Issue 78.6
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Intro
Katie Cortez, Editor in Chief editorinchief@lbunion.com Richard Mejia, Managing Editor manager@lbunion.com Jack Villalba, Assistant Managing Editor assistmanager@lbunion.com Ashley Rodriguez, Advertising Executive ashley.lbunion@gmail.com Nathan Zankich, Web Manager web@lbunion.com
RICHARD RANTS: REDUX.
Amanda Del Cid, Social Media Manager Graphic by Sam Orihuela
Andrew Linde, Podcast Producer ART & DESIGN Sam Orihuela, Art Director artdirector@lbunion.com Ruby Trinh, Assistant Art Director John Mueller, Graphics Illustrator illustration@lbunion.com EDITORIAL Joel Martinez, News Editor news@lbunion.com Elizabeth Nguyen, Opinions Editor opinions@lbunion.com Bailey Mount, Community Editor community@lbunion.com Kaila-Marie Hardaway, Food Editor food@lbunion.com William Odis Martin, Athletics Editor athletics@lbunion.com Amanda Dominguez-Chio, Culture Editor amanda@lbunion.com Madison Gallegos, Culture Editor madison@lbunion.com Elliott Gatica, Music Editor music@lbunion.com Andrew Linde, Entertainment Editor entertainment@lbunion.com Peter R. Clark, Travel Editor travel@lbunion.com STAFF WRITERS Lauren Hunter, lauren@lbunion.com Sylvana Uribe, sylvana@lbunion.com Emily Ayers, emily@lbunion.com Jordan Daniels, jordan@lbunion.com Alejandro Ramos, alex@lbunion.com Elizabeth Campos, liz@lbunion.com Matthew Gozzip, matt@lbunion.com Abraham Alapisco, abraham@lbunion.com COPY & ASSISTANT EDITORS Carissa Pope, Karen Ruiz, Sheila Sadr, Abril Burstein CONTRIBUTORS Karrie Comfort, Matt Brown, Renee Schmiedeberg, R. Ray Robinson, Lalig Tarbinian, Wesley Ihuzue COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF: Bettman Archive/Corbis COVER DESIGN BY: Nathan Zankich FEATURE PHOTOS COURTESY OF: Getty Images and Pete Souza
Illustrations by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator Disclaimer and Publication Information: The Union Weekly is published using ad money and partial funding provided by the Associated Students, Inc. All Editorials are the opinions of their individual authors, not the Union Weekly, ASI nor CSULB. All students are welcome and encouraged to be a part of the Union Weekly staff. All letters to the editor will be considered for publication. However, CSULB students will have precedence. Please include name and major for all submissions. They are subject to editing and will not be returned. Letters may or may not be edited for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and length. The Union Weekly will publish anonymous letters, articles, editorials, and illustration, but must have your name and information attached for our records. Letters to the editor should be no longer than 500 words. The Union Weekly assumes no responsibility, nor is it liable, for
FEATURE DESIGN BY: Sam Orihuela CONTACT US Long Beach, CA 90815 E-mail: lbunion.info@gmail.com
@UnionWeekly
Opinions
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What Different Does It Make? Hoverboards disappointingly can’t replace what our two legs can do By Katie Cortez Editor in Chief
Illustration by Wesley Ihezue Contributor
Better Be Involved and Social Extracurriculars are not just bullet points on your resume
By Elizabeth Campos Staff Writer
“Reading between the lines... a mission lies beneath each one of these organizations.”
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News
Empowering Tales Through Poetry Campus event celebrates black female history
By Liz Campos Staff Writer
In lieu of Black History Month, the office of Multicultural Affairs of Cal State University, Long Beach put together a series of events as a celebration. On Monday, Feb. 15, #BlackHerStories took place in the University Student Union Ballrooms. The event was a collaboration of both the Multicultural Affairs office and the Women’s and Gender Equity center to celebrate and recognize black women. Under the statement “Because behind every strong movement lies a strong black woman,” the event consisted on an open space in which the performers were able to showcase their experiences through spoken word poetry, essays and stories. Event coordinator Jonathan Higgins began by thanking those who attended as well as recognizing the team that helped organized #BlackHerStories. Following Higgins, Desiré Campusano, the graduate student assistant of the Women’s and Gender Equity Center explained that able to support this initiative. “We can’t celebrate history without ‘her story,’” she said. As an activist, mother, community organizer and original member of the Black Lives Matter movement, keynote speaker Shamell Bell explained her experiences to the audience. Her stories ranged from her journey as a student as well as an activist and a black woman in general. “I theorize through my body,” she said as she explained what she calls “street dance activism” and her involvement in it. Upon making emphasis on her organizing with the Black Lives Matter movement and how she became radicalized by the experiences that as a black woman she has gone through, she said that her “vision is to viciously attack the detrimental practices and policies that disadvantage the poor and people of color.” After making a connection with the audience through her stories, Bell then opened up the door for the performances of the night. Eight black women shared fragments of their lives through art in the form of spoken word poetry and story telling. First was Alisia Thompson, a current coordinator for the Student Life and Development office at California State University, Long Beach. Prior to reciting her spoken word poetry, Thompson gave the audience an insight of what her passion is; education. With her experience as a high school biology teacher, Thompson recognized that the way the educational system works is not what it ideally is supposed to be. “I’m working for the devil and have no control” she said. The idea of students
Event coordinators, organization representatives, and guest speakers collectively gave speeches and artistic performances touching upon such topics as education, gender, and racial divides (Liz Campos/Union Weekly)
being dollar signs is something that she finds conflict with and expressed her feelings in her poem “Just a teacher.” In the midst of the controversy created by how the black community is portrayed by the media, white supremacy as well as police brutality were omnipresent topics in some of the artists’ performances. Brittany Coleman and Jada Johnson incorporated snippets of her experiences with police brutality leading to the loss of a significant other. As a sensitive topic, the moments in which this was discussed brought tears and emotions to members of the audience Performer Jay Dent shed light on the topic of the Latino culture also being a victim of police brutality. In her poetry, she incorporated Spanish words that made some Latino members of the audience feel more connected to her words. Alisia Thompson explained that the diversity in the room as well as the messages transmitted through the work of all the artists that night made her realized that “activism can play so many different roles, in different ways.” “I hope that events like these continue to happen because I think it really brings the cohesiveness to the campus body in a way that is so necessary,” said Thompson. Organizers as well as performers are proud and satisfied of the turnout of #BlackHerStories and hope to do it again, not only for Black History month but for cultural awareness as a whole.
