The Highlander
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
For the week of Monday, January 25, 2021
VOL. 69, ISSUE 13
NEWS
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ASUCR tables bill aimed to have UCR adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF STUDENTS FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE RESOLUTION THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, STATING THAT THE DEFINITION INFRINGED ON STUDENTS RIGHTS TO FREE SPEECH. or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities,” and one of those manifestations may be, “the targeting of the state of Israel.” A number of students criticized Students Supporting Israel’s attempt to adopt this definition oncampus, claiming that it would infringe upon the freedom of speech of Palestinian students and their right to criticize the state of Israel and Zionism. “I 100% stand against anti-semitism on campus, I would just like them to not use the IHRA definition because it is anti-Palestine,” wrote one student on their Instagram page. As the lead sponsor of SR-W21-002 Resolution Against Anti-Semitism, President Pro Tempore Orlando Cabalo motioned to remove the resolution from the meeting agenda, stating that he spoke to various
LAURA ANAYA-MORGA News Editor
On Wednesday, Jan. 20, ASUCR held their third senate meeting of the quarter in which the senate tabled a controversial bill submitted by Students Supporting Israel that aimed to have UCR adopt the International Holocaust Rememberance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism. Members of the student body spoke out against the bill through social media, claiming that the IHRA definition of antiSemitism promoted Zionism and hindered the free speech of students. According to the IHRA, the working definition for antiSemitism states, “Rhetorical and physical manifestations of anti-Semitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/
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SPORTS
REOPENING BY FALL 2021 IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IF THE UC FAILS TO OFFER CONCRETE PLANS ON HOW THEY WILL ADMINISTER AID TO THEIR STUDENTS.
UCR women’s basketball beats California State University, Bakersfield 64-56 to get their first conference win KEVIN CONTRERAS Assistant Sports Editor
UCR’s women’s basketball team had their third Big West Conference game against California State University Bakersfield (CSUB) on Friday, Jan. 22 after various scheduling conflicts due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Despite their constantly changing schedule, UCR’s women’s basketball team came into the series with the momentum generated from their win against the University of Southern California on Jan. 17. UCR came in strong defensively into the first
quarter. Head Coach Nicole Powell implemented a oneon-one defense that kept CSUB away from the paint. The first quarter of the game went almost completely uninterrupted, with no pause in the game until the last minute of the quarter. The Roadrunners were quick on the attack, opening up the scoreboard with the first 2 points. The Highlanders responded with 2 points of their own. Both teams traded shots, and each tied with 4 points five minutes into the game. UCR tried to create a lead for themselves, but the CSUB Roadrunners stayed ► SEE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PAGE 14
AFTER A TIGHT GAME, THE HIGHLANDERS’ FOURTH QUARTER ATTACK HELPED THEM SEAL THE DEAL. COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS
► SEE ASUCR PAGE 3
OPINIONS
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A UC pipe dream: reopening without a good plan will be impossible MADISON RHEINS Opinions Editor
As of Jan. 11, the University of California (UC) President Michael V. Drake and the rest of the UC announced that all campuses will reopen by fall 2021. While this came as a pleasant surprise to all students and faculty, there was no clear presentation on how the UC plans to navigate toward such a goal, considering the slow distribution of vaccinations. It
seems as if the UC is tired of being in a financial bind and are heavily depending on how the Biden administration plans to roll out vaccines. However, even if distribution rates increase, it seems too good to be true that all students across the 10 campuses will be vaccinated in such a short time frame. At the same time, the UC offered no clear plan on the types of safety guidelines they would put in place or the type of aid ー if any ー that would be given
to students to expedite the process of getting them back on campus. Without transparency on how the UC plans on returning to business as usual, it will be impossible for them to completely reopen by fall. The UC credits the wide availability of vaccines as a reason to allow campuses to reopen, but this is not enough to guarantee that all students will be able to return to in-person classes. In the meantime, the UC should ► SEE REOPENING PAGE 8
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Humans of UCR
Upcoming Events: Week 4
JONATHAN GUERRERO | THIRD-YEAR COMPILED BY THE HIGHLANDER STAFF
25 Monday
26 Tuesday
CHASS Transfers F1RST: Job Searching Workshop 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Virtual Event
Information Session with the CIA 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Virtual Event
Medicare Workshop 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Virtual Event
Making the Most of Social Security 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Virtual Event
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Wednesday
“I’m a Los Angeles native and I am a licensed welder and have been welding for a couple of years now. I work as a fabricator in the city of Gardena which makes it hard for me to keep up with
UCR Botanic Gardens Virtual Presentation 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Virtual Event
What’s Up Doc? Adversity and Survival 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Virtual Event
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Dealing with Grief & Trauma Caused by COVID-19 with Susan Lopez 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Virtual Event
Step Forward: Social Justice Symposium 6 p.m. Virtual Event
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HPAC / CHASS - Life Science Core Workshop 1 p.m. Virtual Event
Faculty Sustainability Retreat (2021) 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Virtual Event
Thursday
my coursework. Despite this, I try to keep my head up and power through. I hope to become an immigation lawyer in order to help out the hardworking people from my community that I grew up with. I want to give back to them because of the way this community has always been there for me.”
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individuals on both sides of the debate and decided it would be best to table it for now. During Public Forum, UCR student Samia Alkam acknowledged that she was in disapproval of the resolution. She commended the senate for listening to student concerns and vowing to find a new resolution to combat anti-Semitism on campus while also protecting students’ free speech. She added that combatting discrimination on campus is one of her top priorities as a student. UC alumni and 2020 graduate, Shawn Heavlin also spoke out in opposition of the proposed resolution. He thanked the senate for agreeing to table the resolution but proceeded to read the comment he had prepared prior to the meeting. Heavlin argued that adopting the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism was also adopting the policies and practices of former President Donald Trump and his white supremicist ideologies. He added that if the senate had agreed with the bill, students could be formally accused of anti-Semitism for repeating the official view of the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, which announced this week that it would begin referring to Israel an an apartheid state. During Public Comment, at the end of the meeting, primary author of SRW21-002 David Smith expressed his disappointment in the students’ response to the senate resolution. He opposed the comparison made to white supremacy, stating that the definition does not limit freedom of speech because people still have the right to criticize a country for its actions; he stated that the resolution aimed to give a clear understanding and definition of what is considered anti-Semitism. Finally, President of Students for Justice in Palestine Summaya Khugyani added that she also agrees that there should be better protections against discrimination for Jewish students on campus but she is opposed to the IHRA definition because it equates anti-Zionism to anti-Semitism. During Ex-Officio reports, Vice President of External Affairs Vincent Rasso discussed a letter that he and other members of the Executive Cabinet drafted to Chancellor Wilcox and Interim Provost Thomas Smith in response to the Jan. 11 announcement that the University of California plans to host in-person classes for fall 2021. The letter details a list of demands for campus administration regarding academic continuity, COVID-19 vaccine and testing accessibility, student health, wellness and basic needs and addresses concerns regarding policing and campus safety. The letter proposes the establishment of a COVID-19 Impact Working Group tasked to understand the situations students may be struggling with and to expand UCR resources such as the R’Pantry, CalFresh, Basic Needs, The Well and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). In response, Interim Provost Smith expressed his appreciation for the letter as campus administration begins to design scenarios for fall that best support students’ learning needs and prioritize their health and safety. Ori Liwanag, campaign coordinator for CALPIRG, updated the senate on their outreach efforts from the past week. Over 1,000 students expressed interest in CALPIRG’s campaigns for winter quarter, and they were able to host their biggest kickoff meeting that the UCR Chapter has ever had with 217 participants in total; this
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ASUCR is the second largest kickoff across the state in CALPIRG’s history. Vice President of Sustainability Vanessa Gomez-Alvarado explained a large scale initiative grant that she recently applied to on behalf of GCAP, in collaboration with the R’Garden and Agricultural Operations. The $40,733 grant aims to begin commercial green waste composting at UCR in a project called the Aerated Static Pile Compost Project. The project would significantly reduce the university waste, carbon emission and offer agricultural support. The project will occupy unused land located at the Agricultural Operations facilities across from Lot 30. The grant was approved with a vote of 16-0-1. During the LRC’s report, the senate approved two resolutions authored by CHASS Senator Mufida Assaf in order to clarify certain rules and regulations regarding internships for credit. SR-F20-
SB-W21-001 Process for the Suspension of ASUCR Committees was authored by Personnel Director Sean Nguyen; its purpose is to create a formalized process for the suspension and reinstatement of committees within ASUCR. Student engagement for the committees within ASUCR has decreased since the start of the pandemic, Nguyen suggested that the personnel director oversee the process of suspending committees that do not receive proper attention or engagement. The committee would have the opportunity to be reinstated if they received adequate engagement in the future. SB-W21-001 was approved with a vote 17-0-0. Being their first State of the Association meeting of the quarter, ASUCR’s Executive Cabinet (ECAB) members then provided updates on upcoming events along with their plans for future legislation. ASUCR President Luis Huerta stated
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003 Proposition to Give Students a Choice in Deciding Between S/NC & Letter Grade Grading Basis for Internships aims to adopt the internship models of UC Davis and UC Berkeley. The resolution states that internships should be evaluated using the S/NC grading system because “it serves as a better representation of the experiences students gain from their internships.” ASUCR will contact the Academic Senate and the deans of every college in order to advocate for the alteration. SR-W21-004 Proposition to Include Internships as a Part of Achieving a Position on the Dean’s and Chancellor’s Honor List outlines that the current requirements for achieving a place on the Dean’s Honor List are unclear and suggests that UCR adopt the requirements of UCLA which includes internships that receive a letter grade as eligible. In contrast to the last resolution, only students who choose to have their internships evaluated on a letter grade basis will be able to include it as a qualification for the Dean’s Honor List. Both motions passed with a vote of 17-0-0.
