May 2018 // Issue 2

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MAY 2018

ISSUE 2

PHOENIX LANE:

FORGED

BY FIRE

A STUDENT SHARES HER TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE TO INSPIRE OTHER VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

PAGE 22

DEAL BREAKERS A SET OF VIGNETTES THAT HIGHLIGHT DATING NO-GOES PAGE 6

DISPOSABLE INCOME

RECYCLING TO MAKE A PROFIT PAGE 36

WAFFA’S KITCHEN

MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE PAGE 44 + MORE

contents

MAY 2018 Volume 3 • Issue 2

C U LT U R E 30 Goodbye to comfort media: Fans reassess their support of the male celebrities accused of sexual misconduct 32 Flying solo: As an independent traveler, staff writer Sarosh Zuberi shares his experience and offers advice to other curious adventurers

O P IN IO N 06 Deal breakers: A set of vignettes that highlight staff writer Xela Quintana’s dating no-goes 08 They believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself: Staff writer Bianca Valenzuela has learned to manage her depression 10 Wake-up call: After a family crisis, staff writer Matthew Smith addressed his unhealthy drinking habit 12 Fakebook: Contributor Patrick Fernandez urges Facebook users to reevaluate their participation in the sketchy social media platform 16 Helping hound: Staff writer Alana Daly shares her experience having a service dog 21 Dating on a budget: Staff writer Matthew Smith suggests taking your date to the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens 44 Food review: Waffa’s Kitchen 47 Spring cleaning: A list of grievances and pet peeves for 2018

F E AT U R E 22 Forged by fire: A student shares her traumatic experience to inspire and reach out to other victims of sexual assault 36 Disposable income: Chandra Mudiyanselage walks around collecting recyclables while her daughter Niranjala is in class

FORGED BY

FIRE

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“AS PHOENIX LANE I HAVE RISEN, FOUND MY VOICE AND BECOME THE SUPPORTIVE FRIEND NECESSARY TO HELP OTHERS ASSUAGE THE SHAME VICTIMS OFTEN FEEL ABOUT THEIR ASSAULT.”

LOGOS C I T R U S

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MAY 2018 ISSUE 2 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ ART DIRECTOR Darius Johari MANAGING EDITOR Bianca Valenzuela SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Destiny Dominguez COPY EDITOR Alana Daly STAFF WRITERS Xela Quintana Matthew Smith Sarosh Zuberi CONTRIBUTORS Patrick Fernandez Emily Hermosillo Daniel Escamilla Jacqueline Torres Charity Wang ADVISER Margaret O’Neil Logos is produced by communications students and is distributed every semester. Views expressed herein do not represent those of the adviser, faculty, administration, Associated Students of Citrus College or the Citrus Community College Board of Trustees. © 2018 Logos Magazine.

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited.

0 logos@ccclarion.com f /logosmagazine T @_logosmagazine

Cover Image “Phoenix Lane” Illustration by: Darius Johari

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Tel 626.914.8586 Logos Magazine 1000 W. Foothill Blvd VA 236 Glendora, CA 91741 Printed By American Foothill Publishing 10009 Commerce Ave Tujunga, CA 91042

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letter from the editor

Welcome everyone to Logos Magazine. My name is Darius Johari and I am the editor-in-chief for spring 2018. This is my fourth semester working with Logos Magazine and my third and final semester serving as editor-in-chief.

I remember first starting out as a staff writer and junior art director when the magazine made its successful comeback. I have had great pleasure and honor working with the student publications at Citrus College.

My time serving this campus is coming to an end, but my journey to serve my community is just beginning as I still have lots to learn in the field of journalism.

In my time as Logos Editor-InChief, we have been able to cover a variety of hard-hitting topics like DACA, gun control, student homeslessness and student disabilities.

This semester we took the approach of publishing two issues, one digital and one final “best of” print issue. We are always looking for ways to expand and try new things during production.

We tackled some fun and interesting topics that I believe many students can relate to, like how to date on a low budget to dating deal breakers. Other content includes a food review on a local Mediterranean restaurant down the street from Citrus and a guide on service dogs.

For features, we met with Chandra Mudiyanselage. She is well-recognized as the day-gleaner who collects students’ forgotten recyclables, but her story is more than that. It reveals the unbreakable connection with her daughter and the hustle required while trying to make a living in the U.S. We also have the story of a student sharing her traumatic experience and recovery after sexual

assault, shedding light on the often taboo subject in hopes her story inspires others to seek assistance.

In the future we hope to reach out to other departments for collaborative work. Logos Magazine is about our campus, culture and lifestyle. With everyone on board, we truly make Logos a student publication that better reflects the entirety of the Citrus College community. Every student and faculty member has a story to tell, and our goal at Logos Magazine is to be the storytellers through our words, art and photography. This is only the beginning, and I am excited to see how the magazine will continue to grow after my departure.

I greatly appreciate the hard work and dedication my staff, photography contributors and advisers have put into making this magazine a reality. Thank you to all of the administration and Citrus College for believing in the communications department.

Yours truly,

Darius Johari Editor-in-Chief djohari@ccclarion.com

the SPRING 2018 logos staff

reader meet author BIANCA VALENZUELA

Bianca Valenzuela is a student at Citrus College and is the managing editor for Logos Magazine. She is graduating with two associate degrees in communications and journalism and will be transferring to Cal State Fullerton in the fall. Her dream is to work in the entertainment media field and someday be a news reporter for E! News. Aside from studying and writing for Logos, you’ll find her working out, having drinks with friends in downtown LA or relaxing at home watching Friends reruns. She is excited to be a part of student publications and hopes to gain as much experience as possible.

DESTINY DOMINGUEZ

Destiny Dominguez is a sophomore at Citrus and a second time staff member of Logos. She is also the Commissioner of Public Relations for ASCC. She will be graduating from Citrus in June 2018 with an ADT in Journalism and will be attending a 4-year university in the fall. When she isn’t running around campus, you can find her wandering around Disneyland, quoting Hamilton or binge watching How to Get Away with Murder on Netflix. Dominguez’s dreams are to be a Disney Princess or a Public Relations Manager in the United Kingdom. Or both. She is beyond grateful for all the opportunities student publications has given her and hopes you enjoy this issue of Logos.

ALANA DALY

Alana Daly is a sophomore at Citrus College studying journalism. She found her calling as a writer last semester by contributing to Logos with a student’s story of surviving the Las Vegas massacre in October. She thoroughly enjoyed delving into student publications this year and excels as copy editor for the magazine. Daly loves hiking with her service dog Luna, experimenting in the kitchen with new recipes and tending to her garden.

XELA QUINTANA

Xela Quintana is an English Literature major. Once earning her Associate’s degree from Citrus College, Quintana plans to transfer to a four-year university to earn an English Literature Bachelor of Arts and eventually a media law degree.

She plans to serve the First Amendment and the journalists producing work that speaks truth to power under its protections. She hopes to continue to work with the magazine. Quintana has been a part of the student publications community for several semesters but this is her first as a staff writer and designer for Logos Magazine.

MATTHEW SMITH

Matthew Smith is a sophomore and first time staff writer for Logos. His passion for music and love of people has driven him to contribute to the creative history of Citrus College. In the future, he hopes to own and operate his own jazz bar. One of his proudest accomplishments is becoming the Southern California representative for the Journalism Association of Community Colleges. As a studio musician and veteran performer, Matthew is grateful for the artistic community at Citrus College.

SAROSH ZUBERI

Sarosh Zuberi is a student in his last semester at Citrus College getting his associates in communications and transferring to a Cal State University in fall of 2018. He is a first-time writer at Logos Magazine. Travel is a big passion of his, and his goal is to work in public relations in the travel or tourism industry after graduation.

MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 5

opinion

: OPINION

As a single person, staff writer Xela Quintana has had the pleasure and displeasure of trying to foster romantic relationships.

TEXT & PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY: XELA QUINTANA

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opinion

S

PICK UP LINES

top using them. Whether ironic, as a joke, with complicit intent, just stop using them. They are tacky, unoriginal, and incredibly dull. As soon as I receive a pick up line I am cancelling the app while I scoff and roll my eyes to the gods of mediocrity and monotony.

The amount of times I have received an ironically sent pick up line followed by a “lmao” is maddening. I am not “lmao”-ing.

A

KEPT BIRDS

s soon as I walked in, one, two, five. Five birds is too many birds. Two birds is one too many birds but she had five. She would incessantly sing with those whole five birds.

Those beautiful aggravatingly irksome nonsensically chattering and chittering birds were eternal in the sound they produced.

She ate it up. She adored their endless fluttering and chirping over any movement, sound, stillness, anything at all. She loved those five birds so dearly and I hated those five birds so ardently.

