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ISSA MAGAZINE
S T U D E N T M A G A Z I N E • I S S U E N O . 1

contents
5
LET'S GET VOCAL ABOUT
BUYING LOCAL...SAMANTHA
LUNA
8 FROM MILITARY BARRACKS TO COLLEGE
CAMPUS...JUSTIN UEMURA
11 THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM...GILBERT
GARCIA
16 A VEGGIE'S TALE...MATTHEW JIM YANG
19
BEHIND THE SCENES WITH A
YOUTUBE STAR...MIKAYLA
KRAUS
22 IS JAZZ BECOMING BACKGROUND
NOISE?...MEGAN MCCRACKEN
24 FROM DANCING TEEN TO WHEELCHAIR
QUEEN...ASHLEY BONAFONTE
27 THE STRUGGLE IS REAL...MARTIN SULLIVAN
28
WANT PROTESTING, NEED
STUDENTS...CODY REEVES
30 STILL UNDEFEATED...CLAUDIA RODRIGUEZ
33 INVISIBLE WORKERS OF CSUMB...DANIEL
RAMIREZ
36 LEARNING MORE THAN JUST THE
GAME...JORDANA PRICE
38 IN A DECENTRALIZED CLASS...ILENE GOMEZ
41
AN ENGAGED CAMPUS ONE
PEDAL STROKE AT A
TIME...NOAH FRIEDMAN

EDITOR'S
LETTER
MIKAYLA KRAUS
ISSA Magazine is a student-run magazine that
came alive in a small reporting class. All articles
are written by students at California State
University, Monterey Bay, giving a voice and an
inside look at matters that are important to
today's higher education students.
We are proud to present our first issue, which we
hope will be carried on by reporting classes in the
future. Many hours and an abundance of effort
has been poured into this collection of stories.
PAGE 3 | ISSA

PAGE 4 | EPICURE
STAFF MEMBERS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
MIKAYLA KRAUS
ASSISTANT EDITORS
CODY REEVES
MATTHEW JIM YANG
MARK BRAMBLE
COPY EDITORS
CONNOR MARTIN
MARTIN SULLIVAN
ASHLEY BONAFONTE
MELANIE DURMAZ
CODY REEVES
FACT-CHECKERS
JUSTIN UEMURA
CLAUDIA RODRIGUEZ
SAMANTHA LUNA
PHOTOGRAPHERS AND PHOTO EDITORS
BRITTANY GLASSMAN
MADDELAIN CASTRO
MEGAN MCCRACKEN
JIO HUERTA

LETS GET
VOCAL
ABOUT
BUYING
LOCAL
Written by Samantha Luna
Local Farmers Markets are starting to
make a bigger impact on their local
community.
A vast majority of consumers don’t take
into consideration where their food
comes from.
For local farmers in the Monterey and
Santa Cruz County, they take their
farming very seriously. It’s more than just
about produce. It’s about giving back to
their own community.
PICTURE OF P&K FARM STRAWBERRIES
Rodoni Farms is made up of third
generation farmers. They are located in
the Santa Cruz County. One of their
farmers, Donna Iles, has been a producer
and customer of local Farmers Markets
for the past 20 years. “There’s a strong
connection that starts forming with the
community and the consumer,” says Iles.
People who are weekly buyers start to
get to know the farmer they are buying
from on a more personal base. “We
become a familiar face,” Illes adds. She
starts to get regulars who get to know
her on a first name basis. To consumers,
it’s all about the bond that takes place.
Rodoni Farms first started out with
strictly brussel sprouts. Now, they sell
artichoke, broccoli, pumpkin, squash,
cauliflower, lemons, and limes. You name
it and Rodoni Farms most likely grows it.
Iles’ biggest consumers are local
restaurants and of course the local
community.

PICTURE OF PREVEDILLI FARM VAN
Credit: Samantha Luna
PICTURE OF ORGANIC GALA
APPLES Credit: Samantha Luna
PICTURE OF ORGANIC ARTICHOKE FROM
RODONI FARMS Credit: Samantha Luna
Big box brands and stores
tend to sell fruits and
vegetables that aren’t
organic. When someone
buys from farmers markets
they’re already making the
healthier and smarter choice.
“It’s important to buy local
because their produce is
organic and who doesn’t like
to eat organic,” says Iles.
There has been a big push
on eating organic. When you
buy non organic it contains
pesticide residue which can
lead to sickness and allergy
issues. Just a decade ago
Rodoni Farms completely
transitioned to only organic
produce. Illes believes it is
one of the best decisions the
farm has made because it’s
benefiting people’s lives.
As for Paul Tao of P&K
Farms, he has been doing
Farmers Markets for the past
8 years. He grows
strawberries and blueberries
locally in Moss Landing. He
originally started growing
strawberries with his father
at a young age. “I love
interacting with customers.
You get to know each
customer and what they like
best,” says Tao. His
strawberries are fast sellers.
During, and even a little after
strawberries season
customers line up to try the
sweet candy like
strawberries. “P&K Farms
has the best strawberries
hands down. Each bite melts
in your mouth,” says regular,
April Hyde.
Organic farming in the U.S.
is becoming bigger than
ever. In a recent article
written by Takepart more
than 4 million acres of U.S.
farmland have dedicated
their fields to being strictly
organic. This number con-
-nues to rise. More than any
other states in the U.S.,
California and New York are
the main two that have a
high demand for organic
produce. Consumers
demand for organic goods
has dramatically grown.
Farmers markets have grown
steadily.
According to the United
States Department of
Agriculture, in 1994 there
were about 1,760 farmers
markets. In 2013, there were
about 8,145. Since then, their
numbers have only
increased. In a recent survey
from the USDA, managers in
produce felt that more
organic farmers were
needed to meet consumers
demands.
Restaurants would not be
complete without their local
farmers. Bryan Smith, a local
chef at Casanova restaurant
in Carmel, has been choosing
organic produce most of his
life. He is big on buying
locally. At Casanova they are
big on tomatoes and squash.
When Smith buys groceries
for his home, he gets
anything from tomatoes,
lettuce, and pasta. Smith
grew up in Sacramento,
California and was constantly
around the food business his
whole life. “I can’t remember
a time where I didn’t eat
organically. I’ve been so used
to buying from our local
farmers,” says Smith.
Casanova is deeply
connected with its
community because they
purchase strictly from areas
around them. It makes their
restaurant more deeply
rooted with their customers.
I S S A M A G A Z I N E |

LOCAL FARMERS
MARKET DATES
OLD MONTEREY
MARKET PLACE
TUESDAY
4PM-8PM (SUMMER)
4PM-7PM (WINTER)
ALVARADO &
W.FRANKLIN ST
MONTEREY, CA
MONTEREY
PENINSULA
COLLEGE
CERTIFIED
FARMERS'
MARKET
FRIDAY
10AM-2PM
MONTEREY
PENINSULA
COLLEGE
930 FREMONT ST
MONTEREY, CA
DOWNTOWN
SALINAS
SATURDAY
CERTIFIED
FARMERS'
MARKETS
SATURDAY
9AM-2PM
GABILAN ST
BETWEEN MAIN
AND SALINAS ST
SALINAS, CA
PICTURE ABOVE: KIM AND SON ALEX OF P&K FARMS Credit:
Samantha Luna
Eating healthy is starting to become more of a trend. More people
are starting to change their diet habits which means eating
organically becomes more attractive. “Farmers markets are starting
to grow on people. There’s something special about buying from
these local farms,” Smith says. Customers want to be aware of how
their food is processed and where it comes from. Restaurants and
the community start to form this connection with their buyers.
“These farmers have become more than just a source for my food.
They’re the reason our restaurant has been so successful the past 40
years,” says Smith.
Next time you decide on buying groceries head out to your local
farmers market. You’re not only benefiting your life but you’re
supporting your local farmers. Check out seemonterey.com to find
out when the next available one takes place.

From Military Barracks to a
College Campus
The CSUMB campus has come a long way
since its inception in 1994
B Y J U S T I N U E M U R A
What once used to be a active military base is now an
ever growing college campus. CSUMB is still in the midst
of adding on, evolving and becoming a more student
oriented campus.
The remaining barracks and other blighted building that
surround the campus give a glimpse of the way the base
looked in its heyday. Tom Marquez, who was stationed at
Fort Ord in 1977-78 and now works in the Facilities,
Shipping and Receiving department at CSUMB, and his
wife Sheryl who spent her whole childhood in and
around Fort Ord, have memories of the way the base
used to look.
“I was stationed there two years after Vietnam, and
during the short period of peace, I was told to enlist at
that time because I wasn’t going to be called into duty,”
Tom recalls.
Photo Courtesy of Police Chief Earl Lawson
B E F O R E A N D A F T E R S H O T S O F T H E F O R M E R B A S E
Majority of this school is basically remodeled barracks,
for example the dorms that are across the street from
the library. “The new parking lot, lot 59 that just
opened up, used to be a motor pool,” Tom and Sheryl
recall. “The World Theatre has been in the same
location, the bookstore at one point was a recreation
center, for only those who were enlisted.”
If you are an Human Communications major, then you
might be familiar with building 201 or Gavilan Hall
where all the HCOM faculty offices are located. Those
were much nicer living quarters where high rankings
officials stayed, Tom recalls vividly because he got to
live in those barracks.
The dilapidated, brush surrounding barracks that sit
along Second Avenue, right next to Water City Roller
Hockey, tell a different story when they were in use
“There was a big emphasis of cleanliness here on Fort
Ord,” the Marquezes recall, “although you can’t see it
now, but the outside of the barracks were kept tidy, you
couldn’t see a weed or piece of trash insight.”
“Planet Ord, was another name given to Fort Ord, and
that’s what we called it,” Tom recalls.
They called it “Planet Ord,” was because it was very
culturally diverse due to the servicemen being stationed
overseas, and finding a wife while stationed there, then
comeback and have kids that were either bi or
multiracial.
1

