Vol.101 Issue 10 March 23, 2023

Female journalist soars above male dominated industry Trailblazer smokes the patriarchy

MARIA ODENBAUGH OPINIONS EDITOR

Originally from Long Island, New York, Jackie Bryant is a trailblazer for other women in the cannabis industry and journalism.

Bryant is a San Diego based freelance journalist, managing editor for San Diego Magazine and host of “The Plant Lady,” her newest podcast. She produces her own newsletter, “Cannab----” and continues to write for well known publications like The New York Times, Forbes and Playboy. Along with winning several San Diego Press Club and San Diego Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists awards, she’s qualified by a federal judge as an expert in the Southern California cannabis industry and an expert on the cannabis plant.

Bryant has written stories on marijuana farms, growers and all aspects of the cannabis world. A world that is mostly male influenced and dominated.

Bryant said that her path into journalism was unique due to her start as a freelancer.

“I had a very non-traditional path in journalism,” she said.

Yet, freelancing allowed her to follow things she was genuinely interested in. This led to her reporting about cannabis.

She realized that writing about marijuana was an outlet to expose the hypocrisy within the industry and the abusive power surrounding it.

“I kinda just realized you could write about weed in the same way you could write about lifestyle topics,” Bryant said.

The legalization of marijuana allowed her to branch out and dive deeper into the topic, fulltime. Prior to legalization, it was hard for her to get her work published in publications other than, “weed media.”

“It gave more opportunity because more outlets were willing to go there,” Bryant said, “It was new, it was interesting.”

Last Thanksgiving, she wrote a piece for The New York Times introducing “Danksgiving,” a way of celebrating Thanksgiving while

incorporating cannabis in every aspect.

Before the legalization, getting a piece about incorporating cannabis into Thanksgiving on a huge publication would have been a battle. As a cannabis journalist, she has dealt with stories getting cut without notice.

Those experiences compelled Bryant to excel in the male dominated industry and gain the trust of people in the industry. Her early voice in the age of legalization, freelance media experience and connections served as an advantage in the field.

Bryant was at an advantage over most journalists in gaining access to sources who were willing to talk and share more about the topic.

Ricky Williams, retired NFL star and founder of a cannabis lifestyle brand “Highsman,” and Bryant talked about the importance of mental health in her podcast and explained how they use the plant as a tool for mental health but with limitations.

“It does come with some risks, I always believe in being honest and standing up for it,” Bryant said, “But I also do think it’s worth questioning, ‘Is my use harmful?’”

Bryant is expecting her first child in a couple of months and has already noticed her career change due to the fact that she can’t consume what she reports on.

“When you become pregnant, instantly it is very obvious who decides you are no longer relevant,” Bryant said.

She mentioned she lost followers subsequent to her pregnancy announcement on social media. She assumed that the duality of being pregnant and still covering cannabis could bother certain people.

She uses being an educated, white woman to her advantage in cannabis journalism to establish a safe and nondiscriminatory space in the cannabis industry.

“Just by being in (that) space, there aren’t a lot of women who feel like they can’t be (open) with their use for a variety of reasons,” Bryant said, “I won’t be discriminated against the same way that probably certain other people will, I try to push that envelope by asserting myself in the space.”

Jackie Bryant, a freelance cannabis journalist and publisher based out of San Diego. PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNAH BERNABE

Editor: Alondra Montes-Martinez & Elaina Kleven news.viewpointsonline@gmail.com

Briefs

RCCD Board of Trustees

swear in new Chief of Police

On March 21 during the Board of Trustees meeting

Christopher Cano was sworn in by Trustee Mary Figueroa as the new Chief of Police.

Wrong-way driver kills four people on Chino Hills freeway

A wrong way driver caused a six vehicle collision March 19 on southbound State Route 71 at Chino Hills Parkway. One of the vehicles was completely in flames. Four out of the six victims and the wrong-way driver were killed on the scene, two of the victims are now in the hospital. Identities have not been released yet.

Resident of Lake Arrowhead was killed in a hit-and-run crash

California Highway Patrol responded to a fatal hitand-run March 16. James White, 64-year-old resident who was walking alongside Highway 189 in Lake Arrowhead was struck by an oncoming vehicle. White was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers are still looking for any more information regarding the accident.

Riverside residents gather to bring back a local historic theater after a fire last month

Riverside residents are working together to bring back the Riverside Community Players Theater. Props, equipment and furniture were destroyed during a fire last month. Investigators are still trying to identify the suspect who started the fire. The inside of the theater was not badly damaged. The community plans to come together to have more security over this historic building making it better than before.

