‘Pride Is Infinite’ at 18th annual Miami Beach Pride

Ariana Glaser
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‘Pride Is Infinite’ at 18th annual Miami Beach Pride

Rainbow flags flew high and vibrantly colored floats paraded down Ocean Drive for Miami Beach Pride’s more than 150,000 attendees. 

The 18th annual Miami Beach Pride Parade returned to South Beach on Sunday, April 12, upholding its mission to “envision, plan and execute a roster of events and activities that are as diverse as the [LGBTQ+] community itself.” 

The parade was the culmination of a 10-day-long celebration. Miami Beach Pride began on April 2 at City Hall with a pride flag raising ceremony, followed by a kickoff celebration, women’s mingling event, family picnic, queer art showcase, mega-mixer, pageant, drag concert and festival. 

University of Miami students and Sebastian the Ibis celebrate at the Miami Beach Pride Parade on April 13, 2026.

For the past several years, UM has partnered with Coca-Cola to offer students an active role in the parade. UM students enjoy free bus transportation and access to events through the on-campus LGBTQ Center. Students are also provided breakfast on Miami Beach, an exclusive Pride 2026 tee shirt and other celebratory trinkets. Non-UM guests can join for an individual $20 cover. 

This year’s theme was “Pride Is Infinite,” a reflection of Miami Beach Pride’s legacy and the overarching theme of resilience among the queer community. 

“Beyond celebration, Miami Beach Pride serves as a critical cultural, social and civic platform for the LGBTQ+ community in Miami-Dade County,” said Carol Coombes, director of grants and cultural affairs at Miami Beach Pride. “At its core, Pride creates a visible, inclusive space in a region where LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance have evolved significantly but still face ongoing challenges.”

Many in the LGBTQ+ community believe Pride is more important than ever as the political climate grows increasingly uncertain. 

On a national scale, President Donald Trump scrapped more than $800 million allotted funding for research into queer health, dismantled The Trevor Project’s crisis hotline for LGBTQ+ youth and revoked a Biden-era queer discrimination policy. 

Statewide, multiple rainbow crosswalks were painted over early this year, and anti-queer legislation continued with the “Anti-Diversity Bill” that threatened to ban municipal funding and promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion activities.

“To me, Miami Beach Pride is a symbol that change is still possible,” said Daymee Sanchez, the assistant director at UM’s LGBTQ Student Center. “It reminds me that there are leaders and community members who are actively putting in the work to create spaces like this — spaces where people are seen, valued and protected, and being part of that each year means everything to me.”

Sanchez has attended Miami Beach Pride since she was 15 years old. From 2015-18, she attended with her high school’s Gay-Straight Alliance. At the time, hers was one of the very few high schools that participated. 

“While [the UM LGBTQ Student Center] provides many community-based spaces on campus where students can feel safe, Pride is unique because it brings together a wide range of resources and community agencies,” said Sanchez. “The event amplifies their work and spreads awareness of what’s available to the Miami-Dade County LGBTQ+ community.”

The UM LGBTQ Center throws up the U outside of the UM admissions office before heading to the Miami Beach Pride Parade on April 13, 2026.

Keira Faddis, a sophomore at UM and a lesbian, has spent the past two years marching with The Alliance for LGBTQ Youth.

“Seeing younger people in that space is powerful,” said Faddis. “Pride can be the first place someone feels seen or accepted, and that kind of experience can stay with them for the rest of their life.”

Though the first Miami Beach Pride in 2009 garnered a modest attendance count of 15,000, participation has multiplied exponentially. People of all ages, identities and walks of life crowd Ocean Drive annually to witness the rainbow spectacular.

Pride is loud and colorful, but for most attendees, there’s a deeper gratitude for the event. The first Pride, known today as the Stonewall Riots, was a series of protests by the queer community to combat anti-LGBTQ police brutality. 

“People often assume it’s just a party, but there’s a real emotional weight to it. I remember marching with a sign I made that said ‘Born This Way’ on it,” said Faddis. “I made eye contact with an older gay couple…when one of them pointed at my sign. He said something along the lines of, ‘Yes you were. Keep fighting,’ and it literally made me break down crying.”

