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Collegian LACC GETS DEMOCRATIC

lOs aNgElEs WEaTHEr FOrECasT

WEDNESDAY

76/58

THURSDAY

67/51

FRIDAY

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constitution WeeK at city

los angeles

Wednesday, october 4, 2017 Volume 179 number 2

the Voice of Los angeles city college since 1929

Kids Say the Darndest Things

NEWS BRIEFS

rEsCiNd, NEgOTiaTE, Or rE-Bid

ComPiLED By TRissEaN mCDoNaLD

HFPa enrollment ending soon

By T.J. LoWELL

Hollywood Foreign Press Association applications are due Oct. 20, 2017. Students are required to be full-time (12 units), must have completed a minimum of 15 units in Cinema/TV with at least a 2.5 GPA, and of financial need in order to receive this scholarship. HFPA’s award varies for each student, but most students receive $500 or more. Applications are available at the Foundation Office on the 3rd ﬂoor of the Student Union building.

5th annual Fall classic Hiring spree Free for all members of the community, @HiringSpreeLA will host its 5th annual job fair at LACC Friday Oct. 27, 2017 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Connect with employers, network with peers, and receive free giveaways. You’re only required to bring a resume and dress to impress.

Financial aid Glitch Delays Payments ASG Senator of Equity and Diversity, Jonathan Williams, told The Collegian that the Financial Aid Office supposedly has had a system glitch since June. A financial aid staff member confirmed the system glitch; however, no mention of the actual date it occurred. Unfortunately students that were affected by the glitch will have to continuously wait, according to the financial aid staff. The waiting list may vary for each student.

mennes theatre academy scholarship

PhoTo by cURTis sabiR/coLLeGiaN

Audubon Middle School High Achieving/High Ability Magnet students talk to the Collegian on April 28,2017. The discussion covers the many controversial issues that are on the forefront since Trump’s inauguration. Read “Kids Talk” on page 4.

Treats Attract Students to Cross Wits in Constitution Game By sahaRa VELasQUEZ

Limited only to LACC Theatre Academy candidates, the Mennes Theatre Academy Scholarship must be submitted on or before Oct. 22, 2017. The purpose for this scholarship is to assist students who are in financial need. The award will be granted based on talent in any one or more of the theatre disciplines and will be awarded for the fall semester. There are minimum qualifications in order to receive the scholarship. To find out those qualifications or to apply, visit the LACC Foundation Office on the third ﬂoor of the Student Union Building.

Disability awareness Day Disability Awareness Day will take place on Oct. 11, 2017 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the quad, according to ASG Senator of Student Services, Gaby Toapanta. ASG will be collaborating with different student services on campus, hosting educational games, student speeches, as well as provide free lunch and prizes. ASG goal is to raise awareness for students with disabilities on campus, and focus on informing them about the various resources available to them in the community.

INDEX Opinion & Editorial

aECOM TO disTriCT:

2-3

Reporter’s Notebook

News

Campus Life

Sports

Nerds, Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, and Starbursts displayed on a table lured students to the Circle K International Club’s Constitution Week table in the Quad last week. “The Crossword Puzzle Game” was one of the events offered during Constitution Week at L.A. City College. Circle K International is a club that focuses primarily on community service. The game consisted of a total of eight questions that related to the history of the Constitution. One of the questions that was asked was, “Who were the group of people that were against the Constitution.” The correct answer was “Anti-federalists.” The students that participated in the game won a candy bag as a prize. The candy bag prize seemed the most appropriate as Halloween is just around the corner. All it took to win was to answer one of the eight questions correctly. The winners were thrilled. Byron Urrutia is the vice president of Circle K. He was mainly in charge of the creation of the puzzle game. “We are having people solve a crossword puzzle that relates to the Constitution,” Urrutia said. “Our main focus for this game is to have people learn the history behind our Constitution and what’s going on with our government. The Circle K cabinet spent about a week creating the crossword puzzle. They say the crossword puzzle was the most academically appropriate way to learn about the Constitution. Paola Rodriguez is a student and a member of Circle K. She decided to volunteer by hosting the game as well. “I really enjoyed the crossword puzzle game because I felt like I learned a lot by just playing this game,” Rodriguez said. “It’s easier to learn a topic, as interesting as

Fortune 150 company AECOM Technical Services, Inc. says that the Los Angeles Community College District failed to follow its own guidelines in awarding a $104 million project management contract to Jacobs Engineering Group. Documents obtained by the Collegian outline a presentation and corresponding remarks delivered by AECOM attorney Daniel Suvor during a Sept. 20 appeal hearing to the District. Suvor is a lawyer with O’Melveny and Meyers LLP. He presented the District with three choices to avoid future legal action: rescind the recently awarded $104 million contract from Jacobs Engineering and award it to AECOM, enter fair negotiations with AECOM, or reject all bids and rebid the entire project from scratch. “I have to say, as a former chief at the California Department of Justice, this award is on its way to being the poster child for abuse of this method of contracting,” Suvor said. He added the District’s recent behavior could jeopardize its ability to continue the practice of “best value contracting” since the law that gives them such authority will expire in 2019. David Salazar, the Chief Facilities Executive for the District initially rejected AECOM’s protest. In a Sept. 6 response letter, Salazar said that Jacobs Engineering was awarded the bid because they represented the “best value” for the proposed project. “To the extent that there are any deviations, irregularities, errors, or omissions in compliance with the requirements of the bid documents, such deviations, irregularities, errors, and omissions are hereby waived,” Salazar stated in

the letter. Attempts by the Collegian to contact the offices of Director Salazar, Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez, and Interim General Counsel Kevin Jeter via telephone and email were unanswered. District spokesman Yusef Robb contacted the Collegian by phone and provided an email statement about AECOM’s allegations. Robb’s comments parted with Salazar’s by suggesting the protest process is still ongoing. “The District is making every effort to ensure both proposers are being treated in a fair and equitable manner, while working to safeguard the best interests of the District and the public that it serves,” Robb wrote. AECOM disagrees. It says their objections to losing the bid rest on the basis that the District failed to secure the “best value for the project,” which is a requirement of the District’s own procurement rules. This is not the first time the District has been accused of breaking its own bidding rules. A 2011 state audit conducted by the California Controller’s Office concluded with a recommendation from Chief Auditor Jeffrey Brownfield that the LACCD Board of Trustees should seek a criminal investigation into irregularities for the selection of an inspector general to oversee the District’s bond program. “We’d recommend an investigation by the district attorney, the attorney general or the county grand jury,” Brownfield said in a 2011 article for the L.A. Times. “Something independent.” That independent investigation ultimately found significant ﬂaws in the District’s selection process, SEE DISTRICT TRUSTEES PAGE 6

Problems Plague New Student Information System By saRah hoPE

PhoTo by aNWaR ToRRes/coLLeGiaN

Christie M. John writes down her answer at the constitution week event on Sept. 27, 2017.

the Constitution, through a game.” Leticia Velez, who is an English major, played and won in the crossword game. “This event was really fun,” Velez said. “I really liked the game as well. The crossword puzzle really tests you because it’s a topic that you think you know, but when you are actually playing the game you realize that you don’t actually know the topic that well. “ Alfred Thomas is a cinema and video production major who also got the chance to play the crossword puzzle game.

