Fall 2024, Episode 5
September 24, 2024
Host: Jay Cortes
Co-Host: Marina Gonzalez
Audio Transcription:
Welcome, runners, to your fifth episode of Runner on Air.
It is Tuesday, September 24th here at Cal State Bakersfield, and you’re listening to the Runner on Air.
I’m your host, Jay Cortes, and I am your co-host, Marina Gonzalez.
All right, we’re going to start off with some Runner archives per usual.
Today I have an article from September 24th, 1984.
And in this article, it mentions the KC Fair, F-A-I-R, and F-A-R-E. So the fair was only $4 for adults and $1 for kids 6 to 12 years old.
So a flashback into 1984 prices.
And it shows the times from September 26th to October 7th.
The fair was going on, and you could go in for $4 in 1984.
That was incredibly cheap.
Was it for the Kern County Fair?
Yeah.
KC Kern County Fair.
Fair.
Yeah.
And God, over the years, the prices for the fair has risen so much over the past several years.
Do you know how much it is now?
Um, I think maybe I think they maybe charged like maybe $15, $20 something.
I don’t know.
I haven’t gone to the fair in a couple years, and I don’t think I ever am going to go this year because the food prices over there have gotten so expensive.
They charge like $12 for like to get a can of beer.
And it’s also more pricey for food as well.
So it says admissions $15 for adults $10 for seniors and $6 for children 6 to 12.
So it’s like tripled.
Yep.
And the parkings are now 10 bucks.
And then I don’t think they used to have carnival carnival wristbands before.
Because once you’re in there, you still have to pay for the rides.
Right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So you have to pay for the rides pay for like the carnival games that they do there.
It’s like so expensive.
Yeah.
So once you’re in, you get a carnival wristband 37 bucks, I think for all day $42 on the weekend.
And that’s like an all day pass.
So the price went from $4 to 15 plus 42 plus 10.
Oh, geez.
All right.
So that’s 1984 flashback and the prices were obviously way cheaper.
So another article that was in this 1984 September 24 runner was hard life in the dorms and it talks about the Art Institute of Chicago is moving into the Playboy Mansion.
The 72 room Victorian mansion features an indoor pool, a waterfall and underwater bar sun and steam room bowling alley game room and ballroom and the Playboy Enterprises, I guess gifted it to the Art Institute since Hugh Hefner had moved to Los Angeles at the time.
And that was from 1984.
My parents used to watch like the I think this reality show about like girls who live in the Playboy Mansion and are like Playboy models and stuff in the past.
But I don’t know.
Yeah.
I don’t know if they do the show.
I think it was on E. That was the show.
But yeah, they used to watch that when I was like little at the time.
Yeah, I think I remember my cousins watching it.
All right.
So September 24th, I have another article on today’s date, but this is from 2008.
The runner and its title page headline is financial aid delayed for many students.
So that’s kind of repetitive and still valid.
Financial aid is still delayed for a lot of students currently.
And this is from 2008.
But then below it, it talks about a concert with big name artists such as Alicia Keys and John Mayer could be headlining at CSUB, thanks to ASI for the 0809 school year.
So it talks about like, we used to have a budget of $80,000 to book artists, such as the U’s to come to see SUV and perform.
Oh, the U’s.
They were a rock band, right?
Yeah.
Because they were there the year before.
So other big names such as the U’s.
Oh, it says maybe coming to CSUB.
So I think it was just talking about the bands they had reached out to.
So I guess they came up with a survey where they did like top 10 list of artists that they were looking as candidates.
And they were like voted on to see who would come.
I’m pretty sure that year Tyga came to the campus.
I think that was that year.
Yeah, I don’t think CSUB does big concerts anymore.
Yeah, I haven’t heard of any since, yeah, that Tyga one.
So I guess that used to be a thing.
I wonder when the last CSUB concert we had was.
Yeah.
All right.
So that one was from 2008.
And it talks about the concert.
Oh, it also mentions a professor that we still have on campus.
That was named the new department communications chair.
And it was Mary Slaughter.
And she’s still a professor now.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I’m currently taking her for a senior seminar right now.
Yeah.
And it says she was named new communications department chair in 2008.
So she’s been with CSUB for a while.
All right.
So that was a look at the Runner archives.
And now we’ll be transitioning into more CSUB news.
We had a girls volleyball tournament over the weekend.
And they beat Fresno State.
So I was talking to Steven about that, and he had mentioned that beating them, they’re kind of like the girls volleyball is like the queen of the valley right now, taking over the valley.
Because they won a bunch of big games.
So girls volleyball has been turning up and winning.
All right.
And we also have an event coming up this Friday, September 27th, from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. And it is the Latinx celebration.
So it’s going to be for Latin Heritage Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month.
And it’s a celebration for Latinx.
Wait, did you say 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.?
Yeah.
It’s going on that late?
Yep.
Late night.
Oh, geez.
No, I’m not staying up that late.
Yeah, there’s gonna be salsa probably, music and food.
I don’t know.
I think Melissa had told me about it.
But should be fun.
It’s kind of like the Runner Carnival or the Carnival Nights.
Didn’t they do that like super late at night to like, 12 p.m. or something, or 12 a.m.?
No, I recall they had a carnival in the spring, I believe, I think they did it.
I don’t think they did it that super late.
I think they did it maybe around like, maybe four or five o’clock.
Really?
I thought it went pretty late.
I thought it started like early, but it went on till like midnight.
I think it started like at four or five, but went on till midnight.
I mean, maybe it did go on until midnight, but I feel like it started like maybe at around like four or five or 6 p.m. in the spring.
Hmm.
Well, that is pretty late, though, for a celebration event, 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. to be on campus at 1 a.m.?
