Currents Magazine Fall 2017

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VOX POPULI

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IN THIS ISSUE: 19

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Positive representation

The ways people of color are portrayed onscreen in television and film is explored

Pepperdine’s Move

Taking a deeper look at the University’s relocation from Los Angeles to Malibu

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1st Generation

College students share their experiences of their educational journey

23

Balancing being multiracial

One senior shares what it means to be multi-racial

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IN THIS ISSUE

Vox populi

5

Things to do

17

Microaggressions

31

LA‘s cultural hubs

35

An atheist perspective

44

37

13 stripes, 50 stars

Interpreting the infinite meanings and messages behind the American flag

46

Sojourners

27

Meet Hung Le The story behind a humanitarian’s work

Christian magazine in D.C. provides biblically based social justice resources to readers

49

Best music

The top hip-hop albums of 2017

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

I

vox populi n 2017, we have seen the world twist and bend in ways that many thought not possible. We have been forced to reckon with ideas of inequality, stereotypes, racism and identity. These issues have steered the country’s conversations shaping our political and social climate.

I came to Pepperdine seeking not only to grow as an intellectual but to be enlightened and exposed to the real injustices in our world. I wanted Pepperdine to be my refuge while I developed the muscle to inspire change.

When I arrived, I found a sea of overlooked conversations and past-due confrontations of the very same systems that challenged Pepperdine’s assumed immunity from these problems.

Tucked into a range of mountains overlooking the Pacific, we often joke about how secluded our “Pepperdine bubble” is from the rest of the real world. But in the year of Pepperdine’s 80th anniversary, we are confronted with growing pains. We are confronted with acknowledging those same systems and ideologies that don’t seemingly align with our Christian foundation, but still are at work within our institution’s walls.

My goal for this magazine is to serve as a deep dive into some of those issues that remain highly unexplored, and serve as a mouthpiece for the often “voiceless” individuals who endure this impact on their daily lives.

These “voiceless” people are not an inconvenience — they are the People, too.

Although uncomfortable, these perspectives humanize these seemingly divisive issues, and further mobilize us to prioritize the change that must take place within Pepperdine and across the country.

I want to say thank you to all those who helped bring this project to life.

I’d like to thank the writers, photographers, designers, editors and illustrators who were a part of this process, as well as my advisers Elizabeth Smith and Courtenay Stallings. Thank you for encouraging me, inspiring me and keeping me accountable so that this nebulous dream could become a reality.

For the reader, I hope that the stories in these pages help you to remember the individuals on this campus and across the country who often feel voiceless in their struggle. Although these people have been overlooked and their voices neglected, we are reclaiming their right to be included as part of the voice of the people. I hope you are reminded of the progress Pepperdine as a whole has made, and of how much further we have to go. Vox populi.

Bria Dunlap Editor-in-Chief www.pepperdine-graphic.com

@Peppgraphic

@peppgraphic

PEPPGRAPHIC

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CONTRIBUTORS

KAYLA leE photo editor

K A R M A C H R I S T I N E S A LVA T O A s s i s ta n t

contributors j e nna ag u i l e r a N A T E B AR T O N M at t B e n t o n r ac h e l e t t l i n g e r J E N N E V I E V E FO N G c had j i m e n e z C A R O L I N E L AGA NAs

CHAD JIMENEZ A s s i s ta n t E d i t o r & copy editor N at e b a r t o n lead designer

A DVIS E R S elizab et h sm i th co u rt enay sta l l i n gs

Const ri b u t ors ( cont. ) ALLIS O N LEE M ICHAELA M EY ER O M AR M U RPHY CARO LINA PINTO K ELLY RO DRIG U EZ K ARM A CHRIS TINE S ALVATO cas s andra s t ep hens o n

FRONT COVER DETAILS:

BACK COVER DETAILS:

DESIGNER: NATE BARTON PHOTOGRAPHER: KAYLA LEE MODEL: PEACE IKEDIUBA

13 STRIPES, 50 STARS pg 37-42

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DESIGNER: NATE BARTON PHOTOGRAPHER: JENNA AGUILERA

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VOX POPULI W ri t e r: N at e Ba rt o n

I once dreamt of progress. I thought that America, like a turbine or a generator, underwent a series of design changes, alterations of the blueprint, toward an increasingly perfect mold.

History, I thought, molded through the fires of human failure, moved forward, like time. But history is nothing like time. It does not move forward or backward. Two, even three, dimensions cannot contain the story of America, any more than a piece of paper can contain a cube. History is the movement of time through space, the chaotic wanderings of space bits: aflame, unknown.

History is like gravity. There is no up or down. Just mass and velocity.

Look to the stars tonight. Look to the satellites and planets that crease the quilted atmosphere, changing its shape, redefining beginnings and endings with the hour. See overhead the space-rocks and satellites that move without meaning or purpose. They move this way and that, held together by something we don’t understand.

You can look all your life for the center of it all — the thing toward which everything moves. You won’t find it. All this energy, all this data. The voices of the People. They circle around something, which is circling around something else, which is circling around something else, and when you step back and look at all the tiny moving parts, what you have is a magnetic field of tiny universes, but no fate. Perhaps there is no long arc of history. Just a thousand lonely circles, concentric and mercurial, like the stars.

Welcome to the age of populism, the age of anger, the epoch of democracy, of alienation, of inclusion and angst. Never has the voice of the people been so loud, so shrill, so contradictory, and so crucial.

Vox Populi. The Voice of the People — a people confused, intelligent, full of sorrow, hope and beauty.

In these pages we find their stories.

C

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TO MALIBU (The effects still ripple)

W Ri t e r: Rac h e l e t t l i n ge r Photo s c o u rt e sy o f p e p p e rd i n e Gra p h i c me d i a

Larry Kimmons

Charlie Lane

A portrait of Larry Donnell Kimmons hangs in the newly renovated Payson Library for students, faculty and staff to walk by throughout their days at Pepperdine. But for some, that portrait memorializes a painful part of Pepperdine’s history.

At a rededication ceremony for Kimmons’ portrait in September, letters written

by George Pepperdine College Alumni Cookye William Rutledge (‘68) and Catherine Meeks (‘70) were read to all those in attendance, including the wife of former Dean of Students Jennings Davis, Vera Davis.

Although Rutledge and Meeks weren’t at the rededication ceremony, their words have reopened a conversation for the University community about Kimmons’ murder and the im-

pact it had on Pepperdine’s development as an institution.

Kimmons, a 15-year-old Black high school honors student who lived near the George Pepperdine College campus in South LA, was shot and killed by Pepperdine DPS Officer Charlie Lane on March 12, 1969.

Kimmons’ death was a turning point for Pepperdine students and the South LA campus.

Nearly 48 years after Kimmons’s murder, Rutledge, Meeks and their longtime friend and George Pepperdine College alumna Linda Crosslin McDill (‘72) have decided to speak out about their past experiences with Pepperdine, and how they challenged a University administration they said didn’t hear their concerns about racial tensions on the school’s South Los Angeles campus.

“It’s always been a very sensitive and painful event to talk about, but in recent years I’ve elected to talk about it because I just feel that Larry’s legacy needs to live on and that I do believe that racial healing and reconciliation is possible — and I believe if it can happen anywhere; it can happen on a Christian campus,” Rutledge said in a phone interview with Currents.

Racial Tensions Long before the deadly shooting, Rutledge described her “first racial incident” as a Pepperdine student.

“After meeting my roommate, her parents excused themselves and took her for a short walk,” Rutledge wrote in an email. “They asked her, ‘How do you feel about having a

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Negro girl for a roommate?’

She told them that she was fine with it. They told her, ‘If you have any problems or change your mind, let us know. We will handle it.’ My parents, on the other hand, said nothing except, ‘You two have fun.’”

That was not the only racial incident Rutledge wrote about, but she also described her experience as a typical Pepperdine student.

She recalled sitting next to Matt Young — the son of Norvel Young, former president of Pepperdine College from 1957 to 1971 — on required chapel days, and discussing with him campus gossip and poking fun at some speakers.

“It was great fun,” she wrote.

She was also invited to the wedding of Young’s daughter, Emily, whom Rutledge described as “such a beautiful bride.”

In former President William S. Banowsky’s book, “The Malibu Miracle,” he described Meeks and Rutledge as contrasting forces on the South LA campus who sought justice following Kimmons’ death.

“Meeks epitomized the majority of positive Pepperdine Black students who remained calm under fire,” Banowksy wrote. “But her friend, Cookye William [Rutledge], epitomized the negative Pepperdine Black students who reacted in the opposite direction.”

In a phone interview, Banowsky said he stood by the words in his book.

“I don’t know whatever happened to Cookye, but she was a leader of the radical left,” Banowsky said. “I don’t know where all those people went, but I would say the

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same thing — there’s not one word in my book that I would change.”

Rutledge said she had “organized marches and things like that,” but she is willing to apologize for any wrongdoings.

“I would be willing to come to campus and say, ‘These are the mistakes that I made,’ because I did some good things, and I did some bad things, and I’m ready to apologize to those people who are still living,” Rutledge said. “I’m ready to apologize for those things that I did that annoyed them.”

Banowksy also said Pepperdine’s move was necessary for the institution to keep going as a whole. Otherwise, “Pepperdine was dead.”

“The Larry Kimmons incident was not the cause of the problem or the center of the problem, it was simply an illustration of how tense the problem was,” Banowsky said. “... But if that had never happened, Pepperdine would still have had to move. The Larry Kimmons incident was not because of our move, it was simply an illustration of why we had to move. You can focus on it; it was pretty traumatic. But it wouldn’t have changed a thing. Pepperdine was either going to move or be dead. Period.”

Meeks said she and her peers resisted Pepperdine’s move to Malibu as much as she could at the time, and she reflected on that proudly, but now she looks back and sees her efforts as naive.

“I think we felt like we really believed we could change things, and we were naive enough to believe that we could keep Pepperdine from leaving the 79th and Vermont

community,” Meeks said.

“I laugh about that now as a 71-year-old woman, thinking how naive could you be to think you could compete with land in Malibu and win.”

McDill’s reaction to Banowsky’s account of Kimmons’ death in his book was that Banowsky’s words echoed the times the campus endured.

“He may have the facts right, but the interpretations are so wrong,” McDill said.

“It was the same kind of putting everything under the rug — we did everything we could, we tried so hard, but we didn’t do anything. We suffered, oh, and now let’s talk about building Malibu. It was an echo of those times.”

Two Campuses Collide McDill’s upbringing was familiar to many with a tightknit Pepperdine lineage.

Growing up with a father who was a pastor at the Inglewood Church of Christ, she was closely connected with George Pepperdine College from her earliest memories.

“All of this was deeply personal for a lot of us because we loved Pepperdine,” McDill said in a phone interview. “I was 3 years old, and my father and mother would say, ‘When you go to Pepperdine,’ not, ‘When you go to college.’ I used to play at George Pepperdine’s feet as a little girl because dad and George were friends.”

McDill went on to describe her early memories with Young and his family.

“The Youngs would have us over for dessert after [Bible lectures],” McDill said.

Her intimate relationships with administrators mim-

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icked family, making her anger all the more distressing following Kimmons’ death.

“I can’t describe for you how painful this time was.”

Young watched the campus move from the bustle of the city to the seclusion of Malibu, retiring from his presidency in 1971 just before the big move in fall 1972.

Frustrations resulting from the move to Malibu stemmed from not only the move in general, Rutledge said, but how Pepperdine got there.

“It’s almost like the trauma of it, the fallout of finding out that people I had respected did not act honorably, told lies to defend that campus and their move to Malibu, and that even worse, they used Larry’s murder as a rally cry to get to Malibu I think even faster than they would have because I know that they used it with donors,” Rutledge said. “That they had to get their students to a safe place.”

Banowsky recalled in his book receiving the phone call from Young about Kimmons’ death.

“Charlie Lane just shot a teenage Black boy to death!,” Banowsky wrote. “...Bill, this could be the holocaust we’ve dreaded!”

Banowsky described in his book the Malibu campus, which at the time was a planin-action while administrators tried to keep the campus they already had in South LA under control.

The difference between Malibu and the South LA campus was the difference between “night and day,” “light and darkness,” and “heaven and hell,” Banowsky said.

“Through the Providence

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of God, we were able to receive those acres in Malibu, and we had some conservative donors who were always supporting the school. They lined up behind us, and we moved. That’s why they call it the Malibu Miracle,” Banowsky said. “But it was not without bloodshed.”

