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California State University, Dominguez Hills
October 21, 2020 • VOL. 26, NO. 4
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CSU Police Departments Under Increasing Fire By Daniel Tom | Staff Reporter, Robert Rios | Campus Editor The movement to defund, disarm, or even abolish the university police departments on California State University campuses is gaining momentum. While there have been periodic calls to lessen the police presence on CSU and other
campuses since at least 2015, including a drive launched in 2019 by Students for Quality Education (SQE), the social justice protests that have taken the nation by storm since late May have accelerated the conversation. Over the summer, the
California Faculty Association (CFA), which represents all CSU faculty, released a report calling for changes in policing on all 23 campuses. That was followed by the CSUDH chapter of the CFA releasing its own statement calling for defunding and disarming uni-
versity police on campus and redistributing resources to hire more tenure-track mental health counselors. And just last month, the CSU Abolition Network, a student-led group with faculty advisers, held its first campus-wide virtual information-
al session Sept. 30. However, any attempt to defund CSU police departments would face resistance. CSU Chancellor-select Joseph Castro recently said he does not support abolishing [See POLICE, page 4]
Students Taking it Personal By Carlos Martinez Web Editor
T Todd Mathews Bulletin
The new Desmond Bridge at the Long Beach Port is just north of the original bridge. To read more, see our website.
$1.5 Billion Bridge By the Beach
o protect the health of students, faculty and staff, California State University, Dominguez Hills decided most of the fall 2020 semester classes will be online. Despite providing resources for virtual learning, not all courses made the virtual transition. Approximately 4% of classes are in-person. Each emphasizes practical and hands-on learning that would make them difficult to translate online. [See CLASSES, page 5]
OPINION
The Voice You Hear May be Your Own By Raven Brown | Opinion Writer This is my drug addiction story: Three years ago, I crawled out of a hole I dug deep inside myself. I quit using drugs that were killing me and pursued an education I never thought I deserved. I am not unique. College students are twice as likely to suffer from substance abuse
than people who never go to college. Fortunately, I was someone who came face to face with my mortality and decided to make a change. I never thought I would have the guts to talk about my addiction, but in honor of the fact that this is National Substance Abuse Prevention
Month, I wanted to share my experience with the hope it helps someone like I used to be, a student addicted to drugs. At a very early age, I felt like an outsider who viewed the world differently from everyone around me. I could be in a room full of people
and I would feel so alone. I wondered whether there was something wrong with me or something in my family lineage cruelly plagued me? My parents were divorced before I turned five because of my father’s drug addiction. But I never knew why until many years later. I suppose
my mom was trying to protect me from what could become. When I was 11, my dad was arrested for selling meth
I
[See SUBSTANCE, page 3]
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WEDNESDAY, Ocotber 21, 2020
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Women Skaters Find Empowerment in Extreme Sports Women empower and inspire other women, while culturally impacting society by involving themselves in extreme sports, such as roller skating and skateboarding. By Ruby Munoz | Staff Writer Roller skating and skateboarding have been popular for many years. It’s an escape to a favorite skating rink or skatepark. A journey passing from city to city. Skating is being on the streets with friends hyped on adrenaline. While skating is usually viewed as a masculine activity, not every skater looks the same. It doesn’t only look like a guy who has bloodstains through his worn-out jeans from a day of trying to get a new trick down. Skaters are also women who give their blood, sweat, and tears repeatedly attempting to perfect a new dance move or skill. Skating culture has changed over the years. It’s evolving into a movement of women’s empowerment. Gender stigma in extreme sports is becoming a thing of the past, so skateparks and rinks aren’t just occupied by men. Parks, rinks, and the streets of Los Angeles look different in today’s skating culture. You’ll see women skating their hearts out, either shredding at the skatepark, or jam skating at the skating rink which is a fun combination of dance, gymnastics, and rhythm, all while wearing skates. “I think in the past couple of years, the girl skater level has improved tremendously. For me, I feel that the gender stigma
is not really present in the skate community,” Mami Tezuka explained. “Female skaters like Lizzie Armanto sometimes skate in male contests, and I feel that the skate community sees individuality more than gender.” Tezuka is a professional skateboarder who competes in global skateboarding competitions all around the world. “I think roller skating has been more empowering than ever recently because it has grown tremendously in the pandemic since people were trying to find new hobbies,” Cora Cuevas, a CSUDH childhood development alumna, said. “It’s amazing to see so many new people get into skating and not be the only girl at the skatepark anymore compared to five or six years ago.” Skating unifies women and all of the community to come together as one. The diversity and culture in roller skating and skateboarding are rising from generation to generation. “I started roller skating at 10 years old. My oldest brother plays roller hockey so I’d always go watch him at his games, and I wanted to skate too. I received a white pair with purple wheels on Christmas and loved them so much, ”Jaqueline Rosales an advertising and public relations major at CSUDH, said. “It’s almost an instant connection when you meet other women
who skate. It’s a beautiful feeling once you get the hang of it.” Rosales expressed that she loves roller skating because it makes her feel as if she is floating, and skating to her favorite songs is peaceful and therapeutic. “I skate every day because it allows me to tap into pieces of me that I never knew existed,” Kim Dorris an advertising and public relations major at CSUDH, said. “When I skate, I feel free, I feel expressive and artistic, I feel liberated.” Dorris expresses that roller skating has taught her to push herself to learn new moves, and it has helped her cope with her anxiety. Dorris said at 37 years old roller skating has improved her self confidence as well as her self-esteem, and has helped her deal with her stress. She also mentioned that she read how exercise helps brain health, which is another reason she chooses to continue going outside and skating. According to a study conducted by the National Library of Medicine, exercise improves brain functionality. Female-sponsored skateboarder and surfer, Julianne Penelope Hernandez expressed her gratitude for being able to inspire other women to skate. “When someone tells me I inspire them, it’s the biggest
Courtesy Photo
Cora Cuevas, CSUDH alumni, preparing to roller skate by tying her purple shoelaces on her pastel pink Moxi roller skates. compliment to me because I never saw myself as someone who inspired others, but to know that I can do that to some people is everything to me,” Hernandez said. She said that the people who inspire her are all women who encourage and empower women to go outside and dedicate themselves to learning extreme sports, such as skateboarding.
