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April 9, 2018
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C A L I F O R N I A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y, L O S A N G E L E S
Issue 216.11
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April 9, 2018
University Times
NEWS
The Dream Lives On Half a century has passed–Dr. King’s wisdom as relevant as ever.
behind him. He was the public face and he wrote those speeches together as a community. It is so instrumental today to go back and reflect how our ancestors moved forward as a Black community.”
Mike Nelson Staff Reporter
Plenty students voiced similar opinions during the discussion session. The topic of King being sometimes forgotten and not given enough credit was one of many things discussed.
On the evening of April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Exactly a half century later, on Wednesday, April 4, Cal State LA honored the late civil rights leader with “50 Years After They Assassinated The King”.
“Well I just think he was just an influential person in American history,” said Tom Flores, graduate Educational Administration student “We don’t give enough credit to the people who really built this country especially people of color.”
The event was held at 4 p.m., representing the precise time when Dr. King was assassinated at 6 p.m. Central Time 50 years earlier. Taking place in the U-SU Theatre, the event began with a moment of silence. Shortly after, an excerpt of the “I have a Dream” speech was played to all in attendance. Frederick Smith, Director of the Cross Cultural Centers, spoke about Dr. King: “I think the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his partner, Coretta Scott King, are important for us as a campus community to remember that their work was not only about achieving a dream, but was also about addressing issues of injustice in our United States’ society.”
Camille Jessie
Chaz Cruz and Fred Smith of the CCC lead the discussion on who Martin Luther King Jr. was and his accomplishments
Various other speeches by King were played during the event and students had the opportunity to learn more about those speeches. Dr. King still has a significance to individuals on campus and one of the main topics of the event was showing how Dr. King’s work can still be applied
in 2018. The commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrated the importance for students at Cal State LA to celebrate him during times of struggle for minorities in the U.S. The event gave an opportunity for students to reflect on the work of Dr. King as well as
discussing what he represented to them. Many students shared their personal anecdotes on Dr. King’s significance to their everyday life. Alexandria Edwards, senior Pan-African studies and Psychology Major, talked about the power in Dr. King’s message: “He spoke for everyone
Dr. King continues to touch the lives of many individuals throughout the country, and is a reminder of the power that the people have, especially as social issues continue to put strain on the country. “I think what Martin Luther King Jr. did was very historic and it should be celebrated even beyond these 50 years.” said Eric Estrada, Senior Business Administration Major. Though he does not physically live today, his wisdom is very much alive. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” said Dr. Martin Luther King.
Chicanos Stand Strong that contemporary Chicano generation should know about their history and the movement.
Two-day historical event commemorates Chicano Studies Department.
After the video, Rodriguez and Richard Lopez, Producer, sat on a panel to answer questions and share their experiences on the making of the film:
John Montoya Contributing Writer
“Since college, when I first read Acosta’s books, I had the desire to make this film,” said Rodriguez. “There were many obstacles to face before actually sitting down and setting up this project, including swaying certain people that needed to be aware of this history. Hollywood is very white, so I had to fight them too.”
This year marks the 50 year anniversary of the Chicano Studies Department, which was commemorated at the University with a two day event from April 6 to 7. Students, professors and activists, were brought together at the conference to mark the University’s extracurricular and academic accomplishments.
Lopez paid tribute to the Chicano Department and the activists in the room:
“There are signs of spring amongst a terrible winter,” said Lin Mahoney, introductory speaker. “Since 1968, we are here to commemorate the legacy.” Inspired by the East LA walkouts of the 1970s, Cal State LA was the first University in the country to implement a Chicano Studies Department. It brought forth a program that incorporated the cultural and historical values of Chicanx history, which helped develop an educational foundation to integrate them into the University. “The genesis of our program was built on the heels of the East LA walkouts and civil rights movements,” said Alex Espinoza, Chicano Studies
“All the pioneers are here. I Am honored to be amongst the trail blazers.” Aileen Espitia
Ricardo López (left) and Phillip Rodriguez (right) during their Qand A panel after the film screening.