After spending nearly eight years in the closet, Faddis admitted she “would have never dreamed” of attending Pride. But now, for Faddis, Pride represents “freedom.” It represents the ability to exist openly and celebrate a part of herself she once felt like she had to hide. 

“There are people who are actively trying to strip away marriage rights for gay couples, and I think going to Pride is one of my ways of protesting that,” said Faddis. “It’s kind of my way of saying, ‘I’m here, I’m queer and there is nothing you can do to stop me.’”

Centennial Village wins energy and water saving competition

Katie Karlson
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Centennial Village wins energy and water saving competition

Centennial Village residents reduced their energy usage by 7.17% in March 2026 compared to March 2025, securing their victory in this year’s UConserve competition.  

UConserve is an energy and water conservation competition that began four years ago and is organized by ECO Reps, a committee under The University of Miami’s Student Government’s ECO Agency. The competition between residence halls ran from March 1 to 31, where students could participate by logging their sustainable actions in the GetGreen app.   

Following Centennial in first, UV fell from first place in 2025 to second place this year, reducing its energy usage by 6.95%. Eaton came in third with a 4.44% reduction, followed by Lakeside Village with a 3.94% decrease. Mahoney-Pearson finished last, increasing its usage by 2.29%.

Tips to reduce energy and water use included setting the thermostat to 74, using cold water for laundry, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and closing curtains when the apartment is empty. 

In the GetGreen app, students earn “leaves” for their individual sustainable actions while contributing to their residence hall’s sustainability goal. Depending on how many leaves an individual earns, they can win prizes like an eco-friendly tote bag or a hydroponic garden. 

In total, the residence halls decreased energy usage by about 70,000kWh. This energy is equivalent to the annual electricity usage of seven homes or about 192 miles in an electric car, according to a post on Green U’s Instagram.

Although the “number of residents [did] not impact scores,” not all of the residence halls on campus are created equal. 

According to Hallmark Homes Group, older buildings tend to be less energy-efficient than new ones, largely because of outdated heating and cooling systems. In addition, Lakeside and UV are also the only residence halls with kitchens in each apartment and in-unit laundry machines in some. 

“We’d like to attribute Centennial Village’s win to the hard work of our ECO Reps for educating student residents on how they can conserve energy in their dorms and over breaks,” said UM’s Sustainability office in a statement to The Hurricane. “First year residents are a bit more curious and are usually looking for opportunities to be active and have an impact on their environment. It helps that CV is also a LEED Gold building that has a lot of energy and water efficiency features.”

As the winners, Centennial residents can expect free Dunkin’ Donuts in their lobby. More details are available on @sgecoagency’s Instagram page.

This article was updated at 1:33 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21, to include the statement from UM’s Sustainability office.

Lake Osceola deserves better

Niki Kawa
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Lake Osceola deserves better

Fishing in Lake Osceola sounds like a typical afternoon activity. But, as the space sees heavier and more varied use, student concerns about cleanliness intensify. 

This practice raises concern about both environmental damage and protection of the area. 

While the University policy has historically prohibited swimming in Lake Osceola and surrounding waterways, current guidelines do not clearly address fishing. 

This perception was reflected in an anonymous, non-scientific survey posted on The Miami Hurricane’s Instagram story. 

55% of 53 respondents reported observing trash, 62% noticed a smell and 42% noted bait being left behind. 

One student wrote, “Right after spring break, I noticed fishing bait left on the bridge for several days. It smelled really bad and there were flies around it for a few days before it was removed.” 

Another added, “I’ve seen bait, severed fish and buckets left on the Fate Bridge that smell awful and take up space where people are walking,” pointing to signs of environmental neglect and unattended fishing equipment.

This debris may pose a threat to wildlife through ingestion and entanglement, according to environmental agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Respondents also described seeing “little kids and older men fishing.” Another noted that “people that aren’t from the school (I can tell because it’s a parent with their kid) [are] taking up entire walkways,” adding that “they should be allowed to fish, not just on bridges where students walk, and they should get some sort of permit from the school,” suggesting a broader concern among students about how the lake is being used.

