This semester I’ve learned that struggling isn’t always a negative thing, having faith in myself and others abilities, and understanding that everyone’s differences is a strength, not a weakness. I made close friends among the editors and sat in when they did interviews, edited articles, and bounced ideas off of other minds which helped me grow in a lot of different areas of journalism. I realized that my way of doing things is only one way and started to incorporated others ideas into my own work. I think something I would like to work on is taking things so personally and having more empathy for others. What is really rewarding, is working with others on their writing, and seeing people grow into the journalistic style. A lot of people in journalism, me included, get stressed and frustrated at not doing something perfect the first time. I saw this with others in their writing. Some would work on an article in their own separate google doc until they thought it was deemed worthy enough for others eyes. At first I found this aggravating because I wasn’t able to help them. Even worse, some wouldn’t do the work at all for fear of failure. However, as I began editing and designing more, I began to realize that I felt the exact same way.
These were new skills I felt inferior in. With design, I panicked, and found myself not wanting to do the work at all because I was petrified I wouldn’t do it right or the spread would look awful. I constantly asked others if it looked okay, if the design was off or something was too bold. However, I discovered that the more I second guessed myself, the slower I was learning. That is also when I realized that the writers who were struggling writing and were frozen in fear, needed the same reassurance. I know the in-depth articles can be daunting in length and content, but I tried to encourage others to just try it, to throw their greatest effort at it because it can always be polished later. I attempted to do the same with my designing and ended up growing considerably. If I had to choose a way to describe my leadership style I think I try to encourage people to do the best they can and attempt to be approachable so they can ask questions. The more questions they ask, the more I can help and work with the challenges they face when trying to get interviews, or phrase certain things. This semester I learned a lot about indesign, illustrator, and photoshop. It seemed extremely daunting at first, as I mentioned previously, but
I have found a great love for it. It can get frustrating when things aren’t working the way you want them to but the logical thought and critical thinking you have to use to figure it out is really refreshing. It’s a new level of satisfaction when you find what you’ve been looking for to finish a project you’re working on. I did realize early on in the semester that encouraging people to finish their articles and such on time is really important and trying to provide all the help I can give them so they can meet deadline is imperative if I want the pieces to be high quality in the end. If I and other people don’t meet deadlines, it gets harder to edit or change the direction of the article later. I believe I made an effort to be an asset to the staff this semester by having a positive attitude, passion, and open mind. I really care for the paper and the ethics of journalism, even more now as an editor. My mind has opened up to so many problems the media phases today, not only in our nation, but around the globe. It’s more important than ever to keep those virtues alive and in practice.
As much as I attempt to go into depth on as much as my stories as possible, my story about becoming a legal immigrant was probably the most extensive article I wrote this semester. Over the summer, I spent time in Boston, interviewing protesters rallying at their state house, and people who were passionate about this subject. I learned a great deal about how difficult it is to become a citizen in the United States. When I got back to Arizona and started my new page, I realized the first thing I wanted to cover was illegal immigration. It was an especially hot topic at the time because of separation of families at the border. I wound up writing an article about the system people must go through to gain citizenship. It was extremely difficult to find people to interview because I couldn’t just ask people who I had heard things about like I can with most articles. I finally figured out how to get names after I interviewed Ms. Nassr and asked her if she knew anyone. She gave me an abundant amount of students to interview. What I enjoyed most was how it wasn’t just about the southwest border but I interviewed people from all over the world. I wish I could have gone into more detail because I found this subject really interesting. I would love to look into it more next semester and cover it using different angles.
This final piece of work is on the following page. Edited Version With all of the scrutiny on illegal immigration in this nation, there has not been much focus on what it takes to legally become a United States citizen. According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, 756,000 people became U.S. citizens in 2016. By contrast, while there is no official count, estimates put forward by factcheck.org, an organization who verifies data, show that illegal immigration peaked in 2000 at 1.64 million, and had declined to around 303,916 in 2017. Karli Miller, a student with a citizenship in Canada and a green card from the United States, said that her family moved to America because of the job opportunities here that weren’t available in Canada. “America prides itself on being the land of the free, and a lot of other countries aren’t like that and don’t get the same freedom,” said Miller. Despite the knowledge that entering a country illegally is fraudulent, tensions rising in other nations cause many of those immigrating to take the risk. For instance, a Pew study discovered that the number of immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala increased by 25 percent between 2015 and 2017. This is due largely to the violence, poverty, war and other situations which make staying in their native nation unbearable. Many people agreed with President’s Trump’s decision last year to end DACA, echoing the sentiments of was supported by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who suggested on MSNBC that immigrants should, “Go home and get in line, come into the United States legally, then get a green card, then become a citizen.” For many people living in dangerous conditions, the wait to become a legal US citizen is too long, pushing them to illegally cross the border. A 2017 story on immigration in the Atlantic explains the reasons for the long wait times. “The United States has a cap for how many people can apply for a visa from each country. There are three factors that determine who gets approved: what category an individual falls under, how many others are in that category, and when an individual applies. Certain types of people have to wait decades to apply for an immigrant visa, while others take a much shorter amount of time. A U.S. permanent resident’s unmarried son or daughter, who is 21 years old or older, will have to wait roughly 21 years to file an application for an immigrant visa if they’re from Mexico.” “I think it’s very long and I don’t think it’s particularly fair. I’m not entirely sure what all the steps are specifically, but I think some of them are very necessary. I think the bureaucracy is unnecessary,” said Doni Nasr, a Spanish teacher. The first requirement for gaining citizenship is to obtain a green card. There are close to no exceptions for this. In order to receive one, there is a quiz to determine whether one is eligible. “Both my parents are Canadian. My dad had dual citizenship so it was easier for me to enter as well. It was difficult for my mom because she had to go through the whole process of getting a green card as well, and she was over 25, so, by then, it’s just more difficult to get in,” said Miller. When people come into the United States for work, many get a work visa before applying for a green card while they’re gaining a more permanent way to stay.
