CSUN On Point

In September of 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill to reduce ocean waste by regulating the use of plastic straws in the state. The Assembly Bill 1884 limits restaurants to giving out single-use straws only upon requests from customers. It applies to full-service dining establishments, but exempts fast-food restaurants.

“Single-use plastic takes a lot of resources to make,” CSUN Sustainability Program Analyst Sarah Johnson said. “It never really goes away; it stays in the environment for hundreds and thousands of years.”

California is the first state in the nation to restrict the use of plastic straws in restaurants. Several cities in California, including Malibu and San Francisco, have gone a step further, by passing outright bans on the use of plastic straws, as well as other single-use items, including plastic utensils.

“’Bring your own’ [or] ‘BYO’ is the motto more than anything,” Habits of Waste Founder Sheila Morovati said. “It’s important to think ahead. If you need to pick up some food, bringing your own to-go containers will make a huge difference.”

There is a global effort to reduce the use of plastic, which experts say makes up as much as 80 percent of all marine debris. The California Coastal Commission recorded roughly 835,425 plastic straws and stirrers picked up during organized beach cleanups.

The CSUN campus has been honored for its sustainability efforts. “The Sustainability Plan on campus has really expanded CSUN’s efforts for sustainability,” CSUN Energy & Sustainability Coordinator Nikhil Schneider said. “It has been instrumental in driving sustainability research, and student educational and service learning opportunities.”

“We still sell bottled water on campus, but it has been a culture shift,” Johnson said. “It is very common now to see students carrying reusable water bottles. Every year we have a new audience of 6,000 to 10,000 students to educate and inspire.”

Moderator: Claudia Flores

Producer: Alexis Carfagno

Anchor: Sofia Gutierrez

Social Media Editor: Scott Geirman

Reporters: Alexis Carfagno, Joy Edomwonji, Claudia Flores, Scott Geirman, Sofia Gutierrez, Melissa Rodriguez and Melina Rudigkeit

Starting a business has never been an easy task. In this day and age, it can be argued that it is becoming increasingly difficult. However, this new generation of business owners has found a way to benefit from social media, by using it to build brand awareness much more easily. Regardless, succeeding with a small business is still a tall task, requiring more than just brand awareness in this new age of entrepreneurship.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says about 20 percent of small businesses fail within their first year. By the end of the fifth year, roughly 50 percent of small businesses have failed. After 10 years, only about one in three is still around.

For those who are able to make it past the first year, it’s not the easiest thing to get off to a running start.

“It’s not like Field of Dreams, [where] if you build it, they’re just gonna show up,” Opulen Studios owner Christiana Lucratif said. “It’s marketing, and trying to get everybody to spread the word. One of the biggest things was just being willing to take the risk, and just dive in.”

In this new era, the use of social media has become one of the biggest tools for entrepreneurs as they try to find new customers and partners, and then keep them. A 2017 survey of marketers showed that 66 percent of internet users between the ages of 18 and 24 are more loyal to the brands they follow on social media.

“We’re scrolling on Instagram, or whatever it may be,” Scarlet’s Addiction founder Sadee Mondino said.  “I know I have to use it all day because of what I do for a living. That’s how I find most of the brands I want to work with. That’s how I find people I want to work with.”

However, an online presence can’t be the end all be for these aspiring entrepreneurs.

“If Instagram were to shut down, [you’d have to ask], ‘can you still stay in business and how are you exporting those followers and those customers to your actual CRM (Customer Relationship Management)’,” said Lucratif. “That’s why I do a lot of the marketing directly through my own text messages and emails, versus just social media. And then people that I do find on social media, [I work on]  gathering their contact information, and putting them into my database.”

Moderator: Monica Campos

Producer: Lauren Cienfuegos

Anchor: Kenia Arevalo

Social Media Editor: Zaira Garcia

Reporters: Kenia Arevalo, Monica Campos, Alan Cardoza,  Lauren Cienfuegos, Zaira Garcia, Kimberly Lopez Chavez and Demothy Tien

Thousands of Central American migrants are traveling more than 2,500 miles to get to the United States, because for many, running away from their country is their only chance at survival. More than 7,000 Central American migrants stay in temporary shelters in border cities like Tijuana and Mexicali, where the shelters are overflowing. Hondurans, Guatemalans and Salvadorians are continuing to flee persecution, violence and poverty, even though they know arrival at the border doesn’t guarantee safety or freedom.

