Daily 49er, January 31, 2018

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH

VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 42 | JANUARY 31, 2018

D49er

Photos by Hunter Lee | Daily 49er

A young girl and her mother gaze intently at Robin Akashi’s “Worms” featured in the Dr. Maxine Merlino Gallery. Kim Garcia’s “We are where we are not,” below, illuminates off the walls of Max L. Gatov Gallery. Both artists are featured as part of the Greater Los Angeles MFA exhibition, hosted by the School of Art.

ART

GLAMFA covers campus canvas Masters of fine arts students from all over the Los Angeles area for the GLAMFA exhibition’s opening reception at Cal State Long Beach.

By Hunter Lee Photo Editor

With the School of Art galleries filled to the brim with paintings, videos and sculptures, the real highlight of the Sunday night gathering was the energy. Smiles and laughter carried throughout the galleries as students and art lovers came together in the spirit of creation to celebrate up-and-coming artists.

Master of fine arts students from across Los Angeles gathered at Cal State Long Beach for the the 13th Greater Los Angeles MFA exhibition. The student-curated event featured works by 23 MFA students from Cal State Northridge, UCLA, and other Los Angeles-based art institutions.

Debuting in 2005, the exhibition began

as an opportunity for students from different schools to have their works featured together.

“The main idea behind the exhibition came in response to a show organized by the UC schools, which Cal State schools were not invited to participate in,” exhibit organizer Elena Roznovan said. “A group of graduate students came together and created GLAMFA and now it’s become a tradition every year.”

Pieces featured in the exhibition were scouted by the Fine Arts Roundtable, a collective of Long Beach students in the Master of fine arts program. Scouting began in the spring of last year with members of the group looking through student art galleries and online submissions.

“Usually it’s a variation of works where we select five to 10 pieces and it sort of builds a theme,” Roznovan said. “There is never something specific we’re ever looking for, we just pick the best of the best in our opinion.”

Stacey Alexander, a student from Cal see GLAMFA, page 5

2 NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | CITYD49ER@GMAIL.COM

CSU

Students choose a different course Efforts to streamline cross-campus enrollment at Cal State still underway.

By Michaia Hernandez Staff Writer

One summer during her undergraduate years at Cal State Long Beach, Kelly Nguyen enrolled in a child development class.

Much to her dismay, the class was cancelled last-minute due to low enrollment. She immediately went to the department to consider her options, and though it was almost too late, she was able to add an online section of that class.

Now pursuing her teaching credentials, Nguyen is able to appreciate the flexibility the online class afforded her.

“Many of the classes here are booked to the brim,” Nguyen said.

Students like Nguyen, who depend on online education, are one of the reasons Cal State universities are working to implement a streamlined system for students to enroll in online courses at other campuses.

Students looking to take an online course find it difficult to enroll in courses offered at other Cal State campuses.

“Improving the online database is an ongoing project,” said Elizabeth Chapin, manager of public affairs with the Cal State Office of the Chancellor.

In addition to testing out a pilot

program for a more user-friendly service for cross-enrollment online education, officials have given students the chance to register for these courses at an earlier time. Prior to the fall 2017 semes-

Photo Illustration by Hunter Lee | Daily 49er

ter, cross-enrollment was only permitted after the regular open registration period.

Nguyen sees the program as a way to give students a “larger window of opportunity” to meet

their graduation requirements.

“Before, we had to compete for classes,” Nguyen said. see ONLINE, page 3

INSURANCE

Long Beach students look for health coverage options Online polling and official surveys indicate that most students already insured.

By Adam R. Thomas Staff Writer

As the open enrollment period for Covered California comes to a close, uninsured students may want to take advantage and apply.

Yet for many Cal State Long Beach students this deadline may not matter because they are already insured, according to an online survey conducted by the Daily 49er.

The online poll of 55 students indicated that 85 percent of students were insured in some way.