that he has been meeting with various campus entities during winter quarter to advocate for the efforts of ASUCR. He recently met with Academic Senate Chair Jason Stajich to establish communication regarding previous ASUCR legislation meant to improve academic continuity and flexibility for students by requiring that professors record and upload all lectures. Huerta stated that some professors expressed opposition due to the possibility of making mistakes during class that they would not want to have on record. He assured the senate that he will be working with the Academic Senate to continue to advocate for efforts to academic flexibility. Huerta has also been meeting with the Chancellor’s Free Speech Working Group to discuss the use of a campus-wide module to educate students about what is and is not protected under the First Amendment. According to Huerta, no decision has been made regarding the Budget and Advisory Committee’s previous recommendation to cut the athletic programs at UCR but he will provide
updates as he receives them. He also discussed the allocation of $20,000 to the Short Term Grocery Support program offered by the Basic Needs office, where students in need are able to apply to receive a $50 grocery gift card twice per month. Rasso updated the senate on his efforts throughout winter quarter as well. On Jan. 9, he chaired the UC Student Association’s board meeting where they discussed important topics relating to students across the UC system. One of these topics was the modernization of the Cal Grant, which currently only covers students who have recently graduated high school, excluding formerly incarcerated students and students who have been out of high school for some time. They also discussed the long term strategy for UC Basic Needs as well as the UC Mental Health Coalition. The Office of External Affairs has many upcoming events planned, including the Students of Color Conference on Jan. 30 to Jan. 31. Rasso will be speaking on a panel at the UC Office of the President (UCOP) Campus Safety Symposium on Feb. 2. On Feb. 4, the vice presidents of external affairs of all UCs will be meeting with UC President Michael Drake to update each other on their efforts. The Transfer and Non-Traditiional Director Kaitylyn Hall stated that her committee is currently focusing on advocacy for student-parents on campus which includes advocating for Falkirk to become family student housing. With ASUCR elections season around the corner, Elections Director Lama Yassine announced to the senate that students are now able to file for candidacy. Yassine and the elections committee created a Candidacy Manual where students who are interested in running can learn more about the ASUCR positions. Executive Vice President Natalie Hernandez, provided an update on behalf of the Office of Internal Affairs as well. They have been planning and executing various efforts across social media to bring awareness to mental health resources on campus relating to anxiety and stress. The office is working to create a survey titled “Word of Advice’’ where fourth-year students will be able to leave messages of advice to first year students and they will continue to add to their Highlander of the Week segment on social media. Hernandez stated that they are also working on a logo rebrand for ASUCR this quarter that encapsulates everything that represents UCR, from paying homage to the native land the campus resides on to highlighting UCRs diverse student body. During Roundtable and Announcements, CHASS Senator Lizbeth Marquez announced that she has started a new club on campus with the help of a Media and Cultural Studies professor called Transformative Justice at UCR. The new club is dedicated to teaching individuals about transformative justice, promoting alternatives to punishment and policing and providing support for those who have experienced violence, both within the university and outside of it. They are currently doing outreach for new members and encourage students who are interested to reach out to them through their Instagram page. Before adjourning the meeting, President Pro Tempore Cabalo once again thanked all community members for voicing their opinion on SR-W21-001 and stated that he hopes to bring back a resolution that both sides can support. H The meeting was adjourned at 8:23 p.m. ■
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Leaders of student-run cultural organizations at UCR share the highs and lows of operating during COVID-19 THE HIGHLANDER SPOKE TO STUDENT-RUN ORGANIZATIONS ON CAMPUS ABOUT HOW THEY HAVE BEEN STAYING AFLOAT DURING THE PANDEMIC. DAVINA GARCIA Assistant News Editor
On-campus student organizations are an integral part of the UCR community and experience. These extracurriculars provide opportunities for all students, ranging from professional development to social networking. Though perhaps most importantly, these extracurricular groups help individuals find a place of their own and promote a sense of belonging within the vast university community. This is especially true for cultural organizations, whose focus is largely to educate and create a safe space for those
of specific cultures to bond and share their heritage with others. However, due to the significant loss of in-person connection, these organizations have suffered and have had to make many adjustments. With the entirety of the 2020-21 school year now confirmed to remain online, any last hopes of returning to campus and reconvening in person have been extinguished. The Highlander spoke to five cultural organizations about how they have been dealing with COVID-19 restrictions thus far and to get their thoughts on the near future.
ALVEE AHMED, FOURTH-YEAR NEUROSCIENCE MAJOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE BANGLADESHI STUDENT ASSOCIATION: For Alvee Ahmed and the Bangladeshi Student Association (BSA), the process of adjusting to COVID-19 constraints has been draining. While they were on campus, the group was able to interact with members and potential members and participate in related events like Wednesday tabling at the Bell Tower. However, since campus shut down, they have had to brainstorm other ways of connecting, and according to Ahmed, it has not been easy. As president, Ahmed expressed some frustration over the initial difficulty of having to balance his own sometimes overwhelming experiences with online classes and finding new and effective ways to maintain morale during this time. He told The Highlander that recruitment has been particularly tough, especially since his club is smaller and can sometimes have a difficult time reaching younger underclassmen. “While Zoom and all
these other live webcam services have done a great job at bringing people together in the blink of an eye, it doesn’t really replace physical human interaction,” he stated. One of the ways that he and the other members of BSA have been able to stay grounded is by maintaining a consistent meeting and events schedule, which has reportedly been made easier due to the absence of a room booking process. “I think it allows for our board members to look forward to something, and to be able to be more active within BSA,” he explained. When thinking about the future, Ahmed is hoping that the transition from this year to the next is smooth and that the board members that assume responsibility are able
to keep the organization alive and well. “I have faith in the people that are currently on board with me right now,” he concluded. ”So I’m rest assured that
for whatever happens in the future, BSA will still be able to manage and thrive even in the midst of this pandemic.”
GENESIS MALDONADO, FOURTH-YEAR PUBLIC POLICY AND LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES MAJOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE CENTRAL AMERICAN STUDENT ALLIANCE: Genesis Maldonado and the Central American Student Alliance (CASA) expressed some similar sentiments in regards to adapting to this new normal, and missing the more interactive aspects of pre-COVID-19 activities. Despite this, she placed a strong emphasis on the support and effort that the current members of CASA have been funneling into the organization. According to Maldonado, they have been successful in hosting virtual events and activities in order to keep membership growing and strong. Though their new numbers are smaller than in years past, she affirmed that they are understanding of the difficulties that everyone is facing during this time and are not discouraged by the quantity of members attending their meetings and events. “We feel empowered by the quality of the dialogue and outcome of our meetings,” she stated. Even so, she admitted that balancing all of her personal responsibilities and dealing with feelings of hopelessness and a lack of motivation is taxing.
However, she cites CASA as a big factor in helping her stay grounded and supported. “They remind me that we’re all in this together and that it is a difficult time for everyone, so I am not alone in this feeling,” she remarked. According to Maldonado, the CASA board members follow her example, dedicating time to check in with one another and share any thoughts, concerns or questions amongst each other. As president, she says that it is her mission to foster a safe and comfortable environment for the board members. “Our unity as a board is what keeps us motivated … and by seeing that example, we hope that it’s able to transfer over to our general meetings,” she explained. In regards to the future, Maldonado has nothing but complete faith in her organization, despite the ongoing challenges. She is confident that they have been setting an excellent example for future boards, and looks forward to seeing what CASA will accomplish from now onward.
DAVIN TRAN, FOURTH-YEAR BUSINESS MAJOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE VIETNAMESE STUDENT ASSOCIATION: Like many others, Davin Tran and the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) have been negatively
impacted by the loss of in-person contact. In response, the organization has strengthened their digital presence and adapted their marketing campaigns to multiple media platforms, which has proven essential to their continued growth. VSA has been luckier in that they are one of the larger cultural groups on campus,
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but they have also seen a dip in membership and participation this past year. However, their staff has completely adapted all of their normal activities like Academic/Alumni Events, Outreach Events, Fundraisers, Service Events, Social Events, E-Sport Events, the A.C.E. Program and more to remote platforms. Additionally, according to Tran, their strategic usage of social media and word-of-mouth marketing has helped immensely for retention and recruitment. Even so, the pandemic has also taken a toll on Tran’s life. Normally a busy individual, he told The Highlander that he would often find solace in time spent with family and friends, but with COVID-19 limitations, that time was severely impacted. Still, Tran affirmed that this situation has served as a
reminder to cherish all relationships in life, and it is this positive attitude that he brings to VSA. “This generation of VSA has shown more determination than any generation before to maintain the traditions and bonds of which hold the club together,” he stated, praising the hard work of the entire staff and intern class. To him and other members of the group, one of the most rewarding experiences of being in the club is the privilege of witnessing the happiness and relationships made through their club events, despite pandemic life. Due to their continued success, Tran is confident that there is nothing to fear. “With their leadership in the future, my only worry/hope is being able to experience the amazing VSA they will be in charge of,” he concluded.
