Davis students and community members can hear blues, folk, rock and jazz music at the café’s patio downtown

By RACHEL GAUER — features@theaggie.org

As the temperature climbs and daylight remains increasingly present into the evenings, students and community members may find themselves searching for an activity to make the most of the spring nights. On April 5, Downtown Davis’ Cloud Forest Cafe commenced their 10-week long music series titled “Saturday at the Patio,” which provides free outdoor music shows to the public.

The event’s spring season consists of 10 performances that take place at the café’s outdoor patio from 4 to 6 p.m. on Saturday evenings. Ranging from blues to Latin rock, the events provide the community with a unique musical experience in the heart of downtown.

TH Fang, the owner of Cloud Forest Cafe, hosts two Saturday at the Patio seasons — a spring season that runs from April to June and a fall season that runs from mid-September to mid-November. The events provide artists with a spot to showcase their music throughout 20 different shows during the year.

Fang explained that he first introduced live music to the café’s premises for informal shows by a UC Davis student.

“About six years ago, there was a student who came to me and said that they were looking for a place to play their music,” Fang said. “I looked into the situation and realized that there were not that many places that [provided] young musicians a place to play, so I let them play here.”

Once the COVID-19 pandemic forced businesses to close or operate in outdoor-only spaces, Fang realized that the café’s patio space could provide not only the artists with a locale to share their music, but the community with a pandemic-friendly gathering space.

“Around the pandemic, it really became an issue, because no place was open and musicians had no place to play,” Fang said. “I thought that I could provide some opportunity for them to play — so I opened the patio and because [it’s] outdoors, we could do that. I thought, ‘Maybe I should operate not only for the musicians, but also for the community.’’’

Now in their fourth season of structured programs, Cloud Forest Cafe aims to showcase local bands who primarily play jazz, blues, folk or rock music. Among this season’s performers are Nacho and the Dollar Menu, a Latin and Cumbia rock band, on May 10 and a UC Davis student jazz group on May 17.

The first show that kicked off the season was a performance by Julie and the Jukes, an electric blues band that features two UC Davis professors. The band is composed of Charles Oriel, a professor of Spanish, and his wife, Julia Simon, a professor of French — as well as their two local bandmates, Bill Mulvihill and Dave Gill.

The couple has played in various bands for about 25 years, including their duo act Chicken & Dumpling. Oriel commented on the effect of his and Simon’s longtime connection on their music.

“We’ve known each other for a long time, and we’ve been playing together for a long time,” Oriel said. “We know each other’s moves very well, and it creates a real chemistry in the band.”

Oriel and Simon have performed on Saturday at the Patio events two times prior, after Fang personally asked Oriel if his group would play at the café. Oriel noted that the central location of Cloud Forest allows their Davis colleagues, students and friends to more easily access their shows.

“It’s really nice when people we know here in Davis can come out and see us,” Oriel said. “A lot of times we are playing in places that may not be accessible to the students or are a little bit of a distance away from Davis or Sacramento, so playing in Davis is great since people that we know can come out and see us.”

Simon added that she particularly enjoys the accessibility of the events for her students at UC Davis.

“I love it when students come by, I really love that,” Simon said. “I am teaching Intro to African American Music [MUS 028] right now and I also teach classes on the blues. We see colleagues and friends, but I especially love it when students come out.”

Simon emphasized that the events are also beneficial for student accessibility due to the lack of age restrictions to enter — whereas other music venues often tend to be 21-plus events, Cloud Forest’s are fully open and free to the public.

“He’s got a lovely patio space out there on D Street, and people can come by and bring chairs and sit,” Simon said. “It’s really fun — people walk downtown and hear us and can stop for the whole time or just pass by.”

As the performances have grown in popularity, the Saturday at the Patio events have progressed from simply a place to hear music to a more structured event with a formal schedule and lineup.

Because of this change, Fang expressed that the process of choosing artists has become more selective as artists become aware of the opportunity. Regardless, Fang highly encourages local and student bands to apply to perform for the fall season.

“They can send a music clip to my email, cloudforestcafe@icloud.com,” Fang said. “I will review it and respond back to them to let them know for the next season.”

