2015–16 Issue 9 by PUC Campus Chronicle

CAMPUS CHRONICLE ISSUE 9 - VOL XCII - MARCH 3, 2016 PACIFIC UNION COLLEGE

DR. HEATHER JOY KNIGHT: SEEKING GREATNESS FOR PUC PAGE 6

POLITICS FOR DUMMIES PAGE 9

TOMMIE SMITH & BLACK LIVES MATTER PAGE 10

Campus Chronicle

no.9

Letter From The Editor: Elections

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? Email thhattendorf@puc.edu

By Tara Hattendorf

For the last month, PUC has been a flurry of activity in anticipation of the SA elections for next year’s officers. I watched in amazement at the student involvement with the election, which had initially four students interested in running for president. By the time candidates began their campaigns, five out of nine offices had two candidates vying for the office. Their speeches in Colloquy were inspiring, and their responses in the Town Hall Debates were well thought out to provide students with information about their plans for office. The online readership statistics on the Campus Chronicle’s Election Issue, which detailed each candidate’s platform, also showed amazing results: there were over 1000 clicks on the issue and over 500 dedicate read-throughs. The statistics for videos of the campaign speeches initially given at Colloquy, uploaded by Diogenes Motion Pictures, showed similarly high results, with over 580 views on the speeches combined. Examining the election statistics, the high student involvement struck me again, but also for the room for improvement. In the 2015–16 SA Election, there were 524 votes, or approximately one-third of the student body voting. This year, the number of voters jumped to 898 — a

high number compared to last year, but with enrollment hovering around 1600, there is room for improvement in the 24-hour voting window. That said, this was a close race, but it was a fair race. For offices with two candidates opposing each other, the winners received between 54 and 65 percent of the vote, with a negligible number of write-in votes that did not affect the outcome for any office. Remember that every vote counts. Congratulations to all nine incoming SA officers. May you all be good representatives of the student body and be dedicated to serving them. One final word: while next year’s SA elections are an entire year away, it is never too early to begin planning for involvement in student leadership on campus. If you have a passion to be a leader on campus, there are many ways to get involved. Senate elections for next year will be held in the spring, and anyone who is dedicated to running for an SA office next year should consider involvement in senate now. Good luck in the final weeks of this quarter, and I hope you enjoy this issue.

Editor-in-Chief Tara Hattendorf Assistant Editor Taylor Pittenger News Editor JJ Nash Features Editor Janet Morales Fitness & Sports Editor Malek Sheen Opinion Editor Glorianne Besana Copy Editors Emily Mathe Kevin Tran Layout Editor Taylor Smith Faculty Advisers Lynne Thew Michelle Rai

SA Election Results President Taleah Tyrell

Religious VP Kevin Galeano

Diogenes Lantern Editor Katie Schmidt

Executive VP Stephanie De Mel

Social VP James Jordan

PR/Marketing VP Nic Miller

Financial VP Cynthia Augustine

Campus Chronicle Editor Glorianne Besana

Video Editor Rachel Ermshar

March 3, 2016

vol. xcii

The One Project

By Taylor Pittenger

From Feb. 13–15, hundreds of Seventh-day Adventists attended a conference called the One Project. This particular One Project met in Seattle and the theme was “The Final Week.” Several speakers, ranging from pastors like Pastor Matthew Gamble, from The Haven in St. Helena, to Pastor Tim Gillespie, from Loma Linda, gave sermons on Jesus’ final week, death and resurrection. The One Project is an organization that is run and led by Adventists. Several of PUC’s own, including chaplains and spiritual leaders on campus, attended this year’s One Project. Angel Castillo, sophomore PR/marketing major, said, “The One Project was surprisingly a mind-opening experience for me this year. The sermons and conversations enabled me to revisit my old core belief system and not only strengthen it, but also find ways to apply it to a newfound perspective.” He continued, “The One Project introduced all those old beliefs in a way I had never thought of before, allowing me to grow with God more personally and passionately.” Although some found the One Project fulfilling, others had ideas on what could make it better. Another attendee, George Tuyu, senior religion major, said, “I thought it was good, but my only criticism about the One Project would be that is could have had a lot more of a

balance in the speakers.” He continued, “A lot of the angles and perspectives that came from the event were from Caucasian speakers. I feel like it could have reached more people if the speakers were more diverse.” Part of the One Project’s mission is that it “seeks — through gatherings, conversations, web-based content, and Christ-focused publications — to stimulate preaching, worship and adoration of Jesus within and through the Adventist church.” Its website goes on to say, “The One project is committed to the idea that a Jesus-driven, Jesus-bathed, Jesus-backed, Jesus-led, Jesus-filled, Jesus-powered, all-aboutJesus Adventist Church is the uncompromising directive from our past, the joy of our present and hope for our future. We claim the primal Adventist impulse: a longing to be with Jesus.” In 2010, a group of Adventist pastors, including Alex Bryan, Tim Gillespie, Dany Hernandez, Eddie Hypolite, Japhet De Oliveira, Sam Leonor and Terry Swenson, met in Denver to talk about the church and share their passion for Jesus. Amongst the conversation they created the idea for the One Project. The One Project has done events all over the country in cities such as Chicago, Seattle and San Diego, but also all over the world including England, New Zealand and Finland. In

