Volume 78, Issue 22 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, May 11, 2022 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Student falls five stories on campus BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer
The Los Angeles County Sheriff Crime Lab walked to the fifth floor accompanied by the lead detective on the case Sheriff Detective Wang. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Román said ELAC and the Los Angeles Community College District have the health and safety of all students as highest priority. He said to help with the aftermath of the events of Tuesday that the following mental health options are being made available: There will be therapists this week in the Student Health Center at F5-302 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Students can also call a counselor directly at 323-255-8651. ELAC employees can get help through the Life Works Assistance Program for employees, who can be reached at 800-581-1485. For Life Work Counselors on campus, ELAC employees can contact An Do in Student Services at 323-265-8728. Students with any further information on the event can contact the Sheriff’s Community College Bureau Office at 323-265-8800.
CN/STEVEN ADAMO
DO NOT CROSS—Sheriff’s tape blocks the investigation of a student fall. FROM CAMPUS NEWS ARCHIVE
An East Los Angeles College Asian female student, 19, fell in what sheriffs have called a possible suicide attempt from the fifth floor south west corner balcony of the Ernest H. Moreno E3 building Tuesday. The fall was between the ELAC Student Services E1 building and the E3 building. Alberto Román, ELAC President, released a statement Tuesday night. “I am very saddened to share that in the early afternoon today one of our students fell from Building E3 on our campus. The student is at the hospital in critical condition. I ask that we keep the student in our thoughts as we process this difficult situation,” Román said. Deputy Jesus Morales said the student is being treated for her injuries. He did not know which hospital she was taken to. He said a fifth floor fall would leave serious injuries to the victim.
An ELAC administrator said the student had emergency surgery this afternoon. Morales said the victim is in the intensive care unit of the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon. The area of ELAC is serviced medically by the Adventist Health White Memorial hospital when it comes to emergencies of this nature and is within four miles from the ELAC campus. The hospital is also one of the hospitals where ELAC Nursing Department students complete their nursing rounds. Morales said the sheriff’s office received a call that was placed at 2:20 p.m. reporting the incident. He said a witness spoke with them about what happened. He said the victim was alone and there was no suicide note. “A witness saw her pacing back and forth, up on the fifth [floor]. That’s it. There was nobody else with her up there,” Morales said. The E3 building’s fifth floor is completely accessible to students who have classes there and the fall was not from the roof.
Decades later, campus trees still not replaced BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer Last month, Campus News reported an assignment given by Geology Professor Tiffany Seeley to her students, mapping the trees removed from campus due to the new construction. The completed map showed that 360 trees were affected and that there were not enough trees to replace the ones removed. Students who attended East Los Angeles College prior to the 2000s may remember a different campus. In a September 2011 Letter to the Editor, Shirley Tonoian from the Counseling Department described the trees on campus as “magnificently towering nearly 60 feet in height.” Tonoian complimented the original campus architects in 1948 for “clearly capturing the surrounding rolling hills landscape, embraced by majestic pine trees exemplifying the campus park setting.” The trees grew large and plentiful throughout the decades, but the landscape began to change in the late 1970s. In November 1979, a Campus News staff writer reported the removal of two 35-year old ash trees located behind Ingalls Auditorium. After the roots entangled the main waterline, ELAC’s senior plumber Bill Taylor said both trees had to be
cut down. “If we cut the roots of the tree, we would have made it unsafe since it would’ve weakened the tree and it would’ve been a hazard to passersby,” Taylor said. A week prior to the trees’ removal in 1979, a weak limb split off and nearly hit a student. “I heard a crack, turned and saw the limb fall to the ground,” said
custodian Frank Gonzalez. “When it was falling, the limb nearly hit a student climbing the stairs to the cafeteria.” This was also around the same time that concrete began to appear more on campus. According to the reporter, “the grass-covered mall was a favorite gathering place of students eager
to find a respite from the confines of classrooms.” When the new library was built in 1979, the grass area was covered in concrete. “There’s still a need for a large grassy area on campus where students may relax between classes,” the reporter said. “This effort to improve the aesthetic of the campus and provide a refuge of greenery in a sea of cement should be encouraged.” Ten years after the 1984 Olympic committee donated funds for a student park on campus, the park was finally finished in 1994; years after the funds had vanished. In a 1994 Campus News article written by Randy Rodarte, the park included 56 new trees. Rodarte predicted that the park will “enhance our campus with age.” In October of 2010, student Gregorio Inez had an idea to bring more trees back to ELAC while also combatting lack of nutritional food options on campus: plant apple or orange trees on campus for students. “You don’t know where the food comes from, how processed it is or how fresh the food is,” Inez said. Inez got as far as speaking to Plant Facilities as well as Jacobs, the engineering company hired at the time for the school’s construction projects. However, because of the potential expense and liability issues, it never came to fruition.
