April 28, 2022

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UKRAINIAN IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, RELATIVES BRING LOCAL VISIBILITY TO THE WAR Davis Slavic community shows support for Ukranians both in Sacramento area and overseas

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VOLUME 140, ISSUE 25 | THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

SAFE RIDES EXPERIENCES OUTAGES DUE TO UNDERSTAFFING Some students say they do not have consistent access to Safe Rides and have to find alternate transportation late at night

Davis residents gather for weekly vigil in Central Park on Wednesday nights to raise awareness for war in Ukraine. (Chris Ponce / Courtesy)

BY MAYA SHYDLOWSKI features@theaggie.org When President Joe Biden told NBC in February that Americans living in Ukraine should leave immediately, James Alderson and his family packed up small backpacks of their belongings and left Lviv, eventually winding up in Davis, CA. They drove over 500 miles to Romania, where they awaited news of the conflict. Just days later, Russia began firing missiles at major cities in Ukraine. Alderson and his wife made plans to reenter the U.S. with their three young daughters — a task that was easier for them than many people displaced by the war in Ukraine since they are American citizens, so they were able to come back to family and friends in the Sacramento area.

With them was Jane Mokhava, a young Ukrainian woman who also hoped to escape the violence. Mokhava, who is not an American citizen, had to take a different path to the U.S. but also ended up in the Sacramento area. After traveling to Spain from Romania, she flew from Barcelona to Mexico City, then to Tijuana.

At the border to the U.S., she waited for eight hours before she could show her documentation. She had identification, an address of her final destination and three letters that vouched for her care.

This granted her status of humanitarian parole, which allows temporary entry into the U.S. without a visa for those with an “urgent humanitarian reason,” like fleeing a war.

By coming to the U.S., Mokhava had to leave family and friends, some of whom are still in Ukraine. She said that some of her friends and family either couldn’t, or chose not to, leave their homes.

Mokhava’s brother stayed in Ukraine, where he is driving people from the eastern to the western part of the country, out of the areas of severe conflict and to the border where they can escape to neighboring countries.

Her older sister is in Russia spreading anti-war sentiment — an act that Moklava said could get her arrested. Another sister is in Germany. Mokhava’s parents and youngest sister found refuge in Poland, where they have said they were accepted with open arms.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, of the more than five million people believed to have fled Ukraine, Poland has accepted 2.8 million as refugees. Romania has accepted the second largest number, totalling 750,000 as of April 19. Moldova, a small country that shares 759 miles of border with Ukraine, has taken in 427,000 refugees, which is nearly one-fifth of the size of its entire

population.

Biden said that the U.S. would accept 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, though Dr. Josephine Andrews, a UC Davis associate professor in the Department of Political Science, said that there’s little infrastructure to allow many people in. Andrews, whose research and studies have been focused on Eastern European politics for many years, said that few refugees have been accepted into the U.S. other than through dire or indirect methods like that of Mokhava.

Many of the refugees that enter the U.S. through Tijuana go to the Sacramento area because Sacramento is home to one of the largest Ukrainian populations in the country, according to an article by the Sacramento Bee. Alderson and his family came to neighboring Davis.

Alderson and his wife met in Davis, working for the Christian group Intervarsity. They moved to Ukraine seven years ago, where their three daughters were born and where they lived up until a few months ago. Alderson said that the months leading up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine felt surreal.

“It’s one of those things where you’re living in stress, you feel it every day, you hear it on the news, but then it’s like, it’s just politics, right?” Alderson said. “It doesn’t affect real life.”

Then, he said, he heard Biden’s call for Americans to return to the U.S. and the whole situation suddenly felt more real. Though Ukraine and Russia have had a history of conflict since the fall of the Soviet Union, Alderson said that until the first invasion, a war seemed impossible. Andrews explained that though the countries have a history of conflict, they are also quite interconnected.

“Ukrainians and Russians are very close, historically and culturally,” Andrews said. “Hundreds of Ukrainian families live in Russia and vice versa. You meet so many Russians whose grandmother or aunt or parent is Ukrainian. It’s crazy that this war is happening.”

For now, Alderson and Mokhava are staying in Davis. They have joined a group that meets every Wednesday in Davis’s Central Park for a vigil where they light candles, share stories and pray for the people of Ukraine.

The group, which plans to raise funds and help find housing in Davis for Ukrainian refugees, is led by Irina Okhremtchouk, a resident of Davis and a professor at San Francisco State University.

Many who are volunteering their time for the efforts are Slavic, and some also have family who are either still in Ukraine or who have fled to nearby countries.

UKRAINE on 9

Saferide Van parked near UCD police station (Aggie File).

BY ANGELINA ANGELO campus@theaggie.org Safe Rides, a transportation service available to UC Davis students during evening hours, has been unavailable for students multiple times this quarter due to understaffing issues, according to Ernesto Moron, the manager for the Aggie Host security division.

“We are hiring constantly now,” Moron said. “We are currently around 35 employees when we used to have 60-65. We are actively training and approving new employees so that we always have days that are covered.”

During full service, Safe Rides runs seven days a week from 5 to 10 p.m. between on-campus locations, or from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. from an on-campus to an off-campus location in Davis. Moron said that Safe Rides are usually in high demand and frequently used by students throughout the week and during weekends.

“I think Safe Rides are a great option for students, especially since transportation at night is so sparse,” said Alessandra Beelen, a third-year biochemistry and molecular biology major, via email.

“I’ve used it many times when I’ve gone home alone and did not have my bike with me.”

Normally, students can request a Safe Ride through the Transloc app, but some students say the service availability this quarter has been unreliable.

“We have had a couple of get-togethers in our [dorm] room and it is usually pretty late when my friends have to walk home,” said Julia Mavraedis, a first-year mathematics and scientific computation major. “We have tried calling a Safe Ride multiple times, but they have not once been available. It makes me feel unsafe having my friends walk home from Segundo all the way to Tercero at late hours in the dark. We usually just end up talking on the phone the whole walk so they can feel safe.”

The Aggie Host division is hiring to mitigate this issue, according to Moron. For anyone interested in becoming a student driver, job listings are posted on Handshake and on the UC Davis Police Department website under the Aggie Host section.

If students find themselves in need of a Safe Ride and none are available, police officers are available to transport from an oncampus location to another on-campus location as a safety escort.

Moron recommended students call 530-754-2677, the UC Davis police line, when in need of a safe ride during the night.

UC DAVIS WINS PRIMATE RESEARCH LAWSUIT FILED BY PETA The Superior Court of California for Yolo County ruled in favor of UC Davis in January

BY ISABELLA KRZESNIAK campus@theaggie.org In January, the Superior Court of California for Yolo County ruled in favor of UC Davis in a lawsuit filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), according to a UC Davis press release issued on April 11. PETA requested the release of video documentation of primate research at the California National Primate Research Center (CNPRC) pursuant to the California Public Records Act (CPRA) in January 2019 and said that the requested footage should be available to the public.

PETA argued that the university’s refusal to release the footage is not protected by the CPRA. “The university withheld all but four of those videographic records, asserting what we feel is a nonexistent researcher’s privilege that is referenced nowhere in the public records law,” said Caitlin Hawks, an attorney for PETA. “We don’t think that the exemptions that it raised were applicable in this circumstance.”

Some states have exemptions in public records legislation in order to protect researchers,

according to Karen Bales, a UC Davis primate researcher. Given that California law lacks these, the issue surrounding researcher’s privilege needed to be adjudicated, according to Bales.

“The court very clearly ruled in our favor,” Bales said.

The press release follows a lawsuit filed by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in February 2022, which requests that the university publicize primate research documentation that the CNPRC conducted with Elon Musk’s company, Neuralink.

“We’ve seen a pattern of inadequate veterinary care for their monkeys exposed by the Physicians Committee before Neuralink was involved and after,” said Amy Meyer, the manager of primate experimentation campaigns at PETA. “There’s certainly some overlap there in terms of how UC Davis is clearly afraid of the public seeing what’s happening inside their labs.”

PETA originally filed a similar lawsuit pursuant to CPRA in November 2017 after reviewing published papers detailing primate experimentation at the CNPRC. In response, the university released several video records in May

California National Primate Research Center (Aggie File).

2018. According to the lawsuit, PETA found it “highly unlikely” that UC Davis provided the organization with all the records they sought. As a result, PETA submitted another CPRA request in 2018.

“Any information that we obtain through the

public records act is a tool by which we can make the public aware that UC Davis has consumed hundreds of millions of dollars and produced almost nothing to benefit taxpayers,” Hawks said.

PETALAWSUIT on 9

UC DAVIS TO HOLD ITS FIRST-EVER ASUCD PRIDE FESTIVAL ON JUNE 3 The ASUCD Pride Festival will celebrate the LGBTQIA community at the Quad with vendors, food, activities and live music

BY KAYA DO-KHANH campus@theaggie.org

CHRISTINA LIU / AGGIE On Friday, June 3, ASUCD will host its first-ever Pride Festival.

The festival is a celebration of the LGBTQIA community on

campus, and it is open to UC Davis students, as well as individuals from the greater Davis and Sacramento community. The event will take place at the Quad from 3 to 7 p.m.

Before second-year political science major and Pride Festival Board Chair Ashley Chan was the ASUCD Gender and Sexuality Commision chair, the previous board chair had planned on holding a pride event, but after COVID-19 hit, such a large-scale event was no longer possible. According to Chan, when she was appointed as the Gender and Sexuality Commission Chair, she made it a priority to hold a pride event if feasible.

“I made it clear in my confirmation hearing that if the pandemic allowed for it, if the public health situation allowed for it, I wanted a pride event,” Chan said. “At first, I thought maybe a parade would be the way to go, but I thought about it, and a pride festival makes more sense, because it allows for the ability to honor LGBT businesses and help them out, especially since they’ve been so hard hit in the pandemic.”

The first two hours of the event will include a variety of local businesses owned by queer and transgender individuals serving as vendors, and there will be different planned activities. Some of the vendors will sell pride-related products like pronoun pins, jewelry and stickers. The second half of the event will have live performers

and musicians.

“I’m excited to see our community supported, to see people come to our event because they feel represented, they feel cared for, they’re looking to get something out of the event,” said Gracyna Mohabir, a fourth-year economics and environmental policy and analysis major and the co-chair of the Pride Festival Board. “I feel like with the pandemic, we’ve been robbed of the spaces that queer communities usually share at pride events.”

The ASUCD Pride Festival Board has a goal of connecting students to resources on campus and in the area, providing access to housing and mental and sexual health resources like the LGBTQIA Resource Center, according to Mohabir. Additionally, the board has reached out to organizations in the City of Davis such as the Davis Phoenix Coalition, which puts on the Davis Pride event each year. The board hopes to promote open discussion about topics that are not often addressed, like overall health as a queer or transgender person.

“I’m really excited that we have a group of diverse individuals who are a part of the queer and trans community on our board,” said third-year American studies major and board member Emma Bishoff. “I think it’s really cool that this is run by students for students.”

2 | THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

UC DAVIS STUDENT FARM EXPERIENCES TWO BURGLARIES IN MARCH

The Student Farm saw two back to back break-ins at the end of spring break and right before spring quarter started with total losses estimated at a few hundred dollars

BY JENNIFER MA campus@theaggie.org In March, two burglaries occurred at the UC Davis Student Farm, according to Student Farm Director Katharina Ullmann.

On March 27, Ullmann said she discovered a broken lock and a stolen harvest cart at the Student Farm.

Two sheds had also been broken into that day and there was an attempted break-in at a third shed on March 28. This breakin involved the theft of raincoats and gloves, food items, walkietalkies and harvest tools. The tools stolen were two knives used to harvest lettuce and other crops.

These total losses are estimated to be around a few hundred dollars, according to Ullmann.

The Student Farm has had previous break-ins over the past two years, one of which was a break-in at a shed reported on Feb. 1, which most likely took place during remote instruction at the beginning of winter quarter 2022.

