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Nikon’s failed advertising event is a learning opportunity.
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ESPN’s Jemele Hill sparks conflict over social media freedom.
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Natural disasters hit North America
Millions affected by recent hurricanes, eartquakes and wildfires in North America Kayla Tanli News Intern @LALoyolan
A magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook central Mexico on Tuesday – just one of many natural disasters to hit North America recently. This followed a minor tremor in L.A. on Monday and a magnitude 8.2 earthquake in Southern Mexico on Sept. 7. The epicenter of the earthquake that struck central Mexico was approximately 83 miles southeast of Mexico City in Puebla. At the time of production, 226 people had died, as reported by Al Jazeera.
A 3.6 earthquake shook Westwood, California at 11:20 p.m. on Sept. 18. The epicenter of the earthquake was west of the Sepulveda pass in the 405 freeway in the Santa Monica Mountains. The shaking was felt throughout the city. A 2.0 magnitude aftershock followed, and there were no reports of damage. The Sept. 7 Southern Mexico earthquake was the largest to hit the country in nearly a century. 96 people died. “I hope everyone is recovering soon and getting a lot of help. If I were in Mexico right now I’d totally volunteer to help those affected, but from here I’m helping with my prayers, God bless you all,” Maria Jose Leon, a sophomore communication studies major from Tehuacan, Mexico, said. Scientists say that “it’s possible for Southern California to be hit by a magnitude 8.2 earthquake. Such a quake would be far more destructive to the Los
Angeles area because the San Andreas fault runs very close to and underneath densely populated areas,” according to the Los Angeles Times. Earthquakes and hurricanes follow over a year of wildfires in the north west. The past year has seen drastic droughts, followed by record rainfall in winter and record high temperatures this summer. The conditions left an abundance of grass and brush that fueled many fires. The combination of the reduction of clouds, high temperatures and below average rains added more fuel to the fires, according to Mace Michaels from Weather Nation. However, factors such as lightning or human activity come to play in igniting the spark. In California, as of Sept. 16, there were seven active wildfires that covered 245,133 acres. One of these wildfires has been contained. Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency on Sept. 8 in three
counties: Madera, Mariposa and Tulare. Over 2 million acres have been burnt in recent months, as reported by NPR. States that have been affected include Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and California. As of Sept. 16, there were eight large new fires and 61 active large fires spread throughout the northwest region. The damage from the wildfires is extensive. This wildfire season “leveled hundreds of homes, closed roads and parks, and sent hazy smoke into major cities across the West,” according to Kurtis Alexander from San Francisco Gate, The smoke can cause potential negative health consequences. Children, pregnant women, people over 65 and those who have heart and lung problems are especially vulnerable. See Disasters | Page 4
Officials announce hepatitis A outbreak Outbreak announced in L.A. County after 10 people were infected. Olivia Round
Interim News Editor @LALoyolan
A hepatitis A outbreak was declared in Los Angeles County, as reported by Los Angeles Times on Sept. 19. While the numbers are currently low in L.A. County, with only 10 infected people, the outbreak follows an outbreak in San Diego County where 450 people have contracted the virus and 16 people have died, according to the L.A. Times. “Four of the confirmed cases [in Los Angeles] were in individuals who had been in San Diego and Santa Cruz,” according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Hepatitis A is a highly contagious infection that causes inflammation and affects your liver’s ability to function, according to the Mayo Clinic. The most common way to contract the disease is by contaminated food or water or by coming into close contact with someone else who is infected.
Health officials said the homeless population in California is the most at risk. The disease “appears to be moving from person to person within that community,” according to the L.A. Times. Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said, “health workers will inspect homeless encampments in Los Angeles to improve sanitation, while spreading the word about improved hygiene,” Ferrer told the L.A. Times. Ferrer said the officials plan to distribute 40,000 vaccinations to homeless people as well as providing shots to new jail inmates, active drug users and medical providers. “Practicing good hygiene, including washing hands frequently, is one of the best ways to protect against hepatitis A,” according to the Mayo Clinic, and vaccines are available for at risk patients. Mild cases, however, do not need treatment and most of those who are infected recover without any liver problems. Ferrer said that those who are concerned should talk with their doctor about receiving the vaccine, which is already recommended for children, according to the L.A. Times. see Graphic | Page 5
Megan Karbowski | Loyolan
Mass of the Holy Spirit Every year, the Mass of the Holy Spirit is held to mark the beginning of the new school year. One special ritual held each year is the decorating of the altar with colorful cloths from around the world. The custom of the Mass of the Holy Spirit dates back to St. Ignatius’s time, according to LMU’s website, and serves as an opportunity to celebrate LMU’s diversity.
CAREER EXPO
September 21 Noon - 3 p.m. UHall Atrium
Find jobs and internships – network with a wide variety of employers offering opportunities across all fields. Learn what employers are looking for, and what jobs and internships might be a good fit. Develop your professional image – refine your elevator speech and practice talking about your accomplishments and qualifications. Complimentary LinkedIn photobooth.
Students from all class years, as well as alumni, are welcome. Professional attire is recommended.
Join us on: lmu.joinhandshake.com Download ‘LMU Career Fair Plus’ in the app store. Learn more at careers.lmu.edu/careerexpo Stay updated and share experiences using #lmucareerexpo
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Career and Professional Development Charles Von der Ahe Building, Suite 135 1 LMU Drive Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659
NEWS
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BURNING QUESTIONS
So #tuffcrowd is a collective of about 30 creators. We perform all around L.A. doing all types of shows ranging from poetry, music, dance, sketch comedy—pretty much anything you can think of. We have graphic designers, filmmakers, rappers and our mission is to change the world two eyes and two ears at a time.
How did #tuffcrowd get started?
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Basically Halla Williams was doing a performance at his college and he decided he wanted to do his own thing. So he got some classmates in his theater class and they started doing sketch comedy shows and then we transitioned into music and poetry which is what we do now.
Why do you call yourself a librarian, liberator and lyricist?
It started off as a joke, I’ve always been very passionate about social justice so my friends have this joke that I’m the most woke in our friend group, which isn’t necessarily the case. But I’m the most outspoken in the group so they started calling me the liberator. And recently I started recommending books weekly and that’s where librarian comes from. I started reading when I was three and writing when I was ten years old so that’s where lyricist is from. Those two things have always been super important to me, and since I really like alliteration I thought “librarian, liberator, and lyricist” — which are the three things that I’m the best at.
What kind of books do you recommend?
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Recently, it depends on the person that I’m talking to. I always think about what topics interest them and how that overlaps with the things that I’ve read. Or sometimes people will tell me what they’re into. So I take what I know about the person, what our interaction is, what we like to talk about and then I try to see what books might fit their interest.
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Provost Poon outlines vision Poon’s strategic vision focuses on integrating colleges and community. Sami Leung @LALoyolan
Can you tell me about #tuffcrowd?
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Asst. News Editor
This issue, News Intern Silvia Velasquez sat down with junior communication studies major Kaelyn Sabal-Wilson, a member of the artist collective group #tuffcrowd.
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laloyolan.com
Do you look up to any other entertainment groups?
In his wide-open, welcoming office on the fourth floor of University Hall, new provost Thomas Poon looks at home. Poon, who was hailed by President Snyder as “an esteemed scholar, distinguished educator, and a proven academic leader” in an email, took over for the former Provost Joseph Hellige on June 1. “I love it,” Poon said of his job. “This is an amazing place and community. It’s so welcoming here. Students, faculty, staff; the level of sophistication on this campus is really high.” He has already been put to work on several different initiatives across campus, including the move into the Playa Vista campus, improving the study abroad program and an emphasis on cross-disciplinary programs to create a more inclusive campus. The biggest challenge so far for him has been initiating programs across colleges, but that only speaks to his larger vision for LMU: unifying the different disciplines to help people come together. This includes giving professors more opportunities to team-teach courses with professors of other disciplines. This will allow students to see subjects from different angles. He also wants to help faculty set up more interdisciplinary majors. Another program Poon has been working on is the move of programs down to the new campus in Playa Vista. In fact, it was one of the projects that drew him to the job of provost in the first place. “That industry [film and television] is very interdisciplinary,” Poon said. “Our strategic plan calls for us to be more interdisciplinary, but also President Snyder and his vision is calling for us to be more globally imaginative and interdisciplinary, so it’s a very exciting space to be moving into.” Changes in study abroad begin with a summit on internationalization to work on further globalizing LMU’s
via Loyola Marymount University | Facebook
Poon demonstrates his ukulele skills during a Facebook Live Q&A.
program. According to a task force created before Poon began the position, 90 percent of students who participate in semester-long study abroad programs go to Europe, while only 10 percent travel anywhere else in the world, such as Asia and Latin America. “I think just the way the world is becoming more global, and in terms of all the different disciplines that exist at LMU, this is going to be a very important thing for the students, to be able to engage with those communities,” Poon said. When he came into the position, Poon sent out a survey to faculty, staff and students in his welcome back message to the community to ask questions like “Do you know what the provost does?” Poon says he is also looking for feedback from the community for what the provost office can look to address in the future. “I would like to see a greater integration between clubs and organizations on campus,” Matthew Carraher, junior philosophy and English double major, said. “I would also like him to look at addressing the advising system for faculty advisors because I’ve run into a fair number of issues where the advisors don’t necessarily know everything that a student needs to know but these are their first points of contact within the University.”
