Oct. 17, 2024

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VOLUME 148, ISSUE 5 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024

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Who’s on your ballot this upcoming election season?

As November nears, the city news desk created a voter guide for Davis residents to make informed decisions about the local candidates and measures on their ballot

BY THE CITY NEWS DESK

city@theaggie.org

Linda Deos: Linda Deos is running for the Davis City Council in District 2. For the last few years, she has also served on the Utilities Commission and Planning Commission for the city of Davis. The key issues her campaign is targeting are building a climate-resilient city, addressing housing and homelessness and improving roads and greenbelts.

To make Davis more climate resilient, Deos advocates for the city to work with partners in the county so that it can become part of a regional battery storage facility. She also wants to explore the option of smaller, cheaper solar panels that people can install on their balconies or on walls facing the sunlight.

To address homelessness, she plans to work with the Daytime Homeless Respite Center and Paul’s Place to make sure unhoused people have somewhere to go after 4:00 p.m.

To increase access to housing, she wants to go back to building smaller, more efficient units. This would involve building more dense housing like duplexes, triplexes and quads. She also wants to look into building flats that residents can buy and own to build equity.

She is a vocal advocate for passing Measure Q, which would increase the sales tax by one cent and generate $11 million for the city if it passes. She said that the money will go into the General Fund and thus can be used for a variety of purposes, from providing assistance to unhoused populations to supporting public safety efforts. While the city will have to weigh different options for where to direct the money, she said her first priority for any extra money is to invest it back into crumbling infrastructure.

“I want it to go to our bike paths, our parks and our greenbelts,” Deos said. “I would like to see road maintenance with the bike paths [...] Until I hear more, I’m going in the direction of maintenance right now, because that’s what people are experiencing in their day-today lives.”

Dillan Horton: Hailing from Los Angeles and a working-class background, Dillan Horton is running as a candidate for District 2 in Davis’ upcoming city council race. Initially, Horton moved to Davis for his education, but in the wake of his mother’s death, his desire to give back to the community that gave him comfort and grace inspired him to work in public service.

Among his various tenures in local government, Horton was appointed by the Davis City Council to the newly formed Police Accountability Commission where he served as vice chair and later, the chair for three consecutive terms. Horton elaborated on the importance of the work that he’s done for this commision.

“I have shown by my work in creating the Davis Department of Social Services and Housing, expanding the city’s mental health commissions and doing audits of the police use of force policies in the wake of George Floyd’s death,” Horton said. “I am the candidate that is able to bring about meaningful change in people’s lives.”

Aside from police reform, Horton also pushes for resources to allow Davis to be more accessible and inclusive.

Horton said he recognizes the need for more accessible infrastructure and aims for improvement and making a greater effort for community outreach, going along with his experience working and taking walks with mobility-impaired individuals. Horton supports infrastructural improvements such as repairing damaged roads, creating more bus shelters and removing barriers to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility.

Additionally, Horton’s climate action plan aims to increase protections for trees

to help mitigate the urban heat island effect — due to various factors, warmer temperatures and heat waves are exacerbated by reduced vegetation cover.

Horton also expressed his deep interest in the topic of inclusivity.

“I want to make sure, across the board, city services are fully inclusive and accessible to folks in the LGBTQ+ c o m m u n i t y,” Horton said.

“As for private sector folks, it is

listening to your constituents, which as an activist and an organizer for 13-plus years, I am particularly

and climate change solutions.

Lagunes’ policy goals and vision are shaped by his strong connection and background with education.

“We have discussed the future of Davis and how we can ensure that our city can maintain its unique character while also moving forward into the future with strength and resilience,” Lagunes said in a statement on his campaign website.

Lagunes has three main areas of focus he plans t o

important to make sure that people’s rights aren’t being infringed upon for housing in particular.”

To address the effects of the housing crisis in Davis, Horton advocates for a better staffed and funded ALLISON VO / AGGIE Re n t e r s Re s o u r c e s Program, bringing back funding to the First-Time Homebuyers program and encouraging adept at making the development of affordable and sure that the concerns of working-class, mixed-use housing, especially on city- under-represented and underserved owned rather than agricultural land. people are heard.”

Horton also hopes to direct more resources to the Homeless Outreach Victor Lagunes: Coordinator.

Victor Lagunes, a local Davis junior As for Davis’ issues for economic high teacher, is running for the Davis development, Horton wants to address City Council in District 2. Lagunes was the barriers to opening small businesses born in Washington, D.C. to parents in Davis as opposed to other cities in who immigrated from Mexico to the the area.

United States to further pursue their “An entry-level business is a lot education. Lagunes came to Davis 14 harder than one would think to start years ago as a transfer student from the in Davis than it should be,” Horton College of San Mateo with the hopes said. “And if we want a community of pursuing a degree in psychology that is sustainable and innovative, the and a career in marriage and family city council needs to be as supportive counseling. However, he found his as it can be.” career goals shifting to education after Horton’s plan for more equitable volunteering in a classroom and getting development involves bringing greater the opportunity to work with youth. meaning to the notion that Davis is a In 2013, Lagunes earned his union town. teaching credentials and master’s “Being sure that the city council is a degree from UC Davis. For the past proactive leader when it comes to labor 12 years, he has worked at Da Vinci and workers rights issues is something Junior High, a project-based middle important that I want to lean into,” school in West Davis. He is also Horton said. currently serving as the president of Regarding the role of the city the Davis Teachers Association for his council, Horton emphasized the third term. Additionally, Lagunes is a importance of leadership. founding board member of the Davis “The job of a city council is very Community Action Network, a nonparticular,” Horton said. “It requires profit focused on affordable housing

highlight as part of his campaign: housing, e c o n o m i c development and climate. Some of his goals include expanding housing affordability for all income levels and exploring possibilities for workforce housing, soliciting creative ideas of how Davis can attract newly graduated UC Davis students to start new businesses and improvement of roads and bike infrastructure focusing on cooling and safety.

Lagunes emphasized the need for Davis to be more inclusive, accessible and in balance with the natural environment.

“I’m running for [Davis] City Council because I believe we can be a community that lives up to its ideals and works for an inclusive and thriving city for future generations,” Lagunes said.

Lagunes has been endorsed by multiple organizations and Davis local leaders including Davis City Council Member Will Arnold, former Mayor Robb Davis, Davis City Council Member Bapu Vaitla, the Davis College Democrats and the Davis Teacher Association.

Donna Neville: Council Member Donna Neville is currently representing District 3 in the city of Davis and will be seeking reelection this November. Neville was first elected into office in May 2023 during a special election to fill former Mayor Frerichs’ seat after he was elected to the Yolo County Board of Supervisors.

In Neville’s 2023 campaign, her focuses included: funding city infrastructure, enhancing climate resilience, taking action on affordable

housing and maintaining integrity in city finances.

Neville discussed her time in office thus far and her dedication to upholding her commitments to the people of Davis.

“From the day I was sworn into office, I have worked hard to honor the commitments I made during my first campaign,” Neville said via a press release. “I promised that I would listen to everyone and do my homework before making decisions, and that is what I have done. Over the past year, I’ve had countless meetings with community members and have worked hard to address their concerns.”

In a continuation of Neville’s reflection of her time as a city council member, she discusses how she feels she has changed because of the role.

“I felt very connected to this community well before I came into office, but over the past year, I’ve gotten to know many more people and my understanding of, and love for, this community has only gotten stronger,” Neville said.

While in office, Neville has gotten approval for a housing element in Davis and also begun to update the city’s general plan.

For this upcoming election, Neville has similar priorities as to her 2023 campaign — a focus on affordable housing and climate-friendly city planning — but she now includes an emphasis on providing city services.

Josh Chapman: Mayor Josh Chapman has served on the Davis City Council since November 2020 and represents District 5 in the city of Davis. Some of Chapman’s campaign priorities include: developing strategies to enhance transparency in city goals, working with the county to find compassionate solutions to address homelessness and working with constituents to promote diversity and inclusion in education.

Chapman made clear his embrace of the District 5 community in a statement on his website.

“I am extremely proud to call South Davis my home,” Chapman said. “We are one of the most diverse communities in Davis, which is why I strongly supported the transition to district voting, as it has felt that South Davis has too often been ignored, and I want to be an advocate specifically for South Davis.”

Chapman then went on to discuss some of the local organizations that endorse his campaign.

“I am humbled and honored to have the support of the Democratic Party, Davis Firefighters, Yolo Indivisible and hundreds of local South Davis residents who believe that I am the right choice to represent our community on the Council,” Chapman said.

Chapman then discussed the need for better solutions to the mental health problems of the Davis community.

“The budget decisions we make must reflect the values of our community,” Chapman said. “Reform methods such as de-escalation and wrap services are consistent with my professional training in mental health support services to juvenile delinquency-involved youth and their families, and in suicide prevention.”

SEE ONLINE Click to read the rest our voter guide online!

There are several official ballot drop boxes located throughout Davis to cast your mail-in-ballots.

(Quinn Spooner / Aggie)

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

2 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024

Yolo County Elections Office empowers voters this election season

Through educational workshops and information sessions, a variety of organizations work together to share essential knowledge with prospective voters

BY OLIVIA HOKR city@theaggie.org Yolo County hosted a Voter Education Workshop on Oct. 2 as well as a second informational session on Oct. 9 in Davis. These outreach and informational events are held in cities throughout Yolo County in their effort to encourage voter education and promote voter turnout for the upcoming election.

The Oct. 2 workshop was a collaborative effort between the Yolo County Elections Office and the Yolo County Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee (VAAC). The goal of the VAAC is to maximize accessibility when it comes to registering to vote, receiving and filling out a ballot and finding crucial information regarding their local ballot measures.

Kate Laddish, the chair of the Yolo County VAAC, is committed to working with her team to increase voter knowledge surrounding important election steps.

“Voting is a fundamental right for citizens and is necessary for a functioning, participatory democracy,” Laddish said. “Having a disability or other access and functional need must never be a barrier to registering to vote and voting privately and independently. Voters are more likely to exercise this right when they have a solid understanding of registration and voting processes, options and accommodations.”

Along with providing essential information for all residents, the workshop also focused on ensuring that those who may require accommodations can feel confident in voting independently. It was also available to community members who are not yet 18 to give the next generation a head start in elections and voting knowledge.

Yolo County Assessor, ClerkRecorder and Registrar of Voters Jesse Salinas is the head of the Elections Office. Salinas brought attention to the Voter’s Choice Act, which provides ballot drop boxes and in-person voting options ahead of election day and on

LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE election day.

“Yolo County adopted the Voter’s Choice Act (VCA) in 2022, modernizing how we conduct elections,” Salinas said. “The VCA provides more days and ways to vote.

This Voter Education Workshop will help voters understand all of the options available for how to make their voice heard.”

On Oct. 3, 4 and 9, sessions with

Yolo County Empowering Residents Through Education and Registration took place. The Public Defender’s Office, Probation Office and Assessor/ Clerk-Recorder/Elections Office collaborated to inform residents of the voting process and their rights as voters.