Corrections: In our previous print issue, Matthew Pineda’s name was spelled incorrectly. This has been corrected online to reflect the correct spelling.

To stay up to date on upcoming campus events, visit the Viewpoints calendar listed at viewpointsonline.org.

If you have events happening on campus that you want featured on the calendar, send information about the event to news.viewpointsonline@ gmail.com.

Union duels Medieval Times From knights to peasants, workers underpaid

ANGIE ESCALANTE LIFE EDITOR

A group of performers from the Medieval Times in Buena Park who voted to unionize in November with the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA) walked out of the arena Feb. 11. The actors allege they are now being sued by the company for trademark infringement for going by the name “Medieval Times Performers United.”

After the queens, lords, squires, knights and emcees walked out of the Buena Park castle, the company struggled to fill in the spots left behind.

Graham Wojcik was one of many employees who joined a picket line outside the venue March 9. He said the company put its employees in the line of fire the day of the walk out.

“People who haven’t squired for like years had to come down from serving with sneakers, like normal everyday sneakers,” Wojcik said. “They kind of see the show every day but they don’t know what the squires do.”

The Buena Park castle has continued to hold its dinner and tournaments as scheduled.

The company has flown in performers from non-union castles following the walk out and has allegedly provided accommodation, airfare and paid days off to those performers.

“They scrambled together to pull off the show and basically continue to take everybody’s money while not negotiating with us,” said Erin Zapcic, one of the lead organizers of the strike. “There were servers that got pulled to squire in the arena, people who weren’t cleared to do different spots in the show.”

Aside from negotiating for higher wages, the union is asking for safer work environments.

The knights do their own stunts, fight with titanium swords and ride and jump off horses. Many have been injured during live performances and during practices, according to the striking employees.

Medieval Times shows are planned and practiced, management was not

expecting their performers to walk out Feb. 11 with two more shows to go.

According to Alexander Silvestre, one of the knights on the picket line, the Buena Park castle performs more shows than any of the other castles. Currently it’s open six days a week and before the pandemic, it was open seven.

“(During the pandemic) we were promised by the management that there would be no extra shows until we had the staffing but a month later they just added triples, triples, triples till the weekends when we didn’t have anyone,” Silvestre said. “We were super stretched out, super overworked.”

A lot of the knights dedicate extensive hours to the castle, each employee allegedly being scheduled eight to nine hours, five days a week without consecutive days off.

“Sometimes we do way more than our particular jobs, kind of doing everyone else’s job. Maintenance, stable work, painting shields, feed (and take) care of horses,” Silvestre said.

According to the knights, they don’t get proper horse training and they learn through trial and error.

“It’s kind of like ‘We’ll give you a hint of working with the

horses and then we’ll send you to the crucible’ and then we learn ourselves,” Wojcik said.

Josh Royce, another knight, and Silvestre share the same frustration with the lack of communication and improper follow-ups on the company’s regulations.

“They’ll claim that we’re going to have classes on horse etiquette and everything and then it just never happens,” Royce said.

“(Riding lessons) happen when something goes wrong in the show or they don’t like what they see and we’ll get blamed and told ‘Why don’t you do the job that we taught you?’ when in reality we didn’t really get taught,” Silvestre said.

The group of performers were vocal about their struggles and negotiations on their TikTok, which they claim Medieval Times reported and got banned.

“We want our TikTok account back,” Zapcic said. “We want access to our most supportive and vocal audience but we also want the company to actually negotiate with us and have a real conversation about wages because so far what they’ve been proposing is laughable.”

Zapcic claims the company proposed a 2% increase for Buena

Park employees while non-union castles were given a 20% raise.

“We felt like they were silencing our voices and we had no choice but to speak louder, so we walked out,” Zapcic said.

Before the walkout there was a bargaining session scheduled for Feb. 15 but the company neglected to follow up. The performers rescheduled to have their collective bargaining agreement meeting on March 15 where Zapcic shared that she and the performers met with the company for several hours negotiating their terms. Still, not much was resolved.

“(There was) no real acknowledgement of the fact that we’re currently on strike or any conversation about how we can end this,” Zapcic said. “It was all just very much business as usual.”

Medieval Times’ corporate office could not be reached for comment. As it stands, there is another bargaining session set for April 4.

