UC Davis students reflect on holiday festivities, recipes and memories

By EMME DUNNING — features@theaggie.org

Holidays are a time to reconnect with family and friends near and far. As Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season, many students travel to reunite with loved ones; For some Aggies, travel makes the holiday season look just a little bit different.

Iain Kennedy, a fourth-year economics major, heads across the pond almost every holiday season. The senior was born and raised in England until he was 10 and still has close family in Scotland, where his family gathers for December festivities.

“I’ve spent pretty much every single Christmas and New Year in the [United Kingdom],” Kennedy said.

The holiday season in Scotland’s capital of Edinburgh is rich with its own special traditions that residents know and love. For the Kennedy family, Christmas time conjures up memories of snooker, a game similar to pool, murder mysteries on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and good food.

Kennedy also raves about the New Year’s Eve celebration in the city. Commonly referred to as Hogmanay in Scotland, New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration and community gathering, something that Kennedy has witnessed first hand.

“In Edinburgh, they have a massive block party and there [are] thousands of people on the streets,” Kennedy said. “Right when midnight strikes, there are fireworks over the castle. You all cross hands and you sing Auld Lang Syne.”

For Gael Ibrahim Bagby-Fonseca, a UC Davis alum with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology, family is also a central part of the holiday season. Bagby-Fonseca celebrates an unconventional Thanksgiving, heading down to visit family in Mexico for the traditionally American holiday.

“Thanksgiving is a super American holiday, but I have family in Mexico and we go and visit every November,” Bagby-Fonseca said.

For their family, creating new traditions and spending time together are what make the day truly special.

“When we’re over there they cook octopus and a bunch of other stuff that’s not turkey,” Bagby-Fonseca said. “It’s just a celebration of family and giving thanks.”

Caden Velasquez, a UC Davis alum with a Bachelor of Arts in international relations, also has experience with travel during the holidays. Velasquez and his family often moved around in his upbringing, and their Christmas celebrations and traditions shifted with these moves. Despite many changes, one thing has stayed the same.

“We would rarely be in the same place for the holidays, but the one thing that did remain consistent every year was being surrounded by my family,” Velasquez said.

For his family, food is an integral part of festivities. Velasquez recounted traditional Venezuelan meals that his family has made around the holidays including pan de jamon and, most important to their family traditions, hallacas.

“We would all get together — and this was an entire day endeavor — we would make hallacas,” Velasquez said. “We’d spend the whole day sourcing all the materials. We cook the masa and the meat, and we prepare everything on a long table.”

Hallacas are a corn-based dough with a tamale-like filling. The unique dish can include ingredients such as olives, capers and raisins and are typically cooked in a banana leaf wrapping.

“We end up making hundreds of them, but we never keep more than 10% of them,” Velasquez said. “The purpose of making them is to give them all away. We’ll package up hundreds of them and give them away to friends, family and neighbors.”

Velasquez expressed that a little can go a long way toward creating memorable family traditions, noting two things that always made his holidays special.

“We’d always have family, and we’d always have good food.”

Written by: Emme Dunning — features@theaggie.org

A look into the people and experiences that shape one of campus’ most beautiful spots

By NOAH HARRIS — features@theaggie.org

With vast amounts of green and blue colors, the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden’s array of wildlife and plants have turned it into one of Davis’ most popular places to visit. Traditionally green with a river flowing through its center, the Arboretum has looked a bit different during the last few months. Running along the southern end of the UC Davis campus, the Arboretum is in a state of change that is set to conclude soon — as those involved have shared, the finished product will be much different than before.

The Arboretum is a 100-acre public garden that hosts thousands of species of plants, trees and shrubs. They have at least 31 species of mammals, 45 species of butterflies and 135 species of birds have been found partaking in what the Arboretum has to offer, according to their website.

On March 25 of this year, a press release was put out to announce that the Waterway Enhancement Project had officially launched its second stage. Its first stage took place from 2016 to 2018, having focused on increasing water flow and native vegetation.

The Enhancement Project was given a $5.4 million grant from the state and received $2.5 million from UC Davis, making it the largest grant that the UC Davis Arboretum has been given to date.

So far, construction has focused primarily on removing concrete banks and sediment buildup, giving the river a more natural look. Underground piping work for the river supply is also finished, which helps the river run more smoothly, even during dry years. Over the last few months, there have also been fences and orange safety barriers put into place around the Arboretum.