Before coming to LMU, Poon worked as a chemistry professor and said his experience as a teacher has helped him in his administrative work. One of his fondest memories of the year so far is speaking at FirstYear Convocation. He said his outlet for teaching is to bring that kind of language into his administrative work by explaining as often as possible to his constituencies why he is implementing certain programs. “I never want to forget that I am a teacher,” Poon said. Previous leadership positions Poon has held at other institutions, such as Pitzer university, gave him the administrative training that he needed for this job. Coupling that with his Jesuit education, Poon said that allows him to “think more broadly about all different areas” and led to him getting this position. “It all begins with my Jesuit education,” Poon, who attended Fairfield University in Connecticut, said. “Very similar mission and values and a very broad core curriculum, which I didn’t appreciate at the time. But after, I realized how much it helped me. In all the different environments I worked in, I found myself using that education ... When this job opportunity came up, I just had to apply for it.” Poon’s survey will be open until Sept. 25 and can be accessed at laloyolan.com.
I think that we’re really pioneers when it comes to all the different aspects of our performances and also just the way that we put ourselves together and the fact that no one is doing the same thing with art as we are. We have so many elements that most groups that are out right now don’t incorporate. I think we’re a cross between Bad Boy [Records] and In Living Color.
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How did Garcia use the media to raise awareness? Watch this issue’s Last Question video on our website now to find out!
NEWS
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Facebook ads sold during election linked to Russia Russian advertisements possibly sold during the election spark debates. Kayan Tara News Intern @LALoyolan
Over $100,000 worth of Russian advertisements bought on Facebook during 2016 election could be evidence of Russian interference. On Sept. 15, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections, obtained information on Russian linked ads on Facebook. Facebook Inc. handed over detailed records of several fraudulent accounts, originating from Russia, that appeared to have bought over $100,000 worth of advertisements during and following the 2016 election, first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Facebook discovered that the ads bought were targeting American Facebook users, as well as sites linked to a Russian troll farm named the Internet Research Agency, according to CNN. This information provided Mueller and his team with new insights into who exactly might be behind these ads and how this new information might have influenced voting during the election. “It is deeply disturbing that a
foreign adversary, or any foreign country, could influence our democratic process,” Jennifer Ramos, associate professor of political science and director of international relations, said. “But it is also concerning the way that people rely on the echo chambers of social media without applying critical lenses to analyze information.” Facebook had not provided this information to members of the Senate or any House intelligence communities due to its privacy policy. Facebook’s policy states it can only hand over personal account details in light of a search warrant, which was obtained by Mueller. Although it has now shut down the fake accounts that were still active, Facebook struggles with the issue of false accounts on a regular basis, according to CBS News. Alden Lundy, sophomore political science major, said that foreign interference trying to subvert U.S. democracy is an issue the government should be taking action against. Lundy said, “The number of issues and problems the last election had makes me doubt that this could have been anything more than a small contributing factor.” In a statement made by Facebook, according to Business Insider, approximately 25 percent of Russian purchased ads were targeted geographically and therefore it was “difficult to believe that foreign entities would have had the kind of granular knowledge of American
Anthony Quintano via Flickr Creative Commons
Facebook discovered they were selling advertisements to Russian based accounts that targeted Americans. politics necessary to target specific demographics and voting precincts.” Facebook also stated, in an update posted on Sept. 6, that improvements were being made to their system in terms of monitoring inauthentic accounts and pages sharing false news advertisements. “With the extensive volume
of Russian interference…you might think that the West would regard this as an act of war or at the least, a criminal act. But the Trump administration remains in either denial or in disregard of the crimes of Russia as the president continues his strange dance with Putin,” Michael Genovese, professor of political science
and president of Global Policy Institute at LMU, said. “This bizarre ‘bromance’ between Trump and Putin endangers the integrity of our electoral system — the very essence of a strong democracy — as it encourages other countries to engage in mischief without fear of consequences.”
packed and ready to go [because] we never know when something like this could happen again.” In Oregon, the Eagle Creek fire covered 45,579 acres, and only 32 percent of it was contained as of Sept. 19, according to the Oregonian. Air quality also deteriorated due to these wildfires. Jim Ryan from the Oregonian said “gorge air quality was poor Monday morning because smoke is swirling and sitting there.” Avery Vernon-Moore, a senior biology major from Bend, Oregon expressed her concerns over the fires near home and how it has affected air quality. “All of my family and many close friends live in central Oregon and have multiple days where they couldn’t go outside because the air quality was considered hazardous to breathe in,” Moore said. Montana was also affected during this wildfire season as the state battles a severe drought. Gov. Steven Bullock declared the wildfires a disaster, and he called it “one of the worst fire seasons in the state’s history,” according to the New York Times. As of Sept. 19, there are 15 active fires that cover a total of 527,410 acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Two firefighters lost their lives fighting the blaze. As snowfall is spotted in parts of Montana, people are hoping that the decreasing temperatures will help in the battle against wildfires in their state, according to Phil McCausland from NBCnews. Tiffany Dringman, a sophomore dance and health and human science double major from Billings, Montana, was lucky enough to have remained out of harm’s way. However, she said that the fires “have affected a lot of my friends
and family by creating a lot of air pollution, making it hard to breathe and causing health hazards.” A handful of hurricanes have also made their way to the Americas. Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 hurricane, made landfall on Dominica on Sept. 18 Winds reached up to 175 mph. The hurricane is on course to directly hit Puerto Rico and other islands in the Caribbean. Previously, Hurricane Irma, then a Category 5, left a trail of destruction in the Caribbean hitting the American mainland on Sept 10. At least 84 people were killed. Over one million houses and businesses were left without any power in Florida and Georgia, according to Vox Media. Hurricane Harvey, a Category 4 crashed into Texas, with 130 mph winds, before it made its way to Louisiana. It caused record flooding in Southern Texas, and flash flooding in Arkansas. The storm caused 211,000 people to lose their power, according to the New York Times. President Trump signed a disaster proclamation, which allocated federal funds to aid in state and local relief efforts. Lilly Young, a theatre arts sophomore from Houston, Texas, said, “luckily my home and neighborhood were not terribly affected. My father, however was alone in our house and was stuck for many days because of the flooding. He was well equipped so he was fine.” When asked about any message she wanted to convey to those affected, Young says, “Stay strong and there’s no shame in asking for help.”
