Volume 77, Issue 9 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, November 6, 2019 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
ELAC learns about president selection New president to be selected by July Staff Writer By July 2020, East Los Angeles College will have a new president or one will be close to being chosen by a selection committee that’s yet to be established. Francisco C. Rodriguez, Los Angeles Community College District chancellor, hosted a town hall meeting on Monday to inform the ELAC community on the selection process. There were few students present at the meeting. Now, ELAC administrators have three weeks to probe the community if they choose to do so. Once the selection committee is established, all decisions will fall to it, Rodriguez and the LACCD Board of Trustees, with no further community input. The committee will be established by December and consist of two faculty members appointed by the academic senate, two appointed by the American Federation of Teachers Faculty Guild, two appointed by the AFT College Staff Guild, one appointed by non-AFT classified employees and a student representative appointed by the Associated Student Union. The committee will also include two academic administrators, two community representatives and at least one administrator from a department not already represented on the committee. 125 Rodriguez said selecting the 100
“What I’d like to see is a president that communicates and nurtures a culture of collaboration so we can focus on the most importan thing, which is our students.” WENDY MACIAS
General Counselor
unrepresented administrator is his responsibility. He said he decides on one or more depending if there is a lack of representation on the committee, whether that be a lack of representation of gender or of a particular discipline. Rodriguez said he expects up to 70 candidates lining up to fill the position, which is among the highest paying college president positions in the state. “There’s a competitive salary attached, but notice how I mentioned that last. I might be biased, but I believe smart people like to solve complex things. LACCD is a complex thing. I can speak from experience,” he said. “We’ve made improvements, but to this day you can still extrapolate completion based on ethnicity, race, income and zip code, which I’d
Event updates immigrant community
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argue is tied to income. That has to change. There’s no better district to help make that change than LACCD and no better jewel in the district than East LA.” Rodriguez said one of the new president’s biggest challenges will be helping with the transition to Guided Pathways education models Guided Pathways are education models which aim to streamline students’ college experience by reducing the number of remedial classes required. California is among the last states to adopt Guided Pathways. “Sometimes a president will only talk to his team, and it doesn’t trickle down. Some of us on other levels don’t get the messages.” Wendy Macias, general counselor, said. “What I’d like to see is a president that communicates and nurtures a culture of collaboration, so we can focus on the most important thing, which is our students.” Macias and other counselors said they want a president that’s open to discussing offering services like food vouchers for students in need. The position of ELAC president will be made as enticing as possible by its administration and LACCD ,which will attract candidates from across the country, some of which won’t have any familiarity with ELAC. Rodriguez said the pool of candidates will likely consist of college presidents, vice presidents, college district administrators and some private sector administrators.
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BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer
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0 Non-Hormonal Birth Control Methods
Intrauterine Contraceptive (IUC) Internal Condom Withdrawal Spermicide Cervical Cap
PHOTO BY IVAN CAZARES, PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY STEVEN ADAMO
BY IVAN CAZARES
Diaphragm with spermicide Contraceptive Sponge
External Condom Fertility Awareness meta-chart.com CN/STEVEN ADAMO
SAFETY FIRST—The chart above lists non-hormonal birth control methods and their efectiveness against pregnancies.
Planned Parenthood helps prepare Elans BY MELODY ORTIZ Staff Writer The Health Center partnered with Planned Parenthood Pasedena San Gabiel Valley to kick off a three-day sex education series by spreading awareness and information on the different types of birth control yesterday. Mary Lou Mercado and Stef Lynch of Planned Parenthood set up a booth in the East Los Angeles College quad to answer questions to curious passersby. They passed out pamphlets and flyers about birth control and safe sex. A Planned Parenthood chart informed readers on the types of birth control, how to use them, side effects, effectiveness, benefits and whether or not they can protect against sexually transmitted infections. The chart divided methods up into three categories: hormonal, nonhormonal and permanent methods. Mercado said it is hard to gage which methods are the most popular. “It’s really consulting with the doctor and seeing what’s the best fit,” she said. “For someone who is, for example, really really forgetful, the pill may not be the best fit because you have to remember to take that every single day.” She also said side effects are different depending on the person and their method. “The only birth control that’s specific to weight gain is the depo shot,” Mercado said. She said the injection doesn’t necessarily make someone gain weight, it just gives
them a bigger appetite. Methods that are 99% effective are the implant, the hormonal intrauterine contraceptive (IUC or IUD), the non-hormonal IUC, vasectomy and tubal sterilization. The only method that is 100% effective at preventing pregnancy is abstinence, and the only two methods that protect against STIs are internal and external condoms. A Planned Parenthood pamphlet titled What You Should Know About Safer Sex said that the top three important things to know about safer sex is that it helps protect against STIs, the best way to practice it is to use barriers (condoms for intercourse and dental dams for oral sex) and it’s important to talk to one’s partner about safer sex. The booth had a wheel for people to spin and test their knowledge on the category it landed on. Lynch said they like to come to ELAC at least once a month, last month being for an LGBTQ+ support booth. The Health Center will hold a sound bath meditation event today from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the G3 foyer. Its last event will be a short-film screening and open dialogue on the topic of mental health from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room, where food will be provided. The Health Center is located in F5-302 and the number for the center is (323) 265-8651. Anyone who would like more information on birth control and Planned Parenthood can visit pppsgv.org or call (626) 798-7266.
Updates on rapidly-changing immigration laws were given Tuesday for the “Know Your Rights” event, hosted by East Los Angeles College along with local groups. The presentation focused on four major topics, Special Immigration Juvenile Status, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Public Charge and how Marijuana can affect the Immigration process. Judy London, Directing Attorney for Public Counsel Law Center’s Immigrants’ Rights Project and one of the speakers of the event, said education is power and is saddened that most immigrants currently being deported are young adolescents who are not aware of their rights. London emphasized the importance for young immigrants to apply for SlJS assistance and said that those granted SIJS have a path to become a legal resident and then a U.S. citizen. “This process can take 3 to 5 years for the individual to become eligible for legal residency in the United States,” London said. In order for a juvenile to qualify, London said, he or she must file their SJJS petition with the juvenile court and must be admissible. Under SIJS, if a person applied and is denied, that person is still able to stay in the United States without deportation. If Donald Trump’s
petition passes, deportation can become possible. Students who were a part of DACA before September 2017 are still able to renew for another two years. At the moment, first time applicants are still blocked. Many DACA students haven’t reapplied. Next Tuesday, the Supreme Court will decide if DACA will continue or not. The 800-page Public Charge rule is currently in court and is being reviewed. If passed, public benefits such as WIC, Section 8 housing, food stamps and MediCal could all go in the category of public charge. In terms of legal marijuana in California, it is still an illegal drug according to the federal law, so use for immigrants is strict. Marijuana use is risky, not just for undocumented immigrants, but also green card and residential immigrants. It can not only lead to deportation, but if convicted, won’t be able to come to the United States legally. London said that many immigrants are currently afraid with all the new law changes, but said they do not need to stop the use of Food Stamps, Section 8 and some other services. If the person was previously receiving these benefits, it will not count against them in the Public Charge. “Be very careful and aware who you seek help from. Obtain consultation and referrals from reputable legal service organizations,” said London. According to Luis Perez,
Esq., Legal Services Director for CHIRLA, there has been ten million applications total since it started and encourages everyone who is currently benefiting from DACA to renew now. “DACA is not permanent, and you must renew it every two years while it is still available,” said Perez. Student immigrants that are in high school and middle school would not be able to apply with all these new DACA updates and changes. To bring awareness to this matter, Central America Resource Centers are promoting a national walkout on Nov. 12 for all students in both high school and middle school who are denied their right to apply. Because of the fear and unfamiliarity of these changes, only 14 percent of immigrants currently enrolled in DACA have reapplied, even though it will be expiring in February. The CARECEN representative mentioned an allocation of $5 million to help immigrants with the application fee when initially applying for DACA. The existing cost for renewal applicants is $465 dollars.