This piece was such an ture. While doing rese ended up going on severa and a roadtrip. I got to some amazing memories also a different style th used to writing. It was m columnists style which I refreshing.
This was a really fun interesting article to write. I enjoyed the extensive interviews and research I needed to do. The stories I heard and the documentaries I watched were really meaningful. I chose this piece because I feel like it was the most significant piece I had the pleasure of writing.
advenearch I al hikes o make s. It was han I’m more of a I found
I struggled for a while trying to find a way to demonstrate human trafficking through a photo. I didn’t want to do something too over done so I searched for a more unique concept. Eventually, I came up with one and I really adore how it came out. The pop of color with the red tags was fun to design with and I think it illustrates the issue in a metaphorical way.
I wrote this article last year and was stoked to do it again. Cave Creek has always been my home for the holidays and to spread a bit of that love means a lot to me. They have always done a great job at being festive and full of spirit. The pictures are exciting to shoot as well because of all the lights. Playing with the colors and night photography is interesting to get creative with.
T e a r Sheets
In-Depth, Page 10, Sept. 28, 2018
In-Depth, Page 10, Oct. 19, 2018
10 ● October 19, 2018
in Depth
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
The horrors of human trafficking
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS IN DEPTH
Trafficking in Phoe
With the current sex trafficking industry could be a person’s greatest tool against Evan Myers Staff writer
Arizona, land of the sun and retirees… and human trafficking. While the Valley of the Sun is not usually associated with this particular crime, Arizona had almost a 30 percent increase in reported cases of human trafficking in 2016, according the National Human Trafficking Hotline -- 151 cases were reported, up from 117 the year before. Brad Penner, the School Resource Officer, who used to specialize in cases of human trafficking and reported that there is a problem locally with trafficking. “In recent years, Arizona State University conducted
SEX TRAFFICKING STATISTICS 4MAJA PEIRCE
Modern slavery Creeker, Page 9,day Oct. 19, 2018
Thousands of Americans are sold into the sex trade every year. THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS CREEKER
V
Old town treasures
By Grace Carey
their will and forced into sexual acts by their pimp. staff writer They do not run, because they fear being killed. They do not talk, because they fear risking others lives. ictims are given false hopes and promOccasionally, they are impregnated by traffickers and ises everyday, eventually leading them their child is used as blackmail to keep them around. into trafficking. Cross highlighted in manipulaparticular By Maja PeirceAn estimated 14,500—17,500 people Once theyexcavation have been is under the pimp’s In Depth Editor hundreds pieces discovered in the Spur tionwith for some time, of victims often develop Stockholm are sold into human trafficking in the Cross area in the 1980’s. Capturing United the town’s Cave Creek Syndrome, sentiments of trust or affection toward Stateshistory, annually,The according to Opposite the the Museum holds thewide, foundation its treasured their captor. When theSpur pimp Cross has faithExhibit in their lies loyalty, DoSomething.org. World the profitofmade by this girls are given thewhere title “bottom and beginearly to crimepast. is an estimated $150 billion. It can happen at Pioneer Wing visitorsgirl,” learn about handle money, training, and recruiting. any time, anywhere, to whomever. “When you think of the local history, it might Cave Creek’s mining, military, and ranching pimp is the guy, he’s the one who gets the money, “Human trafficking is the western third-biggest history. be a sleepy, backwards, town criminow, but “A onemuseum who runs reopened the show. He do it alone, nal enterprise in had the world,” said Amy The oncan’t October third Cave Creek some wild, wildKlobuchar, history out he’s the because he wants to go party, so he promotes one of Minnesota Senator at the Democratic Convention. here.” said Karrie Porter Brace, museum direc- after setting up their new annual exhibit feahis girls to his bottom. She’s now the leader in control According to ark.cs.washinton.edu who fact turing a local artist. This years “Artist in tor. when he’s not around,” said Brad Penner, the school checked Klobuckars’ speech, “A U.N. agency estiResidence” According Thetotal museum out of theatHistoric resource officer is whoSharon worked Brening. with the Federal Bureauto mated the value sprouted of human trafficking $150 the Sonoranfor News, she is realist painter who First of Cave Creekfor built 1948. After of Investigation five years onaSex Trafficking. billion. TheChurch comparable estimates thein drug trade years, the$280 museum outbillion. of theThere church paints with layers and glazing. Brening was the range17from about billiongrew to $420 firsta Pimp woman to win and intoestimate a new building built for of that purpose is one dicey for counterfeiting $250 bilWhat Looks Fora gold medal in the Annual lion. on By those human trafficking does rank are typically clever in how in they find and Western Artists of America Show Texas. site. measures, The historic church remained one of Traffickers third.” can be anyone Asidevictims. from theTraffickers three main wings inside,from there the main outdoor exhibits, and is frequently keep their It is onused it’s way to surpassing the illegal sale and low-level pimps to women to the nines. They is a small room off todressed the west side of the art still for weddings. distribution of drugs and arms, because, unlike drugs target people with similar backgrounds, making it Cave Creek was home to a successful min- gallery dedicated as the museum’s research and guns, people can be sold time and time again. easier to form a connection with potential victims. ing district, consequently, the museum is also library. Photos and documents have been Generating this amount of income annually, the busi“I think that traffickers probably look for people home to The Golden Reef fully functioning archived there describing the characters that ness has proved to be highly lucrative. Therefore, the they view as being weak, because they can manipuThe Creek into what it is today. stamp mill, once used to sift ore during The latebuilt trafficking numbers have greatly increased. them,” said Natalie Persyn, a sophomore. Visitors who visit Creek’s mining days. Victims are targeted because they experience a the museum “My favorite part of the museum is the map hardship. These stick have out to traffickers, because they Sex Trafficking thea option to have a Traffickers also look for that displays all the in the area. like to make victim vulnerable. The most prevalent typemines of trafficking is sex Itraftour guide go out find them.” said Ryder senior. those that seemortoto belook out of their element making it ficking. Thisand alone makes roughly $33.5Jones, billionaeach easier for them to manipulate year. Young in particular, are primary tararound on their own. people into performing Largewomen, cities on the east coast of the United thatvolunteer they would tour not typically engage in. gets.States Most often, victimshaving are not polluted physicallyand abducted. The struggled smoggy tasks This air is considered andAitgreat is significantly easier during themessy 1920’s. deal of the popu- guides at the museum for traffickers to lure people relationships. Sad Truth considerlation suffered from ainto bacterial disease known Thededicates On the contrary, some are abducted. These victims After bonds form, traffickers begin asking for as Tuberculosis and doctors began to send able time and knowlare typically sex trafficked. They are held against favors, resulting in men, women, and children, being
