Volume 75, Issue 11
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Separate we are many, together we are Model U.N.
CN/VICKY NGUYEN
IN CHARGE—U.S. Delegate Brenda Solis, who won “most likely to be a dictator,” berates Russia and other delegates for not taking more immediate action during the Model United Nations conference on cyber security at ELAC on November 17.
ELAC, Cal State L.A. ally at Model U.N. Conference BY VICKY NGUYEN Staff Writer East Los Angeles College and California State University, Los Angeles Model United Nation clubs forged an alliance at ELAC’s first hosted practice conference on Friday, Nov.17. The theme of the conference was cyber security. Through a series of debates, negotiations and caucuses, the delegates agreed upon a definition on cyber terrorism and put together a plan to fight against it. At the end of the conference, superlative titles were awarded to delegates who stood out. ELAC’s Model U.N. club gifted a certificate of participation to Emily Acevedo, political science professor and Model U.N. club adviser at CSULA. This was the first time many of the students participated in a simulated conference. Jacob Jasso, co-chair for the conference, described it as “dipping (their) feet in the water.” As many of the students were figuring out how to navigate their first conference, several drawn-out silences took place when delegates became unsure of which step to take next. During other moments, there were chaos. “I can tell the delegates are still pretty nervous, otherwise they would have talked more,” head chair Ricky Salgado said. This was his first time as chair at a conference. “It got a little out of hand at certain points,” Salgado said. “They were nervous at first, but I think seeing other students also not being 100 percent sure gave my students a lot of courage,” Acevedo said. She said this was an opportunity for students to learn from one another and establish friendships in addition to gaining familiarity with rules. “I look forward to more opportunities to work together. I really do,” Acevedo said.
To prepare for the event, students researched the topic and their assigned country’s positions. “In order to stay true to your country, you have to put aside your personal beliefs,” Model U.N. club President Brenda Solis said. “You have to put your country first.” Solis participated as the U.S. delegate. While other representatives were more negotiating in their approach, the U.S. representative accused China and Russia of being cyber terrorist threats and urged other nations to follow U.S.-led plans. In trying to stay true to her country’s position, Solis stood out as one of the most aggressive delegates and was awarded most likely to be a dictator at the end of the conference. “I strongly encourage everyone to participate in Model U.N.,” Solis said. “This is applied political science.” The conference was held as an opportunity for students to practice in anticipation of larger Model U.N. simulations, including conferences with thousands of other students around the country. While this practice conference lasted just over three hours long, larger conferences usually last three days, and students would be required to find resolutions on several topics rather than just one. Model U.N. club adviser Ken Chaiprasert approached Acevedo about two weeks prior to the conference to suggest the collaboration between the clubs. Chaiprasert said the club plans to do this every year from now on. ELAC’s Model U.N. club was started by Chaiprasert last fall. The club meets on Thursdays at 12:10 p.m. in F7-111.
november
29, 2017
Poet takes first at annual talent show BY MARIA MARROQUIN Staff Writer Jayden Saldana took first place for reciting his poem at Adelante First Year Experience program’s second annual talent show on Nov. 17. Nick Nevarez took second place and Jesus Borja and Michael Estrada tied for third. The night was filled with entertainment provided by Adelante FYE and the many students who participated. At the end of the night, director of Adelante FYE Vanessa Ochoa took the stage to thank the judges and event goers. “The night was a success and I’m very proud of the FYE staff for organizing and making tonight possible,” Ochoa said. Saldana had the undivided attention of the audience during his poem. He purposely recited his poem with a stutter. His poem was about people who suffer anxiety daily and feel as if they are a burden to society. Singer, comedian and cancer survivor, Nick Nevarez obtained second place with his performance of “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. He had the crowd cheering and singing along. Nevarez also played the harmonica during his performance. His presence on stage had audience members laughing, clapping and cheering for him throughout his performance. Alma Urrea, Nevarez’s friend, spoke about Nevarez winning a battle against cancer and about Nevarez surviving brain injuries from a car accident in 2009. “Nick is such a brave soul. He’s always enthusiastic about doing anything, and overall he is a survivor,” Urrea said. The judges could not choose only one person for third place. Instead, Jesus Borja’s dance performance and Michael Estrada’s guitar solo
tie for third place. Borja’s dance moves managed to get the audience moving in their chairs. Estrada had some minor difficulties setting up his electric guitar, but performed “Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He also managed to get the judges and audience to move to the rhythm of his guitar solo during his second piece, called, “Feel It.” Among other performances, Joshua Castro made the audience laugh with a lyrical poem of his own called “One Night Stand Jose” about Tinder and dating in today’s society. Before her song, Duarte told the audience, “Nobody in my family came to support me tonight. Music is a big thing for me, but they say it is a waste of time.” Duarte started to tear up, but quickly composed herself. “I’m sorry I’m a little emotional tonight,” Duarte said. After an emotional speech and four attempts to start her performance, Yoselin Duarte sang a spanish version of “Hallelujah.” Ochoa said the Adelante FYE staff made every effort for the talent show to succeed. The talent show’s purpose was to bring new student awareness to the program and to help them find community during their first year at ELAC. “The motto for the FYE program is ‘to help scholars achieve greatness.’ We do not call students ‘students,’ we call them scholars because we want to change their mindset in order for them to feel proud to be a part of (East Los Angeles College),” Ochoa said. FYE’s goal is to help new students feel at home and transition into college easier. “Education is life and death. Education has helped me to be successful. It can change your community. That’s what drives me: the ability to create positive effective transformative change,” Ochoa said.
CN/MARIA MARROQUIN
DON’T FRET—Michael Estrada performs “Under The Bridge” by Red Hot Chili Peppers during the Adelante First Year Experience program’s 2nd annual talent show at ELAC’s multi purpose room on Nov. 17.
New winter procedure allows longer enrollment period BY VANESSA VALDEZ Staff Writer There will be a one-time change to class cancellation procedure for winter semester, waiting to cancel classes with fewer than 15 students until close to the opening of the session. As voted by the Academic Senate, and in agreement with the administration, the upcoming winter semester will have a onetime change in regards to East Los Angeles College’s class cancellation procedure. Department chairs will consult
News Briefs
with deans and make a decesion about cancelling classes with 15 students or less on Dec.15. Once the course begins, classes may be canceled for low attendance at any time during the first 10 percent of the term length, regular or short term, if the number of students regularly attending is fewer than 15. Academic Senate President Jeffrey Hernandez said ELAC is in a unique situation. There is a fiscal crisis after the scheduling of winter. “(ELAC) is at a huge pressure to reduce cost. We are at a multimillion-dollar deficit,”
Hernandez said. Enrollment has decreased compared to last year’s. So far, student enrollment for winter is 75 percent of what it was at this time last year. Two weeks ago, it was at 61 percent. Faculty is hoping that it increases. The shortfall is district-wide. While ELAC was able to avoid the problem before, it has recently become an issue. The one-time change in cancellation procedure is an attempt to resolve the problem. The Academic Senate acknowledge people have made commitments and want to avoid
Free Film Screening “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” will be screened Thursday, Nov. 30 from 12:20 p.m. to 1:20 p.m. in E3-255 and E3-257.
“(ELAC) is at a huge pressure to reduce cost. We are at a multimillion dollar deficit.” JEFFREY HERNANDEZ
Academic Senate President
Christmas Toy Drive
canceling classes if possible. Psychology Department chairperson Sherrie Davey said the department chairs were upset when short-term classes were canceled just before several changes were implemented to boost enrollment. Boom Days, an event to help students enroll in appropriate courses, were also meant to increase enrollment. But some of the classes were canceled before Boom Days. Department chairs agreed with the administration to cancel lowenrolled courses a few weeks early, if the courses have shown a pattern of low enrollment. This
Administration of Justice Department is hosting its 19th annual toy drive. Students can donate unwrapped toys, new blankets or clothes and take them to F9-107. Donations will be collected on Dec. 13.
will give students enough time to look for other classes. Currently, winter enrollment for priority groups has passed and it is now open enrollment. However, some classes are really low in students. The Academic Senate did not decide on extending this to the spring semester, regardless of circumstance over enrollment. More discussion will take place at upcoming meetings. The next Academic Senate meeting will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017 at 12:10 p.m. in G1-301 A/B. Visitors are welcome.
Pup Edition This week’s issue of Campus News was written, produced, edited and photographed by the Journalism 101 classes held at East Los Angeles College.
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Opinion
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017
Rising food prices leave students hungry Bell, students get more for their money than they would on school grounds. “School should lower the prices on food because there are nearby locations to eat that are cheaper. The cafeteria and food truck are ripping students off,” student Yozhua Montes said. Many students have complained while in the cafeteria of the prices of their foods. For example, the cafeteria sells sandwiches at $3, which many students claim that they can use to buy two or three bags of chips.
