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VOLUME 87 // ISSUE 12 NOVEMBER 16, 2021 - NOVEMBER 22, 2021
THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER
@SONOMASTATESTAR
STAR // Nicholas Roth Silva Bedrossian works the stand at the cafeteria where students swipe their ID before they can enter to eat. Under the new contract, student workers like Silva can expect new benefits like better wages, rights and working conditions.
Students workers secure new contract for better wages National labor shortage leads to an increase in wages throughout Sonoma County
ISABEL EPSTEIN STAFF WRITER
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he COVID-19 pandemic has impacted both the economy and workforce in unforeseeable ways. In order to combat a shortage of workers, on Nov. 9, the CSU Board of Trustees approved the new two-year Student Worker UAW 4123 union contract that ensures better wages, rights, and working conditions. UAW (The Union of Academic Student Workers) Local 4123 is a union representing over 10,000 Academic Student Employees which includes Teaching Associates, Graduate Assistants, and Instructional Student Assistants at the 23 California State University campuses. The wage increases would take effect on July 1, 2021, which means that student workers would receive this as back pay. The exact timing of this back pay depends on the CSU’s payroll, but will most likely occur in early 2022. The 2021-2022 academic year increase of the wage scales will go in effect on Jan. 1, 2022. Also going into effect Jan. 1, 2022 is an increase of the hourly minimum wage in Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa’s current minimum wage is $15.20 and will
increase by 65 cents to $15.85 Petaluma’s minimum wage of $15.20 went into effect Jan. 1, 2021. The city of Sonoma’s minimum wage will increase to $16 for businesses with 26 or more employees and $15 for businesses with 25 or fewer employees at the beginning of the new year. “The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified Sonoma County’s already high cost of living, further exacerbating persistent and unsustainable economic inequality,” said Rogers, according to Patch.com. “As we recover, we can’t afford to leave our low-wage workers behind.” The state of California’s minimum wage is set to increase to $15 for businesses of 26 or more employees and $14 for employers with 25 or fewer employees starting in January as well. Last March, Rohnert Park’s Graton Resort & Casino gave a minimum 10% pay raise for salaried employees and hourly wage increases for tipped and nontipped workers. Tipped employees now earn $17.50 an hour and hourly work-
see STUDENT WORKERS on pg. 4
Sonoma County Sheriff condemns former auditor’s ‘racist’ Facebook post JHERY MAE MONTEZA STAFF WRITER
S
onoma County Sheriff Mark Essick has publicly stated his disapproval of a Facebook post made by Jerry Threet, a former county law enforcement auditor. Essick has deemed Threet’s post as ‘racist’. The Facebook post by Threet questions whether or not Assistant Sheriff Eddie Engram, a Black man, is more loyal to the law enforcement profession than to his race. On Sept. 30, before the post was published, Essick announced that he wouldn’t run for re-election and endorsed Engram. This prompted Jerry Threet to write his Facebook post that Essick considered aggressive. As of Nov. 9, the Facebook post on Threet’s page is no longer visible for the public to see. “Essick was leveraging Engram’s BIPOC status to keep the office within the control of the deputies’ union. Don’t fall for the ruse. Not all skin folk are kinfolk,” Threet’s post read. Essick felt that the post was racially insensitive. “Essentially, it said, ‘Don’t be fooled, don’t fall for the ruse’...that even though [Engram is] Black, he doesn’t respect Black people,” he said. Jerry Threet has been a vocal critic of the local Sheriff’s office. He is a founding director of the county’s law enforcement oversight office, and formally served as the Chair of the Sonoma County Commision on Human Rights. Due to his status as a local public figure, Essick has called on him to issue a public apology for his “racially biased comments.” Threet concluded, “Engram will not be a leader who considers how the policies and practices of the Sheriff’s Office, a key player in a county criminal justice system characterized by White Supremacist tendencies, continue to harm the county’s BIPOC community.” Engram talked about how Threet is making allegations about him, and portraying him in a certain way when, according to Engram, see CONTROVERSY on pg. 4
COURTESY // @cagovernor on Instagram Governor Newsom stands among supporters where he signed new bills into law at CSU Northridge.
Governor Newsom signs new bills impacting higher ed
MARY HELEN ROWELL STAFF WRITER
I
n early October, Governor Gavin Newsom finished signing 770 new bills into law, many of which will have an impact on public universities and colleges across California. Newsom concluded signing the last bill on Saturday Oct. 9, a day before the Oct. 10 deadline which marked the end of the 2020-21 legislative session. In total, 836 bills were proposed by state lawmakers, and 770 (92%) of these bills were signed by Newsom. “In partnership with the Legislature, the Administration has taken bold action and made historic investments to address the state’s most persistent challenges to best ensee on NEW CALIFORNIA pg. 4
2 Editorial THE STAR Editorial Board
NOV. 16 - NOV. 22, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
Diversity: representation vs. over-advertising
Kylie Rose Lawrence, Editor-in-Chief Callie Adams, News Editor Moragh Graf, Opinion Editor Cheyenne Carroll, Arts & Entertainment Editor Myles Grabau, Student Life Editor Emily Cripe, Sports & Health Editor Isabelle Barkey, Photo Editor Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Jayline Alvarado, Alexis Gonzalez, Jhery Mae Monteza, Adrienne Moon, Pedro Ortega Perez, Mary Helen Rowell, Dana Scacco, Joshua Silva, Addison Smith, Jessica Sternfeld, Clea Upcher, Daniel Dinerman, Isabel Epstein, Diana Ortiz, Payton Mullaney STAR // Angelina Quevedo
Photographers Nicholas Roth, Jake Morrissey, Ileana Aleman
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Editor’s Pick This week’s can’t miss article:
“SSCI Department offers new class for students interested in social change” Read the article on page 7.
Have an opinion? We’d like to hear from you! The STAR welcomes letter to the editor
U
niversities and higher-education institutes all across the country have made great strides in increasing inclusivity and diversity. Some campuses, like ours at Sonoma State, have elected to create certain learning communities designed to house students of a similar culture so that these students can feel comfortable and welcome. Other universities have created specialized certification programs, like the President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Initiative offered in the University of California system, which serves to support women and minorities with their doctoral degrees. Still, plenty of problems regarding diversity within university systems persist. Some universities, in an effort to forcibly create diversity at their school, have been found guilty of turning away perfectly strong applicants in favor of applicants who could potentially boost that university’s reputation. For example, Ivy League schools like Harvard and Cornell have been proven to admit Asian-American applicants at rates inconsistent with the total number of Asian-American applicants, suggesting strongly that admissions offices at those institutions are seeking out applicants whose presence might diversify the campus population, according to the Asian American Coalition for Education. With this in mind, we have to look at SSU and acknowledge that the university seems to be doing its best to invite diversity without discriminating against applicants in order to force it. No evidence to suggest that SSU uses race to give advantages or disadvantages to applicants exists, and according to CollegeFactual.com, SSU actually ranks as “more diverse” and “above average” for diversity compared to the national average for universities. However, diversity is hard to measure. Looking at charts online of racial-ethno demographics at SSU, you find that the student population is approximately 56% people of color and 44% white students, give or take a few percentage points. This is what sites like CollegeFactual.com, CollegeSimply.com, DataUSA.io, and UnivStats.com will show you. Looking around SSU, though, the campus does not appear to be as diverse as online calcu-
lators claim it is. This could be because people inherently have intersecting identities, and university applications often limit a person to define themselves by just one cultural identity. This is not wrong, but it may cause misleading statistics when new applicants are looking to apply to SSU and think that they will have a larger cultural community to belong to than they actually will. It can also be misleading when college campuses use promotional imagery that misrepresents the true population of the campus. Colleges know that students will seek out communities of culturally-similar students, so they aim to give the impression that they have a far more diverse campus than they actually do. You might notice that advertisements, signs, and flags around SSU very prominently feature a higher percentage of people of color than campus has in reality. While it is absolutely vital to have representation, it is also important to maintain a balance between showcasing a diverse, welcoming community, and using people of color as an advertising tool to draw in more applicants. There is a fine line between representation and over-advertising diversity, and SSU, as well as most other universities, are edging closer to it. The best thing we can do to encourage true diversity on campus, rather than diversity for the sake of advertising, is to continue supporting campus organizations and events designed to create a safe space for people of any identity and culture. The Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion at SSU has many branches that serve to promote inclusion, support minorities, and offer educational programs. There are many cultural clubs and organizations for students too, including but not limited to the Black Student Union, MEChA de Sonoma, the Multicultural Sorority and Fraternity Council, the Womxn of Color Collective, Native American Progressive Students, and more. You can find a comprehensive list under “Student Spaces” on the website for the Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. By supporting the efforts of these organizations, we can help SSU continue to grow as an inclusive, welcoming institution for everyone.
