Inside Fullerton Summer 2020 Issue

SUMMER 2020

SKATERS NEVER SAY DIE

The shutdown and rebirth of Independence Skatepark

DISNEY

Collecting the magic through pins

WOKE TV Why we’re seeing more LGBTQ characters on streaming platforms

LITTLE ARABIA

The Anaheim enclave’s fight

for recognition

SUMMER

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INSIDE FULLERTON

STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ADVISER

Joshua Villafranco

Jessica Langlois

MANAGING EDITOR

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGERS

Salina Falcon

Margaret Trejo Tania Rangel

GRAPHIC DESIGNER STAFF WRITERS

Elise Galbraith

Stephanie Bolton Annisa Charles Sierra Esqueda Erica Flores Nicole Hamilton Cody Kolstad Corinna Ortega Aaron Velasquez Jeff Witthuhn

PHOTO EDITOR Logan Martinez

ONLINE EDITOR Sam Serrano

Special thanks to journalism department coordinator Jay Seidel and graphic design professor Steve Klippenstein for their assistance.

Inside Fullerton is produced every semester by Fullerton College’s magazine production class, Journalism 132, under the guidance of student editors and advisement of Jessica Langlois. Editorial and advertising content herein, including any opinions expressed, are the sole responsibility of the students in the class. Information published herein does not represent the position of the North Orange County Community College District, Fullerton College or any other officer or employee within.

Inside Fullerton 321 E. Chapman Ave. Fullerton, CA 92832

CONTACT:

@insidefullerton Twitter / Instagram

For advertising, business or course enrollment questions: jlanglois@fullcoll.edu

insidefullerton.fullcoll.edu

For tips, pitches, corrections or other editorial queries: InsideFullertonMag@gmail.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

JOSHUA VILLAFRANCO

Dear Inside Fullerton readers, First off, I want to thank everyone for supporting us throughout the years. This semester’s journey was a turbulent one, to say the least. The spread of COVID-19 has affected lives across the globe and halted work for many. I want to thank the Inside Fullerton staff for the work they did under these circumstances. Whether it was having the now-infamous Zoom meeting twice a week, having to talk to sources through the phone and not being able to see them in person, or having to adhere to social distancing rules to take photos for our stories, our staff did an amazing job.

We had several stories lined up that we had to abandon when social distancing orders began, but we found other stories that we hope you will enjoy. This new issue touches on several topics related to the city of Fullerton and other local communities. Aaron Velasquez visits an enclave in Anaheim that has been fighting for years to be recognized; Margaret Trejo digs into what will be on California’s November 2020 ballot.

For our cover story, Tania Rangel looks back at

the struggles the Independence Park skatepark faced in the past and how the skaters helped revive it. Before everything shut down, Logan Martinez and Corinna Ortega were able to visit Disneyland to gather stories and photos on the popular culture of Disney pin trading.

This semester we were proud to relaunch our website and put up exclusive content that can only be viewed there. We hope you can stop by and take a look at our online stories.

I also want to say thank you to everyone in the journalism department at Fullerton College.

After two full years on this publication it is now my time to pass it on to the new staff. I enjoyed my time and learned so much through this opportunity. I know the new editor-in-chief, Stephanie Bolton, will do an amazing job and continue to help Inside Fullerton grow.

This magazine is for you, the readers and I hope you all enjoy the new issue and are staying safe during these troubling times.

NEWS Photos: COVID-19 quarantine in Fullerton Logan Martinez 6

Tuition-free options in California Aaron Velasquez 8

What’s on California’s November 2020 ballot Margaret Trejo 9

LIFESTYLE The life of Dodgers and Galaxy superfans

COLLECTING THE MAGIC THROUGH PINS Corinna Ortega and Logan Martinez PHOTOS -12 In the past 20 years, pin trading has boomed into a prominent subculture and micro-economy in the Disneyland universe

Nicole Hamilton 10

Which diet is best for you?

Tania Rangel 11

FEATURES Cosmetologists oppose a new California labor law Annisa Charles and Margaret Trejo 18

SKATERS NEVER SAY DIE Tania Rangel FEATURE - 24 How a community of skaters revived Fullerton’s skatepark after police shut it down for illegal activity

Libraries on the frontlines against homelessness Stephanie Bolton and Salina Falcon

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Little Arabia’s fight to be recognized Aaron Velasquez 36

CULTURE The rise of front yard free libraries

ADDICTION FROM THE EYES OF A DAUGHTER Nicole Hamilton ESSAY - 32 Substance abuse takes over not only the life of the individual, but of those around them

Corinna Ortega 40

LGBTQ characters on streaming platforms Annisa Charles 42

Local Musician Spotlight: Andrés Aparicio Sierra Esqueda 44

CONTENT

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INSIDE FULLERTON

THE EFFECTS OF CORONAVIRUS ON A ONCE LIVELY FULLERTON

PHOTOS BY LOGAN MARTINEZ

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NEWS From dawn til dusk—and dusk til dawn—Fullerton has always attracted people from all over with its unique sense of style and charm. However, in the midst of a pandemic, our photographer Logan Martinez was able to capture the real effects that COVID-19 has had on our community. Continue viewing this story at insidefullerton.fullcoll.edu LEFT: The ever busy Fullerton DMV stands completely empty as local government buildings were closed in March.

RIGHT: Anne Marie Flores wears a mask and gloves standing in a Kaiser hospital elevator in front of a sign stating the rules regarding visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BELOW: Fullerton High School’s empty cafeteria space on a Friday afternoon. Usually children would be gathered here on one of their breaks on a normal school day, but COVID-19 has forced schools across the nation to close for the remainder of the school year.

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TUITION-FREE OPTIONS IN CALIFORNIA

BY AARON VELASQUEZ Attending a college in the United States can sometimes lead to accumulating a lot of student debt. According to a report from The Institute of College Access and Success, students in California could expect to leave college with about $22,000 in student debt. While this number is lower than the national average of $29,200, California is working towards reducing it.

Students in California have new options for attending college without the expense of paying for tuition. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his Promise Program expansion in 2019, which states that full time college students who are enrolled for the first time can receive two years tuition-free at a community college.

Local community colleges like Fullerton College have taken account and set up the Promise Program department to aid the students who are involved in this pledge financially and academically.

The program provides the opportunity for incoming college students to attend tuition-free if they meet the requirements of enrolling in at least 12 units and maintaining a 2.0 GPA. Fullerton College tuition is $46 per unit, so a full-time student can expect to pay at least $552 plus fees each semester if they don’t receive any aid. The Promise Program also covers the $19 health fee; however the program does not cover additional costs such as the parking permit ($40), course material & lab fees, associated student fee ($12), and the student ID card ($3.50).

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Tuition at California State Universities is $5,742 per year and University of California tuition is $12,360. Students who begin their education at community college through the Promise Program can save thousands of dollars and avoid additional loan debt before transfering to a UC or CSU. Some private institutions are also working towards providing tuition-free schooling. University of Southern California announced that financial aid changes will allow students whose families make under $80,000 a year to attend tuition-free starting in 2020-21.

USC anticipates that a third of the incoming 2020-21 undergraduates will fall under this financial aid category. While this financial aid covers the hefty cost of tuition at $57,000, the average student will have to spend an additional $20,000 for housing, dining, books and supplies.

Other programs already in place in California offer incomebased grants to help pay for tuition costs. Students who are eligible for income based grants can apply for the Promise Grant--which is separate from the Promise Program.

The Cal Grant B can pay students up to $1,672 per academic year. To qualify for the Cal Grant B a student must meet the low income requirement ceiling of $43,000 for a family size of 2, attend school for at least six units, and maintain a 2.0 GPA. While this option may not lead to “tuition-free� schooling, it is the most used by college students in California.

