Volume 77, Issue 19 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, May 13, 2020 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
School finances face danger as state revenue dips BY SAMANTHA INIGUEZ Staff Writer
Governor Gavin Newsom’s financial advisers anticipate an enormous state revenue loss that will affect school funding including Proposition 98. Proposition 98 guarantees a minimum funding to public schools and community colleges to promote constant growth in the school system. Newsom’s Budget Summary for 2020-21 originally suggested Proposition 98 would receive a budget increase of $3.8 billion for school and community colleges. According to the Governor’s Budget summary, “The budget proposes a $1.2 billion augmentation to the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), approximately $900 million for special education, $300 million for expanded supports and services for the states neediest schools, $300 million for the development of innovative community school models that support student mental health and $70 million to improve and strengthen school meal programs. “The budget also proposes changes to improve fiscal accountability regarding the use of LCFF funds.” The School Services of California Inc. stated in a press release that the Department of Finance anticipates a state revenue loss of $9.7 billion this year and $32.3 billion in the next budget year, which includes an $18.3 billion reduction in Prop 98. “A $41 billion reduction in state revenues from the Governor’s
January estimates corresponds to an $18.3 billion reduction in proposition 98 for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 fiscal years… although the DOF did not provide a fiscal year breakdown of the total reduction in Proposition 98, our best estimate is that the current-year guarantee is reduced by approximately $3.7
“This crisis also underscores the need to pass the schools and communities first initiative this November.” JEFF FRETTAS
President of California Federation of Teachers
billion while the 2020-21 guarentee would be reduced by $14.6 billion.” “This means that based on the Governor’s January estimates, the current-year and budgetyear minimum guarantees are $77.9 billion and $69.4 billion, respectively,” wrote the SCC. The SCC wrote that although the state does have a rainy day fund it would only scratch the surface of the problem. The current balance is around $18 billion, where less than $500 million is set aside for K-14, but current law only allows a maximum of half the balance to be withdrawn in a single year.
Aside from rainy day funds, there is also the option of using budget deferrals that make it possible to provide money to local educational agencies while accounting the payments for the next fiscal year. In a press release Jeff Freitas, President of the California Federation of Teachers responded to the budget deficit saying, “The devastating budget projections released today are a direct threat to our students’ recovery from the pandemic and their future.” “These numbers are a wake-up call to leaders at every level of government. We must make it an urgent and immediate priority to fund our schools and community colleges at the level needed to get us safely out of this crisis.” Freitas said it is important that congress and the president pass a $1 trillion stimulus bill to aid states, cities, counties, schools and colleges who need it most. “This crisis also underscores the need to pass the schools and communities first initiative this November.” “The initiative will bring in $12 billion in essential funding to our schools and local services that support hard-hit families and students by closing corporate tax loopholes,” Freitas said. Another goal, according to the Schools and Communities First website, is to “Ensure strict accountability so that money goes directly to our schools and communities.” Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic issues it has created, a revised state budget is scheduled to be available by Thursday.
US Department of Education sued, online classes new norm BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer
California Community College Chancellor Eloy Oakley said Tuesday, online classes would continue and that the CCC Chancellor Office filed suit against the United States Department of Education over student aid funds. The filing includes Besty Devos as a defendant in her official capacity as US Secretary of Education. Oakley said since the COVID-19 pandemic is such a changing situation, students should anticipate a large portion of their academic lives to reflect the changing times. “No one knows the full impact of what’s going to happen to our communities, our society, going forward. So what I’m telling our colleges is, ‘While yes, our horizon is fall right now, we need to look beyond that horizon. We need to be prepared to be online in some form or fashion for probably the rest of your (students) academic experience.’ Not only our community colleges, but at a four-year university if that’s where you are going,” Oakley said. Oakley said when classes went online earlier this year, a lot was asked from not only students, but faculty as well. To help the transition, he said that community college faculty will begin to receive tools to more successfully teach online classes for the fall. Oakley said many colleges have faculty that are very adept at teaching online and that he encourages faculty to help each
CN/JUAN CALVILLO
CHANCELLOR CHAT—Califorina Community College Chancellor Eloy Oakley talked with student journalists and addressed Monday’s lawsuit against the United States Board of Education. other with the demands of online teaching. Oakley said he understands many students have issues with online learning in many parts of California, with areas having limited highspeed internet, it is hard for students to access classes, but that colleges have come through with some rather interesting ways of helping students adapt. “I have to recognize the hard work of many of our colleges. I just saw our friends from South Western College, I know they had portable WiFi in the parking lots, vans with WiFi access. So we’ve been getting creative, but creative only goes so far,” Oakley said.
