I am looking forward to having everything nack and person and a more normal school year.”

— Freshman, Ciaran Synder

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I’m looking forward to being a junior next year.”

— Sophomore, Remi Mcworter

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Next year I am looking forward to being a junior and being able to take ceramics.”

— Sophomore, Ceecilia Deatherage

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I am looking forward to being a junior next year and to be back fully in person.”

— Sophomore, Rheily Mcworter

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I’m excited to be a senior and for things to return back to normal for school.”

— Junior, Natalie Dimeo

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I’m excited to get back into a normal routine with school and be able to not have a hybrid schedule.”

— Senior, Paige Dierlam

Although some precautions were put in place, the festival consists of large groups soaking together and food rituals. In the past, the festival has been associated with the super spread of viruses, so the rise of COVID-19 cases as a result of the festival is not unprecedented.  

Currently, hospitals are being occupied rapidly and are running out of supplies, leaving many to battle the virus on their own. Without any other option, civilians have started to reach out on social media as their final effort in receiving medical assistance. With the absence of government support, community stakeholders from all walks of life are responding to these cries of help and assisting those in need. Frustrated with the lack of government involvement, junior Basanti Valerio stated, “The fact that the government isn’t doing anything to protect its people, because it only wants to protect it’s accumulated wealth, is what frustrates me the most.” 

As cases start to rise and supplies get more limited, the civilian relief groups will have a lot of work ahead.

First opening on Jul. 17, 1955, Disneyland has only shut down three times. First was after the assasination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, second was after the Twin Towers Attack in 2001, and the COVID-19 pandemic was Disneyland’s third time closing in 2020. On Apr. 30, 2021, Disneyland announced that they were reopening. Senior Luke Levinson stated, “I am excited to high five Mickey Mouse again… I gotta see my boy Mickey. I am also excited to swim with the dolphins at Seaworld San Diego. ” 

Seaworld San Diego, opened 1964, also was affected by the pandemic, closing its gates in March 2020. Seaworld had reopened a few months back; however, there were many restrictions due to the pandemic, making the park less entertaining and popular. Seaworld announced that most of the rides are now open, including “Electric Eel” and “Manta” with limited capacity. Sophomore Kaiya Adams states, “I think it’s great that both Disney and Seaworld San Diego are reopening because everyone will be having fun again.”  Reopening amusement parks is one step closer for a return to normalcy. 

Some of Eilish’s fans have taken to Twitter to voice their frustrations with the cover saying that she is becoming too mainstream and that the cover is bland. Eilish responded to the backlash by saying she is an artist and makes all her own decisions. Junior Alex Malatesta said, “I don’t agree with the people who say she is being hypocritical for showing more of her body when she’s always been more reserved. She is finally showing off her body on her own terms.” Billie has always been more focused on her music career whereas some of her popstar counterparts have got their lives caught up in fame.

The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement is a Black liberation movement that strives to eliminate white supremacy, abolish the police and create a new system of local intervening power, and to uplift Black voices. The movement began as a hashtag (#BlackLivesMatter) on FaceBook in 2013, after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain who fatally shot Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American, in 2012. Black Lives Matter has expanded to many countries across the world. After the murder of George Floyd was broadcast to the world in 2020, protests occurred internationally, with some in La Jolla. Using social media, Black Lives Matter helped to further expose the police brutality in America. 

*La Jolla is a predominantly white middle to upper class neighborhood. It is unfortunate that we do not have Black collaborators on the Hi-Tide staff. Using the knowledge of Black educators and activists, we are working towards being allies*

Content warning: police brutality, violence, and racism

The Impact of Protests

By Savannah Dennis

Black communities in America have been historically oppressed, exploited, and brutalized by the state and state sponsored violence. This is not a matter of debate but rather the reality of our inhumane societal structure. The use of protest is not a new tactic for liberation, but has instead been a form of surviving and rejecting the enslavement of black communities since the beginning of Black communities’ exploitation.

Protests are expressed in various ways, not only through marches- performance art, sit-ins, boycotts, petitions, and music are only some of the ways that the Black liberation movements have utilized. Protests in support of the Black Lives Matter movement are crucial to Black and Brown liberation. Not only do these protests highlight the voices of the community, it also enacts substantial change. 

After the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, mass protests for the Black Lives Matter movement broke out across the US and in many other countries as well. Outrage against systemic racism and the continuation of injustice brought communities together in support of Black Lives Matter. 

As with many protests advocating for the liberation and protection of Black lives, demonstrations in 2020 were also met with violence from the police who beat, maced, and plowed through protesters. Taking to the streets, protesters made their movement known. However, critics condemn the vandalizing, which further highlights the racism in America. Criticizing the destruction of property only shows that people are not understanding the experiences of Black people in the US and are rather valuing things over the lives of countless human beings. As journalist Raven Rakia explains, “For 300 years, the very idea of a black person’s freedom was a direct threat to white men’s property. After slavery, lynchings were often targeted at blacks who had gained relative wealth and therefore, challenged the wealth and property of white men.” People’s lives matter more than buildings.

