The unions included Academic Professionals of California (APC), California Faculty Association (CFA), California State University Employees Union (CSUEU), and Teamsters Local 2010.

After months of no negotiations, workers and unions are demanding change. The rally was a visual display of solidarity in a system-wide frustration with labor leaders described as refusing to offer meaningful wage increases and the cost-of-living crisis across California.

At noon, staff, student assistants and faculty allies united and lined up in front of the library. The song “9-to-5” by Dolly Parton was played, which held symbolic meaning for the rally.

People chanted “No Contract, No Peace,” and cars passing by the rally honked to show solidarity with the unions.

“The need to fight for what is right and for the future generations,” the group chanted.

The march circled the University Library and made its way around the Library Lawn before congregating in front of Valera Hall, where representatives from the different unions each spoke to the crowd.

Angelique Vantoux, one of the CSUEU’s main leaders and speakers, said union members have faced years of severe underpayment. Vantoux highlighted 2023 research data showing how CSU has systematically underpaid employees by at least 30%. She said she was frustrated that despite these findings, CSU has offered only a minor 1% raise.

Christopher Rooney, campus steward and member of the Teamsters bargaining team, has worked as a metal worker at CSUN for 35 years. He spoke on a recurring point: a criticism of the wage gap between administration and other CSU employees.

“They got the money from the state legislature to give us our raises and then they turned around and didn’t give us raises,” Rooney said. “ Instead, they gave prizes to the presidents and their highest executives.”

Rooney and others agree it might take even more to get the administration’s attention.

“My personal opinion is the only way to get them to budge is to shut the campus down and we are willing to do it,” Rooney said

No details have been shared about when a strike or shutdown may happen.

Ana Prata, vice president of the California Faculty Association (CFA), said they are not only fighting for better wages but for better rights, including living costs and parental leave.

“We want a fair contract, we want cost of living adjustments, we want a path towards a good contract that protects us from AI,” Prata said. “We want a semester of parental leave. I think that’s fair for our faculty that they don’t come back before the semester when they have their baby. So I think there’s a lot of things in the contract that we’re fighting for, keeping our health benefits.”

It has been 2 years since CSU employees have gotten a raise. Some members claim that administrators get raises every year, but they aren’t getting any raises at all and their wages have not kept up with the cost of living.

People displayed posters that read “What do we want? Raises. When do we want them? Now,” demanding raises. They are only getting an incentive/promise of a 1.5% raise, which is less than what they should actually receive or demand.

Terri Richardson, a member of Academic Professional of California (APC) representing all academic advisors, shares the importance of unions and how, with unity, there are better possibilities of achieving change.

“I think it’s absolutely necessary to show the administration that it’s not just one union. It’s all of us that want change, that want fair contracts,” Richardson said. “Unions fight for workers and workers come together and protect each other. Because in the future, if you get in a union, you’ll feel protected, like they can’t just fire you whenever they want to.”

The pressure remains on CSU leadership to return with a contract that respects workers who keep running the university.

Many institutions have come under scrutiny over their handling of sexual assault reports following allegations involving seven Cornell University students. NBC Los Angeles reported that Tompkins County Dist. Atty. Matthew Van Houten reopened an investigation into allegations that seven students sexually assaulted a woman at the Chi Phi Fraternity house in Oct. 2024. The investigation remains ongoing

“Seeking justice sometimes requires us to reconsider or reopen cases when we are provided with additional evidence,” Van Houten said.

The effects of sexual assault can extend beyond the incident itself. According to WorldMetrics, “73% of survivors experience at least one form of psychological distress, such as anxiety or depression.” WorldMetrics also reports that 1 in 5 female students and 1 in 16 male students experience sexual assault during college.

A student contemplating whether to report an assault is not solely deciding whether to tell someone what happened. They may also be wondering what happens next, who will believe them and whether reporting will make their situation difficult.

