Volume 72, Issue 22

The Highlander

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

For the week of Tuesday, April 9, 2024

VOL. 72, ISSUE 22

est. 1954

RADAR TRANSGENDER ISRAELI SPEAKER CONFRONTED WITH NEWS CONCERNS REGARDING IDF INVOLVEMENT. Raise your glasses to UCR’s UCR’s SJP protests Hillel guest speaker philanthropic minds Michael Alroy

A GALA CELEBRATION MARKS ITS INAUGURAL CHAPTER, RAISING A TOAST TO ALUMNI AND INSPIRATIONAL LEADERS.

MATA ELANGOVAN AND EMYR ORTIZ News Editor and Assistant News Editor

A speaker event hosted by Hillel on Thursday, April 4, 2024, faced uproar on campus, with the University of California Riverside (UCR) Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) protesting the presence of Michael Alroy, an transgender Israeli veteran. Hillel promoted the event as an opportunity to learn about “sexual orientation, and tolerance” in Israel.

Alroy, a transgender man, immigrated to Israel from South Africa when he was a child. However, SJP speakers pointed to Alroy’s time in the Israel Defense Force (IDF), protesting the presence of a former IDF soldier on campus, characterizing Alroy as a “former Israeli occupation soldier.”

Dozens gathered on the Highlander Union Building (HUB) balcony in

opposition before the speaker event, which was originally slated to be held at the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Center at 6 pm. The protest follows recent demonstrations against IDF activities in Gaza, including a protest on Nov. 18, 2023 against another speaker invited on campus by Hillel.

Following the opening statements of the protest, a transgender woman and UCR alumni speaker announced to the crowd, “We stand here in solidarity.

We are not here to oppose the transness of this man; we are here to oppose his violence.”

After learning of the event’s relocation to HUB 302, the protest organizers moved the protest to the 3rdfloor lobby after the speeches. ► SEE PROTEST PAGE 3

BRENDA JOVEL Editor-in-Chief

UCR Honors: A Gala Celebration was an exemplary showcase which celebrated achievements of University of California, Riverside (UCR) alumni and philanthropic leaders, most notably honoring comedian and actor, Cheech Marin.

On Saturday night, April 6, 2024, the Student Recreation Center’s (SRC) arena transformed into an elegant affair. Upon entering the event, guests were greeted by a sparkling venue. A large screen in the venue’s center displayed a dazzling image of the iconic UCR Bell Tower and read the eponymous title of the event. As guests conversed with one another while taking the occasional hors d’oeuvre, the room felt like entering Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” Dreamy, elegant and intimate, it created the perfect backdrop to a night of dining, drinking and commemoration.

The event’s planning took at least eight months, according to Amy Kim,

director of University Events. Kim stated that there was plenty of work put into the event; organizers collaborated with campus partner, Citrus Grove, and one of their three sponsors, Show Imaging, Inc. As the gala will now be an annual event, Kim elaborated upon its significance: “The main purpose of the event was to honor our three Alumni Award recipient[s] … we actually added an inaugural Distinguished Philanthropist Award and the UCR Medallion, which existed, but we hadn’t had an in-person event like this.”

The proceeds for this event went towards supporting student initiatives, and Kim specified that “when you buy a ticket, half of it is actually a gift that goes to that fund.” Kim hopes that as the gala continues annually, they will “continue to bring people to campus and really showcase what … our mission is.” ► CONTINUED AT CHEECH MARIN PAGE 14

RADAR EN SU NUEVO ÁLBUM SHAKIRA LA NO LLORA, ELLA FACTURA. Shakira’s ‘Las Mujeres Ya no Lloran’: Una experiencia catártica MARIBEL GAMEZ-REYES Assistant Features Editor

El sorprendente regreso de la cantante colombiana, Shakira, compositora y estrella de pop, al escenario musical, acompañado de su nuevo álbum musical, ‘Las Mujeres ya no lloran’ que fue lanzado el Marzo 22 de este año. Con su presencia prolongada en la música latina, su vida ha sido expuesta al consumo público, el precio de la fama ha permitido seguir su carrera, desde sus mayores logros como artista hasta las profundidades de su vida personal y las dificultades que ha tenido que enfrentar.

Los últimos años han sido fundamentales en la culminación de este proyecto, ya que su nombre ha estado circulando por todos los medios de comunicación.

Enfrentando rumores y comentarios

sobre temas como su caso financiero de fraude fiscal, su separación del futbolista Gerard Pique— el padre de sus dos hijos y pareja de 11 años-, y la hospitalización de su padre, quien fue sometido a una operación cerebral en 2023.

Este álbum es una creación que representa su fortaleza al recoger los pedazos dispersos por los cambios inesperados en su vida. Shakira ha decido usar la música, como un medio para restablecerse. Más allá de reforzar la conexión, que ha mantenido con sus seguidores por varios años, ella usa su álbum para facilitar la narración de su historia, expresando emociones crudas sobre lo que ha vivido y experimentado .

Presentando un concepto inesperado, ► SEE SHAKIRA PAGE 16

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OPINIONS 6

FEATURES 9

RADAR 13

SPORTS 20

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Upcoming Events:

9

Native American Garden Grand Opening 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

‘So Emotional’ Book Club 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Center for Society and Ideas Conference Room

Paint Your Palate 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

HUB 269

R’Garden Tour and Seed Giveaway 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Botanic Gardens

First-Generation Lunch & Learn 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

HUB 365

Budget Bites 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

SRC Classroom Kitchens

Digital Writers’ Room 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Virtual Event

Softball vs. Hawai’i 3 p.m.

Amy S. Harrison Field

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10

Wednesday

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Thursday

12 Friday

13

Highlander Day: CHASS Open Houses 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Saturday

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14

Baseball at Cal State Fullerton 1 p.m.

Fullerton, CA

15

Monday Carillon Recitals 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

UCR Bell Tower

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NEWS

TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

3

UCR’s SJP protests Hillel guest speaker Michael Alroy

TRANSGENDER ISRAELI SPEAKER CONFRONTED WITH CONCERNS REGARDING IDF INVOLVEMENT. MATA ELANGOVAN AND EMYR ORTIZ News Editor and Assistant News Editor

A speaker event hosted by Hillel on Thursday, April 4, 2024, faced uproar on campus, with the University of California Riverside (UCR) Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) protesting the presence of Michael Alroy, an transgender Israeli veteran. Hillel promoted the event as an opportunity to learn about “sexual orientation, and tolerance” in Israel. Alroy, a transgender man, immigrated to Israel from South Africa when he was a child. However, SJP speakers pointed to Alroy’s time in the Israel Defense Force (IDF), protesting the presence of a former IDF soldier on campus, characterizing Alroy as a “former Israeli occupation soldier.”

Dozens gathered on the Highlander Union Building (HUB) balcony in opposition before the speaker event, which was originally slated to be held at the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Center at 6 pm. The protest follows recent demonstrations against IDF activities in Gaza, including a protest on Nov. 18, 2023 against another speaker invited on campus by Hillel.

Following the opening statements of the protest, a transgender woman and UCR alumni speaker announced to the crowd, “We stand here in solidarity. We are not here to oppose the transness of this man; we are here to oppose his violence.”

After learning of the event’s relocation to HUB 302, the protest organizers moved the protest to the 3rd-floor lobby after the speeches.

Hillel, the student organization that arranged the speaker event, viewed the event in a different light. In an announcement of the event on Instagram, UCR Hillel titled the event “Gender Identity and Judaism,” and stated the talk would discuss Alroy’s “experience with exploring gender identity, sexual orientation, and tolerance.” UCR Hillel Director, Eran Vaisben, deemphasized the role of the IDF in Alroy’s talk, stating, “This guy served when he was a woman. Women served in a very minor, insignificant role in the Israeli army, unfortunately, at the time that he served.

Now they’re serving more on combat units, but at the time,

he was just pushing papers. So what?”

Vaisben also emphasized that service in the IDF for Israeli citizens is mandatory, and hoped that the event would instead focus on Alroy’s experience growing up in a Jewish Orthodox family, and how he navigated growing up as a girl and struggling with his gender identity. He stated that hurdles arise in situations like that, “especially with [Jewish Orthodoxy] … So the goal is actually to meet a transgender face-to-face and to understand the struggle.”

According to Vaisben, an invitation was extended to the LGBT Resource Center (LGBTRC) in an effort to promote the event with their audience.

Nancy Jean Tubbs, director of the LGBTRC, confirmed that Hillel leadership did reach out to her about a speaker coming to campus to speak about being Jewish and transgender. A follow-up conversation occurred to better understand [the topic at hand] as the Instagram post did not go into much detail. Tubbs explained how “the only thing students could glean from such a post is what they find out by googling the name,” so after the follow-up conversation, she shared what she knew about the purpose of the speaker and context of the event in an email to student leaders at the LGBTRC, “so that they can be better informed.”

Some protestors saw fault with Hillel’s stated reason for the speaker, citing other concerns. Protestor Jordan Jackson, a comparative literature PhD student, voiced that the reason he was at the protest was because he is antiwestern military imperialism, and views the Israeli military as an extension of that.

Jackson explained that he briefly looked into Alroy’s background prior to the event, expressing concern on how the IDF would often pop up in Alroy’s biography. He asked the question if the event was not focused on the IDF, “why was it such a large part of the speaker’s identity?” Jackson said his opposition to the speaker was less of an issue of free speech and more about the right to an audience. He stated, “my issue is there is a group on campus bringing an audience for a speaker with,” what Jackson characterized as

“nefarious means.”

During the Hillel event, SJP transitioned to a sit-in outside of the event space. Throughout this time, protestors chanted various slogans such as “Michael Alroy, can’t you hear, terrorists aren’t welcome here.” Other protestors distributed pamphlets entitled “Queering the Map,” which shared Instagram posts of Queer Palestinian experiences.

The sit-in concluded at around 7 p.m., with much of the crowd dispersing before the end of the speaker event.

The discussion with Alroy proceeded in HUB 302 until 7:40 p.m. The event was structured as a discussion circle, with Alroy at the head, sharing his story and answering questions from the students present. After speaking with Director Vaisben, The Highlander was able to attend the event after 7:25 p.m. during the question and answer portion, during which Alroy made references to his experiences attending an all-girls school and various countries he had visited during his travels, connecting back to how it influenced his journey with gender and identity.

The event was not the first time Alroy has done a discussion within the United States. A few days prior to the UCR Hillel event, Alroy had attended a conversation with the Hillel House and UC Berkeley, and in 2023 had done 17 talks across the country. Gesturing outside the event space where the protest and sit-in occurred, Alroy shared, “I have never come across this yet.” He claimed that if the protestors came in to sit down and speak to him, he would be “glad to hear what they want to say,” and that when people protest, they “don’t listen to each other,” and by doing so it is “just making it worse.”

While no information on the flier posted on the Hillel Instagram depicted the event as private, Hillel Director Vaisben stated that the conversation with Michael Alroy was a private event. The doors to enter HUB 302 were locked for the duration of the evening, and the speaker was H unavailable to the public. ■

4 TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

NEWS

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UCR’s School of Medicine inaugural Ground Rounds explores the opioid epidemic

THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE WELCOMES DR. HELENA HANSEN, MD, PHD FROM UCLA, TO GIVE A TALK ABOUT HER NEWEST BOOK. ALEXANDRA ARCENAS Staff Writer

The University of California, Riverside’s School of Medicine had its inaugural Ground Rounds event on Apr. 4, 2024, which discussed the history of the current opioid crisis, problems with the current solutions of medicating substance use and possible solutions and perspectives for the issues surrounding drug addiction.

The event was the first Dean’s Seminar Series hosted by the School of Medicine’s (SOM) Dean, Dr. Deborah Deas. The seminar was scheduled from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.; however, the presentation started late due to the speaker, Dr. Helena Hansen, being stuck in traffic. Dr. Hansen presented virtually on Zoom in her car, where she pulled over to give the lecture. The talk was broadcast to the SOM lecture hall.

Dr. Deas gave an extensive and honorable introduction to recognize the notable work and progress that Dr. Hansen has achieved over her career. Dr. Deas describes Dr. Hansen as a “distinguished psychiatrist, anthropologist, and a prominent figure in the field of Social Medicine” and that she “is known for her advocacy of integrating regular social science into medical practice and research.”

Dr. Hansen is a Professor and the Interim Chair of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the University of California Los Angeles’s (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine, and Interim Director of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. She has written numerous published articles and three books to change the lens of how medical practices and research seek to cure substance use. She is also involved in various governing boards to facilitate the advances in health care and advances in solutions for social issues.

Dr. Deas marks her as a “trailblazer” within her field.

Flattered by the introduction, Dr. Hansen begins her presentation which was centered around her latest book, “Whiteout: How Racial Capitalism Changed the Color of Opioids in America.” She starts her presentation by introducing a JAMA Psychiatry published graph (figure 1) from 2020 to solidify that overdose affects all ethnic

groups. In the graph, Native Americans were shown to be overdosing at higher rates than other ethnic groups, to which she points out that overdosing is no longer the “white crisis” it was once portrayed as.

