Renegade Rip, issue 2, Feb. 14, 2024

The Renegade Rip 

Vol. 101∙ No. 2 Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 

Bakersfield College 

Annual Umoja club 

conference 

News, Page 2 

Men’s Basketball 

claps back 

Sports, Page 4 

Opinion, Page 7 

Humanities needs a 

facelift “Noises Off” full of 

fabulous chaos 

Opinion, Page 7 

JONATHAN WHEELOCK/THE RIP 

BC students attending the Panorama Invitational art 

show at the Jones Art Gallery on Feb. 8. 

JULIAN CARO/THE RIP 

Northern Face of Bakersfield College’s Grace Van Dyke Bird 

Library, which experienced a sudden closure on Feb. 1. 

ANDREA DE LEON/THE RIP 

Financial team that helped with Financial Fest on Feb. 7. 

The Renegade Rip @bc_rip Follow us online at www.therip.com

Page 2 

News 

The Renegade Rip www.therip.com 

Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024 

BC hosts 6th Annual 

Black History Conference 

By Mia Washington 

Reporter 

On Feb. 2, students and faculty of 

the Umoja community came together 

in the Performing Arts Center to support 

students coming from various high 

schools for the Black History Month 

conference. 

This event was Umoja’s first of the 

semester, but for coordinator Sha’ron 

Bradley, this was the last event she 

would direct. “We only find people that 

are engaging to the audience and someone 

who is not afraid to share and teach 

our culture” Bradley said, explaining 

why she wants her last event to really 

count. 

Faculty welcomed students at booths 

with information about the Umoja club 

and several other resources for incoming 

students and future Renegades. 

Educational advisor Chase Amos, who 

was positioned at the welcome booths 

stated, “We want our students to thrive 

and succeed.” 

Umoja’s club president and vice president 

opened the event by teaching 

new students the meaning of the word 

Umoja, unity. They also shed some 

light on their values: love, intention and 

direction and manifestation. 

Dr. Paula Parks started off by remembering 

and acknowledging the 

ancestors before presenting Interim 

President Steven Watkin. Watkin introduced 

speaker Brian E. Sibley to discuss 

wealth from an internal perspective, as 

well as teaching students the importance 

of unity. “You either conform or 

stand out. I grew up not having much 

and being in a position like that forces 

you to have one of two mindsets: 

a growth or a fixed mindset. I chose 

growth,” stated Sibley. 

Nigerian drummers and dancers were 

also present, and they performed for 

the audience. They thanked everyone 

for allowing them to share their music 

to celebrate Black History Month. By 

the end of the performance, the drummers 

invited over 20 students to join the 

stage to dance and play with them. 

A panel that included four speakers 

discussed the ethics of business management. 

Lwanga Yonké, an Umoja 

member from Cameroon, said, “I enjoyed 

this as an African, I loved watching 

the students embrace their African 

heritage and dance.” 

After the event, Dr. Parks left the audience 

with these words, “These are a 

great group of students to work with 

and guide, it’s all just joy and satisfaction.” 

She commended everyone that 

was committed to this event, mirroring 

love, which is one of the first valued archetypes 

of Umoja. 

BC Library’s sudden closure 

By Julian Caro 

Editor-in-Chief 

On Feb. 1, an email was sent to all 

Bakersfield College students. It was announcing 

the indefinite closure of the 

Grace Van Dyke Bird Library, without 

any reasoning provided. 

The email stated, “The BC Library 

will be closed until further notice,” and 

additionally it prompted any students 

with a class located inside of the library 

to contact their faculty for their temporary 

relocation. 

Several papers were taped onto the 

locked library doors, repeating the information 

found in the email. However, 

there was still no update given as 

to when the library would re-open its 

doors and why the library was closed in 

the first place. 

Consequently, the Wylie and May 

Louise Jones Art Gallery reception, 

which was scheduled to happen later 

that day, was rescheduled to Feb. 8. 

Library Chair Faith Bradham stated 

over email that, “the closure seems to 

be related to the rain,” and pointed out 

that “the library is still in the process of 

getting a new roof.” This was due to several 

leaks nearly damaging books earlier 

in the winter. She also noted that the 

rain from the night before had leaked 

into the library’s wiring, which had set 

off the emergency alarms. 

