KHALIFA D E L L E C AN
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Highlander ELECTIONS University
Volume 63
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C a l i f o r n i a , R ive r s i d e
Serving the UCR community since 1954
Issue 26
FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
2015 ELECTIONS GUIDE PULL OUT ENDORSEMENTS EDITORIAL 8-9
“MRS. PACKARD”
EXPLORES THE HARDSHIP AND TRIUMPH OF A WOMAN WHOSE ACTIVISM HAS INSPIRED MANY.
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NEWS 1 • OPINIONS 8 • FEATURES 12 • A&E 17 • SPORTS 24
Jose Pablo Cantillo, aka Caesar Martinez of “The Walking Dead,” humorously shares his story of stardom.
15 PLEASE RECYCLE
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NEWS
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news
Presidential debates conclude ASUCR campaigns AARON GRECH Senior Staff Writer
Intense cheers arose throughout the audience of 40 packed with supporters from the political parties [OUR] Voice and PAC: Pride, Action, Change at the ASUCR presidential debates. Presidential candidates President Pro Tempore Devin Plazo from PAC and Personnel Director Ashley Harano from [OUR] Voice discussed existing issues in student government, a spending cap on elections campaigns and their positions on a referendum to fund ethnic and cultural programs. Highlander Editor-inChief Colin Markovich began the debate by asking the candidates about their proudest achievement during their tenure at ASUCR. Plazo focused on time spent leading the legislative review committee as president protempore, in which she emphasized student involvement in legislation. “It’s not necessarily one single (achievement) … I’ve worked with numerous students to make sure that their legislation is up to code, and making sure it’s exactly what they want … I believe that as president I will increase this communication between students,” Plazo stated.
Harano parleyed her experience in staffing ASUCR as her proudest achievement. “What I am most proud of as personnel director is tripling the amount of student representatives on our (ASUCR) committees,” Harano stated. The representatives were then asked about what issues are overlooked by ASUCR which they would like to focus on as president. Plazo placed an emphasis on the food pantry, whose bylaws were approved later that day. “I think that a food pantry that is established with the help of ASUCR and the students that are working so diligently and bringing this to our attention is really what we need to focus on, and as president I will do my best to make sure that food pantry establishment is done by the end of next year,” Plazo explained. Harano focused on expanding initiatives launched by the Associated Students Chancellor’s Committee on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Prevention. “During my time as founder and chair of the committee with different campaigns and events, we have had survivors recognized and empowered, and that’s exactly what [OUR]Voice intends to do,” Harano elaborated.
JASPERY GOH / HIGHLANDER Presidential Candidates Devin Plazo (left) and Ashley Harano (right) respond to student-submitted questions at the final ASUCR debates.
The Highlander Empowerment Referendum became the next point of discussion among the candidates. The referendum would increase student fees by $14 per quarter to fund seven of UCR’s ethnic and gender programs in Fall 2015. “I myself completely endorse the Highlander Empowerment Referendum. UCR prides itself on the diverse communities on campus, and if we want to make those communities a part of our campus, we need to make sure they have the proper resources to fully function … (Costo Hall) provides opportunity for students that goes beyond just what a student
government can provide,” Plazo stated. Harano declared support for Costo Hall, but would like to have students make their own decisions on the referendum. “It is very important for us as a student body to take that vote to make sure every student’s voice is heard in the opinion of the Highlander Empowerment Referendum,” Harano explained. As one of the final topics, the candidates spoke about their position on having a spending and donations cap for student elections. Last year, over $15,000 was spent on elections and campaigning across all three political parties.
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
“[OUR]Voice has been able to have different gifts of money from grassroots relationships. We have been able to fund our candidates running by their families donating money to this cause … A cost is going to be necessary because we need to reach a larger span of students,” Harano answered, later stating that her party supports the caps. Plazo was supportive of a spending cap. “I am completely in favor of an elections cap for parties. We are students first and foremost. Our tuition is increasing. We have rent. People are working multiple jobs. We should not be forking over tons of mon-
ey to buy a campaign,” Plazo concluded. In the straw poll, about 54.7 percent of those in attendance throughout the hour were from [OUR]Voice while 44.7 percent were from PAC. [YOU]CR did not run a presidential candidate due to personal issues, according to Senator Summer Shafer, who is running with the party. Voting will begin online at 8 a.m. on Monday, April 27, until 5 p.m. on Friday, May 1. Students can also vote at the Bell Tower at 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on the same days. ■H Video coverage of the debates is available at www. youtube.com/UCRChannelH.
QUOTEBOOK “It’s the 19th century that produced these long lasting visions of the Arctic as uninhabited and ‘empty.’” - Dr. Adriana Craciun, regarding her Arctic research
MULTIMEDIA
f
UCR Highlander Newspaper @ucrhighlander UCRChannelH
TIM BACA
KUCR 88.3 FM, Wednesdays @ 9 a.m.
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
“In A Crowded Place”
UPCOMING EVENTS
SPRING 2015, WEEK 5
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
4/28
4/29
4/30
5/1
5/2
5/3
5/4
Free Film Screening: “Manny” 7 - 9 p.m. UNLH 1000
Indigenous Choreogra- Take Back the Night phers at Riverside Project 6 - 8:30 p.m. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. HUB 302N Culver Center of the Arts
Show and Go Car Show for Charity 8 a.m. - 10 p.m. Downtown Riverside
Spring Splash 2 - 7 p.m. HUB Lawn
The Sound of Music on stage 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. The Box Theater
Resume Writing Noon - 1 p.m. HUB 268
Undersgraduate Research Symposium 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Highlander Hall Third Floor
Rosa Rodriguez Frasier, MFA Dance Concert 7 - 8:30 p.m. ARTS 166
Rosa Rodriguez Frasier, MFA Dance Concert 7 - 8:30 p.m. ARTS 166
“Mrs. Packard,” a play by Emily Mann 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. ARTS 113
Family Movie: “Marvel’s The Avengers” 2 - 4 p.m. La Sierra Library
Adult Swim Lessons: Beginner and Intermediate 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Student Recreation Center Pool
UCR Walk with Chancellor Kim Wilcox 12:15 p.m. Scotty the Bear Statue
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news
NEWS
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
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UCR Library to research, record history of Inland Empire AARON GRECH Senior Staff Writer
The UCR library has recently been chosen to receive a $22,730 grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation to survey archival materials pertaining to the cultural history of the Inland Empire and to make them publicly available. A proposal was compiled by University Archivist Bergis Jules and selected by the Haynes Foundation, which awards grants and scholarships to institutions working toward the betterment of society and facilitating the improvement of social problems in Los Angeles and nearby areas. “Not only are we positioning the campus as a good steward of history, but also as a good partner in the community,” said Sara Fitzgerald, communication and stewardship director of the library. “We will be able to share the resources we discover with students and faculty who are researching related topics, as well as scholars worldwide.” Throughout the course of a year, the funds will be
WRITE SHOOT DESIGN FOR THE
HIGHLANDER MEETINGS MONDAYS, 5 P.M. @ HUB101 Correction: In the April 21 article entitled, “ASUCR Senate: CALPIRG referendum causes debate,” the Highlander misquoted CALPIRG member Dinah Muhammad as saying that the group, “has about $100,000 which we use to pay our campus staff.” The $100,000 is actually the entire budget for CALPIRG’s UCR chapter, which funds campus staff in addition to other things. The Highlander regrets the error.
used for the development and implementation of a survey seeking to discover and amass information important to cultures that have played a significant role in the sculpting of Inland Empire history. A specific emphasis will be placed on locating information pertaining to cultures that have been historically underrepresented, such as Native Americans, MexicanAmericans and AfricanAmericans who have influenced the region. UC Riverside currently has collections such as the Rupert Costo Library, which contains documents, books and photographs pertaining to Native American culture and history. “I definitely think preserving the history and making information readily available for those who are interested is a great way to connect the community with the Inland Empire’s past because in today’s society it is easy to overlook and forget,” commented Ericka Johnson, a fourth-year chemical engineering major. Collected data for this project will be formed into an archival database consisting of
information from institutions such as historical and cultural organizations, libraries and museums. Through digitization, findings can be made available to broader audiences. This new project is part of a larger, ongoing project that possesses a similar goal, known as Inland Empire (IE) Memories, a 2013 initiative which has garnered support from University Librarian Steven Mandeville-Gamble. The purpose of this initiative is to gather historical documents, records and files from those whose work has influenced the cultural makeup of the Inland Empire region. Collaborative partnerships have been established with California State University, San Bernardino, the Sam and Alfreeda Maloof Foundation and the Sherman Indian Museum. “We will build relationships with information seekers, research communities and regional stakeholders that facilitate a community of sharing. We will be the catalyst in making it easier for individuals to discover the history and culture of the IE,” said Fitzgerald. ■H
COURTESY OF UCR TODAY
An archive photo from the Sherman Indian Museum.
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news
NEWS IN BRIEF
NEWS
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
COMPILED BY AARON GRECH, SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Former UCR history professor passes away Robert Hine, a former UCR history professor, passed away on March 27 at the age of 90. The professor gained fame from his research on California’s utopian communities and his memoir “Second Sight,” which detailed his struggles with blindness. Hine retired from UCR in 1990 after teaching for 36 years in the history department. During his time on campus, Hine published his most famous academic work, “California’s Utopian Colonies,”
in 1973, two years after being declared legally blind. Hine’s research on utopian colonies, which he defined as communities attempting to establish a new ideal social pattern, focused on studying their impact on California and their reactions to contemporary cultural and political issues. Californian communities that were studied in this research included Fountain Grove near Santa Rosa and Point Loma in San Diego.
Irwin Wall, a professor emeritus of history, recalled the professor’s classroom presentations as ahead of their time. “He pioneered in the construction of multimedia presentations ... using the technology then available, multiple slide machines, accompanying sound track, recorded commentary and music … When the PC era came they were easily adapted and polished with the new technology and programs like Power Point,” Wall stated in a press release.
UCR English professor awarded Fulbright Scholar Award UCR English professor Adriana Craciun has been awarded the Fulbright Scholar Award for the 2015-2016 school year. The award will consist of a one-year professorship at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, to support Craciun’s research on the Arctic Enlightenment. The professor has been studying arctic exploration literature for 10 years, and is intending to connect the history of the Enlightenment with the impact
Election committee unveils parties’ campaign spending SANDY VAN Senior Staff Writer
Welcoming the week of student government elections, the ASUCR Elections Committee released the preliminary finances of each political party running, revealing that candidates from [OUR] Voice contributed the most. The Elections Code does not require a cap on campaign spending by and donations to any single party, despite being a topic of contention during the last ASUCR debate. Elections Director Stephanie Rose said that ensuring transparency within the elections involved revealing each party’s financial expenditures, giving students a chance to decide whether they had any sort of “weight” on their voting behavior. “We believe it’s important for us to report how much parties have spent in the elections so students have as much information as possible (when) they vote,” she said. Individual parties dedicated funds to various political items aimed at marketing their own brand. [OUR]Voice spent a total of $1,406.92 on flyers and shirts. PAC: Pride, Action, Change spent $994.21 on flyers, stickers and shirts. Meanwhile, [YOU]CR bought business cards, pens and wristbands for a total of $301.37 — the smallest amount of funds spent by a single political party. [OUR]Voice presidential candidate and current Personnel Director Ashley Harano said that campaign materials were “essential,” with efforts being made to ensure the Tshirts were made “ethically and with ecological responsibility,” leading to higher costs. Harano expressed that some candidates experienced ► SEE SPENDING, PAGE 6
of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which holds seeds from all known species of trees on the planet. In addition, her research will deal with the relationship between explorers and the indigenous people who inhabited the region. “Another important difference that becomes clear when we look at European exploration of the Arctic is the changing role and significance of indigenous people over several centuries,”
Craciun explained, adding that the research will be included in her upcoming book, “Writing Arctic Disaster,” which will come out this year. “I’m thrilled to have received this Fulbright Visiting Professorship. It feels great to start a new project in this way, and I’m looking forward to the new interdisciplinary possibilities that visiting Edinburgh will open up for my work and teaching,” Craciun stated. ■H
COURTESY OF UCR TODAY
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NEWS
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news
TIM BACA / HIGHLANDER
The UCR Farmshare will provide an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables to all participants.
