By Camas Frank

Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo once again have a connection to a story making national headlines; this time in the wake of tragedy.
Kathryn Steinle, who graduated from Cal Poly in 2009, is being remembered as a young woman who loved to travel, dance, and above all, who dedicated her life to making the world a better place.
The circumstances of her death have become a lightning rod for both those seeking stricter immigration enforcement, decrying the notion of “Sanctuary Cities” like San Francisco and those looking for tighter gun control.
The San Francisco Police Department and prosecutors say that Steinle, 32, was shot on July 1 without provocation while walking along Pier 14 near the San Francisco Ferry Building with her family.
The suspect they’ve charged is identified as a 45-year-old Mexican national, in the country illegally who had been deported five previous times and on a current federal ICE detainer order for deportation, which the San Francisco authorities refused to honor.
The implicit argument of political organizations like “American Immigration Reform” is that, had local authorities done their jobs, Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez would never have been free to commit the shooting.
Likewise, gun control advocates took the news of another senseless violent death to champion stricter access and background check regulations, summed up in a statement released by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi in the week after the tragedy.
That connection is much less clear. The gun in question was reported stolen from an U.S. Bureau of Land Management ranger, whose vehicle was broken into while on official travel in San Francisco. It was never sold through any kind of system for which gun control regulations would have had an impact.
Politics and talking points though are not how Kathryn Stieinle’s family wants her to be remembered. At least not for those causes which she did not champion in her lifetime.  Her co-workers at the medical device company Medtronic have been fundraising on the ‘Give Forward’ and ‘Go Fund Me’ crowd funding websites, money which her family will use to offset funeral costs and direct towards issues that were, “close to Kate’s heart.”
There are two specific charities listed on the Go Fund Me page at: www.gofundme.com/y2aneaw.
Steinle’s brother Brad, writes that donations can be made through the memorial site or directly in to the Challenged Athlete’s Foundation or the PAWS: Performing Animal Welfare Society.
The day before her death, Brad Steinle said, his sister wrote on Facebook, “Whatever’s good for your soul……….do that.”
The day after Steinle’s funeral, Cal President, Jeffery Armstrong, issued the following statement through the University’s Alumni network:
“Many of you have seen the news about the terrible shooting incident on a San Francisco pier earlier this month that took the life of Kathryn Steinle. Kate was a Cal Poly alumna having graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies in 2009.
“We have connected with Kate’s family to express sympathy on behalf of the entire Cal Poly community, and they feel the support of our Mustang family. Kate’s father spoke of the ‘Kate effect.’ Like so many of our alumni, Kate lived a life that was one dedicated to making our world a better place.
“We are proud of how she carried on the values of Cal Poly beyond her time in San Luis Obispo.”
Armstrong continues, “Many of you have asked about how you can express your sympathy and support to Kate’s family. The Cal Poly Alumni Association is encouraging you to visit this memorial site, which honors Kate’s legacy and promotes the positive values and qualities that defined her way of life. Her family has also established the Kate Steinle Legacy & Family Fund to support the causes that were close to Kate’s heart.”