CHAMPS! Men’s volleyball team ends a 20-year drought with a national title. Coverage, pages 6-9.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
D49er
VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 78 | MAY 7, 2018
Adriana Ramirez | Daily 49er
CHAMPS! Men’s volleyball team ends a 20-year drought with a national title. Coverage, pages 6-9.
2 NEWS
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | CITYD49ER@GMAIL.COM
ACADEMICS
Keeping the Khmer language alive CSULB’s Darith Ung awarded at Teacher Recognition Ceremony. By Grant Hermanns Staff Writer
As the room buzzed with teachers sharing notes on their material and methods, Darith Ung sat quietly in awe at the mere fact he’d been invited to accept an award. “I feel that there are so many other people that they could have recognized and I’m just a simple teacher, so I didn’t expect anything,” said Ung, language professor at Cal State Long Beach. Ung was one of 15 Long Beach teachers awarded at the fourth Annual Teacher Recognition Ceremony Thursday in downtown Long Beach. The winners were chosen by Patrick O’Donnell, the assemblymember for the 70th District of California and chair of the Assembly Education Committee. Attendees came from various levels of education, ranging from middle school to college, but Ung was the only teacher from the university to be awarded. Ung has been teaching the Cambodian-based language Khmer for over 20 years, starting at Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in 1997 before teaching at Long Beach last August.
Grant Hermanns | Daily 49er
Cal State Long Beach Khmer Professor Darith Ung, center, poses with assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell, right, and former student Sambath Phann after receiving an award at the Fourth Annual Teacher Recognition Ceremony.
He called teaching the language a privilege for both himself and the students, with many of them belonging to the Cambodian population in Long Beach — the largest outside of the country. According
to a Scalar study, there are over 20,000 Cambodian-Americans living in the city. “[Wilson] is the only high school in the Long Beach area that offer[s] Khmer language as a foreign language,” Ung said. “I
am so admiring that they want to take the language of their ancestors, and that they see AWARD, page 3
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NEWS 3
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Takeuchi gets her ticket to write A $50,400 award will fund Michiko Takeuchi’s book about the collaboration between American and Japanese feminists. By Lauren Martinez Staff Writer
Amid the lackluster halls of Cal State Long Beach’s faculty offices, one door stands out, marked with a paper printout of a celebratory tweet from President Jane Close Conoley. The tweet reads, “Great news: CSULB history professor, Dr. Michiko Takeuchi was awarded a prestigious NEH award. Our faculty rock.” Michiko Takeuchi, assistant professor of Japanese history since 2004, was recently awarded a $50,400 fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The award will fund research for her book, “Early Coalitions Between Japanese and American Feminists, from World War I to the U.S. Occupation of Japan.” Takeuchi’s research is largely focused on elements of feminism within interactions between Japanese and Americans pre-World War II. Her doctoral dissertation, “Pan-Pan Girls and GIs: The Japan-U.S. military prostitution system in occupied Japan (1945-1952),” delves into the little-known world of pan-pan girls, or “comfort women.” Pan-pan girls were Japanese women who were hired to provide sexual services to U.S. Occupation Forces in Japan as a collaborative project between the Japanese and U.S. governments. “I learned a lot on a personal level from interactions between American servicemen and women and the Japanese people that can’t be learned from textbooks,” Takeuchi said. Through her research, she’s also discovered that much of the feminist movement
AWARD
continued from page 2
want to keep the culture alive.” While presenting the award, O’Donnell recognized Ung’s teaching as important for bringing Cambodian culture stateside for students. “This is important for kids who came from Cambodia, or didn’t come from Cambodia quite frankly, because it gives them a connection to their homeland,” O’Donnell said. “It also [gives them] a connection to their elders they often feel disconnected with,
Courtesy of Michiko Takeuchi
Professor of Japanese History Michiko Takeuchi was recently awarded a $54,000 fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities. The award will be used to fund her book focusing on early collaborations between Japanese and American feminists.