“The fire alarms were blinking in every 

floor,” exclaimed Renegade Hub 

worker Naomi Bautista, who further 

added that eventually, “the alarm did go 

off and then back on.” Due to the closure, 

Naomi was unable to work the rest 

of the day and the day that followed. 

In an email obtained by the Renegade 

Rip from BC’s Marketing and Communications 

Director Monika Roberts 

to Kern High School District (KHSD) 

faculty announcing the rescheduling of 

the art gallery’s reception, the library’s 

closure was said to have been a product 

of “the storm last night.” This email to 

KHSD employees came not even five 

hours after the original email stating the 

library’s closure to BC students, which 

claimed and failed to “send an update 

when we have more information.” 

Students following the ‘bc_library’ 

account on Instagram were given an 

update on Feb. 2 about its re-opening 

occurring the following day. The library 

is now open to the BC community once 

again.

Page 3 

News 



H.S. student art show at BC 

By Mario Saldana 

Reporter 

The Bakersfield College Jones Art 

Gallery held a reception night for art 

students from Bakersfield high schools. 

Students ranging from all grade levels 

came out to BC to display their art 

at the Panorama Invitational 2024, 

which was held at the Wylie and May 

Jones Art Gallery. 

Three different pieces from each 

school were showcased at the event, 

which included drawings, paintings, 

sculptures, and woodwork. 

Anette Santiago, a senior at Independence 

High School, felt that having her 

art displayed at an actual exhibit called 

‘Expression’ was “an ego booster.” 

She jokingly explains how her artwork 

appreciation was overdue, due 

to all the effort and hard work she had 

put into it. Once finished, she found 

enough time to enter her work for the 

invitational and was chosen. She said, 

“it’s a huge accomplishment, not only 

for me but my family.” Santiago also 

says her biggest inspiration in becoming 

an artist was her mother, who was 

there to over-see her artwork. 

Independence High student, Bella 

Velasquez’s artwork titled “Oculus” 

was featured at the event. It displayed 

a vibrantly colored self portrait 

of the artist with her 

eyeball in the palm of her 

hand. 

She felt honored to be 

part of the exhibit, especially 

since she has family who 

not only supports her but 

shares the same interests as 

her. “I felt happy when I saw 

my drawing, I started drawing 

when I was little, and I 

have family members who 

also are into art,” Velasquez 

stated. 

Jeffery Huston, a member 

of the art department, 

believes that the invitational 

has always been a great way to see students 

bond with each other over their 

artwork alongside friends, classmates, 

family members and peers. 

Huston ended with, “The exhibit is 

a fun opportunity for students to meet 

and talk to each other, parents coming 

to see their child’s work and they’re 

from multiple high schools which adds 

more fun to the environment.” 

JONATHAN WHEELOCK 

Anette Santiago with her piece 

“Expression” 

Bakersfield’s STD Problem 

By Kaley Soren 

Reporter 

Love is in the air, but sexually transmitted 

diseases may be in the sheets, 

according to a new study. 

Bakersfield is ranked #41 on the top 

100 cities with the highest rate of sexually 

transmitted diseases (STDs) in a 

study conducted by Innerbody, a national 

research-based group. 

According to Eric Rodriguez, CEO 

and co-founder of Innerbody, this is 

the seventh time the study has been 

conducted, and the numbers in Bakersfield 

only seem to be increasing. 

“What’s interesting is that Bakersfield 

dropped six spots in our rankings 

last year, ending up at #41,” Rodriguez 

wrote via email. 

Per the latest study, Bakersfield had 

reported 182 cases of HIV, 5971 cases 

of chlamydia, 2231 cases of gonorrhea 

and 284 cases of syphilis. Overall, the 

study found there were 953 cases of 

STDs per every 100,000 residents in 

Bakersfield. 

Last year, Rodriguez said Bakersfield’s 

numbers of STD cases were 

lower, with the exception of syphilis. 

“We dug deeper and found that 

overall, reported cases went up for 

everything except syphilis,” wrote Rodriguez. 

“It seems like Bakersfield’s 

numbers are on the rise, but maybe 

not as fast as in other places, which is 

why they’re a bit lower on our ranking 

this time around.” 

Last year, the study recorded that 

Bakersfield had 182 HIV cases, 348 

syphilis cases, 1986 gonorrhea cases 

and 5971 Chlamydia cases. The study 

had found that there were 858 cases 

per 100,000 Bakersfield residents. 

