Fall 2017 – Issue 2

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CATALYST

SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 VOLUME XXXV ISSUE II

New College of Florida's student-run newspaper

ACTIVIST NEWSLETTER TRANS AT SPELMAN pg.

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NCF DAIMON pg.

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How Hurricane Irma affected pets and their owners

BY JACOB WENTZ

After learning that the strongest Atlantic basin hurricane ever recorded was headed directly for Florida, many packed up their belongings, filled up on gas and hastily left the state. Others needed to deal with an additional concern: the wellbeing of their pets. As most pet owners know, Jacob Wentz/Catalyst protecting family means protecting photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force your beloved animal companions. (left) A U.S. Air Force member joins in relief efforts for pets affected by Hurricane Irma.

“Every Floridian should take (right) Of the 20 emergency shelters opened to Sarasota residents, only five opened storm preparations seriously and be their doors to cats and dogs. aggressive to protect their family,” Of the 20 emergency shelters on Creek Middle School and WoodFlorida Governor Rick Scott tweeted opened to Sarasota residents, only land Middle School. on Sept. 6.

These dog and cat-friendly shelfive opened their doors to cats and For those 6.5 million Floriddogs. These five included Brook- ters required that one provided proof ians who had been ordered to evacuside Middle School, Riverview High of current license and vaccination, ate, finding shelter for pets was difSchool, North Port High School, Her- that pets were kept in an approprificult.

ate pet crate, that all items required for the pet were taken care of by the pet owner, that the pet owner takes responsibility of the pet while in the shelter and that cohabitation of pets and pet owners was prohibited.

If pet owners were unable to meet these requirements, they were advised “to make other arrangements to shelter [their] pet.”

As a result, some owners surrendered their pets to local animal shelters. Sadly, others simply abandoned their animals. Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control received multiple calls about pets abandoned outside of homes.

“Absolutely unacceptable. People need to be responsible pet owncontinued on p. 3

Banner revealed in defense of DACA recipients

BY MICHALA HEAD Within hours of the announcement that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals would be phased out over the next six months,, a group consisting of both New College students and Sarasota-Manatee residents assembled outside of New College’s Academic Center of Excellence (ACE) building to reveal a banner reading “DEFEND DACA”.

The announcement was made on Tuesday, Sept 5t, at 11 a.m. from President Donald Trump through his Attorney General, Jefferson Sessions. Sessions said that the enactment of a replacement policy would be left in the hands of the legislative branch. It was first enacted during the Obama administration in order to protect undocumented immigrants under the age of 31.

The act only protects those who immigrated to the United States prior to their 16th birthday, those who study, or have studied, here, and

WHAT’S INSIDE

MIchala Head/Catalyst

The banner was revealed within hours of the announcement that President Trump intended to phase out DACA over the next six months.

those who have served in the Coast Guard or military. DACA recipients have to meet certain standards every two years in order to continue to be eligible. In sum, childhood arrivals to the U.S., who know it as their home, now face losing everything, and it is in the hands of their community to stand up for their rights.

Following the banner’s reveal,

6 IRMA ON CAMPUS

the group held a community healing circle to discuss recent events and the impact of this decision. The creation and revealing of the banner was put together within hours of the announcement, in order to demonstrate that people are united in actively resisting the Trump administration’s attack on the policy. Community organizers present at the

9 STUDY ABROAD SUBMISSION

gathering stressed that DACA was initially fought for by undocumented immigrants, who put their personal safety on the line in order to secure protection for their children. The point made clear that resilience and hope hold strong in the ongoing fight for basic human rights.

The gathering outside of ACE was intended to address the uncertainty that many are facing due to DACA being brought to an end. The banner reveal and community healing was a swift show of support, where those in attendance who were directly impacted by this news were given the space to put their feelings out into the open, and to see the support of their community. The event could also be considered an opportunity for those outside of DACA’s impact to listen to the voices of those affected, realize their role as community members, and hear how they can be of help. continued on p.11

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PAGE 2

Hurricanes in the Gulf Region Information for this article was gathered from The Guardian, CNN, NPR, USA Today and Time Magazine

BY JORDI F. GONZALEZ

Virgin Islands

The United States and British Virgin Islands were among some of the first victims of the largest and deadliest recorded Atlantic storm, Hurricane Irma, with its full force of sustained 185-miles-per-hour winds at a Category 5. Saint Thomas and Saint John (of the U.S. territories) were some of the most brutally impacted islands in the Caribbean and have been left almost entirely without power.

According to NPR, only about 10 percent of the power lines in St. Thomas were spared, leaving the island’s only hospital unusable in the midst of devastation.

Five have been found dead in the British Virgin Islands along with five from the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a staggering total of 44 deaths throughout the impacted Caribbean islands. The majority of buildings and structures have been destroyed or damaged in the wake of Irma, with CNN having reported that 99 percent of buildings have been damaged.

Electricity is still scarce over a week after the natural disaster passed over the territorial islands.

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a disaster declaration for the U.S. Virgin Islands that will use up $223 million from emergency federal funding. In addition, as depicted in an article from Time, the British Virgin Islands were thought to have suffered, “... severe damage and we expect that the islands will need extensive humanitarian assistance which we will of course provide,” United Kingdom Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Alan Duncan, said.

Hurricane Maria has been the even more recent obstacle for the Virgin Islanders, which smacked the recuperating islands once again less than two weeks after Irma. St. Croix was the most heavily devasted with a 24 hour plow through. The U.S. Virgin Islands has now been officially declared a major disaster area.

Antigua & Barbuda

United States

Barbuda was the first landmass to make contact with the monstrous Hurricane Irma and the entire island of 1,800 former inhabitants was evacuated--the first time in 300 years that Barbuda is completely empty.

The country is comprised of the two namesake islands and several other smaller, minor islands. These Caribbean islands are some of the least well prepared for natural disasters and after getting hit with the full force of Irma, the results were brutal.

“A civilization that has existed on that island for over 300 years has now been extinguished,” Antigua and Barbuda’s U.S. Ambassador Ronald Sanders said of the catastrophic events in an article from USA Today.

Practically every building on Barbuda was destroyed or damaged in some way and it has been estimated

by USA Today that it would cost up to $200 million in order to rebuild the island. Irma left about half of the population on the island homeless, without electricity and without good sources of clean water. Hence, the mass evacuation for safety.

