THE DAILY WILDCAT SINCE 1899, THE STUDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA & TUCSON • ONLINE, ALL THE TIME, AT DAILYWILDCAT.COM
VOLUME 114 • ISSUE 135 • March/April 2021 • Special Edition
Tucson is still our favorite place — even in a pandemic Tucson is not only home to the University of Arizona, but also to art, science and a colorful community — each contributing to the city in its own unique way. This DailyWildcat special edition looks to highlight everything we love about this desert town! Tucson Mural Guide Pg. 12
Explore Tucson Science Pg. 19
Unique Tucson Styles Pg. 21
More
2 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
Tucson Appreciation | VOLUME 114, ISSUE 135 Arts & Life
5
News
Sports
Tucson food trucks culture spikes in pandemic
10
Neighborhood farms could help food desert
Roundtable: What is your favorite sports arena in Tucson?
Arts & Life
Arts & Life
12
Just a few of Tucson’s vibrant murals
Tucson’s airbnbs continue to bring in business
News
20
11
15
Opinion
Tucson shows its many colors year-round
21
Arts & Life
Tucson style is unique and fun for everyone
22
Take a look at just a few of Tucson’s artistic traffic stops
For more content updated daily, visit dailywildcat.com. To submit story pitches or community commentary, email storyideas@dailywildcat.com or message us through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @DailyWildcat VOLUME 114 • ISSUE 135 Editor-in-Chief Sam Burdette editor@dailywildcat.com
Sports Editor Jacob Mennuti sports@dailywildcat.com
Opinions Editor Kayleigh Cook opinion@dailywildcat.com
Managing Editor Pascal Albright pascal@dailywildcat.com
Assistant Sports Editor Ari Koslow arikoslow@dailywildcat.com
Assistant Opinions Editor Aidan Rhodes aidanr@dailywildcat.com
News Editor Priya Jandu news@dailywildcat.com
Enterprise Editor Capri Fain caprif@dailywildcat.com
Copy Chief JT Thorpe copy@dailywildcat.com
Science Editor Amit Syal science@dailywildcat.com
Arts & Life Editor Ella McCarville arts@dailywildcat.com
Assistant Copy Chief Grant Forgues GrantF@dailywildcat.com
Assistant News/Science Editor(s) Maggie Rockwell maggier@dailywildcat.com Jillian Bartsch jillianb@dailywildcat.com
Assistant Arts & Life Editor Katie Beauford katieb@dailywildcat.com
Writing Coach Amber Soland ambers@dailywildcat.com
Mikayla Kaber mikaylak@dailywildcat.com
THE DAILY WILDCAT
News Reporters Kristijan Barnjak Ian Tisdale Briana Aguilar Hillary Schiff Annie Gao Sydney Jones Noah Cullen
Science Reporters Udbhav Venkataraman Andres Diaz Vivian Alonso Briana Aguilar Arts & Life Reporters Diana Ramos Gloria Gómez Gabriella Cobian Allison Fagan Abbie Kosoc
Tia Stephens Katiana Coste Bellah Nelson
Sports Reporters Johnnie Mitchell Jake Faigus Ryan Wohl CJ Lala Devin Homer Seth Litwin Patrick Carr Jordan White Sean Fagan Bryan Savic Enterprise Reporters Dmitri Rudakewich Grant Hoover Vic Verbalaitis
March/April 2021 (March 26, 2021)
Photographers/ Multimedia Reporters Megan Ewing Chloe Hislop Nathaniel Stenchover Caitlin Claypool Emily Ellis
Opinion Writers Selena Kuikahi Geri Espinosa Andrea Moreno Lauren Borelli Aidan Rhodes Payton Toomey Sean Fagan Copy Editors Brynne Feinberg Hannah Martuscello Frances Drye
KAMP Student Radio General Manager Brody Dryden gm@KAMP.arizona.edu
Anais Martinez Sohi Kang Design Chief Pascal Albright Business Development Gracie Munson Johnny Tackitt Ian Green Advertising Design Katie Yung UATV 3 General Manager Joseph Rogers gm@UATV.arizona.edu
ABOUT THE DAILY WILDCAT: The Daily Wildcat is the University of Arizona’s student-run, independent news source. While publishing daily online at DailyWildcat.com, its print edition is distributed on campus and throughout Tucson during fall and spring semesters. The function of the Wildcat is to disseminate news to
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CORRECTIONS: Corrections or complaints concerning Daily Wildcat content should be directed to the editor-in-chief. For further information on the Daily Wildcat’s approved grievance policy, readers may contact Brett Fera, director of Arizona Student Media, in the Sherman R. Miller 3rd Newsroom at the University Services Building. NEWS TIPS: (520) 621-3193 The Daily Wildcat is always interested in story ideas and tips from readers. If you see something deserving of coverage, contact the newsroom at storyideas@dailywildcat.com or call 621-3193.
Cover Illustration by Ella McCarville
Special Edition • March/April 2021
DailyWildcat.com • 3
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4 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | LETTER FROM THE EDITOR | COVID-19
BY SAM BURDETTE @SuperSafetySam
Hey there, Wildcats! If you can believe it, we’re already almost halfway through our spring semester. Which, sadly, also means we’re coming up on a year in this pandemic. A year ago today, COVID-19 was a looming threat whose magnitude we could never have predicted that, in a few short weeks, would change just about every part of the way we live our day-to-day lives. I’m not sure if you can empathize, but I find myself watching television shows where people are in crowds and immediately thinking, “What are they doing without their masks!?” — and it doesn’t matter if it’s a modern show or a movie from the 1970s, the thought is still there. It’s reframed the way I see almost everything, something I never would have anticipated when just less than a year ago, we were being told to expect an extra two days of Spring Break or just three weeks of online classes. We at the Daily Wildcat have also had to drastically adjust the way we produce content. For one thing, this is only the seventh print edition we’ve put out since March 2020: quite the shift from putting out editions weekly. But despite only producing a few specials here and there, like this one, we’ve remained online, all the time, and have newsletters hitting University of Arizona student, alumni, professor and parent email inboxes every single day of the work week. We are just as committed to bringing you the UA news you need to know now as we were the week before the pandemic struck. In this special edition, you’ll find a curated selection of stories showcasing what makes Tucson, the home of our university. Whether you’re living on campus or attending classes from the other side of the world, we at the Wildcat wanted to put together an edition highlighting the qualities that make the city beyond the few blocks of the university so unique. Be sure to check out our website at DailyWildcat.com, updated daily with the campus news you need to know and the Tucson culture you want to see. And if you ever have any thoughts or questions about our coverage, don’t hesitate to email me at editor@dailywildcat.com. I hope you all are not just surviving, but thriving, in your third semester online. Stay safe, be smart, stop the spread and Bear Down! Sincerely, Sam Burdette | Editor-in-Chief
Is Tucson’s COVID-19 curfew still in effect? BY JILLIAN BARTSCH @_thisisjillian_
The Tucson City Council passed an emergency curfew Friday, Dec. 4, that was supposed to end on Dec. 23. The curfew was later changed to continue until COVID-19 cases fell below 100 per 100,000 residents. Some bars and restaurants filed a lawsuit against Pima County because of the curfew. This led to a superior court judge ruling that the Pima County curfew violates state law. According to the court ruling, “Plaintiffs argue the County is without legal authority to impose the curfew, and that the curfew is unreasonable and unconstitutional on several grounds.” An executive order was issued by Gov. Doug Ducey, stating that no county can make or issue any order or regulation that includes restricting people from leaving their homes due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The curfew began as a voluntary curfew but changed to a mandatory curfew on Dec. 15. Dr. Francisco Garcia, deputy Pima County administrator and chief medical officer, testified that county inspectors investigated compliance with the voluntary curfew. They found 30% of the locations they observed were noncompliant with the curfew. The Board of Supervisors changed the curfew to mandatory after seeing the noncompliance and the rise in cases. After the court looked at the facts of the case, they concluded on Jan. 19 that the curfew violated Ducey’s executive order and they found that the plaintiffs are entitled to relief. Pima Supervisor Chair Sharon Bronson released the following statement after the court’s ruling: “Pima County is obviously disappointed in Judge Kellie Johnson’s Preliminary Injunction
LAUREN SALGADO | THE DAILY WILDCAT
STUDENTS RIDING SCOOTERS ON University Boulevard in front of Gentle Ben’s Brewing during the pandemic on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020. They are not wearing masks as, is now required by anyone on campus.
restricting the County Health Department from enforcing a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew throughout Pima County. … In the meantime, Pima County Chief Medical Officer Dr. Francisco Garcia urges all businesses to continue to voluntarily adhere to the curfew and limit gatherings.” A few days after the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, Pima County filed an appeal to reinstate the 10 p.m. curfew. The Superior Court denied Pima County’s appeal.
The plaintiff bars have extended their hours to their normal closing time.
