Volume 78, Issue 8 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, November 3, 2021 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
ELAC president Alberto Román, guest speaker at political science 4th annual career fair
Political Science
BY ANNETTE QUIJADA Staff Writer East Los Angeles College President Alberto Román was featured in ELAC’s 4th Annual Political Science Career Fair on Thursday. Román said majoring in political science helped him decide on working in educational administration rather than as an immigration attorney. Faculty involved in the fair included ELAC political science professors Dr. Kenneth Chaiprasert, R o g e l i o G a r c i a a n d J e ff r e y Hernandez. Román said his choice to major in political science goes back to his lived experiences as an immigrant and a first generation college graduate. “In my high school years I began to see the social and political climate shaped by people in power didn’t favor people of color,” Román said. After realizing this, he began soul searching and identifying his core values and principles. Román said once he got into college and started taking classes in American government, political
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theory, international relations, etc. He became intrigued by the government structure and its formation over the years. In his fourth year as a college
student, Román got the opportunity to do an internship with an elected official, congressman George Brown. Román said working with a congressman was one of the
best decisions he’s made. Working for a congressman allowed him to do “case work” and work with Homeland Security to help constituents who were filing for
citizenships and residency. Being able to assist residents who needed immigration support. Román said he felt as if he found his reason, his “why,”
“What I love about political science is that it’s very versatile. It prepares you to go into so many different careers like preparing for a law degree or working for an elected official,” Román said. A few years later Román decided to run for city council in the city of Rialto and lost by about 399 votes. He said this experience taught him that he wanted to stay in public service because he was giving back to his community. Román said having his political science degree gave him the foundation to be where he is today. Professor Chaiprasert said students who get political experience after their bachelors degree and knowing about the policy-making process plays a large role when it comes to serving the community or serving a college campus like Román. Román said local officials are constantly looking for students to get into their internships. Román said ELAC is currently working towards developing an internship to send students to work in the Sacramento Senate committee.
LGBTQ+, brown communities at more risk for STIs BY NATALIA ANGELES Staff Writer Edwin Rojas, a health educator and research assistant, from St. John’s Well Child and Family Center said there is a lot of misinformation surrounding Sexual Transmitted infections and Human Immunodeficiency Virus prevention among LGBTQ+ communities and communties of color. Rojas spoke at a workshop for students to close out Sexual Assualt Awarness Month on Thursday. Rojas said, STIs and HIV are issues that are very present and they need to be addressed and not put in the past.
“Latinos are a group with high HIV infections, It is more likely for brown and Black folks to test positive for HIV. Why?” said Rojas. Students from the crowd gave their input to Rojas’ question. East Los Angeles College student Miguel Rivera said, “Sex education is not funded in schools.” Another response came from ELAC student Karen Diana, “Misinformation in religion causes students to feel less connected with their parents to speak on the topic.” These are some key components that may contribute to the infection spreading throughout communities Rojas’ influence at St. John’s
helps shed light on facts that many the vaginal/testical area.” could participants were be noticed if not aware of facts they had it, said on the topic. from “Latinos are a group students One bit of the audience. misinformation with high HIV infections. Rojas also is U=U, which encourages It is more likely for translates to students to u n d e t e c t a b l e = brown and Black folks to find the nearest untransmittable. clinic or center M a n y p e o p l e test positive for HIV...” that offers free are not aware testing. that HIV can “ Yo u c a n present itself as start testing EDWIN ROJAS asymptomatic. autonomously Health Educator at St. Johns Well S o m e at 12 years Child and Family Center symptoms such old. There is as “Irritation, free testing in rashes, bumps in California at
community health clinics such as LGBTQ+ Center, St. Johns, AltaMed,” said Rojas. STIs can take a strong toll on an individual, yet there is also Intimate Partner Violence that equally affects an individual physically and mentally. “35.6% of women in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime,” Rojas said. This form of assault can leave an individual with long term mental health issues. This is not far from a topic like STIs. In fact it adds on to methods that community members can take to raise awareness to these issues.