Contributors: Johana Perez Jonathan Soto Myra Pereyra
News Briefs Correction
In last week’s issue of Campus News, Raymond Nava was not credited for his contribution in “Law Day advises, informs students about legal resources.”
Disability Awareness Day
The Disabilities Support Program and Services Dept. will hold an open house in E1-160 on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Flag Raising
CN/STEVEN ADAMO
THE RIGHT STUFF—Judy London, directing attorney, Immigrants Rights Project, and Luis
A. Perez, Esq., CHIRLA legal service director answered one-on-one questions after the “Know Your Rights”event.
The Veterans Resource Center will hold a flag raising ceremony and luncheon in the ELAC Garden on Thursday at noon.
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OPINION
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019
Contaminated water threatens California homes BY ALEJANDRO AMBRIZ Staff Writer Widespread contamination of water throughout California wells could pose a health risk for residents as the state of California has failed to properly address the issue and has taken a slow initiative. Chemicals that have been widely used since the ’40s in manufacturing and household goods have seeped in to public water supply. Among the chemicals found in testing that the California’s State Water Resources Control Board conducted in over 600 wells earlier this year, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl, also known as PFAS, were detected. The contamination reaches all of California with clusters of contaminated wells in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Water goes through several sources before reaching the tap, meaning the chemicals might be diluted. California’s Water Board released in their October report that the city of Los Angeles did not detect the chemicals in its water, but the city of Glendale did. Anaheim has taken action and has shut down three of its drinking wells this year in response to the presence of chemicals. The majority of information that is available on the contaminated water comes from news outlets and not the state. California doesn’t even require utilities to inform customers if PFAS are found at any level of a water supply, nor do they require water systems to shut down.
A law that takes effect in January will make these voluntary steps mandatory. It is concerning that the state has not up until this point required water companies to notify clients of issues with contamination. For a state as abundant in resources as California, communication should be the least of worries.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Melody Ortiz MANAGING EDITOR Andrew Ayala
The contamination reaches all of California with clusters of contaminated wells in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties It is necessary for the state to crack down on companies such as San Gabriel Water Company and California American Water because otherwise, residents are at their mercy, as is the case with Orange County. For Orange County, the district traced the contamination back to its water treatment plants in Riverside and San Bernardino, which provides for the county’s groundwater basin. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Water District Executive Director Jason Dadakis said, “If the chemicals spread and the district is forced to
ART DIRECTOR Steven Adamo ONLINE EDITOR Adam Robles FRONT EDITORS Luis Castilla Sonny Tapia
OPINION EDITOR Cher Antido NEWS EDITOR Juan Calvillo
clean, residents will see as much as a 15 percent increase in their water bills.” Residents shouldn’t have to bear the cost of something that is not their fault. Water companies need to fix the issue with their funds as residents are already paying taxes. California is a heavily populated state and produces a lot of taxes, most significantly personal income tax. According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Gross Domestic Product for California was three trillion dollars for 2018. The state also reported a nine
billion dollar surplus for the 2018-2019 California Spending Plan. With a high GDP and extra money in the budget, Californians should see that revenue go back into its infrastructure. Yet, a Los Angeles Times analysis has found that California has 21 contaminated bases, the most than any other state. The State Water Resources Control Board has begun to develop maximum levels for PFAS chemicals found in the contaminated wells, but there are thousands of variants. If some are
detected, others surely won’t. It’s difficult to regulate a class of chemicals this large, but it’s definitely a step California needs to take. Residents who are concerned their water might be contaminated should contact their water provider. The 600 plus wells that were tested and were deemed a high risk included airports and places that previously tested positive. Residents should not be concerned if they cant find any information as the state will be conducting tests over the next few months in what will be a costly and lengthy fix.
2020 election ads fly off Twitter BY MICHAEL DOMINGUEZ Staff Writer
Daylight saving time disrupts circadian rhythm
CN/IVANA AMARAL
BY MARIANA MONTOYA Staff Writer The government needs to stop playing with our time. Setting a formal standard time can really help individuals mentally and physically throughout the day. Daylight saving time has both pros and cons to it. One of the pros is that the sun rises later, making the day longer, which promotes more outdoor activities. Some of the cons are that we lose an hour of sleep and there are higher health risk problems. One of the biggest things I realized was that I would not want to constantly switch the time around because it always messes with my internal clock, and I am sure many feel the same way. The government should at least set a formal time frame where we can all enjoy good amounts of daylight and nighttime. The start of daylight saving time is often linked to different health issues such as strokes and heart attacks, and the end of it links to seasonal depression. So what is the point of even having a time change? “You know I always feel sad (at) the start of November because I feel like the days are shorter,” East www.ELACCampusNews.com
Los Angeles College student Maria Sanchez said. Not everyone transitions in the same manner. Some people rejoice that an extra hour of sleep is added to their schedules, but others hate that they don’t get to enjoy enough of the sunlight. The lack of a longer day, or sometimes even the cold, can make people cranky. On the contrary, the lack of an extra hour of sleep can really cause harm in a person’s health. In both the start and the end of daylight saving time, individuals experience some sort of health problems. According to a 2016 Danish study published in the Epidemiology journal,“The transition from summer time to standard time was associated with an increase in the incidence rate of unipolar depressive episodes. Distress associated with the sudden advancement of sunset, marking the coming of a long period of short days, may explain this.” Doctors usually recommend to start transitioning early on to be able to prevent any of these health problems from developing, but not many people actually take the recommendations. “If I am being honest I rarely take the time to find out when the time change is occurring, I usually find out the day before,” Sanchez said. Others argue that productivity
does increase during daylight saving time. For many, myself included, daylight saving time promotes a more active lifestyle than during the end of it. This is not only because of the time change, but because my body is not always well adjusted to adding or subtracting an hour to my schedule, and I get to enjoy the sun fully. It takes at least two weeks for my body to fully adjust. Yet, the perks of it all is that sleep quality can improve during this time because the night becomes longer. According to a report in ABC 7 “Circadian biologists believe ill health effects from daylight saving time result from a mismatch among the sun “clock,” our social clock — work and school schedules — and the body’s internal 24-hour body clock.” My schedule often times also experiences adjustment. This helps create a successful transition, allowing me to feel less moodier throughout the day. There are many other reasons as to why the end of daylight saving time is successful for people, but there are also many reasons why it does not work out. Regardless, it depends on the person, but having a set time can be more useful for all.
