Volume 78, Issue 20 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, April 28, 2021 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Students to vote on Associated Student Union representive BYRAYMOND NAVA Staff Writer
Students at East Los Angeles College will be able to vote in the upcoming elections starting on Monday April 26. Students will be voting on positions for the ELAC Associated Student Union. Nominees for Los Angeles Community College District Student Trustee will also be on the ballot. Positions up for grabs are ASU President, Executive Vice President, Vice President of Finance, Vice President of Advocacy and ASU Chief Delegate. The positions of Vice President of South Gate, Vice President of Public Relations, Treasurer and Secretary have no candidate running and will not be on the ballot. They will become vacant at the start of the new term. Of the five races on the ballot only two are being contested. The office of Chief Delegate is an open race where no incumbent is seeking reelection. The only candidate contesting the office is Xiaoting Yin. The duties of the Chief Delegate revolve around the Inter-Club Council. Chief Delegates prepare rosters of Inter-Club Council delegates, report the activities of the ICC to the ASU Board and prepare and post the ICC’s meeting minutes and agenda. The office of Vice President of Advocacy is another race that is open. The only candidate contest-
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ing the office is Jamie Deharo who is running as a write-in candidate. The office is tasked with serving as the Parliamentarian for the ASU Board and has the authority to interpret Robert’s Rules of Order. These are rules that govern the ASU, similar to the Parliamentarian for the United States Senate. They are also tasked with coor-
dinating voter registration drives and making information available to students, attending student grievances and disciplinary hearings and having the authority to appoint two Associate Justices of the ASU Supreme Court, with approval of a two thirds majority of the board. The office of Executive Vice President is also being uncontested
with incumbent Vice President of Advocacy Alondra Pacheco being the only candidate running. The Vice President is tasked with serving as president in any event of a vacancy happening for the office. The VP is tasked with partaking in any duties or activities the president normally does if they are absent at the time.
They also prepare a calendar of club activities for the semester and chair the ICC meeting. The office of Vice President of Finance is one of two offices contested by more than one candidate. Incumbent ASU Senator Michelle Dang is currently running for the office as well as Lizeth Huerta and Michael Graham.
The Vice President of Finance is tasked with scheduling and chairing all meetings of the Budgetary Affairs committee. They are also chair of the Benefits Committee and sign off on all disbursement requests. The last ASU office up for election is the office of President. The race is currently between two candidates. Current Chief Delegate Paul Medina and incumbent Vice President Rosa Mendoza are currently running for the office. The President presides over all ASU Board meetings and keeps the board informed of all activities that affect the students and the student government. They also are tasked with appointing ASU senators. The winner of the election will get to make appointments to the offices that are left vacant as a result of no candidate filing to run for the position in question this year. The power for the ASU President to do this is laid out in the ASU constitution. In addition to elections for the ASU, the LACCD Student Trustee is also up for election. The Student Trustee is tasked with advocating and representing the interest of LACCD students on their behalf. Aryan Bhattarai and Coraima Martinez are the two candidates running in the election. Voting for the elections began Monday and will end on Friday. Students received an email with a link of instructions on how to vote. A link to the elections can also be accessed on the LACCD student homepage.
ELAC discusses the return of in-person classes BY GUADALUPE BARRIGA Staff Writer
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Hilard Heintze reviews campus security BY ANNETTE QUIJADA Staff Writer East Los Angeles College students and staff voice concerns and expectations for campus safety and security with Hillard Heintze, a law enforcement consulting company. Hillard Heintze has been hired by the Los Angeles Community College District to make a security assessment of each campus. Heintz Chief Diversity and inclusion officer Marcia K. Thompson, gave students and staff six primary questions to answer during the meeting. The questions were as follows: •What are your thoughts about the current safety and security of the campus that you attend or work at? •What types of interactions have you had on campus regarding campus safety? •What makes you feel safe/unsafe on campus? •Describe the type of security or personnel you would like or invision to be the ideal safety environment for your campus? •What kind of characteristics would you like for safety personnel? A common theme between students’ answers steered toward lack of community policing. Recent ELAC graduate Carlos Diaz said, “(In my time on campus) I would constantly see them (secu-
News Briefs
rity officers) not engaging with other students and not taking their work seriously. I never felt protected because they were not as engaging with students or staff members.” Officers need to work on being more approachable and trustworthy, and this would help students and staff feel safer, Diaz said. Students and staff also requested more on foot patrolling. With classes ending at 10 p.m. a lot of students want more safety in the parking garages. ELAC Writing Center staff member Diego Gonzalez worries for the safety of the women he works with when they close up late. Gonzalez said he would like to see an increase of patrolling in those areas especially during the night. South Gate Campus staff member Jessica Landon interacts with campus officers on a weekly basis and has not felt satisfied with their work for several months. “We’ve approached their supervising staff about improving the quality of service we receive from (officers), and they haven’t been responsive or improved. We are just asking for them to patrol the entire site instead of being posted out in the front of the college in their vehicles, when most activity occurs towards the back,” said Landon. Students also expressed their vision for future security personnel
to have specific training such as deescalation. Diaz said, “(We need) officers who are trained to not rely on their weapons, guns primarily. In recent events we’ve seen police officers pick up their guns and use that as their first resort when it was preventable.” Gonzalez suggested having specific “monitors” or others who are highly trained to approach certain situations. “At this point most of us don’t feel comfortable dealing with police. We feel more insecure and unsafe when we have to approach them, so we should implement different positions for others to be trained in,” Gonzalez said. ELAC presidentAlberto Román said, “(We) need to move away from this constant patrolling objective to a more engaging within our campus community. I think we have to change the way we see law enforcement on campus.” Román entertained ideas to have personnel come into classrooms and talk to students as well as having them participate in school events to get them involved with the community. Students and staff who have more questions referring to improvements to campus safety and security can reach out to Marcia Thompson by email at marcia.thompson@jensenhughes.com.