patients out west in search of dry clean air. A significant amount of the founders of Cave Creek moved to the desert to improve their health. Survivors became familiar with one another and made homes in the area following their treatment. Additional outdoor exhibits include one of the last fully intact tubercular cabins in Arizona. “Between the outdoor exhibits and inside room dedicated to mining, I came away with a lot more knowledge than I had before, making it a very successful trip.” said Bryce Brown, a junior. Inside the museum is the Archeology Wing. This room provides artifacts and information on the many ancient cultures that lived in the area from year zero to the present. The Spur
in over their heads. “It’s really sad, because these people trust the traffickers and a lot of times they’re all they have,” said Cheyenne Yerkes, a sophomore. Internationally, 40.3 billion people are involved with a type of human trafficking, according to the International Labour Organization. Some are sex trafficked, some labor forced, and others kept in a debt bond. The targeted victims can be anyone from young girls living on the streets, to grown men trying to repair debts. As soon as traffickers have manipulated an individual enough, they cling to anything that can keep them. From threats to buying them desired things, the victims are roped in. Traffickers frequently move their people in a circuit formation. Typically, they move from state to state, and are placed in trafficking hot spots. States are either referred to as being hot, or cold. If a state is hot, people are taken there; if it’s cold, they are not. These terms are able to tell traffickers whether or not law enforcement is heavy in that area. “They actually have a website, it’s for pimps to go on to and they can “check the temperature,” and what that means is, if it’s hot, police is low and money is good. If it’s cold police is high and money is not good, so they won’t go there,” said Penner. Both the east and west coast are prevalent locations where victims are taken. Sometimes, they are even taken out to port cities and shipped off to other continents. Once victims are abroad, they are likely to spend their life in trafficking. They will never own anything as long as they “belong” to someone else. Their once promised “better life” has been taken from them and they often never get their old life completely, if at all, back.
“My favorite part of the museum is the map that displays all the mines in the area. I like to go out and find them.”
Less than 50% of victims are kidnapped as most victims are “groomed” by the traffciker. October 19, 2018 ● 9
81% of victims are stuck in forced labor. 25% of vitims are children. 75% of them are women and girls. Forced labor and human trafficking is a $150 billion dollar industry worldwide, according to the International Labour Organization. The International Labour Organization estimates that there are around 40.3 million victims globally and 1.5 million in the United States. Around 2 million children are subjected into the prostitution for the global commercial sex trade.
polarisproject.org and arkofhopeforchildren.org
WJO BREESE
edge to the museum on a daily basis and express great enthusiasm about the job. “It surprised me that I ended up learning not only about R yder Jones mining but about a senior anything and everything Cave Creek. That was pretty cool.” said Brown. Although closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, the museum is open Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from one in the afternoon to 4:30 pm in the evening. On Fridays they open at 10 am. Admission price for students 12 RYDER JONES, a senior, views the collection of photos at the Cave Creek Museum; many residents and students have never heard of the museum, although it has been opened and over is five dollars each. since 1948. 4MAJA PEIRCE
a study on on an aver to reveal t looking for night,” said Human transporti typically fo sexual exp Some st 1 out of 6 Arizona, th ficking on Sex young a 102% o typicall transge Accor makes o #2 prob #1,” said A 12 several “hot spo ally und a pimp.” Survi always c “He w and pick Victim Phoenix and cou help,” sa Accor vides a safe and women vors in l Rooms.” They help su and spir “The as soon more. P of them The D 2017 wi least on Erin difficult predato can atta up your away fr who are Saube away fr Anthon “Just Sauber. The H showing since 20 were ma have bee
Life, Page 14, Nov. 20, 2018
In-Depth, Page 12, Nov. 20, 2018
in Depth
10 ● September 28, 2018
Immigrants face many hurdles in
finding a new home
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
The path to legal citizenship is rocky By Maja Peirce
ith all of the scrutiny on illegal immigration in this nation, there has not been much focus on what it takes to legally become a United States citizen. According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, 756,000 people became U.S. citizens in 2016. By contrast, while there is no official count, estimates put forward by factcheck.org, an organization who verifies data, show that illegal immigration peaked in 2000 at 1.64 million, and had declined to around 303,916 in 2017. Karli Miller, a student with citizenship in Canada and a green card from the United States, said that her family moved to America because of the job opportunities here that weren’t available in Canada. “America prides itself on being the land of the free, and a lot of other countries aren’t like that and don’t get the same freedom,” said Miller.
barriers, and it can take years before one is able to show enough moral character to be considered for citizenship. After getting a green card and eligibility, one has to fill out paperwork. This process costs a total of $640 to apply, with an additional $85 to get ones body measurements and calculations done if the application is accepted. The wait for citizenship is made a great deal of time longer if any of the initial paperwork filed is wrong. “It’s always a scary situation. I have friends that have been here for years working in all sorts of different levels of their documentation,” said Nasr. After passing a background check, there is an interview between the applicant and a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services officer. The officer goes through the applicant’s paperwork, checking their qualifications. A test is then given to determine the knowledge of civics and the English language. Finally, the applicant takes an oath at a public ceremony to swear loyalty to the United States and achieves citizenship.
