How is the Tournament Formatted? 

For the first time since 2018, 16 teams compete for the gold medal. These teams are divided into four groups, where each nation plays every other team in its group once. The group winner advances to the quarterfinals, while the second- and third-place nations face each other in a single-elimination match for the final four spots. From this point forward, it is “win or go home,” making every match a hurdle you must clear to stay in the fight for the title.  

This year, the group stage winners, Spain, France, Belgium, and the USA, advanced to the quarterfinals. After winning their single-elimination matches, Germany, Hungary, Australia, and China secured the final four spots.  

Team USA secured its spot in the final by defeating Spain 76-66, and France followed suit in an 86-64 victory over Germany. The stage was now set: Team USA or France- only one team can be world champions. 

Closer Look at the USA Squad 

Head coach Kara Lawson carried a 12-player roster ranging from USA veterans such as Breanna Stewart, Chelsea Gray, and Napheesa Collier to star youth players Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and Angel Reese.   

Lawson chose to start the veteran players and have the youth players come off the bench, and while that proved itself as USA climbed to the top, some fans couldn’t help but feel disappointed that Clark wasn’t starting. When asked about Clark’s chance of starting, Lawson responded, “I like where we are right now.”   

Sticking with this lineup proved the right move as Team USA stepped into the gold medal match.  

The Gold Medal Match 

Team USA’s starting lineup: Gray, Copper, Young, Collier, Stewart 

France’s starting lineup: Williams, Malonga, Salaun, Johannès, Ayayi 

On September 13, Team USA and France took the stage to fight for the championship title. In the final of a tournament where Team USA was favored to win, they rallied after reaching a 14-point deficit for a 97-79 victory. Breanna Stewart earned MYP honors for her 22-point, 10-rebound double-double. Jackie Young was remarkable in this match with 18 points, six rebounds, and five assists, earning “Player of the Game”.  

France walked away with silver and an outstanding performance of their own. Most notably, 20-year-old Dominque Malonga scored 21 points and had six rebounds.  

Not only did Team USA win gold, but history was made, as this was their fifth consecutive FIBA Basketball World Cup win.  

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The disaster began on August 26 when a collapse involving glacial ice and rock sent a massive surge of water, mud, and debris through the Himalayan region. According to The Kathmandu Post’s report on the flood progression, authorities received information at 9:05 a.m. that a critical flood had entered Nepal’s Bhotekoshi River from the Tibetan side. The surge continued to travel through the Bhotekoshi and then to the Trishuli before making an impact on downstream communities. 

Nepal’s Flood Forecasting Division issued warnings as the flood gained traction downstream, sending more than 600,000 text-message alerts to residents in areas along the river system, according to The Kathmandu Post. Despite the warnings, the speed and force of the flood caused widespread destruction. 

The flooding has left thousands of people missing, including workers at several hydropower projects. On Saturday, September 5th, rescuers pulled a Chinese worker alive from a 225-meter tunnel at the Trishuli hydropower project, as reported by The Associated Press. The rescue came 10 days after the flooding struck. A woman was also rescued from a damaged home in Nuwakot and taken by helicopter to Kathmandu for medical treatment. 

The disaster has created extensive economic damage across the region. Reuters reported on Friday, September 4th, that Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority estimated losses of approximately 387.5 billion Nepalese rupees, or 2.56 billion USD. This estimate included damages to property, housing, and infrastructure. An estimate of at least 7,500 homes were destroyed in this flood and approximately 20,000 more are expected to require rebuilding to some capacity.  

The flooding has also renewed concerns about the dangers facing communities that reside in the Himalayas. In its reporting of the disaster, The Associated Press interviewed climate and disaster experts who claimed that rising temperatures are contributing to changes in glaciers, snow coverage, and mountain slopes. Scientists have cautioned that it is too early to directly attribute this flood to climate change; however, warmer conditions can increase the likelihood of potentially dangerous mountain and glacial events.  