Intimate Partner Violence is also an ongoing problem along with STIs, yet there is a lack of workshops and resources where students can turn to. An example of IPV is sexual coercion and unwanted sexual contact. However, Rojas was able to presents a few different workshops and support groups offered to black/ brown queer males that covers safey in sexuality. For more information regarding STI/HIV and other resources can be found on their instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/prime_ clinic_/
Medical Center encourages students to volunteer BY TERESA ACOSTA Staff Writer
The Career and Jobs Services department gave students access to volunteer opportunities in the medical services community. On Thursday, the LAC+USC Medical Center took part in East Los Angeles College’s monthly “Employer Meet & Greet” over Zoom to discuss the process of applying and onboarding for volunteering at its facility. Julie Santos Pham, the volunteer coordinator at the medical center, was the host for the virtual discussion. She gave background information, their mission statement and vision for the medical center. Santos highlighted some of the types of students that can benefit from volunteer work, such as those looking to get into the medical field. Volunteering at the medical center can give those students a real world idea of what the field is like. “As a volunteer, you’re here to provide a service to the community,
News Briefs
but at the same time because you are application, there is a list of at a health facility, you’re here to… required documentation. Pham gain experience in the health field,” said help is available for those Pham said. needing more assistance with the Volunteers can expect to work application. a minimum of A f t e r 4 hours a week submitting all and commit “As a volunteer, you’re tphaep e rrwe qo ur ki ,r eidf to a 200-hour minimum. The here to provide a service s e l e c t e d , t h e available hours next step is a r e M o n d a y - to the community, but at t h e i n t e r v i e w Friday 8 a.m.-8 the same time because v i a Z o o m . I f p.m. you are offered you are at a health Duties and a volunteer responsibilities facility, you’re here to... position after the may include interview then gain experience in the onboarding will c l e r i c a l work, patient begin. health field.” assistance, A mandatory stocking and orientation disinfecting. session will Perks for go over the volunteering program basics JULIE SANTOS PHAM may include of policies and Volunteer Cordinator at LAC+USC food vouchers, procedures, what letters of is required of the volunteer, safety recommendation, completion and security, and other important c e r t i f i c a t e , n e t w o r k i n g a n d information. employment opportunities. During the question and answer After completing the volunteer portion at the end of the presentation,
Town Hall Series
A Racial Equity and Social Justice Town Hall panel discussion will be hosted by News Anchor Pat Harvey on Thursday from noon to 2p.m. Register at https://bit.ly/townhall110421.
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APPLICATIONS OPEN—Provided above is the QR code students who are interested in volunteerino can be directred to submit an application. a student asked for resources to find paid opportunities in the field. Pham gave plenty of suggested avenues and Internet links to help someone
who may not be in the position to volunteer their time. Anyone with further questions can email Pham at jsantospham@
Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship Workshop
ELAC Transfer Center will hold a workshop on Friday for the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate transfer students scholarship from noon to 1:30 p.m. Register at linktr.ee/elactransfercenter.
dhs.lacounty.gov or follow the QR code provided.
Transfer Student Experience
ELAC’s sucess coaches will host a workshop on Friday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for students to learn about the transfer experience as first generation students. Register at tinyurl.com/TransferExp.
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Opinion
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2021
Toys do not equal true meaning of Christmas BY DANIELLA MOLINA Staff Writer Toys do not make or break the true meaning of Christmas. The meaning of Christmas is much more than children tearing wrapping paper apart just to uncover play accessories. The true meaning of Christmas lies in the reason gifts are given in the first place, which is to remind millions of people around the world of the most important gift of all, the gift of life. However, over the decades in America, Christmas has been distorted and manipulated by consumerism. Magazines and retail catalogs have shown happy children holding toys, the Hallmark Channel plays reruns of Christmas movies with happy conclusions, big fancy dinners and mountains of presents around a Christmas tree. As if the only way to have a complete and meaningful Christmas is to obtain the latest, greatest innovative items. In an article published in August by The Guardian a headline reads “Toys could be in short supply this Christmas, so get buying now, industry warns.” Or else what? What will happen if parents do not buy toys for their children? I do not believe there will be severe damage to the Christmas season with a few less toys. I know personally, my children would not suffer if they were to get just one toy each. The warnings for consumers about toy shortages is not a dire issue. In September at a roundtable meeting between Vice President Kamala Harris and the Singapore representatives of Commerce.
