NEWS South Gate Center holds its first career fair
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Volume 73, Issue 22
FEATURES
ARTS
New ASU president sneaks up on race
Mother, daughter duo take first place
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Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
www.elaccampusnews.com
Elans evacuate E3 building BY VERONICA JACOBO Staff Writer
CN/DIEGO LINARES
VOTING POWER—Rosario Dawson (center) helps Jude Garcia fill out a voter registration form at the Free Speech Area last Tuesday.
Bernie Sanders’ supporters in full gear BY FRANCISCO PORTILLO AND CHRISTINA MARTINEZ Staff Writer
Actors Josh Hutcherson and Rosario Dawson, among others visited East Los Angeles College on Tuesday in support of Bernie Sanders to encourage students to register to vote. Their visit was to help get Elans to register in time for the June 7 primary elections. Rosario Dawson, who currently can be seen on Netflix’s Daredevil as nurse Clare Temple, said that people who are registered should vote for Sanders because he is the only candidate who is promoting peace, unlike opposing candidate Hillary Clinton whose visit to ELAC prompted protest and violence among Elans. “Trump loves hate and I’m supporting Bernie Sanders because this a love revolution,” said Dawson. She went on to say how upset she gets when she hears people screaming horrible things because she hasn’t met a true Sanders supporter who isn’t a loving person. Josh Hutcherson, who played Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games franchise, said how crucial
it is to reach-out to students to vote. He emphasized the importance of California when it comes to primaries. His main focus was to educate students on the importance of the future of the country. Hutcherson went on to talk about the impact the media has on Sander’s campaign and how it affects him in the elections. He also said that there is an authenticity about Sanders that just could not be bought, which unfortunately could not be said with other candidates. “Hillary (Clinton) is someone if you look at her voting record and you look at what she has accomplished in her lifetime, who has always flip flopped from issue to issue,” said Hutcherson. He continued by saying he could easily see that if she were to become president she would say one thing now to get elected and do another later. “If Trump wins the presidency, I will be starting a revolution,” joked Hutcherson. Hutcherson and Dawson were joined by actor/model Shaun Ross and actress Frances Fisher, who were also taking pictures with students and fans to help draw the crowd in. Ross said, “It is very important to me that I put my input in this
election, so I am definitely out here spreading the word.” Ross felt when it came to the elections many people had the misconception that the older generation have a greater say in the future instead of the younger generation who are the ones who control the future. “They’re some of the biggest activist that we know. Getting students registered and making them understand how important their vote is especially in this campaign,” said event organizer Claudia Blauser. She said that the actors have been with the campaign for awhile now going to different campuses to help register students to vote. “We’re hoping to get them young, stay connected and always come out and vote for every election,” said Blauser. Student Alejandro Cervantes said the lower class population appreciates the celeberties taking time to campaign for what they believe in, which is something that can positively affect the lower class. “I am a Bernie Sanders supporter. I really wanted to get a pin that will show that I supported him, because it’s only once in a while that there is an honest candidate that is running for office,” said student Karen Moreno.
She continued saying that seeing celebrities supporting Sanders was a plus in encouraging students to go to the event since she is already a registered voter. Volunteer Don Irwin, a California community college alum, used loud speakers to pump up the crowd. “Let’s show this city, let’s show this state, let’s show this country what we’re made of” he said. As a community college alum, Irwin felt some sense of responsibility to volunteer his time to connect with students to educate and encourage them. “If all of us register and we register three or four more people, and those three or four people register another three or four people we are going to win and we are going to win big,” Irwin said. Irwin talked about Sanders stance with the immigrants as well as the clear message that Sanders has portrayed in the Latino community. He also agreed with Sanders stance on the $15 minimum wage and tuition-free education. Throughout the event students lined up, not only to register to vote, but to meet the celebrities and take photos. The last day to register to vote in California is May 23 and the California Primary Election takes place June 7.
A mysterious evacuation Monday at 9:35 a.m. in the E-3 building at East Los Angeles College had students wondering what occurred. A fire alarm went off for an unknown reason and interrupted many classes in session. Many students rushed to exit the building safely. The sheriffs were outside, directing the students out in a safe manner. However, ELAC students Alex Miranda, Javier Lopez, and Lily Rios, said they smelled smoke when coming downstairs. Although many students were hoping that the evacuation would cancel classes, it didn’t. “We only have suspicions of what set off the alarm right now, so we can’t really say what exactly happened until we do more research,” said Don Fleming, plant
facilities worker. “We might have a fire alarm contractor come and look at the communication before we do anything than a wild guess,” Fleming said, “(A) signal from the sheriff’s station was alarmed, but it doesn’t tell us anything for sure, so we are going to have to look into it for sure, but we know for sure there is no fire so… the system works,” Fleming said. “The important thing is that no one is hurt and everyone is okay,” Fleming said. In spite of the mysterious evacuation, there weren’t any signs or emergency plans of what to do in a situation like this. Many professors said that the students were talking too long to evacuate the building. Each classroom should go over the emergency plans with the students at the beginning of every semester so students know what to do.
