FEATURES
OPINION
Photo Credit: Instagram.com/Pokemon
Student weighs in on Pokemon’s 20 year celebration.
Photo Credit: MCT Campus
SPORTS
NEWS
Photo Credit: Ethan Bitticks
A student’s guide to stay-at-home A Saturday afternoon at Mesa College enlightens potential vacations in San Diego. students. PAGE 6 PAGE 4
Photo Credit: Mesa Athletics
Sophomore soccer player signs to play for DII college.
THE MESA PRESS
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Volume 59, Issue 3
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the Independent Student Publication of San Diego Mesa College
MARCH 15, 2016
Student Veterans Organization helps community in times of need
Women’s History Month: WASPs at war
By Vanndaro Chhum
arch is Women’s History Month, and to celebrate and honor the women who have made a difference throughout U.S. history, San Diego Mesa College will be having various events over the next few weeks. One in particular will be viewable all throughout the month in the LRC. Mesa College Professor Lisa Shapiro has compiled a collection of letters written by women who served in the war in a presentation called “In Her Own Words: Letters From Women of WWII.” The letters in this collection come from a massive collection of letters currently held at SDSU. According to the SDSU website, Professor Lauren Post, a WWI veteran who taught Geography at
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he Student Veterans Organization (SVO) at Mesa College has set the example for being actively involved with community events on and off campus. There are multiple events the SVO has hosted and are currently involved in. These events range from the Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America, and previously hosted the Fall Fest. The SVO are constantly looking for ways to contribute and give back to the community. “I was fortunate enough to get involved with the Student Veterans Organization in which I was constantly molded and encouraged to reach for higher goals.
Read Veterans on page 6
A Saturday for new beginnings
SDSU archives show student involvement in World War II
By Robert Thomas
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By Vanndaro Chhum
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esa College piloted its very first Jumpstart for Success experience. It was an open and free event allowing incoming and prospective students to physically tour the campus on Feb. 27, 2016. It was intended to provide the new and potential students an experience of the college life. The five-hour event gave students the opportunity to choose from 46 workshops, activities, and information sessions, many of which were offered more than once. After a brief introduction from Pamela Luster, the president of Mesa College and other staff members, students were escorted to their designated workshops.
Read Saturday on page 6
Stay Connected Facebook.com /themesapress Twitter.com @themesapress Snapchat @mesa.press
Index
OPINION..................PAGES 2-3 FEATURES..........PAGES 4-5, 7 NEWS.......................PAGE 6 SPORTS...................PAGE 8
One of Jeanne E. Robbins’ letters written to Professor Lauren Post, a Geography professor at San Diego State University, during her time serving in World War II Photo Credit: SDSU Special Collection and University Archives
SDSU from 1937 to 1969, created “The Aztec News Letter.” According to the SDSU Special Collection and University Archives website, the newsletter was “a ‘news service experiment’ intended to provide information about the locations of current and former Aztecs dispersed around the world.” The newsletter was published once a month during the duration of the war and featured nearly 5000 letters written by students directly to Professor Post, who had set out to collect their addresses before they shipped out in order to keep in touch with them. Shapiro has read every letter in the collection and says, “This letter collection is unusual because it was men and women all over the world writing to one person... Any one letter isn’t a history book, any one letter doesn’t tell the whole story of war, but if you take 5000 letters from all over the globe and you read them all, you’re getting these little snapshot vignettes of what the war was like, and when you put them all together you have a pretty comprehensive picture of what the war was like.” Women served in all branches of the military during WWII, however many of them started out as civilians contracting with the armed forces. Over time, some were given rank. One group of women who performed a critical function for the U.S. Air Force were never given rank during the war. They were known as WASPs, or Women Airforce Service Pilots. Due to a shortage of pilots during WWII, women were trained to fly military aircraft in non-combat capacities, such as from aircraft assembly locations and from one base to another. Women came from all around the country to be a part of the program, including San Diego of course. Following the war, the WASPs were dismissed from duty and faded into
The cover of “Skyline” magazine, a now defunct airline publication, promoting the Woman Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), a group of female pilots during WWII who would ferry aircrafts between airfields. Photo credit: MCT Campus obscurity. Years later, according to the Air Force Historical Support Division, in 1977 President Carter granted the WASPs military status. Many more milestones were reached over the next several years in which the WASPs received more benefits and recognition for their service. Most recently the WASPs were awarded Congressional Gold Medals in 2009. One pilot in particular, Jeanne E. Robbins, wrote to Post three times. Her letters are included in Shapiro’s presentation in Mesa’s LRC. Her final letter details the disbanding of the WASPs as the Air Force transitioned all flight operations to male combat pilots. “It is only right but it is with great sorrow that we WASPs are leaving flying.”
Board of Gov. Waiver recipients are in jeopardy
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By Iman Benraoui
he Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver is an amazing resource that provides low-income students with funds to pay their enrollment fees. According to the San Diego Community College District, students who receive the BOGW are at risk of losing their eligibility if they don’t meet the new state policy requirements. Effective Fall 2016, students will lose their BOGW privileges if they are not in good academic standing. More spe-
cifically, you can become disqualified if your GPA is below a 2.0 or have a lack of progress such as “incurring multiple Withdrawals or Incompletes”. If this state policy change was effective in the 2014-2015 school year, nearly 3,000 students in the San Diego Community College District would have lost their eligibility. A significant prevention and outreach effort has begun to make students who are on academic probation aware that they are at risk of losing their BOGW.
If you have any questions or concerns, a Q & A has been made for students and is posted on the Student Web Services page. There are also various workshops being planned for students on campus concerning this change. Student’s who are concerned of not meeting the requirements are encouraged to attend sessions to help their chances of being in fair academic standing in order to continue receiving financial support from the BOGW for the remainders of their academic careers.
