Mexican Independence Day, library reopenings, RBG's death
And a virtual exhibit on teenagers facing discrimination
Hey y’all! It’s your weekly newsletter team, Francesca, Grace and Justin, back for another week of news and resources to keep your fall quarter moving smoothly.
And don’t forget! Today is the last day of hiring for Staff Writers at 14 East. No cover letter or resume required to apply, just fill out this Google Form by midnight tonight: https://forms.gle/doCybrWTzQv9GVjA6
The Staff Writer position is an excellent way to consistently get involved with the magazine and get one-on-one assistance with your work. If you’ve already applied for a different position and want to apply for staff writer instead, just reach out to Francesca Mathewes, Editor in Chief, at franmathewes98@gmail.com.
What’s happening in Chicago?
Last week, Chicago’s Mexican community celebrated National Mexican Independence Day. The celebrations, which included thousands of people flocking to the streets of the Loop to take part in a car caravan, took place over multiple consecutive nights and concluded on September 16, Mexican Independence Day.
The continuous caravans, which featured Mexican flags, music and smoke, were in the place of the annual parade, which normally takes place in Little Village but was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Saturday, multiple organizations led by Chicago rappers teamed up for the “Year of the Youth” peace walk and back to school event at Overton Elementary School in Bronzeville.
The event, which was organized by Chance the Rapper’s organization SocialWorks and Vic Mensa’s organization SaveMoneySaveLife, was held outside Overton Elementary. After Overton was closed in 2013, Chicago rapper G Herbo purchased the building with the goal of turning it into a media lab and music incubator.
Today marked day 8 of the strike of SEIU Local 73 workers that are on strike for better working conditions at UIC Hospital.
The strike was expected to last 7 days, but the employees are showing no sign in stopping.
Other Chicago headlines
A chilling video released on YouTube highlights that up to 90 percent of independent music videos could go out of business due to the coronavirus pandemic. Owners in the video call for the passing of legislation to support venues and #SaveOurStages, by Block Club Chicago’s Bob Chiarito.
Although Mayor Lori Lightfoot said that tickets would only be issued for safety violations during the coronavirus pandemic, 35,000 drivers received tickets, anyways, by Stacy St. Clair, Jennifer Smith Richards and Gregory Pratt of the Chicago Tribune.
The Chicago Board of Elections is looking to hire 13,000 poll workers for this year’s election to serve in the place of older, more vulnerable poll workers in the past. The deadline to apply as an adult is Oct. 19, and Sept. 25 if you’re under 18, by Vee L. Harrison for the TRiiBE.
Students of color at CPS selective enrollment high schools have started Instagram pages to document ongoing incidents and concerns regarding race, despite district promises to improve, by Chicago Sun-Times Sam Kelly.
What’s happening at DePaul?
First, a friendly reminder to the DePaul community to download and familiarize yourself with the new #CampusClear app. This app asks users to self-report any symptoms consistent with COVID-19. The app then gives either a confirmation that users are OK to proceed or a notification that they are not cleared to enter any of DePaul’s buildings due to their symptoms. To enter any building on campus, a confirmation message must be shown at the door.
Well, what about food? If the app reports that you are not allowed to enter based on your symptoms, you can still receive meals from campus dining. You will be asked to choose from a takeout menu and wait at the door for your food to be delivered. By familiarizing yourself with the app’s procedures and having it pre-downloaded on your phone, you will save yourself time and frustration when moving about campus.
Miss the library? DePaul’s John T. Richardson Library has reopened to students — with a few new protocols and limitations. First, all library access is restricted to the second floor, and a reservation must be made to gain access with a valid DePaul ID and a confirmation of wellness through the #CampusClear app. Students can only use the library for a maximum of three hours. Additionally, library staff asks that everyone wears a mask and disinfects their area before and after using it — food and drink are prohibited. Once inside, students will have access to computers, as well as a home away from home for studying. While the building is open, contactless pickup service for book borrowing is still being done.
Outside the library, the thrills of eagerly squeezing past peers to take advantage of the booths and free goodies at DePaul’s annual involvement fair took a different shape this year. The university constructed a virtual version of its Quad to give students a somewhat familiar experience at the fair, despite it having been moved completely online. How did that work? Attendees accessed a series of virtual Zoom booths from a categorized list of student organizations. There, they could talk one-on-one with members from those groups to learn more about them. Overall, the event symbolized the success and challenges of digitizing DePaul’s diverse campus life amid tumultuous and unprecedented times.
“Please wait, the host will let you in soon” will soon be a phrase to begin many more Zoom meetings, thanks to new updates. Starting this coming Sunday, all Zoom meetings will require either a waiting room (which displays the aforementioned message and requires the host to manually let each attendee into the meeting) or a password. Meeting hosts have the option to choose which they prefer, but all scheduled meetings will default to having a waiting room if no choice is made. The changes are aimed at increasing security on the app, which has fallen victim to unwanted attendees in meetings.
Finally, what do you do at DePaul if you test positive for COVID-19 or are exposed to someone who has? DePaul’s contact tracing team is requesting that students, faculty and staff self-report via an online form or over the phone by calling (773) 325-3300. That line is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. These new measures are aimed at keeping everyone at DePaul safe amid the threat of coronavirus.
