Los Angeles Loyolan April 19th 2017

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EST. 1921

Annual Clothesline Project raises awareness for assault

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Is Pepsi the new cure for racism that America needs?

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Baseball improves to 8-0-1 in weekend series.

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LMU reveals grad speakers The annual commencement speakers have been announced for the graduating class of 2017.

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Editor-in-Chief @LALoyolan

Jonathan Kokotajlo | Loyolan

LMU CARES has raised a display for the annual Clothesline Project at LMU along Lawton Plaza where survivors of violence, their partners, family and friends have designed shirts meant to represent an individual’s personal experience. The clothesline will be displayed from April 17 through 21. Red, pink and orange shirts are for survivors of rape and sexual assault, blue and green t-shirts represent survivors of incest and sexual abuse, purple represents those attacked because of their sexual orientation and yellow represents those battered or assaulted.

Anna Deavere Smith, actress and playwright, has been announced as the speaker for this year’s undergraduate commencement, taking place on May 6 at 9:30 a.m. in the Sunken Garden.

Smith has over 30 acting credits and is best known for the roles of Gloria Akalitus in Showtime’s “Nurse Jackie” and Nancy McNally in NBC’s “The West Wing.” Smith is best known for her onewoman show “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992,” which focused on the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, better known as the Rodney King Riots. The play was a part of a larger series by Smith, called “On the Road: A Search for American Character.”

Smith was awarded a highly prestigious MacArthur Fellowship in 1996. The MacArthur foundation described Smith as “a theater performer and a playwright who has created a new form of theater—a blend of theatrical art, social commentary, and intimate reverie.” Furthermore, she was granted the National Humanities Medal by President Obama in 2012 and was the See Commencement | Page 3

Trump supporters and protesters clash on U.C. Berkeley campus An anti-facist group faced off against Trump supporting group in a physical outbreak.

Austin Raymundo News Intern @LALoyolan

Many pro-Trump protesters and counter-demonstrators sparked a major clash at a free speech rally in Berkeley, California on Sunday, April 16. In total, 21 protesters were arrested and 11 were injured, seven of which were transported to local hospitals for their injuries.

Trump supporters had organized a “Patriot Day” rally at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Park at noon to promote free speech. Anti-fascist picketers attended to counter protest the Pro-Trump supporters. Protesters from both sides began gathering during the morning.

To counter the rally, anti-fascist protestors staged a cookout in the park directly before the rally began. According to the group’s facebook page, the protestors did this in an attempt to stop the rally before it started.

At approximately 10 a.m., Berkeley police separated the opposing sides using orange mesh fencing. Organizers invited prominent alt-right bloggers and radio hosts to speak at the event.

Anti-Trump Organizer Yvette Felarca

told the Daily Californian, UC Berkeley’s student newspaper, “We’re here to take a stand. We’re here to stand against … the whole Trump administration.”

About 250 police officers were deployed to the scene by mid-afternoon after officials sought assistance from the neighboring Oakland Police Department, according to the L.A. Times. The Daily Californian reported that this was to “safeguard our community while ensuring the peaceful expression of free speech.”

However, the rally quickly descended into chaos and the barrier between the protestors quickly broke down.

“A large number of fights have occurred and numerous fireworks have been thrown in the crowds,” the Berkeley Police Department remarked in a statement.

“There have also been numerous reports of pepper spray being used in the crowd.”

Fistfights broke out between protesters, escalating into both groups throwing sticks, rocks, fireworks, smoke bombs and other blunt objects at each other. The police retreated for the officer’s safety before dispersing the crowd with tear gas.

“We held our ground … held ourselves with integrity,” John Cadavid, a Trump rally attendee told the Daily Californian, “(I) didn’t come here for violence. If this nation doesn’t get more capacity for nuance, we’ll continue to have situations in which people think they have the right to throw explosives.”

The violence was escalated by the

presence of militant groups on both sides.

The Oath Keepers, a Midwestern right wing militant group was in attendance to protect Trump supporters at the rally.

Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers told the Los Angeles Times that he vowed to fight anti-fascist protesters if they crossed police barricades.

“I don’t mind hitting the counter-

protesters,” said Rhodes, “In fact, I would kind of enjoy it.”

Large numbers of protestors on both sides were injured. Louise Roseala — an anti-fascist demonstrator — was filmed being punched by Nathan Domingo a prominent leader and founder of an East Bay white supremacist group. The video See Berkeley | Page 3

via Wikimedia Commons

Berkeley’s campus has seen several protests in its history, such as this one from 2009 regarding then-President Mike Yudof’s proposed 32 percent increase in student tuition.

NEWS

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BURNING QUESTIONS

This week, News Intern Silvia Velasquez sat This issue, Managing down with Dr. Editor Dan Raffety Amina Humphrey,, sits down with Head a professor in the Coach Max Good, African American head coach of the Studies LMU’s men’sprogram. basketball team to talk about the upcoming season.

What do you do here at LMU?

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I’m a visiting assistant professor; a contingent faculty in the African American Studies program. We are temporary faculty.

I teach “Race and Contemporary Society,” “Introduction to African American Studies,” “African American Literature” and the class that I’m so excited to have created on my own, as well as to teach for the very first time is “Consuming Beyoncé: the Politics of Representation and Respectability.”

Do you think that seeing certain dances as inherently sexual is detrimental to the bigger picture of dance as a way of celebrating culture and as a form of expression?

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I think that is residual from colonization and Western ideology.

If you look at dance performed on the continent of Africa, there is a focus on the lower body, the torso, a woman’s area for reproduction or a woman’s backside. In this culture we learn to see that as sort of taboo, and that we shouldn’t be dancing in a way that focuses on that region… we shouldn’t be twerking.

But in other cultures that is seen as just a natural form of dance.

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What do you think of twerking?

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I wish more women had the confidence to shake their butt if they felt like it. But society puts a kind of constraint on dancing, I don’t look at females as hypersexual, moving your arms isn’t hypersexual so why would moving other parts of the body be hypersexualized in this culture? Twerk for Jesus! God created this body and this expression. There’s nothing shameful or dirty about it. Twerk for your life, and continue to twerk… in spite of what society says. We are instilling a lot of shame in our young women by putting these types of labels.

How do you think the media plays a role in what is perceived as normal and beautiful?

The media has a huge responsibility and often times it’s neglected. The media is trying to be more inclusive but at the end of the day it’s about profit, it’s capitalism. If you take all of that away, why not just celebrate people for who they are and all of their diversity? But you know, when it’s profit-driven it’s just about the profit. It’s a billion dollar industry geared towards playing upon women’s fears. You need this makeup to cover up, you need this for your hair, you need this pair of pants to lift up your butt, you need this bra to push up your breasts. You need all of these things to appear better and you just need to buy it. And it has such an impact on young girls.

The media has such a huge responsibility and I’m waiting on them to step up to the plate holistically.

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Beyoncé is an outspoken feminist who is often seen as a powerful role model, what is your take on this?

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I think she does what she can in her capacity as a global phenomenon. Often times, entertainers are put on this pedestal to be a role model, whether they want it or not. Sometimes we make an assumption about people and their role. Some people don’t get the same platform as Beyoncé, but there are regular, voiceless people who are out there being outspoken and they just don’t have the same kind of reach she has with her global platform.

Want to read more MORE questions with Humphrey? them out at QUESTIONS Check laloyolan.com.

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Berkeley protests Commencement speakers Berkeley from Page 1

sparked outrage Monday at the allegedly unprovoked attack.

The city imposed a one day rule on the park that protests took place in prohibiting any item that “could be used as a weapon,” according to ABC News, including but not limited to flagpoles, helmets, signs and knives. The 21 arrested were charged with possession of these items, and in some cases aggravated assault or assault with a deadly weapon.

The protest was one of many tax Day demonstrations staged by both pro and anti-Trump forces nationwide. It was also a familiar site for many Berkeley

students, who had witnessed several anti-Trump protests on or near their campus in the past few months, most notably, the violent protest against former Breitbart writer and alt-right activist Milo Yiannopoulos.

Perry Trinh, a UC Berkeley freshman and electrical engineering and computer science major told the Loyolan that last Sunday’s protests, “[weren’t] as wide-spread as the Milo protests… It still got a lot of media coverage… but it wasn’t as widely talked about.” He observed, “I think more people were hurt and arrested in [last Sunday’s] Trump protests.” Reports by CNN confirmed this to be true.

via LMU

via LMU

Anna Deavere Smith (left) and Michelle King (right) have been announced as the 2017 commencement speakers.

Commencement from Page 1

via Flickr Creative Commons

U.C. Berkeley has recently been the center of protests and activism.

recipient of the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize in the same year.

This year’s graduate commencement speaker will be LAUSD Superintendent

Michelle King. The graduate commencement ceremony will be taking place on May 7 at 10 a.m.

King started her career in 1978 as a teachers aide, and after nearly 30 years with the district she was appointed as superintendent in January 2016.

Past commencement speakers have included President Bill Clinton, astronaut James Lovell and filmmaker Ken Burns.

Both commencement ceremonies will be streamed live on the LMU website.

Professors and rabbi host anti-Semitism talk University hosts event in response to rise of antiSemitic acts nationwide.

Kayla Tanli News Intern @LALoyolan

Dr. Brian Treanor, philosophy professor at LMU and academic director of the Academy of Catholic Thought and Imagination, organized a panel for a talk entitled “The Persistence of Antisemitism in the 21st Century,” which was held on March 29 in University Hall.