Promotional Item Giveaway #East Los Angeles College Associated Student Union is giving away packets of essential items at the main campus on May 7, 9 a.m. -noon. Students can register here: https://forms.office.com/r/y3RfHpy3e0
President of ELAC Alberto J. Romån and ASU President Mr. Yuxuan Bai co-hosted the Town Hall for ELAC students on Friday from 12-1 pm. Students were welcomed to sign up through their emails for a meeting to ask questions about financial aid, school COVID regulations, students’ services and the possibilities of in person courses. Romån invited special guests like Anna Salazar from the Admissions office, Cecilia Cruz from the Health Center, Lindy Fong from Financial Aid and Michelle Hernandez from Counseling to answer students’ questions. Important details were covered throughout the meeting for instance the possibility of in person classes for summer and fall. Romån said ELAC will have some in person classes but will not allow more than 50% capacity in classrooms including students and professors. Before the pandemic a classroom was able to hold 42 students. Now there will only be 20 students per classroom. Classes will be available online and some in person depending on students’ needs. As for now, Romån said summer classes will primarily be online and hopes for the future to keep important classes online for students who work and have a family to take care of. “The pandemic taught us some online classes do work fine online,” he said, but nothing is final yet. Isabela Ganido, an ELAC student, asked, “Do we need the
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
East Los Angeles Women’s Center is hosting a workshop titled Roots of Gender Oppression on April 28 from noon-2 p.m. RSVP for the workshop at: linktr.ee/elawc_elac
vaccine to return to school?” Many students and faculty have this concern since some UC and Cal State schools are requiring the vaccine to return to in person classes. Romån stated the Los Angeles Community College District is not requiring students or faculty to have the vaccine to return to in person classes right now since they need to consider people’s reasons to not get it, like health conditions or religion.
“Isabela Ganido, an ELAC student asked, ‘Do we need the vaccine to return to school?’ Many students and faculty members have this concern since some UC and Cal State schools are requiring the vaccine to return to in person classes.” CARLOS DIAZ
ELAC Graduate
This can change in the future. Students and faculty will be noticed if the vaccines is required by the district. Financial aid was also discussed in the meeting. Lindy Fong at the Financial Aid office encourages students to apply for finan-
cial aid before the deadlines. AB540 students also qualify for financial aid but must submit the Dream Act application in order to receive financial aid. Fong says they are here to help students with their financial aid, and students can reach out to the Financial Aid office through phone and email for help. Armond Aghakhanian from the ELAC Foundation wants students to know there are many scholarships available through the ELAC Foundation. Each of the scholarships has different requirements, and students can view all the scholarships on elacfoundation.com. ELAC Foundation will also be providing emergency funds for students who are struggling to pay rent or get food. The emergency funds are available to any student regardless of their immigration status. It was also announced that ELAC partnered up with Via Care to provide vaccines by appointment to students and their families. The vaccination clinic will take place on May 6, 7 and 8 at ELAC. An email with a link to sign up for an appointment was sent to students this month. Romån and Yuxuan Bai are inviting ELAC students to get involved and vote in the upcoming LACCD Student Trustee and ASU 2021-2022 elections. Romån is also encouraging students to vote at the ASU election “Have your voice on campus,” he said. Students will continue to get emails with the latest news regarding online and in person classes along with any other important news.
East Los Angeles College Black Student Success Week Join for a series of webinars aimed at improving Black and AfricanAmerican student success on April 28-30. Students can register at: https://www.elac.edu/Explore/Events
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Opinion
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, April 28, 2021
Mayor backtracks on LAPD budget plans BY GRACE RODRIGUEZ Staff Writer In a surprising turn of events, Mayor Eric Garcetti is taking back his decision to cut the Los Angeles Police Department’s budget made last July. While at surface-level the decision can be seen as a direct opposition to the protesters who believe police are overfunded, it is a smart decision on the mayor’s behalf. The budget is meant to address two main issues, a decreasing police force and a rise in crime. The original decision to cut funds was a direct response to the George Floyd case that was being protested at the time. However, on April 19 he released his proposal to ‘right’ this decision by increasing the budget for the LAPD by 3% after there was an increase in crime. In his State of the City Address, Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed a program called Therapeutic Unarmed Response to Neighborhoods (TURN). He claimed this program is the way to reform police and lessen LAPDs involvement in nonviolent crimes. While the program brings in a new idea to address the issues with an overly-aggressive police force. This is not the best way to address it financially. This program does not need to be a stand-alone program taking up more money. Officers can do the proposed work this program sets out to do. Regular officers have the ability to leave their weapons when responding to non-violent crimes. If the budget is already going to be increased, why not use the funds
to better train the officers so they will be able to do this work too, instead of using funds to bring in “experts”? The entire point of the program is to keep weapons out of nonviolent crimes, and there is an entire fleet of officers that can easily take this on. Furthermore, Garcetti has been criticized for not following through on previous speeches. Angelinos will have to wait and see exactly how this will be enacted starting July 1.Garcetti has attributed his proposal to increase the LAPD budget to not only the rise in crime, but also a decreasing police force. While it is a good decision, considering he is addressing a foreseeable issue, this does not make it any less of a tone-deaf decision. It would have been much better received if it came at a better time. The so-called “justice budget” comes the same week the Derek Chauvin verdict was announced. A jury found Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts in the murder of George Floyd in the state of Minnesota. The result of this case has apparently signaled more officers to consider retirement or resignations. Therefore, the number of police officers is projected to change in the upcoming months, showcasing the impact of this case. The budget increase could be put to good use and be more widely accepted if he called for the extra funds to reinforce better training in existing officers, especially since so many new recruits are expected. Although major police brutality cases have not recently hit home, the Minnesota trial can be used as an example for what existing systems can do to better enforce the
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SHERIFF IN TOWN—The East Los Angeles Police Station
is located on 5019 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90022. safety of its citizens— especially one as big as the LAPD. While the verdict has unfortunately become a source of division between officers and citizens, in reality, it should be used to pinpoint all of the weak
points in law enforcement. More importantly, it should be used to gauge where the disconnect between training and application is happening. Garcetti said in his speech that acknowledging previous
wrongdoing is the only way Angelinos can move forward in amending their decisions. He should therefore be held accountable in ensuring the funds are put to good use— further than simply going into the recruitment of more police. For those who followed the Derek Chauvin trial, it was shocking to see the prosecutor, Steve Sleicher, expose just how easy it is to manipulate police reports because there is a tendency to trust those with a badge. He also exposed the lack of accountability from fellow police officers to intervene when a partner is not doing the right thing. The case should be used as a precedent to ensure future cases like this one never exist in the city of Los Angeles. Overall, the issue is not whether or not the LAPD deserves extra funds but more so that it is the mayor’s duty to ensure the funds are used in the department in a way that preserves safety and taxpayers’ money, not just the department’s fleet of officers. The mayor should also be held accountable to enact his proposed program TURN starting July. Most relevant to students is the reminder that the Freedom of Information Act, along with the First Amendment, have allowed regular citizens to hold people with power accountable. Citizens should be able to put their trust in LAPD officers who are ultimately there to protect and serve. The best way to ensure this is by pressing for the mayor and the LAPD to remain transparent in the future and sharing how resources are being used.
