CSUN On Point

In August, the Trump administration imposed a new set of rules governing how schools, colleges and universities are supposed to handle sexual assaults on campus.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy Devos’ new regulations replaced the Obama administration’s rules under Title IX, a federal law that for decades has governed issues of sex discrimination, including sexual assault, on campus.

“Today marks a new era in the storied history of Title IX in which the right to equal access to education required by law is truly protected for all students,” DeVos said in a statement. “Every student should know that their school will be held accountable for responding to incidents of sexual misconduct and that it must treat all students fairly.”

According to the Washington Post, the Trump Administration’s rules include more protections for those accused of on-campus sexual assaults.

The new rules give the accused the rights to “a live hearing with multiple panel members,” the Post reported. At the hearing, the rules allow the accused to cross-examine an accuser and bar schools “from allowing one person [to] both investigate and judge complaints.”

As NBC News reports, the Obama-era rules defined sexual harassment as “unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature.” The new rules narrow the definition of sexual harassment: unwelcome conduct that is “severe, pervasive and objectively offensive” that it “denies a person equal access to the school’s education program or activity.” 

Advocates for the accused have celebrated the new rules. But women’s rights and victim advocates argue the new rule is too easy on those accused of sexual assaults, and will thus discourage sexual assault victims to proceed with the complaint. 

The Women’s March on Jan. 21, 2017 in Washington, D.C. (Image courtesy of GencoSidlePhotos/Creative Commons)

Danielle Samuel, CSUN’s Campus Care Advocate, said survivors may not feel comfortable disclosing a possible assault knowing that they may have to face cross-examination later.

“The process in of itself reporting is traumatizing,” Samuel said. “[The new regulation] provides a barrier for survivors coming forward with what happened for them or coming forward with an accusation.”

As sexual assaults continue to be one of the major issues on school campuses, Jenna Parker, partner at the law firm Hathaway Parker in Los Angeles, said she sympathizes with students who might not be able to afford a drawn-out hearing. However, Parker emphasizes the importance of maintaining protections and rights for those accused in sexual assault cases.

“Having seen so many of these cases,” Parker said, “it is very important to have a hearing and an opportunity for each side to cross-examine each other, to point out the flaws in each other’s cases. A lot of times that’s just as important to the accuser as it is to the accused.”

Though Parker said the federal regulations are helpful since they provide a uniform policy authorities can look into and rely on, she thinks universities should come up with a uniform policy for all misconducts so that attorneys don’t have to read each Cal State policy. 

Sam Richman, Deputy Director of CSUN’s Equity and Diversity office, said the office has communicated with the CSUN community about the new regulations.

“Each time a student comes forward to our office with a complaint,” Richman said, “we will let the student know in the beginning what process their complaint will likely fall under and what that process will look like before they make the decision to move forward with an investigation.”

With the 2020 presidential elections coming up, Parker, Richman and Samuel agreed that even if Democrat Joe Biden is elected president, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to overturn DeVos’ regulations quickly. The new rules are likely to remain in effect for at least a year, they said. 

The show was reported by the following team:

• Sammy Fernandes, reporter
• Samuel Novicki, reporter
• Brenda Saldana, anchor
• Jessica Vaughan, moderator
• Serim Yeo, reporter 

When President Donald Trump was elected in 2016, he promised stricter immigration policy. He promised to build a wall along the border with Mexico. Trump also ended Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which shields unauthorized immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors from deportation.

Four years later, the U.S. is nearing another presidential election. How will Latinos vote?  After Trump’s immigration crackdown and with DACA in danger, will Latino voters flock to Trump’s Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden?

Biden held a virtual event last month for Latina Small Business Owners titled “Nuestros Negocios, Nuestro Futuro” and has spent over $6 million in Spanish-language advertisements in an effort to reach more voters from the Latino Community. 

Among eligible voters in 2020, Latinos comprise the largest racial minority group. According to a recent Pew survey, 22% of eligible voters in Generation Z are Latino. Latinos make up only 9% of “Baby Boomers,” who were born between 1946 and 1964.

Rosa Barrientos is an organizer for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) and a DACA recipient herself. 

“Right when I found out about DACA,” she said, “I knew that my life was going to change forever — and it really did. It opened the doors to get a legal job, get my drivers license… Most importantly DACA has given me the opportunity to live without the fear of being deported.”

