22 West Magazine - February 2019

Issue 84.01 February 4, 2019 www.22WestMedia.com

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Issue 84.01

DIGRESS WITH YESS

CONTENTS RADIO SCHEDULE Listen at 22WestMedia.com

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STAFF Jess Kung, Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@22westmedia.com Yessenia Sanchez, Managing Editor managingeditor@22westmedia.com Tara Thomas, Art Director artdirector@22westmedia.com Kristi Alarcon, Editor Isabelle Cruz, Editor Kirsten Hernandez, Editor Karla Lopez, Editor Paulina Rodriguez, Staff Writer Jason Turk, Staff Writer Joel Vaughn, Staff Writer

CONTRIBUTORS Luke Grassy, Contributor Maha Manswer, Contributor Melanie Morales, Contributor Asher Reeves, Distribution Manager Esteban Valerio, Contributor

COVER DESIGN Maddie Aub, Contributing Artist

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

By Yessenia Sanchez Managing Editor Welcome to our first issue of the semester! My name is Yessenia Sanchez and I am the managing editor at 22 West Magazine. I am taking over this section for this issue, so hang tight!

I hope you had a good break. I had the chance to forget student life for a bit, I worked mostly and traveled but I’m glad to be back. Many of us here at 22 West are graduating this semester.

While I love my classes and professors (shout out to the Journalism and Public Relations Department), I am excited to take what I’ve learned and contribute outside of school.

When our editor-in-chief, Jess, told me that our theme for this issue would be “The Future of Us” it was a reality check. For me, time has been warped so much that it’s almost surreal to be this close to “the future.” As students, we talk a lot about the future.

Conversations went from, “what’s your major?” as freshmen to “what are you doing after you graduate?” as seniors.

For this issue, we decided to write about the future from a broader perspective. I hope that you enjoy our stories and enjoy the beautiful artwork contributed by students. I always look forward to our finished product. It represents more than just a school publication, it represents our ideas and identity. For those seniors reading this, there is a lot to be celebrated! Let’s avoid senioritis and finish strong. This is the future of us.

ADVICE FROM A FRIEND

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Thoughts on the digital dating divide

WEED LEGALITY 101

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A rundown of new weed laws in CA

INK VS INC.

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The future of tattoos in the workplace

GROW UP

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The vangaurd of Generation Z

21ST CENTURY CONGRESS Reaching a new generation

WHEN PRIDE IS NOT PROGRESS A reality the left cannot afford to overlook

DISNEYLAND Why we let the mouse take our money

GRADUATION A short story about change

GRUNION An alternative home for alternative facts

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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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Managing Editor

BPMBeats Top 12

Outstanding Music

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talk show

The Dark Lady

The Indieshop

Rebirth of Rock

open

music

talk show

The Dark Lady

Francois Sur La

Talking with Spencer

Behind the Narrative

Island of the Honest Man

The Indieshop

Rock Blocks

Resound Radio

Classic Hits at the Beach

Rock Blocks

open

Otaku Hourly

Fronteradio

The Update

Classic Hits at the Beach

Classic Hits at the Beach

Bless the Lord with Me

Beachcenter

LA Radio Sessions

Ideas

Bless the Lord with Me

Island of the Honest Man

Rock Blocks

The Blues Highways Zachs’ Show

Classic Hits at the Beach

Classic Hits at the Beach

Outstanding Music

The Blues Highway

The Blue Junkyard

The Blue Junkyard

The Theater Lobby

Outstanding Music

Bless the Lord with Me

Beyond the Ropes

Brains are Sexy

Career Minute

Brains are Sexy

Bless the Lord with Me

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M.O.T.B. / Live Lab 22

G.M. LBSU

Thursday

M.O.T.B. / Live Lab 22

G.M. LBSU

Wednesday

The Golden Spotlight

Foodology

High Tides

M.O.T.B. / Live Lab 22

G.M. LBSU

Tuesday

Classic Hits at the Beach

Outstanding Music

Outstanding Music

Outstanding Music

M.O.T.B. / Live Lab 22

G.M. LBSU

Monday

Foodology

Brains are Sexy

Bless the Lord with Me

Graphic by Yessenia Sanchez

Listen to us on 22westmedia.com or visit us on the first floor of the USU

22 West Radio Schedule

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Outstanding Music

Foodology

Bless the Lord with Me

Brains are Sexy

Saturday

ADVICE FROM A FRIEND Thoughts on the digital dating divide

Asher: “Sorry, I’m just trying to cheer myself up. Lowkey long [crappy] day.”

