Issue 12 Sonoma State STAR Fall 2020

IN THIS ISSUE

Votes are in

Local music

Election photos

Explore Sonoma County election race results.

SSU student Seth Baldwin recently released a new album.

See the scenes from around the county on election day.

PAGE 7.

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PAGE 12.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 85 // ISSUE 12 NOVEMBER 10, 2020 - NOVEMBER 16, 2020

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

@SONOMASTATESTAR

Courtesy // Goeff Livingston on Flickr.com Americans gather in the streets to celebrate Trump’s defeat in the presidential race.

Biden appears to win the 2020 presidential election

SEAN KENNEALLY STAFF WRITER

O

n Saturday morning, it was announced that Joe Biden had won the 2020 presidential election in both the electoral and popular vote. In a sweeping comeback, Biden won the key battleground state of Pennsylvania, which placed him over the necessary score of 270 electoral votes.

“It’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation. It’s time for America to unite. And to heal,” declared Biden on Saturday morning. Biden will become the 46th president of the United States, and Kamala Harris will become the first female, African-American, Indian-American, and Asian-American vice president.

Manisha Sinha, a professor of American history at the University of Connecticut, said, “It sends a message about what kind of country we are today,” in an NPR interview. The election of Harris’s win highlights the pursuit of racial equality United States citizens have been adamantly protesting for this past year. “This election is about

so much more than [Joe] or me. It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let’s get started,” tweeted Harris, after hearing the final results.

Although half the nation and a few European nations are pleased with the results of the election, there are more than 70 million citizens and a current leader who are upset with the outcome. “We all know why Joe Biden is rushing to falsely pose as the winner...The simple fact is: this election is far from over,’’ stated Trump in a press release on Saturday. In the same press release, Trump said he will be pursuing a lawsuit starting Monday.

The Associated Press announced Biden as winner on Saturday, with Biden eventually taking lead in Pennsylvania, the root state of democracy and his home state. The victory comes after a long campaign, heated debates, and a tedious, nerve-wracking election week--all of which culminated in record-breaking voter turnout.

see BIDEN WINS on pg. 4

Courtesy // Gage Skidmore on Flickr.com U.S. Senator Kamala Harris speaking with attendees at the 2019 Iowa Democratic Wing Ding at Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa.

STAR // Natella Guy A local homeless man showed his gratitude to voters at the intersection of HWY 12 and Mission.

Local Sonoma County ballot measures all get voter approval

Kamala Harris elected as the first woman of color vice president in United States history

KRISTINA SCHMUHL

KRISTINA SCHMUHL

E

K

STAFF WRITER

STAFF WRITER

lection results poured in Nov. 3 after 8 p.m., but will continue to be tabulated as late as Dec 1. Ballots can be delivered to the county Registrar of Voters as late as Nov. 20; as long as they are postmarked by election day. With the election so fiercely focused on the race between the presidential candidates, the choices voted on locally can occasionally be overlooked. The most significant changes that affect citizens on a daily basis tend to be voted on as measures at the local level.

Ballot measures that affect the whole of Sonoma County overwhelmingly passed with a twothirds majority for the 2020 election cycle.

There were also many city-specific measures that passed, including Measure Q, a quarter cent sales tax extension for the city of Santa Rosa. Rohnert Park also began the first voting cycle of its district-specific city council elections. Rohnert Park welcomed two new city council members Walter ‘Willy’ Linares and Jackie Elward. Voters participated in this election with a near record breaking number of ballots cast. A little over 75% of registered voters in Sonoma County cast a see SONOMA COUNTY BALLOT MEASURES on pg. 5

amala Harris made history this weekend by becoming the first woman and person of color as vice president. She is the first woman to ascend to the high-ranking position of vice president in the 244 year history of the United States. Harris will become the 49th vice president after being inaugurated on January 20, 2021.

Harris is no stranger to trailblazing a path for women in elected office.

She was the first woman of color to serve as Attorney General of California and only the second Black woman to serve as a United States senator after her election in 2016. Harris’s nomination for vice president was--in and of itself--historical, but her election to the second highest office brings hope that one day a woman will break the glass ceiling and become the president of the United States. see KAMLA HARRIS ELECTED on pg. 4

2 Editorial

NOV. 10 - NOV. 16, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

No end in sight to contested election

THE STAR Editorial Board

Travis Gillmore, Editor-in-Chief Kylie Rose Lawrence, News Editor Maria Pineda Contreras, Opinion Editor Christy Chew, Arts & Entertainment Editor Devon Pique, Student Life Editor Noah Philpott, Sports Editor Brandon Sparks, Photo Editor Taylor Clark, Digital Editor Kevin Flores, Editorial Cartoonist Isabelle Barkey, Distribution Manager Corinne Asturias, Faculty Adviser Staff Writers Taylor Clark, Emily Cripe, Sieanna Narine, Samuel Sayer, Jayline Alvarado, Sarah Ramos, Katelyn Dodge, Isabella Simoni, Nancy Insua, Edgar Zavala, Max Robinson, Myles Grabau, Moragh Graf, Amanda Koba, Rachel Gonzalez, Kristina Schmuhl, Vincent Spence, Ryan Weiner, Eliseo Fragoso, Sean Kenneally, Sarah Gallagher Photographers Isabelle Barkey, Natella Guy, Samantha Billingsly

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:

“Kamala Harris and her role in mass incarcerations” Read the article on page 3.

Have an opinion?

We’d like to hear from you!

The STAR welcomes letters to the editor

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.

F

or those in the United States, this has been what feels like the longest week of the year, eagerly waiting for the final votes to be counted to elect the new president of the United States. After a whirlwind year, the people knew just how important this upcoming election would be, and that showed with the millions of ballots collected and counted. With the interesting prior debates from President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden, it became clear that this was not going to be a normal election.

As the week of Nov. 2 unfolded, many mail-in ballots and poll voting were handled, and the race for 270 electoral votes was on its way. Due to the ongoing pandemic, mall-in ballots grew in popularity for those that were uncomfortable or unable to attend an in-person voting poll.

With this new normal of mail-in voting, as some would also call absentee voting, some controversy grew about how this may be voter fraud. Voter fraud, being illegal rigging of votes, can consist of many voter crimes. As more absentee ballots and states’ final vote totals became available to the public, Donald Trump began to be quite vocal on his views about voter fraud and even demands of a recount.

As the week progressed, this election became the story of every conversation. Citizens in and outside the U.S. sat aimlessly through election streaming channels watching numbers go up, for both Trump and Biden.

But as the people of the free world waited patiently for votes to flood in, Trump was more interested in the mail-in voting process, as more of those votes placed favor on Biden. On Nov. 4, Trump went ahead and tweeted, “They are finding Biden votes all over place” and, “So bad for our Country,” blaming certain states for supporting Biden. Of course, this is not the first time Trump

STAR // Kevin Flores

has used Twitter as his own personal diary, and most of his tweets have been shielded with a description labeling “content in this Tweet is disputed and might be misleading about an election or other civic process,” which comes as no surprise.

Both Trump and Biden went on air to discuss this ongoing election, with Biden reminding the people that “all votes must be counted” and to “keep the faith,” and Trump going on to explain that he will be the winner and again, believing the fraud of mail-in voting. However, the election was not over, and the states including Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Georgia were still counting their final votes. These, and the other swing states became a big topic of discussion, and even the surrounding theme to many internet jokes and memes. Many citizens used platforms like Instagram and TikTok to joke about the slower vote count process with these swing states, almost pushing away the anxiety and realization of the grave importance of how these states will vote.

As the electoral votes became more clear to the people, it seemed to push in favor of Joe Biden, which Trump did not take lightly, including tweeting “STOP THE COUNT” on Nov. 5. Biden however did not claim any victory just yet, as the awaited swing states were still on their way within the counting process. During this time Trump expressed his passion on voter fraud, stating that the recent Biden claimed states “will be legally challenged by us for voter fraud and state election fraud,” refusing to accept defeat in these swing states. Would Trump go up for debate if he had won these states? It seems as if Trump may be taking these election results a bit too personally, instead of stating where the alleged voter fraud have occurred.

