22 West Magazine - October 2018

Issue 83.02 October 1, 2018 www.22WestMedia.com

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Issue 83.02

DIGRESS WITH JESS

CONTENTS ROWING Sports spotlight

STAFF Jess Kung, Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@22westmedia.com Yessenia Sanchez, Managing Editor managingeditor@22westmedia.com Tara Thomas, Art Director artdirector@22westmedia.com Lola Olvera, Lead Copy Editor Kristi Alarcon, Editor Jarrod Castillo, Editor Isabelle Cruz, Editor Kirsten Hernandez, Editor Karla Lopez, Editor Dawn Perkins, Editor Shyanne Riberal-Norton, Editor CONTRIBUTORS E.R. Conte, Contributor Asia Gonzalez, Contributor Christina Lares, Contributor Asher Reeves, Distribution Manager Sudabeh Sarker, Contributor Jazlyn Tabar, Contributor Brian To, Contributor Andrew Tran, Contributor Cade Werner, Contributor COVER DESIGN Maddie Aub, Contributor

CONTACT US Mail: 1212 Bellflower Blvd. Suite 116 Long Beach, CA 90815 Phone: 562.985.4867 E-mail: editorinchief@22westmedia.com

By Jess Kung Editor-In-Chief I’m going to say this right off the bat this issue is going to be way more about Halloween than the midterm elections.

Yet I feel the need to make some kind of urgent, grandiose statement about voting. So, uh, please do it.

I need to turn this in before we have results for the Kavanaugh hearing, which is unfortunate. Fuck that guy.

November 7th is a Wednesday. It’s mad early in the month so we’re talking about it in our October issue that we produce in September and that’s probably why most of our stories are about Halloween instead.

Tis the season to think about fear, I guess. There are monsters about, for sure, but how do we fight them?

Monsters, I think, are what we make of them. They have as much power as we let them have, you know? They’re created, not born.

As a kid, I was afraid of the darkness in my open closet at night. I don’t know what I thought was in there. I couldn’t sleep without closing it but I didn’t think about what it might do to me. I actually got rid of my closet doors entirely for a while, to not give it space to hide.

It’s a bit of a reach, but after I came out of the closet as a teenager the darkness didn’t bother me anymore. Maybe I was the monster I was afraid of. Maybe I just grew out of it.

I’m incoherent, but I’ll leave you with this - I think “There’s a Monster at the End of this Book” by Grover from Sesame Street is a foundational text in my life.

Bless up.

ELECTION A helpful voting flowchart

HAIRY A message about self love

JUSTICE The fight for women’s reproductive rights

HAUNTS Ranking the best Halloween attractions

SPIDERMAN The man behind the mask

THRIFTY Budget costume couture

COMMUNITY Suicide and overdose prevention meeting

WATCHES It takes time to find yourself

GRUNION An alternative home for alternative facts

Take it easy, y’all.

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Disclaimer and Publication Information: 22 West Magazine is published using ad money and partial funding provided by the Associated Students, Inc. All Editorials are the opinions of their individual authors, not the magazine, ASI nor LBSU. All students are welcome and encouraged to be a part of the staff. All letters to the editor will be considered for publication. However, LBSU students will have precedence. Please include name and major for all submissions. They are subject to editing and will not be returned. Letters may or may not be edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and length. 22 West Magazine will publish anonymous letters, articles, editorials, and illustration, but must have your name and information attached for our records. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 500 words. 22 West Magazine assumes no responsibility, nor is it liable, for claims of its advertisers.

Grievance procedures are available in the Associated Students business office.

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WHAT’S A COXSWAIN? Get acquainted with rowing culture to find out.

It was the Summer Olympics of 1976 when Joan Lind competed in Montréal, Québec, Canada, representing not only the United States, but the legacy of Long Beach State, in the sport of Rowing.

It’s crazy to think that one day you could go from being involved in a school sport to competing in the Olympics. You could be that person or you could be the person looking to be involved, make some friends and work out, all at the same time. Rowing might be the sport for you!

and Ehab Elrashidy. The men’s team is coached by Sean McCrea, Anthony “AC” Chacon and Dylan Widjaja, while the women’s team is headed by Cristina Felix and Jaqueline Van Andel.

All sports involve commitment and dedication, but the sport of rowing is known for being particularly intense.

And you don’t have to be a pro going into this. You can learn it all as a part of Beach Crew!

Rowers at LBSU train and race in teams of eight, however it is not only

Rowers returning the boat to the boathouse.

You might be asking yourself, “What is rowing?” Rowing is the sport of propelling a boat using a fixed oar as a lever, usually done with a team of eight or nine, including the coxswain, or guide, of the boat. There are two types of races, one called sculling, which involves using two oars per person, and sweep, which only uses one oar per person.