Story by Asher Reeves Distribution Manager Photo by Jess Kung Editor-in-Chief

Twitter user: “Lol. Why do you care?

You have a man. Like. Don’t you live with him?”

Asher: “No. haha we don’t live together yet. Plus, our schedules are hella packed, we see each other like weekends mostly and Wednesday.”

Twitter user: “Hmm, Well, you still got a man.”

Asher: “Well yes, but you shouldn’t base all of your happiness on having a man despite what society says.”

Twitter user: “Hmmm. Interesting.”

This is a conversation I had with an online acquaintance a few months ago.

We’ll call that person ‘Bird’ for their privacy. Bird started off the conversation complaining about being single, so I offered advice, to which the conversation above proceeded. Shortly after, the conversation ended with Bird completely shrugging off my advice because it didn’t fit their narrative.

I was wondering why, until it hit me.

Loneliness. This affects everyone in the world.

“Lonely people also tend to act ‘in a less trusting and more hostile fashion,’ which may further sever social ties and impart loneliness in others,” according to Forbes.

Bird mentioned that they don’t have many friends or people to trust. They also feel as though they have a lot of shortcomings. Bird chose not to take responsibility for themselves, but rather blame the Universe for life being unfair.

To piggyback off of Bird’s mentality, even if they did get a significant other, would that fix all of their problems? If you couldn’t get a job, had trouble keeping friends, and had a broken down car, how would dating someone fix all that?

The most interesting part about my interaction with Bird is that this attitude is common among many. People feel the need to have a significant other which I am totally for, but if that is the only thing that makes you feel complete, you shouldn’t be looking for one at all.

“Find the love you seek, by first finding the love within yourself. Learn to rest in that place within you that is your true home.” - Sri Sri Rvi Shankar Our generation isn’t more sensitive than those before us, we are merely perceived that way. That is a common misconception about millennials. With

the rise of social media, our lives are being reviewed under a fine-toothed comb. Every accomplishment, every downfall, every complaint is on the record. This is why we compare ourselves to others, merely because it is what we were taught.

According to Forbes, “[another] reason for millennial loneliness is the internet makes it viral. It’s not a coincidence that loneliness began to surge two years after Apple launched its first commercial personal computer and five years before Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web.” I am guilty of all of this, so it wouldn’t be fair to judge most of our generation without including myself in there as well.

“You are your own worst critic,” they say.

I wholeheartedly agree with that and I know what my faults are.

Now, why did I put myself as the leader of this dialogue when nobody asked? Well somebody had to say it, and I did. I think of myself as the “encouraging friend from across the bar.” The person you don’t necessarily want but need to have around. Our generation has a problem, now collectively, let’s fix it.

Make some friends today, break out of your comfort zone. Heck, you could even swing by the 22 West offices and say hi to me, I wouldn’t mind. Just because you’re alone, doesn’t make you lonely.

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WEED LEGALITY 101 A rundown of new weed laws in CA

By Yessenia Sanchez Managing Editor

You want to buy?

Similar to buying alcohol, you must be 21 and older with a valid ID. If you are younger than 21 years old, you’ll need a physician’s recommendation to purchase. For medical users, you should not be charged more than $100 to apply or renew. Also, dependent of proof, if you’re a Medi-Cal beneficiary you can receive a 50 percent discount on application fees. If you’re a participant of the County Medical Services Program your fees should be waived.

So how much is too much?

Consumers cannot purchase more than 28.5 grams at a time in unconcentrated form (flower) and 8 grams at a time in concentrated form (e.g. brownies, wax, and oils).

You want to smoke?

Although weed is legal, this does not override previous policies on smoking weed in public spaces. The exceptions are businesses with proper licensing that allows customers to smoke at their location. As a reminder, public and private employers have the right to keep a drug free workplace. You can carry weed with you in a package or container, just make sure it stays sealed.

You want to grow?

You can grow and make your own products too! Although the limits to purchasing weed are 28.5 grams unconcentrated and 8 grams concentrated per person, your plants can exceed these measurements. The basic regulations are that you cannot grow more than six living plants at a time. The plants must be kept in your private residence or an outdoor garden. Outdoor weed plants or products cannot be visible to the public’s eye without aided vision, like drones.

Cities and/or counties still have the right to regulate how they enforce this new law. Not all cities will let you grow plants outdoors, even if it is your private residence. However, they cannot completely ban the use or planting of weed in a private residence that is secured and closed while it follows state regulations. For all the details check out the Adult Use of Marijuana Act 2016 and your city’s weed policies.

