IMPACT Magazine Spring 2024

PALOMAR COLLEGE MAGAZINE

A look into San Diego’s local music scene

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Starting my third semester with The Telescope/IMPACT, I walked in surprised to see that nearly every seat in the newsroom was taken. It was the first time I had seen the newsroom so full. I knew immediately that this would be the semester we would make a difference.

For the 15th issue of IMPACT, I wanted to break away from the themes and allow every writer to capture their passion in words. I asked the staff, “What’s important to you? What’s a magazine story you want to read?” The newsroom was filled with conversation and ideas, and I was proud of the excitement and energy I could instill in the writers. As the ideas filled in and my news editor, Alex Ortega, and I helped writers pick the right topic, I knew this would be a magazine to remember.

The topics ranged from politics, student issues, sports, and arts. But everyone had a goal in mind: raising awareness. We wanted to have an impact.

So much hard work and passion went into this edition of IMPACT, which can be seen in every story. I hope you enjoy the stories we’ve assembled for readers like you, the Palomar community. And I hope by the end of this magazine, you’ve learned something new - Whether that’s a new perspective on life, an appreciation for a sport you didn’t know about, or a better understanding of the IMPACT staff.

Editor-in-Chief, IMPACT Magazine.

TOP IMPACT’SPICKS

PALOMAR’S CARIÑO DREAM VILLAGE

PALOMAR CHEER TEAM MAKES THE PODIUM

PROBLEMS WITH PALOMAR.EDU

CYNTHIA CUNNINGHAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LISA BURKE WRITER

ALEX ORTEGA MANAGING EDITOR

KAYLIN GARCIA WRITER

NICOLAS PARROTT ART DIRECTOR

QUINTON HAYEK WRITER

MONICA GARCIA COPY EDITOR

RACHEL HYMAN WRITER

NEWS EDITORS

YANNA BARADIN

ALEX ORTEGA

OPINION EDITOR

VICTORIA GUDMUNDSON

ARTS AND PODCAST EDITOR

SOFIA ALVAREZ

SPORTS EDITOR

JOSH MIRANDA

PHOTO

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS

JOSE

KATE

HECTOR

GALILEA RAMOS CHARLES RAMBO

JOHNNY KEELING WRITER

VICTORIA GUDMUNDSON COPY EDITOR

TAYLOR LEONARD WRITER ALE ZBINDEN WRITER

SOFIA ALVAREZ WRITER

CONNOR LARSON WRITER

PALOMAR COLLEGE MAGAZINE

SPRING 2024 NUMBER 15

Eat, profit, repeat — the colonization of the food market and the minorities who pay the price.

Hunger is universal. There’s nearly no other instinctual force that unites humanity in the same way than the reliance on food. Yearly U.S. census data indicates that 42 to 50 million people in the United States experience some form of food insecurity, and the disparities grow exponentially for minorities and people of color.

Colonization stigmas weave the food distribution web tightly — the people fall in, with the predators in plain sight.

“No native person is born without trauma,” said Catherine Lorraine

Huber, a second-generation tribal descendant of the Cupeño tribe (Kuupangaxwichem), people of Pala Mission Indians.

With only 46 years since the approval of the 1978 American Indian Religious Act, native communities are practically at the birth of their religious and agricultural freedom journey. Delegitimization, eradication, loss; the list goes on in the native story of misfortune.

But the Native American experience is just one fraction of the immense percentage of disadvantaged communities in the United States

They can’t go to Whole

Foods...

you don’t have that in the hoods.

who do not have access to healthy or affordable food. Racial disparities are all-consuming, dispersed, and yet, incredibly common.

WE ARE NOT THE SAME

Kate Burt, an assistant professor at Lehman College, City University of New York, brought light to the colonization of food culture in the United States in her journal, “The whiteness of the Mediterranean Diet: A historical, sociopolitical, and dietary analysis using Critical Race Theory.”

The introduction of the Mediterranean, or MedDiet, influenced by Ancel Keys’ Seven Countries study in the 1950s, depicts the power imbalances that ultimately established the Dietary Goals of the United States. The study compared the diets and health of men in seven mostly white European countries.

The findings of this study were mainly accepted to fight dietaryrelated cardiovascular disease in the U.S. These, however, did not account for the dietary restrictions of ethnic communities.

The dietary standards of the U.S. do represent predominately white standards, but do not accurately represent minorities. Immigrant and ethnic communities experience a much higher percentage of dietrelated cardiovascular diseases, mainly found in processed foods.

“We were talking about all those foods with a lot of sodium like canned foods,” said Alex Gomez, professor of ethnic studies at Palomar College. “They can’t go to Whole Foods…you don’t have that in the hoods.”

Analyzing food insecurity among minorities is Gomez’s passion. As an immigrant from Colombia and a volunteer at San Ysidro station right by the Mexican-U.S. border, Gomez has a broad perspective of the daily immigrant experience.

Most of these immigrants get transferred to Chicago, New York,

Denver, and Miami — food deserts — stocked with cheap food, high in sodium.

The indigenous communities ranging from México to Argentina sustained themselves with corn, holding essential amino acids, beans for protein, and potatoes, according to Gomez. These communities, however, were dismantled, mainly due to U.S. capitalistic efforts with the passing of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994.

“That land became available for this huge mass production of corn… the beginning of letting the U.S. and Canada to tap into that land,” said Gomez.

In turn, a mass influx of indigenous communities lost their jobs and homes, turning to the U.S. in hopes of better opportunities.

Gomez described the Chinampas, or “floating gardens,” of Xochimilco, México. Chinampas were home to various organic crops grown by the Aztec civilizations. However, with an increase of tourist efforts, these communities turned to canoeing exhibitions, leaving less room for the growth of healthy, organic produce.

Similarly to how Latinx groups struggle for assimilation to the food and profit culture of the U.S., Native American communities lack access to the nutritional needs of their native land.

“A lot of us barely have the energy to think about what’s good for our body, when we don’t even know if we’re gonna have our body tomorrow,” said Huber, a Cupeño tribe descendant. The Cupeño Indians were removed from their land in Warner Springs under U.S. Supreme Court orders in 1903. Their access to the ancestral lands holding organic food customs was practically eradicated.

According to Rebecca Webster’s journal, “Food Reservations at the Reservation,” USDA’s 1950s four food groupings — milk, meat, fruit,

and vegetables — set the recommended U.S. standard. An enzyme called lactase causes the inability to digest milk sugar lactose in some ethnic groups. In turn, 74% of Native Americans are found to be lactose intolerant, accounting for a higher percentage of chronic diseases than any other race.

HOW FOOD MOVES

Gentrification efforts tower greedily over the disconnect that minority groups experience with healthy food access.

“A lot of times what happens before gentrification is the devaluation of certain neighborhoods…the abandonment of neighborhoods by policymakers,” said Pascale Joassart-Marcelli, geography professor and Director of the Food Studies Program and Center for Better Food Futures at SDSU.

Loan approvals happen predominately in suburban areas where high-income, white communities are established, according to Joassart-Marcelli. As a result, Black and immigrant communities are often left behind and become prime areas for gentrification. With the value of these minority communities decreasing, wealthy, suburban individuals establish businesses there for a lower price.

“When people discover that, you know, you can have amazing tacos or great Mexican bakeries or Vietnamese pho, whatever it is… something…suddenly becomes appealing to people,” said Joassart-Marcelli.

Suddenly, there is an increase of inauthentic ethnic restaurants selling food for much higher prices than minorities and immigrants can afford. It’s a dystopian experience for immigrants; engaging in the communities influenced by their own culture, but not being able to identify with them any longer.

“If you think about it, gentrification has been happening for a long time, and it’s very insidious,” said Joassart-Marcelli.

Rebecca de Souza, Associate Professor, School of Communication at SDSU, specializes in health communication, racism, and stigma.

In her book, “Feeding the Other: Whiteness, Privilege, and Neoliberal Stigma in Food Pantries,” she sheds light on the experience of displaced individuals who rely on food pantries to survive.

“So there’s this like, complex intersection between demonizing poverty, because we don’t want to actually solve poverty, right?” De Souza said. “We don’t want to help.”

By placing the burden of poverty on the poor, it becomes a problem of the poor, and not a problem of society as a whole. It is easier to dehumanize these individuals if the problem is minimized to their efforts alone.

When Native Americans speak of food sovereignty, they don’t speak of going to food pantries, they speak of their ability to reconnect with their ancestral food practices, according to de Souza. Similarly, black communities remain shackled to poverty stigmas today due to the policies of the past.

“In the 1920s, there were…around 1 million black farmers in the U.S. Today that number is down to [around] 45,000…” said de Souza.

For years, USDA policies intentionally gave white farmers money to develop and prosper, but did not give the same support to black farmers. The USDA failed to address the matter of discrimination from 1983 to 1997 in the Pigford v. Glickman case of 1999. Today, Black communities still remain on the outskirts of redlining agricultural practices.

Food pantries are typically run by religious and mostly white volunteer groups. De Souza refers to the overhead shadow of yet another power

dynamic within these sites whose purpose should be to provide. As a result, there is a prevalent lack of sensitivity for the people who seek help from these food pantries.

Poverty shame strikes again. Because some of these food pantries require a small fee, the organizers tend to backhandedly uplift these individuals in need by reinforcing the idea that they aren’t “freeloaders” but instead, paying for the services provided.

“Food is…not an immunization that you go once to a hospital and you get it, and you’re done right?” Said de Souza. “It’s all-consuming.”

NEVER-ENDING TIMELINE

The colonization of food can only be explained through the lens of colonization of the land as a whole.

With the rise of poverty and welfare conversations in 1400s England, “One of the main ways in which support was delegitimized was to say, ‘Hey, it’s not our problem, it’s their problem. They are hungry because there’s something wrong with them,’” said de Souza.

Although these long-gone monarchical ideologies seem irrelevant to today’s society, colonization patterns of delegitimization continue to prosper, even today.

For instance, the concept of “race to the bottom” influenced by neoliberalism ideals allowed the U.S. to stretch its migration policy. They “lower all kinds of standards because we want to reduce prices and increase our profits,” said de Souza. People from Central America could work legally in U.S. farmlands both underpaid and unprotected by fair worker laws with the 1942 Bracero Program.

“So that’s always been part of the strategy of dealing with food and food costs, that it’s subsidized literally on the backs of migrant workers,” said de Souza.

Poverty delegitimization persisted in the reduction of government funding for support systems during the Reagan administration.

With this mass influx of immigrant and low-income communities attempting to settle in the U.S. post-NAFTA, people turned to food pantries for support. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits took a turn with the Trump administration in 2016, requiring proof of citizenship for approval. Fear spread like a virus amongst immigrant communities who could no longer obtain these necessities without the threat of deportation — the cherry on top of a delegitimization sundae.

Although things aren’t the way they used to be, the roadblocks to success are stubborn, strengthened throughout history, and the tide is just barely turning.

“I grew up in a different time than my mom did… my mom grew up when the reservation was still poor,” says Catherine Huber, a Cupeño descendant, “when people still desperately needed help from the church.”

In the end, following Christian border school ideals, which historically served the purpose of erasing indigenous culture and religion, was the next option for Huber’s ancestors. A dim light at the end of the tunnel.

In de Souza’s words, there is a need for “...people who experienced issues, [to] sit at policy tables and be part of that conversation.”

By holding an open seat at the policy table for marginalized communities, the issues that have

been pushed solely into minority hands can be laid out at the table for everybody else to see.

Desensitization and ignorance are proficient artificial peacemakers amongst the fires of injustice. Opening the door to the voices that live and breathe in the struggle might just be the key to clearing the smoke.

Story by Cynthia Cunningham

Illustration by Rhaquel Nunez

Jerry Hernandez was 13 in 2018. Like most kids his age, he spent his time watching videos on YouTube. As he bounced between videos on games and memes, YouTube suggested videos like “Feminist Gets Owned,” “Social Justice Warrior (SJW) Freakout,” and “Why SJWs are Bad.” While Hernandez didn’t click on these videos, he couldn’t escape them. It was his first exposure to the alt-right.

The alternative right, also known as the “alt-right,” is an online-based political movement. The movement’s ideology centers around White supremacy, antiestablishment, and anti-immigration, according to a 2021 study from the Sage Journal. The study added that the movement gained momentum during Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. During this time it “took an active role in cheerleading Trump’s candidacy and several of his controversial policy positions.”

Richard Spencer, founder of the alt-right movement, gained a large following during the 2016 presidential election due to his political beliefs. In a 2013 VICE interview, Spencer said, “Our dream is a new society, an ethnostate that would be a gathering point for all Europeans. It would be a new society based on very different ideals than, say, the Declaration of Independence.”