For a complete list of shows for the spring 2025 season of Saturday at the Patio, visit Cloud Forest Cafe’s Instagram or Facebook page.

Written by: Rachel Gauer — features@theaggie.org

The student-created organization supports the well-being and academic success of members

By EMME DUNNING — features@theaggie.org

Being justice-impacted — having a family member or friend involved in the criminal legal system — can be stigmatized in higher education. At UC Davis, Justice Affected and Impacted Law Students (JAILS), an organization at King Hall within UC Davis’ School of Law dedicated to supporting students who have been impacted by the criminal legal system, is working to change this narrative.

The club was founded in the spring of 2024 by law students Brenda Quintanilla and Dyanna Castañeda and has quickly grown into a thriving, tight-knit community.

Castañeda has always known she wanted to be a lawyer. The third-year law student grew up loving to read, write and debate, and law school was a natural progression for the soon-to-be graduate. Additionally, her identity of being justice-impacted was a major part of her decision to attend law school.

“Being justice-impacted in a third-party sense was a huge reason for why I went [to law school] because I saw the need for it,” Castañeda said. “Once you’re here in law school, you bring such a different perspective than your peers whose parents and their parents’ parents have all been lawyers. They kind of see the world a bit more in black and white. I feel like I kind of bring the nuance to it.”

Despite this, upon coming to UC Davis, Castañeda found that these same circumstances that drove her to attend law school were not widely talked about.

“Once I actually got here, it felt so weird since I’m in such a minority,” Castañeda said. “It was so weird to talk about it. There was definitely a stigma surrounding it.”

Castañeda, who was a second-year law student at the time, connected with Quintanilla — a law student who has since graduated — and the two began to talk about their shared experiences of being justice-impacted.

Through their discussions and connecting with more of their peers, the pair began to realize just how many law students shared their background and started to brainstorm ways to establish a real community.

“We were like, okay, we’ve got this identity, but we don’t really have a place for it yet in the law school, even though it’s the reason why so many of us are here,” Castañeda said. “The second we get here, it’s like a taboo. It’s hard to talk about. So what we wanted to do was

create a space where we didn’t have to put up a front and where we could talk to other people who are going through the same thing and who could empathize with each other.”

The result of these efforts was the creation of JAILS, one of the first organizations of its

kind working to support justice-impacted law students in their professional and personal lives.

Since its inception last spring, the organization has grown steadily, hosting picnics, fundraisers and even a bouquet-making workshop. Most recently, the group held a therapy llama petting zoo event in collaboration with the Office of Student Affairs to relieve stress as law students head into the middle of their tough semesters.

The event was spearheaded by Julia Martinez, a third-year law student and current co-chair of JAILS, who asserted that the organization has provided her with unique opportunities for connection with her peers.

“It’s a really unique community for us to have,” Martinez said. “I didn’t feel super comfortable talking about [being justice-impacted]. Being in law school, I feel like there’s not a lot of that. When I did get to law school, I felt a little out of place. JAILS has made me feel a lot more comfortable to have other people who have experiences in life like that.”

JAILS strongly emphasizes wellness and community building, a move that Emily Goll-Broyles, a second-year law student and JAILS representative, asserted was intentional.

“We’re not a group that’s trying to do advocacy or activism, but just a space for people to gather and be in community and feel less alone knowing they’re not the only person at the law school who faces these kinds of justice impacts,” Goll-Broyles said.

These sentiments were echoed by Castañeda, who reflected on the extra pressure justice-impacted individuals can feel to educate their peers on issues of incarceration simply because of their background.

“We were born into circumstances where we are expected to stand up and be very vocal about what we believe in because it’s affected us,” Castañeda said. “This is us taking a bit of a privilege to sit back and be with each other and do fun things. It definitely is about just taking a breather and just trying to encourage as many people at the law school as we can to take back that identity.”

In addition to providing important wellness resources and social opportunities for their members, JAILS also has a major goal of giving non-justice-impacted criminal law students a more comprehensive insight into their future field through informal discussion and connection.

