Vol. 71, Issue 27

T he h ighlander

RADAR

THE PLAY’S COMMENTARY ON RACE AND ANTI-ASIAN ATTITUDES OPENS ROOM FOR A LARGER DISCUSSION.

UCR Department of Theater, Film, and Digital Productions’ rendition of ‘Yellow Face’ tackles anti-Asian attitudes in America

SENNA OMAR Assistant Features Editor

Toeing the line between reality and fiction, UCRs Department of Theater, Film, and Digital Productions (TFDP) rendition of “Yellow Face,” tackles and questions the construct of race. Director Reena Dutt successfully recreated the David Henry Hwang masterpiece, utilizing only nine people to play every role as actors constantly rotated between characters.

A hush fell over the crowd, a single spotlight projected over Marcus G. Dahlman (Ryan Ansara) as he narrates an email addressed to David Henry Hwang (Ethan Dizon), detailing his life-changing journey through China during his public disappearance. Set in 1990, “Yellow Face” springs right into action with the controversial casting of a white actor for an Asian role in “Miss Saigon.” Outraged, David Henry Hwang (DHH) publicly condemns and protests the production; despite his best efforts, the play continues to be a success without so much as a cast change.

“Ring-ring…” during a phone call with his son, Henry Hwang (Pier Garma), possessed by the American Dream, rambles on about “Miss Saigon,” claiming the piece to be inspirational

to Asian Americans everywhere. Despite DHH’s protest to the production, his father is insistent that any media exposure is good, and that David was instrumental in the success of “Miss Saigon.” Convinced his father is misguided, DHH attempts to explain the plot; instead, his father’s words inspire a new play. After countless weeks of auditions for DHH’s new production, “Face Value,” and only three weeks left till rehearsal begins, the production has yet to find an Asian male lead. With what appears to be a stroke of luck, or

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R’Garden Referendum

HOW AN ORGANIZATION HOPES TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD SECURITY.

MATA ELANGOVAN Staff Writer

The R’Garden was started in 2012 by students, for students. It became a place for the student body to gather safely and grow their own produce. Currently, its location is the midpoint between the university and the city, and hosts a plethora of events and services for the community of Riverside. The R’Garden encourages engagements in education regarding food security, climate, and urban farming.

During Winter quarter of the 2022-2023 school year, Christian Valdez led a team from the R’Garden to get financial support through the referendum process. The funding would help the R’Garden battle food insecurity by having students pay a $10 quarterly fee. With the increased funding, they aimed to hire professional career staff to serve as outreach coordinators and educators, support field operations and programming to ensure university students can continue to have free access to freshly harvested produce. The referendum aimed to integrate the R’Garden with the Basic Needs Department under the Health Wellness and Safety Division. As well as many other benefits such as expanding education by creating a learning laboratory, engaging with campus and reducing food waste and promoting composting, purchasing new equipment to operate at full capacity and begin long term, necessary projects such as a permanent office, and connect with the student population.

According to the Interim Director of ASUCR, Brendan O’Brien, after submitting the referendum through the appropriate channels, administration determined that there was insufficient time to review and approve of the referendum before the elections. The referendum itself was missing significant details and did not include sufficient justification to increase student fees. Resulting in a halt in the process, meaning that the R’Garden will have to wait to secure funding the following school year.

According to the Valdez, finding support was a difficult task. In most cases when a referendum is presented, it is presented by the department head or advisor. However, in the case of the R’Garden referendum that responsibility fell on students. Emails were sent to request support and more information to help prepare to present the referendum. The referendum also required departmental support. CNAS was unavailable but the team was able to get the Basic Needs Department to sign off on the referendum.

Richard Zapien, the current supervisor of the R’Garden, states that “The pantry will take as much as they can. Once they’re full, we’re stuck with all the produce that we’re still harvesting because you can’t turn off nature. So there’s a surplus of food being stored in our cooler. So now we need students to come here to pick up this produce or the food will go bad. Luckily we have a cooler which will maintain it. But after that, we still have continuous produce coming in, so it’s going to overflow. So then at that point, we give it to dining, we’d give it to anybody that will take it.”

Without a proper outreach team, they find difficulty distributing crops. Currently, the R’Garden manages food distribution and community outreach through the efforts of volunteers and student employees. They table every wednesday in an effort to make information about the R’Garden more accessible to the student population and ensure that more students know about their services and organization.

The R’Garden produces thousands of pounds of produce harvested each year. According to Zapien, the R’Garden is not used at full capacity. Interns and workers are capped at 12 hours a week due to lack of funding and the cooler cannot handle the amount of produce which limits production capacity. Instead of a commercial washing station they instead have a temporary sink that is nowhere near big enough to handle the amount of produce that needs to be washed. Break-ins occur at such a rate that now the gate is left unlocked because it would simply get cut open time and time again.

Although the University benefits from the services that the R’Garden provides, there is an evident lack of meaningful support. Zapien recalls, “Dr. Drake, the president, talks about all these things happening, and is super excited about this, yet, he’s ignored this place. We’ve been in headlines, we’ve been in national magazines. We’ve done so much stuff and yet there is zero credit.”

The R’Garden has played a great role in sustaining UCR, and now, it is in great need of help in return from its community.

Have a professional photo shoot at Career Center

BRENDA JOVEL Radar Editor

The Career Center is home to professional development as its mission is to aid students in career exploration and discovery. Located beneath the UCR Bookstore, Career Center has officially launched its next project — R’Professional Photo Booth. Open from Monday to Friday between the hours of 11 A.M. - 3 P.M., the photo booth requires no appointment and encourages students to utilize it to present their best selves on online platforms.

The Highlander sat down with Michelle Gomez, Career Center’s Associate Director of Employer Relations, to gain further insight into the new project.

“I would say through my work with R’Professional Career Closet, we’d get requests from student organizations that were looking to us for a headshot service. [They] had difficulty accessing [a headshot service] on campus and we didn’t have a place to refer them to,” stated Gomez when asked how the project was first thought of. “Kai Buckner really was the one who brought this [Photo Booth] to our team as a potential project to provide for students.”

Kai Buckner, Career Center’s Industry Outreach Specialist for Business & Operations, also commented about her initial thoughts when creating the idea. “[I] know the value of having a professional photo on LinkedIn or Handshake as students begin to navigate their professional careers. It will be such an incredible opportunity for students to enhance their social media presence.”

After receiving a sponsorship from Alliance Partner, Enterprise, the Photo Booth soon became a reality with the help of vendor Simple Booth as one of the final steps to implement the project. The R’Professional Photo Booth is a self-serving station where students can email themselves their professional headshots, as well as use any professional attire the Career Center offers for the picture.

“We are trying to collaborate with R’Professional Career Closet interns as there is so much overlap over the services they provide for professional images,” said Gomez.

Showcasing your best, professional self online has become a need, as stated by Gomez. “There’s a lot behind a digital image. Having that confidence when you’re making a first impression [online] is important.”

Sean Gil, Director of Career Center, commented on the helpfulness of the Photo Booth for students. “Because some students

cannot afford professional headshots, this is about giving our students access to professional photos. And that’s why this booth is such an important addition to the UCR Career Center.”

When asked about the future goals of the Photo Booth, Gomez hopes to outreach to different organizations and departments on campus to increase student engagement at Career Center. With a similar viewpoint on growing the new project, Buckner said, “I think for me right in the short term is spreading the word to students that the photo booth is open and available for use. Long term, it would be wonderful if we are able to expand our reach to campus organizations and have these organizations sign up during their membership meetings.”

Not only wishing to expand to campus organizations but both Gomez and Buckner expressed their desire to move the Photo Booth to Career Center career fairs and other professional development events to promote accessibility for students on campus. The addition of the Photo Booth at events could also assist with building student engagement and encourage those to seek other Career Center resources.

“There are other features that the equipment has that can display a live feed of pictures, either professional headshots or showcasing the event,” said Gomez when describing the Photo Booth’s functionality at in-person events.