I know what it feels like to lose faith in the people who are supposed to protect, help and serve students. Although my experience with sexual misconduct happened in middle school, I remember feeling deeply disappointed by the adults who were supposed to advocate for me. I felt that the deans did not protect me and I remember feeling intimidated by school police when I considered pressing charges.

That experience has stuck with me as I entered college. It has made me think about how another student might feel reporting sexual misconduct and how they might leave the process feeling unheard or unsupported.

The systems students rely on can also change as federal requirements change. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the department formally canceled the Biden administration’s 2024 Title IX regulation on Sept. 28, 2026 and reinstated the 2020 regulation from the first Trump administration. This change affects how schools handle sex-based harassment and sexual misconduct complaints.

For students, changes to Title IX can make an already complicated reporting process harder to understand, which may make some students hesitant to come forward. It can make students feel unsure about their rights or what will happen after they report.

At CSUN, students are required to complete training regarding sexual misconduct as well as violence awareness and prevention. According to CSUN’s Title IX training page, new students complete the longer “Not Anymore” course once, while continuing students complete a shorter refresher course each year. The university says the training is designed to promote “a culture of respect on campus.

Those systems need to be more than policies on paper. Students who report sexual assault deserve support and clear information about the process, while students accused of misconduct deserve due process.

Improving these systems means making sure students understand what happens after they report. They should be able to come forward, know what to expect and feel that their concerns will be taken seriously while the rights of those involved are protected.

Students can contact CSUN’s Title IX Office at 818-677-2077 for information about reporting options and support. The RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 800-656-HOPE (4673).

Students have voiced frustrations on websites like Reddit and YikYak about issues when using CSUN “eduroam” Wi-Fi connection. These incidents are not isolated and are widespread from student housing to newer CSUN buildings, including Goodman Hall. Students discuss network congestion, authentication failures, Wi-Fi connectivity and finding an area where it works.

CSUN’s Wi-Fi is betraying its own students; those who can afford their own hotspots have an advantage over those students who don’t. Having students worry about draining their data plans that in turn generate average billing costs just because campus Wi-Fi is unreliable during crucial times of the semester is unfair all around. CSUN conducted a survey of students, and about 30% reported that the internet connection on their campuses was hard to deal with and overall unreliable.

Cris Sanchez, an engineering major, shared a story about how it took his little sister an hour to connect to the school’s internet and that he feels like it is taking away useful time.

“It takes time away from learning; it’s taking away time for students to be fully involved in their studies when they can’t even load up their assignments or, at times, they can’t even join their online classes,” said Sanchez.

Marisol Reyes, a communication sciences and disorders (CSD) major at CSUN, also voiced her concerns that within academic buildings, it is difficult to predict when she will have connection to the internet.

“It’s honestly hard to connect to our Wi-Fi. Some classrooms have amazing connections while across the hall, my Wi-Fi will completely disconnect within seconds,” said Reyes

This may not seem like a big deal to most, but it can make or break a student in a high-stress situation. Between managing coursework and personal challenges, having to switch from network to network or relocating to find “the right spot” can add to a student’s worries.

“It always goes out at the worst possible times. I’ve been in the middle of an assignment and my work will not save the second the wifi goes off,” Reyes said.

These issues also bring down the quality of education. Many professors rely on their students being able to join lectures or do live assignments in class, but when students can’t complete these tasks because of situations that are out of their control, it is hard for professors to go on with a lesson that they had planned.

The CSU system as a whole has reported that a limited budget has affected the network across its campuses and hopes to replace outdated equipment to improve students’ experiences.

Students think that CSUN can start by identifying dead zones and failure points on campus. Then, they should invest in upgrades, especially in high-traffic areas like student housing and key academic buildings. Additionally, if there are ever any unforeseen issues, transparency with both students and faculty is crucial for them to plan how they will go about their day, considering Wi-Fi unavailability. Finding a study spot is not the challenge; the challenge is finding a spot where the Wi-Fi works too.