Understanding disabilities important for support BY ALMA LIZARRAGA Staff Writer
California State University, Los Angeles students and East Los Angeles College alum Dilia Martinez hosted a workshop talking about the struggles college students with disabilities face The workshop called “College Student in Higher Education with Disabilities” was held on Zoom and advocated for better disability centers and more understanding of the disabled community. Martinez brought awareness to obstacles disabled students face in college, which can come directly from their disabilities and indirectly from lack of support. She said disabled people have to work harder to achieve their goals and have to be specific about their needs to be accommodated properly. They are usually in a position where they’re pressured to function at the “normal” expectancy. Martinez said this is why having good disability services is crucial for disabled students. These services are somewhat unpolished, and a lot of students don’t reach out to them due to lack of trust. Disability centers are vital to a disabled student being able to further their education. “When you have a bout of depression or super high anxiety and you can’t focus on your homework or you have to turn a paper in and you can’t think, then a peer group will talk to a professor for you,” said Karen Kachler-Glynne, mother of a disabled student. “You can’t even find words, but there are people you can trust and they will relay that you are struggling.” A lot of students have faced issues when being accommodated. Whether it’s having to prove their disability, not knowing what to ask for or failure of having an educated disability center. There have also been issues when applying for disability. Faculty tend to miss mental illness when accounting for modifications due to lack of knowledge of the illness. Martinez talked about her own experiences as a person with an invisible disability, meaning her disability is not easily apparent. This means she’s had to be more vocal about help, due to her disability not being visually apparent. Students expressed the stigma
when talking about their disabilities, as they tend to sometimes receive little understanding. Many students are underestimated and patronized. Martinez said that in spite of having to be accommodated, many disabled people are capable of being successful and fully functional in society and lack of understanding adds to hostile environments. “Why is it that you’re sticking the stigma to students when we’re already going through a lot as it is?” she said. Aside from what’s expected from school services, Martinez said it’s important to build support systems and communities to help each other. Though disabled students tend to struggle more than able bodied students, she said through disabled centers, they can come into contact with each other and help each other study. She’s held events that have built awareness of disabilities and through them has had students come to her personally for help. “I had a student come and she said she didn’t feel supported in her community college and I said ‘wait, why not sit here and talk about that for a minute,’” Martinez said.
News Briefs Psycology Department
Open House will be held in building F5 Multipurpose Room, second floor, tomorrow from 5-8 p.m.
Town Hall Series
“Cold TOFU” the first Asian American comedy-improv group is presenting tomorrow at 10 a.m. Register at the link https://bit.ly/ townhall051222
Track & Field
Men’s and women’s CCCAA State Championships Southern California finals are this Friday.
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OPINION
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2022
Save summer, continue using masks outdoors BY LEONARDO CERVANTES Staff Writer Statewide COVID-19 cases are quickly rising once again due to minimized restrictions. State officials might have reduced restrictions sooner than they should have. It would be wise for state officials to enforce a strict mask mandate once again. The diminished enforcement of mask mandates plays one of the biggest factors in recent COVID-19 cases rising. People tend to travel during spring and like to go outside to enjoy the weather so it’s no surprise that cases started rising these last few months. The California mask mandate ended in mid-February. Masks were no longer required, but still recommended to ensure safety. Only a few settings like hospitals and care facilities still have strict mask mandates. The relaxed restrictions perhaps tricked people into thinking masks were no longer necessary. However, this can’t be further from the case as people are still at risk of contracting COVID-19. “On average over the past week. California has been reporting 2,083 new cases and 3.7 new deaths per day,” the California Department of Public Health said. Supermarkets, bars, retail stores, schools and buses are a few places where people are vulnerable to COVID-19 as there are typically a large number of people around them. Schools must be proactive in trying to limit a COVID-19 outbreak. With graduations about a month away, it would be best for schools to begin setting a mask mandate at least for these events. Graduation events are usually large gatherings as kids invite their loved ones to celebrate. Putting a small limit to how many people a student can invite can help with this. Schools likely won’t postpone graduations, proms or other school functions, so they should enforce on screen testing for those exposed to the virus.