Although UM is a private campus, visitors are not uncommon, and they enjoy the natural surroundings. Lake Osceola is one of the most visible and frequently used areas, creating tension between maintaining an open campus and ensuring responsible use of these spaces. 

However, not all students see this as a concern. Junior Amanda Fernandez believes that fishing should be permitted for non-students, provided they are respectful of the environment.

“I think the campus is an open space for anyone who lives nearby or visiting,” she said. 

Other students, like freshman Caroline Garfield, think there should be clearer restrictions.

“No, I don’t think it should be allowed,” Garfield said. “And to further that, I think that this policy should also apply to children who ride their bikes around the Shalala area.” 

While University administration and campus security are responsible for enforcing policies in shared spaces, it is also the duty of those using the lake to clean up after themselves and protect campus wildlife. 

During Earth Month, UM aims to raise awareness of environmental concerns surrounding Lake Osceola, including the risks posed by unattended fishing equipment and trash to wildlife. 

“There are elevated levels of phosphorus in Lake Osceola,” said Sidney Blumenfeld, a member of the Conservation Ecology subcommittee of UM’s ECO Agency. Based on his work monitoring nutrient conditions in the lake, he said these spikes are associated with fertilizer use and construction runoff.

In response, ECO is planning to install floating wetlands. Blumenfeld described these as “mats of wetland grasses and other vegetation planted on a floating platform that sits on the water surface.” The system is designed to absorb excess nutrients and improve water quality, with installation expected as early as next year. 

Maintaining outdoor spaces like these depends just as much on individual behavior as on policy. The extent to which these actions can damage surrounding wildlife often goes unnoticed.

As areas on campus continue to be shared, we need to start questioning not just who can use the spaces, but who is willing to protect them. 

The misuse of Lake Osceola ultimately comes down to accountability. Without stronger enforcement of guidelines, even well-intentioned shared spaces can be mistreated. L

As the lines between public and student spaces continue to blur, the future of the lake and the wildlife that live there depends not just on rules, but on our collective responsibility to protect it.

Miami traffic lengthens commutes and worsens climate crisis

Daniella Krasney
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Miami traffic lengthens commutes and worsens climate crisis

A 9:30 a.m. class doesn’t mean a 9 a.m. alarm for many University of Miami students. For commuters, it can mean waking up hours early just to sit in traffic.

“[It can] take me an hour to get to school, and I don’t even live that far,” said Ro Pelez, a commuter student at UM. “Traffic is actually really annoying, and it does affect my schedule … it seems to be getting worse.”

Students are feeling the consequences of a city built around cars through longer commutes, denser traffic and rising environmental costs. While the immediate impact is the inconvenience of traffic, the long-term effects are far greater as population growth and development continue to increase emissions and strain the environment.

Transportation remains the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in Miami-Dade County. When more residents move into new developments, the city becomes more densely populated, worker’s commutes lengthen and greenhouse emissions fill the air.
Urban planner Ali Lewis said that growth without corresponding shifts in transportation and land-use planning can pose long-term climate challenges for cities.

“Car-dependent growth increases Vehicle Miles Traveled, which directly increases emissions,” Lewis said. “As cities grow, those patterns become harder to undo.”
Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, Miami has limited room to expand transportation infrastructure, funneling more traffic into tight roads.

Still, these challenges are not unique to Miami. Researchers often point to cities like Los Angeles, which experienced rapid postwar growth centered on highways and low-density development. Over time, that model produced severe congestion, air pollution and limited access to green space, which are difficult and costly to reverse.

Experts say that the heavy reliance on cars not only brings more traffic, but impacts how people move through the environment.

“When we are in our cars, we miss out on the three aspects of life that have been well-established through research to be the most closely associated with health, longevity and well-being: social interaction, physical activity and greenness,” said Joanna Lombard, a professor at the University of Miami School of Architecture.