The island of Antigua was far more fortunate, as they did not suffer nearly as much damage as their neighboring island. For this reason, the evacuees of Barbuda were sent to Antigua for refuge in shelters. However, now that the school season is starting up again, Antigua must find a way to accommodate an extra 500 school-aged children that evacuated from Barbuda before Irma struck.

“We know that these things have occurred as a result of the profligacy of the countries that are rich, and have abused the system. We, unfortunately, who contribute less than naught point naught percent of pollution of the world’s atmosphere, are the world’s greatest victims,” Ambassador Ronald Sanders said when speaking of climate change at large.

"Wait. COUP is now PCP again?" © 2017 the Catalyst. All rights reserved.

The Catalyst is available online at www.ncfcatalyst.com, facebook.com/NCFcatalyst instagram.com/NCFcatalyst twitter.com/ncfcatalyst The Catalyst is an academic tutorial sponsored by Professor Maria D. Vesperi.

It is developed in the New College Publications Lab using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign and printed at Sun Coast Press with funds provided by the New College Student Alliance.

The most affected part of the U.S. was the state of Florida, but more specifically, the Florida Keys.

Hurricane Irma made landfall on Cudjoe Key, FL as a Category 4 with the highest recorded winds reaching 120 mph in Big Pine Key. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) initial estimate was that about 25 percent of the homes on the island were destroyed and around 13 deaths have been reported.

Immediately after the storm, 99 percent of people had no power in the Keys, but now the statistic has shrunk to roughly 75 percent according to CNN reports. Still, there are about 6.2 million homes and busi-

nesses across Florida that don’t have electricity. It’s estimated to take a few more weeks for everyone to have power again and for things to be fully restored.

President Donald Trump visited Naples, Florida shortly after Irma passed, along with the first lady Melania Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Governor Rick Scott, to pass out food to storm victims. President Trump also came to Florida in order to meet with military members in Fort Myers and to speak with state and local officials on the recooperation methods that would take place in the near future.

Ramon Espinosa/AP

Waist-high flood waters caused by Hurricane Irma's incredible downpour leaves thousands stranded in Havana, Cuba.

Cuba

Although the U.S. is sending disaster relief aid to several Caribbean islands damaged by Hurricane Irma, no aid is being sent to Cuba, which was hit by Irma while the storm was still a Category 5 for a consistent 24 hour period. Cuba hasn’t received assistance from its superpower neighbor because it hasn’t requested it and that’s a necessity by guidelines for the U.S. to send any of its USAID rapid response teams as it has with the other Caribbean islands.

General Editor Managing Editor Copy Editor & Writing Coach Online Editor Head Layout Editor Layout Editor Social Media Editor Staff Writers & Photographers

Giulia Heyward Magdalene Taylor Ryan Paice Jacob Wentz Anya María Contreras-García

Jordi Gonzalez

Jason D'Amours Noah Baslaw, Miranda Gale Michala Head, Azia Keever, Tim Manning, Samantha Ramirez, Cole Zelznak

Over 4,000 homes were demolished, more than three million people have lost access to potable water.

Most of the small beach towns on the northern side of the island took the worst beating and at least ten people have been reported dead. The U.S. seems to be aware of the devastation as they have already advised American citizens not to travel to Cuba as conditions are horrible at the moment.

Direct submissions, letters, announcements and inquiries to: The Catalyst 5800 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, Florida 34243 ncfcatalyst@gmail.com The Catalyst reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, space and style.

No anonymous submissions will be accepted.

Submissions must be received by 12:00 p.m.

Friday for consideration in the next issue.

CATALYST

NEWS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 2017 www.ncfcatalyst.com | @ncfcatalyst

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Hurricane Irma Pets CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The Activist Newsletter

Jason D'Amours/Catalyst

BY ANYA MARÍA CONTRERAS-GARCÍA This week (9/20 – 9/28), activists have the opportunity to participate supply drives, town halls, film screenings and marches! Read on if you want to get involved in the community regarding farmworker’s rights, the drug war, immigration reform, or racial justice.

Fri., Sept. 22, DACA Info Session and Renewal Clinic @ 5 – 7 P.M. HCL 8, New College of Florida In light of the Trump administration’s decision to rescind DACA, New College of Florida has partnered with multiple local organizations to host an informational clinic on DACA and learn how you can protect yourself.

This workshop aims to provide support, protection and healing to impacted community members and fight for human dignity. For more information, check out the event page on Facebook.

Mon., Sept. 25, “Food Chains” Film Screening @ 5:30 – 7:30 P.M. Selby Public Library, 1331 1st Street, Sarasota, FL 34236 In this expose, a group of Florida farmworkers take on the global supermarket industry through the Fair Food Program in an effort to improve working conditions for farmworkers.

Attend this free, public screening to learn more about the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and how to get involved in the fight for farmworker’s rights. For more information, check out the event page on Facebook.

Tues., Sept. 26, Beyond the War on Drugs @ 6:30 – 8 P.M. North Sarasota Public Library, 2801 Newtown Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34234 Stand Up Fight Back SRQ will host this three-part discussion series on drug decriminalization, racial injustice, the influence of the pharmaceutical industry and how to better our communities. If interested in contributing to this discussion, please contact Katherine Norman at KatherineNormanEO@ Gmail.com. For more information, check out the event page on Facebook.

Tues., Sept. 26, Immigration Update from Texas to Florida @ 7 – 9 P.M. Fogartyville Community Center, 525 Kumquat Ct, Rear, Sarasota, FL 34236 This discussion will cover recent developments affecting immigrants in the US, including DACA, law SB-4 in Texas and a review of relevant legislative activity in Florida. Attendees will be joined via video conference by Bob Libal, Executive Director of Grassroots Leadership, an organization that fights deportation and mass incarceration. Light snacks will be provided. Beverages will be available for purchase. Please RSVP at tinyurl. com/9-26ImmigrationUpdate.

Thurs., Sept. 28, POWER + PRESENCE Film Screening @ 6:30 – 8 P.M. Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 This is the first in a three-part series of Socially Engaged Art film screenings. POWER + PRESENCE profiles artists working in and with communities to elevate visibility of the unrepresented, creating portraits and spaces for agency, wellbeing, growth and transformation.

For more information, check out the event page on Facebook.