Next, she describes the different waves of overdoses since the late 1990s and how they affected different ethnic groups. She states that “Black and Native Americans were disproportionately exposed to fentanyl [because] the more socially marginalized consumers of street supplies had less control over the content of those supplies.”

She vocalizes that for people who are released from jail or prison, the risk of relapse is incredibly high, and their tolerance to opioids is very low. Furthermore, they are disqualified from many public benefits due to their criminal record, which feeds into a “vicious circle of mass incarceration.”

Dr. Hansen continues to explain that Black and Brown American deaths from street supplies of stimulants and fentanyl are originally derived from, a term she calls, “technologies of whiteness” that were once used to promote prescribed opioids. She explores solutions and problems centered on the opioid epidemic by studying the mechanisms of whiteness, instead of “looking at the problems within the Black and Brown communities.”

More specifically, she goes into detail on the whiteexclusive opportunities in medicine as the cause of health disparities among underserved minority groups, which may lack access to care.

Thus, she explains that the white racial identity is “central to our environment of profit motives, commodification, and open pharmaceutical markets.”

Therefore, it may lead to pharmaceutically enhancing the whiteness of people whose privilege is in jeopardy due to the stigma of addiction diagnoses. She introduced drugs such as Buprenorphine, a synthetic opioid used to remedy pain and opioid use disorder, as an example because it was marketed to change the culture of medicine and would treat addiction like any other chronic disease like

hypertension or asthma. However, Dr. Hansen exposes the fact that during the same time, the racially targeted drug war policies led to the persecution of Black and Latinx Americans. Therefore, putting the United States in the lead for the highest incarceration rate in the world.

Dr. Hansen continues to explain the logic and reason behind the racial disparities in opioid treatment in hopes of educating and advocating for more social intervention accompanied by medication and medical practices.

She calls for leveraging technology to address social determinants of health. Dr. Hansen also stresses not only treating the addictions themselves but also managing the pain that may have been the cause of substance use. Dr. Hansen believes addiction treatment should be approached with multidisciplinary care and urges others to look at addiction and drug use with less stigmatizing perspectives to develop a solution for substance use disorder. ■ H

FIGURE 1: DRUG OVERDOSE MORTALITY BY RACE/ETHNICITY, 1999-2020

UCR students ride Metrolink for free METROLINK EXTENDS THE STUDENT ADVENTURE PASS PILOT PROGRAM BY SIX MONTHS. MATA ELANGOVAN News Editor

After experiencing significant success with the Student Adventure Pass (SAP) Program, the Metrolink, Southern California’s regional passenger rail service, decided to extend their pilot program, allowing anyone with a valid student ID to ride Metrolink trains for free through the end of the 2023-24 academic year.

The SAP Program initially launched in October 2023 and was planned to last for six months. Prior to the establishment of this program, Metrolink used to offer a 25% discount on tickets for students.

Amber Moyers, SAP project manager, shared that in an effort to find a way to offer free rides to students, they were able to locate some funding through the state of California and the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP). Through their endeavors, they managed to receive $3,999,537 from LCTOP, allowing them to increase their student discount from 25% to 100%.

In order to qualify for the grant, Metrolink had to submit an application to the LCTOP. In this application, they had to be specific about the program details, describing how it would be launched and how they would provide ticketing to students.

According to student metrics collected by Metrolink, over 24,000 individual students have registered for the SAP on the mobile app, and they have activated the pass over 175,000 times. Moyers elaborates that UCR specifically has “over 2,500 students that have used a Student Adventure Pass at least once, which is more

than any other school across the system.”

A positive outcome of the SAP program is how it helps combat climate change. Moyers explains how when students take public transport like the Metrolink during their academic years, they are more likely to continue taking public transport when they enter the workforce after graduation, and by doing so make “a huge difference when it comes to environmental factors here in Southern California.”

One of the main motivators behind extending the pilot program till the end of the academic year is due to the popular support Metrolink received from student riders.

“It’s been great seeing many students take it. We’re really happy to be able to help students access higher education. And it’s not just to get to school, you can use it for school, work, leisure travel on the weekend,” Moyers shares.

By repurposing funding from a previous program that they had received LCTOP funding for, Metrolink was able to redirect the funding toward the SAP program, extending it for an additional six months. However, in order to extend the program into the next fiscal year, Metrolink will be reapplying for the LCTOP grant again, as well as working with other member agencies.

Students interested in learning more about Metrolink’s services can access the UCR Transportation Services website. Students with questions regarding the Student Adventure Pass can contact Metrolink directly H through their customer service page. ■

COURTESY OF PAUL KIMO MCGREGOR VIA FLICKR

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ASUCR Senate Meeting 17

TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

5

FOUR PIECES OF LEGISLATION PASSED. MATA ELANGOVAN News Editor

On April 3, in the 17th Associated Students of the University of California Riverside (ASUCR) Senate meeting of the year, the meeting was called to order at 7:01 p.m. All senators were present except for Senator Alex Lu who was absent, and Senators Ray Khan, Grace Su, Kaden Ho and Amariah Peedikayil who were excused. Senator Su later joined the meeting at 7:03 p.m.

The agenda for the day was approved unanimously after a motion was made and approved to add February Senator of the Month to Roundtable and Announcements.

Senate Meeting Minutes #16, covering the final Senate meeting of the winter quarter, was approved unanimously.

During the public forum, Senator Teesha Sreeram went up to the podium to deliver an update from the March UC Regents meeting which she attended. She reported that she was able to go and deliver two different statements during public comment, held conversations with others on what divestment looks like, and brought a UCR perspective regarding discussion on collegiate recovery programs.

Vice President of External Affairs (VPEA) Ángel Rentería then announced during New Business that ASUCR as a whole has won the Campus of the Year award from the UC Student Association (UCSA). He shares how a lot of tears were shed and that the award was long overdue, but that “we cannot forget the harm that UCSA has done to UCR,” and that this award is not just for the people working now, but for all the people in their positions in the past.

The Legislative Review Committee proposed four new pieces of legislation during Committee Reports. Beginning with SR-W24-004 In Support of Student Parents, this resolution was drafted to support student-parents on campus in two main ways, voicing support for creating a new student-parents center amongst the Ethnic and Gender Centers, and creating housing specifically for studentparents. A motion to approve the resolution was made by Senator Nadia Colon and seconded by Senator Anjana Narasimhan and passed 13-0-1.

SB-W24-013 Chapter 10 Amendment is a bill that was

proposed by Executive Vice President (EVP) Victoria Nguyen. The bill would change some wording in the EVP bylaws, make some grammar changes, clarified that Senate

meetings will be held in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, changed the name of Chief of Staff to Head of Staff, removed the President Pro Tempore (PPT) from the Senate Internship Program as there is now a Senate Internship

Director, removed the Head of Staff’s responsibilities as an internship director, and would remove the Highlander, UCR’s school newspaper, from ASUCR governing documents. A motion to approve the bill was made by Senator Narasimhan and Seconded by Senator Nadia Colon and passed 14-0-0.

SB-W24-014 Chapter 17 Amendment is a Senate bylaw edit that was proposed that would remove senators from the responsibility of the parliamentarian. A motion to approve the bill was made by Senator Su and seconded by Senator Colon and passed unanimously. SR-W24-006 Resolution in Support of ASL Classes is a Senate resolution in support of implementing American Sign Language (ASL) courses at UCR, building off of previous years’ work. A motion to approve this resolution was made by Senator Leila Haidar and seconded by CHASS Senator Philson Ho and passed 14-0-0.

Next on the agenda was Public Comment, during which the EVP relayed a message from the ASUCR President Ankita Ahluwalia where she reported that winter reports are now available for viewing. Senate Intern Sofia also announced that the Ground Up Visual Arts Fair, an event he is working on, is looking for people to volunteer. She explained that the event will be at the Barn and will be a collaborative effort with UCR’s Arts department and consist of various showings such as live poetry readings, sculptures, short films, and more.

During Roundtable and Announcements, it was announced that BCOE Senator Anjana Narasimhan is the February Senator of the Month for her efforts with the ASUCR Global Fair, the Women in Unity event which was held in collaboration with the Personnel office and the Women’s Resource Center, and various other initiatives she undertook. Senator Sreeram announced that April is Sexual Assault Awareness month and that the CARE office will be hosting events.

The meeting adjourned at 7:39 p.m. ■ H

IMAGE VIA GRACE SUN / THE HIGHLANDER

Luna’s Thrift Store opens for campus housing residents OPEN THREE DAYS A WEEK, LUNA’S OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF FREE USED CLOTHING ITEMS. EMYR ORTIZ Assistant News Editor

A line snaking out of the AB wing of the Lothian Residential Hall to the outside wall of the building welcomed the opening of Luna’s Thrift Store at 3:00 p.m. last Wednesday. Hundreds of students attended the opening day of the new semi-permanent thrift store operated by UCR’s National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH), which offers a wide variety of free used clothing items to University of California, Riverside (UCR) housing residents.

The thrift store, open three days a week, hopes to be a useful service for UCR residents, containing racks of clothes and being a space for residents to donate their own items. “NRHH’s values are service and recognition,” explains UCR NRHH Vice President (VP) Anthony Ching.

“So underneath the value of service…this is a service that is helping out the residents.”

UCR’s NRHH has a history of operating clothing drives and used clothes giveaways for campus residents. In fact, the store’s namesake, Luna, is a purple stuffed unicorn that

was found at NRHH’s first clothing drive. The organization collects clothes through drives and donation boxes located near the RSOs of certain residential halls. NRHH also holds occasional “thrift swaps,” where residents can thrift the donated clothes. These events have been hosted throughout campus housing, from the Dundee Residence Hall to Oban Family Housing.

“The main purpose of the clothing drive and thrift swaps originally was to promote sustainability,” shared Ching.

“Because residents do have a lot of pile up in their closets, we don’t want [those clothes] to go to waste. Instead of throwing that away, [we are] donating back to other residents, future residents.”

The opening of Luna’s thrift store now provides a more permanent place for residents’ thrifting needs, at least until the end of spring quarter. According to Zanthee Schwarzmann, head of the thrift store and Director of Sustainability for UCR NRHH, Luna’s currently operates

EMYR ORTIZ / THE HIGHLANDER

in a space owned by UCR Dining. Since NRHH currently only has the space until the end of spring, Schwarzmann wants to focus on “proving that [the store] is worthwhile.”

Schwarzmann is “relatively ambitious” with the goals for the store, including having a “more permanent location.”

Scharzmann emphasized that the opening of the store was “a team effort,”, shouting out numerous volunteers who helped launch and operate the store, and first-year, NRHH member Ian Tjan. Tjan helped coordinate the use of the store space with UCR Dining.

First-year student Ditto Bhadra described the opening as “pretty fun” and expressed appreciation for the “free drip, as they say.”

Luna’s Thrift Store is open Monday, Wednesday and H Friday from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the West Lothian AB Wing.■

Opinions

6 TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

OPINIONS

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THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

California’s National Parks need more than preservation

AS THE DISASTROUS EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE RAVAGE CALIFORNIA, BUDGET CUTS AND GOVERNMENT FAILURES ARE HOLDING THE ENVIRONMENT IN CONTEMPT. The Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

A recent report by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) using data collected in 2021 identifies four California National parks with the most unhealthy air: Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Joshua Tree, Mojave and Yosemite.

This was cause for concern, given the increasingly noticeable destruction due to the effects of climate change. The harm being done to California’s national parks is incredibly concerning, and California needs to prioritize addressing the effects and causes of climate change.

The nearby Joshua Tree National Park was ranked as the second most ozonepolluted park. The park is still recovering from the 43,273-acre wildfire in August 2020, which burned approximately 1.3 million Joshua trees. The survival of this ecosystem has already been threatened by urban expansion and the presence of invasive plants. The presence of these non-native plants has decreased the availability of water and, therefore, has increased the probability of wildfire.

Climate change has worsened the effects as the park has become hotter and drier due to growing greenhouse gas emissions.

Yearly precipitation has decreased by 39% from 1895 to 2016, killing vegetation and increasing fuel supply for wildfires. This new reality makes it hard to see cuts to water reuse and groundwater management remediation, among other things, as anything other than an act of nonsense.

Diverting funding from water resilience is plain ignorance.

California has been a battleground, with the destruction largely centered around wildfires. Fueled by the changing climate, these wildfires have been the primary culprits behind the devastation we see today.

In 2023, California dedicated $113 million of the California Climate commitment budget to 96 wildfire prevention projects.

In a statement, Newsom stated, “Our goal is to stop devastation before it happens – to keep Californians safe, and preserve our communities and shared history.”

California has options in the realm of wildfire prevention, and the National Parks Service does employ tactics to prevent wildfires, including purposely burning areas that are at risk. It’s disheartening that California has a way to handle natural disasters with more grace and capability than it can hold Big Oil and major polluters accountable.

