IN THIS ISSUE
Eat and groove
SSU nurses excel
Biggest event of year
Live music returns to local bars and restaurants. PAGE 7.
The nursing program at SSU was ranked 3rd best in California. PAGE 11.
NomaPalooza, a drive-in music festival, is coming to campus soon. PAGE 6.
SINCE 1979
VOLUME 85 // ISSUE 12 APRIL 27, 2021 - MAY 3 2021
THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER
@SONOMASTATESTAR
COURTESY // Sonoma.edu Sonoma State students celebrate in-person commencement pre-pandemic.
COURTESY // Sonoma.edu
Petition to walk at SSU SSU professor faces graduation circulates online
Students at SSU spoke out about Hutchin’s professor Ajay Gehlawat, after being exposed to disturbing content in his film classes.
backlash from students
QUINN MCKIBBIN AND MATTHEW SMITH STAFF WRITERS
ISABELLE BARKEY
S
onoma State University (SSU) let Seawolves know via email early February that 2020 and 2021 graduates that were slated to walk will be celebrated with a hybrid drive-thru commencement. After the announcement of the hybrid drive-thru commencement celebration, a petition was made by SSU students, so that graduates could celebrate a normal graduation commencement and walk in-person. The petition to have an in-person graduation commencement has gained major traction since it began, being spread online and on social media. Seawolves are encouraged by the creators of this petition to sign it, then send it to at least five of your close family members or friends, and then have your close friends send it to at least five people. With graduation for seniors coming up on May 22 and May 23, this is a time sensitive matter for the creators who are hoping the Commencement Committee will respond as possible to the students’ requests with a decision. Katherine Breeher, SSU Student and front desk Team Member, was one of two students to independently organize the petition. Saba Rashid was the other student that helped put together the petition. Rashid said, “I think students should be able to have a proper commencement ceremony because this is something that each student has been working towards for the entirety of their college career.” Rashid continued to talk about the inconvenience SSU is bringing to its students with the drive-thru commencement ceremony. She said, “Personally I find it to be a waste to travel to Sonoma State with my family for a drive thru ceremony and I don’t live extremely far from campus, I can only imagine how students in Southern California or farther away are feeling about it.” Saba finished her statement by saying, “I think something that is extremely important to highlight is that we’ve gotten such a great response so quickly, which shows that enough students care to have a proper commencement ceremony. All we need and can hope for is Judy [Sakaki] to approve of it- which I am wary about.” Breeher, the second SSU student to create the petition said, “We want to completely explain our position and the circumstances around which we believe what we are asking for is reasonable. Everything that see PETITION TO WALK on pg. 4
STAFF WRITER
U
pon the publishing of a STAR article on April 13 titled, “Students with PTSD ask for trigger warnings, teachers want ‘academic freedom’”, several students have come forward to say they felt forced to disenroll from one of professor Ajay Gehlawat’s classes at Sonoma State University (SSU) because of highly disturbing content they had to view during lectures, as well as a lack of compassion and respect from the professor himself. The STAR reached out to Gehlawat multiple times for comment but did not receive a response. Clara George, an SSU student who disenrolled from Gehlawat’s course, reached out to the STAR to say that the previous article published did not represent her or several other students’ perspectives on the issue and continued to gather statements from her peers. George stated, “Despite the fact that his course was titled ‘Feminism in Film’ his synchronous class was far from a positive feminist environment. The class discussions, as facilitated by the professor, focused more on the bodies and sexuality of the women in them than the content of their mind and character.” She continued, “When female participants would provide their perspectives on the films in discussion, their opinions would be undermined or disregarded altogether. Meanwhile, the male perspectives would be acknowledged and even celebrated.” George went on to describe the environment within the class, where see TRIGGERING MATERIAL on pg. 5
STAR // Morgan Mitchell A pop-up clinic provides community members with COVID-19 vaccines. Anybody 16 and older is now able to become vaccinated.
STAR // Zena Bounsall A line forms outside Healdsburg Bar and Grill upon opening. Recently, restaurants are experiencing low overall employment with a high volume of patrons.
COVID-19 vaccinations required for students and Hospitality businesses in Sonoma County face staffing crisis staff on campus in Fall GABRIELLA HERMOGENO STAFF WRITER
CALLIE ADAMS STAFF WRITER
L
ast week, the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) systems both announced that universities under their jurisdiction plan to require any and all faculty, staff, and students that intend to be on campus or use campus facilities this Fall to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The vaccination requirement will allow students or staff to seek medical or religious exemption, but everyone is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated in order to protect themselves and those around them. see CSUS REQUIRE on pg. 4
I
n response to the abrupt closures, state-mandated orders, financial hardships and public health orders, local Sonoma County restaurants and hotels are experiencing staffing shortages, but remain determined to keep businesses open as much as they can for the public and to maintain financial stability. Restaurant managers and owners are focusing to keep businesses open at all costs in order to sustain the financial income that was lost within the past year. A study conducted by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) states that the total shortfall in restaurant sales throughout the U.S. likely surpassed $120 billion during the beginning of the pandemic. see RESTUARANTS STRUGGLE on pg. 4
2 Editorial THE STAR
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
Derek Chauvin’s conviction is just one victory in a long battle against police brutality
Editorial Board
Kylie Rose Lawrence, Editor-in-Chief Kristina Schmuhl, News Editor Katelyn Dodge, Opinion Editor Christy Chew, Arts & Entertainment Editor Myles Grabau, Student Life Editor Emily Cripe, Health & Wellness Editor Brandon Sparks, Photo Editor Gil Chaffer, Copy Editor Bryce Gallagher, Distribution Manager Devon Pique, Format Editor Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Callie Adams, Emily Alvarado, Jayline Alvarado, Julia Blair, Kaitlin Breen, Cheyenne Carroll, Katlyn Dodge, Casey Fabbri, Sumiko Fong, Bryce Gallagher, Gabriella Hermogeno, Olivia Hughes, Nancy Insua, Willy Lepori, Quinn McKibbin, Caroline Morales, Samantha Pezzola, Noah Philpott, Anthony Pilotti, Mary Helen Rowell, Matthew Smith, Vincent Spence, Isabelle Barkey, Pammy Meyers, Andrew Savedra
Photographers KC Holtemann, Ileana Aleman, Sondra Ottenstein, Morgan Mitchell, Zena Bounsall
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
Editor’s Pick This week’s can’t miss article:
“SSU professor faces backlash from students” Read the article on page 1.
Have an opinion?
O
n April 20th, 2021, Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all the counts he faced for the murder of George Floyd. “This is a day of celebration,” George Floyd’s brother said to CNN. As people across the United States rejoice over this sliver of justice, many are still concerned about the way policing is done and hope for future changes. Although this trial has sparked activism and hope, it is just the beginning. “We’re going to bury Daunte on Thursday, the killing continues,” said Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson. Daunte Wright, 20, was fatally shot by Brooklyn Center officer Kim Potter during a traffic stop. “Potter, who says she mistakenly fired her gun instead of a Taser, resigned from the force and has been charged with second-degree manslaughter,” said NPR. Wright was killed by police about 10 miles away from where Floyd died. Additionally, Floyd’s girlfriend Courteney Ross was Wright’s former teacher. The two men had never met, but have a tragic connection that highlights the rampant racism in America. According to CNN, Benjamin Crump, the Floyd family attorney, said he hopes the decision against Chauvin will set a precedent going forward, especially in the case of Daunte Wright. The trial of Derek Chauvin has been closely watched by many, and the death of George Floyd has sparked a national reckoning on police violence and systematic racism. His conviction is an important moment in history that deserves attention and should give people a bit of relief. That being said, justice like this in America for a Black male is rarely given. This victory is a reminder of the hundreds of other cases of police brutality where police haven’t been held accountable. And, that is
COURTESY // Flickr.com
an issue that is still inherent in the American justice system. Without serious reform, this case is unlikely to change the way that policing is done in America. But, it can still provide us with some hope for future changes. The U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday that it will investigate possible patterns of discrimination and excessive force among the Minneapolis Police Department. A police reform bill, named after George Floyd, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives last month. The bill would ban choke holds, no-knock warrants, and racial and religious profiling. The bill would also encourage individual states to follow suit by making those bans a condition of federal aid, said NPR. After the video of Floyd’s death went viral last May, many police officers sought to distance themselves from Chauvin, characterizing him as one of the so-called “bad apples” that spoil the reputation of officers who try to do things the right way, said NPR. But, if this is the case, then our justice system is riddled with “bad apples”. There is no escaping police brutality and racism in America, it affects every city, town, and community. If our system is so filled with “bad apples”, doesn’t that say something about our justice system? How can so many “bad apples” become responsible for the safety of citizens? It’s hard to not think about Andy Lopez after all of this. Lopez, 13, was walking through an empty lot in Santa Rosa, carrying an airsoft gun that was designed to resemble an AK-47 assault rifle. Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy Erick Gelhaus opened fire on Lopez, presumably mistaking the airsoft gun for a real firearm. The shooting prompted many protests in Santa Rosa, and throughout California. On November 4, 2013, the Lopez family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit at the U.S. District Court. But, in July of 2014, District
Attorney Jill Ravitch announced no charges would be filed against Gelhaus. A year later, the FBI announced no criminal charges would be filed against Gelhaus, due to lack of evidence to prove that he violated Lopez’s civil rights. Justice was never served for one of our own, a young local who was shot at 8 times by a police officer. To this day, there are still people petitioning in the streets for Lopez, seeking justice that couldn’t be accomplished by our own systems and institutions. Police brutality and systematic racism are rampant in the U.S., and while the conviction of Chauvin is something to be celebrated, we have much work left to do. Locally, we need to hold Sonoma County’s officers accountable for their actions. Lopez deserves justice, as well as the many other people in our community that have been racially profiled and harassed by our local law enforcement. Additionally, one of our own SSU students, Izaac Limón, recently claims to have been harassed by Sonoma County police. Limón said that the police only changed their demeanor once realizing he was an SSU student, “because they are taught that young males who are POC [people of color] are criminals. There’s an issue of white supremacy and racism here in Sonoma county and until it is addressed, we will have more of these incidents of harassment.” Law enforcement agencies are too often left unaccountable for human rights atrocities. They breed fear within our communities, taint our justice system with hate and racism, and destroy our ideals of justice. It needs to end. As Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson said after the Chauvin verdict, “We still have a lot of work to do. This is a first down, not a touchdown.”
