February 26, 2018

collegian.csufresno.edu

Monday, Feb. 26, 2018

CANDIDATES FOR ASI ELECTIONS ANNOUNCED

ONE BILLION RISING

‘It’s an epidemic’ Alejandro Soto • The Collegian

Fresno State students march from the Joyal Administration Building to the Free Speech area as part of 1 Billion Rising campaign on Thursday, Feb.22.

Read the full story online at collegian. fresnostate.edu

@Hayley_Salazarr

Poll tests New USU support

By Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado @cres_guez

T

he New USU Board of Directors will have to work extra hard to convince students of the need for a new student union if a recent poll is any indication of what could happen in March.

The debate over the New USU intensified over the weekend just as campaigning officially began for Associated Students Inc. offices. The unofficial poll popped up last Friday on a Facebook page that draws hundreds of Fresno State students to discuss topics and issues at the university.

By Sunday night, the poll had garnered much attention and led to several students voicing their opinions for and against the project. Former students also use the Facebook page, but several poll voters identified themselves as current students.

What professional female engineers want young girls to know

By Hayley Salazar

ASI ELECTIONS 2018

Are you a yes or a no?

ONLINE

Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper

More than 300 people said they did not support the project. Nearly 140 said they do. Officially, the Fresno State Book Trade and Advice page has a membership of more than 13,000 people.

Among other options the students chose to vote for in the poll was an In-n-Out on campus. But the tension over the proposed new student union building is neither new nor is it one that goes away easy.

Last spring, students voted down a similar project in the Bold New U. After fierce debate online and in a student forum hosted

by The Collegian, the referendum for the Bold New U suffered a loss at the polls.

More than 1,800 students voted against the Bold New U compared to a little more than 1,200 students who voted to support the project last year, according to official numbers provided by ASI. Immediately following the defeat of the Bold New U, there was speculation that a similar project would be revived. And now, the low support for the New USU in one unofficial poll could be a sign of things to come.

If the New USU is approved, a $149 student fee will be implemented once the building is complete in about five years, according to NewStudentUnion.com. The same website states that Fresno State has the lowest

COMMENT: to comment on this story visit our website collegian.fresnostate.edu student fees in the California State University system and that the fee will be added to the student’s Cost of Attendance when they are considered for financial aid eligibility.

Students have repeatedly stated that they wish to see the campus’ most basic services renovated instead of constructing a new building and raising student fees. Advocates of the project argue that those renovations are set to take place and will be completed using funds already set aside.

The USU Board of Directors is hosting a forum Monday to discuss the New USU from noon to 1 p.m. in the Bulldog Zone, in the lower section of the University Student Union.

This week ASI kicked off the official campaigning season for candidates running for office. Among the candidates, four students are vying for president.

Elections for president, vice president, senate candidates and the New USU referendum will be held on campus and online starting March 20 to March 22.

Fresno State Students, activate your complimentary WSJ memberships

Early in her career, when Tinnah Medina was on a construction site, she would look around to count how many women were in the same room as her. She was usually the only one.

“But you know that’s what you don’t want to do,” Medina, associate vice-president of Facilities Management at Fresno State, said to an audience of young girls last week. “You don’t want to think of yourself as a female in an industry. You want to think of yourself as an engineer as part of that team.”

Students ranging from 5th to 12th grade from six schools, were invited to join members of the Lyles College of Engineering in the Satellite Student Union last Thursday for a discussion on “Women in Engineering” during National Engineering Week.

The discussion was moderated by Jenny Toste, Fresno State social media specialist, and featured local engineers like Medina.

The panelists shared why they chose a career in engineering, and what they love most about the job.

“What I really enjoy about being an engineer is just really seeing your project come to life,” said Diana Gomez, Central Valley regional director for the California High-Speed Rail Authority. “You see it on paper and then you go out in the field and you see it being constructed.”

Gomez said the high speed rail project is especially meaningful because it is something that could have an effect throughout the state.

Vanida Beigy, senior project manager for Precision Civil Engineering, Inc, said she knew she wanted to be an engineer when she was a young girl. She began working at a firm while she attended college. That hands on experience solidified her passion for engineering.

Beigy said her favorite part of the job is showing her children the projects she works on from start to finish, like the expansion of attractions at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. The young women in the audience were told that they shouldn’t consider themselves to be “a woman in a man’s world.”

Terra J. Mortensen, project manager for Galloway Planning, Architecture and Engineering, said that young women thinking about pursuing a career in engineering should simply enjoy their career and have

See ENGINEERS, Page A3

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2018

MUSIC

Art Song Festival brings musical talent

Juan Felipe Herrera, former United States Poet Laureate, hosts a poetry workshop during the Art Song Festival on Friday at the Wahlberg Recital Hall.

By Bineet Kaur @hellobineet

F

resno State’s first Art Song Festival on Friday and Saturday brought experts together to perform and to educate on the art of singing.

“Art song is a very particular genre,” said Maria Briggs, Fresno State assistant music professor and founder of the Art Song Festival. “It’s a marriage of poetry, music and voice.”

Briggs founded the festival to provide solo vocalists with an event geared toward them like others in the music department already have.

“I see that a lot of our other areas, like strings and woodwinds and choral areas, have a festival. But solo vocalists – we did not have a festival,” Briggs said.

The first day began with two master classes taught by Briggs and Robin Fisher, who teaches at CSU Sacramento and has performed in the Sacramento opera.