“There’re so many different factors going on [in Central America],” journalist Todd Miller said. “There’re so many people talking about not being able to make ends meet, and economic deprivation.”

But Central American migration to the north has always existed.

“This is not something new,” immigration attorney Raul Godinez said. “I think, with this administration’s focus on border control, there is more attention and publicity to the issue.”

In the past year, the so-called migrant caravan has made national news, and President Trump has been very vocal, in speeches and on social media, about the situation. Before the midterm elections, Trump ordered troops to Texas to stop what he called “an assault” by a caravan from Central America. In June 2018, Trump ordered border authorities to separate children from their parents at the border, a policy he eventually was forced to withdraw. Still, the family separations reportedly continue.

The White House says more than 2,600 children were detained, but reports from various agencies say more than 5,000 children were separated from their families, and some remain in government custody.

Corruption is one of the many reasons why the migrants say they feel unsafe in their home countries. Mexican Interior Minister Olga Sanchez said she understands, and wants to bring order to the borders, and provide the migrants with humanitarian aid, and the respect and dignity they deserve.

Immigration activists said they hear stories about the dangers of migrating to the U.S. all the time. “And what makes it worse, is the stories you don’t hear, because the person is too overwhelmed to tell you,” Godinez said.

“It can weeks or months of pushing to get the full details of it,” attorney Nathan Osorio said. “A lot of times they are going to give you a little bit [of their stories], and once they feel a little comfortable, they can process it more.”

But for many migrants, their hopes for life in the U.S. will not be met.

“We say that they encountered a narrative of hate, of racism, and discrimination,” CSUN Central American Studies Department Chair Professor Douglas Carranza said. “[This is] a narrative that must be changed… this country here was founded on a different principal: a list, that is evolving towards a more just society that would include everyone. But now we have a narrative of hate that has been elevated… and that [narrative] has ramifications in every aspect of our society.”

Moderator: Karissa Preciado

Producer: Coraima Hurtado

Anchor: Enrie Amezcua

Social Media Editor: Darya Hariri

Reporters: Gloria Alas, Enrie Amezcua, Chris Farias, Jamontae Hickman, Coraima Hurtado, Karissa Preciado

Video: Abril Preciado and Jose Duran

For decades, street vendors have been a well-kept secret in many Southern California communities. In 2018, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 946, legislation that regulates street vending practices. Also known as the Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, SB 946 requires cities and counties to maintain certain rules when interacting with street vendors. Approximately 50,000 street vendors work in Los Angeles, with a majority being undocumented.

“To provide for your family, [that] should be … legal,” CHIRLA Organizing Director Antonio Bernabe said. “There is no need to attack people who are trying to provide for themselves. This is the only big city in the United States that doesn’t have selling permits, Los Angeles was the only city that is behind.”

CHIRLA is one of many groups who played a role in getting the legislation passed, and who are now helping street-vendors navigate the new rules.

“CHIRLA stands for The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights,” CHIRLA Marketing and Membership representative Mauricio Ramos said. “It’s all about the human rights of an individual, regardless of their status here. The street vending was the foundation of the Know Your Rights campaign.”

“The election of President Trump, and his hard line and hard rhetoric against the undocumented, really shamed the city of Los Angeles and the state of California to do something,” attorney Gregg Kettles said. “To protect our neighbors, who are suddenly at risk of being deported just because they are selling corn on the corner; it’s ridiculous.”

Many vendors now say they feel safe with SB946 in effect in California. For many vendors, selling from a street cart is the only way to provide for their families. But many believe street-vending is good for the communities as well.

“I’m glad the state of California and the city of Los Angeles have recognized all of the benefits of vending,” Kettles said, “not only for consumers, but also the people who are doing the selling. It’s really terrific for them too.”

Moderator: Sofia Gutierrez

Producer: Melissa Rodriguez

Anchor: Melina Rudigkeit

Social Media Editor: Scott Geirman

Reporters: Alexis Carfagno, Joy Edomwonyi, Claudia Flores, Scott Geirman, Sofia Gutierrez, Karissa Preciado, Melissa Rodriguez, Melina Rudigkeit

Cannabinoids, most commonly known as CBD products, are making their way into the consumer market, but questions continue to arise as to whether they are safe and legal.