Department Chair and Interim. “The idea was that our presence in the academy needed to be recognized, critiqued and analyzed. Our students were not being served, so our people did something about it.” The conference was coordinated by Espinoza and Roberto Cantu, Professor of Chicano Studies. Scholars
and activist from Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Denver and Mexico were invited to speak in the panels about their work on Chicano studies. Each panelist participated in a Q & A segment after their presentations, where each representative described how the Chicano Studies Department influenced and changed the educational system.
On the second day of the conference, a viewing of the 2017 documentary “The Rise and Fall of The Brown Buffalo” took place. The documentary is an autobiographical story of Oscar Zeta Acosta and his involvement in the late 60’s and early 70’s Chicano Movement. Philip Rodriguez, Director, made the documentary for the youth because he believed
This was a historical moment for Cal State LA, as the conference brought both the past and the present together for two days. The activists in the room were living history of the perseverance that existed throughout the movement. Through its commitment to the Chicano Studies Department, the University has cultivated 50 years of involvement in the Chicanx community. As students continue to speak out and demand representation, the Department shows no sign of slowing down in the future.
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University Times
April 9, 2018
Census Questions Individual’s Citizenship U.S. Department of Commerce New Citizenship Question in 2020 Census Incites Controversy.
U.S. Census Bureau to include a question of citizenship.
Anthony Karambelas Staff Reporter
Announced March 26 by Commerce Secretary Wilbur L. Ross Jr., the new question is arriving late in the drafting process for the decennial census. In fact, its delayed arrival means it has not been tested for the 2020 census, currently ongoing in Providence, R.I.
Never a dull moment with the Trump administration; this time: an addition to the 2020
A primarily Democratic coalition of seventeen state attorney generals and seven
UN I V E R S I T Y T IMES
Editor-in-Chief Erron Franklin
Investigative Reporter Ricky Rodas
Managing Editor- Print Multimedia J. Aaron Delgado Journalist Michael Griego Managing Editor- Web Carlos Gomez Photographers Aileen Espitia Production Manager Thomas Rodas Hector Cruz Joshua Mejia Camille Jessie Chief Copy Editor Brian Delgado Kyle Frizol Allen Flores News Editor Richard Molina
Graphic Designer Kimberly Pena
Photo Editor Cara Gonzales
Contributing Writers Yamani Wallace Melorie Cruz Adriana Sanchez Richard Tzul Mary Pace Jordan Hansen Ashlee Navarec
Advertising Representatives Alberto Perez Daisy Villalobos Faculty Adviser Pablo Baler Staff Reporters Anthony Karambeles Mike Nelson
The National LGBTQ Task Force
Distribution Daisy Villalobos J. Aaron Delgado
All opinions and letters in the University Times represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the UT or the university.
“Adding this question will result in a bad census—deeply flawed population data that will skew public and private sector decisions..." cities are currently wrapped up in a lawsuit regarding this question, and the case is expected to land in the Supreme Court. Unknown to many, the Trump administration is not “adding” a citizenship question, but merely resurrecting one that, according to White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders, “has been included in every census since 1965, with the exception of 2010, when it was removed.” Further, Sanders stated that the question was included so as to allow “the Department of Justice to protect voters and specifically help us better comply with the Voting Rights Act." The ongoing lawsuit points out that this claim is fundamentally misleading, as Trump is currently using
the citizenship question as a marketing tool for his reelection campaign. Objections to the citizenship mostly concern additional costs of adding the question so late and the anti-immigrant nature of the question. The citizenship question invites the possibility of nonresponse from undocumented immigrants, compromising the accuracy of the final report. “Adding this question will result in a bad census—deeply flawed population data that will skew public and private sector decisions to ensure equal representation, allocate government resources and anticipate economic growth opportunities—for the next 10 years,” said Vanita Gupta, Chief Executive of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and Deputy Attorney General for
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Jefa de Redacción: Claudia Landeros Editores:
Yeraldín Estrada
Eduardo Ramos Consejero de la Facultad: Pablo Baler
the Obama administration. How will “citizenship” affect nonresponse rates in the 2020 Census? The Department of Commerce has conducted little research on this topic. In 2007, three years preceding the 2010 U.S. Census, the American Community Survey–a monthly survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, which includes the “citizenship” question– reported that “changing the U.S. citizenship status question to include year of naturalization and referencing U.S. citizen parents did not increase the nonresponse rate to the U.S. citizenship status item.” However, adding the question to a decennial census could pose unforeseen problems and the U.S. government’s lack of research on this issue raises red flags. Citizenship is not the only question of controversy in the draft of the 2020 census. Last year, the LGBTQ community protested when a 2020 Census draft briefly included a sexual orientation and gender identity in its index, only to remove it as what the U.S. Census Bureau referred to as an “inadvertent” error. After months of lobbying and campaigning, mostly by the LGBTQ National Task Force, the U.S. Bureau reversed its decision. Alex Morash Media and PR Director for the Task Force told University Times, “The Task Force believes the Census should have a sexual orientation question and a gender identity question. It is important to have our community counted to access federal funds that are tied to census data.”