Earthquakes hit North America following hurricanes
via U.S. Department of Defense
A Texan National Guardsman rescues someone from the flooding brought on by Hurricane Harvey. Disasters from Page 1
The U.S. Forest Service spent a record of $2 billion this year to put out fires. As of Sept. 10, 25,000 responders were battling against the wildfires currently raging. The current fire season is a continuation of raging fires from the fall of 2016, Chris Wilcox from the National Interagency Fire Center said in an interview with NPR. The 2016 wildfires in southern states, such as Georgia and Florida, migrated westward as the seasons changed through the year. According to Wilcox, resources were stretched thinly. “National
preparedness level goes from one to five, and we are currently under preparedness level five, which means all of our national wildland firefighting assets are committed,” Wilcox said. The National Guard was also activated, and half of battalion of duty soldiers were deployed to assist in the firefighting efforts. The La Tuna fire in Los Angeles, according to Mayor Eric Garcetti, was “the largest fire in the history of L.A. city in terms of its acreage.” The La Tuna fire burned from Sept. 1 - , burning 7,200 acres around the Verdugo mountains. Evacuations were ordered in Los Angeles,
Glendale and Burbank, but all were lifted on Sept. 3. The fire had destroyed four homes and five outbuildings. Hripsime Martirosyan, a senior political science major from Burbank, California, recounted how the La Tuna fire affected her area. “My house wasn’t necessarily affected although our backyard was filled with ashes. We were under voluntary evacuation for one day, sadly we weren’t prepared nor did we have an emergency bag/plan ready, that was terrifying.” Her advice to those affected by the fire is to “always [have] an emergency plan as well as an emergency bag
NEWS
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Celebrating National Recovery Month at LMU Lions for Recovery provides resources and support for students. Isabel Ngo
Managing Editor @LALoyolan
September is National Recovery Month, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). New statistics about drug and alcohol misuse from national reports, as well as former surveys from LMU students, reveal increases in substance abuse and the associated risks, including death. SAMHSA reported that 20.8 million Americans, who were 12 years and older, had a substance use disorder in 2015, and that “drug overdoses in the U.S. have quadrupled since 2000.” Lions for Recovery is one organization at LMU dedicated to spreading awareness and supporting recovery groups for students. In spring 2016, Lions for Recovery was awarded Outstanding New Registered Student Organization of the Year by Student Leadership and Development at LMU. The organization includes specific health support groups on campus, including AA, Narcotics Anonymous, AlAnon, Marijuana Anonymous and SMART Recovery (Self Management And Recovery Training). Jack Eason, junior political science major, is one member of Lions for Recovery. After being referred to Judicial Affairs following incidents with alcohol during his first two years at LMU,
Eason reassessed his relationship with drinking and got sober. This year, Eason facilitates the SMART Recovery program on campus, a support group which focuses on self-directed change. Despite the stories of success shared among members, many believe awareness of substance misuse on campus is still needed. “Recovery is not visible on the Bluff,” Bradley Smith, adviser of Lions for Recovery, told the Loyolan. Bradley Smith is a licensed and board-certified counselor and substance use disorders specialist. He hasworked at LMU for 14 years and is part of Student Affairs Special Programs. The University has been proactive with early prevention and education of alcohol and drug misuse, said Smith, from collaboration between Student Psychological Services, Judicial Affairs and Student Health to community standards like the Good Samaritan and SelfReporting Policy that prioritizes safety over blame. Still, “an American college is not a friendly place for a sober student,” said Smith. “Many students believe that a public relationship with intoxication is essential for social success.” “Forty-six percent of LMU drinkers binge drank in the past month,” a HeadsUp survey of 3,500 LMU students from 2007-2009 found. Presented at the 2009 Bellarmine Forum by associate professor of psychology Joseph LaBrie, the report also suggested that poor mental and physical health often resulted from alcohol use among students at LMU. The survey, conducted more than five years ago, also showed that 62 percent of students who seek services
at SPS are high-risk drinkers — in the context of pre-partying, drinking games and binge drinking at events like birthdays. Smith cited the common judgment and exclusion students witness at parties and other social settings when they choose not to drink. He said that the binge drinking culture throughout American colleges and universities, including that at LMU, reinforces this attitude. Part of this is related to older terms such as alcoholics, addicts and abusers, which center blame on a user’s morals and lack of self control, explained Smith. Another factor that makes recovery difficult are the deeper unmet needs that fuel toxic relationships with substances,
according to Smith. These needs can stem from love and belonging to the pressures and perceptions of social success. However, when people address their relationships with alcohol and drugs, the pushback from others is another obstacle to recovery. “People, when they hear you’ve gotten sober, … don’t even want to give you a chance to show that you can be fun … or assume that [you’re] really judgmental,” Eason said, when asked about the misconceptions people have about sobriety. “If you go into the night [thinking] ‘Oh, tonight’s going to suck — I can’t drink or I can’t get hammered with my friends,’ then hell yeah it’s going to suck,” he said. “You’re telling yourself
it’s gonna suck before you even go out.” SMART meetings take place every Wednesday from 9-10 p.m. in room 241 of the Charles Von der Ahe building, and are open to the LMU community. Eason’s goal is to provide “an open and honest environment” for anyone new to the concept of sobriety or who just wants to learn about it. Those who are interested in supporting Lions for Recovery can email recovery@lmu. edu for more information. “Come to a meeting — they’re all student-led,” Smith said. “Imagine what it’s like to be a student in recovery, standing up and leading a meeting. That’s leadership, baby.”
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SOCIAL JUSTICE
Diversity in news: a decades long dilemma Quaye-ker Oats
Karis Addo-Quaye Social Justice Editor @LALoyolan
MISSED DEADLINE: You’ve studied for the LSATs. You’ve done the legal internships. Just before your junior year of college, after driving toward a future in law, you suddenly veer off road toward a new career path: journalism. This was the case for Jonathan Santos, now a senior sociology major, who went from preparing to become a lawyer to pursuing his passion for journalism. While this was a rather sudden detour, the interest in the field itself, however, was planted long before he arrived at LMU. “I don’t want to be very cliche and say I’ve always been interested in journalism, but I guess it’s kind of true,” Santos said. Journalism, for him, involves “elevating certain voices that typically aren’t heard, talking about issues that are otherwise uncomfortable and that aways interested me.” Jonathan, a first generation Filipino American, alongside many other racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S., faces a decades old roadblock in the industry. Forty years ago, the American Society of News Editors (ASNE) promised to achieve racial parity in newsrooms nationwide by 2000, with staffs that accurately represented their local populations. Progress was too slow, however, and ASNE — a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting First Amendment Rights, promoting high quality journalism and increasing diversity in the workplace — pushed it to 2025. A recent report by student journalists from the Voices program of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)
showed American newsrooms are likely going to miss the new upcoming deadline. ASNE has adjusted their survey to better represent a growing digital landscape in journalism. Still, the situation looks bleak with hardly more than half of minorities with bachelor’s degrees in journalism and mass communication getting fulltime employment in their chosen field, compared to just about 70 percent of their non-minority counterparts. THE FACTS and THEIR IMPACT: The report by Asian American Journalists Association compares minority populations within major U.S. newsrooms against their local communities. Even in highly diverse cities, the numbers are grim. Of the 737 print and digital news organizations that responded to the 2016 ASNE survey, minorities make up 17 percent of their workforce. Nationwide, minorities make up some 40 percent of the population, according to the 2015 U.S. Census. Among the largest and most prominent national news outlets featured in the article — the New York Times, the Washington Post and the L.A. Times — a troubling reality confronts hopeful journalists and everyday news consumers. The staff of those three nationally and even internationally agenda-setting publications have 31 percent, 21 percent and 34 percent minorities among them, respectively. Writing in Poynter in the midst of the 2016 election season, James Warren emphasized the power of the New York Times and the Washington Post, remarking at “how many stories they’ve broken, how many tweets they’ve inspired, how much cable coverage is pegged to regurgitating their exclusives.” From right here in Los Angeles, the L.A. Times reaches millions not only across the state, but
the country. Their daily local readership surpassed even that of the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal, the latter of which declined to partake in the ASNE survey, along with CNN, Fox News and others. WHY IT MATTERS: Race and ethnicity will continue to be complex and contentious subjects to cover. They are mired in gray areas, splattered with red hot emotions and too often smudged with the deep blues of tragedy. Already this fall, white supremacists have marched on college campuses and DACA’s repeal has threatened millions across the country with deportation. Then there’s the controversial Trump administration and the racial tensions it has provoked in many communities, as well as the continued fight against police brutality in black and brown neighborhoods. Natural disasters and environmental community crises like Harvey and Flint also highlight racial inequality and environmental injustices. These stories can’t be fully understood or fairly represented without including people of color in the reporting process. These are the stories Santos and so many other aspiring journalists seek to bring to the forefront — the voices that go unheard. For Carol Costello, host of HLN’s “Across America with Carol Costello,” the need for multiple perspectives was especially apparent for her while covering Katrina. “[CNN] had a mix of people covering that. We had everyone and their brother covering that,” she said. “But that’s a good thing right? Because no reporter is totally objective … We all bring our human perspective to stories … even though we strive to be neutral.” CATCH-22 FOR REPORTERS of COLOR: Variety, then, is not only the spice of life but an entirely
necessary ingredient for coverage of any issue to be complete — especially as it relates to race and ethnicity. But that shouldn’t doom reporters from minority backgrounds to solely cover issues related to race. Thinking back to the 2016 primary season, Costello recalled her on-air conversations with NPR reporter Asma Khalid. While some might have judged Khalid, who is a hijabi, for her appearances, “[Khalid] was a Midwestern person,” Costello said. “I never had her cover anything remotely connected to Muslim Americans. I just had her talk about what she covered [concerning the Midwest] and whether they supported Trump and why [they did or did not support Trump]…” Another NPR correspondent, Audie Cornish from “All Things Considered,” confessed her bemusement and frustrations with people’s expectations of her as a black journalist. On episode 19 of Buzzfeed’s “Another Round” podcast, the public radio host joked about listeners’ surprise when they discover the ‘white-sounding’ host is actually black. Other issues are nothing to laugh about. Cornish told the “Another Round” hosts that her race helped her recognize important stories that might have otherwise been overlooked, like interviews with prominent Black artists. “The fact that they hadn’t been interviewed before by us was weird and an oversight,” Cornish said. “When I felt I came into my own was making selections like that … my ability to get something like that to air. To get through the whole interview without saying ‘An African-American artist’,” Cornish said. “When [race] matters we’ll talk about it … In a way you seize your humanity. Like, we’re not ‘other’... we’re here.” For Costello, while she believed it to be a good thing to want the
perspectives in the first place, she avoided letting race determine who she booked as guests for her CNN political panels. Errol Louis, a black CNN political commentator and host of “Inside City Hall,” frequently appeared on Costello’s political panels. She invited him not because of his race, but because “that man knows everything about everything … I just wanted to pick his brain,” Costello said. “I wish this wasn’t so, but the more a certain segment of the populations sees that, the better,” she said. “It’s important to not always put minority reporters on minority stories.” She was referring to the harm pigeonholing a reporter can do: “You can put them on the spot.” Tokenism has a similarly damaging impact on diversifying efforts. It involves sprinkling a few individuals from underrepresented groups into the workplace to convey a marketable image of diversity, without necessarily providing them the same resources or upward mobility their white or nonminority counterparts might have. Newsrooms will continue clamoring for a quick remedy to alleviate their chronic lack of diversity. However, when that translates into pigeonholing or tokenism, it undercuts efforts by up-and-coming journalists like Santos. Still, a balance needs to be struck, because for accurate and responsible news coverage of multiethnic populations in an increasingly diverse population, journalists of color will continue to play a fundamental role in making sure that happens. Editor’s Note: This article is shortened for brevity. To read the rest, visit LALoyolan.com. This is the opinion of Karis Addo-Quaye, a senior psychology major from Las Vegas, Nevada. Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email kaddoquaye@theloyolan.com.