For final thoughts, Gomez affirms that the Photo Booth could help students jump into different conversations, whether they be about improving their LinkedIn profiles or job searchrelated questions when visiting Career Center. “[I hope it] gets students exposed to the Career Center and [that they] take advantage of our resources.”

Buckner expressed her gratitude towards Enterprise, Career Center’s long standing Alliance Partner as they aided in the process of building the Photo Booth from beginning to end. “I’m grateful to the team at Enterprise Holdings for their generous contribution to the Photo Booth. They have really been a fantastic supporter of UCR students.”

For more information about Career Center resources, visit careers.ucr.edu.

NEED PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS? THE CAREER CENTER OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES THE R’PROFESSIONAL PHOTO BOOTH.

KELLEY MANZO / THE HIGHLANDER

KELLEY MANZO / THE HIGHLANDER

Student concerns represented at ASUCR

The sixth Senate meeting was called to order at 7:29 P.M. All were present with the exception of CHASS Senator Bui, CHASS Senator Hari, CNAS Senator Cheng, and BCOE Senator Au.

With a motion to move SB-S23-006 to the top of LRC, the agenda was approved 14-0-0. After senate meeting minutes four and five were approved, the meeting quickly moved to open the public forum where concerns about the way the CNAS town hall was handled were raised by UCR CNAS student Nayana. During the town hall meeting, CNAS Dean Kathryn E. Uhrich was reported to be dismissive of student concerns about how accessible advisors are for CNAS students. According to both Nayana and CNAS Senator Shah, Dean Uhrich dismissed most questions about advising, and told the senators to “figure it out.” According to Shah, the Dean seems to be aware of the problem, refused to take action, and stated that she did not know how to handle the issues with advising. The Senator had reached out but did not hear a response from the CNAS Dean.

PPT Richardson opened the floor to involve the Assistant Dean of Students and Director, Brenden O’Brien, to address concerns about senior CNAS students who aren’t able to graduate within four years because they don’t have the classes they need to satisfy class requirements. O’Brien had met with the Dean prior to the senate meeting. He suggested that organizing resolutions would be helpful to presenting these issues to the dean or other forms of communication that would show that this issue is important for student success. Both Senators and students noted that there was not enough funding prioritized for advising.

ECAB meeting minutes were approved with a friendly amendment 13-0-0.

During Ex-Officio Reports Chief Justice Arias mentioned that the application for VPDEI position was open and that the interviews would be held through Zoom. The Chief Justice then reported that on Friday May 5th, a sealed document meant to be seen exclusively by the judicial branch was sent to another ASUCR official. On May 7th,

an emergency meeting within the Judicial branch was called and the meeting was called to order on May 8th. After speaking with individual members of the branch, no one came forward. A few minutes later, Associate Justice Galilea Rios came forward to sending a photo of the document to another ASUCR official. She was dismissed from the meeting early, and later dismissed from ASUCR Judicial Council for violating the confidentiality agreement (NDA). While the Judicial branch does not have the power to remove someone from their position, Rios will not be allowed to be involved in any closed session meetings and has been removed from the drive. She is still welcome to open session meetings that are also open to the public. Official removal from office would require an impeachment with Senate approval. In order to further the discussion on censure, the senate decided to later invite pro staff to the meeting.

During GCAP three grants were passed. Green Grant #39 Terracycle which involved the partnership of the OFFice of Sustainability and Terracycle, a company that recycle specific items and aims to reduce waste created when students move out of residential buildings. In Green Grant #41 Expected Paint N’ Pot Plan - Sheet1-3 - Aliyah Kargbo.pdf Sigma Gamma Rho requested a Paint N’ Pot event for mental health, cultivating positivity and bonding with each other. The event will aim to use sustainable and reusable materials. In Green Grant #43 FILE_3668 - Brian Hornor.pdf. R’Garden requested for a new Hoop House which is a cheaper alternative of a greenhouse.

SB-S23-006 Chapter 24: Eligibility Standards Amendments called to lower the gpa requirement from 2.5 to 2.0 and make the gpa requirement a quarterly basis rather than cumulative. in order to expand eligibility for students impacted by various circumstances. Geneveieve Ortiz recounted her experience becoming more informed about herself through her diagnosis, how her dismissal from and readmission to UCR left her disqualified from ASUCR until her GPA from community college was transferred. Ortiz argued that there are many reasons why a stu-

dent’s gpa is lower than 2.5 and that this bill would make ASUCR positions more accessible. O’Brien provided feedback, emphasizing that once a student graduated, as alumni, they are not considered an active member of the student body. O’Brien pointed to other UC policies, where their cumulative gpa standard is 2.0. He did not agree with changing the gpa requirement from cumulative to quarterly. According to O’Brien, the cumulative gpa reflects the eligibility for a degree which reflects their eligibility to be a part of the university. He encouraged the senate to work with the Executive Director moving forward and maintaining an open channel of communication. The amendment was tabled 12-0-1.

SR-W23-005 Campus Safety Escort Service Resolution outlined ASUCR’s support for the reactivation of the Campus Safety Escort Service. Personnel Director Ahluwalia discussed ASUCR’s partnership with the Women’s Resource Center to bring back the Campus Safety Escort Service. The service will be activated for the quarter and the continued material support for the service will be discussed the following years. With an addition of a friendly amendment the bill was approved 13-0-0.

SB-S23-004 Chapter 2: Research Exposition Enactment was presented by Senator Choy. The research exposition would connect students to research opportunities that are both pai and open in the summer. The Research exposition replaced the CNAS town hall because it would not only connect students with administration but additionally connect students to career opportunities. The Research Exposition attracted 200 students and the CNAS Dean supported the research focused event. Senators suggested making a friendly amendment to elaborate on what and who the exposition and winter townhall could fulfill per the Senator bylaws. After a short recess the meeting resumed at 9:19 P.M. Senators clarified that the research exposition was an option for the next Senate. After adopting the friendly amendment, the bill was approved 13-0-0.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:54 P.M. ■ H

VARIOUS STUDENTS RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT ISSUES RANGING FROM CNAS ADVISING TO GPA REQUIREMENTS FOR ASUCR OFFICIALS.

OpiniOns

The legacy of big box stores has come to an end

Bed Bath & Beyond, once a leading home goods company, is closing its doors for the last time on June 30. Bed Bath & Beyond, founded in 1971, is one of the many leading retail stores that have filed for bankruptcy and closed their stores for good in the past decade. However, the constant changes in consumer preferences and other big retail competitors like Amazon, Target and Walmart led the company to soon lose its peak and eventually declare bankruptcy in April after multiple failed attempts to improve their financial income. The growth of e-commerce and online shopping has effectively boxed these companies out in a way that sets a bad precedent.

The downfall of Bed Bath & Beyond has caused many to wonder whether big box stores will still be around in the future. Online shopping is now more popular, and e-commerce stores, such as Amazon, have taken advantage of this trend. Continuing to allow the rise of e-commerce will only allow these companies to create a monopoly in the future.

Although the rise of e-commerce has raised questions about continuing big box stores, discontinuing big box stores will greatly affect the economic crisis we are already in. Many people still depend on these retail stores for jobs, as well as affordable and discounted prices. Taking this away from them will only cause an increased economic crisis as e-commerce giants will eventually have no incentive to price their products fairly in what is becoming a non-competitive market.

This will adversely affect low-income minorities disproportionately. Certain stores, like Food 4 Less, specifically

target the needs of low-income communities by offering competitive pricing and coupons. Additionally, the shipping costs added with e-commerce purchases present an added cost that some people cannot afford.

While online shopping does, in some ways, eliminate shopping challenges faced by many disabled individuals, it also presents problems for the elderly population who do not have the experience to navigate an e-commerce store. Online shopping doesn’t need to be eliminated, but it needs clear and hard limitations in order to cater to a variety of needs.

