The Collegian - Published March 20, 2026

A NEW ‘MISSION ACCOMPLISHED’?

Three-day operation stretches into four weeks as Trump

BY ZACKARY KIRK-NEWTON Editor-at-Large

On Feb. 28, The United States, in cooperation with Israel, began strikes against Iran in Operation Epic Fury with the stated goals of punishing nuclear development efforts by the Iranian government and inspiring regime change.

“It has always been the policy of the United States, In particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon,” said President Trump in a video posted to Truth Social on Feb. 28.

Trump went on to cite the strikes made during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025, which targeted nuclear facilities in Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz, as continued efforts by the administration to curb nuclear development.

Trump’s Feb. 28 Truth Social video also ended with a plea to the Iranian people to rise up against their government after the operation was finished.

There have been many casualties reported since the initial strikes, including 180 people, killed following an American strike on a school in Iran.

The casualties also include 13 US service members, including 6 who were killed in a refueling crash in Iraq according to a press release from U.S Central Command.

On March 1, the White House YouTube channel posted an update where president Trump confirmed that Ali Khamenei, who had led Iran since 1981, was killed in the Feb. 28 strike.

While the conflict has been referred to as war by many, including some within the administration, Congress has yet to declare war as is required

by section 1 article 8 of the Constitution.

breaks promises of peace

Despite there being no formal declaration of war, the United States Senate voted down, 47-53, a resolution to end hostility with Iran on March 5.

Whether or not Operation Epic Fury is a war could be the final nail in one of Trump’s campaign promises, peace.

During a rally in November 2024, Trump claimed that he would be the “peace” president, a claim that was later echoed by the White House Twitter account in a post from October 2025

In the following two weeks, the knock on effects of the conflict have reached the average American. The most obvious pain point? Gas prices.

Despite recoiling from strikes, Iranian forces are still capable of disrupting trade traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which serves as a main thoroughfare in global trade.

According to a New York Times report from March 12, three ships have been damaged going through the strait of Hormuz with Iran’s revolutionary guard taking credit for at least two of the tankers.

The threat of further incidences has led to traffic through the strait being almost entirely frozen, with war time insurance premiums rising.

According to the BBC, normally 20 percent of the world’s oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz, making it one of the most im-

portant oil trade routes.

As a result there has been a steep increase in the price of oil with it hitting more than $100 in the past two weeks.

As of March 17, Business Inside placed the price of Brent oil, which acts as an indicator for intercontinental oil exchange, at $2.32 per gallon. There are 42 gallons in a barrel thus bringing the price of a barrel to a steep $103.36.

This naturally translates to higher prices at the pump.

A report from NPR on March 16. Which used data from the AAA (American Automobile Association) showed that gas prices had jumped nearly 80 cents since Feb. 28 for a total of $3.72 a gallon.

The AAA database’s data for the Stockton-Lodi area showed that the average price of a gallon was $5.392 up from $4.508 a month ago.

Current administration decisions familiar

Trump’s actions feeling similar to early 2000s Bush-era, but those days look preferable

EDITORIAL

“Time is a flat circle,” “there’s nothing new under the sun,” and “same old, same old.”

Yet even now, one’s eyes might get a rose-tint as they glance back at a similarly dark period in American history, the Iraq war.

Sometimes it’s hard not to feel like the grass might be greener on the other side, that even the woes of the past

had their own charms that made them easier to bear.

On some level, we know that things have always remained mostly the same, we’ve got a whole toolbox of saying across hundreds of languages to say just that fact.

The Collegian

The Collegian is the student newspaper of San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, Calif. The paper is published six times a semester.

As a First Amendment newspaper we pride ourselves on a commitment to the students of Delta College while maintaining independence.

We reinvigorate the credo that the newspaper speaks for the students, checks abuses of power and stands vigilant in the protection of democracy and free speech.

23 years later, America is once again entering a conflict in the Middle East — Iran this time — and the justification is much the same.

Iran is a lot like Iraq you see. Obviously, they’re very dangerous even on the verge of doing something to harm the American people. How can we tell?