He said the CCCCO is pressing the California legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom to help with this situation. Oakley said that working with internet service providers to increase access is key because it’s not just community colleges being affected. He said that the situation is very similar to what K-12 schools are experiencing. “Since this is going to continue on for a while, we need to press our policy makers to find solutions for our students,” Oakley said. He said colleges are being given the flexibility to do as much as they can to help students, but that these are not long-term solutions at all. The CCCCO filed a lawsuit
late Monday against the U.S. Department of Education over restrictions placed on the student aid funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic security act. The CARES act passed in late March and promised over $40 billion dollars to education and students. “The Department of Education ignored the intent of the CARES Act to give local colleges discretion to aid students most affected by the pandemic, and instead has arbitrarily excluded as many as 800,000 community college students. Among those harmed are veterans, citizens who have not completed a federal financial aid application,
and non-citizens, including those with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status,” Oakley said in a press release. Oakley said that the CCCCO was focused on making sure that students received financial assistance in these uncertain times. He said that with the pending Supreme Court decision on DACA looming on the horizon, the CCCCO would not stop fighting for undocument students who needed this financial help. Oakley said ideally the local college systems would have control of who would get the much needed assistance. He said some colleges have received some of the CARES aid for students, and he hopes they will hold off on distributing too many of the funds until there is a decision on the lawsuit. Oakley said tuition fees will continue as they have despite classes moving almost entirely online. He said that California College Promise funds and programs will still be accessible, which waive fees for many students, and that low-income students will have fees waived. He said that University of California and California State Universities Boards set their own fees, but that they have said they will hold down tuition for now. “The challenge we are going to have is in the upcoming budget the state is going to have to cut considerably for all segments of public higher education. So it’s going to be a challenge to continue to provide the services and the educational service that students deserve and find ways to fund it,” Oakley said.
Academic senate adds student learning outcomes to course outlines BY ANDREW AYALA Staff Writer
As East Los Angeles College transitions to eLumen, an assessment and curriculum management system, Jeffrey Hernandez, President of the Academic Senate, said Student Learning Outcomes will be embedded into the Course Outline of Record. It was decided during the Academic Senate meeting, despite the two-week setback with eLumen, the changes would be added. The COR is an official document that is approved through the curriculum processes as required under state law. A SLO is a reflection of what the student has learned throughout the
semester that can also be used as a basis to understand where student learning can be improved. eLumen is supposed to give insight of students’ engagement and progress while still being accredited. Hernandez said SLOs will now be elements of the COR. “I think it’s a really odd and potentially dangerous place for the senate to start weighing in on when departments can choose to update parts of a course outline… I don’t think the senate has any role to say, ‘You can only update an SLO when we think it’s okay,’” said Steve Wardinski, Chair of the curriculum committee. Most of the committee agreed that no more senate involvement should be added because there would be
no basis for trying to set a date for SLO changes. Hernandez said as the school goes through this transition, the technical review process will change. There will now be certain fields in the COR where SLOs will be entered. He said that as a senate they adopted the technical review process, which will now be obsolete. “The Learning Assessment Committee and Learning Assessment Office want to ensure that we’re developing a workflow that maintains the directions and wishes of the senate, but we also have to ensure that we’re validating, technically reviewing the quality and consistency of SLOs on campus,” said Rick Crawford, senator of the LAC.
Guided Pathways has also begun reinventing themselves and will now call meta majors Career and Academic Pathways. “We are still in the preliminary stages of planning, but the idea is to have several folks per CAP team. Including but not limited to a data coach, a guided pathways facilitator, a student ambassador and a counselor or two… as well as disciplined faculty,” said Apri Festekjian, a Guided Pathways facilitator. The idea is to have a CAP team and a student success team work together in order to achieve faculty involvement, counseling and financial aid. Festekjian said the merging of the two teams will create asset and
equity minded individuals who will work together. They are also releasing a set of program maps which will be uploaded within the next two weeks. Jessica Hansen, a Guided Pathways co-facilitator, said they are exploring program mapper to get more of a customized map as opposed to just dumping data in and the computer doing the work. “We’re going to have really valuable information for department chairs and departments. “They’re going to work with those counselor liaisons again so that they can tweak the map in small ways that might make a great impact for students,” said Hansen.
Basketball
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Opinion
E AST L OS A NGELES C OLLEGE C AMPUS N EWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020
People’s health matters more than the economy when there are people in more dire needs. People don't think about the consequences and effects that their actions might have on the people around them and the space Reopening the economy in that they occupy until it starts to order to stimulate revenue for affect them. businesses that are facing financial This incompetent and selfish burden is counterproductive to behavior can help the spread of social distancing efforts and can germs and infect more people be detrimental to everybody’s without their knowledge. health. People can be sick with COVIDThis raises the 19 and not show any concern and question symptoms, which of who is more makes it harder for Reopening important, businesses people to safeguard the economy against something or people. The COVIDthey are not aware of. without a 1 9 pa ndemic has “As soon as l e f t m a n y c l o s e d vaccination can questions of will or businesses in peril, bankrupt lower- decision or reason or as they struggle to pay class families choice of action arise, bills without a reliable human science is at a source of revenue. by hitting them loss,” said renowned This has caused many american linguist and with a slew business owners to philosophe Noam of financial urge for the reopening Chomsky. of the economy in burdens... People tend to order to save their ignore scientific businesses. research out of their This can be beneficial to their own ignorance, which can make pockets but detrimental to their things worse and prolong the health, as they receive dirty money pandemic. from their customers. Reopening the economy without Many long-time businesses a vaccination can bankrupt lowerhave had their livelihoods class families by hitting them with tarnished in a matter of months, a slew of financial burdens if their as their customer base has become loved ones were to become sick crippled by stay-at-home orders. from COVID-19. The hope of reopening People of different social the economy to create a flux classes are experiencing their own of customers, to save dying hardships during the pandmeic, businesses, is wishful thinking as which is why there are such people are still afraid to venture alternating ideals on social out into the public. distancing and quarantine. There aren't enough healthcare Some people want the economy workers and hospitals in the to open because they are too country to aid citizens if everyone stubborn to change their way were to become sick. Health care of life during this period of professionals would have to start uncertainty. comparing patients to see whose These individuals have become life is more valuable and worth accustomed to a high maintenance saving. lifestyle and yearn for social It would be unethical for interaction and nightlife. hospitals to choose between Opening up businesses that patients and wasting resources on cater to a large number of people people that show minor symptoms can be a mecca for germs to
BY MELVIN BUI Staff Writer
EDITOR IN CHIEF Luis Castilla MANAGING EDITOR Melody Ortiz FRONT EDITOR Juan Calvillo OPINION EDITOR Gabriela Gutierrez NEWS EDITOR Melvin Bui FEATURE EDITOR Jonathan Bermudez ARTS EDITOR Johanna Perez
cultivate and be dangerous to those with pre-existing health conditions. Without workers the economy would be stagnant. There are people that don't want to work because they're afraid of becoming sick, but working through the pandemic is the only way to pay bills. These people don't have much savings and live from paycheck to paycheck. They're forced to work against their will since it's the only option that will provide a roof over their heads without having to rely on other people or loans from the bank. It’s important for conditions to simmer down or for a vaccination to be available before allowing people back into public spaces to ensure that people can go about their day without having to worry about getting infected.