NEWS There’s a lot at stake in the November 2020 election, but the presidential race isn’t the only important issue on the ballot. There are several statewide initiatives and races that will impact Southern Californians.

FELONIES

RENT CONTROL

The California Criminal Sentencing, Parole, and DNA Collection Initiative would categorize some misdemeanor crimes like, theft and fraud, as “wobblers”, meaning they could be classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony. The ballot initiative would categorize 51 additional crimes as violent, which would impact an inmate’s parole process. It would also call for DNA samples of those convicted with certain misdemeanors that were classified as felonies or wobblers. While proponents say this law would be hard on crime and potentially make cities safer, it could reverse the efforts of AB 109, Proposition 47, and Proposition 57, which have helped reduce overcrowding in the state’s inmate population, according to The Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice.

The California Local Rent Control Initiative would make it possible for cities and counties to pass rent control measures for most housing units. This would replace the 1995 Costa Hawkins law that prohibited local governments from enacting rent control on single-family homes, allowing the landlord to raise prices. There are exceptions for newer buildings and “mom and pop” landlords who own no more than two rental properties.

Proposition 10, a similar proposition, was on the ballot in 2018, but was rejected by 59% of voters. Tenants’ rights groups say cities should be able to issue their own rent control ordinances. Apartment owners’ associations say the measure would keep landlords from being able to set rent at market rates when a tenant moves out.

BAIL BONDS

CISNEROS V. KIM

In 2018, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that would eliminate bail for those awaiting trials and replace it with a system in which a judge could determine pretrial release based on the threat of the crime. The California Replace Cash Bail with Risk Assessments Referendum Proposition will require a majority of Californians to approve the 2018 law before it goes into effect. Proponents say that the bail system is discriminatory against low-income defendants. The referendum to veto the law came after a political action committee backed by the bail bonds industry collected enough signatures.

The 39th congressional district race is a key battleground race in November. In the March primary, Republican candidate, Young Kim, led Democrat incumbent Rep. Gil Cisneros by 1.6%. Cisneros won the seat in 2018, flipping the district from red to blue for the first time in six years. Although Kim also led in the 2018 primary, Cisneros beat her in the close race in the general election. In the 2018 midterms four districts in Orange County flipped from red to blue.

2020

BY MARGARET TREJO

A LOOK AT THE CALIFORNIA BALLOT

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INSIDE FULLERTON Everyone knows the diehard sports fans who attend games religiously and seem to think liking their team is a personality trait, but being a “super-fan” consists of a lot more than just that. A super-fan is someone who dedicates time, money and overall effort to their team.

Scott Benitez gained admiration for the LA Galaxy soccer team in 1996 when his father took him to his first game at the Rose Bowl.

“The rest was history...I have all kinds of old jerseys from 19972020,” says Benitez.

“Certainly, the people you meet are the best benefit of being a fan, they’re like family and they all share a passion for the club,” says Benitez.

Benitez has traveled to several states, such as Ohio, Texas, Washington and more to see his team play. A special experience was watching the Galaxy win the MLS Cup Final at Staples Center with his father. His father’s reaction was “wonderful,” says Benitez, “the first championship will always mean the most to us.” In 2014, Benitez spent a plane ride back from Seattle with the Galaxy team and was able to chat with a few members of the team. The most memorable was with Landon Donovan who gave him advice on soccer.

Much like Benitez, Jason Stewart bonded with family members over their love for the Dodgers. Stewart claims he was born and raised to be a Dodgers fan much like his father. “I’ve probably been to around 150 games in my life,” says Stewart.

Being a super-fan and collecting memorabilia is a must, “I collect Dodger hats these days, I have about 20 or so,” says Stewart.

Stewart’s hat collection is worn for fashion. However, the hats Stewart has owned the longest do have sentimental value.

When facing rivalry, he and his wife expect to be greeted by angry fans, yet they are always left surprised by the kindness of others. The opposing fans were friendly and would joke around with Stewart and his wife. They were nice and for Stewart, this made the game enjoyable.

As a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers official fan page on Facebook, many fans don’t understand that “baseball is a game of failure, I am much more positive about all aspects of the team,” says Stewart.

Watching the Dodgers was a bond between him and his father who has passed away. “I not only lost my best friend, but I lost my Dodger partner,” a year later he met his wife, “She didn’t replace him, but she became my new Dodger partner,” says Stewart. He also explains that he is eager to travel more for the team with his wife.

Being a super-fan creates strong bonds between people, and the love for the sport doesn’t diminish despite any loss or obstacles these two super-fans have faced. “Win, lose or tie, we always have to have the team’s back,” says Benitez.

BY NICOLE HAMILTON

UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A SUPER FAN FOR YOUR FAVORITE TEAM

FOR LOVE OF THE GAME

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BELOW: Scott Benitez (fourth from the right) cheering on the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Photo creds: LA Galaxy & Bailey Holiver

LIFESTYLE

KETO, PALEO, VEGAN?

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START MAKING DRASTIC CHANGES TO YOUR DIET

BY TANIA RANGEL The vogue in today’s media seems to be the search for the perfect diet. The vegan, paleo and keto diets are some that have created a significant drive towards a health conscious lifestyle across America. But not every diet is right for everyone.

People seek diets to achieve a healthier lifestyle or if they are at-risk for certain health conditions. In a 2019 survey published by the International Food Information Council, there appeared to be a drop in the paleo diet and rise in the keto diet, while the vegan diet was officially added as a new diet. A better look inside these diets could help a person determine if one is right for them.

The paleo diet is similar to keto. “Both diets encourage the consumption of many nutritious whole foods and exclude highly processed foods,” reports Medical News Today. The idea of the paleo diet is to eat foods that could have been hunted and gathered in the early age. Both diets consist of fish, lean meats, fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds. Some of the benefits are weight loss and the ability to absorb nutrients more easily.

“It can be difficult to stick to,” says Rita Higgins, a registered dietitian and nutrition professor at Fullerton College. “The person that’s eating in that style really needs to pay attention to the type of animal foods they’re consuming.”

The paleo and keto diet are considered short diets, and many may be tempted to indulge freely on saturated fats.

But remember, balance is everything.

Jeannette Hallstrom, a Fullerton resident, went on the keto diet for three months and found herself coping by eating lots of bacon, which goes along with the diet guidelines. “I did my physical, and my cholesterol was slightly elevated, so I was afraid that all the bacon and everything was causing it,” says Hallstrom.

The keto diet is far more restrictive due to its high-fat, low-carb and moderate protein intake. It’s mostly recognized for how quickly it can make individuals lose weight, but many may not know about the positive impact it’s had on patients with epilepsy and diabetes.

If animal products aren’t working out for your body, then the vegan diet might be for you.

A vegan diet has a significant amount of health benefits without the use of animal products and practically fulfills all the necessary nutrients the human body needs. Higgins says, “A plant-based diet has over and over been associated with lower health risks for obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and especially some cancers.” Luckily, online recipes and local restaurants, such as Modern Shaman and Healthy Junk, have made the lifestyle more enjoyable with creative and nourishing recipes.

Before you decide which diet to experiment with, Higgins recommends to ask yourself, “Is it something I can sustain?” and “Is it realistic for me?”

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Collecting the magic IN THE PAST 20 YEARS, PIN TRADING HAS BOOMED INTO A PROMINENT SUBCULTURE AND MICRO-ECONOMY IN THE DISNEYLAND UNIVERSE

REPORTING BY CORINNA ORTEGA PHOTOS BY LOGAN MARTINEZ

You can showcase any Disney theme with a shirt or hat, but the real fans wear pins. These small, button-like treasures can be enjoyed and exchanged with anyone, even cast members. Over 100,000 pins have been released, from character and attractions pins to limited edition and cast member only pins. “There are four types of pin traders: the sharks, emotional traders, value for value and trading just to trade,” states Taylor Hill, who’s been trading since last January. The trading possibilities are endless.