The data for the study is found 

through data from the Center for Disease 

Control (CDC) Rodriguez said. 

However, the study’s website states that 

only primary and secondary syphilis 

cases are reported. HIV cases are also 

not always reported. 

Statistics for other common STDs, 

such as herpes, were left out of the 

study due to the CDC not recording 

any data on them. 

While the numbers seem intimidating, 

there are ways to stay safe during 

the season of love. For school resources 

on how to protect yourself and your 

partner, visit Bakersfield College’s student 

health resources site. 

To view Innerbody’s latest STD 

study, visit their website.

Page 4 

BC Men’s Hoops 

Win OT Thriller 

By Gesus Garcia 

Sports Editor 

Bakersfield College men’s 

basketball team defeated 

College of the Canyons 69- 

65 in overtime on Feb. 7. 

With the win, the Renegades 

got back to .500 (11-11). The 

result snapped a six-game 

losing streak by the Renegades, 

as their last win had 

come on Jan. 13, ironically 

enough against Canyons. 

It was a defensive affair 

between both teams, as they 

combined for 22 steals and 

five blocks. Both teams shot 

under 40% for the entire 

game. Canyons remained 

within striking distance 

thanks to 29 free throw attempts 

compared to BC’s 18. 

The cold shooting night 

from both squads began instantly, 

as the score was only 

8-6 in BC’s favor after the 

first seven minutes. BC used 

a 10-0 run late in the half to 

jump to a 27-17 lead after 

both teams kept struggling 

offensively. 

The Renegades limited the 

Cougars to 30% from the 

field in the first 20 minutes 

as they built a 35-26 lead at 

halftime. In the 2nd half, neither 

team could pull away, 

and the game remained 

closed throughout. 

Sportss 


The last few seconds of 

regulation delivered some 

drama, as guard Kemonte 

Jackson hit what seemed to 

be the game winning shot 

with one second left. However, 

a questionable foul call 

was made on the ensuing 

inbounds play by Canyons. 

Cougars guard Jeremiah 

Walker made both free throw 

attempts to send the game 

into overtime tied at 57. 

In overtime, both teams 

kept exchanging points until 

BC pulled away for good 

when guard Andrew Hill 

scored to give the home team 

a four-point lead with 90 seconds 

left. 

Jackson led all BC scorers 

with 15 points to go along 

with seven rebounds. Guard 

Malik Petty scored 14 and 

added six rebounds to his 

tally. 

In the losing effort, Canyons 

forward Mason Savery 

had 24 points and six 

rebounds. The Cougars 

dropped to 8-15 on the season. 

The Renegades head down 

the home stretch of the season. 

With only five games left 

in the regular season, there is 

little margin for error before 

postseason play. Their next 

home game is Glendale on 

Feb. 14. 

GESUS GARCIA/ 

THE RIP 

BC Guard Elijah 

Williams (#3) 

attempts a midrange 

shot vs. 

Canyons. 


Super Bowl 

Sports Buzz 

By Gesus Garcia 

Sports Editor 

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated 

the San Francisco 49ers 

by a score of 25-22 (F/OT) to 

win Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 

11. It is their third Super Bowl 

victory in the last four years, 

and their fourth in franchise 

history. 

The game started with limited 

action, as it became the 

10th Super Bowl in history 

with a scoreless first quarter. 

After the 49ers kicked a field 

goal, the first touchdown was 

finally scored with 4:32 remaining 

in the second quarter. 

On a trick play, 49ers WR Jauan 

Jennings threw a pass that 

RB Christian McCaffrey took 

into the end zone for a 10-0 

lead. 

Following Usher’s halftime 

show, the 49ers went into the 

third quarter with a 10-3 lead. 

In any game, much less the 

Super Bowl, one mistake can 

prove to be costly. The 49ers 

learned that the hard way, as 

a muffed punt near the end of 

the quarter allowed the Chiefs 

to score instantly and take 

a 13-10 lead into the fourth 

quarter. 

In the ensuing possession, 

QB Brock Purdy and Co. had 

what was arguably their most 

productive drive of the game. 

