issue 19 final

SF FOGHORN
EST. 1903
NEWS
04
USF reflects on
DACA’s uncertain
future.
PHEBE BRIDGES
Staff Writer
On Apr. 10, approximately 40 members of the USF community
attended a “Demystifying Tution” town hall meeting
held by the Senate of the Associated Students of the University
of San Francisco (ASUSF). The town hall was held primarily
by the University Budget Advisory Council (UBAC).
UBAC is comprised of students, faculty, administrators, and
staff members. Undergraduate UBAC Representatives Isabelle
Sholes and Chibuike Nkemere gave a presentation, followed by
a Q&A session with faculty and the senate.
“It was good to see the real decision makers behind the
process, how they use the money, where the money goes. It was
good to ask questions and dialogue with them,” said Benjamin
Getchell, a junior politics major in attendance. “Of course,
[transparency] could be better, but we’re a socially-active
school, so I think we are pretty up-front with our faculty and
our administration, so it’s good to see that come to fruition in
a town hall.”
Beginning the presentation, Nkemere said, UBAC meets
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
SFFOGHORN.COM
SCENE
06
Fashion History
on display at De
Young’s latest
exhibition.
@SFFOGHORN
THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO
THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2024 • VOL. 121, ISSUE 19
OPINION
09
“once a month primarily with the mission to educate our members
on [the] school’s budget and finances. This is important
to ensure transparency and also obtain some well-needed
feedback and advice when making decisions that directly impact
our instution’s future.”
The presentation covered USF’s annual budget cycle, expenses
and revenue sources, alongside a breakdown of how tuition
money is spent. “Diving into our budget cycle itself for
the fall semester, it begins in late August and early September
when our census is completed. From that all the way down to
December is when our tuition rates are deliberated upon and
will finally be voted on… and announced to the student body,”
said Nkemere. “This same process transfers into our spring
semester when our census is finalized around February and
you’re able to track our enrollment targets all the way until
September.”
Sholes said, “The point of UBAC is to advise, educate,
communicate, and provide transparency. And to do that to the
best of our abilities, it’s really important that we understand
the school’s revenue and expenses. USF is a tuition dependent
school.” She further explained that 87% of USF’s 2024 fiscal
FOGPOD
Embracing nature
this Earth Month.
.
SPORTS
12
USF Spirit Squad
dazzles the
Hilltop.
From left to right, ASUSF Senate executives Nadine Tabucao, Isabelle Sholes, Chibuike Nkemere, and Leonardo Yniguez moderated the town hall’s
Q&A. Photo by Kaleb Martinez/SF Foghorn.
EXAMINING USF’S 2024 BUDGET AT
ASUSF SENATE TOWN HALL

02 03
THURSDAY
APR. 18
2024
SAN FRANCISCO
FOGHORN
Freedom and Fairness
STAFF EDITORIAL
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE
STAFF
Editor in Chief
MEGAN ROBERTSON
mrrobertson2@dons.usfca.edu
News Editor
NIKI SEDAGHAT
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Opinion Editor
CHISOM OKORAFOR
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Scene Editor
INÉS VENTURA
ipventura@dons.usfca.edu
Sports Editor
CHASE DARDEN
cbdarden@dons.usfca.edu
Photography Editor
SAMANTHA AVILA GRIFFIN
svavilagriffin@dons.usfca.edu
General Reporter
PHEBE BRIDGES
pjbridges@dons.usfca.edu
General Reporter
ELINA GRAHAM
emgraham@dons.usfca.edu
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ECO-CIDE: HOW WAR WEAPONIZES THE ENVIRONMENT
The environment has become
a casualty of war. International law
needs to catch up to this reality and
address it.
According to the World Economic
Forum, ecocide means “unlawful or
wanton acts committed with knowledge
that there is a substantial likelihood
of severe and either widespread
or long-term damage to the environment
being caused by those acts.” For
example, companies dumping pollutants
in waterways or cutting down
entire forests would qualify.
Though the word is relatively
new, a handful of countries already
consider it a crime. The Foghorn believes
a more specific crime must be
articulated: the crime of intentional
and malicious destruction of land to
render it uninhabitable for the population.
In this way, the environment
is leveraged as a weapon of warfare.
For example, in Dec. 2023, the Israeli
Defense Forces announced that
they began pumping seawater into
the tunnels under the Gaza strip. Beyond
being a danger to any humans in
those tunnels - such as Israelis being
held by Hamas - an article by Scientific
American details the potential
environmental devastation of such an
act. The seawater could contaminate
the aquifer underneath Gaza, which
the strip’s millions of residents rely
for drinking, agriculture, and sanitization.
United Nations (UN) experts
warned the action could render the
land uninhabitable. Furthermore,
though Israeli officials claimed the
move was to destroy Hamas’ militant
capabilities, many argue the move
is just another effort to ethnically
cleanse Palestinians in Gaza from the
land. If true, pumping seawater into
Gaza’s grounds could be a violation of
the UN’s Genocide Convention.
A Human Rights Watch investigation
in Oct. 2023 found that Israel
also dropped white phosphorus on
Gaza and parts of southern Lebanon
— particularly agricultural areas.
White phosphorus is an extremely incendiary
chemical that ignites upon
making contact with oxygen. When
deployed, it is devastating to humans
and nature alike. In Lebanon, white
phosphorus scorched olive and citrus
orchards to the ground and possibly
have left the targeted land unusable
for agriculture for years. This move
violates the right of Lebanese people
to an environment that can sustain
them. Israel’s use of the chemical
weapon has been decried as illegal
under international norms.
However, Israel is not the first
country to weaponize the environment
against their adversaries. There
is a long history of forcing indigenous
people off their lands via environmental
destruction.
