Over the course of the past week rumors have been swirling about concerns over changes to work study for the upcoming year.
“There isn’t going to be any work study next year”
“They’re only giving work study to freshmen next year”
“People who have never had work study will have priority next year”
“Regis is going to take our federal funds”
I am sure many students have heard one variation of the rumor or another, however there is no need to panic.
Read MoreMeghan and Harry were recently able to share their story in their first public interview. The recent interview has answered many questions regarding Meghan’s experience entering the royal family, but also led to many more questions surrounding race. In the interview conducted by Oprah, Meghan brought up a conversation held between her husband and his family that discussed what the color of their children's skin will look like. This is not Meghan’s first time having to deal with racism, however the racial issues faced by her children before birth was surprising to say in the least.
Read MoreIn light of the tragedy within the AAPI community in Atlanta, we wish to share our thoughts with Regis University.
We, Asian Student Alliance, condemn this tragedy as a racially-charged hate crime fueled by white supremacy. This recent incident is one of many in a history of hate against the AAPI community, and unfortunately, the rhetoric in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased this discrimination and harassment. It has been reported that there were over 3,800 instances of discrimination in the past year (Stop AAPI Hate https://stopaapihate.org/reportsreleases). Types of discrimination include verbal harrassment, physical asaault, civil rights violations, and online harassment.
At the heart of this issue is the model minority myth. This myth perpetuates the idea that Asian people have more privilege than other people of color. This creates tension between communities of color and blindsides us from the real issue, which is white supremacy. The model minority myth was originally a political tool used by white supremcists who claimed that racism doesn’t exist—since Asians were a “successful” people of color, hardships among other communities of color were attributed to laziness. This is a false and harmful claim because it leads to other issues, including the segregation of education amongst East Asians and South East Asians. It also covers up the racist past of the US Government and ignores how white supremacy has used Asian people as a scapegoat for previous immigration and job issues, as was evident in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882.
The rhetoric that blamed COVID-19 on Asian countries has created a bigger target on our backs, especially for those in the elderly community because they are considered an easier target. Again, this feeds into the harmful myth that Asian people will not fight back because they are considered non-confrontational. Scapegoating the AAPI community in this way has clear and deadly consequences.
For this reason, we are disheartened by the portrayal of this attack as motivated by a “sex addiction” rather than race. In reality, these issues are interconnected. The AAPI community has endured decades of stereotyping, all of which have caused the AAPI community to be perceived as foreign. This has caused a dangerous fetishization of Asian people that, as we saw already, can prove to be life-threatening. Asian women are especially at risk; Stop AAPI Hate reports that women in the AAPI community experienced 2.3 times more hate incidents when compared to AAPI men. Reducing the problem to a “sex addiction” prevents us from addressing the real issues at hand. We must instead address the harassment these women have faced and the reasoning behind it.
Furthermore, we are disheartened by the claim that this was simply a “bad day” for the domestic terrorist who attacked the parlor in Georgia. This excuse minimizes the devastation of this attack. As a society, we have witnessed how women are forced to internalize their “bad days.” Meanwhile, men are excused for committing hate crimes on their “bad days.” Neither outlet should be accepted.
We understand that this is not an easy subject to talk about. Our best recommendation is listening. We want our voices to be both heard and echoed. The best help you can provide is through extending our message to others. The Asian community has already spent decades suffering from stereotypes that encouraged us to stay quiet.
This is true of other communities of color, too; however, we wish to address that this issue should not be compared to the Black Lives Matter Movement. Our problems and communities each suffer from our own struggles and histories. Forcing a comparison between the two can downplay the realities that both communities face.
We don’t expect you to relate to the issues we have shared with regards to the AAPI community, but we plead for recognition in a society that has tried to silence us. We are optimistic that the rest of the university will follow suit in our call to action. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this tragedy. May their memories live on through the actions we take to become a better country. #STOPAAPIHATE
Resources:
https://anti-asianviolenceresources.carrd.co
Bio: Hi! My name is Lauren Alvarez I’m a junior this year majoring in Communication with an emphasis in Public Relations and minoring in Environmental Studies. I’m from San Mateo, California. I enjoy reading books from Tiktok, going to Trader Joe’s and ominously staring out my window. Fun fact: I often tell people I’m 5’12 instead of 6’0 and 95% of people don’t notice.
photo credit// Malia Olson
I stroll into the pub on campus at 5:25. I wanted to be here early, but of course she’s sitting at our usual table working on some homework. Crap. Malia Olson has her reusable water bottle, recycled materials phone case, and half a dozen rings on her fingers. She is engulfed in her bio homework when I sit down. She’s not nervous, nor should she be. This doesn’t feel much different than our thrice a week dinner at The Caf. The only difference is that Malia Olson is running for Regis Student Body President, and I’ve got the scoop.