OPINION MARCH 15, 2016
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The Mesa Press
The Word
Q: What do you think of California’s new law that automatically registers you to vote when you turn 18?
“It’s gonna create an initiative for young people to vote because sometimes they don’t wanna go through the process.” - Cynthia Angulo, 20, Political Science
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“I think it is important so everybody can vote for Bernie and not for Trump.”
“I don’t like it. People don’t inform themselves enough. It seems super biased.”
- Ivan Duran, 19, Sociology
- Christina Virissimo, 20, Dental Hygiene
“It’s not really giving us a voice. It’s taking it away by saying automatically when we turn 18 we have to be registered.” - Aricka Jay, 19, Communications
Pokémon celebrates 20 years
By Marcel Anderson
n lieu of the creation of their world famous Pokémon franchise, Nintendo is proudly celebrating Pokémon’s 20 Year Anniversary this year, with their trend #Celebrating20Years. Since its creation in 1996, the Pokémon series has been a large part of many childhoods, and has even carried over to their adult years. An exciting beginning to the 20 year celebration was a commercial indicating the joyous occasion that was supposed to air during the Superbowl, but was released days in advance. The commercial was made to highlight the concept that training as hard as you can, will take you where you want to go in life, which is an important message in the Pokémon franchise. Along with the commercial surprise, the Nintendo Company has been giving different Pokémon that play key roles in specific games, such as: legendary and unobtainable Pokémon, away to players around the globe as a gift to every supporter and lover of the game series. The giveaways are monthly events that you can reference online at www.serebii.net, in order to see when an event in your country is happening, and who the special giveaway happens to be. Even more so, the Nintendo Company’s long awaited Pokémon Go is scheduled to finally be coming out at some point this year. This new game will be different than usual ones by actually being an app on your mobile device. In this version, you can come across different types of Pokémon from every region, including legendaries, in your ev-
eryday life, i.e., when you are at the beach, walking on the streets, or even at a park while you are out with your dog. This new concept is very exciting and convenient for players who do not have access to a Nintendo 3DS, because they can actually play the game at their leisure. A few other fun and exciting additions from the celebration are the revamped versions of the original Pokémon games: “Red Version,” “Blue Version,” “Yellow Version,” and “Green Version,” which is available in Japan only, sadly. These games are available for download in the Nintendo eShop off the Nintendo 3DS for players to obtain and enjoy the original moments of their childhoods. With these revamps, fans can relive the glory days of the original 151 Pokémon that they grew to know and love as they set off for their first Pokémon journey. Two final parts of the celebration, that everyone should be excited for, that have been announced so far are the releases of the new Gen VII Pokémon games “Pokémon Sun” and “Pokémon Moon”. The games are rumored to be released during the holiday season, leaving many fans excited for a special holiday gift containing the newest installment of their childhood. With that being said, the games are still under development, meaning there is not much to be known about potential new starter Pokémon, or legendaries. As time goes by this year, more and more news will follow about the newest features the game will have to offer, hopefully including a new region, new starters and legendaries, as well as several new Pokémon to
The Mesa Press
Founded in 1966 Riko Pratt Lora Neshovska Editors-in-Chief
Lora Neshovska Features Editor
Bijan Izadi Photo Editor
Janna Braun Advising Professor
James Hausauer Sports Editor Marcel Anderson Kyle RikoKenehan Pratt Photo Editor News Editor Opinion Editor
Staff Members Iman Benraoui, Ethan Bitticks, Vanndaro Chhum, Alma Garcia, Frankie Gonzalez, Lillian Lokonobei, KC Longley, Karen Olea, Jahnae Runnells, Reis Stanley, Robert Thomas, Ana Ybarra
Pokémon will be launching two games for the Nintendo 3DS at the end of this year for the anniversary. Photo Credit: Instagram.com/Pokemon add to every trainer’s Pokedex. The trend of #Celebrating20Years has fans from every corner of the globe on the edge of their seats as they wait to see what Nintendo will be throwing at them next for the continuing chapters of the Pokémon world. Until more news comes out, players are recommended to continue their journeys and train to be the very best like no one ever was. 7250 Mesa College Drive, San Diego, CA 92111 Phone: 619-388-2630 Fax: 619-388-2835 www.mesapress.com mesa.press@gmail.com twitter.com/themesapress facebook.com/themesapress
This publication is produced as a learning experience for aspiring journalists. All materials, including the opinions expressed herein, are the sole responsibility of the authors and should not be interpreted to be those of the San Diego Community College District. To submit a letter to the editor, please include your name (unsigned letters or letters signed with aliases will not be printed), age, major/profession, college attending (if not Mesa) and email address.
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The Mesa Press
MARCH 15, 2016
Zika virus begins to spread in America W By Lillian Lokonobei
hat began as a mild concern to the Center of Disease Control has now caused the CDC to raise its response to Level 1 activation, the highest response level at the agency. The Zika virus, a disease associated with infected mosquitos, reached the Americas around nine months ago, according to foreignpolicy.com. The virus gets its name from the Zika Forest, a tropical forest near Entebbe in Uganda, Africa. Since being discovered in the Zika forest decades ago, the virus has now been reported in countries outside the African continent. Zika virus outbreaks were reported in areas of the Pacific Islands, Africa, and Southeast Asia prior to 2015. According to the CDC.gov website, the Pan American Health Organization or PAHO, issued an alert in May of 2015 regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infections in Brazil. Infections in South America have spread at high numbers with some pregnant women giving birth to babies with microcephaly. Microcephaly is a congenital condition that hinders the complete development of the brain. An obvious defect is the abnormal smallness of the head. This is where the search for a vaccine begins. With many unborn children at risk, medical researchers and scientists are working in fear of the growing number of microcephaly cases. Not many cases have been reported in North America but should we still be concerned? Whenever viruses and diseases cross bodies of water over to the United States, a countrywide panic ensues when media outlets report a few occurrences of ‘foreign’ viruses and diseases. As terrifying as contracting Zika sounds, the chances of getting the virus is slim. Staying away from areas that may house mosquitos will decrease your chances of getting infected. It’s been advised for pregnant women not to travel to the tropical countries that have reported cases of Zika associated with microcephaly. There are many ways for people to prevent infection. There are bug sprays available to keep mosquitos and other insects away. Any medication that a doctor might prescribe before a major trip to warm climates might help deter other mosquito infections, such as Malaria. Due to the small number of centralized Zika cases in South America and the few in the United States, the virus is not something that should worry Americans. The people of the United States are not new to medical epidemic panics. They have braced the West Nile Virus, Ebola, and Swine Flu as it touched down on their home field. Hopefully, this is another virus that nobody will have to worry about as they wait for Spring Break to travel to their favorite destinations.
