Daily Forty-Niner; March 1, 2023

Daily Forty-NiNer

CSULB student Samanta Schonner sits with her children, Cohen, 6, followed by Corrian, 3.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

At the Daily Forty-Niner, more than half of the staff members identify as female.

In March 1987, a petition by the National Women’s History Project pushed Congress to pass Pub. L. 100-9, which designated the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” Now, we celebrate Women's History Month every year during March in honor of the women from the past and the present that have changed the world.

In this issue of the Daily Forty-Niner, our stories highlight impactful women within our community and throughout history, as well as their many accomplishments and struggles.

This issue aims to educate the community of Long Beach while promoting female empowerment and women's rights. The articles in this issue range from informative pieces about the wage gap in the United States to female student and professor profiles.

Women's History Month is a perfect opportunity to educate yourselves about the female experience and the obstacles faced by women everyday, but it is also an opportunity to highlight the impactful women in your life.

This Women's History Month, I'm honoring my mom, my sister and my best friend for their endless

strength, support and open hearts. Even though I'm not able to see these wonderful women everyday, I'm lucky enough to be surrounded by strong women all day and all night, at work and at home. I'm so grateful for the many women in my life that push me, encourage me and inspire me constantly.

I encourage you all to reach out and thank the impactful women in your life this month and every month after, they deserve recognition for their love and devotion. It is my hope that this month, you are inspired to support female-owned businesses in our community and that you work to educate yourselves, as well as others, about women's rights.

On that note, please enjoy the Women's issue of the Daily Forty-Niner! For daily news content, visit our website, subscribe to our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @daily49er.

Christal Gaines-Emory Editor-in-Chief

Land acknowLedgment

Here at the 49er we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place”. We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here.

We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east.

We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.

1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-203 Long Beach, CA, 90804

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Christal Gaines-Emory Editor in Chief

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Editors

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Kadie Gurley Arts & Life Editor arts@daily49er.com

Georgie Smith Opinions Editor opinions@daily49er.com

Matthew Gomez Sports Editor sports@daily49er.com

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Rosaura Montes

Sam Farfan Special Projects Editor

Photo Editor

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Renzo Pocasangre

Maureen Linzaga

Luke Wines Video Editor

Podcast Editor

Public Relations Editor

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Isabel Silagy

Kaitlyn Rowell

Richie Rodriguez

AssistAnts

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Jaylen Minnich

Arts Assistants Stacey Chen

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Emmanuel Barrera

Naoki Gima

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Copy Editor Assistants

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Kimberly Estrada

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Armando Jacobo

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Aiden Swanepoel

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Advertising Manager advertising@gobeach.media

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creative@gobeach.media

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web@gobeach.media

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Letters Policy: All letters and emails must bear the phone number of the writer and must be no more than 300 words. The Daily Forty-Niner reserves the right to edit letters for publication in regard to space.

Editorials: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinons of the Daily Forty-Niner are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Daily Forty-Niner.

LUKE WINES / Daily Forty-Niner

Long Beach provides resources for women

BY CYNTHIA MAZARIEGOS Staff Writer

Organizations such as the Women’s and Gender Equity Center, New Life Beginnings and the Young Women’s Freedom Center all provide resources for women.

The Women’s and Gender Equity Center is an organization at Long Beach State that aims to inform and prepare students and larger communities. The organization works to provide members with an understanding of gender, which is constantly changing in academia and society.

The organization started in 1977 under the name of University Women’s Center.

Their educational approach is based on social justice and fights to advocate change for students affected by oppression based on gender.

The organization provides an open spaces to study, group gatherings, computer stations, snacks, printing for members and referrals to on campus organizations.

The lists of sources the organization provides on their website include the LGBTQ+ Student Cultural Resources Center, Sexual Assault Awareness events and the Pregnant and Parenting Students Initiative.

The center wants to advocate and educate on topics such as homophobia, inclusive language, heterosexism and other topics relating to sexual and gender identity issues. The center is used for group meetings, support programs and more.

The organization also hosts events such as The Clothesline Project, Denim Day and Take Back the Night. The events are held to raise awareness about sexual assault.

The Student Affairs Division of CSULB back in 2016 implemented the pregnant and parenting student initiative, which is still in place today. This implementation supports pregnant and parenting students equity efforts and gaps.

New Life Beginnings is another organization in the city of Long Beach that students can support. For over 30 years, the organization has helped pregnant women with children, victims of human trafficking and domestic abuse.

In the organization’s website, students can find several locations and contacts of resources. For example, they provide contacts for hotlines, homeless shelters, counseling centers, food assistance and more.

“Our plan is to unite the community to be service-oriented to meet the needs of the neediest in our community and to offer hope to women who have no hope,” as stated by NLB. “Our goal is not to make them dependent on us, but to give them a hand up, not a hand out.”

Through the years, the organization has been able to buy several residences. According to their message statement online, they hope to provide loving, caring and stable shelters.

Their demands for help have increased and purchased a new facility to meet that growing need. This increased housing to 20 with more women and children.

The organization works to prevent families from being separated.

Women’s and Gender Equity Center

Student Success Center, Suite 240

Contact (562) 985-8576

WGEC@csulb.edu

Hours Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Extended Hours Tuesday 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Young Women’s Freedom Center

Los Angeles

Contact (415) 800 - 2726 ext. 215 lareferrals@youngwomenfree.org

New Life Beginnings

835 E 6th St., Long Beach, California, 90802

Contact (562) 590 - 1538

mothershome@newlb.org

Hours Daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Young Women’s Freedom Center has been supporting, mentoring, training and providing employment and advocacy to young women and trans youth since 1993.

Their vision is to build power and leadership among impacted young people. They want to inspire and create positive change in young people’s lives and communities.