“If there are people who are going into criminal law and don’t have our background, they might not have that natural sympathy for people that they’re representing or prosecuting,” Castañeda said. “We wanted to humanize the criminal law realm in that way.”

As many members gear up to graduate and continue into their law careers, many have asserted the importance of JAILS to their post-graduate success, despite many not planning to go into criminal law specifically.

Goll-Broyles commented on the lasting impact that she feels JAILS will have on her future career, as well as the careers of students from similar backgrounds to her own.

“JAILS has shown me that there [are] a lot of different ways to show up as somebody who’s justice-impacted,” Goll-Broyles said. “All of us are going into very different areas of the law. It’s nice to know that any sector of the law that I might explore in the future has somebody who’s in community with me.”

Written by: Emme Dunning — features@theaggie.org

This spring, fourth-years reflect on their time at UC Davis and share their post-graduate plans

By JALAN TEHRANIFAR — features@theaggie.org

Nava Regev, a fourth-year political science major, is graduating this spring. Born in New York and raised in San Diego, Regev came to UC Davis as a first-year student and has called the campus — and her off-campus home — her own for the past four years.

“I’m really happy I came here,” Regev said. “I chose Davis because the campus is beautiful, and when I visited, everyone was so nice. I couldn’t do a formal tour because of COVID[-19], but my dad and I drove up [and] explored on our own, and I just had a feeling that this was the right place for me.”

Regev knew early on that she wanted to study political science, a passion that stemmed from hands-on experience during high school. She interned for Congressman Mike Levin and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, opportunities that exposed her to the real-world impact of government and public service.

“I did a lot of political internships before college, and they made me realize this is what I want to do with my career,” Regev said. “Political science felt like the best way to build on that foundation and work toward my future goals. I wanted to understand not just how the government works but how I could be a part of making meaningful change in the world.”

Beyond academics, Regev found a deep sense of community at UC Davis. During her first two years, she was an active member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, where she held a leadership role as vice president of finance during her second year. Taking on this executive position at such an early stage in college gave her valuable experience in organization, teamwork and leadership — skills that she knows will benefit her in the legal field.

Outside of Greek life, she also built strong friendships that became the cornerstone of her college experience. One of the most meaningful aspects of her time at Davis was her off-campus house, where she lived for three years after moving out of the dorms.

“My college house will always be special to me,” Regev said. “It’s where I studied, laughed, grew up — it really became my home. I made so many memories there with my friends — the first thing that just popped into my head is the time [when] my roommate and I almost burned down our kitchen. It’s the place that saw me through every stage of my college journey.”

Looking back, Regev said the best thing she got out of college was the friendships she made. While classes and internships helped her grow academically and professionally, it was the people she met along the way who made her time at UC Davis truly unforgettable. She knows that the friendships she formed here will last a lifetime, no matter where life takes her next.

“I’ve met people here that I know I’ll have in my life forever,” Regev said. “College isn’t just about what you learn in the classroom — it’s about the relationships you build and the experiences you share. I feel really lucky to have found such amazing people who have supported me and shaped me into the person I am today.”

The most important lesson she learned, though, came from living on her own and learning how to navigate adulthood without the constant presence of her parents. College was the first time she had full independence, and she embraced the challenge of managing her own responsibilities, making important decisions and figuring out how to balance work, school and her personal life.

“There’s so much growth that happens when you’re responsible for yourself,” Regev said. “College really teaches you how to be independent in a way that nothing else can. You realize that at the end of the day, you are the one in control of your future. It’s scary sometimes, but also really empowering.”

To undergraduate students, her biggest advice is to get involved and document the journey. She encourages new students to step outside of their comfort zones by joining clubs, making new connections and fully immersing themselves in college life. Regev also wishes she had taken more time to capture her experiences along the way.

“Join clubs — it’s the best way to make friends,” Regev said. “And make memories. Take pictures, write things down, start a scrapbook. I wish I had. I’m lucky that one of my best friends is one of those people that film everything, and we can always watch our college memories back. When you leave, the memories are all you have. It’s so easy to get caught up in the stress of school, but the moments that really matter are the ones you’ll want to hold on to. Also, say yes to new things, but also be intentional with your time.”