Verbs: The Longo and Short Twenty-four years ago, Professor Lawrence Longo from Loma Linda University granted an endowment to Pacific Union College in honor of his parents. His gift was used to host lectures on faith, knowledge and human values. The series was a success and came to be known by the name of the family who instigated the idea: Longo Lectures. Feb. 18, the twelfth Longo lecture was held in Scales Chapel. Unfortunately, Professor Longo passed away earlier this year but his strides to deepen education and faith live on through the lecture series that bears his name. In the latest iteration in the Longo series,

The PUC team at the One Project: Back Row: Pastor Shantel Smith, George Tuyu, Robell Manna, Japhet Perez, Avery Lay, Pastor Jonathan Henderson, Fabio Maia; Second Row: Miranda Mailand, Judith Mendoza; Front Row: Angel Castillo, Lauren Cline. Photo by Fabio Maia. upcoming events the next two years, the One Project will meet in Boulder, Colorado; Sydney, Australia; and San Diego. For the first time, the One Project is launching their own mission trips in July. One will be to Vietnam and the other to Cambodia. The One Project will be pairing up with ADRA and RAWImpact to make these mission trips possible. For more information about the One Project, their future events and mission trips, visit https://the1project.org/.

By Chris Vance

professor and writer Marilyn McEntyre imparted insights into the power and proper care of words in her lecture, “Peace, Love, and a Few Good Verbs.” McEntyre wrangled words skillfully, as her baker’s dozen of published books attest. In fact, she recently received a book award from Christianity Today. McEntyre opened up her presentation with the declaration “We’re going to talk about verbs.” She asked the audience to consider what a single verb has the power to accomplish. Slightly modifying the verb in a sentence transforms the whole sentence. For example, a writer can scratch out a poem, or

Dr. Marilyn McEntyre speaks at the Longo Lecture Feb. 18 in Scales Chapel about language. The lecture was attended by students, faculty, staff and community members. Photo by Nikki Neumann.

Campus Chronicle

the words can flow from the hand. Both verbs describe the creation of a poem, but the two images conjured in our minds are quite different. “Scratch” sounds thin and spidery while “flow” implies the freedom of a river. Because the meaning of a statement can change drastically by utilizing different variations of verbs, McEntyre believes that “verbs are where honesty matters most.” She stressed the danger of ambiguous language in contemporary society, pointing an accusing finger at political jargon. Over-complicated language causes many readers to skim or put down a document altogether. Unfortunately, some business and political documents are intentionally constructed in a dense manner in order to add glaze to the eyes of those who might disagree. Luckily for the students and faculty at PUC, we attend a liberal arts college. McEntyre praised liberal arts institutions, stressing how they strive to dig up the underlying meaning behind why we do what we do. We as stu-

Sundance 2016

dents are encouraged to understand the subtle nuance, which the right verb can bring to a sentence. In order to use the right verb, however, we first have to be aware of its existence. When discussing the role of writers in society, Dr. McEntyre said, “Writers reclaim words lost by bland societal language.” As technology improves, the messages we share with each other become shorter. From speech, to letters, to email, to texting, our word count dwindles, causing us to forget about less common words. In response to audience questions about communication on social media, McEntyre said, “It’s a real loss not to write out full words as we lose the history of the words and how they relate to each other.” Indeed, loss of vocabulary already plagues portions of social media. Messages written in cyberspace often read as shallow or dry. Taking the time to choose a more descriptive verb adds both life and clarity to our sentences — better reflecting out intentions and emotions. For ex-

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ample, the sentence, “I’m going there,” is dull and uninformative compared to “I’m swaggering to history class.” Our words make sense of the turbulent emotions churning within our minds. The more verbs we have at our disposal, the better we can express ourselves. Without an understanding of subtle differences between verbs, the perspectives of other people are more difficult to comprehend. Here’s a challenge when writing — be it an essay or a text — place intention behind verb choice. Read what you write before sending it off. Forge sentences to express not just what you are doing, but who you are.

By Julian Ybarra

The coldest I have ever been in my life was about a month ago when eight other students, two professors, and I arrived in Park City, Utah, for the Sundance Film Festival. After an excruciating 12-hour drive in which none of us got any sleep, we stood bleary and wide-eyed in a grocery store parking lot, dressed for the chilly Angwin weather, but not at all prepared for the snow surrounding us. Starbucks drinks in our hands and going through our luggage for heavier jackets, Sundance began for us. From that point onward, Sundance was a rush: hopping on buses, treading through snow, catching an Uber, running from showing to showing, Q&A to Q&A, panel to panel, with a few moments in between to stuff food down the hatch or swallow gulps of warm coffee. It was amazing. Being at a film festival is like summer camp, in that the beds are uncomfortable and everybody has something in common. At a film festival, everybody loves cinema and we all just chug that cinematic Kool-Aid. Now most

people like movies, but for us film majors it is different. We can sit and talk about different movies for hours, and generally before 10 minutes is up all our friends wants us to shut up. However, at Sundance, it is different. Sundance is filled with cinema geeks and the freaks who call movies “films.” We all have something in common. After watching a film, we can sit on the bus and have conversations with people who have also just seen it and about what they have seen. It is a very welcoming environment. Sundance was like being “home,” as senior AJ Scarpino put it. For everyone who hasn’t been in snow before: it sucks, but the sound it makes when you step on it is oddly satisfying — somewhere between crunchy leaves and a big puddle. Movies to keep an eye out for in the coming year; Birth of a Nation, the story of the Nat Turner Slave Rebellion; Morris from America, the story of the only black kid in Heidelberg, Germany; Swiss Army Man, the story of a flatulent corpse; Lobster, about a man trying to