Sat., Sept. 30, Florida March for Black Women @ 3 – 8 P.M. Women’s Detention Center, 1401 NW 7th Ave, Miami, FL 33136 Join the Miami Workers Center to center the experiences of Black women from all walks of life. For more information, check out the event page. There will be a roundtrip bus taking activists from Sarasota to Miami. For more info on the bus, contact Shakira Refos at shakira.refos@gmail.com and check out the event page: http://rallybus. net/march-for-black-women

ers in this community,” State Attorney Dave Aronbeg told WPTV. “[T]here is no excuse for leaving your pet behind to die. We are going to hold accountable those who we can prove left their dogs behind in the storm.”

Aronberg is teaming up with Animal Care and Control to investigate, interviewing neighbors, interrogating owners and tracking microchips.

Anyone who surrenders or abandons their dog is placed on a noadopt list.

Those responsible pet owners who chose to bear the storm from home were able to protect their furry friends in many ways. First and foremost, it was crucial that owners stocked up on food and water for their pets.

Staying with pets in a safe location--a central room without any windows, for example--was enough for some. Pet owners with scared cats and frightened dogs were advised to keep their animals near them in carriers, as small spaces make some pets feel more secure. Adding some familiar-scented toys and clothing items had also been advised to help.

For the Humane Society of Sarasota County (HSSC), music played an important role in minimizing the anxiety of the animals. “ Goodley Entertainment Group [...] graciously donated surroundsound speakers in our dog kennels, so our dogs enjoy the sounds of Bach, Chopin, and even some Bob Marley to keep them calm,” Communications Coordinator Nalani Simpson wrote in an email interview.

“Studies show classical and reggae music can reduce stress levels in animals, and our animals seem to agree.”

In addition to helping the animals feel at ease, the staff at HSSC worked around the clock to ensure that their shelter would provide adequate safety.

“HSSC contacted the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to be prepared to evacuate our animals in the event of the storm hitting us directly at over a Category 3 hurricane,” Simpson wrote.

“HSSC’s shelter is built to withstand a Category 3 hurricane, so as the storm neared and decreased in intensity, an executive decision was made to keep the animals at our shelter as we knew the safest place our animals could be was in HSSC’s care.”

The shelter was boarded with hurricane shutters and sandbags were placed along the kennels that were likely to experience flooding.

Satellite phones were also distrib-

uted to HSUS, the shelter’s Executive Director and the shelter’s emergency crew in order to maintain communication in the event of power outages.

In addition, there were six HSSC emergency crew staff members who stayed at the shelter for over 72 hours straight, ensuring that all of the cats and dogs were okay.

“HSSC’s emergency crew included one veterinarian, a certified disaster-preparedness HSSC staff member, our Maintenance Manager, and other medically-trained HSSC employees,” Simpson wrote.

As far as food and water were concerned, HSSC received enough donations from the public that they did not have to buy additional supplies.

“We are happy to report HSSC is in operable condition, and all our animals are safe thanks to our wonderful emergency crews, staff, and volunteers,” Simpson wrote.

Now that the storm has passed, HSSC is undertaking various efforts to issue help and relief for animals in need. A social media campaign dubbed #ClearTheShelter is urging the community to provide support.

“HSSC is asking to #ClearTheShelter to help other animals across the state who have been affected by Hurricane Irma,” Simpson wrote.

“HSSC has reduced adoption fees for all animals in our care to just $10 to clear space to help more animals in need.”

In addition to providing supplies to shelters across the state, HSSC donated $10,000 in medical care to all of the animals at the Sarasota County Animal Services (SCAS).

“Every animal in need of medical care at SCAS will be transported to the Animal Clinic of HSSC to receive free treatment,” Simpson wrote. “The Animal Clinic of HSSC is open to the public, has no income requirements, and is an affordable, quality veterinary clinic.”

A wish list of the HSSC's most-needed items can be found at www.hssc.org/ wish-list.

Information obtained from scgov.net, miamiherald.com, wptv.com, hssc.org andhsscclinic.org

Jacob Wentz/Catalyst A Humanee Society sign almost blown away by Hurricane Irma.

CATALYST

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NEWS PAGE 4

What Now? A look at our politicians following Harvey and Irma

BY MICHALA HEAD Over the course of a month, Hurricanes Harvey and Irma devastated the lives of many, and have rendered us fearful of a future where these storms only continue to build in strength due to climate change.

While the United States was trying to both aid those impacted by Harvey and anticipate Irma, Mexico experienced an earthquake that registered at 8.1 on the Richter scale and killed 95 people. The intensity of these natural disasters can be linked directly to climate change, and people are worried.

I spoke with Connor Borden, a third-year student at New College, about how he felt about the current leadership’s handling of climate change, “ I think that the problem of climate change is already very dangerous and should have been more seriously dealt with a long time ago, and the fact that the leaders of this country, such as Donald Trump and Scott Pruitt, are still denying its existence due to the influence of powerful oil companies and increasingly obsolete businesses is exacerbating the problem. I know that people have jobs that rely on the fossil fuel industry, and it is easy to support their ideas rather than working towards change, but we should be encouraging these people in pursuing more viable options than within this dying industry.”

As these natural disasters intensify, it is important follow what political leaders are doing in relation to climate change, as they are making the decisions that will prove to be most impactful.

The Storms and Their Impact According to the Washington Post, the death toll for Harvey is currently at 82, with homes and buildings along the Texan coast suffering widespread destruction, and a major city will never quite be the same again for it. With Harvey, Houston received its third “500 year flood” within the past three years. The floods get their name because they have a 1-in-500 chance of occurring each year so this rate is abnormal and alarming.

Before reaching Florida, Hurricane Irma devastated the Caribbean Islands. 37 deaths were reported from the islands, where evacuation was hardly an option for many of its residents. Planning for Irma brought such disparities between options and resources to the forefront given the severity of the storm. This applies to Florida as well, as when the state saw mass evacuation orders days prior to Irma, many could not afford to leave.

The Guardian reported on Liberty City, just nine miles north of Miami, stating that almost half the residents are below the federal poverty line and many could hardly prepare adequately--much less evacuate.

These storms are not only demonstrating the increasing urgency regarding climate change, but who is going to be most hurt by its effects in the years to come if it is not addressed in some way.

ter relief with Democratic senators Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi rather than facing a government shutdown. Congress is currently focused on the amount of funding that will be allocated to disaster relief and reparations. Prior to the storms, House Republicans were reportedly prepared to vote on a budget bill that would have taken around $876 million away from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

As Congress has been working to reach agreements on the budget and on the relief bill for Houston, Trump has been making the rounds in hopes of providing comfort and leadership to the storm victims--although this sentiment was underscored as he reveled at the crowd turnout in Texas, and said in Florida that the deaths caused by Irma was a small number compared to the thousands he was expecting. When asked on Thursday if the back to back storms have influenced his views on climate change, he answered, “We have had bigger storms than this.”