“I think being original and being yourself is cool for skateboarding, whether you’re a guy or a girl,” Tezuka said. “I hope other girls see the importance of being yourself and showing the world who you really are.” Female skaters have empowered and inspired women every day and culturally impacted society by involving themselves in an extreme sport.
Expressing Silent Voices in the Land of Opportunity By Carlos Martinez | Web Editor We are winding down to the final weeks until the 2020 presidential election and the excitement to make our voices heard is filling the air. There are ads plaguing us all over the airwaves to remind people to vote. Robot-generated text messages and phone calls encouraging people to vote coming in every 5 minute. Absurdities like rapper Kanye West begging his fans to vote for him as a write-in candidate for president. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. That nagging voice in the back
of your head is constantly saying to go out and vote. It’s easy to hit a point where you could care less about slipping on a mask and trudging over to the nearest official ballot drop box or polling office to cast your vote. Why not just watch “Hocus Pocus” 35 times in a row? But though at times voting sounds uncool and looks tedious, it’s important to remember that voting is not just a right that everyone has. As a first-generation Mexican-American, casting that ballot is more than a chore. It is
a golden ticket that condenses our beliefs, concerns and voice into a potential wave for change. According to CNN, approximately 32 million Hispanic voters will participate in this election, more than twice the 12.65 million Hispanic voters in the 2016 election. But voting is not just about our voice, it’s also the voices of our parents, grandparents, siblings and friends who simply can’t because they’re not citizens. Granted, being a first-generation Mexican-American or any
first-generation American is not perfect. With the possibility of the electoral college trumping (sorry) the popular vote as to who should be president, it’s easy to say voting is a waste of everyone’s energy and time. However, we still have the ability to vote for propositions that affect our communities. Having the experience and understanding of a seemingly underrepresented community with the powers of a “self-proclaimed” superior, first-generation Americans have the more
powerful voices in this election. Simply put, voting is a responsibility first-generation voters can’t ignore.. Both of my parents were born and raised in Mexico and were brought over to the land of opportunity before they were 21 years old. For 25 years, my parents rolled up their sleeves, worked hard and contributed to a society that suppressed their voice while raising a family of three children. Growing up, they [See VOTE, page 10]
STAFF BOX EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jasmine Nguyen MANAGING EDITOR Taylor Helmes PRODUCTION MANAGER Yeymy Garcia NEWS EDITOR Brenda Fernanda Verano CAMPUS EDITOR Robert Rios
POLITICS EDITOR Iracema Navarro CULTURE EDITOR Darlene Maes PHOTO EDITOR Nova Blanco-Rico SPORTS EDITOR Jeremy Gonzalez OPINION EDITOR Destiny Jackson
RE P O RT E RS Matt Barrero Raven Brown Cindy Canas Andrea Espinoza Melanie Gerner Jonathan Ghattas Luis Guitierrez Darlene Maes
Carlos Martinez Chris Martinez Jeannette Montoya Ruby Munoz Carina Noyola Taylor Ogata Daniel Tom Anthony Vasquez
LAYOUT ADVISER Joseph Witrago LAYOUT ASSISTANTS Luis Guitierrez Chris Martinez ADVISER Joel Beers
The print and digital version of the CSUDH Bulletin is published bi-weekly and is produced by students in Communications 355, News Production workshop. The views and expressions contained on both do not necessarily reflect that of the Communications Department, or the CSUDH administration.
The Bulletin operates within, and is protected by, the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Comments, criticism, and story ideas can be emailed to bulletin@csudh.edu. We reserve the right to edit any letters for length, grammar and punctuation, and libel.
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PERSPECTIVES
WEDNESDAY, October 21, 2020
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Substance From Page 1
and sentenced to 10 years in prison. I ignored the anger and confusion I felt because I didn’t know what else to do. I was a child facing grown-up issues I wasn’t equipped to handle. As the years went by, my father’s abandonment left a void inside me. I was depressed and incredibly anxious, but I didn’t have the vocabulary to express what I was feeling. As a teenager, you would think I would be repelled by the notion of doing drugs given their role in stealing my father and breaking my family. Nope. My friends were doing them and though I once swore that I would never touch the stuff, I gave in. The urge to conform to the crowd was too strong for my undeveloped willpower. I wanted to belong to something, even if it was only to a group of drug dealers and users. I was 14 the first time I got high. Instantly, I felt a paralyzing shift within me. My relationship with drugs went from smoking weed to drinking alcohol at parties and eventually dabbling in other drugs whenever the opportunity presented itself. I loved the out-of-body sensations and how disconnected I felt from my problems. There was some guilt for giving in to the same vices that ruined my parent’s marriage, but the euphoria quickly drowned out my lone inner voice that was screaming for me to stop. That singular voice told me that I was an idiot to waste my talents and that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. But it was constantly lost amid the chorus of other voices inside me that told me I was a loser and would never amount to anything. By some miracle, I graduated high school at 18 and enrolled at El Camino College. Although I often wondered if I would even live to see my graduation day, and usually didn’t even care if I lived or died, I somehow stayed enrolled in school every semester, even if it was just one or two classes. I bounced between majors for several years, studying nursing, kinesiology, nutrition and psychology. It was almost as if I was seeking answers to my own problems through studying subjects in the healing fields, as if that would turn my life around. But even though I loved school and I wanted to help people, I couldn’t seem to help myself. My insatiable drive to succeed in school was matched by my equally ravenous addiction. And every day, I found a way to feed both cravings. From the outside, no one knew I was struggling. I was working and going to school full-time, but it was all a front. I became a professional liar and was ashamed at how weak I had become. I couldn’t seem to shake the drugs or the hold
Illustration by Nova Blanco-Rico
Trapped by my addiction, with seemingly no way out. they had over me. When I turned 25, I was introduced to crystal methamphetamine by someone I wish I never met. I told myself I only wanted to try it that one time, just to see what it felt like. I was dying to feel happiness, even if it was artificial. Instead, that rock took a hold of my soul in a way no other substance ever had. I was completely powerless to it. With that first hit, I became totally addicted.