We’d like to hear from you! The STAR welcomes letters to the editor at star@sonoma.edu
Publication The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by Sonoma Media Group. 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 particular relevance to the campus community.
Letters to the Editor
Letter writers may expect prompt publication in the newspaper’s op-ed section, as space is available. Letters of up to 400 words will be allowed and must be submitted no later than the Friday before the publication date. Published letters must be free of libel, since the publication is held legally accountable for all content. Although personal controversy will be tolerated, it is the responsibility of the editor to check statements purporting the facts. The STAR reserves the right to refuse publication.
COURTESY // Flickr.com
Editorial Policy: The commentary expressed in the unsigned editorial represents a majority opinion of the STAR Editorial Board on a topic facing the campus community in keeping with journalistic precedents of other major newspapers, and may not be shared by all staff writers. The board encourages readers to write letters to the editor about all topics, including the editorial.
Opinion 3
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
ABC rejects well-written scripts due to lack of diversity
SUMIKO FONG
STAFF WRITER
I
n order to be more inclusive, the television network American Broadcasting Company, better known as ABC, is choosing to decline scripts for new programs because they are not diverse enough. This past week Dana Walden, the chairman of entertainment for Walt Disney Television, the parent company of ABC, stated, “For the first time we received some incredibly wellwritten scripts that did not satisfy our standards in terms of inclusion.” These scripts were rejected because they either did not include a diverse cast or it was not written by people from underrepresented groups. Last year, ABC released a list of new inclusion standards for future programs. The decision to have new standards came following the Black Lives Matter movement and the death of George Floyd. These new standards are for on and off-camera representation. There are four sections with five to six guidelines in each section. At least three of the guidelines in each section need to be followed for a show to get an opportunity to be greenlit by the network. The first section pertains to onscreen representation. ABC is request-
ing that at least 50% of regular and recurring characters or actors must come from underrepresented groups. There should also be meaningful integration of underrepresented groups in the overall themes and narratives of the show’s premise. Section two circles around creative leadership. 50% of the producers, and writing staff or executive story editors must also come from diverse backgrounds. The first two sections guarantee that at least half of everyone acting or developing any given show has to be an underrepresented individual. Section three is titled “below-the-line” and the guidelines state that half of the entire crew or key roles involved with the project should be underrepresented. The promotion of career progression for one underrepresented crew/team member should now be guaranteed. The last section focuses on industry access and career development. ABC states that paid employment opportunities like internships should facilitate eligibility for underrepresented individuals. There should be training and skill development opportunities for those in internships as well. These last two sections assure that half of the entire behind-the-scenes employees have to come from diverse backgrounds and that there will be a significant amount of employment opportunities for those who come from underrepresented communities. In addition to the standards list, ABC Executive Vice President of Development and Content Strategy, Simran Sethi, included a database of diverse and underrepresented employees. The database was included so future showrunners can find cast or crew members that fit the inclusion criteria easily. Sethi also attached a list of vendors that are owned by members of underrepresented groups to
show support even outside the acting realm. This gives those who want to have their show on ABC a quick list of people that the network expressly suggests they should hire or work with moving forward. These decisions are causing those who are working in the industry as well as viewers of ABC to question the new guidelines. The backlash from those who are taking a deeper look into these new guidelines aren’t necessarily complaints about the reasoning behind creating the standards in the first place. Most of the people protesting the guidelines are in favor of making television programming more diverse and showcasing people from underrepresented communities. The issue has centered around choosing diversity over quality for the sake of being able to say that their company is inclusive. By stating that scripts were rejected because they weren’t diverse enough, it makes the public believe the network is choosing shows that aren’t simply high-quality. Instead, they are greenlighting shows because they included a significant amount of representation for underrepresented groups, not because they are objectively good shows. According to Fox News, Walden admitted that ABC had passed on a high-quality script simply because the show centered around a white family that would have included a diverse cast of neighbors and friends. “Pass. That’s not going to get on the air anymore because that’s not what our audience wants,” Walden said during the panel discussion. The problem with this statement is if ABC is choosing to greenlight low-quality diverse shows, the audience may not be interested in the show due to the lack of quality. Low-quality programs will ultimately
have low ratings and spur the network to make decisions to repair the reputation of the company. These decisions could include cancellations, or making public statements to defend the programs. Consequently, this could possibly leave the door open for representatives of ABC to state that disapproving audience members are racist, homophobic or ableist for not supporting a show that is heavily diverse when that isn’t the case. The comments that Walden made at this panel could cause more problems than positivity for those in the industry who do come from underrepresented groups. By stating that ABC has rejected well-written scripts that center around or were written by white people implies that the shows they did accept were not as well-written but they were greenlit just because they were diverse enough for their standards. This could leave all of the underrepresented show writers, producers or actors wondering if the only reason they were hired was because their qualities fit the new guidelines of being diverse. ABC should just look outside their entertainment bubble and find writers, actors and crew members that are going to do the best job, regardless of their race, gender or sexual orientation. Most of the entertainment industry chooses to stay within their circles of crew members and actors, which happen to be filled with those who are not from underrepresented groups due to the history of film and television. By expanding their talent search outside of Hollywood they will be able to make their programming organically diverse instead of forcibly diverse, but the focus should be on creating high-quality content that also happens to be diverse, instead of greenlighting any show simply because it was made to be diverse.
Press Democrat executive editor speaks on Foppoli accusations tions were brought to attention after San
Press Democrat, Richard Green, made a
news source and the choice to disregard
Francisco Chronicle reporters, Alexandria
public statement that focused on the pub-
sexual assault allegations will haunt the
Bordas and Cynthia Dizikes, published
lic’s outrage towards a decision, made two
organization for years to come. The Press
an article titled ‘Four Women say Wind-
years ago, not to pursue a tip a reporter
Democrat choosing not to look further into
sor Mayor Dominic Foppoli, ‘prince’ of
shared that involved the allegations of the
a tip regarding Foppoli’s sexual assault al-
Wine Country, sexually assaulted them’
Foppoli assault against two women.
legations two years ago sends a negative
Green assures readers of the Press
message: serious stories could potentially
The San Francisco Chronicle article
Democrat that they are taking steps to
be ignored by their journalists. This should
goes into personal, and graphic, detail
ensure the most diligent reporting will
never be the case.
about the encounters the women had with
be taking place under his tenure. He con-
Stories such as the women who were
Foppoli. As well as the article gives insight
firmed that the Press Democrat has hired
mentioned in the SF Chronicle matter, and
on why the women, after their sexual as-
two new editors, in the process of looking
it is clear that some individuals need to
saults occurred, did not go to the police or
for additional investigative journalists, and
continue to work towards becoming better
R
take legal action against Foppoli.
that Green will personally be involved in
listeners, particularly whoever made the
on April 8.
RACHEL GONZALEZ
STAFF WRITER
ichard Green, executive editor of
“...they felt shame at the time and
the Press Democrats’, “biggest and most
decision to not pursue the Foppoli story
the Press Democrat stated, “...
wanted to put the episodes behind them,”
important work.” Hopefully, this means
two years ago. Green’s statement acknowl-
Our decision to not thoroughly
wrote Bordas and Dizikes. Because Fop-
giving stories, as the one tipped two years
edging that a mistake was made is a good
investigate these women’s accounts about
poli is such a significant political figure in
ago, a chance to be heard.
step in the right direction, however, the
alleged incidents involving Foppoli may
Windsor and Sonoma County, some of the
Though Green was not the executive
have caused more personal heartache,
women felt discouraged to take legal ac-
editor at the time the tip was shared, it is
humiliation, and physical and emotional
tion, or even report, the alleged assaults to
still important for the Press Democrat to
Editor’s Note: CAPS is open and cur-
harm for other women.” In a statement
the police.
recognize the mistake that they made mov-
rently operating remotely at SSU. If you
momentum needs to be followed by reporters and editors alike.
that was published by the Press Democrat,
As of April 12, there have been a total
ing forward. By disregarding the accusa-
or a peer would like to utilize the services
he continued. “We had a responsibility to
of six women who have accused Foppoli of
tions and choosing not to investigate Fop-
provided, you can contact CAPS at 707-
take these allegations seriously, and there
sexual assault, according to an NBC Bay
poli two years ago, they have let the abuse
664-2153 or email non-urgent requests at
is no excuse for our failure to not push
Area news broadcast.
continue. This decision will continue to
caps@sonoma.edu. For crisis’ and imme-
reflect poorly on the Press Democrat as a
diate counseling, call 707-664-2153.
harder; to not dig deeper.”
On April 9, executive editor of the
The Foppoli sexual assault accusa-
Real estate in Sonoma County; good time to buy or sell? sus the same quarter one year ago.