“There is a lot of advantage being taken of these people that love their jobs and I think we’ve hit a point where, you know, we’re just not willing to do that anymore,” Bradley Whitfield, one of the emcees of the show, said.

This story is developing.

RCC orchestrates German exchange

city of Riverside and an exchange is being explored as part of RCCD study abroad program,” Mills said.

“In particular, Kellner is interested in piloting a student exchange in the music discipline.”

Micherri Wiggs, faculty coordinator of international education for the District, said she and others are working on developing the music program with Christian Ernst Gymnasium, a high school in Erlangen.

Wiggs said she reached out to

the Riverside, Norco and Moreno Valley mayor’s offices to ask about their sister cities.

Wiggs learned that the German high school was eager to develop an exchange program in music with the District.

“The principal of that school came to visit us in early March and we toured the Coil School for the Arts and talked about possibilities for an exchange,” Wiggs said. “Right now there’s a possibility of a collaboration.”

The potential collaboration could lead the two programs to eventually perform together, according to Wiggs.

The idea was an ongoing conversation they had before the COVID-19 pandemic. Wiggs said they will probably start with a small group to test how it goes.

“At this point this first exchange will probably be on the smaller side and allow us to explore options to grow it into something larger at some point in the future,” Wiggs said.

Four Medieval Times protesters stand outside in the parking lot with signs symbolizing the strike in Buena Park on March 17.

HAYDEN KULICK | VIEWPOINTS

The Riverside Community College District is working on an exchange program that would send students abroad to Germany to promote a community of music and harmony.

Susan Mills, vice chancellor of Educational Services and Strategic Planning, pitched the idea to the Board of Trustees on March 7.

“Erlangen, Germany is a sister

LINDSEY TOVAR STAFF REPORTER

Women Tigers roar at celebration

College hosts presentations highlighting female voices

ALYSSA VELASQUEZ STAFF REPORTER

Menstrual products, food and housing resources were provided at Riverside City College in celebration of Women’s History Month.

“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper and Ariana Grande’s “God is a Woman’’ blasted through the speakers in the background at the Riverside City College Women’s Day event on March 16 on Terracina Drive.

Adela Gonzales, a student ambassador from the Foundation for California Community Colleges (CCC), organized booths that centered around recognizing women and their achievements throughout history.

She spoke about how far women have progressed to gain a voice in society and the importance of Women’s History Month.

“The idea of the event is to empower women to succeed in today’s society by providing the various resources and encouraging women to apply their passions to remind us we are strong and resilient,” Gonzales said.

Campus engagement centers, outside vendors and resource

programs participated in the event. The campus’ Basic Needs Resource Center provided applications to students who may be eligible to receive free, fresh produce on campus.

Student worker Katrina Hill said the resource center is able to provide any food-related or housing opportunities to support women attending college.

“The message we want to convey today to our students, especially the women, is our booth provides additional help and support for those who are attending RCC regardless of race and gender.” Hill said. “If (women) ever need help, they do not have to feel like they will be discriminated against.”

Free feminine products, flowers

and lunch boxes were given to attendees.

Riverside City College student Ingrid Xia attended the event to seek out potential support services that are available.

“The booth that I was most interested in was Planned Parenthood because of the idea of advocating for women’s bodies and health because it’s not being taken seriously,” Xia

said. “It’s a great resource to help women use their voices to promote this controversial topic.”

Staff, faculty and students promoted their clubs and organizations to increase the number of women members. The Foundation for California Community Colleges (CCC) sponsored the event, which provided access to information on resources supporting women’s rights.

Pantry Produce Program keeps it fresh Basic Needs Resource center provides free veggies for students

JOHN MICHAEL GUERRERO ONLINE MANAGER

Riverside City Colleges’ Basic Needs Resource Center has opened a new program called the Pantry Produce Program aimed at supplying students with fresh produce.

The program is funded through the City of Riverside in partnership with the Riverside Unified School District.

Ben Vargas Jr. said the main goal of the resource center is to address food and housing insecurities.

The CalFresh Outreach Program was first introduced to California in 1977 and support for the program has grown since then. In 2021, a bill passed requiring every college campus to integrate a list of on-site and off-site basic needs services and resources.

Vargas said over 900 RCC students have been able to take advantage of the free toiletries, food and supplies. Roughly 95% of students come in for meals and food bags, which cost on average $60-$65 from vendors, according to him.

The program provides students with bi-weekly fresh produce which is supplied through a grant that allows the City of Riverside to

buy from local vendors.