BY MICHELLE PEREZ Staff Writer Although it offers students a variety of food, the food truck and cafeteria at East Los Angeles College is a little too pricey. The food truck increased the prices of its foods since the opening of the Husky Cafe, located in the Student Center, which also had its prices go up significantly. Before the cafeteria, students had one of three choices: eat at any of the local fast food restaurants around the school area, bring food from home or go eat at the food truck located near the swim stadium. Eating at a fast food restaurant is expensive and therefore, not beneficial for college students who have debts from paying for books and tuition. If students didn't choose fast food, they would bring food from home. Although this is cheap and convenient, it also leads to less sleep for students. Before there was a cafeteria, the food truck had decent prices for students. For example, in the past if students purchased chicken strips, they can get them with fries for $6. The food truck also provided students with an inexpensive breakfast which included fruits
Staff Writer As East Los Angeles College students understand how difficult it is to get any sort of help with Financial Aid due to the disorganization of the office. At the South Gate campus, there are days where students can’t turn in paperwork and can only ask questions. Imagine coming out of class in a hurry to turn in a paper, and students see a sign that says, “No paperwork will be accepted, only questions
“Students already have to overpay for their books, school supplies and tuition, so why do they have to overpay for a meal that average” and pancakes. However, with the increase of prices and its changing locations, the food truck has lost student customers. When the cafeteria opened up, the prices at the food truck went up by
$1.25. “It's outrageous that students have to pay $6 or $7 on something as simple as a cheeseburger at the cafeteria or food truck now, compared to about a year ago when it cost $5; Students already have
to overpay for their books, school supplies and tuition, so why do they have to overpay for a meal that average,” Izaak Montes said. With the various deals at local places like McDonald's and Taco
IZAAK MONTES ELAC student
after 10:30 a.m.” In the busy life and mind of a student, this is a disaster because students shouldn’t have issues with receiving assistance with their financial aid problems. Another huge issue is with paperwork being misplaced or not sent to the main campus, which is not fair at all to the students, especially those who are struggling and really need the assistance the school offers. I personally had to take my high school diploma three times, once to the fiscal and twice to the financial aid office just for them to have
on record that I am a high school graduate. This year was the first time I had ever gone to the financial aid office at the main campus and encountered a rude worker who said I couldn’t do anything about the issue I was having and even insulted me by calling me a liar. On my next visit, I took proof and a financial aid supervisor was there and told me there was a way to resolve my dilemma, but I had to follow a series of steps. As I went down the path of solving my problem, I still had issues and to this day haven’t gotten
any sort of call or even an e-mail or letter stating what I need to do to get the help I need. Struggling college students may be clueless as to what steps they must take to get the aid required. The ticket line and system at the main campus is a bit too old school and isn’t sufficient enough to meet the needs of all the students that need a problem solved or a question answered. It is difficult to get a perfect financial aid office but maybe with a few tweaks and changes students can at least get something that will work better and faster than the
ELAC should aim to help its students and future graduates the most it can as opposed to making it harder and giving the students roadblocks along their roads to success. The students make up the heart and soul of the school and it should be the number one priority of the financial aid office especially to ensure the needs of the students are met. If students have a problem with their financial aid call (323) 2658738 to speak to the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office.
College easiest when paid for by government BY MIGUEL BARRAGAN Staff Writer Without college, citizens have a much harder time getting good careers which results in them contributing less to the economy. The University of California system offered free tuition until the 1980s. But things are improving in California since Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill on October 13 to make the first year of community college free for California residents that are enrolled as full-time, students. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s State Budget Proposal passed on April 19 which included the Excelsior Scholarship. The
scholarship would provide middleclass students with free tuition for two and four-year public colleges. Families with an annual income of $100,000 or lower may qualify starting this fall semester. The threshold for those who qualify will rise to $125,000 by 2019. Overall, the free tuition will cost the state $163 million. This legislation will help countless young people get the education they need in America. America has a lot of people who can’t get the education they want because they can’t afford college. With education comes debt. According to studentloanhero.com there is $1.45 trillion in U.S. student loan debt and the average monthly student loan payment for borrowers
aged 20 to 30 is $351, so it’s no wonder college graduates have little money to spend. During college, students may have to spend money on books, housing and food among other things. Afterwards, they’ll have to pay off their debts. In 2012, 71 percent of students that graduated from a four-year college were in debt. 66percent of graduates from public colleges had loans of an average of $25,550, according to ticas.org. Many students receive Pell Grants but are still unable to pay for tuition and living expenses, so they get student loans. In 2012, 88 percent of people who received Pell Grants had student loans according to studentloanhero.com.
East Los Angeles College students may attend the school until they find themselves in a financial situation, so they drop out to work. California Community College system charges $1,100 a year when enrolled in community college full-time which is 12 credits per semester. “Thankfully with FAFSA, I can pay for school right now, but I’m worried about how I’ll pay for a university once I transfer,” Freshman Abigail Sanchez said. The average in-state student spends $8,700 on yearly tuition for a four-year college. Other countries have adopted virtually-free college without it bringing chaos to their economy. Some of these countries include Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland
and France. The United States and California should do more to emulate the policies of the countries that provide free college to its citizens. A comprehensive budget should be made to reduce the money spent on other services and focus it on higher education. College costs have surged 500 percent in the U.S. since 1985 according to Bloomberg.com. With the cost of tuition rising dramatically since the 1980s, Americans lost a lot to student debt. It’s good to see America getting closer to a tuition-free college. For information on the costs of college visit http://www.elac.edu/ prospectivestudents/admissions/ fiscal/Registration_Fee.htm
Marijuana legalization may sustain the black market BY DAVI HOR Staff Writer The marijuana market is estimated at $7 billion, but with new regulations many will be driven toward the black market which defeats the purpose of legalization. The biggest factor is that marijuana prices will be expensive in the legal market when recreational sales and taxation goes into effect in January. For this very reason, many people will still look to purchase it in the underground market, which will continue to contribute to the survival of it. On January 1, California Proposition 64 will allow the sale and taxation of recreational marijuana. Prop 64 was on the November 8, 2016 ballot and resulted in 57 percent in favor of the proposal. Now one year later, people will be able to openly farm, sell and deliver marijuana under this law in California. Growers and sellers will be able to obtain a cannabis license for an annual fee ranging from $1,200 to $80,000 depending on how large the growth
PUP EDITOR Gustavo Buenrostro ONLINE EDITORS Andrew Ayala Anabel Reyes Vanessa Valdez ART DIRECTOR Julie Santiago
Financial aid slowing down students’ progression BY ANDREW AYALA
EDITOR IN CHIEF Dorany Pineda
establishment will be. However, there are already issues arising according to the Associated Press. The AP states that in order to apply for a license, a grower or seller will need a permit but many cities are having trouble establishing those rules including the two largest markets, Los Angeles and San
“... the process to obtain the license will drive people to the black market” Francisco. The inability to obtain a permit and the headache that people have to endure going through the process to obtain the license will drive people to the black market. It is pointless to legalize marijuana when many will operate illegally and will never be accounted for. If the grower or seller somehow completes the tedious process of obtaining the license and is able to successfully farm and
sell the cannabis, the next step of maintaining the business is to pay taxes to Internal Revenue Service. This is probably the biggest motivation for people to maintain or begin businesses in the black market because at the start of next year the state will levy 15 percent on all marijuana purchases by consumers. On Thursday the Bureau of Cannabis Control released 276 pages of a new rule book for the California cannabis industry with a long list of rules and regulations for operating a legal cannabis business, which will probably single-handedly keep the black market thriving. Shops cannot be open later than 10 p.m. Therefore, an opportunity for the black market to step in and fulfill that demand is likely. The size of edibles will be limited to 10 mg per serving and 100/mg per package. The license holder is restricted to sell in adult clubs. All products must be tested, tracked and labeled, just to name a few. These few rules will continue to give opportunity to illegal sales of the drug. www.ELACCampusNews.com
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News
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017
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Safe Zone provides resources for undocumented, LGBTQ students BY DAVID GRADDY Staff Writer The Safe Zone Ally Organization held a workshop to offer resources serving the LGBTQ community and undocumented students. Each year, Safe Zone helps more than 35,100 students at East Los Angeles College by offering a variety of resources including living accommodations, personal need, and overall general health with a goal to lead the communities in the right direction. Immigration laws continue to change with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals known as DACA. According Immigrationequality.com, DACA is an American immigration policy that allow undocumented individuals who enter the United States as minors, to remain in the country and to receive a renewable two-year deferred action to avoid deportation and be eligible to work. According to the Daily News, the average DACA recipient enters the
U.S. at the age of six. Majority of the recipients are currently in their 20s, with no criminal record and 91 percent are employed. The Dream Act, an acronym for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors is an American legislative proposal for a multiphase process qualifying alien minors in the U.S. a conditional grant for residency. However this law has yet to pass. In November 2014, former President Barack Obama announced his intention to expand DACA to cover additional undocumented immigrants. Multiple states sued immediately to prevent the expansion, which was unintentionally blocked by the courts. “Those who are undocumented, are living in fear of the unknown. Family discussions become different because the fear of being separated from each other for the simplest things,”student speaker, Carlos Figueroa said. Figueroa also said the lack of
knowledge for services that are available to undocumented minors and without the proper information, these individuals who have the necessary paperwork can still be deported based on a clerical error. A simple error can separate a whole family for years, even if that individual has completed all of the steps to be a legal resident. According to USA Today, the federal Dream Act introduced to Congress in 2001, has increased the percentage of graduates for undocumented minors. Male students tend to graduate within 4 to 6 years versus 5 to 10 years for females and Undocumented workers have more challenges because they might be working night shifts to support themselves and their families. ELAC provides additional services such as how to prepare undocumented and LGBTQ students for success through education and fighting for The Dream Act to get passed.
Chavez to bring fresh voices at Christmas concert BY KATHY CECCHIN Staff Writer Jazzabration Living Legend Award-winner singer Sylvia Boyd first saw Bobby Chavez when he was playing jazz at the Lighthouse Cafe in Manhattan Beach, California. “I gotta work with that guy,” Boyd said. Boyd will join the Husky Jazz Ensemble for their concert on Dec. 1. Chavez invited Boyd to join the evening’s festivities to celebrate his first concert as East Los Angeles College’s Jazz Ensemble Director. Music Department Chair
Dr. Anthony J. Lupica appointed Chavez to the position last May. Now his 10th year at ELAC, Chavez teaches the Jazz Improvisation Workshop and Music of Mexico, a curriculum he developed and teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles’ Extension School. ELAC’s Christmas Jazz Concert has traditionally been a showcase for the Music Department’s students. Chavez said he spent the last year getting to know his ensemble students musically and designed the concert around their strengths. He also changed up the annual program for his debut concert as concert director. Boyd said she is
happy to oblige. “I love working with the students,” Boyd said. “It’s a learning experience for everyone.” The Christmas-themed concert will feature all new pieces performed by the ensemble, including a rendition of The Beatles’ “And I Saw Her Standing There.” Students Angelene Storey and Marilynn Melisa Ramirez will join Boyd in leading the audience in a rendition of “Feliz Navidad.” The six-piece Jazz Combo will play a breakout session midprogram. The concert offers a platform for them to debut their work.
