May 9, 2024

Student organizers set up encampment for Palestine in Memorial Union Quad

The group has a list of five demands, one of which is calling for Chancellor Gary May to resign from Leidos

BY CHRIS PONCE campus@theaggie.org

On the morning of Monday, May 6, Davis Popular University for the Liberation of Palestine (PULP) organizers set up tents and canopies in the center of the Memorial Union Quad to protest for Palestine.

The group, which now joins several other college campuses, has a list of five demands that they are asking the university to address. The demands include: The University of California system divesting from Israel; a total academic “cultural boycott”; investing in Palestine and Arab American studies; respect for free speech and “no repression” and Chancellor Gary May either resigning from his position on the executive board of Leidos or as chancellor of the university.

“We want to focus on what’s happening in Palestine, in Gaza and the West Bank, so we’re in solidarity there [with the other campuses],” a media coordinator with PULP, who at this time asked to remain anonymous, said. “It is a UC-wide demand, because we want the biggest reach possible. We want to end this genocide.”

May is on the board of Leidos, a company that works with the Israeli Ministry of Defense and which PULP has expressed criticism for. The coordinator discussed the group’s demand for May to resign from the company.

“That is not our top demand right now,” they said. “It is

definitely something that is important to us, because [he’s] the chancellor, and we don’t want him to be on the board of a company that’s involved in the genocide happening, but our top demand is divestment.”

On Feb. 16, the ASUCD Senate passed a measure to boycott and divest from corporations “complicit in human rights violations against Palestinians amidst the ongoing genocide in Gaza.” While the Senate divested, the coordinator shared that the group’s goal

Lawntopia 2024 brought Aminé, Ravyn Lenae to UC Davis campus

Attendees also enjoyed performances by various student groups

BY MADISON PETERS campus@theaggie.org

On May 3 from 6 to 10 p.m. UC Davis students and faculty enjoyed live music and dance performances at Lawntopia. The quad was filled with energetic community members ready to enjoy the annual free concert.

This year’s lineup featured R&B artist Ravyn Lenae with Grammynominated rap and hip-hop star Aminé as the headliner.

The concert opened with dance performances from various student groups such as H20 and SONE1, followed by a music performance from student performer ALXZN.

After the openers, Lenae performed some of the most popular songs from her album HYPNOS, as well as exclusive material from her new album yet to be released.

Lenae has toured with many notable artists such as SZA and has been gaining popularity with her hit song “Sticky,” which, according to the Entertainment Council (EC) Instagram, has amassed more than 32 million Spotify streams.

Shanthoshi Thamilseran, a thirdyear global disease biology major and EC volunteer director, expressed her excitement about the performances.

“I definitely enjoyed Ravyn’s set a

lot,” Thamilseran said. “I listened to HYPNOS a couple days before to just prepare myself. [As for] Aminé, I had no words. I knew that [EC] was trying their best to get someone of his caliber, and I was really excited that it was him. I know nearly every song, so I was really excited to watch his performance.”

After Lenae’s set, Aminé took the stage. With 7.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Aminé has been reeling in fans since 2016 with his catchy songs like “Caroline” and “Red Mercedes.”

Katherine Krinsky, a third-year English major, said her favorite Aminé song is either “Wedding Crashers” or “Caroline.”

“This was the first Lawntopia that I attended, and I had a really great experience,” Krinsky said. “I was tabling for most of it so I only saw the headliner Aminé, but I really enjoyed his performance. I’ve liked his music since high school, so it was really fun to see him live with all my friends at a free concert.”

In addition to the live music, various student clubs and organizations such as Prod. Davis and KDVS tabled around the quad.

is for the whole University of California system to divest.

“We were really happy about that — it took a lot of organizing work and so we were really excited that was able to happen,” they said about the ASUCD divestment.

The coordinator said that the group wants more students to turn out for the encampment, and they hope to stay put until their demands are met. They also shared their frustration with the United States’ involvement in the violence in Gaza.

“It’s been really upsetting to see our college campuses and the United States government accept what’s happening,” the coordinator said. “The U.S. is sending military aid to a country that is occupying an Indigenous population, and it’s hard to watch and not try to do something to change that.”

With the death toll of Palestinian lives surpassing 30,000, the coordinator shared that they hope students pay attention to the situation in Rafah.

“Look at what’s happening in Rafah, people are being displaced there,” they said.

“Please don’t forget that’s why we are all doing this. This isn’t just about students on college campuses. It’s about what’s happening in Palestine and what’s been happening in Palestine. This is the moment where students can really make some change.”

UC Davis’ Student Firefighter program discusses upcoming pancake breakfast

BY ZOEY MORTAZAVI features@theaggie.org

On May 11, the UC Davis Student Firefighter program is set to host its annual pancake breakfast event from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event is a way for students, families and community members to gather and donate to the Firefighters Burn Institute, as well as celebrate the program.

The event provides an all-you-caneat breakfast for $7; all ingredients, food items and coffee are locally sourced from the UC Davis dining commons and companies such as Temple Coffee Roasters, Safeway and Volt Coffee.

Yael Schwarz, a fourth-year sustainable environmental design major and senior student firefighter, explained the pancake breakfast’s tradition and fundraising purpose.

“This will be our 19th annual pancake breakfast event,” Schwarz said.

“[It] is run, start-to-finish by student resident firefighters that are currently enrolled in the program. Every dollar

that is sent to us for tickets goes directly to the Firefighters Burn Institute in Sacramento. [The Institute] helps burn victims and their families, and ensures that they have the resources they need following traumatic burn injuries. They’re entirely nonprofit and a very cool organization that we’ve been working with for the last 19 years.” The UC Davis Fire Department, Station 34, was first established in 1917. Originally acting as the UC Berkeley-affiliated farm school, UC Davis created its fire station in response to several fires that were damaging critical infrastructure as the school began to gain popularity. Established in 1949, the Student Firefighter Program (SFF) helped with the transition from students volunteering in the field to careers in firefighting by working as actual emergency responders.

UC Davis student firefighters have the opportunity to train together, live together and work together at Station 34. Connor Flynn, a fifth-year English major and senior student firefighter, expressed that beyond being able to gain valuable skills from the training,

he found some of his closest friendships through the program.

“A really big thing for me, aside from the obvious appeal of the certifications and training that the program provides, is that I essentially get to live every single day with my best friends [above] the station,” Flynn said. “Everyone is super driven; I’ve been put into a community that cultivates a really wonderful environment. Everyone is really motivated and supportive — plus, we’re all great friends. We’re always having dinners together and hanging out when we’re not working.”

Students who partake in the program must complete a six-week intensive training academy during the summer. To secure a spot in the program, students must pass a series of tests that take place at the end of the academy. The department also pays for students to receive their EMT license during the spring quarter, which is a prerequisite for the summer academy. After completing this, students must participate in the following each month in order to receive housing at the station: one 24-hour shift, four 14hour shifts and two training sessions. Students are financially compensated for all additional work that they complete after these mandatory monthly shifts. STUDENTFIREFIGHTERS on 8

Hosted by the Entertainment Council, Lawntopia featured headliners Aminé and Ravyn Lenae alongside H2O, SONE1 and ALXZN. (Sacha Chickering / Aggie)

An encampment set up by Davis Popular University for the Liberation of Palestine on May 6, 2024. (Andrew Huang / Aggie)

City of Davis welcomes South Korean official sister city

Leadership with Sangju, South Korea meets at the city hall meeting

BY ALMA CULVERWELL city@theaggie.org

On April 19, the city of Davis welcomed Sangju, South Korea, its official sister city, at the city hall with Mayor Josh Chapman alongside Sangju Mayor Kang and Council Chairwoman Ahn. Sangju has been a sister city to Davis since 2004, but the Sangju delegation met for the first time in Davis with city leaders at city hall.

The city of Davis has several sister cities that usually share common environmental goals or other similar interests. A few other of these sister cities include: Inuyama, Japan; Uman, Ukraine; Qufu, China and more.

“Today, the City of Davis welcomed our sister city Sangju, Korea to our community,” the city shared on Instagram. “Last year, Sangju invited a small delegation of Davis staff and council, including Mayor Josh Chapman, to Korea.”

Establishing the relationship between these two cities allows for learning from both parties, helping them gain insight on economic development, culture, education and diplomacy.

“These partnerships create opportunities for each sister city to learn in areas such as economic development, education and culture while promoting understanding, diplomacy and friendship,” the city shared in the post.

Sangju is an agricultural community located along the northwestern border of South Korea with a population of around 120,000. They are best known for their production of rice, silkworms, cocoons and dried persimmons, nicknamed “Sam Baek,” or “The Three White Things” for the popularity of these goods.

It was originally one of the Nine Provinces during the Unified Shilla Dynasty and one of the eight provinces during the Goryeo Dynasty, according to Sangju’s city website. Soon following, it went on to become a grander city more comparable to a capital.

The community shares several similarities with the city of Davis, including its bike friendliness, agricultural success and being home to a local university, the Sangju National University.

“Sangju was doing research on communities with similar interests to theirs, a university, agricultural land and appreciation for biking and Davis came up with their findings,” Carrie Dyer, city community relations program manager, said. “They reached out and our friendship began.”

Sangju’s executive and legislative branches are led by officials elected by popular vote with elections held every four years.

Becoming an official sister city with Sangju has allowed both parties

Yolo County strengthens community services with appointment of county jobs

The county will work to improve community empowerment through new appointees

BY MADELEINE YOUNG city@theaggie.org

On April 20, the Yolo County Administrator’s Office published a press release announcing multiple strategic appointments to various positions aimed at strengthening community services. Appointments cover areas such as climate action, communications, emergency services, personnel administration, policy development and more.

Public Information Officer Dwight Coddington shared information regarding these appointments.

“The appointments were made following a comprehensive planning process aimed at aligning organizational goals with community needs,” Coddington said. “Each appointment was carefully considered to ensure the county’s commitment to excellence in public service and inclusive governance.”

Key appointments include Kristen Wraithwall as sustainability manager, Yana Pavlova as county services areas manager, Yen Nguyen as associate management analyst for countywide policies, Sandra Rodriguez as administrative services manager and Laura Galindo in the office of emergency services.

“We plan to address challenges by leveraging the expertise and experience of our new appointees to streamline service delivery, enhance sustainability efforts and strengthen policy development to meet the evolving needs of our diverse community,” Coddington said.

The sustainability manager position involves leading implementation of the climate action and sustainability measures; the services area manager will oversee delivery of services to unincorporated communities; the office of emergency services and

administrative services manager will promote communication and ensure high quality services; and the associate management analyst will support governance and policy development efforts.

“Equity and inclusivity are foundational principles guiding our decision-making processes,” Coddington said. “We prioritize diversity in our workforce, when engaging with community stakeholders and in implementing policies that address disparities and ensure equitable access to services for all residents.”

The County Administrator’s Office has emphasized the significance of these appointments in advancing Yolo County’s mission of making a difference by improving quality of life for all residents.

Yolo County Board of Supervisors member Lucas Frerichs discussed the role of the County Administrator’s Office in striving for positive change and equitable development in the county in the press release.

“These strategic appointments and promotions exemplify our collective commitment to building a more resilient and inclusive community where every resident can thrive,” Frerichs said.

The county looks forward to the improvements these new appointments will make for all residents.

“With these new appointments, the county aims to see improved service delivery, increased sustainability initiatives, enhanced emergency response capabilities and strengthened community engagement,” Coddington said. “Ultimately, we anticipate a positive impact on the quality of life for all Yolo County residents.”

New innovative ecofriendly car wash opens in Davis

Sunny’s Car Wash opens first location on Mace Boulevard, offering environmentally conscious car, bike and dog wash services

BY ALEXANDRA SHAPIRO city@theaggie.org

Friday, May 3 was the grand opening of Sunny’s Car Wash, a new sustainable and innovative car wash in Davis. The business is located at 480 Mace Blvd.

Evan Lyon’s journey to owning Sunny’s Car Wash is deeply rooted in his upbringing in Davis. Born and raised in Davis, Lyon was immersed in the automotive industry thanks to his family’s business.

Listening to his mother’s frustration of driving out of town to get her car washed, only to return with it dirtied again, Lyon saw an opportunity to address a local need. With the inefficiency of commercial gas station car washes came the idea for a locally owned and efficient car wash.

Despite initial skepticism from others who saw it as just another car wash, Lyon was determined to create something unique through precise planning and attention to detail.

“We took a lot of time, effort and energy to make [Sunny’s] not look or act like another normal car wash,” Lyon said.

Identifying the need in Davis was just the beginning. Sunny’s Car Wash took four and a half years from concept to reality after securing a location, dealing with permits and undergoing construction.

to gain valuable knowledge and cultural experiences. Dyer explained some past examples of how the city’s cooperation has benefitted them.

“For a number of years now, Sangju has sent one of their employees to spend a year in Davis,” Dyer said. “They spend their time learning about our community, our school system, our government and our culture. It is an opportunity for exchange in learning. We spend time weekly learning about Sangju and in exchange they experience all that life has to offer in Davis. Every couple of years the city of Davis has a delegation visit Sangju. These delegations typically include a member of Council, a school board trustee and community members. It is an opportunity to continue to grow our sister city relationship and to learn more about Sangju and their culture. The Davis High School Culture Club also does a student exchange program with Sangju.“

Most recently, the Sangju delegation participated in the annual Picnic Day parade. Sangju Mayor Kang and Council Chairwoman Ahn rode alongside the Davis City Council in the parade on the antique firetrucks and enjoyed being part of the festivities.

Dyer expressed that the city of Davis looks forward to many years of heightened friendship and cultural exchange with Sanju, South Korea.

Securing land with automotive commercial zoning in Davis was pivotal for Sunny’s. Finding available land in Davis is challenging, yet Sunny’s team found a parcel without rezoning, thanks to supportive landowners.

Sunny’s 10-month-long construction began in June of last year. “[We were] extremely fortunate to secure [the land] and get to where we are,” Lyon said.

Guests are welcomed at the pay station, where digital menus, helpful employees and cameras facilitate transactions. The pay station has three lanes, with one dedicated to members, and a license plate scanner that ensures swift entry of approximately three seconds.

Once pulled into the 140-foot conveyor, a Sunny’s team member will guide you in positioning your car. Advanced computer programming guarantees that every step of the wash is timed appropriately while the tunnel monitors the vehicle’s speed and dimensions. Sunny’s sensors can even detect features like roof racks and truck beds, ensuring vehicle safety. Everything has a “brain” at Sunny’s, according to Lyon.

Sunny’s Car Wash is enjoyable, with vibrant changing lights and colorful soaps and foams that make the experience exciting. Sunny’s commitment to delivering technologically advanced washes is clear, from noise-reducing vacuum separators to precise timing switches. Premium products ensure a spot-free rinse with carefully formulated pH levels adapted for seasonal differences like pollen and bugs.