After many state results, ea-

ger citizens, and the big swing states beginning to pull in their vote, the projected 46th president of the United States was announced as Joe Biden on Nov. 7, and his ally Kamala Harris, being the first African American and first woman to take the spot of Vice President. This victory to the Democratic Party became loud all across the U.S., and even in other countries. One being the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who tweeted his congratulations to Biden and Harris as well as stating, “London looks forward to working with you – it’s time to get back to building bridges, not walls.” Outroar of positive protest and rallies for Biden were shown all around the U.S., even including citizens outside the White House telling Trump his time is up While the window of opportunity for Trump is narrowing exponentially, Republican leaders are encouraging him to continue battling, and if he finds a way to overcome his current predicament through litigation, chaos in the streets will be inevitabe..

During this time however, Trump was seen at his golf course, unable to speak about the results of this election to the public. Once Trump began to come back into the limelight, he bluntly stated that he actually won the election “by a lot,” and blamed the media for calling who the next president will be. Trump may be taking legal action during this time against voter fraud in Biden winning states, but the ending votes were not as close as Trump may think, and Biden certainly secured the lead for the next president-elect in the end.

So now the question is what will happen next,? Will Trump find full voter fraud against Biden that could overthrow his candidacy? Or should Trump simply accept his defeat and pass the torch to the next president of the U.S.?

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.

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 // Takomabibelot

Opinion 3

NOV. 10 - NOV. 16, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

Georgia flips blue for the first time in 28 years

MAX ROBINSON

STAFF WRITER

A

ccording to data from The Associated Press, Joe Biden took the lead in Georgia during the presidential election, beating President Donald Trump by just a few thousand votes, as of Nov. 8.

After receiving ballots from Democratic stronghold Clayton County, the state flipped blue, which put Joe Biden ahead by 917 votes. This shift narrowed Trump’s chances of victory in a state that has voted Republican for the past 28 years. The last time Georgia voted for a democratic candidate was for Bill Clinton in 1992, winning him the state by 13,000 votes.

Georgia’s shift from red state to swing state is partly thanks to high-profile visits to the state by President-elect Joe Biden, Senator Kamala Harris, and

former President Barack Obama within the last year.

Biden’s victory in Georgia is also due to the efforts of Stacey Abrams, former Georgia gubernatorial candidate who lost to Republican Brian Kemp in 2018. After her loss against Kemp, Abrams highlighted voter suppression in Georgia and helped register thousands of Georgia voters who were unexpectedly and unknowingly removed from voter rolls. According to a study conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice, “at least 17 million voters were purged from the voter rolls.” Abrams added in a National Public Radio article

by Christianna Silva and Scott Simon that “this purging led to a disproportionate number of communities of color being disenfranchised. And many didn’t know they were purged until they showed up to vote.”

When Georgia flipped blue, Abrams posted a video on Twitter, saying, “without your faith, this would not have been imaginable. And without your hard work, this would not have been possible.”

“Right now Georgia remains too close to call. Out of approximately 5 million votes cast, we’ll have a margin of a few thousand,” said Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffenspreger. “With a margin that small, there will be a recount in Georgia.”

Before Biden took the majority of the state’s votes, Trump launched a lawsuit against the state of Georgia, alleging that the ballot counting process was being conducted fraudulently. Biden campaign lawyer Bob Bauer called the lawsuits meritless and said that they exist “to create an opportunity for them to message falsely about what’s taking place in the electoral process.”

On Thursday, Georgia’s Chatham County Superior Court Judge James Bass dismissed the lawsuit, stating that the court found “no evidence” that illegitimate votes were cast.

Trump’s decision to pursue litigation against states that have not gone his way is a challenge to the legitimacy of our democracy. They are distractors to keep his supporters loyal to him and resist a transition of power. Trump should be working to facilitate the transition of power to Biden to occur as smoothly as possible, but he is doing the opposite. Trump does have the right to file lawsuits, but his actions will lead to nothing but further doubt on the election process, overall hurting our democracy and making Trump look boorish in his final days as president.

These lawsuits amplify the clear divide in our country and will make disheartened Trump supporters even more hesitant to accept Biden’s presidency.

Paris Agreement within reach once again

SARAH RAMOS

STAFF WRITER

F

or the past four years, the Trump administration has refused to take any significant

action toward addressing climate change. This refusal reached an even deeper level on Nov. 4, when the U.S. officially exited from the Paris Agreement—coincidentally just one day after the presidential election.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change first created the Paris Agreement in 2015.

Nearly 200 nations signed the agreement, the U.S., among them, to “combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future.” According to the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement’s primary goal is to keep the global temperature from rising by 2 degrees Celsius, and if possible, to limit the increase even further to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

In 2017, less than two years after it was first created, President Donald

Trump announced his intent to with-

mary goals his administration hopes

draw from the Paris Agreement dur-

to achieve regarding climate change,

ing a White House press conference.

including achieving a 100% clean

Trump argued that the agreement “is

energy economy and net-zero emis-

simply the latest example of Wash-

sions by 2050.

ington entering into an agreement

Biden’s goals are ambitious, but

that disadvantages the United States

without any plans in place, the U.S.

to the exclusive benefit of other

will struggle to achieve sustain-

countries, leaving American work-

ability. In her article, Hersher high-

ers—who I love—and taxpayers to

lighted how far behind the U.S. is

absorb the cost. . .”

in terms of reaching its original

Climate change is not a problem

goals when it first joined the Paris

that can be ignored and dealt with

Agreement: “Under the Paris Agree-

whenever it is financially conve-

ment, the U.S. promised to reduce

nient. The U.S. must be proactive in

its emissions by about 25% by 2025

fighting climate change and invest

compared with 2005 levels, but the

money in it now to avoid spend-

country is only on track to achieve

ing more money later. In an article

about a 17% reduction, according to

for National Public Radio, Rebecca

analysts.”

Hersher wrote about how damag-

The Paris Agreement is crucial

ing climate change has been in the

because it represents a world com-

past year alone, citing research done

mitted to addressing a serious is-

by the National Oceanic and Atmo-

sue. By acknowledging that climate

spheric Administration: “In 2020,

change is real and putting faith

there have already been 16 climate-

in science, the U.S. and countries

driven disasters that cost at least $1

across the globe will be able to en-

billion each. . .”

act real, long-lasting change. It is

There is hope that change can

unrealistic to believe that the Paris

still happen, though. Joe Biden,

Agreement will be able to resolve an

whom the Associated Press project-

issue as massive as climate change

ed as this year’s winner of the presi-

entirely. Still, by taking this step and

dential election, tweeted on Nov. 4

rejoining the agreement, Biden dem-

that he is committed to rejoining the

onstrates to everyday people that

Paris Agreement as soon as he is of-

climate change is something they

ficially sworn in. On his campaign

should care about, and that is impor-

website, Biden also outlined pri-

tant in and of itself.

Sarah McBride: The US’ highest-ranking transgender official

MYLES GRABAU STAFF WRITER

S

ept. 15th was a day genuinely one for the history books, as the Delaware Democrats chose to nominate Sarah McBride for a State Senate seat. McBride, a transgender activist, is making history as the nation’s highestranking transgender official. When asked about her nomination victory, McBride stated that she wanted to inspire others. “My hope is that this result can help reinforce for a young kid trying to find their place in this world, here in Delaware or anywhere else in this country, that this democracy is big enough for them, too,” she stated.

Following the nomination, Sarah McBride was elected to serve as a state senator on Nov. 3, winning the election in Delaware. According to the Delaware Department of Elections, she beat Republican candidate Steve Washington by an overwhelming margin of 73%. This also marks her as Delaware’s first LGBTQ person ever to be elected to the state’s legislature, a big step for Delaware in 2020. Washington gave a supportive and kind message about McBride’s victory, saying, “I wish McBride well and hope she does a great job in office. We need to come together as a country,” when asked for a comment from CNN. McBride interned for the Obama White House prior to 2016 and was the first transgender person to speak at the Democratic National Convention in 2016. McBride has made many historic contributions already, and she is on track to make many more in the future. Her platform was built on expanding access to health care and paid leave, increasing Delaware’s minimum wage, and reforming the criminal justice system.

Alphonso David, who is the president of the Human Rights Campaign, spoke on McBride’s victory and praised her by saying that she “made history not just for herself but for our entire community. She gives a voice to the marginalized as a representative and an advocate.” This step in the right direction will, without a doubt, inspire more trans people and members of the LGBTQ community to run for public office.

President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr., a significant figure in Delaware politics, wrote the foreword of Ms. McBride’s 2018 book, titled “Tomorrow Will Be Different” about her fight for transgender equality and where this fight has brought her to this day.