CAROL WANN, FOURTH-YEAR BIOLOGY MAJOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE BURMESE STUDENT ASSOCIATION: Carol Wann founded the Burmese Student Association last February, just before the pandemic spread to America. Needless to say, it has been difficult for her and the other members of this organization to expand and connect with interested parties. They had initially planned several on-campus events to promote their group and showcase Burmese culture, but the majority of these plans could not come to fruition. According to Wann, recruitment was a lukewarm event, but it did not come as a surprise. “We didn’t expect to gain too many members whether we were in a pandemic or not, because the Burmese community is so small,” she stated,
explaining that this was one of the primary reasons why she was inspired to start this organization. She desires to unite Burmese minority students and spread cultural awareness together. Now, Wann has had her fair share of COVID-19-induced issues, citing a medley of personal, academic and extracurricular responsibilities that have been made much more difficult to balance in the past year. However, she told The Highlander that one of her biggest motivators is the workbook project that her organization is conducting; their end goal is to create workbooks for underprivileged children in Burma to learn English. “All of the
board members are seniors so we are really looking forward to completing this project before we graduate,” she added. When asked about the future, Wann confessed that she is worried about how the club will sustain itself after
the current board members graduate, since they are largely composed of seniors. Though, she remains hopeful and believes that some of their younger members will “step up” to lead the club and help with its future growth and development.
NIKA CHEGENIZADEH, THIRD-YEAR PUBLIC POLICY MAJOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE IRANIAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION: For Nika Chegenizadeh and the Iranian Student Association (ISA), the pandemic has been nothing short of discouraging. While not impossible to navigate, the shift to largely online connectivity has been particularly difficult for them. “A huge part of being Iranian is the family-oriented culture and, speaking about myself now, my home away from home was my ISA family, and almost always being welcomed in that family-atmosphere,” she explained. Of course, given the circumstances, this atmosphere has proved difficult to cultivate. Chegenizadeh stated that there has been a notable decrease in the amount of email sign-ups and registrations by new parties. She explained that ISA had revived back in 2019 after having been quiet for a long time before, and their turnout since then had always been promising — thus, the inescapable dip in participation was a harsh blow. However, Chegenizadeh understands firsthand the unprecedented pressures and hardships that many are facing this year, and knows that the dip in interest is a unique case. “We are in our rooms for a majority of the time, trying to
excel in classes, looking for remote opportunities to work and handling our personal lives,” she stated, adding that staying on Zoom for hours on end is not something that any student would typically enjoy. According to Chegenizadeh, the best that organizations can do is to emulate what they would have done in-person. She stated, “For instance, creating a safe space for members and being together throughout the quarter, highlighting Iranian culture and traditions as well.” In an effort to do just that, ISA has been collaborating with other Iranian-student organizations across California. The success of these joint events inspired her and ISA further, and gave them hope in planning more for the future. Overall, Chegenizadeh does harbor concerns over keeping the club and its leadership, as many of their board members are preparing to graduate within the next couple years. However, she added that the continued ambition and support of her fellow ISA board members has been incredibly uplifting, and whatever the future brings, she will continue to take pride in the work that H ISA has accomplished. ■
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Former ASUCR president runs for Riverside City Council ATENAS ODRIOZOLA Contributing Writer
Aram Ayra, a UCR alumni from the class of 2018 and former ASUCR president, is running for Riverside City Council Ward 2. As a political science student at UCR, Ayra rose from being a CHASS senator to ASUCR president, addressing matters of oversight on police officers, sexual harassment and helped facilitate communication between UCR and the city of Riverside. Since graduating, Ayra has worked in Riverside as commissioner of the Riverside City Human Relations Commission, he became the youngest director of the UCR Alumni Association Board of Directors and also founded the Riverside Mutual Aid Network with John Staff. The organization helps bring fresh produce to the Riverside community. During the pandemic, the organization created 26 food pantries across the city with funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Originally from Los Angeles, Ayra revealed in an interview with The Highlander that he has had a passion for the community and has demonstrated his commitment to serve it for the past five years. “I got really involved with both campus and city during my time as a student. I had a chance to see how this community operates, connected with folks who worked at the city and overtime I found myself really falling in love with Riverside, its potential, its people, its culture and the determined ‘do it yourself, can do spirit’ that it has here.” Ayra’s platform, a grassroots funded campaign with no corporate or Political Action Committee (PAC) donations, runs on the message “reform, rebuild, and
reinvest.” If elected, his immediate action will be to tackle the COVID-19 crisis. At the time of publication, Riverside County has seen 105.4 new cases per day per 100 thousand cases. Ayra stated that he will work to expand the access to testing and accelerate the distribution of the vaccine. In addition, he will provide economic help to local businesses and will implement a corresponding plan for the city to prepare for future impacts. Furthemore, Ayra will try to pass a “Hero Pay” act, aimed to provide a temporary pay raise towards COVID-19 essential workers including grocery store workers and front line workers. As for his long term goal, Ayra will try to address the current budget crisis, homelessness in the city and establishing equitable internet access, which will help even out inequality regarding access to jobs and schools. In addition, Ayra will try to implement a term limit for all city officials. “It’s important to encourage new leadership all the time and actually invest in our communities to create people willing to take on these positions rather than hold on to power forever,” stated Ayra. As to how he will try to tackle the national problems of racial tensions and political polarization at the local level, Ayra stated that he will try to have an open door policy and work closely with the Riverside City Human Relations Commission. If elected into office, Ayra hopes to implement a trauma center training for all city officials, revitalize programs that once addressed these current issues, create partnerships with high schools and establish diversity days. Elections for Ward 2 residents will be held on June H 8, 2021. ■
Mental health resources on campus have prioritized students growing needs
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LAURA ANAYA-MORGA News Editor
Mental health concerns have increased for college students across the nation due to the COVID-19 pandemic as they have adapted to life behind a screen. At UCR, students are lending their time to promote mental health amongst their peers while also maintaining their own. UCR’s Active Minds is run under The Well, and it is one of 400 student-led campus chapters nationwide dedicated to providing resources and mental health advocacy for students. Josie Ma, thirdyear business marketing major and director of marketing for Active Minds, became involved with the organization this fall while researching UCR’s mental health resources. In an interview with The Highlander, Ma stated that the resources provided by Active Minds, The Well and Counseling and Psychological Services
(CAPS) have helped her feel less alone during the pandemic. “Of course it was difficult. I miss walking on campus going to lecture … [it] felt like you were in an environment to learn,” stated Ma. This year has brought along more stressors for college students than in years past. With less opportunities to interact with friends on campus and more time being spent indoors, the effects have been taxing. A new study conducted by researchers from seven U.S. universities assessed the psychological impact felt by college students during the pandemic and found that the most common issues among students were lack of motivation, anxiety, stress, isolation and worry. ‘We’re seeing the numbers get higher and higher,” stated Director of The Well Devon Sakamoto. Since the pandemic began, The Well has seen an increase in
ARAM AYRA REFLECTS ON HIS TIME AT UCR AND DISCUSSES HIS PLANS TO REFORM RIVERSIDE IF ELECTED.
COURTESY OF ARAM AYYRA VIA INSTAGRAM
MEMBERS OF ACTIVE MINDS AND THE WELL PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE IN ORDER TO SERVE UCR STUDENTS EFFECTIVELY.