“I couldn’t seem to shake the drugs or the hold they had over me.” After that, my entire life revolved around drugs. I shut out all my friends and isolated myself in my room almost 24 hours a day getting high. I lied to myself and believed that the energy meth gave me was helping me get through school. I had more time to study from not sleeping and had laser-like focus; every student’s dream, I thought. My addiction to both drugs and school became intertwined and I couldn’t see anything else. I was hell-bent on earning
a college degree. The obsession weighed on me heavily because I knew I would be the only one in my family to do so. I wanted to be proud of myself for accomplishing something in my life. After almost two years of methamphetamine use, I weighed 85 pounds. I became increasingly mentally ill and experienced schizophrenic-like symptoms. I was paranoid, completely delusional and hallucinating shadow-people all around me. I was terrified I was going to end up severely brain damaged or dead. Eventually, the drugs stopped working. No matter how much I used I wasn’t getting high anymore and I was forced to face my demons. At 27, I quit cold turkey and the next two weeks of my life were a living hell. With my dopamine reserves totally depleted, I could barely get out of bed and it felt like every cell in my body was being torn apart. I struggled for the next year with my mental health and staying on top of my schoolwork, but the fog finally lifted and I felt my true self coming back. The girl I was before I first tried drugs all those years ago. At 28, I transferred to California State University, Dominguez Hills, switched my major to journalism from psychology and found a peace I had never
felt. I developed a sense of belonging among my peers and realized that had I not pursued an education I might not be here today. I once believed that all I would ever be was a hopeless junkie, hitting a pipe every hour on the hour until my lungs or my heart finally gave out. I thought that I was a lost cause and unworthy to even breathe the air that I felt others deserved more than me. That person still lives inside me, but so does the one with the passion to help other people, someone who doesn’t seek to bury the past, but who will use those experiences as the centerpiece for how she can be of greatest use to others. That’s why I wake up every morning grateful that I was given another chance at life, and certain of the knowledge that continuing my education saved me from a life of addiction—or worse. All too often, college can feel like a chore, a tasky check-all-the-appropriate-boxes transition between our teenage years and legitimate adult status. But I’ve come to realize getting an education isn’t a chore; it’s an unbelievable gift, something that no one can ever take away. Yes, maybe you will stumble occasionally, feel like a failure, change majors a million times, give up all hope, cry yourself to sleep every day for a year
because it’s all so overwhelming and feel like nothing in your life will ever make any sense. I know that, I’ve lived it. But I have also picked myself up after every fall, pulled myself together after every mistake and bad choice, and kept my sights fixed on getting that diploma. And I can’t help but think when that day arrives that all the struggles I endured, self-created or not, will make it feel all that much more worthwhile. Now in my senior year, I have been clean from drugs for more than three years. It took going through a personal hell and realizing that there is more to life than escaping my problems for me to get here, but that light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer every day. But it’s not really a light. Or a tunnel. It’s a voice, one my addiction tried to stifle for so long but that refused to be silenced. It’s my voice and it’s saying “I knew you could make it.” If you are a student struggling with substance abuse, please contact the Student Psychological Services (310-2433818) or the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (800-6224357) for more information about treatment and how to get your life back on track.
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WEDNESDAY, October 21, 2020
NEWS
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Voting Center Coming Back to CSUDH as an 11-day Voting Destination Stretch By Iracema Navarro | Politics Editor California State University, Dominguez Hills will once again play a part in sustaining the country’s democracy by allowing any Los Angeles eligible voter to cast their vote for the upcoming general election by hosting an 11-day vote center. People from the community and CSUDH students will have an opportunity to step on campus for the first time this semester to vote at the Extended Education Auditorium EE1213 and EE1218 from Oct. 24 to Nov. 3. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk and the Office of Government and Community Relations at CSUDH will have more days this year after it served as a four-day voting center earlier this year on March 3 for the Presidential Primary Election. Dr. Khaleah Bradshaw, associate director of external community relations said it was a long process this time around in confirming the voting center on campus because of the pandemic but it was necessary
for the community. Voters will be able to enter the auditorium room to vote in person, drop off their mail-in ballot, or complete the same-day voter registration from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. On the Nov. 3 Election Day however, the vote center will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and all those in line by 8 p.m. will be able to enter the auditorium to vote. The voting center on campus will follow protocols set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by placing voting machines 6- feet apart, cleaning and disinfecting the machines, requiring masks to be worn by all in attendance, and enforcing voting lines to remain outside to maintain social distancing. “There are going to be fewer centers around and we wanted to make sure there was a local option for the community,” Bradshaw said. Kianna Gonzales, a senior sociology major, believes this is a crucial election due to issues such as climate change, contraception poli-
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The Extended Education building where eligible Los Angeles voters can vote in person, drop off their mail-in ballot or complete the same-day voter registration. cies, and immigration. “More voting centers open means more opportunities and the more likely it is for people to get out and vote,” Gonzales said. Voters will be able to park at no cost in parking lot
Police From Page 1
CSU police departments, and on this campus both President Thomas A. Parham and CSUDH Campus Police Chief Carlos Velez have shared similar sentiments. “I am aware that currently there exists an anti-police sentiment throughout our country,” Velez told the Bulletin in an email last week. “I feel terrible that so many good men and women within law enforcement are painted with a broad brush when they have done nothing wrong. “We all need to take a deep breath, relax a bit, and come to the table to calmly exchange ideas. If changes need to be made, then by all means we should collectively make them. Tossing out the current system and starting from scratch is not the answer.” The term defunding the police doesn’t necessarily mean cutting off all funding for police departments. On college campuses, it is allocating resources away from police departments to other areas on campus, such as mental health counseling. According to a 2015 article on vox.com, “Almost all fouryear colleges with more than 2,500 students had their own law enforcement agency during the 2011-12 academic year,” and
Courtesy of Logan Weaver
Protesters demand change to a flawed system, CSU’s look to get on board. “most of those officers can carry and use guns.” Each of the CSU’s 23 campuses has a police department, according to the CSU website, “whose peace officers are sworn
and certified by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training. Each police/public safety department is charged with maintaining a safe campus environment by
three near Victoria St. and from the entrance of James L. Welch Hall. The city of Carson will be home to 10 voting centers and seven vote-by-mail drop boxes for the general elections. The safest and enforcing federal and state laws, CSU regulations, and the establishment of crime deterrence and prevention-related programs.” The primary purpose of those university departments is to service their campuses on everything from fender-benders in the parking lot to any crimes such as assault or theft. However, most have jurisdiction a 1-mile radius around those campuses and have relationships with local municipal law enforcement agencies in case additional assistance is needed. In July, the CFA issued a report, “Anti-Racism and Social Justice Transformation Package,” that included a “set of demands” designed to “redress anti-Black racism in the CSU.” Among the demands were that the “CSU divest from its relations with police institutions throughout the state, defund campus policing, remove armed police from our campuses, and join CFA in exploring community-based strategies as alternatives to policing that are based in community accountability and transformative justice.” That report was followed by the CSUDH chapter of the CFA issuing a list of demands to CSUDH President Parham. Those demands included defunding and disarming campus police and ending any partnerships with local law enforcement agencies. [See POLICE, page 9]
preferred voting option in the general election is to vote by mail. All registered voters will receive a vote by mail ballot allowing accessibility to voters during the pandemic. Vote.