The risks are extremely significant for communities that are located along the rivers originating in the Himalayas. Experts told the Associated Press that melting glaciers, thawing permafrost, and destabilized mountain slopes are all factors that can contribute to a series of connected hazards, including that of avalanches, landslides, and flash floods.  

For many residents, the disaster has left behind more than physical destruction. Families continue to search for missing relatives and friends while displaced residents face the loss of their homes, possessions, and, in some communities, cultural and historical landmarks. Recovery is expected to take several months and even years as Nepal begins to work on restoring roads, bridges, electricity, and many other essential elements of the collapsed infrastructure.  

As rescue teams work diligently and continue searching through tunnels and scattered debris, the disaster has become recognized as an immediate humanitarian crisis as well as a warning about the increasing risks faced by communities in the Himalayan region.

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Over a month ago, in the city of Zaporizhzhia, three Ukrainian civilians were killed by the shrapnel of an AI powered drone that was meant to destroy gas tanks, according to the New York Times. One of the civilians was a 19-year-old college student. Moreover, on September 4, EA Worldview reported that Ukrainian drones hit a Russian military-industrial plant, otherwise known as the Sterlitamak Petrochemical Plant, that supports Russia’s fuel and more for their defense industry. The facility has reportedly been targeted by Ukrainian drones multiple times this year.

AI-assisted drone technology has become important in the Russia-Ukrainian war. Drones have been an element of warfare for some time, but inputting AI into the machines has not only allowed targets to become more precise but has also allowed these drones to contend with GPS jamming. GPS jamming can interfere with a drone’s satellite navigation signals that allow for the drone to determine its position and for operators to guide it accurately.  

Specifically, Ukrainian drones with, “AI and autonomy allow drones to continue operating when GPS signals are unavailable or the communications link with an operator is severed,” reports the Council of Foreign Operations, “…after a human chooses the target, Ukraine’s TFL-1 can operate autonomously if the data link is disrupted…”, allowing AI drones to be more resistant to jamming.  

Companies that are creating specialized GPUs (Graphics Processing Unit) for AI, such as the company NVIDIA, allow drones to have highly developed training abilities. It also allows the drones to process information and, in some systems, autonomously perform designated tasks based on input data and pictures in real-time. This is because of the utilization of GPUs that were first used for graphics rendering. In accordance with East Journal of Engineering, companies such as NVIDIA and Intel added advancements into the AI programming that include dedicated instruction sets and “optimized memory architectures” within the GPUs thus allowing the drones to keep new and old information readily available. These additions may allow the drones to be capable of natural language processing, speech recognition, image and video recognition, and more.  

Russia has also expanded its use of drones, prompting Ukraine to develop new systems designed to counter Russian attacks. During this year, as more Russian drones have made their way to Ukraine, Ukraine has had their defense companies create cheap drones that intercept those of Russia’s thus allowing less strikes to occur, according to the Atlantic Council. Even more, Russia is developing new technologies, one that allows multiple drones to communicate amongst each other. This will allow one drone to alert another when a threat is coming from the battlefield and during air defense strikes.  

“These developments highlight the rapidly changing technological realities of the war,” David Kirichenko of the Atlantic Council wrote, “…drone warfare has undergone a dramatic evolution that is redefining how modern military conflicts are fought.” 

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Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields is an “all-women,” one-day music festival in Irvine, California, that aims to celebrate women in music while simultaneously educating the masses on issues that are affecting women and girls globally.  

The lineup of all-women artists this year featured Chappell Roan, Mitski, Bikini Kill, The Breeders, Garbage, Doechii, and Olivia Rodrigo herself, accompanied by special guests such as Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette, and Sarah McLachlan.  

The festival had two stages, the Dandelion Stage and the Marigold Stage, with every artist getting their own set times, allowing people to enjoy every performance. The main stage, the Dandelion Stage, was decorated with life-size pins representing the festival’s non-profits and sponsors. The festival featured art installations by female artists such as Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree. The Wish Tree is an interactive art piece that encouraged festival-goers to write wishes on a paper tag and attach them to the tree. This art installation gained lots of attention on social media, with posts covering the heartwarming wishes of the people. Many of the food businesses invited were small local businesses, many of which were Filipino businesses such as Tatay Ry’s and Mano Po, a tribute to Rodrigo’s heritage.  

