Issue 5 Fall 2020 Sonoma State STAR

IN THIS ISSUE

Breonna Taylor Recently announced settlement lacking justice . PAGE 3.

Open Mic Night ASP tradition transforms into a virtual experience.

PAGE 8.

Role Model SSU athlete Desmond Gates is a shining star on and of the field.

PAGE 11.

SINCE 1979

VOLUME 85 // ISSUE 5 SEPTEMBER 22, 2020 - SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER

STAR // Lily Frazier Noelia Brambila encouraged fellow students to stay in their dorms and limit the spread of COVID-19 on campus.

Confirmed COVID-19 case at SSU

SIEANNA NARINE STAFF WRITER

L

ast week, on September 17, Sonoma State sent out an email to the community stating, “Sonoma State University is acting on a confirmed case of COVID-19 on campus.”

In an email correspondence with Robert Eyler, the Interim Public Relations Officer, conducted after the campus email was sent out, he gave notice that “So far, one student and two employees who have been on campus have tested positive since the Fall Semester began.” This contradicts the Sept. 17 email to the whole community at Sonoma State University, which only gave notice of one student testing positive for COVID-19.

In response to the confirmed cases, Sonoma State University has reportedly had the student in isolation since their positive test. According to Eyler, “No other students who have been on campus have reported testing positive up to Sept 18, 2020. We have informed students and staff that may have had contact with the student, and notified them as needed.”

Sonoma State University continues to stay in close touch with the affected individual to ensure that they are getting the care that they need. According to the email, the school has continued to remain in consistent compliance with the local public health department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention protocols for infectious disease response.

To minimize exposure, Eyler assured, “We have daily screening and have asked all faculty, staff, and students that come to campus to ..minimize and report exposure. At this time, we have very low infection rates, a testament to staff efforts to keep both students safe and also employees that are on campus safe.”

“Individuals who had direct contact with the COVID infected persons will be contacted by the COVID Monitoring Team,” said the Director for Emergency Services Missy Brunetta, in the email.

@SONOMASTATESTAR

COURTESY // Flickr.com The death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg causes nation-wide mourning.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death shakes the nation SAMUEL SAYER STAFF WRITER

S

upreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died at 87 on Friday, Sept.

18, due to complications from her 11 year battle with metastatic pancreatic cancer. This comes at the end of a 27 year term on the Supreme Court, and involvement in many historical cases over the course of her career.

Initially nominated by President Bill Clinton in 1993, Ginsburg was no stranger to the world of law, having been at work in various capacities as far back as the 1960s. Upon her appointment to the Supreme Court, Ginsburg was involved in many high profile cases surrounding affirmative action, abortion, same-sex marriage, gender discrimination and others.

However, her death has also opened up a vacuum in the court, a mere 6 weeks before the upcoming 2020 presidential election.

Ginsburg was one of the judges who voiced concerns over President Trump, and reportedly told her granddaughter that she did not want her replacement to be chosen by him. “My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed,” said Ginsburg.

In spite of this, Senator Mitch McConnell has released a statement assuring that President Trump’s replacement nominee will be voted on by the Senate.

see CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASE AT SSU on pg. 4

see RUTH BADER GINSBURG on pg. 4

STAR // Ashley Cobb The HUB, pictured above., and the Center for Community Engagement are now led by Chief of Staff to the President Dr. Griffin-Desta.

COURTESY // Flickr.com Dawn Wooten, ICE whistleblower, reports medical neglect at ICE detention center in Georgia.

Whistleblower Alleges Mass Hysterectomies in JAYLINE ALVARADO

ICE Detention Centers

STAFF WRITER

T

his past week, social media has been flooded by claims that women have been forced to undergo the removal of their uterus in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Ocilla, Georgia. Dawn Wooten, an employee at Irwin County Detention Center, revealed that the detention centers were conducting unsafe medical procedures, such as hysterectomies, which are a surgical procedure to remove a woman’s uterus. Detainees are also not being tested for COVID-19, even if they’ve shown symptoms.

Women who got this procedure done did not consent to the surgery. Reportedly, they were being checked for heavy menstruation and weren’t even aware as to why they got the surgery in the first place.

According to an article from the Associated Press, “Mileidy Cardentey Fernandez unbuttoned her jail jumpsuit to show the scars on her abdomen. There were three small, circular marks. The 39-year-old woman from Cuba was told only that she would undergo an operation to treat her ovarian cysts.” see WHISTLEBLOWER ALLEGES MASS HYSTERECTOMIES on pg. 4

Administration takes control of the HUB and CCE EMILY CRIPE STAFF WRITER

A

midst recent budget changes, Sonoma State’s Center for Community Engagement and Hub Cultural Center are now under the leadership of the newly formed Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, run by President Sakaki’s chief of staff, Dr. Jerlena Griffin-Desta. To make up for the lack of staff available, the two organizations will be jointly run and will become more collaborative with one another.

According to their respective mission statements, The Hub and CCE are places where students are able to use their voices to speak up against both societal issues, and issues within the university. The Hub, in particular, usually hosts student-run protests and serves as an avenue for everyone to amplify their voices however they see fit. The prospect of having an administrator overseeing these protests, among other things, is regarded by former Hub intern Deja Whitney as a potentially “wrong fit.” Whitney explains, “I have an initial concern about Jerlena Griffin-Desta taking over...however, I think it would be helpful for the students to see her active in the programs these organizations put on.” see ADMIN TAKES CONTROL on pg. 5

2 Editorial THE STAR

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Title IX training or triggering?

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 Samantha Billingsly, Distribution Manager Staff Writers Taylor Clark, Emily Cripe, Sieanna Narine, Samuel Sayer, Jayline Alvarado, Natella Guy, 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, Isabelle Barkey Photographers Samantha Billingsly, Sarah Gallagher, Sarah Ramos

Nichols Hall 323, 1801 East Cotati Ave Rohnert Park, CA 94928 Telephone: 707-664-2776 Business & General Inquiries: sonomastatestar@gmail.com Corrections and News Tips: star@sonoma.edu

Editor’s Pick This week’s can’t miss article:

“SSU alumn Ryan Harvey wins national comedy award” Read the article on page 7.

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.

E

ven as college-related activities at Sonoma State University have become virtual, Title IX training requirements still fall upon students to complete, in an effort to create a safer and less hostile environment with a main focus on sexual assault, discrimination and abuse. But what really is Title IX? And what has been changed from previous years when accessing this mandatory student training?

Title IX is labeled as a federal law that serves as a “powerful tool” for combating campus violence, and it was proposed in the Education Amendments Act of 1972. This program is enacted in many schools as training for students to learn about genderbias and the dangers of sexual abuse. Title IX’s main message is that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance,” as stated by the U.S. Department of Education.

Many universities around the country use Title IX as a way to enhance knowledge about misconduct and discrimination in an educational institution, and these students are required to participate in a training course that varies depending on their accompanying state’s laws. This training is very much the same, focusing on avoiding sexual wrongdoing and discrimination.

Universities that participate in this training have their student’s take a comprehensive 30 to 40-minute training that consists of videos, stories, and ideas that relate to Title IX. This includes, but is not limited to, sexual assault in the workplace, sexual assault in educational setting, and sexual violence prevention.

STAR // Kevin Flores

This training must be completed by all Sonoma State students by Sept. 30 to avoid a registration hold on their account for the following semester. Students who do not perform this task by Sept.

30 will not be able to register for classes in the upcoming semester until this training has been completed.

This training, however, contains very sensitive material involving sexual violence and assault, and to those with significant trauma, can bring up some horribly traumatic past emotions.

Students who have suffered from sexual misconduct, and/or those who do not feel comfortable with this training, are asked to still partake in this exercise with a different and new alternative format. This year, Title IX dictates that students who “believe this training will be traumatic may request an alternative training form,” but this request must be filled out by Sept. 23 and will also involve a 45-minute meeting with Sonoma State’s Confidential Advocate.

This becomes a bit controversial, as the normal training is said to be strictly confidential, but to those who feel this training is too traumatic for them, a meeting with an advocate on alternative training strips students of their confidentiality. The university is offering little information about the opt-out process or what these alternatives include.

For someone who has dealt with major sexual abuse, it may be hard to even want to discuss details and circumstances with a Sonoma State advocate, especially not knowing exactly what this process entails.

