1922
Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper
BULLDOGS LOSE THIRD IN A ROW
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
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Meet your ASI President D'Aungillique Jackson discusses her passion in social justice efforts and her future in Fresno.
Courtesy of D'Aungillique Jackson
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INSIDE: CENTENNIAL EDITION: LOOKING AT THE COLLEGIAN'S HISTORY
NEWS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
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Fresno State alumnus runs for California 22nd District By Manuel Hernandez News Editor
Fresno State alumnus Lourin Hubbard reflected on how his time at the university shaped the person he is today and how he perceived the political world around him. He remembered attending a campus debate between two professors about remembering 9/11, with both representing opposite political ideologies. Hubbard said it was an “awesome experience” because it helped reinforce his own beliefs while introducing new points of view. He said it was one experience out of many he cherishes from the university, along with being part of a fraternity, living in the dorms and making the friends he’d still have today, Hubbard said. “It was fantastic. It was kind of like the college experience that you want not only for yourself but for your kids,” Hubbard said. He earned his bachelor’s in political science in 2013. Now, he is one of two Democrats in an upcoming special election for California’s 22nd Congressional District. After former U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes officially resigned on Jan. 1, ending his 20-year long
incumbency, a special primary election was announced in order to fill the vacant spot. The secretary of state’s office released the special election calendar on its website. Voting polls open on April 5 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Registered voters can either send their vote by mail or hand-deliver it to any voting center, polling location, drop boxes at county elections offices or any ballot dropoff location. The winning candidate of the special election will fill Nunes’ vacant position until the general elections in November. If no candidate receives more than 50% of votes, another election will be held on June 7. The official list of certified candidates will be released to county election offices on Feb. 16, according to the secretary of state’s website. Republicans Matt Stoll, Michael Maher, Connie Conway and Elizabeth Heng have previously announced their candidacy in the special election – Republican Nathan Magsis took his name off the ballot. Eric Garcia is now one of two Democrats running after Phil Arballo withdrew from the race. Hubbard, a Bakersfield native, said his career shift into politics came from a “cometo-Jesus moment” in his junior year at Fresno
State in 2011. “My mom passed away in my junior year, and she lived in Bakersfield while I was up here at [Fresno State]. That semester was probably the hardest semester ever,” Hubbard said. After her passing, mail addressed to his mother was delivered to Hubbard’s house, he noted. “That was a bill for her health care, and I was sad and angry all at the same time,” Hubbard said. “She couldn’t afford the medicine that was going to keep her alive.” After that moment, he changed his major from kinesiology to political science. Although he didn’t know it would lead to him running for Congress, he knew he wanted to make a difference. One of the main platforms in Hubbard’s campaign run is for everyone to have affordable health coverage. “If you don’t work here in America, it’s almost like you don’t deserve to have health insurance. You don’t deserve to live… That’s really the message that our current health care system is sending us,” Hubbard said. His great-grandfather, Shirley Hill, fought in World War II. His grandmother, who in-
Courtesy of Lourin Hubbard
Lourin Hubbard poses with wife, Erin, and their daughters, Riley and Casey. herited the same name, had lumps in her head fighting for the civil rights movement and now, he feels the same issues are still being fought. So that’s why he said his message to Fresno State students as an alumnus is to be more engaged. “We have to be aware of the reality of the time,” Hubbard said. “[They’re] people who are tired of ‘no.’ Who want to see something better and want to do something better.”
Former Bulldog student wins $100,000 journalism prize By Manuel Hernandez News Editor
Fresno native and former Fresno State student Ryan Christopher Jones received the 2022 American Mosaic Journalism Prize for his work as a freelance photojournalist. On Feb. 10, the Heising-Simons Foundation, the organization that launched the award, announced in a press release that Jones and Julian Brave NoiseCat were this year’s winners for their “excellence in long-form, narrative, or deep reporting about underrepresented and/or misrepresented groups in the United States.” “I was blown away that I could be nominated for something so momentous… I’m honestly still struggling to find words to express my gratitude and my feelings for everything. But, I mean, I’m just so thankful,” Jones said. This award nominates freelance journalists confidentially, so the winners have no knowledge of it, and 10 judges – “including journalists from NPR, NBC News, ProPublica/Texas Tribune, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, among others” – select them, according to the release. Jones enrolled in Fresno State’s philosophy program in 2003.
Courtesy of Ryan Christopher Jones
Former Fresno State student Ryan Christopher Jones received the 2022 American Mosaic Journalism Prize on Feb. 10 for his work in photojournalism. That same year, he picked up a camera for the first time and started shooting photos. He received his first news assignment until 2012 for the Fresno Bee. It was at that point he found his passion for photojournalism, Jones said. “That kind of changed everything for me. I
really found that I loved documenting my community. I loved the idea of storytelling, so that’s when I decided to pursue it further,” Jones said. After years of working as a freelance photojournalist, with regular contributions to The New York Times and featured works in other publications including The Atlantic, The Wash-
ington Post and The Guardian, Jones is one of two recipients of the 2022 American Mosaic Journalism Prize. Along with joining a distinguished group of freelance journalists who previously won, the news release also said the winners of the award receive an unrestricted cash prize of $100,000 each. The news release praised Jones’ photography and reporting work on multiple issues, including the overdose crisis, agriculture politics in the Central Valley and the coverage of “intersecting identities of immigrant and farmworker communities.” It also highlighted Jones’ advocacy for ethical photojournalism. For his entire career, Jones has been a freelance photographer, and for the last 10 years, he’s been in New York. He said it’s nice having the “freedom and flexibility” that comes working freelance, but it’s also paired with “inconsistencies and unreliability.” He said he is proud because it’s a “journalism award. This is not a photojournalism award.” Jones said it means everything to him that he’s getting his merits for journalistic integrities rather than a good-looking picture.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS
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‘Sistah to Sistah’ coordinator reflects on time in Fresno By Manuel Hernandez News Editor
After working six years for Fresno State for the African American Programs and Services (AFAM) and Leadership Programs and Services, Brianna White had her final day as program coordinator on Feb. 11. Before her departure from the university, White reflected on her proudest memories as coordinator, one of them being the Sistah to Sistah program. Hosted in the Harambee room, located in room 109 of the Thomas building, Sistah to Sistah is a discussion group that meets bi-weekly on Wednesdays as a safe space for Black and African-American women. “I think the goal of Sistah to Sistah is to really maintain that sisterhood bond and that trust and that respect as Black women,” White said. She started as interim coordinator from August to December 2019, and then became the permanent program coordinator in November 2020, during the middle of the pandemic. White remembered that during her first year in-person the Harambee room was so full of students.