Pressures from Native Nations
Getting Assistance
Despite the knowledge that entering a country illegally is fraudulent, tensions rising in other nations cause many of those immigrating to take the risk. For instance, a Pew study discovered that the number of immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala increased by 25 percent between 2015 and 2017. This is due largely to the violence, poverty, war and other situations which make staying in their native nation unbearable. President Trump’s decision last year to end DACA was supported by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who suggested on MSNBC that immigrants should, “Go home and get in line, come into the United States legally, then get a green card, then become a citizen.” For many people living in dangerous conditions, the wait to become a legal US citizen is too long, pushing them to illegally cross the border. A 2017 story on immigration in the Atlantic explains the reasons for the long wait times. “The United States has a cap for how many people can apply for a visa from each country. There are three factors that determine who gets approved: what category an individual falls under, how many others are in that category, and when an individual applies. Certain types of people have to wait decades to apply for an immigrant visa, while others take a much shorter amount of time. A U.S. permanent resident’s unmarried son or daughter, who is 21 years old or older, will have to wait roughly 21 years to file an application for an immigrant visa if they’re from Mexico.” “I think it’s very long and I don’t think it’s particularly fair. I’m not entirely sure what all the steps are specifically, but I think some of them are very necessary. I think the bureaucracy is unnecessary,” said Doni Nasr, a Spanish teacher.
Potential citizens have the opportunity to contact an immigration lawyer. Be that as it may, if those coming from grueling circumstances have little money as well as little time, as many coming from war-torn or poor nations are, it can be difficult to pay the application fee, let alone a lawyer. Furthermore, language barriers can create communication errors, causing struggles throughout the process.
W In Depth Editor
Gaining Citizenship The first requirement for gaining citizenship is to obtain a green card. There are close to no exceptions for this. In order to receive one, there is a quiz to determine whether one is eligible. “Both my parents are Canadian. My dad had dual citizenship so it was easier for me to enter as well. It was difficult for my mom because she had to go through the whole process of getting a green card as well, and she was over 25, so, by then, it’s just more difficult to get in,” said Miller. When people come into the United States for work, many get a work visa before applying for a green card while they’re gaining a more permanent way to stay. “We have a visa now and we are next going to get a green card. We moved because my dad has work here. It took maybe a year, it was kind of hard to get it,” said Tyyra Vahajylkka, a sophomore who moved to the United States from Poland last year. Gaining citizenship becomes complicated in situations where one has committed a crime, or spent long enough outside the United States and is no longer determined to have a “continuous residence.” These types of circumstances create eligibility MAJA PEIRCE, COURTESY OF HOMELAND SECURITY
UUSED WITH PERMISSION FROM
REASON MAGAZINE
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS IN DEPTH
Crossing Arizona Fleeing nations fraught with violence and poverty, people are dying trying to cross the Arizona Border in the hot Sonoran Desert. Frida Alvarado staff writer
For 378 miles, the border stretches between Arizona and Mexico. According to statistics from the United States Border Patrol given to statista.com, in 2017, approximately 294 illegal immigrants died crossing the Southwest border. “It’s so sad how people have to come here illegally. They are obviously just trying to find a better life,” said Maritza Soto, a sophomore. Her parents are immigrants from Mexico. “I just find it really sad because they’re coming here to find new experiences and to support their families, so they can have a better future and it’s such a hard process to go through and they have to go through these extremes... They shouldn’t have to go through that.” Populated by prickly pears, ocotillo, buckhorn cholla cacti, and desert-adapted animals, crossing the long 389 mile trek of Arizona border is not easy. The rising temperatures, the lack of supplies, the animals, drug cartels, and the fear of getting caught are only a few of the huge risks one might face when crossing. Immigrants crossing the border put their faith in guides, called coyotes, and cannot afford enough resources to last
September 28, 2018 ● 11
the whole trip. Coyotes are people-smugglers paid by the immigrants to help them cross the border In the past decade, there has been an estimate of at least 4,205 deaths which only includes the number of remains that have been found. Since 2001, approximately 2,100 migrants have died due to heat strokes, which is a lengthy death. The body slowly starts to shut down in the course of a few days or even hours. In the last stages of heat stroke, hallucinations set it, and you’re temperature hits its max. Your body panics and dilates all blood capillaries near the surface, hoping to flood your skin with blood to cool it off. Your face flushes, eyes turn red and blood vessels burst. Later, the tissue of the whites literally cooks until it goes pink. Although it is a painful death, many immigrants still think it is worth the risk “’There are a lot of criminals and all of that, that are crossing the border and drug runners, that does exists, but I know a lot of people that are here because they’ve been persecuted in their own country and are just trying to be safe, and they contribute to our society. They aren’t all murderers and drug runners,” said Doni Nasr, spanish teacher. “It’s sad that they are putting their lives at risk but I don’t understand why they go out in the hot desert and do something so risky and misleading,” said Sharon Goez, a sophomore. Sharon’s grandparents are immigrants from Mexico and Cuba. Remains in the desert are found by volunteer programs or Border Patrol. The Eagles of the Desert,a group of Hispanic men and women from California and Arizona, go into the desert each year and find the bodies of dead immigrants. Most of the members of the group are immigrants themselves, who find a purpose in helping those stranded in the desert and help provide families with closure. Gathering along the Mexican border, they search for two or more days on foot in hopes of saving an immigrant’s life. Yet, they often find bodies and bones instead. From there, they can only hope to return the remains to family and end the suffering of grieving family members. “I know the agony of losing a loved one to the desert,” said Eli Ortiz, one of the group leaders. In 2009, Ortiz Found the bodies of his brother and cousin. Another organization that helps identify immigrants is the Missing Migrant Project at the Colibri Center for Human Rights, a non-profit, nongovernmental organization in Tucson. Colibri is dedicated to finding missing immigrants that set out to cross the border, which can be difficult because many migrants are found with identification. In addition, they face false identification or the remains of dead immigrants.Not only do they help refugees seeking asylum, but they also support the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner, a office located in southern Az that help identify presumed migrants who’ve lost their lives attempting to cross the border.
