IN THIS ISSUE
Student Debt
Transfer Students
President Biden extends pause on student debt, sparking controversy.
Transfer students speak to the experience of going to Sonoma State. PAGE 6.
Residential Housing Sonoma State ranked #1 CSU on campus housing. Does this hold up in 2022?
SINCE 1979
VOLUME 86 // ISSUE APRIL 12. 2022 - APRIL 18, 2022
THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER
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Local group works to eradicate Native American public health disparities
WILLOW ORNELLAS STAFF WRITER
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COURTESY // redbudresourcegroup.org Redbud Resource Group “helps non-Native organizations access new audiences, develop cultural competency, and build new alliances,” according to their website.
he Redbud Resource Group is a California native and Indigenous women-run public health non-profit. Founded in 2020, their mission is to eradicate public health disparities that exist in native American communities. “We don’t have an accurate understanding of what it means to be a native person, politically, economically or culturally. We’re pervasively missing from everywhere. We’re not in Public Health data. We’re not in politics. We’re not in art unless it’s appropriation. We’re definitely not represented in education in an accurate way and so we try to tackle those erasers in school settings by providing curriculum,” said Taylor Pennewell, one of the founders of Redbud Resource Group. The Redbud Resource Group offers a platform for Tribes to communicate their personal stories to educate non-native audiences on the importance of listening, learning, and adapting to the requests of Indigenous sovereign nations. To complete its mission, the group provides curriculum, cultural competency materials, education and teaching guides, organizational and program assessments, cultural consulting as well as academic research. The group was started by two Tyme Maidu women who are both now tribal members at Berry Creek, Taylor Pennewell and Madison Esposito. Also on staff are Rose Hammock, of Round Valley Indian Tribes as well as Tiffani Lopez and Trelasa (pronounced truh-lay-suh) Baratta, both of which are Indigenous SSU students. see REDBUD on pg. 4
Spring has sprung at SSU
NOAH CLARKE STAFF WRITER
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he campus pools are busy, lawns are spread with students and members of the Sonoma State community exchange smiles and waves as they walk to work and class. Spring has reached Sonoma County and so has the warmer weather. Last week in Rohnert Park, temperatures reached a high of around 90 degrees fahrenheit, prompting many students to get outside and indulge in some nice weather. The on campus pools are typically a popular amenity for students to utilize during warm weather. There are two pools available on campus for student use. One located in the Zinfandel Village and another within the Beaujolais Village. Both pools are accessible 7 days a week with varying hours. Third year SSU student Mina Riveira, recently shared her thoughts on the campus pools, “During the school year, I usually only find myself using the hot tubs. But when it’s nice weather like we’ve had recently, I most definitely take advantage of the pool. It’s nice to have right here on campus around this time of the year.” see SUNNY IN SONOMA on pg. 4
COURTESY // admissions.sonoma.edu Biden extends freeze on student-loan repayments through August 31.
Biden delays student-loan repayments for seventh time JAKE MORRISSEY STAFF WRITER
E COURTESY // Khanh Dao Mariah Forster enjoys sunny days sitting by the pond, reading and sipping on iced coffee.
ach year, millions of young Americans face thousands of dollars of debt when receiving student-loans to attend college. When Joe Biden was elected president, part of his platform focused on student-loan forgiveness, those millions of young Americans had hoped that at least some of their debt would be erased. Now Biden has announced that he will be delaying the repayment of student-loans through Aug. 31, this is the seventh time that the repayment has been delayed or extended. This extension comes in the midst of a period marked by inf lation. Gas prices are currently at an all-time high in connection with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Still, the United States is faced with $1.7 trillion in student-loan debt, with no clear deadline for repayment, via USA Today. When announcing the delay, Biden released a statement on Twitter saying, “I know folks were hit hard by the pandemic. And although we’ve come a long way in the last year, we are still recovering from the economic crisis it caused.” see STUDENT-LOANS on pg. 4
2 Editorial THE STAR Editorial Board
Myles Grabau, Editor-in-Chief Maych Rowell, News Editor Emily Cripe, Opinion Editor
APRIL 12 - APRIL 18, 2022
sonomastatestar.com
Students express their dissatisfaction with residential building quality
Cléa Upcher, Arts & Entertainment Editor Isabel Epstein, Student Life Editor Nicholas Roth, Sports & Health Editor Dana Scacco, Photo Editor Corinne Asturias, Faculty Advisor Staff Writers Willow Ornellas, Addison Smith, Ana Fingerson, Khanh Dao, Payton Mullaney, Rosalee Padilla, Holly Durfee, Jacqueline Garcia, Javier Hernandez, Rachel Yetso, Jake Morrissey, Tanner Ivey, Olivia Doane, Danny Serrano, Mikayla Fritzemeier, Noah Clarke, Montana Lahey Photographers Khanh Dao, Tanner Ivey, Holly Durfee
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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.
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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.