There are many amenities at Sunny’s, including interior air fresheners, a bike wash station and dog wash station fully equipped with shampoo, conditioner and a blow dryer.

Sunny’s water conservation efforts make this business stand out. A sophisticated recycling system significantly reduces water waste — six 1500-gallon tanks capture and recycle water, treating it with oxygen and ozone to eliminate bacteria before it’s reused.

City of Davis and Bike Davis partner up to host Loopalooza

for the 14th year

May being “Bike Month” can only mean one thing in Davis: completing a 12-mile bike ride

BY OLIVIA HOKR city@theaggie.org

On Sunday, May 5, community members, families and students gathered for the annual Loopalooza bike ride through Davis. The tradition is hosted by the city of Davis and Bike Davis, who collaborate to create a fun day of cycling around the Davis bike loop. The event aims to promote safe biking while educating citizens about the bike infrastructure available in Davis.

The Loopalooza route started at Community Park, but participants were welcome to hop in at any point of the loop, which intentionally passes through various parks and schools to show residents the bikeability of Davis. Numerous city and campus organizations provided interactive and informative stations — 11 in total, ranging from dance groups and karaoke to educational opportunities from bicycle professionals.

Davis Senior Transportation Planner Jennifer Donofrio explained that Loopalooza was created when a group of community members, The Schools Committee, wanted to bring awareness to the safe bike routes in Davis.

“The Schools Committee created

Loopalooza, a yearly event that directs families and community members around the 12-mile Davis bike loop with fun activities set up along the way,” Donofrio said. “Participants learn that they can get from their homes to their schools and throughout the community via the Davis paths.”

Bike Davis is a non-profit organization that focuses on promoting biking in Davis through advocacy and education, working with the city to organize the event. Sanne Fettinger, a member of the Bike Davis board of directors, shared how they focus on advocating for a bike-centered community.

“We envision Davis as a city where bicycling is the priority mode of travel, and we are committed to challenging and inspiring the citizens of Davis to reconnect with nature and their neighbors in pursuit of better health, kindred community and the pure joy of riding a bike,” Fettinger said.

Cool Davis is a non-profit organization that works with households on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable living.

Once a month, they are present at the Davis Farmers Market to educate the community, and they also participate

in Loopalooza every year.

The Cool Davis station along the bike loop focused on educating families and encouraging them to get out on their bikes more often. Transportation plays a major part in our greenhouse gas emissions, according to Executive Director Chris Granger.

“We’re focused on topics related to transportation,” Granger said. “Here in Davis, over 70% of our greenhouse gasses are related to our transportation behavior, so whether or not we get in our car to do everything is huge.”

This year’s Loopalooza had more activities, stations and food vendors than in previous years, according to Donofrio. Local businesses such as the Davis Co-op were in attendance to sell food to participants. The ASUCD Bike Barn also had a station where cyclists could talk with bike mechanics.

“We envision a city that tirelessly promotes and preserves a comfortable, beautiful and convenient bicycle network year-round for cyclists of all ages,” Fettinger said. “We hope that the rich bicycle heritage in Davis will continue to distinguish us as the Bicycle Capital of America.”

Located in South Davis, Sunny’s Car Wash offers various car wash services with eco-friendly practices. Prices range from $11 to $25 depending on the type of wash wanted. (Maia Zhu / Aggie)

Sangju Mayor Kang and Davis Mayor Chapman reconnect and reminisce about Mayor Chapman’s visit to Sangju in October. (Courtesy / Carrie Dyer)

Several organizations tabled at Student Sustainability Career Fair on April 23

The fair had a myriad of government agencies and companies present, many of which were offering positions in the sustainability field

BY RIVERS STOUT campus@theaggie.com

On April 23, the ASUCD Student Sustainability Career Fair (SSCF) was held at the Activities and Recreation Center Ballroom. The student-run fair is an annual event that invites companies and government agencies looking to offer jobs and internships to students.

“Our goal is to help students get exposed to environmental careers and potential job pathways,” Jordyn Kosai, chairperson of SSCF, said. “We try to get a full range [of organizations], because the environmental field is so vast.”

The fair had many employment opportunities from organizations such as the Department of Water Resources, CA Energy Commision and the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

“[It’s important] to give students more opportunities to enter the field and job [search], [and] it’s helpful for people to know others in the field,” Kosai said. “We’re trying to expand our reach to way more student populations

because the environmental field is not very diverse.”

Samantha Villegas, recruitment and outreach manager for the California Energy Commission (CEC), said that this event was important because of how many students at UC Davis are interested in energy, the environment and sustainability.

“We’re really excited to put our name out there, let students know about positions, our recruitment services, our student assistant positions and internship possibilities,” Villegas said.

The CEC is in close proximity to Davis, being based in Sacramento.

“We have a very inclusive and diverse environment, in all senses of the word,” Villegas said. “We have hiring positions for people from all walks of life.”

The CEC student assistant position is a paid position, and students can be placed anywhere within the commission, according to Villegas. This was one example of a job opportunity that was presented at the event.

Villegas continued with advice for students looking for work.

“Create an understanding of what

your interest is and where it might lie,” Villegas said. “Always get a hold of recruiters. If you can research through their company website or LinkedIn for who their recruitment team is, it’s a really wise move as an applicant to contact them.”

Many booths were left waiting for traffic, giving those that did apply little competition. However, students who did show up were full of passion.

“I’m really passionate about sustainability and planning specifically,” Emma Barnett, a third-year sustainable and environmental design major, said. “I’m really grateful, [and] I’m so happy all these companies came out to see what Davis has to offer.”

Many organizations who were invited to the fair were local, with positions not far from Davis.

“UC Davis is educating a lot of amazing students in sustainability, [and] I think we’re pretty great at it compared to other places,” Barnett said. “It’s a reasonable ask for them to want to filter us into local and nearby companies so that we can help communities here in Davis.”

UC Davis’ eighth annual Give Day raises over $4.1 million

This is one of the largest amounts ever raised by UC Davis

BY JORDAN POLTORAK campus@theaggie.org

Give Day is a 29-hour-long fundraising drive that took place from April 19 to April 20. Donors could give donations in person or by phone, and gifts would go toward funding programs such as the veterinary hospitals, UC Davis Health and the larger UC Davis campus.

The event also overlapped with Picnic Day — the largest student-run event in the country.

“Give Day is a university-wide project, so we start preparing for the event in October by meeting with colleagues from all over main campus and at UC Davis Health,” Andrea Elliot, director of marketing communications of the Annual and Special Gifts Program and Michelle Posey, managing executive director of the Annual and Special Gifts Program, said via email. The theme for this year’s fundraiser was “Reaching New Heights” — which

ASUCD Senate unanimously passes resolution to condemn encampment attack at UCLA

It was also announced that Senator Leah Jung resigned from her position, effective immediately

BY VINCE BASADA campus@theaggie.org

Senator Trinity Chow called the May 2 Senate meeting to order at 6:19 p.m. After roll call, she read the UC Davis Land Acknowledgement. The Senate then heard a series of unit quarterly reports. The Pantry Unit Director Sergio Bocardo-Aguilar, a fourth-year political science major, began and spoke of The Pantry’s recent move, as well as the start of in-house data science collection and analysis.

Following Boardo-Aguilar was Student Health and Wellness Committee Chair Julia Miller, a thirdyear human development major. The committee only recently became an ASUCD unit, and Miller detailed continued efforts to distribute safe-sex products on campus and a survey on substance use to help the committee better understand how to serve the needs of the student population.

Miller closed by critiquing the Senate and asked them to attend the meetings of their adopted units.

“[It] is your job to overlook the legislative branch,” Miller said. “Please do that.”

Next was the report from the Sexual Assault Awareness and Advocacy Committee (SAAAC) Chair Rashita Chauhan, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major. Among other developments, she spoke of SAAAC’s plans to table at Lawntopia and an upcoming event in collaboration with the EDM club.

Chauhan, after thanking the Senate for increasing SAAAC’s prospective budget for the next academic year, expressed her belief that ASUCD committee members were not being paid for as many hours as they deserved, nor given enough respect.

“[Committees] are strongly underappreciated in this association,” Chauhan said. “Committees are consistent. It’s just different from being a senator.”

Building off of Miller’s points on adopted senators, she expressed her own frustrations with the Senate. She acknowledged that Senator Jacob Klein had made an effort to attend all events but noted that senators often failed to check in with their committee chairs or stay up to date with their events and activities.

The last quarterly report was from the Student Advocate Office (SAO), delivered by current Student Advocate Travis Haskin, a fourth-year Native American studies and political science double major. He raised concerns over a rise in Office of Student Support and Judicial Affairs (OSSJA) cases involving AI, which have resulted in the SAO hiring more staff to compensate.

Posey said via email.

was reflected in the over $4.1 million raised in comparison to the $3.4 million of 2023’s Give Day.

“Many of our alumni donors want to encourage others to support our students, as well as support the areas of UC Davis that were personally meaningful to them while they were attending school here,” Elliot and Posey said via email. “They often provide challenge gifts for that purpose.”

A challenge gift cannot be unlocked until others donate to reach the goal, causing a ripple effect. Donors are encouraged to give more in order to complete the challenge. This year, UC Davis received 214 challenge gifts nearly reaching $3 million, which was $500,000 more than the previous year. Not only did Give Day coincide with Picnic Day, but it was also featured at “The Year of the Egghead” celebration.

“Our Give Day event t-shirts featured Stargazer [an egghead] this year, and it was pretty exciting that we got to be included in the acknowledgment of Professor Arneson’s work,” Elliot and

Give Day featured events such as “Battle of the Colleges,” where the UC Davis colleges engaged in friendly competition to see which one could raise the most money. The College of Engineering came in first place with 484 gifts. The School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Law competed in “Battle of the Schools,” and the School of Veterinary Medicine emerged victorious with a total of 456 gifts.

The Give Day social media campaign encouraged those interested to become social ambassadors. Social ambassadors would share information related to Give Day on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

“Raising money that helps create opportunities for our students and faculty is personally important to those of us who fundraise for UC Davis,” Elliot and Posey said via email. “Making a lasting impact here by helping others is what it’s all about for us.”

“[The rise in AI cases is] an alarming indicator for what is happening within the student community,” Haskin said. Haskin said that the SAO is hoping to work directly with professors and academic departments to ensure students, who he says are often violating the rules when they use translation engines or grammar checkers, are fully aware of what constitutes academic dishonesty in regards to using AIsupported platforms.

Afterwards, Controller Allyson Francisco announced details on the upcoming budget hearings and owned up to a pair of errors in the prospective budget, which she promised would be rectified.

The Senate then took a 30-minute recess.

After the break, the Senate quickly confirmed an External Affairs

Commission (EAC) member not in attendance before moving forward two emergency pieces of legislation, SB #88 and SR #8, for consideration.

SB #86, authorized by ASUCD Historian Kayla Lunde, a third-year environmental policy, analysis and planning major and yearbook managing editor, would establish the managing editor position as a non-voting member of the Internal Affairs Commission. Lunde joined via Zoom to give insight into the bill, explaining that the legislation would help distinguish her two roles and help to institutionalize the yearbook, which was only revived last year. The bill passed 8-3-2, Yes-NoAbstain.

Next, the Senate discussed emergency resolution SR #8 to “uphold the principles of free speech and expression, and condemn the delayed and insufficient response from campus administration and local law enforcement to protect students from violence on the evening of April 30, 2024 and morning of May 1, 2024 at the University of California, Los Angeles.”

The resolution, co-authored by Senators Jonathan Ng and Binh Do, directly addresses the attack of a proPalestianian encampment by proIsrael counter-protesters who deployed fireworks and caused several injuries, according to reporting from The Daily Bruin.

The Senate spent over an hour looking through the resolution and editing it line by line, with Ng and Do’s acknowledgment that the bill was written quickly and pushed forward in order to address the attacks in a timely fashion.

One proposed amendment clause discussed the attack of a Jewish student which occurred before the encampment attack that evening. Numerous senators expressed concerns that its inclusion and placement at the start of the resolution aligned with a narrative of victim blaming and justification for that night’s encampment.

“I’m very hesitant to add language to this bill that could even imply some justification for this [attack] happening,” Senator Yara Kaadan said. “It was very much racialized”

“When you have two very polarizing movements and things get violent, we have to be very, very particular about how we’re going to phrase this,” Senator Nur Ambaw said. “I’m just not very comfortable with the way it is being phrased right now.”

Senator Klein, who was vocal in either adapting or relocating the clause rather than deleting it altogether, said that the clause was not added with any malice and that it helped establish a chronology of the events.

The amendment was eventually voted on after senators acknowledged that everyone had decided how to vote and was removed.

After looking over final edits and resolving some issues over the sourcing of several pieces of information within the resolution, it was passed unanimously.

During open comment, Senator Chow announced that Senator Leah Jung, who was not present at the meeting, had previously handed in her resignation, effective immediately. Chow expressed the desire that those wishing to resign in the future would give greater notice.

Senator Chow adjourned the meeting at 11:06 p.m.

The registration table outside of the 2024 Student Sustainability Fair at UC Davis. (Courtesy / Student Sustainability)

‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is not what you thought it was

You know how to ball, I know too much about Taylor Swift’s new album

BY MOLLY THOMPSON mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu

Taylor Swift may just be the most known and seen person in America right now, even in the greater Western world. She’s been incredibly central for more than a decade now, and we’ve all watched as she’s navigated her personal and public growth. Her new album “The Tortured Poets Department” is a reflective departure from some of the boundaries that defined her previous bodies of work — she’s able to be more expressive and open than ever.

Swift has cited her storytelling as her niche in the music industry. Her albums are virtual diaries filled with notoriously autobiographical lyrics, and her vulnerability is one of the most enticing facets of her songs. She’s always been vulnerable, but she’s never been more raw than in her newest album. At every point in her career, she’s had something to protect: a relationship, a reputation, her own feelings. Now, she’s been through it all. She’s in a place where she has nothing to lose, so she doesn’t have to try and tailor her writing to “cater to all these vipers dressed in empath’s clothing.” It’s not that she’s so high and mighty that nothing can reach her — it’s that, in the past year, she’s broken out of a six-year relationship, toured the world with record-breaking shows that empirically altered society, released multiple rerecordings of her old masters, had a situationship that gone torn apart by the public, started dating another major American household name and whatever else that she hasn’t shared publicly. She doesn’t have anything that hasn’t been dissected by the media.

“The Tortured Poets Department” is built on the amalgamation of Swift’s portfolio. It’s been compared to her other albums in different ways and for different reasons (one of my personal favorite analogies is the idea that it would be the product of “Lover” and “Folklore” if they were both high), but it’s not a combination; it’s not laterally comparable. It stands apart from her other records in its maturity, it’s a learned older sister of Swift’s other records. It’s got a lot more intrinsic hindsight and retrospection — not in that it knows better, but in that it’s more jaded.