The Zika virus is typically spread with a mosquito bite and has recently started affecting people in the states. Photo Credit: MCT Campus
Sharing with technology
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By Bijan Izadi
Replacing television with personal perspectives
hen the Academy Awards came around in February, even though it was on TV. It is still possible to avoid the television yet still get all the information you need. Some may try to avoid the TV. Yet still the TV is the place to get coverage of events, Thankfully though, increasingly people can turn to the Internet, and a lot of people are. Snapchat is said to have more than 100 million monthly users and around 6 billion video views per day sources “close to the company” say. Snapchat is notorious for being extremely secretive. As people cut out traditional forms of consuming media, more people turn to Snapchat and YouTube and a variety of social media outlets to view what is happening in the world. Snapchat’s location based event feature, which allows anyone in attendance to add their perspective was a popular way to view the event, and anyone with a Snapchat account could watch it. This allowed people to share right from their Snapchat account. Another option is to view what one person shares. Like through the lens of a YouTube filmmaker/filmmaker, Casey Neistat who was in attendance because he had a sponsorship from Samsung to go there and test
some new devices while also making a few of his expertly cut daily videos for his YouTube subscribers. Neistat got an all access pass to the awards, though he isn’t as famous as most of the people there and didn’t get the best seat, he never sat still. This means taking his followers from the days before and preparing for the event, to backstage while the awards were happening. And he was almost allowed to skateboard down the isle with the 360 camera and get up on the stage during the event. Everything he saw, he could share with everyone else. And with this new technology, he was filming everything with the prototype Samsung 360 camera in front of him. Literally giving people the perspective from where he stands. Good writing makes it easy to imagine being in a place, 360 Don’t expect to look back at these visual stories, go to Snapchat. degree cameras show what it is like if you were com/live-you will see this. there. Photo Credit: Snapchat.com/live Neither were scripted or edited in some mysterious way by some big broadcasting company shared by manually filtering through all of the submiswith lots of people interested in imposing their interest, sions. Events only last so long, and so does the stream of however Snapchat is selective about which snaps get people’s perspectives.
Black Sankofa: An introduction to the struggles of the black community
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By Jahnae Runnells
ver the last year, a lot of unfortunate events have occurred within the black community. Whether it’s a simple traffic stop gone wrong, or a misunderstanding turned deadly, lives have been taken senselessly. People have been treated unfairly, and it is time to address it. ‘Black Sankofa’ is a series of articles focusing on multiple situations in the black community. Sankofa is an Akan term that literally means, “to go back and get it.” The Black Sankofa series is meant to go back and get pride. Go back to the way things used to be, when people were proud and filled with black culture. In this series, many different topics will be addressed including: hip-hop music, hair/facial features, police brutality, black-on-black crime, black man in America, black woman in America, unity amongst the community, knowing
your history, breaking stereotypes, saving the youth, and loving your skin. In each article there will be personal experiences and opinions from Mesa students and professors in hopes that individuals can relate more. The purpose is to address situations most people may be afraid to tackle because it is too controversial. However that’s the point. Black Sankofa may make others feel uncomfortable; and when something is uncomfortable, it is a human instinct to change it. Black Sankofa is not to complain about what’s going on in the community; instead it is a platform to address and express the situations and experiences of others. All the while leading a gateway to self-love in a society telling them they are not enough. The change begins here.
MARCH 15, 2016
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The Mesa Press
FEATURES Play Review
Mesa Theatre Co. recreates traditional partnerships through humor
By Riko Pratt
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n Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park” the audience gets a look inside a newlywed couple. The couple, in question, is Paul and Corie Bratter—or Paula and Corie and whichever variation one may have attended. One of the most innovative things about the Mesa College Theatre Company’s rendition of this classic is the idea of portraying different types of couples. Alternating each night, the company will have a different relationship represented while still following along the same story and script. One night there would be a gay couple taking the stage. The next could be a traditional pairing followed by a gender swap pairing. Each group is made up of the same actors meaning that one of the boys playing Paul could also be Corie with the other male playing Paul or vice versa. With so many possibilities, it raised questions of how well the performance could have been staged. Well, no need for that - the performance was quite remarkable. Everything seemed to be going as planned and the actors nailed their parts down nicely. Brandon Hickman, who played Paul, the uptight lawyer, brought an interesting charisma to the character. It was a joy to watch him and his interactions with the other characters because of their opposite personalities. Victoria Candelaria was another standout, portraying Left to right: Paul (Brandon Hickman,) Victor (Nick Hessling,) the fun and free-spir- Corie (Victoria Candelaria,) Ethyl (Chris Cortez.) ited Corie. Candelaria Photo Credit: Kris Clark basically never left the stage the entire play, which gave the audience a strong sense of her character. The two contrasting main characters really helped showcase the idea of modern relationships. Even with the many differences and challenges the couple had, they were able to make it work because they loved each other. The most intriguing character was the strange upstairs neighbor, Victor Velasco, played fantastically by Nick Hessling. Victor was definitely the highlight of the show because whenever his character appeared on stage, something crazy was bound to happen. Dramatic Arts professor and director of “Barefoot,” Kris Clark did an incredible job with the casting and the overall staging of the play, as well as the creative concept. Another noteworthy aspect of the play was the design elements. In particular, the costuming of the characters, designed by Jesse Gundersen, fit perfectly with the theme of the play. Paul’s character wore a suit in almost every scene due to his law career and Corie had a more laidback feel that went perfectly with the character. Another strong design choice was the scenic creation by Nic Latta that never changed throughout the entire performance. The set mainly depicted the inside of an apartment. Eventually furniture was added in the second act but only due to a part in the script featuring a running gag about the movers taking forever to bring their furniture. Overall, “Barefoot” did its job and was a fun and hilarious experience featuring relatable characters and a sweet message.