Christian Boggs | Loyolan
Diversity in journalism has always been a problem. However, in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world, U.S. newsrooms are still far from resolving their staffs’ racial and ethnic disparities.
OPINION
Board Editorial Kellie Chudzinski Editor-in-Chief
Elliot Britt
Managing Editor
Isabel Ngo
Managing Editor
Jackie Galvez Managing Editor
Matt Gaydos Managing Editor
Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.
Hollywood needs to reflect after Sean Spicer’s Emmys appearance
This past Sunday night, the Emmys when the man himself essentially plays award show invited a torrent of criticism the same character at an awards show. with the surprise appearance of President Spicer’s appearance, however, seems to Trump’s former press secretary, Sean be the symptom of a larger problem: How Spicer. Spicer made a joke in reference to effective has Hollywood’s attempt to be his first day as press secretary, on which political been? Since the election there he defended the president’s false claims seems to have been very little reflection about the size of his inauguration crowd. in Hollywood on these questions, and it’s The one-liner was mostly met with role in the election of President Trump in rapturous laughter and was followed by general. Spencer Kornhaber wrote in the a joke by Emmys host Stephen Colbert Atlantic that Spicer’s cameo says “that, about President Trump’s fragile ego. deep down, politics is Much of the media, just sport, just drama.” understandably, did not find “...when humor If this is true, then this Sean Spicer’s appearance, was always the case. It’s nor the warm response consistently hard to watch an episode towards the former press reduces serious of Stephen Colbert’s talk secretary during the Emmys, to be acceptable. CNN’s and complex issues show where he doesn’t mention the president. politics reporter and editorat-large Chris Cillizza wrote to punch lines, is it So it’s no surprise that he that the Emmys became a really helping?” brought much of the same humor to the Emmys. But “massive validation” for if Spicer’s appearance is Sean Spicer, for his public image as well as for his lies as Trump’s validating, then how much does an award press secretary. “What Spicer’s Emmy show dedicating itself to making fun appearance proved is that in our culture, of President Trump validate him, too? fame and infamy are indistinguishable,” Probably a good deal. There’s great power in bringing Cillizza said in his article “Hollywood just enabled Sean Spicer and that’s not attention to current events through the medium of humor. In many ways, comedy funny.” Though we agree with what Cillizza and allows us to challenge our preconceptions others have been saying in reaction to about serious issues and injustices, Spicer’s appearance, this is not something rather than ignoring them or succumbing that happened overnight. The reason Sean to hopelessness. But when humor Spicer has become so caricatured is in consistently reduces serious and complex part because of the constant satirization issues to punch lines, is it really helping? of the propaganda he enabled during We believe liberals in Hollywood should his time as press secretary. It seems take the time to analyze whether they’re ingenuous to laugh at Melissa McCarthy’s fighting against President Trump or are portrayal of Spicer and then be outraged adding fuel to the fire.
We should learn from Nikon A Sam Dunk Samantha Davis Interim Opinion Editor
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ast week, Nikon came under fire for an advertising event that featured photographers testing a new camera. The photographers were recruited from multiple countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, boasting quite a bit of diversity. Well, one kind of diversity. The reason for the backlash against the event? All 32 photographers featured in the event were men. According to CNN, the company has since received backlash online for the obvious gender discrepancy, including a tweet by an amateur photographer that stated, “Hey Nikon: are you planning to release a version of the D850 for women? A pink one, maybe?” The pushback against the ad came after a photography blog pointed out the significant lack of women. The company expressed regrets about the lack of women, stating it was due to the women that were invited not being able to attend, and expressed gratitude for being “challenged” by the public. To be completely honest, I wasn’t incredibly bothered by this when a friend sent it to me for an article idea. Perhaps it’s because it doesn’t come as a surprise, or perhaps due to my own internalized misogyny, or even because I don’t care that much about cameras. But it does serve as a reminder that men are, more often than not, prioritized over women. The very fact that I wasn’t bothered, too, is an issue — the very fact that ardent feminists such as myself aren’t reacting to blatant disenfranchisement of women in a male dominated industry just goes to show how normalized these instances have become. Junior psychology and health and human
BUSINESS STAFF Megan Giorgi | Loyolan
The work that women do is underrepresented in many industries, and that must change. sciences major Katie Griner commented, “I and that’s the real issue. don’t like the fact that Nikon only has men If we continue to promote the work of men in their new campaign, because some of the and not women, we risk the host of negative greatest photographers are women,” said implications for the younger generations of Griner. “My favorite portrait photographer girls who want to pursue male-dominated is Annie Lebowitz, and her ideas and fields. We should teach girls that they photographs are so unique and inspiring. I should break these gender barriers and excel don’t know why Nikon thought it was a good alongside or past their male counterparts idea not to have at least one woman in their instead of promoting a narrative that prefers campaign…maybe because their marketing men and the work they do. team is all men, I don’t know.” Griner’s Additionally, failing to recognize women final statement isn’t entirely unfounded. and the work they do is a disservice to According to the NY Times, only 10.6 percent ourselves. Diversity, whether it be racial, of Nikon’s employees were women, with only gender, sexual, intellectual, etc., is valuable 4.7 percent holding managerial positions. not to the people whose work it is, but to As I said, perhaps I don’t care simply because those of us who consume it. When we fail to I don’t care about cameras. But other fields I portray a diverse host of work in these fields, care about, such as philosophy and political we close ourselves off to an entirely new world science, have similar problems — an apparent of experience. If we won’t give women a fair lack of women. Perhaps more than just a lack shot for its own sake, let’s at least do it for of women, but an inherent and systemic bias ourselves. against the women of that particular field. It’s not that there aren’t female photographers, This is the opinion of Samantha Davis, a junior philosophers or political scientists — they’re philosophy major from La Cañada Flintridge, California. Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email sdavis@ just not given the same recognition as men, theloyolan.com.