“I think the game was interesting because it challenges your mind about the Constitution and the rights,” Thomas said. “The game was somewhat hard, but because I am taking law classes which deal with civil rights laws as well. This game really helped me refresh my memory.” Most of the students that participated in the “Crossword Puzzle Game” said they enjoyed the other Constitution Week events. Another huge perk to Constitution Week was the extra credit awarded by professors for attending the events.

Peoplesoft, the new Student Information System software is getting mixed reviews from students and faculty on campus. The Los Angeles Community College District announced the change during spring 2017. Known to the district as the SIS Modernization Project, this change was meant to “significantly improve student services and access, as well as access to data and real-time information,” according to the project’s webpage. The transition from the previous software, known as Legacy, has been met with some confusion. Many students have not been properly trained on the new software and have encountered obstacles when logging on to perform certain tasks. Students complain about the lack of school-provided self-help resources for Peoplesoft. “I looked around, but there wasn’t much of anything that could solve my issue with the system,” said first-year student Frank Martinez. “I did look back on the previous SIS, and I saw it was a major improvement on that, but there’s still, a bit, a few tweaks left to be done ... There could be improvements on this system,” he said Peoplesoft has encountered similar issues with schools that were dissatisfied with their newly integrated software in the past. The most recent case involved a lawsuit filed by New Jersey’s Montclair State University (MSU) against Peoplesoft’s parent company, Oracle. According to a 2014 article by

PCWorld, MSU charged Oracle with mismanagement that caused budget overages totalling over $20 million. Oracle countersued, accusing MSU of a “scorched earth campaign” to cover up their own failings in the implementation of Peoplesoft. The dispute ended “amicably” after a two year battle with both companies “looking forward to the future of their relationship.” MSU ultimately decided to go with Ellucian for its administrative needs. Juan Mendoza, IT Manager at Los Angeles City College, said that this transition has been in progress for eight to nine years. He said many students have issues working with the SIS. Mendoza said the majority are access problems in which the student is unable to access their account. “If it is an access issue, we correct it and we send the information back to admissions, and admissions then works with the student to make sure that they can get into the system,” he said. Many students have not only had issues gaining access to their account, but also with making payments, accessing their financial aid information, and receiving disbursements. Mendoza said for students having issues that it is always best to make their first stop at the Admissions Office, and then contact the IT crew to handle issues as they pertain to onboarding students. The District webpage states that “some” should have received training since Fall 2016, yet many students still find themselves without a helping hand.

opINIoN & eDItoRIAL

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Financial Woes Spark Recurring Nightmare

EDITORIAL

WE EXPECT MOrE Dear Commander in Chief, I have never heard a president call someone, or a group of people, son-of-a-bitch before. Politics have never been all that interesting to me, but to say that I’m extremely worried about the current state of our country would be an understatement. What does this country mean to you? Because there seems to be a wide disconnect between what you feel we stand for, and nearly everyone else that I see speaking out against your views. I don’t like to think of myself as some sort of naïve gullible person who watches “fake news” all day. I watch news and opinions across many different platforms that don’t know why you say the things that you do. The latest of many of the provocative and controversial moments that you’ve had so far has you going up against the NFL, its coaches, staff and players. But, why is that? Why is the most powerful man in the free world getting into twitter wars, using profanity, name calling and insisting that people should be fired for doing something that is not illegal or against company policy. Why are you doing this? What is the overall goal? Do you even know why all the players - and now coaches and staff - were kneeling in the first place? If not, then with all due respect, sir, I honestly feel like you would benefit from reading about it. I know that you say you like to be informed before you make a quick uninformed statement about an entire group, but that’s exactly what you put on full display when you cursed out a legion of fathers, sons and U.S. citizens by referring to them as S.O.B’s. I do not mean to come off as patronizing or disrespectful in any way, but do you actually take a moment to think before you speak? Because it does not seem like it. It seems as though you are a very passionate man who says whatever he thinks and feels all of the time. While I can certainly understand that these are attributes that may be endearing or refreshing to some, many feel as though that’s not what we as tax-paying citizens want from our leader. At this time of uncertainty, of fear and of renewed hate for skin color, we need guidance. We need poise. We need class. We are look-

By JUVENTiNo VELaZQUEZ With the beginning of every fall semester comes a nightmare I can’t seem to wake from, correcting the holds on my financial aid. It’s become a tradition of sorts; one I cannot seem to escape. As long as I’ve been attending LACC, I’ve always had my financial aid put on hold because of some sort of error. Last fall, it was because I had put “Jr.,” on my application and the school’s records didn’t have that suffix in my file. Because of this tiny error I went through weeks and months of sorrow. Why it took weeks and months was because none of the counselors could figure out it was the “Jr.,” that was keeping the system from accepting my application. For those that have been graced by a higher power and have never had to visit the financial aid office, let me break down just how taxing on the soul it can be. Once you arrive, you’re greeted with a line outside the bungalow where it will take you possibly 30 minutes to reach the front desk window. Unless you’re just asking a quick question, the next step will

be to wait for a counselor. Patience is key because you could be waiting for an hour to an hour and a half. Once your name is called, the counselor takes you to his or her desk try to figure out the problem. Once the problem is solved they bid you a good day and the nightmare is over. However, for me, it was just like that Bill Murray movie “Groundhog Day” because I had to relive this experience over and over and over again. My little problem was so perplexing that the head of the department had to take on my case and she was finally able to find and fix the problem. I have to point out that once my problem was fixed it was December and classes were already coming to an end. The point to this long and drawn out rant is that the financial aid office at LACC is in desperate need of a tuneup. Students should not have to spend their valuable time constantly going to the financial aid office only to leave with false hope that their problems are solved. The fact that the counselors could not figure out what was causing the problem speaks volumes to their inexperience and lack of knowledge and training. And from the groans and muﬄed swearing I heard in the financial aid office from other students, I’m not the only one who holds animosity toward them frustration in students erupts.

laCK OF sErViCE, MisiNFOrMaTiON BriNg FrUsTraTiON iLLUsTRaTioN by NaTaLia zePeda/coLLeGiaN

ing for the right leadership. We NEED a president. You said during the debates that you can “act” presidential. That it was easy. Well, do you think you can start doing that? I do not want to drag this out,