The changes in precipitation and temperature endanger national parks’ natural flora and fauna, which stand as

“Nature isn’t preserved solely for its own sake; these parks are a part of American history, and they do not belong to America in the first place. ”

the last defense between nature and an entirely industrialized world. Nature in its purest form is dying out of existence, and with worrisome figures coming out of California, it should be the goal of lawmakers to support environmental protection. However, as California faces a substantial budget deficit, climate programs were early onto the chopping block.

In total, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal cut approximately $2.9 billion from California climate programs and delayed another $1.9 billion. While California’s current spending on climate change exceeds those of many nations, it’s clear that California wasn’t able to address the issue with the money it had before the cuts. While throwing more money into the problem might not be the perfect solution, taking money away and gutting climate programs is almost certainly going to do damage. A decent chunk of funding has been taken from programs that accurately address climate stressors. The NPCA

report did find promising data suggesting that several measures of air quality improved significantly, and this kind of improvement is not something California’s population and parks can afford to back off of.

Overall, future Californians deserve to experience the value of nature and environmental preservation rather than become victims of shifting baseline syndrome. Joshua Tree, in particular, is uniquely biodiverse and stands as a testament to the importance of nature in nearby counties that are inundated with warehouses. Furthermore, this is not something that can just be regrown.

Currently, there is a question of whether or not the area decimated in Joshua Tree by the Dome fire will ever fully recover and what it will do to the park overall. Nature isn’t preserved solely for its own sake; these parks are a part of American history, and they do not belong to America in the first place.

California State Parks might be able to act to address climate change in some capacity by hiring permanent staff that works to address these challenges and stressors and spending a significant amount of the budget to prevent the increasing presence of wildfires and rising sea-levels.

The executive director of the California State Parks Foundation made a statement saying, “And if [the state] chooses to not invest, and not see these places as essential and critical to the success of our climate goals, then we might fail,” she said. “And that’s kind of unthinkable.” These parks, state and national, are essential to the defense of what is left of the environment.

California needs to go beyond the extra mile to continue greenhouse gas reductions and improve air quality as the state faces floods and heat waves in addition to the prevalent wildfires. If things continue as they are, California will no longer have a H fire season, the state will just be on fire. ■

IMAGE COURTESY OF PEXELS

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

7

Maybe LEGOs are not the answer SPANDANA JANAPATI Staff Writer

Murrieta Police Department’s use of LEGO heads to anonymize suspect photos posted on social media raises questions of privacy rights and criminal activity transparency.

Recently, Murrieta Police Department’s (MPD) Instagram and other social media accounts have gained public attention for their usage of LEGO heads to replace pictures of suspects and apprehended individuals. MPD’s removal of faces from their posts follows the regulations passed by AB 1475 in November 2023 and its amending legislation AB 994 in January 2024. Combined, these bills prohibit the publication of suspect booking photos online unless the individual is a fugitive or imminent threat.

Even with urgent postings, police officials are required to take down mugshots from all media outlets within 14 days. While MPD’s face swaps might appear humorous, the department is treading a dangerous line of exposing the identities of potential suspects while keeping the community aware of any serious crimes.

Before the passing of California’s suspect identity protection bills, MPD has been known to cover booking photos with Barbie or Shrek faces before switching over to LEGO heads. In their post, MPD describes how the department “prides itself in its trans-

parency with the community” while abiding by state law. Some MPD social media followers found the Photoshop amusing, especially through the creative use of changing facial expressions. Others were more concerned as to how the covered photos were going to spread awareness in the community.

Faceless or not, these i m a g e s become a problem of concern if innocent or wrongfully suspected individuals’ characteristics are made visible on police department social media pages.

The point of prohibiting booking photos from being publicized in California is to protect suspect rights to privacy. If MPD and other officers find ways to work around or avoid the direct implications of AB 1475

and AB 994, there is unlikely to be any reciprocated change in the community when it comes to the perception of safety, sense of community and protection.

Additionally, MPD Lt. Jeremy Durrant as well as officers from Riverside PD, made a range of comments about their social media usage.

Lt. Durrant claimed the LEGO heads and photoshopped posts of suspects were just to gain attention for the department through social media traction in the form of likes and comments. In a similar strand, Riverside Police Officer Ryan Railsback claims that the department is just giving the community what they want. How Lt. Durrant and Officer Railsback refer to the

police department’s social media use as akin to a spectacle or public shaming; the photos of individuals on their page, faceless or not, could backfire on the department if a conviction or non-booking photo of an innocent individual were to be publicized. If the department’s true intentions were to promote transparency and community trust, it would be possible for officers to highlight crime and good deeds without needing to utilize the images of criminal suspects.

To avoid malicious intent toward suspected individuals or those within police custody, ideally, all California police departments should simply stop posting any photos — excluding fugitives — of suspects as a show of support for the criminal justice system and legal changes within the state. MPD and neighboring departments struggling with the same issue of community transparency versus suspect rights can utilize more general approaches to describing the criminals in the areas instead of publicizing suspect images, which will likely exist online forever. ■ H

IMAGE COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

R’ Perspective: Entering the world of higher education LILIANNA ANGEL Contributing Writer

Starting college can be frightening, but with a strong support system, it becomes a transformative journey of growth and resilience.

Embarking on my first day of college, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves, grateful for my mom’s comforting presence and my dog’s reassuring companionship. This pivotal moment did not just mark a transition into higher education but also highlighted the importance of a strong support system as I faced new challenges. Throughout my college journey, I learned that independence doesn’t mean going it alone — it’s about building a network of support, whether it’s family, friends or even pets, to help navigate life’s ups and downs.

My mom drove me to campus at 6:00 a.m., and my nerves built up as we got closer to the school and I anxiously hugged my dog.

We arrived at the school, and despite feeling scared to be away from home, I also felt a bit of excitement since I had visited the school a few times before.

As I left the car, I waved goodbye to my mom but then ran back to hug her and my dog. Shakily, I walked to my first-ever college class. When I found out it was on the second floor of the CHASS Interdisciplinary South building, I was mortified — all those stairs. After what felt like climbing Mount Everest, I made my way inside the class and sat in the back. I was so nervous, but minutes passed, and the professor wasn’t there yet.

So, I started talking to my other classmates next to me. Turns out the professor wasn’t there because of some room changes, so we all left early after her announcement on Canvas. After several hours, I went to my second

class and that’s where the realization hit me that I was in college now, not some little kid dreaming of college.

After class, I went home with my mom.

Having my mom and dog with me on that first day was comforting, reminding me of the importance of a support system. The next week, when I started forming my routine, I was a bit scared to be alone. Luckily, I had a nice roommate and my first new friends to look forward to. Adulthood’s challenges call for support, whether it’s in the form of family or friends. It doesn’t just mean independence.

Before college, my mom would handle phone calls and conversations with adults on my behalf due to my nervousness. While this may not have been ideal for developing social skills, it was a comfort at the time. However, stepping into college meant taking on these responsibilities myself, and it became more manageable with time. Independence in college goes beyond freedom from curfews; it’s about maturing and becoming self-sufficient.

I can proudly say that I can make phone calls and engage confidently with others, even when it comes to something as ordering pizza. This growth is a testament to my family’s lessons and support throughout my college journey.

Navigating college can be daunting for a first-generation student, but having an older brother who graduated from college was a tremendous advantage. He shared insights about college life that many students may not

be aware of, and my mom reinforced these teachings as well. They taught me everything from practical skills like doing laundry and cooking to washing dishes to developing a strong work ethic.

Despite feeling prepared, the first few nights away from home proved to be quite challenging. One of the toughest aspects of starting college was grappling with the loneliness of being without my family, especially my twin sister, who is my best friend. It was a difficult adjustment, and honestly, it still is.

And it’s okay to feel that way; what matters most is finding healthy ways to cope. For me, that meant finding comfort in rewatching “Gilmore Girls” episodes and spending time playing pool with my new friends.

Building a strong support system is crucial, especially during college. It doesn’t have to be family; it can be friends, pets or significant others. If you’re lacking that network, push yourself to reach out. Accept that it may just take some time.

College isn’t easy, and no matter how prepared you think you are. Just because it’s challenging doesn’t mean you have to face it alone. There are countless campus resources available that can provide assistance and support. If you take anything away from this article, remember that while college may present challenges, you have the resilience and a support network to overcome them. ■ H

IMAGE COURTESY OF PEXELS

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OPINIONS

TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

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Newsom’s new tax raise for Medicaid is not sustainable SONALI WHITTLE Staff Writer

Newsom’s plan to raise taxes might be a solution, but not for very long.

The issue of affordable healthcare has led to programs such as Medicaid, which is jointly funded by the federal government and the individual states. The healthcare system in California faces challenges in covering the necessary amount needed for the Medicaid program. The lack of funds in Medicaid has created some controversy between doctors and patients. There is an ongoing trend with doctors setting a limited acceptance for patients with Medicaid due to funding issues with the program. The issues facing the Medicaid program are pushing doctors not to accept Medicaid patients, a dangerous issue that needs to be prioritized.

Medicaid provides coverage to lower-income individuals and families and those who meet other specific criteria.

It is a safety net for millions of Americans, and without it millions would be facing major risks with the cost of health care without insurance. In California, Medicaid covers about a third of the population, and this number will continue to increase under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s leadership.

With the increase of people covered under Medicaid, a crisis has arisen. Providers are asking to be paid more by the Medicaid program in California, but unfortunately, there is a lack of funds due to budget deficits, leaving healthcare providers’ needs unfulfilled. To find a solution to this problem, Newsom and the California legislature chose

to raise taxes for the private companies that contract with the state to cover the cost of the Medicaid program. This increase is a strategic way of amassing more funding. The tax increase makes the situation more sustainable for doctors but not sustainable for California overall over a long

period of time.

Newsom’s plan to increase taxes seems like a great solution at first, but there are some ramifications. More money that satisfies the amount needed to cover Medicaid will come in, but the financial strain is simply being placed on private contractors with the state. Senior vice president for governmental affairs for the California Medical Associa-

tion, Stuart Thompson, expressed concern about a scenario where the program goes on and then reaches a cliff. Shifting the financial burden temporarily relieves the situation but is ultimately not a long-lasting solution.

Some other solutions should be brainstormed in case this model plan backfires in California. There could be more of a focus placed on minimizing hospitalizations and emergency room visits through approaches like offering sameday appointment visits. The inflation of healthcare costs is bound to affect the residents of California in negative ways, such as more people not being able to afford healthcare for themselves and their families. The underlying issue of expensive health care must be adequately addressed. Situations like these call for a rebrand of the healthcare system.

Increasing taxes for private companies generates more revenue, but addressing the healthcare prices in the first place can help to attack the root of the problem. Examining other countries and their healthcare processes could provide solutions to how California can improve its system. It is time that California looks into regulating healthcare costs because without regulation, the inflation of costs is affecting millions of residents and pose a threat to the security and health of the people. ■ H

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A recent court ruling in Texas is a wake-up call for California to rethink its approach toward border issues EMMANUEL AGUILAR-AMPUDIA Contributing Writer

The US 5th Circuit Court of appeals decision is a critical juncture for advocates and policymakers to evaluate immigration enforcement.

After the UC Regents decision to delay the implementation of the Opportunities for All Campaign in late January, recent legal action in Texas can be seen as an indicator of the current state of immigration policy across the border states. The Texas legislature was denied implementing Senate Bill 004, which grants local police to arrest and detain migrants suspected of illegally crossing the border from Mexico in attempts to further bolster Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) reach beyond 100 miles of the border. Political pressure from conservative voters in border states is unfairly and disproportionately criminalizing the undocumented community, which is rather alarming for immigrant rights organizers.

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ultimately decided to restrict the state’s ability to pass legislation that would supersede the supremacy clause and is slated to hear arguments to decide on the constitutionality of the law on April 3. During an election year, the political energy rallied for SB004 is especially worth considering the platform that Republican candidates will continue to run on. Yet the real question is why this measure was introduced to appease Republican voters on border security issues is noteworthy, especially during an election year.

The supremacy clause has been used in the past to establish that power over national immigration and security should be reserved for the federal government. Therefore, one can assume that these deliberate attempts towards attempting to unactualize

laws like SB 004 serve as fear tactics toward undocumented migrants in border communities. The 2012 Supreme Court decision, Arizona v. US, presented a very similar law that was struck down when they attempted to increase the scope of state-level crimes for immigration offenses. Local police, in this case, were also granted additional powers as an immigration enforcem e n t b o d y and enabled the increase of traffic stops if people were s u s pected of being immigrants — basically coded for more discriminatory practices.

Texas’s move towards expanding its police state ultimately leaves California to respond. The California legislature can be complacent and allow the federal government to step in, or it can be proactive and attempt to pilot programs that mitigate the conditions at the border.