Emily Evans, a fourth-year environmental science management major, said that animals will also be given their own slice of luxury on the western part of the Arboretum.

“Islands have been created at the west end, which will be planted with marsh plants to mimic a natural wetland habitat,” Evans said.

Evans further explained the details of and her excitement for the island feature.

“The construction crew essentially created islands from scratch, and now, seeing the water slowly fill back in, it’s nothing short of inspiring,” Evans said. “I can’t wait to continue transforming the space and watch it come back to life with new plantings along the banks.”

Katie Hetrick, the assistant director of communications in Finance, Operations and Administration (FOA), shared that the project has been designed to last a long time.

“The enhancements are designed to be resilient for decades, with regular maintenance and adaptive management ensuring the waterway remains functional and healthy,” Hetrick said.

Evans also emphasized that the Arboretum renovations are an ongoing project.

“Personally, I prefer to think that the enhancement of the waterway is an ongoing effort that will never truly end as we continue to make improvements to the system,” Evans said.

If this seems fast for such a massive effort, it is — at least, according to their expectations going into the project.

“The construction phase of the project is expected to be completed in early 2025 when the recirculating pump installation will be complete,” Hetrick said. “Final touches, including planting and habitat establishment, will extend into 2025 and potentially longer.”

Their time frame is progressing far, around one year ahead of schedule.

Susan Collopy, the project manager for UC Davis Design and Construction Management, explained why the project was so quick compared to their initial thoughts.

“The project timeline included the potential for delays as the result of a variety of environmental impacts that we did not experience,” Collopy said. “In addition, the contractor identified an alternate method to install the recirculating pipe that saved a lot of time.”

Andrew Fulks, the assistant director of the Arboretum, shared that the turnaround time was one of the most unique parts of the undertaking.

“I have been involved in a number of campus construction projects,” Fulks said. “The most interesting thing about this one was how uneventful it was. Everything went smoothly and nothing out of the ordinary occurred.”

Tabitha Mitchell, a fourth-year animal science major, shared her thoughts on the Arboretum. She is one of many students who utilizes the space to her advantage throughout the school year at Davis.

“It’s a really tranquil, serene space,” Mitchell said. “I love to exercise there, and it’s a really nice place to just connect with nature and have some high-quality alone time. Right now, I enjoy it less because there’s a lot of construction and not as much wildlife. So it seems more like a project rather than a place for us to enjoy ourselves.”

Evans shared her thoughts on the Arboretum during construction, stating that she has loved the entire experience and the opportunity that the project presented her with.

“The most fascinating part of the enhancement process has been witnessing the waterway at various stages of construction,” Evans said. “It’s rare to have the opportunity to directly contribute to something that benefits both the environment and the community in such a tangible way.”

During this time, many people have and continue to contribute to the project.

“An average day for workers might include tasks like grading soil, installing erosion-control measures, planting native vegetation or adjusting the waterway to improve flow,” Hetrick said. “Workers also monitor sediment levels, remove invasive species and maintain pathways or structures.”

Mitchell, who revealed she would love to see a butterfly sanctuary in the Arboretum, expressed gratitude for the time she has spent in the space.

“I’m happy that that’s happening because it’s going to make it look better in the long run, and I’ve already spent quality time at the Arboretum,” Mitchell said. “I just really hope that they get it looking the way they want it to within the next three or four years, because I want the freshmen to get a chance to experience it with a thriving ecosystem.”

The hope for Evans, Hetrick and Mitchell is that the Arboretum will be back to its normal thriving self soon — though with some noticeable improvements — both in its beauty and functionality.

Written by: Noah Harris — features@theaggie.org

UC Davis students share their experiences and advice on controversial discussions with family during the holiday season

By GRACIELA TIU — features@theaggie.org

Although the holiday season can bring people feelings of love and comfort, spending time with family during these festivities often also brings up controversial conversations. Conversing with close friends or extended family over the holidays can sometimes turn unpleasant, especially when the topics at hand get too personal or political.

Many people, including students at UC Davis, have experienced these uncomfortable or disagreeable family discussions and try their best to circumvent them.

“I would try to avoid bringing up anything to do with politics,” Serineh Ohanian, a third-year managerial economics major, said. “Since they grew up in a different environment, they have different ideas and perspectives on certain topics and what the government should do about them. Because I was brought up in the more modern age that is more inclusive, I would say I do have a different perspective than they do.”