Mexa hosts open mic, art exhibit BY GIANFRANCO ABREGO AND ROSLIN OJEDA Staff Writer “Mexa de ELAC” along with Movimiento Estudidantil Xican@ de Aztlan will host a pop-up art exhibit, “Existence is Resistance: Open Mic & Art Exhibit” today in the F5 multi-purpose room. Mexa de ELAC is a student organization that opens a discussion about the struggles of social justice and self-determination. The organization has a long history of activism in East Los Angeles and in the campus. Mexa played a huge part last week when Hillary Clinton came to ELAC. Mexa with other groups such as Black Lives Matter, Los Angeles Brown Berets, and Union Del Barrio united to protest and spread knowledge about Clinton. According to Mexa de ELAC member, Tiahui Irving Grey, the meaning behind the event is a very strong one that makes people think. “In a system that seeks to
erase our histories, invalidate our experiences and silence us, our existence alone is a form of resistance,” said Grey. According to Grey, the organization wants to provide an outlet for women, students, people of color, LGBTQ and the working class to speak freely and enjoy themselves. “What they are creating is a space so that they will be freely able to express themselves and be able to say what they want. It is a judge free zone so they will not get negative feedback but be able to speak freely,” said Grey. This event will feature an open mic where anyone in attendance can sing, read poetry or play a musical instrument. An art exhibit featuring students and local artists will also be on display. The Arctic Hotspot will provide free food and Viva los Cupcakes will provide dessert. The event will take place in room 205 in the multipurpose room from 6-10 p.m.
Kinesiology club takes husky bowl BY JAVIER BERMUDEZ Staff Writer Back-to-back champs were crowned as the Kinesiology Club took the 6th Annual Husky Bowl earning them the cash prize of $1,000. Club president Ryan Astengo, who’s in a wheel chair, supported his club from the sidelines and was very happy with his club’s victory. “It’s a group effort, you know, and I think that’s the best thing about this. Our whole group got involved. Me being in this
News Briefs
condition doesn’t stop me from cheering on my team.” The Kinesiology Club has helped organize events such as the Turkey Bowl, ELAC Run and Dodge Ball Tournament. “We are thinking of creating more tournaments throughout the year. We try to involve the whole campus not just our club because unity is important to us,” Kinesiology Club Director Ricardo Gamboa said. The event takes place every year and is run by the Associated Student Union. This year Yareli Contreras ASU
Vice President, was in charge of planning and coordinating the event. Free water, free Jarritos and free photos were provided by the ELAC Foto Club. The Husky Bowl brought many clubs together to share a friendly competition. “It takes about a month’s planning and all clubs are welcome to participate. This event is made not only for a cash prize but for club awareness. It’s important for clubs to come together and learn about each other.” Contreras said.
HUSKY Continued on page 6
ELAC String Department Recital Music department will host a free string recital tomorrow at 5 p.m. in the S2 Recital Hall. Parking will be free in structure four for the event.
CN/IVAN CAZARES
CAPTAIN AMERICA—Eric Dykstra sits in a dunk tank in the 2016 Husky Bowl as
participants try to hit the target and send him for a plunge.
Meditation session A meditation session will be held on May 25 from 1-2:30 p.m. in the F5 Multipurpose Room to help relieve stress before finals. Bring a yoga mat or a large towel and wear comfortable shoes. For more info, call (323) 780-6795.
Pup Edition This issue of Campus News was produced by the Journalism 101 students.
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Opinion
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
Grade school math affects Elans
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
BY ERICA BEAS Staff Writer Math can be an enjoyable subject to learn, but some kids aren’t getting the chance to appreciate math for its universal symmetry. Math is very important and part of our everyday lives. It is essential to know how to do simple math to be able to manage money. All the technology we use or architectural structures we admire or even cookies that we eat require some sort of math to function correctly. A cookie wouldn’t taste as good if the sugar was not measured and added correctly. Even cooking uses math. Cars, airplanes, computers and phones simply would not exist if it weren’t for math. It is the foundation for a brighter future. Math needs to be taken more seriously in elementary, middle and high schools. Why is that in other countries kids are excelling in math at a young age? In some countries like India, it is required for kids to take trigonometry by the age of 14. I remember my math teacher in middle school not caring that I was having trouble solving an equation. I was discouraged and disappointed that my own teacher was neglecting my weakness. I was not told or required to stay after school to seek tutoring. I was only in middle school and I didn’t realize that I was jeopardizing my
EDITOR IN CHIEF Ivan Cazares MANAGING EDITOR Marcus Camacho PUP EDITOR IN CHIEF Stephanie Guevara ONLINE EDITOR Christina Martinez ART DIRECTOR Jade Inglada FRONT EDITORS Roslin Ojeda, Harris Washington
OPINION EDITORS Dinah Soto, Erika Ramirez NEWS EDITORS Erica Beas, Brittni Lopez FEATURE EDITORS Maria Becerra, Brooke Gemina
future. I was learning algebra in 8th grade. I really liked math at first, until my teacher showed no interest and effort to help me, or any student that was having difficulty. I think any student who is having trouble should get letters sent home to notify parents so that way they can get help right away. I would have wanted to get tutored so that way I could fully understand
where I was making mistakes. I was already prepared to fail in math when I got to high school. I realized when I got to ELAC that I needed to prepare myself and take math required courses in order to transfer to a university. I asked myself, why wasn’t I already prepared? Why wasn’t there programs or help when I needed it? I do not understand this school
system that I grew up in. Why wasn’t I taught math efficiently like I was taught in English? I think it might have been the area I grew up in. Still, that’s no excuse. Some students just don’t care because they aren’t shown the great opportunities math has to offer. A lot of East Los Angeles College students can’t finish or transfer
because math has been an obstacle for them that they can’t overcome. I know that learning or progressing in math is a process just like everything else. I hope the schools are getting better at helping kids excel in math instead of just making them take tests and hope they guess correctly. Now that I’m an adult, I realize how important and amazing math is.