She said students would go beyond meeting time to have in-depth conversations or just talk about things happening in their day. One of her favorite meetings was in October 2019, when they painted pumpkins for fall. “It was so cute to just, like, see all the different designs and everything. And then just to, like, laugh and talk. I think we were talking about a lot of things going on. Well, that day we talked about cultural appropriation and interracial relationships,” White said Marisa Williams, a Fresno State junior and student coordinator for Sistah to Sistah, said that was the first meeting she ever went to. “I remember there were… like 10 girls in there and it was so fun. It was a little powwow,” Williams said. She said she will continue to plan and coordinate the Sistah to Sistah events after White’s departure. White said Williams was like her right-hand person, and both of them built off of each other to grow the program. White said Williams was a “blessing” to have, especially when the programs started to have their meetings virtually, White said. “It’s very hard to connect virtually. And there’s also a lot of burnout and fatigue when
we’re going through a pandemic,” White said. “It was, like, we need to rebuild more of a rapport with our Black students, because so much was lost. So much was lost, and we have to relearn the campus again.” Williams said more effort needs to be made to attract students back to in-person events now that the campus is open again. She joined the program last semester, and
although White is leaving, Williams said it’d feel like an “injustice to my peers and to myself” if she left. The goal is to make sure everyone knows what the program is about, White added. “[Sistah to Sistah] is designed for a safe space for black women to process, but we welcome any and everyone... Not just students, it’s staff too, which is really exciting,” White said.
Courtesy of Brianna White
Wyatt Bible • The Collegian
Brianna White poses in Harambee room located in Thomas, room 109.
Marisa Williams, junior, is the student coordinator for Sistah to Sistah.
‘Barbershop Talk’ provides a space for Black males By Jermaine Abraham Reporters As of the spring 2022 semester, there are 25,000 students at Fresno State. Only 700 of them are Black students. Of those 700, only 70 of them aren’t student-athletes. “It feels like you’re on an island,” said Dessalines Yamoussou, 34, editor-in-chief of Fresno State’s Uhuru Na Umoja newspaper. He said he is worried about the Black male experience at Fresno State after sharing his own recollections. “I don’t see enough Black males on campus. I’ve barely had any Black classmates, let alone my professors,” Yamoussou said. Yamoussou said being alone during his first few years at Fresno State was the worst feeling he had ever experienced. He said he is not the only Black male on campus that experiences these struggles. A change was necessary for the progression of Black males at Fresno State, and that was the goal Dr. Ramar Henderson said he had in mind when creating Barbershop Talks. In fall 2021, Henderson, assistant professor in the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program at Fresno State, created a
discussion group at Fresno State which aims to provide a safe space for Black males on campus to discuss anything and everything. “When you think of a Black barbershop, it’s one of the only places Black males can come and speak to their fellow brothers about anything at all. And that is what we are doing with Barbershop Talks,” Henderson said. He also highlighted the importance of Bar-
bershop Talks’ prevalence. As the Black male population continues to remain an overwhelming minority on campus, Henderson wants them to know they are not alone in their struggles. Henderson said it’s important to hear what is on the minds of these students: the pain, the trauma and the overwhelming feelings of isolation Black males experience regularly.
Courtesy of Fresno State’s Cross-Cultural and Gender Center
‘Barbershop Talks’ meets from the fall 2021 semester at the Harambee room, located at room 109 of the Thomas building.
“When you begin speaking about your experiences, you will realize that all of us Black males have experienced the same issues. And that is what is important here, realizing that we are all together in this,” Henderson said. Since joining last fall, Yamoussou said he’s had gratifying comments about Barbershop Talks. He has met so many new people, learned so many new things, and most importantly, he noticed how Barbershop Talks has changed the lives of so many other attendees. “And the beautiful thing is, we are actively growing. From only an initial four members, we now can fill up a classroom. From only meeting monthly not too long ago, we now meet weekly because it is just that engaging,” Yamoussou said. Yamoussou encourages more Black males at Fresno State to join.” “It is a place where we all feel good, we feel celebrated, and it is also a place where we can talk about things that are important to us,” said Henderson. Barbershop Talks is headed by the Cross-Cultural and Gender Center’s African American Programs and Services, and is held on Thursdays at noon in the Harambee Room, room 109, in the Thomas Building.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS
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Centennial Story: The creation of Insight, when The Collegian left the university’s journalism department By Edward Lopez
Senior News Reporter In honor of The Collegian’s 100th anniversary, the newspaper looks back at one of the most historical moments in the publication’s history: the day The Collegian split from the Journalism Department in 1969. Former Collegian and Insight staff reporter Jan Yanehiro described the era as a sudden moment of change, which she describes as the “perfect storm of events” coming together on campus Introduction to Campus Unrest (19671969) In 1969, Fresno State was experiencing mass demonstrations on the university campus in what would be known as “campus unrest,” which swept the nation during the late ‘60s to early ‘70s. The main issue causing that unrest ranged from things such as tuition hikes under former Gov. Ronald Reagan to the anti-ROTC protests taking place to the protest for academic freedom. “The raging of the Vietnam War, the protesters; women are burning their bras and guys are burning their [draft] cards… It was really the movement of free thinking and independence,” Yanehiro said. Many of the demonstrations took place in what is still used in 2022 as the Free Speech Area, located in the center of the campus. Those demonstrations often drew hundreds of spectators from the university as well as members of the local community. The anti-ROTC protest sought the removal from campus of the 035 detachment of the Air Force Reserves Officer Training Corps, which had been established in 1948. The protest for academic freedom was spurred by former Fresno State president Fredric Ness refusing to hire English professor Robert Mezey due to comments Mezey made during the Pot Parley Forum in 1967. While Mezey did not outright endorse the use of marijuana, he did claim that usage of the drug lacked the negative health effects of other hard narcotics it was being compared with. Mezey’s comments were seen by the wider community, and some faculty members, as unprofessional and dangerous as a teacher due to his close proximity to college students, who were viewed at the time as influential children. The Approval of the Minority Editions The Daily Collegian, as it was known at the