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.
STAR // Ashley Cobb
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
NOV. 16 - NOV. 22, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
Sonoma County loosens restrictions on in-law units
JESSICA STERNFELD
STAFF WIRTER
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estrictions on in-law units were decreased in September by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors to help ease the ongoing housing crisis. The changes include things like halving application processing time and permitting structures on multifamily properties. An in-law unit, also called a guest house or a granny unit, is defined as “an accessory dwelling unit – an additional separate living space located on a property where only one unit would normally be” by SFGate. These units can be either connected, inside, or completely detached from housing on the property. The need for easier accessibility to build these units is clear from the number of permits for 2021. Despite the ongoing need for them, no permits have been finalized in 2021, as of August according to a Sonoma County report. This is down from 20 permits finalized in 2020 and 62 in 2019. Renee Schomp, director of the Napa Sonoma Accessory Dwelling Unit Center, explains that
“ADUs can help bridge the middle-income housing gap and can contribute significant housing production relatively quickly and affordably with opportunities to expand access to lower-income households.” ADUs seem to embrace how living arrangements have changed and how they still need to change. While most articles about ADU talk about their accessibility to house people with low incomes, their online presence is mostly about housing family members. The Napa Sonoma ADU website espouses, “Whether it provides a home for the immediate family, personal space for extended family or friends, a private home for parents, grandparents, or a family member with disabilities, or a return to home for grown children, an ADU can suit the needs of a variety of family situations.” The mention of returning home is very relevant since over 40 percent of adults aged 18-34 live with their parents as of March 2021, according to 24/7 Wall St. This percentage is heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic due to the availability of housing as well as inflation. Prices are rising all around the country as the Consumer Price Index has increased 6.2 percent over the last year, with a 0.9 percent increase just in October alone. While the CPI does include “shelter,” it has more direct influence over the price of housing. According to Century 21’s website, “Many leases indicate that rent prices will rise at the same rate as the CPI.”
Unethical to assign homework over breaks?
ALEX GONZALEZ
STAFF WIRTER
A
s holiday breaks like Thanksgiving and Winter break roll around, students could either feel a sense of relief for a bit or groan from the annoyance of being assigned homework to do during the break. It’s definitely a refreshing feeling knowing that you can kick back from thinking about school and just relax for a minute. Jaden Reiter, a communications student at Sonoma State, said that he doesn’t like it when he’s assigned homework during any holiday break, as “it should be time spent with family and friends rather than doing extra work.” Reiter goes on to discuss how the work doesn’t feel very impactful in the grand scheme of the class, almost like it’s just busy work. Reiter also expressed the concerns he has that SSU isn’t the only school that allows homework to be assigned during holiday breaks. As a matter of fact, it is normal that a majority of students have to deal with working on assignments, discussions, readings, or anything assigned by their professors during breaks. The workload that is given to students during holiday breaks tends to impact students for all the wrong reasons. UC Berkeley student David Kamel, a sophomore majoring in political science, gives his opinion about why it’s a “negative” to have a workload during the holiday break, stating, “Adding any school work would hinder my ability to spend time with [family].” Kamel adds to his comments by explaining how he and his family all pitch in with cooking the day before and the day of Thanksgiving. School tends to impede on Kamel’s plans if he gets assigned any class work during breaks. Are students actually entitled to rest during their holiday breaks? Kamel states his opinion, commenting, “There is a reason why they are called ‘breaks.’ They serve as buffers for students to relax and focus on themselves for a brief moment. Just like any job, one is given time off in the form of holidays and vacations.” Kamel explains that professors should be more understanding as breaks can help students, yet certain professors do not fully understand that students need a break, or that their time off should be used to relax and help them refresh themselves for the next semester. There is really no need to overwhelm students with extra work when they are due for a break. These breaks are in close range with the semester’s finals, which makes it an even more stressful time for students. “It really puts a damper on the amount of fun I can have and how much I can actually relax. When I have homework looming over me, it stresses me out, even if it’s not due until the end of the break,” Zach Drew states when discussing if it’s fair for students to get workloads from their professors. Drew is a student at the Santa Rosa Junior College, majoring in medical studies. In the grand scheme of things, some argue that it is unethical to be assigned any school work that’s due during or after a holiday break like Thanksgiving. It doesn’t seem fair for the students, as they get assigned a work load from their class each week. Having an assignment loom over the students while they’re trying to spend time with their loved ones wouldn’t feel like a break. It’s almost careless on the professor’s side, knowing how exhausting it can be for students trying to catch a break. Everyone should be entitled to a break, especially the students, as you can’t really appreciate a holiday break when due assignments break the individual’s relaxation time. The workload students are given over holiday breaks makes it feel as if there is no time to rest at all, making it feel as if the break is nonexistent.
California, specifically Sonoma County, has sky-high housing prices. The Press Democrat reports, “In September, the median price for singlefamily houses in the county hit $755,000, a 5% increase from the same month last year and a 16% jump from September 2019.” The same article also explained that rentals saw an “increase 11% yearover-year in October to $1,565 a month for a onebedroom.” In-law units may be the perfect solution to housing relatives, and definitely add more housing options, it may not be very accessible to lowincome families. The Press Democrat said, “The median rental price of an accessory dwelling unit in the Bay Area is well above that at $2,200 a month.” However, an increase in ADUs being built may allow that median to go down. As far as solving the housing crisis, this looks more like a band-aid solution. But ADUs are definitely the way of the future as far as housing families are concerned. Expenses for senior housing are astronomical in this country. This creates a better option that lets more families live closer together. No need to worry about grandma when she is living in the backyard. Many people look down at housing family members, but it is slowly becoming more and more necessary. ADUs are the best solution for now, offering a happy medium by providing homes for family members who otherwise can’t afford it, but also keeping a little bit of private space, even if that private space may be just a door away.