News
Transfer journalism students suffer due to low enrollment By Katie Cortez Editor in Chief
By Matt Brown Contributor
LBCC’s
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LBCC
2014 and 2015 editions of City magazine three stories for the (Katie Cortez/Union Weekly) Some
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Community
A New Year in February Celebrating the Vietnamese New Year with the UVSA Tet Festival One of the many buildings constructed for Tet. (Karrie Comfort/Contributor)
I blinked a few times. “Jessy. Hey Jessy,” I called. I waved my friend over to help the elderly man at the information booth who had started speaking to me in rapid Vietnamese. I am half Mexican and half black. I don’t speak Vietnamese yet. an attendee and as a member of a Union of Vietnamese Student Associations committee. The UVSA was hosting Tet—one of the largest Lunar New Year celebrations and the largest in the United States—for its 35th year, and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. Caught up in all of the excitement, most people attending the festival only see the results of nearly four months of planning, stressing, and executing. They see all of the colorful costumes, the parades, and the celebration of their heritage in a dazzling three day event. Before the celebration comes the marketing and during it comes three days “You really take for granted the work it takes,” said University of California, Los Angeles graduate Jessy Nguyen. In regards to being both an attendee and a committe member like me, she explained that she honestly loved “both sides” of the event.
A crowd waits to get in to the festival. (Karrie Comfort/ Contributor)
By Karrie Comfort Contributor
“You stay late nights and you really get to form a bond with the people that you work with.” One of those people is Marketing Committee Director Tony Phan. He had been working on
“It’s like a family, you just come, support, and show interest . . . if you show that respect, you will be respected.” And it was really true. The only time I felt awkward, even for a second, was when someone tried to address me in Vietnamese. Hardly a bad thing!
“Since I was involved on the logistics and operations last year, my planning sort of started at that point,” Phan explained. “Patrons would tell me both good and bad things and I started to think about things we could improve . . . for next year’s festival.”
“Yes, Tet itself is a holiday in the Vietnamese culture, however . . . it is marketed to everyone because there is no better feeling that being able to share the culture with everyone,” Phan said. “I think everyone has one universal language—food!” To me, the most important thing about Tet
opportunity to help plan an awesome event, but it was one of their best experiences learning about their Vietnamese culture. A sophomore at California State University, San Bernardino Jenny Phan commented on how UVSA helped her get more connected on her campus. “I needed to be involved in something . . . I saw UVSA and I thought, ‘Why not?’” she said with a laugh. “It was my way of contributing, and if anything I’m more in touch with my culture now than ever before.”
members come out of their team having a better grasp of marketing techniques and the Tet festival itself, but of why they still continue this tradition, year after year. UVSA committee member Julie Huynh said: “I am reminded every year—to remember my roots . . . People tell me on the phone lines, or in person, that they always come to support the youth and that they’re so proud of us for doing this . . . It makes me never want to let them down, knowing the magnitude of faith and support people have in us.”
was that i t
I am quite visibly not Vietnamese. festival where an overwhelming majority of its participants were Vietnamese. However, I was pleasantly surprised. There were a number of other attendees and UVSA members who weren’t Vietnamese, but like me, were simply interested in the culture and experience. “I like how inclusive everyone is, regardless of whether or not you are Vietnamese,” said previous California State University Northridge student Johnny Guerrero.
was a learning and growing experience, in more ways than one. Not only did
A parade makes its way through the crowd. (Karrie Comfort/Contributor)
committee
Community
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Soulection Bares It’s Soul A Q&A reveals the impact it has on the community. A crowd gathers in the University Student Union theatre, a diverse mix of people who are all here for the same thing; to hear the words of Soulection. Based in Los Angeles, Soulection is branded as a record label, radio and collection of creative music artists. They that work against the mold of the industry’s standard. They separate themselves from a mainstream culture that dominates music. They strive to create a space where music makers and programmers can bare their souls
group. With the tagline, “Do what you love,” Schneider believes that honest music creates open communication between a music maker and its listeners. Evident by the amount of people in the theater to listen to the panel Tuesday night, Soulection has a strong following of people who believe in what the label puts out. Every
Transparency is often an ideal that is lacking in the music industry; a label owns and control its artists. This is an issue that we have most recently seen with Sony Records and its artist Kesha, who was denied her injunction, by the Supreme Court, to cancel her contract with her producer, Dr. Luke, despite her claims that he sexually,
By Jordan Daniels Staff Writer “We maintain transparency by literally being real with the people,” Kay said. “Being transparent on all levels is important. We don’t want to make anyone feel like they have no idea know what’s going on with us.” Kay founded the group in 2011, after years accessible to all people and platforms. He created Soulection along with co-founder, Andre Power, as a solution to his stump. Currently, Soulection has over 200,000 followers from around the world on Soundcloud. The group has its own shop for music and fashion and is continually
“The whole idea of Soulection is built on honest music.” —Jacqueline Schneider.
on their artists. “It’s honest,” said Jacqueline Schneider, director of Global Strategy and Communication. “The whole idea of Soulection is built on honest music.” Schneider was drawn to Soulection because she believed in the idea behind the
time an audience member asked a question, they always prefaced it with how much they love, respect and believe in Soulection. “They’re very inspirational,” said Rue Yusufu, a third-year Public Relations major. “They’re a group that you can listen to in every occasion. I see them going so far because they maintain such a good connection with their fans.”
ASI Spotlight By Karrie Comfort Contributor The ASI student government here at California State University, Long Beach is made up of students to serve student needs and interests. But these students also seek to bring the best and brightest of the leaders in the student body to the forefront of our university community. There is no question that this potential can be seen in the current secretary for
LGBTQIA+ issues on campus and uses her position to do this as well as help students She believes that this is also what ASI strives to do: make sure that students are represented on campus, regardless of their race, sex, gender identity, religion, class or More than anything else, DePaola wants everyone to feel comfortable going to their student leaders with any questions and/or suggestions they might have. “I’m at your service and want to be there for you,” she said. D e P a o l a draws this dedication from her mother, describing her both as a mentor and as someone “never afraid to take charge and speak her mind, but compassionate and willing to listen to
“I’m at your service and I want to be there for you.”