I don’t think I’ve ever been on campus at 1 a.m. Yeah, no way.
I’m not coming to campus that late.
I’d rather be at home asleep.
All right.
Well, transitioning to our guests now, I would like to, well, could you please introduce yourself?
Hi.
I’m Jocelynn Landon.
All right.
And, Jocelynn Landon, what is your position here at The Runner?
I’m the Editor-in-Chief of The Runner.
Okay.
Cool.
So, what is your, like, I guess— Like, what do I do?
Yeah.
Like, your day-to-day operations.
Yeah.
So, essentially, I oversee the publications and digital side of The Runner.
So, I help manage the different sections.
So, we have, like, for publications, we have, like, news, opinions, features.
And then, for digital, we have podcasts, broadcast, photography.
And I oversee all those editors, make sure that content is getting in.
I assign stories, and I edit stories, and I write stories, and yeah.
And how long have you been writing stories for The Runner?
For The Runner, oh, I started in January of 2023.
So, I’m in my fourth semester, so two years.
Do you remember what your first position was when you started?
Yeah.
So, I walked in to the orientation for The Runner, and I applied to be the photo director, and I got it.
And that was, like, my first, like, leadership role in a newsroom ever.
And yeah, that was my first role.
Nice.
How’d you like it?
It’s kind of funny, because I liked it a lot.
I had a really big team.
I had, like, a team of— Well, I was actually the photo and art director, and I had a team of, I think, like, four or five.
And it was kind of overwhelming at first, not gonna lie.
I remember one day, my now really good friend assigned me more.
He was my, like, editor-in-chief at the time.
And I remember, like, breaking down, because I just was so overwhelmed, to now being, like, where I am now.
I never would have guessed that.
So, yeah.
What was the most difficult part that you weren’t expecting?
Honestly, I feel like I just didn’t really understand my role in its entirety.
Like, I felt really confused.
I came from a different newsroom, so I started at BC.
And so, like, transitioning from one newsroom to another was— the runner does things very differently than what I thought, so.
I feel like we’re a lot more laissez-faire.
Yeah.
You kind of have to figure it out on your own.
Yeah, yeah.
There’s a lot of, like, independent learning, I think.
And so, I just honestly— I think, like, there was a twofold.
Like, I should have asked more questions and been more, like, hey, like, am I doing my job correctly, rather than, like, waiting until, like, my midterm assessment.
And then, at the same time, I think that, like, across the board, there could just always be, like, better communication on, like, the roles and stuff.
And, like, if someone’s not doing their job, then, like, kind of, like, it should be up to the editor to, like, kind of talk to you and be like, hey, like, you know, by the way, you’re not doing everything that you should be doing.
So, yeah.
True.
Yeah.
The roles, I feel like, are kind of fluid.
Like, they’re always transitioning, and people graduate, and then some roles get filled some semesters, but then they won’t get filled, like, the next semester.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, it is tough, because then you have people that have to wear multiple hats, and then they graduate, and then somebody has to fill their role.
Yeah.
So, it is difficult, I think, to find, like, a role, or especially if you’re a leader, I think, to balance it all.
Yeah.
So, I definitely see that.
Do you feel like the runner, like, fills your plate up, for the most part, or do you try to find other ways to branch out on campus?
I’m kind of a nerd when it comes to the runner.
So, you just geek out on the runner role?
I really do geek out on the runner, like, a 3-6-5, but, I mean, other than that, I started a media club on campus, which is, like, to bridge the gap between all the comms students, and then I’m also, like, doing a research project for the school, and I try to, like, go to events as much as I can in my free time, so, yeah.
Yeah.
That’s cool, though, that you can, like, geek out on the runner, that there’s so much, like, to get involved in, that you could really just get lost in it, like, doing some, find something to do every day for it.
Oh, yeah, for sure.
And what was, like, so, looking back on your time on the runner, like, what was your first story, and then what was, like, your favorite story?
Yeah, so, okay, so, my first story ever was Women’s Basketball Spring 2023.
That was the headline, horrible headline, but, and they’re not the best, but it was a photo gallery, not even the best photos, either, but I was still very proud of them, because I was, like, hey, I don’t like sports, I have no idea what’s going on in this basketball game, but someone needed a photographer, and since I’m the photo director, I had to go, and I mean, I ended up taking a pretty good photo, in my opinion, and I got the photo I wanted, but.
Nice.
Yeah, and then, you know, look, my most memorable story of, like, of, like, when I, like, my first story for the runner that I’m proud of.
Your first one you felt was actually good?
Yeah, I would say, oh, that’s so hard, okay, okay, I’m going to share two, I know you said one, but I don’t have one, I have two, so I’m going to share both of them, okay, so one was my friend, my editor-in-chief had a friend that he wanted, that he wanted me to interview for AAPI month, and so I interviewed this person named Kyle Capulong, and I kind of just talked about his experience with CSUB, and.
What’s AAPI?
Asian, let me, let me, let me make sure that I do it correct, oh yeah, I was right, Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, and so I, yeah, I just kind of interviewed him on, like, culture shock in America, we talked about, like, diversity on campus.
Was he an international student?
No, so he, oh my gosh, it’s been so long, let me kind of, like, read, oh, I think, yeah, he was, he was on a student visa, so he, yeah, so he was on a student visa, he’s from the Philippines, so.
Nice.
Yeah, he’s an international student from the Philippines, yeah.
Yeah, so my favorite episodes have been talking to international students, hearing what they have to say about coming to America, and then, like, hearing about their culture, super interesting.
Yeah, so I wrote that story, and I just remember being, like, oh, I love doing profile stories, and then that kind of led me to do my all-time favorite story on this event called Jazzy Mabel’s Pride Fair before summer ended, and it’s basically a pride fair that happens every year in Bakersfield, and I got to interview her, and that was the story, like, I had to cut that story so much, because there was just so much to cover, and that, those two, I feel like, are my favorites.