Según el informe El español: lengua para el mundo 2025, elaborado por el Observatorio Global del Español del Instituto Cervantes, Estados Unidos cuenta con 65,481,557 hablantes potenciales de español. Esta cifra confirma la relevancia del idioma en el país. A pesar de ello, hablar español todavía puede provocar prejuicios, discriminación o inseguridad en espacios públicos, educativos y laborales.

Como estudiante de la maestría en español, considero que preservar y difundir el idioma fortalece el tejido social, económico y político de Estados Unidos. El español no representa únicamente una identidad cultural; también es una herramienta de comunicación, educación, trabajo y participación comunitaria. Frente a las posturas que intentan minimizar su importancia, mantenerlo vivo se convierte también en un acto de resistencia.

La Dra. Svetlana V. Tyutina, directora del programa de posgrado y profesora de español del Departamento de Lenguas y Literaturas Modernas y Clásicas de la Universidad Estatal de California, Northridge (CSUN), considera que aprender una lengua permite comprender otras culturas y perspectivas. Como ella misma afirma, “cuantas más lenguas hablas, más mundos conoces”.

Esta idea resume el valor del español en una sociedad multicultural como la estadounidense. Aprenderlo no significa únicamente adquirir una habilidad práctica; implica acercarse a otras historias, formas de pensar y maneras de interpretar el mundo.

Cuando decidí continuar mis estudios superiores de español en California, tenía muchas dudas sobre mi futuro profesional. Sin embargo, poco a poco descubrí que el español constituía una comunidad viva en los distintos colegios comunitarios a los que asistí. Esa comunidad me motivó a continuar con la licenciatura y, posteriormente, con la maestría en CSUN. En ese proceso comprendí que estudiar español no consiste solamente en analizar una lengua, sino en participar en una conversación más amplia sobre identidad, memoria, educación y pertenencia.

La Dra. Daniela Salcedo Arnaiz, lingüista y profesora de español en CSUN, señala que, “la supervivencia y la vitalidad de una lengua dependen de sus hablantes.” Un idioma no puede sostenerse por sí solo: necesita comunidades que lo utilicen, lo valoren y lo transmitan a las siguientes generaciones. Por ello, conservar el español también exige la participación activa de quienes lo hablamos.

Esta responsabilidad se hace visible en espacios como LéaLA, la Feria del Libro en Español y Festival Literario de Los Ángeles. Durante la apertura de su undécima edición, Marisol Schulz Manaut, directora general de LéaLA y de la Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara, destacó la importancia de acercar literatura y cultura de alta calidad a esta región, especialmente porque Los Ángeles cuenta con una de las mayores concentraciones de población hispanohablante fuera de México.

La feria, celebrada del 24 al 27 de septiembre en LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, demuestra que preservar el español requiere esfuerzos colectivos. Los libros, talleres, presentaciones y coloquios literarios permiten que el idioma permanezca en circulación y llegue a nuevas generaciones. Schulz Manaut también afirmó que, “la lengua es lo que nos da nuestra cultura,” y que el español funciona como un vínculo con la identidad familiar y comunitaria. Por esa razón, espacios como LéaLA no solo celebran el idioma: también contribuyen a protegerlo.

El Dr. Manuel Villalba, profesor de literatura en español de CSUN, sostiene que, “la verdadera cultura americana será siempre una cultura híbrida.”

Estados Unidos ha sido históricamente un país de inmigrantes y comunidades diaspóricas. Su afirmación visibiliza que la identidad estadounidense no es uniforme, sino que está formada por múltiples lenguas, historias y tradiciones que conviven, se transforman y se enriquecen mutuamente.

Sin embargo, persisten obstáculos importantes. Los prejuicios sociales y el ambiente político actual han contribuido a desplazar el español de ciertos espacios públicos, lo que provoca que algunas personas sientan temor de hablarlo. Como inmigrante oaxaqueña, he experimentado que hablar español puede incomodar a ciertas personas. Cuando digo que estudio español, algunas reacciones son de sorpresa o incredulidad, como si mi preparación académica careciera de valor o como si hubiera elegido una carrera sin futuro.

