Volume 22, Issue 12 | March 28, 2024

QUAKER CAMPUS

Custodians Call for Change

when the College re-negotiated their contract with Flagship, letting off one-fourth of the cleaning staff.

Staff are once again petitioning for fair working conditions at Whittier College.

On Wednesday, Feb. 28, the Whittier Student-Worker Alliance (WSWA) received a letter on behalf of the housekeeping staff at Whittier. The letter, titled “Custodial Workers Statement,” details the current working conditions under their company employer, Flagship, and how that has affected their quality of work around campus. The issues started back in 2016,

According to the letter, the staff who remained received a higher workload, as jobs previously done by two to three people are now expected to be done by one. The letter further states that the clauses in their company policy were amended to state that only one person was able to complete tasks previously done by a group.

These changes help the staff explain why offices are now cleaned once a week. Of the 19 staff who originally worked the night shift,

only four remain. They also note that, aside from an increase in work due to understaffing, their pay is unfair.

Under their union, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the staff began renegotiating their pay with Flagship in 2019, which never happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They did not receive a raise until 2021, when the state of California raised the minimum wage to $15. The following year, in 2022, negotiations recommenced with the company offering a $1 raise.

See Custodial Workers on pg. 2.

"Ficus Trees Are Here to Stay!"

Sara Martinez COPY EDITOR

As the sun shined on Saturday, March 16, a group of Whittier community residents, former City Council members, Uptown business owners, and local high school students gathered in front of the Whittier City Council building to fight the removal of the 180 ficus trees on Greenleaf Avenue. This is part of an Uptown “beautification” process implemented by the City of Whittier.

Several key speakers of the rally participated in the event, including Bob Henderson, a former Whittier City Council member who argues that current City Council members were “acting against the city code.”

According to Henderson, the City Council is unlawfully ignoring a

previous plan that was implemented in any case of tree removal. The plan was carefully done with the help of an environmental architect who says that, in the case that the trees were to be removed, they must be "phased in.” This would mean that not all trees would be cut at once but over a one-year span in order to keep the canopy of shade.

After the featured speakers, residents were invited to express their personal reasons for joining the rally. James, an elderly man, was first to speak. He stressed how the treeroots have no effect on his mobility through the sidewalks. After James, several Whittier candidates running for office took to the microphone, expressing their participation in the event as citizens rather than for political motives.

After hearing from more than

Whittier Elections Met With Backlash

Sarah Licon NEWS EDITOR

With anger about the Uptown Beautification Plan still brewing, several residents of Whittier are petitioning for a change in the city’s election policies. Election Day, set to occur on April 9, will feature candidates up for District 1 and District 3 representatives, along with the position of mayor. However, several residents are displeased with this year’s election pool.

Created in 2023, Whittier for Term Limits and Legal Reform, an organization formed by Whittier residents, advocates for the city to implement term limits. For instance, incumbent mayor Joe Vinatieri, and District 2 Councilwoman Cathy Warner have both been in office for almost 20 years. Vinateri is running for a third term while Warner has previously served as mayor for three terms, and has been councilwoman since the early 2000s. The time in office for municipal politicians in California is two years.

"Some members of our City Council have each been in power for 12, 18, 19 years,” states the organization on their official website. “The incumbents’ name recognition and well-established relationships with donors (many of which are outside special interests) discourage new candidates seeking office.” The petition was enacted to “promote a fair electoral system,” the website further states. The organization also petitions for the city to change its election dates to November.

ly agrees with this logic, stating, "We have over 55,000 registered voters and an average of 7,000 voted in the last five elections." The organization further argues that, “City Council has shown no concern whatsoever about its low voter turnout during those elections.”

Due to its characterization as a charter city, Whittier was able to tiptoe around the SB 415 bill, following a lawsuit by the City of Redondo Beach that allows charter cities to not abide by California municipal election policies.

The group currently endorses District 3 candidate Monica Sena, a founder of the organization, and Magdelena Barragnon Moe and Maryann Pacheco for District 1. The website officially states, “We do not support the re-election of Joe Vinatieri due to our term limits stand.” In regards to term limits, the website also states that the appropriate limit be 12 years for “all appointed and elected City Council members.”

This year's election candidates campaign for recruiting more officers in the Whittier Police Department and alleviating homelessness on the streets.

As District 1 and District 3 are up for election, only Whittier residents that live within these districts are qualified to vote. To see which district you reside in, you can access a map of the districts on the City of Whittier website at www.cityofwhittier.org/ government/city-clerk/elections-information/voting-districts.

All Whittier residents who are equalified voters are elgible to vote for mayor, however.

10 different people, organizers of the rally decided it was time to march to Uptown. Free signs stating "Save Whittier Trees" were provided for all who were participating in the march, as well as free water and tree adoption opportunities.

Once the march began, the power of the people came to life as different phrases were being chanted, including, "Ho ho, hey hey, ficus trees are here to stay!"

As the protestors made their way to the intersection of Philadelphia St. and Greenleaf Ave., protest flyers were placed on each of the 180 trees designated to be cut down.

This article has been condensed for print. If you would like to read the full article, visit medium.com/ the-quaker-campus.

In addition to its no-termlimit policy, Whittier currently holds an off-cycle election due to its identity as a charter city. SB 415 was passed in 2015, which required California cities to shift election dates to the day of the California general election. The logic behind this bill is to garner more voter turnout, as state voters are more likely to vote in municipal elections if they appear on the general election ballot.

The organization strong -

In regards to election procedures, the election date is still set to occur on April 9. All qualified residents should have received a ballot in their mailbox 29 days prior to the election date. Residents have the opportunity to mail in their ballot, vote in-person, or drop their ballot off at various locations. Voting guides and polling locations can be accessed on the City of Whittier website at www.cityofwhittier.org/ government/current-election.

Whittier residents protest City Beautification Plan.

Sara Martinez / Quaker Campus

Sarah Licon / Quaker Campus

Sara Martinez COPY EDITOR

Courtesy of keith Durflinger

Custodians advocate for improved working conditions.

Whittier's election is controversial.

Custodians Petition for Better Conditions

Custodial Workers continued from pg. 1.

That raise, along with the state's increase in minimum wage to $16, landed them at $17 per hour.

However, in an interview with a custodial worker who asked to remain anonymous, they explained that much more is happening than described in the letter.

According to the anonymous custodial worker, the increase never came, “On Oct. 1, 2023, we were supposed to receive a $1 raise, making our minimum wage $17 per hour. That did not happen. As of March 1, 2024, we were supposed to receive another raise, increasing our minimum wage to $18. This did not happen either." Am I go-

ing to receive the back pay? I don’t know," they continue.

"People have asked me, ‘Why don’t you quit?’ If I quit then I definitely won’t receive the back pay.” Their minimum wage is still at $16 per hour, meaning that they have five months of accumulated back pay that has not come. The back pay is not only due to the lack of wage increase, but overtime as well, “There are two of us who have between 26 to 44 hours of overtime that have not been paid, and sick hours that are missing from our paystubs,” states the custodial worker.

According to the letter, they have complained to their manager, their manager's supervisors, and their union representatives, all of which have left unanswered responses. The Quaker Campus has also reached out to the

union representative who has since not answered.

“What are we supposed to do when no one listens to us, yet they keep complaining about the cleanliness of the campus?" asks the custodial worker.

They further state that the motives for the letter arose out of a mix between their frustration of back pay, work conditions, and an increase of complaints about the custodians’ work. In one incident, a verbal altercation took place between a custodian and a faculty member over the cleanliness of an office.

The faculty member made a beckoning hand gesture towards the custodian while saying, “Come see this” regarding a full trash can in

their office. “A majority of us do not speak English fluently, but that does not justify the way in which we are treated," states the custodial worker. Their work conditions, according to them, are another avenue of grief, since their janitorial closets have become infested with mold from recent rainfall. "Is this safe?” questions the custodial worker.

“We are strong and we know how to do our job, but we also are aware that our working conditions have become dire," states the anonymous custodial worker.

The final round of negotiations is set for October 2024, where they hope for a fair contract while avoiding any mention of the word “strike.”

This article has been condensed for print. If you would like to access the full article, visit medium.com/ the-quaker-campus.

"What are we supposed to do when no one listens to us, yet they keep complaining about the cleanliness of the campus?”

-Anonymous Custodial Worker

QUAKER CAMPUS STAFF

FEATURES EDITOR cHElsEA BArTilAd

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Without any intention of inconveniencing or discomforting any person, much less the institution which has given us work for so many years, we would like to share with you a little bit about our current situation as housekeepers employed here at Whittier College.

We understand that on many occasions this campus is not as clean as it should be, we are aware of this fact and know the reason for it.

In 2016, the College made a decision to let go of a quarter of the cleaning staff, and what ended up happening because of this, was that tasks that were once done by three people (such as cleaning a dorm floor) are now expected to be completed by just one person. At this time, certain clauses regarding our cleaning policy were changed, stating that the labor of only one person would be enough to accomplish these tasks (for example, offices are now only cleaned once a week).

Of the 19 people that originally worked the College's night shift, today only four remain employed to do most of the heavy-duty cleaning for this campus, and two of those workers are often missing; In the daytime, there are only eight housekeepers to cover a campus of hundreds.

Seven of us have worked for this institution between 17 and 28 years, many of us live near the College, we are a part of this community.

In 2019, our union, SEIU, was supposed to begin negotiations with Flagship (the company that employs us). Because of the pandemic, these negotiations never happened; we made $14.30 at the time. In 2021, the State raised the minimum wage to $15, and from that point on we made $15.50.

In 2022, we finally began to have actual negotiations regarding our contract with the company Flagship and the union. After a long year of negotiating the company would only offer 30 CENTS in raises.

It wasn’t until after the state had raised the minimum wage to $16 that the company gave us their final offer. After five long years without receiving any salary increases from the company, they only offered to give us one dollar, placing us at $17. We have been told that in March there will be a further salary increase to $18. This is a step in the right direction.

However, when inflation rises it doesn’t just rise one dollar every year, everything has risen in cost, including basic necessities like the food we put on our tables. We don’t get to negotiate how much we have to pay to provide for ourselves and the livings we make only manage to cover rent and utilities like electricity, water and gas.