Dean Emeritus of Seaver College David Baird wrote in his book, “Quest for Distinction: Pepperdine University in the 20th Century,” that Pepperdine couldn’t afford to ignore racial concerns on campus following the Watts Riots (or, as others have referred to it, the Watts Rebellion) that ignited in 1965.

Prior to Kimmons’ death, Pepperdine’s South LA campus tried its best to integrate the university peacefully among the students.

“Even in the face of the campus incidents and greater student unrest nationally, the Young administration clearly believed the Pepperdine campus would remain calm and unified,” Baird wrote. “Faculty and students observed Negro History Week in February 1969 without incident, and prospects for on-campus harmony seemed good.”

Professor of Communication Fred Casmir taught at Pepperdine for 42 years on both South LA and Malibu campuses before his retirement in 1999.

Casmir worked closely with the University’s administration while Black students integrated onto campus in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

He and his graduate student attempted to mediate racial unrest on campus long before the shooting took place.

“There was an inevitable final clash, and the Churches of

Christ and several of the leaders of Pepperdine College were very much Southerners,” Casmir said in a phone interview. “I am not accusing any of them of being racially insensitive or even against Blacks or anything like that, but they were part of a culture that had not prepared them to deal with what was coming.”

McDill acknowledged Young’s shortcomings when ministering to students who endured the effects following the shooting. But she also said Young told her he had come to God and acknowledged his wrongdoings before his passing in 1998.

“God’s the God of redemption, and I think in the end, the love continued, and I have great love for [Helen and Norvel Young],” McDill said. “... But these are hard things, when people make mistakes that wound a lot of others, then it’s hard to discuss. It’s hard to talk about.”

“Let’s Move On” Pepperdine accommodated some of the requests students made to take care of Kimmons’ family following his death, including paying for the funeral and burial, as well as setting aside scholarship funds for Kimmons’ siblings. Rutledge, Meeks and McDill said they thought this was the least Pepperdine could do to help out the grieving family.

All three women stayed in close contact with Kimmons’ mother following the shooting, and they said she was a woman of faith who held no hate in her heart for the institution where her son’s blood was shed.

“I went for a long time afterward to visit with Mrs.

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LA TO MALIBU

Cookye William & Ron Parry President M. Norvel Young

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LA TO MALIBU Kimmons just to be a supportive face,” Meeks said in a phone interview. “She and her other children became like family to me and to Cookye and to a lot of us that were at Pepperdine.”

McDill and Rutledge both said Pepperdine made efforts to comfort Kimmons’ family, his mother and siblings, but that communication from Young and other administrators lacked when it came to the well-being of students on campus following Kimmons’ death.

“They just never stopped and cared for and tended to the broken hearts and the betrayed hearts of the students,” McDill said. “There was just this insensitivity and this, ‘Let’s move on,’ and, ‘Aren’t you over this yet?’ But the problem is that what they experienced — what the African-American students experienced at Pepperdine — was echoes of the discrimination they experienced in their lives growing up because this was during the Civil Rights Movement.”

Casmir said Pepperdine could have done more to handle the racial tension on campus, but he said the university didn’t have the acquired knowledge and methods to go about it at the time.

“You do not change decades — more than decades of history, personal experience, personal habits, word usage — you don’t change that in a short time,” Casmir said. “When people say that Pepperdine could have done more, yes; but it didn’t have a basis on which to do more yet. That took time.”

What Rutledge had hoped as a student and still hopes for as a long-graduated alumna is that the Pepperdine community, and especially the current administration, recognize what she said lacked in handling Kimmons’ death.

“All I really wanted administrators to say — and not just me but members of the Black Student Union — we just wanted them to say, ‘It was wrong. Larry hadn’t done anything,’ as we know,” Rutledge said. “I wanted them to say, ‘Let’s get together. Let’s talk. Where can we go from here? What can we do to help this racial divide?’”

Rutledge said despite Kimmons’ por-

trait rededication, she still feels there is more to be reconciled.

Buried History Professor of Religion Richard Hughes worked at the Malibu campus twice: once from 1971 to 1976, and then again from 1988 to 2006. Throughout both periods that Hughes taught at Pepperdine in Malibu, he said he had never heard the story of Kimmons’ death until a meeting with Meeks in 2003 at Mercer College in Macon, Georgia — where Meeks had worked as a professor for numerous years.

“I don’t know if people tried to suppress it, but it was never mentioned, and you could argue that in the Malibu context that maybe the administration viewed it as irrelevant. I don’t know,” Hughes said in a phone interview. “I don’t know why it was never mentioned. But it was a really crucial story, so much a part of Pepperdine’s history, it was just buried.”

Hughes invited Meeks to tell the story to the club, Progressive Pepperdine, a group he said was filled with the more social justice-minded students on campus. Later, he invited her to speak at convocation.

“Here’s a story that is so much a part of Pepperdine’s history, just never mentioned,” Hughes said. “It was buried until Cathy came and told the story.”

During her short tenure on the Malibu campus, Meeks said it was a positive experience, but not one she would want longterm.

“I was happy to be there for that short period of time. I was clear then, and I am now that it is not an environment I would have liked to have had a long-term appointment to because it was too White and too far away from the marginalized communities that I am deeply committed to, and I want to be near and able to feel like what I’m doing has some impact on them in some kind of way,” Meeks said. “I didn’t feel that at all in Malibu.”

One Malibu Hughes was part of the first wave of professors on the Malibu campus in 1971, welcoming and transitioning new students to Malibu.

“The original vision for Malibu, for the Malibu campus and the Malibu program, was going to be a highly experimental, tremendously upgraded, academically, college,” Hughes said. “Pepperdine on the LA campus, if you want me to be quite honest with you, was not really that good a school. A lot of it had to do with economics. The school didn’t have a lot of money.”

Pepperdine was unable to financially maintain both campuses, forcing the institution to combine and move entirely to Malibu. Hughes said he left in 1976 because once the LA campus was closed, the Malibu campus became too uncomfortable an environment for him as the newer faculty and the older faculty combined, creating conflict.

“The six years that I was there (at Pepperdine), those were really tough years,” Hughes said. “The tension, you could cut it with a knife. The tension was so thick.”

Cynthia Horner was a young student at the age of 16 who enrolled in Pepperdine’s first-ever Malibu class and graduated in winter 1975. She worked on the Pepperdine’s school newspaper, the Graphic, and attended the school for its promising journalism program.

“Seaver College was the jewel of the Pepperdine University system, and we had a lot of donors coming through all the time to take a look around, taking tours, people there for meetings, attending lunches and dinners, etc.,” Horner said in a phone interview. “All of us were ambassadors for the school. We had to conduct ourselves a certain way.”

Hughes described Pepperdine as becoming more tuition-driven, and Horner acknowledged Pepperdine Malibu as being one of the most expensive institutions in the nation, which attracted a different, more wealthy student body. Horner said there was some diversity, but it was mostly because of international students.

“There were no African-American students at Pepperdine anyway except me and a handful of other people at that time,” Horner said. “We had a lot of people from foreign countries, especially the Middle East because their families could afford to send them.”

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LA TO MALIBU When the two campuses combined, Horner said there was some tension among the students, too.

“I think it was very uncomfortable for some of the students who had felt proud that they had attended the Los Angeles campus because it was almost like it didn’t matter anymore,” Horner said. “The focus was on Malibu. Malibu was the homecoming queen, so to speak. Everybody made a fuss over it.”

Horner recalled hearing some talk about the old South LA campus and racial tensions, but she attributed it to ongoing civil unrest within the Black community.

“I heard a little bit about it, but not much,” Horner said. “But there was some for sure because, if you think about it, that other campus had been around for quite a number of years, and it was located in an area of LA where it was a predominantly African American population and back then, there was a lot of civil unrest, kind of like what you’re seeing now, protests, all kinds of racial strife, and it may have spilled over a little bit into the campus.”

As for her decision to attend Malibu, Horner said she has no regrets. In fact, she attributes it to her ongoing success in the communication field.

“I just feel that it was such an enriching, rewarding experience,” Horner said.

“I’m not saying everything was perfect.

But no, I never regretted it. Ever. I am absolutely thrilled with the choice that I made. I think it was definitely the best decision that I ever made.”

Jennings and Vera Davis, Anne King and Lucille Todd Meeks spotlighted four specific members of the administration who she said helped students in their grief at the time of Kimmons’ death: Jennings Davis, dean of students; Davis’ wife Vera; Anne King, head resident in the women’s dorm; and Lucille Todd, dean of women.

“Those four people were such a mainstay for me and many other students in general, but Black students in particular because they were four White people who were the most loving and accepting and courageous people that I had ever met in my life,” Meeks said. “They are the reason I am able to be as loving and generous toward White people as I am today.”

Though then-Vice President Banowsky was not one of the four individuals Meeks chose to highlight, he and Jennings Davis met with the board of trustees to update the board on the latest student demands following the on-campus death. At this meeting, Davis voiced that “much of the unrest on campus was due to irritants which should have been corrected long before,” Baird wrote.

“Jennings Davis was the dean of students. I had served before that as the dean of students, so we were constantly in contact with people like Cookye Williams and others, the Black students. It was a constant night and day, seven day a week, ongoing conversation,” Banowsky said.

The trustees listened to Banowsky and Davis’ complaints but preferred to focus their efforts on handling the crisis of un-

rest on campus rather than resolving any underlying issues.

“They were largely dismissive of the ABS (Association of Black Students) demands and Davis’ concerns — stating implicitly and explicitly that solving racial problems should be reserved for the church, not the college,” Baird wrote.

Meeks said she stayed in contact with all four since her graduation, and they had a significant impact on her life and career to this day. Vera Davis is the last of the four still living.

“They created a consciousness for me that was just so wonderful in the midst of what could have been a complete desert,” Meeks said. “It’s such a great gift, and I’m so thankful for it.”

Meeks does criticize the Pepperdine administration for not only avoiding the shooting as a topic and pressure point among students but also for losing Kimmons’ portrait for all those years. But she credits her healing and her promotion of dismantling racism to those four key administrators who she, Rutledge and McDill all reference as having shoulders to cry on, ears ready to listen, and voices for those who felt voiceless.

“It has shifted the way I come to live and be in the world, and I do a lot of professional work around dismantling racism, and they are so much a part of that, of helping me become clear about that and to be able to do it with love and a spirit of generosity, because that’s what they taught me,” Meeks said. C

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WANT TO GET TO WORK? JOIN PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC MEDIA TODAY.

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Jasmine Guardado, Senior

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1ST GEN

Joys and pains of first-generation college students Writer: Carolina P i n t o Photographer: Kay l a L e e Models: Christin e D e n g, Jasmine Gu arda d o

“College had always been a thing that I was working toward, and college had always been my ultimate goal. It was my resource toward economic mobility and to be someone my parents were not able to be,” said senior Jazmin Guardado, an International Studies major at Pepperdine. She is a first-generation college student.

Guardado is from Los Angeles, but her mother is originally from Mexico and graduated from high school. Her father, from El Salvador, dropped out of school in sixth grade.

Pepperdine’s website defines a first-generation college student as “a student whose parent(s)/ legal guardian(s) have not completed a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university.”

First-generation college students represent 19 percent of Seaver College’s undergraduate student body, according to Pepperdine’s website. In the Fall of 2016, Pepperdine welcomed 139 first-generation college students, of which almost 60 percent were female

and 40 were males.

When Guardado first came to college, she said she felt the pressure to do well and succeed. The pressure also came from the fact that she had to do everything by herself, from looking at which colleges to attend to the application process. This was due to her parent’s restricted knowledge concerning American universities.

“Their education is limited, and on top of that, they don’t really know the American college system, so I had to apply for financial aid on my own, FAFSA on my own, college applications, where, generally, you would have parental guidance,” Guardado said.

She said her experience was a little difficult at first, even though Pepperdine did a good job at making first-generation college students feel welcome.

“Once school started, it got a little bit more rough, because you see how different you are from everybody else, and especially me, being a minority. Pepperdine was kind of a cultural shock, even though I lived in L.A. my whole life,” Guardado said. “But I think I was able to assimilate well and adapt well. Pepperdine is very

welcoming and provides a lot of resources.”

Junior Christine Deng, an Integrated Marketing Communication major, said she developed self-taught strategies due to her parents’ lack of college experience and education. Deng is from the Bay Area in Northern California, but both her parents are from Guangzhou, China.