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, October 21, 2020
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Even in Sunny Southern California, Seasonal Affective Disorder is a Depressing Reality By Anthony Vasquez | Staff Reporter The winter blues are upon us, and with months of social distancing through isolation at home, seasonal affective disorder could affect students more than usual. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that usually occurs during the fall and winter months and in some cases can linger into spring and summer “It especially affects people who live further from the equator because it is linked to the seasons,” Norma Quintero, a CSUDH clinical psychologist, said. However, even though the seasons are not as sharply demarcated in Southern California as other regions, seasonal depression is still a reality. What are some of the symptoms? “Hypersomnia, that means you sleep too much, people tend to sleep excessively during the day and then they’re more sleepy at night. So in general, people tend to sleep about two hours or more per night,” Quintero said Along with hypersomnia, Quintero said people with SAD tend to overeat and have cravings for carbohydrates, which lead to increased weight gain. This weight gain can lead to individuals to withdraw socially and to self-isolate. With self-isolation already a reality for most of due to the pandemic, Quintero said that people suffering from pandemic-related mental health
issues could see them magnified by seasonal affective disorder. There are also biological links to seasonal affective disorder. “It has been linked to a lower than normal level of a neurotransmitter called serotonin, which affects mood and behavior, and also to a higher than normal level of a hormone called melatonin and these imbalances link to the disorder,” Quintero said. How can students manage SAD or receive treatment? “The first line of defense would be counseling,” Quintero said. “It’s free for [CSUDH] students so I would encourage them to come in and meet with one of us. “Counseling helps increase reflection and allows students to see what may be adding to the stress or the sadness or if there are other factors that might be contributing.” Along with counseling, Quintero said the importance of getting sunlight during these darker times. She said the sun helps serve as a form of light therapy and if sunlight is not available, there are devices called light boxes that give off simulated light and help assist with gaining vitamin D which can help regulate melatonin imbalance. She also stressed the importance of exercise and diet. Exercise helps release endorphins, which are our “feel good” chemicals,Quintero said. Foods with vitamin
Carlos Martinez Bullletin
Student Psychological Services office located between Welch Hall and the Student Health Center. D such as egg yolks, fatty fish, cheese and mushrooms also release endorphins. “The best treatment, in general, would be a combination of therapy and antidepressants, but these are all options,” Quintero said. Should students self-diagnosis themselves? “Mental health terms get thrown [around] very easily,” Quintero said.”Some of the terms get used very loosely and I recommend students [should] come in and talk to one of us if they’re feeling a change. You know yourself... and [when you] find yourself less motivated or just changes in appetite or lacking connection with people, it’s import-
ant to be self-aware.” She said it’s helpful to talk to someone or seek support because self-diagnosis can lead to attachments that may not be entirely accurate, but also said that if you do truly feel you are correct with your self-diagnosis to seek a second opinion through counseling. CSUDH Student Psychological Services is providing therapy/counseling sessions virtually. “We’re getting a lot of requests on stress management, managing anxiety, and how to deal with Zoom fatigue,” Josephine Lara, a CSUDH Psychological Services mental health educator, said. Lara runs the center’s
Classes From Page 1
translate online. Some of the classes that were given approval were from areas such as the College of Arts & Humanities and College of Health, Human Services & Nursing. Jim Keville, associate professor and chair of the Art and Design department, currently holds his ceramics class in the studio located in LaCorte Hall where workstations are spaced out 6-feet apart and personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves and masks are ready for students. “Five students are only allowed to come in physically at a time,” Keville said. “So we do a full rotation about every two weeks. However, the rest [of the class] participates through Zoom that I project on the wall.” During the demonstration part of the class, Keville sets up his workspace with a digital camera connected to his laptop. The webcam is aimed right across to ensure his students have a full view. Keville added that he
Carlos Martinez Bullletin
Jim Keville, associate professor and chair for the Art & Design Department conducting a lecture. records all demonstrations and uploads them online to make it more accessible. Although Keville’s ceramics class are eligible for face-to-face interaction, they are not required to appear physically for all sessions for any safety or personal reasons students may have. “We have conversations about COVID safety for when they go [out],” Kelville said. “I remind them that face-to-face classes are a privilege that can be taken
away.” In order to be approved for in-person classes, courses are evaluated by the CSU Chancellor’s Office. Instructors must request an application for faceto-face approval for their courses and then review through their department chairs and Academic Affairs. Director of Internal Controls and Interim Director of Risk Management Larry Kimaara said random walkthroughs for every
approved class are undertaken to ensure established safety protocols are being followed. “For the limited classes that were approved face-to-face instruction by the Chancellor’s Office, a space analysis was conducted for each class space to ensure students and faculty can remain adequately distanced during instruction,” Kimaara said. He added that these analyses are completed before sessions
Instagram and is posting reminders and tips for students about taking breaks as well as infographics relating to other forms of depression and anxiety. For more information and updates on CSUDH Psychological Services follow its social media platforms on Twitter, Instagram and Facebihere: Twitter: @torowellness Instagram: @torowellness Facebook: CSUDH Psychological Services If you are in need of assistance or help you can also contact them through here: Phone: (310) 243-3818 Email: psychservices@ csudh.edu start. They involve things such as removing excess furniture and adding floor markings to help with distancing. Along with this, sanitizer dispensers were installed in classrooms and personal protective equipment such as face shields, masks and cleaning wipes were made available for classroom use. “[Any] willful violations of safety protocols will be referred to student conduct for action including probation and suspension,” Kimaara said. “If there was to be an outbreak in a classroom, the class would revert to virtual instruction and would end the face-to-face modality.” Students returning to campus were required to watch a training video on COVID-19 while faculty and staff were required to complete their health and safety training through CSU Learn. Students must also complete a document called the “Student Placement Agreement Guideline During COVID-19” before they can participate in any in-person classes. “Campus safety protocols will be updated as needed,” Kimaara said, “per public health agency guidance.”