Alumni encourage Angelenos to get vaccinated BY ANNETTE LESURE Staff Writer
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Judge orders housing for Skid Row BY LEONARDO CERVANTES Staff Writer Homelessness has been a rampant issue for years now but a time for change might finally have come. Besides the obvious bed to sleep on instead of piled up cold pieces of cardboard and blankets on the floor. The shelter will also provide hot water and unfortunately, some of these people may have gone weeks and months without being able to take a proper bath. Besides it being the morally right thing to do, when Judge David O. Carter visited skid row on April 3, it seems to have justified his actions to want to provide shelter for all the homeless people. Carter oversaw the lawsuit about homelessness and ordered the city and county to offer some form of shelter or housing to the entire homeless population of skid row by October. “The city and county must offer single women and unaccompanied children on skid row a place to stay within 90 days, help families within 120 days and by October 18, offer every homeless person on skid row housing www.ELACCampusNews.com
or shelter,” Carter said. This is a massive shift and a change that can impact many people’s lives greatly. “Year after year there are more homeless Angelenos, and year after year more homeless Angelenos die on the streets,” said Carter. Last year alone more than 1,300 homeless people died in Los Angeles county. Homelessness is a sad reality that the whole world faces but especially in downtown Los Angeles on Skid Row. As of the last count done by Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority in January 2020, more than 4,600 unhoused people were found to be living on Skid Row. There were about 2,500 people living in large shelters and 2,093 on the streets. Some politicians might argue that instead of funding money for shelters and housing for homelessness they should instead build new parks and playgrounds. Perhaps they might be right as it gives kids another avenue to socialize and have fun, but how would it be better than building homes for homeless people. Since Skid Row is so overcrowded, some homeless people are forced to sleep at or right near parks and playgrounds.
So this should be an even bigger incentive so that homeless people finally have a roof over their head, and parks can be used to have fun. Humans love sleeping in the comfort of their own bed. As a matter of fact, some people complain they aren’t able to fall asleep if they aren’t sleeping on their own bed. Well, the unfortunate reality for homeless people is that they have gotten used to having to sleep in tents or on the floor covered with cardboard boxes. On those cold fall and winter nights, homeless people don’t have the option of turning on a heater to get warm, they just have to use an extra blanket to warm up. On the hot and sunny spring and summer days, they have no way to use a fan, let alone an air conditioner. When it rains, it must feel like some of the worst days of the year for homeless people. Even if they use extra cardboard or larger tents, the chances that it can actually hold off water from leaking in are slim. The sad reality is that weather conditions affect homeless people year-round and the only real alternative around weather conditions is to live in a home or shelter.
Notable East Los Angeles College alumni encourages Angelenos to get the COVID19 inoculation as LA County grapples with the public’s vaccine fears. While concerns run high for some LA County residents about getting the vaccine, others got vaccinated and spread the word. Among those vaccinated are Antonio Villaraigosa, former Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, and actor Edward James Olmos. Villaraigosa sported a new “COVID do” and shared photos publicly as he received his vaccine with AltaMed Health Services in Los Angeles on April 8. He then shot a TV and social media public service announcement encouraging Angelenos to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their loved ones. Olmos took to Twitter with selfies of his two vaccines and also encouraged everyone to get vaccinated. “Second COVID vaccine shot. Grateful to all that made it possible. In immortal words of my great-grandfather, ‘I would rather die trying than not.’ Come on Raza, VACCINATE! Por Vida! #chicanoscontracovid19 #latinxVaccinated #MayansMC #SoSayWeAll #Vaccinate,” wrote Olmos on a post dated February 17. Personally, I, too, had big reservations about vaccinating my 16-year-old son and myself. I have severe allergies to medications and heard about people having adverse side effects. My 73-year-old mom, with a decent-sized medical record, received both Moderna shots. I then had the ease of knowing she had handled her shots like a
champ with no repercussions. My son and I opted for Pfizer. It was the first time in his life that he got to weigh in on a big medical decision. Both of my vaccines went fine, with only a sore arm, a few headaches and fatigue for a week. My son got a milder version of my side effects and bounced back in one day. He is due for his second shot on May 1. While I still have typical parent concerns about vaccinating my son, the risk of his return to track and catching COVID-19 seemed so much higher without the vaccine. Vaccine hesitation could prevent LA County from reaching its goal. “Herd immunity will require 80% of eligible residents to get vaccinated, or roughly 8 million people,” LA County Department of Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said in a recent public statement. Ferrer said progress was made in the last 10 weeks to increase vaccinations in Hispanic and Black communities that have been hard-hit by the pandemic. She said there had been a vaccination increase in more than 300% of Black residents 16 and older, and more than 400% for Latinos. “If you’re looking for a way to dramatically reduce your risk of getting infected with COVID or dying from COVID, getting a vaccine is an exceptionally powerful tool for doing just that,” Ferrer said. Ferrer shared statistics to encourage residents further to vaccinate. Before vaccines, one in every 10 LA County residents was infected with COVID-19. Postvaccine, the national rate is one in 13,275. She said the risk of dying from COVID has gone from one in 500 to about one in one million. Va c c i n e r e a c t i o n s a r e definitely easier to tolerate than those of being infected with COVID-19, being on a ventilator or dying.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Erica Cortes MANAGING EDITOR Juan Calvillo FRONT EDITORS Zasha Hayes Daniella Molina OPINION EDITORS Brenda De La Cruz Cassidy Reyna NEWS EDITORS Annette Quijada Jonathan Bermudez FEATURE EDITORS Paul Medina Alma Lizarraga ARTS EDITORS Grace Rodriguez Gabriela Gutierrez COPY EDITORS Luis Castilla Ivan Cazares STAFF WRITERS Raymond Nava Leonardo Cervantes Annette Lesure Miguel Dominguez SOCIAL MEDIA Daniella Molina Breanna Fierro PHOTOGRAPHER Diego Linares GRAPHICS Andrea Cerna ONLINE EDITOR Cynthia Solis ART DIRECTOR Steven Adamo ADVERTISING Stefanie De La Torre ADVISER Jean Stapleton Campus News encourages letters to the editor relating to campus issues. Letters must be typed and double spaced. Submitted material becomes the property of Campus News and cannot be returned. Letters should be limited to 300 words or less. Campus News reserves the right to edit letters for grammatical errors or libelous content. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers must sign submissions and print their names and a phone number where they can be reached. Letters should be addressed to the editor of Campus News. Submissions can be made at the mailroom in building E1 or the Journalism department office in the Technology Center in E7-303. East Los Angeles College Campus News 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez E7-303 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (323) 265-8819, Ads (323) 265-8821 Fax (323) 415-4910 The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, offered under the East Los Angeles College Journalism program. The editorial and advertising materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The opinions expressed are exclusively those of the writer. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, East Los Angeles College, or any officer or employee thereof.
News
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, April 27,2021
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Students aim to be good elected trustees Student candidate seeks to help student mental anguish BY JUAN CAVILLO Staff Writer Coraima Martinez is running for the student seat on the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees and is prioritizing student mental health. She said any decisions that affect students need to have students as the main concern. Martinez said she has three priorities when it comes to being on the Board of Trustees. She said after classes went online last year most administrations lacked transparency as to how things would move on. She said moving forward, students should be the first to be informed about how things will proceed. “They weren’t informing us of anything and it felt like they weren’t having any leniency with us, when in reality, everybody was in the dark and we (students) just felt that they were holding out on us. And had they done better of communicating that to us then
maybe the semester would have been a bit smoother for everyone else so the transition would have been easier,” Martinez said. Martinez said conversations about how the district and colleges plan on safely reopening should put students’ concerns first. She said who better to ask how students wish to be supported if not the students. Martinez said her goals are about helping all students, especially the districts Asian and Pacific Islander students. With the increased racism that has cropped up across the country, Martinez is looking to make campuses feel safe when they finally reopen. Martinez said mental health resources need to be made more accesible for students. She said doing away with the stigma that accompanies mental health was about changing the conversation about who can search out help. She said these resources shouldn’t be limited to those who have been diagnosed having
COURTESY OF CORAIMA MARTINEZ
mental issues. “If you are stressed, if you are fatigued, if you are burnt out you can seek our mental health resources,” Martinez said. Martinez said she was passionate
about looking for ways to support programs that help students scholastically. She said the idea is about focusing on the programs that create retention for students. She said programs like Extended
Opportunity Programs & Services and Umoja programs would be the types she would like to help. She said programs like the Dream Resource Center were important and by running for the
student seat she learned were in bad shape. “I’ve been getting a lot of questions about how the DRC’s have been underfunded and low staffed and how that has negatively affected our undocumented students through this pandemic,” Martinez said. Martinez said her experience as a lead intern for the American Federation of Teachers 1521 gave her insight into the teachers from the district. AFT 1521 represents the faculty in the LACCD. She is currently a student at East Los Angeles College and in her third year. She is part of the ELAC Pathway to Law and is set to transfer from ELAC within the next year. Martinez became interested in law when she attended Theodore Roosevelt High School. She was a member of the law trial team there doing mock trials. Her work with the community and the DRC inspired her to look into immigration law.
Plans to re-open college bookstores made by candidate BY JUAN CAVILLO Staff Writer Aryan Bhattarai is a leader and wants to help advocate for students by running for Student Trustee for the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees. He said it’s his goal to connect students with ways of accessing resources that are vital for online learning. Bhattarai said one of his goals is to give students more access to books that are needed for courses. He said he wants to work with the Board of Trustees and with colleges to figure out a way to partially reopen college bookstores. He said shipping costs on purchases can be costly to students and he hopes more teachers try to switch to PDF versions when deciding on textbooks. Bhattarai said he is a cooperative person and would help to find ways around obstacles when it came to his push for easier book access.
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Bhattarai said he plans on researching and being prepared when it comes to proposing ideas for the Board of Trustees. He credits his time in high school where he was a part of the
AP Capstone program. This program helps high school students further develop their skills to do research. Bhattarai said advocating for students would include reaching
out to students instead of asking them to reach out to him. He said he understands how busy students are, studying and learning in the current online environment.
He said whether he wins or loses He plans on introducing himself via emails and connecting with this race he will continue being an advocate for students’ needs and students. “That’s always something I’ve helping others. Bhattarai is currently attending always done in my classes, reach his first year at out to students Pierce College. first. He previously “Befriend them attended and let them know “That’s always Granada Hills that I am here for something I’ve always Charter high them, here to help school. them,” Bhattarai done in my classes, He was born said. reach out to students in Bhaktapur, Bhattarai said Nepal and was he also plans on first. ” brought to the reaching out to the United States various colleges at the age of in the LACCD Aryan Bhattaral five. to begin creating Student candidate for Board of Trustees Bhattarai relationships with said he the Associated has been a S t u d e n t permanent Organizations resident since 2016 and that advisors and members. He said his leadership work he understands the struggle is something he brings into his u n d o c u m e n t e d s t u d e n t s g o through. scholastic and everyday life. He said his parents are big Bhattarai is the youngest coach at the Northridge Recreation center influences in his life. and has consistently ran for student government.
