letter from the editors

Dear reader,

After a sleepy summer, campus is once again rumbling awake – and our team here at PRIME knows it. This quarter, writers and artists set out to uncover stories of awakening, no matter how big or how small.

These narratives take many different forms. Edin Madrid, a formerly incarcerated student, remembers the moment in which he committed to higher education. Now, he tells his story to PRIME in hopes of helping others with similar backgrounds follow his path. And at the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, Diana Winston – the director of mindfulness education – aims to show students that mindfulness is only a few moments away. In PRIME’s latest Q&A, Winston shares how the wisdom she gained in her practice led her to where she is today.

Around campus, creative awakenings abound. Photographer Christine Kao visited the UCLA MakerSpace, home to a creative community crafting everything from Halloween costumes to bass guitars. By speaking to students and staff members, she captured the multitude of ways in which ideas can come to life.

At PRIME, we strive to bring untold and unheard stories to the forefront of the Daily Bruin’s coverage. Thank you for picking up a copy of our fall 2022 issue, and we hope you find these pieces as eye-opening as we do.

Megan Fu PRIME art director

Abigail Siatkowski PRIME director

Megan Tagami PRIME content editor

CONTENTS | FALL 2022

Q&A 6

Mindfulness matters

written by RACHEL ROTHSCHILD

Diana Winston is bringing mindfulness to UCLA one meditation session at a time.

Culture 12

More than a crush

written by ESTHER MYERS

Fandom is the first point of contact for many people discovering their queer identity. But when there are no queer main characters, finding meaning in subtext is necessary – and even joyful.

Making a mark

created by CHRISTINE KAO

Photographer Christine Kao took a trip to the fourth floor of Olympic Hall, where the UCLA MakerSpace teems with 3D printers, laser cutters and student creativity.

22

A second chance

written by MARTIN SEVCIK

Edin Madrid spent 14 years incarcerated. Now, he is set to graduate from the nation’s top public university – while also helping others follow in his footsteps.

CONTENTS | FALL 2022

Campus 37

Keeping their plates full

written by ELLA KITT

This year has seen the opening of Epicuria at Ackerman and the return of De Neve Late Night. While the dining halls are nearly back in full force, the question remains: Who are the people who power UCLA’s everexpanding dining program?

Health

27

Underappreciated and overrepresented

written by ALYSSA BARDUGON

Health care disparities are all too common in the Filipino community, but UCLA students and researchers are working to change that.

Curating tradition

written by ALEXA CYR

Now a decade old, “Made in L.A.” celebrates the eccentric, the abstract and the larger-than-life projects that define the city’s art scene.

Personal Chronicle

42

Nontraditional

written by MITRA BEIGLARI

As she embarks on her final year as a Bruin, PRIME writer Mitra Beiglari reflects on her journey as a nontraditional student navigating UCLA.