Volume 76, Issue 9 | elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, November 7, 2018 Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
ELAC event conveys importance of voting BY KALEEN LUU Staff Writer The East Los Angeles College Adelante First-Year Experience and Social Science department encouraged students to vote in the midterm election yesterday. The workshop, “Stakes are High: The Impact of Midterm Elections,” ran from noon to 1 p.m. in multipurpose room F5-201. ELAC Political Science Professors Dr. Kenneth Chaiprasert and Rogelio Garcia took the stage as the featured speakers and the event stressed the power of democracy. A PowerPoint presentation accompanied the duo and showcased the demographics of past voter participation and previous election turn out. “ I t ’ s a n i m p o r t a n t d a y, election day. It’s incredibly important for you to have your voices heard in the midterm elections. This determines how our country functions,” said Chaiprasert, who has a doctorate in political science from the University of California, Irvine. “Make your voices heard, do something that makes a difference. This is more than just on the federal level; we are voting on California.” Highlights from the event included the pair emphasizing the importance of voting and how necessary it was to turn in ballots for the midterm election and not just the presidential election.
“In some ways, the midterm election is more important than the presidential election. This is when we make decisions on propositions,” Garcia said. “With the midterm elections, we can measure the temperature of politics and get an idea of where things are going.… if we don’t go out and vote, then things may not turn out ideally.”
“It’s an important day, election day. It’s incredibly important for you to have your voices heard in the midterm elections.” DR. KENNETH CHAIPRASERT
Asst. Professor of Political Science
The workshop explained the critical details of the election and went over the big question, “What are we voting for?” Chaiprasert took the lead on this question and said, “The media keeps focusing on this president, but we must remember it’s Congress and our senators that are the ones writing these laws.” The significance of this midterm election is rooted in the belief that the House of Representatives may flip from Republican to Democrat control. This is based on the
increased voter registration from the youth population. “We’ve had record breaking registration this election period from the younger generation and we’re hoping this gets reflected in the voter turnout,” Chaiprasert said. H i s t o r i c a l l y, a c c o r d i n g t o the U.S. Election Project, the youngest voting bracket, ages 18 to 29, have the lowest voter turnout. In addition, the Hispanic demographic is also the lowest. “We need to go out and vote. We need to elect more diversity. More young people, more women, more people of color,” Garcia said. Attention to the 2008 and 2012 presidential election voter turnout was raised by Chaiprasert, who noted that it was the only two times in history that the white demographic was surpassed in turnout. “This is proof that we can do it. We must mobilize together to get what we want. It can happen, and it will happen,” Chaiprasert said. The issue of California passing Proposition 187 in 1994, “Save our state S.O.S.,” was brought up by Chaiprasert as a scenario of what could happen if people didn’t exercise their right to vote. Prop 187 was controversial because it tried to deny public services like access to health and education to unauthorized immigrants in the state. It was ultimately ruled
PHOTO JOE DARGAN. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY STEVEN ADAMO
ROCK THE VOTE—Adelante FYE student ambassador Golden Sheard, left, facilitated a discussion on shifting voter demographics with professors Rogelio Garcia and Dr. Kenneth Chaipraset during the “Stakes are High: The Impact of Midterm Elections” workshop in F5-201. unconstitutional however by the federal courts as a violation of due process. “We need your voices heard. O t h e r w i s e , i t ’s l i k e g i v i n g Trump a carte blanche, a blank check, to continue with his policies. It would embolden him to do the things he’s been doing for the past two years.” Garcia said. “This time, we can let him know with our vote that we are not happy. Your vote is critical at this time— make your voice heard.” Another topic touched on was the controversial U.S. and Mexico border wall, and what the midterm election could do to affect it. “That wall costs money. If we
don’t flip the House and it stays red, then they’ll think we’re saying to go along with Trump’s program. We can’t let this go on any further. This is one of the most corrupt administrations i n m o d e r n h i s t o r y. T h i s i s embarrassing and we must take control back. The youth enthusiasm is key,” Garcia said. “You can bring the government to its knees. Remember, the government works for you.” The idea that Prop 187 had been passed to an overwhelming majority vote as recently as 1994 and the current issue of the border wall was emphasized during the event. The two pushed the importance of the younger generation exercising
their right to vote. “If you don’t vote, your voice is silenced. Our government caters to people who vote. The baby boomer generation are consistently the ones who have the highest voter turnout, so they have been walking all over on you. If you vote, then the government will start thinking about what your generation cares about, like education and global warming,” Chaiprasert said. “Be united. You can come together to create so much change.” The two closed the event by fielding questions from the audience and urging students to pre-register to vote in the next election.
New nursing building to open 2022 Navient sued by BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer Construction of the new Nursing, Allied Health and Administration of Justice building is set to begin in the fall of 2020 and will be completed by Winter 2022. According to BuildLACCD, the $9.5 billion building program is funded mostly by four bonds approved by Los Angeles voters since 2003. The new building will be located on the H8 site, located right next to the Anthropology, G e o g r a p h y, G e o l o g y a n d Physics building. The new building will replace the current nursing building, which was built in 1977. “We hope to have a place that is built well and secure so that it doesn’t create problems for anyone in that building,” said Lurelean Gaines, chairperson of the ELAC Nursing department. According to Gaines, the location for the new nursing building has changed multiple times, at one point being placed at ELAC Corporate Center. “This is a college-first opportunity for many of my students. They’re first generation, they need to be on the campus with everybody else,” Gaines said. “They need all the resources in the environment where they are.” The new building will also house Allied Health and the Administration of Justice department.
News Briefs
NO DIRT TURNED—A conceptual diagram of the new ELAC Nursing, Allied Health, Public Service and Administration of Justice building, provided by BuildLACCD at a budget committee meeting in September, 2018.
Correction
In last week’s issue, the story “MESA has altar for Dia de los Muertos,” said MESA made the altar, but the Adelante FYE program were the creators.
