Post office protests, a DePaul town hall and COVID-19 on the rise
And an autobiographical resource
Hello, hello! It’s your newsletter team — Francesca, Grace, Justin and Cam — back for another week of Chicago, DePaul and COVID-19 updates. It’s hot outside and we’ve got a lot to get into this week, so grab a cold drink and let’s get to it.
What’s happening in Chicago?
Yet another full weekend of news here in Chicago, filled with protests, press conferences and protesters reunited with their bikes.
To start, on Saturday morning, activists in Pilsen gathered outside the Cesar Chavez Pilsen Post Office on “Save the Post Office Saturday,” to demand that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy resign and to show support for House Bill 8015, which passed just hours after.
DeJoy has come under fire since starting the position on June 15 for attempting to make changes such as cutting overtime pay and other expenses — that have resulted in mail delivery delays across the nation. This has been troubling during an election year in which casting ballots by mail is expected to increase as Americans try to avoid in-person voting amid fears of contracting the coronavirus.
House Bill 8015, introduced last week by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), prohibits the USPS from making any changes that “generally affect service on a nationwide basis” or imposing other restrictions that would impact delivery and operations of the USPS as a whole.
Community members shared personal stories of how the delay in the post office has inhibited them from receiving medication and from communicating with loved ones.
“We’re gonna keep fighting and we’re gonna keep showing up until our vote is valued and it is fair and it is just,” said local activist and founder of Healthy Hood Chicago Tanya Lozano. “And we will continue to register voters every day, every single day to get you [Trump] out of office.”
Emma Lozano (left) holds up a prescription for medication as Tanya Lozano holds a megaphone. Grace Del Vecchio, 14 East
Later on Saturday, the South Shore community celebrated its third annual Back Alley Jazz series. Neighbors lined the streets for a series of performances which took place in 30-minute sessions around the neighborhood.
The concerts were inspired by the original jazz alley performances that took place across the South Side in the 1960s and ‘70s. Three years ago, Norman Teague and Fo Wilson collaborated with the Hyde Park Jazz Festival to revive the series.
They began in South Shore with the hopes that it would eventually grow throughout the city. Teague, a South Side native, said they wanted to revitalize something and give people the power to build on it.
“I was just thinking about it, we weren’t giving people the power,” he said. “I think we were reminding people that they had the power, and then watching what happens.”
Sam Trump performs for a crowd in South Shore. Grace Del Vecchio, 14 East
Also on Saturday, protesters took to the streets of West Loop for #BreakThePiggyBank which began at Whitney Young High School in the West Loop and culminated at the Fraternal Order of Police headquarters, where they broke a piggy bank piñata.
The press conference portion, which was opened by activist and community organizer Jalen Kobayashi, featured a lineup of young Black and Brown organizers. In his speech, Kobayashi called out the media for being ill intentioned in covering protests.
“I’m fighting for humanity and I’m fighting for love,” he said at a press conference Saturday evening. “That’s my intent. What’s your intent?”
The protest was a showcase of joy and celebration, which could be seen over social media, but also one of eleven demands:
After marching to the FOP headquarters, protesters held a dance party before dispersing.
Other Headlines In Chicago
COVID-19 has killed eight more people today, with 1,612 more cases statewide. Region 7, which contains suburban Will and Kankakee counties, and Region 1, which contains the Metro St. Louis area, have passed the 8 percent testing positivity threshold set by IDPH. Passing the threshold can trigger a return to more stringent social distancing measures and increased focus on mitigating the virus in the area. Suburban Cook County and Region 8, with Kane and DuPage counties, are approaching the threshold.
Protestors were reunited with bikes confiscated from them at the #DecolonizeZhigaagoong protest in Grant Park on July 17, thanks to 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, from Grace Del Vecchio for WTTW.
And small businesses in Chicago with 100 or fewer employees are eligible to apply for relief from the city in a second round of $4,000 grants, according to Block Club Chicago’s Kelly Bauer. Applications can be filed here, and the deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 31.
What’s happening at DePaul?
Last week, DePaul announced that most Fall Quarter classes previously scheduled to be in person would be shifted online. While university administration says that this act is “not another lockdown,” this decision means that just under 99 percent of all university classes will be virtual this quarter. Unlike the university’s Spring Quarter lockdown, limited campus housing and technology will be available to students most in need. Scott Paeth, faculty council president, said priority will be given to international students and those with housing insecurity and those most in need of access to on-campus technology. Paeth said that students should expect this protocol to extend into Winter Quarter, while President Esteban has been more tentative, saying that he “hopes to have a decision by November.”
Also discussed in this meeting were university conversations about hiring an Associate Provost for diversity, equity and inclusion and forming the Faculty Council committee on diversity, equity and inclusion.
On Thursday, DePaul administration held a virtual town hall with members of the DePaul community (which 14 East livetweeted here). Discussed were precautionary measures like the #CampusClear app for self-reporting coronavirus symptoms and improved ventilation in university facilities — both discussed in last week’s newsletter.