The organization provides support and resources to find safety and stability. They also transform programs, laws, legislation, public systems and institutions to decrease harm and have more actions to their needs.

They work to heal from trauma and change the conditions, systems and the policies that result in incarceration, cycles of violence and poverty.

“YWFC does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability or genetic information,” the website states.

Additionally the organization has a campaign, Freedom 2030, which is led by former incarcerated and systems-involved women, young women and transgender people. The campaign works on ending the incarceration and criminalization of families and communities.

The campaign also aims to stop the separation families, to reunite, end profiting off of incarceration, amongst others.

Apart from resources already mentioned, the organization also encourages people to apply for any of the job positions. They have a position for executive assistant, operation manager/director and others.

All three organizations have the option to donate to the cause or join. CSULB students, especially women, are recommended to do more research on the various programs.

CYNTHIA MAZARIEGOS / Daily Forty-Niner

The Young Women’s Freedom Center, says,”Annually, young people who complete our programs are up to 85% less likely to recidivate or be incarcerated again; Up to 90% of those who complete the program maintain employment and reach educational goals.”

Pass CSULB students who commute to campus

Is this love?

Fall in like like with the Go Beach! Pass from Long Beach Transit and save on rides all semester long.

ridelbt.com/csulb

BY TANYA ROGERS Staff Writer

STEM has historically been a male-dominated field. Despite more women pursuing higher education and professional jobs (careers that require a specific amount of advanced training) in the last several decades, STEM remains an industry marked by a jarring gender disparity.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, men compose 52% of the workforce but 73% of STEM workers. Women only account for 27% of the current STEM workforce and has grown from 8% in 1970. This growth can be largely attributed to the groundbreaking contributions of female figures in STEM.

Nettie Stevens, a graduate of Stanford University, discovered sex chromosomes in 1905. Katherine Johnson was one of the first Black women to work as a scientist at NASA and became a central contributor to space exploration. Antonia Novello was the first Hispanic woman to hold the position of U.S. Surgeon General in 1990 and Mae C. Jemison became the first Black woman to travel to space in 1992.

The achievements of such female historical figures, as well as teachers and community leaders, have inspired many more women to pursue an education and career in STEM including some at Long Beach State.

In March 2022, Long Beach State’s College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics reported that 60% of incoming freshmen were women seeking STEM degrees.

“As a female student, there haven’t been that many obstacles for me to overcome and I largely account that to the female STEM teachers I had in high school,” said Karen Guevara.

As a first-year molecular biology student, Guevara’s biology teacher at Carson High School helped give her and other female students an equal opportunity to succeed in the STEM field.

“Ms. Bird used all the resources she had and introduced me to the EXP Women in STEM career day,” Guevara said. “That event introduced me to CSULB and I decided to attend university as a biology major.”

While some women feel they haven’t faced significant challenges in STEM, Angelica Arellano, a first-year student studying general biology, believes otherwise.

“As a female STEM student, the biggest obstacles I have had to overcome were the competitiveness in the field as well as the resources available to help and guide us to success,” Arellano said. “I feel like there isn’t anything telling me what to do next.”

Despite wrestling with feelings of uncertainty, Arellano is persevering through the challenge of being a woman in a STEM major.

Rita Reyad is a sophomore studying civil engineering with the goal of becoming a structural engineer. Reyad’s journey to entering the College of Engineering at CSULB was a challenging one that required her to overcome many obstacles, including her own mental and emotional barriers.

Because of her journey, Reyad sees being a woman in engineering as more than simply a pathway to a decent or well-paying job.

“I get to be a part of one of the essential foundations of life that entail theory and numbers that translate to life,” Reyad said.

As students at CSULB can attest, the pathway for women in STEM can be complicated. Yet, the work of women in STEM throughout history has allowed for Reyard and others at CSULB to fight for a future where women are at the forefront of STEM, not on the margins.

Breaking the gender barrier

Since the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the gender wage gap has been steadily closing but remains a current issue today in the United States.

In 1963 President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, with the express purpose of correcting the gender based wage disparity. At the time, women who worked full-time earned 60 cents for every dollar a man made.

Since its codification, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 has been systematically dismantled by loopholes and Supreme Court rulings. The vague language of the act was susceptible to wide judicial interpretation, further weakening its ability to close the wage gap.

Long Beach State women’s, gender & sexuality studies professor Lori Baralt told the Daily49er, “the wage gap has improved since the 1960s but it has not fully closed. It varies widely when race is taken into consideration as well.”

According to the Census Bureau, in 2020 the median income for a woman in Los Angeles was $30,459, $10,000 less than that of the median man.

Even in women dominated fields, such as nursing, men are paid $14,000 more than their female colleagues on average. This persistent structural advantage is known to activists as the glass escalator. There is no equivalent in male dominated fields such as computer science or engineering, inherently propagating further disadvantages in the professional field.

The gap is even bigger for women in minority communities.

Research by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) stated, “In recent years, the pay gap was considerably greater

The wage gap still affects women

BY AHRAHM JOO, RENZO POCASANGRE, LUKE WINES Staff Writer, Photo Editor and Video Editor

for women in most historically underserved racial and ethnic groups than for white women.”

The report showed that in 2021 Hispanic women earned on average 58 cents to every dollar white men earned.

The causes of the remaining gap are debated. However, experts agree that multiple variables are at play. Research by staffing firm Randstad US has shown that 60% of working women claimed to have never negotiated their salary, only 40% of men in the study reported the same. Meanwhile, in industries requiring minimal training, such as cashiers, women are paid 99 cents for every dollar men earn, indicating that access to advanced positions may be gatekept by a lack of training or education in specific fields.