Amel Abdelfatah, a student wellness ambassador, witnessed the resource center grow into what it is today.

“We try to encourage students to use our resources as well, like our gas cards, Vons/Walmart cards and the produce program,” she said.

“We are the last resort students come to. Some of the students that come here feel hopelessness or feeling they hit rock bottom.”

The Basic Needs Center works very closely with Student Mental Health Services as they both fall under the same department at RCC.

They work to help provide basic needs to those students, Abdelfatah said they aim to counsel and help them become more stable by providing resources.

Xander Campa, a current student at RCC, deems that this resource center is essential in

relieving the stress of higher education costs.

“(The Basic Needs Resource Center) helps a lot because half of going through school is being able to focus on yourself,” Campa said. “Being able to give it your undivided attention, so when you need to cover things like food and gas, it takes the pressure off of them to provide for themselves.”

Vargas hopes to keep providing for half of the students attending

RCC. He says half of the student population have expressed having housing and/or food insecurities.

“I think our college made a big commitment when they dedicated this space to basic needs,” Vargas said.

The Basic Needs Resource Center can be found on the ground floor of the Charles A. Kane Building between Student Financial Services and the Cashier Services.

STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

Riverside City College students take advantage of RCC’s Basic Needs Resources Center’s Pantry Produce Program. Assorted vegetables, eggs and other foods were made available from 11a.m. - 1p.m. in the breezeway of the Digital Library on March 21.

AUSJA NOLAN | VIEWPOINTS

Yellow sign reads ‘get it girl’ as a way to appreciate and support women during Womens History Month on March 16 at Riverside City College.

Reviewing what’s in right now

‘The Last of Us’ humanizes a digital apocalypse

VIANNEY MORLAES STAFF REPORTER

Showrunner Craig Mazin proved his HBO series adaptation of the popular video game ‘The Last of Us” isn’t truly about zombies or the apocalypse, it’s about love.

In a world with little hope for humanity, the relationship between a person and the one they care for is the backbone of their survival.

Video game adaptations are notoriously difficult to pull off. Due to the interactive nature of video games, it’s difficult to fully capture the essence while vicariously living through the characters during gameplay. “The Last Of Us” uses the medium of TV to its full advantage.

The first episode strategically yet subtly leads up to the outbreak, thrusting you into the chaos that emerges. Even without knowing the plot you start to root for these characters and anxiously hope that they will survive.

Following the initial outbreak, the scene time skips to 20 years after. The government has taken over the perimeter of major cities, to allegedly protect people from “the infected.” Viewers immediately understand that the government is abusing its power.

The rugged and emotionally cold Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) is dealt with the responsibility of being 14-year-old Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) caretaker. They embark on a journey across the country to take Ellie to doctors that could possibly find a cure for infection from her mysterious immunity.

When we first meet these characters, they couldn’t be more different from each other.

We see early on that Ellie has had a certain affinity to violence.

However, that rage unleashes as she spends more time with Joel and starts to mirror his violent tendencies.

Naturally—however, strongly against their will—their relationship slowly begins to resemble that of a father and his daughter. They become each other’s protector.

Joel makes Ellie stronger but Ellie makes Joel weaker.

Joel’s failure to protect his daughter makes him guarded against Ellie, fearing he’ll get too attached and never recover if he’s unable to protect her.

Emotions on the ropes in ‘Creed III’

JAZMYN DE JESUS STAFF REPORTER

The third installment of the Creed series presents a new take on a brother’s betrayal story that serves as a positive example of Black masculinity with plenty of anime references woven into the creative fight scenes despite shortcomings in its visuals and script.

Michael B. Jordan stars in and makes his directorial debut with “Creed III.”

While the previous two Creed films follow the same plotlines and story progressions of the Rocky films, “Creed III” differentiates slightly and arguably has a more meaningful social commentary.

Jordan incorporated much of his own influences and views with the latest installment which helped the movie as much as harming it.

Due to the fact that the prior films were written by Jordan’s longtime collaborator, director Ryan Coogler, Jordan’s attempt at mimicking the visuals and verbal cues seemed a bit awkward and at

times corny.

“Creed III” attempts to be the most unique out of the series, but some directorial choices come off as odd and not intentional.

The heavily promoted “Creed III” soundtrack includes a very long and out of place cameo from singer-songwriter Kehlani, which is overly glaring.

Similarly, the product placement in this movie is not very discreet. Thankfully that did not take away from any significant character moments.