Lucas Frerichs, the chair of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, emphasized the importance of

empowering Yolo County voters.

“Empowering our residents through accessible voter education is vital to strengthening our democracy,” Frerichs said. “By collaborating across departments, we are ensuring that every Yolo County citizen has the opportunity to engage in the electoral process.”

Yolo County is going to great lengths to motivate voters by offering

educational opportunities. Every resident should be able to feel confident in the voting process this season with the help of local organizations.

If you find yourself struggling to register to vote or are concerned about filling out a ballot for the first time, the Elections Office website presents detailed information on nearly all aspects regarding the election.

Sunset Fest 2024 brought Knock2 and Hojean to the UC Davis community

The event kicked off with student openers ENTO and DJ EKO

BY RAGAVI GOYAL campus@theaggie.org ASUCD’s Entertainment Council hosted its annual Sunset Fest at the UC Davis Health Stadium on Friday, Oct. 4 from 6 to 10 p.m. The concert focuses on creating an immersive experience for UC Davis students and features local and popular artists. This year’s artists included: Hojean as the event opener, DJ EKO and ENTO as the student openers and Knock2 as the headliner.

Hojean’s music is centered around R&B and pop genres spanning across themes like love, mortality and the

LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE

afterlife. With 1.2 million monthly listeners on Spotify, some of his most notable songs include “Over 85” and “Comin’ Through.”

Knock2 is popularly known for Dance/Electronic music, typically combining elements of bass, house and trap. He has 1.6 million monthly listeners on Spotify and is currently on tour across the United States.

The stadium held a large crowd of students for the event as they listened to, danced to and enjoyed the music played by these artists. The featured student openers at Sunset Fest worked both onstage and backstage to keep the energy going.

The first student opener, ENTO, has performed for live audiences from Italy to California and brought a unique blend of tech house, UK garage, drum and bass and techno music to the stage, according to the Entertainment Council’s Instagram.

The second student opener, DJ EKO, participated in his second performance of the quarter, his first being at the Entertainment Council’s on-campus artist reveal.

The event came together under the collaborative efforts of the recruited student security, the volunteers and the Entertainment Council staff.

Arya Trivedi, a second-year

computer science major, explained what he enjoyed at the event.

“It was a really fun night of music and vibes [and] I really liked the artists, too,” Trivedi said.

Sunset Fest provided a space for the UC Davis community to come together and have fun at the start of the school year. Srinidhee Sivara, a second-year biological sciences major, described that sense of community.

“It was my first concert ever, and it turned out to be a really good one,” Sivara said. “Vibes were vibing [and] it was great to see the whole student community have so much fun together.”

Sage Prudente, a third-year nutrition

science major, said they appreciated the efforts of the Entertainment Council in bringing this whole event together.

“I think it was a really good turnout, and I thought the production was done really well,” Prudente said. “ASUCD put me onto some good music.”

The night was full of the ebb and flow of music and tunes culminating into a joyful experience for the UC Davis students. One student, Anoushka Hingorani, a second-year computer science major, said that Sunset Fest is something to look forward to every year.

“I already cannot wait for the next Sunset Fest,” Hingorani said.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024 | 3

Four Davis businesses team up for their first ‘Small Business Sundays’ event

Local businesses sold food, drinks, plants and clothes at recent event on Olive Drive

BY RORY CONLON rhconlon@ucdavis.edu Volt Coffee, Tea & Taps hosted their first “Small Business Sundays” event in collaboration with The Growing Groves Plant Shop, Yesterday Vintage and Guads Tacos & Beer on Oct. 6. At the event, Davis community members could shop food, drinks, plants and clothes.

Jacqueline Siefker, a co-owner of Volt, organized the event to attract more customers from downtown Davis to Olive Drive where her shop is located.

“We’re off on the edge of town, and we feel a little less involved with the main part of downtown Davis,” Siefker said. “So I decided to reach out one day to Yesterday Vintage about doing an event with them and offering a little bit of something to our side of town.”

From there, Siefker worked with Donbi Kim, a co-owner of Yesterday Vintage, to expand the event. Kim said the process of planning the event took a couple of months.

“We had already known of [The] Growing Groves and are close friends with Lawrence [Groves], so we pitched it to him in person,” Kim said. “And then Guads was in the process of getting their vending license to sell their product [out of their food truck], and they just happened to have their first day of service yesterday. It came together perfectly.”

Kim and her co-owner, Michaela Landers, started Yesterday Vintage in October 2023 and recently hit their

one-year anniversary of being open.

Kim said the “Small Business Sundays” event provided an opportunity to display clothes that normally wouldn’t fit into their store.

“We took the $10 rack and the $5 bin out so we could extend the plussize section that we have and make the section in the front more even,” Kim said. “We’ve been telling our customers that we will be bringing them back — it will just be at events like this.”

Rigo Hernandez, the co-owner of Guads Tacos & Beer, said the event provided his business an opportunity to gain exposure outside of their downtown location.

“We’re getting a good amount of people trying our food out that didn’t know that we were downtown and don’t really travel out that way,” Hernandez said. “It’s been a good turnout.”

Lawrence Groves, the co-owner of The Growing Groves Plant Shop, said the event forged a connection between the public and the small business community in Davis.

“Instead of a corporation having a million employees, you get to know the owners and interact with the people who so carefully curated their business specifically for you,” Groves said. “Also, it’s nice to interact and get feedback from everyone who visits the shop.”

Hernandez, who has run Guads for four years now, pointed to the comfort that small businesses can bring to customers.

“We’re a family-owned business, so we offer customers that homey vibe like their local mom-and-pop stores,”

Hernandez said. “We greet them as if they are family and friends.”

Indiana Rivera, a fifth-year agricultural and environmental education major, attended the event because it was right down the street from where she lived. She said small businesses make better connections with customers.

“You get that small town vibe, having smaller businesses provide those services,” Rivera said. “You can create those connections within your community, rather than feel really disconnected from everyone by just getting the run-of-the-mill things from Walmart and Target.”

Olivia Elliott, a third-year geology major, attended the event with her sister and said she liked having multiple shops in one place.

“Bringing a bunch of different small businesses to one place is like a onestop shop,” Elliott said. “Having them together is convenient and nice.”

Siefker expressed that she would like to bring in even more businesses from downtown, exploring events like evening markets and mini farmers markets. She reflected on how working in downtown coffee shops 10 years ago inspired her journey to start Volt in February of this year.

“When starting Volt, I wanted to pull all the good experiences and knowledge I gained from those shops,” Siefker said. “I think what separates us is that we really thrive off of the people that come in and we establish our own community [here] now. That’s the biggest thing for us.”

Customers wait for their coffee orders at Volt Coffee. The coffee shop collaborated with other local businesses for an event on Oct. 6, 2024. (Jenna Lee / Aggie)

Sabah Nabiha confirmed as new ASUCD Interim Senator

The senate adopted different ASUCD units, committees and passed SR #1

AGGIE FILE

BY JORDAN POLTORAK campus@theaggie.org The meeting was called to order at 6:13 p.m. by ASUCD Internal Vice President Aaminah Mohammad, followed by a roll call and a reading of the UC Davis Land Acknowledgement.

Madison Seeman, a third-year art studio major, was confirmed as the Aggie Arts Committee chair. Seeman commented on her experience with the committee and discussed ideas for future projects.

“As a committee member, I found a lot of joy in being a part of the projects we were making,” Seeman said. “[We are] continuing projects with the Moovin’ Moo-seum, getting public art on campus such as art in the bike circles and working with the other committees to get murals on campus.”

Siomara Sanchez, a third-year sustainable environmental design major, was then confirmed as the Aggie Arts vice chair.

The meeting then moved into the interim senator confirmation, and ASUCD President Gaius Ilupeju praised the confirmation of Sabah Nabiha as the interim senator.

“Our process during the whole vacancy period was if it meant we had to put a vacancy again, we would because we wanted to find the highest-quality candidates we could,” Ilupeju said. “I have nothing but praise for Sabah.”

Nabiha stated her goals of passing green measures and getting proper representation for students.

“We’re supposedly one of the greenest schools in the world, not just the country, [yet] we lack [Electric Vehicle] EV charging measures,” Nabiha said. “One of those [goals] includes better and safer transportation as well as reducing gas cars by having more EV charging stations.”

The senators then volunteered to adopt various units and committees such as the Office of Disability and

Justice Advocacy, Whole Earth Festival and the Entertainment Council.

Ivy Schosser, a third-year political science and religious studies double major, and Annapurna Slva, were confirmed as commissioners for the Environmental Planning and Policy Commission (EPPC).

Schosser commented about her role in fighting environmental issues on campus.

“I have a love-hate relationship with the pouring rights contract and helped lead the fight against Pepsi here at UC Davis,” Schosser said. “It has taught me a lot about the policy side of environmental rights.”

Slva then gave an overview of her goals as a commissioner.

“Sustainability checks for ASUCD events and clubs [as well as] creating a database for more sustainable purchasing options,” Slva said.

The senators then reviewed previous legislation including SB #1, which was passed by a vote of 9-0 on Oct. 7. This bill assigns the ASUCD budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. They also discussed SB #2, restricting artificial intelligence from performing jobs that can be done

by UC Davis students.

Lastly, the senators discussed SR #1, which details the senate’s goals for the upcoming school year. The resolution passed by a vote of 10-0, and Senator Mia Cohen abstained.

Cohen expanded on her reason to abstain from the vote.

“I love the commitment to bring together communities and to engage in dialogue and work to create unity on campus, especially after observing the campus environment last year,” Cohen said. “However, I cannot go without noticing the section on ethical spending, that being said I cannot support this section of the resolution and I will have to abstain.”

At 8:10 p.m., the meeting was adjourned.

City of Davis completes new Arroyo Park Shade Structure

The Arroyo Park Renovation Project, originally started in 2021, recently completed

BY ALMA CULVERWELL city@theaggie.org The city of Davis completed a new shade structure project at Arroyo Park to provide West Davis residents with an enhanced outdoor space for leisure and gatherings.

Located in the heart of Arroyo Park, the new structure features a metal pavilion with six picnic tables, barbecue grills and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant pathway upgrades to offer greater convenience for all park visitors.

Beyond being a space for recreation and relaxation, the shade structure offers practical benefits.

Guardians can sit under the pavilion and maintain a direct line of sight to both the nearby play structure and adjacent field, ensuring a clear view of children playing safely. The park’s overall accessibility has also been enhanced, ensuring that all visitors, regardless of mobility needs, can easily access the new pavilion and surrounding amenities.

The project was partially funded through a Recreational Infrastructure Revenue Enhancement (RIRE) grant designed to support communitybased projects that improve public recreational spaces.

Additional financial backing and oversight came from the city of Davis Parks and Community Services Department along with contributions from the city’s Public Works Engineering and Transportation staff.