students seeking to discuss their mental health concerns with peer coaches and professional health educators. Sakamoto made it clear that services provided by The Well do not equate to clinical therapy rather serve as an outlet for students. Some of the most common issues that UCR students have been dealing with include a lack of motivation and difficulty maintaining boundaries, finding a good work-life balance and fatigue, explained Sakamoto. Stephanie Chuquipul, fourth-year administrative studies and economics major, has been feeling no different. “One of the hardest things I think, academically, is to try to stay focused during class. It’s so hard, I get distracted,” stated Chuquipul. As the student director of outreach and interrelations at Active Minds, she has heavily promoted the resources by Active Minds and The Well to her peers such as the Short Term Grocery Support program offered by Basic Need, peer coaching, the R’Pantry and the COVID-19 support group hosted by CAPS. This academic year, Active Minds focused their efforts on providing students relief surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Their focus on the number of students who faced economic hardships and food insecurity became a top priority for the group. Aside from that, they also focused on inclusion and making sure students’ voices were being prioritized during conversations about Black Lives Matter. Since being remote, The Well has had to improvise new methods of conducting outreach, since most of their student interaction on campus came
from events and outdoor tabling. While it has been difficult to reach students online, they have had great success with their peer mentorship program, mental health education workshops for student organization and their COVID-19 wellness kits to provide students with items such as face coverings, hand sanitizer, condoms, period products, stress balls, sleep kits and more. While Active Minds has been prioritizing the mental health and wellbeing of students across campus, its members have also found ways to prioritize their own. Ma stated that she has used study apps to help her with time management and practices self-care by spending time with her family, one of the pandemic’s blessings in disguise. She also encourages students to practice reciting positive affirmations. Chuquipul has established boundaries for her life, school and work as well. “Self Care is so important, especially during this pandemic,” she stated. For students who may feel intimidated to reach out for help, Sakamoto said a good place to start would be reaching out to any of UCR’s ethnic and gender centers to connect with like-minded people with similar backgrounds. “It doesn’t have to be just like talking about your mental health, it can just be something that’s really comforting to yourself ... being around people who are like-minded,or share your same cultural values are all good for your mental well-being,” she stated. “We’re all still here to support students.” For more information on Active Minds and resources provided by The Well, please H visit https://well.ucr.edu.■
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THE HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL
RYAN POON / THE HIGHLANDER
The Capitol riots should challenge how U.S. media frames domestic unrest
T
he storming of the Capitol by radical T r u m p supporters or, more a c c u r a t e l y, domestic terrorists seemed like something from a nightmare. With every shattering of a window, it felt as if more holes were being poked into the fabric of our democracy. And yet, this complete disaster revealed the obvious differences in police treatment towards Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters, who fought for a noble cause, and white supremacists who were trying to delegitimize the election because they were sore that their leader lost. Furthermore, this horrific event showed the public that racism in America continues to be alive and well, and the media has a responsibility to shed light on the glaringly obvious injustice and complacency exhibited by law enforcement when they repeatedly enable the behavior of white supremacists but senselessly arrest and murder BLM protestors. First and foremost, the media needs to do a better
job at painting the rioters as villains. Oftentimes during the BLM protests, the media did not shed enough light on how brutal police were to protesters and instead focused more on the looting of stores by people who do not represent the movement. Now after the storming of the Capitol, it should be made abundantly clear that major news networks have a responsibility to report accurately on the different consequences for Black protesters versus white rioters. The media needs to push onto the public the images of BLM protesters getting violently pushed back by law enforcement versus white rioters taking selfies with police officers on the job. Furthermore, it needs to be known that the BLM protests were being done for a specific and righteous cause, while the Capitol riots were being done to incite fear and violence. It is the duty of the media to broadcast the striking differences so that these domestic terrorists are rightfully held accountable and brought to justice. Law enforcement failed to do their jobs and did not try
hard enough to quell the riots. In some instances, rioters were even let into the building by Capitol Police. Contrasting this to how the military was deployed onto the peaceful protests over the summer should make any rational individual outraged. BLM protesters were violently shot with rubber bullets, tear gassed and brutally arrested by the dozens. With that being said, the media has the responsibility to force the public to acknowledge that had the Capitol rioters been people of color, there would have been many more casualties and arrests. It is not right that major news networks get to sugar coat what they cover. Just as other social media platforms have been working hard to condemn this act of insurrection, mainstream news networks need to get on that same level and bring these white supremacists to shame. White supremacists and Trump supporters will not retreat into the shadows now that Joe Biden is president. While many people may think that everything is magically
IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MEDIA TO SHED LIGHT ON THE DIFFERENCE IN TREATMENT TOWARDS BLM PROTESTORS VERSUS WHITE RIOTERS IF WE ARE TO EVER EXPECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE THE BIGOTRY THAT RUNS DEEP IN THIS COUNTRY.
better now that Biden is president, this notion cannot be further from reality. If the media starts lagging and fails to cover how white supremacy still exists in communities across America, then the fight against racism will be a lost one. Therefore, the media should continue to highlight the harmful, racist actions that these rightleaning radicals inflict onto the country. Major news networks are always quick to heavily cover violent acts if it is done by a person of color and will even go as far as to negatively portray a whole race of people based off of the action of one individual. This same energy must be used toward the white nationalists who deserve to be condemned. After all, it is the duty of the media to let the American people know who the real enemy is. The storming of the Capitol has shown the country that there is still a lot that needs to be done. Investigating the Capitol Police, reforming the police and defunding them altogether are necessary steps, but this might not happen any time soon. While
Black activists and allies should continue to push for justice, there needs to be more done in the media with shaming these domestic terrorists and putting them under severe public scrutiny. No one should get away with domestic terrorism, and the fact that these people are is disgusting. Unfortunately, the dismantling of systemic racism does not occur overnight. But the media has the responsibility to highlight these injustices and to encourage the American people to speak out against what has been happening in this country. This is the only way to stir the public and make more people angry enough to condemn white supremacists and their racist H leaders.â–
The Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of The Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.
8 MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021
► FROM REOPENING
not assume that vaccines will be readily available for all students. More importantly, the assumption that all students’ access to healthcare is similar across all campuses is tone-deaf and unrealistic. The UC does not have enough insight on everyone’s personal situations, so it would be easy for them to overlook students in communities who can not afford the same healthcare as wealthy individuals from the suburbs. In fact, UCR is still unable to clarify if getting vaccinated is even a requirement for students to resume on-campus learning. With all of the disorganization coupled with failure to address the inequality of healthcare access, they are unfairly assuming that all students are readily available to receive the vaccine at any whim and get back onto campus, which further perpetuates the issue of socioeconomic inequality. If the UC expects to reopen, it must lend a helping hand to those who need it. The UC is undoubtedly pushing for reopening because they are strapped for cash. Without people living on campus and contributing to it, they lose out on profits. However, without investing in their students
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and providing proper aid in order for them to make a safe return to campus, reopening will never happen. If the UC is going to require that every student and faculty member get vaccinated, then they need to hold themselves accountable in offering fully paid vaccinations to all students, especially to those who have unequal access to healthcare in comparison to other affluent students. For this reason, students should not be faulted for being unable to attend campus in the fall if they are unable to get vaccinated in time. Coming onto campus should still remain completely optional for at least a year in order to accommodate those who are unable to receive the vaccine as fast as others. Additionally, professors should still be encouraged to offer office hours online, upload lectures and administer all exams digitally in order to aid students who must work remotely. Students should not be punished for having a disadvantage when it comes to healthcare access. And without a plan from the UC on how they will supplement this issue, a lot of students may feel unwarranted pressure and a lack of support from their university.
Of course, the UC will make the argument that they will not be able to afford mass vaccination sites for all of their students. However, one should take their potential pushback with a grain of salt and continue to hold the UC accountable so that they can properly take care of their students. As discussed many times in the past, the UC has an investment pool of $30 billion and an unrestricted fund of $10 billion, which would be more than enough to help aid in the vaccinations of their students. If the UC really cares about their students and returning them back to a semi-normal campus experience, they will use their money toward administering proper care to students and faculty who need it the most. The UC is doing a botched job in trying to hide the fact that they are desperately trying to reopen for the sake of profits over re-engaging students. However, regardless of intention, this will be a failed venture if there continues to be a lack of clear communication to students and faculty on how they plan to reopen safely with proper H accommodations for all.■
Politicians are not fashion icons nor celebrities — recognize politicians, but don’t glorify them EVELYN HOMAN Assistant Opinions Editor
When Kamala Harris’ Vogue photoshoot covers were revealed, people were outraged for a number of reasons: the choice of clothes, background colors and even the unflattering lighting. One of the greatest issues this cover poses, however, is that it seems to glorify Harris as a celebrity icon. Indeed, the clashing pink and green cover has a blurb that says “The United States of Fashion,” which makes sense because Vogue is primarily a fashion magazine, but it seems to focus more on Harris as an idealized figure in fancy clothes rather than making her look like the newest second-in-command of our country. Harris is not the first female politician to be featured in, or on the cover of, Vogue, but she should be the last. Politicians should not be treated like celebrities because being treated as anything other than civil servants puts them on a pedestal they should not be on. It should not be a surprise that female politicians have it hard. After years of men dominating the political sphere, women still have a difficult time being taken seriously in politics even in the modern world. To take the first woman who has come into the vice presidency and feature her hobbies or fashion sense, rather than solely her plans for the country, cheapens her political goals and achievements by placing them side-by-side with frivolities like what clothing brand she’s wearing or how she does her eyeshadow. Though women can absolutely hold a powerful office position and enjoy fashion, magazines taking Harris and suggesting that they only will be focusing on her fashion undermines her status as a politician. As a contrast, President Joe Biden has been featured on a number of magazine covers with no emphasis on his fashion choices or makeup routine. Furthermore, this could be taken by misogynists as a sign that women shouldn’t be in office because they still enjoy and prioritize conventionally feminine things. Consequently, if this ridiculous belief is upheld, it’ll make obstacles for other women in politics much more difficult to overcome in the future. Not only that, but to feature politicians on the covers of magazines as though they are celebrities places them in almost idolized positions that politicians simply should not be put in. To be put on the cover of Vogue, or any major fashion magazine, may mean being “the avatar of a cultural movement,” but when you consider that Alexandria OcasioCortez and now Harris have been put on magazine covers
PLACING POLITICIANS ON THE COVERS OF MAGAZINES PUTS THEM ON A PEDESTAL THAT CIVIL SERVANTS SHOULDN’T BE PUT ON. that have featured the likes of Kendall Jenner or Harry Styles, then things start to not add up. Politicians should be seen as politicians, not like models or singers. To put them on magazine covers that are usually dominated by idealized celebrities and vapid gossip elevates politicians to an untouchable position that civil servants should not uphold. Not to mention that this celebrity status would also make these individuals appear untouchable, as no one wants to cancel their favorite celebrity no matter what the celebrity does. This is not a status suitable for a civil servant; if they mess up, they should be rightfully criticized, not made teflon because the public “stans” the way they dress. Instead of plastering politicians’ likenesses on covers, we
should instead seek to show them our appreciation through approval polls, attending their events and supporting them when they support what we, as a nation, believe in. Though politicians should absolutely be allowed to talk about their hobbies or what they like to wear, they should not be put in magazines where models and actors share the pages. All people should be seen as human and not painted to be these larger-than-life figures, especially civil servants who must maintain the balance and composure of someone in a political office. It’s a difficult line to walk, but in order to keep politicians from appearing like people who cannot be H touched or held accountable, it is a necessary one. ■
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Be informed.