Professional jazz trumpetist percussionist, vocalist, arranger and composer, Chavez spent 24 years as the musical conductor and director for the United States Army Band. He authored three books: “Tito Puente and The Mambo,” “Mosaic Landscapes - The Music History of Mexico” and “The Magic of Mexico!” Concert admission is free, but donations will be accepted. The donations will help support students traveling to the Monterey Jazz Festival in the spring. The Husky Jazz Band will perform at 8 p.m. in the S2 Recital Hall.
CN/KATHY CECCHIN
SOUNDS LIKE CHRISTMAS --- Husky Jazz Ensemble rehearses for Friday night.
ASU chief resolves to open dialogue BY JOHN MOLINA Staff Writer
Screwball comedy to premiere Friday BY ISHMAEL GARCIA Staff Writer Set in 1934, Cleveland, Ohio, “Lend Me a Tenor” is a screwball comedy about a famous Italian singer, Tito Merelli and his American Opera debut. Saunders, the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company and his assistant Max, anxiously wait for the singer's arrival in a lavish Cleveland hotel suite. Merelli arrives late with his wife as Saunders assigns Max with the responsibility to “babysit” Merelli to ensure that everything goes well. Through a series of mishaps, tranquilizers, and mistaken identity, this screwball comedy will leave the audience “teary-eyed” with
laughter. “Lend Me a Tenor” is a fast paced performance which will include singing as well as Italian accents. The performance has a small cast of eight actors, both veteran theater art majors and new up and coming actors. “A true ensemble piece. It's like a fast train. Everyone is super important” said director, Vanessa Pellegrini. “We just need to laugh and be entertained for two hours.” Pellegrini feels that this remount of Ken Ludwig’s “Lend Me a Tenor,” comes at a time where we need a distraction from what is going on in the world. “Physical comedy is my jam,” said Pellegrini. She has previously directed four plays since 2011 and “Lend Me a Tenor” will be her fifth.
Pellegrini is an acting professor at East Los Angeles College and her focus as an educator is on voice and movement classes. Everything from the lights, costumes, and props in “Lend Me a Tenor” are student designed. With a 1930s setting, the visual aesthetic will be in accordance to the time period of the play. “Lend Me a Tenor” was originally titled “Opera Buffa”and was produced at the American Stage Festival in Milford New Hampshire in 1985. The play’s title changed to “Lend Me a Tenor” and went on to make its debut in March of 1986 at the Globe Theatre in London and was nominated for the Laurence Olivier award for Best Comedy of the year. Three years later, “Lend me a
Tenor” made its first performance in New York City on March 2, 1989 at the Royale Theater where it won two Tony Awards. It also received five Tony Award nominations including Best Play, three Outer Critics Circle Awards and four Drama Desk Awards. “Lend me a Tewwnor” has been translated into 16 languages and has been in 25 countries. The play will run about two hours with the first act being an hour long and a 15 minute intermission, while the second act is 40 minutes. “Lend Me a Tenor” will make its debut performance at the P2 Proscenium Theatre on Friday at 8 P.M. ASU discounted tickets are available at P2-101A for $8. General admission is $10. Tickets at the door will be $12.
Two big issues were brought to attention by students during the open dialogue meeting last Tuesday: safety and overpriced food. Student voices and opinions are important to the Associated Student Union, which is why they hosted the open dialogue meeting. Many students showed up to this open dialogue and shared their ideas on what would make East Los Angeles College a better and safer campus. A couple of students were concerned about their safety on campus because of the lack of blue lights. They weren’t only concerned about the daytime students, but the nighttime students as well. These students are more at risk of phyiscal and sexual attacks because there are fewer students at that time. High prices for undercooked, re-used and small portions of food was another big issue addressed at the meeting. Students shared their experiences of eating undercooked food that came from the Husky Café, and they want something done about it now. “This issue has been brought up to me at least five times this semester,” ASU Chief Justice Destiny Hernandez said. ASU hopes to resolve this issue soon. “We have a petition out for prices to be lower,” Gary Garza, Head of ASU for South Gate Campus,said. “I want students to understand that we’re not letting the issue go by. We’re on top of it. It just takes
time,” Garcia said. Having an open dialogue was Hernandez’s idea, and her inspiration came from her English class. Her professor told the class to have a conversation about gun control, and each student gave a reason why he/she was and was not for it. “As I was in the class, I said to myself ‘We should do this for ASU,’ see what students want ASU to be advocating for and see what they think we are doing wrong, so we can have a better relationship,” Hernandez said. As of late, ASU has been making decisions for students on what changes go on around campus. “Right now it’s a little like what I feel is best for the students,” Hernandez said. Hernandez wants the relationship between ASU and students to improve. She really wants students to speak up for what they want done around campus because “We’re not really getting the voice of the students.” Hernandez is aware that students feel that ASU is not doing anything for them. “Even though some concerns may take years, we are not just putting them on the back burner. I want students to know that ASU is a safe space to come and share your ideas and concerns.” Hernandez said. ASU will continue to have open dialogue meetings, and although the date is still not set, the next meeting will be held during next semester.
History of Mexican segregation angers audience ALLISON BEATTY Staff Writer The Social Justice Platica series was centered on the Mendez v. Westminster legal case of 1947 and the hidden contributions of women. The speaker was Dr. Nadine Bermudez, the associate professor of the Chicano/a Studies Department, and the director of the honor’s program at East LosAngeles College. Bermudez asked the audience
beforehand if anyone had heard of this case before. Less than a fourth of the audience, some of whom stood due to the shortage of seats, raised their hands. Bermudez began by talking about de jure and de facto segregation. De jure is segregation based on the law. De facto is segregation based on circumstances. This was crucial to understanding the Mendez vs. Westminster case, which legally ended the segregation of Mexican
children in public schools. The conflict centered around what the superintendent of the El Modena School District, Harold Hammerstein, referred to as the “Mexican Problem.” “Because of 1) social differences between the two races; 2) much higher percentage of contagious diseases; 3) much higher percentage of undesirable behavior characteristics; 4) much slower progress in school; and 5) much lower moral standards,
it would seem best that Mexican children be Segregated,” wrote Charles Carpenter, a student at USC in his thesis (July, 1945). This convinced enough people on the school board in 1947 to require children of Mexican descent to attend separate schools on the grounds of the Plessy v. Ferguson doctrine “separate but equal”. The reasons for their separation according to some who testified during the trial, included the low
IQ of Mexican students, their inability to speak American, their inferior morals, that they were poor and dirty, to protect them from feelings of inferiority from a lack of available space or supplies in the school and arguing that it was for the good of the children. Bermudez asked the audience what they felt hearing this. The responses were angry, disgusted, sad and frustrated. No one could believe that these were actual
reasons given to justify the segregation of Mexican children 70 years ago. The students in attendance were the most outraged. The adults had more somber reactions. More than 5,000 families involved that stood up for educational justice including Bermudez’s own family. For an extentended version of the story visit elaccampusnews. com
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Feature
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017
Pokemon Club establishes in wake of Game club ban BY ALLISON BEATTY Staff Writer The East Los Angeles College Game Club has gone through many hardships such as being disbanded twice and splitting into cliques. It began with a group of students looking for a relaxing way to spend their down time in the school lounge, playing games ranging from cards, board games, mobile games, and even console games like Smash 4. At the time it was not an official school club, but more of a casual social group. “I was getting stressed out from work. Everyone was,”said Paul Pasos, one of the founding members of the Game Club along with his brother Fernando. He got into it to relieve his stress of balancing his job and his school work, as did many others. Pasos said he would bring a little TV to school with him so he and other members could play video games. Although all they intended was to have fun and relax, they got many complaints about how loud they were being and what a mess they made in the lounge. This lead to the Associated Student Union, calling campus sheriffs on them many times. Even when they weren’t in the lounge, but in other areas around campus, ASU sent campus security to break them up. Pasos recognized them by face and got familiar with them. This eventually escalated to the point where ASU put up rules in the lounge forbidding them to
Staff Writer Susan Okawa has been working at East Los Angeles College since 1989, and she is soon retiring at the end of this year on Dec. 29. Okawa has had a lot of responsibility for the past 20 years being in administrative services. Okawa’s primary job in the administration office to handle the planning and coordinating of events on campus. Last year Okawa had issued 4,900 permits for various types of events. “I issue the permit and route the permits to get the canopies, the sound techs and whatever is needed for all of the event,” Okawa said. She also handles other events related campus, community or special events. Having worked in the district for 37 years with 29 being at ELAC, Okawa said she has enjoyed working with students and staff and has always tried to be helpful in any way she can. She first began her career out of Montebello High School working as a clerk stenographer at Los Angeles City College, after being referred by her high school teacher. She worked for eight years at
SPOTLIGHT
Elan shares first place in music contest BY ANABEL REYES Staff Writer
play games. “People hurt themselves, people freak out...all we’re trying to do is take a load off. Is that a crime?” Pasos said. After the second disbanding of the unofficial Game Club, many of them started getting into card games such as Yu-gi-oh and Pokemon. Victor Garcia, one of the administrators of the Pokemon Club sub-group, got involved. Garcia said it was an awkward start. He didn’t have many friends on campus and was looking for a way to meet people with similar interests. Garica met Pasos through the
Yu-gi-oh card game, but couldn’t continue playing because it was too expensive to buy the cards necessary to have a strong deck. Juan Nolasco then introduced him to the Pokemon card game. Nolasco bought Garcia his first starter deck and taught him the gameplay methods. Garcia, Nolasco and two others then decided to establish their own Pokemon Club, which has now been officially active for two weeks. “It was a team effort,” Garcia said. The club’s main focus is to make friends in the community and create a sense of unity among
ELAC gamers. Garcia said that none of them expected to attract many people into their club. The focus was always on enjoying themselves and making new friends. Aside from casual card matched between members, the club also hosts competitions, pokemon tournaments and occasional raffles where participating students can win Pokemon and other game-related prizes. Raffle winners aren’t solely limited to winning game-themed prizes. The last raffle they held gave out prizes from Netflix’s Stranger Things.