Obviously Taylor Swift has grown up over the past five years, but listening to songs like “London Boy” and “So Long, London” back to back gives that notion an incredibly visceral meaning. “The Tortured Poets Department” looks back on all of the other albums and is comprised of what Swift learned from them and how that manifested in her life and her subsequent relationships.

In anticipation of the new album’s release, the speculative consensus was that the tracklist would focus on Swift’s recent breakup with British actor Joe

Alwyn. And while conclusions about the songs’ content are always assumptions, a greater proportion of the album seems to surround her brief relationship with “The 1975” star Matty Healy. She received a lot of flack for engaging with the controversial singer, and many people guessed that he was nothing more than a superficial fling or a rebound for her. The songs that (allegedly) came out of their relationship suggest a much deeper connection than that though — with lyrics like, “I would’ve died for your sins / Instead, I just died inside,” and “I love you, it’s ruining my life” suggesting a deep, tormenting kind of infatuation that ended when Healy left her: “They just ghosted you / Now you know what it feels like.”

In contrast, the songs referring to Alwyn feel more past-tense. They evoke a sense of closure; she’s put that era of her life to bed. The songs about Healy (and the few about her current boyfriend Travis Kelce) feel much more recent, like the emotions she’s currently dealing with.

A theme that comes up in a few of the songs that reference her tryst with Healy is the role the public plays in her relationship dynamics. Of course, in any relationship that’s in the public eye, unwanted intervention from an audience is going to be a factor, but Healy is a more controversial figure than most of her previous lovers. “But Daddy I Love Him” sends a strong message that puts everyone who felt the need to comment on her choices in their place. She’s telling us all that she’s more than capable of forming her own opinions and judgements of people, and telling her to stop dating someone is unnecessary, uncalled for and inappropriate — “I’ll tell you something about my good name / It’s mine alone to disgrace.” As viewers, we

can truly only see so much. We’re too far away to be able to make judgment calls that have any merit. She even calls back to the earlier point of having nothing to lose with lyrics like, “What if I roll the stone away? / They’re gonna crucify me anyway / What if the way you hold me / Is actually what’s holy?” — essentially denoting that the public is bound to find something to berate her for, so she might as well pursue someone she feels like she loves. One thing that I think goes overlooked are the elements of humor and irony that are woven intrinsically into the tracklist. “I’m havin’ his baby / No, I’m not, but you should see your faces” — that’s so funny. It’s easy to get caught up in her reputation as a poet and a genius lyricist and assume that everything is meant to be taken seriously, but she’s phenomenal at being self-aware and poking fun at herself, her fan base (“All the wine moms are still holdin’ out, but fuck ’em”), her peers and her partners. Even the album’s title is a little overdramatized for the sake of ironic indulgence; Alwyn once mentioned that he was in a “boys” groupchat called “The Tortured Man Club,” and if Swift is evoking a few layers of meaning with this title (as we all know she is apt to do), then it takes on a whole new level of irony. Taylor Swift is hilarious, we need to embrace it.

“The Tortured Poets Department” is catharsis. Swift said, in the lead up to its release, that it was the album she needed to write more than any other. That notion is tangible, you can hear it. She has something to say. It’s beautiful, it’s tormenting, it’s ironic, it’s raw, it’s haunting and it’s loud. It’s dense, and there’s a lot to unpack. It’s a relic that’s come out of so many layers of events and emotions and growth.

The spotlight on women’s sports must be a movement, not a moment

Despite historical and social barriers, female athletes deserve adequate pay and attention

BY CLAIRE SCHAD cfschad@ucdavis.edu

Recently, women’s sports have finally been getting the attention they deserve. Whether it’s the unprecedented viewership of the Women’s NCAA basketball championship or the recent success of the Women’s Professional Hockey League, women in sports have been making headlines around the world. Despite the well-deserved news coverage that athletes like Caitlin Clark and Kamilla Cardoso are receiving, there are still steep discrepancies in the way women are treated in the sports world. At this year’s WNBA draft, Iowa’s Clark was picked first overall by the Indiana Fever, agreeing to a four-year contract with a base salary of $76,535 for her first year in the league. In contrast, last year’s first overall NBA draft pick, Victor Wembanyama, was given a contract by the San Antonio Spurs set to pay him $12.1 million in his rookie season. Even the lowestpaid player in the NBA still makes

over $1 million each year, only further demonstrating the discrepancies.

The glaring difference in compensation for top male and female athletes has left many people criticizing the WNBA for not properly compensating their players. This criticism led the WNBA to clarify that with media partnerships and other league earnings, Clark stands to make about half a million dollars during her rookie season, before considering outside partnerships. Even with Clark’s other WNBA earnings, it’s impossible

Scan to submit your writing or art to our spring quarter literary magazine! The theme is “New Beginnings.” Submissions are open to the public, and will close on May 24. We

Magic Unitrans

BY LANHUI ZHEN lazhen@ucdavis.edu

not to see the extreme difference in compensation compared to those in the NBA. However, it’s not Clark we should be worrying about — as she already signed a contract with Nike featuring a signature shoe that will pay her $28 million over eight years. Rather, it’s the other lesser-known women who have worked just as hard to play professional sports but will never be offered multimillion-dollar partnerships due to a lack of media coverage.

The salaries of female athletes are low due to a number of factors, but at the top of the list is media viewership. Overall, women’s sports bring in far fewer viewers than men’s sports, resulting in much lower revenue. Each year, the WNBA brings in just $60 million in revenue, while the NBA brings in $10 billion. While this steep difference likely results in the much lower salaries of female athletes, it is also important to take a closer look at why the revenues themselves differ so much. Is it solely because the public doesn’t watch women’s sports at the rate they do men’s, or is it something bigger?

The lack of viewership for women’s sports ultimately stems from our society that has, over the course of history, placed more value on the athletics of men than those of women. It wasn’t until relatively recently that women have had the platform to play many sports at the professional level at all. The NBA was founded in 1946, but it wasn’t until 1996 that the WNBA was established. Similarly, while a professional league was established earlier this year, women’s hockey has been struggling to maintain a league for years while the NHL has been thriving for over a century. Even more frustrating is the fact that many sports still don’t have professional women’s leagues available for athletes, causing many to walk away from their sport after college. While it is encouraging that women’s athletics have been gaining popularity and media

coverage in recent years, it is important to look at the societal and historical structures they face. Despite the constant discrepancies, it’s clear that women’s sports can bring in viewership when they are given the platform to do so. The 2024 women’s NCAA basketball tournament brought in an astounding 24 million viewers this spring, more than the men’s tournament. Last year, the women’s World Cup brought in a recordbreaking 1.12 billion viewers.

Encouragingly, viewership for women’s sports is trending upwards, gaining millions of viewers each year. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been able to witness the joy of female athletes gaining the attention they deserve. Whether it’s Clark in the NCAA tournament, Simone Biles in the Olympics or Megan Rapinoe in the World Cup, seeing these women front and center has brought me and millions of others immense joy.

To ensure this trend continues and that little girls around the world see athletes like themselves represented in sports, media and broadcasting, as well as brands, need to step up their commitment to women’s sports. Without investment from large brands and media corporations, women’s sports will continue to struggle to gain the revenue needed to pay their athletes adequately.

On a final note, I encourage you to seek out women’s sports, whether that is on TV, going to see a local professional team or checking out some of our spectacular female Aggie athletes at one of their next home appearances. After all, the female athletes are out there, but they need our support.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

can’t wait to see what you come up with.

OPINION

Admin: Learn from the mistakes and successes of other college encampment protests

BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

As UC Davis joins the ranks of campuses with proPalestinian encampments, admin must choose how respond been set up on our campus, we want to continue the conversation — especially because, as one of the last UCs to join the ranks of the overnight protesters (possibly because we have already passed an ASUCD divestment bill), we should learn from what we’ve seen at other schools.

On the morning of Monday, May 6, Davis Popular University for the Liberation of Palestine (PULP) organizers set up tents and canopies in the center of the Memorial Union Quad to protest in support of Palestine. In doing so, UC Davis joined the list of other colleges across the country with similar encampments — a list that includes nearly every UC campus.

The specific demands have varied across schools, generally centering around the university taking away their investments, or “divesting,” from companies that have ties to Israel. At UC Davis, PULP has a list of five demands, hung outside the entrance to the encampment.

The demands include: the University of California system divesting from Israel a total academic “cultural boycott” investing in Palestine and Arab American studies respect for free speech and “no repression” Chancellor Gary May either resigning as chancellor of the university, or from his position on the executive board of Leidos, a cybersecurity and technology organization that, among other things, works with the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

Last week, we wrote an editorial urging administrators to pay attention to student voices as protests erupted across American college campuses in response to the Israel-Palestine conflict. We acknowledged the complications involved in a university’s response to encampments, while simultaneously encouraging universities to remember and uplift free speech.

Now that an encampment has

At UC Riverside, according to KTLA news, campus leaders and demonstrators successfully reached an agreement to end the encampment after a series of meetings where the demands were discussed, along with feasibility and timelines of action.

On the other side of the coin, at UCLA and other schools, there was ineffectual police activity, from a lack of intervention when violence was instigated by counter protesters to the harassment of peaceful protesters. In addition, student journalists at UCLA were detained by police and counter protesters became violent — more dangerous incidents that moved the campus further to a resolution.

To Chancellor May and administrators: Please, engage in genuine conversation with the protesters, and make an effort to personally, directly hear student voices.

The statement released on May 6, noting that the university “will not discipline students for speech protected by the First Amendment,” and is “actively engaging students,” is a good start. However, the Editorial Board urges you to continuously engage in difficult conversations — especially in-person, face-to-face with student leaders — and make progress toward a solution.

We recognize that conversation doesn’t necessarily mean every one of the encampment demands will be met, and that the university is constantly balancing a variety of student and

BY NIMRA FARHAN

nfarhan@ucdavis.edu

alumni perspectives and demands. But student protesters care about this enough to sleep in the Quad for an indefinite amount of time, and we believe that being willing to engage with them will make a difference in the way the resolution of the demonstration plays out.

We understand the university has policies about encampments. The UC Davis encampment has been peaceful, and includes self-written guidelines. We hope the response of campus security will be proportional and prioritize student safety.

In the midst of these tensions, we acknowledge the nationwide protests have been marred by antisemitic and Islamaphobic events. Regardless of their social and cultural identities, all students should feel safe and welcome on their college campus as they stand up for what they believe in. In the UC Davis encampment’s posted community guidelines, protesters are informed that “no bigotry will be tolerated.” We hope that the protesters, any counter protesters and the UC Davis administration collectively ensure that hate is not a weapon wielded in support of any movement.

Throughout the remainder of the year, The California Aggie will be providing substantial coverage of the encampments, the outcome of the protests and other events related to the conflict. Freedom of assembly is tied to the media’s amplification and explanation of the voices involved. Throughout this encampment, we will strive to serve as a reliable source of news, encourage the administration to act in good faith toward students and provide a platform for all student voices to be represented.

Art is not an equation

The quest for meaning is counterintuitive to art’s true purpose

BY JOAQUIN WATERS jwat@ucdavis.edu

My favorite book I read for my high school English classes was “The Great Gatsby.” I know, I know, basic as heck, right? But hear me out. Most analyses of the book focus on the titular Gatsby, and the ways in which his rise and fall serve as an analogy for the illusory nature of the American Dream. But reading it myself, I was more interested in the POV character Nick, and the

a thousand different classes: find the meaning. Write it down. Repeat it on the test. Never think of it again. As if art is an equation, with a single variable to be accounted for that will shed light on everything once we uncover it. I half expect to see this on the whiteboards of half of all art classes: “Politics - Spirituality + x = ‘The Great Gatsby.’ Solve for x, and if your answer is anything but ‘The American Dream,’ you will fail this class.”

As an English major, perhaps it does not behoove me to be saying this.

of the viewer. Some people look at the Mona Lisa and see nothing more than an unflattering portrait. Other people watch a Bugs Bunny cartoon and come away with a thesis about cultural appropriation and homoeroticism in modern America. We should not chastise people for seeing these things; we should not reject them as the “wrong” ways to look at these pieces. We should encourage them, add them to the great big pile of interpretations. Curiosity is crucial not just to art but to academia. Yet too often its early stages

ways in which his interactions with the narrative say something about human connection — and the lack thereof — in circles of wealth. There’s a lot to unpack about that character: from how and why he allows his life to become the stage for someone else’s drama to moments of (in my reading, quite obvious) homoeroticism. So, I was disappointed when, despite my promptings, absolutely none of that was discussed in class. Instead, we simply parroted the same old interpretations about America and the pursuit of a goal. Then we proceeded to jot them all down in our composition notebooks and restated them in the quiz that Friday, and that was the end of it. This is not to downplay these conventional interpretations of the novel; they are widely discussed for a reason. But I believe this unwillingness to engage in less-discussed interpretations is a symptom of a wider “to the test” way of teaching art. We all know the drill — we’ve been through it a thousand times in

After all, overanalyzing things is kind of our whole deal. But I can’t help but notice a pattern in literature classes (not all, but some) that ascribes, even subconsciously, “right” and “wrong” meanings to all pieces of writing. On some level I understand this; authorial intent is always important to keep in mind. But treating a book or a painting or a film as something to unlock rather than experience makes art so dull. It sucks all of the playfulness out of art, all of the irreverence that is so crucial to making it. Uncovering the One True Meaning of a text tells students, “Okay, that’s it. We solved it. Now put it back on the shelf, and let’s move on to the next thing.” Art is not mechanical like this — it is vitally alive, and like any living thing, it has so many depths and facets that it does not readily show. Art is, by its very nature, purposeless. It’s not an equation, it’s not a recipe, it’s a great big mirror through which human beings project their own purpose. A work of art has meaning not in itself, but in what is reflected back in the eyes

are defined by a gatekeeping kind of incuriosity to a fundamentally curious medium.

In no way do I mean to suggest this is rampantly true of every art class I have ever taken. I have had plenty of professors who encourage creativity and do the exact opposite of what I have discussed here. But that just makes the negative examples stand out more. Every time I come across a joyless, mathematical approach to a joyous, messy medium, it just makes me sad. There is no One True Meaning. There are as many ways to read “The Great Gatsby” as there are people on this Earth, and that is what makes it a classic. Only bad books can be so simply reduced.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by individual columnists belong to the columnists alone and do not necessarily indicate the views and opinions held by The California Aggie.

ARTS & CULTURE

Fashion ideas to brighten up your springtime wardrobe

This spring, browse some new ideas for your daily outfits

BY NATALIE SALTER ncsalter@theaggie.org

Springtime is upon us, and with the change of seasons comes a new environment to get dressed up for. With temperatures ranging from delightfully cool to pleasantly warm, spring offers a variety of conditions that allow plenty of unique fashion choices to shine. If you are looking to do some spring shopping to freshen up your wardrobe or want to play around with what you already have, here is some inspiration for what looks will shine during this season.