“ We ’ l l b e s h a r i n g t h e building and that’s pretty cool because I think there’s some natural overlap in what we do. Out in the real world, nurses and police officers work very c l o s e l y w i t h e a c h o t h e r, ” said Curtis Walker, professor and department chair of Administration of Justice. “We’re bringing patients in, patients are coming in and t h e r e ’s a l a w e n f o r c e m e n t issue. If somebody comes in as a victim... they have to report it to the police.” AJ was originally housed in the bungalows by the gymnasium before moving to their current location in the F9 complex two years ago. “We’re one of the last group of people to be put into a real building,” Walker said. “If we had to be here interim, I don’t think anybody would object because this is way better than the bungalows.” A c c o r d i n g t o Wa l k e r , LACCD prioritizes the construction of new buildings based on efficiency. “They want to build the most efficient buildings first and if you have just one department in a building, it’s less efficient,” Walker said. Wa l k e r s a i d a n e w l a b for the EMT program is in the works, as well as a new forensics science program with a fingerprint lab and blood-splatter lab. “There’s a couple of cool things that we’re planning, and then they’ll work on the actual layout with us at that time. But that’s a little ways off,” Walker said.
teachers union BY JOE DARGAN Staff Writer The American Federation o f Te a c h e r s s u e d N a v i e n t , one of the countries largest student loan servicers, on We d n e s d a y f o r a l l e g e d l y misguiding borrowers through a vital student loan forgiveness program. The class action lawsuit f i l e d We d n e s d a y, o n b e h a l f of nine teachers and college professors, centers around the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Signed into law in 2007, the program is designed to provide an easier path to debt relief for eligible public service employees. Qualified borrowers, such as teachers, firefighters, social w o r k e r s a n d p o l i c e o ff i c e r s who remain in their field for 10 years and complete 120 on-time loan payments, are eligible to have the remaining portion of their student loan balances forgiven. According to the AFT, instead of guiding those eligible through the PSLF program, Navient, previously known as Sallie May, has been steering unsuspecting borrowers toward repayment programs and other forms of forbearance in order to “retain more fees for itself.” Last year, the first borrowers became eligible to apply for loan forgiveness only to find that a whopping 96 percent of all applications would be denied according to a report issued by the Department
Free preview for study abroad program
There will be a free preview for the summer study abroad in Paris program on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. in E3-170. For more information, e-mail vogelzlc@elac.edu or ebinrs@elac.edu.
of Education last week. The report says that only 96 out of the 29,000 applications were approved. Most were turned away for having the wrong loan type or missing or incomplete information. The lawsuit details how employees of the Wilmington, Delaware-based company would tell borrowers they were on track for debt forgiveness regardless if they completed all of the necessary requirements for the PSLF program. Earlier this year, congress passed a spending bill allocating $350 million for the Department of Education to extend eligibility to borrowers who may have inadvertently enrolled in the wrong repayment plan. “Navient has purposely and systematically trapped teachers, nurses and other public service workers under a mountain of student debt instead of providing them with accurate information about their loan options and the loan forgiveness programs they qualify for and deserve,” said AFT President Randi Washington in a statement to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Just last year, Navient was hit with a federal lawsuit by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for allegedly deceiving student borrowers to the tune of $4 billion for similar practices. A spokesperson for Navient said the company is not commenting on pending litigation.
Political Science Career Fair
The East Los Angeles College Social Sciences department is hosting a Political Science Career Fair on Thursday in K5-108 between 12:15 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
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OPINION
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
Cal Grant requires aid increase BY MIGUEL BARRAGAN Staff Writer California Community Colleges should expand the Cal Grant program that gives to more than 300,000 students a year. The California Community Colleges’ Board of Governors voted to formally ask the next Legislature and governor to expand the Cal Grant in their 2019-2020 Budget and Legislative Request published in September. Similarly, the Student Aid Commission, which is in charge of administering aid to students, voted to increase the amount of Cal Grant aid community college students could receive from $1,672 to $3,000 per academic year for 2019-2020. The proposal requires approval from both lawmakers and the governor to pass. According to the 2019-2020
Budget and Legislative Request, the proposal would require an additional cost of $1.5 billion on top of the $2 billion that are funded annually to the program.
“This would help students complete their degrees quicker by providing more time to focus on school work.” For community college students, the current Cal Grant cap of $1,672 per year is supposed to cover living expenses and school supplies.
The cost of living in California, however, is so high that $1,672 isn’t enough for students to make it in school. Research from The Institute for College Access and Success found that going to community college in California can be more expensive than going to a four-year university in the very same state. T h i s i s b e c a u s e f o u r- y e a r universities, such as the Universities of California and California State Universities, give out larger Cal Grants, in addition to other financial aid, which help cover the cost of living expenses, supplies and tuition. The maximum award Cal Grant offered in 2017-2018 for University of California students was $12,630. For California State University students, it was $5,742. Raising the cap to $3,000 would be a good move for California Community Colleges.
Students receiving more money means they won’t need to overwork to help pay for school. Students may decide to work parttime, instead of full-time, if they feel they have enough money. This would help students complete their degrees quicker by providing more time to focus on school work. Money is time in this case. Assemblymember Jose Medina, D-Riverside, chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, said in an Edsource article, “We know that tuition is only a portion of the cost students face when attending college and I believe we should expand use of Cal Grant to also cover living expenses and transportation to help lighten the burden students face.” Medina is right about the need for Cal Grant to expand its coverage, because he recognizes the costs students face. The eligibility requirements for
Cal Grants should also be changed. The current system is unfair because it favors recent high school graduates. Those that enroll in community college within a year of graduating high school are given priority in the program over those who do so more than a year after graduating high school. Competitive grants are offered to those that enroll in community college years after graduating high school. According to Edsource, however, only 25,750 new competitive grants are funded each year despite more than 300,000 eligible students applying for them. This is unfair to low-income adults that have long graduated high school and are looking to further their education. Cal Grants should expand to include those that fall under this category of students.
California Online Community College helps workforce BY MIGUEL BARRAGAN Staff Writer The California Online Community College deserves support because it would help Californians get training for jobs. California Online Community College would offer online classes to students interested in receiving education online. The community college would be the first of its kind in the state. The school differs from the online class system currently in place, where students may attend a California Community College and take online classes counted toward a degree, because this school is exclusively online. Existing online programs offer
traditional community college students a hybrid system of on-campus classes and online components. California Online Community College, however, is for those that can’t make it to community college for time issues, travel issues, monetary issues and social issues or a combination of these. Governor Jerry Brown said in his final State of the State address, “Even with so many of our students attending college, there are still 2.5 million Californians between 25 and 34 who are in the workforce but lack a post-secondary degree or certificate.” This is the demographic the online college will be targeting. It’s good they are trying to help these Californians because many
of them want higher education and training but don’t have the time, money or means to go to school.