After 28 years, ELAC to say goodbye to Susan Okawa BY ISHMAEL GARCIA
In the
but as people began to leave, she LACC from 1979 to 1987. Okawa left for two years to work became the president. “With the money we make, we at Northrop Grumman from 1987 to 1989, but found it to be unrewarding make donations to other charitable because she didn’t feel like she had organizations,”Okawa said. She any meaningful interaction with also said that money is used for students, faculty and staff while scholarships. Okawa has also been on the working at Northrop Grumman. When her previous employer from graduation committee for many years and is a LACC moved to liaison for her ELAC, Okawa department to decided to apply help out with the for a job at logistical side of ELAC and she graduation. has been here When she ever since. retires, Okawa Okawa first plans on taking started as a care of her member but as five-monthpeople began to old grandson: leave she was “That’ll be my the most senior new job.” so she became Okawa also the president plans to do Okawa says more leisurely the Classified travel with her Employees husband, now Association SUSAN OWKAWA that she won’t has operated a firework stand for many years, and have to rush back on Sunday night that is its sole fundraiser to make to get to work on Monday. “We don’t have anything planned money to have some of the events right now, but I do have a long on campus. “Since I was the President’ no one bucket list of places I’ve never has wanted to do it.” Okawa said. been to that I do plan to tackle,” Okawa first started as a member, Okawa said.
Okawa has always been involved in the ELAC athletic activities, and she still plans to attend many of the athletic events in her retirement. “It’s a fun job and I think it helps to be involved in the campus activities and events,” Okawa said. Okawa never thought she would be sitting at retirement when she first started, saying, “It goes by so fast, so enjoy it.” “We’re really going to miss her,” said April Aragon and Iris Ruiz, co-workers of Okawa. Aragon has known Okawa since 1997 and worked with her since 2006, and Ruiz has known Okawa since 2002 and worked with her since 2015 in Administrative Services. “I would say Susan is the go-to person,” Aragon said. Okawa is a very friendly and professional person who has a wealth of knowledge on everything and is always glad to assist anyone who has a question. “ S h e ’s a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y employee” Ruiz said. Susan was always available to help anyone, even on the weekends, and always went above and beyond. On Monday, the campus will be having a luncheon for Okawa. It will begin at 11:30a.m. to 1p.m. at the G3 Auditorium in the Foyer room.
Eugene Lopez is an East Los Angeles College music student, song writer and winner of the first prize at the Music Association of California Community College competition. This is the second consecutive year that ELAC has won this competition. Eugene competed with nine other students from different colleges. He tied with another student in winning first prize. Eugene said he felt really good and proud about winning. “I kind of didn’t know what to expect when I went there. I was confident in my ability, and my skill, and what I know. When I won I was like ‘wow, it really paid off’,” Lopez said. Eugene was born in Hollywood and has lived his entire life in East Los Angeles. He is third generation, since his grand parents immigrated from Mexico. His passion for music developed at a young age. He started playing piano when he was seven. In middle school he played the flute for the band and the orchestra. He started playing guitar when he was 13 years old. He decided to join the ska band Mente Corrupta (corrupted mind) when he was 17 and played the bass guitar, which became his favorite instrument. After playing six years with the band, he decided to go back to school, finish high school and get a college education. He chose ELAC first because it was in the neighborhood, but then he stayed because he liked the wonderful music program that put him in a better place. Eugene’s goal is to become a music teacher. He currently works as a tutor for the Music Department tutoring in different subjects such as piano, voice, music theory and fundamentals. Lopez is focusing on music education because, “I wanna give back to the community where I come from.” Along with other students, Eugene has started a music club called the Muse Club. Their goal is to enrich and elevate the Music Department as a whole. He believes the department has wonderful faculty and programs.“It would be great if we could get more students and funding, get more voices out there to be heard and recognized,” Lopez said. Lopez’s biggest inspiration to keep going in music is “the love of life, loving myself, loving people that I’m surrounded with and love in general.” He is currently working on a five-to-six-minute composition, taking advantage of all the instruments and tools the college provides. He is planning on working on it for another year and hopes to be able to perform it some day.
CN/ ANABEL REYES
HAPPY WINNER—Music major Eugene Lopez feels
proud after competing and co-winning first place at the Music Associatation of California Community College contest.
Single mother attends college, fighting societal stigma BY JACKELYN BUDON Staff Writer Aracely Vasquez is a woman who overcomes any obstacle that comes her way and is a prime example of a mom who does it all. Aracely Vasquez, who goes by “Sally,” is not just your average East Los Angeles College student. She is also a single mother of four children and works full time. She is working on getting her associate degree in Computer Application Office Technology. She is a part-time student. Most of the classes she takes are online, but she also takes night classes. She has been attending ELAC for a few years now. Although it is taking her some time to complete her courses for her
degree, she would like to transfer to her dream school, which is the University of Southner California or her second option is California State University, Los Angeles. Some of the struggles that she has faced as a student are classes that she needs not being offered. This sets her back from completing her degree. She has also struggled to pay for books, with money to buy the parking pass and not having enough gas to attend her classes. As a mom and a provider, Sally must go by three schedules. Her work schedule, Isaac’s ( her youngest son) school schedule and her daughter Asenia’s (youngest child) private school schedule. Time management has become one of her skills. “I make sure to spend time with them when there’s
a holiday,” Sally said. Her eldest son Richard Martinez describes her as being “ very caring and sensitive to other people’s situations.” And he said that “She looks out for her kids and is very dedicated with anything she does.” She lived and grew up in an environment where her community and her teachers would tell her that she would either end up pregnant or work a low-paying job. “She’s a strong individual who knows how to handle her own” Martinez said. Not only does she have to fight the stigma of her cultural background, but she also fights the stigma of work, where “white males with degrees dominate the industry,” Martinez said. Martinez mentioned that it has
been extremely hard for Vasquez to be a mom, student and a provider. “She’s a strong individual and is very dedicated,” said Martinez. Martinez stated that he admires everything about his mom. “She makes opportunities happen in the most adverse situations, no matter how bad the situation is” Martinez said. Silvia Islava, Vasquez’s friend of 12 years, describes Vasquez as being “organized, resourceful and overall a pretty put-together woman.” What she admires most about Vasquez is her willingness and the way she always cares for other people. She always gives “100 percent to help a person.” There hasn’t been a time where she felt like giving up, and Vasquez said, “If I can do it, anyone can do it.”
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JACKELYN BUDON
FABULOUS MOM— Aracely Vazque (Sally) and her family at her son’s Issac’s middle school culmination.
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EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017
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New English professor Giovani Alonzi exceeds expectations BY DAVI HOR Staff Writer English Professor, Giovani Alonzi at East Los Angeles College surprised many of his students by exceeding their expectations of a new, young professor. This is not only Alonzi’s first semester teaching as an adjunct faculty member at ELAC, but is also the 28 year-old’s first semester as a professor. Alonzi is originally from Van Nuys, California. He studied at San Francisco State University where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in English Literature in 2012. In 2015, he decided to continue his journey toward higher education. Alonzi attended the California Institute of the Arts, also known as CalArts. It is at this private university located in Valencia, CA that he obtained his Masters of Fine Arts in May. During his master’s program, Alonzi worked as a teacher ’s assistant at CalArts for a few months. “My first impression of Alonzi was that this guy is too young to be a professor. (Now he’s) doing a pretty good job for his first year. “If it wasn’t for his young looks, you’d think he’s been doing it for years,” said Jose Martinez, a student in Alonzi’s English 101 class. Last week, an administrator conducted the anonymous faculty evaluation in Alonzi’s class.
The administrator asked Alonzi to step out of his class during the survey. According to Martinez, the class told the administrator that they liked him. They praised him and said he was a great teacher. Martinez said most of the class agreed that they misjudged him based upon his age and young appearance. The students also agreed that the class was well-structured and followed the syllabus. Martinez said he feels that the professor cares about his students
“It is a very powerful thing to see when students are engaged andknow it is a safe space. I mean, these are moments I really value and remind me of why I am here.” GIOVANI ALONZI
Adjunct English Professor
and wants them to succeed. He said that Alonzi is open to answering questions during and after class and is willing to meet one-on-one with students if needed. This semester Alonzi is teaching two English 101 classes in the evening.
“He seemed cool, laid back and since he was new, a lot of us students probably thought we could take advantage of him, (but) he set his expectations and asked us for more each week,” said Anthony Osorio of his professor. Alonzi said he likes hearing feedback from the students. Students were self-motivated to give their honest opinion of what worked in his lectures. They also came up to him after class and told him what he could do to help them better understand the material. Alonzi also tries to incorporate his students’ critiques into his teaching. “I didn’t know what to expect when I was started, but everyone at ELAC has been warm and welcoming. The students, faculty and the English Department genuinely cares. “They all check-in on me, including the students, asking on a regularly basis how I’m doing,” said Alonzi. The most exciting thing Alonzi said he experienced at ELAC this semester is how open, honest and engaged students are about discussing sensitive topics. His students, he said, have felt comfortable sharing and critically thinking about sensitive, sociopolitical issues. “It is a very powerful thing to see when students are engaged and know it is a safe space; I mean these are moments I really value and remind me of why I am here,” said Alonzi.
CN/DAVI HOR
FRESH-FACED PROFESSOR—Adjunct Professor Giovani Alonzo in front of the English Department right before teaching his Wednesday evening class.