Spencer and his followers used memes and provocative language to spread their message online. “We memed the alt-right into existence,” Spencer said in a 2017 VICE interview.

Memes attracted Jerry Hernandez to iFunny, an app advertised on YouTube. The app markets itself as a place for “cool memes and funny videos.” He downloaded the app expecting memes but found altright messages wherever he looked. There, Hernandez began to see the word “liberal” as an insult.

“I didn’t really use iFunny to search for specific things. I’d pretty much just use the featured tab… The

featured tab showed top memes of the day… So literally any post you could open the comment section to people saying all sorts of things,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez didn’t understand what the “liberal” meant and assumed it was another insult to throw around. “Liberal,” “SJW,” and “feminazi” were just some of the words used in these spaces. But Hernandez, who was only 13, didn’t grasp the political meaning behind these terms. He only saw them as insults.

During a gaming session, Hernandez got into a small argument with his friend. During the argument, he called his friend a “liberal” as an insult. His friend got upset and told Hernandez to never call him that again.

“That’s when I realized ‘Wait, I don’t even know what this word means’... That made me take a step back and be like ‘What am I doing?’” Hernandez said.

After that interaction, Hernandez stepped away from those spaces. And as new memes went viral, his interests began to change. He didn’t pay attention to the videos in his suggestion box, and life moved on.

However, not everyone can walk away from these spaces. As trust in the mainstream media decreases, social media’s influence increases. As a result, people are more likely to fall into the “radicalization pipeline” on YouTube, according to a 2020 study by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

YouTube’s algorithm makes it easy for users to go from watching Joe Rogan interviewing celebrity politicians to videos of Richard Spencer supporting White supremacy. These creators not only share the same platforms but often engage with each other. According to the AMC study, this proximity may create “radicalization pathways” for audience members and content creators.

Radicalization via algorithm is what happened to Oliver Camu.

Into the Rabbit Hole

Oliver Camu grew up in a Texas household founded on conservative Christian ideals. He looked to his father for answers about the world.

In 2019, Camu asked his dad about abortion. His dad explained it, and Camu didn’t understand why it was so controversial. To make the pro-life argument clear, his father showed him a video of Ben Shapiro, a conservative pundit and favorite creator in alt-right spaces. Not long after, Camu’s social media feed became an echo chamber for alt-right propaganda.

When the 2020 election came around, Camu, at 14 years old, had been radicalized.

“My point of view came from TikTok… It further developed my alt-right perception of the world… I didn’t perpetuate any of the violence, but I think had I continued, I think that was definitely a possibility,” Camu said.

While he didn’t engage in physical violence, Camu still engaged in

Jerry Hernandez, 19-years-old, was introduced to alt-right content when he was 13 but was not radicalized by it.

(Photo courtesy of Jerry Hernandez).

political arguments online and in person. The more confrontations he encountered, the more his ideas about the “blue-haired leftists” were validated. This fueled his hatred of those he viewed as different or wrong.

Another confirmation of his political ideals was his religious beliefs.

“I was hiding behind my religion to support these nasty beliefs… I was one of those conservatives that was very Christian… I was very homophobic. I was very transphobic… I was a misogynist. I would use slurs like the f-slur and the n-word… My friends perpetuated it. I think that’s what’s so dangerous about that rhetoric — How causal it can be,” Camu said.

So, how do these alt-right talking points become the norm? What causes these beliefs to escalate? Why do these boys and young men seek these communities? Camu and Hernandez both shared their ideas.”

“I think these spaces appear to be the most relatable and the most easy to understand at first. They put

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, additional alt-right promoters include Jared Taylor (American Renaissance), Greg Johnson (Counter-Currents), and Matthew Parrott and Matthew Heimbach (Traditional Youth Network).

on a facade like ‘Oh, don’t you hate getting rejected by women?’... They lure you in with that and then they drive you to more and more radical ideas,” Hernandez said.

Misogyny is a common factor in radicalization and is often used as a gateway to bring people into these groups. Whether it’s being rejected by women, criticizing the MeToo movement, or negative views on women’s sexuality and abortion. A 2017 survey from the Pew Research Center found that 21% of women between 18 and 29 have been victims of online sexual harassment. Additionally, a 2020 study from News Media & Society found that the most common forms of online harassment were “casual sexism, emasculation, and antifeminism.”

“Misogyny is so ingrained in our culture… They might have had one bad encounter with a woman where they get rejected, and they feel less than and they don’t feel desirable. So their reaction is to hate women instead of figuring out what might be wrong with them. Because it’s easier to blame people than to blame yourself,” Camu said.

Oliver Camu, 18-years-old, was radicalized by the alt-right during the 2020 election. He has since broken away from those communities and now wants to share his story to prevent others from being radicalized.

(Photo courtesy of Oliver Camu).

Finding a Way Out

After the 2020 election, politics’ importance in Camu’s life faded. As he returned to his regular teenage life, he began to question the ideals he had held onto.

Camu explained that the main contributor to his change in mindset was music. Music had always been his passion. This led him to understand the message behind the music. As he heard the political message from bands like Rage Against the Machine and System of a Down, two “very politically aggressive bands” as he described them, he began to feel a shift in his political ideology.

“As time progressed, I was paying attention to the lyrics. One song by System of a Down was ‘Prison Song’... They list US prison statistics and it was kind of jarring,” Camu said.

Music wasn’t the only thing that helped change his mindset. He also expanded his social circle. These new friendships helped Camu understand the harm of his views. Since the conversations weren’t taking place in a political space, he was more open to listening to what his friends had to say.

Since letting go of his alt-right beliefs, his only struggles have been

with his family and his faith. During his time in the alt-right, he used his religion to defend his beliefs, but as he stepped away, he felt the need to tackle his religion from a nonpolitical setting.

As Camu began to question his beliefs and talk to his dad about them, a quote from Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel “Dune” came to mind — “There is probably no more terrible instant of enlightenment than the one in which you discover your father is a man — with human flesh.”

He no longer saw his father as someone he could ask for advice but rather someone who was using religion to justify his hate. And this became clear to Camu during a talk with his father about homosexuality. As the conversation escalated, Camu felt forced to come out as bisexual.

“At that point, I had already lost a lot of respect for him and I thought ‘What do I have to lose?’ So I told him, and his reaction was that I’ve been influenced by the people around me,” Camu said. “This man doesn’t accept me for who I am and thinks I’ve been led astray. So the main struggle was family issues on my dad’s side.”

Camu, now 18, has spent the last four years looking back on his

A COMMUNITY ROOTED IN HATE

actions and trying to create a new path. He’s removed himself from alt-right spaces and has thought a lot about the ideals he used to hold.

“I look down on people like that now. I’m ashamed that I perpetuated these ideas,” Camu said.

And for those in alt-right spaces who may be questioning those core ideals of misogyny, racism, and homophobia, Camu suggests broadening their social circles. Similar to Camu, Jerry Hernandez also suggested talking to new people.

“Don’t surround yourself within such a small bubble… Don’t be encapsulated by one small community… If you get so trapped within on small circle, that’s gonna be your whole world. So try to realize there’s other communities out there,” Hernandez said.

Camu hopes his story will help spread awareness about how easily radicalization can happen. He’s also working hard to ensure his younger brothers don’t fall down the rabbit hole like he did.

“It’s not a good path to go down… You know, hate breeds hate,” Camu said. “These spaces aren’t going to bring you happiness. A community rooted in hate isn’t a community at all.”

ISN’T A COMMUNITY AT ALL

With such an eclectic range of sports programs at Palomar, some of them tend to slip through the gaps of the spotlight. IMPACT Magazine set out to showcase some of the hidden gems within the athletics department: water polo, women’s track and field, women’s volleyball, and men’s volleyball.

Story by Connor Larson and Taylor Leonard

Photos by Hector Flores

Mandy Simon, head coach of the water polo team described the team as a “different generation” of athletes.

Last season was a difficult year for the water polo team as the athletes had a tough time getting to know one another.

“I think I had a team that was divided, and it pretty much showed in the way that we performed,” said Simon. “We came off of a threetime winning streak in conference and last year ended in fourth so I think that it says a lot about the team dynamic.”

Sophomore Kennedy Magnusson said, “I do think that we did good with the athletes that we had despite the challenges we faced.”

As for this upcoming season, Magnusson mentioned, “I’m just excited to have new things on the horizon, and I do really like all the returners that are coming back on the team.”

Her advice for incoming athletes, “Be really open to criticism because I think it’s really hard, and I think that sometimes other people let egos get in the way.”

Magnusson said the transition from high school to Palomar was smooth and she enjoys being a part of the team. “Coach Mandy was my coach in high school so the transition was pretty seamless for me because we did a lot of the same training in high school,” said Magnusson.

Mandy Simon, head coach, mentioned that she is hopeful for next season’s team with the athletes joining the program. “I’ve gotten the chance to know some of the girls that are coming in, and I can tell that they are hard-working, and want to be there so I think that is the best thing I could ask for in athletes,” said Simon.

Simon’s goal for the program is to make water polo a year-long sport rather than a seasonal sport.

Women’s volleyball is another sport offered at Palomar. The women’s volleyball team is split into two different seasons: indoor volleyball in the fall, and beach volleyball in the spring.

Karl Seiler has been the head coach of the women’s volleyball program at Palomar College since 1995. Seiler has spent the last few seasons since the pandemic focusing on rebuilding the program and “getting back to where we used to be.” Seiler said he believes his group of girls on the team is “the right group; we have the right people in place for next year to be our year.”

In 2023, the women’s indoor team finished with a 13-11 record, their second straight 13-win season. After five years of sub .500 seasons, the program appears to be on the right track to get back to where they used to be in years past.

Coach Seiler refers to the beach

season as extra training for the indoor season, since most of the beach time players are also indoor players.

“Indoor won’t make your beach game better, but playing beach will make your indoor game better.” Indoor and beach volleyball are a “completely different game,” said Seiler.

Seiler said managing the game is completely different, he can only coach at certain times, leaving the players on their own to call timeouts and make adjustments over the course of the game.

The volleyball team had two first-team all-conference players, Sonsi Jarvis and Janell Spires, who will return to the team next season. 12 out of the 18 girls from last season were freshmen, and the majority of them will be returning for next season.

The goal will be to win a conference title.

Maggie Goble (6) hitting the ball while her teammate Kylana Madayag (13) watches behind. (Photo courtesy of Hugh Cox).

Palomar women’s water polo player receives a pass during practice.

Despite not having a winning season over the last 11 years, the men’s volleyball team is comprised of dedicated student-athletes representing Palomar College.

Student Asher Palpallatoc, who transferred from The University of Saint Katherine, chose to play at Palomar because “Coach brought good energy. He made me want to continue playing volleyball in college.”

Palpallatoc described how this team plays the game of volleyball as “different...We bring a lot of energy and have a lot of fun, and we like to do our own thing.”

Despite the poor performance this season and in years past, the team keeps the vibes high and plays the game with a lot of passion.

Jack Vermaak, a player on the team, said, “Energy has been good all season despite our record and performance.”

Although the team hasn’t had much success in its history, the goal at the start of every season is to win and compete for a conference championship.

Jacob Rangel, a returning player next season, said “the goal for next season is to win more games; we are trying to go for the conference. It won’t be easy, but we gotta work.”

The team ended the 2024 season with a 4-14 record, not what the team or the coaches wanted or expected heading into the season.

“Energy,” that is the word that multiple players use to describe the team. Despite all the losses and poor performances as a team, the energy and morale is unmatched.

High fives, screaming, yelling with excitement, and jumping, this team doesn’t miss a beat when bringing the energy and giving everything they have while on the court.

Another program that Palomar offers is the spring women’s track and field team. Last year was a success for the track and field team as the athletes were determined to win and compete on the track.

Sonia Rodriguez, head coach, said, “We won second in conference and we were able to take an athlete to compete in state championships which, we’ve done pretty much every season that I’ve been here with the exception of the Covid years.”

During practices, the athletes have high energy and encourage each other to succeed as a team.

“At practices we do good at motivating each other and pushing on our hard workouts which I really like,” said freshman Michelle Aguilar.

Her advice for incoming athletes, “Do not be afraid of track and field. A lot of people think that track and field is just running and are really scared because I think we doubt our

capabilities when it comes to running.”

As for this season, Sonia Rodriguez, head coach of the track and field team said, “It’s going well with the athletes that we do have despite the challenges that we have faced with having limited athletes.”

At meets, Rodriguez mentioned that the athletes are energetic and competitors on the track.

Rodriguez explained her goal for the program is to create a positive environment and do well at the state level.