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OPINION
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Students take on black women’s safety Young and Jaided Jaida Macklin Asst. L+A Editor @LALoyolan
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n August, the Illinois State Police recorded that this year has the highest amount of black women acquiring concealed-carry gun permits. Why do you think that’s the case? A couple of weeks ago in a suburb outside of downtown Chicago, Illinois, a 19-year-old girl was raped, murdered, and her body was discovered in a freezer. Her name was Kenneka Jenkins. I found out about the story on Twitter, everyone was tweeting about it, trying to figure out what happened to this girl. While the details of the case are still being straightened out, one thing is known for sure: she is dead. And people want to know why. This list of names may sound familiar: Shantel Davis. Shelly Frey. Kayla Moore. Miriam Carey. Sandra Bland. And now, Kenneka Jenkins. Even though Kenneka Jenkins was not a victim of police brutality, she was still a victim of a terrible crime. Her and Bland share more in common despite being a hashtag shared across the web; they were both black women who did not deserve what they got. Black women who are scrutinized by the public
Aurora Occelli | Loyolan
2017 saw the highest number of concealed carry licenses for black women. The brutal murder of Kenneka Jenkins and others may hold the answer — black women feel unsafe and are arming themslves. eye and fail to get the justice they deserve. Today, black women make up about 13 percent of the U.S. population, are the most educated group of people in the nation, and yet, comprise about half of female homicide victims according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The following accounts are from black women at this school who also don’t feel safe in the America we’re currently living in. Manna Zelzeam, sophomore communications major: “It’s scary to see how much society doesn’t care about black women. As a black woman, I’m a little bit scared for my safety every time I leave the
house. I think everyone deserves the right to feel safe in any given environment regardless of race, gender or sexuality, but historically we’ve seen that black women are the least appreciated and respected group of people. Especially with the whole Kenneka Jenkins case where full details aren’t even being released by law enforcement, it causes me to wonder who is really going to fight for us? It feels like our only option is to fight for ourselves until we’re heard, appreciated, respected and loved. Last year, at a debate tournament in Denver, [my partner and I] were the only black girls in a round of mostly white men (with the exception being one black guy) and
the entire time they barely listened to us, did not take us seriously, talked over us every chance they got and were just overall very disrespectful, dismissive, and condescending towards my partner and I because we’re black women. It’s like they assumed we had nothing of worth to say simply because of who we are.” Deja Webber, sophomore biology major : “From a young age, black women are subjected to grossly objectifying and dangerous situations. Like every other woman, black women are harassed on the streets, catcalled and so on, but the difference is there is no one coming to the aid of black women. They are double minorities
being both women and African American. From being sexualized as young girls through adulthood, black women are left to fend for themselves. This is true for all black women – straight, trans, and mixed. The underrepresentation and misrepresentation of black women is the biggest contribution to black women being unsafe in America. We are made into the “angry black woman” and mischaracterized. When black women are victimized and harmed, the media focuses on the worst morals and aspects of the story, rather than fixing the larger issue and getting justice for the women. Although we are so active in the fight for equality for all people, our struggle is often ignored. This is why black women are disrespected and left unprotected in America. This is a problem.” We do not feel safe and something needs to be done. As the late Malcolm X once said, “The most disrespected woman in America, is the black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the black woman. The most neglected person in America, is the black woman.” This statement remains true, so what’s going to be done about it? This is the opinion of Jaida Macklin, a sophomore English and theatre arts major from Chicago, Illinois. Tweet comments @ LALoyolan, or email sdavis@theloyolan. com.
Opinions on DACA are not black and white A Cup of Joe
Joseph Bellavia Asst. Opinion Editor @LALoyolan
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n the past month, the Trump administration has taken a different approach to politics. In his first 7 months as president, Trump attempted to use his majority in Congress to push bills through. That, obviously, did not work because the fact of the matter is, Trump is not a hard right conservative. The American Health Care Act (AHCA) failed so many times because Republicans thought it wasn’t conservative enough. So it seems that Trump is giving up on partisan politics and is attempting to work on bipartisan bills to get an agenda done. This a very good thing;
however, the next deal in the works is frustrating many of Trump’s supporters. President Trump removed DACA from U.S. legislation earlier this September. That has been the biggest news all month, sparking protests and heated dialogue from many American citizens. What some people fail to talk about, though, is the fact that President Trump gave Congress a six month cushion to decide what they want to do with the now defunct bill. This is a huge detail that people seem to be missing or ignoring. And if it means that the beneficiaries of DACA may not be in total risk of deportation, then we cannot simply overlook it. That next deal is DACA. Despite rumors that a decision has been reached, The Hill reports that the terms of DACA’s reinstatement
have not been agreed upon yet. Still, simply a discussion between Trump, Pelosi and Schumer has thrown some conservatives off. Many have not been at all welcoming to the president’s willingness to rework DACA. Some conservatives have gone as far as burning their Make America Great Again hats, according to USA Today. Junior economics major and Founding Chairman of the Young American’s for Freedom club Adam Duarte has refrained from such activities, but definitely objects to the law and its legal precedent it sets in American history. “My issue with DACA has been the clear unlawful expansion of power that the executive branch took to expand the definition [of DACA] that was clearly on the job of the legislature,” Duarte said
Gage Skidmore via Flickr Creative Commons
President Trump’s reversal on DACA has introduced a lot of dialogue from both Republicans and Democrats.
in response to DACA’s origins. “The Constitution must be the standard for such acts, and clearly, it was not upheld.” So, if this is the main quarrel that so many Republicans have with the bill, why is a restructuring of the bill so troublesome? The problem lies in the statistics. After Trump repealed DACA, NPR reported on a YouGov poll that stated 71 percent of those who strongly approve of Trump agreed with his decision. Fiftyseven percent of Republicans thought it was the right thing to do, as well. However, Republicans are far more divisive when it comes to the fate of the recipients of DACA — many being child immigrants brought to the United States by their parents. “Whether Congress should pass a law to allow DREAMers to stay in the country, opinions were mixed: 42 percent said no, 31 percent said yes and 26 percent were unsure,” NPR reported. It is clear that, although many did not support DACA, they also aren’t sure if they want to see millions of children deported. The issue most Republicans have with DACA is one of morality. On one hand, many feel that the Constitution was violated by the Obama Administration. On the other, deporting young children and active members of our military is not a decision most would feel comfortable living with.
“Immigration status should not be blanketed for all people nor should all people be sent back,” said Duarte. This is an interesting opportunity for President Trump to please both sides of the spectrum. He can quarterback a new and reformed version of DACA which strays from walking the line the of unconstiutionality. Similarly to his handling of the Hurricane Harvey aid package, Trump can make a trade with the Democrats: a revision of DACA in exchange for a Border Security Package (which will not fund the wall). If Washington can pull this deal off, it is a win-win for everybody. We need to see that opportunity and take it. Positive relations between Republicans and Democrats in the United States is crucial to the success of not only the Trump presidency, but of this country, as well. It is not often that true, bipartisan politics occurs in the United States. If this deal goes through, that could be two such deals in one month. I can’t speak for everybody else, but I know I’d rather have an administration which is willing to compromise with both sides, than one which continuously tries and fails to push a partisan agenda. This is the opinion of Joseph Bellavia, a junior English major from Monmouth Beach, New Jersey. Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email sdavis@theloyolan.com.
OPINION
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LMU’s core needs more STEM courses Dilemma Lane
Emma Lane Contributor @LALoyolan
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very Monday and Wednesday morning I sit in my interdisciplinary theology class and take rapid notes on brain anatomy and neuroscience. While these are difficult subjects to tackle at 8 a.m., it’s refreshing to engage with a subject that I’ve rarely encountered since high school: science. As a liberal arts institution, LMU prides itself on educating the whole person – mind, body and spirit. A huge component of this tradition is the core curriculum, which requires all students to take a variety of courses. These courses fall into categories like theology, philosophy, American diversity and quantitative reasoning. While science and math classes are included in the core curriculum through the “Nature, Science, and Mathematics” and “Quantitative Reasoning” requirements, the majority of core classes are focused on reading and writing. For students who don’t take these types of courses through
Megan Karbowski | Loyolan
LMU’s core, while it boasts a rigorous liberal arts education, is significantly lacking in science and math courses. their major, the core curriculum has significant value. But for liberal arts majors, the core curriculum can feel like overkill. While we can always improve our writing skills, there’s a lot to be gained from engaging with new subjects that push us outside of our comfort zones. Many liberal arts majors enter college with a passion for a particular subject, without knowing exactly where that passion will take them postgrad. If our core requirements
forced liberal arts majors to engage with subjects that they aren’t immediately drawn to, students may happen upon something that can give them more direction. Looking back at my time at LMU, I wish I had taken the initiative to seek out these courses myself. Taking a computer science class could have launched my career in digital marketing. Dabbling in biology might have gotten me into scientific journalism.
Perhaps if the core curriculum required more of these STEM classes for liberal arts majors, we would graduate with a more diverse skill set and a better idea of what we want to do in the future. There are several ways I think this problem can be resolved. First, some science majors are exempted from the math and science oriented core classes, as they’re already gaining those skills through their major. Liberal arts majors could be
given similar exemptions and take more STEM oriented core classes instead. Another possible solution would be requiring more interdisciplinary courses in the core curriculum. I’m currently enrolled in Dr. Butler’s “Psychology, Spirituality, and Transformation” to fulfill my Faith and Reason core requirement. The course unites neuroscience and spirituality, using brain anatomy and physiology to explain spiritual experiences. Having more classes like this one, which are far more science-heavy than most liberal arts majors are used to, could help STEM majors and liberal arts majors engage with new material and develop unique skills. In reality, changing the core curriculum is an arduous process that is probably far more complicated than any of us realize. For the time being, perhaps it’s on us as students to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones and take classes that could better prepare us for our future career, whatever it may be. This is the opinion of Emma Lane, a senior English major from Portland, Oregon Tweet comments @LALoyolan, or email sdavis@ theloyolan.com.