I

BREATHING TOO LOUD

t was all night. It was not quite a snore. I can deal with snoring. A good kick in the middle of the night will wake a snorer long enough for me to sneak into a deep sleep during the intermission of the worst white noise a human can unwittingly make.

It really was only loud when it was quiet. I never noticed it until it was just us and her fast, shallow, labored breathing.

I

BAD DREAMS

wake up early. She did not. I decided to make breakfast. She rose as I finished preparing said breakfast. I am immediately questioned as to where I was when she was having a bad dream.

She called for me, why didn’t I answer? She said my name several times. What had happened?

Yes, exactly, no credit for making her breakfast.

Absolutely no gratitude for cooking the quietest breakfast in the world to allow her to sleep, which by the way was very late. As if I did not have any plans for the rest of my day, which I did not but she didn’t know that.

It was not a complicated meal. I did not labor over popped poached eggs or the ratio between wet to dry ingredients for the full fluff of pancakes. It was a vegetarian version, in order to accommodate her dietary restrictions, of a chilaquiles recipe I had perfected from the age of fourteen. It is a meal I can and do cook while half asleep.

I cooked that breakfast slowly too, so she would catch me in the act in what I thought was a very romantic gesture, but she just kept right on sleeping.

And once she rose I was in trouble, because a grown woman had a bad dream.

I

LITTER BUG

am in her car. It is the Normandy beach landing’s equivalent of garbage. She apologizes for the debris of old fries from late night McDonald’s runs, layers of empty water bottles and old assignments from a school she did not even attend anymore. Honestly, I don’t really care.

It is Southern California and most people spend more time in their cars than in their actual homes, so there is an expectation that cars are going to get disorganized quickly. I understand that it is a small space, whatever.

She parks at our final destination and she starts to clean her car. Too little too late, but it is endearing that she is trying.

I really did not mind the mess. It was how she dealt with it that my fondness of her started to diminish. Her process of cleaning her car was to just push the trash out of the car. Letting the limitless supply of dated copies of Cosmo, receipts and crumbs dusting every horizontal surface of her car hit the ground instead of taking it all to an actual trash can.

There was one available. Okay, so it was not an arm’s distance away, but with our combined efforts it would have taken two trips at most to get the trash in its appropriate vessel. She just swipes it out straight onto the concrete. Her car was surrounded by a grimace inducing halo of months long accumulation of crap.

I offer to help to avoid the littering of public spaces and she brushes me off in some valiant effort of chivalry, which was a disorienting gesture because the real chivalrous maneuver would have been to have a clean car from the outset.

In that moment I am in conflict. I do not want to nag anyone, especially a potential romantic partner. I am struggling between shaming her car cleaning habit versus trying to be a charming date that finds the whole situation terribly funny.

But as adult beings living on a slowly dying planet of our own making, other adults should not have to remind their peers that littering is unacceptable. It is destructive to an environment that is already in a bad way and ill-mannered first date etiquette. L

TWEET US @LOGOSMAG WITH YOUR DEALBREAKER STORIES! MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 7

opinion

d e v e i l e l b e b y e t ’ n Th d i d I n e h w OP

: N O INI

Staff writer Bianca Valenzuela shares her experience with depression and how she has learned to manage her moments of darkness.

TEXT BY: BIANCA VALENZUELA

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n e v e e f m l e s n y i m n i e v e i l I remember the first time I realized I had to change my life drastically before I let it consume me. I had just found out he cheated again, for the third or fourth time, I had lost count by then. Except this time he wasn’t begging for me back.

He was happy. In his eyes he had found someone better, so what was the point?

I remember sitting in my car in silence. I wondered how I was going to get through this yet again. The first time I found out, he incessantly begged for another chance promising a better future and a better boyfriend. I loved him, and ultimately I wanted that fairytale happy ending with him. So I stayed.

Anyone else would have left after so many transgressions, but I had faith in him and our relationship.

I had already had a history of depression before this happened, but this drove me over the edge. It started when I graduated from high school. The immediate pressure to find my passion hit me in the face.

I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life. All of my friends went away for college to embark on this new chapter while I was pretty much living the same life I was before. My friends moved into new apartments, while I still lived at home with my parents. My friends were exploring new places and meeting new people while I stayed in my hometown, where there was really nothing new to discover.

My life became mundane. I knew my ultimate goal was to transfer to get the full-college experience everyone else was having, but I still had no idea what career to pursue.

Instead of taking the time to figure it out, I spent my time hanging out with my friends and skipping class.

And then he came into my life. My life was no longer a boring routine. I didn’t want to move away and start a new life anymore. I felt like he saved me.

My days were now filled with fun dates, long phone calls and constant attention. He was attractive, studious, successful, we shared the same sense of humor… the list goes on. He checked everything off my list; he was perfect. I was finally happy.

Until one day I wasn’t. The illusion of my perfect boyfriend shattered, as did my self-esteem, my confidence and my overall sense of self.

I thought I was at rock bottom before, but this was like sending me on a one-way ticket with a fast pass. There

opinion

were days when I couldn’t get out of bed or function properly. It consumed my thoughts at all times of the day.

I felt my mental health deteriorating.

As I sat in my car, I remember looking up to the sky and thinking how great it would be if everything just stopped for a while. I wondered if I could just go to sleep for a few years and wake up when life was better, when I was better. I couldn’t handle being cheated on so many times. I had failed as a woman. My life became a constant cycle of self-hatred.

It is unrealistic to think life will ever stop for you because it won’t. I had two choices: I could either wallow in self-pity like I did the last few times, or turn my life around.

As I drove off, I blocked out thoughts of my ex with his new girlfriend and replaced them with ways of improving myself. I was never going to question myself ever again.

I remember imagining myself as a broadcast journalist for E! News. That would be a cool job. Daydreaming of working in that field excited me. Instead of chasing my ex-boyfriend, I needed to be chasing my dreams.

I made an appointment with my counselor and changed my major. I learned how to study, block off time to do homework and got my priorities straight. Whenever I sat in my friends’ graduations, I could never imagine them sitting in mine because I had no idea if that was ever going to become reality. Within a year and half, I’m graduating in June and transferring to Cal State Fullerton in the fall.

You can’t expect people to save you. It’s not their job; it’s yours.

I wouldn’t say I’m completely free from depression because it comes in waves, but now they’re small waves.

The ones you feel when you are walking along the shore, not the ones you feel when you’re swimming in the ocean that crash over you and send you underwater. I don’t feel like I’m drowning anymore.

I’m taking it one day at a time. I remind myself how far I’ve come and how much more I have to experience.

Keeping my room clean, lighting candles, doing face masks and catching up on my favorite television series keep me sane when I’m alone.

I’ve been eating healthy, working out and even tried out a boxing club for first time. It’s the little things that remind me that life is beautiful and that it goes on. L MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 9

L L A C P WAKE-U opinion

OPINION:

OPINION:

L L A C P U E K A W

OPINION:

WAKE-UP CALL

isis, r c ly i m a f a r e Aft tthew a M r e t i r w ff a t s crisis, mhily After assfa s i e es M addrw Smith st aff rriintekringatthew lthyitd unheaSm es hiscrisis, ss addre hAfter a family it. habea ng drinkiMatthew lthywriter unh staff . habitaddresses Smith his unhealthy drinking habit.

10 | LOGOS | MAY 2018

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY: DARIUS JOHARI TEXT BY: MATTHEW SMITH

“

I’m a

, R ROCK “SI’m a TA , R ROCK STA “

“I’m a rockstar,” I said to myself as I leaned out the door of my 2006 Honda to vomit. After all, I had just played a show, got free drinks and partied all night. Aside from the massive hangover and the fact that I slept in my truck overnight, I may as well have been Slash.

I was a young college student playing guitar in a rock band. I was barely 21-years-old. I should not even have been drinking before then, but there I was, in bars and venues getting drunk with the big boys. I felt invincible.

This went on for two years. My mental health deteriorated fast.

There was a time when I stayed up drinking all night and woke up late in the afternoon.

I had the usual “breakfast beer” and went on to record some guitar for the album that was “for sure going to score us a sweet record deal.”

Suddenly my sister was in the hospital again.

She was diagnosed with diabetes at a young age, and now her condition had worsened. Her kidneys were failing, and her heart was weak. Her hospitalization was a wake-up call for me.

I was a few years of hard partying from being the one in the hospital bed, wondering if I would live to see my nephew graduate from high school or dance at my wedding. She needed a kidney and the waitlist was long.

In order to be tested as a potential donor I had to quit smoking, lose some weight and improve my overall health. I took this opportunity to get a hold of my life.