These classes were followed by a lecture on the history of singing given by Fresno State music professor John Karr. Karr said he finds studying music history to be interesting because one can find both similarities and differences among the music from different countries.

“There’s so much that’s alike. Love is love. Hate is hate. Grief is grief,” Karr said.

“They talk about it differently, but everybody talks about the same things.”

Next was a poetry workshop led by poet and former Fresno State professor Juan Felipe Herrera. Herrera was named the

The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university. collegian.csufresno.edu

U.S. Poet Laureate in 2015 and served until 2017.

In his workshop, Herrera brought participants on stage to engage in activities.

They recited his poetry and wrote and recited their own.

“The students were very open. They were really inspiring,” Herrera said. “I just gave a suggestion or two, and they took off and built two seperate, beautiful experimental compositions.”

Herrera said he likes poetry because it’s a way people can exercise their own creativity.

“It’s very deep, profound and personal,” he said. “It’s also very expansive. It’s where you can let insight take place.”

The first day came to an end with a recital performed by Briggs.

Day 2 opened with a master class taught

by Vladimir Chernov, a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has performed in numerous places, including the Paris Opera.

“Art songs must have more devotion and dedication,” Chernov said. “Through the art songs, we educate the young generations.”

Then, a student showcase was held.

Those who facilitated master classes chose students to perform in the showcase. After each student performed, Chernov asked who he or she felt won the showcase. Because Fresno State student Tiffanie Trujillo was the first person to volunteer herself, she was selected as the winner.

“It took me a while because I was like, do I really want to do this?” Trujillo said. “It takes courage to not be afraid of facing another reality – meaning, not winning.”

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The festival culminated with Chernov performing a recital.

Trujillo said she liked that the Art Song Festival gave her a chance to work with ex-

Benjamin Cruz • The Collegian

perts in her field of performance.

“It’s so inspiring because they’ve had a professional career in this,” she said. “I get to gain from their perspectives.”

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THE COLLEGIAN Feb. 26, 2018

Black History Month Special Issue

‘Embrace your blackness’

‘Dark skin is beautiful, don’t let anyone tell you different’

WATCH: Multimedia Reporter Ramuel Reyes asked students at Fresno State what they love about being black. Go online to see what they said. collegian.csufresno.edu

COMMENT: Join the conversation. What do you love about being black? Send us a letter to the editor. collegian.csufresno.edu/ about/letter-to-the-editor

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

(From Top Left, Clockwise) Brandon Smith, Na’Imah Mohammad, Danielle Alexander, Jadon Burroughs, Nwachukwu Oputa, Serenity Kelly, Brandon Crockett, Piper Walker, Tyri Haynie, Brandy Ezenwugu

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Feb. 26, 2018

THE COLLEGIAN

BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPECIAL ISSUE

BOOK REVIEW

To be an ally, ‘The Hate U Give’ is a good place to start

HarperCollins • Anissa Hidouk

Angie Thomas is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel, ‘The Hate U Give.’

By Selina Falcon “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas might be one of the best books I’ve read – ever. Based off the buzz alone, I knew I would enjoy it and learn from it.

Starr Carter, the 16-year-old protagonist, struggles to balance the two worlds she keeps separate – the poor black neighborhood where she lives in and the fancy suburban prep school she attends.

Both of Starr’s worlds begin to crumble and clash after she witnesses the police shooting of her childhood best friend, Khalil.

Khalil was unarmed when he was shot.

Khalil’s death quickly becomes a national headline in the fiction book, and Starr listens as everyone around her calls him a drug dealer, a gangbanger and a thug. Be-

ing the only witness that night, she quickly realizes it’s up to her to decide on what she should - or shouldn’t - do or say.

Thomas addresses today’s issues of racism against blacks and police violence with determined honesty, care and intelligence. Readers won’t be able to put the book down.

As a Latina, it is not my place to speak about the black experience (or any other oppressed group’s experience that isn’t my own) as if I understand it. But I do feel it is my job to do my best to make genuine attempts to understand it so I can be an ally.

“The Hate U Give” is a great place to start.

Thomas discusses racism, police brutality, drugs and gangs, but also interracial

As a Latina, it is not my place to speak about the black experience (or any other oppressed group’s experience that isn’t my own) as if I understand it. romantic relationships, family, friendship and community. Class, social expectations and pop culture are also thoroughly incorporated into the story.

One of the most reassuring parts in the book, for me, centered around Starr and her two best friends, Maya and Hailey.

This particular section in the book discusses removing people from your life who won’t take the steps to understand and accept who you are and what you find important.

It’s not uncommon to be a part of a minority and grow up with someone who makes racist jokes or uses a word that you have to laugh off because everyone else is

laughing. Soon, it becomes normal, but you always feel uneasy about it in the back of your mind.

Starr, who is black, and Maya, who is Chinese, face this situation with Hailey, who is white. Hailey makes little effort, if any, to understand the circumstances Starr and Maya face for being people of color. She shrugs the situation off, telling them to get over it. Though they have been best friends for years, Starr and Maya eventually end their friendship with Hailey.

Thomas is basically saying: If someone in your life is willing to brush aside racist remarks that make you feel uncomfortable and they aren’t willing to apologize and change, you do not need to continue to be their friend. Even if there are years of friendship among friends, it is OK to end it.

Thomas contrasted Hailey with Starr’s boyfriend, Chris, who is also white. Whereas Hailey is in a constant state of brushing off Starr when it comes to racism, Chris is the exact opposite. He actively tries to understand Starr’s perspective, and he listens to what she has to say.

