May 15, 2018

May 15, 2018

C al Poly, S a n Lui s O b i s p o

w w w. mu s t a ng n ews . n e t

E s t a b l i s h e d 1 916

HOUSING SCAMS

Search for housing in San Luis Obispo can lead to scam susceptibility PAGE 2

Content NEWS

STUDENTS OF COLOR SUMMIT...................4 DOLORES HUERTA ......................................4 INNOVATION QUEST....................................5 CORNHOLE CLUB ........................................6 SAVING WOLVES ..........................................7

ARTS

JEWELRY MAKING .......................................6 FEEL ALIVE ..................................................8 THE BUNKER FEATURE.............................10 KALICKS ....................................................12

OPINION

STATE OF MEDIA .......................................16

SPORTS

DUPED

HANNA CROWLE Y | MUSTANG NE W S

| Scammers ask potential renters for security deposits for occupied houses. Police have a hard time preventing this scam.

TUESDAY, MAY 15, 2018 VOLUME O, ISSUE 29

How students can avoid housing scams

CONTACT

Ashley Ladin @ ashleyladin

NELSON FAMILY.........................................17

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EDITORIAL (805) 756-1796 ADVERTISING (805) 756-1143 CLASSIFIED (805) 756-1143 FAX (805) 756-6784 Graphic Arts Building 26, Suite 226 California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA 93407

EDITORS AND STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Naba Ahmed MANAGING EDITORS | Gina Randazzo and Brendan Matsuyama NEWS EDITOR | James Hayes ARTS EDITOR | Mikaela Duhs OPINION EDITOR | Elias Atienza SPORTS EDITOR | Erik Engle SPECIAL SECTIONS COORDINATOR | Megan Schellong COPY CHIEF | Bryce Aston COPY EDITORS | Monique Geisen | Clarisse Wangeline | Quinn Fish LEAD DESIGNER | Zack Spanier DESIGNERS | Jessie Franco | Tanner Layton

ON THE COVER

Cal Poly’s Off Campus Programs helps students spot potential scams.

Photo by Hanna Crowley, Mustang News.

When her housing arrangement for the 20182019 school year fell through in April, civil engineering sophomore Aubrey Kraemer and her three roommates joined the group of Cal Poly students still searching for housing for next year.

As the summer months draw closer, students become more desperate to find housing and often search for listings on Craigslist or other websites and social media platforms. Unfortunately, some advertisements that appear promising are actually well-designed scams that prey on college students.

“We needed housing. That’s probably why we went along with it for so long,” Kraemer said.

“We wanted it to work out so badly because the house looked so nice, it had a good feel and a great location and we were tired of the process.”

A listing for a charming house downtown caught Kraemer’s and her roommates’ eyes.

After exchanging a few emails with the landlord, he told the group they were extremely likely to get the house if they submitted their application and sent in the $2,600 security deposit. The group sent in the application, but asked to see the house before paying the security deposit. When the landlord claimed he could not show the house because the tenants requested complete privacy, they decided to go to the house themselves and knock on the door.

The man who answered had lived in the house for 15 years and had no intention of leaving anytime soon.

While Kraemer and her roommates up rec-

ognized the listing as a scam before it was too late, it is easy for the stress of finding housing to cloud students’ judgments when assessing listings. David Scarry, a landlord with multiple properties in San Luis Obispo, said he believes one of the reasons these scams can be so convincing is the fast-paced nature of real estate.

“It is difficult to tell sometimes, because that’s how the market is, it’s very demanding,” Scarry said. “Sometimes there is a rush because whoever signs first gets it — they can’t hold it for you.”

Even when such scams are reported to the police, there is only so much that can be done to prevent them in the future or to recover the stolen money. San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) Patrol Lt. Brian Amoroso acknowledged the limitations law enforcement faces with reported scams.

“Contact the agency if you do get scammed, because we can’t do anything if it’s not reported,” Amoroso said. “It is difficult to track, many scammers are not actually in San Luis Obispo. If anyone is asking you to pay through Western Union or any prepaid card, that’s an immediate red flag because the money can’t be tracked or reversed.”

Red flags Cal Poly’s Off Campus Programs offer an educated renter certificate program that helps students spot potential scams and become more knowledgeable renters. The following is a list of major red flags to look out for when searching for housing. It was developed for the program with the help of the University Police Department and is simplified here:

1. Scammers usually ask for a deposit or first month’s rent before showing the property. The easiest sign of a rental scam is when someone asks for a money transfer via Western Union, Moneygram or Prepaid Visa card.

2. The owner is out of the country on a mission, job opportunity or military service. Always meet the landlord or agent in-person and at the property.

3. The listing costs significantly less than nearby similar properties. If it seems too good to be true, then chances are it is a scam.

4. Emails from scammers are often littered with grammatical mistakes and typos. If the email is difficult to read, lengthy or includes a sad story, then it is possibly a scam.

5. Research the email address and phone number of the landlord or owner on Google for reports made on the individual.

6. Do not fill out an application without seeing the property. Some apartment communities will offer legitimate applications via a property’s website, but do not submit an application with personal information until verifying the property exists.

7. Never, under any circumstances, send money to anyone without securing a lease and confirming the property manager has the legal right to rent the property.

If you fall victim to a housing scam or suspect a listing to be a scam, you can file a report by calling SLOPD at (805) 781-7317.

Sydney Brandt @SydneyBrandt_

When Jasmin Fashami was announced the 2018-2019 Associated Students Inc. (ASI) president, her supporters erupted into cheers as she covered her mouth in surprise.

“It was just so shocking, to say the least.

I still now am kind of at a loss for words,” Fashami said. “I’m honestly just so grateful that Cal Poly and so many of the students were rallying behind me and my message and were supporting me.”

Fashami’s campaign was based on her platform, “ACT,” which focused on student empowerment. Her three main points were represented by the three letters: Access to a voice, Creating initiative and Together as one community.

This year, Fashami worked as Secretary of Student Advocacy for ASI. Through her initiatives and work she has done with administration, the city and the student body, Fashami said communication is a key component to success.

“A lot of what I’ve done is for student rights … I realized that communication is very important and that we’re listening to every single group on this campus,” Fashami said. “I know I’ve said this a lot, but underrepresented ones especially, should have a focus with what’s going on in campus climate and campus politics.”

Getting to know Jasmin While Fashami’s hometown is in Orange Country and she identifies with American culture, she was born in the Netherlands.

Fashami will be graduating a year early as a junior and will only be enrolled in 12 to 14 units each quarter next year to focus on her leadership role.

After graduating, Fashami plans to take a gap year before attending law school.

As ASI president, Fashami will receive a scholarship covering housing, tuition, books and some other living expenses. The

position itself can be up to 50 to 60 hours a week, she said.

“To my understanding, I get a scholarship based on what the [California State University System] sees the cost of living is for a student at Cal Poly, so I am very grateful to be getting that money,” she said.

Although there are benefits to her new position, Fashami said she has made sacrifices to get where she is today.

As part of her new position, Fashami has to stay in San Luis Obispo this summer and turned down an internship with the United Nations. She also decided she will no longer continue her position as founding president of the pre-law fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta, to fully dedicate herself to ASI. Outside of Cal Poly, Fashami said music is a significant part of her life. She admitted she is a huge concert junkie and vinyl collector.

“I will travel as far as you want for me to go to a concert. I will pay top dollars,” she said. “I am always in the general admission, get there four hours early type of individual ... I love music, I love it with all my heart.”

Short-term goals In addition to her “ACT” platform, Fashami said there are little things she hopes to bring to her ASI cabinet to create an inclusive government.