For more Tucson COVID-19 information visit pima.gov or DailyWildcat.com
Special Edition • March/April 2021
DailyWildcat.com • 5
TUCSON APPRECIATION | FOOD CULTURE
Tucson food trucks overcome challenges during the pandemic BY GABRIELLA COBIAN @gabriellacobian
Last year marked a new beginning for upand-coming business owners in the food industry. The pandemic has caused many food services to shut down along with all the grief and setbacks. A few new mobile food services like these three Tucson food truck businesses were finding ways to work in the food industry despite the difficulties.
Wrapido
University of Arizona alumnus Gregory Smith was the executive chef at the Marriott University Park Hotel for 21 years until the Marriott closed down all food and beverage services in March 2020. Smith found himself out of work waiting for his industry to get better. When the pandemic got worse, Smith and his wife Elizabeth Warburton-Smith decided to open up a mobile food kitchen business. Along with Smith’s background in the food industry, the couple was faced with a maze of permits, certifications and licenses to open up their food services. Smith and his wife grow organic produce in a one-acre Rita Ranch Community Garden and harvest desert foods. The trailer they use is a cheery green made to fit their aesthetic of healthy and locally grown food. Wrapido provides at-home delivery services while moving around from Marana to Vail. Sometimes Wrapido rents time at a commercial kitchen commissary located in Corona de Tucson. “We are now in search of a location with a commercial kitchen that we can not only work out of for our own business but to use as a support site for other home-based food businesses and food truck operators,” Smith said via email. “We would like to help budding entrepreneurs and chefs get a solid start by offering our support and knowledge to help ensure their success too.” Although events like the Fourth Avenue Street Fair have been canceled, the business has been going well for Wrapido. Smith noted there tended to be more individual customers instead since people may have felt more comfortable picking up food to-go over sitting down in a restaurant.
COURTESY EXPOSITO
THE OWNER OF CUCUSA’S Caribbean Cuisine Dayami Exposito’s bright orange food truck was parked and open for business. It is one of many food trucks that have opened since the pandemic.
Wrapido serves grilled chicken wraps and organic foods with keto or vegan options to choose from. The chicken in the wraps is humanely treated and each wrap has a mix of eight types of raw veggies according to Smith. The couple grows their own chilis and even a line of seasonings they incorporate into the business. For more information on Wrapido, their full menu, location and hours, visit their website, eatwrapido.com.
Cucusa’s Caribbean Cuisine
Dayami Exposito is a Cuban native who grew up in Puerto Rico. Food has always been apart of her culture. Her father was a food truck owner who is now opening up a restaurant in Puerto Rico. Exposito said she decided to open up a food truck since her love for her children and cooking is so robust. In order to pass inspections, more requirements were expected by the Pima County Health Department due to COVID-19. In March 2020, Exposito and her daughters were ready to open their services up until the pandemic hit. They waited until May to open up, and, for a while, the business was a big success since so many restaurants closed. As time went on, business fell apart since more options became available as restaurants started opening up.
Exposito’s main dishes are Puerto Rican and Cuban. Every time Exposito goes out, the main dishes change depending on her access to certain ingredients. The truck serves Caribbean bowls with a few options to choose such as Puerto Rican Pigeon Pea Rice or Cuban Ropa Vieja Beef. “I cannot go out as often right now because getting the food truck set and ready costs a lot of money,” Exposito said. “That’s why right now we are limited to go out only once a week, but hopefully things are going to get better. So far I’m happy I’m still out cooking and every day we get new people.” Exposito was hoping to work at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show but learned it was canceled this year. Typically, Exposito parks her food truck outside of local breweries like the Arizona Beer House on a Friday or Saturday. For more information on Cucusa’s Caribbean Cuisine visit their website, cucusascaribbean-cuisine. square.site
With her husband being an essential worker and both of her sons in online learning, Lorenzo said she wanted to explore a new career path. Lorenzo had previously owned a salon and worked as a nail technician. With no experience in the food industry and a new home, Lorenzo felt it was the right time for a new adventure. “Opening any business during a pandemic and in a new state has its challenges but we have been fortunate to have found a very supportive and knowledgeable community in our fellow food truckers,” Lorenzo said via email. “It has been a wonderful experience thus far and the support from the Puerto Rican community and those looking for a new sweet experience have been overwhelming.” On occasion, Lorenzo brings Puerto Rican culture and favors to the Arizona Beer House on weekends. Lorenzo serves frappes inspired by Puerto Rican desserts, the frappes are decorated with extras like candy and cookies and whipped cream. Lorenzo’s dessert trailer is easily recognizable with a symbol of a Coquí frog on it originating from the Taíno, people who are Indigenous to the Caribbean. The frog is native to the island of Puerto Rico and the Taíno symbol is a fixture within Lorenzo’s culture. For more information on The Sweet Coquí, visit their Facebook or Instagram.
The Sweet Coquí
Taitira Lorenzo, born in Puerto Rico and raised in Connecticut, relocated her family to Tucson in April of 2020.
TUCSON FUN FACT: Some of the earliest evidence of corn cultivation in North America comes from Pima County, Arizona, where Tucson is located. Archaeologists have recovered kernels estimated to be 4,000 years old within 60 miles of the city.
6 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | LOCAL BUSINESS ANA BELTRAN | THE DAILYWILDCAT
FOURTH AVENUE IS A historical shopping center for local businesses, attracting customers from all around. The SunLink streetcar allows for easier access to and from campus.
CARES Act to keep Tucson’s small businesses running BY SYDNEY JONES @sydney_jones21
The City of Tucson Mayor and Council have allocated over $11.6 million to struggling small businesses during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, which allowed for each state to receive a minimum of $1.25 billion. Tucson’s population made the city eligible for a direct allocation of $95.6 million, with $11.6 million going directly to small business and nonprofit continuity grants. Barbra Coffee is the Director of Economic Initiatives for the City of Tucson and helped lead weekly webinars for small business owners to guide them through the financial difficulties of the pandemic. “Part of the instructions from the federal government was to utilize those funds to support small businesses during this challenging time,” Coffee said. “We quickly began to look at what we can do to support businesses that were impacted by the forced closures and changes in business hours.” According to Coffee, many of the smaller and more vulnerable businesses
were unable to receive funding as quickly as others that already had banking relationships in Tucson. Mayor Regina Romero and the Tucson City Council worked to make sure these businesses were still getting the help they needed to remain open. “We created some eligibility criteria to give preference to those businesses that were women and minority-owned and businesses that were owned by veterans or disabled persons,” Coffee said. “With that we were able to help folks access their share to help them through this really trying time where businesses were losing 70 to 80 percent of their revenue almost overnight.” Steve Kozachik is the Ward 6 council member and has worked with the rest of the Tucson City Council over the course of the pandemic to allocate funds to small businesses and nonprofit organizations. “Anywhere you see outdoor seating that’s out on the sidewalks, that’s as a result of the easing of the regulations and also putting some cash into their pocket to help buy furniture, because it’s not like they had that in storage just waiting to be put outdoors,” Kozachik said. Tucson’s businesses had to scramble in
order to quickly adapt to the pandemic’s new rules. Outdoor seating and to-go orders were challenging hurdles at first, but many business owners have made it work over time. Monique Vallery is the creative director and COO of the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association and has worked tirelessly to provide one-on-one support for the small businesses on Fourth Avenue. “A lot of them had to shift business models, but they’re creative and figuring it out,” Vallery said. “Some things are really working and some aren’t, but we’re just all going to keep trying.” Mayor and Council were able to allocate another $3 million to small businesses in December from the original $95 million the city received in March. “I can think of at least a dozen times right off the bat when I had the honor of safely handing somebody a check and they said, ‘You just kept us open,’” Vallery said. “So we know that this certainly helps, we know it made a difference.” For small business owners in the community, receiving that $5,000 check meant more to them than others could imagine. Not only could they keep their
doors open and continue providing for their families, but they could also remain a pillar in the community for those adamant about shopping local. “Shop local and pay attention to independently-owned and operated enterprises in your community because those dollars truly stay local,” Coffee said. “If you have a choice of eating at McDonald’s or eating at Gentle Ben’s, choose local.” Although the option of shopping small isn’t always available, it’s still important to remember to support the local community in any way possible. “Small businesses are the number one generator of economic activity in our city,” Kozachik said. “They are our economic engine.” Without small businesses in the community, the local government system couldn’t operate in the way it does today. Corporations and big-box stores may rule the stock market, but small businesses make the local community run smoothly. “They are generating sales taxes that fund our budget, so we’re all in this together and that’s why it’s so important for us to make sure that they’re healthy,” Kozachik said.
TUCSON FUN FACT: In 2013, a new species of scorpion was discovered in the Santa Catalina Mountains, which are visible from Downtown Tucson. Biologist Rob Bryson Jr. discovered the species in the Santa Catalinas’ “sky islands”—isolated mountaintop habitats known for their biodiversity.