With 11:27 left in the game, 

Purdy threw a touchdown 

pass to Jennings. It seemed 

like Jennings was destined to 

be the unsung hero that no 

one saw coming. However, a 

missed extra point kept this a 

three point game at 16-13 San 

Francisco. After both teams 

exchanged field goals, the 

Gesus Garcia 

49ers led 19-16 with less 

than two minutes to go. As 

all football fans know, that 

is too much time for Mahomes. 

He proved that to 

be true, as he almost led 

a game winning drive before 

settling for overtime 

with the score tied at 19. 

The 49ers had a promising 

drive that almost 

resulted in a touchdown, 

but the offense stalled in 

the red zone. After getting 

the ball back down 

22-19, Mahomes led a 

championship winning 

drive that culminated in 

a touchdown by WR Mecole 

Hardman. 

With the win, Mahomes 

was named Super 

Bowl MVP. He’s entered 

the NFL G.O.A.T discussions 

alongside legends 

like Tom Brady and Joe 

Montana. 

Consequently, this was 

a heartbreaking loss for 

the 49ers. Their Super 

Bowl drought will have 

reached three decades by 

next season. The quest for 

six titles will have to wait 

another year.

Page 5 

Campus 



Financial Fest 

was a success 

Performing 

arts preview 

By Andrea De Leon 

Reporter 

Bakersfield College had its Financial Aid Fest on 

Wednesday, Feb. 7, where many booths had games, prizes, 

and more importantly, information on what resources 

they supply. Many students came to enjoy everything 

that was provided. 

These booths varied from campus resources to citywide 

services. Students were made unaware of the resources 

that were provided. 

While speaking to David Moncayo, the event coordinator, 

he said the main reason he planned this event was 

for the community. His goal was for students to know 

how many resources were out there for them. Although 

the event was usually held on the CCS lawn, he was happy 

with the turnout. He knows how hard it has been for 

students to socialize after COVID. 

A TRIO program advisor expressed how beneficial 

these events are because they helped bring attention to 

programs like theirs that might not be known to students. 

This event was beneficial to both students and programs. 

Students can understand how much help there is for 

them. 

Student Achrista Jones wanted to know what events 

were going on at school when she received a text reminding 

her of the event. She showed up with some friends 

and enjoyed everything they had to offer. Jones is just one 

student of many who enjoyed the Financial Fest. 

“This event was super helpful and had great resources” 

Melody Flores, another BC student said. Flores also got 

a text and decided to come check it out. While Flores 

and other students might not need all the resources the 

city provided, she still found it helpful to know what programs 

are out there when she might need it. She also 

got all her financial questions answered, which she found 

useful. 

Laura Cruz, a financial aid advisor, was helpful with 

any questions students had. Cruz said that the main goal 

was to “help students fill out their financial aid form and 

any questions they might have regarding it.” Cruz went 

on to say how these events have an impact on students 

who attend. 

The Financial Fest event allowed many BC students 

the opportunity to have their questions answered and to 

learn more about all the resources they have available 

whether through the school or city. 

By Joscelyn Martinez 

Reporter 

The Bakersfield College Performing Arts program 

will be having multiple shows throughout the semester 

for students and faculty to enjoy. 

This year they will be starting off the semester with 

a Valentine’s Day class performance. The show date 

is Feb. 13 at 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. The show will be 

free admission and will be in PAC 107, the Blackbox 

theatre. 

“The Production covers a diverse range of different 

types of loves, and shows the sweet and bittersweet side 

of it,” said Professor Kimberly Chin. “We’ll also have 

candy for our audience members.” 

Shortly after the Valentine’s Day production, this 

will be followed by the Spring Play Festival, held from 

February 28 to March 20. Directed by multiple students, 

there will be a variety of contemporary plays to 

watch. The performances will be held at Simonsen Indoor 

Theatre, with times and prices to be determined. 

“The Lilies of The Field” will be the third round of 

performances this semester. 

“We have a student director and adjunct faculty 

member portraying one of the key roles. The play was 

also a movie starring actor Sidney Poitier of which he 

won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the role,” 

said Chin. 

Directed by theatre major Logan Scott and Professor 

Kimberly Chin, the play will offer heartwarming and 

thought-provoking scenes and dialogue that will leave 

viewers intrigued. 

Showtimes will be March 21-23, starting at 7:30 p.m. 

and will be accommodated by a 2 p.m. matinee on the 

23rd. Performances will be held at PAC 107, with ticket 

prices being $8 and general admission $5. 