Californians protest stay-at-home orders, demand haircuts BY ERICA CORTES Staff Writer
This past weekend was the beginning of reopening the state and getting people to go back to normal. There are many people who miss their old lives before the pandemic, but we shouldn’t go back to normal yet. If people did not want things to go back to normal, they would not be out on the beaches protesting for beaches to open and to get their hair done by a professional. However, we should not go back to normal because California is one of the most exposed states of the United States. We should not go back to normal, because it is too dangerous and people were not respecting the policies of social distancing before the second phase of reopening went into effect. Cases are still at a extreme high. As it states in the https:// update.covid19.ca.gov/#top there are currently 67,939 cases and 2,770 deaths in California alone. This is an increase of 1.9 percent in cases and 0.9 percent in deaths since Saturday. This is since Governor Gavin Newsom decided to enter stage two into reopening the state. We have not flattened the curve. The main reason for practicing social distancing and closing all these businesses was to flatten the curve. It would be crazy to believe that the virus was going www.ELACCampusNews.com
to vanish overnight. Shutting business down, making people work from their homes and enhancing the 6-feetapart rule everywhere was to flatten the curve. Doing so would also help ease some of the strain essential workers have had to face. People are working endlessly to help prevent the virus from spreading.
With 31,711 positive cases in L.A. right now and having a neighboring city like Riverside in second place, with 4,951 cases, we need a reality check.
It is difficult to believe that people are just outside of Los Angeles protesting for their freedom and for businesses to open, when Los Angeles is one of the cities in California that has been heavily affected. With 31,711 positive cases in L.A. right now and having a neighboring city like Riverside in second place, with 4,951 cases, we need a reality check. Even if we go back to normal, this virus will never go away.
We must give credit to California that we never went into full lock down, it was only self-quarantine. Main businesses such as fast food chains and supermarkets were never closed. People were still able to walk out and go exercise if they wore their masks. Other people are risking their lives to help fight this virus. The Los Angeles Times shared a story on a 61-year-old nurse, Celia Marcos, who passed away 14 days after treating a code blue of a covid-19 patient. People like Marcos are the reason we still have a fighting chance to defeat this virus. The least that we can do Is to not go back to normal and do our part in staying at home where it is safe. Gov. Newsom opening the state so that people can be pleased, is like giving candy to a spoiled child just so It can stop crying, instead of disciplining them. Opening the state is giving candy to people who did not deserve it in the first place. There is an understanding that people need to go from placeto-place. Like stocking up and helping others who need a hand on their essentials and necessities, such as TP and food. But to hang out in a park for a picnic because you miss your friends is not one of them. I personally put my family first. I believe that if I put myself at risk, I put my family at risk. I wouldn’t wish this virus on my enemies, so why try to put it on a loved one? It is a risk to the ones that are the closest to you.