Thomas also makes sure she placed importance on those who have lost their lives to police brutality. The words of Eric Garner, who was killed by police for selling loose cigarettes, are echoed in the third chapter: “They finally put a sheet over Khalil.

He can’t breathe under it. I can’t breathe.”

In the final chapter, Thomas goes a step further and names those who have lost their lives to police brutality.

“It would be so easy to quit if it was just about me, Khalil, that night, and that cop.

It’s about way more than that though…It’s also about Oscar. Aiyana. Trayvon. Rekia.

Michael. Eric. Tamir. John. Ezell. Sandra.

Freddie. Alton. Philando. It’s even about that boy in 1955 who nobody recognized at first — Emmett. The messed-up part? There are so many more,” Thomas writes.

Thomas created a masterpiece that is honest, full of heart and insightful.

Dear black writers, you are needed

By Crea Jackson “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it,” said Toni Morrison (African-American novelist and professor).

This quote sums up the value and responsibility that black writers have.

Stories about black people in mainstream media have often been written by nonblack people. If the majority of mainstream stories aren’t told by black people themselves, how can there be full and diverse stories about the experiences of black people?

Some can definitely try, but there is only so much you can write about an identity that is not your own.

That’s why it’s important for black people to write their own stories. In the past, I would often see stereotypical and similar stories regarding black people.

Black people are frequently put into a box of either success, based on being a professional athlete or music artist, and if that’s not the case, we hear about us being uneducated and poor.

In addition to all of that, we are often reading about the police killings of unarmed black people. All of these stories

Casey Supple • The Collegian

If the majority of mainstream stories aren’t told by black people themselves, how can there be full and diverse stories about the experiences of black people?

definitely take part in the black experience.

These are all stories of black people, but these don’t even begin to explore the depths of the black experience.

There’s a history and context to all of these stories, and there are so many more stories to be told. There’s stories to be told about black doctors, lawyers, scholars, families and so much more.

There are stories to be told about black excellence in addition to the reality of our struggles, every single day.

I’m seeing a greater depth of these stories now, and I think that’s due to social media. There are online blogs and news websites that are exploring the depths of what it means to be black; and the best part is that they’re created by black people.

This inspires me to continue to write

and make my voice heard within media. I am the editor for the Uhuru, which is the black supplement to Fresno State’s student-run newspaper, The Collegian.

I’m the editor because there are stories that haven’t been written, and we need our voices heard – especially at Fresno State.

So to my fellow black writers, I encourage you to write everything that you have to say. I encourage you to give your stories to the world for all of us to see.

We need representation, and we need your voice. There are stories that haven’t been written yet -- and only you can write them.

Your voice is not only valuable and special, it’s necessary. And please remember this: we’re always rooting for you.

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Feb. 26, 2018

THE COLLEGIAN

BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPECIAL ISSUE

SUPPORT GROUP

COMMENTARY

We marginalize our way of thinking a lot because we try to classify something or call it what it is, when everything could be circumstantial.

On being the only black person in class

- Kimberly Binion

The Sistah Sistah club during a recent meeting.

Special to The Collegian

‘Sistah to Sistah’ is an emotional refuge

By William Ramirez

E

ach woman of the Sistah to Sistah club walks in with her own baggage, her own worries and her own responsibilities. But through each other, they all find companionship and comfort.

“I’m stressed all the time. I’m going to school and work, so right now is a bit tense,” one woman says.

“I’m graduating this fall, so I understand the stress part. There’s a lot on my plate. I’m going to work still, paying bills, trying to find internships and whatnot,” another says.

This is how the women introduce themselves to one another – a brief statement on what’s on their mind.

Two women are new to the group, the other three are regular attendees. The newcomers understandably sound more timid than their counterparts.

But their grievances serve to weave a bond of trust and confidentiality between the newcomers and the regulars. That bond is crucial to the club’s purpose, which is to provide a place where African-American women can be “understood, heard and accepted,” according to the club’s flyer.

The two facilitators, Vanessa Brown and Crea Jackson, know well that getting people to speak up can be difficult. So,

they provide weekly discussion topics to help spark conversations after the introductions.

“Our really big topics are when we get really personal about personal life experiences and we just really help each other,” Brown said.

A recent topic, “side chicks” – women who date men in a relationship with someone else, was a bit more lighthearted in nature than most of their conversations.

The conversations are parallel to the member’s relationships with one another.

Each contribution brings more clarity to one another and the topic. The conversation began with outright disapproval of the “side chick.”

“The ‘main chick, side chick’, that whole thing, there’s no one really winning in that situation -- unless everyone is on the same page and knows,” Jackson said.

The group discussed the ways men and women with several lovers are portrayed in media, as well as the issue’s historical roots.

“Even in slavery, it’s like, they’re married but then they are sleeping with the slaves or whoever. Then, the wife is like, ‘I got what I want, so you can do what you want,’” said newcomer Skylar Hallman. “It goes way back to where now it’s just accepted, unfortunately.”

The perspectives and opinions progressively became more lively throughout the meeting, with each member of the group becoming more passionate as the conversation sharpened in focus. The group soon acknowledged that it’s more acceptable for men to have a “side chick.”

When women have multiple lovers, they’re more likely to face negativity.

The Sistah to Sistah! club considered the concept from a variety of angles, even from the perspectives of the other women.