During his campaign, Trump was criticized for a tweet that stated that climate change was a hoax created by the Chinese to make us less financially competitive, and his decisions since assuming office reflect the fact that he does not regard it as an issue. Early in his presidency, he withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement and appointed Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Washington D.C. Protection Agency (EPA). Pruitt has In the aftermath of Harvey and denied the United States’ role in acIrma, the nation has had its eyes on celerated climate change. Regarding President Donald Trump. Perhaps the hurricanes, Pruitt called converthe most attention-grabbing story sation about climate change during was Trump’s shocking decision to the storms “insensitive” and urged reach an agreement regarding disas- people to focus on helping those

impacted, rather than the cause of these massive storms.

Florida’s Government and Climate Change Florida, one of the most vulnerable areas to the effects of climate change, is currently governed by Rick Scott, who is known to have a checkered past with climate science. To be specific, the Miami Herald reported in 2015 that Rick Scott barred Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection from using the terms “climate change”, “global warming”, and “sustainability” in any official communications, emails, or reports.

In the Politico article “Florida Senator Bill Nelson: Republicans ‘denying reality’ on climate change”, it was noted that Scott’s campaigns were supported by fossil fuel interests. Members of the GOP often characterize themselves as pro-business and anti-regulation, and people will suffer for this in the long run if environmental protections are continually ignored or dismantled. As the oceans’ waters grow warmer, storms like Harvey and Irma will only be stronger. A good way to counteract climate change is to pay attention to where 2018 candidates stand on climate change, including candidates for Florida governor, and hold current representatives at all levels accountable for the damage that the American government is currently endorsing.

Information gathered from cnn. com, independent.co.uk, miamiherald. com, nytimes.com, politico.com, theguardian.com, and washingtonpost. com.

Why are tuition and healthcare so expensive?

BY NOAH BASLAW Behind the need for health insurance lies the need for affordable healthcare, and getting a college degree reaps less profits as the cost for that degree increases. Americans have the highest costs for healthcare and tuition in the world. For most people, life in the United States is and has been plagued by rising prices and stagnating income.

Health care costs are one of the most formidable obstacles for people, but the health care debate is rife with contention. A conservative outlook will point out that government programs like medicare or medicaid have done little to curb the actual cost of health care, and they may even argue that federal and state programs have nurtured the ever-increasing costs.

Liberals are more critical of the health industry, that is, the corporations which make up both the healthcare and insurance sectors.

There are clear patterns of overcharging for low quality insurance products and overinvestment in expensive equipment and pharmaceutical drugs. Additionally, America’s population has become older and is only projected to become more so. This has added strenuous demand on these industry’s products, further inflating costs. The vast portion of profits made by the healthcare industry is spent on corporate stock buybacks, which increases the value of company stock but does not make the costs of their products any cheaper.

Nevermind the disagreement over whether government or corporate insurance has deluded consumers from real healthcare costs--together, both state and private insurance have done this. The consequence is clear. As healthcare came to be predominantly paid for by public and private insurance more than out of pocket payment, the costs of healthcare also increased without stop.

Health insurance and healthcare formed a symbiotic relationship for the efficient growth of their industries.

Consequently, Americans, during the evolution of these industries, began to pay for a rising insurance price and a rising healthcare price as most incomes stagnated. The common person was simply given the task to make their day labor most efficient for their employers needs, while inefficiently paying for their own necessities. In 1970, annual healthcare cost $356 for each person-since then, the cost has grown to $7,538 annual per capita.

Following the United State’s trends, the global healthcare industry has grown faster than the overall global economy. The share of global GDP by healthcare has increased from 5.2 percent in 1970 to 10.1 percent in 2008. In 1980, the monetary value of output by healthcare was about 9 percent of the United States’ annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP), whereas in 2008 healthcare took about

16 percent of the share of total U.S. GDP. As certain industrial sectors claim more of the economy’s net worth, the whole economy bleeds wealth into those sectors. Practices like corporate stock buybacks further assures the concentration of wealth in the corporation and the industrial sector as a whole.

For about four decades now, prevailing forces have decimated people’s needs for price transparency, affordability, innovation and competitive entrepreneurship. Since 1986, tuition for the aggregate US schools has increased about 20 percent every five years according to the College Board. While healthcare partially blames an increasingly older population for rising costs, both public and private colleges have no such excuses.

When, as according to the Delta Cost Project, “tuitions at public four-year

continued on p. 11

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NEWS PAGE 5

Spelman College announces new policy regarding enrollment of transgender students

BY JASON D'AMOURS In an age of constantly evolving understandings and experiences of gender, historical women’s colleges and universities across the country are faced with the task of updating and reassessing their admission policies. Spelman College, a historically Black liberal arts college for women located in Atlanta, Georgia, recently convened a task force to develop admission policy recommendations in regards to the admission eligibility and enrollment of transgender students.

After a year of research and communications with students, faculty, staff and alumnae, the task force presented their recommendations to Spelman College President Mary Campbell.

Photo courtesy of Vimeo “Spelman College, a Historically Black College whose mission is to Spelman College is a women's Historically Black College or University (HBCU) located in Atlanta, Georgia. serve high-achieving Black women, will consider for admission women taking steps to ensure that our poli“Moving Beyond Cis-terhood,” students including students who cies and plans reflect those changes an article published by Sociologists consistently live and self-identify as in a manner that is consistent with Megan Nanney and David Brunsma, women, regardless of their gender our mission and the law,” the state- maintains that “these policies and assignment at birth,” Campbell con- ment said as explanation for the in- scripts, while few in number, serve curred in a statement released on stitutions actions. as an important example of ways Sept. 5.

Some scholars argue that what in which some colleges are dealing “Like same-sex colleges all over is ultimately happening here is the with ‘the woman question’ and how the country, Spelman is taking into institutional questioning and deter- to concretely define their organizaaccount evolving definitions of gen- mination of womanhood or who, ex- tional bounds--how to determine der identity in a changing world and actly, counts as a woman. gender.”