My sister had to deal with the consequences of a life she did not choose and night after night, I was pouring beer down my throat because I was afraid to deal with my own truths. I was depressed, anxious and too scared to do anything about it.

I never would have taken my life seriously without being given a good reason. Mine came in the form of a loved one’s dire state, but for some it is a lifelong endeavor.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that “more than 15 million people struggle with an alcohol use disorder in the United States, but less than eight percent of those receive treatment.”

College students in particular feel the pressure of drinking excessively. It is no surprise that alcohol has become as integral to the college experience as finals week or club rush.

Research conducted by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows

opinion

that “four out of every five college students consumes alcohol to some degree.” Many students reach for that first drink to give them the creativity to write that essay, unwind or simply to get drunk.

That is where the problem starts. So many students are doing this on their own time that it becomes as normal as a cup of coffee in the morning, leading to the need for more and more alcohol to maintain that feeling. SAMHSA estimates that “50 percent of students engage in binge drinking, which involves consuming too much alcohol in too little time.”

Decisions made in college can affect the rest of your life, so it is important to take these risks seriously. If you choose to drink, know your limit and don’t drink to blackout. There is no excuse for drunk driving. Getting a DUI can ruin your life, or end someone else’s.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports an annual 1,059 drunk driving related fatalities in California alone. With services like Lyft and Uber a ride home can be safe and inexpensive. If you have money to drink, you have money to get home safely.

The facade of alcohol is the brief feeling of heroism and confidence that inevitably leads to the desire to feel dauntless regularly. While that tequila may make you feel untouchable for a short time, the reality is that the underlying confidence issues will still be there once the liquid courage wears off.

Sure, that beer may seem to de-stress you at the end of a rough day, but all it is ultimately doing is becoming a crutch to deal with other problems.

The truth is that alcohol will always be present in society, and very much so in college. Alcohol does not have to be the definitive factor of a good time. The question of sobriety is an eternal struggle that can make or break a person’s life.

The simple answer is that no matter what the choice is, the outcome is up to you. Choosing to drink does not have to mean choosing to rely on alcohol; choosing not to drink will not exclude you from the full spectrum of emotions life has to offer.

My sister received a transplant from another donor, and is staying strong to this day. I hold the lessons I learned during this time close to my heart. Moderation is key. Your health should be a priority. There is more to life than partying and getting drunk. Life is precious. Don’t waste it. L

MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 11

opinion

OPINION:

fakebook Contributor Patrick Fernandez urges Facebook users to reevaluate their participation in the social media platform that has yet to prove itself trustworthy.

TEXT & PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY: PATRICK FERNANDEZ

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F

opinion

acebook is not our “friend.” Boycott it.

It is becoming increasingly clear that Facebook’s algorithms and private user data are used for far more than just ad targeting.

Facebook has allowed itself to be hijacked by malevolent actors, both foreign and domestic, who are on a mission to cut away at the fragile threads binding free and democratic societies together.

To understand why Facebook can no longer be trusted, it is important to understand how the company lost its digital innocence.

In February, Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russian nationals associated with the St. Petersburg-based troll farm known as the Internet Research Agency. The indictment describes the Internet Research Agency as “a Russian organization engaged in operations to interfere with elections and political processes.”

It goes into vivid detail about how this organization tapped into highly divisive social issues within the U.S., and weaponized social media to “sow discord in the U.S. political system.”

According to the indictment, after collecting intelligence on American political and social issues, both online and through Russian personnel dispatched to the U.S., the “defendants and their co-conspirators, through fraud and deceit, created hundreds of social media accounts and used them to develop certain fictitious U.S. personas into ‘leader[s] of public opinion’ in the United States.”

Although a variety of social platforms were used by Russia, the most prolific were Facebook and Instagram.

Facebook estimated that as many as 126 million people in the U.S. were exposed to Russia’s propaganda on its platform, although it is difficult to know the extent to which each individual user may have interacted with the content.

The social media pages created by the Internet Research Agency centered around an array of polarizing U.S. social issues spanning immigration, race relations, and religion. Some were even designed to tap into social and cultural trends unique to specific geographic regions of the U.S., such as the South.

Over the course of two years these Russian-operated pages and social media groups had accrued “hundreds of thousands of online followers” by 2016, and Russia purchased online ads to help promote and spread their propaganda.

The propaganda disseminated by Russia’s fake accounts ran the gamut, mimicking both left and right-leaning grassroots movements and activists, disparaging some U.S. presidential candidates while promoting others, and spreading all manner of divisive conspiracy theories. Among these conspiracy theories were unfounded claims of rampant voter election fraud.

A little over a month after the indictment was issued, Facebook was besieged by yet another scandal that revealed even more of the corrosive implications the platform has for democracy.

In March, the New York Times and The Guardian broke the story about how the Londonbased data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica had acquired private data of millions of Facebook users for exploitation in a conservative-funded political propaganda operation. According to The Guardian, conservative mega-donor Robert Mercer helped finance Cambridge Analytica’s work and former Trump campaign strategist Steve Bannon had a prominent role within the firm.

continued >> MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 13

opinion

Facebook eventually disclosed that upwards of 87 million Facebook users, most of whom were U.S.-based, had their data harvested by a University of Cambridge researcher’s personality quiz app.

Although Facebook says it has since changed its policy, in 2013 Facebook had allowed the app to harvest the personal data not only of users who voluntarily took the personality quiz, but also the data of their unsuspecting Facebook friends.

The researcher – a 32-year-old Russian-American data scientist named Aleksandr Kogan – eventually sold this data to Cambridge Analytica, which the firm used to target U.S. voters in its digital propaganda campaign.

No company is perfect, and Facebook might be deserving of a second chance were it not for the fact that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been dishing out “apologies” and “we’ll do betters” for 14 years. In that time, the company’s scandals and the lack of transparency surrounding them have only gotten worse.

As both the Internet Research Agency and Cambridge Analytica scandals began emerging, Facebook’s responses followed a common pattern of denying or downplaying the

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scandal for as long as it can until the mounting revelations left no other alternative but to come out with the whole story.

Facebook understands just how dependent society has become on its platform and it likely assumes that no matter how egregious the abuses of its users’ privacy and trust, the public will eventually give the company a pass.

In Facebook’s eyes, with so many of our connections, interests, memories, news updates and businesses tethered so tightly to the network, what other choice do we really have?

Facebook cunningly intoxicates and addicts us to the platform’s many conveniences so that it can own, control and manipulate our personal data in whatever way it pleases.

This is why Facebook really doesn’t have to give more than lawyerly lip service to the public when one of the company’s many misdeeds is finally unearthed.

The company’s tepid response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal is just the most recent example. Zuckerberg had to be coaxed out of hiding nearly a week after the story broke just to eke out yet another “I’m really sorry.”

The irony is, many Facebook users are likely too distracted by all the juicy stories, shiny objects and funny memes on

continued >>

opinion

Facebook’s news feed to pay much attention the shady practices happening right under their own screens.

Facebook’s de facto monopoly on the social media landscape – coupled with its repository of personal data on billions of people worldwide – makes it a seismic force capable of inciting or exacerbating real-world divisions and ushering in a steady descent toward a post-truth world.

As long as users are logging on and ad money keeps pouring in, Facebook might say “sorry” if it gets caught in a scandal even though executives fixated on the company’s bottom line really don’t care. As long as they see no sustained and steady decline in their profits, why would they?

Facebook is not transparent when it ought to be. It is only transparent when it has to be. Had the company been forthcoming from the get go, its damaged trust might be reparable.

Instead the company’s sluggish responses to these abuses seems indicative of an executive culture that has plenty more abuses it is likely hiding, and one that is committed to protecting its bottom line at all costs.

This is not to say that individual users don’t have a responsibility to think critically about content they encounter online.

And Facebook is by no means the only social media platform being weaponized, although its massive size and unparalleled reach naturally make it the most prominent and potent.

Although some people might be indifferent to what Facebook does with their data, or perhaps might not see how these Facebook scandals do damage to our democracy, this is likely because most of the damage still exists as scarcely detectable – but lengthening – fissures.

Many of these are fissures America alone may have created and left untreated over the course of its history.

But it is these very fissures that foreign adversaries and far right populist leaders are now intentionally stressing via social media technologies.

Under enough repeated stress, fissures eventually become cracks – like the one seen in Charlottesville. And cracks, if ignored for long enough, beget a structure’s collapse – the sort of collapse that individuals such as Vladimir Putin seek to bring to democracies worldwide.

This is why Facebook’s burgeoning scandals and their executives’ nonchalance in INFOGRAPHIC BY: PATRICK FERNANDEZ addressing them are a big deal, and why only users have the power to check the tech giant.

As with any massive company obsessed with revenue and bent on holding onto its supremacy over an industry, the only stone capable of humbling this giant is the power of the boycott.