“We marginalize our way of thinking a lot because we try to classify something or call it what it is, when everything could be circumstantial,” said the other newcomer, Kimberly Binion.

By the end of their meeting filled with laughter and shared knowledge, the “newcomer” label that Binion and Hallman walked in with felt like it had never been there to begin with. The women themselves both expressed a feeling of acceptance within the group.

“I enjoyed my first Sistah to Sistah! experience. I can’t believe I’ve missed out all of this time,” Hallman said. “As far as the topic goes, I’m glad you all felt comfortable talking about this.”

Brown said reactions like Hallman’s are what the group strives for. They want their group to expand and provide an emotional refuge for African-American women at Fresno State.

“I talked to an incoming freshman and she hadn’t made any friends yet. If she came to our discussion group, she would have four or five solid people who – ‘Hey, if I want to hang out, I’m not alone anymore,’” Brown said. “That’s what we want to bring, a sense of belonging, a sense of ‘I have someone.’”

The Sistah Sistah club meets every Wednesday at noon in the Harambee Room in the Cross Cultural and Gender Center.

By Serenity Kelly There have been a few semesters where in more than one of my classes, I was the only black student.

Sometimes, it felt awkward especially when topics like slavery, Black Lives Matter or civil rights would come up.

Those are the times when I expected to feel all eyes on me, being that the subject would pertain to me.

Eventually, I’ve learned to embrace being black in a sometimes mainly Caucasian class, or a class with few other minority students.

I saw being the only black student in a class as an opportunity to educate my fellow majority peers on what it is like to be African-American. I did this by starting a dialogue and conversations with them when the subject surfaced.

I found it to be very beneficial because I feel that I have taught them something new, and in return, I’ve heard what they had to say and their views of African-Americans.

I hope that I was able to change some of their perceptions.

Being the only black student in a class can be awkward at first, but for the most part, it got easier.

I stood out because I am outstanding. #BlackExcellence Serenity Kelly is a junior studying media, communications and journalism at Fresno State.

Africana Studies could be integral to other studies

By Deja Wright

As of fall 2017, only 2.9 percent of the population on campus identified as African-American, according to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at Fresno State.

Among the small population, there are students who say African-American studies are critical for their education.

Reyna Berger, an Africana studies and social work major, said the courses in the Africana Studies department have been eye-opening for her.

“I feel like more black people need to actually take the classes because it’s really enlightening,” Berger said.

Students are offered the chance to learn about the roles black people played in American history as well as gain knowledge about themselves.

Dr. Deanna Reese, professor and program coordinator of the Africana Studies

program, said Africana Studies began at Fresno State in the 1970s and was combined with ethnic studies.

“I think the challenge for Africana Studies is trying to help students No. 1, understand what it is, and then how it can be applicable,” Reese said.

She also said although the numbers are still small, in recent years there has been an increase in Africana Studies double-majors, majors and minors.

Reese teaches a number of the different courses offered for the major and minor. Reese said Africana Studies addresses society, culture, history and the politics related to African-Americans. The course subjects that range from slavery in America, African-American women and a class on immigration.

Reese and other Africana Studies

professors try to encourage not only African-American students to enroll in Africana classes, but other majors and ethnicities, as well. Reese said that Africana Studies courses can spark critical thinking on some pressing issues.

“Classes address structural inequalities with regards to institutional racism and how that developed over time,” Reese said.

“So, I would say that’s pretty key.”

She also said that Fresno State is in the process of revisiting the idea of meeting the Multicultural International requirement, which includes several African Studies courses.

From education, politics, healthcare, journalism and social work, Africana Studies often pairs well. Reese said one of the strengths of the department is that it covers so many topics from one idea.

“Africana Studies is awesome because it is multidimensional and interdisciplinary,” Reese said. “So, it brings in many different areas of study, and so no matter what it is you’re interested in Africana Studies can be blended with that.”

In addition, she added that these courses will allow people who intend to work with an underserved population to have a better understanding of the types of situations and circumstances they face.

Both Berger and Reese hope the Africana Studies department will grow at Fresno State and would like to see students and faculty be a part of the change.

Berger suggested that there should be more face-to-face interactions with black professors outside of the classroom to make those connections and learn more about what the major offers.

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Feb. 26, 2018

THE COLLEGIAN

BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPECIAL ISSUE

‘All our people are local heroes’

By Christian Mattos and Eric Zamora Hidden amongst the hustle and bustle of downtown Fresno is the African-American Historical and Cultural Museum of the San Joaquin Valley.

The museum, located in Fresno’s mural district at 1857 Fulton St. was founded nearly 30 years ago by Jack Kelley, a Fresno State alumnus and the first black police sergeant with the Fresno Police Department.

“He was loved by everybody, so all people, black and white, helped put the museum together,” said Gregory Melancon, director of operations for the museum.

A founding board of 15 community members also helped gather pictures and put the history together to create the museum, Melancon added. As Black History Month wraps up on Wednesday, Melancon recently spoke about what meaning the museum holds for the black community beyond Fresno.

“What makes our museum unique is that we tell the history of African-Americans in the San Joaquin Valley. All our people are local heroes,” Melancon said.

The museum recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Trailblazers Awards, focusing on notable members of the African-American community in the Central Valley. The Trailblazer gala takes place every February, and is the biggest fundraiser for the museum, Melancon said.