Cabinet secretary, and sophomore English education major Amy Xiaoshi DePaola. DePaola began at her position working under the previous secretary. “Hopefully I can be half as awesome as she was,” she said. The experience left an impact on DePaola that proved to be instrumental in her decision to continue working after her predecessor’s departure. “I got on board and really enjoyed working and getting to be a part of making things happen on campus, so I applied again,” DePaola said. DePaola is dedicated to promoting change and increasing awareness of
And truly, DePaola is capable of being all of these things. Her dedication to her job makes her a leader at the university and her ability to connect with other students makes her a friend.
emotionally and psychologically abused her. This lack of transparency closes the door of communication between an artist and its fans. This transparency was a topic that was touched on multiple times throughout the panel by co-founder Joe Kay, an alumni of CSULB and got his start on radio with KBeach, the college’s own radio service.
anniversary on March 4, with two already sold out shows in Los Angeles. If you haven’t yet heard of Soulection, look it up after reading this and immerse yourself into its culture. It’s transparent, relatable and honest. Believe in honest music. Believe in Soulection.
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Food
Backyard Bowls Words and photos by Amanda Dominguez-Chio Culture Editor
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Skinny Avocado Toast By Kaila-Marie Hardaway Food Editor As a student who tries to cook regularly, I
as a great alternative
Ingredients:
juice
FEATURE
WHY BLACK HISTORY MONTH MATTERS Intro by Jordan Daniels and Emily Ayers Why do we need Black History? Because we are tired. We are tired of being oppressed. We are tired of being placed in a box. We are tired of having to speak for our entire community. We are tired of being judged by the pigment of our skin. We are tired of being miscounted. We are tired of being misunderstood. We are tired of being mistreated. We are tired of being shot at. We are tired of being killed. We are tired of getting angry. We are tired of being asked “what is wrong?” We are tired of you not listening to why we’re tired. We’re tired of you not caring. We’re tired of being tired. We are tired of being “Black..” Before you close the page on the angry black people, let us explain: We make up 3.8 percent of the student population on the California State University, Long Beach campus as of 2015. We are statistically proven to have a lack of education in comparison to other ethnicities. This translates into being one student amongst 20 per several classroom. We are constantly placed under a microscope and made the spokesperson for all things “black” when it comes to questions of the black experience, history and heritage. We are survivors of the privilege in a society that works against us socially, politically and economically. However, the second we even think against this privilege, we are told that all we do is play victim. We are used as entertainment for TV shows and music—our culture
consumed by the masses, but when one of us make a statement on the Superbowl, we’re told that we went too far. We are constantly having to defend ourselves against the color-blind people who tell us that “race” is no longer an issue in this country. A country who still incarcerates country that systematically has made it harder for people of color to enter into institutions of higher education. A country founded on the principles of equality as much as it is oppression. And until those systematically created walls are knocked down, the need for a month celebrating the accomplishments of a culture will be necessary. We need to be remembered. We need to be celebrated. We need to matter. We decided to delve into what this month means for the students and faculty of CSULB. We’ve thought long and hard about why we need black history and we immediately became Our histories are intertwined and it is vital for everyone to truly understand the answer to the question “Why do we need black history month?”—afraid that our thoughts would be misconstrued as senseless rants. We hope that these perspectives will give clarity on the issues and struggles we face. If after reading this feature you’re still asking why we need black history, let us pose this question: Why not?
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FEATURE FEATURE
By Jordan Daniels It’d be easy to say that black history matters and a month to celebrate the achievements and thoughts of the black community is much needed—but nobody can really answer why. Frankly, all we know is that it’s been established since before many of us were born and we see it as a necessity more than anything. We listen to Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech every year and discuss the resilience of Rosa Parks as she decided to not take a seat in the back like she was told to. We know this, yet every other ounce of black history takes a back seat to what we’re taught in school. We do not dig deeper into the core of what black history is and we never get to a place to understand why we need it. “When you say why do we need black history is essentially saying why do we need to know our own heritage,” said Dr. Jonathan Higgins, assistant director of Multicultural Affairs. “Black history validates the struggles, the issues, the problems and the societal pressures that we as black people deal with.” According the African American History Month website, Black History month originally began in 1926 as Negro History Week and officially became Black History month in 1976, making this year the 40th anniversary of Black History month. Because it has only been around for a short amount of time in terms of “American” history, there is a large discrepancy as to what and who has contributed to black history before these dates. Save for MLK and Rosa Parks, many who have lost their lives to the struggle and the cause are forgotten by the rest of history. According to Dr. Higgins, a big conversation among the black community is the idea of freedom and what it means for black people. It’s a common notion in society that the black community is seen as lesser than many other communities. Several government reports have proven that black citizens are systemically oppressed by a construct that many people do not see because the only form it takes on is privilege. Because of this construct, black people live their day-to-day lives with restrictions on certain liberties; essentially their own freedom is taken away. “Freedom for me is being able to know that when I wake up in the morning, I’m not having to deal with all the labels that come with being an African-American individual,” Higgins said. Among these labels are the concepts that black people are ghetto, unkind and uneducated. Despite having a doctorate’s degree, Higgins said that he sometimes does not feel like his voice carries weight among conversations with colleagues and other professionals in his field. This sentiment is all too common among black individuals who are often only one person among a sea of many faces. The black community does not have the freedom to feel that they can exist unless they constantly validate who they are through their own accolades, which may still not carry weight among
those who don’t see their achievements as worthy as the majority. The loss of freedom stems from more than just feeling invalidated, it results from being disproportionately victimized by law enforcement and feeling that having a darker color associates the community with gang, crime and violence. Ferguson, Missouri, which was pushed under national spotlight after the killing of Michael Brown, has become a key point in revealing the construct of institutional racism against black citizens. In a report released last year by the Department of Justice, evidence proved that police force has been exclusively used on black citizens in Ferguson, with approximately 90 percent of documented use of force being against black people between 2012 and 2014. This institutional discrimination construct, in many cases, is pinned on white people. But, Dr. Higgins believes that the construct is based on the system of oppression. Oppression dates back to Marxist times and is the idea that there is always someone (the oppressor), who thinks they are higher than “the others” (the oppressed) for various reasons and will minoritize “the others” to feelings, or even believing, that they are lesser than the oppressor. “White people are not the problem and I truly believe that,” Higgins said. “What I believe is that when people believe in that systems of oppression that they know are there and they see it as evident and they start to use it to benefit themselves.” This coincides with the idea of privilege; a system that benefits people identified with the privilege to not having to deal with the same struggles and experiences that people who do not identify with the privilege have to deal with. A current buzzword right now in society is “white privilege”, which is the concept that white people have societal benefits that people of color do not, whether it is socially, politically or economically. The controversial issue in all this is that there are people who do not acknowledge their privilege and subsequently use it to advance themselves farther in their lives. This is something many people of color will never have the opportunity to do. According to Dr. Higgins, when a white person recognizes their privilege and uses that societal power to prevent others from having access to their freedom, oppression and discrimination are the end results. It is with this oppression and discrimination construct that need of black history is apparent. Black history serves as a challenge to these constructs of oppression. Black history serves as a counter of stereotyped labels of the black community. Black history serves as validation that black contributions to society are significant. Black history serves as a reminder that black lives do matter. Black history serves as a reminder to everyone that black history is just as much American history as anything.