was influenced by the ideas of both Japanese and American feminists. “Japanese women took the lead in creating the idea of women’s liberation,” Takeuchi said. “It wasn’t something given by American occupation. It was actually [the] collaborative work of Japanese and American feminists. I really think that example shows that what people believe, principles, can cross borders and race and cultures
because their cultural experience here has been so different than their own families.” With the recent expansion of a Khmer language minor at the university, Ung hopes to teach more classes and see students graduate with more familiarity in the language. In the past, Ung has required his students be native speakers of Khmer before taking the class; however, he has accepted students who are new to the language into his class this year, including a Hispanic student who he said is more skilled than many of the native speakers. “I feel proud of him, also in a sense
and all kinds of barriers that we create.” Takeuchi plans to spend the summer in Japan and Switzerland completing research, while writing book proposals, and shopping for potential publishers for her book. She shared her method to continually progressing her research, despite difficult time constraints. “It’s a myth that we need to have a chunk of time to accomplish something,” Takeu-
I feel proud of myself, because he’s learning something,” Ung said. “I feel like I’m doing the right job and I’m very inspired and he’s a role model for the other students to follow.” Ung notes that while he very is proud of teaching the language and being the only credentialed Khmer teacher in California, he fears for Khmer’s survival in the state. “What happens if something happens to me?” Ung said. “I don’t want that program to go away. So for me it’s a privilege to be able to [teach], and I’m happy to see my students come to class and want to learn and that they learn it. That’s the most rewarding for me.”
chi said. She explained that she follows a daily routine to stay active in her research. “At least 15 minutes a day,” Takeuchi said. “I do my own work because anyone can make 15 minutes.” Prior to becoming a lecturer at CSULB in 2004, Takeuchi was also a 49er. Takeuchi credits her predecessor and late Japanese history professor, Sharon Sievers, for inspiring her to pursue an academic career. “I read this book [called] ‘Flowers in Salt’ and I thought, ‘This is a great book. Who wrote it?’” Takeuchi said. After reading the book, Takeuchi realized that the author was Sievers. Takeuchi later asked Sievers to be her mentor. “When I got into UCLA’s Ph.D. program, I told professor Sievers. She told everyone, ‘Michiko got into UCLA Ph.D.— she’s trying to replace me!’” said Takeuchi, giggling. “I said no, I’m not trying to replace you.” Ultimately, Takeuchi did take over Sievers’ position as Japanese history professor. David Shafer, history department chair, has watched Takeuchi’s evolution from student to professor and expressed his excitement for her recent accomplishment. “Anytime a colleague is a recipient of a major award, it puts Cal State Long Beach on the map,” Shafer said. “In doing research, the faculty at Cal State Long Beach aren’t just doing this for their peers. They’re not just doing it to fulfill their own desires, their own passions, but actually the research makes them better instructors and we need to recognize that.” Nathan Gonzalez, a senior majoring in history, is one of Takeuchi’s current students. He shared his thoughts on how Takeuchi challenges students in the classroom. “We’ve talked a lot in class about culture and how it affects your mentality,” Gonzalez said. “Right now, we’re doing a compare and contrast of Americans views towards Japanese, and [vice versa]. You can see a really big difference.”