That was, like, your baby?
Yeah, like, those are my babies, like, that was the first time that I was, like, oh, I love talking about, like, communities, and I love profile stories, and talking about events, and yeah, that kind of made me fall in love with journalism.
When you’re passionate about it, it’s hard not to, like, fall in love with your stories, right?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, that’s one of the tough parts about, like, any art, I feel like, is letting it go and being like, okay, it’s done, because you never feel like it’s done, because it’s like your baby, it’s constantly growing.
Yeah.
Okay, so doing profiles, is that what made you want to be, like, features, or what made you want, because you were features last semester, right?
Yeah, so, it’s kind of funny, I knew that I loved feature writing, however, even the next year, I still applied to be the photo editor, I had an experience where I didn’t feel like I was good at writing, so I didn’t want to pursue anything other than photography, and then I eventually decided, no, actually, I’m pretty good at writing, and so I applied to be features editor, and I got it, and then I wrote a ton of profile stories, did a lot of event coverage, and then from there, I kind of dabbled into news, and then I started writing a bunch of, like, news stories, yeah, so I just kind of took off from there.
That’s cool, then, that you’re editor-in-chief now, after going through so many different roles, like, you went through photography, news, features, writing, editor, now, so what’s been your favorite position so far, is it editor-in-chief, or do you feel like there’s a lot to handle?
No, it’s funny, because honestly, I don’t feel like being, I don’t, maybe I’m not doing my job that good, but I don’t feel like editor-in-chief is all that stressful, like, I am having so much fun.
Maybe you had already been doing so much that it kind of just fell into place.
Yeah, yeah, I mean, I love getting to know all the different teams and, like, supporting them in different ways that I can, and so I feel like, yeah, my favorite role has been editor-in-chief, just because I feel like now I’m able to take a lot of the knowledge that I learned over, like, the last four years, and kind of, well, yeah, I’ve been doing journalism for four years, so the last four years, and, like, give it back to people, and yeah, I’ve just been having a lot of fun with doing all that, so yeah.
Do you feel like you’ve got, became a more comfortable writer, like, a more confident writer?
For sure?
Um, yeah, for sure.
I think that, I mean, you, the more you do things, the more you grow, and so I remember my second year, is it the second or third year, I was told that I produced the most content in The Runner that semester, oh, I think it was last semester, yeah, and I was told that I produced the most content by the advisor, John Hart, at the time, and I just remember being so shocked, like, what the heck, that’s, like, insane to me.
Like, you were just going.
Yeah, I just was on cloud nine, I couldn’t stop, he could not stop me, and so, yeah, and so I think, you know, the more you do something, the more you grow, and the more you grow, the better you get at it, and yeah, so I think I definitely am way more confident in my writing and, like, capabilities as a journalist, yeah.
So this most recent publish, or publication of The Runner, you wrote a story about Title IX.
Yeah.
Can you talk to me a little bit about, like, well, for one, just, like, how different it feels now when you write an article, compared to when you first, like, you first wrote that article, you said you were, like, not really as confident, you were kind of nervous, and then now, like, when you write an article, what’s your mindset like, and what have you learned, and then, obviously, the article itself, like, what was in the article?
So the article that I wrote, it was just kind of, like, a look into the Title IX department, so there is a trigger warning on this, so this story does include the topic of sexual harassment and discrimination, but, yeah, so I found out about this report called the Cozen-O’Connor, like, assessment, and basically, all the CSUs got audited for how they are handling, like, sexual assault, discrimination, and harassment on the CSU campuses, and, you know, within the report, I found out a lot about the students’ perspective of how the students don’t feel like there’s a safe space for them, they don’t feel like they know where to go to get information, they just, like, they just are not getting the resources that they need and the support that they need from the school.
And so the story kind of started off, well, it’s hard, because, you know, it’s a sensitive topic and it is really hard for, like, victims to speak up about what they might have faced, so just by chance I was talking about it in my newsroom and someone connected me to someone who unfortunately has been through a situation at CSUB, and I ended up, you know, talking to them about their story, and I just realized how much students are just not seen and how much they’re not being heard about this topic, and how, despite what CSUB thinks that they are doing and how they think that they’re helping, that they’re really lacking in a lot of areas.
So I ended up interviewing, like, three or four students, I think it was three students, about what they experienced and kind of, like, their barriers, some of the situations happened off campus, but yet they still felt like when they came to CSUB they didn’t feel supported or seen, some of the situations happened on campus and they’re still being investigated to this day.
Yeah, and I think the approach that I took was honestly student-focused.
You know, schools, I think a lot of the times, think, like, you know, oh, well, we created a new service or we’re delivering the information in a new way, but my thing is, did they ever take a second and sit down and talk to the students, because for me, when I sat down and talked to the students, it was very evident that they just didn’t feel seen or heard.
So I think that was my approach, is just really being student-focused and shining a light onto the victims or survivors of the violence and, yeah.
Okay, so when you’re approaching a story like this, is there, like, a format or, like, a way you like to go about it or is it kind of just like the, like, per story type deal where each story kind of has its own, like, way of how you approach it or, like, where it’s going?
Yeah, I mean, I think every story, definitely, you got to approach it differently.
For stories specifically for this, honestly, it happened by, I mean, like I said, chance.
I kind of DM’d them on Instagram and I was like, hey, you know, my friend connected me to you because she kind of expressed that you might have some knowledge on sexual assault on the UCB campus.
If you’re interested, let’s talk, like, we can totally talk.
I was very clear that it could be off the record.
Right.
