Latest news with #CalStateLA
Gulf Today
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
At 81, Billie Jean King is back, chasing a degree
Steve Lopez, Tribune News Service Everyone reaches a point in life when it's OK to sink into the easy chair, prop up their feet and take a deep breath. Apparently, no one has told this to Billie Jean King. Since the time she was a child in Long Beach, raised by a firefighter and homemaker, King has been filling history books. She won more singles and doubles championships at Wimbledon than anyone before or since, and she was the No. 1 female tennis player in the world. She's been carrying a flag, for decades, for gender equality in sports and society. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal. Fifty million people tuned in on their televisions one evening in 1973 and watched her whip Bobby Riggs in a tennis challenge billed as "The Battle of the Sexes." But King's resume, which would stretch from one end of Wimbledon's Center Court to the other and keep going, is missing one thing, and that was bugging her. The omission came up last year in a conversation she was having with the staff of her New York-based consulting, investing and marketing company. (Yes, she still runs a business and a foundation promoting education, leadership and activism.) "I hate not finishing," she recalls telling her colleagues. They asked what she meant. "I haven't finished college," she told them. "And, you know, I should finish." Yeah, what a slacker. In the spring this year, at the age of 81, Billie Jean King went back to school, chasing not a trophy, or a cup, or a medal, but a degree. And there was no doubt in her mind about where she would enroll — at the very school where she began her college education in the '60s before going pro. The school that has a statue of her near the courts where she used to smack tennis balls around. Cal State LA. (Would anyone be surprised if she went out for the tennis team?) Lots of people start college and then take a pause. King's lasted 60 years. The woman who keeps making history is now majoring in it. She's taken several courses this year and will soon begin the fall semester as a senior, on track to graduate in the spring with a bachelor's degree in history. "I'm having a great time," she told me Wednesday by video link from her home in New York. King isn't strolling campus with a backpack and hanging with fellow students at the library and food court. Her business ventures keep her on the road and mostly on the East Coast, so she takes her classes remotely, usually one- on-one with professors who helped her craft a flexible schedule. She's also earned course credit for her interaction with other CSULA students who have taken a somewhat circuitous route to a bachelor's degree — they're enrolled in Cal State LA's Prison Graduation Initiative while serving time. After I interviewed King, she spoke remotely with 32 inmate/students at the maximum-security state prison in Lancaster and sent me an email when she was done. "They have made a commitment to improving their lives through education," she said, and "getting their degree will be life-changing for them." A few months ago, she did the same hookup with inmate/students at the California Institute for Women in Chino. "I wanted to know their stories," King told me, adding that she told them to work together toward shared goals. She also asked them what they miss most while in prison. The answers, she said, were quite candid. "One woman took total ownership. She said, 'I miss my children. I miss being free.... I even miss the husband that I killed." Yes, that does sound pretty candid. King's fall classes will include US and Latin American history. Her favourite spring semester class was historiography, a study of how historians research and interpret the past. "It's like the history of history," King said. I felt like I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't ask about her GPA. King said she hasn't gotten a report card yet, but says she's taking no shortcuts on assignments, and the homework load is not exactly light. "I just read like crazy all the time," said King, who has turned her paper chase into something of a cause. In social media posts extolling the value of continuing to engage, learn and grow — at any age — she sits next to a stack of assigned texts, including "Contested Histories in Public Space" and "Fighting Over the Founders." She's also reading books on Title IX, the civil rights law that banned sexual discrimination in federally funded education programmes. On that subject, King is more teacher than student. She was an early and persistent advocate for Title IX, and testified before Congress. "The thing they like," she said of her professors, "is that I have lived some of these historical moments." King said she hasn't been shy about pointing out what she considers errors in the telling of history she was a part of. "It drives me crazy." In that regard, and other obvious ways, King is not the prototypical Cal State LA student. "It's been 50 years of changing the world," communications studies department Chair David Olsen said of King's achievements. But in other ways, she's typical. I used to teach a class at CSULA, and most of my students were jugglers. They had jobs and