Special Edition • March/April 2021
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8 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | SPORTS STADIUMS
Roundtable: Hi Corbett Field
What is your favorite sports stadium in Tucson? McKale Center
BY JACOB MENNUTI @jacob_mennuti
I have had a ton of unforgettable memories at almost every stadium in Tucson. From being rained out at Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium for the first game in the newly renovated stadium to soaking up the April sun at Bear Down Beach for my first assignment as a reporter for the Daily Wildcat. But Hi Corbett Field will always be my favorite stadium in Tucson for one reason alone: the sunsets. It was the first stadium in Tucson that I had ever been to as I was a senior in high school when I toured the campus during my spring break. The Arizona baseball team was hosting a series against Stanford the weekend that I was in town. So being the die-hard baseball fan that I am, I had to carve time out of my schedule to visit Hi Corbett Field to watch a game. I had never seen a sunset as amazing as the one that painted the sky behind the right field wall that night. I thought I had gotten lucky seeing a sunset like that but little did I know, that was just another normal night at Hi Corbett Field.
BY JAKE FAIGUS @jake_faigus
ANA BELTRAN | THE DAILY WILDCAT
THE TICKET WINDOW AT Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, where the University of Arizona baseball team plays.
BY ARI KOSLOW @Koslow_ari
My favorite sports stadium in Tucson is Hi Corbett Field, home to the Arizona baseball team. It will always have a special place in my heart as baseball was the first sport I covered with the Daily Wildcat, thus being the first stadium I attended on a consistent basis in Tucson. I will never forget the first game I covered, where I was able to partake in an interview on the field with legendary Wildcat baseball player and MLB Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman, who was having his jersey retired by the Wildcats ahead of the 2019 season opener.
Arizona Stadium While on the outside, Arizona Stadium looks like a concrete jungle. Once inside, it gives off the charm of an old-school stadium that’s perfect for watching a game. The stadium is simple to find your seat and each section is well-marked. The new renovations make it easier to get concessions and makes the stadium look
BY SETH LITWIN @Seth_Litwin
more modern inside without sacrificing the feel of an older stadium. The stadium is a sea of blue and red on gameday and you can’t walk 10 feet without hearing someone yell “bear down!” Whether you are sitting in the ZonaZoo or the nosebleeds, there isn’t a bad seat in the house.
BY C.J. LALA @cjlala43
The best stadium in all of Tucson to me is the McKale Center. The biggest reason this stadium stands out to me is because of the historical significance of the building. Lute Olson built a team in that stadium and Sean Miller has continued the dominance in that building. He helped build a 71-game winning streak in that building and ever since Olson was there, the building has become one of the best home arenas in all of college basketball. Arizona fans have continued to show up and be present no matter who is the coach. Personally, the first time I was in the building as a fan was in 2018. While I don’t remember the team they were playing, I do remember that the team wasn’t nearly as good as they have been, and the fans still showed up and were as loud as they would have been if the team was ranked in the top 10 — and they were facing a team that was in the top 10. The best part about McKale will always be the fans because they are the best fans in all of college basketball, and they are also incredibly basketball savvy.
BY JORDAN WHITE @Jordan_white13
In my three years here at the University of Arizona I have been to many football, basketball and baseball games for the school. Arizona has many great facilities but they do not compare to McKale Center. The atmosphere is unmatched when it is filled with Arizona’s fans. My favorite memory from the building is not from the prominent basketball program at Arizona, but the volleyball team. I covered them during the 2019-20 season. They held their annual Dig Pink Game in honor of Breast Cancer awareness where the Wildcats wore pink jerseys and the team also invited some of the local club volleyball teams to the game. They sold out all the available seating. Unfortunately, they did lose to No. 20 Utah 3-1. But the fans were engaged until the end and gave the team the competitive edge that Arizona’s fans always create.
Tucson Arena
My favorite sports arena in Tucson is the Tucson Arena at the Tucson Convention Center. I have only been there a few times. However, it made a lasting impression on me because it introduced me to the sport of hockey. I obviously knew what hockey was already, but growing up in California, I knew only one person that played it. None of my friends or family were ever interested in it so I never felt the urge to check it out. But that changed during my junior year
at the University of Arizona. One of my former roommates was on the UA men’s club hockey team and invited us to a few of his games. After I finally agreed to go, I got to experience the support of hockey for the first time. Though it was only at the collegiate club level, it was still exciting and different from other sports like basketball and football. I will always remember stepping into that arena for the first time and giving something new a chance.
TUCSON FUN FACT: The Arizona State University Sun Devils and the University of Arizona Wildcats have a longstanding rivalry that dates back to their first meeting in 1889. Each year, the teams compete for the Territorial Cup, the oldest rivalry trophy in college football.
Special Edition • March/April 2021
DailyWildcat.com • 9
TUCSON APPRECIATION | SPORTS STADIUMS
THE WILDCAT SPECIAL Now offering 10% discount for UA Students and Faculty
ELIJAH BIA | THE DAILY WILDCAT
A FRONT FACING VIEW of the McKale center located off of the UA Mall.
BY SEAN FAGAN @SeanSoCal
My favorite arena in Tucson is McKale Center. Funny thing is, I have never been to the arena! I am an online student and I live in California. However, what makes it my favorite arena is its personal significance to me. Before I joined the Daily Wildcat, I had never written a sports piece for a newspaper. The week I was hired, my first assignment
BY BRYAN SAVIC @bryan_savic
I recall being outside with a colleague of mine from KAMP Radio. We were eager to get in and start putting all our equipment together. It was a huge game in Pac-12 play between Oregon and Arizona. The anticipation was killing us as we were waiting for the check-in desk and security to finally let us in. Once we were given clearance, we both raced up to the media area to put everything together as we only had 30 minutes until the game started. It was my first time doing play-by-play announcing for KAMP. My colleague and I turned our heads and looked at each other, knowing that this was going to be a significant game. A game that we would never forget. The arena, of course, made the game ever more significant. McKale Center was electric that day as it always is for every men’s basketball game. Its pristine beauty matched with the roars of Tucsonans in the crowd was poetic. You could feel their passionate screams vibrate your seats
was to watch the Arizona Wildcats take on ASU and discuss the game on our weekly podcast. I tuned into the game and it ended up being a nail biter! Arizona won on a tip in, and I was so excited. I could not wait to get on the podcast and talk about everything. I have always wanted to cover sports for a living, and that game played in McKale Center was the first step on a journey to making my dreams come true.
and the entire arena for that matter. It was unlike any college sports atmosphere I have ever been in. I will go out in a limb and say that McKale is the college basketball equivalent of Liverpool’s Anfield stadium in terms of crowd noise. Certainly a hot take but a take I’m sticking with, nonetheless. The crowd for this game against Oregon got so rowdy to the point that I became worried that they might trigger a seismic earthquake. The game’s result ended in Oregon securing a hard-fought victory in overtime with a final score of 73-72. Oregon’s Payton Pritchard went off in this game with an impressive stat line of 38 points, six rebounds and four assists. It was surreal to witness him bask in the roars of boos coming from the Arizona faithful. I can tell it gave him great pleasure to sink Arizona once again, especially in McKale. It was a great game regardless as this was the first time I was really exposed to the magic of McKale. An amazing and fun atmosphere that is unprecedented. The first step I took inside the arena, I knew right away I was stepping on sacred ground.
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10 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | TUCSON COMMUNITY
OPINION: Tucson takes care of its community BY SELENA KUIKAHI @femcelforum
W
IAN GREE N | THE DAILY WILDCAT
A LOOK AT THE city of Tucson from Tumamoc HIll. The city offers many resources to its communities.