Court cases, like that of Rizo v. Yovino showed the importance of the judicial branch in upholding legally binding structure as well as setting a precedent for future cases. The court case of Rizo v. Yovino directly clashed with the loopholes that were created by the Equal Pay Act of 1963.

The final judicial decision for Rizo v. Yovino was years in the making, with the case first reaching court in 2017.

The Ninth Circuit court declared that Yovino had no right to justify a wage gap, stating that it could not fall under “factor[s] other than sex.”

This ruling challenged the exploitation of these loopholes that manipulated female salaries and wages by confronting the limitations on which the clause may be used.

Although the wage gap has been closing for over the last two decades, men still make $10,000 more than women today.

TANYA ROGERS / Daily Forty-Niner

Rita Reyad is a second-year student studying civil engineering.

Civil engineering major Rita Reyad works to overcome obstacles and break barriers as a woman in STEM at CSULB.

LUKE WINES / Daily Forty-Niner

The Women’s and Gender Equity Center on campus provides various resources to support, inform and promote gender equity in person and through an active Instagram platform. The WGEC is located in room 240 of the Bob Murphy Access Center.

BY STACEY CHEN

Arts & Life Assistant

As of early 2023, over 120 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced nationwide, with many primarily targeting transgender youth. In 2022, a record-breaking 278 anti-LGBT bills were introduced with twenty becoming law and 17 of which targeting transgender student-athletes.

“It seems like that all of these anti-LGBT bills and bigotry for the trans community is new and rising, but this has been the reality for years,” said Amber Flannery Field, a transgender woman from New York City in an interview last week.

Field is a tour director who has worked with queer teenagers in the past. She also worked with the LGBTQ+ community in New York City by creating queer youth programs, protesting for queer rights and doing volunteer work.

“The central problems in our community have been the same for decades now. Before there were ‘Don’t say gay’ bills, in my time in high school, nobody said gay,” Field said.

In 2022, the Human Rights Campaign found at least 38 transgender people had been fatally shot or killed by violent means. The HRC’s annual report on violence against transgender individuals also stated that not all of their stories are told because of how unreported these events are.

Transgender people are also at higher risk of homelessness. In 2020, the National Alliance to End Homelessness found that trans homelessness had increased by 88% since 2016, and trans youth are 63% likely to be homeless.

The current state of anti-transgender sentiments in the U.S.

causes huge pressure to fit into cisgender beauty standards, especially unrealistic ones.

In a 2019 study by the University of Indianapolis, findings showed that 50% of participants stated that societal beauty standards influenced their personal perceptions of beauty and that they also felt additional pressure to conform.

“On a similar note, never out people who haven’t said they’re okay with it, whether they’re still in the closet or living stealth. You don’t know if they’re okay with others knowing they’re trans,” Lipsey said.

What Field recommends for schools and higher education institutions, in general, is to have all students, especially cisgender students get together, identify the problems on campus, and make strong and uncompromising demands for their humanity.

They also experience higher rates of chronic health conditions and disabilities due to a lack of access to health care. The Center for American Progress found that, in 2019, transgender adults were 10% less likely than cisgender adults to have routine checkups and flu shots.

During the pandemic, one in two transgender adults reported to the HRC that their access to gender-affirming healthcare was reduced significantly, which was a major detriment to their mental health.

When asked what solutions to these issues for trans people would be, Field said, “When we have a secure system of housing, when we have strong unions, we have strong labor protections, access to medical care, it benefits everyone.”

As for what Field wants cisgender people to understand, it’s that “Queer people

are not a monolith. You get thirty trans people in a room, and you get sixty different perspectives of what queerness, what sexuality and what gender is.”

“We say all the time to listen to trans people, but we’re never going to agree on one issue,” said Field.

There are other pressing issues that transgender women face, such as “passing.” “Passing,” in the transgender community, refers to how much an individual looks like their gender. Being able to pass has been a historically important function for the transgender community, especially for personal safety.

“I mostly wish passing wasn’t such a matter of safety.” Amelia Lipsey, a transgender woman from Las Vegas said.

Despite passing being extremely important for transgender individuals, this

“It is up to the students to decide— there are multiple ways for the world to change and sometimes change just happens just by asking,” Field said. “I can’t tell you how they should protest, or boycott or make mean faces at the dean because the students who are participating in this institution are the ones who know the stakes, how to bring about change and the weaknesses of those in power.”

STACEY CHEN / Daily Forty-Niner

Amber Flannery Field, from New York City, is a community leader for LGBTQ+ causes, she created queer youth programs, protested for queer rights and volunteer work.

In the past few years, anti-trans and anti-LGBT bills have been on the rise and the trans community is calling for better treatment.

The Womxn’s Collective empowers and educates

BY MORGAN BARELA Staff Writer

The Womxn’s Collective, an on-campus organization, partnered with Not Alone at the Beach to bring attention to domestic violence, sexual assault and “relationship red flags” through their Rising Speaker event held Wednesday.

The event featured a presentation from the YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, an organization that aims to “eliminate racism and empower women” through providing counseling, crisis intervention and other services. Case manager for the YWCA Stephanie Ramos provided the presentation on behalf of the organization and encouraged discussion with the audience by taking questions.

When asked about the importance of holding educational presentations such as this one, Ramos said “[People] often realize they’re in an unhealthy relationship after hearing our presentations. It’s about educating the community and empowering them to become independent and seek the appropriate help.”

The host of the event, The Womxns Collectives, offers several other community building events and resources on campus. An upcoming event, “Heart 2 Heart,” was advertised during the Rising Speaker

event. The Heart 2 Heart event includes custom tote bag making and lessons about “unpacking emotional baggage” and takes place on March 22.