In the 19th century, the United
States carried out a massacre of
bison. This slaughter irreparably
changed the landscape of the Great
Plains east of the Rocky Mountains.
Furthermore, South Dakota State
University found that these killings
were organized as a military strategy
in the colonial project against the
indigenous people to make their land
uninhabitable.
The environment was weaponized
during the Civil War, with General
William Sherman’s scorchedearth
March to the Sea. It pops up in
Vietnam, when U.S. troops deployed
Agent Orange against rice farmland.
The war crime of environmental
destruction exists — we’ve seen
it committed. Even so, international
law hasn’t caught on. Though these
acts clearly meet the conditions for
Genocide under the Convention,
which make it illegal to “Deliberately
inflict… on the group conditions of
life calculated to bring about its physical
destruction in whole or in part,”
we haven’t seen world leaders willing
to vocalize this crime.
Until we have the specific terminology
to refer to the intentional weaponizing
of the environment against
its inhabitants, we are doomed to
watch this crime be perpetrated over
and over again.
CORRECTIONS BOX
In our Apr. 11 article, “USF Discontinues Tennis Programs,” we stated
that the email announcing the program’s termination was sent to USF
community members on Apr. 9. It was sent on Apr. 5.
earth month spotlight
BREAKING DOWN THE BUDGET
revenue comes from tuition, a statistic which is
provided by UBAC in their presentation, hyperlinked
in the online edition of this article. Making
up the rest of the budget, 8% is from auxiliary
revenue, 2.2% is meal plan revenue, 1.2% is investment
returns, .7% revenue is from fees, .5% is other
revenue, and .3% is from gifts and contributions.
“Auxiliary revenue includes things like room and
board, as well as Koret,” specified Sholes. Also
noted is the approximate $50 million received as
restricted gifts, wherein the donors require their
donations to go to a specific cause. Most frequently,
this money goes towards scholarships and endowments.
The total revenue for the 2024 fiscal
year is $519.8 million.
Nkemere said, “Almost 100% of our school’s
revenue is spent with the exception of about 3% in
savings reserves.” According to the presentation,
USF has $519.8 million in total expenses for this
2024 fiscal year.
27% of the revenue is spent on academic affairs.
“This is to pay salary for staff for those specific
colleges themselves,” said Nkemere.
courtesy of UBAC.
35.8% of this revenue is spent on “other academic
affairs.” “The other category is basically
classified by all the money that’s spent that’s not directly in the academic
schools themselves,” said Nkemere. “So, something that would
be encompassed in this portion itself would be about $135 million in
scholarships paid to students for this fiscal year.”
Additionally, according to the presentation, 15.1% of the operating
expenses goes to business and finances, 6.8% goes to student life,
4.9% goes to ITS, 3.7% goes to athletics, 2.7% goes to institutional
support, 2% goes toward development, 1% goes to the Office of Marketing
Communications, .6% goes to general council, and .3% goes to
the President.
The percentages provided for both the revenue and expenses respectively
add up to 99.9%.
Pictured above are the University’s 2024 expenses, which is all the money slated to be spent this fiscal year.
Graphic courtesy of UBAC.
Pictured above are the University’s 2024 revenue, which is all the money collected this fiscal year. Graphic
After the presentation was complete, the ASUSF Senate opened
the floor for student questions, which were answered by members of
the senate, alongside some administrative members of UBAC and faculty
members.
Students and community members asked questions pertaining to
the budget and financial plans for the university. Some students, however,
found the answers to be somewhat underwhelming.
“I think [the faculty members] answered the questions, but… they
didn’t give any hard answers, and they didn’t really make any concrete
assurances to the audience,” said Getchell. “But, walking out, I did
feel much more confident in our school’s organization…It probably
lowered my anxiety a little bit about raising tuition.”
For the 2024-2025 school year, USF announced that tuition will
be raised by 3.9%, or $2,250 according to the presentation.
In regards to tuition increases, Sholes
said,“UBAC does not have any final decision [on
tuition increases]. When [UBAC members vote],
their votes are recommendations that then go to
the higher ups… and that’s when the final decision
is made.”
After the town hall, Sholes told the Foghorn,
“it was definitely nerve wracking leading up to [the
town hall] because we both wanted to do a good
job. It’s a bit of a difficult situation… we’re students
but we also play a role in UBAC. I think overall it
went well, I think a lot of the questions were really
great and very thoughtful.”
She continued, saying “I was really happy with
how open everything was. There’s just, overall,
hope that this is something that can continue every
year, which I think is really positive.”
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy
Editor: Sophia Siegel, Managing Editor: Jordan
Premmer, News Editor: Niki Sedaghat
NEWS

04 05
THURSDAY
APR. 18
2024
NEWS
USF COMMUNITY REFLECTS ON POSSIBLE
TERMINATION OF DACA
TASNEEM LUKMANJEE
Staff Writer
Professor Bill Hing solemnly addressed a room of students on Apr.
11, saying, “These are some uncertain times…I’m sorry that this is
happening to you all.” His voice sounded tired as he ended his lecture,
sponsored by Latine Undergraduate Network of Activists (LUNA), at
USF Law’s Kendrick Hall, Moot Courtroom.
During the talk, he discussed the possible termination of the
Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
program.
DACA is an administrative relief program which was established
in 2012 by former President Barack Obama, providing legal protections
to undocumented people who were brought to the U.S. as children.
According to the University of California, Berkeley’s Undocumented
Student Program, DACA provides eligible immigrants with
“protection from deportation and… a work permit.”
Hing’s DACA lecture was a part of an “Undocuweek” series at
USF, organized by LUNA, an advocacy organization on campus that
promotes positive representation of Latine students at USF and creates
a space for Latine community members. Undocuweek was a weeklong
program where LUNA hosted various events from Apr. 8 to Apr.