In 1957, Bill Lockyer and Ludwig Spolyar founded one of LBSU’s first clubs: Long Beach State Rowing, also known as Beach Crew.

Today, Beach Crew consists of a men’s and women’s team, both with a novice and varsity team. This semester’s team is led by rowing club presidents Megan DeVore

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limited to eight. Oftentimes, teams of four can form to make a separate entity.

As for the type of rowing, they primarily focus on the fast and highly aerobic sweep rowing. They train at least 15 to 20 kilometers a day, working up to the elite standard of about 30k. On top of that, they work on their strokes per minute, shooting for 28-30 in the fall and then 32-38 by spring. All of this strength is built over time and taught to those who have never rowed. According to Coach Widjaja, typical training is done both on land and in water. Workouts on land involve using an ergometer and a rowing machine and cross-training with weights

Story and Photos by Isabelle Cruz Editor

and cardio. Workouts in water involve going out on the boat and rowing. Some may think rowing is all about your arms, but it’s more about your legs and back. When you row, the seat leans back as you propel your legs.

Eighty percent of your muscles are used in this sport including your quads, hamstrings, glutes, lats, core, shoulders, triceps, erector spinae and biceps.

Brittney Denbesten, who’s rowed for two years now, says the team aspect of rowing has made the most impact on her experience.

The team is diverse and at practices, members stick by each other so they are never separated from each other until races.

“You don’t need experience to join and when you do join you take on mental and physical challenges like staying on track and focusing on schoolwork,” said Denbesten.

Some enjoy the experience of character-building.

“Being able to wake up at 5:30 in the morning every day is kind of hard and turns people into more strong-willed people,” said Elrashidy, rowing president for the men’s team and third-year rower.

Meanwhile, others enjoy the experience of making connections.

“You make some lifelong friends and it’s most definitely a foot in the door for a career,” said Megan DeVore, the rowing president for the women’s team and fourth-year rower. “People who know that you’ve rowed and are familiar with the sport realize how much work it takes.”

Rower Amber Ottosen supports this, characterizing the team as a tight-knit

“You make some lifelong friends and it’s most definitely a foot in the door for a career.”

- Megan DeVore community of involved students.

However, like most sports on campus, fees are involved.

For novice rowers, payment for a year is $1200; for a semester it’s $650. For novice coxswains, payment for a year is $650; for a semester it’s $350.For varsity rowers, payment for a year is $1300; for a semester it’s $700. For varsity coxswains, payment for a year is $75.

That being said, there are ways to combat the costs. You can pay the fees in monthly installments. The team has fundraisers and scholarships to lower costs, along with alumni willing to sponsor you if you are dedicated enough with rowing and school.

The costs include access to training, equipment and coaches. Additionally, the uniform and travel costs vary depending on which races you choose to be involved in.

Practices are Monday through Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. at Pete Archer Rowing Center in Long Beach.

The legacy with rowing is immense.

Try out and give rowing a shot! No experience is needed.

Follow the socials! https://www.facebook.com/lbsurowing/ https://www.instagram.com/lbsu_ womens_rowing/ https://www.instagram.com/ rowbeachmen/

How to do the 2018 Midterm Elections Are you registered to vote?

Story by Kirsten Hernandez Editor Graphic by Kayla Lopez Editor

No! Yes!

Register to vote at https://registertovote.ca.gov/ !

Be sure to provide the last four digits of your SSN and your Driver’s License number.

Did you register to get your ballot by mail?

Yes, I didn’t want to leave the house.

Fill out your ballot when it comes in the mail, sign it, mail it back before the deadline, then pop back into bed and feel good about yourself because you did your civic duty!

After doing this, go back to Step 1.

No, I wanted the “lil” sticker.

Go to the address that is listed on your voter confirmation letter, which you’ll get in the mail in the next few weeks.

Once, you’re there a poll worker will check you in. While IDs are not required in California, the poll worker may ask you for them if you only recently registered. Accepted IDs at the polls include a Driver’s License, California ID, passport or university ID (if your picture is in visible condition).

Polls are open from 7am to 8pm!

Other Questions: Q: I didn’t send my mail-in ballot on time! Did I curse our entire democracy?

A: No, my friend. You still have a chance to have your voice heard! Fill out your ballot, and take it to the polling place listen on your forum.

Q: Shady stuff is happening at my polling place, and I’m worried my ballot won’t be taken into consideration. Should I use vigilante justice to combat this atrocity?

