Volume74 issue8

Death Grips continues to innovate

Pg. 7

Pg. 9

‘Faces of SSU’ inspires

Seawolf baseball lose series

Pg. 10

Sonoma State Star SINCE 1979

MARCH 31 - APRIL 6, 2015

VOLUME 74 // ISSUE 8

SONOMASTATESTAR.COM

Student films accepted into Cannes festival

Ashley M artin Staff Writer

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STAR // Niquie Wilson Sonoma State University students Mary Madison-Baldo and Alex Bretow, produced two films that have been selected for the Cannes Film Festival.

ver spring break, Sonoma State University senior Alex Bretow and junior Mary-Madison Baldo received an email from the Cannes Film Festival congratulating them on a rare accomplishment. Two of their films were accepted into the prestigious film screening event.

“I just went bonkers,” Bretow said of the moment, “I literally ran outside so I could yell.”

The two filmmaking partners expressed much excitement over their accomplishment.

Baldo said, “I leaped out of bed and was like, ‘Mom, Mom.’” The Cannes Film Festival, held annually in France, is one of the most celebrated film fes-

tivals.

Cannes is known for screening popular films such as “Pulp Fiction” and more recently, “Grace of Monaco” starring Nicole Kidman, making the festival an opportunity for exposure among filmmakers and actors alike.

Bretow, a business major who is also minoring in computer science, and Baldo, a double major in English and education, met through the university’s Campus MovieFest, after Baldo had one of her previous films win the award for Best Drama. Bretow reportedly approached Baldo after the show to congratulate her on the win, and the two exchanged numbers and would later begin to collaborate on film ideas.

“I could tell how creative a person [she was] when I walked into her room and her walls were covered with magazine

cut-outs and movie posters,” Bretow said, “I thought that [she] had interesting tastes, and she wasn’t afraid to shout them at the top of her lungs.”

After exchanging ideas regarding a Doritos commercial competition, the two began working together on building their now successful business, Baldo-Bretow Pictures.

“We balance each other out very well,” said Baldo of her partnership with Bretow, “We keep each other sane.”

The two share directing and producing duties on set.

Bretow conducts the business and photography side of their company and Baldo is the head writer. “[He is] a visionary task assassin, and I am a brilliantly bold oddball,” said Baldo of the two’s professional chemistry.

Bretow said of his childhood, “At 8 years old I had a

camcorder and I’d run around my house, and tear his house to pieces filming action movies,” said Baldo, finishing his story.

It was obvious the two had spent much time in each other’s company.

“When I got to college, I got onto the set of ‘Chasing Mavericks’ and I thought, ‘This is awesome, how do I do more of this?’” said Bretow.

Bretow was also a production assistant on the set of the upcoming movie “Ant Man” starring Paul Rudd, and is active in his position as the general manager for SSU-TV. “Film has always been a part of my life,” said Baldo.

“My dad is an animation director, and he would give me different projects, different things to write down, draw or watch, and then we’d talk about them.”

See CANNES on Pg. 9

Community remembers Professor Nick Anast Rissie Markarian Staff Writer

“B

eyond all that sort of technical information, what is equally as important is love, compassion [and] empathy. Can you project that into the world? Is that something we do? Could you feel love from across the room from somebody? I think we can. I think we can project our love across the country. I think we could project our love across the world if it’s strong enough. So, start practicing; practice a way of love and harmonizing.”

Those were the words of Nick Anast, a highly-esteemed life science professor at Santa Rosa Junior College. A recording of this particular lecture can be found on SoundCloud, courtesy of a former student, Morgen Sturgis.

The 55-year-old instructor fell victim to the unforgiving waters of Tomales Bay while kayaking with a friend on March 18.

His wife and 9-year-old son are left grieving.

Anast was swept away by the water, while his friend was able to escape to safety. By the time the Coast Guard was able to rescue him, it was too late. He was pronounced dead due to hypothermia at approximately 6 p.m.

Those fortunate enough to have known Anast were distraught by the death of a man who served as an inspiration to many.

“I think [Anast] has taught me many things beyond the realm of science,” said Duc Pham, a former student of Anast’s and a current biology major at Cornell University. “Even though he is gone, he will continue to set an example of a great teacher and a man of integrity, empathy and compassion.

He came to my lecture at Santa Rosa Junior College last spring, shook my hand and patted me on the back. That meant everything to me.”

Brennan Chin, a Sonoma State University biology graduate student, reflected on a professor who inspired him to be an equally as compassionate and profound instructor, although his class was impressively demanding and difficult.

“He taught us how to be better people and how to take care of our bodies,” Chin said. “Love, excitement and passion were always visible in his eyes and smile and were heard in his voice. Everyone Nick worked with, from students to staff, he truly loved. He was a unique teacher and will be deeply missed at Santa Rosa Junior College.

Anast went out of his way on a daily basis to enrich the lives of everyone around him. His students describe him as someone who created an unforgettable classroom experience, and his colleagues saw him as a man one could count on in hundreds of ways.

Susan Wilson is the chair of the life sciences department at Santa Rosa Junior College. She said she is devastated by the death of the man she worked with closely for the past 10 years.

She described how he had a unique ability to distinguish between real teachers and those with fancy degrees, and urged the faculty to hire the most genuine educators that would make positive impacts on students and serve them well.

Anast was the prime example of all the amazing qualities he preached about and See PROFESSOR on Pg. 4

STAR // Brandon Stachnik Students partake in the annual Holi Festival on Friday at Sonoma State University, welcoming spring and shedding any negative feelings of winter.

See the photo gallery of the Holi Festival on page 12.

Presentation offers insight on rights, police accountability

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Joshua Gutierrez Staff Writer

he national conversation of police brutality and accountability was highlighted on Thursday in a Social Justice Week presentation by a panel from the Northern California American Civil Liberties Union and Police

Accountability Clinic and Helpline.

The Police Accountability and Know Your Rights presentation at Sonoma State offered practical advice on how to be safe when interacting with police. In addition, the American Civil Liberties Union and Police Accountability Clinic and Helpline provided information about their respective organiza-

tions, which offer a range of services from personal counseling to legal aid.

“Police officers are here to serve and protect us and not the other way around,” said Nancy Palandati of the ACLU. “If no one complains, they are not going to See ACCOUNTABILITY on Pg. 5

Page 2

Editorial THE STAR Editorial Board

Dylan Sirdofsky, Editor-in-Chief Peter Njoroge, Executive Editor Gustavo Vasquez, Managing Editor & Distribution Director Kayla E. Galloway, News Editor Alexis Mills, Opinion Editor Brandon Stachnik, Arts & Entertainment Editor Jessie De La O, Features Editor Shannon Brown, Features Editor Kyler Khan, Sports Editor Edward Goquingco, Photo Editor Amanda Saiki, Advertising Director Brennan Chin, Marketing & Design Director Eddie Blake, Editorial Cartoonist Paul Gullixson, Faculty Adviser

Staff Writers Kory Arnold, Jake Burke Samantha Cardenas, Jennifer González Aidan Guthrie, Joshua Gutierrez Olivia Johnson, Emily Johnstone Kimmie Jones, Kayla Kring Rissie Markarian, Ashley Martin Ancia Purdy, Alex Sanchez Ciara Smith, Sierra Smith Aaron Walker, Michelle Welling

Photographers Connor Gibson, Niquie Wilson

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:

“Student films accepted into Cannes festival” Two students from Sonoma State University plan to board a flight to France to attend the Cannes Film Festival if they raise enough money.

Staff Writer Ashley Martin interviews Alex Bretow and Mary-Madison Baldo, chronicling their history together as filmmakers and the future.

Read the story on page 1 & 9

Corrections/Clarifications The STAR values accuracy and works diligently to check facts before publication.

However, if inaccuracies occur, we want to know. Please report errors to the editor at star@sonoma.edu.

Publication

The STAR is published every Tuesday during the fall and spring semesters. Printing is done by Healdsburg Printing. The weekly publication of the STAR is made possible by Instructionally Related Activities Funding.

Opinions

Opinions expressed in the STAR are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the STAR or SSU. The editorial reflects the views of the STAR Editorial Board on issues it considers to be of particular relevance to the campus community.

Letters to the Editor

Letter writers may expect prompt publication in the newspaper’s op-ed section, as space is available. Letters of up to 500 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 to any letter and to edit for length. Letters must sign all contributions and the editor must verify the signer and the writer are one in the same through personal conference. To send a letter to the editor email star@sonoma.edu.