12, with the goal of education and humanizing undocumented immigrants.
Events ranged from celebrations to workshops and Hing’s
DACA lecture.
Hing is the founding director of the Immigration and Deportation
Defense Clinic at USF, which works to represent immigrant families
and children, the majority of whom are seeking asylum. He also
founded the Immigrant Legal Resource Center in San Francisco.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, “There were 579,000
active DACA holders” as of Mar. 2023. As of the last available data
in 2022, 40% of these DACA recipients were enrolled in school, with
the majority, 83%, working towards a bachelor’s degree or higher, as
reported by the President’s Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.
In July 2021, Judge Andrew S. Hanen from the U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of Texas ruled that DACA was unlawful, following
requests from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South
Carolina, West Virginia, Kansas and Mississippi, NBC reports. They
argued that “only Congress has the authority to grant unauthorized
immigrants federal benefits,” and since Obama enacted DACA, it
made the program, “an illegal overreach of executive power,” the same
article reports.
Hanen’s ruling prohibited U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
from accepting first-time, new DACA applications, a precedent
which continues today. The department continues to accept DACA
renewals for people who had already entered the program before the
Texas ruling in 2021, however.
Since 2021, President Joe Biden’s administration has fought this
precedent, going back and forth to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
multiple times. It’s anticipated that the case will be heard by the Supreme
Court in the fall. In the lecture, Hing mentioned that one of the
biggest threats against DACA currently is the Supreme Court ratio of
six conservative justices to three liberals. According to Data For Progress,
in 2023, 63% of Republican voters opposed continuing DACA. It
is likely, as Hing expressed, that the right-leaning nature of the court
could lead to a permanent end to the DACA program.
Camila Ayala Hurtado, the president of USF’s Supporting Immigrants
and Refugees Club, said, “I find the potential termination of
DACA deeply distressing…This is a serious human rights issue and
would be a loss for the country as a whole, considering how our immigrant
communities have meaningfully contributed to this country in
a variety of ways.”
Further, Hurtado said, “For many DACA recipients, the United
States is the only home they have known. Thinking of these people
being potentially deported to unfamiliar countries is both heartbreaking
and unjust. There are no
words to describe how this
uncertainty is devastating
and makes me lose hope for
the future of our immigrant
communities in this country.”
Paulina Diaz-Mandujano,
a student who attended
the DACA lecture said, “I
think it’s so cool that student
organizations such as LUNA
help arrange these events, especially
in such scary times.”
Hurtado said, “I want
to believe that by standing
in solidarity and advocating
against DACA ending, we
can prevent this and protect
our communities.”
The lecture invited DACA students to discuss “steps to take” in light of DACA’s possible termination, according to LUNA’s Instagram.
Photo by Samantha Avila Griffin/SF Foghorn.
LUNA hosts “Undocuweek” to support undocumented immigrants
Editor-in-Chief: Megan
Robertson, Chief Copy Editor:
Sophia Siegel, Managing
Editor: Jordan Premmer,
News Editor: Niki Sedaghat
PICTURING ARTS AND SCIENCE
INÉS VENTURA
Staff Writer
Museum Studies students curate Gleeson Library exhibit
Before USF museum studies students get to curate the Guggenheim
or the Smithsonian, they get their curatorial beginnings here at
the Gleeson Library.
The 20 students of this semester’s museum studies class are currently
putting together an exhibition titled “Knowledge Bound: The
Union of Art and Science in Early Modern Printed Books.” The exhibit
will be held at the Donahue Rare Book room on the third floor of the
The illustration above comes from the “Study of Anatomy Through the History of Science” written by
Andreas Vesalius, an anatomist and physician, circa 1514-1564 — The book is one of many to be
displayed in the exhibition. According to Marcucci, the book was “critical to research studies in medical
history during the early medieval era.” Photo courtesy of Gabreila Marcucci
Gleeson Library, opening on Apr. 24 and on-display through the rest
of the semester.
Professor Catherine Luschek, chair of the Art + Architecture department
and professor of the class, proposed the student curators
with the idea of dissecting early modern art, which eventually evolved
into the exhibit’s topic.
“So I’ve been interested in the topic for a long time and been working
with students on the topic for a long time, and so I wanted to kind
of marry these interests of this incredible collection with these teaching
interests,” Luschek said.
The exhibit will showcase approximately 20 vintage
books, spanning across different disciplines like
geology, anatomy, botanicals, alchemy, astronomy and
mathematics — considering science as a creative medium.
Gabriela Marcucci, sophomore museum studies
major, said “We [tried] to focus in on how scientific
illustration guided early knowledge, and our understanding
of the world — and how it creates a deeper
understanding of what we know now.” She continued,
“We’re kind of exploring the symbiotic relationships
between text and image, and how it accelerates the
speed of knowledge.”
The students collaborated on every aspect of the
exhibit–from coming up with the title, to conceptualizing
themes, to creating promotional materials and
labels for each of the displayed books. They also chose
what pages of the books to display and decided on an
orientation that best communicated the theme.
Luschek continued, “So there’s the exhibition
that’s open to the public, but on the teaching side,
what I’m trying to do is teach what’s often called curatorial
discrimination…Like how do you choose, how
do you select, on what basis, how do you think about
works in concert with each other, how do you create an
exhibition that makes sense.”
A challenge that students encountered throughout
the curatorial process was only being able to show
two pages of every book, so they had to get picky with
selections. Micah Hart, student curator and sophomore
art history major, said, “We began with probably
more than double the objects that are currently in the
show.”