Prior to this virtual year swirling around due to the pandemic of COVID-19, Title IX allowed students an “opt-out” option, which allowed them to email the Office for the Preven-

tion of Harassment and Discrimination team, letting them know how this training will affect them in negative ways, including bringing up past trauma, and Title IX would give those students the allowance to opt-out while not leaving a hold on their registration.

In 2019, when the “opting out” option was available, it was an easier way for students who have trouble dealing with Title IX to not feel the repercussions of it, as well as it not hurting their school registration status.

The OPHD would normally exempt a student from the training, and provide them with a PDF PowerPoint of key points in the online training as well as resources and support options that are available. This was created and became easy for the student to become familiar with these terms and ideas while still not being affected negatively by the training.

The opting out process provided relief for students who feel violated when discussing these sensitive topics and allowed them to express how they felt rather than share their real and personal experience, which can bring up negative emotions leading into a more negative state of mind.

Although the testing procedure is important, and free, for handling complaints that lead to sexual harassment, violence, or discrimination, it makes one wonder why the people who have suffered must partake in this training. Why did Title IX take away opting out? Does Title IX believe that students who have suffered sexual trauma will want to come forward with their advocate, or just take the pain and suffer through the original training?

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 // Sonoma.edu

Opinion 3

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

$12 million settlement for Breonna Taylor, but is it enough?

NANCY INSUA

STAFF WRITER

O

n Sept. 15, the city of Louisville settled Breonna Taylor’s wrongful murder case for $12 million. The police murdered Breonna Taylor after a forceful entry into her home for a drug raid targeted at her boyfriend, who was living with her. The settlement comes six months after the police brutality that initially occurred on March 13.

Police were ordered to knock and announce their entry into Taylor’s home and commence with the raid, but claims have been made by Taylor’s family that there was no police announcement upon entering the home. No body cam footage is available from the incident either. Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired a shot upon the police’s entry, shooting Sgt. Jonathan Mattingly in the thigh, thinking it was an intruder. Po-

lice then fired repeatedly into the home. Taylor sustained eight bullet wounds. Taylor reportedly died within minutes and received no medical attention until Kenneth dialed 911, and the police completely ignored her injuries. No drugs were ever found in the apartment.

The family of Breonna Taylor hired Ben Crump, a civil rights lawyer seasoned with police brutality cases, to take on her case. The $12 million settlement has been called historic by Crump, who made it clear he is happy with the city of Louisville’s decision, stating, “And it is not just the historic $12 million settlement, which as I understand is the largest amount ever paid out for a Black woman in a wrongful death, killed by police in America.” He goes on to say that he believes it’s about setting a precedent as well for how cases of police brutality should go.

According to USA Today, “The settlement also makes a series of

changes to Louisville Metro Police policy and practices designed to strengthen officers’ connections to the community, reform the search warrant process and make officers more accountable and their actions more transparent.” Crump has valid points here; most police brutality victims could only dream of seeing 12 million dollars in compensation for the crimes committed against them, but is it enough? To answer that, we must look at each step Taylor’s case went through in the last six months and evaluate if justice has indeed been served.

Taylor’s settlement does not state any wrongdoing by the city, and her killers have still not been arrested. Officer Hankison was fired and has appealed his firing, but his request has been delayed until criminal charges on the case are final. Officers Mattingly and Cosgrove were given an administrative resignation. During a press conference regarding the settlement, Taylor’s mother Tamika

Palmer said, “As significant as today is, it’s only the beginning of getting full justice for Breonna.

We must not lose focus on what the real job is …

It’s time to move forward with the criminal charges because she deserves that and much more.” Taylor’s case is currently being looked at to be presented to a grand jury to proceed with any criminal charges for the officers involved.

While her settlement is groundbreaking for cases of this nature, true justice has not been given to Taylor. The time to evaluate how cases of police brutality are handled is long overdue. This is not a standard of justice we should accept for victims, more can be done.

We can do better to advance efforts in bringing justice to victims of police brutality and handle crimes of this nature with greater urgency in future incidents. Students can help get Taylor’s murderers charged by signing petitions, donating to her family, and emailing Kentucky officials urging them to take action.

Mass hysterectomies reported at a Georgia immigration detention

ISABELLA SIMONI

A

STAFF WRITER

s if tensions and divides weren’t already at an alltime high in the United States, reports have surfaced mid-last week, Sept. 15, detailing even more questionable ongoings involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE. This time, in regards to high numbers of unwarranted hysterectomies performed on women in the Irwin County Detention Center in Georgia.

These reports are surfacing following a whistleblower complaint by Dawn Wooten, a nurse at the facility where these grossly questionable acts are being performed. Wooten stated in her complaint, “I’ve had several inmates tell me that they have been to see the doctor, and they’ve had hysterectomies, and they don’t know why they went, or why they’re going.” Yet the most jarring part seems to be that allega-

tions against the Irwin County Detention Center, ICDC, have been going on for years, and the allegations go beyond just hysterectomies without consent.

Priyanka Bhatt, staff attorney for Project South, stated that, “Ms. Wooten’s whistleblowing disclosures confirm what detained immigrants have been reporting for years: gross disregard for health and safety standards, lack of medical care, and unsanitary living conditions,” as stated in NPR’s recent article detailing the ICE hysterectomies.

These despicable acts are a complete violation of human rights and a complete disregard for a woman’s autonomy over her own body.

How this detention center has managed to get away with not only years of maltreatment, unsanitary conditions, and now this added as well, is far beyond the scope of understand-

ing. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has called for a detailed investigation of the Georgia facility. Pelosi voiced her concerns stating, “Allegations of mass hysterectomies being performed on immigrant women are a staggering abuse of human rights.”

In an article for The Intercept, John Washington and Jose Olivares write that the individuals who were stated by name in Wooten’s complaint are at risk of losing their license. Seeing as the representative for the state of Georgia, Bob Trammell, has written to both the Georgia Board of Nursing and the Georgia Composite Medical Board urging for immediate action to be taken against the doctors in question.

As it comes to no surprise to many, ICE refutes the allegations stating that the ICDC is up to standards and has been checked on multiple occasions. In a state-

ment issued for The Intercept, representatives at ICE asserted that, “anonymous, unproven allegations, made without any fact-checkable specifics, should be treated with the appropriate skepticism they deserve.”

ICE has long been the center of attention for many abnormalities within itself and has seemed to get away with it. This should not be accepted in any capacity. The human lives they are responsible for in their detainment facilities have faced horrendous conditions daily, and it is time for them to speak for their actions.

If this were to happen in any other capacity and regarding any woman who was not a person of color, there would be an immediate change. The same fierce action and rapid change should be demanded for the lives and health of these immigrant women.

New habits caused by COVID-19

NATELLA GUY

STAFF WRITER

T

ypically, most Americans scramble around their busy schedules in a chaotic rush, which makes days go by like seconds. That is, until this past March when everything came to a full stop. The novel coronavirus outbreak started in early January and spread rapidly throughout the world. After the government mandated “shelter in place” orders, millions of Americans found themself stuck at home and with a significant amount of time on their hands.

The abundance of time now spent inside and the break from usual routines has caused a significant impact on people’s overall wellbeing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, from June 24-30, people older than 18 years old struggled with their mental health, as it was affected due to the stay-at-home-orders. “Overall, 40.9% of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder (30.9%), symptoms of a trauma- and stressorrelated disorder (TSRD) related to the pandemic† (26.3%), and having started or increased substance use to cope with stress or emotions related to COVID-19 (13.3%).”

Suicide rates have also been rising since the coronavirus pandemic began. Amy Hollyfield, from ABC7 news, interviewed doctors at the John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. “[Doctors] say they have seen more deaths by suicide during this quarantine period than deaths from the COVID-19 virus...Kacey Hansen has worked as a trauma nurse at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek for almost 33 years. She is worried because not only are they seeing more suicide attempts, she says they are not able to save as many patients as usual.” With all of that being said, now more than ever, it is important to practice mindfulness and seek help if you have been emotionally affected during this detrimental time.

Sonoma State Senior Ana Rubio-Lara said, “Since I lost my three jobs, I didn’t know what to do with my life, so I tried to find new hobbies like painting, making bracelets, and doing my own nails. It was hard to keep up with my health, tooI lost a lot of motivation to workout. it’s not the same without a gym. and turning 21 during quarantine didn’t do much for me, but it isn’t hard at all to crave a drink or two here and there with not much to do.”