families, and with so many other responsibilities and pursuits, they weren't in and out in four years. Some, like King, took a break but circled back. "Oh, I guess I am like them," King said. "It's never too late to return, and it's never too late to finish," Olsen said. "The coming back, to me, is what's so important and inspiring" — especially because finishing her education was an elective rather than a requirement. "To be a lifelong learner — that's an important lesson," said Scott Wells, chair of the CSULA history department. "She doesn't need to do this for career reasons or economic reasons. It's a reminder that higher education is not merely getting technical skills or a piece of paper for a job opportunity.... When she posted on social media, 'Here are the books I'm reading,' it's a way of saying that books are important and people should care about history." I asked King, who's been at the forefront of so many social justice movements, what it's like to live through this moment in political and cultural history, in which many of the gains she fought for are under threat, and in which our heritage is depicted on government websites as white, covered wagon pioneers. "How about slavery?" King said. "Look at athletes who tried to travel. Look at Jackie Robinson. Look at Althea Gibson. "I learned white history as a kid, and then I realized ... the people who were here first were our Indigenous people. " History repeats itself, King said, and "it's repeating itself again now" in disconcerting ways. "I mean, we were fighting so hard ... for Roe vs. Wade, and we got it through," she said of the landmark Supreme Court decision on women's reproductive rights in 1973. "And now we're going backwards again." Her job in her 80s, King said, is not to lead the resistance, but to ask the next generation what it wants and to offer guidance and support. "It's important to know history, because the more you know about history, the more you know about yourself," King said. "But more importantly, it helps you shape the future." I had one last question for King. The graduation ceremony is a really big deal at Cal State L.A., I told her. Many of the grads are first-generation college students, and the achievement is celebrated by cheering extended families. Will you walk the stage in the spring in cap and gown? She smiled. "If I can," she said, "I will."
Filipino Times
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Filipino Times
Jo Koy receives honorary doctorate from Cal State LA ahead of Etihad Arena show
The Doc will see you now… Comedian Jo Koy adds 'Dr' to his title as he prepares for his highly anticipated performance at Etihad Arena next week. Comedy superstar Jo Koy was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree by California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA), on May 21st, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the arts and the global comedy landscape. The milestone in his career comes just as he gears up to bring his razor-sharp wit and signature storytelling to the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, 29th May, as part of the Abu Dhabi Comedy Season. A proud Filipino American and a relentless force in stand-up comedy, Jo Koy's journey from open mic nights to sold-out arenas has been nothing short of inspirational. His comedy is deeply personal yet universally relatable, touching on family, identity, and everyday life with warmth, vulnerability, and hilarious insight. During his commencement address at Cal State LA, Koy shared the challenges he faced in pursuing his passion for comedy. Watch it here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Cal State LA (@calstatela) 'It's not easy getting to where you want to go. It takes a lot of hard work, it takes a lot of sacrifice. It takes a lot of falling flat on your face, and that's when you find out who you really are. That's when you build the grit, the heart, and the strength to keep pushing.' He also recounted his early days performing in less-than-ideal venues: 'My schools were bad nightclubs that did comedy on Tuesdays, and I would go anywhere that would give me five minutes. That was my school.' The honorary doctorate acknowledges not only his success as a performer but also his impact on cultural representation in mainstream entertainment. Known for breaking barriers and amplifying diverse voices, Jo Koy continues to be a powerful figure in comedy and now holds the rare distinction of being a doctor of the very art he has helped redefine. Fans in the UAE are in for a treat as Jo Koy returns by popular demand to the region with his Just Being Koy tour. With fresh, never-before-seen material, his irresistible charm, and now an honorary doctorate in tow, this promises to be a comedy experience that's both intelligent and side-splittingly funny. Tickets are limited – book your tickets today at
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Cal State LA celebrates re-entry week giving inmates a second chance