While IMPACT talked to Rodriguez, she said the program would benefit from having a cross-country team and a facility on campus for athletes to continue training and students to see the team.

“Once we can get that crosscountry program back for our women it would be amazing because they would have yearround training,” said Rodriguez.

Michelle Aguilar at El Camino College. (Photo courtesy of Sonia Rodriguez).

#10 Ethan Davis serves the ball against San Diego Mesa college.

Turning Tides:

Should we be doing more to protect our coastline?

Story by Calvin Anderson

The feeling of going to the beach can’t be found just anywhere. The hot sand, chilly sea breeze, and California sunshine is just as stimulating as it is relaxing. You can forget about the annoying minutiae of living by simply tanning on the beach. Your body feels as if it’s melting into the sand, along with all your worries and responsibilities. Time itself becomes an afterthought.

Warm, sandy coastlines are cherished by just about everyone who calls San Diego home. However, this region of San Diego is undergoing immense changes, some of which could pose a threat to future beach days forever.

For starters, the amount of runoff from the most recent winter storms has revealed a myriad of problems for preserving San Diego’s coastline, the most obvious of which is pollution.

While this is a given anytime it rains, it’s especially prevalent since this

year’s rain season coincides with an El Niño event, a weather phenomenon occurring roughly every four years. The warm, moisture-rich air from the Southwestern Pacific shifts east, looming over South America and extending up to the Pacific Northwest. The air conditions amplify the moisture delivered from the atmospheric river that San Diego receives precipitation from during the winter, according to NASA Earth Observatory.

Although Southern California’s climate typically runs on the drier side, the region’s main source of precipitation comes from atmospheric rivers that travel across the Pacific. As a result, a greater number of these atmospheric rivers make landfall along the west coast.

The hydrological zone San Diego falls under received an average of 119% of its regular precipitation across all El Niño events between 1950 and 2018, according to a

catalog published by Golden Gate Weather Services.

“This year is truly one of the wettest years ever,” said Beth Pearson, a biology professor at Palomar College.

This wouldn’t be so harmful if it weren’t for the amount of pollutants in the runoff. Oil from cars, waste from industrial sites, and various forms of litter end up in waterways that lead to our coastlines when these storms reach areas of heavy urban activity.

In North County alone, more than 60% of household owners have access to more than one vehicle, according to a San Diego County demographics profile.

“There are more people, more cars, more oil dripping on roads. All of those kinds of pollutants have probably increased,” said Pearson.

Rosana Aguilera, a research professional at Scripps Institution of

(Photo credit: Kate Denny/IMPACT Magazine)

Oceanography, said, “Coliform is found in fecal matter and is used to measure pollution levels in runoff water. It tends to increase after rain events.” Surfers, swimmers, and watermen in general are advised to avoid going in the ocean for three days after it rains for this very reason.

If the protocol for more common precipitation events is already this severe, the frequently intense rain periods accentuated by El Niño conditions could release unfathomable quantities of pollutants into coastal waters. Some of which could be classified as biohazards since they contain fecal matter.

The potential capacity this runoff has for carrying pollutants to the coast has never been greater, exacerbated by the sheer amount of rainfall San Diego has received.

“This winter we had some pretty regular storms coming in, and you know, there were a couple of days where I noticed the runoff and some of the places where the water rushes into the ocean from the street,” said Patrick Hoz, a regular beach goer who’s lived in Pacific Beach for 30 years. “It looked pretty bad and makes you not want to go in.”

To make matters worse, climate studies conducted by the geology department at the University of California Santa Barbara projected a 20% increase in the part atmospheric rivers will play in delivering precipitation along the Pacific coast.

“It’s made the extremes in our rainfall in San Diego more extreme, so longer periods of drought and then more intense periods of rain where we get floodings and things like we’ve seen this winter,” said Michael Deal, a biology professor at Palomar.

If all these factors contributing to coastal pollution are left unchecked, a predicament on whether beach days will be worth the exposure to said pollutants may be called further into question.

A few small-scale things people can do to mitigate this problem include fixing leaky cars, switching to water-wise landscaping, and refraining from littering. Another domestic source of pollution is washing non-eco-friendly chemicals down storm drains.

“Be careful about using soaps and solvents (or) washing those things in your yard and letting it just run off into the ocean,” said Pearson.

As San Diego has moved away from agriculture towards urban development, at least one pollutant has been greatly reduced: fertilizer.

It looked pretty bad and makes you not want to go in

When fertilizer enters the ocean, many coastal algal species inadvertently get fertilized, which can be harmful.

“In Florida, there have been cases where toxic algal blooms have gotten so intense that aerosolized toxin in the sea breeze blowing onto shore has caused respiratory issues for people,” said Michael Deal.

Although harmful algal blooms (HABs) are more common along the east coast of the US, there’s one local species that could pose a major threat to humans and coastal ecosystems alike.

“[Pseudo-nitzschia] can bloom and produces the domoic acid, and then seabirds start dying and marine mammals start getting sick,” said Pearson.

Even humans are at risk for domoic acid poisoning. According to an article published by the University of Washington Environmental and Occupational Health Services, there were multiple cases of poisoning along North America’s West Coast just last year. From one individual in Monterey to another all the way up in Canada even.

Although the amount of fertilizer in runoff has decreased, most local algal species are still blooming at an unusually high frequency due to changes in San Diego’s climate.

“It would make sense because we’ve had warmer and warmer oceans, and that favors those blooms a bit. So I’m not surprised. We’ve had more wet weather, which produces more runoff which (also) favors blooms,” said Pearson.

Fortunately, these blooms don’t tend to last more than a few weeks before they die off. Experts don’t anticipate rampant algal proliferation even with the steadily warming climate.

“Seasons aren’t going to stop happening. So there would be a limit to the bloom link just based on seasonal changes and day length,” said Pearson.

While most of the algal species are inconsequential to beachgoers’ overall health, their presence off San Diego’s shorelines is alarming nonetheless. In heavy concentrations, they can turn large chunks of coastline brown or red. Their more frequent blooming intervals are also a telltale sign of a rapidly changing climate, which could still have untold consequences for the environment and living conditions for San Diego residents.

“Address climate change,” said Beth Pearson as her final warning to readers.

FACING SOCIAL CHANGES AND DIVISIVE PUBLIC PERCEPTION, THE POLICE ARE FACED WITH CHANGE.

STORY & PHOTOS BY ALEX ORTEGA

It’s no secret that police departments and police officers across the nation are currently having to navigate uncharted waters regarding how they operate. Terms like “use of force” and “excessive force” have become a part of the American vocabulary in recent years. And due to a growing lack of confidence in police officers across the nation, the police are faced with a need to change. This need for a change in how the police conduct themselves has been felt everywhere, even at colleges.

Now more than ever, public perception as well as community engagement has been at the forefront of many departments’ minds. Because in a world of

active-shooter threats and police brutality, students and civilians are asking the question of what purpose do police serve?

For Palomar Police Department, “relationship-based policing,” as Chief Chris Moore calls it, is a big part of what they do at Palomar. Which for them means getting to know the people that they serve and protect through outreach events like Coffee With a Cop and working with student organizations.

“We’re the nice police, we wave to you, we walk through workstations, check in and see how people are doing. And what that does is, it begins to cultivate trust,” said Chief Moore.

Palomar Police Officer Stephen Wilson smiles out of his police cruiser’s window while parked in front of the clock tower.

Palomar Police Sergeant Jesus Montes (left) grabs two packs of energy drinks for the station from a Reign Total Body Fuel representative.

Trust is a big concern for everyone at Palomar PD, because they’re not serving an entire city or county. They see their community members every day when they’re on campus, so building trust and confidence is a crucial part of their work.

“Early in my career here, there were some staff that didn’t even know that there was a police department [here] and that goes back to doing community outreach... Building that relationship with them is imperative to our profession here, especially in the college environment,” said Sergeant Jesus Montes.

“I used to joke around that early in my career they would only wave at us with one finger only, and

now it’s all five fingers,” said Sergeant Montes.

“Relationship-based policing” is something that every officer in Palomar PD is a part of, not just the leadership. For them, it’s what sets Palomar PD apart from any other police department, especially those that operate on a city or countywide level. They have the time to get to know the people they interact with.

“That’s the benefit of working here compared to like going call to call to call to call, where you know you just don’t have time to help people. And that’s why I wanted to do the job in the first place is to help people,” said Officer Stephen Wilson.

And because Palomar PD can’t be everywhere at all times, they want the community at Palomar to feel comfortable letting them know where they might need to be.

“If they [the community] have an employee or student that they have an issue off-campus, they can bring that to us to make sure that they’re protected, and that the campus is protected. And the other part of that is, if they see something wrong or that they’re concerned about, that they don’t hesitate to tell us about it,” said Chief Moore.

Safety is another crucial part of Palomar PD’s job. Just about everyone in the U.S. is constantly aware of a shooting occurring at any time when they are out in public. According to a Gallup poll taken in 2022, only around 45% of the Americans surveyed were confident in the police, which is indicative of a downward trend of trust in the police.

Because even in a place of learning like Palomar, multiple students who were interviewed for this story were concerned about an active shooter threat. Many did not know how well-trained or equipped Palomar PD is for the possibility of an active shooter.

The students interviewed preferred to have only their first names in the story for privacy reasons.

“I feel unsafe knowing that a shooting can happen at any moment and the only people that are armed may be roaming far away from the class or in the police department. I don’t have much of a choice, but I’m complacent,” said David, a student at Palomar.

The threat of an active shooter is something the Palomar PD trains for. They train for a multitude of close-quarters combat (CQC) scenarios, including what to do if a shooter is wearing body armor. They also work with a SWAT trainer and different agencies multiple

times a year to stay up to date with tactics and even precision shooting to combat potential threats.

But the concerns that many students have regarding their safety and the ability of police officers isn’t totally unfounded. Cases like the shootings in Parkland, Florida and Uvalde, Texas are examples of police officers not handling an active shooter appropriately. Chief Moore was openly critical of the officers at the Uvalde shooting for failing to deal with the threat despite having hundreds of officers on the scene. These errors in other departments’ actions are something that Palomar PD is aware of and has adjusted its policy and tactics to stay on top of.

Palomar PD employs a “single officer” deployment method. This means that officers are instructed to respond to a threat and handle it as it happens rather than waiting for backup.

“You can’t wait when there’s a shooter on campus. You can’t wait as a police officer. So, the first officer there, they will go [and do] what we call ‘direct a threat.’ And that’s how we train. When that SWAT trainer comes out, we often work in pairs but we’re also mindful of what the single expectation is... I would say that’s what the best practice is probably in the county and most western law enforcement, is the single officer response,” said Chief Moore.

Another big question that had to be answered was, do the students at Palomar feel safe and do they feel like Palomar PD does a good job of keeping them safe? Do students feel that they can trust Palomar Police officers with their safety? It’s a mixed bag.

“When I’m on campus, I usually see a few police officers walking around and checking how things are. It’s always enough to feel reassured but it’s never too much cops to the point where I get worried something is going to happen,” said Brenda, a student at Palomar. “I’d be very willing to leave my safety in their hands. I don’t have any doubts.”

Another Palomar student, Magaly, said that she felt safe on campus when there were other people around. But when asked if she felt safe around Palomar Police officers she said, “The only time I see Palomar Police officers are when they are in the patrol cars. I’ve never walked near an officer. Them being in their car just feels somewhat hostile for some reason.”

“They never seem friendly either, which may not be part of their job, but as a student, we should feel that we can go up to an officer. I don’t feel that I can,” said Magaly.

Palomar student Brenden said, “In the event of an intruder in the school I really have no other option than to leave my safety to the Palomar Police, but if I was having a sort of dispute with another student, I would head to administration before the police.” They also referred to an incident where they felt that Palomar PD had not done their job properly.

“My car doesn’t feel safe, I’ve had my license plate stolen on campus and I had to pay for a ticket when the plate was stolen because my car didn’t appear in their system. I paid to be the victim of a crime,” said Brenden.

Another question to be answered was how far Palomar Police officers are willing to go to keep the students and faculty safe? Because not every police officer would be willing to go on the record and pledge to put the lives of their constituents above their own and protect them.

“I feel comfortable in that. Because the people that are here chose the school. And over the last 25 years, that’s what happens at schools, that’s why schools have police departments, that’s why we have school resource officers. I feel confident in that, in the past they may have had just intention, but now we have intention plus training plus repetition,” said Chief Moore.

Palomar Police Sergeant Jesus Montes smiles at the camera from behind one of the department’s ballistic shields capable of stopping rifle caliber rounds.

Palomar Police Sergeant Jesus Montes talks about how he’s seen the school change while on patrol at the San Marcos campus.

