The Runner 10-20-21 by CSUB Runner

therunneronline.com California State University, Bakersfield

Oct. 20, 2021

Vol. 47, No. 4

Via Arte fills the world

with color See pg. 6

Students come out for OUTober See pg. 2 Domestic Violence Awareness Month See pg. 3 The haunting of the Zalud House See pg. 4 CSUB in fast lane at swim meet See pg. 10

Photo by Alexis Lynde/The Runner The artist @anitta_cosplay works on their art piece inspired by their tia and trip to Mexico at the Via Arte event in Bakersfield on Oct. 16, 2021.

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The Runner

Oct. 20, 2021

The Runner Staff The Runner

California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099 661-654-2165 runner@csub.edu FACULTY ADVISER Jennifer Burger jburger1@csub.edu DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Ellice Richman erichman@csub.edu ART TEAM Faith Okoli, Kelsey Peters, Jessica Rosas ADVERTISING & MARKETING Zackrie Agnew, Genisis Delgado WEBSITE EDITOR Liliana Hernandez ASSISTANT EDITORS Kennadi Burke, Xochitl Martinez COPY EDITORS Teresa Alcantar, Taylor Ayala, Charline Delgado, Marlene Garcia, Anahi Lomeli DIGITAL TEAM Camila Arambula, Joe Bejarano, Taylor Budshaw, Jaycee Fivecoat-Long, Carlos Hernandez, Alexis Lynde, Yvette Meza, Natalie Page, Ariane Skeggs, Ian Tash, Vada Underwood REPORTERS/WRITERS CJ Alcala, Somiah Alkobadi, Guadalupe Avalos, Juniva Bojorquez, Jennifer Chavez, Victoria Cipres, Rebekah Corral, Ana Dominguez, Alea Gaona, Jacqueline Gutierrez, Guadalupe Leon, Nick Lopez, Yasmin Marcelo, Vincent Ortiz, Rhyan Nile, Alondra Roman, Lily Shaffer, Leah Truitt, Dionna Woolfolk ABOUT US The Runner is a laboratory newspaper published daily online with a biweekly PDF e-edition, in conjunction with the Department of Communications at CSU Bakersfield. DISCLAIMERS Views and opinions expressed in The Runner are not necessarily those of the editors, staff or the Department of Communications. The staff of The Runner reserve the right to refuse or omit any advertising or material which advocates illegal activity, or which may be considered libelous, irresponsible or tasteless. COPYRIGHT Copyright belongs to the Department of Communications at CSU Bakersfield. CONTACT US Send corrections requests, letters to the editor, op-ed submissions and press releases to runner@csub.edu. Send advertising inquiries to Faculty Adviser Jennifer Burger at jburger1@csub.edu.

Expression Nights brings out the crowd at CSUB By Yasmin Marcelo Staff Writer As part of “OUTober,” CSUB’s Campus Programming department organized an Expression Nights event to celebrate members of the LGBTQ+ community and to give them a safe space to artistically express themselves. Expression Nights is a monthly event where CSUB students are encouraged to participate. Although this month’s event was arranged to highlight the LGBTQ+ community, the show was also an open mic night. Campus Programming student staff, Julian Pereyra, shares, “Whether this be singing, painting, dancing, etc, all art forms are performed at Expression Nights.” Pereyra also explains how, since the university already celebrates OUTober, “We have an Expression Nights dedicated to students saying their coming out stories.” According to Campus Programming student staff, Viviana Ramirez, details how they worked hand in hand with the planning committee for OUTober to organize the event. She explains, “This year, we decided to bring in Drag Queens due to the event originally going to be on National Coming

Out Day.” The event, formally entitled, Expression Nights: Coming Out Stories, started out with 11 coming out stories from volunteer speakers. It was wonderful seeing so many members of the LGBTQ+ community stand up and take their turn with the mic to share a little bit about themselves. It shows how comfortable they felt in the environment and is a testament to the safe place the event was able to create for them. CSUB student, Arjun Ynostroza, describes how “Hearing everyone’s coming out story was very emotionally impactful, some being hilarious and others heart-wrenching.” The show also featured two drag queens and concluded with final remarks from Dr. Bre Evans-Santiago. The two drag queens, Avairrianna and Sasha Moore, both shared their coming out stories as well and treated the audience with two performances each. Avairriana gave two dance numbers. Her second one involved her making an entrance in an inflatable dinosaur suit while the “Jurassic Park” theme song played in the background. She then heated up the stage by dancing in heels

Photo by Yasmin Marcelo/The Runner

Students prepare for the start of Expression Nights. while still donning the dinosaur suit. Sasha Moore’s first number was a soulful rendition of Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.” Her second was a fabulous lip sync performance of Chloe Bailey’s “Have Mercy.” The drag queen numbers energized the crowd and spiced up the evening. Ynostroza, Pereyra, and Ramirez all cite the performances as their favorite part of the event. If there was one thing both Pereyra and Ramirez agree that they would change, it would only be being able to make the fog machine work. Also, Ramirez would have liked to have a bit more lights and decoration. Otherwise, they both stated how pleased they were with this month’s Expression Nights’ turnout and how the event went in general. Pereyra said, “For our