So don’t wait for the next Facebook scandal to break – “Unfriend” Facebook now. L

MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 15

opinion

Service animals are more than just pets, they are a lifeline. Staff writer Alana Daly shares her experience with her service dog, Luna.

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opinion

helping hound TEXT BY: ALANA DALY PHOTOS BY: JACQUELINE TORRES

MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 17

opinion

It’s 8:30 a.m. and my alarm goes off. My mind is awake, but my body is slow to react.

I cannot move.

Unable to open my eyes, the world is dark.

After a vivid dream, the darkness and alarm is jarring.

Luna immediately comes to the top of the bed and paws at me gently. I remember I am not alone. When this doesn’t wake me, she begins to shove her face under my pillow and root around, snuffling. This helps me not to panic. I start to chuckle and remember to wiggle my toes. The sleep paralysis begins to lift, and I’m finally able to turn off my alarm.

I adopted my dog as “Miss Sassy” from the Pasadena Humane Society on July 2, 2016 to be my emotional support animal. After training at home and in classes, she learned tasks to help me both at home and in public as a psychiatric service dog.

Last semester, I began taking Luna with me to school. An official at Disabled Students Programs and Services stated that there is at least one very active service dog on campus, and many that are not registered with the office.

Monica Christianson, Ed. D. of the Veterans Success Center said, “We don’t have any right now, but we have in the past.”

As service dogs are becoming more common, students and teachers have asked for some guidelines on how to interact with the dogs and handlers.

The main issue is that people see pets in public, instead of working dogs on duty.

Although service dogs are well-trained and well-behaved, distracting them is a serious matter. When service dogs lose focus, they can no longer properly alert the handler to health and safety issues.

Hailey Ashmore, a 17-year-old from Dallas, could have died when she visited her dad at work and an employee ignored the red “STOP” patch on her service dog Flynn. Flynn usually

alerts Ashmore ten minutes before a seizure, but because of a stranger’s affection he wasn’t able to alert his handler; she suffered a severe seizure and sustained rug burns on her face.

Flynn was in training, a process that never truly ends with service dogs. Many dogs are incredibly friendly, but giving them too much attention can be dangerous to the handler and detracts from their work in a public place.

To be designated a service dog, the dog must be individually trained to perform tasks to assist the disability of their owner. This could be a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or other mental disability. Service dogs are not required to have any identification. Always assume a dog on campus is working, and act respectfully by giving them space.

Legally, only two questions can be asked of a handler.

“Is the animal required because of a disability?”

And “What work or task has the animal been trained to perform?” Asking further questions about a person’s disability is often offensive and frankly nobody’s business.

Last year, I took Luna for a quick trip to the grocery store. We had no issues until I was in the checkout line, where I overheard the couple behind me arguing on whether or not it was acceptable to approach us. Without asking, the husband began petting Luna and insisted it was “part of her training.” This is false, as any contact without clear permission from the handler breaks protocol. Luna instantly rolled over for belly rubs, something not acceptable and difficult for me as her handler. The couple further reinforced this behavior by cooing over her, the husband giving her even more attention, all while peppering me with questions about my disability.

Luna is a friendly and submissive dog, and this behavior makes it more difficult to distinguish when she is working. While admittedly adorable, Luna submitting to affection from a strange man in a grocery store is not a habit to encourage.

Although service dogs are well-trained and well-behaved, distracting them is a serious matter.

When service dogs lose focus, they can no longer properly alert the handler to health and safety issues.

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Luna sits in front of the Monrovia Library Park on March 27, 2018.

Luna was adopted

by Alana Daly in 2016.

opinion

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opinion

Who let the dogs out?

There are a variety of service dogs that many may not even know about. Below is a list of service dogs and their functions.

GUIDE DOG

Trained to lead the blind.

Q E s

HEARING/SIGNAL DOG

Trained to alert its deaf or hearingimpaired owner to sounds. This includes a doorbell, alarm or telephone.

PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE DOGS Trained to assist their handler with a psychiatric disability such as post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder.

DIABETIC ALERT DOGS

Trained to alert diabetic handlers in advance of low (hypoglycemia) or high (hyperglycemia) blood sugar events before they become dangerous, according to the Diabetic Alert Dogs of America.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS

B

Also known as ESA. Any animal whose presence helps mitigate the emotional or psychological symptoms associated with the handler’s condition or disorder.

The animal does not need to be trained in specific tasks to help the owner. A doctor’s note allows these animals to legally live in homes despite “no pets” regulations by landlords. These animals do not have the same protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act to be in all public areas like service dogs.

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At school, Luna is training to alert me to take medication or discreetly leave class before having a panic attack.

Training varies depending on the type of service dog and the animal’s disposition. On campus, I have seen a handler with two dogs; this is common, as a trained service dog often teaches a younger dog in training how to act in public.

After 2 years of obedience training, seizure alert dogs are taught to remain close during a seizure, prevent an injury by staying close to the owner, or fetch a telephone or medication. Psychiatric service dogs are often taught deep pressure therapy, applying their body weight to the handler to physically relieve anxiety and calm the handler.

Service dogs in public are expected to be able to sit on command and be well mannered. Remember that service dogs are trained, but this training never ends and is a daily process of correcting and reinforcement.

Please respect the boundaries handlers impose on their dogs.

It is important to note that it is never OK to offer food or too much attention to a service dog. Many dogs are treat motivated, and this can reinforce bad behavior.

Luna, on the other hand, is attention motivated and friendly people can easily break her focus.

By asking ahead, you can even help reinforce training and good behavior. Approach with caution and ask the handler if you can pet the dog, perhaps after class. Speak to the handler directly, and avoid prolonged eye contact or baby talk with the dogs as this often switches them away from “work mode.”

For further education I have compiled a list of things you should and should not do when a service dog is on duty.

Do and Do not: Please do not distract the dogs at work. Students are in class to focus, and this includes the handler.

Service dogs are still animals getting accustomed to constantly changing environments with many distractions.

Do ignore service dogs in class. This may seem cold, but the dogs are there to assist a student and not for show-and-tell.

Do not stare at the dog during the entire class.

If the class is boring you, find a different distraction.

Dogs will notice and expect attention; prolonged eye contact will change their focus.

Do not touch service dogs without permission.

It’s okay to ask- especially if there is an “Ask to Pet” patch. Sometimes it can help training to reinforce good behavior with attention or a treat after class.

Prepare to hear “no.” Answers will vary with every handler every day, depending on the behavior of the dog- don’t take it personally.

Do continue discussions in class with the handler.

This is still a fellow student hoping to participate equally in class. Please treat handlers with sensitivity and respect our personal space.

Do not offer food to a service dog. Dogs, like people, have varied diets and allergies. Food is the ultimate distraction for working dogs.

Do speak up if you have an allergy or fear of dogs.

We don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable or unwell, and can arrange seating to accommodate everyone without offense taken. L

opinion

Dating on a Budget It is no secret that most students do not have the disposable income for lavish dates.

Due to this lack of funds, many spend their date nights with old reliable: Netflix. Fear not fellow students, there’s hope. Dating is about having fun and getting to know each other.

An excellent location to take your date would be the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens. It offers about a dozen varying landscapes all within a 120 acre spread, from tropical jungle themed sections to the opulent rose garden.

Upon entrance, visitors are greeted warmly by staff, whom are both knowledgeable and friendly. After collecting an entry wristband, I notice several paths leading in various directions. Each path guides the guest to a separate part of the gardens, yet they all converge throughout the grounds. The path to the right will lead guests to the Conservatory, a greenhouse that is kept humid to maintain an ideal temperature for the verdure.

It is host to a multitude of tropical plants like cacao trees and orchids.

After leaving the Conservatory, one of the most captivating yet laborious walks is to the Japanese Gardens.

The iconic garden offers various plants and trees local to Japan, such as azaleas and Japanese cherry blossoms, as well as stunning depictions of traditional Japanese architecture, like the moon bridge and the Japanese House. This garden leads to the bonsai collection and the zen court which includes ancient viewing stones known as suiseki and native landscapes that once evolved in traditional temple gardens. The garden was heavily inspired by Japanese culture and imbues the guest with a peaceful state of mind.

There is an expansive lawn where peacocks and geese gather. Here visitors can relax, read, play catch or even sunbathe. The library contains a unique experience for the philomath in your life with exhibits on astronomy, literature and art. Although the botanical garden is a lengthy walk, there are many key locations for visitors to simply sit and enjoy the day together.

If you make plans in advance, the first Thursday of every month is free. To obtain a free ticket you must visit www.huntington.org and reserve a spot. Pack a lunch and take in the day! L

The moon bridge in the Japanese Gardens at the Huntington Botanical Gardens, San Marino, CA. The water underneath is home to many species of fish, including giant koi.