“I was constantly
getting emails that
had weekly schedules
of activities going on
for the students. It
seemed like the school
was genuinely trying
to get students
involved.”
- Dixon
Fast forward to 2007, Tom took
a job as a parking enforcement
officer here at the school, only
to switch over to Facilities,
Shipping and Receiving a year
later. He will now have been
with facilities going on 11 years
now. “When I started as an
enforcement officer, the
student population was very
low, but it has continued to
slowly grow as the years go by,”
he remarks.
“I do know, just from working
the graduations, that the
graduation rate here at CSUMB
is increasing year by year, and
that is really good to see,” he
said.
Although Tom has his sights set
on retirement, he sees a bright
future for this school. “In five to
ten years, I want to come back,
and maybe there will be about
12-15 thousand students on this
campus, or a growth of about
30-40 percent,” he believes.
“But, you know when new
buildings start to go up, then
there will be more classes to
offer, but it will also bring more
students to this campus, and
really make it grow.
Photo Courtesy of Police Chief Earl Lawson
T H E B U I L D I N G A B O V E N O W T H E U N I V E R S I T Y C E N T E R
Cal State Monterey Bay began
its journey in 1994, on an old
military base of all places.
Human Communications
Literature Professor Qun Wang
was one of the founding
members at CSUMB, who had
other offers from major
universities like Oregon State
but chose CSUMB because of
the vision statement. “I
remember that we first taught
classes at General Stillwell
Elementary school, because the
existing buildings were not in a
condition, where classes could
be taught”. He also recalled that
at one point the founding
faculty threw around the idea of
buying giant military style tents
to hold classes in.
In his eight years of teaching at
CSUMB Professor Kyle Livie a
Human Communications
professor has seen the campus
evolving as each year passes.
“When the Humanities building
is built” he says “in the four
years after it being built, there
will be more opportunity to
expand and to add more classes
to the humanities department”.
He believes that in 15 years
time, the campus will very
different from what it looks like
today. The student population
will have grown exponentially,
buildings will look different and
it will look like an actual college
campus.
A recent graduate of CSUMB,
Taylor Dixon was very
disappointed in the way the
campus presented itself, “the
campus was small and spread
out, and I was not impressed
with the classrooms, minus the
new buildings.” But as time
went on CSUMB started to grow
on her.
“Once I learned the layout (of
the school), I started to like it”,
she says “It was just
overwhelming at first,” at the
same time she started to enjoy
her walks through campus.
As far as the campus goes,
Dixon realizes the problem the
school is facing with student
housing, but minus the glaring
fact of the housing shortage,
she adamantly believes that the
school will continue to grow, “I
guess CSUMB will become a
better school,” she remarked.
2

“When the
Humanities building
is built” he says “in
the four years after it
being built, there will
be more opportunity
to expand and to add
more classes to the
humanities
department”. - Livie
Dixon believes that this is a studentoriented
campus. “I was constantly
getting emails that had weekly
schedules of activities going on for
the students. It seemed like the
school was genuinely trying to get
students involved.”
As a returning student, Arnett
Young’s experience at CSUMB was a
bit different. Young began taking
classes at CSUMB in the Fall of 2008.
He was invited to apply to the
Watershed Science and Policy
Masters programs by one the
school’s faculty.
“By the time I enrolled in CSUMB, the
new library was in the final stages in
being completed, and was ready to
be dedicated, “ Young recalls
By this time, the school was already
14 years old, so it had done some
growing. “What I did find that it
(CSUMB) felt like a small school.”
Young seemed to be fond of the
small-scale environment.
“You were in constant contact with
people you knew, even outside your
normal “stomping grounds,” Young
says, articulating how small the
school was while he was attending
CSUMB
Eduardo O. Ochoa the president of CSUMB, presented a
proposal for the future of the university called a “Strategic
Planning and The Vision Statement,” in a campus-wide retreat
for the faculty and staff.
President Ochoa lists different stages of the school by years
“The foundational years: 1994-2005, consolidation years: 2006-
2012, and re-engagement years: 2012-2018.”
According to his presentation the first 12 years of the school’s
existence there was “Low enrollment, Opaque curriculum, and
lack of established policies and procedures.”
Through the consolidation years which ends in 2012, CSUMB
had “strong statewide enrollment demand, increased transfers
thanks to w GE curriculum, and robust campus life, new
facilities, Division II athletics,” just to name a few.
In the Re-engagement years, President Ochoa lists points like
“developing instructional innovations to enhance student
success and institutional effectiveness, refreshing the Ten-year
Strategic Plan.”
According to President Ochoa’s presentation, the goal for this
retreat was to get together with the faculty and come up with a
way to come up with a revised strategic plans for the next 25
years of existent.
From the little facts of the early years of CSUMB, it shows that
CSUMB has done some very dramatic growing as a school, in
different spurts, but there is still the drive to make the school
better.
25 years is short time for a school to be in existence, especially
compared to majority of the California State University
campuses . CSUMB has come a very long way in many regards.
For those enrolled here in the now, enjoy it. Because in maybe
five or ten years from now this campus may look totally
different.
For more information on just how much the campus has grown
over the years, in terms of things like enrollment and other
important information please feel free to click on the following
links.
Enrollment facts from 2006-2015
Degree-Seeking Undergraduates from 2006-2015
Degree-Seeking First-Time Freshman Fall of 2014-15
3

THE ELEPHANT IN
THE ROOM
A C H A T W I T H A M O N T E R E Y
C O U N T Y R E P U B L I C A N
R E G A R D I N G A M E R I C A ' S D I V I D E
Written by Gilbert Garcia

may think that you’re getting a wide range of news and opinions, but in reality you might be stuck in
You
own personal thought bubble. You might be living in your own echo chamber and not even know it. It’s
your
that your opinions and views on the world are shaped in the way that you would prefer them to be
possible
only because of the lack of varying viewpoints in the media that you consume on a daily basis.
shaped
the Monterey County, we live in a bit of a liberal bubble. Many more residents of this area lean to the
In
of the political spectrum than to the right. According to Politico, more than sixty percent of all
left
voted Democrat in the 2016 election. You might feel that you would be hard pressed to find
Californians
in such an area that has a more conservative viewpoint than the average Monterey resident, but
someone
isn’t the case. Politico also reported that thirty-two percent of Californians voted for Donald Trump.
that
it is imperative that we widen our worldviews and broaden our standards of political and
Therefore,
discourse or else we become stagnant with our own beliefs and no longer search for the truth,
ideological
our agreed versions of the truth.
only
to combat this idea, I went to the Monterey County Republican Headquarters in Monterey to ask them
So
what it’s like living in this bubble, as well as how they feel about the pressures from the community to
about
a strictly leftist mindset. When I got there, I noticed the Donald Trump cutout in the front window, so
have
driving by knew exactly where their constituents lie. Most people were dressed well and extremely
anybody
which was a refreshing change from how many leftist media sources claim Trump voters to be.
polite,
sat down with a hard-line conservative and a proud Trump supporter who, like many other constituents in
I
headquarters, didn’t want her name or information in a liberal school paper or magazine, so I will leave
the
out of this piece. She is a realtor who got her AS in Real Estate at Monterey Peninsula College. She
her
politely about a range of issues that upset her as well as made her feel proud to be an American.
spoke
first thing I asked her was why she voted for Donald Trump. One of her largest reasons was that she
The
never vote for Hillary Clinton. “Hillary Clinton is everything that’s wrong with politics today.” She
could
her point further by speaking on her most popular scandals. “She used a private server to send
explained
F E A T U R E S T O R Y

secrets and it’s remarkable that that isn’t illegal. Hillary should have gotten some kind of
government
for doing something so stupid.” She also spoke on her ties to the Democratic National Party
punishment
“She got away with rigging the election because she was able to get the DNC to shove Bernie out of
(DNC).
way to make sure that she got the nomination. Everyone is so worried about if Trump could have ever
the
the election using the Russians, but nobody cares about how Hillary stole the primary from Bernie
rigged
The mainstream media only cares about their liberal heroes’ reputations and about slandering their
Sanders.
… And even if I didn’t talk about the election or the emails, she’s a liar and she’s greedy. She does
enemies.
that Wall Street tells her and they bank roll her as much money as she wants.”
everything
I had to rephrase my question so as not to take up all my interview time talking about Hillary instead
Then
the person I’m interviewing. I asked her, “What is it specifically that you like about Donald Trump?” She
of
at length about his policies, but also about how his words have changed the political landscape of
spoke
America.
the only candidate that tells it like it is,” a comment I’ve heard a number of times by many
“He’s
of the President. “There’s people coming into America who haven’t been vetted properly doing
supporters
here and bleeding our country dry of our tax money and our resources. He’s the only one who talks
terrorism
that. He’s the only one who’s worked to get the ban on the Middle East countries so that terrorists
about
come into this country. … and he’s building a wall so that those freeloaders who come into the country
can’t
take all our benefits without paying taxes can’t sell drugs and vote illegally.”
to
F E A T U R E S T O R Y