UCR and Riverside community take steps to eat locally MELA MAGAT Contributing Writer
Seasonal and healthy produce has now become available and easier to attain through UCR Farmshare. Sponsored by the UCR Wellness Program, Dining Services and the UCR Global Food Initiative Committee, the program takes fruits, vegetables and herbs from local farms and brings them to students, faculty and the Riverside community. In partnership with the Old Grove Farm Share led by “Farmer Bob” Knight, a local farmer himself, the program helps make the farm-to-table vision a reality. Knight explained that the Old Grove Farm Share is a group of local farmers who aim to provide “more flavor, better health, treat workers more fairly and support all (local) businesses,” through this alternative food system. One step in that direction is through this program: “to have local eaters eat local produce,” he said. This program falls under the category of community-supported agriculture (CSA), an economic model of agriculture that changes the way food is usually distributed to a household. According to UCR Wellness Coordinator Julie Chobdee, the program started as a discussion between program sponsors and members of the R’Garden, who felt that it would be “a good test to see the demand for fresh produce on campus,” with the potential to help bring a future farmer’s market to UCR. Every Thursday, participants who signed up for the program online pick up their fresh produce from the pickup spot lo-
cated at the Market at Glen Mor. The shares come in two sizes, medium (for singles or couples) or full (for up to four people). Knight emphasized that the produce differs every week since the farmers only pick what is in season, allowing for a diversity of produce. Participants are also able to see exactly which fruits, vegetables and herbs will be available to them that week through the Old Grove Farm Share Facebook page. At distribution, participants are able to pick and choose their produce depending on what is available that week and the share they selected. Participants are given an option of paying $18 a week for a medium or $28 per week for a full share. Cassie Taan, Dining Systems Analyst for Dining Services, helps with Thursday distributions and is a current participant herself. “I absolutely think it’s a great program for UCR faculty and staff because it is helping local farms and also fresh produce has great benefits,” said Taan. “I have fruits and veggies throughout the week for snacks and dinner.” Chobdee emphasized healthy eating, especially as part of the federal government’s nutrition guide, which recommends that one-half of a person’s plate be filled with fruits and vegetables. “Freshly-picked local produce tastes so much better than that found in markets,” stated Chobdee, who is also a participant. Various other faculty members are part of the program and have enjoyed the fact that a CSA program is conveniently
available on campus. Alexandra Dolan-Mescal, web developer and user experience designer for the UCR libraries, liked the idea of local produce going from farm to table. In comparison to produce at grocery stores, “the fruits and vegetables are just fresher and have less environmental costs,” said Dolan-Mescal. “I like that I know where my food comes from and that it comes from places close by.” R’Garden Director Fortino Morales said that though the campus garden is currently not participating in the program, it hopes to feature its produce when it is not in-between season. “Dining has been incredibly supportive of R’Garden and they are excited to feature our produce when it is ready,” he said, adding that leeks, dragon carrots and kale would be available in the near future. Some students are participating in UCR Farmshare, but those who aren’t have also expressed interest in doing so. Tia Ray, a third-year political science major with a concentration in law and society and CHASS senatorial candidate for PAC, believes this program provides an “amazing opportunity” for giving the campus community greater access to fresh and affordable foods. “Our health is very important, and many students struggle to maintain a healthy diet,” she said. As of now, the program has 141 participants in the eightweek trial program, which started in April 9 and ends on June 4. Interested participants can participate in the second half of the program, which begins on May 7. ■H
TIM BACA / HIGHLANDER Staff members inform customers about the various produce.
► SPENDING FROM PAGE 5
Campaign posters hang in the areas around campus with the most foot traffic.
JASPERY GOH / HIGHLANDER
financial difficulties, leading other party members to contribute more than others. Grassroots donations through crowdfunding was also used to support their campaign. PAC presidential candidate and current President Pro Tempore Devin Plazo said that a list of purchased items by each party should have also been released to avoid confusion about the finances being reported. “Regulating campaign finances will be no easy task, but setting a cap on the amount parties can spend would begin to ensure a fair playing field,” she expressed.
Both candidates argued the benefits of party contributions and how they help in marketing a party’s platform to a majority of the student body. Further comments could not be obtained by [YOU]CR within press time. Total finances were revealed on a Facebook post on April 21, but Rose provided an updated total to the Highlander as more expenditures were submitted by parties later that week. The Elections Committee plans on disclosing their own spending once the elections period comes to an end. Approximately $15,000 was spent on ASUCR elections last year. ■H
NEWS
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/news
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
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Wiz Khalifa cancels Spring Splash; will perform on SNL AARON GRECH Senior Staff Writer IXIA JOHNSON Contributing Writer
Spring Splash headliner Wiz Khalifa has cancelled his scheduled performance on May 2. According to the Associated Students Program Board (ASPB) — the group who organizes the concert — the artist plans to perform on “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) in New York City that day. Spring Splash Administrator Katrina Luu stated that her team was notified of the cancellation on April 22 at 6 p.m. — nine days before his scheduled performance — while the announcement was made public on Facebook at 2:10 p.m. the next day. “I pretty much went into shock,” Luu recalled regarding her discovery of Khalifa’s cancellation, and said she was “just hopeful something good will come out of it.” According to Luu, ASPB learned about the scheduled SNL performance online. “We found out exactly how everyone else did,” Luu clarified, adding that ASPB was not notified by Khalifa’s management. ASPB has been unable to
comment on which artists they are looking for as a replacement, but Luu said that Drake, Childish Gambino and YG have been popular requests by students on social media. “I will definitely let people know when we find someone new,” Luu added. The last time an artist cancelled a scheduled ASPB performance on campus was Dev for Block Party 2011 due to her
“I pretty much went into shock.” -Katrina Luu, Spring Splash Administrator
pregnancy. A replacement for her set was unnecessary as she was scheduled to perform with the Cataracs, who played without her. The program board begins looking for Spring Splash artists around November and December to have adequate time to schedule them. During the
process, two concert directors make inquiries and bring their choices to ASPB’s 14 student directors, who vote on whether to continue negotiations with an artist. Many students reacted negatively, while others were understanding. “I was surprised when Wiz cancelled, but then I read somewhere that he was going to be on SNL with Scarlett Johansson instead so I don’t blame him,” commented Ashley Elias, a second-year political science major. “This is Heat 2014 all over again #never forget,” Sandra Flores, a fourth-year business major joked on Facebook, referencing the concert’s cancellation last year. “I just meant we were all excited and then out of nowhere something happens and we are all disappointed,” Flores later clarified. In light of students’ responses, Luu stated, “I’m really glad that (the student body) has been so understanding, and I really hope that they are going to still enjoy Spring Splash regardless of who we bring out.” Luu added that there are numerous other attractions at the concert, including a ferris wheel, ziplines, a photo booth, food trucks and new additions to the carnival. ■H
ASUCR approves food pantry bylaws
JEFFREY CHANG / HIGHLANDER Bylaws for the food pantry committee will help educate the community on student hunger.
AMY ZAHN Senior Staff Writer
Members of ASUCR unanimously approved the passage of the Food Pantry Planning and Implementation Committee’s bylaws, bringing UCR one step closer to implementing a program that will help feed countless hungry students. The bylaws state that the committee has the authority to make all decisions involving the creation and implementation of the pantry. The committee must also acquire food donations and educate the community on the impact of hunger on students. There were some particulars of the bylaws that garnered dispute from members of the student government, such as the initial inclusion of Daniel Lopez, a third-year linguistics and anthropology student who received the grant to initially help start the pantry, as a permanent member of the committee “until his graduation or the completion of the project.” “Bylaws are supposed to be a set of rules that are supposed to last … over a longer period of time,” said Senator Trelynd Bowles. “That’s why you make them concrete and not detailed with things like names,” he said, saying that the inclusion of a specific person’s name in a set of bylaws is “a little bit unorthodox.” Vice President of External Affairs Abraham Galvan felt that the inclusion might set a dangerous precedent. “At the end of the day … it should be elected officials that you can hold accountable in these positions,”
he said. “At least when somebody’s nominated, they can be removed. But you can’t remove somebody who’s supposed to be there permanently with no stipulations as to their removal.” He added, however, that he did not foresee any issues arising with Lopez specifically. Vice President of Internal Affairs Fernando Echeverria was in favor of keeping Lopez’s name in the bylaws. “I think that because this was a movement by the community that (the bylaws) recognize the member of the community who started it and that leadership,” he said. Lopez, however, did not ask for his name to be included, nor did he mind that it was taken out. His concern, he said, was to ensure that non-ASUCR members would be included in the process of creating the pantry. “(We need) to ensure varied representation from the students who began the Food Pantry Initiative,” he said. “All I ask is that the students from R’Kids, PODER and Sustainable UCR still have the ability to participate … as they were the first and most involved from the beginning of this initiative whether or not I am a permanent member.” Lopez’s name was removed from the bylaws, and instead replaced with a stipulation that one of the seven community members appointed to the committee by the Diversity Council be nominated as vice-chairperson. Another must serve as a liaison between on- and off-campus partners, ensuring the H involvement of non-ASUCR members. ■
HIGHLIGHTS: - The Food Pantry Initiative will be holding a canned food drive contest on May 7. Organizations that wish to participate may pick up applications at the ASUCR front office and submit them by May 1. - Feminism Awareness Week, a program to dispel myths about feminism, is officially scheduled for May 4 to May 7.
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Wiz Khalifa will perform on “Saturday Night Live” on May 2.
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
Opinions
HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL
HIGHLANDER STAFF Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor
Colin Markovich
Jake Rich
News Editor
Asst. News Editors
Sandy Van
Aaron Grech, Amy Zahn
ELECTIONS ENDORSEMENTS 2015
managingeditor @highlandernews.org
editorinchief @highlandernews.org
news@highlandernews.org
Opinions Editor
Jameson Adame
opinions@highlandernews.org
A&E Editor
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Christal Mims
Features Editor
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UCR is giving students the opportunity to do something that we all attend college for: To make a difference for the future. While it may not seem as such, the ASUCR elections have the potential to change the makeup of our school, representing the student body as it moves forward into the 20152016 school year, guiding us toward what we hope will be a beneficial series of changes. As the last few weeks wrap up neatly into this year’s election, it would behoove us not to forget the campaign promises that we have heard and the taglines of candidates hoping
to leave their marks. It is the duty of UCR students as voters to ensure that this mark is a positive one, keeping what we hold most dear as our top priorities. Together, as a voting public and our representatives, we will either make our school a campus that all of our 21,000 students can attend in comfort, or we will have to wait until the next series of elections to try again. It is with this in mind that the Highlander has endorsed those candidates who can provide UCR with the careful touch that it will need in the coming years of possible drought,
increased tuition and an administration that seems to be increasingly apathetic. Additionally, we have looked at the referendums that will be on the ballot and done our best to evaluate those which will change campus for the better. The Highlander’s hope is that these recommendations, coupled with the voting power that all of us hold, will lead UCR to a more fruitful future. Each vote is a heavy responsibility that we all must accept, and with those votes we have the power to affect change in UCR. Now all we have to do is take it. ■H
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SENATORIAL NOMINATIONS The ASUCR senate is the bread and butter of every decision that comes out of ASUCR. Without the efforts of the legislative branch, the voices for which a school-based government prides itself in representing would be silenced, and as such, it is important that the right voices are chosen to speak for us. The Highlander has chosen to support these candidates because they represent all the positive values for which we hope the school to become known. Whether it is the fire in their stomachs that will drive them to create a more inviting and impressionistic college experience, or the genuine way in which they speak about their desires to fix the school’s problems, these candidates have shown themselves to be the best choices for the ASUCR senate.