“I’m about to start reaching out to organizations who have special interests in what I believe will line up with my platform,” Fashami said. “Really reaching out to all parts of campus and having them being included in student government for next year.”

Fashami hopes to expand on many of the initiatives current ASI president Riley Nilsen put in place to continue open conversations with students.

“I think that [Nilsen’s] round tables … [were] a good way to start the conversation about what are your concerns as a student,” Fashami said. “Hopefully by starting a rela-

JOIN JASMIN

JAKE DOUGL A S | MUSTANG NE W S

| Political science sophomore Jasmin Fashami will be the 2018-19 ASI president.

tionship right during the summer, during September, I really see next year being a very legislation-heavy year.”

As campus climate issues have recently risen, Fashami pointed out that there is a lot of distrust between different organizations and the student body. She said she hopes to act as the liaison to build back some of the relationships that were lost.

“I do definitely feel pressure on my shoulders to live up to the things I’ve promised for next year and I’m hoping that administration does really listen to the student voice. I know they have the best intentions in mind, but they are really following

through with taking our perspectives into account,” Fashami said.

Looking into next year, Fashami said she is most excited to build individual connections with as many Cal Poly students as she can.

“I like to think of myself as being very open and friendly and I want to make sure no student feels intimidated to come into my office and speak to me,” she said. “I’m hoping that just reaching out at that very individual, personal level, people can come up to me throughout the entire year and ask to go to lunch with me, ask to do things outside of ASI.”

TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

Cal Poly’s next ASI President: Getting to know Jasmin

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TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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MultiCultural Center to host second annual Students of Color Summit Isabel Hughes @isabeljhughes

The MultiCultural Center will host the second annual Students of Color Summit (SOCS) Saturday, May 19. SOCS is a student-run, day-long conference with staff support intended to provide students of color an opportunity to explore their identities and navigate their lives as underrepresented individuals at Cal Poly, which remains the least diverse California State University (CSU). SOCS will feature a variety of resources for students of color, such as workshops, caucuses and a case study.

There will be 18 different workshops ranging in topics, including “Education for Social Justice,” “Digital Blackface in Social Media” and “How to Organize Cultural Clubs Effectively.”

The workshops will be taught by students of color and Cal Poly staff and faculty.

The caucuses will differ from the workshops in that they will be identity-based discussions, such as “Womxn of Color” and “Queer and

Trans People of Color” where students can unite to explore a particular aspect of their identities such as their race or gender.

First-generation, Filipinx, transgender femme artist and activist Jade Phoenix Martinez will be the keynote speaker.

Martinez is a performing poet, actress, aspiring comedian and informative cultural producer. Her work is centered on changing the dialogue for transgender womxn/ femme or feminine-presenting and gender non-conforming people in academia and popular culture.

In an interview with Lambda Literary, Martinez said, “A lot of the power of my work is in my ability to be vulnerable and engaging, and drawing from the intersections is where I am able to make my work reach its peak impact.

Where there is connection, there is change, When there is a shared vulnerability amongst us, there is power.”

Black Academic Excellence Center Coordinator Steve Ross will facilitate a case study discussing solutions to a relevant Cal Poly issue.

Liberal studies senior Raha Haghnia said SOCS is also an important day for students of color to heal after the ongoing racist incidents at Cal Poly which have targeted people of color, and especially after Kyler Watkins recently appeared in blackface and Lambda Chi Alpha members were pictured wearing stereotypical gangster attire. Haghnia is one of the SOCS lead coordinators along with comparative ethnic studies junior Riley Wang and computer engineering junior Amber Jaitrong.

“We want folks to build community at this event. It’s a way for students of color to come together and have an opportunity to bridge connections between folks and find mentors and heal,” Haghnia said.

Haghnia also said SOCS will not just be a chance for students of color to socialize, but a time for constructive brainstorming about how to move forward.

Wang discussed productivity as one of the goals of SOCS as well, specifically in relation to the identity-based caucuses.

“Often when people of color get together and talk about their experiences, it turns into trauma bonding, and that’s not productive or beneficial for all of us because we’re just ruminating in those negative experiences that we all have,” Wang said. “We wanted to focus a lot on finding a solution: what are the next steps, what’s a preventative measure? Different things like that so we can look more into preventing or mitigating a problem.”

In addition to providing clarity on how to move forward and solutions to problems people of color at Cal Poly face, SOCS aims to connect freshman students of color with upperclass students of color in an effort to make adjusting to Cal Poly less difficult. Mentorship will play a key role in shaping community building at the summit.

“We’re trying to bridge a connection between the students of color who are leaving, the activists who are leaving and the activists who are incoming to weave a new generation of activists at Cal Poly,” Haghnia said.

Students of color will also have the opportunity to participate in artivism, or art as activism, where students can express their creativity by making t-shirts, buttons and posters after the summit.

Students can register for the summit on the Students of Color Summit Facebook event page.

A changemaker’s journey: Dolores Huerta speaks at Cal Poly Sydney Brandt @ SydneyBrandt_

Civil rights activist Dolores Huerta spoke to a packed Chumash Auditorium Thursday, May 10 regarding campus climate and social activism.

“I was so happy to see how many people went and to see that many people did care about what she had to say and about seeing a changemaker speak,” communication studies sophomore Kylie Clark said. “After seeing her I personally felt really empowered, especially when she had the entire audience shout together about having a voice and being able to use that influence.”

The Cross Cultural Centers organized the event and Huerta’s appearance was just one of many events taking place as part of the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion’s Inclusion Excellence Month.

“I’m hoping that [these events] inspire people to not just be angry and upset but to actually make the campus a better place and to make change,” Clark said. “A lot of the talks are giving specific ways that you can make the campus a better place.”

Clark recently attended a talk called “White Skeptics” which discussed how to talk to white individuals who do not think

racism or discrimination still exist.

“I think a lot of people, by going to talks like that might see how they can actually use their power and their minds to make a difference and to change campus if they are upset about what’s going on,” she said.

Huerta has been a part of the fight for equality for more than 50 years. In 1962, she co-founded the United Farm Workers of America with Cesar Chavez, which later became the United Farm Workers union.

The 88-year-old, mother-of-11 labor leader shared her journey as a community organizer, giving advice to Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo residents on fighting for equality.

“This campus should not bear the stigma of being a racist campus,” Huerta said in her presentation. “That’s shameful ... We gotta change it. We gotta make sure that this campus here reflects the state of California, reflects the diversity of the people in the state of California and all of you that are working to change this, I just want to say, keep on doing what you are doing.”

Huerta said one of the biggest issues contributing to inequality is misrepresentation in the U.S. Census. Many undocumented immigrant families do not fill out census forms because of fear of persecution, according to Huerta. She argued that this

leads to a lack of representation and structural support for these communities. To have a voice, she said, we have to utilize our right to vote and to campaign.

“In the U.S. Congress, we have to elect progressive Congresspeople so that we can stop all of the racist and the misogynist [homophobes],” she said. “The only way that we can change policies is by making sure that we elect the people to all of these public offices, that’s it. There’s no other way.”

Huerta compared issues present today to those of the Civil Rights Movement that occurred in the 1960s, calling this an “economic revolution” as opposed to a cultural revolution.

In a recent study from a high school district that expelled and suspended more than 2,000 students, Huerta said Black students and Latinx students are expelled 600 and 500 times more than white students, respectively. The only solution is education.

“They have to have positive behavior intervention systems ... They’ve got to have one month of African-American heritage month, one month of Latino heritage month,” she said. “These teachers have to have cultural competency training.”