FAST FACTS
LIST OF WINNERS • Darith Ung • Gabriella Anorve • Torrie Jean Baker • Brandie Borges • Etic Cabacungan • Tony Damico • Jacquelyn Gainer • Alina Heavin
• Andrea Hoover • Juliane McCall • Monica Patterson • Pamela Penn • Ethel Seminario-Laczko • Lyle Theile • Laurie Wilkerson
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4 ARTS & LIFE
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | ARTSNLIFED49ER@GMAIL.COM COLUMN
Super(her)o Marvel Studios has shown a commitment to introducing strong female characters in its fi lms over these past four years. By Wayne Camp Staff Writer
W
ith the recent release of the highly anticipated “Avengers: Infinity War,” Marvel has yet again proven that it knows how to release a summer blockbuster that can be enjoyed by people of all walks of life. What we did not know is if Marvel was listening to the cries from its fans, asking for more female representation and bigger roles for the female characters. Before some of its more recent releases in the past three years, one of the biggest criticisms pointed toward Marvel Studios was that there were no females with significant roles besides Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow. Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, was questioned on the matter back at a press conference in 2014. “I think it comes down to timing, which is what I’ve sort of always said, and it comes down to us being able to tell the right story,” Feige said. “However, I hope that we introduce a strong female-leading movie franchise sooner rather than later.” While Marvel has yet to release a film with a leading female role, it has introduced us to stronger supporting characters such as Gamora, played by Zoe Saldana in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1” (2014). We have also seen powerful characters such as Scarlet Witch, portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015), the Wasp, played by Evangeline Lilly in “Ant-Man” (2015) and most recently, Shuri, one of the smartest females in Wakanda, played by Letitia Wright in “Black Panther” (2018). “It seems as if Marvel has responded well to the fans asking for more female leading roles in their movies and that is truly a wonderful thing,” said Julie Robinson, a third year kinesiology major. “As someone who is proud to be a woman, plus a fan of the comics, I love watching females kicking ass in these movies.” Marvel films have become more than just “superhero movies” over the past decade. These movies help give children an imagination, a feeling that they too can do anything that they put their minds to, no matter their gender. This level of inspiration wasn’t present in Marvel’s first few movies. It was fair to say that its female characters served nothing more than a love interest or supporting role. You had Peggy Carter in Captain America, Pepper Potts in the Iron Man franchise, and Jane Foster from Thor. While occasional moments of badassery were sprinkled throughout their respective films, these roles were only an extension of the male hero. Again, this is something that Marvel knew it would have to change if it wanted to keep its movies profitable and relevant. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Zoe Saldana stressed how important these movies are for kids and why she is so passionate about continuing to make them. Scarlett Johansson also joked that, “It was a relief to finally have just about the same amount of estrogen as there was testosterone on the set of ‘Infinity War.’” There have been no signs of this trend slowing down in future films, as the franchise has already announced a number of movies that will have strong female presences in them. Coming out this July will be “AntMan and the Wasp,” starring Evangeline Lilly as the Wasp. Brie Larson has been hired for the lead role in the upcoming movie “Captain Marvel” which premieres March of 2019, which will be Marvel’s first movie to have a female in the lead role. Going down this road, Marvel fans old and young, male and female will have role models of all backgrounds to look up to.
Photo Illustration by Drew Mametsuka | Daily 49er
ARTS & LIFE 5
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | ARTSNLIFED49ER@GMAIL.COM BIG EVENT
ASI introduces first Disney Day The event will replace the annual spring concert and invite students into the park for a full day. By Samantha Diaz Arts & Life Editor
Students can ditch glow sticks and dancing shoes for Mickey Mouse ears and Dole Whip in the first ever Long Beach State ASI Disney Day in place of the annual spring time concerts. The announcement was made Saturday via Associated Students Inc.’s Instagram. “ASI is always mindful of how student fees are spent and what they’re meant for, and since we as students passed this fee to support a magical end of the year experience, that’s exactly what we intend to bring you,” ASI President Joe Nino said in the video.
This Summer See You at the
“That’s right folks — we’re going to Disneyland.” The event will take place Friday during regular park hours, 9 a.m. to midnight and will include a reserved ASI hospitality section located in the Starcade in Tomorrowland from 2 to 6 p.m. Students can access free food, drinks and Long Beach State gear in this area. Nino explained that the event was planned after Beach Pride Events realized last week they were unable to “make [the spring concert] happen.” ASI Communications Manager James Ahumada explained that they were in the process of making offers to various artists before realizing the conflicting dates and cost of performers would make it
COAST!