The dialogue and script is straight forward enough. However, more emotionally heavy scenes with Bianca (Tessa Thompson), Adonis Creed’s wife, could have been more fleshed out. These scenes could have also shown more of Thompson and Jordan’s acting chops and developed the story further.

The acting performances from Jordan, Thompson, and Jonathan Majors were all excellent. They brought life to what could have been a dull script.

Thompson’s character was given a very one-note role as

Creed’s wife in this installment compared to the previous films. Yet, with the few lines she had, she still managed to help the audience see what was not being said.

Visually, compared to similar action-dramas that have come out in recent years, it was not very unique.

However the final fight between Adonis Creed (Micheal B. Jordan) and Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors) was definitely a highlight.

The two characters started off as childhood friends who felt more

A new Ghostface generation rises, killing continues

CHRIS DIOSOMITO STAFF REPORTER

Ghostface made his return to theaters in the goriest addition to the iconic Scream franchise this weekend. As a long time fan of the franchise, I loved this film.

The opening sequence sets the tone for this new Ghostface. Every first kill in this franchise is memorable in its own sense, but this one is something special. It’s unexpected and menacing from start to finish. The famous phone call is

disturbing and keeps the viewers anxious throughout the entire scene. Ghostface immediately demonstrates that means business in the opening scene and that the characters have to keep one eye open in the city that never sleeps.

Being truly unique to the franchise, there isn’t a whole lot I can say without ruining the experience. It’s shocking, gut wrenching and a must see on the big screen.

As made very clear from the start, everyone in this film is expendable. You won’t only be

trying to guess who the killer is, you’ll also be guessing who gets killed next.

As suggested by the trailer for “Scream VI,” there has never been a Ghostface like the one in this film.

Finally out of Woodsboro, Ghostface takes to New York with new rules. This Ghostface is much bolder in the crowded city. Kills are more gruesome and sudden in the Big Apple and during Halloween, it is hard to tell who the real Ghostface is.

This factor within the film makes the atmosphere tenser and

when he finally strikes, it packs that much more of a shock factor. This Ghostface is scary every time he’s on and off screen and the New York setting elevates his presence.

Along with Ghostface, Samantha Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) is the main focus of this film. She’s treated like the original Sidney Prescott as the killers are fascinated by her backstory.

Being the daughter of Billy Loomis, the original Ghostface, Carpenter deals with public opinion throughout the film which portrays the trauma of the past movie and

how everyone views her through the lens of her father’s legacy.

“Scream VI” is a breath of fresh air in the series. It’s one of the best in the franchise since the original that was released in 1996. The film is a fun slasher like the many previous ones in this long lasting series.

It’s definitely worth seeing as soon as possible to avoid spoilers regarding the big reveal on who’s the killer. “Scream VI” will leave you wanting more and excited for what’s to come in the future from this franchise.

ILLUSTRATION BY ELIANA KLEVEN | VIEWPOINTS

Western waffle wakeup Editors’

ANGIE ESCALANTE & HAYDEN KULICK

While Riverside does have an IHOP and a Dennys, the city falls short when it comes to breakfast places. However, Joanna’s Cafe is a quaint mom and pop style diner to stop by in the morning.

Located in a small shopping center on the corner of Van Buren and Chicago, the restaurant can be hard to miss. The lack of a sign also doesn’t help.

When you walk in you are met with a western themed interior that’s packed with places to sit. While there are hosts, you are encouraged to seat yourself. The walls are decorated with cowboys, coffee mugs and signs with creative wordplay. There are two televisions hung on the walls put at the perfect volume so you’re able to tune in to the screen or your party.

The hosts had a smile on their face but the way they tended to us was uncoordinated. We had more than one server try to take our order even after we had already placed it and parts of our meals were continuously forgotten.

Despite the lackluster service, the food was surprisingly good.

Joanna’s Cafe had a wide range of breakfast items on the menu. It also offered sandwiches, juicy burgers and “south of the border” food.

The Fruity French Toast stands out on the list because of the mountain of peaches, strawberries, bananas and blueberries topped off with a gentle layer of powdered sugar.

The strawberries were the highlight of the dish. They were crisp and sweet enough to make it so syrup wasn’t necessary.The french toast on its own was great as well. It had the right amount of moisture to where it wasn’t soggy but also wasn’t dry.