The festival, through sponsors and ticket proceeds, initially raised $10 million. Philanthropist Melinda French Gates matched the $10 million, bringing the event’s earnings to $20 million. The total will be split evenly among 10 non-profit organizations—Baby2Baby, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Center for Reproductive Rights, FreeFrom, Jhpiego, Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Institute for Reproductive Health, National Women’s Law Center, and Planned Parenthood.  

These non-profit organizations have voiced their appreciation and support for Rodrigo and her work. Alexis McGill Johnson, the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of 

America, stated, “Having artists like Olivia use their time, talent, and treasure to support our work is huge”. Johnson hopes that through the festival, people will be more informed about the organizations that are fighting against the barriers preventing women in the United States from accessing the healthcare they deserve.  

Alongside her support for non-profit organizations, the young singer has also shown support for Palestine by wearing a hand-made, Palestinian-designed dress by Nöl Collective. Wearing this dress showed a significant impact on Palestinians, showing them that their struggles have not been forgotten. “It helped say, ‘We are still here; we have not been forgotten”, says Yasmeen Mjalli, founder of Nöl Collective.  

Rodrigo announced that the festival will return in 2027, after the immense success of the first execution. In the festival mission statement, Rodrigo states, “Daisies are wild and beautiful. As a chain, they are strong and unbreakable.” Like daisies, the impact of this festival has been and will continue to be strong and unbreakable for many years to come.  

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After a month of criticism and backlash from the public, both the Director and CEO of the MET, Max Hollein, and John Galliano decided not to move forward with the theme. Since the start of the Met Gala’s nearly 80-year history, the theme has not been changed after an announcement until now.   

In the year 2000, the Met Gala had its first theme problem. Caused by an internal issue that ultimately led to a cancellation that year. Rather than canceling the Met Gala for 2027, the organizers are changing the theme after the initial announcement.  

John Galliano is a British fashion designer known for his work as the creative director of brands such as Givenchy, Dior, and Maison Margiela. He regained popularity in 2024 with his Artisanal collection for Maison Margiela. The Met wanted to honor him for his work and influence in the fashion industry by dedicating the theme of next year’s Met Gala to him. This decision sparked strong backlash from the public and important figures, including public officials, museum donors, and community leaders.  

In 2011, Galliano was fired from his creative director position at Dior after an arrest in Paris following alleged drunken, racist, and antisemitic remarks to bar patrons. This was the second claim of this offense at the same bar within four months. During this time, he spoke of struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. He was given a suspended fine of €6,000 and was forced to pay €16,500 in court fees. Many people believe he is not deserving of the honor of having the Met Gala theme represent his work.  

Galliano has apologized for his behavior and the harm he caused in 2011. He also released a statement, alongside the theme change, explaining his thoughts and reasoning for canceling the theme, along with a second apology for his behavior. In his official announcement on The Met’s website, Galliano stated that he holds himself accountable for his actions and understands that the Met Gala theme would be harmful to some people. As of today, the Met has not released a new theme to replace “John Galliano: Horizons”. 

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Recently on social media, the term “media literacy” has been used to interpret media and understand what it’s saying. It’s been a bit of a buzz word, and applied to any time someone misunderstands a movie, show, or book. You may have even heard that we are in a “media literacy crisis”. But what is media literacy? 

Perhaps many of you can remember in language classes when teachers would give us a text, and we answered questions such as “Who is the target audience?” “Is this source biased or credible?”, “What literary devices were used to convey information?”, and so on. Maybe these questions seemed useless or obvious when we were reading about volcanoes or The Outsiders, but these exercises gave us invaluable skills to process media and determine its importance, relevance, and validity. These are the tools that make up our media literacy. Or, according to the National Association for Media Literacy Education, it is the “ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication”. Basically, it helps us think critically to be more informed and conscious about the media we consume.   