iPhone exceeds Android features BY SANTIAGO LOZANO Staff Writer
People always argue which cell phone is more durable, faster and lasts longer, the iPhone or Android phones. I have been an iPhone user since 2009. My first iPhone was the iPhone 3GS. I have seen Apple grow and improve with its iPhone technology over the years. I have to say I am quite happy with the updates since 2009 and I am quite excited for the iPhone 7 release this fall. There are multiple reasons why iPhone is a better phone than Android. Most of the latest apps for your phone are available for iPhone before any other phone.
There are more iPhone-only apps available than there are Androidonly apps. The top gaming apps always premiere on iPhone. Android updates take months to arrive on android devices. When an Android device becomes older then 18 months you may need to purchase a new Android smart phone to recieve the latest software. Apple delivers iPhone updates to devices that are over three years old. It is unheard of to see an update for an Android phone that old. Another strong reason why iPhone beats Android is Apple’s customer service. If something goes wrong with your iPhone, or you just want to learn how to use it, Apple has you covered better than any Android customer service. Apple offers an iPhone warranty for $99 that extends the
manufacturer’s warranty up to two years, adds two years of accidental damage coverage and support by phone or in store. Apple Care is highly recommended to purchase, just in case any accidents happen. This is something that most Android phones don’t come with. iPhones are worth more down the road if you want to trade in or sell later on. For example, an entry-level Galaxy S5 from 2014 is worth $80 in flawless condition. The iPhone 6 that came out a few months later is worth $220 in flawless condition. In addition, iPhone’s battery life beats Android in all categories, like video, video streaming, gaming, web browsing and music streaming. This alone is a huge win for the iPhone, because people these days
rely on their phone for almost any task they have to complete. “Galaxy phones are great, but the battery always dies quick. I am always carrying an extra charger with me, just in case,” long-time Android user Christopher Floyd, a former ELAC student who only buys Samsung Galaxy phones, said. Some Android phone makers like Samsung and HTC have tried adding fingerprint sensors to their phones, but none of them are as useful and accurate as the Touch ID sensor on the iPhone. A few years ago, Apple bought a company called Authentec that makes the best fingerprint sensors for mobile devices. No one else has been able to beat Touch ID since. Android and iPhone are both excellent phones and offer great operating systems so it really comes down to preference.
If a buyer likes to customize and take pictures without spending a fortune for a cell phone, then an Android phone would seem to be the best bet. iPhones are beneficial to buyers who use a lot of apps and love updating their software consistently.Users who love battery length and appreciate great customer support and phones that maintain their value over time will most likely benefit from an iPhone. Users can make an appointment for the Apple store to fix their phones or simply learn how to use all of the features and functions. This would only take minutes by making an appointment on the Apple website at the Genius Bar section. If this seems simple enough, it would seem the iPhone would be an excellent choice for them.
Veteran’s Resource Center downgraded BY JAVIER SANTANA Staff Writer East Los Angeles College recently changed the locations of several student services offices on campus, but they might not all be considered upgrades. I was able to use the Veteran’s Resource Center and I can, without a doubt, say that the old location was definitely better. When I walked into the new VRC, I didn’t notice any improvements. There was nothing in the room that made me think it was an actual upgrade from the previous location. The old location was really colorful. There were things hanging from the walls and posters, nothing like the new VRC. In the new VRC, there aren’t any bright colors, or any colors for that matter. It’s all just kind of dull and
plain. The location is significantly smaller than the original location, and it feels cramped.
It has fewer computers than it had before, and they are located right across from the couches, so there’s not really much privacy for people
CAMPUS
VOICE What do you think about the new location of the Veteran’s Resource Center?
who are trying to do research or anything on the computer. The previous location had a private room specifically for those
who needed to use the computers for school assignments. Students were able to do their work without others peeking at their computer screens. I’m not saying that the new place is terrible, I’m just not sure it was an upgrade, and some of the people who use the VRC agree. “The other one was bigger, and it was on the first floor. It’s kind of time-consuming going up three floors to get here,” student veteran Emmanuel Torres said. The previous VRC was located on a ground floor people could just walk to without having to go upstairs, and in my opinion that’s a lot better. The new place is nice overall, but I think it was more of a downgrade because of its smaller size, plain decor and it just doesn’t provide that comfortable environment that the other location offered.
“They deserve the best we could give them. Too much money goes to things that don’t matter.” ADRIAN CERON MARCOS RODRIGUEZ
“They fought for our country, so they should expand it.” www.ELACCampusNews.com
CRYSTAL GRIJALVA
“When do we take the time to think about that person?”