It’s hard to beat the classics when it comes to fashion trends, and as always, floral prints will stand the test of time for yet another spring. The light, yet memorable design of these flowering pieces emulates the lively bloom of the season and brings us closer to nature. A simple floral dress or top can stand out on its own and bring an outfit to life, and there’s no better time to don flowers than during the months when they are blossoming to the fullest.

Beyond just florals, spring is the perfect time to play around with whimsical and delightful prints and patterns. Gingham is a great style for the season; likewise, if you’re fond of more playful looks, try a piece patterned with fairies, fruits, cats or anything else that’s youthful and fun. After all, springtime is associated with childlike innocence and delight, so there is no better time to open your imagination and try daringly adorable styles.

You might want to save your most saturated colors for summer, as springtime fashion thrives in the realm of pastels and neutrals. A simple white blouse paired with denim jeans or overalls is a sweetly simple look and proves that you do not need to overcomplicate your styles. Consider taking notes from the natural colors of the season: pale greens, pinks, purples, blues and cream shades evoke the lovely sights of a flower garden and pair well together in any combination. Do not

be afraid to get creative with these mashups! Playing around with the pretty colors available in your closet may give you unexpectedly wonderful looks. For chillier springtime days, consider a cardigan with a cute top or a neutral-toned jacket you are fond of. Spring’s generally warmer weather conditions mean that layering is no longer strictly necessary to create an outfit that is both cute and comfortable, but that should not stop you from playing around with the lighter layering pieces you have available to you. Your shoes deserve just as much attention when putting together your outfits! If you have a pair of chunky dark shoes such as Doc Martens to spare, try experimenting with their existing look by replacing their shoelaces with ribbons of your favorite color. Floralprinted Converse, pastel ballet flats and natural sandals are other cute ideas to

accentuate your look. Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors and styles to craft a look that is memorable and unique.

Lastly, one of the best ways to bring an outfit to the next level is to accessorize. On a sunny day, consider donning a shaded hat to protect yourself while also brightening your entire ensemble. If you are partial to jewelry, rings and necklaces are always a reliable styling tool; a pretty heart locket or flower-shaped ring fits the energy of spring flawlessly. Consider taking a shopping trip or going through your current closet to maximize your styles for this season. The most important part of dressing up is to have fun, and spring is the perfect time to embrace the most lovely and whimsical of fashions.

Take a drive down California’s Pacific Coast Highway One

A brief history and guide to some of the historical landmarks along the U.S.’s westernmost highway

BY SAVANNAH BURGER arts@theaggie.org

Stretching 656 miles and connecting the coastal redwoods of Northern California to the sandy beaches of Southern California, is SR 1, otherwise known as the California Pacific Coast Highway, the PCH, the Redwood Highway, the Cabrillo Highway, the Shoreline Highway, Highway One or simply just “The One.” It is the longest road in all of California and only second in length in the whole country to Montana Highway 200. While hugging the cliffs of the coast and bordering on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, Highway One has views that can be captured by no other road. Not only this, but driving on any section of it in California almost guarantees driving past some sort of amazing or interesting historic landmark. Although, it’s important to be careful as it is known to be quite windy and only has two narrow lanes. It’s been that way ever since it’s been built. Over a hundred years ago in the year of 1919, construction on California’s famous Pacific Coast Highway One began. The most impactful call for the making of the highway came from John L.D. Roberts, M.D. He found that it took hours to reach patients in need who were just up the coast.

As the highway was being constructed, millions of California taxpayer’s dollars funded the completion of the road. The majority of the construction was executed by the prisoners of the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, then known as San Quentin State Prison, in return for reduced sentences and a whopping 35¢ a day. Many California locals also worked on the highway, with the most notable of them being the famous author of books such as “Of Mice and Men” and “The Grapes of Wrath,” John Steinbeck.

The highway was finally completed in 1937 after millions of cubic yards of rock were blown away with 70,000 pounds worth of dynamite sticks. Limestone was then smelted down and reused for making the concrete of the paved road. 33 bridges also came out of the construction. Although improvements to the road are always ongoing, with the greatest threat to its constitution being landslides, anyone who wants to experience once-in-alifetime views and memorable, historical road stops should consider taking a drive.

Highway One has so much to offer in terms of must-see excursions right along the road. Other than access to seemingly endless California beaches, marine wildlife and coastal vegetation as

a part of the California Coastal National Monument, the road also boasts close access to a myriad of historical locations and landmarks.

To start off with a few locations from the southern half of the state, Highway One goes right through Huntington Beach. There, you can not only have fun in the sun, but also check out the world’s only international surfing museum, the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum. While you’re down there, Highway One runs right next to Long Beach’s Queen Mary, the 1930s ocean liner from Scotland turned historic landmark and an allegedly haunted hotel.

Moving north, the road carves through major California cities such as Los Angeles, Malibu and Santa Barbara. In San Luis Obispo, Highway One runs through the famous Pismo Beach. Morro Bay, just north of San Luis Obispo, is also a great stop for the Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Rock Beach and Morro Bay State Park.

San Simeon is also a good place to travel a short distance from the coast to visit the grand Hearst Castle, a historic mansion built between 1919 and 1947 that belonged to the newspaper publisher, William Randolph Hearst.

What’s a Highway One trip without going through Big Sur, enjoying the Point Sur State Historic Park, and driving over the picturesque Bixby Creek Bridge? You’ll cross it on your way to Carmel-by-the-Sea and Monterey Bay. The Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the world’s most famous aquariums, is a must-see. The highway then runs through Santa Cruz and into the iconic Half-Moon Bay, marking its transition into redwood territory. Be sure to check out the Big Basin Redwoods State Park and Pigeon Point Light Station State

BY SAVANNAH ANNO and ALYSSA CREVOISERAT arts@theaggie.org

Album: “Older” by Lizzy McAlpine (2024)

Alyssa: Lizzy McAlpine grapples with the passage of time and the impossibility of change in her third studio album “Older,” released on April 5, 2024. The instrumental build-ups, gentle humming and piano solos are woven between the lyrics of each song and come together to make this McAlpine’s most raw work to date. One of my favorite aspects of McAlpine’s writing is her storytelling — with songs like “Drunk, Running” and “Come Down Soon,” the descriptive imagery leaves listeners feeling like the relationships and heartbreak are their own. Notably, “You Forced Me To” details the guilt and pain of a one-sided relationship with haunting vocals and a layered piano composition. It is the only version of the song to exist — recorded as a demo and never changed — and almost didn’t make the cut for the album’s 14 tracks. This album has something for everyone: a college student who misses home (“Older”), a people pleaser who always lingers for too long (“Staying”) or just someone who wants to hear a good saxophone outro (“All Falls Down”). McAlpine’s newest album is all about uncovering who we are underneath layers of emotional setbacks, destructive relationships and the fear of being someone who can’t love at full capacity. If you’re looking for new music that feels like a lakeside cabin, early mornings and lonely walks, add “Older” to your list.

Savannah: Going into the concert only knowing the lyrics to “Ceilings.” (Kidding, my favorite song off of the album is “Vortex”).

Movie: “Challengers” dir. Luca Guadagnino (2024)

Savannah: The number of audible gasps I let out during this movie was at least 20… each scene. If you still haven’t heard, “Challengers” follows a 10-year triangle between three pro-level tennis players. Was it a love triangle? Who knows. Director Luca Guadagnino, whose filmography includes “Bones and All” and “Call Me by Your Name,” is known for his unique portrayals of romance: raw, gritty and all-consuming. In the film, best friends Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig find themselves drawn to tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan at the 2006 Junior US Open. Switching between the trio’s shared history as they grow into adulthood and an intense present-day match between the two men, viewers are left wondering what’s more strategic: their strategies for winning on, or off the court? Sexy, ruthless Tashi plays coach to the seemingly sensitive Art as he competes against Patrick’s undeniable charm in the biggest sports match of the year — including the real-life ones.

Alyssa: I love tennis.

Book: “Funny Story” by Emily Henry (2024)

Alyssa: In the interest of branching out from my fantasy novel obsession, I picked up my first Emily Henry book back in February. More like women’s fiction than romance novels, Henry’s books take commonly used tropes — rivals to lovers, second chance and forced proximity — from their sometimes overused, cliche status to a borderline tear jerker. Now, fake dating takes center stage in “Funny Story” where children’s librarian Daphne and jack-of-all-trades Miles are both unceremoniously dumped by their respective partners. Daphne and Peter met through a twisted version of a meet-cute: a flying summer hat and a garbagecan fall, a story that Peter always loved to tell. About to be wed, Daphne was assured that his childhood best friend Petra (Miles’ girlfriend) was nothing to worry about — that is, until she wasn’t. With nowhere else to go, Daphne moves in with Miles, and the two decide to stop wallowing in the shared misery of their heartbreaks. As readers unravel Miles’ sunny disposition and Daphne’s reserved and practical lifestyle, they are met with a story of rekindling long-buried relationships, building unexpected female friendships and finding a home in yourself, no matter where you are. “Funny Story” certifies Henry as one of the top authors of her genre and is the perfect spring romance if you’re looking to kick your feet, laugh and cry alongside Daphne.

Savannah: I’m still on page 62 of “Book Lovers”... and have been since March. My current read is “Massacre in Mexico” by journalist Elena Poniatowska, which you can also pick up for some variety.

Alyssa: Pretentious.

TV Show: “The Girls on the Bus” by Amy Chozick and Julie Plec (2024)

Historic Park, which has the tallest lighthouse in California.

Highway One then shoots right through San Francisco, going through the Sunset District, Golden Gate Park, Richmond District and Presidio, the city’s national park. After crossing the Golden Gate Bridge, it traverses to Marin County, home of the breathtaking Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Muir Woods National Monument. Before leaving Marin, make sure to check out Point Reyes National Seashore and visit the Point Reyes Lighthouse for a chance to spy some elephant seals. In Sonoma County, the road continues through Bodega Bay, the shooting location of Alfred Hitchcock’s infamous film, “The Birds.” The bay is also the home to UC Davis’s Bodega Marin Laboratory. Further up is the Fort Ross State Historic Park, the last Russian settlement in the United States. Just a turn off from the highway, you can walk into all of the buildings in the fort, which are made entirely of redwood. Beyond Sonoma County, the highway traverses into Mendocino County, which boasts the unique Schooner Gulch State (Bowling Ball) and Glass Beaches. This is the last county Highway One stretches to, and it then ends by joining Highway 101.

If you’re looking for a quality coastal road trip, Highway One is incomparable. Connecting the north and south, all California locals and visitors can head west and take a trip to the coast, breathe in the Pacific air and enjoy the windy, two-lane road that is California’s Pacific Coast Highway.

Savannah: We were, of course, drawn to this TV show because of its focus on journalism. More specifically, because of Melissa Benoist — star of middle-school favorites like “Glee” and “Supergirl” — as lead character Sadie McCarthy. Based on a true story, “The Girls on the Bus” shines a light on four different female reporters as they follow the campaign trail of the country’s lead presidential candidates. McCarthy, a witty political writer for the show’s version of The New York Times, is joined by seasoned, legendary journalist Grace Gordon, Gen-Z activist Lola Rahaii and conservative news reporter Kimberlyn Kendrick. Despite their differences, the four are ultimately forced to come together in order to save the country from an unfit presidential candidate. As they investigate sex scandals, financial fraud and ulterior motives, the women form an unlikely friendship, motivated by their collective need to deliver the right news to voters. Despite the more serious political drama — and the parallels to our current political state that are almost a little too on the nose — writers Chozick and Plec are able to keep the show lighthearted and laughable with sharp sarcasm, ridiculous scenarios and funny skits, like McCarthy imagining the presidential candidates on “The Bachelor.”

Alyssa: They mention the copy desk at least once.

BY EMMA LAPIDUS eblapidus@ucdavis.edu

1 or

1 runs along most of the Pacific Coastline of California. The north end is near Leggett, and the south end meets the 1-5 in SoCal. (Courtesy of Gabriel Greca / fair use)

Review: A review of MandRo Teahouse

Customers share their experiences and favorite sweet treats

BY LORENA ALVAREZ arts@theaggie.org

MandRo Teahouse, a Taiwanese style milk tea shop located in Westlake Plaza, is the ideal spot for refreshing treats in Davis. Their menu has something for everyone, from boba milk teas to their popular Bingsoo shaved ice and plenty of space and board games to spend time with friends. For those who want to take in the nice weather, MandRo offers ice bags, ensuring that customers can take their desserts to go if they wish to do so.

Their hours of operation, 12:30 to 11 p.m., make their desserts and drinks the perfect refreshing midday or late-night snacks. They have a 4.9/5 rating on Doordash, with over 2,900 reviews, many of which fawn over their strawberry, mango and chocolate Bingsoo.

When asked what sets this teahouse apart from others, Angela Feng, UC Davis alumna and dietitian nutritionist, commented on the shop’s milky taro.

“The taro is real,” Feng said.

“Usually in other boba shops, they use artificial taro powder. This one tastes like you’re drinking taro puree.” Feng expanded on her comment, noting that it is her go-to establishment when visiting Davis.

“It’s the only boba place I would go to if I was in Davis, for sure,” Feng said.

That said, Feng did note her disappointment with the order she received after requesting less ice.

“I asked for less ice and my cup was not filled all the way,” Feng said. “[Given the price] I don’t think they should put less liquid in the drinks when people ask for less ice.”

Kyra Kawamoto, an educator at the Marine Mammal Center, added to the conversation, noting that they charge extra for substitutions and addons.

“Price wise I think it’s on par,”

Kawamoto said. “But once you add stuff, like for me I have to drink soy milk, [it can quickly become expensive]. And then if you want boba, that’s over $8 [total]. And I feel like toppings can really send it over, especially if it’s not a very big portion.”

While providing her drink

Which Donna Tartt novel is her definitive work?

Examining the author’s body of work and the diversity it contains

BY JULIE HUANG

arts@theaggie.org

Donna Tartt’s body of work remains enigmatic no matter how many times one goes back to revisit it. Having penned three novels across three decades, Tartt’s characters are often the highlight of her books, jumping off the page with every detail that she adds and forming vivid portraits that color the impressions readers are left with. Yet every portrait is clearly distinct, as none of her three novels overlap much in setting and circumstances. From rich college kids engaging in questionable acts, a lonely twelve-year-old girl in Mississippi and a boy in New York City whose life is uprooted following a catastrophic accident, Tartt’s protagonists seem to occupy different spaces within her body of work.