For such events, schools should enforce a strict mask mandate as well as ask for proof of a vaccination or negative rapid test result. Making booster shots and additional doses widely available and mandatory in crowded public settings can raise vaccine rates. “About 80.5% of Los Angeles County residents have received at least one dose and 72.9% are fully vaccinated,” California Department of Public Health said. If civilians already got two doses, it’d be best to get an additional dose in order to have the strongest immunity possible. “Over 7.3 million people are fully vaccinated but only 3.8 million have received an additional dose,” LA Public Health said. With school vacations right around the corner, there will be a bigger increase of kids and young adults in the streets. Unfortunately, over the past two years these kids’ social lives have been robbed due to the virus and they will want to be able to enjoy themselves this summer. With relaxed mask mandates, cases will likely skyrocket during the summer due to all these children not wearing masks in public. It’s been over two years of people wearing masks in public yet some complain that they aren’t comfortable. Although sponge and cloth masks don’t offer the best protection, it’s the least people can wear in order to keep others safe. There are many different types of masks and respirators like N95, N99 and P99 masks that the public can buy. Some people might have mental health conditions or disabilities that prevent them from wearing masks, but those around them don’t have an excuse to not wear a mask. It is essential to lower coronavirus cases or else the seemingly up and down trend will continue for years. Perhaps, COVID-19 spikes will continue to happen for the following years no matter what regulations are set. The virus continues to affect the lives of millions across the world and many are still struggling to adjust to their new lives.
EDITORS IN CHIEF Annette Quijada Brenda De La Cruz MANAGING EDITORS Zasha Hayes Daniella Molina FRONT EDITOR Teresa Acosta OPINION EDITORS Luis Diaz Eduardo Sanchez NEWS EDITOR Breanna Fierro FEATURE EDITOR Alma Lizarraga ARTS EDITOR Gabriela Gutierrez SPORTS EDITOR Nick Tercero COPY EDITORS Juan Calvillo Luis Castilla CARTOONIST Max Miranda STAFF WRITERS Jonathan Bermudez Leonardo Cervantes Jesus Hernandez Beatriz Garay Miguel Dominguez Adonia Burciaga Ricardo Martir ONLINE EDITOR Raymond Nava ART DIRECTOR Steven Adamo CN/ ZASHA HAYES
Protecting right for abortion protects women BY GABRIELA GUTIERREZ Staff Writer
CN/ZASHA HAYES
Newsom on the right side of abortion rights BY ADONIA BURCIAGA Staff Writer Protecting abortion rights will help women take the safer route to terminate the child rather than performing dangerous procedures which affect the women and fetus. Roe v. Wade is a case from 1973 which ruled the government would not interfere in the liberty of women to choose an abortion. Protecting abortion will help younger women focus on their careers instead of worrying about how they will raise a child and be a student. Politico published a news story this past week that the Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights. “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” said the Supreme Court of the United States in its draft. Some states in the United States will criminalize doctors, caregivers and women. There is also the issue that some of the people who vote against abortion oppose parental care support, paid leave and child care. This unethical decision in the United States will influence States to create further laws to charge women. www.ELACCampusNews.com
Here in California, we are a pro-reproductive-freedom state and Governor Gavin Newsom plans to enshrine that in the state constitution. After the Supreme Court’s conservative decision to overrule Roe v Wade, Newsom shared how his administration plans to further protect abortion. Newsom said that in other countries, they are expanding freedoms, rights and liberties. “The entire history of the United States has always been about expanding rights, not restricting rights,” he said. Newsom also touched on whether the Supreme Court is full of people with immense privilege and not advocating for people who could narrowly afford a Greyhound ticket. “We have been doing more and plan to do more to protect the health, protect the safety of women and girls. In many states where abortion is illegal, they will not make an exception for rape and incest,” said Newsom. Newsom plans to work with governors as well to strengthen women’s reproductive freedom in other states. Newsom shares that this is much more profound than a situational election. Newsom shared that regardless of where people are coming from,
Planned Parenthood will provide for as many people as they can. Planned Parenthood will be helping women cover co-pays which will be effective in January. Newsom will also be sharing a website with citizens to remind them of their rights and where they can receive support in regard to abortion.
“The entire history of the United States has always been about expanding rights, not restricting rights.” GAVIN NEWSON
Governor of California
Newsom considers fighting back to protect the right of abortion will be the defining issue of the 2022 election. Newsom’s decision is very easy to concur with, his decision will help many women especially women of color.