You may ask, “Why should I care about media literacy? I’m not a literature student or a writer, and I don’t really care about books.” That’s a good point, if you’re comfortable with being tricked by fake news and propaganda.  

Without these skills to look deeper into a text, one may not realize that a news article they’re reading is not telling the whole story, or a video of a politician is AI, or an Instagram post is trying to scare you into buying something. I’ve definitely been a victim of the internet making me believe something that isn’t true

The term media literacy has been thrown around a lot regarding books, TV shows, and movies. But this should not be the only application of those skills; sometimes the media tries to trick us, to sell us half a truth, and it expects us to fall for it. Sometimes it tries to lure us into an idea with something easy and enticing, like a clickbait thumbnail or a thrilling accusation.  

Media literacy is just trying to teach us to think about a text before we believe it.    

Although some people’s misunderstandings of media aren’t their fault, but our education systems’.  

According to Media Literacy Now, a recent survey found that only 38% of participants were taught how to “reflect on media messages, such as advertising or on TV programs, & how they might affect people’s thoughts, beliefs, feelings, or actions in schools”, leaving the majority uneducated in media literacy. Additionally, about 21% of the country is functionally illiterate, meaning they struggle with basic reading. With social media increasing becoming increasingly complicated with AI and misinformation, and the lack of media literacy training in schools, it’s safe to assume that perhaps we are in a crisis.  

But the future is looking up. Elementary, middle, and high schools across the country are implementing lessons for navigating social media and AI, so kids can be safer and more cognizant when they go online. There is no federal policy regarding media literacy teachings in schools, but 25 states have enacted laws to discourage phone use in schools, as well as provide “guided, empowered learning—not just restrictions—to thrive in today’s digital world”.  

“These actions illustrate a growing recognition that media literacy education is essential for students’ online safety and civic engagement, empowering young people to become informed, responsible, and capable digital citizens who can navigate the complexities of all kinds of media”. 

And for those of us no longer in K-12 school, it’s more important than ever to stay vigilant on the internet. So, the next time you read a book, ask yourself questions about the text. Linger on your confusions and assumptions and develop those skills that some of us thought we wouldn’t need after high school English class. 

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One of the clubs included in this fair is CSUSM’s Political Science and Global Affairs Department Model United Nations.  

Model UN’s Secretary General, Ashleigh Skarshaug, helped found the club during the fall semester of 2025. She explained that she was “connected to the club and the mission that it represents” and how she wanted to “build a community on campus that wants to grow educationally and [in] international affairs…build a network within the school and outside the school, whether that’s at conferences or with different schools or organizations.” 

In addition, Skarshaug states: “I am very passionate about our mission and our values. I want to help students understand that it’s not that scary, and it’s not as intimidating as it sounds. It’s really just a community here on campus… I’d love to be a part of helping the growth continue.”  

What is the United Nations? 

According to the United Nations’ website, they are an international organization where 193 member states meet to discuss issues around the world to attempt to find a solution for them. The UN has a Universal Declaration of Human Rights that “inspired the adoption of more than 70 human rights treaties.” More specifically, the UN’s goals are to create good relationships between its member states, promote global peace & security, and create a more harmonious process of conflict resolution between states. 

CSUSM’s Model UN 

Skarshaug explains how in CSUSM’s Model United Nations club they “simulate being a delegate in the United Nations, in smaller groups and in bigger groups.” She clarified how they may have a “discussion about something happening in the world today, or we could all be assigned a different country and have to represent that country’s interests,” as well as “going to conferences” that take up more time “because there’s a lot of research that comes into it.” However, Skarshaug highlighted that “it’s very rewarding at the end” because of all you get to learn.  

What You Can Expect 

Club meetings for Model UN vary according to Skarshaug: “Sometimes we do discussions, sometimes we’re talking about an event that’s happening in the world internationally, sometimes I’m explaining the difference between American politics and international politics…It could be someone representing this interest of countries, someone else is representing a different interest of countries, and they’re talking about that. Sometimes we’re researching all one country and understanding their interest and the historical context behind it, the modern-day context behind it, and their international affairs that tie in it.”  