Huerta’s last message to Cal Poly was to remember that we are all one people, one

COURTESY PHOTO | CAL POLY

human race.

“We only have one life on this earth,” she said. “Think of how you are going to dedicate your life to make this world a better place. That’s the important thing.”

Cassandra Garibay @ cassandragari

Biomedical engineering graduate student Sara Della Ripa placed first at the 2018 Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Innovation Quest. Della Ripa’s idea was inspired by her engineering background and clinical experience.

Della Ripa is in the process of creating a maternal health device called the Massive Obstetric Hemorrhage Indication Device (MOHI) or Maternal Innovations Device. It will quickly predict severe postpartum hemorrhaging symptoms through a paper-based test of the blood’s ability to clot.

“Shadowing local hospitals and being in Uganda for eight weeks and doing a lot of research — it was clear that there’s a need for early detection [of postpartum hemorrhaging],” Della Ripa said.

She presented her business idea to a judging panel at Innovation Quest in hopes of making her product a reality.

Innovation Quest Innovation Quest is an annual competition founded by Cal Poly students in 2003 that has awarded student start-up ventures for the past 14 years.

Out of 46 applicants, a panel of judges selected 13 finalists, according to the director of Innovation Quest and biomedical engineering professor Thomas Katona. These finalists presented their business idea in-person to a room full of judges, most of whom were Cal Poly alumni.

Katona said the challenge serves as a great way for students to get business experience and potentially win money to continue developing their companies. “[Students] need those opportunities to express their own creative desires within the context of trying to put that into developing something that would really create value for an end customer, and so I think it is one of the most valuable things we do on campus,” Katona said.

The challenge participants are encouraged to go to Innovation Quest workshops throughout the year during which Cal Poly professors and other local business owners can advise them.

“I think students are more motivated to learn when the learning is driven by their own passion and so setting up a place where there is some framework to it,” Katona said.

“It’s not just wandering off doing whatever, they’ve got guidance and coaching.”

Della Ripa won $15,000 to help her pursue

her passion; the second place winner, Pantry, won $10,000; and Lost Coast Surf Tech won $5,000 for placing third.

Winners are not required to use the money for their companies. However, Katona said, the hope is winners will become successful business owners and give back to future student business developers.

According to Della Ripa, when she first applied for the competition with her business partner Nathan Bair, she did not expect to make it to the final round.

“I got into finals and that was a very celebratory moment and I didn’t think I was going to place at all, but once I started getting closer to [the competition], I was like, ‘No, I know this is important and I think other people are going to know this is important,’” Della Ripa said.

The MOHI Device & Postpartum Hemorrhaging Postpartum hemorrhaging is the number one cause of maternal death across the world, according to InPress Technologies, where Della Ripa and Bair work. Although there is no way to tell in advance if a patient is at risk of postpartum hemorrhaging, fatalities can be prevented in 90 percent of hemorrhaging incidents, Della Ripa said.

Della Ripa’s research showed 3 to 18 percent of mothers died from hemorrhaging after giving birth. The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among industrialized nations, yet developing nations still suffer the most.

“It’s amazing to me that people are letting this happen. I mean, people aren’t letting this happen, but it seems like it’s OK. It’s OK that mothers are dying during childbirth because there’s not enough being done about it,” Della Ripa said.

According to Della Ripa, the numbers vary greatly because many hospitals will often attribute postpartum hemorrhaging death to other causes because these fatalities are almost always preventable.

Her research found that the cause is often a result of the physician denying the problem and delaying treatment. However, Della Ripa does not fault the obstetricians, but rather the technology gaps in maternal healthcare.

“The technology is not there and so, doctors — it’s hard for doctors. You’re in this extremely emergency situation and they are trying to figure out why the woman is bleeding, and it — it turns into this chaotic moment where you have to act fast and it’s actually easy to miss the really dangerous point when a wom-

an’s blood [is] unable to clot naturally,” Della Ripa said.

As of now, the only Occupational Safety and Health Administration-approved method to determine if a patient is at risk of hemorrhaging is to a blood sample to a lab, but doing so can take up to an hour if the hospital does not have a lab on site. However, Della Ripa said a patient may bleed to death before then.

With Della Ripa’s test, the physicians would be able to detect whether or not a patient’s blood has clotting capability early on. According to Della Ripa, early detection and diagnosis are extremely crucial and can save lives.

Although there are businesses trying to cure postpartum hemorrhaging, there are few focused on early detection because of the social issues surrounding maternal health in addition to the lack of technology and research.

InPress Technologies, where Della Ripa has worked for the past two-and-a-half years, is one of the companies performing clinical trials to find a cure. InPress Technologies is a medical device company created by Cal Poly students who won Innovation Quest years ago.

It was at InPress Technologies that Della Ripa found her passion for maternal healthcare. However, it was her volunteer work at

STARTUP

FILE PHOTO | MUSTANG NE W S

| Out of 46 applicants, judges selected 13 finalists for this year’s Innovation Quest.

5 TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

Biomedical engineering student wins Innovation Quest with maternal health device

Marian Hospital in Santa Maria, California that inspired her vision for her product.

“The doctors are just used to what they’re used to, but if you come in as an outsider with an engineering mind ... you realize, ‘Yeah ... there are some gaps here’,” Della Ripa said. “It really brought those two things together for me when I started shadowing. I know [my idea] would have never happened, I would have never found this need, found this solution, without shadowing.”

This need was reinforced when Della Ripa worked on a clinical trial with InPress Technologies in Uganda.

“When I was in Uganda, there was a clinic that was maybe a half-mile from the hospital I was staying at and this woman was transferred too late. She was only a half-mile from the clinic, I could almost see the clinic from the hospital,” Della Ripa said.

Della Ripa said the woman had lost four liters of blood; however, it is often difficult to correlate the amount of blood loss to the potential for hemorrhaging.

“That was really horrific. Being there for that was really hard, and knowing that if — if they had an indication of when to transfer a woman, because one of the main hospitals would have something to give her, they would have the plasma potentially [to save her],” Della Ripa said.

Della Ripa said she will invest all the money she won from Innovation Quest into her product and hopes once her product is developed, it can be implemented in hospitals around the world.

Once she graduates in June, Della Ripa plans to spend her summer in the SLO Hot House and to develop a proof of concept test by fall.

“I have no doubts because I will pour my entire heart and soul into this,” Della Ripa said.

TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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Cornhole Club to attempt to break record for world’s longest cornhole game Michael Aldon Special to Mustang News

The Cal Poly Cornhole Club plans to attempt to break a Guinness World Record for world’s longest cornhole game May 17 to May 18.

Cornhole Club President Billy Markham and Vice President Nick Appen-Lippard were in the University Union Plaza May 3 selling t-shirts, signing up witnesses for the world record and signing up contestants for their Annual Spring Tournament May 26.

They plan to beat the current world record for the longest cornhole game ever played, which stands at 26 hours, 12 minutes.

“It’s going to be a lot of mental preparation, just making sure our minds and our bodies can withstand throwing a bag filled with corn for that long,” business administration sophomore Appen-Lippard said. “If we make one mistake, then the entire record will not count.”

They plan to get a substantial amount of sleep the night before in preparation for at-

tempting to beat the world record.

“We’ve pulled all-nighters before though, so I think we can do it,” construction management sophomore Markham said.

There must be two witnesses watching at all times with no witnesses watching for more than four hours for the world record to be valid. Computer engineering sophomore Asariel Garcia plans on being a witness for the world record attempt.