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, what happens next? A leaked Supreme Court draft which aims to overturn Roe v. Wade, if passed, will leave the country with more disparities in equality for women than it already has. Without Roe v. Wade, it would be likely that people would opt for other alternatives or methods to have abortions. Trigger laws would be brought into fruition. The decision would be likely to affect primarily women of color. Protests and activist movements to protect abortion rights would also skyrocket. There would even be an increase in the number of children given up for adoption. Despite all potential possibilities, abortion continues to be legal. Women of color already have the highest poverty rates in America according to statusofwomendata. org. Taking a woman’s right to abortion would only widen the gap of inequality that women of color, and women in general already face. Without the right to abortion, there could be a strain on resources available to women. With less financial stability, women are at risk of homelessness. The last time Roe v. Wade was revised was during Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992, in which the trimester framework in Roe v. Wade was overturned. Now, the leaked memo obtained by Politico said the right to abortion is not an explicit constitutional right. “They have found no support for the existence of an abortion right that predates the latter part of the 20th century- no state constitutional
provision, no statute, no judicial decision, no learned treatise,” Samuel Alito, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, said in the leaked memo. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, there are 13 states with trigger laws on stand-by. Some states would ban abortion altogether. Others would consider making an abortion a felony and would consider it a crime to perform an abortion. Texas Bill SB8 is proof of that. “Any person, other than an officer or employee of a state or local governmental entity in this state, may bring a civil action against any person who: performs or induces an abortion in violation of this subchapter,” said bill SB8. The biggest threat to women who live in states with such trigger laws is the possibility of having nowhere to turn for safety and not having an unbiased network of resources to help them make the best decision for them when it comes to their specific circumstances. Women in more conservative states would potentially have to travel to other states to have abortions legally, or they would also likely resort to old-fashioned and unsustainable methods. This can put their lives in danger. Ironically, a woman’s right to an abortion can be granted if the pregnancy is life-threatening to the mother. Eliminating Roe v. Wade, although not explicitly, could create a bias even against pregnant women whose own lives are threatened by their pregnancies, not just against women without complications who simply wish to eliminate their pregnancies without a goodenough reason for the government to approve.
ADVERTISING Stefanie De La Torre ADVISER Jean Stapleton
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.
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News
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 2022
Central American Resource Center offers leagal services BY EDUARDO SAMCHEZ Staff Writer Undocumented college students can legally travel abroad through the Advance Parole program. Whether for educational purposes or for personal reasons, the program gives students a time frame to leave the country and then be allowed back in without being deported. The Central American Resource Center (CARCEN) is a organization that offers legal services to undocumented students, faculty and staff members. One of the services they offer is Advance Parole, which gives those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program or Temporary Protective Status (TPS) the opportunity to request permission to be able to leave the U.S. for a short time before being paroled back into the country. Those who are part of the TPS group have their immigration status as pending. Undocumented students can use this service to travel outside the country for humanitarian reasons. This includes receive medical treatment or attend funeral services for a family member. The program also gives approval to visit family members who have fallen into poor health. Not only does Advance Parole help give these students access to participate in semester abroad programs, educational exchange trips and in academic research but also provides the personal benefits and experiences of traveling to new countries. Advance Parole can be granted
for employment reasons as well. Overseas assignments, interviews, conferences, and training or meetings with clients overseas are listed as reasons for approval. According to Melody Klingenfuss, a worker at CARCEN, the program allows students to get lawful entry back into the country but there are still some possible risks. The program is discretionary and so the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has the final say to deny people reentrance. An example would be a returning individual who attempts to bring drugs into the country. Applicants are unable to travel until their application is approved
and they receive a travel document issued by USCIS. Because the program is discretionary, USCIS can ignore or deny permission and still keep the filing fee. Customs and border patrol are given the job to inspect returning individuals at ports of entry. They also have a say on denying individuals reentrance if something illegal is found during their search. Another risk of travel at the moment is COVID-19. It is possible for travelers to become exposed to diseases in other countries during their trip. For these reasons, it is recommended applicants speak with an attorney about the possible risks. In order to be approved for
Advance Parole, individuals must submit a request to travel which includes a $575 filing fee. Once approved, they are issued an Advance Parole travel document which can be used to leave the country. The document contains a designated time frame for them to return by. Individuals must go through an immigration inspection upon entry and then a secondary inspection. In order to prepare, individuals need: - Current DACA work permit - Valid passport - Dates of proposed travel - Proof of need to travel For Humanitarian Advance Parole
- Medical records of elderly or sick relatives - Birth certificates or documents proving family relationship For Educational Advance Parole - Acceptance to study abroad program - Documentation of planned research trio - Letter from professor or research advisor For Employment Advance Parole - Letter from employer - Conference invitation - Filing fee of $575 - Two passport sized photos The normal process time for Advance Parole requests is three
to five months. There are emergency travel request options available though. They take some time to process. CARCEN also specializes in the program, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS). SIJS helps Califoria immigrants between the ages of 18 to 20 who were abused, neglected or abandoned by one or both parents. It is a possible pathway to citizenship in the U.S. The only requirements include being under 21, not being married and having no immigration status. Immigrants can apply for this service at the border with a specific legal council or within the U.S. CARCEN also provides DACA renewals and initial requests. Although it does not offer a pathway to citizenship, it can help undocumented students apply for a green card. DACA is one of the two possible programs needed to apply for Advance Parole. Other services also provided by CARCEN include: family based petitions, naturalization, U-Visas, organizing policy and advocacy, running a day labor center where people can recieve access to food, legal services for violence against women. The program does not provide services for international student visas or employment based visas. However, if they are unable to offer a service that is needed, CARCEN will help individuals find sources that can help. Screenings to qualify for any of their programs are free of cost. Students can book an appointment o n l i n e a t w w w. c a r e c e n l a . simplybook.me.