She continued, “Through this exhibition we are
really trying to communicate the nuanced relationship
art and science have had with one another… When
putting these two modes of communication in discourse
with one another you come up with something
more complex and unique than you would get from the
presence of just one medium.”
When speaking on what the exhibit aims to
achieve for viewers, Marcucci and her classmates want
“students to see what the fundamentals of what their
career and their studies are based on… Early history
was so important for their careers and so important
for understanding and knowledge.”
“What we’re trying to tell them is that science and
art are not different… They live in conjunction with
each other,” said Marcucci.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor:
Sophia Siegel, Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Scene
Editor: Inés Ventura
SCENE

06 07
THURSDAY
APR. 18
2024
HAUTE COUTURE with a side of
AUGMENTED REALITY
A Century of San Francisco Style at the de Young
earth month spotlight
HIGH-END FASHION IS A HOAX!
SCENE
ELINA GRAHAM
Staff Writer
The recognizably dreamy notes of Glenn Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade”
played as viewers gazed upon mannequins modeling a range of
designs in the de Young museum’s latest exhibition, “Fashioning San
Francisco: A Century of Style.”
This exhibition explores the evolution of women’s fashion in San
Francisco by highlighting legendary collections and designers of the
20th and 21st centuries. According to their website, this is the museum’s
“first major presentation of [their] costume collection in over 35
years.” In addition to Christian Dior, Comme des Garçons and Vivienne
Westwood, more than fifty designers’ works are on display — for
many pieces, this is their first showing.
“‘Fashioning San Francisco’ is a rich presentation that asserts the
case that San Francisco does, and has always had, style,” stated Thomas
P. Campbell, director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San
Francisco in a press release.
The exhibit also collaborated with Snapchat’s parent company,
Snap Inc., to invite viewers to use augmented reality (AR) to see themselves
in this historical legacy.
Greeting visitors as they entered the room, a
mannequin was dressed in Jeanne Lanvin’s “Veilleur
de Nuit” evening gown of the Spring/Summer
1924 collection. With a dropped waist and a full,
calf-hitting skirt evocative of the 18th century,
this hundred-year-old “robe de style” has a
silhouette Lanvin popularized in the
1920s.
Further down the narrow
halls of the exhibit is a room devoted
entirely to shoes. From the
1998 patent Prada Mary Janes,
to Rei Kawakubo’s embroidered
leather “Cut Out Cowboy” design
from the 1999 Fall/Winter
collection, many styles have once
graced the streets of San Francisco.
The main exhibition wing featured
styles ranging from experimental clothing
to suitwear, including Richard
Tam’s ostrich-feather headdress, mask
and fan that accompanied a printed
paisley silk Valentino evening gown,
and a honeycomb inspired jacket
designed by Junya Watanabe for
Comme des Garçons in 2015.
Many of these pieces
were gifted to the museum
by San Francisco
philanthropists
and fashionistas.
Christine Suppes,
author and founder of digital couture publication Fashionlines,
donated more than 500 articles of clothing to the museum. Suppes
wore many of the ensembles to black-tie galas and balls.
“‘Junon’ and ‘Venus’, the two Dior ball gowns, stood out to me for
sure,” said junior media studies student Alley Garland, whose interest
in high fashion brought her to the exhibition. “They were absolutely
stunning and it was incredible to look at all of the beading and detail
gone into every part of each dress.” These pieces were found in the
formalwear section, among other couture gowns by the likes of John
Galliano for Christian Dior and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.
Outside of the main showing room was a wing dedicated to the
“Little Black Dress” design, known in the fashion world as a staple in
a woman’s wardrobe. The term now suits a range of styles, as seen by
the distinctive and unique dresses on display, including the black silk
velvet “Soirée de Paris” gown designed by Yves Saint Laurent while he
worked for Christian Dior. This gown was available to virtually try on
in the exhibit’s special augmented reality (AR) room post-exhibition
viewing.
Similar to how Snapchat filters work, a viewer could stand in
front of one of three mirrors and virtually try on three iconic designs
by Yves Saint Laurent, Kaisik Wong and Valentino. The real works
were all on display upstairs, but this installation gave museum-goers
the opportunity to snap a photo in a designer gown.
Junior media studies student Ella Brohm said
“I thought the [AR] was kind of a weird addition.”
On the other hand, Garland enjoyed the installation.
“The AR experience was so fun! It was a little silly
but my sister and I laughed the whole time and took
a bunch of photos,” she said.“ I thought it was nicely
done and it actually looked like we were wearing
the clothing. It’s definitely the closest I’ll ever
get to wearing haute couture.”
“I hope visitors see the impact that women’s
fashion has had on society,” Garland continued.
“You can see the evolution of fashion
simply through the complexity, form and use
of color in them. Fashion is a huge part of expression
and these designers capture a wide
range of femininity that is really neat.”
Fashioning San Francisco: A Century
of Style is on display at the de Young
museum through August 11. Tickets
can be purchased on the museum’s
website, students can get a discounted
ticket with valid student ID.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan
Robertson, Chief Copy Editor:
Sophia Siegel, Managing Editor:
Jordan Premmer, Scene
Editor: Inés Ventura
While the exhibit is centered around historical fashion, it also showcased more contemporary pieces, like Edwin Oudshoorn’s Spring/Summer 2020 Spellbound gown with
detached sleeves and pin. Photo by Samantha Elina Graham/SF Foghorn
According to the SF Museum of Fine Arts’ Textile and Conservation Lab, each of the tens of thousands of sequins seen on the Dior “Venus” gown (seen above) are individually
swabbed as part of their conservation practice. Photo by Samantha Elina Graham/SF Foghorn
REMI BRANDLI is a junior
media studies major.
High-end fashion brands are
aligning themselves with social
movements to attract larger audiences,
yet their output is insulting to the
communities they are supposedly
representing. While major brands
receive attention and money, true
activists fight for a level playing field.