Through a political lens, it’s clear Republican candidates in border states have an incentive to run on hardline immigration policies. Recent figures further bolster this,

showing a 64% interest in enforcing more border security and immigration among primary voters in Texas. Since negative public sentiment towards immigrants in neighboring border states like Texas is high, the pressure falls on California to take a more firm stance on border-related legislation.

Recently, the shift of supporting immigrants in California, such as MediC a l expansion to include u n documented people, can be considered a bandaid solution. Regardless of whether this new program will face cuts or not in the legislative session, the moral imperative to advocate for border reform is high.

Considering a scenario where SB004 would actually be allowed to exist, and local agents act as de facto ICE agents to further criminalize BIPOC communities, the adverse effects on immigrant communities would be shocking. The language in the Texas bill allows for new sentencing standards that are overtly punitive, enforcing 2 to 20 years in prison for unlawful entry. Pre-

vious attempts to enforce tough-on-crime rhetoric in the U.S. have done more harm than good, and exploring new avenues to support immigrants through grassroots support networks leads to meaningful change.

Over half of sheriffs that partner with ICE express inhuman federal policies, according to an ACLU report. This indicates that SB004 fosters fear-mongering towards the immigrant community. Countless immigrant blue-collar workers want an opportunity to navigate their work environment without fear of being discriminated against and face grounds for deportation. To prepare for the possibility of SB 004 being implemented in Texas, nonprofits in Houston have already instructed undocumented folks to micromanage their behavior, like checking car information and always carrying any form of identification, anticipating an increase in traffic stops.

SB004 is a direct attack to criminalize the undocumented community, and California needs to take action rather than comply with short-term solutions. Our state needs to listen to immigrant rights organizers and take a bold stance on pro-immigration bills that shift away from the prison industrial complex models of criminalization. ■ H The writer of this piece is the Co-President of Providing Opportunities, Dreams, and Education in Riverside (PODER), the undocumented student advocacy organization at UCR.

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9

What’s in the cards this week?

A week of new beginnings...

Aries: Six of Swords March 21 - April 19 You’re in unfamiliar territory, Aries.

You may have chosen this, or you may not have, thrust into a time of transition and change without warning; either way, the only thing to do is to acknowledge what is past, and ready yourself for what is to come. Embrace the change, and let go of anything that might be holding you back.

Cancer: Three of Pentacles June 21 - July 22 The Three of Pentacles is a symbol of teamwork and trust. You may feel the urge to go it alone, to prove yourself with rugged individualism, but the obstacles you’ll face this week will only be overcome by relying on others. You have plenty of experience and know-how, but sometimes, you have to get comfortable with letting others pitch in.

Libra: Nine of Pentacles September 23 - October 22 You’ve been hard at work, and it’s high time that hard work paid off. Take this time to reflect on how far you’ve come and on all you’ve accomplished; feel free to take a step back and relax. Enjoy the fruits of your labor and the security and success that you’ve attained at last. Don’t be afraid to treat yourself, either. You’ve earned it.

Capricorn: Queen of Cups December 22 - January 19 Trust your intuition, Capricorn. When your loved ones are struggling and going through hard times, you don’t need to hesitate or question your judgment – you know how best to support them and help see them through this. Hold space for the emotions both of yourself and of others, and know that even if it’s difficult, you are more than capable.

Aedan Ferrara, Production Manager

TAURUS: Page of Swords April 20 - May 20 This is a period of inspiration and motivation!

You’ve started a new project or had a new idea, and you’re exploring the possibilities of this exciting opportunity. The trick going forward is to keep that momentum going, even when that initial burst of enthusiasm and inspiration begins to fade.

Leo: Ace of Pentacles July 23 - August 22 A new opportunity is just around the corner. The Ace of Pentacles is a welcome sign of prosperity and fulfillment, and you may be up for a promotion or a new job.

Take this opportunity for what it is: the beginning of something new. Let this success be the stepping stone to something even greater and more rewarding.

Scorpio: Death October 23 - November 21 This card doesn’t always mean what you might think, Scorpio. Take this as a symbolic, figurative death – the end of a significant period of your life, good or bad, or leaving something behind that was once an important part of your identity. Sometimes the healthiest thing to do is to let go, even if that change feels as sudden and as jarring as death.

Aquarius: Six of Cups January 19 - February 18 The Six of Cups is a symbol of childhood and past joys. Be on the lookout for something from your past returning to you, whether it’s a visit from an old friend, a trip to a childhood home, or something else. Appreciate this opportunity and all the happy memories it brings with it — don’t be afraid to indulge your inner child, because that’s what you need most right now.

Gemini: King of Swords May 21 - June 20 Gemini, let’s be clear, you know you’re right.

You’ve been surrounded by people doubting you and challenging you, but hold on to your convictions. Take a step back and consider your position with an open and objective mind. You know how best to proceed, and you know that it’s your responsibility to be thoughtful and mature.

Virgo: Fool August 23 - September 22 You’re at the precipice of a new adventure, Virgo. You might not feel ready quite yet — you haven’t set up a foolproof plan, or you haven’t gathered all the resources and information you want — but it’s time to take a leap of faith.

You’ll never be one hundred percent ready, so just go for it! You’ll learn everything you need along the way.

Sagittarius: Ten of Wands November 22 - December 21 You’ve been bogged down by obstacles at every turn. You’re feeling burnt out and exhausted, and even though you know things will get better eventually, you’re ready for that now. The Ten of Wands indicates that the end of this added burden is right around the corner! In the meantime, examine the effort you’re putting into your pursuits and goals, and ask yourself which of those really need that level of effort, and which you can take a step back on.

Pisces: Star February 19 - March 20 You may have been facing some difficult challenges these past few weeks, but the Star is a sign that it’s all coming to a close. Like the North Star, you’re beginning to find your way again, feeling in yourself a sense of direction and purpose that you’ve been sorely missing.

Allow yourself to feel hope for the future, no matter how far away it seems right now. You’ll H get there. ■

IMAGES COURTESY OF FREEPIK

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Understanding Your Zodiac Chart:

HOROSCOPE VS. HORO-NOPE ZODIAC SIGNS EXPLAINED BY A CANCER

Thomas Cazneau-Mercado Contributing Writer

Uncovering the mysteries of Zodiac signs can be an enlightening journey. Unless you’re living under a moon rock, you probably know that there are 12 Zodiac signs in total. Your personal Zodiac sign is determined by the sun’s relation to Earth on the day you were born. Join me as I shed some light on understanding how your Zodiac sign might affect your personality, self-expression and outlook on the world around you.

Let’s start with Aries Aries,, the original leader. These are the brave, independent thinkers born between March 21st and April 19th. As the first established Zodiac sign, Aries is classified as a fire sign and is represented by a ram.

Aries individuals tend to be fiery, passionate, energetic, domineering and determined people. people. They are also brave, independent thinkers, with a strong senses of justice. Common weaknesses among Aries are that they can be impatient, moody, quick-tempered, impulsive and aggressive. aggressive. Famous Aries include Lady Gaga, Reese Witherspoon, Chance the Rapper and Emma Watson.

Now, let’s review Taurus Taurus,, the natural stabilizer born between April 20 and May 20. As our first Earth sign, they are represented by a bull. Strengthwise, Taurus individuals tend to be trustworthy, patient, practical, reliable and stable. stable. They are also more likely to be comfortable in both artistic and business-minded positions. As far as weaknesses go, they can be stubborn, possessive and uncompromising. Some famous Taurus include George Clooney, Adele and Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson.

Next on our journey is Gemini Gemini,, the intelligent duality. These curious question-askers were born between May 21 and June 18. Strengths-wise, Geminis are intelligent, adaptable, humorous, optimistic and sociable. sociable. Some say that they’re represented by twins, as in the twin constellations that they mirror, while others might attribute Gemini to the butterfly, to keep things more animal-like. They’re great at adapting to many social situations and are naturally articulate about many subjects. The downsides of Gemini include impulsivity and inconsistency. inconsistency. They might struggle with a lack of direction and rash decisions. Public relations and engineers are at the top of the list when it comes to common Gemini professions. Some famous Gemini personalities include Johnny Depp, Zoe Saldana and Morgan Freeman.

Let’s move on to Cancers Cancers,, the psychic receptive. They are those sensitive creators born between June 20 and July 22 that are characterized by the crab. Essentially, Cancers are very heartfelt, creative, intuitive individuals. They’re loyal — sometimes to a fault — and some of the most giving people you’ll meet. The downsides to Cancers are being oversensitive, moody and defensive. defensive. They struggle with being accepted by others and can sometimes be guilty of giving their love to those who are less deserving. Some famous Cancers include Selena Gomez, Meryl Streep, Solange Knowles and Chris Pratt.

Let’s visit Libra Libra,, the harmonious partner. They are easy-going people born between September 23 and October 22 and are represented by justice scales.

It’s the only sign not represented by an animal or human entity. Libras tend to be charming, charismatic, sociable and diplomatic. diplomatic. You’ll find them to be empathetic, balanced and great additions to any social gathering. Weaknesses for Libra include people-pleasing, impulsivity, sensitivity and indecisiveness. indecisiveness.

Famous Libras include Eminem, Serena Williams and Ryan Reynolds.

Let’s take a water break with another water sign, Scorpio Scorpio,, the intense transformer. They are those passionate people born between October 23 and November 21 and are portrayed by the scorpion. They are passionate, independent and fearless people, often guided by their life experiences. experiences. They are also unwaveringly enthusiastic, making them very personable in conversation.

Weaknesses for Scorpios include possessiveness, stubbornness, secrecy and jealousy.. Basically, don’t double-cross a Scorpio or you’ll experience their jealousy sting very fast. Famous Scorpios include Kendall Jenner, Jimmy Kimmel, Drake and Anne Hathaway.

Our ninth sign is Sagittarius Sagittarius,, the explorer of life, represented by an archer.

They are those adventurous people born between November 22 and December 21. On the plus side, Sagittarius are energetic, friendly, optimistic, honest and ambitious individuals. individuals. They tend to be the life of the party and in charge of the fun ideas in their friend circles. On the not-so-plus side, they are prone to break promises — even if unintentionally — and struggle with finishing what they start. Hey, we all have been there, so no hard feelings towards the archer of the Zodiac. Famous Sagittarius include Taylor Swift, Britney Spears and Scarlett Johannson.

Our tenth sign is the Capricorn Capricorn,, the empire builder. As the goat of the Zodiac, these determined individuals are born between December 22 and January 19. On the positive end, Capricorn are self-sufficient, goal-oriented and self-disciplined.. They tend to be practical, realistic and persistent thinkers self-disciplined and feelers. On the other end, they can also be pessimistic, greedy, cynical and extremely private. private. It could take more than a game of 20 questions to crack the shell of these closed off empire builders, but once you gain their trust, you’ll have it forever. Famous Capricorns include Denzel Washington, Meghan Trainor and Liam Hemsworth.

Whew! Almost there. Take a breath of fresh air with me, as we visit our last air sign that is Aquarius Aquarius,, the innovative paradox. These beautiful contradicNext up are the Leos Leos,, the Kings/Queens of the 12 signs. They are those tions are represented by water-bearers and are born between January 20 and natural leaders born between July 23 and August 22 and roar into the world February 18. Aquariuses tend to be tech-savvy, intelligent, inventive and as the lions of the Zodiac. Our fearless Leos are creative, passionate, warm- valuable friends. friends. They are also quirky and challenge the status quo. The other hearted and humorous. humorous. They also tend to be loyal and fiercely protective of side to society’s rule-benders is their tendency to be aloof, cold, emotionless those they love, for better or for worse. If you encounter them at a difficult and distant. distant. While they might have emotions, you might need a road map to moment, though, they can be arrogant, stubborn, self-centered and lazy. what they’re feeling. Famous Aquariuses include Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DegeFamous Leos include Kylie Jenner, Jason Momoa and Demi Lovato. neres, Jennifer Aniston and Michael B. Jordan.

Our journey now brings us to the Virgos Virgos,, with their perfectionist mindsets.

They are those excellence-minded people born between August 23 and September 22 and are represented by a maiden. It is one of the few signs not represented by an animal. Virgos tend to have strong organizational skills and are naturally helpful. They have an eye for detail and can be down-toearth if their perfectionism doesn’t get too much in the way. Virgo’s weaknesses include being rat rather her introverted and closed-off when it comes to love.. They’re also easily overwhelmed by anxiety when it comes to work. love Famous Virgos include Beyoncé, Keanu Reeves and Cameron Diaz.

Last but not least are Pisces Pisces,, the mystical dreamer. These dreamy folks have birthdays from February 19 to March 20 and are mascotted by two fish.

Pisces strengths include being merciful, artistic, modest, forgiving, peaceful and willing to help others at their own expense. expense. Unfortunately, these strengths have mirrored weaknesses of their own, as sometimes Pisces think about others before taking care of themselves. They also tend to deal with escapism from reality, emotional sensitivity and boundaries-challenged. boundaries-challenged. Famous Pisces include Rihanna, Millie Bobby Brown and John Travolta.