MAGNIFYING MEDICAL MIS GYNY

The hot July air was just settling in as school teacher Sarah Davis started her summer vacation in earnest—the stress of the school year slowly melting away like a popsicle in warm weather. Accustomed to the yearly rhythm, to Sarah it seemed like a usual day of post-year freedom, full of idyllic peace and relaxation… until it wasn’t.

“I woke up that morning feeling slightly nauseous. It was pretty normal after the end-of-year stress. I didn’t think much of it. I certainly wasn’t going to let it ruin my plans for the day,” said Davis. “My husband and I were all set and ready to go on a hike. It was the big start to our summer adventures.”

As they began their trek, she felt fatigued more rapidly than normal, paired with shortness of breath, abdominal pain, and tension between her shoulders. “I really wanted to press on but my husband could tell just by looking at me

something was wrong. If he hadn’t been so adamant that day that we turn around, I probably wouldn’t be here,” Davis recounted.

The symptoms she experienced that day seemed innocuous enough but ultimately landed her in the hospital for four days—Sarah Davis had suffered a heart attack.

“I consider myself so lucky to have a partner that knows me and what’s not normal. He really advocated for me and pushed for more tests when I wasn’t able to. I had no idea what was happening to me,” said Davis. “All I knew about heart attacks came from medical dramas on TV where a guy clutches his chest and keels over in pain. I never would have guessed the symptoms for women were so different.”

Davis isn’t the only one. Women experiencing a heart attack often don’t realize it because the symptoms can be explained by other common ailments like the flu. The variance in women’s symptoms

also leads doctors to misdiagnose heart attacks at a higher rate than their male counterparts.

A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that women presenting with chest pain wait 11 minutes longer than men to get care in the emergency room.

Additionally, women are less likely to undergo cardiac testing, and once diagnosed, they are less likely to be prescribed guidelinerecommended medications. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women worldwide, but women only accounted for 38% of all trial participants between 2010 and 2017 according to the American Heart Association.

Heart disease is only one area where women’s symptoms are less publicized or even outright unknown. Sleep apnea, stroke, ADHD, and autism are just some of the conditions where the commonly

Story and illustrations by Victoria Gudmundson

known “textbook” symptoms apply mostly to men, while women present differently.

Efforts to bring about change in how women’s healthcare is viewed surged starting in the 1960s and came to a major turning point in the 1980s after a 1977 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy recommended excluding women with childbearing potential from early-phase drug trials. In 1982, The Physicians’ Health Study, a clinical study detailing the effects of Aspirin on cardiovascular health, was conducted with 22,000 male participants and no females.

After much outcry and advocacy, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a memorandum in 1989 that encouraged researchers to include women and minorities in studies. If those groups were excluded, scientists should include a rationale.

Strides have been made over the past 30 years to further rectify the

disparity. The previous memorandum became law in 1993, requiring all NIH-funded research to include women and minorities in clinical trials. In 2016, NIH implemented a policy that requires preclinical research to consider sex as an important biological variable in both human and vertebrate animal studies.

However, many drugs approved by the FDA before 1993, with little to no testing on women in clinical trials, are still being prescribed to men and women at the same dosage. Findings on the popular sedative Ambien show why using the same dosage can be problematic with women needing just half the dosage of men to safely take the drug.

“Research on women’s health has been underfunded for decades, and many conditions that mostly or only affect women, or affect women differently, have received little to no attention,” said First Lady Jill Biden when announcing a new White

House initiative on women’s health research.

“Because of these gaps, we know far too little about how to manage and treat conditions like endometriosis and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. These gaps are even greater for communities that have historically been excluded from research – including women of color and women with disabilities,” Biden added.

Filling the gaps will take time and money.

In 2020, data showed that only approximately 1% of the $198 billion of healthcare research and innovation was invested in femalespecific conditions beyond oncology.

According to an article in the Journal of Women’s Health, NIH allocates funds more heavily to issues that affect men’s health than it does those that affect women’s health. The study cited that funding for prostate cancer ranked first while the gynecological cancers: ovarian, cervical, and uterine, ranked 10th, 12th and 14th, respectively.

Liliana Rosales, a college student in Nevada, had to take a leave of absence from school when she started to experience sudden weight gain and irregular menstruation along with high levels of fatigue.

“It was worrisome at first, of course you wonder why is this happening and such, and then it got embarrassing too,” said Rosales of her increasing symptoms. “I had a mustache, hairs on my chin, bad acne. I didn’t want to be seen. You know? I developed depression. Even so, doctors didn’t take me seriously.”

After seeing four doctors who could not diagnose or advise other than lose weight, she took to the internet to find answers but discovered others with similar symptoms and experiences. They all had either been diagnosed with, or highly suspected they had, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

“I cried that night. I felt so alone before, but there were so many others out there just like me. It was a relief to feel validated and have a name to put to what I was experiencing,” said Rosales. “I felt empowered to try a new doctor and ask for tests that ultimately led to a diagnosis.”

The diagnosis was only the start of a lifelong battle. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PCOS affects 6% to 12% of US women. While it is one of the most common causes of female infertility, it was so underfunded that it didn’t appear as a line item on the NIH list of medical conditions that receive federal support until 2022.

Source: Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, 2021; Pharmaprojects (accessed July 2021); Report of the Advisory Committee on Research on Women’s Health, Fiscal Years 2017-2018: Office of Research on Women’s Health and NIH Support for Research on Women’s Health, National Institutes of Health, Office of Research on Women’s Health, October 2019

While it is hard to quantify private industry spending, there is a lack of FDA-approved polycystic ovarian syndrome treatments, likely reflecting the lack of investments from drugmakers. Most medications used to treat the symptoms of PCOS are off-label prescriptions—drugs technically approved for other conditions.

For a fairly common condition discovered nearly a century ago, current research is lacking and treatment options are sparse. New research will take time and resources.

“I have a name for the dragon I’m fighting now but the battle will be long,” said Rosales. “At least I’m not alone. I hope more doctors take it seriously for research and things. We deserve better options.”

Women’s reproductive health issues that are lacking in research, such as PCOS and endometriosis, can adversely affect both physical and mental health. In general, women experience depression at a higher rate. According to a 2018 CDC study, women were twice as likely to have had depression than men.

Additionally, women have a tendency to be overlooked in the diagnosis of mental health issues like ADHD and autism since they were traditionally considered to be “male disorders.”

Source: McCrossin, Robert. “Finding the True Number of Females with Autistic Spectrum Disorder by Estimating the Biases in Initial Recognition and Clinical Diagnosis.” Children (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 9,2 272. February 2022; Skoglund C, Sundström Poromaa I, Leksell D, et al. “Time after time: failure to identify and support females with ADHD – a Swedish population register study.” J Child Psychol Psychiatry, November 2023

The rate of women being diagnosed with either condition later in life has been on the rise in recent years. New statistics show that women are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to their varying symptoms. Similar to physical illnesses, symptoms of mental health disorders in women are not “textbook” and can often be mistaken for symptoms of other issues.

“I was really young when I was diagnosed with anxiety. Two years later they said I had an eating disorder. Every day felt like this insurmountable struggle just to behave normal,” said Jamie Grosh, an autistic woman. “It wasn’t until I was much older that a doctor suggested I might be on the spectrum, and even older when I finally got an autism diagnosis.”

For Grosh, the diagnosis felt as if it came too late. “I have help now, which is great, but I had already learned to manage it. I really needed that help when I was younger and didn’t know what the hell was going on,” Grosh said.

Even as an adult, getting a diagnosis can be hard. Only recently has an MIT study shown that the criteria and threshold of a commonly used screening test filter out a much higher percentage of women than men. Autism studies also enroll a consistently smaller number of

TOO OFTEN WE GET OUR HEALTH THROUGH THE MALE LENS

AROUND TOWN

AUDREY & THE SOUND GALLERY, A SAN DIEGO BAND, AND ESTELLE ALLEN, SINGER/SONGWRITER AND PRODUCER FROM OCEAN BEACH, SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THE LOCAL MUSIC SCENE. AS UP AND COMING ARTISTS, PUTTING THEIR MUSIC OUT INTO THE SCENE IS CRUCIAL TO BEING HEARD.

WHO IS AUDREY & THE SOUND GALLERY?

The San Diego local powerhouse Audrey & the Sound Gallery debuted in 2020 with “Vanity”, a unique blend of funky bedroom pop and R&B distinguished by its psychedelic vibe.

The demo album was the product of singer/songwriter and instrumentalist Ruben Ramirez, who, after the end of his old band The Galactics, started writing and recording under the name by himself in 2019.

Ramirez credits his family with his lve and passion for music.

“My dad plays guitar and my brother is like a really good drummer. And

my sister plays piano and sings really well. We’ve just always been musical,” Ramirez said.

He started creating music after high school, as well as going to local shows alone to meet people and get himself into the scene.

“I didn’t know anybody, I just started going to shows and the music scene and started meeting people and there were some really cool people who wanted to jam,” Ramirez said.

In December 2020, the band officially introduced local rapper NeKoda to the mix. With his debut on “Backyard Disco,” he brings a

fresh blend of hip-hop to their already genre-bending sound. Over the past four years since their debut, Audrey & the Sound Gallery has evolved into a full 8-piece band, bringing in even more musical and stylistic diversity.

The band credits its unique sound to its unusually large lineup of musicians.

“Having 8 people in the band really sets us apart,” Josh Hughes, rhythm guitarist said.

A 2019 study conducted at the Federal University of Minas Gerais by Mariana O. Silva showed evidence NeKoda commands the stage and audience, keeping the crowd moving. (Photo courtesy of Audrey & the Sound Gallery).

Ruben Ramirez takes an intimate moment with the audience. Ebin Pudvah shreds the electric guitar behind him. (Photo courtesy of Audrey & the Sound Gallery).

that diversity among bands and artists leads to more successful and enriching musical careers. According to the study, “those who prefer to pursue a noncollaborative musical career may be missing an opportunity to enhance and expand their potential.”

Audrey & the Sound Gallery certainly won’t be caught missing any of those opportunities. “We’re like a musical chameleon sometimes,” said drummer Trevor Johnston.

What is the process of making music together?

The songwriting process starts with Ramirez’s lyrics and general chord structure. Then everyone creates their own lines and melodies within the song, which leads to the creation of collaborative projects.

“Ruben’s definitely like our leader, but everyone bounces off each other the whole way through, it’s great,” said Johnston.

“When we made Jethead, which was really our first album all together as a band, it was a cool process,” Ramirez said. “Because when I first started, I made all the demos and stuff by myself before we had everybody. But now it’s so much better because everybody brings their own layers to it and

their personality comes out in their instruments and it’s kinda nice how our personalities mesh together.”

What is Audrey & the Sound Gallery’s message?

Audrey and the Sound Gallery’s message within the lyrical work deals with relationships and the vices that come with living in the modern world. The band consistently emphasizes tones of living life to the fullest, and even though we might all be dust at the end, this life is worth living.

“You’re powerful and you can do anything and nobody should be able to tell you otherwise,” said Ramirez.

Nekoda and Ramirez’ lyrical message reflects on the modern struggle of the digital age, as the “Jethead” album incorporates messages of living life the way you want to.

The album’s final track, “Longview”, is a triumphant favorite of both fans and the band alike. The track’s lyrics, “It’s time to breathe and pretend that I’m living the way I want to; with the longview,” explore themes of staying true to yourself in a way that really connects with audiences.

“[Longview] definitely makes me feel the most connected to all you guys. When we play that I feel like we’re all one,” Johnston said.

What keeps you going?

As a musician, you’re not always going to see the streams and engagement you want, and sometimes that can be extremely discouraging.

“Wanting to quit is a normal feeling after a bad show or something, but you just have to shake it off. There are definitely times where I feel bummed out but it kinda motivates me. If I feel like I could do better, then I just try to be better,” Ramirez said.

The band recalled a time when their music had a very unique impact on a fan. “I remember we got a DM one time from a veteran and he said he has PTSD and some of our songs helped him and soothed his soul and it was really cool to hear that,” Ramirez said.

However, he explained that you have to make music because you love it and not because you want something out of it.

“We just create because we feel that need to. There is just something in us we need to get out,” he said. “I’ve always said playing on stage is better than heroin, and I’ve never done heroin, but like it’s better than any drug you can have.”

“The love we all have for each other and the love for music keeps us going,” said Koda.

Fans flock the stage as lead guitarist Alec Grugel takes a solo. (Photo courtesy of Audrey & the Sound Gallery).

WHO IS ESTELLE ALLEN?

Estelle Allen, 27, a singer, songwriter and producer performed at the Che Cafe, a local San Diego venue, March 17, 2024. At the show, she shared more about what being a small music artist is like in the music scene.

