Student Activities

Fun On Campus !

With the various community events available on campus, theres always something good to look forward to. From making cute knickknacks, playing games, eating goodies, and watching Sunday night movies. If you like competition and are very knowledgable, trivia night is the place for you with snacks provided; my personal favorite, the nacho bar. The beginning of the semester, I attended an event held by RA's Lesley and Babe. We received information about alcohol and marijuana consumption and the dangers it comes with. The activity they had for us was to walk a straight line with drunk goggles, which was a challenge for most of us. When I tried, in my head before, I was determined to walk that blue taped straight line, however I failed. It explained a lot for the consequences of alcohol, if intoxicated and the bad sight drunk drivers have causing crashes. Additionally, I got to meet new people, especially freshmen whom I will spend the next four years with.

Social Justice Speaker Series

Our recent social justice guest speaker, Rose Jacobs Gibson had a lot to share about her achievements and experiences here in the San Mateo County, as a former mayor of East Palo Alto, and her dedication to social justice outside of being a politician.  It's easier to criticize, than to agree with someones opinion or argument; someone will always yuck your yum, but humans were born with different taste buds. Personally, I thought as a mayor, you'd have a better presentation with speaking and your talk given. As freshmen college students, it is important that politicians or any public figures have engagement with the youth. Whether students were tired or not, I found it difficult to follow Ms.Gibson. Although, she has put in some work to accomplish various things such as rent control in her city. I found that interesting how she was able to establish a control of rent for residents of EPA, being a lower income city, I wouldn't think landlords would pursue to raise rent. Living in North Central San Mateo, it's become a popular neighborhood, Caltrain station a walk away as well as downtown, and parks, for couples and families. With the business boom in the  Bay Area and Silicon Valley, rent rates are increasing in this neighborhood, making it hard for families who already call i home to remain there. Remind you that, the neighborhood demographically is mainly latino and black. Just on my street, the house next-door was for sale, approximately at $1.3 million, which effects the whole neighborhoods appraisal to be significant. Rent control is something that should take the attention of the local government to help keep families in their homes. Other than that achievement she has made in EPA, she was able to aid in San Mateo County's gun policies regarding the youth possession of arms and gun violence. What I found ironic was these policies being issued to  limit the youths access is as a teenager myself, I know of other teenagers with guns and how they come in possession with them. Additional requirements to own a gun, for instance a license, background checks, certain firearms, etc. does not stop the youth from obtaining weapons. If you think about it, teenagers I know in possession of guns do not own licensed guns. How can gun policies take effect to decrease possessions, if they aren't acquiring them lawfully. There's always access to black markets or dealers to attain weapons, just as easy as it is to buy drugs. However, Gibson did draw my interest and curiosity as a mayor or in general a politician in local government.

Personal is Political

The previous event I attended for our freshman seminars presentations of the work these classes have done and the progression they've made was something very powerful, as for my classmates in Poetry and Law. We were given the opportunity to share poems we've written for our class; expressing our compassion and rage of the social justice issues we address and study in our class with Professor Natashia Lopez Gomez. Our research conference was grouped with the Fundraising seminar, which they presented their fundraiser proposals associated with iLead. The presenters each offered a different type of fundraiser such as an auction, a recycled clothing fashion show, and one other I do not remember. Profits raised from the fundraisers would then go to iLead, which I believe is a S.T.E.M. school for children. If I were to take on this challenge of brainstorming a form of fundraising that wouldn't cost more than $200, I would have proposed a flag football game. As I've said before, one of the fundraisers was an auction; you need stuff to auction off, which means you need to buy stuff, and not just anything, but items worth value to interest auctioneers. Donations of signed autographs might be an option, but doesn't always happen. You'd have to spend money acquiring these items, although you may make the money back, the money you spent could have went to the actual money raised. With a simple football game, students can sign up, form teams and then play a game on a scheduled date. Revenue would come from admission, charging the audience to enter. A snack bar provided to purchase food, and a press box to guide the audience through the game. However, the presentations from our Law and Poetry class were extremely inspiring and heart felt. Each presenter touched on one or more of the social justice issues they've endured themselves, furthermore the struggles they've faced such as not having a roof over their head because of financial issues or losing their mother to a deportation center. What our class is, is a sacred space for speaking our minds, sharing experiences, and understanding our rights as Americans and how they are easily abused among certain demographic groups. Our class is very diverse, from African Americans, Polynesian, Latinos, Indian and Caucasian. This is the beauty Law and Poetry offers, a melting pot where we are all one. From my interpretation, the poems shared, I believe really impressed the audience and fellow students. I myself read my poem, which was out of my comfort zone, but with familiarity of my classmates and the support we all gave one another; it only strengthened us more.