Four transgender lawmakers currently serve in the lower chambers of state legislatures, but no openly transgender person has ever been elected to a state’s senate before McBride. Like the lawmakers elected before her, she chooses not to focus on her gender identity while she is campaigning and focuses on her political views instead.

This is not only a step forward for transgender women but all women, and we can only hope that these types of historic nominations and elections will be more normalized in the future.

These types of monumental moments open the door for the LGBTQ youth to feel empowered and to hopefully show them that their voice needs to be heard just as much as anyone else.

Kamala Harris and her role in mass incarcerations

MARIA I. PINEDA CONTRERAS OPINION EDITOR

V

ice President-elect Kamala Harris will be the first woman and woman of color, Black American, and Asian American to serve alongside the President after President-elect Joe Biden won Pennsylvania Saturday morning, affirming a victory for the Democratic candidates.

An Oakland native, she is also the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants and will serve as

the second Vice President of color, after Charles Curtis, a Native American, who served alongside Herbert Hoover nearly a century ago. Making historic victories is incredibly on-brand for Harris: she was the second Black woman (the first for California) and first Asian American to serve as a Senator, first woman District Attorney in San Francisco, and the first Black American and woman to serve as Attorney General for California. Her victory for the Vice Presidency stems from the growing diverse composition of the United States. She will likely inspire a generation of young women of color to break barriers across a spectrum of fields: politics, STEM, business, and beyond.

In her victory speech Saturday night in Wilmington, Delaware, Vice President-elect Harris asserted that while she may be the first woman in this office, she will not be the last.

While many Americans are excited to see a woman, particularly a woman of color, hold this office for the first time in

the nation’s history, it is indispensable to recall Harris’s shady record regarding criminal justice, more so injustice, system.

Harris branded herself as a progressive prosecutor who was “smart on crime,” a juxtaposition to the typical “tough on crime” label. She was not.

While Harris is not utterly responsible for the incarceration rate of African American men in California, which is five times their share of the state’s population, she contributed to this statistic. According to the Washington Examiner, as District Attorney, she prosecuted a reality star after being framed by the police; her office misrepresented the lone witness and did not mention that the prosecution had paid the witness $60,000. As Attorney General, she blocked evidence that would have exonerated Kevin Cooper, a wrongfully convicted man accused of murder, from death row until Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to allow DNA testing of evidence related to the

case. The Tennesee Star writes that she fought to keep cash bail in place, which disproportionately impacts low-income communities, and arrested approximately 2,000 people for marijuana offenses in California (yes! Liberal, pot-central California!), and laughed about it in nostalgia when asked if she had ever used it.

This is not to say she is not qualified for the position, but be wary of the dangers that arise from politics’ performative nature. Many find solace from the little girls who will turn on the news to a woman of color speaking to one of the world’s most powerful countries and draw some inspiration. Nevertheless, perpetrators of the capitalist prison industrial complex transcend the borders of race and gender, and others will find it discomforting to have another establishment puppet in the White House.

Could the Biden-Harris plan on reform be enough to offset the chronic implications of mass incarceration? What role will the criminalization of drugs play for the next four years?

4 News

NOV. 10 - NOV. 16, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

STAR // Brandon Sparks Bryanna Alfaro (left) and Erick De La Rosa (right) miss walking around the once lively campus of Sonoma State.

California votes to keep ban on affirmative action

MORAGH GRAF

STAFF WRITER

O

n this year’s ballot, Proposition 16 was presented to California voters. The proposition asked residents whether or not the ban on affirmative action should be lifted in the state. After all votes on the proposition were counted, it was announced that California voted in favor of not lifting the ban.

Back in the 1996 election, Proposition 209 passed, banning affirmative action in California. This meant that state institutions such as public employment and education were unable to continue considering race, sex, and other discriminated-against factors when accepting applicants. There was much debate over the issue back then, and the controversy remains strong in today’s political climate.

Many people believe that repealing Prop. 209 would harm White students’ chances of getting into schools, though there is no supporting evidence that suggests the ban ever helped White students either, according to The New York Times. However, there is a lot of evidence to support the claim that students of color have been harmed since the ban. But not everyone believes that lifting the ban is the solution.

When Prop. 209 was on the line, Black businessman Ward Connerly opposed the continuation of affirmative action. According to The New York Times, he believed the policy was unfair and outdated.

“Do you know what reinforces the idea that they’re inferior? Being told they need a preference to succeed,” said Connerly.

Repealing Prop. 209 would allow but not require government and public institu-

tions to consider race sex, and ethnicity in students and employees. And while many believe that continuing the ban has set back California’s promotion of diversity, many others believe that it would negatively affect other racial groups, such as Asian Americans, according to the LA Times.

There was also a large opposition due to the idea that institutions preferencing people of color would result in more racial discrimination from their peers. Aside from that concern, it is clear that passing the proposition would not end racial discrimination in the United States any time soon, making it not worth the risks.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, rejecting the proposition is a reflection of California’s complacency in racial discrimination. “The wave of public support for a racial justice movement after the killing of George Floyd in May isn’t translating to the ballot box in California, as a proposition that was intended to address racial inequities is on shaky ground.”

Many voters found the proposition confusing due to the strong opinions on opposing sides of the matter. On one hand, it could be benefiting people of color by increasing their chances of getting into schools and other public institutions. On the other hand, it could be risking an increase in discrimination against them and hurting the chances of other racial groups. All in all, California has voted no on affirmative action for a second time, leaving both parties questioning when it will return to ballots.

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continued from pg. 1

Biden wins the 2020 presidential election

Kamala Harris elected as the first

STAR // Natella Guy Analy high school students, Sol, Adanna, and Dezirae encouraged people to vote.

Even though it is clear that Biden will become the next president, Trump has shown no indication that he plans to concede and continues to push the falsehood that he has won the election.

He has confirmed that his attorneys will pursue legal challenges that would delay formal certification of the results. Trump’s campaign team is expected to continue its effort to dispute the election results with an upcoming round of lawsuits on Monday, but so far they have been unable to point to any credible instance of voter fraud that would alter the outcome of the race.

President-elect Joe Biden made a speech tonight in his hometown of Wilmington, Delaware, on Saturday evening. Biden “...spoke to a deeply divided nation tonight, making a plea for unity and understanding after four years of turmoil and conflict fomented by President Donald Trump,” said CNN.

“I sought this office to rebuild the soul of America, to rebuild the backbone of this nation, the middle class and to make America respected around the world again,” Biden said in his victory speech.

Though Biden pulled off an impressive feat by defeating an incumbent president and turning swing states in the Midwest blue, he will inherit presidency during a time of extreme tension, stress, and hardship. Time will tell how the new president-elect will handle the massive issues that Trump is leaving behind.

woman of color vice president

In an acceptance speech on Saturday, vice president-elect Harris recalled the hard work of generations of women before her. She said, “Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality, liberty, and justice for all... they are the backbone of our democracy. The women who worked to secure and protect the right to vote for over a century, 100 years ago with the 19th Amendment, 55 years ago with the Voting Rights Act, and now, in 2020, with a new generation of women in our country who cast their ballots and continue the fight for their fundamental right to vote and be heard.”

Harris acknowledged her position as the first elected woman vice president and said, “...While I may be the first woman in this office, I won’t be the last. Because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities.”

Harris wore suffragette white during her acceptance speech in Wilmington, Delaware to pay homage to the 100 year anniversary of the 19th amendment, which finally gave American women the right to vote in 1920.

Sonoma State alumni Logan Pitts, an early supporter of Harris’s presidential campaign, said, “Almost 2 years ago I was in the front row of Kamala Harris’s kickoff in Oakland. But even though so much has happened since then, the last speech of the campaign Kamala gave felt the same. It was a speech about how much potential America has, even though we still have much work to do, and I’m so excited we get to see that potential represented in our next Vice President.”

During her time as Senator, Harris rose to pop culture fame with her prosecutorial style and talent for calmly grilling people on the senate floor, including Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearings.

Although Harris has a strong fan base, she does have a contentious reputation in some aspects of her career. Many critics of Harris argue that she is not a symbol of feminism and the black rights movement because of her past actions when dealing with criminal justice reform. In 2011, the Supreme Court demanded the state of California release inmates due to overpopulation that resulted in starvation, inhumane treatment, and even death. Harris’s lawyers argued in court that releasing them would drastically reduce their prison labor pool. Additionally, she staunchly opposed the use of recreational marijuana until just recently, when public opinion on the topic shifted.