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WEDNESDAY, October 21, 2020
CULTURE
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Write From the Heart By Melany Ruiz | Assistant Opinion Editor Last week, Josefina López, an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and activist, offered wise words to students who are aspiring writers. López, whose breakthrough 1992 play “Real Women Have Curves,” was turned into an award-winning Sundance film in 2002, has had more than 100 productions of her plays produced around the country, and worked as a Hollywood screenwriter for the past 30 years. López was one of the first writers to shed light on Latinx, LGBTQ and other underrepresented communities. She has received multiple awards and has taken up the role of educator and entrepreneur by owning her theater, Casa 0101 and restaurant, Casa Fina. The CSUDH Department of Theatre and Dance recognizes López’s accomplishments, and is producing another of her
plays, “Confessions of Women from East L.A.” Nov. 12-14. It also invited her to host last week’s webinar. But while her stage and screen credits are impressive, López said her main goal is to teach aspiring writers to believe in themselves and their work, despite any rejection or disappointments they may encounter in an often unforgiving industry. As an example, she mentioned being interviewed once by someone who asked her why none of her plays had received the same attention as “Real Women Have Curves.” During the webinar, she expressed her frustration at the comment because for her, money and fame are secondary to her commitment to producing work that matters. However, she admitted that being true to one’s artistic values while also seeking external validation can be a
struggle for many aspiring writers. “You have to know that you are a writer, no matter who agrees with you,” she said. “Because I have always said I was going to be a writer even though I had so much disagreement to the point I said no. Nobody gets to declare you a writer or an artist.” López said that as a writer you will encounter rejection, but it is crucial to not let that negative energy define who you are. In a recent interview with the Bulletin, López , who said she is training to be a shaman, said feeding off the negativity of rejection can lead to sickness,. Instead of that, she said writers should use rejection as motivation to continue moving forward, not to a steady paycheck but to a place where they are even
more confident about their voice and the message behind their work. “People have to know that it is hard to make money in this business,” she said. “Sometimes you get lucky but sometimes [you don’t] and you have to [ask yourself] is what I’m trying to say so important that I could live off Ramen my whole life?” Ultimately, López said, the success of an artist who is serious about their work comes when they experience rejection and continue to create because they can say, “No, I believe I have something important to offer to the world. I have a truth [to] speak that people need to know.” Livestream of “Confessions of Women from East L.A.,” Nov.12-14. For tickets and more information, go to: https://
Courtesy Photo Josefina López, writer.
Documenting the Undocumented By Destiny Torres | Contributor Joaquín crossed the desert between Mexico and the United States four times. His first steady job was on a boat in New York City where he saw planes crash into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Without hesitation, his employer rounded up Joaquín and the other men to head back to the city to help. For two weeks, Joaquín along with other undocumented men and women, were in and out of Ground Zero, helping wherever they could. Then one day, his boss fired him and the other workers, making them sign contracts that most of them couldn’t read. The next day, he huddled on a street corner at the break of dawn with other Black and brown day laborers who waited for possible employers looking for electrical, plumbing and other construction help. In 2001, Joaquín and others like him faced racism, long workdays with no breaks, and often completed projects without getting paid. Flash forward to the present day and little has changed. Millions of undocumented workers still endure conditions like this, and their stories are still ignored. In her non-fiction book, “The Undocumented Americans,” Karla Cornejo Villavicencio takes back the narrative and tells the stories of undocumented folks living in America for the past 20 years whose perspectives are often untold because they don’t fit the American Dream myth. Villavicencio, who was once undocumented, is a Harvard University graduate and is now studying at Yale for her doctorate degree. In her book, she recalls being asked to write a memoir about
Illustration by Nova-Blanco-Rico In her new book, Karla Cornejo Villavicencio shares many stories, including those of her family.