The Brief Cal State Los Angeles hosted a resource fair as part of "Second Chance Month" and "Reentry Week," highlighting its Prison Graduation Initiative, which supports formerly incarcerated individuals in earning college degrees. A focus on life after prison. The month of April is "Second Chance Month," and this week marks national "Reentry Week." Cal State Los Angeles held a resource fair tied to the university's work on prison rehabilitation and its prison college degree program. In attendance were professors, a judge, support organizations, and a number of men and women formerly incarcerated. Some were Cal State LA students or graduates. The campus event was sponsored by Cal State LA's Prison Graduation Initiative. PGI is listed as the state's first in-person bachelor's degree program. It was founded by Cal State LA professor Dr. Bidhan Roy. One current student was there in East LA in awe. Tyson Atlas had only been out of prison for 12 days after serving 18 years, sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. His sentence was commuted by Governor Gavin Newsom. He's now finishing his degree on campus after starting it while incarcerated. Also in attendance with a booth for the program he founded, The Prism Way, was Allen Burnett, who has a similar story of freedom. He was in the PGI first cohort and was a keynote speaker at the program's last graduation at the men's state prison in Lancaster. PGI is described as fostering hope with transformation through education.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man earns bachelor's degree behind bars; Making plea for commutation
The Brief Freddie Hernandez celebrated his 47th birthday and graduated as a keynote speaker from Cal State LA's Prison Graduation Initiative while serving life without parole in a California men's prison. The Prison Graduation Initiative, supported by Cal State LA and its president, aims to transform incarcerated individuals through education and reintegrate them into society as productive members. Hernandez's case is in the courts seeking commutation, and he draws inspiration from fellow graduates who were granted parole after serving decades in prison. A birthday and a graduation inside a California men's prison. The room came alive to sing "Happy Birthday" to Freddie Hernandez. It was December 5, 2024, and he was turning 47. April has been declared "Second Chance Month" by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. This is year two, with next week being declared "Redemption Week." Hernandez has spent his entire young adult life incarcerated, serving life without the possibility of parole. His case is now in the courts, and he is seeking commutation from Governor Gavin Newsom. There is also a state Senate bill in the works calling for anyone incarcerated under the age of 26 serving life without parole to have the opportunity to appear before the parole board. On this day, Hernandez was the graduate selected to be the keynote speaker. He spoke of the murder he committed when he was 18 and also noted how he is no longer that person. On the mic, he said, "I'm a scholar and a graduate." His wife and son were in the audience and wiped away tears. His adult son gave him a big bear hug. For Hernandez, his prison attire was masked by a graduation gown. It was full-on pomp and circumstance for the graduates and professors in colorful graduation regalia. The barbed wire and guard tower were reminders that you were still on prison grounds. This was the third cohort of the Prison Graduation Initiative (PGI) through Cal State LA. The program has since expanded from the Lancaster location and is now also in a women's prison. PGI is an innovative program founded by Cal State LA that offers a university bachelor's degree with classes taught by professors inside a prison. They call it the first in-person bachelor's degree completion program in the state (maybe the nation). The goal: transformation through education. It was on the campus of Cal State LA that the Prison Graduation Initiative was born by Dr. Bidhan Roy, Ph.D. He calls it his life's work. Hernandez found inspiration in four of the grads who were freed on parole and returned for graduation day at California State Prison, Los Angeles County. They'd been out on parole for less than a year after serving more than two decades locked up. Fox 11 first did the story on Edwin Cruz and Casi Amezcua meeting up on the college campus. Both were LWOP, serving life without parole, for murder. Both were granted commutations and found suitable for parole. PGI is about returning such men to the community as leaders and productive, tax-paying members of society. For those who are getting out of prison, it's about reintegration in a productive way. The Prison Graduation Initiative has full support from the president of Cal State LA. Dr. Berenecea Johnson Eanes, Ph.D., spoke at the graduation in Lancaster, saying, "You are always at home with us. Please remember that we are your resource." California Assemblyman Tom Lackey spoke at the graduation and said PGI is about offering hope. He is a retired California Highway Patrol officer. Reality is, the bulk of the university graduates on this day would return to their cell block. Since this graduation day, Hernandez has been moved to a lower-level prison as he awaits the process of applying for a commutation. Cal State LA's Prison Graduation Initiative launched in 2016. Fifty students have received their Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Dr. Roy says there is a very low rate of recidivism with age and a college bachelor's degree.