These break-ins and burglaries have not been exclusive to the Student Farm. Bainer Hall also experienced a series of burglaries throughout fall quarter 2019, which was covered by The Aggie.

According to News and Media Relations Specialist Andy Fell, there are many outbuildings around campus which are typically difficult to secure, especially when there are not many people on campus.

“We do advise anyone not to leave valuable items in sight or in unsecured locations,” Fell said via email.

Ullman, who reported both break-ins, currently does not have information concerning the recovery of the equipment nor how the police will investigate suspects, as the UC Davis Police Department (UCDPD) is managing the case. UCDPD did not respond to a request for comment as of April 21.

Ullman, however, did share the steps being taken since the spring quarter break-ins to ensure there will not be a repeat occurrence.

“We are working with our campus partners to determine stronger locking solutions,” Ullman said.

She stated that the most frustrating aspect of the situation is that it diverts the attention of Student Farm employees.

“It is unfortunate that the break-ins happened at the start of spring quarter, when we would much prefer to be focusing on our work and the students,” Ullman said.

A man works in a garden at the Student Farms at UC Davis on Saturday, Oct. 31. (Aggie File).

SENATE SPECIAL SESSION CALLED TO DISCUSS ATTENDANCE POLICY A majority of the ASUCD Senate called a special session on April 13, regarding Senators Sergio Bocardo-Aguilar’s and Sofia Saraj’s absences in regularly scheduled and special meetings

BY JENNIFER MA campus@theaggie.org The Senate special session on April 13 was called to order at 8:20 a.m. by Internal Vice President Juliana Martinez Hernandez, who then recited the UC Davis Land Acknowledgement.

Senator Harris Razaqi, who called for the special session, was absent without prior communication about his appearance at the meeting.

The special session was called to discuss a violation of Section 902 of the ASUCD Bylaws.

“The ASUCD Senate expects voting and exofficio members to attend all regularly scheduled and special meetings of the ASUCD Senate as specified in the ASUCD Bylaws,” it states.

“The ASUCD Senate also expects all ASUCD Chairpersons and voting and alternate members of subordinate bodies of the ASUCD Senate to attend all regularly scheduled and special meetings of their respective body.”

Senators Sergio Bocardo-Aguilar and Sofia Saraj were in violation of the bylaws because Bocardo-Aguilar was attending meetings virtually on Zoom instead of in person, and Saraj was absent from multiple meetings. Consequently, there may be a closed session in which BocardoAguilar and Saraj could be removed from the Senate table.

Aurora Schunemann, a member of the public, said she opposed removing BocardoAguilar from the Senate due to his contributions over the past two years, which include hybrid learning and support to individuals who are immunocompromised.

Member of the public Kayla Garcia-Pebdani opposed Bocardo-Aguilar being removed as well, as he is the only Latinx representative on the Senate table.

Martinez Hernandez clarified that neither senators would be removed during the special session.

Member of the public Adriana Leal shared a personal experience regarding harassment, where Bocardo-Aguilar was a person for her to talk to. She said he made her feel safe and provided resources as well.

Another member of the public, Michelle Andrews, said it was undemocratic to remove Bocardo-Aguilar from the Senate since the student body voted him in.

Maria Martinez also mentioned how the removal would be unfair since the Senate has previously done remote work over Zoom due to the pandemic.

Member of the public Andrew Jeremiah Muench echoed the sentiment of unfairness as only letting Senators attend in person would hurt commuters, the international student community and those who have health concerns.

Member of the public Jackson Clark Mills said it was hypocritical to punish BocardoAguilar for attending meetings on Zoom when the special session itself was over Zoom.

Member of the public Calvin Wong also had a problem with the special session. He claimed there was a lack of transparency and he only knew about it because he is enmeshed in ASUCD. There was no public post to alert the student body about the special session, and it was also late notice.

External Affairs Vice President Saishruti Adusumilli encouraged the Senate table to take everyone’s comments seriously as this was the most engagement from the student body in around six months.

SPECIALSENATE on 9

SENATORS WERE INFORMED OF UPCOMING CHANGES TO TRANSPORTATION SERVICES, EXAMINED NEW LEGISLATION SB #73, #76, #71 and SR #29 passed unanimously

BY SYDNEY AMESTOY campus@theaggie.org The meeting was called into order by Vice President Juliana Martinez Hernandez at 6:14 p.m. on Thursday, March 22 who then read the land acknowledgement.

First on the agenda was a presentation by Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS), more specifically the bicycle program. The program’s role includes the impounding of abandoned bikes and the maintenance of bike racks on campus. The program has been unable to hold in-person auctions of impounded bikes and has instead held online auctions.

The presenters spoke about finding more ways to convince students to register their bicycles, as only 85 bikes have been returned to their owners this past year due to a lack of registration.

Perry Eggleston, the director of TAPs, then gave an overall report of the fiscal year and what it might mean for students.

Transportation is currently in the process of paying off debts from construction during the pandemic. The 2023 fiscal year will see an increase in prices in all parking zones because of this, Eggleston said.

“We’re asking ourselves, how can we keep this program going and still provide the revenue we need, and not push against the most vulnerable students on campus,” Eggleston said.

TAPS plans on introducing a new service to help students, in which those parked against the rules will instead receive an invoice that gives them until midnight to pay the daily rate rather than a $55 citation. There will also be the implementation of the UC Davis alumni-

AGGIE FILE

created parking app Japa, which uses sensors to accurately track empty parking spaces on the campus’s least-used lots, such as Lot 30. There will be an increase in L zone spaces — the most affordable to students — in Lot 30 as well as at the Sacramento Health campus.

Students can also expect some underutilized spaces to become C+ spaces, which can be used by students at a higher daily rate.

Following the TAPS presentation, came the confirmation of the new ACUSD controller, second-year Derrick Mayer, who was voted into the position unanimously by the Senate.

The table then confirmed fourth-year Mackenzie Field as the new vice chairperson for regulations and finance for the ACUSD Internal Affairs Commission (IAC), who was also voted in unanimously.

Associated Student Dining Services, which runs the CoHo and CoHo South, then provided its quarterly report.

Quarterly updates included the printing of paper and braille menus for all locations, the reopening of Ciao Pizza in the Memorial Union and new hours for all markets. However, there may be higher prices on some items in the coming future due to inflation. There are also talks of creating a new employee area and patio at CoHo, but these plans are still in the discussion stage.

Senators then gave reports of their proceedings, meetings and other activities for the past week.

There was no new legislation introduced at the meeting, so instead senators looked at legislation already passed through the IAC: SB #73 and SB #76.

SB #73 was introduced by Senator Dennis Liang and seeks to change the UC Davis official mascot from Gunrock the Mustang, to a cow of an undetermined name. The bill passed through the Internal Affairs Commission and was unanimously passed by the Senate. The measure will now be placed on the spring 2022 ballot.

“I know this has been a long and arduous process, I really want to commend [Senator Liang] and [his] team, I know it has been a really hard road to get this on the ballot,” Senator Sergio Bocardo-Aguilar said.

SB #76 seeks to create a director of communications role for the ACUSD executive branch out of preexisting positions, which would subsequently replace those positions in the official bylaws. It passed unanimously.

SR #29, a student resolution, addresses the UC Davis California National Primate Research Center. The authors of the bill seek ASUCD support in the condemnation of the center and its alleged abuses, as well as support towards demands to move UC Davis away from animal testing involving primates. The resolution passed unanimously.

Finally, SB #71 was considered. In the bill, the donation drive committee, which recently came under the ASUCD legislative branch’s guidance rather than the executive branch, asks for $3,000 for operational fees.

SENATE on 9

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022 | 3

QUARANTINE ORDER RESCINDED IN YOLO COUNTY FOR PEOPLE EXPOSED TO COVID-19 The decision was based on guidance from the California Department of Public Health

BY SHRADDHA JHINGAN city@theaggie.org KATHERINE FRANKS / AGGIE

A press release published on April 8 announced that the Mass Quarantine Order has now been rescinded in Yolo County. This means that people who came in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 but do not show any symptoms are not required to quarantine anymore. The only exception is if they work or live in high-risk settings.

The press release explains that the change was brought about in Yolo County following a change in the general recommendations for quarantine by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Though individuals are no longer required to quarantine after exposure, they should keep getting tested.

“Exposed persons should still get tested for COVID-19 3-5 days after an exposure and wear a mask around others for 10 days, but can continue to work, go to school, and participate in normal activities as long as they have no symptoms,” the press release reads.

Public Health Officer for Yolo County Dr. Aimee Sisson explained that the change in quarantine guidelines in Yolo County helps to reduce discrepancies with rules and recommendations at the state level. Sisson also noted that vaccines have made this change possible in the press release.

“I am rescinding the local Quarantine order in order to reduce confusion created by having different guidance at the local and State levels,” Sisson said in the press release. “The change recognizes that COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, with transmission levels decreasing and safe, effective vaccines available.”

According to Yolo County’s COVID-19 dashboard, as of April 22, the seven-day average for COVID-19 cases was 7.1 per 100,000.

Additionally, the test positivity seven-day rate was 1.4%.

The press release also notes that because the incubation period for various variants of COVID-19 is less than it has been in the past, people may only be aware of having the virus

after the incubation period is over.

“As the incubation period of circulating variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has grown shorter (now averaging 2-3 days), quarantine has become less useful, with many exposed persons receiving notification of an exposure after their incubation period ended,” the press release reads.

Public Information Officer for Yolo County John Fout provided further information on how the change in quarantine guidelines was made possible. Fout stated that the change was made based on recommendations from CDPH. “Basically, the change in a sense came from guidance from the California Department of Public Health, and what we’ve learned is that with the new variants of Omicron is that the time for the incubation period is much shorter than it used to be,” Fout said. “It’s now averaging about two or three days.”

Fout added that because of the short incubation period, people may not be infecting anyone by the time they become aware of being infected.

“So most people, by the time they actually find out they test positive, they’re actually no longer able to expose anyone with the virus,” Fout said.

Captain Lauri Hicks, the chief medical officer of the CDC’s COVID-19 response, said in a webinar in January that previous infection however does not mean a person cannot be reinfected.

“People who have been previously infected, even with the Delta variant or ancestral strains, are not necessarily protected against infection with Omicron,” Hicks said.

The webinar also explains further changes to quarantine and isolation guidelines in various settings as of January 2022. For more information on the changes to the Quarantine Order in Yolo County or COVID-19, people can read more on the press release or visit Yolo County’s COVID page.

SACRAMENTO CLEARS LONG TERM ENCAMPMENT FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, COMMUNITY SHARES THOUGHTS Activists call into question of the legality of the move after Sacramento makes a deal with property association

BY CHRIS PONCE city@theaggie.org The city of Sacramento is facing pressure after clearing an encampment for people experiencing homelessness that was located at the area of Howe Avenue and Fair Oaks Boulevard. The area of the encampment was located on public land, and the city was restricted from clearing the encampment due to the Martin v. City of Boise decision made by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The court decision states that cities are required to offer people experiencing homelessness housing if they are living on public property and has stopped the city of Sacramento from clearing the camp in the past, according to a statement from the city.

According to the Martin v. City of Boise court decision, the government cannot criminalize sleeping on public property for people experiencing homelessness.

“The panel held that, as long as there is no option of sleeping indoors, the government cannot criminalize indigent, homeless people for sleeping outdoors, on public property, on the false premise they had a choice in the matter,” the court decision reads.

The city of Sacramento has been accused by the Sacramento Homeless Union via a Twitter post of breaking the law for its clearing of the encampment. The post stated, “Stop wasting so much time and money on avoiding Martin versus Boise and actually implement the solutions needed.”

The Office of the Sacramento City Manager declined to make a statement on April 20 regarding the legality of its decision to The California Aggie. Instead, they referenced official statements that the city of Sacramento has made in response to the encampment over the last few months. According to a statement made by the city, Sacramento was prohibited from clearing the encampment due to Martin v. City of Boise.