Having the need for a job in order to contribute to the economies of our homes, we are essential to the success enjoyed by companies who underpay and overwork their employees, forcing us to whatever expectations they demand in order to maintain their contract with their client, Whittier College. And this makes sense, as the client seems to have accepted the fact that much work plus little pay equals profit.

Our intention here is for the College to be aware of our predicament, since they are the ones who hire the company Flagship and should have a say in how their workers are treated. We want the College to advocate for fair pay on campus, but so far to no result. We hope that this will change.

We have been told by our union that we will be having a final round of negotiations in October of 2024. We hope that this negotiation will end in a favorable outcome and will result in a fair contract, and that we never need to hear the word “STRIKE” under any circumstances.

Thank you for all your support,

-The Whittier Housekeeping Staff

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Translated by Arlo Tinsman-Kongshaug

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Submissions may be emailed to qc@poets.whitttier.edu in .doc or .docx format. Submissions must include the author’s name and year of graduation or position at the college in the signature. Letters are due by Tuesday at 5 p.m. to make it into that week’s issue. Submissions should be no more than 500 words. Letters should be well-proofread, as they will not be edited. Letters that fall outside of these guidelines will be returned to the author with a request for revision.

Due to the high cost of publication, members of the Whittier College community are permitted three copies per issue. Additional copies may be purchased with prior apporval for 50 cents each by contacting the Quaker Campus. Newspaper theft is a crime, and those who violate the three copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution.

The Quaker Campus does not change material posted on online articles once they have been published in the paper — with the exception of an error being found. Only then will a correction be made to the online version. The Quaker Campus is a publication of Whittier College. Columns and Signed editorials do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Whittier College or its affiliates.

Faculty Advocate for Increased Pay

first time in four years.

Pay still remains an issue among Whittier faculty.

Since the members of the California Faculty Association (CFA) went on a one-day strike on Jan. 22, there have been rising questions about the current pay for the faculty of Whittier College. See "Are Faculty Being Paid Enough?" in the Feb. 9 issue, as well as on the Quaker Campus Medium page. As adjunct professors advocated for better pay last semester, questions about tenured professors pay remain unspoken.

An email from Interim President Kristine Dillon was sent out last month to explain the new increase in tuition and housing for the 2024-25 academic year for the

Among the reasons listed for a tuition increase is “compensation [for] valued faculty and staff.”

Prior to the announcement, faculty meetings were being held to discuss their pay. In one of these meetings, the Faculty Affairs Committee (FAC) recently gathered data for a Faculty Salary Report

that was presented to faculty and administration a few weeks ago,” according to Associate Professor of the Department of Theater, Film, and Communication Arts Patti McCarthy.

It was detailed that Whittier faculty makes 20 percent below mean salaries. An email from a member of the FAC states that, “Whittier’s

"I think it took a great deal of courage for our President and Board of Trustees to make this unpopular decision. It's a step in the right direction."

-Associate Professor Patti McCarthy

faculty salaries are lower than salaries at other liberal arts colleges and state universities in the region,” allowing it to be difficult to pinpoint a percentage due to the lack of a “comparison group.” According to the College website, the College offers a starting annual salary of $75,000 to $80,000 for assistant professors of various subjects, while assistant professors at Chapman University make about $82,000 to $112,000 a year, which includes starting pay.

According to the FAC, “Whittier’s lagging faculty salaries have been part of the picture for many years, but the situation has become exacerbated in recent years as enrollment has fallen.” The statement continues to explain that, “Whittier is a tuition-driven institution, so enrollment and salaries are tightly connected.” With the lack of a raise

in recent years, this has caused tenured Whittier professors to get paid the same amount as adjuncts.

On a more regional basis, UC and CSU faculty were able to strike, and while adjuncts on campus held a rally, McCarthy explains that professors are still “unable to strike and have been given no guarantee for raises in the future from administration or the Board of Trustees."

In regards to the new tuition price, while many were upset, faculty members like McCarthy state that, “I think it took a great deal of courage for our President and Board of Trustees to make this unpopular decision. It’s a step in the right direction."

This article has been condensed for print. If you would like to read the full article, you can visit at medium. com/the-quaker-campus.

Whittier's FAC advocate for increased pay.

Sarah Licon / Quaker Campus Priscilla Corona STAFF WRITER

Courtesy of Debra Eckloff

CSU faculty went on strike on Jan. 22. Courtesy of nBC

What’s up, Whittier?

Stay up to date on events! For further info, visit whittier.campuslabs.com/engage

International Student Chew & Chat

• Thursday, March 28 at 12:30 p.m.

• The Spot

Full Body Massage

• Thursday, March 28 at 10 a.m.

• Student Health & Wellness Center

Envision Your Financial Future Tabling

• Thursday, March 28 at noon

• In front of the SLC

Student Accessibility Services Movie Night: Wonder (2017)

• Thursday, March 28 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

• SAS Testing Center

Let’s Talk: Virtual & In-Person Mental Health Walk-in Consultations

• Friday, March 28 at 9:30 a.m.

• Turner Hall Second Floor Lobby, Room 247

Touchstone Tabling

• Friday, March 29 at 10:30 a.m.

• In front of the SLC

Neurodiverse Student & Allies Workshop Series: Career Prep

• Friday, March 29 at 11:30 a.m.

• Counseling Center Patio

Trip to Khalsa Care Foundation (Sikh Foundation)

• Sunday, March 31 at 10 a.m.

• Khalsa Care Foundation

Jobs for Justice: Water Quality Science

• Tuesday, April 2 at 4:30 p.m.

• Online

Let’s Talk: Virtual & In-Person Mental Health Walk-in Consultations

• Wednesday, April 3 at 2:30 p.m.

• Turner Hall Second Floor Lobby, Room 247

It’s a Vibe, Sis: Black Womxn’s Group

• Wednesday, April 3 at 4:30 p.m.

• SLC 510

Come YOGA with Us

• Wednesday, April 3 at 5 p.m.

• North Lawn

• Free STD Testing

• Thursday, April 4 at 11 a.m.

• Founder’s Hill

Look Up: Kites in the Air for Palestine

Piper Guinn STAFF WRITER

One of the thousands of deaths in Gaza was of writer and professor Reefat Alareer, who was killed in an airstrike on Dec. 6. Before his life was taken by the Israeli military, Alareer composed an emotionally-charged poem titled “If I Must Die.”

The premise of the poem stated that “If I must die,/ turn my clothes into a kite and fly it over Palestine,/to serve as a reminder of the violence and hope for a brighter future.” This poem has been widely shared since Alareer´s death, and on a particularly windy Thursday, was displayed in five languages at the top of Whittier College´s Founder’s Hill.

100,000 casualties, including 30,000 deaths, have occurred in the Gaza Strip since October 2023 after the organization Hamas led an attack on Israel, which they countered with an ongoing attack.

The Gaza Strip is the smaller of two Palestinian territories and is home to over two million people. The world’s response to this crisis has been varied.

The US is a strong ally to Israel, and continues to financially support the country while it is at war. President Biden has received heavy criticism from Americans for standing with Israel, rather than immediately calling for a ceasefire. Across the world, protestars flood the

streets, repeating the mantra, “Free Palestine!”

On March 7 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., the College’s Desi-Middle Eastern club, Asian Student Association (ASA), and Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano/a de Aztlan (MEChA) hosted a kite-making and flying event to demonstrate their support for a free Palestine and spread awareness on campus.

These students feel passionately that a permanent ceasefire must be called, and are disappointed with Biden’s response to the conflict. To prepare for this event, the clubs set up several tables with kite-making kits and markers to decorate. Posters were hung displaying Alareer´s powerful words, which served as the inspiration. Free Middle Eastern food was also available for attendees, including falafel, hummus, and date cookies. Once 5 p.m. hit and the Campus Inn opened for dinner, students began to stop by and make kites on their way. Many students decorated their kites with the colors of Palestine: red, green, black, and white. Some kites simply bore the Palestine flag, others resembled slices of watermelon. Thanks to the generous wind and lack of rain, the kites were able to fly high.

One of the biggest issues discussed at the event was Biden´s ongoing support for Israel. “Biden won’t get my vote if he doesn’t do something about this,” remarked third-year Adriana Cox-Gonzalez as she painted her flag red and green. With the 2024 election up-

coming, Democrats are concerned Biden will not receive the necessary support from Middle Eastern voters, or anyone else who stands with Palestine. Evidently disappointed with the state of the world, thirdyear student Mursalle Khwajazada commented, “There were a lot of reasons people disliked Biden; this was just a tipping point for some.”

While students may not have the power to call for a ceasefire or send aid to Gaza, they can continue talking about the issue and stay up to date with the news. Student organizations can continue to host events like this one and discredit misinformation whenever possible. “So many people are eager to find something that fits with their beliefs instead of challenging them,” Khwajazada added, regarding false information on the

internet. As an institution, Whittier College has a responsibility to correct the narrative for its students. There are resources available to learn more about the conflict, including professor-led discussions every other Monday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Hartley House.

As of this week, the US led a UN Security Council draft resolution to end the Israel-Hamas war, but it was vetoed by Russia and China. While the draft mentions an immediate ceasefire, critics sustain the belief that the U.S. did not put sufficient pressure on Israel. Biden has yet to publicly speak out against Israel’s actions.

This article has been condensed. If you would like to read the full article, visit medium.com/the-quaker-campus

KPOET Is for the Riot Grrrls!

Ashley Seger COPY EDITOR

The lightning and thunder cracked outside Club 88 on March 7, but that did not stop the Women’s History Month Open Mic Night from being electric. Alongside the Gender Equity Center, KPOET Radio held a special open mic and concert event titled “Riot Grrrl,” an homage to the feminist punk movement in the ‘90s. Club 88 was filled with KPOET’s signature style of decor, including a sign made from newspapers.

The event was set to begin at 5 p.m. but was unfortunately delayed due to the weather. Co-Manager of KPOET, second-year Paige Meyer-Draffen (PMD), began the event by apologizing for the delay, but ensured there was still plenty to do before the acts arrived.

