Our 100th newsletter, Vincentian Service Day, why you should be watching POSE
and O’Hare is ready for summer travel
Welcome back to ‘In the Loop’! It’s a big day for us today as we celebrate our 100th NEWSLETTER! 🎉 We couldn’t have done it without our amazing readers, so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you! As always, it’s your newsletter team — Claire, Billie, Mariah, Grace V., Monique, Emily, Grace DV., Cam, Kate and Richie — here with all the city news and campus updates you need to start your week.
This Thursday, we have an exciting event over at 14 East. In a joint effort between us and our friends at DePaul’s SPJ/ONA chapter, we’ll be hosting LA Times Data Journalist Ben Welsh who will be leading an introductory data journalism workshop. The workshop begins at 7 p.m. and will take place over Zoom. This event is free and open to ALL! Sign up via the Eventbrite here.
Today we have the low-down on Vincentian Service Day, news about COVID-19 mitigation measures at the University of Chicago and a recommendation for POSE on Hulu.
It is because of our readers’ continued support that we are able to produce award-winning journalism that engages, compels and informs those in our community. But to continue this work, our newsroom needs funding — funding that helps us sustain projects like this newsletter! So if you value the work we do at 14 East, please consider donating to our ongoing fundraiser. We receive 100% of your donation, so anything is appreciated.
That’s enough from us, so let’s dive right in!
Reflecting on 100 emails from our newsroom
By Cam Rodriguez
Before we get to the news, we want to take a moment to reflect on how far our newsletter has come since March 2020. When the newsletter first started, it was kickstarted by a tight-knit group of 14 East editors, contributors and staff who wanted to provide some sort of clarity when the university community – including students, staff, faculty, spouses and parents – needed it the most.
We started the COVID-19 updates newsletter in the middle of the most chaotic finals week ever. (Granted, that quickly became one-upped by the mass uprisings for racial justice, a tense multi-day 2020 presidential election, handling the fallout of the January 6 insurrection, and multiple resurgences of COVID-19.)
The newsletter became a rallying point for our staff – we honed our newsletter-writing and producing skills, adapted from longform to emails and sharpened our breaking news chops. Every email sent from our newsroom, back then and now, has 5-10 staff members contributing original reporting and commentary, plus multimedia, surveying for feedback, metrics, editing and fact-checking.
All of this is to say: it’s impossible to overstate just how significant of a presence this newsletter has had on the 14 East staff, and us hitting 100 emails tonight is a testament to that.
The majority of our original team has since graduated, and the few remaining original members are set to graduate this spring. The newsletter has evolved and changed based on the needs of our audience and communities and we think we can better engage with them. We’re so grateful that over these past two long, challenging years, we’ve been able to provide our community with support and receive it in return. Every email, message, donation, shout-out and piece of feedback is something we don’t take for granted, so from the bottom of our hearts, thank you. :)
Miss last week’s episode of ‘The B-Side’? Check it out here:
DePaul News
By Mariah Hernandez
Registration for Vincentian Service Day
Vincentian Service Day happens annually and is a day for the DePaul community to serve others within Chicago and outside of the city. The 2022 Vincentian Service Day falls on May 7. It will begin in the Sullivan Athletic Center at 8:30 a.m. and services will take place throughout Chicago. More information on Vincentian Service Day and how to register can be found here.
DePaul Alumni Speaker Panel
DePaul’s Alumni speaker panel will be held April 22, 2022 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Lincoln Park Campus Student Center (Room 380) and over Zoom. Speakers include Pastoral Minister James Holzhaur-Chuckas, Digital Marketing Manager Carrie Emge, and Consultant Carol Marchan. The Student Government Association sponsored event is an opportunity for students to connect with DePaul alumni and hear their experiences. Event details can be found here.
DePaul’s Game Design Program Ranks Top 50 by The Princeton Review
The game design program within DePaul's College of Computing and Digital Media has recently been recognized for its excellence by The Princeton Review. The program was ranked 39th out of the top 50 undergraduate game design programs. DePaul was ranked 25 in a list for the top 25 graduate schools for game design as well. DePaul already offers technology and software at student’s disposal and the new Jarvis Student Center for Innovation and Collaboration will give game design students the chance to gain experience from industry professionals and creators. To read more about DePaul’s game design programs accolades, you can find information here.
Lastly, here is your weekend sports update (April 15 to April 17):
The softball team won against St. John’s 9-1 on Friday.
The softball team won against St. John’s 14-0 on Friday.
The women’s tennis team lost to Xavier 3-4 on Saturday.
The softball team won against St. John’s 11-8 on Saturday.
The men’s tennis team won against Xavier 6-1 on Saturday.
Chicago Headlines
By Grace Vaughn
Jason Van Dyke Avoids Federal Charges – Former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke won't be charged by federal prosecutors for the shooting and killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the "very high bar" federal prosecutors would face to secure a conviction helped determine the decision. In 2018, state prosecutors brought charges against Dyke and convicted him of second-degree murder and aggravated battery. He was sentenced to 81 months in prison but received early release in February due to good behavior. Kelly Bauer of Block Club Chicago has the story.