herself, to talk about her success story as an undocumented woman studying at an elite university. Despite her successes in life, Villavicencio didn’t want to be another poster child for the DREAMer movement. She writes that as much as she appreciates the work that undocumented activists are doing, she wanted to tell the stories of people who don’t get hashtags or T-shirts. “I wanted to tell the stories of people who work as day laborers, housekeepers, construction workers, dog walkers, delivery men,” Villavicencio writes in her introduction. That is exactly what she did when she talked to people in New York about the physical and men-
tal effects of their jobs cleaning up after Sept. 11. Villavicencio goes to Miami, Florida where she talks about undocumented peoples’ use of herbal medicine because they cannot afford or receive healthcare. She travels to Flint, Michigan where she speaks with frustrated undocumented people who were the last to become aware of the toxicity of their water. In her book, Villavicencio wanted to tell stories that showed the hard truth of being undocumented in this country without beautifying it with examples of success and education because that is not that case for most people. Villavicencio’s issue with the portrayal of undocumented
people is that they are glorified as workers to be more pleasant sounding, as though they can be nothing else. “I’ve heard them call us ‘undocumented workers’ as a euphemism, as if there was something uncouth about being just an undocumented person,” she writes. “We were brown bodies made to labor, faces pixelated.” CSUDH Professor Michael Fraga teaches a Chicano/a studies course called Mexican and Latino Identities in the U.S. He said undocumented people in America are misunderstood, and that all generations of immigrants have to face nativist anti-immigrant Americans. In his course, he teaches the
history of immigration, like how many Mexicans were displaced after the Mexican-American War. Even then, he said, Americans who do not consider history do not understand the immigrant experience. Professor Fraga explained that Americans with a nativist attitude see themselves as being superior to immigrants, so they treat them as inferiors. “Mainstream media either glamorize [immigrants] or show their racist character,” Professor Fraga said. “In her book, [Villavicencio] is trying to bring a voice to the voiceless.” One of my favorite things about her storytelling is seeing how dedicated Villavicencio became to the lives of the people she talked about. She had coffee and donuts with the day laborers every morning for about a year. She was in constant communication with the people she wrote about whether that meant checking in with a text message or late-night phone calls about anything and everything. Her devotion to learning these stories and making sure she gets every detail right is inspiring and is what makes her book so powerful. There are not many books that do these stories or these people justice. Villavicencio does an outstanding job with her book for its honesty, personal commentary, and captivating storytelling. For these reasons, “The Undocumented Americans” is rightly a National Book Award finalist this year. Villavicencio is currently in the middle of writing another book and since I was so enamored by this one, I can’t wait to see what else she has in store.
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Phones that Won’t Break the Bank By Christopher Martinez | Staff Reporter
A composite of OnePlus8, Google Pixel 4a, Samsung Galaxy A21, iPhone SE 2020, and Moto G FAST. During these times of financial uncertainty, many people have lost jobs and may not be able to afford a new phone or a pricey bill that they once were able to. In recent months, there have been companies who have announced budget smartphones that are just as good or even better than the top tier devices released by the top phone companies, along with cheaper cellular plans to go along with them. Here are the top 5 budget smartphones and phone plans of 2020. OnePlus 8 OnePlus, known for their groundbreaking budget smartphone manufacturing, has released the OnePlus 8, at launch was $699 but can be picked up now from their website for $599. This phone offers 5G capabilities offering the user speeds 100 times faster than 4G. OnePlus 8 also has a 90 HZ fluid display, Qualcom Snapdragon 865 with 5G, a slim curved display and a 48 MegaPixel triple camera. This phone offers everything you would want in a budget phone that feels premium with a 90 Hz refresh rate the screen will feel more responsive. The snapdragon 865 chip brings the power of a $1,000 phone into a $599 price tag. The strongest feature this phone has is the 48mp camera giving the user to take stunning high definition shots that compare to that of the Google Pixel and iPhone cameras.
Google Pixel 4a The Google Pixel line up is known for taking some of the best pictures out of any smartphone beating out iPhone and OnePlus, even Samsung. Now you can have one of the best taking smartphones for only $350 with the Pixel 4a one of the newest pixel phones of 2020. The Pixel 4a offers a lot of neat new features such as live transcribing for the new recording app and the ability to answer spam calls for you so you don’t have to. The 4a also includes a full-screen 5.81inch screen with a hole punch cut out, 6 gigabytes of ram and 128 gigabytes of storage, Qualcom Snapdragon 730G with an octocore processor two quad core processor cores that work together and faster compared to a single dual core processor and 12.2 megapixel dual camera. Although the 4a does not include top-notch specs, it does learn the way you use the phone and works specifically to how you use your phone making it one of the best phones for people who are not spec heavy enthusiasts. Samsung Galaxy A21 The Samsung Galaxy A series is known for packing the best essentials of Samsung into one device and getting rid of the top end specs that aren’t essential. The A21 comes in at only $199.99 for an unlocked version of the phone. The A21 offers a 6.5 Infinity o-display (a hole punch
front camera), quad rear camera, long-lasting battery, fast charging and expandable memory. This phone features an octa-core processor and 32 gigabytes internal memory with support for an external Micro SD up to 512 MB. The A12 gives everything you want in a smartphone at more than half the cost of its flagship counterpart. iPhone SE 2020 One of the most popular phone manufacturers in the world is Apple, the iPhone SE 2020 brings the best Apple phone back as they fit their most recent chip into an older model unit. In a time when Apple is breaking the one thousand dollar mark and in some cases even the two thousand dollar mark, it is nice to know you can still get an iPhone for under $400 with the SE 2020 starting at $399 or $229 with a trade-in. The SE 2020 offers a modern twist on one of the most popular sized Apple device ever with durable glass back and aluminum rails, a 4.7-inch Retina HD display, A13 Bionic chipset, high definition camera and touch ID. Moto G FAST Motorola was once king of the smartphone industry back in the early 2000’s at a time where they innovated the tech world.Now, in a drastically different way they are making budget friendly devices such as the Moto G Fast which is marketed as “Ultra-fast. Ultra-respon-
sive” on their website. This phone retails at $199.99 but is on sale now for $169.99. The features of this fast phone are an ultra-fast performance with Qualcom Snapdragon 665 processor and 3 GB ram, 16MP triple camera system, 2 days of battery life and a 6.4 HD+ Max Vision display on an ultra-wide display. With many people out of work and the uncertainty of returning, these five phones could help someone in need of a new phone that wont break the bank. To pair along with budget friendly phones would be a budget friendly phone plan that is easy on the wallet. Check out the budget-friendly options listed below: Ultra mobile PAYGO by T-Mobile Ultra mobile provides customers with 100 minutes of talk, 100 texts and 100 MB of 4G LTE data for $3 per month. That data can also be used for Mobile Hotspot. Once all of the minutes have been used then it is an additional 3 cents each minute, 1 cent per text and 3 cent per MB. Mint mobile Mint mobile offers four separate phone plans each billed in three month increments. The cheapest is $15 a month giving the customer unlimited talk and text, national coverage and 3 GB of 5G or 4G LTE capabilities, all for $45 every three months. Metro by T-Mobile Metro by T-Mobile offers a high speed of 10 GB a
Composite by Joseph Witrago
month for $40. This plan includes unlimited music streaming on 40+ apps and for every line added $10 dollars is taken off of your bill, hotspot is not included. There is also a cheaper $30 plan with 2 GB of high speed data per month. Cricket Cricket offers two different budget plans, one is $30 per line a month for 2 GB of high speed data and unlimited talk, text and picture messages in the United States. Along with HD voice and WiFi calling with compatible phones. The second plan offered is a $40 per month line and $35 per month with auto-pay with 10 GB of high speed data. This plan also includes Unlimited Talk, text and picture messages in the United States and HD and Wi-Fi calling with compatible phones. Visible Visible is prepaid phone service by Verizon offering a $40 per month plan with taxes and fees included. This plan offers unlimited high speed data, messages and minutes. All on Verizon’s 4G LTE Network with Wi-Fi calling available on compatible devices. This plan also includes Mobile hotspot, you are also able to cancel anytime and keep your same number. Visible does not have stores and have their entire business online, There is also a family style plan where you can have four separate accounts and pay as little as $25 per month.