Though the sample size was small, these results are corroborated by information provided to the Daily 49er by the school’s Student Health Services division.

In a 2015 survey conducted

by Student Health Services, 50 percent of students stated they had private insurance, 22 percent were on Medi-Cal, 8 percent were on Medicare, 2 percent were covered by military-related benefits, and 9 percent were covered by

Photo Illustration by Sabrina Flores | Daily 49er

For uninsured students, the Student Health Center provides numerous services like Family Pact to those who have paid the school’s health service fee.

other means. Only 9 percent of respondents had no insurance at all.

“The price is not affordable month to month,” said Victoria Dries, a junior English major.

“Even with subsidization from the government, my average payment plan was estimated to be in

the triple digits, and simply do not have the budget to accommodate that at this time.”

Those in the uninsured minority who miss today’s deadline aren’t completely out of luck. The Student Health Services division, which saw 10,211 unique visits last year, is available to provide

fundamental medical services for registered students who have paid their $75 health services fee.

These resources are also available for students who do have insurance.

“Even though students may have health insurance, what we provide may be more convenient

and less expensive than what they can receive at other local facilities,” said Mary Ann Takemoto, the director of health services and associate vice president of Student Services.

Several students interviewed outside of the health services building indicated that they were still insured through their parents. They also indicated satisfaction with the services provided here on campus.

“I had a really bad sinus infection and they adequately helped me,” said Sarah Brown, a pre-studio art major, covered under her parents’ health insurance. “They gave me all the prescriptions while I was here, so I didn’t have to go off campus for anything. So it was helpful for me.”

One possible issue associated with getting students insured may simply have to do with the fact that agents with the Covered California program simply haven’t made recent a appearance on campus. In 2016, temporary contractors came to campus to offer plans to students, but according to Takemoto, none came to campus in 2017 or this year.

“I think definitely when you see HEALTH, page 3

NEWS 3

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | CITYD49ER@GMAIL.COM POLITICS

Trump SOTU seeks to set the agenda

By Noah Bierman

Tribune Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is delivering his first State of the Union speech Tuesday in what’s become a familiar spot: at a historic low in polls, furious over the Russia investigation and frustrated that he is not getting credit for a good economy and keeping his promise to shake up the government.

But don’t look for a dour presentation when Trump steps onto the rostrum amid the pageantry in the House of Representatives for the annual presidential address. Aides describe an upbeat speech, with Trump taking credit for the booming economy while holding out hope for a bipartisan achievement that has eluded him — on immigration, or a major new infrastructure initiative.

Trump, like other presidents facing troubles, is hoping the high-profile, nationally televised speech will help him move past the tumult in his White House and the shadow of the Russia investigation — into his campaign’s possible collusion with Russia’s election meddling, and his own alleged acts of obstruction — that has consumed his first year in office.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in her preview, called the state of the union “incredible.” “And I think that you’ll hear that in the president’s words,” she said.

Aides said Trump will hammer the theme of “building a safe, strong, proud America,” which fits loosely around his policy proposals to create a $1 trillion plan to rebuild roads, bridges and other public works, increase spending on the military and overhaul the immigration system, sharply cutting the number of legal immigrants while allowing a path to citizenship for young “dreamers” who came to the country illegally

Olivier Douliery | Abaca Press

President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

as children.

Trump has framed his desire to restrict immigration as a security issue, arguing that a porous border has increased the threat of terrorism and drug trafficking.

Immigrant advocates say Trump is creating scapegoats and they accuse the president of deepening racial and ethnic divides.

The president, however, will contend in his speech that he wants to be a uniter. Although Trump often tweets angrily at his perceived enemies and has continued to call on the FBI to prosecute his former rival, Hillary Clinton, he struck a conciliatory tone ahead of Tuesday’s speech while meeting with television network news anchors at the White House.

“I want to see our country united,” Trump said, according to a partial transcript released by the White House. “I want to bring our country back from a tremendous divisiveness.”