Edward Lopez • The Collegian
The front page of Insight’s first newspaper, published by the university on Oct. 8, 1969 time, soon found itself at the center of controversy following the approval of minority editions of the paper On May 2, 1969, the Board of Publications approved in a 5 - 2 vote the creation of two minority editions of The Daily Collegian. Both still exist today: Uhuru and La Voz de Aztlan. The minority editions were split between the African-American and Latinx students on campus, alternating each week in a four-page publication. The controversy surrounding the approval of the minority editions concerned the editorial policy of the editions. Alongside the creation of the minority editions, the minority students on campus would have full editorial control over the weekly edi-
tions. It was assumed this would be used to expand minority student opinions on campus. Ambitions of the Minority Supplements John Ramierez, the first Latino editor of the Latinx supplement, argued that the missions of the supplements were to represent minority views in an unabridged manner, something they were unable to do prior. “There is no other way because minority views are not respected… We can’t be put within the paper. We feel that we should be heard as a voice independent of The Collegian,” said Ramierez at the time in an interview with The Collegian. The former Black Student Union representative for Fresno State, Osby Davis, noted that
the need for the separate publications arose due to minority groups being separated from society, thus so did the supplements. “We aren’t on a level of understanding where we can work together. We cannot work together until we can understand each other . . . We have to inform you what is happening today,” said Davis in an interview with The Collegian at the time. Both Davis and Ramierez hoped they could avoid potential campus unrest, particularly in light of the San Francisco State College demonstration that very year, in which students took to the streets protesting the university and the local ROTC presence on campus. Criticism of the Special Editions Criticism of the special editions quickly arose across the university from members of the faculty and Student Senate due to the broad implications a minority edition of The Daily Collegian might have. During the 1968 fall and spring semesters, a total of 11,141 students were attending Fresno State College, less than half of today’s campus population. In 2022, over 25,000 students were in attendance. At the time, Fresno State was considered a majority white university, with nearly 80% of the campus population identifying as Caucasian. The largest minority groups at the time, African-American and Latinx students, constituted 8.9% of the student population. Asian Americans and Indigenous Americans students accounted for 5.7% of the student population. Fresno State was seen as a university that served the needs of the community of the San Joaquin Valley, which was predominantly conservative, according to Yanehiro. The senator of the school of business at the time, Dennis Reese, argued that the creation of the supplements would provide unequal coverage and treatment of groups on campus, who would soon want a special edition of their own. “If the Blacks and Chicanos are given an issue of the paper, then the Bulldog party and the Greeks will want an issue,” Reese said at the time in an interview with The Collegian. Former senator of publications, Gary Daloyan, compared the Board of Publication’s decision to a violation of the principles of a free press, hinting that the journalism department would step away from The Collegian should the Student Senate approve of the minority additions. “If the Student Senate fails to overrule
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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS
Fresno State continues mask mandate on campus By Jannah Geraldo Editor-In-Chief
Edward Lopez • The Collegian
Protesters sending Richard M. Nixon a coffin symbolizing the soldiers who died in the Vietnam War in the Daily Collegian’s Nov. 16, 1969 publication. the action by the Board of Publications at its Wednesday meeting, the department of journalism will strongly consider divorcing itself from The Daily Collegian as it now exists,” Daloyan said. The senate ultimately approved the special editions of The Daily Collegian on May 8, 1969, following two hours of deliberation that resulted in 17 voting yes, 8 voting no and 1 abstain vote. The Journalism Department Divorce Daloyan’s warning became reality on May 14, 1969, when The Daily Collegian announced its split from the Journalism Department via an open letter published on the front page of the newspaper. Chairman of the Journalism Department at the time, Paul V. Shoeman, announced that the department unanimously voted to split from The Daily Collegian on the grounds of its own professional ideals. Shoeman acknowledged the decision of the student senate, but claimed he could not support the decision, as he believed it would harm the reputation and integrity of The Daily Collegian should specific groups get a special voice. “A good newspaper will rarely win a popularity contest. It does not exist for that purpose. It frequently is the target, consequently, of those who disagree with or dislike its editorial policies,” Shoeman said in a letter published in The Collegian. Shoeman revealed that the Journalism Department would consolidate its focus on the creation of a new laboratory newspaper which would see its first publication on Oct. 8, 1969 under the name Insight. The Creation of The Insight Yanehiro recalled that the staff of The Daily Collegian was given a choice to either join the newly developed Insight or continue working
for The Daily Collegian following the announcement. Yanehiro and much of the staff would either completely transition or work for both The Daily Collegian and The Insight during the following semester with the first publication of the new paper on Oct. 8, 1969. The Insight aimed to provide a clean and sophisticated look compared to The Daily Collegian, adopting longer format articles. To accommodate longer format writing, The Insight increased in paper size, which dwarfed The Daily Collegian by several inches in both width and height. “I remember we wanted Insight to be clean, meaning, you know, looking sharp, nothing messy... We wanted big, so you can see how big it was, and we wanted it clean,” Yanehiro said. The first issue of The Insight would be an eventful one, as the paper covered the resignation of President Ness following the Marvin X case. Marvin X was a Black, Muslim professor who applied to the ethnic studies department to become a part time professor to teach his unique brand of Black education on campus. Ness refused to hire Marvin X after claiming he received an incomplete application. However, when Ness published an internal poll after the incident that featured unfavorable sentiments toward him by members of the community and faculty, he resigned. The Insight went on to run for 28 years, with its last publication on May 13, 1998, as the newspaper would be consolidated with The Daily Collegian for the 1998 fall semester. The Daily Collegian would also once again return to what is now called the Media, Communications and Journalism Department, ending its 28-year-long run separate from the journalism department.