Attendees of Sundance listen to a Q&A with the directors and sound engineer of the new film, Swiss Army Man. Photo by Tim de la Torre. find love and not get turned into a lobster, in theaters March 11; Agnus Dei, about a convent of nuns in post-war Europe; and Green Room, the story of a punk rock band besieged by a bunch of filthy skinheads, in theaters April 29.

vol. xcii

March 3, 2016

PUC Student Awarded Miss Mendocino County Crown By Ashley Camacho

Michelle Goodman is the first child of Randy and Nancy Goodman as well as the older sister of her brother David. She is a freshman at Pacific Union College studying education, hoping to specialize in elementary education. Michelle mentions that she “really likes teaching new skills. It’s really rewarding.” She currently receives the Dean’s Scholarship and holds a 3.89 GPA. “Michelle is always smiling and full of excitement when I interact with her,” said Talissa Romero, her Resident Assistant in Winning Hall. “I am glad to have her as a resident because she adds a spark to our hall.” Goodman is also the new proud owner of the Miss Mendocino County crown as of Feb. 6. Goodman, from Ukiah, California, competed against five other young women for the Miss Mendocino County title. This was Goodman’s first time participating in a pageant. She came to realize that running for Miss Mendocino County quickly escalated from being a fun experience into an important matter, saying, “I realized I was taking it more seriously when I was driving back to school at 5 a.m. for classes.” By winning Miss Mendocino County 2016, Goodman received a $5,000 scholarship for her education. Winning Miss Mendocino County also allows for her to compete for Miss California from June 28 to July 2, in Fresno, California. The Miss Mendocino County pageant was a great opportunity for Goodman, a lifeguard, to share with others her passion for water education. “Water education is taken for granted,” Goodman emphasized. Lifeguarding has been a part of Goodman’s life for almost three

years now. During this time, she has taught about 100 kids how to swim. “It’s my passion,” Goodman shares. She recalled the moment when she realized the importance of water education: “While working at a high school pool one summer, someone who had no experience swimming was pressured by their friends to go on the diving board and jump off. The 15-yearold girl immediately began to drown as she fell into 12 feet of water. A 15-year-old should know their limits!” As a result of this experience, Goodman realized that she had to make water education lessons more accessible. Miss Mendocino County is not the only title that Goodman has held. During her time as a student at Monterey Bay Academy, she held the office of religious vice president, was involved in senate and was also a RA. These are all important positions that helped her grow into the giving person that she is today. Goodman raised $6,000 as she ran for Miss Mendocino County by going to different businesses. At one point, she split a $1,000 donation with a competitor because the other woman was not raising enough. Now that she’s won, there are four parts to the crown: style, service, success and scholarship. Goodman said service and success are the most important to her because it gives her the opportunity to do her best. “I’m not going to change who I am just because I’m going on to Miss California,” Goodman said. “I will still remember who I was before I won.” As Miss Mendocino County her duties are to promote water safety. She will have to visit schools around Mendocino County teaching the importance of water safety and educate

PUC freshman Michelle Goodman is crowned Miss Mendocino County Feb. 6. The pageant was her first, and she now has the opportunity to continue to the Miss California competition. those around her. Along with the water safety promotion, Goodman will help support new girls who are interested in running for Miss Mendocino County. Goodman has been invited to run for Miss Napa Valley 2017, which Goodman is considering. Verna Jacobs has been Goodman’s pageant sponsor and supporter through the whole process. “My county director is amazing; she’s my biggest supporter. … I’m blessed to have her,” Goodman states. Goodman believes that any young woman is qualified to run in a pageant and thinks it’s a great way to get involved in the community. If you are interested in following Goodman’s pageant journey or have any questions to get involved, ask her or add her on Facebook.

Campus Chronicle

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Dr. Heather Joy Knight: Seeking Greatness for PUC By Tara Hattendorf You see her around campus, walking with well-dressed, official-looking guests. With her bright smile she greets students who pass her. In Colloquy she welcomes everyone and her singing voice carries across the church during the opening hymn. Dr. Heather J. Knight has been at Pacific Union College for seven years now, but how much do you know about her? What does our college president do? Dr. Knight arrived at PUC in 2009 after being the provost (Chief Academic Officer) of Andrews University for three years. She first taught English for nine years at the University of the Pacific, specializing in twentieth century American and African American literature. While there she became extremely active in the university community and was given the opportunity to become the assistant, and later associate provost in the university’s administration, where she continued to learn about many aspects of administration and university life for another nine years. From there she applied for the provost position at Andrews University in Michigan, and despite having never