This Summer See You at
Courtesy of Joe Matthews
A statue of Walt Disney holding hands with his mascot, Mickey Mouse. ASI will be holding its first Disney Day on Friday where students will be able to attend Disneyland for $10.
impossible. “We wanted to give something back to the students still, so we started looking for other options,” Ahumada said. Tickets for Disney Day are $10 and will go on sale at 2 p.m. Mon-
day on a first-come-first-served basis. They require a student ID and come with a VIP wristband, which grants you access to the ASI hospitality section. Students are permitted to begin lining up at 1 p.m.
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6 SPORTS
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | SPORTSD49ER@GMAIL.COM
GOL RUSH Christian Gonzales | Daily 49er
Long Beach State junior setter and AVCA Player of the Year Josh Tuaniga, above, prepares to serve during Saturday’s championship game against UCLA at Pauley Pavilion. The 49ers defeated the Bruins in a 3-2 victory. (Shown right) Junior opposite hitter Kyle Ensing, right, setter Josh Tuaniga, left, and outside hitters TJ DeFalco and Bjarne Huus cut the volleyball net after receiving the NCAA National Championship trophy.
A swarm of Long Beach State students rush the court after the 49ers defeat the Bruins in the fifth set.
Adriana Ramirez | Daily 49er
Long Beach State head coach Alan Knipe lifts his in ebration. This marks his second NCAA title; Knipe blocker on the 1991 championship team.
SPORTS 7
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LD H Adriana Ramirez | Daily 49er
Christian Gonzales | Daily 49er
ndividual NCAA trophy in cele’s first was as a junior middle
The Long Beach State men’s volleyball team celebrates after defeating UCLA and winning the NCAA championship Saturday.
Adriana Ramirez | Daily 49er
8 SPORTS
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COMMENTARY
They came, they saw, they conquered The men’s volleyball team is ready to build upon a championship year. By Kevin Colindres Assistant Sports Editor
F
Christian Gonzales | Daily 49er
Long Beach State junior outside hitter TJ DeFalco celebrates after his team gets a point in Saturday’s win over UCLA.
rom the very first day of practice this year, the Long Beach State men’s volleyball team’s philosophy was to get one to two percent better every day. I’d say the team still isn’t at its best after winning the National Championship, only reaching the halfway point of its true potential. This is the start of a dynasty for the men’s volleyball program. Dynasties have come and gone at Long Beach State, and the athletics program has been fortunate to have some excellent teams in its rich history. The women’s basketball team had its greatest success during the ‘80s, coached by Joan Bonvicini, making 10 straight NCAA appearances.
In the ‘90s, it was the Dirtbags who appeared in four College World Series, alongside the women’s volleyball team (who would go on to win three national championships). If head coach Alan Knipe and company continue to recruit at a high level and maintain a good chunk of their young talent, the 2018 men’s volleyball team can be looked at as the manufacturers of the school’s next dynasty. It’s celebration time for Long Beach following its NCAA Championship, but the real excitement lies in what is to come. Six out of the seven starting members will return for another season, including junior outside hitter TJ DeFalco and junior setter Josh Tuaniga, the past two AVCA Player of the Year award winners. Long Beach will clearly be the favorites to win back-to-back titles. With head coach Alan Knipe signing a contract extension to 2023, the future looks bright for the men’s volleyball program. Long Beach is
SUMMER
now recognized as a volleyball powerhouse, which will attract high-level players to help maintain the program. This year was an almost perfect season that can easily be described using Julius Caesar’s famous words, “Veni, vidi, vici,” “They came, they saw, they conquered.” At times the team looked unstoppable, winning 27 sets in a row and only dropping one match all season. On a daily basis, Long Beach showed its hunger for a championship and proved its desire to win it all in the final two sets of its stunning comeback against UCLA in the final round of the tournament. After two consecutive years of losing in the NCAA semifinals, this match lived up to the hype. The city is behind the men’s volleyball program now more than ever before. Sports bars are packed, the attendance at games continues to grow and the community can look forward to volleyball excellence for the next few years.