New Frontier Data found that the $390 million market for all hemp products will triple by 2022. CVS and Walgreen have already announced they would begin selling hemp-derived CBD products in stores nationwide.

The products are gaining popularity after users reported they reduce anxiety and help with sleep issues. Some users believe CBD offers a natural alternative to drugs that relieve pain and treat anxiety, inflammation and depression.

The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 had made all hemp-derived products prohibited under federal law, but that ban ended with the 2018 Farm Bill. This bill lifted the federal ban, and allowed states to grow CBD products, which are extracted from cannabis and known as hemp. States that want to grow hemp products must apply and meet the requirements of the Agriculture Department.

Despite CBD’s increasing popularity, few scientific studies exist to prove its benefits, leaving many people confused about the difference between CBD and medical marijuana. CBD does not contain the THC component of marijuana, but some people, including some doctors, say they still have safety concerns.

“A lot of doctors kind of don’t know [what CBD can do] either, so they’ll discourage their patients,” said CBD entrepreneur Marissa Sanchez.

Sanchez said she started using CBD because she did not want to become dependent on prescribed medications for depression. She attended a CBD workshop at Feeling Groovy Wellness and Cafe, in Claremont, Calif., where she met CEO and Founder Nicole Lanni, and learned about the benefits of using CBD infused products.

“My overall well-being is much better, ” Lanni said. “Physically, I feel better. My skin is better. I think my relationships with people are better.”

Questions about the legality of products containing CBD oil still come up, despite how common they are in some cities.

States are allowed to ban CBD, despite it being legal now under federal law, and in states where CBD is produced legally, truck drivers may still be arrested for drug trafficking when trying to deliver it across state lines.

Still, proponents say its popularity will continue, especially because of its potential to help people.

“CBD can actually help people get off of other addictive substances,” Sanchez said.

Moderator: Chris Farias

Producer: Chris Farias

Anchor: Jamontae Hickman

Social Media Editor: Karissa Preciado

Reporters: Gloria Alas, Enrie Amezcua, Chris Farias, Darya Hariri, Jamontae Hickman, Coraima Hurtado, Karissa Preciado

More than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease. Within the United States, the combined cost of treatments is estimated to be nearly $25 billion a year, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation.

Parkinson’s is typically diagnosed in patients older than 50, and is characterized by the loss of brain or spinal cord cells that leads to dysfunction and disability over time.

“It’s difficult for people to see their loved ones suffer,” CSUN Communication Disorders & Sciences Department Professor Karen Kochis-Jennings said. “There’s a cognitive aspect with Parkinson’s. It can really change the dynamics in the household. Early signs can be tremor in the limbs, problems with movement, coordination and balance.”

Now CSUN’s partnership with the Parkinson Voice Project is providing patients affordable therapy options.

“We take medicare; we take insurance, and we have a limited amount of scholarships for those who can’t pay for it,” Kochis-Jennings said. “We ask that they just pay a small co-payment.”

With support from the Parkinson Voice Project, a nationwide organization that helps persons with Parkinson’s disease preserve their voices, the program will allow CSUN’s Language, Speech and Hearing Center to help up to 12 patients every month. The staff are trained and certified to run the Parkinson’s Voice Project program at CSUN, and to train students. Patients are already being helped.

“I want to speak louder, with intent, and try to overcome my cognitive problems the best I can,” Parkinson’s patient Earl Lambert said. “It’s about mind over matter after a certain time. You just have to take your time, and make sure that you’re dedicated.”

The Parkinson Voice Project incorporates therapy sessions called “SPEAK OUT”, and follow-up sessions called “LOUD Crowd”, to improve patients’ speaking abilities over time.

For more information contact the Language, Speech and Hearing Center at (818)-677-2856.

