THURSDAY, OCT. 15, 2020
Mint | Page 6
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Culture Brew edition The newest Mint special edition allows people to speak on their experiences.
VOL. 127 NO. 9
courtesy of Phillip sinapati
This year’s annual Children of Azatlan Sharing Higher Education (CASHE) conference will be held virtually Dec. 4-5 because of COVID-19. The conference will offer financial, admission and scholarship workshops, as well as conversations on identity and culture in the Latinx community.
Multicultural events empower students
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By Loren Negron Evergreen reporter
ocelyn Granados attended a WSU multicultural conference in high school, and it was there that she felt welcomed and empowered to share her story about trying to pursue higher education. “I think that’s really valuable because it’s really hard for students to share their stories and be in a room with people who support them,” said Granados, junior pre-law political science and psychology dual-degree student.
When Granados attended the Children of Azatlan Sharing Higher Education (CASHE) conference, she said she developed connections with student leaders and learned what she needed to navigate higher education. Starting in 1997, the student-led CASHE conference has been helping high school students of Chicanx and Latinx backgrounds experience WSU and learn about higher education. It is organized by Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán (MEChA). Granados said she wants other students to have the same experience she had. Since her first year at the university, she has been involved with CASHE through various
roles and now serves as one of the co-chairs.
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Student-led conferences will be held via Zoom; first one will occur next weekend
I knew I wanted to give back, and it’s just so rewarding. Jocelyn Granados Junior WSU student
“I knew I wanted to give back, and it’s just so rewarding,” Granados said. “I think overall it just reminds me of how thankful I am. It keeps me rooted and grounded, that community is everything.”
The annual CASHE conference will be held virtually Dec. 4-5 due to COVID-19, Granados said. The conference will offer financial aid, admission and scholarship workshops to attendees, she said. There will also be a workshop on identities and cultures in the Latinx community. “Building that community but doing it virtually — we will be incorporating a lot of interactive activities, ice breakers to make sure that the students know they are supported,” Granados said. ASWSU adviser Phillip Sinapati said it is difficult to engage with students virtually, and the online See EVENTS Page 10
Creating community for people with disabilities WSU pre-med senior stepped into leadership role to help welcome, advocate for group members By Annie Hager Evergreen reporter
It all started with a recruitment email from the WSU Access Center looking for students with leadership qualities. Mikayla Beckley responded, and now is the vice president of the Disabled Students and Allies Club. The group focuses on creating an inclusive community for students with disabilities. Beckley is a senior on a pre-med track, and she is majoring in genetics and cell biology with the goal of becoming a pediatrician. She transferred from Central Washington University
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after her freshman year. “My heart always wanted to go to WSU,” Beckley said. “I moved to WSU because of that community.” Members in the DSAAC work to empower those with disabilities, as well as help them build confidence through different workshops and events, Beckley said. The WSU Access Center provides accommodations and services to students with disabilities, whether psychological conditions, medical disabilities or temporary injuries. “We partner with the access center to provide resources for people who don’t necessarily have access to [them],” Beckley said. Mikaela Thepvongsa is the Tri-Cities liaison officer working with the access
News | 3
Roots | 4
coordinator. Her main job is to coordinate meetings and events with the other officers in the DSAAC. “As a deaf student, I have experienced numerous hardships and barriers when it comes to receiving adequate access to healthcare,” Thepvongsa wrote in an email. Many hospitals and clinics require to be contacted through a phone call for scheduling purposes. “This is something I have always struggled with since I cannot hear over the phone,” Thepvongsa wrote. One of the most unique things about the DSAAC is that all students across the WSU system, both with and without disabilities, are encouraged to join, Beckley said. See COMMUNIT Y Page 3
Opinion | 5
COURTESY OF MIKAYLA BECKLEY
WSU senior Mikayla Beckley is vice president of the Disabled Students and Allies Club.
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Sports | 8
Black origin of blues
Want spooky fun?
Charity group helps
Coug catch-up
Activist spoke about impact of Black people with disabilities on the arts.
Visit the Palouse Discovery Science Center this weekend.
Food Not Bombs assists Palouse residents with food and supplies.
Offensive lineman Abe Lucas speaks on his crazy off-the-field routine.
News | Page 3
Roots | Page 4
Opinion | Page 5
Sports | Page 8