Trump told the anchors that his biggest lesson since taking

HEALTH

office more than a year ago has been tempering his profit-centered business instinct with the need to show “heart” in his governing decisions. Those twin impulses have made the job harder, he said.

America is open for business and we are competitive once again.”

“

Donald Trump “What I’m doing now, a lot of it is heart, a lot of it is compassion, a lot of it is far beyond money — such as immigration,” he said, adding, “If I was doing this purely from an economic standpoint, I would sit down and tell you in one second what I’d be doing, OK? It’s so simple.”

Eleven months ago in late February, Trump addressed Congress and a prime-time TV au-

ONLINE

continued from page 2

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make it a little more accessible to students, and if you show them how to set it up and get it done, I think that’s a little bit more productive and find your own means for [insurance],” said Alyssa Smith, a junior anthropology student.

Dries said that she’s still willing to “wing it,” and go without insurance due to her general good health, financial situation and an inadequate minimum plan offered by Covered California.

For those who are both uninsured and in need of services beyond the direct services that can be found on campus, Takemoto recommended that students still come in.

“We do have a full time case manager, Kristen Hutchcroft,” Takemoto said. “She can assist them in finding low cost or no cost services in their area.

I would encourage anyone who feels their coverage is insecure or inadequate to speak with her.”

The study conducted by the Legislative Analyst’s Office found that although Cal State campuses are making an effort to better their online class availability, less than 230 students took an online course outside of their Cal State home campuses in fall 2015, a fraction compared to the 86,600 students that took at least one online class that term.

Numbers have increased only slightly the year after, with the trend hovering around 300 students, Chapin said.

According to the report, these small numbers are attributed to lack of awareness among students,

dience from the Capitol, but by tradition a president’s first report on the state of the union — based on a constitutional requirement — does not occur until after a year in office.

Last year’s speech likewise became Trump’s attempt to pivot from the early weeks of disorganization within his White House and during his post-election transition.

In that speech, Trump departed from his combative campaign rhetoric and bleak inaugural address evoking “American carnage” to pitch a “renewal of the American spirit,” while urging Americans to leave “the trivial fights behind us.”

Although presidents traditionally use these speeches to lay out their vision early in the year, they also try to claim credit for first-year achievements. Trump plans to speak extensively about the economy and his $1.5 trillion tax cut, boasting as he often does about the rising stock market and low unemployment.

the difficulty in using the Cal State database for course listings and the lack of a common statewide learning management system.

In the meantime, Chapin said that the Cal State system will continue to comply with the requirements needed to ensure success for students.

“We are confident that the availability of online courses and programs across the university will lead to an even greater number of students earning a CSU degree,” she said.

Angela Wranic, a lecturer in geography at Cal State Long Beach, said that she had participated in the CSU Fully Online program in previous semesters, but she wasn’t getting students from other campuses.

“It didn’t seem like students were aware of it,” Wranic said in an

Those trends began in President Barack Obama’s first term, after the Great Recession, and the pace of growth actually slowed a bit in the final quarter of 2017.

But that has not stopped Trump, as he did during a speech Friday at the World Economic Form in Davos, Switzerland, from arguing that the country would have hit the skids if he had not been elected.

“The world is witnessing the resurgence of a strong and prosperous America,” Trump said in Davos. “America is open for business and we are competitive once again.”

Americans are generally pleased with the economy. In a recent Pew poll, 41 percent of Americans rated it as excellent or good, one of the strongest such ratings in a decade. Yet many Americans do not give Trump credit. On average, polls show his approval at about 40 percent, lower than the standing of any of his predecessors in the modern era after a year in office.

Democrats have worked aggressively to deny Trump any credit for the economy, arguing that his predecessor is responsible for the trends Trump inherited and that subsequent gains are little different from those in Obama’s final years.