“It’s pretty rare to get the chance to witness history,” Garcia said. “It should be a lot of fun cheering them on and I hope I can say that I’ve seen someone beat a world record.”

The club will also hold its Annual Spring Tournament where the winners will get their team name and individual names engraved on the Cornhole Club Spring Tournament Trophy, and each receive an Amazon Echo Dot. Last year, Markham, along with other freshman residents of Sierra Madre Tower 3 founded the Cornhole Club in the residence

AMAIZING

halls. Since then, the club has continued to grow, according to Markham.

“Both me and [Appen-Lippard] are very

Hobby turned business: Student transforms jewelrymaking passion into a business

SIMPLE STATEMENTS

SONYA JINDAL | MUSTANG NE W S

| Jenny Hoekstra described her jewelry as simplistic and minimal.

Sonya Jindal @ sonya_jindal

Business admiistration junior Jenny Hoekstra sat on her backyard deck. The golden hour sunlight struck the turquoise beads of her newly

made, wire-wrapped earrings, a creation she thought up as she comfortably laid on her lime green yoga mat. Lost in the trance that is her craft, Hoekstra was in her element.

Hoekstra started her business, Jenz Jewels, her senior year of high school upon searching

SHAWN MICHAEL CHA STEN | COURTE SY PHOTO

| Cornhole competitors hold the Cornhole Club Spring Tournament Trophy.

for a means to fundraise for a humanitarian trip to Malawi, Africa.

To raise money, Hoekstra began to create bracelets and anklets, using thread and charms for her designs.

“I needed a way to make money and I like being creative. It basically just stuck out to me as something to do,” Hoekstra said. “I like harnessing my creativity; it’s really therapeutic.”

Realizing her love for crafting jewelry, Hoekstra began to harness her hobby, teaching herself how to wire wrap through online videos.

“Jenz Jewels reflects not only her knack for jewelry craft, but also the artistry that goes into every one of [Hoekstra’s] pieces,” animal science junior and customer of Jenz Jewels Keiko Eastman said. “They are charming, simple, yet bold and can tie together any outfit. Each one is unique and a testament to the time and thought put into it. I wear mine almost everyday.”

Hoekstra describes her jewelry as simplistic and minimal, representing the things she likes in life, including shells, wire and unique charms.

“I really like simplicity. That’s the type of jewelry that I tend to choose,” Hoekstra said.

“I think jewelry highlights your features and everyone’s so different. People see different things in different items.”

passionate about this game,” Markham said. “It’s a really fun game that brings people together.”

Hoekstra is currently working towards expanding her Instagram business, using her free time to create new pieces. She finds the most solace in designing items for her close friends and family.

“Everything’s super cute and customizable per person so it’s all super unique,” English junior and long-time supporter of Jenz Jewels Lara Haller said. “She makes the jewelry have a homey touch while still looking like it was made at a store and I always get compliments on my rings.”

Hoekstra sells all her items on her business Instagram handle @jenz_jewels. Hoekstra also takes custom requests. Her pieces average about $7 per item based on the materials used and time designated.

“If I like a piece, I post it to the Instagram page and if someone wants to buy it, they’ll comment or DM me,” Hoekstra said. “If the person is in [San Luis Obispo], I’ll usually try to meet up with them to save on postage, but if not, I’ll mail it out.”

Hoekstra makes it a mission to support small businesses in San Luis Obispo, buying most of her supplies from Beads by the Bay’in Morro Bay. According to Hoekstra, San Luis Obispo is the best place for small businesses. “[San Luis Obispo] is such a cool town to be your own entrepreneur because people really respect self-starters,” Hoekstra said.

She hopes to put more time into her business this summer, acknowledging the therapeutic properties it has for her.

“It’s the main thing I do to let out my creative outlet,” Hoekstra said. “You have to take time to self-care and it’s kind of a reflection to how much self-care I take for myself. I feel like everyone should have something that they do that reflects their level of self-care.”

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For the wolves: Sanctuary in Paso Robles offers education tours Alejandra Garcia Special to Mustang News

A slight breeze rustled through the mangled blades of grass as the sun beat down. A low howl was heard from across the property. Not a bark. A howl. Two full grown wolves trotted from behind a plastic shelter and made their way to the gate to greet that day’s visitors. Icy, blue eyes tracked every move made as people walked along the worn down path.

The Wolf Hybrid Adoption and Rescue (WHAR) in Paso Robles is more than a home for several wolves. It is a sanctuary — a facility where animals are brought to receive the care, training and rehabilitation needed to get them back on their feet and adopted.

How it began Established in 1999 by CEO Kristi Krutsinger and her husband, WHAR has been the home to more than 150 hybrid and full-blood wolves.

The endeavor began when their family dog was killed along a highway after escaping its pen.

After some time, the couple responded to an ad for a Malamute mix in hopes of adding to their family again. However, the family soon found out their new pet was a wolf-hybrid. A neighbor, who also had a hybrid, offered to help build them an enclosure in return for watching his animal while he vacationed for several months.

The Krutsingers agreed. Once their neighbor returned from his trip and retrieved his hybrid, they were left with a large, empty pen. They soon started rescuing hybrids and built three more structures. Four years and 20 animals later, they started the application process to become a non-

profit due to high expenses.

People began to stop by and take notice of these animals, which sparked curiosity within the community. Donations from family, friends and community members helped them build the rescue and allowed them to maintain upkeep.

This exposure and attention also led to an increase in rescued animals.

The Animals Many times, these animals are brought in after experiencing neglect, harsh and improper living conditions, illegal breeding or being left in the wild and expected to survive on their own, according to Krutsinger.

Josie McGhee, a volunteer animal handler at the rescue center, is responsible for basic upkeep with each of the wolves, including replacing their food and water, exercising them and assessing their physical care.

“People try to treat [wolves] as dogs when they’re so much more. You can treat a dog like a wolf, but you can’t treat a wolf like a dog,” McGhee said.

Krutsinger stood about 5-feet-tall, wrapped in several layers of wool and down feathers that shielded her from the wind. Her fingers gently ran along the outside of the fence, receiving excited licks and playful howls. She spoke to each animal as if they were longtime friends. Having ––been at the shelter for almost 20 years, she had familiarized herself with the wolves.

“All these animals have a wonderful heart.

Wolves are amazing, civil and thoughtful creatures,” Krutsinger said.

Inside the chain-link fences of this sanctuary, both hybrid and full-blood wolves can be found.

Full wolf species at the rescue include red and gray wolves, which include Arctic, Great Plains, Mexican and Timberwolves.

Hybrid dog-wolf mixes look very similar to a full-blood wolf with thick coats, over-sized paws and colorful, piercing eyes. However, there are key differences between the two, both physically and behaviorally, according to Krutsinger.

Dogs are less combative and have more barrel and rounded features, whereas wolves tend to have more triangular characteristics.

Wolves are more athletic than dogs — running, jumping and climbing over the wooden crates inside. Unlike a normal canine, these animals have no webbing between their toes, which enables the wolves to use them as we would use our fingers.

Chiefy, a four-year-old full-blood Timberwolf at WHAR, demonstrated this. As Krutsinger approached the enclosure with a raw chicken drumstick in hand, Chiefy paced back and forth, jumping about four feet in the air. Right before the chicken leg poked through the square hole of the fence, Chiefy leaped up, wrapped all toes around the chain link fence and held on while chomping down on the snack.

Educating the public As a non-profit organization, WHAR makes public education a priority by ensuring individuals are aware of the differences between dogs and animals who are part wolf.