Earlier Life & Adventist Education Born in Jamaica, Knight moved to New York City with her parents when she was nine years old and attended a specialized high school for the arts, the H.S. of Music and Art and Performing Arts, in the city. “I was an artsy city kid!” As a first-generation college student, Knight relied on her teachers to figure out her course for higher education, but she also relied on her friends, following their “positive peer pressure.” After taking the SATs because that’s what her friends were doing, Knight then went to Howard University in Washington, D.C. on a National Competitive Scholarship to

worked in the Adventist educational system previously, she got the job. “I was able to go in with God’s help and do a quick reset,” Knight said about turning the university’s enrollment and finances around. “Three years later the opening happened here at PUC, and I was asked to apply. It was really coming back home to California.” Of the three candidates interviewed, Knight got the position as president. Knight is the first female president in PUC’s history. Knight says that being our first female president is a “wonderful responsibility” and “an opportunity to break the glass ceiling.” For the first five years of her tenure, Knight was the only female Adventist college president, and she remains the only woman in many committees that she serves on. “I thank God for the chance to be able to be the person to have those breakthroughs,” Knight said. “It is extra responsibility — you’re breaking through stereotypes of what women can and cannot do.” People question a woman’s abilities as a college president and whether one can and should be at the center rather than the marstudy English. Despite her enjoyment of her education, Knight explained, “After two years there I was getting a little antsy. It wasn’t an Adventist school — and I was raised Adventist — and some of my friends from my church in New York had started to hear about Oakwood College.” Knight said, “I was yearning for a more spiritual context, so I transferred to Oakwood and had a wonderful time.” Knight first moved to California in order to obtain her Master’s Degree in English at Loma Linda University, and then she earned her Ph.D. at Stanford. With various secular as well as spiritual educational experiences, Knight said, “I feel like I’ve had the best of both worlds.” This educational background

PUC President Dr. Heather Joy Knight is currently in her seventh year at PUC and has plans for the college to enjoy many more years of success. gins, but Knight said, “I have felt that if God opens doors for me, He is going to equip me to do a good job.” As a woman, Knight is sympathetic with the place of women in the Adventist church. Despite her disappointment at the failure to pass allows Knight to understand and appreciate the strengths of both environments. “My own vision is how to put all of that together: the best practices that you might see in secular higher education, but also the distinctive features of being in an Adventist context.” Because Knight spent so many years working in education in secular environments, Knight understands the importance of Adventist education. This is one of her key points in her Presidential Platform: the Adventist Advantage. In an Adventist institution, Knight said, “You go there and you can have a real grounding in your faith. You can meet other friends and you can have ‘positive peer pressure,’ to do the right things and have the right values.”

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women’s ordination in the San Antonio General Conference Session last summer, Knight explained that the NAD and PUC are committed to including more female pastors. The NAD has a current initiative to bring more female pastors into the church. PUC has also worked hard to increase female pastors on our own campus, including Pastor Shantel Smith, who joined PUC as assistant chaplain in 2014. The college also recently voted to hire a new female religion teacher, Dr. Christine Vetne, who will begin teaching next year. By having more women in the religion department and the church, Knight hopes to also increase the numbers of female religion and theology students. “It takes that type of commitment to say we are going to do this and really get it done,” Knight said. In addition to being the first female president at PUC, Knight is also the first black female Adventist college or university president in North America. Being often one of only a few black women, if not the only one, on different committees, there is what Knight describes as an “onus of representation.” In her many roles serving on boards and committees around the country, Knight says that “every meeting is important” because of the groups she represents, including, most importantly, being a representative of PUC. Often Knight’s responsibilities as president take her away from campus. Knight serves on a long list of boards and committees in the local area, in California higher education, as well as within the Adventist church. She is the current president of the Association of Adventist Colleges and Universities, which includes all 13 Adventist colleges and universities in North America. There is a natural limit to how many committees Knight can be a part of, and that happened recently when Knight was appointed to the General Conference Executive Committee, the highest-level committee in the Adventist Church, but she declined the honored position. “I can’t see myself having to be away from campus two more times a year,” she said. “It would be a disservice to our campus to have to be away for a week each time.”

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On campus, Knight has many goals for PUC, and she has accomplished many already, including helping to grow enrollment from 1360 students to above 1670 in her years as president. Knight’s Strategic Plan, titled The PUC Advantage, has been in action since 2011. Encompassing all aspects of the college, Knight’s Strategic Plan seeks to improve PUC in terms of academics, spiritual life, marketing and enrollment, advancement, student life, finances and assets. Knight and her administrative team have successfully turned PUC’s finances around thanks to the increase in enrollment and revenue and decreasing expenses. Many facilities renovations on campus, such as the renovations of the Dining Commons and Campus Center, the Nelson Memorial Library, several residence hall lobbies and bathrooms, as well as the Enrollment Office and expanded Internet bandwidth have been accomplished under her leadership. Recalling her favorite memories of her time at PUC, Knight says she most enjoys when she can meet with the students and the community experiences, such as the start-of-the-year Welcome Back Celebration. Knight also includes Colloquy as one of her favorite parts of PUC, and in her busy schedule she tries to be here for each Colloquy. Based on negative student feedback, Knight explained that a few years into her presidency she made the decision to make the Colloquy Speaker Series every other week, rather than weekly, and to feature more high-quality speakers. “I think that has worked well,” she said. “I enjoy when students say, ‘I really enjoyed that colloquy, or ‘I’m looking forward to colloquy,’ because that’s not the way it was several years ago.” Knight and her husband, Dr. Norman Knight, PUC’s Outreach Chaplain, have eight adult children. This makes her particularly empathetic in understanding college students and our needs, Knight says. “As a mom, when I walked through those dorms, I wanted those bathrooms to be fixed. I said, I wouldn’t want my son in that bathroom, let’s get it fixed. I bring that more maternal instinct to it, to say, ‘What would I want for my own children?’ I

