The Shadow of Sport: Human Rights Abuses and the Olympics

By: Maeve Hushman, Staff Writer

The Winter Olympics are being hosted in Beijing, China. As a huge hockey fan, I could not be more excited for the Winter Olympics. Not only is my favorite sport being played around the clock by both men and women, but it is also the one time I take the time to watch sports like snowboarding, skiing, bobsled, and my all time favorite only-during-the-Winter-Olympics watch, figure skating. Ever since I was little, the Olympics have been a special occasion. However, there is a dark shadow cast over these Olympic games, that is the shadow of the horrific human rights abuses happening to the Uyghurs at the hands of the Chinese government. 

The Uyghurs are an ethnic and religious minority who live in northwest China in the province of Xinjiang. Uyghurs are mostly Muslims, who speak their own language and have their own distinct culture. 12 million of them live in an area known as the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) without incident until the recent incursion of the Chinese government. They increased surveillance, put limits on religious services and other such totalitarian measures. These have been direct efforts to limit and suppress Uyghur culture and religion. The Chinese government has been taking Uyghurs to “re-education” camps and reportedly sterilizing Uyghur women. China claims this is a crack down to prevent “religious extremism” but what they are actually doing is committing what many consider to be a genocide. 

The Olympics casts a large spotlight onto any host country and China is no different. Many countries, like the USA and Canada, have opted for diplomatic boycotts, refusing to send any government officials to the games. However, they are still sending athletes and because of that, it also means huge media companies and corporate sponsors. All of them are pouring money into these events which rest on the bodies of the Uyghur people. In the opening ceremony, China showed a skit of what was supposed to depict all of their ethnic groups getting along, which is a textbook example of propaganda. They also had a Uyghur athlete light the torch. This athlete has since been hidden from the media. This Olympics is about selling China to the world in a positive light and part of that means pushing aside the egregious human rights abuses. 

So how do we reckon with our love of sport and of the Olympics with the reality behind them? It is difficult. Even if you decide to boycott the Olympics by not watching or reading coverage, you are still bombarded by ads talking about the Olympic dream and seeing companies still endorsing athletes and the games. You could boycott the corporate sponsors, but how do you boycott certain companies when they aren’t products you even buy to begin with? It is extremely difficult to take action against, which is why the reckoning process shouldn’t be one size fits all. If you think that boycotting the games by not watching them is the best option, then don’t watch. If you think that boycotting the sponsors is the best move, boycott the sponsors. I agreed to cover the Olympics for both the Highlander and my internship, but I try my best as I watch the sports I have to (aka hockey) and  remember what the backdrop of this event is. The Olympics shouldn’t be happening in Beijing and that the Uyghurs shouldn’t be having to suffer under massive injustice.  

So will I still watch and write about the Olympics? Yes , but I will also carefully examine the narratives being pushed and be aware of how my covering the Olympics could fuel the fire already present in the international quagmire right now. It is important to reckon with how politics and issues of justice impact sports and vice versa. China violating all sorts of international human rights makes it difficult to watch the biggest athletic event of the year. So, watch the Olympics if you want to but do not let the truth about what is happening to the Uyghur community be forgotten or covered up. Call out injustice when you see it.

Boba Spotlight: Colorado Tea Station

By: Sandra Vo, Staff Writer

Nestled just on the border of Denver’s bustling downtown district, Colorado Tea Station is the first pick for our Boba Spotlight and for obvious reasons. More than just a boba shop, Colorado Tea Station serves everything from takoyaki (Japanese octopus), instant ramen, and bingsu (Korean shaved ice) to mochi donuts and cake slices. Their menu truly lives to serve any type of craving you might have.

Overwhelmed by the sheer variety? Don’t worry! Their staff is always incredibly friendly and helpful, and service is quick even during rush hours. While waiting for your drinks and food, you can admire the Instagram-worthy interior and the zither they have on display in the drinking area. Their Korean music playlist is nothing to sneeze at either. 

Of course, this doesn’t mean that their boba is anything to sleep on. Having been there a couple times now, my experience has been consistently wonderful. The boba is chewy and soft, and you really can’t go wrong with any drink that you decide to pair it with. Colorado Tea Station also offers a variety of different toppings if you’re not particularly fond of the classic tapioca boba. They have a wide selection of jellies to add to your drink including lychee, mocha, and crystal jelly, and anybody feeling more adventurous can try out their taro and sweet potato balls. 