What can Arizona do to improve immigration? “I definitely do feel like the wall idea that Trump has proposed at his election, and still today, should be put into prospect.” Nathan
Lasky , junior
“Take in the already illegal immigrants and figure out what to do with them, and not put them in cages.” Megan
Hinsberg , sophomore
“Probably more
border patrol, from Mexico.”
Gavin
R iggs , junior
“Build a wall.” Hunter
McC ulloch , sphomore
“Be nicer to the immigrants.” Abigayle Glidden ,
sophomore
LLOGAN MCDADE AND
GRACE CAREY
10 ● October 19, 2018
in Depth
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
The horrors of human trafficking
Traffic
With the curr could be a pe Evan Myers Staff writer
Arizona, land of the su ficking. While the Valle ated with this particul percent increase in rep 2016, according the Na -- 151 cases were repor Brad Penner, the Sch specialize in cases of hu there is a problem local “In recent years, Ar
TRAF STA
Modern day slavery
4MAJA PEIRCE
Thousands of Americans are sold into the sex trade every year.
V By Grace Carey staff writer
ictims are given false hopes and promises everyday, eventually leading them into trafficking. An estimated 14,500—17,500 people are sold into human trafficking in the United States annually, according to DoSomething.org. World wide, the profit made by this crime is an estimated $150 billion. It can happen at any time, anywhere, to whomever. “Human trafficking is the third-biggest criminal enterprise in the world,” said Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota Senator at the Democratic Convention. According to ark.cs.washinton.edu who fact checked Klobuckars’ speech, “A U.N. agency estimated the total value of human trafficking at $150 billion. The comparable estimates for the drug trade range from about $280 billion to $420 billion. There is one dicey estimate for counterfeiting of $250 billion. By those measures, human trafficking does rank third.” It is on it’s way to surpassing the illegal sale and distribution of drugs and arms, because, unlike drugs and guns, people can be sold time and time again. Generating this amount of income annually, the business has proved to be highly lucrative. Therefore, the trafficking numbers have greatly increased.
Sex Trafficking The most prevalent type of trafficking is sex trafficking. This alone makes roughly $33.5 billion each year. Young women, in particular, are primary targets. Most often, victims are not physically abducted. This is considered messy and it is significantly easier for traffickers to lure people into relationships. On the contrary, some are abducted. These victims are typically sex trafficked. They are held against
their will and forced into sexual acts by their pimp. They do not run, because they fear being killed. They do not talk, because they fear risking others lives. Occasionally, they are impregnated by traffickers and their child is used as blackmail to keep them around. Once they have been under the pimp’s manipulation for some time, victims often develop Stockholm Syndrome, sentiments of trust or affection toward their captor. When the pimp has faith in their loyalty, girls are given the title “bottom girl,” and begin to handle money, training, and recruiting. “A pimp is the guy, he’s the one who gets the money, he’s the one who runs the show. He can’t do it alone, because he wants to go party, so he promotes one of his girls to his bottom. She’s now the leader in control when he’s not around,” said Brad Penner, the school resource officer who worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for five years on Sex Trafficking.
What a Pimp Looks For Traffickers are typically clever in how they find and keep their victims. Traffickers can be anyone from low-level pimps to women dressed to the nines. They target people with similar backgrounds, making it easier to form a connection with potential victims. “I think that traffickers probably look for people they view as being weak, because they can manipulate them,” said Natalie Persyn, a sophomore. Victims are targeted because they experience a hardship. These stick out to traffickers, because they make a victim vulnerable. Traffickers also look for those that seem to be out of their element making it easier for them to manipulate people into performing tasks that they would not typically engage in.
The Sad Truth After bonds form, traffickers begin asking for favors, resulting in men, women, and children, being
in over their heads. “It’s really sad, because these people trust the traffickers and a lot of times they’re all they have,” said Cheyenne Yerkes, a sophomore. Internationally, 40.3 billion people are involved with a type of human trafficking, according to the International Labour Organization. Some are sex trafficked, some labor forced, and others kept in a debt bond. The targeted victims can be anyone from young girls living on the streets, to grown men trying to repair debts. As soon as traffickers have manipulated an individual enough, they cling to anything that can keep them. From threats to buying them desired things, the victims are roped in. Traffickers frequently move their people in a circuit formation. Typically, they move from state to state, and are placed in trafficking hot spots. States are either referred to as being hot, or cold. If a state is hot, people are taken there; if it’s cold, they are not. These terms are able to tell traffickers whether or not law enforcement is heavy in that area. “They actually have a website, it’s for pimps to go on to and they can “check the temperature,” and what that means is, if it’s hot, police is low and money is good. If it’s cold police is high and money is not good, so they won’t go there,” said Penner. Both the east and west coast are prevalent locations where victims are taken. Sometimes, they are even taken out to port cities and shipped off to other continents. Once victims are abroad, they are likely to spend their life in trafficking. They will never own anything as long as they “belong” to someone else. Their once promised “better life” has been taken from them and they often never get their old life completely, if at all, back.