“Advancing in careers is important, because workers don’t want to get stuck in a job that doesn’t pay enough.” Officials say their goal is for students to complete their credentials within a year. The college announced short-term credentials for medical coding, supervisor roles and Information Technology. Medical coders translate medical services, done by healthcare
providers, into codes for billing purposes. It is a middle-skill profession that could potentially pay more than $50,000 a year. A c c o r d i n g t o G l a s s d o o r ’s website, medical coders that work for Blue Shield make an estimated $80,000 a year. Medical coding is a job that’s in high demand considering the state needs an estimated 1,600 medical coders annually through 2024. According to Edsource, the training for full-time medical coding students is estimated to take four to eight months, while it would take 18 months for part-time students. Walmart and its foundation donated nearly $2.4 million in funding for the development of courses to train retail workers to become supervisors.
This would be good for Walmart workers that want to get ahead. Advancing in careers is important, because workers don’t want to get stuck in a job that doesn’t pay enough. Eloy Ortiz Oakley, California Community Colleges System chancellor, said on the California Community Colleges website, “The 115th online college will help increase social mobility for California’s working adults seeking higher wages within a rapidly changing economy.” The college will be funded $240 million over a span of seven years. To fund the ongoing cost of maintaining the college, $20 million will be spent annually. The college is expected to start enrolling students in the fall of 2019.
Cultural appropriation hits Dia De Los Muertos BY MARIA MARROQUIN Staff Writer While strolling through downtown Los Angeles on Halloween night, I realized the hypocrisy of people toward Latin American culture; They want our traditions but not us. People dress like charros, a traditional horseman from Mexico, and paint their faces like sugar skulls based on the Latin American tradition Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), yet they want closed borders because we are “criminals.” Walter Romero, a Mexican American living in downtown Los Angeles, shared an experience he had during the HARD Day of the
Dead rave last year. “I was wearing a sombrero de charro and my wife was wearing the typical flower crown of Dia de los Muertos and, out of nowhere, a couple asked me to lose the sombrero.” Romero said he felt offended because these people, who were white, were wearing the typical Day of the Dead “costume” but they were offended by his attire, attire that he felt proud to wear because it’s part of his culture. “They asked me to take it off and the guy even offered to fight me after insulting my wife and I, calling us all kinds of racial slurs. It was crazy, but that’s how it is in America, I guess,” said Romero. Dia de los Muertos is a historical
tradition from countries like Peru, Costa Rica and Guatemala, but it is more known and celebrated in Mexico. It is a day in which we remember and honor the loved ones who are no longer here, a respected holiday. But during Halloween time in America, it is simply used as a means of entertainment. Dressing up as La Muerte is about getting compliments and awards given out for best costume, even though it is not a costume. It is part of a tradition. One can compare this to a white person wearing a Native American headdress when that person is not of Native American descent. Racism is systemic, and using
costumes from other cultures simply for amusement is offensive. In our current political climate, it is interesting to have movies like “The Book of Life” and “Coco” be so popular and loved by the public. Even the California lottery used Dia de los Muertos for its seasonal scratch-off tickets. At the same time, however, a lot of conservative Americans do not want “their country” to be filled with more undocumented immigrants and even discriminate against people born here simply because they look different than what, in their mind, an American is. An example of a good representation of the Mexican holiday is the show “Grey’s
Anatomy,” that dedicated an entire episode to Dia de los Muertos. The episode, called “Flowers Grow Out of My Grave,” is about all the doctors coming together and embracing the day for a little girl named Flor who needed surgery. Despite this being considered an “American” show, they were able to actually grasp what the celebration is about and not make it into a super commercialized episode. Dia de los Muertos is not Halloween. If people are going to “celebrate” it, they should do so in a respectful manner. Our Latin American heritage, culture and traditions should be defended and respected, just like any other.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Steven Adamo MANAGING EDITOR Gustavo Buenrostro ONLINE EDITORS Kevin Camargo Joe Dargan Noe Ortega FRONT EDITOR Andrew Ayala OPINION EDITORS Miguel Barragan Maria Marroquin NEWS EDITORS Kaleen Luu Alex Avila FEATURE EDITORS Melody Ortiz Julie Santiago ARTS EDITORS Juan Calvillo Luis Castilla SPORTS EDITOR Stephanie Guevara COPY EDITORS Gustavo Buenrostro Anastasia Landeros Diego Linares STAFF WRITERS Anthony Aguilar Jerry Flores Miguel Dominguez Giselle Palomera ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Anastasia Landeros Gustavo Buenrostro ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez
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News
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
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New food stamp program emerges for applicants BY ANTHONY AGUILAR Staff Writer The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program implemented CalFresh in California, which aims to provide help to low-income residents. This program, formerly known as the Food Stamps program, will help low-income families by providing monthly food benefits. The assistance can be used as credit for any food product. CalFresh will help families add healthy food onto their tables by making them more attainable and affordable. The program has certain requirements that families must meet in order to qualify for assistance. According to the Department of Social Services, “The amount of benefits you can receive is dependent on your family size, countable income, and monthly
expenses such as housing, utilities, and so forth.” In addition, a family must make a certain amount to qualify for the program. CalFresh requires that families make below the average gross income, which is dependent on monthly income and family size. The less a family makes, the more money they are eligible to receive. The amount a family has invested in property does not determine the value in how much they may receive, as it is not a gross income earned annually. Those interested in applying for CalFresh program, they can go online and submit the paperwork. After submission, CalFresh will set up interviews with applicants who may qualify for the program. Once approved and all paperwork is fully submitted, then qualified candidates will receive an EBT card with an allowance. Another option that CalFresh
offers is their expedited service. This is works in conjunction to the regular program for those who demonstrate an urgent need. According to CalFresh, if “your household makes less than $150 in monthly income and has less than $100 on hand right now,” one may qualify. CalFresh is also available for migrant or seasonal farm workers that have less than $100 on hand as well. CalFresh is open to anyone who demonstrates a financial need and meet their requirements. It should be noted that not all locations will accept EBT. However, CalFresh should be accepted at most grocers. Interested applicants should visit the CalFresh website at getcalfresh. org to submit and view the list of requirements. Applicants may also need to visit their nearest Department of Social Services in order to qualify.