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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
W
hen incoming freshmen think about living on campus for college, there are a lot of factors that might affect what’s expected. Students are excited to make new friends, get some much needed independence, and enjoy a nice change of scenery and pace in a new environment. Housing.sonoma.edu boasts that Sonoma State is “#1 of 23 Best University Housing in the CSU [system]” and #17 of 1376 Best University Housing in America,” according to niche.com. However, with many on-campus buildings showing their age, these claims lead many prospective students to wonder just how well these accomplishments will hold up over time. Sonoma State offers students fully-furnished apartment-style dorms throughout the six different villages on campus, all priced between $8,000 and $13,000 for first year students, and $9,600 and $13,000 per year for transfer students and upperclassmen. These prices include access to two swimming pools, outdoor recreation areas, on-site laundry rooms and a few other amenities. While SSU’s housing website does a great job of selling these features, many students have expressed their dissatisfaction with the realities of the dorm quality. Upon moving into the dorms, students are given a survey and checklist to cover liabilities of broken or damaged utilities and furniture. While it’s good for the school to ask residents to thoroughly check their dorms for things that need repairing, it’s also important to check in with residents more than once upon moving in. Something like a weekly or monthly maintenance survey to check in with residential students could greatly benefit both the residents and the on-campus maintenance team. These surveys could ask specific questions about what needs to be fixed, both in the residential buildings and the amenities offered to students. Itzel Garcia Nava is a fourth year Kinesiology major, who has lived in the dorms for 5 semesters. When asked what the school could do to maintain their #1 ranking for CSU housing, she responded that, “The school could stand to replace old furniture and appliances. The couches in Beaujolais are flaky and low quality, and I’ve had to deep clean my showers every semester due to the caked-on mildew
COURTESY // housing.sonoma.edu
on the shower head and drain from the residents before me.” It’s apparent that maintenance and the student residents are equal parts at fault for these issues, but there is an obvious disconnect if nothing is being done in terms of cleanliness for new residents. When asked about the on-campus laundry facilities, current resident Jhery Mae Monteza shared her thoughts on the quality and convenience: “Having free laundry on campus is highly convenient, but I do have a couple complaints about how the school is handling the laundry rooms. Along with the laundry machines getting very dirty very quickly, I often have to do more than one dryer cycle per load because my laundry will come out soaking after the wash.” While students should be encouraged to submit work orders for the laundry facilities, maintenance should also be encouraged to frequently check these facilities for cleaning and repairs. Over the past couple of years at SSU, the school has spent thousands of dollars on maintaining the college experience for students, as well as saving face after the disastrous COVID-19 pandemic. For the Fall 2021 semester, Sonoma State introduced the Seawolf All-Inclusive Experience, also known as the ALLEX program. This program gave all students living in residential housing a $250 credit for learning materials and books, free parking for the Fall semester and a few other special offers. With this program being used as an incentive for students to move back onto campus, a better incentive could have been using this extra money to go towards deep cleaning and updating the appliances and furniture in the dorms themselves. While it is hard for busy college students to deep clean the dorms on a regular basis after use, it is important to keep open dialogue and communication between both maintenance and the students, so it can be easier for the next residents to move into a clean and decluttered environment. If Sonoma State is interested in maintaining the achievements that they brag about on the housing website, then it is important for the school to listen to the needs of the students that are living in the dorms and be proactive about making adjustments as necessary.
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.
3 Opinion Biden extends student debt deadline;
APRIL 12 - APRIL 18, 2022 sonomastatestar.com
delays the inevitable
ANA FINGERSON
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STAFF WRITER
n April 6, President Joe Biden made the decision to continue the student loan debt pause through Aug. 31. The moratorium was initially proposed in March 2020 under Donald Trump’s presidency and was intended to last 60 days. The pause has now been extended six times through Biden’s time in office. The student loan payment pause was originally made in order to provide relief amidst the ever-evolving COVID-19 emergency. The government decided to pause loan payments and set interest rates to 0% on eligible student loans. Studentaid. gov wrote that interest is usually added to the balance when a deferment or forbearance comes to an end, but because this pause is due to COVID-19 relief, no interest will be added after the grace period. According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, forgiving $10,000 in student debt per borrower would eliminate debt for about 15 million people, reducing total debt obligations for the other 28 million people, and lowering the total national student debt portfolio by 25%. On the other hand, forgiving this amount in student debt would have a big impact on the US economy, costing the federal government roughly $245 billion. On the campaign trail, Biden pledged to cancel at least $10,000 of student debt per person. Some leaders on the senate are pushing Biden to fully cancel certain amounts of debt for student loans and finally work toward the issue. If some see it as possible to do such a thing, why isn’t it happening? “What’s the pause for? Why not continue to look for ways to excuse the loans. I took out loans because I had to support
myself for school. Now I’m going into the field of education where I’m already underpaid.” said Zoe Ashworth, a graduating Huthins major at Sonoma State University. Over the past two decades the federal government and states have provided financial support for higher education. In recent years, their levels of contribution have shifted significantly due to the increase in need-based pell grant financial aid programs. “Free college tuition programs have proved effective in helping mitigate the system’s current inequities by increasing college enrollment, lowering dependence on student loan debt and improving completion rates, especially among students of color and lower-income students who are often the first in their family to attend college,” according to edsource. org. The pressure of needing a degree to move forward but being stuck with years of debt post-grad makes college especially daunting for young adults. Across the nation, students have been forced to drop out and transfer due to finances. Our nation has shown that it has the ability to put 0% interest on student loan debt. Making this a permanent to semi-permanent measure would be a step in the right direction toward making school more affordable. “I think Biden’s continuation of the student loan pause is a great thing for students while he figures out something more long-term,” said Mariah Brown, a fourth year Psychology major. It’s been estimated that eliminating tuition for all students would cost taxpayers $79 billion a year, according to the U.S. Department of Education data. The federal government did spend $91 billion in 2016 on policies that subsidized college attendance. The pause on student loan payments is an opportunity for Americans to realize what the nation is actually capable of and holding the government accountable. Seeing how things have changed in the midst of a pandemic and still finding ways to best support its citizens, the US can now look for more beneficial long-term solutions for college students.