Latinx Heritage Month Expression Nights, we didn’t have that big of a turn out, so seeing the amount of people that showed up was very nice and a little surprising.” Ramirez said, “We did run out of chairs for people to sit in. We had people on the side, standing up to be there to participate in the event, to enjoy some ice cream, [and] to connect with the community.” The main design of the stage was a door enclosed with rainbow-colored lights, which Ynostroza describes as “Very reflective of the coming out theme.” Ramirez emphasized how well it was advertised, considering the time constraint they were under and uncertainty because of COVID. She also said more flyers and posters could help spread more information about similar events in the future.

ASI Report: Vaccination status and CARES funding By Jacqueline Gutierrez Staff Writer At the ASI meeting on Oct. 15 the board members stressed the importance of uploading the COVID-19 vaccination record or exemption regardless of whether a student is studying on campus or virtually. Provost Vernon Harper stated that a student submitting their vaccination record or exemption is important because they cannot register for classes if they have this hold. “We would like to see more students complete their COVID vaccination exemption process … registration dates have been pushed back to Nov. 8th … and for those that have not done anything this point you have a hold …” Harper said.

Provost Harper continued to stress the importance of either applying for an exemption or submitting a vaccine record by stating that this will prevent students from registering for classes and proceeding to their dreams. If a student chooses to apply for exemption from this vaccination requirement, they still have the responsibility of completing a weekly COVID-19 test, Ilaria Pesco stated during the meeting. During this meeting, Pesco stressed the importance of completing the COVID-19 self-screening and advised that if someone feels sick, they should not come to campus. Pesco stated that, earlier in the semester the COVID-19 self-screening was at 100% now during

the middle of semester it is down to around 67%. If a student is not clear to proceed to campus, they can call Case Management to be further screened and if they pass that screening, they may proceed to campus, according to Jadd Bahaaldin, Chief Justice, said. During the meeting Kristen Beall Watson, Chief of Staff to the President, represented President Lynette Zelezny and gave an update on financial aid and the disbursement of funds. “Students were awarded at the same level as last spring and all students enrolled in degree seeking are eligible for that funding … it’s from the American Rescue Plan it’s called CARES III and that includes DACA, Undocumented, International, and online students,” according

to Watson. Erik Plata Torres brought up an issue that some transfer students may face with BankMobile disbursements, such as having an account with the previous school. Pesco responded to this issue and stated that students can go into their myCSUB portal and go to the “manage refunds” link and link their account with CSUB. Pesco stated that if students have any questions or concerns regarding their CARES disbursement, they should contact financial aid at cares@csub.edu and they can answer those comments. The next ASI meeting will be held on Oct. 22 from 3 – 5 p.m. and the link to attend the meeting is https://csub.zoom. us/j/884848759.

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Oct. 20, 2021

CSUB advocates for DV survivors By Rhyan Nile Staff Writer Even though October is domestic violence awareness month, at CSUB, one staff member advocates and creates a safe place for students year-round. Olivia Warren is the campus advocate and education coordinator. She offers students and staff confidentiality, resources, referrals, and support. She even helps victims find new homes or a safe place if needed to get away from a violent partner immediately, and help facilitate conversation in therapy for victims. Warren also offers class presentations on subjects including: rape, domestic violence, sexual misconduct, harassment, and stalking. Warren takes this subject very seriously, because she herself has experienced domestic violence. After her traumatic experience with abuse in college, she decided she would do all she could to educate others

and minimize this kind of harm. “I wanted to be the advocate I did not have in college,” said Warren. As an African American woman, Warren says she understands that it is abnormal to talk about abuse in other cultures and that can make it hard for others to break free. Warren wants students and faculty to know “you’re not alone. There are people on campus who care about your life and want you safe. College is more than just essays and homework. We want to teach you life skills. We want you to enjoy your time here and be successful in all aspects.” For anyone at CSUB that experiences domestic violence there are several reporting options in addition to the campus advocate. These include the Title IX coordinator, University Police Department, Counseling Center, and Health Center. Gerardo Bobadilla joined the Equity, Inclusion, and

CSUB Campus Advocate Olivia Warren

Instagram post by @campusadvocatecsub

Compliance division in June 2020 as the OVW (Office Violence Against Women) Program Specialist. He got his passion for this line of work through his own personal experience. When he was eighteen years old, he had a friend who was sexually assaulted but had no idea what to do. The college they attended didn’t advertise any resources available to victims of violence.