The continued dominance of online shopping will also take jobs away from people who do not have or cannot afford to get an advanced or high school degree. There are few jobs left offered to those whose strengths are not academic, and replacing these jobs with warehouse jobs and trucking is unfair. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found a 43% turnover rate in warehouse jobs annually, indicating a lack of stability or safety for workers.

Big box companies can only withstand so much until they are in a financial crisis, just like Bed Bath & Beyond. Although this is something that the public may not think about, e-commerce will soon create a monopoly in our society and have widespread consequences. Big Box stores are still a staple to many and provide a necessary service. With the closure of this retailer, consumerism is continuing to shift dangerously in favor of online shopping, a dystopia that, while convenient, will initiate a domino effect of negative ramifications.

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.

BED BATH & BEYOND WILL CLOSE THE REMAINDER OF ITS STORES, THUS CONTINUING THE RISE OF E-COMMERCE.

SB 43 is a new attempt at repairing California’s mental health system

CECILE DIROLL Contributing Writer

In response to California’s growing mentally ill homeless population, the state legislature is considering new legislation, Senate Bill 43, to change existing mental health laws. S.B. 43 comes just a year after the passage of the CARE Court program that allows behavioral health professionals and family members to create court-ordered treatment plans for individuals with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Passage of S.B. 43 is important as it will allow local governments to treat a greater number of mentally ill individuals experiencing homelessness who, unfortunately, do not have the capacity to help themselves.

S.B. 43 seeks to modify the Reagan Era Lanterman-PetrisShort Act, LPS, which limits the circumstances for individuals with mental disorders to qualify for detainment. Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, the bill’s primary author, is pushing to broaden the definition of “gravely disabled” outlined in the LPS Act by expanding the requirements for involuntary detainment, specifically among the state’s homeless population, and providing them with mental health services. Under S.B. 43’s expanded definition, “gravely disabled” would include any person experiencing a substance use disorder who is “at substantial risk of harm” to their “physical or mental health.

Due to the state’s unaffordable housing crisis, 30% of the nation’s homeless population live in California, where an estimated 52% have severe mental illnesses or suffer from addiction. California’s 13 largest city mayors support the bill, including San Francisco London Breed, as it was recently reported that 30 to 40% of the homeless population in San Francisco suffer from mental psychosis. Similarly, a 2019 report found that 25% of those experiencing homelessness

in Los Angeles County had severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and psychotic disorder.

Opponents of the bill expressed civil liberty concerns about S.B. 43, citing the constitutional right to self-determination and the ability to make decisions about an individual’s own life without the intervention by the government. The right to liberty is exercised in many medical situations today, such as the “right to refuse medical treatment, even treatment necessary to sustain life.” But, when an individual lacks the capacity to fully understand and comprehend their circumstances, the state should legally act as a “parental authority” to protect those individuals.

Additionally, opponents are also arguing S.B. 43 will exacerbate racial, ethnic and gender disparities in the LPS Act system. The County Behavioral Health Directors Association, a nonprofit advocacy organization, states the LPS Act is disproportionately used to involuntarily detain Black and Latinx individuals. Though there is a racial and gender disparity in the LPS system, people deserve to receive treatment no matter their background.

It is clear that a portion of Californians experiencing homelessness have severe mental illnesses. However, S.B. 43 is not the solution to eradicating California’s homelessness issue completely. The state’s growing unsheltered population is due largely to the unaffordable housing crisis that is pushing low-income families and individuals onto the streets — which is an issue that should be addressed by the state. Rather, S.B. 43’s passage could be a new tool to begin repairing California’s broken mental health system.

TikTok mental health advice should be consumed with caution

ABSORBING INFORMATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE HARMFUL.

SONALI WHITTLE

Contributing

Writer

The rise of social media has revolutionized the way people communicate with one another and the kinds of information that are available to the population. Communication is faster between people and there is a sea of information available. Since the pandemic started in 2020, Tiktok has made its way to being one of the most used apps for adolescents and Gen Z.

Various kinds of information, ranging from skincare to politics, can be found in the form of short videos made by different content creators on the app. TikTok has become a platform where people are comfortable enough to share personal anecdotes, including mental health struggles. There is a steady stream of information on the app that dictates what people should be doing for their mental health, signs of bad mental health and traits of specific mental disorders. Although the app can positively affect many through finding solidarity and support in others’ experiences, there is a downside. Advising people to self diagnose and treat themselves poses a significant threat.

Psychological diagnostics are incredibly complicated and many mental illnesses masquerade as or can match the symptoms of others. Furthermore, it’s easy to confuse a medical illness as a psychiatric issue if you’re untrained and uninformed. TikTok content creators, for the most part, are not trained psychological diagnosticians.

Mental health treatment needs are individualistic. This means that what one person may be experiencing may not translate at the same magnitude for someone else. The volume and variety of information that people are being exposed to causes information to be used on too broad a scale when the process is much more intricate than that. Dr. John Walkup, the chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, says that TikTok “encourages weakness and self doubt to impose diagnoses that may well not be accurate.”

Professionals in the healthcare field go to school for years in order to provide patients with proper support and diagnoses. Simplifying this kind of education through misinformation that only scratches the surface of the true nature of mental disorders is misleading and might end up worsening the problem. The things one sees online should be consumed with caution and what may apply to one person may not apply to another. Individuals should try their best to seek help from reliable sources and professionals instead of content creators without training or experience. ■ H

WITH A RISING NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, A NEW BILL SEEKS TO INCREASE TREATMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO CANNOT HELP THEMSELVES DUE TO MENTAL ILLNESSES.

COURTESY OF JOE GARITY VIA FLICKR

FEATURES

You might be the problem…

YSABEL NAKASONE Assistant Opinions Editor

Pisces(February19 -March20):Fool

Taurus(April20-May 20):FiveofSwords

Courtesy

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Aquarius(January20-February18):The Hermit Beingalonewithyour thoughtsisn’tyourstrength,Aries.Youdon’tlikeyourselfenoughtobealone withyourself.

Youtakeonavery innocent outlook. Youtrytoseethe bestinpeople, Pisces,andthat’snot alwaysbad.However,currently,your naiveteiscosting youprogress.Keep youreyesopenand be aware of what’s happeningaround youandbetweenthe peoplearoundyou.

you’reRightnow,theproblems facingareglaring youintheface.There’s a lot of conflict and losssurroundingyou. thisUnfortunately,noneof isbecauseofyou,andsothere’snothingyoucan do to fix it. The lack theofimpactyoucanhaveis mostfrustratingthing youface.

AprilAries(March2119):ChariotAries.Youhavecontrolissues, You’retryingliterallytocontrolthingsthatcontrolled.cannotbe Thisneedexactlytomakethingshappen asyouenvisionpreventsthemhindersothersand outcome.anypositive

Capricorn (December 22January 19): The Star You don’t have any faith in yourself and others. You need to believe that what you’re working towards is possible and stop allowing the belief that you will fail to permeate the hope of others.

struggles because you haven’t learned how to.

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Earth signs are steady. They are the unmoving ground beneath your feet and the people you can count on. A person is only as good as their word, and Earth signs keep their promises in spades. Earth signs are inherently logical and goal-oriented. It can be their weakness to miss intricacies along the way because they focus on the end product. Surprisingly, earth signs are sometimes seen as materialistic. However, they also put a high value on security, whether it be

Virgo(August23September22):Four ofCups

You refuse to reevaluateandadjust.Your inabilitytoadaptwill meanthateveryproject orendeavoryouhave is over before it even starts.Peopleneed youtochangeand learnandgrow,oryou willbespendingalot of time alone in the future.

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Cancer (June 21July 22): Nine of Wands You’re afraid, Cancer. Fear drives every decision you make in your professional, academic, and personal atmospheres. You need to nd something worth having the courage to do, or you’ll be stuck in a cyclical pattern of nothingness.