RIGHT: Disney pins have been around since the park’s opening in 1955, but in 1999 Disney began actively promoting the tradition of trading pins to celebrate the new millenium. After 20 years, it’s developed beyond tradition and into a community for everyone of any age to come together and experience the magic and joy it brings.

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LIFESTYLE

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ABOVE: A portrait creatively displays the Cinderella pin set located in Disney’s California Adventure; this classic tale celebrates 70 years since its release.

RIGHT: Close-up of Prince Charming and Cinderella.

T

here are four types of pin traders: the sharks, emotional traders, value for value and trading just to trade.

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LIFESTYLE

ABOVE: Matthew and Michael Sanchez flash their backpacks covered in Star Wars pins as they head into the parks where the magic awaits.

RIGHT: One couple, Taylor Hill and Tim Matthews, started collecting in 2017. They regularly commute three hours to the Happiest Place to collect pins. Recently in 2019, they decided to start trading and selling as well. “You always need to know the value of your pin. That way you don’t get taken advantage of,” they advise. “We both had to learn the hard way...we have both invested easily $10,000 if not more in pins. So knowing your pin value is truly important.”

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LEFT: Some participants choose a theme or specific character to sport. David King rocks his STITCH-ed vest throughout the parks, giving Ohana vibes.

BELOW: A detail of King’s favorite pin, Stitch replacing Mickey in the Disney classic cartoon Steamboat Willie.

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LIFESTYLE

ABOVE: Prices for starter pins range from $10 to $30, but limited edition and rare releases can go as high as $300. With fake replicas out there, people on social media like Facebook, Twitter and Reddit have emerged to help tell pins apart. This isn’t just a hobby, but a lifestyle—an opportunity to aesthetically announce yourself, representing your favorite characters, Disney-style.

BELOW: Pin trading tips and etiquette: So you’d like to be a part of the culture? Welcome! Please keep all arms, feet and legs to yourself.

Ask before touching and don’t assume everyone has to accept your trades. Only cast members are required to trade. Remember, everyone here comes for the fun and enjoyment of pin trading, so have fun!

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HAIRSTYLISTS SAY A NEW CALIFORNIA LAW MEANT TO PROTECT THEM IS ACTUALLY KEEPING THEM FROM GETTING AHEAD

BY ANNISA CHARLES AND MARGARET TREJO

COSMETOLOGISTS LOSE CONTROL

INSIDE FULLERTON

Bright pink hair and tattooed arms are no issue for Laura Mussche. She is her own boss and she builds her own clientele. Mussche decides her own prices, hours and products used—making her own rules. Hustle determines who will make it in the industry and who will not.

Mussche was able to grow a long career as a stylist starting in the early 1990s because of the decisions she made and the lack of laws that protected her line of work to the point of opening her own salon, Trichology. Stylists starting out now may not have the same opportunities she had due to a controversial new bill.

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FEATURES

Assembly Bill 5, passed in California in September 2019 and enacted in January 2020, requires salon owners to pay minimum wage to employees who are not considered independent contractors and give them benefits mandated under California state law.

only by her first name so her salon would not be targeted for not complying to the new law. She’s afraid she will lose her job if the salon followed the AB 5 guidelines and she wouldn’t be able to find work elsewhere.

The intent of the law is to give workers protection in industries where they are typically exploited. But in the salon industry, which is mostly independent contractors or stylists working on commission, the employee mandate is creating barriers for salon owners and emerging stylists.

Kiera Henderson, who is an employee at Latitude Loft in Anaheim Hills and has now been doing hair for three and a half years, believes AB 5 is both a positive and a negative in the hair industry. “When you’re building a clientele in the beginning when you’re not as busy, you are still guaranteed an hourly pay, which is nice. And then you have a W-2 and proof of income. But I do feel like the salon takes a lot more of what you make in the end,” says Henderson.

In order to be exempt from employee status, the law states that an individual must, “schedule their own appointments… maintain their own business license… and issue a form 1099 to the salon or business owner from which they rent their business space.”

However, those who rent chairs have become more responsible for their appointments since the receptionists are unable to take appointments unless the client is calling for someone who works on commission.

Not only do independent contractors typically pay around $2,000 a month on products in order to keep the independence of creating their own hours, but they must now act as their own receptionist as well. It puts a lot of pressure on stylists to handle everything on their own.

While not everyone has been affected equally, many are scared of what is to come. Stylist Nicole Wheatstone says, “It’s caused more panic than anything else.”

Melanie, a commission stylist in Orange County for the past two years, explains how AB 5 has affected her as a small businesswoman trying to build a clientele. If she had to move salons right now, she would not know what to do or where to go since no one is taking commission stylists anymore due to the financial changes.

Henderson expresses her worries for what she and other stylists would do if they had to find commission elsewhere since salons that are not adhering to the AB 5 law are not taking new stylists. This is because salons are now fearful that a new stylist could disrupt the culture and shut down the salon for not complying.

Henderson explains overall, most stylists would have to go to places that have always been employee based, like Supercuts or Ulta. The only issue is no way for a stylist to move to the salon floor and be a renter. Instead they would be considered an employee. The stylist would have to move from that Ulta or Supercuts to a salon that is rent-only to be a renter. Stylists at salons that are taking employees that can then move onto the floor as renters do not have to fear the loss of clients leaving them due to a move of salons.

For many stylists, the AB 5 law is making it harder for them to feel a sense of community within the workplace. After the law came into effect, Donna Stratchern, owner of Primarily Hair says, “It has forced me to make the stylist do more for themselves, taking away from our spirit of teamwork.” For most cosmetologists, where they work is where their family is.

Melanie’s salon isn’t adhering to AB 5, meaning she’s working on a commission where she gets 60% of what she charges and the salon takes 40%. She doesn’t get any employee benefits and she is seen as an independent stylist to the salon. She asked to be identified

LEFT: Front: Owner of Trichology, Laura Mussche; Back left: Independent Contractor, Mia Wallace; Back Right: Independent Contractor, Jamie Foster in their Anaheim salon, Trichology Photo: courtesy of Trichology RIGHT: Illustration by Elise Galbraith

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The law doesn’t benefit new beauty school graduates either. They start out with almost no clientele, depending on their friends and family as clients since they are fresh out of assisting a veteran stylist or have just graduated cosmetology school. They must work on commission to make ends meet.

Working on commission means for every client, the salon takes an agreed percentage of the sale.

With the AB 5 law, brand new stylists who are working on commission are having trouble finding somewhere they can do hair. The new bill now requires commission stylists to be full employees. The salons provide all the supplies that a stylist would normally provide themselves, but they assign them set hours and pay them minimum wage.

They make a smaller commission, roughly 30% for each client. Since they are now considered official employees, they receive workman’s compensation, unemployment, insurance, professional liability insurance and depending on the size of the salon, health insurance.

Once they are able to maintain a steady clientele and bookings where they can pay the weekly rent while still making a profit, stylists will begin renting a chair and no longer work on commission.

When they begin their work as independent contractors, they will have to start paying for their own health insurance, put money towards their retirement, rent a station, be responsible for paying professional liability insurance every year and pay for supplies, products, and tools. Even though they are making more money, they are labeled as a small business.

This shift has upended the salon industry. In September, hair stylists and manicurists were added to the list of professions exempted from AB 5. However, that only applies to true independent contractors who already have a large clientele, not commission stylists who depend on salons to feed them clients.

Many salon owners are leaning towards not having any commission stylists because they cannot afford to pay for all the new costs, or they do not believe in giving hair stylists that many rules.

“We picked this job because we typically don’t have those ‘rules’ to abide by,” says Mussche, owner of Trichology salon and has been doing hair full-time for 25 years.