don’t feel pressured to think differently,” she
“I
when I asked her about societal
responded
to have a certain viewpoint. “I see a lot
pressures
videos on my Facebook from some of my friends
of
how Donald Trump is this and Donald Trump
about
that. I know that they’re wrong, so it really
does
bother me. Some people may get into
doesn’t
matches on Facebook, but I think that is
shouting
silly. You’re not going to change my mind
just
Facebook, and I believe that I’m not going
through
change yours in the same way. I think it’s awful
to
so many people here feel that Donald Trump
that
bad for the country, but that’s why we do what
is
do here.” At this point, she was referring to the
we
Headquarters, where they fundraise
Republican
Republican candidates and promote through
for
media sites and Facebook groups, as well
social
get together and make long-lasting
as
with good friends. “Democrats aren’t
connections
to silence us. We’ll keep working and keep
going
the President.” Referring to a comment
supporting
thought bubbles, she also mentioned, “I
regarding
my news from Fox, but there’s enough liberally
get
content around that I don’t think I can be in
biased
the interview was running long, I asked
Feeling
one more question. “Do you think this country
her
becoming more divided?” To be honest, I
is
expected a “no,” but I was pleased to
actually
her intriguing perspective on the issue.
hear
this country is more divided than it
“Absolutely,
to be, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing.
used
of President Trump, we now have people
Because
the right who aren’t afraid to speak their
on
anymore. There’s less of a need to be
minds
correct or fit with the same liberal
politically
narrative . . . Now people on both sides
media
vocal about how they feel than they have
are
in a while. I can’t think that that’s not
been
positive.”
people think that Trump supporters are
Many
or just terrible, gullible racists. I don’t
monsters
that that is correct for every single Trump
think
They’re just humans who feel
supporter.
than most liberals. We all typecast
differently
into different boxes to tell ourselves that
people
the good guys and they’re the bad guys.
we’re
every single one of us believes we’re
However,
what’s best to move this country forward.
doing
F E A T U R E S T O R Y
a thought bubble if I wanted to.”

we want different things, we all want the same outcome: a
Although
America. The only issue we can’t get past is that we are all
better
going to have a different idea of what “better” is. If we
always
hiding in our thought bubbles and sat down with one another
stopped
equals instead of rivals, if we bonded over what we agree on
like
yelling over what we disagree on, and if we listened to each
versus
instead of tuning out any opinion that isn’t your own, we could
other
this country closer together.
move
MACARIO GARCIA
GILBERT
STUDENT
F E A T U R E S T O R Y

A VEGGIE'S TALE
Julia's
1180 Forest Ave
Pacific Grove, CA 93950
B Y M A T T H E W J I M Y A N G
Veganism is growing in the United States! Not to be confused
with Vegetarianism from which veganism was derived from. To be a
vegan means, no meat, no dairy, no eggs, no fur, no animal byproducts
of any kind. Contrary to vegetarians, who will eat things
like cheese and sometimes eggs, but not actual chicken meat or
any other meats. They may also use products that test on animals.
However, vegans avoid all products that have anything to do with
animals, along with being conscious of the planet and using
products that are bio/eco-friendly. Though veganism has been
around for centuries in other countries, millennials are responsible
for surfacing this popular trend into the United States. This new
trending lifestyle has many people shocked and intrigued. People
who are carnivores are even interested in trying veganism and its
delicious alternatives, for at least one day a week.

In this story, we follow California State University
Monterey Bay student, Holly Klotz (top right), as she
describes to us her life as a vegan. Originally from
Indiana, Klotz now lives in the Monterey County area,
and she has been a vegan for a little over two years
now. We spoke with young Holly Klotz about her choices
of being a vegan and how much of a difference it had
made since being a carnivore.
Q: What made you decide to be a vegan?
A: While I consider myself to be a vegan for
environmental and health purposes as well, I was
initially driven to change my diet for ethical purposes.
There is so much suffering that goes into this food that
is so normalized in our society. The cruelty was easy for
me to ignore growing up and is still easy for others to
turn a blind eye to because the meat, egg, and dairy
industries don’t want us to see just how horrific their
factories are. I once heard “every dollar you put down is
a vote for what you believe in,” and that really stuck
with me. I decided I no longer wanted to support the
mistreatment of animals by succumbing to happy
facade these industries present.
Holly Klotz - CSUMB Student
Q: Was becoming a vegan hard?
A: Overall, no, but there are hard moments in
transitioning that many vegans do not talk about. Eggs
and dairy are in (what seemed at the time of my
transition) just about everything. It was difficult during
the transition to remember to check ingredients before
buying things. Now that I am used to it, I know off the
top of my head which items are safe to buy at the store.
The hardest part of being a vegan is going out to eat at
traditional restaurants. However, most restaurants
have online menus that indicate which dishes contain
common allergens in their foods, which include eggs
and dairy, that are extremely helpful to check out
before going out to eat. Despite the challenges, I still
believe choosing to live a vegan lifestyle was one of the
best decisions I have ever made for myself.
Interior of Julia's
Q: What was the hardest thing to give up as a vegan?
A: Cheese was the by far the hardest food to give up.
There is no vegan cheese that will ever be able to
imitate the addictive properties of cow’s milk cheese.
Julia's Owner: Anthony Gerbino

Thai Coconut Curry w/ Brown Rice
19
Vegan Brownie W/ Coconut Sauce
Roasted Artichoke
I personally recommend the roasted artichoke appetizer, Thai coconut curry entree, and to finish off
with their very popular vegan brownie with coconut cream to complete your elegant meal. Furthermore,
not only will you experience delicious and comforting foods, the aesthetic of this homey place instantly
makes you feel at ease even on bustling days. Additionally, you are also blessed by the gentle tunes of live
music each day. The owner of the restaurant, Anthony Gerbino, is a lover of fine music and an expert in
hospitality and creating a truly comforting atmosphere.
Julia’s is just one of the popular vegan destinations here in Monterey County, and many restaurants
nowadays are very accommodating. CSUMB, in particular, is very aware of their vegan community on
campus and are always more than happy to always be sure that are ample vegan options. “During Egg’s
After Dark, the DC served vegan pancakes and tofu scramble. I was pretty shocked but incredibly grateful
that our school offered these alternatives,” said an excited Holly Klotz.
When veganism first started, many found these people to be annoying and pretentious, not giving them
a chance. Now, with more knowledge and understanding of vegan culture, we can conclude that veganism is
a great way to stay healthy while discovering a new world of culinary creations. Holly also wants people to
understand that “Vegan foods aren’t always healthy. Many meat and cheese alternatives are highly
processed but are definitely delicious! Eating a whole food, plant-based diet, however, is a great way to go
for more health-conscious vegans.” Ms. Klotz plans on being a vegan her whole life and is open to kindly
educating people who want to learn about veganism and the great joys it can bring to your mind, body, and
soul.
Special Thanks to Holly Klotz, Anthony Gerbino, and Julia's
Photos by Mattew Jim Yang and kind Yelp contributors

THE
BEHIND
WITH
SCENES
YOUTUBE
A
STAR
A FULL TIME STUDENT IS HARD. BEING A FULL TIME
BEING
WHILE MAINTAINING AND ENTERTAINING A FAN BASE
STUDENT
271,000 FOLLOWERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SEEMS ALMOST
OF
HOWEVER, IMPOSSIBLE IS NOT A WORD IN LOUIE
IMPOSSIBLE!
VOCABULARY. LOUIE IS A WIDELY RECOGNIZED
CASTRO’S
AND MAKEUP ARTIST ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES SUCH
COMEDIAN
YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM. SOCIAL MEDIA STARS MAINTAIN
AS
CERTAIN IMAGE ON THE INTERNET, BUT SITTING DOWN WITH
A
GAVE A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK INTO THE LIFE OF A
LOUIE
STAR.
YOUTUBE
YOUTUBE
SUBSCRIBERS
INSTAGRAM
FOLLOWERS
535K
151K
WRITTEN BY MIKAYLA KRAUS

BEHIND THE SCENES
WITH A YOUTUBE STAR
Louie Castro is an eighteen year old freshman at
CSU Monterey Bay. Not many students at CSUMB
know about Louie yet. When asking around, not many
people knew that one of their peers is an internet star.
His YouTube page features a variety of comedic
episodes mixed with a few makeup tutorials.
In 2014, Louie started out making comedy videos
on Instagram. The only problem was that three years
ago, Instagram only allowed fifteen second videos.
Because of this, Louie took his videos to YouTube to
have the freedom to create without a time limit. After
a while, he expanded his creativity to the art of
makeup, finding inspiration from one of his favorite
makeup artists, James Charles. He looks up to James
because he is also a male makeup artist and was
CoverGirl’s first CoverBoy. Having two sisters that are
into makeup, he was always around it. In his early
YouTube days, he has even uploaded videos of his
sisters doing his makeup before he cared for it himself.
When asked about when he “blew up” on social
media, Louie laughed. Apparently, about a year ago, he
uploaded an embarrassing video on YouTube that
ended up going viral and before even realizing it, the
video had over 2 million views. Before this video went
viral, he only had 12,000 followers. Thanks to this
embarrassing video, Louie jumped up to 100,000
Photos taken from Instagram: @kendollxlouie
followers within 3 days. However, the feeling was truly
official when he received a plaque from YouTube
for about a year and has thought about applying at
verifying and recognizing his significance on their site.
somewhere like Ulta to get into the makeup industry.
It’s no surprise that with the professional and
hilarious editing in his videos, Louie is a Cinematic Arts
Some of Louie’s challenges come outside of just balancing a
major at CSUMB. He edits his own videos and has
school and internet life. Being an openly bisexual male
come to develop a huge passion for film and
makeup artist has put Louie in the spotlight for lots of
recording. Hours are put into making these videos that
criticism and harsh comments from haters and trolls online.
he usually films and edits Mondays through Thursdays.
Even his subscribers who have been with him since he
It’s difficult to find a balance between school and
started his online presence are a part of his anti community.
filming but he is starting to get a schedule down by
When he started out on YouTube, he was not out about
saving homework and studying for the weekend while
being bisexual yet and he still had not started doing beauty
focusing on his videos during the weekdays. Since
videos. Many of his subscribers were unhappy when he
starting college, he’s been much less active on social
made the transition and expansion to a comedy and beauty
media. Although makeup isn’t his main priority in
page. The hate isn’t only online, either.
terms of a career, Louie has begun thinking about
somehow involving it in his plans. He’s been doing it