“Two words I don’t think we’ll hear tonight: Thanks, Obama,” said Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. The recently passed tax cut law has elicited mixed expectations, according to Pew, with about a third of Americans saying they expect it to improve their personal finances, a third saying they expect it to harm them and another third expecting no change.

Other polls have shown a majority of Americans believe the tax cuts favor high-earners, contradicting Trump’s promise to deliver for blue-collar workers and the middle class.

email.

CSU Fully Online was launched in compliance to a 2013 bill aimed at providing students an opportunity to expedite graduation.

Through the new program, eligible matriculated students can enroll in one online course per term.

The program’s website contains a list of all available courses under this system. Enrollment is done the same way that students add classes in their home campuses.

Though the schools in the university system don’t offer fully online state-supported undergraduate programs, they have 13 areas of discipline that give students the option of completing all upper-division courses online, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.

Additionally, graduate students can obtain more than 30 degrees online.

4 ARTS & LIFE

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COLUMN

Negative Space: An Introduction

CARLOS VILLICANA

SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR

C Megan Kline Crockett will be the new executive director of the Carpenter Performing Arts Center.

Photo courtesy of Sean Defrene

PROFILE

Curtains rise for Crockett The Carpenter Center’s new Executive Director hopes to involve students more in her first full season.

By Samantha Diaz

M

ost students drive by the Carpenter Performing Arts Center and don’t give the building a second thought, if they notice it at all. Megan Kline Crockett, the new executive director of the Carpenter Center, hopes to change that.

After filling in for the previous director, Michele Roberge last September, Crockett was appointed for the position in late November following a national search process for the position. She came in with half the season already scheduled and had to finish out the year with as little growing pains as possible.

“The biggest challenge was being offered the position and taking on the responsibility with very little transition,” Crockett said. “For me it was a little like landing in a foreign country and learning the customs and the language. It was all very new to me.”

Along with starting the job unexpectedly, Crockett came into the job in light of a controversy, after the Carpenter Center’s last director, Roberge resigned due to the cancellation of the play “N****r, Wetback, Chink.”

“The transition itself under Megan’s skillful hand went very smoothly,” School of Art Dean Cyrus Parker-Jeannette said.

“It was a very political landscape and I think she did it with great finesse.”

After finishing out the season on a strong note, Crockett’s next challenge is to create and program an entire year from start to finish — this includes going to conferences to scout performers, choosing the ones that she feels speak most to the community, booking them and selling the tickets.

This process isn’t entirely new to Crockett as she was the managing director for Cal-

Arts & Life Editor

Rep, the graduate student theater company at Cal State Long Beach, but she has had to adapt to her new role while still finding what she loves about theater in her job.

“My favorite experience is being in the theater during the performances and sitting with the audience,” Crockett said. “I just love that, I love art and that’s why I do my job. I think that live performance is essential to culture and it’s what brings people together from all different walks of life and we’re all sitting there having this kind of communal experience.”

Crockett’s first full season is set to include dance, spoken word and various music performances — hopefully with a more

I think she seems to have a really wonderful and creative and inclusive sense as she developing the season.”

“

Cyrus Parker-Jeannette student-centric approach. She immediately made students one of her target audiences while bringing in student-priced tickets and introducing the “Artists in their own words” series, a free event in collaboration with the Carpenter Center and School of Art where, every Tuesday, various artists fill the auditorium and speak to students about the struggles and process of mastering their practice.

Crockett hopes to keep this momentum going in the next few seasons by creating a Cabaret Series every Friday night. The event will include dinner, drinks and headlining artists that she feels have something to offer to students in particular, along

with the rest of the community.

“I have this great opportunity to bring these artists here and I don’t want ever to have students feel like they’re not a part of this,” Crockett said. “I look a lot at who are we serving in our community, who are we not reaching and how can we become accessible to all of our community and that includes our students. It’s my way of helping make sense of what you can’t make sense of and I take it very seriously.”