Estimated Costs

Gas Price from Citrus College: $5.00 Student tickets: $23 per ticket with Student ID, or free on the first Thursday of every month Total Cost for 2: $5-$50

We hope you enjoy our first suggestion.

Submit your own! Tweet us @logosmag or Visit http://www.logosmagazinecc.com to stay tuned for the next installment of: Dating on a Budget.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY: MATTHEW SMITH

Lavender plants sway in the breeze on May 17, 2017, at the Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino, CA.

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PHOENIX LANE:

FORGED BY FIRE

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A student shares her traumatic experience to inspire and reach out to other victims of sexual assault.

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EDITOR’S NO TE: THIS STORY CONTAINS GR APHIC CONTENT. NAMES WITH A N * HAVE BEEN CHANGE D.

My hands were shaking as I wrote #MeToo.

F

or years I have searched for the strength to share my story. I struggle to stay present, to not be distracted by the mental and physical scars of a bad relationship that ended in sexual assault.

In the wake of more than 80 accusations of sexual assault against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, many people have courageously come forward to share traumatic experiences concerning entertainers and politicians alike.

The 2010-2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey says one in three women and one in six men in the U.S. experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime. The National Institute of Justice reported in 2009 that in 8 of 10 cases of rape, the victim knew the perpetrator.

I was impelled by listeners to share my story to remind others that they are not alone. These days, I am redefining myself. The phoenix is a bird that symbolizes renewal. It has a cycle of aging, bursting into flame and being reborn from the ashes.

As a journalist and comic book fan, I feel like Lois Lane.

I embody her strength, perseverance and dedication to enact change with truth and storytelling. I have become Phoenix Lane: reborn and forged stronger after struggling through trials by fire.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named

I

met Adrian* online. He was smart, charming and intriguing. He was a tortured genius who successfully created a popular online game that eventually garnered 40 million hits per month. The game was featured in magazines and books; he even had a fan club.

After a few months of playing this game, I applied to be a moderator. At 15, I became a staff member.

Depressed at the time, I had fallen through the cracks of a traditional education and graduated high school late due to health concerns.

When I talked seriously about ending my life, Adrian* obtained my home address, dad’s work information and threatened to contact my parents. I appreciated his concern, and that moment was one of many that made me think twice about my state of mind.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY: DARIUS JOHARI CHARACTER INSPIRED BY JOSEPH MCDERMOTT’S “THE GIRL WITH THE RED EARRING”

continued >> MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 23

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Coworkers warned me to be wary. Adrian* was known to be an eccentric, with strong views. He had difficulty empathizing and his poor anger management severely affected him and the people with whom he worked. He had an infamous temper and a reputation for being difficult to work with online, but he was sweet with me.

Before

Y

ears later and just before we got together, Adrian* told me he had a big secret. He said a teacher had molested him in second grade. Adrian’s social, sexual and psychological development had been affected, but these issues were easily sidelined by his success.

Prior to our relationship, all of his romantic interactions were through a computer. He had no practical relationship experience.

After I once again fell through the cracks in my university, he spent months building my confidence and soon became a confidant. We video chatted or texted daily. In March 2011 we met in person, and our attraction was immediately confirmed.

The fledgling relationship escalated quickly. I was 19, and he was 25. The relationship went well at first; we were young and shared a love of books.

He moved to California to work with a tech startup company in Santa Monica, and we moved in together.

As time went on, Adrian’s* dark side began to manifest. I noticed more controlling behavior, and he wanted to choose my friends. He was prone to angry outbursts, typically directed at his family or himself. He was raised not to believe in doctors or therapy. Instead, prayer was his only recourse.

To help him relax, I would massage his aching hands and wrists while he told me about his day.

We would unwind together, and I thought we could talk about anything.

Over a year later, he unexpectedly broke up with me. He admitted he was thinking about other women. I was distraught. Despite his heartbreaking confession, I still wanted to work things out.

The Attack

I

n late April 2012, we decided to have dinner together at my apartment. I wore an outfit I knew he liked: a low cut, flowy, burgundy top and jeans. I was hoping to convince Adrian* to give our relationship another chance.

He asked if we could be friends with benefits instead. I was very hurt. I told him I couldn’t settle for that because I was still in love with him. His

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demeanor suddenly changed.

He leaned in, moving closer to me. I thought he was going to kiss me. My heart started racing as it always did when he was that close. He was looking at my face, but it wasn’t him behind those brown eyes.

I began to lean away from him on the couch, saying “no” over and over again. His right forearm pressed against my throat to prevent me from breathing as he kissed me. His left hand was fumbling with his jeans. His knee pressed painfully into my abdomen.

I struggled. I tried to throw him off. I tried pretending to give in to save my strength for one last shove.

That failed.

He put all his weight into holding me down. His forearm pinned my head and neck to the arm of the couch. I had no leverage and my hips hurt, as his legs forced mine apart.

At that moment, I felt like I was watching the scene from above. I vividly remember my decision to play dead, like I was being attacked by a bear.

He positioned himself. My vision went black.

I passed out. The first thing I recall after that is him shaking me awake. I gasped for air. He was frantic, and I could tell he was himself again. I was crying and hyperventilating.

My jeans were unbuttoned. He ran his hands all over me, checking to see if I was OK. His hands smelled like iron, and I realized his fingers were bloody.

I went into the bathroom to compose myself. I evaluated the damage. My neck hurt. My back felt twisted. I was terrified that he wouldn’t leave. It occurred to me that he had a key to my apartment and could come back at any time.

Steeling myself as best I could, I left the bathroom to face him. He was crying.

He said he didn’t know what came over him.

He said he felt so bad, and he wanted to take care of me that night to make sure I was all right.

Somehow, I convinced him to leave.

Finally alone, I crawled onto my bathroom counter and stared at myself in the mirror for two hours. I tried to connect what I had just experienced to that image in the mirror. I started picking at every pore and imperfection I could find on my face until my shoulders and arms cramped up, fervent in search of something – anything — in my life I had control over.

continued >>

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Finally alone, I crawled onto my bathroom counter and stared at myself in the mirror for two hours. I tried to connect what I had just experienced to that image in the mirror.

MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 25

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WINGS INSPIRED BY ALEX OLIVARES

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After

T My poison was an ger, negativity and fear . One of the hardest par ts was facing my fear of new people. Some one I trusted and loved hurt me immensely. Th ere was no way I coul d trust a stranger.

his January, six years after my assault, I filed a police report. A lawyer I consulted ahead of time cautioned me not to have any expectations about Adrian* being prosecuted, since there is little to no evidence. I filed to support anyone he might harm in the future, so there is a history of reported violence.

I wish I had the courage to file a police report immediately.

Instead, I focused on my recovery. I had to stop idolizing and making excuses for someone I loved and accept the facts: He almost killed me. I wanted to live, and that meant making myself a priority.

It took many years of therapy for me to come to the conclusion that I didn’t “give up” during the attack and that he had only violated my body. Being attacked so intimately in my home by a man I loved made me feel like he was invading my soul. During traumatic events such as this, disassociation or a detached consciousness is common.

Accusations of misconduct could result in excommunication from his church. I couldn’t take his faith away from him.

For months, I longed to get back together with him. Unaware of the attack, my family assured me we could still work things out. It was clear to them how much he cared for me. My psychiatrist told me that I was “acting like a beaten wife.” At that moment, I solidified my plan to leave Santa Monica.

Moving On

I

developed numerous physical and psychological issues as a result of the attack and harassment that followed. These include post traumatic stress disorder and severe muscle spasms down my right side. The spasms prevent me from obtaining my driver’s license.

In the months that followed, Adrian* kept calling me “just to talk.” Anytime he thought of something he wanted to share, he’d reach out. I always answered, and every conversation devolved into him screaming and me in tears barely able to breathe. I jumped every time my phone alerted me to anything.

An old adage states, “Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” My poison was anger, negativity and fear. One of the hardest parts was facing my fear of new people. Someone I trusted and loved hurt me immensely. There was no way I could trust a stranger.

The only thing that kept me going was a world history class I was taking at Santa Monica College. It kept me focused, I enjoyed it and I was doing well. I had no friends, but I formed study groups with some acquaintances. As soon as that semester ended in June, I moved 40 miles away and enrolled at Citrus College.

To dispel my depression and anxiety, I pushed my boundaries by getting involved in campus clubs and student government. I became overwhelmed quickly, and I took a three-year break from Citrus to focus on my health. Today continued >> MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 27

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I prefer working with student publications and am continually inspired by the stories of fellow students.