Volunteers from the community often run the operations in the museum, and it is open for tours by appointment. They also participate in ArtHop on the first Thurs-

Christian Mattos • The Collegian

Copies of the Ebony magazine are featured in a display in the African-American Historical and Cultural Museum.

day of every month, Melancon said. The museum consists of a main art gallery and upstairs rooms with different themed historical content.

Though the gallery usually features art, it currently displays the sewing and embroidery projects of Fresno resident Donna Nolan, Melancon said. Her artwork includes digital stitchery, quilting and crocheted items.

Much of what is featured in the museum has been donated by community members, such as a stained-glass window created by Tim Williams, depicting a family migrating to the San Joaquin Valley, and

an archive of Ebony magazines.

“Ebony Magazine was the first African-American magazine [nationally],” Melancon said. “That was our first and our biggest magazine where we got to see African Americans on the cover and inside, on every page.”

The stairwell leading to the second floor is adorned with photographs of influential figures in Fresno, such as Dr. Christine Johnson, who wrote the first grant received by the museum, and State Center Community College District Chancellor Bill Stewart, who provided the first location of the museum in the administration building

at Fresno City College.

The hallway upstairs also features pictures of prominent doctors, educators, musicians, law enforcement officers and local leaders from Fresno.

A room dedicated to successful African-American athletes is also upstairs, along with a children’s library donated by nonprofit African-American women’s group Links, Inc. A mural titled “From Africa to America” is painted on the walls of the children’s library. It was orchestrated by Dr. Paulette Fleming, an art and design professor at Fresno State. The mural depicts the Eye of Providence on one wall and forest animals and an ocean on another.

The ceiling of the mural is painted black and fades in the sky of the walls below, serving as a commemorative symbol. “[The ceiling] pays homage to all the Africans that jumped over ship and decided that they’d rather die than become slaves in the [transatlantic] slave trades,” Melancon said.

He said he enjoys seeing the smiles on community members’ faces when they visit the museum and see familiar faces on the walls.

“When we look at the walls, we see people that we know, that we passed on the streets, in the stores, in the schools,” he said. “We knew them personally because they were friends of either our mothers or our fathers or our aunts and our uncles.”

Melancon said he hopes visitors leave the museum with a more positive outlook on African-Americans and their contributions to Fresno. He also wants people to recognize the importance of cultural representation for African-American children.

“It give them hope that they can have good jobs and become whatever they want to be when they see someone on the wall that looks like them,” he said.

FILM

‘Black Panther’ is more than a superhero movie

By Angelica Hernandez Released midway through Black History Month, Marvel’s “Black Panther” is more than just a box office shattering movie. It is a cultural phenomenon.

The movie is an adaptation of the first black comic book superhero from 1966. Directed by Ryan Coogler, starring Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, king of Wakanda, and Michael B. Jordan as villain Erik Killmonger, “Black Panther” features a 90 percent black cast, black writers and a black director.

According to Business Insider, “Black Panther” grossed a staggering $242 million during opening weekend, beating out the mega-franchise “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” by $1.3 million.

And not only did the movie exceed expectations at the box office over President’s Day weekend, it also claimed the title of biggest domestic opening for a black director in history, as well as biggest global debut for a predominantly black cast – a record previously held by the movie “Straight Outta Compton” from 2015.

It also has the best Rotten Tomatoes score of any Marvel Cinematic Universe film or superhero movie in history with a “Certified Fresh” rating at 97 percent.

The movie’s success could be linked to an outpouring of support from the black community. Thirty-seven percent of the movie’s audience during opening weekend was African-American. That is more than double the average for past superhero movies, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The responses to the film varied in emotion.

“Their blackness is mine. My blackness is theirs. Black Panther is a love letter, a celebration, and a victory march for the diaspora,” wrote Twitter user @IfIWereMagneto.

At a “Black Panther” movie panel hosted by the Fresno State Black Faculty and Staff Association on Feb. 15, African-American professors, writers and nonprofit men-

tors gathered to discuss why “Black Panther” should be revered as more than just another superhero movie.

The discussion was moderated by Monique Bell, assistant professor of marketing at Fresno State. She said she decided to host the panel after discovering that social justice was an integral theme in the Black Panther comic series.

“I never realized that Black Panther was a character created to shake up the story of integration,” Bell said. “It was amazing that Stan Lee and his partner Jack Kirby were at the forefront and so progressive in creating this character who was black and strong and was able to stand independently.

He wasn’t anyone’s sidekick.”

The panel tackled a range of topics, including historical and cultural allusions in the comic book series, gender roles in the film and political commentary in the writing of Black Panther.

Panelist Damon Thomas, a mentor for the nonprofit Learn S.T.E.A.M., said Black Panther is important because it depicts black characters in more nuanced roles.

“It’s refreshing to see black people in other roles besides Alabama down south,” Thomas said. “It’s very refreshing for us to be in animated things, in future things, in hero things - and I hope that this continues.”

Although fictional, Wakanda could be seen as a representation of how an African nation could progress and thrive without the hindrance of colonization.

“Millennials are now going to see an acceptable Africa by virtue of this film,” Ellis said. “And if it takes this film and Marvel to raise our social consciousness, I’ll take it any way I can get it.”

The panel also discussed “Afrofuturism,” which Dr. T. Hasan Johnson, a Fresno State associate professor of African Studies, described for the attendees.