The statement on the city website acknowledged its limited power in clearing

The city of Sacramento cleared an encampment for people experiencing homelessness that was located at the area of Howe Avenue and Fair Oaks Boulevard. (Wikimedia Commons) encampments stating, “At present, there are a greater number of persons experiencing homelessness in the City than there are beds in shelters. Consequently, the City may not criminally enforce a law that prohibits camping or sleeping on all public property.”

However, over the past few months, the city has shared its interest in clearing the encampment, according to another statement released on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

“The frustration of those whose homes or businesses are impacted by the issues arising from encampments is real and legitimate,” the press release read. “We understand the desire for public agencies to take swift and decisive action to resolve these issues. However, the fact is recent court cases now require cities to follow strict protocols when addressing homeless encampments.”

UC Davis Political Science Assistant Professor Adrienne Hosek commented via email about Sacramento’s increasing pressure to

sweep encampments and the uncertainty of the situation.

“In Sacramento, the city council and Mayor Steinberg have come under increased public pressure to remove homeless encampments,” Hosek said via email. “At the same time, the mayor’s proposal to construct homeless shelters in all Sacramento neighborhoods has faced stiff opposition from residents, particularly from more affluent neighborhoods like Fair Oaks. I’m not sure where things stand at the moment.”

In the same statement made by the city on Feb. 8, the city invited the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office and Sacramentos Sheriff’s Office to get involved. The city announced in a statement made on April 7, four days before the clearing, a deal was made between Sacramento and Howe and Fair Oaks Property Owners Association. This deal allowed Sacramento to clear the encampment.

“The City has entered into a lease agreement with this group and anticipates transferring the

property to them by mid-April after certain requirements are met,” the statement read.

Paula Lomazzi, a member of the Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee (SHOC), shared their thoughts regarding the sweeps via Facebook Messenger. According to SHOC website, the Sacramento Homeless Organizing Committee aims to share the voices of people experiencing homeless.

“Those swept are rarely given any alternative, such as housing, and are merely displaced into another equally illegal and unwelcoming neighborhood” Lomazzi said. “Or they are forced into hiding so far from public view that service providers will never be able to help them.”

Esteban Rodas, a 28-year-old resident from Elk Grove, shared their perspective on the matter.

Rodas grew up experiencing homelessness and believes that while encampments can increase crime rates, clearing the encampments is never justified and causes more harm than good.

Rodas shared their unique perspective via Reddit messaging.

“My family was formerly homeless and I spent most of my youth living in a car,” Rodas said via Reddit messaging. “What does clearing a camp accomplish? People are displaced, they lose their sense of community and safety and once again feel like society does nothing but look down on them. What hope is being offered to them?”

Rodas also mentioned the good that comes with encampments, such as easier access for volunteers to help those experiencing homelessness.

“Tent cities also make it easier for volunteers to give food or attend to the needs of the homeless,” Rodas said via Reddit messaging.

“And a final observation? It’s always the poor areas that have to put up with these tent cities.

The rich neighborhoods--which incidentally tend to fight tooth and nail against anything that would actually help solve this crisis--always remain insulated from this. The entire thing is disgusting.”

4 | THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

CACHE CREEK CANYON REGIONAL PARK REOPENED, PEOPLE ABLE TO MAKE CAMPING TRIPS Camping season runs from April 1 to Oct. 10

BY SHRADDHA JHINGAN city@theaggie.org Recently, Cache Creek Canyon Regional Park, located close to Rumsey, California, reopened all of its features. Though various parks reopened after May 2020, following shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Cache Creek Canyon Regional Park remained closed, according to an article from the Davis Enterprise.

However, after reopening all of its features, people have been able to make camping reservations, starting April 1 this year. This will be an option until Oct. 10, after which camping season for the year will end.

Though people are able to make walk-in reservations, they are encouraged to do so online, which is possible at least two days before the intended date of arrival, according to the park’s website. There is a maximum of eight people allowed per camp-site.

The park’s description provides a further insight into the park’s location, stating that it is located about six miles north of Rumsey, California, alongside State Highway 16. It has more than “600 acres of natural wilderness,” which ranges from pines, cottonwoods in grassland meadows and more.

“The Regional Park sits in the beautiful Cache Creek Canyon area, with peaks reaching higher than 2,200 feet in elevation,” the website reads. “The Regional Park is divided into three use areas: the Cache Creek Upper Park Site, the Cache Creek Middle Campground Park site, and the Cache Creek Lower Park Site. The three park use areas offer a range of activities such as white water rafting, rural hiking, kayaking, fishing, and nature walks.”

The Upper Day Use Park Site is often used for rafting during the summer, though cell phones may not work in that part of the park. The same goes for the Lower Day Use Site, although there are various trails around for people to go hiking.

More detailed information can be found in the park’s information website.

Before making a reservation, campers should note that the park is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during camping season, and no overnight camping will be permitted in this time period.

With the opening of Cache Creek Canyon Regional Park, and others during the camping season, residents of Yolo County will be able to spend more time outdoors this spring and summer. One such program at UC Davis is encouraging students and members of the

community to do so — Healthy Outside.

Members of the UC Davis community are encouraged to spend more time outdoors under the program, and can share photos of them doing so in order to be eligible to win prizes.

According to the website, this helps with mental and physical health.

“Most of our campus community missed the last two spring quarters at UC Davis,” Healthy Outside lead and UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden director of public horticulture, Stacey Parker, said in a news release. “It’s really quite a spectacular time of year, so we want to celebrate all that our campus and community recreational spaces have to offer.”

In a webinar by the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, they highlighted the importance of spending time in nature. Additionally, they also described how nature should be something that is accessible for everybody.

“As I mentioned before, nature is a necessity that should be universal,” Arboretum Ambassador Cassie Eng said. “It’s extremely important to address these vulnerable communities in order to close the nature gap for all.”

The webinar also noted that the UC Davis Arboretum features collections from places around the world. These include the East Asian Collection and Southwest U.S. and Mexican Collection.

“The collections at the Arboretum and Public Garden are diverse and representative of plants from all over the world,” Arboretum Ambassador Michelle Lester said. “In this way the Arboretum and Public Garden is demonstrating inclusivity with our biodiversity as well as making sure to highlight different cultures and then plants native to those lands.”

In a webinar, Dr. Jean Larson, who is the “director of nature-based therapeutics at the Bakken Center and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum” explained the benefits of spending time outdoors, specifically in nature. In addition to being mentally healing, it can also help in forming a community, Dr. Larson explained.

“There is scientific evidence that being in nature or even viewing scenes of nature reduces anger, fear, stress and increases pleasant feelings,” Dr. Larson said. “Exposure to nature not only makes you feel better emotionally, it also contributes to your physical well-being: reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the production of stress hormones.”

Ultimately, through the reopening of Cache Creek Canyon Regional Park, residents of Yolo County will have more chances to get outside and enjoy the benefits of spending time in nature.

The shore of Cash Creek, CA and the Coast Range. (Wikimedia Commons)

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, DIVERSION PROGRAMS PROVIDE ALTERNATIVES TO INCARCERATION IN YOLO COUNTY The District Attorney’s office and the Health and Human Services Agency are seeking state grant funding for mental health and substance abuse treatment CHRISTINA LIU / AGGIE

BY LEVI GOLDSTEIN city@theaggie.org This month, the Yolo County District Attorney’s office (DA) and the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) are seeking state grant funding in accordance with Proposition 47 to allocate towards local crime prevention as well as mental health and substance abuse treatment programs, according to a Yolo County press release.

Prop 47, a state bill that passed in November 2014, reduced the severity of prison sentences for non-violent offenses such as theft, fraud and drug possession from felonies to misdemeanors. State funds that were previously spent on incarcerations costs have been directed to community-based programs to reduce the risk for criminal offenses and provide alternatives for imprisonment that focus on support and recovery.

Nicole Kirkaldy, the program coordinator for the DA’s office Restorative Justice Partnership (RJP), is responsible for organizing and directing local Yolo County programs. The county is seeking funding for two different projects, according to Kirkaldy. The first, headed by the HHSA, will help individuals involved in the criminal justice system engage in treatment and receive support. The second, headed by the DA’s office, will help divert misdemeanor offenders to alternatives other than incarceration, specifically those for whom it is suspected that a mental health condition will prevent them from standing trial.

“Instead of going through the traditional court process, they are given the option to engage in treatment and get connected to some supports that would allow them ideally to stabilize across four areas: housing, behavioral health, physical health and income,” Kirkaldy said.

“That engagement maintained over a period of

time would allow their case to be diverted away from traditional prosecution so that engagement would be prioritized over any kind of punitive approach.”

Prop 47 programs collaborate with local organizations, such as CommuniCare Health Centers and Empower Yolo, to ensure that those at risk for offense, such as individuals experiencing homelessness, become more stable and self-sufficient.

“It’s a target population that has a lot of needs and is dealing with various challenges,” Kirkaldy said. “But for those who were able to really engage with their treatment, engage in the process, and follow that through, they were able to make some pretty significant strides as far as their own stability. And in a lot of ways, [...] move forward without some of those burdens that the traditional system can place on a person.”

Throughout April, Yolo County hosted four public meetings to get feedback from

the community about previous programs and identify existing areas of need, such as Steps to Success that ran from 2018 to 2021. Ultimately, the results from those meetings will inform the grant funding proposals and guide the programs, according to Kirkaldy.

Kirkaldy said she is faithful that restorative justice and diversion are significantly more effective and beneficial to the community than traditional incarceration.

“To me, it’s an approach that focuses on making the community whole,” Kirkaldy said.

“It’s not focused on punishment, it’s focused on identifying the impacts [...] of a crime, and really looking at ways to address it that will return the community, those involved [and] those affected, victims, participants or offenders, to a place of wholeness, to a place of being able to move forward in a positive direction […] When we really commit to it, I think that it leaves everyone involved in a better position.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022 | 5

OPINION REFLECTING ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AS COLLEGE STUDENTS

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C ALIFORNIA A GGIE

EDITO RIA L B OA RD ANJINI VENUGOPAL Editor-in-Chief MARGO ROSENBAUM Managing Editor SOPHIE DEWEES Campus News Editor

Loss and gratitude can come in many different forms

MADELEINE PAYNE City News Editor EDEN WINNIFORD Opinion Editor

For freshmen, sophomores and juniors, this is their first inperson spring quarter ever in Davis, and for most seniors, this is their second and final one. It’s a joyous time; not only is spring quarter known to be the best in Davis, but it feels celebratory to return to the activities that students haven’t been able to engage with for two years. There is a glorious sense of relief as the world starts to function a little bit closer to how it did before.

Yet this return back to “normal” life can feel painful too, especially when it contrasts with what we lost in the pandemic.

Young people have faced a unique set of challenges these last few years: Many have juggled financial burdens from pandemic shutdowns, cared and provided for sick family members and learned how to survive a pandemic while being full-time students and handling issues that come with being young adults.

Many students — seniors especially — are reflecting on their time spent in Davis and mourning the little things lost in the past two years. Meeting up with friends for pho at the MU, bumping into an old acquaintance outside of Wellman, cramming for midterms with classmates in the Reading Room — these little life events, no matter how insignificant they may have seemed a few years ago, are finally becoming normal again. It’s bittersweet, though, since we couldn’t experience these things fully during our entire four years of college.

People have endured varying levels of loss during this pandemic.

The small social interactions that many lost for the past two years, while minute in comparison to the much larger tolls the pandemic

has left on human life and health, are still valid to mourn. It’s okay to feel excitement about returning to old habits and experiences while also feeling melancholy that we have to return to them at all.

That being said, there are things that might not ever change now that we’re emerging from the pandemic — some for the better. This includes flexibility with hybrid courses, more openness to remote work and wearing masks when sick.

Additionally, a number of students have found new directions in life, as the pandemic led them to reassess their values and prioritize personal well-being. For some, this could look like a new career path or hobby. For others, it could be feeling burnt out from virtual learning and ready to take a break from classes.

Every year, seniors face some sort of apprehension about the future, but it can be even scarier to enter a world when the future has seemed so uncertain in the last few years. Moving on from a place, while feeling like you weren’t able to fully experience it, can create many conflicting emotions, feelings some of us on the Editorial Board have right now.