She also criminlized struggling parents through an anti-truancy policy which she passed as law, and she charged sex workers as criminals in the past, though she now claims to support the decriminlization of sex work. Harris’s past work concerns some Americans, as they do not see her as the social justice warrior she claims to be.

Despite the controversy over Harris, history was made this past week. A woman of color was finally elected into one of the highest positions in American politics and this is a moment to be celebrated and remembered.

News 5

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sonomastatestar.com

continued from pg. 1

Local Sonoma County ballot measures are approved Here’s what passed and didn’t pass on the county wide level: Measure P: County of Sonoma Evelyn Cheatham Effective IOLERO passed with 65.56% of the vote.

Measure P creates a Civilian Police Review Board that will investigate alleged police misconduct, make recommendations for law enforcement, review testimony, subpoena records and evidence during investigations, and authorize the publication of body camera footage on the IOLERO (Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach) website. This newly created division will be appropriated 1% of the total budget for the sheriff-coroner. Sheriff Mark Essick and the Sonoma County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association opposed this measure, but many groups such as the ACLU of Northern California and National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement vocally supported the measure introduced by the Board of Supervisors. In an opinion piece by the Sonoma County Gazette, former President of the Peace and Justice Center of Sonoma County Susan Lamont said, “The goal of Measure P is an office able to help guide the Sheriff’s Office to policies that have been studied across the country and found to make both the public and law enforcement officers safer. These are called ‘best practices’...that’s what IOLERO is--fresh eyes.”

The call for civilian oversight largely began after the murder of George Floyd in June of 2020. Across the nation, there were similar measures proposed to vote on. In Ohio, for example, there were two local measures that increased civilian oversight of police. “Issue 2” in Columbus, Ohio was one of them and it, similarly to Sonoma County, created “the Civilian Police Review Board with authority to launch and carry out investigations of alleged police misconduct, subpoena testimony and evidence during the investigations, make recommendations to the Division of Police, and appoint and manage the new position of Inspector General for the Division of Police.”

Measure O: County of Sonoma Mental Health, Addiction & Homeless Services Transaction & Use Tax passed with 68.3% percent of the vote.

Measure O narrowly managed to get the two-thirds majority needed to pass. This measure will provide $25 million annually to homelessness and mental health services through a quarter cent tax increase. According to an article by The Press Democrat, the tax increase proceeds to be split into five categories: emergency psychiatric services, mental health services for children and seniors, behavioral health services for homeless residents, and supportive housing. In a county with over 2,500 documented homeless individuals, this tax increase could be vital in securing funding to fight the problem. Mental health advocate and Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane said that while the county could have used these funds 10 years ago, “...we are here right now, and the fact that the public agrees with us, that this is the right time, I can’t say enough thanks.”

STAR // Natella Guy Prepared for the decreasing temperatures overnight, a homeless man carried his sleeping bag on his lap while staying in good spirits.

Measure DD: Sonoma County Transportation Authority Sales Tax passed with 71.33% percent of the vote.

Measure DD, also referred to as the Go Sonoma Act, passed with flying colors. It extends an already in place quarter cent tax for another 20 years. The tax was due to expire in 2025 without this extension. The tax would create an estimated $520 million in total, or about $26 million annually, to go towards transportation related expenses, such as road and pothole repair, traffic reduction, safer biking and walking paths, local bus services, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, improvements to evacuation routes, and enhanced services for seniors and student--according to the language submitted to the official ballot. A portion of that money will be divided up amongst each city to make local transportation system improvements. Opponents to the bill believed there wasn’t enough oversight to where the money was going or disagreed with an increase in taxes, in general. Measure DD and the funds it generates will be overseen by the Sonoma County Courtesy // SRPD on Instagram Transportation Authority, which is made up of three county supervisors and a member for each of the nine incorporated cities. There is also a Measure P passed in Sonoma County.

25 member citizens advisory committee, appointed by the supervisors and charged with general oversight and public disclosures.

STAR // Isabelle Barkey Former Sonoma State student, Jamie Dennis, takes time off from school to save money and work as a Doordasher in the Rohnert Park area. November 7, 2020.

App-based drivers in the clear as California votes to pass Proposition 22 ISABELLA SIMONI STAFF WRITER

A

midst the frenzy that was the United States election this year, states also had the opportunity to vote for propositions specific to their state. Oregon voted to decriminalize possession of hard drugs. New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana, and Arizona all voted to legalize marijuana, and California voted to pass Proposition 22.

Prop 22’s initiative aims to determine drivers for apps that include Lyft and Uber as independent contractors. While drivers would be responsible for regulating their own work, i.e. how much they work and when they work, they would not be given benefits that would typically be given to employees at any other business or place of work.

Those in favor of Proposition 22 assert that the passing of the initiative will not only save many jobs for people in the app-based driving industry, but that it will also guarantee earnings to drivers. Votersguide.gov also claims that Prop 22 is backed by, “and overwhelming majority of drivers.”

Supporters of the Proposition also cite the safety aspect of apps like Lyft and Uber, seeing as many California citizens use these apps to get to and from outings and work early in the morning, and late at night.

Those opposed argue that passing an initiative like Proposition 22 gives companies like Doordash, Lyft, and Uber an opportunity to make a profit at the expense of their drivers. Votersguide.gov explains the opposition stating, “22 denies their drivers rights and safety protections they deserve: sick leave, healthcare and unemployment.”

While the passing of Proposition 22 does not give drivers commodities such as healthcare and unemployment, it is mandated in the initiative that app-based drivers get some form of benefits. These include a guaranteed set pay and accident insurance.

Recent Sonoma State Graduate Kayla Allen, who does Doordash in her freetime,

stated, “I voted yes for Prop 22. Doordashing gives me the freedom to pick my hours, get a little extra income on the side, and not have to worry about completing a certain amount of hours. If I wanted a job where they give me hours, and tell me when I can or can’t work, I’d just get another job. I like the flexibility that app-based driving gives me.”

When asked about the possible negative effects of passing Prop 22, Allen asserted, “Being an independent contractor is literally what the apps are made for. And having fixed hours, especially in Sonoma County, not only doesn’t help the drivers, but also the people seeking to use apps like Uber and Lyft. People depend on being able to call Lyfts and Ubers when they need them. And in Rohnert Park, that includes late at night.”

Lyft user and Sonoma State Senior Nicole Austin asserted in regards to Proposition 22, “In my time at Sonoma State, I have depended on apps like Lyft to get me home safe at night. My only concern with Prop 22 is that if it doesn’t pass, it won’t allow people that safety of getting home when you have no other option.”

When asked about what Proposition 22 means for drivers, Austin stated, “From what I can tell, Prop 22 essentially leaves apps...the same, with the addition of some new benefits. And I mean, if so many drivers support Prop 22--which are the people that it’s passing or lack thereof would affect--support it, we should definitely take that into consideration.”

The passing of Prop 22 allows many Sonoma State students, as well as many in Sonoma County to have the assurance of app-based transportation, as drivers are allowed to make their own hours. Only time will tell if the passing of Prop 22 was indeed the right choice.

6

Election

NOV.10 - NOV. 16, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Trump claims Democrats stole the election

Courtesy // Micheal Vadon on Flickr.com Former President Donald Trump claimed voter fraud and wants to take this election to the Supreme Court.

ELISEO FRAGOSO STAFF WRITER

O

n Wed. Nov. 4, President Donald Trump sent out a false victory tweet early in the morning saying, “We are up BIG, but they are trying to STEAL the election. We will never let them do it. Votes cannot be cast after the Polls are closed!”

On Thurs. Nov. 5, President Donald Trump spoke to the public at the White House for the first time since election day. The worried Republican went up to the lectern saying false accusations against the system that counts the ballots and also that the Democratic Party is trying to take the election without showing the public some sort of evidence. Trump seemed to ignore the fact that some states take quite a while to count millions of ballots and mailed-in ones, as well.

The president invalidated the Democratic votes, saying, “If you count the legal votes, I easily win. If you count the illegal votes, they can try to steal the election from us.” After he was done speaking, Trump immediately walked out of the briefing room without taking any questions from any reporters.

This comes after states like Michigan and Wisconsin, who were previously red states, ended up becoming blue states. Securing these states gave Democratic candidate Joe Biden the extra boost he needed to get closer to the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.