The average price per square foot was
ANTHONY PILOTTI
T
STAFF WRITER
the average active price also increased
because there is a demand for more prop-
38% from the same time last year.
erties on the market. Prices are up and the
higher in comparison to last year at $527
For the hopeful investor, interest rates
per square foot. While months of inven-
are at all-time lows, so even though they
tory was closed due to the COVID-19 pan-
might be spending more for the property
The real estate in Sonoma County is
demic, sales were down 49.3% while the
depending on their loan, that could be
likely to grow as it is a desirable area. As
median sold price increased about 18%
made up in the long term with lower inter-
time goes on, real estate value may in-
to around $650,000 by the end of March
est payments. For the buyer, if they take on
crease despite the frequent disasters. His-
2021.
a property that is outside of their budget
torically, real estate was thought to be a
and the interest increases over time, they
recession proof industry and the only mar-
might be in over their head.
ket that perpetually grew until the 2008-
Inventory is high, prices are high, in-
market value is up, meaning that the property is likely to be sold quickly.
he real estate market overall, is in
terest rates on homes are down - is it a
a good position, according to
good time to buy or to sell? For the real
The good news is that interest rates
2009 crash. After the market crashed, it is
BAREIS MLS, a service that
estate investor in Sonoma County who
for homes are low and there are incentives
now known that the market goes through
provides real estate information about
might be looking, it is fair to say right now
to buy property - the biggest of which is
natural increases and decreases, and that
properties on and off the market. In a cu-
is a good time for both. For sellers who
low-interest rates that the FHA, or Federal
it is not immune to a crash. Even though
mulative assessment, the average amount
want to list their property and put it on
Housing Association, offers. They provide
the real estate market has crashed in the
of homes for sale in comparison to the
the market, the data shows that properties
assistance for first-time buyers and there
past 10 years, it has managed to maintain
same quarter last year was down approxi-
are spending 25% less time on the market
are plenty of financing options available.
and increase in value since. One thing is
mately 35.5%. The amount of homes for
since the same quarter last year. They are
So anyone interested in buying a property
for sure, people are always going to need a
sale is increasing, as well. The cumulative
selling for more, too. The average sold
should first get pre-qualified. For listers
place to live and the Sonoma County mar-
amount of homes sold is up by 20% ver-
price increased 23.5% from last year and
selling their property, there is an incentive
ket is in a good place right now.
4 News
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
Sonoma County restaurants struggle to fill job vacancies continued from pg. 1
COURTESY // Instagram The Instagram page @operationgrad is promoting in-person commencement for 2020 and 2021 SSU graduates.
SSU students create petition to walk at graduation continued from pg. 1
is on our list of requests are guidelines that would be approved by a county located in the orange tier like Sonoma County and are very similar or exactly the same to what other California State Universities are doing.” “I saw that Fresno State was in a similar situation in March. They’d announced graduation would be virtual, students were upset and created a petition, and got over 2000 signatures and their admin changed the plans to in person within the same month. That gave me a lot of motivation to believe we at SSU could do the same”. Breeher continued to say, “We feel like our senior year has been very isolating and difficult, and the drive-thru plan as it is now only reflects this isolation. The drive thru commencement plan was made when Sonoma county was still in the purple tier and it seems to us that the plan was not reevaluated at all since then, despite the drastic change in Sonoma County’s positive COVID-19 cases and vaccination rates”. Breeher also mentioned that the vaccine is being widely spread throughout Sonoma Country right now. Sonoma State is also in its orange tier for the pandemic, and its COVID-19 related cases have slowly been decreasing. Breeher went on to say, “Our Green Music Center’s lawn is a very large outdoor space that would be perfect for the type of ceremony we’re asking for.” A list of requests was also added to go along with the petition. The creators are requesting the ceremony takes place on the Green Music Centers lawn, where there is plenty of space to properly distance to adhere to COVID-19 related rules. Another request is the ceremony be split up by undergraduate school groups, so it’s not too crowded at any one time. In order to keep the event safe, an additional request for guests and staff to wear masks has also been asked, along with showing a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the commencement. Lastly, there’s a request to have signed up for the event by April 21 to be able to attend, and to have hand sanitizer and bathrooms available for all attendees. The organizers feel their requests are reasonable, and are still waiting on a response from the University. So far, the petition has over 1,000 signatures. To learn more about this petition, students are welcome to head over to the Operation Grad Instagram, @operationgrad, where students can get more information on the petition itself.
CSU’s require vaccination for Fall 2021 continued from pg. 1
“Together, the CSU and UC enroll and employ more than 1 million students and employees across 33 major university campuses, so this is the most comprehensive and consequential university plan for COVID-19 vaccines in the country,” said CSU Chancellor Dr. Joseph I. Castro in the announcement. The COVID-19 vaccine will not be the only vaccine CSU and UC systems require for students. Currently, unless declared exempt, students must have received the hepatitis B vaccine, the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, the meningococcal conjugate vaccine, the tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, and the chickenpox vaccine. Sonoma State University’s (SSU) official statement regarding the impending CSU COVID-19 vaccine requirement states that the university “look[s] forward to more on-campus activity for the Fall 2021 semester, with continued adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols such as wearing face masks, physical distancing, and hand sanitizing. In preparation for Fall, we will make every effort to ensure the campus community has access to the vaccine.” To follow through with their promise of aiding students in their vaccination efforts, SSU released a campus-wide email in which they announced that the university is partnering with RiteAid to host a two-day vaccine clinic on campus this week. On April 28 and 29, Seawolves and anyone in the surrounding community can get vaccinated at the clinic, which will be located in the Cooperage between Sauvignon and Verdot Villages. The vaccine is free, and no proof of insurance, county residency, or citizenship is required. Further details about the clinic and how to schedule an appointment are still pending. “Currently, we aim to teach over 50% of classes in-person, and we will be working to determine whether this vaccine requirement will allow us to increase that percentage. In preparation for fall, we will make every effort to ensure the campus community has access to the vaccine,” the statement in the email read. Seawolves are anxious to return to a sense of normalcy on campus, and some are lauding the decision to require COVID-19 vaccinations. “With Sonoma State requiring student vaccines, I couldn’t feel unsafe returning to campus,” said second-year student and biology major Maura Langan. Langan added, “I feel like it is just another step SSU has taken to ensure student safety and they are really prioritizing the health and education of their students. If Sonoma can allocate vaccines for the students who are unable to get them, it would be another step to show how deeply they care about their student body.” Although the vaccine requirement has not yet taken effect, it is expected to significantly increase health and safety on campus, and should alleviate concerns for students and staff returning to campus in the Fall.
With these challenging obstacles, establishments in Sonoma County with hospitality services remain under staffed which has resulted in transforming the dynamics of their work environment. Marketing and Communications Manager at Vintners Resort in Santa Rosa, Tyfanni Sedgwick, explains that the pandemic’s effects have caused every staff member to be adaptable and assume all kinds of different positions at the resort in order to maintain their services. “On the internal front, people here and managers have scrambled because we are not fully staffed and we are relying on teamwork,” Sedgwick stated, “We had to pivot to become a team and we covered jobs that we normally didn’t do. We had to step up and we got a perspective of what it takes to fully run every single part of this business.” Sedgwick explained in a phone interview that although the restaurant and resort experienced constant closures and reopenings throughout the year, they feel ready and prepared to open their extra services such as their spa and are currently booking wedding events for the future. Meanwhile, Chef Mateo Granados, owner and head chef of Mateo’s Cocina Latina in Healdsburg, shared his experiences of becoming self-reliant with his business and is making efforts to persevere through the pandemic’s fall outs. “We have been doing as much as we can and it’s tough. I constantly work long hours every single day because workers are leaving,” Granados said, “I’m not complaining because really I love what I do, but it’s hard and housing with the cost of living for people is hard because of how expensive it is over here.” Both Sedgwick and Granados shared how the challenges of the pandemic has not only affected the workplace environment, but has impacted some of their long-time workers to relocate into other states due to the more accessible opportunities outside of California or financial hardships. “One manager did move to the Southern part of the country and it was really hard on us [the company] because they were so dedicated and had been working with us for 20 years,” Sedgwick stated. “There’s not as many employees, people don’t want to work and most people have already moved out of the state because they can’t afford it anymore and it really affected the business,” Granados said. According to an article from the San Francisco Chronicle written by Soleil Ho, she states, “I don’t blame restaurant workers for not wanting to go back to that world when they have other options.” Other local companies have experienced similar obstacles as well, but have taken different measures to keep their company flowing with customers. The Montage Hotel in Healdsburg, which recently opened at the beginning of this year, is currently receiving a higher number of guests than expected leaving the limited number of staff members feeling weary. Riley MacPherson, an employee at the hotel, has experienced the hotel’s increasing demand first-hand as he was one of the first employees hired in fall 2020. “It has been such a fast and massive jump in demand that it truly caught many off guard and we’re hiring as much and fast as we can right now to get us to keep up with the level of need by guests and visitors,” MacPherson stated, “But in the moment’s notice events are on, weddings are on and (within reason and guidelines) we have a spread out team of less than 10 that need 15 more members working full-time and more part-time staff to truly carry out the events we’re hosting now.” A manager from another local Healdsburg restaurant, who wanted to remain anonymous to preserve her standing at her job, said that out of 15 years in the restaurant industry, the last year has been the hardest by far. She says that beyond sanitation and hygiene protocols the lack of staff has made work more stressful than usual. She also described the difficulty she has had filling open positions at the restaurant, “I currently have 7 job openings for servers, bussers, bartenders, line cooks, prep cooks and dishwashers. I actually had 5 interviews scheduled in the last two days: only one showed, and only one of the others called to let me know she wouldn’t make it. We are even offering a signing bonus and offer benefits to full time employees, and this is still happening.” She added, “I’m not sure if people have gotten comfortable on unemployment and lost interest to work, or if the market has exploded due to the more relaxed tier changes, but it’s extremely hard to fill job openings.” The success of her restaurant is a silver lining on the challenging times she’s faced since reopening in February. The restaurant has a large built-in patio which has made adapting to COVID-19 requirements attainable. “We have been growing in popularity and have been busy more days than not, which is awesome...We are expecting to be even busier this summer with our close proximity to the Russian River, downtown Healdsburg and local wineries, so the extra staff is much needed.” With summer approaching and travel restrictions dwindling across the state, Sonoma County restaurants are in a precarious position where demand for experiences are higher than the amount of staff available. Each of these local Sonoma County establishments mentioned in this article have their respective websites accessible to anyone interested in supporting their business, searching for jobs and inquiring more information.
COURTESY // Yelp Chef Matteo Granados at his restaurant in Healdsburg. His restaurant is one of many in Sonoma County facing a staffing shortage exacerbated by the pandemic.