“Telling them when their hours are, what they must wear, jobs they must perform and when to eat lunch and take breaks isn’t really what being a hairstylist is.”

With the AB 5 law, brand new stylists who are working on commission are having trouble finding somewhere they can do hair.

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FEATURES

SHELTER IN

THE

STACKS

WHETHER AVOIDING HARSH WEATHER CLIMATES OR IN NEED OF GUIDANCE, LIBRARIES HAVE BECOME A VALUABLE RESOURCE FOR HOMELESS PATRONS

BY STEPHANIE BOLTON AND SALINA FALCON “A year ago, we were really in a crisis situation, an unsustainable situation,” says Mike Lyster, Chief Communications Officer of Anaheim. “Outside one of our libraries there was an encampment of 60 tents at its peak.”

At the end of 2019, homelessness in Orange County reached a peak at nearly 7,000 individuals, a nearly 40% increase from 2018, according to The United States Department of Public Housing. Fullerton had the second-highest margin in North Orange County with an estimated 473 homeless individuals.

No longer are librarians simply connecting their community to information, but rather, making connections with homeless County-wide progressive measures are addressing the homepatrons and adequate resources. lessness issue in response to these statistics. Shelters are in development or expanding in an effort to accommodate the Jennifer Paul, Master of Social Work intern for Long Beach growing homeless population across Orange County. The Public Library, explains this situation as the last option for city of Anaheim is set to build a 365 bed care center with some people to receive help. “Libraries definitely see a really the Salvation Army which is expected to open in 2021. In large population of individuals expressing homelessness, January, Fullerton approved the development of a new 150 and mental health...it’s really one of the last places people bed shelter with the Illumination Foundation. can go,” says Paul. Such resources include connecting them to law enforcement officials, introducing them to outreach “I do not anticipate the new shelter would increase or programs or simply being a familiar face. decrease the homeless patron traffic in the library,” says Matthew Kalscheuer, an officer for Fullerton Police DepartA library provides protection from the outdoor elements, free ment. As of right now, the city of Fullerton offers social access to electricity, the internet, a clean public restroom and services and housing assistance at the library every Thursday. is simply a quiet place to rest. “This is an issue that all libraries However, City Manager Kenneth Domer says the city simply have to deal with and so it’s about striking that happy balance doesn’t have a large enough budget to provide the library for everybody, whether they have a home or whether they with additional resources. “What is truly needed is funding don’t,” says Lyster. and locations to treat mental illness,” Domer says.

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A library is a public space for any individual in the community. Judy Booth, Library Director of Fullerton Public Library explains, “In all we do we expect that in order to share this wonderful library space we must encourage behavior that promotes a positive, mostly learning environment.”

The encampment situation that Anaheim faced outside of Haskett library brought that question to reality. “Our library entrance was 15 feet away and at the peak of it we saw a significant impact on our library,” recalls Lyster.

Library patrons began to stop frequenting the library all together. Storytime, a reading program for kids, saw a significant drop in attendance from nearly 100 children to 10. “If you’ve ever walked within an encampment like that you know it is inhumane for the people living there.

Not everyone uses drugs but sadly drugs are common in a situation like that, it’s a tragic situation,” Lyster continued, “So it was incumbent on us to deal with the situation.” Anaheim cleared out the encampment across from Haskett library and developed three shelters in response to the situation.

In January 2019 Anaheim opened Anaheim Emergency Shelter, a shelter operated by the OC Salvation Army which added 224 beds for emergency and transitional housing of homeless individuals. The La Mesa Emergency Shelter was opened in March 2019 under the Illumination Foundation. Shelters provide individuals with healthcare, mental health services and other services such as finding a job or permanent housing.

Ryan Dowd, an executive director of a homeless shelter outside of Chicago, helps train librarians, police departments and schools on how to assist a patron with compassion. His training led to a book he wrote for the American Library Association, which entails a guide to an empathetic approach and how to prevent conflict.

A librarian can receive this training, but, there is a line between exactly how much help a librarian can offer an individual. Identified as a community resource who advocates for learning and is willing to help any individual who may enter the library, librarians sometimes need extra resources to help them.

TOP: The front of Anaheim Public Library, also known as Central Library. Anaheim cleared out the encampment across from Haskett library and developed three shelters in response to the situation.

BOTTOM: The city of Fullerton offers social services and housing assistance at the library every Thursday.

Photos by Logan Martinez

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FEATURES

“Our librarians are not social workers,” Lyster says, “but if somebody came up to them and said, ‘Gosh I’m homeless, I wish I knew what to do’ they would say ‘Well, we’ve got someone you can talk to’ and refer them to our social workers so they’re kind of a frontline.” Despite their best attempts, a librarian is simply not trained to address mental health issues or handle an individual in crisis in the same way that a clinical professional is.

By the end of their conversation, Paul had to file Adult Protective Services reports for multiple individuals in the woman’s household. Paul has met with the woman on an almost weekly basis since that day and connected her to multiple resources. The woman has since moved out of her challenging living situation, secured a job and started to receive public benefits. “Things could have turned out very differently if we had not met that day.”

In the past year, Long Beach Public Library started hiring social workers to work directly with homeless patrons. Being an intern with a MSW, Paul has witnessed first hand how beneficial the library social work program can be.

Allowing librarians to work directly alongside social workers who are specialized in dealing with people in vulnerable situations allows both librarians and homeless patrons to bridge a gap of misunderstanding and ultimately find common ground.

“There are various things I can support them with from referrals to homeless services, health referrals, legal assistance, however I can support them, I do” Paul says, “I’m doing a lot of one on one interaction but also trying to figure out how the library can work with the police department, homeless services and other city wide agencies that effectively address the issues we’re seeing.”

“I think it makes complete sense, social work is about meeting people where they are and libraries are kind of like the community living room,” Paul says, “so it’s a natural fit for social workers to be in this space.”

Paul recalls a powerful experience she had last October when she encountered a woman in distress while using a library computer. “She looked like she was having a tough time, I’ll use that as an entry point sometime to ask people if they need any help,” says Paul. The woman began opening up about the struggles she was facing, and as the conversation got heavy Paul suggested they continue their conversation privately in a study room. “I met with her for about an hour that day, and came to find out this was the first time she had actually ever been in the library.”

A library provides protection from the outdoor elements, free access to electricity, the internet, a clean public restroom and is simply a quiet place to rest.

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SKATERS NEVER SAY DIE

FEATURES

STORY: TANIA RANGEL PHOTOS: LOGAN MARTINEZ

DRINKING AND SELLING DRUGS WERE ONCE RITUALS AT INDEPENDENCE SKATEPARK. THEN POLICE SHUT IT DOWN .

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INSIDE FULLERTON

A decade ago, the skatepark at Independence Park was filled with 24-hour orange dim lights, electric sockets, and a pay phone that was the hub of illegal transactions. Now, all you see are skaters hanging out and children toppling over when trying to recreate a trick resulting in some scratches, but barely tears. Some time ago this wasn’t the case.

The park was once highly monitored by the police and raised constant concerns about how safe of a designated skating area it was for its visitors. Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk once said, “I won’t quit skating until I am physically unable,” which was somewhat of the case for local Independence Park skaters when their park got taken away. It didn’t stop them from skating, but it did create a barrier in the skate community. They knew that if they wanted to keep their park, they needed to take care of it.

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FEATURES

SKATERS NEVER SAY DIE SKATERS NEVER SAY DIE SKATERS NEVER SAY DIE

LEFT: A local skater, Michael Vasquez, tries to land an ollie off the ramp while his girlfriend Lilith Vasquez encourages him.

Pro skater and star of the 2011 film, “Dragon Slayer”, Joshua “Skreech” Sandoval describes the park with great affection and sincerity.

When Sandoval was growing up, the Fullerton skatepark just off of West Valencia Drive and Euclid Street helped shape his life.