KEEP IT FRESH—New food stamp program available for applicants for households that fit the requirement, dependent on monthly income and family size.
DSPS calls attention to Disability Awareness Month BY ANDREW AYALA Staff Writer
ELAC foundation offers Washington D.C internship Roybal-Allard, Judy Chu, Nanette Barragan, and a few interns who were a part of the internship program this past summer. Students and United States Congresswoman Roybal-Allard Representatives were honored last has helped give several students Tuesday by the East Los Angeles an opportunity to partake in the College Foundation for participating Washington D.C. program. in the ELAC Foundation Marvin “What makes this internship M artinez: Was hington D .C. most important is that you meet Gateway Internship program. other young people. Other Latinos Held at the foundation’s corporate with different points of view. You center headquarters, the event gave get exposure to different ideas,” honorees a moment to express how Roybal-Allard said. critical this internship can be for the Though her father was in the underprivileged. political system, Roybal-Allard The program gives ELAC said she knew what it felt like to students who are interested in have no alliances government service when she got her the opportunity to start in her career. “This is an exclusive, participate in the “It helps give all-expenseslegislative process, you a better while working paid program, understanding of alongside seasoned which provides the wider world Congress members. opportunities for and it also helps ELAC’s president, to demystify students interested Marvin Martinez, Washington D.C. in pursing a career was the first to It shows these be introduced to in government students the the podium at the service.” importance of ELAC foundation advocacy,” Roybal headquarters. MARVIN MARTINEZ -Allard said. During his speech, ELAC President Alexis Catano, Martinez said he and, an alumna of who he described as the program, spoke about her “the ELAC family,” created this experience in D.C. and how program two years ago in hopes different it was for her. that no matter what kind of legal From the living environment to status a student has, they can apply working with other interns from and hopefully meet the standards Ivy League schools, Catano said for the internship. she was exposed to a lot first time He mentioned some of the experiences. fundamentals the internship Catano said she had the chance to provides for the students during work as an intern for Congressman his speech. Jimmy Gomez, who was unable to “This is an exclusive, allmake it to the fundraiser that night. expenses-paid program, which Along with networking with staff provides opportunities for students members, interns were able to share interested in pursuing a career in their opinions with the Congress government service,” Martinez members they worked with. said. According to Catano, throughout He described how the foundation this internship, interns were exposed wanted to provide more programs to what could happen by getting like this for Deferred Action for involved with the political system. Childhood Arrival recipients and The interns were able to learn create additional Dream Resource how bills run through congress and Centers. how law-making takes place. “[This] gives students a rare look By applying what they’ve inside the world of our legislative, learned, the interns could make an political, and administrative impact towards encouraging other systems, despite their label or students that may be interested in economic status,” Martinez said, the political field. “These students are champions for With contributions from Steven change.” Cardona-Arreola and Jorge Others who spoke at the event Serrano Pacheco. were Congresswoman Lucille
BY JOE DARGAN Staff Writer
November is Disability Aw a r e n e s s M o n t h a n d t h e Diversabilities Support Program and Services (DSPS) is sending out newsletters this upcoming week to faculty and staff to raise attention. The goal of DSPS is to assist students with disabilities, whether the disability may be visible or invisible, chronic or temporary, so students may have equal access to all aspects of campus life. This is done by teaming up the students and their professors to discuss the individual needs of the student. This way together, they can select the best option for an ideal possible learning outcome. “Our role is to assist students with verified disabilities and give them equal access to the classes and provide them services according to their functional limitations,” DSPS co-coordinator Patricia A. Salgueiro said.
This program provides students with various assistive technologies to aid students in their classes. An example of assistance they provide is the SmartPen. This pen comes with a special paper provided by the institution. The pen is equipped with a microphone and allows it to record the lecture. The student would then take notes on the special paper the same time it is recording. With this device, the pen is able to pinpoint the exact time location of the lecture in which the student might have missed. This allows for a more exact note taking. “The smart pen is great, it allows me to focus more without worry. I go to the offices three to five times a week,” East Los Angeles College student Natasha Martinez said. There is also a program within DSPS called the Shared Notes Program. This program allows students to share their notes to those with disabilities.
It can also be seen as a volunteer opportunity for those without a disability but want to get involved with the program. “It is important for us students to know that there are various resources at our reach to be able to further our education, so anyone who cannot willingly admit they have a disability can go get the help they need,” first-year ELAC student Yolexiz Camacho said. To qualify for these services, a student must submit a disability verification form that has been filled out and signed by a doctor or other professionals. Upon acceptance into the program, the student will meet with a counselor to discuss a learning plan that is tailored specifically to the student’s needs. This educational plan will include the resources that DSPS offers, which include the use of a high-tech center lab, testing accommodations, counseling, and other academic adjustments that may also include
an equipment loan if the student so desires. Some students are comfortable with talking about their disabilities, while others may not be. “We like to use a soft referral for the shy students,” Salgueiro said. A “soft referral” is an indirect invitation to a student who could potentially benefit from the program. This invitation is a list handed to the student that mentions other programs on campus in addition to DSPS. The program currently helps 1600 students and is projected to reach 2000 by next year. If a student or member of the faculty has any questions, they are invited to call (323) 265-8787 or visit the DSPS office in E1-160, which is open Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. With contributions from Sonny Tapia, Melisa Valenzuela, Adam Robles and Mariana Montoya.