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Weed is legalized! But what does this mean? In one short word, taxes. Dispensaries are now required to operate with a business license, so you might notice a slight increase in price. Before making a trip to your local collective, read on to learn more about the legalization of marijuana in California.

INK VERSUS INC. The future of tattoos in the workplace

“‘Maybe they want to judge me, but I show them who I am and the skills I have and maybe make them rethink,’ said Berndt.”

Story and Graphic by

Tara Thomas Art Director

“...tattoos provide an easy segue into conversations that get to the root of our personalities and values.”

The incoming American workforce is going to be one of the most inked generations on record. According to the Pew Research Center, 40 percent of millennials have at least one tattoo or more. While this change is accepted and celebrated among millennials, it still prompts hesitation from older generations who are looking to hire fresh, new employees. In the same Pew Research study, it was found that only 1 percent of people over the age of 60 have tattoos and those who have them are usually associated with the rebelliousness of biker gangs and high sea sailors. Even so, it looks like tattoos are here to stay.

In recent years, millennials and Generation Z individuals have been changing the culture of the workplace.

With the surge of collaborative workspaces and web-centered networking, casual Fridays are often an everyday standard.

Progressive millennials and Gen. Z are changing the meaning of professionalism and what it entails, allowing the space for self-expression and fun to tie into their careers. While being highly skilled and having a general courteousness

are universally expected standards for a professional employee, the rest is up for debate.

These more nuanced regulations can vary by industry, and some careers are harder to progressively mold than others.

According to Forbes, some career choices that are less accepting of tattoos and piercings include: healthcare, law, law enforcement, receptionists, finance, teachers, government positions and military. Many of these careers have strict rules about the tattoos in the workplace and require them to be covered up by clothing or makeup.

Creative fields, on the other hand, are more open-minded and support applicants with body art.

Lifestyle YouTuber Katrin Berndt, for example, talked about this issue in one of her recent videos. Berndt appreciates the privilege she has to work for herself at home and still makes a living. Occasionally, she goes to job interviews for other sources of income, but since she is not dependent on those jobs she tends to push the boundaries a bit with her appearance, ”I challenge their perceptions of people with tattoos.

Maybe they want to judge me, but I show them who I am and the skills I have and maybe make them rethink,” said Berndt.

On a more serious note, however, she insisted that if your passion for a certain career is stronger than your passion for tattoos, then tattoos might have to take

a backseat. Berndt hopes that starting from the more lenient industries and pushing those bounders slowly will eventually lead to greater acceptance overall.

Looser guidelines may even be beneficial, especially when it comes to making individuals more comfortable interacting with professionals in formal settings. According to The Do, doctors with tattoos have testified that tattoos actually help them to connect with patients. Personally, I would agree. A few years back my father was in a motorcycle accident and I vividly remember being escorted through the hospital by a nurse with a prominent koi fish tattoo sleeve. It showed me that outside of his professional expertise he was a person with interests and passions; this was not just an emotionless drone with a degree.

I felt confident that he was going to do everything in his power to make sure my father would continue to live a long and fulfilling life. I still think about that tattoo from time to time, it was something that transcended the sterile white walls and gave a sense of hope.

Along with self-expression, tattoos offer a way to connect with people on a deeper level. With our generation’s detrimental addiction to the screen, we have become awkward and hesitant to start conversations with strangers. Tattoos provide an easy segue into conversations that get to the root of our personalities and values. Maybe that’s something that job interviewers should be paying more attention to.

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GROW UP.

Current undergraduate students are the vanguard of Generation Z (or whatever it’ll be called) Story by Jess Kung Editor-in-Chief Photos by Kirsten Hernandez Editor In an age of think pieces and a generational war that can be distilled by the precariously relevant SNL, I think we should reconsider the way we think of generational labels. Namely, what comes after millennials?

It’s 2019, and right now the youngest undergrads were born in 2001. No matter what year you were born, this campus is one of the clearest places to witness the start of this generational turnover.

A lot of mass media has taken it upon themselves to make their perception of millennials known with the deeply tired “safe spaces and avocado toast” tropes.

A lot of the internet responds emphatically with their student debt and profound burnout. It’s been talked about to death.

We’ve barely come to terms with the fact that they’re like, grown ups now.

Probably because they’ve so radically redefined what adulthood looks like. Why rush to get married, if you can even find another lonely soul to love you in the first place? Why own property, when urban centers are unaffordable without the pooled incomes of roommates? Why settle down if you’re probably going to hold between 12 to 15 jobs in your lifetime?

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“No matter what year you were born, this campus is one of the clearest places to witness the start of this generational turnover.”