BEHIND THE SCENES
WITH A YOUTUBE STAR
Louie gets a lot of judging looks when he goes out
with makeup on, especially at school where he says he is
still the only boy he knows of who wears full face
makeup. At times, he contemplates even wearing
makeup to avoid the stares of the critical. When he first
blew up, he didn’t know how to deal with the hateful
comments and spent a lot of time crying over them.
Receiving a lot of support from his parents and family,
he eventually built up a shell and says he is now used to
it. Usually he doesn’t even read them and if he does, he
blocks the user. One of his favorite updates from
Instagram was the “word block” option where you can
personalize settings to block certain words from being
written in your comments. When he made the shift from
comedy to beauty, he felt that those who didn’t truly
like and support him eventually drifted off but he was
able to recognize those who support him and love his
work. It’s uplifting and inspiring for him to read
compliments and positive affirmative comments
because at times, he feels insecure about this “baby” of
his that he’s worked so hard on.
One of the cool things about having a huge online
presence is being recognized in public by a random fan,
which is something Louie has increasingly experienced
over the last year. He says that now it’s at the point
where his friends and family hate going out with him
didn’t want to look like he was trying to be someone else. Upon
realizing their indisputable similarities, he now takes it as a
because people always stop him. He thought that his
celebrity was more recognizable on a local level, but
compliment.
Louie’s double life is not an easy one at all. However, he is very
when he traveled to Los Angeles a few months ago, an
entire group of fans approached him at Disneyland
supportive of those trying to build a following and are on the same
kind of path that he has landed on. Louie mentioned that the most
asking for photos. Another time, he was on vacation in
Hawaii and was recognized by a fan. Having a name in
important thing to making a name for yourself is to never give up
on it, because many think that they will just become huge right
the makeup industry also has its perks by connecting
you with bigger celebrities. Bretman Rock is a world
from the start. “Sometimes, it can take years. If it’s something that
you truly enjoy and are passionate about, you will succeed. It’s
famous makeup artist who Louie has looked up to
because of his stand-out approach of adding a ton of
important not to focus on your numbers but to do it for yourself
and stay true to yourself.” One day, you may wake up after
comedy to his beauty tutorials, which are the two main
focuses of Louie’s page. After being invited to Vidcon,
uploading an embarrassing video and find yourself in the spotlight,
too!
Louie got the opportunity to meet Bretman, who had
also noticed and commented on a video that Louie
Keep up with Louie on...
posted doing a “transformation into Bretman.” At first,
Instagram: @kendollxlouie
Louie was often compared to Bretman with critics
Twitter: @the_hamie_louie
Youtube: @the_hamie_louie
saying he was “trying too hard to be like Bretman Rock.”
Snapchat: thehamielouie
He took offense to this because he

I S J A Z Z B E C O M I N G
BACKGROUND
NOISE?
T o d a n c e , t o p l a y , t o c o n t e m p l a t e ?
H o w t o s a v e j a z z
B y M e g a n M c C r a c k e n
hat
California is a landscape of
competing artists, voices, and
rhythms. California’s most well
known cities such as San Francisco
or Los Angeles have beckoned
artists and musicians to its shores for
decades. These cities were once filled
with places to hear live music.
Nowadays these places are few and
far between. This is especially true
for jazz clubs.
Many of these places have not been
able to attract a younger crowd. With
high prices and often stiff formality
the younger generation can’t relate to
a highbrow jazz club. Jazz clubs
weren’t always this way though.
Director Damien Chazelle has been
passionate about jazz for a long time.
This passion shows in his 2016 film
LA LA Land which can arguably be
called a love song to jazz and Old
Hollywood. The film did a good job
of raising the question again of why
people don’t really listen to jazz
anymore. This question had been
largely forgotten and the reasons for
it have been largely forgotten as well.
The film brought a glimmer of hope
for jazz musicians and may have
contributed to an increase in interest
for the genre. It shows a jazz club
that is vibrant and exciting; the way
many used to be. The music in the
club demands attention and is not
drowned out by conversations. Even
though the film offers audiences a
look at what the genre has the
potential to become if given a chance,
a line in the film also offers a harsh
reality “It’s dying, and people say let
it die. It had it’s time.”
The declining interest in jazz music
among the younger generation is
nothing new. According to The
Encyclopedia of Recorded Sound, a
lot of the general population of the
United States has been losing interest
in the genre since around the 1960’s.
This is also when rock music began
to dominate the charts in the U.S and
the U.K.

Rock music has remained one of the most popular genres since then.
In a small survey I conducted with 28 participants, one of my
findings were that most people say they grew up listening to rock
music and that is what they still listen to today. No one said they
grew up listening to primarily jazz music. However, around 60
percent said they like jazz music but they also said it is most likely
one of the least listened to genres along with classical. All of my
participants were between the ages of 18 to 64 and most grew up in
California, but some also grew up in the Midwest, or outside the
U.S.
made it lose it's mass appeal.
Artistic changes were not the only reason why jazz stopped being a
danceable genre. Believe it or not, the Federal Government played a
hand in this as well. One of the biggest pitfalls to jazz as a genre was
the inception of the cabaret tax in 1944. The tax continued to be
enforced through 1965. The tax was a way for tax collectors to create
revenue for war time efforts. A club was taxed 30 percent if they
have a dance floor. Because many jazz clubs could not afford the tax
they no longer allowed dancing.
Geography plays a hand in what someone might be more inclined to
listen to. Jazz is an American invention but some say it is more
popular in Europe than the United States. Rosana Tarabolsi an
international student from Germany studying at California State
University Monterey Bay says that she grew up listening to pop
music and R&B. Today she listens to all types of music including
jazz with the exception of heavy metal and country. She believes the
reason why genres like jazz have lost popularity is because "Some
might be seen as outdated and not cool anymore."
As a result people didn’t learn swing dancing in such great of
numbers. A new style of jazz emerged called Bebop that was meant
to be listened to contemplatively rather than danced to. This style was
not as well received as it continued to modernize in later years. Jazz
changed from being the music for the masses to the music of the
upper class. jazz musician Wynton Marsalis once said, “When the
music stopped being about dancing the people stopped listening.”
Coming from someone who had such experience with the genre, he
couldn’t have been more right.
Of those who said they don’t like jazz music, most people said they
don’t like it because they think it is boring. Andrew Saguindel an
HCOM Major at CSUMB from Gilroy, CA says that he doesn’t
listen to jazz much because he’s never been exposed to it. “No one
in my family or any of my friends listened to it. If it’s on I would
listen to it but I just don’t really seek it out. I don’t know much
about the artists.” He believes the decline of the popularity of jazz
music is just a result of the passage of time. “New music forms with
new generations, as generations decline so does music from that
time.” he says.
In a December 2016 interview with Vulture, Damien Chazelle says
that jazz lost its popularity when musicians continued pushing ahead
leaving audiences behind. “Jazz is an art that went from A to Z
really quickly. And so once you got to the ‘40s and ‘50s you started
having this group of musicians who were adamant about pushing
the music ahead, and that ultimately meant the end of its mass
popularity.” He also adds that part of the reason is more modern
Jazz was not really something you could dance to. That is also what
As long as there are people who are passionate about jazz, it will
continue to be around and likely this will be for a very long time. The
key to piquing interest in the younger generations is if Jazz musicians
can continue to innovate and expand their artistic pursuits. This
includes blending of genres like funk or R&B.
Nothing could be more beneficial than if musicians can continue to
look back on what made jazz so great in the past. In its golden age
jazz wasn’t seemingly exclusive to the upper class. It wasn’t too
abstract for someone to understand and no one would look at you
funny if you went to a jazz club to dance.
Photos from creative commons, graph by Megan McCracken

By: Tiffany Brito
Dancing Teen to
From
Queen!
Wheelchair
is dance,
“Dance
you’re whether
B Y A S H L E Y B O N F A N T E
walking
you’re rolling.”
or
Back in 2010, Chelsie Hill was just your average senior in high
school. The world was within her grasp, with dancing as her
passion.
Chelsie attended Pacific Grove High School and earned her
spot on the varsity dance team. Just a few months after
regionals and three months shy of her high school graduation,
one night changed Hill’s life forever.
Just like any other high school teenager, Hill attended a house
party with some of her close friends. After staying up late and
exchanging conversation into the wee hours of the night, Hill
got into a car with four other friends. The driver, Aaron Corn,
had been drinking, along with his friends. As they were driving
they came around a corner too fast and ended up hitting a tree
head on.
Hill snapped her back in half which left her a T-10 paraplegic
at the age of 17. Immediately after the accident, she was in
severe pain. Hill’s ex boyfriend used his knife to free her from
her lap belt. She underwent three surgeries to fuse her broken
By: Tiffany Brito
back and was in the hospital for fifty days.