Though the Trump Administration’s most recent attempt to end the DACA program was blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court, Barrientos said the renewal applications for the program will now have to be sent out every year instead of every two years. These applications cost immigrants $495 dollars every time they are renewed.  

Clo Hidalgo, a CSUN graduate student, has been writing her graduate thesis  about how Gen Z Latinos vote. 

She said research on the Gen Z voters participating in this year’s election is scarce. However, her interviews with Gen Z voters revealed a  common concern about climate change. “We need to bring awareness to how important it is for Latinos to vote,” Hildalgo said. 

 Sara Maldonado is the founder and executive director of Powerful Latinas Rising,. Her organization has pushed to get more Latinas more involved in voting. 

“In 2016 there were about 5.5 million Latinas that were eligible to vote that were not registered and did not vote,” Maldonado said. “That’s a huge number and I think the more information we can get out there, the more that we can mobilize our community to get the vote out.”

Maldonado spoke about different resources offered to the Latino community such as “Julia’s List”, which is a directory of Latina-owned businesses. Powerful Latinas Rising also hosts virtual workshops.

Organizations like CHIRLA are doing public outreach by calling people across the state in an effort to get them more involved in voter issues.

Barrientos spoke about the presidential candidates’ efforts to tap into the Latino community.

“They have to do a lot more to reach the Latino community,” Barrientos said. “They’re the ones who are largely ignored and it is a sleeping giant.”

Hidalgo mentioned that many from Gen Z supported Bernie Sanders, who has endorsed Joe Biden, which may sway more younger voters to the Democrat’s side. 

This story was produced by the following: 

• Savanna Birchfield, reporter 
• Sophia Lesseos, reporter 
• Casey Contreras, anchor 
• Kimberly Linares, moderator 
• Amanda Alvarado, reporter

Flu season is right around the corner, and many are wondering how severe this year’s bug will be — and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only added to the concern.

Since the coronavirus and seasonal influenza share so many symptoms, health experts say it’s especially important to get a flu shot this year.

California State University campuses are making flu shots mandatory for all students coming to campus. In an August email, Cal State Northridge President Dianne Harrison said that all on-campus students will be required to have a flu shot by November 1. This move is part of the university’s new safety plan.

According to the CDC’s website when other viruses besides the flu are going around — the flu vaccine has reduced the risk of people going to the doctor by 40-60%.

“We encourage everybody to get the flu shot because it either prevents the flu or keeps you from getting as serious a case of flu,” says Dr. Linda Reid-Chassiakos, director of the Klotz Student Health Center at CSUN.

Reid-Chassiakos explained the flu vaccine available for college-aged groups and older is a “killed vaccine,” meaning no live influenza virus is inside the shot. The new vaccine out right now protects against four strains of flu.

“We’re highly recommending [getting a flu shot] because of COVID-19 situation that we are in — although they are two different viruses,” said Marisol Garcia, lead RN at CSUN’s Klotz Student Health Center. “It will hopefully reduce the amount of people who need to get hospitalized.”

While there’s no data on how severe this year’s flu season will be, there are precautions everyone can take to help prevent influenza.

“A lot of the public health prevention measures that we’re recommending for COVID actually will help prevent against influenza,” said Kaitlin Bahr an associate professor of health sciences at CSUN. She listed measures like “wearing masks, washing your hands… and then add to that the flu vaccine.”

CSUN has put in place safety protocols all over campus by taking into account the recommendations from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the CDC and the American College Health Association. The university launched the “CSUN as One” website that contains all health and safety protocols that students can expect.

It is not only CSUN taking precautions. Other Cal State University campuses are also doing their part in protecting their students.

“They just announced that our health center is now doing flu shots by appointment,” said Brianna Marroquin, a student at Cal State Channel Islands. “Once again they’re keeping that distance of six feet apart.”

CSUN’s health center is also offering the flu shot at a cost of $15 dollars for students who have insurance. Uninsured students can get the shot for free.

Marroquin says that most of the people she knows have either received their flu shot already or have an appointment for one. “It’s important for all of us to make sure we stay safe,” says Marroquin.

Reid-Chassiakos said the university has limited means of enforcing the mandate for all on-campus students to receive a flu shot.

She said CSUN is counting on community enthusiasm and cooperation to help ensure everyone stays as healthy as possible.