Many trends surfaced on Instagram and TikTok when quarantining became normal. We had the Until Tomorrow challenge, Bingo cards, Female Empowerment Challenge, and many more self-empowerment trends online. Many people’s spending, eating, exercising, and hygiene habits have changed since the beginning of the year.

Some people found themselves reading, cooking, exercising, playing board games, arts and crafts, and baking more solely because we had more time to think about ourselves, including our passions and daily habits.

Sonoma State Senior, Delaney Frye, said, “When quarantine started, I definitely started slacking off with my health. I started cooking more, which has been great, but along with cooking has come with a lot more drinking than usual.

I had started exploring more cuisines but love having a glass of wine, or two, maybe three, while doing it, which I never did before because I always had somewhere to be in the morning. I did start running, though, because with no gyms opened, it was a healthy outlet for me to relieve some of the stress that 2020 has screwed us with.”

Some people may have formed good habits and explored new hobbies that may change our future, which could be one of the few positive things that have come out of such a historical year. Now is your time to focus on your mental and physical health before it’s too late, and we catch ourselves scrambling around our busy schedules again.

Netflix: Sexualizing children for increased sales

KATELYN DODGE

STAFF WRITER

N

etf lix, a company worth $125 billion, is being accused of being too explicit with its latest portfolio of films and television shows.

As both a creator and a streaming platform, they can access a plethora of original and re-uploaded content. Two pieces of film have recently come under fire though, pushing the platform into hot water.

The unreleased and still in production “Avatar: The Last Airbender” liveaction series was a major pick up for the company, the original creators coming along to help keep the series accurate.

After the live-action film, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, was met with

poor reception for its blatant whitewashing, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko promised not to let this live-action get out from under them. The creators wished to continue a child-friendly series, but Netf lix had other ideas for the beloved Nickelodeon show. Kervyn Cloete, a writer for CriticalHit, a popular entertainment news site, had this to say: “Netf lix reportedly wanted a ‘mature’ “Avatar: The Last Airbender” series with ‘romance, sex, and blood,’ prompting creators exit.”

Avatar could be far more marketable as an adult live-action, moving forward with the ages of the once young viewers. “Avatar: The Last Airbender” live-action with the changes in violence and sexual material could be comparable to Game of Thrones, a show with high acclaim on HBO Max, a rival streaming platform to Netf lix.

There are good reasons marketing-wise on paper, but this does not satisfy fans.

The characters of “ATLA” are children. To age these characters out of the state they are now would be removing the intense message of what war does to children. To sexualize children would be a crime; to make children murder when the original content’s entire point was against harming others would be a disservice to the show. Now with the original creators gone and the

production in Netf lix’s hands, there is no safety net to protect the show’s true meaning.

Fans were upset to hear such changes may be made, user Stannette12 on Reddit had this to say. “That would be the most pointless change ever. I mean, seriously, why??? It doesn’t need a bunch of sex scenes to be good, obviously. It doesn’t keep me from watching when movies/shows have them, but it’s like, aren’t there better things you could be doing with this screen time?

It’s awkward. I mean, really, what is it that sex scenes add to a show? Especially when it’s a show about a bunch of children, so it would be really inappropriate. And the idea of aging them up just so you can have sex scenes, ludicrous.”

This isn’t the only case of Netf lix butchering their media in attempts for more money, though. “Cuties”, a coming of age story by French writer and director Maïmouna Doucouré, was a Sundance Film Festival winner. The film was well-received at the time, but Netf lix’s marketing changed the meaning of the piece. Netf lix’s original synopsis for the TV-MA film altered this film’s purpose, “Amy, 11, becomes fascinated with a twerking dance crew.

Hoping to join them, she starts to explore her femininity, defying her fam-

ily.”

The poster changed from a group of 11-year-olds shopping for undergarments to reaffirm the coming of age tale to Netf lix choosing to put children in tight pants and have them in revealing or sexual positions. The meaning was lost, the film hated before it even released on Netf lix, and the creator is under threat of never getting work again, being claimed as a predator.

This was not how it was perceived at the film festival, but a month of negative press thanks to the rated mature film being touted as sexualized little girls has ruined this piece of cinema forever.

Netf lix continues to make choices that baff le fans and watchers alike as more content appears to be aimed toward adults or, in some cases, predators. Netf lix has since replied on twitter, apologizing for the changes of one of the medias. “We’re deeply sorry for the inappropriate artwork that we used for Mignonnes/Cuties. It was not OK, nor was it representative of this French film, which won an award at Sundance. We’ve now updated the pictures and description.” The damage is done though, the only way to come back for these two projects is to ensure justice is done for the supposed heartwarming media.

4 News

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

continued from pg. 1

STAR // Samantha Billingsly California Governer Gavin Newsom passes a law to aid ex-inamtes in starting a firefighting career after their sentence is completed.

California passes law to help ex-inmates find careers in firefighting

TAYLOR CLARK

STAFF WRITER

G

overnor Newsom passed a bill on Sept. 11 that will help alleviate the struggles exinmates face when it comes time to find a job after their release. Prisoners who have helped battle fires on the frontlines will have their records expunged once their sentence has been served. The hope is that this new law will make it easier for exinmates to find a job as a firefighter after prison.

Governor Newsom said on Twitter, “CA’s inmate firefighter program is decades-old and has long needed reform.” He continued “Inmates who have stood on the frontlines, battling historic fires should not be denied the right to later become a professional firefighter.”

Governor Newsom signed California Bill AB 2147 at the site of the North Complex Fire near Lake Oroville, surrounded by smoke and leftover charred trees.

Even though the terrain was smokey, the message was clear. It was apparent from his surroundings that passing this bill was urgent. California has been facing direct impacts of climate change for years now.

There was a shortage of inmates available this fire season because of COVID-19. Approximately 11,000 prisoners, who were nonviolent offenders and had less than a year to serve, are in the process of being released early to avoid mass spreading of the virus within California prisons. This left firefighters feeling even more short handed as they found themselves up against several of the biggest California wildfires in history, all at once.

“This legislation rights a historic wrong and recognizes the sacrifice of thousands of incarcerated people who have helped battle wildfires in our state, and I

would like to thank the Legislature for passing this bill,” said Governor Newsom.

Mark Heine, Fire Chief of the Sonoma County Fire District offered his viewpoint on the matter.

He explains that CalFire is an agency that currently utilizes inmate firefighters. He emphasizes that inmate firefighting crews are a valuable resource and integral part of the mission when it comes to the fight against wildfires. He continues by saying, “The bill is a step in the right direction, as it applies to providing skilled employment for inmates once they are released from prison.”

Heine explains that hiring new firefighters can be an extensive process for agencies. Entry level qualification requirements vary depending on each agency. For example, the Sonoma County Fire District requires applicants to have graduated from a firefighting academy, such as the one offered through the Santa Rosa Junior College.

They must also be licensed in California as a paramedic. Then, they are expected to pass a background check, a physical exam, and a psychiatric exam. “Anyone who successfully completes these steps is eligible for employment by us,” says Heine.

Under normal conditions, there are many obstacles future firefighters must overcome in order to become a firefighter. For those who were once inmates, their criminal record leaves a permanent stain on their reputation, making possible career moves even more unattainable. This bill can change that. It can change the lives of past inmates for the better, and it can quite possibly save the lives and homes of thousands.

Confirmed COVID-19 case at SSU continued from pg. 1

Whistleblower Alleges Mass

Hysterectomies in ICE Detention Centers

continued from pg. 1

STAR // Lily Frazier The Student Health Center, unlike most buildings on campus, remains open for students.

The school has been given strict guidelines to follow, so that as a community the spread can be contained compared to other CSUs.

The New York Times released an article tracking the outbreak of COVID-19 on college campuses all over the country. California State University of Chico had reported 145 positive cases, and San Diego State University had the highest rate of 444 positive cases. Sonoma State University was not listed.

For sanitization purposes, areas at SSU that may have been affected by the individual who tested positive for COVID-19 have been shut down. Buildings such as the Schulz Information Center-with the exception of the Information Technology Suite-- will be closed. According to Eyler, the Schulz Information Center will reopen the morning of Tuesday, September 22.

