the
advocate
Volume 51 Issue 24
April 28, 2017
Independent Student Voice of MHCC
SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS ISSUE
Student voices share experiences PAGE 3
PSU votes to hike tuition PAGE 6
Coming together to change the culture
Diversity Resource Center exhibits faculty artist PAGE 8
PAGE 5
Track and field competition schedule
PAGE 7
2016 FIRST PLACE
General excellence Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association
OPINION
April 28, 2017
Editorial
Sexual assault: What things have to change
S
centuries. Men have perpetuated a society of sexual dominance and entitlement, which lends itself to a world where men can easily rationalize predatory behavior because they feel they are entitled to sex on demand. It’s repeated time and time again, but it’s no less true now than when
it was first spoken: “No means no.” That will never change, but as an addition to that, we need to make sure that we as a society are watching out for those negative behaviors wherever we are, and get involved. It’s often when you see a couple argue, or fight in public that people usually don’t want to get involved.
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exual assault: Just thinking about it makes the majority of us very uncomfortable, or very irate. According to RAINN (the Rape Abuse & Incest National Network), in the U.S. every 98 seconds someone is sexually assaulted, and every 8 minutes a child is one of the victims. That means on average, roughly 900 people, including close to 200 children, are abused, raped or in some way sexually molested every day in our country. Other statistics show that nearly 25 percent of the population has or will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime – and those numbers are just mind-boggling. Compounding this problem is the fact that many of the people who offend are likely to re-offend, with roughly 13 percent of incest perpetrators, 24 percent of rapists, and 35 percent of child molesters on average assaulting two or more times. And these are only the incidents that are reported. We know this is a big problem, one that is not likely to go away anytime soon. But what can we do as a society? First, we need to realize this is a problem that we all need to address. This is not just a problem for women and parents, this is a problem that faces a quarter of our population and regardless of whether you are aware of it or not, chances are you know someone who has been sexually assaulted at some point. This is a problem that stems from an aggressive culture that has been ingrained in our society for
Generally, the public thinks it’s the couple’s business and no one should be butting in. With abuse or assault problems, though, it’s a different matter. We, the public, MUST BE BOLDER, STRONGER, and MORE AGGRESSIVE in watching out for our fellow humans and helping to keep everyone safe. Until we change our culture to one where assault is called out and actively stopped in public, we are going to continue to regularly have people get hurt. There are several specific things you can do to make yourself a less likely target for a sexual predator. If you jog or run for exercise, try to vary your routine; run longer or shorter, take different routes and try to avoid being predictable. At home, be careful when you open the door, always check who it is first and make sure it’s someone you know or are expecting, and always ask for and verify the ID of strangers wanting to gain access, such as repairmen, or officials. When you’re out and about, if you are drinking alcohol around other people, especially people you don’t know, watch out so no one puts something in your drink, and never leave your drink unattended. Finally, if you are unfortunately the victim or target of a sexual assault, go to the police or hospital. In this issue we have a great story on a new smartphone application that can help victims of sexual assault in knowing what to do and where to go. There are tools for your disposal so, please, make sure that if you are ever unfortunately targeted,
remember you are not at fault, and there is help and support available to you! America is a great country, we have a lot of great culture and that is exported around the world. We need to elevate that culture to include support for survivors of sexual assault, make sure there are no survivors who are burdened with culture-imposed stigma or feelings of shame for something that they didn’t want or had no control over... and most importantly, to prevent these assaults in the first place. These people are our friends, family and neighbors and until we make sure that they are safe, we aren’t the country we should be. We at the Advocate feel that it’s important to talk about sexual assault and let victims know that they’re not alone. There are people and resources available to help guide them through the situation.
Do you have an opinion on this topic or another? Send us your opinion and thoughts to: Advocatt@mhcc.edu. For more information, view the requirements in the gray box below.
the advocate Editor-in-Chief Gloria Saepharn Associate Editor, Arts & Entertainment Editor Matana McIntire Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor Megan Phelps News Editor Kyle Venooker Assistant News Editor Greg Leonov
Assistant Sports Editor Logan Hertner
Ad Team Yen Le
Graphic Design Team Prisma Flores Seneca Maxwell
Web Editor Dusty Sargent
Photo Editor Open Position Assistant Photo Editor Davyn Owen
Opinion Editor Donovan Sargent
Photo Team Alex Crull Fadi Shahin Jessica Mitchell Porcha Hesselgesser
Sports Editor Open Position
Video Team Elizabeth Nguyen
PA G E 2
Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst Staff Writers Jamie George Brody Mathews Maddy Sanstrum Glenn Dyer Maegan Willhite Ryan Moore Noah Guillen Sebastien Oaks Tyson Gaylor
Cover Design By Prisma Flores Cover Photo By Fadi Shahin Contact us! E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net Twitter: @MHCCAdvocate Facebook: facebook.com/TheAdvocateOnline Instagram: @MHCCAdvocate #MHCCAdvocate Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030 Room AC1369
The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc. edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print. Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.