C/N ZASHA HAYES
Cargo workers deserve recognition too BY MAYRA PEREYRA Staff Writer
During this pandemic, we thank our hospital staff, grocery clerks, nurses and pharmacists, but who else should we be thanking? As medical groups and hospital staff receive praise for working during this pandemic, a lot of us tend to overlook the actual process of how the U.S. gets all their merchandise. Currently trending on Instagram are medical offices, hospitals, health care centers saying thank you to hundreds of companies showing their appreciation by catering to these heroes. For the past couple of weeks, news reports have shown that hospitals and doctors’ offices caring for COVID patients do not have enough personal protection equipment (PPE). Luckily for all of us that has changed. Masks and PPE aren’t too difficult to find anymore. Hospitals, Medical Centers, Ambulatory Surgery Centers are all beginning to receive the equipment needed to help care for their patients. Our healthcare heroes can continue to help keep us safe, but are they the only ones helping protect us from the coronavirus? A lot of us forget about how our import cargo companies receive all this PPE that we are all willing to pay top-dollar for. We have so many professionals working during this pandemic to help meet the needs of people. Now, what about the employees actually on the front lines receiving, organizing and dealing with the millions of boxes of this hot commodity, PPE. Employees at the Los Angeles International Airport are receiving insanely large shipments of all sorts of masks and personal protection equipment, but who is thanking them? Workers at these import cargo companies are working seven days a week 12-hour shifts to help get all of us the equipment we are so desperate for. Passengers have been replaced with boxes of N95 masks as companies load up the cabins of these passenger flights. Off-loading these flights has been challenging for cargo companies. A lot of them have gotten creative by renting equipment off of the catering companies that supply the food for passengers. These scissor lifts that are rented off of these catering companies, are used to help the cargo and airlines off-load boxes quicker. The cargo is then picked up by the cargo company and is transported to a warehouse within the airfield to be separated by hand and then loaded onto trucks that will eventually transport these masks to the companies that consumers are ordering from. Small cargo companies are receiving millions of these masks. These import and export companies
handling the cargo have a twelveman-crew, helping to break down shipments that weigh over five thousand kilos a unit. Without these essential workers handling the freight we need, we would not have the protection needed to help us get through this pandemic. The question is why is California receiving six to seven full cargo airplanes/freighters maxed out at 100,000 kilos every day? Exactly how much is each of these masks costing the state? PPE is in high demand. Everyone wants them, and everyone needs them, but how much is too much? $599.7 million for the first installment on the purchase of masks was paid to a Chinese company that has signed a contract that will supply California with 200 million masks per month. During a press conference on MSNBC, the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, said he was confident that more than 150 million N95 masks and 50 plus million masks would be coming into the state every month. The number of masks said to arrive on a monthly bases will be enough to meet the needs of the state of California and potentially the needs of other states. On April 29, the LA Times reported that 3 million coronavirus masks arrived in California as part of a quiet deal with Chinese company BYD. BYD, a Chinese automaker company known for building electric vehicles, agreed to make 200 million masks a month for California. The first shipment of protective masks arrived this past weekend. The reason why these masks are in such high demand is because the filters on these masks filter out at least 95% of large and small airborne particles (CDC). N95 Respirator is evaluated, tested, and approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to reduce the wearer’s exposure to particles, including small particle aerosols and large droplets. The surgical mask has been tested and approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to resist and provide the wearer protection against large droplets, splashes, or sprays of bodily or other hazardous fluids. The surgical mask protects the patient from the wearer’s respiratory emissions. Is something better than wearing nothing, you be the judge. As the cases of COVID-19 surpass the 1.1M mark in the U.S., the death toll rises to over 65K (data collected from the CDC)and 20 states report more than 10k cases of COVID-19 we all should take precaution and wear a mask. This pandemic will eventually pass if everyone does his or her part. Still, we should all take a step back and try to remember who helps your delivering company of choice like FedEx, UPS, Amazon, US Postal Service or DHL, get you the merchandise you need to stay safe.
SPORTS EDITORS Erica Cortes Michael Dominguez COPY EDITORS Ivan Cazares Gustavo Buenrostro STAFF WRITERS Noe Ortega Miguel Dominguez Russell Navarrette Raymond Nava Sonny Tapia Alejandro Ambriz Samantha Iniguez Mayra Perayra Jeremy Arias Maria Marroquin Monroy Andrew Ayala Vanessa Ramos Johanna Calderon Hector Gomez ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Gustavo Buenrostro Julie Santiago ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez
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Features
E AST L OS A NGELES C OLLEGE C AMPUS N EWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020
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Student trustee election: the candidates
Milagro Jones: seeks to address student homelessness BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer
Milagro Jones has lived through adversity and challenges that would cripple most and now he wants to help students by running for Student Trustee. The Los Angeles Community College District’s student trustee position on the board of trustees is up for election. Jones said that the election, no matter who wins, is about students allowing their voices to be heard. Jones left an abusive environment and moved to Los Angeles in 2019 along with his infant daughter. He said that his main purpose of moving to LA was to find a safer place for his daughter to grow up. He has lived on buses and was homeless in his youth. Jones said that he marched with Jesse Jackson and became an activist against police brutality. H e said that he never intended on going to school, but wound up at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. Jones is active on his campus and attends Board of Trustee
meetings. He sai d t hat he he a r d that chancellor Francisco Rodriguez was looking to get a raise last year. Jones said that he felt it should be easy to talk with the people in charge, and he decided to try it. After getting the chance to chat with Rodriguez, Jones said that despite not agreeing, he found that actually speaking with the chancellor was possible. He said that there was no need for speculation and that he learned that he was willing to speak for students on their behalf. He said that unfortunately, there is very little information given to students about the position of student trustee. Jones said that during his time working in local government he used to send out newsletters with information to the populace. He said this is something he would like to try for the students of the LACCD. He said that a digital newsletter with information and answers about topics that would affect student life
would connect students with the position of Student Trustee. He also said that he wants to create an ad-hoc committee that would allow for a variety of students, many that don’t normally get a voice, to voice their concerns and get information. Jones said that he has two priorities when it comes to students He wants to work toward more financial help for students in need and for additional mental health resources. He also wants student homelessness and food insecurity addressed by the board of trustees. Jones said that these are things that are obviously not being addressed. He said to address these, it would take students working with their college’s associated student organizations, and the student trustee position to really get information to the board. “Out of the gate, the ASOs can work together with the student trustee and the board to address some of these issues and I think an ad-hoc committee would help us to also see what
are the issues that aren’t so glaring, that aren’t so obvious, that the students actually want prioritized, not that we assume they want prioritized because a student trustee is only one person, and they can’t just be making assumptions for what they think is best for others,” Jones said. He said that the idea is for the student trustee position to help get the word out to the board and those who are in a position to make changes. Jones said that what is communicated has to be what students truly need and want. He said that the main thing the board should take into consideration is simple: outreach. Jones sees that outreach should include high school students who are going into the community college system. He said that the important thing is to educate incoming students and those in the LACCD about the position of the student trustee. Jones said that in the end it’s up to the students to become involved and for them to become engaged in the system in place.