According to Zachary Zysman, LMU’s campus Rabbi and coorganizer of the event, the talk was “in response to the recent

bomb threats targeting Jewish Community Centres around the country as well as the recent wave of vandalism to Jewish cemeteries.”

Dr. Steven Windmueller, the Rabbi Alfred Gottschalk Emeritus Professor of Jewish Communal Service at Hebrew Union College, spoke at the event and was accompanied by Dr. Margarete Feinstein, lecturer of Jewish studies. Dr. Holli Levitsky, professor of English and director of the Jewish Studies Program at LMU, introduced both speakers.

The talk began with Feinstein explaining the history of antiSemitism in the United States.

Windmueller followed with a talk about how anti-Semitism has evolved in the modern age. He stated that the Jewish community

is finding problems of this hateful ideology from all spectrums in the political field. He further elaborated, stating that it is “beyond simply the notions of Jews having access in terms of political influence, but also created in the context of what the United States relationship ought to be with the state of Israel.”

After extensively discussing the political issues that the Jewish community deals with, Windmueller discussed the strategies that one can use to dispel anti-Semitism. He made sure to touch upon the importance of education in one of his points: “the notion of demonstrating by reaching out, engaging, informing and trying to seek ways to communicate to groups and individuals about

the notions of their images and misrepresentations of the other,” Windmueller stated.

Windmueller went on to say that he hopes the government will continue speaking out against xenophobia and anti-Semitism.

He also hopes that other groups will join the Jewish community in dispelling this hateful speech throughout the country.

In an e-mail to the Loyolan staff, Treanor stated what he hoped the attendees would take away from the event: “My own hope was for people at LMU to reflect on what I perceive to be

the normalization of hate speech in contemporary America. AntiSemitism is one very important facet of this phenomenon; and these events are only the most recent manifestation of a longstanding anti-Semitic prejudice in the U.S. and elsewhere. But the uptick in antiSemitic incidents, in addition to being offensive in its own right, is also part of a wider normalization of hate-speech against other minority groups.”

Additional reporting done by Silvia Velasquez.

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United Airlines faces social and economic backlash The airline has faced criticisms following a series of scandals.

Babak Abrishamchian Asst. News Editor @geo_star101

Dr. David Dao was forcibly dragged off United Airlines flight number 3411 heading from Chicago to Louisville on April 9 after refusing to give up his seat when passengers were told the flight had been overbooked.

At the time, the flight had sold the exact amount of seats, but United reportedly needed four employees in Louisville the next day. According to United spokesman Jonathan Guerin, all 70 of the flight’s seats were filled, but space was needed to accommodate the four employees. At this point, all passengers had already boarded.

According to passenger Audra Bridges, who recorded video of the incident — now removed from Facebook — United offered passengers $400, a hotel, and a rebooked flight.

When no one accepted the offer, $800 was offered. When no one took the offer again, a manager reportedly told passengers a computer would choose four passengers at random to be kicked off the flight. The first three passengers reportedly left the plane with no problem.

When Dao was asked to exit

via Wikimedia Commons

United Airlines has faced several scandals in the past couple weeks regarding the treatment of their passengers. the plane, he refused, explaining that he had patients the next day and had to return home. Airline employees called the Chicago Police Department, who forcibly ejected Dao. In the video, an officer grabbed Dao by the shoulders, throwing him into the armrest in the seat across. Dao, incapacitated at that point, was dragged off the flight.

Dao later got back on the plane, blood dripping from his mouth.

In video shared by Kaylyn Davis, who said her husband was on the plane, Dao is shown clinging to a column in the back of the plane, repeating, “I have to go home,”

and, “Just kill me.”

According to Bridges, United employees then asked all passengers to disembark so the crew could “tidy up.” Images from Davis showed blood covering the floor, seat and armrests near Dao’s seat. According to Dao’s lawyer, Thomas Demetrio, Dao suffered a concussion, a broken nose, a sinus injury and lost two front teeth.

After the incident, Chicago PD released a public statement stating, “Aviation Officers arrived on scene, attempted to carry the individual off the flight when he fell. His head subsequently struck an armrest causing injuries to

his face. The man was taken to Lutheran General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.”

Despite claiming Dao had fallen, videos from the incident explicitly shows the still unnamed officer throwing Dao into the armrest. The next day, Chicago PD announced the officer was placed on paid leave while the incident was investigated.

United’s CEO Oscar Munoz released a statement saying, “I apologize for having to reaccommodate these customers.”

Hours later, an internal message from Munoz leaked online, which said the “customer defied Chicago

Aviation Security officers,” and was “disruptive and belligerent.”

“Employees followed established procedures for dealing with situations like this. While I deeply regret this situation arose, I also emphatically stand behind all of you, and I want to commend you for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure we fly right.”

As of April 18, United stock has dropped 5.27 percent, with Fortune magazine estimating United has lost 1.4 billion dollars from the incident.

Additionally, Fortune reported Munoz would lose a $500,000 bonus from the incident which is tied to customer satisfaction surveys which the company performs daily.

After the economic backlash, Munoz released another statement apologizing and announcing a revision of the company’s handling of communication with passengers and law enforcement.

Additionally, United promised it will no longer remove passengers already boarded to board United employees, and will not ask law enforcement to remove passengers from its flights unless it’s a matter of security on the flight. “[Dao] said that he left Vietnam in 1975, when Saigon fell, and he was on a boat, and he said he was terrified. He said that being dragged down the aisle was more horrifying and terrible than what he experienced in leaving Vietnam,” Demetrio said.

OPINION

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Global warming is not a question of opinion Board We live in a world that exists currently as a result of Change, the media’s adherence to “balanced industrial revolution. Our ingenuity as a species reporting” and attempting to present all viewpoints Editorial the has developed our society into one that can contain on this issue has “actually [lead] to biased coverage of Tor Marom

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Isabel Ngo

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Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.

the majority of human knowledge into a cell phone and can travel from one end of the Earth to the other in less than a day. These incredible inventions have made our lives incredibly convenient in comparison to even 50 years ago, but they have come at a great cost as well.

Beginning in the 19th century with the rise of coal-burning factories and production plants, greenhouse gases have plagued our atmosphere and seriously damaged the ozone layer protecting us from harmful UV radiation. Climate change is now one of the greatest issues of our time, but is treated as something political and more abstract than a concrete issue. While the Earth does naturally have shifts in its climate over time, and the icy poles have been known to increase or recede naturally, the speed in which our world is deteriorating is not something to brush off.

According to NASA, “The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it is very likely human-induced and proceeding at a rate that is unprecedented in the past 1,300 years.” Even more alarming than that in itself is the fact that this rapid progression of the planet’s warming is something that was first noticed in the 1960s and 1970s, according to American Institute of Physics. So in less than 60 years, our own technological advances have raised the levels of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere to an astronomical high.

While many still maintain the belief that anthropogenic climate change is false — including Republican politician Sarah Palin, talk show host Rush Limbaugh, and President Donald Trump — these claims are not disputed much within the scientific community. The so-called debates about global warming popularized by the media in the past decades are not representative of the scientific community’s continual affirmation of climate change as a problem. Ironically, according to a scholarly article published in the journal Global Environmental

both anthropogenic contributions to global warming and resultant action.”

As stated in article published by the Guardian, “today’s Republicans are less likely than they were a decade ago to accept that the effects of global warming have begun, that humans are responsible, and that there is a scientific consensus on these questions.”

This has caused anthropogenic climate change — even more so than abortion or LGBT+ issues — to become the most polarizing topic in modern politics — a topic that in all honesty, does not leave much factual room for debate.

According to the Washington Post, a recent study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters found that out of 700 biophysical scientists surveyed, 92 percent of respondents believed in the existence of human-induced global warming and climate change. This is a hard percentage to refute, and when politicians attempt to echo back the same unproven counter-arguments spat by their peers, they run the risk of looking foolish in the educated eye. What’s even worse is the influence these individuals can hold over a large proportion of the general public, as the false information they preach will be tragically repeated by those who unquestioningly accept the viewpoints of these “trusted” political figures.

When politicians begin to give their opinions on climate change, especially when those opinions are in opposition to scientific evidence, problems begin to arise. Climate change is not something to have an opinion on. There is factual evidence, and while someone could argue that the evidence does not definitively prove that the human race is responsible, the hard scientific data disagrees with them. This issue is not one to have an opinion on. It is natural to question data, and it is encouraged to test every hypothesis. What is less acceptable is when the data is tested and those who question it still blindly claim that it is incorrect.

“The speed in which our world is deteriorating is not something to brush off.”

Accessorize without appropriating Jenny from the Block Jennifer Lee Opinion Intern @LALoyolan

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here she is standing at the counter of the Lion’s Den. She addresses the barista as ‘my dude’ as she orders a triple shot americano because she has three papers due at midnight, not to mention Coachella the next morning. Her shoes are scuffed Adidas All Stars, a telling sign that she ‘had them first’.

She is what the media points us to believe is cool. She is trendy and hip. And now-a-days her look wouldn’t be complete without a pair of highly coveted hoop earrings. But are these hoops hers to wear? Cultural appropriation, like safe spaces, has been scoffed at for being a manifestation of the overly sensitive and melodramatic minds of a new generation.

This just isn’t correct. Cultural appropriation is a problem, and here’s why.

Culture is important for people. That’s a given. It ties massive numbers of people together under common values and experiences.

Cultural borders can be crossed by anyone interested in seeing a different perspective, but this must be done with the utmost respect and open mindedness so that the person who engages in the new

culture is able to learn about it in the context of its original state.