Why are we like this?

Why did we do this?

Who am I? Who are we?

What does this mean?

Baby Boomers are the only generation defined by the U.S. Census Bureau (people born mid 1946 to mid 1964), and even that’s more of an agreement than a fact. We’re all familiar with the narrative: our boys came back from World War II with the stability of the GI bill at their backs, they went straight to making babies, they got degrees, they moved to the suburbs and carried trauma that wouldn’t have a widely accepted diagnosis until 1980.

This narrative excludes a lot of meaningful experiences that contributed to the baby boom, even just within the U.S. The boom includes post war immigration and diaspora, the children of soldiers still disadvantaged by their race, people who followed the path opened by both illegal and legally imported labor (like the Bracero Program), children of internment. Baby boomers were hippies, tech visionaries, immigrant nurses. Bill Gates is a boomer. bell hooks is a boomer.

Like any label, “baby boomer” is not a monolithic identity. All of these disparate experiences are impacted by the same mass culture, the same major political events, the same economy. Our individual circumstances inform a lot, but they are affected by the same institutions.

Categories aren’t inherently bad or unjust. “Red” is a category with incredible variation in itself, but if you used a different name for every shade of apple in the aisle, you’d never leave the store.

But distilling experiences into broad categories is also used to like, create divisions and imbalances. Social categories inform your likelihood of facing violence, of being hired, other discrimination things.

People have made really strong arguments for the idea that baby boomers were formed by marketing. A huge wave of teenagers to cater products and content for! Rock and roll!

The subsequent generations all exist relative to them. Gen X is the forgotten, disaffected middle child. Millennials are born of boomers. Gen Z is becoming the kids of Gen X. The youngest boomers are currently in their mid 50s, so it’s like, I’m sure they are not the dominant baby makers of the last 10 years (though I hesitate to say 20).

But like it also means nothing! The dominant media narratives for all of these labels rests on an insidious assumption about what an “American” looks like: educated, heterosexual, middle class, born in the U.S. to U.S. citizens.

When I think of what a baby boomer looks like, I’m not thinking about bell hooks or Sandra Cisneros. I’m remembering when my white-haired, ruddy-faced high school econ teacher told us that when he was an undergraduate at San Jose State, students picketed a five dollar tuition increase.

Pew Research Center has decided that for their measurement purposes, millennials were born between 1981 and 1996. It’s a 16 year window, the same as Gen X. It may take a few years for an agreed cutoff to emerge, but until then, they’re using “post millennials” to describe anyone born in 1997 or later.

Even though I know that birth years don’t really mean anything, I felt a vague sense of indignance at being born in ‘97, right on the cutoff. It’s like being a teenager at the kids table. Most of the creators and artists I follow are 5 to 15 years older than me, and I’ve absorbed a lot of their sensibilities. But after taking a step back, I think it’s important to acknowledge the ways our formative years differ, and what that means for the literal children.

So like, 9/11 and its fallout is the kind of thing that marks a huge, violent change in our country. If you were an adult when it happened, it probably disrupted your perception of the U.S. If you were a teenager, it probably informed it. And if you were a baby, you probably didn’t think it was that uncomfortable that “jet fuel can’t melt steel beams” was a meme.

There are certainly people younger than me that remember that day, but I do not. My flights have always been slogs through high security. My America has always been at war with Iraq.

I was 11 years old in 2008, when Barack Obama took office. In my America, 3.5 out of 4 presidents have been white (as opposed to 44/45) and I didn’t have anything to do with electing that half in.

I didn’t have to worry about my career during the Great Recession, because I was in fifth grade. The power of the youth vote and economic paranoia directly disaffected millennials. Without that, we shift to something new.

I don’t think too many people are proudly identifying as Gen Z. It’s too unclear, too cluttered up with garbage that is within the standard deviation of teenage bullshit. Sure, they feed the popularity of brothers both Paul and Dolan. Fortnite is erasing the legacies of both Carlton and 2 Milly. They kept eating Tide Pods.

What’s coming up more and more though, is that the kids are pretty healthy? Ipsos, a market analysis company, surveyed people in the U.K. born after 1996 and found that they were largely drinking less alcohol, eating less sugar and more skeptical of what the internet says is true. Only a third of them identified as “exclusively heterosexual.”

Also, Generation Z is a bad name.

So is post-millennial. And iGeneration.

We really need to seize the means of description.

Regardless, this generation is a high tide of racial diversity. It is the March For Our Lives, it is transforming millennial cynicism into energy and action. We live in the gray area, and it’s never been more colorful.