Screened movie sets to premier on HBO BY ANNETTE LESURE Staff Writer HBO will premiere “For Rosa,” a film by Kathryn Boyd-Batstone who created it to show that women will no longer be silenced. She was inspired by the Madrigal Ten, a group of East LA Latinas sterilized without consent during childbirth at the Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center in the 1970s. The short that will air Saturday was first screened at East Los Angeles College in 2020. The ELAC Zoom event included a Q & A with the film’s writer and director Boyd-Batstone, 28. Boyd-Batstone said she was inspired to write her thesis film about the Madrigal Ten after watching a PBS documentary called “No Más Bebés.” She was shocked to learn that she was born and raised in Southern California and had never heard of the case.
Boyd-Batstone said she wanted to share this film to honor the Madrigal Ten and other women whose voices were never heard. Boyd-Batstone announced the HBO release on her Instagram account and wrote, “This film is for the many women who have been made to feel small and to remind you that we see you, and we will continue to fight to make sure you are heard and not silenced.” The Madrigal Ten filed a federal class-action lawsuit against Doctor James Quilligan in Los Angeles, California, after being sterilized without knowledge or proper consent. The case known as “Madrigal v. Quilligan” came about when the one key witness, USC medical student Karen Benker, testified against Quilligan and his practices. Boyd-Batstone said the women experienced medical racism and that eugenics played a role in these sterilizations and that the eugenics movement in California was created
to sterilize women that were not deemed as fit for procreating. She said population control and the war on poverty were both factors in sterilizing these Mexican American women”. PBS wrote of how at the start of 1909, federal agencies began funding states based on the number of sterilized procedures performed on women that fell into these categories. California was responsible for 2/3 of the illegal operations against women. Boyd-Batstone said that although the “Madrigal v. Quilligan” case was ruled in favor of the doctors, changes were made. The changes include better-informed consent forms for women and bilingual paperwork for non-native English speakers. The judge who tried the case passed away, and President Richard Nixon appointed the new judge who refused the woman any reparations for their irreversible damages.
Dora Gonzalez, a clerk at the Women’s Clinic at LAC + USC Hospital, refused to comment about The Madrigal Ten but insisted that these practices no longer exist. Gonzalez said women would never be sterilized without their consent and that all medical staff is well trained in the process of counseling a patient and filling out authorization forms. Boyd-Batstone said the hospital is currently demolishing the ward where these women were victimized and is rebuilding it in hopes of reaching out to the community and repairing the mistrust created with the history of these cases in the media. Boyd-Batstone said the hospital now keeps the consent document in a master database for their staff to quickly access but said she knows, based on her recent research, that these practices are far from over.
A SILENCED HISTORY— Main character Eva capturde with sorrowful stare in the movie. www.ELACCampusNews.com
Features Giving a first-hand account battling covid-19 4
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, April 28, 2021
worse the second week when I started to have stomach problems. During the first week my stomach felt like it was constantly cramping. Getting COVID-19 was the I was still able to eat a good amount worst experience of my life, one I never want to have again. It lasted of food. The second week though my for three weeks and it felt like an stomach had a never ending eternity. nauseated feeling and I could The first two days felt like the start of a flu, but it immediately felt barely eat a single slice of pizza. This was when it was just like the flu on steroids. completely unbearable. Trying to I first caught COVID-19 back eat more food just made me feel so in mid-December from my mom. My mom went out to a small nauseated that I felt like I was going to throw up. party with her The third friends.One of her w eek of friends had it, and h a v i n g t she caught it from My arm got more sore, v i r u s w ha es her. so much to the point almost worse While I never g o t o f f i c i a l l y where it became hard to in a different way. By this tested for the time I was sleep because I couldn’t virus, my mom did and was confirmed get into a good position s o m e w h a t able to eat a positive. decent amount where I wouldn’t be My symptoms of food before showed up at the sleeping on my arm. I felt like exact same time throwing up. as hers and were H o w e v e r, similar. I ’ d still The first h a v e these symptoms lasted nauseated feelings in my stomach like a normal cold and this was for that would not go away. about a day or two. This left me very uncomfortable They were just a sore throat all the time. and a runny and stuffy nose. My This got to a point where it felt symptoms got worse very quickly however. I started to feel sore like a minor annoyance, which was almost everywhere on my body. almost worse just due to the fact My body would feel so sore it felt that it felt so small but the symptons like there was a war under my skin. would constantly not go away. After three weeks, I was It made me feel drained practically feeling back to normal, physically and mentally. It became
with a few small lingering symptoms here and there. After a few months of being Covid-19 free, I was able to get my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine on April 20. Getting the shot itself wasn’t really bad, even though I have a constant fear of needles. The needle hurt a lot less than the flu shot. The needle is thinner than the one that’s used to administer the flu vaccine. The day after was when I really started to feel the side effects of the vaccine. My arm got sore, to the point where it became hard to sleep because I couldn’t get into a good position where I wouldn’t be sleeping on my arm. Throughout the day, the side effects got to a point where it felt like I was getting the virus all over again. The soreness started spreading the other parts of my body. Thankfully it only lasted that one day and a bit after that and I was feeling much better in the evening. Getting Covid was something I tried to avoid but was unlucky to have gotten. Considering my symptoms weren’t the worst ones other people have had, I can consider my self lucky in that respect. I’m glad to have gotten my first dose of the vaccine and I look forward to getting my second in the next few weeks.