Students seize opportunity to study in Paris around the world. They have an option to either choose instructors Staff Writer who are from the university or ESA faculty members. Students can spend the summer “It’s much more intensive and studying in Paris for the whole students who are serious about month of July next year. [learning French] like this option,” This will be the 42nd time that Vogel-Zuiderweg said. “Students the European Studies Association will get so much out of this program will be studying in Paris. program.” Lynn Vogel-Zuiderweg, who Students will spend the first teaches French classes at East Los couple of days in Paris settling in Angeles College, will be teaching and taking an orientation. classes in Paris. Classes will begin on July 3. “It’s just an amazing opportunity On the first weekend, students for our students and life changing will visit Claude Monet’s Giverny, for our students to be in a different the medieval fair, D-Day beaches culture,” Vogel-Zuiderweg said. and the capital of Normandy. Students have two choices of In Paris, students programs that they will visit the Saintecan take. Chapelle concert, “It’s just The first program the Louvre Museum is called “Survival an amazing and the Impressionist French.”This Museum. opportunity for program teaches There are many our students and more sites they will French culture and basic language. The life changing for visit and explore classes for this plan during the trip. our students to will end on July 25. When paying for This program is be in a different the trip, students taught by European have an option to culture.” Studies Association either go to an opera, faculty members. LYNN VOGEL-ZUIDERWEG La Forza del Destino, French Professor at ELAC Students will or a concert at the need to speak to Saint-Chapelle. storekeepers, café Students will be personnel, and other people in able to explore the rest of Paris Paris. on their own time when nothing is ELAC student Meixin Zhong scheduled. went on the trip last year. “You Sabrina Solis, a student who went actually learn French by talking on the trip last year, recommends with the local people. It’s really visitors to go to the Eiffel Tower. easy when you have the language “Once you see it in person when environment; I learned a lot,” all the lights are shining, it’s so Zhong said. beautiful,” Solis said. The second program is called Visitors can either choose to “The Institut Catholioque de Paris,” ride the bus or walk. A bus pass where students will be attending is provided during the trip. “The a private French university of passes are so easy to use, just like international reputation. the ones here,” Solis said. ELAC students will have the Vogel-Zuiderweg’s former chance to meet other students from
BY MIGUEL DOMINGUEZ
student, Lorenzo Xavier Calderon, who is planning to go on the trip, recommends students to take this opportunity to explore another country. For students who want to take the Survival French program, it will cost $3,700. Those interested in participating at the Institut Catholique de Paris, it will cost $4,300.
The ESA program has to pay tuition at the French University, which is why the Institut program is more expensive. There will be a meeting in E3-170 tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. for students who are interested or want more information. Students can also contact Vogel-Zuiderweg at vogelzlc@elac.edu or Professor Rebecca Ebin at ebinrs@elac.edu.
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SPORTS
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
Men’s soccer out of playoffs despite win BY JERRY FLORES Staff Writer Men’s Soccer defeated Los Angeles Harbor College yesterday in a conference game at Weingart Stadium with a final score of 2-0. The first goal came in the second half when Huskies freshman midfielder Alexis Arroyo dribbled the ball from the left side of the field to the center, passing it to freshman forward Kevin Flores Silva, who controlled the ball, dribbled a defender to score from inside the penalty box. “I felt amazing because I had back to back injuries and by scoring I feel that I contributed something to the team,” said Silva. I’m glad that I helped the team win this game. I’m grateful for the coaches because they believed in me and it motivates me to try my best every game.” The game was fought in the midfield before East Los Angeles College scored. “Both teams were fighting back and forth. We had five opportunities in the first half and two in the second, but we couldn't score. If we can’t score we can’t win,” said L.A. Harbor head coach Bill Barlow. After Huskie’s goal, the team seemed more confident and continued attacking to increase the score. The second goal for ELAC was scored by freshman forward Jowad Abraham, who took the ball in the right wing, dribbled two defender, and scored from inside the penalty box.
“I’m really happy because I scored the second goal, which helped us secure the win. We played really well today, especially in the second half, where we were able to score the opportunities we had,” said Abraham. For most of the game, Huskies defense blocked dangerous passes, making it hard for L.A. Harbor to get clear opportunities to score. “The defense was a lot more compact today. They were talking more to each other and it helped us not to receive goals,” said Huskies assistant head coach Ramon Rivas Two players saw a yellow card in the game. Husky freshman defender Jose Rosales was given a yellow card because he slid violently from the back of a player. L.A. Harbor freshman midfielder Christopher Martinez received the other card after he elbowed a player. Before this win, the Huskies were winless. They lost two games and tied two. “We were unable to win the past four games and getting this win will drive us to be hungry and go out to try to win the next game. I feel that this game really helped us grow as a team,” said Silva. The team will not make it to the playoffs this year according to Huskies head coach Eddie Flores. ELAC is 5-11-4 overall and 1-4-2 in the South Coast ConferenceNorth play. The team’s last game of the season will be Friday at home against Mount. San Antonio College at 4 p.m.
CN/KEVIN CAMARGO
CAN’T TOUCH THE BALL—East Los Angeles College sophomore forward Rene Sanchez tries to cover the ball to keep the possession as Los Angeles Harbor College sophomore forward Ruben Salas attempts to steal it at yesterday’s 2-0 Husky defeat at Weingart Stadium.
H U S K I E S
Sports Briefs
VOLLEYBALL Volleyball lost all three sets to Pasadena City College last Wednesday and ended its four game winning streak. East Los Angeles College now stands 12-9 overall and 3-2 in the South Coast Conference- North. The Huskies play today at Chaffey College at 6 p.m.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
CN/NOE ORTEGA
ATTACK—East Los Angeles College forward Perla Navarro runs after the ball in a 4-0 away game loss to Chaffey College on Friday.
Women’s soccer loses playoff spot BY NOE ORTEGA Staff Writer Women’s soccer playoff hopes come to an end after a 4-0 loss against undefeated conference rivals Chaffey College in an away game on Friday. The Huskies are winless in their last four games, with two draws and two losses. If East Los Angeles College wins its next two games and Mount San Antonio College loses its next two games, the Huskies can finish third in the South Coast ConferenceNorth. However, they will still be out of contention to qualify for playoffs. Chaffey dominated through the entire game in possession of the ball and shots on goal. The Huskies most active player was sophomore goalkeeper Adriana Huerta who finished with six saves, most of which came from one-onone plays, but she also made an error in the fourth goal. ELAC freshman defender Ashley Castro had the ball in front of her and Huerta came near her to pick it up. As Castro was pressured by
Chaffey’s offense, Huerta tried to move the ball with her feet, but it was taken away by Chaffey freshman defender Janet Soto to have an easy touch in and score the fourth goal of the match.