Harris said “The stories that we are now hearing, about the caution, that if you want to have Christmas toys for your children, it might now be a good time to start buying them. Because the delay may be many, many months.” I had not even thought about what to get my children at the time. And then it dawned on me, all the toys I had seen online through Amazon advertisements. There are hundreds and thousands of options. It baffles me how short the supply would have to be for all those toys that are already on store shelves, suddenly not being enough to satisfy the demand. Out of all the concerns of the world in the current climate. Toys should not be the first subject pertaining to the words of caution that came from the Vice President of the United States. I do believe children, adults and even pets deserve gifts. However, a gift does not have to be a toy. I know that personally, my children would much rather build a blanket fort in our living room and play pretend all day. The time played with toys is short lived and space lessens as the birthdays and special days fill with another toy. I lost count of how many times they would rather play with the box instead. What is being overlooked is the opportunity to find ways to give and receive thoughtful gifts. The gift of a new jacket or new shoes, the gift of experiencing a tree lighting ceremony with loved ones, or going around the neighborhood to see Christmas light displays. More importantly the gift of time and how that time is being spent. Time spent making core memories during the holidays is more valuable
than any toy. I enjoy Christmas time and opening presents. As a child, I did not always receive toys as gifts, and I still had wonderful Christmases. It was the Christmas vacation I looked forward to the most. I thought two weeks of no school was the best part of it all. I was in elementary school when I learned about the three wise men and the gifts they presented to Jesus after his birth. I attended a Cathlolic school so the lessons were a little more detailed than just a coloring page or one day of learning. We attended Mass every Wednesday morning, had plays reenacting the manger scene and sang songs at Christmas concerts. According to the lessons, it was one gift of gold and the two others were gifts of frankincense, and myrrh, which is sap like substances that come from cutting the bark of certain trees. These gifts were of symbolic meaning and not of entertainment. So this could mean that even back then, toys were not of much importance, not even for the sake of Jesus. With all the things to think of in preparation for Christmas, people could keep in mind all the amazing gifts to give either along with or beside a toy. For not all gifts come in boxes, bags, or packages, the best gifts are the ones that make memories. Memories such as taking pictures, spending time with family and friends, documenting life during the holidays. Those kinds of gifts do not break or get thrown out so easily and they are the types of gifts that are much better than just toys.
EDITORS IN CHIEF Daniella Molina Zasha Hayes MANAGING EDITOR Erica Cortes FRONT EDITOR Annette Qiujada OPINION EDITORS Teresa Acosta Cynthia Solis FEATURE EDITOR Gabriela Gutierrez NEWS EDITORS Jonathan Bermudez Ivana Amaral ARTS EDITORS Breanna Fierro Alma Lizarraga SPORTS EDITOR Miguel Dominguez ONLINE EDITORS Grace Rodriguez Raymond Nava COPY EDITORS Juan Calvillo Luis Castilla Ivan Cazares CN/DANIELLA MOLINA
Buying gifts early benefits more than just kids BY JUAN CAVILLO Staff Writer The COVID-19 pandemic has caused shipping issues this holiday season and it may force consumers to buy earlier than normal. That’s smart thinking. The pandemic created a situation where the United States, and the rest of the world, has lost a lot over the last year-and-a-half. This holiday, giving children a sense of normalcy and helping economies is an opportunity parents should take up with gusto. Remarks made by Vice President Kamala Harris in August hinted at issues with supplying goods to the United States for the coming holiday season. Harris said buying products early would be a good idea. This makes perfect sense. The supply problem in the U.S. needs to be addressed first. Christopher Chin, professor of business administration at East Los Angeles College Business Department, said production efforts and demand across the globe have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said places like China had issues with production and supplying goods to various countries. The U.S. depends on China for many of its imported goods. Chin said when the pandemic first started, demand for some things dried up. Then consumers started buying again, but supply didn’t catch up. Since the beginning of the pandemic, bigger businesses have made efforts to address future shortages like the ones expected for the holidays. “The big businesses who have more control over their supply chain have at least attempted to diversify their supply chain from just China and attempt to receive product[s] earlier than normal,” Chin said. This supply and demand situation will directly affect the holidays. It becomes more apparent when parents go Christmas shopping and cannot get certain popular gifts. Chin said with supply chains down, certain products will disappear faster than others. At the beginning of the pandemic, bottled water and toilet paper disappeared despite there being no real reason for it. This time, the supply of the
newest toys or gadgets will be directly affected by the pandemic’s direct effect on supply chains. Let’s say a parent has been asked by their child for the newest version of ‘Baby Yoda,’ the “Star Wars Snackin’ Gorgu,” and despite looking, the parent can’t find it due to supply issues. Amazon placed this toy on its hot toys of 2021 list. Not receiving a simple toy for Christmas is hard for a child. In this example simply shopping earlier would have solved the problem. Maybe a wife is shopping for her adult child, her husband. She can’t seem to find the PlayStation®5 anywhere and is told multiple stores don’t have it. These examples, while silly, are exactly what could happen if people wait too long to buy gifts for the holidays. Chin said many shoppers have started to switch to online sales. Every year another report says how much online sales have increased versus brick-and-mortar sales. Fundera.com said in 2020, 80% of millennials preferred online sales to going in store. Chin said it wasn’t about getting people in stores as much as before. “So I don’t see how getting