BY RAYMOND NAVA Staff Writer
CN/STEVEN ADAMO
ASU president candidate focused on better communication tools BY DANIELLA MOLINA Staff Writer
COURTESY OF PAUL MEDINA
Rosa Mendoza is in her third year at East Los Angeles College and wants to provide students with a sense of community. She is currently the Associated Student Union Executive Vice President and majoring in forensic pathology. Her current academic goals are to complete science courses to receive an Associates in Arts (AA) degree in social and behavioral science, in addition to an AA in natural science, and an Associate for Transfer in Biology. Mendoza has been part of ELAC’s First Year Experience program, and MESA and ASU. Where she has chaired InterClub Council meetings and also Co-Chaired the Associated Student Union meetings numerous times during her first term. “I want to help the Associated Student Union be a support and
foundation for students to feel give the opportunity to women to welcomed and have a sense of help create change. I am a team community. As ASU is a college player, even in my position as EVP, aspect that many individuals take I have taken into consideration the into consideration as part of their opinions of those who are usually college experience.” Mendoza said. not asked to make a final decision She said on how we will “Students conduct things” should vote for Mendoza said. “I believe it’s time Rosa Mendoza She plans to to break the cycle because she get students more works to engaged in ASU of having males in make sure all through social power even in student media platforms students feel not only heard government and give the and emails. but understood She focus on with struggles opportunity to women to tools that students on campus help create change.” are already using. and in the This allows community for campus c o l l e g e information to system.” be deliveredmore ROSA MENDOZA Mendoza effectively. ASU candidate was raised by a This would single mother ensure that all and two older students can sisters who came from Acapulco, benefit from campus opportunities Guerrero, Mexico. and assistance programs as well as “I believe it’s time to break the scholarships offered to paid ASU cycle of having males in power students. even in student government and
READY TO SERVE—Candidate for Associated Student Union president Paul Medina. Election is taking place from April 26-30 via SIS portal.
ASU president candidate focused on marginalized students BY DANIELLA MOLINA Staff Writer
Paul Medina is a first-generation student running for East Los Angeles College ASU president. Medina’s current academic goals are to double major in Economics and Asian studies. He is also part of ASU as Inter Club Council Chief Delegate. Medina has been active with several campus clubs and programs at ELAC. He is a current member of ELAC Campus News and has been part of the speech team, the fire technology program and participated in the summer Shakespeare Academy within the Theater Department. He helped coordinate a rally in solidarity with Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in this year. Medina aspires as ASU president to become the student’s voice. His vision includes greater paths that will assist students to continue in school, thrive and www.ELACCampusNews.com
transfer despite the pandemic. In the past Medina lobbied in the hallways of the state capitol. He plans to do the same for students within the Los Angeles community college district. Medina said “The past 12 months have been tough on people. Obviously, there’s been a lot of adversities, a lot of difficult situations. I feel that I am the best -qualified leader right now, to lead the associated student body and be the student voice, during these tough times.” “I stand up when times are tough. I am a person that comes from value, gratitude and helping people. During the toughest times, I can overcome adversity. I am high in integrity. I do the right thing when no one’s looking, which is something crucial to what people need right now.” Medina believes that advocating for programs is pivotal for the success of historically marginalized communities. Medina has a close relationship with his mother, which helps inspire his plans to fight for women’s groups.
He also would like to tackle issues with financial aid, formerly incarcerated students and the LGBTQ community. Medina plans to close the gap of inequalities for all students, taking special consideration to students who are disabled, veterans or returning to ELAC after years of hiatus. “I feel that I can best understand the school, the needs, the programs, the departments. Rest assured that you are in good hands, ELAC students” said Medina. Medina was employed with an ambulance company for 10 years. He has realized his passion is education and helping people within the community. He is now focusing on ways to engage with students so they know there are individuals who care about them and their experience at ELAC. Medina hopes to be elected as ASU President so he can build an amicable relationship between the college and students.
COURTESY OF ROSA MENDOZA
READY TO SERVE—Candidate for Associated Student Union president Rosa Mendoza. Election is taking place from April 26-30 via SIS portal.
Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021
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‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ falls short BY CASSIDY REYNA Staff Writer D i s n e y + ’s n e w M a r v e l show, “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” prepares fans for what’s next for the legacy of Captain America, but falls short. The show takes place after the events of “Avengers: Endgame.” Steve Rogers, Captain America, hands his shield over to Sam Wilson, The Falcon at the movie’s end. With the weight of Steve’s legacy, Sam didn’t feel it was right for him to have the shield. So Sam hands the shield over to the U.S. government. The government in turn makes veteran John Walker, the new “Captain America.” In the meantime, Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier, is dealing with his past in which he was brainwashed to be a killing machine. During “Avengers: Infinity War” many are “blipped” out of existence when the villain Thanos snapped half of all populations from existing. With the aftermath of “The Blip,” a group called “The Flag Smashers'' are trying to push their agenda of getting things back to the way they were. The show was well executed but it could have ladded more moments of excitement. In comparison to how well “WandaVision” was done, this show just fell a bit short. Although both shows have
COURTESY OF DISNEY +
THERAPY FREE PASS—After Bucky is pardoned from his mandatory therapy sessions, Sam joins Bucky in his last session. different concepts and plots, they all still connected under the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so fans expect much more when it comes to how the show is executed.
“The Falcon and Winter Soldier” is not up to par due to the very cookie-cutter approach they took. But they did great in keeping a pace that fans would miss if the show was a film.
On the other hand, the show does really well with character development and moving the story. Fans will get to know Sam and Bucky and see their friendship
grow as they try to take down “The Flag Smashers.” This allows the fans to really see the ins-and-outs of each character– which is not always possible in a two or three hour film.