In 2003, the pretense for the war was that Iraq posed an imminent threat to the United States, whether that be through terrorism or WMDs

“Our mission is clear, to disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, to end Saddam Hussein’s support for terrorism and to free the Iraqi people,” said President George W. Bush in a radio address in March 2003.

“The president’s feeling, based on a fact, that Iran does pose an imminent and direct threat to the United States of America,” said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, on March 5.

A very similar justification but with the veneer of the President’s personal opinion. It might just be the rose hue creeping in, but 2003 almost looks preferable.

If there is truly nothing new under the sun then let the response be the same as it was more than two decades ago: “Not in my name.”

FRONT:

DELTA SAFETY-NET PROGRAMS AT RISK

BY ANDREA BALTODANO Editor-in-Chief

Delta College offers a range of support services — from food assistance to health care — designed to help students stay enrolled while navigating rising living costs. But a sweeping federal budget law passed last year could ripple through many of those safety-net programs, raising concerns about how changes in funding and eligibility may affect students across San Joaquin County.

The legislation, formally known as H.R.1 or the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” was signed into law on July 4, 2025, and includes changes to taxation, Medicaid and food assistance programs.

County officials estimate the measure could reduce federal funding to San Joaquin County by between $50.9 million and $76.9 million annually, potentially affecting programs such as Medi-Cal, CalFresh and public health services.

San Joaquin County administers many of the safety-net programs potentially affected by the legislation. According to county officials, more than 314,000 residents — about 39 percent of the county’s population — are enrolled in Medi-Cal, while nearly 132,000 residents receive CalFresh food assistance benefits.

Changes to eligibility requirements, funding levels or administrative rules could increase pressure on county agencies that manage those programs and the communities that depend on them.

At Delta College, staff who support students’ basic needs say campus services often play a key role when students face financial challenges or delays in accessing public benefits.

“If federal or state programs such as CalFresh were to experience delays or become more difficult for students to access, it is possible that more students may seek support through campus-based services,” said Ana Villegas, project manager for the college’s Basic Needs Center.

Villegas said the Basic Needs Center often serves as a starting point for students navigating food insecurity, housing instability and other financial challenges. The center helps connect students to both campus programs and community resources, including assistance with CalFresh applications, textbook vouchers and referrals to housing support and other services.

One of the most frequently used resources is Delta’s Student Food Pantry. Each semester, between 1,000 and 1,500

DELTA TO RUN HEALTH CENTER

Delta College plans to assume direct operation of the campus health center as the current partnership with Community Medical Centers transitions to a new model led by the college.

The change was outlined in a Feb. 3 update to the Delta Health Center board by Dr. Lonita Cordova, assistant superintendent and vice president of student services. Under the current arrangement, the clinic primarily serves students enrolled in Medi-Cal or Medicare.

College officials say the new model will allow the health center to expand access and serve all Delta students through services funded by the $26 student health services fee.

The clinic currently provides a range of medical and behavioral health services, including primary care visits, immunizations, reproductive health services, mental health support and referrals to community resources.

Officials say the health center will remain open during the transition as Delta develops the new model and determines which services will be offered going forward.

“The good news in all of this is that while the existing Health Center primarily served students with Medi-Cal/Medicare, our new model will allow us to serve all students,” said Alex Breitler, Director of Marketing and Communications. “So at a time when there is uncertainty over access to quality healthcare at the federal level, we will actually be increasing access.”

students use the campus pantry, according to Valerie Valera, a student programs assistant who works in the pantry.

In addition, the college partners with Second Harvest Food Bank to host monthly Mobile Fresh produce distributions that serve another 150 to 200 students.

Valera said demand for food assistance has increased in recent years as students face rising costs for housing, transportation and groceries.

“Rising food prices, housing costs and transportation expenses have all contributed to more students needing additional support,” Valera said. “Many students are working, raising families or attending school full time while managing financial pressures.”

She added that campus food resources often become an immediate source of support when students experience delays or barriers accessing public assistance programs.

“When students experience delays or barriers accessing programs like CalFresh, campus resources often become an immediate support system,” Valera said. Community Medical Centers operates the health clinic on Delta’s campus, which provides medical services to students. The Collegian reached out to Sarah Taft, director of communications for Community Medical Centers, for comment but did not receive a response by press time.