OPINION
advocate-online.net
Victims choose to share, and offer hope Consent is not a given, and lack of the word ‘no’ is not consent
Anonymous the advocate
He picked me up from work and invited me to take a nap at his hotel room. I was experiencing severe fatigue from my new anxiety medication and so I agreed. He had flown in from Idaho to visit Portland. The original plan was to visit a few art districts in the area. We hadn’t seen each other in over a year. Plans changed. I took off my shoes, pulled back the linen, tucked myself in and laid my heavy head on the pillow. I was out like a light. Whipped from the powerful influence of medication, I was stirred almost awake by my ex, who was aggressively peeling off my pants and underwear, after which he
penetrated me. We had had sex before. But this time was not okay. I cried, “No! I am in a relationship.” I hated myself. Why didn’t I fight? I blamed myself. My boyfriend is going to be angry with me. I hadn’t even been intimate in my new relationship. Distraught, I overdosed on my medication, cried, and passed out shortly after. Barely able to stay alert, I watched him have sex with me a second time. I felt like I was outside of myself, unable to respond. My vision went dark. I woke up a third time. He was sitting me up on the bed and trying to feed me a Starbucks hot sandwich. He handed me the sandwich and I didn’t know what to do with it. He held my hand to my mouth. I still didn’t know what to do with it. He
told me to bite. I was so out of it. I don’t remember getting dressed. I don’t remember how he knew where to drive me. The next morning I hustled to get ready for another day of work. I happened to tie my hair up and a co-worker mentioned that I had some gnarly hickies on my neck. I was shocked and embarrassed. In my rush to leave for work, I hadn’t noticed. Yesterday’s events hit me like a flashback. And then he texted me, “I have a gift for you. I’m on campus.” I met him in the Main Mall. Disgust came over me – a realization that I had been violated. And yet, I didn’t avoid him. The gift was spices for rice dishes. He flew back to Idaho that night. I felt so disconnected. I saw a
trusted staff member on campus. I asked if he had a moment. He had a few minutes. “What is rape?” I asked. I’m sharing my story because I still grapple with actions I could have taken then and what I can do today. To the survivor who is reading this, it’s not your fault. You don’t
I’m sharing my story because I still grapple with actions I could have taken then and what I can do today. have to face this alone. There are resources to support you. I didn’t take action and I still regret that. The first person I saw after he dropped me off that night was my
best friend, my mother. Instead of reaching out to her, I zipped past her and collapsed in my bed. To this day, she still doesn’t know – and I tell her everything. I am not the example of what you should do. Avoiding the people who are there to help me was no solution and was not a means to find closure. I still don’t have closure. Too often, the rape scenario is a stereotype of a person assaulted by a stranger. The predators in my life have all been people I once trusted: family members, family friends and a former partner. Based on my own experience and the stories of others, I gather that it is a common matter among us and is also underreported. Some victims are stunned actionless.
Even a fog of pain eventually fades away leaving the sunshine
Gloria Saepharn the advocate
“You’re too innocent to know anything.” The problem with people saying that to me is the fact that they assume and forget about being understanding or getting to know a person. Just because someone acts a certain way on the outside, doesn’t exactly determine how they really are in another situation or setting. The worst part about keeping thoughts and emotions to myself is the fact that they have the chance to manifest into a ball of fury and sadness. Without the capability to connect and communicate, the stress poses a harder time for the body to handle. And I feel that when negative feelings build up, mental barriers show up. April is Sexual Assault
Awareness month. During this time of year, I’m reminded of the loss, confusion and depression I lived through in the past. With the constant anger surging from my father, I was never safe to say or do anything that I wanted. Being oppressed is one thing, but living in a home with a mentally, physically, and sexually abusive father was a slow-burning torture. As a child, I constantly wondered if I would ever feel safe enough to stand up to him and remove my mother and myself from the situation. “I don’t feel safe,” was something I thought every day of my life up until the age of 12. From as young as I can remember, I could sense the fear emanating from my mother and the underlying anger from my father – waiting to burst. Feeling powerful, he would constantly bring down my mother by verbally abusing her and being physically aggressive. When I was in kindergarten, he had been angry that I’d said something and picked me up by my ankle and arm on one side of my body and had physically thrown me as if I were a Frisbee and I flew a few feet away onto my bed. I felt helpless and laid on my bed at that time and cried my eyes out. Fast-forward to when I was the age of 9, when the sexual abuse
started. During winter break, my mother was on vacation in China with my grandfather – leaving no one home, besides me and my father. I’m sure you can imagine what horrible things happened over those two weeks. It was “a secret” and I was told: “You don’t want Daddy to get in trouble and be taken to jail, do you?” No matter how much I wanted it to stop, I was scared. I didn’t know what to do or who to talk to, because I didn’t know better – how was I supposed to know where I’d go if I said something? Silenced, alone and scared, I never said anything and continued to be a bubbly character at school with no indication of needing help. From when I was young, I always stayed strong and never showed my weak side to anyone – even family. Nobody knew the torture I’d filed away in my brain for years.