There is a variety of waffles to choose from on the menu. The Belgian Waffle was thick and fluffy, just like a waffle should be. Paired with a bit of syrup and butter, the sweetness did not overpower the flavor of the waffle.

The Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs is a staple at any diner, it was no different at Joanna’s. While a lot of places tend to make it too chewy and dry, here it was tender and easy to eat. Of course, the dish would not be complete without the country gravy. It did not smother the entire plate and the consistency was not too thick. The meal also comes with a choice of toast or biscuits and gravy.

Hash browns oftentimes will steal the show of a breakfast, yet here they were a little mushy and not crispy enough.

While the service was hit or miss, the food made up for it. The tucked away restaurant is definitely worth a stop.

Joanna’s Cafe, “Where Riverside meets and eats. From the Farmer to your plate,” claims its menu on March 22.

The dining room of Joanna’s Cafe with tables adorned with old chevy pickup trucks full of condiments and cowboy themed decorations throughout.

Syrup drizzles over french toast, served with eggs and sausage, a popular menu item at Joanne’s Cafe in Riverside on March 22.

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

Editor: Maria Odenbaugh opinions.viewpointsonline@gmail.com

Getting through life with galpals

Hardest battles require a strong support system

MARIA ODENBAUGH OPINIONS EDITOR

Becoming a woman is a long trip down a road that never ends.

We’re faced with road blocks in every step of the journey while we find our identity.

As women we have to deal with unjust circumstances that were built in this nation that will take a lifetime and more to make just again.

Without the cooperation and relationships made possible by women there would be no progress. Political activists and role models that listened to and banned together with other women are the reason we have the advantages we have.

This month it’s important to appreciate and understand the relationships between women that get us through the unpredictable waves of being a woman.

Menstrual cycles, hormones, unrealistic body and health expectations make it difficult to think you’re the same woman you were three days ago.

Although the “woman experience” is not the same for everyone, it’s a relatable journey.

The experience of being a teenage girl wouldn’t be possible without the relationships and platonic love with other girls going through the same adversities.

Those intimate moments with your girlfriends are crucial. That moment where you’re expressing to your best friend in the school bathroom how you feel after your first relationship breaks your

teenage heart, or those midnight bar bathroom chats that restore your confidence after a horrible night are experiences that fill you with gratitude.

The friendships we gain while figuring out the world are the best part of being a woman.

There is great comradery in bonding with other girls. They make you feel like you’re not alone.

You need to be surrounded with people who will just get you, understand you without judgment.

Once I turned twenty, I realized how much I needed the moments and relationships with my girlfriends that grounded me. Everytime I’ve had a bad day or stressful week I automatically turn to my girlfriends to vent. I crave moments where I feel invincible with these women that inspire me everyday. Those moments are crucial to finding my identity. Feeling this type of solidarity has helped in my growing process.

Brunch, self care nights and car therapy sessions are what I need sometimes to detach from the stressful work and school priorities.

Most life altering decisions are talked through with these girlfriends, I value their advice because of the connections we’ve made. I trust and appreciate the relationships I have with the women in my life.

The connection women make with other women is essential to surviving in a world filled with people who want to see us go back into the kitchen.

Friendships that were either

formed over a lifetime, twenty minutes in the bar bathroom or a lab partner you only see for a semester are essential and therapeutic. Something to be cherished. Women friendships make you

appreciate your womanhood.

It makes you appreciate what advantages you have as a woman like the ability to birth a human person while still navigating the rest of your life.

Rather than focusing on the disadvantages we may still have, it’s important to focus on what we can do.

We can continue to work in solidarity.

Busy parents face challenges in higher education

KATHYA SAGREGO STAFF REPORTER

Returning to college after 10 years has not been easy. I am a stay at home mom to four young children. Deciding to return to finish my degree is something I had been wanting to do for quite some time. I am a communications major and will be transferring to Cal State San Bernardino this coming fall.

In 2011 I graduated from community college with an associates degree and transferred to Cal State Fullerton. I got married after my first semester and later became pregnant with my first child. I had to drop out from university in order to fulfill my new roles as a wife and as a mother.

I do not regret the decisions I made because I wanted to start a family, a big family.

Being a student at 33 was a little intimidating at first. Knowing

I would be taking classes with students significantly younger than me and returning to a college campus made me nervous.

During these past 10 years I was in a completely different environment surrounded by baby babble, diapers and Cocomelon.

The advancement of technology made it even more intimidating.

I went from a flash drive to now saving everything on a “Cloud.”