To kick off the performances, PMD and other Co-Manager of KPOET, second-year Emily Perez-Medina, hit the stage with a karaoke performance to “crushcrushcrush” by Paramore. The mood quickly shifted, just as joyus but a little bit slower when PMD announced thirdyear Jamey Duncan-Whitt to the stage. Duncan-Whitt performed a spoken word poem titled “Hiker,” which blew the room away with its raw emotion. The crowd roared as Duncan-Whitt left the stage and the next performer Eliana Peretz

entered. Peretz performed an acapella cover of Amy Winehouse’s “Love is Blind,” and stunned the audience with her incredible singing voice. For the last performance before a brief intermission, PMD introduced first year Amelie Tapia to the stage. Tapia first performed a powerful spoken word poem titled “Own,” which she said was inspired by one of her favorite music artists, Billie Eilish. Following the poem, Tapia sang a karaoke cover of “My Future.”

KPOET staff then alerted the audience that the bands were running late and encouraged the crowd to go grab some food and come back. During this intermission the song “Ecuador” by Sash played loudly through the speakers as Perez-Medina took to the stage holding a sign that read “Venga conmigo al prom?” asking third-year Sean Frank, a KPOET staff member and Whittfest Coordinator, to prom. Frank replied loudly into the microphone, “Yeah! Everyone go to Prom on April 12!” The room erupted with screams of excitement. Perez-Medina then reminded the crowd to film their promposals and tag @ kpoetradio and @wc.mediacouncil on Instagram.

Music never stopped playing in Club 88 as the first band, Chimera, began to set up for their set. The crowd took their seats, excited to hear some music. The band

introduced themselves as a female led Los Angeles/Long Beach-based hardcore punk band. The lead singer expressed her excitement for getting to be a part of the Women’s History Month event and then began their first song titled “Incel.” The crowd felt the music in their veins, and started a mini-mosh pit. Chimera’s energy was off the charts, you could feel the passion and excitement from the audience. They played a total of eight songs, ending with “Blood.” The lead singer excitedly thanked everyone for coming out and for the invitation, then left the stage.

Finally, the band Reverse Cowgirls took to the stage for a final set. The lead singer, Alyssa

Carron began with enthusiasm, “Thanks for coming out despite the rain!” The band played nine folk rock style songs while they shared banter with their friends in the crowd.

KPOET’s events never fall short of creating an incredible atmosphere and good time. Be sure to follow @kpoetradio on Instagram to stay up to date on their events. Don’t forget to attend Poet Prom on April 12, that KPOET will be co-hosting alongside Media Council and Program Board.

This article has been condensed for print. If you would like to read the full article, visit medium.com/ the-quaker-campus.

The Poet Community showed solidarity for Palestine.

KPOET brought out showstopping performances for their latest open

Courtesy

Courtesy

Appreciation for the Athenian Ladies

Chelsea Bartilad FEATURES EDITOR

With pledging season coming to a close for the Spring semester, Whittier College’s societies, including the Athenian Society, welcome their newest members into their spaces. Established in 1929, the Athenian Society, whose members are referred to as the “A’s” or “the Ladies,” is “a distinguished group of women whose activities emphasize sisterhood, social events, service to the community, and scholarship.” Through these core values, the Athenians are able to foster a community of sisterhood that continues to prosper on campus.

“I wanted to have friends in the community,” recounts fourthyear Treasurer Clarissa Carreon. The Child Development major began her time at Whittier during the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected her college experience. During her second year, Carreon was eager to make more connections on campus. While exploring the different societies, she was drawn to the Athenians and was able to see herself with them. “They were inspiring to me, and I knew that if I was able to join them, it would push me to be a better version of myself,” Carreon says with a smile.

For fourth-year President Ariela Romero, it was a last-minute decision. “My sister, she was in a sorority, and I was kind of influenced,” Romero explains.

“I knew that coming to Whittier I wanted to join a society.” Eager to find her community, Romero attended every society-hosted event on campus. Eventually, it was time for her to decide which one to join. “I just went with my heart,” she recalls thoughtfully, “And that felt right, but also the girls that I was joining, that played a big influence.”

As a society that values sisterhood, the Athenians continue to maintain these bonds even after their time at Whittier. Current members, known as “Actives,” can turn to their “Bigs,” (Big Sisters) whenever they are in need of advice. The Athenians have a wide alumni network in various industries, such as law, business, education, and entertainment.

“One thing that we’ve all found comforting as Actives is that there is always going to be an Alumni Lady that we can go to for big sister advice,” explains Carreon. As the fourth-year was going through grad school applications, she was able to receive help from an alum during the stressful process. “She was my rock through that,” Carreon states.

Recalling their most memorable moments as Athenians, Carreon mentions her trip to Spain over the summer with three of her fellow sisters. “I get anxious traveling, so it was just really nice to have them there with me through that,” she says. Another memorable moment was when the Actives and alumni got together for their Homecoming Brunch. Romero notes how much she enjoyed

hearing the alums from the ‘70s talk about their stories as Actives, and how some continue to keep in touch with each other after many years. “A lot of them were at each other’s weddings, and it’s just [nice] seeing what our lives could be like outside of Whittier,” she says, her eyes bright.

The two remain deep in thought before describing what being a Lady means to them. “Being a Lady to me is about carrying yourself a certain way,” Carreon says after a pause. “Carrying yourself with pride and being kind to others. Just always pushing yourself to be the best that you can be.” Nodding,

Romero adds that being a Lady gives her the confidence to be someone’s role model on campus. “[It’s] like a tradition that we’re caring for the future Ladies, but also honoring the past Ladies.”

With the end of the pledging season, or new member education, Romero shares her thoughts on being mentors for their new members. “It’s pretty exciting, especially because we were kind of the ones that recruited them,” she shares with a smile, “I’m excited to continue teaching them our traditions, and I really want to see what they bring to the society.”

Noting the differences from

their earlier years as Actives, Carreron shares her anticipation for their newest members. “It’s interesting to see how that’s going to change and shape the society the same way; you know, we got the opportunity to kind of make the society our own,” she says. “At the end of the day, the society belongs to the Actives, and it’s yours to change to current times to your guys’ values; I think that’s going to be interesting to see.”

This article has been condensed for print. To read the full article, visit medium.com/the-quaker-campus.

The PHEs Open Their Doors to All

Ashely Seger COPY EDITOR

On Tuesday, Feb. 27, Whittier College’s Peer Health Educators (PHE) held an Open House event inviting students to learn more about their organization while enjoying various activities.The PHE office is located in Johnson Hall on the first floor in the LLC room, right next to the kitchen. Their office is painted a bright yellow, and the walls are lined with posters containing vari-

ous wellness information and cute decorations. There was a welcoming chalkboard sign out front in light of the open house, and upon entering, you could see a few of the PHEs doing various activities.

The Open House included activities such as painting mini canvases, yard and board games, journaling, and books to read. There were massage chairs and people to come chat with. I sat down at the painting table with second year Rebeca Diaz, one of the PHEs, and chatted with her about

the goals of this event. She discussed how the main focus of the open house is to get more students in the office and get the word out that they are here: “Peer Health Educators serve as a bridge between the students and the on campus wellness resources.” She continues by providing information on the eight types of wellness: spiritual, physical, environmental, intellectual, emotional, occupational, social, and financial.

The PHEs frequently hosts events and tablings focused on each

different type of wellness, such as the “Get Your Head in the Game Tabling” that happened on March 20.

While the Open House was not too crowded, there was plenty to do and lots to learn. After painting a canvas and chatting with Diaz, I came back later in the day and signed up for a chair massage. My 15 minutes in the chair were pretty spectacular, I would recommend everyone to go try them out. The PHE office is also a great place to study and just unwind. I

sat in one of the chairs, made myself some tea, which they always provide for students, and chatted with second-year PHE Emily Perez-Medina. Perez-Medina spends a lot of time in the PHE office and talked about the space very positively, “It’s a nice place to hang out and do homework; we have snacks sometimes, and we’ll often have events in [the PHE office] run by our PHEs. Everyone in here is dedicated to making it a welcoming and safe space for the Whittier College Community.”

She wants everyone to know that they are welcome to drop in at any time. While the PHE office is open to come in without appointment, you can also make appointments with the PHEs for a review of your Clifton Strengths Assessment, which is needed for various jobs and classes on campus. The PHEs strive to promote equitable access to care on campus, so feel free to ask them any questions.

The PHE office is open to all students from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Friday. You can come in anytime, whether you need someone to talk to or just want a chair massage. The PHEs are constantly hosting events and tablings, be sure to check their Engage page and read their newest newsletter to see what is coming up!

The “L” in Lady stands for a long lasting legacy. Courtesty of Ariela Ramos

Courtesy of the Public Health Educators

Peer Health Educators have multiple resources for the student community.

Whittier College Musicale to Your Ears

On March 1, the Whittier College community crossed Philadelphia St. and gathered in the Memorial Chapel for the first Poet Musicale of the Spring semester. The Poet Musicale is an event where the Music Department showcases the talents of its students.

The program began at noon with the chamber orchestra, a group of students playing string instruments, including violin, viola, cello, and bass, directed by artist-in-residence Samvel Chilingarian. Making his way to the front of the orchestra, Chilingarian introduced the piece they would be performing, Antonin Dvořák’s

Symphony No. 9 “New World.” He briefly explained the significance of the piece. The chamber orchestra performed the symphony beautifully, with the sound of strings echoing throughout the chapel.

Following the chamber orchestra were various solos performed by students. First was Whittier fourth-year Jonathan “JJ” Trimble. Accompanied by pianist Alexander Lee, Trimble performed two songs from Erik Satie’s “Trois Melodies” in French. The first song called “La Statue De Bronze,” tells a sort of comedic, yet sad, story of a bronze frog statue wishing to be among the other frogs in the pond. The second song was called “Dapheneo,” a poem that portrays a conversation between two mythical creatures

about a hazelnut tree. As each song was performed, the audience let out giggles at the perfect comedic timing of the musical piece and the lyrics of the songs.