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By Matt Barrero | Assistant Sports Editor On March 24, 2019, LeBron James posted a photo of himself on Instagram with the following caption: “Believe me! Promise #LakersNation the spell won’t last much longer! I swear. The marathon continues.” The post came after the Lakers were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention in LeBron’s first season playing for Los Angeles. In the months that followed, with a summer to rest and improve, the Lakers front office made the blockbuster deal to acquire seven-time NBA All-Star forward Anthony Davis. Additionally, they named Frank Vogel the new head coach and added veteran caliber players to the mix with their young talent. This was a rebuild with one ultimate goal in mind: to hoist the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy above their heads at season’s end. As the seconds wound off the clock in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Oct. 11, ESPN announcer Mike Breen said, “This historic 2020 NBA championship belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers conquer the bubble and banner number 17 will soon hang in the rafters.” In what can be described as nothing short of remarkable, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers fulfilled their promise and secured the franchise’s 17th championship title after defeating the Miami Heat 106-93.
This NBA season was indeed historic for many reasons. While this title victory ties the Boston Celtics for most championships in NBA history, number 17 carries a much higher significance for how it was won and what this team had to endure in order to capture it. When looking back on 2020, several years down the road, there will be several noteworthy moments that had the biggest impact on our lives. For sports fans, in general, we will never forget January 26, 2020: the day Kobe Bryant, an icon who seemed invincible, was taken from us with just the snap of a finger. We will absolutely discuss the COVID-19 pandemic making landfall and causing more issues than we were prepared for. Basketball fans, specifically, will remember Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert the most, and how his actions in a postgame interview was, perhaps, the sole cause for the season to be abruptly halted in March, a month shy of the playoffs starting. A time when the Lakers were at the top of the Western Conference standings and second in the league overall. Why was 2020 torturing Lakers Nation and the city of Los Angeles? The questions remained: Would the season resume? Would the Lakers get their chance to win an NBA title in honor of the “Black Mamba?” Enter the Orlando bubble.
Photos by Tyler Marquez
From the mourning of an icon lost too soon, to a celebration of basketball superiority, the Lakers are LA’s team. No if, and’s or but’s about it. At the point of resumption, the NBA was in its final month of play, with teams battling for playoff positioning. Tack on the stressors of following strict protocols and making sure you were healthy enough to actually compete and less lest we forget, the Milwaukee Bucks boycotting their first round, Game 5, matchup with the Orlando Magic, as a way to speak out against social injustices (specifically the events that transpired in Kenosha, WI). This chain reaction caused the rest of the teams remaining to boycott their games, respectively, as well and brought a moment of uncertainty of whether these players wanted to even continue the playoffs. You could not write this sort of storyline and yet, here we are talking about exactly that. In my
opinion, this bubble play will go down as the most unconventional and pressure-filled NBA season in its entire history as a league. The pressure on the Lakers specifically, was at the all-time highest and the team knew nothing less than a championship would suffice. Despite the craziness, distractions and whirlwind of emotions on and off the court, the Lakers found a way to reclaim their glory and be the last team standing. They spent 90 days away from family and from the luxury of going home after a home game. The sacrifices this organization made throughout the restart is exactly why they can call themselves champions today. Following a decade filled with misfortunes, a loss of their luster
and utter embarrassment overall, finishing at the bottom of the league and not making the playoffs for six straight seasons. This Lakers franchise turned itself around and found its luster once again. But this is not just another trophy to add to the case. This title is for Kobe, Gianna and the seven victims lost on the fateful Sunday morning on Jan. 26. This title is for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and all those who continue to suffer the hardships of racism and social injustices. This title was for the City of Angels and its hardcore fans who had been yearning for a reason to feel joy and a sense of normalcy once again. LeBron James and company proved how this franchise is world class on and off the court. Thank you, Lakers.