FEATURE FEATURE
By Emily Ayers There is something about the intersectionality of being both a woman and by society; and the two things upon which California State, 0Long Beach student “It is not about appearances,” said Dike. “A lot of people are placed inside of a box based on their phenotype. Yes, I am a woman. Yes, I am black. But there are so many layers to who I am, and so much more me.” Strangers on the street and in the classroom fail to realize that these characteristics are not wholly what make her who she is, but merely a sliver. In the midst of a month celebrating the contributions of black individuals, most people would assume that the month carries the same weight for everyone. the solidarity of a group coming together to forge an identity. They assume that the daily struggles are now easier, and that “equality.” But for many, the purpose and reason as to why black history month is so important, remains unexplored and unanswered. For non-blacks it is used as proof that change has been made and that the door should be closed on racism and oppression. However, for black people, there is a torn feeling between appreciation for the month, and equal resentment for the need to still have one in our society. “Our founding fathers weren’t the only ones that contributed to building our society,” said Dike. “Black history month is that time to be educated and to give thanks and remember how we got here, why we are here, and remembering the people who have gotten us here in their own special way.” Dike explained how black history month does provide a way for people to openly profess a love for their black heritage and be at peace with it without being coined as a black-nationalist or radical. “For me, I see no other option than to be pro-black after being introduced to all of the corruptions my community has experienced,” said Dike. “You can’t not say anything, and you feel wrong not defending your community.” Dike proves even further the complexity of the black experience. Her parents are both from Nigeria and although Dike was born in America, she has felt a stronger allegiance to her African heritage. Early on she struggled with how to relate to Black in. “Coming to college made it easier for me to see the links between the all black people,” said Dike. “Because at the end of the day we are all seen as being in the same category. Society doesn’t necessarily care. It’s like if you look black, then you are black.” In the process of forging her own identity, Dike was able to draw connections between what black people all over the world go through. She was able to see how the oppression Black Americans endure is similar to that in Nigeria, Congo, and
of colonization, imperialism and slavery. “What hit home even more for me was being on campus and understanding the racial disparity we face here at Cal State Long Beach,” said Dike. “We are so low in numbers on campus, yet in the city there are so many black and Latino people, and that never made sense to me.” The need for Black History Month addresses these disparities. For many young college students, the inequalities are education. And the need for a strong sense of self-identity is crucial in the success of black students graduating college. Dike said how the 3.8 percent population of blacks on CSULB’s campus shows issues in the education system. High school students of color often times lack proper guidance from counselors, and the ones who do manage to apply are often not accepted. For the ones who do make into the school, there is also an issue of retention she explained. proper support from various professors or counselors. It then becomes a daily battle for students to not feel shut out when they are sometimes the only black person in every single one of their classrooms. And the main things they are trying to transcend, their interactions and feelings of worth on campus. “Sometimes being a black woman and Dike said. “Some professors don’t take me seriously, or are surprised if I do well undermine my ability to do the work which doesn’t make sense to me.” It is these experiences that help Dike understand why students without support can’t do it isn’t something you want in your life everyday. It isn’t an environment people can truly thrive in, she said. and progress for the black community, but for students especially, it still feels overwhelming to voice concerns and issues that often fall on deaf ears. “In a perfect world, I’m not sure equality would be the answer,” Dike said. “Putting has happened in history and the people who to account for that.” Dike stressed the importance of fairness, understanding, and respect for the fact that are made of the same things. “I do want to see a change in our society as far as our black people are concerned,” said Dike. “And I mean black people everywhere. We have the potential to get what we want as far as liberation and to get to that point we have to learn to structurally do it better than in the past.” Black history month serves as the formidable eraser deleting the lines of the boxes drawn around so many people in the black community. For this reason it will always be an important month, it will always be a conversation that needs to be had, and it will always serve as a time to celebrate that yes, black lives do matter.
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Culture
Dream it, Work Hard, Grind ‘til You Own It Unleash the power of Beyoncé By Jordan Daniels Staff Writer
From birth we are taught to believe in something or someone bigger than us. We’re made to follow whatever it is that we think will lead us to a greater good. We put our faith into something that is out of our control and pray the best. For many this faith is scripture, for others it’s the next world leader and for some it’s Beyoncé. When “Formation” dropped, I was not me with each second of those lyrics. On a surface level, it’s a track that speaks on a lot of things about Beyoncé that we never think about; It’s a diss to the haters to that spread rumors about her being a part of the Illuminati. It’s a diss to those who act as if Beyoncé isn’t black enough to be a part of her own community. It’s a correction to those who believe that having money made her somehow lose herself on her rise to fame. It’s who she is and there’s nothing anyone can do not once has she ever let somebody dictate who she is, what she says or what she does and nor will ever. One thing that I believe has caused so much controversy with her latest video and subsequent halftime show is the fact that for so long, people only take her music at surface level. Nobody cares to dissect her words nor her videos. The world has been up in arms and the “Formation” video, acting as if this as a platform to discuss and dissect a current issue. If anyone has been paying attention, Beyoncé has become more political in the anthems like “Who Run the World (Girls)” time, nor do I think it will be the last, Beyoncé has made a statement. What I do think about this “Formation”
statement and why it is so controversial, however, is the idea of embracing blackness. Beyoncé’s performance marks one of the only times that someone, who is in such a much they love and embrace their heritage; how much they and embrace being black. claiming how much she loves being black. The lyrics, “I like my baby hair with baby hair and afro/I like my negro nose with Jackson 5 nostrils,” prove exactly that as she proclaiming what she loves about her family.