Deng’s dad finished middle school and her mom graduated from high school. Eleanor Ng, Deng’s mother, said she did not pursue college because of China’s Cultural Revolution, which restricted access to education in the early 1960s. Deng’s father, who came from the countryside, lacked financial stability and was unable to continue his education.

She said her parents came to the United States for Christine to have a bright future.

“My parents came to America with the idea that they wanted a very different life and opportunity for me, so since I was born it was destined that college was my way to [that] life,” Deng said.

Deng said she learned how to read and write through selftaught mechanisms.

“Since my parents did not really emphasize academics in

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1ST GEN their own lives, they were not able to help me study, or read, or learn basic math from a very young age,” Deng said.

Instead of having her parents read her bedtime stories, she said she played tapes and read along with it.

“I am a very self-study person, still.

Everything I know is dependent on how I study, and maybe not what I learn in class,” she said.

Miyelle Aiken, a Pepperdine alumna (’15), is a first-generation college student from Maryland and said she found Pepperdine’s resources helpful.

She is now an Admissions counselor at Pepperdine and works directly with the Pepperdine Summer Preview, which is “a three-day pre-orientation experience organized by the Office of Admission for a select group of admitted first-generation students,” according to Pepperdine’s website. It allows first-generation students to adapt to their new environment and become familiar with all of the resources Pepperdine has to offer.

Aiken said her college experience was a very positive one, because of the support she had from Pepperdine and Posse, a foundation that partners with colleges and universities around the country to award students leadership scholarships.

Posse brings prospective students of the same university together, as a means of supporting one another in a new stage of life.

Aiken said she didn’t know what to expect once she got to college because her parents did not graduate and were not able to advise her on the matter.

“Coming in, I did not know about FAFSA, or what that meant,” she said. “It was nice to come in with 10 other people, with my Posse, because we [were] experiencing some of these things together.”

Being the first in her family to go to college created a sense of pressure on her, she said.

“I felt pressure on myself because I wanted to make my parents proud,” Aiken said. “I was not just getting a degree for me. I was getting a degree for them, too. So I put pressure on myself to make sure I really succeeded and took advan-

Christine Deng, Junior

tage of everything that Pepperdine has to offer.”

Associate Chaplain Eric Wilson said he has had multiple experiences with first-generation college students. Before becoming Pepperdine’s Associate Chaplain, he was a Program Director for the Student Success Center at the University of Missouri Columbia, which allowed him to work with minorities, many of whom were first-generation college students.

Wilson said that when first-generation college students encounter problems in college, they associate it with a spiritual crisis. He also explained that crisis is actually beneficial, rather than detrimental.

“The first thing that I do is try to assure them that instead of crisis being this horrible thing, it is a wonderful thing,” Wilson said. “When we deal with crisis and you have somebody to walk alongside of you, while you are in the middle of crisis, you learn so much about yourself, and the world and God.” Wilson also said that some students,

mainly first-generation, go through an initial struggle in college.

“When everything is new, there is a level of anxiety and stress that some carry and some things that seem very small to other people, might actually be really huge for them,” he said.

Wilson also stressed the importance of having a role model, which first-generation college students may find difficult to have.

“A lot of first-generation college students, first, do not have a model to draw from,” Wilson said. “Some of us have been blessed to have parents, grandparents and generations of people that have modeled for us how to make it through college, but a lot of students never had that.” “[College was] the best experience ever,” Guardado said. “I am kind of freaking out that it is coming to an end. I am a senior, and honestly, I never thought this day would come ... it is very exciting to be the first one in my family to [go to college], and hopefully I set a precedent for my future family members.” C

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1ST GEN

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H ID D EN G E M S I Sometimes life can get pretty hectic, and it’s necessary to infuse your schedule with a bit of fun or an activity that will recharge your emotional state of mind. If you crave a day away — or just a few hours to yourself — but don’t feel like driving far, it’s no longer necessary to trek all the way into LA for something entertaining to do. There are a wide array of relaxing, adventure-filled and educational things that are only a short driving distance from the Malibu campus. Grab your friends, or set out on your own adventure, and explore some hidden gems north of campus that shouldn’t be overlooked.

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WHERE: THOUSAND OAKS If you happen to be searching for respite from life’s daily struggles, Gardens of the World is the ideal place to disappear for a few hours and refocus your thoughts.

Commemorating the various cultures of the world, the Gardens contain vibrantly colored floral creations and authentic tranquil settings. They are located at Thousand Oaks Boulevard directly across the street from Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, and both self- and docent guided tours are available. Guided tours run approximately 45 minutes.

Meander through the menagerie of flora — and let your stress melt away.

THOUSAND OAKS CIVIC ARTS PLAZA WHERE: THOUSAND OAKS If you’re aching for a live theatre experience but don’t feel like driving all the way to Hollywood — the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza is the perfect solution! Noteworthy arts and entertainment are combined together with top-of-the-line technology and acoustics. Headlining shows run the gamut from touring Broadway musicals, films, myriad musical and comedy acts, various forms of dance, distinguished speakers, and much, much more. Past shows include: “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Legally Blonde,” “Dirty Dancing,” “Fame,” “STOMP,” and “Big Bad Voodoo Daddy,” among others. Go ahead, don your most fashionable ensemble and enjoy an evening at the theatre!

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CINÉPOLIS LUXURY CINEMAS WHERE: WESTLAKE VILLAGE Malibu may be known for its movie star residents, however, for a city that contains so many film industry professionals and film lovers, its recently closed movie theater leaves moviegoers out in the cold. If you are a cinema connoisseur looking for a luxe film-watching experience, Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas is the place to go. Containing a state-of-the-art audio system, an outdoor salon area with heat lamps, ‘at-your-seat’ waiter service, and plush theater seats that recline, an excursion to Cinépolis will surely be a memorable movie-going experience. The theater provides a range of food selections from gourmet appetizers to restaurant quality entrées, including, of course, standard movie theater fare like popcorn and candy. Sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

MALIBU RIDERS WHERE: MALIBU/AGOURA HILLS Are you in the mood for a trail ride through the park? Perhaps you’d like to step back through time into an old western town where hundreds of movies have been filmed? Or, maybe you would like to take a relaxing ride with mountain and ocean views to help calm your mind? No matter how you’re feeling, Malibu Riders has three locations to choose from. Each offers a unique and unforgettable experience with amazing scenery that will stay with you long after the ride is over. One and twohour horseback rides are available.

Surrounded by nature and wildlife in many forms, each ride offered is a welcome escape from the busyness of daily life.

Co urt esy Malibu Riders

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GARDENS OF THE WORLD

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THINGS TO DO

I N THE V A LL E Y: W ri ter & PHOTOGRAPHER: K AR M A C HR I STI NE SALVATO

THE REAGAN LIBRARY

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WHERE: SIMI VALLEY No matter what side of the political party line you stand on, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is a fascinating place to visit and explore.

The 100-acre campus offers the opportunity to see Air Force One up close and personal; stroll through the Library’s replicas of the White House’s Rose Garden and White House South Lawn; enjoy a picnic lunch at “Future President’s Park”; or visit a full-scale replica of the Oval Office. Once-in-a-lifetime exhibitions, like “Titanic,” which runs through Jan. 7 are also offered. After a day at the museum, sit for a moment and soak in an early evening stunning sunset from the Library’s hilltop before returning to your daily routine.

MB2 RACEWAY

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WHERE: NEWBURY PARK Are you feeling the need for speed and in the mood for a little competition? MB2 Raceway is the place for you. According to their website, the Raceway offers “a high-speed race simulation with a challenging and unique indoor road course that is fun for all skill levels and ages.” They welcome walkin racers; small and large private groups; team building programs; sports teams; and many other special occasions and celebrations. MB2 Raceway also provides bond-building racing challenges to enhance any event. Capable of speeds up to 45 mph, MB2 Raceway’s high-performance electric European karts will jumpstart your heart as you race around the climate-controlled course in the advanced facility.

Ready. Set. Race!

THE CANYON CLUB Feeling an overwhelming desire to lose yourself in some tunes, but aren’t keen on driving to the heart of Hollywood to see a show? The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills is an intimate music venue with cutting-edge sound “where music meets the soul.” Nationally acclaimed acts take the stage in a multitude of musical genres offering live performances for patrons with a mix of musical tastes including: “Big Bad Voodoo Daddy,” “Hoobastank,” “The Spazmatics” (‘80s New Wave Nerds), “Styx,” “Foreigner,” “Kenny Loggins,” and many more. Well-known comedians have also graced the stage at this local venue.

Featuring two full bars, a hardwood dance floor, a raised VIP area, and several video screens — a high-energy, memorable and exciting experience is created for the club’s guests. Rock on!

If none of the above listed locations pique your interest and you’re still on the hunt for a fun activity to participate in, there are a plethora of other places throughout the area to check out that you may find fascinating. Peruse the additional list of things to do— and then go take some time to play. C

ADDITIONAL THINGS

WHERE: THOUSAND OAKS

• • • • • • •

Iceoplex (Ice Skating Rink) Harley’s Simi Bowl Lazertag Extreme Nodus 805 (Escape Room) Boulderdash Indoor Rock Climbing Skating Plus (Roller Skating Rink) CReATE Studio (D.I.Y. Art Studio) CURRENTS ‌• 18

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REPRESENTATION

IN MEDIA

W Ri t e r: C H A D J I ME N E Z P h o t o gra p h e r: K A Y L A L E E ModelS: jazmine Bu rk e t t e , Ma s o n F o l s e , D i a n e L i n d s ay, A n d re w L u c e ro, A my Zh u

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REPRESENTATION Brittany O’Grady, a half-Black, halfWhite actress said that because of the way she looks, she often gets casted as a Latina. She also said she gets type-cast to play roles about troubled women and thinks those roles are often given to women of color.

On Fox’s TV show “Star,” O’Grady, a former Pepperdine student, plays Simone, who is of the same ethnic background as O’Grady, but is a character that is “way different” than who she is.

“The character I play has a drug problem, and is troubled,” she said. “I was very lucky to grow up and know what race I was and know that that wasn’t the main thing that defines me. It was my personality and my talent.”

According to a study by University of Southern California, 17 films in 2014 did not feature one Black or African American speaking character, which is the same number for the 100 top films in 2013 that did not include Black characters. Even on the production side, the same study reports that only 19 Asian directors and 45 Black directors have worked on the 700 top-grossing films.

Yet, there has recently been an increase of successful movies and TV shows that have emerged in the mainstream media that are created around positive representations of people of color. After awards season, many of these shows such as, “This is Us,” “Hidden Figures,” “Empire,” “Black-Ish,” and “Fresh Off the Boat,” have been recognized with many nominations and awards.

Although there are many examples of positive representation of people of color in the media, #OscarsSoWhite emerged last year after the 2016 Oscar nominees were only White actors and actresses.

Representation, even positive representation, is still an issue in mainstream media despite its increase in the past year.

O’Grady said this is the first role she has played where she plays her own race, half-White and half-Black.

“Star” was created by Lee Daniels, an American producer and director most known for his TV series “Empire.”

O’Grady said the show revolves around

three African-American young women and their journey to become a successful female singing group.

O’Grady said she thinks people put minorities in a box and fit them into stereotypes.

“I feel like a lot of people look at people of color or minorities in a certain way and through stereotypes,” O’Grady said.

“Cinema is a great way to touch people’s hearts and to get information through them. Through positive representation of people of color, we can change perceptions of minorities in America.”

This list included some of her favorites, she said, including four “Star Wars” movies, “Titanic,” “Jurassic Park,” “Avatar,” “Raiders of the Last Ark” and “Jaws.”

Satchel said she looked at each of the movies with coders from different ethnic backgrounds and looked at each film for themes, images, words and actions.

“There was a consistency,” Satchel said. “Consistency was that race was a dominant theme as well as imperialism, colonialism and White-male heroism.”

She said people of color were often featured as a threat that needed to be eliminated or as a sidekick or accomplice to the White hero. In that relationship, they were complicit in whatever object the White hero figure was set out to achieve.

“A troubling issue that came to be was that we saw White men basically engaged in horrible violent acts of murder, assault and also theft of property of other people of color of the world,” Satchel said.

“Whenever the people of color engaged in similar behaviors, they had to be annihilated; they had to be killed.”

In addition to race, Satchel said her and her team noticed representation issues concerning gender, sexual orientation and ability identities. These themes include male versus female, disabled and able-bodied, and stereotypes of differing sexual orientation.