Even though I am now surrounded by friends and have an amazing support system, I hear a dark voice in the back of my head every day.

You should have let him finish you off.

You should have died.

You can’t do this.

Why did you come back?

Did you even wake up?

Luckily, I found a wonderful therapist who has given me the tools to help restructure my thought patterns. Together we used Rapid Resolution Therapy to help me replace negative patterns with positive actions.

Friendships

T

he first thing I did after I started therapy was talk to my friends about what happened.

Being open and honest, as well as getting out of the house regularly to visit them, helped me find the clarity and kinship I needed to heal.

Three years ago I met an amazing family with a 2-year-old son, James*. His mother Mary* and I became fast friends with a shared love of reading.

Mary* opened her home and heart to me. Her patience and nurturing allowed me to open up and overcome my fear of making new friends and cooking.

James* is now 5 years old. Like me, he was raised on books. I bought a book by B.J. Novak titled “The Book With No Pictures” to read to him.

He loved it and laughed when I read it to him.

Within an hour, I returned to the room to watch him read it to himself, laughing while petting my dog at his feet. In that second, I had an indescribable moment of warmth, love and serenity. Moments like these guide me in the direction I want to grow and give me faith in the world.

Watching James* grow helped me find a will to heal myself. I used to feel tainted and unworthy of starting a family. Now I believe that one day I will be a wonderful wife, mother and chef like Mary*.

Her family now resides in southern Oregon, and we plan to run a bed and breakfast together.

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Reflection

I

truly believe that speaking my truth will make a difference.

Moving away was a huge step in my recovery. After years of isolation, I reconnected with an old friend who is now my fiancé. He has helped me reclaim my life and trust again by being endlessly patient and understanding.

This man drew out parts of me I had never seen before. With his support, I have found beauty, interests and skills I wasn’t brave enough to act on without him. He works for the federal government, organizing relief to disaster zones. He is the Superman to my Lois Lane.

I believe in my future husband and our dream of starting an organic farm.

I believe in forgiveness; people can change.

Everyone who has ever been affected by sexual misconduct needs to get help.

No one can know with certainty, but if Adrian* had gotten help after his assault, it is possible to imagine that my assault would not have happened.

Sexual assault is one of many possible traumatic childhood events known as Adverse Childhood Experiences, or ACEs that can create dangerous levels of stress and derail healthy brain development. This can affect learning, behavior and health.

Had Adrian* sought therapy, he could have learned methods to manage his anger and violent outbursts. He likely wouldn’t have suffered what my therapists described as a psychotic break when rejected.

The accused are vilified by the media, but monsters are created not born. Never be afraid or ashamed to tell your story. It is the only way for abusers to face the consequences of their actions.

These issues matter, and we must address them head on. You are not alone.

I support friends coming forward with their stories, emboldened by the discussion that has begun thanks to the #MeToo movement. I have grown beyond the paralysis of victimhood. Today I am a chef, dancer, writer and so much more than that dark voice ever said I could be.

As Phoenix Lane I have risen, found my voice and become the supportive friend necessary to help others assuage the shame victims often feel about their assault. These experiences have tempered me to become an inspiration to my friends and family. I continue to grow as I tell the remarkable stories of my peers, thriving as a nurturing and supportive presence to anyone sharing their story. L

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INFOGRAPHIC BY: ALANA DALY

sources Campus Non-Confidential Re

the campus Title Consider reporting the assault to Telling the police IX Coordinator and/or the police. al action. does not commit you to further leg ff Diversity/ Sta and Manager of Human Resources Title IX Coordinator, Ms. Brenda Fink at 626-914-8830 Campus Safety: 626-914-8611 first floor of The Student Health Center is on the tact them at the Student Services Building. Con ices, including 626-914-8671. Mental health serv rapy, are short-term individual and group the available in SS 147 -914-8250 Glendora Police Department: 626

Off-Campus/Confidential Reso urces A 24-hour rape crisis hotline is ava ilable where help may be sought by calling 909 -626-4357 National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE Peace Over Violence: 626-966-4155 Project Sister Family Services is ded icated to providing services to survivors of sexual assault and child abuse in eastern Los Ang eles and western San Bernardino counties.

24/7 Helpline: 909-626-HELP or 626-966-4155 Family Counseling Services: 626-30 8-1414 MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 29

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Goodbye to Comfort Media TEXT & ILLUSTRATION BY: XELA QUINTANA

Fans of the male celebrities accused of sexual misconduct now feel uneasy consuming their content.

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T

culture

he eruption of sexual misconduct scandals seemed to take down all of the entertainment I had once loved. The accusations ranging from the arbitrary, like Aziz Ansari being too pushy in a club, to the catastrophically harmful like Kevin Spacey allegations of the molestation of his young costar.

These men are charismatic. It is hard not to find them charming, funny and lovable. Most of them have made whole careers on these qualities. The characters they play are relatable, the stories they tell are heartwarmaing and the voices they uplifted were sometimes minorities in the mainstream media.

However, all that goodwill is poisoned because it feels like a shattered illusion. It feels like a simple smokescreen intended to be banked on later when the truth was to will out.

I became disillusioned with the entertainment industry when reading about the sexual misconduct allegations against Louis C.K.

with the women behind or in front of the camera. The scenes that would make me laugh then are now tainted, and rewatching his shows became a dark Easter egg hunt of all the warning signs his audience missed. Jokes then read as confessionals now.

This show that I would return to regularly is now burned from my view list. It is not entertainment anymore. After his detailing of the events I was unable to think of nothing than his apt observation: “the greatest threat to women is men.”

The entire entertainment network built on open secrets revealed that not only was it the perpetrators themselves that took advantage of this broken system, but the people around them that turned a blind eye for the ultimate goal of profit.

Dan Harmon, co-creator of "Rick and Morty," admitted to his own sexual harassment transgressions in the workplace when he was writing, producing and directing his NBC show Community. Megan Ganz was a young new staff comedy writer that caught his interest. It was unrequited, and Harmon proceeded to actively make the workplace a hostile one for her.

Amidst the many sexual misconduct allegations being reported at the time, she took the opportunity to recount her own experiences in the writers’ room with sexual misbehavior and power dynamics by taking to Twitter to communicate with Harmon directly. Harmon responded and the two proceeded to have an open dialogue about their sides of the story. Harmon apologized on his podcast Harmontown where he elaborated on his state of mind around the time of the incidents.

Ganz explained how the conversation between herself and Harmon helped her. The interaction alleviated most of her harbored pain. It validated her experience and though she did not forgive him outright at first she explained that she was trying to, highlighting that forgiveness is a process. This whole conversation just confused me more.

I found myself flip flopping. I can no longer consume the media created by these individuals without feeling like I am part of the problem. That in supporting the art they produce, I am supporting the lifestyle in which they feel entitled or powerful enough to take advantage of their status or the women around them.

He was a personal comedy hero of mine. His honest I have stopped watching "House of Cards," "Louie," any and gritty stand up surprised me. His on stage persona and all Woody Allen films, "Master of None," "Parks and was fearless where no subject was considered taboo, even Recreation," any cooking videos of Mario Batali, all films donned a “comedy genius” at the peak of his career. produced by Harvey Weinstein, and stopped listening to the I had the scene from an early episode of his show on compositions of James Levine, Chris Brown or R. Kelly. repeat as I read his apology letter he had sent to the New However, I still watch "Rick and Morty." An example of my York Times. The scene was a young, fictitious Louie as he own hypocrisy that I get to pick and choose who I write off talks to his classmate crush and she requests that he “whip for actions that they admit remorse for and who I continue to it out.” support by simply feigning ignorance of wrongdoing.

He was accused of and confessed to this exact sexual I devalue the statement of this choice constantly. This does misconduct. It does not feel quite as fictitious anymore, but not count as activism for it is too passive in nature to be so. rather is a twisted fantasy in the mind of man given too much It is in no way supporting or helping the victimized women. I power, too much access, too much creative freedom. am not doing this for them, to keep my feminist badge nice He aligned himself with feminist ideology by joking about and shiny, or even for revenge no matter how small. the risks women take when dating men, his role as a father I am doing this because it clears my own conscience. It to two young girls, and even off stage promoting and appeases me. This course of action is completely selfish. supporting women comedy performers like Pamela Adlon It is to make myself feel better that at the end of the day and Tig Notaro by producing both of their shows that center I can hopefully say, “Well, no sexual predators benefitted a female protagonist. from my viewership in any way.” However, the reality is that I cannot watch his show “Louie” anymore without feeling statement will never be concretely true for any kind of media guilty, without questioning if he misbehaved in some way consumption. L

The scenes that would make me laugh then are now tainted, and rewatching his shows became a dark Easter egg hunt of all the warning signs his audience missed.