News 5
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
SRJC employee on leave after allegations of sexual misconduct with a minor BRYCE GALLAGHER
STAFF WRITER
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roduction specialist for Santa Rosa Junior College’s Theatre Arts department, Ari Poppers, was placed on administrative leave after allegations of inappropriate contact with a minor surfaced on Facebook last week. Poppers, who had held the position since 2008, initiated the conversation with the supposed minor, who is actually a 25 year old Sonoma County resident and has chosen to remain anonymous. “I grew up in a family of sisters, so I saw it as the youngest brother. I saw it my whole life, just weird creepy men hitting on my sisters, and it was just pretty annoying, and I never really felt like I could do anything about it,” Lexi said. The post made by Lexi Sanderson, the 16 year old girl Poppers assumed he was talking to, included a video detailing their conversation. On multiple occasions, “Lexi” made Poppers aware of her age, to which in one instance, he responded, “Just keep telling me you’re 21 lol.” Despite being aware he was communicating with someone under the legal age of consent, Poppers still insisted on meeting in person. “I understand people find carrying the conversation weird, but it was truly to see what he would say if the opportunity presented itself,” Lexi said in the post, “In the end, Ari should have ended the conversation when I told him I was 16, instead he continued to be sexually explicit.” It was later revealed on Lexi’s Facebook page that this was not the first time Poppers has been inappropriate with younger women. A post from April 18 showcases two other instances of misconduct, in which former students of his recall him making inappropriate comments to and about girls during class and reaching out to them on dating sites. One of the comments states, “I was told after reporting him that I would be told if anything happened to him and nothing was done. But I
know there’s a paper trail at the school of students reporting him.” A post from later the same day claims that he even went as far as referring to the underage girls in the department’s productions as “jailbait.” Many feel like the SRJC administration and the Theatre Arts department could have done more to prevent harassment from Poppers, especially after the first reports were made. “Department Chair Leslie McCauley is another person who should be held accountable. Complaints went through the Theatre Arts Dept. and went nowhere. Whoever is above the Theatre Chair is also culpable for not taking complaints seriously,” stated Facebook user Marianne Campbell. The school has its own way of dealing with these sorts of allegations, and the first step is administrative leave. However, for local law enforcement, that process isn’t as simple. The man posing as Lexi stated that he contacted the Santa Rosa Police Department and was told the incident is “not in their jurisdiction” and to contact SRJC’s police department. This is a direct contradiction to what SRJC spokeswoman Erin Bricker said in an email to The Press Democrat which stated, “the primary investigation is staying with the Santa Rosa Police Department.” “I gotta say for how straight forward this case is, it’s awfully hard to get in contact with someone willing to hold this guy accountable,” Lexi said on Facebook. Lexi is aware of the risk that nothing may happen to Poppers from a legal perspective, but he isn’t too worried about that. “It needs to be documented. In most cases, nothing happens to them under the law, but it still needs to be out there,” Lexi said. “I gave Ari the chance to confide in someone close to him in hopes of that person holding him accountable moving forward, as well as completing an online class about how to deal with his sexual urges and carelessness. In the end he refused, so this [exposing Poppers on Facebook] was the only way.” In the end, Lexi hopes that Poppers will learn from his mistakes and for the public to know that these predators are hidden in plain sight. “I will let the Santa Rosa community decide what they think,” Lexi said, “but had this actually been a 16 year old girl, I think Ari could have really caused some damage.”
COURTESY // Lexi Sanderson SRJC employee Ari Poppers, in a photo he sent Lexi Sanderson over Facebook messenger.
COURTESY // Lexi Sanderson A screenshot from a conversation between Ari Poppers and Lexi Sanderson over Facebook.
SSU students say they were forced to watch triggering materials continued from pg. 1
more than half the students ultimately dropped out, “After multiple times being blatantly ignored by Ajay, I was hesitant to speak in class, which would impact my participation and grade. When I did speak however, my comments were often disregarded in order to acknowledge another male perspective. On the other hand, when Ajay did recognize my participation in the class he would often gawk or laugh at my comments. This created a very toxic classroom environment in which Gehlawat used his position as professor to force his misogynistic views on his students.” George was not the only student in the all-female class who felt that Gehlawat was abusing his role and power as a teacher. A student who wished to remain anonymous told the STAR, “I specifically remember one day, when I decided to speak up and address the issue that I and other members of the class had with the content. I respectfully stated how important it was for a warning to be given when showing sexual abuse, rape, and misconduct in the classroom, as this may be a huge trigger for women in this class.” As was reported in the first STAR article, the Academic Senate passed a resolution to dismiss trigger warnings in the classroom and instead direct students to speak with Disability Services or Counseling and Psychological services at SSU. The resolution passed with
“He would talk about rape as if it was normal and that the women seemed to deserve it.” language that stated, “the SSU Academic Senate recognizes the right and duty of faculty to determine curricula, methods of teaching, appropriate class size, and [the Senate] opposes all acts of administrative encroachment into curricular matters.” The original document submitted by the academic subcommittee, which Gehlawat is a member of included language that stated, “Some discomfort is inevitable in classrooms when the goal is to expose students to new ideas... as professors, we have the academic freedom to include whatever course content we deem necessary to address our course standards.” The document also included a paragraph that added, “the classroom is not the appropriate venue to treat PTSD or trauma, both of which may require professional treatment.” Some believe that the resolution was proposed because of concerns the class made with Gelhlawat’s lack of trigger warnings with his disturbing content. “The response was very disheartening, as he proceeded to avoid my concerns and change the subject all together. The stubbornness and unwillingness to aid his classroom (of all women) proceeded to get worse, as he continued to assign more films with no warning and grim content. This felt like an abuse of power, not only from a teacher to a student, but from a man to a woman. I believe there needs to be a limit on teachers’ academic freedom. To agree on a limit as a society, there needs to be more communication directed towards this subject, and actions must be taken against teachers like Ajay Gehlawat,” the anonymous student said. Olyvia Schaefer, another student from Gehlawat’s class who felt discriminzed against and harassed, told the STAR about the graphic images she and other students were forced to watch, “We were told to watch disturbing films that involved rape, sexual harassment, killing, violence, and much more. We would watch these films, write papers on them, then have seminars about them without any rhyme or reason about why we had to learn about it and how it went towards our education… One disturbing film that we were required to watch was called India’s Daughter, which was banned in India for its graphic content about rape and violence.” Schaefer goes on to explain that her opinions were almost always disregarded in the seminars and that Professor Gehlawat would often change the subject if someone brought up being uncomfortable. She said, “If I said something the professor would immediately change the topic to talk about the rape scene or the women in the film and how they were being sexualized.” Not only this, but Gehlawat’s lectures seemed incredibly biased to his students, “He would talk about rape as if it was normal and that the women seemed to deserve it. This was a class of only women and a male professor,” Schaefer continued, “[Gehlawat] was very biased about what we talked about because he only wanted to talk about what he thought was important, such as female bodies, what the female role did, why the rape could be okay, etc. Along with the seminars, our essays were graded the same way, we needed to write
papers about rape, killings, female orientation in the films and were harshly graded on it. As a woman in today’s society, I feel violated and that I cannot properly do the assignments or activities that the class requires because of the harassment.” Another student who wished to remain anonymous opened up to the STAR about the effects that Gehlawat’s lectures had on her mental health, “I never thought things would get worse until he made us watch a feminst film called, ‘Born in Flames’. As a college student, I felt like I should be able to handle very graphic images, but that one certain image has caused me PTSD. I remember watching that movie and when that graphic image showed up I was scared. That graphic image has triggered memories that I wish I never experienced. I felt disgusted, impure, and most of all angry at myself that those experiences had to happen to me. I never knew that a certain image could trigger such a traumatizing event.” To protect herself, the student describes how she tried to avoid having to watch that scene again, “However, when I went into my feminsm zoom class, he [Gehlawat] replayed the scenes from this movie and of course he had to show the scene that triggered my PTSD.” She told the STAR, “He gave no warning at all, and what made it worse was that he made us keep our cameras on. I could see my face on my camera and I was completely devastated. I’ll never forget the comment he made when he played the film. After the scene was shown he said, ‘Did you guys see that?’ From the look and expression on his face, I knew he was talking about that disturbing image that has caused me so much stress. To this day, whenever I hear the word feminism, or the professor’s name I see that graphic image and I remember those events that I wish had never happened. No class should ever cause someone this much trauma.” Another anonymous student spoke about her experience in a different class with Gehlawat, “I was in Ajay Gehlawat’s LIBS 320C class. The films he had assigned for that class have featured violent scenes of rape and murders of women. Being required to watch these (and his refusal to give trigger/content warnings) has given me panic attacks and at one point made me throw up thinking about what I saw. For six weeks in a row, I was subjected to films that showed explicit murders, rapes, and abuse of women. I was forced to watch my worst nightmares in front of this man who had no compassion for us while he called them ‘great cinema’.” That same student went on to point out, “That class started with 12 young women, and as you know, statistically 1 in 6 women is a victim of sexual violence, meaning he probably forced at least two victims to relieve their experiences. Frankly I feel appalled that he thought that to be appropriate. I did not feel it is right that my grades should depend on me being able to give ‘in depth and thoughtful analysis’ on the victimization of women.” The student also experienced her thoughts and words being pushed to the side like her peers, “I was told on multiple occasions that my opinions and experiences on womanhood and feminism were invalid, because they weren’t the same as his. I was told that he understood what it meant to be a woman of color better than I, an actual woman of color, does. I
“For six weeks in a row, I was subjected to films that showed explicit murders, rapes, and abuse of women. I was forced to watch my worst nightmares in front of this man who had no compassion.” did not feel safe or comfortable in this class, facing a lack of empathy and compassion for what students go through, both academically and as human beings.” After more than half of Gehlawat’s class had disenrolled, a new class was formed, “We created this new class as a safe space for the women who were victimized in professor Gehlawat’s sections,” George told the STAR. Noelia Brambila, the ASB president of SSU, also commented on the situation, “This professor, who is also the chair for the Academic Freedom Subcommittee, denied the concerns of those students because of his ‘academic freedom’ and him believing it’s his right…. They are in a privileged position where they are not held accountable,” Brambila continued, “I know there is good faculty out there that do care for our students but it’s not enough if they don’t act on it. We have numerous policies that held both students and administrators accountable but it’s not the same for faculty... This might be my own bias, but it’s a student perspective and I work for the students and no one else. So I’m glad to keep pushing for them to hear what we need and want.”