But with five weeks left of spring quarter, it’s time to soak up every bit of Davis you can, whether you’re graduating or returning for school in the fall. Walk through the Arb on a warm evening, lay in the grass at the Wednesday farmers market and enjoy biking at night without a sweatshirt because if there’s anything the pandemic has taught us, it’s that moments like these, shared with those you love, are finite and best celebrated in the present.

KATIE DEBENEDETTI Features Editor ALLIE BAILEY Arts & Culture Editor OMAR NAVARRO Sports Editor MICHELLE WONG Science & Tech Editor

KATHLEEN QUINN New Media Manager BENJAMIN CHENG Photo Director KATHERINE FRANKS Design Director JOELLE TAHTA Layout Director ANNE THISELTON-DYER Copy Chief SABINE LLOYD Copy Chief DARSHAN SHIVAKUMAR Website Manager ANTHONY NGUYEN Social Media Manager JOSHUA GAZZANIGA Distribution Manager JENNA HEATH Marketing Manager

WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

JELENA LAPUZ Outreach Director LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

STOP BEING SO NICE ON PEER REVIEW Sugar-coating your feedback does more harm than good

BY OWEN RUDERMAN opruderman@ucdavis.edu UC Davis offers a variety of majors and classes. In some classes, students submit their work directly to the professor and receive their grade. But other times, students’ work gets vetted by their peers before the final submission. A student might, for example, give a first draft of an essay to their classmates for feedback.

This feedback can be extremely helpful for honing in on a better thesis, catching grammar and spelling mistakes or getting advice on structure and style. Unfortunately though, peer feedback isn’t always utilized to its full potential.

I’ve only been at UC Davis for a few quarters, but I’ve already noticed that peer review is sometimes not taken as seriously as it should be. Yes, it’s nice to be complimented on my work, but that’s not the point of these exercises. Peer review is a space to be honest and let your classmate know what parts of their work can be improved.

Being too nice on a peer review can negatively affect your classmate’s grade. If the only feedback you leave is something like, “I love how you make this point!” or, “Super interesting!”, then your classmate has no idea how to improve the quality of their paper. Peer review is an opportunity to get fresh eyes on a piece of work. Being too nice defeats the purpose.

I’m not saying to be mean, though. There is a difference between constructive feedback and negative criticism. Don’t just say, for example, “Your paper is weak and needs some serious work,” even if that’s what you’re thinking. Instead, provide specific examples of the things they can work on to address the issues and make their work better. You might say, “I like your topic sentence, but this part of the paragraph is slightly confusing. Consider rewording this sentence and expanding a little on your definitions.” Concrete examples of what needs improvement are always helpful.

One reason I think students might not give honest feedback is because they’re afraid that their classmates will start to dislike them. To avoid this, they give feedback that is mostly praise. Don’t you think, though, that if your peers’ paper goes through peer review and nobody points out any issues, that the student will be more frustrated when they get back a poor grade? It’s important to give your fellow classmates the helpful, constructive feedback they deserve.

JACOB SLOAN / AGGIE

In my experience, the most engaging and effective feedback I’ve received came from peers who weren’t afraid to ask questions and tell the truth. If something confused them, they would tell me. If a sentence sounded awkward, they would suggest a revision. If they felt like a body paragraph should be organized differently, they would tell me why.

While genuine peer feedback can be extremely helpful, it’s important to remember that it’s just your classmate’s opinion.

You are not required to integrate their feedback, and you should take their suggestions with a grain of salt. Don’t sacrifice your own

writing style or a point you feel strongly about just because one of your peers suggested you change it.

In the end, though, I think we would all rather have someone make too many comments than not enough. And no matter the amount of comments, if all they are is praise, the value of a peer review is lost. So next time you’re reviewing the work of your classmates, remember to be honest and constructive instead of showering them with praise. No one will be upset that you secured them a better grade.

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.

WHAT RAMADAN MEANS TO ME A month where one of our basic needs becomes an avenue for deep gratitude

BY NADIA ANEES nsanees@ucdavis.edu

NADIA ANEES / AGGIE

As a kid, I used to feel a weight on my chest every time Ramadan rolled around. But with age, I slowly gained more appreciation for the month. I started to warm up to the idea of the holy month approaching, the month when Muslims across the globe come together to fast from food or drink from sunrise to sunset for 30 days.

With age, I learned to recognize that fasting in this month is about so much more than putting your body through physical hunger. In this month, Muslims who are able to fast abstain not just from food, but also from habits of overconsumption and overstimulation.

The most basic element of survival is food — the item always on my mind. But for 30 days,

the object that is a subconscious part of my routine is something I go about most of my day without. From an outside perspective, 30 days of fasting sounds intense and borderline impossible — and admittedly it is a challenge. However, the trust that there will be food on the table when sunset rolls around brings people who are fasting great ease.

Every family’s Iftar table looks different, but often mine would be adorned with my mom’s crispy samosas, pockets of spiced ground meat coated in layers of a thin wrapper and fried to perfection, fruit chaat, a bowl of fruits mixed with citrus and spices that burst on your tongue and kebabs, grilled patties of tender meat that melt in your mouth.

There is a different kind of joy that happens when we sit with the ones we love and bite into the hot food that Mom (or the designated cook of the night) spends time laboring away at, all after a long day of fasting. Ironically, in just 10 minutes we can reach satisfaction and fullness after hours of fasting — showing just how fleeting some of our desires can be.

This month helps us abstain from overconsumption and over-stimulation, something hard to practice in a fast-moving capitalist society that constantly has us looking to have more, more, more. For a month out of the year, Ramadan helps lots of Muslims recenter, focus on their core values and practice deep gratitude for the small and big things in life.

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.

ARTS & CULTURE 6 | THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

KDVS HOSTS INDEPENDENT MUSIC FESTIVAL ‘OPERATION: RESTORE MAXIMUM FREEDOM’ The event director says the event promises to be an alternative to corporate-backed, mainstream festivals

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BY ANJINI VENUGOPAL arts@theaggie.org Album: “Asha’s Awakening” by Raveena (2022) In a word, Raveena’s concept album is ethereal. The album is from the perspective of a Punjabi space princess and, according to a post on Raveena’s Instagram, centers “FEELING ALIVE” in the quiet and loud. The first half of the album is dreamy and feels galactic, with Bollywood sounds mixed with powerful bass lines and R&B and light rock elements. Raveena credits Asha Puthli as a major inspiration, and Puthli joins her in “Asha’s Kiss,” a glorious, dreamy track. The second half of the album is meditative, with the album even ending on a 13-minutelong guided meditation. Some critics have said this is an unnecessary component of the album; I don’t mind it, though I do prefer some of the earlier tracks. The first time I listened through the album I was walking through the Arboretum — I may not have been floating through the universe among stars and magical aliens, but feeling grounded in nature seemed an oddly appropriate way to enjoy Raveena’s almost psychedelic tunes. Her earlier music was contemplative yet airy, and she has expanded beyond that in this album with some less mellow tracks. “Kismet” and “Secret,” for example, exude a confidence that is empowering to see from a young, queer South Asian American artist.

TV Show: “Russian Doll” (2019) I’m not sure what’s more compelling about this show — Natasha Lyonne’s outfits and hair or her dry one-liners as she navigates the nonlinearity of life, time and grief. There are a few Netflix shows that have a better second season than the first (I’m looking at you, “Bridgerton”), but in my experience, a lot of second seasons of popular shows ever so slightly miss the mark. The second season of “Russian Doll” came out last Wednesday, and though it was not as good as the first season (which I would give five stars), it’s worth the three and a half hours it’ll take you to watch — if you don’t mind chaos. I overuse the word “chaos,” but there is quite the dose of chaos in this show. It’s so chaotic at points that it’s almost frustrating to watch Lyonne’s Nadia continually fail to internalize that she should maybe just slow down for a second. The first season involves time loops and arguably has more structure than the second season’s storylines centering time travel and body-switching. Season one is plenty existential on its own, but season two somehow makes it grittier, investigating generational (and other) trauma. It’s a lot, so be prepared. Anyway, as Nadia says, “Thursday. What a concept.”

Promo poster for KDVS independent musical festival “Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom.”

(KDVS 90.3 FM / Courtesy)

BY JACOB ANDERSON arts@theaggie.org “Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom,” the KDVS-run music festival that’s been happening since 2005, will be on April 30 at 212 15th Street, the Red Museum, in Sacramento.

More than a dozen musicians from Davis, Los Angeles and elsewhere will be giving their best onstage and supporting the local music scene.

Event Director Claire Tauber, a fourth-year student studying sustainable agriculture and food systems, told The Aggie over email that she hopes the event will “be many students’ first exposure to a DIY music festival post-COVID. We’re really excited to be able to revive that tradition.”

She said she hopes the event will help provide an alternative conception of what a music festival can be, opposed to the onslaught of mainstream festivals like Coachella, which host only mainstream, corporate-backed artists.

“In this sense, we are trying to ‘restore

maximum freedom’ of creative expression for music lovers to enjoy,” she said.

Tauber also spoke against being a bystander when it comes to local artists — in her eyes, it takes active participation from the community for a local music scene to survive and grow.

“I think Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom has benefitted the Davis community because it exposes people, many of whom are from other states or countries, to new up-and-coming artists who may not get coverage otherwise,” she said. “Having a thriving music scene is something that has to be actively cultivated, and throwing festivals like ‘Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom’ can get people excited and encouraged to participate in that creative community.”

Among the artists who will be at the festival are Valley Palace, Pork Belly, Beast Nest, Maya Songbird, Cryogeyser and Toner. “Cryogeyser and Toner are both fantastic,” wrote Tauber.

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Book: “Crying in H Mart” by Michelle Zauner (2021) Too many jokes have been made about crying in a bedroom or on a train while reading Zauner’s book already, but yes, I did in fact shed some tears reading this book. Zauner, who is the lead vocalist and songwriter for Japanese Breakfast, expanded her 2018 New Yorker essay into this powerful memoir, writing about growing up Korean American in Oregon, her relationship with her parents and the growing pains of feeling caught between cultures. The book opens with Zauner stating: “Ever since my mom died, I cry in H Mart.” After her mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Zauner navigates her desire to reconnect to and reclaim the culture her mother tried to impart through food, language and more. Zauner’s mother’s death is not written into the book as a concluding point at the end; instead the unraveling and processing of grief is a core part of what makes the story so touching and painfully honest.

Movie: “Get a Clue” dir. Maggie Greenwald The last time I wrote one of these, I hyped up the Lindsay Lohan version of “The Parent Trap” as a family favorite and the ideal comfort watch. To stay on brand, I would like to recommend the 2002 wonder that is “Get a Clue,” featuring a 16-year-old Lohan and 14-year-old Brenda Song (of Disney Channel fame). I recently watched this for the first time, and marveled at the age-appropriate casting of high schoolers and fantastic outfits. It may not be the peak of cinema, but there is a certain appeal to watching aspiring journalist Lexy (played by the one and only Lohan) run around trying to solve a mystery and seemingly learning that she is, in fact, a bit hoity toity — she takes the New York Subway for the first time with a friend, and it is quite the awakening for her that she can’t just call a car. There are plenty of other meaningful movies you could watch, but sometimes you need to put on a Disney Channel original movie (a DCOM, if you will) and sink into a couch for a couple hours — “Get a Clue” is a great option.

THE UC DAVIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA PREMIERES ‘KULESHOV’ An innovative new piece from a French-Argentine composer

BY JACOB ANDERSON arts@theaggie.org On April 21, the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra put on a performance called “Effects and Dances,” comprising two contemporary pieces, one of which has never before been performed in the U.S. The premiere of Oscar Strasnoy’s “Kuleshov” — a piano concerto here starring a California-born doctorate student at Cornell, Ryan McCullough, on the principal instrument — is the nexus of the evening.

Strasnoy himself is here, and the FrenchArgentine composer takes the stage alongside McCullough and UC Davis Symphony Orchestra conductor Christian Baldini before

the music starts.