Miami ranks high on the list of urban heat islands by Climate Central. With limited access to green space, neighborhoods with fewer trees and parks tend to experience higher temperatures, creating the “concrete jungle” effect many cities experience.

As heat intensifies, residents are more likely to rely on cars rather than walking for even short trips, reinforcing a cycle of car dependence and emissions. Lombard said that car-based commutes bring people away from healthy human interaction.

“Our car-based trajectory from work to home and back does not allow for the kinds of casual interactions that happen naturally when we are walking, and it turns out that those interactions are important to our health,” Lombard said. “We might spend our whole day without ever getting near or even seeing a tree.”

Lombard added that her research has found that greater proximity to trees is associated with lower rates of many conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, diabetes and depression.

As Miami continues to grow, Lewis said the city is approaching a critical turning point on how the city will develop moving forward.

“The question is whether growth continues to reinforce car dependence, or whether it’s used as an opportunity to redesign how people move and live,” Lewis said.

Miami-Dade’s Climate Action Strategy aims to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030, expand renewable energy and protect green and blue spaces across the city.

“While the effects of climate change might still seem theoretical for many communities around the globe, in Miami-Dade County, we already clearly see the impact of rising seas, extreme heat and sunny day flooding,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in the climate plan. “Now in our 11th hour with the clock rapidly ticking, we must take action immediately.”

While county leaders emphasize the urgency of addressing climate change, Lombard said adds that the path forward lies in how the city itself is designed. She said that climate-conscious development does not require stopping growth altogether, but rethinking it to include environmental solutions.

“We [can] integrate more of what is needed for daily life into our built environment and create places where [social interaction, physical activity and greenness] are just a natural part of every day,” Lombard said. “The default option would change from isolation and distance to community and proximity.”

Is Alix’s Reale Actives the real deal or another influencer hoax?

V'S Take
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Is Alix’s Reale Actives the real deal or another influencer hoax?

 

The OG UM influencer has finally gotten big enough to take the leap that all almost-A-listers take: starting a makeup or skincare line. 

Students and fans fled the site to buy her new — and, of course, aesthetic — skincare brand following the launch.

Are people actually excited about the product and happy to support an alum, or are they merely drawn in by the risque release video or wanting to see if she’s the next Millie Bobby Brown with Florence or the next Kim with SKIMS?

Her launch included four simple products with a clean look and apparently even cleaner ingredients.

The line showcases a cleansing balm, a gel cleanser, a serum and a moisturizer. 

Now, Alix has long based her brand on transparency surrounding her life and skin care journey while she handled cystic acne in her 20s. 

But girl, all of us who have been in the same boat know it takes a little more than an acid serum and some cleanser to go from cystic to baby-smooth. 

I’m sure the products are clean and can keep already clear skin looking nice and fresh. However, us acne girls also know you have enough money to pay for the best treatments and skin therapies money can buy.

I’m not saying it’s impossible that her products could work, and I honestly really hope she proves me wrong.

But Alix! You had the perfect opportunity to make makeup that you can wear overnight! That would’ve fit your brand even better. 

At the end of the day, it’s cool to see a UM alum and influencer chasing her dreams. I just hope this product launch isn’t a huge wake up call. 

Anyone who tries it out, let me know.

Love,

V

Vector-borne diseases thrive in South Florida

Keira Faddis
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Vector-borne diseases thrive in South Florida

Concern surrounding vector borne illnesses, pathogens transmitted by blood-feeding bugs, is growing among South Florida residents.

South Florida’s warm, rainy climate and uniquely flat landscape create a near-perfect environment for mosquitoes to thrive year-round. This combination makes the region particularly vulnerable to these diseases that can be spread by insects like mosquitoes, ticks and fleas. 

The area is home to nearly 90 species of mosquitoes and certain species, like Aedes aegypti, presenting significant health risks to residents, including diseases like dengue, Zika and yellow fever. 

According to Dr. John C. Beier, a professor of public health sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, dengue fever is particularly prevalent in South Florida. 