Add a little bit of body text
After leaving the hospital, Hill thought
her dream of always dancing was
over, but little did she know, she was
wrong. Hill began sharing her story;
doors began to open, and
opportunities began to appear left
and right. She was on the TV show
Push Girls and founded the Walk and
Roll foundation with her dad right by
her side.
had already trademarked the name. When we decide to put it online we
So I decided to separate the dance were then getting contacted all over.
team from the non profit and rename My father then brought up the idea of
it. It is now a for-profit.”
starting a team.”
The Rollettes are the biggest While the team is based out of Los
wheelchair dance team in the world. Angeles, this year they released the
When I asked how she came into Rollettes Experience Tour. This tour
contact with her team mates, Hill rolls into 2018, with various dates and
stated, “I was traveling around for the cities across the country.
Chelsie Hill
By: Chris Kohel
To this day, Hill is still dealing with the
aftermath of the accident. In the past,
Chelsie had filed a lawsuit against
Toyota that was settled in 2014.
Toyota was found at fault and ended
up paying Chelsie 12 million for crash
injury. The jury had found that the
design of the middle seat belt in the
rear row of the Toyota 4 Runner was
responsible for injuries that made Hill
paraplegic.
The Walk and Roll foundation was
launched in 2012 and is a non profit
that is dedicated to educate teens
about distracted driving. Branching
outside the organization, she
eventually formed her own dance
team, Walk and Roll which is now
currently known as the Rollettes.
When asked why the name changed,
Hill stated, “In 2015 we were trying to
trademark the name Walk and Roll
and that was when we learned there
was a spinal bifida association that
abilities expo for a few years and met
them, some I even met via social
media.” Currently, they travel across
the United States performing at
different venues and events.
Their mission statement is, “women
empowering women with disabilities
to live boundlessly and shift
perspectives through dance.” The
team stands as a sisterhood and
does more than dance but rather
supports and inspires one another to
be boundless in life. When I asked
where she got the idea for a
wheelchair dance team, Hill stated,
“My whole life I was a dancer,
becoming injured at the age of 17 I
didn’t know anyone else like me.
Over the course of 2 years I met
some young girls that also were in a
similar situation. I wanted to throw a
dance showcase in my hometown to
show everyone that dance is dance
weather you’re walking or rolling.
“Women
empowering
with women
to disabilities
boundlessly live
shift and
perspectives
dance.”
through
"Be Boundless Campaign"

Add a little bit of body text
The Rollette Experience is usually
held every summer and brings
together people from all over the
globe. The experience encompasses
the team’s mission, while allowing
people to be a part of the movement
and work with the Rollettes in
challenging the misconceptions
presented to them. Hill stands by the
saying, “Dance is dance, whether
you’re walking or you’re rolling.”
Entering into 2018, the Rollettes have
a National and International Camp
planned starting August 16th. The
camp is being held at the Marriott
LAX Hotel, with an incredible week of
events planned.
The camp includes a welcome party,
dance classes from special guests, a
dance concept video and a pool
party. The Rolletes have big things in
store and are currently working on
some new projects. Hill stated, “Yes,
we are planning a "Be Boundless
Campaign" to launch in January that’s
our biggest goal. On top of that we
have all of the 2018 events we are
planning national and international for
the first time.” Hill believes that this
year (the teams 5th year) is the
biggest year yet.
On top of inviting others to join the Hill designed a denim collection
team experience, the Rollettes have where she partnered with Endless
encountered numerous opportunities Ability. The size of her legs are what
throughout 2017 that have put them pushed her to create jeans that fit her
in the limelight. They were featured needs. Her legs have shrunk so much
on TV on Home & Family as well as due to the fact that she can’t build
the Hollywood Christmas parade. muscle. With this in mind, Hill
Chelsie Hill herself, along with Josh designed jeans specifically for women
Killacky, were on the Ellen Show in wheelchairs.
performing an inspiring dance. This Hill has redefined her role as a
put Hill and her team on the map, dancer and found a way to inspire
each as recognizable figures. others living with disabilities. She
Aside from dance, Chelsie has found feels as though she has spent the last
other ways to adapt to her new life seven years normalizing her situation.
and inspire those around her Dancing is a second nature to Hill,
but learning to move in a chair was
entering a whole new world.
By: Tiffany Brito
has Hill
her redefined
as a role
dancer
By: Tiffany Brito

THE STRUGGLE IS
REAL
B y M a r t i n S u l l i v a n
P h o t o g r a p h s b y S a m S u l l i v a n
At 4:06 A.M. Millie wakes up. She
lifts herself from her Paw Patrol
covers and enters into the hallway.
The dark walkway doesn’t obstruct
her path, for she knows exactly
where she is going. She enters into
the room of her father and mother
and with a calm sweet voice she
calls, “Daddy.” There is no reply.
She creeps closer, walking over an
open copy of Frankenstein, Second
Norton Critical Edition, crinkling
the pages as she steps. As she
arrives at the edge of the bed,
Millie calls for her Daddy one more
time. This time he rolls over on his
side with his eyes still closed,
unaware of his daughter presence.
The simple action of her father
rolling over was all the sign Millie
needed, and she quickly propels
herself onto her father yelling,
“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!”
For many college students this is
not how they wake up on a regular
basis, but for the students raising
children this form of alarm clock is
all too common. Because student
parents have chosen the unique
path of furthering their education
and starting their career while
raising children. Sometimes this
choice could be the result of
wanting to better their family's life
and other times it could be
because they want to complete a
lifelong goal. At any case, they
experience a college experience
that is not often thought about or
told. Being a student is hard, no
matter what, finding the balance of
school, homework and sometimes
a job. Trying to figure out if today's
meals are going to consist of
something other than Ramen, or if
they should acquire a little more
sleep or write another page to
their report. As a parent those
worries remain, except not only do
they worry about those things,
they also have to schedule classes
around their kids, like when their
child needs to eat, sleep, or play,
and when whether there is
available childcare. For Aaron
Moore, an art major at CSUMB,
and his wife, they have to find
ways weave through their day for
everyone to get to where they
need to go and for Aaron to
complete his schoolwork. One day,
he needed to complete his
financial aid, go to school and work
on homework. To do this, his wife
watches their daughter in the
morning, makes sure she naps,
eats lunch, and goes to school
before she, herself, goes to work at
12:30 PM. While Aaron's daughter
attends school and his wife works
till 5:30, he uses the time to eat,
study and finish his financial aid
before he has a class at 4-6.
Some student parents do not
have a spouse or family close
by and cannot rely on anybody
for free to watch their child,
therefore they rely on they
have to find an outside source
or their school to provide
childcare. Tihane, a CSUMB
student, explains "I am blessed
to have my son enrolled at the
CSUMB Childcare Center
(subsidized)." But for other
students they found it difficult.
Samantha, a mother of two,
informs tried to get her
daughter there two years ago,
but she didn't hear from them
for weeks after applying. When
she finally called, they told her,
she was missing multiples
documents she was never
informed about, after all of
this they followed it up with,
"We are, also, full." Samantha's
alternative choice turned into
paying $500 a month for her
two kids to attend daycare
once a week.
But what happens when their
kid is sick, or has a doctor's
appointment or the babysitter
backs out last minute? Will the
student have to miss class,
making their grades waiver or
will their spouse miss work,
making it harder to the pay
bills? Ashley Bonfante, a
commuter from Morgan Hill,
finds childcare to be a huge
struggle because people tend
to flake last minute. She
mentions that, "I started out
using a baby sitter and over
time that became very
unreliable. As my daughter has
gotten older I was able to
enroll her in a school program
but on the downside, that
causes a financial challenge
and strain."
Overall, the two biggest
problems facing CSUMB
students with kids are Time
management and Finances. For
Ashley, she faces the challenge
commuting, in which she drives
Monday through Friday to
school which is 45 min. She lives
in Morgan Hill, so the commute
has made it super inconvenient
for her to do group projects and
it makes even harder when she
sometimes has come to campus
multiple times a day.
Though the time management,
finances, and constant juggling
of responsibilities is difficult
when asked if all the struggle is
worth it each student answered
with a confident "yes." Some
students were even happy that
they are receiving their
education while having kids.
Aaron mentions that, " I am
thankful that I am a student,
though, because I have
definitely gotten to spend more
time with my family compared
to those people that actually go
to work for 8 hours straight. I
don't think I've ever been away
from my family for 8 hours
straight because of school."

March across Monterrey to increase
2017
for science classes in education
funding
ISSAMAGAZINE
WANT PROTESTING,
NEED STUDENTS
Photo by Kelly Galten
By Cody Reeves
At the back of the library, tucked
away in the group study rooms, a
meeting was held. Only the students
never met. Instead, only one sat there
that day. Looking out into the library,
she said, “This is typical, I am so glad I
am graduating this semester” she
laughed to hide the disappointment,
she continued, “I can’t do this
anymore. People aren’t even showing
up to the meetings,” her words
echoed and bounced along the
empty room.
Photo by Rose Mendelsohn
Rebecca Caladiao (pictured right)
This student is Rebecca Caladiao,
California Faculty Association intern,
leader for the Students for Quality
Education (SQE) at Cal State Monterey
Bay (CSUMB). She held her weekly
meeting on a Tuesday afternoon
where only one student would
eventually show up.
The lack of participation in CSUMB
seems counter-intuitive, in the
wake of the anniversary of
Trump’s election, an election that
promised to increase political
activism around the nation. The
increased activity manifested in
one of the largest marches in US
history, the women’s march, which
promises to spawn new political
activity according to a 2017 poll
conducted by the Washington
Post.
Campuses around the nation have
also seen an increase in activity
sparked by recent events like the
Berkeley 2017 protests. UCLA
reported that incoming freshmen
desire for political activity is at an
“all time high,” with 8.5 percent of
students claiming a “very good
chance” to participate in a protest,
which is a 2.9 percent increase
from 2014. However, the increase
in student activity seems to have
glossed over the CSUMB campus,
despite the successful Women’s
march that drew thousands of
protesters. There may be several
factors at play here. One of which
is the university’s Time, Place, and
Manner policy.
The Time, Place, and Manner policy
approved by the academic Senate is
designed to protect freedoms in
students right to protest. The policy
does so by restricting certain
activities to appropriate locations and
time: for example, “ distribution [of
solicit materials] inside University
buildings is prohibited.” However, in
most cases student protests are not
generally restricted, as long as they
gain permission prior to the protest.
Certain students will have viewpoints
on the policy one way or another, but
the reasons stated for the restrictions
suggests that they were put in place
to protect student’s right to
education. This conclusion may be
drawn from the numerous manner
policies that cite classroom
disturbance as prohibited. If these
policies do not hamper student
protesting, what exactly is stopping
students?
"...STUDENTS VALUE CREATIVITY
OVER RESEARCH"
Continue reading at next page >