ARTS EDITORS Veronica Jacobo, Jordan Elias SPORTS EDITORS Francisco Portillo, Santiago Lozano PHOTO EDITORS German Rodriguez, Christine Villa COPY EDITORS Dorany Pineda Elizabeth Toy CARTOONISTS Esteban Torres, Jonathan Tapia STAFF WRITERS Javier Bermudez, Josh Flores, Jessica Sanchez, Javier Santana, Anthony Ramirez, Hannah Cadenas, Luis Colunga, Naomi Lomeli, Gianfranco Abrego STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Jordan Elias, Xifan Cai ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Ivan Cazares ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez
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EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
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South Gate holds its first career fair BY ESTEBAN TORRES Staff Writer
East Los Angeles College South Gate Campus students had the opportunity to meet employers and recruiters who provided valuable information for job hunters at a mini career fair at the South Gate campus on May 10. Job fair prep workshops and resume critiques were available for students to maximize their potential when meeting employers. Career Counselor Carolyn Sevilla, along with Job Developer Joe Mendez and Coordinator Janet Huang promoted the event through a series of activities in and outside the school facility. The word was spread throughout campus through posters, flyers and classroom visits, where Sevilla informed students and provided them with essential tips to stand out from other applicants. Sevilla also visited a local public library to inform and expose the job fair to the public. Local residents also took advantage of the event. The event was made possible by California Credit Union, which co- sponsored the event by providing meals for employers and recruiters. The meals were handled and arranged by ELAC ́s main campus bookstore staff. Many employers took their personal time to participate and collaborate on the event. Panda Express, which is one of the fastestgrowing chain restaurants in the country, was the only food franchise present at the fair. Panda Senior field recruiter Kenny Chau Dang pointed out that Panda Express was recognized as the number one fast food restaurant to work for in Orange County, and that
CN/CHRISTINE S. VILLA
CAREER FAIR—Students attend the first mini career fair at ELAC’s South Gate Campus on May 10. Multiple employers and business representatives
attended the fair.
its employees have the opportunity to grow within the company, earning up to $70,000 annually. Law enforcement agencies, such as the California Highway Patrol, South Gate Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department reached out to those interested in developing a career in the field. Fire Department Captain Douglas Lewis said the LAFD firefighter recruitment unit is committed
to assist candidates through the process, but also shared that saving people’s lives makes this career one of the most satisfying jobs ever. South Gate police officer Sergio Camacho took time on his day off to join the event and inform the community about the numerous career opportunities within the police department. “If applicants are interested in working for other law enforcement
agencies, I don't mind recruiting for other departments, since at the end, it benefits all,” Camacho said. Plenty of students showed up, ready to meet employers and expressed how beneficial these sorts of events are, as they provide easier access to find jobs. “It cuts down the time it takes to search for a job,” Maritza Mendez said, and suggested the future addition of more employers with
flexible schedule accommodations for students. “They weren’t taking resumes,” current ELAC student Robert Aragon said, who only managed to submit one resume. Aragon felt disappointed and expressed that recruiters were only disclosing information about job opportunities. According to him, job recruiters were only collecting contact information, but also
pointed out that companies like Panda Express and UPS seemed to offer more opportunities for students. ELAC’s main campus will be hosting another career fair on May 25. For more information about up coming career fairs contact the Career and Job Service Department at (323) 415-4126 or visit building E1-176 at ELAC’s main campus.
Metro plans to update transit passes have to be approved by Metro board members this August 2016. Wiggins also shared that Metro Staff Writer focuses on increasing student Metro Transportation authorities ridership and quality of service, are making changes to their current but Metro needed to hear from the student transit pass in order to riders themselves. increase student ridership. A panel of students who Los Angeles are actively Community using public College District transportation were With Metro’s staff and students asked to share their new changes the showed up to Los struggling stories qualifications are of riding public Angeles Trade Technical College now eight units and transportation. to find out first“Its tough for me a fee of $43 hand what those because I pay $1.75 changes are. for one bus route The current and it’s too much qualifications for for me because I the current student transit passes is still have to ride my bike to get to 12 units and a $43 fee. school and back home.” Luz Juan a With metro’s new changes the full-time ELAC student said. qualifications are now eight units “Sometimes I miss the bus to and a fee of $43. get to school and my friend always Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins asks me why I miss class and I tell was in attendance, where she was them that I don’t have money to able to inform students that these ride the bus. I always come sweaty changes are not set in stone, and from riding my bike.”
BY HARRIS WASHINGTON AND LUIS COLUNGA
Active shooting drill prepares ELAC BY VERONICA JACOBO Staff Writer A training drill designed to prepare East Los Angeles College law-enforcement personnel for an active shooter on campus took place May 13 near the C-bungalow complex. An active shooter is defined as an individual actively engaged in shooting, or attempting to shoot people in a confined area. The drill was arranged by the ELAC Campus Sheriff ’s
Department, the Monterey Park Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol, and various emergency medical services. It consisted of two separate active shooter simulations using volunteer actors to play the victims. The purpose of the drill was to prepare ELAC Sheriff cadets in the event of an actual incident. Few students were affected by the drill because it took place away from the campus center. Student Yesenia Lopez said that her professor tried to act as if the drill
was real by telling students what to do if it actually happened. Lopez said even though it was time-consuming, it was worth it because students can prepare themselves mentally. However, student Oscar Calderon didn’t agree with Lopez. “It’s just time- consuming and I’d rather be at home than here. I guess it is important to practice, but do it when I'm not here,” said Calderon said. Student Alice Melendez said it was very important that the school
send students email alerts about future drills so that they can be aware of when and where they will occur. She said she was able to hear the shots from her classroom and was frightened of the prospect of something like this actually happening. Student Maria Mejia said even though the active shooting training drill took place around C-bungalow area, the school should try to include the entire campus so that everyone could be prepared instead of just a small number of students.