We as consumers must divert
our attention and money from
corporations that are: reinforcing
racist tropes, destroying the
environment, and doing so all
the while claiming to be forwardthinking.
RACIST TROPES
According to brand executives
themselves, Banana Republic was
initially created as an imagined, exotic place, “like Shangri-La, Middle
Earth, Westeros, or Wakanda,” as stated in their 2021 rebrand campaign.
The inspirations and descriptors of the new fashion line included
aesthetics such as “safari meets tuxedo,” according to the brand. Even
Banana Republic’s name is rooted in the colonization of Latin American
and African countries according to Fast Company. The fetishized appeal
of the “safari” seeps from the dark history of imperialism into the modern
day.
In their 2024 advertising, you will find only two Black models and
two Asian models sandwiched between their five white counterparts—a
lacking attempt at promoting racial diversity. Companies are utilizing
these models merely to place them in an imagined exotic world, tokenizing
them based on their race.
It extends beyond Banana Republic. De Beers Jewellers tokenized
Lupita Nyong’o, a Mexican-Kenyan actor, as a model for their “Where it
Begins” campaign. The name of said campaign is “a visual nod to De Beers’s
South African origins … and ongoing mining activities in Botswana,
Namibia, and South Africa,” states Nancy Friedman in an article exploring
the company’s history. Notably, none of those countries are Kenya.
LACK OF TRANSPARENCY
The De Beers Diamond Co. and Marc Jacobs neglect to
consistently update their codes of ethics in terms of resource
extraction. Both companies follow the UK Modern Slavery Act,
as posted on their websites under their codes of ethics. The 2015
legislation aims to make provisions “about slavery, servitude and
forced or compulsory human labour and about human trafficking,”
according to the bill.
While adhering to this legislation is admirable, it is not enough
to claim compliance and then not consistently update consumers
on ethical sourcing of materials in areas known to exploit laborers.
Recent updates regarding these brands’ ethics are not available. De
Beers’ last statement was in 2022, and Marc Jacobs’ was in 2018.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
While sustainability in fashion can be possible, current
industry business models are resistant to it. The industry’s lack of
transparency makes assessing sustainability difficult. According to
the Harvard Business Review of unsustainable fashion practices,
most corporate social responsibility reports “do not accurately
quantify the full carbon emissions profile of fashion brands.”
Further, attempts at sustainable fashion have struggled in the
existing business models which prioritize rapid-consumerism..
The McKinsey Global Fashion Index has tracked “a burst
of pent-up consumer demand,” boosting global industry revenues up
between 6-21% in the years 2021 and 2022. This boost is paralleled by
the rise in the fashion industry’s “carbon impact range” by 6%, according
to the Harvard Business Review. While corporations continue to prosper,
our planet is dying in the name of trends.
DIVESTMENT
We must boycott brands that preach values of transparency they do
not practice, brands that exoticize and fetishize models as representation
and diversity, and brands that put money towards the oppression of other
humans. Luckily there are tools to help us with this.
One of my go-to models for sustainable consumerism is Nabihah
Ahmad. A student at Columbia University, Ahmad is a “Bangladeshi-
Muslim American from Queens, NY,” as described in her Instagram post.
Her startup, SSQRD, is focused on remodeling modern fashion and hosts
the website Ethos, which filters for ethical brands and products.
Functioning under values of transparency and community, the
startup is “a movement aimed at breaking down the barriers created by
traditional corporations,” according to the Ethos website. Ahmad comes
from a family of garment workers in Bangladesh, and is motivated to
create change on behalf of her family.
With a wide list of fashion, skincare, makeup and fragrances, many
products are tagged as “Black-owned,” “Palestinian owned,” or other
notable identifiers, encouraging consumers to support sustainable
businesses and marginalized business owners.
There is an added layer of transparency with the “Caution” label,
identifying products and brands with problematic elements, such as alleged
forced labor practices and fiscal support of Israel. Ethical consumption
of fashion and beauty is possible, by supporting transparent, ethical
brands and entrepreneurs. Ahmad is just one example of fashion moguls
whose values align with the greater community. SSQRD is a great way to
promote and support brands and businesses that operate on humanitarian
principles, not just profit.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia
Siegel, Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Opinion Editor: Chisom
Okorafor
Graphic by Mariam Diakite/Graphics center
OPINION

08 09
THURSDAY
APR. 18
2024
e a r t h m o n t h s p o t l i g h t
POLL: ARE ENVIRONMENTAL PLANT-BASED DIETS ENOUGH?
THE MYTH OF WILDERNESS
OPINION
ELINA GRAHAM is a junior
media studies major.
Plant-based diets, such as
veganism and vegetarianism are often
recommended as environmentally
sustainable alternatives to typical
meat-centric options. Undoubtedly,
a plant-based diet is better for the
planet as fewer natural resources are
needed and less greenhouse gasses
are emitted in the production of these
foods compared to meat products.
Championing all-green diets
is not necessarily the cure for all
environmental problems. Not only
does it put pressure on individuals,
rather than institutions, to save the
world through lifestyle choices, the
production of some plant-based
foods has led to major resource
exploitation and unethical labor
practices. Before making the switch, or policing others for choosing to
eat meat, one needs to do research to analyze how sustainable plantbased
diets really are.
While everyone has a role to play in sustainability, one person’s
choice to eat a steak in no way compares to the destruction that major
corporations like Exxon and Chevron inflict on the planet. Research
from Dr. Peter Frumhoff at the Union of Concerned Scientists finds
that “CO2 and methane emissions from the 90 biggest industrial
carbon producers were responsible for almost half the rise in global
temperature and close to a third of the sea level rise between 1880
and 2010.” When we put energy into targeting individuals for their
diets rather than holding these fossil fuel giants accountable, it’s not
productive for anyone.