“We’re one of the smaller wolf rescues but we’re one of the better ones in California for really learning about wolves and seeing them up close,” Krutsinger said. “We teach a lot about their behavior. You can see on a really real level

what they are and what they need.”

Some of the wolves are taken to different schools, libraries and events to inform children, students and the general public about these exotic animals and the potential conflicts that may occur without proper treatment and care.

Animal science associate professor Marc Horney studies rangeland resource management and has been involved in many discussions and debates regarding wolf management, especially in the state of California.

He has observed an increased level of concern regarding the protection of the wolf hybrid population due to them periodically escaping their enclosures and the lack of training owners receive on what exactly their behavior can be like.

“A wolf hybrid can be a completely docile, very loving animal, but you never can be completely sure when that second set of genes is going to get turned on,” Horney said. “This requires a level of responsibility and a level of caution that exceeds what most casual people are capable of.”

After several months of learning hand signals and commands, respecting boundaries and orders and understanding each animal’s personality, staff members put them up for adoption in hopes of finding them a forever home.

All of these animals can be seen, fed and learned about on one of their daily tours.

“These animals are amazing if you put the time in with them, but they’re still wild animals, or part-wild animals and they can do unpredictable things and you cannot blame them for that,” Krutsinger said. “They have to be able to be themselves or else they’ll be broken. And a broken animal becomes a dangerous animal.”

TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | ARTS | MUSTANG NEWS

CANDICE KELCHNER | COURTE SY PHOTO

HOWLING FOR A GOOD CAUSE | Motivated by the loss of their dog in an accident, Kristi Krutsinger and her husband founded the Wolf Hybrid Adoption and Rescue for full-blooded wolves and wolf hybrids.

TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | ARTS | MUSTANG NEWS

8

Feel Alive: Providing SLO with repurposed, locally-sourced vegan food Emma Kumagawa @ emma_kumagawa

“Eat life, feel alive,” Jamie Himler said about her life and business philosophy. Environmental management and protection sophomore Himler wants to change the fate of imperfect food products, ensuring they end up in people’s stomachs rather than in garbage cans.

Feel Alive was created by Jamie Himler and environmental engineering senior Gerardo “Jerry” Cortes because they both had a dream in mind: to solve the issue of local food waste. They pitched their idea at the Cal Poly Startup Weekend November 2017.

Within 54 hours, they had brought their company to life.

Himler and Cortes boothed at San Luis Obispo events and festivals prior to Feel Alive becoming a legitimate business.

They simply had a passion for providing people with repurposed, locally-sourced vegan food.

“It was so much fun that we decided that we wanted to keep doing that,” Himler said. “But when we learned about the world problem of food waste and how prevalent and local the issue is, we wanted to help solve food

waste while being able to share nutritious food with people.”

Cortes is now primarily pursuing yoga instruction, so nutrition science sophomore Maya Smigel has enthusiastically filled in his role as a Feel Alive leader.

Now, about 20 people are part of the Feel Alive team. Each person has a specialty in business, food science or art, so the business pulls from the different strengths of its contributors. The members collect extra food that would otherwise be composted from the local farmers’ market each week.

“We usually give [Feel Alive] a lot of the stuff we’re not going to sell anymore after the [farmers’] market, so it’s good because we usually end up tossing it anyways,” Aldo Chavez of Chavez Family Farms said. “We can’t really do anything with it, so if it’s being put to use, then that’s better.”

Smigel said because supermarkets are prohibited from giving out their expired or unused food to people, Feel Alive is trying to work with larger organizations to change the law. They would also like to help reduce the amount of food thrown away from Campus Dining.

According to Himler, one in four Cal Poly students are food-insecure. One of Feel

Alive’s greatest ambitions is to minimize food waste in San Luis Obispo while providing food for those in need.

“All of the food that we take in is totally fine,” Himler said. “Usually it doesn’t look perfect … We collect all of the funky-looking food, but it’s still fresh and nutritious and delicious.”

Himler and Smigel store the food they collect at their house, which works perfectly because they distribute each food haul before acquiring the next one. The two will typically use whatever they have to make vegan foods and cater events for free. Feel Alive has had booths at SubSessions events, Shabang and Cal Poly sustainability events. Common items that they serve are bread, fruits, lettuce wraps, soups, curries and juices.

“We just want to spread the benefits of vegan food to people and help other people get that same vibrancy and really feel alive,” Himler said. “A lot of people have actually told us that they’ve gone vegan since trying our food and just seeing what we do.”

“It’s the reason why we do this,” Smigel added. “Food waste and veganism — put it together and we create this beautiful thing.”

The two hope to attend more events where they can help educate those interested in

EMMA KUMAGAWA | MUSTANG NE W S

helping the environment. They plan to continue Feel Alive and to spread its concept throughout the United States and beyond.

“This is us trying to save the world,” Smigel said. “This is us trying to make a difference.”

Feel Alive’s next appearance will be at SubSessions’ Life’s A Peach festival May 19.

TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | FEATURE | MUSTANG NEWS

10

The Bunker provides SLO artists with space to create Emma Kumagawa @ emma_kumagawa

The Bunker is a communal space for painters, printmakers, multimedia artists, illustrators, furniture-makers and jewelers to work and create. The “working artist space” was founded by painter Missy Reitner-Cameron five years ago and continues to foster a space for creativity and collaboration.

Reitner-Cameron conceptualized The Bunker after she was offered the building, located at 810 Orcutt Rd. Her friends previously had a lease for the building and asked if she wanted to take it over when they left. She needed a place to make and store her art and she wanted to help other artists in similar predicaments.

“I noticed that in San Luis [Obispo], there’s a real lack of artist space for people, in any type of medium, and everything’s really expensive. Also, people don’t always want to work out of their garage; they sometimes need to get away from their space,” Reitner-Cameron said. “There was a need and I had the space. It just kind of worked out.”

Reitner-Cameron signed the lease and found her artists. Owner of Barn Boy Furniture Jeff Sauer and graphic designer Irene Flores quickly subleased and set up their studios.

The Bunker has grown over time and has hosted countless local artists in its rental space. Currently, seven to

THE GATE THAT GAVE THE NAME

nine resident artists work out of the space, each with their own area. Some people work there full-time, while others rent out spaces for projects.

Owner of Blueberry Jewelry Kerry Long has been at The Bunker for three years. She moved into the workplace from her garage.

“Coming here and having a space that’s designed just for creating and making and in an environment that fosters that whole concept is awesome,” Long said. “We might not all be jewelry makers, but we all do some kind of craft.”

The Bunker does not have open hours for the public, but it does offer several events throughout the year.

Beginning five months ago, the Bunker has hosted workshops taught by both guest artists and “bunkmates.”

Classes have included electroforming (jewelry-making), stamping, Shibori dyeing and painting. The small classes require no previous experience and are 21-and-over when alcohol is involved. Prices range from $30 to $80 depending on the materials.

The Bunker also hosts its Maker’s Market each summer for local artists to showcase their art to the community.

Occasional studio tours and art shows are also held. In the future, Reitner-Cameron said she would like to offer workshops for children.

More information can be found on The Bunker’s website or Facebook page.

BLUEBERRY JEWELRY

WOOD CREATION

E

| Kerry Long solders, or fuses together, pieces o

E

| Jeff Sauer of Barn Boy Furniture makes custom pie

EMMA KUMAGAWA | MUSTANG NE W S

| One artist’s wife joked that if a zombie apocalypse ever occurred, she would hide in “the bunker” for safety. The name stuck.

EMMA KUMAGAWA | MUSTANG NE W S

of earrings in her workspace.

