CSUN On Point

As the 2020 presidential election draws closer, the political climate is heating up. Impeachment proceedings continue to dominate the news cycle, and a crowded field of Democratic candidates is jockeying for position in the fight to win the nomination to take on Donald Trump, setting up a contentious election season.

With American politics divided along partisan lines, as evidenced by the last two presidential elections, the future is unclear. It could, however, be influenced significantly by the growing number of young voters, many of whom will be voting for the first time in 2020.

CSUN Political Science Department chair Dr. David Leitch said that a growing “generational split,” especially in the Republican party, could change the political narrative.

“In this election in particular, actually I do believe that young voters are unusually important,” Leitch said. “I think that we’re in a cycle now where we’re starting to see real changes in what the party labels mean, and what it means to be either liberal or conservative.”

Grassroots activists are working to register and educate young voters ahead of the election.

“I’m seeing young voters who are preferring not to choose a party,” said Michelle Fowle, activist and founder of The Resistance – Northridge, Indivisible. “They don’t want to be associated with a party, but they want to make their voice heard.”

Fowle said she spends much of her time speaking to potential voters and encouraging them to become politically active. These personal interactions are critical, especially for the youth.

“My sense is that young people right now are struggling to find opportunities for that face-to-face interaction,” Leitch said. “So many interactions are mediated – mediated by a screen of some type, mediated by text of some type.”

Young people may be frustrated by the obstacles to political engagement, but they also have “an awareness of the pervasive importance of politics,” Leitch said. “I think that there is a tremendous amount of potential energy that is looking for a route, and I’m hopeful that it finds [it].”

In Los Angeles, officials are introducing changes for next year’s election that aim to modernize the voting system and increase access for potential voters. A new ballot system, Voting Solutions for All People, will replace punch cards, and polling centers will now be open for a full 11 days before the election. Even on Election Day, citizens will be able to register to vote.

Although Leitch said he has concerns about cybersecurity threats, he said that increasing access is fundamental to a successful democracy. “Americans who believe in democracy ought to be in favor of maximizing access,” Leitch said.

Officials hope these changes will have a positive impact on citizen engagement in the next election. If young voters turn out like they did for Obama, Leitch said, they could swing the election.

Fowle said she would continue working to engage citizens, ahead of what could be a pivotal moment in American politics.

“[The] future is literally at stake,” Fowle said. “It really is crucial.”

Moderator: Tamie Benitez

Producer: Vivian Rayos

Anchor: Joe Willeford

Social Media Editor: Damian Gordon

Reporters: Jenny Almanza, Tamie Benitez, Damian Gordon, Vivian Rayos and Joe Willeford

The conflict in Syria has escalated into one of the century’s most deadliest civil wars. It started in March 2011 as a peaceful protest against Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, but violence erupted and spread throughout the country.

Nearly 400,000 Syrians have been killed and more than half of the country’s population has been displaced, many of them fleeing abroad, according to the United Nations.

CSUN Cinema Television and Arts major Dilek Ince created the student film “AMAL”, about an American volunteer doctor who witnesses a tragic event that leaves a young Syrian girl named Amal without a family.

“I did this story for children that feel forgotten,” Ince said. “I knew I wanted to make this film because I wanted to reach as many people as possible.”

Ince said she wanted to tell a story about what’s happening on the other side of the world, a story that people may not know much about. She wanted to show how the war is affecting children’s lives, and she wants to make people aware of what’s going on.

“I researched a lot of articles and I spoke with people who went through this war, because I wanted to make the film as authentic as possible,” Ince said. “I also spoke with some organizations that help kids.”

Fadia Afashe, an artist, activist and a refugee who left Syria, said it wasn’t easy to survive in that country.

“The minute you start to question things, the minute they recognize you are out of order and you start to demand any human rights, you are on the list,” Afashe said. “[When you’re on that list, it means] your life, your family life, everyone you know will be in danger.”

Afashe said that when she was growing up, even before the war, her parents would discourage her from speaking up or voicing her opinions on certain issues in public. They feared there would be dangerous repercussions towards their family if she did.

“I started to be a women’s rights activist because I was witnessing horrible things happening in my society and I wanted to change it,” Afashe said. “Even just asking for women’s rights … was forbidden, and they put me on the list.”

Afashe said she couldn’t invite people over and didn’t have access to the internet to share information on women’s rights.  Instead, she started using art to share that information.

“I started to think maybe art is the solution, because that is probably how I can get into every Syrian home, because Syrians love movie stars,” Afashe said. “I created my first movie in Syria about women’s issues.”

Afashe said she wasn’t able show her film on television in Syria, and she said people didn’t have access to the internet at the time. Now that they do, activism can spread more easily.

Both Ince and Afashe agreed that art can be used as a tool to educate the public on social issues.

“Definitely it can be used to spread awareness,” Ince said. “Even though it’s a fiction story, [the audience] get inspired by the real stories.”

Ince said films can also show people what they can do to help.

Moderator: Savannah Palacio

Producer: Son Ly

Anchor: James Farr

Social Media Editor: James Farr

Reporters: Karen Elle, James Farr, Kelcey Henderson, Son Ly and Savannah Palacio

Activism is defined as the action of using campaigning to bring about political or social change.

These days, activism seems to be on a rise, with people coming out as a powerful force, to raise awareness about different topics like gun violence, immigration, women’s rights and more.

Could this era of activism be because of the Trump presidency?

“Yes! A thousand percent,” said CSUN Communication Studies Professor Amanda McRaven. “When you have something to push against, you fight harder.”

“In the eight wonderful years that we had Barack Obama as president, we thought ‘finally, we made it; we’re okay now; we’re on the right track; it’s okay’; and then Trump was elected, and it was suddenly: ‘we’re not’,” said Maria Collis, a representative of the San Fernando Valley Chapter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

These days, young people are also using social media as a tool for activism, and, particularly in the areas of gun control and immigration, many see young people as a driving force for social activism.

“Who else?” Collis said. “Absolutely, young people are the future.”

Voter registration drives are present at marches and protests, and many believe an increase in voting among young people may cause a shift in the political world, with more officials having to pay attention and address issues that often were ignored in the past.

“You have to constantly keep your elected officials accountable for what they are doing,” Collis said.

“I think…the youth are galvanized in a way,” McRaven said. “They’re signing up teenagers to vote, which is awesome! That hasn’t happened before. Teenagers signing up teenagers.”

“The most important thing you can do: if you’re old enough to vote, register to vote, and vote,” Collis said. “And vote for candidates that support the things that you support, and educate yourself, so you know who they are.”

Moderator: Jesyka Dunn

Producer: Jesyka Dunn

Anchor: Karin Abcarians

Social Media Editors: Karin Abcarians and Angela Bickmann

Reporters: Karin Abcarians, Jesyka Dunn, Marissa Martinez and Melanie Rosales