Denver Mayoral Debate Hosted by Regis

By Danny Gonzales-Hyde, Staff Writer

This year Regis had the pleasure of hosting the Denver Mayoral Debate on February 9, the debate featured 16 candidates all of whom were given a platform to state why they are the best candidate for mayor. The event was hosted in the Regis recital hall, filled with Denver residents of wide-ranging demographics. As the event got underway, President Aceves gave a quick address to the audience thanking everyone for their attendance and the candidates for their participation. The debate format was distinct, as there were a variety of categories with a few questions and a number of candidates were called upon at random to answer each question. On top of this, candidates were each given three rebuttal cards that they could use when they deemed necessary. 

The first category addressed in the debate was the cost of housing as Denver has become increasingly expensive. In response, the candidates proposed a variety of different policy changes such as rent control, rent assistance, and increasing worker rights in an attempt to help Denverites accumulate more wealth. One of the most controversial topics introduced in the debate was that of houselessness which has been on the rise in Denver for a number of years. The candidates had an assortment of different takes on this such as having more of a focus on mental health and addiction services with the aim of creating stability, proposing that the city should invest in smaller housing units for individuals experiencing homelessness, and reevaluating where our tax money is going and repurposing that money. On the contrary, some candidates proposed that we should enact a camping ban as it creates an unsafe environment in the inner city.

Another fascinating topic that was touched on was the recent increase in population that Denver has been experiencing as people have been moving in from out of state. This is a relevant issue as Denver's infrastructure can’t support this influx of people. The candidates had varying ideas, most of which were centered around plans to improve infrastructure either by instituting more bike lanes or linking it to other issues such as Denver becoming increasingly overpriced and climate change. On the topic of climate change, the candidates all acknowledged the issue and stressed its importance, some even going so far as to call it a public health issue. In turn, they proposed solutions such as getting rid of fossil fuels, resorting to other forms of electricity, and holding corporate entities accountable as they disproportionately pollute our state. 

The debate gave us a sneak peek as to who the future and current leaders of our city are as we will surely see their names topping headlines for a number of years to come. Furthermore, we also received insight into the issues that matter to Denverites as the questions were all submitted by Denver residents who took the time to submit questions that matter most to them. Lastly, this debate gave us a chance to envision what the future holds for our great city. 

Iranian Protests and the Future of Iran

By Danny Gonzales-Hyde, Staff Writer

The 11th of February 1979 the United States puppet ruler in Iran, Mohammad Rezawho Shah Pahlavi, who had served as monarch of Iran since 1941, was finally ousted from office by the Iranian people. In the wake of the ensuing power vacuum, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini comes out on top and along with taking over as the head of state he also declares Iran an Islamic republic. Ayatollah had previously been exiled for 15 years by the Shah's government, due to the Shah perceiving him as a threat to his rule. It was during Ayatollah’s years in exile where he critiqued the country’s Westernization and secularization projects that the Shahs' regime was putting underway. This right wing government that seized power after the Shah is still in power to this day. As a result, for the past 43 years, the Iranian people have resorted to protest a number of times only to be crushed by the government's use of force. The most recent wave of Iranian protests have been the outcome of Mahsa Aminis death in September 2022. She was a 22-year-old Iranian woman, who was in police custody at the time of her death for “improperly wearing her hijab”. 

Recently, I have had the pleasure of interviewing Mary, an Iranian woman studying in Izmir, Turkey. Mary offered her insight into the recent Iranian protests, which are being spearheaded by the youth. Mary cites Iran's complications with human rights, economic downturns, and right wing politics as being some of the issues that the Iranian people are taking to the streets demanding reform. This isn't the first time that the Iranian people have protested against the government, with the last large scale protests being in 2009 with a number of smaller ones since then. Despite this, Mary makes the claim that what sets this newest round of protests apart from past ones is the amount of international attention that they have received, which has given the Iranian people a platform to make their voices heard. The protesters have been resisting through nonviolent means, while the government is fully armed and has shown its willingness to use force. Mary described this forceful behavior by the government as making her feel powerless. Despite this feeling of powerlessness, internet spaces such as Twitter have given people a place to share what is happening and help build momentum and support for the movement inside and outside of Iran. 

The reaction of the international community so far has been to impose more sanctions upon the Iranian state, which has made it increasingly difficult for the everyday citizens of Iran. Different forms of sanctions have been in place against the Iranian government since the establishment of Iran as an Islamic republic. The only difference since then has been the severity of these sanctions. According to Mary, the most recent round of sanctions has negatively affected the Iranian people, who can't find some of the basic products that they had previously relied on, such as certain medicines. The sanctions have also cut the Iranian people off from the rest of the world. She gave the example of wanting to pursue an education outside of Iran, where it would be impossible to pay for it with Iranian Rials, since banks no longer accept that currency. 

Despite the dire situation, Mary retains hope as she claims the Iranian people are taking the necessary steps towards building a better future. In order to further support the people of Iran from our own communities, you can share information about the protests with your peers or contact your local Human Rights organization on behalf of the Iranian people.

The Infamous Kafala System in Saudi Arabia

By Danny Gonzales-Hyde, Staff Writer

On November 4, I spoke with a Saudi Arabian national named Yahya about the kafala system in Saudi Arabia. The kafala system is a legal system that gives the employers almost complete control of their employees, who are migrant laborers. This system provides cheap, controllable labor for the employer, since the migrant workers lack protections that other workers enjoy. Consequently, this has resulted in poor working conditions for the migrants and, in extreme cases, the abuse of the migrant workers by their employers. 

