Teenage brains aren’t broken, they’re ready to flourish
March 6, 2026
See art by students in the Northwestern Prison Education Program, watch “A Brief History of Chasing Storms” and cheer on softball. Here’s what to add to your calendar this week. As always, all are welcome!
Changing home
The University of Chicago’s Robin Bartram delivers a talk about her book “Stacked Decks,” which illustrates the uphill battle building inspectors face in trying to change a housing system that works against those with the fewest resources. She will also detail new work on housing and the environment in Chicago and New Orleans.
The talk is at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, in the Wildcat Room, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston.
Supporting survivors
Students are invited to participate in the Clothesline Project, an interactive exhibit of messages of resilience and healing for those impacted by interpersonal violence and abuse, which are displayed on t-shirts to visually represent the statistics of those impacted by violence. Gather with the Center for Student Advocacy and Wellness to share your own message. Shirts and art supplies for decoration will be provided.
Drop by from 4:30–6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, in the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center, Foster-Walker Complex, 1927 Orrington Ave., Evanston. RSVP here.
Eye of the storm
See Northwestern filmmaker Curtis Miller’s “A Brief History of Chasing Storms.” Through visits to sites such as the areas devastated during a multi-vortex tornado in Lubbock, Texas, as well as encounters with amateur meteorologists, elected officials and storm-shelter salesmen, Miller explores how extreme weather events shape geography and cultural identity. Purdue’s Robin Tanamachi, an atmospheric scientist and storm chaser, will introduce the program, and an audience Q&A with Miller will follow.
The screening is at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 3, at The Block Museum of Art, 40 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston. Register here.
Take a swing
Softball steps to the plate for the first of three games against Michigan this weekend.
The ’Cats play at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 3, at The Ballpark at Rosemont, Parkway Bank Sports Complex, 27 Jennie Finch Way, Rosemont. Buy tickets.
On view
The Northwestern Prison Education Program (NPEP) and Undergraduate Prison Education Partnership, in collaboration with the Visibility Initiative, host a public art exhibit showcasing works by NPEP students.
The exhibition will be open from 3-7 p.m., including an opening party from 4-6 p.m., on Friday, April 3, and from 1-7 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, in Seabury Hall, 2122 Sheridan Road, Evanston.
Where politics meets danger
As political violence becomes an increasing concern across the country, Weinberg’s Laurel Harbridge-Yong shares preliminary results from surveys of state legislative staff and mayors, capturing experiences such as online harassment, threats and physical assault. She will discuss how political violence can operate as a representational tax, its political consequences and what policy reforms could mitigate the problem.
The talk is at noon on Monday, April 6, in the Ruan Conference Room, Chambers Hall, 600 Foster St., Evanston.