The successful collaboration between these city departments played a crucial role in bringing this new facility to life.

Assistant Director of the city of Davis Parks and Community Services Department Tamiko Kwak explained the collaboration process between the

The new shade structure at Arroyo Park features a metal pavilion, six picnic tables and two BBQs. (Jenna Lee / Aggie) two departments.

“Parks and Community Services works with the Public Works Engineering team for most of our capital improvement projects,” Kwak said. “Both departments work collaboratively from the beginning of the project design through the bidding process and monthly progress meetings to the final project walkthrough and the ribbon cutting. The collaboration brings it all together to create a new amenity from a concept to reality.”

The new shade structure is

expected to revitalize Arroyo Park, not only by providing a space for social events but by promoting greater overall park activation. The area, with its combination of open fields and play structures, has always been a popular destination for West Davis residents. Now, with the addition of the pavilion, the park has become even more versatile, encouraging more frequent use and larger gatherings.

West Davis residents have long regarded Arroyo Park as an important community hub, and the completion of the shade structure strengthens

this role. The new pavilion adds value not just as a rentable space but as a comfortable resting area for park-goers of all ages.

The completion of this project is a reflection of the city of Davis’ commitment to enhancing public spaces and fostering a sense of community. With input from residents and local officials, the city has transformed an open area into a dynamic gathering spot, making Arroyo Park more welcoming and functional for current and future generations.

As the pavilion continues to be enjoyed by local residents, its presence is expected to encourage more outdoor activities and community engagement.

“The new amenity creates a shaded outdoor gathering place,” Kwak said.

“With the picnic pavilion being adjacent to the aquatics complex, playgrounds and soccer fields, we anticipate this location to bring people together. This creates a place for gathering for events, celebrations or casual gatherings that foster community engagement. It provides an area that is protected from the sun, enabling outdoor activities throughout the year. It promotes social interaction through a public gathering space. It encourages outdoor activity which has been linked to boosting mental health and well-being.”

This new addition exemplifies how thoughtful city planning and targeted grant funding can contribute to the overall quality of life for residents.

The Arroyo Park Shade Structure project stands as a testament to the city’s efforts to maintain and improve recreational spaces.

For those interested in reserving the pavilion for events, the city of Davis Parks and Community Services Department offers an easy online booking system, ensuring that residents can make the most of this new asset. Whether for a birthday party or a casual weekend barbecue, the new shade structure is ready to serve the Davis community for years to come.

In the meantime, residents are encouraged to visit Arroyo Park to experience the new pavilion first hand, explore the improved accessibility features and enjoy all that this upgraded space has to offer.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

4 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024

Melody versus meaning

The two types of music lovers

BY MOLLY THOMPSON mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu I’ve kept it no secret that I’m an embarrassingly dedicated Taylor Swift fan. There are a few reasons for that, with the first being a combination of her propensity to enshrine captivating storylines in her tracks and the second being my long-held love of stories.

Nostalgia and sentimentality are doubtlessly to blame as well.

But I think one of the biggest distinctions between people that gravitate toward Taylor Swift and those that stray away can be found in how we each individually process music as we listen to it.

Of course, there are more than two types of people (I’m not trying to divide the world into Swifties and haters), but for the sake of this conversation, there exists a binary of people who listen to music primarily for lyrics, words and semantics, and people who listen primarily for melodies, instrumentals and sounds.

When I listen to a song, I hear poetry. My favorite songs are comprised of beautiful words that fit together in serendipitous patterns and combine to tell a story or convey an emotion so visceral I can feel it in my core. I listen to music for the lyrics — the melody is secondary.

Granted, the actual sound of the song isn’t moot; I still want to listen to music over, for example, audio recordings of poetry. But the instrumentality of a song just has to be good enough — the lyrics are makeor-break.

This topic is fascinating to me, so I’ve discussed it with a number of people. As someone who appreciates

LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE lyrics exponentially more than I appreciate the actual music, I memorize songs without meaning to and internalize the words intrinsically.

But I’ve talked to a lot of people who almost don’t hear the words of a song at all — they hear the melodies, sounds and instruments as the heroes, with the lyrics as just another element of a cohesive track. As for myself, I could tell you the bridge of a song

word-for-word, but don’t even try to ask me about the baseline.

Naturally, these preferences influence how we choose what music to listen to. I like Taylor Swift because I enjoy how she works with language, and her songs are catchy enough to satisfy me. But a common criticism of her work is her lack of creativity and variety with her instrumental tracks, so someone who hears sounds over

words isn’t going to enjoy it as much as I do. Similarly, I wouldn’t be interested in songs with more artistically crafted instrumentals if the lyrics aren’t the focus.

This phenomenon gets really interesting when we look at it in regards to the patterns of popular music in our current zeitgeist. A lot of pop music right now sounds similar sonically; what people latch

onto are the lyrics. Of course, to be a really big hit, a song still has to have a really catchy melody. However, once it crosses that threshold, the words seem to be the characteristic that’s most heralded about it.

Think about Sabrina Carpenter’s recent smash-hit album “Short n’ Sweet.” Yes, the crowd-favorite tracks are punchy and upbeat, but the most celebrated elements are clever lyrics and lines that resonate with the audience.

My theory for why that tends to be the case is that, to the untrained ear (like mine), it’s significantly easier to comprehend and appreciate stellar craftsmanship when it comes to words than with music. I can tell whether or not I like the sound of a song, but I don’t have the skillset to judge or understand its quality on a deeper level. However, I’m well-versed enough in the realm of words to see, feel and revel in a well-written set of lyrics.

What I might hear as a “bad” or “boring” song is likely to be a favorite of those who process it differently than I do, and my favorite songs are surely equally as unappealing to the same people. Yes, it is a matter of taste, but it’s also (to a certain extent) out of our control. Regardless of how training and other experiential factors affect how we hear music, it’s hardwired in us. In other words, I didn’t choose the Swiftie life, the Swiftie life chose me.

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

HUMOR

My roommate is buggin’

Where’s my fly swatter?

BY ALLISON KELEHER adkeleher@ucdavis.edu Late last night, I was tossing and turning in bed, wishing I could fall asleep. I drank like five cups of sleepytime tea and that did absolutely nothing. I couldn’t sleep because I have an intense paranoia of bugs, and I saw one on my bed earlier. I washed my sheets in bleach three times, but I still felt like I was laying in a bed of bugs.

As my eyes would droop, one little pesky thought of bugs would enter my mind. Their creeping and crawling is just too much for me to handle.

Of course, my roommate thinks I’m insane — I’m not. It’s completely normal to have a daily steam shower in insect repellent. Even if she does think I’m insane, I don’t care. It’s like the pot calling the kettle black. She’s just as crazy. She keeps bugs in our freezer. I can’t eat my Trader Joe’s frozen meals anymore because they’ve touched the same air as her little bug jars.

She claims that she needs to do this since it’s for a class, but I don’t believe her. What class has you putting bugs in your freezer?

Also, she’s getting a little too

MAYA KORNYEYEVA / AGGIE

Shelfish roommate

BY SANDHYA PFILE sbpfile@ucdavis.edu

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

Seniors disappointed at lack of freshmen accidents Is this wheelie happening?!

invested into this class. She will go out late at night with her little net and come back with jars upon jars filled with grimy little insects. It’s disgusting. The other night, I swear I heard her talking to her bugs.

So, since I couldn’t sleep, I decided to stay awake and listen to see if she would talk to her bugs again. It took many hours but nothing happened, and I was starting to think that I was losing my mind. Maybe I’m judgemental. But then I heard it. Bzz. Bzz. Bzz. She was buzzing. I contained my nausea so that I could keep listening.

She was doing a bug rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” I cracked open my door so that I could get a better view.

It was a sight to behold: she was sitting in the middle of the living room, surrounded by bugs in jars and little candles. To make matters worse, she was dressed as a moth. Not one of those pretty moths either, an ugly one.

Bzz. Bzz. Bzz. The song continued.

She reached the climax of the song and suddenly the jars started shaking and the candles began to flicker.

BUGROOMMATE on 9

LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE

BY AUDREY ZHANG aurzhang@ucdavis.edu What used to be a beloved pastime is now in danger of dying out. Seniors armed with drinking helmets and air horns camped outside of the Silo roundabout on the first day of the quarter were left disappointed as they were denied the show they rightly deserved. Angry murmurs grew louder as rush hour came and went. Someone threw their party hat down in disgust.

Against all common decency, bike traffic went smoothly. UC Davis has never seen a darker day.

It’s really been a blow to school morale, and people wanted their complaints to be heard.

“Back in my day, we didn’t use turn signals,” one student said. “We spat in the general direction of the right of way. When pedestrians crossed

the street, they would suddenly freeze and act as a beacon for several bikes to start pedaling as fast as they could toward them. We used to be able to yell ‘Strike!’ whenever a biker hits more than two people.”

Another anonymous student voiced their disappointment.

“I have two fake front teeth because of some stupid skateboarder last year,” the student said. “The only thought that got me through those dark times was that I would eventually see it happen to someone younger and stupider. I’m not leaving until someone gives me their teeth!”

It is troubling news indeed, and experts are unsure what caused this strange phenomenon. Nothing has changed from previous years. Students still don’t wear helmets because they’d rather get brain damage than mess up their hairspray. They ride next to buses like they’re hoping for an accident to pay for their student debt (Sorry,

but UC Davis is one step ahead of you — the only people paying for your broken hip are the equally broke student drivers). Cars don’t even check the bike lanes before they cut across to make bike pancakes. All this makes UC Davis the ideal breeding ground for wheeled disasters. And yet — zilch.

Nada.

To those discouraged, I urge you to be proactive and set an example for our beloved underclassmen. Go the wrong way in roundabouts. Make turn signals with your legs instead, especially when you can kick someone else’s bike. Even better, start riding them like skateboards. Make the ambulances wonder how exactly you managed to end up in that tree.

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

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024 | 5

OPINION EDITORIAL

It’s getting hot in here…

We are facing an unprecedented environmental crisis WRITTEN BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD

California is facing one of the worst heat waves in decades, with recordbreaking temperatures and devastating impacts on everyday life. The Central Valley is notorious for its blistering summers, but the continuation of this excessive heat into mid-October is just a preview into the worsening effects of climate change.

Since early July of this year, Yolo County has been issuing onand-off heat advisories in the face of consecutive weeks that experienced over 100-degree heat. The 10 warmest years in recorded history have occurred in the past decade, and temperatures are increasing with each passing year, according to Climate.gov.

Despite the observable effects we are experiencing, there is still much controversy surrounding the existence of climate change. In a time when political figures are denying trust in scientists, it is more important than ever to be informed about the causes and effects of climate change.

The misinformation surrounding climate change’s origins is perpetuated and politicized in modern media.

However, by looking at government sources and scientific databases collected over many years, it is clear that climate change is an undeniable fact.

One of the biggest contributors to climate change is global warming.