ISSAMAGAZINE
Photo by Estella Porras
“MOST OF THE INHIBITING
FACTORS ARE STRUCTURAL AND
CULTURAL.”
Steven Goings, a former-student of
CSUMB and one of the principle
organizers in the Women’s march on
the CSUMB campus (pictured above),
suggested that there may be some
campus policies but the “most of the
inhibiting factors are structural and
cultural.” He identifies the lack of
archives to document student
demonstrations; the lack of archives
prohibits students from building upon
successful movements from prior
semesters. This ties in with the cultural
problem that Goings attributes to
students in the college stage of life;
that is “...students value creativity over
research. This can lead to a lot of reinventing
the wheel.” An easy fix that
he proposes is that students should
investigate the various campus groups
to find what they are working on, so
they may work together, instead of
independently.
While Goings suggestion is sound, there
are other problematic details to student
activism, as many students are
struggling in finances. Rebecca in
discussing the lack of participation,
acknowledged , “I don’t blame them, as
many of the students here are dealing
with issues. So many students need to
work, and if they want to work they
need go to Salinas or Monterey. That is
not counting all the students who are
struggling to just find a home or
skipping meals”
Women's March on CSUMB campus
Rebecca was referencing a study about
CSU student living conditions. The study,
conducted in 2016, found that 1 in 10
students are homeless at CSUs. These
factors students grapple with may reflect a
lack of capability to participate in campus
life. Let alone a chance to engage campus
protests. Students are stuck in a tough
place because without protesting the
student’s lives may become more
demanding, which is due to a looming
tuition increase. The tuition increase is
likely, as it is one of the upcoming topics
proposed by the executive board. If the
previous tuition increase in the year prior
is any indication, it will most likely be
passed. The previous increase to tuition
was hotly debate.
“IF WE WORK TOGETHER TO
LOBBY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS...
WE COULD POTENTIALLY SEE THE
INCREASE RESCINDED."
The president’s op-ed called it
“unfortunate” but inevitable giving the
limited support for California’s public
education. And whether or not you agree
with the president's reasons, it is
important to realize that the president
Ochoa also cited a need for students to
become active participants in their
campus: “If we work together to lobby
our elected officials... we could
potentially see the increase rescinded.”
Therefore, if students wish to be heard,
both sides seem to agree that students
must get out there and speak.
Tution is not the only problem facing
students, as Zeynep Tufekci, a scholar
focused on activism and technology
mentioned in her talk to CSUMB
students. She spoke of her earlier
experiences around social
movements, and how they've
changed in the modern era. The past
movements she observed had to
build momentum, and it was often
after years of hard work and
communication that a large
demonstration was held that could
bring about social change. On the
other hand, nowadays social
movements spring up and peak
instantly due to social media, but
with little consequences coming from
the movement afterwards. Tufekci
stated that neither strategies are
necessary superior, and
acknowledges that it is also
impossible to return to the previous
strategy. While one may not be
necessary superior, it does seem that
for a movement to continue students
should be constant in the efforts.
The takeaways from Ochoa, Tufekci,
and Goings all suggest that a
vigilance is required of students, and
through this vigilance can students
enact the change. It is not an easy
task, as students will continue to
struggle with finances, but the
alternative seems much worse.
This lesson is one that Rebecca has
preached and practices, who despite
the early discouragement, remains
hopeful. She walked outside looking
for areas that could increase
awareness to her cause. “We need to
do something to raise visibility. We
are thinking about doing a lantern
float or a movie screening,” she
walked to the Ohlone mural and
stopped. “How tall do you think this
is? I need to measure this because we
may do a banner drop.” She glanced
up and down the mural, “hmm, it
seems about about 15 ft. By the way
what time is it? I have a meeting to
get to.”
It's about a quarter to three, I
replied. “Damn, I don’t think I am
going to time to finish this. I got to
go,” she said, hurrying off down the
street, hoping to spark that next
movement.

Photo by Claudia Rodriguez
When you watch a movie about
college life, most likely the the
plot is centered around sports.
You expect to look forward to
Saturday nights with your fellow
classmates, sporting your college
gear while you tailgate in the
school’s parking lot. However, this
is not the case at CSUMB. The
student store on campus sells a t-
shirt that says “CSUMB football” in
the front and “still undefeated” in
the back, so I guess not having
one allows us to maintain a
perfect record. All jokes aside,
why don’t we have one? Or is it
even possible?
CSUMB currently has thirteen
sport teams including basketball,
soccer and golf. Because we are a
campus in which the population is
mostly female, according to Title
IX the amount of sports offered
must match that ratio. Therefore,
we have eight female sports while
only having five male teams. From
those sports, basketball seems to
be the sport to stand out the most
when it comes to school spirit. For
example, CSUMB’s homecoming is
centered around the basketball
teams.
As students have mentioned, the
school getting a lot more
recognition, having a football
team would put us on the map.
CSUMB is a fairly new CSU as in
comparison to other universities
in the CSU system. As Laundry
mentions in livestrong.com,
“Schools with successful football
programs are well-known around
the country. Enrollment
applications increase significantly
following successful football
seasons, and schools with a
tradition of success always have a
surplus of applicants. Because of
this, a school's academic
programs can be more selective in
choosing which students to
accept, and its academic
reputation can be enhanced.”
STILL
UNDEFEATED
COULD WE POSSIBLY SEE
A FOOTBALL TEAM AT
CSUMB SOMEDAY?
By Claudia Rodriguez
Photo by bkstr.com

CSUMB
Photo by CSUMB.EDU
While the university gets a lot more attention,
that may divert CSUMB from the small
community we know it as today. It’s the student’s
campus and seeing how more attention to the
university would change a student’s mindset is
concerning. CSUMB is known for being a small
campus and a close community. It attracts
prospective students because it offers small
classes so it allows for more one on one with a
professor throughout the course. It also allows
you to build personal connections with staff
members.
Jose Gallardo, prospective CSUMB otter, said he
wouldn’t mind a football team if only "the school
remains the same when it comes to academic
learning. He would hope for the school to not
invest more in sports than in education." We are
not the only CSU with a small interest in football.
There are only six California State Universities
with a football team: Fresno, San Luis Obispo,
Humboldt, San Diego, San Jose and San Marcos.
This puts into question; how does a football team
really impact the community of a university? I
thought who better to ask than the Athletic
Director, Kirby Garry at CSUMB about all the
unanswered questions.
Right off the bat, he made the interview a lot
more comfortable and knowing that others have
asked about it reassured me that students on
this campus want a football team. So why not?
Mr. Garry says there’s a lot more to it than just bringing
in a sports team and something as big as football
requires a huge budget. Aside from the money aspect,
there are not as many teams available to play. Football
is not a major sport on the west coast, and its specially
a Cal State issue. In order for teams to play against
another school they would have to travel to another
state.
“For example, Humboldt State doesn't have as many
opponents in the west so sometimes they have to
travel to other states like Washington and Oregon. As
you see on their schedule, they have to play school’s
twice because of the lack of availability.”
And let’s say we did what Humboldt State does and are
willing to travel the miles. We would be travelling via
bus to nearby states and by the time students get
there, they are tired. They would not be getting the
experience Mr. Garry would want them to get as they
travel playing the sport they love.
Another important factor to consider is the student
demographics. As previously mentioned, the sports
being offered have to match the student ratio the
campus has. Because CSUMB is predominantly female
(63%), it has a lot more female sports to offer. A CSU
like Cal Poly is 52% male. Mr. Garry says, “even within
that number, there is a lot to play into it that you don’t
really think about until really researching it. Cal Poly is
STEM based school. Their engineering program is huge
and therefore attract more male students which then
plays into the demographics.”
Photo by college factual.com

"WE HAVE TO WORK
WITH WHAT WE HAVE
AND WORK UP FROM
THERE"
Clearly, there is a lot that goes into bringing
on a sports team. It’s a million-dollar project
and in Monterey Bay’s situation that would
mean getting rid of other sports teams in
order to fit it into the budget. Mr. Garry
himself would love to see a football team
here someday since that is the environment
he grew up in, but it is a little difficult given
the circumstances. For the time being, Mr.
Garry says, “we have to work with what we
already have and work up from there”. We
can support our fellow otter student athletes
in the current 13 sport teams we have. Our
community may be small, but if we stick
together we can make an impactful
environment. We otter care for one another.
Photos by Blake Stocker