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OPINIONS
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TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
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REFERENDUMS HIGHLANDER EMPOWERMENT REFERENDUM UCR prides itself on diversity, opening up its halls and lawns to all comers and attempting to make a more amenable future. As such it falls upon all of us as current students to ensure that UCR remains the most diverse UC campus, and approve of the Highlander Empowerment Referendum. This vote will add a quarterly $14 fee to students, allotting $1.50 to each of the seven campus diversity departments,
CALPIRG INITIATIVE Despite our support of the Highlander Empowerment Referendum, the Highlander is unable to bring itself to support the CALPIRG Initiative. Although we agree that CALPIRG itself is an organization that has benefitted students in many ways, the organization at the macro-level is not student-run. While the UCR chapter is run by students, it is just one of over 400 other registered student organizations. Supporting it would set the precedent of allotting funds to organizations all over campus, or else would be tantamount to
YES
and giving the remaining $3.50 to scholarship funds. While this may seem excessive in the face of almost assured tuition rise, it falls upon us as the ones who will pay this fee to ensure that UCR backs up its claim to diversity by funding the departments that host each event dedicated to diversity. Then UCR really will be the most diverse campus, not only in student attendance, but in spirit as well.
NO
giving CALPIRG special treatment. Even considering CALPIRG’s efforts to make textbooks affordable and convert UCR to a more energy-efficient campus, we must avoid backing private institutions, even nonprofits, with public funds. It falls upon us to understand that funding $2.50 per student would mean greater support for a private group than for our own Resource Center departments, especially when considering that this special interest group may not have interests that all of the campus agrees with.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 1 Constitutional Amendment No. 1 contains a plethora of constitutional changes, ranging from grammatical errors, to the way in which the Elections Director and Vice President of Finance are appointed to their positions. This amendment will allow the Elections Director and the Vice President of Finance to be appointed by the joint approval of the ASUCR judicial branch and the senate. Doing this will not only allow for greater ease of appointment, but will ensure
a more nonpartisan decision. Amendment No. 1 would also ensure that vacant senate positions are filled by candidates from the same college as those who previously held them, ensuring that the same interests of those students who are proportionally represented continue to be so. Finally, the process of removing ASUCR members from office would become streamlined, allowing for more accountability and transparency among each branch.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 2 The Constitutional Amendment No. 2 would add a nontraditional/transfer student director position to ASUCR, who would be elected by the students to focus on issues affecting nontraditional and transfer students. Historically, transfer and nontraditional students have not been represented well in ASUCR — this, despite transfer students making up 20 percent of admitted students every year. In addition, there are numerous challenges that transfer and nontraditional students uniquely face, such as being able to ac-
YES
YES
cess research resources and acclimating to campus culture in a scant two years. The addition of this student-run position will ensure that nontraditional students receive the same representation on ASUCR that other undergraduates receive. Although there is some work to be done on the bylaws of the position, it is important right now that the position get a foot in the door to begin serving students. The Highlander endorses a yes vote on this referendum.
EXECUTIVE CABINET & DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT DEVIN PLAZO As the ASUCR president effectively serves to represent the will of the people in a singular voice, it seems best for the voice to come from somebody who so clearly speaks for the people around her. Devin Plazo has shown us in the debates that her vision for ASUCR is clear, and that she already has solid ideas for what she hopes to accomplish should she take office. Transparency as the theme for this year’s elections, she also seems to have the most genuine and transparent goals for the position of ASUCR president, giving her answers to questions enthusiastically and directly. Her experience as a liaison between the executive and legislative branches of ASUCR is also invaluable, as she would be expected to act as liaison to the administration on behalf of students. That same representation could only be put to good use with Plazo’s previous involvement in representing the student body, genuine affability and investment in student-led, student-oriented initiatives like ASUCR’s food pantry. There is no doubt that she will keep student interests at heart when lobbying administration.
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT TAYLOR VALMORES
VICE PRESIDENT OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS VALERIA ALLENDE
VICE PRESIDENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SUMMER SHAFER
As a representative of the executive branch working closest with the senate, it is important for this position to be filled by somebody who is levelheaded and unlikely to lose their composure in heated discussions. It is for this reason that Taylor Valmores best fits the bill of what ASUCR needs in an Executive Vice President. The genuine desire to see change in the way groups like transfer students are represented in UCR can lead to great strides in making UCR a more inclusive and diverse campus, especially for those who are considered nontraditional students. Additionally, as he has yet to hold office in ASUCR, this could lead to a new perspective on previously trodden ground, opening up both the executive branch and the senate to new angles on old issues.
Valeria Allende represents a breath of fresh air that ASUCR can only benefit from in her potential capacity as the Vice President of Internal Affairs. With little previous allegiances to the old guard at ASUCR, Allende presents the student body with a possibility to look at new ways of improving campus that the previous regime may not have considered. She also showed a strong showing for herself during her interview, showing us all that her commitment to improve the UCR campus goes beyond just regurgitating the party line. Considering this, it isn’t hard to say that Allende would be a positive choice of candidate for the coming year.
The position of Vice President of External Affairs carries with it a need to be active as a part of the greater student body, reaching out to UCR’s students and surroundings. In this aspect, Summer Shafer outshines her competition. Having successfully led protests on campus, and representing herself as a genuine person, she has shown herself to be an exceptionally capable candidate, and one who represents everything that ASUCR should stand for. Shafer has shown herself to be forceful, though not necessarily confrontational, which should be noted as an impressive skill amid a climate where even the UC President cannot help but court confrontation wherever she goes.
MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR HECTOR HUERTA
OUTREACH DIRECTOR BEATRIZ BERMUDEZ
PERSONNEL DIRECTOR CHRIS CASTORENA
ASUCR is deeply integral in making different organizations and causes on campus visible. However, they are also involved in generating awareness about themselves and may need more help in doing so. We believe that Hector Huerta is the solution to the problem of ASUCR’s visibility around campus. With connections in a multitude of organizations, as well as the clear vision he gave during the director debates, Huerta showed that he is undoubtedly the best candidate for the job, and would go on to improve the levels of awareness toward ASUCR throughout the whole of the campus.
As Outreach Director, the proper candidate must possess the enthusiasm and drive to make UCR more inclusive, and be dedicated to making our campus as desirable and amicable as possible. In these regards, Beatriz Bermudez is the only choice voters should consider when the time comes for their electoral participation. Bermudez possesses an enthusiasm that permeated both her interview and the debates; an aspect necessary to drum up excitement about our campus that many incoming students sorely lack. Her status as a transfer student may also go a long way in promoting transfer-student programs that don’t currently exist, leading to more inclusivity on campus.
Excelling in the debates and showing that he really does know what is involved in keeping ASUCR staffed with interested and qualified individuals, Chris Castorena is a great choice for ASUCR’s Personnel Director. In addition to having the connections with his previous positions in other groups on campus to keep people involved with ASUCR, Castorena has a clear vision as to the level of investment that is needed at all times of the year. Castorena has shown himself a capable individual, and will ensure that all of the committees on campus are excellently staffed.
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OPINIONS
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions
Opinion Poll Are you going to vote in the upcoming ASUCR elections?
Prianka Sharma Business Second-year “Yes. I just hope that whoever gets elected will do a lot of change in the office. I have a big feeling that a lot of people just want to do it for their resumes...”
Imari Rodisha Biology Third-year “Yes.”
Shirley Ramirez Public Policy Third-year “I am.”
C ompiled
Joshua Wu Mechanical Engineering Third-year
Dennis Quintana Mechanical Engineering Third-year
“No. I feel like my vote won’t have any impact.”
“Yes I am. I’m voting for Nick Carrillo in [OUR] Voice.”
by
J aspery G oh
Jessica Soria Biology Fourth-year “Yes.”
► See more at Youtube.com/UCRChannelH
Concerning the rest of the voices
QUINN MINTEN Staff Writer
A
new class offered at UCR this quarter, entitled “Palestinian Voices,” has caused tensions to flare up after a proIsrael group alleged that the course is anti-Semitic. AMCHA Initiative, a group opposed to anti-Semitism in colleges, has argued that the class, which describes the conflict in Palestine from primarily Palestinian viewpoints, portrays Israel extremely negatively, to the point of being anti-Semitic. AMCHA Initiative, by accusing the course of teaching anti-Semitic material, is making a claim that is too extreme to be supported. It is possible to oppose a government that is perceived as unfair without being anti-Semitic; even in the case of Israel, a primarily Jewish state, it is not automatically anti-Semitic to object to how the government operates. Thus, unless the class and its teacher explicitly make anti-Semitic comments about Jewish people in general, and not just remarks
about Israel’s government — negative or otherwise — then it is not anti-Semitic. There should be no specifically antiSemitic material taught in the course, considering that the university had to review it before putting it on the course guide. Furthermore, one of the main purposes of this or any university is encouraging diversity of viewpoints and opinions, whether or not they are popular. Of the two states, the Palestinian angle is less well understood than its Israeli counterpart from within the United States, giving reason for the class to exist. To promote discussion about this issue, it seems to be completely appropriate to have this course. That said, while the course is valid in theory, in practice there are some glaring flaws. The most important of these is that the material is extremely biased. By presenting only the Palestinian view of the conflict, it is inevitable that Israel will be painted in too negative a light. Such a level of negativity risks leaving the realm of bringing in new viewpoints and
instead using the class to make political statements, which would be unacceptable in this university, which has policies stating that a course cannot be used to forward any partisan effort. It is therefore necessary to counter said bias to make the class fully legitimate. Another aspect that must be considered is that, regardless of the intent behind the course, the material has managed to offend a subset of students on campus, and this necessitates an effort by the university to rectify the offense. If attention is not paid to such students’ concerns, that inaction could be construed as bias against that group — also an unacceptable possibility in as diverse a campus as UCR. Considering that there would be an equal outcry if the situation were reversed — if, say, some class called “Israeli Voices” created dissent among proPalestine students and groups — no one involved can afford to ignore how others will react to their views. The solution for overcoming both of these issues is actually quite simple: In future quarters — because it is far too late to
ARCHIVE / HIGHLANDER Divestment divided Israeli and Palestinian student groups last year.