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University Times
April 9, 2018
NEWS
Sanctuary: A Controversial Law Amid California sanctuary law controversy, many are up in arms. Adriana Sanchez Contributing Writer In opposition to the California sanctuary laws that limit cooperation between law enforcement officers and federal immigration officials, the Orange County (OC) Sheriff ’s Department has made all inmate release dates available online to the public. As of March 26, internet browsers can now log on to a database called “Who’s in Jail” to find the release dates of all inmates in custody. The laws will serve to assist US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in convicting undocumented people. This action is the latest in protest of the California Values Act, or CA State Bill 54, which makes it more difficult for immigration officials to obtain information from local or state officials. Specifically, Governor Jerry Brown passed SB 54 last October. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the bill ensures that no state or local workers have to assist in mass deportations; making it a ‘sanctuary state.’ The Washington Post reported that a provision within the bill allowed the Sheriff Department’s to assist ICE by making the information available to the public. According to the Los Angeles Times on March 26, Undersheriff Don Barnes said, “We have an obligation to safeguard our community, and we will use every tool available to help hold criminals accountable. Our inability to relinquish these individuals to the custody of (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) causes them to be returned to the communities which they prey upon." The department feels that the community would be safer if immigration enforcement had access to the offenders who are being released back into the public. Other opponents of ICE view it to be a case of entrapment. One student said, “I don’t know much about the police system, but it seems as though this is a trap. The police are basically telling ICE exactly when and where these people are so they can find more people to detain.” Kelly Enos, a retired Los Angeles County Deputy Sheriff and member of the Criminal Justice Department said, “The only time I know that departments will release release dates are in sexual assault and domestic violence cases where a victim is in danger and the abuser is convicted. There's a law in California that states that when that person is getting ready to be released, law enforcement notifies the victim and lets them know this person is going to be released from prison.” Typically, if someone wanted to find a release date, they would need to know the location and personal information of the inmate involved. Orange County’s publishment is also notable in the immigration controversy. Recently in Orange County, cities have become active in protesting against the State’s ‘sanctuary’ status. Earlier this March, the city of Los Alamitos voted to exempt themselves from the state’s new law. On April 2, Huntington Beach also announced that the city is planning to file a lawsuit against the state of California over the “sanctuary” status. Yorba Linda, Buena Park and Mission Viejo are also voicing their opposition. The Los Angeles Times reported that the county initially proposed Proposition 187, which would deny public services– including education and healthcare–to undocumented citizens, but was revoked in court.
Tribune News Service
As of April 4, the Orange County Sheriff Department is now being faced with a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The civil rights
group claims that the department has run an illegal jail informant group for over 30 years that has led to countless unjust convictions. The Huffington Post writes that the case follows three
Orange County cases along with People for the Ethical Operation of Prosecutors and Law Enforcement. As the lawsuit goes underway, accusations continue to surface.