Stevie Carpenter: aims to connect LACCD governments BY ALEJANDRO AMBRIZ Staff Writer
Stevie Carpenter is current student vice president of Los Angeles City College(LACC) and aims to reduce the hardship students endure in their academic lives. Many students don’t know about things like Federal Student Aid or the resources their schools have to offer. Carpenter had this same issue when he first started college and being the first of his family meant he had to go through the process alone. “Some students are going through that same process and starting themselves...it can definitely be difficult especially when you’re living on your own or if you’re kind of older...when I first started LACC, I was about 22,” Carpenter said. He wants to make the process of being a student less intimidating and easier to understand. Carpenter ’s experience in programming has led to a technological approach to making students’ lives easier. He said he is working on a website to connect all student governments into a single,
Stevie Carpenter general and easy-to-use website. “I believe it is one of the most important things right now, especially since everything is remote now...a lot of campuses don’t have easily navigable sites and their emails are very tentative,” Carpenter said.
Elias Geronimo: looks to become more involved BY JONATHAN BERMUDEZ Staff Writer
Elias Geronimo is an undocumented student who is involved in school politics and is proud of the opportunities he has been given by the school district. He has been involved in the community since he started college back in 2018. He is the secretary of finance at Los Angeles City College and has never missed a meeting. He believes with this experience, he will be able to run for student trustee. His main reason for running for student trustee is to be more involved with the district as a whole and not just the college that he attends. “I want to be more engaged in all nine colleges, not just LACC, Trade Tech or ELAC (East Los Angeles College), but
every college in the district,“ said Geronimo. He also plans on representing undocumented students like himself and give them the support they need. He is not fluent in English, but he said that he will try his best to represent every student. “Being an undocumented student, I am not scared of risking any arrest in order to support students” he said. He does not take winning the election personally, but he wants to be able to give back to the community that has already given so much to him. Whether he wins or not, he said that he will be more involved in the community regardless and that he wishes the best for all candidates. “We are not enemies, we are friends. I love you all, I love LACC, I love ELAC, I love all nine campuses,” Geronimo said.
Contact information for resources would never change so no matter who switches that position, the communication is constant. Carpenter believes communication is one of the best things he brings to his current position and could bring to Los
Angeles Community College District Student(LACCD)Trustee. Prior to the COVID-19 emergency, Carpenter had the idea to place interactive Quick Response codes around the LACC campus so that visually impaired students can scan them with an application on their phones.“Some of the students that go to LACC are visually impaired...what I was gonna do is get the whole blueprint of the school and place these QR barcodes with voice animations to tell where the visually impaired student to go,” Carpenter said. He said they can get lost sometimes and due to the bystander effect, no one is likely to help unless another person takes initiative. He believes he can take this program, and others, and expand it to include all nine colleges. Stevie understands that each of the nine colleges have a unique culture and wants to work with each one to address their individual needs, while also helping the general student body. He hopes he can take what he has learned in his current role to LACCD Student Trustee.
Milagro Jones
Jaden Ledkins: a voice for the voiceless BY JONATHAN BERMUDEZ by being the voice for them, Staff Writer
Jaden Ledkins is a psychology major who has struggled with homelessness and now goes to Pierce College after finally being financially stable. After Pierce College, he went to Los Angeles City College where he was senator of government affairs and the president of ASO ( Associated Student Organization). He plans to keep the student body intact during this pandemic and provide them with the services they need. He wants to be able to provide students at home with a messenger health service so that students of the LGBTQ community or other students have someone to talk to if they feel like they don’t belong at home. He also wants to be able to help undocumented students who are not part of the DREAM Act. He said that his campaign statement has dramatically changed since he first applied. He wanted to help students
but now he feels that he is more focused on the preservation of their lives. “The biggest issue The Board of Trustees has is that they are not sending any correspondents to let the students know what is going on,” Ledkins said. He also believes that he is the best candidate. “Not to trash talk my other competitors, but I believe that I am uniquely equipped for this position. I am ready to take full responsibility for this position. I’m treating this as a job and not as an accolade,” Ledkins said. He admits to being disconnected from the student body, but this is due to the homelessness he faced. “I feel like I am ready for this. I know what I need to do and I am quickly catching up“ Ledkins said. He knows what needs to be done and what issues students are facing. “My heart is in the right place for this. I don’t care about religion, race or sex. If they are human beings, they deserve to be represented,“ Ledkins said.