Sometimes, deciding whether to bypass or continue these conversations depends on which family members are present.

“If it is with a close family member that I know I can find common ground with, we might further engage in an uncomfortable conversation,” Eliana Shor, a second-year managerial economics major, said. “If it is with a family member I am not as close with, I tend to walk away.”

Nicole Hazen, a first-year chemistry major, described her method of navigating these exchanges.

“With conversations like that, I usually engage and try to resolve conflict, but I also don’t let them get their way,” Hazen said.

Ohanian has also changed how she moves through these conversations, especially because she wants to stay mindful of any children in the family who may be listening.

“I would say that my approach has changed over the years,” Ohanian said. “I would be more quiet, I would sit down, I wouldn’t say a word and I wouldn’t want to cause an argument or a fight. In more recent years, I definitely have spoken up more because I know there are young children here listening, and they are extremely impressionable.”

Ohanian continued to emphasize the impression that arguments can make on younger family members.

“When they hear these things,  they just believe the people around them,” Ohanian said. “They’re too young to know how to do research or how to gain their own information or truly what to believe. When you speak up, they hear another argument or another point, and it makes them able to see a different side of things.”

When talking with family, students like Shor find it helpful to speak with intention and awareness of different perspectives.

“Over the years, I’ve begun to give more compassion and respect to people with opposing views on political issues,” Shor said. “I’ve grown to be less argumentative and more careful with what I say and the battles I choose to fight.”

Certain topics might feel unavoidable, but consciously choosing which subjects to continue discussing can also help avert any unnecessary conflict.

“My advice would be to know when to pick your fights,” Ohanian said. “Figure out which topics are really important and speak up about those — but if it’s something minor, you know, it is your family, it is the holidays. Keep the peace and have everything be as calm, civil and loving as possible.”

Convincing your family to agree with your opinions typically tends to be harder than you think.

“Give your family understanding and time, as that is the only way that they will begin to feel comfortable listening,” Shor said. “You can’t change anyone’s mind overnight, and their difference in opinion doesn’t inherently make them a bad person.”

Even though in the moment, persuading family members to agree with you might seem like the best solution, it might not always be possible.

“I would say there typically isn’t a sense of understanding [reached] since you honestly do have your own mindset and ideas, and it’s really hard to switch [theirs] as much as you try,” Ohanian said. “But, I’ll always be there to have open discussions and open communication with them and really be understanding.”

Ultimately, if it is possible and feels right, moving past any arguments and appreciating the time spent with family during the holidays might feel more enjoyable, as these Davis students have attested.

“I always try to end things on a good note and come together,” Hazen said, “Just so we can all stay on good terms and appreciate the moment.”

Written by: Graciela Tiu — features@theaggie.org

UC Davis students and a professor share how the candidacy was made possible through the work and sacrifices of generations of women fighting for political equality and representation

By JALAN TEHRANIFAR — features@theaggie.org

The recent election marked a watershed moment in American history: A woman came close to being elected President of the United States. This feat, which has been most notably attempted by two female candidates to date since 2016, is huge — though it has proven difficult to break through the glass ceiling of a female presidency in the United States. Still, women’s rights, particularly in the political forum, have expanded dramatically spanning the last century.

This milestone was not simply the product of one candidate’s ambition or determination. It is the culmination of centuries of tireless work, courage and sacrifice by women who defied convention, broke barriers and fought for the right to be heard and seen.

Current Vice President Kamala Harris addressed this notion in 2020 in her speech at the Democratic National Convention when accepting her vice presidential candidacy.

“That I am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me,” Harris said. “Women and men who believed so fiercely in the promise of equality, liberty and justice for all. Without fanfare or recognition, they organized, testified, rallied, marched and fought — not just for their vote, but for a seat at the table. These women and the generations that followed worked to make democracy and opportunity real in the lives of all of us who followed.”

Her victory as the elected vice president marked a triumph of perseverance but also a recognition that her achievement was built upon the sacrifices and struggles of those who came before her. To understand the true depth of this moment, it is important to step back and reflect on the centuries of fight that made it possible.

As Dr. Lisa G. Materson, a UC Davis professor and historian of U.S. women’s and gender history, explained that the journey toward political equality for women has been anything but linear.