When a person takes a deeply meaningful and integral aspect of a person’s culture and uses it for their own personal gain with absolutely no regard for the significance of that aspect of culture, they are taking advantage of others.

A student at Pitzer College in Claremont, California wrote on their free speech wall: “white girl, take off your hoops!!!” The student, a woman of color, was later interviewed by the school paper and said, “The culture actually comes from a historical background of oppression and exclusion. The black and brown bodies who typically wear hooped earrings, are typically viewed as ghetto, and are not taken seriously by others in their daily lives,” Alegria Martinez, a woman of color who took part in the dictation, said. Martinez states that hoops are a symbol of resistance.

“If you didn’t create the culture as a coping mechanism for marginalization, take off those hoops, if your feminism isn’t intersectional take off those hoops,” said Jacquelyn Aguilera, another Pitzer student. “If you try to wear mi cultura when the creators can no longer afford it, take off those hoops, if you can’t pronounce my name or spell it... take off those hoops.”

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BUSINESS STAFF Christian Boggs | Loyolan

Privileged people must stop popularizing culture that doesn’t belong to them.

Many people online debated their perspective by suggesting that according to Martinez and Aguilera’s argument, Chicano people should not be able to use cars and televisions, or straighten their hair and dye it blonde. Tit for tat, no?

Here’s what those online commenters are missing.

Cultural appropriation does not happen to those with power in society. The people who fall into the white, male, wealthy, hetero, and cis categories — which are dominant in society — steal and normalize pockets of culture from those who don’t fit the bill. It happens to those outside of what our society perpetuates as normal.

Take for example a religious item of clothing like the undergarments worn by those in the Church of the Latter Day Saints. If someone were to wear those pieces of clothing as a fashion statement, it would disrespect the sanctity of the special garments.

It is incredibly difficult to fully understand the cultures outside of our own. It is imperative to respect every culture as well as cultivate an understanding of the discrepancies in power and representation. In the meantime, do some research before succumbing to the latest trends.

This is the opinion of Jennifer Lee, a sophomore screenwriting major from Sacramento, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email csontag@theloyolan.com.

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OPINION

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I call shotgun: My odd passenger seat complex Ngo Problems Isabel Ngo

Managing Editor @ngothing

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n the prime of my adolescence, I had to ride in the middle seat for half an hour every morning for two years on the way to high school.

The dark Toyota Camry fit me, my older sister, my friend who was in the same grade as me and a family friend. I got used to the middle seat. I stopped caring about nodding off and falling asleep, probably leaning on my friend’s shoulder for a few minutes before waking up and readjusting again.

I got used to alternating between many different sitting positions — most of the time with a foot on either side of that pesky raised hump on the floor, sharing legroom with the rest of the backseat, and other times squeezing both of my feet on the bump. I kept my knees, arms and shoulders within that uncomfortable space until they grew numb and I was forced to restart my game of “let’s see how long I can stay still this time.”

A quick Google search tells me the elevated middle seat allows for more shoulder room and that the floor hump makes way for exhaust and transmission pipes under the car (not for torturing the youngest child in the family). One time on the I-10, my friend laughed and pointed out a packed standard five-seater in the lane next to us. Then we realized, that’s what we looked like too.

College, though, is another story. Partly because having friends in L.A. with cars is a privilege; partly because I haven’t passed my behind-the-wheel test yet.

Clown cars are welcome here, with last minute passengers practically begging to squeeze into the trunk and sit on each other’s laps — arguably the easiest way to break the law for the sake my of friends.

The youthful lack of concern is addicting, and there’s no loss when I, so acclimated to taking the middle seat, never call shotgun.

Sure, you don’t have to squish in the passenger seat, but you do have to DJ and navigate, all the while facilitating conversation with the backseat riders because the driver’s eyes are on the road most of the time. But what do I know? I’m a 20-year-old without a license. I remember fast food restaurants and corner shops more than I do street names.

I’m learning though. Lately, I’ve been hopping in the front seat with complete revel. There are

things I love about the middle seat, but if I could put into words what college has been like, it has to be riding shotgun. I can single out the times that college car rides have been surreal experiences.

Sophomore year, on the way back from a Getty Villa class trip, I sat in the front and relayed directions in the most incompetent manner you can imagine. I mixed up my lefts and rights like a fool, causing one of my friends to be late for her night class and the boy driving — a boy I’d been crushing on — to give into inevitable road rage. We were circling the lots and roads on the PCH, even missing a turn and getting stuck in a oneway only Santa Monica Pier parking lot, and all I could do in the moment was nervously laugh. I didn’t want to ride shotgun in that car again for a long time.

Ashley Ma | Loyolan

The most memorable times in college can occur anywhere — even in a car.

Other times are pleasant. A lot of them are rides on the way to service placements — either when people are ridiculously energetic in the packed car, or when it’s just two or three of us and there’s an unspoken mutual understanding in the air about not having to talk because everyone’s tired. It happens. You, exhausted, head to the flagpoles, the service carpool pickup spot, only moments after finding out your class got canceled. You, dejected, climb back into the car after finding tar on your feet during a beach cleanup one day, and after trying to help elementary school kids focus on their homework the next.

Honestly, the quiet car rides are some of the most memorable times for me.

On some rides, people put up with my indie trash playlists. One of the best feelings in the world is adding a song to the Spotify queue — not really sure if you have good taste in music or if the other passengers are counting down the seconds ‘til the next track — and when it comes on, a minute in, the driver asks, “What song is this?” And you see them tapping their thumbs to the beat on the steering wheel. (Check out Sky Ferreira’s “Sad Dream” or “Expectations” by Cuddle Magic if you’re bored.)

Then, there are the spontaneous late-night trips — the boba, donut and In-N-Out runs. I get shotgun by default when my friends stop by Leavey Circle to pick me up first.

It’s the time of the night when it’s dark enough for that awful “Perks of Being a Wallflower” we-are-infinite vibe, and after piling into the vehicle once again, everyone’s either bouncing off the walls with no filter from study session burnout or just a few more notches on the reflective

scale, staring out the windows and mostly grateful for that “you’re not alone” environment.

I love both. I secretly love long car rides with these people. Sometimes, it’s rare but, I love traffic. And when they’re over, walking back to my apartment becomes the loneliest task — the closest I’ll get to nostalgia over memories that take place just moments before. And can you think of someone who you’d let drive you anywhere? Or is it just me?

I met one of my best friends at LMU last year when she had to squeeze in the middle seat of a car on the way to a service event. Half of the passengers were acquaintances, newbies who had just joined the service org. The other half were members who already knew each other pretty well. My friend was trying to take up the least amount of space possible, avoiding any discomfort for me and the other person in the backseat next to her.

How I knew that feeling.

“You can go ahead and put your feet on my side, if that’s uncomfortable,” I said. And she seemed so surprised, so grateful for that little connection. But when I tell the story today, she barely remembers it. Maybe it’s just my own odd preoccupation with car rides, along with dust and growing up — themes I always revisit whenever I try my hand at poetry.

Hopefully I’ll get my driver’s license this summer. Until then, I’m okay with shotgun.

This is the opinion of Isabel Ngo, a junior theatre arts major from Monrovia, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email csontag@theloyolan.com.

OPINION

laloyolan.com Page 7

Negativity in the news, negativity in the nation Clay by Clay Clay Sontag Opinion Editor @LALoyolan

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hen you turn on a news network, what do you expect to see?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I doubt that you’re anticipating something uplifting — children in a hospital getting help from unpaid volunteers or coverage of dogs being rescued from abusive homes.

These types of stories aren’t news apparently. Check any newspaper, network, social media outlet or wherever else you get news: Only the negative stories make the headlines.

Bombs, bullets and belligerence — these are the things bombarding the news every day. At the time of me writing this, Google News’ top headlines mention the possibility of a nuclear war, a viral homicide video, a fatal helicopter crash and executions in Arkansas, just to name a few. These are the stories that we deem worthy of mass attention, and it’s more damaging to our mental health than we know.

In 2014, National Public

Radio (NPR), the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health conducted a survey to measure how news plays a role in a person’s emotional state. The results found that the news significantly contributes to a person’s daily stress, demonstrating again how impactful such overwhelming negativity in our news can actually be on our morale.

Apart from merely one person, think about a population of people — the United States population at large — for example. Shana Gadarian, a political scientist and writer for The Washington Post, measured how coverage of terrorism in the news altered our nation’s attitude toward the Islamic State in 2014. As expected, she found an overwhelming correlation. However, it wasn’t just the news stories themselves that had people engaged: Gadarian found that graphic, jarring visuals were the real force at hand.

“Terrorism is newsworthy because it is inherently dramatic and threatening,” Gadarian said.

“Media competition means that journalists and editors have incentives to use emotionally

Madeline Mary | Loyolan

Journalists shouldn’t feel obligated to report on only negative stories. powerful visuals and story lines to gain and maintain ever-shrinking news audiences.”

With this framework in mind, the construction of our news is easy to visualize. One cloud of negativity grows into a whole storm of it to gain viewers, feeding into sensationalism in the news. Sensationalism refers to the use of startling stories and language to garner public interest at the expense of accuracy — and Gadarian believes this to be a major current in our national news. But the problem is: Why are we inclined to click on a negative headline? The news may be tapping into shock value for its own benefit, but why do we so easily fall into their trap?

The BBC reports findings from researchers Marc Trussler and Stuart Soroka, who suggest that humans have an inherent, immediate inclination toward negativity. According to Trussler and Soroka, humans have a negativity bias that naturally helps us remember and crave bad news as opposed to the alternative. Furthermore, words like cancer and war have proven to evoke a quicker response from the public than words like smile or baby, even if only from impulse alone. Apparently, we share our own in hand in this negative news cycle too.