Strasnoy is in an eye-catching pinstriped suit and explaining the cinematic influence behind the structure of “Kuleshov.” Named after the Soviet filmmaker Lev Kuleshov, the piece is centered around an aural application of Kuleshov’s editing ideas. It comprises a series of musical “images” that rotate around one central theme. It’s meant to provoke the listener — is that theme really the same as the one before it, or is it shifting alongside the context in which it’s invoked? The degree to which context and repetition affect the perception of one musical idea is Strasnoy’s fascination, apparently. Talking with Baldini, he says his “main source for this work was silent film accompaniment music from

the 1920s. Surely those musics were influenced by certain features of those composers, so my references are surely second hand.”

Strasnoy’s striking ideas are part of what he’s termed a rejection of “artistic homogeneity,” in which many young composers become stuck imitating their teachers fruitlessly.

“I would recommend [students] avoid as much as possible emulating the contemporary musical currents taught in universities, which turn almost all students into epigones,” Strasnoy said. “Being an artist means being free to do whatever you want with whatever ideas, material or media you want.

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UC Davis Symphony Orchestra in performance, fall 2018. (Photo by Justin Han / Copyright UC Regents)

THE HIDDEN POWER OF ELIZABETH CATLETT How the printmaker and sculptor explored the unacknowledged contributions of mothers of color

BY CORALIE LOON arts@theaggie.org Content Warning: This article contains descriptions of violence which some readers may find disturbing.

April 15, 1915: The artist Elizabeth Catlett is born. If her name isn’t familiar to you, you are not alone. For those who do know about her, it is usually for her “intensely political art,” many in the form of lithographs (a type of hand-made print). But alongside her pieces dedicated to moments of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements, a different but equally important story emerges.

Elizabeth Catlett, born in Washington D.C., began her career as an artist when she was denied admission to the Carnegie Institute of Technology because she was Black. Instead of backing down,

she enrolled at Howard University, a historically Black research university in Washington, D.C., where she studied printmaking, drawing and sculpture.

After getting an MFA in sculpture at the University of Iowa, she spent time in the American South, where she witnessed the regime of Jim Crow-era segregation. For a brief amount of time, she was the chair of Dillard University’s art department in New Orleans.

According to the New Orleans Museum of Art, she was devastated at the fact that many of her students were denied access to racially segregated art museums and “defied segregation orders” to take them to see Pablo Picasso’s paintings at the Isaac Delgado Museum. These experiences would greatly influence her political artwork later on.

In 1946, she moved to Mexico City, where she worked at “Taller de Gráfica Popular,” an artist and printmaking collective that “worked to better the social conditions of the working

classes, the poor, and the dispossessed.” She became increasingly interested in printmaking, sharing a dedication to accessible and affordable art with others in the collective.

In her series of lithographs titled “The Black Woman,” she honors influential Black women in history, including Phillis Wheatley, Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. “And a Special Fear for My Loved Ones” (1947), instead of a celebration, is a portrait of fear: the sketched body of a Black man on the ground, a noose around his neck.

In addition to the struggles of Black people in America, Catlett was also greatly influenced

by Mexican culture through her creation of terra cotta sculptures, many of which show female bodies that resemble the large, muscular bodies in Diego Rivera’s paintings.

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Sharecropper, 1968 or 1970, painting by Elizabeth Catlett Mora. (Courtesy of Elizabeth Catlett, fair use Rationale)

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022 | 7

‘THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S MOMENT’ CELEBRATES PHOTOGRAPHY AT EVERY LEVEL From novice to seasoned professional, the exhibit at Gallery 625 has a place for everyone

BY CLARA FISCHER arts@theaggie.org When it comes to photography, many say that the modern age is undoubtedly unique. Gone are the days of having skilled professionals snap portraits with pewter plates and completely dark rooms. Now, almost anybody who has a cell phone has the capacity to snap a picture instantly and immortalize any given moment in time.

“The Photographer’s Moment,” an exhibit by Joseph Finkleman, explores this concept and celebrates the joy in the everyday photographer. “[Camera phones] allow a person to make a pretty image and not have to do anything beyond aiming the glass at what you want to record and push the virtual button at the precise moment in time,” writes Finkleman in the artist statement displayed at the exhibit.

The installation, located in Gallery 625 at Yolo County’s Erwin Meier Administration Building, is a showcase of photos capturing photographers of all kinds, from professionals to amateur selfietakers. Albeit not extensive, the assortment is effective at delivering its message. Something about the simplistic setup — and the almost inceptive feeling I got when I realized I was taking pictures of pictures showing people taking pictures — lets the photos stand for themselves, which is what the exhibit is all about.

“In general, every image we make, consciously or unconsciously, that image in some manner is utterly unique,” writes Finkleman in his artist statement. That idea comes through in the range of photos on display. From the shot of a bride and the photographer standing in the snow to the group of hikers posing with a selfie stick on a large rock, and even the blonde model posing in a silver sequined jumpsuit against a vibrant red backdrop, all of these seemingly different pieces have a common thread connecting them at their core. Each of the photographers pictured has a goal in mind: capture the moment that’s in front of them (or in the case of the selfie artists, behind them).

It was also interesting to see the different perspectives presented in each photograph. There were a variety of ages and genders on display, each photographing a different subject. This shows how diverse the artform can be, if only given the opportunity to pick up a camera.

Another thing worth noting is the location of the exhibit itself. Housed in an administration building located in downtown Woodland, admission is free to all, and there was no one there regulating entry or providing extra information when I visited. The pictures, along with the brief artist statement posted on the wall, speak for themselves.

“The Photographer’s Moment” is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., and will remain open through May 31 — perfect timing for those who want to celebrate May as National Photography Month.

“The Photographer’s Moment” exhibit at Gallery 625 in Woodland. (Clara Fischer / Aggie)

BEST SPOTS TO SKATEBOARD ON CAMPUS From beginner to advanced, here are the places to hit

BY SIERRA JIMENEZ arts@theaggie.org Whether you’re a beginner just learning how to TicTac on the board or the next Tony Hawk, skateparks are notoriously intimidating. Learning how to cruise and land sick tricks on your board is definitely a marathon, not a sprint. Below are the best spots on campus that are less daunting than a skatepark and open to all levels.

West Entry Parking Structure Atop what the locals call “Hutchinson” is a Davis favorite for cruising and learning new tricks. Popular around sundown, this parking structure has the best views of the picturesque Davis sunsets. The population on the last floor of the structure is always varied — from photographers to skaters, this is a place for all.

Positioned at a slant, as a parking garage naturally is, it is perfect for getting the hang of standing on the board or bombing all the levels of the garage from top to bottom. With a relatively smooth surface, there are minimal potholes to avoid, which makes it easier to practice your board tricks. With curbs to practice small jumps, this is a nice and easy place to get comfortable on a board without all eyes on you.

Death Star Smooth and secluded, this spot is the perfect place to practice cruising or tricks off of the many staircases that make up the Social Sciences and Humanities Building, otherwise known as the Death Star. In a maze of various staircases and hallways, there is an endless supply of spots to learn jumps or perfect a landing without many eyes watching. Everyone already gets lost in that labyrinth of a structure, so bring a board and check it out for yourself. Additionally, the stairs off of the Death Star facing iTea have some gnarly steps to practice jumps and landing tricks — especially if you like the attention of all eyes on you with all the hot food spots right off-campus.

Davis Gap Located at Roessler Hall, this is a destination all skaters aspire to hit. Famous skater Chris Joslin raised the bar for skaters near and far by landing a tre flip off of what many compare to looking down a mountain. “When you’re standing on top of that mountain it’s hard to imagine anybody making it to the bottom alive,” stated Thrasher Magazine in the YouTube description of Joslin’s legendary jump in 2016. Going off the walkway, over the giant bush patch and landing on the ground, this is a jump not many can make — but hey, maybe see if you can.

June 3, 2022

volunteer duties:

Olson Bridge Dip Especially on a cruiser, the bridge next to Olson Hall on campus is a fun little roller coaster dip for any skater. Not necessarily the hardest thing to hit on the board, it is a nice change from the level ground on the rest of campus. It is almost a campus skate ramp for students getting to and from class. It is a good spot for beginners to feel comfortable on dips and small hills — learning how to reposition balance in your feet and your body differently than on an even ground. Although rather beginner-level, it puts a smile on everyone’s faces who are on wheels (even bikers).

California Hall Despite the years of construction and noise it took to build this modern hall, it was all worth it for Davis skaters. The smooth concrete allows for uninterrupted cruising. No potholes, no rocks and no cracks, this is the ideal spot for any skater — whether it be skateboarding or roller skating. The high that skaters get when hitting smooth pavement is sublime. If you’ve got new wheels, loosen up your trucks and get it on at California Hall, where twisting and turning is the name of the game. Longboarding or riding any board with polyurethane wheels will make you feel exhilarated and free as if you were hitting rips on a surfboard.

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THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, ARIL 28, 2022 | 9

UKRAINE

KDVSFESTIVAL

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They shared their worry and sadness at one of the Wednesday night vigils.

Dmitri Iacovlev, a first-year undeclared major and member of the Student Slavic Association at UC Davis, was born in Moldova and has a brother who lived in Ukraine for almost 20 years before recently leaving during an invasion.

Iacovlev expressed his concern for his brother and also his anger at the lack of conversation and action by people in the U.S. — especially his feeling of isolation when trying to discuss the events with friends in Davis who aren’t part of the international community.

Alderson said that it’s difficult for him when people tell him that they’re happy he’s back in the U.S. because it reminds him of his friends in Ukraine and the danger they’re facing. Mokhava said that she is also struggling thinking about the events she saw before leaving Ukraine and the stories she’s heard from people still there.

Iacovlev said that he, and many with connections

overseas, are overcome with worry and a longing to be with their family and friends again.

“I have family in Moldova and Ukraine, but physically I’m here,” Iacovlev said. “It’s a sort of isolation because in my mind I’m with them.

And when people are not thinking or talking about this [war], it feels very much like the barrier between people grows.”

Alderson and Okhremtchouk said that one of the most impactful ways to show support is by “showing up.” Whether this is by donating money, volunteering at fundraisers, having conversations about the conflict, providing housing for refugees or going to these weekly vigils, they said that showing up for those affected means a lot for the Slavic community in Davis and abroad.

“At the end of the day, we’re glad that people know where Ukraine is on the map,” Alderson said, “but we want them to continue to care.”

PETALAWSUIT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The CNPRC failed to comply with the Animal Welfare Act on at least 24 occasions, the lawsuit allleges.

According to Meyer, 95% of novel drugs deemed successful in preclinical experiments using animals fail in human studies, citing the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“This claim is deliberately ignoring the large majority of human treatments that originated in animal research,” Bales said. “Pretty much every available human treatment, as well as every veterinary treatment, originated in animal research.”

PETA has proposed alternatives to animal experimentation in its Research Modernization Deal. Among these are sophisticated computer simulations and microchips which contain human tissue. “[It’s] being shown that [these alternatives]

are more accurate than crude and lethal animal experiments,” Meyer said. “It’s just a matter of time before we start seeing these replacements.”

The CNPRC is one of the seven national primate research centers funded by the NIH that PETA wants to shut down.

According to Bales, however, primate research can be greatly impactful.

“The motivation behind keeping […] primate research centers open is that they are all conducting potentially life-saving research,” Bales said.

To Meyer, the experiments are abuses that would bring animal cruelty charges if they took place outside the laboratory.

“There’s no such thing as an illegal experiment on animals in the United States, and it doesn’t matter how ridiculous it is or how cruel it is,” Meyer said.

SPECIALSENATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 Bocardo-Aguilar then spoke on his own behalf, saying he was not in violation of the bylaws as the policy did not restrict attendance on Zoom.

Vice President Martinez Hernandez then restated she was just doing her job and that a special session must be called if there is a violation of the bylaws.

Senator Radhika Gawde moved the conversation to focus on Senator Saraj as she missed the special session along with the previous two meetings with no communication.