Pexels CourtesyofPexels

You’renoticingyourdifferences.Youfeel thatyou’retoodifferentfromthepeoplearoundyoutoachievesuccess oracceptance.Findthepeoplewhoknowthatstrengthisoftenderivedfromdiversity andadversity.

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What major issues are holding you back from happiness?

Club Spotlight: Have commitment issues? Join the Sampling Club!

YSABEL NAKASONE Assistant Opinions Editor

The UCR Sampling Club was only founded this year, but they are already making their mark. They are the self-described “Club gateway drug” as they offer opportunities for students who want to get involved in clubs but don’t know where to start. The club offers optional and low-commitment membership with around 80 to 100 regular members.

UCR Chapter founder and Co-President, Amandeep Sangha, says that “With the pandemic, there was little opportunity to get involved, and this was a way to make my mark and meet new people.” The idea for this club started at UCLA with Founder Ahmed Shurbaji before expanding to other UCs. The Sampling Club also has a chapter at UCI, founded by Blaire Galon and Myra Thai.

The club works with other social clubs to plan events and involve students in campus life. Recently, they’ve done a workshop with Girl Gains, learning about Workout Splits to divide up workout plans throughout the week and create a targeted fitness journey. The club also hosted a Paint & Sip event with Fight for Autism to learn about sensory-friendly art, and artists on the spectrum. Additionally, Club Sampling Club organized a viewing of a taping for the popular show, Masked Singer.

In collaboration with the UCLA chapter, the club attended a taping of two episodes of Dr. Phil and sampled “Being on TV.” Outreach Coordinator Jewel Alawabdeh told The Highlander that she “really love[s] that the CSC has been able to execute something large-scale like that off-campus. The diversity of experiences, skills and other clubs we have to sample is unlike any other club I’ve seen.” The experience was unique for members and the board as they got onto the set and were seated based on the producer’s specifications and color coordination needs before watching the dramafilled taping.

CSC will be holding another event on May 26 at Winston Chung Hall 205/206 from 7 to 10 p.m. called Design N’ Build with MRS. Those interested can RSVP as teams for the friendly competition. This is just one event that aims to provide a wide variety of events in order to encompass the wide variety of interests on campus. For those interested, follow their Instagram, @clubsamplingclub. ucr, for updates on upcoming events. There, you can access their link tree to find access to their newsletter and board applications for the next academic year! ■ H

The next chapter

I’m a senior, now what?

ALEXANDRIA LACHMAN Staff Writer

Dear graduating seniors,

Graduation is rapidly approaching and with it, the impending weight of what to do next is right alongside it. With the consistent questions that relatives and friends start asking of what’s your specific next goal, it’s hard to tell what your next step is after graduation. For some, those prospects are already lined up (congratulations to those who do). There are also those who just have the energy to make it to the stage. It leaves a lot of space for the internal panic of what comes after.

Something important to remember is that everyone works at their own pace, especially after achieving a college degree. Take time to enjoy your success, rest and come up with ideas on what you want to pursue next. Panicking or feeling like you’re behind in life because you’re looking for a job that meets all your criteria is nothing to over-stress about. The perfect opportunity will appear when you least expect it and nothing is permanent. Do your research and look into your interest as well when it comes to making these big decisions. You can also do research and look into master programs and push your education to a higher extent. Possibilities after obtaining your undergrad are limitless and whatever you decide, it’s the path that makes sense to you and that’s all that matters in the end.

Sincerely,

A fellow senior graduating■ H

COURTESY OF AMANDEEP SANGHA

The Sampling Club should be every first-year’s starting point for getting involved on campus.

Class Spotlight: Student project sheds light on climate change and promotes fast fashion alternatives

MARIBEL GAMEZ-REYES Contributing Writer

Diving into the journey of a group of students as they raise awareness and highlight fast fashion alternatives, aiming to engage the UCR community in addressing climate change issues in California.

Prompted by an assigned class project, a group of five students are striving to implement solutions on a local scale, recognizing the crucial role of community engagement in addressing this global challenge. With a deep understanding of the significance of combating climate change, we are determined to navigate the complex intersection of fashion, sustainability, and the pressing need for climate change action.

First and foremost, let us introduce the class that initiated the flame of inspiration- ENSC003, led by esteemed Professor Francesca Hopkins. As outlined in her syllabus, the core goal of the course is to provide students with an introduction to truth, courage, and solutions to confront the climate change crisis head-on. Through the class project, we were tasked with embodying these three fundamental elements by demonstrating our understanding of the scientific aspect of climate change, empowering ourselves to take action, and delving into the exploration of potential solutions on a collective and individual scale. This class serves as a catalyst for past, present, and future students enrolled in the course, equipping them with the necessary tools and knowledge to make a meaningful impact.

In targeting the fashion industry, we aim to decrease carbon emissions with the objective of mitigating climate change, which refers to the sustained adjustment of global temperature, particularly their rise. Many human activities lead to a mass release of greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide and methane, which are responsible for creating the greenhouse effect that confine the sun’s heat. The fashion sector plays a significant role in the Climate Crisis by promoting Fast Fashion, the rapid production of inexpensive clothing, leading to environmental deterioration and generation of carbon emissions and other greenhouse gasses. In addition to its detrimental environmental contributions, fast fashion relies on cheap labor and exploitative unethical practices employed by profit-driven corporations. The long-term effects of fast fashion place our environment and the future biodiversity of our planet in peril.

How to Spot a Fast Fashion Brand:

• Variety of latest trend clothing

Introducing the Team:

The dedicated members involved in working on the project are Esthefania Rodriguez, a third year political science major, Brayan Cifuentes a second year political science major, Joshua Mora, Anthony Kyriakakis, a fourth year transfer education major and myself, a second year English major.

Our project seeks to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of the production and distribution of textile within the fashion industry. Fast fashion has led to the rise in both pre- and post production textile waste. We advocate for individuals to choose sustainable clothing brands that have lower environmental impact. Our objective is to educate others about the hazards of fast fashion, and provide ethical alternatives. Through social media and reaching out to The Highlander, we aim to make our information more accessible to others. Fast fashion encourages excessive production and consumption, we urge you to minimize your consumption and support sustainable alternative brands.

A normal response to our rapidly warming planet can have us feeling helpless and eco-anxious, however there are simple things that anyone can implement in their lives, such as supporting local thrift stores (reduces the probability of waste/ landfill) and buying, selling and trading clothes online (Ebay, Etsy and Facebook Marketplace are fantastic platforms). Most importantly, sometimes consumers are unaware of ecological unfriendly conglomerates and brands such as Amazon, Zara, Shein, FashionNova and many others.

As a result of this project, each of us gained valuable insight. Many of us as college students actively participate in the consumerism of fast fashion brands. Collaborating and coming up with solutions allowed us to find a creative approach of outreach, and to reflect on our own contribution to the larger problem: climate change. The objectives of the course and project resonated with us as we investigated this industry thoroughly, revealing the devastation left in its wake. You can learn more about our project by following our Instagram, @befastfashionfree.

• Brief period of when a trend or clothing item is showcased on media platform and when it becomes available to purchase in-store

• Practice offshore manufacturing, located in area where labor is low cost, and provide minimal and obscure transparency

• Utilizes inexpensive materials, such as polyester which results in imminent deterioration

RadaR

Anna Nicole Smith: They’ll chew you up and spit you out

All

the money in the world can’t fix a heavy heart.

BOBBI MANDOUR

Contributing Writer

CW: Mentions of sexual assault and eating disorders.

Netflix’s newest narrative pursuit looks to get to the nitty-gritty of the life story behind one of the most famous women in 90s-to-early-2000s Hollywood in “Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me.” Part cinematic, part dramatic and partly journalistic, this documentary on the late Marilyn Monroeesque model, actress and reality television persona reveals the suffering of Anna Nicole Smith. While the documentary feels like it wants to vindicate her image, it doesn’t do much to critique the sensationalist nature of Hollywood storytelling that often leads to psychological stress and damage on to-be starlets. Hollywood loves a tragedy, and Smith might be one of the finest in the genre.