There has to be a balance.

At a time of political fervor, tension and distrust, we need to

counteract such overwhelming negativity with at least a little bit of positivity. This can only help our mental health. Now, I’m not saying that we should sweep the not-so-happy stories under the rug. These things are necessary to cover. At the end of the day, the news is the news. But if we’re so willing to capitalize on negativity, then why don’t we try our hand at some happier news every once in a while? If there’s one thing negativity is good for, it’s breeding more negativity — and I’m not sure who wins in that scenario.

The world is not crumbling to pieces. If you need to read that again to let it sink in, then go for it.

It is essential that the people of our society — especially the younger generations — avoid feeling like the world is ending due to a negatively inclined 24-hour news cycle. If you want to keep your mood in check as you watch the news, then the choice is up to you: Let the network win, or turn off the TV for a bit.

This is the opinion of Clay Sontag, a sophomore screenwriting and psychology double major from Smithtown, New York.

Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email csontag@theloyolan.com.

laloyolan.com Page 8

Pepsi turns out to be a cure for racism Pepsi’s commercial shows the world how to effectively cure racism.

Jaida Macklin

Asst. Life+Arts Editor The Kardashians and Jenners continue to lead the country with revolutionary ideas. They’ve been linked to the creation of fascinating hairdos such as boxer braids and even body parts, seen with Kylie Jenner’s trending ‘big lips.’

Now, the dynamite family has rid the world of racism. Or, more specifically, Kendall Jenner did.

Last week, Pepsi and Jenner teamed up to film one of the best cinematic clips of all time. This commercial has everything a good film consists of: adventure, romance, triumph and more.

Posted to Youtube last Tuesday, the ad begins with Jenner who is in the midst of a photoshoot, unbeknownst to

the numerous people around her holding signs. Once she catches wind, the supermodel rips off her blonde wig and smears her oppressive dark purple lipstick before joining the party.

Everyone’s having a good time, laughing, joking, dancing. Even Coachella couldn’t beat this. At the climax of the commercial, Kendall bravely steps to one of the many police officers, offering him a can of Pepsi, which he takes before rewarding her with a chiseled jaw grin.

I C O N I C. What a time to be alive.

Not many people can say that they watched racism be single handedly destroyed in two minutes and 40 seconds.

Who woulda thunk that a social construct that has existed for centuries could be defeated with a single aluminum can of carbonated beverage?

Honestly, what were all of those slavery abolitionists and civil rights activists doing for the past couple centuries?

Sitting around?

Nonetheless, that’s in the past, and now we have found the key to so many of the world’s issues. Next time someone calls you a hate-ridden slur or a police officer’s puts you in a choke-

hold, just hand them a chilled can of Pepsi, and all that nasty hate will be dissolved.

Overall, just wow, Kendall.

Martin Luther King Jr. couldn’t have said it better. You will be

forever remembered as The People’s hero. The one who risked everything to deliver that pop can and save this glorious nation.

Oh, and don’t forget: #PepsiLivesMatter

Megan Giorgi | Loyolan

Students at the Bluff have fully embraced the transformative and peace-bringing powers of Pepsi.

Super Slam squirrel wrestling match Sunday’s super wrestling showdown sends squirrels screaming in excitement.

Casey Lee

Asst. Bluff Editor

SUNDAY, SUNDAY, SUNDAY! Are you ready to see Squirrel Wrestling Entertainment (SWE) champ Squirrel Cena, defend his title in SWE Super Slam?

On Sunday, LMU’s own Squirrel Cena will be taking on Pepperdine’s Squirrely Business to defend LMU’s title for best squirrel wrestlers in the West Coast Conference.

Over the break, Squirrel Cena took on Gonzaga’s Zig Zag at the Hannon court trees. It was a highly competitive fight that almost ended with Squirrel Cena falling out of the tree in what could have easily been the end to his career. Zig Zag got overly confident when noticing the upper hand, which ultimately was

his downfall. Squirrel Cena took him down, throwing Zig Zag out of the ring and out of the tree.

Pepperdine’s fighter, Squirrely Business, is on a win streak right now—demolishing his last three opponents, a big confidence boost for the upcoming fight.

Squirrely Business defeated Santa Clara’s Squirrels Gonewild in under three minutes. SCU’s Squirrels Gonewild was expected to be champion this year until Squirrely Business surprised everyone with a solid win.

“Squeeek,” said Squirrel Cena when asked about his thoughts on the upcoming fight. We can only assume he said he was ready for the fight or some trash talk.

“Squeeekk,” said Squirrely Business when approached by our reporters. Our top translators at Google quoted Squirrely Business saying, “Cash me ousside, howbow dah.”

Catch Squirrel Cena outside at the Hannon court trees on Sunday for this ultimate squirrel showdown.

Cameron Woodard | Loyolan

Squirrel Cena prepared to defend his title in Sunday’s Super Slam.

The Bluff is a humorous and satirical section published in the Loyolan. All quotes attributed to real figures are completely fabricated; persons otherwise mentioned are completely fictional.

Certificate of Partnership presented to

Loyola Marymount University By the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Green Power Partnership in recognition of efforts to reduce the risk of climate change through the use of green power.

Matt Clouse, Branch Chief Energy Supply and Industry Branch, Climate Protection Partnerships Division Office of Air and Radiation, U.S. EPA

Page 10

Sustainability is more than a marketing ploy Here’s the Dil-Emma

Emma Lane

Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan

E

nvironmental consciousness has been on the rise for decades. Public awareness of climate change affects our politics, industries and daily lives. This personal impact is most notably seen in our consumption – have we opted for a hybrid car? LED lightbulbs? Reusable water bottles?

Ideally, we alter our habits as we learn more about our personal carbon footprint. These lifestyle changes are toted as simple, accessible ways to help the planet – but are our efforts truly effective?

The term ‘greenwashing’ was coined in 1986 by environmentalist Jay Westerveld, and is used to describe companies that make misleading claims about their sustainable practices. This kind of false advertising hinders consumers from making an impact through their conscious purchases. People want to spend their money on companies that help, rather than harm the environment – a 2015 Nielsen poll found that 72 percent of millennials are willing to pay more for “environmentally sustainable” products. Statistics like this incentivize businesses to alter damaging practices in order to attract conscious customers. But making systematic changes to a company’s business model can be costly and time-consuming. This is where greenwashing comes in – to

save money, companies can create an attractive, eco-friendly image without making big changes.

The recent Volkswagen scandal highlights the problem with greenwashing. In 2015, investigations found that VW vehicles had software installed in their engines that gave the cars the ability to recognize when they were being tested for fuel emissions, and alter their performance accordingly.

This technology meant that VW cars seemed to be impressively fuel efficient, when in reality they emitted 40 times the legal amount of nitrogen oxide ­ — a harmful pollutant.

Volkswagen heavily marketed their seemingly sustainable vehicles, demonstrating the lengths companies will go to in hopes of attracting conscious consumers.

Their interest is in turning a profit, not helping the environment.

General Mills recently launched an initiative that distributes seed packets in Cheerios boxes in hopes of combating endangered bee species.

While it seems like the corporation is making a genuine effort to maintain biodiversity, ecologists found that many of the seed varieties provided

by General Mills were considered invasive species in some states. This incident shows how companies’ attempts to promote a green image can hinder the effectiveness of their actions. If General Mills was acting altruistically, they may have conducted more research and better understood the consequences of the initiative.

I attempt to be a conscious consumer, but often find myself at

a loss. Is buying from supposedly eco-friendly companies helpful? Or am I wasting my money, fooled by expensive marketing schemes? Some corporations, like General Mills, have made significant promises for a sustainable future. The corporation has committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 28 percent by 2025 and sustainably sourcing their 10 priority ingredients by 2020. Initiatives like these are admirable. But General Mills has also faced age discrimination lawsuits and been sued for using misleading labels that make products seem healthier than they are. Even if we find truly green companies to purchase from,

it’s difficult to find ones that are scandal-free.

Greenwashing has trickled down to infiltrate our personal lives. Particularly in progressive communities like Los Angeles and LMU, it’s trendy to be environmentally conscious. We love our locally-sourced, organic restaurants, our Hydroflasks and our tote bags made from recycled materials. We happily shell out money to spread the green message and shake our heads at climate change deniers. But do these material efforts translate into impactful lifestyle changes? Or do we still drive to U-Hall when we’re feeling lazy?

With Earth Day upon us, there is no better time to make sure we walk the walk too. As you scroll through the Instagram posts of your friends frolicking through nature, remember that preserving the planet we claim to love so much is a collective effort. Yes, it requires the power of politicians and corporations as well. However, greenwashing can occur on a small scale too, and we must ensure that we are not victims nor perpetrators.

This is the opinion of Emma Lane, a junior English major from Portland, Oregon.

Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email csontag@theloyolan.com.

Hannah Kim | Loyolan

‘Greenwashing’ is a phenomenon in which companies mislead the public on their sustainability practices.

Page 11

Environmentalism in today’s political climate A Cup of Joe Joseph Bellavia Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan

R

ight now, Donald Trump is in office with a unified government — ­ both houses of government are majority Republican. That makes bills of conservative philosophy easier to pass in both the House and the Senate. But one thing that I and many Americans are seeing is the continuous neglect toward the environment by conservative thinkers.

I am a conservative. When I do vote Republican, my vote is primarily based on the party’s values on the economy, taxes and other economic aspects of this country. But if there is one thing about conservative thinking that I couldn’t disagree with more, it is the position on the environment.