Senator Owen Krauss echoed this sentiment, saying that he only wanted a closed session for Senator Saraj, not Senator Bocardo-Aguilar.

The Senate table then moved to Senate discussion, where Senator Gawde motioned to have a closed session for Senator Saraj. The motion was seconded.

Senator Saraj was contacted for comment by The California Aggie, but had not responded as of April 26.

Martinez Hernandez adjourned the meeting at 9:45 a.m.

SENATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 After deliberation, an agreement was reached that $1,700 would be paid up front out of the Senate reserves, and the additional money would be sourced from the special projects fund. If that additional money is not in the fund, or provided by the fund, then the committee could return to the next Senate meeting.

“We should give them the money in full, and make sure the money comes from [the legislative branch],” Senator Owen Krauss said.

SB #71 was passed unanimously.

The meeting was then adjourned at 9:12 p.m.

by Martinez Hernandez. The meeting ended a few minutes earlier than scheduled.

PEERREVIEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 In my experience, the most engaging and effective feedback I’ve received came from peers who weren’t afraid to ask questions and tell the truth. If something confused them, they would tell me. If a sentence sounded awkward, they would suggest a revision. If they felt like a body paragraph should be organized differently, they would tell me why.

While genuine peer feedback can be extremely helpful, it’s important to remember that it’s just your classmate’s opinion. You are not required to integrate their feedback, and you should take their suggestions with a grain of salt.

Don’t sacrifice your own writing style or a point you feel strongly about just because one of your peers suggested you change it.

In the end, though, I think we would all rather have someone make too many comments than not enough. And no matter the amount of comments, if all they are is praise, the value of a peer review is lost. So next time you’re reviewing the work of your classmates, remember to be honest and constructive instead of showering them with praise. No one will be upset that you secured them a better grade.

CATLETT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 Her experience with sculpting techniques led to a collection of sculptures that at first appear to diverge from her previous subjects, all titled the same thing: “Mother and Child.”

These sculptures span years and come in numerous styles and shapes, but they all display women of color as mothers, protectors and as hidden symbols of power.

The mother in her 1956 “Mother and Child,” made of a pale and organic terra cotta, is detailed to exhibit “aspects of Black physiognomies” while also remaining anonymous, her body a generalization of motherhood, of the sturdiness and softness of a body whose job it is to keep another life going.

The intimacy of this sculpture, signaled by the mother’s down-turned head and inward posture, is challenged by her 1983 “Mother and Child,” where the mother is standing upright with her head raised. Both her posture and the sharp, geometric lines carved out of wood create a more powerful image.

Her other 1956 “Mother and Child” combines soft terra cotta with a pose that disrupts the one-on-one intimacy of her other mothers. The woman looks out at the viewer and holds the baby facing outward. In this sculpture, she both confronts the viewer and asks them a question: what do you expect of me? Among the stereotyped image of a mother and child, there is room for power, for purpose and for strength.

Through her many sculptures and portraits

of women of color in motherly positions, Catlett confronts the inevitability of motherhood and challenges its need to exist separately from politics, social change and the more overt power she depicts in her other pieces. Standing alongside her political lithographs, her portraits of mothers and children acknowledge the joy, the difficulty and the pain of bringing a Black child into an unfair world and, most importantly, of not being acknowledged for your contribution.

In this way, her “Mother and Child” series is a symbolic culmination of elements of her own life: the combination of American and Mexican cultures, the multidimensionality of motherhood and the constant devaluation of the worth of Black women in politics and in personal life. She expertly explores each of these things, while returning through her title to a place of commonality, to the essence of what it means to be a mother and what it means to have a child.

In 1971, Catlett wrote: “Art for me now must develop from a necessity within my people.

It must answer a question, or wake somebody up, or give a shove in the right direction–our liberation.” Every woman she paints or sculpts is a part of that liberation.

Elizabeth Catlett continued creating artwork into her 90s until her death in 2012. To this day, her art remains an example of power that knows no boundaries, and that can never remain hidden for long.

“Cryogeyeser is a shoe-gaze-y indie act out of LA that was one of my most listened to bands of 2021, and Toner is a band out of Oakland that is guaranteed to blow you away. We have some KDVS DJs performing as well, like Big Sammy!”

In terms of running the event, “Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom is 100% a group effort,” Tauber said. “We truly could not do it

without the dedicated help from the rest of the KDVS staff and the Red Museum.”

Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom promises to offer a full 11 hours of music, from noon to 11 p.m., and might be the first opportunity for many students to experience the joy of live independent music since the start of the pandemic.

UCDSYMPHONY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 If you don’t achieve that degree of independence, you will not be an artist, you will be a craftsman, which is not bad in itself but was probably not your initial plan.”

His desire for originality comes through in the concerto, which places the stark, challenging main theme between more expansive sections that give it time in which to breathe. McCullough is the most striking part of the ensemble, and he’s almost shaking in his seat as he hits the most violent chords in the piece toward its end.

The second piece in the show is Jimmy López Bellido’s “Fiesta!” which combines elements of Latin-American, Afro-Peruvian and modern pop music, an effort which the show’s program declares has the intention of “establish[ing] a connection with younger generations.” Three of the piece’s four movements are named after

modern trends in electronic music — ”Trance 1,” “Trance 2” and “Techno” — the lattermost term he connects to Hindu music, where “melodies unfold through a series of melismas against a pedal note and over a span of several minutes.”

This second piece is more constant and conventional than Strasnoy’s, but the integration of modern musical concepts still separates it from any kind of formalism. The later movements reach a hypnotic pitch, through which heavy percussion echoes.

The orchestra takes their bows alongside Baldini, Strasnoy and McCullough at the show’s end, and the audience is left to consider the ways in which these two composers have satisfied their desires to push music in unconventional directions.

UCDFBSPRING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 Last season, the Aggies starting quarterback was Hunter Rodrigues who helped beat powerhouse Tulsa to open the season. However, Rodrigues began to struggle halfway through the season eventually being replaced by Hastings who had a strong campaign. Hastings struggled against South Dakota in the postseason only to be benched after two quarters. Rodrigues seemed to get the offense moving with his mobility until he had to throw the ball which resulted in four interceptions. The Aggies would lose 54-26 in their second appearance in an FCS postseason.

With so many questions as to who will be the starter when fall comes around, it will be difficult for the coaching staff to decide who will take the reins.

“Mitch [Dixon] has had a good camp, they’ll make it tough on us. We gotta figure this thing out but we got a good crew there,” Hawkins said.“They’re learning; it’s still an uphill learning curve for them, but they’re coming along. You look at Jack [Newman]; every practice, he’s just gotten a little bit better. It’s been good.”

Hawkins put the quarterbacks to the test during scrimmage. The defense put the pressure on the offensive line going after the quarterback was the only way to emulate a real game situation.

The QB’s felt the heat, closing out the scrimmage with a pick-six.

“We got a few turnovers out there today. I don’t care if it’s lacrosse, basketball, [if ] you have turnovers you’re going to lose the game so that’s a big deal,” Hawkins said.

Besides the quarterbacks battling it out, the wide receivers also showed out in an attempt to make a statement. Hawkins decided to let the quarterbacks loose in an attempt to show the qualities that his receivers have.

“Obviously, you have a bunch of receivers that have been out, injured, [and we’re] trying to get those guys figured out and the quarterback situation figured out, so we hucked it around a little bit more than we normally would,” Hawkins said.

The coaching staff was pleased with how the offensive line is progressing since most of their starters returned. The O-line is key to get their run game going — a strong element in their identity. UC Davis thrived when they mixed the pass game with the run game.

“We know we have a returning offensive line, we have an excellent backfield and we know we feel like we can run the football and be successful there,” Hawkins said.

After practice concluded, players and coaches sounded optimistic, excited and relieved that

they made it through camp. They’re motivated to start the season to get back to the postseason.

Hawkins has changed the culture within the program. Making the playoffs twice in the last few years is what they’re used to around Davis.

The program is known for its academics being a formidable institution — top 10 public universities in the nation. However, the football program is growing, producing NFL prospects and winning the Big Sky Conference championship while making the playoffs and advancing to the second round in 2018. In 2021, the Aggies upset a FBS team in Tulsa on the road. In the same season they set a record in attendance.. Even though the goal is to improve as a football team, for Hawkins and students on the team, academics comes first.

“We are all student athletes and the student comes before the athlete and I would say that at UC Davis, we take a lot of pride in academics here,” Eaton said.

After last year’s postseason exit Hawkins had this to say about UC Davis, “UC Davis is a nationally ranked top 10 academic institution in the country; we are No. 1 in the world in many academic categories.”

Now that spring practice has concluded, the athletes will focus on their academics as they prepare to go into the summer to prepare for the fall season.

The Aggies will open the season on the road against UC Berkeley (Sept. 3). They will fly to South Dakota for a FCS Playoff rematch (Sept.

10), they play their first home games of the season against San Diego (Sept. 17) and Weber State (Sept. 24). Then, UC Davis will travel to play Montana State (Oct. 1) and return to host Northern Arizona (Oct. 15).

Hawkins and company will travel to Colorado to play Northern Colorado (Nov. 22) and return back home for two straight home games against Cal Poly (Oct. 29) and Idaho State (Nov. 5). UC Davis will close out the season on the road against Idaho (Nov. 12) and Causeway Rival Sacramento State (Nov. 19).

To be back into the playoffs won’t be easy, but the players take pride in wearing the blue and gold. If they can collectively come together, we can expect to see the Aggies back in the postseason contending for a championship.

“We always say that being out here is not your right; it’s a privilege, and we take that to heart,” Eaton said. “Every time you step on this field in this uniform, you should wear it with honor and pride, and you give it your all.”

10 | THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

YOLO COUNTY JUDGE CREATES PUBLIC SPEAKING PROGRAM FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS Judge Peter Williams hopes that public speaking program helps and inspires kids in Yolo County

KELLIE LU / AGGIE

BY SOFIA BIREN city@theaggie.org Judge Peter Williams was appointed as a judge for the Yolo County Superior Court by former governor Jerry Brown in 2018. Before that, he spent the majority of his law career working in the California Department of Justice.

In 2019, Williams decided to create a program to expose children to public speaking, a skill he believes is integral for any profession.

In the winter of 2019, Williams began to contact school boards, superintendents and the former mayor of West Sacramento. He was eventually able to get three schools on board, according to Williams. He said that he originally contacted the Davis schools, but they already had their fair share of after school programs.

This debate program, according to Williams, is designed to supplement gaps in school programming — not replace it. At this point, his program began to be adopted by schools in Woodland and West Sacramento.

Once Williams gauged interest for this program and had schools on board, he began to design a curriculum. The purpose of creating a curriculum was to align the program with a succinct and effective timeline, but more

importantly make the program easy for the teachers who agreed to participate, according to Williams.

“It really requires somebody who has true dedication to the job that will say ‘Hey, I’ll take a lunchtime once a week, or maybe a little more to give my kids this opportunity,’” Williams said. “I would tell them [the teachers] in turn, ‘Here’s what I’m going to do, I will prepare a curriculum.’”

The curriculum that Williams created was a three-month program that provided a lesson or activity for the kids every two weeks.

However, by the time Williams had created a curriculum and confirmed a number of attorneys interested in volunteering for the program, the pandemic disrupted his plans.

“Once COVID hit, everything shut down,” Williams said. “It kind of looked like it was going to start up again, and then everything shut down again. I was kind of disheartened. But then this last go-around I said ‘I’m going to try this one more time.’ So this last time it was really hard to get the teachers back on board, except for Ms. Johnson, a teacher at Plainview Elementary School [...] She was really enthusiastic and her kids were really well prepared.”

This year, he had only one class participate in his program, with many more classes agreeing

DAVIS CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL SEEKS TO HONOR JAPANESE HANAMI Student organizers share what the festival means to them

BY SUN YIE arts@theaggie.org On April 9-10, the Davis Cherry Blossom Festival was held at Sudwerk Brewing Co., where community members came together for performances and traditional Japanese activities.