For their drinks, they offer the classic milk teas and fruit teas, but also some non-caffeinated choices for anybody who likes their boba late at night. As a person who prefers non-caffeinated drinks, I’ve gotten their strawberry milk slush and peach yogurt drinks, both topped with boba and incredibly tasty. Not a fan of cold drinks? They also offer a wide selection of hot traditional Chinese brewed teas such as jasmine and rose oolong. 

Their desserts are equally tasty and appetizing. My friends have boasted of their chocolate cakes and mochi donuts. Having tried their mango snow ice myself, I can’t say I’m surprised. Colorado Tea Station strives to only put out the best of the best, and they deliver on that promise. 

For our overall Boba Spotlight rating, this place deserves a 10/10. 

Photo Credit: Sandra Vo, Strawberry Milk Slush with Pudding and Boba

Photo Credit: Sandra Vo, Peach Yogurt Drink with Boba

Active Minds: An Innovative Mental Health Solution for College Campuses

By: Madelynn Loring, Staff Writer

As we approach the two year anniversary of the first national COVID-19 lock down, it is critical to acknowledge the effect the ongoing pandemic has had on our health, both physically and mentally. While we may know the worst we will face with the physical aspect of the virus, the impact of long stretches and anxieties on our mental health is not yet fully known, though we are certainly feeling the effect. According to the US Census Bureau, reports of depression and anxiety symptoms have increased by over 300% since pre-pandemic times and mental health care units, much like the rest of the healthcare industry, are becoming overwhelmed Even the counseling office of Regis’s OCPD is experiencing an influx of students seeking therapy, resulting in weeks-long wait lists to see a practitioner. 

To address this on campus, a new but familiar group has formed called Active Minds. Active Minds is a national nonprofit dedicated to providing mental health resources and education to students on college campuses. Regis has had an Active Minds chapter in the past, but it was dissolved in 2019. But, in the face of great community need, it has been revived to provide further support to Rangers. When asked about what inspired him to restart Active Minds, president Cooper Pahl answered, “Honestly, because I think it is needed. [The] main goal is to decrease mental health stigma and create a place where self-worth and healing is prioritized, and not just in classrooms but all across campus.” Active Minds provides training for stepping into mental health crises as well as local and national mental health resources. 

Currently, Active Minds is working alongside VAVP, the OCPD, RAs, and other community groups to put on events such as panels on eating disorders and other mental health conditions, self care goody bags, and Lofi Bob Ross event including an evening of de-stressing activities like art. To find more information about these events, visit Active Minds @activeminds_regis on Instagram. Furthermore, if you are interested in getting involved in the work of Active Minds, please reach out to Cooper Pahl at cpahl@regis.edu.

If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis, please contact Colorado Crisis Services at 844-493-8255.

Himalayan Spice Review

By: Madelynn Loring, Staff Writer

The fact that I ended up in Himalayan Spice Indian Cuisine was a total accident. My sister had just helped me move in for the spring, so we headed down Tennyson Street for brunch at the Denver Biscuit Company. It's a delicious restaurant, but given its promotion on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, everyone knows that. Thus, we chose to dodge the hour-long wait and give the little restaurant two doors over a shot. And I am glad we did. While Denver Biscuit Company may be popular, Himalayan Spice is a hidden gem.

The environment is warm and welcoming, with attentive wait staff and quick service. And the food? I will not go into a discussion about Regis’s cafeteria (that is a dissertation for another time), but I am often left feeling the need for authentically good, well-rounded cooking, and I know that I am not alone in that. The good news is that the solution is just a five-minute drive down Tennyson Street. The menu is packed with different traditional Indian dishes, all bursting with warmth and flavor. The restaurant also boasts a large vegetarian/vegan menu with gluten free options, so it is the perfect destination for groups with a variety of dietary needs. Additionally, they have spice levels indicated on the menu so you don’t find yourself with an under-spiced or inedibly spicy dish given your tastes. They operate on a 1 to 5 spice level: 1 being mild, 2 being medium, 3 being medium-hot, 4 being hot, and 5 being Indian hot. I, as a slightly-but-not-terribly pathetic white person, prefer medium hot for my curry, whereas Vietnamese Staff Writer Sandra Vo prefers hot. 