2018
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SPORTS 9
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Long Beach State freshman outside hitter Ryan Poole lifts the NCAA title trophy after the 49ers defeat UCLA Saturday at Pauley Pavilion.
Adriana Ramirez | Daily 49er
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Drought ends in gold
Long Beach State wins its first national title since the women’s volleyball team’s championship in 1998. By Zackery Handy Staff Writer
LOS ANGELES — Fans rushed the court as the Long Beach State men’s volleyball team embraced each other, some with tears of joy streaming down their faces. “It means the world to us,” junior opposite Kyle Ensing said. “Looking back on the last two years and losing in the semi-finals, that was always in the back of our minds.” Long Beach State won its first national championship since 1991 in a blow-for-blow battle against the Bruins Saturday at the Pauley Pavilion. This is also the first time in 20 years that Long Beach State has won a National title in any sport. The last time was in 1998, when Misty May played with the women’s volleyball team. “We really pushed ourselves this match and came out on top,” Ensing said. “It means the world to us.” In what can only be summed
Christian Gonzales | Daily 49er
The Long Beach State team celebrates after winning a crucial point in set five in the NCAA championship game against UCLA.
up as an instant classic, the match went five sets with the 49ers edging the Bruins 25-19 23-25 20-25 26-24 15-12. The Bruins had taken control of the match in the fourth set, putting the 49ers on their heels. It looked bleak as UCLA’s aggressive serving wore down Long Beach, forcing them to show its
resilience. “It doesn’t surprise me that that’s the battle we had with them,” Long Beach head coach Alan Knipe said. “That’s a really good team. They were prepared, they played well and created a lot of pressure from the end line.” Both teams threw punches as if it were a heavyweight bout. Long
Beach struck first and took the first set on the back of Ensing’s six kills. Ensing finished the match with a team-high 20 kills, five digs, four blocks and four aces. The Bruins countered, nearly knocking the 49ers out as they took the next two sets, threatening to take home the trophy with an 18-16 lead in the fourth.
With the season on the line, Tuaniga proceeded to ruin the Bruins’ hopes with a dump kill followed by an ace, sending the match to a pivotal “win or go home” fifth set in which the 49ers came out victorious. As 7,248 people held their breath as the ball was put into play. Junior setter Josh Tuaniga received the pass and set it just in front of the net, 7,000 audience members got to their feet and silence filled Pauley Pavilion as senior middle blocker Nick Amado soared through the air. Amado swung, the ball went down and pandemonium ensued. “There is no way to reproduce that moment,” Knipe said. “I think our crew does a great job in the gym of giving us as much pressure as they can, but there is no way to reproduce those moments.” Tuaniga ended the match with 46 assists, five digs, three kills, an ace and a block, taking home the Most Outstanding Player award. Long Beach ends its season completing what has not been done in 27 years, back when coach Knipe raised the same trophy as a middle blocker for Long Beach. The team ends the season with a 28-1 record and more importantly, as champions.