HAVE AN OPINION? A STORY IDEA? write a letter to the editor Email the Collegian: losangeles.collegian@gmail.com LETTERS MAY BE EDITED FOR BREVITY

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but I don’t think I am alone in saying that the majority of us are expecting more from you. We require more from you as a leader. We deserve more as a nation. We NEED more from you in terms of restraint and diplomacy,

good ethics and wise words and intelligent conversations. I am hopeful for these things and I am hopeful for us. Thank you. Theo Borders

Campus Safety Demands Vehicle Lanes on Campus By aNWaR ToRREs It is common to see small electric vehicles going here, there and everywhere on our school campus. They come and go to perform jobs needed across Los Angeles City College. It is understandable that there is a need for quick transportation that will get someone with the tools they need quickly and efficiently to a job site. The number of school vehicles that are on campus are not so much the problem. My concern is the “open range driving” that occurs here. It seems to be a hazard having these electric vehicles drive in any way possible. Also, the vehicles will park or stop just about anywhere with not much consideration given to students, especially students with disabilities. Another concern is the number

of street vehicles that are allowed to come on to our campus. Every day, and at any time, we can witness some sort of street vehicle cruising down our walkways. In the last week, as I stood speaking with a classmate on two different occasions, I noticed taxi drivers driving through the Quad. I have also seen Uber drivers cruising around. I am not sure if they are looking for a client or a student who just could not find the parking structure. It would seem that we have an open range policy regarding driving vehicles on campus. I personally think it is a hazard and safety issue for students who are visually impaired or have other special needs. Vehicles, driving or parked within the school, or outside of designated areas present issues that affect many students who attend our college. It is frustrating that the overall safety and wellbeing of our students is not a priority. If we showed our students that we care about them and their education and wellbeing, we might see better attendance, something the college administration is focused on improving.

By ChisLEy hayNEs The Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S) office is running wild and needs improvement. The lack of services offered to students is an issue. The constant misuse of information, and policies that do not apply to every circumstance is also an issue. The reality is, no one in being held responsible for their actions, and continue creating a great amount of frustration for students. EOP&S is a federally funded program that is meant to help students succeed academically. There are no counselors available for students. This is a huge problem. The fault will fall on the students for not fulfilling the criteria required by the program, which is to meet with a counselor during an specific time in order to continue in the program. The U.S Department of Education awarded grants totaling $10.182 million to Los Angeles Community Colleges Districts (LACCD). As well as, Members of the Board of Trustees who claimed a significant increase in fundings to support all educational programs. Since EOP&S moved their office to the new building, there is plenty of room and chairs to accommodate students in the office, but students are often left outside of the office, and are told by faculty members that they have to wait outside, even when they have to meet with an counselor. In fact, I was one of those students who was left outside waiting for almost two hours in order to

see the only counselor available. It turns out to be the same and only person who conducted the orientation that students are required to attend, and participate in during the semester. However, this is not an easy process and students have to constantly wait in long lines due to the lack of employees working at the service desk. As well as a great amount of misinformation being passed to students by staff members, employees, and counselors during these orientations meetings who are rude and careless. The strategies that EOP&S use to limit and strict policies, in order to enable students from continuing in the program are unacceptable. For example, requiring students to provide their student ID just to ask a simple informational question does not make sense. Students are also unable to schedule appointments over the phone which becomes very frustrating when there are a great amount of students in line, but only one intern student working at the service desk. Despite of all the strict criterias to use the book voucher. There is also a huge delay in receiving the book vouchers, and students often find themselves buying the books with their own money or are forced to drop the class because they can’t afford to purchase the books. In other words how good is it to apply for EOP&S in the first place? Lately, students are also reported that there is issue with the college bookstore, since they don’t have books available to purchase when students need them, but offers old books for students as the only option. These are the everyday issues students are dealing everyday with, and it becomes difficult to have a positive experience in college. These issues need to be properly addressed to improve the program, and to offer an efficient service to students.

opINIoN & eDItoRIAL

COMPILED BY LaVielle Hibbert PHOTOS BY Jordan Rodriguez

WHat neGatiVe eXPeriences HaVe you HaD WitH tHe neW stuDent inFormation system (sis)?

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Jas Karan Pharmaceutical science

Luis HernanDeZ Photography arts major

Kim GomeZ Visual arts major

HaLie HooKer master’s Degree candidate

“This is my first year here and the Student Information System doesn’t give you enough information … I guess I can understand, because they are doing a whole new system but I also feel like when I left messages and emails about the system they should have gotten back to me.”

“It was kind of wonky at first because I didn’t know where to go and how to use it. After a while, it just got easier. I like when I go on it now. The first thing I see is my class schedule ... The only thing I don’t like about it is scheduling counseling appointments, because the prompts don’t pop up when I click on a day, time and counselor.”

“The only problem I have had is with financial aid, but I have been having that same problem with the other colleges that I have attended. For the most part, it has been very informative and helpful. I was kind of lost ... at the beginning of the semester because it was so busy ... eventually [I] got helpful directions.”

“It was a little hard to navigate in the beginning because I was not familiar on how things worked ... I could not maneuver how to add my classes online, which resulted with me calling the school to get help ... I feel like they need to update the system better and make it more maneuverable for people who don’t know what they are doing.”

Ink Style: A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT

iLLUsTRaTioN by iaN RobeRTs/coLLeGiaN

“No justice, no peace.”

Los Angeles Collegian Los Angeles City College Visual & Media Arts Department

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neXt issue: october 18, 2017 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Naomi Johnson

OPINIONS Lavielle Hibbert

COPY EDITOR T.J. Lowell

LAYOUT EDITOR Richard Martinez

MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER Dave Martin

eDitoriaL DeaDLine: october 15, 2017

ADVISER Rhonda Guess

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Beatrice Alcala, Ian Roberts, Sorina Szakacs

ILLUSTRATORS Kenyatta Roach, Natalia Zepeda

PHOTOGRAPHERS Curtis Sabir, Cliﬀ Cheng, Anwar Torres

REPORTERS Beatrice Anoh, Kyle Blaylock, Theo Borders, Chisley Haynes, Sarah Hope, Angel Johnson, Milton Lozaro, Eve Moreno, Eddy Park, Mynor Peralta, William Torres, Juventino Velazquez, Sarah Velasquez, Ruben Wan

The college newspaper is published as a learning experience, offered under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff.

Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First amendment to the United states constitution. accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be

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Reporter’s Notebook

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Kids Talk Immigration, Racism and

Women’s Rights By Naomi Johnson

The U.S. would lose about $460 billion in Gross Domestic Product over the next 10 years without DACA participants. source: Center for American Progress In order to participate in DACA, immigrants had to be younger than 31 on June 15, 2012. About 72 percent of DACA participants were in higher education as of 2012. After getting DACA, nearly 80 percent of respondents said they got driver’s licenses. About half became organ donors. source: Center for American Progress Survey More than 1,800 governors, attorneys general, mayors, state representatives, judges, police chiefs and other leaders signed onto a letter supporting Dreamers and DACA recipients. source: Center for American Progress Survey More than 43 million immigrants live in the U.S. source: Migration Policy Institute More than 11 million undocumented immigrants reside in the United States. source: Migration Policy Institute An estimated 22 percent of undocumented immigrants are under age 25. Source: Department of Homeland Security In 2016, about 1.9 million people were eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). source:The Migration Policy Institute About 788,000 applicants have had their requests for DACA status accepted. source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

t is 9 a.m. Boys and girls fill the hallways at Audubon Middle School and High Achieving, High Ability Magnet Center - home of the Eagles. The carefree attitude of being a kid as they roam the halls is all around. From the looks on the children’s faces, I had the right idea for an icebreaker when I decided to bring Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. Audubon is located in the Leimert Park area of South Los Angeles. The kids appear to be happy and excited, maybe because it is Friday and their weekend begins when the bell rings at 3:25 p.m. I had the pleasure of interviewing 10 Eagle scholars. We discussed several topics that have consumed media headlines since president Donald Trump took office. These topics included, but were not limited to deportation, sexual assault and racism.

(T) Photo by Naomi Johnson

Middle school students ask the question Why Us? They share their ideas on controversial subjects ranging from deportation, racism, women’s rights, immigration and more in Los Angeles on April 28, 2017. (B) Photo by Richard Martinez

Thousands marched from MacArthur Park to City Hall on Sept. 10, 2017 in support of DACA recipients. The five-year-old policy allowed recipients to remain in the country and granted them the right to work legally.

Questions for the President The principal escorts students into the classroom where I await their arrival. The kids came prepared. They jotted down their questions on a yellow piece of paper pulled from a sticky notepad. Each of them address the same topics, but they all have very different opinions. One of topics involved asking them what they would ask President Trump if given the opportunity. After listening to them, it became clear to me that these kids have some of the same concerns as adults. “As american citizens it is all of our jobs to show patriotism and love for our country, so why can’t he do the same,” Telon Price Carruthers asked. “Did you really want to be president or was it just for fame,” Amari Cabaong asked. “Why do you have to make so many threats against people in America and other countries to get where you’re trying to go with your presidency,” Te’Anne Younger asked. “Who do you think you are to judge someone or to put them in a category based on the color of their skin or whether they are a man or a woman,” Leonard Ortiz asked. “Think rationally about the history of America and how it started. Europeans immigrated to America, so basically they’re immigrants too,” said Karla Martinez. “Most white people are of European descent, Native Americans are the only people native to this country, so if Donald Trump wants everyone else to leave, like Hispanics. then why doesn’t he deport himself too.” Women’s Rights According to Kids President Trump will forever be at the center of women’s rights conversations because of his controversial comments and video footage of demeaning behavior toward women. He also expresses his unpopular opinions about the decisions a woman can make concerning her body, especially when it comes to birth control. I was shocked to hear some of the relatively “grown up” opinions on women’s rights from kids. “Women’s rights is something he can’t ignore,” Joseph Romero said. “It’s an entire country’s problem. That’s because women want the same pay as men. They want to feel as equal as them too.” For some of these kids, women’s rights does not stop at equal pay. At such a young age, Karma Evans has developed an opinion on the very serious and controversial topic of abortion.

“Abortions should only be allowed in certain situations like if a child has cancer and would suffer more through life or if a child conceived from the mother being raped,” Karma Evans said. “Sometimes women take jokes too seriously and they overuse the term “sexual harassment.” If we keep saying things are sexual harassment that aren’t, it will lose its worth as words and its seriousness.” “I don’t know why a fight for women’s rights exists, but it shouldn’t because we should all have the same equality as human beings. Were the same but women work more and get paid less while men work less and get paid more,” Anthony Farris said. Fear of Police Brutality, A Black American Boy’s Perspective I cannot help but to feel angry as I hear a young innocent black boy talk about his fear of being killed or beaten by the police just because of the color of his skin. Shameful is what police departments all around the United States should feel when hearing the concerns of a teenage boy who fears contact with them. “Trump is racist, colored people like me or Hispanics don’t get the same rights as other people,” Kevin Mc Lemore said. My oldest nephew is eight-yearsold and my youngest nephew is three-years-old, and they are all I can think about as Kevin shares his con-

cerns. “Situations I’ve been looking at like white cops versus black, the white cops always think the black person is doing something wrong. That’s not fair. Not all of the time is a black man doing something wrong.” Any human being should find comfort in knowing that law enforcement is available to help them instead, some worry about their safety when police arrive. “If I came in contact with a white cop I would be scared for my life, even if I didn’t do anything wrong. They might think I’m going to do something just because of the color of my skin,” he said. Fear of Deportation, I Don’t Want to Lose Him Again Anger, grief, disappointment and fear are just a few emotions citizens experience when they live under a tyrannical government. So why is it that Karla Martinez, an American citizen, who lives in “the land of the free and the home of the brave,” is experiencing these same emotions? My heart breaks when I hear the cracking in her voice as she begins to sob while talking about her family’s journey from El Salvador to the United States. “I moved here when I was fouryears-old with my mom and my brother, we came and my dad had to stay. Considering how poor El Salvador is, we didn’t have exactly enough money to buy four plane

tickets,” Martinez said. Karla, and her mother and brother already had papers and passports to secure their entry into the United States. “We settled down with my aunt before we bought our own house. My dad stayed back in El Salvador and until I was around seven or eight, I missed him a lot because I couldn’t see him.” “We didn’t have enough money to be able to go visit him. We only managed to visit him once and that’s when I was like six,” Karla said. Karla is being comforted by other students in the room, they pat her on the back with endearing eyes as she continues to hang on tight to her tissue as she revisits her deportation fears. “He has been here since I was eight and I’m actually going to turn 14 this Sunday, so he’s been here for about six years. With all of Trump’s threats of deportations, It scares me because he’s my father and I don’t want to lose him again. And with all the trouble in El Salvador, I don’t want him to be killed either. I’m honestly just worried,” she said as she wept. “Immigration, why does it even exist? Some peoples countries like mine, El Salvador has gang wars all over the place and it’s not safe there. In Venezuela There is a dictator that doesn’t even care for his people.” “I’m scared because my father is an immigrant. I was separated from him when I came here and I don’t want to be separated from him

again,” she says. She shares her opinion about what she would do to positively affect her community before going back to discussing her father. “If I am going to be the change I want to see in my community, I would like to stand up for those who are discriminated against, for all those who are judged for how they identify or for the color of their skin, or gender. I would stand up for those being bullied and would make sure there is not a lot of racism anymore.” Listen America, the Children are Our Future I encourage adults worldwide to listen to what children have to say, they know and feel far more than they are given credit for. Their thoughts and opinions are on an intellectual level that some adults could not imagine. Democracy, fairness, freedom, and equal opportunity are what America promises people, which is why so many flock to the United States for a safe, new start. President Trump diminishes the hope of many who strive to achieve the American dream. Children are often left out of politically driven conversations. It is time for millennial children to have their voices heard, especially with Donald Trump in office. Millennials will be the generation that has to live with the consequences of an inexperienced president who has made decisions on behalf of the United States.