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SNARKY SNYDER
By Christian Boggs, Cartoon Intern
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A simple touch on the intuitive 17” screen: The Serenade single cup brewer from Starbucks brings our commitment to 100% ethically sourced coffee to life with three different Hot Coffee Options, Iced Coffee, Chai Tea Lattes and Hot Chocolate.
life+arts
life+arts The Emmys, recaps and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’
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Hans Splinter via Flickr Creative Commons
Cory’s Content Cory Hutchinson
Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LALoyolan
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ast Sunday, Sept. 17, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences hosted the 69th Primetime Emmy Award show. Besides this year’s awards night being big for history finally recognizing stars like Lena Waithe and Donald Glover, this was also the first Emmys night that was centered around largely political commentary on the current presidential administration and actions associated with it. In accordance with these sentiments, host Stephen Colbert praised the Emmys for having such a diverse group of nominees for the third year in a row. For instance, Waithe was the first African-American woman to win for comedy writing and Glover was the first African-American man to win for comedy series directing. Also, Riz Ahmed’s win for lead actor in limited series locked him into entertainment history as the first South Asian man to win an Emmy. These wins are not only incredible for the stars, but they’ve set an important precedent for future nominees in
these categories and individuals in the industry. As a result of this importance placed on politics, social awareness and the desire for increased diversity in Hollywood, a handful of the nominees and winners this year stood up to speak about women’s rights, racial issues, domestic violence and overcoming the iron fist of oppression in all forms and practices. It may seem like a small victory for these artists and the groups they stand up for, but it’s actually quite a big deal because we would’ve never seen an Emmy night like this even five years ago — when these kinds of issues were swept under the rug. Besides being a big year for social awareness and constructive political discourse, this was also a big year for the entertainment industry due to the competitive and wonderful stories that kept us glued to our screens and invested in the lives of inspiring characters. To better understand these art forms and emotional attachments, I went to students of the School of Film and Television to talk about why they believed or hoped certain nominees would win and their reactions to the actual results based on their work inside and outside of the entertainment industry. Jacob Ward, sophomore film production major, shared, “This year was loaded with surprises,
but not the bad kind. My favorite surprise was Ahmed’s win in the ‘lead actor in a limited series’ category,” Ward said. He has been a fan of Ahmed since his role in “Nightcrawler” and felt that the recognition for his win in “The Night Of” was well deserved. “Not as much of a surprise, but definitely the greatest moment at the Emmys was Glover’s historymaking win in the directing category,” Ward added, “I think Glover is one of the most versatile and impressive artists working in entertainment today and his wins tonight were both incredible feats,” he said. Also content with the wins this year was sophomore film production major Jacob Kelly. The competition this year was “fantastic,” Kelly said, “The supporting actor and actress categories were so tight, I could’ve seen the win going to any of the nominees. ‘Big Little Lies’ sweeped and I couldn’t be happier about it.” However, in the world of entertainment and award shows, not every person who wins is what viewers expected. Sophomore screenwriting major Jared Fembleaux stated, “I was definitely really sad that RuPaul didn’t win, but what are you going to do? Not everyone you love can win.” Fembleaux also shared his admiration for Waithe’s win and
her touching speech following the announcement, “I think it’s so great that a lot of women won the other night, especially Lena Waithe and her historic win for ‘Master of None.’ I absolutely think she deserved that award for her talent, but it also attests to her ability as a role model for women of all backgrounds in the industry.” Like any other person who loves television, it’s hard to pick a favorite or even assume who will win, but sophomore film production major Cassius Pettit delved into the shows he loves and why they should — or did — win. “Ok, well, I love ‘Atlanta’ because Glover is just so amazing. Its subtle humor is really hard to find in other shows, plus it’s really refreshing to see entirely Black cast.” Pettit said that one of his favorite aspects about Emmy nominees like “Stranger Things” and “Silicon Valley” is something that pretty much anyone can relate to. The shows are incredibly entertaining and directed in a fashion that reminds viewers of nostalgic programs like “Stand By Me” or “E.T.” Pettit enjoyed “Silicon Valley” due to its main character who’s played by a comedian that Pettit used to watch on YouTube before hitting the big screen and favors the idea of the underdog in the entertainment industry. “‘How To Get Away with
Murder’ is great because the main characters are depicted to be around our age, so it’s relatable,” Pettit said, “You can put yourself in the character’s shoes and imagine what it would be like to live their crazy lives. Viola Davis is phenomenal as always which adds a whole other level of awesomeness. There are also a fair amount of people of color which adds to the relatability and growing diversity,” said Pettit. If you missed the Emmys, you can catch up with a series of videos posted on the Academy’s homepage and witness the stunning moments that had these students and I in awe. Whether you watch television or not, I personally believe that this is a crucial time in the entertainment industry where boundaries are being broken, rules are being bent and conditions are beginning to change for the better. Now, something that used to be purely superficial is joining the discourse that we value here at LMU and is welcoming us to join a worthy cause for human rights. It doesn’t hurt to look at all the great fashion and beautiful people too.
This is the opinion of Cory Hutchinson, a sophomore sociology major from Palm Desert, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.
Cameron Woodard | Loyolan
The 69th Emmy Awards was not just a night of anticipation and cinematic appeal, but a platform for celebrities to make their voices heard on issues like racial inequaity and women’s rights.
life+arts
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Stessing in September: tips to survive it all Young & Jaided Jaida Macklin
Asst. Life+Arts Editor @LALoyolan
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y alarm clock goes off, blaring a loud-ass Frank Ocean song for a whole minute before I gain the energy to turn it off. After, I throw my pillow over my head, not wanting to leave the warm, comforting embrace of my blanket. I lay there for what only seems like five minutes, dreading the day before it even begins. My life has been on a new level of hectic and stressful since school started, and I can not wait for the semester to be over. Then I realize it’s only Sept. 20 and we haven’t even been in school for an entire month yet. So, why do I feel so drained already? I’m not the only one either. “It’s been the struggle,” said Kapri Washington, a sophomore English major and African American studies minor. “It’s clear that I’m not a freshman anymore. The pace of my classes has definitely picked up. At the same time, I do feel better adjusted compared to my first year, but it’s still difficult.” Washington adds that it’s not just her classes causing her stress, but having to afford books, supplies, groceries, gas and other issues she’s dealing with in life add strain as well. “It’s even harder to manage my time now because I’m trying
to balance schoolwork, being in clubs, working a job and hanging out with friends,” Washington said. Some students have also credited their stress to other variables such as finances, family issues and even world affairs. Right now if you look at the state of the world, it does seem like everything is turning to shreds and everyone’s just along for the ride at this point. I can barely think of anyone who isn’t stressed right now about something. “I just have too much going on right now, from my homework to my four jobs to figuring out what I’m making for dinner tonight,” Taylor Clark, sophomore psychology and sociology double major, said. “It doesn’t help that everywhere I turn, I hear about California on fire, and the hurricanes in Florida and Texas, which is terrifying.” The state of the world might actually be a legitimate reason why a lot of students feel so unsettled right now. With President Trump trying to end DACA, it’s understandable that a number of students are struggling, especially those that may have ties to the program themselves or through loved ones. The same can be said in regards to the recent natural disasters that have struck our country, seeing as how many have been occurring lately. “Natural disaster wise, I think it’s making everyone anxious and on edge, and simply, uncertain about what the future holds,” said Washington.