6 Arts
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
COURTESY // Instagram ‘T-E-C-H-N-O-B-O-D-Y’ will streamed online April 29.
COURTESY // Instagram This year’s Theatre Arts and Dance event will bring dance and technology together in unique ways.
Dancing into Spring with “T-E-C-H-N-O-B-O-D-Y”
CHEYENNE CARROLL STAFF WRITER
A
mid the pandemic, virtual concerts and performances have become the norm, and this year’s filmed Spring Dance Concert, “T-E-CH-N-O-B-O-D-Y”, is no exception. Accessible to anyone with a computer, the dance will be available to stream live on April 29 through May 1 at 7 p.m., and on May 2 at 2 p.m. The first and last day of the program will feature a post-performance Q&A section. While tickets are free for all performances, audience members must register for a time and day via the Theater Arts and Dance website under the “On Stage” tab. “T-E-C-H-N-O-B-O-D-Y”, according to the Spring Dance webpage and Matthew Langlois, a guest artist who worked on the video, sound, and music for the production, will feature four different “sections”. They include the “Dance Alumni Chain Letter”, featuring Langlois’ song “The Weird New World”, a collaboration with Kinetech Arts entitled “CHASM”, edited Zoom recordings called “Making Of”, and “To Mask To Reveal” which Langlois
said he began editing “like a long music video, being so inspired by all the awesome choreography and scenes around The Green Music Center.” Christine Cali, director of the concert and department chair, said, “As the dance program has been adapting to virtual performance during covid, I thought it would be an exciting opportunity for them to be guided by Kinetech Arts and engage in innovative approaches to virtual and embodied creative processes.” Kinetech Arts is a San Francisco based “non-profit organization that combines the work of dancers, scientists, and digital artists to create innovative and socially responsible performances” that explore the connection between science and technology with the art of movement, according to their website. The co-directors for the organization, Daiane Lopes da Silva and scientist Weidong Yang mentored dancers on their choreography, “helping them to discover their concepts and figure out how to use movements to convey the
concepts that they chose to work with” and taught theater-tech students about unfamiliar editing software, specifically the program Isadora. Yang said “...we bring a lot of the concept of the science and the technology to work with the dance. And so, it is designed to expand the horizon of the dance... we hope to bring a different perspective to the students...” Their goal was for students to, “think beyond the dance. I hope [students] experience that it’s not just about making the dance or... using a cool technology, but how can you communicate with your body and with the tools that are available,” da Silva said. A technical theater major working on the production, Julie Vargas, said she felt she learned a lot through Spring Dance. “Kinetech Arts is a very established company and Weidong really helped us and guided us through the process and taught us a lot of tools that we didn’t already know. So I think for me it was really important to, as a graduating senior to get a new tool, I think that that’s what
I got to put in my resume and my tool bag of things is that I now know new editing software,” Vargas said. For dancers, the new virtual medium proved to be difficult to adapt to, but ultimately taught them that trusting the process and learning new things is all worth it in the end. “What was challenging was not being able to have everyone around. Meaning the ones that were on zoom. As a department we thrive off of each other’s energy, connection, etc.… A lot of uncertainties that I had internally during the process, but also, I had to let go of my own fears. Sometimes the unexpected is so amazing,” dancer Brandon Lombardo, a fourth year Dance major said. “I loved the way we also worked with our peers who were not able to physically be in the space over zoom! This was very new to navigate having in person dancers and dancers over zoom, but I think it worked out really well,” said dancer and fifth year Dance and Early Childhood Studies double major Angeles Higareda.
Last in-person event of the semester: Nomapalooza S JAYLINE ALVARADO STAFF WRITER
onoma State’s Associated Student Production is presenting NomaPalooza. They first announced it in an Instagram post on April 12. It’s going to be a drive-in music festival with pre-recorded performances, and a question-and-answer segment after on Friday, April 30 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. NomaPalooza will be the last ASP event of the school year and will take place on Lot F or can be watched live through Zoom. RSVP will be required and the first 100 students to arrive at parking lot F will receive a custom sticker. Half the lineup has been announced and will feature Aly & AJ, Leo Blue, and Honeyboys. ASP will also be randomly giving away gift cards and t-shirts to those at the event, according to their most recent Instagram post. Event Director Mac Patefield, chose the lineup, “to try and get as diverse of a range of music as I could with my budget. Last year, when I was planning my original festival, I visited a lot of classes and canvassed the students asking who they wanted to see. That’s how I got half of my lineup last year and I kept some of those recommended artists for this year. I also tried to spotlight SSU musicians I know, hence bringing local band Leo Blue onto the lineup.” The response so far has been positive with students commenting how excited they are for the event. Leo Blue even commented, “Lets gooooo” on the post. Another Instagram user @taylor.eddy commented, “AHHH WE STAN ALY & AJ!!!” Sonoma State student Teagan Dalle Nogare is “so excited to have the campus open back up and check out what campus has to offer.” Jhery Mae Monteza thinks, “It’s great that Sonoma State organized an event like this because it allows the students to come together as a community, but stay safe at the same time,” and that she’s “Excited to see Aly & AJ perform because I grew up listening to the as a child,” despite just watching through Zoom. According to the NomaPalooza RSVP form, those who want to attend the event in person must fill out the Sonoma State Daily Wellness Check screening check online through the Sonoma State website. The event is only open to Sonoma State students. The driver of the car will need to fill out the RSVP form which includes the names and Sonoma State email address for each of their passengers Patefield stated that some other safety measures being taken are” enforcing a mask mandate the entire event, unless you are in your car and all windows and doors are closed. We will have bathrooms this time though! There will be social distancing enforced while in line, ADA Disability compliant restrooms and hand washing stations. The event is even safer since all the performances are pre-recorded, so no talent is traveling to Rohnert Park to perform.” Patefield also stated, “at the end of the day, this event was planned for the students. I’ve been trying to get an event like this for students this year, given COVID and everything else SSU students have been through this year. So, my biggest wish is that people enjoy and attend this event and feel like they can be proud to be an SSU student and enjoy an event throughout all of this craziness.”
COURTESY // Instagram Nomapalooza, happening on April 30, will be an in-person and live-streamed event.
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
Entertainment 7
Live bands return to local restaurants JULIA BLAIR
S
STAFF WRITER
onoma County has officially moved into the orange tier and is now offering 50% or 200 person capacity - whichever is lower - as indoor dining capacity. Now, after many months, live bands have started to plan their musical performances for their indoor dining partners. There is a lot coming up this month, including regular live band performances at Sonoma County’s largest beer garden, Brewster’s, located in Petaluma. Last weekend they offered “Bourbon Blues featuring the Jay Monet Band”, “The Marshall House Project, as well as two different bands on Sunday, the O’Neil & the Finch Bands, along with The BugBee Project.” Other local businesses, such as Horse & Plow Winery in Sebastopol, CA also offered live music last weekend from the duo Dos Bandoleros. Described on their website, “Dos Bandeleros it’s the exciting project of Raul Vargas from Makru and Alberto Gutierrez from La Mandanga, two of the most creative minds in the Bay Area. Both native from Madrid (Spain) and two regulars in the Latin Music Bay’s scene.” It is important to note that many of these are family-owned operations. According to their website, “Horse & Plow is a small family run winery based in Sebastopol, Calif., in the heart of the Russian River Valley.” These local businesses making the commitment to offer live music on a rotating basis as both of these examples have shown are solid examples of maintaining a certain environment and quality control despite circumstances. These events can be easily located on Facebook and other social media channels. Most businesses post their intended musical performance calendar in advance for those interested in attending.
These events provide locals with opportunities to discover new favorites when it comes to dining and beverages, but also potentially addds these bands to their radar. Many are eager to enjoy live music again after time away. The state that Sonoma County is in right now is the second to lowest tier rating and more people are becoming vaccinated each day. With this ongoing pandemic, surviving businesses have adapted to a new normal, but now have the chance to make certain aspects of their former settings feel familiar. A peer who wished to remain anonymous said, “I feel fine going out with people who are vaccinated in a socially distanced environment. I would be comfortable attending a live music event if protocols were being followed by all people attending, which has not always been likely in a public setting.” If people are able to safely enjoy and support local artists, then possibly other performers can return to their perspective stages as well. The entertainment industry has tackled different obstacles throughout the pandemic and has continued to break barriers alongside other industries, in order to provide safe service to the public through this time. Ultimately, live music is a breath of fresh air in any dining setting. There are many reasons why restaurant owners may value live music, but this year artists are especially eager to return to their craft and connect with audiences again in a live setting. Allowing patrons to enjoy a restaurant’s ambience and providing an artist with a space to perform is invaluable. As restrictions and rules in the area change, artists can and will adapt to that change in order to maintain the integrity of their craft.
STAR // Morgan Mitchell School of Rock performed at the Golden State Cider Taproom this past weekend.
STAR // Morgan Mitchell Many restaurant-goers are excited to see live music return once again.