ith a population of nearly a million people, Tucson is a lot bigger than it feels. The city is made up of small communities that come together to make this pocket of Southern Arizona the beautiful mosaic that it is today. There are many things to appreciate about this wonderful city. One thing that I’ve particularly come to love is the way that Tucson takes care of itself. I would be remiss if I didn’t take this time to pipe down and let a few mutual aid and community development organizations take the floor. Without further ado, here are five organizations that put the people of Tucson first: 1. Barrio Neighborhood Coalition: https://bnctucson.org/ With the rising growth of Tucson, Barrio Neighborhood Coalition works to ensure that this development doesn’t come at the cost of its people. Assembled of community members and representatives from neighborhood associations and nonprofits, they band together to disseminate information to the public and advocate for their communities. “Our goal is to protect barrio/neighborhood identity and culture in the face of gentrification and displacement. Our goals are to amplify the voices of existing communities in gentrifying neighborhoods and address the growing economic disparities in Tucson. We seek to educate residents about the drivers of gentrification and support their efforts to take a proactive approach to fighting displacement.” I offer this initial spotlight to the BNC because, as an out-of-state student, I didn’t realize the impact that my relocation might have on the Tucson community. The University of Arizona, with respect to all the good that it provides, has altered Tucson drastically. With the influx of luxury student housing to the continually increasing
student population, it is important to be aware of what the presence a mass like the University has done to the city, especially Central Tucson. This topic is much greater than I can summarize in a few sentences, so I encourage anyone reading this to please take some time to research college area gentrification. 2. Amistades, Inc.: www. amistadesinc.org Culture and community preservation is at the forefront of what Amistades, Inc. stands for. This community development organization is Latino-led and Latinoserving and has become a leader in substance abuse prevention services for youths and families. Amistades, Inc. offers addiction support programs and mentoring, bilingual programs that support the education of parents and their children, HIV/AIDS prevention and much more. They advocate for social justice and community empowerment all the while staying grounded in their Latino core values and promoting rich cultural pride. Keep up with their Instagram (@amistadesinc) for information on their upcoming events and outreach projects and informational meetings regarding their services. Their last virtual event was all about Latina artists, of both past and present, who helped build and celebrate Latinx culture. 3. ROOT + BRANCH This group is comprised of bodyworkers, herbalists, nutritionists and more who offer free health services to communities in need. ROOT + BRANCH is an extension of The Stone Cabin collective, an all-volunteer group offering the same forms of holistic healing. Their work originated as an act of solidarity and support of the Navajo people of Black Mesa. ROOT + BRANCH is built from a foundation of decolonization and advocacy work that now expands into Southern Arizona. Because of the COVID19 outbreak, this collective has switched its gears from their original services of therapists, herbalists, nutritionists, etc. and has focused on supporting other local mutual aid organizations. Food Not Bombs, Tucson Medic Initiative and Black Mesa Coronavirus Relief Effort are three valuable orgs that are supported by ROOT
+ BRANCH and also deserve attention for their important work. 4. South Tucson Community Outreach: https://www.southtucsonco. com/ The City of South Tucson, as well as the rest of the south side area, is home to South Tucson Community Outreach. This mutual aid collective has collaborated with The Garden Kitchen, the UA’s own gardening and cooking education program, as well as Sunnyside Foundation to provide food, school supplies, emergency relief funds and more. Currently, they are offering free groceries (including delivery) to anyone in the southside that is facing food insecurity. Not only do they provide this compassionate assistance, during a pandemic nonetheless, but they also use their social media to highlight important community events, protests and outreach initiatives held by other organizations. 5. The Tucson Abortion Support Collective: https://www. abortionintucson.org/home_english Access to reproductive healthcare was already a tricky arena to navigate before the pandemic. Now, collectives such as TASC are revamping their approaches in order to continue their support of Tucsonans’ health and safety. TASC offers emotional, physical, informational and logistical support for anyone in need of abortion care. With emergency contraception drives and distribution, financial assistance and abortion funding, and even offering free rides to care clinics. This group is truly doing all they can to uphold values of reproductive rights, access and justice. All this while taking necessary COVID precautions. Thank you! If you’d like more information about The Tucson Abortion Support Collective, please visit their website or take a look at their Instagram (@abortionintucson). They post frequent updates on their services and are a worthwhile resource to keep in mind. — Selena Kuikahi (she/her) is a senior studying both film and television and law
TUCSON FUN FACT: The Fourth Avenue underpass doubles as a one-of-a-kind photo gallery. Roughly 7,000 tiles bearing black and white portraits of 21st-century Tucsonans line the walls.
Special Edition • March/April 2021
DailyWildcat.com • 11
TUCSON APPRECIATION | FOOD RESOURCE
Rainwater harvesting and urban agriculture may be the solution to Tucson’s food deserts BY KRISTIJAN BARNJAK @KBarnjak
A new study from University of Arizona researchers highlights the potential to utilize public land and rainwater harvesting to minimize food insecurity in Tucson. The study was co-authored by Courtney Crosson, an assistant professor of architecture at the UA’s College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture, and Yinan Zhang, a geography graduate student, as well as two others from Arizona State University. It focused on the city of Tucson, a waterstressed, medium-sized city and known food desert. Food deserts are defined in the study as “low-income neighborhoods that have little to no access to healthy and affordable foods.” Zhang noted that some areas identified as food deserts are concentrated in west Tucson. “The darkest area [of the map], where it has the highest vacant land per capita, should be the areas around Santa Rosa Park and Ormsby Park and the several block groups along S Nogales Highway, north to Tucson International Airport,” Zhang told the Daily Wildcat via email. Researchers identified 711 acres of land in Tucson as food deserts and more than 1,500 acres within one mile of the food deserts that could be converted to use for urban agriculture. “The study estimated the food cultivation
capacity of vacant municipal land,” Crosson said via email. “In other words, land owned by the City or County that was not currently used and not ecologically protected. For example, many parcels were flood plain areas bordering washed. Unlike vacant land that is owned by developers or private citizens, this land is well positioned to support urban agriculture because it is publicly held.” Crosson added that one way to incentivize cultivation of this land is for the city or county to lease it to small-scale farmers for a low price, like $1 per year. If done effectively, all of the land identified by the study could be irrigated by both reclaimed water and rainwater harvesting. This decentralized method of harvesting would include equipping city rooftops with the infrastructure for rainwater harvesting and constructing large storage units to store water during dry periods. In order to meet 100% of the nutritional needs of individuals in food deserts, food would need to be shared between neighborhoods depending on each area’s needs. With full collaboration, Crosson said that she believes the city could substantially alleviate food insecurity in food desert areas. “In our study,” Crosson said, “results were modelled at the neighborhood block group. There were three modelled levels of community collaboration: full, only between adjacent neighborhood block groups, and none. Full community collaboration meant that any food cultivated in any neighborhood block group could be used to meet the needs
COURTESY YINAN ZHANG
RESEARCH OUT OF THE University of Arizona aims to target food insecurity in Tucson via the use of neighborhood farming.
of any other neighborhood food desert block group. I believe this type of full collaboration is possible with the right communication infrastructure.” An example of what full collaboration might look like is a citywide food distribution system that delivered fruits and vegetables from the harvesting location to anywhere in Tucson.
The study originated from a request by Pima County officials looking to see how public land and rainwater harvesting could be used to minimize food insecurity in Tucson. The city is one of the poorest metropolitan areas in the U.S. and almost 18% of its population – 94,000 people – lives in an area classified as a food desert.
Listen to DW Podcasts! New episodes weekly! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you stream! Rate, Comment, Subcribe & Share! Behind the Beaker [Mondays], Hoops [Wednesdays], Play Ball [Wednesdays], Wildcat Weekly Recap [Fridays], This is My Opinion [Fridays], More Soon! ... TUCSON FUN FACT: El Charro Café is the oldest Mexican restaurant in the U.S. continuously operated by the same family.
12 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | MURALS
MURALS | TUCSON APPRECIATION
Tucson community displays its creativity through city-wide murals A misconception about the desert is that it is devoid of color. Not only is this disproven in the Sonoran Desert’s flora and fauna, but also with Tucson’s artists. Tucson’s streets are adorned with murals from local artists, each telling its own story and bringing color to the desert community.
TOP LEFT: The Tucson Bikes mural can be found on the corner of East Sixth Street and North Echols Avenue. (VINCENT TRAN | THE DAILY One of Jessica Gonzales’ most recent works, “Tucson Together,” painted in 2020, can be seen on the Playground Bar & Lounge. Gonzales’s mural served as, “A reminder that we are in this together, we must fight together, and we will get through this together,” Gonzales said according to an Instagram post she made after completing the mural. ALLISON FAGAN | THE DAILY WILDCAT TOP RIGHT: Featured on the Rialto Theatre, “We Wish You Heaven” by Joe Pagac was completed in 2016 to serve as a tribute to Prince after his recent passing that year. In the piece, Prince can be seen in one of his famous outfits wearing angel wings and a halo as he rides a motorcycle with his “love symbol” emblazoned on the side. ALLISON FAGAN | THE DAILY WILDCAT BOTTOM LEFT: The Greetings from Tucson mural is located near Miller’s Surplus at 406 N. Sixth Ave. VINCENT TRAN | THE DAILY WILDCAT BOTTOM CENTER: “Martin Drug Co” by Jessica Gonzales was painted in 2017 and continues to sit on display on East Congress Street at the Playground Bar & Lounge. Gonzales, a prominent muralist in Tucson, has also painted murals across the city on businesses like Hotel McCoy and The Loft Cinema. ALLISON FAGAN | THE DAILY WILDCAT RIGHT CENTER: This 2020 artistic collaboration between Joe Pagac and Robbie Lee Harris sits on the side of the Rialto Theatre. Painted during the height of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests last June, the mural features a Black woman tearfully blowing on a dandelion as she is surrounded with the words “Justice,” “Love,” “Peace,” “Freedom,” “Equality” and “Liberty.” ALLISON FAGAN | THE DAILY WILDCAT BOTTOM RIGHT: Located in the alley near 31 N. Sixth Ave., “PETA Piñata” was completed by Ignacio Garcia in 2019. According to an interview with KGUN9, the boy in the mural is a depiction of Garcia’s son, with the painting having been inspired by Garcia’s childhood memory of being chased by bulls. ALLISON FAGAN | THE DAILY WILDCAT WILDCAT TOP CENTER:
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14 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | FOURTH AVENUE MONIQUE IRISH | THE DAILY WILDCAT
LOCKS HANG ON THE lock heart located on Fourth Avenue. The locks symbolize love between couples, families and even pets and can be seen all across the historic avenue.