Fresno State will continue to require masks indoors at all times after Feb. 16 and will offer limited supplies of at-home COVID-19 tests to the campus community. “This requirement is in alignment with California Department of Public Health recommendations for educational and high-risk settings,” said Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer Debbie Adishian-Astone in an email. California will lift the temporary indoor mask mandates on Feb. 16. Fresno State announced that it will still require surgical-grade masks on campus in an email sent to students. Additionally, the email noted that some COVID-19 Rapid Antigen tests will be available. “These tests are intended to be used at home when experiencing symptoms, and are an important tool for early detection to help keep our campus community safe,” Adishian-Astone said.
At-home test kits are limited to one per person and will include two tests while supplies are available. Weekly PCR tests will continue to be free to all current students, faculty and staff. Fresno State will still require a COVID-19 booster vaccine verification from students, faculty and staff by Feb. 28. The university will offer free vaccine and booster clinics to students, faculty and staff in the North Gym building in room 118 on Thursday, Feb. 17, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 22, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. At-home test kits will be available beginning Feb. 15 at the following locations: COVID-19 Testing Center at the Student Recreation Center (REC) Student Health and Counseling Center Atrium at Student Housing University Student Union (USU)
A&E ASI President D’Aungillique Jackson reflects on years of passion for advocacy TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU
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By Ashley Flowers A&E Editor
It was in Corpus Christi, Texas, that middle schooler D’Aungillique Jackson developed a passion for social justice that would one day lead to her organizing one of the largest peaceful protests Fresno had ever seen. As a self-proclaimed “military kid,” Jackson was born in Camarillo before her family – originally from Chicago – moved to Japan for two years and then bounced around among Florida, California and Texas for the rest of her adolescence. In Texas, Jackson’s middle school English teacher encouraged her to enter the writing competition “Do the Write Thing.” The topic was domestic violence, but Jackson herself had never been a victim. Instead, she wrote about the second-hand effect domestic violence has within communities. “I was one of I think 50 finalists who got to go to Washington, D.C. and I was the only person there who had never experienced any form of domestic violence first hand. … I was looking at people who were my age, and it seemed like they were years beyond me in terms of maturity because of what they had to experience,” Jackson said. She said she witnessed the structural barriers and violence that could affect individuals in the lower income area of Corpus Christi she lived in, but it was San Diego that taught her more about interpersonal struggles. After learning many of her peers in Scripps Ranch High School were experiencing pressure from their families to pursue high-paying positions rather than their passions, Jackson led a campaign called “Redefine Success.” Jackson’s family had to move again before seeing the campaign to its fruition, later being awarded two National Association of County Achievement Awards, a regional Emmy award and the inaugural Diversity Youth Leadership Award from the city of San Diego human relations commission. After graduating from Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village in 2016, Jackson applied to over 10 different schools, but it wasn’t in her plans to come to Fresno State. She’d hoped to attend a university on the East Coast. However, Jackson said that as a Black woman she felt her ambitions were not taken seriously by school staff. Potential financial aid and
Courtesy of D’Aungillique Jackson
D’Aungillique Jackson (second from left) and other protesters, including Joshua Slack (far right), at the Black Lives Matter protest Jackson helped organize on May 31, 2020. The protest attracted an estimated 3000 to downtown Fresno. scholarships were not discussed, so Jackson decided to go to a state school in California, where her father’s veteran status ensured her tuition would be covered. Jackson ended up applying to Fresno State because her twin brother, Gil’Scott Jackson, intended to play football for the Bulldogs before committing elsewhere. Jackson hadn’t stepped foot in the Central Valley before attending Fresno State, but said that within her first semester she was “falling in love with this institution.” It was during this time Jackson met friends such as Joshua Slack, who she would later go on with to organize Fresno’s Black Lives Matter protest in May 2020. During a night of watching media including Black Panthers documentaries in the aftermath of the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, Slack and Jackson were inspired to take action themselves, ac-
Courtesy of D’Aungillique Jackson
D’Aungillique Jackson poses for an ASI-related photoshoot by the library.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
THE COLLEGIAN • A&E
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Courtesy of D’Aungillique Jackson
Jackson was the former president of the Fresno State NAACP chapter, which helped prepare her for her ASI presidential campaign. Pictured in this photo from left to right: Serenity White-Ilole (press and publicity chair), D’Aungillique Jackson (president), Ie’Lar Marshall (secretary) and Aislyn Brown (treasurer). cording to Jackson. “I was just like, ‘You know Josh, why can’t we organize a protest? This is what the Black Panthers would’ve done. This is what all of these phenomenal organizers that we look up to would’ve done. Why can’t we do it?’” Jackson said. Slack agreed, and with the help of fellow activists and friends, they organized within a matter of days what would later be heralded as one of Fresno’s largest peaceful protests in recent history, according to Fresno State News. The protest took place on May 31, 2020, attracting an estimated 3,000 to Downtown Fresno. “What [D’Aungillique] was able to do was she was able to get people to listen and really be no-nonsense at the same time,” Slack said, praising the policy and interpersonal skills Jackson developed during her time as president of Fresno State’s NAACP chapter as fundamental in the successful organization of the protest. “This protest was so organized it received
national attention on multiple news networks. She became the face of protesting social injustice in Central California. She became the voice of the people,” said Kyle “DJ Kay Rich” Richards, Fresno State men’s basketball’s official DJ, who performed crowd control during the protest. Fresno State sociology professor Matthew Jendian, who worked with Jackson during the Black Lives Matter protest, recognized her passion and talent for organizing. “I remember [Jendian] just looking at me and listening to the way I was interacting with the world and the way that I was like looking at these questions, and he was just like, ‘Have you ever heard of sociology before?’” Jackson said. Until that point, negative experiences within the psychology department had mirrored Jackson’s earlier frustrations with her high school counselors. In class settings with little representation and the expectation to speak up as the only Black person in most of her courses, Jackson said she felt herself losing interest in psychology.