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WJO BREESE
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS IN DEPTH
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SEX FFICKING ATISTICS
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a study on how many men were looking for a prostitute on an average Tuesday night. The numbers came back to reveal that about 75,000 men in the Phoenix area were looking for girls, and only 300 women were working that night,” said Penner. Human Trafficking is the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labour or commercial sexual exploitation. Some statistics about trafficking paint a grim picture: 1 out of 6 runaways become victims of trafficking. In Arizona, the average age of entry for youth into sex trafficking is 14, according the research conducted by ASU on Sex Trafficking and Intervention; 1 in 3 homeless young adults have experienced sex trafficking, only 102% of victims are ever identified; and victims are typically U.S. citizens, including adults, girls, boys and transgender youth. According to Penner, the sex trafficking industry makes over $33.5 billion per year. “Nationally, it is the #2 problem for law enforcement, just behind drugs at #1,” said Penner. “And it’s about to surpass drugs.” A 12 News report on human trafficking identified several locations in Phoenix, Mesa and Chandler as “hot spots” for sex trafficking. These women are usually under-age, and are “working under the control of a pimp.” Survivors told 12 News that the pimp was almost always close by, lingering at a bar or gas station. “He would be there as soon as it was done and come and pick up the money," one survivor said. Victims of trafficking can seek help locally at the Phoenix Dream Center, which provides housing, meals and counseling. “Victims need to seek mental health help,” said Kolten Sauber, a sophomore. According to their website, the Dream Center provides a variety of services. “The first step is always safe and secure housing. We provide safe housing to 48 women (plus up to 12 babies) and 12 young male survivors in luxury suite apartments that we call the Dream Rooms.” They also provide 24-hour trauma security team to help survivors feels safe. The center also has therapy and spiritually-based healing practice, and education. “They are scum of the earth and should be stopped as soon as possible,” said Connor Anthony, a sophomore. Playing with people's lives and taking advantage of them.” The Dream Center reported a 92% success rate in 2017 with graduates staying out of trafficking for at least one year after they completed the program. Erin Myers, a local therapist, warns that it can be difficult to avoid human traffickers. Many times, these predators take advantage of innocent people. “They can attach themselves to your families and really mess up your life,” said Myers. “The best thing to do is to stay away from people who seem too good to be true, or who are overly friendly to you or your family.” Sauber and Anthony agreed with this advice. “Stay away from people who are acting too friendly,” said Anthony. “Just stay away from then and don’t engage,” advised Sauber. The Human Trafficking Hotline provides statistics showing that there have been 2,272 calls and 725 cases since 2007 and the numbers are still growing. 406 calls were made just this year, and 181 cases reported. 159 cases have been female and 52 cases were male and 49 minors.
October 19, 2018 ● 11
Tell about an experience you had where you felt uncomfortable online or out in public? “I was at work one day and I was closing alone and there was a car parked like for an hour before we closed and they were just sitting in front of the place with open windows so they could see everything and then I went to the back to try and throw the trash away and the car sped around the back but I ran inside before they could get out.” -Shelby Nesbitt, junior
“Just walking around Desert Ridge I’ve felt like I was being followed” - Josie C ourtney, junior
“A guy was texting me a lot and then I got a text and he said he wanted to rape me.” - Mackenz ie Z oerb, sophomore
“Some random guy DM’d me trying to get to know me and then asked for pics.” - Gina K hammo, junior
“One time I was driving home from Tempe and this one car was following me all the way from tempe to like Cave Creek and Carefree, and then I kept going down all these different dirt roads and they kept following me until finally a sheriff pulled out of a neighborhood and they finally stopped.” - Devin Strasser, junior
4LOGAN MCDADE
3 EMMA BAUER
in Depth
12 ● November 16, 2018
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
Leaving the Nest Formulating college acceptance By Morgan Reimer Life Editor
When students start their senior year, they are hit with the responsibility of learning how to apply, and exploring the fastest ways to get accepted to college. One of the easiest ways to guarantee acceptance begins with a student’s transcripts. Colleges look at the rigor and grade point average of classes taken in grades nine through twelve. The higher the grade point average, the more likely it is students will get into the college of their choice. “I knew I wanted to go to U of A, and I was guaranteed acceptance because of my grades. I got into the pre-nursing program when I didn’t think I was going to. Have fun, but don’t slack off, and don’t underestimate yourself,” said Alex Schwartz, a senior. Though some work may seem like a hassle at the time, it could be the determinant of getting accepted, or getting denied. This includes taking the most rigorous classes depending on the student, and presenting themselves to the best of their ability. Colleges look for improvement in classes as well, and try to match the student to what they have to offer. “During senior splash, Jasmine, the GCU admissions counselor, came and talked about GCU and immediately, I knew I wanted to apply. As I was applying, I noticed how different their application was. First of all, it was free. I also loved how they wanted to know more about you rather than just your GPA and grades,” said Cristina Silbert, a senior.
There are several websites that can calculate which scores are needed to get into specific dream schools for students. Also at hand is the Common App, which is used for searching college attributes, writing essays, and making the application process easier. When applying for college, students generally take both the SAT and ACT for comparison, and submit the one with the highest score. Typically, colleges only need one submission to make their decision, depending on the school. The main differences between the two tests is the science section, and no calculator section on the ACT. Additionally, another difference is the scoring of the two tests. The highest score on the SAT is a 1600, opposed to the ACT that is set at a high score of 36. The two tests both have a reading, math, and an optional writing section. “I think you should start applying as soon as you get your SAT and ACT scores, because that way colleges know you want to be a part of that school,” said Bryce Coup, a senior. When deciding to apply to college, it truly depends on the person. The earlier the start, the better. This gives students more time to think about where they want to be for the next four years, and allows them lots of leeway in case they need to get letters of recommendation or edits for their essays. “My first college that I went to was Miami University. I went there as an athlete, so I went on a scholarship. I completely didn’t fit in. So I went to a school that was comfortable, I felt like I fit in, and I just had a wonderful time once I transferred out of that school. So, my advice for colleges is to go to the college; go on the tours. College is really about fit. Go there and see if you like it,” said Jim Swetter, school principal. As students are applying, most out of state schools require a letter of recommendation. For this letter, it is best to pick a teacher that can really give a good example of how well the student can perform, and list their achievements in school. Typically, students should give the teachers four to six weeks to write and complete their letter. It should be prepared before the deadline of the application is due. College is a huge stepping stone in the lives of teenagers across the world. There are so many details that have to be thought out to apply, but each essay and applications intention is to help the college understand who each student is outside of their grades, extracurriculars, and what the student wants to study. The key is to begin to discover oneself, and prepare for the next phase of life outside of high school.