A Mother’s Advice “I do understand the student experience because I am a mom, and I have children who have different gifts and talents. What I tell them is there are many different pathways to success. Try to find out what God has gifted you to do, . . . and then see what doors God will open for you, and He will make a way.” want quality education, a quality experience at PUC.” When there are problems that need to be fixed, Knight wants students to know that she is approachable. “They can come and talk to me. I’m happy to hear what’s going on.” Using the cafeteria bill as an example, Knight explained that she enjoys meeting with the students to discuss what the key issues are in order to fix problems. “We are creative problem solvers,” Knight said, and she particularly favors the “elegant solution” for different situations that students and the college may face. “One of my mottos coming here was ‘Going from good to great,” Knight said, based on the business book by Jim Collins. In planning for PUC’s future, Knight asks herself, “How do we become a great institution? How do we become a national model as a Christian national liberal arts college? We are the only institution of that type in the Adventist system.” In her years as president of PUC, Knight describes her success so far, but still envisions more greatness: “We’ve gone from being a regional baccalaureate college before 2009, to now being on a bigger stage.” She continues seeking excellence for PUC in making it “a more prestigious institution academically and spiritually,” and achieving “whatever greatness God has in store for us.” To answer the question why does PUC have to be a “great” institution, Knight said, “Because we serve a great God, and nothing less will do.”

Campus Chronicle

Women’s Soccer Intramurals By Sara Toussaint

Sweat, tears and some falling ... dedication and competition are what I see during these women’s soccer intramural games. They show teamwork, leading to winning a game. There are five women’s teams who are playing against each other this quarter. Dalia Hernandez, junior biology major and religion minor, plays the goalie for one of the women’s soccer intramural teams. Hernandez played soccer for two years in high school and three years in college. She likes to kick balls to warm up before a game. While playing a game, she always thinks about her team and winning. Hernandez said, “What I love about intramurals is that we can be ‘enemies’ — opponents on the field — but friends outside of the field. Also I’m glad to be part of a team this year that is so connected and determined. Our team describes us ‘Amigas on Fuego.’”

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Find Your Jam By Hannah Barnes

Gabriela McLeggan, junior film major, likes to play soccer and watch the women’s intramural team on Tuesdays. She has been playing soccer since middle school, and she said, “I love the game.” McLeggan is currently a player in the women’s intramural team. The women’s soccer intramural teams play every Tuesday in the gym, and PUC always wins. Well they are playing PUC vs. PUC, so they always win but the whole point of intramurals is to have fun. The championship game will be held March 12.

Spotify plays a large role in the day to day life of the average college student. Providing playlists for just about every workout and every mood, you are pretty much set. A problem I have found, though, is trying to find a playlist for all my chill, studying needs. My playlist recommendation this week is “Weirdo Pop.” The reason I love this playlist so much is because it gives me the chill indie vibe mixed with the fun pop vibe that is perfect for studying. It’s not so bouncy that you can’t sit still, or so chill that it will make you fall asleep. So if you are looking for the perfect studying playlist or just some new tunes, I highly recommend Weirdo Pop. Find your jam, friends.

Politics for Dummies: 2016 Presidential Race By Aaron Jebb Hernandez

The recent presidential campaign has been fought on the racing roads of the Internet superhighway. Now, I’ve never been a political person so, as your political correspondent, know that my information is based off of the minute data I have gathered from social media. Disclaimer: I understand that the argument of “this is why the youth today is irresponsible, immature and yada yada” can be easily made for such an article. Know that these are simply a wannabe correspondent’s opinions on a serious topic. I seek to bring lightheartedness and even awareness to an aspect of society that has long been seen as a game for an older audience. If this makes the idea of politics more palpable or interesting for someone, then it would have been worth it. Now, imagine the presidential campaign as something along the lines of your stereotypical high school comedy. It is time to choose the class valedictorian. Sure, there was the joke

vote of Deez N., and who can forget Vermin Supreme (if you haven’t heard of him, please do yourself a favor and look up his inspirational campaign). But you’ve really got six contenders for the valedictorian. (George’s little brother is homeschooled for the year so he’s ineligible.) #FeeltheBern You have Bernie Sanders, a super senior held back a couple of years who goes out of his way to be the center of all jokes so that freshmen don’t have to worry about being made fun of. He was homeschooled so no one really knows a lot about him, but boy did his charisma cause his popularity to skyrocket. After climbing up the social ladder, he is currently the leader of the student council, fighting for free lunch. Sanders’ platform is one for the people — the younger people. As far as I know, he wants to make college free for everyone in public colleges. Unfortunately, that doesn’t apply to