University Times
April 9, 2018
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TEMAS NACIONALES
Fin del programa TPS para los salvadoreños TEMAS INTERNACIONALES
“Prácticas comerciales desleales”
Empresa empacadora de carnes para importar a China, en Nebraska. Crédito de fotografía: Tribune News Service
China, al tiempo que minimiza el impacto en la economía de los EE UU”. Esta lista de nuevos productos se suma a los aranceles del aluminio y el acero que Trump anunció varias semanas atrás.
Argumento de China y EE.UU. para aumentar los aranceles Por Claudia Landeros La Oficina del Representante del Comercio Exterior de Estados unidos (USTR) anunció que impondrá aranceles a una lista de más 1,300 productos chinos, esto en respuesta a lo que el gobierno estadounidense considera “prácticas comerciales desleales”. Esta imposición tendrá una repercusión económica para China de aproximadamente $50,000 millones de dólares, de acuerdo a la oficina de comercio del país asiático. Esta decisión ya la había anunciado el presidente Trump el pasado mes de marzo, aunque él había mencionado que los gravámenes a las importaciones chinas serían de $60,000 millones de dólares. Al final, el informe de la USTR anunció que será de $10,000 millones de dólares menos. La lista de productos chinos incluye principalmente artículos de tecnología de punta en el área de robótica y aeroespacial. La USTR mencionó que “El listado de productos propuesto se basa en un extenso análisis económico y se destinará a productos que se benefician de los planes industriales de
La respuesta del gobierno chino no podría ser diferente. Aplicándole la ley del talión al gobierno de Trump, anunció el pasado lunes 2 de abril la decisión de un aumento en los aranceles de 128 productos estadounidenses, en respuesta a los gravámenes de aluminio y acero. Una nueva declaración del gobierno chino dio a conocer una nueva lista de 106 productos más que tendrán un aumento en los aranceles del 25%, lo que equivale a la misma cantidad, $50,000 millones de dólares impuesto por el gobierno de Trump. Algunos productos de la lista son: los automóviles, los aviones, algunos productos agrícolas como el maíz, además de otros productos de primera necesidad como el jugo de naranja y la carne de res. La justificación del gobierno chino a estas medidas es “la de defender los derechos legales de China, frente a la emergencia causada por EE.UU, que ha actuado en contra de sus deberes internacionales”. Estas dos grandes potencias económicas parece que están en un juego de venganzas y de poder, siendo los consumidores los más afectados al final del día, porque si los impuestos de los productos de importación aumentan, por lógica los precios en el mercado, para el consumidor, también lo hacen.
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La incierta nueva vida de los deportados Por Eduardo Ramos El pasado lunes, 2 de abril, el gobierno de Estados Unidos anunció el fin del Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS) para ciudadanos de El Salvador. El anuncio fue confirmado a través de un tuit por el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional estadounidense (DHS. "Después de considerar cuidadosamente la información de una amplia variedad de fuentes, la secretaria Kirsten M. Nielsen decidió poner fin al TPS para El Salvador. Determinó retrasar el fin del programa por 18 meses. El TPS terminará el 9 de septiembre de 2019" Esto significa que los salvadoreños tienen hasta esa fecha para abandonar el país o conseguir alguna otra forma de residencia legal en EE. UU. En noviembre del año pasado el Servicio de Investigación del Congreso de este país, reportó que a través del programa TPS, obtuvieron permiso de trabajo temporal alrededor de 200,000 salvadoreños. Esto los convierte en el grupo más numeroso de beneficiarios del programa.
temores sobre lo que pueda pasar a partir de septiembre de 2019 les trae expectativas desalentadoras. Considerando que muchos de los afectados fueron traídos por sus padres a este país cuando apenas eran niños, la deportación significaría regresar a un país totalmente desconocido, enfrentar la inseguridad, y la pobreza extrema del país. Para otros, como los que tienen hijos nacidos aquí, significaría tomar decisiones sumamente difíciles, ya que se encontrarían entre dejar a sus hijos o llevarlos con ellos a un país que les resultará por demás extraño.