A: Slow down, Captain America. If you’re worried about how things are being conducted at your polling place—for instance, if you’re unjustly turned away at the polls, the polling location closes before 8 p.m., or if you’re being harassed about who you’re voting for—call the state’s election hotline at 800-345-8683.

They will provide you with further instructions on how to make sure your vote is counted.

Q. The ballot propositions are confusing and I’m getting a headache. Where do I get more information?

A. Ballotpedia.org is the best place to look for information on a ballot proposition. On there, it’ll tell you the background of each proposition, the arguments for each side, and who is sponsoring the “Yes” and the “No” campaigns. While this may take some research time, it’s so important to have your voice heard on these critical issues. You’re allowed to take any notes you wrote down into the voting booth with you!

Q. I’m not a citizen, but I want to see change in my community. How can I help?

A. Our elected officials work for everyone, not just citizens! If you live in the U.S., you can call your assembly member, state senator or member of congress if you see an issue you want changed. A simple Google search will tell you which members represent your area.

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Story and Illustration by Asia Gonzalez Contributor

I was raised and socialized as a girl. Images of idealistic European femininity bombarded my everyday life and I developed a lot of self-hate in the way I looked.

One of my more prominent insecurities was the “excessive” body hair that appeared all over me.

At thirteen years old, I began to shave. I shaved my legs and armpits every other day. I shaved my back and stomach and chest once a week. I begged my mother to let me use the hair removal cream she used to remove my mustache. It was an obsession to be as hairless as I could possibly be to fit this idealistic mold which the media knew I could never achieve.

My younger sister and I once agreed that we would feel more beautiful if we were born white women. Shadows of that sentiment remained in the back of my head up until my first year and college.

For the first time in my life, I was in the presence of out and proud queer and trans folks.

Being inherently a subculture, the LGBT+ community that I surrounded myself with had already broken from societal norms--including beauty norms.

From these people, I learned it was okay to identify as male and wear makeup, identify as female and have short hair.

“I am proud to be hairy and Mexican.

This goes out to all my hairy babes out there.”

Most importantly to me, I learned that I can travel between both spectrums and be valid in whatever way I presented myself.

I want to be what my chosen queer family was to me for them.

Like most femmes who found themselves in the Body-Posi movement, I allowed my armpit and leg hair to grow. I know many viewed it as a waste of time but for a hairy, brown femme like me, it meant so much.

At first, I showcased my legs and armpit hair for myself, but now, its for other hairy children who feel ugly in their own bodies.

Like the transformation of a werewolf under the full moon, it was a painful, tragic experience. Unlike the werewolf, my transformation took me out of my natural hairy state. My curse has been lifted and I embrace my natural body. I would be lying if I said I stopped shaving, but I can go a month without shaving and wear shorts without so much as a second thought. I no longer desire to be a white woman.

TO ALL MY HAIRY BABES An artist’s message about self love.

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CHANGING THE CONVERSATION The fight for women’s reproductive rights.

CRLJ retreat in Los Angeles, CA on April 2018

By Karla Lopez Editor

The recent sexual assault accusation against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and his outspoken disapproval of birth control has put Kavanaugh in the center of conversation.

Kavanaugh had previously shared comments about birth control in a confirmation hearing, where he stated that “more than 95 percent of women use [birth control] in their lifetime — as an ‘abortion-inducing drug.’”

These conservative comments attacking women’s choice of birth control exasperated a focused reproductive justice group based in Downtown Los Angeles.

The California Latinas for Reproductive Justice is a community initiative that tries to combat the knowledge disparities among LA women when it comes to reproductive rights.

The mission of CLRJ is to

spotlight misogynistic officials that challenge women’s right to choice in their reproductive health, such as with birth control methods.

At the start of CLRJ’s Saturday morning meeting, CLRJ member Kirsten Hernandez quoted Senator Kamala Harris, asking, “Do you know of any laws that put men’s bodies under scrutiny?”

To which Christina Lares, community engagement manager of CLRJ, added, “We need to give communities awareness of what’s going on about the [Kavanaugh] hearing.”

The focused group organizes annual fundraisers for community events they host to create a bond with neighbors in Los Angeles.

Other events, such as zine workshops, “Tardes de Cafecitos” (Coffee Afternoons), film screenings, Education Day, and “Latinx Storytelling,” all create a space for conversation.

A forgotten history that shocked the LA community was the sterilizations

Photos by Christina Lares Contributor

by Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center hospital in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

These sterilizations were a statewide law, and in LA about 200 women subjected to this procedure without their acknowledgement, according to a press release by L.A. Taco.

A screening of “No Más Bebés” at a local library gave CLRJ and others a space to discuss how to target laws that try to limit the choices of women, especially women of color.