“It’s imaging a future with black folk in it,” Johnson said. “Imaging the future becomes extremely important. Who gets to

It’s very refreshing for us to be in animated things, in future things, in hero things - and I hope that this continues - Damon Thomas imagine? And who gets to write the narrative? My hope is that ‘Black Panther’ will do well enough for more people to get their foot in the door.”

Panelist Juliana Smith, a writer and creator of (H)afrocentric, said Afrofuturism is “writing ourselves into the future.”

“Into stories, into sci-fi, into many different genres. I want to get to a point where we don’t have to beg to be in anything. And where we see an all black cast and it is just normal,” Smith said.

Homer Greene, a former academic advisor at Fresno City College, echoed the sentiments of the panel on the topic of Afrofuturism, but also highlighted the importance of “Black Panther” for African-American women.

“The makeup represents the different tribes,” Greene said. “Black beauty and natural hair is emphasized. All that is a positive for African-American females.”

The film not only celebrates the natural beauty of its female stars, but also emphasizes their strength and intelligence. The film includes main characters like Okoye, general of the Dora Milaje, an all-female military group; Nakia, an independent su-

perspy; and Black Panther’s tech genius sister, Princess Shuri.

So, how did “Black Panther” succeed in its impressive representations of black characters without utilizing stereotypes - something so many movies have failed to deliver?

Dr. Kelley McCoy, a mass communications professor at Fresno State, said the secret to “Black Panther’s” success could be the amount of diversity behind the scenes.

“If the people who are creating content are of only one group then that means, despite their best intentions, they are going to gravitate towards the types of stories that make sense to them,” McCoy said.

Often, this means that black movie characters fall into stereotypical roles. Surprisingly, film has seen slower improvements in representation than television, McCoy said.

“On television, you are just as likely to see an African-American who is leading a surgery as you are being a gang banger,” McCoy said. “That’s what you want. You want to be able to see members of communities in nuanced ways. Not as one dimensional but as three-dimensional.”

Of course, with the success of movies from black directors and writers such as “Get Out,” “Moonlight” and now “Black Panther,” Hollywood cannot deny the importance of diversity on and off camera.

Mccoy said that progress when it comes to representations of racial and ethnic minority groups is almost always linked to minorities being given more power behind the scenes.

“That’s representation,” McCoy said.

“Representation is about the stories that we tell ourselves about who we are and what we can be.”

For this reason, the importance of “Black Panther” cannot be understated.

Representation is more than just seeing more diverse characters on screen. It is also about the way those characters are written and how they are brought to life in film.

NEWS

A3

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2018

PRESS CONFERENCE

Bill aims to combat student homelessness

By Christian Mattos @ChrisssyMattos

Assemblywoman Anna Caballero spoke at a news conference at Fresno State last week to introduce Assembly Bill 2784, which aims to combat homelessness among college students.

Sponsored by the California State Student Association, AB 2784 will implement the Emergency Student Housing Loan Program.

It would offer a loan for housing costs that would be forgiven if a student completes the academic semester during which the loan was awarded, Caballero said. The program would pilot at three colleges within the California State University system.

“For years, we have acted as if college students were immune to homelessness, that they had the resources and that the community had the housing availability to meet the student’s housing needs, but this is no longer the case,” Caballero said.

Caballero emphasized the prevalence of homelessness at CSU campuses. According to a 2018 CSU study of basic needs, she said, 10.9 percent of students have experienced

homelessness one or more times within the past 12 months.

“California’s future depends on effectively preparing our young people to meet workforce demand,” Caballero said. “We have to put an end to student homelessness, and AB 2784 is a beginning and it’s a modest investment to achieve this goal and really to create a framework for the rest of the CSU campuses to be able to do the same thing.”

Demi Wack, the vice president of external affairs for Associated Students, Inc., and a candidate for ASI president, said that she wished a student who has experienced homelessness to speak at the press conference. While the students she met with supported AB 2784, they were not willing to speak, she said.

“We cannot expect students to focus on

their homework and graduating in four years when they don’t even know where they’re sleeping that night,” Wack said.

If passed, the Emergency Student Housing Loan Program will begin at three CSU campuses funded by money from other housing bills or the general fund, said Jared Giarrusso, assistant director of the office of government relations for the Cal State Student Association. The three college campuses that the program will be tested on will be determined through an application process, Giarrusso said.

“We wanted to make sure that the campuses that wanted to do this program really wanted to because it does take a lot of work, and we’re hoping that that work is absorbed by the already existing campus resources,” Giarrusso said.

Hoffman was the keynote speaker at a forum in which the use of drug substances was the focus. The “Introduction to the Conversation About Substance Use” forum brought speakers and local authorities from the community to talk about the substance use even in places like the Fresno State campus.

Fresno State President Dr. Joseph Castro opened the forum with a speech calling substance use a serious issue facing Fresno State and the Fresno community. Castro mentioned the recent death of Omar Nemeth, a Fresno State student who was found dead from an accidental overdose on Xanax.

ABC30 news anchor Liz Harrison was the event’s panel moderator. Harrison shared with the audience the story of her son’s struggle with addiction and how it has change her own life.

The panel consisted of Hoffman, Flindt Andersen, former addict and founder of the non-profit Parents and Addicts in Need (P.A.I.N.), Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims and Associated Student Inc. President Blake Zante.

The panelists were asked several questions, but one in particular stood out to the audience – Harrison asked about what drug is used most by college students.

Adderall and Xanax are the most commonly used drugs among college students, Andersen said, which are often prescribed as safe medication.