than black men in general. I could go on and on but the only thing you need to know is that her lyrics have power. Then we roll over to the music video, which is truly a visual anthem. It’s a mix of high fashion and deep symbols of empowerment. Taking place in New Orleans, it shows a lot of the city that was devastated by hurricane Katrina and how 11 years later, many parts of the city still aren’t being saved from the damage. The song begins
who she is—a black country girl; the same country black girl who carries hot sauce in in some way and every other lyric poses as a support to that statement. I could dissect each lyric word by word, but I think you get the gist of how her calling herself a “Texas ‘bama’” is empowering, considering it means someone who’s unfashionable or ugly and she’s literally held in the regard of a living goddess. I don’t think I need to explain how saying that she might be a black Bill Gates is empowering not just a black person, considering he’s one of the wealthiest white men in the world, but as a black women, a subcategory of human that
dressed in all black, which is clearly a nod
correct, she’s even standing in front of the posing herself as a witch. This is an explicit nod to the idea of “#BlackGirlMagic,” celebrates
which many people would call “nappy”, a derogatory word for simply meaning afro-
Beyoncé has made a statement.” this money but they never take the country out me/I got hot sauce in my bag/swag.” This correlates to the fact that despite however
a toy gun. The last scene I’ll analyze so I can get
textured. It’s not often that black women get to show their natural hair, especially in a music video, because society carries a notion that all women should have straight, long hair and having short curls is going against the mold. There’s a sign throughout the video that explicitly says, “stop shooting us,” which is a clear nod to the Black Lives Matter movement and there’s even segments that show a little boy who is wearing a black hoodie in front a row of police, dancing choreography that eventually ends with both the boy and the police holding up their hands in a “hands up, don’t shoot,” formation, which is another clear nod to the BLM movement. This scene alone has several messages deep because the hoodie is a nod to Trayvon Martin and let me remind you that the video came out the day after what would have been his 21st birthday. The boy himself is a nod to Tamir Rice, a black
the
strength,
beauty
and
a black women literally dressed as a witch during a time where a current social trend is #blackgirlmagic, the message couldn’t be any more clear. In fact, every message in this video and song is clear. People haven’t been understanding because they have just been taking this song and Beyoncé at face value. Turned Black,” provides a satirical-yetaccurate depiction of people, mainly white, who were outraged by “Formation” and its messages. The nail was hit on the head when there was a scene of the people in meant for us,” to which a woman responds, “But everything usually is!” The concept of privilege is shattered in that instance because it honestly represents the mindset of many people who watched the video and were so upset with Beyoncé over her being proud of who she was. That was the day Beyoncé stopped being everyone’s Beyoncé and became her own Beyoncé. That’s the power of Beyoncé, she doesn’t need to be anybody else for anybody except herself. Images from “Formation (Dirty)” music video by Beyoncé
Culture
All Glamed Up A personal review of the Best Dressed at the Grammy’s By Renee Schmiedeberg Contributor
“This is Ground Control/ to Major Tom/ You’ve really made the grade/ And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear”— David Bowie, “Space Oddity” While Vanessa Friedman of the New York Times called the 58th Annual Grammy’s a “muted” night for fashion, I don’t think that should take away from the few looks that I
thought, “Ziggy Stardust, of course she would
Florence Welch of Florence and the
Stardust wore shoulder pads, and they have become an emblem of the 80s and growing empowerment among women during that
last Spring ready-to-wear collection and it
long blue Marc Jacobs gown with a shape resembling Ziggy’s blue, amped version of blue of her dress is just beautiful and it’s
an interesting revival lately, playing with Welch has always seemed more in tune with nature and all things celestial than the rest of
embellished in sequin stars and moons,
Photographs courtesy of Grammys.com
I don’t want to write about Ariana Grande’s look because I don’t want to sound She’s like a baby with long fake nails, but
thing with these tributes is that the one person who might want to see it the most, the person to whom it is dedicated, is not able to I always wonder, why didn’t you celebrate them like this when they were alive? Dress for While researching the looks from the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, I couldn’t help but think of the lyric from Bowie’s “Space Oddity” mentioned at the beginning of this
13
14 Athletics
Dirtbags Baseball Begins Undefeated By Matthew Gozzip Darren McCaughan, a sophomore pitcher with only moderate experience out of the bullpen last year, but was red hot in seven innings pitched for the Dirtbags, tallying six
From there, it was the “Mc-K-aughan Show.” The golden locked lefty worked the for most of the night before unleashing
three hits for a 7-1 season opening win over Holy Cross. The season’s opening game for the Dirtbags ended a half hour ago but no one has left the stadium yet. Darren McCaughan couldn’t stop smiling as he was surrounded seating row in Blair Field after the game. “My fastball and slider were working, the team was playing great defense behind me, we got better as the day went on, we hit well and we just played well as a team today,” said McCaughan after the game.
base. Shortly after freshman Jarren Duran Cross, sophomore designated hitter Luke Rasmussen jolted a line drive right through Beach early on. The Dirtbags continued a streak of continuous innings with scores as Hampson
of his strikeouts were looking and even when Holy Cross made solid contact, the steady unnecessary runs from being scored. Freshman pitcher Jacob Hughey and pitcher Lucas Jacobsen sealed the win with consecutive one inning stints as Holy Cross
errors) to match the Dirtbags solid team “All the work we have been doing as a team has [amounted to this]. Our coaches taught us how to play loose and trust each other’s skills,” Rasmussen added at the end of the game. “I think we are really close. We have gotten a lot closer since last year and we’ve held everybody accountable. We have developed a trust in each other; we all believe in each other.” Playing well as a team is essential to any opening win for the young Dirtbags felt like
inning. The opportunistic Rasmussen took advantage of two early walks in the next inning to blast another single in the same
of trust in skill, coaching and positional responsibilities. It was a not a collection of individuals that won the game; it was a team is sweeter than celebrating success with family.
(
“My fastball and slider were working, the team was playing great defense behind me. ” —Darren McCaughan
Athletics
15
Farewell Megatron A look at the legend’s pending retirement By Richard Meija Managing Editor Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is seemingly ready to hang up his cleats and year career. For many reasons, this news
game. In a time where NFL players were
Johnson is only 30 years old and is still widely
receiver in NFL history. “Megatron” was
down.
the league with otherworldly athleticism. Large and athletic wide receivers were highly potential (i.e. Charles Rogers, Roy Williams,
Johnson was the player the NFL needed,
attitudes.
impact on his team and the league is greater didn’t rely solely on his size, rather used it to propel his crisp route running and rock solid
complained. In return, Johnson received no accolades.
coordinator played man coverage, zone, Johnson would always win. However, his
watching him play.
and determination is something this league has never seen nor will ever see again.
Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator
16
Music
From Compton to the Grammys Kendrick Lamar stole the show and scores big Kendrick Lamar dominated the Hip Hop categories at the 58th Grammy awards on
to 11 Grammys total, following just behind Michael Jackson’s overall music career with 13 wins. The awards he won at this year’s Grammy’s included best Rap Album, Best Rap Song for “Alright,” and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “These Walls.” Lamar devoured his competition at the awards show. This included: Drake, Dr. Dre, J. Cole, and Nicki Minaj for best rap album. But out of everything that went down at the Grammys, Kendrick’s monumental performance stole the show. Among his accomplishments at the Grammys, the 28 year old MC also recently received the key to the city of Compton on Feb. 13. Lamar’s aggressive performance of “The Blacker the Berry,” “Alright” and one other
depiction from his soul into the audience. Lamar’s genesis has him shackled in front of black boys in blue forming a chain-gang and walking in cadence of rhythm with every beat
in prison. Lamar then places his shackled wrists up on the microphone rapping, “The Blacker the Berry,” while a jailed jazz player plays in the background. Soon after, the rhythm section began launching Lamar into his rap. The performance ended with Lamar dancing in glow in the dark clothes, with everywhere— the audience trying to understand the mass incarceration rate of black Americans. Lamar followed the performance with striking visuals by up high behind him and the tribal-themed dancers. As they all danced around
By R. Ray Robinson Contributor
performance with a song that didn’t make his recording masterpiece, leading to a large silhouette of Africa behind him. Lamar has done more than present a phenomenal performance, he had also presented audiences with a passionate heart, uncaged bravery, and soulful stage presence. He has called for the world to talk about the injustices placed on people of color— specifically A f r i c a n Americans—that have been through hell, blazing before America’s beginning. Lamar may not have achieved Grammy glory in 2014, but his impacting when many other rappers could not. NWA member Ice Cube, and his son, O’Shea Jackson Jr., who portrayed his father
Kendrick’s performance was more than “Alright” Just how several people were “slayed” by Beyoncé’s Super Bowl halftime show, Kendrick Lamar’s performance at the 2016 Grammys was worthy of standing ovations, applauses and recognition of Black History as a whole. So far, connections have not been made between Black History Month, and with Beyoncé’s or Lamar’s
performances. And there shouldn’t be a connection, because Black History and mindblowing performances by these two artists are timeless. nominations he was up for this year. Regardless of Taylor Swift going home with Grammys that some people considered should have been Lamar’s, his fearless performance was far more memorable than any nomination. Starting by entering the stage chained and dressed up as inmates, Lamar and his performers grabbed the audience’s attention instantly. With his band locked inside jail cells, they played bluesy saxophone notes of “These Walls,” Lamar approached the microphone to begin singing one of his most controversial songs, “The Blacker The Berry.” With verses such as “My hair is nappy, my dick is big, my nose is round and wide/ You hate me don’t you?” Lamar makes allusion to the stereotypes that Black people are victims
As “The Blacker The Berry” was coming to an end, Lamar and his performers got rid of the chains that had their hands tied up. While stating “As we proceed to give you what you need…,” the jail scene switched to
opening up to the next song. With more jazz and blues references, essential characteristics of the history of Black music, Lamar proceeded to change the drums and African tribe dances. singing “Alright.” This song has become an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement and the power of the lyrics were in synch with the performance of the night. As Lamar sung the pre-hook of the song that states “When my pride was low, lookin’ at the world like ‘where do we go, n****?/ And we hate Popo, wanna kill us dead in the street for sure, n****/ I’m at the preacher’s door/ My knees gettin’ week and my gun might blow but we gon’ be alright,” performers danced around him making reference to African American tribes and roots to show that their [African American’s] oppression has been
in “Straight Outta Compton,” presented Lamar with Rap Album of the Year. After receiving a standing ovation, Lamar gave a speech on his victory thanking God, his Dawg Entertainment (TDE) family for, “Taking these kids out of the projects—out of Compton, and putting them right here on stage to be the best that they can be. We’ll never forget that.” Lamar continued to say, “Hip Hop! Ice Cube! This for Hip Hop! This for Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle.” This for Nas’ “Illmatic.” We will live forever. Believe that. Aiight!” From a kid living in impoverished section-8 homes in the projects, to coming straight from Compton and now rocking music’s biggest awards show, Lamar is by representing his community to do better. Although he didn’t win Album of the Year, his artistic endeavor has done so much more. His music has transcended and touched the hearts of so many people from his native city of Compton, to the world. Due to his achievements, it is safe to say that Kendrick in the world for generations to come.
By Elizabeth Campos Staff Writer going on for long, but they keep resisting. Following “Alright,” Lamar once again changed the setting to a more serious and respectful one mourning the loss of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old African American who was fatally shot. The neighborhood watch volunteer and shooter, George Zimmerman, allegedly shot Martin claiming self-defense. “On February 26 I lost my life too,” Lamar said on what seemed a free-style rap. “Why didn’t he defend himself?… Added to a trial of hatred, 2012 was there for the world to see. It set us back another 400 years” stated Lamar connecting the situation to the violent past that the African American culture has gone through. To conclude his performance, a screen behind Lamar lit up showing the word “Compton” over an image of Africa. Recalling police brutality, discrimination and oppression as well as pride of his heritage, Lamar conveyed a message that while omnipresent, continues to be blurred. No Grammy nominations are enough to recognize and award Kendrick Lamar for the cultural awareness that he brings to the table.
Music
17
“In Between the Goodbyes” Album Review Empty Handed’s recent addition to their discography
By Peter R. Clark Travel Editor
Empty Handed is a melodic hardcore band from Leipzig, Germany. They have been around since late 2009, and their brand of music has always been emotional melodic
like a train. This song’s lyrics deal with life being like a black sky and wishing that you could see the things no one else could see
No One Clings Onto” was released in 2013 and it was one of my favorite albums of that year, because a number of the song’s lyrics spoke to me directly. Late last year, their Goodbyes,” was released. Empty Handed can be compared to other artists such as The Cold Harbor, All We Have, Sending Lights, Home Times, and at times, Heart In Hand. But what Empty Handed has over those bands is raw emotion coupled with great songwriting. That is not to discredit the bands previously named, but Empty Handed brings such pure emotion through vocals backed by excellent musicianship. This album is not by any means a step up from their previous album— more of a building onto—but it contains some great tracks that really make them stand out from the rest of the melodic hardcore pack. This album much like their previous one is deep set in the hardcore genre. They make it abundantly clear that it is an emotional
which contains an odd sample and some about what the name implies. It’s the fear of not being good enough, and the song’s
favorite track on the album. The remaining eight tracks on the album are made up of two more instrumentals and six tracks of varying degrees of emotions.
challenges and could face a shut down By Abraham Alapisco Staff Writer Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator
album title in the song for a great section that features both clean singing and the normal harsher vocals.