Pacific Union College, but it’s still a nice sentiment. He’s become the token child for the new generation. His views are fresh-faced and progressive (which I gather from how almost everyone I know under the age of 30 loves him). Read more about Sanders on our website. Link at end of article. #Chillary Then, there’s Hillary Clinton. Her boyfriend was really popular before he graduated so she thought this was her chance to finally be the star. But on the first day back from break, she dropped her lunch in the middle of the cafeteria. She uses a typewriter to stay away from the negativity of cyber-bullying — and because someone stole her laptop. Her password is always HillaryClinton1. I actually know two — that’s right, two — things about Clinton’s campaign. One, she would be the first female president of the Unit-

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March 3, 2016

Trump is truly a diabolical genius, a litmus test for the American populace. His platform is built on intolerance and blatant ignorance. People love it. He is a traveling, one-man circus. You see the acrobats leap through burning hoops and “ahh” in amazement, but you know that you could never see that talent being useful in running the country. The media loves this man. He has stupid catchphrases and a huge personality. I mean, what else could we expect? The Apprentice was on for a long time. Whether or not people like it, if I were to hum the opening song, (“Money money money #WeShallOvercombe “You’re fired,” says Donald Trump to the caf- money, MONEY”), people would see his face. eteria lady for refusing to serve his food directly Trump is a celebrity. He already has power. Read more about Trump, Dr. Ben Carson to his table. Adamant at being called by his last name, Trump is a proud trust fund baby. He and Senator Ted Cruz on our website. Link at has weekly parties with the debate team on his end of article. yacht off the coast (which is three hours away). No one else is ever invited but you know that #HonorableMentions • Carly Purina Dog Chow it’s happening from his 200-plus-second Snap• Chrispy Creme Cristie chat stories. ed States. Let’s get that out of the way first. I mean, it’s about time. Ever since she announced her campaign, one of my biggest concerns was the backlash that would come because of her gender. Did it happen? Probably. To the extent I expected? Not nearly as close. Sure, everyone bashes Clinton for her attempts at diving into youth culture but at least it’s not because she’s an old woman. It’s because she’s an old person. Read more about Clinton on our website. Link at end of article.

The Impact of Online Communities The knowledge the Internet provides and the social permission to openly be who we are has had a powerful and largely positive effect on the world and on people. One of seemingly infinite ways the Internet has impacted us is in our hobbies, our interests and knowledge of the world. The modern age has brought increasing acceptance of complexity and diversity in people. We are allowed to openly be both geeks and jocks, goths and cheerleaders, etc. We are allowed to be openly passionate and are encouraged to pursue those passions. We aren’t as restricted by labels and metaphorical boxes. When people are allowed to be passionate, they often end up being powerful forces for change in the world, and the communities they form around their shared passions or interests have been the major source of that power to effect change. A great example of this is the Harry Potter Alliance, a nonprofit activist organization run primarily by Harry Potter fans. It channels the passion and enthusiasm of fan-

• Rubio’s Authentic Mexican Cuisine • Mark Hucka-Bees? • Martin “Only Knew About Him Until He Dropped Out” O’Malley It’s not easy to get into the rampant show that is the 2016 election but I’m very, very confident in our country. Politics is no laughing matter. But seeing these teens fight for the crown of valedictorian is a lot more entertaining. Whether it’s super senior Sanders or conspiracy theorist Carson, I look forward to the upcoming presidency — especially because it gives way to the next election batch. So far, my votes go to Michelle Obama or Kanye. Until next time, this is your friendly, misinformed political correspondent signing out. Read the full article: chronicle.ink/2016/03/politics-for-dummies-2016-presidential-race

By Andrea James

dom to make the world a better place. Another great example is the VlogBrothers, Hank and John Green, who have created a community that encourages respectful and thoughtful discussion, “reducing world suck,” un-ironic enthusiasm, love and acceptance. They also created the Project for Awesome, an annual, community-driven event on YouTube that last year raised over $1.5 million for charity. These two communities have clearly had a strong positive impact on the world, and there are so many more communities which exist and are constantly forming. These communities have not only affected the world, but have also on a smaller yet equally important scale helped individuals find a place where they can share and receive love, acceptance, joy, laughter, friendship, pain, suffering, experiences, etc. They have found support networks no less valid or real than “IRL” ones. A 2015 study by Louise F. Pendrya and Jessica Salvatoreb found that online discussion forums benefit individuals and society,

that they are positively linked to well-being for stigmatized people and that forum use is linked to offline civic engagement. Additionally, Sanjay Nath, the Director of the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology at Widener University, stated, “There are many online communities and forums that provide a means for those suffering with a mental disorder to connect with others who may be sharing their struggle. Given that most mental health services are concentrated in urban areas, such online experiences can be life changing for those in more rural communities and for those with issues and problems that are not as common.” With anxiety levels of college students at rates roughly equal to those of mental patients in the 1950s and 27–33 percent feeling “too depressed to function,” these support networks are sorely needed by today’s college students, and even people outside of college.