Joe Biden made a public appearance in Delaware, urging the American public to stay calm and patient, as all the votes will soon be counted. Biden did not take any questions, but was confident he would win the election, stating, “It is the will of the voters, no one, not anything else, that chooses the president of the United States of America,” he said. “Democracy is sometimes messy.

It sometimes requires a little patience as well. But that patience has been re-

warded now for more than 240 years with a system of governance that’s been the envy of the world.”

The Trump campaign has confirmed they will go to the Supreme Court to stop the states from following the law that allows votes postmarked before election day to be counted.

The president told CNN reporters, “We’re going to go on the night of, as soon as the election is over, we’re going in with our lawyers. If people wanted to get their ballots in, they should have gotten their ballots in long before that.”

Republican National Committee Spokesperson Elizabeth Harrington was also active on Twitter, defending the false allegations that Trump made about the Democrats, saying, “President Trump is up over 15 POINTS in PA. Joe Biden just announced that crooked Philadelphia will find enough votes to declare him victor, *after* Election Day.” Harrington’s tweet has since been censored by Twitter for spreading misleading information about the election.

This was not the first time Trump has accused the election process of being unreliable. During the 2016 elections, when Clinton was projected to win, he claimed the election was rigged. When he won the election, the president blamed illegal immigrants by saying, “They were the only reason Clinton won 3 million more votes.”

The Trump campaign had also launched an investigation into voter fraud during the last election and no evidence was found supporting his claims. The American public anxiously awaits Trump’s removal from power, and many worry that it will not be an easy, stree-free process.

This election season brings a 50% increase of women elected to Congress

Courtesy // Mike Maguire on Flickr.com For the first time in United States history, there will be 102 seats available in the House for women.

EDGAR ZAVALA STAFF WRITER

T

his year has been a year of intense loss and tribulation for most Americans.

Many American citizens feel like we are heading in the wrong direction and are actually seeing the downfall of our nation. However, in the year many dub the worst year of all time, we can finally start to see a new hope. Not only did we just elect the first black woman as our vice president, but the United States has elected a record number of women that will be serving in Congress.

Women will make up a quarter of Congress, which includes 102 women that will have chairs in the House of Representatives this upcoming term. This is the highest percentage of women in U.S history and a huge step forward for the equal rights movement.

Women will now make up 23% of the chamber’s voting members. One-third of the women got elected into office last midterm election. The midterms also sent five new women to the Senate. The country is on the right track to provide all citizens with equal rights and representation within the government. People are tired of seeing older white men run this country. Americans feel as if they are not all represented when it comes to lawmaking. Women now have a say on the laws that directly affect them, such as abortion laws.

The history of women in Congress starts more than a century ago, when the first woman was appointed to Congress, Jeanette Rankin. She was elected in the year 1916, two years after the country agreed that women can vote. However, there has not been a huge female turnout in Congress until the last two decades. Approximately 63% of the 325 women elected to the house since Rankin’s time have been elected since 1992. The Senate also sees a similar trend, with 29 of the 56 women who have ever served in the Senate taking office in 2000 or later.

The message is loud and clear that Americans want more diverse lawmakers making decisions for the whole nation. It does not make sense to have the same demographic of Caucasian men over the age of 50 to keep making laws that are affecting Americans of all genders and ethnic backgrounds. Americans have spoken and it is clear what they want. According to a recent Pew Research survey, “59% of adults say there are too few women in high political offices.” Women want and need more representation in high-ranking positions.

In a press release, CAWP Director Debbie Walsh said, “Women’s representation in American politics has been, through struggle and persistence, on a long, if occasionally fitful, upward trajectory. With all that progress, at best women will still make up less than 30% of Congress in 2021.” Walsh remains optimistic by saying, “The 2018 cycle was a story of Democratic success; this year we are seeing significant gains on the Republican side. Advances for women must come from both sides of the aisle if women are to achieve equal representation in Congress.”

In this 2020 election, not only have we seen more women enter into Congress, we have also seen a more diverse congress. All “squad” members, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley won reelection this year after joining the House in 2018. All of the members are progressive Democrats and women of color.

This is what Americans needed at a time when the country feels extremely divided. We are finally starting to see people that actually represent the diversity in America in positions of power. The year 2020 has finally delivered some good news. and Americans can finally celebrate making progress as a nation.

NOV. 10 - NOV. 16, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

Election 7

Sonoma County election race outcomes

STAR // Samantha Billingsly After living in Rohnert Park’s District 4 for six years, Jackie Elward claimed her seat on Rohnert Park’s City Council afterdefeating Jake Mackenzie on election night.

VINCENT SPENCE STAFF WRITER

I

n the middle of the nationwide election races, Sonoma County also finished off their elections. The Democratic party had a wave of victories, winning every representative seat.

As of Friday night, the ballots were still f lying in. The Argus Courier said they believed that they had a little more than 40,000 more ballots to count before it is all said and done. The ballot counters are counting about 25,000 ballots per day.

The Sonoma County elections are very important because they directly impact our community. These elected officials will make decisions on housing plans, COVID-19 issues, homeless issues, and much more.

District 2 in the U.S. House of Representatives democratic nominee, Jared Huffman had won. District 5 of the US House of Representatives democratic nominee, Mike Thompson had won.

Rohnert Park elected three different council members. Those being Walter “Willy” Linares in area one, Gerard Giudice in area three, and finally Jackie Elward in area four. Linares and Giudice both won with a strong showing, and Elward won by a slimmer margin of only 300 votes. Cotati also added three new council members: Laura Sparks, Susan Harvey, and Ben Ford--who all won by a narrow margin.

Santa Rosa also elected council member Eddie Alverez in area one. Chris Rogers and Natalie Rogers both won area’s five and seven with Harrison “Jack” Tibetts beating his opponent by an unprecedented amount. A total of 9,901 votes were counted in area three and Tibetts received 9,888 votes.

Finally Petaluma added Brian Barnacle, Dennis Pocekay, and Mike Healy. An article in the Argus Courier said, “In Petaluma’s at-large election, while challengers Brian Barnacle and Dennis Pocekay were poised to win seats, three other candidates vying for the city’s third seat were nearly deadlocked. As of Friday evening, Councilman Mike Healy had about 13.4% of the vote, Lizzie Wallack had about 12.7%, and Councilwoman Kathy Miller had about 12.1%.” About 900 votes separated Healy and Miller. Barnacle and Pocekay had strong leads beating the pack by 4,000 votes.

Measure P was also passed in Sonoma County, which expands citizen’s oversight of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office. It was approved with a huge margin.

Eddie Alvarez is positioned to be on the Santa Rosa City Council and turn into Roseland’s first representative.

Rohnert Park Urban Growth Boundary Extension and Modification was approved, as well. An article in the Sonoma County Gazette said that this measure will, “[extend] the city’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) restrictions on land use regarding community separators, agricultural land, and open space for 20 years and exclude 80 acres south of Valley House Drive and west of Petaluma Hill Road from the UGB restrictions.”

Lastly, Measure O also was approved by Sonoma County voters. The measure suggested a recommended mental health and homeless service sales tax. Because it passed, there is hope for improvement in drug addiction and abuse support in Sonoma County. It could potentially improve the lives of those who are addicts, thus improving the general community and homeless population.

Historical firsts achieved in the 2020 election

Courtesy // New York City Council on Flickr.com Council Member Ritchie Torres is one of the first openly homosexual black men elected to Congress.

RYAN WEINER

STAFF WRITER

T

he year 2020 has already been filled with major historical events, including the acquittal of President Donald Trump in an impeachment trial, the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, and the rapid spread of a global pandemic.

Now, the 2020 election fills the minds of Americans. While most of the attention has been on the presidential race, a handful of historic firsts were being made around the country in local elections.

Ritchie Torres and Mondaire Jones, two young progressive candidates from New York, became the first two openly gay black men elected to Congress after they were declared winners in their House races. Both of these men will replace retiring lawmakers in their district. Councilman Torres, who is only 23 years old, tweeted on Tuesday: “Tonight, we made history. It is the honor of a lifetime to represent the essential borough, the Bronx.” New York was not the only state to elect a Black candidate for Congress.

