Sonoma State STAR Issue 11

First-Gen students celebrated by SSU

NOAH CLARKE STAFF WRITER

Last week, on Nov. 8, Sonoma State University proudly recognized the experiences of First Generation students and their families by joining colleges across the nation celebrating the 2022 CelebrateFirstGen cam paign. The event celebrated the journeys of First-Gen students and their families, culminating in a national day of celebration which coincided with the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965.

Students were invited to gather outside of the library, take selfies, grab some snacks and just absorb the impact of first-gen students. Sea wolves were also encouraged to share their stories on social media, dis cussing personal first-gen experiences or those of classmates and col leagues.

Ojeda Davis, Jr., a first-year SSU philosophy student shared some feelings that come with his first-gen student background that were fea tured in an Instagram post from @sonomastateuniversity. “It means a lot to me to be a First-Generation student in my family. I feel like I’m paving the way for not only myself but for those who come after me. Breaking this cycle means a lot to me,” Davis said.

The on campus celebration was organized by the SSU TRIO Student Support Services Department. The federally funded department aims to support students facing disadvantages, such as first-generation, low income and students with disabilities.

Another student, Serena Chan, a second year Human Development student also shared her experiences on the @sonomastateuniversity Ins

Why some students are already decking the halls

CALVIN ZELJAK STAFF WRITER

It’s November and the orange leaves of fall still fill the trees, but Christ mas decorations can already be seen across Rohnert Park and Sonoma State’s campus despite Christmas tree lots in surrounding cities still being closed.

Over recent years, the passing of Halloween has spurred people to start grabbing for their Christmas lights and wreaths. Even Starbucks starts serving holiday cups and drinks at the start of November. Despite there being a whole other holiday in between Halloween and Christian, Thanksgiving.

For SSU senior Dirk Tolson, Christmas has always reminded him of the happy times he had enjoying the Holiday while growing up. “I just think it makes people happier to see all the lights and bright colors associated with the holiday,” Tolson said.

Cold winds and rain storms mark the end of fire season

JHERY MAE MONTEZA STAFF WRITER

Recent weather events have marked the end of the wildfire season, bringing with it freezing temperatures and what some have called the strongest storm of the season

Between Monday and Tuesday of last week, gusts of wind ranging from about 35 mph to 45 mph and heavy rain swept through the North Bay. The storm also brought with it a single lightning strike. The storm grew more powerful as it progressed through California. There was even a tornado that touched down in Sacramento. The tornado brought with it gusts of up to 70 mph and left a path about 0.8 miles long with a width of 400 yards.

Following last week’s storm, freezing temperatures quickly arrived. On Thursday, The National Weather Service issued a frost advisory from midnight to 9 a.m. since temperatures were expected to drop as low as 29 degrees F. Clear skies and light winds might have played a role in the freezing conditions.

Kaitlyn Purcell, a recent graduate who’s still taking a few classes on campus, also decorated early for the upcoming holiday. “It’s a time of the year where I get to reminisce about being a kid again,” said Purcell. She emphasized how she can’t get enough of the decorations and lights because they add a sense of comfort. “Since Halloween has ended, I can put away those decorations and replace them with Christmas. There’s nothing like getting ahead on the holiday spirit.”

These student accounts are in line with some common theories for the early decorations. The increase in fake tree sales from four million to 21 million from 2004 to 2017, according to a USA Today article, of fers a small explanation for early decorators. A more complete reason is explained by Psychologist Steve McKeown, who shared his theory in a Business Insider article, stating that it makes people happier because it reminds us of our childhood.

Research that can be found in the Journal of Environmental Psy chology indicates that people who decorate earlier are typically happier and friendlier. It’s easy to understand why higher amounts of happiness are commonly associated with Christmas. After all, it is typically the Holiday where people receive the most, and no question there is a longer period of time away from everyday life as opposed to other holiday’s. It’s much easier for us as humans to receive as opposed to give, making it that much simpler to glance over a holiday that centers around “giv ing” so much so that it’s in the name.

Despite some SSU students diving into the holiday spirit by dec orating early, others are remaining traditionalists and will decorate after

COURTESY// Sonoma State University email Students and their families celebrated the 2022 CelebrateFirstGen campaign across the nation last week. SSU students participated in the campaign event outside the library to share stories.

STAR // Willow Ornellas

Last week, a chill blew through campus with wind gusts between 35 and 40 mph. The storm was accompanied by strong rain and even led to a tornado near Sacramento.

THE STAR

Editorial Board

Nicholas Roth, Editor-in-Chief Willow Ornellas, News Editor

Mikayla Fritzemeier, Opinion Editor

Cléa Upcher, Arts & Entertainment and Photo Editor

Rosalee Padilla, Student Life Editor

Javier Hernandez, Sports & Health Editor

Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser

Staff Writers

Nicole Awwad, Charles Barrett, Devon Bly, Noah Clarke, Zachary Gonzales, Tyler Meloan, Jhery Mae Monteza, Paul Munoz, Kayle Norris, Marie’sa Rumsey, Daniel Serrano, Chasity Spady, Calvin Zeljak

Photographers

Cec Fernandez, Mariah Forster, Adriana Gonzalez

Nichols Hall 323, 1801 East Cotati Ave Rohnert Park, CA 94928

Telephone: 707-664-2776

Business & General Inquiries: sonomastatestar@gmail.com

Corrections and News Tips: star@sonoma.edu

Publication

The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. The weekly publication of the STAR is made possible by Instructionally Related Activities Funding.