The National Resources Defense Council explains how the process works and its exacerbation by human activities — the burning of fossil fuels releases certain pollutants such as carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, which in turn leads to a phenomenon known as the Greenhouse Gas Effect. This occurs when air pollutants absorb and trap heat in the atmosphere, consequently warming the average temperature of the Earth.

Editorial Board CHRIS PONCE Editor-in-Chief ALYSSA CREVOISERAT Managing Editor MADISON PETERS Campus News Editor HANNAH SCHRADER City News Editor MAYA KORNYEYEVA Opinion Editor ZOEY MORTAZAVI Features Editor ANA BACH Arts & Culture Editor MEGAN JOSEPH Sports Editor KATIE HELLMAN Science Editor

The effects of global warming are seen permeating recent news, with severe weather patterns such as harsher storms, heat waves, wildfires, floods and droughts happening across the world. As temperatures increase, we are also seeing repercussions on a local scale through the loss of agriculture in the Sacramento Valley. From the devastating effects of Hurricane Milton to the current heatwave we are experiencing in our Davis community, it is clear we are facing an unprecedented environmental crisis.

Just like the rest of Davis students, the Editorial Board has started the quarter in the sweltering heat and attempted to walk to class under the sun’s relentless glare. Therefore, we urge people to take advantage of the resources available to them and encourage the community to stay cool.

In addition to wearing sunscreen, hats or just finding a shady place to rest, it is extremely important to stay hydrated. Luckily, UC Davis has over 60 H2O stations on almost every part of campus to refill reusable water bottles.

Additionally, we recognize that experiencing heat waves can be both physically and emotionally draining.

We advise students to use resources on campus such as Health 34, a 24/7 emergency service that deals with crises ranging from mental health to physical injuries. Don’t be afraid to take a break and cool down, as your well-being is of paramount importance.

As we see the weather cooling down in the coming weeks (knock on wood), it is necessary to stay informed about climate change while still taking care of yourself. The future of the climate can be a truly scary and ambiguous concept; however, it is important to keep in mind that there is hope for positive change, and we should focus on achieving it.

The Editorial Board encourages students to be proactive in the fight against climate change by voting for local candidates that have the climate’s interest at heart. Until then, we hope that everyone takes extra precautions to stay healthy and safe during these trying times while we look forward to a chilly fall season.

0DQDJLQJ 6WD̆ JENNA LEE Photo Director ARIANA NOBLE Layout Director LANHUI ZHEN Design Director JOANNE SUN Social Media Manager AARON POTTER Website Manager CASSIDY GILLIS Distribution & Outreach Director TIFFANY HE Copy Chief JENNY DYE Copy Chief SAMUEL RUIZ Translation Director ILEANA MERAZ Translation Director LAURIE PEDERSON Business Development Manager

Build yourself a time capsule

Years into the future, you may discover forgotten memories of who you were

BY MAYA KORNYEYEVA mkornyeyeva@ucdavis.edu Humans crave discovery. From sailing the seas to sending rockets into space to uncovering ancient civilizations, we are fueled by a desire to seek out new things and learn more about the universe. We also love selfdiscovery, whether it’s in the form of trying out novel hobbies or writing down our memories to elucidate trends in our behavior or changes in our worldviews.

Alongside discovering the new, we bask in the instant gratification of being the first to try out and witness something. To speak for myself, I love opening presents from friends and family, tearing open that Amazon package I’ve been waiting months for or taking my first steps in a travel destination.

Historically, people have combined these two great affections in the preservation of time capsules — of themselves or their collective generation — for future discovery.

Time capsules often contain objects or mementos that are attributed to a certain period of time, such as photographs, posters, books, cassette tapes and small everyday objects that hold symbolic importance.

These simple items could range from a stuffed animal to a pin to an article of clothing: anything works if there’s a strong memory or personal connection attached to it.

In the creation of a time capsule, one is essentially suspending a single moment in time as they lived and experienced it and stowing it away for years or even decades to be rediscovered.

Once the box is opened and its contents are revealed, it’s as if a person is “reliving” that period of their (or someone else’s) life, gaining back often forgotten memories as they sift through the carefully selected objects in the time capsule.

In this way, putting together a personal box for your future self is a crucial activity that not only preserves important memories but also serves

as an action of self-reflection.

For many college students like myself, life moves at an incredibly fast pace. We are constantly rushing from one class to the next, hopping from an internship to a job, moving to new cities and traveling across the world. As our perception of time continues to speed up, years will fly by and memories of our early lives will fade into the background. Even my own memories of my childhood have grown dimmer, and it takes some serious, conscious effort and lots of photographs to bring vivid memories back to the surface.

A few months back, I discovered a time capsule that I created for myself in the third grade. It was an experience similar to opening a treasure box.

Inside, I found pictures

of my friends and me during elementary school, my small marble collection and cloth swatches from my favorite t-shirt. There were also tiny drawings that I had done in class, along with a letter I wrote to myself so many years ago.

Discovering this box of memories was an emotional whirlwind. I remembered much more beyond the contents of the box. I remembered powerful memories that — thanks to my third-grade self — I was given a chance to re-experience. The time capsule served its effective purpose, bringing me joy and gratification as I reflected on who I was and how much I had grown.

I highly recommend that you create your own time capsule.

Choose a few objects or photos

MAYA KORNYEYEVA / AGGIE

of memorable moments, something you want to remind yourself of a few years down the line. Add a recording of your favorite song (or maybe a list of favorites), and write down a note about what’s going on with your current self. Who do you want to be?

What are your goals, and what do you love to do? What do you want your future self to remember? Writing down the answers to these questions will help you critically evaluate your own position, to generate a plan for the future and ground yourself in the present moment.

The truth is, we all want to be remembered. Maybe we want to remember our own experiences in the future, maybe we want others to recognize our achievements or perhaps simply to

acknowledge our existence. Memory, along with shared memories, is an intrinsic part of being human.

Through memories, we learn and adapt, change and transform ourselves into who we want to be. All you need is a box, a few notable items and some time.

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.

6 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024

ARTS & CULTURE

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

Fill up your fall quarter: Seven creative organizations to get involved with on campus

Members of Birdstrike Theatre Improv, The Basement Gallery and more share reasons why their club may be the perfect fit for you

BY NATALIE SALTER arts@theaggie.org Song: “Where or When” by Laufey (2024) “Bewitched” singer Laufey has long captivated fans with her melodious voice and romantic lyricism, and her newest musical release further showcases her enchanting talents. The single “Where or When” is a beautiful, dark piece that is perfect for autumn, with a haunting piano melody that invokes the feeling of reading Gothic literature or wandering the halls of an old art museum. The song is one of Laufey’s most cinematic yet, and her rich vocals only enhance the immersive listening experience. It’s a perfect fit for your autumnal playlist and, if you’re unfamiliar with Laufey, a surefire gateway drug to the bewitching world that she creates with her music.

Book: “If You Could See the Sun” by Ann Liang (2022) Being a scholarship student at a prestigious Beijing international boarding school, Alice Sun already feels an immense pressure on her shoulders to succeed.

However, her rigidly organized life takes an unexpected turn when she finds herself spontaneously and uncontrollably turning invisible throughout her daily life. When she realizes that tuition prices have jumped beyond what her family can afford, Alice decides to make use of her new supernatural powers to anonymously discover secrets and unveil scandals for her classmates in exchange for money. “If You Could See The Sun” is an exciting and unforgettable novel that you won’t be able to put down for a moment, especially as Alice’s jobs become more dangerous than ever before. With charming characters, heartwarming friendships and romance and plenty of unexpected twists and turns, this wonderful young adult standalone would make a great addition to your bookshelf this fall.

TV Show: “Fallout” dir. Graham Wagner, Geneva Robertson-Dworet (2024) Based on the popular video game series of the same name, the new series “Fallout” premiered its first season earlier this year. Set in a retro futuristic America ravaged by nuclear war, the show follows protagonist Lucy MacLean, an enthusiastic and hardworking young woman living in one of the country’s many nuclear fallout shelters known as vaults. When her home is attacked and her father kidnapped by a group of humans from the surface, Lucy finds herself leaving the safety of the vault to save him. What ensues is an exciting and memorable adventure through a post-apocalyptic nuclear landscape, wherein Lucy discovers secrets that may upend the way she sees the world around her. With excellent performances from all of its leading cast and a wonderfully executed aesthetic vision, “Fallout” may be one of the most enjoyable video game adaptations yet, for both fans of the series and newcomers alike.

Album: “Charm” by Clairo (2024) Since the release of her album “Immunity” in 2019, Clairo has proved her talent as an artist, effortlessly crafting captivating yet calming musical landscapes tied together with emotionally earnest songwriting. Her newest album, “Charm,” only solidifies her prowess. She explores relatable topics through beautiful lyrics set against gentle, infectious indie-pop backgrounds. From the album’s cinematic opener “Nomad” to its quiet close on “Pier 4,” this album may be some of Clairo’s best work yet, and it’s easy to become obsessed with every song.

Though you should absolutely listen to the album in its entirety, standouts include the addictive “Juna” and the comfortingly melodious “Slow Dance.” If you’ve enjoyed Clairo’s releases in the past, be sure not to miss what is certainly one of the most authentic creations of her career thus far.

BY SAVANNAH ANNO arts@theaggie.org Whether it’s the start of your first year or your fourth, fall quarter marks the beginning of a new chapter in your life. As you settle into the school year, you may have certain goals, like adding more experience to your resume, making new friends or even trying out an entirely different hobby. Sitting at the intersection of all three is a simple solution: join a new organization on campus.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career in the arts or are looking to find an activity outside of your professional life to bring you some joy, try getting involved with one of the many arts and entertainment clubs on campus.

With focuses ranging from creative writing to stand-up comedy to game design, it may be hard to know where to start in the search for your perfect match. For anyone who may be overwhelmed by the possibilities, or happened to be busy during the annual involvement fair on Oct. 9, we’ve compiled a list of seven different arts and entertainment clubs on campus that regularly welcome new members.

Aggie Fiction If you want to write the next best American novel, attend workshops on character building or be a member of a club whose mascot is a purple otter named Jackie, look no further than Aggie Fiction. UC Davis’ creative writing club will begin meeting this month on Mondays from 6 to 7 p.m. in Olson Hall 217 and is open to anyone at any time of the year. Meetings include exercises like dialogue writing, improv and sometimes lectures from various English professors.

Functioning as an ongoing writing workshop, members can submit any piece they may be working on at the beginning of the quarter — the first chapter of a fantasy novel, a short personal essay or a collection of poems — and sign up for an available time slot in which the other club members provide the writer with constructive feedback.

The Basement Gallery (BG) Exactly like it sounds, the BG is the Art Building’s best, not-so-hidden secret. Entirely student-led, the gallery space works to give students hands-on experience creating and curating their own shows. With different themes and artists exhibited every quarter, The Basement Gallery is committed to displaying a wide variety of art: sculptures, video installations, photography, textile work and more.