RepoRteR’s Notebook

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, October 4, 2017

RACE AND SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS 2017 BROWN REPORT EXCERPT From 2013 to 2015, out-of-school suspensions declined dramatically in California. Figure 3-1 displays statistics for the state’s four largest ethnic groups, showing the number of suspensions for each group. In this case, a suspension is an event leading to the out-of-school suspension of a student, and even though the student may have committed multiple infractions, the event is counted as one incident. Suspensions of Hispanic students fell from 249,318 in 2013 to 173,897 in 2015, a decline of 30.3%. Suspensions of white (-28.5%), black (-28.5%), and Asian (-29.9%) students declined by similar amounts. Note that the chart begins with 2012 data. The statewide decline in suspensions began a year earlier for all four groups, falling by 12%-13% from 2011 to 2012.

SAVING A LOST GENERATION

By WiLLiam ToRREs

t’s like a battlefield. Students have a hard time learning basic multiplication problems. They use foul language toward their teachers. Administrators have lost hope for the future of some of their students, and the saddest part is they are only in middle school. That’s the story at L.A. Promise Middle School. In the middle of September, I was offered a two-month assignment to teach a 7th grade math class at L.A. Promise. It was an honor to accept this assignment because I knew I was going to make a difference in students’ education. As I entered the middle school for the first time, students noticed I was the new teacher on campus. Kids will always find a way to test your patience, and I did not expect anything less as the new teacher in school. However, these students went beyond testing my patience; they tested my sanity as well. After the first week, they continued to

be very disrespectful toward me. They kept talking over me while I was trying to teach. There were several times the principal or a faculty member had to step into my class to quiet them down. Some students would talk back to me, using vulgar language, and others would even go so far as threatening me physically. The principal and administrators in school are aware of how students behave in class. They say that at least one out of 50 students will become a parent by the end of the 8th grade. Some will not even make it through high school. L.A. Promise is located in the middle of “Vernon Square,” one of the roughest neighborhoods in Los Angeles County. In the last six months, 420 violent crimes and 647 property crimes have occurred there, according to the Los Angeles Times. Residents of Vernon Square are predominantly black or Latino. The area is sometimes referred to as the working streets for drug dealers and prostitutes. With all the negativity surrounding the neighborhood, it is

no surprise to see some students acting out in school. There has been time where I’ve said to several students, “If you don’t want to learn anything, that is fine,” I said. “Just put your headphones on and listen to music, but please don’t interrupt my class because there are students in here who actually want learn and make something out of their lives.” It may sound harsh, but it’s the only way I can continue to keep my sanity after each class. The poor behavior is not entirely the fault of the students. Most of them come from poor families where they are being raised by single parents or foster families. Some of the students are raised by their grandparents or uncles because their parents are either in jail, in rehab or six feet under. A 12-year-old student who we will call Eli has moved through three foster families in the last five years, according to David Carson, the principal of Promise Middle School. Eli passes his school day listening to music and using vulgar language on his classmates and me. He refuses to do any work

in class. The principal has admitted Eli may be a lost cause, if he doesn’t change his attitude. On my third day teaching at L.A. Promise School, I found out from another teacher that the previous 7th grade math teacher had abruptly quit without giving her two-week notice. It turned out she had taken enough abuse from her class and could not handle it any longer. It did not surprise me at all. I may sound like someone who hates teaching this class, but it is the complete opposite. I still have faith in my 7th grade math class. While there are one or two bad apples in my class, there are also one or two students who actually want to learn. That makes my job worth it. While most of my 7th graders say the world has given up on them, my goal is to help them reach 7th grade math level by the end of the year. I hear from a lot of my students that I am a “mean teacher,” and that’s OK. As long I am stern with them, I will continue to make an impact on their education and their futures.

Disparities associated with race or ethnicity cannot be gleaned from simple counts of suspensions. Figure 3-2 reports the ratio of suspensions to enrollment. In 2015, Hispanic students made up over half of California’s K-12 enrollment, with 3.3 million students (53.6%). White students constituted 24.6% of enrollment (1.5 million), followed by Asian students, 8.8% (about 550,000 students), and black students, 6.0% (about 370,000 students).

According to John Gomperts, president and CEO for America’s Promise Alliance made a statistic on hispanic education in 2013, and the result are unendurable. The Hispanic dropout rate, 14 percent, is the lowest it has been in three decades and has been cut in half since 2000. About a fourth of the people who took the GED test in 2013 were Latino, the largest share since 2003. The graduation rate for Hispanics, different than the dropout rate, was up to 76 percent to 2012, a 15 percentage point increase from 2006. Latino leaders and education experts cite these facts by heart, but they are less precise in pinpointing exactly how Hispanics got to these better education markers.

Source: Brookings Institution

NEWS

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Collegian Wired Follow the thread

Get all our stories the minute we print. Wherever you are.

Issues of our award-winning newspaper and magazine are instantly available to our readers on issuu. com/collegianwired. We are committed to producing content that takes our readers into the middle of the story. Whether it is a protest on campus or an art exhibit at the Da Vinci Gallery, we’ll take you there. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates on campus news and student life. Follow the #CollegianWired tag on Instagram to keep up with our latest posts. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive reports and updates on developing stories. Follow us on Tumblr to access exclusive multimedia presentations and extended photo essays. facebook.com/CollegianWired @CollegianWired @CollegianWired This letter is written as a response to the bid protest by AECOM, from the desk of Francisco C. Rodriguez, Chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District, on Aug. 21,2017.