How Our Views Are Influenced Still, Satchel said race was a dominant by the Media theme.

Stereotypes that were used in the movIn a study that observed how the effects ies had rich histories into the colonization of media can influence others, a majorin the new world, Satchel said. There ity of respondents said their morals and were very few images of African, Latina values were not influenced by the media, and Asian women. But when they were but that the same majority believe they, themselves, can change others’ values and present, she said the same stereotypes of imperialism, colonialism and White-male morals.

Pepperdine Associate Communication heroism would play out.

“Studios are less willing to take the Professor Roslyn Satchel looked into what risk financially to see if audiences will messages were being sent through some of the most popular films of all time. In her embrace change,” Satchel said. “Instead, they would rather recycle the formula that book “What Movies Teach About Race,” worked in the past.”

Satchel looks into popular movies and Just as some are concerned with viotheir consistencies.

Satchel said that while she was looking lence and sex in media content, Satchel said we need to be concerned with race, through the listings, she noticed there class and gender representation in the were only three filmmakers and three studios responsible for the top-10 movies. media as well.

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REPRESENTATION Representation of people of color change the way we see each other as individuals, Satchel said, and this changes the way we see groups: gendered, racial, ethnicity, ability or any other classifications. She said it impacts every level of society.

A Call for Change Sarah Barney, senior acting and political science major, said that on the stage, there has been a shift toward color-blind casting. Barney mentioned the Broadway musical play “Hamilton” and how a Black man plays Thomas Jefferson. Other roles within the musical are also played by people of color. “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” received some backlash for casting Black actress Noma Dumezweni for the role of Hermione Granger.

“There is an acknowledgement of the art, the storytelling and of the artist rather than just being stuck up on an idea,” Barney said.

Barney said she thinks accurate representation of all cultures is important in the arts, especially if you view art as a reflection of society.

“I think society is shifting to be a little more aware of the fact that the America we knew before, and the idea of a very homogeneous culture, is no longer the America that we are living in,” Barney said. “We live in a far more diversified America now.”

Barney said that as a non-person of color, she thinks its integral to keeping art authentic and true. Everyone should be able to see themselves being represented in the media that makes them feel good, she said.

By having more minority groups front-and-center with relatable stories in television shows and films, O’Grady said whole

communities of people in America can be touched. She said there needs to be more lead actors who are non-White so there is not a hierarchical vision that only a White person can be front-andcenter.

“It shouldn’t matter what skin color or features you have,” O’Grady said. “It should be what is on the inside. We need to embrace each culture. America is a melting pot. There should be opportunities for all.”

Satchel said everyone can be a hero and everyone can be a victim and that it would be “wonderful” if people can recognize that people of color can be the hero.

“It would be nice to see us recognize those heroic traits as something to be valued and appreciated, and have that impact our perceptions of people in our everyday lives,” Satchel said.

Research shows that movies and media content impact our perceptions of those who we have the least contact with in our lives, she said.

When asked what direction she would like to see the industry move in, Satchel said that there is more than just stereotyping that she is concerned about. It’s not just associating White with good and Black with bad.

“I would like to very much see us break down that binary and make sure that the media representation aren’t coming from someone’s imagination but the representations are authentic.”

She said she would also like the media industry to take risks and to make a change. She said that Shonda Rhimes on ABC has changed the way we view primetime TV and that Rhimes portrays Latina, Black and Asian women as doctors, lawyers and desirable companions and not just sex objects and damsels in

distress.

“That has changed the formula of primetime TV, and we are starting to see more original content and more women of color to present different stories,” Satchel said.

Barney said she stands in solidarity with those voices seeking positive and accurate representation and loves that there are now voices speaking up to say that society won’t stand for that.

O’Grady also called for more people of color to be behind the scenes writing stories, directing, producing and interviewing. She said British television shows do a good job of positively representing people of color, especially with interracial couples.

“It’s just about breaking the barrier of those who are put back because of their race, sexuality or their religion,” O’Grady said. “I think that America is starting to become more lenient of that.”

Barney said she thinks that one of the goals of art, and one of the places where art is more qualified than anything else to change peoples minds, is in its representation.

“We bond over TV and over movies,” Barney said. “And if that TV show can be asking thought-provoking questions about the way we view other people in society, in our own daily interactions, I think that is one of the new functions of art in the 21st century.”

Satchel concluded by saying that there is a lot of conversation about what people can do and whether we can make a difference.

“As a professor that teaches media literacy, what is important to me is that we do have power and that we can make a difference,” Satchel said. C

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Three ways to get involved with Pepperdine Graphic Media: 1. Stop by the newsroom in CCB 143 2. Email us at peppgraphicmedia@gmail.com 3. Talk to one of our editors. We’ll plug you in!

@PEPPGRAPHIC WWW.PEPPERDINE-GRAPHIC.COM/CONTACT

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THE IDENTITY OF ‘AND’ Senior Jenna Aguilera shares her perspective on growing up multiracial, in both Spanish and English

HALF & HALF

W R i te r & P h o to g r a ph e r : J e n n a A g ui le r a Mode ls : M e li s s a Lo c k e , E v e Lovato

In English: I am White. My skin is pale most of the year, and I’ve had more than a few remarks on my “Valley Girl accent.” I’ve had friends count how many times I use the word, “like,” and I visit Starbucks on the regular. Half of my wardrobe could be considered “basic,” and I grew up in a predominantly White community. By society’s standards, I seem to be like any other “White girl.”

However, I am also Mexican. When I learned how to count to five, I also learned how to count to “cinco.” My favorite meal is my grandma’s huevos rancheros, with the green chile, and my dad has woken me up several times to his 7 a.m., mariachi music. I know how to make homemade tortillas, and “Viva Latino” is one of my most-played Spotify playlists.

An old Chinese proverb says, “One foot cannot stand in two boats.” Being multiracial exemplifies, yet challenges, this sentiment. Us “half-and-half’s,” or multiracials, are permanently stuck in limbo between multiple realities. We understand some parts of each world, but do not fully belong to any of them.

This makes the process of forming our identity a bit complex, and a bit confusing.

The number of multiracial children has multiplied tenfold in the past 50 years, according to Jeannie Phan of NPR. Pew Social Trends also reported that the number of black-and-white mixed Americans doubled between 2000 and 2010, and the number grew by 87 percent for White-and-Asian mixed Americans.

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HALF & HALF For Hispanics, that number is more difficult to measure. The Hispanic ethnicity is not considered a “race” by the general census bureau, even though two-thirds of of Latinos would consider their heritage to be a racial identifier.

Discussing multiracials, the percent of Hispanics that claim both the Hispanic ethnicity and another race was at 17 percent in Pew’s 2015 study. Out of the 55 million Hispanics in the US, that means more than nine million Hispanics are at least bi-racial.

Many of us multiracials struggle to answer the same question — “What are you?” We could list each race, and explain exact percentages, but that isn’t as easy as saying “I’m Arabian,” or

“I’m Guatemalan.”

We ask ourselves how we can claim a race that comprises less than half of us.

There’s a guilt component — “How can I call myself a Mexican, when there are people out there who are more Mexican than I am?”

However, society is evolving. We are becoming more similar in the fact that we are all different. My blood may not be 100 percent Mexican, but that doesn’t mean the culture hasn’t shaped my character. It doesn’t mean the Hispanic culture isn’t important to me.

As racial ambiguity grows among us, there is more opportunity to appreciate the beauty of a more interconnected world. The pressure to pick a side,

and conform to people’s expectations, doesn’t make sense when we are all headed toward an increasingly diverse future.

Truth is, when I wrote the first sentence of this article, I cringed. I cannot identify as “White,” without acknowledging the part of me that people would not expect. Both halves of my heritage have formed my identity, and both never cease to affect how I experience the world around me.

So, no, I am not a White woman. I am a half-White and half-Mexican woman. I am a biracial woman.

En Español: Soy Blanca. La mayoría del ano mi piel es pálida, y he tenido más que algunos comentarios sobre mi “acento de la valle.”

He tenido amigos que cuentan cuántas veces uso la palabra, “like,” y visito Starbucks regularmente. La mitad de mi ropa puede ser considerada “básica,” y crecí en una comunidad predominantemente blanca. Basado en los estándares/definiciones de la sociedad, parezco ser cualquiera otra chica blanca.

Por más que, sea Mexicana también.

Cuando aprendí a contar hasta “five,” también aprendí a contar hasta cinco. Mi comida favorita son los huevos rancheros de mi abuela, con el chile verde, y mi papá me ha despertado muchas veces con su música Mariachi a las siete de la mañana.

Sé como hacer tortillas hechas en casa, y “Viva Latino” es una de mis listas más tocadas en Spotify.

Un proverbio viejo de China dice, “Un pie no puede estar en dos barcos.” Ser multirracial ejemplifica, y también desafía, este sentimiento. Nosotros “mitad y mitades,” o multirraciales, estamos estancados permanentemente entre múltiples realidades. Entendemos algunas partes de cada mundo, pero no pertenecemos completamente a ninguno. Por eso, el proceso de formar nuestro identidades es un poquito complejo, y un poquito confuso.

El número de niños multirraciales se ha multiplicados décuplo en los últimos cincuenta años, según Jeannie Phan de NPR. Por ejemplo, Pew Social Trends reportó que el número de Americanos mezclados Negros-y-Blancos dobló entre 2000 y 2010, y el número de Americanos mezclados Asiáticos-y-Blancos creció 87 por ciento.

Para Hispanos, este número es más difícil de medir. La etnia hispana no está considerada una “raza” por la oficina general de censo, a pesar de que dos tercios de los Latinos consideran su herencia un identificador de raza, según Pew Research. Hablando de los multirraciales, el porcentaje de Hispanos quien reclama ambos la etnia Hispana y otra raza era 17 por ciento en el estudio de Pew Research en 2015. De los 55 millones de Hispanos en los Estados Unidos, al menos nueve millones de Hispanos son birraciales.

Muchos de nosotros multirraciales luchamos contestando la misma pregunta — “¿De donde eres?” Podemos enumerar cada parte de nuestra etnia, y explicar porcentajes específicos, pero no es tan fácil decir “Soy Árabe,” o “Soy Guatemalteco.”

Nos preguntamos cómo podemos reclamar una raza que compone menos de la mitad de nosotros. Aunque muchos

reclaman cada raza con orgullo, algunos tienen un sentimiento de culpa — “¿Cómo puedo decir que soy Mexicana, cuando hay personas más Mexicanos que yo?”

Sin embargo, la sociedad se está desarrollando. Nos volvimos más similares por el hecho que todos somos distintos. Puede ser que mi sangre no sea 100 por ciento Mexicana, pero eso no significa que la cultura no ha moldeado mi carácter. Eso no significa que la cultura Hispana no me importa.

Cómo crece la ambigüedad entre las razas, hay más oportunidades para agradecer la belleza de un mundo más interconectado. La presión para elegir un lado, y conformar a las expectativas de la gente, no tiene sentido cuando todos nos dirigimos hacia un futuro diverso.

En verdad, cuando inicialmente escribí la primera frase de este artículo, me encogí. No puedo identificarme como “Blanca,” sin reconocer la parte de mi que la gente no espera. Las dos mitades de mi herencia han formado mi identidad, y las dos nunca dejarán de afectar como experimento el mundo.

Por lo tanto, no soy una mujer Blanca.

Soy una mujer con una mitad Blanca, y una mitad Mexicana. Soy una mujer biracial. No soy miembro de una raza sola – soy miembro de las dos. C

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" m s b s s g d m s

M M N E A

"To some in the Latino community I'd be considered a 'gringa,' and yet at the same time, because I'm Latina, I probably won't be the first image that comes to mind when someone brings up the idea of an 'allAmerican girl.'"

Eve Lovato Mexican, Irish, English, Spanish

"People expect me to be on the side of the 'Blacks' because of my skin color and sometimes they get angry when I don't fit into the mold they think I should."

Melissa Locke Middle Eastern, Native American, European, West African FALL 2017 â€Œâ€˘ 26 25-26 (Half).indd 1

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LE AND HIS FAMILY VOLUNTEER WITH MADE IN THE STREETS (MITS). THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION “SERVES CHILDREN FROM THE STREETS OF NAIROBI AND KENYA TO MEET THEIR PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS.”

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HUNG LE

Hung Le: An Abundant Life W Ri t e r: c a ro l i n e l aga n a s P h o t o gra p h e r: mat t be n t o n

As a child, Hung Le’s favorite game to play was “Coming to America.”