“The Secret History” (1992)

“The Secret History” is known among online circles, especially some parts of TikTok, for being a “dark academia” thriller that doubles as a complex character study of arrogant college students. In essence, the protagonist Richard Papen falls in with a group of beautiful, wealthy and enviable classics majors who have a lot of free time and not as many morals. Richard, as an outsider brought into that inner circle, is able to give a unique account of their strange doings with a perspective that no one else can hold, and Tartt masterfully explores his reverent but uneasy attitude toward his elevated peers. Although the novel is now decades old, “The Secret History” has become and remains for many the novel that they envision when they think of the scandal, intrigue

and moral deterioration associated with dark academia and its related aesthetics. Although placing such a simple label on the novel may distill some of its nuance, it also makes the book palatable to a wider audience, a strength that helps it outshine Tartt’s next work in the public eye.

“The Little Friend” (2002) Perhaps Tartt’s most intimate work, “The Little Friend” is her least known and least acclaimed novel. It follows twelve-year-old Harriet Dufresnes in 1970s Mississippi as she imagines herself a worthy detective on the hunt for her older brother’s very real murderer. The murder, having happened years before, haunts the narrative and looms like a shadow over Harriet’s upbringing and growth from child to adolescent. Far from the thrill that “The Secret History” does so well, “The Little Friend” is slow and unsettling, revealing itself not as a plot-driven tale of suspense, but rather a nuanced study of the human mind. With such an all-encompassing subject as its centerpiece, it is no wonder that “The Little Friend” ends up being too lengthy and verbose for many readers. Still, despite being less positively received than her other works, one can tell that Mississippi native Tartt takes painstaking care to stay true to the details of her birthplace in her writing, granting a clear sense of authorial affection to her sophomore work.

“The Goldfinch” (2013) As a Pulitzer Prize winner, “The Goldfinch” is perhaps Tartt’s most well-known and critically acclaimed novel, even having been adapted into a film of the same name. Its protagonist, Theo Decker, has been called Dickensian due to both his parental status and the desperate, strange life that he leads, 14 years of which are followed throughout nearly 800 pages. Although longer than “The Little Friend” by a significant amount, “The Goldfinch” also differs in that it changes settings and scenes quite frequently. Characters within the narrative come and go, and these changes feel reminiscent of real life, breathing fresh air into pages that might otherwise feel too heavy to bear.

recommendation, Kawamoto noted its superior quality.

“I think any of their fruity or premium drinks are quite good,” Kawamoto said. “Instead of it being like a chain place where it’s kind of like a gritty or a less consistent drink or texture, here it tastes quite good.”

When asked if she would like to add anything, Kawamoto commented on the limited contact between customers and employees.

“I feel like the service can be hit or miss,” Kawamoto said. “You don’t really interact with any of the workers aside from them calling you [to pick up your order]. I think [having] one tablet [to order off of] is okay, but if there’s a long line, it’s not.”

She concluded her review by noting the shop’s atmosphere.

“MandRo is quite spacious and seems like a hotspot,” Kawamoto said. “I think it’s also great that they offer desserts [like bingsoo], not just drinks.”

Providing another opinion about the space, Natalie Hak, a secondyear psychology major, noted the establishment’s lighting.

“I don’t like their interior because of the lighting,” Hak said. “It’s really stark white and not inviting. [But] they are open pretty late. So if you are studying quite late and you want a treat you can go there.” While Hak is not drawn to MandRo’s interior, she noted that they have items that she cannot find elsewhere.

“The mango sago is my go-to order,” Hak said. “It’s really rich, but not overwhelming and it’s also really refreshing. It’s a drink I can’t really find anywhere else, so I go to MandRo.” MandRo Teahouse’s menu items and board game options create an entertaining space for students away from school and work. For those who want to enjoy the spring season without experiencing the seasonal allergies that come with the outdoors, MandRo Teahouse has a wall-length sliding door, adding a touch of nature to the otherwise populated space.

Try these campus bites between classes

Whether students are looking for a quick bite to eat before class or a fulfilling meal, on-campus restaurants offer that and more

BY ELIZABETH WOODHALL arts@theaggie.org

Spring quarter marks the end of the school year for many students. Not only are allergies at an all-time high, but the sun seems to beam a little too bright if you’re walking outside trying to catch your next class. Spring serves as the season between the cold, dark winter and the soon-to-be relaxing summer, so if you’re a student in the quarter system, you know that it’s hard to push through these last few weeks. If you’re someone who doesn’t pack lunch — or does pack lunch but completely forgets it while rushing to catch the bus — you know that campus food is an acquired taste. There are some spots that guarantee a satisfying meal, while others will leave you wishing you had just brought your own. When it comes to spring quarter, students are trying to get a refreshing bite to alleviate both the stress from dreadful midterms and the hot weather. Whether it’s getting an airy and light crepe from Crepe Bistro at the Silo or going to the Coffee House Swirlz Bakery for a drink, spring quarter food can serve as a nice reminder of the end of the school year. With three salads to choose from and several toppings to pick, the

meals at The Gunrock prove to be a delightful option for anyone trying to get their vegetables in for the day. Not only are the ingredients fresh and light, but the extra protein choices — bulgogi beef, birria and grilled chicken — serve as a satisfying and inexpensive option. They’re open from Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and have a discount of 20% for all meals from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. every weekday. If you’re not craving a salad, definitely check out their nachos or fries. Crepe Bistro at the Silo is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., so there are sweet and savory options available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Ranging from $6.95 to $12.50, there’s an option for everyone. Banana Nutella is my favorite and is accompanied by a big dollop of whipped cream — a nice balance of sweet and creamy. Silo Market Boar’s Head Deli Sandwiches have a variety of options for students looking for a fulfilling sandwich. With many rolls, proteins, cheeses and sauces to choose from, students can customize to their liking. Additionally, a fountain drink and

a bag of chips are available with the sandwich if they wish to upgrade to a combo. Their vegetable options are fresh, satisfying a craving for something easy and green. Of all the options on campus, Boar’s Head Deli is the only restaurant on-campus that accepts EBT (if you ask for a cold sandwich).

Need something nutritious to drink while you’re walking to class?

Look no further than the smoothie lab located at the Coffee House Swirlz. They offer many smoothies to pick from, and all are made on the spot and have several protein and milk options. A smoothie hits the spot during a warm day, and maybe you’re not looking to have a full meal just yet, so this will be the perfect spot. On-campus food is an integral part of a student’s spring quarter success. It’s as easy as getting a coffee from Peet’s with friends or grabbing a meal before a scary midterm. With many on-campus options to choose from, students can have a nutritious and balanced meal before they gear up for the rest of the quarter.

Drake versus Kendrick Lamar: did Drake really outdo Kendrick with ‘Push Ups’?

This war of words has the two rappers releasing new music at a rapid pace

BY SOFIA BOZZO

arts@theaggie.org

If you are a fan of rap — or just music in general — it’s quite possible you have heard something about the recent commotion surrounding Drake and Kendrick Lamar. If not, this article serves to guide you through the complex turbulence that looms over the two superstars. Lamar was born and raised in Compton, California, rising to fame as a young artist during the early 2010s. He gained major traction within the rap community in 2011 when he was featured on Drake’s “Take Care” album. From that point, Lamar was regularly found drifting around the top of the Billboard music charts. About a year before, a young actorturned-rapper from Canada hit the top of the charts with his 2009 single, “Best I Ever Had.” Drake has become one of the most iconic rappers of the 21st century, producing countless hits and winning five Grammys along the way. The two rappers share the title of

members of the “Big Three,” a term used in the music community to describe the three best rappers of our time: Lamar, Drake and J. Cole. “A decade ago, three rappers emerged at the top of their class,” Complex Magazine said. “Today, they’re each still on top of the game, and they’ve done it on their own terms. It’s why they’re referred to by many as the ‘Big 3’ of their class.”

Despite sharing a role at the top, the title of “Big Three” may be the only thing they have in common. What began as a seemingly productive artistic relationship in 2010 has since become a major rivalry with one another, coming to a head on March 24, 2024 when Metro Boomin and Future dropped their new album, “We Don’t Trust You.” The album’s biggest hit, “Like That,” features Lamar and has gained a striking 213 million listens and climbing on Spotify. The beat is ultra-dynamic, and the verse is extremely catchy — yet the song’s striking popularity is only rendered fully understandable about halfway

through the song when Lamar begins his feature. The feature is wrought with disses almost exclusively targeted at Drake. Lamar attacks Drake, stating “Motherfuck the big three [...] it’s just big me.”

Two weeks later, as expected, Drake released “Push Ups,” a single with cover art of Lamar’s notoriously small shoe size on the front. If that wasn’t explicit enough, Drake goes on to attack every ounce of Lamar’s career.

“You ain’t in no big three, SZA got you wiped down, Travis got you wiped down, Savage got you wiped down,” the lyrics read.

The beat is generic and re-used, while the verse feels like a half-baked response for the sake of the traditional clap-back. Additionally, Drake released a song called “Taylor Made Freestyle” directly before “Push Ups,” featuring the voices of West Coast legends Snoop Dogg and Tupac using artificial intelligence (AI), dissing Lamar as having disrespected the West Coast rap scene. The use of AI in music faces a

major ethical dilemma. Music is about self-expression and one’s own voice. By inserting the presumed notions of other rappers into Drake’s own conflict with Lamar, Drake cedes his artistic voice. Was the use of AI in Drake’s response a clever way to diss Lamar, or did it make him look weak and unoriginal?

In navigating the obvious question of who “won” this intense hostility between the superstars, the quality over mere reaction was enough to light up the top charts. While Drake

responded extremely quickly, and with some clever jabs at Lamar, ultimately the latter allows the purpose of

to remain intact. Let’s face it — Drake may have clapped back in a form only he is capable of, however, his dull verse and lackluster beat, coupled with his ethically shaky use of AI was at best mediocre. If you haven’t already, go listen to both tracks, and make up your own mind about the emerging beef between the two

and

MandRo Teahouse serves a variety of desserts like Bingsoo and boba. (Jenna Lee / Aggie)

The Silo offers a variety of food truck options for students. New trucks are offered each day, which students can find on the Student Housing and Dining Services website. (Andrew Huang / Aggie)

Kendrick Lamar releases “Euphoria” and “Meet the Grahams” (left) in response to Drake (right), continuing their public diss track feud.

(Courtesy of Billboard / fair use)

California Duck Days Festival returns for another year

The Yolo Basin Foundation held its annual festival at the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area headquarters

BY HANNAH SCHRADER city@theaggie.org

The Yolo Basin Foundation celebrated local Northern California wildlife once again at its California Duck Days Festival on April 27. The festival featured a variety of activities, including wetland arts and crafts, live animals and interactive exhibits.

The California Duck Days Festival is a family-oriented event that seeks to educate children on the natural environment and wildlife in the Sacramento area. Festival goers built wooden duck boxes to create nesting opportunities, discovered invertebrate life living in wetland ponds and dissected owl pellets. Over 20 local environmental organizations were in attendance at the event.

The Yolo Basin Foundation was founded in 1990 after the Yolo Basin Working Group held a meeting that brought together local landowners and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to discuss the proposal for the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. Since then, the foundation has continued bringing landowners, organizations and people together to protect thousands of acres of wetland.

Jan Smutny-Jones, the chairperson of the Yolo Basin Foundation, talked about the mission behind the Duck Days Festival.

the years is the enthusiasm that the children bring [to the festival],” Smutny-Jones said. “Wandering from table to table to get little stamps.”

Lindsay Weston, the vice chairperson of the Yolo Basin Foundation, talked about how the festival originally started.

“It started about 25 years ago, and it used to be over at the Veterans Memorial Center,” Weston said. “It was a three-day event, and there were a lot of field trips into the area to look at the rafters and into the wildlife area. And over time, it’s morphed — especially with COVID, the huge changes brought by COVID — that now it is really oriented to families and [is] a [...] day-long event where there are all these hands-on activities.” Weston then spoke about what she was most looking forward to at the festival this year.

“It’s really fun to see the enthusiasm and the awe that is generated when children get to hold baby ducklings or when they get to paint the duck decoys or when the kids look at the bats close up,” Weston said.

According to Siya Pun, a third-year cognitive science major and EC unit director, Lawntopia would not have been possible without the passing of SB #41 which allocated $469,075.63 to the event.

Pun expanded on the importance of the bill for Lawntopia, and what more funding can mean for future EC events.

“This year was the first year where we were able to pay [student performers] quite a lot,” Pun said. “I think a lot of people are unaware of the costs that go into event planning, specifically concerts on campus. I think in the future, we really want to improve other aspects of the event. We don’t want to entirely tie a lot of money to talent buying, we want to invest in having cool activities throughout the event.”

Pun discussed the possibility of including a fee referendum for future EC events, which is a tactic that many other UC entertainment councils use for funding.

More funding could mean bringing back old traditions such as a mechanical bull at Lawntopia, or even just allowing a wider variety of events such as comedy shows and cinema screenings, according to Pun.

Thamilseran expressed her gratitude for all of the volunteers who worked on setting up the event, and expanded on the overall success of Lawntopia as a whole.

“I feel like this year more than ever Lawntopia had such a big impact,” Thamilseran said. “It was insane how everyone was willing to fight with us for this bill, and to have this event was incredible [and] really made us feel supported as a team. I love that the student body is always willing to come out to our events. It was genuinely one of the best experiences I’ve had in college.”

Matilda Hallowell, a third-year human development major and student firefighter, explained what she has gained from working at the station.

“The program provides the opportunity for students to actually prepare themselves for job experience, unlike a lot of on-campus clubs and organizations,” Hallowell said. “Many other on-campus opportunities give students the chance to be an employee, but many don’t provide direct hands-on experience in the field you’re interested in. Being able to actually respond to 911 calls and being able to actually work on an engine is a really unique part of the program.” Now, over a century since the station’s inception, the program remains intact as a way for interested students to gain hands-on experience fighting fires. Career firefighters are also hired to act as mentors to the students, a tradition that began in 1955. Six to seven career firefighters are always on call at the station and are prepared to help students with any necessary tasks.

Firefighter Gerrit Dykzeul, one of the career firefighters at Station 34, commented on the station’s tight-knit community and the important life skills learned through the program.

“It’s not just about the fire service; it’s building these leadership skills, setting good foundations and preparing us for the world beyond, whether you choose to work in the fire service or not,” Dykzeul said. “It’s also huge to have such a good sense of community and culture that we grant here. It’s very rewarding for me now in a supervisor role; I get to see where these students go, hear good things about them from

The Close Encounters with Ducklings Exhibit held at the Davis Duck Days Festival. (Summer Sueki / Aggie) hopefully creating another generation of people who are environmentally conscious and pay attention to things [...] That’s what you’ll see if you come out on Saturday: all those kids running

around in our education program.”

“I feel it’s very important that children get exposed to the outdoors, to the way the world works and to how these different systems operate,” Smutny-Jones said. “And so we’re

other departments and see the impact that they make on other students in the community.”

Whether or not you’re interested in becoming a part of the SFF program, consider going out to support them on May 11 at their pancake breakfast event.

It encourages community involvement, helps a charitable cause and is a surefire way to get a “taste” of the student firefighter program.