As she prepares for the next chapter, Regev is taking a gap year to study for the Law School Admission Test and gain legal work experience before applying to law school, which she hopes to attend somewhere close to home. She’s excited for the future but also knows that leaving Davis will be bittersweet.

“Law school has always been the goal, but I want to take my time and be intentional about it,” Regev said. “I’m excited for what’s next, but I’ll always be grateful for my time at Davis. This place shaped me in so many ways, and I know I’ll carry these experiences with me wherever I go. Your college years go by fast, and what you’ll remember most are the people, the laughter [and] the little traditions that become your routine.”

Written by: Jalan Tehranifar — features@theaggie.org

Students describe how to have a fun and safe time during the annual event 

By GRACIELA TIU — features@theaggie.org.

Picnic Day, an annual UC Davis tradition that celebrates community and school spirit, is also known by students to be one of the biggest party days of the year. Despite Picnic Day’s long-standing purpose of being an open house day full of family-friendly activities such as parades or animal events, many students associate the day with partying.

Fraternities, organizations and other groups often throw parties throughout the day, spanning from early morning until night.

“I’ve heard of a lot of students getting up at 6 a.m. and ending their day late at night, which can be a lot,” Serineh Ohanian, a third-year managerial economics major, said.

Ethan Wang, a fourth-year human biology major, described how Picnic Day parties can mean a lot to the UC Davis community.

“Attending a competitive, quarter-system college is stressful and demanding,” Wang said. “Picnic Day gives hardworking, studious students a break from the constant grind and offers everyone a reason to celebrate our school.”

Dylan Gianella, a second-year communications major, discussed how Picnic Day events are particularly enjoyable due to their broad reach.

“The parties on Picnic Day are accessible to everyone, which is what makes this day so much fun,” Gianella said. “Everyone is everywhere.”

With the various functions on Picnic Day bringing in large crowds, prioritizing safety is crucial. Along with UC Davis resources such as Safe Ride, which offers free rides around campus to students, the Safe Party initiative, which provides information about partying safety, and various emergency services such as Health 34 or the UC Davis Police Department, organizations also do their best to maintain a safe environment.

“As the vice president of Theta Chi, I can say that we’ve taken many precautions to safely host Picnic Day,” Wang said. “For one, security will be present throughout the entirety of our event to ensure that students who come to the house remain safe for the duration. We also have a pre-approved guest list, so we know exactly who is in our house and at what time. These two security measures — along with specialized wristbands for the event — allow us to control crowds, keep banned substances out of our house and ensure that everyone who attends leaves happy and safe.”

Some organizations also go through training to ensure their members are well-versed in safety precautions.

“We’ve taken many steps to promote responsible behavior not only among partygoers, but also among the brothers of Theta Chi,” Wang said. “Under the guidance of the [Interfraternity Council] (IFC) and our national organization, Theta Chi brothers have participated in various training seminars to prepare for different types of emergencies.”

For this fraternity specifically, members participate in “Sacred Purpose” events, discussing crucial training topics to promote safety among students during celebrations.

“Many of these Sacred Purpose events are hosted by our Vice President of Health and Safety, Colin Eilerman,” Wang said. “Topics include alcohol safety, fire prevention, sexual assault awareness and more. This training ensures that each brother knows how to respond in case of an emergency at an event.”

For partygoers, Gianella recommended staying aware even while having a good time.

“Have fun, but make sure you are being safe and looking out for the people around you,” Gianella said.

Especially when going to multiple parties a day, students recommend taking care of yourself before and throughout the day to have the best time.

“Always make sure to eat consistent meals throughout the day and stay hydrated,” Ohanian said. “Don’t take drinks from anyone, stick with your friends and make sure to watch out for those around you.”

Any big party days like Picnic Day can quickly become dangerous, so proceeding with caution and being careful throughout the events remains critically important. Even though the long day of partying may seem like a lot, Picnic Day student celebrations give students the chance to build school spirit, have a fun time with one another and celebrate the beginning of spring.

Written by: Graciela Tiu — features@theaggie.org