Statistics Club seeks participants for research BY MICHELLE PEREZ Staff Writer CN/JACKELYN DUBON
START YOUR ENGINES—Memorial Building: Palmer Automotive Technology Center at East Los Angeles College is a state-of-the-art automotive technology facility. It is dedicated to deceased professor William A. Palmer.
Auto Tech building captures history BY VICKY NGUYEN Staff Writer Tucked into the far corner of campus is building P1, also known as the Palmer Automotive Technology Building, or Palmer Building for short. It is not as large as the Fine and Visual Arts Building, and its namesake is not as well-known as Vincent Price or Helen Miller Bailey. In fact, the building’s full name is not found on either the East Los Angeles C o l l e g e ’s c a m p u s map or anywhere o n t h e s c h o o l ’s homepage. It’s only labeled as Automotive Technology. Palmer retired shortly after the building was completed, a project that took 20 years to complete. But the state-ofthe-art automotive technology facility that he envisioned still stands strong and everlasting in order to provide countless generations of ELAC students with the equipment and technology for an education that meets rigorous industry standards. Before the facility opened in 1994, auto tech students had a single small classroom and the blacktop by the stadium to work on. “Bill worked with President, Ernest Moreno for years trying to get a new building for ELAC. “They flew to Sacramento and talked to many politicians to support this concept,” said Los
Angeles City College President Renee Martinez. Martinez was an ELAC dean while Palmer established the facility. She remembered Palmer ’s cheerful temperament and love of cars. “He would always tell you what car was the best to buy every year,” Martinez said. Adrian Banuelos, the current
WILLIAM “BILL” PALMER A u t o m o t i v e Te c h n o l o g y Department chair, only knew Palmer for a brief time. Palmer fell ill from a stroke in September 1998. After he retired in 1999, Banuelos took over. Banuelos recalled Palmer smoking cigarettes and “just taking it easy.” “He was a calm, calm, quiet g u y, ” B a n u e l o s s a i d . “ H e fought really hard to get this building here. He worked his butt off. Unfortunately, when he finally got the building here, he
was too tired to teach.” Palmer was often found sleeping in the building said Banuelos. “We’re not a hobby shop, we’re a learning institution,” said Banuelos.” The building’s e q u i p m e n t s h o w s P a l m e r ’s forward-thinking. He did not overlook the importance of new technology. “He was not trained to use technology, but he knew how important it was. So he made sure the new building was equipped for the future.” Martinez said about Palmer. Ten years ago, with the approval of the Los Angeles Community College District Board, the building was renamed the Palmer Automotive Technology Building. “Palmer’s tenacity to keep on working to get the building” was one of the reasons that prompted this decision said Martinez. In the corner where the only two halls of the building meet, a memorandum to Palmer can be found hung up on the wall. The plaque reads: “The automotive facility is dedicated to automotive technology professor emeritus William A. Palmer.” A black and white photo of a smiling Palmer hangs above the plaque. “He was just following his heart,” Banuelos said. “He believed in his students, and that’s why he pushed for the program here and kept it alive.”
The Statistics Club at East Los Angeles College hopes to conduct at least three studies they believe will help students. The President of the Statistics Club, Francisco Larraga, said that the studies are in their planning stage and will hopefully be approved and implemented by the spring. Larraga said that the studies involve anxiety and self-efficacy, aggression and how it’s expressed, and the relationship between intimate contact and lower stress levels. Larraga described each study, their purpose and how the Statistics Club plans to carry them out. “The first study focuses on test anxiety and self-efficacy possibly being a factor into how well a student does on an exam,” said Larraga. He believes that the results of this study will interest students since it directly involves. The second study focuses on how the genders express aggression. The goal for this study is to either support or overthrow the prevalent idea that men express their anger physically and directly, and that express it emotionally and indirectly. The last study aims to find out if there is a relationship between intimate contact and lower stress levels. “We seek to help individuals find out a little bit more about themselves and other folks,” said Larraga. In terms of how these studies will be conducted, Larraga said the first will consist of a pre-andpost survey. The other two studies will involve a questionnaire on anger and stress and how participants feel about them. Overall, the purpose of the studies is to collect data, analyze it, and interpret it to come to a conclusion and an understanding. These findings would help the club decide how it can help
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students cope with anxiety and the club meetings, but all are self-efficacy, aggression, and welcome. Larraga also said that some stress. Larraga said the data may even people may hesitate to answer open new programs and give some questions, since the topics may be found to students ideas be sensitive in for healthier nature. lifestyle T h e c h o i c e s t o “The first study focuses c o p e w i t h on test anxiety and self- p a r t i c i p a n t s , o w e v e r, w i l l these issues. efficacy possibly being hnot be obligated T h e a factor into how well to answer all the Statistics Club aims to a student does on an q u e s t i o n s a n d can be ensured a not only find exam.” knowledgeable, the studies’ comfortable and results,but FRANCISCO LAGARRA safe experience. wants to also Statistics Club President For more ensure that information on participants the studies and know the statistics in general, students are significance of the studies. Consent from participants is encouraged to attend the statistics essential for conducting this club meetings on Thursdays from 12:15pm - 1:30pm. research. During these meeting, the club The club will recruit participants through promotions after getting also has “weekly presentations on specific vocabulary or on research approval to conduct the studies. Larraga said they may also methods that our students can need volunteers. He hopes people take from and master really well,” familiar with statistics will attend said Larraga.
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Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS N EWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017
LA Philharmonic creates wonderful imagery in performance BY ALYSSA CROW Staff Writer The Los Angeles Philharmonic performed a free concert at East Los Angeles College on Saturday evening to a packed auditorium. The symphony was conducted by Jonathon Heyward, who played “Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture” by Russian composer Mikhail Glinka. Heyward approached the podium to applause, lifted his arms and the orchestra followed suit by lifting their instruments. His arms came down and the first notes sprang into life. Heyward signaled the drums and the audience listen with a seamless ease. The piece began to form a classic sound, like listening to a pastoral painting. The music was well balanced and blended together with great cues from Heyward. The violin
runs were clean and crisp-sounding. The brass carried the melody well with their booming sounds, the woodwinds played well with the strings, but the strings were the clear star of this piece. The second piece was “Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy” by Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The piece began with the woodwinds evoking the forlorn and sorrowful sounds of a dirge. The waves of sound ebbed and flowed between each section, playing together and separately. Heyward used his body to convey the desired emotion from each section of the orchestra. The orchestra created suspense with a feeling of drama and danger. The woodwinds had a strong embouchure and were able to keep their lengthy notes sounding clear and full without shakes. The brass played very little during
this piece, mostly concentrating on the strings and winds, showcasing varying talent and skills. The lack of brass however made the movement less layered and oftentimes boring. No strong image or emotion was evoked. The piece was technically satisfying but boring to behold. The finale had the symphony playing several long notes together. It was not really a closure of the piece, but more of a wrap-up. The musicians stood for their applause and posed for photos. The final movement was the abridged version of “The Firebird S u i t e , ” b y I g o r S t r a v i n s k y. Stravinsky shortened the ballet piece down from a 60-minute movement to the version performed that night. Heyward took it upon himself to explain this distinction and to narrate the story of the ballet. The “Firebird Suite” began with
CN/ANNABELLE REYES
MAGNIFICENCE ON THE STAGE—The Los Angeles Philharmonic performing Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy at ELAC conducted by Jonathan Heyward. the low rumble of the contrabasses which emanated the eerie feel of a dark forest with very low and tight notes. The clarinet had a strong and clear role, its sound permeated the concert hall while working in unison with
the basses. The swirling tension and complexity of the voices blending together created the perfect atmosphere for the symphony to convey the grand, sweeping emotions of the ballet.
“Firebird Suite” contained a lot of strong solos that painted the story of the ballet. At the end, the LA Philharmonic received a standing ovation from the audience.
Elixir Trio’s melodic sounds stun audience BY ALYSSA CROW Staff Writer The Elixir Piano Trio provided an afternoon of live classical music at the S2 Recital Hall. Admission was free. Cellist Fang Fang Xu, violinist Samvel Chilingarian and pianist Lucy Nargizyan played works composed as trios and adapted to be played as trios. “Trio Pathetique in D Minor” by Mikhail Glinka who is considered to be the father of Russian music, was the first piece performed. The piece was composed in one movement but had several mini movements in it. “Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 110,” by Robert Schumann, was composed in four movements. Schumann is often considered the heart of Romanticism for composers. Nargizyan described the piece as having passion, drama and despair, but also hope and humor. The first movement, “Bewegt, Doch Nicht Zu Rasch”, was like a conversation between each instrument, creating a discussion back and forth and separating voices that would come back together to form a harmony. The musicians performed with each other very well and gave enough space for each voice to
PHOTO COURTESY OF LUCY NARGIZYAN
SAY CHEESE— Samvel Chilingarian(left), Lucy Nargizyan and Fang Fang Xu pose for an after performance picture on November 20. be heard. The performance was like a conversation between each instrument, with each asking how the other one was doing. The second movement, “Ziemlich Langsam” which translates to pretty slow, was slow, melodious and had the cello playing on higher notes which created an uplifting sad tone. The trio played as if they had three separate sorrows that came together to discuss them. The voices worked together to uplift each other’s
spirits. The mood was plaintive, but with sprigs of hope dispersed throughout the piece. The third movement, “Rasch,” was like the instruments woke up. They became lively again and it was a piece with more joy and personality. The final movement, “Kräftig, mit Humor,” was a celebration. Each player was now allowed to show off his or her voice and individual to demonstrate their talents and skills.