District Trustees to Vote on $100m Contract Controversy date that bidders must include in their proposal submissions to the District of any acquisitions projected within the next 12 months. The proposal process began on Mar. 10; Jacobs announced the acquisition on Aug. 2, four months after the submission deadline. Suvor referred to documentation from the District that revealed negotiations with AECOM and Jacobs were scheduled for the end of May to address the similar scoring. The District’s spokesman declined to comment on why these negotiations were canceled. California Department of General Services (DGS) is the state oversight organization for public procurement. The penalties for state entities who commit violations of their procurement procedures are stiff. “The DGS can revoke the ability to purchase goods and services, revoke the department’s purchasing authority, and issue deficiencies against the department,” said DGS public information officer, Jennifer Iida in a written statement to the Collegian. AECOM believes the integrity and ethics of the District’s self-determined procurement proce-

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AECOM From Page 1

concluding the winner “lacked experience and qualifications.” AECOM charges that they offered a bid $11.7 million dollars lower than the one submitted by successful bidder Jacobs. Suvor also says that the District abused its discretion in two significant ways. First, they chose to forego negotiations with AECOM that would have resulted in a final price that was $7 million less than Jacob’s final offer. Second, AECOM counsel says the District failed to properly evaluate the proposals. For each proposal, trustees were provided scores determined by six evaluators, a mix of district and outside officials, prior to voting on the award. A separate scoring of financial capacity was conducted “entirely by outside professionals,” said Robb. Suvor claims Jacobs neglected to disclose a planned $400 million assumption of debt liabilities. According to AECOM the inclusion of this debt in Jacobs’ financial information would have given them a definitive losing score. The final individual scores were nearly identical, differing by only 1.5 per cent. The Guidelines and Methodology for Evaluation and Scoring man-

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dures have been compromised. “Procurement requires an absolute trust that we will perform in the best interests of the public in a fair and equitable manner,” said Hugh Smith, an executive officer for the California Association of Public Procurement Officials (CAPPO). As the oldest procurement association in the United States, CAPPO provides tools and training to buyers in the public sector to foster the highest ethical standards when establishing institutional procurement processes. “It must be absolutely transparent,” Smith said. AECOM says it is prepared to “exhaust all options to protect its rights” including an intent to file a writ of mandamus, an order from the courts that mandates a lesser official (such as a district trustee) fix an abuse of their discretion. “The voters of Los Angeles put a lot of trust and faith in this board,” Suvor stated in his remarks to the Board of Trustees. “Live up to those expectations and show the voters you have earned that trust.” The LACCD Board of Trustees will have a final vote on the protest on Oct. 4.

Have an Opinion? A Story Idea? write a letter to the editor! email: losangeles.collegian@gmail.com

BROADCAST

MULTIMEDIA

1. study african-american history 2. earn a skills Certificate 3. apply for a scholarship

Course options: Afro AM 4 - The African-American in the History of the United States I

RADIO

SOCIAL

African-American studies at Los Angeles City College provides a rich education in the history and culture of African-Americans. A skills certificate is offered to students who take 15 units in required courses. Nine of those credits must be in African-American studies.

sCholarship requirements: •

Applicant must have a 3.0 GPA

Afro AM 5 - The African-American in the History of the United States II

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Total units completed should not exceed 90

Afro AM 7 - African-Americans and the Political System

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Plan to transfer to a four-year university or college

Afro AM 20 - African-American Literature I Afro AM 60 (same as Music 135) African-American Music Anth 102 - Human Ways of Life (Cultural) history 73 - Race and Racism in the United States sociology 11 - Race and Ethnic Relations in the United States

the moon, Collins, ealy sCholarship Professors Henry Ealy and Mattie Moon created this scholarship in honor of Elmer Moon, Nina Collins and Janis Ealy. It is for students who have completed at least nine units of African-American studies offered by the social sciences department.

“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” - Malcolm X

CAMpUs LIFe

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, October 4, 2017

‘FREDDY’ Lives Again on Theatre Academy Stage BY INDIANA FORD-MOR Based on a true story, “Freddy” is about a young girl named Shelly in the 1960s who falls for the charming ballet dancer, Freddy Herko. When they meet, Freddy is fresh faced and full of creative ideas, but he eventually starts getting into drugs and ruins his life. The play itself is filled with song and dance performances that always play well with the tone of the scene. It’s a lot of fun to see the cast jump around the multileveled set in some interesting choreography. Freddy is the first collaboration between the L.A. City College Theatre Academy and the Fountain Theatre. The period costumes are clearly well thought out and accurate. The ‘60s were a great era for fashion and the characters are dressed very well. The performances were great all around, and it was inspiring to

see such a high level of commitment from such a young cast. The story is told with a frame narrative which usually feels unnecessary in most movies, but it works really well and even adds to the story of Freddy. The audience sees Shelly as an old woman, recounting the events of her relationship with Freddy which showed what things from her past she was able to let go of and what she’s still holding onto in her old age. Seeing all the things that she hasn’t been able to let go of after all these years really resonated. The older Shelly jumps into scenes occasionally to express what she still misses or regrets in certain moments. If you enjoy plays without the complex language of someone like Shakespeare, there will definitely be a lot for you to enjoy. Tickets are only $10 for LACC students and the schedule can be found on the LACC website.

SNAPSHOT: Freedom Festival

PhoTo by aNWaR ToRRes/coLLeGiaN

Alexander Adorno, a public speaker and motivator, talks to guests at Freedom Festival on Sept. 29, 2017.

THErE’s aN aPP FOr THaT: CaNVas By maRLoN moRENo Many mobile applications exist to make our daily lives less complicated, like Google Maps, Calendars and various social media and communication apps. There are h oweve r, some which we may not know about that could help us as students. The Canvas app should be on your phone’s home page. All LACC students know, we are now using a web app called Canvas, which provide us information about our classes such as assignments, grades and tests. This online service allows us to submit our homework and take tests and quizzes. However you might find yourself in a situation where accessing a computer or a laptop is not easy, and that’s why this app exists. The Canvas App lets you see and do everything the web app does, without the hassle of a computer to access it. You will be able to access your class and receive notifications right from your phone. The app also allows you to submit your essays, journal entries, join discussions and check your syllabus from your phone, as well as take quizzes and tests. To log into the app, just use your login credentials like you do for the website. Use your email or your student ID number and password to see your Canvas account. Then you tap the plus sign on screen to add classes to your home screen, so you can have access to the important stuff right away.

From the drop down menu you have access to the different options to view your dashboard which shows you the classes you have added. You also have notifications, to-do-lists, inbox, calendar, grades and finally bookmarks. Each menu is self explanatory and very intuitive. You just have to tap in the option you want and the app will show you what you have for it. If you would like to know your grade, just tap the drop down menu located in the upper left corner then tap grades and it will take you to a page of the classes which you are enrolled in. The app will tell you your grade and the percentage you have in the class, as well as the assignments and what score you got for each of them. For those of you who are ESL students, you can change the language in the settings menu. Tap the drop down menu and go to settings and the menu will show you the different languages and then tap on the language you prefer. You can also choose what notifications you get from the app. Tap on “Push Notifications” in the settings menu, it will take you to a multiple choice menu where you will be able to choose what you want the app to notify you about. The calendar menu is also helpful. Just tap on the calendar option on the main menu and it will ask you to choose the classes you want to add. It will take you to a calendar page and below it you will see the assignments for that day, week and month. The app is free, so you don’t have to worry about any subscription fees or payments. The app is available for Android and iOS platforms. So, don’t waste time. Download this convenient app on your mobile device. Let technology be your friend.