También he conocido a estudiantes cuya lengua materna en el hogar es el español, pero que evitan utilizarlo en público por miedo a las burlas o a la discriminación. Esta inseguridad demuestra que preservar un idioma no consiste únicamente en comprenderlo o enseñarlo; también implica crear espacios donde sus hablantes puedan usarlo con orgullo y sin temor.

Por ello, la enseñanza del español debe responder a las necesidades de la sociedad actual. El idioma ofrece oportunidades en los negocios, la comunicación, los intercambios académicos, los medios de comunicación y las redes sociales. Asimismo, desempeña un papel fundamental en la traducción y la interpretación.

La Dra. Tyutina explica que la maestría en español de CSUN, disponible en modalidades presencial y en línea, prepara a sus estudiantes para un futuro profesional en el que deberán trabajar con personas, culturas y tecnologías diversas, incluida la inteligencia artificial. Esta visión reconoce que el español no pertenece únicamente al pasado o al ámbito familiar: es también una lengua de conocimiento, innovación y futuro.

Como futura profesional de la lengua de Cervantes, quiero contribuir a que niñas, niños, jóvenes y personas adultas de distintas nacionalidades descubran la riqueza del español a través de la literatura, el arte y sus múltiples expresiones culturales. Fortalecer el idioma significa, al mismo tiempo, fortalecer a la comunidad hispanohablante y sus raíces.

El Mes de la Herencia Hispana representa una oportunidad valiosa para celebrar nuestras culturas. Sin embargo, el compromiso con el español debe mantenerse los 365 días del año. Hablarlo, enseñarlo, leerlo, escribirlo y compartirlo son formas de mantener viva una cultura. El español ya habita Estados Unidos; ahora nos corresponde transmitirlo a las próximas generaciones.

La actividad ofreció a estudiantes, docentes y personal universitario la oportunidad de conocer de cerca a Tank, Bertie y Sunny, así como las distintas labores que desempeñan para contribuir a la seguridad, la prevención y el bienestar de la comunidad de CSUN.

Durante una de las sesiones informativas, el cabo Jerome Basal realizó una demostración junto a Bertie. Por su parte, el sargento Nicholas Canady explicó que Tank y Bertie cuentan con entrenamiento especializado para la detección de explosivos.

“Los oficiales caninos Tank y Bertie tienen habilidades especializadas en la detección de explosivos. Su sentido del olfato es tan agudo que pueden detectar incluso una hamburguesa completa a muchos metros de distancia, algo imposible para nosotros los humanos”, señaló Canady ante los asistentes.

Gracias a su entrenamiento, Tank y Bertie colaboran en las tareas de prevención y seguridad del Departamento de Servicios Policiales de CSUN. Su presencia permite reforzar los protocolos de protección en el campus y demuestra el importante papel que los animales pueden desempeñar dentro de los equipos de seguridad pública.

Sunny, en cambio, cumple una misión diferente pero igualmente esencial. Como perro de terapia del departamento, su labor se centra en ofrecer acompañamiento emocional a la comunidad universitaria. A través de su cercanía y carácter afectuoso, Sunny ayuda a crear momentos de calma para quienes enfrentan el estrés de las clases, los exámenes, el trabajo o las responsabilidades cotidianas.

El oficial Cifuentes destacó la respuesta positiva de la comunidad estudiantil durante la actividad: “La comunidad estudiantil ha respondido al llamado que hicimos para conocer a la Unidad Canina. Los perros oficiales han sido un éxito, ya que los asistentes llegan muy emocionados de conocer a Sunny, Tank y Bertie”.

Más allá de sus funciones específicas, los tres caninos representan una presencia cercana y significativa en CSUN. Tank y Bertie aportan sus habilidades a la protección del campus; Sunny brinda consuelo y acompañamiento emocional. Juntos, recuerdan a la comunidad universitaria que la seguridad también puede construirse desde la confianza, la prevención y el vínculo humano-animal.