Estelle Allen performed her first, and most popular song, “dui.” A high beat and funky song that has accumulated over 1 million streams on Spotify, and over 1 million views and 300,000 likes on TikTok. She gets the crowd moving with that as her opening song.

What is the song that you usually open up with at your concerts?

“I like to open with [dui]. I found that being sober is a really good way to connect with people. Everyone has different relationships with addiction and substance abuse or even generally habits they’re trying to break…” Allen said.

Estelle Allen’s music is filled with her experiences, like her transgender journey. She is always trying to share a message through her creations. Like any other artist, she started playing locally and established herself in the scene with her old band, Fashion Jackson.

After they broke up in 2022, she took her music in a new direction and rebranded herself as a hyperpop artist.

What was it like performing at the Che Cafe?

“I love it. It’s so much gayer than when I was here [Che Cafe] before… Or maybe I’m gayer and I’m just noticing it…I definitely was not coming to the show before and seeing furries in the pit…that makes me so happy… using shows as an

avenue to embrace that…it made me proud of where I came from,” Allen says.

How do you think you connect with your audience?

“I know for me, it wasn’t till adulthood where I found artists whose work allowed me to kind of

Estelle Allen performing at the Che Cafe on March 17. Estelle Allen is a hyper-pop artist from Ocean beach. She returns to the Che Cafe after some time while she was on tour. UCSD students and other locals came and enjoyed her music.

embrace myself more so I would like to think that if my stuff was a small slice of what helps people…that would be amazing,” Allen said.

As an up-and-coming artist, there’s always going to be ups and downs when starting out projects. Everyone’s journey is unique and motivating.

What was your musical journey like?

“It can be hard to figure out how to do certain things like how to record or how to start a band. But I think in the early stages in my experience… just figuring it out and being down to make mistakes and fuck up in front of people is really valuable,” Allen said.

She was on tour from March 7 in Vancouver all through the end of March in the states.

What is the physical aspect like for you?

“So much of how we interact with each other and so much of how we navigate our lives is on our phones or on our computers and shit. When you put out a song and people listen to it…it can be really hard to translate that to real life…I think that the best musical relationships…happen in live shows,” Allen said.

With the treacherous journey artists experience in the music industry, it’s not surprising if artists have selfdoubts or straight-up think about quitting.

Do you ever doubt yourself?

“That’s half of doing this…I think about quitting all the time, but then I remember I love making music and if I wasn’t doing this, I wouldn’t know what the fuck I’d be doing…It can be

so easy to get in your head about whether or not someone is going to like something or whether or if it’s going to connect with people…If I make something and it gives me that feeling, then I know I need to keep doing that thing no matter what, even if my brain tells me not to do that thing,” Allen said.

With one of her newest songs, “girlfriend,” she captures more intimate aspects of her trans journey and being able to find love and acceptance from her partner.

How does your music reflect your trans experience?

“There’s kind of this stereotype about transfemme musicians…we only make music that sounds like Transformers dying… I’m literally going through girl puberty as an adult born as a guy, so there’s some freaky body horror feelings that come with that. Sometimes really loud and nasty sounding music is a way to get that across,” Allen said.

From her viral songs, going on tours, cementing her voice throughout different communities, and building a community that can find an outlet that they can relate to and identify with, she is creating a space that is new and different.

Her passion being pushed out into her songs is what makes her favorable to her audience. She’s well aware that her aspirations come with bumps, but her acceptance of that makes her an artist who understands that journey.

“You have to be down to metaphorically accidentally show your ass to people because you will be embarrassed in front of people a lot. I have embarrassed myself to people more than I have not,” Allen said.

(Top) Estelle talking to the crowd between her set list at the Che Cafe.

(Bottom) Estelle Allen playing guitar for one of her songs at the Che Cafe.

Life After Incarceration

Formerly incarcerated students undergo trauma, physical and mental battles, lack of support, and systematic stereotypes they cannot excel because of their criminal record. The Rising Scholars at Palomar wants to change that. Their stories show their strength and dedication are stronger than any obstacle.

Vanessa Rojas

Vanessa Rojas, 51, is a mother of three and a rising scholar at Palomar majoring in law and public policy. She’s building a new life for herself through education.

However, as a child Rojas experienced sexual, physical, and mental abuse.

“As a young kid, when my innocence was taken from me, I lost my identity. I was always dissatisfied with things, and my view of the world was distorted,” Rojas said.

Rojas used drugs to cope with trauma. At 11, her drug use quickly escalated into her young adulthood. Dropping out of school at 15 due to her first pregnancy wasn’t something that phased Rojas.

“Being in an abusive relationship takes away any of your self-worth,” Rojas said. Her lack of interest in school didn’t bother her, and her drug use escalated.

After her third child, who was born with special needs, her drug use continued. Rojas’ addiction continued until a former family member reported her to the police. Rojas then began her life being in and out of the system.

“I just could never get clean, and when I did, I just went right back to using. I just never got to the root cause, which was the trauma, but I wasn’t ready,” Rojas said.

“I thought I was going to die with a needle in my arm because I couldn’t see a life outside of what I knew,” said Rojas.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE WITH A NEEDLE IN MY ARM...

Story by Kaylin Garcia

Photos by Tomas Hollis

Vanessa Rojas, a rising scholar at Palomar.

Rojas was diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. She was prescribed psychotropic medication, but never felt at ease. Rojas’s drug intake was so extreme, that a judge said putting her in jail was the only way to save her life.

“My mentality was always, ‘It’s us against them,’ not knowing there are people in corrections that care,” Rojas said.

In 2017, Rojas wanted to get clean but unfortunately got involved in a federal indictment with about 55 people. She was sentenced to 10 years, but the sentence was reduced by three years due to remorse.

“I wanted to get home. I just wanted to do all the programming, and I’ll never have to go back there,” Rojas said. Rojas studied law and the incarceration system and fell in love with education. After meeting a counselor she bonded with, she excelled in her program.

“Nobody wants to go to prison, but it changed my life for the better,” Rojas said.

Rojas found comfort in God. This motivated her path to sobriety. She finally felt the clarity and relief she was searching for.

During COVID-19, Rojas wrote to Families Against Mandatory

Minimums (FAMM), which does bipartisan policy work nationwide. Once FAMM contacted the court, Rojas received a compassionate release and was ordered to find a job within 30 days.

However, Rojas struggled to find a job because of her record. Then, Rojas found a Rising Scholars pamphlet and immediately wanted to be a part of it. While facing struggles with work, she finally had the opportunity to dedicate herself fully to school.

“I want to use the skills I am learning here, and help change policies and fill in some of these gaps for people like myself, who maybe don’t see a life outside of what they know,” said Rojas.

“Just because we made bad choices, doesn’t mean we are bad people”- Vanessa Rojas

Eduardo Vasquez

Eduardo Vasquez, 28, is a sociology major at Palomar. He’s also a rising scholar who plans to use his past experiences to help educate people.

Growing up, Vasquez struggled with neglect and physical abuse from his parents.

Enduring immense amounts of physical and mental abuse from his mother and her partner at the time. At 10, Vasquez had enough,

and he ran away to live with his father.

“I saw it as ‘If she was my mom, she was supposed to love me.’ But it was none of that. She treated me like an animal,” Vasquez said.

After dropping out of high school, Vasquez began to get involved in gang activity. The lack of attention from his father made Vasquez feel like there was no choice but to find a new family.

“I started to see they had everything. Respect, popularity, the cars, the girls, and I started to get attracted to that…This life seems like it has a purpose,” Vasquez said.

At 11, he was jumped into a gang and was willing to die for it.

“It all comes down to what is going on in the house that leads kids this route. You feel that love, you feel that sense of belonging, a sense of purpose. This life gave me an identity,” Vasquez said.

As a result, Vasquez spent time in and out of juvenile hall. However, that didn’t phase Vasquez; instead, he felt it earned him respect.

As Vasquez got older, his crimes progressed. At 17, he was tried as

A painted mural along the outside wall of the Student Services room on the San Marcos campus.

an adult for the first time. Because of his undocumented status, he was set up for deportation after completing his sentence.

“I did not care about the outcomes of any situation. Getting life didn’t scare me,” said Vasquez.

While in prison, Vasquez was caught possessing a knife. This, combined with other reckless behavior, added two years to his sentence. He was shipped to High Desert State Prison at 20 years old.

High Desert State Prison is one of the most violent prisons in California. However, High Desert also offered college courses to inmates to get time off their sentence.

“The homies were encouraging me to do it. They told me to take advantage of it and that I was smart, so I started learning more about sociology… It connected to everything I lived, and it all started making sense. This was destined for me,” said Vasquez.

Vasquez continued his education and graduated from several selfhelp programs. “I got addicted to reading, taking notes, and learning…I am a bookworm straight up,” Vasquez said.

On April 1, 2020, Eduardo Vasquez was traveling to ICE headquarters with another inmate. “I already accepted the fact I was being deported. I didn’t try to fight it,” Vasquez said.

While the paperwork was being reviewed, they hoped one of them would be able to stay due to their unknown residency in the US.

The transportation officers went to pick up one of them and said, “Eduardo Vasquez, you got to go!” “This is a messed-up April fool’s joke,” Vasquez said. Fortunately, Vasquez held US residency and was able to remain in California. He felt like a new person.

“I didn’t care if we had to be in our house or wear a mask. Just the fact I could go to Carl’s Jr and eat a burger was enough good for me. I was on a whole new mentality, and I accumulated a lot of wisdom,” Vasquez said.

His ambition for education led him to Palomar where he contacted Rising Scholars to help him achieve his educational goals.

Now as a first-generation college student, he is working to become a youth and substance abuse counselor and wants to help those with similar life experiences.

Student art showcasing leaders of social movements.

“If the people in jail applied that intelligence and charisma from the gang world to real life, they would have been such powerful people in society. I analyzed it and took their wisdom with me,” said Vasquez.

“BEING INCARCERATED IS NOT AN OBSTACLE”- Eduardo Vasquez

Nora Kenney, head of Rising Scholars, aims to help former and currently incarcerated students build a new path. According to Kenney, 155 formerly incarcerated students joined the program between fall 2022 and fall 2023.

“Almost half of all people in the United States have a family member that has either been to jail or prison, so this issue impacts all of us…it’s a ripple effect,” said Kenney.

Students with former substance abuse issues can receive certifications to become counselors to help those in similar situations. Rising Scholars is run by students, for the students.

Kenney’s hard effort to build a positive environment in the Rising Scholars program is continuing to grow and her love for students never fades.

“What keeps my students here is my unconditional love. I don’t judge,” said Kenney.

Eddie Vasquez (left) and Nora Kenney (right) (Photos courtesy of Nora Kenney).

OPENING UP NEW HORIZONS

Photos by Charles Rambo

In an increasingly interconnected world, seeking education transcends geographical boundaries. International students embark every year on their journey to the U.S. with aspirations as diverse as their backgrounds. In the 2022-2023 school year, the number of international students in the United States had an 11.5% increase compared to the previous year, according to the Statista website.

However, despite their investment and initial enthusiasm, a significant number failed to complete the semester.

Palomar College reported in spring 2023, 103 international students were enrolled, but only 24 finished their majors. Similarly, in the fall semester, the disparity is evident — 117 students enrolled, and 4 completed their majors.

What factors are key to international students’ success at Palomar College?

International students report issues like homesickness, mental health, and a lack of transportation and other support, leading to a high dropout rate.

“This usually happens because they’re far away from home, they don’t have their families, friends, different cultures, or food,” said Judy Gervasio, Admissions and Financial Aid Specialist of the International Student Office.

Having a supportive family is an important factor for many international students, which can be shown through financial and emotional support.

Sota Kurosaki, 20, traveled from Japan to Palomar to obtain his

degree in global studies. With his family’s support, he is able to focus exclusively on school. And to show his gratitude drives him to succeed.

“I need to do something good for them…I cost a lot,” said Kurosaki.

A simple breakdown of the cost per semester reveals how expensive it truly is.

According to Leverage Edu, the average monthly rent for a private room is between $800 and $1,200. Students also have expenses like utilities, transportation, and basic essentials, which significantly contribute to their cost of living. And students have additional costs, such as tuition fees and expensive textbooks.

Even after overcoming these financial challenges, students often encounter other challenges. The most common is the language barrier, which can affect communication, academic performance, and social interaction.

Judy Gervasio has worked at Palomar for almost 16 years. She understands the unique challenges and difficulties international students face because she had the same experience when she studied Spanish at San Diego State University.

“If you don’t have the vocabulary, it is very hard to learn the subject. The language barrier, their understanding, the context, especially in classes like history, or geography. Learning Spanish literature took extra work,” Gervasio said.