One of the performances booked for the upcoming season is Martha Redbone, the first Native American and African American female to headline the Carpenter Center. Crockett got the idea to book the singer after she attended the Inclusive Excellence panel hosted by President Conoley and witnessed one Native American student who spoke about her experience being marginalized on campus.

“That just really stuck with me,” said Crockett. “I thought, ‘well that’s not right.’

I want to include all of the diversity we have on campus, and it’s always in my mind when I’m thinking of programming.”

Along with her performance, Redbone is scheduled to stay an extra day at the school as part of an educational outreach program Crockett hopes to expand next season.

“I think she seems to have a really wonderful and creative and inclusive sense as she developing the season,” Parker-Jeannette said. “I really appreciate her attention to diversity.”

The Carpenter Center’s next speaker in the Cabaret Series will be Mandy Harvey from “America’s Got Twalent.” Tickets will be sold for $40 without dinner and $70 with dinner and can be purchased at CarpenterArts.org or by calling the ticket office at (562) 985-7000.

omic books are everywhere in film and TV. They should also be for everyone, but new readers can sometimes find comic books intimidating, especially if you’re new to them. This bi-weekly column will aim to change that.

Every other Wednesday, I’ll be recommending at least two comic books based on a different theme.

These selections will be tailored to new comic book readers, but anyone is welcome to seek these titles out and even offer their own recommendations in our comments section.

Forget the awful numbering system. Forget price tags. Forget any barriers to your entry into the wonderful world of comics.

The books featured in this column will consist solely of collected editions, also known as volumes.

These contain multiple issues of a series which are repackaged as one book, usually in paperback or hardcover form. Collected editions are easy to store and generally feature a story arc that begins and concludes within its covers.

Comic books can become an expensive hobby. A look through the month’s solicitations for most publishers will show that the lowest price individual issues of a series are usually sold for is $3.99.

I believe art should be accessible, which is why this column will focus exclusively on titles found for free in the Long Beach Public Library and University Library.

For this introductory edition of the column, I’ll be spotlighting only one title: “Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art,” written and illustrated by Scott McCloud, with lettering by Bob Lappan.

The book is drawn in black and white and written in a simple, conversational tone. It features a “cartoon” version of McCloud explaining the origins and styles of comics from around the world, as well as how comics work.

You can find this book on the second floor of the University Library in the graphic novel section.

It can also be found at the Los Altos, Main and Ruth Bach locations of the Long Beach Public Library.

This column will return Feb. 13 with recommendations for titles created by African-American writers and/or artists.

Happy reading, comrades!

ARTS & LIFE 5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | ARTSNLIFED49ER@GMAIL.COM REVIEW

‘Maze Runner: The Death Cure’ delivers a WCKD bang The film perfectly balances action scenes and a sense of sci-fi to close out the dystopian series.

By Eddie Diaz

Contributing Writer

“Maze Runner: The Death Cure” is a sci-fi action film that will keep you gripping your seat, maintaining a theme of survival from start to finish.

The film is the final installment in the trilogy, following “The Maze Runner” and “Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials.” The World Catastrophe Killzone Department is tasked with finding a cure to The Flare, a devastating disease destroying mankind, through the research of children with immunity to the disease.

Humans who are infected, or Cranks, roam outside the Last City, where most of the movie takes place.

The story follows Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) and his loyal friends Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Jorge (Giancarlo Esposito) to name a few, on a mission to save their captured friend Minho (Ki Hong Lee) from the clutches of WCKD. This leads them through a journey of gun battles, hordes of infected humans and sinister organizations waiting with an arsenal of firepower.

Thomas coordinates a rescue mission through the desert.

With beefy off-road trucks, they chase a train holding Minho and other children.

If you are a fan of the “Fast and Furious” franchise, you will enjoy the subtle resemblance in action. The bar is set high and is raised incrementally with every sequential action scene.