Sonoma State University upholds the CDC recommendations to always wear a face covering when in public spaces, practice physical distancing at all times, and to stay home if symptoms start to appear. It is through daily screenings and remote learning that Sonoma State University has been able to keep most of the community members safe and healthy.

But, a month later, Fernandez was still not sure what procedure she got.

Fernandez’s medical records show information about her ovarian cysts but nothing of the surgery performed on her.

Wooten names Mahendra Amin as the surgeon performing these hysterectomies, even referring to him as the “uterus collector.” Dr. Mahendra Amin is a OB-GYN from Georgia, who according to complaints, performed five hysterectomy procedures around October to December of 2019. Business Insider also reported that Dr. Amin is not certified to practice these procedures by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The Associated Press article also mentions “Pauline Binam, a 30-year-old woman who was brought to the U.S. from Cameroon when she was 2…[she] saw Amin after experiencing an irregular menstrual cycle and was told to have a [dilation and curettage]...[Binam] was told Amin had removed one of her two fallopian tubes, which connect the uterus to the ovaries and are necessary to conceive a child.”

Binam had not given consent to this procedure beforehand.

Historically, this isn’t the first time this has happened in the United States.

Another article from CNN states that in 1907, after Indiana had passed the world’s first eugenics law, “About 60,000 people were sterilized in procedures that we would qualify today as being compulsory, forced, involuntary, and under the justifications that the people who were being sterilized were unfit to reproduce,” said Alexandra Minna Stern, a professor and associate dean at the University of Michigan.

In a publication from the World Health Organization, forced sterilization, like a hysterectomy that’s conducted without a patient’s consent, is a violation of fundamental human rights, “Including the right to health, the right to information, the right to privacy, the right to decide on the number and spacing of children, the right to found a family, and the right to be free from discrimination.” According to the statement, sterilization shouldn’t be subject to a government’s arbitrary requirements.

The WHO argues that governments should protect people from such acts which extend into the private sphere, “Including where such practices are committed by private individuals, such as health-care professionals.” They state that these forced hysterectomies are a form of discrimination and violence against women.

Although ICE Acting Director Tony Pham claimed, “It is [his] commitment to make the corrections necessary to ensure we continue to prioritize the health, welfare and safety of ICE detainees,” there will still be an investigation into these allegations. Women’s wellbeing and consent continues to be ignored especially in places where there’s lack of oversight and lax regulation in favor of eugenics and systematically racist procedures.

News 5

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY // Flickr.com Civilians gathered to create a beautiful tribute for Ruth Bader Ginsberg at the Supreme Court, the morning after her death.

Nation mourns the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg continued from pg. 1

Unlike the previous nomination process following Justice Scalia’s death, in which the nomination was held off until President Trump’s election, McConnell has made clear that he and the Republican party see this as an appropriate time to begin the nomination process for a new candidate. McConnel claimed that the previous “lame-duck” president was prevented from nominating a justice as an extension of the checks and balance system. In comparison, they see the time as fitting and will continue to “work with President Trump and support his agenda, particularly his outstanding appointments to the federal judiciary.” Critics argue that when comparing responses from the 2016 election cycle, both parties are taking hypocritical positions that contradict their prior arguments.

With the election bearing down quickly, as well as an upcoming case revisiting Obamacare, the pressure to fill the seat is high, and will likely lead to a political clash over Trump’s proposed nominee. If Trump’s nominee is elected, then the Supreme Court will be Conservative leaning by a margin of 6-3, allowing a more overwhelming majority.

While Trump has not named the nominee he will be bringing before the Senate, it’s speculated that the elected Justice will serve to increase his power in the event of a potential reelection, particularly with his promises to end Planned Parenthood and other court based changes. The Republican Party currently has a majority vote in the Senate, but only by a margin of 3, leaving the potential for an equal split. In the event of a tied vote, it will be up to Vice President Mike Pence to cast the deciding vote.

As the nation mourns the loss of Justice Ginsburg, Chief Justice John Roberts, who broke rank from his generally conservative stance and sided with Ginsburg and the other leftleaning Justices to protect the DREAMers from imminent deportation, released a statement on the court’s loss and Ginsburg’s role. “...We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague.

Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her--a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”

Admin takes control of social programs continued from pg. 1

News in Brief

COURTESY // Sonoma.edu Budget cuts led to Dr. Jerlena Griffin-Desta, pictured above, taking leadership of both the HUB and the CCE.

When asked about concerns regarding all the student voices tied to both programs possibly being stifled by this new leadership, Sakaki explained, “It doesn’t matter administratively where some units may lie, but rather that you can get whatever service you need.” She also noted that even though the two programs will be collaborating, they will not be any different from before, but instead, “They will be combined in a different way.”

Sakaki also explained that Dr. Griffin-Desta was being pulled in too many different directions with too few staff members to rely on. To mend this issue, the directors of the Hub and the CCE both report to Griffin-Desta now, and the programs have been placed under the umbrella of the Office of Diversity, therefore extending the number of staff members eligible to handle duties related to both programs.

The nature of the decision to combine who oversees the Hub and the CCE, supposedly arose from speculation of recent Black Lives Matter protests. Sakaki said, “In light of George Floyd’s murder, I really thought about how the university could be doing more in addressing systemic racism and injustice.” She explained that the two programs were understaffed, and all the extra work was being piled upon the shoulders of her Chief of Staff, so they knew something had to change. This, partnered with the fact that budget cuts called for a merger of some programs, created the idea to have the Hub and CCE collaborate more than they had been in the past.

“There will, and should, be different perspectives, debates and sometimes heated disagreements on college campuses. But at SSU, both the administrative and academic leadership center student learning and voices in how we make decisions and what we prioritize” said GriffinDesta.

Griffin-Desta assures students that the goals of both programs will not be changing, and any changes made to the way they run will only make them more accessible to students. She went on to say, “We all agree that our responsibility is to help create opportunities for facilitating critical dialogues across differences and to see that campus activism (including protests) is safely expressed.”

Both President Sakaki and Chief of Staff Griffin-Desta stressed that the Hub and CCE will not be changing much, and their move to the Office of Diversity is for the sole purpose of efficiency.

Although these programs will now be overseen by administration, Sakaki and Griffin-Desta claim that they will continue to fight for student voices and provide a safe place for everyone to feel seen.

The interests of the SSU administration and the two programs are fundamentally conflicting, which is why there is concern among students about the new leadership. The HUB and CCE are meant to advocate for student rights and give students the opportunity to make changes to the school that the administration won’t address. Griffin-Desta now has the responsibility of handling the conflicting interests of each party.

With massive budget cuts and new leadership, the HUB and CCE will likely go through changes, despite SSU administration’s claims that everything will remain the same.

COURTESY // Abode of Chaos While the main stream media has been inexplicably silent about the matter, Julian Assange is currently battling an extradition trial.

COURTESY // CDC.gov The CDCis under fire after repeatedly claiming that COVID-19 guidance documents posted on their .gov site are not official policy. The walkbacks led critics to rebrand the agency the Center for Damage Control.

6 Arts

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

COURTESY // Joseph Chan Pepe the frog has become a symbol of protest in Hong Kong.

‘Feels Good Man’ documentary surrounding Pepe the frog

MAX ROBINSON STAFF WRITER

P

epe the frog started as a lighthearted comic about floating around your 20s: enjoying the little things in life, hanging out with your roommates, pulling your pants all the way down when you pee. Now, the once innocent Pepe is associated with racist alt-right imagery and memes that call for violence against minorities and rising up against the “normies,” all while spouting antisemitic messagery.

So, is Pepe the frog racist? The documentary “Feels Good Man” explores this topic and portrays Pepe’s start as an innocent comic into what seems like nothing but awful rhetoric used by members of the alt-right community.

The documentary centers around Matt Furie, the creator of Pepe, who seems understandably more comfortable drawing at his table than discussing the current bastardizations of his creation, Pepe the frog. In response to a question about what people get wrong about drawing Pepe, Furie responds “probably when [people] put Pepe on the internet saying ‘kill Jews’”.

“Feels Good Man” shines a light on appropriation,

and how something can turn so twisted and morphed that it becomes unrecognizable from its former self.

At the same time, the documentary shows how Pepe is much more complicated than just an innocent comic that was appropriated primarily by 4chan users.

