Michael McCulla, 23, is a Real Estate Agent at 309 Property Management who lives in East Peoria. When asked which political party he falls under, he said he doesn’t prefer to put a label on it. “I really just look at each individual candidate on their own and which policies that they want to enforce that I support,” he said.
On election night, McCulla did not have any strong personal reactions to it. “The main thing I was looking at was the election numbers, results, and everything that was kind of popping up. I was more so just interested in the outcome of it.” Once the election was called, McCulla reacted with feelings of “interest and curiosity.” “I didn't necessarily like either candidate, so either way, I would have felt about the same. But I'm curious about what he [Biden] is going to be on the forefront of implementing,” he said. In the first 100 days that the Biden administration holds office, McCulla would like to see a change in how our country has responded to COVID-19. “What I would personally like to see would be a fairer implementation of the guidelines. I don't think that it's correct that small businesses have to suffer while everyone is still allowed to go into Walmart, Target, and all these big-box stores. But for some reason, mom and pop shops that would sell the same type of stuff is required, by law, to close. So, I'd like to see a change in that.” In a few words, sum up how you feel about our future under the new administration. “I’m not afraid, I’m not excited, I’m just ready to see what happens. I’m more interested to see what everybody as a population does as opposed to the president and administration.” Melissa Dessert, 52, is a Mental Health Therapist at Bradley University who lives in Peoria. Growing up with a grandmother who worked for the John F. Kennedy campaign and an uncle who worked as a congressman for Illinois’s 17th district, she said she has always been interested in politics. As a Democrat, her top political concerns revolve around women’s reproductive rights and LGBTQIA+ rights. “I didn't get married until I was in my 30s. My sister is lesbian, and I was always assertive, like, until she can marry, I'm not going to marry,” she said. When asked about how she felt on election night, Dessert said she prepared herself for the worst, as she did not do that in 2016. “I never believed for a million years that we would have voted a television personality into our presidency,” she said. “So, I went to bed prepared for Donald Trump to win.” When Joe Biden was officially called as the president elect, Dessert said “it felt like I had taken a deep breath that I had been holding since Tuesday. It felt like a huge weight taken off my shoulders that’s been there for four years.” Under the new administration, Dessert said she would like to see a plan to address COVID-19 in our country. “Other countries have clearly been able to collectively come together and address it, and I think they have had leadership and compassion that I don't think we've had from Donald Trump. I think Biden will lead with more compassion and understanding for those that we've lost.” In a few words, sum up how you feel about our future under the new administration. “I feel optimistically, cautiously hopeful.” Kristina Velpel, 20, a preschool director at Peoria Elite Gymnastics Academy and Early Childhood Education student at Illinois Central College, lives in Peoria Heights. Velpel’s interest in politics arose while taking a government class in high school, and she became even more passionate after taking a political science class last semester. Her beliefs “fall under the Conservative and Republican side of politics,” she said. Velpel said that she was a little nervous on election night; however, she was mostly at peace. “I prayed a lot about it, and I knew that whatever was going to happen was in God’s hands,” she said. After the results came in with Joe Biden as the president elect, she said her feelings did not change. “He is my president, so I will respect that, although I don't necessarily agree with everything that he stands for or with everything that I think will happen with the presidency,” she said. In the first 100 days under the new administration, there are two main issues she would like to see addressed, with the first being COVID-19. “It has gotten way out of hand. . .I would like to see how anybody can go at it with a different approach,” she said. The second issue she would like the Biden administration to address is our current prison systems. “I would like to see a complete change and reform. I strongly believe that what we are doing is not working. Instead of just being a detention center, I would like it to be more of a rehabilitation,” she said. In a few words, sum up how you feel about our future under the new administration. “I feel mostly at peace about it. I know everything's in God's hands, and He puts people in power for reasons, but I would just like to see a change.”
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In the midst of the Black Lives Matter Movement protests throughout Downtown Chicago, overnight ABC 7 News reporter Jessica D’Onofrio was awoken by a call in the middle of the night. She was assigned to report a looting situation at Potbelly on State and Lake Street around 3:30am on August 10. Instead of choosing fear, D’Onofrio saw this as a “once in a lifetime opportunity.” As the protests occurred, D’Onofrio and her team slowly ventured out a block in each direction in order to feel safe. In that moment, all D’Onofrio could think about was to simply describe what she was seeing, as this was a “highly volatile situation.” “I think we knew we were in danger 100% of the time. . . I was ducking out of the way as people were running by with arm loads of purses, clothes and windows breaking, and shots being fired,” D’Onofrio said. In D’Onofrio’s journalistic career of over 20 years, she said nothing could have prepared her for that moment. However, she felt relieved at the fact that nobody seemed to care that they were being filmed. “People were looking in the camera saying, ‘We're taking it all,’ or ‘This is what happens,’ things like that. So, there was this sense from the crowds that they didn't care. And I took that as a little bit of a relief,” D’Onofrio said. When asked why she agreed to report this situation, she attributed her father. “I grew up with a dad, who, when something happened down the street, he would say, ‘Put your shoes on, put your hat on, let's go and check it out,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah let's go see!’” D’Onofrio said. “I don't think I've ever lost that. . .I wanted people to see what I was seeing.” D’Onofrio was also raised by a mother who was strongly into politics and always had the news playing on the TV at home. She also participated in theatre throughout high school, which got her to be comfortable in front of a camera. With the combination of these things, D’Onofrio said that the fact she is a journalist now “makes complete and total sense.” Her journalistic journey did not begin in Chicago, however. She worked for news stations in Detroit, Mich.; Peoria, Ill.; Rockford, Ill; Indianapolis; and received her big break in Orlando, Fla. “I covered the Casey Anthony story in Orlando, Florida,” D’Onofrio said. “That was what I became known for. . .That landed me on Larry King and Nancy Grace. And the competition started taking notice that that was happening, and they said, ‘Where do you want to go?’ I said, ‘I want to go home to Chicago!” Although her journey was full of patience and trial, she assured to aspiring journalists that times have changed. “New tracks for younger journalists are much more accelerated and much quicker now. . . The best thing you can do is to hone all the digital knowledge that you have,” D’Onofrio said. For more information about Jessica D'Onofrio and her work, click here. After a two-month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago dentist Lauren Zalay was hopeful when her workplace, University Associates in Dentistry, reopened in May. However, upon seeing a 400% price gouge in PPE (personal protective equipment) supplies such as masks, gloves and gowns, she and her other three co-workers were struck with uncertainty.