There are Republicans who flat out deny that humans have had any effect on the Earth’s climate, and that has been proven untrue. Even worse, some seem to believe that climate change doesn’t exist.

It is important, though,

to understand this lack of conservative support for environmentally friendly policy and regulation. I don’t truly believe that most conservative thinkers believe that climate change simply isn’t real; rather, it is not something that their voters value.

Conservatives voters value the free market and capitalism over the health of our environment. They sound like two completely different and unrelated stances, but in practice that isn’t true. Republicans believe that government regulation on businesses hinders the free market, so they oppose overly regulating industries. One example of these industries is energy — power plants. Republicans push against regulating carbon emissions because those same regulations negatively affect the profits of corporations.

However, denying the existence of climate change is no longer an acceptable method to justify this lack of regulation. It is scientifically proven that humans have had a negative effect on the environment. The National Center for Science Education and NASA, two highly reputable sources on

Chloe Cunningham | Loyolan

A couple years ago, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) brought a snowball onto the Senate floor in an attempt to convince fellow politicians that climate change is a hoax. These mindsets can harm the environment. the topic, can be quoted saying that human activity in the last 150 years has had an effect on climate change in this country.

How is it that humans are the primary factors in this equation?

NASA states that “[our] burning of fossil fuels like coal and oil” has contributed to the problem.

There is hard evidence that climate change exists, and that for the past century, we have made it worse. That is not to say there aren’t natural causes as well, but it’s time to admit our own failures towards the environment.

Denying it any further will not help the Republican party

push their agenda. If anything, denying proven science just makes conservative thinking seem less competent or knowledgeable.

This is the opinion of Joseph Bellavia, a sophomore screenwriting major from Monmouth Beach, New Jersey. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email csontag@theloyolan.com.

laloyolan.com Page 12

FOREVER FAIL

By Emily Noriega, Staff Cartoonist

ADOPTED BY ALIENS

STEAMED PUNS

By Megan Giorgi, Cartoon Intern

THOMAS & DOROTHY LEAVEY CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF LOS ANGELES REFLECTION C E L E B R AT I O N W E D N E S D A Y

APRIL 26, 2017 5:00-8:00 PM LIFE SCIENCES BUILDING

TO RSVP PLEASE VISIT ACADEMICS.LMU.EDU/STUDYLA/ANNIVERSARY WE WERE THERE: LOS ANGELES IN 1992

By Ashley Ma, Cartoon Editor

Check out Loyolan Cartoons online, now via

Tapastic!

Go to tapastic.com/LAloyolan to catch up on your favorites!

WARREN OLNEY MODERATOR

ANGELA OH PANELIST

YVONNE BRATHWAITE BURKE PANELIST

MONICA LOZANO PANELIST

WE ARE HERE: LOS ANGELES IN 2017 LARRY MANTLE MODERATOR

DAVID RYU PANELIST

ANA GUERRERO PANELIST

MARQUEECE HARRISDAWSON PANELIST

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF STUDYLA FERNANDO GUERRA HOST

SOCIAL JUSTICE

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Green goals and tips for today’s Planeteers Karried

A-Quaye Karis Addo-Quaye Social Justice Editor @LALoyolan

E

nvironmentalism and social justice are constantly interacting.

Issues of sustainability as well as the ethical and responsible treatment of vulnerable individuals, of animals, and even of entire communities and ecosystems are constantly called into question. The effects of environmentally damaging policies and activities force unhealthy living standards upon others and present dire, even life-threatening circumstances for marginalized peoples in the U.S. and worldwide.

With a complicated problem of such epic proportions, it can seem as if there is nothing any one person can do to alleviate the burden faced by those on the receiving end of these injustices, let alone an opportunity to make a meaningful impact amid the social, political and economic systems perpetuating these injustices. However, when it comes to saving the world, one brave and animated leader and his team of Planeteers can offer us sage words of advice: “By your powers combined, I am Captain Planet.” So, in honor of Earth Day and the planet we all share, here are some ethical and everyday ways you can stay woke and keep up the good fight as the environmental justice warrior you were always meant to be.

Climate Change: the environmental crisis formerly known as global warming.

Scientists, civilians and politicians left and right have raised their concerns about climate change and environmentalist efforts to curb it. While some like President Donald Trump might consider this all to be “a money-making industry… a hoax,” decades of research suggest otherwise.

Recognized internationally at the 2016 Paris Agreement as among the greatest present threats to humanity, our unsustainable practices, particularly in highly industrialized countries, have

via Loyolan Archives

The University has been nationally recognized for its commitment to sustainble practices and environmentally friendly initiatives.

stomped an indelible carbon footprint on everything from the air we breathe to the water we drink to the food we consume. That does irreparable damage to the environment and the delicate and complex ecosystems of flora and fauna within it. What’s more, it also threatens the lives and livelihoods of entire communities of people, particularly those who, ironically, contribute the least to the problem and who are economically and politically less poised to protect themselves from these negative consequences or even change the agenda of the main culprits.

Regardless of how well-versed you are or what stance you take, it can do less harm and more good to get informed about the issue and our role in perpetuating — and hopefully, improving — the conditions of our present for a better and more livable future.

Environmental Activism: exploitation of both resources and people.

As a still pressing and highly controversial issue, doing your research and being critical and careful in what news you consume is especially important when evaluating the facts and points of contention regarding the installment of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The taking and abuse of indigenous

lands and rights is not unique to the U.S., as seen in similarly volatile and unjust situations in post-colonial continents such as South America and Africa where major companies and government forces within and outside of the country destabilize the immediate resources of the communities and/or dry up their non-renewable resources.

This also extends to agricultural issues with farming and produce production. Pesticides in our food, unsustainable farming practices, abused animals and exploited laborers are all aspects of the farming industry that have increased with the advancement of technologies and greater demands.

The interference of big business and lack of action taken by officials in government both federal and local to protect the rights of migrant workers creates intensely difficult situations for those individual and their families.

It also leads to inhumane conditions for the animals being raised as produce, which poor regulations and corporations exacerbate.

In this sense, sustainability is not just for the Earth, but for those who are marginalized in society and across the globe. This includes those whose right to their own land and resources has restricted those whose vulnerable circumstances are

exploited to continue meeting the demands for produce and the meat industry. It also includes those who are forced — unwittingly or not — to consume unhealthy products and live in an unhealthy and even lifethreatening environment.

The insistence on using fossil fuels and nonrenewable sources of energy have devastated many, and activism and systematic changes must be implemented to truly stop, if not altogether reverse, the damage that’s been done. However, that doesn’t mean those who are not (yet!) full throttle environmentalists are powerless to participate.

Fast Fashion: looking good for a hidden high cost.

Perhaps among the most recent of environmental issues to hit mainstream media’s attention, the deeply problematic nature of the fashion industry has been under a very critical lens the past few years.

This is especially so as fast fashion accelerates seasons and pushes trends to generate more clothing that is considered in style and thereby, more likely to be purchased by thrifty shoppers. As one Newsweek article titled “Fast fashion is creating an environmental crisis,” explained, “Many secondhand stores will reject items from fast-fashion chains like Forever 21, H&M, Zara and Topshop. The inexpensive clothing

is poor quality, with low resale value, and there’s just too much of it ...

According to the Council for Textile Recycling, charities overall sell only 20 percent of the clothing donated to them at their retail outlets.”

So what’s deemed waste end up in landfills, and unlike compost, the chemical processes such as bleaching and dying that create the constantly revolving styles our consumerist society craves only contribute to the toxic greenhouse gases the trashed clothes emit into the atmosphere. Synthetically made clothes such as polyester, nylon and acrylic, according to the same article, act essentially as plastic, taking thousands of years to decompose.

The exploitation that it enables hurts economically desperate and vulnerable individuals, an ugly truth staining the cheap clothing so many of us demand.

Remember, there are many issues beneath the massive umbrella of environmentalism. Still, we can’t be disillusioned by the enormity of the situation when every contribution — large and small — can bring us closer to a better tomorrow. In the words of Captain Planet and the Planeteers, “The power is yours!”

To see what our own city of Los Angeles has been doing to combat environmental injustices, visit http://plan.lamayor.org/. To find more organizations dedicated to sustainability and environmental justice, look through: http://www. globalstewards.org/organizations. htm.

To learn more: Add these films to your finals week procrastination watch-list: “Blue Moon,” “Surviving Progress,” “Chasing Ice,” “The 11th Hour,” “The True Cost,” “Cowspiracy” and “Gasland.”

To do more: Download apps to be green onthe-go: Skeptical Science, Oroec, #Climate, Ecoviate, Avoid (also a web browser plug-in), Closet Swap.

For more ways to stay woke about environmental justice and sustainability, go online to laloyolan.com for the full list.

life+arts

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ROAR debuts ‘Closer Than We Think’ Glass Half Phil Philip Brazelton Life+Arts Intern @LALoyolan

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ave you ever wondered about where you come from? Who were your ancestors, and where did they live? Most importantly, does this reveal anything about you? Five LMU students — senior biology major Niko Victoria, senior English and philosophy double major Javier Navarro, senior English major and Loyolan copy editor Aja Hoggatt, freshman film and television production major Julie Everakes and senior biology major Mali McGuire — got to explore the answers to some of these questions by sending a sample of their saliva to 23andMe, a genetic service company based in Silicon Valley. These students’ experiences were documented by ROAR Studios in their new short documentary.