TERESA AND SABINA PUT FORTH THEIR BEST EFFORT AT WORK, AND BOTH CONSIDER THEIR
BOTH
AS IMPORTANT
JOB
8am, she clocks in to her work. She then
At
a ride to the first building she will clean.
receives
prepares the equipment that she will be
She
and then she begins her duties of cleaning
using,
kitchen and the washing machines. Next, she
the
to the next building. There she repeats the
heads
of cleaning the kitchen and the washing
process
machines.
the break, she goes to another building and
After
she is responsible for cleaning all of the
there
vacuum the floors, clean the restrooms,
parts:
the tables and wipe them down, replace the
spray
in the washing machine, etc. Finally, it is
liquids
she clocks out through an application in her
2pm;
Teresa Mangandy, who is in her sixties,
Maria
from El Salvador, department of
comes
city of Atiquizaya. She arrived in the
Ahuachapán,
about 18 years ago with one of her sons. Her
US
was about to reach adulthood and so she
son
decided that she had to come to the U.S.,
quickly
Teresa has been a CSUMB janitor for eight
Maria
For the first month and a half that she was
years.
she worked the night shift, but she
employed,
to the morning shift after another
switched
left. She has been working the morning
employee
since. She is currently working for Zero Waste
shift
which serves CSUMB with their janitorial
Solutions,
Prior to working as a janitor, she worked
services.
a hotel and in a hospital as a janitor as well.
at
first job when she got to the US was working
Her
a hotel; she worked there for seven years. At
at
hospital, she worked for two years.
the
F E A T U R E S T O R Y
THE INVISIBLE WORKERS OF
CSUMB
BY: DANIEL RAMIREZ
or she wouldn’t be able to go anymore.
She’ll take a break and relax for a bit.
phone and she is then able to leave work.
Maria Teresa Mangandy cleans the table from the kitchen in Building 211.
Photo by: Daniel Ramirez
Sabina Jimenez walks towards the recycling bin to clean it out at the third
floor in the library. Photo by: Daniel Ramirez

CSUMB janitor, Sabina Jimenez, from Mexico D.F., has twelve years working in Zero Waste Solutions.
Another
is in charge of the night shift and she cleans the 2nd and 3rd floor of the Tanimura & Antle Family
She
8pm, Sabina clocks in. She then arrives at the library and gets her equipment ready to begin cleaning.
At
she picks up all the trash from the 3rd floor; then she cleans the tables, fixes the seats, cleans the
First
she cleans the 2nd floor: cleans the tables, fixes the seats, cleans the whiteboards, and vacuums.
Next,
she goes back to the third floor to clean the restrooms, then lastly, goes back to the 2nd floor to
Afterward,
say my job is an eight,” says Sabina. “I say this because of the shift being at night and having to deal
“I’d
getting enough sleep.”
with
up in El Salvador, Maria Teresa began to work from a young age. When she was a child—around 10-
Growing
would sell yuca and also radishes.
years-old—she
liked business since I was young,” Maria Teresa says. “And something that it taught me was how to
“I
and administer money.”
manage
the age of 30, Maria Teresa began working at a factory selling clothes. “I would sell exclusive
Around
that only I had.” Months before coming to the US, before mother’s day, she received many
clothing—clothes
for suits and dresses. “It was for the events for mother’s day,” she says. She got on the bus, and she
orders
robbed. “The ‘mañosos’—robbers—pulled their knives on me that day,” says Maria Teresa.
got
F E A T U R E S T O R Y
CONTINUED
Memorial Library.
whiteboards, and vacuums. It takes her about two-and-a-half hours to clean one floor.
finish the restrooms there.
“On a scale from one to ten, I would say the difficulty of my job is a seven,” Maria Teresa says.
These invisible workers have a lot of difficult work that they do for CSUMB.
Maria Teresa Mangandy clocks out at Zero Waste Solutions
office. Photo by: Daniel Ramirez
Sabina Jimenez with her equipment ready to clean.
Photo by: Daniel Ramirez

the money and her merchandise was robbed. “You couldn’t imagine how much I cried,” she says. She
All
out to the cops, but they couldn’t help. Later, she received a letter saying she needed to sign a
reached
has gone back to El Salvador to visit one of her daughters, whom is sick and whom she supports
She
economically.
Teresa misses how the people in El Salvador just go outside and sit down; she also misses the food
Maria
there, especially ‘popusas.’
over
also misses her home country Mexico. She still has family over there. “I would like to live in Mexico
Sabina
retiring,” she says.
after
my free time, I take care of my granddaughter, who is two-years-old, says Sabina. “I also take care of the
“In
for my husband and for my family.”
home
at work, something strange happened to me once while I was cleaning,” Sabina says. “I was in the
“While
floor of building 53 and I had fixed everything; I had fixed the chairs and had vacuumed everything. I
2nd
remember that I needed to take out the trash, and when I came back, all the chairs were messed up. I
then
fear because I had fixed everything.”
felt
day I was walking to where we punch in and I saw two coyotes,” Maria Teresa says. “I got scared
“One
I thought they would see me and would get in where the office is at. The coyotes might have their
because
these moments, Maria Teresa and Sabina both really like their job and they both give their 100% at
Besides
they do.
what
job has been my favorite,” Maria Teresa says. “I feel good and the students thank me for what I do.
“This
if it weren’t for the students, we wouldn’t have this job.”
Also,
F E A T U R E S T O R Y
CONTINUED
document, which clears the case as is.
“I have to say, people live more peacefully here in the United States,” Maria Teresa says.
burrow near the office.”
“I believe that janitors are important because we do the cleaning and keep things in order,” Sabina says.
And they are important, these invisible workers.

ISSAMAGAZINE
Women's Soccer photo by Otter Athletics
Junior Chandler McKean photo by Otter Athletics
Freshman Koletta Wooten a photo by Simon Jimenez
Continue reading at next page >
CSUMB STUDENT
ATHLETES:
LEARNING MORE
THAN JUST THE
GAME
By Jordana Price
Sophomore Jahvon Johnson photo by Blake Stocker
Standing at six feet, three inches, Koletta Wooten, one of women’s
basketball newest players, a freshman from Stockton, Calif explains
her experience thus far in college and the adversity she has
overcome with the help of her teammates, coaches, and professors.
Her height seems to have easily carved her way through sports giving
her advantage with her athleticism. But what most people don’t know
is how hard she has really had to work.
Amongst the 7,600 undergrad students at CSUMB, only 270 of them
are athletes. And there is a reason why such few high schoolers
commit to playing a sport in college. On top of the grueling workouts
and constant practices, balancing school and sport can be
overwhelming for anyone. Every year about 2 percent of high school
athletes go on to play at a college level in the NCAA. That is about
480,000 kids out of 8 million participants in high school.
Being the first in her entire family and generations past to attend
college, Koletta decided that it was essential to leave Stockton and
earn her degree. “There was nothing but trouble for me back home.”
She went on to explain how some of her friends in Stockton cannot
afford college and are surrounded by gang violence and partying that
she so quickly fled from.
DECEMBER ISSUE 2017

Graph taken from the NCAA website
Sophomore Anthony Booker photo by Blake Stocker
With the help of her high school coaches, Koletta received attention from
CSUMB’s head women’s basketball coach, Kerri Nakamoto. Who Koletta said,
“was one of the most genuine coaches on her visit to the school.” She arrived
in Monterey this fall, dropped off by her friend’s mom, with no extra money
or access to a bank account. Her Pell Grant hadn’t came through yet and she
was desperate for a job. Coach Nakamoto quickly pulled some strings and
she began working for the volleyball team. Koletta excitingly added, “I finally
got to deposit money into a bank account which was a huge step for me.” In
the first few months of being at school she learned how to budget her money
and time without any financial support from her parents. “One of the biggest
things I had to learn was getting around on my own,” hinting at learning
public transportation in Monterey. Koletta joyfully praised her teammates
and peers, because without them she wouldn’t had known what to do. She is
approaching her second semester at CSUMB and couldn’t be more excited.
Her infectious smile and kind words were nothing short of appreciation to be
here.
Being a college athlete definitely has its perks. Athletes are spoiled with
gear, benefits, and recognition throughout the school for their title. But what
some have reported time after time, is that it is not easy whatsoever.
According to USA Today, students felt “assignments would pile up because of
the constant coaches and teams meetings, scheduled lifts and practices, and
games that take up entire weekends.” Learning to properly manage time
sometimes takes more than just your first academic year. However, with the
discipline of sport, having a routine schedule helps organize work and time
easier. But it is no small commitment. Workouts and practice will take up six
days of your weeks. Once season approaches, schedules get even more
hectic. On top of practice and workouts are games and days for traveling to
away gyms. Which means missing classes but still finding a way to complete
assignments on the road. It is easy to underestimate the rigorous college
academia and being an athlete. And that is why the percentage of students
who continue their sport in college is very low.
However, with great challenges comes an even greater reward. Even
though freshman, Koletta Wooten experienced major growth and difficult
change in her life, she has learned important life skills along the way.
According to the NCAA Goals Survey, the most frequently used words to
describe student athlete’s experience were team, friends and people.
Understanding the importance of teamwork and relationships in a
professional setting can reflect back to teamwork in sports. Being a collegiate
athlete is frustrating, exhausting and deteriorating but can arguably give you
the greatest gifts in your young adult years. And one can see the gratitude
and honor through the athletes every day working to achieve a more
meaningful experience.
#WEAREMB