“Dengue is more common,” Beier said. “There are imported cases, a lot from Cuba. There are also locally transmitted cases, about 20 last year.” 

According to the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, symptoms of dengue are “described as flu-like without the respiratory problems.” Other symptoms include a high fever, body aches, pain behind the eyes, rash, nausea or vomiting.

This past year, Dr. Beier conducted field research to determine how far Aedes aegypti mosquitoes travel. His department worked closely with Miami-Dade Mosquito Control, assisting the division in finding more effective control strategies. 

“We have the dangerous vector Aedes aegypti year-round throughout the county,” Beier said. “Miami has good weather conditions, there are abundant larval habitats, and the local environment has good microhabitats for adult mosquitoes.”

He noted that the global rise in temperatures is concerning and that higher temperatures favor mosquito survival. 

“Mosquitoes work fast,” said Shaun Judy, the CEO and founder of Dade Pest Solutions, a local pest control company. “In our climate, they can go from egg to flying adult in about a week, sometimes less if it’s really hot.”

That is why even a little bit of standing water — even as small as a capful — can turn into a problem before you even notice. 

In response to a nonscientific survey posted on The Miami Hurricane’s Instagram story, one anonymous senior said that mosquitoes on campus are “Really bad by the mangroves in the water by Eaton and on the water at RSMAS. Fine everywhere else.”

Effective mosquito control requires disrupting the breeding cycle at multiple stages. 

Larvicides are chemicals that can prevent eggs from hatching within a day or two, while fogging disperses chemicals that kill adult mosquitoes on contact. 

However, Judy emphasized that neither method is fully effective on its own.

“The key is hitting both the larvae and the adults, plus getting rid of the standing water,” he said. “If you do all that, you can break the cycle in about a week or two.”

Miami-Dade County’s Mosquito Control and Habitat Management Division was established in 1935 to improve the quality of life and reduce the spread of disease. This year, mosquito control spending reached $13.8 million, according to the Department of Solid Waste Management’s 2025-2026 budget.

The division monitors mosquito populations using more than 300 traps across urban and rural areas, tracking species, population levels and potential disease presence. Officials also rely on reports from residents and data from the Florida Department of Health to guide their response.

“When a suspected mosquito-borne illness is reported, we send an inspector out the next day,” said Michael Mut, the public information officer for Miami-Dade Mosquito Control. “They check the property and surrounding homes for breeding sites and treat [them] if necessary.”

South Florida’s climate means mosquito activity never fully stops, but it intensifies during the warmer, wetter months.

“Because of our tropical climate, mosquito activity happens year-round,” Mut said. “From May to October, with increased rainfall and higher temperatures, populations rise significantly.”

As conditions continue to favor mosquito growth, experts emphasize that prevention depends not only on large-scale control efforts, but also on individual action — especially eliminating standing water before it becomes a breeding ground.

Miami rower captains ‘Team Miami’ in national EcoAthletes conservation awareness competition

Bella Armstrong
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Miami rower captains ‘Team Miami’ in national EcoAthletes conservation awareness competition

On the waterways of Miami Beach, where dolphins swim alongside boats and starfish rest idly beneath the surface, Miami rower Sophia Philipp trains.

Her oars cut clean through the water as the junior pushes through another practice with the UM rowing team, the rhythm of each stroke as steady as the current beneath her.

But this season — her third competing under Miami’s banner — her focus hasn’t just been on the water.

It’s been on something bigger.  

Philipp now captains “Team Miami” alongside Miami teammate Maria Mastrando in the EcoAthletes Collegiate Cup. Transforming physical activity into environmental currency, it’s an international competition that funds beach and ocean clean-ups. 

EcoAthletes, a nonprofit founded in 2020, works with professional, Olympic and collegiate athletes to turn their platforms into tools for climate advocacy. Through mentorship, media training and networking opportunities, the organization helps athletes find their voice on an issue many have traditionally avoided.

For Philipp, the mission isn’t abstract. It’s inseparable from the sport she spends hours immersed in each day.