Students to recreate historical event BY DINAH SOTO Staff Writer The History Circle Club will perform a slave ship historical reenactment tomorrow afternoon to encourage conversation on modernday slavery. The club was inspired by the 2008 reenactment by the York Castle Museum. The museum reenacted the horrific conditions of the Middle Passage at the bicentenary of the British slave ship. Club members took this inspiration and decided to reenact a Middle Passage slave ship at East Los Angeles College. Hundreds of people are expected
to be at the performance where they will gather to participate and learn about past slavery and the harsh conditions slaves endured. Everyone can expect to see a moving performance, enjoy free food and participate among hundreds of people, but the most important part of the event will be the conversation it inspires. Under the advisement of history professors Carlos Ramirez and John Arias, the History Circle hopes to shed light on the different forms of modern day slavery such as human trafficking, sweatshops, child labor and exploitation of undocumented immigrants.
“We believe that by gathering as a community we can remind ourselves that certain evils of the past need to be highlighted to make sure we never allow such catastrophe to occur again and simultaneously remind ourselves that other forms of slavery continue today,” Department adviser Carlos Ramirez said. This will be the first time the club has incorporated a performance piece to educate the public on contemporary issues. “What our students are attempting to accomplish is to become part of the conversation surrounding the need to end all forms of slavery,”
Ramirez said. Many students, faculty, and community members will come together to make this event come to life. Slavery is not only a problem of the past but also a present-day problem. Although the performance will be a reenactment of a past time in history, the History Circle aims to use it as a way to encourage conversation among the community and hopes to see many ELAC students and community members join in on their effort to end slavery. The free performance will take place in the school quad between E3 and E7 from 12:15-1:30 p.m.
www.ELACCampusNews.com
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Feature
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
Last-minute applicant wins ASU presidency BY FRANCISCO PORTILLO Staff Writer
Student Aurora Paredes emerged victorious as the new Associated Student Union President last week after applying 30 minutes before the deadline. She achieved her victory despite being an undocumented student. Paredes was unaware she was undocumented throughout her high school years. While in the process of applying for colleges, Paredes was assigned to take her Social Security number to class for the financial aid application. When she got home, she learned from her mother that she didn’t have one. Her mother had the difficult task of breaking the news to Paredes.
She finally admitted that she was undocumented. At the time, Paredes was completely devastated. “As an AP student, you see all these opportunities and all these doors, but then once I found out that I was undocumented, all those doors closed, Paredes said.� She decided to visit the school counselor, who was the first person to explain to her what being an AB 540 student meant. The counselor presented Paredes with the community college option. Although it is more affordable, the tuition was still too much money so Paredes took a year and a half off of school so that she could work and save up to pay for her units and supplies. Paredes awaits her GPA for the semester to be sure she is eligible. If her GPA qualifies, her first day as president will be on July 1.
Paredes has many plans in store talking around you,� Paredes said. for both campuses. Paredes also sheds light on At the South Gate Educational that many students are struggling Center, the library financially closes far too and remain on early, affecting campus all day. students’ study She has an habits. idea to what She pointed she refers to as out the fact that a “food bank,� the main campus where students library hours were can stop by for extended and a quick snack if South Gate needs hungry. to follow in those “ I s e e footsteps. students who “My class is are sometimes at 7 p.m. When starving and I walk in, I see they’re trying to students who are study, but when studying in the you’re hungry, Aurora Paredes hallways and I you cant really ASU President don’t feel that it’s f o c u s . Yo u r right because you can’t really focus brain isn’t functioning properly.� with all the distractions and students Back then, Paredes felt intimidated
about being undocumented. “When I came in to ELAC, I didn’t know much about undocumented students,� Paredes said. “I never wanted to tell anybody that I was undocumented, because that is something that you just don’t say,� she said. “Before, you wouldn’t really have anything to help the undocumented students, so I thought I had to figure things out by myself without asking,� Paredes said. After applying to ELAC, she learned that she wouldn’t have enough money to pay for her classes to become a full-time student so she started out taking three classes. After going to class, she would go to work in order to help her pay for rent, books, supplies and tuition. Walking through Admissions, she saw a flyer saying: Students for Equal Rights; AB 540 students.� She attended a session on what
it means to be an undocumented student and was able to learn about more resources that offered financial aid. “I think being undocumented has a lot of barriers,� Paredes said. “However, I feel that if you really want something, you have to go for it. You always have to work your way up and that’s something that I’ve learned through my years,� she said. Jessica Ramirez, who currently serves as secretary of the ASU, has worked with Paredes for the past year. Ramirez said that she thinks a building for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals would be Paredes’ first priority considering her undocumented status. “That would help the students by helping them get more info regarding financial aid and the Dream Act,� Ramirez said.
Text line counselors aid individuals in crises nationwide BY BROOKE GEMINA Staff Writer
With over 16 million messages to date, Crisis Text Line holds a trove of data that can benefit the East Los Angeles College community. "But the thing that really gets me hot and sweaty about this, the thing that really gets me psyched is the data: millions of messages - that's the volume, velocity and variety to provide a really juicy corpus," Crisis Text Line founder Nancy Lublin said. Lublin helped launch Crisis Text Line in August 2013 after receiving an anonymous message asking for help because her father kept raping her.