Police violence fosters trauma BY BEATRIZ GARAY Staff Writer Roberto “Dr. Cintli” Rodriguez knows the consequences and problems that come when a traumatic event happen at a young age, and how to work through it. When traumatic events happen at any moment in life, we struggle to find ways in how to cope with it, how we identify with it, and how we can move forward beyond the traumatic events. He experienced police violence at a young age and had trouble coping with it. He said hard to cope with an experience when it’s based on your skin color and appearance. Especially when it is a continous experience. Being brown-skinned does not mean that trouble is a foot. He said when brown colored people get together in crowds, they are often identified as violent gang members. Rodriguez said being judged b a s e d o n o n e ’s l o o k s a n d mannerisms, brown colored people will face many prejudices and be seen as an aggressive group. These societal stereotypes were made about them by those who do not want them to live in a United States. He said police violence happens to someone it’s not so easy to forget especially when it occurs multiple times to the same person. Soon one starts to identify themselves with police violence. Rodriguez said, one night he was hanging out with his buddies when police violence occurred. He was intimidated and questioned by the officers about possible violence when in reality, he was just having a good time with friends. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Rodriguez said he was inflicted with numerous life-threatening injuries but managed to survive.
He talks about his trauma so that he can enact a change to make the lifestyle of brown colored people better. With the words and experiences he has encountered, he was able to work with other people with the similar trauma events as a means to make a difference in the community. Rodriguez said one of the methods they recommend using is a distinct form of yoga that originated from Mesoamerica and has healing properties. This method that gives people using it the relief needed and removes the pain they have within themselves. He said the way they use this is by focusing all of the mental and emotional pain into their chest. The person then takes deep breaths while thinking about positive things to help replace all the pain. By focusing all of the pain into one area of the body, it would make it easier for one to feel the relief from their minds and exhaling it can send signals to the brain the give a sense of tranquility to the person. Rodriguez said the importance of this method is that it holds significant purposes and properties within the Mesoamerica culture and has been used through different generations. It certain points, trauma is something that is quite inevitable for most people as it is something that either breaks us down or makes us better than we were before. He said it is important to learn things that were used in the past as it could contain unique traits that can be used today. These traits can make things like trauma, easier to live with and instruct others to do the same if it can help them. Trauma can be a tough thing to talk about. Asking for help from others to help carry the weight is something that can be bearable and can make people feel like unique individual.
CN/TERESA ACOSTA
SHARING IS CARING—Lisbeth Coiman, teacher and writer shares help available to students seeking mental health.
Sharing mental health experiences reduces stigma BY TERESA ACOSTA Staff Writer Understanding the signs of mental illness and how to help those with it, is an important step in mental illness distinction. Members from the National Alliance on Mental Illness shared their personal journeys through the trials of mental illness on Monday. The Student Health Center in an effort to reduce the stigma of mental illness, hosted a workshop titled, “In Our Own Voice.” Author and teacher Lisbeth Coiman who admits loving to hike, garden and dance salsa in her free time, offered insights that provide support in the roles that matter to each of us. She said mental health affects
not only the person, but the people around them as well. Her presentation was broken down into three sections, each starting with a video clip of other people discussing each section. Presenters talked about what they went through with their conditions. “What Happened?” uses where people discussed what their mental illness diagnosis is, how it was affecting their lives and what led to it. Seeing examples of behaviors associated with mental illness helps people recognize possible warning signs to look for, Coiman said. Some behaviors mentioned were self-harming, insomnia and suicidal thoughts. We’re all connected to mental illness. After each video clip the presenters would share their own life experiences.