Nobody knew the torture I’d filed away in my brain for years. To me, I considered my life an acting audition and I was so good at it, no one knew. Because I was able to express my happy side, no one
sensed anything until my fuse blew in fifth grade.
Once I graduated, I’d completely turned my life into something that I would like to see in other people. I told everything to my school counselor, what had happened from third grade up until that day. I was saved by my loving grandparents, who took me and mother in and helped me. I would never again have to endure that kind of abuse, to this day. Of course, it’s not exactly safe out in the world, but at least I’m able to go out and be myself. I experienced severe depression from sixth grade to eighth grade, but slowly became comfortable with myself and open again. Outside of school, I took the time to help the local Portland Chinese
community and be a positive role model to those my age and younger. In high school, I became a positive person and helped my peers and communicated with teachers. Once I graduated, I’d completely turned my life into something that I would like to see in other people. Although I continued to struggle during the winter months, I distracted myself by performing for Chinese New Year, which was also around that time. Now, I’m Editor-in-Chief of the Advocate, I hold a few part-time jobs, and am a senior member of an influential Chinese lion dance team in Portland. I want to let every survivor and someone who is currently experiencing this to know – you can get through this. No matter how scared you are and how much pain you have, please tell someone when you feel ready to. If you need someone to talk to on campus, you may come talk to me in Room 1369. Everyone matters. When you’re ready, Public Safety on campus will help you. Or, contact a friend you can trust or RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the nation’s largest antisexual violence organization). To contact RAINN, go to: https://www.rainn.org/get-help or call them at, 800-656-HOPE (4673).
PA G E 3
NEWS
April 28, 2017
Help is out there: resources for survivors What is
Sexual Violence? Any and all unwanted sexual contact. Can be words or actions against a person’s will with no consent. One in five women experience sexual abuse; mostly these women are college age under the 25. Be sure to have Mt. Hood’s Public Safety number programmed on your smart phone: 503-491-7310 College officials work with victims to assist with the process of filing stalking and restraining orders.
Forms of sexual violence • • • • • • • • •
Rape or sexual assault Child sexual assault and incest Sexual assault by a spouse or partner Unwanted sexual contact/touching Sexual harassment Sexual exploitation and trafficking Exposing one’s naked body or genitals without consent Public masturbation Watching someone without their knowledge or consent
Every single person has a role to play in creating a safe environment:
• Step up for those being victimized around you • Set an example by having healthy attitudes, behaviors, and relationships • Believe survivors’ stories, support them, and help them find resources • Display healthy manners with clients and consumers • Help with funding to make sexual violence prevention socially prevalent
“We know it’s happening out there, but it’s such an underreported crime. You know – stalking, dating, violence, domestic abuse. Domestic violence is very underreported in the campus community, because people are afraid. We don’t want them to be afraid. We want to drop these barriers (so) that people feel that they can come and talk to our Title IX coordinators, talk to our Public Safety, talk to our councilors.” –Cherilyn Nederhiser, MHCC Public Safety Sexual violence destroys an individual’s trust and general sense of safety. It can happen to ANYONE, regardless of gender, age, religion, employment, socioeconomic status, or ethnicity. Sexual abuse can often lead to psychological and physical trauma. Some effects include PTSD, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. Physical damage includes pregnancy, STIs, and personal injury. Often, survivors are economically affected through medical expenses and absence from work. Victims are never at fault. No matter what someone is wearing or how they are acting, a victim is never to blame. Perpetrators use force, threats, manipulation, and coercion to violate someone sexually. Absence of injury to the victim does not indicate consent. Local assault centers are available to help. In a crisis, call 1-800-656-4673. More info is available at www.nsvrc.org. PA G E 4
Kyle Venooker the advocate
Students at Mt. Hood now have access to a free smartphone application that provides all the information someone needs in the wake of a sexual assault. Labeled “Reach Out,” the app was created by Capptivation, a small start-up based out of New York. It seeks to provide this information, as well as a list of resources, to students across America. Jack Zandi, one of the partners at Capptivation, notes that Reach Out has specific information available for each one of the country’s more than 4,000 two- and four-year colleges. At the most basic level, Reach Out provides “all the state resources, all the national resources – they’ll have at least one hospital, one police center, one rape crisis center and a Title IX coordinator” for any specific location, Zandi said. Colleges that partner with the app can provide additional information, such as more campus resources and policies.