“Nobody’s mind was there. We weren’t in the game and we just didn’t want to be here because everybody was just off. ” ADRIANA HUERTA
ELAC sophomore goalkeeper
“Nobody’s mind was there. We weren’t in the game and we just didn’t want to be here because everybody was just off,” said Huerta. Chaffey freshman midfielder Karla Garcia-Limon was the best player on the field as she scored two goals and gave an assist. She scored the first goal two minutes into the game off an assist
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from sophomore forward Kylie Covington, and got an assist 20 minutes after. Off of a corner kick for Chaffey, Garcia-Limon crossed the ball to the near post and sophomore defender Taylor Windham out jumped ELAC’s defense to double the lead. “We came out knowing it wasn’t going to be an easy game. We came out with the intensity that we needed to win. ELAC has historically been a competitive team and we didn’t come into this game thinking that it wasn’t going to be a fight from them,” said Chaffey head coach Grace Cooper. The Huskies tried to attack to take control of the game, but Chaffey’s defense was impenetrable. ELAC freshman forward Perla Navarro was the only player to be able to take a shot at Chaffey’s goalkeeper, but was still unable to score. Navarro leads the South Coast Conference-North in goals with 13. The Huskies will look to finish their season strong on Friday at ELAC when they go up against conference rivals Mount San Antonio College at 2 p.m.
The Huskies took two wins at the Canyons Clash Tournament on Friday and Saturday. East Los Angeles College beat College of the Canyons 88-74 in its first game. ELAC defeated Glendale College 104-69 in its second game. The Huskies next game will be at Arizona in Mesa Community College on Saturday at 4 p.m.
FOOTBALL
CN/DEIGO LINARES
East Los Angeles College lost 39-13 to Ventura College on Saturday at home. With this loss, the Huskies are out of the playoffs and go on a three game losing streak. They now stand 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the NationalNorthern Conference. Their last game of the season is on Saturday at home against Moorpark College at 6 p.m.
Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
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‘Cine Nepantla’ explores multiculturalism BYJUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer The Vincent Price Arts Museum and the Latin American Cinemateca of Los Angeles held the inaugural program for “Cine Nepantla” on Saturday. The event focused on the concept of Nepantla, being in between two cultures, had various parts including spoken word, poems, music and a screening of the film “The Rise and Fall of the Brown Buffalo.” The program was about trying to create a dialogue and getting attendees to think critically when it came to the idea of Latinos feeling somewhat lost between the American and their respective Latin cultures. Each part of the program had individuals showing various ways in which they had come to terms with those feelings. Each performer had a distinct and wholly personal perspective when it came to their art. San Cha, a singer songwriter, sang melodic songs that were about everything from love to drugs to family. Her songs had a hypnotic sound to them especially the ones talking about giving love. The song described how giving all
of a person’s self can sometimes not be enough. Other performers used spoken word to highlight the beauty of Latin American people and the strength of our women. Yosimar Reyes mixed poetry and song in a piece where he spoke about his mother’s love, her strength in watching over him and the difficulty of being both a son and daughter when it came to his father. The screening of “The Rise and Fall of the Brown Buffalo” was an eye opener and really drove home the idea of Latinos being able to tell their own stories. The director, Phillip Rodriguez, was unable to attend. Instead producer Ricardo Lopez came to discuss the film with those in attendance. The movie was a dramatic retelling using actors, archival footage and pictures from Oscar Zeta Acosta’s ex-wife. Lopez linked the movie to the program by saying that Acosta, “was all about the in between.” “The Rise and Fall of the Brown Buffalo” mixes humor with truth as it tells the story of Acosta’s rise from a boy who considered himself a “brown buffalo” to the activist and writer that he eventually became. Acosta’s life was never easy. He constantly saw himself as different
from those around him. His identity was also something that confused him and caused him to become the person he ended up as. Because he was raised with and aligned himself with his white classmates and even spoke too much like them. Latino activists of the time didn’t see him as part of their people. Acosta spent much of his time trying to prove not only to those around him, but to himself, that he was the Latino he wanted to be, despite what he had gleaned from white society. After the screening, the Q&A section began with moderator Gilbert Cadena and producer Lopez. Xitlalic Guijosa-Osuna, one of the performers of spoken word during the program participated as well. Examining the film Cadena asked the panel and the audience if the things that happened during Acosta’s time as a leader in the chicano movement still were relevant today. Guijosa-Osuna said that there were plenty of things that despite times changing, still went on. “I hate saying that history repeats itself. It just goes on,” said Guijosa-Osuna. The panel also talked about the need for Latino storytellers, actors
COURTESY OF LATINO PUBLIC BROADCASTING
THE BROWN BUFFALO AND THE GONZO JOURNALIST—Oscar Zeta Acosta (right) sitting with Hunter S. Thompson in Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, 1971. and producers in the arts. Lopez said that the reason latinos need to tell their own stories is so that the record is set straight. He mentioned the fact that when Hunter S. Thompson
wrote about Acosta in his story for the Rolling Stone magazine, he changed Acosta into a 300 pound Samoan. Lopez reiterated the need for Latinos to be the ones in charge
of their image when it comes to telling stories that involve them as a people or stories that are about their culture.