South Campus hosts colorful Holi celebration

BY

A Holi celebration was hosted at South Campus at Mountain House on March 4. The event, a collaboration with Mountain House United, included festive food and music, as well as the traditional throwing of gulal to celebrate the spring festival of colors.

“It’s an Indian festival, it normally comes during the onset of spring. Every year we have a different date, so it’s not an exact date, because we follow the lunar year. All of our festivals are all based on the lunar year, so you’ll have different dates. This is just a general festival, which the whole of India celebrates,” said Naina Juturu, co-founder of Mountain House United. Dr. Pablo Ortega, Dean of the Mountain House campus, said the event brought the campus and communities together. South Campus at Mountain House opened in 2009. Mountain House officially became the newest city in San Joaquin County in 2024.

“Our community has a lot of East Asian, Indian and Pakistani population. And so what we try to do here at the Mountain House campus is we try to bring the community to feel vested about our campus. So we sought the advice of a program called Mountain House United, which is a nonprofit here,”said Dr. Pablo Ortega, Dean of the Mountain House campus.

The South Campus population is considerably smaller compared to the main campus, which creates a greater sense of connection to the bigger community.

“For our students, you know, our

campus is real small, but we’re trying to make them feel welcome, so they know that we’re here for them. That we’re gonna take care of them,” said Dr. Ortega.

Despite the small size of the south campus there were attendees. Some professors brought their classes out to view the event and allowed the students to partake in the festivities. The event took place in the South Campus’ parking lot. Students who registered beforehand were given white t-shirts to wear when the multi-colored powder was thrown.

“I saw a poster advertising the holi event, and I have an Indian friend, and I was asking about it. And she was telling me about it and it seemed pretty cool. So we both came,” said attendee Matteo Kovach.

The event celebrates the welcoming of the spring season in Indian culture.

“India is divided into several states, and each one has a different language and different cultures as well. So even Indians don’t know much about other cultures in their own country. But this is not confined to a certain state or tradition. It’s throughout India and it welcomes spring,” said Juturu.

Discord starts age verification, users worried

BY DEVIN DRUMHELLER Staff Writer

Discord, a communication platform used by students attending Delta College for clubs and for linking with others in classes, as well as for connecting with friends off campus, recently came under scrutiny as it attempted to age-gate features of the app.

Users under the age of 13 aren’t allowed to make a Discord account. Despite this, on Feb.9, Discord announced a new update called “Teen by default,” where Discord accounts would be considered underage upon creation, denying access to features such as un-blurring “spoilered” images, or adding warnings to friend requests from users you don’t know.

The only way to remove this restriction would be to upload a photo identification (ID) or face scan to Discord, verifying the account as 18+. Considering the state of ICE, photo ID’s linked to Discord accounts could put communities at risk, should Discord suffer a breach.

“I only use it for classwork, mostly. Study sessions…” said student Jacob Arriola, who noted that Discord had seen a data breach when asked about his opinion on the ID policy. “Didn’t they have a data breach recently? Doesn’t sound like a very safe option, if its your face or ID that makes it a bigger target.”

Discord has previously failed to maintain the

privacy of ID verified users before, with a leak of over 70,000 photo ID’s in October 2025. This time, Discord said the verification would never leave your phone, and that any pictures would be deleted immediately. Additionally, Discord said that a majority of users wouldn’t need to submit an ID as they don’t use the age-gated features.

During its test in the United Kingdom on Feb. 20, Persona, the age verification service that Discord was partnering with, was “hacked” through an open API channel, showing that Persona was gathering the information and sending it to a U.S. government channel intended to check the photos and ID’s against watchlists, as well as leaving the information exposed.

“I’ve heard about it, it sucks, privacy is a thing. I haven’t done a lot to make myself more private, but like, I do like my privacy,” said Ramon Ochoa, a student who uses Discord regularly to talk to friends.

Since this incident, Discord suspended the operation and dissolved its partnership with Persona due to the breach in privacy, declaring some changes would be made and some “clarifications” added to their operation statement. Discord said it expects to resume this operation in the month of June, the details of which aren’t clear.