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CONGRESS MEETS THE 21ST CENTURY Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez strives to reach a new generation

Story by Melanie Morales Contributor Illustration by Tara Thomas Art Director The historic induction of the 116th class of Congress on Jan. 3, 2019, brought strong potential for progressive change.

This diverse class has key players who, because of their ethnicities, genders and differences in religion and identities, are creating a government that better represents its constituents.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), 29, more commonly known as AOC, is the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. She has become a prominent political figure through her leveraging of social media to promote her policies for reforms in education, sustainability and healthcare while also encouraging millennials to become more politically aware.

“Personally, I find her use of social media throughout her campaign and currently as she holds office, to be a strong political move because many politicians often benefit from keeping younger people, among others, uninformed regarding policy and governmental procedures,”

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said Victoria Ramirez, a senior studying sociology and journalism at CSULB. “But by using a platform where engagement from a younger electorate is more active, we are able to open a door that can motivate them to be more politically engaged.”

Through Instagram, Ocasio-Cortez converses with her 2 million followers over live streams, stories and posts to discuss current political situations to make them more approachable to young voters in exchange for their trust and support.

With the vision of a better future for this country, Ocasio-Cortez pushes for the adoption of socially progressive policies that can help an array of people like tuition-free college education, universal healthcare and her “Green New Deal,” which helps combat climate change by proposing the use of renewable resources such as wind or solar to generate electricity instead of non-renewable fossil fuels.

“Politics, whether we like it or not, determines a lot of our reality, and through

“Often times the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table.” her use of social media Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is bringing political awareness to the fingertips of a younger population, making it more attainable and understandable,” said Ramirez.

Some feel Ocasio-Cortez’s age makes her more relatable to young voters because she has faced similar issues to us, such as working more than one job as a full-time student to pay bills. She is also taking advantage of social media to promote equality, seek justice and create change in this nation by addressing the many injustices working-class citizens face to encourage those in power to take accountability and correct it.

Ocasio-Cortez refuses to stay silent in the face of injustice. During her speech at

the Women’s March on Jan. 19, 2019, she stated that “oftentimes the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table,” and because of her force, many generations to come will experience the vibrations.

“Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s impact on the nation will definitely be a positive one because of her age, which is one of her many advantages, however, it can also be her weakness,” said Paula Barrantes, a junior studying journalism at CSULB. “Many of her policies aim to help young adults, but some of her constituents find them to be far-fetched. However, I know she is determined to find a way to make those goals become a reality.”

WHEN PRIDE ≠ PROGRESS A reality the leftist electorate cannot afford to overlook

Mayor Robert Garcia biking at Long Beach Pride 2017 - Photo

by Liezl Estipona

Story by Kirsten Hernandez Editor

Last November, diversity was the true winner in the 2018 Midterm Elections.

The country saw the largest amount of seats won by women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community. As the results rolled in, that Democrats would once again take the House, left-leaning people flooded social media with messages of pride about the newfound representation.

For the first time in American history, the legislative branch of the federal government was beginning to look more like the country that it writes its laws for.

With the Republican Party’s ostracization of minority groups, many fiscally conservative Americans have been turned off from supporting their politics. Those politicians who hold more conservative beliefs in addition to being a member of a minority group are forced to choose a life in politics under a liberal banner. These two factors combined have contributed to the widespread belief that being in a marginalized group automatically equates to being far-left. While many politicians acknowledge and play into this belief to get votes, it’s important for voters to do further investigation.

A prime example of this is Long Beach’s mayor, Robert Garcia. Garcia, in his last several mayoral campaigns, has marketed himself as a staunch progressive who, as a gay Latino immigrant, stands up for the rights of those caught in the margins of society. What he didn’t mention in his campaign speeches is that in his college years at CSULB, he founded and presided over the school’s

chapter of Young Republicans and worked as a campaign liaison for the George W. Bush reelection campaign.

While politicians can and have genuinely changed their political beliefs over time, Garcia’s “economic development” campaign, which has lead to widespread gentrification in communities dominantly lived in by people of color, proves that social progressivism doesn’t always spill into fiscal.

The more right-leaning dabblings of seemingly progressive politicians don’t stop with the mayor. Kyrsten Sinema, the first openly bisexual in the United States Senate, had recently won favor in progressive communities by opting to be sworn into term with a law book rather than the Bible. At the same time though, as a congresswoman, her political record shows she openly disavowed Net Neutrality and was a member of the conservative democrat coalition known as the Blue Dogs.

While the coalition has fallen into a less prominent position since its founding in 1995, members of the coalition often have beliefs unpopular to the typical democrat, including those with pro-life leanings to those who oppose healthcare for all.