A look back at Tucson’s historic Fourth Avenue BY HILLARY SCHIFF @hillary_schiff
Walking down Tucson’s historic Fourth Avenue, University of Arizona students can find eclectic storefronts, colorful murals and everything from bookstores to restaurants. At its core, they will discover a unique district at the intersection of past and present, now facing an uncertain future. The history of Fourth Avenue truly began in 1916 when the construction of the Fourth Avenue Underpass allowed the area to develop into a central commercial district. During the early and mid 20th century, the avenue became a supply chain for surrounding areas. This was the Fourth Avenue Tucson Thrift Shop owner Arlene Leaf discovered when her parents first moved to Tucson in the 1940s as owners of a women’s clothing store. “As downtown merchants, Fourth Avenue was where all the backup businesses were to support the retail downtown,” Leaf said. “That was where you got your paper bags. That was where you got your sewing supplies. That was where the post office was.” Leaf watched the area grow increasingly lively as a teenager in the 1950s, followed by a subsequent lull in the early 1960s. Businesses moved out from downtown and big shopping centers began to dominate the market. “I think it was 1962,” Leaf said. “I was working in California. When I came back — I’ll just never forget it — I went to Fourth Avenue, and it was all abandoned. And it was so sad.” According to Leaf, Fourth Avenue as we
know it today began to take form in the late 1960s when lower rents attracted various unique small businesses. In 1979, she opened Tucson Thrift Shop with her father. The shop was a costume and vintage store created with the intention of gathering donations for The City of Hope Hospital, the hospital that helped with her father’s cancer treatment. She has now been in business for 41 years. “In ‘79 the perception in the community was like ‘ooh’ because it’s always attracted alternative people — all kinds of people,” Leaf said. “It’s one of the few places in Tucson that gets such a cross-section of the community shopping and just being there. Now I see everybody loves it.” The Fourth Avenue of today is characterized by a myriad of unique small businesses, half of which, according to Creative Director and COO of Fourth Ave Merchants Association Monique Vallery, are female-owned. Three years ago the avenue was designated as a historic business district. “We don’t have any chains down here,” Vallery said. “People often reference ‘Well, you have a Dairy Queen, right?’ So that Dairy Queen has been in the same family for 65 years.” Just one of the many small businesses on Fourth Avenue is Pop-Cycle. Founded in 2008, Pop-Cycle is a comparatively newer shop on the avenue supporting 95 local makers and selling upcycled and sustainable artwork and gifts. Libby Tobey, the store manager, explained that, to her, Fourth Avenue represents a vibrant
community reflecting parts of the Tucson identity. “We are like one of the unique districts being a historic district, but also something that shows a big flavor of Tucson in a small walkable space,” Tobey said. 2020 marked a large disruption to the lives of small business-owners on Fourth Avenue. The COVID-19 pandemic forced retail and restaurant workers to adapt to quarantines and mask mandates. The pandemic also triggered the cancellation of both the 2020 Winter and Spring Street Fairs, events that Vallery estimated typically bring about 300,000 visitors into the district. Businesses closed temporarily due to safety concerns and some shut their doors permanently. “What we’ve seen from our businesses over the last … nine months is that some of them have really figured out how to be resilient,” Vallery said. “Some of them have totally had to change their business models and are doing it as successfully as they can. And unfortunately, you know we’ve had businesses that have had to permanently close.” Vallery said about eight businesses have closed since the start of the pandemic, but a couple of new ones have opened. Restaurants turned largely to takeout to stay afloat while retail stores sought to establish an online shopping presence. According to Tobey, adapting Pop-Cycle’s hand-crafted merchandise to an online format was a demanding and challenging process. “In February [2020], Pop-Cycle had 10%
of our merchandise on our website, now we have 98%,” Tobey said. “But it was a huge undertaking because it’s not something that we exactly knew how to do.” Pop-Cycle is now open noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Interested customers can also make private shopping appointments on the Pop-Cycle website. On the other hand, Tucson Thrift Shop remains temporarily closed, taking the opportunity to do extensive inventory. This is not the first major adversity Leaf has faced with her store. Leaf cited the COVID-19 pandemic as the fifth time she has had to rebuild, with three floods and one fire in the past. She related her response at the beginning of the pandemic to that of the fire that burned her original location. “With [COVID-19], it was a little bit like with the fire,” Leaf said. “When we had the fire sale, I said, ‘Okay, I want to get the boxes and paint polka dots on them and make them pretty so that people’s last impression is not this heavy, sad impression.” Vallery, Leaf and Tobey remain optimistic about the future of Fourth Avenue and eagerly await a return to normalcy as the pandemic comes to an end. However, Vallery emphasized the need for the University of Arizona community to support local businesses during this difficult time. “We understand that the students are vital to our success, but students can also play a role in our demise,” Vallery said. “And that’s part of, unfortunately, what we’re in right now.”
TUCSON FUN FACT: Downtown, a street known as Calle Carlos Arruza honors one of the greatest bullfighters in history, Mexican-born Carlos Arruza, whose nickname was El Ciclon (The Cyclone).
Special Edition • March/April 2021
DailyWildcat.com • 15
TUCSON APPRECIATION | VACATION SPOTS COURTESY ADAM LUNDQUIST
COURTESY ERIN WARREN
“CLEAN FRESH TUCSON ADOBE” available for rental on the Airbnb app.
“DESERT HUES” AVAILABLE FOR rental on the Airbnb app.
Airbnbs in Tucson: Staycation destinations BY BELLAH NELSON @DailyWildcat
Since Airbnb launched in 2008, short-term rental homes have become a popular way to travel or take a staycation. Tucson has also become a popular travel destination, with its saguaro cacti and boundless blue sky, encircled by mountains. Among Tucson’s busy roads and vegetation sit short-term rental properties, which provide safe and welcoming spaces for guests. The following Airbnb hosts discussed their experiences with renting out local homes and detailed the importance of their location for the widely reviewed properties. La Casta de Agave Airbnb host and Tucson native Teri Geunther owns a property five miles north of the University of Arizona. After three years, 182 reviews and just barely below a five-star rating on the Airbnb app, Geunther said, “People book it for the views, and come back for the views.” Her property, La Casita de Agave is on a hill overlooking both the city and the mountains and surrounded by the desert scenery of the Catalina foothills. Hosting has become a full time job for Geunther, who said her listing has been “completely successful and a little surprising.” The home started as a renovation project. Then, the people that came to redo the house’s flooring casually recommended that Geunther rent it out via Airbnb. After the remodeling, Guenther “hit the streets” to shop at yard and estate sales. “We found two lovely blue chairs … that triggered the whole entire design,” she said. After three years, since-updated furniture and hand built kitchen cabinetry, the blue armchairs remain a
COURTESY TERI GUENTHER
ROCK HANDPAINTED BY Diane Kramm sits outside La Casta de Agave.
staple of this classically styled casita. Cleanliness is something Guenther has been “super picky” about, even before the pandemic hit the U.S. in the spring of 2020. “I want [the guests] to think they are the first person that has walked in here,” she said. Guenther twice hired professional house cleaners, but said they “failed miserably.” Providing toiletries, extra linens, fresh fruit and customized surprises for the guests, Guenther said, “hosting is kinda my personality,” as someone who’s lifelong dream was to own a bed-and-breakfast. Airbnb, which stands for “Air bed-and-breakfast,” has given Guenther that opportunity, minus making breakfast in the morning. Increasingly personalized, Diane Kramm, artist and mother to Teri Guenther, handpaints rocks for each guest with their names and southwest landscape scenery. Southwest Urban Tucson Adobe Adam Lundquist, a realtor and founder/ owner of Southwest Urban, does general contracting and took on a rental property in Dunbar Springs as a “personal project.” With
degrees in Business Management and Regional Development from the UA, Lundquist said that “per month, [a short-term rental] makes more rent.” After renting out properties to long term tenants, Lundquist said that Airbnb tenants are “higher quality” and take better care of the property. The property was built in 1899 and still maintains its white mud adobe framework. Lundquist renovated the space to make it more functional, while showcasing its charm and character. In his work, Lundquist said he tries to use sustainable or locally sourced materials. In this Airbnb’s case, the renovation featured cork flooring throughout, utilizing a renewable resource. Lundquist described the adobe house as “cool and clean” with lots of natural light and decor that he feels gives off a “Tucson vibe.” When Airbnb introduced their COVID-19 cleaning policies, Lundquist said he was “well positioned” because he had already been following many of the protocols, in addition to contactless keypad access for travelers. Beard and Braid: Desert Homes On a journey for self discovery, Erin Warren set out on a van trip across the country with her husband, Kassidy Warren. During this time, the married couple reflected on the “idea of providing cool homes in cool places.” Warren explained that on their trip, the van broke down in Tucson, which was not on their list of places to stop. Being from the Pacific Northwest, Warren was stunned by Tucson’s “magic.” After moving to Tucson, the couple now have become Airbnb entrepreneurs, under the business name of beardandbraid.com. After touring an estimated 30 houses in Tucson, the Warren’s
now rent out two Tucson homes, a Tucson casita and a property in Cleveland, Ohio. Even before their van adventure, the Warrens rented out their spare bedroom in a Kirkland, Washington condo. Warren said that starting small on Airbnb served as “research, in a way,” as they were able to host, communicate with travelers from all over the world and realize what it takes to provide a meaningful guest experience. Desert Vibrations, located in the foothills, encapsulates the natural beauty of the “Tucson experience.” Through her interior design, Warren wanted to provide a warm and welcoming experience, while adding personal touches she described as “subtle southwest.” Desert Hues, ironically located in the eclectic midtown neighborhood of Sam Hughes, was inspired by the warm tones of the desert sunsets of Tucson. Featuring a newly remodeled pink-tiled bathroom, Warren described the interior design as “fun and fresh.” Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Warren has noticed that the way people travel has changed. Guests have begun booking longer trips, traveling with their family and pets or looking for a new space to work remotely. “People will always want to travel, it will just look a little different,” Warren said. As 2020 was a difficult year for people across the globe, traveling became a highlight of the year for many. Warren said that “especially during the pandemic,” hosting providing guests with comfort has been a rewarding experience during what was otherwise such a taxing year. What rental-house hosts Guenther, Lundquist and Warren all have in common is a gratitude for the Airbnb hosting experience: fulfilling creativity, finding joy in making guests happy and doing what they can to provide safe travel accommodations amidst a pandemic.