Having less time to keep up with my school work has allowed me to value the journey.

Luckily, I have my husband and parents that make up a full support system to count on. Everyone in my home sacrifices a little for me to help me be able to achieve this goal.

I do not take any of it for granted.

I have learned to juggle homeschooling my children while attending online and in-person college classes.

I have had to implement a daily routine in order to be able to keep up with my school as well as the craziness of chores it involves to have a home full of children.

Growing up I had a strong example of a woman: my mother.

She taught me that an education comes with great sacrifice. She was one from 10 siblings to earn a degree and graduated as a teacher in Mexico. This is why one of my greatest motivations is my eightyear-old daughter. I don’t just want to teach her to be determined but I want to show her that women have options.

I often speak to her about how women have fought throughout history for us to have an abundance of opportunities today. I want to be an example for my three sons as well. I want them to witness their mother pursuing her own dreams.

I always knew I wanted to have a family of my own but I never imagined that I would also be pursuing a goal that seemed impossible at the time. Getting accepted to Cal State San Bernardino made all of this a reality and I look forward to that family picture where I’m wearing a cap and gown surrounded by my children, who are my motivation.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PEXELS

A student mother checks her Canvas dashboard while her family takes a nap March 21.

Three female friends walk toward the Math and Sciences Building at Riverside City College on March 22.

STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

E ditorial

Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints’ student editorial board.

STAFF LIST

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LIFE EDITOR

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OPINIONS EDITOR

Maria Odenbaugh opinions.viewpointsonline@gmail.com

ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR

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SPORTS EDITOR

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ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Jair Ramirez

PHOTO EDITOR

Stephen Day photography.viewpointsonline@gmail.com

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Mathew Acosta

elebrating women’s history is great, but what about our future?

During this month we celebrate the progress that has been made in this nation for women. Progress has been made for women in terms of education, healthcare and having a voice in our democracy. However, there is so much more that needs to be done. Women in the United States still do not feel valued nor equal to men. Most professions, boardrooms and leadership positions are male dominated.

There are still gaps in this country that need to be filled with more women. Political and equality rights issues are still being determined by men. Part of women’s history is holding on to the right to have an abortion, which has now been overturned, at the federal level; by the U.S supreme court. Men should not have had a vote in overturning Roe v. Wade.

We live in a man’s world. Careerwise, educationally and socially women do not hold as much authority or respect as they should. They still deal with sexist comments and are overlooked at work. Just like men, they work to support either themselves or their families.

Comments and actions that belittle women in the workplace is still a norm. Oftentimes, they are overlooked for

promotions.

Women can do the heavy lifting, defend themselves and advocate for themselves. As of 2013, they can now enlist in combat roles for the military. Women can do all this while not being seen as the damsel in distress.

Some of the women in our newsroom have cited that they’re exhausted from not being seen as equal to men at their work environment. The passive aggressive remarks and doubt they’ve received from male coworkers are dismissed as being “helpful.”

In reality, it doesn’t help. It’s belittling, discouraging and is not welcomed.

How can women serve a greater purpose if they’re not seen as capable of completing even the easiest tasks?

These setbacks happen due the sole fact that our government never set up a system made for women. Our “Founding Fathers” were all men.

Men who argue there are equal opportunities for both genders in the workplace are wrong. The door for women was opened in the workplace by years of fighting, yet the space is still filled with sexism.

Even women who hold high status, higher paying executive roles and leadership positions in our government have made claims of sexual harassment and abuse they

experienced at work.

Women seek authority, respect C

Former press secretary Sarah Sanders, who worked under Donald Trump’s administration, alleged that Trump suggested she, “go to North Korea and take one for the team,” after Kim Jong-un winked at Sanders.

Comments like that, especially by someone who held the highest authority in the U.S., only further promotes sexual harassment and abuse in the workplace.

Standing in solidarity with women is only effective if it becomes daily practice. Uplifting and supporting women should be habitual.

Women have made strides for equality but haven’t reached true equality because it starts from the top and works its way down the system.

If men in our democracy are making decisions about women’s bodies while continuously treating them as sexual beings, will there ever be a harassment-free workplace where each person has equal rights?

Both men and women together need to keep fighting for a world that does not tolerate sexual discrimination in the workplace. When more women begin to gain equality, we’ll start to see less discrimination and more opportunities. The workplace should become an equal opportunity environment for all, as the rest of the nation should be.

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Women put their hands together in support of women’s empowerment March 22.