‘Remembering Boyle Heights’ relives neighborhood’s past BY GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO Staff Writer
COURTESY OF CASA 0101
LANGUAGE BARRIER—Megumi Kabe (left), Ángel Michel Juarez and Raymond Watanga acting in a scene of “Japanese Family Language Barrier.“
‘Fallout 76’ beta mutates into online multiplayer BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer Bethesda Game Studios released the “Fallout 76” beta last week to stress test servers, allowing fans to play this fun twist on the franchise before its Nov. 14 release. This is the first attempt by the studio to bring their lauded “Fallout” franchise into the multiplayer online world. The beta has brought along mixed results as it pertains to the story and player count common in most multiplayer games. “Fallout 76’s” story is fairly straightforward at the beginning. Set in West Virginia in the Appalachia area, the game begins after a war destroys most of what makes up the United States. The player is part of a group of survivors who must retake the world that remains by any means necessary. The player starts out creating their main character using a creation tool set that allows for changes in everything from the size of a character’s nose to the type of hair color. The use of sliders to change size, position and colors makes the creation a simple affair. After the player is done making their character, players must make their way from a starting room and out of the area known as a “vault.” In “Fallout” lore, vaults are special areas underground that were created very much like fallout shelters during the first part of the Cold War in the real world. In the game, however, the vaults became much more fantastical with robots and advanced technology. These vaults
serve their purpose of protecting the people within from what the game has called “total nuclear annihilation.” Traversing the vault allows players to familiarize themselves with the basic controls of the game. It also helps start out the players first mission and introduces the world and story of “Fallout 76.” Once venturing outside the confines of the vault, the first thing that is different from previous iterations of the fallout franchise is how green the area looks. Despite the lore saying that most of the world became a wasteland, the area where “Fallout 76” takes place is very green. Forest areas with streams greet the player, but soon the aftermath of the “total nuclear annihilation” is seen. Feral creatures, mutated wildlife and, what can only be described as monsters form what is left of life in Appalachia. Most of the enemies are takes on either superstitious or old wives tales of monsters from the area. Others are direct takes on existing animals from the real world. Having a three foot long opossum attack the player early in the game can cause some sleepless nights afterward. After accomplishing a certain number of quests, players get enough experience points to level up their character. The new leveling structure is interesting to say the least. When leveling, players get to add points to six specific sections of their character. It uses the same sections other “Fallout” games have used, strength, perception, endurance, charisma, intelligence,
agility and luck, or how the game shortens it, “S.P.E.C.I.A.L.” “Fallout 76” also adds in the building mechanic that made its debut in “Fallout 4.” The mechanic is used to build the players a camp in any spot in the game world. From there, the players camp can be populated with buildings, defense turrets, and creation benches to build weapons and armor. “Fallout 76” keeps the sense of dread that many of the other “Fallout” titles have used. Fortunately, it also combines the environmental sense of dread the game creates, with the occasional pop up of another actual live player. These occasional meetings can be quite interesting, and despite there being only a few live players that populate each gaming world it causes each appearance to be a memorable moment while playing. Players never know if there is going to be a firefight, trading or grouping up to do missions when they meet another player. “Fallout 76” looks amazing and has classic controls to fall back on. The story focuses on what humanity needs to accomplish to survive the new world players are thrust into. Playing an online version of a game that for so long has been a single player experience may make some of the die hard fans hesitant to try it out. Yet, playing the beta for “Fallout 76” has shown that the role-playing experiences and the story beats will be as engrossing as the more mainline titles in the blockbuster franchise of “Fallout.”
Casa 0101 will present the world premiere of “Remembering Boyle Heights” written by former East Los Angeles College student Josefina Lopez on Friday. Lopez co-wrote the play with Corky Dominguez, who directs the play. “Most people don’t know the amazing multi-cultural history of Boyle Heights and how Boyle Heights is the Ellis Island of the West. Most residents have always seen it as a Mexican-American neighborhood and don’t realize how important Boyle Heights is to the rest of Los Angeles, because of all the immigrant history. I want the residents to have pride in knowing amazing things and history happened here. That’s why we must preserve these stories, because gentrification threatens to erase these stories,” said Lopez. Lopez said she is excited for the
play and is hoping people come out to watch. “Edward Roybal’s story and the Ralph Lazo story are two stories that I want everyone to know because they are so inspiring. Remembering Boyle Heights is the perfect story right now to counter all the racism and anti-Semitism happening in the US right now,” said Lopez. Along with the play, the Boyle Heights Museum will have an exhibit called “ROYBAL: A MultiRacial Catalyst for Democracy.” The exhibit will open on Sunday and will run until Feb. 13. Dominguez said that the play will be a unique experience for audiences. He said that in the play, audience members will be lead by a tour guide to different historical areas in Boyle Heights. “From the Breed Street Schul and Canter’s Deli, to JapaneseAmericans being forced out of their homes in Boyle Heights during WWII, to the first African-American realtor in Boyle Heights, to students
of various ethnic backgrounds playing sports at Theodore Roosevelt High School, we cover a lot of ground,” said Dominguez in a press release. ELAC theater student Ángel Michel Juárez will be part of the cast of the play. She will play multiple roles, one being Amy, a student at Roosevelt High School and a character simply known as the activist. Juarez said she will also sing at the beginning of the play. The two songs she will sing are “Mal Hombre” by Lydia Mendoza and “Mi Tierra” by Gloria Estefan. “It’s something that people should be aware of and be mindful of, the gentrification in Boyle Heights,” said Juarez. She said that this play is not a lecture, but to bring awareness of the issues. “Remembering Boyle Heights” will open on Friday with opening reception at 7:45 p.m. and will run every weekend until December 16. The location of Casa 0101 is at 2102 East 1st Street Boyle Heights.
PHOTOS BY JUAN CALVILLO. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY STEVEN ADAMO
BRIEF AUDIENCE INTERACTION—Singer “San Cha“ takes a moment to talk to the audience at VPAM during Saturday’s set. She said that her family was in two seperate groups until she began playing music. Then, it was time to get together and have fun.
Upcoming Events At VPAM VPAM will host a film screening of “Salt of the Earth” on Nov. 15. The film was written by Micheal Wilson and directed by Herbert Wiberman, both blacklisted during the Red Scare.
There will be a meeting with artists at VPAM on Nov. 29 from 6:30 p.m to 9 p.m. Artists participating are York Chang, Rafa Esparza, Star Montana, Guadalupe Rosales and Mario Ybarra Jr.
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Feature
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2018
Vinyl makes its comeback Vinyl still alive with Sounds of Music BY LUIS CASTILLA Staff Writer The historic Sounds of Music is one of the few record stores left that has been around since the height of vinyl records. Sounds of Music is located in the heart of East Los Angeles. The city’s culture and the store’s history are on full display within the store’s walls. Posters of low-riders and beauty icon Marilyn Monroe are sold in the store. Autographed photos of famous celebrities line the record store’s ceiling and counter, including photographs of rapper Eazy-E, Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez, Cheech and Chong and many others. Opening his first record store in 1964, owner Carlos Reyes has been bringing music to Southern California for more than 50 years. Reyes and his partner, Robert Prado opened C&R Records in May 1964. They sold 45 RPM records out of a shoebox, having to buying new merchandise in downtown every other day. They started out with a budget of $1000, half of which was used to buy more records. “We used to hang records all over the walls just to make it look like we had a lot,” says Reyes. Reyes later changed the store’s name to Sounds of Music after buying out Prado. Over the years, Reyes opened several record stores throughout the Los Angeles area including East Side Records in 1970, Hollywood Discount Records in 1971, L.A. One Stop in 1977 and a second Sounds of Music location in Paramount.