TUCSON FUN FACT: Tucson’s world-class culinary scene was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015 as a “Capital of Gastronomy.” Only 18 cities around the world have been given this title.
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Special Edition ● March/April 2021
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TUCSON APPRECIATION | UNIQUE NATURE
The naturally unique and beautiful side to Tucson BY MADISON BEVERIDGE @DailyWildcat
With its rugged desert landscapes and plethora of wildlife, the natural environment surrounding Tucson is undoubtedly remarkable. Stepping back from the familiarity of Old Main and University Boulevard reveals what Tucson has to offer and how community members and students can experience its nature for themselves. Kat Rumbley is the media manager at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. She provides a unique perspective on Tucson’s natural beauty as someone who works to educate others and preserve the land. The Desert Museum is a historical and environmental landmark filled with hiking trails, wildlife, exhibits and access to 21 acres of desert landscape. Rumbley spoke about her favorite spots around Tucson and within the Desert Museum. “My favorite spot at the Desert Museum is always changing. Since I don’t do favorites, I’ll give you two of my favorite spots,” Rumbley said via email. “I really love hanging out in our Hummingbird Aviary, there is something truly magical about being surrounded by these beautiful winged wonders and it’s such a peaceful place.” Rumbley also expressed love for the
hiking trail at the Desert Museum. “My second favorite place is the Sonoran Desert Loop Trail,” Rumbley said. “You are immediately immersed into Sonoran Desert Beauty and are able to visit with our coyotes, lizards, and javelinas. It’s a great way to soak up the sun and enjoy crazy beautiful views.” Rumbley also touched on the beauty of Tucson’s wildlife and what she feels the best aspect of living and working in this environment is. “We live in such a diverse ecosystem. I think everything is beautiful in Tucson. I love the different species of cacti, animals, and other flora,” Rumbley said. Alan Strauss is another member of the Tucson community who works within the realm of nature. Strauss is the director at the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter and his work focuses on the distinct night skies and astronomical rarities exclusive to Tucson. The Mount Lemmon SkyCenter Observatory’s main focus is education and community outreach. Visitors have the opportunity to learn about and view the sky alongside astronomers, and the center offers a number of education programs and experiences. Strauss spoke about his favorite aspects of the SkyCenter and what he feels sets Tucson apart from other desert cities. “We are at the summit of Mount Lemmon, so we have the best view of the night sky that you are going to get in Tucson,” Strauss said. “The SkyCenter is a little over 91,000 feet, so we are a mile and half higher than Tucson which gives us much less atmosphere to look through.” “Atmosphere affects starlight, but when you come up here that is all gone,” Strauss said. “You can come up here and see the Milky Way and for somewhere just an hour away from campus, that is remarkable.” Similar to Strauss and Rumbley is Benjamin Wilder. Wilder is the
COURTESY MOUNT LEMMON SKYCENTER
GALAXY M101, OTHERWISE KNOWN as the Pinwheel Galaxy, photographed by the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter.
director at the Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill. The Desert Laboratory is a research center focused on studying and understanding the desert environment and serves as a center for both ecology and culture. In addition to exploring the research done at the Desert Laboratory, visitors can walk the Tumamoc Hill road. There, they can immerse themselves in the natural environment through a variety of audio, photo and video content located on the Desert Laboratory’s website. When speaking about Tucson’s scenery, Wilder expressed his love for the natural landscape. “My favorite time of day here is sunset. The unbelievable dramatic light that just erupts in color off the Catalina Mountains is astounding,” Wilder said. “I also think one of the elements that is really fun about living here is how close we are to so many different
environments,” Wilder said. “You can drive up to the top of Mount Lemmon or go into the Sonoita area. I think it is all just endlessly exciting.” Wilder also expanded on ways students can involve themselves with the environment. “There is Tumamoc Hill, Sabino Canyon, parts of Tucson Mountain. There are so many trails and great hiking clubs part of the University, and we are so fortunate to live here during these pandemic times,” Wilder said. “We can get out and get fresh air and be safe enjoying these beautiful desert environments.” When it comes to wildlife and nature in Tucson, there is always more out there. With mountains surrounding and the night sky ready to reveal stars, the University of Arizona is in the heart of a very unique place.
TUCSON FUN FACT: The University of Arizona, it was founded in 1885—27 years before Arizona achieved statehood.
18 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | POWER PLAYERS
OPINION: This one goes out to the ladies of Tucson BY SEAN FAGAN @SeanSoCal
W
CHLOE HISLOP | THE DAILY WILDCAT
PROFESSOR HEIDI CORONADO OUTSIDE the Main Library at the University of Arizona on Feb. 22. Coronado currently teaches First Semester Spanish and Intermediate Spanish.
hen I was asked to write about what I love about Tucson, I was more than happy to do so. There is just one problem, I do not live there. I am an online student in California. I thought there was nothing I could say about the city since I don’t even live there. Then I thought, “Wait a minute. I may not live there, but I have met people who do!” Since my time at the University of Arizona, I have met some amazing people, even through my online experience. Some of the most amazing people I have met here are women. My whole life I have been surrounded by strong women — my grandma was a single mom who raised my dad and five of his siblings. My sister moved out after high school and has been on her own ever since. My aunt started her own psychiatry business and even wrote a book! I felt it was fitting to thank all the ladies that I have met along the way here at the UA. The first woman I would like to thank is my counselor, Heather Martin. I had never taken classes online before coming to the UA. I did not know what I was doing and was very overwhelmed. At times I felt that I was not going to make it. Then Heather got in contact with me. She explained to me how everything would work and what pace she thought I should go at. What was most helpful was when she told me that if I ever needed anything, that I could email her. I emailed her a lot because I still had so many questions, and she was always there to answer them. She constantly encouraged me when I was down and praised me when I was soaring. Without her, I can honestly say I might not be here today. Thank you, Heather. Soon after, I began my classes. I figured that I was going to need all the help I could get, so I made it a point to contact my professors to let them know who I was. That is how I met the next woman who deserves my thanks, my Spanish professor, Heidi Coronado. I voiced my concerns for the class and how
TUCSON FUN FACT: The United States Handball Association Hall of Fame is located on North Tucson Boulevard.
I was never comfortable with learning a new language. I also shared I was half Hispanic and that I wanted to be able to speak some Spanish to my grandma. She assured me that I was putting too much pressure on myself and from what she saw so far, I was going to do well. She told me she believed in me, and after that I started to believe in myself. After the class ended and I got the grade I wanted, I found out my professor was the head of the entire Spanish department! I had never met the head of a department before, let alone had one as my teacher. Professor Coronado is one of the brightest teachers this university has, and I am proud to say she is the best teacher I have ever had. Gracias, profesora. At this point in school, I had adjusted to online learning and was going strong. Since I live in California and most of the state is still closed, I needed to keep myself busy. I started looking for a school activity to keep me busy, which is how I met the next two ladies I would like to thank. When I joined the Eller online advisory board as a student board member, I met Cassandra Ott-Kocon and Meghan Welsh. Cassandra is an academic advisor and Meghan is an online success coach for the Eller school of business. Both ladies are senior members of the board, and even though I was new and did not know much about what we did, they valued my input. Whenever I suggested something, they assured me that they would investigate any issue so that I and every other online student would have the best experience online possible. So, for every student that is learning online wondering if they are being looked after, trust me when I say with these ladies at the helm you are in the best hands possible. Thank you, Cassandra and Meghan. Without the contributions of all these amazing women I would not be who I am today. So, because of that, I will issue my final thanks to the place that made meeting all these ladies possible. Thank you, Tucson! — Sean is a business administration major (he/him) from California. He enjoys playing video games and watching Disney+ in his free time
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
DailyWildcat.com ● 19
TUCSON APPRECIATION | SCIENCE
ELIJAH BIA | THE DAILY WILDCAT
THE FLANDRAU SCIENCE CENTER and Planetarium located on University Boulevard near the University of Arizona Mall. The building hosts many events including laser shows and interactive exhibits.