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Corps connects passionate CLUB Lobby students to public officials in an spotlight effort to enact change STUDENT LEADERS LIZETTE INZUNZA AND ANDREA TERRONES SPEAK ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVOCACY AND THEIR FAVORITE EXPERIENCES WITH ASUCR’S LOBBY CORPS. SILVIA FERRER Managing Editor
The Associated Students of UC Riverside (ASUCR) is composed of many different branches, committees and individuals that help the student government serve the campus population. One of the largest committees is Lobby Corps, which functions under the ASUCR Office of External Affairs; it is 1 of 4 committees that is overseen by the vice president of external affairs and focuses on community organizing and outreach to public officials in the Riverside community. According to second-year political science major Lizette Inzunza, who is the government relations director of the organization, Lobby Corps works to “engage UCR undergrad students in legislative advocacy, lobbying efforts and systemwide campaigns in order to address student and community systemwide issues and all the barriers we face on a local, state and national level.” Inzunza continued explaining that Lobby Corps accomplishes this by “influencing our decision makers — from our campus admin to our elected officials… We collaborate with not just students on our campus but with legislative staffers and offices of the elected officials. We collaborate with higher education officials in community advocacy organizations and we launch campaigns. Once we identify an idea, we classify it within the campaigns.” Currently, the campaigns are: Fund the UC (which revolves around monetary investment in the university), Racial Justice Now, ACQUIRE (which is centered around basic needs) or UC We Vote (which is aimed at civic engagement across college campuses). Inzunza emphasized that the goals of these campaigns are all to “highlight the disparities because we are in a really unique position here at UCR. We have one of the lowest fundings but we also have one of the highest populations of students of color. We are more diverse
Partial photo of the Lobby Corps committee.
than other UCs … we have a very unique experience than other students on other campuses.” Lobby Corps is expansive — according to Inzunza in an interview with The Highlander, the organization has grown from 15 students when she joined the fall of her second year in 2018 to up to 90 regular committee members. Even this year, when the pandemic is impacting recruitment and retention, Inzunza has seen that number hold strong at about 60 regular committee members. “When there’s good news about the work we’ve done in years previous, people spread the work. They’re like ‘Yeah! I want to keep this momentum going and I want to keep these victories going so that we can improve the student experience for all.’” She continued to say that having a large staff and high student engagement is necessary, because there are so many student issues to tackle. “The more students there are involved the more momentum we can build and the more change we can create.” Aside from regular committee members, Lobby Corps is composed of senior staff, coordinators and legislative staff that is overseen by the vice president
Bernie Sanders and three UCR students / UCR Lobby Corps leaders. Santa Monica, CA.
COURTESY OF LIZETTE INZUNZA VIA LOBBY CORPS
of external affairs. Inzunza works as the chair of the committee and is responsible for leading the co-campus organizing directors, civic engagement director, local relations director, labor relations and more. As director of local relations, Andrea Terrones, a second-year political science major, is in charge of guiding any issues focused on community outreach in the city and county of Riverside. Terrones’ first experience with ASUCR was not with Lobby Corps, but as a first-year senate intern. “I was in the city relations committee my freshman year but during the summer the office decided to merge Lobby Corps and city relations because a lot of the work was intersectional.” Terrones explained that she wanted to stay involved with the committee and decided to apply for a leadership position. “I knew I wanted to be in the committee regardless of whether I was in a leadership position or not, but I figured, why not use my passion and my experience to keep pursuing my passion and help the committee grow?” She added that her main drive to continue her involvement was to help others experience the same joy that it is being part of the committee. “So far, it’s
been amazing.” she stated. Similarly, Inzunza was passionate about student issues and decided to join as a sophomore after seeing an article about how the UC was considering a tuition decrease for the first time in years only to discover that it was for a mere $60. “As a first generation, low income student of color I felt like I wanted to get involved in these sorts of efforts and not only learn about how to do a tuition decrease but also have an increased investment in students — not just students like me but all students, considering we have one of the largest populations of students of color.” Terrones and Inzunza both acknowledged that it’s difficult for students interested in this sort of advocacy work to know where to begin, but that is where Lobby Corps steps in. “Lobby Corps gave me the tools, information and resources in learning how to launch these sorts of campaigns and how to get involved with them,” Inzunza stated. Lobby Corps and, more broadly, the Office of External Affairs, works with the UC Student Association (UCSA) to establish priorities for students across all UC campuses so that they can approach lobbying meetings with established policy
COURTESY OF LIZETTE INZUNZA VIA LOBBY CORPS
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asks. This year, the prioritized issues are the UC system That inspiration doesn’t stop on UCR’s campus. community about important issues; just last year, she budget cuts that are now impacting the student experience, Inzunza stated that there are several annual conferences moderated a conversation between Riverside’s mayoral promoting programs that advocate for student academic that each UC campus participates in where students are candidates. “I got to ask them questions and make sure that retention and an increase of diversity for the student encouraged to attend and learn about UCSA priorities and students knew who the candidates were, who they were body, increased service to mental health resources, an receive lobbying training. One of her favorite experiences voting for, their platforms, their mindset and their priorities. improvement to early screening services, undocumented was the first time she traveled to Sacramento for the 2019 So it’s amazing you get to work with that and you get to student financial aid and a continued support for the Student Lobby Conference, in which she joined the largest advocate for students and help students get involved, not summer financial aid program that will allow students to UCR student delegation to lobby for that year’s priorities. just keep that to yourself.” Just recently, Terrones stated graduate on time without unnecessary hardship. “It’s really “It was really interesting to me to have learned about that she got to meet with the Student Senate for California important that we continue Community Colleges and to build on the victories from California State University, years past and keep improving San Bernardino to work the student experience from together to advocate for here on out,” Inzunza said. students in the Inland While this work sometimes Empire area. “If we have results in victories, it can also the same elected officials have its challenges. “One of maybe we can partner up the most difficult experiences and communicate with them is knowing that the whole year and get them to support we’ve been training students students in ways that maybe and empowering them to share they hadn’t considered. So their unique experiences with it’s definitely rewarding public officials only to get to because I get to do this, the meetings and have them but it’s also for the students be really really short.” She that come after me. You added that sometimes public just build on each other’s officials are dismissive of work until we keep making student priorities or choose progress.” to prioritize issues outside Both Inzunza and of higher education without Terrones strongly recognizing the damaging encouraged any students effect these issues have on the interested in advocacy or student community. student issues to become Additionally, while the involved; Inzunza stated number of members has that she was saddened for stayed somewhat consistent, her upcoming graduation, Terrones mentioned that there stating, “I’ve learned were some challenges in 4 UCR students / lobby corps leaders lobbying Assembly Higher Education commitCOURTESY OF LIZETTE INZUNZA VIA LOBBY CORPS so much and I’ve just transitioning to a completelytee chair, Assemblymember Jose Medina in Sacramento, CA. dedicated myself throughout remote, online platform. “When we were in person last Sacramento the whole year, but the years to making sure that year, it was fun just because you get to meet people and then actually being able to travel there when that’s usually like students have the tools that they need to keep building you get to have that one-on-one conversation, that one- not possible for someone like me; I worked, I