Twitter has decided to ban political ads for the 2020 election due to false and fake ads people create for campaign runners. What Twitter is doing is great, because it ensures a fair election. Many people use Twitter to look for news, sports and entertainment. While doing that, it is a quick scroll and a quick read by the people they follow. Many people can easily believe ads are created by the candidates themselves, which may cause harm to those running for president or a role in government. Twitter users follow those that are of human interest, mainly celebrities with millions of followers, have a verification check on their usernames to tell their followers it’s their real account. The same goes for the people
in government. Their pages may be used to inform their supporters where the next campaign rally is going to be, or promote a cause they believe in and spread the word to their followers. But many people create fake profiles with the same picture and the same name. The only difference in their usernames may only be a letter off or an added number. People may not notice it and think it’s actually a paid ad from the person they are supporting in an election. During the 2017 election, these fake ads and pages hurt candidate Hilary Clinton’s campaign with fake links to documents that Clinton was supposedly linked to. In the article “The Fake Americans Russia Created to Influence the Election,” it explained the leaks that were posted on Facebook and created by a fake page that looked real. The profile picture and the bio on the account seem real, but it was a fake page created by the Russians. Facebook believed they had stopped the account called Kremlin that paid $100,000 in ads. There was even a hashtag called #WarAgainstDemocrats that was used over 1,700 times on Twitter. Twitter ’s CEO Jack Dorsey presented a thread on why he has applied this rule. In one tweet, he wrote, “Internet political ads present entirely new challenges to civic discourse: machine learningbased optimization of messaging and micro-targeting, unchecked misleading information, and deep fakes. All at increasing velocity, sophistication, and overwhelming scale.” Meanwhile, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s response was that “political speech is important.” Zuckerberg told congress in October politicians have the right to free speech on Facebook. Facebook has not changed their ways of fact-checking and promoting ads Twitter is doing the right thing protecting politicians and those who support them. People want a fair and clean election when picking a new leader to run the country.
FEATURE EDITOR Maria Marroquin Monroy ARTS EDITOR Gustavo Buenrostro SPORTS EDITORS Michael Dominguez CARTOONIST Ivana Amaral COPY EDITORS Ivan Cazares Stephanie Guevara STAFF WRITERS Noe Ortega, Vicky Nguyen, Mariana Montoya, Melisa Valenzuela, Miguel Dominguez, Russell Navarette, Jonathan Bermudez, Johanna Rodriguez, Christopher De Leon, Julie Santiago, Simon Cabral, Alejandro Ambriz, Kelly Vasquez ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Gustavo Buenrostro Julie Santiago ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez Campus News encourages letters to the editor relating to campus issues. Letters must be typed and double spaced. Submitted material becomes the property of Campus News and cannot be returned. Letters should be limited to 300 words or less. Campus News reserves the right to edit letters for grammatical errors or libelous content. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers must sign submissions and print their names and a phone number where they can be reached. Letters should be addressed to the editor of Campus News. Submissions can be made at the mailroom in building E1 or the Journalism department office in the Technology Center in E7-303. East Los Angeles College Campus News 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez E7-303 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (323) 265-8819, Ads (323) 265-8821 Fax (323) 415-4910 The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, offered under the East Los Angeles College Journalism program. The editorial and advertising materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The opinions expressed are exclusively those of the writer. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, East Los Angeles College, or any officer or employee thereof. PRINTING BY NEWS PUBLISHERS PRESS
News
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019
CN/JULIE SANTIAGO
TECHNICALLY A BUILDING—Sync, the structure pictured above, represents technology
with each point symbolizing an area on campus.
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CN/JULIE SANTIAGO
EVOLVING—Evolution of Art is architecture students’ interpretation of what the idea of art
would look like as a structure.
Architecture students construct living environments for sleep over BY LUIS CASTILLA Staff Writer Students slept under the stars during the East Los Angeles College Architecture Department Structure Sleepover in the quad Monday night. Environmental Design 102 students built their own living environments, which revolved around four themes: culture, science, art and technology.
Professional architects visited and critiqued the structures yesterday. The jury of critiques comprised Pablo Onate and Ron Hernandez, both ELAC alumni, and Bill Simonian, founder of the Southern California Institute of Architecture. The four structures each tie the different themes into their design. The structure that represents culture is called Reflections. “We were trying to bridge the cultures of the people on the campus,” Naomi Gonzalez, who worked on Reflections, said.
The inside of the structure is lined with mirrors, adding to the significance of the name. Gonzalez said the structure’s four points represent a compass. Science is represented by the structure called Ascend and resembles a jungle gym. Elijah Christenson, who worked on the structure, said one of the main themes his team incorporated into Ascend was childhood playfulness and community. Ascend is a cubic structure that features upward-spiraling sleeping
bunks. To reach higher bunks, a person must climb up the structure. “For us, play meant climbing,” Christenson said. “It’s an adult jungle gym that looks pretty.” Christenson said everyone sleeping in the structure has a clear view of the stars. The structure that represents technology is called Sync. Salvador Cardoso, who worked on Sync, said that each point on the structure represents one of the main entrances of different buildings on campus. The center represents the quad.
Cardoso said he felt accomplished and was excited about sleeping in his team’s structure. “When you lay inside, there’s no feeling to describe it,” Cardoso said. The structure that represents art is called Evolution of Art. Lawrence Anderson, who worked on this structure, said his group had to figure out what art is. “You have to take something abstract, like art, and put it into a physical form,” Anderson said. The structure has an open, butterfly-style roof.
Anderson said Evolution of Art has two entrances, each providing visitors with a different experience. The first entrance is a simple white sheet. The second is three sheets of thin colorful plastic. Anderson encouraged visitors to try both entrances so that they could feel the difference between the two. The structures will be on display in the quad until Thursday.
Trick or treat on ELAC campus
CN/MARIA MARROQUIN MONROY
CANTANDO LOS CLÅSSICOS—Selenamos band featuring Maya Murillo doing a take on Selena’s classic “I Could Fall In Love” at the 7th annual Day of the Dead celebration.