“Pre-Covid we paid $30 a month for gowns. We are now paying $3,150 a month for gowns. . . The option was order and wait or spend and arm and a leg and get them within a week,” Zalay said. Due to the pandemic, there has been a strong demand for PPE. As a result, distributors have been price gouging these supplies, making it difficult for small independent businesses such as dentist offices to get their hands on them, Zalay said. If businesses cannot acquire these supplies, they are left with two options: shut down or carry on without proper supplies. “We have a hygienist who works at another office, she had to keep one gown for two weeks. So, I see more of that than I see [offices] going out of business,” Zalay said. To remain in business, some offices have been charging PPE fees that range anywhere from $10-125. Insurance is not currently covering these costs, Zalay said. Before the pandemic, dentists were required to wear a mask and gloves when treating patients. Now, they are required to wear an N95 mask with a surgical mask on top, a face shield, a gown and gloves. The gloves, gown, and surgical mask must be disposed after treating each patient, Zalay said. “We put a new mask over our N95 every time so we can preserve the N95, because those are super expensive. . .We clean the face shield, but the gown has to be thrown away. The gloves, obviously. On top of this, we need to take time to clean the rooms,” Zalay said. This has been a frantic experience for Zalay’s office and businesses alike. Not only have supplies increased in price, they have become scarcer – making it nearly impossible to acquire the supplies needed to safely remain in business. In the midst of these obstacles, one of Zalay’s patients – an anonymous Chicago philanthropist – stepped in. Soon after reopening, the philanthropist donated masks and gowns to her office, as well as over a million masks to various Chicago hospitals, Zalay said. Zalay has since teamed up with the philanthropist to launch mri-care.com – a website that offers large quantities of PPE at a reasonable price. The philanthropist orders PPE out-of-pocket from China by plane and ship and resells it on the website for “minimal benefit to him,” Zalay said. “For example, if we're paying $3.50 for a gown, he's charging $3.70. . .Our major distributors that I would normally order from are charging $7 for that same item.” In the midst of these unprecedented circumstances, Zalay said the philanthropist has “been a huge help to everyone. . .In the medical community, we are all trying to help each other.” For more information about Lauren Zalay, click here. On Saturday, March 21, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker implemented a “stay-at-home” order for all Illinoisans, meaning residents are only allowed to leave their homes for essential needs. The order was originally placed in effect until April 7 but has recently been extended to May 31.
As a result, many artists of all forms have not been able to create as freely as before. Artists such as those I interviewed have had to adapt to a creative process that cannot extend further than leaving their homes. Social media has been a lifesaver for a couple of them during these times. Whether it’s to cure boredom, find inspiration, or connect with others online, some artists have been using these outlets to help with their creative processes. “I think one of the hardest things for me is the lack of personal interaction. I get a lot of inspiration meeting new people and talking to them about concepts. However, I do think that I’ve been able to interact with so many people via social media that I wouldn’t have if this didn’t happen,” says photographer Jack Pompe, 20, of Peoria, Illinois. For 19-year-old Katie Fay, a potter in East Peoria, Illinois, all creations have had to come to a halt due to not having access to the pottery studio she creates at. However, she says she has recently been “drawing inspiration from many ceramic and sculptural artists on social media platforms.” On the other hand, sometimes a long period of introspection has been the key to finding inspiration. This has been the case for graphic designer Ashley Garcia, 25, of Chicago, Illinois. “I’ve found that I’ve had an easier time to create when I have more time and space to dream up a vision and outwork that vision,” says Garcia. The same has rung true for Pompe. “Before this happened, I was struggling to find time to develop ideas and concepts that I felt really reflect my personal artistic vision. Now, given that I have so much more time to let my mind wander and explore new concepts and ideas, it has allowed me to develop my vision and really define the intentions for what I am creating.” With this newfound free time, artists have also had time to think about what they’ve learned while facing the barriers and limitations that have arisen during these times. “The biggest lesson I've learned is that I definitely take my access to the studio for granted. I need to learn how to make the absolute most of my time spent there because I'm lucky to have access to it in the first place, when things aren’t locked down, of course,” says Fay. “I used to get caught up in seeing various people’s successes and would sometimes get discouraged by that. Recently, though, I’ve had the time to take a step back and realize that I am on my own creative journey,” says Pompe. “Don’t hang your hat on people’s approval because you’ll crumble when it’s no longer there. Hang your hat up on your belief in your work,” says Garcia. |
authorHallie Newnam studied journalism at Columbia College Chicago. You can find her archived journalistic work here. |