El evento tuvo como objetivo señalar la importancia que ocupa la Unidad Canina dentro de CSUN: una iniciativa que combina profesionalismo, servicio y empatía para fortalecer el sentido de comunidad en el campus.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Ariadna Sánchez

Los asistentes disfrutaron de un momento especial junto a Sunny, el perro de terapia de CSUN.

The event featured demonstrations from the department’s canine handlers, giving students a chance to see how the dogs use their sense of smell to locate explosive and firearm-related odors. Students had the opportunity to ask questions, take photos with the dogs and enter raffles for gift cards.

Sgt. Nicholas Canady, who is in charge of the CSUN canine unit, said the dogs help create a connection between students and police.

“I think the dogs and the students, no matter what we’re going through politically or as a whole in general as a society, the dogs are such a great barrier that we can have that bridges the community with the police officers,” Canady said.

Canady described Tank, who has been with the department for about 7 years, as a fun and loving dog who enjoys interacting with students.

“Tank has been here for about 7 years. He turns 8 in December. He’s fun-loving [and] he loves pets,” Canady said.

Mireya Esquivel, a Criminology major who attended the event, said seeing the dogs made officers feel more approachable to students.

“It makes them more approachable. It makes a student more comfortable to talk with them, to learn about the police department and to just build that community within CSUN with the police department and the students,” Esquivel said.

Cpl. Jerome Basal demonstrated how Bertie, a German short-haired pointer, specializes in searching for explosive odors. As a demonstration of her skills, Basal placed a training aid inside a cone and had Bertie search the area. Bertie eventually located the odor and indicated to Basal that she had found it.

Bertie is more than a working dog for Basal. The 2 spend their workdays together, and Bertie also goes home with him. Basal described her as energetic and sweet.

“She’s a firecracker. She’s very sweet, [and] she’s a little shy,” Basal said. “She’s turning 2 in November, so she’s still got that puppy energy.”

Bertie is trained and certified to detect guns and explosives. Basal said training is a constant part of their routine to keep Bertie prepared for her work on campus.

Having a trained canine on campus is especially important when the department responds to potential threats, Basal explained.

“We have had schools that have bomb threats and all that stuff, so it’s good to have our own [canines],” Basal said. “That way, we don’t need to rely on outside agencies.”

Sunny, the unit’s newest member, serves a different purpose as CSUN’s therapy dog. Officer Kingsley Cifuentes, Sunny’s handler, said the 1-year-old Labrador retriever has been with the department for about 3 months.

Cifuentes said Sunny can provide comfort to students who may be away from home and missing their own pets.

“I think it provides comfort to students, especially students that are away from home for the first time,” Cifuentes said. “Playing with Sunny and interacting with him kind of brings a sort of comfort from home that they’re not able to get on a daily basis.”

Events such as Meet the Dogs give students an opportunity to interact with officers in a setting that is less focused on enforcement and more focused on conversation and community.

For the canine handlers, events like “Meet Your Canine Officers” give students a chance to see the dogs work while learning more about the people behind the police department.

“We’re not just here to patrol or to enforce laws,” Cifuentes said. “We’re part of the community, and we want to share a little bit about ourselves and our canine unit with everybody.”

The event gave students a chance to see another side of CSUN Police while learning about the canine program. For the department, the dogs provide more than support during police work; they also create opportunities for officers and students to interact and build connections across campus. You can meet these friendly canines around CSUN or at their next event.

Jazmine Valerio, a CSUN student majoring in child development with a minor in psychology, said she joined InterVarsity as a freshman after looking for a Bible study group and a community where she could learn more about her faith.

Instead, Valerio became increasingly isolated and distressed by her experiences with the group.

“I want my story to be heard because I am tired of it being pushed away,” Valerio said. “I want what I went through to be known. I am tired of hiding and keeping it a secret.”

Invited by an InterVarsity leader in the dorms, Valerio’s first night at a Bible study was also the first time she felt unsafe.

That night, Valerio mentioned that she was autistic and on the spectrum. A male student approached her and said he was autistic as well. She recalls him saying that they should get together the rest of the night.