4MAJA PEIRCE
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
November 16, 2018 ● 13
IN DEPTH
Students struggle to find affordable out of state options for college.
Flying out of state for higher education By Lauryn Stornelli and Ryan Bartholomew staff writer
Out-of-state college is enticing to a lot of students, however, many will decide against it for a number of reasons. Out-of-state oppor-
What are your plans after high school? “I’m planning to go to college I want to try to look for a career in the medical profession so I was thinking of going to University of Washington or New York University,” -Veronica Boyle, junior.
tunities are plentiful, and now is the time for hopeful students to apply. According to data submitted to U.S. News in an annual survey, students often view state colleges as the least expensive route. In-state tuition and fees at public universities cost at least $12,000 less than out-of-state college rates for the 2017-2018 school year. Out-of-state applicants can pay upwards of $25,620 on average more than in-state students, according to collegedata. Any way of lowering the cost would be beneficial to hopeful out of state applicants. Out-of-state students pay more to go to school there, because they have not been paying taxes in that state all of their lives. In-state applicants parents have been paying taxes to the state and indirectly have funded the college all of their lives. Lower tuition costs reward residents for their contributions, but it is additionally a way for accounting the tax dollars they have already paid to support the schools instate. ¨It’s far enough to where it’s kind of out of there so I kind of get that feeling of going to college, but it’s also still cheap enough to where I’m not going to break the bank and go on student loans for the rest of my life,” said Marcus Watts, senior. The definition of residency is different depending on the state and institution. Typically, the student is a dependent and their residency is based on where the family is living. Most undergraduate students are not considered independent. This makes it difficult for them to qualify for tuition in another state. However, there are several ways dependents under age 24 can qualify for reduced rates as out-of-state students. When taking all of those reasons into account, the gap between in-state and out-of-state is not as large or unfair as it appears to many. ¨At first I started to consider out of state just because I really wanted to go to San Diego State, but then I switched back to wanting to go to ASU, staying in state because it’d be a lot easier on myself and my parents,” said Devon Molina, senior. Most schools require the student or their parent to live in-state for 12-24 months before enrollment. However, at many schools students can apply for a tuition change every school year. If a relative lives in state, claiming a close personal relationship with them or claiming as in-state residence could potentially allow a student to claim in-state tuition. With the application season beginning, hopeful students across the country are now preparing their college essays and transcripts to be mailed off. With many promising applicants and out-ofstate opportunities becoming more readily available, moving out of Arizona is growing in popularity.
“Go to Coconino Community College in Flagstaff, I’m going to major is some type of business probably marketing and minor in photography”
-Noah Benner, Senior.
“Outside of high school I plan on going to a four year college and hopefully play division two or one lacrosse and then I think I may want to go to veterinary school and get a well paying job,”
-Emily R adke sophomore.
“I want to go to college at ASU but I have no idea what I want to study,”
-Brad Johnson, junior.
“I’m going to school in Nashville to play golf, I want to be a sports broadcaster so major in journalism” -Iz z y Cantwell, senior.
4LOGAN MCDADE
3EMMA BAUER
12 ● December 21, 2018
Corporate cashing in on trends Sitting in a pile of
clothes being sent to goodwill, Karli Miller, a senior, contemplates consumerism.4MaJa PeirCe
in Depth
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
By Max Sotelo video editor
It seems as though clothing retail stores are constantly getting new styles, and trends are coming and going faster than ever thanks to the power of social media. Fast fashion retailers such as H&M, Zara, and Forever 21 must constantly receive shipments of clothes in an effort to remain trendy and relevant, with
“
People are trying to keep up wit the everchanging styles and it is hurting the enviroment.”
most H&M and Forever 21 locations getting new shipments of clothes almost everyday. “We get shipments all the time, usually every week or two,” said Lauren Sinani, a senior and an employee at Tilly’s. Fast fashion is different from seasonal fashion, where retailers only produce new clothes to go along with the four different seasons of the year. Fashion brands who only do seasonal fashion are becoming less and less common, as the fast-fashion model has been proven to bring more profit. After pioneering the fast-fashion business model, Zara founder Amancio Ortega became the fifth richest person in the world. In 2014, fashion brand H&M reported $20.2 billion in sales. “[Advertisers] try to make the ads look as glamorous as possible so people feel like ‘if I wear that particular line of clothing, I’m gonna be glamorous’,” said Louise Rochford, marketing teacher. Many fashion brands use advertising techniques that make customers, especially teenagers, feel like they need to buy their products. They exploit their vulnerabilities and use them to their advantage, acting almost as if they are peer pressuring them to buy the latest styles from the hottest brands in order to fit in “Some of the trends I see, I feel like they’re questionable as to why they’d be trends,” said Devon Molina, a senior and a PacSun employee. The business model of a 52 season year does not come without some unintended consequences. Producing so many fashion items in a year creates about 26 billion pounds of textile waste ending up in landfills. However, there have been some efforts to reduce global fashion waste. H&M, Burberry, and Nike have signed up for the Make Fashion Circular initiative, which promotes programs to keep clothes in use and the use of materials that are environmentally friendly.