After their departure to rescue Minho, they soon hit their first road block. They make their way through a tunnel, where the audience finally sees the disease that has plagued mankind. The scene felt like “Dawn of the Dead” mixed with “Zombieland” with the perfect amount of scares sprinkled in to get the point across without overbearing the audience with cheesy special effects.

First, they need to capture a pawn in their chess game. They make their way into the city to find and kidnap Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), an important organization member who betrayed Thomas and the group earlier in the series. The scenes open old wounds for Thomas and serve as the driving emotional point in the film and giving the audience closure for the relationship.

GLAMFA

continued from page 1

State Northridge and featured artist, was thrilled to be taking part in the event.

“I was obviously excited because [“Virtual Reality”] was my first project after I joined the MFA program,” Alexander said.

“I really didn’t think it’d be featured so that’s awesome.”

Emily Jones, an student from Cal State Northridge and participant in the 2017 show, mentioned the biggest takeaway from taking part in the exhibition was the networking between student artists.

“It’s amazing because you meet new people and it’s really nice to meet other artists from all the different schools,” Jones said.

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

From left, Dylan O’Brien, Giancarlo Esposito, Dexter Darden, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Rosa Salazar in “Maze Runner: The Death Cure.”

With the final piece to their master plan in place, the rescue mission for Minho begins.

Thomas, Newt and their new ally make their way into the city with Teresa, using her codes to gain access to the room where Minho is being held hostage.

Things don’t go smoothly and the rescue mission takes a sharp right turn. What unfolds is a thrilling, action-packed climax

“There’s this girl’s work I saw three years ago at GLAMFA and I crushed hard on it.

It’s cool to see all these artists venture out and do great things but we’ll still have this experience to share.”

Another CSUN student, Pablo Estrada, was featured in the Max L. Gatov Gallery for a few print photographs.

“I took those pictures on days that might not have been the best for me,” Estrada said.

“But it’s a reminder that every day shapes you in the good and bad so to look at every experience as important to what makes you who you are.”

Friends with both Jones and Alexander, Estrada was happy to see both new and familiar throughout the event.

“It’s cool to see people I went to school with doing big things,” Estrada said. “And it’s great to take inspiration from the other

suitable for any sci-fi action fan.

The film has a simple storyline, but its strength is drawn from its action scenes and visual appeal. The imagination and creativity put into this film through costume details, futuristic cities and a healthy serving of CGI tied the series together well. The talented cast plus with an effective musical score composed by John Paesano, worked well with

artists.”

Organizers of the event called everyone’s attention at 7 p.m. to announce best in show. Haena Yoo’s and Amy MacKay’s pieces were selected by the judges and given free museum passes.

Haena Yoo, a student at the Art Center College of Design, won for her piece “Gunttin’n Out” in the Max L. Gatov Gallery, while University of California Irvine student Amy MacKay won best in show in Marilyn Werby Gallery for her oil painting, “Johanna II.” Yoo’s piece, an installation that incorporated found materials and video projection, touched on the issue of immigrants, especially in the Los Angeles marketplaces, by printing blank California IDs on tortillas to represent the fear some have surrounding gaining citizenship.

the mood of each scene. The big action and surround sound make the movie worth watching in a theater.

The storyline takes the passenger seat while the action takes the wheel, shifting the momentum into sixth gear. The film was action-packed which I appreciated, but for a riveting storyline or artsy shots, one may want to look elsewhere.

“I wanted to bring up this political and current topic so I’m happy that this important issue can be highlighted and seen by so many,” Yoo said.

Sintia Segovia, an organizer of the event also had her work featured. She was highlighted as the best in the open galleries, where pieces from Long Beach students were featured. Being in her last semester at the school, she was thrilled to end her time here on such a high note.

“It feels great that an independent Los Angeles-based gallery has chosen my work,” Segovia said. “It’s a sign that my work communicates strong ideas and a good way to end my career here.”

GLAMFA will remain featured in the galleries for viewing until Jan. 31. They will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and every artist’s work can be found on the GLAMFA website.