“He kept on trying to hold my hand and he just would not leave me alone,” Valerio said. “The entire night, he was talking about how he wants to marry me, how we’re going to travel the world together, how we’re going to go to Disney together.”

As she tried to return to her dorm, Valerio said the male student followed her. She alleged that he grabbed her, pressed his groin against her, put his nose against her neck and wrapped his arms around her.

“I slapped him and I ran,” Valerio said.

She later told people in the group what had happened but felt dismissed. Some people, she said, suggested that because the male student is also autistic, he “doesn’t know any better.” Others told her the attention might be her “one chance at love.”

Sam Rizk, InterVarsity’s area ministry director, said in a written response that the organization had addressed concerns involving a male student who made female students uncomfortable.

“When we were informed that a male student was making female students feel uncomfortable,” Rizk said. “We acted quickly to confront the student, who subsequently left the group.”

He did not identify the student or say whether he was referring to the incident Valerio described.

“If a student discloses that they have been assaulted, our consistent practice is to support their decision to file a report with the police or university officials,” Rizk said.

Valerio filed a Title IX report with CSUN but felt dissatisfied with the response. She was interviewed and provided information about the incidents but had not received a substantive update about allegations involving the male student.

Valerio said after she told the Bible study leader about the alleged harassment, she was discouraged from reporting.

“Jazmine, we don’t want to ruin his life,” Valerio said the Bible study leader told her. “‘He’s autistic. He doesn’t know any better. If he goes to the police, it will ruin his life.’”

Valerio also alleged that a female Bible-study participant pressured her into unwanted sexual conduct and threatened to accuse her of transphobia if she refused. Valerio said she was afraid to report the incident because she feared being rejected by the group.

Her concerns intensified during a May 2025 retreat on Catalina Island.

Valerio said she had stopped taking antidepressants, alleging the InterVarsity members told her medication conflicted with faith and that God should heal her depression.

“I felt so depressed. I felt so anxious,” Valerio said.

The retreat centers largely around Bible study. Students are separated into groups, with about six hours of study each day, along with worship services and free time for water activities at the waterfront campsite.

At the retreat, Valerio claims to have disclosed suicidal thoughts to a leader, but says the leader dismissed her statements, framing the crisis as a spiritual challenge and urging her to apologize to others in the group.

“I told her that I had a plan, how to end my life,” Valerio said. “She said, ‘I don’t believe you. You’re a coward if you do that.’”

Police were later called and she was transported from Catalina Island for psychiatric help.

Rizk said Intervarsity treats suicidal ideation seriously and trains staff to seek professional assistance.

“When students disclose suicidal ideation, our training and practice is to encourage them to seek immediate support from a mental health professional,” Rizk said. “In situations where a student is in imminent jeopardy, we bring them to a hospital for a voluntary or involuntary psychiatric evaluation.”

Valerio said one of the Intervarsity leaders then called her while she was hospitalized and asked what she was telling her therapist, including whether she had discussed the Bible study and people in the group.

She said she informed her therapist about the call.

“Why is she asking you these questions?” Valerio recalled her doctor saying. “It’s not her business. This is a place for you to heal.”

The same leader, according to Valerio, continued contacting her after she left the hospital, calling about once a week for approximately a month and asking her to attend the meeting with the people she said had harmed her. Valerio said she was told the meeting was intended to help them become friends, reconcile and bring her back to Bible study.

Rizk states InterVarsity would not discuss a student’s mental health diagnosis with others unless “it was an emergency situation requiring immediate action.” He said that after Valerio indicated she no longer wanted contact with the group, the organization ended formal outreach.

He also said InterVarsity supports students who take prescribed medication.

“There is no shame in taking medication,” Rizk said.

Valerio continues to avoid areas of the dorm complex where Bible studies meet and has sought therapy outside the university.

“Most of the time, the Bible studies are held in the dorms and that’s where I run into them. I find out what day they are meeting and I don’t go near the dorms,” Valerio said. “I pay to live in the dorms, but I can’t go near an area because I’m scared of running into them. It’s not fair to me.”

