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The Daily Northwestern Monday, October 31, 2022
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jireh l. drake seeks to alter views on justice As NU’s Feminist in Residence, drake furthers gender work By DAVIS GIANGIULIO
daily senior staffer @giangiuliodavis
jireh l. drake may be an artist, but that’s not the only way they define themselves. They’re also a writer, sculptor, drawer and organizer. “I wear a lot of hats,” drake said. “I don’t really like being pigeonholed into one thing.” Now, drake is adding Northwestern Women’s Center’s Feminist in Residence Fellow to the list of hats they’ve worn. The Feminist in Residence program is a year-long academic commitment where a fellow works to further gender justice research by creating a specific project within the NU community. Associate Director of the Women’s Center Njoki Kamau was part of the selection committee that chose drake. “We liked the way that jireh engages the public,” Kamau said, “that idea to think together
collectively about how to create change and make society better.” She said drake’s focus on restorative rather than punitive justice fits well with the Women’s Center’s annual theme, “Lessons From Harm Reduction.” The center hopes to explore means of healing over punishment, she added. Art is critical to organizing and successfully spreading movements’ messages beyond just direct action initiatives, drake said. “Organizing is just as important as the visuals,” they said. “Thinking beyond flyers, posters and banners, like what else can we do?” They said artistic creativity in organizing was evident in action they took against Michael Toomin, a Cook County judge who came under fire for resisting juvenile justice reforms. drake said Toomin’s actions disproportionately harmed Black and brown youth. drake used mud stencils to lay a message opposing Toomin on public pavement, which they said made the art appear as if it was burnt onto the concrete. They
» See DRAKE, page 9
Kimberly Espinosa/The Daily Northwestern
Latinos en Evanston North Shore dedicated its altar this year to immigrants and women who have died from domestic violence.
City celebrates Día de los Muertos Latinos en Evanston North Shore hosts annual event for Latine holiday By KIMBERLY ESPINOSA and MAIA PANDEY
the daily northwestern @nedaziakim @maiapandey
Latinos en Evanston North Shore hosted its annual Día de los Muertos celebration Saturday to honor family and friends who
have died and to bring community members together for food and music. The intergenerational event, hosted at the YWCA Evanston/ North Shore site, included informational tables about the origins of the tradition, free hot chocolate and pan de muerto and a range of
activities for children. While adults sat by the altar or at the community tables, children colored and watched a movie. “Latinos en Evanston North Shore wants to commemorate and join the Latine community for these kinds of cultural events,” LENS Vice President Fabiola
Alfonso told The Daily in Spanish. “It is a celebration from our Latin American countries.” The event also featured a multi-tier altar, or ofrenda, with candles, marigolds and objects of remembrance, meant to
» See DAY OF THE DEAD, page 9
Ald. Bobby Burns takes on cannabis business, politics After receiving craft growth license, Burns looks to diversify industry, break down barriers to access By SAUL PINK
daily senior staffer @saullpink
Eighteen years ago, cannabis was illegal across most of the United States, and Ald. Bobby Burns (5th) was an Evanston Township High School student who occasionally smoked marijuana with his friends. Today, recreational cannabis is legal in Illinois, and Burns serves as the 5th Ward alderperson on City Council. He’s become a pioneer of a more progressive approach to regulating recreational drugs — and a fledgling entrepreneur in the Illinois cannabis industry. Three months after his election in April 2021,
Illustration by Anna Souter
Ald. Bobby Burns (5th) is the founder of cannabis company Herban Garden, which was awarded one of the first 40 marijuana craft growth licenses in Illinois.
Burns’ company, Herban Garden, was awarded one of the first 40 marijuana craft
growth licenses in the state. Burns hopes to construct an eco-friendly greenhouse in
Chicago, where his team can cultivate the crop and sell products at dispensaries. “I realized that I need to be a part of this industry so I can help ensure, even by my participation, that marginalized groups and minority groups are represented in the industry,” Burns said. The path has not been smooth for Burns. Still, he said the experience has been a lesson in the realities of business and politics — from financing a startup in an evolving industry to eliminating cannabis testing for Evanston employees.
Growing pains At 36 years old, Burns said he no longer consumes cannabis, but he recognizes its benefits.
“I’ve always understood cannabis and appreciated its ability to heal and to help people manage stress levels,” he said. He’s also working to make the new industry more inclusive and address the inequities of Illinois’ earlier drug policies that disproportionately affected marginalized groups. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, Black people were 7.5 times more likely than white people to be arrested for cannabis possession in Illinois when the plant was illegal. While Burns’ goals are broad, the details of building Herban Garden have proven difficult. Craft growth applicants must present a detailed plan for how they will keep their
facility secure and consistently grow the plant, as well as how the business will ultimately be profitable. Most applications are more than 100 pages long. Burns called on Justice Cannabis Co., a Chicago-based multistate cannabis company that promotes inclusivity, for free assistance in filing the application. The company has helped many applicant groups with the process. Cole Eastman, an attorney on Burns’ team, said some applicants pay consultants up to six figures for help. “Just because your cultivation plan indicates that you know how to grow cannabis does not necessarily mean the owners of that company know
» See BOBBY BURNS, page 9
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