A little more research and further interactions with sociology staff members persuaded Jackson to make her major change official. “I was truly blessed when D’Aungillique joined one of my sociology classes,” said Fresno State assistant professor Janine Nkosi, who also praised Jackson’s work as president of the Fresno State NAACP chapter in helping students register to vote among other goals. The move to Associated Students Inc. (ASI) president similarly took time. When Jackson lost her first election in 2019 by a slim margin, she said she took it hard, but her commitment to organizations at Fresno State, as well as continued work as a programs assistant in ASI, only further spread her name around campus and solidified her qualifications. It was the 2020 ASI election, in which a candidate was alleged to have bribed individuals for votes, that convinced Jackson there was work to be done within ASI that she was ready to undertake. “I really wanted to run again to be in a position to look more in-depth at ASI’s policies and
create more of an equitable process,” Jackson said. Anou Vang, ASI vice president of finance, reflected on Jackson’s presidency as an instance of the “stars aligning.” “Seeing what President Jackson has to handle on the day to day in terms of ASI business, as well as the challenges in her personal life, motivates me to try that much harder. The Fresno State community is so lucky to have her serving as the student body president during these very difficult and challenging times,” Vang said. “With her as our president, I think that our campus has benefited a great deal… I think people see D’Aun as someone who is relatable, they can see themselves in her and that’s super important,” said Jackson’s close friend Alisha Wilson. Now, potentially graduating in May 2022 with her bachelors in sociology, Jackson said she finds herself torn among her many options, but she’s made up her mind on one thing. “I have a lot of unfinished business with the city of Fresno,” Jackson said.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
THE COLLEGIAN • A&E
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USU Productions event struggles to attract in-person attendees By Viviana Hinojos Reporter
University Student Union (USU) Productions hoped to provide students with an opportunity to visualize their futures together in the Satellite Student Union (SSU) on Wednesday, Feb. 9. However, the first in-person event of the semester failed to attract students even after adopting a hybrid format due to COVID-19 concerns. For USU Productions, hosting the “Create Your Own Vision Board” event early on in the semester was important to create campus community and to create a sense of belonging. Anyssa Garza, coordinator of programs, events and leadership for USU Productions, has been involved with it since her undergraduate years as a student event coordinator. “We collaborated with SupportNet and had them present on how to create targeted goals and what that looks like,” Garza said. Despite these efforts to give students an on-campus event, concerns were voiced and issues did arise regarding COVID-19. “We were concerned about how many students would actually attend. This is one of our smaller events, so we were aiming for 40 to 50 students, and also we questioned if students are comfortable with being on campus and coming to an in-person event,” Garza said. To ensure safety and the least amount of COVID-19 exposure, USU Productions followed strict safety measures. The event was hosted in the SSU, a bigger space than previous events for students to spread out and social distance. “We limit five students to a table and make sure masks are worn at all times,” Garza said. Even with safety measures in place and all of the supplies provided to create an eye-catching vision board, few students showed up. One of the students who did attend was Dan Nguyen, a sophomore majoring in forensic behavioral science. Nguyen hoped to use the experience to help focus on what he wants to accomplish this semester. His vision board was full of cut-out images with phrases like “budget” and “debt-free,” conveying a financial concern Nguyen said many students could relate to. Along with his financial goals, he also had a picture of a passport and a world map on his board. “I want to study abroad. I plan to go to Australia because they have my degree program,” Nguyen said. His other goals included being more cre-
Viviana Hinojos • The Collegian
Top: USU Productions set up their tables within the Satellite Student Union to allow for social distancing among visitors. Bottom: Potential examples for vision boards were on display featuring magazine cutouts representing student goals. ative, moving forward with his classes and completing his undergraduate studies. He said he wasn’t expecting much in terms of attendance. He had hoped there would be five or six more people at least. The event was also hybrid, but the number of students who attended virtually was unknown. Since COVID-19 began, most in-person
events have been forced online. With students now back on campus, but this low of a turnout, Garza said USU Productions may keep all events virtual. “Considering the turnout of this event, I think now we have to adapt to what’s going on. We see that students are not coming out. So what if we made it hybrid or solely virtual?” Garza said.
USU Productions plans to develop its social media presence and post physical flyers around campus in an attempt to attract more students to future events. “It’s a matter of tagging other departments and letting them know we have events going on which is an area we’ve been lacking in. We want to let students know this is happening on campus and is also virtual,” Garza said.
OPINION
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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
Hello to Fresno State and hello to The Collegian
Melina Kazanjian • The Collegian
The fountain located between the Kennel Bookstore and The Collegian office on Feb. 2, 2022. The Collegian is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2022.
By Jannah Geraldo Editor-In-Chief
When I first told my family I wanted to pursue a career in journalism they were supportive, but concerned. Thoughts of journalists always at the forefront of reporting on large issues surely worried them, especially as I was one of their first children to go to college in the United States. I come from a Filipino family, and it was no shock to me when they entertained the idea that I pursue the medical field instead. But the importance of writing honest and transparent truth stood out to me more. I’ve been fortunate enough to have worked with The Collegian since fall 2020 as a reporter, and now I will be taking my biggest challenge as
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.
the editor-in-chief for spring 2022. In my first interaction with journalistic writing, I wrote a profile story on a local veteran. It was my first time writing a story grounded in life rather than fiction. Funny enough, it was almost a revelation that I could write something so real, and capture real-world experiences through words on a page. After my first year attending Fresno State, I was forced to learn reporting with the limitations of the pandemic. My first story dealt with COVID-19’s impact on mental health, and it was definitely a challenge. Hearing the struggles faced by students early into the pandemic only set the tone for the future, with closures and cancellations impacting
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every story I wrote that semester. Still, over time the stories continued to expand, bridging into campus issues, student government and concerns on campus. It forced me to push out of my comfort zone, because admittedly I’m not the most extroverted person, and every interview was a challenge. After writing stories, though, it was rewarding. Each story dealt with a different facet of campus life, and captured the effort put into researching, verifying and sourcing information. Journalism, although challenging, is important. As student journalists, our work may sometimes be overlooked, but our work ethic will continue to remain strong. This semester, The Collegian will work towards reporting on different aspects of campus.