song with a part of the lyrics in German. of the song in German. The tone of the German sung lyrics of the any of any other song. It sounds more calm, and not as forced. T h a t makes sense, as with the rest of the album, it is clear that the English sung portion has a heavy accent. It is possible that this part of the song vocalist, but no one is mentioned. Another great track on the album is
most. This is song about turning 28 and feeling broken. I am rapidly approaching that age myself, and sometimes I feel that I am digging a hole just for me to jump into. This song contains an excellent inte rlude that goes into a section of the song that can only be described a s breathtaking. His lyrics write a letter to for it to remove his doubts. Musically at this point, the song takes a turn for build up and tremolo picking. It’s beautiful in its destruction and eventual demise. This is the last song on the album before
it makes sense with the song. It begins slow, then fast, but then it mellows out for a great section towards the end that is both melodic and very emotional. track on the album. It at times feels too mainstream for a melodic hardcore song. It follows the generic song structure of verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. The to the point of annoyance at times. This song also contains a generic chug towards the middle that I’ve heard a thousand times and wished bands would move away from. It even has a small portion that could be considered a breakdown, which seems to be contradictory to the entire genre of melodic hardcore. Some bands have gotten away with it, but in this example it is too glaring to get away with it. Overall, this album is a solid entry to their discography. It falls short on a song, and perhaps contains too many instrumental tracks, but it’s still pleasant to listen to and other great albums. I am excited to see what Empty Handed has in store for us next. Now if only that fucking Napoleon album would drop so we all bask in its glory.
This song contains great guitar work, with a nice usage of higher notes interplayed
well with the lyrics, stops at points of most importance, or builds up before something
The Cloud That Fell from the Sky
In addition to dual guitars, there are a few sections of this song that contains dual vocals
is one that also spoke to me. It starts with calm guitar plucking before hitting you
Soundcloud, which is one of the larger music streaming websites, may be facing an
a music producer I feel like it would be a
and a string of legal issues with music groups, such as Sony Music removing music citing a lack of monetary opportunities in 2015. Soundcloud has taken certain measures to services and implementing advertisements if consumers choose to utilize the free services. However, Soundcloud has heavily relied on investors in order to cover operational costs up until this point. Streaming services have become the norm in music today, with many who are willing to pay to have unlimited access to a large library of music. Before streaming music applications came along, everyone was fumbling with their music player and computer every time they wanted to add new tracks to their collection. In a world where convenience is a priority, streaming apps have found their place as both music sources and strains on data plans. from other streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora through the myriad and unique type of artists that host music on the
other platforms to showcase their music such as Mixcloud, Mixcrate, and Bandcamp. After that, I don’t think it will be that much of a loss.” The internet provides a plethora of options in terms of where people display and enjoy music. The industry is still intent
site. Soundcloud is known for personalized playlists, social connections, and music recommendations that help listeners discover new artists. There are a combination lot of remixes that help your ears enjoy a new twist on a song you’ve heard on the radio way too many times. CSULB student Miguel-Angel Orduno comments on how Soundcloud’s shaky future
for streaming their music or through advertisements. Soundcloud helps create exposure for artists because of how music can be shared and promoted. Other streaming services may only have established artists available for consumption. Whether Soundcloud sticks around or not, it will continue to face challenges that other streaming services don’t seem to. It may be due to Soundcloud’s business strategy that has crippled them how much control they give to consumers by not limiting track skips, rewind/fast forward features and song selections.
18
Entertainment
“42”: More Than a Number Don’t forget this great performance A great legacy that always hits home for me is the story of Jackie Robinson leading the Brooklyn Dodgers to victory in “42”. The
in an all-white world of baseball during the 1940s. He deals with many angry opponents wanting him to quit playing America’s pastime or edge him out in death. Robinson,
By R. Ray Robinson Contributor
foes, jacking and robbing bases, and dodging the pin for a grand slamming win. This scene
on perseverance, but it is also a great movie on the perseverance of a man who changed baseball.
the Brooklyn Dodgers, led by Branch Rickey batting bravery. American player in the Major Leagues. The remember the strength of Boseman’s acting compelling performance capturing the spirit of the legend in his biopic. This movie always strikes my soul because it is about a man who challenges the color-line of baseball forever by overcoming his opponents on the diamond. as a sprinter, and undisputed power as a star hitter, Robinson proves to the baseball world his worth. Despite being a great hitter, Robinson is the only black player competing
know what to expect from the relatively new actor, but Boseman masterfully captured the essence of the man’s movements, voice, energy, virtuosity and batting prowess by overcoming those who tried breaking him. Robinson uses his home runs to let him ignore the racist taunts of his opponents, moment was bittersweet because Rickey
heart of Robinson to keep playing a civil game. “42” never strikes me out with boredom.
African American hero who made it possible for all people from all walks of life to play the game to achieve success.
The Day America Changed: “11.22.63” Sometimes the past changes you
By Lauren Hunter Staff Writer Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator
J.J. Abrams have collaborated and produced this new show that has raised the eternal question of ‘if you could, would you?’
problem. JFK was not assassinated until 1963. This creates a problem for Franco’s character and means he has to live in the past for three years before he could complete his mission, if he decides to take it. There is a catch that no matter how long you spend in the past, if you travel back through the rabbit hole only two minutes of your normal life would have passed and you haven’t really have missed anything at all. This show is not just a drama, but there are
November of 1960. However, there is a huge
the future he knows how American history
go back in time and change history? That is the question facing Jake Epping, played by the talented James Franco. And with a little
“The Rabbit Hole” is about a portal in time and Epping needing to travel through it and make some life-altering and tough decisions. Templeton wants his friend to travel to the 1960s and stop the Kennedy assassination. If JFK wasn’t killed then Vietnam would not have happened and life in America as we know it would be changed, at least that’s Templeton’s way of thinking. This is all brought to us by Hulu. Hulu is doing an original show called “11.22.63” which is based
has played out since the 60s. People make reference to Richard Nixon being a stand-up guy and James Franco does a brilliant job at trying not to laugh during this part since we all know that Nixon was not a stand up guy. Also a Thunderbird convertible is I travel back in time and get a classic car for that price? But the
Epping tries to do something that could alter an event, the past pushes back and something bad happens. This begs the question, what if the JFK assassination is
“11.22.63” An 8-part miniseries “The Rabbit Hole,” 1 hr 20 mins New episodes every Monday on Hulu
and this mission is a waste? This show brings up questions that we all would wonder about time travel. And we all have been asked if we could go back would brought up more questions than answers. This show hooks you from the beginning and makes you want to know how this story will play out. This show is something people should be watching. I just wish Hulu would the entire series up in one day so I could distract myself more from my studies and binge watch “11.22.63”.