EMMA KUMAGAWA | MUSTANG NE W S

eces out of reclaimed wood.

EMMA KUMAGAWA | MUSTANG NE W S

real — that’s so sick.”

With full exposure to the development of The Kalicks, Jamshidian’s roommate and agricultural business junior Gino Hartounian, is one of his biggest motivators.

“It’s so cool. [Jamshidian] will randomly come up to me and be like, ‘Yo, check this out, what do you think?’” Hartounian said. “Some of his ideas are really, really interesting and he’s got a very creative mind and it’s really cool because it captures his personality.”

Jamshidian described his designs as evoking emotion. “All of these designs make you feel that unity, that love, but at the same time they’re going to have that very oldschool feel to it,” Jamshidian said.

Seeing his designs come to life is what motivated Jamshidian to get his first shipment of t-shirts in February.

“It was something that I was so scared to do because once you do it and once you have, like, a brand name on a shirt, you’re like, ‘Aw fuck, now it’s serious,” Jamshidian said.

TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | ARTS | MUSTANG NEWS

12

FASHION PALS

TABATA GORDILLO | MUSTANG NE W S

| Kam Jamshidian (left) and Gino Hartounian (right) created The Kalicks.

The Kalicks: Art and fashion turned business Tabata Gordillo @ tabatagordillo

If there is one phrase that Kam Jamshidian lives by, it is Mark Cuban’s quote, “Find what you’re passionate about and try to find a way to make money out of it.” With a passion for the art and clothing industries, business administration junior Jamshidian recently found a way to combine the two with his new brand, The Kalicks.

Early inspiration Jamshidian’s love for fashion began at a young age. He said he remembers the excitement of dressing up for award ceremonies at school, wearing outfits he chose out the night before. Throughout the years, the idea of starting a clothing line crossed Jamshidian’s mind, but he never put too much thought into it.

“I had this idea of like, ‘Oh, I have this unique, cool perspective of what I would like to do in fashion,” Jamshidian said. “I had always dabbled with the idea that one day it would be awesome to have my own brand, but then I would never really, like, go at it 100 percent.”

Like fashion, artistic expression was always another vital component of Jamshidian’s identity. Since his early years, doodles and sketches filled the pages of his notebooks. However, it was society’s binary standards that influenced Jamshidian to suppress his passion for many years.

“Art was definitely something that I hid from myself,” Jamshidian said. “I loved

drawing, but I always thought it was very girly when I was a kid.”

As he got older, Jamshidian openly accepted his artistic expression.

“It’s something that I have always absolutely loved to do and now it’s really nice to be OK with that part of me and actually start to really express it in its fullest way.”

Gradually, Jamshidian familiarized himself with the kind of person he was and fully embraced his dual passions. He realized merging the two would be the first step to fulfilling his hopes of having a future in the fashion world.

“I was like, ‘OK, let me take the kind of guy I am, mix it with my fashion sense and then let me make something that nobody has ever seen before. Let me make something that I would want to wear, like full me’,” Jamshidian said.

Jamshidian created his brand, with inspirations from the 1950s greasers and the 1970s rock ‘n roll subculture. He named his brand “The Kalicks” after the 50s hairstyle made popular in “The Outsiders.”

“As soon as a moment hit where I was like ‘Wow OK, I think I’m onto something,’ I just let the wave take me,” Jamshidian said.

Jamshidian described his creative process as something that is never forced; it happens spontaneously.

“If I force myself to sit down and draw something, I will probably reference a bunch of different things,” Jamshidian said.

“But, if I have an organic thought in my mind and I can put that on a piece of paper and then on a t-shirt, holy crap, that’s so

A new partnership As the idea of The Kalicks became a reality, Jamshidian realized there was more to starting a business than just the creative process.

Last quarter, shortly after Jamshidian made his first shipment, he ran into industrial engineering junior Kevin Hull, an old friend from his residence halls, and expressed his concerns about starting a business on his own.

“I’m not really super into fashion, but [Jamshidian] is. That was made abundantly clear very quickly,” Hull said.

Although Hull’s interests were not necessarily about fashion specifically, he saw this as an opportunity to get involved in something where he could put the skills he has acquired through his major to practice.

Without too much thought, the two friends became business partners.

“We kind of continued the talk. A lot of it was about what needed to be done,” Hull said. “Now we’re really starting to get the ball rolling with actually finding different manufacturers, getting a website

up and running and having a larger social media presence.”

Going beyond profits Although the business and the partnership are still new, the pair keep each other motivated and the development of The Kalicks continues. Both Hull and Jamshidian find value in asking each other and themselves why they are starting this company. “[Jamshidian] and I spend a lot of our time talking about, like, ‘What is it that’s truly driving you? Why is it that you want to be dedicated to this?’” Hull said. “I think that’s really the foundation for what is either going to make or break us and allows us to thrive and succeed.”

Jamshidian said The Kalicks continues to be an idea he likes to play around with as it develops into a brand that encompasses his values.

“You know, hopefully people will like it.

People like authenticity and people like other people who aren’t afraid to hold back and are doing their absolute own thing and that’s what I really try to put out in my work,” Jamshidian said. “I want it to be 100 percent real, like, 100 percent me.”

As for Jamshidian and Hull, the business partners strive to create an identity with their brand and hope their success goes beyond the economic profit and actually makes an impact on their community.

“Cal Poly is in a very separated, tense environment which I think anyone who goes to school here right now can feel it and can tell,” Hull said. “It can be very disempowering to a lot of people. I think it’s indicative of larger societal issue[s], but that being said, the question is, ‘What can we as individuals be positive and inclusive in our community?’”

Hull acknowledged that though this small business is being run by two college students with no prior experience, they hope the brand grows within the Cal Poly community and promotes togetherness.

“It’s all about the fact that fashion is the mechanism through which we can share unifying messages,” Hull said. “That’s what got me.”

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PUZZLES Sudoku Fun by the Numbers Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku.

This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

CLUES ACROSS

Guess Who? I am a singer and dancer born in Indiana on May 16, 1966. I come from a long line of talented entertainers.

While I wasn’t in my brothers’ singing group, I garnered attention with a successful titual debut album and subsequent hits.

*See answers at mustangnews.net/puzzles/

Word Scramble Rearrange the letters to spell something pertaining to allergies.

SANLA

1. Small lump 4. Helps little firms 7. A way of performing 12. Lawyers 15. Stirred up 16. Believed in 18. The Bay State (abbr.)

19. Makes computers 20. Sodium 21. As fast as can be done (abbr.)

24. Institute legal proceedings against 27. More compact 30. Ethiopian river 31. Quantitative fact 33. No (Scottish) 34. A concession of no great value 35. Tony-winning actress Daisy 37. More (Spanish) 39. Russian space station 41. Helicopter 42. At the peak 44. Makes ecstatically happy 47. Excellent 48. Material body 49. The Golden State (abbr.)

50. A unit of plane angle 52. Argon 53. Fancy 56. Fried mixture of meat and spices 61. How green plants use sunlight 63. Without wills 64. Unhappy 65. Meat from a pig’s leg

CLUES DOWN

1. Mentor 2. Lyric poems 3. A dry cold north wind in Switzerland 4. Trapped 5. Used for road surfacing 6. Cuckoos 7. Prefix “away from” 8. Seth McFarlane comedy 9. Not out 10. “The Simpsons” bus driver 11. Popular HBO drama (abbr.)