Although the image of Pepe the frog may be known to many as a symbol of white power, others see the symbol as a beacon of democracy. How is it that Pepe the frog, listed as a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League, was used as a gathering symbol for Hong Kong protestors during their fight against a bill proposed by Carrie Lam? A bill which “...would have allowed for criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China under certain circumstances,” said BBC News’ article, The Hong Kong protests explained in 100 and 500 words. During the Hong Kong protests, Pepe the frog was spotted wearing a protective hardhat, often depicted as a first-responder, or even a journalist. To the Hong Kong protestors, the motto “Feels good man” is inspiration enough to keep fighting for what they believe in.

Today, Pepe the frog’s associations with racism and

xenophobia have overshadowed everything else it could be. Furie has even started the “Save Pepe” movement in order to reclaim Pepe as what he believes it stands for.

Furie hopes that this movement can “redefine” Pepe.

Furie’s efforts to save his character started in 2016, and when he found that there was no slowdown of his creation being used as a medium to spout prejudiced rhetoric, he actually made a comic in which he killed Pepe, hoping that it would stop the influx of hateful messages.

His attempts to combat the messages associated with his character have been proven futile as there remains a stigma against Pepe the frog.

Part of what made Pepe the frog so accessible to so many people is its simplistic style: Big lines, simple shapes, an inviting friendly face that looks peacefully content. “A happy little frog”, as Furie puts it. It’s more than just a meme; It’s a rallying cry for racists and freedom fighters alike, and the template gives people the power to create their own message to share. “In the end, Pepe is whatever you say he is, and I, the creator, say that Pepe is love,” Furie told the New York Times.

The true meaning behind the #FreeBritney hashtag

MYLES GRABAU STAFF WRITER

L

ike wildfire, the cryptic #FreeBritney hashtag spread over social media quickly, leaving many fans and users wondering exactly what is going on. Was she arrested? Is she dead? Luckily, neither of those options apply to the story that was released about pop sensation Britney Spears.

Back in 2008, Spears was placed under a conservatorship after being put on a 5150 involuntary psychiatric hold at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

This hold was placed after Spears had suffered a public breakdown, causing the court to believe that she cannot be in control of her assets. The conservatorship was placed under her father’s name, as well as his attorney.

However, just a month after being released from the psychiatric hold, she was back to work: releasing an album, filming a documentary, and even opening the MTV Music Awards. This led fans to believe that her father had been exploiting her, because at this point, she is no longer in control of any of her assets.

At the end of April, Spears had checked herself into a mental treatment facility for what she had dubbed “me time”, amid reports of being distressed over her father’s current health issues. In light of these reportedly serious health issues, he has stepped away from his conservatorship duties, passing them onto professional fiduciary care manager Jodi Montgomery.

This news didn’t sit well with Spears’ fans, and many were determined to figure out what was really going on behind the scenes of this sudden situation.

In court documents filed on Sept. 2nd, Spears requested that the conservatorship case be opened up to the public, which goes completely against her father’s wishes. It seems as if it’s Britney against the world, because even her brother and the rest of her family support the conservatorship. “She’s been in this thing for quite some time now. Obviously, there was a need for it in the beginning,” her brother Bryan stated while on the As NOT Seen on TV podcast, “She’s always wanted to get out of it. It’s very frustrating to have,” Bryan

COURTESY // Rappler Fans are flocking to the #FreeBritney hashtag in support of Britney Spears. stated. Britney’s lawyers are also reportedly “unhappy that the family is going public with comments about how she feels about it [the conservatorship] and how she wishes to be free.”

Britney has reportedly been in support of the #FreeBritney movement, giving thumbs up to the efforts by her fans to “free” her from her chains. Podcasts, endless twitter campaigns, and a Change.org petition have followed this grave news, in hopes to aid Britney in her fight for her rights.

On Aug. 19, Spears’ hearing was held in Stanley Mosk Courthouse in L.A., with fans holding a protest right outside. The ACLU stepped into the fight as well, stating that “People with disabilities have a right to lead self-directed lives and retain their civil rights.

If Britney Spears wants to regain her civil liberties and get out of her conservatorship, we are here to help her.” With evident support at every front, it’s no secret that Britney Spears has loving fans who want to help her regain control of her life again.

Entertainment 7

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

SSU alumn wins national comedy award: ISABELLE BARKEY

R

STAFF WRITER

Ryan Harvey

yan Harvey, a Sonoma State University Communcations student who graduated in 2020, impresses viewers every year with his submissions to Cam-

pus Movie Festival. However, in late June he became the first Sonoma State student to place first in a national competition, winning the National Comedy Award at Terminus, the world’s largest film competition for students, with his film “Citrus Dawn”. Along with the title of best National Comedy, Ryan Harvey’s film was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Director.

“I was the general manager for Studio Blue at Sonoma State for two years and I was the digital producer/editor for Seawolf Living on campus. Citrus Dawn was my 5th film made for Campus Movie Fest. I participated all four years of college and won at the local level with all five films. My Junior year I created a film titled “Hotline Apocalypse”, which earned us national nominations for Best Directing, Best Production Design, and Best Comedy. Didn’t win anything, but getting nationally nominated was a big deal. That was the first time SSU had national finalist nominations, or so I’m told. That film also got picked up on Amazon Prime which was awesome. Coming off that we really wanted to up our game for Citrus Dawn,” Harvey told the STAR this week.

Citrus Dawn takes place in an apocalyptic dystopia where scurvy runs rampant and the only hope for survival is for our main characters to find the stolen oranges that were taken after another character (Andy) “forgot” to lock the fruit storage shed. The story begins with our main characters, played by Karina Pugh and Christopher Goodman, heading off to fight the “scurvy boys’’ for their missing fruit.

“I had worked with Ryan Harvey on a film for CMF the year before which was nominated nationally, but lost in the end. After that, we spent the summer brainstorming ideas and figuring out the logistics. In the film, I played Maxine, the experienced fighter who helps Andy to defeat the Scurvboys.” Pugh stated how she became involved in Harvey’s film.

Christopher Goodman commented as well: “I played the lead, Andy, where he must embark on his quest to retrieve the stolen (and coveted) oranges. While I acted in the film, I helped Ryan develop the idea and provided insight on the script, and produced it. It was mainly Ryan’s brainchild, but

COURTESY // Facebook Ryan Harvey, a 2020 graduate at SSU, has won national recognition for the Campus Movie Fest. we all played huge parts creating what it became.”

that should in no way dissuade anyone from entering. Even

As many know, creating a film can be incredibly taxing

though it’s competitive, everyone is really friendly and will-

and time consuming, “The process felt very long but very

ing to help. It’s a ton of fun and it’s unlikely that you’ll have

worthwhile. We worked through January of 2019, mainly

a better opportunity to try filmmaking if you haven’t before.

brainstorming the core concept of the film, and spent the

I’d say the best advice I can give is to plan ahead. Try to have

subsequent Fall semester writing and producing the film. It

a script and storyboard prepared before the production week.

was definitely the most effort we’ve put towards a project;

A lot of the time people think that because it’s a one-week

we knew that if we wanted to go far in the competition, it re-

festival that they can’t start in any capacity beforehand. That

quired a lot of forethought and preparation,” Goodman com-

isn’t the case, and having your preparation done beforehand

mented.

can really improve the quality of your final product.”

For any of those inspired by Ryan Harvery and who may

Karina Pugh adds “I would encourage anyone to partici-

be thinking about giving a go at CMF yourself, Harvey says,

pate in CMF! You don’t need any experience, it’s free, and it’s

“Honestly CMF can be really intimidating. I almost didn’t

a great bonding experience with your friends. It’s not about

participate my freshman year. People have been taking it

making an amazing film, it’s about having fun while mak-

pretty seriously at Sonoma State (which is awesome) but

ing it!”

Alexander Valley Film Festival goes online

EDGAR ZAVALA

T

STAFF WRITER

he Alexander Valley Film Festival will be going virtual this September.

The festival is celebrating their sixth consecutive year as a much-anticipated event across the Sonoma County community. Students, families

and friends can once again witness thought-provoking and socially conscious films created by some of the most talented and diverse filmmakers of our era.

The 2020 festival will take place online on Sept. 23 through 27.