Missouri elected the state’s first black woman to Congress, Cori Bush. Bush has been a progressive community leader and a longtime ‘Black Lives Matter’ activist in her home state of Missouri. Bush is a nurse and a pastor, and after the death of Michael Brown in 2014, she became an organizer and protest leader. In an electrifying speech Bush gave on election night, she made it known that she was there for her community, “To the black women. The black girls. The nurses. Single mothers. The essential workers. This. Is. Our. Moment.”

Historic new Congress members do not stop there. Three New Mexican women won their districts, making them the first all-female congressional delegation to represent a state, and they are also women of color.

Democratic representative Deb Halaand, a member of the Pueblo Tribe, won re-election to her House seat. She also made history in 2018 as one of the first Native American woman elected to Congress. In a tweet on Tuesday night, Halaand stated, “Tonight the people of New Mexico have chosen hope over fear, love over hate, community over division.”

Democrat Teresa Legar Fernandez won the state’s 3rd Congressional District. Legar Fernandez is the first woman to hold her seat since its creation in 1983. Legar Fernandez stated in a tweet, “with this victory, I promise I will take the courageous action that this historic moment demands. Muchísimas gracias.”

Republican Yvett Herell, a member of the Cherokee nation, won her race for the state’s 2nd Congressional district, which completed the house delegation.” “It’s the honor of my life to serve #NM02,” Herell said. “My commitment to each citizen of our district is that I will serve each of them with integrity as we work together to rebuild the economy.”

Voters in Arizona, New Jersey and South Dakota have approved ballot measures to legalize recreational marijuana, and both recreational and medical use in South Dakota, CNN projects. South Dakota will become the first state ever to approve medical and recreational marijuana measures at the same time. According to John Hudak, deputy director at the Brookings Institution where he specializes in state and federal marijuana policy, the initiatives will only be the first step in the process. After voters approved the measures, he said, the state legislatures would normally have to set up regulatory structures within each state. Currently, 11 states have legalized full, adult marijuana use, including California.

8 Arts

NOV. 10 - NOV. 16, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Student Spolight of the Week:

KATELYN DODGE STAFF WRITER

S

Seth Baldwin

onoma State University has a plethora of very talented students in its midst, one being Seth Baldwin. Baldwin is a senior in the Communications department who has written and released his own hip-hop and R&B album, Camera Roll.

It began at the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, small snippets of songs recorded and put onto Instagram. While his equipment was still on a low end at the time, Seth released videos until June. By then, Camera Roll’s 10-song set was fully written and was to begin production.

“Ableton Live software, headphones, condenser mic, external speakers, and a preamp to complete my little setup! I recorded my own instruments, pulled samples, and used my own vocals to do each song.

And each song is, give or take, three to five days minimum. They usually take up to a week or two... or three!” Seth explained, talking us through the process.

Seth has been playing music since he was a child, receiving his first guitar at age eight, though he struggled with it, quitting entirely. That was until Baldwin was 12 when he picked the guitar back up and began again. With some Youtube tutorials, Seth began taking off on his musical expertise.

Seth said that, “I started playing on the street for small tips and a couple of passersby every weekend when I was 15, and that’s when I realized if I wanted to be actually good and get any sort of recognition, I had to learn how to sing... [I had been performing live] until this spring obviously. But since, I have only played private events with under 50 people or at businesses that have outdoor seating and very strict social distancing guidelines!”

Since then though, Seth has focused on creating this album, taking inspiration from Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran. The creation of Camera Roll embodied Baldwin himself and reflected that into any listeners.

Seth was proud of all of his songs, taking the time to write each one with care, even needing to rewrite his songs a plethora of times to avoid being too literal.

Seth wrote each song but said, “In one song titled “In My Heart” it features one of my great friends and very talented musician Marelle. Her vocals were exactly what I needed to take that song to the next level.

But in terms of writing and playing the music itself, I did that myself for my debut.”

Seth continued, talking about his other joys of the

Courtesy // Seth Baldwin Baldwin is excited to share his new album ‘Camera Roll’ with the world. album. “If I had to pick my favorite and closest song to me, it’s “What It Means To Be Yours”. That song means the world to me. I wrote that song pretty early in my relationship with my girlfriend, like last December. She’s been with me through any and all situations and deserves to be told every day just what she means to me! And I knew even that early that yeah there will be some things that go sour now and then, but at the end of the day she’s the only one I truly love.

That song to me now is almost living out like a prophecy and I’m noticing the best parts of the song have come true or will come true soon! I know all of that is pretty corny but those who know me know that’s how I think and feel about her,” Baldwin said.

Camera Roll is available on Apple Music/iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Prime Music, and CDs are in the works. Seth plans to keep his Instagram, @sethbaldwin_music, and website, www.sethbaldwinmusic. com, up to date with all of his music.

Courtesy // Seth Baldwin ‘Camera Roll’ includes 10 tracks, all written and produced by Baldwin himself.

Disney drops premiere of the new ‘The Mandalorian’ SAMUEL SAYER STAFF WRITER

I

n the wave of new streaming shows coming out this fall, Disney’s “The Mandalorian” has returned to Disney+ on Friday, Oct. 30, after receiving critical acclaim for its first season. This season, which is set to be released every Friday, picks up right where the first season left off, with a brief recap for those who haven’t seen the show since the first epidosdes aired back in November of last year. Having left behind the fugitive story that dominated the plotline of season one, season two has shifted its focus to more of an adventure in search of more Mandolorians, as well as the home species of The Child, more commonly known by community nickname Baby Yoda. While the show’s focus has shifted, the heavy western influences remain, as the first episode kept to a small-scale conflict between an isolated town and an angry, large member of the local ecosystem.

The new season has plenty of content for fans both new and old to dig into, with an abundance of callbacks and subtle references to both moments from the first season, as well as nods to previous Star Wars films and spin-offs that came before it. Already characters from season one have returned, namely the smart mouthed mechanic Peli Motto, played by Amy Sedaris. This premiere continued the show’s tradition of keeping the scale far smaller than Star Wars traditionally likes to be as a franchise, keeping itself to local conflicts and the aftereffects of the big events that get covered in the films. In season one, we saw the remnants of the Imperial Army after the fall of the Empire, from the perspective of people living on its outskirts. This season seems to be following a similar path, but with the titular Mandolorian having a more outspoken role, rather than simply keeping a low profile and avoiding those who are hunting him.

Despite the premiere’s story being a largely selfcontained adventure, there seemed to be a number of plot points already being set up to last the length of this season. While newly introduced sheriff/gunslinger

Courtesy // Pxfuel Disney+ is happy announce the new and upcoming season of ‘The Mandalorian’.

Cobb Vanth, played by Timothy Olyphant, parted ways plot relevant characters over bringing in big name fawith his “reclaimed” armor from classic character Boba vorites.

Fett, his exiting line hoping they would cross paths Having gained a solid grasp of its identity and its again leaves the viewer wondering just when and how place in the greater Star Wars universe, this new season that might happen further along in the Mandolorian’s of “The Mandalorian” seems to be capitalizing on what quest. On top of that, longtime cast member Temura worked last season, and the producers are using that as Morrison, known for playing Jango Fett and his many a foothold to further tell the story of the wayward merclones in the prequel trilogy of movies, made a surprise cenary and his adopted child. Whether it manages to appearance at the end of the episode, leaving fans to live up to the expectations of the first season remains to speculate if he’s the presumed dead Boba Fett, or some be seen, but with a strong premiere, fans are left with other previously unknown character to keep with the the promise that this second season will deliver like the show’s track record of preferring to introduce new but first, and many are looking forward to Friday’s release.

Entertainment 9

NOV. 10 - NOV. 16, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

Green Music Center hosts virtual event for returning artist Liz Lerman RACHEL GONZALEZ

STAFF WRITER

L

iving through the employment effects of the pandemic allows us to see the skyrocketing unemployment rates that have been a result.

With that being said, those who are working artists have also felt the repercussions of the pandemic and its effects on the unemployment rate. Due to social distancing, it has been hard for artists to find opportunities to showcase work or source out work.

Luckily, the Green Music Center at Sonoma State continues to be a platform for artists to showcase their art, although this year, they are a virtual host.

On Nov.5, the Green Music Center hosted Liz Lerman’s discussion of Wicked Bodies (Sonoma).

Tickets were $10 for the public and free for students by using the access code SSUStudent. The Green Music Center ensured its viewers that there was no need to purchase multiple tickets and that groups could join since the event was streamed online.