The “What helps?” video clips provided tools, techniques and methods that helped get their mental health under control and to maintain the progress they were achieving. The panel shared the resources and information on programs and help that is available. Coiman said they represented things students can turn to when in crisis. She said, continuing to assess oneself and continuing to use the tools and resources available may help maintain mental well-being. As a part of the “What’s next?” section Coiman said she continues to struggle to have balance in her life. She said she now has the tools and knows what to do when she feels unwell. Writing is one of the ways she
preserves her mental health. the National Alliance on Mental Illness is an organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. It provides different types of courses for those struggling with mental health. It also has courses to help those around a person with mental illness know how to cope with and support them. Coiman said, “In Our Own Voice,” is about sharing stories with the hope that this will help someone listening take the necessary steps to get help they need. For more information about NAMI students can visit www.namilacc. org or the Student Health Center in building F5.
ARTS
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2022
Bad Bunny’s new album leaves fans wanting more BY LUIS DIAZ Staff Writer Coming off the success of his last album “El Último Tour del Mundo,” Bad Bunny creates another hit. Summer started earlier this year with “Un Verano Sin Ti” (A Summer Without You). Bad Bunny’s fourth studio album shows off his versitality. The album is packed with 23 songs, including his 2019 hit “Callaita.” The two-part set was co-produced by Tainy and MAG and his longtime engineer Beto “La Paciencia.” His fourth album is heavily inspired by a spectrum of Caribbean music. On his first track “Moscow Mule,” Bad Bunny sets the mood for what’s to come, but nothing can prepare you for what comes after that. Bad Bunny treated fans with a mixture of Caribbean beats like mambo and dewbow, electronic beats and the best one for summer, “El Perreo.” This album seems to be specifically made for the summer time. “Un Verano Sin Ti” brought all the heat and had Bad Bunny join forces with diverse artists. This includes Puerto Rican reggaeton icons like Chencho Corleone and Tony Dize, Indie duos The Marias and Buscabulla, Jhay Cortez, with his fourth collaboration with Bad Bunny and the long awaited collaboration with today’s hottest artist Rauw Alejandro. He also brought in Colombia’s Bomba Estereo for a reggae-infused AfroBeat. Bad Bunny demonstrates in this album that he isn’t afraid to try new things. Since his debut back in 2018, Bad Bunny has been on an unstoppable run. Working with pop punk, bachata and other genres, he makes it clear
that he isn’t trying to recycle old beats or what works. Every song on the album is different and there isn't a favorite because each song has a different vibe. “Un Verano Sin Ti” feels like the perfect follow-up for the Puerto Rican rapper. His versatility has been teased in the past with his songs like “Maldita Pobreza” or his R&B infused song “SORRY PAPI.” In “Un Verano Sin Ti” that versatility is fully fleshed out and shows how Bad Bunny can use different genres to his advantage and make a hit. The album clocks in at around 1 hour and 30 minutes. Despite this run-time the album will make fans want more. It makes fans wonder what genre Bad Bunny will work with next and if it will give him another summer hit. Bad Bunny respects Caribbean beats in songs like “Agosto” which has a mixture of reggaeton and tropical sounds. Perreo is present and better than ever like in “Me Porto Bonito,” which pays homage to old-school reggaeton. Bad Bunny makes sure that the album ends on the highest note possible. Inserting his 2019 hit single “Callaita” into this album by being the last song. This brings the nostalgia of summer’s past. This album really shows off how versatile Bad Bunny can be. From his perreo tracks to the Caribbeaninfused songs, there is a lot here for everyone. Every single song has a different sound and feeling to it, which makes it very exciting to play at the beach this summer. “Un Verano Sin Ti” is the perfect way to begin summer. It's exciting, fun and electrifying. This summer, “Un Verano Sin Ti’s” songs will be played at Bad Bunny’s stadium tour which will take place in North and South America, which he has named “World’s Hottest Tour.”