Regardless of where you’re at, there is a delicious, well-priced option for you at Himalayan Spice. You can choose from a variety of proteins, from lamb to chicken to seafood, to be prepared in many ways, from curry to dahl and sagg to masala. Regardless of what you prefer, there are also a plethora of delicious flavors of naan, a traditional Indian flat bread, to choose from, and you will receive bottomless basmati rice with your meal. The one thing to keep in mind during your visit is that you will spend just as long waiting for the check as you will enjoying your meal. Chances are you could reduce this wait time by flagging down the waiter if you so choose, or (if you are non-confrontational like myself) the time can be well spent digesting your meal over conversations with friends and family. If you are looking to try something new or simply spice up your college diet, Himalayan Spice is the place to go.

Photo by: Sandra Vo, Butter Naan

Photo by: Sandra Vo, Chicken Curry

My Emotional Support Animal Journey

By: Anonymous Writer

There is a song in musical Waitress which starts, “today’s a day like any other, but I am changed, I am a mother…in an instant”; it may seem hokey but that is exactly how I felt on the day that I found Roxy. She was just a little kitten, skinny and scruffy, shivering in an unusually chilly summer Idaho night and purring against my chest. My brother had spotted her as she nearly got hit by a minivan in our small town’s Stinker Station parking lot. I told him to get out, to go to the little nook between the gas station’s brick drive up area and a fence to grab her. We wanted to see if she had a collar and thought that if she did, someone would appreciate us not letting their kitten get hit by a car. He got out of my Dad’s towering charcoal gray truck and ran over to where she was. Roxy, then nameless, bolted under the truck. I got out to help and pulled her out from underneath where she was trying to climb inside the mechanical pieces. She immediately started purring when I held her little body tight to my chest.  

We didn’t plan on keeping Roxy. It was late so my family agreed to keep her for the night before taking her to the shelter the next morning (there is a great local no-kill shelter in town). I thought that would be all, but Roxy had other plans. That night, after playing with my brother and I, she cuddled up to me, purring constantly as she rubbed against my face and hands, so grateful to be in my arms. She ended up falling asleep on my shoulder. That night, I looked over at her tiny sleeping frame and realized that I was responsible for her, that until the day one of us died I would always take care of her. 

That whole summer I had saved up my tip money for a tattoo but my favorite artist was all booked out, so I used the money I had saved to cover Roxy’s food, travel, litter box, and vet bills. She came home with me and quickly she became an essential part of my life. She got me out of bed every morning, sat on the counter while I made and drank my coffee, napped with me, followed me around like a shadow and greeted me when I got home with a bright meow. That relationship prompted my psychiatrist to suggest me having Roxy certified as an emotional support animal. 

Emotional support animals are animals that provide support and comfort to individuals with psychiatric conditions. They are protected under the Fair Housing and Americans with Disabilities Act, meaning that you cannot be denied housing because of your ESA. Unlike service animals, emotional support animals do not go through any intensive training and can be any kind of animal. Since they do not undergo any special training, many people are skeptical of emotional support animals and their impacts. However, to become certified as an emotional support animal, the animal must belong to someone who has a disability and that animal must alleviate the symptoms of that disability. Roxy, despite having no training, can tell when I’m anxious or going through a depressive bout and will often lay on my chest or in my lap during those times. One day she was being especially clingy and I didn’t understand why, but later that night I had a massive anxiety attack. She is intuitive and seems to know when I need her most. 

I did not bring her with me originally since my roommate in the fall semester was deathly allergic to cats. So I decided to try and last the year without her. Fall semester was when I had one of my worst depressive episodes in recent memory, so I called my psychiatrist and worked on the process of moving out and getting Roxy to move in with me on campus. I met with Student Disability Services, and that day they said that once Roxy’s letter was processed she would be approved. I was so grateful for how quickly the process went and how understanding they were of my circumstances. Housing was tricker, but the housing department figured out a way to move me into a new living arrangement where I wouldn’t have to live with any roommate. I submitted my ESA form to housing and was able to move in before the start of spring semester. 

It has been a somewhat unconventional journey and it took a bit of work, but Roxy is worth every dollar I’ve spent on fancy wet food and every moment of effort poured into getting her certified. She is the light of my life and I am so lucky we found her that cold summer night.