“In the history of women’s involvement in the struggle for voting rights and party politics, there have been many disappointments before and there have been many moments where people who supported a woman candidate or who were a candidate themselves or who were seeking voting rights, thought they were on the verge of victory, and then that didn’t come,” Materson said.

Materson continued by explaining barriers that have historically stood in the way of women seeking to become involved in political movements.

“If you look at 1920, there were still tons of women who, […] even if they were legally enfranchised or they had the legal right to vote, the constitutional right to vote, they weren’t able to cast a ballot because — for example, African Americans in the South — […] of the white disenfranchising measures or colonized women [who] couldn’t cast a ballot,” Materson said. “So, you know, you can look at these different moments historically as part of a longstanding trajectory of women’s political activism.”

Materson highlighted Charlotta Bass, who was the first African American woman to run for the vice presidency in 1952.

“She was involved in left politics for a combination of rights for individuals — people of color, laborers [and] women,” Materson said. “She ran a newspaper. It was one of the important historically Black newspapers in the United States. It was called The California Eagle.”

Materson emphasized how Bass leveraged her role as a journalist to spotlight stories often ignored by mainstream media — particularly those controlled by white-dominated newspapers — reporting on issues that otherwise would have been left out of the public conversation.

Shirley Chishom, one of the handful of women that Harris particularly named, was the first African American congresswoman and the first Black woman to run for president in 1972.

In the Empire Suffrage Syllabus, created by faculty and graduate students across the University of California including Professor Materson — Shirley Chishom was highlighted for opposing U.S. militarism and advocating for social programs that aimed to mitigate social inequalities.

Especially because of the recent election, the topic of women’s roles in politics has been widely discussed on college campuses. Hana Raie, a third-year political science major, shared her thoughts on the subject as a young female pursuing a degree in a political field.

“I didn’t think that in this day and age, the gender of a candidate would hold so much weight over an election,” Raie said. “As a student taking classes that revolve around politics and voting for the first time, I was very invested in following the events of this election season.”

Raie also shared some disheartening discourse she saw on social media throughout the election cycle.

“I saw a lot of discourse over social media regarding it, and there were many people posting and making comments about how they were only voting for Trump because he was a man — a lot of people were saying that a woman doesn’t ‘have what it takes’ to lead a country, and I wish I could say I was surprised to see this,” Raie said. “It’s one thing to vote against an individual because you don’t agree with their political views or policymaking, but it’s another thing to vote against them based on their sex.”

Raie’s reflection highlights the persistence of gender bias in politics, revealing how these biases are still deeply ingrained, even among younger generations.

Nava Regev, a fourth-year political science major, highlighted how the experiences of women are complex, and that there are many factors shaping the challenges they face and progress they make.

“Women continue to face systemic barriers in politics, but also in other aspects of life like work atmospheres and healthcare, and I think a lot of that can be attributed to the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles,” Regev said. “That being said, women’s roles in society are not the same across all women — [they vary] across different cultures, races and social classes too. Black women, Indigenous women [and] women of color […] they are not only fighting against gender-based discrimination but also racism and colonialism, which shapes the course of history and politics in its own ways as well.“

Regev plans to pursue a career in politics, hoping to continue this ongoing legacy of women making strides toward equality and equal representation.

“Aside from my political views, I think Kamala is a very impressive individual,” Regev said. “As someone with an Indian background on my mom’s side, it’s inspiring to see someone with a similar ethnic heritage accomplishing so much and fighting for women’s rights and being proud of her background and the work she’s done. This is why it’s important to have a diverse range of representation, especially in politics.”

Although Regev is proud of how far women have come, she recognizes that there is still much work to be done, stating, “We’re not done yet.”

“Although women’s role[s] in politics have come a long way since the Nineteenth Amendment was passed, I think there are still many milestones that have yet to be reached,” Regev said.

Written By: Jalan Tehranifar — features@theaggie.org

UC Davis students to reflect on how his next term will affect their time in college following tightening of Title IX policies

By AMBER WARNKE — features@theaggie.org

When Donald Trump became president in 2017, he nominated Betsy DeVos to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Education. Once she took office, DeVos announced sweeping changes to Title IX, the federal civil rights law preventing sex-based discrimination in education, which has been widely applied to cases of sexual assault and harrasment that occur within the context of educational settings. 