The Guardian
24-02-2025
- General
- The Guardian
LA's urban farmers pledge to rebuild and replant ‘even more than ever before' after devastating wildfires
In Choi Chatterjee and Omer Sayeed's Altadena backyard, beehives produced pounds of honey, copious amounts of fruit and vegetables were harvested, and hens laid plenty of fresh eggs. A couple of pygmy goats and a pair of 100-pound tortoises, Layla and Manju, roamed the urban farm, keeping the weeds trimmed, the compost turned and the soil alive with microbes, much to the delight of the hundreds of visitors who have enjoyed free tours and home-cooked meals since the couple began offering them in 2020. Passersby were often drawn to the Chatterjee-Sayeed residence since the lush butterfly-filled parkway next to their home has served as a free communal garden for more than a decade. Neighbors were welcome to stop by for persimmons, guavas, nopal pads, herbs and varieties of citrus. 'We'd get 100 to 200 pomegranates and just hand them out to whoever was walking by,' said Chatterjee, who is co-director of the Urban Ecology Center at Cal State LA. 'It was just bustling with life.' That all changed when the Los Angeles wildfires, supercharged by high winds and the effects of climate change, broke out on 7 January and the couple lost their 102-year-old home and beloved backyard farm. Although their goats, tortoises and some fish from their pond were saved from the blaze, it wasn't possible to evacuate their chickens, rare pigeons or the chatty Amazon parrot they rescued nine years ago. Countless urban farms and homesteads are gone. Hundreds of native yards burned. Cultural crops grown for generations lost. Beloved grocery stores, markets and restaurants leveled. The wind-fueled fires damaged or destroyed more than 16,000 homes and other structures, killed at least 29 people and turned parts of the nation's most populous country to rubble. There's also been an incalculable loss for the local food system, especially in Altadena, which has a storied history of farming, gardening, homesteading and sharing produce within the area. 'When you're talking about local food security, Altadena was a total outlier in LA county for what it was able to do for its community,' said Anna Rose Hopkins, co-founder and executive director of Farm2People, a food justice-centered non-profit organization based in Los Angeles. 'There were many official and unofficial pathways to exchanging food.' Now that those pathways have been ravaged by fires and thousands of residents have had to vacate their neighborhoods, experts worry about the impact on people's access to food, hunger and the future of growing in a region that was blanketed in toxic ash and chemicals. If you strike up a conversation with an Altadena local, you're likely to hear about someone's massive plum harvest or another's compost pile, or why a neighbor's avocados didn't do well last year. Because Altadena is unincorporated and has different zoning laws than other parts of Los Angeles, it's common for people to keep poultry, have backyard vegetable gardens, take part in produce swaps and offer free boxes of hyperlocal harvests for anyone to take and enjoy. In the 1960s, Altadena underwent rapid demographic changes thanks to a combination of white flight, political movements and urban renewal. The ending of discriminatory redlining helped make Altadena a multiracial paradise of sorts where Blacks, Asians, Latinos and Indigenous people could find affordable housing in a bucolic setting. The area has a strong rural past and soil that was known for being able to grow almost anything. The verdant 2.5-acre Altadena community garden epitomizes the back-to-the-land spirit the neighborhood is known for. Founded in 1970, it acted as a living classroom for school groups and other community visitors who took home free plantings and seeds. When the garden burned down last month, it was a devastating loss for the 120 members who grew all types of greens, sugarcane, corn, tomatoes, colorful flowers and a variety of herbs on 84 plots. 'I would say a majority of the people depended on what they grew to eat and a source of their consumption,' said Mary McGilvray, vice-president of Altadena community garden, who noted that 44 of its members' homes were also lost. 