Christina and the other CLRJ chapter members hope that with the upcoming elections in November, the topic of women’s accessibility of health resources will resurface and encourage people to vote.

Until then, CLRJ are lining up events leading up to the elections.

“We [CLRJ] are going to have to respond and build a system of resources within the community,” stated Lares.

No Más Bebés film screening at Benjamin Franklin Library in Boyle Heights, CA on July 21, 2018.

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Story by Kristi Alarcon Editor

SCARE-O-METER

Illustration by E.R. Conte Contributor

Unleash your childlike screams at these LA Halloween attractions.

It’s that time of the year again when Los Angeles, the City of Angels, morphs into a city where demons, devils and spirits are invited to come out and play. A city this old and immense is bound to have more than just skeletons in the closet. Luckily for you, the lurking paranormal activity comes out and shines a light on their so-called wicked fun, inviting all for a playdate. For those rummaging for terror this Halloween, I’ve mapped and ranked some of the best haunted attractions across LA*.

Do proceed with caution.

Into the Black: Sept. 28-Oct. 31; $48

Dead

There are a myriad of Halloween attractions in Los Angeles. But how many are genuinely petrifying, delivering more than just a unexpected shriek or jump?

Into the Black is a walk through maze and a virtual reality experience that sends each guest through the maze alone. There is no one in front or behind you.

Spines tingle during points of the maze where you aren’t going to want to turn the corner because you hear sounds coming from ahead, or footsteps coming up from behind you. Flesh creeps in ways we seldom experience while navigating through Into the Black.

Queen Mary Dark Harbor: Sept. 27-Nov. 2; $35-$46

Hallucinating Los Angeles Haunted Hayride: Sept. 28-Oct. 31; $40-$50

Shook

Creep Los Angeles: Sept. 27-Nov. 4; $92

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Probably the best bang for your buck, the LA Haunted Hayride is far from a typical friendly hayride through a pumpkin patch. The hayride takes visitors through the eerie Griffith Park, famously known for the haunted picnic table, Hollywood sign and abandoned zoo. As the tractor gives gas, visitors get to witness theatrical performances that come to life. The workers get so close to your face that you can feel them breathing down your neck. If that’s not enough, the hayride then drops passengers off to find their own way out through a corn maze. Three scare zones are also scattered throughout for a night full of nightmares.

Keep an eye out because celebrities are sure to make an appearance.

Aghast

Dark Harbor descends upon the notorious Queen Mary, growing fast in popularity since the ship is actually said to be haunted.

The boat provides six mazes that are connected to the vessel’s haunted macabre history. Some of the best aspects that this attraction provides are mazes where paths are said to lead to some of the most paranormal locations on the boat: the first class swimming pool and engine room. As if worrying about a terrifying character wasn’t enough, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for a real ghostly encounter while lurking the dark depths of the boat.

Witness the terror of Halloween with thrills and an artistic, theatrical spin. Creep LA is an elaborate one hour walk through maze that takes small groups inside a fully immersive universe. Each room is presented with a scene, similar to a vignette, where each begins its own story. Guests will be guided by a cast of characters into a realm of frightful situations and one-on-one encounters, all dripping with style and gory.

*Ranking is based on personal opinions and last year’s Halloween events.

Alarmed

Halloween Horror Nights: Sept. 14-Nov. 3; $64-$97 Big-budget scares meet iconic movie characters at Horror Nights. The movie studio Blumhouse, infamous for creating some of the scariest Halloween film stars; has created all-new mazes that guide you into some of your darkest nightmares. Icons from the most twisted films and television shows make their debut. Here you can find yourself present in some of the most frightening scenes from movies such as The Purge, Stranger Things and The Exorcist.

BEH

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Sto ry Pho by As to b h y A er Ree ndr ew ves D Tran istr Con ibution tribu M tor anage r

Halloween used to be my least favorite holiday. The fake blood and guts, scary masks and young kids getting sick with sticky substances all over their faces never really appealed to me. But everyone else seemed to like it, so I pretended to.

There is nothing wrong with the holiday, it’s just that like many things in life, you have to find a way to make it your own, so I did. I found a way to make Halloween less about everyone and more about me.

I realized that Halloween is one of the few times a year anyone can dress up and be whatever they want, but most people choose not to. Some might consider it as a bold notion, I think of it as necessary. I have seen many people brave enough to wear costumes for Instagram and Facebook photos, but nobody is willing to wear it for a full day. They don’t even wear the full costume when they go out, just an abridged version.

For example, instead of wearing a full on Batman outfit, I only see shirts with the Batman logo and a cape. Or for a nurse outfit, I see scrubs but not the full uniform.