March 31 - April 6, 2015

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Let’s take a #Self-ImageCheck

T

witter is more than an instrument to express agony over not going to Coachella. Instagram can be used for more than showcasing photos from yet another sushi night. Facebook is not just a platform to share BuzzFeed articles on “22 things one should know about their butt.”

Social media has evolved into much more than an everyday outlet for letting followers know what someone’s been up to. A username gives the power to either provide awareness for issues to care about or act as an outlet to post insensitive comments.

Revolutions have been started through Twitter, and atrocious events that would have otherwise been kept secret are exposed using this generation’s favorite tool, the smartphone.

The ongoing story regarding the shocking video recording of a racist chant being sung by a group University of Oklahoma fraternity brothers is one event to place in the “atrocious” category.

The video was first published via Twitter by Unheard, a student organization describing themselves as an alliance of black students organized for change within campus administration and atmosphere. The video went viral immediately and resulted in the closing of the university’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter.

The video itself sparked a massive discussion that’s been taking place on computer monitors and TV screens for weeks.

The hashtag campaign #NotJustSAE created a forum for students and alumni alike to share their own stories of discrimination they experienced while involved in Greek life.

Beloved social media websites have transformed into mediums by which social justice issues are exposed and, more importantly, discussed.

Last year a dispute between feminists and their opposition blew up on the Internet. The #NotAllMen movement was created by those who felt victimized when men were criticized for the oppression of women. As a result, the #AllMenCan campaign was created and is used to explain how all men can support the women’s rights movement.

Examples of awareness being spread using social media tools like this are ever increasing. However, some still take to the Internet to express negativity and inhibit progress in social issues.

Thirteen-year-old Mo’ne Davis scored the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in August, being the first Little League athlete to hold such an honor. Her success and celebrity prompted the Disney Channel to

STAR // Eddie Blake

The ongoing story regarding the shocking video recording of a racist chant being sung by a group University of Oklahoma fraternity brothers is one event to place in the “atrocious” category. announce they were producing a movie on the young athlete.

Unfortunately, Joey Casselberry, a pitcher from Bloomsbury University, was not thrilled with the amount of media attention she was getting. On March 20 he tweeted: “Disney is making a movie about Mo’ne Davis? What a Joke. That sl** got rocked by Nevada.”

Outrage immediately followed the publishing of the tweet, and Casselberry was promptly suspended indefinitely from his team, a punishment some deemed insufficient. Nevertheless, his act of ignorance via Twitter may have ruined any possibility of a future in playing baseball.

Casselberry is not the only one to face consequences after venting in 140 charac-

ters or less. Numerous instances of people getting fired by their employers after publishing inconsiderate and rude posts on their social media sites are reported all the time.

A tweet from Justine Sacco, the once senior director of corporate communications at InterActiveCorp, made the No. 1 trending topic on Twitter before ultimately getting her fired on top of receiving immeasurable public ridicule.

With the amount of control people have over their own public image, it’s crucial to advocate for a general sense of moral decency on the web. No longer can people assume their ignorant jokes will go unnoticed, for now nearly 3 billion people around the world are watching and judging.

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.

Have an opinion?

We’d like to read it.

E-mail all opinions to: star@sonoma.edu The STAR welcomes and encourages letters to the editor and guest submissions.

For more information, read the left sidebar for our policies on editorials and letters to the editor.

Opinion

March 31 - April 6, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 3

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez

Harsh justice system for minor charges

Aaron Walker Staff Writer

T

he United States justice system is known for cracking down hard on drug offenders. Many states have mandatory minimum sentences, and this forces judges to hand out harsh rulings even when they should show mercy.

Many people support these long prison sentences because they believe it keeps violent, drug dealing individuals off the street. Most people, who deal drugs, do so because they have no other form of income, and selling drugs for a few hours can help an individual feed their family for a week.

One case that catches my atten-

tion is the arrest of Fate Winslow, a homeless man from Shreveport, La. Winslow had a few run-ins with the law, and had four non-violent felonies on his record before he received life in prison for selling $20 worth of marijuana.

On Sept. 5, 2008, Winslow was approached by two undercover officers looking for drugs and prostitutes. Winslow agreed to get them $20 of marijuana in exchange for a $5 delivery fee. After the transaction Winslow was arrested and sent to court, where he experienced the harsh mandatory sentences of this country .

On a prison survey provided by the American Civil Liberties Union, Winslow was asked why he got involved in crime, and he said, “To get $5 to get something to eat.”

Because Winslow had a prior drug conviction, he was no longer eligible for food stamps. Winslow was a victim of circumstance, who presented no threat to society, yet our justice system deemed it necessary to lock him up until he dies.

While some states have com-

pletely decriminalized marijuana, there are still 25 individuals serving life in prison for non-violent marijuana offenses according to Beth Curtis, founder of lifeforpot.com.

Sadly cases like this are a norm in our society. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there are 3,278 people serving life in prison for nonviolent offenses, most of which are drug-related. People from all over the world look at our justice system as a joke.

Not only do we have the largest amount of incarcerations per 100,000, but we have the largest number of prisoners total. According to prisonstudies.org, the United States has roughly 2.2 million prisoners while China has only 1.6 million.

Many prisoners in our country are repeat offenders, and often result to crime because they have no other options for income. It’s a cycle that is all too familiar to prisoners, and it’s evident our justice system doesn’t put enough focus on rehabilitating prisoners back into society.

Individuals like Winslow would

Local police unfairly target college students

Olivia Johnson Staff Writer

I

f you ask a college student about the security and police services in Rohnert Park, I’m sure of a common response, and it’s not a good one.

Personally, the two interactions I’ve experienced with the town’s police have left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

Even though they are here to protect students and help keep the community safe, I can’t help wonder if there is a bias against college students.

Things like 120-days and getting parking tickets just for not parking in a certain lot seem like police are either very bored or just feel like ruining somebody’s day.

There was a time when “crime alert” emails felt like they were getting sent out every week.

Another mysterious person was hiding out waiting to attack females.

Overall, it brought crime awareness to Sonoma State students and fear to any

female who walks alone.

Whether it was on campus or just right next to it, there were crimes being committed.

Further, a few female students have had to be put in situations where they were forced to fight for their lives and now suffer from the trauma of their past situation.

While these incidents keep occurring, police services are too busy breaking up parties and making sure everyone has the right parking pass.

The 120-day punishment is ridiculous. Just because there are more than 11 people in a house the police are given the ability to issue a 120-day, putting a house on probation for about four months.

This means the residents can’t have too many people over, no loud music as well as any gathering perceived as a party. In contrast, what the police don’t understand is that there’s a difference between a party and having people over.

“When you’re 21 and you’re having a few people over to drink,” said Sonoma State third year Kayla Parkers, “how is that illegal or causing any harm to the society?”

Of course there are parties that are out of control, we are college students.

Yet, those are also referred to as the “sweaty parties” and everyone knows it’s only a matter of time before the police show up.

But when a house with five residents each have two friends, that is referred to as a party?

Also, the way police officers go about issuing the 120-day shows the true bias and how much they don’t care about anything one has to say, because to them, I’m a college student who has friends over and playing loud music.

Therefore, it’s seen like a party and for some reason students are punished for partying.

What about the locals that live in Rohnert Park, when they have birthday or family parties, are the police pounding on their doors?

Lastly, the parking situation at Sonoma State is another example of how students pay for every little thing and for some reason they can’t park wherever they want.

When it’s late at night and a female is going to be walking to her car alone, do you really think it’s 100 percent safe to park in a lot that is far from where she is coming from?

The police response is there is an escort service provided that one can use. Instead of spending the time to go to Police Services to ask for an officer to escort her, she could have just parked in a lot near her location.

However, because she didn’t spend more money on a specific parking pass, she’ll receive a ticket.

seize the opportunity to rejoin society, but instead they are forced to die in a cell that’s smaller than many of the dorm rooms at Sonoma State.

Some of those dorm rooms have more than $20 of marijuana in them, yet no student would ever dream of having to serve life for two dime bags.

It costs a fortune for the United States to lock up prisoners, and according to humanrightswatch.org, the United States spends about 60 billion a year on incarcerations.

Close to half of these incarcerations are for non-violent offenses.

When non-violent offenders receive harsh sentences, the American people begin to lose faith in the justice system.

Many activists have called for change, and even some high-ranking officials in the justice department believe the system needs to change the way non-violent offenders are punished.