“Metamorphoses,” directed by Professor Cody 

Ganger, is a play about the difficulties that come with 

accepting change. In a comedic yet tragic turn of 

events, the playwright Martha Zimmerman shows the 

audience how change is hard to accept but is also possible 

to overcome. 

Showtimes are April 24-28, starting at 7:30 p.m. and 

performances will be held at the Simonsen Outdoor 

Theatre. Prices have yet to be determined and will be 

updated soon.

Page 6 

Opinion 



“Godzilla Minus One” is a smashing 

good time 

By Ace Warren 

Reporter 

Godzilla is a household name in the 

media now. Almost everyone knows 

Godzilla as one of the scariest monsters 

in history known for destroying 

buildings and leveling entire cities with 

his atomic breath, but what if Godzilla 

became something even scarier than 

a monster? A metaphor for survivors’ 

guilt. This idea is creatively explored 

in the newest entry to the kaijuverse, 

“Godzilla Minus One”. 

Godzilla Minus One is the newest 

Godzilla film coming from director 

Takashi Yamazaki, originally released 

around the beginning of December in 

US theaters. The movie is currently replaying 

for a second round in black and 

white. The movie stars actors Ryunosuke 

Kamiki and Hidetaka Yoshioka as 

the lead roles. 

During the peak of WWII, we follow 

failed kamikaze pilot Koichi Shikishima 

as he faces the guilt of feeling like a failure 

to his country. The guilt is especially 

from an early encounter with Godzilla 

where he was too afraid to attack which 

led to the death of many soldiers. After 

running away from war, he comes back 

to his hometown which has been demolished 

in war and everyone around 

him shames him except for a woman 

GOOGLE IMAGES 

he meets known as Noriko, and a baby 

she has. To take care of his newfound 

family Koichi takes a government job 

on the ocean destroying old sea mines. 

Unfortunately for Koichi and his crew 

they have another problem in the water 

more dangerous than any mine. The 

physical representation of his guilt, 

Godzilla. 

This movie does something no other 

Godzilla movie has done before by 

focusing on the characters of the movie 

and their lives rather than Godzilla 

being the center of attention. Not to 

say that Godzilla doesn’t get his share 

of destroying war vessels and cities, because 

there is plenty of that in the movie, 

but their focus of the movie is Koichi 

coming to terms with the deep guilt he 

has for his fallen comrades and how he 

decides to face it by fighting Godzilla. 

The beautiful visuals that come out 

of the movie were enough to be nominated 

for an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. 

Though the movie has more to 

offer than its visuals, it offers a deep story 

about how one man comes to terms 

with his past trauma and decides to 

conquer it by fighting Godzilla in one 

fighter plane. 

First place nationally for two year college Websites at 

the Associated Collegiate Press 2020 midwinter conference. 

Fifth place newspapers. First place for newspaper 

in 2011, third place in 2013, 2014, 2015 for CNPA General 

Excellence 

Fourth place nationally in 2019 for website publication 

by Associated Collegiate Press 

The Renegade Rip is produced by Bakersfield College 

journalism classes and is circulated on Thursdays 

during the fall and spring semesters. The newspaper is 

published under the auspices of the Kern Community 

College District Board of Trustees, but sole responsibility 

for its content rests with student editors. The Rip is 

a member of the California Newspaper Publishers Association, 

Associated Collegiate Press, and California 

Colleges Media Association. 

The Renegade Rip 

EDITORIAL BOARD 

Editor-in-Chief...........................Julian Caro 

Digital Editor......Breana “Honey” Crowder 

News Editor..................... Mason Almaguer 

Sports Editor............................Gesus Garcia 

A & E Editor..........................Trevor Glenn 

Features Editor..............................Ari Montez 

STAFF 

Reporters/ Photographers:: 

Andrea De Leon 

Carmen Gallegos 

Natalie Macias 

Adviser.........................................Erin Auerbach 

STAFF CONTINUED 

Reporters/photographers: 

Josceyln Martinez 

Angela Medina 

Brandon Pearce 

JRR Lopez-Olmos 

Kenya Rice 

Mario Saldana 

Kaley Soren 

Evelyn Verdejo 

Jacqueline Villatoro 

Ace Warren 

Mia Washington 

Jonathan Wheelock 

Write The Rip 

Letters should not exceed 300 words, 

must be accompanied by a signature 

and the letter writer’s identity must be 

verified. 