So much more could be shared about how the Zodiac could play a role in our daily lives, more than meets the untrained eye. Every day, the sun, the moon and planets orbit through different constellations that represent the Zodiac, causing universal moments across our planet. Those moments when the universe feels in either alignment or misalignment with our jobs, relationships, successes, failures, and more, can very well have to do with current-day Zodiac transitions. While astrology has its own share of doubters and haters, it can be difficult to argue that there is something at work establishing why some days feel more pleasant than others, something beyond weather and full moons and someone randomly bringing donuts to work.

Whether or not you are a believer in all things Zodiac, I’d encourage you to look further into the sun and moon signs of yourself and of those around you, even if it’s just for the sheer thrill of new discoveries. image by rawpixel.com

11 TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

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Riverside’s best vegan food Exploring six of the most mouth-watering plant-based restaurants near campus.

AEDAN FERRARA Production Manager

Riverside is full of hidden gems, but something that can be hard to find is plant-based food options. Most places have a salad or two on the menu, but that’s hardly filling. I explored six vegan restaurants in and around Riverside, perfect for whatever cuisine you’re craving.

Oasis Despite being almost twenty minutes from campus, Oasis is more than worth the trip. A literal hole in the wall tucked alongside a health food store, it is easy to overlook. I got the vegan carnitas taquito plate and champurrado to drink; the taquitos were crispy, crunchy and juicy, loaded with veggies and a delicious balance of a refreshing crema and a delicious green salsa. The plate comes with only four taquitos, so if you’re hungry, definitely make sure to get a bigger dish.

The champurrado is piping hot, perfectly thick and a delicious and warming beverage to warm up any chilly day. As I ate, I overheard another diner go from skeptical about vegan food to enjoying his meal with delight; even for those who aren’t vegan, I’d strongly recommend Oasis.

Veg & Go Fast Food I have been a loyal customer of Veg & Go since my first year at UCR. Set right off campus in the University Village, their fast food always hits the spot. This time, I tried their Spicy Chick, Bac’n Wrap Dog, and Crispy Mango Wingz. I adore their chicken, which like all their protein is made in-house, and the sandwich has a great kick, balanced by a deliciously creamy sauce. The hot dog has a good balance of bacon though isn’t overloaded, and is a great addition to a meal. The wings, made on a sugar cane stick to emulate bones, are also very spicy, and though they could have had more sauce, they were topped with pineapple and jalapeño, which somewhat made up for it. I’ve tried almost everything on their menu at some point or another, and I haven’t found anything I dislike yet.

On top of that, they offer student discounts,

have frequent sales and deals, and are always stocked with a rotating offering of various prepackaged desserts from plant-based bakeries in the region. Overall, an excellent experience in every regard — I’d strongly recommend Veg & Go to anyone looking for new twists on old classics.

Vegan Korner I’ve yet to meet someone who dislikes pizza.

Vegan Korner is a small shop a little farther from campus; located in Grand Terrace, it is well worth the drive. I tried their Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza, Alfredo Chicken Pizza, and Breakfast Pizza. The Chicken Bacon Ranch is perfectly juicy and greasy, feeling just a little bit unhealthy in all the best ways. The bacon was a little subtle, but overall it was the heaviest of the three pizzas. The Alfredo Chicken is delightfully creamy, and a little lighter than I’d expected; the mushrooms on top bring out the sauce’s flavor, and all in all it’s a great example of a white pizza.

Finally, the Breakfast Pizza doesn’t necessarily scream “breakfast,” but is still very good. It tastes very similar to a supreme pizza, but the egg on top is a great addition; it is also topped with avocado, which by the time I got home had already begun to brown. The Breakfast Pizza, while still delicious, is easily the least tempting of the three I tried.

Vegan Vatoz A taco truck just down University Avenue, Vegan Vatoz just might be my favorite stop on the list. I tried their breakfast taco, fish taco, chorizo, egg and potato burrito. The breakfast taco, while light and refreshing, is not very similar

to a traditional breakfast burrito, and while a delicious taco, doesn’t measure up to their other options. I nearly inhaled the fish taco, and it might just be the best taco I’ve had, with a great mix of fried fish, creamy sauce, and fresh veggies.

The chorizo, egg and potato burrito was similarly incredible, and while not very spicy, contained one of the best faux eggs I’ve ever had. If you’re planning on grabbing lunch there, I can’t recommend it enough, but make sure to double-check that the truck’s in town before heading over.

Make sure to grab one of their refreshing handmade aguas frescas to chase the tacos!

Monty’s Good Burger A little farther from campus, Monty’s is found downtown in the Riverside Food Lab, and provides nostalgic fast food fare. Though named for its iconic cheeseburger, I couldn’t help branching out a little, and ended up trying their only other entrée, a chicken sandwich. The chicken is delicious, both crunchy and tender, perfectly juicy. Strangely, the sandwich comes with cucumbers instead of pickles, but offers a choice of six equally delicious sauces. I also got a coffee milkshake, which is a little disappointing – it doesn’t have a particularly strong coffee flavor, and whichever milk substitute is used has a taste of its own. All in all, it’s a great place to grab a bite if you ever find yourself downtown, but doesn’t quite measure up to the other options in quality and variety.

University Pizza Company For those craving pizza a little closer to campus, the University Pizza Company (UPC) has got you covered – they’re conveniently located in the University Village, right next door to Veg & Go. While they aren’t exclusively vegan, they do have an extensive selection of plant-based proteins and cheeses, making for a menu that’s almost fifty percent vegan. I would recommend their buffalo chicken or margherita pizza; the buffalo chicken has a delightful kick, and the chicken is perfectly juicy, while the margherita is excellently balanced, with a subtler flavor. As mentioned, they also serve non-vegan options, so it’s the perfect choice for groups with mixed dietary needs.■H PHOTOS COURTESY OF AEDAN FERRARA/THE HIGHLANDER

12 TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

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Tough it out, girlie!

YSABEL NAKASONE Opinions Editor

Dating advice from The Highlander’s infamously and terminally single Opinions Editor, because coaches don’t play...

How do you deal with LDR [Long Distance Relationship]? It’s been three years, and I’m still head over heels, but it doesn’t get any easier :(( Tabitha, she/her

ensure that what you’re waiting for is the same thing your partner is waiting for. The end goal is to be in the same place together at some point so make sure you’re on the same page about what that point is and what you want that to look like.

Figuring out how to navigate your relationship when you come back together might be harder than the distance.

There aren’t many practical tips, and even I, someone who has never been in a serious relationship, let alone a long-distance one, have recurring nightmares about the couch guy situation. The biggest thing is security. If either one of you is feeling insecure about any aspect of the relationship, it’s an uphill battle. It’s about consistent effort. If this person matters to you enough, it’s just about endurance.■ H

Long distance just sucks in any relationship. There aren’t any pearls of wisdom about that; they simply suck. I don’t think any of it is supposed to get easier. In fact, I think it just gets harder the longer you do it. The real problem can be when the physical distance translates into the emotional distance.

Many people describe an LDR as something they’re doing, waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel. I would

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Do you want Noods?

MARIBEL GAMEZ-REYES Assistant Features Editor

The Grand Opening of Noods has a promising future with well-conceived development and execution.

Accepting orders since April 1 of this year, Noods is the University of California Riverside’s (UCR) first customizable noodle bar located in Glen Mor Market. Conceptualized as a late-night spot for students living on campus, Noods will be accessible from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; hours are open to change in the future.

Spectating the rush hour of opening night, the line was crowded with students excitedly waiting to order and others with content expressions, leaving to enjoy their portable containers of noodles. Anonymously, a group of friends commented that they appreciated that Noods is within walking distance, making it easier than ordering through DoorDash or Uber Eats. The ambiance of dining in offers a comforting familiarity, paired with the indulgence of a homemade dish.

With the distorted student conversations in the background, warm lighting and cozy seating inside, students can fully experience Noods as it is meant to be.

On the development behind Noods, Director of Culinary Operations, Lanette Dickerson, expressed, “When you think about foods from all over the world, there are a few things that transcend through all cultures, and noodles is one of them.” Providing a food spot that infuses Asian cultures was vital for its embracement within the existing community as it caters to the diverse students and staff at UCR. Director

of Residential Dining, Cedric Martin shared that there was a survey sent out to a sample of the student population at UCR, from four distinct options, and the majority of votes opted for noodles. Prioritizing the feedback of what the community wanted to see in the previously vacant spot at Glen Mor Market led to the development that took little under a year to fully execute.

A soft launch was used as a training mechanism prior to the opening day, taking place a week before going into spring break. Getting a brand new team prepared for its smooth transition, they discreetly invited students nearby to gather their feedback and analyze any kinks that needed to be sorted out operationally.

It’s no surprise that Noods’ opening was well received, as there were elaborate and inclusive considerations in creating a well-rounded food venue for all to enjoy. The appeal of customization is explained by Chef de Cuisine, Jeniffer’s Valenzuela, who detailed, “Historically, we’ve found that students love to be able to customize their own food and make it their own.” With a color condiment bar, they offer choices such as spicy onion, furikake, green onions, sesame seeds and in-house chili oil. Beyond Garnishes, menu options include ramen, udon and rice noodles that are optionally prepared with simple and clean ingredients like sauteed

vegetables, gochujang, black beans, yellow curry, glutenfree soy sauce, halal chicken, ground tofu and ground pork.

While prioritizing the authentic flavor profile within Asian cultures, they’ve innovated beloved recipes such as Spicy Ramen and Jajangmyeon Udon to broaden offerings to those with dietary restrictions, allergens and food preferences.

Delaying its scheduled fall quarter opening due to rebuilding post-COVID with a short-staffed team, they productively took time to continue developing any conceptual ideas throughout the year — waiting to proudly demonstrate all their hard work through the production of a quality venue setup and quarterly rotating menu. Their seamless transition of an ambitious project can also be attributed to the diverse staff it took to understand a diverse student population. Further praising the incredibly diverse community that stands out from our UC system, Lanette Dickerson recalls, “Our department is just as diverse within dining, and it’s interesting … that there are a lot of positions that aren’t in the kitchen. But what we found is that even those people in those positions they’re drawn to doing what they do in dining because they also love food. It plays a really big role because when we do our tastings, we’ll have them out in the kitchen, and we call everybody from the offices, from other buildings H because their feedback is really important too.” ■

ARONNE CHAN / THE HIGHLANDER

13 TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

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Valorant’s new nonbinary agent faces backlash and controversy over their identity

Clove’s pronoun and gender identity produces heavy discourse from the Valorant community.

BRENDAN VO Radar Editor

Valorant is a viral free-to-play shooting game made by Riot Games, the same company responsible for the popular multiplayer online battle arena League of Legends and hit Netflix series Arcane, and they have released a new playable agent, Clove, into their roster that has been making waves in the community. During the latest — and now most watched — Valorant Champions Tournament Masters Madrid (VCT Masters Madrid), a gameplay trailer, cinematic and official audio were released for Clove, alongside a streamer showcase where popular Valorant personalities got to try out the Scottish agent, demonstrating their new abilities with fun lowstakes gameplay.

Gameplay-wise, Clove is incredibly innovative, bringing in a fun, fresh take to the game. Each agent is designed to fit certain roles and take on specific responsibilities, and Clove is the newest addition to the Controller archetype. Controllers are tasked with obscuring vision from the opposing team and are perceived by many as the most difficult role insofar as successful controller players must keep various tactics in mind while mapping positions of the enemies. As such, this archetype is the least popular role as it demands the most awareness out of a player and forces them to play in the most supportive and coordinated manner.

Clove’s designed abilities are a great remedy for the unpopularity of the role since they are more offenseoriented. This allows Clove players to take on more agency with their abilities, taking charge in the frontlines rather than typically staying in the back to stay alive and make use of their valuable kit. It also helps that some of their utilities incorporate elements from the most popular role in the game, the Duelist role.

With an exciting and approachable playstyle, Clove reinvigorates the Controller role.

Despite the positive reception to their innovative gameplay design from players, they received a lot of controversy because of their gender identity. They are the first nonbinary character to be added to the roster and go by they/them pronouns. This has been met with both support and backlash from the player base, producing interesting discourse from the community response to Clove’s

introduction.

Popular Valorant YouTuber and personality, WestJett, has come out to lead the charge against how both Clove’s identity and pronouns will affect gameplay — or, rather, Riot Game’s choice to make Clove a nonbinary character. He presents his case in multiple YouTube videos making various arguments against introducing gender politics into Riot’s tactical shooter that include valuing the escapism of video games, criticizing possible capitalistic intentions and outlining the confusion caused by their pronouns.

male — and it is more effective to address the callout with the name of the agent (ex: “Clove is there”).

Therefore, gameplay-wise, players should already be learning to recognize agents by names if they feel that it is important to their success in the game.