Spelman College’s new admission policy, which goes into effect for the 2018-2019 academic year, is the second transgender inclusive admittance policy among historically Black women’s institutions, following the lead of Bennett College, according to the Advocate.

While an increasing number of women’s colleges have started to question and consider transgender admittance policies, very few have solidified their positions. According to the Women’s College Coalition, there are currently 39 active women’s colleges in the United States.

Of those, at least nine have publicly moved to admit trans women, including Mills, Wellesley, Smith, Bryn Mawr, Barnard and Mount Holyoke colleges.

However, the exact number of women’s institutions that accept trans women is unknown.

Some schools don’t announce policy changes publicly and some do not even track the gender identities of their students.

The Catalyst gathered New College student opinions regarding trans admittance policies at historically women’s colleges in an anonymous survey sent to the student [forum].

Of the 79 responses, 96 percent agree that historically women’s continued on p. 11

Stormy weather approached Sarasota, local whiskey sour enthusiasts take little to no heed

BY MIRANDA GALE

said the owner of Memories, Kevin Duvin. “We know there are a lot of people who would be sitting alone in their houses.”

Of keeping Memories open during the storm, Duvin said that he wanted to open the bar back up as soon as possible, as it is an important community space for a large group of people.

On September 12th, the bar reported via its Facebook page that they had escaped the storm “mostly unscathed” but without power.

Power came back on late September 13th, and by Friday, it was karaoke night as usual.

A mere day before Hurricane Irma was predicted to make landfall in Florida, many residents of Sarasota had either evacuated or boarded up their homes and businesses.

Like the others, Memories Lounge on Tamiami Trail was boarded up in preparation for the storm, but still continued to serve patrons.

At 3:30 PM that day, the bar was almost as full as it is on some nights.

“Stormy Weather” by Ella Fitzgerald played on the Jukebox, locals munched on bowls of complimentary popcorn, and a lone barMemories Lounge is located on 3428 N tender poured whiskey sours and Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234. popped opened bottles of Budweiser.

However, unlike many local business, Memories had posted no revised business hours, opting to Azia Keever/Catalyst stay open for as long as they could in Memories Lounge, located on Tamiami Trail, was a spot for enthusiastic Sarasota spite of the oncoming storm.

“We’re a neighborhood bar,” residents during Hurricane Irma.

NEW COLLEGE SURVIVES HURRICANE IRMA

BY MIRANDA GALE AND AZIA KEEVER

This hurricane season found New College ill prepared for the chaos and tumult that would ensue. Due to Hurricane Irma’s uncertain path and the recent devastation caused

by Harvey in Houston, the whole campus was buzzing with each new European Medium Range Forecast Model (EMRFM), or Euro Model, prediction.

Despite the raising concern amongst students, New College Administration did not send out information regarding the storm until Wednesday, Sept. 6, wherein the Office of Communications sent a statement out on the “great uncertainty” of Irma’s path, even though “Regardless of what track the hurricane takes, the Sarasota-Manatee area should experience tropical stormforce winds, at a minimum, beginning late Sunday into Monday morning.” The email ends with a reminder “no watches, warnings, or evacuations for the Sarasota-Manatee area at this time,” and did not mention any steps the college would be taking in surveying the storm.

“I wish they would have had a situation where they would have monitored the storm better. I feel like the emergency crew that they had, who had meetings the emergency council, whoever that is, they gave us the bare minimum until they no longer could,” third-year Arraya Barnes said.

Predictions from the EMRFM had, at one point, Irma landing in

Sarasota as a Category Four on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS). That’s wind speeds anywhere from 130-156 mph, according to the website of the National Hurricane Center (NHC). “It would have been a complete tragedy,” secondyear Michael Martins said. In reality, Irma caused somewhere between Cat One and Cat Two level damage, where “near-total power loss is expected with outages that could last from several days to weeks,” according to the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Overall, however, the damages were minimal compared to what was predicted. New College Physical Plant staff completed their review of the campus on Mon, Sept. 11 at 9:24 a.m., giving students the go-ahead to return to their dorms.

“No broken window or other hazards,” the e-mail from New College Alert said, but they did ask that students "please avoid Bayfront side of campus other than B Dorm."

All around campus, large trees fell down. The trees surrounding the entrance to the Jane Bancroft Cook Library were no longer upright. A pine taller than--and located right outside the front porch of--B-dorm fell over just above its base. If it had fallen the other way, it would have crushed the old building. The biggest tree lost was one of the large banyan trees near College Hall. Access to the tree was restricted with caution tape continued on p. 11

All photos Azia Keever/Catalyst

Students were warned not to travel to the bayfront side of campus in the days following Hurricane Irma.

From College Hall to the neighboring Shell gas station, buildings were boarded up in preparation for the hurricane.

Large trees pulled from their roots were marked as safety hazards across campus.

The power in the Z and B Residential Buildings (pictured) left many to shower in the dark and live without electricity for several days.

Hurricane Irma caused destruction to man made billboards on Tamiami Trail to huge trees left on sidewalks and roads.

CATALYST

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FEATURES PAGE 8

Facebook page connects students and alumnae/i

BY COLE ZELZNAK 4,997—that’s the total number of New College of Florida (NCF) alumnae/i on file with the New College Alumnae/i Association (NCAA) as of 2012. That number is staggeringly small compared to some of the state’s larger universities, where a single graduating class may be 5,000 or more students. The simple fact that there are relatively few NCF alumnae/i around the world—perhaps everyone has experienced the thrill of seeing a New College license plate anywhere outside of the Sudakoff parking lot—presents a problem for fostering connections between generations of New College students.

Alum Troy Winfrey (‘87) had lofty intentions when he started a Facebook group in February, 2016 and named it NC(F) Daimon. A “daimon” is a spirit from classical mythology, meant to be a guiding force and a guardian. Winfrey started the group after another online alumnae/i group fractured over whether or not students who had not graduated were “real” alumnae/i. Winfrey wanted to build a more inclusive group in which all members of the NCF community could share resources, connect and look out for each other.

NC(F) Daimon has grown substantially since 2016 and now boasts well over 2,000 members. The group offers a direct line of communication to past NCF students in such diverse fields as child care, scientific research and law. The group also serves as an ever-changing historical record, with alumnae/i and current students

Winfrey credits the group with promoting a new level of engagement between alumnae/i and the administration, and said that the group led directly to his own decision to join the NCAA Board of Directors.

He is enthusiastic about the results of his experiment in creating an informal alumnae/i association and appreciates feedback, positive or negative.