The Rip reserves the right to edit 

letters, however, writers will be given 

the opportunity to revise lengthy or 

unacceptable submissions. 

If an organization submits a letter as a 

group, it must be signed by only one person, 

either the leader of the organization 

or the letter writer. Anonymous letters 

will not be published. 

How to reach us 

-Address: Bakersfield College, 

1801 Panorama Drive, Bakersfield, 

CA 93305 

-Phone: (661) 395-4324 

-Email: ripmail@bakersfieldcollege.edu 

-Website: therip.com

Page 7 

Opinion 



A Humanities 

revamp needed 

By Brandon Pearce 

Reporter 

The Humanities building is one of the worst buildings 

to take a class in on campus. Many of its classrooms 

are old and outdated, which gives the outdated building 

a depressing feel. The Humanities building desperately 

needs a refresh. 

The lazy attempts to fix some of the problems have 

made them look worse instead. The classrooms have 

holes in the walls, and even some of the ceilings are 

pushed up to fit the clock above the holes. Many of the 

classrooms seem as if the building hasn’t been changed 

since it was built. The overall feel of the building is sad, 

especially with the new modern classrooms BC offers at 

other buildings. 

The school has attempted to modernize them, yet 

walking inside them only shows the building aging. With 

some classes having new sets of technology, they only 

help contrast the building’s actual look. Although this is 

more of an enrollment issue, the classrooms feel weirdly 

sized and either too empty or cramped. 

What I believe the building needs is a revamped and 

unique look with its indoor and outdoor style. It needs 

to completely modernize every classroom with 21st century 

technology and looks. Altering the style to something 

like BC Southwest’s classrooms can benefit the 

building. The big windows on the outside help keep the 

classrooms from looking less depressing. 

The outdoor hallways can also benefit from more 

lighting. Walking through them feels as if you are crawling 

through a dark alleyway to get to a class, especially 

during late sessions. The Humanities building tends to 

get crowded, so BC should try expanding seating options 

in classrooms to go with study tables. The hallways 

and outdoors area could benefit from this greatly. 

The outdoor feature of the building is one of its standout 

features and is a nice breath of fresh air compared 

to the other buildings. However, it is the only good part 

about the building. 

Compared to the other buildings on campus, it is 

probably one of the worst to have a class in. It pales in 

comparison to others, such as the Science and Engineering 

building. While being a letdown with its classrooms, 

the Humanities building desperately needs a refresh, as 

it almost seems neglected by the school. 

TikTok vs UMG 

Music Notes 

By Trevor Glenn 

Arts & Entertainment Editor 

In an open letter posted to 

their website on Jan. 30, Universal 

Music Group (UMG) 

publicly shared their concerns 

against TikTok. UMG was 

expressing worrying concerns 

that the popular social media 

app was not protecting their 

musicians against threats such 

as AI, as well as TikTok not 

paying artists enough compensation. 

The letter stated, “Ultimately 

TikTok is trying to build a 

music-based business, without 

paying fair value for the music.” 

As UMG and TikTok’s 

contracts ended and the two 

companies could not come to 

a mutual agreement for their 

future, UMG removed all its 

artists from the platform. This 

caused most users’ videos to be 

muted. 

TikTok posted a response via 

X, saying UMG “put greed 

above the interest of their artist 

and songwriters.” They also 

add that UMG walked away 

from powerful support from an 

app that is home to hundreds 

of millions of users and free 

promotion. UMG is home to 

some of the world’s most popular 

and influential artists such 

as Taylor Swift, SZA, Drake, 

BTS, and Ariana Grande 

amongst many others. 

The issues between the two 

companies are already proving 

to be an issue for UMG artists. 

Singer-songwriter Conan 

Gray spoke with Rolling Stone 

during Spotify’s “Best New 

Artist” event. When asked 

about his thoughts, Gray gave 

a playful answer, “My career is 

over, for sure. I’m never going 

to have a hit song again at this 

Trevor Glenn 

rate.” 

Singer Yungblud expressed 

his thoughts via TikTok, as 

he stated “Two massive companies 

deciding what goes 

on with people’s art. It’s a bit 

f-ing daft, isn’t it?” He further 

explains that this serves as a 

reminder to him, and hopefully 

other artists, that their art 

should not be controlled by 

something as temporary as an 

app or social media platform, 

because art is forever. 