Max Jordan: seeks to clear out the clutter BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer
Max Jordan wants to create new student resources to replace “useless ones,” and he’s campaigning to become the Student Trustee of the Los Angeles Community College District to do it. Jordan said his time working in student government as well as working alongside the Board of Trustees and Chancellor gives him a unique perspective to help his fellow community college students. Jordan said there is a quote he repeats often which was a driving force when he started college and continues to drive him. “I say it every single board meeting. I say it at my own meetings. I say it to students, I’ve said it to state senators. It’s a quote by John Assaraf and it says, ‘Do not downgrade your dreams to fit your reality. But upgrade your convictions to match your destiny,” Jordan said. He got his start in campus politics when he was told he couldn’t put up posters for upcoming school track events, a sport he competes in at West Los Angeles College. He learned that the Associated
Student Organization was the group Understanding what actually that could grant him permission goes on behind the scenes gives to promote his Jordan the unique sport. advantage of Jordan learned knowing how to all about the “I want to be someone use the system student political to do right by that can tell others machine after students. that. He started He said that his that the impossible is plan as an unofficial to get the possible.” member and is student voice out now the ASO to the board was president. made up of three He got the tiers. chance to meet He said that multiple deans his goal is to MAX JORDAN and even the have the student Student Trustee Candidate president of perspective the college. known to the As he came to Board of Trustees understand the power of the ASO, and have them understand the a fire was lit within him to do more reasons and the ways students need for not only the students of WLAC, help. but for students within the LACCD. Jordan spoke about pressing Jordan began to attend Board topics that are in dire need of being of Trustee meetings and became addressed. informed as to what was going on Non-traditional student support is behind the scenes at the board. He lacking and hard to come by for the applied for a position helping the students who really need it. district travel and lobby for changes Jordan talked about a homeless for the LACCD. student who asked him for help after This allowed him to meet the Jordan became ASO president. chancellor of the LACCD and the When Jordan looked into helping vice chancellor. the student he saw that many of
the resources had already been exhausted by the student and that it still was not enough. Creating alternative solutions and pointing out programs or resources that are not helpful to students is Jordan’s plan. He said that there are programs that don’t work or are outdated. He said that students need someone to work alongside the board that will go line by line into the budgets of colleges to see what students really use and what can be changed. He said that he wants all students to not only survive, but thrive in their college experiences. Jordan said he sees problems as hurdles or barriers, and that there is no need to kick them down when there are ways to work around them. He said he started his college experience with a very specific mindset. “I’m going to go after every single opportunity. I’m going to continue to do what I love. I am going to inspire. I want to be someone that can tell others that the impossible is possible. Someone that goes and challenges reality,” Jordan said.
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4
Arts
E AST L OS A NGELES C OLLEGE C AMPUS N EWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020
Play with classic artwork online in ‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ BY ANDREW AYALA Staff Writer
The Getty Center has begun using Nintendo’s newest game “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” to bring pieces of art from real life and transfer them to the player’s village. With so little being accessible right now, this is an innovative way to keep fine art alive during these troubled times. “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” is a game where users build an island community from the ground up. Players will encounter Tom Nook, a raccoon who is the president of the island, and a few other friendly faces. He makes users complete daily tasks to upgrade the island and invite neighbors which are also in the form of animals. The game makes for a great pastime and allows the user to destress while at home. In order to begin the process, players must download the Nintendo Switch App for their smartphones and set up NookLink (in-game shop) to connect the smartphone to the associated “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” account. Users can then log onto https:// experiments.getty.edu/ac-artgenerator#iiifloader and go through
a list of staff favorites or even choose which piece of art they want to virtually bring to life. Once the choice is made, gamers can scan the QR code via smartphone and then use their NookPhone (in-game phone) to download and display the masterpiece.
The Getty and over 100 other institutions all use a technology called Framework, which is a way they can share art online and create image Players can then do as they please with the art and either hang it on the wall, put it on an easel or even wear it as an article of clothing. Something like this encourages those who might not typically appreciate the art to check it out and put it to use. The game is about personal aesthetics, so every island is unique. Pieces from Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and many other renowned artists can be brought to life with the click of a few buttons. Although the art is transferred over in an 8-bit style, users can see the attention to detail that the
staff has managed to keep in the miniature versions of sophisticated fine art. The color schemes also match up to the original and the pieces of art can be cropped to the users preference. Gamers have the option to use the pieces of art as tile and can create some sort of path. In “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” the possibilities are endless, and the game allows for players to create a miniature museum inside of their homes to show off to their villagers or their friends and followers on social media. The Getty encourages those who download and display the art to share the images using #ACArtGenerator and tagging @ gettymuseum. The Getty and over 100 other institutions all use a technology called International Image Interoperability Framework, which is a way they can share art online and create image tools like the QR codes. Although the institutions are sharing art online for the public to enjoy, some might have a few CN/ANDREW AYALA restrictions due to copyright and image reuse restriction. MUSEUMS AT HOME— Player Andrew Ayala’s avatar gives a tour of the art he got for his island Users are encouraged to check on “Animal Crossing; New Horizons.” the terms of use or any other relevant information regarding rules to avoid issues.
SadGirl continue aquatic theme on new single BY LUIS CASTILLA Staff Writer
Like a bucket of cold water to the face, “Learn to Swim,” the latest single from Los Angeles trio SadGirl, is a splash of emotion. Following their 2019 debut LP “Water,” “Learn to Swim,” released Thursday, is taken from their follow-up project that has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. SadGirl, formed in the early 2010s, echoes the music of the ‘50s and the timeless spirit of the city of Los Angeles. Opening with a choppy chord progression played on acoustic guitar, the track sets up listeners for an emotional journey of sound. Vocalist Misha Linde’s voice is soothing yet apprehensive, like that of a man at the end of his rope. “ F e e l s l i k e i t ’s a l m o s t over everyday,” Lindes sings
in the track’s second verse. The track’s chorus, “Guess that I’d better learn to swim,” is repeated a haunting number of times until the music is distorted into nothingness at its conclusion. Linde’s melodic verses are carried by shimmering synthesizers and slightly out-of-tune electric guitars, giving the track the illusion of low-fidelity. “Learn to Swim” feels like it was written in a bedroom during the late hours of the night, only rarely seeing the light of day. It’s raw and concise in its delivery of heartbreaking storytelling. “Learn to Swim” is consistent with the mellower, more romantic sound the band experimented with on “Water,” as opposed to the rowdier music from SadGirl’s earlier years, a sign that the band is evolving its sound while keeping its soul intact. “With all of the shake-ups and cancellations, I felt like the song needed to get out there,” Lindes
told FLOOD Magazine. “It seemed too relevant to everything that was going on. I want people to know we’re still here and we’re gonna be here after this has all settled down. Adapt and thrive.” Lindes said. At its core, “Learn to Swim” is a metaphor for facing one’s problems, and with pandemic relentlessly beating down on humanity, that seems like the only thing people can do at this point. The track premiered with a psychedelic claymation music video on SadGirl’s Instagram page and on YouTube via the band’s record label, Suicide Squeeze Records. Recently, the band also released instrumental versions of “Breakfast for 2” and “Chlorine” from “Water.” along with their chords, lyrics and tabs on their Bandcamp page so that fans could learn to play them while in quarantine. “Learn to Swim” is available on all streaming services now.