Cancel culture controversy
MONTANA LAHEY
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STAFF WRITER
n a world run by social media, it’s hard to hide your past from prying eyes. It has now become quite a normal occurrence for old mistakes celebrities made in their youth to resurface online and go viral. What ensues shortly after is what the internet calls canceling. The celebrity in question has their career ripped to shreds in a matter of days, all their dirty laundry laid out for the world to see. While this seems like a just punishment in some instances, what business do we have judging people for things they did when they were younger? Cancel culture started as a way to hold people accountable, but now people are getting canceled for some ridiculous reasons, and their lives are never the
same after. How are we as a society going to preach things like “learn from your mistakes” and then proceed to cancel someone over some trivial issue, thus ruining their whole reputation. In most cases, the tweets get dug up from well over 10 years ago, and most people change pretty drastically over the course of 10 years. Not to say that a racist comment or a racial slur are excusable offenses, because they aren’t, but the fact that people get their entire lives ruined over things they probably would never say nowadays is the issue here. If a person is able to own their offense, apologize, and actively work towards becoming a better human, why should we as outsiders have the power to blacklist them? Claudia Oshry, a social media personality, defined cancel culture as, “Whether a celebrity missteps, misspeaks, or commits an actual crime, they’re tried in the court of public opinion and— often too quickly—deemed canceled, or over.” While it can be unnecessary in some instances, cancel culture has a good side. For example, when Travis Scott’s music festival turned deadly, he was promptly canceled and held accountable for not handling the situation well. Unfortunately, his cancellation did not last long, as people tend to ignore things like this after a while. Ashley Cain, an SSU graduate, said, “If someone is constantly being ignorant with no intention or plans to grow then cancellation is more appropriate.”
Twitter introduces dislike button despite backlash JACQUELINE GARCIA
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STAFF WRITER
rom photos of epic recipe fails to news about Will Smith at the Oscars, there have likely been plenty of posts people wish they could “dislike” over the years. Soon, that option will become available as Twitter moves to roll out their new dislike feature. This feature is designed to help users effectively control their feed, however, many social media users are concerned about a dislike button’s impact on their mental health. Many use social media to escape from the stress and anxiety life can bring. These platforms provide a place where people can freely express themselves by sharing personal moments, dreams, and opinions. For years, users have requested a dislike button that would allow them to express their disapproval of posts; to vote against content. While many users love the idea of adding a dislike button, there are just as many that aren’t looking forward to having their content disliked. A Pew study on the rewards and influence of social media on Americans stated younger adults continuously strive for more likes and comments on their posts, ultimately building up or breaking down their self-esteem. Although people enjoy being accepted and loved, if many people knock a user down with dislikes, this can have negative impacts on their mental health. “Twitter is my outlet where I can speak my mind and feel no judgment,” said Cruz Marcos, a third-year music major. The dislike button is not just expressing lighthearted disagreement improving the user’s experience. It can trigger comparison among users based on their many likes and few dislikes. Making users hypercritical of themselves on and off line negatively impacting their self-worth.“I feel more self-conscious about tweeting with the new feature. I don’t want to say the wrong thing and get more dislikes than likes,” continued Marcos. For young adults, the challenges of self-esteem issues on social media are very real, even without any dislike buttons. Bringing negativity into the equation opens up a whole new door. “Imagine getting 20 likes and five dislikes. Those five dislikes will haunt you all day,” said Aron Torres, fourth-year Communications major. A Pew research study on social media negative bias stated that social media users. are three times more likely to click on negative information on social media. Any user is more likely to remember and be affected by the negativity we face online. Receiving just one dislike is enough to overshadow any amount of likes and ruin any user’s day. A dislike button can certainly bring unnecessary conflict to a user’s life, but when regulated under tight policies and terms, the impact is diminished. “I wouldn’t want my young niece to post something and get targeted by people hiding behind a screen hitting the dislike button like a game of whack-a-mole,” said Angelica Hercules, fourth-year English major. One solution is to keep the dislike feature disabled for users below a certain age. Another option is to leave it to the users to decide whether they want a dislike button feature on their account or not. In any scenario, the main goal should be to do what’s best for people’s mental health. Every social media user is entitled to their opinions, whether positive or negative. The responsibility falls onto social media platforms to provide the proper guidelines and ensure all users have a safe experience.
Sacramento shooting adds to gun control conversation
MIKAYLA FRITZEMEIER STAFF WRITER
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n April 3, six people were killed and 12 more were injured during a shooting in Sacramento, Calif. The Sacramento Police Department believes that there were five shooters and that this
shooting was the result of gang violence between two groups. This event has led to conversations regarding the state’s gun control laws and the lack of news coverage. Over 100 shell casings were found at the crime scene and police collected a stolen handgun, as well as a gun that had been modified to make it capable of firing like an automatic weapon. California has the most restrictive gun laws in the United States, yet the people responsible for this shooting were able to access these weapons. More restrictive gun laws are needed to reduce gun violence in the U.S. Simone Barnard, Communications major at Sonoma State, said, “I think there should always be gun reform. There is not a need for assault weapons like that.” Sunday morning’s shooting was the second in Sacramento within the past two months. According
to the Gun Violence Archive, in 2022 alone there have been 123 mass shootings in the United States. Guns should have been banned in the U.S. after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 that took the lives of 27 individuals, including 20 children. The Sandy Hook shooting is only the fourth deadliest shooting in the U.S. This December will mark a decade since this tragic event, and there has not been nearly enough change in gun laws or restrictions to prevent mass shootings. Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg spoke publicly about the gun control issues present in the U.S. during a statement made the morning of the recent shooting. “We must do more as a city, as a state and as a nation. This senseless epidemic of gun violence must be addressed. How many unending tragedies does it take before we begin to cure the sickness in this country. Let us be honest; this is a sickness. The fact that we accept the idea that people
can have ready access to assault weapons, to weapons of destruction, and can indiscriminately use them however and whenever they want,” he said. Steinberg attended a vigil held on April 4, where community members as well as family and friends of the victims gathered to mourn. The violence abruptly took the lives of Sergio Harris, 38, Johntaya Alexander, 21, Melinda Davis, 57, Devazia Turner, 29, Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32 and Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21. Barnard believes that the best thing to do moving forward is to celebrate the lives of the victims, and keep attention away from the shooters. “I think in the past with a lot of shootings and mass casualties, the killer’s face has been shown a lot and I feel like we shouldn’t give any airtime to those who decide to take another one’s life,” she said. “In a perfect world there wouldn’t be any violence but that’s not the case.”