Opinions

Opinions expressed in the STAR are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the STAR or SSU. The editorial reflects the views of the STAR Editorial Board on issues it considers to be of par ticular relevance to the campus community.

Editorial Policy

The commentary expressed in the unsigned editorial represents a majority opinion of the STAR Editorial Board on a topic facing the cam pus community in keeping with journalistic prec edents of other major newspapers, and may not be shared by all staff writers.

Election results are in, was your voice heard?

LAs usual, all House of Representatives seats

50 seats. One seat is still up in the air until Georgia’s runoff election in early December. If the Republican candidate wins the runoff election, Democrats will still have a major ity, since the tying vote goes to Vice Presi dent Kamala Harris.

In California, voters reelected Gavin Newsom and he will remain Governor of California, serving another four year term.

California also voted on many different propositions in this midterm election. Ac cording to the Associated Press, California voters voted yes on Proposition 28 increas ing spending on art programs in the U.S. This means that an estimated $1 billion will be set aside for funding music and arts edu cation.

Both propositions involving sports bet ting failed to pass, as well as a proposition that would’ve imposed a tax to support the purchase of electric vehicles. Proposition 29, which would have regulated staffing at kid ney dialysis clinics also did not pass. This is good news as the proposition would have required clinics to hire more physicians, which would increase costs and could cause reduced hours or clinic closures.

A majority of California voted yes on Proposition 31, upholding state laws that ban the sale of flavored tobacco. This pro tects the youth in California since many kids who start using tobacco start with a flavored product. According to Cal Matters, “This law would prevent companies from target ing kids and teens with advertising for fla vored products.”

Arguably, one of the most important

COURTESY // canva.com

nia voted yes for Proposition 1, securing the

nia, Michigan and Vermont all voted yes on adding explicit protection to abortion access. Kentucky voted no on amending their con stitution to state that there is no right to abor tion, which would have allowed for more re strictions. According to the New York Times, the measure in Montana “would criminalize health care providers who do not attempt life-saving care when an abortion results in a live birth, a very rare circumstance.” A majority of Montana’s citizens voted no on this measure.

SSU senior, Jessica Valdez, who was nominated to represent Sonoma State at a White House roundtable discussion with the Vice President to discuss abortion rights, said in an interview with SSU news, “It’s very terrifying when someone doesn’t have control over their own body. And taking abortion rights away means people are no longer in control of their own bodies. Sim ple as that. Abortion is a survival tool. And a lot of birthing people around the country suddenly don’t have access to that basic right anymore.”

The outcomes of these elections impact millions of people, so it is important to get out there and vote, even for midterm elec tions. According to day-after estimates from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), “27% of young people (ages 18-29) turned out to vote in the 2022 midterm election.” This is likely the second highest turnout rate for young voters since 2018’s historic 31% turnout rate.

Letters to the Editor:

Letters to the Editor are encouraged and will be considered for publication based on relevance, accuracy and timeliness . Submit letters of up to 300 words no lat er than the Friday before the publication date. Send letters to star@sonoma.edu, include your full name, year in school and city of residence.

Is it the flu, allergies, a cold or COVID-19?

vere acute respiratory syndrome (SARSCoV-2). The flu is caused by the influenza virus but both can give you fever, cough, headaches and body aches.

KAYLE NORRIS STAFF WRITER

Do you have a sore throat? Run ny nose? A cough that just won’t go away? Figuring out if you have the flu, allergies, a cold or COVID-19 can be tricky since the symptoms are so similar.

The flu and COVID-19 are caused by different viruses that can be spread through small parti cles that come from your nose and mouth. COVID-19 is caused by se

Colds are also caused by viruses and can be passed through to others. The dif ference with a cold is they tend to be mild with a runny nose, cough, congestion and sore throat. Sadly there is no cure for a common cold but some treatments doc tors recommend are rest, lots of fluids and common over the counter cold medicines. With the weather getting colder, flu and cold viruses tend to survive better making them more transmissible on sur faces. Many SSU students have been get ting sick over these last couple of weeks, struggling to get out of bed, make it to classes or even work.

Lyndsee Brewer, a freshman liberal studies hutchins major has been sick this past week with extreme brain fog, body aches and an extreme sore throat. Brewer

states, “My head felt like it was going to explode from the stress of not being able to go to my classes because I felt so crap py.” Brewer also explained how all of her friends are currently really sick and having to miss classes just like she did. This sick ness is not fun and many people are strug gling with school.