A high amount of stress has been proven to not only affect your physical, emotional and behavioral aspects of being, but also, your grades. Which some people would claim to be the most important out of that list. According to the American College Health Association, a 2016 poll concluded that about 34 percent of college students reported that stress had negatively impacted their academic performance over the past 12 months. Stress was ranked the highest as a cause for poor academic performance, followed by sleep difficulties, anxiety and depression. At the end of the day, this is college and it would honestly be weird if you weren’t stressed out. Everyone is, and that’s why it’s important to know how to cope with said stress. Some ways to do this include getting enough sleep, eating well and exercising. Don’t look at the paper like that. I know that getting a full night’s rest or three full meals a day might sound nearly impossible, but it could do so much good for your overall well-being. You can also relieve stress by setting realistic expectations, not procrastinating and finding a stress outlet. Even though it’s easy to say yes to people, it’s important that you know how much you can handle and not overpack your schedule with work. And if you do have a lot of work, try jumping into it instead of watching “The Walking Dead” for three hours. Yes, I am definitely talking about myself. I procrastinated on even writing this article about not
Kevin Chan | Loyolan The start of the school year has been more difficult than any of us anticipated, and it doesn’t help that a string of natural disasters is on the back of our minds.
procrastinating. Terrible, I know. But that doesn’t mean I can’t change or won’t get better. Discipline is key, and just by attempting to fix your habits, you’re succeeding. Seeing as how the amount of stress going around right now makes me think we’re in finals week, we just have to keep taking one step at a time in reducing our stress levels. And sooner or later, we’ll get to the point where we don’t feel like death is around the corner because we have two essays due this week that haven’t
been started yet — again, talking about myself. Overall, a lot of students are going through things, but practicing better habits could help immensely. So take breaks, try not to spread yourself too thin and make sure to get a healthy amount of sleep — it will truly do you wonders and you’ll be grateful in the long run. This is the opinion of Jaida Macklin, a sophmore English and theatre arts major from Chicago, Ilinois. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.
life+arts Emmys-inspired Staff Philip Brazelton, L+A Intern: Helena Bonham Carter
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Picks: Women in film Taylor Gage, L+A Natalie Portman
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Cory Hutchinson, Asst. L+A Editor: Oprah Winfrey
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any people know Oprah Winfrey for her famous talk show or popular millennial memes, but she’s much more than a GIF about bees. Oprah is a self-made master of film in terms of acting, producing and directing. As a producer and actress in “Selma,” Oprah brought the iconic and historical moment of the march from Selma to Montgomery during the Civil Rights era to life in a way that newer generations will be able to understand. Also, as an executive producer and actress in “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” Oprah teaches us about an unspoken hero of STEM who created the first immortal human cell line. The point is that her work in the industry is all about education, awareness and the importance of being a decent human. She’s more than a celebrity, she is a role model and inspiration.
ne of my favorite actresses in film is Helena Bonham Carter for her ability to portray intense, complex emotions in her own style that is often captivating, scary and weird in the best way possible. She is probably most famous for playing Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series. She plays this role masterfully, conveying the full range of Lestrange’s evil character. Carter’s Lestrange was so good and accurate to how she was described and written in the books – something some of the other actors failed to achieve. Beyond the wizarding world of Harry Potter, though, Cater’s roles have been diverse. She played Ophelia in Mel Gibson’s “Hamlet,” starred in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Alice in Wonderland,” (both with Johnny Depp) and appeared in films such as “The King’s Speech,” “Les Misérables” and “Cinderella.” Whatever role she’s in, you can count on her to bring the role to life with some of her own spunk, and for these reasons I’m always glad to see her on screen.
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Jaida Macklin, Asst. Editor: Ava DuVernay
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y favorite woman in the film industry at the moment is Ava DuVernay. She’s a director, screenwriter, film marketer and film distributor. A woman of many titles, she’s most known as the director of “Selma,” “13th” and “A Wrinkle In Time” which is scheduled for release in 2018. She is also the creator, executive producer, writer and director of “Queen Sugar” which is a bomb TV show that I recommend everyone watch. She was the first black female director to be nominated for a Golden Globe award as well as the first black woman to direct a live-action film with a budget over $100 million. What I love about her is that she doesn’t lose her identity in her work, and instead, her films reinforce that so much. She makes films and shows about black people, for black people. What’s not to love?
atalie Portman proves that you can do it all – she’s beautiful, smart and an incredible activist.She uses her platform as an actress to speak about animal rights issues, poverty in third world countries, feminist issues and more. She’s been noted to work closely with children –educating them about these important issues as well. Besides her work in charity, however, she serves as a sort of nostalgia to me. She’s been in the business since I was a kid; I remember her first playing Padme Amidala in “Star Wars” in 1999, and growing up watching her slay films time after time with some stand outs being “V for Vendetta” and “Black Swan.” She’s won what feels like a billion awards for her acting because she’s truly iconic, but like she also has a degree from Harvard because why not. It’s a B.A in psychology of all things. So, basically she just rules.
These are the opinions of the Life+Arts staff. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan or email comments to tgage@theloyolan.com.
From left to right: Oprah Winfrey via Flickr Creative Commons, Helena Bonham Carter via Wikimedia Commons, Ava DuVernay via Wikimedia Commons, Natalie Portman via Wikimedia Commons.
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Guy Fieri: Grease boy or national treasure? Research reveals that host Guy Fieri may not be the hero most thought he was. Sami Leung
Bluff Queen Supreme A student’s research has uncovered shocking news: Guy Fieri, the host of the popular Food Network show “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” mayor of Flavortown and one of the most influential food leaders of the nation, has been lying to us. On his show, Fieri reviews restaurants and their signature dishes, proclaiming them all to be ‘gangsta’ and ‘money,’ savoring all of them with the sheer delight of someone who knows he’s getting paid to eat. However, research done by junior culinary arts major Monica Ramsay has shaken the nation when it was revealed that Fieri does not actually believe in all of his own reviews. Flavortown is not the utopia it was believed to be. “It’s true,” Ramsay said, shaking her head. “Most of the time, Guy doesn’t even like what he’s eating, he’s just promoting the restaurant. But if you analyze his reactions closely, you’ll see that he likes some meals more than others, and some he just plain dislikes.” Ramsay’s team binge-watched over 420 hours of D, D & D to collect a vast database of reactions, catchphrases and other idiosyncrasies that could
unlock the secrets that lie in Guy’s vast intellectual mind and intense palette. “It’s amazing to be apart of this groundbreaking research team,” said Research Assistant Gordan Brooks, a freshman communication studies major. “I’ve always admired Guy, but to study him this closely is such a huge honor. I already try to emulate him in my everyday life, and this will help me
be accurate in my representation.” The research has found that what he really thinks about the food he tries is directly related to the number of catchphrases that come out of his mouth, such as ‘gangsta,’ ‘money,’ ‘shut the front door’ and off the hook.’ The research also looked into the position of his sunglasses in relation to the back of his head and its correlation
with the food he was consuming. “He especially loves the words ‘Dynamite’ and ‘joint’ when describing restaurants,” said Ramsay, pointing out specific charts in her 100-page research paper. “Also, if you really want to know how spicy he thinks something is, we’ve counted the beads of sweat that collect on his wide forehead and translated that
into an accurate, objective measure of spice level.” Ramsay’s faculty advisor, Professor Matilda Flay, is also shook at the research her team has unearthed. She believes all this hard work will pay off and when it is sent into the culinary world, it will shake the foundations of Food Network. We are all waiting with baited breath.
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.