6 OPINIONS

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STATE OF THE UNION

Democrats show that they are stuck in a rut Rep. Joe Kennedy III was chosen to give the response to the president’s speech.

By Daniel Green Opinions Editor

A

fter President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address, the Democratic Party had an opportunity to respond with someone who the party felt could motivate voters.

Instead, it chose to rely on the past and one of its most popular political families by choosing Massachusetts representative Joe Kennedy III. Kennedy, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 2013, is the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of former President John F. Kennedy.

The response after the address has long been used to showcase rising stars, and insiders have suggested that Kennedy’s speech is being used to position for a possible presidential run.

While Kennedy is a younger candidate than the party has promoted in recent years, he feels like a safe decision rather than an exciting one.

Speaking out of a garage in Fall River, Massachusetts, Kennedy showcased the charisma that his family was known for. Much of his speech was meant to push back against the president’s own, even acknowledging that Fall River was “an American city built by immigrants.”

Unfortunately, the choice highlights Democratic party relying on its legacies, rather than building new stars and ideas that appeal to younger voters.

According to an article from the Pew Research Center, Millennials now match Baby Boomers as the largest voting group in the United States. On top of that, most voters

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Olivier Douliery | Abaca Press

President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Jan. 30.

under 35 identify as Democrats, or lean toward the party.

These numbers benefit the party, and yet they chose to rely on the legacy of a family who most young voters have little connection to. This is dangerously close to the same mistake that the party made when party leadership assumed Hillary Clinton would easily win the presidency in 2016.

The announcement of Joe Kennedy may mean something to older voters, but younger voters cannot be expected to feel the same connection to a family that is most known for men who died when their parents where children.

But more importantly, Kennedy stands out in a time of changing demographics.

After electing the first black president and running its female presidential candidate, it is disappointing that the Democrats did not continue to promote alternative viewpoints.

The use of a rich, white male seems like a return to the status quo.

Kennedy did touch on many topics saying that the “Justice Department has been rolling back civil rights by the day”. His speech covered different topics, such as immigration, racism, and gay rights.

However, the speech could mean more coming from people who deal with these issues every day.

Since Trump’s inauguration there have been many politicians who have spoken out against the president who would have represented the party.

California Democrat Rep. Ted Lieu has been a constant critic of the president, and has spoken out against many of his policies.

As an immigrant from Taiwan, Lieu would have been a great choice to represent the Dreamers and give a rebuttal against Trump’s anti-immigration policies.

Another choice could have been

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Rep. Maxine Waters who has also feuded with the president over his behavior.

Considering Trump has repeatedly insulted women, people of color and immigrants, these more appealing alternatives would have been able to speak for people who have been most affected during his term.

Kennedy acknowledged that the last year has been hard for many, but stressed that he and the party “hear the voices of the Americans who are forgotten”.

He ended his speech by stating that “the strongest, richest nation in the world should not leave anyone behind.”

Unfortunately, this does not mean that the voices of the Americans “who are forgotten” are not given an opportunity to speak for themselves.

Rather than find new voices, the Democratic party has decided to fall back on a classic look that no one asked for.

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Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in this issue are those of the writers or artists.

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SPORTS 7

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | SPORTSD49ER@GMAIL.COM

FAST FACTS SENIOR GABE LEVIN • 16.8 Levin’s points per

game is fourth in the Big West Conference.

7.1

• Levin’s rebounds per game is fifth in the Big West Conference.

29

• points Levin scored a career-high against CSUN Jan. 10.

678

• Levin’s minutes played this season for LBSU, fifth in the Big West.

130

John Fajardo | LBSU Athletics

Long Beach State senior forward Gabe Levin dribbles the ball and has started in all 23 games for the men’s basketball team this season.

• Field goals made by Levin this season.

PROFILE

Levin brings it to the next level

Fresh from injury, Gabe Levin looks to make his mark in his final year.