POliCE WirE ComPiLED By aNGEL JohNsoN

• •

09/18/17: Peetes Coffee was burglarized. 09/28/17: The fire alarm was set off due to chemicals being used in the Life Science Building.

GOt SpOrtS? Sports disappeared from L.A. City College in 2008, making it the only community college in the state of California without intercollegiate sports. But there must be a sports story out there somewhere. Tell the Collegian at losangeles.collegian@gmail.com

Safe Space, a Place to Feel Safe and Welcomed By sahaRa VELasQUEZ Safe Space is one of two LGBTQIA+ clubs that Los Angeles City College (LACC) has. The club has their meetings Monday’s at 2 p.m. and Thursday’s at 3:30 p.m. in the 103 Kinesiology South Building. The president of Safe Space is Amy Alvarado and Safe Space cabinet consists of Jocelyn Aguilar as the vice president, Jody Harrison as the secretary and Ricardo Mendoza as the treasurer. Safe Space was created in February 2017 and the president,

Amy, described the club as being, “open for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you identify as straight, gay, lesbian, transgender. It doesn’t matter what your gender is. It doesn’t matter what race you are. It doesn’t matter what religion you belong to. We accept everyone. My advisor and the rest of the group members wanted this club to be like a home and a place where we feel comfortable. A sanctuary.” “I feel like this club is more like a group of friends. There are a ton of great clubs on campus, but they have specific focuses, like the Sign Language Club, and the History

Club. However, Safe Space is not specifically LGBT club. We try to be more inclusive, and bring social awareness, social justice and even bring mental health awareness. We strive to build a sense of community,” Harrison said. “Safe Space is also a club about listening. Whenever we have meetings, it’s not so much about a scheduled meeting. It’s not a set schedule. If someone wants to speak up about anything, we are not going to shut you down. We will put our schedule aside and just let you talk about what is happening,” Mendoza said.

Beyond their regular meetings, the club has events coming up. One of their bigger events is their participation in the L.A. Aids Walk on Oct. 15 in Downtown L.A. The club also has plans for a movie night as well as wanting to collaborate with other clubs. “Safe space is a place where you come to feel safe. That’s the main reason why the club was created. We are focused in a broad aspect of situations, problems, concerns, but our main objective is just to allow people to feel safe and welcomed. That is our purpose as the Safe Space Club,” Mendoza said.

sCHOlarsHiPs ComPiLED By JoRDaN RoDRiGUEZ

Jack Kent cooke undergraduate transfer scholarship Deadline: October 24, 2017 Amount: Up To $40,000 Be a current student at an accredited U.S. community college or two-year institution with sophomore status by December 31, 2017, or a recent graduate (since spring 2013). Plan to enroll full time in a baccalaureate program at an accredited college or university in fall 2018. Have a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.5 or better on a scale of 4.0 (or the equivalent). Demonstrate significant unmet financial need. We will consider applicants with family income up to $95,000. However, we anticipate that a majority of scholarship recipients will be eligible to receive a Pell grant. Have not previously enrolled at or attended a four-year institution. Contact: http://www.jkcf.org/scholarship-programs/undergraduate-transfer/

osher initiative for california community college students scholarship

Deadline: October 22, 2017 Amount: Up to 1,100 Students must have completed 24 or more degree-applicable semester units (or the equivalent) at the time of the initial scholarship disbursement Student must be enrolled at least half-time (6 or more units) during all terms in which the award remains active Applicants must have a minimum 2.0 GPA Student must have received a CCC Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver. Contact: https://laccfoundation.scholarships. ngwebsolutions.com/scholarx_scholarshipsearch.aspx

HsF/toyota motors scholarship Program Deadline; December 31, 2017 Amount: $5,000 Eligibility Requirements: Be of Hispanic heritage. Be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident with a permanent resident card or passport stamped I-551 (not expired). Be an entering full-time Freshman during the upcoming academic year at one of the following selected universities: University of Southern California, University of Texas at Austin, Cal Poly Pomona, Texas A&M University, Univer-

sity of Texas at San Antonio, or University of California-Los Angeles. Be pursuing a degree in one of the following areas: Business Administration, Computer Science, Industrial Engineering, International Relations, Marketing, or Mechanical Engineering. Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or the equivalent).

LaJcc community/Junior college scholarship Program Deadline December, 31, 2017 Amount: $2,000 The Los Angeles Junior Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the continuation of its Community/Junior College Scholarship Program, which was introduced in 2001. The LAJCC will award two scholarships exclusively to students currently enrolled in a community or junior college in Los Angeles County (or to students residing in Los Angeles County and commuting to a community or junior college in Orange County). Students who are matriculated in an Associate degree-granting program at a four-year college are also eligible. The primary selection criteria are public service, the personal statement. Contact: http://www.lajcc.org/?q=node/25

spoRts

Los Angeles Collegian — Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Video Games Instead of Inter-Collegiate Sports? Better Than Nothing At All

SPORTS BIN

By KyLE BLayLoCK ntercollegiate sports no longer exist at L.A. City College. It has been almost a decade, and LACC remains the only community college in this district without sports. The lack of real sports has been lamented for years in this newspaper. It is beautiful timing to begin to have an electronic sports department. Being on the forefront of this exciting new frontier would do wonders for the school. Enter e-sports. Revenue gains in new academic discipline increase every year. Universities around the nation like UC Irvine are building strong e-sports programs with gaming centers to match. The program has been an attractive draw for the university for competitive team games like “Overwatch” and “League of Legends.” “Scholarships are offered for both top ‘League of Legends’ and ‘Overwatch’ players,” said Mark Deppe, the acting director of UCI Esports. “We ended our first year as cost-neutral to the university. We did not receive any university funds, student fees or tax payer money. UC Berkeley opened a class for “StarCraft” advanced techniques and strategy in 2009. “StarCraft” is a game where a player can compete for a lucrative contract in Korea. “StarCraft” and “StarCraft II” are both in the top 10 list of prize money paid out among all competitive games. In July, a “Street Fighter V”

PhoTo coURTesy oF aP PhoTo/aLeX bRaNdoN

Some members of the Oakland Raiders kneel during the playing of the National Anthem before an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md. on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017.