Following Trimble was second-year Barbara Lozano. Lozano performed Enrique Granados’ “El Majo Discreto,” a Spanish song about love stretching beyond the bounds of beauty. Standing next to the piano, Lozano performed the song with emotion and control, finishing with applause from the audience. The next performance was then done by second-year Cielo Valenzuela-Lara.

Valenzuela-Lara performed two solos. The first, once again accompanied by Lee, was from the aria “Fair Robin I Love” from a

three-act opera called Tartuffe Valenzuela-Lara’s second performance was then accompanied by Trimble. The piece she performed was written by Trimble himself, titled “Some Day, One Day,” and it comes from his one act musical The Peddler. The final solo performance was performed by fourth-year Ezdras Meraz-Lerma. He performed Francisco Tarrega’s classical guitar piece “Capricho Arabe” on the piano.

As the final soloist took a bow, the chapel was filled with sentiment and applause.

Next, there was a brief pause from the Music Department’s showcase for a performance from this semester’s musical Catch Me If You Can with the song “Someone Else’s Skin.” The students’ performances was to promote the collaboration between the Music and Theater departments and to encourage those attending the musicale to see the musical.

The final portion of the musicale was performed by the Whittier College Choir, directed by Professor Alexandra Grabarchuk and accompanied by pianist Edward Sywulka. The first piece performed was in traditional Norse, “Song of the Vikings (My Mother Told Me),” from the Vikings television series. The song didn’t originally have a score, so a student—Luka Kenderian—volunteered and translated the score. Next, the choir performed Andrei Eshpai’s “Krinitsa,” a traditional Ukrainian song. The choir performed as a whole with solos

sung by students Jordan Ball and Theo Stevens.

Second to last was a performance of Peter Scheckele’s satirical song about the biblical story of Jonah and the whale, “Jonah’s Song.” The performance was finalized with a song written by Trimble called “Animals of the Sea,” a song composed of many different tempos where the choir sang about aquatic life.

The musicale is an important part of the Music Department; students find it essential to not only recognize the departments but also their own artistic growth. Trimble, who has been performing at musicales since he began living on campus four years ago, spoke of its importance for him personally to be able to improve his musicianship fully every time he gets the chance. Valenzuela-Lara says the musicale allows them to share music with people that they like, and allows them to do something that they enjoy doing.

Finally, fourth-year Luka Kenderian states the Music Department is under-appreciated and overlooked. It’s always good for people to come and look at what the Music Department has to offer see that they are working as hard as any other department.

Keep an eye out for the next Poet Musicale on the Whittier College Engage website.

This article has been condensed for print. To read the full article, visit at medium.com/ the-quaker campus.

Bag a Deal at the Uptown Flea Market

Emma Galvan COPY EDITOR

On Feb. 24, the College organized a group outing to the Uptown Flea Market for students to attend from noon to 4 p.m. The event was hosted in the back courtyard of Whittier High School and was described as a “shopping trip for the ages.”

Meeting in the Harris Courtyard at noon, the students traveled to the wonderful world of vintage clothing, cheap merchandise, and unique jewelry!

The flea market was open to the public and, after suffering through the packed parking lot and the long walk around the gates near the high school’s theater, attendants witnessed a market bursting with life. Despite the heat, the market was heavily packed as it had opened at 10 a.m. Fortunately, the walkways still gave you the ability to move around at your own pace.

Upon entering, shoppers were greeted by an array of merchandise. There were small cups with fictional characters and unique designs, and small tote bags with inspirational quotes on the front. One stand even greeted shoppers with snacks, chips and granola bars, while the main sources of food were waiting at the far end of the market.

One of the more notable features of the flea market was the chance to get free jeans from gram-Me-

Downz. The opportunity was strictly available for current voters or pre-teens with no other purchases necessary in order to encourage them to vote or start thinking about voting. While the vendors had reasonable prices, this clothing stand was the only one that was promoting free goods that were not samples of their products.

The gram-MeDownz stand, alongside boothes such as Haibi Ropa, had quite the buzz surrounding their clothing stands. Multiple clothing racks filled with jeans, shirts, and belts bridged the gaps between the other flea market stands that stood next to it.

The most common items sold, however, were candles and jewelry. Almost every stand had one of the two, as if there was a pattern of candle-jewelry-candle-jewelry all connected on the same halves of the area! Though many sold the same items, each stand had its own sense of uniqueness in terms of what exactly they were selling.

This includes the OC Homemade Candles, a potted-candle organization that sold limited selections only for the day and provided free samples with a purchase. Similarly, from Órale Boutique, you could buy gold necklaces and add a gemstone inside.

In the middle of the market was a coffee pop-up shop, Cafe Cordova.

Selling coffee and other non-caffeinated drinks to shoppers, Cafe Cordova is a first-generation Latina-owned business that caters numerous events around Whittier! After stopping by their stand, the more unique stands were presented to the public.

Want to put your small dog in a silly costume? Maybe a poncho or a cowboy hat? Well, you can purchase it from im4pawscreations, an organization run by a wonderful, sweet lady, Mary Luque. She primarily sells small accessories and treats for dogs, even showing some

of her models from past events as a reference for shoppers. Another stand sold beef jerky or pre-cooked food.

Various food stands and trucks were present in the back of the market. They sold foods such as birria and pizza, agua frescas and matcha drinks from organizations like MJ’s Matcha and Chibola’s Agua Fresca & More. Though limited in variety, each food truck and stand had patrons lined up as the weather was increasing in temperature and shoppers needed a quick break before resuming their shopping sprees.

Overall, the flea market was a successful opportunity for students to find little gifts and merchandise to buy either for themselves or friends. The fun environment and variety made the trip worth walking to from Harris Hall and succumbing to the crowds.

Follow @uptownflea on Instagram to get updates on when the next flea market will be held and what businesses they will host.

This article has been condensed for print. To read the full article, visit medium.com/the-quaker-campus

Nune Papikyan Photographer

Musicales give the music students an opportunity to shine.

The Uptown Flea Market brings the Whittier community together.

Nune Papikyan / Quaker Campus

Uptown Flea / Instagram

Poet’s Sports Schedule:

Men’s Baseball vs ClaremontMudd-Scripps @ Claremont, CA

• 3 p.m.

• March 29

Women’s Tennis vs University of Redlands @ Whittier, CA

• 10 a.m.

• March 30

Softball vs Oberlin College @ Whittier, CA

• 11 a.m.

• March 30

Women’s Lacrosse vs Occidental College @ Whittier, CA

• 11:00 a.m.

• March 30

Women’s Water Polo at Chapman University @ Orange, CA

• 11 a.m.

• March 30

Men’s Tennis vs University of Redlands @ Whittier, CA

• 1:30 p.m.

• March 30

Baseball vs Pacific University @ Whittier, CA

• 11 a.m.

• March 31

Women’s Tennis at California Institue of Technology @ Pasadena, CA

• 4 p.m.

• April 2

Women’s Water Polo vs California Institue of Technology @ Whittier, CA

• 7 p.m.

• April 3

Women’s Lacrosse vs California Lutheran University @ TBD

• TBD

• April 3

Women’s Water Polo vs Cal State East Bay @ Whittier, CA

• 3 p.m.

• April 4

Athlete of the Month: Chanel Zeraatkar

Jonathan Bermudez OPINIONS EDITOR

After four barren years without an offical Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) designation of an “Athlete of the Week,” one woman has finally taken home the title, Chanel Zeraatkar. Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden, Zeraatkar is only a first-year at Whittier and has already made a name for herself. Not only has she achieved the esteemed SCIAC designation, but she has also become the first freshman in program history to ever receive it.

Since Zeraatkar was four-yearsold, tennis has been integral to her daily life and schedule. “I just remember that I have always played tennis, and since then, it has always been tennis; I don’t know, I just fell in love,” Zeraatkar said, trying to remember how her love for tennis initially started. In Zeraatkar’s home country of Sweden, tennis looks far different from here in the US. “In Sweden, you don’t play for schools; you play for a club,” Zeraatkar stated.

When she was only 10, she began playing for clubs and competing against other club members. Zeraatkar had yet to fully understand what exactly it was about tennis that made her love the sport so much. However, after playing tennis for as long as she has, Zeraatkar now knows why her passion for the sport is so potent. She has

also learned that tennis is as much of a mental sport as a physical one, which is one of the prevailing explanations for the passion she has found through the years.

Zeraatkar reveals that it takes her up to three hours to mentally prepare for her matches, including doing her hair and listening to music to “get in the zone and lock in.” According to Zeraatkar, “It’s an individual sport; you can never be the best; you got to have a strong mentality.”

Zeraatkar admits that she has never played any other sport. Because tennis takes up most of Zeraatkar’s time, it has also made her highly competitive. “I get so mad when I’m losing,” Zeraatkar said, appearing a little embarrassed by her own statement. Zeraatkar recalls a recently-played game where she lost her single match and got genuinely upset. While trying to figure out the specific words she wanted to use to describe the feelings she had felt after losing, Zeraatkar finally expressed, “I think I have a lot of goals, and I think I’m just too hard on myself, so when I’m losing, I get down.”

Through the eyes of Zeraatkar, proving herself in tennis means winning, and losing at tennis means disappointing others. Zeraatkar feels that she is here for a reason, but accepting her losses, just the same as her victories, tends to be one of her biggest challenges.

When Zeraatkar is not practic-

ing or competing in tennis matches, she is taking biology classes for her major in hopes of one day becoming a veterinarian. “Becoming a vet has been one of my dream jobs since I was in fourth or fifth grade.” Zeraatkar laughs while joking about her Biology major, adding, “You have to love your bio stuff.” But for Zeraatkar, admitting that Biology is challenging is nothing compared to admitting to the challenges one faces when playing tennis.

One thing is apparent to Zeraatkar: Biology is easier than tennis. “Because college is only four years,

you should be really in the present and not worry about the after. Take one day at a time,” says Zeraatkar, with a mature perspective that bestows a certain confidence stretching far beyond her years.

Although she may face challenges throughout her time, and experience, as a student-athlete, Zeraatkar understands and advocates that the most crucial element of the demanding sport of tennis is simply to have fun, and that is precisely what she intends to do with the remaining three years of her time as a student-athlete at Whittier College.