Another argument against the new agent is that Clove’s inclusion is a form of pandering and is stained by capitalistic intentions. This postures their addition to the cast to be seen as catering to the queer community by some, implying that Riot Game’s choice to make Clove

PHOTO COURTESY OF/DISTRIBUTED BY RIOT GAMES

Firstly, there is the argument of how Clove’s pronouns affect gameplay. Since Valorant requires coordination and is relatively fast-paced, communication via voice chat is crucial to teamplay using “callouts,” quick phrases that efficiently relay information. Thus, when players call out an opposing Clove’s positioning or plays, players using the proper pronouns, they/them, can potentially cause confusion as “they” implies plurality and that multiple agents are included in the callout. This can force some players to make wrong decisions.

However, this line of reasoning avoids the fact that these kinds of callouts were already inefficient.

Attaching a pronoun to a callout is already confusing as it raises the question of whether it is addressing the character or player — as many assume other players to go by he/ him pronouns due to the gaming community being predominantly

nonbinary was one to exploit the said community. This rhetoric can also be seen in how people perceive other media supporting inclusion in ways that seem superficial, such as Ariel’s race-swap in Disney’s liveaction “The Little Mermaid” or DC Comics’ Pride Month “Nightwing” comic book cover.

What this argument ignores is that Valorant has always had a very inclusive cast, featuring characters that hail from a diverse set of backgrounds. Not only do most agents hail from many different regions of the world, but Valorant also already has two LGBTQ+ representatives in agents Killjoy and Raze, which makes Clove’s inclusion all the more unsurprising. Another strong point is that Valorant is also owned and heavily invested by Tencent, a Chinese corporation where, in China, there’s a negative attitude towards LGBTQ+ characters, demonstrating how important Clove being nonbi-

nary is.

The most interesting argument against the new Controller agent is that Valorant, a violent action-packed game, is not a suitable environment to incorporate gender politics. Especially as the game is notorious for toxic behavior amongst competitive players (a common trait of competitive games), many do not see the point of trying to express the need for diversity and inclusion. This also stems from a strong urge to keep games as an escape from reality — a comfort that people value so very much.

Pulitzer Prize winner and respected film critic Roger Ebert corroborates this in his 2010 blog post titled “Video games can never be art,” stating that games that try to be art ignore their mechanical premises in their rules, points, objectives and outcomes, “[the game] ceases to be a game and becomes a representation of a story, a novel, a play, dance, a film.” Thus, Valorant expressing itself as an art form can be seen as antithetical to its competitive premise, and politicizing its mechanics with gender politics can be distracting — pitting the mechanics of the game against the motif of the character narratives.

However, Riot Games' choice to be inclusive is a powerful one that demonstrates how far video games have come as an art form, unchained and unrestrained by its medium. Stories that infuse game mechanics with the stakes of the narrative games, such as Naughty Dog’s “Last of Us” or Insomniac Games’ “Spider-Man” collection, are incredible experiences that show that there doesn’t need to be sacrifice in either motif or mechanics.

Considering Valorant as an art form and the importance of Clove’s queer identity is paramount to recognizing how important games have become to popular culture. The mechanics and motifs can make up the entire gaming experience. American artist Makoto describes the difference between art and entertainment: “Entertainment gives you a predictable pleasure. Art leads to transformation.” Video games can be the future, and it starts with respecting the stories that they can tell.■H

14 TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

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Raise your glasses to UCR’s philanthropic minds BRENDA JOVEL Editor-in-Chief

A Gala Celebration marks its inaugural chapter, raising a toast to alumni and inspirational leaders.

UCR Honors: A Gala Celebration was an exemplary showcase which celebrated achievements of University of California, Riverside (UCR) alumni and philanthropic leaders, most notably honoring comedian and actor, Cheech Marin.

On Saturday night, April 6, 2024, the Student Recreation Center’s (SRC) arena transformed into an elegant affair. Upon entering the event, guests were greeted by a sparkling venue. A large screen in the venue’s center displayed a dazzling image of the iconic UCR Bell Tower and read the eponymous title of the event. As guests conversed with one another while taking the occasional hors d’oeuvre, the room felt like entering Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night.” Dreamy, elegant and intimate, it created the perfect backdrop to a night of dining, drinking and commemoration.

The event’s planning took at least eight months, according to Amy Kim, director of University Events. Kim stated that there was plenty of work put into the event; organizers collaborated with campus partner, Citrus Grove, and one of their three sponsors, Show Imaging, Inc. As the gala will now be an annual event, Kim elaborated upon its significance: “The main purpose of the event was to honor our three Alumni Award recipient[s] … we actually added an inaugural Distinguished Philanthropist Award and the UCR Medallion, which existed, but we hadn’t had an in-person event like this.”

The proceeds for this event went towards supporting student initiatives, and Kim specified that “when you buy a ticket, half of it is actually a gift that goes to that fund.”

Kim hopes that as the gala continues annually, they will “continue to bring people to campus and really showcase what … our mission is.”

Attending the event was UCR class of 1989 alumni Yolanda Flores, a biology major in pre-med with a minor in Spanish, spent the evening reminiscing about her memories at UCR. Outlining her hopes for current students on campus, Flores said, “[we] want to make sure that [students] have a positive career pathway, not just [acquiring] a degree in

hand, but to have that job. That’s my goal … for them to have … something new that will really catapult them to carry on that UCR name right, like I did.”

The night’s first speaker was UCR’s Chancellor, Kim A. Wilcox. Chancellor Wilcox remarked how Alumni Awards were presented at the Chancellor’s Dinner each fall, but now the UCR Gala will create a space for alumni to celebrate their accomplishments and the continuation of UCR’s core values throughout their careers. “Some of you remember the days when we were a small campus dedicated to doing the best we could … and there were just a few faculty members and a few students and a commitment to make a difference in this part of California. Those things are the same as they were then,” affirmed Chancellor Wilcox about UCR’s increased rankings as a leading institution. Chancellor Wilcox welcomed guests to enjoy their dinners before commencing the night’s awards.

After guests enjoyed their braised ribs or crab cakes, Steve Shuman, class of 1975 alumni and president of the UCR Alumni Association Board of Directors, presented the following alumni awards: Outstanding Young Alumni Award, Alumni Service Award and the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Before these were presented, Shuman took the time to honor Ofelia Valdez-Yeager, who passed away earlier this year. Valdez-Yaegar had been Chair of the Awards Committee on UCR’s Alumni Association Board and served as the first Latina in the Riverside University Unified School District. ValdezYeager had been involved with the growing community around Riverside, most notably by aiding in establishing a center for Chicano art to be spotlighted.

Shuman vocalized about Valdez-Yeager’s involvement with the Riverside community, stating, “she played an instrumental role in establishing the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture … she would be especially pleased that we are hon-

oring Cheech Marin tonight.” Shuman then asked the audience for a moment of silence to honor her remarkable legacy that ValdezYeager continues to uphold posthumously.

Shuman then began the awards ceremony, and presented the Outstanding Young Alumni Award, which “honors alumni 40 years or younger, with a significant record of career or civic achievement.” The award was presented to Jesse Melgar, a class of 2017 alumni who serves as Senior Advisor for Strategy and Public Affairs at the University of California Possibility Lab. Melgar’s experiences also delved into governmental positions, including being a communications director for the Latino Legislative Caucus and State Senate and even serving as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s communications director and press secretary.

Melgar accepted his award onstage and proceeded to dedicate it to Valdez-Yeager, who was his mentor at the age of 15. His career within government sectors has not always been rosy, as Melgar described it. He took the opportunity to bring up the topics he has been eagerly advocating for throughout his career, including “[advancing] LGBTQ rights, immigrant rights, voting rights and basic human rights. Work that pulls in those who are too often pushed to the margins and work that doesn’t just check the box, but that seats impactful solutions outside of it.”

The Alumni Service Award was then given to Manav Sachdeva, class of 1999, which honors those who showcase “superior service in the public sector and a sustained pattern of volunteer service this year.” Sachdeva previously worked within the United Nations (UN) as a senior analyst and program specialist for Asia Pacific and Arab states. By 2019, he also served as the chief international officer for McCann Kyiv, Ukraine.

Sachdeva was light-hearted in his acceptance speech as he thanked the University and his family and friends. He spoke about solidarity and the meaning of it to other individuals who may be going through difficult times. He emphasized, “if you have a

moment where there’s somebody in front of you, a friend, family or somebody who doesn’t know you, just needs your solidarity of strength. I just think that’s service … if you can help reconstitute that to somehow [being] totally present.” Sachdeva urged audience members to consider these moments with people, regardless of their status to us, and be present in these moments as they can last a lifetime.

The final honoree, Christy Lopez, received the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Lopez graduated UCR in 1990, and later became a professor of practice at Georgetown Law in 2017 where she currently teaches criminal justice. She also served as a deputy chief in the special litigation section of the Civil Rights Division at the United States Department of Justice, which led her to investigate police departments and other law enforcement agencies regarding their constitutional practices.

Lopez highlighted how she has “always been motivated by the need to protect basic human dignity from the … abuse by the government.” Lopez’s first opinions piece on The Washington Post was about the killing of George Floyd; she recalled in her introductory video that there was something to be done about incidents like these. After Lopez accepted her award, she thanked her mother for teaching her a great lesson: to question authority. “And that to me … means questioning whether the way things are the way that they should be or the way that they have to be,” reflected Lopez.

The Distinguished Philanthropist Award was then presented and honored to Byron and Teresa Pollitt. Described as “exceptional alumni, volunteers and visionary philanthropic leaders” by the emcee, the Pollitt’s have been involved as donors to UCR for years, and most recently gave the School of Medicine the Mission Award Scholarship Endowed Fund that will completely cover medical students’ tuition and fees.

Byron proclaimed onstage that he is “proud of what UCR has become with a student population which is now 26,000 and a portfolio of colleges and graduate schools

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRENDA JOVEL / THE HIGHLANDER

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that are both distinguished and highly relevant in today’s world.” He then explained that though the award is titled “philanthropist,” he sees himself and his wife as “investors in the student experience … and says thank you for the impact that [UCR] has had on our lives.”

Chancellor Wilcox returned to the stage to present the final award. The UCR Medallion is meant to recognize leadership, innovation and philanthropy. “Tonight we present the UCR Medallion to Cheech Marin for his advocacy [and] philanthropy … for trailblazing Chicano artists and inspir[ing] underrepresented artists everywhere,” announced Chancellor Wilcox.

Marin has continuously collected Chicano artwork throughout the years, and he has successful exhibitions in 50 museums.

Chancellor Wilcox continued, “In 2022 …

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through a partnership with the city of Riverside and Riverside Art Museum, his vision took a new form when the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture opened, otherwise known as The Cheech.” The Cheech contains more than 700 of Marin’s works and continues to offer a space where Chicano artists and stories can flourish.

Unfortunately, Marin wasn’t present to accept his award, but he filmed a video to give his thanks and gratitude to the Riverside community. He said, “I’ve been welcomed with open arms, and I think that made for the success of The Cheech because that’s [what] really transmits to everybody who comes into the building.” Marin encouraged guests to visit The Cheech, as it showcases the colorful stories and perspectives of Chicano identities.

Chancellor Wilcox returned to the stage and thanked the UCR community for attending UCR’s first gala. He asked the audi-

ence to continue looking for and finding recipients the gala had celebrated to continue UCR’s growth of future leaders.

The emcee was welcomed back to the stage by Chancellor Wilcox. She ended the night with a beautiful and heartfelt rendition of “Rise Up” by Andra Day that left a fulfilling impression on UCR Honors: A Gala Celebration.

Raul Seja, a 2013 UCR graduate, described his experience at his first gala event at his alma mater. “I think the biggest takeaway for me was the beauty and diversity and especially being a first generation college graduate, how open UCR is to people like me, and [it] very much aligned with the message of tonight,” he mentioned.

As for current students who attended the gala, Samuel Shroff, a second-year public policy major and a Dean’s Brand Ambassador for the school of public policy, spoke

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about his experience being a positive one.

When asked how this event would impact his future years at UCR, Shroff said, “I think it just shows how many possibilities there are with a degree … it’s just really inspiring, and it gives me hope that I can be like [the honorees].” Along with Shroff was his peer Andrew Shannon, a second-year public policy and also a Dean’s Brand Ambassador. Shannon shared how he hopes more students could get involved with an event like this, as he referred to it as “inspiring” for the community.

Students can look to attend next year’s celebration of the alumni and inspirational leaders of UCRon Apr. 5, 2025.■ H

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRENDA JOVEL / THE HIGHLANDER

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SHAKIRA’S ‘LAS MUJERES YA NO LLORAN’ : UNA EXPERIENCIA CATARTICA

EN SU NUEVO ÁLBUM SHAKIRA LA NO LLORA, ELLA FACTURA. MARIBEL GOMEZ-REYES, ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

El sorprendente regreso de la cantante colombiana, Shakira, compositora y estrella de pop, al escenario musical, acompañado de su nuevo álbum musical, ‘Las Mujeres ya no lloran’ que fue lanzado el Marzo 22 de este año. Con su presencia prolongada en la música latina, su vida ha sido expuesta al consumo público, el precio de la fama ha permitido seguir su carrera, desde sus mayores logros como artista hasta las profundidades de su vida personal y las dificultades que ha tenido que enfrentar. Los últimos años han sido fundamentales en la culminación de este proyecto, ya que su nombre ha estado circulando por todos los medios de comunicación. Enfrentando rumores y comentarios sobre temas como su caso financiero de fraude fiscal, su separación del futbolista Gerard Pique— el padre de sus dos hijos y pareja de 11 años-, y la hospitalización de su padre, quien fue sometido a una operación cerebral en 2023.