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The Black Lives Matter Movement Moves into Pop Culture 1968 Olympic Gold Medalist Tommie Smith speaks at PUC By Malek Sheen The Black Lives Matter movement is a national activist movement that advocates racial equality and campaigns against the violence of all minorities. The movement started on social media after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the trial for Trayvon Martin in 2013. Recently the Black Lives Matter movement has grown into a revolution forcing the attention of politicians and even penetrating into the depths of pop culture. During the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, Grammy-winner Kendrick Lamar began his performance walking out in chains to perform his songs “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright.” Lamar finally ended his performance with a never-before-heard song. “On February 26 I lost my life, too,” said Lamar in the song, referencing the death of Trayvon Martin. Lamar’s performance ended with him as a silhouette and a bright image of Africa behind him, with the words “Compton” in the middle. Rapper LL Cool J called Lamar’s act controversial before it even began, but perhaps no act in decades of civil rights movements was more controversial than the “human rights salute” of the 1968 Olympic Games. In an event hosted by PUC’s Black Student Union, Dr. Tommie C. Smith, the gold medalist who raised his fist during the anthem of the 1968 Olympic Games, flew for five hours on

Feb. 16 to Pacific Union College to speak on his experiences with racism. “The word racism means,” said Smith, “any program or practice of racial segregation, persecution or domination.” Smith explained to PUC about how he actually didn’t want to raise his fist that day. He had been receiving death threats leading up to the games but had to stand still for the entire anthem. He joked that even a blind person could hit him with a rifle during the anthem. Smith also spoke on following your dreams and tied that into Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. “Racism is still alive and well,” said Smith. And this is true: racism is still alive and well. We see racism in the Ku Klux Klan rally held on Feb. 28 in Anaheim, California, which led to the stabbing of three people; we see racism virtually every time Donald Trump talks about immigration; and unfortunately, we see racism in our own Seventh-day Adventist home, as happened Feb. 26 when an African-American goes to Southern Adventist University to preach, only to discover later that students were using Yik Yak to post insensitive and racist comments about the speaker during the worship service. Racism is alive and health, and that is at the heart of what the Black Lives Matter movement is trying to counteract. Caucasian rapper Macklemore uses a perti-

So You Think You’re Ace The definition of asexual in the dictionary is a person with no sexual feelings or desires. While that is correct it is also very generalized because there are a lot of misconceptions about being asexual, or “ace.” People who identify this way are often labeled as prudes by people who don’t understand the concept of not having sexual relations to achieve ultimate intimacy. Humans are sexual beings by nature and, what with the sexualization of intimacy, it has

U.S. Olympian Dr. Tommie C. Smith, known for his silent gesture for civil rights at the 1968 Olympic Games, shown on the screen, speaks to PUC students and community members in Dauphinee Hall Feb. 16. Photo by Nikki Neumann. nent analogy in his new single, “White Privilege II,” to explain the Black Lives Matter movement. “If there was a subdivision and a house was on fire, the fire department wouldn’t show up and start putting water on all the houses because ‘all houses matter.’ They would show up and they would turn their water on the house that was burning because that’s the house that needs the help the most.” Perhaps Smith had a point when he said, “It’s a long way forward from the back seat of the bus.” BSU is still selling shirts of the iconic 1968 Olympic Games. Talk to any of the BSU officers to buy one today.

By Hannah Barnes

become the norm to believe that you cannot achieve pure intimacy in a romantic relationship unless sex is involved. For asexuals this is not true: they crave intimacy, but on levels other than a sexual one. Another huge misconception of someone being ace is that it means you are just swearing off of sexual intercourse for the time being, but in the end you will eventually go back to having sex in your relationships. This is not asexu-

ality; this is celibacy. For asexuals, lack of sexual attraction is not a choice, which is what puts them in the acronym LGBTQIA+. You mean the A doesn’t stand for ally? That’s right! The A in LGBTQIA+ stands for asexual, because just like being lesbian or transgender, it is not a choice: it is who you are. Don’t get me wrong, when I was first coming to terms with my own asexuality I was very confused; then someone told me an analogy

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“For asexuals, lack of sexual attraction is not a choice, which is what puts them in the acronym LGBTQIA+.” that helped me better understand it. It begins with the age-old saying, “Sex is better than cake.” For asexuals, that couldn’t be more untrue; we would say, “Cake is better than sex.” This analogy allows people to begin understanding that asexuals can have the same euphoria from eating cake, or literally doing anything else, as “sexuals” (allosexuals) do from sexual relations. Now, just because being asexual generally