“Many of you are worried that this is just another big tech company finding new ways to collect your personal data. That we’re creating a problem to justify invasive solutions. I get that skepticism. It’s earned, not just toward us, but toward the entire tech industry. But that’s not what we’re doing,” wrote Stanislav Vishnevskiy, one of Discord’s founders in reference to the changes.

Food service lacks variety of dietary options

BY DANI CARMACK Staff Writer

Delta College students desire food that fits their dietary restrictions, but the current array is lacking for some.

According to a report published by Issac Robertson of Total Shape in 2021, California is the second most vegan state in the U.S., with 838 per 1 million people reporting they follow a vegan diet. California is also the U.S. state with the second highest Muslim population, second highest Jewish population and 15 million people in the United States report having food allergies.

Despite those numbers, the Danner Hall cafeteria area lacks a large presentation for vegetarian options.

“There’s no options as a vegetarian/vegan,” said student Ramandeep Kaur Sandhu.

No matter what a student’s reasoning might be for having dietary restrictions whether it be religion, health, environmental and ethical concerns or anything else, an inclusive campus would offer options for all.

That’s not what students are finding.

“I think they should and shouldn’t [cater to dietary needs] as well because people can pack their own lunches. On the other hand they should try to make

sure there are halal and kosher meals for religious people who observe those dietary requirements. And maybe hire a person in charge of making sure food is prepared that is in line to the needs of all students. There is also an importance of making sure there are food options for students with intolerances to dairy and other things as well,” said Diane Rivera, another student.

While students do have the option to pack their own lunches, sometimes stopping by Danner Cafeteria is more convenient for them. Delta College students should have access to both convenience and food that suits their needs.

Alex Breitler, director of Marketing and Communications, says that Delta food services has been “operating a relatively low volume, which can limit the variety of options that can be made available to students.” “We do periodically offer vegetarian and other food category choices for both prepared breakfasts and lunches. On an ongoing basis we also offer frozen meals (Clean Eatz) that also offer alternative menu options.”

Breitler assures that Delta is working on offering more alternative food options for students. “The good

news is that we are in the process of hiring new staff and are planning to expand our food services operations, which should make it easier to provide a wider range of menu items in the future,” said Breitler.

Military families find support on social media

BY ELENA CANDELAS Social Media Editor

Sending off loved ones to the military is never easy but doing so with conflicts rising it is only natural to feel isolated and riddled with anxiety of what is to come. Finding a community is important and even as the app garners a bad reputation for its algorithm and a predominant use amongst older generations, it retains one of its early selling points: connecting people with a broader community.

Communities created on Facebook groups supply supportive communities for active duty families and those who have just sent their children to boot camp.

Each group has a variety of things from prayer, words of encouragement and questions with some answers as to protocols, with support groups in areas all across the country, these groups foster a lively community that seems to help many not feel so alone.

Lonnie and Carrie Blevins, parents of two service members, noted that even in boot camp family members of certain units have gone about making groups.

“When they go into boot camp there’s separate groups for each unit that they go into. So all the parents are you know they talk to each other on

there,” noted Carrie Blevins.

Lonnie Blevins added, “Yeah, so if any of the parents find out any information about what’s going on with their same battalion, they put it on the on the Facebook page and you can actually keep up with everything that they’re doing.”

The two noted that this offered a level of comfort to family and partners that were both concerned for their service member and also for themselves as having a community understanding of their own experience allowed for a lightened weight.

With her daughter in reserves after her six year enrollment time, Janet Jones hadn’t been a part of a group for a while only recently rejoining following her daughter’s deployment. A daughter of a service member as well, Jones has been a military mom for the past 23 years and understands the need for community in times of both deployment and boot camp.

“I sort of know from my whole life experience, about the need for military families to support each other and they always have it’s a tight knit community of people. But, if you’re not if you’re not in a community where -- because for many mothers their children have been sent away to basic training far far away from where they are then they get sent off to a duty station also far far away

from where they are and they’re not often located near a base or where there are other military families and then they don’t have that support system that you would if you had that community right there with you so I think it’s important that we can have this online group of people,” said Jones.