23andMe is a company focused on analyzing DNA to inform people about their ancestry and traits; they even offer the option to test for genetic health risks (such as Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease). Their most expensive package, which is $200, includes reports on genetic health risks, ancestry, wellness, carrier status and

via ROAR Studios

Participants

in

the

“Closer

Than

traits, with tests for multiple items under each category. They also have their classic Ancestry service for $100, which tells you where your ancestors are from and also connects you to other 23andMe customers who are in your DNA Family, that is, those who share similar DNA and ancestry to you.

ROAR Studios grouped together five students from various backgrounds to send samples of their DNA to 23andMe in order to learn about their ancestry. The 10 minute documentary, “Closer Than We Think,” documents their journeys. In the beginning, the five students are asked questions about their ancestry, including what they already know, where they think they come from and any predictions that they have about what 23andMe will find. Most students had a general idea about their backgrounds, but none could say with 100 percent certainty where

We

Think”

video

project

their ancestors came from.

For me, the most interesting part was the interviews with the students while they were awaiting their results. The participants were extremely eager to find out, and some of them were actually nervous.

Participant Mali McGuire was coming to terms with the fact that “after 21 years [she would] finally be able to better understand [herself] on a genetic level,” — though she asserted that she would not let the results change who she is. When I heard her say this, it made me wonder something: Does learning about our ancestry have the potential to change who we are and what we think of ourselves? Does it change our perception of self? I believe it certainly has the potential to, depending on the person.

Personally, I would be curious to find out about my ancestors, but it really wouldn’t affect my identity; for

find

out

their

23andMe

genetics

some, however, 23andMe’s service may seem scary in its ability to tell you things about yourself and your family that you could go your whole life never knowing.

The students had different reactions to their results, from unenthused to tearing up. All five students were at least some percentage European; that seemed to be the common connection between everyone. While there were no huge surprises for any of the participants, they were all interested in their results, and many of them were excited to share them with their friends and family.

It is important to remember that ancestry is not telling of culture or heritage. Before sending his DNA sample Javier Navarro remarked, that he was confident he was “Mexican/Spanish.” He turned out to be 59.1 percent European and 34.6 percent East Asian and Native

testing

results

on

camera.

American. At home, Navarro may have a certain culture he identifies with or that he grew up around that is different than his ancestry. Ancestry is traced back hundreds of years—it most likely has absolutely nothing to do with who we are as people or the cultures we identify with.

But based on the documentary, it seems like a powerful experience.

If you have 10 minutes to spare, I strongly encourage you watch it. ROAR Studios did a great job documenting the process of discovering ancestries. And if you are so inclined, I recommend you give 23andMe or any other similar program a try. The documentary certainly inspired me to do so.

This is the opinion of Philip Brazelton, a freshman communications major from San Jose, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.

Seeing the heavens in the City of Angels Taykin’ It Easy Taylor Gage

Life+Arts Editor

@LALoyolan

W

Ashley Ma | Loyolan

hile I’m technically from Northern California, I attribute my pivotal “growing up” years to my time at boarding school on the Big Island of Hawaii. A lot of things changed for me then as I became acclimated to being a young adult.

But while I grew into myself, I also grew into my environment, fully embracing the island as my home. I lived there about nine months out of the year, made myself a family of close friends and teachers and rarely went home. The rolling hills of Waimea were our backyard, and the beach was a close weekend trip; nature found its way into our everyday.

I would walk to school in the fog, and we’d have sports in the afternoons — but my favorite of all was the nights there.

The stars and moon would shine brighter than anything else, brighter than the dim streetlights and the on-and-off of dorm room lights. Even from inside my room lying on my bed with the windows open, I could see them. It was never truly dark.

We did have a curfew, but I often cut it close, staying out as late as possible to look at them. Did you know that when it’s really clear you can see the cloudy ring of the Milky Way circling around us? If you stand outside long enough, you can see it shifting slowly across the sky. I even went to the Mauna Kea Observatory once or twice. I saw the gigantic Keck domes of the telescopes and got to witness the sky from one of the tallest mountains in the world.

The stars were a constant

comfort — one that I never truly realized until I left. Here the sky is clouded; light and other pollution hide the constellations.

I am taking astronomy this semester, and we have to try to observe what we’re studying through it all.

It’s amazing how little we can actually see. Here in Los Angeles, the brightest things in the night are jarring headlights and billboards advertising freeze away fat reduction — not exactly the majestic beauty of the heavens. It’s a shame that children growing up here have to learn about the stars only from pictures in textbooks, and can only know the light of the brightest stars, like Polaris, that manage to shine a weak light through the smog. Sure, you can go out to the desert to see them all, but they aren’t a part of our everyday like they should be. We are a part of those stars and are integrally connected to everything in this vast universe.

It’s so easy to forget how small we are when all we see is this Earth.

So go see the stars if you can, but also let’s make strides to appreciate them, not just to view them. That means taking care of the planet. Not all of us get the opportunity to live among the stars like I did when I was remote in the middle of the Pacific, I understand. But if we take care of our earth, maybe we can at least keep the city clean enough to see the few stars we can now. We can all stand to use the humbling presence of them and to look up a little more often — past all the city lights to what’s really important.

This is the opinion of Taylor Gage, a sophomore studio arts major from Napa Valley, California. Tweet comments to @ LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@ theloyolan.com.

life+arts

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LMU alumna on a morning routine for the soul Cory’s Content

enough or if it’s been edited enough. The other aspect, in a separate way of being enough, [is] the wonder of how excellent you can make it. So, when it came to looking for someone to write the foreword of my book, I thought about who would make this truly excellent and awesome. It’s just about how much time you’re willing to provide in creating an awesome product.

Cory Hutchinson

Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LALoyolan

O

ne thing I think we can all relate to as college students is how crazy our lives are. We’re expected to have a near perfect GPA, have a parttime job, make time for volunteer work and possibly tack on an internship or two, all the while trying to maintain a social life and a decent sleep schedule. We often find ourselves cramming in a research paper at 1 a.m. or halfassing a reading assignment for a class or two when we could be getting more sleep or developing some sort of balanced routine in our lives.

LMU alumna Natalie Janji (‘16) specifically tackles this issue in her co-authored book, “The Miracle Morning for College Students.” The book delves into the complicated nature of a college student’s routine and how one can improve the regularity of daily life by simply establishing a morning ritual of sorts and by getting some sleep.

Personally, I believe having a morning ritual is the best thing someone can do for themselves because my day feels totally off if I miss a step in my routine. Plus, having that routine makes me feel more organized, balanced and ready for whatever the day is going to throw at me.

The book also discusses the delicate matter of the proverbial triangle of college life in which you can only pick two of three options: sleep, social life and good grades. However, Janji believes that — with an established morning routine — all three can be achieved. This is a reality that Janji herself has achieved and has seen others achieve after recognizing the importance of being balanced and healthy, something she aims to pass on to thousands of college students around the globe.

Sitting with Janji and discussing her book, I came to a realization about the nature of our talents and the importance of staying whole in terms of the mind and body. Whether we are trying to be the best versions of ourselves or aiming to reach certain goals that are separate from who we are as people, the concern of balance and health are always in mind and should be the main priority. Although my morning routine is basic, Janji shared with me that even the most simple of routines can make the greatest impact in your life.

The most crucial aspect of this book’s creation and Janji’s goal is inspiration. I feel as if we’re in a time where inspiration is low or comes in random waves, which could be the explanation for why some of us lack routine. Whether it’s the current political climate, the impending crises in society or our own personal worries with school and life in general, there’s always a reason to worry more about those things rather than trying to find the inspiration to cope. For Janji, inspiration was the catalyst that inspired her to write her book, and her motivations came from a place

CH: How many rounds of editing do you think you did?

NJ: Probably a million and a half. I read my words over and over again and almost don’t remember what I did all of December. I barely remember Christmas; I was laying flat on my bed for a solid month just writing. So, I was just editing and re-editing because I didn’t want content to be in there that wasn’t applicable, and I wanted advice that students could integrate into their lives immediately. It was mostly just me seeking out how well I could do as a writer even though I really wasn’t one.

CH: What advice do you have for students health-wise and writing wise?

Ashley Ma | Loyolan

LMU alumna Natalie Janji’s book offers crucial life advice aside from taking control of your morning routine. that was close to the heart and close to our campus.

Without this fresh perspective on the morning routine and its importance, I believe that college students who are actively seeking some sort of remedy to better their lives may not have any luck in finding the magic trick. I think, what’s great about this book, is that it goes beyond campus life and into the professional postgrad world — a realm which we all might look at through a lens of fear and uncertainty. With Janji’s insight, even the real world becomes quite the tamable beast and it all starts with finding the balance in life.

So, if you find yourself struggling to look for that extra something that will make your life feel fuller, take a look at Natalie Janji’s book, and see how something as simple as an established routine could change your life for the better. The book is available on Amazon for preorder, and you can also join the Facebook page — named after the book’s title.

Here’s the full interview with Natalie Janji: Cory Hutchinson: Can you tell me a little bit about your book?

Natalie Janji: I co-authored the book — “The Miracle Morning

for College Students” — with Hal Elrod, and it’s part of an international best-selling series called “The Miracle Morning.”

It’s now reached 47 countries, has almost 100,000 members on Facebook, and it’s been a world phenomenon about having a morning routine.

So, what my book is about, is how the morning routine can really improve the lives of students in the areas of academia, social life, health and even post-graduation. It also dives into what is a morning routine and what should be a part of it, all relating to how it will benefit their lives and bring them a greater self-awareness that they can take with them outside of college.

CH: What inspired you to write this?