Women in Conversation presents: The Joy of Pets
MARY HELEN ROWELL STAFF WRITER
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he Press Democrat at Home held a free virtual event last Thursday night, “Women in Conversation at Home: The Joy of Pets”, which went live on The Press Democrat’s YouTube
channel at 7 p.m. and was hosted by Sonoma State University Lec-
turer and multimedia producer, reporter, and team ambassador for the San Francisco Giants, Amy Gutierrez. Gutierrez was joined by Chef Duskie Estes from Farm to Pantry, Lynette Lyon from The Lyon Ranch, Shirley Zindler from Dogwood Animal Rescue, and Canine Companions Hearing Dog Recipient, Patricia Rutolo, in a conversation on how much meaning and happiness animals can bring into our lives along with stories on how they
dementia or Alzheimer’s is fascinating because they are still interested in the world regardless of whether or not you can immediately see it.” Ruotolo is a high school special education teacher born with bilateral hearing loss who realized the need for a hearing dog back in 2017 after the first Sonoma County fires. Ruotolo was matched with Canine Companions Hearing Dog, Sierra, in 2019 just before the shelter in place and the two have been together ever since. When asked on how her life has transitioned over the last couple after having gotten her first pet, Ruotolo responded, “I’m sure that a lot of animal lovers would understand that it’s immeasurable, I mean I feel like my heart is full and just that constant unconditional love and companionship, and she makes me laugh and smile every day and I see her do the same for others and she is just such a joy.”
have provided much needed comfort during the pandemic. Over the course of the last year, there were large booms in pet adoptions seen all across the world as people found themselves spending much more time at home, alone. Zindler, who is the founder and president of Dogwood Animal Rescue, a non-profit animal-rescue organization located in Santa Rosa, said, “We’ve worked really hard over the past year to try to help people. You know we need to both be safe when doing adoption visits with covid and also to help people, you know, fill that void that we’re filling when we’re not out doing all the things that we used to do. And that’s where animals are such a gift, they’re just a gift to us to be able to be our companions and our friends and our entertainment and so much more… It’s a strange time in most of our lives and the animals are just a gift to so many.” Lyon works as Outreach Coordinator for her family’s ranch, The Lyon Ranch, located in Sonoma County. Lyon also works on the ranch as an exotic animal trainer, runs the family therapy program, and helps out with many of the day-to-day operations of the ranch that has been rescuing and retraining neglected and abused animals
STAR // Mary Helen Rowell Sonoma State Communications professor Amy Gutierrez ran the live-streamed event on April 22.
for over 20 years. “Animals have a way of accepting people without qualification. Animals don’t mind how someone looks or speaks. An animal’s acceptance is non-judgmental, forgiving, and uncomplicated,” reads The Lyon Ranch website. Lyon Ranch’s therapy program takes their animals into nursing homes, hospitals, hospice facilities, and adult daycare centers to help provide patients with both emotional and physical comfort. “Overall, the idea of just soothing as a therapy is a common misconception, especially when it comes to our focus group of Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, where the benefits of soothing don’t necessarily outweigh the benefits of stimulation, especially safe stimulation,” said Lyon, “And since animals are an interesting and universal constant, taking an animal into a situation with someone who had
STAR // Mary Helen Rowell Amy Gutierrez (left) and Lynette Lyon (right) discuss their happy experiences with animals.
8 Student Life
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
COURTESY // Sonoma State University Noma Nation’s “Money Matters” event aimed to provide students information on budgeting, financial planning, and repaying their student loans.
Money Matters event touches on repaying student loans CAROLINE MORALES STAFF WRITER
T
hroughout March and April, Sonoma State University partnered with Wells Fargo to do a series focusing on money management. While enrolled in college, many students do not think about what comes after college, and how to pay off student loans. According to Student Loan Hero, “about 69% of students from the Class of 2019 took out student loans, graduating with an average debt balance of $29,800.” On Weds. April 21, SSU hosted “Noma Nation Money Matters: Paying for College and Student Loan Repayment Workshop” in hopes of providing students with the necessary tips to pay for college and repay their student loans. Mo Phillips, director of student involvement, was excited to put on this event, as she hoped to provide students with the proper tips and resources necessary to repay their student loans in the future. “Personally, I made a lot of these mistakes when I was in college and it took a long time to get out from under the debt I accrued at that time. We want to make sure that SSU students do not make these same mistakes and are thinking about this area of their lives,” Phillips said. By putting on this money management event, SSU faculty hope to remind students that they are not alone when it comes to paying off student loans. “It is important for students to understand their many options when they enter loan repayment. Students should know how much they borrowed and who their lender or
loan servicer is,” Director of Financial Aid Shanon Little shared. Little wanted to remind students that these loans should never create a financial hardship for them. She went on to say that “the main thing to do is reach out to your loan servicer if repaying these loans becomes hard for you. Your loan servicer will want to work with you by talking over your options, ranging from suspending payments temporarily or entering into a different repayment plan.” Budgeting is one of the main ways that students can help themselves pay for college. It is important for students to sit down and know exactly how much the various aspects of college will cost them, taking into account the prices of tuition/fees, room/board, and books/supplies. Graduating early, if possible, might be an ideal option for students to save money. Meeting with an advisor would be a great way for students to ensure that they are on the right/ most efficient track for graduation. “Make sure you have an academic plan laid out and stick to it. The less time you spend as a student, the less amount of money you will need to borrow,” Little recommended. Phillips shared a plethora of tips for students to pay for college and repay their student loans. She recommended that students make sure to, “set up a plan for themselves. Do research on funding sources on and off campus, work with their lender and campus representatives to see if they can help with planning, be
aware of when they are supposed to pay back loans and make the payment, and lastly talk to a Financial Aid representative as they may know of some funding sources to best assist them.” In addition to student loans, there are also other ways students can pay for college, such as grants or scholarship money. In order to consider all of their options, students are advised to look into these opportunities first to see if they are eligible. At SSU, scholarship applications for the upcoming Fall semester are typically available to students between Nov. 1 and Feb. 1 each year. “Each year, SSU offers internal scholarships ranging from $500-$5,000” Little shared. Aside from finding scholarships through SSU, another great way to find the one that works for students is by seeking out external scholarships. “Local organizations such as Rotary, Kiwanis, and area foundations tend to be where I see students receiving the most scholarships,” Scholarship Coordinator Sara Golightly shared. Phillips finished up by letting students know that “... there are many people on campus that can help with some of these conversations, so talk to them! We will be continuing this series in the fall to continue providing students with more information on paying for college.” The “Money Matters” event left students with a lot of information on how to plan their academic journey financially, without any bumps in the road.
SSU hosts virtual hike for Earth Day KAITLIN BREEN STAFF WRITER
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very year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the modern environmental movement which started in 1970, with rallies led by universities nationwide. Today, this principle is still upheld, and Sonoma State had its own Earth Day event which celebrated environmental activism. This Earth Day, Associated Student Productions (ASP) brought Isaias Hernandez, better known as @queerbrownvegan on Instagram. Hernandez is an environmental educator who uses social media as a platform to spread awareness about environmentalism, the zero-waste movement, veganism, and environmental justice. Hernandez received a B.S. in Environmental Science at the University of California, Berkeley and has since been involved in creative work and academic research. Dubbed as an “environmental inf luencer” by Tim Wilbur, a fourth-year student at SSU, Hernandez spreads awareness of these issues by promoting eco-friendly brands and products. Hernandez also has spent his time blogging about educational resources on environmental justice and how it affects Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and most importantly, using their own background to explain why everyone can help the environment with a little bit of effort. These concepts are near to Hernandez’s mission. This ASP event also had a Q&A format, in which Hernandez answered questions from ASP, as well as questions submitted by students. Hernandez was more than happy to talk about his reasons for becoming a social media environmental educator. He says, “In order to democratize [environmentalism] and try to make it accessible, I thought about using social media as a way to get involved in that,” and added, “You do not need to be an environmental science major to be an environmentalist, it shouldn’t matter where you come from.” Isaias spoke during the event, as well as on his blog, about how important it is to make sustainability accessible to everyone. On Hernandez’ blog, he wrote, “As someone who didn’t
have support when navigating the environmental field, I asked myself who I wanted to be for others, and that’s an educator.” Hernandez focuses on an environmental justice oriented approach to sustainability, which prioritizes dismantling white supremacy in the environmental academic field, and community-driven approaches to environmental activism, which benefit BIPOC. One of the main topics brought up to students in this event was the zero-waste movement. A zero-waste, or low-waste, lifestyle is one in which sustainable choices are made by an individual in order to produce less waste entering landfills. One example of this is refillable products, as many companies are switching from single-use plastics to products which can be refilled more than once, in order to be more sustainable. Many of the products on Hernandez’s blog and social media are zero-waste, or low-waste products, like toothpaste tablets that come in a glass refillable bottle. Another way that Hernandez suggests to reduce waste besides buying sustainable products, which is not necessarily economically feasible for everyone. However, by reusing things that you already have, students are encouraged to do their part to create less waste. Hernandez’s role as a queer person of color in the environmental science sector has been described by inf luencers as a way to “decolonize climate action.” He talks about making sustainable, yet economically feasible choices, for your lifestyle. They discussed unique choices that you can make to reduce waste, like recycling plastic, reusing items in your household, or turning them into something else. When it comes to making sustainable choices, they said “No lowincome individual should ever feel ashamed for buying [conventional] products.” The event ended with a give-away of sustainable products that Hernandez has featured on his Instagram account, including: sustainable toothpaste tablets, shampoo and conditioner bars, and other sustainable alternatives to traditional products.
COURTESY // MiroslavaChrienova Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, ASP brought students together for Earth Day.
COURTESY // Sonoma.edu For Earth Day, Sonoma State IEEC put together a virtual hike via Zoom for students looking for some new scenery.