Este álbum es una creación que representa su fortaleza al recoger los pedazos dispersos por los cambios inesperados en su vida. Shakira ha decido usar la música, como un medio para restablecerse. Más allá de reforzar la conexión, que ha mantenido con sus seguidores por varios años, ella usa su álbum para facilitar la narración de su historia, expresando emociones crudas sobre lo que ha vivido y experimentado .

Presentando un concepto inesperado, ‘Las mujeres Ya no Loran’ tiene una amplia resonancia para los que lo escuchan, sea que necesites un espacio para tu propia sanación, o necesites sentir el empoderamiento femenino que este álbum ofrece. La portada de su álbum muestra un retrato de la artista, que refleja sobre un periodo de 17 canciones, sus lágrimas se han transformado en diamantes. Con sencillos previamente lanzados, se reconoce: “Te Felicito” con Rauw Alejandro, “Monotonía” con Ozuna, “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” con Bizarrap, “Copa Vacía” con Manuel Turizo, “Acróstico-Milan+Sasha” con Shakira, “El Jefe” con Fuerza Regida, y “TQG” con Karol G.

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Abriendo su álbum, con su esperada colaboración con, Cardi B, para la canción “Puntería”, las dos cantantes irradian confianza sin disculpas. Tomando los arriendos del juego de amor, Shakira canta en el coro, “Tú tienes buena puntería / Sabes por dónde darme pa’ que quede rendida / Me ataca donde más duele, tú a mí no me conviene / Pero en tu cama o la mía, todo eso a mí se me olvida.” Accediendo a un ambiente divertido y energético, “Puntería” es una canción pop que te hace sentir bien con sus letras seductoras. Sin sorpresas, Cardi B, domina sin esfuerzo su fluidez y actitud desenfadada en sus líneas de rap.

En la siguiente canción, “La Fuerte”, Shakira se reúne con el productor musical argentino, Bizzarap, para otra colaboración exitosa. La energía es innegable desde el principio, ya que Bizzarap establece un ritmo de baile infundido de EDM que se extiende y se desarrolla a lo largo de toda la canción. Complementando el ritmo, la voz de Shakira se mezcla bien con la melodía pegadiza y la emoción detrás de su entrega de letras. Su tercera canción llamada “Tiempo Sin Verte”, evoca un sentimiento de nostalgia con rasgos de sus raíces, en el sonido sutil y más evolucionado de pop rock de los años 90. Con una voz rockera, ella canta sobre alguien que extraña, “Llevo tiempo sin verte y sigo aquí / Y no pasa un día que no piense en ti.”

Las letras y la orientación de los instrumentales capturan lo que es la ruptura del corazón, la profundidad de tristeza, y los pensamientos de la alternativa después que se cierra una puerta.

La próxima canción “Cohete” alcanza nuevas alturas con su semblante futurístico que muchos reconocen de Rauw Alejandro. Este amor que los dos cantantes expresan con sus atractivas voces, parece de otro planeta con la fluidez rítmica de baile pop pulsante. Esta canción será fácil de escuchar con sus letras memorables y ritmo relajado.

El estruendo de su colaboración con el Grupo Frontera del género de música mexicana, trae a luz la canción, “(Entre Paréntesis)”. Shakira muestra su versatilidad vocal, que complementa la poderosa voz de Payo Solis de Grupo Frontera. Esta cumbia-norteña genera sentimientos de melancolía debido al momento doloroso en que uno se da cuenta de que la persona que amas se está desconectando de la relación, Relevado en sus letras, ellos cantan, “Se nota cuando se quiere, pero cuando no, se nota más/ Antes venías sin llamarte, ahora sin avisar te vas.” Entre los últimos momentos de la canción, Payo menciona el nombre de su banda y el seudónimo de Shakira, “La Loba”.

“Cómo Dónde Y Cuándo” empieza con una melodía instrumental sencilla acompañado de guitarra, un juego de tambores, y la voz rockera de Shakira que juntos resemblan las primeras obras de su carrera. Canta sobre que, ella ha dejado el pasado atrás y se recuerda de vivir la vida al máximo en el presente y con optimismo sobre el futuro que vendrá. “Nassau” sigue la mentalidad de la canción previa con un posible interés a un nuevo amor.

Un giro refrescante es la influencia de “Afrobeats” en el ritmo con energía vibrante.

La última canción, en la primera mitad del álbum, consintiendo de las canciones recién lanzadas es: “Última”. Capturada en una balada de piano, esta canción fue agregada después de su fecha de entrega, ella expresó en una entrevista para Apple Music. Con sinceridad, esta es la última canción sobre su ex pareja porque en su letra en “Shakira: Bzrp Music sessions, Vol. 53”, “Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan”.

Veredicto: Aunque el álbum fue promocionado como uno conceptual, no hay una fluidez cohesiva desde el principio hasta el fin. Esto no significa que no vale la pena escucharlo, porque cada canción tiene su propia historia y cualidades que hay que admirar. image by vecteezy.com image by pngtree.com

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RADAR

TUESDAY APRIL 9, 2024

17

SHAKIRA’S ‘LAS MUJERES YA NO LLORAN’ : A CATHARTIC EXPERIENCE

IN HER NEW ALBUM SHAKIRA NO LONGER CRIES, SHE CASHES IN! MARIBEL GOMEZ-REYES, ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

The surprising return of Colombian singer, songwriter and popstar, Shakira, to the music scene, was accompanied by her new music album, “Las Las Mujeres Ya no Lloran,” which was released on March 22 of this year. With her long-standing presence an, in Latin music, her life has been exposed to public consumption. The price of fame has allowed spectators to follow her career, from her greatest achievements as an artist to the depths of her personal life and the difficulties she has had to face. The last few years have been crucial in the culmination of this project, as her name has been circulating in all media. She is facing rumors and comments about issues such as her financial tax fraud case, her separation from soccer player Gerard Pique — her partner of 11 years and the father of her two children — and her father’s hospitalization due to a brain operation in 2023.

This album represents her strength in picking up the scattered pieces of her life due to unexpected changes. Shakira has decided to use music as a means to restore herself. Beyond strengthening the connection she has maintained with her followers for several years, she uses her album to facilitate the telling of her story, expressing raw emotions about what she has lived and experienced.

Presenting an unexpected concept, “Las Las mujeres Ya no Lloran” Lloran has a wide resonance for those who listen to it, whether you need a space for your own healing or need to feel the female empowerment that this album offers. The cover of her album shows a portrait of the artist, reflecting on a period of 17 songs, and depicts her tears having turned into diamonds. Fans will recognize the previously released singles in the album: “Te Felicito” with Rauw Alejandro, “Monotonía” with Ozuna, “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” with Bizarrap, “Copa Vacía” with Manuel Turizo, “AcrósticoMilan+Sasha” with Shakira, “El Jefe” with Fuerza Regida and “TQG” with Karol G.

Distributed by Sony Latin

Opening her album, with her highly anticipated collaboration with Cardi B, for the song “Puntería Puntería,” the two singers exude confidence without apologies. Taking the reins of the game of love, Shakira sings in the chorus, “You have good aim / You know where to hit me so I surrender / You attack me where it hurts the most, you don’t suit me / But in your bed or mine, all that I forget.” Accessing a fun and energetic atmosphere, “Puntería” is a pop song that makes listeners feel good with its seductive lyrics. Without surprises, Cardi B dominates effortlessly with her flow and carefree attitude in her rap lines.

In the next song, “La La Fuerte,” Fuerte Shakira reunites with Argentine music producer Bizzarap for another successful collaboration. The energy is undeniable from the beginning, as Bizzarap sets a dance-infused EDM rhythm that extends and develops throughout the entire song. Complementing the rhythm, Shakira’s voice blends well with the catchy melody and the emotion behind her delivery of lyrics. Her third song, called “Tiempo Tiempo Sin Verte,” Verte evokes a feeling of nostalgia with traits of her roots, in the subtle and more evolved sound of 90s pop rock. With her signature rock-inspired vocals, she sings about someone who misses, “I’ve been a long time without seeing you, and I’m still here / And not a day goes by that I don’t think of you.” The lyrics and the orientation of the instrumentals capture what heartbreak is, the depth of sadness and the thoughts of the alternative after a door closes.

The next song, “Cohete Cohete” reaches new heights with its futuristic appearance that many recognize from Rauw Alejandro. This love that the two singers express with their attractive voices, seems from another planet with the pulsating rhythmic dance-pop flow. This song will be easy to listen to with its memorable lyrics and relaxed rhythm.

The debut of her collaboration with the Grupo Frontera from the Mexican music genre brings to light the song, “(Entre (Entre Paréntesis).”

Paréntesis) Shakira shows her vocal versatility, which complements the powerful voice of Payo Solis from Grupo Frontera. This cumbia-norteña generates feelings of melancholy due to the painful moment when one realizes that the person you love is disconnecting from the relationship; relived in their lyrics, they sing, “It shows when you love, but when you don’t, it shows more / Before you used to come without calling, now without warning you leave.” In the last moments of the song, Payo credits the name of his band and Shakira’s nickname, “La Loba.”

“How, How, Where, and When” When starts with a simple instrumental melody accompanied by guitar, a set of drums and Shakira’s rock voice that together resemble the early works of her career. She sings about leaving the past behind and remembering to live life to the fullest in the present and with optimism about the future to come. “Nassau Nassau” follows the mindset of the previous song with a possible interest in a new love. A refreshing twist is the influence of “Afrobeats” in the rhythm with vibrant energy.

The last song, in the first half of the album, consisting of the newly released songs, is “Última. Última.” Captured in a piano ballad, this song was added after the album’s deadline, she expressed in an interview for Apple Music. Her intentions are sincere when expressing that this is the last song about her ex-partner, because in her lyrics in “Shakira: Bzrp Music sessions, Vol. 53,” she disses “Women no longer cry, women cash in.”

Verdict: Although the album was promoted as a conceptual one, there is no cohesive flow from beginning to end. This does not mean that it is not worth listening to, because each song has its own story and qualities to admire.

image by vecteezy.com image by pngtree.com

18 TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

RADAR

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‘Ripley’ did not deliver on its central promise RAMITA SETTY Staff Writer

All style over substance — Netflix’s miniseries adaptation of the well-lauded book doesn’t do enough to justify its existence.

Patricia Highsmith’s 1953 novel, “The Talented Mr. Ripley”, is about wanting a life that is just out of reach and doing anything to make it yours. For Tom Ripley, a young working-class boy allowed to travel to Italy, this wanting is homoerotic — and eventually turns deadly. Translating that desire onto the screen is something that several filmmakers have tried, from the 1961 French film “Purple Noon” starring Alain Delon, one of the biggest stars of the French New Wave film movement, as the cooly narcissistic titular character, to Matt Damon in 1999’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley” — a performance that took him away from the affable, do-gooder roles he would become known for, transforming him into something much more sinister.

Each adaptation has had its unique take on Highsmith’s material. Each one helped fix Tom Ripley into a unique place in cinema history — a uniquely deadly and sexy character brought to life by movie stars in their prime. Netflix’s new miniseries, simply titled “Ripley,” seems to want to take that legend away from the character and strip him down to his simplest self. This is further supported by the fact that in this adaptation, Ripley is not played by a young smoldering star, but by middle-aged actor, Andrew Scott.

The series seems to have that goal in mind as it starts with Ripley’s life as a petty criminal in 1961, filled with wide shots punctuating the hollowness of his day-today existence. Then it all changes when Mr.

Greenleaf, a wealthy man who mistakes Tom for one of his son’s friends, pays for him to go to Italy and convince his wayward son to come back home. But slowly, Tom becomes obsessed with the young rich

But trouble also lies in the beauty of the cinematography. Every shot is so stunning that it demands to be taken in fully and admired. This need to notice it all prevents the audience from being fully immersed in the

Greenleaf, who possesses wealth Tom can only dream of. A strange psychological obsession begins, with Tom slowly taking over the identity and mannerisms of the younger Greenleaf — all culminating in a tragic finale.

The series’ black and white cinematography is gorgeous and evocative of 60s noir films, complete with overhead shots of subways and men in trenchcoats skulking about late at night. These stunning shots are a world away from the bland style that seemingly permeates every Netflix original.

story and creates a strange tonal dissonance between the somber grandeur of the series’ visual language and the thriller it’s supposed to be.