A junior communications major, Veda Dean has been talking to her friends about how everyone has suddenly gotten so sick. Just about a week and a half ago Dean was so sick with a sore throat, constant runny nose, a fever and exhaustion she could hardly get out of bed. Dean stated, “Not only did this prevent me from going to my in person classes, but it also made it difficult to attend zoom classes.” Dean continued how she returned back to class this week and asked her classmates what she had missed when she was returned with the same question. Recommendations of getting lots of sleep, going to bed early

and drinking lots of water were given by Dean.

Athena Pruett, a sophomore sociology studies major, had similar symptoms like her peers. Pruett said, “Like many, being sick affected me from going to work and attending my classes as I was drowsy and did not have the energy to do anything. Out of the five days I was sick, I also had a fever that was hard to shake off for a cou ple days.” Pruett thinks that since the last holliday and weather change everyone is getting sick. The majority of Pruett room mates have been sick as well.

Like many have said before, mak ing sure you get a lot of rest, drink a lot of fluids like tea with honey, water or ga torade and take some vitamins is the only way to fully recover and shake off these awful viruses. The health center is open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. To schedule an appointment call (707)-664-2921.

The NFL must do more to prevent repeated head injuries

saying that Tagovailoa’s injury was indeed a head injury, but according to the Washington Post, the team quickly reclassified it as a back injury, justifying the star’s return to the game after halftime.

Concussions are an unavoidable part of playing football. But in the Na tional Football League, new rule chang es, concussion protocols and equipment have done little to address the key ques tion surrounding concussions; not how to prevent a player from ever having one, but how to properly manage their playing time once they do.

In a primetime Thursday Night Football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 29, the league’s profoundly flawed concussion protocol was on full display. 24-year-old Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa started the game just four days after being concussed in a Sept. 25 game against the Buffalo Bills, in which he was allowed to return after a hit left him visibly wobbly as he stum bled back to his feet, shaking his head before collapsing. In that first game, the Dolphins initially released a statement

On Thursday night, the QB was again concussed while being sacked, slamming his head into the turf. He was briefly unconscious, lying on his back with his hands held in front of his face, and his fingers stiff and ominously splayed out. Medical experts said this was a classic case of “decorticate posturing” or the “fencing response,” where brain damage trig gers the involuntary reaction, per the Wash ington Post. Tagovailoa was taken away on a stretcher, and transported to the hospital, where he was promptly released several hours later, and accompanied the team on their flight home.

ordination, from staying in the game, accord ing to Forbes. Commenting on the concussion in the Post article, Chris Nowinski, a neuro scientist and co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, said, “It’s a potentially life-threatening brain injury.” Nowinski’s pri mary concern is “second impact syndrome,” a condition occurring when someone sustains two concussions within a short period, as Ta govailoa did.

TYLER MELOAN STAFF WRITER STAFF WRITER

According to a tweet by NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe, “Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel said Tua Tagovailoa sat next to him on the plane. They talked about how he was feeling for 15-20 mins, then Tua pulled out his phone to watch MacGruber and they laughed together…” Just over 2 weeks later, on Oct. 23, Tagovailoa had cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol, and suited up yet again.

The independent doctor who cleared the quarterback to play after his first injury was fired following the game, and an amendment was added to the league’s concussion protocol that requires players exhibiting “ataxia,” or visible abnormality of balance and motor co

Research shows that experiencing even one concussion increases the risk of devel oping Parkinson’s disease and dementia, per NPR. And when repeated blows to the head occur, the risk of developing the degenerative brain condition chronic traumatic encephalop athy, or C.T.E., also increases. This can result in anxiety, depression, memory loss, head aches, self-harm and suicidal ideation, and sometimes symptoms don’t reveal themselves until later in life.

The diagnostic complexity and delayed, unpredictable symptoms of both concussions and consequential brain diseases render the NFL’s simplistic protocols and evaluations almost useless. C.T.E. can only be diagnosed posthumously, and a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical As sociation found the disease in 99% of brains obtained from deceased NFL players, some of whom died in their 20s and 30s. The New York Times reports that over 320 former play ers have been diagnosed with C.T.E.

The NFL has scheduled games on Sun

days and Mondays for many decades, but the decision to establish Thursday Night Football, the game in which Tagovailoa suffered his second concussion, only began in 2006. This means that two teams each week play two games with just four days in between, leaving players highly susceptible to second impact syndrome and C.T.E. For Ethan Koler, a 2021 communications and media studies graduate, eliminating Thursday Night Football could be one way to reduce the likelihood of backto-back injuries like Tagovailoa’s. “The toll it takes on your body clearly isn’t a priority for the NFL since a big reason they don’t elimi nate the Thursday night game is due to money and endorsements,” he said.

According to Insider, the league’s 32 teams generated $11 billion in revenue last sea son, and Amazon Prime paid the league more than $1 billion this year to broadcast Thurs day night games, per the Washington Post. Sam Zyskowski, a 2021 computer science graduate, said, “Removal of Thursday Night Football would be a good option, but wouldn’t touch the underlying culture that runs through football at its core. Hard hits will always be celebrated until we attempt to change the en tire culture of the sport, and to do this we have to start at a young age.”