“When they built that skatepark I learned how to skate ramps,” Sandoval said. “I built a career doing so.”

But he got more than just a career out of it. He had also found a one-of-a-kind type of brotherhood, a unique sense of belonging.

However, there was a malicious vibe that would eventually disrupt the skate community’s safe space. After an undercover police investigation, five felons were arrested and were later banned from the park. Due to ongoing acts of illicit activities, the Fullerton skatepark was officially shut down in March 2010.

Drinking was a prevalent problem at the skatepark. Sandoval describes drinking and skating as “ritualistic” to skaters. The locals would hide kegs in the trash can, chug their tall cans as soon as they spotted a cop from a mile away or would even

just throw them towards the train tracks. But drinking wasn’t the only illegal activity happening in the park.

Sandoval mentioned that even though police were well aware of the illegal transactions, they had reached their limit once they realized that marijuana wasn’t the only thing being exchanged. Sandoval says that there was a point in which there was a war over who could make the most money through illegal transactions. Outsiders who weren’t considered local skaters would try to seize business from the skaters. The payphone was the token of the illicit activity. Sandoval and other locals would receive calls in regards to marijuana. An incoming call would typically consist of requesting to speak to someone in particular and they would set up a meetup spot at the park. Sandoval and his friends would simply sell marijuana to support their habits and to buy fast food every now and then.

Sandoval describes police efforts to regulate the park as hopeless. The park’s location allowed locals to see whenever a police car was arriving. Yes, police presence helped stop some illegal activity, but as soon as they drove away it continued. The removal of the payphone, 24-hour lights that would attract nightlife without surveillance, and the electric sockets that would be used to plug in RVs, did however help relieve some late night activity, according to Sandoval.

“It became unfriendly for the kids to come and play,” John Clements, Fullerton Parks and Recreation Department supervisor, said. “The adults were taking over the park.”

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INSIDE FULLERTON

Father and daughter Kyle and Remi Taylor taking a break after Remi fell going down a ramp.

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FEATURES

The Fullerton skatepark was supposed to be closed temporarily, but the closure dragged on for much longer. According to Fullerton City Council documents, it had become a park full of “intimidation and lawlessness.” Parks and Recreation and the Fullerton Police Department worked relatively closely to help put an end to the illicit activities being committed by some adult skatepark users. A 2012 city agenda states that such activities included “illegal drug sales (primarily marijuana); illegal drug usage; alcohol consumption; public urination; graffitti; and destruction of public property.” Ultimately, the illicit activities led to the park’s closure.

The skatepark was more than just a park to many of the skaters; it was home. Where would they go once their safe place was taken away? Sandoval, who was 24 at the time, got quite creative with his resources. “I would skate abandoned houses, empty swimming pools, we would drain them,” says Sandoval.

There were foreclosed houses with pools that Sandoval and his friends would sneak into and drain just to skate. Preston Okard, 20, who has skated at the park for about 10 years, said that his dad and him would simply hop the fence to get into the park. “I was young, just coming with my dad.”

Others would skate at the parking structure next to Fullerton College, which was the original skatepark. It was coined “The Underground” by the Fullerton skaters. The Underground stopped being a designated skating area once the actual park was built. If someone is caught skating at the parking structure, they are prone to receiving a citation. However, that doesn’t stop late night skating sessions from occurring.

The temporary closure of the skate park was just a week, then a month that turned into more than a year, and concerns grew about when the skatepark would reopen. Kids were eager to skate and would sneak in just to do it, which brought officials to rethink the park’s closure. It was time to get it up and running, but according to Clements there was no moving forward unless there was a strategically set plan that would assure the community that things would be kept safe and monitored. The city was working on a master plan during the closure, but mainly due to economic hardships and budgetary constraints it caused a major delay, according to the city agenda.

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“There was a nice core of adults that got together to form an organization called the Fullerton Skaters Association,” says Clements. He explained that in order to keep the park safe there would be a need for mentors that would keep an eye out at the park. The mentors were the skaters themselves.

Although police presence seems like the immediate solution, there is much more significance when one of your own is leading you along the way, Clements explains.

This tag of the punk band The Misfits logo is an example of the graffiti seen throughout the park.

With the efforts of the Fullerton Skate Association, Fullerton Parks and Recreation Department and the Fullerton Police Department, the park reopened on June 16, 2012 under certain conditions.

According to records of the Fullerton City Council meeting, the city staff was to meet with the Fullerton SkatePark Ad-Hoc committee to address any concerns and long term planning. They would approve temporary operating hours with review and reports by Parks and Recreation as well as provide volunteers for monitoring. They were to also offer cleaning of the park on a daily basis, weekly graffiti removal plus minor repairs, and approval of development for fencing, lighting, seating, trash receptacles and signage.

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There would not be a skatepark without the efforts of the local skate community. Local skate companies Anaheim Skateboards and Scum Skateboards were the core of the FSA along with local skaters of all ages. They helped paint over the graffitti, monitor the area, and encouraged locals to follow the rules, according to Sandoval.

“They’re good people who grew up here and knew how to keep it clean and safe,” Ronnie King, a longtime Fullerton skater, stated in regards to the FSA. “We like having our place, our home. If we don’t have this here, we will have a hard time meeting with everyone.”

That investment from the local community has paid off.

“Nothing is really going on here, nothing bad,” Okard states. “They have no reason to stop by and say anything.” The park has remained safe and open for eight years. The monitoring has become less intense. It’s become simply a skatepark with what it should be filled with—ramps and skaters.

FALL 2020

A metal structure plastered with stickers that show the symbol of anarchy and a dinosaur wearing a suit with a sign saying change. Hanging from the structure are two pairs of shoes, which mean drug dealing has been done at the park.

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ADDICTION FROM THE EYES OF A DAUGHTER SUBSTANCE ABUSE TAKES OVER NOT ONLY THE LIFE OF THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT OF THOSE AROUND THEM.

BY NICOLE HAMILTON I was 13 years old when my dad showed up to my softball practice drunk. I was playing third base, and I hadn’t noticed he was there until he screamed at me for missing a ground ball. He stumbled across the baseball diamond drunkenly while we were fielding balls, as if he was a coach. I could tell by the look on his face he was livid. I remember hoping my coach would not hit the ball at me anymore because tears filled my eyes and I could hardly see.

When practice was over, and everyone started leaving, one of the other moms grabbed my arm and said to my dad, “Sir, I don’t think you’re well enough to drive.” He grabbed my other arm and pulled me away from her, and it hurt. It took him nearly five minutes to figure out how to unlock the car. I thought about running home at that point. I didn’t, and he drove me home. We passed a cop at an intersection and I remember wishing he had pulled my dad over, but he didn’t.

If he had been pulled over, I think it could have forced a change. Both of my parents were addicts, so they fed into each other’s addictions. If one of them had been clean or sober, maybe things would have turned out differently.

Addiction is a chronic disease of the brain, yet many adults who have substance addictions are judged or condemned for it. This is especially true for parents who are addicts. The social stigma against alcoholics and addicts discourages both the parent and child from reaching out for help.

According to Ron Lee, an addiction counselor at Agape Addiction Counseling (AAC), parents who struggle with addiction spend more time drug-seeking than they do supervising their children, which puts the child’s safety under concern.

Maria Kesler, an addiction counselor for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health in the child and adolescents program, says her mother often left her alone or with a babysitter when she needed to get her hands on drugs. It left a hole in her heart and soul. She later resorted to drugs to fill this empty space. Kesler says most children who have one or two parents that abuse substances are very likely to abuse drugs themselves.

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FEATURES

Kesler first experimented with drugs when she was 13, starting with marijuana. She had an alcoholic father and a mother who abused prescription medicine. Kesler says her dad’s alcoholism was normal for her, but her mom’s addiction is what really impacted her.