Selena celebrated on Day of the Dead BY MARIA MARROQUIN MONROY Staff Writer Grand Park’s 7th annual Day of the Dead celebration held its first Selena for Sanctuary free concert, featuring an all-female line-up along with their traditional altars all around the park. The performances by Los Angeles local bands and singers, such as Empress Of, San Cha, Ceci Bastida, Maya Murillo, August Eve and Loyal Lobo, made for a night filled with dance and good fun. Julia Diamond, interim director of Grand Park, presented the founders of Solidarity for Sanctuary Diana Diaz and Doriz Munoz. Solidarity for Sanctuary is a non-profit organization that helps immigrant families. “Our mission here at Grand Park is to honor, reflect and celebrate LA. I honestly can’t think of a better program to do that tonight,” Diamond said. Diaz said it was beautiful to see the community come together to connect with each other. “This started March of 2017, when our current administration threatened the Sanctuary title of our city and here we are in the heart of our city taking a stand and making a mental note to the universe and to everyone who is watching that we are standing in solidarity to fight for our sanctuary, which is our lindo Los Angeles,” Diaz said. Solidarity for Sanctuary was presented with a commendum for their work in the community by Hilda Solis, supervisor of the first district of Los Angeles County. “I just want people to know and recognize their power and to know that they can create change within their own community,” Diaz said. “We are very proud because it’s
great to see your friends thriving in making a difference in the community,” volunteer of Solidarity for Sanctuary Jeannette Diaz said. One of the biggest performances of the night was an indigenous dance by the students of Anahuacalmecac International University Preparatory of North America. The performance involved beating of drums and movement in unison of the performers. The interpretative dance was a protest against the belief that global warming does not exist. “The dance and Dia de los Muertos in general is about continuation and renewal in our ancestral practices,” Art and Design professor Jose Luis Gutierrez said. He said in addition to protesting climate change the dance is also an interpretation against domestic violence, especially against women, and trying to maintain the sustainability and being able to survive on earth. “We’re using this practice as a way of remembering people who have taken actions like being in marches and protests, like what we are trying to do here and fostering indigenous education,” Gutierrez said. Selenamos band along with Maya Murillo, more known as part of the popular internet sensation Mitu, sang a few tribute songs to Selena Quintanilla. Murillo’s interpretation of “I Could Fall in Love” moved people into swaying and singing along to the famous Selena lyrics. Maria Eugenia Pinzon and her family traveled from the San Fernando Valley to enjoy the concert together. “We heard about the event because my daughter follows Maya on Instagram,” Pinzon’s daughter,
Paloma Goyta said. “We always want to see everything about our traditions. You know sometimes it’s not possible to do it at home, but you try your best not to lose your roots in this country,” Pinzon said. “It’s important to have events like these because everyone is dancing. It’s great because kids, middle-aged people and seniors are dancing together and no one is judging,” she said. She said she’s been to events where she feels like, because of her age, people look at her a certain way, but not at this event. Other attendees like Elizabeth Cuencas, who has attended the event for the past four years, said she was excited to hear Yesika Salgado’s poetry first-hand because she’s been a fan of her work for a while. Salgado is an LA based Salvadoran poet who writes about her family, her culture, her city and her fat brown body. “This year the event not only showcased Day of the Dead altars, but singers and members of immigrant aid institutions. It definitely felt like the event was successful in featuring different aspects of the Mexican culture,” Cuencas said. A group of friends who met at a Latino Festival called Nali a few months ago attended the event because they said it makes them feel closer to their Latin heritage and culture. “It’s great because it brings exposure to our culture and the cool thing is that it isn’t just Mexicans or Latinos in attendance, but also Asian and white people,” Alexander Gonzales said. “It also helps you to find allies, the people supporting our community,” Caroline Salinas said.
CN/GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO
ALL THE CANDY—Parents and guardians lead children around to the booths where multiple
departments handed out treats for 2019’s Halloween parade.
CN/GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO
COSTUME MARCH—Costumed children move to the administration building to look for
more treats on the ELAC campus Thursday.
CN/GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO
INTO THE CANDYVERSE—Children from the Child Development Center go to the Bailey Library to grab candy from departments participating in the annual Halloween parade.
www.ELACCampusNews.com
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Environment
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019
Global Awareness conference speaks on worldwide water issues Keynote speaker raises awareness on water shortages BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer Water scarcity seems like only a third-world issue, but it affects more than two million United States citizens. The fourth annual East Los Angeles Global Awareness Conference covered multiple topics when it comes to water scarcity and how it affects most of the world. In an article Monday morning, Associated Press writer Martha Mendoza said “Canadians have been unwittingly exposed to high levels of lead in their drinking water.” The levels are higher than those found in the water in Flint, Michigan, both of these examples show that the entire world can be affected. Allen Coson, associate professor in Economics, and Norma Vega, professor in Modern Languages, were the co-chairs for the conference. The goal of the event was threefold according to Coson. The conference was aimed to accomplish a dialogue among those in attendance that would move from the local to the international level. The event was put on to create awareness of what humans do pertaining to the world around them. The final goal was to find solutions that were made to be long term, not short term, providing a positive future for those that would come along after the solutions were created. The keynote speaker for the convention
opening was George McGraw, the chief executive officer of DigDeep, a company informing on water poverty and helping create solutions to these situations. McGraw said that DigDeep was focused on creating a connection with communities that are affected by water issues and empower them to take charge of fixing the situations facing these communities. He said that the programs, “have to be theirs [community] more than yours.” McGraw said that when he first started DigDeep he was the perfect example of someone who thought that water problems were only in other parts of the world. Then a woman named Karen Reynolds opened his eyes to the worsening situation concerning water in the United States. McGraw said that he questioned what he was learning, “surely this isn’t a problem in my backyard.” After learning the truth, he began to work with the citizens of a first-world country who didn’t have access to clean water. In some cases they didn’t have running water at all. McGraw said that he focused on the Navajo Nation in the United States. The Navajo Nation covers an enormous piece of land that is spread over Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. In these areas of the United States 40% of the people on these reservations don’t have running water. McGraw said that many people within these communities had to
walk long distances to get drinkable water. McGraw gave an example of how water plays a crucial role in daily life, not just for the Navajo people, but people in general. Brenda Johnson lived in an area where there was no water security. Her husband was ill and living in the city away from the reservation. When she finally received clean water, she rushed into her house and started cooking tamales. McGraw said that she was cooking tamales to sell in order to pay for her husband to get back home. Johnson’s husbands infection had started because the family didn’t have clean water to dress his wounds. McGraw said that water is “the fuel that makes [the] world go around.” He said that the problem of water security and scarcity is one that can be solved. The situation in the Navajo Nation, and many areas in the rural United States, was a problem that the government should look into, McGraw said. The shortage of clean water is a huge red flag for climate change. About 87% of the Navajo Nations water spots were above ground and had dried up due to the changes in the climate. McGraw said that often when politicians hear about these situations they are in disbelief because it doesn’t make sense at times. He said people around the world who have access to clean water should try to understand the situation by doing a simple challenge.
Communities denied proper water access BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer Economic and racial factors in the United States create clean water disparities that can affect entire communities. Irwin Jimenez, assistant professor of sociology at East Los Angeles College, said that multiple factors feed into this situation and that there are also some ways to combat the issue. Jimenez said that in 2017, the United States posted results in a report that gave the drinking water in the US a “D” letter grade. According to the website www.InfrastructureReportCard. org, “The quality of drinking water in the United States remains high, but legacy and emerging contaminants continue to require close attention.” Jimenez said that 82 percent of states have found some type of contaminants in their water. With the continued deregulation done by the current Environmental Protection Agency, septic tanks are also beginning to be affected. Jimenez said that communities of low income and people of color disproportionately are affected by contamination. He used the example of Flint, Michigan and the Navajo reservations to show how communities can be affected by water impurities. Jimenez said that this situation is hitting home at ELAC. He said that the brand new building that will become the permanent campus for ELAC South Gate is having issues with land and water contamination. Before being selected as the area for the new campus the section of land in South Gate was home to the Firestone Company where they made tires. Jimenez said that now that construction has begun, some issues had to be addressed due to the remains of toxic chemicals in the air, land and water quality that Firestone left behind. Jimenez used the example of the Dakota Access pipeline protest to show what people have had to do in response to big business and corporate greed. He was highlighting the damage underrepresented people have been through and continue to go through. “We’re focusing our attention on that sort of economic gain rather than the livelihoods of the populations that are being affected by that economic gain,” Jimenez said.