There’s little doubt that situations like Ta govailoa’s will continue to occur, until players, teams, doctors and the league begin treating brain injuries with the same seriousness as bone or muscular injuries.

‘Her Loss’ or your loss? New album sparks controversy

a communications major, reflected on his thoughts about the album,“I think it was the album of the year. Simply put, I have zero skips.” He further went into detail about why he enjoyed the album based on the combination of incorporating old samples and new bars.

in his typical manner, he fixates on the pow er women hold over him sexually—and the power he can hold over them financially.”

MARIE’SA RUMSEY

Within just a few hours of the re lease of Drake and 21 Savage’s joint album ‘Her Loss’, listeners raved over the subject matter within the songs. The Nov. 4 release includ ed themes of name-dropping, sub liminals at other artists, wealth, and a multitude of other mentions. As a result, some were upset about some topics which seemed to outweigh the chatter about the overall quality of the album.

The project had no trouble get ting listeners. Jonathan Strachan,

On the other hand, in a Rolling Stone album review article, writer Mosi Reeves went into detail about the album. Reeves de scribed it as “a misfire that Drake will hope fully learn from”

This is only one of many reviews from other notable celebrity news which describe the shortcomings of the project.

When it comes to this album, Drake voiced his thoughts and opinions on several topics including the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He expressed his support for a wom an’s right to choose. While this isn’t quite a controversy it ties into the contradictions within the other songs.

An article from The Atlantic by Spencer Kornhaber suggests that the message behind some of the lyrics on the album holds some misogyny. Kornhaber states, “Throughout,

Drake’s unconfirmed takes on other celebrities included female rapper Megan Thee Stallion, tennis player Serena Wil liams’ husband Alexis Ohanian, Kanye west, and others.

But the one which gained the most at tention came from the song, “Circo Loco” which lead others to think it was about Me gan Thee Stallion. In reference, Drake stat ed,“This bitch lie ’bout gettin’ shots, but she still a stallion.”

Some listeners immediately implied he was talking about the female rapper, Megan Thee Stallion. This has been a trending topic and made others curious about an ongoing legal case about Megan Thee Stallion being shot by another artist, Tory Lanez.

Others thought it was a lyrical double entendre about the culture of Brazilian butt lifts (BBL). Whichever one, it is still neces sary to point out how counterproductive it is to condemn lawmakers for making choices on women’s bodies while ironically com

menting on their choice to get a BBL.

Strachan shared his reaction on the sub liminals and namedrops, “I think the Me gan one wasn’t necessary.” He continued, “I don’t believe he started the Serena Williams husband one though. I think it added to the album. Whether it was positive or negative, that’s on you.”

Drake isn’t the first person nor will he be the last to voice his opinion on women’s bodies, other celebrities, and his wealth. While this may be a part of the culture of rap, it leaves others to question the care for quality within the artists and maybe even the music industry. It shouldn’t always be about drama-filled topics or buzzwords that will get on blogs or news outlets. Nor should the culture solely be about women’s deci sions or appearance.

Others may call it marketing but if only the people and topics he mentioned outshine the whole body of work did it truly do the job? What should be talked about is the suc cess and quality of the album. After all, it is a reflection of the artist’s artistry.

Christmas decorations up before the trees hit the lot

after the passing of Thanksgiving. “I love Thanksgiving,” said senior Mad ison Mercado. “I grew up in a very family oriented household that loved celebrating everything together. I appreciate that although it’s a holiday that doesn’t get much love, I’m able to give it a new meaning because of my family.”

In a world filled with loads of stress and anxiety, especially for students, it makes sense that Christmas steals the show for those who celebrate. The rush of nostalgia associated with the holiday makes it a therapeutic break from the hardships of everyday life.

Sonoma county’s unpredictable weather to continue?

continued from pg. 1

In a Press Democrat article, Meteorologist Rick Canepa said, “After a few days of on-again, off-again showers that brought 1.64 inches of rain to Santa Rosa and about 1½ to 2½ inches across Sono ma County, it’s about to get cold.”

Canepa also highlighted the importance of understanding chang ing weather conditions. Freezing temperatures can be dangerous for anyone so it’s important that animals and people can seek warm shelter for the night. In addition, he advised people to bring in their plants because they could suffer and die in the cold.

Luis Escobar, a sophomore majoring in psychology stated, “Especially being that it gets so cold in the mornings and at night. It’s so weird that it has rained in the mornings sometimes and then just ends up clearing up.”

Escobar explains that he loves the rain especially because it is much needed in California and crazy how it’s affected the US but California in general seeing this is all a byproduct of the Global Warming crisis.

Following a declaration from Santa Rosa Fire Officials that this year’s fire season has ended, Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal announced that residents of Santa Rosa no longer have to keep their property in compliance with the city’s weed abatement ordinance, at least until the next fire season.

Just because there’s rain, don’t be fooled into thinking it’s the end of the drought crisis. As a result of La Niña, Northern California could face the fourth consecutive winter where rainfall falls below the average amount.