The goal of Reach Out is to offer crucial information to students and faculty members “in an easy and intuitive way,” said Zandi. “The last thing a survivor needs when they get assaulted is to have trouble finding crucial information in a time-sensitive area… the goal is to allow students to help themselves, without trying to rely on (anybody) else,” he said. The app is straightforward. Anyone may type in the name of their school and set it as one of their organizations. The Mt. Hood page shows displays icons such as “Start Here,” “Campus Resources,” “Medical Care,” and “Reporting Options,” as well as information about advocacy, support and education.
TAKE BACK THE NIGHT The most important thing is to be prepared and to know what to do if something happens, either to you or someone else. Here are the most critical things to remember:
1) get to a safe place 2) preserve the evıdence 3) talk to an advocate 4) get medıcal attentıon
Graphic by Seneca Maxwell
Zandi said the simple-tonavigate format fills a gaping need. “The more research we did, (the more) we realized how systemic this was just in terms of how many people were assaulted and that startled us,” he said. “(When) we started looking at how schools handled it, we went to a lot of websites and we started to notice a trend… a lot of information, if it was there, was hidden. Not intentionally; just in student handbooks and manual security reports, code of conducts, just places you wouldn’t know where to look for it. “We thought an app would be a perfect place for this information for the millennial generation.” Zandi is hopeful on the impact this app may have on combating and responding to sexual assault. “I think a big thing is just bringing awareness to (the issue), he said. “(A lot of people) don’t really know where the resources are, or don’t even know that they exist. The most important person besides an advocate on campus, if the school even has one, is the Title IX coordinator, right? (Federal law requires a Title IX campus coordinator to address gender equity issues, including sexual discrimination, harassment and assault incidents.) “…Most people cannot even tell you that a Title IX coordinator exists. So, if you can’t even tell me who the most important person exists on a college campus for reporting a sexual assault, then the whole awareness thing is pretty crucial.” General awareness of the problem plays another big role, said Zandi.
“In my mind…reporting (a sexual assault) is embarrassing. It’s shameful,” he explained. “People will get mad at you for whatever ridiculous reason and I just don’t think they’re fully aware of the whole process.” He said this lack of awareness means “they can’t empathize, and if they can’t empathize, they can’t help the survivor to get the help they need. “If they can’t get the help they need, then they can’t eventually report, and if they can’t report then the bad actor is going to do it again,” he said, just adding to what he describes as a “cyclical process.” Another useful feature the app provides is the ability to track multiple colleges at any given time. This option is in part for parents who may have children at different campuses, but is also a useful tool for friends. “A high percentage of (victims) unfortunately get assaulted during their early days of freshman year…(it’s a) very vulnerable, new time, and most people don’t have good friends who they can tell” at their new school, said Zandi. Instead, “most likely they’ll tell a friend they’ve had their entire life, someone they want to high school with,” and the app’s ability to track multiple campuses allows friends to help each other with this information even if they’re across the country. “If friends can help friends and family members can help friends and survivors can help themselves, that’s the goal” of Reach Out, he said. The app is free, and available on the App Store and Google Play.
NEWS
advocate-online.net
Survivor turned advocate speaks out at silent march
Kyle Venooker the advocate
A silent march, organized by ASG, took place on campus on Wednesday night. The event was called “Take Back the Night,” and brought together students and faculty to show their support and solidarity for survivors of sexual assault. Among the speakers at the event was Lynn Fairweather, a survivor-turned advocate for victims of sexual and domestic violence. “When something bad happens to you, you’re probably going to be upset about it for quite a while no matter what, but if you can take that experience and you can use it to help other people who are going through the same thing it takes some of the sting out it, makes you feel like you’re doing something,” she explained. Fairweather describes domestic and sexual violence as a “public health crisis,” noting that 1 in 2 American women, as well as 1 in 6 American men, have or will have experienced sexual assault/ harassment of some sort. “I think it’s important for people to know how incredibly common this actually is, particularly for people in college,” she said. “I believe that the university and college system, in particular Greek life (fraternity-sorority groups), has a little bit of an issue with normalizing behaviors that are criminal, frankly.” Although Fairweather identifies as a survivor in her work as an advocate, she didn’t delve into those personal details, saying that she “didn’t want the focus to be on” her own experiences. In 2012, however, she published a book, parts of which felt like “publishing my diary,” she said. She describes the book,
titled “Stop Signs,” as “very much an informational guide,” albeit one that frankly discusses some of her experiences as a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault. “(It) was really weird to have not even told my family what happened and then publish it in a book. I got kind of different reactions from some people than I thought I would and that can be hard for survivors… when they come out, sometimes they tell the wrong person and that person doesn’t believe them, or that person says it’s their fault and that is something that would make someone go back into the shadows,” she said. Although fear of this exact scenario has silenced victims of sexual assault for decades, there is hope that the culture is changing. “In the Stanford rape case… that got a lot of attention,” said Fairweather, discussing the 20152016 Brock Turner rape case. “That person was brave enough to give her name even though that’s not something that’s normally done – the media doesn’t normally reveal victims’ names – but she allowed it, she allowed her face to be shown and she was very public about it because she knew that the shame wasn’t on her: It was on him.