At Palomar’s International Students Office, the staff works to ensure each student feels confident and strong during their journey from

home. In the office, students can receive support services like counseling and cultural programs.

Support and guidance for these students are complex, and their adaptation requires empathy and understanding. Gervasio has helped thousands of international students from different countries. Her continued support is reflected in special gifts of appreciation from students around the globe. The diverse collection of souvenirs adorns her office walls, memories from students’ gratitude and progress at Palomar College.

“We have had over 36 different countries represented,” Gervasio said.

During the fall semester, the report from the Director of Marketing, Communication, and Public Affairs reflects this diversity, with African Americans comprising 3.4%, Asians making up 69.2%, Hispanic or Latinos 2.6%, and white, non-Hispanic students representing 24.8%.

When asked about the most common concerns of international students, Gervasio said that, beyond the language barrier, a different schooling system can cause more stress, especially in the first semester.

“All countries have their own educational system….and you’re responsible for everything. Compared to here, when [professors] want you to take part in a group discussion,” Gervasio said.

The formality sometimes requires a little more time for the adaptation. To help in this process, Gervasio said, “How multicultural the professor is, or how multilingual, can benefit international students,” especially in the first semester when

everything is new. New system, new language, new friends.

Sota Kurosaki explained that the most significant barrier international students face is often their English proficiency, which directly impacts their performance.

“English native speakers speak really fast compared to my English. They use a lot of slang, difficult words... It’s better to learn as much as possible before coming here,” Kurosaki said.

Mehdi Kacem, 24, from Tunisia, studies electrical engineering drafting and design technology. Kacem explained that coming to the U.S. fluent in English gave him more confidence. “If you come with your English well, the adaptation can be easier,” he said.

Another important factor that contributed to his adaptation was to have a supportive professor who promoted incentive and socialization in Kacem’s journey.

“The professor takes good care of me, gives me some books to read,” Kacem said, adding students are invited to go to In-N-Out Burger to eat.

When a professor’s care transcends the classroom by offering books to read and promoting meetings with other students, it can be key to their success in a foreign country. Furthermore, as Kacem said, “Knowing more people extends my network.”

For international students, maintaining connections with loved ones is crucial for emotional support and alleviating the distance students can have the strength to pursue their goals.

“Every day, twice a day, I talk especially with my mother. I miss her a lot, and my sister,” Kacem said.

With the advent of the internet, maintaining constant communication via messages, video calls, and social media, students can feel closer to

their loved ones with just one click. “My mom always said, our generation is so lucky to have this kind of technology that makes communication easier between two places that are so far away,” said Kurosaki.

Kurosaki also said that without communication with their family and friends it can be overwhelming.

Different students have different personalities, and for some, the adaptation requires extra attention. Judy Gervasio mentioned that it is very common for international students to have different levels of depression. The transition to a new educational system and social environment can be challenging.

To avoid isolation, Gervasio emphasizes that it’s so important to introduce international students to different activities. “It’s difficult for international students to make friends with American students because life is so fast and sometimes they’re very shy,” she said.

I want students to love their school, I want them to do well.

“There is an international student association, where they do activities that promote socialization. It Is easier to make friends,” Gervasio said. She encourages the students to get involved in a club or something they like.

Palomar’s student government also accepts international students. “I had many students who got involved and – boom – they made friends, they went places, they learned outside of school,” Gervasio said. “Statistics say that the more you’re involved in the school, the better you will do, cause you feel part of that school.”

Part of the orientation in the international student office is to make sure that students know about the services they can get at Palomar, including medical and mental health services.

“The ones who actually used it really appreciated it,” Gervasio said.

One of the requirements when international students enroll is to have GeoBlue International Health Insurance for Higher Education.

Another resource students may not know how to use is related to scholarships and G.P.A. established at Palomar. Gervasio explains that this information is always available on the Palomar website, but if international students have some kind of difficulty, the office is open to provide assistance. The website also has job opportunities on campus or Optional Practical Training (OPT).

“Palomar has transferring agreements to all the UC schools and all the Cal States (CSUs),” Gervasio said.

Last spring, there were 109 transfer students from 27 different countries.

The biggest group to transfer was from Japan.

After finishing the program, Gervasio said they are still in contact 20 years later, keeping in touch or using resources such as the Palomar library.

Along the way, international students face many challenges, including adapting to a different language, fitting in socially, and feeling mentally healthy. Everyone’s experience is different, but certain steps can contribute significantly to their success. Especially maintaining mental well-being.

To help students succeed, there are resources available on the Palomar website where students can find the steps to enroll in their journey to the U.S. However, to pursue the educational goal, it is important to have a clear idea about the investment and ensure that it is financially feasible for each semester of study. This includes not only tuition fees, but also living expenses such as accommodation and other necessities.

In locations like San Diego, where the cost of living is considered one of the most expensive in the U.S., the requirements can be particularly demanding. However, carefully planning the budget for this journey promises not only an enriching educational experience but also significant personal growth opportunities.

By well managing the financial and emotional challenges, students can fully immerse themselves in all that San Diego has to offer and write a transformative chapter in their lives.

“I want students to love their school, I want them to do well,” Gervasio said.

(Right) Cultural symbols and items on the wall inside of the Palomar International Student Center Admissions.

(Left) Palomar student Aaeysha Vergara pouring creamer for student Sota Kurosaki.

The otes Are In:

A look at who is voting, how are they influenced, and some of the greatest concerns amid the upcoming presidential election.

“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters,” Abraham Lincoln

Politics, voting, and elections have been debatable topics since the birth of the nation. Naturally, the issue of voting, who to vote for, and who is voting is very important.

In the past few years, the entire globe faced multiple world-changing events including a pandemic, wars on multiple fronts, and economic struggles. Elected leaders around the world have made tough decisions that left nations altered forever.

This November, Americans will directly and indirectly choose a new president for the Oval Office who will lead the U.S. into the unforeseen future.

To Kaila Greeny, a business administration major at Palomar College, having to decide who will become the next president was worrisome.

“We only have two candidates. It makes me not really want to vote… I feel like it’s picking the lesser of two evils, and honestly, I don’t want to pick evil at all,” she said.

Traditionally, voter turnout among college students has been weak. But

Story by Yanna Baradin

in recent years, students and younger people in general have begun to vote in higher frequencies.

“Young people are infrequent voters… It’s not unusual for college students to be below 50% in voting… (They’re) busy with their lives: education, jobs, family, friends, dating,” said Gary Castaneda, a political science professor at Palomar College.

However, voter turnout among students was at its all-time highest in the 2020 elections, according to the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education (IDHE). 2020 marked a milestone year for the student electorate, with 66% of all students coming out to vote and of the students registered to vote, a turnout of 80%. It may be that recent national and global events are pulling younger voters into the electorate.

This shift in voting patterns is causing major changes in voter demographics. Ultimately, it is altering the key issues and topics that voters find to be the most important.

But how are the patterns changing and how do younger voters differ from older voters? Well, a recent trend is an increase in female college attendance.

“Women are now attending college more than men which has an effect on voting behavior because of the Gender Gap that started during the Reagan years. Usually, women vote Democratic by +11% (more than men),” said Castaneda.

Another trend is that the majority of younger voters are college-educated.

“One of the great divides in the American electorate, aside from religion, is education,” Castaneda said.

Republicans are known to collect a majority of the religious vote, as Evangelical Christians are the base of the Republican Party. But Democrats’ greatest support comes from the academic sector.

“Typically, people with college educations vote Democratic and those with high school or less vote

Republican. That Educational Gap has really become more and more pronounced,” Castaneda said.

That brings up the question: Why are college-educated people voting more Democratic?

Stanley K. Ridgley, a professor at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, said that students are more liberal because “brainwashing is widespread on college campuses…the Brainwash is employed exclusively by the progressive Left on college campuses. These persons reject traditional models of education… (and) the idea that there could be reasonable alternatives to the professor’s view.”

Professor Castaneda of Palomar College disagreed.

“Professors wish they had that ability… if (professors could) brainwash their students they would get them to read the class syllabus,” said Castaneda.

Despite the ideological debate, is there any merit to the belief that liberalism pervades the education system?

A 2016 study done by the Econ Journal Watch showed that, among the top 40 American Universities, the ratio of liberal to conservative professors was on average 11.5-to-1.

Samuel J. Abrams, professor of politics at Sarah Lawrence College and a research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and Amna Khalid, associate professor of history at Carleton College, elaborated on these findings in a 2020 article published by the American Enterprise Institute.

According to their article, research on campus climate revealed a decrease in openness to non-liberal viewpoints.

But it also said that people should be careful not to assume that just the ideologies of professors were responsible for shaping campus climate. However, they did find a trend of decreasing willingness to discuss ideological differences and political topics.

“Regardless of whether campus climate is dominated by liberals or conservatives, as long as professors

Voices of Palomar…

Is America headed in the right or wrong direction?

“I FEAR THE CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR FASCISM AND RIGHT WING M ILI TANTS … ”

“America is the BEST country in the world… but we need to burn it to the ground and start fresh”

“I FEEL LIKE AMERICA IS STAGNANT ”

“Issues are getting more polarized, with solutions seeming increasingly radical”

“ YOU WILL OWN NOTHING AND BE HAPPY… DEMOCRACY HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM US…WE ARE ALL ENSLAVED AS OF NOW ”

What is the greatest challenge to America in the next four years?

“RAISING A GENERATION AFFECTED BY COVID-19 AND A POLARIZING POLITICAL CULTURE ”

“The rich are getting richer and everyone else is getting poorer”

“PREVENTING A WAR WITH CHINA/ RUSSIA ”

“MAGA supporters and their willingness to support violence” “… NAVIGATING THE CONTENTIOUS IMMIGRATION DEBATE ” “…knowing what sources to trust with AI and job security”

What is your biggest concern in the upcoming election?

“A TRUMP VICTORY MAY VERY WELL SIGNIFY THE END OF AMERICA AS A FUNCTIONAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC ”

“Distrust/skepticism in the results”

“I JUST DON ’ T LIKE HOW WE HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY OLD ”

“Slowing the economy down so things are more affordable”

“WORLD WAR III ”

“My biggest concern is that Newsom will win”

and students are scared to ask certain questions or share their perspectives, the quality of teaching and learning for all is bound to suffer,” said Abrams and Khalid in their article.

Colleges and universities are places where people from all different backgrounds come together to learn.

According to Abrams and Khalid, “This is only possible when vigorous debate and the ability to question, argue, and challenge others is nurtured... Higher education is at a critical juncture and we would do well to heed this call to resurrect, protect, and promote viewpoint diversity for all our sakes.”

Additionally, the Pew Research Center reported in 2016 that over half of people with postgraduate degrees (54%) have liberal political values. And this trend among the college-educated continues to grow.

A professor’s ideology could affect students; however, the question of how much it influences the students’ point of view is still up for debate.

Peter J. Bowman, head professor of political science at Palomar College, said that young voters typically support Democratic candidates because of their alignment with “forgiving student loan debt, climate change action, support for abortion rights, LGBTQ rights, (and) health care expansion...”

Social media plays a big role in how everything is perceived… Whatever’s on your feed is going to be what you like to see…

“Many of these young people are voters of color who have supported Democratic proposals on immigration path to legalization... support for dreamers, [and] police reform with a focus on addressing systemic racism,” said Bowman.

College is a place where students are exposed to new ideas, begin to explore who they are, and develop their own set of values and perspectives outside of their family units. Their political inclinations, thoughts and discussions about politics, government, and the economy will be shaped by their interactions at college and beyond.

At Palomar College, there is a unique blend of ages from Gen Z (18-27) to Millennials (28-43) and beyond. This creates an interesting dynamic within the Palomar student body where people with different mentalities and beliefs interact with professors and other students to explore the world of politics.

To further examine the Palomar campus climate and the social, political and economic ideologies of students, The Telescope conducted a randomized survey.

Falling in line with the educated and liberal trend, the largest share of respondents, albeit by a small margin, supported the Democratic Party (33%). Following closely was the Republican Party with 28% and

22% identifying as Independent, while the remaining percentages identified as “other” or declined to state.

The survey also asked respondents to rank political topics on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 being not important at all and 5 being very important).

This uncovered additional information about the voting habits and concerns of Palomar students.

The issues of abortion and immigration had the highest percentages of respondents answering with 5 (very important), followed by gun control, education, economic policy, and Healthcare/ Medicare.

Alternatively, climate change, gender equality/gender rights, racial inequality and social security had the most varied responses, with multiple answers across the scale, ranging from very important to not important at all.

Another concern was that most respondents agreed that America was headed in the wrong direction, but all had different reasons why.