“We used to take these suitcases, and we would pretend we were going to America,” Le said. “That was the Promised Land.”

Within the suitcases, which Le referred to as “war kits,” were family pictures, clothes, a little bit of money and an ID card.

“We knew if the war came to our neighborhood, we would grab our little suitcase, and we would run,” Le said.

In 1975, American forces pulled out of Vietnam.

“We knew it was imminent that the Communist forces were going to take over,” Le said. “In those last days, a lot of people were trying to get out.”

Among those fleeing from Vietnam was Le’s cousin, who worked for the American Embassy. His cousin had an extra ticket to the United States because he had a son who died at birth. He never declared the death.

“I remember my parents selling almost everything they had and gave that money to my cous-

in to buy the ticket,” Le said.

One afternoon, Le was trying to take a nap when his mother came in and laid down beside him.

“She whispered to me, ‘Hung, you’re going to America.’”

At 11-years-old, tears began to stream down Le’s face.

“I was thrust into being the first-born son,” he said. “I had to continue the family name.”

When the day came for Le to leave Vietnam, his parents gave him his war kit — the one he pretended to use when he played “Coming to America.”

“Think of the irony in that moment,” Le said. “My dream all my life was to go to America and now I could go.”

Besides the essential items in the suitcase, there was also a red felt cloth his family used for holidays, his father’s gold watch and a can of Charms candy.

“My family was sending all of their hopes and dreams with me by giving me the most precious things we owned,” Le said.

With his cousin, Le left Vietnam and his family behind.

HUNG LE “I knew I was no longer an “I knew in that moment she 11-year-old child,” he said. “I said, ‘You are going to America’ now had a mission, and my goal and not ‘We are going to Ameri- was to reunite with my family.” ca,’” Le said. “I knew I would be without my family.”

Coming to America Le had an older brother, Le spent his first night in two older sisters, two younger America with a family friend he brothers and one younger sister. called Mrs. Kee. She was a VietWhen his older brother died in namese woman who married an a drowning accident, Le became American GI. She lived in Seatthe oldest son. tle.

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That night, Le found out his father broke off his engagement with Mrs. Kee to be with Le’s mother. He also learned his cousin promised Mrs. Kee he would bring her daughter from Vietnam to America.

Instead, his cousin brought Le since his parents paid for the ticket.

“She had every right to reject me and ask me to leave,” Le said. “But she dispensed incredible grace and took me in.”

After dinner on the first night, Mrs. Kee told Le to go to his room. Growing up with six siblings, Le never had his own room.

“It was a small, carpeted room and had shelves and a place to hang clothes,” Le said. “It was this amazing room.”

Le curled up on the floor until Mrs. Kee came in and found him.

“What are you doing in here?” she asked. “This is the closet. This is where you put your clothes.”

Embarrassed, Le got up and Mrs. Kee showed him to his actual room. There was a bed, blanket and pillow. She also gave him a bowl of warm rice.

“That first night was a taste of heaven,” Le said. “It was raining outside, and I remember how cozy I felt. To this day, every time it rains I think back to that night.”

But Le did not stay with Mrs. Kee for long. He ended up going to live with his cousin.

“He was an angry man,” Le said. “He instilled a lot of fear in me.”

Le’s cousin was abusive and whipped Le with a belt on a weekly basis.

“I endured it and every time he would beat me I would close my eyes and just pray that somehow this would lead to my family coming over.”

When a family friend, Mrs. Beard, noticed the bruises on Le’s arms, he never returned to his cousin.

“She told my cousin, ‘Hung is not coming back,’ and I was rescued,” Le said.

The Beard family became Le’s caretakers, and they wanted to adopt him.

However, Le knew the adoption would

cause his last name to change.

“My main purpose for coming here was to continue my family name,” Le said. “I told them I had to keep my name.”

The Beards understood and remained Le’s caretakers.

Finding Holy Ground Around this time, Le got a letter from home. He found out his father was arrested and placed in a re-education camp. His father refused to join the Communist Party and renounce his Catholic faith.

“My mom had to raise our family by herself, and the government seized our home,” Le said.

His father remained in camp for six years.

By his sophomore year of high school, Le went to live with another foster family. He still communicated with his younger sister through handwritten letters.

“She knew of all my struggles,” he said.

Le received news that his sister escaped from Vietnam.

“I remember her saying, ‘I’m coming to you, and we’ll live together,’” he said.

She died on the way to America.

“I endured a lot at this point, and I was always able to find comfort in God,” Le said. “The morning after I found out she was gone, God was dead.”

Le said it took him a long time to come to terms with God. One day, a close friend of Le’s told him God does not work on Le’s timeline, but God works on his own timeline.

“It was like someone hit me over the head with a brick,” Le said. “It was the first time in my life I felt I could be angry with God, and he would still love me.”

Through his sister’s death, Le embraced his relationship with God. “Looking back, it was one of the most abundant moments in my life,” Le said.

“It was then that I realized that God loves me, period. His love for me was not dependent on my performance or on my goodness. His love for me depended

on the fact that he is God, and I am his child.”

With a growing relationship with God, Le started to apply to colleges.

“There was only one criterion,” he said. “I did not want to go to school in California.”

However, Le said his high school counselor had a different plan for him.

She told Le about Pepperdine University and said he should apply.

“The more I found out about Pepperdine, the more I loved it,” he said. “I got accepted and four years later I graduated from Pepperdine.”

At Pepperdine, Le said his relationship with God strengthened even more.

“I came to Pepperdine looking for a really good education,” Le said. “What God gave me was a great education and a family. He gave me a new life and a new relationship with him.”

In his sophomore year, Le studied abroad in Heidelberg, Germany where he met his future wife, Corrine.

“I only remember talking to her once when we were abroad,” Le said with a laugh.

The two grew closer when they returned to Malibu their junior year.

“She didn’t like to cook; I loved to cook, but I hated eating by myself,” he said. “So every evening, I would call her up and invite her over for dinner, and we became the best of friends.”

After long consideration, Le and his wife decided to become more than friends.

“I’m really glad we risked it,” he said.

About two years after Le graduated in 1987, he married his wife in Stauffer Chapel.

“We owe so much of what we have to Pepperdine,” Le said. “I proposed to Corrine at the foot of the cross, we got married in the chapel, we had our reception at the Brock House, we raised our four sons on the Pepperdine campus.”

Le’s oldest son, Zach, graduated from Pepperdine last year. His second son, Ben, is studying abroad in Buenos Aires. Jamie is a freshman, and Le said his family prays their youngest, Garrett,

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HUNG LE “JESUS SAID, ‘I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY,’” LE SAID. “THAT’S THE MISSION OF JESUS. AS HIS FOLLOWERS, WE ARE TO ENGAGE IN THAT MISSION.”

who is a junior in high school, will attend Pepperdine.

“This is holy ground for us,” Le said.

“This is much more than just a university, it’s truly holy ground ... For us, this is where God met us. That’s our consistent prayer for every student who comes on this campus. We pray this becomes holy ground for each and every one.”

Le is now the Associate Vice President and University Registrar at Pepperdine.

“We live in gratitude,” he said. “We don’t take this gift lightly.”

Reunited Before Le finally returned to Pepperdine, he lived in New York and worked for Andersen Consulting.

“I was still working to get my entire family over,” Le said. “I got to meet with a Congressman in New York and tell him my story. He told me, ‘Hung, it’s either going to take a miracle of God or an act of Congress for your family to come to America.’”

Le continued to pray for a miracle.

While living in New York, Le received word that his two brothers escaped from Vietnam.

“You can only imagine the terror I felt in my heart because it took me back

to when my sister tried to escape,” he said.

In 1990, Le successfully reunited with his brothers in the United States.

A few months later, Congress proposed a program that allowed people detained in re-education camps to immigrate to America.

“The Congressman I spoke to said, ‘I think your father qualifies,’” Le said.

In order to be eligible, candidates had to be detained for at least five years and have a sponsor in America.

“I remember just shaking,” Le said.

“Here’s an act of Congress and a miracle of God rolled into one, and it was my dad’s stubborn faith that kept him in the camp. It was that faith that allowed him and my family to come over to America.”

In 1991, the rest of Le’s family left Vietnam.

“For 16 years I lived without my family,” Le said. “I would dream about the day when I would get to see them again.”

Le’s dream was similar to his favorite scripture — the moment when Mary arrived at Jesus’ tomb.

“She gets there, and the tomb is empty,” he said. “Her life is shattered. She’s in the darkest part of her life to the point where she doesn’t recognize Jesus — until he calls her name.”

Pepperdine sent out a news release the day before Le’s family arrived in America. Local news stations picked up the story.

“The next day I get to LAX, and the place is packed with the press,” he said.

“I had no idea it was for us until I heard, ‘He’s here!’ And people ran toward me.”

Le, his brothers and the press waited in the terminal.

“I felt so bad for these camera crews and reporters,” Le said.

Three hours passed.

Eventually, one of Le’s brothers saw a few people coming toward them.

“He said to me, ‘I think that’s them!’”

Le could not see beyond the swarm of cameras, microphones and bodies.

“Suddenly, I heard my name being yelled out,” Le said.

His knees buckled.

“It was my mother’s voice.”

He almost fell to the ground.

“There’s nothing sweeter than the sound of your name being called by your mother,” Le said. “I just caught a glimpse of what Mary must’ve felt like when she heard Jesus calling her name.” C

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MICROAGGRESSIONS

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MICROAGGRESSIONS ARE

CONTRIVED

W R it er : JENNEVIEVE FONG AR T IST: SYBIL ZHANG

“What are you?” “Where are you really from?” “You don’t act like a normal Black person.” “You don’t look like you speak Spanish.” “I never think of you as a real Asian.”

These statements capture a more subtle form of racism. Known as microaggressions, these phrases are everyday verbal snubs or insults that communicate hostile, derogatory or negative messages.

Microaggressions create and enforce uncomfortable, unsafe and sometimes even violent realities onto people's everyday lives in their work, home and school environments.

Psychiatrist Dr. Chester Pierce coined the term in the 1970s as subtle racial put downs that degrade health over a lifetime. Pierce wrote that microagressions may contribute to mental health difficulties like depression or anxiety and also physical health consequences, such as pain and fatigue.

This form of prejudice has been used against people in conflicts involving race, gender, intersectionality, people with mental illnesses and ageism.

Pierce said he regularly witnessed

microaggressions that non-Black Americans inflicted on Black Americans, according to Professor Derald Wing Sue’s book “Microaggressions in Everyday Life: Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation.”

Sue defined the term microaggression as "brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults toward people of color."

Sociology Professor Rebecca Kim teaches a first-year seminar on the topic of race and ethnic relations where students focus on the wider structural factors related to inequality.

Kim said these phrases make people feel as if they are different and diverse in a bad way as microaggressions, intentional or unintentional, are targeted to people based upon their membership of a marginalized group.

"Just having to explain their race or things related to their ethnicity, even if those people are not being malicious, it is one less thing minorities wish they would have to deal with," Kim said.

Senior Alyssa Rosas, who is Mexican-American, said she has always

experienced microaggressions, as her physical appearance does not match the stereotypical image of Mexicans.

In high school, Rosas overheard a student who is Mexican talk about her in Spanish while referring to her as “that White girl over there.”

“I turned around and asked them a question in Spanish,” Rosas said.

“They had the most horrified look on their face because they had no idea I could understand what they were saying.”

Rosas said most people assume people who are Mexican typically look a certain way including having a darker complexion, dark colored eyes and dark hair, but there are many other people who are Mexican with a lighter complexion similar to her.

When she studied abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Rosas experienced even more examples of microaggressions.

“I think I heard ‘You don’t look Mexican, you look White’ the most when I studied abroad,” Rosas said.

“When they noticed my advanced Spanish, it was very common to hear this comment from others.”

Rosas said hearing these comments have never really bothered her as she usually “just laughs it off.”

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MICROAGGRESSIONS Rosas said she likes to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume they are not trying to make a racist remark.

“I think that sometimes people are genuinely curious about a person’s background, race or culture and that their questions are not intended to come off as ‘racist,’” Rosas said.

Kim said she believes while microagressions are committed on a wide range of intentionality and unintentionality, intent should not really matter.

“It doesn’t matter if it was intentional because it was felt by the person who received the comment as a negative emotion,” Kim said.

