From Incarceration to Liberation

Ayear ago, we had an idea to create a compelling magazine issue by issue covering different issues that faced our community. Looking at other publications on campuses, I realized something was missing. There was a void in terms of stories that really homed in on stories that told the stories of our generation. We wanted to do that every issue consistently! I didn’t know what I was throwing myself into. Having 16-to-24-page layouts semi-monthly isn’t easy with a team that is less than 10. We faced many trials and tribulations — however, we persevered and improved with every issue. We learned to adapt with every curveball, we were able to imagine something simple and it takes a very brave team to imagine something and execute it. We executed it over and over again and baby we executed it to become something I would never imagine. After four years of working at The Sundial, it hurts to say this is my final farewell. I am proud of the things we have produced as a team, I am proud of the things I can now take with me into the workforce and along the way I have made lasting friendships that are near and dear to my heart, with a special shoutout to Mercedes for being a dope friend and a doper managing editor. While I am sad to say farewell, and I am even happier to shed light on the students that had to overcome so much to complete their education alongside me. It might be hard now but, day by day we’re ‘making it.’

Michaella Huck

Shannon Carter Editor-in-Chief

Carolyn Burt Managing Editor

Michaella Huck Print Editor

Mercedes Cannon-Tran

Print Managing Editor

Ryanne Mena

Community Outreach Editor

Michael Goldsmith Copy Chief

Maia Aslaksen Ian McKay Copy Editors

Grace Da Rocha Culture Editor

Marissa Roberts

News Editor

Kaitlyn Lavo

Photo Editor

Jordan Puente Sports Editor

Troy Barnes Staff

Arvli Ward Publisher

Jody Holcomb General Manager

Sandra Tan Business Manager

Published by the Department of Journalism, California State University Northridge Manzanita Hall 140 18111 Nordhoff St. Northridge, CA 91330-8258

Editorial hello@sundial.csun.edu • (818) 677-2915

Advertising ads@csun.edu • (818) 677-2998

Because of high production costs, members of the CSUN community are permitted one copy per issue. Where available, additional copies may be purchased with prior approval for 50 cents each by contacting the Daily Sundial. Newspaper theft is a crime. Those who violate the single copy rule may be subject to civil and criminal prosecution and/or subject to university discipline.

What a ride this has been! I came to CSUN in January of 2021 in pursuit of a master’s degree. In my brief time here on campus, I have seen so much change and growth and even experienced some myself.

Th e Sundial has always been a place for creativity and comradery, and it is here I found “my people.”

Like many, I have had my fair share of hurdles to overcome on my way to graduation, and I am pleased to say the class of 2022 rose to the challenge.

In this issue, we celebrate a few of those graduates by sharing their stories in both words and pictures.

I hope the stories of challenges, heartbreak and perseverance inspire others to push on and accomplish their goals, even if they may not be graduating this spring.

It has been an honor to work so diligently and produce the magazine this semester, one that the team and I are immensely proud of.

To the class of 2022, I say well done! To anyone else still pushing on toward graduation, I say — you got this!

Th ough I am on to my next adventure, I shall never forget my memorable journey at CSUN.

Mercedes Cannon-Tran

STUDENT TECHNOLOGY RESOURCES

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LinkedIn Learning L Learn business, creative and tech skills. csun.edu/it/linkedin-learning

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Portfolium C Create an ePortfolio to showcase your work.csun.edu/it/portfolium

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Zoom J Join or host a video conference. csun.edu/it/zoom

Martinez is the 2020 recipient of the Grace Hopper Scholarship courtesy of the AnitaB.org foundation, which helps women and nonbinary people succeed in technology.

From Incarceration to Liberation

A CSUN student’s second chance at success

Oppression. Uncertainty. Despair. These are the words that Maria Martinez, 35, uses to describe the darkest days of their life.

Through resilience, determination and a strong support system, Martinez, who identifies as they/them, narrowly escaped those dark days. Next month, Martinez graduates with a degree in computer science and will soon begin their new career at Disney as a software engineer.

Nowadays, Martinez is optimistic and grateful. For the first time in life, they are happy, but that wasn’t always the case.

In 2008, Martinez became pregnant and with the support of their partner at the time, decided to have an abortion. That support soon turned to blame and Martinez’s partner ended the relationship. The guilt was too much to bear. The only solution was to mentally escape. Two years later, benumbed to their feelings, Martinez was in another bad relationship and battling a severe meth addiction.

Martinez doesn’t like to talk about it. Recalling the events strikes a raw nerve inside.

One night, Martinez’s thenpartner drove the two to a firing range to steal guns. However, Martinez was oblivious to what was happening. Martinez stayed in the car the whole time — high, drunk and absent-minded.

It wasn’t until the sound of the sirens and seeing the helicopter tracking the car from above that Martinez realized what was happening. Riding along in the passenger seat that night would cost Martinez six years of their life.

While in prison, Martinez’s younger sister, a software engineer, asked her company’s human resource department a hypothetical question. Would they ever consider hiring someone with a criminal background? The answer was yes, as long as the candidate was fully qualified.

From that day forward, Martinez was determined. Their sisters enrolled them in East Los Angeles College right before paroling from Folsom Women’s Facility in early 2016. By that fall, Martinez was back in school.

“I could finally see the possibility of turning my life around so I pursued computer sciences,” Martinez said. “I didn’t like it at first, it’s a love-hate relationship to this day.”

In 2018, they transferred to CSUN and participated in various programs and scholarships that have supported their academic career.

But those first few semesters in college were challenging. Adapting to technology and learning a programming language was overwhelming. They wanted to give up.

Things didn’t turn around until Martinez was able to draw a connection between crocheting — which they taught themself while in prison — to coding, that it all began to click. Martinez said crocheting is about understanding patterns and considers it just another language.

After sending out numerous internship applications, Martinez struck big by landing a position at Disney as a platform engineering intern in the summer of 2021.

Disney extended Martinez’s internship three times before the company eventually offered them a full-time position.

“I had to teach myself a lot,” Martinez said. “But I also learned a lot from my mentors at Disney and at the Grace Hopper Scholarship.”

Martinez says that it feels like a dream.

Although Martinez has defied the odds and “made it,” their mission isn’t over. The women they met in prison — the ones Martinez would eventually call family — became an inspiration to give back. These days Martinez finds joy in supporting and tutoring other former convicts in computer programming.

“I made it, but it feels better lifting others up,” Martinez said. “That’s success for me.”