“As hard as it might be to talk about, if (you) stuff it down and just try to move on with life, that experience has a way of staying with you and it pops up at other points in your life if you don’t deal with it head on.” -Lynn Fairweather “Another thing that’s come out of this that’s really great is the involvement of men in the conversation,” said Fairweather, who applauds their efforts toward trying to change the culture. “I think many men out there are themselves fed up with the cult of masculinity that makes them believe they have to be this and they have to be that, and I think a lot of them are wanting to be more involved in stopping domestic and sexual violence,” she said. She also noted with approval the push for more bystander involvement. Fairweather urges survivors of sexual assault to take immediate, decisive action. “Please access help, preferably as quickly as possible after the event as
Photos by Jessica Mitchell
TOP: Banner from Take Back the Night event on Wednesday night along with a sign saying “Gentleman means consent.” MIDDLE: Lynn Fairweather (left) speaking at the event, sharing her advice and story.
possible,” she said. “Accessing that help, medical help, counseling, a protection order … there’s actually a 72-hour window to collect medical evidence. After that (technicians) can’t really get DNA, so it is crucial that survivors get that help as soon as they can.” She emphasized that seeking out this help “doesn’t mean you have to report or prosecute at all” – but these actions are critical to following through on those options. Though seeking out this help can be difficult or emotionally
overwhelming for a survivor, Fairweather stressed its importance. “As hard as it might be to talk about, if (you) stuff it down and just try to move on with life, that experience has a way of staying with you and it pops up at other points in your life if you don’t deal with it head on,” she said. She advises victims of sexual assault to contact local advocates, campus Title IX coordinators, and to contact RAINN (The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) at 1-800-656-HOPE. PA G E 5
NEWS
April 28, 2017
Mooney talks advocacy and positive self-concept Greg Leonov the advocate
Last Friday, April 21, author and public speaker Jonathan Mooney gave a presentation in the Visual Arts Theatre about supporting students who struggle with what are commonly called “learning disabilities,” which he instead refers to as “learning differences.” He underscored his main point for those who attended the Mt. Hood discussion: how the presence of a single supportive adult can be so crucial in making a difference in the life of a challenged student. “Somebody in their life who believed in them, who connected with them, who challenged them, who pushed them, who advocated for and with them... somebody there,” he said, looking over the audience that consisted of mostly instructors, advisers, counselors, and MHCC staff. “That’s you.” Mooney struggles with dyslexia, and dropped out of school in the sixth grade. He still struggles with reading and writing, yet he has published two books and graduated from Brown University, an Ivy League school, with an honors degree in English literature. His presentation focused on three solutions that build up and help those who face challenges with learning differences to succeed. The first is to build individuals’ self-concept. The second idea was about fixing learning environments, not people, and to do so “through advocacy and agency.” Finally, to
acknowledge that “folks who thrive despite their challenges are folks who have an opportunity to get good at something,” he said. “Not everything, but something.” Throughout his education, teachers and administrators focused on treating Mooney’s dyslexia. Getting him to learn to read and write was where teachers exercised the most effort. “We spend so much time and energy trying to fix those skills, but if there is one thing I’ve learned in my journey, professionally and personally, it’s (that) fixing skills is the cart before the horse,” he said. “No young person can go off to live a life that thrives if they have a negative self-concept.” He talked about teaching a class in which he was to “remediate skill deficits” in Southern L.A. “I remember that I was so excited to go to this program and work on remediating skill deficits, so I had all of my fancy tricks to do so,” he said. But while getting into his lesson, a student asked why he bothered, and referred to the group of students as “the dumb kids.” “That was a profound revelation for me,” said Mooney. “All the fixin’ of skills, all the building of the skillsets is the cart before the horse because nobody can go forward in their life – doesn’t matter how much phonics remediation we do – if we feel defective as learners.” A positive ‘sense of self’ At that point, Mooney realized it wasn’t his dyslexia that was the actual cause of his difficulty through school.
Photo by Nick Gosling - MHCC communications
Jonathan Mooney signing a book for Advocate reporter Greg Leonov on Friday. Mooney came to Mt. Hood to talk about the place of supportive adults in the lives of students with “learning differences.”