The festival is set to premier 12 feature films as well as 10 short films. The event will also host various live question and answer panels where you can talk and ask questions to some of the talented artists. Individual ticket cost $15. These tickets allow attendees to view one film at a time. Several of the films have a question and answer panel attached so make sure to keep an eye out for those, as anyone can view and participate in these. These tickets can be perfect for a community member that is not quite ready to commit to a pass yet.

COURTESY // Glasshouseimages The Alexander Valley Film Society have tranisitoned to an online space to continue the yearly film festival.

The Alexander Valley Film Festival highly recommends patrons to purchase

Opening night starts on Wed. at 9 a.m. where the audience can view the first

one of two different passes. The Alexander Valley Film Festival Film Lover pass

film on schedule, “RIFIFI.” All the other movies will be available on the follow-

costs $75. This pass allows access to all of the films being presented at the festi-

ing day, also at 9 a.m. and remain available until the portal closes at 10 p.m. that

val. This includes: feature films, all shorts and student work. This pass is perfect

Sunday.

for movie lovers who only want to see some of the best independent films all day.

The Alexander Valley Film Festival will also be partnering with some local food res-

Film enthusiasts can also purchase the Alexander Valley Film Festival All-Access

taurants to provide pick up dinners on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday evenings. Perfectly

pass at the price of $125. This pass includes total access to every film as well as,

curated meals by some of the local fine dining establishments around Sonoma county set

every one of the dynamite panels, question and answer segments, lobby talks, and

to provide the ideal complement to a weekend full of indulging in film.

community discussions that the festival has lined up.

The Alexander Film Festival will continue to bring to the Sonoma County community

Any of the passes can be used by an entire household. Sonoma County high

some of the best indie films that represent socially conscious ideas, with diverse charac-

school students are eligible to get in for free. Passholders will receive an email in

ters and identities. The films will also include works from directors of color, “Latinx,”

their inbox once a state-of-the-art screening portal opens up. One login provides

LGBTQ+ and females. The coveted film festival will use the newest technology to allow

viewers access to all of the films which they can watch on their computers or a

Sonoma County community members to meet and engage, and learn from the upcoming

television.

artists of tomorrow, as they have been for the last six years.

8 Student Life ASP presents: Open Mic Night

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Stephania Veziris shared jokes with students to keep them entertained at Open Mic Night.

STAR //Sarah Ramos

MORAGH GRAF

STAFF WRITER

O

n Sept. 16, Sonoma State University hosted one of its long-time events, Open Mic Night, through Zoom. This is one of many virtual events that Sonoma State continues to host through social distancing. Open Mic Night provided a safe space for students to share their talents.

According to the Seawolf Living Events website, Open Mic Night is an event, “... where you can come and show off your talent! Feel free to perform a song, a comedy skit, a poem or anything you might want to share with fellow Seawolves.” Students were also welcome just to watch and cheer on their fellow Seawolves.

The event has been moved to a virtual setting rather than the usual on-campus Open Mic Night many are used to due to social distancing protocols, but that didn’t get in the way of Associated Students’ (AS) plan to continue the event.

Coordinators want to help continue to build a community for every aspect of a student’s life.

“Last year, students seemed to enjoy ASP’s in person Open Mic Nights and AS wants to continue to create opportunities to build community, have fun, and stay connected to SSU. We want to make sure that we are providing opportunities for students to express themselves, engage with others, and be able to have the opportunity to be social with other members of the SSU community,” said ASP Coordinator, Mariah Atkins.

Stephania Veziris, the ASP member who runs the event, adds, “Open Mic Night is a tradition at SSU and we wanted to keep that tradition alive especially during these times. We wanted the students to still feel that sense of school unity.”

The members in charge feel strongly for their potential to build confidence during this event.

“This event is important for students to have that creative outlet where they can express themselves and share their talents with fellow students. Over the years, you see students who are afraid to share their work and once they perform in front of others, they come off the stage with applause and feel relieved. They are inspiring other students to express themself with their talent,” said Veziris.

The event started with introductions of ASP members and a welcome to the night. Students performed on a voluntary basis, deciding when or if they would like to share. Juan Garcia Rodriguez, a student at Sonoma State, shared an original poem about identity and race. Following his presentation, the ASP members hosting the event filled a lull in performers by playing music, creating lighthearted discussion, and sharing riddles. Though some were shy to perform, all attendees were very supportive of each other, participating in group discussions and applauding performances. The event hosts made it clear that the event is a safe space to spend some down-time even if no one is performing. The hosts were enthusiastic and welcoming to everyone and created an environment that is sure to make anyone want to come back.

For students new or returning to the event, things will not be much different from an in-person meeting with this group.

“Our Open Mic Nights will be formatted similarly as to how we hosted them in person. Students are welcome to register/ sign up ahead of time but are also welcome to just hop on to the Zoom call and sign up when they arrive or just enjoy the show/ cheer on their friends and peers!” said Atkins.

For more information on Open Mic Night and other events, visit seawolf living.com/virtual-events or go to as.sonoma.edu/asp/events.

The Peer Success Coaching Program pushes students toward success RACHEL GONZALEZ

STAFF WRITER

B

eing a student during such an overwhelming time like the pandemic can be exhausting, especially when one feels they have no one to reach out to when they need academic support. College students across the world are facing this challenge. At Sonoma State University, that support can be just an email or text away.

Student Success and Advising, who are currently telecommuting, have recently opened an operation known as The Peer Success Coaching Program.

Senior Director of the Peer Success Coaching Program Jamie Zamjahn explained that the Peer Success program is a new addition to Student Success and Advising support services.

“Student Success & Advising is the umbrella area of The Advising & Transfer Center, NomaNation Orientation, Career Center, Transition Programs (FLC, SYE), and student success technologies (LoboConnect and SeawolfChat). The Peer Success Coaching program is our newest program to help connect students back to SSU in this remote modality,” said Zamjahn.

The program’s primary goal is to support Seawolves with either academic advice, guidance on adapting to distant learning, or ensuring that students at Sonoma state will stay track to graduate with the help of the Peer Success coaches.

“In the Peer Success Coach (PSC) Program, PSCs are supporting their fellow Seawolves in maximizing their academic potential during this remote learning adjustment period,” said personal staff member Priscilla Saldana.

“One of our goals is to ensure that students still feel connected to Sonoma State University, even if they are not physically

on campus. We hope to meet that goal with our frequent outreach messages, informational flyers, and check-ins,” Saldana said.

Fourth-year student, Cristian Brown, a Lead Peer Success coach, disclosed that he has a positive experience with the new program and believes that the support system is being run by a responsible, welldeveloped crew.

“We have a great group of student leaders and professionals that are committed to helping students during this tough transition to online courses!” said Brown Current STAR staff writer and previous Peer Success coach Emily Cripe explained that Peer Success coaches are essentially a human library of resources for students at Sonoma State. Cripe shared that each coach is assigned a caseload of students and it is their responsibility to reach each student and let them know that they have a support system available when needed. When the time comes, students can choose when they would like to utilize the resources the coaches have to offer.

More specifically, Peer Success coaches can help students navigate remote learning, connect students with campus resources and academic advisors, help with students wanting to get involved with campus activities, organizations, or finding employment, provide tips on managing time, find motivation, and much more.

Peer success coaches check in periodically through the semester and can even meet up for a one-on-one via Zoom or phone.

“We are not currently hiring for the Peer Success Coach program for the fall 2020 semester, however, if a student was interested in getting involved in the future, they could reach out to me directly or reach out to their Peer Success Coach,” said Sal-

COURTESY // Sonoma State Student Success and Advising has a plethora of programs available to students, including the Peer Success Coaching Program. dana when asked what would be the process if students were interested in joining such the Peer Success program.

Depending on the circumstances of each different and unique situation, it can be difficult to adapt to such a sudden change such as social distance learning and asking for help. There are students out there, possibly first-year college students, who are experiencing online school for the first time.

The Peer Success Coaching Program can help those students become more comfortable with the process of transitioning to distance learning and ensure that they continue to stay on track for academic success.

Each student at Sonoma State is assigned a coach, therefore each student should be receiving either an email or text message from their Peer Success coach, offering their services whenever it is needed.