That’s not to say that the meat industry doesn’t put a big strain on
the environment. Animals like cows and sheep emit large amounts of
methane and nitrous oxide. According to the Environmental Protection
Agency, “a single cow produces between 154 to 264 pounds of methane
gas per year.” Additionally, clearing land for grazing purposes causes
massive deforestation. An estimate from the World Research Institute
in 2021 shows that cattle ranching is responsible for the destruction of
16% of world forests between 2001 and 2015.
An article by the Associated Press reveals that “if half of U.S.
animal-based food was replaced with plant-based substitutes by 2030,
Q: Do you believe going vegan/vegetarian
is better for the environment?
Yes
26%
Somewhat
37%
No
37%
Graphic by Halley Compuesto/SF Foghorn
the reduction in
emissions for that
year would be
the equivalent of
taking 47.5 million
vehicles off the
road.” Overall,
plant-based
food production
requires less water,
land and generates
fewer greenhouse
gasses than meat
counterparts.
B e t w e e n
2018 and 2021
there was a surge
Graphic by Zoë Carr/Graphics center
in popularity for plant-based meat substitutes, with an estimated 79
million U.S. households consuming meat alternatives in 2021, according
to the Plant-Based Foods Association.
The spike in popularity for meatless meat was an optimistic sign.
Unfortunately, the hype died down quickly, and sales of plant-based
meat have not been advancing enough to cause a serious change to
the planet. Environmental scientist David Lobell noted that in terms
of reducing climate change, plant-based meat “won’t be fast enough to
come close to solving the food emissions problem by itself.”
On top of the slow progress that plant-based meats are making,
solving climate change is not as simple as replacing steaks with salads
when one takes into account the toll that growing and transporting
produce takes on the environment.
For example, Mexico is the world’s top avocado supplier and
producer. Reports from Climate Rights International show that their
avocado production has led to deforestation and illegal extraction of
water for irrigation, which contributes to water shortages for residents.
Embracing a fully plant-based diet won’t help the planet if the plants in
question also hold potential for destruction to the environment.
To get a sense of USF’s thoughts on the effectiveness of cutting
out meat for environmental purposes, the Foghorn conducted a poll
on Fizz, an anonymous college campus social media app, where users
must have a “@dons.usfca.edu” email address to become a member. The
Foghorn asked, “Do you believe going vegan/vegetarian is better for the
environment?” The poll received 1,263 votes; “No” received 37% (469
votes), tying with “Somewhat”, which also received 37% (462 votes).
“Yes” received 26% (332 votes).
One user “refizzed” the poll with the comment, “Yeah but I’m not
finna stop eating in and out cheeseburgers,” a sentiment that many poll
participants agreed with.
Research shows that gas emissions from livestock will continue to
increase. I believe that while doing what we can as individuals will help,
we need radical changes from giant corporations if we’re ever going
to combat climate change. It will take more than just a few swapped
cheeseburgers to reduce the world’s rising temperatures.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Opinion Editor: Chisom Okorafor
IZY WELL is a sophomore
environmental studies major.
What do you think of when you
think of the word “nature?” How about
“wilderness?” While in American
culture, many people use wilderness
and nature interchangeably, I argue
that they are two separate concepts.
Wilderness is a human-created
concept based on the exploitation of
Indigenous peoples and their land,
while nature can act as a form of
resistance against this. Nature can
be anything you want it to be and is
about the way you interact with the
world around you.
According to the New York Times,
the concept of “wilderness,” for many,
brings to mind a utopia untouched
by modern society characterized
by wide-open canyons, savage animals, rugged-individualism and most
notably the absence of other people. According to the same article, many
Americans see national parks as the last remaining wilderness in the
United States.
A common belief is that one must get out into the “wilderness” in order
to find their “true self,” which has created associations of high morality
with those who spend time in wilderness, and can intimidate those who
have little outdoor experience. This has been capitalized on by advertisers
and travel agencies selling wilderness as an aesthetic through the vehicle
of $200 Cotopaxi backpacks or a white water rafting excursion. In my own
life, friends continually re-tell their stories from hiking the Pacific Crest
Trail, increasing the mileage with each narrative.
These ideas perpetuate a misconception about how we need to “get
out” into nature and can undermine the importance of the nature in our
city that we coexist with every day.
Wilderness is often presented as more “pure” than other areas, but
the truth is that wilderness is a myth. Wilderness is not natural at all, but
a product of the human mind and the hierarchies that it creates.
Indigenous peoples have long inhabited and stewarded these lands
considered wild. They hold deep spiritual and cultural connections to the
land. Many of the areas we think of as “wild” are actually the carefully
cultivated product of centuries of work. For example, California’s
Redwood forests thrive in an interactive relationship with their
indigenous residents, who practice “prescribed burns.” This is the practice
of intentionally setting fires to prevent and mitigate larger disasters.
According to National Geographic, controlled burns not only help prevent
wildfires through ridding the forest of dead leaves and logs that can act
as kindling for wildfires, but can also promote growth of young trees as
space is opened up, letting more light into the understory. Historically, the
National Parks Service has had strict anti-fire policies based on the idea of
conservation, which actually decreased forest health.
Like many other American institutions, wilderness is extremely
reductive to Indigenous peoples experiences and perpetuates a separation
between humans and the natural world — a practice which is antithetical
to the cultural beliefs of many indigenous groups.
Post-colonization President Woodrow Wilson instituted a National
Parks system in 1916 , with the intention of preserving “untouched
wilderness.”