Travis Scott facing lawsuits following deadly music festival
DIANA ORTIZ
STAFF WRITER
“The crowd…suddenly surged toward the stage during a performance by rapper Travis Scott, squeezing fans so tightly together that they could not breathe or move their arms, killing eight people in the chaos.”
I
t has been 11 days since tragedy struck at Travis Scott’s Astroworld Music Festival in Houston, Texas. Since then, nine people have been identified as victims of the devastating incidents that unfolded at the event. After the fatal concert, nine people died and many people are left wondering who should be held accountable for the lives that were taken and the hundreds of people that sustained injuries that night. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Travis Scott is a 30-year-old rapper and record producer who first introduced the Astroworld Music Festival in 2018 at the same time his album, ‘Astroworld’ was released. The two-day festival was designed to provide audience members with a nostalgic experience that reflects the emotions connected to the Houston theme park named “Astroworld” that closed down in 2005. The festival was also a chance for Travis Scott fans to see performances from other rappers and artists Scott has collaborated with. The festival made a return in 2019, however; had to be cancelled in 2020 due to covid. With fans more excited than ever to attend a concert, the 2021 Astroworld Music Festival soon turned fatal as people were crushed and trampled ubiquitously. But was it the excitement that proved to be too much for the security team to handle, or are there other factors that led to the tragic events of the night? An article published by the Houston Chronicle states, “The crowd…suddenly surged toward the stage during a performance by rapper Travis Scott, squeezing fans so tightly together that they could not breathe or move their arms, killing eight people in the chaos.” Audience members at the event were literally being crushed to death, causing many people to speak up and express their anger towards the artist for continuing his performance despite the hundreds of people being injured in the crowd. In fact, a CNN article describes a moment caught on video by an audience member where one can see “rapper and event organizer Travis Scott -- pause and look on in confusion as an ambulance with flashing lights moved
into the densely packed crowd.” This suggests that Travis Scott was aware of the circumstances, yet chose to ignore it, and finished his performance anyway. Immediately following the event, horrified revelers turned to the social media platform, Tiktok to share their experiences and videos from the festival, most of which depicted graphic videos of people collapsing on top of each other as their screams for help become muffled as more people trample one another. According to records filed with the Harris County District Clerk’s Office as stated in an article by Houston Public Media, several of the festival’s attendees have filed lawsuits against Travis Scott and the concert organizers. The music festival was organized by the company Live Nation and was held at the NRG Stadium in Houston, where several other events have been held previously, however; never had they hosted an event where hundreds of people got injured. In an article published by MSN News, a civil rights attorney stated, “Both Scott and promoter Live Nation are targets of civil actions,” considering that, “nearly 200 people have filed 93 lawsuits.” Regardless of how the lawsuits unfold, it is clear that Travis Scott will be facing plenty of backlash for the decisions he chose to make─or not make─during his festival. Although both Travis Scott and Live Nation have issued public apologies for the horrific events that occurred, the public is still demanding for the artist to be held accountable. Investigators and Houston Police Department continue to work with Scott and Live Nation as they continue to try to pinpoint exactly what it is that happened among the crowd of 50,000 people. As COVID-19 restrictions continue to slowly dissapate, the opportunity to attend concerts and music festivals grows. With that in mind, regardless of who is responsible for the tragedy, the devastating events that took place at Astroworld Music Festival serve as an important reminder for festival goers everywhere to always prioritize safety and to look out for one another.
4 News
NOV. 16 - NOV. 22, 2021 sonomastatestar.com
New California bills will have big impact on college students continued from pg. 1
STAR // Nicholas Roth First-year Madelyn Page works the front desk at the Rec center, checking people in and welcoming them. She is one of many student workers at SSU.
Student workers can expect better conditions and wages continued from pg. 1
ers are paid $18.50 an hour. All employees are also eligible to receive a $1,000 guest services bonus each quarter after satisfying all of the requirements. “Families in Northern California struggle to get by on the minimum wage,” said Greg Sarris, tribal chairman for the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, in a press release. “A wage increase seemed only fitting to help our team members after a difficult year.” Much like the Graton Resort & Casino, many businesses are offering pay raises and other incentives to keep current employees satisfied and to attract more employees, especially for the upcoming holiday season. According to the New York Times, Mark A. Cohen, the director of retail studies at Columbia University’s business school said, “We’re coming out of a crisis we have no experience in dealing with, in which millions of people were furloughed or laid off or removed from the workforce. Some people are still fearful about coming back to work, especially in a job in which they would be exposed to large numbers of the public.” Retailers are finding it difficult to recruit staff to an industry that has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic’s various obstacles. Employees were exposed to COVID-19 on a regular basis, were involved in customer disputes about wearing masks and were inconsistently offered hazard pay or other adequate compensation for their efforts. According to Scott Mushkin, who founded the financial consultant R5 Capital, it is especially critical for retailers to hire temporary help this season as “the workforce is tired out” after nearly two years of pandemic conditions. Sonoma State’s Director of Career Services, Audra Grady Verrier said, “We definitely see a shift in employers and companies address-
ing wages and other benefits like a four day work week to address the concerns raised by the workforce during the pandemic. We also know that students are being offered higher wages for part-time jobs with many jobs starting at $16/hour or more including Culinary Services increasing their starting wage for students to $16.25 in January.” Last week, the Santa Rosa City Council approved new contracts, which include pay raises and a onetime cash bonus of $5,000 for most employees. These pay raises are in response to the price of housing and the cost of living increasing within Sonoma County and are set to be in place through 2024. Negotiations for pay raises have been going on since last March with agreements recently being reached with rank-and-file police officers, police leadership, maintenance and utility workers and executive and mid-level managers. Four bargaining groups that represent civilian staff at the police department, city transit workers, city attorneys and fire department management officials, continue to work out negotiations. According to the Press Democrat, Chris Rogers, the mayor of Santa Rosa said, “We’re trying to make it so we’re paying people what they’re worth and what the market demands,” in response to the pay raise. Santa Rosa employees will receive an 8% raise that will roll out over the course of the next three years. The first raise will be effective immediately and two more raises will follow within the next two years. The city will also grant employees Cesar Chavez Day as an additional holiday for an added bonus. Employees in Rohnert Park, including Sonoma State faculty and staff, will not be included in this pay raise or receive the bonuses as they are outside of Santa Rosa city limits.