Topics covered during the presentation included what an unhealthy relationship looks like, understanding the cycle of abuse and more. There was an emphasis on how abuse, sexual assault and violence impacts women of color throughout the event. How to identify red flags in a relationship was the theme of the event and the main topic of discussion among the audience. Ramos provided several examples of relationship red flags, or unhealthy behaviors that a person displays toward their partner, including disrespecting the other person’s boundaries and coercing the person to do things they don’t want to do. Along with this topic also came the importance of consent not just in terms of sex but also in regards to physical touch and romantic advances.

The presentation brought attention to the ways that sexual abuse and identity are connected. Harrowing statistics were provided during the presentation. According to studies referenced by the YWCA, Native American women are more likely to experience sexual violence than any other ethnic group and 61% of bisexual women have experienced some form of sexual or physical violence.

When asked about stats for transgen-

der and intersex communities, Ramos explained that research is unfortunately slim and cases of sexual violence against transgender and intersex people often go unreported.

Audience members felt empowered to share their experiences during the event. One audience member shared the unhealthy mindsets people had on social media, saying, “On social media, people say things like ‘how much you’re able to put up with in a relationship shows how strong you are.”

Ramos went on to explain how negative ideas like this can do more harm for people in abusive relationships.

“You can’t fix [an abusive person], they need to fix themselves,” Ramos said.

The presentation also brought aware-

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

ness to the ways that individuals in abusive and unhealthy relationships can get help and heal from it.

While the main emphasis was placed on relationship red flags and what abuse can look like, healthy relationships were discussed as well. An audience member asked what green flags, or positive behaviors, in a relationship might look like.

Ramos explained that respecting, setting boundaries and allowing the other to have their own personal space are some behaviors that signify a healthy relationship.

As the presentation came to a close, audience members asked more questions about how to make your voice heard in a relationship and how to set firmer boundaries with a significant other.

MORGAN BARELA / Daily Forty-Niner

The Womxn’s Collective, the host of the event, organizes several events to empower women on campus.

CSULB professor navigates male-dominated field of electrical engineering

BY SAMANTHA CORTES Staff Writer

In rooms filled with male students, Ava Hedayatipour often found herself being one of the only women in her electrical engineering classes. Out of the 100 students in her undergraduate program, about 10 were women.

These numbers have continued to be staggeringly low during her over-decadelong career in the field, especially for women of color.

“You feel like being singled out in a boys club,” said Hedayatipour, “You feel threatened and feel like you don’t belong and that’s not the kind of feeling you want to get when you’re trying to get educated to make a career for your life.”

Now an associate professor at Long Beach State, Hedayatipour creates spaces for women to thrive in the male-dominated field and constantly works to recruit a new generation of students to the program.

Hedayatipour’s passion for electrical engineering was sparked by her father who also worked in the field. She received her bachelor’s degree from the Iran University of Science and Technology in 2012 but initially found it difficult to connect with the subject due to its theory-based curriculum.

“After getting my first job and seeing people do great things in the field, I decided that I wanted to get a master’s,” said Hedayatipour, “I met a few Ph.D. and

master’s students. They had this general picture of how to solve any problem, not just with electrical engineering.”

Hedayatipour received her master’s from the Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University in Iran in 2015 and later moved to the U.S. to pursue her Ph.D. at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

As a woman of color in a predominately white and male-dominated space, Hedayatipour learned the importance of uplifting her peers and encouraged their endeavors.

“I tried to support the students that joined the Ph.D. program after me and encouraged them to support the next generation,” said Hedayatipour, “I had people support me when I was trying to do a challenging task and was stuck on a step and I even had people who were a shoulder to cry on.”

Hedayatipour joined the CSULB staff in 2020. During her first year at the uni-

versity, she received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation which she used to recruit students for projects.

Hedayatipour guided master’s students in the development of a more accurate pulse oximeter sensor, which has a 12-20% error rate for people with darker skin tones. Through this project, her students hope to design a sensor that can correct this and provide better results to darker-skinned individuals.

Hedayatipour is also currently developing an affordable multi-modal variable sensor to detect temperature, heart rate and blood oxygen. This would allow users to detect their symptoms at home and prevent the flooding of hospitals with patients with mild symptoms.

She has also collaborated with other colleagues to create a systems council subsection in the CSULB’s Women in Engineering initiative and worked on outreach programs for high school students to get them interested in the engineering field.

“I feel like I have educated a generation and am trying to recruit the next,” said Hedayatipour.

Although Hedayatipour has seen an improvement in women’s involvement in the field, especially in executive positions, she still recognizes a lack of diversity. Even as a professor, Hedayatipour notices that she is sometimes the only woman in a classroom full of men.

Hedayatipour encourages her female students to collaborate and create a support system to guide them through their education, especially when they are faced with imposter syndrome and other dilemmas.

“I see many challenges, but then again, I see many females trying to empower and support each other in the field.”

WILLIAM LIANG/ Daily Forty-Niner

Assistant Professor Ava Hedayatipour is part of the approximately 10% of female electrical engineers in the United States. Since joining the CSULB staff in 2020, Hedayatipour has made strides toward diversifying the field and fostering community among female students.

I feel like I have educated a generation and am trying to recruit the next.

“ Ava Hedayatipour Associate Professor

Motherhood amidst adversity

The moment student Samantha Schoner received a positive pregnancy test result, her teenage life was taken from her as she navigated through parenthood.

BY TANISHA BUCAD Staff Writer

After several hours of being unconscious, fourthyear healthcare administration major and international business minor student Samantha Schoner was filled with thoughts as she lied down in the hospital bed adjacent to her newborn which, at that moment, she wanted nothing to do with.

Her life was far from a fairytale. There was no magical moment that involved fairy godmothers waving wands to make life easier for Schoner.

She is not your ordinary 25-year-old mother.