According to the US Drought Monitor (U.S.DM), the first nine months of 2022 has been the second driest in over 128 years with rainfall 18.6 inches below normal. During spring and summer , Sonoma County was in the range of ‘less severe drought’ but now about a third of it is considered to be in an extreme drought.

Sonoma County will be hosting a drought session answering questions local residents have. The guest speakers will be drought manager for the California Department of Water Resources Jeanine Jones and climate scientist/expert from Scripps Institution of Ocean ography Julie Kalansky. They’ll be speaking about the impact and how California will respond.

tagram. “While I am the first ever in my family to pursue a degree in a higher education institution, I am able to say that I am doing this for myself as well as for my parents who have never had the same level as education as I have and that by going here, I am proving to myself and to my family that I deserve to be here,” Chan said.

The period of celebration was co-launched in 2017 by the Center For First-Generation Student Success and the Council for Opportunity in Educa tion. The First-Gen College Celebration recognizes those who are first in their families to attend college and has established a platform in which institutions can acknowledge their first-gen members.

Since 2017, the campaign has inspired many colleges, universities, corpo rations, non-profits, and K-12 schools across the nation to celebrate the success of first-generation college students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Many other universities joined SSU in the celebration on November 8, such as CSU San Marcos, UC Berkeley and Colorado State just to name a few. Similarly to SSU, many of these universities organized events on campus to bring first generation members together and celebrate their feats.

The history of this November 8 date runs deep, as it marks the anniver sary of when the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) was passed. The act emerged from President Lyndon B. Johnson’s war on poverty and was intend ed to help level a playing field that had been weighed against Americans from minority and low-income backgrounds.

As first-gen SSU students shared some of their experiences, so did faculty members. Sil Machado, an Associate Professor of the Counseling department via Facebook expressed his feelings on the impact he’s made, “Being a firstgen college graduate from an immigrant family means I have made good on the sacrifices my family made to create a better life for me and for future generations.”

The event last week hosted by SSU and other institutions alike helped in advancing the inspiring national narrative of first-generation student experi ences.

CelebrateFirstGen campaign recognized first generation students and their families

STAR// Willow Ornellas

Last week, the SSU campus saw its first major storm of the season marking the official end of the fire season.

COURTESY // @alans_doodles Instagram

The reasons for early decorating are diverse. For some students, it’s convenient but others feel the decorations provide them with some needed joy during this stressful time of year.

Native American and Indigenous Student club hosts pizza and movie night at the HUB

STAFF WRITER DEVON BLY

F

or those searching for representation and a sense of community, last Thursday The HUB Cultural Center, along with the SSU Native Ameri can and Indigenous Student Club hosted a Native and Indigenous pizza and movie night.

This event took place in the HUB, located on the second floor of the student center on campus, and was part of a series of events honoring Native American heritage month.

They offered up pizza and other snacks, and screened several episodes of the Golden Globe nominated comedy/drama series “Reservation Dogs,” a television series highlighting the Native American community and the intri cacies of said culture.

There was a great turnout in terms of students, professors, and children alike, and the atmosphere was quite welcoming. Whenever anyone new showed up, they were greeted with a warm welcome, and offered a plethora of different food items, including Mountain Mike’s pizza, before being of fered a seat.

Tramaine Austin-Dillon, the interim manager of diversity, equity, and in clusion at the HUB had this to say regarding the event,” This particular event is really about building community, hanging out, and getting to know who’s who in the Native community. [We’re watching a] T.V. show, “Reservation Dogs,” it’s a very casual way to connect and bond over a series that really highlights the Native and Indegenous culture.”

Episode one explored reservation life in a gritty and realistic, yet come dic, manner, with the main cast of characters consisting of Native American and Indigenous people, highlighting a marginalized community not typical ly explored by popular media.

There were audible laughs from the audience, and people were clearly enjoying the show and the themes that it explored; you couldn’t help but feel the sense of community permeating throughout the room.

When asked about the goal of these events, Shelly Gomez, the HUB se nior program executive, had this to say, ”I think it’s a couple of things, one, this is to honor Native American Heritage Month, and two, it’s really im portant for us to just have programs or events where students can just share space, be a community, and be able to meet other students that maybe they wouldn’t have met in their own major or other areas on campus.”

After watching several episodes of “Reservation Dogs,” everyone in the room was asked to introduce themselves, and explain why they chose to at tend the event. Everyone was then invited to chat amongst themselves, and

get to know one another.

Donald Lincoln III, an undeclared freshman, discussed why he believed this event was important,” I think these events are important because [in] some parts of history in America, they tend to censor the Native Americans because of their past treatment of [them].”

Jasmine Rodrigues, a fourth-year Spanish major, talked about what this event meant to her,”Community, especially with people of color. I think it’s a way of bringing communities together, like different types of communities, and [educating people] is always a plus.”

The HUB center is hosting several more events this month commem orating Native American Heritage month, such as an event on zoom dis cussing the history of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, a talk discussing indigenous experiences in the realm of academia, and more. The HUB’s event schedule is available online on their website or through their instagram page.

Members of the Native or Indigeous communities and allies alike are welcome at any of these events, and are encouraged to step out of their com fort zone and learn more about cultures they might not otherwise be familiar with.