Movie Review
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Tina Fey strikes again
By Karen Olea
omedianne and actress Tina Fey strikes again with a dramedy called, “Whiskey Tango Fox Trot.” Followed by a full cast of talent, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina and Billy Bob Thornton accompany Fey through this war movie. Based on the book written by Kim Barker, “The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan drew in many American reporters. Fey being single and childless makes a perfect candidate and accepts the challenge, taking the role of a war correspondent. Putting her usual quirky and hilarious character aside, (though not entirely), Fey delivers a dramatic performance as a hardworking careerist who puts her life on hold to
The historic Balboa Park is not only for San Diego tourists. This expansive park offers various year-round free activities to locals. Photo Credit: MCT Campus
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hat are your plans for Spring Break? Are you dreaming about exotic travel or a fancy vacation? If you are like most college students you are not getting any farther than dreaming! The reality is you probably don’t have the money for a fancy trip! Maybe you have stashed away a few bucks, but you can’t take too much time off from work. Luckily, we live in San Diego so you don’t have to go far to feel like a tourist in your own city. Even though San Diego is home to world-class attractions that can be pricey, San Diego fun doesn’t have to have a big price tag. Where can you go? What can you do? Shopping? Dining? Or maybe taking a road trip might be more your style? Beach camping? Day hikes? The possibilities are endless. To help you decide how to spend your spring break, The Mesa Press has put together a list of suggestions for “staycations” that will help you make the most of your budget and time. Mix and match these ideas to create your perfect staycation plan. All activities are FREE or fairly inexpensive and take as little as one hour or as long as the entire day.
San Diego staycation: Spring Break on a budget By Ethan Bitticks Farmer’s Markets:
Every day of the week, there is a farmer’s market in a San Diego neighborhood. Sip your green juice and check out fresh produce or flowers and unique handmade items. Buy cheap eats from food trucks or vendors. For more information on locating a farmer’s market in your area go to: www. sandiego.org
Seaport Village:
A crowded Mission or Pacific beach will give you opportunities for prime “people watching.” With a little planning, you can beach camp. Take food and drinks from home and share the camping fees with friends to save money.
Five dollars a car load – free if you are a veteran. At the end of Point Loma, it is a short drive to tide pools, an easy hike and a historic lighthouse. This location is educational, but also entertaining and offers great views of the San Diego Bay.
Beaches:
Hiking:
Whatever your fitness level (beginning, intermediate or advanced) or preferred scenery (ocean, mountain or desert) there are hiking trails that are perfect for you. Remember to pack water and wear sunscreen! To help plan your next adventure at one of can San Diego county’s beautiful hikes or beaches visit; traveltips.usatoday. com
Netflix/Red Box Movie Marathon:
Decide on a theme - mob/gangster movies or adventure/thriller and have friends offer suggestions (e.g. Godfather). Have a marathon session or watch across several nights. Rate the movies. Have popcorn and candy.
travel to Afghanistan and surround herself Hilton Hotel Mission Bay Pool: in the war zone. Trying something new, Fey gets in touch with her inner adventure junkie and emerges herself into the battlefield avoiding gun shots while getting a shot for her current story. Adjusting her current situation, Fey does a believable job playing as Barker and bringing the actual events back to life. Though this film still involves some comedic moments, Fey seems to never lose her focus in keeping her role as a workaholic. Also, mixing her comedy background with the drama events involving the soldiers and war made this film humorous yet believable. Although Fey is known for giving her audience laughter, she managed to make this film emotional and heartfelt too.
No need to climb over the fence. This hotel welcomes day use as long as you spend some money. Enjoy the resort setting, have lunch, buy a soda or rent a paddleboat or bike on the boardwalk.
Convoy Asian Food “tour”:
Just a couple miles from the San Diego Mesa College campus, try shopping at Ranch 99 or Zion market for amazing produce and other ingredients to make an authentic meal. Or have a quick bite in the food court outside the grocery store.
Balboa Park:
The park has a great atmosphere with artists, jugglers and plenty of grass to relax on. Each museum has a separate fee but each Tuesday 4 museums are FREE.
Parking meters are available just outside the main entrance on Pacific Coast Highway and in Embarcadero Park. Carousel goes pretty fast! At $3.00, a ride is worth the trip. Window shop, check out the great view of the bay, boats. Have an ice cream or coffee.
Cabrillo National Monument:
Old Town:
Walk around historic buildings (school house, candle shop, stable). Have a margarita and two can eat lunch at Los Locos for $10.00.
Coronado Ferry:
Just $4.75 one-way trip on the 15 min. ride from SD downtown to Coronado Ferry landing. You can take your bike on board for free. There are great views from both sides of the bay. Ride your bike around town or to the beach. For more information on ferry times and ticket pricing visit; www.flagshipsd.com/cruises/coronadoferry
Ocean Beach/Fishing:
Rent a fishing pole or bring your own, no fishing license needed if you fish off any of the San Diego Piers. Pier Café is located on the pier just in case you don’t catch anything.