The best attributes of each musical instrument were highlighted. The sound here was more traditional, with repeated rhythms and beats, a classical movement listeners could keep time to. The piece made a call-back to the first movement. It lets listeners remember sad times, but also that there is joy in the moment. “Invierno Porteño,” composed by Astor Piazzolla, came as a piece that highlighted each instrument with several solos. The group stayed together, had great communication and played succinctly with great passion. “Sabre Dance,” composed by Aram Khachaturian, was the most easily recognizable and probably the most fun to play. This was the piece that allowed the trio to show off their technical abilities. “Sabre Dance” is usually played with an entire orchestra with brass and percussion instruments keeping the rhythm. It was a surprise and a delight to see “Sabre Dance” composed to fit a cello, violin, and piano trio. Each of the members played so well together and with so much rhythm and passion that Chilingarian broke two strings from his violin bow. The trio did indeed save the best for last.
Netflix’s ‘The Punisher’ is best adaptation of character BY JOE VILLARRUEL Staff Writer After Netflix’s release of Marvel’s “The Punisher,” starring Jon Bernthal, viewers may notice the amount of mature content the show may contain. In comparison to any other Marvel property on Netflix, “The Punisher” outranks the other shows in the amount gore, blood, and adult material. The violence of the show is comparable to Fox’s “Logan.” “The Punisher” pushes Marvel’s boundaries on the amount of explicit content to be included in live-action portrayals of the character. Netflix even a slight pushback from fans received for the release of the show after the shooting incident in Las Vegas. “The Punisher” contains every bit of violence that the Marvel character should. The amount of gun usage from the show explicitly shows the value Marvel has to sticking true to its character. In Episode 10, “Virtue on the Viscous,” Frank Castle, played by Bernthal, tries to stop a maniac wanting to blow up an entire building and assassinate a senator. He goes on a rampage when a squad of private military soldiers try to kill him. This, forces him to shoot, kill and diffuse a bomb all at the same time. Deborah Ann Woll, who plays Karen Page in the show, has also appeared in other Marvel shows such as “Daredevil” and “The Defenders.” Her performance once again is outstandingly excellent as she plays the role of the fearless reporter.
Not to mention the amazing performance Bernthal also provides as “The Punisher.” He proves he can push his lengths as an actor and portrays the crazed PTSD soldier as best as anyone can imagine. In the 2004 version of “The Punisher,” there are some gun scenes that replicate director Mark L. Lester’s “Commando.” The old film isn’t as gory and amplified to the extent of how crazy and violent the character can be. Compared to Thomas Jane’s portrayal, Bernthal proves his version is superior. This does not however, include the cinematography and editing effort the company had to exert in the 2004 version. In the 2017 series, scenes including torture, manslaughter and gunplay are present. Marvel’s certainty with this character was not the first to have an upheaval tone. Other Marvel properties like “Daredevil” and “Jessica Jones” have been applied with similar dark tones In the new live action series of “The Punisher,” Marvel has given it a bit of a dark, western vibe. The intro includes old drums and whistles while a western styled guitar tone plays in the background while guns form from smoke and dust. In “The Punisher,” Castle immediately shows signs of topping previous shows owned by Marvel. In the first episode of the series, the Punisher beats and breaks construction worker’s legs, arms, and necks. He also murders an entire mob of drug dealers that are found playing poker. The show then takes a turn near
the end of the series. The show includes the most grotesque murder scene Marvel has ever came out with. Scenes of countless stabbing, choking, and even eye departure are present. This piece of Marvel’s input into its universe is easily the most goriest
and bloodiest. The Punisher was never planned to have his own feature show right until his uproar in fame after his appearance in Daredevils season two. Even then, the character had added a high amount of violence for a show.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NETFLIX
THE PUNISHER— Jon Bernthal www.ELACCampusNews.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROS.
Justice League fails DC’s fan base expectations Batman has been heavily criticized about his ability to portray Staff Writer the character. Affleck isn’t a bad Batman, but he isn’t a good one “Justice League” definitely has its either. Batman is supposed to be high moments of entertainment, but tough, but his portrayal in this unfortunately not enough to justify particular film showed Batman as the $300 million budget spent on a weak and uninteresting character producing the film. The film is with subtle moments of humor, one of the most expensive ever emotion and limited strength. Lois Lane, produced putting it played by Adams, in the same category was another as the “Pirates of disappointing casting the Caribbean” call. Adams, a very and “Harry Potter” multiple franchises. ”Justice League” talented, Oscar nominee The film however is a roller for movies like grossed a very “American Hustle” unexpected and coaster ride, and “The Master,” disappointing $96 but not the best lacked the ability million during its to shine and create ride” opening weekend in chemistry between the U.S. her character and It delivers C a v i l l ’s . I n h e r sporadic moments of excitement and rapidly slows down defense, Adams was limited to the in between those exciting moments. cheesy dialogue in the script. Gadot was praised by critics This cycle continues throughout the entire movie. Applause would for her role by critics in “Wonder fill the room and the next moment Woman,” which made more in its opening weekend than “Justice heads were shaking. With an all-star cast carried by League,” but only cost half as much Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy to make. She did not disappoint in Adams and Gal Gadot, anyone “Justice League.” With the shared would believe that this was sure screen time, however, she was to be an automatic movie-making naturally overshadowed. Jason Momoa, the actor famously success right? Well, not necessarily. For starters, the lack of character known for his role in “Game of build-up for the star-studded Thrones,” now plays Aquaman. His ensemble made each character’s role is probably the least important introduction feel rushed, which out of all the Justice League ultimately caused director Zack members and has the potential for Snyder to ineffectively convey the more. H i s c h a r a c t e r h a s h u m o r, importance of each character. This affected the way the relationship personality and the obvious sex and dynamic of the Justice League appeal that can never get old in any film, but that will have to wait until team was perceived. On the other hand, it would not his standalone film, “Aquaman” have been practical for an overly next year. The film isn’t all bad though. The used, computer-generated imagery film like this one to be longer soundtrack for the film is amazing. than the 1 hour and 50 minutes. The composer, Danny Elfman, even It is ironic that the movie was so included the Batman theme song expensive to produce because the from Tim Burton’s 1989 “Batman” CGI looked very poor. This is film. The soundtrack is definitely mostly due to Cavill, who plays worth paying attention to. The most significant highlight Superman, not looking like himself of “Justice League” is the random in the film. “Justice League” is the fifth punch lines and humorous jabs installment of the DC Extended thrown out by The Flash, who is Universe franchise. The story portrayed by Ezra Miller. This follows the death of Superman, young and talented actor is a breath which Bruce Wayne, the Batman of fresh air. He single-handedly kept this film above water and feels responsible for. While the world mourns the when the applauding and laughter tragedy, the villain Steppenwolf occurred from the audience, it decides to come back to Earth always included Miller in the scene. in search for Mother Boxes, The audience should stay until the whose combined energy poses a mid-credits scene, where Miller establishes his ability to entertain. catastrophic threat to the world. Ultimately, “Justice League” is Batman is then motivated to form a team of superheroes which not worth paying the hefty movie includes Wonder Woman, Aquaman, prices. If fans feel invested to this franchise, wait for it on Redbox. The Flash and Cyborg.
BY DAVI HOR
Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017
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Howlin Ray’s great option for students to eat BY ANDREW AYALA Staff Writer “Howlin’ Ray’s” and its renowned hot chicken are sure to make a mark on consumers taste buds and will have them craving more. Located at 727 N Broadway #128 in Chinatown, Los Angeles, this small shop gathers a big crowd. Surrounded by other known restaurants such as “Chego,” “Ramen Champ,” “Baohaus,” and “Pok Pok Phat Thai,” “Howlin’ Rays” brings a new style of food to the plaza. With a menu that includes main dishes such as chicken sandwiches called “Sandos,” plates of chicken with toast and pickles, wings, and the exclusive chicken and waffles that can only be obtained during the weekends, there is a variety to choose from for any chicken lover. Despite them being known for their chicken, there are different levels of spiciness country has almost no heat, mild contains a brush of heat, medium picks up the burn, hot, x-hot and howin’ close out the categories as the hottest flavors. All levels differ and the staff is more than happy to answer any questions consumers might have on the heat. The Howlin’ flavor, however is made with habanero, ghost pepper, and the red savina, which are some of the hottest
peppers in the world. Sides include collard greens, hot shake fries, macaroni salad, and cider vinegar slaw. To wash all the delicious food down, they have choices between peach tea and lemonade or classics like Coke and Diet coke. Thanks to their improvements on staff, they have cut their wait time from three hours to an hour and a half. At the restaurant, consumers will encounter the most hospitable and energetic staff. From their responses, to their singing and dancing when being filmed or photographed, it always seems like a good time. The employees never forget that the customer is always right, and consumers are welcomed with warm laughs and good vibes. Consumers have choices between three sandos. One is Luis style, which is made with toast as opposed to normal buns. One is JoJo style, which was made with waffles as buns topped with syrup and sugar. The last one is classic. The amount of flavor and spices is very pleasing to consumers, and can be ordered to guest preferences as mentioned before. The chicken is hormone and additive free, which can be tasted from first bite to last. The Luis style and JoJo style sandos had cheese and were different since the classic had coleslaw, pickles, and their Comeback Sauce,
which is mayonnaise with pepper and spices. The Luis and JoJo style brings a refreshing twist to a classic and the JoJo, in particular, has less toppings due to the sweet and salty balance this sandwich brings. At first orders seem nice and neat but as soon as eaters begin to indulge on the hot chicken, they may encounter needing multiple napkins to clean the mess. The macaroni salad and coleslaw are very fresh and seem to be the balancer with the hot chicken. Mario style fries are something new but an item from the secret menu that should be tried if wanting to eliminate bread from the meal. The peach tea and lemonade are always refreshing and allows consumers to have something sweet to wash down the southern spice. A freshly baked cookie can also be something to enjoy after a plate of hot chicken, in either chocolate or snickerdoodle flavor. Though very pricey, with prices ranging between $9 to $28, people are bound to enjoy spending that amount of money because after all, they get what they pay for. The store is only open from Wednesday to Sunday and their hours of operation are between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., so be sure to plan ahead. They have also added pre-orders, but the order must consist of parties
CN/ANDREW AYALA
HOT CHICKEN— JoJo style chicken sando. The sweet and salty mix bring savory flavors to the table, as you indulge in a waffle encrusted chicken sandwhich covered in cheese, syrup, and powdered sugar. of 10 or more and a new site on the Westside of town is said to be built in 2018. There is no set location, but there is talk of a Culver City storefront. Regardless of what is ordered if consumers love of chicken, spice, or both, they are bound to have a wonderful and enticing experience at “Howlin’ Ray’s” due to the amazing staff and
mouthwatering dishes. 2014 was the year that chef Johnny Zone and his wife decided to dive deeper into the hot chicken culture in Nashville and bring a piece of that back to Los Angeles. They realized the impact that delicious hot chicken had on the people eating it and decided it was time for them to share this experience with the rest of
the community. November 2015 was the last stop of their hot chicken truck and the beginning of a new venture, which was their storefront, located in Chinatown’s Far East Plaza. With lines between two to three hours long when they first opened, everyone was beginning to finally hop onto the hot chicken train and see what this place was all about.