“Many people have left in that traditional New College vehicle, an aggrieved huff, and many have joined.

You do what you can. A good number of people find it amusing, heartening, interesting and sometimes very directly useful, and that’s what I’m after. We have helped a lot of people with such matters as jobs, places to live, and photo courtesy of William Rosenberg, legal representation. We have saved at Students wear the coverings of the light fixtures in Palm Court. Posted on the NC(F) least two lives.” Winfrey said. “Above all else it has made me feel I’m doing Daimon Facebook page. Taken circa. 1975 something for the community that was frequently posting photos, new and old, ground for Florida-based members such a profound influence on my life.” and relating stories and memories. during Hurricane Irma, when many “It’s interesting how the older used it to post tips for preparation You can join NC(F) Daimon if you people are always reminiscing, they and evacuation. Members frequently have completed a term at New College post photos asking can anyone identify consult the group for career advice and have a Facebook account. these people, like we used to be in a as well as to drum up support for band or something,” third-year Evan crowdfunding campaigns.

Alumnae/i information and Teal said. “You can reach out and find In the past few months, the page statistics are available at ncf.edu people. I wanted to find the founder of has been abuzz with news of the NCAA’s the garden, because I’m the Food Forest 2018 Reunion Weekend. The reunion, For information on the 2018 TA. It’s a really useful tool.” which is open to all alumnae/i from Reunion Weekend, contact the Keating NC(F) Daimon has proved itself any cohort, will take place on campus Center at (941)-487-4684. useful to alumnae/i in a wide variety of from Feb. 15 to Feb. 18, 2018. Current situations. Sharon Levine (‘97) helped students are invited to participate in relocate a kitten named Gizmo from most of the reunion activities, with Athens, GA to Fort Myers, FL after a events such as the Career Panel created request was posted on the page. The specifically with current students and group became an important staging recent graduates in mind.

Looking forward to October: who’s making the cut for the MLB playoffs

BY RYAN PAICE With the last month of the Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season coming to a close, the MLB playoff picture becomes clearer and clearer.

From early this season, it was apparent that the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers would be two of the main contenders from each league, but on the heels of a ridiculous 22-game win streak, the Cleveland Indians have firmly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

Meanwhile in the American League (AL), the Boston Red Sox hope to maintain their meager 3-game lead over the New York Yankees and presumptuous Rookie of the Year, Aaron Judge, who can still steal Boston’s place as the AL East leader, despite their definitive clinching of a postseason spot. The Red Sox, led by potential AL Cy Young award winner Chris Sale, have gone 7-3 over their past ten games, with the Yankees nipping at their heels with an 8-2 record over their last ten. The winner of the AL East will go on to face the Houston Astros in the first round of the MLB playoffs.

The Minnesota Twins and the LA Angels will scrap for the final wild card spot, but neither teams’ past ten games—a middling 5-5 record for the Twins and an under-.500 4-6 record for

Photo Courtesy of WIkimedia Commons

The LA Dodgers have the league leading a record of 97 wins and 56 losses and will face the winner of the NL Wild Card Game. the Angels—seem to present too much against the team that went to the World Series last season. of a challenge to the Yankees.

In the National League (NL), Regardless of what happens in the AL wild card game, the winner will the Washington Nationals and the have to face the dominant Cleveland aforementioned LA Dodgers have Indians, only a little more than a week already clinched their divisions removed by their 22-game win streak. with records of 90-59 and 96-54, Even though their near-historic run respectively, with last season’s came to an end against the Kansas champions, the Chicago Cubs, trying City Royals on Friday, Sept. 15, they to secure their 3.5 game lead over the have not lost a game since, winning an Milwaukee Brewers—a far cry to last undisputably impressive 27 out of their season’s Cubs dominance. If the Cubs last 28 games. Whoever ends up facing can maintain their division lead, they the Indians, be it the Yankees, Twins, or will face the Washington Nationals, led Angels, will be in for an unpleasant ride by ace pitcher Max Scherzer and star

Bryce Harper, in the first round.

Despite the Brewers only trailing the Cubs as the division leader by 3.5 games, Milwaukee doesn’t own a wild card spot in the NL, with the Arizona Diamondbacks holding the first wild card spot, running a surprisingly adept ship with an 87-64 record under their belt. The Colorado Rockies hold the second wild card spot with an 82-68 record, leading the Brewers by only two games.

The winner of the NL wild card game will go on to face the Los Angeles Dodgers, who--despite cooling off after a raging first half of the season--still own the league’s best record. While having gone only 5-5 over their past ten games, they present a significant challenge to whoever makes it out of the wild card game, with the best pitcher in the game--Clayton Kershaw-and a roster of young stars bolstering their championship efforts.

Whatever happens in this final stretch of September, whether it be the Yankees knocking the Red Sox into the wild card game, or the Brewers either beating the Cubs for division leader or somehow scraping into the final of the two NL wild card spots, October will be rife with intense competition.

Information for this story was gathered from mlb.com.

CATALYST

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SUBMISSIONS

PAGE 9

Thousands protest French president’s proposed labor law

BY AUDREY WARNE A protest against French President Emmanuel Macron’s attempted reform of the French Code du Travail (labor laws) halted traffic, closed down metro stations and led hundreds of riot police to take to the streets of Paris. The Parisian manifestation was a part of a larger wave of protests and strikes that took place throughout France on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Similar demonstrations were held in over 180 French cities while the Confédération générale du travail (CGT), the nation’s largest public sector trade union, called for over 4,000 workers’ strikes to be held around the nation.

Between 24,000 and 60,000 protesters gathered in Paris while over 100,000 people participated in demonstrations outside of the capital, according to numbers released by the CGT. Cries of “Monsieur Macron, les fainéants sont dans la rue” (“President Macron, the slackers are in the streets”) echoed throughout the Place d’Italie. The chant is a reference to a speech Macron gave in Athens in which he said “Je ne céderai rien, ni aux fainéants, ni aux cyniques, ni aux extrêmes.” (“I will not yield, not to the slackers, nor to the cynics, nor to the extremists.”)

His inflammatory phrasing-which Macron later said was unintentional and intended to be a criticism of French politicians, not the French people--was part of a longer speech about EU solidarity and the benefits of globalization in a postBrexit Europe. Macron’s overwhelm-

All photos courtesy of Audrey Warne/Catalyst Protestors gather in the Place d'Italie after marching from the Bastille.