Lola Jung, a fourth-year art studio major and The Basement Gallery’s preparator, weighed in on why she thinks the organization is so valuable.

“It’s the only fully student-run, student-focused art gallery in the UC system,” Jung said. “This kind of accessibility to creative freedom unfortunately doesn’t really exist in real art institutions, so us BG girls just want to stir things up as much as we can in ways that our community will find fruitful.”

If you’re interested in submitting your own work to be featured in an upcoming show or working with the BG as a volunteer, you can follow their Instagram, @ucd_basement_gallery, for updates.

Birdstrike Theatre Improv and Cherry Pie Comedy In search of a good laugh? Look no further than Davis’ improv comedy clubs. Often working in tandem, Birdstrike Theatre is a long-form improv troupe while Cherry Pie Comedy focuses on the art of shortform. With past show themes like “Saturday Night Pie,” and “The Bird Strikes Back,” possibilities are truly endless for what’s said and done in their one-night-only specials.

Beyond their shows, the two troupes also hold improv jams throughout the year, open to anyone that’s interested in getting a feel for

performing alongside them. If you want a space to loosen up a bit or think you might be the next great Saturday Night Live writer, stay up to date with the troupes through their Instagram pages, @birdstrike_theatre and @cherry.pie.comedy.

Associated Students of Interior Design (ASID) For anyone interested in adding new material to their design portfolio, ASID has you covered with feedback workshops, guest speakers on design careers and even tours of companies like Signum Architecture in Napa Valley. Whether interior design is your biggest passion or something new you’d like to explore, ASID meetings are open to everyone. Meeting announcements and information can be found through @asidatucd on Instagram.

Gracie Paterson, a third-year design and psychology double major and ASID’s graphic designer, shared her thoughts on the club.

“As a design major with little experience in interior design, I found ASID to be the perfect place to try out something different,” Paterson said.

“The club’s warm community and engaging events made me feel right at home.”

Open Ceilings The largest literary magazine on campus, Open Ceilings features all forms of prose, poetry, art and photography pieces, focusing on providing UC Davis creatives with an opportunity to be published professionally. With positions ranging from business manager to layout director to submissions reader, the organization proves to be a great opportunity not just for English majors but anyone looking to build professional skills.

Outside of their publications, Open Ceilings also hosts open mic nights and various fundraisers each season — giving you the perfect opportunity to get a feel for the organization and its members. To stay updated on future events or open positions, you can peruse their website or instagram, @open.ceilings.

Erotic Nightmares Rocky Horror Club If you haven’t experienced “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” with a shadow cast, are you really a fan? A tradition since the ‘80s, shadowcasting blends the magic of film and live theater as cast members wear costumes and use props to act out scenes while the original “Rocky Horror” plays on the screen behind them.

Encouraging the audience to yell, sing and throw around various props along with them, our very own Rocky Horror Club, Erotic Nightmares, performs almost every month of the school year. If you’re interested in theater, or just want to get dressed up on a Friday night, no experience is needed to join their ensemble cast of Transylvanians or tech crew.

Vivian Sapovitz, a third-year microbiology major and club president, shared that beyond the act of performing itself, the group also serves as an invaluable community for its members.

“It’s brought me so much joy and fulfillment by providing an inclusive, queer-centered experience that is truly unlike any other,” Sapovitz said. “I’m so proud to be part of a group that’s keeping the shadowcasting tradition alive and creating a safe space for queer people to be themselves.”

From exhibition design to comedy improv to creative writing, the UC Davis campus offers a million different starting points for your next favorite hobby or passion. With over 700 different registered student organizations, you can explore further options through the Aggie Life database, check out ongoing tabling at the Memorial Union or pick up a copy of The California Aggie to stay in the know on upcoming events.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024 | 7

Blurring the Review: ‘Saturday Night’ is 90 boundaries of fame minutes of madness

Chappell Roan’s unique approach to pop stardom raises questions about social expectations for performing artists

The newly released “Saturday Night” film showcases the tumultuous journey before the first episode of “Saturday Night Live”

Chappell Roan performing at Vogue Theater in Vancouver, BC. The artist has recently cancelled two festival appearances. (Courtesy of Jason Martin / Creative Commons, CC by 2.0)

his show, with a rerun of another show While it is hard to describe exactly

BY AALIYAH ESPAÑOL-RIVAS on standby to air instead. Along with what SNL was in its beginnings, the arts@theaggie.org the lead comedian, John Belushi (Matt film shows that despite being turbulent, Wood), quitting the show before even the show provided a home for everyone signing his contract, everything comes involved. Though it took some time to “Live from New York, it’s Saturday to a screeching halt. In a moment of find its voice, and a name change from Night!” is typically the phrase that pure despair, Michaels wanders into a “Saturday Night” to “Saturday Night comes to mind when thinking about the bar and encounters an aspiring writer Live,” the show eventually grew and sketch comedy show “Saturday Night who gives him the strength to keep housed successful comedians such as Live” (SNL). Airing since 1975, the going.

Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler and Tina Fey. show is currently on its 50th season, As a result, Michaels returns to SNL itself proves you always have with a history of talented comedians, the studio ready to give it his all. After to take a chance on new ideas, as you amazing hosts and breathtaking musical running through successful sketches, never know what could come out of a performances. However, the show wasn’t there are only minutes before airtime. semi-raunchy, clunky band of misfits always a pop culture hit, as it originally Nonetheless, it isn’t until mere seconds and comedians. Check out “Saturday started with a handful of up-andbefore that studio executives decide to Night” in a theater near you to see for coming comedians found off the street. give SNL a shot. yourself!

The film “Saturday Night” showcases the humble beginnings of the show, following the chaotic 90 minutes prior to the first live taping of “Saturday Night Live.” Shot from the perspective of Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator, the film goes through the (literal) highs and lows of the taping, as each member of the cast tries to find out what exactly SNL is.

The film, beginning from the outside of the NBC building, shows a frantic Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) as he scrambles to get his crew together by airtime. With pressures from NBC executives who are curious to figure out how the show will turn out, Michaels goes from floor to floor as writers, cast members and higher-ups berate him with questions and demands as he tries to put out fire after fire. From actors unwilling to sign contracts, falling equipment and drugs being inhaled behind closed doors, Michaels can never catch a break. Accompanied by fastpaced music and frantic scene cuts with nauseating shot-reverse shots, viewers are taken through the hectic journey as time ticks down.

However, beyond Michaels, each cast member struggles internally with finding their purpose on the show.

Comedian Garret Morris (Lamorne Morris), questions why he was even chosen for the role given his impressive past on Broadway as a playwright.

Comedian Jane Curtin (Kim Matula) struggles with her age and maturity in comparison to her coworkers. Most prominently, comedian Chevy Chase (Cory Michael Smith) attempts to climb the television ladder despite his underlying insecurities after being approached to take over as a talk show host in replacement of Johnny Carson.

Yet, all of these problems are put to rest as the climax of the film occurs and Theatrical release poster for “Saturday Night.”

Michaels learns NBC has no real faith in (Courtesy of Columbia Pictures / fair use)

BY JULIE HUANG arts@theaggie.org Performing artists are known for having intense, complicated and often highly parasocial relationships with their fans. Recently, the question of how much information performers owe their fans about their personal lives and beliefs has been raised, as standards surrounding appropriate behavior for both public figures and their fans grow increasingly unclear.

This uncertain situation is best exemplified by pop singer-songwriter Chappell Roan, whose current circumstances as a rising public figure generate discussion about her controversial attitude toward her fame.

Roan recently faced backlash over the cancellation of her All Things Go festival appearances as well as her refusal to publicly endorse any candidate for the 2024 presidential election. This response is a reflection of society’s most prominent values and how they manifest within celebrity culture.

Supported by swaths of people eagerly consuming, analyzing, appreciating and criticizing their artistic creations, performing artists with large fan bases wield massive amounts of influence on what is deemed culturally current and significant.

The potential of that cultural power creates the expectation that celebrities should take advantage of it. From referencing the names of their favorite beauty products to the names of the candidates that they will be voting for on election day, endorsements have become so commonplace that they are woven into the fabric of culture itself.

Roan’s statement that there are “problems on both sides” of the 2024 presidential ticket transformed what could have been a clear-cut political endorsement into something less straightforward. In doing so, Roan rejected the expectations placed on performing artists to package their personal beliefs into something easily consumed and digested by the general public.

By expressing more complex views, Roan publicly upholds a sense of personal identity that is expected of the general public to maintain but rarely feasible for performing artists whose identities are usually subsumed into the aesthetics, products and lifestyles that they are associated with.

Roan’s attitude toward the presidential election builds off of previous statements where she explicitly

acknowledges the difference between her public image and her personal identity, asking fans not to harass her if they see her out in public.

The introduction of uncertainty into a traditionally accepted dynamic between pop star and fan seems to be unintentional on Roan’s part. However, intention does not factor into the resulting circumstances. Those who expected a certain course of action based on Roan’s previously established brand are blindsided by her decisive refusal to allow the public to project a certain image onto her, causing frustration and controversy.

This controversial situation suggests that celebrity culture has evolved to a stage where performing artists are now expected to perform their chosen public persona at all times. This expectation invites criticism whenever they stray from that image.

The increasing need for performing artists to always be exactly what they seemed to promise may stem from public desire for celebrities to represent the prevailing social, cultural and political values of the day. When a performing artist says what everyone’s thinking, it creates a sense of cultural unity. When a performing artist leans into an aspect of their personal identity as part of their brand, it seems to uplift everyone who shares that identity.

It is undeniable that their cultural influence often can and does create positive effects in society. However, the expectation that performing artists strive constantly to become the living embodiment of certain beliefs and values ultimately creates an unsustainable cycle in which performing artists are encouraged to simplify their personal beliefs for mass consumption, and fans are encouraged to disregard nuance in favor of listening to what a celebrity tells them.

In an era where it becomes increasingly difficult to understand how much celebrities should disclose and how much fans should care, the individuality of both the performer and consumer are at risk of being consumed by fame.

It may also be important to note, however, that the emotions and attitudes that fuel celebrity discourse remain as transient as ever and do not always represent everyone. Despite her controversial situation, Roan recently performed at Austin City Limits Music Festival to throngs of cheering crowds, proving that her star power has not yet dimmed.

Five novels to make your skin crawl

Moody books that are perfect for reading with Halloween right around the corner

BY ELIZABETH BUNT arts@theaggie.org The dark, windy days of fall are nearly upon us. Okay, well maybe not so much in Davis; our seasons are pretty mild, but the sentiment is there. For some people, the oncoming spooky season means rewatching favorite Halloween movies or listening to “Monster Mash” while biking to class.

While those are fine ways to celebrate the turning of the season, now is the perfect time of year to take advantage of books that set an eerie and ominous mood. Here are five recommendations for novels that will make your spine tingle and your skin crawl.