When respondents were asked about the greatest challenge America might face in the next four

years, the array of concerns became even more widespread.

Preventing wars, solving immigration problems, an economic crisis, violence initiated by MAGA supporters, AI, job security, and the growing division between the rich and poor were just a few of the topics at the top of the list.

Keanu Rios De Sabato, a Palomar College electrical engineering student, said that the issue of housing, the lack of affordable housing and the housing shortage was very important to him.

“Housing is pretty rough. It’s only been getting worse. (And) in my experience… it has a lot to do with the population being older now,” said De Sabato.

He said that since there are fewer young people in the nation and the median age is near 40, young voices aren’t being heard as much as they could be.

When asked her opinion of America’s direction as a whole Ariana Revert, an art student, said she thought America can do better as a society. As a nation, America should focus on “helping our people,” she said.

In regards to American aid to foreign countries such as Ukraine and Israel, Revert said she believed that American relief funds were

important but that America “needs to find a balance.”

America has “so many problems that are still not being solved,” she said.

“And before we help other people, we do have to consider… [helping] our people that are really suffering. This is our country and we should be taking care of it,” said Revert.

The current social and political climate is unique, which is another aspect that shapes student ideologies.

Sociology student Dawn Hesse voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020. When she shared this with a professor, the response she received made her feel uncomfortable about discussing her political choices.

“The professor was very upset and bothered by my voting choice and unwilling to hear why I chose to vote the way I did. There was some mild exhortation and chiding for me to explain why I thought Trump was so great,” Hesse said.

“I think people don’t like to say they are voting or who they vote for because of retaliation, intimidation, or fear of being ostracized either in person or on social media,” she said.

In this digital age, the online world of social media plays a huge position in shaping perception. Kaila Greeny spoke about this trend.

“Social media plays a big role in how everything is perceived… Whatever’s on your feed is going to be what you like to see,” she said.

Oftentimes, social media algorithms tailor posts to individual preferences, making certain instances and issues seem more prevalent than they actually are.

“Not everything you see is the truth,” said Greeny.

A growing list of concerns leaves not only students, but Americans as a whole, with just two options: to vote or not to vote.

Federal elections have been sure ways to enact change, but local elections are a good place to start for those seeking to improve their immediate communities. Progress can be made by prioritizing what is most important and being informed about the views candidates hold. Homelessness, state taxes, and housing issues are just a few topics that can be addressed at the state and local levels.

One thing is certain, the election in November will make history and will be watched worldwide like none other before it.

“Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it”-- Susan B. Anthony.

SECURE HOUSING, SECURE SUCCESS

IS STUDENT HOUSING THE ANSWER FOR PALOMAR TO ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS?

and infographics by Rachel Hyman

College can often be seen as a pathway to future success and stability, especially for those who face adversity. It serves as a turning point toward building a better life. However, increased living expenses have made that goal harder and harder to accomplish. Students are being forced to prioritize basic needs over their education.

As more and more college students face a housing crisis, a call for action has grown in California. The state is looking into building affordable student housing for its higher institutions.

The concept of on-campus housing is gaining popularity among community colleges, and Palomar could be next to embrace this trend.

Community college has always been a convenient and cheaper option for students compared to four-year universities. Many college students are low-income, and the

realistic side of attending junior college has helped them save money and live locally.

Over 9 million students attend community college in the United States, however, that number is decreasing as the price of living becomes increasingly unattainable. Rent prices in California are so high that most college students can not afford to live in the area where they go to school.

The Educational Researcher evaluated food and housing insecurity among undergraduates in 2017 and found that at least onethird of two-year students are housing insecure, including 14% being homeless. These numbers have since risen.

In 2021, California decided to take action addressing this matter and assist in funding student housing for its colleges. The state established the Higher Education Student Housing program, which allowed California Community

Colleges to apply for housing grants. The University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) school systems were also made part of this plan.

Governor Gavin Newsom designated $4 billion to be distributed among the three higher education systems to build cheaper housing for their students.

However, as annual budgets change, the money offered can fluctuate depending on the state of the economy. The housing program funds have already been delayed multiple times since its proposal.

Some California Community Colleges have already developed student housing.

Orange Coast College (OCC) built its complex, The Harbour, in 2020, and students since have been able to experience living on campus. The Harbour houses over 800 students.

“We are excited to be one of the

Story

first Southern California community colleges to offer on-campus housing for students,” said OCC on their website.

San Diego City College (SDCC) will join OCC in offering on-campus housing in 2028, which will also house over 800 students. SDCC broke ground on a possible site in 2023. Site preparation is in the works, and construction is set to begin.

“Our students and the campus community are very excited about the project,” said Cesar Gumapas, SDCC’s Information Officer.

SDCC started the journey in 2022 with a feasibility study granted by the state to gather data about the demand for affordable housing.

“In a 2020 Real College Survey, 64% of students who responded reported that they experienced housing insecurities with 20% experiencing homelessness. Rent in San Diego, and everywhere else in

the state, is very expensive. Our affordable housing development will help students have stable, affordable housing on campus,” Gumapas said.

They are in the early development stage with $75 million committed by the state.

Housing will be similar to apartment-style homes with a lower price tag, about $500 below market per bed. SDCC is looking to bring an average monthly rent price of $3,000 in downtown San Diego to $800-1,000 with this new development. Amenities would include a kitchen/lounge area, laundry area, study area, tutoring center, and a convenience store.

“Housing is a huge challenge for many, and especially for our students,” Gumapas said.

This would be the first affordable housing option for low-income students in San Diego County.

The possibility of housing is something Palomar can likely expect in the future.

Palomar is currently working to make student housing a reality, and it has been a topic well-discussed in governing board meetings.

At the Sept. 5 2023 meeting, Brad Glassik, the managing principal of HMC Architects, recommended a 2035 vision plan for the school. Glassik explained how housing at Palomar is possible and shared examples of potential locations, one on the north end of campus and one on the south end.

Since then, the discussion on student housing has only continued. Nick Mata, Student Services Vice President, has been handling all things related to it. Palomar received planning grants from the state, and now they are taking the steps needed to evaluate, according to Mata.

“As somebody who has worked in student services for over 25 years, having lived in student housing myself, and worked at four-year universities that have student housing, I see the benefit of it and it would be amazing for Palomar College to offer it,” Mata said.

Similar to SDCC, Palomar conducted a feasibility study at the beginning of 2024.

The results from the student housing analysis were shared at the April 9 Palomar Governing Board meeting. The survey showed that “affordability, sense of community, proximity, and stability were identified as students’ highest priorities.”

Of the 1,005 survey respondents, 66% expressed interest in student housing.

The housing models surveyed consisted of single-occupied units, double-occupied units, and quadoccupied units.

The consultants at B&D recommended building a facility with multiple unit-type options. If the project is set to move forward, the college is looking at 300-400 beds to build, with a communal kitchen, study rooms, workshops, and laundry units.

Students and faculty emphasized the importance of having a space to build community.

Depending on financial assistance, this project could cost upwards of $55-67 million. Palomar would need

to partner with other entities in order to even consider building a housing facility.

“Palomar College is not in a situation just by itself, to write a check for $60 million and build a facility, to be quite honest... the numbers right now are looking pretty high as far as building something that Palomar College could realistically do. It’s not out of the question but it’s definitely more of an uphill climb than we originally anticipated,” Mata said.

Palomar has not been promised any money to construct a facility by the state, only planning grants. It has to play a waiting game to hear any more news regarding state funding or pay for housing itself.

Because of this, the school may have to pause the housing project until it can determine California’s economic state.

The decision is dependent on the May 2024 governing board meeting. The board of trustees will decide to either move forward with the project or postpone it.

“Our advocacy is not going to stop if this project pauses... the college is still committed to assisting students to find affordable housing in the area,” Mata said.

Julie Lanthier-Bandy, Palomar’s Public Information Officer said the project “would be a really exciting opportunity for Palomar.”

“It would be a differentiator as well, we would be able to serve so many

more students... student success would be much higher because we have that engagement... it would be phenomenal,” Lanthier-Bandy said.

Research studies show how on-campus housing positively impacts student success.

A 2018 study from the Journal of Higher Education evaluated the relationship between simply attending a community college versus living on campus with transferring and degree completion. It found that living on campus significantly increased the possibility of upward transfer and bachelor’s degree completion.

A 2010 study from the Social Science Research Network revealed that students who live on campus have a higher GPA than those who do not. Showing on-campus housing not only provides a stable living environment for struggling students but also creates a space that is essential for success.

What do students think about on-campus housing for Palomar?

Simon Ortega, a 2022 alum said on-campus housing “would bring an even more diverse population of students to the campus.”

There is an aspect of students from not only across the country but around the globe, looking to come to Palomar needing somewhere to call home. Housing at Palomar could make that possible.

“With the housing market being insane, I think Palomar would be able to offer some cost-effective and nice facilities for its students, and as an alumni, I recommend Palomar to any upcoming student,” Ortega said.

Ortega transferred out of Palomar two years ago but stays up-to-date on its expansion. He said he noticed how the college has only grown bigger after his departure.

“The new stadium is going to bring attention to athletics across the nation, students interested in the football program will then need places to stay,” Ortega said.

On-campus housing is a real possibility for Palomar and it has the potential to be successful, as it has been for other community colleges in California.

“One of the big reasons students go to community college is to save money, but oftentimes they want to move out of a bad situation, on-campus housing could allow that,” Mia Hecht-Nielsen, a first-year Palomar student said. She made it clear there is a need for both affordable and stable student housing in order to achieve academic success.

The future of Palomar housing is still undetermined, but the topic will continue to be discussed in governing board meetings. Palomar will only move on to phase three of the project if the board members vote to proceed.

“We will see what the board of trustees says,” Mata said.

According to Governor Gavin Newsom’s designated housing budget.

Sugar Coated History:

us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us. The stories we tell, tell a story about us.

Story by Lisa Burke

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“If

they tried to escape, they would be flogged, they would be whipped”

“I have a fourth grader. We were driving home the other day, and I always ask... what did you study in history?” said Catherine Christensen Gwin, PhD.

Gwin is a professor in Palomar College’s history department, and she is also a parent. Her son told her they learned the king of Spain wanted to have a road that connected all the missions. He said it was called El Camino Real. She notes this is untrue.

Teaching age-appropriate history lessons is tricky. Providing all the gory details will traumatize kids, but to oversimplify harsh truths is to misinform. There can be an irresistible temptation to present an idealized or romanticized vision of the United States. One consequence might be teaching that people were somehow enriched by learning skills that benefited them, when the reality is they were enslaved, as is the case currently in Florida and their new guidelines in teaching Black history.

“The Mission Project” is an interesting component of fourthgrade curriculum in California. Students are asked to assemble tiny replicas of area missions with cardboard and popsicle sticks or recreate the architecture with delicate constructions of sugar cubes. This is among the few times students will touch on this history

or hear any mention of Indigenous people.

As for the missions themselves, they are smaller than one would suppose. There is a calm meditative quality that belies the ugly truth.

According to an American Public Media (APM) research lab analysis, our national myths project an image of who we want to be, not necessarily who we are. These stories, presented as history, are as revealing for what they leave out as much as for what they present.

For example, calling a time period the Age of Discovery makes sense if only the Western view is considered. There was nothing new about the New World as humanity had been present in lands unknown to Europeans for millennia. So, the discovery was like finding a new restaurant in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Of course this is an oversimplification. There was also plunder and colonization.

Janet Bartell, a docent for Mission San Diego provided the typical history one would learn in school or on a visit to the missions. She claimed that the Native people purportedly did not have clothes as they had never seen cloth fabric before. Bartell described the people as nomadic and living in little huts. She claimed they had no agriculture. “When you think of it, the first seeds

of agriculture [in California] were planted at mission San Diego,” Bartell said.

In reaction to the recent renaming of Serra High to Canyon Hills High because of Serra’s racist connotations, Bartell suggested that modern people are in no position to judge the missions. She declared that the native people had worse treatment under the United States than Spain.

“Father Serra wanted the native people to be treated like a father would treat a child, as children,” Bartell said.

Diana Ortiz, a professor in Palomar College’s American Indian studies department provided a more detailed account of mission life. She told how the Spanish wanted to have Alta, a Spanish word for upper, California be populated with the subjects of Spain, and were extracting labor to accomplish their other goals.

Ortiz said, “It’s all about getting the land, getting the resources, and then colonizing the natives.”

According to Ortiz, and the Library of Congress, the Spanish primarily employed kidnapping and holding people against their will to extract unpaid labor from them. Native people were not permitted to collect or hunt. Or, if they had

permission to leave the missions, they were required to bring what they obtained back to the church. Many were not allowed to leave because once they obtained their freedom, they would never return.