Bobadilla takes his current occupation now very seriously, because he looks at it as his second chance to really help someone. The National Domestic Violence Hotline states that 58% of college students do not know how to help out their friends or family when going through domestic violence. Bobadilla’s mission is to create a safe space for minorities: Latinx, Black, LGBTQ, Asian, and Indig-

enous. “Every minority group has different barriers, and we want everyone to feel comfortable,” said Bobadilla. He also wants to empower bystanders to speak out. “If you don’t see yourself in these particular situations, you’ll tune it out,” said Bobadilla. The world has created a stereotype around men being the only people causing abuse, and Bobadilla wants to educate men and call them to action to be allies and not bystanders. Here are some signs that students and staff should

be aware of when thinking someone is being abused: isolation, jealousy, guilt tripping, questioning, hitting the victim’s confidence or self-esteem, emotional manipulation, spiritual abuse, physical abuse, and financial abuse. “You may call them an abuser, an aggressor, but to the victim they have a name, husband, wife, friend,” said Bobadilla. Warren and Bobadilla are the only staff on campus who are confidential, and they also encourage students and staff to use the hotlines as well. • Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault (661) 327-1091 • National Domestic Violence Hotline, 1-800799-7233 The Campus Advocate Office is taking a virtual approach for the awareness month, posting on social media what healthy relationships looks like, posting giveaways, and more. Find them on Instagram @ campusadvocatecsub.

Domestic violence causes long-lasting effects By Victoria Cipres Feature Writer It has been 19 years now since the last time we saw our abuser. But it has been roughly 10 years since my family, especially my mother, has been willing to talk about domestic violence. When asking my mother if it would be ok to interview her, she did not hesitate as I thought she would. Starting the conversation was not as easy. I asked her, “What do you want to talk about?” Without a beat my mother says, “How they manipulate you in a slow way. You become so blindsided by it. They pull you away from your family and you don’t even realize it’s even happening until they know they have the control. Then it’s the degrading and in between all that is the physical abuse, verbal abuse…I don’t really know what’s worse.” I replied, “All of it is…we saw all of it, the physical, verbal, mental, and emotional abuse and I don’t think people thought at the time that there was more to it.” It is easier to talk about what happened during the abuse. Because it is all memory from there, or at least what you can remember; what is not easy is to talk about is the aftermath of it. The ripple effects it has on

everyone involved. It was a hard question to ask and bring up, but I had to ask her, “They always ask why you stayed?” My mother responds, “It truly is not that easy because it has gone far beyond that point. The thing is, we did leave. I broke it off and he was out of the house and the second phase comes. And I did everything that I was supposed to do to keep us safe.” Our abuser was my mother’s boyfriend of eight years. Eight years we will never get back because of the terror he wrecked on our lives. The relationship began in 1994 and in 2000 my mother finally ended things and we moved while he was in jail. He found us a year later. That’s when the stalking, death threats, and break-ins started. In 2002 he broke into our apartment and held my mother and three-year-old sister (who is his daughter) hostage with a shotgun. I truly thought I was never going to see them again and my mother thought it was her last day on earth without seeing us ever again. I get asked all the time why we never went to therapy for it. There is no answer to that. We moved on and never talked about it after. Because how are you supposed to recover from something like this? Eight years of

physical, emotional, and mental violence is not something you can recover from one day at a time. In fact, it’s taken us almost sixteen years to finally talk about it. The repercussions of domestic violence too now have their ripple effects on us. “I have dreams about it now Victoria, often. I think it’s because I have more time to myself. I do want to have a relationship, but I’m too chicken to, I’m afraid. Look how long it’s been. I don’t trust anyone, and I find reasons not to” my mother silently said. I looked at her as we sat on her bed together and said, “He took that away from you. He took so much of you away from us that we will never get back.” No one talks about the aftermath of being a survivor from a domestic violence relationship. I told my mother, “No one talks about the aftermath of being a survivor and no one talks about how it impacts you as a whole and what you’re supposed to do after.” She takes in a big sigh, “We’re just glad that it’s over.” The repercussions of it have affected us nineteen years after the fact. There was no time for her to reflect and start to recover from the abuse after the final incident of our abuser’s attack. My mother

Victoria Cipres and her mother

did not have time to take care of herself and seek therapy because she had three kids and their emotions to care for. I asked my mother, “Out of all this, what has been your silver lining in this?” She thought about it and looked around her room and warmly said, “That it has brought all of us closer together, that we have stuck together through everything.” My mother does not talk about the abuse publicly or even thinks about it. She rarely talks about it unless it is brought up within her close circle of family and friends. I had asked my mother if she wanted to use her voice after we had this conversation.

She looked at me and tearfully replied, “I would see it as therapy and that’s what I need but…I’m afraid I will have a breakdown and I’m afraid I will not be able to come out of it.” These are the ripple effects are from domestic violence. It takes away so much from a person/ family. There is a piece of my childhood that my siblings and I will never get back, more importantly a piece of my mother we will never get back. I advocate and use my voice to fundraise and bring awareness to domestic violence for not only my younger self, but for my mother and for those whose voices feel too quiet to be heard. Before ending our conversation, I asked my mother what she would say to her younger self if she could go back. “That I am not those things he says I am. That you’re stronger than that. That you are worthy, and you deserve way better than that because this is not love.” These are the ripple effects of domestic violence and there needs to be more of a conversation happening about it so that those whose voices are too small know that they are not alone in this. The last thing my mother said before ending our conversation was that “nothing good comes from domestic violence.”