“Slewfoot” by Brom (2021) “Slewfoot” is a tale set in New England in the 1600s, in the thick of early American witch hunts. It tells the story of a young Englishwoman sent to the colonies as a bride to a settler. At the same time, an ancient pagan spirit reawakens in the woods surrounding the township. As their paths intertwine, the settlers turn on one another and civilization falls apart as quickly as it began. Brom’s writing drops the reader in the midst of a haunted and harried landscape, and the suspense only grows with each turning page. The storytelling combined with the author’s own illustrations makes “Slewfoot” a mustread, though maybe not one to read while home alone.

“We Have Always Lived in the Castle” by Shirley Jackson (1962) As one of the pioneers of the American horror scene, Shirley Jackson is famous for her iconic novel “The Haunting of Hill House.” Fewer people are acquainted with her much shorter novel “We Have Always Lived in the Castle,” which is regarded by critics as one of the classic American gothic works. The story follows two sisters, Constance and Merricat Blackwood, living alone in their family estate after an uncertain tragedy has killed every other inhabitant. Unsettled by the eeriness and unnatural habits of the sisters, neighbors begin asking questions about what really happened to the rest of the Blackwoods. This is a novel that doesn’t rely on cheap scares to terrify the reader. Rather, Jackson slowly closes her readers into the uneasy landscape of the Blackwood estate, slamming the door on them just when they feel truly claustrophobic.

“The Alienist” by Caleb Carr (1994) For lovers of true crime, “The Alienist” is the perfect book to pick up this fall. Based on historical events, the story traces the path of detective Laszlo Kreizler as he searches for a serial killer hiding in the dark underbelly of New York City in 1896. As the hunt continues, the reader is drawn deeper and deeper into a psychological evaluation of the unknown killer. The writing is fast-paced and gripping, and

the plot is all the more chilling because of its truth value. “The Alienist” is impossible to put down and a home run for anyone who loves horror, mysteries, true crime or historical fiction.

“The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories” by Angela Carter (1979) Unlike the books above, “The Bloody Chamber” is not a novel but a collection of short stories. Each story included is a retelling of a well-known fairy tale, though not in the way one might expect. Angela Carter twists each tale to tell the feminist story hiding underneath while also pouring every ounce of gothic creepiness into the settings and characters. Familiar tales like “Beauty and the Beast” and “Little Red Riding Hood” become almost unrecognizable in Carter’s hands. Every expectation is subverted as Carter tells versions of tales that are definitely not suited for children’s bedtime stories.

“Neverwhere” by Neil Gaiman (1996) Classified less as horror and more as a dark fantasy novel, Neil Gaiman’s “Neverwhere” still manages to create the feeling that something is very, very wrong. The novel is set in London Below, the underside of London which protagonist Richard Mayhew happens to stumble upon. Along with those who have fallen through the cracks of society, Neverwhere is populated by talking rats, angels and murderers who come together in subterranean halls and sewage canals. To return to his home in London Above, Mayhew is forced to join in a confusing and dangerous quest through the murky, candlelit tunnels of Neverwhere, a trip that will entirely change the way he views the real world.

“Neverwhere” is a book that mimics the feeling of walking home on Halloween night — no longer fully in costume but not quite at home either.

These books have something for everyone this fall season: fantasy, classic horror, psychological thrills, magical realism and more. All that’s left to do is pick up a copy of whichever sounds best, curl up on the couch and read while the leaves change color outside.

LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

8 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024

Annual Memorial Union poster sale strengthens student expression and community

Poster Invasion hosts a student-loved pop-up shop every fall quarter at UC Davis

BY GRACIELA TIU features@theaggie.org If you walk on campus during the first couple weeks of school, you will probably come across the poster sale, hosted annually at the Memorial Union (MU). Poster Invasion, the business behind the event, comes to the UC Davis campus every year to sell posters, tapestries, postcards and more to students, professors and everyone in the community.

Amina Adamjee, a sales representative for Poster Invasion, described the company.

“It’s a woman-owned business,” Adamjee said. “We’re a poster sale that goes campus to campus across the country. We do everything from posters and postcards to tapestries.”

At UC Davis, the poster sale happens right outside of the MU and next to the campus store, with several tables set up in front of the main entrance.

“I believe that having the location in front of the Memorial Union is really good,” Jacob Mashini, a second-year civil and environmental engineering major, said. “Not only do people at the beginning of the year have to enter the campus store but the bus stop is also right in front of it, so it allows for a lot of people to see the poster sale.”

Students also seem to appreciate the convenience of the sale happening at such a focal point on campus.

“You’re already going to campus, so you can get all the stuff you need to get done and shop for new posters,” Jaalon Terry, a fourth-year civil engineering major, said. “It’s pretty convenient for students who are always on the go.

Some students don’t have cars to go places so it’s good for them, too.”

The sale taking place at the start of the year works well for students since it occurs close to move-in day, but some students say they would like to have another one later in the year as well.

“I like having the poster sale at the beginning of the year, because it’s a really good way to decorate your dorm or your apartment,” Mashini said. “However, I do think it would be nice if they implemented another poster sale throughout the year. For example, one of my close friends’ birthday was in the middle of the year

Poster sale in front of the Memorial Union. (Sacha Chickering / Aggie) and I remember the poster sale having star sign-themed postcards, and I feel like if I could buy that then I would have, but the poster sale isn’t available throughout the year.”

The event features folders with a variety of posters and designs ranging from visual art to album covers, all of which customers can quickly flip through when walking through the event.

“I like having the poster sale, because I like wall art, but I struggle to figure out what to put up, so having a selection already displayed helps narrow down the options,” Terry said.

Not only does the business sell posters related to popular music and visual artists, but it also features student designs.

“What’s really awesome is that we also accept art submissions from students,” Adamjee said. “So a lot of the medium-sized and smaller posters are done by students, and then they

make up some of the proceeds of those sales.”

Mashini said that shopping for posters and tapestries at Poster Invasion’s campus events feels more special than buying decorations elsewhere.

“The poster sale features unique and curated artists, giving it a personal touch that I feel a lot of mass-produced decor lacks,” Mashini said. “Another thing that I find special about this poster sale is the fact that it doesn’t only include musicians, it includes actual artwork which can help people express themselves. People relate to many paintings, so I feel like buying posters can help people feel a sense of community within UC Davis.”

Adamjee also notices an enthusiastic energy among people shopping at their annual event.

“I think it’s the excitement; you’ll especially see it with the freshmen because usually, the second or [third

or] fourth-years have seen us around,” Adamjee said. “But with the freshmen, it’s the first opportunity they get to decorate their dorms and have a little self-expression.”

Although the business primarily hosts pop-ups, it consistently has a wide variety of posters and decorations available for purchase.

“We have so many different genres,” Adamjee said. “And when we get to see each campus [we’re] like, okay, what’s more popular here? Is it sports? Is it art prints? Is it rappers? Is it movies? Is it music? You know, and there’s always a trend too. So that’s pretty cool statistically.”

Customers enjoy the poster sale particularly because the decor they buy can showcase their interests and prompt bonding with friends.

“I have two posters: I have a Lana Del Rey and SZA poster which I use for decoration,” Mashini said. “I have them on my walls, and it’s nice because

I’m able to start conversation[s] with [people]. For example, I remember inviting a friend over to my dorm last year and they saw my Lana Del Rey poster — we were just talking about how much we love the artist, and ever since then I’ve been really close to that friend. I feel like it’s a way for you to show your interest[s] and express yourself without saying it directly to a person.”

Overall, the poster sale gives students the opportunity to decorate their personal spaces in their own ways.

“I feel like everyone can tell a bit about someone’s personality with their decorations, especially their music taste,” Mashini said. “The poster sale benefits a lot of people because they’re able to relate to people who have similar tastes, and I feel like it really helps bring the school community together.”

Halloween is spooky, but the carbon footprint from your costume doesn’t have to be

Secondhand shopping provides a sustainable option for costumes this season

BY EMME DUNNING features@theaggie.org As we near the end of October, Halloween is at the top of many people’s minds. In the coming weeks, students and community members will enjoy the festivities of the holiday, including pumpkin carving, watching scary movies and — perhaps most importantly — picking their costumes.

In a college town like Davis, the opportunity to wear a Halloween costume goes far beyond Oct. 31.

Falling on a Thursday in 2024, Halloween will coincide with the many social events that take place over the weekend through school clubs, Greek Life, sports and more. With all of these events, it’s no surprise that many college students are looking for affordable and easy ways to fulfill their costume needs. In order to find these deals, many turn to fast fashion websites.

Although sites like Amazon and Shein provide cheap and accessible options for Halloween costumes, this convenience doesn’t come without extreme cost. Each year in the United States, over 5.4 million kilograms of clothing waste are created from Halloween costumes. This waste is in large part due to the fast-paced nature of the fast fashion clothing industry, which prioritizes convenience and rampant consumption over quality and sustainability. Clothes are thrown away as quickly as they arrive, ending up in thrift stores and landfills. These clothes are often made out of synthetic materials, which deteriorate far slower than natural fibers like cotton or linen, and will be making their mark on the environment far beyond Halloween night.

Despite these frightening statistics, a Halloween without waste is not a hopeless cause. Yesterday Vintage, a secondhand clothing store in Davis, is working to change this narrative.

Located in the heart of downtown, Yesterday provides shoppers with an opportunity to explore their personal style in a sustainable way through a wide array of unique secondhand clothing.

Donbi Kim, a co-owner of Yesterday, believes that sourcing a Halloween costume secondhand is not only better for the environment but also for your closet.

“I really enjoy the unique quality of vintage clothing and secondhand clothing,” Kim said. “It’s not very often that you’ll find multiple of a

LANHUI ZHEN / AGGIE

particular piece.”

For Halloween specifically, Kim noted that the sustainability of vintage costume shopping simply can’t be matched by major fast fashion retailers.

“If you’re getting your costume from Shein or Amazon, it’s most likely not sustainably made, and it’s most likely made from child labor,” Kim

said.

She also asserted that the pieces bought for Halloween costumes don’t have to be only worn on the holiday.

“You don’t need to necessarily use pieces that are so crazy and out there to create an entire costume,” Kim said.

“With a lot of the pieces, you can rewear them and just integrate them into your closet. There’s potential to

wear it beyond just that one time.”

This re-wearability may entice consumers to spend the extra few dollars on a sustainable garment over a cheaply made costume.

Yesterday’s business model of giving new life to vintage clothing is gaining popularity, particularly among younger generations. This trend has been reflected on social media,

with the rise of “thrift hauls” and secondhand-focused fashion.

Clara LaRock, a Davis resident and avid thrifter, has taken full advantage of what secondhand fashion has to offer. LaRock not only appreciates the fashion aspect of thrifting but also recognizes the important role it plays in keeping clothes out of the landfill.

“So much of fast fashion is mass produced, ends up in landfills and is made of really cheap materials,” LaRock said. “Giving used clothes a new home means slower consumption and getting the most out of the piece that’s been loved by you and maybe a really fashionable stranger.”

She continued to express some of the benefits of secondhand shopping for developing a sense of style.