4
News
Ukrainian president labels Russian war crimes as genocide RACHEL YETSO STAFF WRITER
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krainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is now calling Russia’s war crimes a genocide after finding more than 400 civilians shot dead in Bucha, a small town north-west of Kyiv. Bodies were scattered in the streets, many with their hands tied behind their back. Gunshot wounds show that they were shot at close range. Russia claims no one was harmed, and that troops withdrew from the city completely by March 30, saying the bodies were intentionally set up to make it look like Russian troops opened fire on Ukranians inhabiting Bucha. According to ABC News, “Analysis of videos and satellite imagery confirms some of the bodies seen lying in the streets of Bucha were there as early as March 19, when the town was still occupied by Russian forces.” After news of the murders in Bucha spread across the globe, all eyes were on other countries, waiting to see how leaders would react and define the murders in Ukraine. In terms of politics, using the word genocide is a very serious statement. The United Nations was formed after World War II in 1945, vowing to never let horrific acts like the Holocaust happen again. According to the U.N. website, “Genocide was first recognized as a crime under international law in 1946 by the United Nations General Assembly.” It is important to note that the Holocaust was not the first or most deadly genocide in our history. However, it is the most infamous, and can be attributed to the creation of many anti-genocide groups, including the U.N. Officially calling these murders in Bucha a genocide means that there is a responsibility of all 51 nations included in the U.N. to take action against Russia, and the start of a much bigger war. Although that is the term President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used, there is much more evidence needed to actually define the murders as genocide. There must be proof that Russia had a motive to target and put an end to Ukraine. The U.S. and other allies of Ukraine are forced to tread carefully with the discussion of possible genocide. President Biden has addressed the murders in Bucha, but when directly asked if he believes it is a genocide, Biden responded, “No, I think it is a war crime.” His response about Vladimir Putin; “This warrants him - he is a war criminal… He should be held accountable.” Biden is in support of a war crimes trial against Putin. The US is also seeking more sanctions to place on Russia due to these recent events.
Sunny weather brings campus to life continued from pg. 1
Sonoma State’s Campus is also abundant in outdoor scenery that includes ponds, gardens and pleasant lawn areas. Some locations to check out on campus would be the Butterfly Garden, Environmental Center and the area surrounding the Green Music Center. Third year SSU student Emma Liao talked about some of her favorite spots on campus, “I really love hanging out around the pond near the wine spectator building. It’s so peaceful and the ducks that hang around there are so cute.” Other students take their sunny adventures off campus and into other parts of Sonoma County. Fourth year SSU student Shane Clifton shared his experiences going to the Russian River, “The river is an awesome spot, I feel like it’s definitely a place a lot of students bond over and come together to have a fun time. I typically only go when its really hot though because the water can be a little chilly” Sonoma County’s, Life Opens Up travel guide lists a few good spots along the Russian river to visit, “The most accessible and popular spots along the Russian River tend to be located around Guerneville. Vacation Beach, Johnson’s beach and Bullfrog pond are a few easy and fun spots to check out if you’re looking to visit the Russian River.” Sunny days can also be enjoyed out along the Sonoma coastline. Fourth year SSU student Tanner Shallahamer shared about his recent experience up to Bodega Bay, “It’s a super pretty stretch of coast up here and Bodega bay is gorgeous. It’s especially nice when the weather is as warm as it is right now.” There are a number of beaches that lay within Bodega bay and the surrounding areas that visitors can enjoy. Shallahamer went on to list his favorite beaches in Sonoma, “My three go to are Salmon Creek, Dillon Beach or Doran Regional Park. There’s some other cool beaches farther North, but those three are always safe bets” During this nice weather, some students decide to dodge the water and head over to some vineyards for wine tasting. Sonoma County is renowned for its Wine Industry and many tasting rooms are located around the area. Fourth year SSU student Drew Schivo summarized some of his experiences wine tasting in the area, “Wine tasting is a blast. Its something fun to do with friends and it ends up being a cool experience hanging out on the vineyards.” Schivo also shareed some of his favorite wineries in the area, “If you’re willing to splurge, Castello Di Amorosa is a pretty epic spot in Calistoga. If your on a tighter budget, La Crema in Windsor has a nice outdoor venue and you’ll have a good time.”