The National Institute On Drug Abuse estimates roughly 25% of American children grow up in households where some kind of substance abuse is present. That can mean having three to four drinks a night, or more extreme drug or alcohol use.

According to Above The Influence, repeated drug use impacts a person’s dopamine function in their brain. Without drugs, their life seems joyless. They will need drugs to bring their dopamine to normal levels and will develop a tolerance.

This is when someone can be considered an addict.

A parent who has an addiction can lead to other problems in their children, such as poor academic performance, emotional and behavioral problems, low self-esteem, high risk of physical, verbal, or sexual abuse as well as high risk of developing anxiety or depression.

Kesler dropped out of high school in her sophomore year.

When she was 18, her grandmother died, which caused her to experience extreme depression and led her to abuse heavier drugs, like meth.

TOP: Dan Hamilton, Nicole Hamilton’s father, who passed away August 1, 2017.

MIDDLE: Nicole and her father and her siblings at her eldest brothers wedding in July 2008.

BOTTOM: Dan Hamilton with Nicole’s older sister, Amanda Rios, at her wedding.

Photos courtesy of Nicole Hamilton

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I KNEW HE WASN’T GOING TO CHANGE; THIS WAS HIS LIFE.

AAC says that parents who are addicts often have a role reversal with their children. The child often takes over the caregiver role. Most children do not realize that they have taken this responsibility upon themselves. In this situation, the child may do things such as feeling they need to rescue a parent who has suicidal thoughts or severe depression, sleeping in the same bed with their parent who has anxiety over being alone, or using drugs or alcohol with their parent to create an emotional bond. They believe their parents’ drug or alcohol abuse is their fault.

When I started working, even though my dad had a good job, I still found myself paying the water bill, filling up their car with gas, and lending them money because the majority of his income went to marijuana, alcohol, and cigarettes.

There were even times where my mom would harass me for days to buy them a pack of cigarettes.

According to the AAC, 40% to 60% percent of a person’s risk of addiction is accounted for in genetics, including the impact of one’s environment on gene expression (The process of information from a gene being used in the synthesis of functional gene production).

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Environmental factors such as a chaotic home environment, parental drug abuse and peer influences can increase the risk of addiction in teenagers, as stated by the AAC. Although Kesler has been clean for 12 years and is now an addiction counselor, she worries that her children are more likely to experiment with drugs. She and her husband met in rehab, so she knows her kids could have a genetic predisposition to become addicts. She fears that her children will follow their paths, so she keeps her two boys busy with constructive activities, like sports and crafts. Providing a busier, positive environment helps children stray away from negative activities such as drug abuse.

What saved me from falling into drugs was softball. Even though I wanted to quit the day my dad came on the field drunk, I stuck with it. It kept me focused on something and was an outlet for the built-up anger I had. So, instead of cracking open a bottle or lighting up, I hurled the ball and cracked the bat.

FEATURES

LEFT: Left:

Nicole Hamilton (bottom row, third from left) and the Desert View High Schools Junior Varsity softball team.

RIGHT: What saved Nicole from falling into drugs was softball.

It was an outlet for her built-up anger.

Softball saved my life. I wish it could have saved my dad’s.

BELOW: A teddy bear made from one of Dan Hamilton’s shirts.

When I was 19, my dad passed away from cardiovascular disease. He had marijuana in his system, and the autopsy report showed he was a heavy smoker.

All his life, he was stubborn. He was scared of doctor’s offices.

When he was in pain, or sick, he simply resorted to marijuana and alcohol. He used them to numb the pain. I would probably still have my dad today if he had gotten the help he needed.

Now I don’t have someone to walk me down the aisle when I get married. I don’t have someone to fix my rundown Ford when it decides to break down. I don’t have that parent to listen to me and give me advice.

“Addicts don’t reach out for help because most of them never had anyone to want to help them, so they either don’t know the help is there, they aren’t ready for help or they think they can do it alone,” says Kesler. She adds that the best way to help those who struggle with addiction is by “providing information for those who don’t know, planting seeds for those that aren’t ready, and showing support for those who think they can do it alone.”

I don’t think my dad was ever ready for help. He was stubborn, and this had been his life for so long. The hardest thing is everything he did seemed normal to me. He was just dad. I knew he wasn’t going to change; this was his life. Still, I never saw it coming. I didn’t even get to say good-bye.

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THE FIGHTTO BE

RECOGNIZED THIS ETHNIC ENCLAVE IN ANAHEIM HAS BEEN PUSHING FOR YEARS TO OFFICIALLY BECOME “LITTLE ARABIA”

BY AARON VELASQUEZ

When entering this part of Anaheim, one can feel that they are transported to the streets of the Middle East. A steady mist of fruity hookah smoke fills the sidewalks at night, and the cafés are packed with patrons who speak more Arabic than English.

The loud voices overlap with the soft mystical tune of a classic Arabic song.

This area is known to the locals as Little Arabia, an ethnic enclave centered around Brookhurst Street in Anaheim that spans the local communities to the East and West. Locals have been pushing to have the area officially designated as Little Arabia since 2010, and they’re part of a larger Arab movement in the U.S. reclaiming their identity.

The U.S. Census reports that “From 1990 to 2000, the number of people with Arab ancestry increased in most states. The Arab population in California increased by 48,000, which is more than in any other state.” Nationally at the turn of the century, the year 2000, California was home to the most Arab American citizens with over 190,000. New York and Michigan have over 120,000 and 115,000, respectively, making up the top three states with large Arab American populations. The reasons for Arab immigration into the U.S. and specifically the Anaheim region vary from person to person.

Hadel Muhammed is one of the Arab immigrants who took refuge in this familiar feeling town. Growing up in Iraq she found herself living in a warzone as her life in Baghdad came to a standstill with the onset of the Iraq War in 2003. Managing to survive in one of the most dangerous cities in Iraq, she began to seek refuge and eventually reached the U.S., where her sister stayed.

Muhammed once proclaimed,“I won’t go to the U.S., but here

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is not the U.S.” Muhammed arrived in Anaheim in 2010, nearly five years after she left Iraq. Just like other immigrants who come here, she found comfort in the familiarity.

Rashad Al-Dabbagh is one of the organizers in Anaheim who has seen Little Arabia’s transformation over the years. In 2014 Al-Dabbagh and others co-founded the Arab American Civic Council (AACC). Their goals as an organization are to advocate for the Arab American Community while also bringing leadership, development, and cultural empowerment to the city of Anaheim.

In 2010 a social media campaign was created to urge city council to recognize the neighborhood as a sub community.

The campaign asked community members to attend city council meetings and work at building the social profile of Little Arabia.

Since then the Arab American community has grown and so has the campaign for recognition.

Their efforts didn’t go unrecognized. Former Mayor of Anaheim Tom Tait spoke about the growing community in 2014 saying, “Little Arabia gives visitors a different experience than a typical convention city.” This type of coverage about Little Arabia was a step in the right direction in garnering attention to this section of West Anaheim.

While five years passed with no major improvements, through coordination with constituents, State Senator Ling Ling Chang has proposed a Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR-71) in 2019.

The resolution would make Little Arabia an officially designated ethnic enclave like Westminster’s Little Saigon and Los Angeles’s Koreatown. The resolution still must be voted and approved by the Anaheim City Council.

FEATURES

Cashier Luai Swais smiles as he proudly serves the Little Arabia community he is a part of.

Photos by: Kyle Zaleski

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EVERYTHING A MEMBER OF THE ARAB COMMUNITY WANTS CAN BE FOUND HERE IN THESE COUPLE OF MILES On the national scale there has been an increasing effort in asking for changes to be made to the U.S. Census to allow a Middle Eastern distinction. As of now, Middle Eastern and North Africans (MENA), have been asked to identify as White. Community Leader Rashad Al-Dabbagh explains how some of the older generation of Arab Americans may have felt a sense of security passing as white, but younger generations are taking pride in their ancestry.