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Oct. 20, 2021

The haunting of the Zalud House By Teresa Alcantar Staff Writer Every small town has that one old house that is rumored to be haunted, and in Porterville, California that house is the Zalud House. Built in 1891, the house is now a museum, but while the surrounding area has changed, the interior and exterior of the home look as if the Zalud family never left. “Unlike many other historical homes, it was owned and occupied exclusively by the original family, has undergone no major redesigns, and the furnishings and artifacts on display are almost all Zalud family possessions,” states the Porterville Recorder in “Pearle Zalud: Lady of the house still giving.” Because so much of the home’s exterior and interior was left untouched for over a century, there is an ominous feeling when entering as if you were traveling back in time The home is also unique; it was built with a second empire style of architecture with a mansard roof, a four-sided roof with a flat top. This style of architecture is similar to that of the fictional “Addams Family” home, and it is impossible to ignore the similarities when looking at the Zalud

house. While the Zalud family was the only family to ever live in the home, they did not live in it for very long. The family would end up moving out of the home after a series of tragic events starting in 1912. The last family member to live in the home was Pearle Zalud, who, upon her death in 1970, donated the home and all of its contents to the city of Porterville. In 1912 the matriarch of the family, Mary Jane, died in the home after a long struggle with tuberculosis. To this day, it is reported that on the anniversary of her death, “medicinal smells can allegedly be picked up in the house,” as stated by Atlas Obscura. In 1917, William Brooke, Ann Zalud’s husband, was shot four times by a woman named Julia Howe as he sat in a rocking chair at the old Pioneer Hotel in Porterville. The legend surrounding the shooting is that “Brooks had made romantic advances to Howe, the wife of one of his colleagues at National Cash Register Company. When rebuffed, he spread tales that she was a woman of loose moral standards,” as stated by the Porterville Recorder. The chair he was shot in now resides within the home and possesses

Photo by Teresa Alcantar/The Runner The Zalud House in Porterville, California, is rumored to be haunted by its past.

a bullet hole from the event. The majority of the paranormal activity within the home stems from this chair, with guests reporting feeling “chest pains and difficulty breathing” as if they were having a heart attack while sitting in the chair, as stated in an episode of “Ghost Adventures.” In 2016, the Zalud House was featured in season 13, episode 10 of the Travel Channel show “Ghost Adventures,” where the team

felt that the chair was infesting the home with dark energy. While at the home, the team remarked that while the downstairs felt very inviting and comfortable, once you entered the upstairs the environment immediately changed and felt dark and foreboding. While at the house, the “Ghost Adventures” team reportedly captured disembodied voices and direct responses when using an Ovilus III and spirit box device, which is supposed

to help spirits communicate, and visual anomalies when using a full spectrum camera. Almost every member of the team left the house with some kind of physical experience happening to them within the home. The last death that occurred before the family left was that of the son Edward Zalud who was said to have been kicked in the head by a horse after he fell off of it in 1922. The saddle he was using during

the accident also resides within the home. Rumors around the validity of this story persist as Edward was believed to be operating a “bootlegging business during Prohibition,” as claimed by Atlas Obscura and the Porterville Recorder. The Porterville Recorder goes on to claim that Edward was never jailed for this illegal act. It is also theorized that Edwards was killed by a group of vigilantes for “rustling cattle,” as also claimed by the Porterville Recorder. Today the home is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is open for both regular tours on Thursdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and paranormal tours upon request. A regular tour costs $1 per child and $3 per adult, while paranormal tours are $20 per adult for a 2-hour tour and $50 per adult for a four-hour tour. If you are looking for something out of the ordinary to do this Halloween season, consider visiting the Zalud House. Not only can you feel like you’re traveling back in time but you can also learn more about the mysteries surrounding the deaths of some of its family members and the supposedly haunted objects in the home.

Fall in love with Banducci’s Pumpkin Patch By Jennifer Chavez Features Writer Get in the fall mood by taking a visit to the newly reopened Banducci’s Family Pumpkin Patch. I visited the pumpkin patch on Oct. 4, opening day, to have a chat with the owner, Nancy Banducci Nancy spoke about how the pumpkin patch first started with her husband about 30 years ago; it was something as small as a couple of pumpkins in their front yard. “As the customers kept coming and it got bigger and bigger, he said let’s move back here,” Nancy said as she mentioned how her and her husband eventually created the larger pumpkin patch, which is family and friend operated. The pumpkin patch fea-

Photo by Jennifer Chavez/The Runner A field of pumpkins await at Banducci’s Pumpking Patch on Oct. 4, 2021.

tures a corn maze, a bridge over a pond, many opportunities for photo-ops, and of course pumpkin picking. It is a neat experience being able to pick out your own pumpkin. You can choose a unique color and find a pumpkin in almost any size (wagons provided). Pumpkins are sold by size and have a display to show the cost.