Skarshaug also explained how she creates quizzes, like BuzzFeed ones, and hosts activities and games so people can have fun. As a result, people in the club get more involved. She described Model UN as “80% club and 20% community.” 

Last April, CSUSM’s Model UN attended the National Model United Nations (NMUN) conference in New York City, where the UN headquarters are located, and took home two awards after a decade-long period of not participating. The team won the Outstanding Delegation Award as they represented Mexico, and another member, Matt (McKenzie) Anthony, won an Outstanding Delegate Award.  

Some reasons Skarshaug gave as to why people should join included “to learn more about the world; to boost their skills in academia, research, writing, public speaking, negotiation, [and] being able to work calmly under pressure.” She points out how good these skills are to have no matter what major or career path people may have, as well as emphasizing the sense of community created by the club. 

Next Steps 

Model UN meets every Thursday from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. in SBSB 4221, and there are no requirements to join. For any further questions, meet Model UN in the USU’s ballroom during the Student Organization Fair from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. this Thursday, September 10. CSUSM’s Model UN also posts updates regularly on Instagram at @modeluncsusm.

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Upon the first day of the trial, those who had heard of this shocking tragedy already felt as if they had a good idea of what happened in this case. However, once evidence was being presented inside Plymouth County Court, the internet’s opinions seemed to shift overnight. 

Information We Knew Before the Trial 

Lindsay Clancy is currently on trial for the murder of her three children: 8-month-old Callan, 3-year-old Dawson, and 5-year-old Cora.  

On January 24th, 2023, in Duxbury, Massachusetts, Lindsay was allegedly found by her now-ex-husband on the ground after trying to commit suicide. Patrick claims that when he arrived, Lindsay’s wrists bore deep cuts across them, and she had a distinct red mark across her neck. She later jumped from a second-story window in an apparent suicide attempt, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. 

At the time of the incident, Patrick allegedly approached her and asked, “What did you do?” Lindsay responded, saying, “I tried to kill myself.” Patrick then asked where the children were, and she told him they were in the basement. 

According to Patrick, when he entered the basement, he saw both Callan and Cora lying face down with exercise bands wrapped around their necks, and Dawson was in a similar position and state in Patrick’s basement office.  

Cora and Dawson were transported to Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital–Plymouth, where both were pronounced dead. Callan, who still had a faint pulse when first responders arrived, was transported to Boston Children’s Hospital. He died three days later, on January 27, 2023. 

Shocking Evidence Presented in the Trial 

Despite many rumors of how Lindsay Clancy was pleading, she and her defense team entered this trial pleading not criminally responsible. This was the first of many surprises for those following the trial would hear, considering many believed she admitted guilt soon after the tragedy.  

The 911 Call 

Soon after opening the prosecution’s presentation of evidence, Plymouth County ADA, Jennifer Sprague, played the 911 call that Patrick made on January 24th, 2023. Although the judge prohibited the recording from being released to the public, those present in the courtroom heard Patrick’s emotional account. The description of what everyone in the courtroom heard shook everyone to their core. In the call, you can hear Patrick yell, “She killed the f***ing kids!” Press who heard the call also said they heard many “primal” screams and cries from Patrick during the recording. Lindsay was also heard in the background trying to strain out some indistinct words. 

Patrick’s Timeline 

On day three of the trial, Patrick continued testimony for the prosecution, and this brought questions all over social media of whether or not the right person was even being charged. Now the question, for viewers at home, became about Patrick’s timeline during the approximated times of the murders. Prosecutors used the timing of Patrick’s errands and surveillance footage to argue that Lindsay deliberately created a period of time in which she would be alone with the children. The defense challenged the prosecution’s interpretation of the timeline. 

During the said cross-examination by the defense, Kevin Reddington, Lindsay’s defense attorney, did not question Patrick’s whereabouts. Instead, he stuck to the same tune, supporting his claim of Lindsay Clancy killing the children and trying to kill herself in a fit of postpartum psychosis.  