Jannah Geraldo Jesús Cano Manuel Hernandez Ashley Flowers Estela Anahi Jaramillo Stacy Hurtado Edward Lopez Adam Ricardo Solis Viviana Hinojos Aidan Garaygordobil Tyler Van Dyke Jermaine Abraham Julia Espinoza
Staff Photographer Staff Photographer General Manager General Sales Manager National Sales Manager Local Sales Manager Special Projects Manager Special Projects Manager General Manager Financial Manager Advertising Faculty Adviser Editorial Faculty Adviser MCJ Department Chair
From events and activities, to sports and to breaking news, we will continue to serve students with important news. In terms of our staff, we have expanded our team to offer more content in multimedia, with a designated multimedia reporter to capture stories visually. Our social media has also made the effort to remain interactive with our community, emphasizing the work of our photographers to once again give our writing the visual assets as well. Our reporters all have shown tremendous work ethic, and are determined to report on stories throughout the university. This year is also the 100th anniversary of The Collegian, and we hope to incorporate that throughout 2022 in our stories and social media. The Collegian has had significant history while publishing at Fresno State since 1922, witnessing and reporting historical events on campus, locally and nationally. Our most recent story covering its history details the time when The Collegian separated itself from the university, and its later return years after. Even with the challenges and difficulties the newspaper faced, it continued to provide news and entertainment to students. As a staff, The Collegian has looked through previous archives to find important landmarks in its history, and specific details in its time at Fresno State. An addition throughout this centennial year will be the various Collegian logos used by the newspaper throughout the years, starting off with its original logo from 1922. As seen in its longevity, The Collegian still upholds its journalistic practice in covering stories relevant to students and relevant to the university community. I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity and for this new chapter in my time as a journalist, and I am looking forward to this spring.
Melina Kazanjian Wyatt Bible Lexee Padrick Hannah Hieber Mackenzie Brazier Carli Medina Teagan Riley Brenda Valdez Richard Marshall Kevin Fries Jan Edwards Timothy Drachlis Betsy Hays
The Collegian carries four different ethnic supplements inserted several times throughout each semester into its print publication. Each supplement is produced by its own staff and advisers and is separate from The Collegian. The news stories or opinions in the supplements do not reflect those of The Collegian.
Each member of the campus community is permitted a copy of The Collegian. Subscriptions are available for $25, on a semester basis. Staff positions at The Collegian are open to students of all majors. All content Copyright © 2022 The Collegian. Letters to the Editor (collegian@csufresno.edu): All letters submitted to The Collegian should be between 250-500 words in length, must be type-written, and must be accompanied by a full name and phone number to verify content. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all material for length, content, spelling and grammar, as well as the right to refuse publication of any material submitted. All material submitted to The Collegian becomes property of The Collegian.
SPORTS
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU
PAGE 10
Fresno State welcomes new faces to Bulldog softball By Estela Anahi Jaramillo Sports Editor
The returning 2021 Mountain West Championship team is striving to meet higher goals as it enters its upcoming season with new faces in the team and coaching staff. “We’re here to win a championship,” Bulldog head coach Stacy May-Johnson said. “That’s what we set out to do every year and we feel like we’ve got a lot of the pieces that we need to do that. And now it’s about getting out there, finding out where we stand today and learning where we need to grow.” The Bulldogs welcomed new head coach May-Johnson in 2021, following former head coach Linda Garza, who was accused by a former player over an alleged physical altercation in the 2021 season. Garza is now the head coach at Nevada. Growing up in Reno, Nevada, May-Johnson knew about Bulldog softball, so she said it allowed her to join the team this season with some familiarity of how Fresno State plays. May-Johnson noted that every year every team is different but this season, with the Bulldogs, it comes down to finding those key pieces to become the best team they can be. “We’ve got to be good in all facets: hitting, pitching, defense, base running. We’ve got to have all those things lined up and working together. And that’s our recipe to win,” May-Johnson said. Last year the team performed well, taking the MW championship win on senior day. Outfielder Keahilele Mattson, 2021 MW Player of the Year, and returning infielder Vanessa Hernandez, all region performer from last year, both said the odds are stacked against them this season as the reigning champs. “Everybody thinks that we’re basically not going to stack up as we did last year, so it’ll be fun to prove everybody wrong again this year and just go out there and have fun,” Mattson said. “As far as just getting back to the conference and going for that back-to-back title, I think that’s
Kameron Thorn • The Collegian
Fresno State’s Danielle Lung (left) delivers a pitch. Vanessa Hernandez (right) steps up to the plate in Fresno’s game against San Jose State at Margie Wright Diamond on Saturday, March 20, 2021.