“It wasn’t the thing that everyone said was my problem, my attentional and language-based learning disabilities: It was the negative self-concept that came from the way those differences were treated that really disabled me,” he said. “It was the sense of shame and the relentless message that I was the crazy or bad kid that really held me back. I was told that I was the bad kid so much in school, by the time I was 13 – I said, well, if I’m the bad kid, guess what? I’m going to be the best bad kid you’ve seen.”
To help students with learning differences get through their challenges, Mooney said it’s their self-concept that needs to be remediated, not their skills. “It’s the social identity that comes from the way that these different brains and learners with challenges were treated,” he said. “That insight is really important because we spend so much time as learners ourselves thinking about fixing ourselves and thinking we have to fix ourselves, that we’re broken, and then (suffer) in our institutions re-mediating the
weaknesses as opposed to rebuilding the sense of self.” In order to foster a positive selfconcept, it is important to create an environment in which students are encouraged and supported. Mooney’s biggest advocate as a young student was his mother, he said. She was an Irish-Catholic, single mother raising four kids.
To view the full unabridged story, visit: advocate-online.net
PSU to increase tuition by 9 percent this fall Tyson Gaylor the advocate
The student debt crisis has been a prevalent subject of debate in the last year or so with prominent political figures, namely Bernie Sanders in the recent U.S. presidential race, campaigning partially on a promise to make public colleges and universities tuition-free in an attempt to alleviate the current debt crisis. The topic moved quite close to home this month for students at Portland State University, who will face a roughly 9 percent hike in tuition prices that will start this fall. PSU students are all too familiar with similar bad news. As PA G E 6
OregonLive.com reported, based on 2014 study “of Oregon’s public universities, Portland State graduates took on the most debt, with an estimated $32,018 borrowing load.” On PSU’s home website, campus officials list a series of reasons behind this latest increase. They include issues at the state level with the “budget recommendation by legislative leaders and Gov. Kate Brown for no increase in state support for higher education in the next two years despite increases in pension costs, health care benefits and wages,” as well as a projected decrease in student enrollment for Fall Term. Along with a slew of other issues,
that has left a spending hole about $20 million deep that the Board of Trustees at PSU was tasked to fill with money that wasn’t readily available. The 9 percent tuition increase is expected to take care of about $11 million, while the other $9 million will be made up by another unfavorable money saver: Cuts to various school programs and faculty. Rachel G., an 18-year-old Health Science major at PSU, had her own thoughts on how the school could cut spending enough so as to not put more burdens on the backs of its students. “I think they should cut down on all of the construction projects they have under way,” she said. “It’s
millions of dollars that no one asked them to spend. We did not need to build the Viking Pavilion (new gymnasium/events center) and the Business Building does not need to be as elaborate as it is. As a non-resident student who pays higher tuition rates overall, Rachel said she “may have to go back to California to be able to afford school. I still want to come to PSU but it’s just difficult to know whether I’ll be able to.” Asked how she would try to address the issue at hand, Zoe S., 19, a Theatre major and senator with the Associated Students of PSU, said, “On the large scale, we need tax reform… on the smaller scale, every student
voice makes a difference.” She urged students to step forward to demand changes to stop soaring costs and debt. “Join OSA (Oregon Student Association), lobby the state capitol, join student government, talk to your board of trustees, vote in your midterm (federal) elections,” she said. Zoe said the 9 percent increase could threaten many students’ college plans. “This hike will affect traditionally marginalized communities grievously. Students can barely afford tuition as it is,” she said. “This is not a matter of taking out more loans; this is a matter of being able to go to school at all.”
SPORTS
advocate-online.net
‘Beast Mode’ returns home to Oakland Logan Hertner the advocate
Marshawn Lynch is now officially a member of the Oakland Raiders, which might surprise Seattle fans just as much as making them mad and furious. The Raiders announced Wednesday they would be finalizing a trade for Lynch with the Seattle Seahawks. This came after Oakland and Lynch agreed to terms on a contract that allows him to come out of retirement and play for his hometown team. Good thing for Seattle that the Raiders are in the AFC and not the NFC, because what a showdown that would be during the season. The last thing standing in the way of the trade was Lynch passing
a physical for Oakland, which he did Wednesday morning. In exchange for Lynch, there will be a swap of late-round picks in the 2018 NFL draft: Seattle will get Oakland’s fifthround pick, while the Raiders get the Seahawks’ sixth-round pick. Marshawn Lynch posted on Twitter right before the final move went down Wednesday morning. “Yes Lawd 12th man I’m thankful but [expletive] just got REAL I had hella fun in Seattle. But I’m really from Oakland doe like really really really from Oakland doe... town bizzness breath on me,” he tweeted. Lynch arrived in Oakland on Wednesday to meet with the Raiders after his trip to Haiti. He was in Haiti with his former Seahawks teammates Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett, helping to build schools and houses. It was kind of funny how he has had all this hype around him going to Oakland, but here he was, still was with two former teammates. Oakland fans have something to look forward to now with this interesting signing especially with the madness the city has been involved in this off-season. The news the team will be moving to Las Vegas in two years has residents
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To play the game he loves, former Seattle Seahawk ‘Beast Mode,’ A.K.A. Marshawn Lynch, has come out of retirement and signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Raiders, returning to his hometown.