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Redbud
sonomastatestar.com
continued from pg. 1
Redbud is a 501c(3) non-profit organization that contracts its services out to clientele. SSU student Tiffany Lopez is the media director at Redbud Resource Group. She is in charge of filming the LandBack documentary series that will assist in spreading the group’s message and increasing the rate at which land is being returned. Trelasa Baratta is the Curriculum Designer for Redbud Resource Group currently working towards getting her Masters of Arts in Education from SSU. She was pointed in the direction of the Redbud Resource Group by Erica Tom, the Director of the Native American Studies department at SSU. “Working for Redbud Resource Group feels like so much more than a job. I feel like I have a voice, like I’m uplifted by strong, brilliant women who understand my experiences growing up as a Native in a colonial world,” Baratta said. Baratta’s daily responsibilities involve collecting accurate, research-based information to create educational materials from an Indigenous perspective. “I’m currently working on a 4th grade unit that emphasizes place as a key source of knowledge, and highlights Native power and resilience in real time and space, which I believe challenges Native culture as a thing of the past,” Baratta said. The Redbud Resource Group is working towards doing public health research to measure the impacts of their programs on native and non-native society. The organization is currently partnered with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Medical School to start collecting data to measure the psychological impacts of Going Beyond Land Acknowledgement. The goal of this research is to measure how people’s perceptions of native people evolve over the course of the program. Pennewell was shocked to discover the primary public school literature for teaching Native Studies was Pocahontas. “It was very clear that the education system wasn’t designed with native cultural norms or needs in mind. Even when I, a teacher, would talk to my principles and my staff about the need to update the curriculum or provide services for native people. They usually didn’t think that native people were in school. Like they didn’t understand that there were native students in their communities, which is very normal,” Pennewell said. Being native is more than just an identity. Pennewell said, “It’s not just an ancestral Identity or an ethnic identity, it’s a political identity. You are politically tied to your land, your family and your nation. I find when we start talking about it in political terms, people start to take us a little bit more seriously.” To start becoming informed about these issues, one can start by educating themselves through blogs, newsletters, and social media. The Redbud Resource Group also has a wide variety of educational resources available on its website: https://www. redbudresourcegroup.org/what-we-do They can also be found on Facebook and Instagram @redbudresourcegroup. Baratta also had some insightful advice for her non-native classmates. “If any students out there are passionate about becoming true allies to their local Native American communities, I would say keep it simple: listen. There is a lot of valuable information that Western knowledge has to offer. If educational institutions coupled that with Indigenous ways of knowing, perhaps our world would find true balance and harmony, as my ancestors knew for thousands and thousands of years,” Baratta said. “If you set your fears aside, allow any ‘white guilt’ to settle, your heart will open and you will know what appropriate actions to take to help Native American communities.”
Potential for student assistant union continued from pg. 1
supposed to finally come to and end on May 1. Biden was faced with pressure to extend the deadline for repayment by other democrats due to the large amount of inf lation the US is seeing right now. According to CNN, dozens of democratic lawmakers sent letters to Biden, asking him to extend the repayment deadline through all of 2022. At Sonoma State University, the school year will be coming to an end in about a month and a half. This means thousands of graduating seniors who will need to start making payments on their student-loan debt. According to usnews.com, the typical amount of federal loan debt for a Sonoma State graduate is $17,878. “I have some student-loan debt that I will need to start paying off when I graduate at the end of this semester,” said an anonymous SSU student. “It would be nice to know whether the Biden Administration is going to help pay for it or not.” Millions of students across the nation are wondering the same thing, will the Biden Administration actually be able to cancel all student-loans? In an interview with Fox News, White House Secretary Jen Psaki suggested that Biden will not be able to erase the $1.7 trillion in national student-loan debt during his term as president. She was asked if student-loan borrowers would ever have to make a payment during Biden’s presidency. He response was as follows: “I suspect at some time you will, but again, we are going to continue to assess every month, every few months, on where things stand, both looking at COVID but also economic data and where we need to continue to help give the American people some breathing room.” For now all that the millions of people nationwide with student-loan debt can do is wait. The extension has been marked to end on the last day of August. Until the end of August it will most likely continue to be very unclear what the Biden Administration plans to do about the $1.7 trillion and counting of student-loan debt.
APRIL 12 - APRIL 18, 2022 sonomastatestar.com
Arts & Entertainment 5
The Vagina Monologues return to Sonoma State ADDISON SMITH
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STAFF WRITER
ast week, the Vagina Monologues were put on in a pre-recorded format for students and faculty to enjoy. After being on hiatus for two years, the women of the Monologues were very excited to have a performance to show the Sonoma State community. The Vagina Monologues started out as small interviews about the vagina facilitated by student director V Ornelas. Eventually, the interviews grew from short-form questioning to longer discussions that became The Vagina Monologues. The Monologues were performed for students and faculty alike, although the space was mainly dominated by the Sonoma State student body. These monologues were created and performed to help inspire and strengthen women’s relationship with their vagina and to inspire more women to look at their vagina, as illustrated in the piece entitled “The Flood”, which was introduced virtually by Ornelas and performed via the pre-recorded video by student Shelby King. The piece was based on an interview with a 72-year-old woman who had never seen her vagina before, and, through the interview, was able to love and accept her vagina for what it truly was, something that can live and breathe along with herself and not something that was meant to be locked away and forgotten about. The show was split up into two distinct parts with an intermission in between, and content warnings preceding every monologue. In the first half, twelve separate monologues were shown, recorded and performed by the cast. The cast were known as “performers” and “Backstage Babes” which were nicknames given to stage-hands for the Vagina Monologues. The start of the pre-screened show included a director’s speech, an intro, and video performances to further illustrate the vagina and the power it holds for women. The piece entitled “intro” started with members of the cast discussing different themes and experiences, like, “looking at your vagina is a full day’s work” and how, “...secretly, women loved talking about their vaginas…” The cast then went on to say different synonyms for vagina from around the world such as “cherry”, “lady garden”, and “love button”, to name a few. Another performance was called “They beat the girl out of my boy…or so they tried.’’ performed by third-year Hutchins major Bee Ucio who didn’t show their face as a way to, “...remind everyone that there is no way for a Trans person to look or present.” The piece was based on an individual’s experience in wanting to be a girl while simultaneously being beaten down by her peers as well as society in general. The story was violent at times, and held nothing back, but ended on a positive note with her receiving gender-affirming care and becoming the woman she always wanted to be. The story personified transgender violence and highlighted the struggle that closeted-transgender folks go through every day. After a quick guided stretch session based on body positivity during the intermission, the monologues were back in full swing. There were seven more pieces and an end credit
COURTESY // sonoma.edu ‘The Vagina Monologues’, a theater production written by Eve Ensler., are directed and performed by a collection of 74 individuals.