“My sport wouldn’t be possible without clean oceans, without a clean environment,” Philipp said. 

Before discovering EcoAthletes, she said her passion for rowing and sustainability existed in separate spaces. One was defined by discipline and competition, the other by personal interest and advocacy.

“Athletics and my sustainability work always felt like two separate lives,” Philipp said. “Being able to [merge] those two has just been a surreal experience.”

Founder and CEO of EcoAthletes, Lewis Blaustein, launched the organization with the goal of having athletes lead climate change activism.

Blaustein believes athletes hold a unique cultural influence — one capable of shaping conversations far beyond the field, court or water. 

“Athletes are the most influential humans on the planet, [and] they have led on all manner of social issues,” he said. “Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King, Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapinoe — and yet we don’t have the Megan Rapinoes or Muhammad Ali’s of climate [change].”

Photo Credit: Sophia Phillip // Miami’s Hurricanes rowers Sophia Phillip and Maria Mastrando pose ahead of a competition.

Part of that absence, he said, stems from hesitation. Climate change can feel too political, too scientific or too polarizing for athletes to publicly engage with. EcoAthletes aims to change that by guiding athletes from being “climate curious” to becoming leaders in the space.

For Philipp, joining that movement meant finding a sense of belonging she didn’t realize was missing.

“It’s almost like finding your perfect little niche,” she beamed. “Like a missing puzzle piece.” 

That connection is especially tangible in Miami, where the environment isn’t just a concept, but a daily reality. 

“Everyone sees the University of Miami — beach, palm trees, dolphins,” Philipp said. “But only if we’re willing to sustain that.”

Through the Collegiate Cup, that idea becomes action. Participants log their workouts through an app, and each step, stroke or mile contributes to environmental funding efforts supported by organizations like Ocean Conservancy. In its first year of competition, Team Miami has already climbed into the top tier among nearly 50 schools nationwide.

“Sophia drives enthusiasm and curiosity for what EcoAthletes is doing and what the Collegiate Cup is about,” Blaustein said. “And Miami is in the top tier in its first year.”

For Blaustein, the goal extends beyond competition or visibility. It’s about how the organization can harness the emotional pull of sports. Turning the intensity, loyalty and connection that makes sports today so compelling can drive real, equitable change.

That idea often returns to the same waters where Philipp trains.

Between early morning practices and long rows through Miami Beach’s intercoastal, the environment is not just a backdrop. It is a constant presence. Something seen, felt and protected.

Every time she cuts through the water, she moves through an ecosystem she has come to understand, depend on and now, actively fight to protect.

“It’s an honor to even be a part of it,” Philipp smiled. 

And in the water, that mission isn’t distant or abstract — it’s right beneath her, moving with every stroke.

Photo Credit: Miami Athletics

Chasing excellence across continents with Miami men’s tennis coach

Max Diaz
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Chasing excellence across continents with Miami men’s tennis coach

University of Miami men’s tennis coach Alex Santos strives for excellence every day.

Even when he is alone in his office, all he sees is the word staring him back in the face.

Literally, “excellence” is written on his whiteboard just a few feet from his desk, sandwiching the core values of his team: “excellence; teamwork; integrity; excellence.” 

“It’s kind of the mission,” Santos said. “It’s what we all have to be doing.”

Santos grew up in Oeiras, a coastal town in Portugal. There, at the age of eight, he began playing tennis after his father, a professional volleyball coach, began managing a tennis club.

That move started a career in the sport that has persisted for more than three decades.

 “I don’t recall my first day,” he said, “I just recall being involved in tennis ever since.”

Despite being one of the top-ranked players at the junior level in Portugal, Santos decided he was destined to take another path at 18.

After working towards his degree for a couple of years, Santos began his coaching career at academies in Portugal and Barcelona, Spain.

“I felt that coaching was what I wanted to do, and in the sport I love,” Santos said. “It was kind of a natural transition. I felt that I had more to offer on the coaching side than on the playing side at that point in time.”