Kamala Harris, one of California’s two senators and a presidential hopeful in 2020, has been criticized for her record of working in favor of mass incarceration as a prosecutor. Her time as California’s attorney general is seen as the most controversial time in the eyes of her opponents.

During this time period, activists state that she supported the state’s death penalty, blocked a transgender

prison inmate’s reassignment surgery and resisted attempts to investigate police officer killings.

Having members of the government that look like you, struggle like you and love the same way you do is something to strive for. The fact that the American electorate is beginning to use their votes to show a value in diversity should be a source of pride.

At the same time, however, voting for the candidate who most represents your beliefs and values should take precedence. In no way should it be inferred that these things automatically disqualify candidates from a vote, a vote should be considered a voice. Just like a regular voice, it should be used to express what you believe.

“Those politicians who hold more conservative beliefs in addition to being a member of a minority group are forced to choose a life in politics under a liberal banner.”

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MILLENNIAL MAGNET Why young people let a mouse take their money

By Kristi Alarcon Culture Editor

As your ankles roll through the crevasses of the train tracks on Main Street in Disneyland, the aroma of sugar-coated churros and turkey legs flood your nasal passages. You are at the happiest place on Earth, but others beg to differ. Is it really the happiest place on Earth? Why does a one-day ticket range from $104 to $150? Why does a one-day parking pass cost $25? To top it off, if you get hungry at the park, snacks and meals can range anywhere from $12 to $30. Do the math and that’s almost a quarter of what your ticket price is.

You are left with this beaming question: Why are millennials more willing to spend an insane amount of money to go to Disneyland when there are other theme parks such as Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags, that are tailored for an older audience? The answer to that question is based on everyone’s own personal opinions and experiences toward Disneyland, but

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there are a few reasons I believe that help answer this question.

For starters, the billion-dollar entertainment company resonates specifically to the millennial age category because they grew up with this brand. The Walt Disney Company has and continues to keep up with their shifting interests by including relevant popular franchises that are box-office hits such as, Marvel and Star Wars. Regardless of what age category you are from, Disneyland creates a uniquely immersive experience that allows visitors to share an emotional connection with Disney.

Anyone who wants to go visit either of the two theme parks is willing to pay the hefty price. Why is that? It’s mind-boggling to think that a theme park catered to families are not family-price friendly. According to the 2018 Pew Research Center, about 81 percent of Americans live in middle or lower-income households.

Which means that although people can’t afford to go to Disneyland, they

“...although people can’t afford to go to Disneyland, they are finding ways to scrape up money and get a feel for the Disney magic.” are finding ways to scrape up money and get a feel for the Disney magic.

Whether it is an annual pass or a one-day admission, some purchase tickets with reasons similar to owning designer brands such as Gucci and Balenciaga. Some people are wearing or experiencing these products to promote their socioeconomic status, symbolizing that they are financially stable. A pass to the park is an emblem being used to display to the world that you have wiggleroom money to spend, most especially when it gets posted on social media.

Reliving childhood memories may be another reason millennials are devotees of Disneyland culture.

“I get to reminisce all my family memories we had in the park. Even if they weren’t tied to Disney, it was managed to be tied to the park because that’s where the memories happened.

It’s a place where the memories still live and give you an opportunity to make more,” said Maha Manswer, Long Beach State student.

Visitors are feeling a sense of nostalgia once they set foot past the black gates

“Disney is still enticing older audience members to create the childhood memories they never had.” and hear classical chirpy music playing throughout the entrance spewing into Main Street. They also get goosebumps from listening to the same whistles they heard when they were kids.

For many including myself, Disneyland might have not have been a recurring visit. Going to Disneyland once a year is a millennial dream come true, especially if you frequently watched Disney Channel. Now as I walk throughout the hallways of my house, I see photos of myself at the age of seven, sitting in the same light blue boats at “It’s a Small World,” appreciative that I’m allowed to go back and take an identical photo.

Although, many were not able to attend Disneyland when they were young due to financial or locality

reasons. Disney is still enticing older audience members to create the childhood memories they never had.

Disneyland had branded itself to be a childhood memory maker, bringing a majority of classic Disney films to life in the park and never fully changing them.

Seemingly as if you picked up right where your childhood left off. It is a place where people don’t judge an adult for fangirling over Disney princesses and purchasing the glitteriest Mickey ears on the store racks.

Lastly, Disneyland is a historical landmark that contains an abundance of history with every twist and turn you take throughout the 100-acre park.