In her freshman year at Orange Coast College, Schoner’s fate was revealed by the two lines that appeared on the pregnancy test.

Schoner became a mother at 18 years old and had no other reaction upon seeing her first son but to cry. However, beneath those tears hid a sense of rejection.

Giving birth at such a young age was not something she had the capacity to mentally and physically understand. For two years she suffered from postpartum depression.

“I didn’t understand what I was doing,” said Schoner. “I was just walking into this life of what I thought I knew.”

On top of her depression, she was involved in a toxic relationship for a year with her boyfriend, the father of her firstborn and experienced domestic violence for six months.

Schoner attempted to escape the toxicity by filing a restraining order but it was rejected. In the end it was her friend who freed her from the relationship when they had her boyfriend moved out.

From students’ and strangers’ judging stares to professors’ criticisms, her struggles as a student mother persisted. However, that did not discourage her from attending classes at OCC.

Despite being young and clueless, she was able to juggle studying and parenthood because of CalWORKs Child Care which was offered at her community college. Schoner also managed to navigate motherhood with the help of her parents and friends, which she said she considered her support system.

“She’s [Schoner] called me crying multiple times,” said Elizabeth Moledo,

a friend of Schoner’s for 11 years. “She’s very stressed with school because she’s so determined to finish on top of trying to perform her best as a mom.”

After three years of taking classes in her community college, Schoner transferred to Long Beach State in the Spring of 2020 as a healthcare administration major with a minor in international business.

In that same year she went through pregnancy for the second time with her husband. From changing diapers to cooking, her husband was there to support her before and after childbirth.

Everything was working well for the past few years. However, chaos was a friend of Schoner’s.

Her postpartum depression returned and she suffered for three years along with body dysmorphia. Self-love became an exhausting pursuit as she battled the ideology of “moms being skinny.”

Apart from her personal struggles from childbirth, she had to endure manipulation and constant accusations from her husband which gradually led to her withdrawal from her friends.

“I walked away which was the best choice of my life,” she said. “I believe everybody should be able to do that and stand on their own two feet because it’s not fair for women.”

She decided to break the cycle and leave her husband in December 2022. Schoner welcomed the new year as a single mother and life has never been better for her.

Her life remained chaotic, but it was a beautiful one that revolved around her children.

Beyond being a student mother, she is a leader and an advocate. Schoner is part of the board of trustees in Associated Students, Inc and a parenting mentorship program at CSULB.

She also assists healthcare administration students as the president of the Health Care Administration Student Forum in connecting and developing professionally.

Regardless of her other responsibilities in college, Schoner constantly guarantees that more than enough time is allotted for her children. At the end of the day, Schoner said she always looks forward to her sons’ stories about their day.

From the 18-year-old who cried to the 25-year-old who conquered, Schoner now looks ahead to witness every moment of her sons’ lives as she draws closer to the end of her journey toward her healthcare administration degree with a minor in international business in the spring of 2024.

TANISHA BUCAD / Daily Forty-Niner

CSULB student Samanta Schonner sits with her children. On the left side is Cohen, 6, followed by Corrian, 3.

Schoner’s eldest six-year-old son, Cohen, dreams to attend college at his mother’s university someday.

I didn’t understand what I was doing. I was just walking into this life of what I thought I knew.

“ Samantha Schoner

Fourth-year healthcare administration major and international business minor

Women in Film club helps create a safe space for student filmmakers

BY ABIGAIL WALL Staff Writer

The film industry struggles with diversity, Long Beach State’s Women in Film club is empowering student filmmakers to break into the industry.

The club welcomes women and filmmakers alike with diverse identities to learn about and connect on their love of film.

“Our main goal is to empower aspiring filmmakers on campus,” said Julia Nava, president of Women in Film.

She hopes that the club can help aspiring filmmakers diversify the film industry in the future.

“We want to promote marginalized voices and people of all different backgrounds and identities and help them get into the film industry so that it becomes more diversified,” said Nava.

According to Nava, the club has around 40 consistent members. They host weekly meetings that host a variety of activities such as workshops and open group discussions on film topics.

Mia Molina, financial manager for Women in Film, hosted a discussion on queer representation in holiday films.

“I think a lot of people really enjoyed that discussion just because it was something that you don’t really think about most of the time,” Molina said. “So I got people coming in who are like, wow, like that was a really good topic to discuss.”

She hopes that the club creates a safe and creative environment for members to connect with each other.

“I really want to make a community with our club members to be able to have those connections,” said Molina. “So when we progress

in the future, we’re working with people that we enjoy working with, and we’re working with people who we can relate to.”

Women in Film is open to all majors, not just film, so non-film majors get the opportunity to learn industry skills.

The most recent workshop focused on lighting and grip equipment so non-film students could learn those skills.

“We collaborated with the film department and one of the professors took time out of his schedule to teach our members those practical industry skills,” Nava said.

Caroline Smith, the membership coordinator for Women in Film, has been a member since 2020 and was inspired to pursue film because of the club.

“I am a creative writing major but now I’m a film minor and it’s been because of women in film that I realized this isn’t like an unattainable career path,” said Smith.

The film industry has always had diverse groups involved but they were not recognized, Smith explains.

“It’s assumed film is specifically straight white cis male-dominated sphere which is just wrong historically because way early on women and people of color have always been involved in film,” said Smith. “It has never been specifically just the straight white man.”

Many people are fighting for diversity in the film industry, Smith believes that there should be a demand for representation on and behind the camera.

“It’s just like a matter of changing your way of thinking for that and understanding that there is room to be represented and we should be able to demand that from what we see in front of and behind the camera,” Smith said.

Women in Film allows a safe space and opportunities to CSULB’s students today to bring diverse and talented filmmakers for tomorrow.

