Journalism/News Writing Assignments
For Arizona State University
Published Work:
The ASU all-treble a cappella group Pitchforks held its last concert of the year at the Hackett House on Thursday evening.
Founded in 1992, the Pitchforks were the first a cappella group formed in Arizona. The group features members from a range of majors, and there is a focus on female empowerment and friendship.
“Of course, we sing, but I think the most valuable thing I’ve gotten out of this club is the lifelong friendships I’ve made with this group. It’s inspiring to be surrounded by such a diverse group of powerful women,” said Nihara Mahesh, Pitchforks public relations manager and a senior studying psychology.
On Thursday, the group performed such hit songs as “Love You Like a Love Song” by Selena Gomez and “Cowboy Casanova” by Carrie Underwood. The group members also performed their set from the Varsity Vocals International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA).
The Hackett House was full at 7:30 p.m., and the show began shortly after with “Domino” by Jessie J, arranged by Pitchforks member Bridget Rhee.
The event lasted two hours and ended with “Linger” by The Cranberries, with a solo from senior group member Savanna States.
Pitchforks musical director Delaney Balk and other members created original arrangements for the group’s concerts this past year. The group met twice a week after their ICCA performance to rehearse for the spring concert.
Stories from Spring Semester 2024
Reporting Across Differences:
Dream City Church's Freedom Night Speaker's Series
By: Stella Speridon
Dream City Church’s Freedom Night speakers discussed “woke” pastors in America, drag queens being allowed in schools and the importance of politics and religion.
“You’re either going to preach the truth of the Bible, no matter what the cost, or you’re going to be politically correct, and eventually, what you say will be illegal,” Sedra said.
Founder and Executive Director of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk welcomed Echo Church founder Andrew Sedra from Australia to Dream City Church in Phoenix last month.
Dream City Church’s website states that Freedom Night was created “to continue winning the American Culture War.” Topics focus on “faith, society, and living out the gospel,” which leads to open-ended conversations between Kirk and guest speakers.
The event features different guests and is held monthly by Kirk and Turning Point USA. This month, Kirk and Sedra shared their beliefs on the importance of politics and how it relates to Christianity.
“We [in] Australia are ten years ahead of you guys; we have been through hell and back,” Sedra said. “Now types of prayer are criminalized even if the person asks me to pray for them.”
Sedra refers to the Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act, which the government implemented in 2020 in Victoria, Australia. According to the State’s website, the act prohibits “any practices directed at an individual that attempt to change or suppress their sexual orientation.”
“In Australia, we’re living in a moment where they [the LGBTQ+ community] are on an aggressive journey to criminalize Christianity right now,” Sedra said.
Kirk added that the criminalization of Christianity is also happening in the United States.
“By the way, California has legislation for this because if it’s your identity, how dare you go and not tell someone it’s not their identity? It’s messed up stuff,” Kirk said.
As of September 2023, the California legislature has passed 192 bills and resolutions to “advance LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice.”
Kirk encouraged everyone in the audience to study Elijah's biblical story and its significance towards religion and politics.
“We need a spirit of Elijah right now in this country, and by the way, it’s a great example if anyone ever tells you, oh, you shouldn’t be political, Elijah was political,” Kirk said.
He explained the story and how he believes Elijah is “one of the most important figures in the Bible,” mentioning that “disciples wondered if Jesus was Elijah coming back.” He also compared the biblical figure Jezebel to Hilary Clinton.
“Jezebel is Hillary Clinton. I just have to say that,” Kirk said. “I was doing a deep study, and it’s not even an opinion; it’s just a fact.”
Sedra and Kirk also talked to the audience about “woke” pastors in America and what they believe these pastors are doing to the American educational system.
“Can you have drag queens in school? Yeah. Can you have scriptures in school? No. Can you have pride month in school? Yeah. Can you pray in school? No,” Sedra said. “Pastors actually need to wake the hell up.”
Kirk told Sedra that he was “inspired” by his work as a pastor and told the audience that other pastors in the United States are a ‘joke.’
“So Andrew, I’m very inspired by you because, you know, the pastors in this country are largely a joke,” Kirk said. “If we had 2,000 pastors with the same spirit that you have, the West would be saved. I really believe that.”
At the end of Freedom Night, guests lined up to ask Sedra and Kirk questions regarding their talk. This included questions on inviting others to attend church and educating yourself when talking to people of different faiths.
One Freedom Night attendee, Jennifer Schissel, talked about how her experience at Dream City Church led her to convert to Christianity.