Like, anonymous.
Yeah, anonymous, yeah.
So we talked and I honestly just started off by not even recording.
I remember just having them, just connecting, just sitting down and being like, what, you know, what do you want to share with me?
What do you want to talk about?
And then they kind of told me.
And then from there, I just was like, OK, I’m going to start recording now, but, you know, let me know if you need me to stop recording.
And I remember I didn’t, I took a little bit of notes, but honestly, there was a moment where I just kind of stopped taking notes and just really sat there and had a conversation with them.
Just taking in the information.
Yeah.
And then the other student that I spoke to, that one happened at an event.
They actually went to the event and expressed that they were sexually assaulted off campus when they were like 13 or something.
And I just went up to them after and I said, hey, like, you know, I’m writing a story on Title IX on the CSDB campus and I can tell this that this event really meant a lot to you.
Like, would you be down to do an off the record interview with me?
And they were down to do it.
And so we ended up meeting in like a secure location and they just talked to me about what they went through.
And yeah.
And then the third person was over Zoom again from a connection from one of the other victims that talked to me.
And yeah.
So it kind of just happened by allowing them to have the space to tell me their story and open up.
Because I think they, I think something I learned is that people do want to open up, but a lot of times they just don’t feel like their story is going to be told.
Yeah.
Yeah.
A lot of issues.
Times like when you’re a victim, I feel like sometimes you don’t even know that you’re a victim.
Yeah.
So you don’t even know that you have a story to be told.
Yeah.
So it could be difficult.
Is there something like experience wise that you notice like now that you have more experience writing that you kind of changed for maybe like a young writer that’s nervous or just starting out?
That like now the way you approach this new story, like you switch things up because like of past experience that you’ve dealt with, like interviewing people and doing profiles like this?
Yeah, maybe I hold space for silence a little bit more, which is kind of an awkward thing to say.
But I think there’s power in silence.
And I think sometimes we as people, you know, when you’re talking about sensitive topics, you don’t like you just want to fill in the silence or kind of like make an assumption about what they went through.
And something I learned is just to kind of sit there and listen and to kind of just talk to them, not necessarily focusing on the story that you’re about to get out of them, but also just focusing on the fact that there’s a human being in front of you and that they went through something and just kind of, you know, realizing that you can just sit there and listen and talk, you know?
And yeah, I think I approach the way I go about getting information and stories a lot differently than I first did.
Yeah, that is powerful because in like music and writing and like the rest is also a part of the music.
Yeah.
Like not saying something is just as powerful as filling in a note.
Yeah.
Same thing with writing.
Like sometimes a blank space is unnecessary and just as important as filling it all up with words.
Yeah.
So it could be powerful.
Awesome.
Okay.
So like trying to switch to more like future plans, like what is your career plans as far as like journalism and then maybe personal plans as far as trying to advance like either your career or your personal life?
Yeah.
So I think journalism, I want to do it all, but I can’t.
So I really want to just kind of write as much as I can.
It’s kind of funny because recently I kind of dabbled into broadcast a little bit and now I’m kind of liking that.
So I don’t, I don’t know, I kind of want to go get my master’s.
I feel like I’m in an era that it’s like a sponge and I’m just wanting to soak in all the information I can.
So yeah, so I want to get my master’s, I want to do some fellowships maybe.
I really want to work for like rural journalism or like rural communities and do journalism there.
So like communities that just aren’t getting covered, but honestly like rural towns, like I feel like that’d be really cool.
Most people it’s like the opposite.
They want to go to like a big city and report on like high crime or something.
Someone, yeah, it was funny because I just went to a journalism conference and someone asked me like what I wanted to do and I was like, I want to report on rural communities of color.
And it just was funny because everyone around me was like, I want to go work for like the New York Times.
And I’m like, I just love like reporting on communities that are more underrepresented.
Yeah.
You like connecting with people.
Yeah, I love connecting with people.
I mean that there’s an art in sitting down and telling someone’s story and letting their voice be heard.
And as cliche as it sounds, it’s like, you know, everyone has a story.
I truly believe that.
And I think, you know, I’m someone who can kind of go in and pull out a cool story in my opinion.
So yeah, I have a lot of fun doing that.
And then I don’t know, personally, gosh, I don’t know, I like to travel.
So hopefully there’s some traveling in there and yeah, maybe you could work that into journalism somehow.
Yeah.
Traveling journalist.
Yeah, that’d be fun.
So if you were to pursue your master’s, you’d want to do it in journalism?
Oh, yeah.
I want to be.
There’s a couple schools I’m looking at and they’re all straight journalism programs.
So yeah, I know Berkeley has a good program.
Yeah.
Maybe San Francisco.
I think my top three are Northwestern, which is in Chicago.
And they’re like a really top journalism program.
And then I also want to go to USC.
Syracuse has a program.
Oregon has a program.
Washington has a program.
I have no idea.
But yeah, I’m kind of looking at those five right now.
So you’d be willing to go out of state?
Oh, absolutely.
Get me out of state.
Really?
Yeah.
I feel like I, like, you know, Kern County, I’ve lived here my whole entire life.
And so I feel like I really want to go out and explore the world and be better informed on how the world is, like, outside of this little Bakersfield and Kern County bubble.
And so I would love to go to a different state and just be thrown in the trenches and, like, not really know anything and have to figure it out.
Yeah.
I think that’d be really fun.
Yeah.
That’d be cool.
What other country would you want to visit?
Oh, probably just Europe.
Somewhere in Europe?
Yeah.
Italy for the pasta?
Yeah.
Oh, for sure.
I mean, well, I’ve been to Italy and the pasta is…
Oh, you’ve been to Italy?
I have.
Yeah.
When I was 16 with my dad, we went, like, all around France.