La Confédération générale du travail (CGT), France's largest public sector labor union, was one of the major organizing forces for the September 12 protests.

ing support for the EU and his willingness to accept and work within the parameters set by globalization helped him win the French election last spring with 66.1 percent of the French vote. Many on the French left are concerned with Macron’s determinedly pro-business agenda and centrist economic policies, which fall more in line with the economic model proposed by American democrats rather than the French socialist

model of public service and social security.

These manifestations--the first to be held in opposition to President Macron’s centrist regime--focused on opposing La Loi Travaille, a new labor law Macron is attempting to pass in order to liberalize France’s highly protectionary Code du Travail.

These reforms would make it easier for French workers to be fired or fired and give businesses and corporations

the right to make decisions about pay and working hours according to economic conditions--as opposed to current model which relies on collective-bargaining procedures initiated by the employees. The Code du Travail has served as the backbone of France’s socialist labor policies and provided legal protection to France’s many syndicats (trade unions) since the 1930s.

France’s longstanding history of protective labor laws began with the rise of the Front Populaire, a leftist political regime responsible for establishing the French tradition of mandatory paid-vacation and a limited number of hours in the work week. The 1936 Matignon Accords further established France’s Code du Travail by establishing the right of workers to unionize, bargain collectively and strike under the protection of the French legal system. The 1968 Grenelle Agreements increased the minimum wage by 25 percent, created trade unions in each business sector and reduced the working week to 44 hours.

In 2000, the socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin passed a law lowering the working week from 39 to 35 hours, with all other time spent at work to be considered as overtime.

This controversial law was passed in an attempt to increase the quality of life of French workers and to simultaneously increase employment by reducing the disparity in the labor force as some French people were working long hours while others continued on p. 11

Protestors holding signs that read "Against capitalism and fascism. For employment, national sovereignty, peace, socialism exit the euro, the EU and NATO."

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Meet an Emotional Support Animal!

BY ANYA MARÍA CONTRERAS-GARCÍA

Turtle Spiliadis Age: 1 yr old DOB: 6/27/16 Zodiac sign: Cancer Weight: 10.5 lbs Species: Dog Breed: Labradoodle Fun fact: When she sees a baby, she crawls towards them on her stomach so she doesn't scare them and licks their feet.

Photo courtesy of Tali Spiliadis

Omi Morse Age: 2 5/6 yrs old DOB: 11/04/14 Zodiac sign: Scorpio Weight: 11 lbs Species: Cat Breed: Domestic short hair Fun fact: When someone picks him up, Omi likes to hide by tucking his head under their arm.

Photo courtesy of Abby Morse

FEATURES PAGE 10

Songs you should heAR World Peace

BY JORDI GONZALEZ

In the wake of so much tragedy happening throughout the world, it might be nice to think about the good that can exist in the world. These selections reflect artists in search for world peace and love.

“Imagine” by John Lennon This Communist Manifesto mantra sounding, hippie anthem, idealist overflow of a song is the true definition of world peace, or the desire for it. Lennon sings over a rather simple, yet impactful piano progression with the subtlest of drums in the background.

“One Day” Matisyahu Matisyahu is well known for his on-point beatboxing and is a Jewish reggae artist. This song exudes optimism and happiness and sends a clear message of coming together and praying for no more wars.

“One Love/People Get Ready”

by Bob Marley & The Wailers Reggae, the music genre of peace and love, and its father Bob Marley, put forth a short, sweet and simple track that gives off that same message of unity and love. The song was made in its original ska style that incorporates a prominent snare drum and angelic sounding keys.

“Peace

Train” by Cat Stevens A folk rock song from the '70s, it shares in the ideologies of the time and Stevens sings of a figurative peace train that he wishes would sweep by the world and change everything.

“What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye A profound plead wrapped up in a soulful R&B track that’s filled with the realest lines like, “You see, war is not the answer/ For only love can conquer hate”.

CATALYST

CONT'D

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Tuition and healthcare CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

colleges and universities soared nearly 160 percent since 1990” people start to wonder what or who all this new money is spent on. According to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office “the average tuition and required fees for full-time-equivalent (FTE) undergraduate students increased from $690 to $2,310 [adjusted for inflation]” between 1970 and 1986. In 2015, the average U.S. in-state tuition rate was about $9,800.

There is one crucial parallel between healthcare and tuition cost increase in America: the proportionally large influx of administrative positions has increased the cost of what these institutions sell.

“The disproportionate increase in the number of university staffers who neither teach nor conduct research has continued unabated in more recent years, and slowed only slightly since the start of the economic downturn, during which time colleges and universities have contended that a dearth of resources forced them to sharply raise tuition” recalls the Huffington Post.

“There are now two non academic employees at public and two and a half at private universities and colleges for everyone full-time, tenure-track member of the faculty”.

Few perspectives see this as positive. One financial management analyst from Bain and Company wrote “In no other industry would overhead costs be allowed to grow at this rate—executives would lose their jobs”. Healthcare works no differently-from data by the Bureau of Labor Statistics it is clear that administrative positions in healthcare increased by over 3,000 percent since 1970. With the financialization of these industries,

money was allocated to make more money without proportionally expanding or improving the service which healthcare and universities were supposed to provide. But America’s budgeting problem is not just high living costs from firms who invest their profits in ways to make future profits larger.

The strain of high costs has stagnating incomes to blame too.

According to the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), U.S. middle income wages rose six percent since 1980, while low income wages decreased by five percent. Both of these figures are dwarfed by a 41 percent increase in income of the highest wage earners over the same period. Middle to low income folks income has stagnated relative to the total income paid out year after year.

The matter of fairness comes to a point while considering that since 1973, net U.S. labor productivity has increased 74.4 percent but hourly compensation rose only 9.2 percent.

Most people have been working for free!

But for whom? Since 1980, the top one percent of wage earners increased their income by 138 percent, the bottom 90 percent of wage earners saw their incomes increase by 15 percent. These days the world funnels wealth from most people to small groups of elite, and everyone suffers for it.

Information for this article was gathered from The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), Foundation for Economic Education (FEE), Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Reuters, Huffington Post, Media Trackers, The College Board and Bain and Company.

French labor law CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

were unemployed. The fundamental idea behind this policy was that the less hours each employee can work, the more employees businesses will need to hire to continue operations and production as normal.