change things at this point in the quarter — the class needs to be altered so that it illustrates the views of both Israelis and Palestinians. If this course were taught in a comparative context, then no one could claim bias or any kind of discrimination. Not only that, but the possibility opens up for a more valuable educational experience; there can be scholarly debate and overall, people would probably learn more than is possible in a one-sided version of the course. I do feel that this solution
fails in one regard — this class was conceived of and run by students, but I am unsure of how well a student could conduct the class in the expanded form described above. It may be necessary for a professor to take over any future offering of the course, unfortunately taking control out of students’ hands. The result, however — a class that has the potential to help people fully understand one of the world’s most dire political situations — merits more interest and comH mitment by the university. ■
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Beware of Being Misled About the ASUCR Constitutional Amendment #1 F rom A nonymous Dear Highlanders, If it is not already apparent by the countless posters, events, giveaway items, etc. encouraging you to vote, ASUCR general elections are taking place this week. While the focus may be mostly on the candidates running for offices—and really, mainly on the three parties competing for control of ASUCR next year—there are actually several other important items on the ballot. In actuality, the arguably most important item is the Constitutional Amendment #1, which many students are hardly even aware is on the ballot. The importance of Constitutional Amendment #1 cannot be understated, as it is the most significant amount of changes to ASUCR since the organization transitioned from a parliamentary system to a presidential system of government. This constitutional amendment does everything from simply correcting grammatical and spelling errors that have
gone overlooked for years to establishing removal procedures for legislative and executive officers to reforming the appointment system of some of the most important ASUCR officers. Yet, as the parties in this election and their volunteers approach you to secure your vote in elections this week, you might be pressured to vote against this constitutional amendment. Will they tell you the real reason why parties would not want you to support Constitutional Amendment #1? No. Fortunately, many individuals that have been within and around parties and/or ASUCR know why. As a reader of the Highlander, you should know why too. Currently, both the Elections Director and Vice President of Finance for next year are set to be nominated by the President and appointed in special elections by the Senate-elect. Traditionally, parties have swept elections and have been therefore
able to have a significant or total influence on who serves in these important positions. Sometimes, parties even go to the extent of promising (read: selling) the position(s) to certain individuals with the understanding or expectation that, if successful, that officer will support the party and/or their initiatives the following year. One of the most important changes included in Constitutional Amendment #1 addresses this issue by changing the method of appointment for both the Elections Director and Vice President of Finance effective immediately. It makes it so that, instead of having the President nominate an individual and then having Senate-elect appoint the individual for each office, an impartial branch of ASUCR, the Judicial Council, would hold the sole authority to nominate individuals to Senate for appointment. Ideally, this would make it much more likely that a more neutral and qualified candidate would be appointed for
each position. Unfortunately, because parties are heavily invested in being able to secure these important positions, they may tell you not to support it for other reasons. However, it is important for you to be able to look past this in your decision on how to vote in this year’s elections. With regard to the Vice President of Finance, it is crucial that ASUCR has one who is willing to fairly scrutinize all expenditures and distribute funds to student groups. With regard to the Elections Director, it is crucial that ASUCR has one that does not give favorable support to any party, candidate, referenda, initiative, or constitutional amendment. If we can place this safeguard in place to ensure this, we should. Do not be misled about Constitutional Amendment #1. Sincerely, Anonymous
OPINIONS
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
11
Regarding the April 21 article entitled, “Jewish organization alleges UCR class is ‘anti-Semitic’” F rom AMCHA on behalf of 19 additional organizations Dear Editor: We write to correct mischaracterizations in Sandy Van’s April 21st article, “Jewish organization alleges UCR class is ‘anti-Semitic’. We are 20 advocacy organizations representing millions of members gravely concerned that UCR is offering a course that is anti-Semitic according to the U.S. State Department and in violation of UC policy that specifically prohibits using the classroom for indoctrination. This concern is not stemming from one organization as the headline and reporter’s emphasis suggests. Nor is it about wanting to silence criticism of Israel, as the course’s faculty advisor David Lloyd would like readers to believe. The course’s one-sided and biased syllabus, with an emphasis on
promoting the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment (BDS) movement designed to demonize and delegitimize Israel and seek its destruction, crosses the line into anti-Semitism according to our government and has us all deeply troubled. Anti-Semitic incidents on campus are escalating at an alarming rate. According to a recent study by Trinity College and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, 54% of Jewish college students experienced or witnessed anti-Semitism this past school year. In addition, in the last year more than 19 college and university campuses around the country have been defaced with swastikas. There have also been multiple reports of anti-Semitic namecalling, threats and assaults. These acts
often follow shortly after corrosive BDS preaching similar to those in student instructor Tina Matar’s syllabus and spewed by the Students for Justice in Palestine group Matar leads. It is mind boggling that a university would allow an official course to be taught for the purpose of spreading anti-Semitic propaganda. This is not education, it’s indoctrination and the safety and well-being of Jewish students is at stake. Chancellor Wilcox must put a stop to this immediately. Sincerely, Accuracy in Academia AMCHA Initiative Americans for Peace and Tolerance California Association of Scholars Committee for Accuracy in Middle East
Reporting in America (CAMERA) Christians United For Israel (CUFI) on Campus David Horowitz Freedom Center Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) Hasbara Fellowships Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel National Conference on Jewish Affairs Proclaiming Justice to the Nations Scholars for Peace in the Middle East Simon Wiesenthal Center StandWithUs Students and Parents Against Campus Anti-Semitism The Lawfare Project Training and Education About the Middle East (T.E.A.M.) Verity Educate Zionist Organization of America
ASUCR Leaders Endorse a Yes Vote for CALPIRG F rom V ice P resident of I nternal A ffairs F ernando E cheverria We are writing in response to last week’s article “ASUCR Senate: CALPIRG Referendum Cause Debate.” As ASUCR leaders and other student group leaders, there is no debate - we strongly support a YES VOTE on the CALPIRG Initiative. CALPIRG was established in the 1970s as a way for students to press decision-makers to adopt public interest solutions to the biggest challenges of our day. Today, Californians must grapple with the worst drought in California history, the erosion of our political system by special interest money, the devastating threat of climate change, and the increasing cost of higher education. On all of these issues and more, narrow special interests spend enormous resources to influence public decisions. The need for civic engagement, especially among
our generation of college students, is more important than ever. By combining the energy of UCR students with the expertise and continuity of a professional staff of advocates and organizers,CALPIRG is an important and credible voice to California opinion-leaders and decisionmakers. The organization has been a force behind accomplishments such as the first statewide plastic bag ban in the country, the first global warming law in the country, and increasing federal financial aid $36 billion. The ASUCR proposed to run a referendum this year to increase the ASUCR fee to restore CALPIRG’s democratic funding system. We wanted togive students the opportunity to make a community decision to fund the important civic engagement institution that CALPIRG is on campus.
Unfortunately, the UC Office of the President is using flimsy reasoning to reject the ASUCR proposal, ultimately choosing to interpret their policies against students rights’ to vote to fund this group that advocates for us all. We join together as student leaders across campus to call on all students to support a strong CALPIRG. We support our rights as students to have control over our own activities fees, educational experience, and elections process, and we urge the UC Office of the President to let students vote on the CALPIRG fee. We ask you to Vote Yes for CALPIRG in this week’s ASUCR elections. Senator Jackie Jacoby Senator Devin Plazo Senator Summer Shafer Parliamentarian Mohamed Hussein
Senator Reem Blaik Outreach Director Jessica Urquidez Senator Delaynie Koenig Senator John Dell GCAP Sustainability Coordinator Corey Willis Vice President of Internal Affairs Fernando Echeverria The Highlander accepts letters from the campus community. They must be 600-800 words at length and include the author’s name and contact information. Topics should be UCR-centric and/or pertain to our generation of students. Contact opinions editor Jameson Adame at opinions@highlandernews. org by Wednesday if interested in writing a letter and submit completed letter by Saturday at noon. Letter can and will be rejected if it does not meet requirements.
COMICS
SILKEA ISLAM / HIGHLANDER
DANNI WEI / HIGHLANDER
RACHEAL ADAIR / HIGHLANDER
The opinions expressed in the Opinions section belong solely to their authors and do not represent the Highlander Editorial Board or the University of California, Riverside.
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FEATURES
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features
Features RAISING AWARENESS FOR AIDS THROUGH PERFORMANCE TIFFANY LIAW, SENIOR STAFF WRITER // PHOTOS BY MATT HONG
I
made my way to the HUB Plaza on a gloomy Thursday evening in hopes of entertainment and a chance to expand my knowledge on the impact of AIDS on college students, including but not limited to members of the LGBT community, as hosted by TruEvolution. The music from DJ Kidd echoed through the HUB, although as I approached the area, I noticed that he was alone on the stage, only earning a couple of glances from passerby as he spun his tunes in the background of students casually conversing with each other. I figured it was too early for party beats and vowed to return to the stage at a later time. I noticed that a row of white tents were set up, stretching from Coffee Bean to the UCR sign, and out of curiousity, I decided to approach the biggest tent, which was decorated with TruEvolution signs, metal water bottles, rubber wristbands and a wide array of colorful condoms spread out on each side of the table. Those who registered for the event would be entered into a raffle for a chance to win money and iPads in addition to the free goodies that were already displayed. Among the sparse crowd of students hesitantly grabbing condoms, I picked out Sunni Meador, community organizer for TruEvolution, to gain some more context for the AIDS Advocacy Night event. “We want to build a community particularly for LGBT youth to get help since not a lot of people know where to go (in that situation) and that a lot of people have (AIDS) around us,” she explained. By encouraging the crowd to participate and share the event, she hopes to spread awareness throughout the community at large, especially since their website has recently launched. Groups such as FAP (Foothill AIDS Project), which handed me a condom on a Mardi Gras necklace along with the words “Wear it with pride,” IE Health,
Public Health of San Bernardino County, Rainbow Youth Alliance and Operation Safehouse were present to reinforce a growth of awareness. The fact that about half of the organizations present are centered in a different county only reinforces the feeling of an ever-present community. John Hawkins, member of Public Health San Bernardino County, strives to find those who are HIV-positive, educate them and lower HIV transmission rates. “The event will help provide them visibility and hopefully inspire them to join and get tested,” he says. Along with the organizations tabling was also a station where free HIV tests were being given to willing students, and through collective effort and education, TruEvolution hopes to help spread awareness of the matter. “These are physical resources that anyone can obtain,” enforces Gabby Sandoval, a staff member for TruEvolution. “Being in control of your sexual status allows for a stronger bond between you and your partner.” I then proceeded back down to the HUB Plaza as the announcer began ushering people toward the stage for the three main events that would ensue for the night: a show of empowering spoken word by Say Word, a voguing performance by Reach LA and finally a 30-minute play by BLACMail Productions dealing with stigma and racism. She cracked a couple of jokes and proceeded to recite spoken word, drawing in more curious onlookers to her powerful voice that boomed across the plaza. “You are the demographic! Over 4,700 people in Riverside County alone have HIV and AIDS,” she yelled, as she continued the rhythm of her poetry leading up to an announcement by Gabriel Maldonado, the head coordinator of the event. Gabriel founded TruEvolution seven years ago as a freshman at UCR, and his passion was only strengthened when he found out
he was HIV-positive in 2013. He stressed the fact that HIV affects everyone, not just the LGBT community, and that it is tied to poverty, education, health coverage and even the inability to have a voice in one’s community. Say Word began the show with an emotional bang, as each member recited her spoken word verses that all pertained to them personally. From touchy topics such as a friend committing suicide due to discrimination faced as a transgender person to identifying as Filipino-American, the speakers voiced their rhythmic thoughts in tandem or solo and continued to attract more attention to the event from those getting out of class. Finally, to close the scene, the members all gathered onstage to make a powerful statement regarding feminism. The music picked up right after, as a dancer in a bright redcheckered button-down cape, shades and a hat strutted on the stage representing Reach LA and began voguing in sync with the upbeat music. Each dancer took turns voguing, spinning, kicking, slithering and shablamming until the very end when they all performed a set choreography to the crowd in awe. The emcee returned and performed a couple more spoken word pieces to fill the silence as BLACMail Productions began preparing for their act, causing the anticipation for the skit to rise. The actors seemed to have made some entertaining jokes — if only they could be heard through the faulty clip-on microphones the actors had worn. But nonetheless, they did not let the malfunctioning sound system get in the way of their performance as they all stayed in character until the very end. As the freezing crowd began to get ready to disperse from the HUB area, Gabriel left us with something to absorb: “Being an activist is to make a statement. Making a statement is showing love, and being our fierce and ■H fabulous selves every day.”