Belmont Park/Pacific Beach:
Belmont is an amusement park with games and rides. The unlimited ride wristband is pricy; but individual tickets are a dollar each. Ride the Giant Dipper roller coaster for $6.00 or just watch others ride for free.
Julian/Mountain Drive:
So this will take a little time and gas, but it’s worth it. Julian is a cute town about 75 miles Northeast of San Diego. You can walk the cemetery or take a hike. The various shops offer traditional food; you can have soup, a sandwich and a piece of pie for less than $10.00.
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MARCH 15, 2016
The Mesa Press
Women’s Film Festival N pays tribute
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By Lillian Lokonobei
he Women’s Museum of California is currently hosting a film festival commemorating women’s achievements from around the world and throughout history. Opening night took place on March 2, with upcoming events every Sunday and Wednesday thereafter until Sunday, March 27. The museum will conclude the month-long event with “Underexposed”; an acclaimed documentary film that highlights women’s skateboarding and analyzes the skate industry’s approach to female skateboarders, according to the women’s film festival website. The Women’s Museum will host a variety of films that all enlighten viewers to the amazing accomplishments women have made in the name of equality and progression. Not only is it available to the general public, it is open to students for a discounted ticket price of $8. In the essence of Women’s History Month, featured was brilliant March 9 film screening “He Named Me Malala.” The movie featuring Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani teen who, at 15 years old, was shot in the head for speaking out against the Taliban for encouraging young girls and women to pursue their right to education. Not only did it anger me that the Taliban was doing such horrific things to the people of Swat, Pakistan, it gave me faith as I watched how Malala was molded into the courageous young woman she is today. The film gave viewers a glance into her life of public appearances, her trips to countries in dire conditions, her educational success in secondary school, and her father’s immense support in the long road of becoming one of most influential advocates of our time. Malala’s fearless activism led her to become the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. She has been featured on the cover of Time Magazine, Forbes Magazine and Newsweek following
her activism. Her momentous achievements haven’t slowed her leadership for young girls and women, but have driven her even further towards her goals of education for children and women all around the world. She is an influential and powerful voice in the face of social adversity towards women. If you want to learn more about Malala Yousafzai, she also has a book available for purchase called “I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban.” The film festival will continue at the Women’s Museum of California for the rest of the month. It will feature numerous films followed by a guest panel. If interested in attending, visit www.womensmuseumca.org for more information or directions to the Women’s Museum of California.
ot bad for a bunch of leftovers _ not bad at all. In this era of surprise album releases, Kendrick Lamar dropped his latest project “Untitled, Unmastered” (Top Dawg/Afermath/Interscope) on Thursday with little advance notice. He billed it on Twitter as “Demos from ‘To Pimp A Butterfly.’ In Raw Form. Unfinished. Untitled. Unmastered.” That’s a pretty accurate summation of the 8-track, 34-minute album. “Untitled, Unmastered” is presented as an unfinished work, though it rarely sounds like one. The sessions for Lamar’s 2015 album, “To Pimp a Butterfly,” yielded these demos, some of which have been performed live, and they’re drawn from the same stew of jazz, funk, soul, spoken word and avant-garde music that permeated that acclaimed release. The tracks favor upright bass, skittering drums and horn textures as much as loops and samples. Lamar employs a range of vocalists, from SZA and CeeLo Green to augment his typically dense, diamond-hard rhymes. Visions of apocalypse explode the bedroom rap that opens “Untitled 1”: “Valleys and high places turn into dust / Famous screaming in agony.” There will be a worldwide cleansing, Lamar’s narrator warns, and it will sound like a Barry White record gone haywire. In “Untitled 3,” Lamar’s narrator recounts conversations with four people from different cultures about how they interact with the world while flutes trill and an eager chorus of voices presses the master storyteller for details. Each person’s truth is different from the others. Lamar
Kendrick Lamar’s untitled “Butterfly” leftovers shine
By Greg Kot Chicago Tribune
sees his relationship with the “white man” as strictly defined by economics of the most parasitic and exploitive sort: “Tellin’ me that he sellin’ me just for $10.99 / If I go platinum from rappin’, I do the company fine.” Contrasting moods swap places and collide. Whereas “Untitled 04” offers education as a guiding light amid conspiratorial whispers, “Untitled 05” marks a descent into hopelessness over a driving bass line and floating saxophone lines. Its darkness spreads like a fresh pool of blood on a sidewalk as Lamar channels the voice of an outsider who “used to go to church and talk to God” but now realizes “hollow tips is all I got.” It’s followed by immediate relief, a bright, uptempo track that echoes the unison horn lines and choir-like vocals of Earth Wind & Fire, with Green providing the breezy vocal hooks. With Lamar, there is an ongoing sense of unfinished business. His songs rarely pontificate or indulge in bromides. Instead, they openly The Women’s Museum of California featured a struggle with issues of race and racism, identity and self-worth, the desire documentary film about Malala Yousafzai in their to possess the world or destroy it. We are all works in progress, he sugMarch Film Festival dedicated to females. gests _ unstable, volatile, ever-changing. Why should a collection of songs Photo Credit: Instagram.com/ malalafund be any different?
sKC’s Book Korners Author Spotlight By KC Longley
Lauren Oliver,
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33 is author of New York Times bestseller “Before I Fall” and numerous other young adult fiction novels.
n the spirit of Women’s History Month, it would only be appropriate to highlight a female writer who has continuously been climbing the ranks when it comes to popularity in the fiction world. Lauren Oliver is a popular, young adult fiction writer who has been sharing her written word with the world since 2010. Six years previously she graduated from the University of Chicago, afterwards attending New York University’s MFA creative writing program, according to laurenoliverbooks. com. She also currently co-owns Paper Lantern Lit., which is a literary development company.