Lakers, Dodgers 3 Wins from Dual Rings
Photo by Matt Weller on Unsplash
It has been 32 years since Dodgers fans last saw their team lift the World Series trophy. By Jeremy Gonzalez | Sports Editor To the average person, the month of October means scary movies, candy and creative costumes. For sports fans, this means Major League Baseball playoffs. And for Los Angeles Dodgers fans, October means this could be the year we end our long championship drought. I sure hope so, because every year since 2013 has brought me sadness, heartache and misery. I always believe that this will be the season the Dodgers get over the hump that has cursed them for decades. But we seem to fail every single time. The first true glimmer of hope came in 2017 when I finally saw the Boys in Blue play in the World Series for the first time in my lifetime. The excitement I felt, along with thousands of other Dodg-
ers fans, was exhilarating. We actually made it to the big dance and the World Series trophy was within our grasps, until the Houston Asterisks defeated us in seven games to steal the trophy away from us. 2018 produced a similar result that saw Los Angeles make it back to the World Series only to be ousted by a superior Boston Red Sox team in five games. The hopefulness still remained in 2019 when the Dodgers went 106-56 to produce the best record in baseball that year, but disappeared as we saw yet another early playoff exit, thanks to the eventual champions, the Washington Nationals. Right before the 2020 offseason, the league-shattering news broke that the Asterisks had been using trash cans and
technology to steal pitching signs from opposing teams during the 2017 and 2018 season. It was revealed that Houston had cheated during the playoff run where they defeated my Dodgers in seven games to claim the World Series. I felt my stomach turn into a pretzel, disgusted that a team had ultimately robbed my Dodgers of the World Series title that had been escaping us for so long. But in that same offseason, we traded for stud outfielder Mookie Betts to bolster our powerful offense, allowing us to continue being the dominant juggernaut in the National League. The emergence of young players like Walker Buehler, Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger provide stability and promise to our
franchise, and with veteran guys like Clayton Kershaw and Justin Turner leading the way, the roster appears to have found the perfect mix of youthful talent and veteran experience. In a coronavirus-shortened season, the Dodgers’ wonderful blend has given them the best record, the highest scoring offense and the most dominant bullpen in baseball. And while the small milestones and achievements are great, the fans only care about what’s at the finish line. We have dominated the NL West, winning eight straight division titles and won the NL pennant three out of the last four years, but none of that turned into bigger success. Los Angeles is a title town and Dodgers fans want to party like it’s 1988 again.
Manager Dave Roberts has done well to get us into the Fall Classic, but fans are eager to celebrate a victory when it’s all said and done, not moan and groan at another failed attempt. It becomes rather frustrating to see the Dodgers get your hopes up with a brilliant roster that performs well in the regular season, only to come up short when it matters most. Impatience continues to grow among Dodgers fans as we watch our team fail season after season. Here we are in 2020, back in the World Series, and while I am still confident my Dodgers can pull through, I can’t help but prepare myself for another roller coaster of emotions that I’ve grown accustomed to for most of the last decade.
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Vote From Page 2
they often reminded my sisters and I how fortunate we were to invoke our First Amendment rights without the fear of getting kicked out of this “fine” nation. They encouraged us to listen to the issues and
Police From Page 4
There has been no official response from the president’s office to those demands, but in an April 2019 interview with The Bulletin, Parham did say that the presence of police is vital to a safe campus. “I want to make it clear, crystal clear, that we can’t [ensure a safe campus community] without the local police officers,” Parham said. Unlike the CFA, the CSU Abolition Network, which held its first campus-wide meeting Sept 30, is not an official organization with organized campus chapters. It has no website and while there are CSUDH students who
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, October 21, 2020
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propositions that passed in the state and federal levels while trying to imagine how it would impact families such as ours. We even participated in The Great American Boycott or “A Day Without Immigrants” protest in 2006 where, under the broiling sun, we gathered with families and activists and waved both Mexican and
American flags while marching through the streets of downtown L.A. I was only 11 years old at the time. With experiences and moments similar to mine, many of the Latinx voters participating in this election are motivated to use their voice to help families with DACA recipients who are in danger of losing their res-
idency, or those who have been waiting for decades to have their citizen applications approved. No one wants to wait in a long line that wraps around a usually vacant building under the hot California sun for hours just to pick an old white man to represent our country for the next four years. And not everyone wants to hear the constant
political catfights on Twitter and we all agree with the fly that buzzed in the Vice Presidential debate that the whole ordeal can smell like a heaping pile of B.S. But that doesn’t mean anyone should opt out of their obligation to vote. In the words of Susan B. Anthony, “Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.”
are part of the network, all declined to comment on this story. At its September virtual meeting, titled “Understanding Abolition,” the organizers, Alejandro Villapando, an ethnic studies professor at Cal State LA and Dylan Rodriguez, a professor of ethnic studies at UC Riverside, covered aspects of abolishing and defunding campus police departments. Tomorrow, Oct. 16, the abolition network is hosting a live discussion centering on campus policing, featuring CSU and UC scholars. Dr. Akhila Ananth, a criminal justice professor at Cal State Los Angeles and the co-author of a 26-minute video “Policing the People’s University,” will be one of the scholars. While there has been no apparent organized movement among CSUDH students to
press for defunding or disarming campus police, that isn’t the case at some CSUs. For example, in June, a petition calling for disarming police, cutting its budget in half and redirecting those resources to Black students, was signed by more than 1,300 students, faculty and alumni at San Jose State. On the same day of the CSU Abolition Network’s meeting, CSU Chancellor-select Castro was asked about CSU policing during a virtual press conference with student media. He said he was open to dialogue about police, “vowed to do his research” and look into how campus police departments receive their funding. However, he said that “campus police would not be removed.” “We need to have public
safety officers in order to protect our facilities and the people who are here, and I know some campuses are not occupied by large numbers of people, but that can also be a time when others who might want to do bad things could take advantage of that opportunity, so to speak,” Castro said. “So I do believe that we need to fund our public safety officers. And I also believe that we need to fund our basic needs initiatives.” CSUDH University Police Chief Carlos Velez is aware of the outside pressure mounting on-campus police departments. .At CSUDH, he said, ensuring “peace of mind, as well as transparency” are the two main goals of his department. That is why, Velez said, all sworn officers wear body
cameras and patrol vehicles are equipped with in-car video systems. Velez said that CSUDH’s officers .are authorized to enforce all federal, state and local laws and that it works closely with the Carson station of the LA County Sheriff’s Department. “They would be the first agency to assist us during a campus emergency where we required additional resources. We also train with them and have had multiple active shooter training exercises on campus.” Velez also said that just as the campus at CSUDH is a community, his officers are part of that community. “There is no reason to be fearful,” Velez said. Police are a part of the campus community and are here to protect and to serve.”
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