Rolling the Dice on the Future of Sports

29

Xandros Capus FOR THE QC

As herds of sports fans congregate together to enjoy live broadcasts of their favorite teams and players in front of an overblown, 85-inch screen that only amplifies the already-electric energy and excitement of the room, another smaller brightly-lit screen appears to obscure their view.

Baseball vs University of Redlands @ TBD

• 3 p.m.

• April 5

Loudening the anticipation of the moment, these high-strung fans often find themselves preoccupied with those small screens. Whether on a Sunday afternoon, or a random Thursday night, there seems to be something more important than the consequential game they watch. With wide eyes sporadically shifting back and forth from TV to iPhone, iPhone to laptop, and laptop to TV on a repeating loop, tensions continue to rise as sports gamblers check their bets until either happily relieved or devastatingly broken by accurate predictions or incorrect wagers.

The world of sports betting has skyrocketed in recent years, and there is only one reason that seems to be apparent: ease of access. In a 2023 Drive Research report, “Sports Betting Statistics, Trends, and Predictions,” researchers found that “31 percent of American sports bettors place a wager at least once a week.” As of this year, 29 states in the US have legalized sports betting, with over 40 sportsbooks operating nationwide where gamblers can easily find ways to bet on their favorite sports.

GeoComply, a company that verifies gambling locations for various apps and online platforms, reveals that the company managed “just over 122 million checks this year.” The number of checks GeoComply initiated on this year’s Super Bowl weekend alone increased by 22 percent. During the 202324 NFL season, 13.7 million new accounts were created, demonstrating how these robust statistics exemplify the proliferating contemporary fear of a new wave of

gambling addictions.

Sports betting apps have poured billions of dollars into marketing their sites, with more players logging on and more states legalizing the risky practice. Instead of gambling and “the game” being viewed and deemed as two separate entities, many marketing campaigns attempt to cement the link between the two. If these companies successfully convince sports fans to believe that betting money is essential to the viewing experience of their favorite sport, these gambling platforms’ profit margins would soar. The strategy is simple: flood the market with advertisements, teemed with wellknown celebrities and respected athletes who help these companies target avid sports fans who are always looking for ways to be more involved with the game they love.

These companies and apps know that their target audience is sports fanatics. They also know that the real, and rather hard, truth about these people is that they will always wish they could be a part of the less than two percent who become professional athletes, which is a potent appeal and an excellent way for companies to persuade audiences to begin betting in the first place.

A sportsbook reaffirms that although you may be simply sitting at home, wearing your favorite lucky jersey (yes, we all have one), watching the game on your TV, when you are betting money, you feel as though you are closer and more connected to the game,

and even as if you are a part of it. Supposing that sports betting continues to circulate and spread long enough, exploiting their destructive narratives of gambling as a way to move closer to your sport of choice. In that case, the social pressures to join and “compete” will snowball until the allure becomes too powerful not to indulge. As a result, individuals may suddenly find themselves “harmlessly,” and without much thought, placing and losing money on bets as superficial and mundane as predicting the color of Gatorade in the cooler.

As our culture struggles with managing societal gambling habits, we must begin to look for solutions for the impending epidemic and the next generation of possible gambling addicts. Personally, I enjoy sports betting, but the ease at which a gambler can now place a bet is worrisome. In the past, you had to physically go to the track, a casino, or at least phone it in. Now, if you are in a legal state, it will only take a few clicks to have a vast array of bets going. The NCAA reported that 58 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 22 have engaged in sports betting. As a school that prides itself on its athletic program and love for sports, we must demand more protection from these companies that target us.

This article has been condensed for print. To access the full article, visit medium.com/thequakercampus.com

Zeraatkar is the first and only first-year SCIAC Athlete of the Week.

states in the US have now legalized sports betting.

Courtesy of caron org

Courtesy of action West PhotograPhy

Are Men Lonely or Just Insecure?

Jonathan Bermudez OPINIONS EDITOR

With spring gloom coming around, the seasonal depression is hitting hard for many. It’s difficult to be happy when the sun is gone most of the time. Due to this, it can also be a struggle to plan things with friends. And because it’s so hard to plan things, one might feel like there is a divide between themselves and their friends. With men, however, this divide is not seasonal. Some men struggle with friendships on a daily basis.

In a study done by Equimundo in 2023, surveys showed that twothirds of men between the ages of 18 and 23 feel like “nobody really knows them.” A lot of these men feel like they can’t share who they are with other people. Many of these insecurities about sharing their true feelings come from the stereotypes that have been built and enforced by older generations of men.

In order to move past this and have meaningful relationships, one must be able to be comfortable with themself and share how they feel. One must be able to trust those around themself. But “societal stigmas” do not allow that.

Growing up, I was told to “man up” when I cried, or got called “sissy” if I didn’t want to do something I wasn’t comfortable with. I had to wear solid dark colors because wearing anything bright made me “look like a girl.”

I had to only have male friends because making friends with girls was seen as “gay.” While being gay or acting feminine is not wrong at all, being ostracized as a kid leaves you feeling insecure. Fortunately, I

matured out of this mindset, while many men (especially my age) have not. Some have even gone more extreme by creating new ideas for men that they refer to as “Sigma Male.”

This concept comes from the notion of alpha and beta males. The Sigma male is supposed to be superior and not care about the whole idea of being an alpha, but the irony is that Sigma males are not superior because everyone is trying to become one. But this facade the Sigma Male is just another form of toxic masculinity.

More recently there has been a surge of toxic masculinity. With figures like Andrew Tate promoting the idiotic hyper-masculine lifestyle, the standards for men are starting to become more and more toxic. Equimundo’s study found out that 20 percent of the young men they test-

ed trusted Tate more than President Biden. Tate however, is not a man to look up to. Tate likes to promote a male-dominant world, where men are in charge and women are treated violently. His standpoint on women in general is very inhumane, even stating that some rape victims should “bear responsibility.”

He teaches that men are supposed to be strong and dominant, and that they should not talk about their feelings and are only meant for breeding. But once men grow out of this horrible stigma, there is a lot of hope for a less lonely lifestyle.

Because the amount of men who struggle with loneliness is alarming.

The same surveys showed that Gen Z men had the most results for “thoughts of suicide within the last two weeks;” then zillenials, millennials, and elder millennials.

Loneliness is an epidemic, and we need to be the generation that steps away from the “plague of toxic masculinity.” We need to speak up about how we feel and express who we are.

We need to stop worrying about what makes us look like ‘real men’ and just be ourselves. We need to set an example for the younger generations so that we can stop them from reaching a life full of loneliness and thoughts of self-harm. Princeton University/Umatter offers solutions to combat toxic masculinity such as to ask for help when needed, be vulnerable, and spread awareness of toxic masculinity to name a few.

Male toxicity can’t be fixed in a day, a week, or even a year but we can take steps now for a better future.

LA’s Car Culture Gone Too Dark

Car culture has been appreciated on the West Coast for years, forming deep-rooted communities. Racing, modifying, and drifting cars has brought people together without anything else in common. Many travel across the country—and even the world—to attend car shows, meets, and auctions. For these people, it’s their passion. Non-car enthusiasts, however, struggle to understand and find these activities to be trivial. Controversy is on the rise though, with the evolution of street takeovers and sideshows striking fear into the public and leaving them concerned.

Street takeovers and sideshows are essentially the same. If you’re in Northern California, specifically the Bay Area, calling it a sideshow would be far more common, whereas Los Angeles adopted the name “street takeovers.” Both are often described as organized events where modified, flashy, or fast cars block off an intersection, parking lot or other commonly used space amongst civilians and quite literally put on a “show.”

This typically includes drivers showing off their “donut” abili-

ties and drifting skills while spectators show up in large numbers to support and be entertained by the thrilling (yet threatening) show. While cars circle amongst the claimed area, and the spectators begin to form a bigger circle, they make it impossible for any bystanders or cars at the intersection to get through.

Ultimately, this results in growing annoyance and frustration from everyday residents in the area. Los Angeles criminal lawyer William

He continues, “Often coordinated through social media, these events attract not just drivers eager to flaunt their automotive prowess, but also scores of spectators ready to document the spectacle, feeding the cycle.”

Although it’s been well-established and practiced in car commu-

Ask a Poet, a Poet Answers

Dear Poet,

Should I be ashamed of smoking weed even though it’s legal?

- A High Poet

Dear Poet,

You sound like you know how to have a good time! No, you shouldn’t feel ashamed for partaking in the use of the “devil’s lettuce” from time-to-time. I’m assuming you are a full, legal adult and therefore you are well within your rights. Life sucks! If you’ve found a way to take the edge off, then go on ahead. What am I gonna do, stop you? In fact, let me join you.

I feel obligated to leave a public service announcement here (or maybe it’s more of a reminder). Marijuana, although legal for recreational use, is still a drug. In the state of California, you can get a DUI for driving high. For first time offenders, this means a fine of up to $10,000. You don’t have that kind of money. And besides, DUIs are embarrassing. Don’t drive doped up!

If you’re finding that you can’t get through the day without stepping outside for a quick puff, then you need to ask a different question about your dependency on marijuana. The first step to fixing a problem is admitting that there is one. There is absolutely no shame in asking for help! If you want to talk to someone to come up with a solution, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) national helpline at 1.800.662.HELP 24/7, 365. You can also visit their website to find resources on substance abuse at www.samhsa.gov/find-support.

nities, street takeovers have been on the rise in Los Angeles. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and lockdowns were ordered, streets across the country cleared out. This created ideal circumstances for street takeovers with little interference or obstruction from citizens. Their popularity grew, as hundreds continued to take advantage of the unprecedented situation. The Los Angeles Times revealed that, “In 2020, 1,938 calls regarding racing or takeovers were made to South Bureau officers in charge of an area covering more than 640,000 people from USC to the Port of Los Angeles to the Watts Towers.”

It’s rare for law enforcement to catch these events in action, and even then, they can only stop a small number of people at once. Ultimately, I strongly believe that unregulated street takeovers should be illegal, but the legalization of these events could maintain the culture and passion without posing a threat of deaths and injuries to the general public.