Community at the tip of your fingers, support and others who understand exactly what it is you are experiencing that is what these online groups offer. For family and friends of service members these communities lighten the load, providing understanding some cannot find close to home.

For families less seasoned in the military life it offers answers from others who’ve gone through this process before making an experience that is all together terrifying, a little less unknown.

A lot of these groups are private or the public ones contain a large amount of monitoring by admin. Even then remember to follow the normal rules you would when using the internet do not give sensitive information, such as location.

If you want anonymity a lot of these groups will allow you to post anonymously and you can find that support without feeling exposed.

Roe v. Wade reversal continues to have ripple effects

BY EDEN ATTWOOD Staff Writer

On June 24, 2022 Supreme Court ruling “Roe v Wade” was overturned.

The ruling declared that abortion was a Constitutional right and that the guarantee of “liberty” in the 14th Amendment protected a woman’s decision to choose to terminate a pregnancy. Ever since the reversal, more and more states have moved to ban abortion.

The result is that women in states with active abortion bans can face between five years to life in prison for terminating a pregnancy. Since the initial overturning, 13 states have made abortion illegal.

Gestational limit on abortion exists in 28 states, putting a maximum stage of pregnancy at which an abortion can be performed.

The Center for Reproduction Rights (CRR) identifies the 13 states that have banned abortion as Texas, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia.

CRR said that punishment for performing an

abortion as a physician in the noted states counts as a first class felony, meaning a potential sentence of five to ninety-nine years or life in prison.

While abortions in these states are allowed to save the mother’s life, hospitals sometimes refuse to take the risk.

According to NBC news, on June 4, 2025 a Texas hospital sent 35 year old Kyleigh Thurman home as she was bleeding and in pain, requesting an abortion. Although she survived, she went on to lose a part of her reproductive system.

Thurman’s story is not alone. Since the reversal of Roe vs. Wade women have taken to social media to express dismay in the new reality of abortion in the United States. In California, abortion remains legal within 24-26 weeks of conception. This is because with the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, abortion rights were left up to the state to decide. With California being largely democratic, Governor Gavin Newsom declared the state a “safe haven” for abortion providers and people seeking to terminate a pregnancy.

There are still many arguments against abortion. Organizations like Pro-Life Across America try to tug at the heart strings by telling people to “save our babies.” However many others like researchers at Science and Culture Today have found that a fetus isn’t even conscious until 24 weeks from conception, which

is the limit on abortion even in states where it’s legal. With the arrival of Women’s History Month this year, arguments like these are being brought up to highlight the loss of autonomy women are experiencing in the United States.

In an interview with Harvard writers, Ana Langer, the coordinator of the Women and Health Initiative at Harvard, states “we’ve seen that these laws do not result in fewer abortions. Instead, they compel women to risk their lives and health by seeking out unsafe abortion care.”

“If the current trend in the U.S. persists, “back alley” abortions will be the last resource for women with no access to safe and legal services, and the horrific consequences of such abortions will become a major cause of death and severe health complications for some of the most vulnerable women in this country,” Langer went on to say.

According to the World Health Organization, 23,000 women die from unsafe abortions each year.

Amanda Jean Stevenson, the leader of the Colorado Fertility Project at University of Colorado Boulder says “I find that in the first year of such a ban, estimated pregnancy-related deaths would increase from 675 to 724 (49 additional deaths, representing a 7% increase), and in subsequent years to 815 (140 additional deaths, for a 21% increase).”

Edison High featured in symphonic orchestra

BY RYCKIE HEREDIA Senior Staff Writer

On March 4, the Delta Symphonic Band performed with the Edison High School Concert Band at Delta College Atherton Auditorium.

Edison High School, directed by Chris McCoy, performed a total of five songs to start off the concert: “Counterbalance,” “Blue Ridge Reel,” “The Wishing Well,” “Firebirds” and lastly “ War March of the Tartars.”

Luisa Lopez, who plays the flute for Delta College Symphonic band, gave her thoughts on the performance afterwards, highlighting how it went well even if recent HVAC issues had delayed practice and caused anxiety for the performers.