Moderator: Scott Geirman

Producer: Alexis Carfagno

Anchor: Claudia Flores

Social Media Editor: Sofia Gutierrez

Reporters: Alexis Carfagno, Joy Edomwonyi, Claudia Flores, Scott Geirman, Sofia Gutierrez, Melina Rudigkeit and Melissa Rodriguez

The United States is the only industrialized country that doesn’t guarantee its citizens paid family leave. Eighty-five percent of American voters say they support paid family leave. That support seems to cross party lines. Perry Undem and Bellwether Research & Consulting conducted a survey of 1,004 registered voters, and found that 94 percent of Democrats, 83 percent of Independents and 74 percent of Republicans support paid family leave. This includes voters of all ages, races and income levels.

Even in Washington, D.C., both Democrat and Republican leaders recently expressed support for some form of a paid family leave program at the federal level. “We are seeking to build consensus around policy that can garner enough votes to be passed into law,” Senior White House advisor Ivanka Trump said.

Experts agree that parents need time to recover from the physical and emotional challenges of giving birth, and bringing an infant home. One in nine women suffer from postpartum depression in the U.S. These women need even more time to recover for themselves, for their families and for their newborn, but it’s essential for all new mothers and fathers to have time to bond and to rest. “I would love to have more than 16 weeks off,” working mother Jackie Valdez said. “Going back to work was difficult.”

Paid family leave is good for businesses, too. “There is a lot of evidence that indicates that employees, when they go back to work after having paid maternity leave, are more committed to the organization,” David Nazarian College of Business and Economics Professor Sigalit Ronen said. “They are more satisfied; they engage more frequently with the citizenship behavior.” Ronen said paid family leave is a good investment for businesses, as it gets fully returned when employees come back with motivation and satisfaction.

“There is probably a long term effect to measure and capture,” David Nazarian College of Business and Economics Professors Daniel Degravel said. Having strong families may strengthen the social fabric and economic health of a society, and ultimately decrease crime.

The odds of Americans getting paid family leave have never been better. California, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island have recently passed laws. California is extending paid family leave to 18 weeks, the most generous policy in the country, but it’s still far less than in many countries in the world.

Moderator: Zaira Garcia

Producer: Lauren Cienfuegos

Anchor: Monica Campos

Social Media Editor: Alan Cardoza

Reporters: Kenia Arevalo, Monica Campos, Alan Cardoza, Lauren Cienfuegos, Zaira Garcia, Kimberly Lopez Chavez and Demothy Tien

For years, people have been buying personal care products and beauty products without really knowing what ingredients they may contain.

Most individuals continue to be unaware of what chemicals their lipstick , foundation, shampoo, deodorant, mascara, and other products contain, and how those chemicals could affect their health.

Eluxe Magazine reports the chemicals that are found most often in personal care products are mercury, lead, parabens, phthalates. Many people might believe the stuff they are putting on their skin is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, but it is not, at least not to the extent people might hope.

“If we are talking about personal care products, we are talking about thousands of compounds that our bodies are exposed to on a daily basis,” CSUN Chemistry and Biochemistry professor Gagik Melikyan said. “It is almost impossible to check for all them to the full extent, because we are talking about human resources and financial resources .”

Melikyan, who is the author of a book on the subject called Guilty Until Proven Innocent, said these chemicals can potentially disrupt hormone production and lead to miscarriage or infertility, and may cause cancer and skin irritation.

Women are the gender most affected because they buy more beauty products, but men are also vulnerable to the side affects of the personal care products they buy.

The variety of organic or vegan personal care products in the United States has been slim for many years, and some consumers of beauty products say that needs to change.

“It is also the consumer’s responsibility to educate themselves on these products,” said professional makeup artist Fabulous Jason.

Freelance make-up artist Betsy Rodriguez said purchasing new products for her clients has become difficult because some of them are fine using inorganic products, or just they prefer certain products whether they’re toxic or not. At the end of the day, many make-up artists need to make their clients happy.

“I was selling these products,” Rodriguez said, “and in order to sell these things, I had to put them on myself, and they weren’t working for me. I see these products, and I see these ingredients, and I [think], if I am not their side with [them], why should I [sell them?] — and yes, I stopped doing a lot of things.”

Moderator: Darya Hariri

Producer: Karissa Preciado

Anchor: Christopher Farias

Social Media Editor: Jamontae Hickman

Reporters: Gloria Alas, Enrie Amezcua, Christopher Farias, Darya Hariri, Jamontae Hickman, Coraima Hurtado and Karissa Preciado

In today’s world, influencers and bloggers are finding ways to make a living from their blogs and social media.