Eavesdropping technology steals privacy By Julia Knies health editor
Privacy online is a growing concern nowadays. Many worry about what information websites keep and what they do with it. While companies must disclose what they know and keep about users, according to a 2017 Deloitte study of two thousand people in the U.S., 91 percent of people do not read the legal terms and conditions. “When you get on the internet, privacy is not a thing. The data that is put into the internet is going to be kept and used either against you or for your benefit,” said Joey Bower, a junior. Facebook, among other services, has been accused of privacy issues. One issue was that they were not fully disclosing all of the information they were collecting. They have had to amend their terms of service many times. “It is part of their terms of service that you agree to, so they are within their rights to [keep information],” said Bower. Tech giants, such as Google,
collect and sell information about their consumers. This is one of the ways companies gain knowledge of their users. They collect data such as users’ names, birthdays, recent purchases, what websites they visit, and other information. “Predominantly, they sell it to companies that do analytics and determine advertising trends. The primary use of that information is determining how better to sell their things because, as much as we do it, we do not really understand very well how advertising works on people,” said Brian Jesse, a computer technology teacher. With lives revolving around technology, a person sees more and more ads per day, but they may not be very effective. With the collected information, companies are searching for a way to develop more impactful, cost effective advertisements. “Other than just basic food and lifestyle appeal, they are tracking purchases and trying to build a buyer profile and seeing what kind of things you look for and
what you buy, and then fill you with advertising for that type of product and products from those markets,” said Jesse. The use of tracking technology, such as cookies, makes it possible for that buyer profile to be built. Cookies are not programs, but text that the browser stores on the computer. User’s can turn off cookies on their browsers, but some prefer to leave them on to have a more tailored buying experience. “The government should have the power to record our personal data as we are the people who choose to live in this country, so we have to give up some things,” said Jacob Kennedy, a junior. Advertising for companies has become more productive with the rise of social media. Now companies use social media influencers to market their products, which advertises to a targeted market. Using someone with a large following to market products works the same way as celebrities advertising products. It makes people think that they have to have the product to
be more like the person they look up to. Recently, there was a scandal involving a service called BetterHelp. Many YouTubers promoted this website that claimed to give professional but affordable counseling. However, in October 2018, YouTubers such as PewDiePie and KEEMSTAR called out the service to be questionable. Though it has been removed now, the website previously disclosed that it does not “guarantee the verification of the credentials of any Counselor.” As for technology listening in on conversations, many sources say, while it may have the power to do so, it is highly unlikely because of the sheer amount of information listening in on every single person would produce is too much to go through thoroughly. Despite this, others say that it is happening. With products such as Google Home and Alexa, people are possibly just welcoming technology listening in to their homes.
Privacy Protection The internet is a scary place filled with websites and programs that can invade your privacy. Here are some helpful tips to keep your information. 1 Use DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo is a search engine that does not store your search history unlike Google. It has a browser extension that helps protect your data from sketchy websites and ads.
2 Use Two-Factor Authentication
Two factor authentication adds an extra layer of security that requires not only a user name and password from oneself but also something personal that assures that persons identity. It is a great way to keep your passwords protected and safe from hackers.
3 Use Adblock
Adblocks are, as the name suggests, used to block ads. A person can get an adblock on Google Chrome by going to the browser extension store and searching for adblock. It doesn’t matter what adblock is chosen.
4Use VPNs
VPNs are used to hide or change a persons IP address from websites so others can’t track down where you are. The Google Chrome Extension store offers VPNs for free.
WJo Breese
THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS
December 21, 2018 ● 13
IN DEPTH
Who’s choosing where your money is spent?
How do you feel about google having so much information on you? “I feel like I don’t give Google a lot of information myself they just see it with all the profiles and stuff because I see some adds on instagram and they just so happen to be like what I’ve been talking about. So yeah it is kind of scary.” Marissa R eevs, junior
While most people believe they are the ones who make decisions about their purchasing, advertising and marketing is getting better at manipulating what and where your money is going to.
Holiday advertising raises ethical questions Riley James Staff Write
Some people say that the Christmas season begins too early. There are the commercials on TV that replay every year over and over, and the stores stock their shelves with festive products as early as before Halloween. Because “Black Friday” is in November, everyone just can't stop thinking about Christmas before it is even Christmas. “At Safeway, we start supplying Christmas stuff immediately after Thanksgiving and it gets crazy,” said Austin Passcuchie, a junior. The advertising during the holiday season is non-stop. “Christmas ads are aimed to trigger our emotions and consume us,¨ said WHO? Advertisers are getting better and better at targeting their ads.
With the onset of social media, they have tried and true techniques for getting people to spend their money. Often, consumers do not even realize the ads are trying to manipulate them. In a Forbes magazine story, a writer found that, “a common theme in the 2015 holiday ads include children and the elderly. Businesses often utilize the pairing of young children with elderly people to evoke emotions in viewers.” A lot of times, companies will gear their ads towards kids, because what are children after all, but consumer trainees? When children see something on television or the internet they want, their parents will often buy the item for them. According to Mediasmarts. ca, “marketing to children is all
“I think it is kind of creepy and not okay. I don’t know it’s kind of scary.”
about creating pester power,” said Christmas is the peak selling season for retailers and, for stores, holidays are just ways to make more money. “In my day, the stores used to close on holidays so we could be with our families,” said Mark Chalfin, a paraprofessional. Because of the amount of money they can make during the holidays, stores often stay open longer, rather than closing early. “I've been working at Safeway for two months,. Lots of supplies are coming in, lots of people are coming through, it gets pretty busy around this time of the year,” said Jack Demmit, a junior. Celebrating the holidays has become an oppurtunity for media to use marketing ploys in order to make money.
Anna Maldanodo, senior
“I don’t really care.” Victor C ordova, sophomore
When should stores start selling holiday merchandise? 12% students said Don’T Care 5% students said
“It’s a search engine, so I am used to it because I grew up with it but it is still weird when you Google your name and you find a picture of yourself from when you were 9nine”
5% students said Before Halloween 4% students said Before Halloween
Before Halloween
Skylar Ayers, junior
16% students said Before THanksgiving 67% students said afTer THanksgiving
1
12% students said Don’T Care
2 3
“ I don’t know it is kind of weird I guess.” Marcus buchanan, freshman
4 67% students said afTer THanksgiving
4LoGan MCdade
3eMMa Bauer Based on a poll of 100 students on December 14, 2018
4Connor Green