Reddington also pointed to instances in which Patrick had previously left Lindsay alone with the children, including a period beginning Nov. 22, which was the height of Lindsay’s reported chronic depression. The defense claimed that if it was premeditated murder, Lindsay would have had more ample time on other days rather than during Patrick running a couple of errands.  

Lindsay’s Timeline 

Since the defense’s case was firmly based on the grounds that Lindsay was experiencing severe postpartum depression and anxiety that led to psychosis, the defense and prosecution alike called on a nurse who helped Lindsay in the hospital after the murders, as well as some of the doctors that Lindsay was suing in a medical malpractice lawsuit.  

According to a 2026 medical malpractice lawsuit, Clancy began experiencing severe depression and dissociation following what the lawsuit describes as a hypomanic episode in September 2022.  

Over the following months, Clancy was prescribed numerous psychiatric medications, with her treatment involving multiple providers and frequent medication changes, most of which were Schedule IV controlled substances. Even after changing dosages on medications that needed time to work, and adding new medications, Lindsay’s mental state worsened.  

In December of 2022, she called the New Bedford Suicide Hotline, ASPIRE Crisis Support, went to the ER twice, and was admitted to the Women & Infants Hospital in Rhode Island for both suicidal thoughts and thoughts of harming her children. This was closely following an appointment with her prescribing psychiatric nurse practitioner, Nurse Jollotta, where Patrick described Lindsay’s worsening condition,— and asked the nurse to take her off all of these her medications, and start fresh. Patrick wanted her to “start fresh.” Nurse Jollotta then upped Lindsay’s Seroquel prescription instead.  

Clancy was discharged from the Women & Infants Hospital program on Dec. 20, 2022. According to testimony and civil court filings, concerns were raised about her medication regimen and the appropriateness of her treatment. 

Deliberations and Verdict 

Following one month of both sides presenting their cases, and many tragic uncovering of events, the jury was set to deliberate on August 27th, 2026.  

Before entering deliberations, Judge William Sullivan listed the many different verdicts that the jurors are responsible for coming to a conclusion on in this case: criminally responsible, in which there are options of first-degree murder and second-degree murder; not criminally responsible; and not guilty.  

After three days of deliberation, the jury came back stating that they were “hopelessly deadlocked”, and days four and five were not much different. The jury stated that they were still hung 11-1 with no hope of coming to a unanimous verdict.  

On days six and seven, members of the jury, were writing notes to the judge saying that the one opposing juror refused to follow the law. This juror understood that there was reasonable doubt, but refused to follow the burden verdict that comes with that. The defense moved to switch the juror out with an alternate, but Judge Sullivan denied the motion. 

On day seven of deliberations, and much investigation on Judge Sullivan’s part, the juror who could not follow the law was not identified to anyone outside of the room. This led Judge Sullivan to call everyone to court and, thus, declare a mistrial.  

But in a last-ditch effort to save this verdict, the defense team filed an emergency motion to elevate this to the Supreme Court of Massachusetts. 

After 2 hours of the world waiting to hear back from the Supreme Court of Massachusetts, Reddington’s motion was denied, and Judge Sullivan officially declared a mistrial. 

Immediately following this declaration, the defense filed a Rule 25 motion, and on September 29th, 2026, the world will tune in to see whether Lindsay Clancy will be acquitted and whether the DA of Plymouth County will want to pursue this endeavor all over again.

The post The Lindsay Clancy Trial: Truth, Fiction, Verdict appeared first on The Cougar Chronicle.

Hello everyone! My name is Celeste Yanez, and I will be one of your Co-Editor-in-Chief for the fall semester. Since the second semester of my freshman year (spring of ’24), I have been a part of the Cougar Chronicle. I have been the Opinions Editor and the News Editor for the Chronicle, and have recently taken up the role as Editor-in-Chief with Natalia. 