Senior Rachel Rodriguez, who is half-Hawaiian and half-Mexican, said hearing microaggressive comments directed at her makes her feel self-conscious about her appearance.

Rodriguez said it is common for people to ask her where she is from and comment that she is racially ambiguous.

“I feel that people often believe they need to relate to me through my racial background,” Rodriguez said.

She said she does not feel oppressed by this language as she understands these comments stem from ignorance and curiosity.

While attending high school in Upstate New York, Rodriguez said she often got questioned about her race as mixed-race people were not common.

She said she remembers when a history teacher asked about her personal impression on the annexation of Hawaii in front of the whole class after learning she was from Hawaii.

Rodriguez said she often feels like a token of Hawaiian culture as a member of the underrepresented group.

She said she feels like people feel obligated to show interest in her racial background in a perfunctory effort to make her feel included.

After growing up in a military family and constantly meeting new people, Rodriguez said she got used to people

asking her these types of questions.

She said many of her friends who are racially mixed have experienced similar situations.

Rodriguez said she has experienced a slow accumulation of microaggressions, starting from childhood and over a lifetime, making it feel common in her life.

However, there are critics who disagree with the use of the term "microaggressions." In an article by The Atlantic, Conor Friedersdorf writes that critics believe the term "microagressions" is often inapt. He wrote, "'What country are you from?' is unfortunate even as it is unaggressive."

In addition, he said critics believe reporting microaggressions to college authorities empowers administrators to gain greater control over campus life. They argue monitoring speech deprives students of the ability to learn how to coexist without adult supervision or intervention.

The use of microaggressions on college campuses have become a popular topic of discussion. Sue wrote that microaggressions are particularly common among the educated and affluent populations of American colleges and universities.

Kim argues microaggressions are amplified on college campuses as a wide group of students from many different backgrounds are put together in the same space.

“I do not think that having a more or less diverse student body will change this as I have heard these comments from people of all races,” Rosas said. “I don’t think that one group of people are making these comments.”

Rodriguez said she thinks more diversity actually subdues the effects of microaggressions as they will not realize how they come off.

“The more diverse a student body is, the more likely people will become used to seeing other races and the more common microaggression phrases will be,” Rodriguez said.

Kim said some students are advo-

cating for a cultural competency class to add to Pepperdine's curriculum, allowing students from different backgrounds to come together in important discussions of race.

"It's not about changing your understanding of American racial history or relations," Kim said. "But instead asking 'How can I talk to you without offending you?'"

Pepperdine’s commitment to diversity stems from a Christian heritage that compels us to treat every individual equally with respect and compassion, according to the university website.

“Our faith also confirms that we are finite and therefore our knowledge is incomplete,” the website states. “It is through the inclusion and experience of others from diverse points of view that we often begin to see dimensions of truth previously unseen by us.”

Here are some resources on the topic of race and diversity on campus: • Reach out to the Intercultural Affairs Office (ICA) to start campaigns aimed to educate and prepare students to become more culturally competent.

• Get involved with the school’s “Week of Peace, Hope, and Justice” which includes documentaries, guest speakers and displays designed to educate the student body about global peace and justice issue.

• Coordinate with the Student Government Association or Pepperdine Graphic Media to host a town hall discussion about racial equity and inclusion.

• Meet with members of the University Diversity Council to determine possible strategies to foster a more inclusive on-campus environment. C

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H O LL D W OO LLY w OO

s Lo el es’ g n A W ri t e r: K e l ly R o dr i g ue z d e s i gn e r: C h a d j i m e n e z

L A TUR

CUL S B U H

Although Los Angeles is known for its access to beaches, sunny climate and “La La Land” dreamers, to many native Angelenos, it’s the birthplace of their American dream. Latino immigrants, Korean movers and shakers, African-American activists, Chinese nostalgia seekers and Jewish refugees have all found their homes in the various neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

By finding their home in these neighborhoods, these native Angelenos have written the history of the City of Angels and left behind some great historical sites and restaurants. Los Angeles is more than the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Santa Monica Pier which attracts all the tourists. Don’t just be a tourist, get to know Los Angeles’ rich culture through its residents.

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CULTURAL HUBS EAST LA/OLVERA STREET Steps away from Union Station in downtown LA, Olvera Street is the walkable path into the rich Latinx history of Los Angeles. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the Latinx community makes up almost 50 percent of the population of Los Angeles County.

Throughout LA, the influence of the Mexican community can be felt by just how many new fusion taco dishes are posted to Instagram and blogs. But at Olvera Street, the history reigns. Known as “the birthplace of Los Angeles,” Olvera Street was established in 1930 to capture the early influence of the Latinx community in the genesis of this city. The narrow street is home to Mexican folk artisans, mariachi players and folklorico dancers, as well as the wafting smell of authentic taquitos and sweet cinnamon sugar churros.

Distance from Pepperdine: 27 miles Place of Interest: Avila Adobe, the oldest house in Los Angeles Restaurant: El Cielito Lindo, known for their authentic taquitos Dessert: Mr. Churro, try their churros con cajeta — a type of caramel made from goat's milk

Distance from Pepperdine: 24 miles Place of Interest: Wi Spa, an authentic Korean spa experience Restaurant: Quarters KBBQ, a trendy Korean barbeque restaurant with Korean tacos on the menu Dessert: Sul & Beans, a Korean shaved ice shop where the fruit toppings are fresh

SOUTH LA South Los Angeles, a place stereotyped for racially-charged battles with crime, is taking back its name. In the 1980s and 1990s, South LA was a place synonymous with danger and gang violence in the African-American community. The term “South Central” was coined in 1992 during the Rodney King riots/civil unrest and emphasized those stereotypes on a larger stage.

Ethnically, the Latinx population has steadily grown as African-Americans have been moving to the Inland Empire. Today, the real culture is found in the community. Whether sharing traditions through food or through the community activism against gentrification, South Los Angeles is a place for fighters to come together.

Distance from Pepperdine: 28 miles Place of Interest: Watts Towers, a set of KOREATOWN towers built entirely by the hands of one Koreatown, a foodie’s dream destina- man tion, is more about fusion than preservaRestaurant & Dessert: Dulan’s On tion. Historically home to the Latinx com- Crenshaw, a long-time community restaumunity, Koreatown earned its namesake rant serving classic soul food and cobbler in 1980 when a Korean immigrant and developer purchased and invested in five SAN GABRIEL VALLEY blocks of real estate to create an architecWhile Chinatown has existed in Los tural rival of Chinatown.

Angeles since 1938, the real heartbeat of Today, the community is predominant- the Chinese community lies in the San Galy Mexican, specifically from Oaxaca, but briel Valley. The area used to be a hub for offers many opportunities to experience Western European and Hispanic families, both Oaxacan and Korean culture, espe- but the area began to see a wave of colcially through food and drink. The most lege-educated Chinese immigrants settle known example of this union is the birth in the early 1990s. of the Korean taco, a move that has alThe main difference between SGV lowed for more cultures to take the taco and Los Angeles’ Chinatown is that the and localize it. David Chang, the Miche- valley tells a different but important story lin-starred chef and the restaurateur be- about Chinese immigrants in Los Angehind Momofuku, told the Los Angeles les. The Chinese families in the SGV are Times that it is “the most exciting place to college-educated and middle-class. While eat in America.” they have different struggles from the Chi-

natown era of immigrants, these families provide a new take on what it means to live in America. LA Weekly explains the explosion of diverse Chinese restaurants along Valley Boulevard as being born “not out of necessity, but out of nostalgia for home.”

Distance from Pepperdine: 33 miles Place of Interest: Hsi Lai Temple, a Buddhist temple whose name means "coming to the West" Restaurant: Mama Lu’s Dumpling House, go for the authentic xiao long bao (soup dumplings) Dessert: Labobatory, an innovative boba shop with creative drinks like the Horchata Boba FAIRFAX It might be known to passersby for its unbearable traffic to get to the 405, but Fairfax is more than the glitzy Grove and its traffic-filled streets. After World War II, Fairfax became the epicenter for Los Angeles’ Jewish community. While the area has given way to trendy urban shops on Melrose and at the Grove, it still has a large population of Orthodox Jewish families. The cultural center for Jewish history in LA remains in Fairfax’s Chabad Center as well as in the city’s Museum of the Holocaust and the Museum of Tolerance.

Distance from Pepperdine: 18 miles Place of Interest: Museum of Tolerance, a museum that seeks to tell the story of the Holocaust and other human rights crises Restaurant: Canter’s Deli, a historic 24-hour restaurant with a focus on Jewish deli staples Dessert: Schwartz Bakery, for traditional Israeli pastries These non-traditional tourist places tell the story of Los Angeles better than a Hollywood production could. These places show the years of change this city has gone through: from its changes in immigration to the creation of new food trends. These places have history woven in and continue to honor the diversity Los Angeles contains. C

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WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS? W R it er : Cassandra Stephenson P ho t ograp her: Kayla Lee Mo dels: Rachel Bardwell, Ashten Cormier, P eace Ikediuba, Mina Kim, Randy mata

“I feel like now more than ever [the American flag] represents fighting for what is right and fighting for the justice of other people,” sophomore Peace Ikediuba said.

Ikediuba was born in Nigeria, and her family moved to the United States when she was 3 to give her and her siblings a better education. For Ikediuba, the flag represents hope, but she said this meaning has become more nuanced in light of the current political climate and movements against racism that concern the flag and what it stands for.

“It means hope,” Ikediuba maintains. “It means that there is so much to be done. A lot has been done already. But there is so much

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THE FLAG still be done, whether it’s for African Americans or for Hispanics or for Native Americans. But it means that there is hope, even in the darkness and even in all that America has been through, there is so much we can do for one another still.”

Congress adopted the stars and stripes as the American flag in 1777, spelling out exactly what the new country’s flag should look like, down to the number of stars and stripes on the now iconic symbol.

“Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation,” the Flag Act of 1777 states.

While this act is straightforward in the flag’s description and what it represented at the time, both of these elements have evolved over the 239 years of its existence. Today, what is perhaps the most recognizable symbol in the United States also plays a central role in national debate over just what meaning lies behind the red, white and blue.

American football quarterback Colin Kaepernick protested the oppression of people of color by choosing not to stand for the National Anthem starting in August 2016, sparking debate over the issue of being irreverent to the flag. President Donald Trump reignited conversation over this protest in the form of several tweets in September of this year, claiming that “the issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race. It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem.”

Assistant Professor of Political Science Jason Blakely said those national symbols have been adopted by an array of groups in the United States at different times in the country’s history to embody their own set of ideals and beliefs. “[The Flag] is a contested symbol, and I think people often don’t realize the fact about it that there’s not a single meaning that all Americans ascribe to the American flag,” Blakely said. “It has to do with their competing visions of what America’s about. And I think that’s true for all our national symbols.”

Peace Ikediuba, Sophomore

“I feel like now more than ever [the American flag] represents fighting for what is right and fighting for the justice of other people.”

Nationalism and Patriotism “I actually think the most important historical break in the meaning of the flag is that the American flag was not originally a nationalist symbol,” Blakely said. “It was a patriotic symbol. And I think people don’t even distinguish those two things today.”

Patriotism, according to Blakely, is the idea that “you love the laws, and that your citizenship is based in part on your commitment to those laws.” Nationalism is “the idea that to belong to a political community, you might have to have certain cultural traits, religious beliefs, ethnic traits — it could be racialized sometimes,” he said.

The word “patriotism” can be traced back to published writings as early as the mid-17th century, according to Merriam-Webster. The term “nationalism” is first noted nearly 150 years later. And

while the definition of patriotism — “love for or devotion to one’s country” — has remained largely unchanged, nationalism has grown to be defined as “loyalty and devotion to a nation” and “exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests,” Merriam-Webster states.

This is where Blakely said he sees the biggest rupture surrounding the meaning of the flag.

“I think the most important thing to recognize about the flag is that when the flag was designed and instituted … it wasn’t part of a nationalist revolution,” Blakely said.

“And I think that people today who claim the flag [often] claim it on a nationalist basis.

So they’ll say the meaning of the flag is that there is a particular American way of life.”

Francis Scott Key penned the “Star

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THE FLAG Spangled Banner” following the shelling of Fort McHenry by British troops during the War of 1812. The poem became a popular song in the 1860s, but it wouldn’t be adopted as the National Anthem until 1931.

In the meantime, the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was published by Francis Bellamy in “Youth’s Companion” magazine in 1892 in celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival on the American continent, according to the Washington Post.