It started off in Chicago and El Paso quietly, and in four months, spread to everywhere in North America. Lublin said the text line serves not only to connect suffering individuals with an active listener, but also to improve their performance and understanding. "We can come to all kinds of conclusions and learnings from that data set. So we can be better, and the world can be better," Lublin said. Anybody can access some of the more basic data such as the concentration of messages based on a particular issue by hour of the day, day of the week and even by state. Segments of more specific data are available upon application for faculty from universities or researching institutions, with the
The text line is free, available at all intent of researching purposes hours for almost all phone carriers within a set amount of time. except for some Applications can be prepaid phones, submitted online at and is guaranteed www.crisistextline.org/ anonymous. open-data/applications. “We can come Information is “Crisis Text to all kinds of released in various Line is anonymous, conclusions and a n d p r i v a t e . levels depending on each situation Yo u c a n d o i t learning from with the intent that anywhere, in your that date set. So c l a s s r o o m , a t researchers will use this information to better we can be better work, and nobody knows what you're the community. A n o n y m i t y i s and the world can doing," Director of be better.� Communications still maintained as and Events Liz information is scrubbed Eddy said. to ensure addresses, NANCY LUBLIN Individuals need p h o n e n u m b e r s , Founder of Crisis Text Line only text "START" and other personal to 741741. They information are will then receive an automated removed before it is released.
ELAC single mothers: ‘Struggle is real’ BY MARIA BECERRA Staff Writer
Kristina Haecker’s mornings start very early. Before she does anything for herself she needs to make sure her daughter is fed and that the diaper bag is packed. She then does what she needs to do to get her own day started. The difficulty Haecker faces is finding a babysitter because she works and goes to East Los Angeles College at night. Haecker’s daughter is two years old and needs constant attention. “Whenever I have to do homework, I play with Maggie to distract her. Once she’s happy and distracted, I sneak off to study,� Haecker said. Jennifer Garcia starts her day early as well. She has to get her daughter ready for school, drop her off, then goes to school herself. After her classes she heads
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straight to work and gets out late. When she’s finally home, Garcia struggles to do her homework and study. Garcia’s daughter is five years old and is already attending elementary school. The challenge Garcia faces is helping her daughter with homework as well as finding the time to do her own schoolwork. Patricia Montes brings her three year-old son Freddy, to the Child Development Center here at ELAC. She always needs to make sure she doesn’t run late, because they stop serving breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Being on time is difficult for Montes, because she depends on the bus for transportation and lives far from campus. However, Montes has a different experience than the others. She is divorced and both she and her daughter are survivors of domestic violence. She not only has to raise her children alone, go to school, work, and manage her own issues, but
she also has to help her 10-year-old daughter, Maria, deal with trauma. Maria is currently being bullied at school and lacks the self confidence to defend herself. Her jewelry and school supplies have been stolen. “She can’t say no because of what she went through.� Montes said “I’ll never get used to the idea of being a single parent.� But she doesn’t let that thought discourage her. Montes is very close to getting her associate of arts degree in child development and hopes to open her own business for her children. All these mothers share a lack of assistance from the fathers of their kids, and study time. “No matter how low they’re feeling, they have to keep going and not give up,� Montes said. Haecker said, “I want my daughter to stay focused on her goals, to never give up, and to ask for help when she needs it.� These women are on campus, working and struggling, right beside traditional students in class.
message asking what their crisis is while the system connects them to a live trained crisis counselor. Crisis Text Line consists of a two part staff: the paid full time staff in charge of public relations, handling e-mails, connecting with nonprofits, and their volunteer crisis counselors. Individuals can apply as volunteers online at www.crisistextline.org/ volunteer. Applicants receive rigorous training over a course of eight weeks, and at the end, only thirty percent of applicants are accepted to ensure the best experience for those who text the line. Crises covered by the text line include, but are not limited to: suicidal feelings, depression, school problems, LGBT issues,
and much more. The system has an algorithm named “Code Orange� in which texters who send in such messages as "I wish I were dead" or "I want to kill myself" get boosted up in the queue to get them the immediate action they need. The system’s algorithm also searches for key words to help counselors further aid texters. With 30 percent of their messages being about suicide and depression, the system helps crisis counselors who partake in more than two active rescues a day on average. Crisis Text Line states outright on their website, “we are not to be a replacement for actual therapy.� However, they can connect those who are suffering with resources located near them.
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Arts SPOTLIGHT
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2016
In the
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Music students deliver on-stage performances BY GIANFRANCO ABREGO AND SANTIAGO LOZANO Staff Writers
CN/VERONICA JACOBO
DO RE MI—Professor Tony Lupica conducts the ELAC choir and orchestra students in hitting the all notes during the concert
on Friday at Venerable Church .