La política antiinmigrante del gobierno de Trump llena de incertidumbres a la comunidad salvadoreña y los
El director de la Red Nacional de Jornaleros, una organización que reúne a los migrantes salvadoreños
Manifestación a favor del TPS Crédito de fotografía: www.laprensagrafica.com
en Estados Unidos, asegura que "La gran mayoría no va a regresar a El Salvador. Van a regresar a la clandestinidad, porque es preferible huir de los agentes de migración que huir de las pandillas". "Prácticamente tendría que quedarme en las sombras, porque mis hijas están estudiando aquí. No puedo movilizarme", considera un padre afectado. "A menos que me cojan y me digan 'se tiene que ir', tendría que seguir en las sombras y luchar por algo que se pueda lograr". Por su parte el gobierno salvadoreño se siente optimista de que los casi 200,000 encontrarán una alternativa para legalizar de forma definitiva su estatus en territorio estadounidense.
NOTICIAS LOCALES
Empresa subcontratada de Home Depot acosa a jornaleros Los trabajadores pierden el miedo y se defienden Por Yeraldín Estrada Cada vez más jornaleros de diferentes zonas de Los Ángeles se unen en la protesta que denuncia el acoso que sufren estos por parte de una compañía subcontratada por Home Depot. Los jornaleros han manifestado la compañía Point 2 point, los ha estado acosando. Esta compañía ha sido contratada por Home Depot para brindar seguridad en las tiendas, pero ha causado una gran polémica ya que los jornaleros no se sienten seguros cuando los trabajadores de dicha compañía los persiguen. Por su parte, muchos de los jornaleros inconformes se unieron el martes 3 de abril para denunciar los abusos, aseguraron que no se van a dejar. También, pidieron a la compañía de Home Depot terminar el contrato con Point 2 point. Uno de ellos dijo que el personal de Point 2 point nos los deja en paz pues los
Jornaleros pidiendo trabajo afuera de Home Depot. Crédito de fotografía: https://twitter.com/obraduras
siguen hasta la tienda y que en ocasiones llaman a los agentes de inmigración quienes llegan a platicar con los guardias. Este acto, lo han tomado los jornaleros como un acto racista ya que sienten que debido a su perfil, los guardias de seguridad se sienten con el derecho de atemorizarlos cuando ellos solo buscan trabajar dignamente. Después de varios meses en los que la compañía Point 2 point ha trabajado para Home Depot, los trabajadores inmigrantes decidieron alzar la voz para terminar con el abuso. Uno de ellos incluso señaló que en una ocasión fue agredido físicamente. Home
Depot
respondió
a las quejas y dio a conocer su postura. La compañía no aprueba este tipo de comportamiento y dejo saber que hablará con Point 2 point sobre el tema mientras que la compañía de seguridad aclaró que no tenían conocimiento del tema y que su organización no aprueba este tipo de violencia. Los jornaleros cuentan con el apoyo de la Red Nacional de Jornaleros (NDLON) que les ha hecho saber que ellos como trabajadores tienen derechos y pueden estar en áreas públicas sin ser acosados o intimidados. Los trabajadores esperan un cambio en la actitud de las compañías para poder trabajar sin el miedo en el que han sido sometidos los últimos meses
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April 9, 2018
University Times
NEWS
Nobody Goes Hungry Students and staff are welcome to donate goods on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Food Pantry office located on the third floor of the U-SU. Specifically, service days are on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. To receive free food, Cal State LA students must provide proof of enrollment and must present their ID.
Two food pantries at the University serve students in need. Cara Gonzales Photo Editor At Cal State LA, helping students fight hunger is a commitment; as a result, two types of food pantries are available to serve students. In these pantries, non-perishable foods such as rice, oatmeal, pasta, canned beans, nuts, canned vegetables, and fruits are available at no charge to students. The University’s Division of Student Life works in partnership with the office of the Dean of Students, the University-Student Union (USU), and various departments throughout campus including: the Alumni Association, Associated Students Inc. (ASI), Center for Student Involvement (CSI), College of Health and Human Services, College of Natural and Social Sciences, Department of Financial Aid, Kinesiology and Nutritional Science, Marketing, Public Health, Social Work and Sociology.