COURTESY OF SUICIDE SQUEEZE RECORDS
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Sports 5 Men’s basketball show powerhouse in East LA, generating college prospects
E AST L OS A NGELES C OLLEGE C AMPUS N EWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 2020
BY MICHAEL DOMINGUEZ Staff Writer
East Los Angeles College men’s basketball team had one of its best seasons ever winning 29 games and only losing one and went on to be undefeated in conference game. This is the eighth straight year that the team has won 20 games or more. The team’s only loss this season was to Copper Mountain College, with a score of 78-76, in a winter preseason tournament in San Bernardino. After that loss at the start of the season, ELAC went on to win 25 games in a row. The team went on to average 87.8 points per game on the season along with holding the opposition to just 40 percent on the field in the season. That was enough as they proved to be one of the best teams in the state and made it to the playoffs to become one of the eight compteing to win a state title. They were one of the favorites to win along with San Francisco Community College as only they had a better record then ELAC at 30-0 on the season. Unfortunately due to the pandemic across the world, all sports were canceled cutting ELAC’s dream season to win its first state title short.Head Coach John Mosley talked about the whole situation going on and his team not being able to compete for a state title. Mosley
said, “They felt like they were the better team. They worked hard and players were crying in the locker room” knowing they wouldn't get the chance to play for the state title. Mosley and his Assistant coach Ken Hunter were recognized by Silver Waves media.com as one of the top 50 most influential coaches, with Mosely at number 12 and Hunter at number 24. “I’m grateful for the players and staff and they elevate each other to do better,” said Mosley. Not only is ELAC men’s basketball winning on the court, but they are winning off the court too. The classroom as the team, as a whole average, have a 3.4 GPA. The team has five players who have signed letters of intent to play basketball at division 1 or division 2 schools. As three more players are still deciding where they want to continue their studies and where to play. The team will be losing key players that will help them win the amount of games they once did. one player is two-way-guard Deshuan Highler, who average 12 points while shooting 42 percent from the field on the season. Highler started his College Career at the University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, Texas.before coming to ELAC. He will continue to play and study at the University of Sacramento State. They will also lose starting point guard, Levelle Zeigler, who
averaged 9.5 points and 4.1 assists a game.Zeigler will now be heading to Chicago State University. Zeigler, in an interview with Bakersfield. com, talked about his Commitment to Chicago State. “It means a lot, especially coming from a JUCO.” “It’s hard to get a scholarship from a (junior college) so it means a lot to me and my family,” said Zeigler. Zeigler would be joined with his ELAC teammate guard, Jordan Polynice, who also committed to Chicago State. Polynice averaged 7.5 per game and 36 percent from the three point line in 29 games played this season. They will also be losing a couple of big men in Malik Muhommad who average 9.6 points a game with 7 rebounds and 50 percent from the three point line Muhommad is committed to Central Michigan. Forward Marquise Copeland will head to Nyack College, a division 2 college in New York. Men’s basketball loses talent every two years due to players transferring and graduating. Mosely, when asked how he keeps replacing and winning 20 more games every year said, “We have a stable program in the city. The guys like to win and most importantly, we graduate and transfer our guys to (division) D1 D2 programs.” The Huskies had help from freshmen sensation guard /forward Kealen Allen out of Westchester High School. Allen had 18 points and 9.5 rebounds this season, earning him a
CN/MICHAEL DOMINGUEZ
MAKE THE CALL REF—East Los Angeles College men’s Head Coach John Mosley makes an
argument with the refs about a call on March 7 during the Huskies regional final playoff game against Allan Hancock in the ELAC gym. spot on the All State Team. That is equivalent to being an All American in the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Due to Allen’s achievements and incredible athletic ability, he has gotten offers from Pacific-12 Conference programs such as Arizona St ,Arizona, Washington State and Oregon State along with other top schools. Allen draws comparisons to
NBA legend and College legend Larry Johnson, who played for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in the 1990s and went on to be the number one pick of the NBA draft in 1991. Allen said, “Getting the offers is pretty cool, couldn't have done it without my team or my coaches. It feels good to be recognized by them. It just lets me know I'm on the right path.”
FLASHBACK— The East Los Angeles men’s basketball team during there historic run of 25 plus games won and winning a total of 29 games losing only 1 game this
Mosley said, “He is a player we can build around and to make him a top 5 player in JUCO is something that we at ELAC can be very proud of.” Men’s basketball is returing 10 players of their 17 man roster as they look to gave it a another run at a state title. The Huskies also look to earn a ninth straight season of 20 wins or more.