Clockwise from top left: Acting group BLACMail Productions performs a live sketch; Host Kat Magill starts off the night introducing upcoming performers; A member of the Reach LA group performs an intricate dance routine.
FEATURES
13
A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON FASHION E HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
Ashley Chung, Contributing Writer / Photos by Bri Chew
ven with midterms quickly dashing around the corner, a number of UCR students still found the time to attend Miss Perspective, a discussion on pageantry culture, stereotypes and selfconfidence, this past Tuesday evening at the HUB. Hosted by CLASS (Creating Legacy Around Student Style) and Fashion, an organization that seeks to promote awareness in an array of fashion aspects and help others build a positive selfimage, a more successful event could not have been presented in regard to those goals. I was greeted by two radiant faces from the CLASS and Fashion club as soon as I stepped into the large room. Being the first student to arrive, I was offered a seat anywhere along the rows of chairs that faced a large projection of their black-and-white flyer presented over the stage. As we neared the start of the event, more students continued to drift in, excited to learn about how pageantry culture empowers young women. The representatives kicked off the event by introducing the three speakers — Miss Hemet, Anakaren Chable, a second-year UCR student; Miss San Jacinto, Stephanie Lomeli, a first-year Highlander; and Miss Inland Empire, otherwise known as Madison Givens, a second-year student at Santa Clara College. The audience delivered a warm, polite welcome to the three pageant winners as they took to the stage to settle themselves before three microphones on the panel. The event began at a fast pace as questions were immediately presented to the panelists, quickly developing into a thought-provoking discussion. Chable, Lomeli and Givens elaborated on their process from deciding to participate in a pageant to what they have accomplished after earning the crown. Many girls partake in scholarship pageants — judged solely on academics and community service, unlike a beauty pageant — to become further involved in their respective communities and earn a scholarship to continue their careers in education. “I was very shy growing up, but wanted to do something that would break me out of my shell,” Lomeli shared on why she made the decision that benefitted her life. Many of the contestants like Lomeli made the decision to compete to develop their social skills and build self-confidence. The speakers went on to reveal their roles in the pageant world as Chable and Lomeli explained how their task in a local scholarship pageant is to “join nonprofit organizations and participate in walks for life” along with several other appearances to best represent their cities. The girls demonstrated how scholarship pageants allow one the opportunity to network while providing them with many opportunities to give back to their towns and understand the current events in their cities. Givens explained that unlike Chable and Lomeli, who only competed in local pageants, she partook in the Miss California and Miss America pageants. Her role differed slightly in that she held the responsibility of representing the Inland Empire at the state level. As a traumatic
brain damage survivor, Givens helped create the Green Helmet Campaign as her platform, a medical prevention program that brings awareness to those who have suffered brain injuries. “The real work begins after you get your crown,” all three pageant winners wholeheartedly agreed. With a hectic schedule fully packed with school, work and appearances, it requires a strong mind and heart to persist in their duties, something these girls have acquired early on in this process. “The crown is given to you like a trophy to say that they are giving you this power and trust to represent our community,” Chable points out. They reveal that their largest responsibility is to become a leader and dedicate hours of their time to inspire others, as previous pageant winners had done for them. Although a majority of their time is devoted to aiding others, pageantry culture has also guided them in further developing their leadership and communication skills. As pageant winners, Chable, Lomeli and Givens have encountered several accounts of stereotyping. Most often heard is that pageant contestants must fit a standard mold of beauty or that they cannot be a combination of both beautiful and knowledgeable. Chable strongly disagrees with that notion by noting that scholarship pageants are extremely different from beauty pageants, which judge solely based on appearances. “They want someone who is going to be able to speak intelligently, to represent the community within the nation and someone who can be an ambassador for whatever area they are representing,” Givens elaborates on the prospects set for them. It is vital that the participants are able to present themselves with high self-esteem to demonstrate their confidence in their abilities to achieve their expectations. Chable also informs us that the application process requires a review of one’s transcript and resume of one’s community service and
BRI CHEW / HIGHLANDER Miss Inland Empire, Madison Givens (top right), clarifies that pageants are not all about beauty, but also your character as an individual as well. Anakaren Chable (top left) explains about the events she volunteers at as part of her role as Miss Hemit while Miss San Jacinto, Stephanie Lomeli (top center), talks about her journey into the pageant industry.
extracurricular activities, ensuring that only those who deserve a scholarship receive one. These representatives of Hemet, San Jacinto and the Inland Empire have made it their
mission to expand people’s views on the common misconceptions of pageantry culture while assisting their communities. Chable, Lomeli and Givens have clearly become an inspira-
tion to many, if not all, of the audience. A renewed energy could be felt at the close of the event, as they left with a muchneeded boost of confidence to accomplish their goals. ■H
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TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
FEATURES
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features
I WAS CALLED “EXOTIC” LAST WEEK... JESSICA BAKER Staff Writer
I
was called “exotic” last week on the bus. I like to think that I sent a sharp stare and a quick backhanded compliment to the person sitting and staring at me. I like to think I conveyed how uncomfortable I was being eyed as “exotic” instead of a regular student on her morning commute. I like to think I was not tired of hearing that word, but I can’t lie to myself with wistful thoughts. I mumbled “thanks” and proceeded to grudgingly answer the questions I’ve come to experience as standard to my life: “What are you?” “What are you called?” “Are you actually just American?” Following the questions came the equally standard compliments: “I love mixed people! They’re so pretty!” I didn’t feel so pretty for just being foreign. I wondered, knowing how diverse our cam-
pus is, how many others are called exotic every now and then. First rule of dating: Never call anyone exotic. Second rule of dating: Never call anyone exotic, even if they look exotic. (Third rule of dating: Don’t point out my use of Fight Club quotes.) Exotic doesn’t mean pretty or beautiful or cute. If you use this as a compliment to show your admiration or attraction to another, then be careful because your message might not be received. But why is that? Why won’t I understand what your compliment truly means? Pull up an Internet browser and Google exotic. Read what some of the searches are. I got: exotic bounties, exotic fruits, exotic animals and exotic shorthair. Don’t like Google? Then try Bing. I searched Bing for exotic and also got: exotic cars, exotic flowers, exotic meats and exotic fruits again. I’m sorry if I don’t like being complimented like I’m some sort of rare object or a pugfaced cat (let me use the politically correct term, “exotic shorthair”). Exotic just isn’t a word that should be applied to people, not only due to objectifying a human being, but for its other definitions that marginalize others. Pull up that browser again and head over to MerriamWebster Dictionary. Note these two definitions. “Full definition of EXOTIC: Very different, strange, or unusual Of a plant or animal: not living or growing naturally in a particular area: from another part of the world.” To me, exotic brings to mind how some view me as different, or strange or unusual, because I don’t look like I’m from America — that the one aspect of myself that catches their attention is how much I don’t look like I belong. “Exotic” insinuates that you’re trying to typify or categorize me to try to understand me, because I look “different.” If you’re trying to start a conversation with someone after stating, “You’re exotic,” please don’t follow it up with “What are you?” Knowing my nationality isn’t going to tell about who I am. People are more than just their nationalities or ethnicities. At times when I’ve told others that I’m Japanese and American, they’ve told me that I’m more Japanese than American or the other way around. Yet, I’ve never felt more than some other nationality. I’ve always felt like myself — not just being Japanese and American. Yet, it feels uncomfortable when others find me interesting just based on my mixed heritage. What about my hobbies? What about my favorite shows? Am I not interesting for being myself than just being mixed? From my own experience, I feel uncomfortable and self-doubt of my own identity when people just point out my race as the first thing they notice in conversation. These are the sorts of feelings that you can make someone feel if you call them exotic. So, please, don’t call others “exotic.” ■H
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features
FEATURES
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
15
unscripted:
by Robert Lees, Staff Writer
Jose Pablo Cantillo
J
ose Pablo Cantillo, known for his roles as Yankee in “Chappie,” Caesar Martinez in “The Walking Dead” and Hector Salazar in “Sons of Anarchy,” paid a special visit to the UCR Theatre Tuesday night. Adam Daniels, the Student Organization and Orientation Advisor at Student Life, interviewed Jose, who insisted we call him “Joe,” as he talked about life, love and his experiences on the silver screen. Throughout the talk, which lasted over an hour and included several questions by audience members, Joe kept the tone light and irreverent, while dispensing wisdom on getting ahead in acting and other career fields, in a night of indisputable wisdom and unheard anecdotes that served to pierce the veil between the man and the character. I arrived a few minutes after seven and sought to find a slightly more empty section of the theater, clutching a promotional poster that I had grabbed off a table as I walked through the theater doors. In finding my seat, I unknowingly brushed past Joe, who was chatting with several fans who made up the front row of seats. I didn’t notice at first, because I somewhat ex-
pected him to have a haughty air that some people falsely associate with actors. It wasn’t until he came up and introduced himself that I realized, “Oh, this is the guy who is doing the talk, neat.” He asked to sign my poster, and asked my opinion of “The Walking Dead,” to which I replied that I liked it a lot more after season two, when stuff actually started happening. Laughing, he asked my opinion of “Chappie,” which I didn’t care for, before he asked about “Elysium.” “It was good,” I remarked, as he signed my poster. When he handed it back and made his way up to the stage, I looked down at it. “Rob — Guns Up!” was written above a distinct signature. Daniels began the night with a brief introduction of himself and Joe’s work, pausing after each well-known title for emphasis. The crowd, which had swelled from a modest smattering to well over 50 attendees, gave the loudest cheers for “Sons of Anarchy” and “The Walking Dead.” After he was introduced, Joe walked up to the stage from the left side of the theater, even though he had been mingling with the audience a few minutes prior. After the initial applause, Daniels began his questioning, covering
how Cantillo had gotten into acting and his experiences on “The Walking Dead.” Intermixed with small anecdotes about his girlfriend and living in a farm community in the Midwest, Cantillo explained how he got into theater in college as a way to fulfill breadth requirements required for his business major. It grew on him
“...there’s no technical advisor on how to be a badass.” -Jose Pablo Cantillo as time passed, to the point that he eventually made plans to move to New York to pursue acting. However, he had a hard time explaining his choice to his friends and family, saying, “It didn’t feel right to publicly come out and be an actor.” The next series of questions dealt primarily with his bestknown roles as Caesar Martinez on “The Walking Dead,” and his stories helped shine light on the dichotomy between his badass
zombie-killing character and his mild-mannered, goofy self. “I got down into my birthday suit on day one of ‘The Walking Dead,’” Joe explained, mimicking the act of disrobing with his hands. He talked about how he had a run-in with a group of biting red ants while shooting his first scene on the show, and how the cast and crew spent a large portion of time between and during shoots playing practical jokes on one another. This would involve messing with character positions and props between shots, and that even during serious scenes the crew was probably in stitches a few moments before the cameras started rolling. Aside from technical aspects of filming, Joe also talked about run-ins with oddball fans, noting that on two separate occasions he was told, “I was so glad when you died” by fans at conventions. Joe humorously remarked that there was “not much” of a difference between his characters and real-life persona before shifting the focus of his talks to his personal and family life. A family man, Joe talked about knowing his wife back in high school, as well as how his daughter still asks him what he
wants to do “when he grows up.” The questions shifted back to practical experience helping him define roles, and while he mentioned that there was certain training in playing characters such as cops and soldiers, “there’s no technical advisor on how to be a badass.” At 8 p.m., Daniels finished the questioning, asking, “If you could give one animal wings, what would it be?” Cantillo answered by describing hitting a deer back in his youth, remarking that giving deer wings would prevent run-ins like his. The floor was then opened to questioning, with students asking about acting advice, ways to get started in the industry and what he liked about certain roles. As time ran out, Daniels asked for one final question to end the night. Raising my hand, I chose to ask the question James Lipton used to end every episode of “Inside the Actor’s Studio.” “Joe, if heaven is real and you go there when you die, what would you like to hear God say when you get to the pearly gates?” “That was badass,” he answered. “Then again, God would probably think it was just one of my characters, and that it wasn’t actually me.” ■H
Be Remembered.