Oliver’s first novel is titled “Before I Fall.” This novel depicts something that would drive any person crazy if it happened to them: repeating the same day over and over again. It follows the main character, 17-year-old Sam, who gets into a fatal car accident on February 12. The accident is explained in vivid detail as Sam experiences all of the pain and heartache of her the last few minutes of life, and then suddenly wakes up and discovers it is once again the morning of the same day, February 12. As Sam goes through the next five days, which are full of confusion and frustration, she finds herself in situations that represent, simply put, the five stages of grief. These five days act as a learning experience for Sam, as she grows as a
“Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver.
Photo Credit: laurenoliverbooks.com
person, teaching the readers what in life is the most important: the quantity of what you have in life versus the quality of the relationships you surround yourself with. Oliver not only dabbles in
writing YA novels, as she has recently expanded her works to adult audiences as well, with her debut of “Rooms.” This novel follows the Walker family, made up of the ex-wife Caroline, the son Trenton and the daughter Minna, who arrive at the old country house for their inheritance after the patriarch of the family, Richard Walker, passes away. However little do they know, they aren’t alone, as this country house contains many rooms and many objects that reflect an entire lifetime of connections to the home. Two very vocal, albeit the Walkers cannot hear them, ghosts travel the house as the watch the family, sharing stories of their past. Both the living and the dead that inhabit the house are all haunted by the truths about their past, and
these truths all blow to the surface when a new ghost appears, one that Trenton can actually communicate with, bringing on a domino effect of events. Perfectly coinciding with Women’s History Month, Oliver has released yet another YA novel titled “Vanishing Girls,” which was released on March 10. It follows two sisters, Nick and Dara, who used to be inseparable, until life got into the way and left them on uneasy terms. Nick eventually wishes to make things go back to normal, however she finds that impossible when Dara suddenly disappears on her birthday. Initially, Nick assumes her sister is messing with everyone, until she discovers that another girl, who is nine years old, also disappeared. Nick’s search for Dara convinces
her the two missing cases are connected, leading her, as well as the
“Vanishing Girls” by Lauren Oliver. Photo Credit: laurenoliverbooks.com readers into a intriguing mystery full of love, life and loss.
NEWS
MARCH 15, 2016
“Veterans Association” Continued from page 1 We strive to create a presence/atmosphere on campus for fellow student veterans to grow. Spread knowledge to the communities that student veterans can be counted on to give support when ever needed. Establish relationships with organizations throughout San Diego that will not only help the student veterans at Mesa grow, but the community of San Diego as a whole,” said Jordan Agricula, legacy officer of the Student Veterans Organization. The SVO partnered up with the Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that works to assist homeowners and homeless by building affordable living quarters and assist in remodeling of existing structures for accessibility. On Feb 12, the SVO volunteered their services to help rebuild and renovate the residence of a family in Imperial Beach. The volunteers restored, painted, and remodeled the front lawn area with a drought resistant design. Their next project is in a veteran’s community in Poway, according to the Student Veterans Organization newsletter. Another organization the SVO is currently involved with is Feeding America, a nonprofit organization that assembles grocery packages for families or individuals in need. Their goal is to end hunger with nutritious foods. The SVO will be assisting in assembly of food packages. They will ship or deliver the final product to San Diego residents that have demonstrated a need. One of the previous events the SVO organized was The Mesa Fall Fest 5k,
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which took place on campus in Oct. 2015. The Fall Fest had a variety of different vendors and food from the culinary arts department, along with live music from five local bands. It was an event in which you run for a good cause, and the proceeds from the event directly supported veterans at the school for their emergency fund. “The Student Ve terans Organization at Mesa College is an organization designed to help meet the academic and social needs of veterans and also maintain a student veteran identity within Mesa College. The SVO also helps promote veterans’ issues, assists with integration of veterans into the academic and non-academic community, and promotes community service and leadership,” according to the Mesa College website. “With our veteran population approximately at 15 percent on campus, our goal at the Veterans Resource Center is to help and provide veterans the tools to properly transition from life in the military to life as a civilian. We strive to provide mentorship for veterans and offer them the opportunity to take on tutor positions,” said Juan Ortiz, president of the Student Veterans Organization. The goal of the SVO is to increase visibility and awareness within the community and establish a strong veteran community while developing relationships with other clubs, departments, and organizations.
“Saturday” continued from page 1
Students observing the different booths offered at the “Saturday on the Mesa” event, provided by different subjects and on campus organizations, on Feb. 27, 2016. Photo credit: Ethan Bitticks “Students are encouraged to take advantage of the many workshops, stop by the information booths, talk to a professor, or just take a tour and walk through the most state-of-the-art instructional facilities you will find in any college or university today,” said Luster. The workshops were located in different areas of the campus depending on what students’ intended fields of study are. The sessions were in buildings such
always aware of the requirements, so we provide transfer workshops that can cover areas for different types of universities. Starting college can be confusing and sometimes scary to students. We try to ease the process and work with students one on one with any questions they might have,” said Olivia Picolla, a career and transfer representative. There were a variety of booths in the quad with representatives from different
“...I recommend students to get involved because making connections with other students provide resources you never knew of. It also makes campus life a better experience” -Igor Burgos, ASG President as the Math and Sciences, Allied Health, Social Behavioral sciences, Exercise Science, Student Services, Architecture, and the Learning Resource Center. The information sessions were designed to educate students the importance of matriculation, student support services, educational planning, and transfer requirements. There are a variety of other sessions proposed to provide students assistance with major exploration and preparation for college success. All the workshops were led by faculty and staff that specialize in the field that they are providing the session for. It also gave students an example of how lectures and classes at Mesa College are held. After all the workshops were completed, students had the opportunity to request campus tours from Mesa Ambassadors. “It was a great experience providing information about the role we play at the career and transfer center. We voiced to students the importance of having an educational plan on file to keep you on track for transferring. Students are not
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departments and clubs, the representatives used this time to educate students of the services they provided. It was also a time for students who were interested to sign up for those services and chat with professors and students about their experience at Mesa College; all while enjoying the festivities and performances from the theatre company, dance club, and the drum circle. “Not everyone gets a chance to connect and provide input to prospective students. I try my best to provide information regarding the services offered at Mesa. I recommend students to get involved because making connections with other students provide resources you never knew of. It also makes campus life a better experience,” said Igor Burgos, president of the Associated Student Government. The event established awareness amongst the many different programs and majors offered at Mesa College. It also showcased the renovations Mesa has undergone and are continuing to construct new buildings to further assist the overall appeal of the campus.