SPORTS
laloyolan.com Page 18
Refereeing: The hardest job in sports Matty Light Matt Rodriguez Asst. Sports Editor @LoyolanSports
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ith the beginning of a new football season comes the ups and downs of winning and losing. Fans of the winning team feel joy and those of the losing team feel grief. And with grief comes the need to place the blame on someone or something. An easy target often turned out to be the referees of the game. In many instances, teams and fans cite the reason they lost was due to poor officiating, referencing the few mistakes they made during the game. Many remember the game on Sept. 14, 2012 between the Green Bay Packers and the Seattle Seahawks as a prime example of referees making a bad call, affecting the outcome of a game. At the end of this game, two referees made drastically different calls — one signaling a touchdown while another stood beside him and called for a timeout to discuss before making the offical call. Many commentators talked about the events leading up to the call, such as a blatant offensive pass interference that should have cancelled out the touchdown regardless, and the fact that Green Bay had initial possession of the football, which should have ended the game. By the end of this debacle, the Seattle Seahawks were named the victors and the NFL was scrutinized for the inefficiency of their referees. This incident is just one example of how one bad call can change a game, and there were many instances in the rest of the game where either team made
a mistake that could have given them a touchdown or prevented one. People quickly forget the great and tough calls that officials make. Referees are tasked with one of the hardest jobs in the sports market. An official has so much power to potentially sway a game, that every single call they make is heavily scrutinized. No one notices the referee during a game until they make a mistake. Many forget that referees are humans too and they are capable of making mistakes. No matter at what level, be it high school, college or professional, the referee is going to receive criticism if they make a mistake. Even in friendly intramural games many participants harshly criticize referees for their calls. “Every single day, every single game,” Tomas Ledesma senior intramural supervisor and screenwriting major, said regarding how often participants argue with referees. “It’s part of the sport, you want everything to go your way and if things don’t go your way you take it out on the one person who is maybe responsible for that.” Ledesma illustrates that scrutiny comes with the territory if you wish to work as a referee. Even in intramural sports the competitive nature of many of the participants intertwine with the referees’ job — which is to call the game as how he or she sees it. It may ruffle some feathers along the way but that is part of the job description. It is evident in all levels of the job, no matter what call you make there is going to be 50 percent of the crowd that loves it and 50 percent of the crowd that disagrees. “A participant was very upset with me to the point where after the game he stuck around to yell at me,” Julien Stone-Zachery, sophomore supervisor and biochemistry major
said. There was also an incident Stone-Zachery mentioned where participants followed the referees around after the game berating and cursing because they had lost the game. As a referee, it is necessary to keep composure even when a player is screaming and yelling. If an official allows a player to get into their head, then they start to contemplate every call they make and how it affects the game rather than just simply focusing on the game. “Confidence is the number one skill that we look for in a ref,” Matt Lorenz, senior intramural manager and finance major. “If you don’t have a high level of self-confidence you’re not going to do well. [The] challenge for referees is being confident and dealing with peer to peer interactions.” With every call a referee makes, it is necessary that they have to be confident, even if they are unsure with the call. Confidence is key because if a referee starts questioning himself then the players will notice that and begin to question the integrity of the referee. “Refereeing in real time, especially with players who are so good at their sport and know what they are doing, is hard to get it right the first time,” said Lorenz. “Referees more or less, especially in professional sport do an incredible job of keeping the game going and keeping the game fair. Everyone wants to talk about how the refs are bad, but at the end of the day the teams decide who wins the games.” In many instances, no matter how the game goes, whether a team gets the calls or not, referees do not determine the end of the game. Everyone looks for a scapegoat when something goes wrong. In many cases people refuse to blame
Via Pixabay
Referees are under scrutiny everytime they enter the field. Even their physical appearance can affect the players’ views of the official. themselves for the mistakes they made during the game, leading them to focus on one call they did not agree with. Referees are capable of making mistakes — as shown by the Packers and Seahawks game a few years ago — but just because an official commits one error, does not make them bad at their job. If Lebron James misses one free throw, does that make him bad at his job? If Tom Brady throws an interception, does that make him bad at his job? If a student fails one
quiz, does that make them a bad student? No, it does not. So why do many players and fans believe that one mistake makes a bad referee? It is because officials are held to a much higher standard because of their role as judges in keeping the game in order, and each team is providing their best argument on why their team should win the game. This is the opinion of Matthew Rodriguez, a junior political science major from Milpitas, California. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email tdevries@theloyolan.com.
ESPN clears name, but fails to support Hill Jemele Hill from Page 20
By not supporting Hill’s voice, however, ESPN sets a potentially dangerous precedent. By publicly denouncing Hill’s statements, ESPN walks a fine line between presenting a political agenda of its own — one that may align itself with bigotry and racism. I do not mean to suggest that ESPN is a racist network. With overwhelming evidence to the contrary, that would be difficult to justify. In light of the recent events of Charlottesville, Va. and Trump’s overwhelmingly disappointing failure to denounce racism — the political equivalent of a missed layup — ESPN has missed the mark. Hill’s tweets represented a personal opinion, an opinion shared by many of her peers. Professionally, Hill is a sports journalist, and a successful one at that. Her personal identity as a woman and a person of color shows strongly in her work. Throughout her career, Hill has
been brash yet well-spoken, and has frequently brought issues related to race and social justice into her debates about the sporting world. “SC6,” which she co-hosts with long-time ESPN colleague Michael Smith, has a distinctly different feel to it than the traditional primetime show. The set decoration is different, representative of the cultural backgrounds and personal interests of its host. Hill and Smith frequently make reference to pop culture, music, film and politics among their debate of sport, often focusing through the lens of black culture and the black experience. Their show is a far cry from what “SportsCenter” used to be, but it represents a forward shift in the sports world. Sports used to be an escape from politics and social debate. Now, they are simply another platform for discourse on a wide variety of social and political issues, the effects of which are realized in professional athletics. It should come as no surprise that
social media is at the fore of this pseudo-revolution. At the end of the day, Huckabee Sanders is most likely incorrect. Was Hill’s outburst a truly fireable offense? The law and general social attitude towards the First Amendment, and the fact that Hill’s tweets came from a personal source — albeit one which is unofficially associated with ESPN — seem to point to the answer being no. Hill is safe from the standpoint of job security. But, by distancing themselves from Hill’s comments, ESPN sends a message to Hill and other journalists who publicly wrestle with social justice issues: we will only support your voice if we agree with what it is said.
This is the opinion of Tim De Vries, a junior mechanical engineering major from Lake Oswego, Oregon. Tweet comments to @LALoyolan, or email tdevries@theloyolan.com.
via Wikimedia Commons
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders criticized Hill’s tweet calling it a “fireable offense”.
VOCARÉ:
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SPORTS
SCORES UPDATE W. SOCCER M. SOCCER
1-1 T
VOLLEYBALL
3-1 W
@ UCSB
at Duke
1-0 L
M WATER POLO 12-9 W
at USF
at Fresno Pacific
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LOS ANGELES LOYOLAN | September 20, 2017 | laloyolan.com
Response to Hill’s tweets threatens free press Big Time Timmy Jim Tim De Vries
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Sports Editor @LALoyolan
erhaps now more than ever, widespread political debate seems to pervade all aspects of public life. The sporting world is no exception, a fact which was cemented early last week when a series of tweets from ESPN reporter and “SportsCenter6” (SC6) cohost Jemele Hill elicited a direct response from the White House. On Monday, Sept. 11, Hill released a series of tweets accusing President Donald Trump of being a “white supremacist” from what is, at least technically, her personal Twitter account. As a media personality, however, Hill’s handle is verified by the site, and she uses it regularly for ESPN programming and content, blurring the lines between personal and professional representation. This is commonplace for professional journalists in the social media era, particularly ones whose personal voice contributes strongly to their content. Often times, a reporter’s bio will include a disclaimer on personal opinions, which generally distances themselves from representing their network or publication. Hill’s does not. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders publicly responded to Hill, going as far as to call her accusation “outrageous” and “a fireable offense.” In a seeming attempt to wash their hands of any responsibility in the issue, ESPN
in turn attempted to distance themselves from her opinion, releasing a statement saying that Hill’s tweets “do not represent the position of ESPN.” The statement went one step further, including a short but public reprimand. “We have addressed this with Jemele, and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate,” read the report, published by ESPN’s public relations department. While I can understand ESPN’s desire to distinguish between Hill’s opinions and the position of the network as a whole, many take issue with the latter part of the statement, myself included. If it truly is a personal account, then tweets not regarding sports or her professional life should have no bearing on ESPN. As such, the claim that “[Hill] recognizes her actions were inappropriate,” seems off-base, perhaps even a jab at Hill. Furthermore, it seemingly contradicts with the direction that ESPN’s journalistic style has been shifting towards. The network encourages reporters to opine and debate with one another on and off the air, and Hill’s “SC6” is just the latest in a series of ESPN shows focused far less on highlights and results, and far more on debating the cultural issues in and surrounding the world of sports. Shows like “Around the Horn,” “ESPN First Take” and “Pardon The Interruption” set the standard for this type of sports journalism. With the pervasiveness of politics in sport, the appearance of political agenda in these debates should
via @jemelehill | Twitter
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders publicly issued a statement calling for Hill’s termination. The tweets in which Hill accused Trump of being a white supremacist are pictured. come as no surprise. In this situation, it is because of that trend that ESPN has failed Hill. Given, Hill’s words were inflammatory, mincing absolutely no words in her vehement disapproval of the current president. While I would not expect ESPN to necessarily endorse Hill’s statements directly, I would certainly expect them to stand by the rights of their employees, especially in the face of criticism from the government itself. Whether or not ESPN executives agree
with Hill’s statements, Hill has the right — protected by not only the First Amendment, but Connecticut law itself according to the New York Times — to have her voice be heard in the public forum. According to the same New York Times article, Hill’s legal protection in the state of Connecticut, where ESPN makes its home, is perhaps the clearest aspect of the situation. In Connecticut, an employer that disciplines an employee, whether through termination or other means, is liable for all damages
caused by that discipline. Even further, protecting Hill could be the fact that politics almost always qualify as a matter of “public concern.” In the state of Connecticut, speech related to issues of “public concern” is legally protected on a broad scope. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. If the speech proves disruptive to the “working relationship” between an employer and employee, it is no longer protected. See Jemele Hill | Page 18