such a big thing. And just a lot of people are doubting us.” Hernandez said. Mattson, as the team’s top batter, and Hernandez are some standout players to look for this season, according to May-Johnson. May-Johnson noted that middle infielders Adriana Noriega and Alesia Denby are players who can hit the ball well. In the 2021 season, Noriega was fourth following Hernandez, batting a .328 average and Denby was eighth, batting a .222 average. She is also anticipating Cassidy West to be the Bulldog ace this season following the transfer of 2021 MW Pitcher of the Year Hailey Dolcini. West pitched a total of three innings last season allowing three hits, one run and striking out three. May-Johnson also highlighted Texas transfer Bailey Williams and freshman Alex Wright from Clovis West. May-Johnson said they would be strong at bat for the season. May-Johnson also anticipates transfer pitchers Casey Dixon and Marley Hanlon to prove useful to the team in the upcoming season. May-Johnson hopes to get the softball team back into the College World Series, and is excited to play in front of fans this season. “There’s nothing like a full crowd at Margie Wright Diamond, and I’m excited to finally get to experience that Red Wave for the first time in my career, and I’m excited to bring some wins to help, you know, our fans and our community. They deserve those wins,” May-Johnson said. Mattson explained some things she Kameron Thorn • The Collegian wants to imAdrianna Noriega prove for her
personal play, one being more consistency. In the 2021 season, Mattson led the ‘Dogs batting average at a .358 and had a .976 field percentage following Noriega. “I’m excited to just ball out again. To be able to go out there and forget about last year and then kind of just make this like a new year and fresh start, fresh everything. It’s a new team. So that’ll be fun to see how we fare out and then how we throw against everybody else,” Mattson said, regarding the new season. Mattson is looking forward to how the team is going to perform. She also praised this year’s new coaching staff, enjoying the practices. She noted this conference season will be a hard one for the Bulldogs, but if the team focuses on things it needs to improve, the team has a great chance at a run. Hernandez said the new faces on the team this year will result in a new playing style for the Bulldogs. With this being her final season with the Bulldogs after starting her collegiate career in 2019, she said she is looking forward to stepping up as a leader, embracing her last year. “For me, I would say the biggest goal is to just hit, hit, hit. Last year was probably one of my best years so far here and just trying to talk about that,” Hernandez said. West, now a sophomore, is entering her second season with the ‘Dogs and said she is eager to play with the team and travel. “I think we have a great amount of potential. These girls are very hardworking and they put their all into everything they do. And some of them come before practice, [and] they’re the last ones to leave after practice. So I think our chances of winning are really high,” West said. “I really love this new coaching staff. They put their players first, they always ask how
we’re doing,” West said. “And it’s not just about softball, you know, like they truly want to get to know us as people. And I think that’s really important for team dynamics. But they’re all super hard working, they’ll change up things to fit you. I think that’s rare to see in coaches.” The ‘Dogs opened their 2022 season in Florida at the CFX Classic tournament on Feb. 1113. The first day, the Bulldogs played Longwood at 8 a.m., losing the game 8-7. The ‘Dogs closed their second day in Orlando with two tough losses against No. 12 Georgia with the score of 11-5, and UCF with the score of 6 -1. Their final game of the tournament wrapped up their time in the CFX Classic against Minnesota 7-3. The Bulldogs play their first home game of the season against UC Davis Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. and Feb. 20 at noon at Margie Wright Diamond.
Kameron Thorn • The Collegian
Danielle Lung in action last season against Oregon at Margie Wright Diamond.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
PAGE 11
THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS
Orlando Robinson: The ‘big man’ in the arena
Melina Kazanjian • The Collegian
Fresno State’s “big man” Orlando Robinson tied in the 24th spot for the Bulldogs’ all time scoring list with 1,169 career points in their game against Wyoming.
By Tyler Van Dyke Reporter
Now in his senior year, Fresno State big man Orlando Robinson has been garnering a lot of national attention with his dominant play throughout this season. He was also named to the Mid-Season Watch List for the 2021-22 Lute Olson National Player of the Year award, which is presented annually to the top player in Division I college basketball. Robinson was not only named the Lute Olson National Player of the Week by College Insider for the week of Jan. 17, but he was also named the Mountain West Player of the Week for the first time in his career as a Bulldog. The Las Vegas native has solidified himself as not only one of the best big men in all of college basketball but one of the best all-around players period, finding himself among the top 50 players in the country in scoring. The seven-foot big man averaged 27.5 points and 11.5 rebounds during that week while leading the Bulldogs to a 2-0 record with away game victories over San Jose State 79-59 and UNLV 73-68. Robinson dominated in the blowout win against San Jose State, putting up a season-high 31 points while grabbing 12 rebounds. He then followed that up by scoring 24 points and pulling down 11 rebounds to lead in the victory over UNLV in his hometown of Las Vegas. “He hurt his tongue, hurt his eye, you know did a lot of stuff, but he is a pretty tough cookie
though,” Fresno State head coach Justin Hutson said. Robinson has played through those nagging injuries and came out with 11 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three blocks in a win over Utah State on Jan. 18. He then proceeded to get 26 points, grabbing 12 boards and dishing out four assists in a close loss against Nevada on the road on Jan. 21. He leads his team in the scoring department this season, averaging 19.2 points per game this year so far and shooting a 50% clip from the field. He is also the leader in rebounding for the Bulldogs grabbing 8.6 rebounds per game. As Robinson climbs the all-time scoring list in Fresno State history this season, Hutson weighed in on what it means to him to see Robinson be so successful. “As a coach you will probably look back on it when he is gone, right I think you don’t really reflect in it right now you know I mean you ask him and yeah it’s important,” Hutson said. “But I think it’s something that when he is gone I think we will reflect on some of the stuff that he has done.” His coach is not the only one who can attest to the dominant season that Robinson is having so far, as his teammates who are on the floor with him gave praise to what he has been able to accomplish while at Fresno State. “I’ve been around him for three years now so I am just real proud of him and seeing him go up the list is really crazy honestly and there are not that many times where a guy like this comes