“It ended up being way better than I thought it was gonna be. And the overall performance, the high school, I feel like we all did really good,” said Lopez.

The second half of the concert was then performed by Delta College Symphonic Band, directed by M.J. Wamhoff, professor and director of bands, with Associate Conductor Barbara Shinaver.

Delta College performed a total of four songs: “The Sea of Mountains,” “Journeys,” “The Hour of Pearl” and “Urban Light.”

“It was really good. It was really beautiful. I think the percussion was especially cool. I was in band, I understand. I think my friend did really well,” said Sharon Terhune, second year Delta College student, who attended the performance.

“It honestly wasn’t what I expected, in a good way. I’m not really into music like that or band, but I actually enjoyed it,” said Vanessa Cardenas, a Delta College graduate.

At the end of the concert, Wamhoff led the united bands of the two schools to play two more songs: “Everlight” and “Hope Ahead.”

After the performance director, Wamhoff, spoke about the hard work and the early mornings the students had put in to prepare for the concert.

“The band played really, really well. I had some kids who thought that this was the best performance they’ve had or the best they’ve played it. So it was good, it’s nice to kind of peak for a concert like this,” said Wamhoff.

Celebrating women through film must watches

BY JEWELS ESTRADA Feature Editor

During Women’s History Month, it’s important to recognize and celebrate the strong voices and actions that women accomplish despite what they have faced throughout history. These movies, in no particular order, showcase those important moments but also tell stories of true and fictional events that occurred but are equally relevant for women’s history and empowerment.

These films spotlight the hard work of women across the years and inspire women across the globe. Many see themselves in other women and it’s important to share our stories and history to change the future for the better.

HIDDEN FIGURES (2016)

DIRECTED BY THEODORE MELFI (HBO MAX)

Biographical drama based on a true story where three African-American women who work for NASA play a key part in the mathematical equations needed for the final goal of sending the first man to the moon during the Space Race. Facing these obstacles in an era where there is still sexism and segregation stepping in the way of their goals. Based on the book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly.

ON THE BASIS OF SEX (2018)

DIRECTED BY MIMI LEDER (NETFLIX)

Documentary drama of the true story of the life of late Supreme Court justice judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg in her journey at Harvard Law school and the challenges she faces from the laws discriminating against gender from the 50s to the 70s. Ginsburg advocated for gender equality and resistance against laws against the rights of women during this time.

MONA LISA SMILE (2003)

DIRECTED BY MIKE NEWELL (YOUTUBE FOR $3.99)

Fictional drama set in the 50s, where an all women’s conservative college is challenged by a new woman art history professor that makes them question their desires of traditional wife duties. Educating the women enrolled in the college there is more to life than their husbands dreams and desires for their own future. Challenging these young women to explore their education and gain potential careers through wanting a more modern life.

HE NAMED ME MALALA (2015)

DIRECTED BY DAVIS GUGGENHEIM (YOUTUBE FOR $3.99)

Documentary following Malala Yousafzai’s young woman social activist and 2014 noble peace prize recipient who speaks up for girls rights to an education in Pakistan. Then after surviving an attempt on her life by the Taliban, it follows her journey in trying to advocate for girl’s education around the globe also while being a young girl herself. It showcases her bravery and activism for the rights of girls to get an education in a patriarchal society who wants to repress girls.

LITTLE WOMEN (2019)

DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG (YOUTUBE FOR $3.99)

Romance drama about a family of girls that each live life differently through their transitions into womanhood. The film showcases their goals and aspirations while coming of age in a society not made for women. It focuses on each sister’s life choices that uniquely affect their future and finding happiness in those choices. Each of the five sisters have relatable issues that most even now women go through.

9-5 (1980)

DIRECTED BY COLIN HIGGINS (PEACOCK)

Comedy about three women in corporate America in the 70s dealing with the sexism, bigotry, and harassment of their male boss. These three women work together to better their workspace and give their boss a taste of his own medicine with unique methods of payback.