segment. Some of the pieces included “Pussy Twister” written and performed by fourth-year Hutchins major Vivian Stegura who wrote the piece utilizing each letter of pussy. Like a tongue twister she moved through each letter, starting with, “P…If my pussy was a poet, she would write proposals and prophecies of freedom from the only purpose people probably think pussies have.” After a few other pieces, a performance entitled “Over It”, performed by Ornelas, Stegura, Ucio, and Liz Rodriguez closed out the show. “Over It” provided statistics on violence against women and sexual assault. It started with each member coming out and saying “I’m over rape,” and moving into statistics shouted by each woman, with Johnson saying, “I’m over the three out of four women who experience sexual harassement and can’t tell anyone for fear of losing their job or not being believed.” The more statistics in the video, the more real and full of weight the entire experience became. It really added a lot to the performance and brought it full circle on just how much suffering women go through on a daily basis. After the final performance, the lights came up and Ornelas thanked everyone for their time and thanked the cast for their wonderful work in putting on and performing the Monologues. Outside, students were offered free stickers, info-cards, and lip balm, as well as the option to buy a t-shirt. All ticket and t-shirt sales went to Verity, Sonoma County’s only rape, crisis, and trauma healing center.
Sebastopol’s Crooked Goat Brewing offers new opportunity for SSU students to get together ROSALEE PADILLA
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STAFF WRITER
f you’re looking for a new spot to chill and hangout with friends, Crooked Goat Brewing may be the place for you. They are located in Sebastopol, adjacent to the shopping mall called The Barlow. At Crooked Goat Brewing you can listen to some live music, enjoy some tasty foods and have drinks with family or friends if you’re over 21. On Saturday, April 9, this local brewery welcomed singer, songwriter Schlee. She has been pursuing music since highschool and has been extremely happy to be able to perform in front of a live audience again, since the pandemic. The stage was located in the outdoor dining section where customers were able to sit and watch from large wooden picnic tables.
STAR// Holly Durfee Singer-songwriter Schlee composes herself before singing her next song at Crooked Goat Brewery in Sebastopol on Saturday afternoon.
In an interview with the Sonoma State STAR, Schlee described her experience performing at Crooked Goat Brewing, “I loved performing at Crooked Goat this weekend! It’s always fun playing there - great hospitality and always a cool crowd. It’s a two hour gig instead of a normal show slot so I get to throw in a bunch of cool covers. It’s just a generally good time.” If you are interested in checking out some live music, the brewery has singers perform every Saturday and Sunday from 3-5 p.m. The Barlow, which is located next to Crooked Goat, had its monthly event on Saturday, April 9, as well. There were 150+ small businesses selling products from clothes to jewelry to household items. Alyssa Samuli, a third year Hutchins liberal studies student at SSU told the STAR how she felt about her day in Sebastopol, “I had so much fun at the brewery,the live music was wonderful, and everyone was having a great time. It was also fun to go to the marketplace and check out all of the cool jewelry and art.” Crooked Goat Brewing consistently puts on events that are free for anyone to join. They have hosted game nights as well as open mic nights and even dance parties. This brewery doesn’t have any kitchens, but customers are still able to order food. The restaurants adjacent to the brewery supply food to the patrons of Crooked Goat. The venue was rather full on Saturday evening during the live music; patrons were both inside and outside, chatting with friends or just enjoying Schlee’s set. Sebastopol is home to Crooked Goat Brewing’s first location, and later this year there will be a second location opening up in Petaluma. The brewery has been at their current location since 2016 and even through the pandemic they were able to stay afloat. Upcoming events to look out for at Crooked Goat Brewing include the Shoes 4 Kidz trivia night fundraiser, where you will be able to test your knowledge, and proceeds will go to supplying a new pair of athletic shoes to a child in Sonoma County. There will also be an open mic night on April 21, which is open to anyone who is brave enough to take the stage.