Presenting wildlife preserves as “natural” is simply a facade, as these
lands and their Indigenous people’s had to experience genocide and violent
removal before they were able to be called Yosemite or Yellowstone.
Focusing on the myth that wilderness is the only vehicle for connection
with the natural world further perpetuates the separation between
humans and nature.
Enjoying nature does not have to mean traveling to far-away places
which require resources and training to enjoy safely, but is more about
cultivating a mutually beneficial relationship with the natural world
around you. It is important to make an effort to disconnect the concepts
of nature and wilderness in your mind. Nature, and how you interact with
it, can be anything you want it to be.
While I will continue to visit national parks and appreciate their
educational capacities and stunning biodiversity, spending time in nature
can also mean sitting in the sun on your roof, taking a walk through your
local park or sitting outside to eat lunch. It can be as simple as keeping
the streets of our city litter-free, or reducing your personal plastic and
petroleum consumption.
This Earth Month, I invite you to commune with the world beyond
you in whatever way makes you feel present, while keeping in mind
your connection to the world around you and how you can keep your
relationship with nature reciprocal. I encourage you to treat the nature in
our city with the same reverence and excitement that is given to national
parks, and spend some time in San Francisco’s greenspaces!
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia
Siegel, Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Opinion Editor: Chisom
Okorafor
Graphic by Zoë Carr/Graphics center
OPINION

10 11
THURSDAY
APR. 18
2024
SPORTS
JOHN LINDROOS
Staff Writer
A 7,000 MILE JOURNEY
Cyprus native and defensive midfielder Alex Solomis is no stranger
to holding himself to a high standard. The first-year student-athlete
lives and breathes soccer, and views the opportunity of playing for the
USF soccer team as a stepping stone to reaching his goal.
“I always say, whatever the case, I’m gonna go pro. I just want to
make it, anywhere I can just play [soccer],” Solomis said. “Right now,
the ultimate goal I would say is the MLS [Major League Soccer].”
Solomis was born on the small island of Cyprus, which is located
in the eastern region of the Mediterranean Sea. He grew up in the capital
city of Nicosia, which is known for its warm climate throughout the
majority of the year, with temperatures peaking around 110 degrees in
the summer. In his free time, Solomis said he enjoys going to the beach
Alex Solomis is chasing his dream of becoming a professional soccer player. Photo courtesy of Chris M.
Leung/Dons Athletics
Alex Solomis Thrives on the Pitch
and spending time with his family.
After being introduced to soccer at the age of four, Solomis quickly
fell in love with the game. “I feel like it’s the best sport because it
requires so much thinking,” he said. “It requires everything. You have
to be smart. You have to be fast. You have to be technical. You have to
be focused for more than 90 minutes.”
Throughout his time in Cyprus, Solomis trained with the U17 and
U19 National Team during the 2018-19 and 2020-21 seasons, and he
won the U19 First Division Championship with Omonoia FC in 2022.
From his experience, Solomis pointed out the strong sense of community
he felt due to Cyprus’ small size. “Everyone knows you and you
know them. I knew most of the kids I was playing with,” he said. “The
teams weren’t many. For my team, there were many players that were
on the national team as well.”
Transitioning from his native country to a city that he considers
“very hectic,” Solomis said that it took some time
for him to get comfortable in San Francisco. “I went
from one of the most laid-back places to one of the
craziest places,” he said. “In the beginning, it was
pretty hard. It was difficult to adjust. It also affected
the way I was playing, it took me a while to really
start giving what I know I can do.”
Solomis added that the difference in playstyle
between European and American soccer also contributed
to his adjustment. “Europe is a lot more
technical. [America], it’s a lot more physical,” he
said. “The pace of the game is faster. You don’t have
a lot of space and time to react to make a pass or to
transition from defense.”
Teammate Kaleb Afsari said, “His skill lies in
his knowledge for the game as well as his technical
ability. He has great technique in long passes, shooting,
and control.”
His passion is apparent to those who play with
him. USF teammate and fellow Cyprus native Constantinos
Michaelides, said, “Alex is a very determined,
hardworking individual. His work ethic is
something that drives and gives energy to those who
find themselves around him.”
When Solomis isn’t physically training, he turns
his attention to watching professional soccer games,
where he tries to learn from the best. “I model my
game after Sergio Busquets, a defensive midfielder
from Barcelona. I have similar traits to him. He’s a
lot more technical and has really good vision, composure,
and passing range,” Solomis said.
When playing on the field, Cyprus is on his
mind. Even 7,000 miles away from home, he said,“I
feel more passionate about representing my country
now that I’m away from it because I also miss home
a lot.”
To others with big dreams, Solomis said, “If
you’re passionate about something, commit to that
and give everything to that. Don’t do something just
to do it. Don’t just get a degree to get a degree. Do
something you actually love doing and want to have
a future with.”
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor:
Sophia Siegel, Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer,
Sports Editor: Chase Darden
FROM THE DESK TO THE DIAMOND
AMANDA HERNANDEZ
Staff Writer
Joe Soberon Balances Law School and Baseball
Joe Soberon, the starting pitcher of the Dons Men’s
Baseball team has surpassed the conventional role of a
student-athlete, balancing law school and his athletic
career.
Soberon’s dedication to baseball began at the age of
five when he started playing tee-ball. He has since spent
countless hours dedicated to travel baseball, high school
ball, and college ball.
The start of his college career began at the University
of California, San Diego (UCSD) in 2020. The summer
prior to his first semester at UCSD, he tore his ACL and
had to spend his entire first year of baseball red-shirted
so that he could recover.
Despite being faced with such challenges, he found
that red-shirting for a year allowed him to move forward
with his educational journey. This led him to successfully
complete his bachelor’s degree in sociology with a
minor in political science in three years.