Latest ‘Call of Duty’ returns to roots bigger than ever and the competitive scene is growing as well. This year Staff Writer alone, there are $5,000,000 worth of cash prizes in the Call of Duty World It’s back to the basics in “Call League series, which is where the of Duty: World War 2,” which best teams compete for a trophy and means players are saying goodbye rings just like any other sport. to jetpacks and hello to boots on In the game there are 10 prestige’s, the ground. which lets players when you reset With the idea of an original their progress. Master prestige is “Call of Duty” game, where skill is the final one, and to fully become measured by gun skill and not how a master prestige, one must reach quick can use jetpacks to pick other level 1000. players off, the gamer community The ranked lobbies will be open was shaken. on Dec. 1, and will bring a more The franchise is back to its roots, serious tone to the game since however, and the community is players will now be playing for thriving and growing like never a rank that can go up or down before. depending on wins and losses. The main campaign allows In public lobbies, one can play players to play as Ronald “Red” the game and win or lose without Daniels. He is a country boy from worrying about their level or rank Texas, who makes the decision to going down. enlist and fight for his country. The game already has Major The story takes players through League Gaming lobbies with a twists and turns of missions dedicated server, but at this point in that players and time, the connection their squads must isn’t as good as it complete, in order could be. to help the U.S. The multiplayer “‘Call of Duty: advance in the war. plays smooth and WW2’” Through these has a total of 10 series of missions, maps at the time has managed players form o f t h i s r e v i e w. to once again bonds with certain Filled with weapon captivate the characters like variants, unlockable Robert Zussman, hearts and minds c a m o u f l a g e s , who is Daniels’ best and paint jobs on of many gamers, weapons, the game friend, and William Pierson, who is takes a refreshing thanks to its the Commanding ground breaking tmweicsht a noinc s b aont dh Officer. new release. This campaign is rewards. one of the best and A new game mode is filled with easter called War, gives eggs and many players a series of objectives such secret items to find throughout the as moving tanks across a battlefield, story. or even planting a bomb. Zombie mode in “Call of Duty: Three additional maps can only be WWII” is completely revamped played in this game mode. and is now scarier, more gruesome, The game also brings back a and more intense than any previous game mode introduced last year, iterations. Two maps have been Gridiron. released so far and they differ In Gridiron, players must score completely. the ball into the goal on the opposite The Final Reich, a map, makes side of the map and the team with the players figure out what is going on most points wins. Think of football in the town of Mittelburg, Germany or soccer, but with weapons. by completing a series of steps to This game type allows a less solve the mystery. serious tone and a more team-based There are two easter eggs in objective since players need people total in this zombie mode and the to protect one another if they’re only way to solve them both is to going for the goal. complete them in the same game, While being fun, both of these which is a very time consuming newer game modes are very difficult, task. especially when doing them solo. The second map is called Bloggers on Reddit have wasted Gröesten Haus, which is more of no time leaking the release date a classic zombie mode, where the of the first Downloadable Content main goal is to survive as many pack. It is said to have new maps waves of zombies as possible. and 16 new weapons. Both have very spine chilling “Call of Duty WW2” has managed cut scenes and some pretty sweet to once again captivate the hearts surprises along the way. and minds of many gamers, thanks The multiplayer in this game is to its groundbreaking new release.
ANDREW AYALA
CN/ALYNNA GUZMAN
PIZZA PIZZA PIE—Half Buffalo Bill and half Daves Junkie, 100 percent vegan pizza served and cooked to order at Purgatory Pizza in Boyle Heights.
Artsy pizza joint offers vegan choices BY ALYNNA GUZMAN Staff Writer Walking by “Purgatory Pizza” in Boyle Heights, the first thing to notice is the artwork. The building is adorned with messages like “justice, peace,” with different colored writing surrounding the “no’s” and blaring dance music to set the mood. Purgatory Pizza offers regular and vegan options. Although a bit expensive compared to your run of the mill pizza place, a regular specialty pizza will run anywhere from $16 to $25 dollars. A vegan specialty will be anywhere from $22 to $27 dollars. Loud dance music fills the air
of the restaurant. The wait time is usually around 15 minutes, the pizzas are prepared and cooked to order. There is also the option to just buy a slice, which is cooked and heated to order. The Buffalo Bill pizza has a vegan ranch base, gardein chicken, which is (fake chicken), tempeh bacon, green onions and red pepper flakes. Ask for extra buffalo ranch sauce to dip this bad boy in and it truly is a spicy, thin crusted masterpiece. Split the pizza in two, with so many options as well as buildyour-own-pizza. There’s always something new to try. Dave’s Junkie is topped with
El Diablo sauce, soyrizo, red bell peppers, mushrooms and jalapenos. The first bite is a spicy lip tingling explosion. Eating another slice is out of question. The Thor’s BBQ pizza has a barbecue sauce base, gardein chicken, red onion, cilantro and pineapple, which adds a sweet taste to it. If people ask for some buffalo sauce drizzled onto the pie, it converts it from a sweet, fresh experience to a nice fight between sweet and spicy for domination over ones taste buds. Save some of the vegan buffalo ranch sauce for the garlic knots, which have both regular and vegan
options. An order serves up to six of their must-have delicious little golden treats. The wedges fall very flat. This is the catfish of wedges, from the outside the crisp exterior implies a crisp bite, but they fail to deliver, the potato is too dense, not mushy structured crispness like you’d expect. Although the food is delicious, the parking lot feels like hell. The Los Angeles area is quite famous for its horrible parking. It lacks space and will feel like playing tetris just to get out. This restaurant is located at 1326 E 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90033.
Viewers in love with the ‘Coco’ CRISTAL GOMEZ Staff Writer Disney’s “Coco” is an excellent movie for all ages that explains what the Day of the Dead holiday is in Mexican culture. “Coco” focuses on the story of a young boy who lives in the small town of Santa Cecilia, Mexico. Miguel Rivera is a 12-year-old boy who loves to play guitar, but his family despises music. On Nov. 1, he gets transported to the Land of the Dead, where he meets family members who have passed onto the next life. Miguel tries to convince his deceased relatives to allow him to play music rather than make shoes like his entire family. With an all-Latino cast, some known actors include Jaime Camil, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Sofia Espinosa and Renee Victor. The actors give life to these characters and make sure the culture is represented correctly in
the film. By getting an all-Latino cast it has truly shown how Disney took this film seriously. Disney Pixar did an excellent job of portraying the Mexican culture. Apart from hiring an all-Latino cast, animators were sent to Mexico so they could observe how families live and how the Day of the Dead is celebrated there. Within the film, there are references to jokes that Mexican families will understand. The well-known chancla makes an appearance a couple of times. In the Hispanic culture, the chancla is a sandal or shoe which a mother can use as a weapon to hit their misbehaving kids with. In the movie, Miguel's grandmother hits a mariachi with her chancla for speaking to her grandchild. Even his grandmother telling him to eat more because he is too skinny is a familiar joke in the movie. It is a common statement for a Mexican grandmother to scold a
grandchild she believes doesn’t eat enough. These small jokes captured the Hispanic culture in how people act toward their relatives. Frida Kahlo, Cantinflas, Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete and El Santo appear in the movie. These figures are all prominent idols in the Mexican culture who still live in society even though they have passed away. “Coco” has given life to these influential figures once again as they continue to influence the future generations inspiring them to become the next generation of actors, singers, artists or comedians. Pixar also gave homage to Jose Guadalupe Posada 's drawing of the Catrina. The skeletons in the movie had similar characteristics of the skeletons Posada would draw, giving them clothing and specific designs to their face to distinguish one another. Once the protagonist Miguel walks through a bridge made of
cempasuchil flowers, there is a panoramic shot of the Land of the Dead. On the bottom of the cities, there are buildings similar to preColumbian architecture. Looking up above the preColumbian architecture, viewers can see the buildings from the Porfiriato. Above that, the construction of modern buildings has begun. “Coco” is the perfect movie for all ages. The film emphasizes the memories of loved ones and how they don't die, but instead continue to live on. The main theme of the movie portrays how people never go back to see them again and slowly forget them. By celebrating the Day of the Dead, we keep them in our hearts and in our memories. “Coco” is rated PG for thematic elements. For an extended version of the story, visit elaccampusnews.com
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8
SPORTS
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2017
Wrestling prospect Brandon Sotomayor wins tournament BY KAREN CRUZ Staff Writer No.1 state-ranked East Los Angeles College heavyweight sophomore Brandon Sotomayor was the only Husky to win during The Brawl Tournament at ELAC on Nov. 18. He defeated last year’s reigning champion Chance Eskam of Palomar College. ELAC’s wrestling team hosted the all-day tournament. Sotomayor ranked No. 2 in last year ’s tournament against Eskam in the 285 weight class. Sotomayor was undefeated, but Eskam broke his record by 3-2. Eskam, who is a returning state champion from the 2016 tournament he won against Sotomayor, lost his match. Sotomayor won an Award of Excellence (a step above mvp) at the Meathead Tourney at Cuesta College. Sotomayor, who has been competing since he was a freshman, has been training extra hard to remain on the team. In the match with Eskam, the crowd remained calm as Sotomayor walked his way to the mats and competed against
Eskam. Sotomayor earned his points for the different wrestling moves he made successfully during a match, and Sotomayor’s opponent earned his points for any infractions Sotomayor committed. To train for their wrestling match, wrestlers have to warm the body with warm-ups. According to freshman wrestler Ahmad Shalabi, warm-ups are intense during training sessions: “We do two hours in the weight room every afternoon.” In college wrestling, there are 10 weight classes ranging from 125 lbs to 285 lbs. When a wreslter is taken down, the wrestler in control is awarded two points. If the bottom wrestler escapes, that wrestler is awarded one point. Wrestlers can compete against another wrestler who have the same weight, but it doesn’t have to be the same height. There’s three periods and the first is two minutes. If the score is tied, then it will go into overtime. Although Sotomayor had his first loss last year, he had been training everyday Monday through Friday for two hours per session with his teammates in preparation for this tournament. He worked his way
through the season to compete against his opponent. “In wrestling you need to work hard,” Sotomayor said, who is a full-time student at ELAC and has two weeks to train before regionals. Sotomayor, was congratulated by teammates, head coach Ralph Valle and assistant coach Monico Enriquez after defeating Eskam in the tournament. “The ELAC wrestling team has been good enough to reach finals in The Brawl Tournament,” said coach Valle. The energy from the audience created more excitement. Coach Valle’s expectations for the next tournament is to “work harder than before.” Sotomayor has two weeks left to train and work hard to win the state championship. With the guidance of his coaches and support from his wrestling teammates and family, he wants to train harder and wants to bring a trophy home from the state championship to his home East Los Angeles College. The next wrestling tournament is scheduled at Bakersfield College, where ELAC will compete at the Southern California Regional Tournament on Dec. 1.