For the record n the issue dated March 1, 2016, The Mesa Press would like to correct the following error:
Page 1: In the photo on the front page titled “Rugby is up and running in San Diego,” the caption under the photo misidentified the schools. The Point Loma Nazarene University rugby team is, in fact, in the green and white jerseys, while the Whittier College rugby team was in the purple jerseys. We apologize for any confusion on the matter.
FEATURES
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The Mesa Press
MARCH 15, 2016
The South by Southwest Film Festival always delivers fun, spirit and this year Obama
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By Mark Olsen Los Angeles Times
f audiences have come to expect one thing from the South by Southwest Film Festival, it is the unexpected. Even as it has grown in size and stature, the festival has worked hard to maintain a rambunctious spirit that one returning filmmaker describes as “warm-hearted subversion.” Based in Austin, Texas, the film festival kicks off Friday and runs through March 19. The larger South by Southwest event also includes interactive and music components with conferences, keynote speeches and live performances. Underlining the heightened profile of the overall event are scheduled appearances by President Barack Obama and the first lady for separate talks on civic engagement and educational initiatives. The appearances by the Obamas at the interactive portion also points to the breadth of the overall festival from wildly outre works to wonky think-tank panels. SXSW was among the first major film festivals to regularly showcase new television work, and the interactive event has been a leader in spotlighting virtual-reality technologies. “South by Southwest film has never just been a film festival. It’s always been something unique nestled within these other really interesting events,” Janet Pierson, head of South by Southwest film, said by phone from Austin earlier this week. “It’s that crosspollination that’s fantastic.” SXSW has also staked out territory few other film festivals cover by regularly spotlighting smart, crowd-pleasing studio comedies. Last year saw the premieres of “Trainwreck” with Amy Schumer and “Spy” with Melissa McCarthy. There was also a lastminute surprise showing of the action-adventure “Furious 7.” That freewheeling approach continues this year with the opening night world premiere of Richard Linklater’s college baseball film, “Everybody Wants Some.” This year’s film festival also includes a new Pee-wee Herman film produced by Judd Apatow and high-profile work-in-progress screenings of “Sausage Party,” an animated comedy from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and “Keanu,” the big-screen transition of the popular television comedy duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, better known as Key and Peele. The SXSW film festival has become a key launching pad for young talent and new films. Recent Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson received great acclaim for her performance in “Short Term 12” when it premiered at the festival in 2013. Last year saw the North American premiere of “Ex Machina,” which went on to win an Oscar for its visual effects. Linklater is one of the most important figures in Austin’s long-established filmmaking community. Though he has shown films at the festival before, this year marks the first time one of his films has opened SXSW. “It’s an honor, of course,” Linklater said recently in his trademark low-key manner similar to the relaxed hang-out vibe of his new film. “It’s cool, you know?” Jeff Nichols’ “Midnight Special” will have its North American premiere during the festival, having recently premiered at the Berlin Film Festival _ the films opens nationwide on Mar. 18. Starring Michael Shannon, Kirsten Dunst, Joel Edgerton and Adam Driver, it is the story of two parents trying to protect their son, who has supernatural powers. Nichols is also an Austin-based filmmaker and, having traveled to other film festivals around the world, he has become acutely aware of what makes local audiences special.
“I think we’re far enough away from the industry here that people really just want to see a good movie and they want to have a good time while watching it,” Nichols said of the Austin crowd. The Key and Peele movie “Keanu,” the story of two cousins who fall into a criminal underworld while trying to retrieve a lost kitten, was a surprise late addition to the program as a work-in-progress for a late-night Saturday screening. “We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect place to make our debut,” director Peter Atencio said. “This is a movie made by people who love movies. ... So showing it to a crowd of people who also love movies feels right. It’s also a movie that is very conducive to a midnight experience because it’s fun and crazy and unique.” That same enthusiasm among audiences and filmmakers alike moves across all sections of the festival. “My Blind Brother,” the feature debut for writer-director Sophie Goodhart, is the story of two brothers, one a blind athlete, who fall in love with the same woman and stars Adam Scott, Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate and Zoe Kazan. Goodhart, who was also at the festival in 2003 with the short film that was the basis for the feature, noted that unlike many other festivals, “I feel like they really understand comedies.” That populist attitude covers the documentary programming as well. Jesse Moss is at the festival with “The Bandit,” a playful yet heartfelt portrait of Burt Reynolds, “Smokey and the Bandit” and Reynolds’ longtime friendship with that film’s director, Hal Needham. Moss was likewise at the festival in 2003 with his debut feature doc, “Speedo,” about a demolition derby driver. The festival this year will also feature a screening of “Smokey and the Bandit,” and Reynolds is scheduled to appear. “I see it as a kind of homecoming and coming full circle,” Moss said of returning to the festival. “It’s the kind of festival that I think really celebrates films like this.” Other notable films in this year’s program include the world premieres of Mike Birbiglia’s “Don’t Think Twice,” Ti West’s “In a Valley of Violence” and Joe Berlinger’s documentary, “Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru,” as well as the North American premiere of John Michael McDonagh’s “War on Everyone.” Titles also generating interest include the world premieres of Julia Hart’s “Miss Stevens,” Stella Meghie’s “Jean of the Joneses,” Mike Flanagan’s “Hush,” Clay Liford’s “Slash” and Zach Clark’s “Little Sister.” For a festival so steeped in discovery, “Pee-wee’s Big Holiday” represents both something new and the return of a beloved icon. The film, directed by John Lee, produced by Apatow and co-written by Paul Reubens and Paul Rust, is the first new feature-film adventure for the character since 1988’s “Big Top Pee-wee.” “It’s certainly nicer to be thought of in the present tense than in the past,” said Reubens of presenting his Pee-wee character to new audiences. From big rowdy comedies to smaller dramas and documentaries, the mix of ideas and events alongside the broad-ranging selection of films at South by Southwest is what continues to give it a unique appeal among American film festivals. “I feel that people come to South by Southwest to talk about a lot of important ideas, but they also come here to have fun,” Pierson said.