of the city upset and down on themselves, some more than others. All of that depression, I assume, will go away with the signing of the once-dominate running back as he returns home wanting to make an impression. Lynch’s contract is a two-year deal, with a base salary of $9 million, with a maximum value of $16.5 million, per NFL Network Insider reporter Ian Rapoport. Lynch must formally file papers to unretire. His move to Oakland finally puts the seal on the conversation over a possible return, and proves how serious he is about playing once again. His last meeting with
Saints split with Red Devils Brody Mathews the advocate
The Mt. Hood softball team’s overall record stands at .500 (14-14) after the Saints split a doubleheader against Lower Columbia last weekend. The Saints’ record in the South Region is 6-11, good for seventh place. Mt. Hood took the first game on April 29, winning 10-5. The Saints started the game strong, scoring five runs in the first two innings. In the first inning, Karli Butler had a two-run home run. In the second, Madelyn Lindhorst and Lexi Patino had RBIs and Butler had a sacrifice fly bringing in Madelyn Lindhorst, adding three more runs. After five innings the Saints led 5-3, but they then ended the game the way they started, scoring five more runs in the last two innings for the commanding win. Errors helped the Saints in the
sixth inning as they scored two runs, and another pair of RBIs in the seventh helped them extend their lead. Mt. Hood finished the game with 14 hits, eight RBIs and only two strikeouts. Sammie Byron pitched all seven innings, allowing seven hits and five runs, and earning four strikeouts. The second game of the doubleheader was a different story. It remained scoreless until the sixth inning, when Lower Columbia finally got on the board with a home run, which would be the only score of the 1-0 game. The Saints did put up a good fight, getting seven hits. Byron started this game, as well, pitching the first two innings, allowing no hits, giving up two walks and getting one strikeout before being replaced. Cheyenne Vance pitched the last four innings, where she allowed seven hits and the lone run, and got one strikeout.
Mt. Hood takes on Centralia College this Saturday at Borst Park, in Centralia, Washington. The Trailblazers have an overall record of 11-9 and a South Region record of 9-6, currently good for third place. The two teams met earlier this season in Gresham, where Centralia swept the double-header, 10-7 and 9-6.
the Raiders before Wednesday was on April 5 and that is when he first expressed his desire to play for them.
He told them he would only come out of retirement to play for his hometown team. “I think it would be awesome just to have him around,” quarterback Derek Carr told NFL Network reporters. “He’s a great teammate, from everyone that I’ve talked to, from (among) the couple of Seahawks that we’ve had on our team. They love him.” Not knowing exactly what Beast Mode will provide for the Raiders, the team does know of his history and why he received the name. That alone gave the Raiders all the reason to sign him and see what he can do.
men and women’s track and field 2017 competition schedule date
day and time
event/host
location/results
april 29
sat 10am
osu high performance
oregon state university, corvallis
may 1-2
mon & tues 9am
nwac multi-event championships
lane community college, eugene
may 6
sat 10am
linfield open
linfield college, mcminnville
may 13
sat 10am
nwac southern region championships
lane community college, eugene
mon & tues 10 am
nwac track & field championships host: mt hood/ clackamas cc
mt. hood community college, gresham
may 22-23
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
April 28, 2017
Diversity of women on display at DRC
Photo by Fadi Shahin
Photo by Porcha Hesselgesser
Megan Phelps the advocate
Meet Laura Lyons, a staff member here at Mt. Hood, as well as Portland State University, with a creative and compelling interest in women from around the world. Her official role here at MHCC is East County Pathways Outreach Specialist. She focuses on dual-credit/College Now students, including many students from groups that are historically underrepresented in higher education. Lyons has a hunger for experiencing new places, and generally tries to go somewhere new rather than somewhere she’s been. She also has a passion for language; while she is currently in graduate school studying public administration,
her undergraduate studies were cultural anthropology with a focus on linguistic anthropology. Oftentimes she takes road trips here in the U.S. and camps out, sometimes drawing concern from people she encounters, she said. But she just assures them that she likes it that way, and she’s perfectly content experiencing things without the pressure of upholding a persona. “So, when I travel abroad I also like to travel by myself. I feel like it’s freer because when you’re traveling you’re not really yourself, you’re kind of yourself in the moment,” she said. “And I find that (traveling) alone gives you more room to react in ways you might not react to things at home … Because you’re experiencing new things, you should be able to react in uncharacteristic ways.”