CN/ STEPHANIE SICAL
SWEET VICTORY—Sophmore Brandon Sotomayor (right) wrestling and defeating Chance Eskam from Palomar College at The Brawl Tournament on Saturday Nov. 18.
Defensive errors cost men’s soccer playoff BY JOSE DE SANTOS Staff Writer
CN/ JOHN MOLINA
IT’S A HIT—Elias Maldonado (36) hits grounder toward the outfield and makes it to first base against College of the Canyons.
Baseball holds fall placement scrimmages BY ALYNNA GUZMAN Staff Writer
Husky baseball wrapped up their fall season against College of the Canyons on Thursday. The game lasted a grueling 14 innings. During the fall season no scores are displayed on the scoreboard, despite head coach James Hines saying the point of the games are still to “create a competitive atmosphere.” Although these games don’t count the way they will in the spring, they still affect how players fit into the spring program. Hines said the focus of the fall season is to evaluate players “to figure out what guys can do.” It gives the teams the freedom to try players out in different positions, lineup order or stages of the game. College of the Canyons had a strong start, scoring six runs in the first two innings. Two missed throws, one at home plate and one at first base set the defensive tone for the first two innings. “First two pitchers didn’t do their job getting people out,” Hines said. Sophomore Zechariah Jarrard, who plays both first base and pitches, said, “Our pitching needs help.” At the bottom of the third inning, an interference call was made against Jarrard for stepping into the
throwing path of the catcher after swinging, interrupting a throw down to second.“It was the right call, I took a big swing,” Jarrard said. By the fourth inning the Huskies got in the swing of things. “It’s a good way to learn how not to quit,” Matthew Shults said. “We drive until it’s over and many of the games have been 14 innings,”Jarrard said.
“We gotta love each other. That doesn’t mean we have to like each other, but on the field we have to love each other.” CARLOS DIEGO SANCHEZ Sophomore Outfielder
Shults said, “I’m not a huge guy. I have to stay within myself and see where I fit into the team. Today, I tried to bunt.” A strong sense of community is present in Shults, a transfer from Pasadena City College, who said, “The guys all like to hang out. It’s more than just a class like at other schools I’ve played for.” At the bottom of the fourth inning, sophomore Damian Lomeli starts with an offensive hit streak,
hitting the ball out to left field. Lomeli scores the first run, after College of the Canyons shortstop dove and missed sophomore Gabrile Figueror’s hit. Players were being switched constantly throughout the game on both teams. Jarrard spent time both at first baseman and as pitcher during the game. He had a successful eighth inning on the mount. College of the Canyons had no men on base all inning. Sophomore outfielder Carlos Diego Sanchez said, “We try and do too much. As a team we need to grow and mature and stay within ourselves. That being consistent in how we believe in ourselves will make us a better team,” Sanchez said. “We gotta love each other. That doesn’t mean we have to like each other, but on the field we have to love each other.” “I’ve seen greatness. All of them have had spurts of greatness. They have to mature so they can move up from the amateur level,” Hines said. The spring season will see some new faces. Hines said, “It will add more depth to our team so we can redshirt some players and not have them waste a season.” The spring season begins Jan. 26 at College of the Desert. The Huskies’ first home game will be against Citrus College on Feb. 8.
Defensive errors continued to haunt men’s soccer playoff game, resulting in a 2-1 loss against Golden West College on Nov. 18. East Los Angeles College was evenly matched against Golden West at the start of the game. A counter attack for the Huskies almost resulted a goal, but sophomore winger Luis Alvarado missed inside the penalty box. During the 20-minute mark, ELAC defender Salvador Alvarez gave a crossing pass to Alvarado, which resulted in a goal to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. A minute later, Golden West’s midfielder Ronaldo Escudero scored to tie the game 1-1. ELAC continued to have trouble with Golden West’s counter attacks whenever they lost the ball. “I think we did a good job on opening the score. We mentally had a lapse and we received a 1-1 right away, literally a minute later” assistant coach David Garcia said, referring to ELAC’s concentration
during the first half. ELAC’s defensive troubles continued when Golden West scored from a counter attack, however, it was called an offside. “From our side, it was just the fact that we weren’t as consistent with our possession as Golden West was,” said Garcia, referring to the first half of the game. In the second half of the game, ELAC had more defensive errors with counter attacks and dealt with frustration. Two minutes after subbing in for midfielder Edy Martinez, ELAC’s winger Kevin Rodriguez was smacked in the nose by a foul and started to bleed. Both teams were evenly matched to get the playoff win. In the 67th minute, Golden West took advantage of ELAC’s defensive error and scored to take the 2-1 lead against the Huskies. “By being a bit lazy, they punished us. That unbalanced us. I felt like we were solid at the first half. I guess we just lost our heads and it just went downhill from there,” Alvarado said. ELAC’s struggles continued with
fewer players on the field. In the 79th minute, Golden West had another counter attack which forced ELAC’s captain sophomore defender Agustin Barros to slide tackle Golden West’s forward, resulting in a red card. “Two mistakes cost us the game. With two red cards, it was more difficult to come back to get a tie,” Barros said. In the 85th minute, Alvarez had an altercation with a Golden West defender that resulted in a double yellow card, equivalent to a red card, leaving ELAC with nine players on the field. ELAC tried to attack Golden West’s goal, but the referee finished the game. “I was impressed with the quality of the team and how professional everybody was. This is soccer so sometimes you need to be lucky, and I think we were a bit lucky” Golden West head coach Alex Gimenez said. “It was a tough loss” ELAC assistant coach Garcia said, referring to his team being eliminated from playoffs. ELAC’s playoff run ended with an overall record of 9-8-5.
CN/ STEPHANIE GUEVARA
SCORING FOR THE TEAM—Sophomore midfielder Luis Alvarado (7) strikes the ball for a scoring opportunity against Golden West College on Saturday November 18.
Football ends season with 7-3 record despite missing playoffs BY CRISTAL GOMEZ Staff Writer Huskies end the 2017 football season on a high note, finishing on a five-game winning streak with a 7-3 record. Going into his second year as East Los Angeles College Head Coach, Bobby Godinez led the team to the Patriotic Bowl. Godinez replaced ex-head coach Eric Marty after he had a total of eight losses.
The team started the season with a 31-22 win over Orange Coast College. A week after the first game, the team took a loss of 21-13 against Allan Hancock and then lost to Antelope Valley with a close margin of 16-14. After having a two-game losing streak, the team finally found momentum. During the five-game stretch, the team won by a margin of 45.6 points per game. The highest scoring game this season was 71 points against Southwest Los Angeles College.
During the practices, the football players have noticed a difference in how they have improved. Christian Velazquez, a freshman offensive lineman for ELAC, said, “The team is improving in each game, making sure they all put their 100 percent each play, drive, to better ourselves and each other for the games ahead.” Velazquez had also said that the team is continuing to get better after each game to prepare for the next challenge they will face on the field. Ahmad “TJ” Diallo is a sophomore defensive lineman who
suffered a broken ankle toward the end of a scrimmage game against Victor Valley College. Finally able to play after being on the sidelines, he was able to get 15 tackles this season. “I did my job and made an adequate amount of plays. I was happy to be back on the field again,” Diallo said. As the season came to a close, the last game was a bittersweet moment for the players. Preparation for the field and the excitement of playing the last game before the finals had everyone on
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their toes. “The game against Glendale was filled with certainty and unity. We were walking onto the field confident that we were going to win easily. We ended up winning that game in blowout fashion 31-0. We were all excited because we haven’t blown out anyone all year,” Velazquez said. As this was Diallo’s last game, he wished he had more time to play with the team, since he and his team members created a strong bond on and off the field.
Diallo is currently going through the recruitment phase and is waiting to get more offers from other universities. Diallo and Velazquez both agree that the entire team have helped each other improve in creating a stronger unit. The team has made a lot of improvements from the last season, going from a 2-8 overall record to a 7-3 overall record this season. Coach Godines and others are responsible for the team’s improvement.