This summer, millions attended protests to voice support for Black Lives Matter in over 2,000 cities across the U.S. and over 60 countries around the world, according to Wikipedia.

The Black Lives Matter movement began in 2013 in response to the death of Trayvon Martin. The movement never stopped, but it gained new momentum after the police killing of George Floyd in May 2020.

This summer’s protests were also chaotic. Some police officers have responded to the protests with force — used both against peaceful protesters, and against those in the crowds who smashed shop windows and looted stores.

“My experience with protests have been terrible, to say the least,” said Kori Skillman, who has attended numerous protests this year. “I remember the first protest I went to I was in the middle of the street away from other protesters and all of a sudden this cop starts like running at me screaming…and then all of a sudden I get yanked back by another cop by my hair.”

Although protesters get arrested, tear gassed and hit with rubber bullets by the police, it does not stop some people from organizing protests.

Alexandria Brown, a San Diego Unity Protest coordinator, said her passion made her want to start organizing protests as an outlet to connect people to the news.

“I think just having the passion to do it, the resources and the platform and just being that gateway for people who necessarily don’t feel comfortable protesting,” said Brown.

The protests Brown organizes are peaceful. She says her organization makes sure to take safety precautions by knowing what to expect in the area such as rubber bullets.

Some lawmakers have tried to advance police reforms in response to this summer’s protest.

In June 2020, the House of Representatives, controlled by Democrats, passed the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act. This legislation is intended to hold police accountable, change the culture of law enforcement, empower our communities, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities by addressing systemic racism and bias to help save lives, as stated on Congresswoman Karen Bass’ website.

The Republican-led Senate has not taken up the House’s proposal. Democrats in the Senate blocked a GOP-backed police reform bill.

Although changes are being made, protesters want to defund the police. Defunding the police, will reallocate funding away from the police department to other government agencies funded by the local municipality. Protestor Taya Lee believes there has not been enough change systematically.

“It has been interesting to see different companies and different people step up but there is still a lot more work to be done at a macro economic-systemic level,” said Lee. “So I hope we continue to grow towards that.”

Brown and Lee urge the public to head to the polls and vote this upcoming election, not only for the presidential election but also in local races.

Election day will be on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

This show was reported by the following team:

• Nikiko Burnett, producer
• Tayler Lawson, moderator
• Tia Lawson, anchor
• Yahaira Joaquin Flores, producer
• Jeanie Rodriguez, producer

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many people into isolation, raising concerns of a widespread downturn in mental health as many attempt to cope with challenges like anxiety and depression alone.

In a poll released by Kaiser Family Foundation, 47% of respondents reported intense levels of stress and anxiety while stuck at home. The poll also showed older adults and adolescents are more prone to extreme effects of isolation. Some people are trying natural solutions to manage the intense stress and anxiety that can come from long periods of being alone. Cannabis products like indacloud jedi breath may help people deal with the symptoms of mental health conditions.

Since the pandemic, The Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Network has seen a similar increase in people experiencing depression, anxiety, and isolation.

“On the flip side,” said the network’s co-chair, Tracie Andrews, “we have seen an increase in people reaching out for help, wanting to get more services, and wanting to have more conversations about why they are feeling the way they are feeling.”

Another Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows 54% percent of those losing income and jobs have suffered more mental stress.

For men the effect is even more profound, says Mark Stevens, professor of educational psychology and counseling at CSUN. Statistics have shown that men have higher suicide numbers than women.

“Men’s sense of identity and self-esteem is often related to productivity,” Stevens said, “ and so during this time, the measuring of productivity has to really change and men really have to figure out how they could feel productive during this time if their work has changed, or their out of work.”

For many, the root of their current mental health struggle is in not being able to socialize and interact with others. Many students miss walking to class and seeing their friends at school that meant a good time.

The transition to online classes has also impacted many students and faculty physically and mentally. Students at home find it hard to concentrate and stay motivated.

“I didn’t have that commuting to class or being able to walk to my classes,” said CSUN sophomore Angel Corros, “and being able to talk to my friends between my breaks; It was just structured to being at home.”

At CSUN, University Counseling Services is holding Wellness Workshops Workshops to help students gain helpful tools to manage anxiety, stress and depression.