The tanks capture 100% of water, and up to 90% is recycled. While 120 gallons hit a car during a wash, nearly 100 gallons are saved through the recycling system.

To put this into perspective, using a garden hose for five to eight minutes emits more water than the entire process at Sunny’s. The business’ green initiative and investment in water reclamation is extremely efficient in Lyon’s vision.

“Water isn’t cheap, and it won’t get cheaper,” Lyon said.

Every aspect, from architecture to landscaping, was designed to prioritize eco-friendliness and energy efficiency.

Notable features include solar panel roofing and air-powered brushes and vacuums.

To Lyon, the sun logo embodies the cheerful experience of visiting the car wash on a warm day and fits the eco-friendly theme. Sunny’s gets its name from Lyon’s yellow labrador, Sunny, and pays homage to his father.

“My dad was a huge part of this project for me,” Lyon said. “Everything from securing funding to working through entitlements, all of it. My dad was like, ‘You’re my son, and it’s yours, so it became Sunny’s.’”

The car wash offers several selective membership options. The Sunny’s Shine Club provides unlimited car washes starting at just $20 a month, with the premium “SPF 50” package offering unlimited access to all services for $40 a month. Members can add up to four vehicles to one plan for an additional $20 per vehicle, making it cost-effective for frequent washers.

Sunny’s is currently offering limited services for its grand opening, inviting people to enjoy free car washes for the first 10 days, beginning May 3.

Additionally, if you sign up for Sunny’s Shine Club now, the first month of membership is just $10, and you can add extra vehicles at the same discounted rate.

The novel has been lauded as a feat of storytelling, and yet it remains difficult to summarize the immense range of the places and people that it features.

Ultimately, choosing the best novel from among these three may be a pointless endeavor. It is difficult to point to any one of them and accurately claim that it sums up the entirety of Tartt’s career, as they all cover very different ground in terms of character arcs, setting and plot. The most significant common thread that can be traced among these distinct novels is the attention to detail and devotion to vivid, humanistic storytelling that Tartt embodies.

other and support each other when we need a musician or something,” Avila said.

“There’s also a number of venues that promote local music in Davis. That’s something we appreciate too.”

When the band started, every member proposed two songs for them to play, and they still play some of those original songs today. Now, they also write originals and are working on recording and sharing their music.

Miranda explained the band’s process of writing their own music, referring specifically to the two singles they have released.

“Both of the songs were poems that I recite,” Miranda said. “Then [the band] comes [in] and everybody puts their flavor to it. [It’s a] pretty open process.”

They will be releasing a new single in the next two months and have a goal of recording four more before the end of the year, according to Avila, who is in charge of their recording process. All of the proceeds from their recent live shows have gone toward funding their recording process, and they will continue this practice in order to get their music up on streaming platforms.

“Come to the shows! That’s how you help us a lot,” Miranda said.

Bomba Fried Rice is playing at the Whole Earth Festival on May 11 at 8 p.m. on the Cedar Stage. Find more information about their upcoming shows through their website, bombafriedrice.com, or their Instagram, @bombafriedrice. Stream their music on Spotify or Apple Music.

In addition to visiting, Breaking Barriers also employs different ways to connect with the elders. This includes volunteers being matched up with senior participants as pen pals, as well as technology tutoring and workshops where volunteers teach seniors new skills that will be useful to them for connecting with others online and for the workforce.

“When we do one-on-one tutoring, it’s usually older adults who are trying to learn technology skills that will help them out in the workforce,” Gokulnatha said. “So, like, learning Excel, PowerPoint or things like that. Anything that’s more specifically geared toward the workforce because these are the new skills that you need to know.”

Michelle Chan, the external vice president of Breaking Barriers and second-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, shared that since not every facility visit is structured around teaching technology, sometimes it’s more about connecting in real time.

“For visits where we go to nursing homes, a lot of times those older adults are diagnosed with conditions,” Chan said. “So, their main goal isn’t really to learn about technology. Our volunteers focus on accompanying them, talking to them and bridging that social connection. The point is to get them talking to college students. A lot of them are interested in what we’re doing as well, because it reminds them of themselves when they were younger.”

Volunteering for an organization that aims to connect generations creates a rewarding experience and reminds you that it’s all worth it, according to club members. Gokulnatha discussed her grateful connection to one of their senior participants, Jack — a big supporter of the Breaking Barriers club.

“He’s a Black man, and he grew up in Texas,” Gokulnatha said. “He grew up during the entire segregation and desegregation events, became the first in his family to attend college, and he tells wonderful stories about himself. I

Smutny-Jones then talked about his favorite part of the Duck Days Festival.

“I think my favorite part over

think one of the most valuable things, for me, in understanding generational culture is how we can learn from people who lived in different time periods.”

The members also shared a story about a 93-year-old woman at one of the facilities they visited who went skydiving on her 90th birthday.

“They are just such amazing people with such rich lives,” Gokulnatha said. “Once you have one person who wants to talk to you and cares about what you have to say, it really means the world to them, because they feel so forgotten.” Ama also shared a memorable experience about the time she connected with a senior who was a writer — a playwright named Rick Foster — then later taught him how to write an email to help him practice his writing and contact his friends.

“He would always start a sentence and then forget how to end it,” Ama said. “I could tell that he was really struggling, and he would say, ‘You probably think I’m so stupid,’ and it was really sad to hear him undervalue himself, because I learned later in the session that he had a masters in writing and a bachelors in math. I thought, ‘How could he say self-deprecating things like that? He was probably more articulate than me at my age!’” Sometimes meaningful experiences occur during hard times — that was the case for Chan after her grandmother died, and she found comfort in a strong connection with an elderly woman named Millie.

“Each of these individuals has such a full life that makes them who they are,” Chan said. “It’s so rare that we get to meet people that have so much wisdom and life experiences that [they] can share it with us. Talking to her made me see life in a different way. Channeling my energy into helping her and teaching her how to use technology also really helped me get over the sadness that I felt from losing my grandmother.”

Breaking Barriers is always looking for new members, no matter the quarter or time of year. If you’re interested in joining, they can be contacted through their Instagram, @breakingbarriersdavis, or email, breakingbarriersdavis@gmail.com. If their message resonates with you, that is all you need to be qualified.

Among the collection were prints made by artist and UC Davis Emeritus Professor Malaquias Montoya, who played a prominent role in the creation of the exhibit itself. Montoya has an extensive background in the art community, specifically in regards to protest art. The UC Berkeley graduate has centered his work around social justice issues for decades, integrating these principles into his personal works and as his curriculum during his time as a teacher at Stanford, UC Berkeley, UC Davis and the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. For Montoya, these prints hold a deeper meaning beyond aesthetics. In his biography, the artist noted his personal connection to the art he creates and how it serves as a form of activism and expression.

“As a Chicano artist I feel a responsibility that all my art should be a reflection of my political beliefs — an art of protest,” Montoya said. “The struggle of all people cannot be merely intellectually accepted. It must become part of our very being as artists otherwise we cannot give expression to it in our work.”

Montoya remains highly involved in art and protest in his community and is closely involved with an art space in Woodland, Taller Arte

“Obviously, you can’t handle bats, but we have an amazing bat program, and everybody is fascinated by bats. So I love seeing all the families that come in that are really enthused to learn about all these opportunities that are local and learn about the wildlife area.”

del Nuevo Amanece (TANA).

The space is part of the Chicana/o studies department at UC Davis and provides both UC Davis students and Woodland community members with the resources and expertise to continue the tradition of printmaking, as well as a gallery and exhibition area to display work.

Walter Jackson, a third-year design major, worked with Montoya in the summer of 2023 through an internship with the Manetti Shrem. Through this internship, Jackson was able to learn the process of printmaking firsthand at TANA and gain insight into Montoya’s rich history of printmaking.

“[Montoya] wants people to understand the deeper meaning behind what he’s printing and the art piece,” Jackson said. “He wants us to understand these issues. Though they look pretty on paper, they’re something that needs to be dealt with in the real world and we should be talking about it. He uses [art] as an expression, and I feel like that’s what we all should do. You really don’t know what kind of forms of art or projects will be implemented in the history books. He’s created something that’s a form of expression, but it’s also history.”

Historically, protest art has been integral to the success of social justice movements. The process of screen printing is unique from other forms of art in its ability to be quickly reproduced, making it ideal for use at rallies and protests where getting the word out widely and quickly is integral.

This goal of mass production and distribution also helps to inform how the prints themselves are designed by artists before printing. For the current Manager of Visitor Experience at the Manetti Shrem Cesar Chavez, this rapid distribution is a cornerstone of the unique style.

“[The prints] were meant to be seen from 40 feet away, so it was kind of a quick thing that they could create very quickly and get out there and use, and now it is seen as art,” Chavez said. “That’s always stuck with me. When you’re trying to get the word out and you’re trying to express how you feel about a certain topic, it can be a very powerful tool to use.”

Because the prints must be identifiable and eye-catching from far distances, sharp colors and imagery are trademark features of this art medium. In contrast to the experience of seeing these prints out on the streets in a fastmoving environment, observing them in a museum setting allows patrons to take in all the details of the work and take time to understand the messages behind them.

Sydney Makar, a third-year aerospace science and engineering major who recently visited the “Malaquias Montoya and the Legacies of a Printed Resistance” exhibit, took note of this unique style.

“I saw a lot of words and colors jumping out at you,” Makar said. “The fact that so many people sat down and made entire paintings about [the causes] and put so much effort and detail really shows the emotions people feel. [This art] can allow people like myself to understand in some way how people feel about these topics.”

These prints are not just historical, either. On our own UC Davis campus, screen printing was used at a recent May Day rally for Palestine to print on dozens of shirts and posters for supporters of the cause, continuing the longstanding relationship between art and activism. Although Montoya’s exhibit has come to an end, protest prints remain an important part of social justice movements globally.

Avila agreed with Burns’ sentiment and added that the music scene in Davis is especially welcoming.

“There’s a nice community of other bands in Davis, and we all know each

Sudoku

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row, column and 3x3 square must contain each digit. Each Sudoku has a unique solution that can be reached logically without guessing.

Crossword

I

ALLISON KELEHER

I’ve

2. Hosting a year-round petting zoo with the cows

3. Event to pie professors in the Memorial Union (You know which ones)

However, I must say my most promising idea is to get Chancellor Gary May onto TikTok Live. I’ve seen plenty of people be successful with this endeavor — all G. May needs to do is beg for the viewers to send gifts, and then the money will come rolling in. This is exactly the edge that UC Davis has been looking for. The

May Man already has micro-celebrity status here in Davis, and we need to leverage that to our advantage. He can be seen strolling the streets downtown and will get stopped by adoring Aggies for pictures and handshakes. Now, to really get his attention, you can send him a gift on TikTok Live and get a shout out.

Once we establish Gareth May’s position as a TikTok influencer, that’s when we’ll really start to make money: I’m talking sponsorships and brand deals. Brands will pay thousands for the chancellor to endorse their

products. I know it. Eventually, Gare Bear will leverage this influencer status into full on celebrity status and will hopefully be invited to the Met Gala. Of course, he’ll be on TikTok Live at the event and, fingers crossed, will get to meet Anna Wintour — then, it will all come full circle when he wears a custom Gucci Gunrock costume.

Disclaimer: (This article is humor and/or satire, and its content is purely fictional. The story and the names of “sources” are

KELLY GUAN / AGGIE

HEIDI TEJEDA / AGGIE

Bomba Fried Rice brings Davis community together with their lively shows and diverse group of musicians

Local band fosters an inclusive environment

BY GRETA FOEHR features@theaggie.org

Bomba Fried Rice is a local 11-person band made up of musicians from all over the world, playing “Latin genres ranging from Salsa, Rock, Reggae, Spoken Word, Cumbia, Mambo, and Ska, merging cultures and styles of music,” according to their website.

The group began in 2011 when a large collection of local musicians started gathering to play music every Friday night in a barn on 3rd Street in Downtown Davis. Juan Miranda, the band’s vocalist and Ph.D. recipient in Latin American literatures and cultures, explained that the band started as “Jamming with Latinos” and grew into what it is today.

In 2013, they made their live debut, performing at the Davis Music Fest as a last-minute replacement for a band that canceled.

“That day, I told everybody, ‘Bring colorful stuff, dress in colors,’” Miranda said. “And the next day we were on the Sunday Enterprise.” Ever since then, Bomba Fried Rice has been a staple in the Davis music community and has played live at a variety of venues in and around Davis. The band is made up of musicians from Colombia, Peru, Argentina, France, Spain, Hawaii and more.

“We are from everywhere, and I like that,” Miranda said. “It’s a mix. We started like that too.”

Since its formation over a decade ago, the band has grown and changed — with some members remaining staples in the group and others coming and going.

Ilse Pastor, keyboardist and UC Davis alum with degrees in cognitive neuroscience and professional writing, joined Bomba Fried Rice in 2020.

“It was crazy how I found them, because I switched careers from neuroscience to being a full-time musician during the pandemic,”

Pastor said. “One day I was like, ‘What am I?’ And then I thought, ‘I’m a pianist. I’m going to call myself a pianist.’ That same day, I went to Sophia’s [Thai Kitchen’s] Latin Night, which Miranda goes to.”

Pastor explained how she met Miranda and became a pianist with Bomba Fried Rice.

“[Miranda and I] were waiting at the bar, and he’s like, ‘So what are you? A student?’ I was like, ‘No, I’m a pianist.’ And then he said, ‘I need one,’” Pastor said.

The same person who brought the original members of the band together in 2011 also founded Sophia’s Latin Night.

Pastor also explained that because their band includes so many instruments and people with a wide variety of backgrounds, everybody in the audience can relate to somebody in the band.

“With the amount of instruments that there are, there’s something for everybody,” Pastor said. “People also identify, because maybe they’re French, maybe they’re Colombian, maybe they’re Peruvian, maybe they’re from Hawaii or whatever [...] Then it’s like they just kind of feel identified.”

Diego Panasiti, vocalist and current Ed.D. candidate at UC Davis, emphasized that the band’s music is powerful because it resonates with a variety of people.

“It surprises people, because there

are different genres of Latin music being played,” Panasiti said. “It can hit you from Peru, it can hit you from Colombia, Argentina. I’ve seen that at concerts where people just come up and [are] like, ‘I needed that, I needed to identify with a piece of your music.’ Different people from different places say that at the same time, which is cool.”

Bomba Fried Rice creates a lively and welcoming environment at all of their shows and appreciates the energy that their listeners bring. Felipe Becerra, percussion player and resident dining director at UC Davis, feels the positive energy created by the audience.

“The crowd’s always there just to have a good time,” Becerra said. “They’re not there to criticize or have an attitude, they’re just there to have a good time. So it doesn’t matter what you’re playing. Most of the time they get into it and then that energizes us. And we’re such an international band, I feel like the crowd is always so international — such a diverse kind of group all the time.”