“Shopping secondhand opens your perspective and helps you develop a personal style,” LaRock said. “The purchases I’ve made while thrifting have always been more thoughtful and with a clearer vision for styling than if I found something at the mall.”

This philosophy can be easily translated to thrifting for Halloween costumes — a task that Naya Spencer, a fourth-year design major at UC Davis, has already taken to heart.

“My junior year [of high school], I stopped buying from fast fashion,” Spencer said.

Spencer said she appreciates the quality and unique aspect of thrifted pieces and is confident that students can create memorable and cohesive Halloween costumes solely through secondhand clothing.

“Go to a thrift store with your friends,” Spencer said. “You can make a whole day out of it.”

For clothing that doesn’t perfectly match the vision of the costume, Spencer recommends for students to alter their thrifted clothing to achieve their desired look.

“It’s not that hard to learn, and you get a cooler costume out of it,” Spencer said.

For those who are wary of the unpredictable nature of in-person thrifting, online secondhand shopping may provide another solution.

Websites like Depop, eBay and ThredUp give shoppers the ability to search for exactly what they’re looking for, from size to color to brand to style.

Overall, secondhand shopping, whether through vintage stores, online or even your own closet, can provide sustainable options for creating a memorable Halloween costume that’s sure to spook your peers.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024 | 9

Sudoku

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

Answer to previous puzzle 10/10/24

Crossword

Answer to previous puzzle 10/11/24

BUGROOMMATE FROM PAGE 4 This all started to get a little too freaky for my taste so I let out a little yelp. Her head whipped around like an owl, and I swear her eyes were HUGE. Just like a bug. EUGH. Then, a loud noise reverbed around the room — it sounded like a loud thunderclap. That’s when my vision went blank, and I no longer got to witness my roommate being a freak.

My eyes fluttered open the next morning, and I was sleeping peacefully on the couch. I never sleep on the

couch. “Did you have a bad dream?” my roommate asked.

I know what I saw. She can’t gaslight me. I immediately contacted the police, but it turns out you can’t arrest someone for having late-night bug rituals. She may have won this time, but I’m not going to let her get away with this. I’ve set up multiple hidden cameras around the apartment, so I’m going to catch her. And when I do, I’m going to have the last laugh.

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

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

10 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024

Davis International House celebrates their 40-year anniversary

The art and cultural exchange non-profit hosted International Festival on Oct. 6 which included food, dance and a backyard concert live demonstrations.

BY MATTHEW MCELDOWNEY Festival attendees had the city@theaggie.org opportunity to experience an authentic performance of Danza Mexica, Ballet Folklorico and many To celebrate 40 years of cultural other Latin American forms of music immersion, International House and dance. As for Asia and Polynesia, Davis hosted the International ifest had a diverse selection of music Festival known as “ifest” that brings from local artists such as Bakuhatsu the community together to celebrate Taiko Dan, Nā Keiki O Hawai’i and its differences. Set for Oct. 6, Davis the UC Davis K-pop group, EKHO International House drew in a variety Dance. Music and dance groups from of local vendors, artists and musicians Africa and African diaspora, like the to express the tastes and sounds of the Afro Minivibes, have toured across the Davis community. The event was free country in their mission to host and to enter and lasted from 12 to 6 p.m. support Black-owned businesses and Throughout the festival, food filmmakers and eventually landed in vendors offered a breadth of Davis to perform for ifest. options such as Hawaiian fried A staff member introduced the chicken, Zimbabwean soul food and Nariman Percussion Ensemble, fresh churros. Craft vendors and a Persian drumming group, and organizations set up shop nearby discussed how they captured the spirit for attendees to peruse. There was of the festival’s diverse music. jewelry, crochet crafts and plenty of “The reason why music is able to free goodies for those taking breaks be blended while remaining familiar between concert performances and to so many is precisely why music can

connect us globally,” the staff member said.

A staff member introduced a shamisen and koto performance by the Edo Ensemble. The performance of these traditional instruments highlighted the spirit of cultural resiliency that ifest promotes.

“They play traditional Japanese music that will transport you all the way back to the 16th century,” the staff member said.

Workshops for topics ranging from capoeira — a Brazilian martial arts dance performance — to Chinese calligraphy and tea ceremony were open and free for all to try within the Davis International House itself.

To support and find out about these performers and programs, there is a full list available on the Davis International House’s official website, along with the events and resources that International House offers less than a mile from campus.

Shelly Gilbride, the executive

director of Davis International House, went into detail about the work they do for the Davis community. As an International House, their mission is to foster the exchange of art, culture and ideas to build enhanced international understanding.

“There is a beautiful lack of clarity with what Davis International House is,” Gilbride said. “It can be anything.

By focusing on the exchange of arts, culture and ideas, we can forge human connection.”

Davis International House is a hub for practitioners to maintain, share and celebrate their culture. Leaning into the participatory culture of Davis’ creative scene, Davis International House creates a space where people can learn and express themselves.

On a weekly basis, Davis International House hosts communityled programs such as their 15 different conversation groups, world dance club and a daf drumming group.

On top of the bigger events like

ifest, other showcases that celebrated Indonesian and Indian culture and Persian New Year are also hosted by Davis International House. Additional events include a United Nations Day presentation on Oct. 27 and a Native American culture workshop on Nov. 9 — many more can be viewed through their official website.

Gilbride emphasizes that to host events like ifest and these culture days for the community is more important than ever.

“Sometimes it is very difficult with the trauma of the world to realize the importance of celebrating with one another, but the only way we are going to face the problems of the world is if we can come together,” Gilbride said.

“And the best way to come together and feel connected with one another is by listening to music or sharing a meal. That is how we are going to come together.”

The 40th anniversary of the Davis International House featured cultural performances and other vendors. (Matthew Mceldowney / Aggie)

Student-run meme pages capture the experience of being an Aggie

Online accounts connect campus through humor and relatability

BY LAILA AZHAR features@theaggie.org Navigating college life can be a difficult experience. Oftentimes, students aren’t aware that the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis are common among their peers.

With the rising popularity of online platforms, some UC Davis students have taken the initiative to create online spaces specifically tailored to other UC Davis students.

These meme pages, which post humorous images, provide laughter and curate a sense of community.

A meme posted to @ucdavismemes on Instagram reads, “When he asks to see your resume on the first date,” with photos of the logos of the UC Davis Computer Science and the UC Davis College of Engineering.

The story did actually happen to

the anonymous admin of the account — in fact, the person it was inspired by asked about it after seeing the post. Many of the jokes shared on the account are inspired from the admin’s personal life, and they feel lucky that others on campus are able to connect with them.

However, the meme pages aren’t tied directly to the identity of the admin, and they’re typically run anonymously. The focus isn’t on the specific person who runs the page but the content and shared experiences of UC Davis students.

“I feel like with every post I get closer to outing myself [as the admin of the page], because so many of my memes are based on personal experiences,” the admin said.

The anonymous admin of @ucd_affirmations shared a similar sentiment, and the posts on this page share similar content — both pages sparked from daily inconveniences.

“They will have my favorite pizza flavor at Ciao,” one reads. “I love waking up well rested,” another reads.

On a campus with over 35,000 students, attending UC Davis can be overwhelming, and connecting with classmates can be difficult in lecture halls filled with hundreds of students.

Student-run meme pages provide a space online for students to connect over the shared experiences that accompany being an Aggie.

Yik Yak is a social media app that allows users to post “yaks” geared toward their university. The Instagram account @yikyakucdavis was first created as part of Yik Yak’s campus ambassador program. After this program was discontinued, the anonymous admin wanted to keep running the page. Posting screenshots of the UC Davis Yik Yak to Instagram, a larger platform, allows for the conversations shared on Yik Yak to reach a much wider audience.

Meme pages on social media platforms are helpful for learning about the Davis and campus community (Aggie File)

The content shared by meme pages isn’t always lighthearted. In light of recent controversy surrounding UC Davis Chancellor Gary May’s affiliation with Leidos, a defense company with ties to the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), many admins of meme pages took to their platforms to share their thoughts.

“A lot of students ask me why I’m so against divesting UCD from war profiteering,” a meme shared to @ gary_mayaffirmations reads. “Well, you’d be against it too if Leidos paid for your mortgage!”

For the anonymous admin of @ ucd_affirmations, being able to delve into these more serious topics is one of the best parts of running the meme page.

“It’s sometimes crazy to see how the effects of words online can enact change on campus,” the admin said.

Just as the posts are inspired by real-life events, the words shared by

the accounts are able to bring increased awareness to things going on offline.

“I definitely think the meme pages have made me feel more connected to the school and taught me about what other people think about what’s happening in Davis,” Brandon Nguyen, a second-year managerial economics major, said. “Social media is honestly where I find out most about what’s happening on campus.”

In the digital age, memes are the language of social media. People are able to use them not only to tell humorous stories but also to express ideas and communicate their beliefs.

Through student-run meme pages, students are able to creatively design images to communicate a wide variety of ideas that relate to the specific experience of attending UC Davis.

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024 | 11

SCIENCE AND TECH New seminar program offers hands-on lab experience for student researchers

Design2Data gives students research experience in genome-related projects

and other protein modeling communities as a benchmarking tool for improved enzyme design algorithms,” their database website reads. “The underlying scientific goal of D2D is to facilitate academic crowd-sourcing to rapidly address protein design questions that would normally take isolated labs decades to answer.”

Students who complete the course often earn a position at the Siegel Lab, where they gain further research experience. The Siegel Lab serves an average of 30 independent undergraduate researchers. These students start by working in the lab on the D2D project and then progress into enzyme engineering research projects, where they are mentored by graduate students.

The first-year seminar program at UC Davis represents a significant advancement in undergraduate education, providing students with vital laboratory research experience in enzyme design. This innovative program not only fosters academic growth but also empowers students to address critical scientific challenges, paving the way for future advancements in enzyme engineering and protein design.

“Large, high-resolution datasets are critical infrastructure for the future of protein design,” Vater said.

“Better protein design capacities will be a game changer for tackling current human needs.”

Students can apply for this lab position by accessing Design2Data’s website.

BY ARYAMAN BHATIA science@theaggie.org A new first-year seminar program at UC Davis, Design2Data (D2D), provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to gain laboratory research experience related to enzymes and protein structures. The program is an extension of Chemistry, Biochemistry & Molecular Medicine Professor Justin Siegel’s lab at the UC Davis Genome Center. The program has been developed as a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE), forming part of a series of classes aimed at encouraging new undergraduates to engage in laboratory experiences.

The lab’s main subject matter is enzyme design. Ashley Vater, the program director, commented on the purpose of enzyme design in an interview with UC Davis Health. “[The purpose of ] enzyme design is to engineer enzymes to meet the needs that we have as humans in this world,” Vater said.

The program focuses on an enzyme design-build-test workflow, guiding students through a series of standard field experiments that they can then conduct independently. “[At the lab, students] make mutations that they’re interested in and characterize those mutant enzymes, contributing to a nationally accessible database,” Vater said.