Lerman’s event consisted of not only her inspiration and themes that exist in her piece, Wicked Bodies, but she also conversed with the audience about her plans for making the project. Lerman also revealed a rehearsal process of the development and discussed opportunities for the viewers to be a part of her project.

Liz Lerman is an independent artist who is an individual who aims to include a wide variety of characteristics in her art.

Lerman, “... has spent a great amount of time making her art research personal, funny, intellectually vivid, and up to the minute,” as stated on her website.

Lerman is also known as a choreographer, performer, writer, teacher, and speaker. According to Lerman’s website, her work has impacted a wide variety of audiences that contrast from one another.

Lerman’s inspiration for her project began in Scotland where she came across “Witches and Wicked Bodies”, an art exhibition at the Scottish National Gallery. The artist was moved by the 500-year-old prints and drawings that consisted of negative depictions of women’s bodies.

Inspired by the moving work of “Witches and Wicked Bodies”, Lerman began researching the concept of negative narratives that surrounded the woman and the woman’s body, such as a woman being incorporated with witchcraft imagery. As a result, Lerman was able to find her work’s objective.

Lerman’s work allows an opportunity for ref lection and addressing the issues that Lerman has recognized throughout her research and inspiration that is attached to the concept of women and their bodies.

The three-year developing project, “... ref lects on and addresses many issues about women and our bodies that have been constant and persistent for centuries. Fear of bodily function, horror at what knowledge women might possess, disgust at the way

women carry on daily existence, and the crumbling of beauty as women age,” explained Lerman’s website on the inspiration page of Wicked Bodies.

Rachel Rizzuto, an associate editor for Dance Magazine, interviewed Lerman and discussed her experience of being inspired by the art exhibition in Scotland and the continuing process of building Wicked Bodies.

While describing how the Scottland exhibition was so moving for the artist, Lerman tells Rizzuto her thinking process of imagining the exhibition as a dance by explaining that she was captivated by the graphic and unreliable witch depictions of the older and younger women.

Lerman also shared with Rizzuto her research process for her project, which has been postponed to Jan. 2021 due to the pandemic.

“It’s study, interview, getting help from scholars, talking to actual people who consider themselves connected to witchcraft—and translating that both into the body in rehearsal but also into a structure in your mind,” responded Lerman to Rizzuto.

Though the pandemic has forced many to face difficult challenges when it comes to their forms of employment, Lerman’s perseverance with her project not only reveals the challenges artists are facing during these unprecedented times but also can communicate hope to artists who are continuing to work on postponed art projects.

STAR // Isabelle Barkey Liz Lerman shared her new site-specific work during the live stream event, ‘Wicked Bodies.’

Celebrities endorse presidential candidates

TAYLOR CLARK

I

STAFF WRITER

t seems like more than ever, politics have become a daily, sometimes hourly, part

serves a government that takes global health risks seriously and puts the lives of its

of our lives. The internet is plastered with he said, she said, and social media

people first. The only way we can begin to make things better is to choose leaders

has turned into an advertisement service for candidates. This year, celebrities

who are willing to face these issues and find ways to work through them,” said Swift.

have become more outspoken and endorsed the presidential candidates, former Vice

Rapper Lil Wayne endorsed President Trump by posting a photo of the two of

President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.

them with big thumbs up from their meeting in Miami on his Twitter. He captioned

Youtuber David Dobrik has become an internet sensation and has given out doz-

the photo, “Just had a great meeting with @realdonaldtrump @potus besides what

ens of cars to his friends and fans. Some of the most memorable being a BMW for

he’s done so far with criminal reform, the platinum plan is going to give the commu-

his dad, a baby blue Ford Bronco for his long-time best friend and assistant, and a

nity real ownership,” the rapper tweeted.

Lamborghini to one of the ‘Vlog Squad’ members. So, it came as no surprise when Dobrik and his team decided to encourage young adults to register to vote with the incentive of possibly winning a new Tesla.

Dobrik posted a photo on Instagram featuring five Tesla Model 3s and asked his

“He listened to what we had to say today and assured he will and can get it done,” said Wayne.

Lil Wayne’s girlfriend, Denise Bidot, supposedly broke up with him soon after his endorsement, making fans draw their own conclusions.

followers to share his post on your account, comment and tag a friend, and make sure that you were registered to vote through Headcount.org.

“I can’t vote. I’m not a citizen. I think that’s why I wanted to do this,” said Dobrik, according to Forbes. Dobrik was born in Slovakia, and is under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program.

Because of Dobrik, almost 120,000 people registered to vote, which is the highest in HeadCount’s 16-year history.

Within the past few years, Taylor Swift has become more vocal about her political views. This year, Swift endorsed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and announced that she would be voting for them. Swift posted on her Instagram a photo of her with Biden/Harris sugar cookies and encouraged people to vote.

She spoke with V magazine and said, “The change we need most is to elect a president who recognizes that people of color deserve to feel safe and represented, that women deserve the right to choose what happens to their bodies, and that the LGBTQIA+ community deserves to be acknowledged and included.” “Everyone de-

Courtesy // Instagram David Dorbik, a popular influencer, encouraged citizens to vote, giving them a free entry to win a new Tesla.

10 Student Life

NOV. 10 - NOV. 16, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Sonoma State University hosts an election watch party

STAR // Isabelle Barkey Sonoma State hosts a zoom party for students who did not want to watch Election night alone.

STAR // Isabelle Barkey Not only was the presidential race covered, but both Senate and House of Representative seats were up in the air.

SARAH GALLAGHER STAFF WRITER

T

his week was a huge week for Americans everywhere with the 59th presidential election held on Tues. Nov. 3rd between Joseph R. Biden and Donald J. Trump.

Associated Students held a virtual watch party so that students and staff could be a part of the conversation as well as watch to see what the next four years of the United States of America is going to look like.

This event was held the same night as the national election at 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Zoom, to let Seawolves come and go as they please and have conversations about what is going on. During the event, AS never stayed on just one channel, instead opting to switch it up between different stations. This gave students a multitude of different media companies and how they covered the election.

One thing that was clear was the idea of inclusivity. With a little over nine thousand students on campus, there are so many different political opinions. With such a historical election like this, SSU wanted to make sure that there was a neutral and respectful observance of all different opinions, and it was made clear that they were all welcome.

Director of Student Involvement Mo Phillips was one of the few SSU staff members who put this event on. This event was for those who want to continue to get involved in local and national politics even after casting their votes. When asked why she thinks it is so important for students to show up and get involved, as well as styting educated on what is going on, Philips stated, “Students can have such a powerful voice because there are SO MANY around the country, but they have to be aware of what they are voting on.”

With making sure all students feel included and heard she said, “We need to educate

ourselves not only about the things that affect us, or about what we think or feel. But in order to make a good, fact base, thought, ethical decisions, I believe that we need to think about issues, dilemmas, problems, from a variety of viewpoints.”

Like Phillips told us, this event was a great way for students to understand and see where maybe their own biases lie and how they can maybe see how they only listen to one media outlet to fit their views rather than vary them to see different perspectives.

Taylor George, a junior ,tells us a little bit about how she thinks that the drop boxes that were put on campus contributed to more students wanting to get involved in politics.

“I feel that the drop boxes on campus allowed students to vote more. Having it on campus allowed students to have access to submitting their ballots if they didn’t have a way to get to the polling station or worried about mailing it in.”

With voting, George also stated that she gets her news from a variety of different places not just one to keep a look on all sides. For those who are passionate about social justice and change in their town or country, she says, “I think it’s very important for young people to get involved in politics, if you want to see a change you have to help make it. If you do get involved be educated on what you’re fighting for.”

This virtual event was a great way for students to tune in and see how important it is for their voices to be heard and how much their vote impacts the future.

There are going to be so many more follow up events following the election, for those check out http://www.seawolfliving.com/virtual-events?category=Elections%202020 and Seawolf Living’s instagram @seawolfliving.

Alumna Spotlight of the Week: EMILY CRIPE

STAFF WRITER

S

onoma State University has alumni in many different fields living their dreams while carrying on the Seawolf legacy, and Class of 2019 graduate and current NBC Bay Area digital media editor Mandela Linder is no exception.