They are located at 10747 Taft Highway. Admission is $5 per person and children under the age of 5 are free. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They are open until Oct. 31, when they will close at 4:30 p.m. that day. Masks are optional and are being offered as well as hand sanitizing

The Banducci Family on opening day, Oct. 4, 2021.

stations. Forms of payment being accepted are credit cards,

Photo by Jennifer Chavez/The Runner

cash, and Apple Pay. You can find them on Facebook and Instagram at Banduc-

ci’s Pumpkin Patch. As for TikTok, Nancy comically said, “I hope not.”

Features

The Runner

Oct. 20, 2021

Bring in autumn Pumpkin and chocolate? with pumpkin roll Yes for these cookies By Leah Truitt Staff Writer

A fall twist on everyone’s favorite cookie! This pumpkin recipe makes 40 cookies, but they can be stored at room temperature for three days or in the freezer for three months.

It’s pumpkin season so here is a recipe for those who are in a pumpkin pastry mood. Ingredients for cake: ⅔ cup of canned pumpkin 3 eggs 1 tsp lemon juice 1 cup white sugar ¾ cup of flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 tsp of cinnamon ¼ tsp of ground nutmeg 1 dash of ground ginger 1 dash of ground cardamom 1 dash of ground cloves

Prep time: 25 mins Bake: 12 mins Cool: 2 mins Yield: 40 cookies

ed sugar and brown sugar until combined, making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Once combined, beat in the pumpkin and vanilla. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture and stir until the wet and dry ingredients are completely combined. Lastly, stir in the chocolate chips. Step 3: Place the dough in 2 tablespoon mounds 2

inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are light brown. Cool on hot cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool. To Store: Layer cookies in between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Ingredients 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour ½ cup whole wheat flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 cup canned pumpkin 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Ingredients for filling: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 tsp vanilla ½ cup confectioner’s sugar Directions: Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Step 2: Mix together eggs, sugar, pumpkin, and lemon juice. Step 3: Add in spices, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly mixed. Step 4: Mix in flour. Step 5: Spread batter into a rectangle on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Step 6: Cook for about 15 minutes, or until a tooth-

By Genisis Delgado Staff Writer

Photos by Leah Truitt/The Runner

pick comes out clean. Step 7: After the cake has cooled down for a few minutes (but while it is still warm) carefully roll up the cake and allow it to cool in this shape. Step 8: Make the frosting while the cake is cooling. Step 9: Once the cake is

cool, carefully unroll it and fill it with the frosting. Leave about an inch on each side so when the cake is rolled back up, the frosting doesn’t spill out. Step 10: Roll the cake back up and refrigerate until you are ready to eat it.

Directions Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set them aside. In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Step 2: In a large mixing bowl beat butter, granulat-

Photos by Genisis Delgado/The Runner

Killer bread for Day of the Dead: Pan de Muerto By Xochitl Martinez Staff Writer Pan de Muerto is a specialty for Day of the Dead. Enjoy with Mexican hot chocolate, champurrado, or any other hot beverage of your choice. This sweet, simple bread infused with the flavors of citrus is sure to please everyone. Prep time: 30 minutes Inactive prep time: 1 hour Cook time: 20-25 minutes Total time: 2 hours Yield: 8 pieces of bread Ingredients 4 cups of bread flour 1 1/3 tablespoons of dry active yeast 4 large eggs 1/3 cup of milk

1 1/3 teaspoons of salt 1/4 cup of butter 1/4 cup of margarine 1/2 cup of white sugar 1 large orange Directions: In a medium-sized cup, add ½ cup of water and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Then, add the dry active yeast and stir. Wait for 10 minutes until the yeast is bubbling, which indicates that the yeast has activated. While the yeast is activating, make sure the butter and margarine are taken out of the fridge and softened. In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients: flour, salt, and sugar.Stir until combined. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients: butter, margarine, eggs, and milk.

Next, add the wet ingredients into the larger bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a grater to peel the skin off a large orange and add the zest to the mixture. Begin to stir the ingredients together. If the dough is sticky to the touch, add as much flour as needed. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes. When the dough is fully kneaded, place it into a container with saran wrap and put it in a warm area, between 80 F to 90 F, to let the dough rise for an hour. After the dough has risen, place it onto a clean, flat surface, take a quarter of the dough, and set aside for the design. The rest of the dough will be divided evenly into 8 pieces. This is about ½ cup of dough for each piece. Shape into a circle.