Valerio said she hopes speaking publicly will prompt greater accountability from InterVarsity and ensure other students feel safe raising concerns. “You don’t have to believe me,” Valerio said, “but I want my story to be heard.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated from its original version to remove names pending an on-going investigation. This issue was fixed on Oct. 6, 2026.

The victims have been identified by their families, though the LAPD have not officially released their names. 

Taking place Sunday, Oct. 4, two days after the incident, the vigil was scheduled by the Artist Lounge owner, Irene Ajemyan-Lake and held at the same venue where the tragedy occurred. 

According to a post from the Valley Views SFV Instagram account Lewis’s family made a statement disapproving of the vigil being hosted by the Artist Lounge, and discouraged people from attending the event. 

“These efforts do not represent our family or our wishes,” they said. “We ask the public not to attend this vigil or donate to this fundraiser under the belief that either has our family’s support.”

While the event was happening in the venue, many gathered around candles arranged in the shape of a “K” and “J” marking two memorial shrines located around the south side of the building on the second floor.

The vigil service began around 6:30 p.m., and was led by Pastor Adin Aguilon from Iglesia Cristiana Renacer (Ranecer Christian Church). The Renacer church band played two songs on keyboard and cajón. 

An excerpt from John 13:31-35 was read by a family member. Aguilon emphasized the urgency for love in these difficult times. 

“When tragedy happens, we have a choice; we can call to hate to divide us, or we can call to love to bring us together.” Aguilon said.

The floor was opened up for friends and family to speak to honor the victims. Kimberly’s mother, Mildred Pastor, was the first to speak. She shared with the attendees of the vigil her daughter’s dreams.

“She was a student, and her grades were really good. She was gonna go to university out here, or she was gonna join the military,” Mildred said. 

She also shared that her daughter left behind an almost 2-year-old child. 

“The baby yesterday was sleeping, and when I went to tell the other grandma what happened the baby was asking, ‘Mamí! Mamí!,’” Mildred said. 

Jasmine Garza, Kimberly’s best friend shared a message directly for the facility.

“I know that the owner is here, and I would hope that moving forward, any events that would be had in this facility would be something that you all take as a lesson learned,” Garza said. “I don’t know what the protocol was that would lead to have a firearm accessible where there were young– youth and adults in this facility.”

When speaking at the vigil, Ajemyan-Lake shared her stance on the incident.

“I am gonna do my best to make amends for what happened, we tried to make this a fun event for the youngsters that were here and things got out of control” Ajemyan-Lake said.

The families are encouraging whoever is culpable or anyone who has any information to share it with the police and the families.

The families of Jaydin Lewis and Kimberly Pastor started GoFundMe pages to help cover their funeral costs and burial expenses. 

In their GoFundMe statement, Lewis’ family wrote, “He was a beloved twin, brother, grandson, and nephew who brought joy to everyone around him. Our family is heartbroken by this sudden loss.”

In her GoFundMe statement, Pastor’s mother, Mildred Pastor, wrote, “She also leaves behind her 2-year-old son, who now has to grow up without his mother. Kimberly was a young mother with so much life ahead of her. She was attending school, loved reading books, and was working toward building a better future for herself and her son.”

Editor’s note: This article was last updated at 12:41 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026.

Tanter was the Lakers’ public address (PA) announcer for 43 years, and many fans know him as the “soundtrack to Lakers games at the arena”. 

Tanter holds the record for the most seasons served as PA announcer for 1 team. He was known as “LT” to Lakers fans and called out lineups, players getting subbed, fouls and scores. With 43 seasons as the PA announcer, Tanter experienced 10 championships with the Lakers and many generations of Laker players, from the Showtime Lakers to the current dynasty that took home the NBA title in 2020. 

For CSUN sophomore Genesis Lemen, Tanter’s voice was part of what made attending a Lakers game different from watching one at home, especially since Lemen had the opportunity to meet Tanter, remembering how his voice filled the arena and drew fans into the action on the court. 