Differing nations suffer similar water issues BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer
Humans consume microplastics constantly BY ANDREW AYALA Staff Writer Humans consume microplastics through the food eaten, the water drunk and the items used as part of a daily routine. Microplastics are smaller pieces of plastic that pollute the environment and are smaller than five millimeters in length. Students from Santa Monica College spoke about the effects these microplastics have on humans and their environment. They said that 3.95 trillion plastic bags are thrown out every year, 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the world’s beaches and 2 million pounds of plastic eating utensils are found in the ocean. “After the fish and sea animals, us humans consume microplastics through inhaling the particles in the air or also through eating items such as shellfish and oysters,” said Emily Bonilla, a second-year student at SMC. “Consumption in us humans ranges from about 32,000 to 52,000 particles annually. Those numbers do spike up if you include the inhalation of the air… Here in California, about 33% of our oysters
in our markets have microplastic particles inside of them.” These particles are said to go through our system and out our waste. Bonilla said that if the microplastics are small enough, they can go into tissues and cause immune reactions or release toxic substances in the human body. Some of the toxic chemicals can interfere with hormones and reduce fertility rates. Aleks Ekelund, a freshman student at SMC began naming solutions and other forms of plastic that can help reduce these particles from being consumed. “Instead of making plastic out of petroleum, we can make plastics out of plants and this is the basis for those kind. PLA (polylactides) plastics are made out of sugar that we extract from corn and sugarcane, while PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates) plastics are made of microorganisms,” said Ekelund. She said that people must still recycle those because although they lower emissions, they can still be harmful to the environment if not disposed of properly because they still take hundreds of years to decompose.
Additional resources:
The Helen Miller Bailey Library at ELAC has two new databases for researching environmental issues. Visit http://library.elac.edu and click on “Find Articles,” then scroll down to GreenFile or GREENR (Global Reference on the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources).
Having no natural sources of water, both Los Angeles and Mexico City have to use water systems to get their citizens water. In Los Angeles the LA Aqueduct is used, while in Mexico City the Lerma-Cutzamala system is used. Kelly Figueroa, a member of the political science club at East Los Angeles College, and Artemio Reyes talked about the ways these water systems affect the populations of their respective cities when they work, and when they do not. Figueroa said that early on the LA river area was an area that could be flooded. She said that the reason the city became limited in its water options is because of the Los Angeles river. Figueroa said that the most recent flood to date was the 1938 river flood. This flood killed more than a hundred people and was the result of five days of rainfall. She said that after this flood, the people of LA wanted to make the city into a great metropolitan area. Figueroa said that William Mulholland was responsible for creating the infrastructure and the aqueduct system for the city. The LA river was recreated as a drainage system. This change to the river pushed Mulholland to find new resources for LA to get water from. Figueroa said that this caused a water war to erupt. Figueroa said that as of now, some people have easy access to groundwater, and that most have to rely on either the public water system or private water systems. Public water systems are managed by local or state governments and try to comply with the rules for safe water. Private water systems are not subject to these restrictions or regulated as much. Reyes said that Mexico City was built over a lake and is currently divided into 16 districts, and more than half live in poverty. The district of Cuauhtémoc is just one of the districts that is prone to flooding. Reyes said that researchers have called Mexico City a hydraulic
paradigm. This means that during some seasons, sections of the city suffer from floods while others go without water. Reyes said that the government tried to change that by creating water systems that moved water from the south section of the city to the northern parts. Unfortunately, this move has simply made it so that now, the northern sections get flooded while the southern sections go without water. Mexico City also relies on a series of groundwater aquifers that provide water for the city. Some of these aquifers are now reaching dangerous levels of over use, and this has caused the city to begin sinking.
The solution for water shortage is the Lerma-Cutzamala water system. Reyes said that the water source is in Michoacán and this water system was the cheapest and easiest way to move water to Mexico City. Figueroa said that making changes can help the water situation not only in Los Angeles but on the ELAC campus. She said that a petition is trying to be cleared to have the campus fitted with water fill up stations. This would help with giving students the option of getting refillable containers to store water and do away with the need for reusable water bottles on campus.
Expert warns community on potential Los Angeles flooding BY IVAN CAZARES Staff Writer Los Angeles residents are accustomed to the occasional earthquake drill but likely don’t consider flooding a real threat, something that can prove disastrous, Humberto Gallegos said. Gallegos, an East Los Angeles College professor, spoke during a conference focused on social issues related to water on Friday in E3. He shared the work of ELAC students who conducted a case study of the Baldwin Hills dam break in 1963. The students work included a computer- generated simulator which was also used to simulate future floods including, a plausible flood along the northern part of the Los Angeles river. There are 11 dams managed by Los Angeles County, two of which, the Pardo dam in Riverside County and Whittier Narrows Dam, have have been categorized as “high urgency” by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, meaning they are in need of major maintenance. A report published by the corps in May suggests that 1.4 million people living in the 29 cities downstream could be affected in the case of a failure of its spillway. “These structures are old. The
Whittier Narrows Dam is almost 70 years old. We know they are likely to fail, but most people don’t think of the possibility of floods because it almost never rains here,” Gallegos said. “A lot of what science is is collecting data. We’re just adding to the database. If you add something unique to the database you might even end up winning a Nobel prize.” Gallegos said updating the structures to resist earthquakes and major storms would be incredibly expensive, costing the state millions of dollars. He said a more practical and immediate action that should be taken is informing and preparing the public. Gallegos said a majority of the public is unfamiliar with the state of water infrastructure in the county. “The Los Angeles river for example is under designed. We know it is because it comes close to flooding even during average storms. Nobody thinks about the ark storm. We think about the quakes because we feel them,” Gallegos said. An ark storm is a hypothetical mega storm backed by scientific research and historical data. In a press release published in May, a U.S. Corps of Engineers announced that modification of the existing spillway will begin in 2021.
Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019
5
ELAC students honor dead with altars at VPAM BY LUIS CASTILLA Staff Writer The East Los Angeles College Chicana/o Studies Department honored the lives of distinguished Latinos with altars for the 16th Annual Día de Los Muertos Altar Exhibit in the Vincent Price Art Museum. The Day of the Dead celebrates the lives of the dead and insures that the Mexican tradition is passed down to the next generation. Students enrolled in Chicano Studies 54 created altars for Lupe Ontiveros, Lalo Guerrero, Selena Quintanilla, Jose Montoya, Gilbert “Magu” Lujan, Carlos Almaraz, Annette Cardona, Anthony Quinn and Ritchie Valens. Angelita Rovero, Chicano Studies professor, said she worked with her Saturday class on the altars for 10 weeks prior to the exhibit’s opening. “Día de Los Muertos is really a celebration of life, not of death,” Rovero said. “We try to honor legends in Chicano history. These are people who have made marks in Chicano culture itself.” The altars were blessed by Circulo Ajolote, a traditional Aztec dance group. Normally, altars are offerings to the dead. These altars are adorned with things the dead enjoyed in life. Each altar in the exhibit is unique. Every detail down to the colors used, are specific to the person the altar is for. Rovero said most things on the altar are hand-made by the students. “Día de Los Muertos has become very commercialized, and it’s very sad,” Rovero said. “These students put a lot of effort
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REMEMBERING THE DEAD—Kate Alvara, Itzel Chavez, Dora Gomez and Maribel Toro worked with Richard Ontiveros, son of Lupe Ontiveros, to create her altar. and hard work into their altars.” Anthony Quinn’s altar, created by Natalie Hernandez, Emily Valdez, Britney Fabian and Melissa Avila, incorporates a shoe-shining kit, alluding to the fact that he used to work as a shoe-shiner. “At the end, you get an appreciation for the artist,” Avila said. Family members of those honored in the exhibit worked with the students to complete the altars and visited the exhibit during its opening reception Saturday. Elias Ontiveros, son of Lupe
Ontiveros, has made an appearance at the exhibit every year his mother is honored with an altar. “I come every year so that I can stay connected and so that the students can connect with me,” Ontiveros said. “My mother always lent her time to children.” Dora Gomez, who worked on Lupe Ontiveros’ altar, said Elias Ontiveros helped them with their altar by providing information about some of the photographs used. “It was very meaningful for us to be able to keep in contact with him,” Gomez said. Naiche Lujan and Risa Lujan,
son and daughter of Gilbert “Magu” Lujan also visited their fathers altar. “It’s so special to see his story and his life inspire new generations,” Naiche Lujan said. “They (the students) captured a lot of motifs of his life.” Naiche Lujan said he has visited the exhibit every year, except for last year, when the exhibit was held in Pierce College. “I think it’s really important that we’re still involved and connected with the community,” Naiche Lujan said. “There’s a huge benefit to being able to see his work.”
CN/LUIS CASTILLA
BLESSING DANCE—Aztec dance group, Circulo Ajolote bless the exhibit with a traditional dance at the VPAM. Francisco Rodriguez, chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District, said he was proud of the work the students did. “Es un orgullo (it’s something to be proud of),” Rodriguez said. “Día de Los Muertos is an extension, a manifestation of our
culture, and we need to continue that tradition. The fact that we have this exhibit here at ELAC is perfect,” The Día de Los Muertos Altar Exhibit is free to the public and will be on display in VPAM’s Community Gallery until Dec. 6.
Kanye’s gospel-themed album inspires BY SONNY TAPIA Staff Writer
COURTESY OF NINTENDO
RUNNING SCARED—Luigi frantically runs away from King Boo in search for safety.
‘Luigi’s Mansion 3’ continues goofiness BY ADAM ROBLES Staff Writer “Luigi's Mansion 3” once again thrusts the very comedic, goofy and nervous Luigi into a brand new haunted mansion. This is the biggest game that Nintendo has released this year. The Luigi’s Mansion series has been around since 2001. It’s first sequel “Dark Moon,” released in 2013 on Nintendo’s 3DS. After waiting that long for the second game, fans were worried about how long it would be for the third game of the series to make its debut. After six years, rather than 12, the franchise is back and bigger than ever. Luigi’s Mansion is a horror game, but takes place in the Super Mario Universe, so it has a comedic tone too. The release of this game is a true gift to fans of the series because it’s on the Nintendo Switch. That means that gamers get to choose whether to explore the mansion at home on the television, in bed, on a road trip or even on the toilet. Luigi’s Mansion 3, like the other games in its series, is a ghosthunting adventure with puzzles to solve in order to progress. With the upgrade in processing power from the 3DS to the Switch, this new game is the most mechanically advanced and polished game to ever release.
In this game, Luigi has awakened after spending a single night in this new mansion only to find out that his friends have been taken hostage. It has a very similar plot to the other “Luigi’s Mansion” games, with Luigi exploring a haunted mansion while looking for his friends.
With the upgrade in processing power from the 3DS to the switch, this new game is the most mechanically advanced and polished game to ever release. The game makes up for its lack of deep storytelling by having a wide variety of fun mechanics, very clean looking graphics, smooth animation and wacky physics. Nintendo went all-out with this game by designing the physics. In prior games, only certain items were vacuumable by Luigi's ghostsucking device. This game allows you to suck and blow on everything. All furniture insects, plants, props and wacky objects that can fit through the opening of the vacuum are fair game. Other objects, such as basketballs, watermelons and chainsaws that are too big to fit through the
opening are still suckable and can be used to shoot at ghosts. With the addition of Googi, this game was made so that players can play through the whole story with a friend if they choose to do so. Googi is part of a new Gadget that Luigi receives in this game. He is an artificial goo copy of Luigi that can slip through fences and air vents to help get passed certain puzzles. With the addition of this co-op story mode, online multiplayer, and Mario Party-like minigames where up to eight players can battle against each other on a single console, “Luigi's Mansion 3” surpassed expectations by a longshot. Due to its multiple modes that give the player the ability to play cooperatively or competitively, this game has infinite replayability. The rooms are dark, but have very beautiful and unique lighting. The higher floors somehow consist of different themes, even though they are all part of the same mansion. The ability to slam ghosts that are resisting capture, is such a fun spin on combat. It makes clearing rooms of ghosts much more faster and visually appealing. The game is currently priced at $59.99, but is worth it. It’s a full priced game that gives you more content than most games that come out at the same price-point.
Kanye West long-delayed ninth studio album “Jesus Is King” inspires people who listen to it to be spiritual. This is his first album since his widely publicized Christian awakening. His gospel-themed album highlights key components found in great church choirs, even though it is his second shortest ever. The first song on the album “Every Hour” features the Sunday Service Choir showing some of the versatility found in a choir led by choir director Jason White. Through the entire album a feeling of wholesomeness comes through with church sounds. In the song “God Is,” the explanation West gives on what God is to him is beautiful and will give chills. He starts with praising the Lord and then moves on to describe God as the “king of kings, lord of lords.” He mentions that all types of people are welcome into Heaven. The beat remains soulful making it possible to imagine oneself in one of the swaying crowds seen in the Sunday Service videos. Singing this song out loud can create a sense of belonging to someone who has never felt welcome. The preachings heard in churches repeat throughout the album and church goers will understand the meaning. “Use This Gospel” can wake up tired followers of the Christian congregation with a humming that mesmerizes listeners. Sitting back and soaking in the jazz saxophone solo by Kenny G before the beat enters the eardrums creates a soothing experience. The humming is similar to previous songs by Kanye West like “Reborn” off of the “Kids See Ghosts,” album, as Kid Cudi transfixes listeners with his hums. The rap god in West comes out in the song “Selah,” as he said he was focused, not mean. “They say the week start on
Monday, but the strong start on Sunday,” West says in one of his better flows on the track. The Sunday Service Choir enters the song midway with thunderous voices saying, “Hallelujah.” Coming back to the hard rap style of West as he finishes the song, talking about the tools we have and loving our neighbors as it was written in the book of Luke.