Student Life 9

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

Connect to those feeling extra isolated during COVID-19 with ‘Letters to Our Elders’

AMANDA KOBA STAFF WRITER

Q

uarantine has kept friends from seeing one another, families feeling isolated and oftentimes left some feeling lonely. A group that has been hit especially hard by this are the elderly in assisted living. With the inability to talk to and visit with those living outside of their communities, a Sonoma State University alumni has created a pen pal program to help local senior citizens reach out beyond their small bubble.

Alumni Kate Fericanano Kelly started Letters to Our Elders as a way for seniors of Sonoma and Napa county to talk to others outside of their living facilities. The program has five residential homes spanning across Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, and Napa.

COVID-19 restrictions have kept senior citizens inside and kept everyone else out. The regulations have forced older residents to isolate in their room, kept them from having any type visitors, ensured they aren’t mingling with one another and even restricted things as simple as a trip outside.

The inability to have family visits or have a meal with other residents has impacted many senior citizens. Cedrick Beebe, one of the seniors in the program, said the pandemic “disrupted our lives here.”

Kelly’s long relationship with volunteering with the eldery had helped her find a way to continue working with them without physically being there.

This volunteer based program that Kelly has created was described as “...a small project that I have created for people of all ages to connect with seniors who live in assisted living homes throughout Sonoma and Napa counties. The goal of the project is to alleviate some of the loneliness caused by social isolation during this pandemic.”

Currently, Letters to Our Elders has 50 participants. The writers of this small project have been found by word of mouth. Kelly said, “When we start getting more elderly residents than we have writers, I plan to post on sites like Craigslist and Nextdoor to generate interest.”

The ages of pen pals vary from six years old to 98. The individuals who are a part of this program are not solely California residents. Kelly said there are writers from multiple states, as well as even another country.

Participants are asked to send one letter a month until the end of the year as a minimum but most hope to continue writing after this. Often, writers will introduce themselves and ask questions for their pen pals to answer . Pictures, drawings and articles are sometimes included.

When asked about what they would write to their penpal, Beebe said, “I will send a sample of my memoir, and talk about my plans for the fu-

COURTESY // Juhele Anyone has the opportunity to reach out and connect to a senior citizen during this isolating time.

ture.” Cedrick is a 98 year old resident at Arbol Residences of Santa Rosa. He mentioned he would include information of his love of karaoke and chemistry. Beebe said his pen pal sent him pictures of animals that they owned in his first letter he received.

Cara Wasden, a writer in the program, was another individual who has spent her time volunteering with senior citizens for many years. She met Kate at a seniors group in Petaluma, that she hosted where seniors told their life stories.

“No matter what age, we all have to be heard. When you can connect with another human being and share your per-

sonal stories, either verbally or written form, it’s a win-win for everyone,” said Wasden Kelly gave a quote from her grandfather, saying, “The biggest problem in the world is we believed we were separate from one another.”

The Letters to Our Elders took inspiration from her grandfather’s words. Her hopes of connecting the elderly with others to keep them from experiencing loneliness is shown through the letter writing program. If any Seawolves are interested in participating in the program, her email is kfernicano@gmail.com.

The Math Colloquium event moves online

KRISTINA SCHMUHL STAFF WRITER

E

very Wednesday at 4 p.m. the Sonoma State University Department of Mathematics and Statistics will be hosting a virtual “Math Colloquium” event. These meetings are described as “a series of informal talks open to the public”. People can join in every week via Zoom or choose to watch the talks once they are posted online via the SSU Mathematics and Statistics department webpage.

The Colloquium has a long standing history at SSU, starting on campus in 1973. This fall series is the 93rd consecutive semester where members of the math and statistics community speak on either applied or theoretical, aka “pure”, mathematics.

For normal in-person meetings, students have face-to-face access to professionals across multiple fields, campuses in Calif. and more. Then attendees are invited to join the speaker for dinner to ask more questions or have a deeper discussion on their topic.

Coordinator Brigette Lahme, a professor of mathematics and statistics at SSU, says that they seek to have speakers from, “...a variety of backgrounds.... Genders, ethnicities/races,” to host at these weekly talks.

Lahme said, “What makes SSU Colloquium special is that we make it very clear when inviting speakers that the talks are accessible to undergraduate students with maybe only one semester of statistics or one semester of calculus. We want to make it accessible to a wide audience”.

This semester, talks will cover topics such as: “My Experiences Being Black and Trans in Physics”, “Modeling Turbulent Particle-Laden Flows” and “Using Mathematics and Statistics to Understand Disease”. The speakers this semester range from SSU alumni to professors at colleges and universities across California.

Since mid-March, the colloquiums have all moved to a virtual Zoom platform and in some cases it is actually easier to lock in speakers since there is no travel requirement for them to come to campus.

It is also simpler for students to access. If they were not on campus during the normal meeting times, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., they now can hop onto Zoom and watch from anywhere.

Students attending these events get a snapshot

STAR // Sarah Ramos Associate Professor Ayona Chatterjee discussed what she looks for when making food risk assessments. of what real people in mathematical fields do on a day-to-day basis and what they might be researching at the time. Some students have discovered where they want to go to graduate school, new information, passions or intriguing careers fields after attending these events.

Sonja Satour, a senior Math major with an emphasis in applied mathematics, said she discovered a desired career path after attending a past Colloquium called “Applications of Group Theory in Theoretical Physics” hosted by Sonoma State Professor Alexandra Miller.

“I thought to myself this is exactly what I want to do. I could totally do this for the rest of my life,” said Satour.

When ref lecting on if anything has changed now that the program meets on Zoom, Satour said, “I think a lot of people were going during quarantine but there is less this semester. Maybe people are distraught over having to do this [virtual

school] all over again.”

She added that it was an easy transition to Zoom and the only thing really different is, “... there usually would be free cookies and coffee in person.”

Many students that attend find the Colloquiums the perfect time to take a break from school, work or normal life stressors and learn something new and interesting.

Since the announcement that SSU and all other CSUs will remain virtual through the spring 2021 semester, Lahme hopes that the Colloquium will continue to be “a way to be connected to emeritus facilities, alumni, local colleges, high schools and the community.”

Students, faculty or community members interested in attending future Math Colloquiums via Zoom can find a link at http://web.sonoma.edu/ math/nsf/colloquium.shtml as well as a posters of future and past Colloquium topics by semester.

10 Sports

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

SSU women’s volleyball gets creative

RYAN WEINER

STAFF WRITER

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hen the Sonoma State women’s volleyball team found out their fall season was being postponed due to COVID-19, head coach Edward “Bear” Grassl and his athletes had to come up with a way to maintain their team chemistry. They created pop quizzes. That’s right, Coach Grassl began giving lectures about civil rights and how they can relate to today’s current events. This turned out to be a hit. “Players loved it,” explained Jenna Miller, third year player and President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

During a monthly league meeting with fellow coaches from the California Collegiate Athletic Association, or CCAA, the topic of competition came up. Coach Grassl offered the idea of a trivia competition conducted through Kahoot, a game based learning platform. Each team that participates can send questions about pop culture or history to Coach Grassl, who will then create a quiz.

In the first week, four teams from the league participated in the contest, but Bear has plans to increase the competition. In week two, Bear expects to have eight teams participate. This is something the Seawolves are excited about. “We think it’s awesome! It is really fun to meet people from other teams and still get to have some sort of competition even though there is no season,” expressed Miller.

If all goes as planned, Coach Grassl will host a championship match with any team who decides to join. “Although we aren’t playing for anything, we are having

COURTESY // Edward “Bear” Grassl Coach Edward “Bear” Grassl sets up virtual events to keep his team sharp.

fun and this opportunity gives us a chance to get together with teammates and in many cases, with other teams as well,” said Grassl.

As Bear had more free time due to the postponement of his beloved sport, he took the opportunity to return to SSU to earn his masters degree in History. “I’ve always wanted to make up for my less than stellar undergraduate years by trying to do something I was interested in,” he explained. Bear is not new to SSU, he arrived as a freshman in the fall of 1987 majoring in history, saying he wanted to be just like his brother, who also studied the

subject. According to coach Grassl, this experience has been life changing. “I’ve been blown away by our professors and student body. It’s been a unique experience to be in class with students the same age as my student athletes. It certainly gives me a new way to relate with my players.”

Coach Grassl always emphasizes the importance of academics to his players, as is proven by his 2019 team’s combined 3.5 grade point average. Grassl looks forward to the future for him and his student athletes as they compete to be the best.