Student Life 9
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
Male Educators of Color Student Organization hits the ground running NOAH PHILPOTT STAFF WRITER
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ust this past week, Sonoma State presented its inaugural informational Zoom meetings for the MECSO, which is the Male Educators of Color Student Organization. The school held various Zoom meetings to provide a space for not only the SSU student body, but the community as well, to contribute ideas, gain perspective, and get an understanding of current issues and events regarding male educators of color. SSU’s MECSO has been in the works since Sept. 2020 and finally became an organization in Feb. 2021, with the support and leadership of students and faculty. It consists of 5 -10 hours of lectures, discussions, guest speakers, students, and other faculty. This is a soonto-be-yearly event that will cover a range of topics to provide students a sense of belonging, the significance of education, as well as our educators, and the underlying issues revolving around our country’s education system. MECSO aims to support and serve males of color who aspire to work as education professionals throughout Sonoma County and the Bay Area. The organization’s main goal is to enrich the experience for male students of color who are committed to social and educational justice, and hope to positively impact their communities. Students in the organization will receive support from the SSU Male Educators of Color (MEC), where students will be able to share their perspective on education, as well as learn from the experiences of former and current teachers and administrators. The purpose of this collaboration is to bring a sense of belonging and inclusion to undergraduate men of color, while fostering their academic success and professional development. The event held here at SSU was founded and run by Joe Lofton, a student leader who is serving his second term as Senator for the School of Education.“The reason I wanted to start an organization like this is to give undergraduate male students of color a platform of education due to the lack of resources when attending a predominantly white university,” Lofton explained. “Our students should be able to see themselves and their educators as equal regardless of what color their skin is.” Lofton went into detail about what he looks forward to after graduating. Not only did he have his bags packed, but he had all the paperwork ready to be submitted for graduation. All it took was one person to believe in Lofton and show him that he had a reason to be where he was meant to be, and for him, that one person was Professor Susan Haas. Haas believed in Lofton during a time where he didnt believe in himself. “People need to know this… from my personal experience, I question my sense of value everyday walking into those classrooms, and I would do anything to suppress that feeling for anybody going forward. I would ditch class and do things I’m not supposed to do in order to not have that feeling. I was sick and tired of it,” Lofton claimed. Without the help of SSU’s faculty and campus resources, this organization would have
COURTESY // Instagram SSU’s Male Educators of Color Student Organization (MECSO) hosted various Zoom meetings this month to educate students on their main goal as an organization. never gotten off the ground. MESCO’s mission is to try and provide a system of support and a platform for students of color to give them that sense of belonging. “I am just trying to leave Sonoma State a little better than when I found it,” Lofton said. “There is no losing, only learning. There are no failures, only opportunities. There are no problems, only solutions.” This is the mindset that Lofton guides his work through daily. Lofton takes part in the Early Childhood Studies Program with a concentration in education. This summer, he is enrolling at Alder Graduate School of Education with aspirations to be a kindergarten teacher. Lofton hopes to be able to teach at Aspire Richmond Technology School, which is a continuation school through the University of Pacific, Stockton. Alder is known for preparing different educators of color, where Lofton will get his Master’s and his multiple subject teaching credential to continue his path on educating the community about people of color and their sense of belonging. For more information or any questions regarding MECSO, you can follow the Instagram page, @ssu_mecso or email Lofton at loftonj@sonoma.edu.
Seawolves SPEAK!
PAMELA MEYERS STAFF WRITER
“What are some of your favorite weekend activities?”
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onoma County is filled with fun activities to keep students busy, and with classes being online, students have a lot more free time on their hands. In the surrounding cities, there is something fun for everyone, like gorgeous hiking trails, many delicious restaurants, farmer’s markets, and mini golf, to name a few. For students that are 21 and over, bars in Cotati like 8 Ball and Spancky’s are open for business. For students that are under 21, Scandia Family Fun Center is a ten-minute drive from the school, complete with fun activities for students of all ages. Scandia is a mini amusement park with mini golf, go-kart riding, batting cages, and even an arcade. The Sonoma State Recreational Center has also recently opened at limited capacity for students to go and workout. Since the building has been closed for a while, students have been going outdoors to get their exercise at local hiking spots, and even the track at the school.
Taylor Mountain, one of the closer hiking trails to the school, has some of the most breathtaking views on the trails and it is one of the local favorite spots to picnic and hike. One entrance to the trails is off of Petaluma Hill Road, and students can start the trek up the mountain and choose which trail to conquer. On the hike, take in the panoramic views of Sonoma County! Since the pandemic has started, businesses like Friar Tuck’s Pub have unfortunately shut down. However, that hasn’t stopped students from doing the “Cotati Crawl”, which has always been a rite of passage for students to complete before they graduate, hitting all of the bars in Cotati. With Sonoma County being in the orange tier, more activities are opening up for students to keep busy on the weekends like wineries, aquariums, gyms, and much, much more.
“Right now, there’s not a ton to do because of COVID-19, so I usually like to drive around with friends and listen to music or go stargazing.”
“I like to go fishing with my friends around the area when the weather permits it, and I also like hiking at a lot of the same places.”
-Aisha Mendoca, Freshman, Undeclared
-Biij Soltani, Junior, Philosophy major
“Some of my favorite things to do on the weekends are outdoor activities like swimming or hiking, hanging out with friends, and trying new spots to eat at.”
“I love going to the dog park and going out to eat with my friends and family on the weekends!”
-Nicky Martinez, Senior, Business Marketing major
-Gianna Ariente, Junior, Early Childhood Studies major
“On the weekends I enjoy finding and trying out new restaurants, exploring new places to hike or run, and making new memories with friends.” -Wendy Hendricks, Senior, English major
“On weekends, I typically like to try and go outside and spend time with my friends. Pool days, basketball, or fishing are all things I love to do in my free time.” -Danny Olsen, Sophomore, PreBusiness major
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Health
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
STAR // Zena Bounsall STAR // Zena Bounsall The Dailey Method studio in Healdsburg donated the proceeds from one of their classes A look inside The Dailey Method studio in Healdsburg, where owner Cathand a GoFundMe they created to SSU EOP’s Aurelio Saucedo Freshman Achievement Award erine Ziegler donated to the EOP to ensure ongoing support for students. Scholarship.
EOP scholarship saved by local fitness studio’s fundraiser A CALLIE ADAMS STAFF WRITER
urelio Saucedo was a model student as a freshman at Sonoma State in 1985. He was a first-generation college student and immigrant from Mexico, who spoke little English when he first arrived in California at the age of 16. He received support from the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Sonoma State and became a top student, president of MECHA de Sonoma, and part of the Intercultural Advisory Board. He had dreams of attending law school. “He was an inspiration because of all the adversities he had dealt with and overcome as a disadvantaged student,” said Amal Munayer, an academic advisor for the EOP and a Native American Initiative Representative, “He succeeded, he worked hard, utilized the services of EOP, and he exemplified the potential for success that we want for our students.” One day, during his commute to class, Saucedo was tragically killed in a head-on collision with a drunk driver. To commemorate the loss of such a brilliant Seawolf, the EOP honors Saucedo by awarding a $500 scholarship in his name to another exemplary EOP first-year who overcomes challenges and has promise for the future. This year, however, was to be the last year that the EOP would have the funding to award the scholarship, until The Dailey Method Healdsburg Barre + Cycle Studio’s owner, Catherine Ziegler, stepped in. The studio donated proceeds from an outdoor barre class and also held a GoFundMe fundraiser where anyone could donate to help keep the EOP running in order to guide and support students. Ziegler and her fitness studio have a history of supporting diversity and inclusion efforts within the community; they have previously held a Black Lives Matter fundraiser that donated to a nonprofit. In addition to the fundraising for the EOP, which raised almost $4,000, including $1,000 from Ziegler personally, the studio held a raffle for gift cards to Asian-owned businesses in order to combat anti-Asian racism in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an article for SSU News, Ziegler said that she and her studio, “...intend to empower individuals to become their most vibrant and authentic selves through a mind/ body transformation within a compassionate and supportive community.” “We feel really grateful that The Dailey Method Healdsburg reached out to us in support of diversity and inclusion efforts,” Munayer said. “The funds raised are going to be used to support EOP’s Aurelio Saucedo Freshman Achievement Award Scholarship. This was going to be last year that we had money in the bucket to afford the scholarship. But Catherine and the fundraiser were able to raise up to $2,800, and Catherine donated $1,000 herself so we can continue the scholarship for next year.” EOP is a program designed to support historically underserved and underrepresented students at Sonoma State. With this funding, they can continue to provide academic advising, co-curricular programming, and advocacy throughout campus with admissions and financial aid for disadvantaged students that might not have otherwise received the support necessary to succeed in college. “Our intention in EOP is to support graduation, retention, outreach and recruitment, and high GPAs for underrepresented and underserved students. We hope to continue to grow, thrive, and support the department and our students and their experiences at the institution,” Munayer said, “We care, nurture, support, advocate, and provide for our students to ensure that they make it all the way through college and graduate. It’s really work of the heart, and we’re glad that we were able to galvanize the community through The Dailey Method studio’s service to our students.” Anyone attending a class from The Dailey Method Healdsburg studio can feel good knowing that they are supporting an organization that fosters an inclusive and welcoming community in Sonoma County. Though The Dailey Method Healdsburg’s GoFundMe fundraiser has concluded, those wishing to support the EOP or donate to the Aurelio Saucedo Freshman Achievement Award Scholarship can do so online at eop.sonoma.edu.
CDC clears fully vaccinated people for travel
EMILY ALVARADO STAFF WRITER
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n an update on April 2, the CDC announced that fully vaccinated people can now resume domestic travel without getting tested before or after travel and that they do not need to selfquarantine after travel. Fully vaccinated people also do not need to get tested before leaving the U.S. or self-quarantine when they return. A little over a week since the April 15 opening of COVID-19 vaccinations to anyone 16 years or older, 30.9% of Sonoma County residents aged 16-24 are either partially or fully vaccinated. Someone is considered fully vaccinated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) two weeks after their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or two weeks after their single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The CDC has released some guidelines on what fully vaccinated people can do with their newfound protection as well as the precautions they should continue to follow. According to the CDC, fully vaccinated people can visit other fully vaccinated people indoors without masks or social distancing. Fully vaccinated people can also visit unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 infection indoors without the usual precautions. As far as precautions that fully vaccinated people should continue to take, the CDC encourages everyone to wear a mask and social distance while in public or when visiting unvaccinated people who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 infection. The CDC also recommends avoiding medium to large-sized in-person gatherings and to get tested for COVID-19 if you are showing symptoms. For anyone curious about what may happen after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, the CDC said that common side effects include pain, redness and swelling in the arm that received the vaccine as well as tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea. If symptoms last longer than a few days or something doesn’t feel right, the CDC recommends seeing a doctor.
STAR // Zena Bounsall Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport is just one of the airports across the country seeing an increase in travel, as those who are fully vaccinated are now able to resume domestic travel.
Caitlin Aaron-Vadnais is a third year at SSU and has been fully vaccinated for a couple of weeks. Aaron-Vadnais spoke of her vaccination experience, “When I was getting my vaccine I had an overwhelming sense of joy wash over me, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t shed a few silent tears… One of my favorite things that I’ve been able to do since getting it is see my family again and give them hugs. I can’t put into words how much that meant to me.” The past year has been tragic and uncertain, leaving a lot of students unsure of what will happen next. The University is taking a step to create a safe environment on campus for faculty and students. As Aaron-Vadnais said, “For the first time in a long time, I feel truly hopeful.” Kiera Moran, SSU senior, has received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. She only experienced soreness in her arm. Moran said, “I’m just glad that I can get this vaccine and feel safer in my community.” Moran mentioned that living in San Diego, she had some trouble getting an appointment to get vaccinated. On April 15 with the mandate that anyone 16 years old and up can get vaccinated, Moran quickly made an appointment. When asked about her plans to travel when she is fully vaccinated, Moran said, “I love road trips and it’s such an easy way to travel, especially with friends and family.” With summer around the corner and the California reopening on June 15, travel may be in many SSU students’ futures.