March 3, 2016

means you aren’t physically attracted to someone doesn’t mean there aren’t a few exceptions. People on the ace spectrum can range from wanting no physical contact at all, be it because it makes them uncomfortable or they just don’t feel any need for it, to only enjoying kissing and/or cuddling. In the Buzzfeed video “I’m Asexual but I’m Not…” a group of people tell you what they aren’t, as well as what they are, despite being asexual. This short but poignant video showcased how being asexual doesn’t make you a completely different species. We aren’t broken, or robots. We can still be significant others and we can still do jobs the same way anyone else can do them. The 2011 documentary (A)sexuals follows the story of several people who identify as asexual. One of the stories that they followed was that of AVEN (Asexual Visibility & Education Network) founder, David Jay. Through his entire story we see the relationships he has

built fall away and leave him desperate enough to enter a partnership where sex plays a big part, so that he can receive the type of intimacy he wants and needs. There is such a stigma against even the idea of asexualtiy that asexual people have decided that they have to give in and be in relationships where sex plays a large role because they have begun to feel like that is the only way they can get the intimacy they crave. In the long run, no one can tell you who you are. Your feelings are valid. Asexuality is not a choice, and if you feel this way, I encourage you to talk to someone and try to realize that you are not a weirdo, and that there is nothing wrong with you. You are not a freak and you are not alone. Check out our sister article for asexuality about aromanticism in our next issue.

Jessica Jones and the Burden of Victimhood  (Trigger Warning: Article contains notable lack of sunshine, rainbows, or cat pictures) “Rape” is a word that rightfully elicits powerful emotional reactions from all of us, and while discussions about uncomfortable topics are critical to societal development, it becomes a problem when the controversy becomes more important than the victims themselves. I know far too many people with strong opinions about rape who are less concerned with solving the problem and more concerned with making sure everybody knows that they’re not a rapist. More often than not, it’s these very vocal people who dominate the debate, drowning out the voices of actual rape victims. Media depictions of rape on the other hand, aren’t so much incorrect as they are insufficient, rarely going beyond “rape is bad and rapists are bad.” When a character is raped on film or television, the purpose is either to motivate another character, or to make us despise the villain. In both cases, it’s not about the victim. This isn’t inherently a bad thing, but when this

is the full extent to which we are willing to depict rape, we have unintentionally dehumanized rape victims. That is perhaps why the Netflix series Jessica Jones has resonated so strongly with audiences, sexual assault victims in particular. Rape is a narrative device used to explore the victim, and broadens our understanding of the character rather than reducing them to the status of “rape victim.” For those who aren’t aware, Jessica Jones is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. The alcoholic private investigator (who also possesses superhuman strength) resides in New York City and the darker corners of the Marvel Comics mythos, and the series strongly suggests that she is a rape victim of the series antagonist, Kevin Thompson (a.k.a. Kilgrave), a charming psychopath with the ability to control people’s minds. (If my description of the show makes it sound silly, you need to, well, see it.) The implied rape chronologically happens long before the series takes place, making the series about Jessica coping with the

By Jonathan Salvador

knowledge of her rape, the fact that her rapist is still out there, and that there’s nothing she can do about it. What differentiates herself from the typical narrative rape victim is her rape stays with her. I’m not going to pretend to know what dealing with rape is like, but from what I understand, the consequences of being raped go far beyond the actual experience of being violently overpowered and abused. Being raped means living with the knowledge that you’ve lost the right to your own body. It means knowing that you’ve lost a part of yourself that you can never get back. “Victim” is a permanent aspect of your identity. It doesn’t matter if it wasn’t your fault. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want to be considered a victim. You still feel ashamed in a way no one other than fellow victims understands. One individual allowed me to quote them directly: “Being in proximity with the person or knowing they were there or even smelling their cologne is so triggering to the point

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where many victims may start crying without even knowing why, but their subconscious is so wounded to the point where little reminders can ruin their day. Time does heal, but the experience never leaves you and therefore shapes who you are.” Jessica Jones is such an important character for our time because she is equal parts victim and savior, and neither trait negates the other. Her status as a strong female protagonist does nothing to change the fact that she was at one time helpless at the hands of a man, made even worse by the fact that she wasn’t physically overpowered. She was made to consent (mind control, remember.) Yet, while being strong doesn’t make her any less of a victim, being a victim doesn’t make her any less strong either. She not only continues to live her life, but she also actively works to prevent Kilgrave from hurting anyone else, moving beyond the role we expect a victim to play. Why is it so important that we get a proper

Upcoming Events • March 5: SA Talent Show

depiction of a sexual assault victim in real life? Because fiction matters. It’s where most of us came to understand the world around us, and it’s the most powerful way we communicate with each other. Jessica Jones is important for the same reason female and racial minority characters are important, or why stories about humanity’s worst atrocities like slavery or the holocaust are important. By consuming media, we are hearing the stories of people, and the story of rape victims is one we need to hear. I like to think that her character has enabled victims of all kinds to regain a sense of agency — that maybe, over the course of time, victims can not only tolerate their situation, but have I lied about the cat pictures. the courage to take control once again. That doesn’t mean that the past didn’t happen, or seling. PUC has also partnered with the mobile that you should pretend that it didn’t. What application SchoolDude CrisisManager to proit means is that it’s time for all of us, victims vide information about various emergencies, inincluded, to start thinking of victims as people. cluding assault. In case of an emergency, call 911 and Public Safety at (707) 965-7111. Sexual assault is a serious issue, but there are trained individuals at PUC who can help, and the Counseling Center is available for any coun-

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• March 10: Senior Recognition Colloquy • March 12: SA Movie Night • March 17: Spring Break Begins

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