in and plays like that, he’s a real special talent,” Fresno State guard Anthony Holland said. During a tough grind-it-out game against New Mexico at the Pit arena, Robinson got in an ankle injury and had to sit out the remaining 12 minutes of the first half. With Fresno State up 41-26 at halftime, New Mexico went on a 23-8 run in the second half to cut their deficit to two points at 51-49. With Robinson able to return for nearly the last nine minutes of the game, Fresno State was able to win by 5 points with 65-60 over the Lobos. Hutson touched on what he thought about Robinson’s health during the game and having him come back in the game in the second half. “He showed me what I know about O already. If I didn’t think he had that, he wouldn’t have went back in the game, right? When he said he had a chance to go back in, someone who works as hard as he does and means as much to our program and us as he does, if he says he has a chance to go back in and they say he was healthy then we were going to give him a chance to go back in,” Hutson said. Robinson’s health was a major concern coming off the New Mexico game and going into a huge showdown with Boise State at the Save Mart Center Friday, Jan. 28. He started off the week not practicing and then was able to get in a limited practice on Thursday, eventually being able to suit up for the matchup against the No.1 in the Mountain West Broncos. With the performance that Robinson put together, audiences would have had no idea that he hardly practiced all week and was coming in
with an injury designation. Robinson started the game scoring the majority of the points for the ‘Dogs right off the tip. A back-and-forth, hard-fought game led to a game-tying shot by Boise State’s Marcus Shaver Jr. to take it into overtime. Robinson was lost early in the overtime period, fouling out on an offensive charging call. The Bulldogs lacked their go-to guy and ultimately weren’t able to pull out the win, losing a close one 68-63. Robinson continued to show why he has earned national exposure, leading his team with a dominant scoring effort and putting up a game-high 21 points on 9-for-15 shooting for the Bulldogs, as well as grabbing five boards in the loss. Robinson looks to continue his stellar season. He helped his team get a bounce back win against SJSU on Tuesday, Feb. 1 with a 73-43 sweep. Robinson was the leading scorer of that game with 18 points. After the Feb. 4 win against Nevada, Robinson’s national exposure continued as he rose to the No. 2 in the nation for KenPom.com’s National Player of the Year standings. Despite the 61-59 loss against Wyoming on Feb. 6, the Naismith Awards announced that Robinson was named to the Mid-season Team for the 2022 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy National Player of the Year award. Robinson will enter the ‘Dogs game on Wednesday, Feb. 16 with 1,169 career points, tying the 24th spot on the Bulldogs’ all-time scoring list, just 18 points away from climbing to the 23rd spot with Lonnie Hughey.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2022
THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS
PAGE 12
Women’s Basketball suffers loss against Wyoming
Anahi Jaramillo • The Collegian
Fresno State forward Tamia Stricklin in the Bulldogs’ game against Wyoming on Feb. 12, 2022 at the Save Mart Center.
By Tyler Van Dyke Reporter
Coming off a loss to Nevada in Reno last Saturday, the Fresno State Bulldogs were back home in the Save Mart Center to take on the Wyoming Cowgirls on Saturday with another tough 61-58 loss. The Bulldogs got off to a very slow start, not scoring their first points until 5 minutes in the first quarter. Senior Wytalla Motta got them on the board with a mid-range jumper. Head Coach Jaime White said Motta’s jumper was a much needed bucket for the Bulldogs after their scoring drought.
“They weren’t playing out on our post players and so for [Motta] to knock those down really helped us, especially when we weren’t scoring in some of the other ways,” Coach White said. “So I was pleased to see that. I think that helps her to know that and builds her confidence too.” Motta finished with 9 points, shooting 4-of7 from the floor and grabbed 11 rebounds, adding two assists as well. Leading the way in scoring was the Cavinders, as Haley and Hanna both had 11 points each for Fresno State. Haley grabbed eight rebounds and also dished out four assists. Hanna pulled down four
rebounds and led the Bulldogs in assists with five. Haley Cavinder and Motta were the combined high scorers in the first half for the Dog’s, scoring 7 points. Cavinder added three rebounds and two assists while Motta contributed six rebounds as well. Coach White commented on the struggles they had scoring and how that contributed to them being down at halftime. “Really if you look at it, we didn’t score in the first half. Let them score too many in the second quarter, but we fought hard and came back.” Although it was a rough first half, the Bulldogs picked up the energy and fought back hard in the second. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter where they came back from a double-digit Wyoming lead but the ‘Dogs weren’t able to sustain the energy they needed to complete the comeback. The ‘Dogs offense came alive in the second quarter as they scored 16 of their 24 first-half points in that quarter. The Cowgirls, however, stayed consistent offensively, keeping their 37-24 lead into halftime. After scoring 1 point in the first half, Hanna Cavinder got it going at the start of the third quarter with a jumper and then two free throws to lower the deficit to 9 points for the Bulldogs
with around 7 minutes remaining. But it wouldn’t be until the fourth quarter when Fresno State took its first lead of the game on a second-chance bucket by freshman Jessica Peterson, making it 48-47 with around 4 minutes left in the game. Coming off the bench, Peterson scored 8 points, shooting 3-of-6 from the field and also helped out on the glass, pulling down eight rebounds and adding a block as well. “Yeah, Jess is strong. She’s strong and she has good height. She has a knack to find the ball offensively. I am sure some of those rebounds were offensive and [she] just really focused on the things she needs to do,” White said. Peterson talked about how she enjoyed contributing to the team, even though it was in a loss. “It feels good. It would’ve felt better if we won, but it’s still good to you know contribute any way I can,” Peterson said. With the Dogs’ down 59-53 with 34 seconds remaining, senior Aimee Book knocked down a clutch 3-pointer, making it just a 3 point game. Book had gone 0-for-3 in the game before hitting that three. White talked about how Book stepped up and took a shot in a big moment after not seeing the ball go through the net up to that point. “She’s a shooter and she was set and ready, and we really need to encourage our kids when they have that open moment,” White said. “Especially in game situations where you know they are doubling and triple-teaming some of our other kids they got to step up and knock em down.” But even with that clutch 3 from Book, the Bulldogs just couldn’t overcome the lead the Cowgirls built. Overall, the Bulldogs shot 23-of-57 for the game, which is 40% from the floor, and 5-of-16 for 31% from beyond the arc in the loss. Fresno State lost their third straight game on Feb. 14 against Nevada 72-68 in the Save Mart Center. The Wolf Pack and the Bulldogs kept the score close throughout the game until the fourth quarter. The leading scorer of the game was Haley Cavinder with 20 points. Following her with 17 points was Hanna Cavinder. Wytalla Motta helped the ‘Dogs with 11 rebounds from the Wolf Pack. The ‘Dogs are now 9-14 overall this season, 5-7 in their Mountain West conference season. The ‘Dogs take on UNLV (20-4, 12-1 MW) in Las Vegas on Wednesday Feb. 16. Tip off is set for 6:30 p.m. in the Thomas and Mack Center.