Did you get gelato?
We did.
We got gelato.
It’s so good.
It is so good.
Sounds good.
I remember coming back and, like, not being able to eat bread, though, because the bread doesn’t taste…
Yeah.
Our bread tastes like crap.
Yeah.
Bread and pasta is, like, a big deal in Italy.
Bread.
Yeah.
And then it was funny, because I went and I had fettuccine Alfredo and I hated it.
Because it…
Yeah.
Yeah.
It’s different.
It’s so different.
Their cheese is so, like, potent and strong.
Oh, I could see that.
And I was like, ugh, this is gross.
So, wait.
The fettuccine in Italy is different from, like, the one you would eat here in town at any of the restaurants?
Yeah.
Oh, for…
Yeah, certainly.
I think it has to do with, like, the oil and the cheese.
Yeah.
Yeah, maybe.
Yeah.
But, I mean, it…
I think, also, I was, like, 14 or 15.
Yeah.
And, like, now, I’d definitely be able to…
No, the cheese probably was funky.
Yeah.
A little funky.
But…
Oh, I would totally go back again and do it.
Like, eat it again.
Because it’s…
It was just…
You know, it’s an experience.
Yeah.
But…
Yeah.
Best food I’ve ever had in my life.
And best, like, sights, too.
Yeah.
Once I travel to Italy, I’m probably going to gain a good, maybe, 10 pounds.
Yeah.
Oh, for sure.
Like, ugh.
I’m like, ugh.
I can’t…
Well, like…
I can’t butt my pants up.
Just, you know, buy a couple sizes bigger.
But they have smaller…
Well, I think it’s because they’re very carb-heavy.
So, like…
And I feel like they eat smaller meals throughout the day.
Yeah.
You have, like, you know, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and then…
Like, I know in Spain, they have, like…
Siesta.
Siestas.
Yeah.
Or…
And then, like, in other countries, they have, like, tea time.
Oh, yeah.
Where you just go and you drink tea and coffee.
So…
Oh, yeah.
Kind of like…
Just like in London.
Yes.
Or, like, in overall England.
Because usually, at around, like, 4 o’clock, that’s when they go out to have tea.
Yeah.
And then, like, they go out to drink beer.
Yeah.
In Germany, at 4 o’clock, they go out to drink beer.
That is so crazy.
They have that midday break.
America needs something like that.
Yeah.
Like, that midday break.
I just feel like we just eat all day.
Like…
And work all day.
Like, it’d be nice to have, like, a little, like…
Something beyond a one.
Yeah.
Americans don’t need more food in their diet.
No.
But if our food was healthier, then maybe we could do it.
Yeah.
But…
The one country that I am dying to travel to is Scotland.
Yes.
Really?
Yeah.
I want to go to Scotland so badly.
I can’t…
Like, when I was in the TV show Outlander, it just makes me want to go there, because there’s, like, so much history.
There’s, like, so much, like, beautiful lands out there that I want to go hiking and stuff.
It’s, like, the most gorgeous place.
I can’t think of one food plate from Scotland.
Like, what do they eat?
One of their popular dishes is called haggis, which is, like, sheep stomach.
I’ve never heard of it.
But…
What the…
I don’t…
It’s sheep stomach.
Yeah.
I don’t want to eat that.
But I want to try…
See, that’s the first thing I think about when I go to a place.
Like, that’s why I want to go to Italy, because it’s just all my favorite things.
Like, they have espresso, gelato, pasta.
Like, those are all my favorite things.
And they do…
Those are the best.
And bread.
And cheese.
I love cheese.
If you ever want to go to, like, something Scottish, in Long Beach, they have the Queen Mary.
And they always do…
The Haunted Queen Mary.
Yeah.
The Haunt I’ve been.
And it was really scary.
We made fun of a…
Side note.
We made fun of, like, a ghost, right?
And then right after that…
No, no.
Mm-mm.
Right after that, the fire alarms went off, and we had to all evacuate the ship.
And I don’t…
I mean, I’m not that superstitious, but I’m like, huh.
I wonder if…
I think the ghost’s name was, like, Rosie the Riveter or something like that.
I wonder if she was a little cranky.
But yeah, it was very scary, because in, like, ships, when the fire alarms go off, all of the doors close.
Oh, damn.
So they just close on you.
So we thought that we were, like, trapped in, like, the hallway, and then all of a sudden, like, a worker goes in.
Yes.
But during the Queen Mary…
The Queen Mary every year hosts a Scottish festival.
And you can go, and they have, like, Scottish food, they do, like, all of the Scottish games.
It is so fun.
It is so fun.
Oh, yeah.
There actually is a Scottish festival here in town.
It’s run by the Kern County Scottish Society.
I went to it…
It’s a Scottish society?
Yeah.
I went to…
That’s crazy.
You would know about this.
Yeah.
I went to it back in April, and it was such an awesome event.
They had a lot of, like, cool performers.
They had dancing.
The Scottish society was wearing the kilts, playing the bagpipe.
They did Scottish, like, outdoor games and stuff.
Dude, the bagpipes.
I love bagpipes.
No way.
Have you heard them in person?
That is such a niche thing.
I have.
It sounds so weird.
They sound so weird.
Like, you can hear the bag, like…
But to have the lung…
The lung capacity needed to do it, though, I think is what makes me love it so much.
Because I’m like, dang, like, you’re so talented that you have to, like, control your breath in order to…
It’s so weird, because it’s like a trumpet just stays a trumpet.
Yes.
Like, it holds its position as being a trumpet, so all you have to do is push the button.
Right.
This bag that he’s walking with, like, you could hear as the bag moves, like, it makes sounds.
Like, it’s so weird.
It’s like morphing.