In his opinion, Hoffman said pharmaceu-

tical companies have a crucial responsibility in the addiction crisis in the United States.

“The orange [prescription] bottle has the same things the cartels sell, the only difference is the package.” Hoffman said.

Mims said she doesn’t believe in “scare straight” tactics and that people with real-life experiences with drug abuse are important and make an impact. She mentioned that therapy must be part of addiction recovery in order for it to work.

Zante said that there needs to be more awareness on campus about the dangers of drugs.

In the end, Andersen told the audience that addiction is not something that can be cured, that an addict may be able to manage the addiction but may always remain an addict.

Event organizer and director of Wellness Services Alicia Nelson said the event’s goal was to start a discussion on substance abuse and “having this honest open conversations about awareness will impact students.”

She added, “You are not alone, there are many resources on campus and in the community for students.”

Students who are struggling with addiction can contact the Student Health and Counseling Center at 559-278-2734. Students in recovery can also contact Health Promotion and Wellness Services at 559278-6739 or email bulldogs4recovery@ csufresno.edu to be part of a recovery group.

ENGINEERS

not a good mom, but you’re good because you’re providing an example for your children,” she said.

Medina said that, most importantly, prospective women in engineering should continue to be educated and should follow their own curiosities. She added that they must accept that they might fail at times.

Such advice was useful not only for the young students, but for current female engineering students.

“It was nice to hear other people’s opinions about being in the engineering field just in general,” said Kate Appleby, a senior mechanical engineering student. “Knowing it’s OK to fail, it’s okay to feel like you’re not enough even though you probably are and like just that sort of empowerment.”

Carlos Quevedo, a school counselor for Golden Valley Elementary School who chaperoned a group of 5th graders, hopes Fresno State continues hosting events for elementary students to expose them different career paths.

“I think it was a wonderful experience for our kids. It’s great exposure, wonderful speakers,” he said. “The thing that I really liked is that they offered to have the kids come and watch what they do on the job which is really awesome.”

SPEAKER

We need to change how we talk about substance abuse

By Jorge Rodriguez @TheCollegian

Clovis native and professional BMX rider Tony Hoffman spoke at Fresno State last week about his struggles with mental health and drug abuse at a young age. He told the audience about his path to recovery after addiction.

Hoffman also spoke about being homeless

and how he spent more than four years in jail and all the things he wanted to do when he got out. It was in jail, he said, when he realized that a stigma follows drug addicts and convicts, with many believing that those on a path to recovery will relapse and be back in jail soon.

“If this country doesn’t change the way we think about addiction and addicts, then we will never be able to help those in need,” Hoffman said.

“Studying law in the heart of the Central Valley has given me the ability to pursue a career in law without having to abandon the network of professionals I built while studying accounting at Fresno State.”

Jesus Pereda Accounting Major, Fresno State Juris Doctor Candidate

from Page A1

Law School 101 Wednesday, February 28, 2018 From 7-9pm You’re invited to this free program to learn more about the legal profession and what a law degree can do for you!

At this forum you will be introduced to law school, from courses offered to admission requirements.

Register now at www.sjcl.edu or 559/323-2100

SJCL admitS StudentS of any raCe/ CoLor, reLigiouS Creed, nationaL origin/anCeStry, age, gender, mentaL or phySiCaL diSabiLity, mediCaL Condition, maritaL StatuS, or SexuaL orientation.

A Degree in Any MAjor QuAlifies you to Apply to lAw school.

a positive attitude.

“I’m not going to deny that there are unique challenges that you need to understand and figure out how to work around in an industry that has historically been predominantly men,” Mortensen said. “But I have never found value in my career by focusing on that.”

The panelists encouraged the young girls to seek mentorships and to not be afraid to ask for help, especially as they move further into their careers.

“When I was doing my PhD, I was a mom,” said Dr. Brissa Quiroz, from the Fresno State Lyles College of Engineering Valley Industry Partnership for Cooperative Education. “I have two kids so it’s really hard to balance how you be a mom and work and all of these things. Who can I trust [to help]? I needed that support. I need that friend that is telling you don’t quit, keep going and going.”

Quiroz said she found support from her best friend, her husband and her mother.

“It’s part of the balance. I think as a woman you always feel guilty that [you’re]

SPORTS

A4

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2018

BASEBALL

Diamond ‘Dogs take Houston Baptist series

Sophomore Ryan Jensen pitches against Houston Baptist on Feb. 23, 2018 at Bob Bennett Stadium.

By Jorge Rodriguez @TheCollegian

T

he Fresno State baseball team faced the Houston Baptist Huskies for the first time in school history in a four-game series over the weekend at Bob Bennett Stadium. The Bulldogs took the series 3 games to 1 to give them a 7-2 overall record.

The first game of the series was a pitching duel with Fresno State’s Ryan Jensen going seven innings with nine strikeouts, four hits and no runs allowed. In similar fashion, Houston Baptist starting pitcher

Zach Carter went eight innings with eight strikeouts and giving up six hits.

The game went into extra innings with the Bulldogs bringing in Jamison Hill for three innings, allowing only two hits and striking out four. The end of the game came in the top of the 12th when ‘Dogs reliever Ryan Sullivan struggled from the start and allowed two runs.

Fresno State wasn’t able to come back in the bottom of the inning, ending the game and giving the series opener to the Huskies.