If you don’t want to read the news, here’s the headlines to know.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died on Friday, had one dying wish: that the current administration wait until after the election to select another Supreme Court justice. However, despite her wish, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Friday that he planned to move forward with the selection process despite being so close to the election.
Last night, the Academy of Television held their first ever virtual Emmy’s ceremony. “Schitt’s Creek” and “Succession” swept the awards, but Zendaya took home the Emmy for Lead Actress in a Drama. She is the youngest person to ever do so and the second Black woman, after Viola Davis took home the Emmy in 2015 for her performance in “How to Get Away with Murder.”
This morning, the Center for Disease Control altered their description for COVID-19, stating that its spread is confirmed to be airborne. “Where the agency previously warned that the virus mostly spreads through large drops encountered at close range, on Friday, it had said ‘small particles, such as those in aerosols,’ were a common vector,” the Washington post reported.
Despite the Trump administration’s desire to remove the social media app TikTok from the app store, the app remains in stores as the administration seeks to rework its deal with the tech provider.
Your Educational Resource of the Week
Each week we will be using this section to highlight a different educational resource on race. It may come in the form of literature, film, art or anything that Black scholars and activists are centering at this time.
This week’s educational resource is not a book or a film but rather a virtual exhibit by Chicago artist and activist Tonika Johnson. As a part of the University of Illinois Chicago’s Social Justice Initiative, Johnson created the virtual exhibit, “Belonging: Power, Place, and (Im) Possibilities.” The exhibit features the stories of 9 Black and Brown teenagers from Chicago who tell their personal stories of when discrimination made them feel like they didn’t have a place in their own city.
Be sure to check out “Belonging” as well as Johnson’s other work, including the Folded Map Project, which features an entire curriculum on the history of redlining and race in Chicago.
Your Educational Resource of the Week
Each week we will be using this section to highlight a different educational resource on race. It may come in the form of literature, film, art or anything that Black scholars and activists are centering at this time.
As many of you start your second week of school, this week’s educational resource is Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools by Monique Morris. In her book, Morris chronicles the experiences of Black girls across the country with teachers, administrators and the justice system.
You can find this book online or in-person at a branch of the Chicago Public Libraryor at Semicolon Bookstore and Gallery, an independent Black-owned bookstore in Chicago.
Resources for Returning Students
773-325-7290 and deanofstudents@depaul.edu
The Dean of Students’ Office provides a variety of resources like the Student Emergency Assistance Fund (SEAF) and academic assistance.
Provides financial assistance to students.
Located in the Lincoln Park Student Center, the student food pantry is free and available to all students during limited hours. DePaul ID required for access.
Provides funding for projects led by faculty, staff and student groups.
An online portal linking students to all sorts of virtual events on campus.
A database created by the Illinois Department of Health of all testing centers in the state.
The Chicago Queer Exchange is a network of individuals across Chicago working in collective unity to help those within the LGBTQ+ community. It offers a wide variety of services from cheap furniture to emergency housing and more.
I-Share is a network between libraries across Illinois that allows for reciprocal lending of books and materials to students, even if they don’t attend the college or university they’re borrowing from. DePaul recently updated their I-Share protocol in light of the university physically reopening.
Mental Health Resources
This document is a resource for Black people experiencing racial trauma. This master list includes specific resources as well as protesting tips and donation links.
This link is a directory of Black therapists in Chicago (and here for under $75)
Here’s 7 virtual mental health resources supporting Black people right now, including Chicago-based community organization Sista Afya’s support groups
And the Trans Lifeline’s Peer Support Hotline is a resource operated by transgender and nonbinary staffers for the trans community: 877-565-8860.
The Center for Religion and Psychotherapy in Chicago is a nonprofit that provides affordable, sliding-scale counseling. Call (312) 263-4368 extension 9081 to schedule an intake appointment. Disclaimer: although this is a Christian-founded organization, religion is not incorporated into the counseling practice at the sliding-scale clinic.
Where to Access Food in Chicago
Brave Space Alliance has a crisis food pantry for Black and trans individuals in need. If you would like to request assistance from Brave Space Alliance, fill out this form.
This spreadsheet highlights businesses and locations providing food. There are also links to donate to these organizations.
Check out the Greater Chicago Food Depository for food banks or donate.
Free Resources for Non-Black Allies
The NPR podcast “Code Switch” tackles a diverse array of topics centered around racial identities and racism in America.
Reading guide of texts about race. All PDFs are free.
Here’s a guide to protest safely during the pandemic
Here’s the ACLU’s Right to Protest guide for Illinois
If you think someone you know has been arrested – call the Chicago Community bail fund at 773-309-1198 to locate them (you need to know their birthdate and full legal name)
Want to increase your awareness about environmental racism, racism in the medical field or another specific subject? Here’s a database by activist and artist Angelina Ruiz, which details reading lists over a range of subject matter pertaining to race.
That’s all we have for this week, y’all. Enjoy the beautiful weather and dance to some Earth, Wind and Fire on this lovely September evening.
All the best,
Francesa, Grace and Justin