‘Moon Knight’ season finale packed with action BY JESUS HERNANDEZ Staff Writer Filled with gods, monsters and action, the new Disney+ Marvel show “Moon Knight” makes Marvel fans happy. The season finale of “Moon Knight” was filled with action like most marvel content is. For those who are not familiar with the show, “Moon Knight” tells the story of Marc Spector, a former soldier of fortune, whose encounter with an Egyptian god of vengeance and moon deity, Khonshu, leads to his transformation into a costumed vigilante. “Moon Knight” ends with an epic battle between gods and avatars fighting it out for the fate of the world. The twist for this series is that the main character does not make it out of one of the episodes. A finale that begins with a death of a character is definitely different and creative in some ways. Being a fan of Marvel, this end to “Moon Knight” had some of the most exciting action that has ever been placed in the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Great acting, great storyline and a great finish to the season. It also has some really good actors in this show such as Oscar Isaac who plays Marc Spector, Ethan Hawke who plays Arthur Harrow, Murray
Abraham who plays Khonshu and May Calamawy who plays Layla El Faouly. The season finale is actually the shortest episode of the show. Viewers should stick around for the show’s mid-credits scene that puts yet another twist to the multiple personalities at play in “Moon Knight.” As most fans watch they may say they had seen this coming throughout the whole series. “Moon Knight” is free of connections to the MCU world which means viewers can watch it as a stand-alone and will not be confused if this is before any other marvel shows or films. “Moon Knight” feels good because it has introduced a fresh and exciting hero to the MCU universe. Disney+ did a great job bringing this show to life, and as previously mentioned,something new and fresh. Fans who have not watched this series yet should give it a try. Viewers will not be disappointed in this show, especially if they are Marvel fans. It adds another good fresh show to this expanding universe and surely most marvel fans don't mind that. “Moon Knight” was originally supposed to be a limited series, but rumors already have it out that a season two might be coming. With the ending of season one, the sky is the limit for season two.
COURESY OF IMDB
SPLIT PERSONALITIES—Oscar Issac plays both Marc Spector and Steven Grant in Disney+’s “Moon Knight” series.
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COURTESY OF IMDB
STRANGE TIMES—Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Doctor Steven Strange, manipulates dark forces in attempt to fix the problems of the multiverse.
Marvel takes viewers through multiverse in latest film with Doctor Strange BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer Marvel’s “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness” is a beautiful and fantastical addition to the comic movie genre. The only wrinkle is the movie only slightly dipping its toes into a sea of emotional issues that the characters all have. There is a preface to this review when it comes to the movie's content. Viewers are strongly recommended to watch Disney+’s “WandaVision” TV show before watching “Multiverse of Madness.” The show brings an enormous amount of context and dives deeper than the movie when it comes to why certain events transpire in the film as they do. Typically, Marvel movies leak information before their release. In this instance, very little is known about who will pop up except those who have been revealed in trailers. The film’s villain has been kept under wraps since the first trailer dropped and the movie does a fun job with the villain’s reveal. The villain's reasons for the war they instigate with the magical heroes of the film is direct and clear cut. “Multiverse of Madness” comes on the heels of the stellar reception of “Spider-man: No Way Home” and furthers Marvel’s flirtation with the idea of a comic book movie version of the multiverse idea. In comic books, and in the hypothesis of some in the scientific community, there is a multiverse of universes and each has its own versions of the same people in them. While these are the same people in each universe, they all differ in sometimes slight and sometimes enormous ways.
The crux of the movie's plot relies heavily on this very notion. America Chavez, Stephen Strange and Wanda Maximoff are all part of a multiversal search for a special magic book that gives the wielder the solution to any problem. The trio battle alternate versions of heroes and other magical and non-magical foes through different universes. All while trying to find the book and use it to help protect Chavez from the villains pursuing her. The adventure goes full tilt with action but has character-building moments for both the antagonists and protagonists. Benedict Cumberbatch reprises his role as Strange in the film. Cumberbatch has perfected the no-nonsense master of the mystic arts in this film. He is dismissive, cocky, funny and caring throughout the film. Cumberbatch also gets the chance, due to the multiverse having different iterations of his character, to stretch his acting muscles with a few darker versions of Strange. His real talent is creating a moment that begins in on perspective but ends in a totally different arena of the emotional spectrum. This is best shown in his interactions with Xochitl Gomez’s character, Chavez. Gomez is a breath of fresh Latina air in a series that has limited diversity with characters. The scenes where she speaks Spanish are funny and show her character's tendency to be defiant. Gomez is the breakout star in this film and her character work shows that she can do deep and thoughtful moments just as easily as she can do comedy. She is great in the moments she plays off Cumberbatch, with the only issue being that there aren’t more of them.