went to these types of campaigns because we don’t know what the on-one connection. And it feels like you’re in it together.” school full time, I would never have enough money to save next years will hold. There will be new challenges and new She stated that the committee experiences its highs and up and get engaged in government.” She added that the obstacles, but with the tools that Lobby Corps provides lows because of the Zoom fatigue that people experience. committee made it possible for herself and other students we’ll be equipped to face them and to keep fighting for “I need a break from being on Zoom and in front of the to travel. “It was just really empowering to be able to be students.” She added that through her involvement, she got laptop for hours and hours per day. So that’s definitely in a space like that with other student advocates and be to meet with then presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in something we had to adjust to and be more resourceful able to lobby on all these sorts of important things. We July 2019 to discuss his plan to cancel student debt and and brainstorm and come up with different ways to engage got to know more about each other’s experiences.” It was secure free public education, along with highlighting how students on different platforms as well.” Some of the ways especially exciting when that same summer one of the students face many other non-tuition costs that serve as that her committee has accommodated has been to make delegation’s priorities, the passage of summer financial barriers to completing higher education. “This experience infographics, detailed posts or include information in their aid, was officially instituted across California. “So many showed me that as UCR students, we could take our monthly committee reports. students after that were able to take part in that program. experiences, connect with key people, and influence However, the good far outweighs the difficult moments. So it really helped to increase retention,” she said. federal policy,” she said. One of Terrones’ favorite aspects of being involved with Terrones too has found that experiencing that systematic Terrones stated that students shouldn’t be afraid of the organization is “just being able to be in a community, change is extremely rewarding. “You get to advocate for not knowing where to start because “your advocacy isn’t an environment where you relate to so many like-minded topics you’re passionate about and really speak up for limited to these four committees. There’s a whole world of people who share a lot of the same passions you share, yourself then help other students speak up for themselves opportunity out there for you.” She concluded that while who are very kind and are very loving … that’s something as well. We get to work with UCSA and so we get to work understanding the structure of ASUCR and their various that I’ve always appreciated about Lobby Corps and the with different leaders all over all UC campuses … we get offices and committees is dating at first, she doesn’t forget external offices. You feel at home at UCR. I feel like that’s to brainstorm ideas and it’s really amazing to see how how she felt when she first joined and uses her experience something that it takes a while to find on campus.” She they do something differently or maybe I do something to embolden other students to make that first step. also enjoys learning from every other executive committee differently that can help them.” Lobby Corps is currently working on their Double the because it provides a platform for staff and committee At the local level, Terrones believes it’s rewarding that Pell campaign, which would increase federal financial members to collaborate or discuss ideas. “At the beginning UCR gets to widen its scope outside of ASUCR and work aid, which according to their Instagram page, would help I was so astonished just because you forget that they’re with different organizations. “This is a space where we all UCR students greatly since UCR enrolls more Pell Grant (committee members) students, because they’re doing get to advocate for issues we’re passionate and be passionate recipients than nearly every university in the country and such an incredible job and an immense amount of work together … you get to really build this community at UCR more than the entire Ivy League system combined. … I ask, ‘How do you do all of this?’ And they’re full- where there’s a space for every student,” she said, adding Students who are interested in learning more can time students.” She added that it’s an incredibly rewarding that they’ve worked with the Black Student Association find information on Instagram, @asucrexternal or send experience to be in an environment where “you relate to and the School for Public Policy, just to name a few of an email to asucradvocacy.ucr.edu. Lobby Corps meets H so many people and where you’re constantly inspired and their collaborations. online every Monday from 6-7 p.m. ■ motivated.” Terrones has used her experience to inform the UCR
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12 MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021
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Virtual stargazing: an insightful tour of the moon ADRIANA MANDUJANO ANGEL Feautres Editor
During my childhood, I often gazed upon the night sky and stared in awe at the moon that was seemingly following me. After grasping the concept of distance and sadly realizing the moon was not following me, I still looked up at the moon to admire its beauty. Ever since, I wished I could witness it up close, and on Jan. 21, I was finally able to bear witness to the moon in all its glory — albeit virtually. The Department of Physics and Astronomy, alongside the Riverside Astronomical Society (RAS), hosted an interactive and fun virtual stargazing event of the moon. It was co-hosted by Xinnan Du, who is in charge of outreach for UCR’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, and John Liderbach-Vega, outreach director for RAS. Alongside the two, members of the RAS such as Jose Castro, Brian Cox, Manny Leinz and Alex McConohay could be seen each giving a tour of specific parts of the moon later on. Du also introduced the chat moderators, who were tasked with answering chat questions and ensuring a safe space for everyone. These moderators consisted of UCR graduate students: second-year Garret Lopez, third-year Yongda Zhu, fourth-year Jessica Dopel, Rudy Garcia, first-year graduate student at UCLA Franco Iglesias and Cheryl Wilcox, a longtime RAS member and middle school teacher. The event started with the first trivia question of the night: “When you see a full moon, what are the relative positions of the sun, moon and the earth?” This was answered by Lopez who explained that when the moon is full, it is the furthest away from the sun. He also explained how the Earth’s orbit is connected to the moon. Due to some technical difficulties regarding the inability to screen-share, panel members answered questions from the live chat, explaining what blood moons, tidal locks and moon orbits are. A member of RAS showed viewers the Straight Wall
on the moon, followed by McConahay who gave viewers a live view of the moon and the Southern Highlands, an area on the moon with a high number of craters. It was very interesting learning the names of the areas on the moon and its history. I was shocked to learn about The Mare Imbrium and Montes Apenninus, presented by Leinz, which are moon seas and moon mountains. Leinz also pointed out the area in which the Apollo 15 mission landed, which was very cool to see. The most interesting part of the night was when Linderbach-Vega gave viewers a story time and advised viewers to get some hot chocolate and snuggle up. Linderbach-Vega explained how the sun formed, how planets formed from “seeds” and the formation of Earth and the moon and its craters. Cox then discussed lunar impact craters, some as old as 2,000 years old. Some of the craters Cox discussed were Hercules, Atlas, Theophilus, Cyrillus and Catharina. Cox also pointed out all these craters and gave brief histories of the moon. It was very informative and interesting to learn about. One of the last parts of the night consisted of another set of Q&A questions, where six-year-old Alice asked why the moon appears to be moving away. Leinz answered by explaining that the moon affects the earth via tides, which makes the earth slow down a little bit and results in the moon slowly moving away. Moira Stangeland asked, “If the moon and the earth were bombarded, why don’t we see as many craters on Earth than on the moon?” McConahay explained that the reason we don’t really see many craters is due to the fact some of them are in lakes and forests or are affected by plate tectonics. Lastly, the event concluded with the sharing of a Google form link for attendees to be entered into a raffle to win 1 of 4 astronomy 2021 calendars. Overall, the event was very informative and interactive. It was great to see so many space enthusiasts interacting with each other. The next stargazing event will be held on Feb. 11 on Orion and H the winter sky. ■
UCR ARTS’ THIRD THURSDAY TALKS: ART IN THE PLAGUE YEAR HOSTED A VIRTUAL DISCUSSION FEATURING ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE RIVERSIDE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, UCR’S DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY HOST THIS VIRTUAL STARGAZING EVENT TO GIVE VIEWERS A TOUR OF THE MOON.