Don’t let your college years pass you by. Be a part of something bigger. Be remembered for the photos you take, the articles you write and the friends you make. Come to our meetings every Monday in HUB 101 at 5:15 p.m. to learn more.
Highlander
ONLINE: “BROOKLYN NINE-NINE” REVIEW
R adar ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
EVENTS THIS WEEK 4/29
Rosa Rodriguez Frazier, MFA Dance Concert, Wed. April 29, 7 p.m., @ Arts 166
5/1
Mrs. Packard, a play by Emily Mann, Fri. May 1, 8 p.m., @ Arts 113
5/2
Spring Splash, Sat. May 2, 2 p.m., @ HUB Lawn
5/3
The Sound of Music, Sun. May 3, 2 p.m., @ The Box Theater
COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES
18
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
Awayfrom the
Sprawl:
H
ave you ever heard of “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll”? It’s a semi-famous Bob Dylan song from 1964, released on the album, “The Times They Are aChangin’” — you know, the same album with the song you probably know: “The Times They Are aChangin’.” “The Times They Are a-Changin’,” has since become an all-time classic, while “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” has been mostly forgotten except for those examining ‘60s protest songs and huge Bob Dylan fans. If one examines both songs, it’s apparent that they are both well-written and topical — very typical for two Dylan songs, especially of that era. So why has one been mostly forgotten, while another remembered as legendary? One word: context. There is a certain air around things that people label timeless. Sure, it could be argued that certain cultural contexts need to be maintained for anything to maintain its classic status, but there is a reason — be it entirely circumstantial or not — that we still read Shakespeare, and not Christopher Marlowe. Who is that, you ask? Exactly. For media to attain this mythical status, it needs to have a combination of luck and a particular set of specific and nonspecific attributes. The movies, music, shows and other media that don’t seem dated — in their ideas, if not their looks — have a combination of being
by Jake Rich, Senior Staff Writer
specific enough to appeal to a certain generation and their zeitgeist, while also maintaining a generality that can apply to a broad variety of situations or ideas. One need only look as far as our two examples to see this in action. In the case of “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll,” context is everything. The song recounts the night in which Hattie Carroll, a 51-year-old black woman, was struck with a cane by wealthy, drunken 24-year-old William Zantzinger. She died later that night from a stroke, and Zantzinger was eventually charged with manslaughter and sentenced to only a $500 fine and six months in prison. At the time, the song, especially coming from the already-rising star of Dylan, meant a great deal to helping to continually rally people against desegregation. It’s a song that was relevant for its particular time, and extremely important in the moment. In fact, in the context of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and the countless other murders of unarmed black men by police, it could be applied today. But while the song succeeds in its specificity and that specific purpose, it is not a song particularly made for use in a broader context of different issues, and that’s okay. One could certainly stretch its meaning to fit other situations, and more closely to some current situations, but it is likely to primarily be remembered as a song about race issues in the ‘60s.
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts
Why context means nothing and everything in media
“The Times They Are a-Changin’, ” is a different story. The song paints its strokes much more broadly, and while not naming specific names, it manages to accumulate the many revolutionary feelings that roiled the ‘60s. Dylan sings, “As the present now / Will later be past / The order is / Rapidly fadin’.” While this could stir up emotions of someone fighting for justice at the time applying the song to their own cause, it could just as easily be applied to a much broader number of contexts and situations than “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll.” And we haven’t even accounted for songs, films and other media that take on an ironic use years later, or that despite their specificities, find use in completely unexpected situations. Look no further than Rodriguez, the apparently failed singer-songwriter whose songs became huge in South Africa — unbeknownst to him. Though there are specific things that usually lead to media becoming classic or transcendent, there is no one path for it to arrive at this status. And just because it doesn’t arrive there, it doesn’t decrease its value in its historical context. Media’s value is dictated in a large variety of ways, and context, while important to take note of, can mean everything and nothing at the same time. If an obscure show tune from the 1800s moves you to start a revolution or to start eating healthier, it doesn’t really matter, does it? ■H
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HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts
MUSIC REVIEW
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
19
ALABAMA SHAKES: “SOUND AND COLOR” // RATING: ★★★★☆ FARAZ RIZVI Contributing Writer
Alabama Shakes’ stunning second album, “Sound & Color” is a tour de force alt-rock album that effortlessly combines a paired-down blues rock with lead singer Brittany Howard’s intense vocals. Alabama Shakes creates an introspective and mellow atmosphere that perfectly fuses blues and gospel in a way that only a genuinely Southern band could. This album is an astonishing work of Americana, and is perhaps one of the most intriguing blues rock albums to be released since the Black Keys’ album “Brothers.” Alabama Shakes is a band that is genuinely incomparable, and the synthesis that this album creates from the funkinfluenced use of keyboards, blues guitar and downtempo bass is reminiscent of gospel. “Sound & Color” deftly navigates these different genres, paying homage to their Americana roots while blazing forward. The album namesake, which is the opening track, starts with a series of isolated keyboard notes for a minute, before the drums kick in along with the vocals. The best songs on the album are “Gimme All Your Love” and “Don’t Wanna Fight.” “Gimme All Your Love” begins with simultaneous heavy guitar and bass chords which dissipate into a more blues-influenced riff, while the drumming has a slower tempo that
matches the blues riff. This ultimately gives ample room for Howard’s full vocals to sear through the track, along with the heavy bass and guitar riff at the beginning of each bar. Her vocals are searing and reminiscent of Janis Joplin. “Don’t Wanna Fight” is the most palpably funky track on the album, with a killer bass line and heavy use of keyboards. These two songs show their astonishing capacity to navigate diverse genres within the album, without forgoing the unity of the album. This album still has a few pitfalls though, most conspicuous being that it seems to follow generic conventions to a tee. While the album does unify different characteristics of various genres in unique ways, it does not actually pursue this change in a way that disrupts the genres. The guitar riffs are very standard blues guitar riffs, and the funk elements are transparently funk elements. While this isn’t that major, it results in the album feeling a little bland toward the end. Despite this, “Sound & Color” still does an incredible job of giving their lead singer plenty of room to showcase her ability to croon, while not giving too much space. The instrumentals have a restrained quality that complements the blues atmosphere, and harmoniously blends with Howard’s operatic singing. With “Sound & Color” Alabama Shakes constructs an excellent bluesrock album. ■H
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts
NALO HOPKINSON TURNS CULTURAL AESTHETICS INTO
POP CULTURE PHENOMENON
Edward Dave, Contributing Writer / Photos by Lydia Tsou
I
t takes a creative soul to craft an awesome graphic novel. Professor of creative writing Nalo Hopkinson and John Jennings have put their brains and collective talents together to make “Nancy Jack.” This graphic novel is a love letter that encapsulates the discrimination and struggles of an African-American man in the 20th century. The UC Institute for Research in the Arts, in charge of funding multiple projects, gave Hopkinson funding for 10 days to cultivate an idea that had the potential to sell like hotcakes. Rising to the occasion, Hopkinson reached into the confines of her mind and drew inspiration from a story that had been marinating for 15 years. In addition, she also knew that this grandiose idea needed a competent artist to bring her vision alive. This is where Jennings enters the fray. Jennings, a prolific artist who has overseen several projects, took up the mantle and a creative partnership was b o r n . Having an extensive b a c k ground in hip-hop art and c o m i c b o o k design, Jennings knew he had the experience and craft level to take the story to even greater heights. Hailing from the University of Illinois, he taught a series of different classes outside of graphic art such as American and African studies, which unbeknownst to him at the time, was a point of convergence for the two collaborators. Bringing light to social injustice in society during the 19th and 20th centuries has always been something Hopkinson aspired to do — making the overarching narrative of the novel was simply an ode to that passion. Hopkinson would look at derogatory art aimed at African-Americans and remodel them to change their meanings and sentiments. This is largely how Hopkinson conceptualized the images of many of her characters and settings. Once she had a nebulous inkling of some of the imagery she wanted, she turned it over to Jennings to make that visual come to life. Jennings and Hopkinson play off and constantly bounce ideas off each other to come to a place of harmony. Although this is Hopkinson’s first time partnering up with someone, she proclaims that working with Jennings has been an easy thing to do. They
utilize a style that’s been popularized as the Marvel method, which was developed by Stan Lee during his work with the Marvel comics. They described it as “using columns and doing the storyboard, followed by having an artist go back and fill them in with art.” They prefer this style to “full script” which is less collaborative when “every panel is plotted out meticulously from the writer, down to the miniscule action.” To triumph over the burden of having a place to work, the two managed to make a home out of the Internet website Kapsul. It’s a popular website often used by graphic novelists who enjoy the art of pairing up to get a project done, and allows for easy access and editing panel by panel, and delivers a user-friendly interface, making it very universal while still mildly comprehensive. It allows artists to work in tandem to cater to each others’ demands. In designing the main character, Hopkins came up with the idea of having the protagonist serve as a porter working on a railroad. The catch? He’s not human and his real form exists in a ball of pure fire. He has the ability to shapeshift and blend in with humans which he does to quench his desire for human company. Did I mention he’s a zombie? Don’t let your mind wander into “Warm Bodies” territory however, because this novel is seeking to be more stimulating. The African-American main character falls in love with the white railroad owner’s daughter which sets the premise of the story. To bring the protagonist and the world to life, Jennings tapped into hip-hop to bring spontaneity and diversity to the pages. Hip-hop art connotates a certain type of freedom and is usually rooted in rich primary colors. Seeing the motley of hues interact and mesh together on the page was tantamount to watching a ‘90s sitcom opening by providing vibrant colors that made every speck on the panel an adventure. Because the novel is still in its early conceptual stages (Hopkins and Jennings only had a few rough sketches and character designs), this novel won’t be released anytime in the near future. Too many details are being ironed out and they still need to work out definitive plot points. But from everything they showed us, I will be among the first in line to purchase the book because of its immense promise. ■H
Artist John Jennings explains the ideas behind his characters in his graphic novel-in-progress, “Nancy Jack.”
This graphic novel is a love letter that encapsulates the discrimination and struggles of an AfricanAmerican man in the 20th century.
INTN 3023 is filled with students interested in hearing how artist John Jennings and author Nalo Hopkinson are creating their graphic novel, “Nancy Jack.”
Nalo Hopkinson, science fiction and fantasy author, discusses the making of her graphic novel-in-progress, “Nancy Jack.”