Fire Rekindled at Englewood Church – After first catching fire earlier this weekend, flames reignited at the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Englewood on Monday afternoon. A construction worker's use of a torch on the church's roof caused the initial fire on Friday afternoon which was deemed accidental by authorities. With the building being destroyed on Easter weekend, the congregation held Sunday’s service at a nearby funeral home. Read more from the staff of The Chicago Sun-Times here.
COVID-19 Mitigation Methods Return to The University of Chicago – An increase in COVID-19 cases on the University of Chicago's campus caused the school to put isolation protocols back in place on Friday. Just over 60 students were actively placed in on-campus isolation housing as of April 15. This protocol, used to allow case numbers to return to lower levels, must be followed by all students living on campus who test positive for COVID. According to the institution's dashboard, there were 267 new cases reported from April 8 to April 14. NBC Chicago has the details.
Project at O’Hare Reopens Just In Time for Summer Travel – The Airport Transit System, an automated train that connects passengers to terminals and transit facilities, resumed full service at O'Hare International Airport today for the first time since January 2019. The $340 million project expanded the train's fleet to approximately 36 cars, allowing service to operate every three minutes. Construction originally planned to be completed by December 2o18, but delays on the project occurred due to the pandemic, contract disputes and challenges during the testing phase, Sarah Freishtat of the Chicago Tribune reports.
National Headlines
By Monique Mulima
New York Subway Shooting Suspect Apprehended – The suspect in Tuesday’s Brooklyn subway shooting that left 10 shot and 13 injured, was apprehended by the NYPD. The police received numerous tips from New Yorkers about sightings of the suspect, which led to them arresting the suspected shooter on Wednesday. The suspect will appear in Federal Court this Thursday. Meredith Deliso of ABC News reports.
Florida Federal Judge Strikes Down Federal Mask Mandate – On Monday federal judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle struck down the Center for Disease Control mask mandate for airplanes, trains and buses. The Florida judge’s ruling would mean an end to the CDC mandate that was extended through May 3, but this does not affect local mandates like CTA and Metra. The U.S. Department of Justice could appeal this decision and ask for a stay so that the mask mandate can stay in place during the appeal process. Charlie Savage and Heather Murphy of the New York Times have the details.
FDA Authorizes COVID-19 Breathalyzer Test – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorization on Thursday for the first device that can detect COVID-19 in breath. The InspectIR COVID-19 Breathalyzer is expected to be used in medical offices, hospitals and at testing sites, and according to the FDA can provide results within three minutes and is over 91% accurate at detecting COVID-19. The Associated Press has more.
Elon Musk Tries to Buy Twitter – On Thursday Tesla and SpaceX founder and billionaire Elon Musk submitted an offer to buy Twitter at a value of over $41 billion. Musk had recently bought 9% of Twitter shares and rejected an offer to serve on the board, which would have limited his ability to own more of the company. Twitter’s board of directors is trying to stop Musk’s takeover using the “poison pill” defense which allows others to buy more shares. Claire Duffy of CNN Business has the details.
Protests Across Grand Rapids over Police Shooting of Patrick Lyoya – In Grand Rapids, Michigan protests have been taking place every day since footage of the April 4 fatal police shooting of Patrick Lyoya was released on Wednesday. Hundreds of protestors have taken to the streets and civil rights groups have spoken out about the death of the former Congolese refugee. John Tunison of Ann Arbor News has more.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Featured Columnist Emily Soto
Hello everyone, I want to start by reiterating how amazing it is to be celebrating our 100th newsletter! While I was not here at the start, it has been an honor for me to become a part of this incredible team to bring you a recommendation every week. It’s given me more confidence as a writer and for that I will always be grateful. Here’s to 100 more!
Now let’s get to this week’s rec.
A few years ago, I discovered a show called POSE. The show aired on FX and was available on Netflix for a bit. But after being gone for a while, the entire show, including the final season, is finally available on Hulu.
This show depicts the New York ball scene in the 80’s and 90’s. More specifically, it shows the community of Black and Brown, queer and transgender folks as they come together to build their own families and compete at the balls. Everything in the show, from the fashion to the music, honors the history of balls and displays their impact on the people participating in them.
But the show goes beyond this. It talks about not only the judgment and hate directed at the community and the danger that posed but also what it was like living through the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The physical and mental stress this had on people took its toll but ultimately many were inspired to rise up and fight for themselves and their families.
We see this in Blanca, played by MJ Rodriguez. As a transgender woman and new house mother, she is determined to build a family that is a safe and loving place for those who have nowhere to go. But what she finds is much stronger than that. She finds her own purpose and strength, and passes that along to her house children — all while redefining the ball scene.
So whether you actually lived through this time or only heard stories from the people that did, the amazing performances by Rodriguez, Billy Porter, Indya Moore and Dominique Jackson and so many others, show the authentic experiences of life in this decade. It’s important to know that POSE features the largest number of trans actors of any television show. This is what gives it the genuine feel that brings you on a journey with the characters. You can feel their emotions when they are down and cheer them on when they rise up. It really is a must watch.
Resources
Need resources regarding warming centers, rental assistance, COVID-19 testing and vaccines or mental health? Check out our complete list here.
Well, that’s it for this week! We’ll see you back here next Monday with more news, updates, recommendations and another episode of The B-Side. Until then, take care!
The 14 East Newsletter Team