Photos courtesy of Julia Nava Women in Film’s board members, above, hosting the first meeting of the semester. The club hosted a lighting and grip equipment workshop, right, so that members can learn important industry skills.

BY SAM FARFAN Special Projects Editor

By women for women: paving the way for our rights As

Women’s History month commences, it’s important to reflect on impactful women who actively sought to attain equity between genders in a world of blatant misogyny and race-based discrimination.

Time and time again women have continuously fought back against the clutches of their patriarchal zeitgeists in the pursuit of equal opportunities.

From the relentless protests of the suffrage movement to the female empowerment and unity demonstrated at the height of #MeToo, the female fight for true societal change has been documented in American history over the past several centuries.

Pioneering the suffrage movement, Susan B. Anthony trail-blazed the path toward the American women’s right to vote. Dedicated to the movement, Anthony was arrested and convicted for illegally voting in 1872, arguing that the 14th amendment granted her the right to vote as a U.S. citizen.

Because of her active efforts in the pursuit of equality within politics, women were now allowed to be involved in the decision-making of American legislature with the ratification of the 19th amendment in the 1920s. This was made 14 years after her death.

In a cultural climate where a women’s worth to society lies within their reproductive ability to breed, this historical shift is a monumental point in American history.

Because women were viewed through a lens of inferiority, anti-suffragists viewed this newly-appointed right as an attack on their manhood as voting was exclusively a male privilege up until then.

Although she didn’t get to bask in the glory of her achievements, women in the U.S. now have the luxury of exercising their right to vote due to her efforts, which many might take for granted from time to time.

Similarly as impactful, Rosa Parks’ determination in the struggle of racial equality for Black U.S. citizens changed American history when she refused to give her bus seat and be moved to the “colored” section in 1955.

In a time of severe segregation, Parks’ refusal to comply with the racist norms of the time was revolutionary as her resistance sparked successful boycotts in Montgomery, Alabama, becoming a catalyst of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement alongside Martin Luther King Jr.

Rosa Parks’ contributions extended beyond racial equality as she actively fought for Black women’s suffrage and southern Black women’s right to vote during a time where Black citizens faced poll taxes and literacy tests, preventing them from casting their ballots.

Her efforts contributed to the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibited the discrimination of voting barriers on the basis of race and gender.

Without her defiance, segregation may have remained a prevalent issue for Black Americans in the 20th century, forever altering the course of history.

With priorities pertaining to reproductive justice and labor equity for women, New York’s 14th congressional district representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a great representative of a Latina female leader striving for women’s access to equal rights in the present day.

In the wake of the Supreme Court rule that overturned Roe v. Wade in late June of 2022, Ocasio-Cortez co-sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act (H.R. 3755), a federal legislation that bans government restrictions on the accessibility to abortion reproductive care. This bill prioritizes providing legal protection to those who seek abortion services across the nation.

Although the bill failed to pass the Senate in 2022, Ocasio-Cortez’s fight for reproductive healthcare has not wavered as she and several other Congress members were arrested and fined by Capitol police in July of 2022 during a reproductive rights protests as they were engaged in peaceful civil disobedience.

Despite facing constant disrespect from her male counterparts in Congress, Ocasio-Cortez’s persistent activism for women’s rights showcases the modern fight for gender equity, representing the future of American women in politics.

Although significant change has occurred in the span of the last century alone, great progress must still be made as issues like gender wage gaps, gender-based violence, accessibility to education, and inadequate healthcare still disproportionately affect women, not only in America but across the globe.

RENZO POCASANGRE/ Daily Forty-Niner

10/23/2022: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) held a rally at UC Irvine leading toward the midterm elections for 2022. Crowds gathered to hear the empowering speech given by one of congress’ leading women that is upholding a strongly progressive platform.

Three female artists who deserve more hype

BY SOPHIA SIPE Staff Writer

Stop listening to the same overplayed artists and listen to these talented female musicians instead.

Many are married to stale playlists crowded with mall EDM and bleeped-out rap, plaguing retail spaces and haunting their associates.

Back in the day, this was understandable. Radio was only so expansive, and there were only so many CD’s to burn. Now, there are no excuses for poor taste.

With the introduction of streaming platforms, it’s become easier than ever to independently produce and publish music.

Whether it be straight from a bedroom or fresh from the studio, artists are swarming the internet day by day.

As the flock of talent expands, listeners find themselves lost among an endless pool

of choices. Inevitably, some artists are left undiscovered and under-hyped.

In no particular order, here are three female artists who deserve to be dug out of the dark.

No.1: Devon Again

Currently based in Los Angeles, the 21-year-old is a juxtaposition between passion and chaos. Backed by groovy hyper-pop tracks, her natural edge and transparent, pure voice allows for a fresh yet messy mix, which diverts from traditional bubblegum pop.

Her most popular tracks are “Head” and “Broke Mine Too” from her 2022 EP “PEE.” The songs discuss failed relationships, avoidance and broken faith.

With the rise of alternative pop artists like Maisie Peters and Nessa Barrett, Again’s sound is a timely fit for the rising

generation of listeners.

No. 2: Dizzy Fae

Dizzy Fae, a queer Black interdisciplinary artist, brings a new sound to a range of genres like R&B, jazz and anti-pop. Complete with a seductive tone and entrancing beats, the Minneapolis singer’s sound has created an entirely new musical category.

Fae’s big break came in 2016, when the artist toured the U.S. with Lizzo and Toro Y Moi. From then on, she continued to perform, headlining her own tours throughout the U.S. and Europe.

In Fae’s most recent EP, “Antenna,” she continues to push boundaries with a harmonic mix of sensual hip-hop and new age electro-pop.

