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WHEN MUSIC AND MATHEMATICS COLLIDE
LUIS NASSER | THE MUSIC PHYSICIST. Hipster Columbia professor creates challenging music. Born in Mexico City to a Palestinian father and Mexican mother, Luis Nasser, 53, is a physicist, composer and bassist living in Lincoln Park. In 1994, he moved to the United States with his wife, who was attending the University of Maryland. Nasser has played acoustic and electric bass for bands focusing on progressive rock, metal, classical and jazz, and he has worked with Might Could, Sonus Umbra, Radio Silence, Kurgan’s Bane, Silver Pipe and Luz De Riada. His music often incorporates themes of nature and mathematics and is inspired by the sounds of ‘70s prog bands like Jethro Tull and King Crimson. Nasser works intricate mathematical concepts into his songwriting.
FROM THE SWEATSHOP TO THE ATELIER
MAJORING IN FASHION at Columbia College Chicago, Norma Espinoza, 21, is a full-time student and a freelance fashion designer. Born in Chicago, she moved with her family to Utah and then returned to Chicago; she currently lives in the Midway area. Both of her parents are Mexican— from the regions of Michoacán and San Luis Potosí—and she defines herself as Mexican and indigenous.
Chicago journalists honor media workers killed in Gaza
Images depicting people smiling in press vests, hugging their children and holding cameras filled the presentation screen — the names of each person appearing in under each photo: Hassan Farajallah, Amal Zahed, Rabih Al Maamari and Alaa Taher Al-Hassanat. These were only some of the names included in a...
Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Samuel Roe shares defining career moments
At the start of his journalistic career, Samuel Roe never expected to become a Pulitzer-winning investigative reporter. After working for the Toledo Blade in his home state of Ohio, he didn’t expect to move to Chicago to pursue journalism and eventually become a professor. Nearly 40 years later, he...
Columbia College’s first shoppable window installation unveiled for the holiday season
Bella Long’s journey with Columbia College Chicago runs deep, especially for the 618 S. Michigan Ave. building, which is where she honed her love for fashion as a student. So when the alumnus returned to showcase her brand, Valentine Vintage, she was happy to return to her alma mater.
Migrants on streets asking for food, money and compassion
Nearly 20,000 Venezuelan migrants have been bussed or flown into Chicago by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott since August 2022, according to the official website for the City of Chicago. Many of these migrants, including children, are seeking asylum. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration has temporarily placed migrants in police stations and other shelters while they await stable housing.
‘Día de Muertos, Living Presence’ exhibit marks 37th Day of the Dead at National Museum of Mexican Art.
Full of color, creativity and cempasúchil (marigolds), the “Día de Muertos, Living Presence” exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art celebrates the connection between life and death. “Día de Muertos, Living Presence” exhibition marks the 37th annual Day of the Dead at the NMMA, located...
Columbia College students confused by conflicting strike messages
Columbia College Chicago has concluded its third week of the ongoing strike. The Columbia College Faculty Union is striking due to decisions made by the institute that include changes in course offerings and increasing class sizes. CFAC is currently bargaining with the college for fair contracts and to get various class sections reinstated. The impact of the strike has caused a disruption in student learning and many have expressed disappointment with the school that they once held high admiration for.
Review: The MoCP’s captivating ‘LOVE: Still Not the Lesser’
Twelve international artists from various global communities came together to better understand love through photography and videography in “LOVE: Still Not the Lesser” at the Museum of Contemporary Photography. From conveying couples turned caretakers, queer parenting, politics, distance, intimacy, and more, the exhibit bursts with color, contrasting modes of media, and many painfully true images of what love can represent to so many.
Review: Slayyyter transforms Chicago’s House of Blues into the opulent ‘Club Valentine’
Chicago’s queer community was out in full force at the House of Blues on Nov. 4 to be gladly transported into the realm of “Club Valentine” by none other than electro-pop sensation Slayyyter. Throughout the course of 22 songs, she took her audience on a euphoric and cathartic ride with just the right amount of glitz, glamor and grit.
Review: Charlotte Cardin takes her audience on a cathartic roller coaster at Lincoln Hall
Chicagoans braved the first wave of winter temperatures on Monday, Oct. 30 and found their way to Lincoln Hall to see Canadian singer-songwriter Charlotte Cardin. Cardin’s performance, which spanned 19 songs, took audience members on a musical roller coaster complete with piano ballads, soaring electric guitar and a refreshing down to earth sensibility.
In the studio with Chicago funk-rock band DZ Riley
On a sunny afternoon in late October, the members of Chicago-based funk rock band DZ Riley filtered through the doors of Rax Trax recording studio in Lakeview East. The walls of Rax Trax are adorned with photos of classic music icons — Jimi Hendrix, Tom Petty, and The Beatles, to name a few — and inside of Studio A lies an expansive mixing board, bins of every instrument you could ever imagine and a large persian rug. The purpose of the session was to re-record a drum solo for a song on the band’s forthcoming album “Peak Panache,” which has been in development for the last three years.
Columbia strike disrupts classes as part-time faculty demand fair contract
Dozens of Columbia College Chicago part-time faculty members and students gathered Monday outside of 600 S. Michigan to demand a fair contract from the college’s administration. Part-time faculty, the union representatives and students performed a choreographed dance as part of the demonstration to popular music played by a DJ....
Costumes, candy still rule Halloween
Halloween is just around the corner, and after a dip in festivity participation caused by the pandemic, 73% of Americans are planning to participate in the holiday this year, according to a report published on Statista by industry experts. Last year, nearly half of Americans surveyed dressed in costumes. Among...
For workers in the Halloween business, it’s showtime
As the Halloween season approaches, consumers across America are gearing up to spend an estimated $4.1 billion on costumes, according to the National Retail Federation. But for those who work at Halloween shops and help run themed events, it’s less about profits and more about helping customers embark on a transformative journey for a day — or possibly longer.
Creating Space for Young Artistry: In Conversation with Casscellina Crededio
Chicago native Casscellina Crededio is a multidisciplinary artist whose talents span writing, styling, and creative directing. After studying journalism at the University of Missouri, she began to create inclusive spaces for young creatives. One of her recent creations includes the Antix Runway, which gives a spotlight to young, up and coming fashion designers. Antix happens every August at various Chicago venues that rotate each year. This year’s show was hosted on Aug. 19 at the Epiphany Center for the Arts, an expansive venue for Chicago’s premiere creative events. Antix Runway has become a diverse and inclusive runway experience that showcases up and coming designers and allows them to demonstrate their wide array of talents — which is Crededio’s overarching goal of the program.
Chicago Marathon Celebrated a Diverse Array of Stories
The 45th annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon returned to the Windy City on Sunday, Oct. 8. The race drew an estimated 48,000 runners and 1.7 million spectators from all over the U.S., as well as over 100 countries, according to the official Chicago Marathon site. The race welcomed many...
Columbia College Chicago Alumni Raven Hibbler Honored at 65th Annual Golden Trumpet Awards
Chicago’s vast community of public relations professionals filed into the Harold Washington Library on Wednesday, October 4, and made their way up to the luxe Winter Garden for the 65th Annual Golden Trumpet Awards. Organized by the Publicity Club of Chicago, the Golden Trumpet Awards is one of the most prestigious award ceremonies in the Midwest, and recognizes the hard work of over 60 organizations for their various campaigns in communications, marketing, and public relations.
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