Linder graduated in May of 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, and she earned a few Associate’s Degrees during her time at Mendocino College. During her time at SSU, Linder was a commuter who did not have much time to get involved in extracurricular activities, but she was heavily impacted by the courses she took and professors she met while on campus. She explains that her creative writing class was her favorite course overall, she wrote for the STAR to gain some experience, and her web and print journalism class is what ultimately led her to the opportunity to work for NBC. She said that, since she was a transfer student from Mendocino County, she chose SSU mainly because it was the closest school to transfer to. Also, she was commuting to and from school, so she chose the university with the shortest commute.

Linder explains that her position at NBC, “sort of fell into [her] lap” a few weeks before she was set to graduate. Her original plans to travel immediately after graduation were derailed when she was offered a job by NBC after calling one of their managers for a class project.

“Within two weeks, I had a job offer,” she said.

Linder has held her current job title at NBC, digital media editor,

Mandela Linder

for about a year and she has many different tasks that come with said title depending on the day. She mentioned that a new, exciting part of her job is editing and curating the Changing Climate page on the NBC site. Some more of her duties include writing and curating stories for the web, scheduling social media posts, sending push alerts, and handling breaking news. Her favorite part of her job is running the climate page, and she said, “I really care a lot about the environment and I care a lot about climate change, so getting to work on that makes me feel like I’m doing something really meaningful.” Prior to starting her climate project, Linder said her favorite thing about her job is anytime she gets to write something that is completely her own.

Linder also mentioned that her job has changed drastically because of COVID-19, explaining that she, “covered the election from [her] bed.” She said that not being in the newsroom is definitely strange and nowadays, and when she does go into work, “...there’s maybe six people in the whole building as opposed to a few hundred.”

When asked about her hobbies and interests, Linder said she just started getting into backpacking and is planning a trip to Yosemite soon. She explained that on the first day of her first backpacking trip at Cascade National Park, she was completely alone and saw a bear, which was the one thing she didn’t want to happen.

SSU student Nico Gomez said, “As someone who frequently watches NBC and receives updates from their app, I really enjoy know-

Courtesy // Mandela Linder Linder works as the current NBC Bay Area digital media editor, a job that fell into her lap after graduation. ing that an SSU alumna is behind some of the content I’m consuming.”

When asked what wisdom she’d give to recent graduates or soon-to-be graduates, Linder said her number one piece of advice is to never label a class as too easy and dismiss it, because, “...you get out what you put into it,” she explains. “Being part of a college or institution could open doors for you,” was another point Linder made. She said that people are more willing to answer questions about jobs or internships when the person asking is linked to a university or institution like Sonoma State University, so she encourages Seawolves to contact people in their field of interest while they still have their university affiliation to back them up. One final piece of advice Linder offered was, “Trust the process, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there because, for me, I had a plan and it was to travel, not do this.” She went on to say, “If something isn’t happening for you right away, don’t stop trying, don’t stop meeting people, and don’t stop putting yourself out there.”

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Student Life 11

NOV. 10 - NOV. 16, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

Prop 17 passes and restores the right to vote for over 50,000 citizens

AMANDA KOBA STAFF WRITER

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ith election day being this past week, many states had propositions listed that were either going to pass or fail.

In Calif., the proposition that would allow persons who had served the length of their parole the right to vote, Proposition 17, was passed.

On Nov. 3, residents of California voted yes for Prop.17 winning by 2.5 million votes to restore voting rights to those who were incarcerated and finished their sentence. Calif. is one of the 19 states that take away the right to vote until completion of a sentence which includes probation and/or parole. According to the Official Voter Information Guide for California, Prop 17, “... restores voting rights upon completion of prison term to persons who have been disqualified from voting while serving a prison term.”

This proposition would also allow persons who are on parole to run for office as long as they are registered to vote and their convictions weren’t bribery or perjury.

California State Assembly member, Kevin McCarty introduced the change in January 2019.

The proposition was known as Assembly Constitutional Amendment No. 6 (ACA 6) before it was put on the ballot. This proposal was a two part change to amend Sections 2 and 4 of Article II. Sections 2 and 4 of Article II involved election rights. This included voting rights for persons convicted of a felony and the age of voting being 18 years of age.

The LA Times said, “The measure restores the vote to some 50,000 parolees by changing the state Constitution, which disqualifies people with felony convictions from voting until their incarceration and parole are completed,” when talking about the proposition.

With the proposition passing, many are now able to vote in future elections. Steven Hensley, one of the people affected, told ABC30, “I remember ref lecting and thinking about it and how I would never be able to be a part of that… honestly for the longest time even after I was off

Courtesy // CGP Grey Prop 17 passed with 58.9% of voter support, allowing voting righs upon completion of prison terms to those who were previously disqualified. state supervision and I was off parole, I thought that I wasn’t able to vote.”

Jennifer Leahy, a lecturer for the Criminal Justice Program at Fresno State, also said, “We give up privileges, but we don’t give up the right to be an American citizen. An individual who is engaged and interested in politics is not someone who is interested in committing crimes,” while talking to ABC30 about the proposition.

Around the time that the measure was introduced, BLM was starting to really catch media attention. This sparked conversation in all aspects of society including the criminal justice system.

The California Department of Corrections and Re-

habilitation reported that three out of four men that are transitioning out of prisons in the state are people of color. McCarty told the LA Times, “Prop. 17 gives Californians the chance to right a wrong and restore voting rights for a marginalized community and people of color...this is good for democracy and good for public safety.”

The passing of this proposition has affected over 50,000 people in California. Now persons who have been convicted of a felony and have served their full sentence with parole and/or probation have the right to vote and possibly hold office. The passing was one out the 12 propositions listed on this year’s ballot.

Seawolves SPEAK!

SIEANNA NARINE STAFF WRITER

“What did you do on election day?”

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s Seawolves, we were all facing the daunting day of Nov. 3 with all different ways of coping with the results of the 2020 presidential election. For some, the results could wind up being exactly what they wanted or the complete opposite. Joe Biden the Democrat representative and Donald J Trump of the Republican party brought many Seawolves to the edge of their seat with the election votes slowly coming. With the election ballots coming in for the 2020 election it took six days for the electoral college to get its final results.

Many Seawolves spent their election night viewing the election live feed on several different news stations with friends and family members gathered in their living room. Many emotions

were flowing that night in many different parts of California but once the news was released on the morning of Nov. 7 many videos were put on social media platforms of varying emotions in big cities to suburban areas. President Joe Biden was elected the 46th president of the United States of America alongside the first colored women as Vice President Kamala Harris.

“In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America. With the campaign over, it’s time to put the anger and the harsh rhetoric behind us and come together as a nation”, said in a written statement to CNN. So, the STAR asked Seawolves how they spent their election night.

“I thought the election was very nerve-wracking. I was looking forward to seeing the results.”

“My family and I could not even watch it from all the nerves, it did not stop us from checking the cote count every 30 minutes.”

-Cynthia Hernandez, Kinesiology Major

-Bryce Gallagher, Communications Major

“Adult beverage in hand, hoping and praying that democracy would be restored after the 2020 election.”

“I was really nervous and really disappointed that it was such a close call between the two candidates.”

-Nancy Jimenez, Kinesiology Major

-Kobe Manguil, Communications Major

“I watched the election feed on NBC with my family but we were honestly more fearful for the aftermath of the election.”

“Anxiously waited for the election results map to be full of blue over the couple days I waited for the final results to be announced.”

-Sophia Demetriou, Global Enviornmental Planning Major

-Shannon Clemons, Communications Major

12 Photo

NOV. 10 - NOV. 16, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Election brings out record number of voters

STAR // Natella Guy Analy high school students Sol, Adanna, and Dezirae waved voting signs toward oncoming traffic in Sebastopol.

STAR // Natella Guy Isabel and Matthew displayed their patriotic apparel.

STAR // Natella Guy Long lines were formed early in the morning before the opening of the polling place on Nov. 3 at the Rohnert Park Community Center.

STAR // Samantha Billingsly Jeremy Chaddock filled in his ballot outside of a polling place on Nov. 3 in front of the Rohnert Park Community Center while the line to vote quickly grows around him.

STAR // Natella Guy

Sebastopol’s volunteer showed off the voting sticker you recieve after turning in your ballot at the Sebastopol polling place.

STAR // Natella Guy Windsor residents encouraged traffic to vote at the intersection of Lakewood and Old Redwood Highway.

STAR // Samantha Billingsly Rohnert Park residents line up to vote on Nov. 3 in front of the Rohnert Park Community Center while wearing masks and obeying social distancing guidelines.