East Side Records, however, was destroyed by a fire in 1992. A framed newspaper article about the incident is hung in the store. Reyes acquired his East Los Angeles location in 1972 from Dick “Huggy Boy” Hugg, a radio DJ who recorded out of the store. Records were huge in the ‘60s and ‘70s when Reyes first began operating. “It was the place to be. If you wanted music, you had to go to a record store,” says Reyes. At the opening for this location, Bobby Pickett, singer of “Monster Mash,” made an appearance. Reyes operated at this location for 45 years, but had to move Sounds of Music across the street due to having trouble with his landlord. Customers panicked when they noticed that Sounds of Music was empty and abandoned, not noticing that the store had moved to the opposite side of Whittier Blvd. “I’ve seen people looking through the window (of the old store) and I have to yell at them, ‘We’re over here!’” says manager Mario Reyes. Sounds of Music is known for its oldies records and 45s, but it also sells 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs, turntables, posters, graphic shirts, hats and doubles as a smoke shop. Carlos Reyes says that his customers used to be local high school students back in the day. Now, they have grown up but are still loyal to his record store. “The music business has been very good to me,” says Reyes. Sounds of Music is located at 4945 W Whittier Blvd. It is open everyday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
Sonido del Valle highlights culture with records BY LUIS CASTILLA Staff Writer Sonido del Valle is a cultural hub that is bringing vinyl records back to Boyle Heights. The record store is full of culture and makes it clear it is there to serve the community. It’s owned by Hector Flores and Rene Perez. Flores and Perez had already been selling records for years at pop-ups shops and art walks prior to opening the store. Having both grown up in Boyle Heights, they noticed that there were no record stores in their neighborhood. “There was a void for record stores,” says Perez. Now that Sonido del Valle has come to Boyle Heights, the record store has become a gathering place for local artists and “diggers,” people who dig through record bins, looking for the perfect record. The store carries a little bit of everything, but the owners make sure that their Latin section is always a priority, keeping it nice and full. Sonido del Valle opened in Oct. 2016, but it has already made a significant impact on the people who visit the store. Humberto Terrones Esquivel, host of online station Radio Espacio, is a friend of the record store owners and an East Los Angeles College alumnus. Esquivel grew up in the 1980s and recalls the rise of Amoeba Music, the self-described world’s largest independent record store. “It gobbled up indie record stores,” says Esquivel. He also recalls thinking to himself while in Boyle Heights in 2016, “You know what we need? We need a record store.” A few weeks later, Sonido del Valle opened up. “This is a community hub. The neutral, older, younger, bohemian find themselves here,” says Esquivel. He also said that the
phrase “El Disco Es Cultura,” a phrase printed on genuine Latin American records which translates to “the record is culture,” was something he felt a strong connection with when he was in Sonido del Valle. Another former Elan Moises Ruiz, also known as DJ Sapo, frequents Sonido del Valle, visiting the record store after work. “A record is so special because if it’s in good condition, it’s worth a lot,” says Ruiz. He says that records have been making a comeback, especially with the emergence of all-women DJ clubs like Girls Gone Vinyl, formed in 2015, and Chulita Vinyl Club, formed in 2014, both made up entirely of women of color. Sonido del Valle hosts shows for local bands and offers free DJ classes taught by friends of the owners. Aside from records, the store also sells cassettes, CDs, sound equipment and turntables. Sonido del Valle shares a space with Other Books, a bookstore owned by Denise Diaz and Adam Bernales. Diaz says they opened the store because there weren’t many bookstores in the area. “Most people are not really exposed to books,” says Diaz. Other Books hosts readings and signings by local authors. They sell classic literature, Latin American, Spanish, poetry, zines and other types of books. Sonido del Valle and Other Books share a room, creating an environment where people can grow and learn about the the world around them, art and their neighborhood. Sonido del Valle and Other Books is located at 2006 East Cesar E Chavez Avenue. For more information on their upcoming events, visit their Instagram accounts, @ sonidodelvalle and @otherbooksla. Sonido del Valle is open from noon to 8 p.m. Other Books is open from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
Record Jungle sells affordable used records BY LUIS CASTILLA Staff Writer Record Jungle is a family owned record store in Montebello that specializes in used records. Record Jungle carries every genre of music and only sells used records. The store displays artwork and photographs on its walls in a clean and precise way, giving Record Jungle a futuristic look, especially with the giant blue 45 record adapter that hangs on the store’s wall. The record store has
turntable listening stations where customers can listen to music they might not be familiar with. It sells many low-priced records and hardto-find classics. Aside from records and 45s, it also sells turntables, cassettes and t-shirts and pins with the record store’s logo on them. The record store has an ample one-dollar section. “If I find a record that’s worth $100, I’ll sell it to you at $50,” says owner Andres Perez. Selling reasonably priced records is how Perez has been able to establish himself and Record Jungle for eight years. “I hustle. When you start from the ground up, you learn how to be a strong figure.” After digging through the wide variety of used records, customers can wipe their hands at the store’s counter with individually packaged “Post-Dig Hand Wipes,” because
PHOTO BY DIEGO LINARES. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY STEVEN ADAMO
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old records can get dusty, said Perez. Perez opened the store in 2010, but has worked in the music industry for years. Perez opened his first record store, Soul Unit Record Shop in 1995, but sold it in 2000. He is also a hip-hop producer and an in-house producer, making music for Walmart, NBA, ESPN and even Bud Light Lime. “I’m deep in this,” says Perez. He said that whenever a famous musician is in the area, they go to Record Jungle. Being a family business, Perez employs his daughters Emily and Jazmin Perez at Record Jungle. “It’s very laid back. Your boss understands you have things to do,” says Emily Perez. “It’s cool. You always have a place to work and you can’t really get fired,” says Jazmin Perez.
Record Jungle is currently Perez’s only record store that is open to the public, but he ships thousands of records to Europe as well. Record Jungle is located at 2459
W Whittier Blvd. It opens at 11 a.m. everyday and closes between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., depending on the day. For more information, visit www.recordjungle.com or visit their Instagram account, @recordjungle.
SILLY SIDE OF SONIDO DEL VALLE—Rene Perez (right) and Hector Flores own Sonido del Valle in Boyle Heights where they host shows for local bands in order to support their community and its culture.