Also, a peer education program called The Blues Project aims to build awareness and education on the cause among students. The program’s student volunteers receive extensive training in communicating causes, symptoms, and treatment. Corros is a peer educator for the project.

If you or someone you know is struggling please reach out to one of these resources.

• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1 (800) 273-TALK (8255)
• Reach the Crisis Text Line by texting “HOME” to 741741
• Call The Trevor Project at 1 (866) 488-7386, or text “START” to 678678
• Visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s website
• Visit the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s website
• Call TeenLine at 1 (800) 852-8336 or text “TEEN” to 839863

This show was reported by the following team:

• Sammy Fernandes, moderator
• Samuel Novicki, producer
• Brenda Saldana, producer
• Jessica Vaughan, producer
• Serim Yeo, anchor

According to a recent survey conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, nearly three out of five small business owners fear the COVID-19 pandemic may force them to shut down permanently.

Back in March, Blazin’ Burgers, the Karmazyn family’s new vegan fast food restaurant, was set to open for the very first time. Then, the local public health officials declared the lock-down of most businesses due to COVID-19.

“We were on the verge of getting our permits,” said co-owner Marilyn Karmazyn, “and so that sort of came to an abrupt stop and that was probably the most challenging part of all this because we still had all of our expenses to pay.”

Blazin’ Burgers was among the many start-up businesses that had to go back to the drawing board with its financial plans, before it got the chance to open its doors.

But Karmazyn, who runs the restaurant with her daughters Kathryn and Kris, was able to open Blazin’ Burgers in July, and was able to succeed despite the turbulent economy.

Co-owner Kathryn Karmazyn says they owe their success and recovery to online delivery services such as DoorDash, Postmates, and Uber Eats.

In March, Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, to provide low-interest loans to help small businesses stay afloat. But surveys from both the America’s Recovery Fund Coalition as well as Save Small Businesses Coalition showed nearly half of these businesses said their PPP loan was not enough to keep them operative.

Nancy Hoffman Vanyek, president and CEO of the San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce, compared PPP toanother form of unemployment that ultimately small businesses use to keep their workforce on their payroll during the coronavirus crisis — particularly businesses like restaurants that are not able to open.

Small businesses are disappearing at a staggering rate, according to Hoffman Vanyek, who doubts 2021 will bring economic recovery.

Small businesses are not only vital to the economy, but they’re important parts of communities.

“We really work with our clients very closely,” said Brian Wisdom, an executive with IT firm Datalinks Networks, “and having that as a small business gives you that opportunity to build those relationships where as a larger business you are treated as a number.”

In mid-September, the San Fernando Valley Chamber met with the Department of Public Health. The chamber is maintaining a website for businesses with the latest updates and information on health orders at sfvresource.com. This website also contains information on business counseling, information on how and where to get loans and grants for your business.

In June 2019, CSUN partnered with the Warbond foundation, founded by Jane Werwand, which supports small to mid-sized business entrepreneurs. Clients involved in the program are welcomed to participate in LA’s Local Business Boost that supports all types of businesses providing individuals access to funding, mentorship and educational resources.

Professor Silvina Bamrungpong directs the Business Honors Program at California State University, Northridge. She advises anyone who aspires to start a business should first focus on developing a sound strategy, while still acquiring the finance skills.

This story was produced by the following:

• Amanda Alvarado, reporter
• Savanna Birchfield, moderator
• Casey Contreras, reporter
• Sophia Lesseos, anchor
• Kimberly Linares, reporter

Students and teachers around the world are adapting to virtual instruction in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CSU system has announced classes at its 23 campuses will remain mostly virtual this fall. The Los Angeles Unified School District is still working on its plans.

Some teachers and their students have adapted well to the use of technology, but others have felt the strain, particularly students who cannot participate due to circumstances beyond their control. Some teachers are finding unique ways to keep students engaged – such as one music teacher who used TikTok.

Many questions loom about special education students in particular, and the challenges of giving them what they need. CSUN Associate Professor Vanessa Goodwin is a special education teacher and program specialist. She is Co-Director of the Special Education Literacy Clinic in the Teaching, Learning, and Counseling Consortium. Goodwin said she is learning a lot through this pandemic, particularly about the ramifications for special needs students at all levels.

For starters, student mentors had a hard time adjusting to virtual learning themselves. For many, the pandemic’s virtual school preparation came during spring break, and Goodwin said student mentors and teachers were left to find the ways to connect with their students at home.