In the 2009-10 season, Santos began his stateside collegiate coaching career, starting as a volunteer assistant for the Miami women’s team under head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews. He served as a graduate manager in the fall of 2010 before being elevated to a full-time assistant coach the following spring.

During Santos’ four years, he helped the team to an 85-24 record, tied for the sixth-most wins in any four-year span in program history.

In 2013, Santos left Miami for his first head coaching job, as head coach of Pittsburgh women’s tennis. He was at the helm for the Panthers for six years, leading Pittsburgh to its first ranked victory. 

In 2019, his time in Pittsburgh came to a close when the school decided to disband the program.

“He was upset,” said Filip Vittek, assistant coach under Santos at Pittsburgh and now at Miami. “The first thing he thought about was to help the team and myself and make sure that we were all okay moving forward.”

After Pittsburgh, Santos had a one-year stop in Waco, Texas, working under head coach Joey Scrivano for the Baylor women’s tennis team as the associate head coach.

In addition to the everyday goal for excellence Santos has, his other core values of integrity and teamwork are not a side show. Scrivano noted Santos’ efforts outside the court, taking a genuine interest in his players’ lives and well-being.

Santos’ time in Waco was short-lived, as the 2020 season was cut short due to COVID-19. He headed back to Miami, becoming the associate head coach for the women’s tennis team, a position he still holds today. Once again, the team saw major success with Santos in the fold, notably in 2024 when Alexa Noel won the NCAA singles title.

With his consistent track record of success at UM, Santos was promoted to head coach of the men’s team in May 2024, a position he’s held since. 

“He’s a very hard-working person. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody spend that much time on the court,” said Vittek, “he’s not somebody who just wants to be good. He’s somebody who wants to be great.”

For Santos and his team, being great is not just about hard work; there is a mental aspect as well. It has to be a way of life.

“Tennis, for me, is a space of love that taught me tough lessons, that taught me how to be better, that taught me how to be more resilient,” said Santos. “How can I not be thankful want to be around people that have the same love,” 

All of his work and his never-ending pursuit of excellence are worth it for Santos because it’s not just about his own love for the sport; it’s always been about the impact he can leave behind.

Learning shouldn’t retire when you do

Ariana Glaser
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Learning shouldn’t retire when you do

I recently sat down with my mother, grandparents and their friend for Shabbat dinner. My grandfather, whom I lovingly refer to as “Saba,” and I started a semi-peaceful discussion about whether or not global warming is really happening. 

At 91 years old, my grandfather does not believe in the phenomenon. 

I offered facts: California wildfires, melting glaciers and topsy-turvy weather conditions plaguing the world. He dismissed it all as “liberal propaganda.”

Oftentimes, when young progressives try to talk politics with their elders, they’re met with people who just won’t budge. Rather than open their minds to new beliefs, our grandparents close the door to the truth — because it is easier than admitting that what they’ve grown to see as fiction might be fact. It is easier to stand with what you know than to grapple with what you don’t. 

Considering how rare a college degree was until recently, I find it probable that the main reason for ignorance among older generations is that most never received a proper education. 

My grandfather was born in Belgium and served in the trenches of World War II. As a young Jewish boy living in Europe, he constantly fought for survival. I grew up hearing his stories of bartering for bread and watching his parents be taken by trains to concentration camps.

Saba has certainly lived a difficult life, and I’m proud to be his granddaughter. He’s been through many things I’ll never have to experience, and he knows many things I’ll never know.

But, the things he went through kept him from earning even a high school diploma, which I strongly believe is the cause of his negligence toward new ideas like global warming. 

I know many things he’ll never know, and my world of knowledge will continue to expand, while his will remain relatively stagnant simply because he chooses for it to.

During our discussion, Saba asked me how I knew these things to be true, and I told him, plain and simple: I don’t know the scientific principles nor the mathematical formulas used to calculate the “climate clock.” I am a sophomore in college right now, and I study music and journalism, so admittedly, science is not my strong suit.

However, I don’t think the main point of education is to learn something specific: I think it’s to learn how to learn  — and more importantly, how to keep learning.