NJ: I would say, when I was a senior and really trying to figure out what I wanted to do in the real world, I really looked into myself and said, ‘What works for me? What does Natalie want to do on a random September day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.?’

That’s the real question I had to ask myself because what came about was learning a foreign language and wanting to write a book. I’d done almost four years in working in Student Affairs

being a resident advisor and being an orientation leader, and after these four years at LMU, I wanted to write a book about everything I learned in my life.

What inspires me is that I know students have the potential to do anything in the world, and everyone has a beautiful individuality to them.

The world needs each and every person to fill a role in some way, so I wanted students to be aware of their gifts.

CH: Did you always think you’d be a writer?

NJ: No, I journaled for almost my entire life — I still have my journals from when I was five — but I think that’s how I started liking writing. I just wrote down my thoughts, what happened that day, but I never saw myself as a writer.

CH: What’s the most challenging part of the publishing process?

NJ: I would say it’s really questioning yourself as to when you consider it done. As a writer, you really want it to be the most perfect piece of writing, and you want to put in as much content or value as you want in it to bring value to your readers, but you never know when you’ve written

NJ: I would really say that if you believe that you couldn’t be a good student and be healthy, then you should really question that because every healthy person I know is also a good student. So, there is no reason to sacrifice your health, to sleep extremely late or stay up doing work ‘til 2 a.m. and thinking that it’s helping you be a better student. Healthy students, who are also doing well in college, just prioritize their time well and that is a skill in itself, so, you can have it both ways. When it comes to the triangle of social life, health and academics — pick two out of three — you can have all three, but it takes time and you have to be patient with it. You have to accept the fact that you can be healthy and that it won’t negatively impact your life. When it comes to writing, I would give the advice: If you want to be a writer and you think that it’s a dream that can’t come true, I think you should just go for it because the world needs your words more than you think.

CH: As a writer, do you see more prospects coming your way?

NJ: Yes, I do. I’ve already been offered another co-authored book.

When it comes to writing, it’s almost like this forbidden fruit, as if there aren’t enough young writers out there. So, people take interest in a very specific skill set and writing applies to every single path of your life. Write, whether it’s from your heart or for professional reasons. Really tighten that skill and work on it. Although editing can be difficult at times, it’s also very necessary.

This is the opinion of Cory Hutchinson, a freshman sociology major from Palm Desert, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.

life+arts Aja’s Angle Aja Hoggatt Copy Editor @LALoyolan

E

ach university has things that make it unique. One could argue that what makes LMU unique is how service-minded it is. There are countless service groups throughout campus, each with a different focus.

One such group is Environmentally Conscious and Organized (ECO) Students. ECO Students is a group focused on helping the environment and raising awareness to students about environmental issues, especially climate change.

“We’re always trying to drive awareness for the issues on campus within the local community because even our student body isn’t aware enough or knowledgeable enough about climate change and how bad it really is right now,” Eric Robinson junior entrepreneurship major and biology minor said.

Next year, Robinson, along with sophomore psychology major Taleene Armen, will be co-president of ECO Students.

Robinson has been involved with the group since last school year,

while Armen is a more recent member, joining the group this school year.

The group was briefly called Fossil Free LMU, as it fought to get LMU to fully divest from any fossil fuel companies. After speaking to the Board of Trustees and those involved in the investments for LMU, the group learned that it would be nearly impossible to do so, so they have shifted their focus and have gone back to their previous title.

The group is now more interested in getting LMU to invest into eco-friendly corporations and continuing campus education on the issue.

ECO LMU tries to put on events throughout the year, in order to raise awareness and money for certain causes. In October, they held an event in front of the church, titled Toast to the Pope, where they had T-shirts, pictures and other fun activities. The event celebrated Pope Francis for his encyclical, Laudato Sí, which called for Catholics to care about climate change.

“He did this whole paper of environmental issue and how Catholic institutions need to actually take a stand and start actively working towards helping all of these different issues that are arising because of climate change,” said Robinson.

During Water Week, the group

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sold succulents on campus for $1 to raise money for Stand with Standing Rock, and continuously partners with other groups on campus for different causes.

When asked why the environment is an issue that matters to him, Robinson said, “I grew up as an avid scuba diver, really into coral reefs, so I was always shocked by oceans acidification and the fact that coral reefs, at this rate, will be gone in like 50 years…From that, it stemmed into climate change.”

“This is a really important cause and I’ve always been interested in helping in any way that I can towards these really important issue that obviously our administration isn’t prioritizing,” Armen said, “it affects everyone, no matter class, race, gender, everyone.”

ECO LMU encourages students to come out to events and meetings and get involved because they believe being educated about the Earth and its problems is important.

LMU Student Special

This is the opinion of Aja Hoggatt, a senior English major from Los Angeles, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.

Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” screened at LMU Young & Jaided Jaida Macklin

Asst. Life+Arts Editor @jai_ima

I

f you enjoy compelling, dystopian storylines with strong female characters, then Hulu’s new original series “The Handmaid’s Tale” is one for you.

Based off of the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood, the drama is set in a fundamentalist totalitarian society focusing on the kidnapping and sexual enslavement of a woman named Offred, played by Elisabeth Moss.

Also starring in the show are Samira Wiley from Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black” and “Gilmore Girls’” Alexis Bledel.

The show’s Hulu description explains: “Facing environmental disasters and a plunging birthrate, Gilead is ruled by a twisted fundamentalism in its militarized ‘return to traditional values’. As one of the few remaining fertile women, Offred is a Handmaid in the Commander’s household, one of the caste of women forced into sexual servitude as a last desperate attempt to repopulate the world.”

In this society, Offred cannot trust anyone but must go around the Commanders, their evil Wives and the other Handmaids — all to

via Flickr Creative Commons The screening of Hulu’s original drama series “The Handmaid Tale’s” will be taking place at DejaView at 7:30p.m. survive and find her stolen daughter.

The show’s official teaser showed glimpses of graphic, jarring images such as bodies hanging from a church ceiling and even Offred being raped by a Commander while his wife watches.

The storyline is also incredibly relevant considering the current political situation in the United States. Some might even call it prophetic if we continue down the same political path that we are currently on, in which our current president has been known for infringing on the rights of others.

“I was asleep before; that’s how we let it happen. When they slaughtered Congress, we didn’t wake up,” says Offred in an offscreen monologue as the preview begins. “When they blamed

terrorists and suspended the Constitution, we didn’t wake up then either. Now I’m awake.” Clips of police lined up with tanks and distressed civilians are shown.

These lines can be tied to our current political climate with both Trump’s court ruled unconstitutional Muslim ban and the recent “slaughter” of Congress, as Trump continues to fill it with controversial candidates.

Offred’s “Now I’m awake” also seems to parallel the common African American Vernacular English term, woke, which signifies someone becoming aware of social justice and racial issues.

“Can you imagine if every fertile woman in the world was kidnapped and enslaved by an extreme regime that took away their rights and

forced them to leave their families?” said senior communication studies major Jillian Kane, who is also a Hulu PR and Event Manager here at LMU. While many of us probably can’t even fathom it, we don’t need to, as the enticing series will be released on Hulu this week. Moreover, Hulu and LMU Belles have teamed up in in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month and are holding a screening of “The Handmaid’s Tale” on Wednesday, April 26.

The screening will take place at DejaView Movie Lounge at 7:30 p.m., so don’t be late.

This is the opinion of Jaida Macklin, a freshman communications major from Chicago, Illinios. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.

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SPORTS

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Softball finds their stride with two wins SoDo Mo-Jo Johanna Knight

L

Sports Intern @LoyolanSports

MU softball got their stride back this past weekend by snagging their first two conference wins both against Santa Clara University.

The Lions had been going through a rough patch the past couple of games. LMU let their guard down, and lost all three games to Brigham Young University. LMU’s last noted win was on April 3 against UC Santa Barbara winning 6-2.

In the double header on Friday, the Lions won the first game 1-0. In the second game, Santa Clara took the win 1-0. Friday’s games were the lowest scoring all weekend. LMU took Saturday by storm, as the Lions dominated Santa Clara with a 7-0 win.

Women’s softball head coach Sami Strinz-Ward gave some remarks about what changed with the team this weekend versus their losses against BYU. “We have a really good team.

This last weekend we finally started believing in ourselves, and allowing ourselves to succeed a little bit more than we did against BYU. We needed the chance this weekend to feel what success felt like, and I think that will really

catapult us for the rest of the year,” Strinz-Ward said.

The Lion’s offense finally awoke from their slumber this past weekend as Lions recorded 12 hits during their win over the Broncos. Strong offense players noted during the game included senior center fielder Amanda Dirks who went 3-for-4, junior second baseman Caitlin Harman at 2-for-4 and Sophomore cathcer Irma Sanchez who went 1-for-3.

The top of the seventh was a huge turn for the Lions in the game. LMU scored a total of four runs during this inning, and snagged their win by a final score of 7-0.

Strinz-Ward gave some input on what the team’s focus and goals will be going into the rest of the season: her seniors, and new championships.

“Take care of business and do what we are supposed to do.

My main goal is to send these seniors off on a high note, and hopefully with a winning streak,” Strinz-Ward said. “There’s a new thing for NCAA softball where they are starting a secondary championship tournament. So there’s the main tournament, and they’re doing what basketball does with their NIT, they’re doing a version of that for softball this year. It will be the first year ever. If we for what ever reason don’t earn

Jonathan Kokotajlo | Loyolan

Senior outfielder Amanda Dirks (17) delivered three hits including a home run in the win on Saturday afternoon. first place in our conference, so we earn second place, we have the opportunity to go to the second championship tournament. I think that would be a great experience.”