Destruction of property is only looked down upon when it is in efforts of Black and Brown liberation movements. In fact, America was founded after events of vandalism, i.e. the Boston Tea Party, that brought their settler colonial goals to life. However, when it is in efforts to show the value of Black lives, this form of protest is criticized. “Nothing gets the attention of the elite like taking away or destroying what they value above all else: property. In America, property is racial. It always has been,” says Rakia. Protests spark change and highlight the inequalities in America. 

Instead of police reform, the Black Lives Matter movement calls for the dismantling of the inherently racist police system and state. In order to fully support the Black Lives Matter movement, supporters, especially non Black supporters, must listen to Black leaders and activists. Reform is not possible in a system made specifically to be racist, violent, and oppressive. As explained by TIME, “…during Reconstruction, many local sheriffs functioned in a way analogous to the earlier slave patrols, enforcing segregation and the disenfranchisement of freed slaves.” 

Black Lives Matter calls for the abolition of the current police system, not for reform and better police because there is no such thing as a “better police.” It is impossible for there to be “good” police in this system that controls America. In the words of activist Angela Davis, “The real criminals in this society are not all of the people who populate the prisons across the state, but those who have stolen the wealth of the world from the people.”

However, protests are not enough. Dismantling the system we use and reallocating funds to community care networks are crucial to saving lives.

The Impact of Social Media

By Alex Dinofia

Social media has played a crucial role in igniting the flame that grew into a worldwide movement. It started in 2012, when police officer George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin in Florida. Martin was 17-years-old, and was shot after returning from a convenience shop. Officer Zimmerman claimed that he seemed suspicious walking out of the store. Thousands of people were enraged that Zimmerman did not face adequate punishment, and a Facebook post entitled “Black Lives Matter” rallied people for the cause. Soon after, 30 people were standing in a community courtyard in Los Angeles, considered to be the first protest of this movement. Ever since then, postings to social media have been continuously increasing, following the growth of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The movement was founded by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. Although the murder of Trevon Martin sparked the Black Lives Matter movement, it was Michael Brown’s death, another unarmed black teenager killed by a white police officer in 2014 that brought momentum to the movement.

  According to a study by Pew Research Center, “23% of users in the US say social media led them to change views on an issue; some cite Black Lives Matter.” Compared with 2018, today’s statistics show that a much larger percentage of Americans are influenced by posts on social media. People’s views can also be shifted regarding political parties, ideologies, and political figures. When taking the survey, people said that they have changed their views regarding Black Lives Matter and need for police reform more than any other subject. A survey participant said, “I never thought much about defunding or abolishing the police, but after seeing social media posts, I’ve researched and now believe in fairly substantial cuts to police funding.”

Many in our community also feel the same way, and have shifted their mindset based on what they saw on social media. Senior Simon Babin said, “I’ve seen many like the NFL, NBA, and other sports networks post about the Black Lives Matter Movement on social media. Having friends of color, [the posts about the situation were] upsetting to see.” When big networks, like the NFL, post about Black Lives Matter, it really draws people to the cause. Senior Leah Lowe said, “I’ve been moved by the posts all over social media. I think many of them are using hashtags to spread awareness.” Hashtags are one of the many tools that have been used to bring attention to the cause and raise awareness.

After Hawaii was beaten by UCSD in the semifinals of the Big West Tournament, many thought Hawaii might fall out of their number one spot for the national tournament. That is not the case as Hawaii (15-1) was ranked as the number one team heading into the Final Four. BYU, number two in the nation, won the MPSF Tournament to claim their spot in the national tournament. Both teams started in the semifinals because of their impressive regular season. Hawaii was able to sweep conference rival UCSB and BYU beat Lewis 3-1 in the other semifinal. UCSB has a couple players from San Diego in middle blockers Keenan Sanders (Scripps Ranch High) and Donovan Todorov (University City High). This setup for a BYU-Hawaii National Championship.

BYU and Hawaii are always in the top 10 of men’s volleyball so there’s a bit of a historic rivalry between the two powerhouses. The two teams played in two matches before the shutdown last year. The first was a huge sweep of Hawaii by BYU (3-0). The second was a reverse sweep thriller by Hawaii (3-2). This led many to expect another 4-5 set match for the Championship.

Hawaii started off the match by hitting a whopping .400 in the first set compared to BYU’s .227 hitting percentage. This let Hawaii get out to an early advantage and they never turned back. Hawaii also tallied 10 aces in the match between All-Americans Colton Cowell, Rado Parapunov, and Jakob Thelle. BYU just recorded 2 aces. It was a complete domination by Hawaii. They asserted themselves as the better, more physical team from beginning to end. When asked about the game, sophomore Mathew Turecek said, “It is insane how tall and high these men can jump and hit the ball so hard. I was in disbelief.” San Diego native Chaz Galloway notched a .667 hitting percentage along with 6 kills, 5 digs, and a block for the champions. Senior Sean Ross says, “I think it was really great to see the seniors for Hawaii go out with a win. It was also really fun to watch Chaz play, being that I watched him play for the same club and him being from San Diego.” Hawaii, who will only return 3 starters next year, will have their work cut out for them next year to repeat as champions. Look for the 6’4” Greek freshman, Spyros Chakas, to have a big year next year as he will most likely replace the 2021 AVCA National Player of the Year, Rado Parapunov.