Yeah.
And you just…
Like, when they walk with it, it’ll just be like…
Like, you hear it.
It’s so weird.
Definitely a particular…
Particular?
Peculiar?
Peculiar.
Peculiar.
Yeah.
It’s got a very weird taste, but I think there is some beauty in it, so yeah.
All right.
So, wrapping up, you have a survey I see coming up.
Can you talk to me about this survey that you’re trying to get passed around campus, right?
Yeah.
So, The Runner is going to be releasing issue two coming out on October 21st.
And we are doing a…
It’s all about politics.
And…
Nice.
Yeah.
It should be interesting and fun.
And so, we’re passing around an anonymous survey for CSUB students, faculty, and staff to fill out.
We really just want to know the political climate at CSUB, like, who are you voting for?
How do you feel about the candidates?
All of those different types of things.
That way, we know what to report on, like, what to write on, and what to cover leading up to the election season.
So, in the issue specifically, we’re just going to be very…
We’re just going to be giving out information on the different candidates.
And we asked everyone to pick, like, their top, you know, three issues that they care about.
And then, we’re going to talk about those three issues in the issue.
Okay.
And, yeah.
And just kind of inform students on, hey, this is what the candidates are planning on doing with that.
And, yeah.
So, how is the survey going to work?
Is it going to be published and in, like, a QR code, or do you work…
So, we’re going to…
We’ve emailed some professors to share with their students.
And then, there should be some mass emails coming out shortly.
All they have to do is scan the QR code or click on the link.
And they can fill it out.
And then, we’re going to take that data and create some, like, graphs and charts.
And then, we’re going to utilize the data within the specific stories.
Okay.
Yeah.
So, have you had a chance to, like, speak with students about this survey and, like, the questions on there?
No.
So, because it is anonymous, because we understand, like, you know, you might not want your political information out there.
Right.
At the very end of the survey, you have an opportunity to be on the record.
So, you can put your email and your name, and you can come talk to us about the elections.
We’ll set up an interview with you.
And that’s kind of how we’ll get some student perspectives.
In all honesty, though, I think that I just wish more students from, like, you know, both the parties would participate in the survey.
That way, we can better, like, form the students and educate them on what’s going on and make sure that all voices are being seen and heard within the issue.
So, can you give me an example?
Like, you mentioned three issues that you feel, like, are an issue coming up in the election.
Yeah.
So, can you give me an example of one, like, that you think is, like, an issue?
Like me personally or, like, in general?
Yeah.
You personally or just something that you’ve seen maybe other people be upset about?
Oh, yeah.
So, right.
Like a policy.
So, right now, within the survey, most topics are immigration, reproductive rights, and I think the economy.
I think those are the main three that climate change is also kind of going up there a little bit more.
But yeah, those are the main three, four-ish that a lot of students are caring about.
And so, we’re going to try to focus our whatever leads at the end, we’re going to try to focus our information on those issues.
That makes sense.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Those seem like the big three.
Oh, for sure.
Economy, and then, of course, reproductive rights, and maybe, like, inflation, the economy be a part of it.
Yeah.
So, I guess, more issues-based, not so much, like, party-based or candidate-based?
Yeah.
Yeah.
So, the idea is to then take those issues and go to the, like, presidential candidates and, like, dig through what they’ve said in the past of how they want to solve these issues, and then give out information on what each candidate wants to do.
So, then, that can better educate you on how to make a better educated vote.
Yeah.
We’re also going to be talking about something kind of funny, because we’re media, but we’re going to be talking about media bias and how some sites are a little bit more left or some are a little bit more right, and how it’s important to get your news from all sides to be better-rounded and more educated.
There’s a website you could check out that shows, like, media bias.
The Media Bias Chart.
Yep.
Oh, yeah.
The Media Bias Chart, and it shows, like, who’s least and most biased towards which way.
Yeah.
That’s a good tool.
So, we really want to give those to students, because I just feel like, I mean, even in media, like, everyone has their biases.
It’s every single solitary person on the planet has the biasness, but I think it is important, like, it’s important to really try to be informed on, just sometimes just get the information, you know?
Not necessarily have a left or right point of view, just what are the facts.
Right.
Exactly, yeah.
So, yeah.
Yeah, that’s a good way to approach it, I feel like, because if you’re thinking about it more party-based, then you’re thinking about it, like, no matter what that person or candidate says, like, I’m going to agree with, and that’s, like, not a, I feel like that’s not a knowledgeable way to look at the issues.
Yeah.
I like how you’re mentioning where you look at the issues, and then based on, like, what issues you feel are important, and what side you’re going on those issues, like, look and see what candidates are siding with you, and what candidates are, like, not siding with you on certain issues.
Yeah.
Yeah, I feel like that’s a smart way to look at it, definitely cool to inform the students about that.
Yeah, I’m excited.
Okay, so, when do you think that email would come out with those surveys?
In the works, so probably by September 25th or 26th.
So Thursday?
Yeah, like, by Thursday at the latest is when I’d love for it to go out.
We also have some flyers that will be going up across campus on Wednesday or Thursday as well, so.
Cool.
Yeah, I’m excited.
I just hope that we can get a lot of students to participate.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, the more voices, the better, definitely.
Oh, for sure, yeah.
Do you feel like the climate has been more positive this semester?
In terms of, like, politics?
Than previously?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Like, just seeing, like, students communicate, because I feel like other campuses, it could be more hostile, like, dealing with issues, like, the Middle East or something, or political issues between, like, two candidates and two parties where one state is, like, super blue or something, and another state’s super red, but then you have, like, a college campus where, like, even though the state is super, like, Republican, maybe that campus itself would be Democrat, so then you have, like, political turmoil, I guess, or, like, even — Yeah, for sure. — it would be, like, protesting.