I’m approaching this interview through the bias of a good friendship and my sincere belief she brings something brilliant to the table. The table we are chatting at, our conversation is slightly dulled by the roar of the dinner crowd.
“So, Malia, would you rather have teeth for toes or toes for teeth?” She laughs—I’m hilarious.
“Teeth for toes.”
Ah. A woman of culture. Though the interview is supposed to be formal, we ebb and flow through the conversation, mixing in her glimpses of her personality while discussing some ideas Malia has for the future of Regis.
Ms. Olson has a background at Regis as a Violence Prevention Educator. This work not only prevents stalking, intimate partner violence, and sexual assault on campus but also trains athletes as well as classes and facilitates programs like V-Day and Denim Day. When asked how her work as a VPE affects the way she hopes to lead Malia responds, “Since I am a survivor of sexual assault, that really motivates me to make campus feel like a safe space for students. I know it’s not always easy being a student here and that shitty things can happen.” She continues, sharing some questions that are not only incredibly important to her campaign but to her values as a Regis student, “How do we create space for students who’ve had rough experiences to feel safe and feel heard, and give opportunities to tell their stories?”
When asked about reinstating the soft-serve machine from our freshman year—if you weren’t here before The Caf remodel, I’m sorry—Olson laughs, “I could certainly try. [I’m] not sure if RUSGA necessarily has a lot of control over what Bon-Appetit decides to do.” Although this is not the answer I was hoping for, it does lead into a bigger conversation about Regis as a school.
Malia is candid in her admiration for Regis. Of course, we all know the appeal of a smaller school, its prime location between downtown and the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, but Malia emphasizes that it’s a Catholic school. While this is slightly unexpected—both of us are non-practicing—she explains that the Jesuits add that, “Social justice focuses on all of these classes.” She goes on to say, “Even science classes ask how this matters and how it affects us?” Looking through the lens of intersectionality between science and social justice is something Malia is quite comfortable doing, as she is majoring in Bio with an emphasis in Molecular Biology & Genetics with a Psychology minor.
Malia is not afraid to criticize Regis too. Talking about the administration’s handling of the tech hack of Fall 2019 and their response to COVID-19 when it started last March, (can you believe it's been a year!?!) Malia uses the shortcoming of our school to emphasize how valuable what the students are saying is, “There are really powerful instances when students really made a change.” We, as students, were outspoken about our disapproval of their actions and they made changes because of our demands.
Beyond the confines of running for Student Body President, Malia is also a student during the time of COVID-19. These are difficult times. Meeting new people is hard enough, not even considering the restrictions we all must make to stop the spread of the virus. She talks about the idea of “missing out” on the college experience, “Regis sometimes lacks that sense of pride… pride in your school. RUSGA is a really good place to address those things because that's the [students’] money going towards programming… they can go to their Senators, they can go to their representatives and be like, ‘hey I want to do this thing where I hand out utensils’ or whatever.”
I then ask her the most intimidating question of all time: how would you describe yourself? Usually this question brings instant panic, but Malia doesn’t hesitate, “I’m very introverted and I’m a helper.” This intrigued me, as you often don’t see introverts holding a lot of power. I pick her brain and I’m pleasantly surprised when she says, “Any sort of government is built and structured so that it benefits extroverted people. So, when you have somebody holding a leadership position that is an introvert, that is so important because…[you] notice when other introverts are not in the conversation or their voices aren’t being heard.”
As we are wrapping up, I realized that I forgot to ask her some basic questions. So, for the audience: her favorite color is a teal blue, her favorite movie is The Princess Diaries, and her Spotify top artists are Queen, Yolk Lore, and Alexander23. She’s from Crested Butte, Colorado, a lovely little ski town. She has an incredible tea collection and loves matcha. She’s about 5’2, her hair is insanely healthy (genetics). And most importantly she is incredibly genuine and someone I get excited to see every time she walks into the Student Center.
When the interview is over, I press the stop button on the recording app on my phone. We both sigh a breath of relief and I ask her, “You wanna go get some dinner?”
She giggles, “Yeah, I’m starving.”
**RUSGA has pushed all elections to the fall
This will include spoilers for the full series, and additional Marvel movies.