The cinematography can only engage the viewer for so long as they wait for the series to fulfill that implicit promise, to strip away the glamorous mystery of Ripley and see him for what he is. The first two episodes are a frustrating chore, as the series takes its time to get Tom to Italy and introduce him to Dickie Goodleaf and his girlfriend. It isn’t badly paced, but it’s frustrating to sit through

when multiple adaptations have filmed this story much more economically. The long, sweeping stills are inspired by films of the 60s, but, in the context of a miniseries, they become a slog. This is not a story that needed ten episodes.

But the length of the story could be forgiven if it were leading somewhere different than the previous adaptations of this story – if it did allow us to recontextualize Tom Ripley the way the series seems to imply it would. But Scott’s performance does not feel all that different from previous adaptations with the lack of the magnetic intensity typical of movie star charisma. In a television era that is more open to seeing the stories of queer characters, especially bad queer characters, there is more the series could have done with Ripley, but it doesn’t seem willing to go there. There were countless opportunities to help the audience view Tom Ripley differently, but the miniseries ultimately becomes a tired, lengthier retread H of previous adaptations.■

Verdict:

With no new insights to draw about Tom Ripley, this adaptation ultimately becomes a slideshow of pretty blackand-white images.

IMAGES DISTRIBUTED BY NETFLIX

19 TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

RADAR

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‘The Wages of Fear’: A ticking time bomb and the damning pursuit of capital Revisiting the classic French thriller based on George Arnaud’s novel.

LUKE LIAO Staff Writer

“The Wages of Fear” opens in a barren Latin American town where the skies are clear and the humidity is palpable. The town’s geography is never disclosed, but a plane ticket is seemingly the only way out. Wanting exactly this is Mario (Yves Montand), a suave Frenchman without work who loiters around the cantina. Mario treats his lover Linda (Véra Clouzot) and Italian roommate Luigi (Folco Luili) with haughtiness. It’s an ironic situation since they genuinely care for him and are employed — two rare things to come around in the town. It’s only when Jo (Charles Vanel), an aged Corscian with a checkered past, arrives that Mario seems to take an interest in someone other than himself. Also around and about is Bimba (Peter Van Eyck), a quiet German with a world-weary view. When an explosion at the Southern Oil Company’s fields calls for the transportation of nitroglycerine via trucks, the four men find work. The hitch is that a turn too sharp or too much pedal to the metal can cause everything around them to go up in flames.

These events constitute a lengthy, but necessary first half of “The Wages of Fear.” The stretch

of lethargy is purposeful, with director HenriGeorges Clouzot establishing the politics of the town’s civics, the ill-fated characters and overall, the calm before the storm. A rewatch and stricter comparison between the introductory first half and unletting second half reveals the necessity of the former’s runtime. Clouzot imbues a lot of humanity during this period, both positive and negative. Mario and Jo are intensely flawed characters, but human nonetheless. The state they find themselves in, financially and geographically stagnate, becomes almost irritable to the point where we can understand their choice to undertake these dangerous jobs, regardless of the numerous signs from the locals and Linda herself that the men should not accept this job. Whether

it’s their stubbornness, ignorance or both, it gets the best of them.

With the ingeniously simple stakes laid out, the back half of the film – the men’s trek across mountains to deliver the contact explosive – unfolds as a suspenseful thriller. But, what distinguishes Clouzot’s thriller from the benchmark is the usage of silence. Frank Herbert once stated, “The absence of a thing can be as deadly as the presence,” and this sentiment is certainly true for “The Wages of Fear.” Rather than having the typical eerie, plucking strings or a dramatic orchestra behind it, the images remain unaccompanied. The effect is potent and uneasy as we’re forced to nakedly observe men in brutish, cumbersome pieces of metal maneuver through washboards and other rugged terrains. Scattered throughout the film are some great insert shots that give the whole journey a terrible sense of tactility.

To make matters worse, the men aren’t the most cautious or patient with each other on the job. During a great banter between Mario and Jo, the junior argues that he has the guts to do the job, while the elder pushes back, stating he has the brains and foresight. Mario certainly has the guts, but whether there are any brains in the operation is questionable.

Numerous times Jo is seen smoking next to the trucks’ warning sign reading “No Smoking Within 50 Feet.” And inevitably, the nerves from the task at hand get to the pair and they begin to test each other’s competence. As viewers, we couldn’t care less about who’s right or wrong and focus on, rather, what’s in front of them on the road and if their eyes see this.

As the journey labors on and the men overcome obstacles, the film becomes hellish. A scene involving crossing a pit of oil is perhaps the epitome of this, with its excruciating, preventable brutality. Many shots evoke this feeling, whether it’s the ghastly images of the men in the truck, their faces heavily lit and surroundings dim, all that’s visible is their taut, sweaty expressions or the scene where Mario looks up at a towering inferno engulfing the oil rig.

“The Wages of Fear” is a film about a man pitted against himself and the unforgiving natural world. But, going back to the crucial first half,

it’s also a film about man against capitalism, and Clouzot isn’t shy about this. The Southern Oil Company’s foreman, Bill O’Brien (William Tubbs) is bluntly characterized. The few times we see the stout man, he’s eating and undercutting the law, giving orders to divert the blame for the explosion. The American operation is not just the only lucrative business in the South American town but has an iron grip on it with impoverished locals forced to earn wages toiling in the oil

fields. The town’s melting pot of backgrounds, as evident in the four men, is no coincidence – it’s a deliberation on how vulturish industrialists take no prisoners. As a whole, and especially with the film’s apt ending, Clouzot imagines the men’s journey – the pursuit of capital – as a death trap.■H PHOTOS COURTESY OF CINEDIS

20 TUESDAY, APR 9, 2024

Sports

SPORTS

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Highlander Hot Take: Alex “Poatan” Pereira sleeps Jamahal “Sweet Dreams” Hill in these UFC 300 predictions Alex Pereira will avenge Glover Teixeira at UFC 300.

ISAAC SOLNICK Staff Writer

On April 13, fight fans around the world will tune in to watch the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) biggest event to date. UFC 300 has finally arrived, and the fight card is loaded with exciting matchups. While UFC 300 won’t feature a legendary Conor McGregor return or a trilogy bout between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya, the UFC’s matchmakers still found a way to put three title fights on one night, albeit one of them is the BaddestMotherF***** (BMF) title.

With that out of the way, let’s jump right into the predictions. Every bout will not be predicted every single fight, but just the bouts which are the most intriguing and have sparked the most debate amongst the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) community.

Featherweight Bout: (#8) Calvin Kattar vs. (#2 BW) Aljamain Sterling Following an underwhelming title reign at Bantamweight (BW), Aljo did little to convince the matchmakers to give him a rematch against Sean O’Malley. With his opportunities at BW all gone, Aljo is making the step up to Featherweight (FTW) for the first time in his UFC career. While there were rumors of him fighting Max Holloway in a contender’s match, Sterling will be disappointed with his upcoming opponent.

Calvin Kattar is no doubt an exciting fighter, but he is nowhere close to a title shot. Kattar is coming off two consecutive losses and hasn't fought in almost 18 months due to an ACL tear. He’ll need to shake off some serious ring rust and brush up on his grappling before facing off against the former BW champion.

Losing a third straight bout could do serious damage to Kattar’s career.

Aljo will have learned his lesson after the O’Malley fight. Concerns

about the jump in weight class also are overblown with Aljo. Sterling will look to assert his dominance on the ground and wear down his older and less hydrated opponent. It won’t be pretty, but it will sure be effective.

Verdict: Sterling by Unanimous Decision Light Heavyweight Bout: (#2) Jiří Procházka vs. (#5) Aleksandar Rakić Procházka and Rakić each find themselves in similar positions. Both coming off serious injuries, either fighter could propel themselves into the title shot with a statement performance on Saturday. With both fighters also coming off losses, both fighters must win at any cost.

Procházka will look to use his unorthodox fighting style and knockout power to throw Rakic off his game. His funky, wild methods earned him highlight knockouts against Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes, but it cost him in his last bout against the refined striking of Alex Periera. The former champ is heavy-footed at times, and it will cost him again against Aleksandar Rakić.

Similar to Pereira, Rakić has a deep arsenal of kicks he can use against Jirí. Procházka tends to put a lot of weight on his lead leg, and Rakić will look to eat it up. Despite coming off an ACL tear, Rakić was wise to wait almost two years for this fight. He’s got a great chance to propel himself into a title bout against the winner of Saturday’s main event.

Verdict: Rakić by 3rd Round TKO Lightweight Bout: (#1) Charles Oliveira vs. (#4) Arman Tsarukyan Both Oliveira and Tsarukyan are each coming off first-round finishes against fan-favorite Beneil Dariush.

While both are known for their ability on the ground, they each show that they can pack a punch.

With a combined 16 Performance of

the Night Awards between the two athletes, you’re not going to want to miss this fight.

During his title reign, Do Bronx showed off his insane grappling skill and improved striking. In his recent fights, Oliveira has looked more comfortable on his feet and displayed serious power. He’s knocked out top contenders Michael Chandler and the aforementioned Beniel Dariush. When he’s rocked, he can rely on his grappling to get out of trouble.

However, in his title defense against Islam Makhachev, Makhachev used his wrestling background to overwhelm Oliveira’s bottom game. This can be an area where Tsarukyan can attack. He’s shown in his fights against Joel Álvarez and Joaquim Silva that he possesses a menacing top game. If he’s able to knock Do Bronx off his feet, Tsarukyan could end the fight very quickly.

This is also a three-round fight which benefits the less-experienced Tsarukyan. I’ve gone back and forth with this prediction. My heart keeps telling me to go with Oliveira, and it wouldn’t be shocking if he sneaked a submission win. However, Arman Tsarukyan appears ready to usher in a new era of young Lightweights.

Verdict: Tsarukyan by Unanimous Decision BMF Title Bout (155 lbs): (C) Justin Gaethje vs. (#2 FTW) Max Holloway It’s Max Holloway’s second time moving up to Lightweight in his UFC career. In his first Lightweight bout against Dustin Poirier, he was defeated decisively by the Diamond.

Blessed was plagued by his lack of knockout power and never really looked to threaten Poirier.

More of the same is coming for Holloway against Gaethje. The Human Highlight has one of the stron-

gest chins in the promotion and throws bombs, and Blessed isn’t the right type of fighter to be moving up in weight. Holloway’s ambition is commendable, but this fight just comes at the wrong time for him.

Verdict: Gaethje by Unanimous Decision Main Event - Light Heavyweight Title Bout: (C) Alex Pereira vs. (#1) Jamahal Hill Pereira’s adjustment to Light Heavyweight has been smooth like butter. In just two fights, he’s defeated two former champions and claimed the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship. The title was vacant because of an Achilles injury Jamahal Hill suffered while playing basketball. Hill hasn’t fought since his emphatic win against Pereira’s coach, Glover Teixeira, over a year ago.

Sweet Dreams ascended rapidly through the UFC rankings thanks to his incredible punching power. His knockouts of Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos are just a sample of what he is capable of.

Despite not possessing a reach disadvantage, Hill is going to have to close the distance against Pereira.

If he stays in kicking range, Poatan will dance around him and destroy his legs. Fortunately for Hill, he relishes the opportunity to apply the pressure. But if he’s too aggressive, he could get caught with a mean left hook from the champions.

Sweet Dreams needs to find the sweet spot when managing distance Pereira, but it just does not appear possible. He’ll need to shake up plenty of ring rust whereas Poatan has been extremely active since joining the UFC. Pereira has more roads to victory and his refined striking and experience (MMA and Kickboxing) will make the difference.

Verdict: Pereira by 5th round TKO ■H

UC Riverside Posts Strong Results at the Wyoming Cowgirl TERRY NGUYEN Contributing Writer

The UC Riverside Women’s Golf Team traveled to Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa, Arizona, to participate in the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic, which is hosted by the University of Wyoming.

The event took place April 3 to April 4, and players played the 18-hole course three times. The Highlanders finished seventh place in the team standings out of 21 schools, shooting a combined team score of +17 (881). Sacramento State took home the team title, shooting a combined team score of -4 (860).

Emma Bunch, a sophomore from Denmark who represents New Mexico State, was crowned the individual champion after posting -9 after three rounds. Bunch finished three strokes clear of runner-up, Leia Chung of Boise State.

The highest finisher in the individual tournament for the Highlanders was fifth-year student Mylan Hirata, who finished even par over the three rounds, shooting 73-72-71 (216) and T9. Hirata played all three rounds without a double-bogey or worse on any hole and had nine birdies and bogeys in the event.

Senior Vanessa Betancourt finished +4 for the tournament, shooting 74-76-70 (220) and T23. Betancourt caught fire on the back-nine in the final round, with birdies on hole 11, 12, and 16 to go with zero bogeys.

Mitzi Duarte finished T33 (+6), Janna Andaya finished T40 (+8), and Riley Shin finished T74 (+15). The women’s golf team will finish their season at the Big West Championships in Las Vegas at Spanish Trail Country Club (April 14-16).■H