shoppers to buy early will have a substantial difference on their bottom line so long as they have enough product to offer consumers throughout the holiday season... which is a big if,” Chin said. Despite stores creating sales to get people in the buying mood, it might be really down to whether or not stores can actually send people the things they buy. While looking at it from the business side, this doesn’t affect them, it does affect consumers who are desperately looking for the next big product. Chin said these sales are not as rewarding as one might think. He said many retailers will come up with multiple sales, or have a larger variety of items included in a sale but it won’t translate to deep discounts. In the end the prices charged are still higher than normal. Looking at the lacking discounts some sales will bring, why not buy earlier to secure items before they begin to disappear. Secure the products early before their supply disappears. People can buy the gifts they need for the holidays early, so kids and loved ones won’t be saddened
by missing out on what they wanted. M. Allen Coson, Associate Professor of Economics, said the US economy is currently stable, and the expectation is that it will be positive for the remainder of 2021. This should give consumers an even greater reason to buy products sooner rather than later. Spending now ensures that 2021 ends on a positive note. When it comes to the supply situation Coson encourages consumers to start buying sooner rather than later. “Americans need to know that the supply side is not yet operational due to the pandemic. We can expect a lot of delays with respect to transportation and shipping containers. Thus, Americans should start now for their holiday shopping just to ensure that the good(s) is/are delivered on time,” Coson said. The economy is doing well, but there are still problems that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused to the supply of many big businesses. Parents, friends and loved ones should start preparing now instead of later for the holidays. Buy those toys for kids even if they aren’t on sale, because the prices are still higher than they should be due to supply issues. Go out and make a purchase because tomorrow, there might not be enough items to fulfill your Amazon wishlist. Information from business and economic professors should be enough to convince consumers to go out and buy now, even if it might not be cheaper. Humans are emotional creatures, so before waiting for the next sale, think about the look on people’s faces when a box has a smelly cologne or gift card to Edible Arrangements, compared to when it has an iPhone. Big difference.
This holiday, giving children a sense of normalcy and helping economies is an opportunity parents should take up with gusto.
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STAFF WRITERS Leonardo Cervantes Ricardo Martir PHOTOGRAPHERS Paul Medina Natalia Angeles ART DIRECTOR Steven Adamo SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Brenda De La Cruz CARTOONIST Max Miranda ADVERTISING Stefanie De la Torre ADVISER Jean Stapleton Campus News encourages letters to the editor relating to campus issues. Letters must be typed and double spaced. Submitted material becomes the property of Campus News and cannot be returned. Letters should be limited to 300 words or less. Campus News reserves the right to edit letters for grammatical errors or libelous content. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers must sign submissions and print their names and a phone number where they can be reached. Letters should be addressed to the editor of Campus News. Submissions can be made at the mailroom in building E1 or the Journalism department office in the Technology Center in E7-303. East Los Angeles College Campus News 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez E7-303 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (323) 265-8819, Ads (323) 265-8821 Fax (323) 415-4910 The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, offered under the East Los Angeles College Journalism program. The editorial and advertising materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The opinions expressed are exclusively those of the writer. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, East Los Angeles College, or any officer or employee thereof.
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Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, November 3, 2021
Documentary talks about Black athletes’ struggles BY ANNETTE QUIJADA Staff Writer Colin Kaepernick’s coming-ofage docuseries “Colin in Black and White” follows the heart-wrenching experiences growing up as a black teenage boy, which led him to become an activist. Kaepernick and filmmaker Ava Duvernay, don’t hold anything back as the first five minutes into the show demonstrate how impactful the series will be. Images of Black athletes are shown being examined by white coaches and team doctors. He compares being poked and sized up as an athlete to when slaves would be looked at and probed when being sold to white men. “What’s being established is a power dynamic. Before they put you on the field, teams poke and prod and examine you, searching for any defect that might affect your performance. No boundary is respected. No dignity left intact.” Kaepernick said. Kaepernick narrates as the audience sees his teenage self navigate growing up with white adoptive parents, his passion for sports, love and culture shock. During each experience Kaepernick manages to connect them to past activists such as former basketball player Allen Iverson.
Iverson was degraded by the media due to being true to himself and his culture by braiding his hair. The young Kaepernick is shown also dealing with the same degradation when he decided to get his hair braided. His own mother brands him a “thug.” The most important piece of the series is Kaepernick’s desire to embrace his black culture while being surrounded by white culture 24/7. Whether it be hairstyles, food or music, he wants to soak it all in, but it’s something that neither his coaches, friends nor his parents understand. Actor Jaden Michael, who plays young Kaepernick, manages to perfectly capture the emotions. He came to the realization that the world around him sees him differently when he holds onto his black culture. Today Kaepnernick is known as an ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who was blacklisted for kneeling during the national anthem during the 2016 football season. Kaepernick now runs a foundation called “Know your Rights,” that help young Black and brown communities elevate themselves through education and self improvement.
He compares being poked and sized up as an athlete, to when slaves would be looked at and probed when being sold to white men.
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OLLEG COURTESY OF NETFLIX
IN HIGH HOPES—Alice (right) is feeling hopeful after brefriending an astrological love guru in this quirky new Netflix show.