So when Halloween falls on a weekday and I have class, you bet your sweet ass I’m going to fully dress up and make sure the world knows I can mix work and play. So can you!

I dress up to show my classmates how fun I can be but I still don’t want to be entirely judged for being the only one doing

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. nt to a w y n the e h be, w o t t n y wa e h t who ace r b o em h w e thos g n i r owe Emp

so. It’s tough being one of the only people in costume on a holiday about dressing up. But for someone like me, a nerd and cosplayer, it’s an exceptional time for me to show off who I really am.

Wearing a mask is like a one-way mirror. You may not know who I am, but I can tell who you are. I become someone I try to be on the daily but can’t because I am confined by those norms of society.

Those norms that separate us “nerds,” if you will, into taboo categories and as someone who has a large voice and a platform of my own, I will show that we can build a bridge for us all.

The costume’s mask not only breaks social walls but also creates new ones.

For example, it tells people that if you

have an outlandish idea, you can do it. It shows people that far-fetched ideas are only a step away. The path less traveled has a beautiful view too — you should come and see it some time. When I wore

I fully take on the role of the character I am dressing up as. In this case, SpiderMan. Oh, by the way I’m Spider-Man. Yes, I’m THAT Spider-Man with the expensivelooking slim suit (that hugs my thighs)

“The path less traveled has a beautiful view too - you should come and see it sometime.” my costume on campus for the past two Halloweens, I felt amazing and felt like I could take on the world. Nobody knew who I was, which made the anonymity of the holiday that much more daring.

Illustration by Tara Thomas Art Director

you might’ve seen the past two years.

Some of you may have seen me on campus and some of you may have even had classes with me. You saw a random guy in tights walk into your class and realize that he is an everyday student like you. I get positive reactions from random students on campus and you may have been one of them! My teachers are always shocked while my classmates laugh and applaud with glee.

You may think dressing up as a comic book character to school for an entire day is tiring, sweaty, tedious and even a little weird. And it is.

But when was the last time you did something brave?

And no, I’m not talking about guessing ‘C’ on every test question you don’t know, I’m talking about being bold, daring and doing something out of the norm. Because for me, I try to do something different and fun at least once a month.

So challenge yourself this month.

Set a goal to go against the grain. Do something you wouldn’t normally do and also make it fun. Be proud of who you are and just like Spider-Man taught me, Be Greater.

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CUT N’ STITCH COSTUMES Haunt this Halloween on a budget.

For our devil and angel couples costume, we went into each thrift store with an open mind, grabbing anything that had potential. Based on what we found in the beginning, we thought we were going to go with a silky white church robe and have a sexy bra-top and skirt underneath but we found this amazing see-through white blazer that was angelic and edgy at the same time.

By the end, we had all these amazing pieces, but they didn’t necessarily go together. They were all varying shades of white and we would not have our angel wearing shades of off-white with cream.

Ultimately, we made some adjustments by cutting up some pieces and adding a ton of safety pins.

The great part about thrifting is that there’s less guilt about ripping apart a newly purchased tank top. Our final product for the angel costume was completely worth the last minute costume DIY.

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“The great part about thrifting is that there’s less guilt about ripping apart a newly purchased tank top.”

Finding a proper devil costume for our male model was far more difficult.

Not only was the men’s section twice as small but each rack was filled with boring clothes with little variety in texture and color. I guess if the devil wore business-casual clothing and had a 9 to 5 office job, this would be fine.

However, we were thinking more along the lines of an evil, hell-dwelling demon. We even started our search with the idea of having fishnets and boots as part of our look, but once we saw our options, we immediately lowered our expectations. We did find a cape, but later ditched it for a rich, redvelvet jacket. After finding the jacket, we tried to find velvet pants to match.

Although, finding pants that fit both the criteria for our costume and right size for our model was impossible. By the end of our hunt, we didn’t find as many pieces for our devil as the angel, but the jacket was such a statement piece that, with some horns, red makeup, and simple black jeans, it worked out great on its own.

Models Marya Nguyen and Anthony Givhan sport a cute couples costume, opposites do attract after all.

Story & Photos by Sudabeh Sarker Contributor Styling by Jazlyn Tabar Contributor

“...our only job was to find the most aggressively early-2000s clothes we could find” Early 2000s fashion is back in full swing, so finding a complete Bratz look wasn’t very difficult. The hardest part was deciding which outfit to use for our final photo shoot. There was a variety of outfits and styles available but our only focus was to find the most aggressively early2000s clothes we could find. Every single piece was purchased at Buffalo Exchange which, as of now, is filled with clothes straight from Paris Hilton’s wardrobe. Yes, Buffalo Exchange is not as affordable as Goodwill but the selection was a lot easier to sort through. In the end, we had to choose between a sequined, skin-tight jumpsuit with cutouts at the hip and a silky black halter-top, bell-bottoms, and a sequined newsboy cap. We ended up going for the latter.