In the first game of the Saturday double-header, Fresno State managed to come back from a three-run deficit and tied the game by the fourth inning, 3-3. The Bull-

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

dogs managed to pull ahead throughout the rest of the game, edging Houston Baptist in the end, 7-6.

Game 3 in the series began much like Friday’s game with both teams having great pitching. It wasn’t until the fifth inning when second baseman Jeremiah Burks hit a solo home run to center field that opened up the scoring.

In the very next at-bat shortstop, Korby Batesole was hit by a pitch sending him to first base. Next up was catcher Carter Bins, who hit a home run to left field giving the Bulldogs the lead, 3-0.

The game was dominated by ‘Dogs pitcher Edgar Gonzalez, who had an out-

standing outing, giving up only three hits and striking out 17 in eight innings.

“I just wanted to go out there, just like every single game, and attack every batter who stepped into the box,” Gonzalez said. “I feel so much more comfortable had having two years of experience. There is not a lot I haven’t seen.”

Head coach Mike Batesole mentioned that watching Gonzalez play reminded him of watching former Bulldog pitcher Jeff Weaver. “[Gonzalez] has exactly the same slider, and it reminded me of the Weaver slider.

[Gonzalez] had an outstanding day and did an outstanding job,” Batesole said.

In Game 4, the Huskies took an early lead, scoring one run in the first inning. It wasn’t until the second that Fresno State was able to tie the game after a wild pitch brought in McCarthy Tatum from third base.

Fresno State had great pitching from Jaime Arias, who, after giving up the run in the first, allowed only one more hit in six innings. The Bulldogs’ offense was able to add one run in the fourth, one in the fifth and one more in seventh to give Fresno State a 4-1 lead.

The game ended with Houston Baptist getting one more hit in the top of the ninth, allowing runners to get on base, but pitcher Jamison Hill managed to keep his composure and got the final out of the game.

The Bulldogs took the four-game series with three consecutive wins and an impressive show of pitching power. Their next game will be Feb. 28 at home against UC Santa Barbara.

“I am really proud of how this young kids are playing...they just keep on doing their thing, and I’m so proud of them,” Batesole said. “I like to stay truly one game at a time and look at what we did wrong and what we need to clean up.”

BUDGET

Interim Athletic Director discusses finances

By William Ramirez @willoveslakers2

Steve Robertello has taken the reins of an athletic department facing a flood of questions about its future.

Robertello was appointed interim director of athletics after Jim Bartko’s resignation from the position in November. The athletic department Robertello took control of was not exactly in the most favorable financial position.

According to a report in the Central Valley Observer, a local analysis website, the athletic department could be facing a $2 million budget deficit for 2017-18. Robertello said the department is working hard to remedy that.

“We’re still working through our budget as we speak. We’re always planning and looking at ways to be more efficient in every aspect of what we’re doing,” Robertello said.

Robertello did not talk about what exactly caused the deficit or the specifics of what the athletics department is doing to make it up. But he did say that the department is “evaluating every expenditure on a day-to-

day basis.”

One way in which Robertello has begun to implement his philosophy into the program is what he calls the “reprioritization” of the money that was going to go to the Bulldog Stadium renovations.

Now, instead of solely using those funds to pay for the stadium, they will also be used to renovate and improve the facilities in the student-athlete village.

“Looking at [the Robert E. Duncan Building] and trying to bring our day-to-day facilities up to where we want them to be, that’s what our focus is, but in conjunction with looking at the football stadium and the defer to maintenance and the issues that need to occur in Bulldog Stadium to bring that up to where we want it,” Robertello said.

He added that this places an importance on the student-athletes and their needs and said he believes these upgraded facilities will give Fresno State more to offer to incoming recruits.

But attracting recruits is not the only worry on Robertello’s mind. He also must make an effort to attract more Bulldogs fans.

Ticket sales are down across the board.

According to a report by The Fresno Bee, ticket sales accounted for 36.6 percent of the budget in 2009-10. In 2016-17, ticket sales only accounted for 12.6 percent of the budget.

In other words, expenses are rising faster than ticket proceeds. That problem plagued athletics and likely has contributed to the deficit, said Robertello. “[Ticket sales] is a big part of our budget,” Robertello said. “The more people we have there, the more people that buy tickets, the more people that buy season tickets, the more revenue we have.”

He added that having large crowds is definitely a priority for the department, and he hopes that Fresno State fans continue to do all they can to support the school’s teams.

Robertello hopes changes like the one he made within the volleyball program can give Bulldog fans more to cheer about. Head coach Lauren Netherby-Sewell was fired on Nov. 28 and replaced with Jonathan Winder not soon after.

“We believe that’s a program, as with all of our programs, we should be competing at the top end of the Mountain West, and we

haven’t been there recently. We think we’ve got the right coach that will help us get to the top end of the league,” Robertello said.

Changes like these and the recent successes of a few athletics programs, especially football, excite Robertello about the future of Fresno State athletics.

“We’ve got great student-athletes, great coaches and a great community. You put all those things together, and I think the sky’s the limit for us,” he said.

Of course, Robertello’s time as athletic director is – for the time being – temporary.

University President Dr. Joseph I. Castro announced that the search for a permanent athletic director would not begin until later this year.

Robertello’s name will be included in that search as a candidate, but that is not where his focus lies.

“My focus right now is on the day-to-day work that needs to be done in our athletics program in moving our folks forward, but like I’ve said, I’m very happy in Fresno and hope to be here long term,” he said.

Only time will tell what the future holds for Fresno State athletics and Robertello.