For the decorations, roll the dough into cylinders and lay a strip vertically and another horizontally onto each piece. Take a small piece and shape it into a sphere to be placed in the center of the bread. Heat the oven to 350 F. Spray oil onto 2 baking sheets and place 4 pieces of bread onto each. Make sure they are 2 inches apart. Place the baking sheets into the oven and wait 20-25 minutes until golden brown. The time will vary on your oven. Finally, heat a tablespoon of butter in the microwave for 30 seconds, glaze the top of the bread, and dust with sugar. Enjoy your Pan de Muerto. Photos by Xochitl Martinez/The Runner

Features Oct. 20, 2021

The Runner

Via Ar Artte fills the world with col olor or

“Bees for Tomorrow” by Clare Rossetta received the Best Technique award on Sunday, Oct. 17.

Sophia Rios, Hien Nguyen, Robyn Franco, Kat Hui, and Alex Biternas from Stockdale High School work together on their square at Bakersfield Museum of Art’s Via Arte event at The Marketplace in Bakersfield on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.

A chalk drawing in the professionals section on Oct. 17.

Photos by Alexis Lynde, The Runner

Nola and Kal Hunsaker create chalk art in the childrn’s section on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.

Jason Henderson works on their chalk art on Oct. 16, 2021.

Jiwoo An works on their square on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021.

Portrait of Frida Kahlo by artist Esai Mendez. Photo taken on Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021.

Features

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Oct. 20, 2021

Guide to dating in a pandemic By Leah Truitt Staff Writer

et’s face it. Love is hard; dating is hard. And when you add in a global catastrophe, such as the novel coronavirus, let’s just say that it doesn’t get much easier. It takes a lot to stay in a relationship under normal circumstances because relationships, whether they are platonic or romantic, take a lot of work. They require time, compromise, and communication. Here are some tips for dating in a pandemic from someone who began her first romantic relationship a month before the pandemic started. Communication is key It may sound cliche, but it’s true. Communication is the most important aspect of any relationship. Without any, it is easy to be misunderstood or to misunderstand your partner, especially when many aspects of your relationship may seem diminished or changed by the current circumstances. It may be frustrating to

communicate with someone if you can’t see their face or if there is a literal distance between you, but it is always important to acknowledge how you are feeling and to voice your own desires or concerns regarding your relationship. Unless your partner has telepathy, they aren’t going to know what’s going through your head. If you don’t voice what you are feeling, then they may never know. Be Creative Dating in a pandemic limits your options. It becomes a lot harder to do things that you would have done pre-pandemic. Regular date ideas, such as going to the movies, may not be an option based upon the COVID-19 regulations in your state or county. In my first couple of months dating in the pandemic, my boyfriend and I had to be incredibly creative regarding date ideas. We played social distance chess. For this game, both of us brought our own chess set and played each other from 6 feet away. We

went on socially distanced walks around the neighborhood. We played Animal Crossing for hours together, making sure to take lots of screenshots to preserve our dates, and had countless dates over Zoom. Sometimes it was really hard to come up with new ideas and it really did feel as if we were restricted. However, it is important to realize that, while you may be restricted by COVID-19 regulations, your imagination is limitless and free. Adapt and be open to change These past 18 months have been fraught with uncertainty, and in the face of such drastic change, none of us will remain unscathed. However, we are still here. The relationships that we form with one another, the connections that we build, and our ability to adapt to change is something that can make us stronger, not just when it comes to our relationships, but when it comes to being human. The world is constantly changing and so are we.

Photo provided by Leah Truitt/The Runner

Leah Truitt and Joseph Caputo hold hands on a walk at the bluffs in Bakersfield.

Opinions

The Runner

Oct. 20, 2021

National Coming Out Day is a double-edged sword By Lilliawna Shaffer Staff Writer The month of October is LGBT History Month, which represents support and love for the LGBTQIA community and their history. Oct. 11 specifically is an awareness day to support people who are coming out as a sexual orientation other than heterosexual. This day is known as National Coming Out Day. According to the Human Rights Campaign website, this is the 33rd anniversary of National Coming Out Day, which is “on the anniversary of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights.” This day was created to evoke power and support in uplifting those who choose to be open about their sexuality by coming out. However, I believe the concept of coming out can be unnecessary because it further enforces the idea that members of the queer community have to further prove their validity. I do believe that for those who use coming

Illustration by Kelsey Peters/The Runner

out as an experience of freedom and acceptance within themselves it can be incredibly powerful, and

therefore coming out can be beneficial. I think a lot of people embody a newer and more realistic version

of themselves once they are finally able to identify as the sexuality that aligns with themselves the most. Furthermore, I believe that coming out raises awareness, educates those who are not in the queer community, and normalizes the idea of those who are, which can create further acceptance. The American Psychological Association states how coming out is “help[ing] others to overcome their lack of knowledge, reduce their discomfort and increase their empathy.” On the flip side, I strongly believe that coming out is

an unessential construct that relies on the notion that one’s sexuality will not be believable unless they publicly come out of the closet. Heterosexual people are not expected to come out of the closet as straight to be validated, so there is no need for a gay person to come out in order to be seen as valid either. Moreover, heterosexual people do not face backlash for being straight, but members of the LGBTQIA community fear for their lives every day simply because of the fact that they are not straight.