The documentary has some strong points: the opening story of Smith’s early beginnings as a young woman wanting more out of life while being stuck living in the Bible Belt of rural Texas. The actress grew up in a broken poor family, not unlike many Americans, getting married young to her first love and having a baby to avoid her own loneliness. The film does not overly dramatize this sequence and instead creates a familiar atmosphere of trashy Americana aesthetics. This part of the documentary is often looked at with complex feelings of nostalgia, romanticization and even contempt as it represents a certain kind of experience that might not receive much empathy in today’s discourse surrounding this

country’s issues of class struggle. Nevertheless, the documentary does an excellent job at building Anna Nicole Smith as a person before her controversial fame, showing how her magnetic character and bright aura were more influential to her popularity and dreamlike luck than the perceived “gold-digging” ambitions she is often characterized with.

The film also surprisingly respects a feminist, sex-positive framework in its exploration of Smith’s celebration of her femininity, which is often looked down upon as the blueprint for the “bimbo” stereotype that plagued voluptuous blonde-haired women in media in the late 90s-to-early-2000s. Like Maxine in “Pearl,” Smith always knew she was meant to be a star. Her early pursuits in performance included becoming a small-town strip club dancer, which was the catalyst for her infamous relationship with the wealthy J. Howard Marshall. She was able to hone in on her sensual prowess through her experience as a sex worker, eventually feeling compelled to alter her body with breast implants — which perhaps is the moment her body started becoming a burden to carry. The rest of her short life was plagued by other people’s obsession with the size and shape of her figure, leading her to abuse “diet pills” to please the hungry gaze of paparazzi and viewers alike.

The film becomes as ravenous as the tabloids for Smith’s vulnerability in its weaker moments. Though images were made public in Playboy Magazine, the film unnecessarily displays Smith’s nudity as a spectacle to marvel at in a film meant to focus on

uncovering her humanity and personhood over the sensationalization of her sexual allure. It also fails to critique the ways how the media felt entitled to her body and private sexual life because of her early work in modeling for Playboy. Interviewers picked at her body or questioned whether or not she had a sexual relationship with J. Howard Marshall — things Smith felt uncomfortable making central to her image because she truly wanted to work on her career as an actress and most importantly, provide a safe and happy life for her children.

Perhaps the saddest part of the documentary was the lack of care given to the traumatic events of Smith’s life in the limelight, like when she was innocently excited to be reunited with her biological father only to be faced with a potential sexual assault by him that was communicated through disbelief, which can’t be investigated further because she isn’t here to defend the story today. Or, her messy trial after Marshall’s death, where she was perceived to have lost favor with the jury “because of who she was as a person,” which is pure misogyny.

Overall, posthumously released documentaries have a difficult job to take on, especially when centered around women like Anna Nicole Smith. The runtime is a little too long for a story that’s already been told, and it would probably be more entertaining to watch actual reality television rather than a documentary about it.

VERDICT: FOR FANS OF EARLY REALITY TELEVISION MEDIA PERSONALITIES, I WOULD NOT PUT IT AT THE TOP OF YOUR WATCH LIST IF YOU ARE NOT LOOKING FOR A RECAP OF SMITH’S LIFE. AND IF YOU ARE NOT OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER WATCHING HER 2004 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARD SPEECH, SKIP THE WATCH AS WELL.

High stakes and past foes return in this exciting entry to the longrunning action series.

THRISTINE MAGALLANES

Contributing Writer

Released May 19, 2023 “Fast X” follows our group of street racers that have pulled off multiple near-impossible feats. Led by Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel), the family’s new adventure follows them taking Dante Reyes, played by Jason Momoa. Dante Reyes is revealed to be the son of Hernan Reyes, the antagonist from “Fast Five” back in 2011. In the 2011 film, Toretto and his team stole Reyes’s safe filled with money before Reyes was killed in the climax of the movie. Now out for revenge, Momoa puts on a spectacular performance as the intelligent and witty antagonist of the film. He acts in such a joyous manner while still speaking in an intimidating fashion that makes you fear his next move. His character’s wittiness adds more depth and shows just how much fun Momoa had while playing this character.

One of the things that the “Fast and Furious” movies are well-known for is the incredulous stunts and nonstop action sets that revolve around cars and highlevel heists. This entry is no different as we continue to see how far Dom will go

to defend his family. These movies are escapes from reality, and magic is still prevalent in this film. When following Toretto’s main plot, the vehicular action is still present and continues to amaze us at the feats he’s able to accomplish.

It can be difficult to follow the overall plot as this movie is split into three subplots. The main plot line is Dom and Dante’s feud. Running alongside the three other subplots include the rest of the team being led by Roman (Tyrese Gibson) trying to get to the rendezvous point, Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) being paired up with the likes of Cypher (Charlize Theron) and Jakob (John Cena) protecting Dom’s son while also trying to get to the rendezvous point. The transitions between these subplots do hurt the film’s emotional core, but it still leaves you wondering what follows the next move and when we’ll shift back to pick up where one subplot left off.

Not only does Toretto face Dante’s mercenaries that drive the plot forward, but there’s also the Agency. The Agency has been around since the seventh movie, and would occasionally hire Toretto and

his team for unaffiliated, high-stakes, offthe-grid missions. Aimes (Alan Ritchson) is the new leader of the Agency since Mr. Nobody’s unexplained absence is nowhere to be found in the film, though we do get the introduction of Tess (Brie Larson). She is revealed to be Mr. Nobody’s daughter and goes rogue by trusting more in Toretto and his team while the Agency turns them into fugitives that need to be apprehended.

It was confirmed by Vin Diesel himself that this movie would be the first of three films that would bring the Fast Saga to an end. This movie does feel like the first entry in a three-part conclusion, even though it does end on a cliffhanger that will leave you shocked and wanting to have answers immediately. All along the movie, we’ve seen many callbacks to past movies and even some special appearances from characters that came out in past films in this saga.

As I’m sure you’re curious to see what comes next in the series, be sure to stay tuned for a post-credit scene at the end. ■ H

VERDICT: “FAST X” CONTINUES TO ADD TO DOMINIC TORETTO’S LEGACY WHILE LEAVING FANS HANGING AND BEGGING FOR MORE.

■ H

‘Fast X’ kicks off the beginning of the end of the Fast Saga

Paradise’ should be on every Shonen Lover’s radar for the Spring Season

Fans of Shonen anime will find everything they love and more with ‘Hell’s Paradise.’ With its evocative aesthetic and narrative prowess, the new series shows incredible promise.

BRENDAN VO

Contributing Writer

Yuji Kaku’s “Hell’s Paradise” bursts onto the scene nailing every element of a successful anime, whether it be its evocative art style or its dark and intriguing, yet heartfelt storytelling. The first thing watchers will notice is the strong premise of the newly produced series. Ten death row convicts are sent to a mysterious island to find an elixir that promises immortality to whoever consumes it and is to deliver it back to Japan to obtain a pardon from the emperor. Each of them is also followed by their respective executioners. The narrative follows one of these criminals, Gabimaru, who wants to come back to Japan for one sole reason: to get back to his wife and live a peaceful life.

Though, alongside the hellish battle royale format with other dangerous and cunning convicts, the setting of the island produces a myriad of unknown creatures, posing as a source of spontaneous threats, allies and conflicts.

What makes “Hell’s Paradise” a must-watch lies in the unpredictability of the story. The narrative seems always to revolve around character progression rather than conflicts and resolutions. With proper execution, the series leaves no stone unturned when establishing the presence of every convict, whether it be giving viewers snippets of their backstories and motivations, or exploring their strengths, unique abilities, or intriguing philosophies. Subsequently, since most characters are given substantial opportunities to shine, the shock that comes after some of their deaths is immense. Furthermore, the journey to finding the

elixir is not the priority of all convicts, so the story gives itself the flexibility to force its characters into any situation.