Ataturk has hosted the UCL final once before back in 2005 in front of 76,761 spectators but it will not be the same this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.  But on May 13, UEFA and the UK government came to an agreement to move the final to Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal due to the fact that the UK government had put Turkey on their No-Travel list. The new ticket allotment for Estadio do Dragao will allow 25,000 people to fill the stadium with 6,000 tickets each to go strictly to each club’s supporters. Another added benefit of the relocation of the final is that any UK supporters that travel to the game do not need to quarantine on their return home from Portugal. 

Chelsea and Manchester City have met three times this season, twice in the English Premier League (EPL) and once in the FA Cup semi finals. Chelsea came out on top in two of the three matchups including, knocking Manchester City out of the FA Cup. Expect a nailbiter of a game, Manchester City has been superb this season, winning their fifth EPL title in nine years and completely bulldozing any European opposition they have faced in the lead up to Champions League final. Chelsea are also flying high since their appointment of their new manager Thomas Tuchel who has completely revitalized Chelsea defense since he took over which has helped Chelsea ascend from ninth to third in the EPL. On the day of the final, expect a chess match between Thomas Tuchel and Manchester City’s world class manager Pep Guardiola.

Key players that will have an immense impact on the game. For Manchester City the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden in midfield will be pivotal if they want success transitioning from defense to attack. The only worry for the Belgian Kevin De Bruyne is his match day fitness, at the moment De Bruyne is dealing with a muscular injury, which are common at this point in the season. Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante will be given the task to try and neutralize the threat of City’s dangerous midfield duo. Avid soccer enthusiast senior Thibaut Losay says, “Tuchel’s strategy involves pressing and playing high up on City’s midfielders and backline, meaning that Kante will have to be at his best.” So keep your eye on short dark blue number 7 on May 29 to see how the game goes. Losay also gave high praise to City’s new defensive stud Ruben Dias, “Dias has been unstoppable lately, being able to repel PSG’s counter attacks and making key blocks when needed, if he dominates like he dominated against Paris, Chelsea will be in trouble.” Senior Evan Suljic is especially excited over the Americans that will be playing in the game, “Either Christian Pulisic for Chelsea or Zack Steffen for City will be the second ever American to win the Champions League.” This final will definitely be one for the historians.

The winner of 2021 was jockey John Velazquez riding Medina Spirit (a 3-year-old colt) with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, finishing almost a half a horse length ahead of Mandaloun, the win gave Baffert his seventh derby win. However, due to failing a post-race drug test, he was disqualified, leading to Mandaloun placing first. The post-race test identified 21 picograms per milliliter of betamethasone, an anti-inflammatory that can be used to relieve joint pain in horses, which is more than twice the allowed amount within 14 days of the race in Kentucky.

Baffert said, “I was totally shocked when I heard this news…[as] you know, we didn’t do [this],” at a press conference on Sunday, May 9. In this year alone, a total of five horses under his care have failed a drug test, leading him to be suspended from entering any horses at the Churchills Downs Racetrack. He continues to deny that Medina Spirit was ever treated with betamethasone and claims he doesn’t know how the drug landed up in the horse’s system. And he intends to race with Medina Spirit in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday, May 15 in Baltimore. 

Medina Spirit becomes the second horse in the Kentucky Derby to win but later be disqualified due to failing a drug test. The first being Dancer’s Image in 1968 after finding traces of phenylbutazone in a post-race urinalysis. 

Many people have weighed in on this issue but one of the most memorable would be the former President Donald Trump calling the “…Kentucky Derby winner, Medina Spirit, is a junky” on his new site From the Desk of Donald J. Trump. A bit closer to home, freshman Bradleigh Ryan has some words on the topic. She has been an avid rider for some time. Ryan believes that Bob Baffert should be suspended indefinitely and thinks he is lying about not knowing how the drug ended up in the horse’s system. She says, “This is his fifth horse this year that has failed a drug test and it’s hurting the horses.”

Ryan is ultimately correct, Bob Baffert just came clean about what happened on Wednesday, May 11, 2021. He believes that the traces of betamethasone came from an anti-fungal ointment called Otomax and continues to claim that he was unaware that Otomax has betamethasone in it.

However protesters at Old Trafford became hostile towards the officers present which eventually led to two officers being injured, and more being deployed to the area. The main reason for these protests is American owner Avram Glazer, who is under fire for his recent involvement in the European Super League (ESL). Senior Arman Maher said,

The Glazer family has been in control of the club since their 2005 purchase of the club. Avram Glazer himself has refused to apologise for his involvement in ESL and plans on rebuilding trust with the fans of Manchester United. Glazer and Manchester United also seek to punish fans who committed criminal acts during the protests and have stated that they have no desire to punish peaceful protesters.