Goodwin said there really was not a mechanism for keeping special education students from regressing during a crisis like this.

But Goodwin said some of the current technology was already in use, and luckily for them, students and teachers were already familiar with it. This technology has given them tools to succeed, and no matter what the fall brings, the summer will provide even more time to prepare.

Phyllis Gudoski has taught at both the university and the K-12 levels. She is currently a lecturer in the Special Education Department at CSUN.  She said educators have concerns about students moving to virtual classes, but there is also concern for instructors. Many educators at the K-12 level have never taught online classes before, and Gudoski said there has been a learning curve for both teachers and students.

Not all students have access to reliable computers, and beyond that, getting internet access can also be an issue. Gudoski said the LAUSD has helped students get access to chromebooks, but that may not be enough. And for students with special needs, it’s even tougher. 

California State University-San Bernardino student Jazmin Leanos-Rodriguez said the transition to virtual learning has been extremely challenging for her. She had developed methods for success at school, after struggling academically, by using study groups and study halls, and taking advantage of professors’ office hours and accessibility after class. But now she said she feels her success diminishing, and she’s discouraged. Leanos-Rodriguez said her home life makes it difficult to study, and she said she is considering taking the next semester off, because she doesn’t feel she’s able to absorb the material she’s learning virtually.

Leanos-Rodriguez said the stress of school and the uncertainty of the times have affected her mental health, and she feels genuinely alone since the shutdown. Seeking help virtually doesn’t work for her. She said the frustration causes her to cry sometimes.

Experts agree social distancing and virtual learning can affect many students in many different ways. Gudoski said social and emotional issues play a huge part in educating a well-rounded child or adult. Social skills are what helps people get jobs, and many social skills are learned in the playground and in the classroom.

Perhaps the biggest questions students, teachers, and the community have are: will they ever return to ‘normal’? And, how long will this go on?

Gudoski said this may be the new normal for a while, and students and faculty should be prepared for that. She said until there is a vaccine, which experts admit could take more than a year, schools and campuses will not be able to guarantee the safety of students or teachers.

Producers: Cindy Rodriguez and Brittany Smith

Reporters: Alex Guerrero, Cindy Rodriguez and Brittany Smith

Adriana Alejandre is a Latinx therapist working with communities to meet their mental health needs, and to assist them specifically during the time of the coronavirus pandemic.

She started Latinx, a directory and podcast, with relatable and bilingual therapists and other mental health resources especially for the Latinx community.

Alejandre said there can be stigmas against therapy in the Latinx community, and her organization works to stop those.

“Minorities overall do have more stressors, because of the collectivist nature of our culture,” she said. The coronavirus and the overall political climate have also made other people hostile, even racist, to minority communities, which adds to the anxiety. “The darker some people are, the meaner society can get during this pandemic,” she said.

Starting next week, amid the COVID-19 lockdown, she is offering pro bono sessions specifically for farm workers, janitorial and maintenance crews. She said many of these people are forgotten, even though, just like first responders, these workers are putting their lives at risk on a daily basis.“I decided to do something for them, so they can have access to mental health resources,” she said. “There is a rise of depression and anxiety among the Latin community due to the coronavirus, and the uncertainty of the future, and applying for unemployment. When a website is only in English, it creates a great deal of anxiety for this community.” 

After she originally launched the site in 2018, she heard from hundreds of people all across the country who were searching for a Latinx therapist. The resources to reach the needs of her clients took nearly six months to organize.

She is working to recruit around 100 therapists nationwide, and her goal is nearly complete. She plans to put out a link to the application on her instagram, with a referral list to mental health professionals in each state.

But she is worried about the strain on the therapists themselves, too. “There is a limit to a number of sessions, and the number of clients they can bring in for these sessions,” she said. Each therapist is able to set an expiration date for their services.

Two other organizations offering therapy during this stressful time, especially to young people, are Strength United, located in Santa Clarita, Northridge and Van Nuys, and Open Path, which offers a one-time, lifetime membership fee of $60.

Alejandre says she will evaluate the current climate, and consider that in making her decisions for her future campaigns. The virus will end eventually, and the Latin community may still need access to treatment.

“Our next campaign is likely for undocumented folks,” Alejandre said.