No. 3: Mysie

Lizbet Sampa, better known as Mysie, is an indie soul singer from South East

London. Her voice along with her discography harnesses the power to evoke a range of emotions, from heartbreaking desire to sentimental nostalgia.

In 2020, the Ivor Novello Awards selected her as their new Rising Star, after she began gaining traction for her song “Rocking Chair.” From there, she signed under the label, 70HZ, owned by the Grammy-award winning songwriter and producer Fraser T. Smith.

Since her 2019 debut EP, “Chapter 11,” Mysie is most notably categorized as an indie soul artist with undeniably smooth vocals and a raw sound.

It’s 2023. There are thousands of genres to explore. So, take this newfound exquisite taste, and dive in. Find what’s good, and stop listening to what’s not. What’s the worst that can happen?

The ups and downs of womanhood

BY EMILY ATHERLY Staff Writer

In today’s climate, it seems as if womanhood cannot be discussed without becoming political.

Many people claim that “being a woman” is based on what is “in between your legs.” However, womanhood cannot be defined by scientific bounds. Every woman experiences it differently.

It is diverse and unique amongst each individual, it’s almost conceptual instead of concrete. My experience with womanhood has been tragic, yet simultaneously so beautiful.

Womanhood is scrolling on my Pinterest and saving wedding dresses to a board, daydreaming about the day I get to walk down the aisle. Womanhood is creating new playlists for each season of my growth.

Womanhood is exchanging compliments with strangers, solely because I know it will brighten their day.

Womanhood is when I sit in the living room watching “Gone Girl,” sympathizing with Amy Dunne. It’s understanding that “American Psycho,” is simply social com-

mentary for the toxic masculinity we still see today.

Womanhood is teenage girlhood. It’s struggling through existential crisis as you

attempt to find your place in a world that is seemingly against you. It is watching all of your friends struggle with the same problem, as you laugh and cry about the absur-

dity of it all.

Womanhood is when my family and I gather in the kitchen to clean up after Christmas, all laughing together and truly soaking in one another’s company.

Womanhood is being raised to be the perfect wife, learning how to sew, clean and cook at just 8-years-old. Being a woman is watching suppressive out-of-date norms become disguised as “tradition.”

Womanhood is getting my runs in early because running at night is too risky. It’s having to try ten times harder to achieve the same recognition as my male colleagues.

However, being a woman, in my opinion, is most strongly centered in solidarity.

Womanhood is about experiencing beautiful, genuine friendships, because no one can empathize with you like another woman.

Womanhood is about sticking together, despite the bad cards we might’ve been dealt. It’s about lifting other women up, battling against the social stigmas and inequality together.

Our true duty, as women, is to be there for each other. This is what womanhood means to me.

LEILA NUNEZ / Daily Forty-Niner

The inherent need to embody society’s perception of femininity can take a toll on a woman’s self-esteem as they try to navigate a man’s world.

WENDY WEI / Pexels

Many underappreciated and up-and-coming female artists deserve recognition and a chance to be heard.

Women have been underrepresented in sports media for decades

BY CHEYENNE ELIZARRARAS Staff Writer

As shown in a study by Purdue University, women’s athletic coverage remains the same as in the 1980s even though women of all ages play sports now more than ever.

“I’m constantly seeing a major disconnect between female and male athlete representation,” Long Beach State sports photographer Alyssa Gonzalez said. “Women’s sports is constantly being overlooked and they constantly have to fight to even get an ounce of spotlight in comparison to men’s sports.”

Athletes are great role models and figures for young people to look up to until their views become heteronormative.

A Kaiser Family survey about famous athletes as role models shows that children say that famous athletes rank second, only to parents, as people they admire most.

Seventy three percent of boys and girls name professional athletes among the people they “look up to or want to be like.” In addition, 40% of boys say men have greater athletic ability and 52% say they are more fun to watch than female sports.

Kaiser’s survey shows only a third of girls’ favorite athletes were women and although 66% view male and female athletes as equal in terms of athletic ability, the role models were still men. This leaves little girls modeling themselves to the standards of male athletes.

“I just wish women’s sports just got more respect for what they do,” Gonzalez said. “They put in the same amount of work for their respective sports and it’s disheartening to see the lack of representation in women’s sports.”

Cheryl Cooky, who studies the representation of women’s sports in the media at Purdue University, has collected over 30 years of data that show distinct differences in female and male athletic media portrayal. This includes lower technical quality, lack of energy and excitement, and production value for women’s airtime compared to men’s sports.

Their study found that coverage of women athletes on televised news and highlight shows in 2019, including ESPN, totaled only 5.4% of all airtime. This was only a 3% increase since observed in 1993.

“I think the hardest thing is getting fans to go to a women’s basketball game,” Gonzalez said. “Our women’s basketball team at LBSU is on a 12-game winning streak and were first in the Big West Conference, but we are still in shadows because fans are still attending men’s athletic games.”

In the 1980s and ‘90s, Cooky’s study showed that women athletes are generally subjected to sexualized or humorous content which shifted in the 2000s when they began being seen as wives, girlfriends and mothers.

When it comes to sports photography, women are generally used for sex appeal. When analyzing various sports blogs, such as Deadspin and AOL Fanhouse, a study by J.S. Fink and Linda Jean Kensicki demonstrates that females are given less

written coverage than males that tend to be sexual in nature.

This includes sexually objectifying poses, seductive gazes and scandalous clothing. In addition, the edits look more “polished” and tan, or are selective versions of themselves that are more “appealing.” Fink and Kensicki’s study concluded that male athletes are portrayed in ways that support ideas of masculinity.

Whether these sexist ideals are intentional or subconscious, they are equally dangerous. The representation of female athletes in the media is just as important as men’s representation for women and girls of all ages to see themselves as strong, powerful athletes.