ADRIANA MANDUJANO ANGEL / THE HIGHLANDER
Art continues to endure
LLOYD KAO / THE HIGHLANDER
ALEXANDRIA ESTEBAN Assistant Features Editor
On Thursday, Jan. 21, UCR ARTS hosted their first Third Thursday Talk of the year. This live virtual event featured talented artists who discussed their insights on their work for “Art in the Plague Year,” a virtual exhibition featuring pieces from over 600 artists worldwide. The event started at 6 p.m. It was held on Zoom but was also live streamed on the UCR ARTSblock’s Facebook account. Douglas McCulloh, a photographer and one of the curators for the event, praised many of the pieces in the exhibition and reflected on the creation of the exhibit itself. McCulloh said, “It’s a really collaborative project” and that it “began with the virus and like the virus it eventually mutated.” He and some colleagues realized that people were still making art during the pandemic, and they wanted to create a platform for everyone’s art to be shared. One piece that stood out to me was Sapira Cheuk’s “Pas De Deux, in the Time of Quarantine.” Cheuk is a dancer and, according to McCulloh, “She asked dancers around the world to send her pictures of them dancing and she paired them.” In a series of paintings, Cheuk connected many pairs of dancers from around the world through her art. The attention soon turned to some of the artists that contributed to the exhibition. Antoine Williams, an artist-educator, created a piece titled “Othered Suns.” He mentioned that this piece, like many of his other works, reflects the “constant migration” of the Black community. Peter Wu made a virtual reality project inspired
by “an accumulation of experiences.” He mentioned that in his art, “the environments are not too surreal, that they are kind of tied to reality.” United Catalysts, a duo consisting of Kim Garrison and Steve Radosevich, wanted to “make art that was meaningful to the community around us.” Though some of their projects were derailed by the pandemic, they were able to create a series of art inspired by rituals from across the globe. Attendees were asked to submit questions in the Q&A feature, but it was rarely used. However, one attendee, Mikael Owunna, directed a question at Williams, asking if he could “talk a bit more about [his] sound installation and [his] influences from Sun Ra.” Sun Ra is an African American composer known for his experimental music and cosmic philosophies. Williams responded that he had “been influenced by his music … some of the sounds you hear in my piece are references to space.” The event concluded with the artists and curators discussing amongst themselves. Each of them complemented each other’s work and shared how they will continue to work on their art amidst the pandemic. They kept the conversation lively and friendly throughout the event. This event was informative and helped showcase the works of many hardworking artists. It created a community for them to share their work with others while still maintaining social distance. Be sure to check out the H exhibition at “Art In The Plague Year.”■
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021
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‘One Night in Miami’: A private look into four Black icons
MARGARITA MANZO Contributing Writer
“One Night in Miami” is based on a real event that focuses on the night of Muhammad Ali’s — then named Cassius Clay — famous win against Sonny Liston on Feb. 25, 1964. Ali (Eli Goree) and his history-making friends, Malcolm X (Kingsley BenAdir), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge) and Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), meet up that legendary night in a hotel room of the Hampton House. The film was originally based on a play with the same exact title written by Kemp Powers in 2013, the mind that would later become a writer and director for the Pixar film “Soul.” This play-to-film translation was made under Regina King’s vision. She and the cast created the project with the intention of not only creating art but to teach something. They, in an interview with Vanity Fair, talk about creating a film that shows people how to talk about the issues and conflicts that they face within the community amongst themselves. With that in mind now, it is obvious that it wasn’t made to be a one-sizefits-all film. When viewing it as someone outside the targeted audience, parts of the film were lost on me. It assumes it’s audience not only has an
VERDICT:
extensive understanding of each of the men’s histories but that there is some personal admiration for them. It had name drops and background close-ups of documents and details that I have no understanding of. That isn’t to say it wasn’t completely inaccessible. Its highlight is in its climax. A question comes up in the group where they ask themselves and each other: how are each of them contributing to their community? It is a common question that everyone, especially people of color, face with themselves. The film’s climax mostly consisted of trying to answer all aspects of this question. While it is a heavy topic to incorporate, the film’s writing doesn’t once sacrifice the character’s dynamics for the sake of this point. It still remembers that these are characters who are friends with each other, adding bits of comic relief and close moments, making the generalized question personal to them. The film itself is constantly overlaid in a warm yellow light, even in the night scenes, and is always really restricted to small groups and one-onone conversations. The only time the lighting gets changed to a cool blue is when each of the main characters take a chance to be by themselves, conveying the real intensity of the overall question and fight between the friends with their
eyes and body language. Even before they enter the hotel room, the film spends small moments to set up their stakes and keeps the private tone all throughout, even when the conversations happen in public places. There is minimal background music, relying heavily on the dialogue and character charisma instead to keep the audience engaged. It’s tone constantly bounces from serious and heavy to light within a few lines. The underlying tension and conflicts driven by the subplot of Malcolm’s active feeling of being in danger with the H white society and the Nation of Islam. ■
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“One Night in Miami” is well worth viewing if you are in the mood to reflect on yourself and the world around you. It’s even better for those who fall into the targeted audience or those who at least have knowledge of the men’s histories. It is not the kind of film for casual viewing. It’s the kind of film that will earn an award and a place in political circles the same way films like “Walkout” or “Stand and Deliver” do for the Latino community.
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‘What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’ shares an interesting character dynamic in this must watch 90s classic JASHANPREET MALHI Contributing Writer
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AN INTERESTING ANTIHERO IS UNLOCKED IN THIS FAMILY DRAMA AS WE WITNESS HIS JOURNEY TO CHANGE HIS LIFE.
Most of us, if not all, have had quarrels with our family. Perhaps it’s anger towards not being able to go to a party or getting mad at your parents for not buying you that new iPhone everyone at school has. Teenagers seem to identify with the typical “I hate my life” line and lash out until they eventually leave their resentful phase. In the midst of a myriad of teenage angst and coming of age movies, “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’’ is a jewel, crafted by an excellent character dynamic that utilizes insightful storytelling about an adult entangled in selfless pursuits. The 1990s film follows Gilbert Grape’s (Johnny Depp) struggles of taking care of his obese mother, inconsiderate sisters and his autistic brother, Arnie (Leonardo DiCaprio). He soon meets Becky (Juliette Lewis), a free-spirited woman in town, who shows Gilbert that there’s more to life. After his father’s suicide, Gilbert transitions into being the “man of the house” and seemingly loses
himself, as the film highlights the lengths he will go to for his family. The ambiguity that surrounds the main character, Gilbert Grape, is what makes it unique from other films. Unlike “Beautiful Boy” or “Ladybird,” films where the younger protagonists possess fits of rage and disagreements with their parents, “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape’’ focuses on a more in-depth character involved in a dysfunctional family relationship. Some shows, such as “Atypical” for example, follow an autistic protagonist but do not entirely convey how illnesses impact other family members, especially older siblings who are often at the forefront to take care of their younger siblings. The film does justice in effectively displaying the struggles Gilbert undergoes as he must grow up too fast in order to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. He is encompassed in a never-ending loop of caring for a family that fails to acknowledge his effort, and he struggles to pave a path for himself. The storyline sheds his
unique layers, as he is first seen absorbed in fury and despondency and simply going through the motions. Then, Gilbert becomes comfortable with exploring what he truly wants with Becky’s aid. The film doesn’t necessarily showcase Gilbert as the good guy in the story. Sure, he may seem like the perfect son as he looks after and provides for his family, but he engages in unsympathetic deeds. Hence, what distinguishes the film from others is that it is both a tragedy and a lovely tale of family. On one hand, Gilbert always wants the betterment of others and would bend over backwards for his family, but on the other, he punches Arnie for a trivial issue and blames his mother for his miserable life. He desires to be a good person but feels guilty for wanting something more for himself. Gilbert’s lifestyle is a question of morals. Should he abandon his family for a content life? Is he justified in treating his mother as his emotional punching bag? Gilbert is not just a one-sided character, and the film really
makes the audience ponder if his actions are right or wrong. Furthermore, the film embodies aesthetic scenes, such as the protagonists in a field overlooking a timeless sunset with soft hues that curate a gentle sweetness in the atmosphere. The scenes create a peaceful ambiance to find joy in the little things and do well in showcasing a “perfect life,” yet it is far from that as tension stemming from the Grape family remains ever present. What makes the film quite unique is its ability to portray a tranquil sphere, even when things go south for Gilbert. The film is sure to immerse anyone with its beautiful dialogue and life lessons. The character dynamics and pleasant scenery make the classic film well worth the watch. It offers another take on what family entails and the struggles that arise with responsibilities, hence focusing on a profound issue that audiences can relate to. After all, no one has a “perfect family,” and the film is H a perfect example.■
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MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021
► FROM WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
on the Highlanders’ heels. With just over two minutes left in the first quarter, both teams tied again 11-11. The Highlanders scored 4 points, which put them up 15-11 before the game received its first interruption with 1:30 left on the scoreboard. CSUB was the first to score after the timeout, but UCR quickly shut them down. A foul in favor of the Highlanders put them up 17-13. Senior guard Keilanei Cooper closed out the quarter with a 3-pointer, putting UCR up 20-13. Coming into the second quarter, the Roadrunners did their best to bridge the gap, going on a 5-0 run in the first two minutes. UCR scored 2 points before CSUB’s junior forward Miracle Saxon scored a 3-pointer, leaving the scoreboard 22-21. The Highlanders responded by scoring 2 points, which granted them a foul that awarded them two free-throws. A quick steal from the Highlanders allowed them to score another 2 points before a timeout was called, completing their 6-0 run and putting UCR up 28-21. There were five minutes left in the game. After the timeout, the Roadrunners went on a 7-0 run, which tied the game at 28 a piece with just under three minutes left in the half. Both teams traded points in