Though Soberon still had two years of eligibility
left after graduation, he wasn’t sure what the next steps
would be for him. He considered giving up baseball and
focusing primarily on graduate school.
However, he had been in contact with many different
schools interested in pursuing him, but USF seemed
to fit.
“The coaches said, ‘why not start law school now instead
of waiting until after I am done with baseball’ and
I think that was pretty cool,” said Soberon. “It was a sign
from them that they really wanted me to be here, so they
were trying to find ways for me to get something outside
of just playing more ball.”
As he began a new part of his academic and athletic
career at USF last fall, he realized how seamlessly he fit
in with the team who quickly became his friends. This
provided him with a sense of community that made his
transition from UCSD to USF much easier.
As a full-time law student and baseball player, Soberon
seeks to find balance in his day to day life. He
manages the dual demands by relying on the support of
his coaches and teammates
“My teammates here have been really accommodating.
It’s hard, I make it to half the practices and all the
games, so I am there for the hardest part with the guys,
mentally. They have been really good to me in terms of
trusting that I am taking care of business, and I’m not slacking off. It is
a really cool group of guys.” said Soberon.
Soberon recently earned the Rawlings West Coast Conference
Pitcher of the Week honor and finds himself needing to prioritize his
class attendance over attending practices.
Head Coach Rob DiToma said, “It has been very refreshing to see
someone like [Soberon] who truly puts the student in student-athlete.
When we recruited him this past summer, we told him we would be
very understanding and adaptable to the academic demands of being a
full-time law student and a Division 1 baseball player. Joey’s drive and
work ethic are what makes this even remotely possible. He is a pleasure
to coach and it is inspirational to see him go about his academics and
athletics and be able to function at such a high level at both.”
Soberon said, “I like to separate myself from pressure. I do not like
to think about it as pressure. Yes there are people counting on me and
sure there is objective pressure, but subjectively I separate myself from
it. For one, it’s a game, two it’s a game I love, and three I do not get to
Joe Soberon channels his Filipino roots as he balances law school and baseball. Photo courtesy of Chris M.
Leung/Dons Athletics.
do this forever.”
Being from Concord, Calif., Soberon has noted the importance of
having the support of his family and friends due to him being closer
to home. He said how important it is to have his family sitting in the
stands during games.
“Athletically, I think I will always be chasing the dream of playing
professional baseball,” he said. “Academically, I am going to finish my
degree here, pass the bar exam in California and if I end up sticking
to Sports Law, I want to pursue a Major League Baseball (MLB) Player
Agent Certification so that I can be an agent or practicing attorney in
sports law.”
Soberon will join the baseball team as they head to Moraga to take
on Saint Mary’s College for a three-game series from Apr. 19-21.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Sports Editor: Chase Darden
SPORTS

12
THURSDAY
APR. 18
2024
USF SPIRIT SQUAD
DAZZLES THE HILLTOP
JORDAN MARALIT
Staff Writer
USF’s Spirit Squad is the official combined cheer and dance team
for the Dons. Although they are most known for appearing at basketball
games during timeouts and halftime, they also make appearances
for other teams such as volleyball and soccer in the fall, and baseball
in the spring.
According to USF Athletics, Spirit Squad members are ambassadors
who have a goal to promote school spirit while sharing their passion
for performance and fan engagement with the community. Every
year, the team is composed of 10 dancers, who are selected each fall
semester.
Sophomore nursing major and Spirit Squad member, Alondra
Villegas said, “I believe that the Spirit Squad has an outstanding role
in athletics. We consistently strive to cheer on our basketball teams
and provide school spirit. It is important for us to keep high energy for
our teams and our Dons fans as we fight for a win.”
Villegas has been in competitive dancing and cheer since a young
age. She said, “Dance has always been a major part of my life and joining
Spirit Squad was an opportunity to keep doing what I love at a
collegiate level. After graduating from USF, I hope to pursue dance on
a professional level.”
The Spirit Squad dances to electric, hip-hop, and jazz music. The
organization is led by two student co-leads, who create the choreography
for each performance.
Lamiya Cotton, one of the co-leads, said, “I have met a lot of great
individuals through being on spirit squad and wouldn’t have had that
opportunity if I was not. Although our team isn’t the largest, we still
try our best to make the games really fun by starting chants, performing,
and attending extra events, all with a smile on our faces of course.”
The junior communications major added, “Spirit Squad was a
little nerve-wracking since they were more dance-focused and I had
more experience as a cheerleader.”
Erica Jimenez, a senior business entrepreneurship major and the
second co-leads for Spirit Squad said, “Coming up with choreography
is normally sassy and dynamic. I like to freestyle and just listen to the
music a bunch of times and see what comes to mind.”
Jimenez has been a dancer her whole life and was a cheerleader
throughout high school, prompting her to join the Spirit Squad in her
freshman year. She added, “This is my first year being a captain so
I would say the entire season was super special. We as a team value
kindness to all fans and our love for the Dons community. We are here
to motivate, cheer on, and support the Dons!”
The Spirit Squad will be performing at the USF Night at the San
Francisco Giants game at Apr. 22nd. For more inquiries such as joining
the team and event involvement, contact usfspiritsquad@gmail.com for
more information.
Editor-in-Chief: Megan Robertson, Chief Copy Editor: Sophia Siegel,
Managing Editor: Jordan Premmer, Sports Editor: Chase Darden
SPORTS
Pictured from left to right: Thalia Fernandez, Erica Jimenez, Kaitlyn Edejer, Marley Miyamoto, Sophie Dubray, Lamiya Cotton, Alondra Villegas, Emily Mutchie, Mary Cooper,
Maya Juarez. Photo courtesy of Chris M. Leung/Dons Athletics.