sure that every Californian, regardless of their race or zip code, can thrive,” read a statement posted to the official website for the Newsom’s office on Oct. 9. In total, around 40-50 of the 770 bills and proposals signed by Newsom were about higher education. These bills are all a part of Newsom’s larger $100 billion California Comeback Plan, one of California’s biggest economic recovery packages, which Newsom signed back in July of 2021. An article on Newsom’s website highlighted the ways in which this comeback plan is going to improve higher education in public universities across the state: “Making higher education more accessible than ever before: The Governor’s Plan will make college more affordable and accessible than ever before by increasing in-state tuition slots for Californians that want to attend a CSU or UC school, expanding financial aid systems for middle-class students and driving down the cost of attending college, cutting student housing costs and reducing the cost of textbooks.” The following is a brief overview of some of these bigger, new laws that are set to impact higher education across California, including Sonoma State. Assembly bill 1377 addresses changes for student housing. The bill states that all public California universities will be required to conduct a needs-based assessment of their university’s housing starting with the 2022-23 fiscal year. The bill also requires that each university comes up with a proposal that highlights how they plan on creating more affordable housing and better meeting students’ housing needs. The California Comeback Plan official document also includes proposals that are set to improve housing for students, such as a “$2 billion over a three-year period to expand the availability of affordable student housing for low-income CCC, CSU, and UC students, thereby relieving one of the largest financial pressures students face and supporting timely degree completion.” Assembly bill 396 will work to
expand the benefits and eligibility of CalFresh for college students. According to the official bill proposal, “Existing federal law provides that students who are enrolled in college or other institutions of higher education at least half-time are not eligible for CalFresh benefits unless they meet one of several specified exemptions.” This bill will change the limitations of this eligibility barrier by requiring campus-based programs that will “increase employability that qualifies for the CalFresh student eligibility exemptions”. Assembly bill 469 will make it mandatory that all California 12th grade students’ complete applications for financial aid, either through Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act, by September 2022. According to The Education Trust, “these proposals will boost college-going for low-income students and students of color by building college-going culture.” Assembly bills 928 and 111 will both improve the transfer process for students looking to move from a community college to four-year public university. Assembly bill 928 will require that community colleges “establish a singular lower division general education pathway,” which will help students intending to transfer, meet all the necessary requirements. Assembly bill 111 will make it mandatory that all 116 California Community colleges establish a common course numbering system for all general education courses by July 2024. According to the bill proposal, “The bill would require the common course numbering system to be student facing and ensure that comparable courses across all community colleges have the same course number.” These bills are just a few out of the many Newsom signed in support of bettering higher education and community access to higher education across California that we will begin seeing in action over the next few years.
COURTESY // Gage Skidmore Governor Newsom signed many new bills that affect students pursuing higher education at universities like SSU.
Controversy over ‘racist’ Facebook post leads to drama between former auditor and sheriff continued from pg. 1
they’ve never held a personal conversation before. Engram told the Press Democrat, “Through my life, and through a lot of Black people’s lives, we’ve had instances where people who are not Black try to judge, or gauge or set Blackness based on who or what a Black person should be. Especially in my career, especially people who are not Black, put criticism on Black people in law enforcement as if we’re no longer Black.” Many leaders have tried to address the ongoing problem of racial tension in the county; however, most have stepped down. Meanwhile in Santa Rosa, Vice Mayor Natalie Rogers recalls the time she was working as a mental health clinician and a man came in speaking about how he did not want to work with her because she is Black. Subsequently, he requested to work with another clinician,
and was actually allowed to. High-level supervisors told Rogers that clients have a right to say they don’t want to work with a particular employee due to their race. Derrick Neal withdrew from his position as Texas Health Administrator and Sonoma County asked him to take over its $275 million health services department. Neal declined the offer due to concerns about the experiences and treatment of department heads of color. There have been many efforts by BIPOC to make change happen, but Sonoma County treats people of color so poorly that many have had to step down due to the racial bias and microaggressions made against them by community members. Without many BIPOC leaders to represent them, many wonder how the people of color in Sonoma County will feel protected and represented.
NOV. 16 - NOV. 22, 2021 sonomastatestar.com
Arts & Entertainment 5
SSU library displayes virtual exhibit of collected archives from writer Gaye LeBaron
ILEANA ALEMAN STAFF WRITER
T
he SSU library hosted their first digital exhibit entitled “Mapping Our Community: Gaye LeBaron and the Stories of Sonoma County” which features archived works from their Gaye Lebaron Collection. Lebaron is a former editor and columnist at the Press Democrat, best known for her columns and books on the history of Santa Rosa. The library regularly holds exhibits for students to visit on campus on the second floor, but this exhibition is available online. The exhibit contains over 750 pieces ranging from research notes to unpublished works and more. This exhibit also provides virtual visitors with background information on Lebaron as a writer and the history on the wide range of topics she covered throughout her career. LeBaron, 86, devoted over 60 years of her life to researching and writing about events and residents that helped shape Sonoma County. The exhibit is composed of five different sections which focus on different topics within Sonoma County’s history. For example, “Utopian Communities in Sonoma County” and “The Bracero Program in Sonoma County” are two focuses of the exhibit. According to Catherine Fonseca, the library’s Outreach and Inclusion Librarian, “Not only does Ms. LeBaron weave her subject’s voices into her articles, she lends them agency in the way she relays their stories and preserves their contributions to the story-making process.” “The documented community response to Gaye LeBaron’s journalism is what makes this collection so unique and our planning committee was able to tap into those authentic connections and conversations when building the digital exhibit,” she continued. This collection has been continuously growing over the last 20 years, since LeBaron entrusted the library with some of her work in 2001. Lynn Prime, the head of the Specials Collection and University Archive at Schulz library said, “The collection is the most-used Special Collection we have, and hundreds of first and second year students as well as History and GEP students, and graduate students in many different disciplines, have made use of its valuable primary source material since 2002.” Similar to the library’s in-person exhibits, the online exhibit will have an end date. “The exhibit in its present form will be accessible through the end of the
academic year,” said Fonseca. “Ultimately we intend to expand on this virtual offering and host a more robust encounter with the Gaye LeBaron collection through an in-person exhibit in the University Library’s gallery space,” she continued. While the exhibit will no longer exist online after the end of the academic year, students will still be able to request access to see the Gaye Lebaron Collection through the Sonoma State website. Students simply submit their request and wait between 3-5 days for a response. “For me, the most gratifying part of curating this exhibit was the personal and contemporary connections I drew from the collection materials. LeBaron’s writing has an evergreen quality where the issues and subjects she spotlights carry such relevance to present-day experiences,” Fonseca shared. For more information or to view the collection, visit sonomastate.co/ Gaye-LeBaron.
COURTESY // Sonoma State Library The SSU library showed hundreds of historical archives from their Gaye LeBaron Collection. The virtual gallery will be available to view online until the end of the academic year.
Theatre Arts department showcases student plays in Zoom festival
CLÉA UPCHER
F
STAFF WRITER
rom ice cream planets and sci-fi thrillers to a creative take on Native American land stewardship, the “Super Mega Molten Hot Lava New Play Festival” was filled with innovative work from students from SSU’s Playwriting I and Playwriting II classes. Students from these classes showcased their work for the first time through Zoom performances over the weekend in order to gauge an audience’s reaction to their work. “The playwrights spend three months drafting ideas for plays, then writing them, then rewriting… At some point, though, you need to read the play
STAR// Payton Mullaney The Theatre department showcased new plays written by students over the weekend on Zoom. Students Armando Ramos, Maya Pratt-Bauman, and Tyson Miller dig deep to show emotion over zoom in the play “Envoi.”