CN/MICHAEL DOMINGUEZ
season.
Men’s soccer coaches forecast fall season BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer
East Los Angeles College’s soccer team added new talent to the roster for the 2020-2021 season, prioritizing player success on and off the field. Eddie Flores, the head soccer coach, said he has put assistant coach Ramon Rivas in charge of focusing on the new talent that has committed to ELAC. Rivas said recruitment went well in the search for new talent. He said the fall soccer season looked like it might not happen, but that things were entirely dependent on the state of COVID-19 at the time. Rivas said there is always an interest in the soccer program at ELAC. There will be a soccer class
offered in Kinesiology for the summer. “We’ll just have players that are interested in the program and then recruiters join the class and then we’ll stay in touch with them. For fall, we’re not too sure yet. So we’re hoping that we’re going to have a season so we don’t have to talk about this,” Rivas said. Flores said the creation of the summer soccer courses is in progress. He said he has been in contact with other coaching staff within their conference in an effort to figure out how this at-home type of training will work. Flores said there are only so many videos and routines the young players can be given and tested on. He said the idea was on
how you could really monitor whether or not the players were committed to doing the work. “At the end of day, right, it’s going to take the discipline from these young men to be able to go through it,” Flores said. Flores said it was all about accountability for these players. Putting the information out there to the players was all that he believes can be done. Flores said that right now with athletics, it is an unknown. Flores said the only way to see results will be when camp for the players starts. The coaches can see who actually is still in condition. Rivas said that in the past players have had issues academically. But the players were young and bright, and issues at home
or at work caused some of these become the more pressing issue students to put school work on for players. the back burner. He said that if there Rivas said is no 2021 season getting players then some players to the next level may choose not to “At the end of is important. come to ELAC at “Have these the day, right, it’s all. guys have a Flores said all h i g h e r G P A going to take the sports will end up discipline from being impacted not (grade point average). Have just soccer. these young them move on, He said there is men to be able no system yet, such if it’s out of state or in California. to go through it .” as social distancing, So it’s important for students who to transfer these may need to come kids out and have in for study halls if EDDIE FLORES them play,” Rivas things change. Men’s Soccer Head Coach said. This would lead to Flores said that many of these new if things do not students studying at get better when it comes to home, and maybe not getting the COVID-19, retention rates will help they need.
Flores said that as a coaching staff, the coaches become second parents to some of the players. He said this is where Rivas would come in and make sure things go smoother for new students. Flores said there will be news on whether or not there will be a 2021 season before the end of the summer. “I think a lot is going to happen. I think by June 15, we should get some notice from the state,” Flores said. Flores said the 2020 season was marred by injuries early on, but that the team really began a strong come back. COVID-19 cut short the 2020 season for the soccer team, making the 2021 season a situation that is “wait and see,” Flores said.
Volleyball looks forward to 2020 season during pandemic BY MELVIN BUI Staff Writer
The East Los Angeles College Women's Volleyball team is set to play in the spring semester, despite the COVID-19 pandemic which has canceled seasons for various sports. “At present, we are preparing as normal, a schedule is made, uniforms have been ordered, classes are set and counselors are functioning. We are waiting for guidelines and procedures from the state,” said head volleyball coach Elliot Walker. There is a potential chance that the upcoming season may be canceled due to the COVID19 pandemic. However, the team is proceeding as normal
while waiting for instruction from the state. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the volleyball players would meet twice a week for six to eight hours to practice and lift weights during their off season. Since practices have been canceled, players have been assigned a workout regimen to stay fit during the quarantine. “Although we are in quarantine, we all keep in touch. We all work out on the side as well and I believe once we’re back on the court the team chemistry will still be there,” volleyball player Katelyn Bravo said. Bravo said there shouldn't be a lack of team chemistry due to absence of practices since the team keeps in touch and
workout regularly during the COVID19 pandemic. Before the C O V I D - 1 9 pandemic, there were workshops held for students that had been scouted, just wanted to play, or wanted to try out for the team. The workshops were intended for new players to introduce themselves to the team and vice versa. “During that time there is also of course, the team plays and the recruits
“Although we are in quarantine, we all keep in touch. We all workout on the side as well and I believe once we’re back on the court, the team chemistry will still be there” KATELYN BRAVO Volleyball player
learn how the team works and plays,” volleyball player Zasha Hayes said. It was an opportunity for students and players to interact with like-minded individuals that enjoy playing the sport. ELAC does not have a men’s volleyball team. However, there is a club for male high school students that want to play
in college. They are not a part of the college team, however they use the gym and practice with the women sometimes because they share the same head coach. Volleyball players that want to play or stay a part of the team would enroll in “Kinesiology Athletics 563 (KIN ATH 563): Intercollegiate Volleyball Fitness & Skills Training” to stay in shape during the spring semester. It is a Physical Education course that was taught by Coach Walker. The main priorities are health and fitness for students that want to take the class and to keep the volleyball girls in shape. Players and students are
required to follow a nutrition log and workout plan to ensure their health. New players were recruited for the team before the COVID19 pandemic. Coach Walker is a part of the United States Volleyball Association, National Scouting Report and various scouting organizations. Walker communicates with high school coaches and attends matches at different high schools in the surrounding area. Wa l k e r s a i d t h a t e a c h opportunity is coupled with communicating with friends that coach at many of the local schools, plus networking facilitates helps to secure potential recruits.
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