12. Acclaimed Indian physicist 13. Removes 14. One-name NBA player 17. Revolutionary women 22. Smell 23. Ground-dwelling songbird 24. Midway between south and southeast 25. American state 26. Keen 28. Khoikhoin peoples 29. Int’l defense organization 32. Samoan money 36. A sign of assent 38. One from Somalia 40. Boat race 43. Trims 44. French coins 45. Indigenous Scandinavian 46. Flew alone 51. Loch where a “monster” lives 54. Japanese title 55. Pros and __ 56. Present in all living cells 57. Something to scratch 58. Branch of Islam 59. Appear 60. Former CIA 62. Yukon Territory

HOROSCOPES ARIES – March 21/April 20 Allergy szn is hitting you hard, Aries. Get some relief, quick! Maybe an herbal tea and a hot bath will do the trick. Face paint your friend Tuesday afternoon.

LIBRA – Sept. 23/Oct. 23 You might run into the love of your life on the street this week, Libra. Keep an eye out, they’ll be a cutie fashao. Decorate a love letter Sunday night.

TAURUS – April 21/May 21 Taurus, life is rough at the moment. It feels like a million things are happening at once and you can’t keep track. You’ll get through it! Draw a funky pattern Monday morning.

SCORPIO – Oct. 24/Nov. 22 Take advice from someone who is trying to help you, Scorpio. You might not want to hear it, but it’s good to listen. Play with a big canvas and lots of colors Friday night.

GEMINI – May 22/June 21 You’re getting on someone’s nerves, Gemini.

Watch your step and your boundaries. Color a picture with all black marker Thursday night.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov. 23/Dec. 21 Devote more time to self-care right now, Sagittarius. What makes you feel good? Do that thing! Draw a landscape using oil pastels Monday night.

CANCER – June 22/July 22 You are missing home mighty awful, Cancer. Do something that reminds you of the comforts of home. You’ll be there soon. Make a piece of art for your mom Friday afternoon.

CAPRICORN – Dec. 22/Jan. 20 Capricorn, you might break out of your safe bubble this week. Go wild! You might learn something new about yourself. Draw a picture of a dream you’ve had Thursday morning.

LEO – July 23/Aug. 23 Leo, something is bothering you but you can’t put your finger on it. Take some time for some self-reflection and figure it out. Draw a self-portrait Saturday afternoon.

AQUARIUS – Jan. 21/Feb. 18 Aquarius, people are leaning on you in a time of need. Be there for them and listen intently, it will mean a lot. Draw a good friend a picture of something they like Friday night.

VIRGO – Aug. 24/Sept. 22 Virgo, be careful what you wish for. You might get everything and more than you bargained for and it could be unsettling. Paint a rock Wednesday morning.

PISCES – Feb. 19/March 20 Pisces, it’s time to get your priorities straight. Have you eyes set on the long term, you’ll get there! Paint a picture of someone famous Sunday morning.

WE ARE

MUSTANGNEWS.NET @CPMUSTANGNEWS

TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | OPINION | MUSTANG NEWS

16

OPINION

Abdullah Sulaiman @ AbdullahOpinion

Have you ever thought about where the news we read comes from? Or how the sources of our news affect the domestic and foreign priorities we have as a nation?

According to Business Insider and Forbes, there are six corporations that control 90 percent of the media in America and 15 billionaires who own America’s news media companies. These five corporations are Viacom, 21st Century Fox, Comcast, The Walt Disney Company, CBS Corporation, and News Corp. This is a drastic decrease from the more than 50 companies that existed individually in 1983 before corporate media consolidation.

These media conglomerates own hundreds of individual news stations nationally and produce the majority of the United States’ mainstream media we consume, from news to entertainment. This is deeply problem-

State of the Media in the 21st Century atic because it limits our exposure to the interests and ideas of others and many perspectives go unheard. Important national and global news is controlled by these conglomerates that choose what gets covered and how long they spend time on issues.

This fuels the polarity that exists in politics today. When our news providers become loyal to a political ideology or individuals who endorse them, they become less focused on the truth and soundness of their coverage. Comcast spent $30 million on lobbying in 2015 and 2016, ranking 14th in top lobbying spenders of 2016, paving the way for further mergers and acquisitions, like Time Warner Inc. An ironic example of the results of media conglomeration is a recent event concerning the Sinclair Broadcast Group, who owns more than 190 TV stations across the country and that’s news reaches 70 percent of American households. The company had all the news anchors on their stations read the same scripted news piece on the dangers of one-sided, biased news. If the content of 190 stations is controlled by one or a few figures, is that not itself one-sided and biased? These figures influence our percep-

tion of the world and the matters of societal concerns therein.

This causes individuals to become unintentionally ignorant of issues that plague our government, our country and the world at large. How else will we become aware and care aboutthe incredible amount of homelessness in this country, the lack of proper schooling in some areas , the prison industrial complex, the military industrial complex, the daily massacres and bombardment of Syrian civilians by their government, the 20 million-plus living in famine in Yemen and East Africa or the 500,000-plus Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar forcefully kicked out. The list goes on.

An example portraying this unintentional unawareness is the crisis in Syria. More than 5.6 million people are refugees, 6.6 million are internally displaced and tens of thousands of innocent civilians have been killed.

However, a poll conducted by Harris Poll showed that only 17 percent of Americans correctly ranked the Syrian conflict as the disaster that has “impacted the most people” when compared to the Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the Rwanda genocide and the earthquake in Haiti. The crisis

has impacted 12.2 million people more than Hurricane Katrina, the earthquake in Haiti and the Indian Ocean tsunami combined.

Part of this unawareness is due to the mainstream media prioritizing ratings instead of fully exploring the true nature of the conflict, as criticized by Huffington Post. The war in Syria cannot be reduced to a simplistic good guys versus bad guys narrative and therefore becomes less interesting to audiences who want easily digestible media.

As always, we possess the power to protest and change these unjust situations. It is on us to elect politicians who won’t sell out to lobbyists and who will take charge in upholding regulations on these conglomerates, such as Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), who recently swore off contributions from corporate political action committees. Making change starts with seeking more information.

All of this is truly dangerous to our democracy. When there is no longer a diversity of perspectives or content, the world around us that lies in the shadow of corporate media will continue to decay, unless we take the control back.

17 TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

THE FAMILY BUSINE SS

LAUREN PLUIM | MUSTANG NE W S

| Vera Nelson set several records with Cal Poly volleyball in the 1980s, but her daughter, senior setter Taylor Nelson, broke most of them last year.

The Nelson family legacy Sawyer Milam Special to Mustang News

Inside UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, the electric atmosphere energized the Cal Poly volleyball fans as the Mustangs swept the Denver University in Cal Poly’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2007. As the Mustangs put away the final point, senior setter Taylor Nelson leapt into her teammates’ arms while her family celebrated in the stands.

More than 30 years ago, her mother Vera Nelson and her Cal Poly volleyball team accomplished a similar feat. That team made the NCAA Tournament in 1985 and advanced all the way to the third round.

For the Nelson family, the Cal Poly connection does not end there. Not only did both Vera and Taylor star for their respective volleyball teams, but both father Rich and son, freshman pitcher Darren, have played for Cal Poly baseball.

Making Cal Poly volleyball history Both Vera’s and Taylor’s Cal Poly volleyball teams set many program records and gained national attention in the rankings. This season, Taylor and her teammates broke several of records initially set by her mother’s team.

The indoor team surpassed the 1985 Mustang team that finished 31-8 with a record of 26-2 overall while finishing a perfect 16-0 in the Big West to capture its first conference title since 2007 and fifth in program history.

“Oh, I’m happy,” Vera said. “I was a little bummed at first, but we really want them to win and for the program to continue to have success.”