“I grew up Catholic, and at my first job after college, somebody had invited me, and it was the first time I felt freedom and not condemnation,” Schissel said.
Schissel was joined by her friend Wilson Oh. This was his first time at Dream City Church, and he shared his experience.
“I really enjoyed it. It’s great to hear people speaking on ideals I’ve never been able to say out loud,” Oh said. “My favorite part was when Charlie [Kirk] brought together biblical stories and politics, that is something I’m going to go home and look more into.”
When Oh was asked if he would attend another Freedom Night at Dream City Church, he replied, “Absolutely.”
Court's Story Assignment:
Facebook Scam Court Case
By: Stella Speridon
A defendant begged for a new plea deal on Wednesday, insisting she was coerced into a money laundering scheme by a man she met on FaceBook.
Tiffany Owens must decide by April 1 whether she will accept a plea deal of up to four months in jail or go to trial and face up to twelve and a half years in prison for a fraudulent scheme the defendant said she was “threatened” into.
Owens said she doesn’t understand why she is receiving a plea for up to four months in jail when she alleged the scheme was started by a man she met on Facebook, whom she calls “Michael.” She believes “Michael” emailed victims posing as their title or escrow agent to collect closing costs, which were then put into multiple bank accounts attached to Owens' name.
According to court documents, Owens never filed a police report for fraudulent activity on any bank account and admitted to police she willingly opened these accounts.
“Michael, if that’s his name, I don’t know what his name is anymore, is still doing this to countless more victims, and no one’s willing to do anything about it except blame the small person who was intimidated and trapped and threatened by police and Michael to do what I was told to do,” Owens said. “I’m fine with doing probation and paying the victims back, so why am I facing four months in jail?”
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sam Myers was the appointed judge for Owens’ settlement conference only. He asked prosecutor Erica Johnson if a better offer would be available for Owens.
“Miss Johnson, is there a better offer out there for Miss Owens?” Myers asked. “There is not your honor… the plea offer is as good as it’s going to get,” Johnson replied.
According to court documents, the fraudulent scheme lost six victims, Rosario Briceno, Pamela Carter, Said Naciri, Phillip and Michelle Cardinale, and Gang Luo, over $135,000 combined. However, Owens is only responsible for $15,000 since each respective bank returned the remaining funds to the victims' accounts from Owens's various accounts.
In Owens’ probable cause statement, she admits to committing a crime but that she was threatened by “Michael” via FaceBook. When asked by police if any other methods of intimidation were initiated by “Michael,” Owens said only that he was “persistent in what she did with the money.”
According to court documents, Owens said the scheme was advertised on Facebook as a “government assistance program.” She said she was presented with illegitimate documentation by “Michael” that she assumed was real.
In her probable cause statement, Owens said that she and her two daughters are disabled and do not qualify for disability, and that was the reason why she decided to accept “Michael’s” offer for the alleged government assistance program.
One of Owens’ daughters, Jennifer Matyasovski, was in court on Wednesday and begged the judge and the plaintiff’s attorney to reconsider jail time for her mother. Matyasovski also said she had seen the FaceBook scheme and that it looked legitimate.
“It’s hard to differentiate what’s government assistance and what’s a scam [on FaceBook.] I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference, and I almost got scammed into it myself and not by my mother by any means,” Matyasovski said. “I’m just here begging for someone to help her and see that she is a victim in all of this.”
Johnson and Myers both said that if Owens agrees to the plea deal she could get out in two months for good behavior. Johnson said this plea deal is better than most deals offered to people who have committed similar crimes.
“You have to know that what you did was wrong in some sense, and you do. We took that into consideration and that is why you do have the offer that you have and it is frankly it a little bit different from what most people get,” Johnson said. “You’re not being treated more harshly than any other person in similar circumstances, I would actually say that you’re being treated a little bit more leniently.”
Owens said, holding back tears, that she couldn’t do more than ten days in jail because she would lose her two jobs and fail to provide for her disabled daughters and other people who count on her.
“I have too many people that need me, and I have two daughters that are disabled; one of them is with me now. I can’t be away from them. I’m a person that is a caregiver for too many people,” Owens said. “If I go to jail for more than ten days, I’ll lose my job and my apartment, and I won’t be able to pay anyone, let alone the victims, back.”
At the end of the settlement hearing, Judge Myers acknowledged what both Owens and Matyasovski said in court, and so did the prosecutor. The plea deal for a maximum of four months in jail still stands, and Owens must decide whether to accept her plea or go to trial by April 1.