10 OPINIONS
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018 DAILY49ER.COM | OPEDD49ER@GMAIL.COM
TELEVISION
The disgrace and disappointment of America’s ‘TV dad’ As one of the moral father figures of television, Cosby’s downfall is disheartening to those who admired him. By Wayne Camp Staff Writer
A
merica not only lost someone many people grew up calling their “TV dad,” but a pioneer who broke down barriers and served as a positive role model for millions of fans. It is a true shame to see someone as highly regarded as Bill Cosby fall from his moral pedestal. In his role as Dr. Heathcliff “Cliff ” Huxtable, Cosby was a major force in changing how African Americans on TV were portrayed. Unfortunately, as his crimes come to light we must be willing to hold him accountable despite the good he’s done. Cosby was convicted on April 26 of three counts of aggravated assault toward Andrea Constand, an employee Cosby mentored at Temple University in 2002. After losing television deals, honorary college degrees, and wholesome image, Cosby could be sentenced with up to 10 years in state prison for his crimes. While this is a gross and disturbing revelation, what is even more alarming is that Cosby made jokes about drugging women at parties during his standup shows back in the ‘70s and ‘80s. This case saw the completion of the indescribable late-life downfall of a comedian who broke racial barriers in Hollywood on his way to superstardom in the ‘70s. More importantly, Cosby’s conviction finally brought justice for all of the women involved in this case. As someone who religiously watched “The Cosby Show” reruns every night before bed, this felt like a punch to the gut from the moment of his arrest for drugging and sexually assaulting women back in December of 2015. How are you supposed to feel when somebody that you looked up to for moral guidance has been hiding behind a mask for more than 35 years? Cosby wasn’t just an actor playing a well-liked dad on a popular TV sitcom during the ‘80s. Cliff Huxtable was a father figure and trusted role model who kids looked to for wisdom and guidance, sometimes more than their own parents. You felt connected to the Huxtable household, as if you were a part of the family’s daily lives. Claire Huxtable seemed like your caring mother that you never wanted to disappoint and Theo, Rudy, Denise and Vanessa seemed like the siblings you wished you had.
Daily 49er Miranda Andrade-Ceja Editor-in-Chief eicd49er@gmail.com
David Swanson | Philadelphia Inquirer
Bill Cosby walks out of the Montgomery County Courthouse on Thursday, April 26 in Norristown, Pa. after learning a jury found him guilty of sexual assault.
African Americans seldom had roles in Hollywood during this era that showed their characters living successful lifestyles or holding prominent positions such as doctors, lawyers, father figures, etc. Most African American actors would find themselves playing drug dealers, mob members, or other characters living criminal lifestyles such as Huggy Bear from “Starsky and Hutch.” This is why Cosby and his TV show was so significant. Shows like “The Jeffersons” and “The Cosby Show” broke many barriers for African Americans as entertainers. Cliff Huxtable, being one of the best doctors living in New York City, showed that you could have black actors as father figures on television and it wouldn’t drive audiences away. It is truly puzzling and disturbing how somebody who knows his position in America and what he means to people could have been doing such troubling things during a period where he was thought of as a moral icon. One has to question why he lived a double life for so many years. Entrenched as the stereotypical role model for American children since the 80’s, one would have never thought such horrendous skeletons were in his closet. Imagine the women who have had to live with these secrets for so many years because they thought that no one would believe them. He was such a powerful figure that his presence instilled fear into his victims even when he was finished with them.
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Cosby does have his defenders. “What you’re seeing is the destruction of a legacy. And I think it’s orchestrated,” said Phylicia Rashad in 2015, who played the wife of Cliff Huxtable. “I don’t know why or who’s doing it but it’s the legacy. And it’s a legacy that is so important to the culture.” Despite her claims, it’s hard to say that these women “orchestrated” his defamation when over 50 women have come forward. The impact of his crimes was on full display when New York Magazine featured the 35 women who accused Cosby of sexual assault on the cover of their July 27th issue in 2015. Although the actions of this man are still shocking to me, it feels good to say that he is officially guilty of the crimes. I hope that all of those women can now receive the peace and closure that they deserve. Despite Cosby’s legacy, if we want equality, not just in Hollywood but in society as a whole, we have no choice but to bring powerful figures down when evidence of their crimes arises. Cosby was a prominent figure in my life and in so many others. Scared of ruining his public image and losing everything that he eventually lost, he spent decades of resources trying to cover up his actions. The even more gut-wrenching part is that he would have gotten away with it if Constand had waited three more days to press those charges against Cosby. But as the old saying goes, what is done in the dark will always come to the light eventually.
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THERE’S A REASON THE BEACH IS ONE OF THE BEST
Melissa Cervantes-Anguas English Literature
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LONG BEACH
D49er
VOL. LXVIX, ISSUE 78 | MAY 7, 2018
Adriana Ramirez | Daily 49er