“Betsy DeVos in May 2020, issued what’s called the ‘DeVos rules’ to Title IX,” Alice Malmberg, a Ph.D. student in American politics, said. “And that fundamentally changed how Title IX was implemented, specifically for higher education [cases of] sexual harassment. So it narrowed the definition, first of all, of sexual harassment, and required colleges to investigate claims only if they were reported to certain officials.” 

This limited the number of people to whom a student could report sexual assault and harrasment, which previously included teaching assistants (TAs), coaches, community advisors (CAs) and a wide number of other university staff.

Hearing of these decisions, Heather Williford, a fourth-year cognitive science major, made a comment on her analysis of the issue. 

“It doesn’t sound like progress; It sounds like we’re going backwards,” Williford said.

Malmberg also said that the DeVos rulings “required live hearings” between complainants — both those who reported sexual misconduct and respondents who were accused of it. 

“Students were allowed, and in some cases required to, question one another [and’ cross-examine one another through representatives during these live hearings,” Malmberg  said. “A survivor could question a person accused of committing an act of an assault, but also that accused person could question the survivor.” 

This stands in strong opposition to the previous guidelines, which strongly discouraged cross-emaninations in cases of sexual abuse or harrasment, only allowing for cross-examination to occur through a third party. 

“I’m willing to bet that someone who is accused of perpetuating sexual assault, who has everything to lose but wants to clear their name, is a lot more comfortable and is willing to take advantage of questioning a survivor than the survivor wanting or […] having the motivation to question that person,” Malmberg said.

Critics have pointed out that being cross-examined directly by their assaulters can be “highly traumatic” for survivors and may lead to some victims dropping their cases entirely. 

When considering the 2020 Title IX policies, Sophia Lim, a third-year applied mathematics major, commented on her fear for women’s safety going into the next presidential term. 

 “It’s just restricting people’s voices in a way that affects their safety,” Lim said. “[It] makes me feel scared. It makes me feel like there’s not a place for women in this world.”

However, the Title IX rulings around sexual misconduct are “not surprising” because of Donald Trump’s being found legally guilty in 2023 of sexually assaulting a woman, E. Jean Carroll, in the 1990s, according to Lim. 

Malmberg explained that under the DeVos rules, colleges were not required to handle complaints from students about instances occurring beyond the borders of the Davis campus — with some exceptions including campus or fraternity houses. 

Not only were universities not required to manage these cases, but they were actually forced to dismiss them. In addition to this, there were no Title IX protections for students studying abroad. 

“For example, if something happened in Downtown Davis, even if the incidents were both UC Davis students, and even if they had just been coming from the Davis campus, colleges and universities would not necessarily be required to treat that as a Title IX matter because it didn’t happen on campus grounds [under the 2020 rules],” Malmberg said. 

Furthermore, under the DeVos regulations, colleges were not obligated to investigate all sexual harassment reports, but only the “most egregious cases” that were “severe, pervasive and objectively offensive,” rather than the previous definition, which included all behavior that was an “unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature.” 

Williford considered the wording of the DeVos rulings. 

“It sounds like it’s making it more strict about what qualifies as something you can report,” Williford said. “I think you should be able to report anything that’s upsetting to you of that nature.”

The DeVos rules also lacked a deadline for investigations, which were previously mandated to take no longer than 60 days in order to give complainants a speedy result. 

“[There was] a lot of criticism from universities that they assumed, and I think correctly so, that the number of Title IX reports and complaints would go down, and the number of assaults or incidents wouldn’t necessarily go down,” Malmberg said. 

There is also a concern that these cases would become increasingly underreported, according to Malmberg. 

Although many of these rulings have been reversed under the Biden Administration, it is unclear if and how Title IX rulings will be changed when Trump takes office again in January. 

“[Trump has vowed to] undo [the Title IX]  protections specifically for LGBTQ+ individuals,” Malmberg said. “He said that repeatedly throughout his campaign.” 

Trump has promised to enact these changes as early as “day one” of his presidency. 

Williford reflected on these statements in light of the election results. 

“In regards to trans people in particular, the general hate I’m seeing, especially online, is getting worse instead of better, which you would hope would happen with time,” Williford said. “I don’t think [Trump’s rulings on transgender issues are] gonna lead anywhere good.”

Lim shared that the future feels especially unclear for her due to her identity as a queer person.

“It’s disheartening and then scary [to think of how Title IX’s protections may be changed] just because of something that is completely out of my control,” Lim said. 

Written by: Amber Warnke — features@theaggie.org