The WandaVision series finale has left us with more questions than answers, fan theories were disproved, we saw the fall of the hex and lost what many fans believed to be a set up for the young avengers.
Read MoreFor the College Classics
McCoy’s Diner - McCoy’s Diner quickly became a staple of my collegiate experience upon my arrival to Regis University. This diner is on Federal just a block away from the school, which made it easy to walk there with my friends at night. It’s a classic diner menu, but their cinnamon rolls are uniquely gigantic. Though McCoy’s is no longer open 24 hours, they are offering limited indoor dining for those who want to give it a try.
Brooklyn’s Finest Pizza - Brooklyn’s Finest Pizza is just across the street from Regis University and makes for an easy lunch, dinner, or late-night snack. Regis University students can also receive a discount with their student ID. In my opinion, it beats out a few of the pizza chains, but I guess you’ll have to taste it to find out for yourself. Dine in, pick-up, and delivery options are available.
Las Tortugas - According to my friends, you cannot go wrong at Las Tortugas. They serve a wide variety of sandwiches and each one sounds amazing. They also have horchata and aguas frescas available. It’s a bit longer of a drive for Regis students compared to the other restaurants listed but they have delivery options as well as pick-up.
For Something a Little Classier
Sushi Hai - One of my friends’ favorite dinner spots is Sushi Hai, which is located on 32nd and Lowell. This restaurant offers both variety and affordability, making it perfect for a college student. My friends recommend the rocket roll, which has tuna, spicy mayo, cucumber, avocado, tempura flakes, eel sauce, and sriracha. Sushi Hai currently offers pick-up via online ordering.
The Noshery - The Noshery’s convenient location at the corner of Lowell and Regis Boulevard makes it an easy spot for Regis students to grab a morning latte or a fresh slice of banana bread. I especially like their lemon poppyseed bread and chai tea latte. The magic of this little cafe continues on their back wall, which displays products from local artists and business. The “Nosh” is currently open for indoor and outdoor dining, pick-up, and to-go options.
Atomic Cowboy (Denver Biscuit Company and Fat Sully’s) - Atomic Cowboy has already gained the attention of national television networks, and of course, the local college population. For an inexpensive, extra-large, and extra delicious slice of Fat Sully’s pizza, stop at the window near the storefront. For savory and sweet dishes on biscuits, enter Denver Biscuit Company. My personal favorite is the Dahlia sandwich. Dine in, delivery, and pick-up options are available.
For the Sweet Tooth
Little Man Ice Cream - Little Man Ice Cream has become an iconic Denver landmark, making the parking difficult but the ice cream worth the wait. I’m grateful for their dairy free options, but I may be even more grateful for their milkshakes. Little Man Ice Cream is surrounded by other great restaurants and overlooks LoDo, which makes this place even more fun.
Sweet Cow - Once you’ve had dinner at Sushi Hai, walk across the street to pick up some ice cream from Sweet Cow. They have flavors that you won’t see elsewhere, and those flavors change regularly, so you might just have to go more than once. Sweet Cow also has a wide range of dairy free options, making it even better. I’d recommend a flavor, but you can’t go wrong. Pick-up and delivery options are available.
The Bardo Coffee House - This coffee house is a perfect late-night study spot for anyone who needs to break out of their dorm or apartment. I tend to ask for the baristas to “surprise me” and I haven’t been disappointed yet, although I have yet to figure out what “secret ingredients” they claim to include. The Bardo Coffee House is currently open for indoor and outdoor dining, pick-up, to-go, and delivery options.
For the Legal Drinkers (+21)
Goldspot Brewing Company - Goldspot Brewing Company is located inside a little brick building near 50th and Lowell. I know this brewery to be a student and professor favorite, and while I’ve never tried it for myself, I’ve passed it enough to catch a glimpse of their fun, Colorado-proud atmosphere. Goldspot is now open at limited capacity for those who want to taste what is on tap.
Rocky Top Tavern - This is another student favorite given that it is close to the Regis University campus. Rocky Top Tavern is highly regarded by Regis Rangers because of their drinks and their deals, but don’t forget about their food—especially their tater tots. Rocky Top currently offers indoor and outdoor dining options.
Book Bar - As an English major and a book lover, the Book Bar holds a special place in my heart. I used to study there after ordering a mug of hot chocolate and one of their book-themed snacks. While the independent bookstore and wine bar combo is now restricted to curbside pick-up, I still recommend stopping by next time you find yourself on Tennyson Street.