STAR// Payton Mullaney Students Tiffani Lopez, Alice Tikoibau, and Lukas De Bel acting in the short play, “An Overdue Drink.” Multiple students in the class performed in each other’s plays.
for an audience to understand what’s working… based on what we hear and learn at the festival, the playwrights will continue to rewrite,” wrote Scott Horstein, director of the festival and of the theatre studies program at SSU in an email. According to students who showed their work, everything from writing the play to watching it come to life on Zoom was exciting. “My process for writing my play, Fire 101, was an emotional one. The traumatic burning of the Monument Fires going through my family’s property was haunting me as I started Fall 2021 semester… I was able to personify all my emotions into characters, which act as a living play now,” wrote Tiffani Lopez in an email. When asked about their favorite part of the process, playwright and third year theater major JP Lloren explained that writing the story was the best part of the experience. “Creating each character with a pretty simple but compelling personality was just a joy. I am used to writing about already established characters but not original ones. Having people step into the roles I create is strange, though I have confidence in the cast to pull it off,” wrote Lloren. Character development was a standout part of the process for another Seawolf playwright. “You want your ideas to make sense on paper… [My] favorite part would have to be just thinking of the possible ways certain characters act with each other in certain situations,” wrote playwright Sean Wilson in an email. Senior theater major, playwright and director John Ruzicka said, “It’s always exciting to hear your own work written and read aloud.” Third year earth science major and actor in the festival, Stormi Martin wrote, “It is a little daunting once the scripts come out and you realize that you are portraying a character that someone created for the very first time.” Collaboration was really important for the festival. Students worked together on everything from the writing process to acting in each others’ plays. “Many of the people in the class who wrote plays showed up as directors or actors for other ones, and it was really exciting to see the same people you knew from class now working on your play!” wrote first year student and playwright Rylan Valdepena in an email. “We know that each of our plays are in good hands, whether we are acting for each other’s shows or directing for each other, each of us has done our part and shown only the greatest support for each other throughout,” wrote Ruzicka in an email. According to Horstein, you can look out for a select number of student scripts that will come to life during another festival in the Spring. “Some will submit their plays for “Power Lines,” our Spring play festival, where we take two or three short student plays and do actual productions of them,” he explained. For more information visit the Theater Department website.
6 Student Life Associated Students looking to recruit members for Board of Directors
NOV. 16 - NOV. 22, 2021 sonomastatestar.com
COURTESY // @aspresidentssu on Instagram AS President Noelia Brambilia poses with Sonoma State President Judy Sakaki. Associated Students are now looking for Seawolves that are interested in being a part of the AS Board of Directors. DANA SCACCO STAFF WRITER
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onoma State’s student-led non-profit, Associated Students (AS), is looking for fellow Seawolves who are interested in running for AS’s Board of Directors. The AS Board of Directors are students that govern the entire program and serve as the ultimate voice for the SSU student body. AS is a student-run auxiliary organization within SSU that aims to enrich the lives of students. AS contains community outreach programs for students through Join Us Making Progress (JUMP) and student social and educational events through Associated Student Productions (ASP). They also provide childhood educational services for children within the campus community through the Children’s School and Student Government opportunities that aim to serve all students. On top of these programs, AS also provides funding resources for student clubs and organizations, as well as short-term loans and transitional student housing The AS Board of Directors, also known as the AS Senate, is made up of seven students who are tasked with overseeing all AS programs and maintaining the student voice. The AS Senate includes three Executives: President, Executive Vice-President and Vice-President of Finance, and four Senators, all responsible for: Student Resources, Sustainability, Community and Diversity. The Spring 2022 elections application window opens Jan. 24, and lasts until Feb. 19. There are several election info sessions that will be held throughout Nov. and Dec. in the Erin Fisher Room on the 2nd floor of the Student Center. Students can find the dates for these sessions on the Engage@ SSU portal and can also attend virtually on zoom if they are unable to make it in person. Erik Dickson is the Executive Director of AS and is a part of the organization’s professional staff. Dickson shared the responsibilities of the AS Senate as well as the significance of these student leaders by stating, “the AS Senate is the ultimate management authority of Associated Student, Inc., a $2.5 million student-led non-profit corporation. They serve as part of the governance func-
tion of AS - including being active participants in university governance meetings, serving as liaisons to key university leaders, organizing student outreach and feedback, communicating with students and shaping the student voice.” The elections process consists of completing the application on Engage before the deadline and submitting a 250 word maximum statement used for promotional purposes. Students who are running must also attend one of the mandatory candidate meetings hosted in the Erin Fisher Room. Candidates are required to attend a one-on-one session with Dickson or AS’s Student Government Coordinator, Jesse Magaña. “The AS Senate are the student body’s elected representatives that serve as their voice in the operation of the campus and in the operation of their student cooperation. Choosing who represents your voice is a vital right that should be cherished and exercised,” Dickson continued. The AS Senate positions are a year long and consist of volunteer and paid work. The AS President serves as the Chief Executive Officer that works closely with the university president and supervises the AS Executive Director. The Executive Vice-President is the chief academic representative that attends various meetings with academic committees on campus. The Vice-President of Finance serves as the chief financial officer in AS and approves all financial transactions within the organization as well as makes financial recommendations. The Senator roles focus largely on issues within SSU student resources, diversity and sustainability. Magaña explained why students should participate in the elections process and become involved in their student government. He said, “the decisions that are made and advocated by student leaders not only make the path more easy to navigate for current SSU students but for future students to come. Participating in the elections process and getting involved in student government is a way for students to participate in shared governance within a higher education institution. It gives them the platform to talk about things that make navigating higher education so difficult like mental health resources, access to financial aid resources, and other pressing issues.” The time commitment for the AS Senate Executives is about 15 hours a week and roughly 10 hours a week for the Senators. The time for each week consists of meetings, committees, one-on-ones and possible events. Nino Gonzalez, a second year Business and Spanish double major is the AS Elections Commissioner. She described the type of students that AS is looking for by stating, “we are looking for folks who are interested in serving the needs of and advocating for SSU students, while also showing interest in the function of a small corporation.” Dickson discussed what skills students should possess if they are considering running for AS Senate, and emphasized that, “people who have and want to further develop their leadership skills are often drawn to these positions. Students with an interest in business, political science, civic engagement, etc are often drawn to these positions as well. Important skills also include being an active member in discussions and meetings, public speaking, attention to detail, thorough, dedicated, and good time management skills.” Magaña conveyed that, “if anyone is interested in running for an elected position I encourage them to reach out to me at maganajes@sonoma.edu. We also will be hosting information sessions throughout the rest of the semester and starting back up when we arrive from winter break.”
Students mingle in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament JAKE MORRISSEY STAFF WRITER
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STAR // Payton Mullaney “Settle It With Smash” was a great way for students of all skill levels to come together and socialize while playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
STAR // Payton Mullaney Students met up with friends for the “Settle It With Smash” event this past weekend.