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
21
“MRS. PACKARD” EVENT PREVIEW: U
CR’s theatre, film and digital production department will be debuting its rendition of Emily Mann’s famous play “Mrs. Packard” this Thursday at 8 p.m. Directed by Bella Merlin, the play focuses on the title character, who is thrown into an insane asylum for three years for being at odds with her husband’s conservative, Calvinist beliefs. The play is based in actual history, as Elizabeth Packard is a real American woman who lived in the 19th century, when women had little to no legal or civil rights. Merlin, a professor of acting and directing in the department, was very excited to direct “Mrs. Packard.” “I did a lot of research for this piece,” she said, “and I was a bit ashamed I didn’t really know much about her until I heard about this play, and her impact on women’s rights in her time.” Merlin noted how the historical Mrs. Packard worked hard for equality long after she was released from her unethical imprisonment. “She certainly had an impact in her own state of Illinois, as well as about 34 other states throughout the 1870s and 1880s. At that time, a woman was described as a ‘legal non-entity,’ meaning a woman couldn’t hold legal rights over her children or property. After Mrs. Packard left the asylum, her influence reached as far as the presidency in her campaign to help overhaul that system.” Chelsea De Leon, a fourthyear creative writing major and theatre minor, will be performing as the title heroine. “Mrs. Packard didn’t agree with her husband’s religious ideas, and he thought the devil was in her for being outspoken.” De Leon knew extensively about her character and her role in both the play and history, noting, “She’s very passionate and strong-willed.” The play is known for its historical accuracy, given that Mrs. Packard was able to record what she witnessed in her three years in the insane asylum. “It’s fun and interesting to do a play based off of true facts,” De Leon stated. Alongside its historical basis and accuracy, the play is also known for its ability to depict other characters as empathetic, even for those who stand in the way of Mrs. Packard’s freedom. Ephraim Eshete, a third-year so-
ciology major and theatre minor, expressed the tension that existed between his character, Dr. Andrew McFarland, and the title character. “Dr. McFarland was the head of the insane asylum Mrs. Packard stays in, and he was considered one of the best doctors on the mentally ill of his era. But he’s not an evil guy — he’s caught in the times he’s living in.” In Mrs. Packard’s writings, she noted that she and Dr. McFarland were in love. Eshete personally looked into her journals and knew about the troubled and estranged relationship between the two, expressing, “It was obvious they were in love. Mrs. Packard wrote a love letter to him saying, ‘you are the husband I should’ve had, and that I will have.’” Dr. McFarland only has about three scenes in the play, but they’re all with Mrs. Packard. Despite the terrible things that happen to Mrs. Packard, Eshete believes in the inherent goodness of his character. “He’s not an evil person — far from it,” he stated. “You know how you can kinda love someone, but also kinda hate them at the same time, like a sibling? That’s essentially how Dr. McFarland feels. There are times when they’re in love, and then times when they just wanna rip each other’s head off.” Alix Conde, a fourth-year theatre major, will be performing as Mrs. Bonner, a matron in the asylum. “She serves as one of the antagonists in the script,” Conde explained. “She’s the most obvious antagonist because she’s very violent. It’s her job to beat the inmates, sometimes into submission.” However, just like Dr. McFarland, one can also feel sympathy for an antagonist. Conde even states that Mrs. Bonner, one of the play’s more violent characters, is a victim. “In a way, everyone is a tool of somebody else,” she explained, noting the complications between blaming the more hateful characters and their sexist thoughts toward women and society as a whole for pervasive misogynistic attitudes back in the 19th century. “I don’t even completely blame the men in this play,” Conde said. “They’re weak and foolish, but also tragic … in the end, nobody wins. Society does change for the better, but at a huge sacrifice.” Despite the rather sad atmosphere of the play, it’s comfort-
Nathan Swift, Senior Staff Writer // Photos by Vincent Ta
Chelsea De Leon will take center stage as the lead heroine, Mrs. Packard.
Ephraim Eshete (left) will play Dr. Andrew McFarland and Alix Conde (right) will be portraying Mrs. Bonner.
ing for the audience, knowing that Mrs. Packard (both fictional and historical) does make it out of the insane asylum after three years, and that her story and influence reaches all the way to President Ulysses Grant and his wife. “With her experience and her activism, it’s without a doubt that Elizabeth Packard was the Joan of Arc of the nineteenth century,” Conde stated. Merlin also sees more of the brighter side of the piece. “In a play about what is sanity and insanity, and attempting to figure out who you can trust; she certainly is a woman of conviction.
Mrs. Packard’s greatest quality is her adherence to truth, and to the truth about what her story teaches society: That women deserve much better than simply being seen as objects to be owned.” Merlin also went over her methods of rehearsing the play with the cast, utilizing a method of rehearsal known as “active analysis.” Developed by the famous Russian actor Konstantin Stanislavsky, its primary method involves having actors rehearse without the script. Merlin detailed how she implemented this into “Mrs. Packard”: “We would read a scene together, discuss it and
then improvise it onstage, without the script.” With this method, the actors are allowed greater freedom to explore the hidden emotional depths and subtle nuances of their characters without being held down by their written lines. “As the director, I have no fixed idea about what this play is going to look like beforehand, so with this method, I can take the actors’ raw materials and apply it to the playwright’s script,” Merlin said. “Mrs. Packard” will premiere April 30 at 8 p.m. in ARTS 113. Make sure you bring a box of tissues. ■H
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
MOVIE REVIEWS
COMING OUT SOON: FAR FROM MEN
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/arts PRIVATE NUMBER GERONTOPHILIA
AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON HYENA
“THE AGE OF ADALINE” // RATING: ★★☆☆☆ ROBERT LEES Staff Writer
I
have a question for all of you. Would you be comfortable being in a committed relationship with someone who had previously been in a sexual relationship with one of your parents? Just speak your answer directly into the newspaper. Don’t worry, I’ll hear your answer. While this may seem like an odd question, I didn’t come up with it myself. Main characters Ellis (Michiel Huisman) and Adaline (Blake Lively) face this very choice in “The Age of Adaline,” a science-fiction romance film. The film concerns title character Adaline, who becomes immortal after crashing into a pond and being struck by lightning. However, rather than embracing her newfound invincibility by taking massive amounts of drugs and becoming rich as a bare-knuckle bear fighter, she spends the majority of her time being really depressed and moving from place to place to avoid suspicion. Well, the film states this, but the entirety of the film is shot in San Francisco, so either the producers are lazy or Adaline’s run-in with the thunderstorm caused excessive brain damage that changed her perception of what “moving around” actually means. You know how films can sometimes convey exposition in a clever way, with a montage, opening scene or some witty banter between characters? Instead of doing any of those things, “Adaline” takes the cinematic shortcut of having near-constant narration. From the opening scene to the last second of the movie, practically every 10 minutes the narrator starts up again, usually to explain the scene we just saw. The filmmakers must think that the audience is incredibly stupid, because rather than say, showing Adaline crash her car, the movie will show Adaline crash her car and then state “Adaline crashed her car. She crashed it. Her car
is now crashed.” Maybe this is a necessity for the type of people who like romantic dramas, but I found that it kept breaking what immersion I had in the film. Now, I mentioned immersion earlier, and despite the fact that it does nothing new and really falls apart at the end, “The Age of Adaline” is one of the best films I’ve seen this year. While this certainly doesn’t say much, I found it was actually quite refreshing. After seeing “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2” last week I feel as if “Adaline” is a nice, saucy rebound after a nasty break-up. The filmmakers are at least competent, and despite the fact that I accurately guessed the ending around 10 minutes in, the film had a coherent narrative and most of the supporting cast, including William Jones (Harrison Ford) and Ellen Burstyn (Flemming) played believable characters. However, the film must take place in some alternative reality where humor is punished by death, because there isn’t a single bit of comic relief in the entire runtime. Still, I’ve been mistreated by terrible comedies in the last few weeks, and seeing a movie that chooses to avoid terrible comedy in favor of stony seriousness is definitely preferred. Now, no movie is without its flaws, and “The Age of Adaline” is certainly no exception. One of these is actually Adaline, the main character. She’s beautiful, rich, cultured, intelligent and self-assured, and people go out of their way to declare their undying love for her after a little bit of time together. On a whim, I decided to run her character traits through a “Mary Sue Test” online (a Mary Sue is any character who serves as a perfect idealization of whatever the writer wants them to be) and it came up positive. I was left wondering why all these people were fawning over a woman who had all the personality of a piece of paper with a frowny face drawn on it.
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Where “Adaline” finally went from being a half-decent romantic drama to a sub-mediocre romantic drama was the ending. I sat through the hour of exposition. I watched as Ellis aggressively stalked Adaline, and even though I wondered why she didn’t mace him or call the cops, I just figured she likes assertive men. However, after Adaline decides after a series of three rousing speeches by Jones, her daughter and Ellis, she decides she’s going to let herself fall in love, immortality be damned. How coincidental
that a mere few moments after she decides this, her immortality is removed and she and Ellis get to grow old together. I usually try to avoid making suggestions on how to “fix” movies, but I think Adaline’s decision to continue to love Ellis in spite of her problem would have made her a stronger character. She has no motivation to change after her mortality is restored, essentially making her decision and the entirety of the film up to that scene pointless. I mean, Ellis forgave you for having sex with his dad, Adaline; the
least you could do is not rely on deus ex machina to solve your problems. Regardless of everything negative I’ve said up to this point, the odds are you’ll like “The Age of Adaline” if you’re the type of person who wants to go and see “The Age of Adaline.” There is a certain demographic who really likes the alternate universe all romantic dramas take place in, and I’m certainly not in that demographic. I prefer my characters to have a little more depth and emotion, besides being a one-inch deep pool of melancholy. ■H
ly beautiful film. Featured are many stunning landscape shots of Turkey as well as dream-like scenes within the Blue Mosque, which highlight the power of the once-mighty empire. The film also features recurring ethereal visions that Connor has of whirling dervishes. I found this to be an effective device for representing the spark of hope that makes him keep going, despite the glaring odds that he faces. These visions also served to give the film a mystical and almost nostalgic vibe. One directorial and writing aspect that is the most thoughtful part of the film, and what makes this film stand out from other war movies, is the scene
in the immediate aftermath of battle, showing men from both sides of the battle laying with stab wounds and their guts shot out, yelping like puppies, in the dark, dying. This is an image that is largely overlooked in most war movies, and it added a thoughtful aspect to this film to show the realities of war and that not everyone dies a quick and glorious death. There were a few things I couldn’t look over. There were several filler scenes occupied with nonverbal montages, with music playing over the characters speechlessly mouthing a conversation and expressing empathic feelings. These scenes could have been occu-
pied with meaningful dialogue, adding considerable depth to these characters. But instead, all you get out of the scene is, “these two characters got a lot closer after this conversation.” In addition to these lazy scenes, it bothered me that everyone whom Connor runs into in the Ottoman Empire happens to speak English, just for the sake of convenience. It was not a big deal, but it did detract from the authenticity of the film. Despite a few lazy scenes, “The Water Diviner” is an engaging film that will tug at your heartstrings. I recommend it to anyone who likes thoughtful drama, thrilling fight scenes and Russell Crowe. ■H
“THE WATER DIVINER” // RATING: ★★★☆☆ TOBY PARK Contributing Writer
R