Saudi Arabia isn't the only country with a version of the kafala system, it also operates in a variety of other countries in the Persian Gulf Coast region such as Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and others. Yahya had once employed kafala migrants before the Saudi Crown Prince announced in March 2021 that he would be making major changes to the system. These changes make it easier for the employee to change employers, while also making it possible for the employee to leave the country temporarily and then re-enter. Nevertheless, all these newly granted worker rights would need to be approved by the Saudi government on an individual case.

Kafalas in Saudi Arabia are mostly from poorer countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Lebanon and their salary is based on the migrant worker's country of origin. For example, Bangladeshis, such as the kafala who works in Yahya’s apartment complex, would receive some of the lowest pay while Lebanese people would receive some of the highest pay. While kafalas are employed, they are subjected to do whatever labor their employer demands of them, regardless of their own wants or needs, in exchange for being taken care of by their employer. I asked Yahya what he provided for his kafalas and he said that besides basic housing accommodation and a salary, he also pays for the kafalas’ flights in and out of the country. When I asked about how easy it would be for a kafala to leave if they wanted to, he told me that if he wanted them to stay, they would because he was in possession of the kafalas IDs and passports which would be necessary to leave. This is common practice for the kafala employers. Furthermore, when I inquired about the living conditions provided for the kafala he employs in his apartment complex, he said that he is provided with his own private living space with both a private bathroom and kitchen. Yahya claimed that this particular kafala migrant buys Pepsi and other beverages and then resells them to the construction workers across the street who are also the kafala’s main friends according to Yahya. 

Oftentimes in the workplace, the employee and employer don't always see eye to eye for a variety of reasons. For Yahya and his kafala, their arguments usually involve differing opinions about the most efficient way for work to get done, nothing that would be punishment worthy. When I inquired about what kind of actions would be punishment worthy and what that punishment may look like, Yahya recounted a story of a male Bangladeshi worker who had gone to Yahya’s uncle's house to look at the girls’ party and after being caught, they brought him back to Yahya’s house. Upon arrival back at Yahya’s house, they invited all the Pakistani and Indian workers who lived in the same housing accommodation to watch as they proceeded to beat the man's feet with a wooden stick. Yahya claimed that such offenses like this one are justifiable reasons for punishment. When asked about the drawbacks of employing a kafala migrant after the recent reforms, Yahya pointed to how he can no longer depend on the kafala to exclusively work for him, as they can now seek new employment elsewhere if so desired. 

The exploitation of the kafala migrants has put the system under much scrutiny from the international community and human rights organizations in recent years as parallels have been drawn between it and labor systems that have been discontinued such as indentured servitude, sharecropping, and slavery. The dehumanizing nature of the kafala system also leaves us with more questions than answers as to why a system like this exists in today's world. But in order to further dismantle this system, we have to ask ourselves who are the beneficiaries of exploiting the kafala migrants labor and from there we can gain a better understanding as to why it remains in place.

Messages from the Student Summit

By: Danny Gonzales-Hyde, Staff Writer

On October 5, Regis held a student summit, a meeting between students and administration that had the overarching goal of connecting the two. Despite its initial goals, emotions bubbled over as students shared meaningful questions that we, as a student body, want answers to. During the hour that was set aside for student questions, a lot was brought up, but a few main themes emerged. Questions around the Title IX office were common, as there seemed to be confusion around the way in which they have handled cases in the past. Other offices were also brought up, such as VAVP (Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention) which has puzzlement surrounding its association with the community, and the CARE (Crisis Assessment Risk Evaluation) office, which deals with disciplinary action. This confusion around accessible resources is yet another recurring theme that persisted throughout the discussion. One such instance of this is how students don't know who the administrators are and what their roles on campus are, which has resulted in a lack of trust between the students and the administration. This also extends into students not knowing what our mental health resources are, with the looming memory of COVID-19 in our peripheral. This resource should be accessible to all students even as COVID-19 begins to wind down, mental health should remain a priority for our campus. 

Other subjects that students brought up, on a number of occasions, were campus security and the lack of support that commuter students receive. In the case of campus security, there were inquiries surrounding how long the response time is when they are called, along with one student calling for them to be armed. These claims came partially as a result of the recent threat on campus from earlier this month when the student body received an alert from campus security that there were potentially two armed individuals on campus. This threat seemed to have really resonated with students, as many had reason to be panicked and were forced to hide in less-than-ideal locations. Commuter students were also present at the summit and made it known that it is difficult for them to be involved and feel a part of campus life. This was brought up with the hope that the administration can figure out some ways to make commuter students feel more at home while on campus. 

Despite all that was mentioned in this article, a few bright spots emerged from the discussion. For one, a line of communication has now been established between the student body and the administration. This will play a vital role in hopefully getting things done that are important to students not only now but in the future. Secondly, it seems that students are fond of the faculty and the relationships that they have built with them inside and outside the classroom. This also came along with high praise for certain administrators, such as Dave Law, who was met with cheers when he was introduced. Nevertheless, student concerns extend beyond just the meeting, and they are curious about what a follow-up could look like and what form it could potentially take as it has much uncertainty surrounding it. Students are now looking forward to seeing the results of the summit and to observing what changes may arise on campus now that their voices have been heard. 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Editor’s Note: There appeared to be a collective sense of frustration with the current status of Regis’ affairs, and a notable fear and worry of concerns going unheard. To those with unresolved feelings, things to say about what transpired, or those wanting an avenue for your voice to be heard, I encourage you to pursue a couple channels at your disposal. For one, The Highlander always welcomes student submissions, in whatever format you prefer to use, whether that be written, visual, or somewhere in between. Further, RUSGA has made it a priority this year to make everyone’s voice heard, especially our president, Madelaine Johnson. 

Contact Information: 

Editor in Chief, Morgan Jacobus: mjacobus001@regis.edu 

Student Body President, Madelaine Johnson: mjohnson048@regis.edu