The community is much more than just restaurants and cafes. It has a thriving business center including the Arab American Civic Council, an Arab American Community Center, tailors, lawyers, halal butchers, Middle Eastern pastry shops and Islamic clothing boutiques. “Everything a member of the Arab Community wants can be found here in these couple of miles,� said Kassem El Katal of Manarah Meat Market, a local halal butcher shop that is frequented by members of the community.

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Little Arabia Timeline

1990s

2010

After the influx of Arab immigrants, Brookhurst Street becomes known as Little Gaza.

the social media campaign for

Little Arabia

recognition takes off.

FEATURES

There would be no Little Arabia without the thriving community of residents and business owners.

The community has been directly impacted by the growing population. As more restaurants and shops have been opening in the area expanding Little Arabia such as Cairo Restaurant and Café. Restaurant Manager Diala Muakeh has seen positive reception and says that she “feels comfortable in the community.”

As a restaurant operator, Muakeh speaks about how her café depends on the local Arabic markets, such as Altayebat Market, in order to provide certain produce needed in the Mediterannean dishes her customers enjoy. The restaurant offers classic dishes like mumbar, a decadent rice sausage; falafel, a favorite with vegans; and hamama, a classic Egyptian dish that translates to “pigeon.”

And their reach goes beyond just the local Arab community.

Baher Gerges, the manager of Nara Bistro, a Mediterannean restaurant and hookah lounge, was proud to mention that he regularly serves people of different backgrounds. He thinks of his customers as family.

“They come for the hookah and love the mediterannean food,” Gerges says.

Gerges is also confident that the Arab Community will continue to grow. “When an Arab thinks of coming to California, they know they can come to Anaheim.”

ABOVE: World Smoke Shop in Little Arabia displays the shining intricate designs that make up classic Arab hookahs.

BELOW: Assortment of colored hookah smoking hoses at World Smoke Shop in Little Arabia, Anaheim.

2014

2019

2020

Rashad Al-Dabbagh and others found the Arab American Civic Council.

Senator Ling Ling Chang visits Little Arabia and introduces (SCR-71) to officially recognize Little Arabia.

AACC campaign for Arab Americans to vote and

continue the fight towards

Census recognition.

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INSIDE FULLERTON

Little Free Libraries is a nonprofit organization that puts mini libraries on the map. You can purchase a set from their website, or handcraft your own as plain or fancy as you’d like. There are no membership fees or return dates, and their motto of “take one, give one” is to be respected. Residents in Fullerton and nearby cities have already jumped on board and planted over 30 of these cubbies near schools and on their own lawns.

Lisa Luckey, a Fullerton resident, honors her mother with the Faye Smith Memorial Library. “It impacts the spirit of community by showing hospitality.

You always know the home is welcoming you,” she explains. As a result, people willingly come to show appreciation by donating books.

Mother of three, Patricia Serban, is a Whittier resident who bolted a mini fridge to her gate to create her own LFL. After paying fees for online registration to Little Free Libraries, she received a plaque with her personal charter number. “I have always wanted to get books into children’s hands because I believe they can have a large impact as it did with my childhood,” Serban says. She paid $40 for the official LFL registration so her book cubby would show up on their map and reach more people.

Anyone can put a free library in their front yard, but Little Free Libraries has formalized the process. When you purchase an LFL from the organization you are given a starter kit of books and a platform to broadcast your location. Others simply create their own and get attention via word of mouth and social media.

Tod Bol and Rick Brooks, founders of LFL, set up a few book stations in Wisconsin in 2009 and started a system, but both knew it wasn’t new. In an interview with University of Wisconsin magazine, Brooks predicted for every registered cubby there are two to four that go unrecorded.

TAKE A BOOK, LEAVE A BOOK LOCALS USE LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND CONNECT

BY CORINNA ORTEGA

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CULTURE

From “Captain Underpants” to “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” these decorative cubbies are bursting with genres for every adult and child. “Books help us escape tough times,” says Serban, “I’ve seen the smile on kid’s faces as they run to see what is new; neighbors I hardly talk to, or never met, come over and bring books and start a conversation.”

Despite positive testimonies, challenges linger. Conflict occurred at Pamela Harr’s Chino home. Harr woke up to find the book house her daughter and son-in-law gave her blown to bits by hazers. After filing a police report and posting on LFL’s private Facebook group about the incident, a father from her local Girl Scout troop donated a cubby.

Jane Schmidt and Jordan Hale, two Canadian research librarians, point out other issues with Little Free Libraries. They conclude through their research that these libraries are predominantly shown in wealthier neighborhoods and are more of a “performative act of literary philanthropy” than a public resource.

But people like Barbara Ward, an Anaheim resident, see it as a way to help others. She found a new purpose for her book cubby during the COVID-19 crisis in April by transforming her library into a supply station. She took out her books and provided sanitizer and notecards for all to stay safe and connected. That sense of connection is what made her set up her cubby in the first place.

“This is just a little way of sharing the love of reading and hoping someone will find a book that brings them joy or makes them think” Ward says, “Someone who might not walk into a bookstore or couldn’t afford to buy a book can take a book and keep it. I want everyone to know that they are important and that they matter.”

ABOVE: Some of the books available in the Marion Nordberg LFL. RIGHT: A free little library on Dorothy Lane in Fullerton with a plaque commemorating a Fullerton School District teacher named Marion Nordberg.

LEFT: Illustration by Elise Galbraith Photos by Logan Martinez

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WOKE T.V. STREAMING PLATFORMS ARE SHOWCASING DIVERSE LGBTQ CHARACTERS

BY ANNISA CHARLES

Media can shape our views on the most vulnerable communities. Now streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are taking the challenge of representing these communities in a way that makes them feel included, while also bringing forth entertaining content.

With shows like “Gentefied” and “Sex Education” we are starting to see more and more of the LGBTQ community being represented. Racism is recorded and scrutinized, the LGBTQ community has made strides and are calling for their equality and correct pronouns, and feminism is loud and proud.

Eric Effiong (Ncuti Gatwa), the main reoccurring gay character on Netflix’s “Sex Education,” becomes one of the main focuses when it comes to issues within the LGBTQ community.

Jennifer Moorman, a media studies professor at Fordham University who specializes in gender and sexuality in film and television, says this shift is happening because streaming networks, like Netflix, do not need advertisers’ money to rely on keeping shows going. Advertisers, as she explains, are typically conservative and did not want to be associated with controversial topics.

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The first gay character shown on TV was 1971’s “All In The Family” for one episode. In 1972, “The Corner Bar” was the first show to have a reoccurring gay character, but the show was quickly changed due to the many homophobic jokes written into the dialogue of the show, which caused the Gay Activists Alliance to protest. Later, the first main gay character to appear on TV was 1977’s Billy Crystal in the show “Soap.”

GLAAD, an LGBTQ advocacy organization, has tracked representation on TV since 2005. Starting in 2005-2006, 1.4% of characters on broadcast TV were LGB (no transgender representation yet). Recently, in 2019-2020, they reported the highest number of LGBTQ series regulars on broadcast TV at 10.2%. In 2019, they counted 121 LGBTQ characters in streaming services, which was an increase of 33 characters since 2018.

CULTURE

“ The ‘ token gay character’ is not enough to represent the community”

There is also Netflix’s “Gentefied,” which revolves around the Mexican American community in Boyle Heights. One of the main characters, Ana, is a lesbian and has a passion for painting, but her mother disapproves of it since it makes her little money and they are all struggling financially. We see other gay characters come in, like Tim, a white gay man, who only looks to make a profit out of small, vulnerable communities.

The series shows that even between minorities, anyone can still discriminate against other minorities.