In a recent interview with National Public Radio, Deputy Attorney General James Cole said, “For our criminal justice system to be ef-

fective, it needs to not only be fair, but it also must be perceived as being fair, and older, stringent punishments that are out of line with sentences imposed under today’s laws erode people’s confidence in the justice system.”

Imagine if our county, instead of locking up non-violent offenders, used the money to rehabilitate them by helping prisoners find jobs, housing and other necessities to live a decent life.

Many of these inmates find they would no longer have to resort to a life of crime in order to survive, and their contributions to society could be tremendous.

Instead, our country continues with its failed justice system, by locking up vulnerable individuals who break the law because they have no other means to support themselves.

Hopefully one day our justice system will see that locking up nonviolent offenders costs taxpayers a fortune, and puts individuals into a system that is nearly impossible to break out of.

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News

March 31 - April 6, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Global wine masters program offered in fall

News in Brief

Berkeley, CA

A student at the UC Berkeley went missing over the weekend in southern California after leaving a party near the University of Southern California.

The student, Eloi Vasquez, 19, was found dead Monday afternoon. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, Vasquez was struck by a car on Interstate 10 at approximately 2:25 a.m. Saturday morning. Vasquez played on UC Berkeley’s soccer team and was in Los Angeles for spring break.

Fort Meade, MD One person was shot and two were injured after an unauthorized vehicle gained access into a Nation Security Agency campus in Maryland at approximately 9 a.m. Monday. NSA police shot at the vehicle as it approached a police car. One of the two occupants of the car died at the scene and the other occupant was hospitalized. A NSA police officer was hospitalized as well. This NSA location is home to 95 units from branches of the U.S. armed forces and offices of the Department of Defense.

Salt Lake City, UT The White House announced Monday that President Barack Obama will be visiting Utah for the first time as president this week. The president is scheduled to speak about the economy at Hill Air Force Base. Obama has visited 49 out of the 50 states and intends to visit all 50 states before the end of his term in January 2017, with South Dakota remaining.

New York, NY Jay Z along with 16 other artist-stakeholders announced the launch of the first artist-owned music streaming service on Monday. The company, TIDAL, is a subscription based streaming service, differing to other services like Spotify, which offer both free and subscription options. The company hosts a total of 16 artists including Kanye West, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Jack White, Arcade Fire, Drake, Usher, Nicki Minaj, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Calvin Harris, Daft Punk, Jason Aldean, Madonna, J. Cole and deadmau5.

San Jose, CA The trial concerning the case of 15-year-old Saratoga girl, Audrie Pott, who committed suicide after being sexually assaulted at house party in 2012 begins on Wednesday. Three boys pleaded guilty and served time in juvenile hall for the sexual assault of Pott that occurred after Pott drank and passed out a house party. The victim’s family does not believe the punishment was severe enough. Two other boys involved deny the allegations and will be standing trial in San Jose.

T

Michelle Welling Staff Writer

he only institute in the country offering a Wine Master of Business Administration degree just stepped up its program. Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute is now accepting applicants for its new Global Wine Master of Business Administration fall 2015.

The program is a full-time, one-year accelerated Master of Business Administration focused on drawing in global wine business professionals, winery owners and those who are internationally-minded with the hope of becoming part of the wine industry by implementing wine business tactics in the global market.

“This is a globally distinctive program and should attract students nationally and internationally,” said John Stayton, executive director of graduate and executive programs.

“These graduate wine business programs are part of Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute, which has deep ties to the California and global wine industries, and offers the most comprehensive wine business educational offerings in the world.”

To strengthen the global scope of this program and the Wine Business Institute, the administration has included some of the world’s top wine scholars and teachers, many of whom come from the Burgundy School of Business in France. The new Master of Business Administration includes the same curriculum as the Wine Master of Business Administration that started in 2008, while incorporating global elements to the course such as the Country Intensive Wine Business Analysis, which includes an international learning trip.

Situated at the crossroads of Sonoma and Napa, Sonoma State offers the ideal setting for students to learn about the wine industry. Students will learn from leading experts in the field and globally respected faculty, while having the chance to take advantage of the hands-on learning opportunities at the world-class wineries in Sonoma’s backyard.

In contrast to the two-year Wine Master of Business Administration, the Global Wine Master of Business Administration is a one-

year accelerated program geared to enable a student graduation rate of one calendar year.

Additionally, the weeknight class schedule allows participants to work or hold internships throughout the program.

“I think the new Global Wine Business MBA is a great way for people to refresh their skills, adapt to changing ideals within the industry and network with other professionals all while being flexible with schedules,” said business administration with wine business strategies senior Erica Schreckenghaust.

“It’ll be a great addition to the current wine program.”

The opening of the new program is aptly timed with the development of the Wine Spectator Learning Center. The project received donations from the likes of philanthropists Tatiana and Gerret Copeland, owners of Bouchaine Vineyards in Napa Valley, and Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Wine Spectator magazine, based in New York - only enforcing legitimacy of Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Institute.

Upon completion, the 15,000-square foot building will be organized around three focal areas: an education core with three classrooms; a student commons with areas for collaboration and student-run businesses; and an industry center with space for professional and academic faculty and program leadership. Located in the building previously known as The Commons, the new center aims to be a place for hands-on teaching and learning of the business of wine and hospitality.

“We are training the next generation of wine leaders,” said Stayton. “We have been doing this for California since 2008. We are now positioning ourselves to train the next generation of wine leaders globally. We want our graduates to have the analytical ability to make great business decisions, and the leadership ability to be able to ethically guide wine companies toward sustainable success.”

Due to the international nature of the program, all international students seeking help in learning English are encouraged to make use of the Sonoma State American Language Institute, located in International Hall.

PROFESSOR: Memorial to be held Continued from Pg. 1

MFT

OPEN HOUSE

Earn your MA in Counseling Psychology Marriage and Family Therapy

hoped to instill in the people in his life.

“When someone pays attention and notices exactly what you are doing and that it took some effort and skill, and acknowledges that, it is a wonderful gift,” said Wilson. “Nick gave that gift freely to many people, it was part of his practice.”

Hundreds of people have joined a Facebook group created in order to honor Anast and the exceptional life he led. Members of the group are currently organizing a dedication to their beloved teacher, colleague, and friend, on May 16 at 7 p.m. with the location to be decided.

For anyone hoping to help the Anast family alleviate the financial burden of the unexpected death, donations will be accepted through Nick Anast’s GoFundMe page.

For more information regarding the event, students and community members are encouraged to visit facebook.com/nickanastmemorial.

Erin Sevde, coordinator of his memorial, is selling bracelets in honor of Anast. The proceeds of the bracelet sales are going toward a scholarship fund for Anast’s son and bracelets can be purchased by emailing Sevde at erinlydia27@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Brennan Chin is the marketing & design director for the Sonoma State STAR.

facebook.com Santa Rosa Junior College instructor Nick Anast died on March 18 in a kayaking accident in Tomales Bay.

MFT OPEN HOUSE Tuesday, April 7, 5:30pm To RSVP call 707.527.9612 visit www.usfca.edu/santarosa email santarosacampus@usfca.edu

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March 31 - April 6, 2015

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Page 5

Mercer elected as Associated Students president Ciara Smith Staff Writer

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STAR // Gustavo Vasquez In the Associated Students election, Brandon Mercer recieved the majority vote over Nicole Dominique and was elected president for the 2015-16 school year.

he Associated Students election concluded on March 11 with the election of Brandon Mercer for Associated Students president for the 2015-16 school year.

The Associated Students Fee Referendum also passed with support from 67 percent of student voters.

The results were announced at Lobo’s Pizza and Pub where Mercer won the majority of the vote with 74 percent while his opponent, Nicole Dominique, received 26 percent of the vote.

“I am thrilled to have won the election and feel very motivated to get to work on behalf of my fellow Seawolves,” Mercer said. “I am ready and eager to shadow Anthony Gallino these last several weeks of the school year to fully grasp the duties of Associated Students President and prepare myself for

next year.

Mercer said he feels welcome and respected in the Associated Students office by all he comes into contact with.

He said he is looking forward to working alongside others involved in Associated Students next year. Even though Dominique didn’t get elected for Associated Students president, she is planning on running for the Associated Students vice president position.

“Although, I didn’t win, I walk with my head held high, and am going for vice president,” said Dominique. “[The winners of the election] are an amazing group next year and I hope I have the opportunity to get vice president and get on board and be a part of next year’s leadership group.”