Senior Anthony Oswell explains, “I think people come out for common courtesy. It’s kind of like in your friend group, there are a lot of things that can be assumed because English is a gendered language. I think having that information is giving context.” We then talked about the importance of coming out to prevent awkward situations with our friends like pointing out a cute girl to a gay man, when in reality they would be pointing out a cute man to him if they knew his sexual preference. While coming out to yourself and within your close circle of people can be beneficial, I believe that oftentimes publicly coming out is just another obstacle that queer people are forced by society to face in order to prove our validity further. In addition, I believe that coming out pressures individuals to pick one label for their sexuality when in reality they can know that they are not straight, but also not know if they are gay or bisexual. Encouraging a public “coming out” experience has the possibility of making us feel less valid because the pressure could force someone to pick a label that they don’t truly feel comfortable with. Accepting a person regardless of who they love is what’s most important. To do this, allies and members of the LGBTQIA community need to help raise awareness and support for the idea of “love is love.”

SHARE YOUR VOICE One of our missions at The Runner is to facilitate dialogue and create community by sharing the diverse voices of our campus. Do you have an opinion or experience you’d like to share with readers?

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR These are short commentaries or responses to content in The Runner. Letters must be less than 300 words and include the name of the writer and contaction information for verification.

CAMPUS VOICES These longer op-eds allow you to express your viewpoints on important issues in our university, community, and world. Op-eds should be 500-700 words and include supporting facts from credible sources. Letters and op-eds may be edited for clarity, grammar, spelling and length. Send your submissions to runner@csub.edu.

The Runner

Opinions Oct. 20, 2021

Envelope Challenge helps save money By Alondra Roman Staff Writer Budgeting can be a difficult task. It can be challenging to save money when many people are barely earning enough to get by. According to Education Data. org, “student loan debt in the United States totals $1.73 trillion and grows 6 times faster than the nation’s economy.’’ Approximately “43.2 million student borrowers are in debt by an average of $39,351 each,” states Education Data.org. However, for those willing to budget and increase their savings there are a variety of interesting ways to do so. One such method is the “100 Envelope Challenge,” which is a method spreading via Tik Tok. Those who follow the original version of the challenge can expect to have an additional $5,050 in their savings at the end of the challenge, according to the blog “Simplistically Living.”

To initiate the challenge you first need to get 100 envelopes and label them 1 through 100. The number on the envelope indicates how much money you will be placing in the envelope each day. You will place the envelopes in whatever container you have on hand and draw an envelope at random.Once you draw the envelope you cannot place it back. For example, if you draw out envelope 58 you will place $58 in that envelope and seal it until the end of the 100 days. However, “completing the challenge in 100 days might be unreasonable for some people,” according to the blog, “Kinda Frugal”. Some people, especially those running tight on money, may find the challenge in its original form unrealistic. Fortunately, the challenge can be adapted to best fit your availability. Instead of doing the 100 days

Illustration by Faith Okoli/The Runner

you can do 50 days, and the same purpose would apply. You would simply label the envelopes 1 through 50. In this method you would avoid having to place larger amounts of money in the

envelopes. You could also extend the 100 envelopes to 1 envelope per week or every two days. It all depends on how much you are willing and able to set aside each

day. The “100 Envelope Challenge” is a unique and flexible method to save money for anyone wanting to improve their budgeting skills.

Help prevent breast cancer by knowing the risks Ana Dominguez & Dionna Woolfolk Staff Writers To understand what breast cancer is, we need to know what breast cancer means. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc, “breast cancer are abnormal cells in the breast that invade healthy cells of surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to other areas of the body.” “1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. In 2021, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S. as well as 49,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer,” states NBCF. A man’s breast cells and tissue can also develop cancer. “Even so, male breast cancer is very rare. Less than one percent of all breast cancer cases develop in men, and only one in a thousand men will ever be diagnosed with breast cancer,” stated the foundation. The most common risk factors for men are, “radiation exposure, high levels of the hormone estrogen, family history of breast cancer,” according to the foundation. According to the National Cancer Institute, some other risk factors include, “smoking, being overweight, not getting enough exercise, old age, personal history of breast cancer or breast disease, inherited risk of breast cancer, and obesity among