Strinz-Ward also gave her own thoughts on the next couple of games; she described what she believes to be the team’s weaknesses

going into these matches.

“I think the biggest challenge is we play at home a lot of the year.

The biggest challenge is being on the road two weekends in a row which we aren’t used to,” StrinzWard said. “Pacific has done a good job of playing a strong preseason schedule like we have. Looking

forward to the competition, and moving forward with the momentum we built last game.”

LMU will hit the road, and next up face University of the Pacific in Stockton on April 22. The Lions will play a double header versus Pacific on Saturday, and then have one game on Sunday, April 23.

SPORTS

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Lions defeat Saint Mary’s College over break Matty Light

Matthew Rodriguez

Asst. Sports Editor

O

@LoylanSports

ver Easter break, the baseball team travelled north to Moraga, California to face league rival Saint Mary’s College (SMC). The Lions looked to redeem themselves after losing in extra innings to the University of Washington earlier on Monday, April 10.

The Lions faced the Gael’s red hot offense after the team routed University of California Berkeley 24-7. LMU’s bullpen hindered SMC’s offense by only allowing four runs for the three game series. With the bullpen’s help, the Lions’ offense steamrolled the Gaels, winning two out of the three game series. The Lions improved their record to 11-40 in the West Coast Conference (WCC) and 23-13-0 overall. The Lions are still at the top of the WCC sitting at third place behind Brigham Young University and University of San Diego.

In the series opener, the Lions beat the Gaels 12-3 thanks to the impressive pitching of senior right hand pitcher Blake Redman. Redman pitched for a stellar seven innings, allowing only two earned runs and seven hits while striking out four Gaels.

Redman redeemed himself after a poor start against Santa Clara

University, where he allowed seven runs.

On the other side, the Lions brought in 12 runs with the help of senior second baseman Phil Caulfield, senior shortstop Spencer Erdman and junior Jamey Smart. Caulfield and Erdman went 3-for-5, with both players batting in two RBI’s.

Smart batted 2-for-5 hitting a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his fourth homerun of the season. After the Lions scored a run in both the first and the second inning, they kept pouring in the runs, batting four runs in the fifth and ninth innings and two in the eighth.

In the second game of the series, the Lions struggled to put a run on the board against SMC’s senior pitcher Johnny York, as he pitched for nine shutout innings, handing the Lions loss 1-0. The Lions were able to outhit the Gaels getting seven hits compared to the Gael’s four.

LMU left eight runners on base through the whole game.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Lions failed to get in a run when the bases were loaded with no outs. Although the team struggled to get themselves on the board, the bullpen led by senior left-hand pitcher Brenton Arriaga only allowed one run and two hits through seven innings.

Arriaga also struck out seven while only walking one. The one run that Arriaga allowed was in the second inning when a double hit to left field gave the Gaels a

Megan Karbowski | Loyolan

Junior first baseman Jamey Smart (20) hits his fourth homerun of the season in the second game of the series. shutout innings, Abbott has now and Smart, as all three recorded 1-0 lead. This was the first loss pitched 37.1 consecutive innings of the year for Arriaga, moving two hits. After winning this without allowing an earned run. his record to 4-1. series, the Lions improve to 8-0The Lions also dominated 1 in weekend series this season.

In the final game of the offensively batting in seven runs series, junior right hand pitcher The Lions’ next game will Cory Abbott pitched for eight on 11 hits. Sophomore designated be at home at Page Stadium shutout innings allowing only hitter Steven Chavez hit his first on Tuesday, April 18 against three hits, giving the Lions a homerun of the season in the the CSUN Matadors. The next fourth, batting 2-for-5 with two 7-0 win. Abbott also recorded WCC weekend series will be 10 strikeouts while only walking RBI’s. The Lions saw more of the against Pepperdine starting this two batters. With these eight same from Caulfield, Erdman weekend on Friday, April 21.

Graduate Assistantships Graduate Assistantships are available now for the 2017-2018 academic year!

Preparation for a career.

Education for life.

For a list of available positions and to fill out an application, please visit http://graduate.lmu.edu/resources/graduateassistantships/ Graduate Division 310.338.2721 graduate.lmu.edu

SPORTS

SCORES UPDATE SOFTBALL

LION

7-0 W

W. TENNIS

7-0 W

M. TENNIS

@ Santa Clara

SPORTS

BASEBALL

4-1 W

vs. BYU

4-3 W at BYU

vs. St. Mary’s

Follow us on Twitter @loyolansports for up-to-date scores.

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LOS ANGELES LOYOLAN | April 19, 2017 | laloyolan.com

LMU Golf set to excel at WCC Championships Can You Dignum?

Andrew Dignum Sports Intern @LoyolanSports

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resh off a dominating performance in the Cougar Classic, the LMU men’s golf team will head to Riverside Country Club from April 20 through April 22 to participate in the West Coast Conference Championships (WCC). WCC analysts expect the Lions to finish in the middle of the pack, behind BYU, Saint Mary’s, Pepperdine and the University of San Francisco. Senior Blake Meek and sophomore Riley Elmes will look to defy the predictions and lead the Lions to their first WCC Championship since 2005-06.

The LMU Lions’ golf team has had a successful season and they will look to build off that success in the coming week. Coming into the tournament, the Lions have had dominating performances against strong fields but have only put forth several complete rounds. In the recent Grand Canyon University Invitational, the Lions finished in fourth place, trailing NCAA golf heavyweights Duke and Eastern

Michigan by just a few strokes.

If the Lions can replicate these results and avoid large numbers on the scorecard, they will have the opportunity to succeed in the upcoming WCC Championship.

The play of Riley Elmes will be a decisive factor in the Lions’ success.

If the low-scoring righty from Lake Oswego, Oregon can continue his dominant play, the Lions stand to have a good chance in improving upon last year’s eighth place finish.

Elmes, who began the season strong, placing second in the USF Olympic Intercollegiate, has led the Lions the entire season. At the Del Walker Intercollegiate, he helped the Lions place seventh behind an even-par performance, shooting scores of 70, 66 and 74. Elmes also led the way for the Lions in Seattle University’s Redhawk Invitation at Chambers Bay, with his strong final round firmly placing the Lions in 12th place out of an 18 team field. His ability to post low numbers will help the Lions perform well in the WCC Championship.

Besides Elmes, the Lions have another advantage in the West Coast Conference Championship.

The golf team recently played at the site of the championship during

via LMU Athletics

Sophomore Riley Elmes (pictured) and senior Blake Meek have been leaders for LMU on the course this year, and to lead the Lions to repeated success at Riverside Country Club this weekend. the Cougar Championship. At this tournament, the Lions recorded their highest team finish of the season. They placed second overall with a 14-under par performance.

These types of low rounds will help the Lions move past their opponents on the leaderboard. The Lions were led by senior Blake Meek. He tied for first place at 7-under-par after shooting below par each round.

After recording such impressive rounds (71-68-70-209), it is safe to say that Meeks has a strong grasp on the course. He will look to use this understanding of the course this week to his advantage at the

Championship. The Lions also had two other below par performances.

Junior Nick Jan shot consistent scores of 70, 72 and 71. Sophomore Riley Elmes also put forth an impressive first round score of 65.

He shot 73 and 76 in the final two rounds. All players will look to duplicate their efforts this weekend.

Standing in the Lions’ way is reigning champion Saint Mary’s. In the 2016 championship, the Gaels set records for the tournament’s 54hole team score at 25-under-par.

Pepperdine is also coming into the tournament with something to play for. Last year, freshman phenom

Sahith Theegala, had to withdraw from the tournament due to an injury. Now a sophomore, Theegala, who played with Phil Mickelson at the Genesis Open, a PGA Tour Event at the Riviera Country Club, will look to help Pepperdine recapture the title they won in 2015. In the midst of these storylines, the Lions will approach the West Coast Conference Championship not as favorites, but with the opportunity to surprise the other contenders.

This is the opinion of Andrew Dignum, a freshman finance major from Menlo Park, California. Tweet comments to @LoyolanSports, or email tdevries@ theloyolan.com.

LIONBITES WOMEN’S TENNIS

The doubles team of senior Jessica Perez and sophomore Elvira Juravliova earned their third WCC Doubles Team of the Week Award this past week. The LMU team earned their first road weekend sweep since April of 2012 behind a 2-0 week from the pair. This weekend, LMU tennis wraps up their regular season, returning home for matches against Gonzaga University and University of Portland.

The Lions have an opportunity to play in the West Coast Conference Championships the following the weekend with a couple of wins this weekend.

MEN’S TENNIS

Men’s tennis earned a comeback victory against BYU on senior day this past Saturday, and now look to carry that momentum into the final two regular matches of the season. The men take on Gonzaga and Portland, but head out on the road for their season finale. The Lions currently sit in eighth place, giving them slim odds to make next weekend’s WCC Tournament. However, the Lions can qualify with two wins and losses from University of the Pacific and Santa Clara University. The Lions also introduced two new signings for the 2018 season this past weekend, incoming freshmen Ethan Prost and Diego Nava.

MEN’S WATER POLO

While it’s currently the women who have center stage in the pool, the men made waves this past weekend, as seven LMU Lions were named to the 2016-2017 Western Water Polo Association All-Academic Team. Redshirt freshman Matt Braun, freshman Austin Clark, redshirt sophomore Zach Gleason, redshirt junior Eric Hernandez, freshman Kian Lofti, redshirt junior Riley Smith and freshman Collin Sohn were all honored.

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CHANGE THE WORLD FROM HERE