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Student Life
APRIL 12 - APRIL 18, 2022 sonomastatestar.com
POWER LINES festival features student-written plays PAYTON MULLANEY STAFF WRITER
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onoma State’s Department of Theater Arts and Dance aims to “offer students a home where they can seek their potential and develop their voices as artists, through the study and collaborative creation of live performance”, according to their home page. This weekend, students’ were able to share their passion for theater and performing arts through POWER LINES, a play festival here on campus. POWER LINES created a space for students, families and faculty to come together in person and enjoy the storytelling that took place onstage. The festival consisted of two plays, written and directed by SSU students. Students also comprised the cast and crew for this production, putting in tireless efforts since February to put on a show that they would be proud of. POWER LINES was a “workshop production” so that the focus was on the delivery and messages of the two plays, rather than the design value. One of the plays for this year’s festival was “A Moonless Sea”, written by Kat Anderson and directed by Gabe Fernandez. When asked about their inspiration for the play in the playwright interviews, Anderson said “It was inspired by the relationship between the moon and the sea. The constant pull of the moon’s gravity on the sea’s depths and the corresponding crashing waves led to this play’s rhythm and helped form its world. The idea of social storytelling also played a role in the continued shaping of the play.” “A Moonless Sea” took place on an ethereal shore where “two strange entities explore what it means to lose themselves in one another – even if it means defying nature”, according to the festival’s homepage. ASTRID who represents the moon and NISHA who represents the sea, fell in love and did not want to separate. However, their love had a catastrophic effect on the budding life of their planet. They must sacrifice their love for their planet’s growth, leaving ASTRID back to the lonely existence in the sky and NISHA alone in the sea longing for her love. The other play, “Envoi”, was written by Gabe Fernandez and directed by Rosemarie Kingfisher. Although the inspiration for the play took some time, it ended up holding some significance to Fernandez’s life. According to the playwright interview he said, “While Envoi is certainly not biographical, it is inspired from that moment when you recognize someone is leaving your life and small bits of my own experience come through in little pieces.” “Envoi” took place in a small town bar where a band is forced to come to terms with a tragedy that touched them all deeply and that ultimately created a fracture in their band. The play’s authenticity of grief and survival was definitely one that college students could relate to. When asked what other ideas he had in mind for plays Fernandez said, “My grandfather passed away last year, and he once asked me to write a play about him. I fully intend to keep that promise” according to the playwright interview. Student-produced plays like POWER LINES give students
COURTESY // @ssutheatredance on Instagram This behind the scenes shot shows the cast of “Envoi”, a student-written play featured in the POWER LINES play festival, in rehearsal two weeks before show-
the opportunity to take all of the skills learned from this experience and translate them into more plays. Both student-produced plays posed the question, “If you were forced to choose between never being able to be alone, or never being able to be with someone else, which would you choose?” Anderson and Fernandez were able to take meaningful experiences and observations to create art. The audience was able to watch the emotions and see all of the hard work that students put into the stories in order for the performances to come alive onstage. Students can take the Playwriting course at Sonoma State to be a part of something bigger than themselves, just like these students did. This course also gives students a new creative outlet to share something meaningful with a crowd and watch their art come to life. Those who want to support SSU’s Department of Theater Arts and Dance can do so by purchasing tickets for upcoming performances or by making a donation on their support page.
How transfer students are navigating college life post-pandemic
OLIVIA DOANE
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STAFF WRITER
any transfer students didn’t anticipate their experience at a university to and make friends here at SSU. The Fall 2021 recruitment process was held online begin over Zoom. This made the transition from one college to another so that students were still able to go through recruitment, even if it was not in the particularly difficult, especially while not knowing any familiar faces. traditional way. “Having recruitment online was a different experience but it allowed Most students weren’t able to be in a classroom until the Spring 2022 semester, so people to still be involved in something on campus without physically being there,” meeting new people proved to be even more of a challenge. Making new friends, hanging out with roommates and seeing new faces said senior Ambar Gutierrez. Recruitment lasted one weekend giving both incomaround campus are all things Jessica Davis, a senior transfer student, expected as ing students and transfer students the opportunity to meet the men and women of she transferred to Sonoma State in the Fall of 2020. Like many other transfer stu- each chapter at Sonoma State. dents, transferring to a new school in the middle of a pandemic through Davis’s With her experience being a transfer student during a challenging time, Davis offered a few words of advice for transfer students: “Don’t be afraid to open up to plan for a loop. meeting new people, because you only have so much time, just enjoy the time you “When I first transferred to Sonoma during the pandemic I was scared that I wasn’t really going to make any lasting connections or friendships without have and make the most of what you’re given.” being able to physically be in the classroom,” said Davis. With the existing challenge of navigating a brand new campus and classes, making friends at any new school can be daunting for transfer students and first-time first-years alike. On-campus housing presents itself as an opportunity for new students to make connections and friendships through their roommates. Transfer student Alex Frazzetta said, “Transferring during a pandemic has made everything more difficult. I haven’t gone out of my way to go check out the clubs or anything but I’m coming into a space where everyone knows somebody and I know nobody. It does get lonely but I’m glad I got to become friends with my roommates.” Sonoma State offers resources that transfer students can access online, as well as on campus. The Student Involvement home page is a great resource for incoming students and transfer students to find clubs, events and activities of their interests. “RSO is made up of over 120 student-led clubs ranging from academics, sports, special interests, performing arts and much more,” as it states on SSU’s website. The Transfer Advising Center is another great resource for transfer students to gain information and assistance during their transition to Sonoma State. They are located on the first floor of the SSU Library in Shultz 1125A. Students are encouraged to schedule an appointment online or by calling directly. The Transfer Advising Center offers all kinds of support, as their website states, “Our team of Professional Academic Advisors provides meaningful academic COURTESY // thebiz.bentley.edu advising and individualized educational pathways to engage students in their learning experiences.” Sonoma State offers many resources to help transfer students navigate college life. Greek life is another way that transfer students are able to get involved The pandemic has made the transition to a new school difficult and stressful for some.
APRIL 12 - APRIL 18, 2022 sonomastatestar.com
Sports
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Student Athlete Spotlight: Alex Boyle
DANIEL SERRANO STAFF WRITER
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reshman mathematics major Alex Boyle, has been shattering records including their own this season and is one of the team’s strongest distance runners SSU has seen in a while. Boyle, while it’s still early in their career, believes that there is still plenty of time to get even better and reach the, “potential my coaches see in me.” Boyle ran three years of cross country and one of track and field in high school. One of those years, they won the El Camino cross country varsity girls MVP award. Boyle brings a lot of intensity to the team, but reminds everyone that this is still a team sport. Boyle said, “despite track and field seeming like such an individual sport there is a great team aspect behind it. I know that I couldn’t have gotten here without my team and that they deserve so much more recognition, applause, and appreciation than I could ever describe.” One of Boyle’s favorite parts of being part of the team is that they’re constantly being pushed by peers. Boyle has had a special passion for running for years now. They said, “my passion for running has come from the people around me and how running has made me feel. There is just something so different about being in the mix of a pack of runners and knowing that it is a fight of one’s pure strength and endurance ‘til the end. It’s, as my friend would put it, a very ‘main-character’ moment, and a rush that I can’t just help chasing. Additionally, having others around that completely understand such a unique experience, and uplift you farther than you thought possible is just the cherry on top.” Boyle believes that hard work and dedication plays a big role in being a member on the team. Other than track and field, Boyle has many other hobbies that they indulge in. “Some of my hobbies are making and planning art projects and reading. Back home, I also like to collect rocks and shells at the beach, although I have begun to pick this back up here and am starting quite the collection on my windowsill if I do say so myself, “ said Boyle. Boyle’s home next to sunny San Diego in Oceanside, Calif is known for its beaches. A typical day for Boyle: “starts off early with practice before class and then depending on the day more classes or practice in the afternoon. In between, I eat, talk with some of my teammates or classmates, and just do little things to get ready for the days ahead. On the weekends, I usually meet up with some of the other distance girls
COURTESY // Sonomaseawolves.com Freshmen Alex Boyle enjoys collecting rocks and shells at the beaches back at their home in Oceanside, CA.