Itzel Mandujano

Margarita Gonzalez

Illustration by Jessica Rosas/The Runner

others.” Breast Carcer Organization mentions that preventative measures can include, “changing lifestyle or eating habits, avoiding things known to cause cancer, taking medicine to treat a precancerous condition or to keep cancer from starting.” Breastcancer.org states, that “performing breast self-exam in combination with other screening methods can increase the odds of early detection.” “A simply breast cancer

self-exam to check up for lump made by a health care physician or yourself, can be an important way to find a breast cancer early, when it’s more likely to be treated successfully. While no single test can detect all breast cancers early,” stated the Breast Cancer Organization. Support from Family and friends is crucial in the lives of breast cancer patients and survivors. Women who suffer breast cancer need to communicate with family, friends and support

groups. Itzel Mandujano lost her mother, Silvia Dominguez-Mandujano, in 2002 after 3 years of a painful treatment. “I lost my mother at a young age. I was only 13, I had to take care of her and my three siblings. My dad had to work, and he helped me but very little. I wish I could give her a better care, but I was young and uninformed,” states Mandujano. Margarita Gonzalez lost her sister, Mrs. Dominguez-Man-

dujano and states that “I realize that we could have done things differently. Being aware of the any change in our bodies is a call for early attention and prevention of any disease. Educate yourself about this topic and take care of your body.” Gonzalez encourages readers to “go to your local clinic and ask for information about breast cancer. If we had been alliterated about breast cancer symptoms and how to prevent cancer, my sister would have a better chance to win the battle against it. Now, I know how important it is to have a healthy diet, and exercise are also good ways to prevent breast cancer.”

Sports

The Runner

Oct. 20, 2021

Roadrunners hold off the Titans Nickolas Lopez Staff Writer On Wednesday, Oct. 6, CSU Bakersfield celebrated Vida Los Runners Night at the main soccer field on their home field. A night where CSUB celebrates and recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month and Latinx culture. The Runners did not disappoint a crowd of 1,439 people in the stands. It did not take long for the Roadrunners to get to the top. In the 11th minute, Sophomore midfielder Michael Vogel gets

wiped out by the Titans midfielder Jose Delgado, as a result a penalty kick was awarded to CSUB. Senior midfielder Carlos Armendariz was able to capitalize on the penalty kick, Armendariz put his shot right down the middle with the Titans goalkeeper Andrea Bonavia guessing left. That goal made Armendariz the goal leader among active CSUB players with three on his resume already this season. In the second half the Titans offense were looking for the equal-

izing goal. The Roadrunner defense proved to be the deciding factor in the matchup. Freshman goalkeeper Sucre Herrera was up for the task providing 6 crucial saves in his first start. A solid performance by Herrera putting up a clean sheet in his debut. Before his start Herrera had only registered 15 minutes of play. The Roadrunners defense held the Titans a 1-0 victory and improved their Big West record to 2-1-0. CSUB is starting to get things rolling, winning their last three matches.

Photo by Carlos Hernandez/The Runner

Niklas Roessler moves through Titans defenders as he heads downfield on Oct. 6.

Podcast Preview: This season’s goals with men’s basketball guard Justin Edler-Davis CJ Alcala Podcaster

Justin Edler-Davis

For the first interview for The Runners on Air: The Off-Season, I sat down with Men’s Basketball player Justin Edler Davis.

We started on the student side of the student-athlete. Covering his decision to come to CSUB, what he is majoring in and his career plans post-basketball. On the athletics side, Justin spoke about what

drives him to compete every day, his off-season training, team and personal goals for the upcoming basketball season. We end with a fun three questions that you will have to listen to find out. The podcast is an easy lis-

ten and can be found at therunneronline. com. CSUB starts the regular season on the road against the UCLA Bruins, Tuesday Nov. 9.

CSUB swimmers enter fast lane at home invitational Nickolas Lopez Staff Writer Women’s highlights CSUB Women’s swim team dominated the competition in the relays during the invitational. Tabea Mose, Danielle Albright, Autmn D’Arcy and Mikalya Popham finished combine to place first in the 400 medley with a final time of 3.51 and placing first in the 400-freestyle relay with a final time of 3:30. Senior women’s swimmer Autmn D’Arcy also took first place for the runners

in the 100 freestyle with a time of 51.73. First-year swimmer Melinda Johnson had an impressive outing finishing second in the 200 backstroke with a final time of 2:06. Returning sophomore Mikayla Popham, competed in the 50 freestyle and 500 freestyle races. Where she won both races, adding to a solid day of swimming. Men’s highlights The CSUB men’s relay team finished first in the 400 medley, Photo by Joe Bejarano/The Runner a solid performance Skyler Carmelich gets set at the CSUB Invitational on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021. for Kristofer Rogic, Brimer, proving to be Ryan Brimer placed style event, the Senior Loren Gilman Antoan all-around team. first in the 200 freerecorded a solid final nio Millin and Ryan

time of 1:39. Rogic also had another impressive performance placing second in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:51, proving for a good day. Senior, Loren Gillian posted a final time of 200 individual medley. Then he also raced in the 200 butterfly just barely coming in second place in a final time of 1:51. Next for ’Runners CSU Bakerfield will next compete on Oct 30th in a dual meet against Pomona Pitzer at the Hillman Aquatic Center.