When I was an incoming freshman, I was already interested in joining the newspaper. I vividly remember looking at the club page on the CSUSM website and could not find anything (we’re not a club; we’re an independent student organization). I was disappointed and then didn’t scout out any information until winter break. I looked up to see if there was a newspaper at CSUSM and then discovered that we do! I emailed the old Editor-in-Chief about my interest and then went to a meeting spring semester. The Cougar Chronicle has brought a sense of community in my life and has helped me develop a plan for my future. With the help of the Chronicle, I realized that I didn’t want to be a therapist and solely study psychology. I ended up double majoring in psychology and political science and decided that I want to go to law school and be an immigration lawyer. A career in journalism rests in the back of my mind and always will.  

Journalism has always been a part of my life in small ways. Growing up, my parents always had Telemundo on. When my parents immigrated from Mexico, they had limited news sources to watch while doing house chores or during dinner. I didn’t realize it until I was older that my parents used to watch Telemundo because it was one of the only accessible news sources to them. Telemundo is a news outlet that launched in Puerto Rico before it expanded into the United States mainland. It’s primarily in Spanish and focuses on information that affects Hispanic communities located in the US. Most recently, Telemundo has been focusing on immigration and the violent presence of ICE. My parents purposefully avoid Telemundo now. 

Journalism and the news need to be accessible to people, especially students. 

Natalia’s Section 

Hello readers, I am one of your Co-Editor-in-Chief for the Cougar Chronicle. I am Natalia, a third-year, first-generation student at CSUSM. I’ve been a part of the Chronicle since the middle of the fall 2024 semester and have been both General Staff and the Opinions Editor. I will uphold the integrity of journalism and bring the truth to students as well as the North County community.  I can’t wait to see our new and previous staff’s articles and craft for the new year and can’t wait to be covering important news and student-life stories at the Chronicle. 

I remember I followed the Chronicle’s Instagram before I enrolled at CSUSM because of a news video they made. I knew by then that I was going to attend CSUSM. I wanted to find a club or something to do on campus during my freshman semester. At the time, the Cougar Chronicle was hiring for a new open position, and I decided to apply since there weren’t any clubs at the time that fit in my schedule. I ended up as a staff member, and my previous experience on the yearbook team in high school helped me navigate the newspaper. 

Journalism didn’t always interest me, but it was secretly a part of my life. I would ask questions whenever I could since I was curious as a child. In school, I had an assignment where I had to come up with questions to interview a teacher. My teacher had to tell me not to ask certain questions since they came off too strong. My love of journalism then came from the media: from K-pop idol interviews promoting their comeback, NowThis Impact TikToks, influencers interviewing celebrities, and local news outlets like News Flash Media, Socal News Outlet, and The Coast News. Journalism is important for us to stay informed, from pop culture to serious issues happening nationally and globally.   

We are excited about what the Cougar Chronicle will produce this year and what the new staff will bring. We hope to continue inviting new faces into the Chronicle and to grow as a team. We invite anyone who has a passion for writing, producing, being creative, or wants a community to join us in the Administrative Building in room 3500 on Tuesdays during U-Hour, 12:00-1:00 p.m. There is a video on our Instagram showing how to get to our office! 

Good luck with this fall semester Cougars!

The post Meet your new Editors-in-Chief appeared first on The Cougar Chronicle.

You always consider yourself Mexican because you’re not American enough for America, yet not Mexican enough for Mexico. The reality for millions of us is constantly questioning ourselves. Why do we have to be enough for one culture over the other? It seems like we’re in a race trying to prove to each identity that we’re enough for Americans and Mexicans.  

Our ethnicity labels keep us closer to our madres, the ones who show us the ins and outs of our culture. But I felt left out of the conversations about what it’s like living in Mexico. Why move from Mexico, for what opportunities? What “American dream”? The land of the free? Was it all just a lie? Were the opportunities just for Americans? According to the Pew Research Center, in 2021, 26,600,000 Mexicans were U.S.-born, making us the largest growing Hispanic origin group. American Latinos are still pushed to justify our authenticity towards our labels for both countries.  

I have consistently battled with answering these questions in my head. It wasn’t until a conversation in my SPAN 303 class my professor, discussing Spanglish, that I began to understand them. It hit me: my identity isn’t simply inherited, it was negotiated. 