This article has been condensed for print. If you would like to read the full article, visit medium.com/ the-quaker-campus.

Now you may be wondering, what am I supposed to do if I stop smoking weed/start smoking less weed? Here’s your answer: get a hobby. Don’t boo me! I’m just saying, if your new dilemma is that you have too much time to fill then easy answer: fill it! Pick up crocheting, become a cinephile, go volunteer somwhere. Whatever gives you the same amount of peace of mind that smoking weed does.

Dear Poet, you should never be ashamed about your hobbies. You are a responsible adult and you know how to keep your issues in check. After reading this you should sit with yourself and check in on how many blunts you smoke a day. If you are comfortable with your answer, I give you permission to have one right now as a little treat. Unless you’re going to drive right now. Then I do not give you permission. Put that blunt down.

Fly high, A Poet

P.S. 4/20 is coming, so maybe you should celebrate.

Need advice? Fill out the Google Form in the Quaker Campus Instagram bio, and your question might be featured!

Men struggle with being themselves.

Julia Centeno / Quaker Campus

Kroger explains the legal definition of these takeovers “A street takeover involves the unauthorized commandeering of public roads for unregulated activities.”

Street takeovers are more dangerous than fun.

Myung Chang / La Times

The Incredible Rosemary Carbine

Lucy Campbell SPORTS EDITOR

These days, it is hard to come by rare, authentic, and earnest excitement about the surrounding world and the opportunities it may offer. However, these things come naturally to a certain professor at Whittier College. The Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Dr. Rosemary P. Carbine, stands out not only for her scholarly accolades, but also her almost palpable enthusiasm for education, which appears to follow her close behind wherever she goes.

Specializing in historical and constructive Christian theologies, Carbine found her passion within the vast domain of teaching in theology and religion. Carbine was initially drawn to the school after her partner, “the other” Professor Carbine, successfully applied to join the faculty, influencing Carbine to do the same.

While reflecting on the events and experiences that led her to where she is today, Carbine proudly exclaims, “A long journey ended— or started!—at Whittier College. I finished my PhD in Christian Theology at the University of Chicago. I was accepted into a post-doctoral fellowship in Public Theology at Princeton University—to which I applied for college but was rejected—and took a one-year teaching position at St. Mary’s College in South Bend, Ind.”

Still reminiscing on the prosperous journey she has taken and her time at prestigious, competitive

academic institutions and scholarly environments, Carbine continues, “I entered a tenure-track position in Feminist Theology at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., and successfully applied for a one-year sabbatical grant in Feminist Public Theology in the Women’s Studies in Religion program at Harvard University Divinity School—to which I applied for graduate school but was only awarded partial-financial aid.” In attaining her Master’s and Doctoral Degrees, Carbine published multiple writings in major peer-reviewed journals and chapters in esteemed academic literary collections, co-editing three books, including The Gift of Theology (2015), Theological Perspectives for Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness (2013), and Women, Wisdom, and Witness (2012). Carbine has not only exemplified what it means to have an accomplished and successful career, but has further demonstrated precisely what it looks like.

Most significantly, Carbine has recently written and published her own book just this past December, Nevertheless, We Persist: A Feminist Public Theology, which is currently being taught by Professor Carbine herself in her Religion and Social Justice course. She plans to introduce elements of the book this upcoming Fall semester in her Religion and Politics in the US course. “I am so enthused to teach and discuss this book with students so that they draw on its insights for new or renewed directions in their own

lives, learning, and future work,” states Carbine proudly.

Carbine’s new book analyzes particular US faith-rooted social justice movements from the 20th to 21st centuries from a new feminist and womanist theologically-informed perspective, or what Carbine terms and articulates as, “community-creating practices.” The particular US faith-rooted social justice movements highlighted within her work grapple various social issues that impact our nation even within our contemporary time.

Employing an intense eagerness, Carbine’s approach to education enables her to teach others with a reverence that is both meaningful and unique, covering subjects ranging from the interrelationships of religion with gender, race, and culture, to sexuality, politics, and even eco-justice.

Committed to Whittier’s mission, community is one thing that Carbine values most about education as whole. “I enjoy this community, and have engaged in extremely creative, life-giving coursework and scholarly work as a result,” she remarks. “The study of religion is inherently interdisciplinary, which Whittier has enabled my teaching and scholarship to flourish in ever-new ways.”

Filled to the brim with high-spirited and animated gestures that communicate a sense of pride, Carbine replenishes and enlivens her classroom with compelling theological discussions detailed

with debates on ancient historical religious texts and modern feminist critiques. “My scholarship integrates with my teaching,” she expresses with joy.

Through all of the accomplishments that Carbine earned throughout her career, it is safe to say that she has wholeheartedly become something of a Whittier College legend. Offering a wide array of classes that seem never-ending, Carbine currently teaches topics such as women in religion, liberation theologies, feminist theologies, and US politics. This index of sweeping and myriad of subjects only seem to substantiate her accomplished and

extensive knowledge of religion and theology, as well as the legendaryness I have so keenly entitled her to.

Offering her noteworthy advice to those interested in studying areas of theology, Carbine shares, “I urge you to follow and feed your passions. What sustains doing this work for the long haul is the passion you bring and foster each day as change agents to imagine and enact an alternative, more just world.”

This article has been condensed for print. If you would like to read the full article, visit medium.com/ the-quaker-campus.

Meet the Absolutely All-Amazing Ali Amaya

Nune Papikyan PHOTOGRAPHER

At the age of 12, Alexandra “Ali” Amaya decided to read The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton. Turning the pages of the novel, her fondness grew for reading and storytelling.

Among the numerous books she read in her childhood, Amaya was always drawn to The Outsiders, the 1960’s novel about a found family. “For people who don’t like reading, it’s easy for them to get into.”

While acknowledging there might be better books, Amaya states The Outsiders is where she will always find the most comfort.

Coming from California’s Bay Area, in the town of Danville, she attended San Ramon Valley High School. Amaya always had an interest in English, and it was not until one of her teachers brought it up to her that she realized she could pursue it as a career. “I think I was in the fifth grade when my teacher told me, ‘You know you could do that for a job, right?’” she reminisces. Sitting at her classroom desk, her mind began to wander, why not turn her passions into a career she could pursue later in life?

As Amaya entered her senior year of high school, the decision of which college to attend was upon her. She considered many

universities and visited them with her parents, including USC and UCLA as a means of seeing what the larger campuses had to offer. However, after seeing an advertisement about Whittier College, Amaya knew the small liberal arts college was where she would want to attend. “Whittier was my first choice so it kind of just lined up nicely,” she happily says.

However, stepping foot on the Whittier College grounds did not immediately make sense to her. Amaya was shy and lonely her first year. The beginning of Amaya’s college journey did not start off perfect, it was rather terrible. And yet, that did not stop her. “You have to know that it won’t always suck, even if it sucks right now,” she states. As time passed, Amaya entered her senior year double majoring in English and Theater, along with a minor in Physics.

Now, Physics is quite different from English and Theater, but her interest in the subject was established through her first-year advisor. With a resonance of annoyance, she says, “I told him ‘no math.’” Amaya did not enjoy the subject, so she wanted to take a course that would meet the Breadth requirements without her having to deal with the equations, prompting her advisor to suggest astronomy. The double major

expected “no math.” What kind of math could possibly be used in a class about stars? She was quickly proven wrong. “[It was] the most math-heavy science course you could take,” she recalls. She was in shock, rethinking what she had gotten herself into. However, like a rocket making its way through the stars, she was answering the difficult math questions correctly, with ease. But it was not the equations nor concepts that caught Amaya’s attention; it was the black holes.

Black holes might seem to be a vastness that cause entire worlds could end up no longer existing, but to Amaya they were a possibility for endless opportunities. While Amaya was struggling to think of a compelling ending for her story— writing being one of her—“eight million hobbies.” it dawned on her, the ending was physics!

This story became her senior presentation. Amaya began her research with the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, a fellowship in which a participant chooses a topic to research for two years. During the fellowship, Amaya began to feel the stress behind researching her English senior project, “Especially for what [I] was attempting,” she says. Amaya would not have been able to pursure the project if it was not

She’s the all-rounder Ali Amaya!

for the fellowship. The project, titled “Time is of the Essence: How Physics Halts the Hands of the Gothic Clock,” focuses on the physics of time and how it connects to horror. Her other major senior projects were only beginning to mesh into one as time went on, since her theater senior seminar project also related to the space of time in film. “It’s really confusing to keep them all in order,” Amaya chuckles.

A contributing force for inspiration is her family, especially her parents. As a first-generation college student, Amaya feels grateful

she is able to “do these crazy things,” in regards to her degree. Her parents support her deeply with whatever she decides to pursue, “They’re here for it and they know that I’m learning stuff that I really enjoy and care about.”

Knowing there will be students who will struggle as she did at the beginning of her journey, she says, “See what happens, do your best, and just take everything [at] face value.”

This article has been condensed for print. If you would like to read the full article, visit medium.com/ the-quaker-campus.

Courtesy of Whitter College

Passion shines through Carbine’s smile.

Courtesy of Whitter College

The QC Staff Suggests:

Jonathan Bermudez OPINIONS EDITOR

Want to know what our Opinions Editor recommends this week? Read on!

Music:

For music, I have to go with a classic album called Down Colorful Hill by the Red House Painters. With all the rain and cold weather, I think it’s the perfect album to set the mood. It’s an old album, but I still think it’s incredible.

Food:

I always recommend a good Jersey Mike’s sandwich, specifically “The Original Italian.” It comes with provolone, ham, proscuittini, cappacuolo, salami, pepperoni, and I also add some banana peppers. It’s such a perfect sandwich to me and is always worth getting.

TV:

I recommend The Bad Batch, streaming on Disney+. It’s a great show set in the Star Wars Universe that takes place right after the prequels. This serves as a great conclusion to the clone wars era of the Star Wars universe and really dives deep into the themes of brotherhood and the neglection of veterans.

I got to let people know about the greatest microwave popcorn in the world. It’s called Popz, and it can be found at Walmart. It’s super cheap, so easy to make and tastes just like movie popcorn. If you need a snack for a movie, I recommend this tasty treat!