A second protest against Macron’s loi du travail is scheduled to be held on Thursday, Sept. 21. This protest will be the last before the amended law is scheduled to be adopted by the Council of Ministers on Friday, Sept. 22. Macron was out of the country, dealing with the effects of Hurricane Irma on the French Caribbean, at the time of the Sept. 12 manifestations and has not yet commented on the public’s response to his policy changes and his regime.

This manifestation of public discontent seems to parallel the recent waves of political unrest and division that have recently passed over much of the Western, Democratic world. An increasingly popular

consensus in France, as in the United States, is that government as it has historically been organized has proven to be inefficient and not attuned to the public will. Those who continue to defend these political institutions can only hope that the necessary changes can be made while working within the existing democratic framework and that the violence and destruction they so fear will not become the people’s only means of ensuring institutional change.

Information gathered from lefigaro.fr, the guardian.com, journaldunet.com and droit-finances. commentcamarche.net

NCF Survives

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Spelman

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and its whole root system uprooted, the tree completely toppled over.

What really inconvenienced students was the loss of air conditioning. New College Director Alan Burr sent an e-mail, subject: “Power is 95% Restored !!!!!!!!!!” to the students list on Friday, Sept. 15. Until then, two dorms--B-dorm and the Z Letter Dorm--were without AC. Rodriguez, a B-dorm resident, stayed with friends for the most part. One night, he tried to sleep in his own room without the AC. “It was a disaster. I just spent like two hours kind of suffering and then I fell asleep.” Rodriguez said.

There was little administration could have done to accommodate these students, but they did what they could. The Residence Hall Director Adriana Diaz sent an email thread to B-dorm and Z Hall residents on Sept. 13 stating that "Students in B Dorm and Z Hall can and should camp out in these areas: W Hall, X Hall, Y Hall building common areas 2nd Court and 3rd Court Lounge Dort and Gold Lounge Ham/GDC.” The e-mail was a summary of a meeting set up by the residential administration in Hamilton Center (HAM) so they could “answer questions and to try to find ways to accommodate each of you in the less than ideal conditions in your residence halls.” Students were informed that they would not be kicked out of these areas and were allowed to bring their mattresses if they so wished.

colleges should accept transgender women and 92 percent agree that such institutions should be responsible for changing admittance policies to reflect changing conceptions of gender.

“Women's colleges were founded in order to allow women access to higher education,” thesis student Victoria Deal, one of the survey respondents, said in an email interview. “Their driving mission should continue to be, in my opinion, to allow people who face gendered oppression to access education -- a group which would assuredly include trans women and female-aligned nonbinary folks.”

The inclusion of these groups, in President Campbell’s words, is in agreement with Spelman College’s “fervent belief in the power of the Spelman Sisterhood.”

Information for this article was gathered from spelman.edu, washingtonpost.com and advocate.com.

DACA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

In the wake of the event, action is being taken in defense of DACA recipients, and the immigrant community that is going to be impacted by its repeal. A group of Los Angeles and New York City based “undocumented/dacamented” community organizers set up a YouCaring page in order to raise money for over 50 DACA renewals. The page had a goal of $35,000, and was able to raise $57,472 within about a day before needing to close at 11 a.m. on Sept.

7 in order to process donations to recipients. Although this page is no longer accepting donations, they have linked smaller, more localized pages that people can still give to if looking to donate.

Larger scale protests in defense of DACA recipients have also been reported in several cities such as Denver, Los Angeles and Washington D.C.. In spite of the growing concern this week over Hurricane Irma’s impact upon South Florida, a rally was

held in Bradenton on Wednesday, Sept. 6 to protest its dismantlement.

The local protest events established that the organization of phone banks -- on campus and in the community -- has commenced in order to make clear to representatives that people stand with the immigrant community, and will continually stand up for DACA. Uncertainty and fear has arisen from the announcement that DACA will no longer be in effect in six months, and there is currently no replacement plan in place. The ramifications of revoking DACA, such as job and insurance loss, will be severe for thousands of families and communities if Congress does not manage to agree upon a viable replacement.

Information from undocu.berkelely.edu, nytimes.com, npr.org, heraldtribune.com, and youcaring.com

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BACK PAGE

PAGE 12

ALL ABOUT THE DARKROOM

BY GIULIA HEYWARD

The door to the darkroom looks like any other door in Hamilton “Ham” Center. The only indicator of what’s behind is a small, dry erase board asking people to knock before entering. Once you do knock, you’ll find a smiling thesis student and Darkroom Teacher’s Assistant (TA) Sabrina Finn and a room filled with equipment from film cameras to rolls of film to a space for developing photos.

“The biggest part of my job is maintaining the darkroom, all of its facilities and all of its supplies,” Finn said. “Another big part of my job is providing film and paper and mixing chemicals for people. I also teach people how to use film, how to use the film cameras and how to develop their film here and print their own pictures.”

Finn was exposed to photography as a child. Their grandfather was a film camera enthusiast who would develop his photos in the bathroom, stuffing a towel under the door so no light would come into the makeshift darkroom.

“When I was in high school, I had a similar position to this where, I wasn’t paid, but I did essentially all of the same things that I do here, in my high school darkroom,” Finn said.

Finn also teaches students how to use digital photography. The darkroom currently have nine film cameras (from Canon to Minolta) and one digital camera available that can be checked out for free by any student on campus. Finn, who has a “Darkroom Wishlist” in the room, would like to eventually see the Darkroom begin to offer color film and a photography studio. Finn has served as Darkroom TA for one year and plans to continue to do so for their fourth year.

“I’ve had a couple people talk to me about it,” Finn said in regards to who would take over once they graduated.

The darkroom has also received attention from novice photographers, eager to learn how the basics of film photography.

“Experiment and play around!”

Finn offers as advice for anyone looking to get into photography. “A lot of people think that photography is really serious business but a lot of the ways that you learn how to do photography, as a professional, and a lot of the ways that you learn the skills, are just by getting your hands on a camera--even your phone camera--and going outside and figuring out what works and what doesn’t.”

all photos Giulia Heyward/Catalyst

The Darkroom features a space for developing film to a Lost & Found for unclaimed photos left by student photographers.

During Darkroom office hours, students can come in to rent film, cameras or ask for any help in learning how to develop film or use Photoshop.

Finn spends time during their office hours developing film and playing music.

The walls of the Darkroom are covered in the work of past students who have developed film for fun, to practice and even for Independent Study Projects (ISPs),