In describing the energy created by their live shows, Pastor recalled the band’s Cinco de Mayo show at Ruhstaller Farm in 2023.

“We started playing, and it was raining, and [the crowd] just took out all the umbrellas, and it was like, it doesn’t matter,” Pastor said. “And they all stayed and more [people] even came. It’s like all this heaviness just gets lifted, because people get into the music.”

Luis Avila, guitar player and former bioinformatics programmer in plant sciences for UC Davis, explained why people love to come to their shows.

UC Davis’ Breaking Barriers helps elders feel part of the local community

Club officers share stories about teaching technology to seniors and learning from them in the process

BY SABRINA FIGUEROA features@theaggie.org

When we think about elders, chances are we think their wisdom is endless. As a younger generation, we will never live through their life experiences, but this is true in reverse too — they can learn from us as much as we can learn from them.

Technology, for example, is something that the younger generation has either grown up with or adapted to, but some elders have not. With instances like these, both young and

UC Davis’

older generations can learn from each other.

Breaking Barriers, a student organization at UC Davis established in 2020, aims to help bridge the technology gap between young and older adults while also establishing friendships and reducing loneliness for elders in the local community.

“Our mission is to make sure we can get their questions answered about [...] how to use their devices or doing new things,” Avantika Gokulnatha, the president of Breaking Barriers and third-year genetics and genomics major, said. “We want to make sure these older adults feel remembered, a part of the community and not so left behind by society.”

The organization got their start during the COVID-19 shutdowns and shared exactly how it directly influenced their mission and goal of helping the elderly.

“During the pandemic, all interpersonal connections became online through technology, and that excluded a lot of older adults who aren’t as technology savvy,” Gokulnatha said.

“A lot of the older adults who didn’t really keep up with using phones or FaceTime got left behind during this time.”

Gokulnatha also explained that the club was established during the

lockdowns because they were finally able to grasp how large the technology gap was in our society.

“Us as young people may not see [the isolation of elders], because we’re in school and we don’t really interact with people of other ages,” Gokulnatha said. “We don’t really understand how if we didn’t grow up with watching TV or using our phones, it would be really hard to get oriented to this rapidly changing world.”

Although the pandemic lockdowns gave them clarity and a new cause to advocate for, it also brought on challenges.

Katherine Ama, the internal vice president of Breaking Barriers and fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, said that they weren’t initially allowed to volunteer at senior facilities in the Davis area.

“Because elders are highly at risk of contracting COVID-19, the senior facilities’ lockdowns in Davis didn’t allow anyone from outside the facility to enter,” Ama said.

However, now the organization is able to visit Davis nursing and senior facilities such as Atria Covell Gardens and Carlton Senior Living. They visit and provide similar services in the Sacramento area as well.

BREAKINGBARRIERS on 8

Student Farm takes a multi-faceted approach to sustainability

Through a diverse range of initiatives, the farm provides opportunities for students to partake in UC Davis’ legacy of agriculture and environmentalism

BY LAILA AZHAR features@theaggie.org

From its beginnings as the UC Berkeley University Farm, UC Davis has been known for its emphasis on agriculture and sustainability — in fact, it was ranked first in the 2023 UI GreenMetric World University rankings of “greenest” university campuses. For many students, this reputation is a large part of the school’s appeal.

“One of the first things I ever heard about UC Davis was that environmentalism played a large part in campus culture,” Temo Martinez, a first-year political science major, said. “As someone who cares a lot about sustainability, that was really important to me.” The Student Farm is an example of one of the many initiatives on campus that works to further students’ knowledge of agriculture and sustainability.

Third-year sustainable agriculture and food systems major Adazsofia Lengyel is the lead student farmer and community-supported agriculture coordinator in the Market Garden

“[Our music is] very danceable,” Avila said. “A lot of people come because they dance, right? It’s liberating.” The members of Bomba Fried Rice are grateful for what Davis has given them and enjoy playing for the local community.

“It’s like family, you know? Family and friends,” Miranda said. “You always want to play for family and also new faces at the same time. So you have, like, the best of both worlds. People come and they support the band a lot. Then there’s new people and they feed [off of] each other, and we also feed [off of] them.” Jason Burns, the band’s bass player who was involved in UC Davis’ Whole Earth Festival in 1993, talked about

the welcoming nature of Davis and how Bomba Fried Rice encapsulates that culture.

“There [have] been times in Sacramento where I’ve tried to explain the community out here and nobody gets it,” Burns said. “It’s this sort of eternal, little, small community where people come and go from all over the world and then come back, and everybody always feels welcome or at home here for whatever reason. So it’s always like this home base, like a hub for so many people from so many places. And we definitely represent that.”

Exhibit at UC Davis’ Manetti Shrem highlights the power of art, protest

“Malaquias

Montoya and the Legacies of a Printed Resistance”

BY EMME DUNNING features@theaggie.org

The Manetti Shrem Museum of Art is a free museum located on the UC Davis campus and a pillar of the art community in town. Its exhibitions have ranged in content from Roy De Forest’s whimsical “Habitats for Travelers” to the striking work of Mike Henderson’s “Before the Fire.” Despite their differences in theme and topic, they all share a common goal — to help UC Davis students and the greater community connect, whether to the planet, to social issues or to each other.

One such exhibit, “Malaquias

Montoya and the Legacies of a Printed Resistance,” has made a considerable impact on the Davis community. The display, which opened in early October 2023 and just recently came to a close in early May of this year, consisted of a collection of protest prints with topics ranging from union and labor rights to immigration and criminal justice reform. Walking through the exhibit, visitors were encouraged to spend time with each print and understand the varying causes they represented.

PROTESTPRINTS on 8

Asian American Association at UC Davis brings joy and community to students

This social club on campus welcomes undergraduates of all ethnicities and backgrounds to join in various bonding activities

BY LYNN CHEN

features@theaggie.org

The Asian American Association (AAA) at UC Davis organizes social, cultural and professional events to unify Asian American communities on campus. Charlotte Chow, co-president of the AAA and a fourth-year science and technology, detailed the club’s purpose

on campus. “The mission of [AAA] is to promote Asian cultural traditions and values, and to create a safe space for those looking to be in a community with other Asians,” Chow said. Chow added that the club is not exclusive to just Asian students.

“You also don’t need to be Asian to join,” Chow said. “It’s a safe space for people in general.” Typically, the club hosts general meetings on Thursdays and special team-bonding events on weekends. During meetings, members socialize with each other through activities such as mixers, study sessions and arts and crafts sessions. For weekend events, members get to know each other on a deeper level after picnics, bowling games and cabin trips to places outside of Davis.

Local band, Bomba Fried Rice, playing a show in April. (Courtesy / Bomba Fried Rice)

Breaking Barriers club member teaching computer skills to elderly man at local senior living facility.

(Courtesy / Breaking Barriers club)

Malaquis Montoya’s exhibit in the Manetti Shrem Museum. (Sacha Chickering / Aggie)

SCIENCE AND TECH

Unlocking childhood’s treasure trove: the nostalgia and healing magic of children’s media

Delving into the intricate ways that children’s media sparks fond memories and acts as a healing agent

BY HENRY ROSENBACH science@theaggie.org

During an argument about imagination, a close friend once shouted, “But I’m not creative!”

The argument continued until we stumbled upon a collection of essays from the Mozambican author Mia Couto. In one of them, he writes about how the former Prime Minister of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, could write delicate and sensitive poetry while locked in a prison. The response given by the Vietnamese leader was, “I undervalued the walls.” The importance of imagination in human development cannot be overstated.

Tamar Kushnir, a professor and researcher at Duke University, has researched the role imagination plays in brain development. It is a crucial aspect of creativity, problem-solving and critical thinking. Imagination allows us to explore new ideas, envision alternative realities and find innovative solutions to complex problems. When we imagine things, our brains create new neural pathways, which can lead to increased cognitive abilities and improved memory retention. This is particularly important during childhood, when the brain rapidly develops and learns new skills.

Moreover, imagination can give us a sense of purpose and direction, helping us find meaning in our lives. By imagining a better future for ourselves and society, we can set goals and work towards them. This can be especially important when forming moral and societal values in a growing child.

Returning to the enigma of Ho Chi Minh, how do our brains manage to unearth those tiny thoughts that make our souls feel at home? Kushnir’s research provides some fascinating insights. It turns out that our brains are like master weavers, constantly intertwining different ideas and experiences. Imagination is the secret ingredient that unlocks this weaving

process. By blending diverse thoughts and experiences in novel ways, we can create something extraordinary and meaningful. Still, as society has progressed, we have embraced a harsh reality as the ruler of all our ideas, plans and dreams. However, if you take a trip back to an elementary school playground, you will likely witness a portal between the real and imaginary worlds children create. During long playtime sessions, kids conjure up fantastic worlds, mythologies and stories that can last for hours, if not days. As we grow older, we tend to lose touch with the purity of our imagination, often undervaluing the walls and limitations we create for ourselves. In the name of “progress,” we discourage children’s ability to build new universes, neglecting the

importance of imagination in our lives. Nevertheless, we still hold on to the ones that make us feel like everything is possible – cherishing the inner child within us. Adults have shown a deep appreciation for children-targeted media in recent years, more so than the kids themselves. Abby Ohlheiser from the Washington Post wrote a report in Feb. 2023 on how the cartoon “Bluey” has a significant adult fandom. The show, which premiered in 2018, features a family of anthropomorphic dogs and their daily adventures. Despite its target audience being young children, the show has struck a chord with adults worldwide.

The emotional impact of children’s media on adults is not new. Many of us have witnessed parents shedding tears at the end of films like “Toy Story

3” or “Inside Out.” Frances Dolan, a distinguished English professor at UC Davis who is widely recognized for her research in children’s literature, explained the distinctiveness of our relationship with children’s media compared to other forms of literature.

“When we study African American, Latinx or Native American literature, we expect the stories to be written by members of such communities,” Dolan said. “However, when discussing children’s literature, we’re not exploring child authors but rather the ‘hidden adults’ who write it.” Dolan also highlighted the security aspect in children’s literature.

“People love stories that make them feel seen,” Dolan said. “We are all inadequate, and children’s literature usually provides a refuge for

our insecurities. I have also observed an incredible increase in diversity in children’s books — stories highlighting kids with disabilities, anxiety and different identities. Books like this didn’t exist some decades ago, and it is so important that they are around now.”

Digressing back to imagination and brain development, Dolan emphasized how children’s media can serve as a nostalgic element that can protect or heal our inner children. When we look at picture books or illustrated stories, different parts of our brains are activated, most significantly when healing past traumas. Children’s literature can help us re-invent and re-signify pivotal events in our lives with a broader sense of protection. Dolan explained that through their vivid imagination triggers, children’s stories can do more than review our childhood.

“[They serve] as a tool to find what should have been there,” Dolan said. Imagination takes an editing role in the weaving process of memory and cures some of our deepest wounds. Dolan expressed how she always observed students paying close attention to picture books during her lectures.

“There is something magical about the three-way relationship between reader, listener and book — students appear to have a sense of protection and curiosity for them,” Dolan said. While usually undervalued, children’s literature has magical properties beyond childhood itself. It allows us to search for meaningful wounds in the past and present. Our favorite books as children usually activate a mechanism in our brains to supply needs that might have been neglected. Considering such a healing effect, Dolan left one last important message: “Never stop reading children’s literature [...] it will make a bigger difference than you can imagine.”

Human brains are getting larger — what does this mean for dementia risk?

UC Davis researchers found that human brain size has increased throughout the decades, which is connected to improved memory function

BY MARLE LAMOUNTRY science@theaggie.org

It’s often said that bigger is better, and in the case of human brains, this holds true — new research has found evidence of their growing size. Researchers at UC Davis Health have found that human brain sizes have grown 6.6% more in volume when comparing data of people born in the 1970s versus the 1930s. This compelling study not only offers insight into humans’ evolutionary history but also holds significant implications for our understanding of cognitive health, especially concerning dementia prevention. Claudia Satizabal and Sudha Seshadri of the Framingham Heart Study found that the incidence of dementia is declining. Charles DeCarli, an author of the study, as well as a professor and director of the UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, wanted to investigate

A group of students began the farm in 1977 as a way to further their agricultural knowledge. Today, it consists of 23 acres of studentmanaged plots, which are home to a wide variety of programs.

The Market Garden program teaches students about the planting, maintenance and harvest of organic fruits and vegetables. The produce grown in this garden is often sold to campus dining halls. Their farmstand, located on Ext Center Dr., sells flowers and fresh organic produce from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. every Monday.

The Ecological Garden program is a space to learn about small space permaculture gardening with a focus on agroecological practices. It includes a labeled “U-pick section” where visitors can pick flowers and herbs to purchase.

On the other hand, the Fresh Focus program donates produce to student centers at UC Davis to combat food insecurity.

“Food insecurity on college campuses is such an important issue,” Claire Chen, a second-year sociology major, said. “Resources like the Student Farm are a valuable way to both spread awareness about the topic and provide resources to combat it.”

The farm hosted a pay-what-youcan “U-Pick Organic Spinach” event, providing students with food and supporting environmental initiatives at the same time. Students were able to pick from an “unbe-leaf-able” variety of spinach, and all proceeds went toward research on the farm.

these changes in the brain’s biology.

“As a species, we’re getting taller, but what else has changed?” DeCarli said.

The study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Neurology, used data from the Framingham Heart Study and included data spanning as far back as the 1930s. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans as recent as 2019 quantified the scans, allowing researchers to analyze brain regions known to be correlated with dementia. These regions include the cortex, white matter and hippocampus.

DeCarli commented on factors that may have caused the increase in brain size.

“There are cultural changes for people born in the 1930s; they were born during the Great Depression and World War II, [and they] just came out of World War I around that time,” DeCarli said. “During the 1950s, after World War II, there was an expansion in the US population [and] social and

Along with providing produce and flowers, the farm also often creates spaces to discuss topics relating to agriculture. In February they hosted a “Farm Forum” for people to voice ideas on how the Student Farm should continue functioning in the future. In March, they hosted a workshop titled “Queers and Queerness in Nature.”

The farm’s programs contain a mix of agriculture and insightful discussion spaces on the broader context of agricultural practices. For Lengyel, one of the highlights of working on the farm is the community.

“Because there is such a diverse array of identities, experiences and interests people bring, it has been an amazing space to learn from others who also love being outside and growing food for our community and ourselves,” Lengyel said. “There is such a culture of kindness, joy and learning that happens here, it is such a grounding and special place to get to be a part of.”

As students partake in hands-on learning in the fields, they also learn a communal and holistic approach to farming, serving as a testament to UC Davis’ legacy of agricultural innovation and sustainability.

A group of students began the farm in 1977 as a way to further their agricultural knowledge. Today, it consists of 23 acres of studentmanaged plots, which are home to a wide variety of programs. The Market Garden program

economic boom — a fantastic period of time.”