By Kevin Colindres Assistant Sports Editor

Gabe Levin wakes up at 4 a.m. every day to the sound of his father’s alarm clock. All he can think about is what his father always tells him: “If you want to be successful you’re going to have to work hard.”

This was the lesson that the 22-year-old was taught by his father, Hillel Levin who would always be the first one up in the household to go to work. It resonated with him and became the motivation behind Levin’s countless hours of training to become the basketball player he is today.

The 6-foot-7 forward has been impressive for the Long Beach State men’s basketball team in his final season, averaging 16.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists, a career best in all three categories.

Levin has become the go-to player when a basket is needed, but he would not be in that position today if it wasn’t for his upbringing.

“Gabe [Levin] is one of the top offensive players in the Big West,” head coach Dan Monson said.

“All he cares about is winning and his unselfishness is what sets him apart from other bigs.”

LBSU (12-12, 6-2 Big West) is currently on top of the Big West in large part Levin’s leadership.

The senior grew up in Oak Park,

Joseph Kling | Daily 49er

Gabe Levin elevates for a dunk in Jan. 10 game against CSUN.

Illinois where Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Iman Shumpert made a name for himself.

“It was a very diverse and competitive town,” Levin said. “Defense was a big thing here, and if you couldn’t defend there was no way you’d be able to keep up.”

Some of his inspirations growing up included San Antonio

Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard and Oklahoma City small forward Paul George, guys who are known as “two-way” players.

Levin always enjoyed to play the game recreationally, but never took the sport seriously until his junior year of high school at St. Thomas More Prep. One of his inspirations was his brother Aaron

Levin who played at Grinnell College, a Division III program.

“I’ve had many proud big brother moments throughout his career,” Aaron said. “He bet on himself when he went to prep school, and it paid off.”

The brothers didn’t play much against each other, but because Gabe was the youngest he was in charge of rebounding which became an integral part of his game.

“In the backyard we had a basket and I took the most advantage of it because I was so passionate about basketball,” Levin said. “Eventually the backboard fell off, so I had to learn how to shoot straight into the basket.”

At a summer league game Aaron saw Gabe finish an inaccurate lob that was thrown to him and that was the moment he realized that he was the real deal.

“That was the first time seeing him do that in person, and it was at that point where I realized he could be a special player,” Aaron said.

All of Levin’s hard work came into fruition when he committed to Hofstra University in Long Island, New York, but it would be a short stint due to the firing of head coach Mo Cassara. He quickly became a journeyman, transferring to Loyola Marymount followed by Marquette before landing at Long Beach State his sophomore year.

“I didn’t want my parents to pay for anything in college, that was my biggest motivation,” Gabe Levin said.

Assistant coach Senque Carey played a big role in bringing Levin to the beach because of his

ties with recruiting Paul George at Fresno State. This attracted him to go under his wing and ultimately decided his new home would be in Long Beach.

Since his first campaign as a 49er, Levin’s production has increased steadily, but after suffering a season ending injury on his knee last year, it was a new challenge he had to face.

“Not being able to use my lower body helped me work on things that I never had time to do,” Gabe Levin said. “I got the chance to slow down and just build my foundation.”

The senior came into his final season refreshed and fully prepared to lead the team to the top of the Big West Conference.

Levin’s personality is to “lead through example”, but understands when it is time to double as a vocal leader. Whether it is scoring at will or getting his teammates involved, he plays the right way.

The forward doesn’t feel the pressure with having the responsibility to lead the team because of the confidence he has in his teammates. The team has come together as of late, winning its last three and taking the top spot in the Big West.

Levin isn’t sure what happens next in his basketball career once he’s done with Long Beach, but knows basketball will always be apart of his life.

“I’ll deal with it when it comes, but for now i’m focused with what I have to finish here,” Levin said.

Long Beach will continue the Black and Blue Rivalry at 7 p.m.

Wednesday at the Walter Pyramid.

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2018

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