Uh-huh.
But I feel like we don’t have that.
No, we don’t.
Like, I haven’t seen any protesting or any issues.
Like, the students seem more connected, like, positive.
Yeah, I think, you know, I mean, within Kern County, we are — well, within California, we’re, like, blue, right?
But then within Kern County, we’re a red — like, red county.
And then within CSUB, I would say, because of our generation, there’s a lot — it’s kind of mixed, I would say, but probably a little bit more on the, like, liberal side, just from what I’ve seen, but — and, like, heard — and, like, some of the, like, topics that come up in ASI meetings and things like that, it just seems like we’re a little bit more on the, like, liberal side.
However, I also think that we don’t have, like — we don’t have people coming to our campus all the time and, like, starting those, like, political wars or, like — Yeah, like, extreme to one side.
And it’s — honestly, I think — I don’t know how to explain it, but I just think that CSUB just isn’t like that.
Not in a weird way, but I just don’t think CSUB is really, like, all of that, like, let’s go start a protest.
And I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing.
I just — I don’t — I just don’t really see us doing that.
So, yeah.
Yeah, I could see that.
I feel like, like, someone that would be considered, like, a Republican or red over here, I feel like they still wouldn’t even be that extreme as someone that is maybe, like, a red over in, like, a Southern state, because then it’s like — like, you’re saying, like, you could be, like, on the left or the right, but then there’s people, like, extremely left and extremely right.
Yeah.
Which is — And I feel like we don’t have those extremes on either side.
No.
I mean, not from what I’ve seen.
I mean, honestly, I think college campuses — there’s, like, a beauty in that, is sometimes having those, like, protests and stuff, because I do think — Yeah, that would be the place to do it, yeah.
Yeah.
And I think that you are better informed and you can have, you know, better conversations about, like, you know, dialogue and stuff.
But I definitely think that we just don’t do that.
I don’t think there’s pro or con to it.
I just don’t think that that’s what CSDB does.
Yeah.
I mean, we protested on behalf of the teachers for the teachers union.
Yeah.
I think those are our protests.
Yeah.
Very much like, oh, the teachers aren’t getting paid fairly?
Yeah.
Let’s go fight that.
Yeah.
Like, that one seems more obvious.
You know what I mean?
That is so, like, we’ll help you go on strike for three days.
Sure.
Why not?
You know?
Yeah.
That was fun.
I missed class for a week.
Yeah.
I think — I think for us, maybe we care a little bit — a lot about, like, the people at our own campus and our own university, the people who are, like, directly being affected all the time.
I think those are the protests that I necessarily see.
And I feel like that’s a problem with a lot of people that have very extremist ideologies when it comes to politics, where, like, you stop seeing somebody as connecting with them as a person, and then they become like, oh, they’re a liberal or they’re a Republican.
Yes.
Like, they become an object or something.
Yeah.
Like, they become an elephant or something.
Rather than, like, you’re talking to a person who has had experiences, like, they could be traumatic or, like, maybe not perfect, you know, like, but you’re still talking to someone that’s been through stuff, too.
Yeah.
I think people don’t — I think people, whenever they get into, like, political debates or politics, they’re more — how do I word this?
Without getting in trouble?
No.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They — on both sides, honestly, on both sides, I think that you are listening to come up with your next argument, but you’re not listening to listen and soak in the information and really try to — Yeah, like, validate.
Yeah.
And, like, honestly, you don’t have — I don’t think you have to validate the other side or the other person if you don’t agree on them, but I do think you can take a minute and listen to them.
And I think that can be reciprocated on both sides.
I just don’t think we sit down, talk, listen, and compromise because, again, you’re not going to agree with everyone in the world.
Like, no matter what side you’re on, I’m pretty sure that you could meet someone from that same side, and you’re not going to agree with everything that they say.
But I do think that you should be able to sit down and have a conversation and, you know, not name-call and not be disrespectful and just talk about it, you know, like, have those conversations.
You could do that and still be a two-party system.
Yeah, absolutely.
Because I feel like that’s where a lot of divide comes from is because we’re a two-party system.
So we feel like there is a left and a right, there’s a right and a wrong side.
I think that that’s a disservice because, you know, the world is not black and white.
The world is very gray.
And I think that, you know, life is not all about, oh, it’s my way or the highway, you know.
Like, everyone’s going to be affected by all of these decisions.
So I think that, yeah, I think you do need to sit down to a certain point and just…
It is healthy.
Huh?
Yeah.
It is healthy.
Yeah, it’s healthy just to sit and talk.
Like, honestly, put a therapist in the frickin’ White House and have them…
Dude, that’d be sick, a debate, but instead of having a person that’s, like, the middle teleprompter, you have a therapist?
A therapist, yeah.
Like, just put some therapists in the rooms and just be like, why are you so triggered right now?
Like, why are you, you know, I just think that, honestly, that’d be cool.
You know what would be a great TV?
If you had Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, and a therapist, and Trump, and then his kids all in a room.
Just, I honestly just think that sometimes, you know, when you talk about politics, you automatically feel attacked.
Yeah, yeah.
Something that, on a side note, something that me and my dad would always argue about is, you know, we’d be talking about something in politics, right?
And it’d be so funny, because we’d end up realizing that we’re kind of saying the exact same thing.
We’re just saying it in two different ways.
Yeah.
But it has to be, like, your way that you said it.
It has to be exactly how you said it.
Yeah.
And I love my dad for that, because it did make me realize that sometimes you are talking to someone, and you may be saying a lot of the similar things.
You just have a different outcome, or you just want a different outcome, or a different approach, or…
Yeah, you want it done your way.
You want it done your way.