‘Color and Chat’ brings resident Seawolves

STAFF WRITER CHASITY SPADY

Sonoma State students gather together approximately one to two times a week to bond with one another in their community. Resident Assistants put events forward that provide the opportunity for students living in the dorms to have fun outside of their rooms. On Nov. 10, there was a Color and Chat event that took place in Sauvignon Village at the Barrel Room.

Resident Assistant Hermes Briseno talked about how on campus events provide students a place to hang out and talk to other people outside of their homes. His event Color & Chat was a gathering that allowed people to get to know each other while presenting a space to feel comfortable with other human interaction. Since the past couple years of students not being able to gather in one room safely, the environment on campus is finally getting back to the norm.

During the event, students were getting to know each other and talked about their experiences within the college, outdoor activities, life outside

of school, and other relevant topics in the world. The residents were seen laughing, having a good time and enjoying the open space with each other.

As a community at Sonoma State, students are provided resources around campus that help them as they can gain relations toward their per sonal life and also the experiences to explore new opportunities in their surrounding environment. At Color & Chat, students interacted with their peers, meeting new people and getting to express their own artistic vision. Students seemed happy about the topics they shared, people started to open up and converse over many differences they all experienced throughout the semester or general being in college. Topics ranged from heavy life lessons to past laughable moments. The residents were enjoying each other’s com pany even though some had just met for the first time.

The importance of being able to set up events for the students and residents was an aspect that Briseno was excited about. He enjoys when peo ple come out to interact with each other and hopes for the future events to be even more successful. Some students are interested in local community groups, but are not receiving the information and knowledge about all the local events happening on campus. Students can always check out Seawolf Living on the SSU website as one option for viewing campus events.

After the event, Briseno mentioned that some of the activities are more difficult to bring forward to students’ attention, and that they do their very best to help make a space for students to want to participate in. There are events that bring a lot of attention, like the campus “Capture the Flag” event, but there are also smaller events happening every week that are much harder to gain attention from.

“Planning the events and scheduling is not the hard part, but more so getting people to attend. We advertise as much as we can with posters and online, but whenever students do join it makes it a much more fun experi ence for everyone,” said Briseno.

STAR // Mariah Forster Students pause from their coloring activities to smile for the camera during the ‘Color and Chat’ event at Sauvignon Village on Thursday.

STAR // Adriana Gonzalez

Students and staff from SSU and Santa Rosa Junior College come together to watch epi sodes of the comedy/drama series ‘Reservation Dogs’ at the HUB event.

The Kitchens offer hands-on cooking classes

ginners who attended the class. First time freshman, Nancy Amador stated how, “I’m not deft in the kitchen, but if I survived I think other people could survive the cooking class.” Nancy attended this event in hopes of improving her culinary skills as well as discovering activities to do around campus. Nancy originally heard about this event from her friend Stephany Perez, another freshman at SSU. Perez was browsing the Seawolf Living web page when she stumbled upon the cooking class.

Stephany Perez was initially nervous to show up to the event, but she believed it was worth it to attend, “[the recipe] is straightforward and easy to make, be sure to follow the directions. Overall, give the cooking class a try, it’s an opportunity to meet new people.”

Throughout the hands-on cooking class, smiles were being seen across the kitchen while the scent of peppers, peanuts, and chicken filled the air. As each student took their turn cooking their food on the stove, others gazed at the food searing in the pan.

To bring some spice into your life this fall season, Executive Chef Don of The Kitchens hosted a cooking class on Kung Pao Chicken. On Wednes day, Nov. 9 roughly a dozen Seawolves put their chef’s hat on and attended the cooking class. The Kitchens put on collaborative cooking classes every se mester where students have a hands-on learning opportunity at the cafeteria. The classes demonstrate how to make intermediate dishes that require limited time and ingredients. This semester, cooking classes featured dishes such as personal pan pizzas and chicken enchiladas.

During his demonstration, Chef Don discussed the changes he has made to the class since being hired. “Before I got [to SSU], the class that was held had one person cooking in the kitchen, similar to a TV show… I believe changing the cooking class to a hands-on lesson makes for a more engaging experience.” Each dish that is showcased is geared towards students; with one pot cooking and affordable ingredients, anyone is encouraged to give this recipe a try.

While students were washing their hands and finding a work station, Chef Don explained the significance of the Kung Pao Chicken dish. The or igin of the popular poultry dish dates back to the late 1700s in Szechuan, China.

As the class began, Don joked how the Kung Pao Chicken recipe that he is teaching is, “as American as pizza pie.” The dish that the Seawolves rec reated at the cooking class contains a Western spin on the traditional Chinese recipe. Instead of sichuan peppercorns being used, Chef Don’s recipe calls for a common pepper (pepper chile de arbol) that can be found at a wide range of markets. To give the dish an asian cuisine flavor, Chef Don incorporates sesame oil instead of canola oil or olive oil-each are used in different regions of the world for various flavors.