STEPHEN DAY | VIEWPOINTS

Softball team’s surge stopped

XAVIER CONSTANTINO STAFF REPORTER

Bases loaded, two outs. Down one run. Unfortunately for the Riverside City College softball team, it couldn’t complete the comeback, losing to Santiago Canyon despite a valiant effort on March 20 at the Evans Sports Complex.

It was a back and forth game through all seven innings. The Tigers came into the game trying to keep their two-game winning streak alive after sweeping the double header against Moorpark College on March 18.

The Santiago Canyon Hawks were ready from the start, instantly hitting a two-run home run off freshman starter Ereka Gibbs.

Gibbs eventually got into rhythm, preventing the Hawks from scoring for the rest of her outing.

“Gibbs put up three solid innings, with her only mistake giving a free base due to hitting a batter which led to the two-run homer,” assistant coach Antonio Lopez said. “She kept us in the game and gave us everything we needed to stay in the game.”

After four innings, the game was still at 3-2 when the Tiger’s decided that Gibbs’ day was done, putting freshman pitcher Chloe Lockhart into the circle in the fifth inning.

Lockhart only gave up one run in the fifth and surrendered another two in the sixth.

The Tigers charged their way back into the game with hits from freshmen Sarah Franco-Colis,

Alyssa Carlisle and Lockhart which brought in three runs in the fifth to put the Tigers ahead 5-4.

“I believed in everybody that went up to the plate,” Carlisle said.

“Just to keep it going, and bring in more runs, but that’s just how the

games play out.”

Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Hawks had a rally of their own in the top of the sixth, bringing in two runs to put Santiago Canyon in the lead 6-5 heading into the seventh and final inning.

RCC tried to complete the comeback in the seventh inning but ultimately, the Tigers fell short in the end.

“It was a great game all around,” Lopez said. “Understanding what we need to work on from this game

is gonna help us move forward.”

Riverside is now 7-11 this season.

The sports media world needs more women

HAYDEN KULICK MANAGING EDITOR

When I opened up The Athletic app this afternoon to read some sports stories, I noticed something. Not a single story I saw was written by a woman. I had to scroll to the bottom of the page in order to find one thing written by a female staff member. Not only that, it was on NCAA wrestling.

Over 50 stories passed by my screen, all on more popular sports, before I was able to find at least one story written by someone who isn’t a man.

The problem isn’t just with The Athletic, it’s with all sports media outlets. Women have a severe lack of representation in sports media.

When women choose to pursue a career in this field, it feels that they are given two options on what

they can do for a career. They can either be a sideline reporter, or be the sole female on a talk show that hardly gets to voice their opinion and just gets to mediate the arguments.

It feels as if women are limited on what they can do.

There are a handful of women who have gone past the standard though. For instance, Doris Burke. Burke is a former basketball player for Providence College who pursued a career in sports media. She is one of the best sideline reporters of her time and has transitioned into being an analyst for NBA and NCAA men’s basketball on ESPN.

Erin Andrews is another sideline reporter who has been successful with ESPN and FOX.

They are examples for women to follow, but they haven’t reached the top.

When it comes to beat writers for NFL, NBA and MLB teams, they are all men.

Being a beat writer for a North American Professional sports team is one of the greatest honors that a

Next up for RCC is a home game on March 24 against the Saddleback College Bobcats, followed by a three game road trip. reporter can get when it comes to sports journalism.

Why can’t women achieve that title? It’s because the problem can’t be fixed easily.

According to Zippia.com only 20.9% of the 7,000 sports reporters employed in the United States are women. However in my experience at Viewpoints there are a number of aspiring female sports journalists.

Even when they do get opportunities to do more than just sit and look pretty while men get to voice their opinions on sports, they fall victim to the male prejudice.

Women will very seldom get the chance to call a game. When they do, it’s always the same backlash regardless of how they do in the booth.

Just because of their gender they face this backlash from the “fans” and it prevents them from moving up in their careers.

Women need to have more representation in sports media but that can’t happen until the male fanbase eats their pride and accepts the fact that a woman can succeed in sports.

Erin Andrews checks in from the sideline. Unfortunately, she has not been able to advance her career and become a broadcaster.

PHOTO COURTESY OF INSIDE MARYLAND SPORTS

Freshman Ereka Gibbs pitches to a Santiago Canyon batter on March 20. Gibbs pitched four innings while giving up three runs and six hits.

MATHEW ACOSTA | VIEWPOINTS