ith an action-packed introduction, the Sonoma State Smash Ultimate Club hosted their very first tournament of the year in partnership with SSU Student Involvement. This prize-filled tournament took place on Sat., Nov. 13 in the Student Center ballrooms, with students of all skill levels being invited to participate. This was the first of two tournaments that the Smash Ultimate club will be hosting this school year, the next one coming on Feb. 5, 2022. Watch for the sign-ups on the Seawolf Living website during Lobofest at the start of spring semester. The winners of the tournament could take home a variety of different prizes. The first place prize was a new Nintendo Switch controller. Second and third place were able to choose between multiple prizes such as Amiibos, posters and stickers. Once the winners picked out their prizes, the remaining ones were auctioned off. The tournament had a variety of rules in place to ensure safety and make the gameplay as exciting as possible. All students were required to wear masks and complete their daily wellness screening before entering the event. As for the gameplay, the SSU Smash Club made a custom ruleset to be used in the competition. First of all, the rounds were decided by a best of three match, meaning the winner needs to win twice to move on. It was also double elimination, so each player had to lose two sets of matches before being removed from the competition. Every player had three lives each game with a seven minute timer running for the match. In addition, there was a limited selection of stages for the competitors to choose from and no stage hazards enabled, meaning the map could not change shape and form. The competition took place in ballroom B in the student center, where the room was set up with ten different televisions and monitors for gameplay. At the start all ten of these were used for competitive play, but as the playing field got thinner they were used for recreational and friendly gameplay, for students to have fun and get to know each other even after elimination. Through events like this, Sonoma State hopes to reach their students and help them get involved on campus. Director of Student Affairs, Mo Phillips, understands that gaming is a great way to get students involved in different clubs and organizations on campus. “We do these events for students to meet others who have a shared interest in gaming,” said Phillips. “We are able to reach a lot of students because we offer a variety of things to do” The day of the event, 24 students showed up to compete in the tournament. After many rounds, the final match came down to Addison Luong and Eddy Camacho. Camacho was the number one seed entering the tournament and Luong was second. Luong ultimately won in a 2-1 victory after a hard fought match. Over the course of the tournament, Luong recorded a 6-1 record in his dominating championship performance. After lots of preparation, the tournament proved to be successful. The school and club provided pizza, water and snacks to everyone who attended the event, and participants seemed to have a good time playing and watching the competition. “I did not play as well as I hoped, but the tournament was really fun,” sophomore and competitor Dylan Leonard said. “I will be back out for the next one.” With the goal in mind of creating an event that would interest students and bring them together, the SSU Smash Club and Student involvement did just that. Everyone at the competition had only good things to say about the tournament itself and the people participating in it. With the next Super Smash tournament coming Feb. 5, 2022, be sure to check in on the Seawolf Living webpage to not miss it and other events like this.
NOV. 16 - NOV. 22, 2021 sonomastatestar.com
Student Life 7
SSCI Department offers new class for students interested in social change PEDRO ORTEGA PEREZ STAFF WRITER
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ith registration for Spring 2022 beginning this week, students are often overwhelmed with navigating the proper classes to add to their cart. With all of the General Ed and major courses, labs, and upper divisions, it can definitely be a challenge for all students. However, the Social Sciences department is offering a social justice course for students, titled SSCI 320, optimized for students who hope to make a change in the future. Last Weds., Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJS) professor Caitlin Kelly Henry hosted an informational Zoom meeting to explain what SSCI 320 will look like for students. She was accompanied by alumni who had previously attended the class, who gave testimonials about their experiences and growth with the class. The SSU social justice organizing class is optimal for those who want to contribute to social justice, would like to expand their network, improve in media skills, and contribute to the overall initiative to make a social change. Although the class is fast-paced and involves creating different kinds of media, no prior experience is required. Henry explained what students can expect to gain from taking the course, stating that students will, “learn how local social justice issues are embedded in societal structures of inequalities, colonialism, imperialism, and various other types of discrimination.” Henry also went on to say that students will also “develop a theoretical human betterment and social change,” and “become familiar with local and international social justice issues and organizations.” Throughout the course of the semester, students will also engage with the Black Lives Matter movement, learn about different types of indigenous land and what types of indigenous social activists are involved with the local area. Students will then be developing and applying their skills as they, “plan, develop, and participate in the 2022 Social Justice Week conference. Students will also use social media and websites, advertise and recruit for social media events, engage in teams to moderate panels, coordinate talks while serving as a liaison to speakers, and more. They will be able to take advantage of many different materials and opportunities through the class itself,” Henry said about the class. Shannon Ottens, a recent graduate, expressed how her learning experience was one of the “most impactful learning experiences” she has had. While Ottens was able to develop skills to facilitate Zoom sessions and promotions, she also cited SSCI 320 for providing her with the knowledge and confidence to build her career in social justice. The course is a hands-on learning experience that incorporates the usage of different creative skills to perform outreach. Some of the students are able to use software such as Canva to create posters or flyers for upcoming events and others use the many different social media platforms to increase their impact or call to action. Another Sonoma State graduate, Danielle Caballero, mentioned that it made her “feel more involved” as the class has local guest speakers who speak about different social justice issues, because of the local advocacy that the class provides for the community on and off-campus. She also explained that one of the most memorable learning moments was when the class went over “people-centered language”. This is when “you focus on the person and not the label,” so for example, instead of saying an ‘ex-con’ or an ‘ex-felon’, you would just refer to them as “someone who committed a felony.” Jose Gonzalez, an SSU student, and attendee of the informational event, mentioned that, “students often learn a lot in an academic setting. However, this information only goes so far until you are able to apply it. This is why I believe SSCI 320 could be beneficial, because it is a class that allows students to turn knowledge into skills, through hands-on work.” This class can be taken for two or three units. The difference between the units is that those with fewer units will have fewer assignments to complete, as opposed to those in the three-unit class. All students will work toward the same goals and focus on the same social injustices, while also being able to do the hands-on work, outreach, pro-
COURTESY // @sonomasociclub on Instagram Sonoma State students will be able to enroll in SSCI 320: The Sociology of Social Justice, in an effort to educate students on social justice topics and organizations.
COURTESY // ccjs.sonoma.edu SSCI 320 addresses nationwide social justice issues, from police violence to issues embedded in systems of patriarchy and inequalities.
motion, hosting, and creation. This course will be an opportunity of a lifetime for any student during the spring semester, and there will be no pre-requisite requirements for interested students. Students interested in making a change in their community in terms of social justice should keep their eye on this class, as it is bound to fill up quickly.
The HUB kicks off Native American Heritage Month with guest speaker L JEFFREY AVIÑA STAFF WRITER
ast Fri., the Hub Cultural Center hosted a guest presentation with Dr. Brenda Flyswithhawks for Native American Heritage Month. “Two worlds: surviving colonialism, racism, and western education with Dr. Brenda Flyswithhawks,” detailed the many different obstacles she endured on her journey ‘off the rez’ through the halls of western society, the military, and academia. Acting Chair of the Native American Studies at Sonoma State, Dr. Janet Hess and Professor Mary Churchill from Santa Rosa Junior College hosted the event. Dr. Flyswithhawks began her presentation by sharing her own personal history and the history of her people. Dr. Flyswithhawks is a citizen of the Tsalági Eastern Cherokee Nation, Qualla Boundary Reservation, Cherokee, North Carolina. Dr. Flyswithhawks’ ancestors were of the many native people who decided to hide while thousands of others were being forcibly relocated to reservations in Oklahoma. Those who remained became known as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. She currently lives in Santa Rosa within the local Graton Rancheria community, a federated tribe of Coast Miwok, Southern Pomo and Wapo peoples. “This home means a lot to me, I used to walk there with my grandfather. We would go down to this stream and go fishing.” said Dr. Flyswithhawks while recounting a memory of her grandfather. She said that they would take an offering every time and as she describes it, her grandfather would lower his hands into the water and fish would swim into his hands. When Dr. Flyswithhawks turned 18 in 1968, she attended a college info night, where a recruiter for the military was present and giving out information on enlistment. Unlike her older sister, Dr. Flyswithhawks didn’t have any aspirations for college. Much to her own surprise, she then enlisted that night. “Long story short, I went over and this recruiter told me all the things I could do and be trained in, and that sounded great to me,” said Dr. Flyswithhawks about her experience with enlisting in the military. She described the experience as a “cultural difference” compared to her upbringing in terms of hierarchy and the necessity to cut her hair. The global context of Dr. Flyswithhawks enlistment was the beginning of the Vietnam War, where she joined as a medical technician. She would fly in helicopters with medical rescue to air lift troops out that were in need of medical attention. Dr. Flyswithhawks also noted that her time in the military was also overshadowed by the racism and prejudice she would experience once back home. “I remember one time in particular, I was in uniform and I was waiting for my flight home to Tennessee. I came out of the women’s restroom and this person came up to me, said some ‘not so nice things’ and then spit on me. I did not understand that because I thought what I was doing was really honorable,” recalled Dr. Flyswithhawks. After her time with the military, Dr. Flyswithhawks used her G.I. Bill to attend the University of San Antonio, where she came to be mentored by future Congresswoman Barbara Jordan. The two met on campus when Congresswoman Jordan helped Dr. Flyswithhawks navigate her way to class. “I didn’t even know who she was then.” said Dr. Flyswithhawks on her first meeting with Congresswoman Jordan. “[Jordan] said that she wanted me to come and see her anytime I needed anything, and I went to her office often. She fed me, she mentored me, and she encouraged me. She helped me to dream and understand that there are things that are possible and great
COURTESY // Seawolf Living Dr. Brenda Flyswithhawks visits Sonoma State via Zoom to share her story in honor of Native American Heritage Month.