ELAC choir delights audience with high vocals BY VERONICA JACOBO AND JESSICA SANCHEZ Staff Writer East Los Angeles College presented the Spring Choral Choir on Friday at St. Bede the Venerable Roman Catholic Church that had the audience on their toes. Choir performed along with St. Bede’s Music Ministry, presented John Rutter ’s “Requiem” and Mozart’s “Coronation Mass.” ELAC Choir members Jamie Aloi, Dae Young Lee,- and Darren Williams said they were nervous, especially since it was their final for class. Aloi said, “I’ve done choir in high school, so I’m more excited than nervous.” Great performances were carried out at the first half with soft mellow music. The students sang “Requiem
Aeternam,” “Out Of The Deep,” “Pie Jesu,” “Sanctus,” “Agnus Dei,” “The Lord Is My Shepherd” and “Lux Aeterna.” The students sounded “beautiful, better yet, enchanting performance by the students.” audience member Ruben Ramos said. Performer Emily Serrano who was part of the first half said, “It’s not my first time. It’s actually a lot of fun.” Serrano said she’s been doing this for two years and she hoped the audience enjoyed it. After the intermission, the students performed more powerful music. They sang “Kyrie,” ”Credo,” “Benedictus” and “Agnus.” Sona and Anna, daughters of ELAC’s Piano Professor Lucy Nargizyan, attended the event and said, “It was great! I loved how they all sang, the conducting was really good and
they had great other soloists who performed.” At the end of the second half, Chamber Chorale Juan Carlos Gamez, bass, Daniel Jimenez, tender, and Eddie Gutierrez bass and Chamber Chorale, Giovanni Verduzco bass ended the event with a great pop performance that kept the audience wanting to hear more. Members of the choir said it was different and that they were scared, especially since it was part of the final that determines if they can get into more choir classes. Chamber Chorale, Giovanni Verduzco, bass, said it was “amazing, a beautiful experience.” Verduzco said Tony Lupica is a great professor. “He taught me to become a better singer and performer.” Lupica said, “We practice so much and I’m glad we did such a good job. I was only really worried
about the orchestra because we didn’t practice with them, so it was my first rehearsal with them.” Lupica said, “All I really want is the school to be a part of the choir. You don’t have to know how to sing because that’s what I’ll teach you. The music and art building has a great AA program that has won many competitions and has been offered to go to University of Southern California and participated. Lupica loves it because USC has asked ELAC’s Choir to perform as one of the six choirs out of the whole state. Lupica said the piano and jazz group at ELAC have also done a good job and that the jazz group will perform soon as well. Lupica said he gave a special thanks to Ms. Mimi Chun and Dr. Melissa Sky-Eagle.
East Los Angeles College piano students showcased their talents during their end-of-the-semester retial on Monday at the S-2 Recital Hall. According to Dr. Lucy Nargizyan, who is an ELAC piano professor and music coordinator of the piano recital, this is the third semester the piano recital has been held. Nargizyan will continue to do this at the end of every semester, so her students could learn and memorize the piano pieces and be able to perform in front of others. Her students receive this piece at the beginning of the semester and are told to practice it throughout the whole semester. “The students must memorize the entire piece and be ready to perform live in front of an audience,” Nargizyan said. Juan Carlos Gamez is a student at the Applied Music Program here at ELAC. The Applied Music Program provides one-on-one lessons with the instructor that will help the student become better at his or her craft. In order to get into the program, students need to audition. Only the best can enter due to the fact that registration is limited. Gamez ,who performed at the piano recital, played a beautiful piece in front of an audience that looked very intrigued. “I was nervous and excited at the same time, but when I started playing I just let the music play and take over the performance,” Gamez said. On Tuesdays and Thursdays Gamez auditions in front professors so that he can get positive reinforcement and advice on what he needs to improve. Gamez believes his community needs more music teachers and wants to teach children about music one day to perform their favorite musical instrument of their choice.
Mother, daughter win first place at talent show BY BROOKE GEMINA Staff Writer Mother and daughter duo, Bianka and Thaies Quezada won first place at the East Los Angeles College Vision Club Talent Show on Friday night. The two performed "Five and a Half Minutes" from the musical “Our First Mistake.” Vision Club adviser Randy Ludwig co-hosted the talent show with club member Pedro Flores Jr. "It was perfect for us to sing. We wanted something cute and personal," Bianka said. It was the first performance for Bianka in fifteen years. Her daughter Thaies has been training for three years. Both were shocked that they won first place. "We didn't know what criteria the judges were using; it was a surprise," Bianka said. Judges evaluated performances based on originality, creativity, effort, passion, composure and audience response. Second place went to Ehecatl Chumacero-Rojas who performed an original spoken word piece, "The Listening (Awakening)". He has been writing and performing spoken word for over a decade. “I took a little break because life, school, work got in the way, but I recently returned last year,” Chumacero-Rojas said. Self taught player Robert Chapa won third place with an electric guitar solo on his Gibson Flying V electric guitar. "Surprisingly enough, I got into guitar through church music. It was a part of elementary school and I started acoustic and from there went to metal," Chapa said. Joey Rodriguez, known on stage as Ricky Martin danced to Ricky Martin's song "Loaded" and did not place. Honorary mention went to Lewis Powell and Joe Hernandez who performed "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars. Rodriguez has been performing since he was seven and named himself after his idol, pop star Ricky Martin. "He's (Martin) hardworking, humble, charismatic – the best dancer in the world. He's always smiling and knows how to put on a show," Rodriguez said. Rodriguez followed in his idols
shoes as he studied Martin's films, dance moves and gave it his all in his performance. Other acts of the night included individuals doing covers such as Valerie Ramirez who covered "At Last" by Etta James. Jose Gonzalez aka Psyde Show' performed original songs such as "I'm Fine. No, Really." One of ELAC's athletic trainers, Diane Stankevitz , had the crowd laughing with her comedy routine. Many performers were artists and poets as well as a dancers. Larry Hum and Aylin Carillo of preformed in "10 Minutes Ago" from “Cinderella”. There were a
total of 19 performances, and 247 people in attendance according to Ludwig. Part of the night’s events included a street fair. The talent show offered a face painting booth, compliment booth, and a just-married booth. The just married booth allowed couples to have a public ceremony after signing a certificate of marriage with attendees as the witnesses. Ludwig said, "None of this would have been possible without Emily Gonzalez, project manager and club president, who did a lot of the underground work."