KNEEliNg FOr a NEW BEgiNNiNg By aNGEL JohNsoN

PhoTo coURTesy oF sTeVe zyLiUs/Uci

UCI student volunteers test-drive high-end gaming computers prior to the Sept. 23 grand opening of the campus’s eSports arena. tournament was broadcast on ESPN which has a dedicated page for e-sports on their website. Over $4 million in “Overwatch” prize money was distributed thanks to a growing number of notable investors like Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots. Kraft bought into the industry

because operating costs are low and achieving profit is not a huge risk. Jennifer Lopez and Shaquille O’Neal are also involved in some Bay Area e-sports competitions. Not far from LACC’s campus, there are several competitions for the following games: “Overwatch,” “Super Smash Bros 4,”

“Street Fighter V,” “Tekken 7,” and “StarCraft.” While many do not regard video games as legitimate sports, that’s not important in this day and age. The money is legitimate and the e-sports industry could be a lucrative avenue for the college to explore.

Open Gym Schedule Lets Students Workout for Free By TRissEaN mCDoNaLD Workouts in the Fitness Center and Weight Room inside of the Kinesiology Building are no longer limited to faculty and staff because students now have the opportunity to join in free of charge. Dumbbells, squat racks, and even stretch straps are available among other fitness equipment inside of the Weight Room of the Kinesiology South Building, Room 109. The Weight Room is open one day a week. Hours are Thursdays from 12:30 p.m. until 2 p.m. Fitness-minded individuals have

even greater access at the Fitness Center, which is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. and Mondays and Wednesdays from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Battle ropes, elliptical trainers, spin bikes, treadmills and 16 other exercise machines are available for students in the North Kinesiology Building, Room 202. “Keep Calm and Exercise” is the mantra that is being used to attract students to live a healthier lifestyle by using the campus facilities. Access to the weight room, however, is not enough for everyone. “When you tell this to the stu-

dents, they do not want to come. They’re like, ‘One day, oh, that’s not enough,’” said Ismaelite Stewart, a student who works in the South Gym and founder of the Fit for Life Club. “Fit for Life” is a club that is currently in the works of being chartered, according to ASG Vice President of Clubs, Theresa Morgan Cruz. For students like Eric Romero who is majoring in chemical engineering, there is never enough iron to pump. “This is my last semester here, and I wish they offered more pro-

grams here,” Romero said. The only requirement for using the workout rooms is that students complete and submit a liability form. Some students wish for expanded hours. “I wish they would promote this a lot more [because then] people don’t have to register for a class to go into the workout room,” said Nestor Alvarado, a nursing major with a group of friends in the Student Union. Liability forms are available in the Gym areas. Jose Rios contributed to this story.

SPORTS BIN iT sHOUld HaVE BEEN THE raidErs By myNoR PERaLTa The NFL and its owners have given us the two worst options that were available to move. Stan Kroenke of the Rams and other owners on his side kept the Raiders out of Los Angeles to relieve t h e m selves of the competition from the Raiders. The Chargers have no business whatsoever to be in Los Angeles, their move was just done to capitalize on the market in LA. They have no fans here. “It’s almost like the

Chargers got 16 away games. It’s going to be tough sledding for those guys.” said Eagles T Jason Peters. They will struggle to recruit new fans when they are virtually out of playoff contention already. The Raiders not only have a past history with LA, they brought Los Angeles their only Super Bowl. Last year they had a 12-4 record, made the playoffs, and if Derek Carr had not been injured, they could have made the AFC Championship game or even won the Super Bowl. If the Raiders were playing in LA, then they would have no problem in filling up the stadium even now. Despite the fact Derek Carr is injured again. The Rams this year are undeniably good so far. They were the first team in Los Angeles and have many fans in that stayed faithful

while they were gone. The Rams big return-home season last year was a disaster. In Week 17 last year against the Cardinals the only player that had any cheers thrown his way was the punter, John Hekker. When a group of fans actual cheer for the punter being able to pin down the opposing team deep in their side of the field, it shows how disappointed they are with the rest of the team. There was a point in the game that it looked like the Rams were going to score a touchdown pass on a ﬂea ﬂicker, were the wideout Pharoh Cooper looked like he had a wide open pass to Todd Gurley for a touchdown, yet the ball was thrown like a rainbow, which gave time for the defender to recover and intercept the ball. The emotion of the crowd went from excitement to anger.

That was the closest they ever got to score a touchdown for the game, they would lose 44-6. The fans remembered how pathetic it was when the attendance for the Rams’ first game was so low. To be able to succeed in a city that had no football for more than twenty years, the team must be successful to gather the fans necessary to maintain success in Los Angeles. The Rams and Chargers have not had the success needed to do this. The Raiders would be do well regardless if they were good or bad. Unfortunately this is not the case as the Raiders were left out in the cold when it came to choose the teams that would play in Los Angeles. On the brightside, the Chargers and Raiders are in the same division so the Raiders will get nine home games a year.

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President Donald Trump gave a speech in Huntsville, AL on Sept. 23 and made some extremely unpleasant remarks toward players in the NFL. Back in 2016, Quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem. During his postgame interview, Kaepernick explained that he refused to show pride to a ﬂag that has treated people of color like nothing. Most people saw this as a sign of disrespect and others saw this as chance to stand up for equality in the social justice system. At 5:45 a.m., hours before his speech, Trump tweeted: “Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn!” The Golden State Warriors responded later that day saying, “... We believe there is nothing more American than our citizens having the right to express themselves freely on matters important to them”. A few hours later, NBA star Lebron James then responds calling Trump a “bum” and tells him that Curry was not going to come to the White House anyway. After posting that tweet, Trump went to Huntsville, AL, and directed the phrase, “son of a b----” to NFL players who choose not to stand during the Star-Spangled Banner and wants the owners of these teams to fire the players. Since his remarks were made, many celebrities have expressed themselves on social media about what Trump said. There are also high school and college athletes who are kneeling and standing arms

locked in solidarity for equality. A few of Trump’s own supporters were also shocked and disappointed about what their beloved president said. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones kneeled during the national anthem on Sept. 26 against the Arizona Cardinals. Jones donated at least one million dollars to Trump’s campaign last year. Many people find it extremely disrespectful for anyone to kneel during the national anthem. Taking a knee during the national anthem is not disrespectful when you know the history of the United States and how it was built. America was stolen from the indigenous people by Europeans. With knowing that, why would you want to stand and salute a ﬂag that was created by people who killed off many native people of this land or take and enslave Africans that did not ask to be here? American football and basketball are a huge part of American culture. No matter what ethnic background, age, gender, or political affiliation, these two sports bring millions together. This is more than an athlete taking a knee. All Americans have the right to protest and when role models, like Kaepernick and Curry express themselves publicly about an important issue, it becomes a much bigger thing when so many people agree with them. Trump has not been president for a year yet and he has already done so many things wrong. If this continues, the United States of America will be screwed. American people need come together, stand up, or kneel down and start a positive and fresh beginning without President Agent Orange.

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