This new identity that West is taking on is a religious one that holds many feeling about the free world underneath it all. Before the release, West began holding “Sunday Service” at various locations ranging from community churches to colleges. These events produced videos of swaying crowds chanting church hymns, and an enthusiastic West praising Jesus Christ. The unique artist also swore to abandon secular music for good. In his latest album there is no swearing whatsoever, making this his first album of its kind. It’s also very good for its length. “Follow God,” contains the
highly versed West rapping over a hard beat that makes the listener want to bounce. Looking for a new way West realizes he is not perfect and understands he has to become clean with God. The album has generated hate from multiple outlets due to its different style that has not been seen by the most faithful Kanye West fans. This new identity that West is taking on is a religious one that holds many feelings about the free world underneath it all. He is showing his love for God and his life as a whole. The born-again Christian artists featured on the album were asked to not participate in premarital sex. West continues to show why he is one of the best to ever come through the rap and hip-hop genre as a writer, composer and producer. This feat is just another notch under his belt to prove that he can show his personality and his life to an even wider audience now that he has expanded to gospel. We s t d o e s n o t s e e m t o b e veering far from this idea after performing at the Forum on October 26 for his Sunday Service to celebrate the release of his album. Kanye West has said that he is a vessel and that God choose him to be the voice for him.
COURTESY OF GENUIS
www.ELACCampusNews.com
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Food
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019
Smorgasburg LA combines food and culture BY MARIA MARROQUIN Staff Writer For the past four years Smorgasburg Los Angeles has been the place where Angelenos and tourists from all over gather to enjoy their Sundays. The massive food event originated in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 2011 and was created by Jonathan Butler and Eric Demby with about 40 vendors. Now, the event has over 100 vendors in Brooklyn and 80-90 vendors in LA. The event not only has food, but also pop-up clothing shops, handmade jewelry, scented candles and a beer garden. The central location and huge parking garage make for a relaxing day out for Angeleno families like Maria Cabrera’s family. “Oh, I love it here. We have been coming for about two years with my husband and kids. As a working mom, I don’t want to worry about cooking on Sunday,” Cabrera said. “So, this has become our mandatory bonding time. Everyone eats what they like and we get to have fun as a family.” Even though there are many places to choose from, some people seem to agree that the best way to
experience Smorgasburg LA is to share with friends and loved ones. Lily Gutierrez and John Adams met online and chose Smorgasburg as their first date spot. “We’ve been coming here for three years now. Our first date was here, so we’ve made it a point to come ever since, and we have tried everything,” Gutierrez said. “Yeah this is definitely a great way to remember our journey and reconnect after a busy week, plus the food is amazing! We’ve tried everything because we always each get one thing and share it,” Adams said. This time they chose Korean food from Workaholic USA. Workaholic is known for their bowl of sesame dressing salad which comes with one or more options of Mandu (dumplings). The beef bulgogi is a favorite among many fans because of the flavorful combination of angus beef, house marinated sauce packaged in a cabbage pocket. The event has now grown so much that it is part of a lot of online tourist guides for LA. A group of friends taking a roadtrip through California purposefully stayed in the city one more day to attend Smorgasburg. They said they had read about it
CN/MARIA MARROQUIN
TASTY BUNS—Shrimp and Garlic, Beef Bulgogi and Spicy Pork and Kimchi dumplings from Workaholic USA.
in several online publications and weren’t sure about going, but word of mouth did the trick. “We met someone at a bar who wouldn’t shut up about this place and we knew we had to try it,” Erik Valencia said. “Yeah, Mexican food isn’t all that great there (Seattle) you know? So, I am definitely happy about the places I tried here today. All over Los Angeles actually, but the combos here were ‘Ooof’ (great),” Keving Miller said. Miller and his girlfriend shared garlic shrimp boat from Shrimp Daddy which is essentially a pineapple cut in half filled with house flavored marinated shrimp, rice and salad. Mary Kelly, a member of the group, said the reason she liked the event is because it caters to more than meat eaters with plenty of vegan options. “I was afraid I’d have to starve or look for fruit or something because it’s not everywhere you can find a decent vegan meal, but there’s plenty of options here. Like the vegan mole nachos I got, oh my what a treat,” Kelly said. Kelly opted for the food from Todo Verde, which is a plant based catering company owned and operated by women.
The idea for Todo Verde was born when founder Jocelyn Ramirez’s father was diagnosed with cancer. “Jocelyn wanted to create options that are familiar but with a healthier twist. Like the horchata but with the charcoal it kinda adds health benefits, the chia seeds and using maple syrup instead of sugar or agave because it’s less sweet. So wanting to create something that’s relevant but a healthier version,” Operations & Sourcing Coordinator of Todo Verde, Brenda Cruz said. “I love working at this event. It’s fun, we look forward to it. All the vendors are nice and there’s a lot of meat so it’s nice to provide something more fresh to people,” Cruz added. Smorgasburg LA is a great way to spend a Sunday. Perfect environment for couples, kid friendly and even though Smorgarburg website says it is not pet friendly, a lot of people bring their dogs to the event. The event takes place every Sunday rain or shine from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Row DTLA, there is plenty of parking and the entrance is free. For more information visit la.smorgasburg.com or follow them @smorgasburgla on Instagram.
Clash of flavors create pleasant dish BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer Los Angeles is home to many traditional Latin meals, and Smorgasburg LA gives food lovers the chance to savor traditional and unique takes on Latin cuisine. The chief among Latin food is the taco. So famous is the taco that it has an entire day named after it, taco Tuesday. Driving down almost any LA street, people are bound to find at least one small taco stand. The air smells of carne asada and warm tortillas. These small stands sell everything from the simple taco to a quesadilla or even burritos. Smorgasburg LA has that same normal smell of tacos or burritos but combines it with different takes on the classic meals at the event. One such unique take is from Mideast Tacos. Taking the classic taco and melding it with MidEast foods creates a combination that is savory and different while retaining its roots in LA style food. Cooking since he was 17, chef Armen Martirosyan, along with his business partner Aram Kavoukjian,
started making food his own way. Martirosyan was heavily influenced by his parents’ work ethic and immigrant can-do spirit when it came to start his own business. He said that his parents, now past their 60s, still work hard everyday, and the sense of providing the best for their family has rubbed off on him. It all started when he and a friend decided to try making the combination of Mexican and Armenian food as a joke. He took note right away that this was something special, and decided to really take a long look at what was created on a whim. He said that living in LA influenced him in taking the next steps in this new food. Hard work and time in the kitchen has created a take on the taco that is not just inspired but darn tasty. Using the style of kabob cooking for their meat and the addition of fresh handmade tortillas was important in creating the food. His food literally comes from all over the world, using his grandmother’s Egyptian influenced humus and the traditional Armenian meat cooking techniques of using charcoal, specifically mesquite, to
CN/JUAN CALVILLO
SMOKEY—Mideast Tacos uses mesquite charcoal to cook their meats , giving their meat a unique taste other stands can’t emulate.