The missions supplanted traditional foods with undigestible milk, foreign grains, and old-world livestock. Dairy rarely was part of native diets, and it harmed their health. There were also records of old-world diseases killing the neophytes, or native converts.

“When you are confined in these places, disease does run rampant,” Ortiz said.

Marina E. Parenti said that one of her goals is to disrupt the story that is being told. She is a professor in Palomar College’s history department.

“There’s a way to tell that narrative... [where it’s not] this whitewashed, Eurocentric view,” Parenti said.

Parenti recounts visiting Mission San Juan Capistrano as an 11-yearold. The mission was so pretty, but even as a child she could see something was ugly. She describes a diorama. There were about 40 figures of skinny, almost naked bodies, working, and one overseer in dark robes.

“I remember we wrote about how great the missions were, and how they gave them jobs, and nobody ever said that their labor was forced and that they were dying of malnutrition,” Parenti said.

After Parenti became a historian, she discovered that the people’s height had been reduced because of malnourishment. Physical abuse marked the bones as well. The evidence is in the mass graves. “Serra would say, I have two great crops. The grain that’s growing... [and] the children [that] were dying. They were going to heaven and that was a crop,” Parenti said.

The missions’ stated goals were to civilize the Indians and then return the land to them, Parenti asserted.

However, as they died the missions would pull in more people from the surrounding areas to replace labor. No land was ever returned. According to Parenti, the missions did not fulfill the promise of educating people. No one was taught to read and write.

Despite this, the missions are afforded a place of honor in our history. These places, like plantations in America’s South, were labor camps. Gwin added details to this story.

Gwin called the missions “centers of production” that were factory-like. She described how the neophytes would start and end their day with a sermon and do all the unpaid labor during the day. Women suffered rape. “If they tried to escape, they would be flogged, they would be whipped,” Gwin said.

The missions have this idyllic representation that is more palatable to us, “...because the story of conquest, or settler colonialism, is much more difficult to contend with… We want a story where there’s this inevitability and this kind of natural progression of history,” Gwin said.

European roots were emphasized in California’s story, bypassing Mexican and Indigenous origins. As an example, Gwin points to the creation of Balboa Park, named for a European conquistador who never set foot in California.

This is not just a California tendency. Gwin points out how the “Lost Cause” myth, the myth that the Civil War was about state’s rights and not slavery, held sway in the American South. She said we tell a sanitized story where we are “... the legitimate beneficiary of all the things that we enjoy here as American citizens, you need a story that justifies your role as the beneficiary.” Gwin mentioned “Manifest Destiny,” which the fulfillment of required the extermination of Indigenous people.

Gwin affirms that the Americans’ history after 1848 with natives in

California was genocide, citing UCLA’s Benjamin Madley.

Rodolfo Jacobo, PhD., is a Palomar Chicano studies professor and the ethnic studies chair. In the 20th century, Jacobo said, there was a rise of what can be called revisionist history. Traditional history, and the way it was taught and written, was beginning to be examined for biases. Blind spots began to be addressed because the points of view, “from the excluded voices,” Jacobo said, were examined by authors such as Howard Zinn and James W. Lowen

Jacobo points out that ethnic studies examine the experience of non-white Americans. “If our history books are mirrors... it doesn’t look like us,” Jacobo said.

“I think traditional history is very convenient,” Jacobo said. Consider national anthems. “No anthem says bad things about countries,” Jacobo said.

Jacobo talked about historical amnesia, forgetting or ignoring history. It involves a need to see only positive images and experiences and denies the experience or reality of other people. Holocaust deniers, or those who would say enslavement had its good side, were examples.

Some students would not accept the facts of history, and say it was being made up. The ethnic studies department would get hate mail. Jacobo points out the contradiction in the United States being so anti-immigrant yet is a nation of immigrants. Jacobo’s immigrant parents came to this country with nothing and worked hard to provide their children a better life. It is a classic story of the American Dream that somehow offends traditional historians.

However, the past connects to, and influences, the present. Jacobo recounts a conversation with a student whose parents were from Oaxaca, which has a significant Indigenous population and had its own mission issues. The student had

never been there and felt no connection to it. Jacobo reminded her that what she eats, her family practices and traditions, everything was influenced by Oaxaca. Jacobo told the student, “Maybe you were never down there, but down there has been with you every day of your life.”

One may argue that worldwide expansion by the West was inevitable. The search for trade routes and spices, and the competition between empires were a driving force. The express permission the Catholic church and European kings gave fortune hunters to steal from non-Christians, and the evangelical mission of various religious sects had a hand in what occurred. The Charter of New England (1620) called for the acquisition of land from “sea to sea,” while the Doctrine of Discovery still has a hold on our current legal system. It was cited as recently as 2005 in City of Sherrill v. Oneida Indian Nation of New York

The Royal Road or El Camino Real is a myth. The missions were not built one after another within a day’s walking distance but rather in a more nonlinear fashion, Ortiz noted. They were becoming a tourist attraction as a business producing bells amped up the story, Ortiz stated. The missions were rebuilt due to New Deal Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects.

The mission period was 64 years. The missions controlled 12% of the surface area of California and captured 9% of the Indigenous population. Most had fallen into ruin until the Americans decided to hype them as history evoking European roots.

The popular story of history, told primarily by non-Indians, suggests that American Indians existed only in the past. This story also does not ascribe full humanity to every person who is not also white. As Ortiz suggests, it can overlook, and denigrate knowledge and practices like Traditional Ecological Knowledge. History’s mission can appear to justify rather than explain.

SIBLINGS IN CHANGE CHANGE

STORY BY QUINTON HAYEK

CHRIS AND DANA GARCIA-MENDEZ AREN’T JUST SIBLINGS BUT ALSO THE LEADERS OF ASG.

AS THEIR TIME IN OFFICE ENDS, THEY REFLECT ON THE CHANGE THEY BROUGHT TO PALOMAR.

The Associated Student Government (ASG) is an integral part of every school. Here at Palomar, the ASG works tirelessly to make each student’s experience more comfortable, seamless, and, more importantly, welcoming.

“The mission of the Associated Student Government of Palomar College is to provide quality service to students and the community that enhances the safety, educational diversity, environment and health of the campus, where students, our employees, and the community can thrive in an atmosphere of courtesy, integrity, and respect,” as stated on the ASG website.

The Garcia-Mendez siblings, President Christopher and Vice President Dana, play an important

role in fulfilling not only the set mission statement, but also the many challenges that the student body faces throughout their careers.

Kengo Hotta, Vice President of Communications, described Chris as a “guy with a really firm handshake” and Dana as a loyal member who is “always by Chris’ side.”

When asked about who Chris and Dana are off and on campus, Hotta said, “They have a professional side and a personal side. On their personal side they are really fun to talk to, they’re easy to get to know. When it comes to professional stuff he (Chris) is really professional and organized.”

When sitting down with IMPACT Magazine, Chris and Dana mentioned a time when a

presentation was made regarding teacher wages. Chris smiled as he recalled the moment.

“I mean ask for more office hours, but them figuring out how to get paid for the office hours, they gotta go through their own route and advocate for that.” He added that this was an example of when he would step in during meetings to, “Make sure everyone’s on track. That our advocacy efforts are serving our students.”

As Palomar closes this semester, we also close in on Chris and Dana’s final term with ASG. It’s important to look back on what they experienced as President and Vice President, as well as their views for the future of ASG. With this knowledge, IMPACT Magazine sat down with Chris and Dana to hear what they had to say.

IMPACT: “Describe your time here at ASG.”

Dana first described her tenure as ASG Vice President as honoring. She referred to the value of working with faculty such as Palomar superintendent Star Rivera-Lacey.

“I’m really honored to be given this opportunity and this role to be able to help the students who have a voice but are too afraid to use it,” Dana said.

Chris added that his experience as ASG President made him happier, but more importantly, he feels privileged. He focused on the reality that Palomar ASG is a safe space to voice opinions.

“Here, we are very welcoming. We’re an open space. We will have disagreements, but we’ll be respectful about it,” Chris said.

IMPACT: “With you two being siblings, how does working together feel different as opposed to other work relationships?”

Dana answered first, “We do have our difficulties. We’re siblings and only one year apart, but it’s easy as we’ve always been together, we’ve gone to the same school together forever.” She mentioned the inspiration that their collective efforts are inspired by their goal to make their mother proud.

Chris added that the Vice President and President positions require an effort to work together.

“I couldn’t imagine myself being with a person that’s very difficult to work with. I have my sister here, she’s very helpful. I’ll have a question or I’ll need some help on something, she steps in and helps me out,” said Chris.

Both siblings agreed that their time in ASG has improved the way they talk to each other. They find little pressure, which removes stress from their work environment.

“Whatever we are trying to do, we do together,” said Chris.

IMPACT: “What do you believe is your most important accomplishment of your time as ASG president and vice president?”

Chris spoke on behalf of both when he pointed towards the amplification of the California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant (DISG) for undocumented students. This allows undocumented students to work on campus and receive compensation.

After about a year of consideration, Chris became the first participant in the new program. Dana followed suit shortly after when she was eligible.

After the program became more widespread, they worked together to open the Cariño Dream Village. The Cariño Dream Village is described on the Palomar website as “a safe and inclusive space where students can learn about different cultures and build community.”

Dana backed Chris by saying that DSIG allows for a great opportunity to gain work experience. She described it as the best opportunity she’s ever been given. She said that simple office tasks like using an office printer can be foreign to some students, which is why programs like DSIG and groups like the Cariño Dream Village are so important.

Another policy the siblings are trying to raise awareness about is making Palomar EBT accessible for students who rely on food stamps. Chris said, “Why not make that possible?”

The final point Chris was proud of was how they restructured ASG. After COVID-19 restrictions, ASG faced hardships in impact and the number of members. Chris talked about how members would come and go and that it was hard to set the precedent that everyone’s word is as good as his.

“I would try to have everyone speak and try to hear everybody out. I want to make sure I’m not representing my own opinion, but I’m representing everybody’s,” Chris said.

“The whole point of being a leader is representing others. If you’re in a

position to represent the student body, don’t just represent yourself. Your opinion does matter but you’re trying to make a decision to make the whole entire student body better and not just yourself,” Chris said.

IMPACT: “What will you miss the most about ASG?”

Dana was quick to answer, “The people. That’s what makes a place better. I think I’ll miss working with Chris the most.” Dana went on to praise the community college experience citing the financial leniency it provides. She likes one aspect of the Palomar experience in particular, “Hearing the clock tower sing new songs.”

Chris answered the question with a bit of a laugh, “What I will miss? Well, running a meeting.” Chris showed his interest in the parliamentary procedures and the Brown Act, and stepping away from the role of president will take him away from using his knowledge in the most important way for students.

Both siblings will miss being involved with the college. Being the voice of the students is a role that only a handful of people get to have; for them, it’s an absolute honor.

IMPACT: “What do you hope for the current delegates in the future of ASG now that you’re leaving?”

“That they step up into a bigger role,” Chris quickly responded. The two agreed that the continued support for the student body is an integral part of ASG functioning.

Chris described a future of ASG where students can walk into the offices and meetings and cause “pure chaos.” It’s his dream that there will be many students looking to get their voices heard.

Dana and Chris ended the conversation with a smile on their faces and a laugh, discussing the idea of a statue of themselves being built on campus. The time and effort they put into the Palomar student body have not gone unnoticed, and Palomar will surely miss them.

(Photo credit: Andrea Gonzalez, Alex Ortega & Erin Hiro/IMPACT Magazine).

IMPACT MAGAZINE NEEDS YOU!

WE ARE LOOKING FOR WRITERS, EDITORS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND DESIGNERS FOR BOTH IMPACT MAGAZINE AS WELL AS FOR THE TELESCOPE CAMPUS NEWSPAPER. BOTH ARE INDEPENDENT, STUDENTRUN PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED IN PALOMAR COLLEGE JOURNALISM COURSES. LEARN MORE PALOMAR.EDU/JOURNALISM/ STUDENTS IN JOURN. 105 SEE THEIR WORK PUBLISHED ONLINE AND IN THIS MAGAZINE. THEY ALSO WIN AWARDS. DURING SPRING 2024, IMPACT’S STAFF ATTENDED A NATIONAL CONFERENCE WHERE THEY MET INDUSTRY LEADERS AND EARNED WRITING AND DESIGN AWARDS. FOR MORE INFORMATION, EMAIL EHIRO@PALOMAR.EDU THIS STUDENT-LED YEARLY PUBLICATION WON GENERAL EXCELLENCE AT A STATEWIDE COMPETITION THIS SPRING.