Astrology helps characters find love BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer Netflix’s Italian romantic comedy “An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts” follows the tired paint-bynumbers romantic series format, but its style saves it from mediocrity. Using astrology as the mechanic for creating romance for the series’ main characters is a bit quaint. Luckily the show’s themes and acting drive it forward. Alice, played by Claudia Gusmano, is struggling to get over her break-up with Carlo Baresi, played by Alberto Paradossi. Baresi is engaged to a new woman and all three work together, which makes the situation worse. In a turn of good fortune, Alice meets Tio Falcetti, played by Lorenzo Adorni, and they become fast friends. From there Falcetti, Tio for short, uses his skill in astrology and romance, to help Alice in her love life. Throw in multiple handsome men, who Alice finds intriguing and
lingering looks with her boss and the stage is set. This all happens at their workplace, Dora TV, a television show production and development studio. Again, the show is not revolutionary by any means. It is pretty much the same as every other show or movie about relationships and love. It’s “An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts” style that really shines through during the sixepisode-run of the show. When it comes to costumes, set design and location, this series really kicks it into high gear. Each and every character is dressed to impress on this show. Almost all the scenes that Alice is in have her wearing stylish clothing and footwear. One of Alice’s love interests or antagonists Davide Sardi, played by Michele Rosiello, is dressed in every scene he is in like a model on the cover of GQ magazine. It might be the differences between American and European styles that
really makes the wardrobe stand out, but it’s something programs in the United States might want to try. The series also does wonders with its set design and location variation. The production studio is filled to the brim with offices and wardrobe sections. During segments where the team films a TV program the control room and main stage show attention to detail. The only noticeable fly in the ointment is how small the main stage is compared to stages in other shows. Again, this might be due to differences between the U.S. and European production houses. The outside shots are also fun and interesting. One shot has Alice and Tio spending time with family out in a beautiful countryside homestead. The location was totally different from other shows that try to emulate European architecture. “An Astrological Guide for Broken Hearts” has some good moments in its story as well.
They are few and far between unfortunately and don’t really push the actors to really show emotion. Of all the characters, Gusmano and Adorni are on screen the most. Their best moments are when the pair are not talking about love or astrology. There is a particularly interesting scene where the pair is making up after a fight, both Adorni and Gusmano show vulnerability, making the scene much more believable. This moment shows what the program could have been if it allowed its characters a chance to grow and have real moments instead of focusing on being lovesick and forlorn or silly and horny. It is disheartening that this show is not as fun and engaging as the trailer made it out to be. Most of the problem lies in the program not wanting to try to find something new to do. “An Astrological Guide to Broken Hearts” is available to stream now on Netflix. The show has six episodes and is rated TV-14.
Prequel movie explores individual origins BY GABRIELA GUTIERREZ Staff Writer
COURTESY OF IMDB
AMONG NATURE—Killer (Michal Zbroja) walking through the woods searching for victims.
Horror film features different sub-genres BY LEONARDO CERVANTES Staff Writer Netflix’s “Nobody Sleeps in the Woods Tonight 2” is a horror film sequel based on survival. Bartosz M. Kowalski is a well known Polish director who directed this film as well as the prequel. The lead cast consisting of Adas Adamiec (Mateusz Wieclawek), Zosia Wolska (Julia WeiniawaNarkiewicz), and Wanessa (Zofia Wichlacz) all play their roles exceptionally well. The film envokes a mix of emotions. It’s a horror film and at the same time has comedic and love scenes. It truly delves into a multitude of themes more than other films, especially horror. There are a multitude of slashing scenes that happen throughout the film. Viewers should expect a ton of gore. The opening scene is a bloody mess, as Adas does his best John Wick impersonation and massacres everybody attending a party. Although Adas dreamed this whole scenario, it’s a preview of the bloody massacres that are to happen. Adas is a rookie cop that has a quirky personality. He is often alone and not confrontational. Whenever he tries the hard cop
routine he is quickly brushed aside. Even civilians don’t take him seriously. Ada’s partner Wanessa is the complete opposite of him. She is the confrontational type and has an irrational confidence in her abilities. She invites confrontation and isn’t afraid to break the rules whereas Adas always follows the letter of the law. Zosia is able to shapeshift between a human being and a monster and tells Adas about how she turned into a monster. “It was a piece of the moon that once fell from the sky. This elemental evil oozed from the rock and went inside me. And now it’s also inside you. That’s more or less what happened. Now we are the bad guys. We are monsters,” Zosia said. The horror plot of the film is simple enough to follow but it contains a multitude of subplots. The film goes in interesting directions because it contains a lot of comedic scenes. Some of the comedic moments feel forced as they occurr in most scenes. The film has every type of death imaginable like electrocution, gun shots, stabbings and slashes. The monsters also cut humans hands, mouths, faces and cut bodies in half. Viewers with a weak stomach watching this film might not be the best idea.