add flavors to the taco meat. Even the salsa-making technique was borrowed from an employee’s mother who is from Mexico City. Martirosyan then put his own twist on the salsa, making it his own. Despite the savory taste of his food, Martirosyan said his idea is still growing. He wants to truly make it something even more special through researching what to do next with the food. “We’re trying to build a following. We feel like our branding is good. Our food quality is good. So it’s a matter of what’s the next step,” Martirosyan said. If event goers don’t feel like taking a wild chance they always have the more traditional food of Tacos 1986. Tacos 1986 has traditional Mexican style tacos with a LA twist to them. Adding avocado and the more common onion and cilantro to their tacos, gives the taco a good taste. Handmade tortillas are a staple of many smaller taco pop-ups, and Tacos 1986 does not disappoint. The tortillas are fresh and made on site. They also make quesadillas and mulitas. The mulita is two corn tortillas with cheese, a chosen meat and any additional fixings sandwiched together. Tacos 1986 also makes mushroom tacos. These are very tasty and the taco has a large amount of mushrooms replacing the meat with a flavorful taste to them. Another truly inspiring vendor at Smorgasburg LA was of a much more traditional Mexican meal. Poncho’s Tlayudas is a delicious and surprising traditional Mexican food option at the event. Alfonso Martinez has taken the cultural food of the Tlayudas and brought them to the people of Los Angeles. This culturally inspired food comes from Oaxaca, Mexico. It is traditionally made with a large corn tortilla, about 18 inches, that is then brushed with the grease that comes from making another Mexican delicacy, chicharrón. This is then combined with Oaxaca cheese, beans and cabbage. People who buy Tlayudas then choose the meat that’s added to their food. Martinez said that he offers the traditional chorizo made Oaxaca style or tasajo which is beef steak.
He said he also offers something unique for this type of food, he said that he offers moronga as a meat option. Moronga is a type of blood sausage that is used throughout Latin American foods. Martinez said he loves being able to showcase Oaxacan food in LA. He said while he was working in multiple restaurants he would see many styles of food being offered. He thought to himself, why couldn’t the food from Oaxaca also be among these options. He had his chance to bring that food to the masses after he learned the finer point of making Tlayudas from his father-in-law. Martinez said he has had everyone from Instagram fans, to high level chefs come to eat his Tlayudas. He said he was happy simply to do his best and try to feed people the food he had chosen to make. Martinez said it’s taken time to get his business off the ground, but everything that is done with patience and with care creates something grand. He said he would rather take his time to truly build something good rather than get a running start then fade away. Martinez credits social media with growing his business more and more everyday. He said at times he gets people arriving at his pop-up, at 4318 South Main St. in LA, saying their Uber driver already knew why they were going to that particular address. Martinez said it’s through social media and catering jobs that his business has continued to forge ahead. Smorgasburg LA is a food lover’s dream come true. Dozens of options of food and drink are available at the event. For more information on MidEast Tacos, follow them on instagram @mideasttacos or check out their place at 5300 York Blvd, Los Angeles Fridays and Saturdays seven p.m. to midnight. For Tacos 1986, check out @ tacos1986la on Instagram. And for traditional cuisine from Oaxaca, check out Poncho’s Tlayudas on Instagram @ponchostlayudas.
CN/MELISSA VALENZUELA
GO GREEN—Vegan mac and cheese from Avocadamama pair with a drink named Amorcito from Todo Verde.
Classic with vegan twist BY MELISSA VALENZUELA Staff Writer Vegan options are hard to come by and if they are available, they are not always so tasty. Smorgasburg Los Angeles is definitely a breath of fresh air that every vegan Angeleno needs. The event boasts over 70 vendors and not only sells food but clothing, jewelry, art and other handmade gifts as well. The food, however, is definitely the best part. While there are plenty of meat and seafood stands, some of the best dishes are coming out of the vegan kitchens. Starting off with beverages, the Amorcito from Todo Verde is an instant favorite. It’s made with strawberries, rosewater, maple syrup and chia seeds. The drink is not too sweet and the subtle taste of the rosewater pairs perfectly with the strawberry flavor. The chia seeds add a little bit of texture but they don’t overpower the drink. For a 16 ounce cup it’s six dollars. Enjoy cold and use a straw for the best experience. For some really good, guilt-free macaroni and cheese, anything from Avocadamama is sure to satisfy. Everything they sell is 100 percent vegan and 100 percent plant-based. Their “og mac” is a rigatoni pasta
topped with bread crumbs and their own original cheese. The only difference between their vegan macaroni and cheese and a regular macaroni and cheese is that the vegan cheese does not have that signature gooey consistency. “The ‘og mac’ is definitely one of our most popular macs,” said Nathaniel Perales, co founder of Avocadamama. “There are not a lot of good vegan mac and cheeses, and we wanted to share ours with the world.” The vegan cheese is more like a sauce but it is delicious nonetheless. The pasta is cooked perfectly, and the bread crumbs add taste and texture. The serving size is on the smaller side and it’s also a little expensive at nine dollars. No vegan meal would be complete without a vegan dessert. BuddyPops sells vegan ice cream pops in unique flavors. The Very Vanilla is made with coconut milk, vanilla bean and vanilla extract, cane sugar and sea salt. The popsicle is creamy and although there is coconut and a little bit of sea salt, they help the vanilla flavor shine through. One pop goes for four dollars. Smorgasburg LA has so many other delicious vegan options available and this event is proof that there is no better time to go vegan than now.
BY IVAN CAZARES Staff Writer Stoked California BBQ has tender tri-tip, delicious pork belly and some savory sides which include corn and beans. The $20-dollar platter is the best deal to get a taste of a variety of items on the menu, but the portions are nothing to write home about. It’s a great option to share with a date if you don’t mind paying for a meal that could be replicated at a fraction of the price at home with relative ease. Of course not everyone likes to cook, and credit needs to be given where credit is due. The Santa Maria style tri-tip is
smoked to near perfection, thinly sliced and flavorful. The individual slices can be eaten in one or two bites. The smoked candied pork has a consistency akin to bacon, but based on taste most people will assume it’s just another kind of beef. This is likely because its tender due to being smoked rather than baked as it is in many cases. The circular slices are perfect single bite snacks. The linguica sausage is similar to chorizo. It’s a Portuguese style sausage with a smoky finish. It’s subtly spicy and tender, but with a hit of chewiness. A side of bone marrow beans is heavily seasoned and topped
with cheese, creating an enjoyable contrast to the meat flavors. The corn off the cob known as esquite is similarly seasoned but slightly spicy. It’s delicious and complex, especially after squeezing a bit of lemon over it. The vinaigrette-based coleslaw served as the final side is also filled with intense flavors, but complements the meat flavors. Patrons are also served two slices of garlic cheese bread that are perfectly toasted and tie the platter together nicely. Stoked might not specialize in beverages, but they also serve a fantastic fresh melon juice too, at a good price. For more information on Stoked follow @eatstoked on Instagram.
CN/IVAN CAZARES
BBQ vendor offers smoked delicacies with atypical sides
ALL THE MEAT— A Stoked California BBQ platter with smoked Santa Maria style tri-tip, smoked candied pork, lingucia sausage and sides inluding corn off the cob and bone marrow beans. www.ELACCampusNews.com