The program’s results are added to their D2D database. This allows the program to create a dataset that can be used as a tool in future projects.

“As this dataset expands, it will have applications for the RosettaCommons

Special enzyme encircles the double helix to repair a strand of DNA. (Courtesy of National Institutes of Health / Creative Commons, CC by 2.0)

TRANSLATION FROM PAGE 10

La Casa Internacional de Davis celebra 40 años de apertura

La organización cultural y artística sin fines de lucro alojó el festival Internacional el 6 de Octubre cual incluyó comida, presentaciones de danza y un concierto en el patio de atrás de la casa Escrito por MATTHEW MCELDOWNEY Traducido por ILEANA MERAZ Y SAMUEL RUIZ city@theaggie.org Para celebrar los 40 años consecutivos de inmersión cultural la Casa Internacional de Davis alojo el festival internacional de “ifest” cuyo objetivo es unir la comunidad en sus diferencias culturales.

El festival, el cual fue programado para el 6 de Octubre, gozo de la presencia de negocios locales, artistas y músicos que juntos reflejaron la diversidad en sabores y sonidos de la comunidad de la ciudad. La entrada al evento era gratis y su programación fue de las doce de la tarde hasta las seis de la tarde.

El evento de la casa internacional tuvo en presencia una variedad de opciones gastronómicas como por ejemplo pollo frito hawaiiano, comida tradicional conocida como “soul food” del país de Zimbabue y churros calientitos recién hechos.

Adicionalmente, presentes en el festival había una multitud de artesanos. Los artesanos vendieron joyería, tejidos, y otras pequeñas piezas las cuales regalaron a los individuos que participaron en las presentaciones del programa.

Los que atendieron al evento tuvieron la oportunidad de ver la presentación del grupo folklórico Danza Mexica y otras formas de baile y música de Latinoamérica. Para los apasionados de la cultura de Asia y los países polinesios, ifest presento una selección de música de artistas locales como Bakuhatsu Taiko Dan, Nā Keiki O Hawai’i, y el grupo de baile contemporáneo Coreano (conocido actualmente como K-Pop), EKHO Dance.

Además de la representación de Latinoamérica, Asia y los países polinesios, el festival gozo de la participación de grupos de Africa y la diáspora Africana como Afro Minivibes quien hasta ahorita han

girado por todo el país sirviendo como promotores de los negocios adueñados por gente de descendencia africana.

Un empleado quien introdujo al grupo de percusión persa, Nariman, nos describió como el festival pudo capturar el espíritu de la diversidad musical, “La razón por la cual la música tiene la habilidad de cambiar mientras a la misma vez mantenerse algo identificable y familiar es la misma razón porque la música nos puede conectar globalmente”.

Otro empleado tuvo el privilegio de introducir una presentación de shamisen y koto presentado por el grupo Edo Ensemble. La presentación de estos instrumentos musicales tradicionales resaltó el espíritu resiliencia cultural que promovió la fiesta.

Este empleado nos explicó que “ellos tocan instrumentos tradicionales Japoneses que te transportarán a través del tiempo hasta el siglo 16.”

Talleres de capoeira (un baile tradicional brazileneo) y caligrafia y té de China fueron ofrecidos sin costo a los participantes del festival.

Shelly Gilbride, la directora ejecutiva de la Casa Internacional de Davis nos dijo en detalle sobre el trabajo que hacen para la comunidad de Davis. Como la única Casa Internacional de la ciudad su misión es promover el intercambio de arte, cultura e ideas para construir el conocimiento común del mundo internacional.

“Hay belleza en el desconocimiento de la Casa Internacional de Davis” nos explica Gilbride.“ Tiene la oportunidad de formarse en diferentes maneras. Al enfocarse en el intercambio de arte, cultura e ideas podemos empezar una conversación y conexión humana”

Una photo de la Casa Internacional cuál celebró 40 años desde su apertura ( Kayla Bruckman / Aggie ) La casa internacional de la ciudad es el núcleo para compartir la cultura.

Al enfocarse en la participación cultural de la ciudad la casa crea un espacio en donde la gente pueda aprender y expresarse.

Durante las operaciones de la semana la casa internacional aloja programas liderados por la comunidad. Algunos de estos esfuerzos comunitarios son los 15 grupos de pláticas culturales, el grupo recreacional de bailes tradicionales

mundiales y un grupo de percusión daf.

Además del anticipado ifest, la casa aloja otras presentaciones que celebran la cultura de la India e Indonesia y el año nuevo Persa. Incluido en estas celebraciones está la celebración de las Naciones Unidas el 27 de Octubre y talleres culturales de las tribus de nativos americanos.

Todos estos eventos y más se pueden encontrar en su sitio web.

“Hay veces que con el trauma de los eventos mundiales se nos hace difícil acordarnos de la importancia de celebrar el uno con el otro pero la única manera que podamos unirnos y combatir los problemas del mundo es en la unión” Gilbre nos explica. “Y la mejor manera de traernos juntos como comunidad y realizar esa conexión es escuchar música o mejor, compartir una comida. Esta es la manera de unirnos”

THE CALIFORNIA AGGIE

12 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2024

FOOTBALL

UC Davis football gains its first-ever win over a top five-ranked program

UC Davis Aggies beat the University of Idaho Vandals in a nailbiter on home turf

BY DIEGO CERNA sports@theaggie.org The No. 14-ranked UC Davis Aggies went up against the No. 4-ranked University of Idaho Vandals in the much anticipated Big Sky Conference football game of the week on Sept. 28. This game also held the annual first-year field run where UC Davis first-year students rush the field right before the game starts.

The University of Idaho opened up with back-to-back touchdowns on their first two drives, jumping out to an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter. The Aggies responded during their second drive with a red zone touchdown thrown by Miles Hastings, a quarterback and fourthyear communications major, to Chaz Davis, a wide receiver and fourth-year psychology major.

After a missed field goal by the Vandals, the Aggies marched down the field again to the one-yard line where Lan Larison, a running back and fourth-year managerial economics major, punched in his team’s second touchdown to tie the game. Larison’s touchdown also moved him into a three-way tie for fourth most touchdowns scored in UC Davis football history with a total of 28 touchdowns in his career.

Up 17-14, the University of Idaho looked to push their lead at the Aggies’ 25-yard line until Kavir Bains, a defensive back and fourthyear managerial economics major, intercepted a pass to shut down any hope of scoring before the end of the first half.

With the Aggies receiving the ball on the opening kickoff to start the second half, a planned fake-reverse handoff made space for C.J. Hutton, a wide receiver and fourth-year managerial economics major, to run 72 yards on the return. With good field positioning, Hastings threw a lob to Larison who made a rolling catch in the end zone for another UC Davis touchdown.

On back-to-back Vandals possessions, Lamont Shamburger, a third-year defensive back and undeclared major, and Porter Connors, a linebacker and third-year human development major, snagged two interceptions, adding to an imposing performance by the Aggie defense.

Additionally, at the end of the third quarter, Hastings hit Winston Williams, a tight end and fourth-year psychology major, up the middle to give UC Davis a two-possession lead.

When all seemed lost for the Vandals, a fourth-quarter rally field goal and a touchdown with less than a minute to go made the score 26-28.

The Vandals were just a two-point conversion away from sending the

game into overtime, but pressure from Zach Kennedy, a defensive edge and fourth-year managerial economics major, forced the potentially gametying throw out of bounds to seal the Aggies’ first-ever victory against a top five-rated team.

Hastings threw for an impressive 248 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with eight different receivers and five who had over 30

yards that night. This historic win gave new Head Coach Tim Plough his firstever win in the Big Sky Conference.

“The feeling of winning games at Davis feels different when you win games anywhere else,” Plough said in the post-game press conference.

“Whether they’re a top five team or ranked 150th, every win for the Aggies is really special to me.”

Plough remains optimistic about

UC Davis’ hopes for the season despite not having played their best football prior to their victory over the University of Idaho Vandals.

“A good friend of mine told me that you’re either winning or learning and luckily we’re doing both right now,” Plough said. “Hopefully we can do that throughout the year.”

UC Davis football team wins game against a top ranked university team. (Aggie File)

WOMEN’S SWIM AND DIVE

UC Davis women’s swimming & diving team starts off the season on high note CSUN meet domination follows Blue & Gold home meet

BY KRISTA HAJJAR sports@theaggie.org After a success at the Blue & Gold meet, the UC Davis women’s swimming & diving team looks forward to their upcoming season filled with exciting invites and more home meets than ever. The Blue & Gold meet is an unofficial competition of various distances, during which the team captains draft their own teams and lead the meet.

Each team showed up in fun outfits repping either blue or gold as they got ready for a friendly competition. Head Coach Matthew Macedo explained what he looks forward to during the meet every year.

“[The] Blue [&] Gold is always a fun way to kick off our season,” Macedo said. “It is fun to see our captains wear their coaching hats, and we usually see some exciting races and a close final score.”

Not only does the Blue & Gold meet help the UC Davis Aggies kick off the season, but the event also gives the opportunity for first-year students to compete on a college level and get a feel for a dual-meet environment before starting their actual season.

However, the weekend fun for the swim team didn’t end with the Blue & Gold meet — right after, the team had their annual alumni meet where previous generations of Aggie athletes returned to the Davis lanes to rep the blue and gold once again.

The women’s swim team faces off at the Blue & Gold meet. (Aggie File)

With such a fun and energetic start to the season, the team was ready for their meet at the California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) Sprint Classic. On the first day of competition, UC Davis competed in 14 events across both swimming and diving, placing within the top five in nine of the 14 events. They finished their first day in Bakersfield placing fourth overall with a total score of 327.50, outsourcing CSUB and Pepperdine University.

The Aggies had some great highlights from the meet: Katherine Lim, a first-year animal science major, made an incredible debut by securing first place in the three-meter dive, scoring a 267.65; Priscilla Nguyen, a third-year biological sciences major,

placed second in the same event, scoring a 240.20.

Katie McLain, a fourth-year communications and international relations double major, gained points for the Aggies on the first day of competition. McLain placed third in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 30.10 seconds and helped bring the team to fourth place in the 800yard freestyle relay and the 200-yard medley relay. McLain also lended a hand in the team’s second-place win in the 200-yard freestyle relay with fellow teammates Christy Douglas, a fourth-year neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, Sophi Mackay, a second-year communications major, and Naomi Beogholm, a second-year electrical engineering major.

The final win for the Aggies came in the 200-yard individual medley. Brynne Graham, a secondyear mechanical engineering major, took second place with a time of 2:07.08, and Sam Rhodes, a fourthyear neurobiology, physiology and behavior major, followed close behind with a time of 2:07.52.

The Aggies gave a strong performance in Bakersfield — one that will hopefully be continued throughout the season. If the UC Davis women’s swimming & diving team has more meet outcomes like this, they could have a successful season that might even be enough to take them to the championships.