Producer: Karina Gutierrez

Video Editor: Cristal Morales Rodriguez

Reporters: Wiam Dahbi, Nicholas Gargiulo, Karina Gutierrez, Ashley Hawn, Cristal Morales Rodriguez and Christian Pineda

The COVID 19 pandemic has forced many businesses and services to shut down in order to cooperate with social distancing and stay-at-home orders, but for some services, like the Los Angeles Public Library, the shutdowns mean even more work.

Librarians have moved books to places where people can get them even during the lockdown, like shelters. And they’ve worked with city officials to help people who relied on the library for internet access find ways to get online.

While library buildings themselves are closed, library staff have been working to upgrade and provide services online through their websites, or through different social media sites like Facebook or Instagram. Another change has been the shift to electronic book checkout. Once libraries open again, readers can also be excited about the elimination of late fees and fines.

Central Library Director Eva Mitnick said she hopes these changes will bring more people back to the library once the lockdowns are over. She says public libraries serve the community in many ways, whether it’s through access to books and the internet, or by being a hub for many other community services.

The move to online resources made the library system make some necessary changes to its website and online services. The website now is much more streamlined and user friendly, and  includes interfaces in six different languages.

Mitnick said that these changes won’t be the last ones though. Library staff and officials will be meeting throughout the pandemic and after, to make sure that the system can stay ahead of the curve once the doors open again.

Producer: Nicholas Gargiulo

Video Editors: Wiam Dahbi and Karina Gutierrez

Reporters: Wiam Dahbi, Nicholas Gargiulo, Karina Gutierrez, Ashley Hawn, Cristal Morales Rodriguez and Christian Pineda

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused closures and postponements for countless performances and productions scheduled throughout the spring and the summer — from Broadway hits to school plays. Among those performances affected, the Cal State Northridge theatre production of Pippin, which came to an abrupt halt about a month before it was scheduled to open.

The CSUN Theater Department had slated its production of the 1972 musical-for a two week run beginning April 3rd. The Spring 2020 production was set to be held at the campus theater in Nordhoff Hall, and it featured a twist to the classic musical that would resonate specifically with CSUN students.

The play’s cast was devastated when they received the news that the production was being cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The cast received the news via the theater department’s Instagram page, @theatrecsun, even before director Garry Lennon was able to tell the cast himself. The cast had already put in 10 weeks of rehearsal at 20 hours a week. 

However, Pippin will be back.

Two weeks into the quarantine, Lennon emailed the cast informing them that the show will be the first show put on by the Department in the Fall 2020 semester. The plan is for rehearsals to resume in August. The graduating seniors in the cast have been invited back, so they will not miss out on their opportunity to take part in the show. 

Excitement had already been building among the cast members eager to put on a show. Ensemble member Angelo Masset spoke with On Point reporter Candice Romero about the amount of work that had gone into rehearsals, and what the cancellation meant to the cast.

Romero also spoke with Cassandra Koukourikos, who was set to play Pippin’s stepmother Fastrada.

Cast member Arden Agos explained what she expects from the fall production, and her excitement moving forward.

Pippin is a Broadway classic, with music and lyrics by composer Stephen Schwartz, and story by Roger Hirson and Bob Fosse. It’s about a prince, named Pippin, who goes to war to get approval from his father.  Later, however, Pippin kills his father, and becomes king. He falls in love, and then finds himself struggling with love, magic and regret.

On Point reporter Preston Mitchell spoke with director Lennon about CSUN’s contemporary adaptation of the musical.

Catherine, played by Rebecca Curci, is Pippin’s love interest, who helps him as he grows into adulthood. Pippin must decide whether he will settle down with his love, or continue to perform magic with a troupe of performers.

Aiden Kastner, who plays Pippin, talked to Mitchell about the lead role, and his thoughts on the modern revisioning of the character.

Director and cast members agreed that although Pippin is set in the Middle Ages, its message holds relevance to today’s audience, especially college students.

The new opening night is scheduled for September 18, 2020.

Moderators: Preston Mitchell and Candice Romero

Producer: Liliana Ramirez

Anchor: Liliana Ramirez

Video Editor: Lilibeth Morales

Reporters: Bea Barros, Manny Luisi, Preston Mitchell, Lilibeth Morales, Liliana Ramirez and Candice Romero