Tucson leads in science BY VIVIAN ALONSO @VivianElenaAlo1
Tucson remains one of the best places to study and appreciate the development of science in real time. Not only is it characterized by the biggest outreaches in astronomy and biomedical engineering, but it is enriched in science with daily activities, events and outreach projects across town. Even as COVID-19 continues to demand safety precautions and sociallydistanced events, Tucson’s science community has adapted beautifully in the structure of online, free and even personalized events. In this week alone there are a plethora of events to choose from including online Science Pubs to the University of Arizona’s own Science Cafés and more! Starting as early as next week on Feb. 8 begins free, online Scientific Pubs hosted by Oregon State University and HeriotWatt University. These events will allow you to meet the leading researchers within these universities, discussing their endeavors in applying science to real life — “When Ideology Trumps Science” — and the theoretical beyond — “Science, Faith and the Meaning of Life.” These events can be found online on websites such as eventbrite.com to reserve seats and connect science learners, leaders and enthusiasts together. These events don’t overlap in times and allow for interested parties to attend both virtually and safely. If you are interested in something more from home, the University of Arizona College of Science has uploaded all their Science Café discussions for the entirety of 2020. Ranging from diseases, tropical
rainforests and what science expansion is looking like here in Tucson, you can watch all hosted events on their YouTube platform under UAZScience. Wanting to expand your own skills in the world of science? The IT Training Center at Tech Trades Solutions here in Tucson is offering a five weekends only Data Science with Python training available from Feb. 6 to March 7. This event will be hosted at Mobile Training Solutions LLC, ranging from $400 to $500 and will take place every Saturday and Sunday for approximately two hours. This will not only allow you to expand your knowledge on our current developments in computer science but will stem new skills and opportunities your way. Registration will take place online and classes will properly adapt socially-distanced and safe learning measures. Have any younger siblings or children attending elementary school? Cobbles Elementary is hosting a temporary science program. If you would like to expand skills of science in your home, Cobbles PTA is hosting a three-time hands-on science experiment special in commemoration of Black History Month. This program will highlight the contributions of incredible contributions of people of color while conducting your very own science experiments. Perfect for anyone incredibly new to science or even younger siblings, you can register as a virtual student and participate in this event. Enjoy these events as Tucson will be updating and progressing new scientific opportunities throughout the rest of 2021.
20 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | DIVERSITY
This desert town shines with color all year BY IAN TISDALE @iantisdl
Tucson is a beautiful place. Despite being in the dry, brown desert, various murals dot our cityscape. Sunsets, with hues of red, orange, purple and blue fill the city sky and the valley that surrounds it with a rainbow of magnificent colors. However, what defines the city’s beauty is not the sunsets, the mountains or even the murals on every corner, but the people. One of the most overlooked and under-celebrated features of life in Tucson is the diverse fabric of the population who make up the city and determine its inexplicably unique culture. One hour north of the border between the United States and Mexico, you will find a city that has never lost its original and authentic Latinx identity. Mexican American, Hispanic Americans and Latinx Tucsonans make up 43.6% of the population and have left an incredible footprint making the city’s history. They fuel so much of the city’s politics and economy, and create a large part of the city’s culture. Tucson is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated creative city. It is also a city of gastronomy and its culinary geography is steeped in the cooking traditions of Sonora, a region that includes Southern Arizona and primarily Sonora, Mexico. Tucson was founded by a Hispanic Jesuit, Eusebio Francisco Kino, who is largely considered the father of Sonora. He found most of the territory of Sonora in the late 1600s and early 1700s which is speculated to be most of Tucson and most of Sonora, Mexico. Tucson is currently led by a Hispanic American mayor, Regina Romero. According to 2019 data from the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hispanics in Tucson contribute close to $10 billion dollars annually to the local economy. Across the city, restaurants, businesses and people speak Spanish widely. Even the City of Tucson recognizes the language, and the people as essential to the life of our city. When we take appreciation for the people of Tucson, we cannot ignore the importance of Native American heritage and tradition to our community. Long before the days of Kino, Tucson and its surrounding areas were the traditional lands of the Tohono O’odham and Pascua Yaqui tribes. The University of Arizona and much of downtown Tucson was built overtime on stolen native lands. Today, Indigenous and Native Americans play a seismic role
RYAN REVOCK | THE DAILY WILDCAT
TUCSON MEET YOURSELF ARTISTS and merchants in past years. The event is a yearly festival celebrating diverse cultures and communities in the city. Because of the pandemic, it has been put on hold.
in building and re-defining Tucson culture. UNESCO identified Tucson as a creative city and city of gastronomy largely for Indigenous traditions. One tradition is with the foods of the Tohono O’odham which is made from desert plants, like maize, tepary beans, Saguaro fruit and with dishes like the nation’s legendary frybread. You can find no shortage of festivals celebrating the music, dance and traditions of the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O’odham Nations, including January’s Mazo Kova Pahko Ceremony, February’s Sells Rodeo, March’s Wa:k Pow Wow and Thanksgiving celebrations at the San Xavier Market. Tucson’s wide linguistic landscape among Arabic, Greek and Spanish includes Pima, O’odham and Yaqui languages. As well, it is hard to ignore the huge economic benefit to Tucson’s tourist economy that Casino del Sol of the Pascua Yaqui Nation and the Desert Diamond of the Tohono O’odham Nation provide to the city and the entire region of Southern Arizona. There is also a rich history and culture that surrounds the Black community of Tucson and Southern Arizona. Although only around 5.2% of the Tucson population, Black Tucsonans and Arizonans have held important roles in our region’s history. In the 1890s, Black Buffalo Soldiers came to the Tucson area. They protected our region by fighting valiantly in the SpanishAmerican war and safeguarding our city from the threats of the frontier. Black Tucsonans are still looking for change. In 2020, Tucson was one of the few cities in Arizona that organized a series of powerful Black Lives Matter protests. As well, Tucson’s Juneteenth celebration has continued for over half a century, celebrating the liberation of Black Americans in all parts of the country, including Arizona. In our city’s artwork you can also see monuments to Black Tucsonans around town, including
one breathtaking mural painted by Robbie Lee Harris of a young Black girl on the side of Tucson’s Rialto Theater. While the city did strike down in sanctuary status in 2019, it does have an impressive and diverse array of refugees who have come to Tucson from violence-stricken countries from all over the world. Tucson’s refugee population is in the thousands and many refugees from Africa, Asia and the Middle East are welcomed by inclusive programs. The programs include the Iskashitaa Refugee Network and the Refugee Ministry of Tucson, who work to make sure refugees who arrive in Tucson are treated for, supported and integrated fairly to life in the city. The University of Arizona also has an incredibly diverse and wide international student community with 4,000 students coming from all corners of the globe. Students, domestic and international, are presented with the amazing opportunity to connect with each other and to mutually learn and benefit from a multicultural university experience. The UA’s International Friends organization is a network that provides resources for international students and enables domestic students to connect with those studying outside their home country. Tucson’s wide array of languages, cultures and traditions is perhaps best exhibited during one of the city’s largest annual festivals: Tucson Meet Yourself. The festival is a one-stop place for everything Tucson, with a focus on the city’s vast and colorful patchwork of cultures. You can listen and watch traditional Folklorico music and dance from Mexico, eat fry bread from the O’odham Ladies and savor the cultural cuisine of vendors showing off their specialty from all parts of the globe. So the next time you see a vibrant Tucson sunset, and feel grateful for the city you’re in, be sure to remember the colorful community of people in it.
TUCSON FUN FACT: Cyclists should consider dropping by on the last Saturday before Thanksgiving for El Tour de Tucson, Arizona’s largest and longest-running cycling event. The series of races attracts more than 9,000 bike enthusiasts per year and usually raises about $2 million for local charities.
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
DailyWildcat.com ● 21
TUCSON APPRECIATION | TUCSON STYLE MONIQUE IRISH | THE DAILY WILDCAT
LOCKS HANG ON THE lock heart located on Fourth Avenue. This is one of many around downtown for visitors and locals to enjoy.