things that an educated native person could do.” Said Dr. Flyswithhawks on her relationship to the future Texas Congresswoman. After her time in San Antonio, Dr. Flyswithhawks continued on to graduate school at Sonoma State University where she graduated with a Masters in Psychology. She notes that her experience at SSU was pleasant, but was yet another cultural difference. Ultimately, she decided to choose SSU due to the indigenous population in the Graton Rancheria Community. “My grandmother said that wherever you go, make sure you go into a community where there are native people because you will always be taken care of and looked after.” said Dr. Flyswithhawks. Events like this one are important, as you are able to hear stories from somebody’s life that you might not have otherwise heard. Dr. Flyswithhawks’ story is one of few exclusive events that will be offered to students during Native American Heritage Month. On Wed., Nov. 17, inspired Natives will be presenting an event exploring Native American stereotypes, and the closing ceremony for the month will follow on Tues., Nov. 30.
8
Health
STAR // Genesis Botello The SSU garden is a great way for students to get outdoors and relieve stress.
NOV. 16 - NOV. 22, 2021 sonomastatestar.com
COURTESY // @ssugarden on Instagram This past weekend, a student posed with the pumpkins grown in the SSU garden.
The SSU garden helps students grow ADDISON SMITH
STAFF WRITER
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very Tuesday and Thursday, the Sonoma State garden allows students to take a mental health break and work on growing food for students and community members. The garden offers the opportunity for students to volunteer or get class credits and take a break from their busy schedules. Known as a hidden gem on campus, the SSU garden has been around since the 1970’s and continues to thrive and flourish with help from students and volunteers alike. The garden is offered to students, the greater SSU community, and the public, which allows for many people of all ages to come and help the community if needed. According to the Sonoma State garden webpage, The garden donates well over 1000 pounds of produce to local food banks such as the Neighbors Organized Against Hunger, which is located on Snyder lane, as well as the Lobo’s Pantry organization on campus that helps students by giving out fresh produce and other goods every week for free with a student ID. Sonoma State gardens lead steward, Sophia Pruden said, “The Garden has been around since 1970 so having the opportunity to work here and continue its legacy is an honor. I’ve met my closest friends here and found my current career path from my role as the Garden Steward. I’ve also gotten to pass on what I’ve learned to the next steward Eva and watching her grow in this position brings me a lot of joy.” The garden, while mainly volunteer based, offers a course built around helping the garden grow with hands-on experience. The course, known as Agroecology in Practice (GEP 318) allows for students to work with other students and faculty to build up the garden as well as use some in-class instruction that helps students apply topics learned in agroecology. The class is a credit/no-credit based course offered year round with half in-class learning and half in-garden learning. The course involves lots of hands-on practice,
such as planting, composting, and more. The class, offered for up to four units of credit, lets students take a break from their busy days and work with their hands on something that will hopefully take their minds off the exhausting days or weeks that have transpired over the course of the semester. Many students can turn to this resource as something to look forward to every Tuesday and Thursday as a way to destress and get busy with gardening from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday and 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Thursdays. A senior at SSU, Andrea Vanderschoot said, “What the Sonoma State garden represents (to me) is a sense of community and a group of people willing to take time out of their schedules to volunteer and give back to their community!” The Tuesday session is with Evangelina Austin while the Thursday session is with the lead garden steward, Sophia Pruden. The sessions are for volunteers who want to help grow the garden and individuals who could use time away from the hectic responsibilities of a college student. The volunteer sessions allow people a sense of gratitude and helpfulness, whether they’re volunteering or receiving credits from the course, as the food all gets donated to either other students in need through Lobo’s pantry or the various food banks throughout Sonoma County. The garden also helps sustain the wide variety of fruits and vegetables offered in The Kitchens on campus. The garden is a great place for students to gather and volunteer for other students or community members in need. It’s a great tool for people to relax and destress every Tuesday and Thursday for a few hours. The hours are spent gardening, composting, and weeding and this hard work pays off throughout the semester as students get to watch the plants they have worked so hard to cultivate grow and prosper.
When traveling during the holidays, make sure to check the CDC website for more safety guidelines regarding COVID-19.
STAR // Isabelle Barkey
Sonoma County health officer releases travel guidelines for holidays
JAYLINE ALVARADO STAFF WRITER
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s Thanksgiving approaches, so does the time for family gatherings and travel for the holidays. The Sonoma County Public Health officer, Dr. Sundari Mase, released a press release on Nov. 8 with guidelines for those gathering together for upcoming holiday festivities. Unvaccinated people should avoid gatherings or traveling, especially if they are sick or showing symptoms of COVID-19. They should also receive a dose of the vaccine in time for the holidays if possible. According to Mase, “We do not want to see another surge in cases like we witnessed last year over the holidays. Now that safe and effective vaccines are widely available, we can prevent the heartbreaking suffering and death that so many endured last year.” With travel, there’s the risk of the spread of COVID-19. If people are traveling out of town to be with family, then people should if their destination requires proof of vaccination. It’s even recommended that copies of the vaccination card are made or keep a picture on their phones. The U.S. Drug and Food Administration also approved the use of a pediatric Pfizer vaccine. Therefore, it’s recommended that children over the age of 5 be vaccinated. In order to be fully vaccinated for the upcoming holidays, “It takes two weeks to become fully protected against COVID-19 after receiving the single-dose J&J/Janssen vaccine or your second dose of the two-shot Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.” However, the two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are administered 21 days apart while Moderna is 28 days apart. Wearing a mask is also recommended. “At all times, unvaccinated people should wear a mask indoors and maintain a social distance of 6 feet
when meeting with people outside their immediate family. The mask, which should be at least two-ply and preferably three-ply, should cover your nose and mouth.” In an Instagram poll 24 of 44 responded that they would not be traveling for Thanksgiving. 43 of 50 respondents in another responded that they would be attending a gathering of 3 or more people for Thanksgiving It’s important to be vaccinated for the holiday season because there are concerns of a spike in COVID-19 cases occurring especially as the temperatures drop and people gather indoors. In an article for the Press Democrat, “Of California’s five regions as defined by the state Department of Public Health, the San Joaquin Valley has the worst COVID-19 hospitalization rate, with 25 COVID-19 hospitalizations for every 100,000 residents; followed by rural Northern California, which has a rate of 16 and the Greater Sacramento area, with a rate of 14.” This further emphasizes that we’re still going through a pandemic and that people should still be taking precautions when getting together with friends and family. In that same article UC San Francisco epidemiologist and infectious diseases expert Dr. George Rutherford said, “He expected that California “should be out of this by spring,” November will probably be decisive in giving us a clue in how the rest of the fall and winter will unfold.” This year’s Thanksgiving is different from last year because now families can gather together for the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean everyone should stop taking precautions when getting together in order to stay safe and to keep those around them safe.