Anthony Mackie does an amazing job at continuing his role as Sam Wilson. He does well with executing the growth of his character and who he will become by the end of the show. Sebastian Stan also does an awesome job continuing his role as Bucky Barnes. Bucky used to be a brainwashed assassin working for HYDRA, the terrorist group who try to build a new world order. Bucky evolved into a calm person who wants to make amends with those who he has wronged, but will still fight for what he feels is right. On the release day of the season finale, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline reported that Marvel is in production of a fourth Captain America movie. There is speculation as to whether there will be a second season to the show or if Bucky Barnes will be getting his own show, although nothing is confirmed. The plot will ultimately connect to the upcoming “Black Widow” film that has been delayed three times but will premiere on July 9. The show will also connect to the newly announced film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” as well as a show that will take place in Wakanda which is currently in the works and has yet to be officially announced. Due to Bucky’s relationship with the Wakadians, he will more than likely also appear in that show.
‘Thunder Force’ pairs childhood Poetry resonates with readers going through heartbreak friends as superheroes BY ERICA CORTEZ Staff Writer N e t f l i x ’s n e w c o m e d y superhero movie, “Thunder Force” is a family film filled with laughter, peculiarity and cliche friendship issues. This movie is based in Chicago with Emily Stanton, played by Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer, cresating a formula to give superhuman strength and invisibility to help fight miscreants. Miscreants are a super villain clan taking over the streets of Chicago. Stanton’s childhood best friend Lydia, played by the very funny Melissa McCarthy, visits and tries to convince her to come to a high school reunion. After failing to convince Stanton, Lydia wanders off in the lab and accidentally takes half of the formula. This accident helps Emily make the decision to use the other half of the formula to get powers of her own. The pair become the superhero team named, “The Thunder Force.” The movie has many funny scenes. It uses the characters' balance, Spencer is introverted while McCarthy is extroverted, for comedic effect.
Viewers also see an odd loveinterest for Lydia, Mccarthy’s character. Jason Bateman plays Jerry, the antagonist’s abomination sidekick with crab arms who falls in love with Lydia.
This movie has a parallel tone to movies like “Shazam” and “Captain Marvel.” All three movies have a superhero built, not born.
Bateman and McCarthy have starred together before in “Identity Thief,” where they hate each other throughout the entire plot. This made the love bubble a unique take, opposite from the previous movie they worked on. Although this story has its many hilarious moments, there are some serious moments and life lessons.
S p e n c e r ’s c h a r a c t e r i s portrayed as a sheltered single mother. This leads to her keeping her daughter Tracy, played by Taylor Mosby, from the outside world. The audience sees their relationship grow because Lydia is there to give her advice . Thia allows Staton open up more with her daughter. We also see the friendship grow between Lydia and Emily. Their friendship evolves from best friends to where they end up at the end of the movie with some twists and turns. Viewers see the reconciliation between these two childhood best friends. This film has many known songs that highlight the dorky plots and badass superhero moments. Songs such as “Dreams” by The Cranberries, “It’s a Long Way to the Top” by ACDC and “Here I Go Again” by White Snake bring this enjoyable movie together. This movie has a parallel tone to movies like “Shazam” and “Captain Marvel.” All three movies have a superhero built, not born. Having these powers allows them to use their abilities to help loved ones and re-build friendships along the way.
COURTESY OF NETFLIX
GEARING UP FOR BATTLE—Melissa McCarthy (left) and Olivia Spencer gear up right before battling the Miscreants.
BY CYNTHIA SOLIS Staff Writer Love and heartbreak are a part of life. Often, readers seek books that will validate how they feel. “Sometimes I Fall Asleep Thinking About You” by Catarine Hancock is no exception to this. “Sometimes I Fall Asleep Thinking About You” is a collection of poetry about how it feels to not get closure. It shares the feeling of longing people after a breakup even after knowing they should not. It shows the refreshing feeling of being able to say, “I have finally let you go” after time passes. This is the fourth poetry book Hancock has written, the first being “The Boys I’ve Loved and the End of the World,” “How the Words Come” and “Shades of Lovers.” Her writing predominately follows similar themes of love and its aspects, both good and bad. Her works also include political topics she feels passionately about, such as feminism and gun control. “Sometimes I Fall Asleep Thinking About You” is a lot like “Shades of Lovers”— it starts with the reader finally realizing that the breakup they went through is typical and that all the feelings they feel are valid. Readers end up wishing the book would end toward the middle. Her poems tend to be somewhat repetitive. All beginning with “I loved you, but you didn’t love me the same way,” and end with, “It hurts now, but I am strong and will get through this, and one day I will see you and your existence won’t bother me anymore.” While there is absolutely nothing wrong with having these elements in a poetry book about love and loss, it is not something that needs to be said over and over again with little variety. As the reader goes through each poem, the reader keeps expecting something more, but it never comes. This is rather unfortunate because it had such great potential to be a phenomenal poetry book. The book is for readers who are suffering from a breakup and need to know someone else has felt what they are feeling. These can be readers who haven’t made any progress in the healing process either. After reading the first 80 pages, the book forces the reader to contemplate the fact that they can’t seem to get over one breakup.