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Catch a Flight for Catch Me If You Can

Emily Henderson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts, put your tray tables up, and get ready for a song-filled ride!

Whittier College’s Theatre, Film, and Communication Arts Department, in collaboration with the Music Department, presents their production of Catch Me If You Can in the Shannon Center’s Robinson Theater. The musical plays on April 4, 5, 6, at 7:30 p.m., and April 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available on PurplePass.com for $15. Students can use the code WCPOETS to purchase tickets for $5. The first 100 students can also claim a free ticket voucher if they email Debra Eckloff at deckloff@whittier.edu

Based on the 2002 film by Steven Spielberg, Catch Me If You Can is about young con-man Frank Aba-

gnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), who spends his time forging and stealing money, employing numerous fake identities, and deceiving everyone that comes across his path. But don’t let that fool you. Everyone wants to catch him, especially FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks).

The College’s production is directed by Professor Jennifer Holmes, with music direction by Professor Alex Graburchack.

While DiCaprio himself will not be on the Shannon Center stage, Whittier’s own Leo—fourthyear Jonathan “J.J.” Trimble—will be playing the teenage con-man.

“For a lot of us,” he starts, “we were just really happy to be a part of it. I haven’t done a musical since my senior year of high school, so it’s been almost four years.”

Playing opposite Trimble’s Frank is fourth-year Joel Adell, our

resident Tom Hanks, who shares similar feelings of excitement—and fear: “With a musical comes the music, the danc[ing], and the acting all in one, and we’ve only been acting for the most part. But to do a musical, we haven’t done that in so long. It’s like [the next step].”

The cast and crew of Catch Me If You Can have been working hard since last semester for the show, including an additional class this semester led by Dr. Grabarchuk, which Trimble refers to as “basically rehearsal.” Dr. G states that she is “deeply excited to be a part of reviving musical theater at Whittier College! The amount of work I’ve seen put into this production already has exceeded anything I’ve experienced in my five years here.”

Dr. G is not the only professor proud of the work the performers have put in. Professor Holmes states that, “Preparing our production of Catch Me If You Can has been a very fruitful experience. It is especially gratifying when the Department of Theater, Film & Communications Arts collaborates with the Music Department. Dr. Alexandra Grabarchuk, the production’s music director, is dynamic and inspiring.”

She continues, saying, “There has been a lot of joy and excitement throughout this process! Whittier College is fortunate to have such an exceptionally dedicated, dynamic, and positive group of students, faculty, and staff all engaged in realizing this production. By the

the show opens, each individual cast member will have put in over 155 rehearsal hours.”

Holmes concludes, “It is my privilege to have spent that much time with them; they are an exquisite group of human beings! I hope people come out and see the show and leave feeling that those two and a half hours were well spent.”

155 hours of rehearsal is a lengthy amount of time, and when you add up the time the cast spends as set builders, prop masters, and more, it can feel daunting to anyone. “The musical heightens everything and puts in a lot more work. So, by consequence, our work just got doubled,” says Adell. But don’t fret; the Theater Department is used to this, and is passing with flying colors.

Despite the copious amount of work that everyone is putting in, the cast and crew are ready to take audiences on the trip of a lifetime. Trimble and Adell urge everyone to “Come see the show!” and escape their worries.

So if you want to go on daring heists, see elaborate espionage, or just relax with jazzy tunes for over two hours, I have the show for you! Go and catch your flight to see Catch Me If You Can on April 4, 5, 6, and 7.

This article has been condensed for print. To read more, visit medium. com/the-quaker-campus

Beyoncé vs. Country Music Radio

Sara Martinez COPY EDITOR

In Feb. 2023, during the 65th Grammy Awards, Beyoncé made history when she broke the record for most Grammy Awards won in a lifetime. Her album, Renaissance, won Best Dance/Electronic Music Album, landing her a total of 32 awards won throughout her career.

Renaissance was Beyoncé’s first solo album release since Lemonade (2016), and a week before its release on July 29, 2022, a message was posted on her website stating that Renaissance is part of a threeact project that was recorded over a three-year period. Almost two years later, the much anticipated news came as a surprise during the Super Bowl LVIII broadcast on Feb. 11, 2024.

The announcement of ACT II: Cowboy Carter shook the fanbase or the Beyhive—to its core, being that it is a country album, as hinted not only by the short trailer clip but also by the drop of two country-themed songs. The trailer pays homage to the neo-western movie Paris, Texas, as well as to American singer Chuck Berry as his single “Maybellene” plays while a driver (assumed to be Beyoncé) drives a taxi cab past the group of men under the billboard.

The homage to Chuck Berry is significant since Beyoncé mentioned paying homage “to all of the fallen angels whose contributions have gone unrecognized for far too long” during her Renaissance promotion. Berry, known as

the “Father of Rock n’ Roll,” was also a well-known Black country singer, with hits such as “Johnny B. Goode” and collaborations with country and blues legend, Bo Diddley.

Her website homepage has added an extended clip of the Super Bowl trailer with the official release date, March 29.

Since the release of “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the song has entered the Billboard Top 100, earning the number one spot for two weeks in a row, making it her 13th number one song and her ninth as a solo artist. Furthermore, “Texas Hold ‘Em” also debuted atop the Hot Country Songs chart, making Beyoncé the first Black woman to have a number one country song in Billboard history.

Despite all the excitement and success for Beyoncé, her creativity as an artist was met with immedi-

ate backlash after Oklahoma radio station KYKC refused to play her song. According to The Tennessean, a fan requested that the radio play “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The fan received an email stating, “Hi—we do not play Beyoncé on KYKC as we are a country music station.”

Following the release of the controversial email on X, fans of Beyoncé took to the social media platform to defend Beyoncé. Notably, Taylor Crumpton, a pop culture and politics writer, claimed Beyoncé “has always been country,” in a piece for The Times. Challenging the myth that country music is white, Crumpton shines light on the history of the genre’s Black roots. Crumpton attributes the African roots of the banjo, a key instrument in country music, to the influence of Rufus “Tee Tot” Payne on country music legend Hank Wiliams, otherwise known as the

Shakespeare of the South.

Shockingly, this is not the first time Beyoncé, who is a Houston, Texas native, has faced ruthless cultural backlash for not sticking to R&B or hip-hop. In 2007, she performed a country version of “Irreplaceable,” alongside the country band Sugarland, while a predominantly white crowd sat with disappointed faces. Later in 2016, Beyoncé performed her single “Daddy Lessons” from her Lemonade album alongside The Chicks at the 2016 Country Music Awards. After the performance, X was filled with hateful comments, asserting that she did not belong in the country music space.

Despite all the hate, Beyoncé is still able to break records and set new standards for her community as well as other underrepresented communities. During her acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards, she gave thanks to the LGBTQ+ community for “their love and inventing the genre.” Queen Bey has also been known to recognize the late Tejano music artist Selena as having an influence on her career.

Critics and fans can’t wait for the release of ACT II, and some hope this album could finally give her the coveted Album of the Year Grammy. Until March 29, we will all be hanging in that dive bar that we think is nice as Beyoncé builds bridges and breaks molds in her own historic and iconic way.

This article has been condensed for print. To read more, visit medium. com/the-quaker-campus

time

The Theater Department takes off in a new musical.

The backlash doesn’t stop Beyoncé from pursuing country.

Courtesy of New York Times

Courtesy of Jennifer Holmes

Courtesy of Jersey Mike’s

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Courtesy of Disney+

Snack:

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Actors, Where Is Your Chemistry?

Emma Galvan COPY EDITOR

Imagine this: you’re watching a show or a film, and you notice that there seems to be a friendship between characters growing, maybe even the hint of a romantic relationship between them.

But wait, why does it not feel natural? Why do conversations seem so minimal and awkward?

Suddenly, as the dynamics keep building, it’s clear that there’s something missing between the actors in their fictional relationship—whether platonically, familially, or romantically. There is something clearly lacking in the chemistry.

In the entertainment industry, it is important for the fictionalized dynamic between numerous actors to appear as realistic as possible. This can allow audiences to cheer for the characters as they go through their story and even crave the possible romances given to certain characters. There is a simple method used to assist that sense of realism: chemistry reads!

A chemistry read is “an occasion when actors who are being considered for particular parts in a movie, television show, etc. read some of the script together, to see if they work well together and seem to

have chemistry.” This practice typically takes place after initial auditions and is overseen by the producers and directors. Actors go through many stages of a chemistry read, as after an initial read, the producer will bring the ones who had the best chemistry and narrow it down from there in another chemistry test.

A notable example of a clear chemistry read/test in recent entertainment is the friendship dynamic between Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, and Aryan Simhadri for the Disney+ show Percy Jackson and the Olympians. In an interview with TV Insider, Jeffries revealed that chemistry reads were done for the individual dynamics—stating the first one was for her and Scobell as Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase—be-

tween the characters, eventually ending with the trio’s test. They were assigned to read the scene of the characters on the Greyhound bus, and that’s where Simhadri detailed, “I vividly remember that day, after my chemistry read with them, they [the producers] were like, ‘okay, we’re going to mix it up a little bit,’ and Walker was so exhausted because he had done nine or 10 variations before I even came in.” That is where Scobell unveils that in actuality, there were 11 Grover variations that he had a chemistry read with before Simhadri!

During the show, the relationship between the three and their individual relationships with other characters appear genuine. And yet, this is not a common practice

among other shows and movies anymore, as is the case with the Netflix series One Day. In an interview with On Demand Entertainment , the lead actors—Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall—joked that they did not feel any chemistry between them, especially as the series—and their fictional relationship—went on. as stated in an interview with On Demand Entertainment. “If anything it plateaued,” laughed Mod in the interview, “so many situations with each other that it’s hard to nail what the relationship is. We’re just glad it works.” If the leading actors can’t see themselves as the fictional couple, how is it that the show—which hinges on their relationship—made it through production?

Chemistry reads are ultimately up to the director’s or showrunner’s preference; leading to a possibility that the director decided to cast blindly and hope for the best. While the casting director is in charge of picking the original actors for auditions, the director can ultimately reject or accept which actor they want for each role. They can make the rules.

