Everybody is Entitled to Equity

The concept of equity acknowledges that everybody has different circumstances and comes from different backgrounds, so different resources may be needed to reach an equal outcome. The title Everybody is Entitled to Equity is based on the team’s realization through their research that no matter what background, race, sexuality, legal status, one may be, everybody is deserving of the correct support to achieve success. When everyone has equitable access to resources, opportunities, and support, it fosters social cohesion, reduces inequality, and creates a more just and prosperous society for all.

Everybody is Entitled to Equity is a set of four stories produced by a team of journalist fellows in Spring, 2023. The team includes five student journalists, featured in the above image from left to right: Sierra Mickelson, Alexa Topacio, Luis-Antonio Carreon, Ryder Bouck, and Ethan Yamaguchi. They were all awarded through the California Humanities “Emerging Journalist” Fellowship with the Journalism program at Sierra College. The fellowship is only granted to four students, however, with assistance from the Sierra College Foundation, a fifth fellow was also awarded.

Continue Reading

Unthawed Nightmare

Strolling home from work, careless and free
Headed home to make my bed, clean sheets off the line,
What a shame to do at bedtime.

Entering my home, I notice no one, I see, I hear nothing
Suddenly attacked, impaled throughout my body
In and out, with such malice.
Forcibly violated, and left cold as ice.
Floating in a pool of my lineage as it drained from my veins.

Taken from me my spirit, stolen; my spirit.
What gave you the right to me?
Robbing me of my safety, my life, my future?
Who told you it was ok to play God and decide when?
When my last breath was taken, my last moments with family.

42 years I lay frozen, forever a 20 year old with the world at my feet.
Shattered in a moment of impulse.
42 years until my family would rejoice, “I feel like I can go on with my life now.”

The terror, pain and heartache frozen with me
Unthawed as handcuffs squeeze your wrists.
My soul set free, my nightmare unthawed.

 

Written by Vontress Ortega | Photo by Manjari, Pexels

Vontress Ortega smiling with long black hair and legs crossed
Vontress Ortega is a Journalism major at Sierra College and published author. She plans to transfer to Sacramento State University and continue in the major in fall 2022.

Long Live the People

People standing outside in protest, American flag in the background

On a sunny October 18th in San Francisco, a group of more than forty demonstrators gather near the Joseph Strauss statue off the Golden Gate Bridge. The attendee dress code has two requirements: the color black and face masks. Paper, cardboard, poster board and cork board house the words and messages these members showcase: “Thailand Democracy Now,” “Reform the Monarchy,” and “Free Speech is Not a Crime,” to mention a few.

The crowd groups together for photos to be taken of their efforts, and in between, a woman stands as the head of the group and reads her speech in Thai to the crowd. Demonstrators keep a hold of their signs or they keep up the three-finger salute with a free hand. Passersby would do a double take on any gathering of people, but today that was the goal.

Continue Reading