Unlike Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags where rides are constantly being torn down, renamed and remodeled, Disneyland holds a consistent theme.

Although the rides appear outdated and sometimes even cheap, the same attraction and music that was found in the ‘90s and even the ‘50s can still be found today. In order to fulfill the

need of change that some park visitors desire, Disneyland instead chooses a different route.

“They have a variety of updates yeararound that are sometimes themed with seasonal holidays, others aren’t, such as ‘90s Nite, Gay Days and Sweethearts Nite. They don’t necessarily change the rides but they have a lot of event and food updates throughout the year,”

Photo by Maha Manswer Contributor

annual passholder Manswer said.

Disney fan or not, you might find yourself drawn to the current Disney culture due to remakes of classic films, millennial-themed merchandise, food items and Instagram photoworthy opportunities. The theme parks have and continue to be a millennial magnet. Whether or not you decide to attend is your choice.

Mouse ear balloons in front of Main Street Cinema

Photo by Maha Manswer Contributor

Photo by Esteban Valerio Contributor

The Storytellers Statue is a symbol that Walt Disney’s legacy remains.

Photo by Luke Grassy Contributor

Main Street is where parades and holiday decor are displayed.

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GRADUATION A short story about how things will never be the same.

Story by Jason Turk Staff Writer

Cassie couldn’t wait to get her diploma. Not that she actually cared about the diploma, she just wanted to leave the ceremony. Her skin burned, and her too-tight cap didn’t give her an inch of shade. As the names of graduates bore through the stadium, an overrated roll call, Cassie kept her eyes closed, sparing her eyes from the unrelenting sun.

“Wish you had some weed, huh?”

The voice belonged to her best friend, the lanky and likable Kenny.

He sat to her right, at the edge of their row.

“No kidding,” she replied dryly, too cynical and tired to imagine where she’d rather be. All she knew was that Dixon High’s football field was not it.

Kenny looked over the run-down bleachers, counting the familiar faces. “Cass, your brother made it to the front row.”

She peered out to see the bushyhaired boy standing at attention at the edge of the bleachers, his expression a mix of obligation and anticipation. “He shouldn’t have shown.” She spoke with finality.

“You don’t mean that,” Kenny said encouragingly, shaking off her pessimism. “He’s gonna miss you.”

Cassie remained stoic, closing her eyes again. “Nice to know someone will.”

The row in front of them stood up as a unit before making their way to the stage, ready to receive their diplomas.

Cassie and Kenny’s row was next.

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Kenny looked wistfully at their class, thoughts both good and bad racing through his head. “This is the last time we’re going to see them, ya know.”

“Hopefully.”

Cassie’s deadpan demeanor was getting to Kenny. He could feel his optimism crumbling.

“I wish you were high right now. It’s the only time you’re ever tolerable,” he muttered, with all the spite he could muster.

Cassie’s occasional reliance on cannabis had been well documented throughout her high school career — a fact she loathed. Kenny knew that. He knew that was the line. Calling her out like this, at graduation, felt like more than just an insult. It felt like betrayal.

She wanted to spit words just as painful right back at him. Hell, just spitting at him would do. But more than that, she just wanted to sit and sulk in silence.

Which she did for about twenty seconds until their row was called.

The beaming sun couldn’t take away the distinctly Orwellian tone surrounding their walk to the diploma podium. They followed each other, one step at a time, robed in black with faces, not of excitement, but uncertainty, about to be dropped into the world’s ocean.

Cassie peeked at her brother through the sweat in her eyes and found him positively bouncing with excitement.

Despite her sour outlook, she couldn’t help but let a soft, embarrassed smile spread across her face.

Kenny, just a few feet ahead of her, turned and glared bitterly. “First time smiling without smoke, huh?”

Flustered and hurt, she turned back, only to see him on stage with a wide politician’s smile accepting his diploma. She was next.

Not a lot happened when she got on stage. No big fireworks or tears.

She was just following the line, shaking the hands of adults she never met and would never meet again. When she got back to her seat with that empty leather diploma cover, she only wanted to see her brother. And in the crowd, like a bouncing lighthouse, she spotted him screaming like it was the Super Bowl, only it was just a graduation.

“What are you gonna do with that diploma?” Kenny snapped her out of her momentary trance, his inquisitiveness coming off as bitingly sardonic. Some of Cassie must have rubbed off on him.

Cassie remained focused on her overly enthused brother.

“Probably something with kids.

Maybe teaching.”

Kenny scoffed. The question was only asked to discourage her. And yet, Cassie more than anything, a kind of electric motivation flowed through her.