for a run, if we don’t have a meet, and then relax and recoup before the week starts again.” Although this may seem like a typical athlete’s day, it’s even more important for members of the track and field team to take proper care of their bodies due to the strenuous work they participate in, on a day to day basis. This past weekend, the girls track and field team took first place in the CSU East Bay Invitational. The Seawolves took first among 15 other teams, winning five different events. Boyle is looking to keep the recent success rolling into the next meet. “My goal is to keep improving, hitting personal bests, and reaching the potential that my coaches see in me. I also hope to keep making wonderful memories with the people around me so that when I think about the good times it’s not just personal records.” This week, you can find Boyle trying to achieve that goal at the Cal State LA Twilight open and the Beach invitational in Long Beach on April 13, 14 and 15.
Sonoma wins series 3-1 against Warriors out the year to keep my arm healthy,” said Benz about what are the keys to always being ready to go. “Additionally, a combination of strength training from trainer Anthony Ponzo and conditioning prescribed by coach Dolf Hes have kept my body in great shape. This combined with arm care exercises, nutrition, hydration, stretching, and enough sleep have aided my ability to bounce back.” The second game of the series saw the Seawolves go down as Stanislaus state won 3-1. This made the third game of the series a pivotal one as the series was now tied up 1-1. Freshman Jason ‘Doc’ Doktorczyk took the mound for the start and had an excellent showing. Doc went 6 innings while striking out 6 and only giving up one run and one walk. The Seawolf offense was led by seniors, Medina and Josh Lopez. Lopez went 2-3 with one run and Medina went 2-3 with one RBI. To wrap up the game, Medina was once again called to the mound in the seventh and secured the 2-1 win for Sonoma State. “I grew up as the youngest of a family of three and they put pressure on me every day to be the best person and ballplayer I can be,” said Medina when asked how he manages to stay composed in high-stake situations. “I give all the credit to them, they prepared me for the moments that mean the most.” STAR// Holly Durfee On Sunday morning, junior righthander Nick Roth was given the start by Freshman Blake Janowicz threw a season high 6.1 innings for the Seacoach Goelz. Roth went four innings while striking out five and only giving wolves on Saturday as they won the series 3-1. up two runs and one walk. Offensively, the Seawolves had big contributions JAVIER HERNANDEZ from Medina who hit a homerun and was a triple shy of the cycle, and senior STAFF WRITER Nick Simmons who hit his first homerun of the year. In the fifth, sophomore he Sonoma State Baseball team took on the Stanislaus State WarTanner Ivey came in relief for Roth and he went two scoreless innings with two riors for a four-game set this weekend that was pivotal for the Seastrikeouts and zero walks. In the seventh, Benz came in and went two scoreless wolves. The Seawolves winning the series has put them to 10-14 in innings as well with three strikeouts and two walks. He would hand the ball to conference play and one spot out of the playoffs with a little more than a freshman Niko Tejada for the ninth. He sealed the deal with a clean inning and month left in the season. the Seawolves won 8-4 wrapping up the series. To start the series, Head Coach John Goelz gave the nod to sophomore “I will do whatever the team needs me to do to win. This is potentially my right handed pitcher Tanner Fonoti to start the game. Fonoti went four inlast season ever playing baseball and I want to give it everything I got leaving nings while striking out two and only gave up one run and two walks. In with no regrets. I want to go out and win for Sonoma State as well as my teamthe fifth inning, Goelz brought in junior Michael Benz in relief of Fonoti. mates. I have the best group around me and I’ll do anything for these boys.” Said Benz went four scoreless innings with one strikeout and only gave up one Medina. run. To close the game in the 9th, senior Josh Medina secured the win and The next home baseball game is on April 22 as the Seawolves will take a his second save and first of two on the weekend. The Seawolf offense was road trip this weekend to take on Cal State San Marcos. For more information led by sophomore Christopher Wright as he went 2-3 with two RBIs. on the baseball team make sure to head over to, sonomaseawolves.com/sports/ “The coaches have done a great job managing my pitch counts throughbaseball.
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APRIL 12 - APRIL 18, 2022 sonomastatestar.com
Men’s baseball dominates Stanislaus State
The men’s baseball team marches to their coaches after a hot long baseball game at the Seawolf Diamond on campus.
STAR // Holly Durfee
Students shine at “POWER LINES” Festival
STAR // Khanh Dao During this special student produced play, Ally Liberty (left) and Annaliese Van Sickle (right) portray a beach on a moonless night.
STAR // Khanh Dao Cast members of “POWER LINES” New Play Festival applaud their tech crew for their dedication and hard work.
Sebastopol offers live music on the weekends
Singer-songwriter Schlee gently strums the guitar during their special feature performance at Crooked Goat Brewing in Sebastopol.
STAR // Holly Durfee