Many manufacturers and companies compensate influencers to promote their products on their websites through collaborations and with endorsements. These influencers can make a living using their blogs and social media accounts. They use websites and Instagram accounts to express their interests in new products and trends, in fashion, beauty, child care, sports, health, home design, etc. Some bloggers and influencers have access to a large audience and can generate a strong reach, and profits for their sponsors. Some famous influencers like Andrew Defrancesco have even made great name in the field of fashion. If you need tips, you can get in touch with him on his website.

But influencers and bloggers have to be creative and fast in producing content that will keep their audience hooked.

“With content moving that quickly, you have to be able to get people to stick around,” CSUN Journalism Professor Benjamin Davis said. “It will be so easy for them to leave. So you want good compelling information, good content, and you want to be able to take advantage of the new technology that is coming along.”

Many successful influencers started blogging as a side job or a hobby. When they start making money, they may decide to dedicate themselves to blogging full time.

“The first thing [if you decide to be a full time influencer] would definitely be to figure out who you want to talk to, and who you want to write for,” blogger Gwen Lane said. “Really getting clear on that audience was something that really helped me in the beginning, and really sticking to that audience, and … figuring out what their challenges are, and how you can help them, [is the key].”

Lane said bloggers have to be consistent with their content, and keep a look out for what their audience wants to see from them.

“I am always talking audience first,” Lane said, ” because when you know who your audience is, then you know what they want to hear from you, and what kind of content would resonate, and also what you want to be talking about in your content.”

Lane said influencers and bloggers take their work seriously because it is their job, not a hobby, and they have to articulate and think about every detail they put out to their audience.

“It’s audience first,” influencer Ali Levine said.

Moderator: Alexis Carfago

Anchor: Sofia Gutierrez

Social Media Editor: Scott Geirman

Reporters: Alexis Carfagno, Joy Edonwonyi, Claudia Flores, Scott Geirman, Sofia Gutierrez, Melissa Rodriguez and Melina Rudigkeit

Getting a flu shot can save your life.

According to the World Health Organization, between 250,000 to 500,000 people die every year from the flu. The most common flu symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat, chills, runny nose and a headache. Urgent care physician’s assistant Vanessa Guzman said the flu can also lead to pneumonia.

The vaccine is made, often using egg-based technology, and adjusted every season by drug manufacturers, working in collaboration with the WHO and the FDA, to test and improve the effectiveness of the shot depending on which viruses are expected to be in circulation.

But the National Opinion Research Center reports that in 2018,  41 percent of Americans said they did not plan on getting the flu vaccine. Some people say they never get the flu, or they don’t believe in vaccines. And about one in three say they choose not to get vaccinated because they believe the flu shot will make them sick.

“It is really impossible to get the flu from the flu vaccine,” said Mercedes Gallup, Nursing and Clinical Supervisor at CSUN’s Klotz Student Health Center. She said most of the time people who do get sick had been exposed to the virus prior to the vaccination.

Gallup recommends getting the shot before flu season begins, because the immune system takes two weeks to build itself up from the vaccine, leaving a vulnerability period in which you can become ill if you’re exposed to the virus.

Other people don’t get vaccinated because they worry about side effects. The most common are a sore arm or bump. The CDC recommends that those with allergies to eggs should take precautions, but may be vaccinated.

Even after the shot, people can still limit their exposure to viruses, and decrease their chances of getting sick, with some simple precautions like washing hands regularly and avoiding people who are ill.

“You can do your best to minimize and mitigate the chance of an infection, from not just the flu, but other things as well,” Medtronics Inc. associate scientist Simrat Kalsi said.

The Klotz Student Health Center offers the flu shot at a low price, and with medical insurance students can get the vaccine for free at most pharmacies.

Moderator: Monica Campos

Producer: Demothy Tien

Anchor: Alan Cardoza

Social Media Editor: Kimberly Lopez Chavez

Reporters: Kenia Arevalo, Monica Campos, Alan Cardoza, Lauren Cienfuegos, Zaira Garcia, Kimberly Lopez Chavez and Demothy Tien