The volleyball team also set a program record with a 22-match winning streak this season, breaking the previous record which was a 16-match winning streak set by the 1985 team.

The highest the Mustangs were ranked this season was No. 21 and only Vera’s Mustangs were ranked higher, when they were in the top eight in the nation.

“It’s so crazy,” Taylor said. “It still hasn’t hit me.

When I look back at the indoor videos, I just get chills watching it and just to be a part of such a special group made it that much more special.”

Taylor was recognized for her contributions to the team as she was named Big West Player of the Year. In her senior season, she also helped lead the Cal Poly beach volleyball team to a No. 4 national ranking, the highest rank in program history, with a 27-7 season.

Playing as the No. 3 pair with junior Adlee Van Winden, Taylor also set a record with the most

pair wins in program history.

“It’s been an amazing four years. Volleyball has been really great this season and just all the friendships and memories I’ve had the last four years, even not in volleyball, [have] been so great,” Taylor said.

Vera said she is very proud of the accomplishments Taylor has earned during her four years at Cal Poly.

“It has been amazing. The best parts are all the friendships that not only her, but all the parents have and getting to know her teammates as well,” Vera said. “It has been a great four years.

A bonus [is] she’s been able to play both indoor and beach. I’m really proud of her and all her teammates and the success in four years because the beginning was pretty rough.”

Darren said he looks up to the success his family has had with Cal Poly athletics, especially Taylor’s success.

“It’s awesome. I used to come down all the time to see her play and watching her do what she did [during her] senior year and to see her dominate the whole league was pretty awesome,” Darren said.

New kid on the mound Darren is currently enjoying his first season on

the Cal Poly baseball team as a starting pitcher and sometimes a designated hitter. He sports a record of 4-4 in 12 games started with a 5.10 ERA and 36 strikeouts. He also has four hits, a double and four RBIs in 17 at-bats.

On the mound, Darren towers over the rest of the team, standing at 6-foot-8-inches and weighing in at 240 pounds.

“At a young age, just being bigger than everyone kinda gave me that confidence up there that I’m bigger and better,” Darren said. “I try not to think about it too much just because I’m a freshman, but I try to do my role everyday and make the team better.”

As a freshman, Darren said the level of talent in college has been a challenging adjustment.

“It’s really just an unbelievable jump that you can’t really prepare for because it’s such a difference from high school,” Darren said.

Because of the family’s history, Darren has a significant amount up to and he enjoys the inter-family competition.

“It’s definitely high stakes and my sister put it even higher than my mom, which makes it even harder, so I got a lot to look up [to] there, but I’m definitely gonna try for sure,” Darren said.

NELSON FAMILY continued on page 19

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MAY SUPERFOOD The benefits of this month’s Superfood just won’t leaf you alone! We’ve incorporated your favorite leafy greens at select Campus Dining venues to ensure that you’re filling up on all the vitamins and minerals they provide!

#CHOOSEWELL While cram sessions may make you crave comfort snacks, it’s also important to remember to get some fruits and veggies in too.

A well rounded diet will make you feel energized and keep your immune system strong!

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NELSON FAMILY continued from page 17

NOT-SO-LIT TLE BROTHER

Journey to Cal Poly Taylor and Darren’s parents attempted to instill a love for sports in the pair from a young age.

Vera had a huge influence on Taylor’s volleyball skills, especially while she was a coach for Sierra College in Rocklin, California.

“She pretty much taught me everything,” Taylor said. “She coached growing up, so I was always at her practices and all her games, so my love for volleyball definitely came from her and she has just been my support system and rock throughout it all.”

Darren and Taylor attended Granite Bay High School in Granite Bay, California. Taylor was a former Gatorade California Volleyball Player of the Year and PrepVolleyball.com’s National Player of the Year as a senior in high school. She was the starting setter for the 2013 Granite Bay High School volleyball team that went a perfect 45-0 en route to winning the state championship.

“I think both academically and athletically it prepared me because academics are pretty hard there so transitioning here was easier for me than [for] other people,” Taylor said. “With athletics, my team had a pretty good senior year in high school so there was a lot of competition there which was a fun way to end my high school career and get ready for college.”

In high school, Darren played both baseball and basketball before eventually deciding to only play baseball. His mom actually enjoyed watching him play basketball more than baseball.

“She loved going to basketball games,” Darren said. “She thought baseball games were boring to go to, but my dad always knew I was gonna be a baseball player. He always pushed me to play baseball and put the baseball in my hand at such a young age, so I knew I was going to play baseball and it was my favorite sport.”

Even though both Vera and Rich are Cal Poly alumni, they did not force their kids to commit.

Darren and Taylor made that decision themselves based on the coaching staffs, academics and the San Luis Obispo area.

“Our parents didn’t really put pressure on us to come here but we came and visited when we were little and both my brother and I just fell in love with this school and everything about Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo,” Taylor said.

Rich was an outfielder for Cal Poly in 1985 but told Darren to visit as many schools as possible. “[My dad] said, ‘Explore your options and

find a place you really want to go,’” Darren said.

“This is definitely a great coaching staff and this is where I wanted to be.”

There were a number of factors that helped Taylor make her decision, but as soon as she was able to visit Cal Poly, she knew San Luis Obispo was home.

“I think it was a combination, [of] the legacy­ — that was pretty cool to be able to follow in my parents’ footsteps and then the coaching staff here I loved, they had good academics, a beach program and just San Luis Obispo in general is an amazing city,” Taylor said.

Darren’s father was a major influence on the decision to attend Cal Poly because Rich played for head coach Larry Lee and maintained his relationships with other members of the coaching staff.

“He told me you are going to get a very good knowledge from the game and you’re gonna get a lot better if you go there,” Darren said.

The future As Taylor prepares to graduate and Darren continues to develop his skills, the Nelson family legacy and names will forever be ingrained within Cal Poly athletics.

“Having those bonds in both indoor and beach and seeing how close our mom and all of her teammates were and that could be us in 10 to 15 years,” Taylor said. “I hope my kids will want to go here.”

LAUREN PLUIM | MUSTANG NE W S

| Freshman pitcher Darren Nelson towers over his opponents in the field, standing at 6-foot-8-inches and weighing in at approximately 240 pounds.

19 TUESDAY • MAY 15, 2018 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

For the entire Nelson family, their love for all things sports keeps them competing.

Both Darren and Taylor said this passion is what keeps them playing at a high level.

“You see so many people in college get burnt out from their sport. [There is] just so much pressure on them that they don’t like playing anymore,” Taylor said. “Anytime you feel like you’re getting burnt out, just remember why you are playing and for the love of the game and that makes it so much better.”

Darren said he is still adjusting to college life as both a student and an athlete, but his time on the team so far has been a life-changing experience.

“I couldn’t trade this for anything,” Darren said. “The group of guys are definitely lifelong friends, so I’m excited for the future.

For Darren, going to school with Taylor has been a major help. Because she is a senior, Taylor is able to advise him on handling the transition from high school to college both academically and athletically.

“Your freshman year is always pretty tough, but he’s definitely adjusting school-wise and he loves his teammates and coaches, so he’s just getting used to the big jump from high school to college and the difference in [the] level of play,” Taylor said. “He’s adjusting pretty well,

but still has a lot of learning to do.”

Darren is thankful for the advice Taylor has given him because, in the beginning, the transition was tough.

“It was a little overwhelming with all school and baseball, but once you adapt to the whole schedule, it’s been awesome and [I] couldn’t trade it for anything,” Darren said. “Having my sister here giving me that advice has helped a lot with that.”

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