“You feel like you’re brought into the game, because his voice makes you feel like you’re in the game,” Lemen said, “His voice would grab the attention of the people…people recognized him for his voice.” 

After his passing, the Lakers issued a tribute to him, stating that he became a staple with the Lakers franchise and will be remembered as a member of the Lakers family forever.

Although Lemen was able to hear Tanter speak during games, Jivon Galstian, a junior communications major at CSUN, knew of Tanter. Galstian watches the NBA, but didn’t know that Tanter had been with the Lakers for so long. 

“You gotta love what you do,” Galstain said. “Doing it for 4 decades… that is like forty years, so you gotta love what you do if you’re doing it for that long.”

Learning about Tanter’s 43-year career showed the dedication behind his longtime role with the Lakers. Galstain mentioned how a familiar voice can become something fans expect to hear during games. 

“You get used to the same voice, like hearing that same voice,” Galstian said. “Whenever your favorite player hits a shot, like Austin Reaves or Kobe Bryant, you expect to hear that same voice; that same reaction.” 

When Tanter retired in June, Laker Governor Jeanie Buss credited him with connecting generations of Lakers fans, players, coaches and staff through his voice. Buss said Tanter had become an integral part of the Lakers game day experience during his more than 4 decades with the organization.

Tanter was known for many things besides court-side announcements. The Lakers and the experience of their game days became inseparable from him. Tanter took the job and transformed it into something that was iconic, leaving behind a great legacy and more than just his last announcement.

“As they arrived, two gunshots were heard, possibly three, and the partygoers came running out of the party, and officers went inside, [and] found two deceased individuals,” said Supervising Homicide Detective Gabriel Bucknell.

The victims have been identified as 18-year-old Jaydin Lewis and 19-year-old Kimberly Pastor by their relatives and family members who attended the vigil Sunday night. LAPD has not officially confirmed the victims’ names and continues to referred to them as an 18-year-old Black man and 19-year-old Hispanic woman.

Amidst the chaos, the shooter was able to get away and has yet to be found.

Officers began to detain over a dozen people that were fleeing the scene in order to question them about the situation. The individuals detained were in zip ties lined up all around the plaza as tensions began to settle with the shooter still not identified.

“No suspects at the time, we’re reviewing video footage at this time, and no motive,” said Bucknell.

With the shooting being so close to campus, nearby apartment residents felt especially fearful that the shooter would run and hide nearby or inside of their complexes.

Ethan Maldonado, a third year student at CSUN and a resident at the Campus Crossing apartment complex just around the corner from University Plaza, was in shock when he found out about the situation.

“I found out about the shooting from my friend’s group chat,”  said Maldonado. “I wasn’t at home, which it’s like a two minute walk from where the shooting happened…that kind of worried me because it was so close to my apartment and I knew people were at my spot just hanging out.”

The close proximity to campus also adds the possibility of CSUN students being in attendance during this incident.

“I know a lot of people are gonna feel unsafe coming to school next week because of the situation,” said Maldonado. “It really sucks cause I don’t know this, but there’s probably a bunch of students that went to that party and yeah, I just it sucks what happened.”

The Artist Lounge announced on its Instagram that it will hold a vigil on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 6 p.m., in remembrance of the victims and in support of those affected. 

In the statement posted on their Instagram Sunday morning, Artist Lounge wrote, “Enough tragedies. Enough loss. Our hearts are with the victims and their families.”

Irene Ajemyan-Lake, founder and program director of Artist Lounge, has also created a GoFundMe fundraiser to provide additional support for the victims’ families and aid in the Artist Lounge’s recovery.

In the GoFundMe statement, Ajemyan-Lake wrote, “We are grieving. We are hurting. But we also believe that our community can come together with compassion and support for the families who have suffered an unimaginable loss.”

Editor’s note: This article was last updated at 11:21 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Blake Fagan

LAPD officers work at the scene after a shooting at the Artist Lounge late last night in Northridge, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026.