Allie Oakes, a gay rights activist and author of “Baby Gay Book,” discusses how the community needs to be represented to not only help allies understand what LGBTQ people feel and go through on a daily basis, but it gives people within the community “a sense that they are seen, and that someone cares about them, even if their loved ones don’t.”

While some shows have many types of gay characters woven into their narratives, others still have just one lesser gay character who often fulfills gendered stereotypes.

This is the case in the Netflix series “Spinning Out,” which features a gay character, Gabriel Richardson, who is only in five of the 10 episodes and is the stereotypical flamboyant gay character. He is played by Johnny Weir, a two-time Olympic ice skater and fashion designer, yet he has a small role and serves mostly as sarcastic comedic relief to the heavy show that deals with self-harm and depression.

Johnny Weir, two-time Olympic ice skater and fashion designer, plays the sarcastic and comedic relief Gabriel Richardson in Netflix’s “Spinning Out.” Photos courtesy of Netflix

Moorman says the “token gay character” is not enough to represent the community. “I realize that, for many people, it is important to feel seen. But I don’t think we should accept scraps.”

She calls this queerbaiting, which is when a show will use a queer character to bring in the queer audiences but do it in a way without risking any of their straight audiences.

They are gay and there is no social movement reason to it; it’s just an attempt to please everyone.

Still, Oakes says representation is important. She says, “Putting gay characters in books, movies, school plays, TV, music, and anywhere the eyes of youth fall will change the world drastically,” she says.

Right to left: Tanya (Alice Hewkin) embracing her girlfriend Ruthie (Lilly Newmark) on Netflix’s “Sex Education.”

In Netflix’s original high school series, “Sex Education” the queer community is seen a lot. In one of the first few episodes, a lesbian couple discusses having issues sexually. As for one of the main characters, Eric, struggles with feeling alone and isolated. He goes home to a very religious family that does not necessarily understand him. While his friends support him, he does get bullied at school. Eric also struggles with wanting a romantic relationship, when there are few gay men at his school. The show also points out that sexual education systems do not adequately address queer sexual health.

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INSIDE FULLERTON

TAKING CENTER STAGE OC MUSICIAN ANDRÉS APARICIO SINGS ABOUT GROWING UP IN BAKERSFIELD BEFORE CROWDS OF HUNDREDS OF FANS

BY SIERRA ESQUEDA

Andrés taking the stage at the Boardwalk in Orangevale, California. He says he performs better in front of a high energy crowd.

“I got into rock bands when I was in fifth grade. I’d watch their music videos on TV everyday, religiously. I was obsessed with the My Chemical Romance music video for their song ‘I’m Not Okay’ and how they were just rocking out like their lives depended on it,” recalls local musician Andrés Aparicio. “From then on, I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life.”

Aparicio started his musical career in 2017, when he moved to Orange County and created his band Andrés, making music that’s a smooth incorporation of pop, jazz, rock and Latin influence.

Throughout the past three years, Andrés, 26, has managed to go on tour across the U.S. about four times a year but has also toured around the United Kingdom once, performing anywhere from 20-30 shows per tour. Andrés and his backup band have opened up for artists such as the popular rockband Hoobastank and well-known post-hardcore band The Fall of Troy. Aparicio’s band has also headlined numerous shows.

Since the start of his career, Aparicio has worked his way up to start touring and performing with big artists. Last December, after opening up for The Fall of Troy, he got the lead singer of Issues, a popular metalcore band, to feature on one of his songs.

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CULTURE

Because of those milestones, Aparicio finds himself performing for crowds that push the room capacity. “I usually play at rock clubs throughout the country,” says Aparicio. “Depending on how many popular bands are on the bill that night, the attendance for shows I play also range between 200-500.” Turns out Aparicio performs better when he is in front of a high energy crowd. “I love the stage! I’m an attention whore,” said Aparicio. He says the vibe of the crowd helps increase his excitement.

Aparicio explains that he loves touring around the country because he gets to see different cities. Bakersfield, Sacramento, Anaheim, Houston, Orlando, Philadelphia and Chicago are Aparicio’s favorite cities to perform in. Frequent touring also helps keep his fan base growing. “Playing in a city I don’t live in and hearing a whole crowd sing along to songs I wrote in my bedroom is memorable to me and I always hold those moments dear to my heart,” he says.

Before his shows Aparicio does a casual ritual which includes drinking alcohol and warming up his fingers and voice.

A field trip to the local symphonic orchestra in Bakersfield with his second grade class sparked his interest in the violin, which blossomed into the passion he now has for all music. “It was like a very theatrical production where people were dressed as swans and dancing while the symphonic orchestra was playing, and seeing the dancing and costumes and the musicians all coming together in harmony like that really left a big impression on me as a little kid,” said Aparicio.

This inspiring visit not only sparked his interest in music, it has also influenced many of his own songs. In his song, “A Child’s Garden of Verses” he incorporates that memory by using synthesis orchestra instrumentation as the melody of the song.

Although he is now a local to Orange County, Andrés originated from Bakersfield, which he pays tribute to in most of his songs and in his most recent album “Once Upon a Time in Bakersfield.” Wanting to be closer to his music producer and other touring musicians encouraged Aparicio’s move to Orange County. Ever since the move Aparicio has won over the locals with his rich tone that fits his melodic writing patterns. When asked who inspires him musically, Aparicio said, “Drake. All day long, he’s been inspiring me since 2008. His honesty, his vulnerability, his emotion. It’s my jam!” He hopes that like Drake, his musical career will lead him to the Grammys.

Playing in cities he doesn’t live in and hearing a whole crowd sing along to songs he wrote in his bedroom is something Andres holds close.

Photos by Rene Lopez

Aparicio is in the process of working on new music to release this year. “I’m going to save up a good budget for a few good music videos to help promote the album,” said Aparicio. He has decided that he is going to focus on writing a whole new album and use this time off tour to make the best songs he can.

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INSIDE FULLERTON

MEET THE

EDITORS

INSTAGRAM: @JOSHTHEGOALIE14 Josh is proud to be a resident of Compton, California, because the community encourages each other to be better.

He cheers for Real Madrid and LA Galaxy and wants to become a lifestyle magazine editor. He’s battled depression and anxiety, but Garrison Keillor’s quote, “Bad things don’t happen to writers, it’s all material,” reminds him that he can get through anything.

ELISE GALBRAITH GRAPHIC DESIGNER

SALINA FALCON MANAGING EDITOR

INSTAGRAM: @GALBRAITHDESIGNS

INSTAGRAM: @SALINA_FALCON

Elise hopes to continue designing magazines and other print media such as books or packaging. She works to create visual solutions that convey compelling ideas, inspired by her favorite designer, Saul Bass, who believed “Design is thinking made visual.” Elise also loves aerospace and attends airshows to watch the Thunderbirds perform.

Salina loves to travel and write, so she hopes to work for National Geographic and publish a book. Salina believes it is important to never let our child-like imagination fade, citing a quote from her favorite movie, “Under the Tuscan Sun”: “Never lose your childish enthusiasm and things would come your way.”

LOGAN MARTINEZ PHOTO EDITOR

SAM SERRANO ONLINE EDITOR

INSTAGRAM: @COR_PHOTOGRAPHY

INSTAGRAM: @SAMNOTSOWISE

Logan has been a resident of Fullerton his entire life. He hopes to work as a photographer in the LGBTQ and artistic communities, highlighting the queer community in all its colors. Growing up feeling different, he lives as authentically and transparently as possible and believes others should do the same.

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JOSHUA VILLAFRANCO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Sam wants to become a writer to help tell other people’s stories that might not otherwise have a chance to be told.

He likes to play video games, paint, play guitar and write creatively. Being a self-proclaimed nerd, Sam realized no one is going to save you from your problems, and one must do it themselves.

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