Junior Kevin McMahon won the position of Associated Students vice president of finance with 94 percent.

“I am excited to use the skills and knowledge I have acquired thus far in my three

years at Sonoma State University through leadership roles in clubs and organizations,” said McMahon.

“Along with learning from Adam, all he has done this last year to perform my duties to the best of my ability,” he said. “I look forward to working with the other members of Associated Students and the student body to effect positive change on campus.”

Since Associated Students vice president position is vacant, the Associated Students Senate has a process to elect someone to fill the position. A search committee, made up of current senate members and elected members of next year’s senate, will interview applicants for the executive vice president.

The committee will then forward one or two recommended candidates to the president and the president will then nominate a candidate to the Associated Stu-

dents Senate for confirmation.

The Associated Students fee referendum is adding a $12 fee increase over the next four years to help give money to campus programs and services to provide students the necessities they need. In the first year of the fee, the money is going to the Tutorial Center.

Current Associated Students President Anthony Gallino said, “I am pleased over 1,400 students voted in this last election. It’s so important for us to vote in the AS elections because these elections matter so much. We need good leaders to represent us.

And we need to make sure people vote to elect the right individuals.”

For more information regarding Associated Students, the election or the newly implemented fee increase, students are encouraged to contact Associated Student representatives.

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STAR // Connor Gibson Social Justice Week featured a presentation on police brutality and accountability on Thursday at the Student Center.

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ACCOUNTABILITY: Campus hosts diverse panel Continued from Pg. 1

change their way. If nobody pays attention, they are going to keep escalating their tactics.

It’s not going to change unless people get involved.”

Sonoma County is uniquely linked to the national conversation when 13-year-old Andy Lopez was shot and killed by deputy Erick Gelhaus in October 2013. Of particular interest within the presentation is discrimination faced by minority communities by police.

Elizabeth Castanon, a student and sociology major from San Diego, said she grew up with incidents of harassment from police as a normal occurrence of life.

As a Latina, Castanon said she witnessed harassment toward her community, siblings and parents. She said her brother would tell stories of being pulled over frequently because the car he drove did not fit his appearance.

“I am a very aware that the color of my skin and what I am puts me in the ballpark for getting pulled over more often, or getting talked to more often,” said Castanon. “It’s kind of just the world we live in. I don’t accept it, I don’t like it, but I have to be aware that this is a possibility for me and that I may always be at a disadvantage.”

Protests over the deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. and Eric Garner of New York City raised the awareness of police conduct. At all stages of interaction, from conversation, detention to arrest, the panel agreed that keeping silent was the best form of con-

duct.

The perspective of one panelist, David Engel, represented the blunt reality of the national conversation.

“Do not trust police, they can lie to you, it is perfectly legal for them to lie to you,” said Engel. “If you lie to them, it is a crime. Whenever you are around police, keep your hands out of your pockets and do not make sudden movements. Do not walk behind police. You do not want to do anything that will startle them. Nervous cops are dangerous cops.”

Blade Wagner, a student at Sacramento State University who attended the event spoke of an incident three years prior he deemed unnecessary action similar to Engel’s perspective.

In a routine traffic stop, Wagner pulled over for two police vehicles.

As a number of officers approached his vehicle, Wagner reached toward his glove box for his vehicle registration, documentation he anticipated they might need. To his bewilderment, every officer pointed a firearm into the cabin of his car as he arose.

“It is excessive force that no average person is prepared for,” said Wagner. “That is an extreme case for an isolated traffic incident. An average person should not have to deal with that force.”

Wagner said that he was detained after the incident and was not read his Miranda rights.

As reflected by Marty McReynolds, the American Civil Liberties Union is in favor of body cameras for police

officers on duty. The issue the organization has is there are generally little to no guidelines for police who wear equipment.

Late last year, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved three five-year contracts with Taser International, Inc., which will include software management, cloud storage services and cameras.

A story by Bay City News Service noted that a Rohnert Park man asked that the program be delayed because law enforcement officers may be allowed o turn the devices off at their own discretion.

Access by the public to videos are not available without a court order or approval by the sheriff’s office.

Engel said that body cameras are very similar to dashboard cameras on police vehicles when they were first introduced.

Both showed the supposed transparency of the police, but did little to stem the actual problem.

The presentation touched upon the basic rights citizens are entitled to.

Panel members discussed that most people who report on incidents afterward were oblivious to their rights.

“It was really informative,” said Holly Lyon, a geography major. “I think they should have more things like this. We are not really aware of what are rights are. It’s important for people to know that you do have rights.”

Further information about the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California is available at aclunc.org.

Page 6

Arts

March 31 - April 6, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Juried student exhibition

Slam poetry with comic relief

Student artists showcase work for professional review

Kimmie Jones Staff Writer

S

Gustavo vasquez Managing Editor

A

diverse array of art is what can be seen after walking into the main glass doors of the University Art Gallery and being greeted by Carla Stone, the exhibition coordinator for the various students interning there.

Juried by Amy Owen, curator of di Rosa Gallery in Napa, and local Bay Area artist Chris

Thorson, the show holds a variety of mediums including printmaking, ceramics, mixed media and photography, which just scrapes the surface of what the current exhibition of students has to offer; showcasing the current art projects of students.

The University Art Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends between noon and 4 p.m. in the Art Building of Sonoma State.

Review

onoma State University students enjoyed themselves Tuesday when slam poet and author Buddy Wakefield graced an intimate audience with incredible poetry and humor.

Wakefield is a three-time world champion spoken word artist traveling the country to share his art.

It was clear the small audience in Ives 76 wasn’t what Wakefield was used to. The audience of people in a small room with black floors and a single spotlight on a microphone made for an intimate setting.

It seemed as if the audience threw Wakefield off his game, because it took him about 10 minutes to even begin his first poem. That’s not to say the time spent before the poetry wasn’t entertaining. On the contrary, Wakefield had a sense of humor that can make even the most conservative person in the audience grin.

He specifically picked on conservatives when he began to talk about homophobes, while simultaneously stroking his microphone, resembling a sexual gesture.

Unless having heard his poetry prior to this show, there was no way of knowing what to expect at this point. Wakefield took extremely long pauses between sentences, creating an awkward silence in the room.

He joked about how his sparkling water was making him burp and how everyone liked his random sweater before giving an anecdote on when he and the director of the HUB, Mark Fabionar, first met.

Wakefield kept mentioning how the atmosphere was making him nervous. After a while, it seemed as if he was never actually going to begin reciting a poem. Luckily, his sarcastic humor kept the audience entertained.

His sharp puns and whit poked fun at everything.

“Rohnert Park, where I’ve wanted to perform since my whole life,” he said, “and where I gained almost 20 times the following than I had in Greenland.”

With little introduction to his first poem,

facebook.com Comedian and spoken word artist Buddy Wakefield visited Ives 76 to entertain Sonoma State University students with his original poems and jokes. he slid into the fast rhythm so seamlessly it took a moment to realize he had begun the poem.

Throughout the rest of the show he went in and out of the poetry to add side notes and conversations. Although his sense of humor was quite dry and his pauses were long, his poetry was pure magic.

While his choreographed hands and fingers moved with each word and breath, Wakefield’s words came out as a pure masterpiece.

He had a way of pointing out everyday occurrences, and changing the way they’re looked at, exposing how they are ruining our society.

“Stop congregating in the valley,” Wakefield said, “just because an echo sounds good when it agrees with itself.”

Although all of his poems were very different, they all covered similar ideals. The main focuses of Wakefield’s poems advocated the ideas of present, individual and honest.

Hidden FLIX Our Netflix favorites

facebook.com

“Beginners” (2010) Los Angeles based artist Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor) begins a new chapter in his life when his 75-year-old father (Christopher Plummer) announces he has cancer, as well as a young male lover. A new romance of his own (Mélanie Laurent) is found as he deals with the traumas and elations of STAR// Gustavo Vasquez Students of Sonoma State University’s art department showed their creativity Thursday, for the opening reception of the Juried Student Exhibition, which runs until April 12 in the University Art Gallery.

this tansitional period.

“Beginners” is available to stream on Netflix.com

Entertainment

March 31 - April 6, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 7

The mythos, publicity of Death Grips Alex Sanchez Staff Writer

D

facebook.com Above: The letter Death Grips posted online, stating that they would be breaking up once their album is released.

Below: MC Ride performs with much intensity during each of their shows.