Wellness 11
APRIL 27 - MAY 3, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
Amazin LeThi discusses advocacy and equality in sports A CASEY FABBRI
STAFF WRITER
sian LGBTQ advocate, bodybuilder, fitness writer, and thought leader are just some of the identities that Amazin LeThi showcased to Sonoma State students last Tuesday night. LeThi spoke about her journey in becoming a global activist for social justice and gender equality in sports. LeThi’s talk was a part of SSU’s Sport and Social Justice lecture series, as well as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPIH) Month celebrations. The Zoom webinar presented a conversation between LeThi and Sonoma State scholar athlete, Celine Rubalcava. The two conversed about the misrepresentation of women, minorities, and sexualities in sports. Kinesiology Professor, Lauren Morimoto, stated, “Amazin highlights how Asian and/or LGBTQ athletes are often excluded from sports. AAPIH Month is trying to share the history and heritage of multiple groups and LGBTQ+ individuals and athletes in Asia and PI America have gotten little coverage or attention.” LeThi is one of few Asian athletes who has gotten the media’s attention, although her life has not been as easy as one may think. Growing up in a trans-racial family, LeThi knew at a very young age that she was different. LeThi searched for a sense of community and an escape from her peers who bullied her on the school playground. She was able to find herself through playing sports. When asked about her experiences in youth sports Lethi said, “Sports gave me this sense of confidence and self worth and I found my place in sports. Though I found group and team sports to be a very hostile environment being Asian. I was pushed out of team sports anyway by one of my coaches because of the stereotype of being Asian in sports.” LeThi explained that Asians are portrayed as slow, geeky, and physically challenged; she believes that the media plays a huge role in how these stereotypes are supported in sports. As a child, LeThi said that she did not see anyone that looked like her on television, so her dream of being a star athlete started to dwindle at a young age. Lethi said, “When we look at professional sports, we don’t see the Asian athletes that we should because our journey is so difficult. We are still treated, in many respects, in the same way of the bullying and harassment in sports.” This harrassment and inequality on the field is what makes LeThi so passionate about advocating for women in sports. In terms of addressing inequalities such as inadequate funding, resources, and attendance, LeThi says
COURTESY // GLAD Amazin Lethi shares her story about how she became a global activist, tackling social issues such as gender equality in the world of sports.
that it starts with open conversations, involving men in particular. “Men have to come to the table and they need to see the validity and worth in our sports,” LeThi said. “When we’re looking at the college environment, it takes everyone: the sports department, the executives, the parents. Also the media plays such a huge role in how they navigate our stories.” LeThi does see a time where stadiums will be packed to watch remarkable female, Asian athletes that deserve attention for their talent and dedication to their sport. LeThi advocates for women to get to this place through several platforms. Along with speaking to universities and corporations about women’s struggles, she is also an active journalist in the world of fitness. According to the Official Amazin LeThi website, “Amazin currently is the health and fitness writer for Livestrong: LIVESTRONG.COM is ranked the No1. most popular health and fitness website.” The advocacy work that LeThi displayed during her lecture opened the minds of Sonoma State students and faculty in attendance. These Sport and Social Justice lectures are meant to enlighten visitors to diverse individuals who have carved a path in the athletic community.
SSU Women’s Golf excels despite pandemic VINCENT SPENCE STAFF WRITER
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onoma State Women’s Golf has taken every advantage of being able to play through COVID-19. In three out of the four matches they have been able to compete in, the ladies came in first place. Sonoma State’s Golf program has been the first sport to be able to play at SSU since March 2020, and they put their hearts and souls into this season, despite all the restrictions. After getting clearance to play last month, the women’s team had four matches set on their schedule. In the first match of the season the Seawolves came in a subpar fourth out of seventh place. With bounce back performances from freshman stand out Brenna Ozel and Senior Lexi Nelson, the Seawolves snagged three straight match victories. Lexi Nielson, a fourth year at Sonoma State and fourth season team member, described how her team was battle tested to start the season but made a terrific jump: “Our team as a whole has done a great job at committing to the process. All the returners have set high standards for the newcomers and all the newcomers have shown why they deserve to be here. Our team chemistry has helped us get through a rocky year and also pushed us to all our wins. We are continuing to finish strong. I am extremely proud of the team for all the work they put in and not burning out there the last few weeks when it means the most.” said Nielson. In the last round of the Sonoma State Invitational at the Seawolves home course Foxtail in Rohnert Park on April 6th, Nielsen caught fire on the back nine holes shooting a 67 for the round and was (-5). This round broke a school record for lowest score posted by an individual on the women’s team. With the recent success of winning three individual tournaments in a row, the women’s team now looks ahead to the postseason. The playoffs will start in a few weeks for the ladies, and in the meantime they are working hard to perfect their craft. Sam Cabunag, a Junior in her second season with SSU, described how her and her team feel going into the playoffs: “I am very excited to be able to get back into the swing of things. We have a chance to do something big and go to regionals, maybe even nationals. A huge contributing factor I believe for our success comes down to that we are a family. Our team is so supportive and trusting. We never give up and put 120% effort in whatever we do. I’m really excited for it and for our team’s success.” COVID-19 has been a sting to many if not all sports for the last year. But with golf’s style of game it has been much easier to work through the difficulties and change ups. The players must wear a mask at all times and one major new change has been teams play together during a match. In years past, one player from each school will play together to make up five to six groups. Now due to COVID, teams play the round with their fellow teammates. Most players feel more relaxed and feel more at ease when playing because they are playing with their friends/teammates. Whatever the changes are, coach Verhunce has been ready for them. Prior to this year he has led the women’s team to five straight NCAA tournament appearances. Verhunce said, “We’re hoping for everything to come together and the committee sees us as an at large bid. What an amazing spring and an amazing year by a bunch of amazing women.”
COURTESY // Sonoma.edu Sonoma State Women’s Golf team gathered together to celebrate their successful golf season, coming in first place in every round but one in their recent tournament.
COURTESY// Sonoma.edu The Sonoma State Nursing Program was recently ranked the third best nursing program in all of California.
SSU nursing ranked third in California SAMANTHA PEZZOLA STAFF WRITER
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onoma State University (SSU) has been recognized as one of the top nursing programs in the state for both salary and education of nursing graduates. RN Careers recently ranked SSU the number three school for best nursing programs in California. The SSU nursing program has been educating future healthcare professionals for over 40 years, putting over 4,000 students through to careers in the nursing field and beyond. Anna Valdez, department chair of nursing, provides her statement on the program’s standards: “We have very little attrition in the nursing programs and near-perfect pass rates for the nursing license exam (96-100%). Another factor that influences salary is that Bay Area and North Bay salaries for nurses are among the highest in the nation. I think our outcomes are so strong in the nursing department because our faculty and students are exceptional. Faculty are dedicated to providing a well-rounded education that prepares competent, compassionate, and culturally informed nurses.” The program offers a bachelor and masters degree, both of which follow the curriculum criteria set by the Commission Of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). With instruction requiring both information retention and hands on experience for all students, this program provides all who participate with the required skill set for a successful career in the medical field. Nursing programs at SSU include: Pre-nursing, Pre-Licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Post-Licensure Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing, Master’s of Science in Nursing, and Post Master’s of Science in Nursing. Emma McKkay, former SSU nursing student, explains her experience during her time in the program: “ The coursework is rigorous but necessary. This is a fantastic program that prepares students for bedside nursing, however the application process to get into a nursing program is brutal. Their pre-nursing program has 48 seats despite their nursing program having 24 seats. As students, we are all very aware of how competitive the nursing program application process is, which causes lots of tension between students, and can make it difficult to establish meaningful friendships among your prenursing cohort. But overall, the program is one of the best in the state and I was very happy to be a part of it.” The core values placed at the center of this program include a foundation for lifelong learning, instilling a broad cultural perspective, becoming an active leader in practice, fostering dynamics for a career to adapt in a fast changing medical environment, and to be a contributor for the well being of any environment their practice is used. Matt Marshall, a licensed nurse and SSU nursing graduate, gives his experience with the nursing program: “ Sonoma State’s Nursing program helped prepare me for my career in nursing by giving me the space to learn, not only how to be a nurse, but what kind of nurse I wanted to be. The small class size, individual attention, and outstanding instructors are just some of the things that make SSU’s program different. Within a year of graduation I was working in the regional trauma center’s ICU, and within two years I had been accepted into graduate school at Johns Hopkins University.”
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APRIL. 27 - MAY. 3, 2021 sonomastatestar.com
Airports begin to lift restrictions for the vaccinated
STAR // Brandon Sparks Fully vaccinated individuals still must wear masks at airports, but restrictions are slowly easing up and more people are beginning to travel.
STAR // Zena Bounsall The Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport recently changed domestic air travel restrictions.
STAR // Zena Bounsall Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport following new CDC guidelines, allowing fully vaccinated people to resume domestic travel without being tested beforehand.
Seniors celebrate graduation with photos
STAR // Ileana Aleman Eliza Velarde (left) and Maria Varguez (right) take pride in their culture and incorporate the Mexican flag in their graduation photoshoot.
STAR // Ileana Aleman
Graduating seniors Maria Varguez (left) and Eliza Velarde (right) capture memories of their big milestone to last them a lifetime.
STAR // Brandon Sparks Jojo Marriner, along with many other graduating seniors, are coming to campus to get their photo taken in front of the Green Music Center.
STAR // Brandon Sparks Almost every evening, students can be found at the Green Music Center taking photos to celebrate their graduation from Sonoma State University, like Jojo Marriner did popping confetti.