Even so, the rise of action-centered films made in the last decade has impacted the importance of chemistry between actors. As stated by Script Hollywood, “Action movies

have long captivated audiences with their larger-than-life characters, heart-pounding stunts, and adrenaline-fueled narratives.” While there can be emotion deep at its core, action films are not meant to center around the relationship between two characters but on the dangerous scenarios as well as the physical and emotional journey that individual characters need to go through and develop from. And with its popularity and public demand in modern times, the film industry would rather put their time and energy into flashy action set pieces than character relationships.

Without effective character relationships, there is very little within the narrative that audiences can attach themselves to, much less identify with. It is not the elaborate action set pieces that keep audiences invested and hungry for more, but the meaningful relationships between both characters and actors that fuel audience interest. The recent praise for Rick Riordan’s choice of actors and their palpable relationship with one another on- and off-screen will hopefully lead the way for the resurgence of chemistry reads for future films and television series.

This article has been condensed for print. To read more, visit medium. com/the-quaker-campus.

Little Something Extra: Unheard & Guts (Spilled)

Meylina Tran A&E EDITOR

I hope you’re ready for an interesting double billing.

On Friday, March 22, pop star and teen-phenomenon, Olivia Rodrigo, released the deluxe edition of her critically acclaimed sophomore album Guts. She announced the extended edition— Guts (Spilled)—during the first night of her two-show residency at the United Center in Chicago on Tuesday, March 19, surprising fans by unfurling a sign that read “Guts Deluxe Out Friday.”

What’s notable about Guts (Spilled) is how it coincides with the release of Irish folk singer and rock star Hozier’s EP Unheard. Boasting four previously unreleased songs, Unheard is an extension of Hozier’s third studio album, Unreal Unearth, which was originally released in August 2023.

The first track off Unheard, “Too Sweet,” is a jaunty, haughty tune that tells the story of two polar opposite lovers—one that overindulges in the pleasures of life and does little to nurture their spirit, and the other who values discipline, health, and structure. The rhythmic, constant plucking of the bass encourages the listener to bob their head in time, and the smooth yet smokey tone of Hozier’s vocals urges movement.

“Wildflower and Barley (feat. Allison Russell),” on the other hand, is a gentle duet of stillness. Whereas “Too Sweet” demands energy from its listener, “Wildflower and Barley” seeks grace and contemplation. Hozier’s softer, slightly raspy vocals blend delightfully with Russell’s ethereally wispy voice as

they sing over and around each other. The combination of their voices mimics an echo chamber that is highlighted by the acoustic instruments employed.

The next track, “Empire Now,” is haunting, yet grand. With his strong voice at the forefront and the entirety of the Budapest String Orchestra in the background, Hozier presents a broad introspection on the result of empire and the violence that came from it. There is something faintly Western about the song—perhaps it’s the sliding of the guitar, the bigness of the mix, or the lightsaber sounds I keep hearing in the background.

Finally, “Fare Well” takes Unheard back to a gentler, more cheerful state of mind. But don’t let the folk strumming of the guitar distract you; the lyrics are incredibly concerning as Hozier compares himself to various animals in seconds-away-from-dying situations. It is a hopeless and self-deprecating narrative placed against an upbeat tempo. If I close my eyes for long enough, the melody reminds me of copyright-free music on YouTube.

Like Unheard, Rodrigo’s Guts (Spilled) expands on the themes proposed in the original album, cranking up the pop punk, manic obsessiveness. “obsessed” is an example of Rodrigo putting a fun twist on the jealous-over-your-ex trope she’s explored before. The vocals and the background instrumentals are bipolar in a controlled and effective way, swinging back and forth between loud and angry, and seductive and whisper-soft.

“girl i’ve always been” is interesting. Rodrigo channels the country girl that she certainly is not. Rodrigo details to an ex that all of the

features about her that he thinks make her “different” from who he thought she was has actually always been a part of her. The lyrics are messy, and the simple acoustics resemble a rehearsal more than a polished production.

The third bonus track, “scared of my guitar,” is Rodrigo reflecting on her relationship with music as a personal expression of herself and music as a career. The ballad is evocative, the sound of which calls to mind Rodrigo of the Sour era. The song, although easy to skip over due to it being a quiet, unostentatious song surrounded by the glitz and glam of Rodrigo’s specific pop punk princess aesthetic, is quite

beautiful and powerful. Her vocals are slightly breathy and desperate, as she leads you to an explosion of insecurity and regret.

“stranger” is a great song when you think of it as the reverse of Taylor Swift’s “New Year’s Day.” Even without the connection to Swift that I fully invented for no reason, “stranger” is a simple yet hopeful recollection of a past relationship as she successfully navigates through personal growth—a theme not yet explored in Rodrigo’s catalog! Furthermore, it’s another folk/country-sounding track. Perhaps this is a sneak peek into her third album.

The last track of Guts (Spilled) “so american,” is the only previous-

ly unheard track, and that’s because the song was—allegedly—written and produced just three weeks prior to the track’s release. A rockin’, swooning ode to someone she’s “gonna marry,” “so american” is the first verifiable love song that Rodrigo has ever released. It is also rumored that the banger is about British actor Louis Partridge, to whom Rodrigo has been romantically linked since October 2023. Both albums are available on all streaming platforms.

This article has been condensed for print. To read more, visit medium. com/the-quaker-campus

Sparks aren’t flying on- or off-screen.

Courtesy of Netflix

Unheard and Guts (Spilled) are out now!

Meylina Tran / Quaker Campus

Across

2. Month when seniors say goodbye!

3. Rows and rows of orchestrated growth.

5. The Media Council dance happening on April 12 at 7 p.m.!

8. Comes between summer and winter.

9. From a caterpillar to this beauty.

Down

1. Eight colors of wonder in the sky.

4. This month’s showers bring flowers.

6. Big carnival also on April 12, hosted by Program Board.

7. Little hopping guy that gives out chocolate.

ANSWERS: 1) RAINBOW. 2) MAY. 3) GARDEN. 4) APRIL. 5) PROM. 6) WHITTFEST. 7) BUNNY.

Aries season has officially begun! As the first fire sign of the zodiac, Aries is a trailblazer; passionate, strong, and drawn to new beginnings—thus marking the first day of spring. However, that strength doesn’t exclude Aries from experiencing loss, confusion, and discomfort in the process. Their innate need for authenticity allows them to charge through these challenges to further accomplish their goals.

Let’s see what Aries season has in store for the signs.

ARIES (03/21-04/19)

As Mercury prepares to go into retrograde on April 1 (funny, right?), chaos and miscommunication will arise. Despite that, your healing journey will not stop. It may be difficult to talk about progress, but pursuing new beginnings will still persist. Look forward to the solar eclipse on April 8, as it will feel like a fresh start.

TAURUS (04/20-05/20)

You are ready to prioritize yourself this season. It might feel selfish in some ways, but it’s okay, this is just part of the process. You may find yourself making compromises, but don’t let that stop you from self-indulging. How can you be a girlboss if you can’t take care of yourself?

GEMINI (05/21-06/20)

It feels like you’re going back and forth through your healing journey, which can be confusing. It may even feel like you’re going downhill as we approach your ruling planet entering retrograde. But in actuality, you’re realigning yourself in the healing process. You may experience a strong sense of desire, which may be difficult to determine whether it is to your benefit or detriment for your personal growth.

CANCER (06/21-07/22)

As a cardinal sign, caring and selfless acts are in your nature. However, as this season brings you intense beginnings, it is important to set boundaries with yourself and others. Prioritize reciprocity as it will give you balance and peace of mind.

LEO (07/23-08/22)

Expect a minor identity crisis ahead, as the solar eclipse on April 8 will have a large effect on you. You may experience feelings of self-consciousness and limitations. As uncomfortable as it may be, this can be an opportunity for self-reflection. Think about what you can accomplish when you’re not worrying about the perception of others. Remember, it’s okay to be perceived.

VIRGO (08/23-09/22)

You may feel the need to focus on yourself, even if that’s the last thing you want to do. But, the innate need may show up at unexpected moments. As Mercury—your ruling planet—enters retrograde, all sorts of miscommunication will ensue; from technology mishaps to a person saying something stupid. You are no exception, so try keeping your thoughts close to yourself and ignore the pressure to say them out loud.

LIBRA (09/23-10/22)

This season may be difficult, as you’ve been feeling stagnant despite the need to move past that. But obligations are in your way, preventing you from doing so. During the New Moon, your emotions may cause you to be unable to recognize yourself. Remember to make time to take care of yourself this season.

SCORPIO (10/23-11/21)

This will be a season of revelations for this water sign. Stereotypically speaking, Scorpios are known to be very private about themselves. However, during this chaotic time, communication will be key for this water sign. Feel free to talk about yourself more, either with others or by journaling alone. This will be essential to your personal growth and understanding yourself better.

SAGITTARIUS (11/22-12/21)

Despite the chaotic energy this season, Sagittarius will be chilling. As everyone else gets caught up in the mayhem, you will just sit back and enjoy the show—as long as it doesn’t affect you. And even if you get pulled into the chaos, you’ll be fine. If anything, this fun-loving fire sign would see this season as an exciting part of life. Enjoy yourself this spring!

CAPRICORN (12/22-01/19)

The miscommunication this season brings won’t bother this earth sign! Right now, you prefer not to talk to anyone and would rather stay in your personal space. However, this doesn’t mean you will be a hermit. This season will allow your goals and ambitions to align, making it closer to reaching your dreams.

AQUARIUS (01/20-02/18)

You’re ready to move forward with changes in your personal and home life. Try including new habits in your day-to-day routine that encourage change. You might appear “weirder” as you explore your eccentricities, but that’s part of your growth! During this time of change, focus on nurturing your social circles while expanding your need for knowledge.

PISCES (02/19-03/20)

After sitting still for a while, now is the time to take action! As April begins, you will be focusing on your dreams, especially at the beginning of the month. But make sure to think through it before making any commitments. Is this the best decision or does it just seem convenient? Take the time to reflect.

8) SPRING. 9) BUTTERFLY. 10) FLOWERS