People’s cooking capability ranged, however, there were primarily be

The Kitchens cooking class served as a learning experience for many stu dents. While combining the ingredients on the stove, Seawolf Raymundo Quiroz, accidentally spilled a combination of soy sauce and cornstarch all over his pants. Despite the mishap, Quiroz maintained a positive attitude throughout the entire cooking class, “Initially I attended this event to get myself out there, to be more talkative and outgoing. If you are debating whether you should show up to an event, I say go for it!”

The Culinary Services at Sonoma State are always looking to host deca dent events that showcase quality cuisine. This week, Nov. 16 and 17 The Kitch ens will be hosting two themed dinners. On Wednesday there will be a medieval themed dinner menu and decor. The following day, the cafeteria is celebrating Native American Heritage Month with a guest performer. For more information on what’s happening for future events, stop by The Kitchens located on the first floor of the Student Center.

Student Involvement hosts holiday card making

of new people and relax after a week of work.” Laura and Saul enjoyed making their Christmas cards early for their family and friends. Saul said while making his cards that he was excited about the upcoming DIY events as they have contin uously gotten better every week.

Some of those who attended the holiday’s card workshop didn’t make cards celebrating upcoming events and instead made some for past holidays, Sea wolf Ethan Humphreys was making his card in honor of Veterans Day which had just passed on Nov.11. Humphrey made the card in honor of all of those who served in the United States Military. He specifically wanted to honor his grandfa ther who served in the Vietnam war and after contacting his grandfather via phone call, Mel Humphrey shared his opinion on the card that was made for him.

Humphrey was overjoyed with the gift he was going to receive and felt like it was a good way to continue the celebration of Veterans Day which he said to be one of the best holidays. Humphrey went on to say that it is, “a good day to enjoy the day off with your loved ones and honor life.”

With the holidays around the corner, SSU’s Student Involvement prepared the Seawolves for early festivities with a holiday card creation workshop at Weyden & Brewster in the Student Center on Nov. 12. Seawolves were pre sented with a variety of arts and crafts including holiday-themed stamps and templates to help them craft the perfect holiday card for upcoming Thanksgiv ing and Christmas events.

As Student Involvement continues to host the weekly DIY events they also prepare for the end of the 2022 fall semester. The event held every Satur day is becoming a space to help students relax with finals quickly approaching. Students Laura and Saul have been delighted to attend every DIY event since the beginning of the school year.

In an interview with the STAR, Laura said, “I really enjoy the event put on every Saturday, it’s not just a place to have fun but also to meet tons

The students who attended the event weren’t the only ones who enjoyed the ambiance. Student Involvement member Hailey Nicole said that the holiday card workshop was a great gathering space for the students and was putting ev eryone in the holiday spirit.

The Peeps, who are the student members of the Student Involvement or ganization, plan these weekly DIY events and make each event unique from the last. Consistently creating a positive space to bring all those who attend together according to Nicole.

There are four more DIY workshops scheduled to take place on upcom ing Saturdays till the end of the semester. Students are welcome to take part in these events for free and have a good time in an area designated to express their creativity and mingle with new and familiar faces. The next DIY event will take place Saturday, Nov. 19, and will consist of the Seawolves participating in the creation of paper origami.

PAUL MUNOZ STAFF WRITER

STAR // Cec Fernandez

Executive Chef Don helps students create a delicious Kung Pao Chicken dish.

STAR // Paul Munoz

Seawolves gather together to decorate holiday cards for their friends and family.

STAR // Cec Fernandez

Seawolves can’t help but smile as they wait to try a new recipe at The Kitchens Nov.9.

Men’s Basketball tip-off their season

DANNY SERRANO STAFF WRITER

As the semester starts to come to an end, the Men’s Basketball season is just getting started. This past weekend the Seawolves kicked off their season as they took on Dominican University and the Academy of Art in a back to back. After going 3-25 last year, the team was very eager to get back out on the court and have a redemption season. After gaining some more players over the offsea son, the men are fired up for the season.

Unfortunately, the team lost both games to open their season 0-2. In their first game against Dominican University, they lost in a close battle, 82-76. They also ended up losing to the Academy of Art 77-70 in another tight game the next day.

Business major and sophomore, Jaylen Wells, was the only player I was able to get in contact with. He mentioned that the players and coaching staff all have the same mindset heading into this season. Wells said via Instagram, “This year we have a lot of new guys and a dedicated coaching staff with one goal on our mind, win!” He also went on to say that his coach likes to think of each game as multiple “one game seasons”. The thought behind that being that they like to sim plify their strategy to play in the moment and not think too far ahead.

With new players coming in over the offseason, challenges may rise on how they fit in on the team. Sometimes players can come in with their own agenda and play for themselves, rather than the team. With nine new players coming into the mix, the team chemistry could have plummeted. However, this is not the case with this season’s team. “The team chemistry has been getting better and better everyday. Our San Diego trip was our first battle together and I think we grew as a team from it,” said Wells.

I asked Wells how the team’s performance is affected based on the attendance of the crowd. He said, “Our team loves being able to play when the stands are packed. It amplifies the intensity and energy brought to the game.”