“I think the food pantry is very important for the students because a lot of us struggle economically and I know there’s a lot of concern about food and housing insecurities, so this is one step in addressing that but we could still do more,” said Jose Vanscoit, who currently works at the Cal State LA Food Pantry.
Cara Gonzales
Example items found in a bag of food that CAl State LA's food pantry give out.
For students who are receiving these goods, information such as food expiration dates and food safety information at the pantry entrance. Furthermore, for foods that have expired, they are not necessarily unsafe to eat. Rather, Federal, State, and local regulators are not forced to place “expired by”, “best use by” or “best before” dates on food products, as many foods are still edible outside of their initial expiration date. The Guerilla Food Pantry,
located in King Hall C4039, is open on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., but will be expanding their schedule to Monday through Thursday soon. Beth Baker and Jessica Bodoh-Creed from the anthropology department started the Guerilla Food Pantry when they noticed a trend in hunger on campus. In response, they started their own food collection, which serves students in a similar fashion to the food pantry in the U-SU. Donations can be made at any time by placing items in the boxes in front of the office. Beth Baker shared how Guerrilla started: “We just thought there should be a way of making [the Guerilla Food Pantry] available to our students here rather than getting food here and taking it off campus. The volunteers were across [various] majors and lots of students from different parts of our campus which makes it interesting. We started out small and had about 10 people a day, but by the end of last spring semester we were getting 50 people a day.” With the help from student volunteers, students can spread the word and serve more of those in need.
Encouraging a Generation of PhD Students principal investigator. “Students’ participation in the MMUF program will increase their potential for entry into graduate programs in their chosen disciplines and strengthen their long-term career capacity,” said ScottJohnson. Through the financial support of this grant, many students
J. Emilio Flores
Cal State LA receives grant to support humanities students. Ashlee Navarec Contributing Writer In an effort to aid students in the humanities field, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has given a $453,000 grant to California State University,
Los Angeles (CSULA). The funding aims to provide more opportunities for scholars who plan on pursuing a PhD immediately upon completion of their Bachelor’s degree. The grant will solidify the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) program, which will offer guidance and training to 16 students. Their goal is to increase diversity in the faculty of the nation’s colleges and universities. Specifically, Cal State LA’s program will contain
tiered experiences over two consecutive Summer sessions. During those sessions, students will be exposed to various humanities-based works, including scholarships. Throughout the academic year, students will devote their time to researching and developing their graduate school application and advancements in their studies. Pamela Scott-Johnson, Dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences, and Associate Dean Cheryl Koos both served as the senior officer and
will have the ability to pursue graduate and PhD studies. “I look forward to the contributions our Mellon Mays fellows will make through scholarship and research,” said Cal State LA President William Covino. “The grant from the Andrew W. Mellon foundation will help us develop the next generation of humanities scholars.”
7 NEWS
April 9, 2018
University Times
April: Sexual Assault Awareness Month The University raises awareness and advocacy to prevent sexual assault on campus. Mary Pace Contributing Writer April marks Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), an annual campaign that raises public awareness about the issue of sexual violence and provides resources to educate communities on how to be a part of the solution. Sexual violence and abuse affects every demographic and community, including LGBTQ people, immigrants, people of color, and in college campuses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a nationally representative survey of adults found that nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men reported experiencing rape at some point in their lives. About 1 in 20 women and men experienced other forms of sexual violence, such as being forced to penetrate someone else, sexual coercion,
unwanted sexual and non-contact experiences.
contact sexual
For college age individuals, the CDC reports that 37.4 percent of female victims were first raped between the ages of 18 to 24. Further, in a study of undergraduate women, 19 percent said they have experienced attempted or full sexual assault since they began college. This year’s SAAM is preceded by the #MeToo movement, which sent shock waves throughout the nation. People from nearly every industry revealed having experienced the indiscriminate nature of sexual violence. The hashtag sparked a national conversation about sexual assault that helped diminish the stigma of standing up as a survivor. On Thursday April 5, Cal State LA’s Cross Cultural Centers showed the documentary “Independent Visions: It Was Rape”. The film’s director, Jennifer
Baumgardner, provides human faces and voices to rape survivors. The narrative shows survivors breaking through the silence, denial and victim blaming that perpetuate sexual assaults in the U.S.