NOV. 16 - NOV. 22, 2021 sonomastatestar.com
Sports
9
Athlete Spotlight of the Week: DAMIEL DINERMAN
Kiana Richardson
STAFF WRITER
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s SSU enters the final months of the Fall semester, staff and students alike are rushing to finish their workloads in time for the holiday season. As for SSU’s student athletes that have been competing all semester, they’re beginning to see the final stretches of their seasons on top of all their classes and other responsibilities. Kiana Richardson of the women’s volleyball team, who is about to start their final playoff tournament this Tuesday, is no exception. Between classes, participating in high level competition and dealing with the post-pandemic transition back to ‘normal’, this semester has been one of the most eventful for the redshirt sophomore who has been patiently waiting for the opportunity to play. She described it as, “The first full semester without fires or being home from the pandemic.” Going in as the number 6 ranked team, the Lady Seawolves will play until losing and be given a chance at winning the conference, regional and state tournaments. The team will travel about 400 miles south to San Bernardino for the first round of the conference tournament. Travelling is nothing new for the team, as they have already played in multiple different states across several tournaments and competed against some of the nations best collegiate teams. Kiana Richardson and the rest of the Volleyball squad after not knowing if they would even play this season have come a long way to compete in this week’s tournament. Having played some top notch competition this year, Richardson says that she is happy with the way her team has battled against their opponents. Richardson said, “It is more fun to play really good teams and the exposure helps the team get better especially because a lot of the girls are younger, if we lose a good game it brings more drive for us to come back and win in the future.” With all the traveling the team has been doing, everybody has more opportunity to grow as an athlete and compete at high levels. Travel and good competition forces the team to handle the pressures of playing top notch competition and for a predominantly young team, this adversity will benefit the team for years to come. Richardson loves being a part of her team, and the community it has provided along the way is a huge plus. During the down year resulting from the COVID pandemic, it was hard to predict what the future was going to entail, however being on the team helped keep Kiana focused on school and bettering herself. Richardson loves pushing herself, and when describing her team she explained that, “Everybody is nice, wants to get along and plays hard.” Richardson spends most of her time making sure she is in the best physical condition possible, balancing an upper division class schedule and picking up shifts at her aunt’s body shop. However, during her
COURTESY // Sonomaseawolves.com Richardson spends most of her free time training, but she also enjoys dancing and drawing.
free time, Richardson loves to spend her time enjoying the finer arts and spending time doing things like dancing and drawing. She has also always loved dance, but with the extensive season schedules, she has never had the chance to take any dancing classes at Sonoma State. Despite this fact, she still finds time to let out an expressive and artistic side not always seen on the court. Richardson’s favorite genre of music is R&B, her favorite artists are Her and Russ and she often shares her teammate’s headphones before games and practices to listen to music that gets her hyped up. For more information, updated scores and to follow the Volleyball team closer as they travel and finish their season, visit the Sonoma State Athletics website: www.sonomaseawolves.com/index.aspx.
Women’s basketball returns to the court
COURTESY // Matt Bates First year guard Camille Johnson passes the ball in Sonoma’s season opener against the Dominican Penguins.
COURTESY // Matt Bates Second year Kianna Maldia dribbles past a Dominican University defender in the Seawolves’ season opener on Nov. 12.
ISAAC LOPEZ
STAFF WRITER
T
he Sonoma State women’s basketball team is finally on track to start its 2021-22 regular season after being forced to wait out their previous season due to COVID-19. The ongoing pandemic that has influenced the lives of many students, as well as caused cancelations of sporting events for an entire year, now seems to be calming down, with many of SSU’s athletic seasons coming back to life. Sports like soccer and volleyball have already started at the beginning of the Fall semester and many more students and athletes are pleased to hear that basketball is no fully approved to occur this semester. Coming off of a 15-13 overall record in the 2019-20 season, the Lady Seawolves are now set to get slowly back into their groove as they have already finished two of their pre-season games at Chico State against Dominican and Fresno State. Their next game will be an away game against Sacramento State on Nov. 16, followed by their first home game against Saint Martin’s only three days later. While the women’s basketball team had several key players graduate since last season, such as guard Aaryn Pickett and forward Zane Sheckherd, the team is still confident that they can make noise in their NCAA division with the many talented and returning players still within the organization. One key player that is returning to the basketball court is Taylor Johnson, who has made her presence felt on the court while playing as one of the team’s guards. The returning Kinesiology major had much to say about entering this season after a whole year off.
“This season will be interesting for everyone just because we are back from having this entire year off, but everyone is anxious to get started and back to playing,” said Johnson. Johnson said she is excited to be a leader of the team this season. “I want to see my teammates and myself succeed and being someone that my teammates can look up to is very important to me. My team’s goal this year is to stick to what we set at the beginning of the season.” Not only are there many important players returning to the basketball court with the SSU women’s team, but there is also a lot of promising young talent who are ready to make their Sonoma State basketball debut. Camille Johnson, a Kinesiology major, will be one of the many Seawolves who will be appearing on the SSU basketball team for the first time. Johnson started playing basketball in the first grade, but although she is a junior, this will be her first year playing basketball for Sonoma State. Having a father who used to play basketball, her dad helped guide Johnson and her sister throughout the early stages of their basketball career and helped guide them into playing in CYO as soon as they were able to play. As Johnson prepares to play in her first NCAA season no one seems to be more excited to play then her. “Overall I am so excited to play and show that I’m built for this. I think we’re going to do really well this season, but we are always working to be better,” said Johnson. To learn more about the SSU basketball roster and to keep up with games and stats, head to the SSU athletics website.
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NOV. 16 - NOV. 22, 2021
sonomastatestar.com
Campus garden creates safehaven for students
COURTESY // Amanda Burke Pumpkins that were grown in the campus garden decorate Sonoma State with fall colors.
STAR // Adrienne Moon Wooden tables in the garden give students a relaxing place to unwind on campus.
STAR // Adrienne Moon Vines growing over the building in the garden fill the space with beautiful colors during sunset on Nov. 11, 2021.
Hardworking Seawolves ready for benefits
STAR // Nicholas Roth Dante Benedetti (left) and Silva Bedrossian (right) pose for a picture between shifts at the cafeteria.
STAR // Nicholas Roth Senior Nicholas Kennison complies with Rec Center safety regulations by making sure everything is clean before use.
STAR // Nicholas Roth Fourth year Melanie Burke works away at her computer while on her shift at the Rec Center.