A IN
DECENTRALIZED
Her dissertation, titled Coyolxauhqui is How I Know
Myth is Methodology, focuses on how Chicanx
culture explores different ways of learning and
rhetoric using old Latin myths such as La Llorona
CLASS
THE TEACHER GIVES POWER TO THE
LEARNER
teaching method and help her to support Chicanx
students' education and writing. Coyolxauhqui is an
Aztec moon goddess that wanted to kill her
and Coyolxauhqui. The stories are embedded in her
By Ilene Gomez
dishonored mother Coatlicue, when her mother
discovered the plans she gave birth to
Huitzilopochtli to save her. Coyolxauhqui was
Each student knows how difficult it is
believed to be murdered by her brother
to adjust to a new university
Huitzilopochtli, who is the sun god, he cut off her
environment, a busy demanding
head and threw it into the sky to form the moon.La
schedule, and the pressure to do well in
Llorona is myth about a woman that killed her
class. However, students do not know
children after her husband cheated on her, then
how CSUMB welcomes new faculty.
killed herself because she could not live with the
Particularly new faculty with unique
guilt. It is said that she was not accepted into
methods, pedagogy and style.
heaven and the whereabouts of her children are
unknown, so her punishment is to spend all of
Kelly Medina-Lopez joined the campus
eternity looking for her children and she constantly
bringing an experimental teaching style
cries because she cannot find them. The myth also
that is making a difference in her
says that she kidnaps children that resemble her
classes. She was recently hired at
own.
CSUMB. Not only is she new to campus
but she is also new to California, arrived
to the Monterey Bay area in the summer
of 2017.
Originally from New Mexico, Kelly studied
at New Mexico State University (NMSU)
where she double majored in Spanish
and English. After completing her
undergrad, she jumped into a Masters
program at NMSU, receiving her Masters
in Spanish for Heritage Learners. While
completing her Masters Degree she
worked three part time jobs. She
instructed remedial English and online
courses at her local community college,
as well as Spanish at the university, and
worked a city job.After completing her
Masters a family friend that worked with
Kelly at the community college
.
encouraged her to apply to a PhD
program at the University of New Mexico.
Upon acceptance, she still taught part
time, traveled to many different countries
and wrote her dissertation.

felt like I was
“I
a robot
becoming
the same
saying
all day
thing
and I felt so
everyday
from
disconnected
With two years left to complete her
dissertation, Medina-Lopez moved to
Arizona for a full time teaching position at
Arizona State University. Working at a big
campus was not fun. She spent the past
two years teaching there while completing
her dissertation. All whilst instructing eight
different sections of the same course
everyday.
She has been to roughly twenty something
countries including China, Japan, Brazil,
my students.”
Greece, Germany, Panama and so on. After
Since the classes are smaller and the CSUMB
asking her how she managed to travel,
mission statement emphasizes how this campus
exercises new innovative learning, Medina-Lopez
teach, and study at the same time Medina-
Lopez agreed it was time management and
instructs her classes in a nontraditional fashion. She
calls it a “decentralized class.” The idea of having a
continued to say, “I also want to see a lot of
things and places so I’m a crazy planner,
student centered class was inspired by a personal
mentor Dr. Kellie Sharp-Hoskins, Paulo Freire’s
every trip has an itinerary.”
Pedagogy of the Oppressed, and Bell Hooks’
She was hired on to be the Assistant
Teaching to Transgress. It is giving the power of
education back to the students rather than having
Professor of Composition Studies, which
means teaching and overlooking writing
the professor be the dominant voice of the class. “I
think it’s better for us all to be involved (the
courses.
students and myself) in working together, making
meaning together, and discussing together; that is
how I believe true critical thinking happens and
how true meaning is developed. Students all learn
differently and I don’t want to limit how my
students do their process of thinking in the
classroom.”
Her teaching style is experimental but it works.
Considering she is new and does not fully know
how classes are ran at CSUMB, Medina-Lopez has
taken notes from the advice of other professors to
develop her own teaching methods. Some days
there is a PowerPoint, or a video, or socratic circle,
or group discussions like any other class, but
Medina-Lopez leaves it up to her students to really
get the class going. The class starts with a student
asking a thought provoking question about
anything, for example “If you could make a career
out of playing one instrument, which instrument
would you play?” These questions open a dialogue
which somehow ends up relating to the material
that is going to be covered.

try to encourage the key
“I
of education in my class.
points
want students to think
I
and contribute
critically
to academic
thoughtfully
and discussions.”
conversations
She sits in a desk among the
students but leaves it up to the
them to express what they
understood and to find the
similarities or differences from
what has already been covered.
After the class discussion the
professor will go on to explain
what is really explained in the
material and how it relates to the
class. She allows the students to
reflect on what they have learned
and how they can use the
material in their everyday lives.
She admits the teaching
approach is risky, but also
questions how quantifying the
learning that students are doing in
the classroom is done because
quantifying learning is disdainful.
Traditional teaching works too,
that’s why professors continue to
do their lectures. This way
instructors insure the things they
need to say are being said and
know the learning outcomes are
being fulfilled. However, the
traditional style of teaching might
be taking away from the goals of
higher education such as:
enforcing one form of thought
process, or discouraging true
critical thinking, or not allowing
There is never really a lecture, or
students to acquire new skills.
PowerPoint, and she really
Students memorize new material
engages with the students and
for the time being, to be able to
values our input.”
prove they know the information
but not really use it or take away
Another student, Jasmine
anything that is taught.
Cummings explained, “I never find
myself worrying about or
Some of Medina-Lopez’s students
obsessing over my grade in her
have expressed how much they
class because I’m so focused on
appreciate the different teaching
what I’m learning. Often times
techniques used in class. One
when I walk out of Kelly’s class I
student, Nancy Recinos said, “I
want to call my mom or my
really enjoy that there is always
friends to tell them what I learned
something to look forward to in
that day.”
Kelly’s class.

ike mechanic, Deigo Vargas
CSUMB
on fixing a wheel
works
Bike Bunker located in the Student
The
building
Services
bikes available for rental to
Mountain
students
CSUMB
AN ENGAGED
CAMPUS ONE PEDAL
STROKE AT A TIME
Photography by Noah Friedman
California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB)
has always been known as a commuter campus.
Whether it be Salinas, Watsonville or Santa Cruz
many students travel for miles back and forth
from home to campus. Students often stack their
classes back to back to limit their total commute
time spent on campus per semester. Even with its
relatively small student body, finding a sense of
community has become a major concern.
Weekend life on campus can often feel like a ghost
town and many students have labeled a lack of
campus engagement to be the largest drawback in
attending CSUMB. Sarah Espinosa, Junior and
Social Work major at CSUMB shares her
experience as a recent transfer, “The lack of
community here is pretty pathetic. The most
difficult thing about CSUMB being a commuter
campus has been that it’s hard for me to meet
new people as a transfer. Nobody wants to stick
around after classes or participate in campus life,
sometimes I feel like my community college had a
more engaging student body.” While forcing
students to move closer to campus isn’t in a realm
of possibilities, an enhancement of commuter
culture to promote student-campus engagement
is.
The largest body of commuter culture that
promotes a healthier social and environmental
alternative to driving is, of course, cycling. In fact,
many more bike-friendly campuses in towns like
University of California, Davis(UCD) have a thriving
student life with an avid cycling community at its
epicenter. UCD Student Alexander Blumenfeld
asserts that having dedicated cycling
infrastructure such as bike traffic lights, bike/walk
only “green belts”, and a plethora of bike parking
options affects his student life because “it makes
bike travel a safe option. With green belts and big
dedicated bike lanes, it makes traveling to school
more welcoming.” Safety is at the forefront of
cycling concerns and a major indicator of campus
sustainable commuting trends.
Blumenfeld speaks to the social ambiance that
being a bicycle-centered campus creates. “Having
a campus that can only be biked on makes the
campus feel cleaner and also creates better
human interactions because everyone is out
instead of in a car. Never having to deal with
parking or traffic is great, in reality, everyone
benefits from riding.”
UCD has also managed to synthesize two of its major
concerns, parking, and sustainability into a single cycledriven
solution. Blumenfeld adds that “the university
wants to ramp up their sustainability numbers and the
easiest way to do that is make parking expensive and
have limited parking spaces, thus force people to bike”.
The campus administration and lack of campus cycling
infrastructure at CSUMB aren't entirely at fault. In fact,
there are many programs specific to CSUMB which
serve solely as a means for fostering a cycling
community. For example, bike boulevards which the
campus claims 3.8 miles of giving priority to cyclists
and secure nature resistant protection for on-campus
students like the Bike Bunker and the residential
housing bike lockers located throughout campus
dorms. The campus cycling resource page even flaunts
information about a solar-powered bicycle counter
located on Inter-Garrison Rd. which serves to
acknowledge and motivate students who already use
cycling as a form of campus transportation.
The largest form of support that CSUMB offers to their
cycling community is without a doubt the Otter Cycle
Center, located in the student center on campus. Diego
Vargas, a bike mechanic at the Otter Cycle Center and
longtime cycling enthusiast says that they “provide
students with a cheaper alternative to the hefty costs
of bicycle maintenance that a student would incur
from a local shop and have the necessary tools for
“students that are more mechanically inclined to
perform self-service tasks such as tube changing and
brake adjustment.”
Aside from the center being a source for student
cycling maintenance, it also serves as an outlet for the
small cycling community that CSUMB already has.
From providing students with free rental bikes for
personal rides and hosting a dedicated weekly Friday
mountain bike ride in Fort Ord, the campus has taken
steps and recognized the importance of promoting a
pro-cycle mentality for its students. Vargas is optimistic
for the future saying that “there’s always room for
improvement in the infrastructure here at CSUMB and
that we definitely have the potential to make not only
the campus but the surrounding area into a bike
dedicated town.”
CSUMB students need to remain cautious that with our
relatively new campus and a smaller than normal
student body, every outlet that provides students with
a sense of community should be cherished and
enriched. Creating and promoting cycling culture on
campus is just one of the many steps we can take in
order to reach higher levels of student-campus
community engagement.
W r i t t e n b y N o a h F r i e d m a n