The unpredictability of the narrative also stems from the setting itself. The mysterious island is called Kotaku and is also known as Shinsenkyo. The location is home to grotesque creatures and beautiful, eternal beings that have their motives. These living creatures and beings on the island are revealed to be amalgamations of Buddhist and Taoist entities, linking these religions’ mythologies to potential antagonists and dangers.

At the core of “Hell’s Paradise,” the narrative places an incredible onus on the character of Gabimaru to be the heart of the show and it is done very well. Gabimaru’s past as a ruthless and emotionless mercenary makes him one of the most, if not the most, formidable characters in the story. However, his past is stained with thoughtless killing as Yui teaches him how to be a good-hearted person, correcting him to be kind and feel his emotions. While Gabimaru, as a main character, comes to the narrative with a prepared arsenal of incredible abilities, his Achilles heel is presented in the form of his internal emotional conflicts.

Moving on from the story, the art style and aesthetic of the Shonen series are breathtaking. The direction in which the anime is stylized strikes themes of disturbing, religious inspiration with contrasting vibrant floral backgrounds. And while the line between

horror and beauty is blurred, the fear of the mysteries beheld by Shinsekyo is intensely evoked, leading to a distinctly disturbing and unsettling aesthetic. This is especially prominent when the Buddhist and Taoist imagery is fused in the designs of intricate and fantastical creatures such as butterflies with deformed faces, anthropomorphic monsters and centipedes with fingers.

What viewers may also enjoy from the handling of the art is the intertwining of death and beauty. This may come in the form of contrasting the blood from the wounds of the characters with the bright colors of the flora surrounding them. Yet, it also appears in the fusion upon which characters experience death, or a fate much worse, become one with the island, hinting at the disturbing and unsettling nature of the mysterious Shinsekyo.

One may notice that despite the incredible care put into “Hell’s Paradise,” its animation seems lackluster. This raises even greater concern when it is acknowledged that the studio behind the new series is none other than Mappa Studios, responsible for its innovative CGI art in “Chainsaw Man” or the incredibly fluid and stylish “Jujutsu Kaisen.” Fans speculate that the team may be spread thin as they prepare for future projects while still working on this series. Whatever the case, the animation is still solid, however disappointing when the potential at which it is executed is pondered. ■ H

VERDICT: “HELL’S PARADISE” IS A MUST-HAVE ON YOUR ANIME BUCKET LIST WITH ITS UNPREDICTABLE STORYLINE, A FLESHED-OUT ENSEMBLE OF INTERESTING CONVICTS AND A WHOLESOME PROTAGONIST WITH ITS ONLY WEAKNESS BEING ITS ANIMATION QUALITY POTENTIALLY LIMITED BY ITS STUDIO.

One step forward, two steps back with ‘The Little Mermaid’

The increasing backlash to ‘The Little Mermaid’ seems to be a culmination of lingering resentment over the titular casting and negative reactions to the CGI.

RAMITA SETTY Staff Writer

Disney’s latest live-action fare, “The Little Mermaid” is officially releasing next Friday, May 26. The film has previously had a turbulent build-up to that release date, from racist backlash over the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel to constant criticisms online over the CGI in the film. The response when Disney announced that Halle Bailey would play the titular role of the film protested over a Black girl being cast. A mermaid could not be Black, naysayers insisted, and a variety of pseudo-scientific nonsense was used to justify this.

The typical culture war storm ensued, with many right-wing reactionaries decrying Disney for being “woke.” Countless threads and arguments abounded on social media sites over the casting, petitions were circulated and throughout it all, Disney stayed relatively silent. But few people seemed interested in examining how Disney benefitted from the casting.

In recent years, Disney has embraced the effort to be diverse, using progressive-sounding language such as “diversity and “authenticity.” There is no escaping that many of its diversity efforts have felt as if they have been coated in a thin veneer of corporate trappings. Take, for example, “Aladdin” (2019). With the casting of Naomi Scott, a half-Indian actress and acknowledgments from a costume designer that they had taken influence from Indian culture, Disney created an orientalist mixture of MENA and South Asian cultures. The problem with this approach is that it treats two highly diverse and distinct cultures as interchangeable, which means that cultural authenticity becomes a fantasy quasi-culture that white creators may shape as they wish. But none of it ultimately mattered. The film went

on to make over a billion dollars at the box office. Disney had cast two visibly POC actors as Aladdin and Jasmine, and minor changes from “Sunday Salaam” to “Friday Salaam” were made, and that was good enough. After all, while Disney has the resources for a more culturally authentic film, they did not see the need for one. As long as the film was, on the surface, reflective of the vaguely Middle Eastern world in “Aladdin’’ took place, that was enough. After all, it wasn’t as if most of their intended audience would know or care. The film made its box office through the power of name recognition alone.

That is the same rhetoric behind every live-action movie Disney makes, and “The Little Mermaid” is no different. It is name recognition that sells this movie, not quality. All of the discussions over the quality of the CGI of the film get at the root of this — Disney doesn’t need to create a quality project to make a buck anymore. The discussions of it get more and more tiring because this is a cycle that repeats with every live-action project. Plenty was written about the blank lifelessness of the CGI animals in “Lion King” (2020), but it still went on to make a billion dollars.

Indeed, plenty of people have suggested that lingering resentment over the casting of Halle Bailey has helped fuel this discourse.

So in this context, how does Disney’s decision to cast Bailey seem? It is safe to say that Disney knew the backlash Bailey’s casting would entail. It is sadly not the first time it has happened to a Black actress cast in a formerly white role. At best, it feels like an attempt to purposefully stoke an extreme online reaction to get people to talk about the movie. This isn’t to suggest that Bailey isn’t qualified to take on the role of Ariel: People of color are frequently tokenized by companies like Disney but that doesn’t mean they aren’t talented. And there is no doubt that there are hundreds, if not thousands of young Black girls who will have a new role model in popular media. It is still worth questioning the intentions of Disney, who positioned the 23-year-old actress to take on the brunt of the internet’s reaction while benefiting from the various discourse this generated.■ H

‘Hell’s

COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY STUDIO MOTION PICTURES

‘McGregor Forever’: a fascinating behind-the-scenes look into one of combat sports’ most important figures

MAX BRIGGS Staff Writer

The controversial UFC star’s inner psyche is laid bare for all to see, serving as an insight into the man behind the madness.

Whether you are a fan of Conor McGregor or not, it is impossible to deny his impact on the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). A oneof-a-kind fighter and character in his prime, the Netflix limited miniseries “McGregor Forever” covers the past few years of his career starting from his first attempt to regain the lightweight belt.

The show requires the viewer to have basic knowledge of the height of McGregor’s career with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, only providing a small glimpse into his life before signing for the promotion. Instead of retelling his history, vignettes of McGregor’s everyday life are presented throughout, leaving little room for older moments in his career. The series expects viewers to be aware of his rise and downfall. It leaves out his championship to hold belts in two different weight classes, which he won by defeating José Aldo and Eddie Alvarez respectively. The series also skips over his first shocking UFC loss to Nate Diaz along with other in-between moments, yet are expected to be common knowledge. For those who are new to the sport of MMA or have no prior knowledge of McGregor’s career, Gavin Fitzgerald’s 2017 documentary “Conor McGregor: Notorious” serves much better as an introduction.

Most mixed martial artists would consider themselves blessed to have the career of Conor McGregor, as he has acquired the money, fame and accolades possible. While these rewards reveal themselves from masterful exhibitions of pure skill and hard work, the documentary series proves that what happens outside of the octagon matters just as much.

McGregor’s fiancée Dee Delvin and their children frequently are shown on screen, and his maturation in terms of being a family man is presented in a raw manner. Archival footage

is used in abundance to show how his fiancée impacted him as a person. McGregor’s team is also frequently featured, with their loyalty proving to be long-standing and integral to the apex of his dominance over the sport. The combination of both support systems can be attributed to much of his success, and the miniseries presents this from their perspectives directly, showing the viewer a softer side never before seen.