Elizabeth Olsen is heads-andtails the dramatic backbone of the movie. Olsen’s acting prowess is right at home showing how she has embraced the emotionally complex, disillusioned and broken character that is Maximoff. The losses Maximoff has endured throughout the character's time in the Marvel cinematic universe are varied and include the deaths of her love Vision and brother Pietro Maximoff. What is most impressive is how Olsen has become adept at showing the hollowness her character has come to feel while, due to the different versions of herself in other universes, also showing how blissfully happy her character could be if things were different. Rounding out the cast are Rachel McAdams reprising her role of Christine Palmer, Chiwetel Ejiofor as Karl Mordo and Benedict Wong as the current sorcerer supreme, Wong. Ejiofor is entertaining as one of the variants of Mordo who appeared in the original Doctor Strange. His air of superiority and disdain for Cumberbatch’s character is spot on. Unfortunately the limited use of all three of these actors never lets any of them be a highlight in the film. Each character and actor has their own moment in the film, the aforementioned Ejiofor has a fun exchange with Cumberbatch, Wong still delivers every line in the best deadpan in the Marvel cinematic universe and McAdams gives emotional weight to the relationship between Strange and Palmer. Their relationship is one of the things that seems to hang around Strange’s mind when the idea of different outcomes and different endings is discussed in connection to the multitude of different universes.
One of the highlights of the film is the art and direction. Artistically, the costumers and special effects wizards outdid themselves. Given that there are so many variations of each character, the task must have been monumental for each to have a different alternate costume and style. Despite that, the level of detail in the different forms of the titular characters was impressive. The stand out of course being the different versions of Strange mostly due to the fact that the costumes are intricate and reflect the character’s personalities. Director Sam Raimi, director of “Evil Dead” and the Tobey McGuire “Spider-Man” movies, knocked the movie out of the park. His fingerprint is on every inch of the movie. From the creation of the monsters and demons that plague the heroes, to the types of shots that bring out the insanity that viewers would assume accompanies multiversal travel, Raimi does not disappoint. This also leads to another aspect that is new to the Marvel cinematic universe. “Multiverse of Madness” embraces its horror side when it comes to its monsters and villain. This doesn’t mean the movie is a horror film, but it doesn’t shy away from being scary. “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness” is a fun film filled with beautiful special effects, and poignant moments of character growth for almost every character. The movie is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, frightening images and some language. “Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness” opened Friday.
Podcast details true story of con-woman Sarah Delashmit BY TERESA ACOSTA Staff Writer
During the six episodes of the “Sympathy Pains” podcast from iHeartPodcasts, an interesting story is told through the testimony of multiple people who were emotionally victimized by a girl named Sarah Delashmit. Each episode focuses on one or two people describing their experiences and traumatic residual effects Delashmit had on their lives. She held those around her emotionally captive by telling them she had a multitude of illnesses, faked pregnancies or tragic deaths of close family members. Sometimes, she would claim more than one of these events happening repeatedly throughout a short period of time. The one constant concern and something everyone seemed to agree on was that Delashmit needed mental
health care and that she needed to Delashmit continued the be stopped. relationships she created with The series is hosted, investigated members of the camp beyond her and reported by Laura Beil, who is stay. She built entire narratives best known for her previous work around being disabled and telling on “Dr. Death” and “Bad Batch.” her new friends about pregnancies B e i l ’ s that would end narration is in miscarriages, woven in with still births, interview audio fatal medical Delashmit was not and subtle conditions or asking for money from simply accidents background music. The story that would kill these people, she is told in a nonher non-existent craved the support linear timeline children. She that spans the would then they provided when course of 20 send photos of they thought she was these children years. There are a lot experiencing hardships. obtained from of commercials online profiles before, during of strangers. and after the Other times, episode that feel she found a bit excessive. companionship with online support The stories of deception included groups for cancer survivors, Delashmit faking the need for a claiming she was one of them. After wheelchair and attending camp for getting close to someone she would physically diasbled people. then claim that her cancer had
returned and this time it was fatal. Delashmit was not asking for money from these people. She craved the support they provided when they thought she was experiencing hardships. Her eventual downfall came when her growing list of victims started to find each other online and share their similar experiences and the truth about Delashmit’s health. They tried to get her help through the television show “Dr. Phil.” She accepted an invitation into an immersive rehabilitation program, but failed to complete it. This failure was the final straw for some of her victims and they eventually sought legal action. A surprising takeaway from the series was the care and concern these people still felt for Delashmit. They were able to understand that she was not mentally well and that she needed help. Some of them continue to care very deeply for her and still mourn the loss of her friendship. www.ELACCampusNews.com