Model Sydni Ingram shows off her passion for fashion with this nostalgic “Bratz Doll” look.

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THE MORNING AFTER THE PARTY HAM ON EVERYTHING Team Up To Bring Awareness To The Darkness Of The Party Scene Story by Dawn Perkins Editor Photos by Cade Werner & Dawn Perkins Contributors

A handwritten sign saying “COMMUNITY MEETING IN BACK” is smacked on a wall at the edge of an alley, leading to a graffitied parking lot. An entrance leads to a table with a sign-up sheet plastered with black Sharpie, layered next to piles of suicide prevention brochures and overdose signs checklists. Young adult residents try to find a spot on the stage. Chattering echoes fill the room.

Members of the HAM ON EVERYTHING scene gathered Saturday for a community meeting at the Echoplex in Los Angeles.

They were there to discuss the possible dangers of the partying scene with a suicide and overdose prevention discussion.

The meetings are publicized through the organizers’ individual social media accounts, some with thousands of young followers.

Members of the HAMILY (the HAM ON EVERYTHING family), along with addiction psychiatrist Dr. Lauren Walton and paramedic and END OVERDOSE co-founder Theo Krzywicki, came together in support of National Suicide Prevention Week, sharing stories and tips on how to deal with mental health issues, drug overdoses and death.

“We just want to bring awareness to our community about the darkness that lies underneath the whole party scene,” said Brittney Scott, the meeting host.

Scott, also an artist and DJ, began the meetings last year, along with her friends Adam Weiss, Emily Kretzer and Morgan Freed.

“I truly believe the opposite of depression is connection and what all humans seek is connectivity,” said Weiss, 37, a promoter of the nightlife series HAM ON EVERYTHING. “That’s why having a community is so important, and why it’s so dope that we could come together like this outside of a party atmosphere.”

Scott and Weiss say they were compelled to organize these meetings following the overdose of death rapper Lil Peep, a friend of the creators of Community Meeting, who also played at Weiss’ HAM ON EVERYTHING series. His death was caused by an overdose of Xanax and fentanyl last November.

The meeting began by inviting attendees to share their personal stories battling with depression, suicide and the grief of losing loved ones.

Speaker Lindsey Byrnes, a Los Angelesbased professional photographer, is nine years sober. She speaks of her family’s past dealing with her grandmother’s suicide, her recovery, and her high school peers committing suicide.

“Nobody got killed in high school,” said Byrnes. “Everybody killed themselves.”

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Dr. Lauren Walton speaks to the audience.

People gather around the stage for the community meeting.

The audience gives the speaker the floor.

She says that her upper class neighborhood was filled with lots of money, and drugs surrounded her peers. She says that there was constant silence about the suicides and drugs in her community.

Byrnes discussed her battle with psychiatric medication throughout her adult life and explains that she is in recovery.

She offers herself as a resource for those who need help with mental health issues and recovery.

“It goes so dark so fast,” said Byrnes.

“Now, I have people...I found love in recovery... and I found a life worth living that I never dreamed of.”

There was a moment of silence for loved ones and late rappers like Mac Miller and Lil Peep who passed this year from suicide or drug overdoses.

In highlight of National Suicide Prevention Week, Dr. Walton, an addiction psychiatrist and President of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention, gave a speech to help the fellow attendees reach out for themselves and to their loved ones who need help with mental health and addiction.

“Suicide is the second leading cause of death in ages 10 to 34,” she said. “In the last decade and a half, the rates have

gone up 30 percent.”

Walton said that the goal of the AFSP is trying to generate a threedigit phone number in the same group as the emergency number, 911, for suicide prevention.

“In that moment of pain and crisis, you want to have somebody to answer,” said Walton. “Our [AFSP] mission is to save lives.”

Several speakers and attendees told their stories battling with issues similar to depression, anxiety, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, drug and alcohol abuse. Their stories resonated within the audience.

“I came from an extremely abusive family environment,” said speaker Leyla Safair, 39, who is lead singer of HEARTSREVOLUTION. “When you have that kind of stigma surrounded by you, and when you go out, predators know and I was sexually abused.”

Some audience members cried as her story unfolded.

Safair says she built an ice cream truck bedazzled with Swarovski crystals to help her get over her suicide and depression.

After completion, she toured with the Heartschallenger truck across New York.

The organizers enlisted recovery experts like Walton and Krzywicki,

“In that moment of pain and crisis, you want to have somebody to answer.”

