College Corps: The Importance of Community Service

Luis Reyes, Other Undergraduate Student

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This creative project is a reflection of my year of service through College Corps and my placement at the veterans hall in Arcata. The project contains some descriptions and pictures of events that my site has been a part of over the year, those events include North Coast Stand Down, Veterans Day at McKay, and Sunday brunch. Throughout this project I reflect on my time at the veterans hall and my experience with College Corps, as well as describing the importance and benefits of providing community service. I end with a conclusion of how a program like College Corps is beneficial towards community outreach and how the program has benefited me.

Combining Environmental Education with Music at Sunnybrae Middle School

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

My service learning project is with Sunnybrae Middle School at the after school program. I have spent the duration of the semester tutoring children in grades 6-8 and planning my activity. I am combining environmental education with music by obtaining a group of children in order to a discuss environmental topics and creating musical lyrics using that dialogue and an arrangement of instruments. The goal of this project is the inform the next generation about the importance of planetary health as well as human relationships to nature by touching on subjects such as pollution, oppression and ways in which one can make differences that will contribute to the creation of a more just world.

Commander-in-Clown: An Analysis of Political Rhetoric in Relation to Saturday Night Live

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Saturday Night Live is a major cultural touchstone and a reactive satire which parodies the same politics it influences. Though whether this influence is descriptive or prescriptive remains to be seen. During the 2016 election, the show changed its portrayal of Donald Trump when Alec Baldwin took over the role. Trump was portrayed as ultimately stupid and unlikely to win. The show helped to normalize his campaign, repudiating Trump’s mannerisms but not his policies. By lavishing so much faith on Clinton and treating Trump like a throwaway joke, Saturday Night Live may have inadvertently helped him win the election.

Community Connection: Becoming a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and the Relation to Political Science

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This project highlights my experience volunteering with CASA of Humboldt and how it relates to a political science degree. Often CASA is marketed to the child development and social work majors; however, I will demonstrate how it is equally connected to political science majors. An internship with CASA applies several aspects of political science including: social advocacy and understanding the judicial system. CASA’s gain extensive legal experience through writing court reports, collaborating with attorneys, learning child welfare laws, and advocating in court. My ultimate hope is that my project will spark your interest in becoming an advocate, so you can make a difference for a child!

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) and their Consequential Effects on the Biotic Community

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) are not only an environmental hazard, they are hazardous to the animals confined in them and neighboring communities. In this project, I researched the consequential effects of CAFOs on the entire biotic community. The main effects discussed include but are not limited to: waste concentration, water quality, air quality, and public health. The interdisciplinarity of the issue at hand is brought to light by analyzing these detrimental effects through an Environmental Justice and Ecofeminist lens. Proposed areas of further research and community inclusion/empowerment are provided upon conclusion.

Conflict and Agency in Honduran Agricultural Development

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This presentation consists of a critical analysis of agricultural development in Honduras. The effects of neoliberal policies in particular will be examined and an in depth examination of the current land conflict in the Aguán Valley will be used as an example. While there have been many criticisms of development practices in the country, recently in relation to oil palm plantations and World Bank lending, there have also been successes. Often these successes have resulted from militant action on the part of the rural poor. An analysis of agricultural development in Honduras will be presented and tentative conclusions regarding various development policies’ effects reached.

Content Analysis of Sexualized Violence Across the California State University System

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Content analysis of the sexual assault prevention programs and education provided at the 23 universities within the California State University system.

Continuum of Violence Research Project

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This project explores the spatial distribution of automobile title lenders across four metropolitan areas. Automobile title loans are specific form of alternative finance that targets individuals who do not have access to traditional forms of credit. Our research shows that the spatial distributions of these alternative financial service providers concentrate in lower income neighborhoods where residents tend to be poorer, less educated, and less white. Thus, there are clear class and racial dimensions to the marketing, spatial presence, and consumption of these alternative loan products.

Conversations Matter: Mediation Theory, Practice, and Social Change

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

I am participating in a service learning project through the Environmental Studies’ Spring 2017 Senior Capstone. My emphasis in community organizing has established my curiosity and passion for conflict resolution communication. Conflict is a part of life. How this inevitability takes form and is approached varies and has social ramifications. Working with Humboldt Mediation Services has informed me about the social impacts mediation theory and practice impart and has revealed the need for and power of alternative dispute resolution in personal, social, environmental, and political arenas. This project highlights my involvement with and vision for mediation theory and practice.

COVID-19 in Prisons

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

This presentation was made and presented by the Members of the Formerly Incarcerated Students Club. This presentation brings awareness to how prisons and jails are being handled (or not being handled) for COVID-19. We discuss the rates of COVID-19 inside prisons and jails, what prisons are supposed to be doing to abide by COVID-19 Guidelines outlined by the CDC, why they cannot and are not implementing most of them, and what needs to happen to lower these rates.