But in 1777, the flag served as a “rallying point” for colonies that had banded together against the British, but did not yet share a cultural identity or have a significant cultural or ethnic difference from the British, Blakely said.

“So it wasn’t a nationalist revolution,” Blakely said. “It was a patriotic one.”

The 1890s brought a print media revolution that helped spread the image of the American flag across the nation, eventually spurring one of the first movements to protect the flag from desecration.

Following the popularization of the Pledge of Allegiance, the flag was commonly flown over schoolhouses. By 1921, the Pledge of Allegiance was officially included in citizenship textbooks, making it a part of the process of immigrating to the United States.

Senior Rachel Bardwell’s grandmother is from Italy, and her grandparents on her mother’s side immigrated from Taiwan. Bardwell, who is half Taiwanese and part Italian and English, grew up in Washington, D.C., practically right next to the CIA headquarters, she said.

Bardwell said she spent her childhood surrounded by state and national history and other children whose parents were Congressmen. She took trips to Mount Vernon and Colonial Williamsburg. “I dressed up as Betsy Ross for my fourth grade presentation,” she said.

When she looks at the flag, she said she sees a rich history as well as multicultural acceptance, especially when thinking of her own family.

“We’re very much grateful that we have a place [here], and there definitely is an American dream still alive in my family,”

Bardwell said. “I would say that is what I would see when I see the American flag.”

But her views of the flag have not been static, especially recently, she noted. In California, she said, people are more likely to speak up about things they disagree with and be more liberal in their activism.

This, combined with a class on religion and culture, led her to consider the “melting pot” from a different perspective.

“We still have issues of racism and discrimination even though a lot of us like to believe we’ve moved past it,” she said.

And though she said she has not experienced much overt racism or discrimination herself, she sees more passive forms of racism in casual conversations and the films she studies for her concentration.

Ashten Cormier, Senior “I’ve definitely become more aware of the fact that the [United States] may be a place where a lot of cultures come, but we do need to work on the fact that we need to accept different cultures,” she said.

A Military Symbol Assistant Professor of Political Science and Navy veteran Dan Caldwell said he views the flag as a symbol of the country’s ideals, including freedom, equality and liberty, of which he said the country has “fallen far short.”

“To me the flag is a symbol of those ideals, which is one reason I respect it and

honor it,” Caldwell said. “And the fact that it has been such a powerful symbol in the wars that the United States has fought.”

The American flag was first issued to the army in 1834 and became a prominent symbol at the start of the Civil War about 30 years later. Union Major Robert Anderson took the flag from the Battle of Fort Sumter after surrendering to the Confederate bombardment in April 1861 and brought it north, where it became a prominent Union symbol.

In the years since, images of the flag flown at battle sites have been widely circulated, from the iconic image of the flag being raised by six American soldiers atop Mount Suribachi during the invasion of Iwo Jima to a photograph of an American flag that survived the attacks on the Twin Towers on Sept. 11, 2001.

“An obvious but profound fact is that any member of the military, police forces [and] firefighters voluntarily risk, and if necessary, give their lives for our fellow citizens,” Caldwell said. “And there’s nobody else in our society who does that. And so, you know, once one has done that, I think the flag and those sorts of things take on additional meaning.”

But while he values the flag, Caldwell also said he values the First Amendment as one of the ideals the flag represents. Though he may disagree with lack of reverence for the flag, he said he sides with Voltaire in defending to the death the right to act in such ways.

Associate Professor of Decision Science and veteran Robert Shearer has lived on multiple continents and all over the United States during his childhood and 22 years in the Army. With his father in the Army and his grandfather in the military as well, Shearer said he was raised to view the country, and its symbols, as a good.

“I had this very, very positive view of the country and therefore that carried over to the symbols,” Shearer said.

But over time, he said, as he moved around the world and interacted with different people, his views on these symbols including the flag changed.

“I’m much more cognizant of our failures as a country,” Shearer said, adding

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“We’re very much grateful that we have a place [here], and there is definitely is an American dream still alive in my family.”

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CURRENTS ‌• 43 Rachel Bardwell, Senior 39-40 (Flag).indd 1

12/14/17 2:21 PM

“For me, it’s like, a flag’s a flag, and it matters as much as what [meaning] you put into it.”

Randy Mata, Senior 41-42 (Flag).indd 2

12/14/17 2:22 PM

THE FLAG that he is more willing now to listen to perspectives outside his own.

“I still view [the symbols] as very positive, but I understand now why other people at times don’t,” he said. “I think I understand why people have protested the National Anthem, whereas 20 years ago I wouldn’t have understood.”

But seeing someone exercising their First Amendment rights in ways in which the flag is not esteemed is difficult for him, Shearer said.

“Where I’m conflicted is, at the same time, I’ve had friends that have come home in coffins under that flag, and had wives of friends of mine been handed that flag … so that’s how I view the flag,” Shearer said.

“Some people are not thinking about Black lives and whether they matter,” he said. “Some people are thinking about those who died on the shores of Normandy. Both are ideals. Both are something we could unify over.

But they’re obviously so divisive.”

The flag has been involved in protests throughout American history. During the Vietnam War, protesters of U.S. policy used altered images of the flag to convey their messages. Civil Rights activists carried the American flag during protests during the 1960s. In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that burning the flag in protest is protected under the

A Symbol for Protest and Reverence

Professor of Sociology Robin Perrin said the flag and other symbols are meant to unify people. “They’re part of what sociologists call our ‘civil religion,’” Perrin said. “There’s a quasi-supernatural component to them and they are ways to unify people around ideals of a country.”

He said that it is society that attaches meaning to the flag and decides the appropriate ways to honor it. The danger here, he said, is that those who violate those appropriate ways are seen as disrespectful.

“Not only does the flag become sacred, the response to the flag becomes almost sacred,” Perrin said. “You can’t challenge it. To do it a different way is automatically being disrespectful.”

In the recent string of protests with National Football League players kneeling during the National Anthem, the act of kneeling takes on a different meaning, he said.

“Kneeling by itself, of course, wouldn’t be anything disrespectful at all,” Perrin said. “In fact, if you think of it in a religious sense, you imagine kneeling often meaning humbling yourself before a deity. So kneeling by itself is often a symbol of humility and honoring something … in another setting.”

While symbols serve to unite the country, they can also divide it, Perrin said, referring to the NFL controversy.

Mina Kim, Senior First Amendment in Texas v. Johnson.

Senior Randy Mata is a first-generation college student. He does not care for labels, he said, but he is also MexicanAmerican. He grew up in Houston, Texas, where he said he was taught the meaning of the flag in school, but did not ponder it much of his own accord.

“Being Mexican-American has not given me the same sense of patriotism that I think [the flag] gives most people,” he said.

“So I get the whole symbolic meaning, I get the history behind it because obviously you learn that, but ... I don’t empathize with it as much as other people do.”

Mata said he prefers the idea of “going with the flow” and “not wanting to label everything.”

“For me, it’s like, a flag’s a flag, and it matters as much as what

[meaning] you put into it,” Mata said.

But Mata also said that he admires those who do feel passionately enough to protest for things they believe in.

“I always empathize with those people, whether they are right or left wing, that they care so much about something that they show these protests and they go out and do stuff about it, because I’m in the middle ground,” Mata said.

Caldwell also noted the propensity for the flag to serve as a symbol for particular groups.

“The flag and the flag lapel pin became almost a symbol of conservatism until 9/11,” Caldwell said. “And after 9/11, people across the entire spectrum were proud to display the flag, and the flag lapel pin was not a symbol of conservative ideology.”

Caldwell said he continues to wear his flag pin and put up his flag at his home on national holidays because he is not willing to “default” to that meaning of the symbol.

Shearer said that he thinks that current political debate revolving around the flag and other national symbols stems from fear. Having lived on both coasts and in the middle of the United States, Shearer said that many people on the coasts do not realize that some living in the middle of the country are struggling.

“The Rust Belt hasn’t recovered from the collapse of Ford, GM, and others,” he said.

“There are just large swaths of the country where people … they’re just afraid. They don’t know what the future’s going to be.”

When he was growing up, the concept of the melting pot was seen as a source of strength in the country, Shearer said, but now he sees people pulling back to “comfortable situations” and “people like them” as a response to this fear.

“My perception is we’ve become more divided, so naturally symbols become very important to groups,” he said. “To some, the flag is the symbol of patriotism and love of country, and to some it’s a source of oppression. And the problem is when you’re divided, people are not inclined to then step back and look at the other person’s side.” C

FALL 2017 ‌• 42 41-42 (Flag).indd 1

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ATHEISM

The view from outside the fence: Thoughts on atheism at Pepperdine W Ri t e r: Mi c h a e l a Me y e r a rt i s t: Sy bi l Z h a n g

Once, at a club convo, I was asked to participate in an interesting spiritual exercise. I was asked to draw a picture of a house, which represented God, and myself in relation to that house. It was essentially a creative way to express where we were at in our relationship with God and with faith in general.

After everyone was finished, we were given the opportunity to share our pictures with the group. Very few people had drawn themselves inside the house.

Some were on a path to the house. Others were touching it or on the front steps but not fully inside. Even those who were inside often showed themselves looking out the window, curious about what everyone else was doing. There was a general theme of struggle, of not being

fully content with their faith.

My picture expressed a different kind of struggle. I drew my house with a white-picket fence surrounding it, and myself on the sidewalk, walking down the street in front of the house, a casual observer.

As I explained my drawing to the group I realized that my picture represented something different from theirs. It did not show my relationship with God or any personal journey with faith; instead it was a perfect metaphor for my experience as an atheist student at Pepperdine.

When people find out I am not religious they often ask how I ended up at Pepperdine and whether or not I regret it. The answer is complicated.

Looking back at my four years here I

would have to say I genuinely enjoyed my college experience. I got to study abroad in London twice, I’ve gotten to know my professors on a personal level, and of course I’ve loved soaking up those ocean views. Given the choice, I think I would choose Pepperdine again, although that’s not to say it hasn’t been without its hardships.

In simple terms, I am an outsider here.

I am on the other side of that fence, and that barrier is always between me and the other students, although I am often the only one aware of it.

At Pepperdine there is an unspoken assumption that everyone is Christian, or at least has a faith of some kind. I know many students appreciate this aspect of Pepperdine. They can talk about their

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ATHEISM spirituality openly and grow in their faith as part of a community.

But this assumption makes it unnecessary to ask someone what they believe before talking to them about it, as would normally be the case on a secular campus.

This puts those of us who believe something different than the majority in an awkward position.

There have been times when someone will know me for months before finding out that I am an atheist. They are always shocked and unsure how to respond.

They often seem somewhat betrayed, as though I had been lying to them this whole time. Once, after it came out during a discussion in a religion class that I was an atheist, one boy came up to me afterward and apologized that I had been “outed.”

As if it was some big secret. In fact, I am quite open with my views. As a result of Pepperdine’s Christian culture, people had assumed that I was religious without ever asking.

This is so common that when meeting new people I am often unsure how to proceed. I am tempted to avoid awkwardness later by being as upfront as possible.

But it’s not like I can just go around saying “Hi, I’m Michaela, and I’m atheist.”

Besides, who in their right mind would want to point out the thing that makes them an outsider right away? Things are a lot easier if I am the only one who is aware that a barrier exists.

However this invisible barrier not only isolates me from the Christian students, but from the non-Christians as well.

There are actually quite a few people on campus who are at least not very religious, if not fully agnostic or atheist, but because of the Christian school atmosphere and the overarching assumption that everyone fits into that Christian template, most of them tend to lie low like me. It’s a catch-22. In speaking about my beliefs I separate myself from the group, but the only way I can find people like me is to speak out.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve made plenty of friends here, and most of them are more than willing to have open discussions about faith and my lack thereof. But I’ve

also been met with a surprising number of misunderstandings as well.

Many people see my atheism as a temporary thing. They think I am lost or rebelling or “ignorant to the truth” and that I will eventually come around in the end. They either see me as an opportunity to evangelize, or they dismiss my views as the kind of struggle with faith that so many of them go through.

They don’t realize how incredibly insulting this is. I am not an atheist because I am confused or lost. I have heard a lot of good arguments for and against the existence of God. I’ve been to church, sat through all different kinds of services, I’ve read the Bible, I’ve studied it, and I’ve read the Christian philosophers.