Review

eath Grips, a trio from Sacramento whose music is a wellfused combination of electronic, hip-hop and punk, have left the world confounded since their beginning.

Gathering experience from vocalist MC Ride’s time with hip-hop project, Fyre, with his brother and drummer Zach Hill’s experience from playing with a multitude of bands as well as his own, a math rock duo called Hella, Death Grips’ music matches the paranoid vocals that haunt each record.

From their major-label debut “The Money Store” in early 2012, the band has gathered a large fan base and a rather intriguing mythos to their career.

After the release of “The Money Store,” fans clamored at the fact they had already teased their next album, “Coming 2012: No Love.”

A few months passed before their supporters discovered some pretty interesting breadcrumbs leading them on a trail to what could possibly be “No Love.”

By searching the deep web via private browser Tor, fans discovered codes and cyphers that resulted in spelling out passwords and other URLs on the web.

On this hunt, they found that the album was now called “No Love Deep Web” and was to be released by Epic Records on Oct. 1, 2012.

Several conflicts later, the band released “No Love Deep Web” on a multitude of file sharing sites like The Pirate Bay at midnight on Oct. 1.

Rather than the initial cover art previously leaked, the album was now adorned with one of the band members’ genitals with the album title written on it in marker.

The antics didn’t stop there. Exactly 13 months, 13 days and 13 hours after the release of “No Love Deep Web,” Death Grips surprised fans by releasing their third album, “Government Plates.”

Its sound was different than previous

releases in that it was more focused on a few tracks, played expertly by Nick Reelectronic music than the typical hip- inhart, guitarist for the math rock band hop sound, and also featured a crudely Tera Melos. recorded guitar part by actor Robert PatFor some tracks, it complements the tinson. overall sound of vocalist Stefan “Ride” In June 2014, the band released yet Burnett shouting and whispering while another album, “N***** on the Moon,” drummer Zach Hill imitates the sound stating that it was the first disc of a dou- of banging on trash cans, and sound ble album called “The Powers That B.” manipulator Andy “Flatlander” Morin The disc’s eight tracks were mellow stretches and distorts samples from slot and featured “guest contributions” by machines to soul classics.

Icelandic pop singer Bjork. Rather than If there were ever a time to end a actually feature her on the tracks, each band, it would be on a note like this. track was based entirely on samples of But they aren’t done yet. On March the singer’s voice played by drummer 24, the band declared they were going Zach Hill with an electronic drum kit. on tour to promote “Powers.” Fans were Fans were polarized by its sound and both excited and uneasy of this because were anxious to see what the next disc for one, this meant Death Grips hadn’t would hold. actually broken up, and also, the last time In July 2014, the band posted on the band announced a tour, they were noFacebook page an image of a note writ- shows at every venue. ten on a napkin: Death Grips were “at The most recent, the band broke up their best” and were calling it quits. The before embarking on a tour with indusnote stated that “The Powers That B” trial metal act Nine Inch Nails, infuriatwas still to be released in late 2014, but ing both fans and Nine Inch Nails front after the band would be no more. Or so man Trent Reznor. The unease comes fans thought. with great anticipation as every Death One December night, the song “In- Grips fan eagerly anticipates the next animate Sensation” was posted on the step for Ride, Hill and Flatlander. band’s YouTube page, and a notice said Given their exhaustive five-year histhe album’s second half, “Jenny Death,” tory, fans and newcomers alike will wait was now completed. anxiously and excitedly for what the next This left fans on Internet music step—should they not break up followboards to wonder when this disc would ing the tour—may hold for the Sacracome out, shortened to three short yet mento trio. important words: “Jenny Death when?”

The band even mocked the web users by releasing an instrumental album titled “Fashion Week,” whose track titles were the names of fake runways at a fashion show called “Runway J” and so forth, spelling out in its runway layout the exact same phrase.

“The Powers That B” was finally released March 24 and it immediately shows Death Grips at their best, just as the breakup napkin decreed.

From its opening track, “I Break Mirrors with My Face in the United States,” the album demonstrates the band is working at full speed and bringing facebook.com back the sounds of their mixtape “Exmilitary” released in 2011.

Death Grips’ latest release, “The One distinct difference the album Powers that B,” was released in full displays is the prominence of a guitar in on March 24.

Albums releasing this week Sufjan Stevens - “Carrie & Lowell”

(Idie folk)

Wale - “The Album About Nothing” (HipHop)

facebook.com Mark Millar’s comic book “Chrononauts” features two time travelers, Corbin Quinn and Danny Reilly.

Travel through time with the ‘Chrononauts’ Jake Burke Staff Writer

I

Review

n the world of comics, it’s very rare that top-tier writers and artists come together to create an entirely new series. But this type of collaboration is exactly how the new comic book series, “Chrononauts,” was formed. On the surface, “Chrononauts” is just a story of humanity’s first attempt at time travel, but like most of Mark Millar’s previous books, there’s so much more.

Millar, legendary comic writer, has produced many famous comics, such as “Kick-Ass,” “The Secret Service” (or Kingsman) and Marvel’s “Civil War” storyline. His comics have shaped the industry and left an ever lasting impact, the aforementioned titles are all the subject of current or future movies.

While “Chrononauts’” artist is a little less world renown, he is nonetheless just as talented.

Sean Gordon Murphy was the artist of “Punk Rock Jesus,” “The Wake” and “Joe the Barbarian.” With an artistic team like this, “Chrononauts” was sure to have some impact on the comic world, but just how good can this new series be?

The first issue of “Chrononauts” is in one word, interesting. The comic plays with the idea of time travel, but rather than making the book’s two leading men time-cops or something juvenile, these characters are given actual depth.

The two leads: Corbin Quinn and Danny Reilly are both fun-loving guys who just happened to be scientists. Both leads are quite entertaining and share plenty of good back-and-forth dialogue. However, it’s clear comedy isn’t the writer’s focus and as the reader dives into the men’s lives and discovers

unexpected and compelling depth.

Corbin is a man who gave too much to his work and not enough to his family and friends, especially his father and now ex-wife. While Danny is a man who’s fun spirit and carefree attitude has him heavily playing on the “player” troupe normally seen in fiction, and some how it feels as if there is something more just waiting to be revealed.

Despite the two marvelous characters, there is one clear problem within “Chrononauts’” first issue.

There is far too much going in the 40-some-odd pages provided in the comic. The writer drags the reader through multiple cities and over a year and half of events.

It’s a book that suffers from too much set up; the reader is first introduced to some mystical element that shows the possibility of time travel and then the very next page shows the two leads actually creating time travel itself. There isn’t enough focus on the interesting characters themselves. This one error drastically takes away from the overall impact that the ending could truly have.

Luckily there is something that can always save a story gone awry; Murphy’s art is as beautiful as ever. His exceptional style brings these characters to life and gives the reader some amazing eye candy.

This art alone should be reason enough to check out this book. Each of the characters are crafted with such care one can see just how realized they are. If Murphy’s work is unfamiliar to the reader, this is a great place to admire his beautiful talent.

While “Chrononauts’” is plagued with pacing problems, there manages to be some real promise for the issues ahead as time is sure to slow down and allow for actual development. The series is bound to be enjoyable and fun, while dealing with some real human issues of loss and love. “Chrononauts” is recommended to any comic book fan that wants more than just a traditional superhero beat-em-up book.

Ringo Starr -

“Postcards From

Paradise” (Rock)

Death Cab For Cutie - “Kintsugi”

(Alternative)

Movies releasing this week Furious 7 - starring: Vin Diesel, Paul

Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham

Woman in Gold - starring: Helen

Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl

5 to 7 -

Anton Yelchin, Bérénice Marlohe, Olivia Thirlby, Lambert Wilson

Lambert & Stamp - starring: Kit Lambert, Chris Stamp, Roger Daltrey

Page 8

Features

March 31 - April 6, 2015

sonomastatestar.com knuckles. ‘I’ll save ‘em all, I’ll save ‘em all.’”

Toward the end of her routine, Peluso made sure to share her No. 1 rule of the girl code. That is, to be happy with oneself and comfortable in one’s own skin. Girls with, as she humorously said, “shellac on their face,” need to be happy with the person they are underneath all the makeup.

At the end of the event when everyone had gotten their photo taken with Peluso, there

were still some who had smiles on their faces.

“She didn’t need to be the most inspirational person ever,” said freshman Erin Furnay. “She made me laugh constantly for an entire hour.

With all the stress of college, it was such a nice and hilarious way to loosen up and have a good time.”