Although genetics play a large part in brain health, other outside factors can also alter brain size. The researchers hypothesized that general enrichment in the environment, better overall health — especially concerning prenatal and postnatal care — and better food have led to the development of a “better” brain.

Matthew Pase, an associate professor from Monash University and co-author of the study, commented on these findings.

“What we found, essentially, is that people born in later decades have bigger brains and a larger head size compared to people born in older decades,” Pase said. “It’s quite cool when you think about it, that people’s brains are getting larger.”

One challenge the researchers faced was limited patient data, which only included a population of middle-class white individuals from Framingham, Massachusetts. This

teaches students about the planting, maintenance and harvest of organic fruits and vegetables. The produce grown in this garden is often sold to campus dining halls. Their farmstand, located on Ext Center Dr., sells flowers and fresh organic produce from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. every Monday.

The Ecological Garden program is a space to learn about small space permaculture gardening with a focus on agroecological practices. It includes a labeled “U-pick section” where visitors can pick flowers and herbs to purchase.

On the other hand, the Fresh Focus program donates produce to student centers at UC Davis to combat food insecurity.

“Food insecurity on college campuses is such an important issue,” Claire Chen, a second-year sociology major, said. “Resources like the Student Farm are a valuable way to both spread awareness about the topic and provide resources to combat it.”

The farm hosted a pay-what-youcan “U-Pick Organic Spinach” event, providing students with food and supporting environmental initiatives at the same time. Students were able to pick from an “unbe-leaf-able” variety of spinach, and all proceeds went toward research on the farm.

Along with providing produce and flowers, the farm also often creates spaces to discuss topics relating to agriculture. In February they hosted a “Farm Forum” for people to voice ideas on how the Student Farm should continue functioning in the future. In March, they hosted a workshop titled “Queers and Queerness in Nature.”

The farm’s programs contain a mix of agriculture and insightful discussion spaces on the broader context of

limited cohort representation does not accurately represent the entire US population, making it difficult for researchers to understand if their findings apply to everyone. Researchers’ findings of the trend of increasing human brain size indicate hopeful prospects for dementia

prevention and overall cognitive wellbeing. By exploring the connections between brain size, environmental influences and dementia risk, researchers may be able to transform the way we understand brain health and lessen the impact of dementia.

agricultural practices. For Lengyel, one of the highlights of working on the farm is the community.

“Because there is such a diverse array of identities, experiences and interests people bring, it has been an amazing space to learn from others who also love being outside and growing food for our community and ourselves,” Lengyel said. “There is such a culture of kindness, joy and learning that happens here, it is such a grounding and special place to get to be a part of.” As students partake in hands-on learning in the fields, they also learn a communal and holistic approach to farming, serving as a testament to UC Davis’ legacy of agricultural innovation and sustainability.

Coming off the ECAC Championship, the Aggies received their first invitation to the NCEAl Championship in Ocala, Florida. This competition included only the top eight teams in the nation. Taking place over the April 20 weekend, these girls made UC Davis history.

Unfortunately, the Aggies' experience in the NCEA championship was short-lived. Their first competition was against first-seeded Texas Christian University (TCU). Starting off the competition, the Aggies were nearly swept 5-0 before fourth-year viticulture and enology major Carly Sweenet tied with NCEA First Team All-American Ashleigh Scully, preventing the initial blowout.

After NCEA Second Team AllAmerican fifth-year history major Macey Newkirk scored the first point for the Aggies during Reining, the Aggies began to make a comeback during the flat classes, winning the first three points. However, during the horsemanship competition, TCU secured their win, earning four of the five points, ending the Aggies’ Equestrian season. Although they performed well and secured their second consecutive ECAC title, the team wrapped up their 2023 to 2024 season as the eighth seed, reaching the National Championship and receiving their highest national ranking in program history. The last competition for the equestrian team reached new heights they had never reached before, with full intentions of winning the championship next season.

They set their sights on having a chance to compete in the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Golf National Championships held in Carlsbad, California, which is set to take place from May 24 to 29. As for the Aggies, they will say goodbye to some of their fourth-year players and show gratitude for their many contributions. The rest of the team is looking forward to their next season in hopes of redeeming this year's loss and winning the championship next year.

SPORTS

Aggies come out on top in series finale win against UC Santa Barbara

UC Davis softball avoids a loss in an 8-2 victory

BY EMMÍA J RIVERA sports@theaggie.org

To conclude a three-game series at La Rue Field, the UC Davis softball team beat the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos, preventing another loss for the Aggies on April 27. Following two losses the day before, the Aggies arrived ready for a come-back as they took the lead in the first inning and never looked back.

Wasting no time, Sarah Starks, a fifth-year communications major, delivered an early two-run homerun to initiate the permanent UC Davis lead. She displayed an impressive performance leading the Aggie offense and going 2-for-3 in the box with two home runs and three RBI. Behind her, Leah Polson, a fifth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, went 1-for-1 (reaching a base on every hit), reaching a base three times on walks and scoring a run for the Aggies. Libbie McMahan, a fourth-year human development major, held onto the lead with a two-run base hit. Bella Holtz, a third-year math analytics major, hit a single to help the Aggies score a run, followed by another hit from Tatum Wentworth, a fourth-year human development major. The score ended 8-2 as UC Davis cruised to their first victory from this set.

UC Santa Barbara scored only two runs throughout the game, led by Alana Caroline Grimes, a second-year, throws her first

WOMEN'S WATER POLO EQUESTRIAN

Championship dreams come to an end for UC Davis women’s water polo

Aggies fall to UC Irvine in Big West Quarterfinals

BY LUCIENNE BROOKER sports@theaggie.org

As rain clouds parted over Schaal Aquatics Center in Davis, the women's water polo team entered the pool for their Big West Conference Quarterfinal match-up against UC Irvine. The Aggies and the Anteaters had faced off three times already during the 2024 season, with UC Irvine earning decisive victories in each match; the fourth encounter proved to be no different. Despite playing host for the entire tournament, the Aggies were seeded seventh out of eight teams after a rocky season. With only two conference wins, compared to five losses, the Aggies knew their road to the championship would be tough.

In comparison, UC Irvine came into the conference tournament as the number two seed. They held a winning record of five victories and two losses in regular season play. With their stellar record, the Anteaters came into the playoffs with confidence. As the match went underway, the Aggies were able to open the scoring by jumping out to an early lead with a goal from third-year mechanical engineering major and attacker Gianna Nocetti. However, the Anteaters immediately

responded to get themselves a point on the board and equalize the game. The first quarter of the match remained close, with each team scoring once more before the whistle blew. Second-year human development major and center Liberty Massman scored her 13th goal of the season.

Moving into the second period of the match, UC Irvine saw their chance to pull ahead and take the lead, scoring three unanswered goals as soon as they hit the water. Hope wasn’t lost for the Aggies though, and Nocetti scored her second goal to cut the deficit to two going into halftime.

The third quarter was a bit more evenly matched, with each team again scoring two goals. Fourthyear communications major and utility player Grace Pelkey got on the scoreboard for the first time with Massman also converting again. Pelkey has shown her strong abilities this year finishing the season as the Aggies’ leading scorer with 37 goals.

With only a two goal difference heading into the final quarter, the game was far from over as UC Irvine took a quick chance to restore their three goal lead. UC Davis responded with a goal by first-year undeclared major and center defender Chelsea Johnson, her 19th of the season. However, this final

2024 NFL draft recap

draft is set to be led by notable names like USC’s Caleb Williams, quarterback, and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. (Courtesy of Pro Football Focus / fair use)

BY CAROLYN (CARI) FENN

sports@theaggie.org

Over three days and seven rounds, 257 names were called and given the chance to live out their dreams of playing in the National Football League (NFL). The NFL draft not only gave players the chance to possibly accomplish a dream but also helped the teams fill out their big needs. In the end, some general managers (GM) did better than others at creating a draft class that filled their team's necessities.

Winner: Philadelphia Eagles

GM Howie Roseman has once again drafted a rather strong class of players for the Eagles franchise. Despite the Eagles entering the draft with only eight draft spots, they ended up with nine rookies thanks to Roseman’s trades throughout the threeday event. On the first day, they had the No. 22 pick in the draft and were able to fill the Eagles' biggest need with Quinyon Mitchell, a cornerback from the University of Toledo.

Mitchell was ranked as the best cornerback in the draft and was the No. 8 overall prospect. Additionally, he is the first roundone cornerback pick for the Eagles since Lito Sheppard in 2002. While it is surprising that Mitchell fell to the No. 22 pick, the quarterback-heavy first round worked in the Eagles’ favor. The Eagles effectively addressed their needs during days two and three of the draft with one of their best picks happening in the second round.

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push didn’t prove to be enough and the Aggies were ultimately defeated 6-9.

This loss meant that the Aggies were eliminated from the Big West Conference Championship and had to remain spectators for the rest of the weekend. Semifinals took place the following day, on April 27.

Although UC Irvine were the reigning 2023 champions, they promptly fell to third seeded Long Beach State 9-7. In the second semifinal, number one seeded University of Hawai’i defeated fourth seeded UC San Diego with a score of 17-10.

The highly anticipated final matchup between Long Beach State and University of Hawai’i took place at noon on April 28. While Long Beach State had gotten through the tournament on a series of narrow victories, Hawai’i had been on a scoring roll they carried into the final. With a 9-5 Hawai’i win, the Rainbow Wāhine advanced to the NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championships. They are scheduled to take on Princeton on May 10.

As for the Aggies, their season ended sooner than they had hoped, but they’ll begin to look forward to the 2025 season, hopefully taking their program one step further.

MEN'S GOLF

Snow, a fourth-year who went 3-for-3 in hits, and Madelyn McNally, a fourthyear who went 2-for-3 in hits and a walk for the Gauchos. Defensively, Santa Barbara gave up nine walks, arguably the game's ultimate difference as both teams gathered the same number of total hits.

Sarah Reineman, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, was on the home mound for four innings, earning her third win of the season. She gathered three strikeouts and allowed just one run and no walks throughout the game.

Kenedi Brown, a fifth-year human development major and hurler, also made an appearance in the fifth inning to relieve Reineman of pitching. She threw three innings and gave up only one run, issuing three strikeouts and collecting her fifth save of the season. Joining a group of previous UC Davis athletes, Brown is set to tie the program’s record for total innings pitched, only a third of an inning away. With the end of the season drawing near, the Aggies are gearing up to face Cal Poly in another three-game series in the first week of May. They are determined to improve their record before the regular season finale against the University of Hawaii, a game that could potentially be a turning point for the team.

UC Davis equestrian season comes to an end

The lead-up to NCEA and the legacy that followed

BY MI’ZAUNI REESE sports@theaggie.org

Over the last six years, the UC Davis Equestrian team has been building a stronger foundation on the principles of camaraderie, work ethic and a shared love of horseback riding. These pragmatic principles have propelled the team to the eighth seed in the nation, granting them a rather competitive position in the sports league.

After back-to-back wins in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Semifinals and Championship, the Aggies earned their spot to compete in the National Collegiate Equestrian Association (NCEA) Championship for the first time in program history. Excitement circulated throughout the team as they looked forward to competing on the national stage, a goal achieved by a culmination of time, dedication and passion for the sport. They anticipated a challenging competition but looked forward to it with the intention of winning the championship.

Prior to the competition, the Aggies had one of the best seasons in UC Davis equestrian history. Besides a fantastic record and competitive team, Head Coach Jill Humphrey represented the US Equestrian at the Federation Equestre

Aggies tee off in La Quinta

Internationale (FEI) World Cup Finals.

As head coach of the Davis equestrian program, Humphrey also displayed her skills, proving her capability to coach our collegiate athletes. With it being her second season as head coach and sixth overall, the athletes were prideful of her invitation. They supported her in Florida as the athletes also competed over the April 20 weekend.

Leading up to the competition, the Aggie equestrian team won the ECAC Championship, defending their title. Competing in flat classes for the championship by demonstrating walk, trot, and canter, the Aggies prevailed 3-2. Following flat classes, the horsemanship competition left the Aggies tied for first place with a score of three. The tied score didn't last long as the Aggies regained the lead with a score of 6-4.

UC Davis’ lead continued to grow as the Aggies dominated the fences and reining portions of the competition. Fourth-year communications major Maggie Franke and third-year human development major Natasha Replogle earned “Most Outstanding Players” for the conference, as Franke beat her opponent by 23, and Replogle helped earn the win in the championship.

to finish regular season

UC Davis men’s golf finishes fifth place in the Men’s Big West Golf Championship BY DIEGO CERNA

sports@theaggie.org

The UC Davis men’s golf team concluded their regular season by competing in the Big West Men’s Golf Championship in La Quinta, California. The tournament was held at the La Quinta Country Club Course over the span of three days from April 28 to 30.

UC Davis won fifth place out of nine teams for the tournament, with the team also ending every round in fifth.

Lucas Carper, a fourth-year mechanical engineering major, placed in the top 10 for individual performances during the tournament. Carper placed seventh individually overall and ended with a score of 71-73-73 for all three rounds. With this championship being his last competition, Carper finished strong. Carper ended his collegiate career with a decorated resume, obtaining one All Big West First Team award, one All Big West Conference First Team award, one Big West Conference Individual Champion award and one Big West Conference Second Team award.

Treed Huang and Leo Metzger, first-year undeclared majors, were right behind Carper in rankings for the Aggies. Huang played as the secondbest Aggie in the tournament, tying for 18th place among the competition’s golfers. Huang also came in third for carding the most par 3’s throughout the tournament, tying five other golfers for scoring even par.

Metzger finished third for the Aggies, tying for 24th place overall. Metzger impressively carded an eagle in the first round at the longest hole

— which was 543 feet and had a par of 5. This freshman duo has continued to impress throughout the season and showcased their impressive talent on the grass over the weekend. To round off the lineup, fifthyear Mark Stephens and fourth-year Alejandro Nava had a very strong performance as well. Stephens tied for 30th place, while Nava tied for 34th place overall. Like Carper, this may be both Stephens’ and Nava’s last time touching the green in their collegiate careers. The most impressive outing for the Aggies throughout the championship was the second round, as the team improved by a total of 10 shots from the first round.

Nava, Huang and Carper placed in the top 12 for most individual pars across all tournament players. Nava carded 35 pars out of the total 54 holes, while Huang and Carper carded 34 pars each. Stephens and Metzer didn’t finish

far behind, as both carded 32 pars. At the end of the tournament, the Long Beach State Sharks claimed their fifth Big West Championship in their school’s history, earning the team the title of back-to-back champions from their previous championship in 2023. The Sharks were led by fourthyear Clay Sleeber, who finished second individually overall. Sleeber finished behind Cal State Fullerton’s fourth-

pitch against the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos. (Maia Zhu / Aggie)