Jokes then read as confessionals now.

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FLYING

Staff writer Sarosh Zuberi stepped out of his comfort zone when he traveled to Japan alone. The independent traveler shares his experience and offers advice to other curious adventurers.

TEXT & PHOTOS BY: SAROSH ZUBERI

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solo

M

ost people are uncomfortable with the idea of going to the movies alone, let alone another country. I would say that it is a fairly common thought but the logistics of having a trip come to fruition is often easier said than done.

I love to talk about places to travel and daydream about taking trips with friends. For a while I tried to make a group trip a reality but all I came up with was soft-maybes and a list of reasons why things were simply not possible.

I was left with was going by myself or not going at all. It felt like an ultimatum to make things happen or to keep on daydreaming.

I would be going alone to a place that I would have no inkling of the cultural or social customs.

The more I researched, the more I found a community of people who were supportive and methodical in their hobby of travel. I chose to visit Japan for 15 days to visit Tokyo and the Kansai region.

adventure and autonomy

Traveling alone gave me the ability to literally choose whatever it is that I wanted to do.

If I wanted to scrap a planned castle visit for an impromptu day in Osaka, I did not have to look to another person for approval. It was all on me.

I was too busy with activities to feel lonely. There were tons of other travelers exactly like myself looking for a great time. Interacting with people from other walks of life gave me the perspective travelers often rave about.

I met people that I simply would have never crossed paths with at home. These little interactions were just as exciting to me as visiting an ancient castle or eating authentic sushi.

I met a former electrical engineer from Quebec in his fifties that took an early retirement to travel the world. I met some Aussies traveling to countryside to ski, a group of guys in the U.S. Navy stationed in Tokyo and a culinary student from Arkansas in a work-stay program learning Japanese cuisine.

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I spent most of my trip Snapchatting the experience. I was talking and replying to those curious about my daily adventures. People I had no interaction with for years filled my inbox with questions and excitement about my trip.

This solo trip became much more interactive that I had ever thought. I ended up going to karaoke with that same group of Aussies I met at my hostel. We strolled through dimly lit side streets in downtown Kyoto where drinks were cheap and the songs were plentiful.

cost

Studying abroad through a school program or tourism company will frequently cost thousands more than traveling independently of any organization.

In total I spent close to $3,000 on the entire trip including the cost of the flight, accommodations, transportation and daily spending money. I spent between $100-150 for daily expenses.

Finding cheap fares is like playing the stock market. Prices will shoot up overnight and be more expensive for a certain weekend out of the month than others. The key is to sign up for fare alert services such as Scotts Flights, leave open tentative dates and pounce when the price is right.

I ended up getting a non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo Narita Airport for $500 including taxes.

transportation

In Japan public transportation such as trains, buses and subways were the cheapest and most effective route. The Japanese Railway offers an unlimited pass to be used on all the JR rails and transportation for tourists visiting. The JR Pass costs $268 for 7 days. This also includes travel by bullet trains which are the most effective way to travel inside of Japan.

This is entirely dependent on your destination as different places use different forms of transport.

accomodations

Accommodations are based on your own preference, like Airbnb or hostels.

The cost will vary by each place you visit but will run you much cheaper than hotel rooms.

In Shibuya, Tokyo’s main commercial and business district, most hotel rooms will cost above $100 USD a night while a bed in a hostel will be closer to $30 USD. I rented an Airbnb for $45 USD a night that gave my own apartment for my stay for the week in Tokyo and hostel for the rest of my time in Kyoto.

Hostels will be better for meeting other travelers and friendly locals, but I preferred a place of my own. My hostel was $25 USD a night. The hostel had all the amenities of a hotel such as laundry, a kitchen, and a bar. They even had free bike rentals with a deposit.

The total I spent on accomodations for the entire trip was $460 which includes the 10% discount for booking a week with Airbnb.

food

I planned to bring $150 for daily spending but most of the time I spent closer to $100 a day without having to budget to any extreme. Depending on where your destination is, the weight of your dollar can make costs much more reasonable especially in most countries in southeast Asia.

In order to cut meal costs, I would eat fancy meals during lunch hours to take advantage of lunch special prices.

I visited a highrise with a view that does not charge a fee to visit such as Mori Tower as opposed to Tokyo Skytree, the main highrise attraction in Tokyo.

Food in Japan can be reasonably priced if you know what you are looking for. Eating expensive meals such as sushi at a Michelin star restaurant can be had for a fraction of the price at lunch as opposed to dinner.

Meal sets are a very big part of

A vendor at the world’s biggest fish market, Tsukiji fish market, Jan 21. 2018, Tokyo, Japan. Next to me a man hands a sample of steamed sweet potato, a traditional Japanese snack.

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dining in Japan. These picturesque platters include various sides along with the main dish and can be found from $10-25 at most restaurants. 7-11 and other convenience stores offer quick bites from cheap such as onigiri, a rice ball stuffed with your choice of meat wrapped in seaweed that you can grab while on the run.

safety

Technology has helped navigation become less of an issue. My phone worked in most situations to almost eliminate the issue of being lost. Google Maps will be the ultimate fail-safe in any situation while walking aimlessly around a foreign city. Japan is not big on free wifi so I had to bring a portable hotspot which I rented from a company in Japan to stay connected at all times.

Being safe and understanding customs can be learned from research and basic due diligence before taking off. As in with most places, practicing common sense and keeping your wits about you will keep you safe.

Being from the Los Angeles area, I had never ridden any form of public transportation, aside from a yellow Twinkie bus for field trips, for means of travel. There was a learning curve to riding trains but a small amount of prior research and intuition got me up to par fairly quickly. Within two days I was catching trains with ease.

Being nervous about taking off on your own is completely normal as long as you do not let it overwhelm you.

The unusual nature of the trip is what motivated me to seek it out and it was only a symptom of a larger search for adventure. I cannot say that solo traveling is for everyone, but it is a great alternative for people looking to travel on a restricted schedule and at a lower cost than traditional methods.

Something about meeting strangers, looking like a fool while learning to take a bus and ordering off a menu I cannot read makes me want to keep traveling. Now that I feel at little more comfortable traveling alone, I want make my next adventure Indonesia and for a little longer than two weeks.

On my flight back, I felt as though I had completed a goal that I had long thought about doing. It was a moment of proving to myself and to others that travel was something I really wanted to make a part of my life. I had traveled quite a bit with family prior but stepping out to do it by myself and absolutely enjoying it really clarified to me that I wanted to make travel a part of my future career. L MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 35

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PHOTOS BY: DANIEL ESCAMILLA TEXT BY: XELA QUINTANA

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CHANDRA MUDIYANSELAGE collects recyclables throughout the day, separates plastics from aluminums at night and finally arrives at the nearest recycling center to cash in on California’s Redemption Value.

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She is a recognizable figure on campus. Her long black braided hair, baby blue gloved hands, metallic green extended grabber and rolling cart to carry cans and bottles are a constant like the white ‘A’ branded onto the side of the San Gabriel Mountains.

Chandra Mudiyanselage, 58, a ‘day shift’ gleaner has been collecting students’ forgotten recyclables for as long as her daughter Niranjala Mudiyanselage, 22, has been enrolled at Citrus. What started as a way to keep busy while her daughter was in class has become a familial obligation.

There is a lack of recycling bins on campus which attracts individuals that collect recycling materials from dispersed trash cans, colloquially known as gleaners, salvagers or recyclers.

Benjamin Macias, campus safety supervisor, is not concerned with the non-student foot traffic. The gleaners only create a problem when their presence becomes a “health issue or a sanitary issue,” Macias said. He recognizes that they will “come through campus,” zip to and from trash cans to eventually peacefully depart.

Chandra usually arrives at 8 a.m. with her daughter.

She readies herself for a day of gleaning ahead of her as Niranjala heads to the library to prepare for her first morning class. They will later meet by early evening to depart together to repeat the routine the next day.

Before she started collecting recyclables on a daily basis she would wait idly in the car she rode in with her daughter.

She would try to pass the time anyway she could, mostly taking naps or thumbing through her phone. Niranjala and her friend’s idea to that Chandra begin to glean coincided with Chandra’s doctor recommendation to be more active, leading her to become a silent part of the Citrus community.

She arrived in the United States in 1985 when she was 19 years old. The Sri Lanka native immigrated with a neighboring family with which she had no close ties. Since her arrival she has been a house cleaner, waiter, cook and medical assistant, sometimes forced to work for free in exchange for shelter. She was a housekeeper without pay besides the exchange of her service for a bed to call her own every night.

Chandra met her husband of twenty-two years, Jay Mudiyanselage, 63, in 1990 and eventually married while she was three months pregnant with their daughter. “It was love at first sight,” explained Niranjala on her parents’ chance meeting at a party they were hired to cater. Jay was cooking while Chandra was waiting tables.

