Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
By now, you’ve probably heard about the cicada-filled summer we’re expecting once two different broods of periodical cicadas come above ground at the same time.
It’s a phenomenon happening for the first time in more than 200 years — one that will come with a loud, pervasive buzzing.
In today’s newsletter, we’ll look into how this sensory experience might impact people with autism and how one school is helping its students to prepare.
Plus, we’ve got reporting on University of Chicago police clearing out a pro-Palestinian camp, an exhibit honoring Chicago’s house music heritage and more community news you need to know below. 👇
⏱️: A 7-minute read
— Matt Moore, newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
How people with autism, sensory sensitivities are prepping for cicadas
Reporting by Mary Norkol
Cicada introductions: On a recent morning, the classroom at Keshet school for students with disabilities buzzed with energy — and cicada noises — as four children learned about the emergence coming this spring. They clapped, screeched and laughed as teachers and staff helped them prepare for what could be a jarring change.
Key context: The buzzing and presence of bugs they haven’t seen before could be surprising and scary for people with autism or other disabilities who rely on being able to predict their environment, according to Jennifer Phillips, president and CEO of Keshet, a private therapeutic day school in Northbrook.
Preparing together: It’s important for students and adults with disabilities and sensory sensitivity to prepare for changes in their environment. About 40% of people with autism also have an anxiety disorder, Phillips said. Teachers and staff at Keshet prepared activities, explained the buzzing noise cicadas make and showed model bugs, larvae and eggs.
How to cope: The students, ranging in age from 12 to 15, sorted through coping mechanisms if the cicada noise becomes overwhelming, such as going inside to take breaks from the noise, putting on headphones or chewing on a toy to help distract themselves.
Key quote: The cicada emergence might be just a small hassle for most people, but for people with autism or other disabilities, it’s a bigger hurdle, said Laura Florek, whose two children have autism and sensory sensitivity. “This isn’t a little thing, the cicadas. ...Things people don’t have to prep for and don’t think are a big deal are real-life issues for us.”
Dive deeper: For the latest buzz and updates on the cicada phenomenon, head here.
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
- U. of C. encampment cleared: Campus police at the University of Chicago cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at the school early Tuesday morning, ending an eight-day demonstration that brought student protesters and university officials to an impasse over the protesters’ demands.
- Vendors seeking new customers: Along with hundreds of workers who got virtually no notice about their layoffs, dozens of Chicago-area vendors were caught off guard by the Foxtrot and Dom’s closings. In the days after the initial shock, these small-business owners have been scrambling to find new and creative ways to sustain their businesses.
- Blackhawks’ big night: The Blackhawks will find out during the NHL Draft lottery at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday which one of the top four picks in the draft they will make next month. Catch the latest updates from our sports desk here.
EXPLORING THE CITY 🪩
Exhibit at Navy Pier celebrates 40 years of house music — in the city that started it
Reporting by Erica Thompson
For Lori Branch, getting into The Warehouse nightclub on South Jefferson Street in the 1980s was like going “to Mecca.”
“It was everything to me,” said Branch, 61, who used a fake ID to get into the venue, known as the birthplace of house music. “I was like, ‘OK, there’s a community I can connect to. There’s this incredible music that’s happening all around me.’ It really cemented the desire in me to become a DJ.”
More than four decades after joining the house movement, Branch is helping to document the now-global phenomenon. The fruits of her labor can be seen in the “Chicago: Home of House” exhibit, which opened at Navy Pier last week and runs through Oct. 31.
The exhibit is presented by Branch and her partners at the Vintage House Show Collective, as well as the Design Museum of Chicago. Located near Kilwins between Doors 5 and 6, the show features an extensive, colorful timeline mounted on the wall. Patrons can also view a memorial to late house pioneers, as well as other text and photo displays painted on nearby pillars.
The exhibit is part of the 40th celebration of house music, which is being honored with additional events at the pier and throughout the city until the end of the year. The goal of “Chicago: Home of House” is to preserve the legacy of the genre, honoring its pioneers, milestones and origins as a Chicago art form.
By reading through the timeline, visitors will learn about the careers of house legends such as promoter Robert Williams, DJ Frankie Knuckles, DJ Ron Hardy and DJ Jesse Saunders, who released “On and On” — the song that is considered the first house record — in 1984. They will be informed about the city’s “anti-rave” ordinance that affected underground clubs. And they will be educated on younger artists like DJ Honey Dijon, who is carrying on the legacy.
BRIGHT ONE ✨
Thousands turn out for Polish Constitution Day Parade
Reporting by Violet Miller
Thousands, many of them decked out in their best red and white, gathered Saturday along Columbus Drive to watch as more than a hundred floats and groups marched in the 133rd Polish Constitution Day Parade.
Northlake resident Kathy Kopec, there with her kids Lars and Milena, said she wants to make attending the parade a tradition. They were on a three-year streak, she said.
Kopec, who grew up in northern Poland, said she used to walk in the parade with her Polish school after coming to America and uses her attendance to help her and her children stay connected to her roots. She particularly loves the Polish Highland dancers — even if they’re from the south of the country. Her daughter also loves the dancers, but her brother is more interested in the cars.
“I like to embrace my Polish roots and get out here,” Milena, 21, said. “I’ve always loved it, and it’s always nice to see so much Polish pride. It’s just so much fun to see people celebrate my heritage.”
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
How do you feel about the upcoming historic cicada emergence?
Email us (please include your first and last name). To see the answers to this question, check our Morning Edition newsletter. Not subscribed to Morning Edition? Sign up here so you won’t miss a thing!
ONE MORE THING 🤔
A couple of years ago, I asked Sun-Times readers to give me one essential Chicago house track that everyone should know.
Our inbox and social media pages were flooded with fantastic suggestions, so I compiled as many songs as I could into one playlist that you can stream here.
It’s a mix I still return to often — whether I’m on a run, out for a sunny walk, hanging with friends or driving with the windows down.
But it’s not comprehensive. So, I’ve got an additional request — take a look at the playlist and reply to this email with the song you think is missing.
I’ll add your song and we’ll get this playlist in shape just in time for Memorial Day. 😎
Thanks for reading the Sun-Times Afternoon Edition.
Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.
Editor: Satchel Price
Newsletter reporter: Matt Moore
Copy editor: Angie Myers