Housing on campus will be limited during Fall Quarter, but less expensive. Residents will be charged the rate for a double room (less than a single), and each student will have their own private bathroom. During the town hall, Director of Housing Rick Moreci estimated that 15 students would live on each floor, and that if residence halls need to close, DePaul would “utilize closing procedures that [they] already have in place.”
A commitment to matching all donations to the Student Emergency Assistance Fund (SEAF) — which provides monetary assistance to students in need — was also discussed at the town hall.
Tuition will not decrease next fall, per a response by President Esteban to multiple submitted questions. “We’re not planning on lowering tuition,” he said, “because we believe that the quality of education is the same or better as in person.” This was also discussed in conversation between Paeth and the SGA.
Starting Fall Quarter, you’ll be receiving university emails in a different way. BlueM@il, a new campus email service, will become the primary means of contact for all university announcements. This past quarter, students received details regarding an @depaul.edu email address. That address will be the one used for BlueM@il and will be listed as your primary email to receive all university communications, even if you previously designated a different address as such in the past. Students, staff and faculty are encouraged to send all communications through this email.
Along with many other universities and organizations across the globe, DePaul experienced a data breach after a ransomware attack on Blackbaud — a third-party service provider. However, Blackbaud assured that the university need not worry too much about the attack. Those behind the breach — which took place between February 7 and May 20 — did not access sensitive personal information like credit card numbers. Though the hackers did access information such as addresses and names, the company said it does not believe that the information will be made available for public access.
Last, a couple more ways campus will be different this quarter — this time with some ups and downs. DePaul recently announced new guidelines for campus elevators to take its COVID-19 precautions up a level. Among these are requirements for all riders to wear face coverings, press buttons using items like a tissue or shirttail and to wash their hands after exiting. To limit the occupancy of the elevators, personnel will be stationed outside them to regulate the amount of people who get on. As a result, DePaul advises all those planning to hop on an elevator to be prepared to wait in line. Despite these new rules, campus elevator rides will become a breath of fresh air thanks to new exhaust fan systems equipped with UV-C lights, which disinfect the air entering the cabs.
If you don’t want to read the news, here’s the headlines to know.
On Sunday night, 29-year-old Black man Jacob Blake was shot seven times at close range by a police officer in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kenosha Police were called to the scene for a domestic incident, where bystanders said Blake was trying to break up a fight between two women.
“A video circulating on social media shows a man in a white shirt and black shorts walking to a gray van, followed by two male police officers with weapons drawn. The video does not show what happened before the man walked away from the officers, nor what was said, if anything.
As the man opens the door to get in, an officer grabs his shirt to hold him still, then appears to shoot him in the back at close range. Seven shots are heard, followed by a car horn, presumably from the man's head falling forward. A woman who followed behind the police can be seen screaming and jumping up and down,” wrote Meg Jones of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
As of the time of this newsletter, Blake is in stable condition in the ICU at Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee.
More than 5.7 million people have been infected with COVID-19 in the United States, according to the New York Times. At least 176,900 have died. The U.S. Virgin Islands, Hawai’i and North Dakota are all seeing their highest recorded cases yet, while Guam, South Dakota and Iowa are rising to record highs.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination to become their next presidential candidate; President Donald Trump has done the same, clinching the Republican Party’s nomination in a landslide. The Republican National Convention begins tonight in Charlotte, dovetailing with last week’s virtual Democratic National Convention.
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 education resource is Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X. A freedom fighter who devoted his life to radical Black unity and liberation, X writes of his theories, beliefs and experiences of fighting white supremacy.
You can find this book online or in person at a branch of the Chicago Public Library or 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. Please note, applications are currently not being accepted due to a large number of submissions but are projected to reopen by the end of this month.
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. Please note, it is unaffiliated with DePaul.
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
This link is a directory of Black therapists in Chicago who provide services 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.
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.
Where you can donate and actions to support
This week, our donation links are centering Jacob Blake, his family and Black-led activism supporting him in and around Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Milwaukee Freedom Fund: https://supportwomenshealth.salsalabs.org/mkefreedomfund/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1eIFtU1fJYszpoObqH1qjkIdcIthciH-8v14HWhdlJ2FUc5nT2LBCnwpQ
Supports protest movements by providing funds for bail, court-related costs, food, water and other needs from organizers and protestors.
Jacob Blake’s Official GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/justiceforjacobblake
These funds will go toward Jacob’s medical bills, legal representation, support for his children and therapy costs.
Split Bail Fund Donations from ActBlue: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/bail_funds_george_floyd
This allows you to split donations between over 70 community bail funds across the country.
ACLU of Wisconsin: https://action.aclu.org/give/wi-donate
Want to take direct action but don’t live in Kenosha? Here are numbers to call and urge for the officers involved be held accountable:
Kenosha City Attorney: 262-653-4170
Kenosha Mayor and City Administration: 262-653-4000
Wisconsin Department of Justice: (608) 266-1221
Kenosha Police Non Emergency Line: 262-656-1234
Through September, we will also be centering donation drives to support Chicago Public Schools students who are returning to online school.
That’s it from your newsletter team. Have a resource guide, nonprofit, community org or a project you want us to talk about? DM us on Twitter or Instagram @14eastmag!
See you next week,
Francesca, Grace, Justin and Cam.