The setting at the campfire has an eerie feeling and perhaps the best scene in the film. It is pitch black and Adas, Wanessa and humans are fighting for their lives against the monsters and are panicking on how to confront them. If viewers have a problem with the film, it won’t be because of the cinematography because it was properly executed. The masks, props and makeup all felt authentic. In every death, viewers see intestines or body parts cut in half. The monster costumes are covered with bumps all over their body and burned markings. It looks so real that at times it is disturbing to look at. To fully appreciate this film the audience should watch the prequel, as this is a direct sequel to that film. The sequel is much more violent than its predecessor. The audience will see multiple bodies torn limb from limb, with intestines splattered all over the floor. It is truly a gore fest. The prequel was a standard horror film while the sequel goes in a ton of different directions. Depending on the audience they will either enjoy it for being different and having a wide range of subplots or hate it. The film is rated TV-MA, runs one hour and 36 minutes and is available to watch on Netflix and includes an English dub.
An adaptation of “Army of the Dead,” Netflix’s release of “Army of Thieves” delivers a story fit to give viewers a fun film to watch. The film circles around the life of safe-cracker, Ludwig Dieter, whose real name in the film is Sebastian Schlencht-Wohrnet and is played by Matthias Schweighofer. The film is entertaining and captivating overall. It’s flaws are small and thankfully do not detract from the message and storyline. One flaw is the way the zombies are incorporated abruptly and casually throughout the film. Regardless, viewers don’t need to watch “Army of the Dead” to enjoy Dieter’s charisma and his strange passion for cracking safes. As a prequel to “Army of the Dead,” the film successfully gives the backstory to Schweighofer’s character and how he became Ludwig Dieter. In “Army of Thieves,” Dieter is a bank teller who lives a routine life with little-to-no excitement. Obsessed with cracking safes like they are puzzles, Dieter posts videos about safes on his YouTube channel. His channel has no success. One night Dieter finds one single comment inviting him to “put his skills to the test.” He goes to the location written in the comment and finds himself at a safecracking competition where he is one of six contestants. The next day he is met by the mystery woman who commented on his video and invited him to the competition. She named Gwendoline Starr played by Nathalie Emmanuel. It is there where she tells Dieter about her plan to crack three of the four safes created by Richard Wagner, a man whose name and story became part of a legend detailing the history of each safe. Using Dieter ’s passion for safecracking and the history of safes in her favor, Starr convinces Dieter to attempt to crack three of the four safes. The safes are used in three separate banks safe-keeping millions of dollars. The fourth safe, according to Starr, is possibly in Nevada where
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the zombie numbers are the highest. All the while, Nevada is being plagued by zombies, setting up the storyline in accordance with the sequel. The film’s take on Dieter’s life allows viewers to further understand his strange, awkward, dorky character seen in “Army of the Dead.” This adds a new dimension to him. Schweighofer i s a n accomplished a c t o r i n Germany, but his roles in “Army of the Dead,” and “Army of Thieves” are his first big roles in America. Director of “Army of the Dead,” Zack Snyder said that he and his team had a hard time finding the right person to play Ludwig Dieter. Now it is difficult to picture Ludwig Dieter as anyone but Schweighofer, who plays the role like it was made for him.
Dieter is naive to-a-fault. He believes the best of himself and almost by default seems to believe the best in others. He comes to trust Starr and the rest of her team of misfit thieves, but it is his relationship with Starr that dominates the screen. The film, scored by Hans Zimmer, contains predominantly German music. The music choice works because the film takes place throughout Europe but is filmed mainly in Germany and in the Czech Republic. It also adds to the odd charm of Dieter and the adrenaline he feels being with a team of thieves. This team goes completely against the lifestyle he has known all his life. The film was released on Oct. 29, five months after “Army of the Dead.” Both films are currently streaming on Netflix.
The film’s take on Dieter’s life allows viewers to further understand his strange, awkward, dorky character seen in “Army of the Dead.”
COURTESY OF IMDB
CRACKING THE CODE—German safecracker Michal Zbroja (Sebastian Schlencht-Wöhnert) attempts to crack open a safe.