“Women’s sports has made huge leaps in representation in the media in more recent years which is great, but it starts with people like me and other photographers that continue to document women’s sports on a daily basis,” Gonzalez said.

ALYSSA GONZALEZ / Daily Forty-Niner LBSU- LBSU v. UCR Women’s Basketball Game. Number 12, Tori Harris, is cheered on by her teammates.

ALYSSA GONZALEZ / Daily Forty-Niner LBSU wears pink for the game after Valentine’s Day.

Fick speeds into last track season with hopes of setting more records

BY LUIS CASTILLA Graphic Design Assistant

Ryley Fick is an Academic All-American multiple record holder at LBSU. She holds multiple school records, from fifth place in the women’s 3,000-meter run to best time in the 3K steeplechase.

Cross country head coach Shawn Winget said an athlete like Fick comes along once in a career.

“She is actually the school record holder in the 800 meters, the mile, the steeplechase and the DMR [distance medley relay],” Winget said. “She’s number two in the 5K, she’s got 10 all-time top 10 lists and she’s got the number two fastest cross country time ever as well.”

Fick was the 2022 NCAA West Preliminary Qualifier for the 3K steeplechase, the 2022 Big West Women’s co-track Athlete of the Year, the 2022 Women’s Track Athlete of the Meet and the 2022 Big West Individual Champion for the 800 and 3K steeplechase.

Originally from Bakersfield, Fick began running track and cross country at Centennial High School. At first, she only ran

track and cross country for soccer conditioning; even when she made varsity in her sophomore year she still viewed herself as a soccer player first.

Her junior year of high school, Fick tore her ACL while playing soccer. The injury made her realize how much she liked running because she was upset that she was missing her season.

Not wanting to risk another injury, Fick committed herself to just running.

She was unsure about her prospects for running after high school, as she was told her times weren’t the fastest.

During a visit to Long Beach State, Fick met with the coaching staff and they told her she’d have a spot on the team. This meeting inspired her to commit to LBSU with the support of her family, who attend every race.

“Before every single race, my dad always tells me ‘have fun and run fast,’” Fick said. “He never expects anything other than that. If I just have fun and run fast, then that’s all that matters.”

As Fick’s time at The Beach comes to an end, she hopes to break more records before she graduates.

“We’re to the point where I don’t know how much further we can keep going up, but she keeps pressing the envelope a little

bit,” Winget said.

Fick wants to break the 1500 meter record and the 5K school record, but above all, she wants to enjoy her last season at LBSU.

“It’s a lot of fun to see all the hard work pay off and to be arguably one of the best middle distance runners that’s ever come through Long Beach State is a really cool thing,” Winget said.

In the future, Fick has her eyes set on the Olympics and the Boston Marathon. Off track, she wants to secure a nutrition internship and apply to grad school.

Despite being unsure about her abili-

ty when she arrived at The Beach, Fick’s trust in her coach and hard work helped her achieve her goals.

“I think that sometimes I don’t realize all I’ve accomplished because I think it’s hard to have perspective. As an athlete, if you focus on what has just happened, you forget everything that you’ve done leading up to it,” Fick said.

Just like her family, Fick said she wants others to have fun chasing their goals.

“If you’re chasing a goal, whatever it is, if you’re not having fun and if you’re not enjoying it, then it’s probably not the right goal for you,” Fick said.

BY EMMANUEL BARRERA Sports Assistant

Rachel Fattal is experiencing a coach's point of view in her first year at Long Beach State.

Fattal joined The Beach's women's water polo team in the fall and with her experience playing at an international level with the U.S. national team, she is able to bring a new perspective to the team.

“She's very knowledgeable and has a lot of experience and brings great energy,” head women's water polo coach Shana Welch said. “It elevates everything that we're doing here on a daily basis. So it's been great having her here.

Fattal was a part of two Olympics as an attacker for team U.S.A. in 2016 where she won gold in Rio and contributed to a total of seven goals. She had the same experience in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she won gold and scored nine goals throughout the tournament.

“A lot of athletes on the national team

are either in college or they go play professionally overseas,” Fattal said. “Instead of going and playing professionally overseas, I'm here coaching and the national team usually starts right around when college season ends.”

Fattal spent some time playing professionally in Australia with the Hunter Hurricanes before returning to the U.S. Fattal is no longer playing professionally, instead, she has joined The Beach and coaches during the national team's off-season.

“Always want to get in the water and do it and now I have to be able to explain it and like watch someone else do it,” Fattal said. “Now I get to help other people. Be able to have that moment, which has been really good for me.”

Despite Fattal not competing in the water during the collegiate season, she still has the opportunity to get in the water with the

team.

Her own knowledge isn't the only thing provided to the team, as having a different variety of coaches and information has been a key part of the team.

“We're learning from each other every day, I think all of us have a very unique and different backgrounds and experiences,” Welch said. “It's been wonderful having her here and picking her brain and working with each other. It's been fun.”

Long Beach State is currently ranked number seven in the nation among other colleges, seating in second place in The Big West. With two months left to play in the season, Fattal has a lot more knowledge she can coach the team in order to improve.

"I'm just thankful to be here, I love my job, I love being around these athletes every day," Fattel said.

Photo courtesy of LBSU Athletics Ryley Fick running in the women’s 5K in Washington Jan. 27. She finished in third and set the second fastest time at 16:35:85.

MARLON VILLA / Daily Forty-Niner LBSU women’s water polo team assistant coach Rachel Fattal, during her water polo team’s game against toronto universtiy.

Rachel Fattal brings her Olympic knowledge to the pool

I’m just thankful to be here, I love my job, I love being around these athletes every day.

Rachel Fattal LBSU women’s water polo assistant coach