I’ve always tried my best to prove so hard that I am Mexican now. Always being called white-washed, constantly getting corrected while speaking Spanish, and feeling like I need to fit in a certain stereotype. I take pride in my heritage, continue to learn Spanish, and try to look the part.  

I aspired to be an American girl when I was a child because that’s where I lived. My brown hair and eyes were never like the American girls I would see on TV. I envied them. I begged God to make me like those skinny American girls, the ones with blonde hair, pale skin, blue eyes. My mom had that look. Why couldn’t I have those pretty green eyes, fair skin, and dye my hair blonde like hers? I hid my brown skin from the world, constantly covering myself to seem more American. I needed to prove to the world that I wasn’t a Mexican girl, I was American. English was the language I must speak, so why should I learn Spanish?  

My identity crept up on me anyways. I learned Spanish in less than 3 months at a dual-language school. I begged not to go to a new school just to learn it. I still remember how ten-year-old me felt. I cried moving to a school where I had to speak Spanish. I didn’t want to learn Spanish. While there was some pride to call myself Mexican, I never cared for the label. I still thought my traditions and culture were estranged for America. I shouldn’t speak about it. But I am Mexican.  

Every form I fill out, I’m white, but then I need to specify if I’m Hispanic or Latino? What the hell are these labels? “Just check it off, it’s you.” I’m spilt again.  

Labels…why are labels so important in America? Why do I have to identify myself as one or the other? I am Mexican and American. But still, why are we so self-obsessed with labels? It doesn’t matter. I feel so torn between one or the other. 

The obsession with labeling isn’t a new phenomenon; it’s institutional.  

It’s a constant battle in your head; you lose your mind over it. All my papers and opportunities are American, yet now I feel so apart from being an American. However, it was always included in my identity, Mexican American. I don’t belong to either one.  

Research shows that the U.S. census has struggled for decades with what labels to put on us, Mexicans, Colombians, Argentinians, Salvadorians, Puerto Ricans, and more. Latinos, Hispanics, we do not fit neatly into your American racial boxes. Cristina Kim from KPBS says it herself, Not only do more people of Latino/Hispanic descent understand themselves as having a distinct racial experience, but they are also less likely to select white and more likely to perceive themselves as multiracial. Any Mexican American or other “Latino/Hispanic” will tell you that no racial category reflects our background, especially when checking off that “White” box. The result of this? A feeling of erasure, not being able to truly represent yourself no matter what.  

Labels may help census data, but not us.  They’re trying to erase us now with mass deportations, just like how they did in the 1930s with the Mexican Repatriation, blaming us by saying we are the problem. But we are not. We actually help the GDP. Latinos had the fifth-largest GDP in the world in 2021. Even without a social security card, immigrants use an IITN to pay taxes because they’re not eligible to obtain a social security number to still pay and process their taxes. Data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows foreign-born immigrants are more likely than citizens to work in “natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations; and production, transportation, and material moving occupations.” So, we’re not “taking” your jobs, undocumented workers often must take lower paying job that most do not take. In 2021, over 2.5 million Latinos in the U.S. have advance degrees like master’s or doctorates. Those degrees are often in Arts, Science, Social Work, Business Administration, Doctor of Medicine, Dental Surgery, Veterinary Medicine, and Law.  

Whether or not we help the United States, the labels may help for those of us who live between the two cultures. Yet it still doesn’t erase the fact that it reinforces a false idea that an identity must be singular and measurable. For most Mexican Americans, our identities are layered. We’re both and neither nation. Our languages are blending into one. Our society is shifting along with our culture across borders. Our rich cultures belong everywhere and nowhere at the same time.  

I wish I could tell my younger self that it doesn’t matter if you belong to one culture or the other. But the truth is this: you belong to both because you are both. Not half. Not either.  

Pura Mexicana. Pura Americana.  

Cuando me corto la piel sangro igual de rojo en los dos países. 

Yo no necesito prove a ninguna persona quién soy.  

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