She lifted the spirits of the audience and made tears appear in the corners of their eyes from constant laughter.

STAR // Brennan Chin MTV “Girl Code” actress and comedian Jessimae Peluso spoke to Sonoma State University students March 24. Peluso shared her life experiences with the mostly allfemale audience, discussing topics such as relationship problems and parents.

Comedian Jessimae Peluso provides night of laughter Shannon Brown Features Editor

J

essimae Peluso, commonly known from the MTV hit show “Girl Code,” visited Sonoma State University March 24 for a night filled with laughs. Before the show began, girls were lined up out the door of the Student Center and up the staircase waiting in anticipation for the show. One by one, the Grand Ballroom was filled with female fans eagerly awaiting the start of the show.

As the lights were lowered, one could feel the energy and excitement in the room as Peluso’s friend and fellow comedian, Marcella Arguello, took the stage. Arguello didn’t waste any time in pointing out the obvious.

She said, “I’m very tall for a woman. Let’s talk about it. Let’s not waste any time. I’m 6 feet 2 inches. Ever since I was a kid I was called a giraffe. It really offends me as a proud giraffigan American.”

The rest of Arguello’s performance was consistently filled with laughs from the audience, giving the impression Peluso’s would be no different. After finishing up her set, Arguello introduced Peluso and the crowd erupt-

ed in applause.

After entering the stage with what she called a “ninja roll,” she pointed out her “Kim Kardashian crying face” T-shirt and everybody in the audience erupted with laughter.

Relating to the fact that Sonoma isn’t the most lively college city and more of a wine county, Peluso said, “How does anyone do anything sober here?”

Most students felt like what made Peluso funny was she wasn’t afraid to take risks.

“Jessimae definitely did not hold back when it came to her routine,” said freshman Sarah Kirkeby. “It was refreshing to see someone who isn’t afraid to be herself and to put everything out on the table.”

The consistent laughter came from how relatable everything Peluso talked about was.

From parents to relationship problems, she was able to share her life experiences with the crowd, which made every joke even funnier.

Speaking about being a dog lover, Peluso said, “I had four dogs at one point. That’s another problem. That’s an emotional issue. I had to stop going into shelters when it was that time of the month. I would go in already emotional. I would have Nutella dripping off my

STAR // Brennan Chin Jessimae Peluso speaking to students in the Student Center Grand Ballroom as she proudly displayed her “Kim Kardashian crying face” T-shirt.

Restaurant Review: Fu Zhou Chinese Emily Johnstone Staff Wroter

W

hen a craving for Chinese food begins to set in, Fu Zhou is the place to go. With an assortment of savory dishes, there’s always something new for customers to try at a reasonable price.

Sonoma State University students don’t have to travel far for this delectable food, but rather just down East Cotati Avenue, located in the same shopping center as Oliver’s Market.

Customers can call ahead and place an order for pick-up to bring home without any hassle. However, if there’s a night where leaving the house seems impossible, Fu Zhou offers a free delivery option with an $18 order minimum. Even dining in is enjoyable with all the colorful decorations for customers to admire.

“While the service may not be that great, Fu Zhou ends up being an enjoyable place to dine that gets a lot of business from Sonoma State students because of their dishes,” said junior Jim-

my Adams. “I think their business thrives because not only is their food really good, but the prices for [the] amount of food you get is awesome.”

Not only is the location a convenience for customers, but the prices of the dishes work well with a college student’s budget.

Ranging from around $7 to $13, the amount of food one gets for their money is completely worth it. They even have a daily lunch special, offered from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. During this time, dishes are a few dollars less than normal and are served with fried wontons, a soup of the day, salad and fried rice, or chow mein or steamed rice.

“Fu Zhou is a great place for Sonoma State students to go with friends, bring their parents to or even for a little date night.

It has some very tasty Chinese food at prices that honestly aren’t bad at all,” said student Jessie Hoffer. “My favorite dish would have to be the Chicken Chow Fun. While the service may be kind of impersonal, the workers there move quickly and efficiently, even when they have big groups dining there.”

For those who are dining with multiple people, Fu Zhou offers “family dinners,” which gives customers different options that can be split between multiple people that includes a soup, appetizer and entrée. This deal allows for larger groups to come in and get a deal for their meal. With tables against the walls and a line of them down the middle of the restaurant, it gives those who have a lot of people in their party all the space they need.

From their flavorful beef, chicken and pork dishes, to their appetizing Chow Fun and Chow Meins, the restaurant serves a variety of meals that leaves customers with the difficult decision on what to order. They also offer multiple vegetable and tofu dishes, which makes dining at Fu Zhou appealing to vegetarians as well. While Fu Zhou’s food and prices may be good, the service isn’t anything to rave about.

“Honestly, Fu Zhou has some really tasty food, but I just wish that the people that worked there were a bit nicer.

They do work to get you your

food quickly and if you come with a big group they’re very accommodating,” said sophomore Rachel McCloskey. “However, the workers tend to be very detached from their customers. I normally do take out or delivery because of it, but I’d definitely eat at the restaurant more if their

workers were a bit more personable.”

The reason some people may use the to-go or delivery options from Fu Zhou is because they don’t necessarily prefer to deal with the disengaged service of their workers or the generic atmosphere of the restaurant.

While the restaurant’s atmosphere and service isn’t anything special, it’s the flavorsome food and inexpensive prices that keep the customers, especially college students, coming back for more. Fu Zhou is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is located at 572 East Cotati Ave.

facebook.com Fu Zhou Chinese Restaurant, located at 572 East Cotati Ave., in the same shopping center as Oliver’s Market, offers a variety of different entrees at reasonably low prices.

Features

March 31 - April 6, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Page 9

STAR // Samantha Cardenas The “Faces of SSU” exhibit will profile 26 Sonoma State University students, who are involved in the university community, such as in clubs, student government and student association groups.

‘Faces of SSU’ exhibit showcases student involvement Samantha Cardenas Staff Writer

I

t’s not uncommon for students to walk around campus with their heads down, spaced out on their phones. More often than not, a simple “hello” or “hey” will be exchanged between students rather than engaging in full-on conversations. This prevents students from connecting with each other, causing them to miss out on meeting people, which can lead to opportunities.

This year, The HUB has put together “Faces of SSU,” an exhibit featuring 26 students who are actively involved in the Sonoma State University community, whether it’s in clubs, student government or student association groups. The goal of the exhibit is to give other students a look into the lives of some of the students among us and see where they come from and who they are.

Whether a student is a freshman just getting used to his or her surroundings, or a senior in the last home stretch of college, it can be difficult for students to connect or feel they have a place at Sonoma State.

“When I was a freshman, I was super sure I was going to transfer out of SSU. Then

I got elected president of the Queer Straight Alliance, and suddenly there were people who were friendly and that were my friends,” said student Nick Hunley-Moore. “I had responsibilities here, which was cool, and it was kind of the way it was when I was back home. Accumulating stuff to make me busy instead of being bored in my dorm doing calculus homework in a major that I hated, I ended up saying yes to all these weird and random opportunities that created a beautiful family of other student leaders.”

Much like Hunley-Moore’s story, many students aren’t aware of the opportunities Sonoma State has to offer, or they simply don’t know where to look for them. The HUB, located on the third floor of the Student Center connects students with their community and highlights the things students are doing and contributing to.

Other than in clubs and organizations, these students were able to expand their horizons and take advantage of opportunities they might have not thought were possible.

“This past year I had the opportunity to study abroad. I’m the first of 19 grandchildren to go to college, so for me I never even thought about being able to afford to come here, let alone being able to live in another country for a year,” said student JaQuay Butler. “I

got a whole other perspective on not just life in Europe, but life in America. I changed so much on the inside, and I want other people to be able experience that. It doesn’t matter where you come from as long as you set your mind to something and have goals, you can accomplish them.”

These students’ stories and many more can be viewed on the Seawolf Living website at seawolfliving.com/faces-of-ssu. The “Faces of SSU” exhibit was first displayed on Saturday at the Audra McDonald show at the Green Music Center. The exhibit will be on display again Wednesday through Friday at the Student Center and April 7 through May 15 in the library.

“I see so many students struggle in their first years. Struggle to connect, for some they struggle to see or meet people who they have something in common with, or they don’t know what they have in common until they talk,” said Mo Phillips, associate director of student development. “I believe in face-to-face communication and really getting to know people. Being our authentic selves; the good, the bad and the ugly. I want people to be a part of something here. I want everyone to know that they are Seawolves, and because of that, they will always have a place here.”