Sports Huskies football upsets College of Canyons 10-7 4
BY MIGUEL DOMINGUEZ Staff Writer The East Los Angeles College Huskies upset the College of the Canyons Cougars 10-7. The Cougars were undefeated coming into the game and are now 7-1 on the season. The Huskies get their first win in the conference after going 0-2. The Huskies’ record is 4-4 on the season. On the Cougars first drive of the game, the Huskies forced the cougars to throw under pressure and were picked off by the Huskies Vincent Parra. Running back Pedro Amousou lost control of the ball and it was recovered by the cougars’ defense on the Huskies 24 yard-line. Following the turnover, the Huskies’ defense and a penalty forced the Cougars to attempt a 46-yard field goal. The field goal attempt was short and was returned by the Huskies kick returner Cam’reon Dean for a 40-yard return. A block in the back penalty took the Huskies back to their 15-yard line. A bad 10-yard punt for the Huskies gave the Cougars good field advantage at the Huskies 35-yard line. Later, the Cougars scored on a 26-yard rushing touchdown from quarterback Colton Doyle to give them the lead, 7-0. This was the only scoring play of the half for both teams. The Cougars missed opportunities to score in the first half. The Cougars kicker, Ty Morrison, missed two field goals during the first half. O ff e n s i v e l y, t h e H u s k i e s struggled in the first half, never making it to the Cougars territory. The Huskies only had one first down completion and it came in the second quarter. The Huskies defense however, forced the cougars to turn the ball over on multiple interceptions by
blitzing and getting the quarterback under pressure. The Huskies special teams did get a couple of 40-yard returns in the half. The Huskies could not take advantage of these kick returns. At the half, the Cougars looked better offensively by completing multiple first downs and scoring the only touchdown. The Cougars received the ball in the third quarter. The Cougars looked to score first on their first drive, but a bad snap led to a 12-yard sack on quarterback Doyle. This put the ball at the Huskies 40-yard line. The Huskies took over at their own 15-yard line to start their drive of the second half. The Huskies would get their second first down completion after completing a seven-yard pass to Tyson Schilling. The Huskies completed two more first down completions and managed to get to the Cougars 14-yard line. One of the first downs came from Rudy Garcia running a 19-yard attempt. Another came from Garcia passing the ball to Jaden Mason for a 36-yard completion. The Huskies lost yards after two penalties were called on the Huskies. Putting the Huskies at the Cougars 28-yard line. On 3rd and 24, Garcia tricked the defense with two fake handoffs, and passed the ball to Schilling for a 28-yard touchdown. The Huskies tied the game 7-7 for the final scoring play of the quarter. The Huskies had the ball at the beginning of the 4th quarter. Garcia found Khadeem Richards for a 21-yard pass completion to give them a 3rd and 6 opportunity. On 3rd and 6, Garcia connects with Jaden Mason for a 14-yard pass completion to give them a first down. This took the Huskies’ offense
to the cougars’ 48-yard line. After two first down completions, kicker Christian Reyes converted the 25-yard field goal to give the Huskies a 10-7 lead. The Cougars had over 8 minutes left to tie or take the lead. On the first play after the touchdown, quarterback Doyle completed a 45-yard pass to wide receiver Trevon Elliot to get the team in the Huskies 10-yard line. Johnathan Perkins tackled Elliot to force a fumble and the Huskies recovered the ball with 8:12 left on the clock. The Huskies unable to score, were forced to punt to the Cougars. Elliot had a 38-yard punt return to get the Cougars at the Huskies 10-yard line with 6:30 left to go. The Huskies defense forced the Cougars to try for the field goal. Kicker Morrison missed the 35-yard field goal attempt. Huskies still led 10-7 with six minutes to go. The Huskies then got the ball and wasted time on the clock after completing a 23-yard rush attempt by quarterback Garcia. At the Huskies 47-yard line, Garcia passed but got intercepted by the Cougars with 2:39 left in the game. The Huskies’ defense stopped the Cougars after quarterback Doyle went on 4th and 2 and made an incomplete pass to wide receiver Tiquan Gilmore. The Huskies got the ball on turnovers with 1:58 left. The Huskies looked to seal the win going on 4th and 12 at the Cougars yard line. Garcia had wide receiver Cobe Stribling open in the endzone, but Stribling was unable to secure the ball and did not extend their lead. With 21 seconds left in the game, the cougars were unable to gain yards for a field goal attempt to tie the game. The Huskies won 10-7. The Huskies next game will be this Saturday at Bakersfield College, they are 2-6 on the season. The game starts at 6 p.m.
