Student U-Pass information, Welcome Week events, and a recommendation for your Sunday morning
plus read about Coffee, Hip Hop and Mental Health’s new location opening soon!
Welcome back to ‘In the Loop’! It's your newsletter team — Kate, Emily F., Isabella, Billie, Sam, Emily S., Lily, Bridget and Monique.
Today, we’ve got a story about a local cafe working to break stigmas about seeking mental health services,
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We’re taking a quick break next week before jumping right into the start of Fall Quarter. We will be back on September 5 with everything DePaul students need to know about returning to campus this Fall.
That’s all for now, let’s get to the news!
Coffee, Hip Hop and Mental Health break through stigmas
By Emily Figueroa
Christopher LeMark felt like he didn’t measure up in multiple aspects of his life. Analyzing his struggles caused him to break down emotionally and offered him little comfort. Although unpleasant, that experience pushed him to start therapy so he could freely share his emotions.
As an artist, he says hip hop was his first form of therapy but his second inspiration was coffee. He knew coffee sparked conversation and after a therapy session one day he wrote down three words: coffee, hip-hop, and mental health.
LeMark opened Coffee, Hip Hop, and Mental Health (CHHAMH) in November 2020 at 3234 N. Broadway in Lakeview East. He knew the risk of opening during a pandemic, but said, “When it’s something about changing people’s lives you gotta go big.”
CHHAMH closed its location at 3234 N. Broadway in September 2021 to relocate to a more permanent space. Prior to their relocation, the cafe allowed for conversations on mental health every Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Coffee and snacks were served before the session for participants to become familiar with the environment. Therapy sessions, with guest therapists, were on alternating topics such as sex and relationships, the trauma of uncertainty and being misunderstood.
“They’re supporting our cause, but they’re also getting a chance to vent,” LeMark said. “We’re not judging, have no bias and no consequences. We’re doing our best to help you normalize the idea of asking for help.”
While the cafe hosts $25 group therapy sessions, they use their donations and profits to fund free therapy for others through Normalize Therapy University, separate from the group sessions.. Interested clients fill out an intake form and pairs them with a therapist. The program then provides a scholarship that grants ten subsidized therapy sessions. This help is offered by CHHAMH to those seeking therapy without the funds or insurance to do so.
On the CHHAMH website, LeMark shares his experience living through poverty, homelessness, and struggles with mental health. He wasn’t taught to care for his well-being, but to survive. His experience with his own mental health motivates him to fight the stigma and help others.
“I want people to know that it’s okay to ask for help,” he said. “One of the biggest and most beautiful boundaries is asking for help.”
LeMark believes in creating sustainable programs that keep giving to make communities stronger.
CHHAMH will open their new cafe on September 7 at 1051 W. Belmont Ave.
DePaul News
By Isabella Ali
Ventra U-Pass and Chicago Quarter Information
For full-time DePaul students, the Ventra U-Pass offers unlimited trips on CTA buses and trains during the Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer Quarters. To receive the U-Pass, students must already have a DePaul-issued ID card. Students can pick up their U-Pass at the ID Services Office on the campus where their major is located or starting September 6 they can pick it up at Fall Distribution. All incoming freshmen are automatically registered into the program because they are enrolled in either Discover or Explore Chicago classes, which utilize CTA transportation for their curriculum. Students specifically enrolled in Discover Chicago classes will receive their U-Pass on the first day of class. Discover Chicago classes start on August 29, 2022. For more information on DePaul’s U-Pass Program, visit The Help Desk.
Trolleys to the Navy Pier Fireworks
DePaul will commence Welcome Week this Saturday, August 27 with trolleys to the Navy Pier Fireworks event. Starting at 7 p.m., students can take a trolley, departing from the Lincoln Park Student Center, to the fireworks show at Navy Pier scheduled for 10 p.m. Trolleys will continue to operate from Navy Pier to the Lincoln Park Campus until 11pm. Check out DeHub for more information and to RSVP!
DePaul Night with the White Sox
All DePaul alumni, students, faculty, and friends, are invited to the Ballpark on Tuesday, October 4. At Guaranteed Rate Field you can get to watch the White Sox play the Minnesota Twins for a discounted price! Make sure to purchase your tickets soon through DePaul Night’s ticket offer link as they can sell out fast.
DePaul Chemistry Professor’s Research Cited on Jeopardy!
College of Science and Health Professor Wendy Wolbach, alongside her team at Comet Research Group, had their study featured on Jeopardy! in the show’s new “Science and the Bible” category. The study suggests that an asteroid had struck the Jordan Valley around 1650 B.C., which may place the incident in line with the Biblical account of the city of Sodom and how it was destroyed by fire and sulfur. Learn more about Wolbach’s work through her interview with DePaul Newsline.