Last year Wells led the team in points per game and rebounds per game. He also led the team in minutes per game. Wells had a 41% field goal percentage, along with 26% from 3 point. Doing this as a freshman is extremely impressive and he looks forward to building on top of his already incredible resume.

Rich Shayewitz, the head coach of the team, is an alumni of Sono ma State University, graduating in 2000 with a Bachelors in Business Marketing. Shayewitz rejoined the men’s team last year during the 2021-2022 season, and coached both men’s and the women’s team. However, this season he is just coaching the men’s team. Over his near 20 year coaching career with the men’s team, he has aided the team to its four NCAA appearances.

The Seawolves will be playing their first home game this Friday, Nov. 18, in a double header against Western Oregon and Minnesota State University at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. This Friday will be the first home stand of many as the season is just beginning.

Terrific season for Women’s Cross Country continues

Bomarito has received a lot of advice that may have helped con tribute to her confidence going into the big competition. She said her coaches and teammates have encouraged her to be in the moment and not overthink it, as this is only her first year.

Coach David Lawerence said that he tells Bomarito and all the other athletes that the approach for the big event is the same as all the other ones, “JUST RUN.”

Bomarito’s teammate Sophia Rodriguez shared some of the ad vice the team gave Bomartio, “We have told her that it’s important to compete as she has all season and trusts the training that coaches have provided us all season long. She’s done so well so far this XC season, and I’m confident she’ll continue that success at Regionals.”

BARRETT STAFF WRITER

Have you ever made a nonverbal statement? Have your actions ever been so strong that no words are necessary? Freshman cross-country runner Gianna Bomarito has made multiple in her first year at Sonoma State, from record-breaking performances to numerous top five finishes. But, she will look to make her biggest statement of all at the NCAA Divi sion 2 regional competition in Billings, Mont., on Nov. 19.

So how is Bomarito feeling going into the big competition? One might expect nerves, uncertainty, and all the other emotions that come with doing something for the first time. But Bomarito is feel ing good prior to the big event. The freshman runner shared her thoughts, “Looking ahead at regionals, I feel mentally and physical ly ready, I have confidence in my training, and I know that what I’ve been doing these past few weeks have gotten me ready for this next upcoming meet.”

Bomarito will look to add to what has already been a very im pressive first season with the Seawolves at regionals. One of her most significant accomplishments thus far has been her record-breaking performance in the 6k event, with a time of 20:52.9 in early October. Doing so made her the first Seawolf in the program’s history to go under the twenty-one-minute mark. She notched one more perfor mance in the event under that mark a few weeks later, going 20:59.90. Lawrence shared his thoughts on the record-breaking performance, “Records are made to be broken, and if she continues to work hard, a lot more will disappear. Her work ethic and character is what we embrace as a staff.”

The team has responded well to the hot start for Bomarito. In September, Lawerence said that there is no drama or jealousy on his teams and that it is like a sisterhood. Rodriguez echoed that senti ment, “We embrace Gianna and her success. We are proud of her accomplishments and celebrate her breaking the school record. The whole team knows how much time and dedication it takes to rise to such an elite level.”

The records speak for themselves. Bomarito has made her state ments through her performances this season. All the success has put her name in many headlines. When asked about her thoughts regard ing the attention, she said that it has given her confidence and that she is glad running is getting some coverage. Rodriguez noted that Bomarito is deserving of all the accolades and positive attention.

COURTESY // Justin Ferrari Senior forward, Nick Klarman attacking the paint during the team’s game against the university of Academy of Art.

CHARLES

COURTESY // Sonomaseawolves.com

Gianna Bomarito (furthest right) alongside her teammates at the CCAA Champion ship.

The Kitchens’ Chef Don teaches Seawolves to make Kung Pao Chicken

HUB co-hosts pizza and movie night inspired by Native and Indigenous culture

Fall foliage on display around campus

STAR // Adriana Gonzalez

Seawolves were joined by students from Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC) to enjoy the comedy/drama series ‘Reservation Dogs’ during Thursday night’s event at the HUB. (see more on pg. 5)

STAR // Adriana Gonzalez

Students got comfortable at the HUB in front of the big screen watching episodes of the series ‘Reservation Dogs’. The event offered a chance for students to bond and learn more about Native and Indigenous culture. (see more on pg. 5)

STAR // Cec Fernandez

A seawolf prepares to drop ingredients into a hot pan during Chef Don’s cooking class. (see more on pg. 6)

STAR // Cec Fernandez

Chef Don focuses on using affordable, fresh ingredients so that students can go home and recreate the meal.

STAR // Cec Fernandez

A student sautés colorful vegetables while Chef Don looks on during the cooking class on Nov. 9. (see more on pg. 6)

STAR // Cec Fernandez Bright, autumn-red leaves welcome students as they walk towards campus.

STAR // Cec Fernandez

SSU pride, written in the leaves! Leaving fallen foliage around campus is good for wildlife, such as birds and squirrels.

STAR // Cec Fernandez Leaves take over Tuscany Village, with a small mound of fallen leaves forming the perfect pile.