Or, I mean, obviously, there are some things that, on the sides, you’re just not going to agree on.
And that’s…
I don’t have any words.
I’m not a…
Thank God I’m not a politician.
So…
Yeah.
But, yeah, like, there are some things that you’re just never going to agree on.
But I think sometimes, you know, it would be nice to just kind of sit down, have a conversation, not feel so attacked, and just listen to listen, and hear other people’s perspectives, and not be so defensive.
Do I think the world will ever get that way?
Probably not.
But I think that’d be cool.
I think I have a pretty positive outlook on politics and government.
Yeah.
Because I feel like you, like, think that, okay, we can implement a policy, and then, like, that policy can be put in place, and the world can be a better place because of this policy.
And it’s just up to us to vote in the right policies and come up with a smart decision.
And then I feel like I’m more pessimistic than cynical, because I’ll be like, yeah, yeah, yeah.
But then, like, what actually happens is we get screwed over.
Yeah.
So I just…
I think…
But I’m glad you have a positive outlook on politics.
I feel like it…
Yeah.
Like, that…
There needs to be people like that in power to inflict positive change.
Because if you have a bunch of pessimistic people like me, then we are just going to get screwed over constantly.
Yeah.
I mean, positivity is key.
So I think that if you’re more optimistic about that the world can change, and you’re more optimistic that maybe one day we can sit together, well, people can sit together in a room and not want to bite each other’s heads off, then I think that there’s, like, some beauty in that.
And we should strive to get there.
I don’t know.
I don’t know if it’s possible, but I would like to say that, you know, hopefully it is, you know?
Yeah.
It’s definitely a difficult climate right now in politics.
But I feel like people, once, like, this blows over, it’s back to normal.
And everyone’s back to just joking around and being happy about the same old stuff.
I don’t know, Jay, I don’t know about this one.
Really?
I guess we’ll see.
See, every election, everyone always says, oh, this is the one.
Like, if we don’t do this one right, then our whole government’s going to collapse.
Yeah.
And then it’s, like, every year we have that government shutdown and everyone freaks out because they don’t get post office for, like, three days or something.
Yeah.
So, I don’t know.
It’s pretty cyclical.
But, I mean, looking at the Renner archives, I feel like you could see history is kind of cyclical.
Mm-hmm.
History does repeat itself.
But we’ve got to keep learning and keep moving forward.
All right.
Is there any events coming up that you’re looking forward to before we wrap things up?
Like, Renner events or- Anything on campus.
Anything on campus.
Or even, like, the fair.
Because I saw we had an email come out that if you report for the fair, we can get tickets.
So, do you know anyone that’s going to do that?
I don’t.
No one has signed up to go cover the fair.
So- So, if I go to the fair- Yeah.
I’ll give you the media pass.
Yeah.
And I’ll just say, like, oh, I tried fried Oreos.
Yeah.
And frog legs and a donut, like, hamburger.
I mean, you might be really sick, but sure.
All right.
I’m pretty down.
Yeah.
I mean- I just do that.
I’m really thankful that the Kern County Fair hooked us up with media passes so we can inform, you know, the CCB students on the fair.
I think that’s really cool.
And I mean, I went to the fair on Saturday and I- Oh, you’ve gone already.
Yeah, I went and I had a lot of fun.
So, I- Did you get on any rides?
The rides are so expensive, but yeah, I did.
I got on rides.
Me and my friends, we all split.
Wristband.
One wristband.
You don’t have to buy- So, you just took it off and then- Yeah.
I just had them scan it, like, four times.
Yeah.
You gotta do it.
We were on the Ferris wheel and then we, you know, I’m 21, so I can drink.
So, we drank and we ate food and- Did you try anything fried?
No.
Well, I mean- Lame.
No, but I did get a rainbow grilled cheese.
And- What is that?
Yeah.
They, like, all the cheeses and everything.
I mean, they’re so good.
Yeah.
I mean, it’s like, it’s like a rainbow.
It’s just like different cheeses or it’s food coloring?
No, I think it’s food coloring.
Honestly, solid seven out of ten.
The cheese was a little funky.
Seven?
The cheese was a little funky.
Yeah, you’re not making it sound good.
No, no, no.
It wasn’t bad.
The, like, the crispiness of the grilled cheese was perfect.
But the cheese was kind of- But I think it just was like, when the cheese kind of got a little hard, I was like, argh, you know, like- Yeah.
But, I mean, it also is fair for me.
I mean, I’m not a big fan of cheese.
I don’t like cheese.
Food to the current county fair at the entrance is okay
we’ll be there yep they’re one of their largest food donation events of the year just got to look for a cap K yep cap K and then they’ll provide a free entry to the fair
nice all right yeah so I’ll save my money and spend it again today yeah so yeah okay you can see me reporting on that to broadcast later yeah we’re gonna have to go to the fair and report on that
yeah Marina you’re gonna have to check the fair out yeah
I just don’t know if I’m gonna go my mom has 20 bucks for a play I mean I would go with my mom but she has like no desire to go yeah and also because I just honestly cannot spend too much money right now I’m like really tight on money right now yeah since it’s of all college students
like yep we don’t have any money give me the money please yeah more FAFSA please all right so we got the fair coming up we got that Latin X celebration Friday night super late night too late for Marina and if you want to bring six cans of food to a K cap cap K cap K cap K then you can get free fair entry but you still got to pay for the wristbands and the food so it’ll save you at least 15 bucks and then probably still parking but you know every little bit counts
all right well appreciate you Jocelynn for stopping by and sharing about the runner and with everything going on on campus of course I had a lot of fun thank you for having me cool and this has been the runner on air your fifth episode signing out Jay Cortes and Marina Gonzalez and I’ll see you guys next week take care runners.