvis and Me, the film shows the relationship through the eyes and experiences of Priscilla.
If heart wrenching dramas seem a bit too overwhelming right now, The Marvels or What Happens Later might help lighten the mood.
The Marvels is a superhero movie, sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel and the latest edition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This film finds Captain Marvel, played by Brie Larson, dealing with being linked to two other superheros through quantum entanglement aka the characters keep switching places.
What Happens Later is a romantic comedy directed by and starring Meg Ryan, her first film since 2015. In a quintessential rom-com set up, Ryan’s character ends up stuck in an airport overnight with her ex, played by David Duchovney.
Of course, this list would be incomplete if it didn’t mention the juggernaut that is Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour film. At just under three hours, the film transports audiences into the front row of a concert many have only seen through blurry TikTok lives.
Give yourself some time off if you can or make plans with a friend for a night out at the movies after your last exam. You’ve got this!
Resources
Need resources regarding warming 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