Entertainment
19
Oscar Predictions By Andrew Linde Entertainment Editor
“Creed” Run Time: 2 hr 13 min Directed by: Ryan Coogler Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Slyvester Stallone, Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad This week CSULB is showing “Creed” in the USU movie theatre. Growing up as a “Rocky” fan put a lot of pressure on this movie for me. I kind of shied away seeing it when it was stars Michael B. Jordan as Adonis “Donny” Johnson and of course we learn that he is the illegitimate child of the late Apollo Creed.
Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and Creed’s son together. Rocky becomes Adonis’s Yoda and trains him, after some reluctance. Adonis is a rough around the edges young man with a lot of angst. It comes naturally to (Phylicia Rashad), takes Adonis in when he
“Creed” By Lauren Hunter Staff Writer Illustration by John Mueller Graphics Illustrator
This Sunday Hollywood will be celebrating the best in acting, directing, writing and more with the 88th Academy Awards. While I am not a voting member of the Academy, I do have opinions about movies. What follows are my picks in the top categories at the upcoming Oscars. Writing (Adapted Screenplay) While most would choose “The Martian for this category, I was absolutely charmed by the simplicity of the story in “Brooklyn” and how well crafted it was. Writing (Original Screenplay) I adore “Ex Machina” but it is more of a visual feast. “Inside Out” impressed me by taking what could have been a simple story and giving it real heart.
say now that it belongs in the series. So go
Directing
everyone should go see “Creed”.
to the Oscars, he walked away with Best Director and Best Picture. I don’t think that’ll happen this year. While I think it’s a one in a million shot for “Mad Max: Fury Road” to win Best Picture, it should win for George Miller’s directing.
to all the hype and controversy surrounding good and at moments it was great, but is it an Academy Award winning movie for acting? Probably not. However, I can see why Sylvester Stallone received his nomination for Best Supporting Actor. As the Yoda-type
Apollo Creed’s son, but he’s young and it was things from him in the future, but I do not blame the Academy for not nominating him for an award. Michael, your time will come. As a huge “Rocky” fan I had mixed feelings
Movies on the House are hosted twice a month on Wednesday and Thursday. Each movie is screened for 2 days at 3:30 pm, 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm in the USU Beach Auditorium. All screenings are free for students and $5 for nonstudents. Snacks are available for purchase. “Creed” will be screened Feb. 24 and 25
Actress in a Supporting Role Jennifer Jason Leigh stood out in “Hateful woman in the cabin. Actor in a Supporting Role Out of those nominated, I think Slyvester
The next Movie on the House will be 2” on Mar. 9 and 10
Balboa and begs to have Rocky train him. Eventually these two become like family in a heartwarming way. As a big “Rocky” fan this all tugged at my heartstrings. There is laughter, tears, happiness, and sadness
scene I had some personal issues with the
And Adonis earned his own movie, “Creed”.
thing was the red, white and blue shorts that Apollo is famous for wearing and later Rocky wears them. His boxing shorts get passed down to Adonis. The sense of passing of the
Actor in a Lead Role If Leo doesn’t win this, I’m afraid to see what he’ll do in his next movie to win one. Actress in a Lead Role With Jennifer Lawrence consistently returning to the nominee pool, this isn’t her year. I’m honestly torn between Saoirse Ronan in “Brooklyn” and Cate Blanchett in “Carol”. Blanchett’s performance is so subtle, but Ronan has a certain electricity on the screen. Best Picture While I didn’t care for “The Martian”, I know many did and it could easily take this category. I think “Spotlight” is a fantastic by focusing on those who did the work to bring it to light.
“Rocky” fans and now a new generation gets to have “Creed”. Grab tissues, the end scene will bring a tear to your eye. But I won’t give that away since it is crucial to the franchise and truly cements the family bond between Adonis and Rocky.
“The 88th Annual Academy Awards” on ABC Feb. 28, 4 p.m. PT
20
Travel
Fear the Rain One Bay area native’s suggestions to SoCal drivers By Alex Ramos Staff Writer
Graphic by Nathan Zankich Web Manager There’s nothing like a little rain to make your commute a little inconvenient. By a little rain I mean a wall of water crashing down your windshield and by inconvenient I mean fucking terrifying. The thing is I wasn’t scared of my own ability to drive in the rain; I was scared of everyone else’s ability to drive in the rain. And so, this is the story of how I came face to face with El Niño during my regular commute. Let me preface my story by stating that I’m not from around here. I’m originally from the Bay area, where up until a few years ago we were used to getting a decent amount of rain every year. Come Oct. 30, we would have woman, child in the Bay area knows the chill that comes before a storm and the smell of wet pavement that lingers after. People from SoCal (SoCalians? Southern Californians? I don’t know.) seem to be completely oblivious to the concept of water
falling from the sky. I don’t blame you guys either; it’s hot and sunny 300 days of the year. I’ve seen people struggle to get dressed when the temperature dips to 70 degrees. My point summer. Everything changed when El Niño attacked. Usually there’s a light rain before a storm comes in but El Niño came in and messed things up overnight! I remember
little, got in my car, and started making my way. My girlfriend sent me a text telling me to be careful and drive safe. I kind of laughed changed my mind as soon as I got on the 605. It was like god reached down and turned up the storm’s intensity to 11 in an instant. My visibility went down to the point where I had to squint to see and I had to work in order to keep the car going straight. I started to
“The thing is, I wasn’t scared of my own ability to drive in the rain ; I was scared of everyone else’s ability to drive in the rain.” waking up one morning to the sound of rain pounding the roof and pavement. I hadn’t seen rain like that in a few years, even in the Bay area. Despite all that, I was determined to visit my girlfriend. I waited for the rain to let up a
get nervous and thought to myself, “I hope I make it.” You want to know what made things worse? SoCal drivers! Let me tell you, I hate driving around SoCal. I’d heard that it sucks but I didn’t realize how bad it would be until I
it doesn’t help that people don’t know how to drive. This is especially true in rainy weather. There’s a few simple rules to follow when it rains: 1. Turn on your windshield wipers 2.Turn on your headlights 3. Drive slower Easy right? You would think these rules are impossible to follow given what I saw that day. Cars kept zooming past and splashing my windshield. I kept getting spooked by cars that I hadn’t noticed because their headlights weren’t on. I’ve never been so frustrated with faceless strangers until that day. I obviously made it in one piece, but in that moment, I wasn’t sure if I was going to. The moral of the story: people from SoCal need to check themselves before they wreck themselves and other drivers in the rain. Please.