STAR // Niquie Wilson Sonoma State University students Alex Bretow and Mary-Madison Baldo’s two short films, “Snake Eyes” and “Rampage,” were accepted in to the Cannes Film Festival. The pair is raising funds to get them to the entertainment industry’s elite event in May, where they will get to have their films showcased among some of Hollywood’s biggest names.

COURTESY // Anna Luna SSU-TV’s Film Festival “CineNoma” will take place on April 16. Students interested in participating in the competition have until April 10 to submit their film on a USB or digital file.

‘CineNoma’ Film Festival submissions Ashley Martin Staff Writer

O

ne might have thought award season was over after the Oscars, but something is brewing once again at Sonoma State University’s very own SSU-TV. “We’re doing it a bit differently this year,” said SSUTV General Manager Alex Bretow.

In previous years, the typical student at Sonoma State University may not have even heard of the SSU-TV Film Festival, or as they are calling it this year, “CineNoma”.

“We’re completely rebranding it,” Bretow said of the event, “making it something that will stay around and have a legacy.”

Sonoma State, although lacking an actual filmmaking program, is beginning to progress with the film industry in that several opportunities have become available to students to share their work, such as Campus MovieFest and the upcoming “CineNoma.”

“We believe that there is a lot of talent here at Sonoma State University,” said Bretow.

The concept of “CineNoma” was put into action in the last three years, but this year SSU-TV is raising the bar.

“There’s going to be a red carpet, backdrop for photos, and popcorn and snacks,” said Bretow.” But it’s not just a film festival, it’s an opportunity to be seen.”

Confirmed judges include many industry professionals who also direct and produce as well as have extensive knowledge about the film industry.

The growth of such film festivals at Sonoma State University has reportedly opened the door for more discussion about a possible filmmaking certificate, provided by the communication and media studies department.

Students have until April 10 to submit a film on a USB or digital file to the mailbox outside of Nichols 326. The event will take place on April 16, from 7-10 p.m. in Ballroom D of the Student Center.

The judges will give awards to the top three films and will provide a full screening of the awarded films at the event, and highlights of the other submissions will be shown as well. Live performances are also scheduled for this event.

The festival is open to the public, and attendance is expected to be higher than previous years, as the event is a big opportunity for students.

“It puts [student] films on a larger scale,” said Bretow.

“We’re just really building a community here.”

All students are welcomed to submit their work into the competition. The dress attire for the event is formal, and those who are interested in submitting or who are curious about the event are encouraged to contact Anna Luna at luna@seawolf.sonoma.edu.

CANNES: Short films chosen for festival Continued from Pg. 1

Baldo began writing as a child, and wrote several novels in her youth, including one that got attention from the publishing house Penguin.

“The 11-year-old me with my braces thought this was so cool,” said Baldo, “but they wanted to change the main character to a male. I refused.”

The two films that were accepted into the Cannes Film Festival, “Snake Eyes” and “Rampage” were discovered

by Cannes through their wins at the Campus MovieFest of 2014.

“Snake Eyes” is a 25-minute short action-suspense film, while “Rampage” is more of a horror film.

“I like just being on the edge of your seat, and having that feeling of your heart being squeezed,” said Baldo of horror and suspense films.

Bretow agreed. “I like twisting the usual and making it unusual,” said Bretow.

When asked what they wanted to do after graduation, Baldo said, “I’d like to eventually teach. I love kids. A riskier and crazier plan would be teaming up with [Bretow] and make more of a name for

ourselves.”

Baldo also expressed interest in going to graduate school in southern California, and possibly interning with a production company, but is still open to what the future has in store.

“I’ll be doing this,” said Bretow. “I’m going to be filmmaking no matter what, so depending on what [she] decides to do, there will always be this.”

Bretow and Baldo are attempting to gather donated funds for a trip to Cannes, France, in order to attend the big event in May. The two students must raise $11,000 to pay for transportation, hotel accommo-

“If you have a passion, pursue that,” said Alex Bretow. “Don’t let anything in the world get in your way.” dations, food for themselves and possibly funds to accommodate potential investors for their projects. The duo are collecting donations on GoFundMe.com and expressed much gratitude to those who have donated so far.

“We had someone donate $500 anonymously,” said Bretow. “We’ve gotten a ton of support from professors, students, family and friends, and the com-

munity. It’s incredible.”

Bretow and Baldo agreed that giving up is not an option when pursuing one’s dreams.

“Be true to your vision, and never give up. Don’t let other people affect your decisions,” said Baldo.

“If you have a passion, pursue that,” said Bretow. “Don’t let anything in the world get in your way.”

Page 10

Sports

March 31 - April 6, 2015

sonomastatestar.com

Player Profile: Amanda Llerena

Jennifer González Staff Writer

T

he 20-year-old pitcher Amanda (Mandy) Llerena is a Bay Area native that is from San Jose. Llerena, a junior, comes from a very diverse family; she is half Japanese and half Spanish. She is very family oriented. Although her family is about two hours away, she still gets homesick, but yet has her softball teammates to make her feel like home.

“They are definitely my family here. They are like my only friends. I know that I can go to them about anything and it’s usually about anything but softball a lot of the times,” Llerena said about her teammates.

Llerena graduated from Prospect High School in 2012 where she was Female Athlete of the Year both her junior and senior year. She has been playing softball since age seven. In high school, she played both positions as shortstop and pitcher. She also played soccer during high school and was team captain junior and senior year. Even though she doesn’t play soccer any more she still enjoys watching it.

“I’m a really big Giants fan. I usually watch every single game with my roommate,” Llerena said when talking about a few of her favorite sports. “I also really enjoy soccer because my dad’s from Spain and soccer is a huge thing over there.”

Soccer and softball are two sports that Llerena is really passionate about, but she could only choose one. She decided to go with softball.

“I think I chose softball over soccer, even though I really like soccer, because I felt like softball came more naturally to me, like pitching.

I was just better in softball than I was in soccer I thought,” said Llerena.

Llerena has been playing softball for Sonoma State since she was a freshman. She has played in many games and has build memories when playing them. Her best memory and accomplishment was during her sophomore year during the California Collegiate Athletic Association Conference Tournament.

“We played against one of our biggest rival teams and we played a 14-inning game. It was like a five-hour long game. I got to throw to my best friend, Aubrie Tolliver (catcher), and we won. It was the craziest game ever,” Llerena said with excitement. “It went from daylight to night time.”

Llerena is very different from most players.

She likes to inspire her team members when playing the game.

“I’m really into feeling inspired. I love inspirational people. I’m obsessed with quotes,” said Llerena.

She also doesn’t play softball for herself.

Whenever she is playing a game, she is playing it for her grandparents or God. Her religion has a great impact on her when playing softball.

“A lot of my advice comes from God. One of my teammates sends out a bible verse before every game. A lot of the things that God has to say about not worrying about anything and praying about everything,” said Llerena.

When playing a game, Llerena always does two things: she wears the two important bracelets and signs her grandparents’ initials on the field before the game. One of her bracelets is a verse in the bible that has printed on it ‘Colossians 3:23’.

The other bracelet she wears has written on it ‘I am second’. These bracelet help her remember that although she loves playing softball, she is playing for her grandparents and God. “Mandy is known for being an inspirational leader on the team. She always knows what to say when we are down and when we need a pickme-up. I truly admire her selfless attitude.” said Tolliver. “She always puts her teammates ahead of herself. She never cares about her stats or ERA but cares about her teammate and what she can do better for the team.”

When a softball player who is in college is really dedicated to the sport, it has to be a big part of their lives and it can get a little hectic when trying to remember education and playing. Llerena is a well-organized player that writes everything down so that she can maintain both softball and school.

“I basically live by my planner. I check it everyday, like five times a day, before I go to bed, when I wake up. My planner keeps me balanced,” said Llerena.

Llerena associates with softball in her life even if it’s not playing the sport. She has made great connections with her coaches and teammates that have made her the person who she is today.

“Coach Bridges has a huge impact on the way I think about a lot of things like just being completive and being a perfectionist and always never setting a limit for yourself. Also, being selfless and being humble,” Llerena said. “I’ve learned so many characteristics from playing softball and learning life lessons from my coach.”

A reason why Llerena picked to come to Sonoma State was because of the softball program. The Sonoma State softball team is a team with willpower and community based. They play for one another and together that makes them strong.