While traveling Lyons captures the moment with a camera. Her photography has been exhibited in the Diversity Resource Center multiple times; earlier this year she won the Intercultural Photo Contest. She is a traveler extraordinaire, whose philosophy in life is along the lines of “If you think change is hard, try routine, it’s fatal.” The current exhibit in the DRC is called “Women,” which will be up through May 19. It hosts a collection of more than 150 images, displaying a diverse group of women Lyons has photographed throughout her life and travels. The photos are accompanied with pieces of writing by Lyons describing her interactions with a few women she has encountered in her life, highlighting the unique qualities
of each, and how they impacted her along the way. “I first made it because I just wanted to look at all of these accumulated images that I had and then realized that it’s not fair to present people as a lump sum because, yes, they’re all women, but they’re not all the same,” she said. “They all have their own unique ways of experiencing being a woman in this world and that was one of the things I wanted to explore with this piece. “I wanted to write about the people, and then I also thought well on another level, it’s not fair for me to represent them. I don’t think it’s my place to talk about somebody else’s identity. So I wanted to call out how each of those people in the piece were different, but the only way I felt like I could honestly do that was to talk about how I’ve interacted with them. “That’s where the writing comes from, it was kind of an internal struggle of how I wanted to write and show their identity at the same time,” she said.
To view the full unabridged story, visit: advocate-online.net
Birth of rap, end of disco: ' The Get Down' Matana McIntire the advocate
There’s a reason why we love coming-of age-stories: they hold a certain magic we don’t always find in adulthood. For decades, we’ve had the boring, well-off white kid’s comingof-age magic – which isn’t altogether awful. But, when confronted with projects like “The Get Down,” where that coming-of-age magic is mixed in with real-world politics, a turmoil of oppression and struggle, and an unbridled passion for creating something beautiful, for reaching past the limitations set on Web photos someone to achieve success… then LEFT to RIGHT: Shaolin Fantastic in his signature red leather jacket, red helmet, the boring white kid’s coming-of- and red motorcycle; Shaolin with Ezekiel in a high class gentleman's club bathroom age story just lacks in comparison, where things escalated quickly; Ezekiel and Mylene outside a restaurant. late 1970s. rap by a larger-than-life best friend; doesn’t it? The three main characters Shoalin Fantastic, a protégé DJ to The Get Down is a series on Netflix that follows the lives of a we follow are Ezekiel Figuero, Grandmaster Flash and best friend handful of youths in the Bronx a young poet and romantic, to Figuero; and Mylene Cruz, the borough of New York City in the introduced to the budding art of girlfriend of Figuero, with a voice PA G E 8
to die for and a fervent ambition to become the next disco superstar. When Netflix released the show’s second season – or “Part 2” – on April 7, I did not expect it to have such an air of finality to it. Rather than seasons, the show has decided to label their releases as parts one and two, which leads me to believe that there will be no Part Three. Having finished both parts, I can’t say that they were wrong in ending it there. The Get Down perfectly shows a window into the culture of late 1970s Bronx youth and methodically lays out a crucial time period in the birth of rap music. The storyline of Zeke, Shoalin, and Mylene weaves through the true history of the Bronx magically.
To view the full unabridged story, visit: advocate-online.net
Parsons takes lead in 'Can't Take It With You' Ryan Moore and Greg Leonov the advocate
In the upcoming MHCC spring play, there are manifold characters who exhibit unique Photo by Elizabeth Nguyen personalities within the show, played by an acting cast working to fit these roles in the best way possible. For Brett Parsons, this isn’t the first time playing a part in the production, “You Can’t Take It with You.” He also played the character of Ed Carmichael, a smaller part in the play, during his senior year at Gresham High School. But after auditioning for the same role this year, is instead playing one of the leading roles for the show, Tony Kirby. “I didn’t really expect to be up for a leading role, but when I was a senior (at Gresham), I always liked the idea of being a leading role,” Parsons said. This same play was the last one he had performed in, and there were a couple things that brought him back to audition for this production at MHCC. One was the chance to work with a new director. Other Gresham alumni who are also in the play had good things to say about the director at Mount Hood, and Parsons says Theatre Artistic Director Mace Archer has been very friendly and encouraging. There was some nostalgia for the play itself, and finally, a chance to overcome the disappointment of not landing a leading role at Gresham, and taking another shot at proving himself as an actor. Parsons said he had decided to drop acting before he realized he still had the desire. “The sense of family and passion in the theater is very unique, and I wanted to get back into that sort of thing,” he said.
To view the full unabridged story, visit: advocate-online.net