Cherry blossoms, also known as “sakura” in Japan, are a symbol of spring, a time of renewal and the ephemerality of life. Though their blooms are beautiful, they are also short-lived, and within this fleeting season, Japanese people celebrate the tradition of “hanami,” or flower-watching.

During hanami, people will often commemorate the beauty of the blossoms by throwing parties, where they gather together to eat food and participate in traditional performative activities.

The Davis Cherry Blossom festival was developed as a way to honor this Japanese custom. The event gained momentum through the collaborative effort between Japanese and other Asian American student organizations at UC Davis and members of the Davis community, but it was first produced and founded by the UC Davis taiko group, Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan. “Taiko” is a type of Japanese drumming that can be traced back to the fifth century and has been incorporated as a performance in a variety of contexts, ranging from military endeavors to religious ceremonies to modern socio-political movements. Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan is a fitting group to lead the revelries of the Davis Cherry Blossom Festival, as they seek to share their love for the Japanese traditional performative art through their explosive and expressive performances within the campus and the community. Additionally, they seek to revive taiko by blending modernity with its traditional and cultural roots.

Ashley Shen, a fourth-year microbiology major and festival director, shared her passion for Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan and its involvement in this event, explaining that the opportunity to lead this project has enabled her to explore a

community outside of school.

“Taiko, especially, has a history of providing voices to marginalized communities, so it means a lot for people to come out and support us in our artistic expression,” Shen said.

Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan is one of many organizations at UC Davis that participate in the Davis Cherry Blossom festival. SoNE1, N​​ā Keiki O Hawai’i and the Video Game Orchestra (VGO) are all UC Davis-affiliated groups listed on the event lineup that can be found on the Davis Cherry Blossom Festival’s Facebook page.

Kyle Chuang, a fourth-year environmental science major and the president of VGO, elaborated on his collaboration with Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan. “Many video game composers draw inspiration from traditional forms of music,” Chuang said. “Although VGO seems like it won’t work well with taiko, they actually blend seamlessly together.”

Additionally, the festival included artists all throughout California, such as Hear in Color and Yuppie Liberation Front. It also offered a number of activities that can be traced back to Japanese culture, such as mochi pounding, Japanese lantern painting and writing in Japanese characters. The diverse array of artists and activities reflects the diversity in Davis, as the community coalesced to celebrate a festival that pays homage to the Japanese custom of hanami.

Davis Cherry Blossom Festival at Sudwick Brewery. (Benjamin Cheng / Aggie)

to participate next year. Despite that, Williams was happy with the progress he saw in the kids this time around. He sent a list of possible topics for the debate to Johnson, but changed course when the students decided they wanted to have a debate on a topic of their choosing: whether or not children should have more screen time.

Williams was excited that the students were enthusiastic enough about the program to choose their own topic. At the end of the three month curriculum, Williams invited them to the courtroom, where he presided over the debate wearing his judge’s robe.

When asked if he thinks this program helped the students, or would have helped him in the past, he said, “I think this program would help anyone.”

Lucy Soriano, who has been teaching for 31 years for LAUSD, says that public speaking is an invaluable skill.

“Public speaking at a young age will increase their confidence and prepare them for any aspects in their future,” Soriano said. “Because once they get to high school, college or any job they will eventually have to speak in public. In elementary school they struggle with speaking in front of an audience, be it their peers or adults.

But, the more practice they get, the more it will improve their communication skills and ability

to persuade.”

Carla Piedrahita, a teacher for LAUSD who has been teaching for more than two decades, says that it is crucial to introduce public speaking in the classroom at a young age but in the right environment.

“Implementing public speaking in the classroom in elementary school is incredibly important because the insecurities they have when speaking will only increase without practice,” Piedrahita said. “It is incredibly important to not only practice speaking in front of their peers, but to create an environment in which they are comfortable doing so. Once they are comfortable they can make mistakes and grow without the fear of being judged.”

Williams said that although the program has not been around long enough for him to see any long term improvement, he is confident that his program is making a difference. He hopes it inspires the students who have the opportunity to experience the program to participate in speech and debate in middle school and high school.

“The biggest gift I can give them is public speaking,” Williams said. “I wish I had it growing up, and I’m confident that if those kids were able to debate in the courtroom, then they can speak anywhere.”

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022 | 11

SCIENCE AND TECH RHESUS MONKEYS ARE SENSITIVE TO THEIR OWN HEARTBEAT This study serves a potential model for Alzhiemer’s disease and depression

CHRISTINA LIU / AGGIE

BY MONICA MANMADKAR science@theaggie.org According to a study published on April 11 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, rhesus monkeys are able to perceive their own heartbeats.

Researchers from the California National Primate Research Center at the UC Davis and Royal Holloway, University of London teamed up to create the first animal model of interoception. Interoception is the perception of sensations inside the body by your brain, such as the ability to acknowledge when your heart races.

The findings in the study help provide an essential foundation for future research in psychiatric and neurological dysfunctions that are associated with anxiety, depression and Alzhimer’s disease.

“I’ve been interested in interoception for ages — my first published empirical paper (in 2004)

was on interoception and emotional experience in humans,” said Eliza Bliss-Moreau, an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, via email.

Bliss-Moreau’s lab works to understand the neural mechanisms of affective processes and interoceptive processing. In order to understand the neural mechanisms of interoception, the researchers need to show that it can be indexed in monkeys through a similar process that is already in humans.

The team started with monitoring four rhesus monkeys who were placed in front of an infrared eye tracker which displays stimuli in sync with the monkeys’ heartbeats. Through this experiment, the researchers were able to present behavioral evidence that the monkeys were able to detect their own heartbeats and have an interoceptive sense, just like humans, said Joey Charbonneau, a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the department of psychology.

“We show that monkeys have an interoceptive sense of their heart beats that is similar to what is observed in infants,” Bliss-Moreau said via email.

“Both monkeys and infants look for longer and stimuli that are not in sync with their heart beats, compared to stimuli that are in sync with their heart beats.”

While the study allowed the researchers to understand what interoception looks like with both monkeys and infants directly, the overall takeaway was looking into the evolutionary background of interoception. Moreover, the researchers could then choose other traits that are also interoceptive based on this study’s results.

“This study really helps us understand what the evolution of interception looks like and we can say that long ago monkeys were able [to] make that detection on a moment by moment basis based on their heartbeat,” Charbonneau said.

Charbonneau explained how this study

may help the researchers understand when this trait evolved and determine what models are accurate to compare in the lab. He discussed how interoception is extremely important for emotion regulation and mental health in adults; however, researchers still don’t know much about this.

Deficits in interoception have been linked to neurodegenerative disease, which would allow this study to be used in future research about understanding how the brain and body functions. Although the study is not a specific model for depression, understanding the neural mechanisms of interoception may help researchers understand the neural mechanisms of mood disorders.

Looking to the future, Bliss-Moreau said that the next immediate step is to test more monkeys and see how generalizable the effects are in a bigger sample. Charbonneau is also interested in understanding how other factors, like breathing and hunger, are seen in monkeys.

STUDY BY UC DAVIS SCIENTISTS HIGHLIGHTS OVERLOOKED THREATS TO CALIFORNIA WHALES The study, led by graduate students at UC Davis, looks at gaps in policy geared toward ending humancaused whale mortality

BY SONORA SLATER science@theaggie.org Whales face a multitude of human-caused threats — from entanglement in crab traps, to marine debris, to increased noise pollution. The Ocean Protection Council plans to mitigate these threats in such a way as to achieve a zero-mortality rate for human-caused whale fatalities along the California coastline in the next 10 years.

In order to assist in realistically achieving this goal, a group of scientists from UC Davis, as part of the Sustainable Oceans project, looked into the main threats currently facing whales and the existing policy targeting some of the sources of whale mortality, according to a recent press release.

Their study, published in early April in the journal Marine Policy, found that while some of these threats have been met with relevant policy responses — including through regulation of the crab fishing industry and speed limits on boats in certain areas off the California coast — other factors in whale mortality such as nutritional stress and access to prey should also be considered in policy.

Helen Killeen, a Ph.D. candidate in ecology at UC Davis and a co-author on the paper, talked about why considering a wider array of factors is important in reaching this goal.

“If as a state we’re saying we’re going to bring whale mortality down to zero, but we’re only going to do those two things, it’s really important to have an answer to the question, do we think those are the only two things that lead to whale deaths caused by human action?” Killeen said.

Co-leading author Eliza Oldach, a Ph.D. candidate in ecology at UC Davis, said that some of these “fuzzier” causes of mortality, while harder to pin down, are important to consider.

“While we have policy in place for some of the bigger, more acute, more obvious sources of whale mortality, what’s actually killing whales is an overlapping network of all of these different sources,” Oldach said.

Priya Shukla, one of the co-authors on the

KELLIE LU / AGGIE paper and a Ph.D. candidate in ecology at UC Davis, gave an example of acute versus broader stressors.

“One of the key examples are things like pollutants,” Shukla said. “You can trace where waste is coming from, or with sound, most of that is coming from boats. But then you get things like climate change, which is a lot tougher. [...] There’s no specific ship or specific factory that is putting waste in the ocean that is causing these things, [so] it’s a lot more challenging to create policy to target that.”

Killeen gave another example of overlapping issues: the Dungeness crab fishing industry, and its connection to whale entanglement.

According to Killeen, when people fish for crab, they drop a big metal cage over the side of their boat and let it sink to the bottom. It is attached to a long rope with a buoy at the top, so that when fishing crew return to collect the cage once it’s full of crabs, they can find it and pull it up. However, while the cages are in the water, the rope stretches through the whole water column.

“Whales will sometimes swim through [the area] and the ropes will get wrapped around the

fins or wrapped around their body cavity,’’ Kileen said. “If they’re unable to get the rope off of them it can result in really terrible damage to their bodies or even just additional levels of stress that aggravates other problems like preexisting disease or trouble finding food. So it either makes life harder for them, or it results in fatalities.”

However, according to Killeen, while Dungeness crab fishermen are often pointed to as the problem, in reality the issue is much more nuanced.

“In 2014 to 2016 there was this warm blob in the ocean,” Killeen said. “The coastal ocean off the coast of California became warmer during that time period, and that impacted the distribution of prey that whales feed on, forcing the whales closer to shore.”

After a surge in entanglements, the state was forced to temporarily shut down the Dungeness crab fishery, at great economic cost to the fishermen.

In the paper, the authors mention several programs that they believe to be addressing whale mortality in a promising and holistic way — one of which is the Risk Assessment and Mitigation

Program (RAMP).

RAMP, according to Killeen, uses physical data about the state of the ocean to make predictions about how risky it will be for crab fishermen to drop their cages in the water at particular times and places.

“When the model-predicted risk level gets too high, the state will say, we’re going to shut down the crab fishery in several weeks,” Killeen said. “We think that there are going to be too many whales close to shore, because that’s where the prey is going to be. And they can give [the fishermen] several weeks heads-up, which allows them to more efficiently allocate their effort and resources and saves them money in the long run.”

Shukla said that their study sees this as one example of a solution that takes interdisciplinary needs into account.

“If you bring in this panel of people to think about whales and also crabbing and also climate change and also pollution, you’re going to have a lot of head-butting at first because people are going to have different priorities,” Shukla said.

“But the idea is that through conversation we can [...] create solutions that are beneficial enough that at the end of the day, everybody’s interests are served.”

This idea of framing research around policy and management solutions at all is somewhat novel, according to Shukla. Typically, academics are trained to use their own observations to drive question-asking. However, the Sustainable Oceans project “puts the policy focus on the front end of the research,” according to their website, which is part of why this study developed in the way it did.

“The idea often in academic environments is just to advance knowledge, but with this paper, we’re synthesizing knowledge to develop a new idea, and I think that’s actually really key,” Shukla said. “By looking at what policies already exist and just tweaking them a little bit [...] we’ll actually be able to make some really dynamic changes. We don’t need to come up with something brand new, we just need to update what we already have.”