The physical side of McGregor’s training is depicted in vivid detail, with the grueling weight-cutting process highlighting the peak of physical exertion he undergoes. He has never been one to shy away from a challenge, as exhibited by his willingness to shift between weight classes; this is the best example of his persistent drive for success, as it becomes apparent that this stern mentality forged itself through hardship.

With the world seemingly bending to his will, McGregor does not shy away from the spotlight. His creative and downright absurd trash talk manifests itself in various ways, earning him both a devout group of fans and critics alike. Bombastic, loud, arrogant — any bold aphorism can be applied to McGregor’s billionaire-style persona. His worst moments are shown without bias, most notably the bus attack, leading the dichotomy between both his respectful and rowdy side to be blurred. Both of these halves are presented in detail, with the long-anticipated clash with the undefeated Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov rupturing any doubt of the aforementioned. His eventual loss via submission would be the third loss out of his four most recent fights, serving as a perfect segway for the exploration of his necessary shift in attitude between each clash. The editing complements this, building momentum and significance as the months go by.

While the animosity between McGregor and Nurmagomedov stemmed from a long-lasting place of malice, his feud with American Dustin “The Diamond” Poirer exploded in rather an abrupt fashion. The history between the two men is rich, with their first bout resulting in a first-round TKO for McGregor, leading to an unnervingly respectful McGregor before their second meeting.

The latter half of the series showcases the harshness of the sport and how individual circumstances can change the course of one’s life. Poirier’s back-to-back TKOs and the subsequent aftermath are extensively covered. Despite this, perhaps the most infamous postfight interview in history, featuring a defeated yet angry McGregor with a broken tibia, is unfortunately not featured. Its inclusion would have given a rare opportunity to understand why the previously established mutual respect shattered out of nowhere, with the shift only being alluded to through the press conference footage. However, this same injury presented in the first episode comes full circle, wrapping the narrative in a neat bow.

Simple but effective in its presentation, “McGregor Forever” invites us to understand the unapologetic nature of its subject. While it presents all of the necessary pieces of the puzzle, it leaves just enough room for one to form their own opinion of the Irishman, and whatever that may be, one thing is certain — we haven’t seen the last of Conor McGregor. ■ H

Verdict: Even with its few missed opportunities to dive deeper, the miniseries provides an understanding of McGregor’s flaming desire to answer only to himself.

UCR Department of Theater, Film, and Digital Productions’ rendition of ‘Yellow Face’ tackles anti-Asian attitudes in America

SENNA OMAR Assistant Features Editor

Toeing the line between reality and fiction, UCRs Department of Theater, Film, and Digital Productions (TFDP) rendition of “Yellow Face,” tackles and questions the construct of race. Director Reena Dutt successfully recreated the David Henry Hwang masterpiece, utilizing only nine people to play every role as actors constantly rotated between characters.

A hush fell over the crowd, a single spotlight projected over Marcus G. Dahlman (Ryan Ansara) as he narrates an email addressed to David Henry Hwang (Ethan Dizon), detailing his life-changing journey through China during his public disappearance. Set in 1990, “Yellow Face” springs right into action with the controversial casting of a white actor for an Asian role in “Miss Saigon.” Outraged, David Henry Hwang (DHH) publicly condemns and protests the production; despite his best efforts, the play continues to be a success without so much as a cast change.

“Ring-ring…” during a phone call with his son, Henry Hwang (Pier Garma), possessed by the American Dream, rambles on about “Miss Saigon,” claiming the piece to be inspirational to Asian Americans everywhere. Despite DHH’s protest to the production, his father is insistent that any media exposure is good, and that David was instrumental in the success of “Miss Saigon.” Convinced his father is misguided, DHH attempts to explain the plot; instead, his father’s words inspire a new play.

After countless weeks of auditions for DHH’s new production, “Face Value,” and only three weeks left till rehearsal begins, the production has yet to find an Asian male lead. With what appears to be a stroke of luck, or a curse, Marcus G. Dahlman auditioned for and received the lead role in “Yellow Face.” Regardless of questions from his team about Marcus’ race, DHH is convinced Marcus is Asian.

Prevented from simply asking Marcus what his ethnicity was by the law, the team of “Face Value” was forced to get creative. The truth about Marcus’ heritage was ultimately uncovered through a drunken, and flirtatious, conversation with the plays casting director; Marcus is Jewish. After hearing the news, a panicked DHH covers his hypocrisy.

In an attempt to chastise “Miss Saigon,” DHH unintentionally became the thing he protests. Before release, “Face Value,” held a panel with Director DHH and star Marcus Gee — also known as Marcus G. Dahlman. Often interjecting, or out right answering questions for him, DHH disguises Marcus as a “EuroAsian, Siberian-Jew.” With his new identity, “Marcus Gee” is warmly welcomed into the Asian community.

Despite the extreme backlash from news media outlets, DHH actively protested the yellow face in “Miss Saigon.” Yet, he still forced Marcus into an

Asian disguise. Because of the deep trust and respect between DHH and the Asian community, he was easily able to integrate Marcus, and any questions towards Marcus’s race were pushed off as racism. Marcus Gee, during the panel, shared stories of childhood where he felt targeted because of his race. Being white, he has no true way of relating to the community he is speaking to. Marcus, unlike his Asian “counterparts,” wears his “ethnicity” at his convenience, choosing to be Asian or white at his own whims. DHH walks through life as an Asian American, something Marcus will never truly understand.

the people to his favor. An unnamed reporter reaches out to DHH to have an “off-the-record” conversation to clear his name.

Unnamed reporter and DHH meet up for coffee, and DHH is manipulated into going on the record. DHH is questioned about his involvement in his fathers bank, making the claim that he is simply a nepotism hire and had no such knowledge of the bank’s financials. The reporter accuses DHH of aiding the bank in receiving illegal funds from China in attempt to fight the “white power.” DHH was appalled by the insinuation that his father would ever participate in anything antiAmerican. The self proclaimed “agendaless” reporter attempted to position Chinese and Asian as conflicting identities to Americans. DHH, catching the reporter in a slip of the tongue, and on her tape recorder, prevented the reporter’s latest bit of misinformation from making the front page. DHH left the table feeling inspired for his next play featuring the “agendaless,’’ nameless reporter writing smear campaigns about Asian Americans.

Asian hate is on the rise, with many Asian Americans under investigation by the federal government for funneling Chinese money into American politics in order to influence elections. These average American citizens were guilty of donating to the Clinton campaign. A crime, in the case of Wen-Ho-Lee, punishable by extreme interogation methods and torture. Marcus Gee, invigorated by his false reality, spearheaded Justice campaigns for “his’’ community. Although Marcus Gee reached out to DHH to join in on the campaign, all DHH wanted from Marcus was to be left alone. He is convinced that Marcus Gee is obsessed with him, not only because of his recent activism but he is also dating DHH’s exgirlfriend.

Enraged, DHH calls Marcus’ mother to tell her that her son is pretending to be Asian American. Marcus’ mother is insistent that he is simply acting Asian American, because he is an actor. Fiercely defending her son, Marcus’ mother makes the claim that race is irrelevant, continuing to support her son no matter what race he plays.

As if DHH did not have enough to deal with, his fathers bank is now under investigation for embezzling Chinese funds. Caught up in his idealism and ignorant to the bolstering anti-chinese American attitudes, Henry Hwang is convinced that if indicted he can woo

After diagnosis with an aggressive form of cancer, DHHs father unfortunately passed away. Marcus came to offer DHH his condolences; the pair attempted to make amends for the white stain they created in the Asian community. DHH believed they should come clean about augmenting Marcus’ identity so he could play a character.