Chicago Headlines
By Billie Rollason
Body found dead in Lake Michigan’s ‘Playpen’ Saturday afternoon, identified — A body was spotted in Lake Michigan by a recreational boater as the Chicago Air and Water show wrapped up on Saturday. The victim was identified as Spencer Williams, 29 and he was pronounced dead at 8:14 p.m. on the scene. This fatal accident marks the third serious emergency in a single week affecting those visiting the ‘Playpen’ region of Lake Michigan. The victim’s remains were recovered by the Chicago Marine Police. Find out more details within the Chicago Tribune’s full story.
2022-2023 CPS COVID-19 Protocols — Chicago Public School's CEO Pedro Martinez has shared updated COVID-19 protocols for the 2022-2023 school year. Some of the protocols include:
Masking remains optional but is strongly encouraged. Though in cases of COVID-19 infection, exposure or large classroom exposure students and staff must mask in school settings for 10 days.
COVID-19 vaccinations are required for CPS staff, but not students.
Unvaccinated individuals have three options if someone in their classroom tests positive; submit proof of full vaccination, learn/work from home for five days (& mask for six to 10 days when returning in person), or to participate in a "test-to-stay" protocol.
Weekly testing is not required but will still be available beginning on August 29, and at-home tests are offered the week of August 22.
To learn more about how Chicago Public Schools are handling COVID-19 protocols and cleaning measures, check out NBC Chicago's full story.
White Sox Send Prospects to Double-A for ‘Project Birmingham' — Chris Getz, the White Sox's assistant general manager has named a new program, "Project Birmingham". He will be sending a top group of prospects to Double-A Birmingham, the minor league affiliate of the White Sox, to finish off the minor league season. Getz hopes that this project will bring life into Double-A for the last month of the season. To hear more about the new plan, read Ryan Taylor's full story with NBC Chicago.
Mother of alleged R. Kelly sexual assault victim testifies — "Susan," used as the mother’s pseudonym, echoed some of her daughter "Jane’s" statements that were made in court last week. As the second week of Kelly's federal child-pornography trial is underway, more details will be unveiled. Kelly is being charged with 13 counts of production of child pornography, conspiracy to produce child pornography and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Jason Meisner and Megan Crepeau of the Chicago Tribune have the full details.
National Headlines
By Sam Freeman
Dr. Fauci is stepping down in December — Dr. Anthony Fauci will leave his position as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases after 38 years. Fauci played a key role in guiding the nation through the AIDS epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic. He said he wants to use his experience in public health and public service to “hopefully inspire the younger generation.” Sheryl Gay Stolberg of the New York Times has the story.
Pfizer creates new booster shot that could be released this fall — Pfizer and BioNTech have asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize a revised COVID-19 booster shot to target Omicron sub-variants. It’s a “bivalent” booster, meaning it’s a mix of two previous versions of the vaccine and will target several COVID-19 strains. Pien Huang from NPR has more on the story.
Florida school district is rejecting book donations — A Florida school district rejects book donations as it navigates a new state law that gives parents more control of the books on shelves in schools. The new law also introduces regulations to school vendors, such as the regulation of Scholastic Book Orders, which will need to be reviewed by parents. Rachel Treisman from NPR has the story.
Teachers from one of Ohio’s largest school districts strike — For the first time in almost 50 years, teachers from Columbus, Ohio go on strike as school is about to start on Wednesday. The union voted to strike after Columbus City Schools turned down their push for “guaranteed air conditioning, ‘appropriate class sizes,’ and full-time art, music and physical education teachers in the city’s elementary schools.” Jaclyn Diaz from NPR has more on the story.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Featured Columnist Emily Soto
Hi everyone and welcome to your final recommendation of the summer! In honor of this, I want to give you a rec that will take you outside to enjoy what is left of warm weather in Chicago. Let’s get right to it!
Every Sunday starting at 9 a.m. on South Desplaines St. between Polk and Taylor streets, the smell of cheesy quesadillas fills the air, and as you walk down the road you can hear the hot sizzle of the grill as vendors cook meats for tacos and tortas. What you’re smelling is some of the best street food in the city which can be found at the Maxwell Street Market.
When you get there, choosing what to eat from the vast selection might be hard, but know that anything you select will be worth the trip. I say this because many of the vendors along the street don’t have brick-and-mortar restaurants. This means the market is the only place you can find this delicious food!
But if that doesn’t convince you to visit, in addition to the prepared food, there are many tents selling fresh produce, art, clothing, household items and more. Plus, throughout the summer there are exciting events scheduled which include live music and performances. The next one is the Jazz Music Celebration planned for September 4. If it’s anything like the past events, there will be plenty of room for more fun and dancing.
So I think this is definitely an event worth checking out, and I hope you do too!
That’s all for this week, but before I go I want to say thanks to everyone who came back every week to read my recommendations. As the school year starts we will be looking to find another person who can take over the weekly column and share their awesome findings with you. So again, thank you for supporting me this past year — every thoughtful comment and suggestion has meant so much to me.
Oh and finally — Happy birthday to my mom! :)
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! The newsletter team will be taking a break next Monday to rest and relax before the first week of school. We will be back on September 5!
Until then, take care!
The 14 East Newsletter Team