COURTESY OF “SOMETIMES I FALL ASLEEP THINKING ABOUT YOU”
BREAKUPS AND HEARTBREAK—Catarina Hancock’s new poetry book discusses the negative feelings that come after a breakup. It truly makes them analyze or themselves lost a job or any every conversation, all the good other reason. It was spread all over social memories, and indeed all the bad media that the times. pandemic wouldn’t One particularly last forever and noteworthy poem everyone can was “a quarantine get through poem.” In it, The book is for quarantine. Hancock considers Similarly, with an alternate readers who are heartbreak, the universe in which COVID-19 didn’t suffering from a pain and confusion do not last forever. happen and the world was like it breakup and need E v e n t u a l l y t h e was before March to know someone b r e a k u p w o n ’ t bother a person 2020. In this alternate universe else has felt what anymore. At the end of the her significant they are feeling. day (and end of the other did not hurt book), it is essential her the way she These can be for readers to was hurt. Here she r e m e m b e r explores the utter readers who everyone deserves definition of an haven’t made someone who amicable breakup. will love them This poem progress in the all-consumingly, i s w o r t h remembering healing process acknowledging all the “bad” about out of all of the either. them but simply poems in its 205 loving them more pages because for their flaws. many people often No one desrves wonder, “If this to be in a toxic d i d n ’t h a p p e n , relationship. things would be so different.” Many people People deserve someone who have done it at one point or knows they are worth it all. The another during the pandemic. book is very clear on both of Some wonder whether it was these points and displays it in a because someone they know kind and gentle manner. www.ELACCampusNews.com
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Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021
Mortal Kombat strikes again BY BREANNA FIERRO Staff Writer
Some of the roles were more disappointing than others, nevertheless, those actors who played them flawlessly outweighed the negatives. After 26 years, Mortal Kombat makes a return to the big screen as a fan-made prequel. Classic ‘90s film derived from a series of nostalgic video games, the new “Mortal Kombat” will once again entertain audiences through its action-packed fighting and style. The movie focuses on the beginning of a new era, the older beloved characters welcoming in a new generation of fighters. The play on using tournaments like in the original movie wasn’t incorporated in this film, but still shows that the story around these characters was constructed with its own twist. Compared to the older and cheesy “Mortal Kombat” (1995) this movie attempts to construct a new plot around new characters with enhanced features, original fighting styles and through director Simon
McQuoid to provide the new “Mortal Kombat”. The latest screen adaption pits mixed martial arts fighter Cole Young, a new upcomer and protector of Earthrealm against the fearsome warrior (what humans often call earth) Sub-Zero. This 21st-century “Mortal Kombat” begins in the 17th-century where great warrior Hanzo Hasashi (Scorpion) vanishes to the “Netherrealm” after he and his family are killed by Bi-Han (Sub-Zero). Netherrealm is comparable to the Underworld, also known as Hell. When fast-forwarding to the future, MMA fighter Cole Young, is a cage fighter with a unique birthmark. The birthmark makes him destined to fight in tournaments and leads him to be the protector of Earthrealm in an invitation to a battle known as “Mortal Kombat.” The only way to receive a marking like it is to either attain it through lineage or to take it from someone else. After 4,000 years the Hasashi bloodline lives on. However, before representing Earthrealm against Outworld, the most murderous of all realms, protector of the Earthrealm, Lord Raiden, warns his warriors. Raiden adivses the branded warriors to find their “arcana,” also known to uncover their inner superpowers. Some of the roles were more disappointing than others, nevertheless, those actors who played them flawlessly outweighed the negatives. The movie also has its fair share of comedy to balance out the intense moments of
Cole Young seeking vengeance for Scorpion and peace for Earthrealm. The actors also established new growth and development within the characters. Classic fatalities, old school mixed martial art moves and signature moves were alive in the film, with a fair share of battle music throughout. Although it isn’t played as much as it should have been, the “Mortal Kombat” theme song is present toward the ending of the film in the fight scenes. The rendition is a catchy electronic theme song of the original version in the ending credits. The fate of Earthrealm is in the hands of original warriors: Sonia Cage, Jax, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Lord Raiden and newer ones like Cole Young, a descendant of Scorpion through bloodline. Those who were a part of outworld were also classic warriors: Shang Tsung, Mileena, Kano, Reptile, Kabal, Goro, and more familiar faces through gameplay like Nitara and Reiko. A twist in events and empathy for characters fighting for different sides is beyond what any fan would’ve imagined. The bloodline of Hasashi is known as a contributor for keeping the world of Earthrealm at peace, if another tournament were to be lost, outworld would take over. Days are numbered before the Lord Raiden moves forward again, and seeks out a new set of champions to protect Earthrealm from those in Outworld. Fans can catch this film in theaters and on HBO Max.
Opinion
Healing communities need more than a guilty verdict BY BRENDA DE LA CRUZ Staff Writer Healing communities need more than a guilty verdict. Former Officer Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict will not make a difference and will soon be a thing of the past. On April 21 many watched with anticipation as the trial involving former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin came to an end. The former officer was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and seconddegree manslaughter in the murder of George Floyd. While that is a big step in the direction of justice for unarmed minorities murdered by law enforcement, it is not enough. Seldom are officers held responsible for murdering people of color at higher rates than their White counterparts, and if they are, chances of a conviction are even lower. The high rate of people of color being gunned down while
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unarmed will continue until it is tackled collectively through policy and reform. This guilty verdict will soon fade away with any new shootings and killings of Black and Brown individuals. It happened multiple times where officers are able to deescalate a violent situation without killing anyone, but the suspect is more than often White. However, more than often when the suspect is Black, it turns into an “officer involved shooting.” It poses the question of what the difference is, and why. Many recent incidents involving White suspects carrying weapons show them walking up to police officers with said weapons in hand, yet they are rarely hurt. Such as in the case of Kyle Rittenhouse, the 17-year-old from Kenosha, WI armed with an AR-15 style rifle who killed two people and wounded another during the protests against police brutality in 2020. The teenager was not apprehended immediately and
when he was confronted by police, it was in a calm manner. He was taken in alive. However, many minorities who are unarmed and stopped for a minor traffic violations versus killing two people, are often harassed and killed. Not all minorities that are confronted by police are killed, but the rates are higher than that of White people engaged by police. In more recent years, America has seen more and more abuse of power by law enforcement nationwide. Nothing will change or matter until police are affected where it matters: their pockets. When a police officer is held responsible for misconduct, they don’t personally see this hit their pockets. In fact, the city or state they reside or work in is who pays for it through taxes. Police officers who commit crimes and are found guilty of misconduct should be penalized through their pension. That will prove a point and be a fast lesson. The trend of the world knowing America is the place where officers don’t “protect and serve” but rather kills its unarmed citizens, is not something to be proud of. This is not to say that if people commit a crime, they should not be arrested or penalized, but it is to say they should not die for it. Police officers are meant to stop crime, they are not the judges or executioners. Change is needed to make a long-lasting effect in police brutality and abuse of power, not just one guilty verdict.
CN/ BREANNA FIERRO
CATCHY KICKER—Poster of Mortal Kombat movie at AMC Theatre.