Audience member shows off their COMMUNITY MEETING shirt.

who shared what to do in a suspected overdose situation.

Krzywicki, an ex-heroin addict and current paramedic, explained to the audience how to use the prevention drug Naloxone and where to get it. In 2015, Naloxone became available to receive without a prescription in California.

Walton gave advice to remind those struggling with depression and mental health issues. She says that those who are in distress can find the right resources to receive support.

Flyers, hugs and tears were passed around the audience in honor of the support system shared at the meeting.

“My message today is...if you’re struggling or if anybody in your life is struggling, to encourage them to get help,” said Community Meeting contributor Kretzer.

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THE WATCH MY FATHER DOESN’T WEAR It takes time to find yourself.

By Brian To Contributor

I gently unbuckle the watch from my wrist. The bare, whitened skin is left with a keen want, feeling for something vitally important. I felt closest to everyone during our big family get-togethers, when the food was cleared down to the awful bits and crumbs and lonely unfinished beers. The cars trickled out of the driveway, exposing the sharp sound of gravel to the neighbor’s dog, who viciously howled and snarled, attentive in its supervision. When the drowsy drive back to our own little corner of family meant scouring sleepily for the lines of the road like being drunk, or sometimes actually drunk, accompanied by nonsensical and incoherent shouts in attempt to keep Mom awake. A fond world was left behind, and another returned to.

Within that fondness, Uncle and Grandfather, softly gripping their tepid bottles of our favorite Vietnamese beer, speak with their usual hushed tones and dreamily spastic hand movements.

I don’t entirely understand their meaning, but their words manage to speak through their hands. I stand far across the room and move to listen in.

They notice my watch.

The formative throes of youth are grounded not in how we form identity, but really how we strip away the things that have failed to define us. We are born with everything, and we cut down.

Filter the nitrates, remove the grains and clear out the remaining debris. Despite this foundation of youth, we cling to the things that are not a part of us with rabid fervor, and the unattended things sift through our grasp. I think sometimes as it happens, these forgotten parts of youth can be swallowed whole into one huge mass, heavy and ignored at its surface

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and ultimately dismissed as hormonal nonsense towards its gritty center. We build on that mass of identity until it swells and explodes. We don’t realize that if we condensed ourselves and culled what we needed, we’d be saved a great harm. In those days my identity was so swollen it was practically bulging at the seams, caked in incongruities I couldn’t solve. The faceless, simple entity was drawn in a mold, power-pressed to perfect symmetry by the thousands. And I was content.

The first watch I ever bought myself was an older Casio model. Gold with accents of black, a retro timepiece fitted with an useless calculator below the time One afternoon, a scheduled lunch with my father. We lived our lives virtually separate from each other, so for me, these weekly meals were treasured. After a wandering glance towards my wrist, he began to recount his youth.

Those lunches we ate were more often than not at Vietnamese restaurants.

I can count on one hand the times we went elsewhere. Over the fresh, steamy rice noodles we both liked, he spoke of the long, hot days in Vietnam. A glimpse into the struggle and jubilance of a land far away.

In his youth, the wealthier brats on the playground seemed to have infinite familial riches, and bore on their wrists watches adorned with pride. The kind of pride that goes beyond a reckless, brazen flight into the sun. A pride that carried those brats through political tribulations, that liberated them from the

earthly things that, without any iota of doubt, challenge those of all ages, of all backgrounds, of all places. Once upon a time, Dad wanted a watch like that. A watch like mine. And the rest of his words, his story of youth in a land that I always promise to visit but don’t, flowed like a beautiful stream of water, sparkling and seductive in its capacity and vastness. Those words bore a deep hole inside me that I kept filled to the brim with that distant, immeasurable pride.

The mold was drawn, embellished with the finer details, and finalized for production.

Becoming a shadow of my father, I wore my watch. It was a confession of my feelings to him, my love for his youth and my own, having it gaudily displayed like a shining jewel in the heart of a museum exhibit. Some days I slept with it on. To this day, the battery is still running.

Uncle and Grandfather inspect my watch, molding their hands into shapes of silent disapproval. Each leave for a moment to their rooms and return with their watches, those glowing remembrances of pasts I scarcely know. How lovingly they brandished their relics before placing

them in my hand. Seiko. In reading the name, something inside me stretched and tugged at itself in an anxious excitement. I liked them.

Dad creates for himself an undying importance in the value of a name. Some consider it a quirky hallmark of northern Vietnamese folk. Others more incisively abase my father and write him off as an impetuous and haughty sort of man. In him I see a man of image, a fatherly lesson in nobility, a lifelong journey in the development of a gentility from scraps of poverty.

