W W W. L A L O Y O L A N . C O M
Los Angeles LOYOLAN The
EST. 1921
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. ME O H CE. I UR YO R VO S. W U YO R NE U YO
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April 26
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Hasan Piker talks to us about politics, Tomi Lahren and more!
LMU baseball hosts USD with WCC title implications.
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The class of 2017 valedictorian Pardon given María Díaz discusses her motivations for success at LMU as class of 2017’s valedictorian. Silvia Velasquez News Intern @LALoyolan
Four years ago, María Augusta Díaz, an international student from Ecuador, never imagined that she would grow to become this year’s valedictorian. Growing up in Ecuador gave her a different perspective of the world that she came to know in the United States. Cultural differences, such as the need for personal space — which is less important in Ecuador — led Díaz to feel out of place in the beginning. Shaking hands was a weird, unfamiliar concept coming from a place where hugging and kissing on the cheek was the norm. However, the cultural changes were not all bad. “I didn’t know I was a feminist until I came here,” Díaz said. Seeing the ways in which women have broken cultural norms that are still widely accepted in her home country made her realize that she had always molded to the expectations of Ecuadorian society. Although Díaz grew up questioning why women had to adhere to these strictly drawn boundaries, she still accepted them as normal. Growing up around a family that was very women-centered gave Díaz a wider view of exemplary women to look up to. Díaz’s mother gave up her career to raise
her, but Díaz did not see this as a weakness because it had been her mother’s choice to do so. She’s seen women in her family who closely follow the roles society has made and has also been exposed to women who c h a l l e n ge these roles daily.
Even her dad defied traditional gender roles by helping with household chores, including washing the dishes and cooking. Since coming to the United States, Díaz has developed a more progressive perspective regarding equality within society, which has given her a bit of trouble when she goes back home and faces more conservative views. “Going back and forth is a way of opening perspectives to see the downfalls in both places,” Díaz said. The experience has made her realize that there is still a long way to go when it comes to breaking societal constructs. “At the beginning, I didn’t know that much English and I was self conscious about my accent,” Díaz laughed. Her first time at The Lair was nerve-wracking because she was not able to communicate successfully enough to order a simple salad. But once Díaz started getting involved and meeting people who related to her experiences, she became more comfortable in her space. Her freshman roommate, who was enthusiastic in learning about other cultures, taught her that being different was nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, the differences Díaz sees in herself have made her develop a larger sense of patriotism for her home country. Being away
via María Augusta Díaz
International student and valedictorian María Díaz.
See Meet | Page 3
to veterans Hector Barajas, a U.S. veteran deported in 2004, is given an official pardon. Tor Marom
Editor-in-Chief @LALoyolan
The evening before Easter, April 15, Gov. Jerry Brown granted 72 pardons and seven sentence commutations. Among his pardons was Hector Barajas, a United States veteran who was deported after his service. Barajas was recently featured in part two of the Loyolan’s three-part documentary, “City of Deportees.” Since being pardoned, Barajas now has a better chance of being granted U.S. citizenship. When asked about the progress of his application, he stated that he should find out by April 29, this Saturday. In addition to Barajas, Gov. Brown also issued pardons for two other deported U.S. veterans. One of these individuals, Erasmo Apodaca Mendizabal, served in the Marine Corps and was arrested in 1996 for burglary after breaking into his girlfriend’s apartment, according to CNN. He was deported in 1997 after serving a 10-month sentence. The other, Marco Antonio Chavez, was convicted of animal cruelty in 1998 after serving four years in the Marine Corps. See Governor | Page 2
Financial debt burdens the lives of students Graduating students find themselves struggling with massive amounts of debt. Justine Biondi Staff Writer @LALoyolan
Student debt afflicts millions of U.S. college alumni every month, bombarding graduates with thousands of dollars in unpaid dues and rising interest rates. With lenders demanding monthly payments for up to twenty-five years after graduation, students are facing more debt now than ever before. President Trump’s education secretary, Betsy DeVos, withdrew two memos on Tuesday, April 11 set forth by the Obama administration intending to improve federal student loan programs. The Obama-era memos say that they will focus on “simplifying the repayment process, better protecting borrowers, and facilitating [the] oversight of servicing contractors.” Through this plan, Obama sought to improve overall customer protection for student loan borrowers and lessen the likelihood of default. DeVos withdrew the policies with the intention to “[increase] accountability and transparency for all borrowers, while also limiting the cost to taxpayers,” according to the official memo. Student loans are meant to alleviate the financial burdens associated with college finances. However, once See Student debt | Page 4