It is disheartening that so 

many hard-working artists are 

constantly being undermined 

by social media apps, including 

music streaming services. 

Streaming services hardly pay 

artists as is, so for another app 

to try to do the same (if not 

worse) is truly frustrating. The 

music industry has already had 

to adapt to TikTok’s power, 

from how they promote and 

debut new artists to Billboard 

charts. Now this has become 

another hurdle that is attacking 

artists.

Opinion 

Page 8 



Coffee Bean 

Hosts Galentine’s 

Day Event 

Renegade Events 

Campus Events 

Now - March 7: Panorama Invitational 

Jones Art Gallery Hours are Monday - Thursday, 

2 - 5 p.m. 

By Natalie Macias 

Reporter 

Bakersfield coffee shop, Coffee 

Bean held a Valentine’s Day event 

for the ladies in the community. 

The event took place on Feb. 2, at 

5:30 pm, and was located at 4615 

Buena Vista Road. 

There were a variety of drinks to 

choose from starting with; coffees, 

teas, blended, cocoas and kid-oriented 

drinks as well. They have a 

wide selection of desserts such as 

bagels, cake pops, loaves, croissants, 

muffins, scones, pastries besides 

beverages. 

Their mango ice blended drink 

tasted refreshing and rich. The cinnamon 

roll and vanilla cake pop 

treats from the bakery section were 

both delicious and very savory. 

The event was orientated for the 

ladies. The first 25 women received 

a goodie bag which included some 

heart shades, hair items, stickers, 

candy. The place was decorated 

with Valentine’s décor surrounded 

with heart balloons around the 

windows. There was also a background 

drop with balloons that 

include sweetheart words written 

on them. There was a LED stand 

spelling Gals, and a set photo booth 

station. 

Coffee Bean opened about a 

year ago in March 2023. Manager 

Jacky Ledford, the host of the 

event, credited the main inspiration 

behind the event with the help of 

her coworkers. 

When asked what interest 

brought Ledford to make this event 

for the ladies. Ledford stated, “Getting 

the ladies involved and seeing 

them dress up in their pretty outfits 

and stand out.” Their inspiration 

undoubtedly came to life. She 

continued by saying, “We would 

like everyone to come try it out, it’s 

fresh & local, even if it’s far worth 

the drive & getting more people out 

to come.” 

Many workers were there, including 

Angeline Hernandez, who 

spoke about the most popular item 

“the cheese Danish.” Hernandez’s 

input on how it’s like working at 

Coffee Bean was “it’s chill” and 

her favorite baked item & drink is 

the “Matcha ice latte & strawberry 

cake pop.” 

As a first-time customer, reviewing 

the experience was friendly & 

a nice environment. If you’re looking 

for a new place with not just 

coffee, try it out along with their 

events. Their prices are affordable, 

a regular mango blended drink was 

$5.98, the cinnamon roll costing 

$3.45 & cake pop $2.95. 

Feb. 14: Deep Cuts and Conversations in 

the Levan Center, from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. 

Feb. 15: The Planetarium Presents: Supervolcanoes, 

located at the William M. Thomas 

Planetarium, from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. 

Feb. 16 - 19 Presidents’ Day Weekend, 

Campus closed 

Feb. 20: Renegade Nexus Pantry Farmer’s 

Market, near the CSS Lawn, at 10 - 2 p.m. 

Feb. 20: Empowering Unity: Building Stronger 

Alliances for Black Communities, guest 

speaker AJ Mada, in the Renegades Event 

Center, at 5:30 - 8:00 p.m. 

Feb. 21: Barber Shop Talk, in the Campus 

Center Room No. 232, at 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. 

Feb. 21: Guest Speaker Randall Kennedy 

(Harvard Law Professor) speaking on Affirmative 

Action, The Constitution, and Education 

in the Campus Center Ball Room on Wednesday 

from 6-7:30 p.m. 

Feb. 26: Financial Aid Application Workshop, 

in the Welcome Center Room 118, from 

2 - 4 p.m. 

Feb. 28: Free Tax Service, in the Office of 

Student Life, Room No. 231 from 2 - 5 p.m. 

NATALIE MACIAS/THE RIP 

The Bakery section at CBTL with V-Day décor

Renegade Rip, issue 2, Feb. 14, 2024

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