OPINION: Tucson’s unique style told from a car ride down Fourth Avenue BY PAYTON TOOMEY @PaytonToomey
T
ucson is eccentric, offbeat and unparalleled — and Tucson’s style is nothing short of this. From bohemian to alternative to vintage, fashion in Tucson has it all. To truly understand the diverse style of Tucson, one must take a drive down Fourth Ave. While it is less than two miles away from campus, it feels like a different world. The assortment of restaurants, coffee shops, bars and, most importantly, boutiques and thrift stores is unlike any other in the city. If I had to describe Tucson to anyone, I would simply tell them about Fourth Avenue, and all the stores that line the streets. After turning onto Fourth Avenue from University Boulevard, the first boutique you will pass is Creations Boutique, a store that specializes in bohemian and desert fashion. The moment you step into the shop, you are reminded that you are in the heart of the Sonoran desert. The store is decorated with maxi dresses and kimonos in shades of red, orange and yellow, showcasing their love for the desert and its fashion. The boutique also stays very up-to-date on the trends that are taking over the area. Next to the Creations Boutique, right off of Fourth Avenue is How Sweet It Was Vintage, a vintage clothing store that specializes in clothing from all eras. While the shop is currently only open for appointments due to COVID-19, it still adds a lively touch to the area. On their Instagram, @hsiwvintage, they have a weekly live show called “Shop Girls!” where they show off their wide collection of vintage clothes, ranging from the 1930s to the 1990s. The enthusiasm and interest this store has in all things vintage are what truly makes them stand out
among the rest. Across from How Sweet It Was Vintage, is the alternative fashion store, Razorz Edge. This store gives you a glimpse of the “underground” scene that is an important but very secret part of Tucson. Music holds a major influence on the fashion in the store, just as music holds an influence over Tucson. Through music and culture, Tucson has gained its very unique style and transformed into what it is today. Across the street from Razorz Edge is Generation Cool, a store featuring vintage clothing from the ’80s and ’90s. The second you step into the store you are surrounded by vintage graphic tees and jerseys. To call this store “cool” is an understatement; Generation Cool is a store unlike no other I have seen before and its unique, fun vibe is what makes the store stick out. This store is quite different from the other places on Fourth Avenue, but the variety of styles is what makes Tucson special. The next stop down Fourth Avenue is Hippie Gypsy. Hippie Gypsy is one of the most talked-about stores on Fourth Avenue due to the fact that it is very unconventional. With the light-up signs in all the windows and the murals across all the walls, the outside of the store is only giving you a glimpse of what lies inside. This store is the definition of “hippie”, the walls are decorated with tie-dye and tapestries and old music fills the air, fully immersing you into the culture of the ’60s and ’70s. This store is a great example of how individuality and eccentricity are placed above everything else in Tucson style. Last on the drive is the Tucson Thrift Store, my personal favorite on the street. The bright walls of the store are what lead people in, but it is the wide selection of costumes and vintage clothing that keeps them in there for hours on end. The wide selection of costumes keeps the store very busy, especially around Halloween time. The walls are lined with wigs and sunglasses that can make any costume perfect. Not only is the costume selection amazing, but the wide variety of vintage
ABBIE KOSOC | THE DAILY WILDCAT
THE VIBRANT OUTSIDE OF Fourth Avenue staple, Hurricane Records on Friday Nov. 6, 2020.
clothes is also enough to transport one back in time. People who hold a strong appreciation for history will fall deeply in love with this shop. Sadly, this store is not open now due to COVID-9, but they have a great website and are hoping to open back up within the next few weeks. Tucson style incorporates everything from new rising trends to appreciation for vintage clothes, and all of this is alive on Fourth Avenue Driving down the street, one is immersed in Tucson’s style. The small boutiques and thrift stores that line the street all show an immense appreciation for Tucson and the culture that is ever-so-present in the area. If you ever want to witness the heart of Tucson style, you know where to go. — Payton Toomey (she/her) is a sophomore majoring in journalism and information sciences and eSociety. She loves to cook and golf in her free time
22 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | ROUNDABOUT ART
TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
RESTING ATOP A ROCK in the roundabout at North Vine Avenue and East Water Street sits a statue of a man holding his guitar. The roundabout also features metal butterflies attached to the pole reflectors, a metal bird statue and some wire columns reminiscent of the skeletons of saguaro cacti.
Art of the roundabout: The hidden gems in Tucson’s traffic circles
TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
AT THE INTERSECTION OF North Highland Avenue and East Lester Street, nestled among flowers and cacti, sits this three part sculpture. Engraved with imagery of Tucson’s nature, the metal slabs compliment a backdrop of the Tucson mountain skyline and give a nice relief to the suburban street landscape.
TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
AT THE CROSSROAD OF North Highland Avenue and East Spring Street sits a cowboy riding on a great metal bull. Slightly obscured by the roundabout’s vegetation, the statue sparkles in the sun and adds an exciting element to the neighborhood’s road.
BY TIA STEPHENS @tia_stephens_
In a city blooming with public art, the art pieces tucked away in the middle of Tucson roundabouts may not be the most eye-catching of public installation art. However, these delightful installations sprinkled around Tucson remind us there is natural beauty and creativity to be found in city streets. Joshua Abrams, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Arizona and an admirer of the roundabout art, said that
he liked that, “It reminds you that you’re in this creative town”. He went on to explain that he appreciated how the art pieces served as a reminder of the vibrant local culture and desert. Abrams said his favorite roundabout piece is the sculpture of the man with his guitar that can be found. “Personally, I like sitting out in Tucson in the nice afternoon summer sun and playing my guitar, and [the roundabout] provides that culture for other people,” Abrams said.
Special Edition • March/April 2021
DailyWildcat.com • 23
TUCSON APPRECIATION | ROUNDABOUT ART
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TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
IN THE ROUNDABOUT AT North Vine Avenue and East Edison Street, the afternoon sun shines down on thin metal pillars topped with various shapes from southwestern iconography. The sculptures rest in harmony with the cacti and surround a sizable palo verde tree.
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TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
THE ROUNDABOUT AT NORTH Fremont Avenue and East Edison Street hosts this great round sculpture of metal fencing. The abstract lines at the top of the fencing are reminiscent of the surrounding mountain ranges, and the reflective diamonds embedded throughout the peace add a stimulating sight to the intersection.
To see more content updated daily, visit DailyWildcat.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @DailyWildcat
Dont forget to also check out all our podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more! Send Story Tips to: storyideas@dailywildcat.com
22 • The Daily Wildcat
Special Edition ● March/April 2021
TUCSON APPRECIATION | ROUNDABOUT ART
TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
RESTING ATOP A ROCK in the roundabout at North Vine Avenue and East Water Street sits a statue of a man holding his guitar. The roundabout also features metal butterflies attached to the pole reflectors, a metal bird statue and some wire columns reminiscent of the skeletons of saguaro cacti.
Art of the roundabout: The hidden gems in Tucson’s traffic circles
TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
AT THE INTERSECTION OF North Highland Avenue and East Lester Street, nestled among flowers and cacti, sits this three part sculpture. Engraved with imagery of Tucson’s nature, the metal slabs compliment a backdrop of the Tucson mountain skyline and give a nice relief to the suburban street landscape.
TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
AT THE CROSSROAD OF North Highland Avenue and East Spring Street sits a cowboy riding on a great metal bull. Slightly obscured by the roundabout’s vegetation, the statue sparkles in the sun and adds an exciting element to the neighborhood’s road.
BY TIA STEPHENS @tia_stephens_
In a city blooming with public art, the art pieces tucked away in the middle of Tucson roundabouts may not be the most eye-catching of public installation art. However, these delightful installations sprinkled around Tucson remind us there is natural beauty and creativity to be found in city streets. Joshua Abrams, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Arizona and an admirer of the roundabout art, said that
he liked that, “It reminds you that you’re in this creative town”. He went on to explain that he appreciated how the art pieces served as a reminder of the vibrant local culture and desert. Abrams said his favorite roundabout piece is the sculpture of the man with his guitar that can be found. “Personally, I like sitting out in Tucson in the nice afternoon summer sun and playing my guitar, and [the roundabout] provides that culture for other people,” Abrams said.
Special Edition • March/April 2021
DailyWildcat.com • 23
TUCSON APPRECIATION | ROUNDABOUT ART
Like what you’re reading and want to see it in your inbox?
TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
IN THE ROUNDABOUT AT North Vine Avenue and East Edison Street, the afternoon sun shines down on thin metal pillars topped with various shapes from southwestern iconography. The sculptures rest in harmony with the cacti and surround a sizable palo verde tree.
Dont miss out and sign up for our weekly themed newsletters! Sign up now at: DailyWildcat.com/ newslettersignup
TIA STEPHENS | THE DAILY WILDCAT
THE ROUNDABOUT AT NORTH Fremont Avenue and East Edison Street hosts this great round sculpture of metal fencing. The abstract lines at the top of the fencing are reminiscent of the surrounding mountain ranges, and the reflective diamonds embedded throughout the peace add a stimulating sight to the intersection.
To see more content updated daily, visit DailyWildcat.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @DailyWildcat
Dont forget to also check out all our podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and more! Send Story Tips to: storyideas@dailywildcat.com
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