Nationwide Blood Donation Shortages Expose Long-Held Homophobic Guidelines
With a nationwide blood donation shortage caused by COVID-19, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted restrictions on men who have sex with men (MSM) to bolster the supply. Once COVID-19 shortages are over, these homophobic restrictions will be reinstated, unless the FDA creates a…
Despite a Lack of News Coverage, Anti-Chinese Racism is Getting Worse
少出门, 小心, 多注意. Stay home. Be careful. Be more mindful. This simple message began floating around Chinese social media sites and in family group chats as people across China reached out to their loved ones at home and abroad while COVID-19 cases skyrocketed. Soon after,…
Lawsuit Against Santa Cruz Volunteer-Run Needle Exchange is Misguided at Best, Malicious at Worst
Shuttering the Harm Reduction Coalition (HRC) of Santa Cruz County’s syringe exchange program would increase the incidence of needle litter in the county and tie up invaluable public health resources needed to fight the spread of COVID-19 — and, what’s more, it would cost lives. …
Indigenous voices Fallen on Greedy Ears: Protect the Tongass National Forest
In its announcement to strip protections of the Tongass National Forest, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) continues to hit its stride on endangering indigenous lives. Nestled within the Alaskan panhandle, the Tongass is home to the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples. A temperate rainforest…
Resources, Not Bullets
It has been 165 days since George Floyd was murdered, sparking national protests calling for defunding the police and reallocating funds to community resources, yet Black people continue to die at the hands of police. On Oct. 26, Walter Wallace Jr., a 27-year-old man with…
Change the Conversation About Prop. 25
“Yes” or “no.” These are the choices we get when we vote. If only the issues the proposed policy changes attempt to tackle were so simple. If only justice was a question to which we could just say “yes.” If you make it to the…
Chancellor Larive: Cancel All Spring Final Exams and Fulfill BSU Demands
After police murdered Breonna Taylor on March 13 and George Floyd on May 25, the world is in mourning and young Black folks, primarily high school and college students, are on the front lines of the call for justice. We can all recognize their strength…
Bernie 2020
The United States is in political turmoil. Divisions within our country are growing deeper. We need dramatic change, and we need it now. Our next president must possess an unwavering commitment to fight for basic human rights, which our current president has abused since he…
Power to the People, Not the Police
In his message to Santa Cruz on the SCPD website, Chief Andrew Mills claims his force treats people with respect. He says he does not support vigilantism and believes in peaceful de-escalation. But Mills’ policies dispel all hope that he means what he says. He…
Coronavirus Isn’t an Excuse for Racism
The spread of coronavirus isn’t prevalent in the U.S., but hysteria surrounding the topic is. Google searches for “coronavirus” skyrocketed toward the end of January, coinciding with a number of sensationalized news headlines and social media posts. The source of the new coronavirus is still…