CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
VOL. LXVIII, ISSUE 49| DECEMBER 6, 2016
D49er
STANDING TOGETHER Two CSULB students recount their time protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline at the Standing Rock Reservation. By Roberto Herrera
Assistant Social Media Editor
Photo courtesy of Amanda Mendoza
Above: A view of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation campsite in North Dakota. The area has been occupied by advocates since April. Below: An elderly woman protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline.
O
n the night of Nov. 20 at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota, Kylie Shahar and Amanda Mendoza stood in disbelief as they saw individuals being blasted by water cannons in freezing temperatures, shot at with rubber bullets and blinded by tear gas.
Photo courtesy of Facebook
Just having arrived at the Oceti Sakowin campsite earlier that day, the Cal State Long Beach students were two of many protesters that night who helped those who were soaked in freezing water change into dry and warm clothing, keeping them from suffering from hypothermia. Shahar, a senior philosophy and political science major, and Mendoza, a political science graduate student, said that when they first heard about the Dakota Access Pipeline movement, they knew they had to be there and participate. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe started protesting the construction in April, fearing that the pipeline could contaminate their drinking water if it were to burst. Additionally, protesters say that the construction will threaten the environment and destroy native burial and prayer sites. “We were there for about six days,” Mendoza said. “We drove in my parent’s suburban and stayed from Nov. 20-25.” Shahar and Mendoza met for the first time on Nov. 7 via a
mutual friend. “None of my classmates or colleagues wanted to go with me, so a friend of mine had a class with Kylie and introduced us to each other,” Mendoza said. “We had to see if we would vibe because you needed to go with someone you can trust.” Mendoza expressed that she needed someone who could handle the pressure, especially if she ended up getting arrested. “We knew within five minutes of meeting that it was going to be great,” Mendoza said. Shahar and Mendoza funded the trip on their own. While no fundraising was done beforehand, they were able to receive some financial support from Mendoza’s parents. “Our intention was to have a short stay,” Mendoza said. “We just pooled our money and split the gas money. We also had
see DAPL, page 2
FACULTY
A Heart for Hyderabad International studies professor makes an impact overseas. By Asjia Garner
Contributing Writer
“I know I promised I would return your graded papers today, but I had a personal deadline for an article.” A few students released a slight groan. “I will have them next week!” she
said, determination in her eyes. She’s on a mission. But it’s not only to grade papers. Walters, an assistant professor for international studies at Cal State Long Beach, leaves her heart 8,711 miles away. When she isn’t reading essays, she dedicates her time to research, writing articles and books, and HIV and anti-trafficking prevention projects in Hyderabad, India. She was rooted to the capital of southern India’s Telangana state after marrying and residing there for nearly
five years. She not only fell in love with her Hyderabadi husband, Krishna, but with the city’s vibrant culture. There, she commenced her most recent campaign for HIV prevention this summer: “PrEP 4 India.” PrEP, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a new medication that is over 90 percent effective in preventing HIV infection if taken on a daily basis, according to the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Compared to the United States, the
see HEART, page 4
Campus safety tips With finals week just around the corner, Cal State Long Beach University Police is reminding students to be vigilant when it comes to their personal belongings. To read more about it, see page 3.