The name worn on his wrist is Rolex. There is no room left over for anything else, not a single space spared for the name on mine. He has several watches of that proud name. Many times during our lunches, he’d take them carefully from his wrist and plant them upon mine. “One day, this will be yours,” he told me, overflowing with love. But every time in response, I nodded and spouted hesitant considerations.

In the moment, Uncle and Grandfather passed their watches

to me, and although it was only a short time that I held each one, I felt as though they gifted me a permanent dressing, one wound tightly around me, of understanding and warmth. Their watches were ancient things, and though they were battle-scarred and rusting away, I felt in each a delicate nature.

These watches were invaluable treasures to them. I’m unsure if I said anything as I inspected their watches, but I know Uncle and Grandfather could see my approval.

The identity built on my wrist, the name carved into it, remained unchanged for a long time. Later, it shifted from Casio to Seiko. One of these days it may change again with Dad’s whispered echoes of Rolex. In the past my identity was a mold prescribed by forces over which I had no control. I allowed it to be pressed into me, and sometimes I wonder if that was the right choice, allowing it to happen. But in its massive, amalgamated state I found areas that I could call my own. From the surface, to the inner recesses, to the blasted center of it, there was not much that I could stamp my label into and call my own, but the places where I could, I did. And in each of those places are pieces of me I find of monumental importance. These pieces I’ve gathered—pieces that are not in some faraway land, that are not within meeting places doused in beer and feast, that are not on any other wrist than my own—stand over all else. The name that my father bears is not the name I bear.

Still, it is a part of me, the watch my father doesn’t wear.

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The Grunion is a work of satire. It in no way reflects the views of 22 West Magazine or Associated Students, Inc.

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The Grunion An Alternative Home for Alternative Facts since 1978

Prospector Pete Out - New Mascot In? Who will we offend with our new choice?

By Polly Peecey If you’re a regular reader of the Grunion, you know that we take a hard stand on social justice issues at our beloved university. When I heard that our mascot, Prospector Pete, was being removed from our university, my ears perked up with joy! ASI had single-handedly removed every civil rights strife on campus with one vote, hooray!

My excitement slowly drained when I realized that in the absence of a mascot, many students suggested that we promote many offensive, sometimes even more offensive, symbols to replace Pete. That is why today, I’m taking a stand and making a detailed list about why each of these new “superior” choices are, in fact, wrong.

The Pyramid: I don’t know how a campus full of educated beings think that having the Pyramid as a mascot is a good idea.

If I can be completely honest, I don’t even know how the school even sleeps at night knowing that this is our most recognized landmark. It’s disgusting.

Do you know how many slaves in Egypt died because of the great pyramid?

Thousands, probably millions, suffered to build this gigantic triangle and now we want to put eyeballs and arms on it and make it dance around at basketball games? They should be ashamed!

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The Beach: Since the school’s nickname is the Beach, let’s just make that into the mascot! NO. WRONG AGAIN! Have any of you actually been to the beach? If you did, you would know how dangerous and disgusting it is. It’s also pretty damn thoughtless when you think about the people that have been hurt by the beach, and the ocean itself. I’ll have you know that my great-great-great pirate grandfather DIED on a shipwreck that happened in the ocean, and I don’t think it’s fair for me to have to confront that sadness every time I come to school. In fact, I’m upset just writing about it now.

The Squirrel: One of the most popular ideas for the new mascot is the squirrel, which proves that this campus isn’t as woke as it claims to be. Let’s really think for a second, what do squirrels do all day? They are fluffy and cute, take your food when you’re not looking, and bite you when they’re scolded. Who does that sound like, hmm? That’s right, it sounds like the bourgeoisie. After having to fork over several thousands of dollars to the university each year, do you really think we need another reminder of the fact that we’re gladly getting robbed by the capitalist system?

Don’t think so!

Nugget the Donkey: Sorry to have to get all PETA here, but why do we think it’s just cool to take a donkey out of his native habitat so we can dress him up and show him off to drunk students at homecoming? And to all you apologists thinking, “Why can’t we just dress a human up in a donkey costume? Problem solved!”—what makes you think that we can just take donkey culture and turn it into a costume? They have an extremely rich donkey tradition that you’re just limiting to a furry suit. If we do this, it’s just going to inspire fetish Nugget the Donkey DeviantArt paintings all over the web, and it’ll all be your fault. Check your human privilege at the door, please.

Overall, I think that the student body of Long Beach State has to take a good, hard look at itself and realize we aren’t all the “woke baes” we think we are. Of all the issues that are plaguing this campus, the issue of our barely noticable mascot takes precedence. Before we do that, though, we need to get our shit straight, because a PC campus is a happy campus.