This is something I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about, and I’ve got plenty of arguments to back me up, so to dismiss my views by saying I just “haven’t seen the light yet” shows a complete disregard for my beliefs and insults my ability to reason, which is something I take a lot of pride in as a philosopher.

Consider it this way. Wouldn’t it offend you if I told you that you didn’t need Jesus in your life? That you are just temporarily confused and that eventually you’ll see that God is a lie? But I would never say that to anyone because I believe they have rational reasons for believing in the existence of God. It’s one thing to disagree with a person’s point of view and another to dismiss it completely.

Another remark I’ve heard a lot,

especially in religion classes, is the idea that life without God would be completely lacking in morality or purpose.

The field of ethics still exists completely independent of the Bible. I am no heathen acting on base instincts without regard for those around me. And when it comes to purpose, I have no problem finding meaning in my life. In fact I think I struggle with it less than many Christians who, as that club convo exercise showed, often struggle in their faith.

I find irony in the idea of an existential crisis, because as an existentialist myself I believe my life has import because I’m in it. I do not feel forlorn, nor do I feel despair. I am neither cynical nor depressed as existentialists and nihilists are commonly stereotyped to be. My life has meaning to me, I choose its purpose. I am the god of my own life, so to speak, and that is an incredibly empowering feeling.

But aside from these misunderstandings and a general sense of not fully belonging, my Pepperdine experience has been a good one, if not an ideal one. Many of my friends said they would never go to a super liberal secular school because they would be miserable there. Well, after my time at Pepperdine, I would argue that putting yourself in a place that is out of your comfort zone and that challenges you to defend your views instead of just echoing them is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Not only will you become more confident in your own beliefs, you might realize that the other side has a point or two you agree with as well.

I could have gone to Reed College in Portland. Their motto is communism, atheism and free love. Students smoke and drink openly on campus, strip naked when the sun is out, sleep together in coed dorm rooms, and are never subjected to letter grades.

They were my top choice, but something drew me to Pepperdine (probably the large scholarship and good weather), and I’m glad I changed my mind. I stand out here, and it’s in that kind of environment where you learn the most about yourself, as well as people who are different from you. C

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SOJOURNERS

SOJOURNERS

D.C. magazine shares stories, strives to create change WRiter: Alliso n L e e Photographs Cou rt e sy o f : Sojou rners

They tell people’s stories. They share the struggles of immigration, racial justice, peace and nonviolence, climate change, poverty and women and girls. They walk out their faith.

They act to influence the governing body of the country in the heart of Washington D.C. Sojourners provides a place where people can find thoughtful and biblically-based social justice resources with a Christian perspective.

Sojourners started as an intentional community in Chicago with a group of young Christians com-

mitted to social change in the early 1970s. The group started publishing a magazine first called the “Post American” and then called “Sojourners.”

“If you believe that Christ’s message of good news to the poor is not yet fulfilled, then you need to do something about it,” said Michael Mershon, director of advocacy and communications.

Sojourners started as an intentional community in Chicago with a group of young Christians committed to social change in the early 1970s. The group started publishing a magazine first called the “Post American” and then called “Sojourners.”

“If you believe that Christ’s message of good news to the poor is not yet fulfilled, “If you believe that Christ’s message of good

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SOJOURNERS news to the poor is not yet fulfilled, then you need to do something about it,” said Michael Mershon, director of advocacy and communications.

Sojourners’ president and founder Jim Wallace’s conversion text for Sojourners was Matthew 25:35-40 (NIV): “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me … Whatever you did for one of the least of these, brothers and sisters, you did for me.”

Pepperdine students have pursued their passions at Sojourners. Senior Daniel Kibuuka interned through Pepperdine’s D.C. summer program, working on the research and marketing side.

Kibuuka said he chose Sojourners because they put their faith into action.

“They love people and they act,” Kibuuka said.

Kibuuka said he personally loved how they were accommodating to people of different faith as a Christian organization because he comes from a community in Uganda with many people of different faiths.

“I like how they treat them and make sure there’s justice for them and this community is a safe community for them,” Kibuuka said. “By loving them is when you stand a chance of making them believe in your faith.”

Sojourners has built on this love in featuring people in need. Their mission has not only resonated with Pepperdine students, but also with readers across the nation.

“Over the last 40 years, we’ve developed our brand so people are feeling like they can turn to us in time of crisis and not only receive the content that we’re getting but also feel connected to the other people in the country,” Mershon said.

The organization was founded in the immediate aftermath of the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War to get more into the realm of advocacy, fighting, writing, traveling and speaking for change, according to Mershon.

“The organization has evolved from an intentional Christian communi-

ty into a large Christian social justice organization that publishes the magazine, has a website, does advocacy campaigns, lobbies on Capitol Hill and serves in coalitions,” Mershon said.

Mershon said they moved to Washington D.C. in the mid 1970s to be closer to the powers and principalities that shape the world. The move not only allowed them to advocate on behalf of social justice in Capitol Hill but also allowed them to provide hospitality to other Christians who want to come to Washington D.C. “If a group of Pepperdine students comes to Washington and wants to lobby for the day, they can use our office as the home base,” Mershon said.

Mershon spent 22 years at Capitol Hill and continues to work on the issues of poverty, immigration, racial justice and the environment at Sojourners.

“To do so within a supportive faith community, it provides a lot more sustenance to me than working at Capitol Hill,” Mershon said.

Mershon said they think and work hard on the kind of culture they create in the organization, being as collaborative and supportive as possible.

“The work is often times draining and frustrating and challenging. Change doesn’t come as quickly as we would like,” Mershon said. “We recognize the importance of providing a supportive environment for the people doing the work.”

Pepperdine alumnus Avery Davis participated in the year-long internship from August 2017 to August 2018 where he lived with and shared monthly expenses with eight other interns.

Davis said the interns shared spiritual life and meals together and attended a weekly seminar that addressed a different topic pertaining to social justice, Christianity or both. The interns were also paired with a mentor on staff.

“Community is the most amazing aspect of that program,” Davis said. “I was super excited to be around people who think about systems of poverty and injustice and policy in similar ways that I do.”

Davis said his driving force for his vocation is environmentalism and creation care. He found Sojourners to be

a refreshing voice on Christians caring for the environment by treating humans as part of the environment while addressing social justice issues tied with environmental issues. Davis saw how his issue of caring for the environment intersected with other people’s issues.

“My point of view is not the only point of view that exists in the world, and other people have valid experiences that define their points of view,” Davis said. “We need to be in communication with each other to better understand each other and better understand the world we live in, and our community was just a little microcosm of that.”

Sojourners took the community they created in their organization and expanded it to their public audience. Mershon said they hear from Christians around the country who care about social justice but always felt like he or she was alone. Sojourners shares stories that make people realize they are not alone, as other Christians have similar feelings toward issues, Mershon said.

“Technology allows us to do that more and more,” Mershon said. “A lot of people out there feel very alone in their pews even if they’re surrounded by people, so we try to be a comfort and resource to them.”

As churches change and evolve, Mershon said he hopes that people still find resonance in their message, and they bring that message with them into their churches and into the voting booths.

Mershon said they try to show people there are other ways to bring their faith into the arena that isn’t as off putting as the religious right can be. As an organization, Sojourners sees Christianity as much more than personal salvation.

Mershon said that they are called to care for one another in interpersonal relationships and in challenging the government to change its policies to help more people.

“For us, it’s not just about going to church on Sunday, it’s about then waking up on Monday morning and going to work and putting the message you heard on Sunday into action Monday through Friday,” Mershon said. C

47 ‌• CURRENTS 47-48 (Sojourners +Ad).indd 2

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THE BEST

HIP-HOP

OF 2017

Writer: omar murphy

Since its humble beginnings, rap and hip-hop music have been creative outlets for artists to paint a picture of their realities. Artists use their music to share their personal narratives, address inner struggles and confront social issues.

Over the years, rap and R&B artists have used their platforms to tackle issues of mental health, politics and social matters within their music.

In these albums we witness each artist dive into a deep disclosure of personal issues through their lyrics, and offer their perception of the world around them. What makes these albums great is how each artist expressed an innovative creative direction, while simultaneously provided an element of social commentary to the hot topics of 2017.

Lets start the countdown off at No. 3 on the list.

3.

"Ctrl" by SZA SZA’s (pronounced “sizza”) released her first studio album “Ctrl” June 9, 2017. Her debut album peaked at no. 2 on Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop just one month later. “Ctrl” is a journey through modern romance, sexual exploits, personal insecurities and empowerment. SZA incorporates a variety of beats ranging from tropical vibes to upbeat pop and smooth hip hop rhythms.

The first three tracks get right into the subjects of romance, infidelity and former lovers; all necessities for a chart-topping R&B album. However, SZA offers a perspective distinct from other artists; she concedes to unfaithfulness in a former relationship in her first song, “Supermodel.” SZA allows herself to be vulnerable from the start, which only empowers her honesty, music and message that much more on the rest of the album.

She confronts issues of her own insecurities and jealousy on “Garden” and “Drew Barrymore.” On “Love Galore” she sings about casual hook-up culture and her experience in relationship as the player and the fool. She continues to share her experience in relationships as the main girl and the side piece on “The Weekend.”

SZA fully exposes herself on this project; she admits to behaviors that most would find deplorable. However, this project is the ultimate illustration of “two sides to every story.” With each song, SZA reveals more insight into perspectives that are appreciable for all listeners.

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2.

BEST MUSIC

"4:44" by Jay-Z

Veteran rhymer Jay-Z released his 13th studio album titled “4:44” on June 30, 2017. When the project finally dropped it served as a testament to Jay-Z’s past mistakes, including his observations of the current state of rap and racism in America.

Throughout the project, Jay-Z responds to the controversy surrounding his cheating scandal.

“Lemonade” by Beyonce brought his infidelity to light, and “4:44” comes to terms with his unfaithfulness and admits his faults. “Kill Jay Z” is a track that attacks Jay-Z’s own ego, which allows the rapper to continue candidly on the rest of the album. Jay-Z tackles his guilt head-on later with tracks like “Family Feud” and “4:44.”

Throughout the rest of the album, Jay-Z comments on current issues. “The Story of OJ” delves into the Black experience in America, and iterates that no matter the circumstances of your complexion, wealth, success or position, at the end of the day it all boils down to: “still nigga.” On that same track he goes on to discuss financial freedom as a path to true success and wealth.

“Moonlight” challenges originality and attitudes in the current state of rap, “y’all got the f-----’ flows/ I don’t know who is who.”

His lines are charged with irony which targets the values and self representation of current rappers. Jay-Z takes a new perspective on “4:44” as a whole. He raps as a father coming clean with his past and assumes the role of an adviser as a senior rapper.

1.

“DAMN.” by Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar dropped his fourth studio album “DAMN.” April 14, 2017. In just one week the album garnered 603,000 total album equivalent unit sales, the most of any other hip-hop album in 2017, according to an article by XXL Magazine titled “21 Hip-Hop Project’s Biggest First-Week Sales in 2017 (So Far).” Kendrick would also have five songs from the album make it on Billboard’s Hot 100 list, all of which would land within the top 20.

Kendrick Lamar has always been a solid artist. With each album Kendrick Lamar has consistently improved and matured. As an artist he delivers his passionate narratives effortlessly through his rhymes. Kendrick Lamar further accentuates his mastery of storytelling on “DAMN.” Throughout the album, Kendrick Lamar addresses a number of issues including police brutality, the anxiety of being a Black man in America and his own mortality.

On the surface, this album encompasses Kendrick Lamar’s ability to create chart hits that function as pieces of a greater message throughout the project.

“DNA.” kicks off the album fiercely, but between the lines Kendrick Lamar reflects the importance of rap music in Black culture, “This is my heritage, all I’m inheritin’ money and power.”

Radio hits like “HUMBLE.” and “LOYALTY.” serve as pop-rap hits that still incorporate a deeper message within the work as a whole. However, to venture deeper and analyze the lines behind each song would lead to a field of uncertainties, moral dilemmas and hypothetical as told by Kendrick Lamar.

Artists like these connect themselves to a whole audience simply through their subject matter, which proves to be immensely influential in the music industry. They have an ability to touch on subjects that people struggle with every day, which shows them they’re not alone. This agency not only empowers the influence of the artists, but also offers a voice to those who identify with them. Music is timeless, and some of the most important reflect the world around them at the time. These albums will offer the history of their time with eloquence and courage that will be valued for years to come. C

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PEPPERDINE GRAPHIC MEDIA

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