SPORTS the final minutes of the second quarter before ending the first half 31-30 with UCR ahead. Coming into the second half, both teams played a fast-paced game with little interruptions. Both teams traded shots continuously, staying on each other’s heels for most of the third quarter. The Roadrunners scored the first 2 points of the half, but UCR’s aggression led them to steal the ball and respond with 2 points, putting them up 33-32. A foul in the Highlanders’ favor gave them an extra point. The Roadrunners stayed close, tying the game 34-34 with over seven minutes left in the third quarter. UCR returned to the free-throw line after being awarded two free throws that paired with a fastbreak quickly after, putting them up 3934 with six minutes left. CSUB added 2 points to their score before UCR went on a 7-0 run, which put them up 4638. The Roadrunners went on a 5-0 run of their own, prompting UCR to call a timeout with one minute still left in the timer. A revision during the time out led the referee’s to subtract a point from UCR. Both teams went scoreless in the last minute of the 3rd quarter, heading into the final 10 minutes of the game 45-43 with the Highlanders still in the lead. Despite the close grip both teams
THE HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports seemed to have on each other, the Highlanders fell into a rhythm in the last quarter of the game. This newfound aggression led to settling into a lead that helped them win the game. They opened up the quarter with 2 points before the Roadrunners were given a free throw, leaving UCR ahead 47-44 in the first minute of the quarter. UCR found the back of the net from deep, scoring two consecutive 3-pointers before CSUB could score again. UCR gained another 4 points, putting them up 57-46 with four minutes left in the game. The Roadrunners scored a 3-pointer of their
own, but the Highlanders responded with a 3-pointer as well. A foul in favor of CSUB gave them an extra point, leaving the scoreboard 60-52. Sophomore guard Jada Holland helped UCR reach a 10-point lead in the final two minutes of the game. Both teams traded points: UCR gained 2 points, and CSUB gained 4 points, closing out the game 64-54. This win is the first conference victory for UCR’s women’s basketball team. They went up against Bakersfield H again the following day.■
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UCR women’s basketball team close out a successful weekend of victory against California State University, Bakersfield
KEVIN CONTRERAS Assistant Sports Editor
The Highlander women’s basketball team continued their week of victory this weekend, closing out a 2-0 series against California State University Bakersfield (CSUB). The Highlanders came in strong both defensively and offensively which allowed them to stay in control of the game throughout the entire 40 minutes. UCR quickly put themselves in the lead, going on a 6-0 run before CSUB could respond with a s mall 5-0 run of their own within the first five minutes of the game. In the following two minutes, the Highlanders further extended their lead as they traded shots with the Roadrunners. A 3-pointer from junior guard Lauryn Pointer put them up 14-6 with over two minutes left in the first quarter. UCR scored 4 more points in the last 60 seconds of the first quarter, leaving the scoreboard 18-6. Both teams fell into a bit of a rut in the second quarter. CSUB opened up the
quarter with a layup, and UCR replied with a jumper, leaving the scoreboard 20-8 with nine minutes left to play. Both teams fell into a drought, neither being able to find the back of the net in the following six minutes. UCR and CSUB had scored a combined 2 out of 18 shots before either team could gain another point. The Roadrunners ended the drought with a solid jumper from junior forward Miracle Saxon. Pointer replied with a jumper of her own putting UCR up 22-10 with well over three minutes left to play. Both teams traded shots, each gaining 4 more points before closing out the first half 26-14, the Highlanders still in the lead. Coming out of the locker room, sophomore guard Jada Holland opened up the scoreboard with a shot from deep. Freshman guard Jordan Webster scored a solid 3-pointer of her own, extending UCR’s lead within the first two minutes of the second half. CSUB gained 4 points before UCR continued their charge going on a 5-0 run, the
scoreboard now 37-18 with six minutes left to play in the third quarter. A foul in the Roadrunners’ favor awarded them two successful free throws, to which the Highlanders replied with a lay up from redshirt junior Daphne Gnago. She was sent to the free-throw line soon after to gain an extra point, extending the lead by 20 points, 4020. The Roadrunners gained another 2 points thanks to redshirt junior forward Jayden Eggleston, prompting UCR to go on a 7-0 run. The scoreboard was now 47-22 with little over two minutes left in the third quarter. CSUB went on the offensive in the final two minutes, Eggleston gaining four extra points for the Roadrunners. UCR was still in a comfy 11-point lead, 47-26. Both teams came into the final quarter of the game destined to beat their opponent. UCR was awarded two free throws early on, made successful by Pointer. CSUB followed by scoring 7 points of their own. UCR still in the lead 49-33 with a little under eight minutes
left to play in the game. UCR gained an extra 5 points before sending Eggleston to the free-throw line to score two free throws. With the scoreboard 54-35, both teams traded layups to each gain 2 extra points, leaving over five minutes left of game time. Both teams worked to gain an extra 8 points for themselves before time ran out. UCR closed out the weekend with a second victory, this time 64-45. The UCR women’s basketball team will face off California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo next H weekend, Jan. 29 and 30. ■
THE HIGHLANDERS SHOWCASE THEIR TALENT IN A SOLID 64-45 VICTORY AGAINST THE ROADRUNNERS.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2021
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UCR men’s basketball loses in a close contest to California State University, Bakersfield
AMANI MAHMOUD Editor-in-Chief
On Jan. 22 at 4 p.m. in the Student Recreation Center at UCR, the UCR men’s basketball team battled the California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) Roadrunners, which was newly admitted to the Big West Conference in July of 2020. Despite a close battle, The Highlanders ultimately lost in the last three seconds 45-47. In the first quarter, CSUB formed a solid 9-2 lead until Highlander point guard Flynn Cameron and redshirt senior forward Arinze Chidom narrowed CSUB’s lead with backto-back steals, bringing the score to 9-6. By the end of the first half, Zyon Pullin scored 7 points, bringing the Highlanders to a narrow 22-20 lead. With approximately 14 minutes left in the third quarter, shooting guard Wil Tattersall scored his second 3-pointer, giving the Highlanders a 35-26 lead. However, the Roadrunners quickly recovered when the Highlanders missed three straight free-throws. The game remained tight and by the fourth quarter, UCR led by as many as 9 points and led by 8 points with only eight minutes left in the game. Again, the Roadrunners chipped at UCR’s
lead, tying the game 43-43 when senior guard/forward Taze Moore of CSUB scored a layup with only 2 minutes and 56 seconds remaining in the game. With the game still tied at 43-43 with 1 minute and 23 seconds remaining, Chidom charged down the center of the lane and assisted UCR in regaining their tight lead over the Roadrunners when he scored a layup. With CSUB with the possession, UCR secured their eleventh offensive rebound of the game; however, they were ultimately fouled. This gave on a put-back attempt after grabbing one of their 11 offensive rebounds on the night. After both teams fouled and scored free throws, the game was once again at a nail-biting tie, 45-45. UCR had a slim chance to regain their lead. However, senior center Jock Perry came up empty on his 3-pointer attempt with only 18 seconds remaining in the game. With their subsequent possession, senior guard Czar Perry of the CSUB Roadrunners passed the ball to Moore, who had charged across the baseline. Without wavering, Moore scored a high jump mark of seven feet, securing their win over the UCR Highlanders 47-45 with only three seconds in the game remaining.
The Highlanders were unable to secure a shot before the buzzer sounded to secure the end of the game. Pullin finished the game with a total of 13 points and nine rebounds for UCR. Chidom finished the game with 10 points and eight rebounds. The Highlanders went against CSUB again on Jan. 23, winning 7063, which secured them fourth place H in the Big West Standings 4-2. ■
NEW TO THE BIG WEST CONFERENCE, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY BAKERSFIELD OVERCOMES UCR 47-45.
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UCR Men’s basketball win in a tug of war battle against California State University, Bakersfield THE HIGHLANDERS DEFEAT THE ROADRUNNERS IN AN ALL AROUND TEAM EFFORT. COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS
HANSEL CHU Contributing Writer
UCR’s men’s basketball team defeated California State University, Bakersfield 70-63 in a back-and-forth battle. Coming off of a heartbreaking loss yesterday, the Highlanders looked to get revenge today with a win. An all-around team effort helped the Highlanders avoid a season sweep from Roadrunners. The game had immediately started in a back-and-forth affair, as both teams traded baskets to open up the game. A 4-point play opportunity for Wil Tattersall saw the Highlanders go up 14-8 in the opening seven minutes. However, back to back triples from Bakersfield’s Taze Moore and a jumper from Ronne Readus cut the UCR lead to 1 point, 17-16. A 3-pointer from
Grehlon Easter gave the Roadrunner’s the advantage at 21-20 with around seven minutes left in the first half. Both teams continued to trade baskets to end the first half, with Cal State Bakersfield leading 32-31 going into the locker room. Both Flynn Cameron and Tattersall had 7 points to lead the Highlanders at halftime. However, the Roadrunners outrebounded UCR 20-14, including seven offensive rebounds, which gave Bakersfield extra possessions to take the lead at the halfway point. Coming out of the half, both teams continued their tug of war battle, as there were 19 lead changes during the game, and neither team was able to pull away with a lead. A layup from Bakersfield’s junior guard and forwardJustin McCall put the Roadrunners up 50-45 with around 12 minutes left in the game. However back-to-back triples from
Tattersall and redshirt senior guard Dominick Pickett moments later gave the lead back to the Highlanders 53-52, forcing Bakersfield to call a timeout. Out of the timeout, Bakersfield’s senior forward Shawn Stith scored a layup plus the foul to put the Roadrunners back up 55-53. A hook shot from redshirt senior forward Arinze Chidom gave UCR the lead again 57-55, and a 3-pointer from Pickett extended the lead 60-55 with five minutes to go. However, Bakersfield would not let up and took the lead 6160 off of a layup from McCall with 3 minutes and 30 seconds left in the game. Free throws proved to be crucial for the Highlanders down the stretch, as the Roadrunners were in foul trouble and UCR made them pay by converting 1315 from the charity stripe in the second half. A couple of made free throws gave the Highlanders the lead 66-61 with 1
minute and 45 seconds to go. With 37.2 seconds left and Bakersfield down by 3 points, Moore was called for a travel on a stepback, which gave the ball back to UCR. The Roadrunners quickly fouled Chidom, in which he knocked down two clutch free throws to put the Highlanders up by 5 points and sealing the game for the 70-63 win. Chidom and redshirt senior center Jock Perry led the way with 14 points for the Highlanders, and UCR redshirt freshman power forward Oliver HayesBrown off the bench grabbed six rebounds and a block to help the defense. Moore reigned as the Highlander’s Big West Player of the Week, scoring 13 points on 4-12 shooting from the field. The Highlanders improved their record to 7-4 and will take on California State University Fullerton Friday, Feb. 5 H and Saturday, Feb. 6, both at 5 p.m. ■