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Chandra Mudiyanselage uses her grabber to collect recycling materials from a trash receptacle on May 2 at Citrus College.

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feature Chandra Mudiyanselage poses in front of the Technology Engineering building on May 2 at Citrus College.

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feature Chandra Mudiyanselage and Niranjala Mudiyanselage pose wrapped around the other displaying their close relationship, March 29.

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Chandra Mudiyanselage takes a break from the heat and makes a phone call to maintain daily contact with her family on March 27 at Citrus College.

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Jay works as a valet driver, liquor store attendant and he also frequents swap meets on the weekends to scrounge up extra cash.

He is the sole breadwinner of the household.

Chandra collects recycling materials every day for an estimated end of the week profit of about $50.

It can “sometimes take a whole day” said Chandra just to fill up one trash bag.

Both work hard to provide the luxury for Niranjala to focus on her studies and remain a full time student. Niranjala is part of the Citrus registered nursing program, hoping to graduate soon and enter the job market to alleviate her parents’ economic struggles.

Since the California Redemption Value act’s beginnings in 1987, “more than 300 billion aluminum, glass and plastic beverage containers have been recycled.” On Citrus, the recycling opportunities are an untapped market.

“There is money to be made,” Jeff Eichler said.

Eichler works at the environmental health & safety programs as a supervisor. Every day in 2012, Fred Collett collected 21,000 lbs of recycling materials and earned “about $8,900 tax free dollars,” Eichler said.

Besides the economic and ecologic benefits of gleaning, Chandra and Niranjala are aware of Chandra’s reputation on campus. Chandra used to feel shame for this recycling routine, not for her own sake since she is no stranger to manual labor but for her daughter’s. She noticed students would laugh or stare when the two interacted on campus and she would keep away from her daughter to avoid similar events from reoccurring too often.

Mother and daughter are inseparable, barely exchanging words in order to communicate effectively. Chandra speaks in Sinhala while Niranjala responds in English. They smile and giggle amongst each other, sharing whole stories in the arch of an eyebrow or the widening of eyes.

While Chandra was working towards her citizenship in 2013, she failed the first two times. Her third opportunity she begged the test administrator to allow her daughter to sit alongside her. The pair were reminded of the strict no helping, cheating or talking policy but even he could notice the bond between the two. Once Niranjala was allowed to sit in with Chandra, she passed the test proving just the presence of her daughter severely diminished her anxiety.

Niranjala digs into her past isolation always being the odd one out due to her close relationship with her mother would sometimes unsettle or frustrate potential friends because of her devotion. However, Niranjala views her mother as an extension of herself, that to reject her mother is to reject her own identity.

“Why am I gonna be embarrassed about myself? It’s my mom,” Niranjala said. “That embarrassed girl has passed away.”

The recycling routine keeps Chandra close to Niranjala during a regular school day.

Niranjala gestures between herself and her mother, “I have you and you have me.” Chandra nodded solemnly in complete veneration. L MAY 2018 | LOGOS | 43

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Waffa’s Kitchen opinion

The Mediterranean oasis of a Syrian restaurant contrasts with nearby standard fare.

If you’re driving too fast, you might just miss it. Located in a strip mall about a 10 minute drive from Citrus College, it is truly a hole in the wall.

Upon entering, I was greeted by the owner, Waffa Massih who was standing behind the cash register.

She immigrated from Syria to the United States almost 47 years ago and opened Waffa’s Kitchen in 2006. She has been dishing out homemade Mediterranean food to Glendora patrons since. Waffa’s is popular for catering and to-go orders.

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TEXT BY: BIANCA VALENZUELA PHOTOS BY: DARIUS JOHARI & BIANCA VALENZUELA

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Baklava is a mediterranean sweet dessert pastry made of layers of filo, filled with chopped nuts and sweetened honey.

side from the occasional ringing from the phone, Waffa’s Kitchen was quiet on a Tuesday afternoon. The restaurant is intimate and quaint with a total of four tables. Each table is decorated with a vase of flowers, napkins, salt and pepper shakers, and my personal favorite -a bottle of sriracha.

I ordered a little bit of everything; falafel, boualbakieh, kefta kabob plate, and of course I had to finish the meal with some baklava.

I had the boualbakieh and a falfafel as appetizers. Boualbakieh, also known as meat pie, is made from ground beef, onions, tomatoes and pomegranate molasses, all tucked inside a small pocket of dough. As yummy as it looked, I thought it lacked flavor. I probably wouldn’t order this again.

The falafel, however, was fried perfectly, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The falafel was mealy and crumbled in my mouth.

It came with a side of zesty tahini sauce which traditionally contains yogurt, dill, mayonnaise and cucumber.

I was debating between the chicken kabob and the kefta kabob, but decided to step out of my comfort zone. I’ve never heard of kefta, let alone ever tried it.

Massih explained that kefta is made of ground beef mixed with onions and spices. The preparation process of kefta compresses the loose ground beef into solid portions of meat.

The plate came with three pieces of kefta, rice,

hummus, salad, grilled vegetables, two generous pieces of pita bread and amazing garlic spread.

If you like garlic, you will fall head over heels for Waffa’s spread.

I substituted my salad for tabouleh and I had absolutely no regrets. The tabouleh was definitely the highlight of the plate. Tabouleh is a vegetarian salad comprised of parsley, tomatoes, onions tossed with lemon juice and olive oil. The tabouleh was light and fresh, a great complement to the other components of the plate. The hummus was sprinkled with chili powder and olive oil, pairing deliciously with the pita bread.

For dessert I had a piece of baklava, a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made of phyllo pastry filled with chopped nuts and drizzled with honey. This baklava was extremely sweet compared to ones I’ve tried in the past. It’s usual nutty flavor was masked by an overwhelming amount of honey. If you want to try one for yourself, check into Waffa’s Kitchen on Yelp for a free piece!

My order took a little long to come out, but the slow service was justified by the food being cooked with fresh ingredients. In total, I only spent around $13. I was pleasantly surprised because I found it pretty inexpensive for the amount of food I ordered. By the time I was getting ready to ask for a to-go box, the previously quiet restaurant came alive with the late afternoon rush. I waved good-bye to Massih and went on my way. L

Location: 221 W. Foothill Blvd. Glendora, CA 91741 (626) 914-3500 Hours: Tue - Sat: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sun: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

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r eveal thei r ff a t s s o Log es and c n a v e i r g list of r 2018. o f s e v e e p pet

FASTING TRENDS

By Alana Daly

There is a dieting trend I’ve heard a lot about lately: intermittent fasting. It is a term referring to diets that cycle between a period of fasting and non-fasting during a defined period.

Personally, I enjoy eating regularly. Avoiding food for most of the day to lose weight is a bad lifestyle choice. I’d rather have a regular, healthy diet and meal plan instead.

SIGNAL PRIVILEGE

By Matthew Smith

Apparently technology has not advanced far enough to include turn signals as a standard feature in every vehicle. This is a shame, as time after time I am cut off by some unfortunate person who has enough money to afford a brand new Mercedes Benz without turn signals, when I am in my luxury 2006 Honda Ridgeline with working turn signals.

SNAP SKIPPING

By Sarosh Zuberi

The desire to post a moment of excitement at a concert is totally normal. You want to share the way the crowd feels and show to your friends what it is like to see the artist live.

However, it goes on to be a 30 snap-long story trying to mimic a livestream with loud screams and terrible bass noise too often. To all the impromptu concert filmographer: quality over quantity. Treat your story as a highlight reel, not a feature film.

INSTAFAMOUS

By Destiny Dominguez

It seems like everyone and their dogs are somehow InstaFamous. The other day I scrolled through my feed and stumbled upon a familiar face. I followed her with intention of catching up with an old friend. Instead my feed is now congested with picture perfect photos of her at Coachella and reading overrated books in her bubble bath. This wasn’t the friend that I knew. She hated events with tons of people and she didn’t even like to read. I learned that Instagram is now just a cutthroat competition of likes and followers and has nothing to do with being yourself. I’m so over this façade.

KEYBOARD SHAMING

By Xela Quintana

Loud typing is violent. When heavy fingers tap dance across a poor subjugated keyboard, I pity the technology. Those with this problem wonder why their tech never lasts or why keys A and L are missing. Stop attacking the space bar. More pressure does not mean the mechanism will respond faster.

In fact quite the opposite if the aggressive clicking continues.

All that is needed is light pressure and quick strokes allowing the tech to work for its owner and not the other way around.

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MAY 2018

ISSUE 2 ”.NOITAVONNI NI SDNE DNA NOITATIMI NI SNIGEB TRA“