Rohnert Park, Calif., hardcore-punk band Ceremony performs at the South by Southwest Music Festival last year in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, March 21, 2015. Photo Credit: (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman/TNS)
SPORTS MARCH 15, 2016
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Kentucky point guard Ulis not your typical defensive player of the year
By John Clay Lexington Herald-Leader
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yler Ulis is annoying. Man, is that little guy annoying. He’s a pest. He’s always hanging around. He’s always bugging you. He’s always taking things. He’s always in your face. He can be so frustrating, at least to the man he is guarding. “He’s so small, you think you can kind of shove him out of the way,” teammate Jamal Murray said Tuesday. “It doesn’t work that way.” It doesn’t work that way, which is why on Tuesday the SEC announced Ulis was its defensive player of the year. “That’s the award I like the most,” Ulis said. If that implies the Kentucky point guard won multiple conference awards on Tuesday, that’s because he did. The Chicago product also took home the big hardware, selected as the play-
er of the year in a vote of the league’s coaches. Player of the year is a big deal. It’s not just scorer of the year or rebounder of the year or assist man of the year. It’s all of the above and then some _ leadership, adding value to your team, setting a good example, getting things done in the clutch. Ulis checks all those boxes. Here’s the thing, however. He stands just 5-foot-9. Maybe. His listed weight is 160 pounds. You don’t think of 5-9, 160-pounders as being defensive demons. They’re too short, too light. When you think of defensive-player-ofthe-year types, you think of 7-foot shot blockers or shut-down swing types with long wingspans. You don’t think Ulis. “I take pride in my defense,” Ulis said. “I don’t like being scored on.” It starts there. Pride is a
prominent ingredient when it comes to defense. It takes hard work. It takes footwork and concentration and a fair amount of sweat. You have to want to play defense. That’s the reason not every player is a good defensive player. All of that is especially true for someone Ulis’ size. He’s not going to smother an opponent with his physique or block a shot with his long arms. His success his built on his quickness and his ability to anticipate. “I just try to be disruptive on the ball, the point guard, full court,” Ulis said. “I just try to keep them from getting in their offense and make everything hard.” Murray can attest to that. Also a first-team All-SEC selection by the coaches on Tuesday, Murray has faced Ulis plenty of times in practice. It’s not pleasant.
Soccer Star Pullman signs with Lenoir-Rhyne University
By Jimmy Hausauer
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esa Women’s soccer, first team PCAC All-Conference, sophomore Sarah Pullman has signed a letter of intent to attend Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C. and was given a nearly-full ride scholarship. Pullman’s finished her freshman season with 8 goals, 2 assists, and 18 points. This last season Pullman led the team with 10 goals and 3 assists for 23 total points on the year and helped lead the team to an undefeated conference record, 8-0, and a 13-8-1 overall record. Lenoir-Rhyne will be looking to utilize Pullman for her speed and striking abilities, and help improve an already impressive program, 12-4-2 overall in the Southern Atlantic Conference, and maintain the stability and winning culture.
Sarah Pullman was named first team Pacific Coast Athletic Conference AllConference for her sophomore season in fall 2015 and signed a letter of intent to Lenoir-Rhyne University in South Carolina. Photo credit: Mesa Athletics
“Full-court pressure is the worst,” Murray said. “He’s a pest. He’s a pest on defense. He frustrates a lot of teams and the opposing player.” Rim-protectors are important, of course. Skal Labissiere’s six blocked shots last Saturday against LSU, to go along with Marcus Lee’s swatting ability, gives UK fans hope of more defensive pressure around the goal. For this particular UK team, however, it starts away from the goal with on-the-ball pressure, an art Ulis has mastered. It’s impossible to run your offense when you can’t get into your offense. “Everywhere you turn, he’s right there,” Murray said. “He’s quick and uses his size well. A lot of people underrate his strength. He’s not afraid.” Oh no, he’s not afraid. “I’ve watched film of our games and I look at myself like,
‘You must be annoying,’ “ Ulis said with a smile. “I just harass the man defensively.” On offense, Ulis lamented Tuesday that he has not shot the ball well of late. Over his last four games, Ulis has made just 20 of 59 shots from the field, including 3 of 18 3-pointers. “I feel like I need to do a lot better job for my team,” he said. Fact of the matter, Ulis has done it all for his team, an iron man with impeccable leadership qualities, voted the best defender in his league. “I didn’t really know if people noticed the defense I played,” he said. “It was a surprise to me that I won that award. I’m happy I have it.” They noticed, his opponents and their coaches.