'We have people from all walks of life, representing 12 different countries – you can throw a stone and hit an artist or scientist.' That diversity of growers meant you'd see things like jamaica, the dried flower of the hibiscus plant used in Mexican cuisine, and tamarind, widely used in curries and chutneys. The garden's annual picnic, featuring garden-grown food, was one of the area's biggest events, drawing up to 1,000 people at times. Although everything except for a wooden deck and some metal fencing burned down inside the garden gates, a huge variety of free-to-the-public citrus and guava trees located outside the perimeter survived, offering a bit of hope. The garden is currently fundraising to help remediate the soil and rebuild the garden and structures. Other notable losses in the area include the regenerative Wildseed Farm, which helped feed students from the Village Playgarden school; the sustainable 2-acre McDonald's Farm, which sold produce and eggs; and Zorthian Ranch, a 45-acre artists' haven that was hand-built by the eccentric artist Jirayr Zorthian. The ranch had a farm on property that grew citrus, stone fruits, leafy greens, squash and pumpkins that helped feed the 25 to 30 people who lived and worked there. 'There have been pomegranates and olives growing for the entire duration of the ranch's existence,' said Jirayr's granddaughter Julia Zorthian, who lived on the nearly 80-year-old property, which was crafted from recycled materials. 'I remember eating bowls of pomegranate seeds when I was young.' Zorthian said people on property milked goats, sold honey and made cheese on occasion. The ranch, which was known for hosting weddings, tours, yoga classes and other social events, plans to rebuild once it is safe to do so. Safety is also a pressing concern for growers and consumers. On a recent call hosted by the Los Angeles Food Policy Council, urban farmers worried about ash, wind and soil damage, as well as air quality. They said funding was needed for soil and produce testing. Even those who weren't directly affected by the fires have reported being economically hit by the loss or closure of farmers' markets and restaurants in Pacific Palisades and Altadena and poor attendance at open markets in nearby communities since many people stayed home due to fears of dangerous smoke and ash in the air. Farm2People's Hopkins, who also lost her home in the Eaton fire, said that without soil remediation, anything grown in areas affected by the fires will be compromised. 'The conflict of having these Altadena homesteaders returning and being able to do things mindfully within this generation or even the next versus the implications for public safety – it's very, very tricky,' she said, pointing out that the spike of lead and other chemical toxins have extra ramifications for farms that have been growing regeneratively and organically. While the local food system recovers and finds a way to press forward, food banks, churches, markets and local activists have stepped up, hosting events featuring free fresh produce. Cookbook author Molly Baz, who lost her home in the fire, held a free pop-up grocery store earlier this month for LA wildfire survivors to help restock their pantries. The Altadena farmers' market, a virtual bazaar that highlights hyper-local producers from marginalized communities, sprang into action to offer healthy food giveaways for people affected by the fires with money raised from online fundraising. 'The giveaways bring a little more normalcy; it's not just cereal bars and canned foods,' said the Altadena farmers' market owner, Rafaela Gass, who lost her own home – where she used to fulfill around 50 weekly orders for the market and ran her own microgreens farm – to the fires. 'People lost everything so they don't have the resources to buy what they used to.' Gass is not only helping survivors of the wildfires, but she's supporting local farmers who have fewer places to sell their products at the moment. The Altadena seed library, a network of seed exchange boxes that function like free little libraries to increase food sovereignty, is collecting native seed and plant donations to help reseed the community. Founder Nina Raj has prioritized varieties such as California buckwheat, saltbush and telegraph weed, which can pull heavy metals out of the soil, as well as toyon and lemonade berry, among others. Since fire has always been part of southern California's ecosystem, some native plants adapted to germinate in ash and bounce back from fire. A large number of Altadena residents are resolute about returning to the community and reviving what was lost tangibly and intangibly. Neighbors are supporting one another with group texts, care packages and food deliveries. Entire blocks of people have committed to rebuilding their homes and farms, together. 'I am 100% going to redo the garden – if anything, we'll do even more than before,' said Chatterjee. 'We can't imagine living differently. It's a lifestyle, it's not just a home.'