12 | THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2022

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

SPORTS

UC DAVIS FOOTBALL CLOSE OUT SPRING PRACTICE, LOOK FORWARD TO THE FALL Dan Hawkins and his team aim for another playoff run as they conclude spring practices

BY MARLON ROLON sports@theaggie.org

UC Davis Football team following 60-27 win over Dixie State on Sept. 18, 2021. (Quinn Spooner / Aggie) Spring practice came to a conclusion Saturday morning at UC Davis Health Stadium after a grueling three weeks of hard work on the gridiron for UC Davis Head Coach Dan Hawkins’ football team. They ended their training camp on a high note.

“It’s been really good,” Coach Hawkins said. “We’ve made a lot of really good strides and a lot of good learning moments. We’re very healthy; it’s an education. It’s [about] getting your football Ph.D., and you gotta learn.”

Hawkins seemed happy with the way his team progressed

during camp. However, he seemed even ecstatic to have a spring camp after a three-year absence due to the pandemic.

“Technically it’s the first; we were kind of in between winter and spring, and then we’ve always been winter, so this is the first time [we had a camp] really all spring,” Hawkins said.

Coming off an 8-4 season and an FCS playoff appearance in 2021, UC Davis football hopes to continue to trend upward for the upcoming 2022 season with the addition of new talent as well as returning players.

Ten newcomers signed with the Aggies for 2022 back in February, six being transfers, in addition to their freshman class that had already signed. Although all were not present for spring practice, they will be soon. A notable signee who plays the wide receiver position was third-year Andre Crump from San Jose State, where he only played 16 games. He brings value to the WR room; coming from the FBS division, he brings experience and speed at the top level of college football.

UC Davis lost a key contributor on special teams, punter Daniel Wheelan, who declared for the upcoming NFL draft. The Aggies hope to have found his replacement: a graduate student from Colorado State University Pueblo, Justin Dwinell, who averaged 43 yards per punt.

Coach Hawkins seems to love his quarterbacks: the more he has, the better. Third-year QB from San Francisco City College Jack Newman joins Hawkins’ rich quarterback room. Newman passed for 3,583 yards, 38 touchdowns and only six interceptions in his last year with San Francisco City. He is a player who will compete and challenge for some playing time, as he used spring to get used to the system.

Another player who brings some valuable experience on

defense is graduate student Evan Tattersall, who played 20 games as a linebacker at UC Berkeley. A player who played in big games will help solidify the defense, an area that has its question marks.

Hawkins also bolstered the receivers room with the additions of Samuel Gbatu, Logan Kraut and Laviel Pickett.

Spring practice is an opportunity for players to showcase their qualities and show the coaches why they deserve a starting role.

“The spring is definitely a time to show these coaches that you’re meant to be here and you’re going to show them what you do well, what you do consistently,” said UC Davis linebacker Nick Eaton. “Everybody is coming out here with that on our mind, with a lot of energy and with something to prove. Everybody has a chip on their shoulders, that was definitely displayed today in between the white lines.”

Intensity was high on both sides of the ball during the last scrimmage, there was a scuffle between teammates. Nothing was personal, as it’s normal for players to go at it as they try to turn heads to earn a role. This is something that Hawkins wants to see from his players: players who are hungry, players who want to win, players that want to be there.

“Energy was high, testosterone was high, dudes were flying around; it was the last day to prove yourself to these coaches that you’re meant to be out here,” Eaton said. “Everybody’s looking to carve themselves a role.”

Hawkins said he was pleased with the way his quarterbacks performed. There are six quarterbacks on the spring roster: Miles Hastings, Trent Thompkins, Mitchell Dixon, Gunnor Faulk, Grant Harper and Jack Newman.

UCDFBSPRING on 9

UC DAVIS’ WOMEN’S ROGUE ULTIMATE FRISBEE CLUB REACHING END OF BUSY SEASON The return to play this year has brought back competition and community in the Rogue Ultimate Frisbee Club

BY KATHERIN RAYGOZA sports@theaggie.org In fall quarter 2021, UC Davis Women’s Rogue Ultimate Frisbee teams finally began their season of sectionals in Roseville, CA and were more than determined to compete their best in hopes of achieving nationals.

According to USA Ultimate, the sport of Ultimate Frisbee continues to grow in popularity has expanded all throughout the U.S. and in 42 other countries. It is known for its friendly nature, while also still being competitive.

Kylie Crisostomo-Rickman, a fourth-year English and plant biology major and B-team captain, decided to join the Rogue Ultimate Frisbee club because of its unique, friendly environment.

“We play in a way that is still competitive, but there isn’t as much anxiety, like being cut from the team,” Crisostomo-Rickman said.

“Since a lot of people don’t have a background in Ultimate, we’re all learning together. So playing isn’t as intimidating as other sports.”

Even at a high level, the players adhere to something called ‘The Spirit of the Game’,” said Emily Goodman, a fourth-year human development major and A-team captain.

“It’s this mutual understanding that we’re all going to make the game as competitive as possible but also just uphold spirit and the rules.

And you’re still able to compete at a high level,” Goodman said.

There are no referees to enforce strict rules, which is why “The Spirit of the Game” is significant for all levels of competition.

Competitiveness is always encouraged among the Ultimate community.

As the sport’s community continues to grow and gain popularity, mindful behavior is enforced to all players all throughout the season.

The community feeling alongside competing as

Rogue Ultimate Frisbee club’s A-team in a huddle. (Kori Suzuki / Courtesy) a team is what attracts many players to this club sport.

“What drew me to the sport was the community. It’s a smaller sport, so you’re able to get to know people a lot better,” Goodman said.

“If you hear someone’s name who plays Ultimate Frisbee, you also get this bond [with them] that they play this really niche sport. Through traveling over the past years, I was able to meet people all over the country.”

Goodman and Crisostomo-Rickman are both captains for each team and guide and prepare their teams to have a chance at victory. They are also presidents of the team, which means they take on two roles. As presidents, they figure out fundraising and travel all by themselves.

They emphasized that they don’t have a

specific person to coordinate their finances or their travel situations. Which is why it is important for them to have several officer positions and for everyone on the team to help out.

“It makes everyone’s job easy because everyone is on board to help,” Goodman said.

As captains, they work with coaches in terms of the trajectory of the season and what they would like that to look like. They also lead warm ups, team meetings and they are the point of contact between the coaches and players.

“We’re a very fun team and all about learning,” Crisostomo-Rickman said. “We have a good time, and people seem excited to take a break from school, especially for those who have busy schedules.”

COVID-19 also impacted the team, which caused them to stop practicing for a few months.

They would meet for Zoom practices and have team bonding exercises, such craft night, online trivia or Jack Box games. Although some people on the teams said they had a tough time adjusting to not meeting in-person, they also had to accommodate their schedules for their 202122 season and made up for the lost games during another COVID-19 stoppage.

“This year we have played two seasons in one because we’re making up for the season that was supposed to happen during COVID,” Goodman said. “Having nationals in the fall was really unique, but it’s usually in the spring, like May. So we’re having to do two full seasons in one school year.”

Besides COVID-19 being a challenge, one other challenge Rogue Ultimate Frisbee faces is that many people do not have a proper conception of the sport. According to Goodman and Crisostomo-Rickman, many people assume that Ultimate causes the same levels of anxiety as sports, or people believe that Ultimate is not a real sport just because it lacks the same popularity as other sports in the world. If people were to actually play Ultimate, they would say otherwise, the captions said.

“When I tell people that I play Ultimate Frisbee, they don’t know that it’s a ‘real sport’, but we’re practicing a lot,” Goodman said. “We put in a lot of time, and it’s competitive, on top of running the team ourselves.”

For some college students, it is a sport that involves unique sportsmanship and offers a sense of camaraderie. Although Ultimate Frisbee may seem like something you would do as a recreational activity, Crisostomo-Rickman and Goodman say that the competition can be intense and the club provides a good opportunity to participate in that kind of sport.

UC DAVIS BASEBALL DROPS TWO OF THREE GAMES TO HAWAI’I The offense struggled to bring runners home as the Aggies lose the series at home

BY GABRIEL CARABALLO sports@theaggie.org The UC Davis baseball team took on Hawai’i in a three game series over the weekend. It’s been a rough season for the Aggies’ baseball team, but there have been some bright spots. After beating the University of the Pacific in early April with an epic 14-11 win, the Aggies are now on a four-game losing streak.

The Aggies faced the Rainbow Warriors in a close game on Friday afternoon; however, the start couldn’t have been worse for the team. Starting pitcher Nathan Peng began the first inning by hitting two of Hawaii’s batters, eventually leading to a 1-0 run lead for Hawai’i off zero hits. Peng only played two innings, garnered one strikeout before the bullpen was called, and pitcher Nate Freeman took the mound for the remainder of the game.

“Freeman came in for the third inning; that was the plan,” Head Coach Tommy Nicholson said during the post-game interview.

“We were hoping to get through those first couple innings with minimal damage against us. Nathan had a rough go with the firsttwo batters but minimized that inning by only giving up one.”

Coach Nicholson made this decision, making sure Freeman’s able to, “pitch into the eighth and ninth innings of the game.” He said Freeman could’ve pitched “two to three more innings” given how good he looked.

Freeman and the fielding held Hawai’i for the third inning, but gave up a run late in the top of the fourth inning before closing out Hawai’i for the inning. The score now being 2-0 in favor of Hawai’i, the Aggies were able to crush out two base hits during the bottom of the fourth inning, but were unable to secure any runs or bring them in.

During the fifth, the Aggies defense held Hawai’i to zero runs and hits. On offense, the Aggies only manifested one base hit for the inning. To begin the sixth, Freeman hit the first batter, and after a couple hits from the next batters, Hawai’i scored again.

Now taking a 3-0 lead over the Aggies, it would be the final time Hawai’i scored in the game.

The remainder of the game would go in similar fashion. The Aggies got hits, but were unable to capitalize on runners in scoring position to close the score.

“We’ve been hitting a lot recently and I felt confident we were going to,” Nicholson said. “We just couldn’t break through and chip one here or there.”

The Aggies were successful in out-hitting Hawai’i by 8-5 — three hits courtesy of left-fielder Nick Iverson who went 3-for-3 on the plate. However, the team was unsuccessful in hitting when it mattered most, which was a key detail in the game.

When asked about what how he wants to improve, Nicholson said, “We’re gonna keep practicing hitting in the cages, but I think we need to do a better job of putting the ball in play with two strikes.”

Putting time in the batting cages will help in capitalizing on runners in scoring position and diminish what Coach Nicholson deems as their “achilles heel” of getting the ball in play during clutch scenarios. Hitting is one of the Aggies strengths; they just weren’t able to hit it home this time.

Aside from batting, one of the team’s strengths was their fielding. Time and time again, the infielders and outfielders made play after play to keep the Aggies in the game. Either hustling for ground balls to get the batter out or one of their few spectacular double plays. The defense held it down as much as they could.

“We played good defense, and even though we weren’t scoring, we were still in that game all the way to the end,” Nicholson said, emphasizing the importance of their defense. “It was nice to see that the pitching and defense kept us in the game.”

Coach Nicholson was not wrong about the defense. Even though their pitching was solid, some are left to wonder if not for the three pitch-out walks maybe the narrative around this game changes. Another key detail in how this game played out.

UCD Baseball vs Hawaii (Claire Diepenbrock / Aggie) The squad seeked to work on their achilles heel, sustain a high defense and minimize errors for the remainder of the series and season.

On Saturday, the Aggies were able to bounce-back and secure their fourth win on the season. It was a close win over the Rainbow Warriors in a stunning 3-2 victory, as the Aggies were able to come back to score two runs in the eighth inning and the winning run in the ninth on a walk-off single by freshman infielder Nick Leehey.

However, Sunday produced a crushing defeat for the Aggies in a 1-17 loss to the Rainbow Warriors to end the weekend and series —a game that saw Hawai’i score nine runs in the ninth inning.

UC Davis moves to 4-22 on the season and will have two non conference games — including one against Stanford — before they resume Big West play May 6-8 in Northridge against Cal State Northridge.