One of the persons interviewed was Karen Durbin, an activist for sexual assault prevention who recalled the trauma from her experience: “When we started to have sex, my perpetrator had a frightening look in his eyes. It had fury. I thought that if I didn’t look at him, I didn’t have to acknowledge this fear and pretended not to be hurt by what was happening,” said Durbin “I was just scared out of myself; I submitted in absolute terror.” Durbin immediately called her friend, also a victim of
rape, who said: “the only reason you had sex with him is because you were completely terrified not to. Anytime you have sex with somebody that’s not consented–that’s rape.”
Cal State LA provides various resources to help combat sexual assault, as well as offer resources and services to victims and survivors. Resources include: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), an On-Campus Advocate at the Student Health Center (Nancy Sandoval), East Los Angeles Women’s Center, Respondent’s Advisor (Christopher Johnson), Title IX Coordinator (Mariel Mulet), Campus Public Safety and the Los Angeles Police Department Hollenbeck Community Police Station. The Cross Cultural Centers
are also another resource on campus. They provide help, support and both on and offcampus resources. Frederick Smith, Director of the CCC, highlighted the importance of valuing openness: “I think it’s important for us to have spaces and places where students share their traumatic experiences, their joys, e t c e t e r a ,” Smith added “ W h e n people get to talk about their experiences, it gives people the knowledge that sexual assault is more common. It frees people to process therapeutic processes.” Chris Carroll, a visiting graduate student from Azusa Pacific studying college development, found the CCC’s documentary to be an eyeopening experience: “This hit me a lot harder than when I first came in. Seeing the power these women had with these experiences and taking it to another level to generate power is empowering.”
Q: How can we prevent sexual assaults on college campuses? “Be more cautious of what's around you and have more enforcement at night becaue it's not protected as much.”
“People should be around friends and should get their emotional needs met from family and friends, so the sexual needs might not be as rampant and that might help them not perpetuate sexual assault.”
Angie Ramirez Undeclared
“I feel that the courses online aren't helpful because you're not learning that much, so it's better to have more of an instructor to tell students what is safe...”
Luisa Morales Kinesiology
William Wagnon Communication for Social Change
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University Times
April 9, 2018
NEWS
DeVos Considers Roll Back of Another Obama Era Policy black students.
Secretary DeVos hears arguments from both sides as she considers rescinding school discipline policy.
“The Civil Rights Data Collection conducted by OCR (office of racial disparity), has demonstrated that students of certain racial or ethnic groups tend to be disciplined more than their peers. For example, African-American students without disabilities are more than three times as likely as their white peers without disabilities to be expelled or suspended.”
Erron Franklin Editor-in-Chief U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos held “School Safety and Climate Listening Sessions” to discuss an Obama era policy aimed at preventing discriminatory discipline in schools. The Secretary opened each session by marking the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and highlighting the continued need to achieve the full realization of his life's work. She discussed the clear problem, revealed both in the data and in the stories told, of disparate treatment in discipline. DeVos held one session with advocates of the policy and another session with those who want it repealed. At the requests of participants in the
Despite those findings, opponents of the DCL believe the policy may be making schools less safe and some have implied that it could have played a role in the recent school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.
Tribune News Service
sessions, who fear retaliation, are in active litigation or shared deeply personal stories involving family members and/or minors, no press was allowed; however, the Department of Education did release a statement:
“The discussion focused on the Dear Colleague Letter (DCL or the guidance) regarding Title VI, which prohibits racial discrimination, and school discipline that was jointly issued by the
Departments of Education and Justice on January 8, 2014” The DCL spells out, in full detail, the findings of the research which revealed disparities in discipline for students of color, specifically
The Government Accountability Office, an independent nonpartisan agency that works for Congress, released new findings just at DeVos’ listening session got underway. Their findings parallel the findings of the DCL; Black students, especially males, are suspended, expelled and arrested at much higher rates than white students. The statistics are even grimmer for black male students who are disabled.
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