“Our team works harder than any other team in conference, I know that for a fact. We have sometimes practiced for six hours and I don’t think most teams do that. We work really hard and have so much pride, but at the same time we are such a humbled team,” said Llerena.

After graduating from Sonoma State with a business major, Llerena hopes to continue to go to school closer to home like San Jose State to get her teaching credentials to hopefully teach the fourth grade. She hopes to be a pitching coach and teach little kids how to play. Unfortunately,

STAR // Jennifer González she does not want her kids, when she has some in the future, to play softball.

“I think I will take softball for what it’s taught me and continue to teach my kids and find ways to show them that sports can really change your life and give you good values and give you good characteristics, but I don’t think I want my kids to play softball,” Llerena said.

Llerena has learned many values through out the years of playing softball, but this year she has really learned that she wants to play softball for God. “I’ve taken on playing for God. I feel like that’s where I found most of my success, so far, just not thinking about me when I’m out there and playing for something bigger.”

Baseball Gallery: Seawolves vs. Tritons In close matchups, UC San Diego takes three out of four

STAR // Connor Gibson Left: Senior pitcher Aaron Gillis releases the pitch. Right: Senior infielder Jourdan Weiks looks to tag the diving runner.

STAR // Connor Gibson Left: Junior infielder Philip Ramos makes solid contact at the plate. Right: Junior catcher Spencer Neve follows through on a strong swing in his at-bat.

Sports

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sonomastatestar.com

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STAR // Connor Gibson Left: Sophomore Karlee Budge, who won both her matchups, returns a shot. Right: Sophomore Kaitlyn Haithcock eyes the ball before her serve.

Women’s tennis team keeps winning Kayla Kring Staff Writer

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his weekend not only brought great weather, but a weekend dominated by the Sonoma State University women’s tennis team. It began Thursday morning at the Sonoma State tennis courts where the women played against Dixie State. They would then have a day of practice to prepare for Saturday’s match against UC San Diego – who are ranked 17th in the nation. From there they would play against CSU Stanislaus on Sunday.

The girls started off their streak of victory by defeating Dixie State University on Thursday.

With the doubles teams sweeping Dixie, it meant that they only needed two more wins to achieve an overall win to defeat Dixie State University.

As the No. 2 (Kaitlyn Haithcock and Jordyn Kearney) and No. 3 (Karlee Budge and Hillary Fazekas) doubles teams were capable of finishing of their opponent nice and easy, the No. 1 doubles team (Leire Martinez and Jacquelyn Ward) found themselves in quite a bit of trouble.

As volleys were placed immaculately by Dixie, it became a tough match for Sonoma State. Fortunately, Martinez and Ward were able to come together as the team they are and find a way out of their tough situation with Martinez’s placement of cross-volleys and Ward’s execution of overheads.

The day began with the doubles matches and ended with the singles matches, with a small

break and warm-up in between. With wins by L. Martinez (No. 1), J. Kearney (No. 3), K. Budge (No. 4), J. Ward (No. 5) and Julie Rea (No.6) as well as a loss by K. Haithcock (No. 2) it sealed the overall score for the Seawolves against Dixie State (8-1).

UC San Diego, ranked No. 17 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, was hosted by Sonoma State on Saturday morning. As each girl took their rightful place on their designated court, everyone knew it was going to be an intense game.

To start off the morning, SSU’s No. 2 doubles team, who consisted of Haithcock and Kearney, were the only team to come out with a win, putting the Tritons in the lead with an overall score of 1-2.

Once the girls took to their respective courts and practiced their swings, no one knew what was about to transpire. Leire Martinez would be the first one to bring in a victory as her opponent was forced into leaving the match due to a troublesome injury. With a tied score and five matches left it seemed that it could be anyones game.

That is until Haithcock (No. 3) was defeated by Britta Mosser, leaving the Tritons to take the lead by one yet again. Yet, Fazekas (6-2, 2-6, 6-4) and Budge (6-2, 2-6, 6-2) would be able to push the Seawolves into the lead once again (4-3).

It was in this moment that No. 5 singles player J. Ward would lose her footing and begin to slip. As she began her match with a 6-1 win in her first set, and a loss of 4-6 in her second, she

Congrats to STAR Writer and member of the Softball team, Ancia Purdy on setting the record for most career hits in Sonoma State baseball and softball history!

Seawolves Schedule Apr. 2

Softball vs. Cal State East Bay 1 p.m./3 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Field Baseball vs. Cal State East Bay 2 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Diamond

Apr. 3

Women’s Track & Field SF State Distance Carnival TBA San Francisco, CA Baseball vs. Cal State East Bay 11 a.m./2 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Diamond Men’s Tennis vs. Holy Names 1 p.m.

Rohnert Park Seawolf Courts

Softball at Cal State Monterey Bay 1:00 p.m./3:00 p.m.

Seaside, CA Women’s Tennis at UC Davis 2:00 p.m.

Davis, CA

Apr. 4

Softball at Cal State Monterey Bay 12:00 p.m./2:00 p.m.

Seaside, CA Women’s Water Polo vs. UC San Diego 1:00 p.m.

Seaside, CA Women’s Water Polo at Cal State Monterey Bay 5:00 p.m.

Seaside, CA

Apr. 6

Women’s Golf West Region Preview All Day Rohnert Park Foxtail Golf Club

knew she had to up her game. With a 5-0 lead into her third and final set, Ward and the crowd would begin to watch her crumble. As serves began to weaken and shots that were being taken flew out, her opponent was given the chance to make a comeback: which she did. Ward’s 5-0 lead soon turned into a tie.

Yet, with a little help from her teammate’s, coach’s and crowd’s belief in her Ward gathered up her strength and Seawolf pride and came out with a win in a final set score of 7-5.

“I try to teach them how to find some level of intensity or gears in yourself when things are not going well, and today showed our mental work” said Head Coach Joaquin Lopez when discussing how he helps his girls get out of their heads and stay focused on the match at hand, which proved to be beneficial to Ward.

With Ward’s win, it meant that Sonoma State beat UC San Diego – which has only been done twice in the past two years. It would be Kearney to make this win that much sweeter, as she too won her singles match with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 10-8.

“I’m proud of what we did, we had to work really hard to get here and I am just so proud of them,” said Lopez once the score for UC San Diego was finalized.

This win against San Diego not only meant a lot to the girls, because Sonoma State had not beat UC San Diego in the past two years, but because their winning streak of five games has given them a 13-6 record for the season.

After a win on Saturday against UC San Diego the women’s tennis team knew that Stanislaus was still another challenge to overcome.

Seeing as how this was the last home match for the season, the girls wanted nothing more than to go out with a win.

Starting the day off right was Head Coach Joaquin Lopez as he said a couple words about his lone Senior Leire Martinez.

“Generous, kind, honest, funny and mature,” were the words spoken by her team as they all celebrate her last home game. From there, the doubles matches would begin.

As Sonoma State swept for a second time this weekend in doubles, Martinez would also be the first one done with a singles match giving the Seawolves a four-game lead. Following suit would be No. 4 Budge (6-0, 6-0), No. 3 Kearney (6-1, 6-1), No. 4 Fazekas (6-0, 6-3) and Rea (6-4, 6-2). With only one loss for the day by the No. 2 singles Haithcock – who struggled, but refused to give up.

“Even with the match we lost, it was still really inspirational to watch,” said Lopez.

Inspirational it was, Haithcock refused to back down until the match was over. Although she did not come out victorious, she fought long and hard and showed everyone watching what it means to be a true Seawolf.

As for the next match the Seawolves will be heading to UC Davis on Friday in hopes of extending their six-game winning streak, as well as their season record.

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sonomastatestar.com

Celebrating Color Gustavo Vasquez Managing Editor

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez

Holi, the festival of color

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louds of vibrant powdered color filled the sky Friday, where Students came together in the quad between Darwin and Stevenson hall to celebrate Holi; the celebration of color, frolic and love.

Associated Students Productions hosted and organized the festival of color, hosting a Facebook event, which states over 200 students attended the event Friday.

Students lined up to receive free Associated Students Productions shirts’, free Holi powder color and watched a live Bollywood dance performance before going the throwing and celebration of color.

Holi is an ancient tradition within the Hindu religon, usually celebrated at the commencement of Spring. Holi, the festival of color has been argued to be practiced centuries before Christ, observed in important Hindu text like the Vedas and Puranas.

STAR // Brandon Stachnik

STAR // Gustavo Vasquez

STAR // Brandon Stachnik