So, while I don’t know everything about the climate, my education has given me the ability to teach myself as much as possible about global warming and to respect the findings of scientists far more educated than I am on this specific topic.

My mother received a bachelor’s degree in business before pursuing her law degree. She and I disagree on many things, but we agree on the fact that global warming, among other things, is something you cannot dispute. It is happening, whether you deny it or not.

Though my mother is long out of school, she hasn’t stopped learning. She has also tried to explain to her father that global warming is not a topic for debate, emphasizing that  she saw the melting glaciers herself on a trip to Iceland.

Not everyone is so lucky as to receive an education. But, the world will keep changing. What I learn in college now will likely not be what my children or grandchildren learn several decades from now. Their worldview will expand, and I would hope that they learn more than I ever will. 

However, if you go out of your way to learn in your early days, you will inherit the ability to keep learning as you age.

There’s no ethical consumption under capitalism, but our choices still matter

Keira Faddis
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There’s no ethical consumption under capitalism, but our choices still matter

In middle school, I was “the woke friend.”

I believed corporations were evil, and that there was no point in trying to be better for the environment because my individual actions didn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I heard the term “there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism,” and ran with it. 

Over time, I realized that the mindset was less about me standing up against capitalism and more like an easy way to absolve myself of any responsibility to be better.

While it’s true that corporations like ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron drive large-scale environmental harm, using corrupt oil companies as an excuse to completely opt out of personal responsibility is ineffective in making any positive change at all. It allows us to acknowledge the problem without ever having to fix our behavior.

That mindset doesn’t just come from “the friend who’s too woke,” it shows up on college campuses, too. 

The truth is, many college students are overconsumers. Do we all really need the newest trending shoulder bag or water bottle every season? 

We don’t need a hundred-dollar Shein haul before a night out at a music festival or every piece of free merchandise that is distributed on campus, no matter how cute the graphic is. Both actions contribute not only to overconsumption, but also to your personal carbon footprint. 

I’m guilty of this behavior, too. 

I can never turn down a free tote bag. I tell myself it’s okay because I’ll use them for groceries, but I don’t think my collection of more than 15 tote bags is necessary at all. 

Dr. Nkosi Muse, an environmental fellow at the Harvard University Center for the Environment who got his PhD in environmental science and policy at UM, argues that the phrase “there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism” lacks necessary nuance. 

While capitalism is inherently exploitative of both people and the environment, many of the goods we rely on to survive are produced within that same system.

“Should we consider a single mother buying chicken from a low-cost supermarket unethical?” Muse asks. “I don’t think that is necessarily fair — especially when more sustainable brands are less affordable, due to the extra measures that must be taken to profit while also remaining in ‘harmony’ with the environment.”

He’s right. Not all consumption is a moral failure. The responsibility for the state of our planet should not fall solely on people doing what they need to do to get by.

However, there’s a difference between not having many options and choosing convenience when options do exist. Recognizing that the system is flawed shouldn’t mean ignoring how we participate in it.

The next time you’re about to buy the newest drop of the sweatshirt everyone is wearing, ask yourself: Do you actually need it, or is it just an unnecessary purchase to keep up with a passing trend? 

Small choices like these might not seem important on their own, but when enough people make them, they add up. They affect what gets bought, what gets produced and what companies prioritize. 

This isn’t about expecting everyone to make perfect decisions. As Muse points out, many people don’t have the ability to prioritize sustainability in every situation. In those cases, consumption is about necessity, not excess.

“Ultimately it is a systemic political issue, in which we cannot penalize those who must do what they have to do to survive in a capitalistic society, but rather hold corporations that exploit and politicians/policymakers who allow exploitation accountable,” Muse said. 

Real change requires both awareness of the system and a willingness to adjust our own behavior when we can. Corporations and policymakers need to be held accountable for large-scale impact, but individuals still play a role in the habits and culture that support that system.

For students who feel overwhelmed by the climate crisis, the answer is not to be perfect — but it isn’t to give up either. It’s to stay informed, pay attention to your choices and make adjustments where realistically possible.

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