High tides and cautions on the coast of Sonoma County SEAN KENNEALLY STAFF WRITER

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ith the COVID-19 virus, life has seemed to be placed on pause. Everyone f loated along in the ocean of uncertainty, especially without the ability to do one’s passions or relief.

“There are a lot of people who are in the water because doing any other kind of [exercise] does not work for them… Water is their only outreach,” comments Mette Hansen, Communications Coordinator of Surfrider Sonoma Coast.

Like the rest of the country, the surfers and beach-goers of Sonoma County held their breath as they waited for what to do next.

“There was a weird transition phase because of the uncertainty,” says Bob Miller, owner of the Bodega Bay Surf Shack. With surfing and other water sports being more individualistic, social distancing was natural to individuals who participated.

However, despite the natural social distancing, local authorities placed barriers along the coast to prevent entrance. “It only affects [surfers] when suddenly there [are] cones across the cliff, and it says ‘No, Do Not Enter,’” says Miller. People became desperate for the water, individuals would do anything despite restrictions. ”People are funny, and they find the next best thing. The next best thing was to park in the neighborhoods and walk down [to the beach],” mentioned Miller. and Hansen herself traveled to Berkley for her exercise because it was the only open water available.

With this new ‘ingenuity’, residents of these neighborhoods soon became concerned with the inf lux of surfers and visitors f lowing in-and-out of the neighborhood. As a result, authorities, from California State Parks, local police, and California Highway Patrol personally encountered violators with small warn-

STAR// Creative Commons COVID-19 and wildfires are having a huge impact on the use of Sonoma County’s surfing and coast.

ings. Despite warners, Miller commented on how a few of his regular shoppers wandered into the store holding a $1,000 ticket for violating the law. As soon as some restrictions were lifted, the people bolted for the shores. Every one, for once, rode a ‘party wave’ together because “Nobody wanted anyone to ruin it,” cries Hansen.

People thought it could not get any worse with the virus and restrictions. Then fires exploded within and around Sonoma County. “[The Jenner fire] was a gnarly one. That night was a pretty sunset, so we went up to Goat Rock… and we saw f lames devouring trees,” recalls Miller.

Despite the fire being so close, Miller, Hansen, and John Hadley, Events Coordinator of Sur-

frider Sonoma Coast, agreed that there was not too much damage. Miller and Hansen agreed that Bodega Bay “was ridiculously fortunate, and did not have that much smoke until last weekend with the ‘Red Sky,’” commented Hansen.

Despite wildfires, a pandemic, barricades, and then some, the surfing community manages to get their sessions and stay in contact, safely, between one another. Through online forums, simple chats on the phone, and finding a new spot, surfers and beach-goers alike strive to preserve their health and the health of their beloved waters. Through all the circumstances, “It makes you really appreciate the ocean and the ability to get out and go surf,” concludes Hadley.

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020 sonomastatestar.com

Sports 11

B1G 10 conference announces return to college football

STAR // Creative Commons Many colleges around the country have lost that campus feel due to sports not in session, however the B1G 10 is back, even though the atmosphere is not.

VINCENT SPENCE STAFF WRITER

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n Oct. 24, the B1G 10 Conference will kick off its 2020 football season.

The representatives and coaches met and voted unanimously to resume playing ball this Fall.

In early Aug., the conference made the controversial decision deciding not to play any sports, but with much argument from players, coaches and fans, the powers-that-be decided to forgo their original plan.

Jim Harbuagh, the University of Michigan head coach, had this to say about returning to the field, “Great news today. Over the past month, I could sense the anticipation from our players and coaches, and I’m thrilled on their behalf that they will have a chance to play a 2020 season. Stay positive. Test negative. Lets play football.”

The conference’s championship game will be on Dec. 19. Which means that leaves only eight weeks of football with little to no room for error during COVID-19.

The B1G 10 has decided to have daily COVID-19 testing. If a player is positive, he must sit out for 21 days and be cleared by team doctors before returning to any sport related activity.

The team Doctor at Ohio State, Dr. Jim Borchers said, “Everyone associated with the B1G 10 should be very proud of the groundbreaking steps that are now being taken to better protect the health and safety of the student-athletes and surrounding communities. The data we are going to collect from testing and the cardiac registry will provide major contributions for all 14 B1G 10 institutions as they study COVID-19 and attempt to mitigate the spread of the disease

among wider communities.”

Players and coaches around the conference showed their support. Justin Fields, quarterback for Ohio State, started a petition to keep the season and received over 302,000 signatures.

To cut down on the risk of COVID-19, the B1G 10, like the other power five conferences, will be playing all their games in an eight week span. This means there is no room for fault when it comes to protecting teams from the virus.

The B1G 10 will use data given by the Chief Infection Officer (CInO). This will show statistics like the team showing positive to negative tests and the population of positive to negative tests around the respected campus.

The conference will start testing daily on Sept. 30, which will be a month before the official start date of the season.

In an interview with Brad Crawford on 247sports, Ohio State coach Ryan Day said, “The presidents have a tough job here and we’ll see what comes out of the weekend. But the top thing we’re focusing on is just our players. The number one job for a coach is to take care of your players,” Day said. “We fully understand that there have been hundreds of thousands of people who have lost their lives and loved ones during this time, and by no means am I comparing what they’ve been through to what we’ve been through.”

The B1G 10 is taking steps to bring their season back, and the conference is attracting attention as fans look forward to seeing stars like Justin Fields from Ohio State and Micah Parsons from Penn State take the field.

Desmond Gates named to CCAA diversity and inclusion committee ELISEO FRAGOSO STAFF WRITER

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r. Daryl Gross, executive director for intercollegiate athletics at Cal State Los Angeles, Dr. Nicole Bolter, Faculty Athletic Representative at San Francisco State, and the rest of the CCAA began constructing a new committee back in June 2020. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee was set in stone in order to fight back against systemic racism.

“This committee presents an opportunity for us to deeply examine our commitment to racial and social justice in athletics, and implement changes that result in greater equity and inclusion,” said Dr. Gross. The group is gathering different ideas so that the conference not only just talks about issues, but actually makes the effort to promote change that has a positive effect on communities and our school.

Earlier this month, student athlete Desmond Gates was selected to represent Sonoma State University by the California Collegiate Athletic Association Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Gates and another student athlete join a 14 member panel composed of representatives from each school in the CCAA. The outfielder is a third year transfer student majoring in Communications at SSU. Gates was first introduced to the idea by Assistant Baseball Coach Mike

Nackord, who said, “There’s just something about Dez.” The young outfielder was asked if he wanted to get signed up in hopes of getting selected in which Gates responded, “I felt like it was a good fit. I started to think about what’s going on in the world and knew I could do something to help, even if it is something small.”

The student athlete started off his collegiate baseball career at Cal State Northridge, coming straight from Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, California. Gates had a great amount of success at Bishop, winning a league MVP award during his senior year. Without having a season due to COVID-19, Gates hopes to make a bigger impact off the field as well.

Since joining the Division and Inclusion Committee, the outfielder has had one meeting under his belt and says the meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month.

Gates says for the near future the group is, “focusing on addressing issues such as opportunities that some people have over others and things like that. We will try to come up with solutions to these problems.”

COURTESY// Instagram Junior outfielder Desmond Gates makes a positive impact both on and off the field.

12 Photo

SEPT. 22 - SEPT. 28, 2020

sonomastatestar.com

Firefighters still battling fires across California

STAR // Samantha Billingsly According to Cal Fire, 3,472,947 acres in Calfiornia have been burned in this year alone.

STAR // Samantha Billingsly In Calfiornia this year, well over 6,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed due to fires.

STAR // Samantha Billingsly A Fire and heart scultpure outisde the station honors local heroes.

STAR // Sarah Gallagher

STAR // Sarah Gallagher

SSU houses faculty and their families off campus in the Marina Crossing apartments in Petaluma for easy access to campus.

SSU has the lowest paid CSU faculty, forcing teachers and staff to live far away from campus for cheaper living.

STAR // Sarah Gallagher

STAR // Sarah Gallagher

With SSU faculty being paid so little, the Marina Crossing Apartments built for faculty are still too expensive for many, leaving units unoccupied.

International Hall houses the Title IX Education office, which is requiring all students and staff to complete their program.