eleased just in time for Anzac Day, an Australian national holiday commemorating veterans, Russell Crowe stars in and directs “The Water Diviner,” a tragic and heartfelt historical epic set just after World War I. Crowe plays the titular water diviner, Connor, whose sons are presumed dead after fighting for the Australian army in the Battle of Gallipoli. When the pain of losing their sons becomes too much to bear, his wife commits suicide. Left with nothing, Connor travels to the Ottoman Empire in the hopes of finding his sons. Even as a low-budget movie, “The Water Diviner” keeps the viewer captivated through its intense action sequences, heartfelt story and superb acting. Upon watching the opening battle scene, you can easily see that this film is not blessed with a gargantuan Hollywood budget. However, this is not to say that the production value is cheap. The sheer scope of a film that the producers are trying to capture makes it understandable to have a few fake-looking fires and explosions. The action
sequences are still every bit as convincing as any Hollywood war movie to anyone with an imagination. The stunts are realistic and the actual fight scenes are believable, not to mention incredibly violent. Even if unconvincing special effects are a deal-breaker for you, come for the acting. Crowe delivers as a heartbroken and rugged yet compassionate and naive stranger in a strange land. Playing a man who has suffered through what he has is a tough role to capture, but Crowe is believable. You will feel as sorry for him as you felt for Tom Hanks at the end of “Castaway” when Wilson floats away. Olga Kurylenko once again plays a generically ethnically ambiguous-looking woman, Ayshe, who you would never guess is an Ottoman character if they had never told you. But she is compelling as a mother and dutiful widow. And she shows considerable skill in displaying anger when her life is disrupted by a bumbling foreigner who can’t stay put. As well as starring in the film, Crowe has the opportunity to direct. Besides making himself look alluring, Crowe’s directing produces an aesthetical-
COURETESY OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
SPORTS
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports
TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
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Baseball grinds out 8-6 UNLV win DARREN BUENO Senior Staff Writer
APRIL 21, 2015
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Highlanders 8 - Dirtbags 6
It’s been a tough outing for Head Coach Troy Percival and the Highlanders. The team suffered through an 11-game losing streak and were a meek 11-26 on the season heading into a Tuesday night showdown against the UNLV Rebels. Vince Fernandez ensured that the team felt none of the spring blues. The sophomore belted a two-run, walkoff homer in the bottom of the 11th to give UC Riverside an 8-6 victory. When UCR closer Ryan Lillie entered the game, the Highlanders were leading 5-3 in the ninth inning after scores in the first, second and fifth innings. Although it appeared the game was all but over, the freshman pitcher surrendered three singles and a walk before balking home another run as UNLV evened up the contest, 5-5. Lillie retired the next three batters to send the game into extra innings. Both clubs scored a single run in the 10th inning before Fernandez stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 11th to power the Highlanders to victory with a homer to center field. The home run was Fernandez’s sixth of the year. He currently leads the team in home runs, doubles, triples, RBIs, slugging percentage and stolen bases. APR. 24, 2015
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Matadors 2 - Highlanders 1
Facing one of the best pitching teams in the conference, the UCR baseball team went toeto-toe with the Cal State Northridge Matadors, but ultimately fell in a 2-1 pitcher’s duel. The Matadors were the first team to strike, picking up a run in the bottom of the first. UCR pitcher Joie Dunyon kept the
CSUN bats quiet, keeping the club from scoring over the next five innings. Northridge pitcher Calvin Copping did not give up a hit until Vince Fernandez connected in the fourth inning. UCR tied the contest in the top of the seventh inning as Cody Sporrer tripled to right field and crossed home plate on an Alex Rubanowitz groundout. In the bottom of the inning, CSUN took advantage of a Highlander error to score the final run of the contest, 2-1. Dunyon pitched all eight innings for the Highlanders, allowing five hits and two runs while striking out 10. Matador starter Copping struck out nine batters, giving up five hits and one run. APR. 25, 2015
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Highlanders 5 - Matadors 3
The Highlanders snapped a three-game conference losing skid with a 5-3 victory over the Matadors on Saturday afternoon. Behind the hitting of Kevin Sprague and Adonis Morrison, UCR jumped out to a 5-1 lead through eight innings. Morrison launched a home run in the top of the fifth, 4-1, before Cody Sporrer drove in the final run of the game for the Highlanders with a single to right that scored Austin Colvin. Heading into the bottom of the ninth, everything seemed to be going the way of the Highlanders until the Matadors started to mount a comeback behind a flurry of base hits. CSUN scored two runs in the inning before UCR reliever Jared Morton halted the fray, retiring two batters to give UCR the 5-3 victory. UC Riverside next travels to Las Vegas to face UNLV on Tuesday, April 28. ■H
Robby Witt (No. 4) slides into home to score a run.
JANELLE SOTO / HIGHLANDER
Track and field breaks records at Triton Invitational
COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS
CODY NGUYEN Senior Staff Writer
The UC Riverside track and field team turned in a recordbreaking performance at UCSD in the Triton Invitational on Saturday, with Breana Jemi-
son and Deja Watkins setting school records in the discus and shot put, respectively. Watkins broke her week-old record with a throw of 53.59 meters, a mark good for seventh place in the event overall. Jemison’s 16.54 m heave in the shot put breaks a record
set by herself on April 11, and was good for 10th place in the event. Other performances of note on the women’s side include a 13.75 m throw in the shot put by Rachel Tice. Also, Danielle Littleton finished in sixth place in the 100 meter hurdles with a
time of 13.56 seconds. On the men’s side, the Highlanders’ efforts were spearheaded by Cesar Solis’ fifthplace finish in the 1,500 meter run with a time of 3:58.86. Following Solis was Highlander Solomon Demeku-Ousman, who finished in sixth with a
time of 3:59.24. In the 400 meter, Mathew Vasel placed 10th with a time of 49.66. Next up for the Highlanders’ track and field teams is a trip to Irvine for the Steve Scott Invitational, set to take place on May 1 and 2. ■H
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TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015
HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports
Sports
Softball sweeps Davis in threegame series CODY NGUYEN Senior Staff Writer APRIL 25, 2015
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Highlanders 1 - Aggies 0
A 13-inning, pitchers’ duel on a warm, overcast day in Riverside ended with the Highlanders stealing a win against the UC Davis Aggies and snapping their threegame losing streak. Saturday’s game played out as a battle on the mound, as both pitchers, Chelsea Ponce for the Highlanders and Leah Munden for the Aggies, kept the scoreboard knotted up at zero for what seemed to be an eternity. In the bottom of the 13th inning, Highlander Haley Harris stepped up to the plate for the first at-bat of the half-inning, and was subsequently hit by a pitch, advancing her to first. Highlander Shylene Helms batted next, and reached first on a bunt. Harris also successfully advanced to second. After the next two batters were retired, it appeared as though the game was headed for a fourteenth inning. With a runner on first and second, Natalie Sanchez’s single to right-center field allowed Harris to score, giving the Highlanders an uplifting walk-off victory at home. APR. 26, 2015
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Highlanders 5 - Aggies 2 Highlanders 5 - Aggies 3
BRI CHEW / HIGHLANDER Chelsea Ponce (No. 7) swings her arm around to pitch as she releases the ball toward the batter.
Women’s golf carries momentum into championship MYLES ANDREWS-DUVE Contributing Writer
The Big West Women’s Golf Championships were not very competitive this time around as defending champion UC Davis finished first yet again thanks to a final score of 858 and seven strokes under par — Hawaii was next best at five strokes over par, followed by the Highlanders. Needless to say it was another dominant performance from the Aggies, but coming off of a firstplace finish in UCR’s own Battle At The Rock Tournament, the UC Riverside women’s golf team entered the championships looking to capitalize on some momentum of their own. The Highlanders ended day one of the tournament in fourth place and 11 over par and the team gradually made its way up the leaderboard, reaching third place after day two and maintaining that position throughout, despite some resistance on day three from Long Beach State. The blue and gold were led by
senior Savannah Vilaubi and freshman Hannah Facchini. Vilaubi kept the team afloat by staying under par for the first two rounds before finishing in sixth place at three over par, draining a total of eight birdies in the process. Meanwhile, Facchini made a big move up the leaderboards as she climbed nine spots throughout the tournament to finish at ninth overall and seven over par. Haley Wian was the Highlanders’ only other top-20 finish with a final score of 13 over par as she jumped two spots to place 17th out of a field of 40. In the end, after firing a finalround score of 306 and an overall three-day total of 906, the UC Riverside women’s golf team finished at 24 over par, tied with Long Beach State for third place out of eight teams in the tournament. The finish marked the highest for the blue and gold since the 2006 season in which UCR ranked third out of a field of five. The third place finish is a solid ending to a season in which the team finished in the top-three in five of its nine tournaments — three of which were first-place victories — and placed no lower than fifth in all but two of them. With the NCAA Regional Tournament approaching in early May, the team has another opportunity to progress and capitalize on its great play as of late. ■H
Sunday’s action featured a doubleheader to close out the threegame series. The Highlanders emerged victorious in both games, improving their overall record to 36-15 and their conference record to an even 8-8.
In the first action of the day, the Highlanders upended the Aggies, 5-2, in a standout performance by Karina Romero, who tallied two hits and two RBIs in the game. UC Davis jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first in the second game when an Amy Nunez single to right field allowed Brianna Warner to hitch a ride home from second base. Just a half-inning later, the Highlanders responded in kind plus more when relief pitcher Rebecca Faulkner blasted a home run to centerfield, scoring her plus two others. Faulkner stole the show when she struck again with a double to left-center in the bottom of the third inning, scoring Madeline Richard to increase the UCR lead to 4-1. In the top of the fifth, the Aggies scored again off another Amy Nunez hit that led to an Alexandra Sotomayor run, thinning the margin to 4-2. In the top of the sixth, the Highlanders had allowed Katie Robertson to reach first off a fielder’s choice in hopes of catching Kaila Olson before she could reach home. The Aggies prevailed, though, bringing them within one run of tying UCR. Kris DeAnda added an insurance run for the Highlanders in the bottom of the sixth, but it ultimately ended up being unnecessary as UC Davis found themselves unable to score again for the rest of the match. The Highlanders’ sweep of the UC Davis Aggies marks their first in-conference sweep of the season, with the team looking to continue riding the momentum as they prepare to play the UCSB Gauchos on H the road this upcoming weekend. ■
Tennis closes season with conference defeat JASON AHN Staff Writer
Seeded fifth, UCR’s men’s tennis went into the Big West Championship Tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden against the fourth-seeded Cal Poly Mustangs (15-9) on Thursday, April 23. However, they fell 4-0, concluding their season with a 4-16 record, which was double the amount of wins last year (2-22). The day kicked off with doubles with UCR’s doubles pairings Cooper Bridge and Michael Carella as well as Luis Gastao and Sean Robles falling 6-2 to their Mustang foes. In singles, UCR’s Bridge faced Cal Poly’s Corey Pang. Bridge came close to taking the first, 6-4, but was routined in the second, 6-2. Julian Ruffin faced the same fate, being defeated by Ben Donovan, 6-0, 6-0. The rest of the team, including Sina Sharifi, Calvin Ngo and Gastao did not finish as Cal Poly had enough points to win the tournament.
BRI CHEW / HIGHLANDER Sophie El-Kara hits a backhand stroke against her opponent.
Seeded ninth, the women’s tennis team battled hard, but came up short against the eighth seed Cal Poly Pomona Mustangs on Thursday, April 23, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. It was the first round of the Big West Championships. The tournament kicked off with doubles, as Cal Poly snagged the first points of the match with 8-1 and 8-0 wins at numbers one and three. Zoe Oedekerk and Molly Reed defeated UCR’s Kassie Truong and Caroline Hall at the number-three spot. At the number-one spot, Louise Oxnevad and Dane Joubert handed a loss to the High-
landers Karla Dulay and Tamilia Vaksman. In singles, the Mustangs won all three matches in straight sets. Mustang Molly Reed defeated Dulay 6-1, 6-2 at number three while Hannah Stone from Cal Poly defeated Hall at number four 6-1, 6-0, and finally UCR’s Tamilla Vaksman lost 6-1, 6-0 to Oedekerk. The final three matches did not finish as Cal Poly had earned enough points to secure the victory. Overall, the Highlanders had a 4-18 record for the season, which improved upon the 0-20 the sport produced last season. ■H