Before the two have a chance to undo their mistakes, DHH breaks the fourth wall and reveals that Marcus Gee or Marcus G. Dahlman is not real, but rather a character in a play he created to help his audience understand race. Marcus Gee also serves a personal purpose for DHH, as a manifestation of his father, a man who persevered through all of life’s obstacles to achieve greatness. Pier Garma’s performance as Henry Hwang, truly encapsulated the spirit and drive of DHH’s father. A true believer in the American Dream, the actor had the audience convinced that America is a place for everyone to succeed.

Before parting ways, Marcus Gee requests that DHH writes him a happy ending. The play ends like a perfect sandwich, with a single spotlight projected over Marcus as he narrates an email addressed to David Henry Hwang detailing his life changing travels to China.

Exploring the intersections between politics, media and race, “Yellow Face” captivated the audience’s attention. Seamlessly transporting them to 1990s NYC, the production shed light on the deep rooted anti-Asian attitudes in America. “Yellow face” forced the audience to question the true meaning of race, and their own reality within American society. ■ H

The play’s commentary on race and anti-Asian attitudes opens room for a larger discussion.

COURTESY OF ARONNE CHAN

The NHL should implement a limit to number of overtime periods after a quadruple overtime game

KIANOOSH NOOSHI Assistant Sports Editor

The NHL playoffs are almost at their final stage with the conference finals beginning this past week in both the eastern and western conferences. The Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers are the two teams coming out of the Eastern Conference while the Dallas Stars and Vegas Golden Knights represent the West. The winner of each respective conference will face off for arguably the coolest looking sports trophy in the world, the Stanley Cup.

Game one of the Western Conference was an exciting one, with the Vegas Golden Knights blowing a late lead but recovering to beat the Dallas Stars in overtime. The talk of the sports world however was on the Eastern Conference Game versus the Hurricanes and the Panthers. This game was a complete marathon with four overtime periods lasting until around 2 A.M. EST this past Thursday.

The game raised questions about the NHL’s playoff overtime rules which lengthen the game when compared to the regular season playoff rules. A regular NHL game is three 20-minute periods which can, if tied, lead to an additional 20 minute overtime period sudden death style with the first team to score winning. If the score is tied after the 20 minute overtime period the game heads into a second, third, fourth, and so on and so forth periods until one team scores.

This game between the Panthers and the Hurricanes went to quadruple overtime leaving the players absolutely exhausted after nearly 80 extra minutes of playoff hockey on top of the already grueling 60 minutes of regulation play. Questions will be asked on whether or not having such a format is too taxing on the players who will have only a few days to recover before their next match with practices in between those two games.

Hockey is an incredibly taxing game on the body even withholding the shunts the players receive when slamming into one another. Skating around the rink often at nearly full steam for 60 minutes with over 10 pounds of padding is bound to be one of the most physically taxing feats in sports. Add onto that 20 plus minutes of gameplay for every overtime and it’s clear to see how it could be dangerous for the players to have to endure. For this reason, I propose a change to the over time format. I propose there be a maximum of two overtime periods after every game with the second overtime being a 10 minute sudden death affair. If there are no winners within two overtimes then the game goes to a penalty shootout. My proposed format still allows for the excitement of overtime playoff hockey while not physically destroying the athlete making sure both fans and players are satisfied. A maximum of 30 minutes of overtime play is reasonable for fans who do not want to stay until two in the morning like this past Thursday and will in fact be both safer for the general public who will not have to drive back from the stadium half asleep.

The NHL should look to make a change to a new format in the off-season and I believe my suggestion could be a win-win for all parties involved. They can draw inspiration from other professional sports leagues, my suggestion drew inspiration from both the NFL and professional soccer leagues around the world. Should they make a change, I believe a majority of fans and every single player in the league will thank leadership for making the game more exciting and less drawn out.

UC Riverside baseball team falls to UC San Diego 10-6

HANSEL CHU

Sports Editor

The UC Riverside baseball team fell to UC San Diego 10-6 Saturday night at the Riverside Sports Complex. Going into this game, the Highlanders lost 11-3 the night before and looked to bounce back with a win. UCR fell behind by a substantial amount of runs early on but managed to rally back.

Redshirt sophomore pitcher Corbin Barker got the start for this game and found himself in a predicament to start out the ball game. After walking the first two batters, a sacrifice bunt from the Tritons moved runners onto second and third base with only one out. However, Barker responded well with his back against the wall with two straight strikeouts to retire in the inning. In the bottom of the first inning, the UCR offense went three up, three down to retire the inning. In the top of the second inning, Barker let up two leadoff hits to find himself with runners on second and third base with no outs on the board, and walked the next batter to get the bases loaded for UCSD. However, a 5-2-3 double play took off immense pressure away from UC Riverside and a flyout ended the inning as the Highlanders escaped the inning with no runs allowed. In the bottom of the second inning, junior infielder Anthony Mata connected a base hit right up the middle for the first hit of the ball game for UCR but once again, the offense for the Highlanders failed to keep the momentum going and the score was still tied 0-0 after two innings.

Disaster struck for UC Riverside in the top of the third inning as the bullpen let up a season high 10 runs in one inning. It started off with a double and a single to lead off for the Tritons. Soon afterwards, Barker’s pitch hit the batter which led to the bases being loaded once again with no outs. Luck did not strike twice for the Highlanders as a fielding error from the third baseman led to the first run scored for UCSD. Off of a wild pitch from Barker, UC San Diego jumped on the opportunity to score and indeed they did as the lead grew to 2-0. Barker then let up another base hit toward the right field line to rack up another score for the Tritons. Barker then was subbed out for junior right handed pitcher Alex Rivas. With the bases loaded, Rivas walked the next batter to bring the score to 4-0. A sacrifice fly out to the next batter scored an unearned run for UCSD and with the count being 0-2 for the batter after, Rivas let up a single down the right field line to score in another run and brought the score to 6-0. Moments later, Rivas let up another single this time down the left field line to rack up an additional two runs for UC San Diego. After grounding out the next batter, Rivas let up one more single towards the left side to bring in two runners home for the Tritons and the score ballooned to 10-0 at the end of the top of the third.

With the bullpen digging a huge hole for the Highlanders, they needed to find a way to jumpstart the offense if they wanted to get back into the ball game. It started off in the bottom of the third inning with a double toward left centerfield by redshirt senior catcher Jacob Shanks to bring in the first run for UCR 10-1. Both bullpens managed to shutout the offense in the next few innings as no runs were scored until the bottom of the seventh inning. With the bases loaded with one out on the board, sophomore outfielder Andrew Gamez was hit by a pitch which led to a run being scored. Soon afterwards, Shanks delivered an RBI single to bring the score to 10-3.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Highlanders continued to claw their way back into the ball game as Mata delivered a 2 RBI triple toward right center field to bring the score to 10-5 with no outs on the board. However, the next three batters were quickly retired to end the inning. In the top of the ninth inning, UCR was able to rack up another scoreless inning on UCSD to bring the game to the bottom of the ninth inning. UC Riverside was down to their last three outs of the game and Gamez used one of them as he struck out on an 0-2 count to lead off the inning. However, Shanks delivered once again with a triple down right field. Junior utility player Tyler Weaver was able to capitalize with an RBI hit to bring Shanks home and brought the score to 10-6. However, with two outs on the board and runners on first and second base, Mata flied out on a full count to end the game as UCR lost the game 10-6.

Shanks led the way for the Highlanders as he went 4-5 with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Mata also had a solid game as he went 2-4 with 2 RBIs and a walk. Barker took his seventh loss as the starting pitcher as in 2.0 innings pitched, he let up five hits, five earned runs, three walks, and two strikeouts.

The Highlanders drop to 11-37 (5-21) and will round up their final season series at UC Irvine from May 25th to May 27th.

IN A GAME ONE THAT WAS ENTIRELY TOO LONG FOR ITS OWN GOOD, THE PANTHERS WALKED AWAY WINNERS VERSUS THE HURRICANES IN A MARATHON.

LATE PUSH FROM THE HIGHLANDERS NOT ENOUGH AS THEY LOSE THEIR PAST SEVEN OUT OF EIGHT GAMES

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