Kenny, however, continued his attack. “Remember UCLA? Berkeley? You still have those rejection letters, right?”

“Yes,” she replied, with pride.

She wanted to mention his Stanford rejection, but she fought that spiteful part of her.

Kenny turned away disappointed, realizing he wasn’t going to get a fight

out of her. The rest of the graduation proceeded as planned, but what surprised her was the enthusiasm she was suddenly feeling for her future. In that spirit, she sought to make amends with Kenny.

“You excited for Santa Cruz?”

He contemplated for a moment, before cracking open a bit. “I guess.

I’ll miss it here.”

Cassie looked around the faces that filled the stadium, suddenly awash with sentimentality. She remembered the allure of getting high under those same bleachers, but all she saw in them now was a kind of regret. The weight of those years spent in cynical pride felt like a burden that she was more than ready to unload.

The remainder of the names were called. Hands were shaken, caps were thrown, pictures were taken, and, finally, Cassie and Kenny had made it out of high school.

Later, while the two of them were loitering in the parking lot, Kenny shyly asked, “You want to smoke?”

“I think… I think I’m fine,” she said, surprising both of them. They chatted amicably, planning to meet again before heading off to their respective colleges.

Cassie got in her weathered Honda Accord and made her way out of the parking lot, finally leaving the school. Maybe she’d come back as a teacher. It was all up in the air after Irvine.

But first, she had to go home.

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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. (blah blah blah legal shit)

The Grunion An Alternative Home for Alternative Facts since 1978

Aren’t We All Sisters?

Your infighting is, like, really killing my vibe.

In January, the Women’s March set off on our third annual protest against the patriarchy we live in. I, for one, couldn’t have been more thrilled to be part of the most empowering movement for women. My friends and I made signs painted with sparkly uteruses, got on the metro super early, (9 am!) and headed downtown to join the fray of nasty women from all over the place. The lighting was perfect for pictures, and I just got a new phone with portrait mode! How else can I show my friends that I’m an activist other than taking some glossy pics for the ‘gram?

There was something that I saw, however, that got my pussy hat in a twist. The number of ladies marching had gone down significantly. Not only that, but there were, like, a ton of groups protesting the march itself! Not just the weird “God Thinks You’re a Slut” people either, but real normal women who have the nerve to call themselves feminists. The arguments grew even more uncivil 16

Story by Fetty Briedan

Illustrations by E.R. Conte

online, where these keyboard warriors were even accusing the organizers of the march of being anti-semitic?

Such sensitivity is what will bring this amazing movement down if we don’t step up.

I really think that the people that are angry need to take a few steps back from their self-loathing and see what this movement is all about.

Spoiler alert: it isn’t all about you. How can you be upset at a movement that promotes the beauty of universal sisterhood?

Every day, I see women on the internet tearing each other down and it makes me sick. How are you really going to come for Kamala Harris and Lena Dunham after all the advancements they’ve made for ALL women? Literally, it’s shameful.

I get accused of being a “white feminist” consistently, and I think that’s pretty racist. I experience oppression just like you all do. I’ll let you know that my grandma was 1/16th Cherokee princess, so don’t think these issues fly over my head.

Yeah, I get it. Life is “hard” because black women are being “shot by the police” and Mexican children are “being put in cages”, but you know what? Maybe feminism isn’t all about you, bitch! Maybe if you came over to this country the right way, you wouldn’t have these problems. Look, I get reverse racist comments all the time, but do you see me crying about it? Maybe when you realize that at the end of the day we’re all humans, you all would seem a lot happier. No wonder men tell us to smile more.

Like, for fucks sake, are Jewish women really being serious right now? What do Jewish women have to complain about? You’re mad because a Women’s March organizer didn’t denounce a group that actively prays for the death of your kind? Are you really gonna let those measly words hurt you?

If you’re that upset about it, start your own march. It’ll probably be fine since you control all the banks anyway. And disabled women are upset because they feel left out? Of course we left you out, Karen, you can’t even walk!

I’m tired of other people’s irrelevant problems getting in the way of real women issues™, but I don’t think that we’re

beyond reproach. Think about what we could do if we all put our petty difference, like wanting racial and marriage equality, aside and supported each other?

This is exactly why Susan B. Anthony kicked all those whiny black women out of the suffrage movement.

Their constant groveling for inclusion was holding her back! If we want to be the best feminists we need to be, it’s time for all women, no matter their race, religion, or economic background, to put their personal issues aside for the good of team girl power. All team players are welcome, even the lesbians… as long as they don’t hit on me.

Gross!