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, November 3, 2021
CN/PAUL MEDINA
ROOSEVELT IN THE HOUSE—Roosevelt fans cheer on their team at the East Los Angeles Classic game
Roosevelt wins East L.A. Classic football game BY PAUL MEDINA & JONATHAN BERMUDEZ Staff Writer Roosevelt won the East L.A. Classic Football Championship against Garfield 19-22. Roosevelt ends a 10-year winless streak. The annual East Los Angeles Classic football game between Garfield High School and Roosevelt High School was held at East Los Angeles College Weingart Stadium last Friday. The game is held annually at the Weingart Stadium every year except last year due to Covid and during World War II. The rivalry between Garfield and Roosevelt dates back to 1925 and is the biggest rivalry west of the Mississippi river, Friday that statement was proved to be true. Many fans on Roosevelt’s side were chanting profanities at Garfield’s side and even booed
Garfield’s drill team during halftime. Roosevelt fans got louder the more their team scored, and Garfield’s side was just filled with disappointment. Garfield’s fans were not pleased with the performance of the team. Some fans yelled for the team to be replaced with the junior varsity team since the junior varsity team beat Roosevelt earlier in the day. One fan yelled at the coach to make better plays. It wasn’t until the third quarter that Garfield scored, but Roosevelt maintained a big lead. They tried to tie it up with only five seconds left in the game by trying to score a three-point field goal, but it was unsuccessful. Once Roosevelt had victory, many fans jumped onto the field in celebration. Roosevelt fans celebrated in the stands by the shock of onlookers had just seen a victory 10 years in
the making. Class of 2004 Roosevelt alum Evelyn Carpio was ecstatic over this win. Making it even more exciting was the friendly rivalry she has with her son who is currently a Garfield student. “Every time the game comes, I get so hyped. Now I finally have the bragging right to rub it in his face. I always love the classic,” Carpio said. East Los Angeles College President Alberto J. Roman spoke to the crowd before the start of the game. Other figures in attendance included Los Angeles Unified School District Board member Monica Garcia. A special performance by Grammy-award-winning artist and former Boyle Heights resident will.i.am occurred for the Roosevelt fans in the stands.
COURTESY OF ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
H U S K I E S B A S E K E T B A L L S E A S O N B E G I N S
Men’s Basketball BREAK THROUGH—Midfielder Jesus Garcia breaks through the defense as he tries to get the ball to his attackers.
CN/ TERESA ACOSTA
Upset loss for Huskies’ soccer team BY MIGUEL DOMINGUEZ Staff Writer An upsetting 2-0 loss for the East Los Angeles College Huskies against Rio Hondo Roadrunners gave the Huskies their eighth loss of the season. The Huskies have four wins, eight losses and seven draws. The Huskies’ goalkeeper Santiago Pagnutti made the first save for the Huskies at the 14th minute of the first half. He stretched out and was able to use his foot to block the shot. This would have been the first goal of the game. Twenty minutes into the first half, the Huskies had a chance at the goal www.ELACCampusNews.com
with the keeper out of position, but the shot missed wide of the goal. The first goal came during the first half with 38 minutes on the clock from Roadrunners Maximillian De Anda. The goal came from a free kick in which the ball deflected off the Huskies’ defensive wall. Goalkeeper Pagnutti was left standing as the ball entered on the other end of the net. The Huskies had another shot at goal in the fortieth minute, but the Roadrunner’s keeper was able to grab it with ease. Later, center back Orlando Valencia had a chance to score on a play. Valencia had two teammates to pass it to or shoot and passed the
ball to his attacker but was called offside. After the play, coaches urged Valencia to shoot the ball instead of passing it and that ended the first half. The Roadrunners led 1-0. The first chance at goal in the second half came from the Roadrunners. Stefano Panebianco was wide open when he received the ball, but defender Valencia used his strength to overtake the ball from Panebianco. Pagnutti had another save for the Huskies, 15 minutes into the second half. Pagnutti got a touch on the ball as the ball hit the far post and sent it for a corner kick. Later, after the play, the Huskies had a couple of chances to score.
Jesus Garcia had the keeper to beat, but Garcia’s shot was wide of the goal. Another chance came from a corner kick when right back Christian Carranza got the ball from a deflection and shot it right at the keeper’s hands. The Roadrunners would score their second goal of the game with 10 minutes left. Ramiro Piza got the goal. The Huskies were asking for an offside call from the assistant referee but kept the flag down. The Roadrunners led 2-0. The Huskies played with frustration and lack of confidence toward the end of the game. Overall, the Huskies had multiple
opportunities to score but were unable to get it through the net. “We missed a lot of [opportunities]. If you can’t score you can’t win” Eddie Flores, head coach, said. The Huskies also made bad passes that led to The Roadrunners counter attacking the defense. The Huskies defense was caught out of formation which often led to a one-versus-one against the Roadrunner’s attackers. Pagnutti had big saves for the Huskies. It could have been 5-0 if it was not for the goalie and help of the defense.“Our goalie [Pagnutti] made some spectacular saves,” Coach Flores said.
Men’s Basketball will being this Friday. They will be playing in a three day tournament in San Francisco. On Friday they will play against Santa Rosa Junior College at 5 p.m. Saturday they will play against Yuba college. Game begins at 5 p.m. Sunday they will play against City College of San
Women’s Basketball
Women’s Basketball will play in a tournament this weekend at Grossmont College. Friday they will play against Fullerton College at 5 p.m. Saturday they will play against Cerritos at 3 p.m. Sunday’s game has not been announced yet.