CN/STEPHANIE GUEVARA
DUET—Bianka & Thaies Quizada perform “Five & Half Minutes” from the Musical Our First
Mistake at the talent show on Friday at the Ingalls Auditorium.
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6
SPORTS
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
Track and field season comes to end
WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 2016
BY JOSH FLORES Staff Writer With the spring semester coming to a close, track and field is bringing success to East Los Angeles College. “It was an up and down season. Tragically, two athletes suffered concussions from a car crash and were unable to compete,” head coach Louis Ramirez said. Even with lack of facilities and no ability to train properly, Ramirez said athletes were still able to overcome adversity. Cesar Santiesteban represented ELAC in the SoCal Decathlon Championships in the shot put and javelin throw last Saturday. He had an outstanding performance. Santiesteban recorded a personal best winning a second place medal, which earned him a qualifying spot in the California State championship on May 20 against San Diego Mesa. Although a lot of the opponents were from four-year universities, the real competition was at ELAC. “We compete against ourselves,” Ramirez said. The track and field season serves as a great way of people overcoming adversity and still experiencing success. Athletes join track for many different reasons, some to earn scholarships and transfer out to fouryear schools and some to just simply develop their speed and stamina for other sports. “We did well,” Arturo Martinez said. Martinez competed in the 100meter dash, shot put, and javelin throw. “My biggest obstacle was juggling two sports, track and football. As a team, we needed more sprinters,” Martinez said. Shilo Jordan said he felt it was a successful season, and his biggest competition was Mount San Antonio College in the 4x4 relays. “Getting over shin splints was my biggest obstacle,” Josh Palmer said. Palmer competed in the long
Football The Huskies are going from the American Mountain Conference to now the newly named Metro League in the American Division. “I think it is a highly competitive (league), we’re very excited as a staff and a team to play the competition this year,” said Godinez. Godinez said that since most of the schools are in a 10 mile radius of ELAC, this year should be interesting with the possible players from the same high school playing against each other. The pre season will begin in September.
Husky: Husky bowl crowns champ HUSKY Continued from page 1
COURTESY OF DEAN LOFGREN
SPEED IT UP—Christian Flores, center, pulls away from competition in the 3000 meter
steeplechase, winning fourth place, at the Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach City College on April.
jump, 100 meter, 200 meter, 4x100, and 4x200. Palmer said his biggest competition was Jordan. “We would compete at practice, and out of 10 times I would probably get him about four,” Palmer said.
Palmer said he had great determination to drop his times and make Olympic times. “It was a long time coming, I did what I had to do, to put on for ELAC, and it’s a blessing to be out there competing and having met so
many great people,” Palmer said. Coach Ramirez has been coaching at ELAC since 1994 and says that he plans on making the next season better with the help of assistant coaches David Loera, Ernesto Zuniga and Coach Allain.
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All clubs are notified via email about registration and require a $10 deposit, which is refundable if a club cannot participate. This year 11 clubs competed in various athletic activities like baseball, football, soccer, frisbee, basketball, dunk tank and an obstacle course. The team with the most points at the end of all the challenges wins the prize. The competition throughout the day was close and ended up with a second place tie between ELAC Puente and Side-by-Side. Both clubs tied in points after the final event. To determine the winner, a tiebreaker was held in the obstacle course. This tiebreaker round consisted of two members of each club. Whichever club members finished the obstacle course first won second place. After tying in the first round, a second tiebreaker was held where ELAC Puente pulled off the victory. “We got our team last minute. Some people bailed but surprisingly we won. The experience was amazing. We didn’t think we would pull through but we did. We plan on organizing a California trip with
the winnings or maybe even some fundraising,” ELAC Puente member Alejandro Cervantes said. Side-by-Side a first semester club and third place winners were satisfied with their clubs placement. “It feels good. We thought we weren’t going to make it. The competition was very close. Overall everything was good and fun we are looking forward to participating next year,” Club President Esteban Mata said. The Husky Bowl not only displays competition but also the unity of ELAC and all its members including staff and faculty. Students who are not in clubs were seen cheering on and enjoying the competitions. ASU member and senator of DSPS Gilbert Vazquez said, “It’s about getting the clubs together to interact with each other, and let the community know that ASU is here to support them. We try to raise cohesiveness between the communities, ASU and clubs.” Kenneth Green a member of the Kinesiology Club said, “It’s all about connecting with other clubs. It’s fun to collaborate. We are here to have fun and enjoy ourselves.” “I’m exhausted. But I am really glad more than 10 clubs came out to participate and interact with each other,” Contreras says.
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