ERIN

BROCKOVICH (2000)

DIRECTED BY STEVEN SODERBERGH (NETFLIX)

Biographical drama of a true story about a young mom named Erin Brockovich who becomes an American paralegal and builds a human rights/environmental case against Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) due to many families in the area developing many illnesses. They develop this due to the water system contamination from chemicals PG&E use to support their machines. Brockovich uses her unethical methods in order to assist the people affected in this case even with the lack of education and experience in her career.

ELLA MCCAY (2025)

DIRECTED BY JAMES L.BROOKS (HULU)

Comedic drama about fictional character Ella McCay, a young woman politician who is given the opportunity to be the youngest governess in history but faces challenges in her first couple days in office and must make a choice. McCay must navigate how her personal life is affecting her career and position in office.

HARRIET (2019)

DIRECTED BY KASI LEMMONS (NETFLIX)

Biographical action film of a true story about the sacrifice and pain Harriet Tubman faced when escaping being a slave and how she played a key role in the escape of other slaves using the Underground Railroad. Using these secret safe houses and routes in order to free others enslaved. Highlighting the danger and bravery of Tubman during these times in order to save others so they can live freely in the North and Canada.

ROSA PARKS STORY (2002)

DIRECTED BY JULIE DASH (FREE ON YOUTUBE)

Biographical drama of the true story of the childhood, marriage and life of Rosa Parks. Parks is a African-American civil rights activist known for her movement in boycotting the Montgomery Bus for the segregation of black and white people. The film

shows leading up to when Parks decided to peacefully protest against the treatment of the black community on the bus during the 50s. It also shows the impact of her arrest and the media coverage of Parks’ experience.

SOUL SURFER (2011)

DIRECTED BY SEAN MCNAMARA (FREE ON BYUTV)

Biographical drama of the true story of Bethany Hamilton, a young girl who lost part of her arm to a shark attack while surfing. Hamilton navigates through the challenges of surfing with one hand and inspiring others through her experience. Her tragedy brings praise for overcoming her experiences of wanting to continue surfing and her life despite it.

FRIDA (2002)

DIRECTED BY JULIE TAYMOR (PLUTOTV OR PARAMOUNT+)

Biographical drama of the true story of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The film follows the life of Kahlo’s trauma and inspiration for painting. It also follows Kahlo’s challenges in her marriage and politics which inspired many of her famous artworks. Her art of self-portraits is inspired by Mexican culture, identity and traditions. The film highlights a lot of the artist’s struggles and fame for her work.

LEGALLY BLONDE (2001)

DIRECTED BY ROBERT LUKETIC (PEACOCK OR MGM+)

Fictional comedy about a young sorority girl named Elle Woods who is heartbroken after her boyfriend thought she wasn’t mature or intelligent enough to see a future with. Woods decides to enroll in the same law school, Harvard in order to prove him wrong. Woods is underestimated and faces discrimination as a lawyer for her looks but proves she is more than that.

Hollywood the unethical recyler

BY ELENA CANDELAS Senior Staff Writer

2026 is set to be a sequel-packed year, with live-action adaptations and additions to franchises galore. The film space has become a rotating door of the same faces, story lines and tropes.

Upon the release of the “Shrek 5” teaser in February of 2025 originally set to release Dec 25 2026 but the release date has since been pushed back. Even just the teaser sent the internet into a frenzy of jokes about the story line following the overbearing father and the adventurous daughter who wants to break away, many using the line “I wanna explore the world, dad” in their humorous theories about the film.

That cliche is found in a variety of films — many also animated — including “The Croods,” “Hotel Transylvania,” and “The Little Mermaid (1-3).”

The same thing has occurred in many other franchises, with studios making a story fit a mold because it is easier than branching out — playing it safe because a name sells.

Reviving franchises that sell is not a new concept has been around for decades. In an article published on Variety in November 2024, Owen Gleiberman wrote “Sequel culture craves that déjà vu nirvana, but like all addictions it provides a high that eats away at you at the same time. It’s sustaining without being nourishing. As the movie industry fights to survive, any film that helps it do so probably deserves a tip of the hat. But the industry can’t ultimately survive unless it figures out a way to make movie culture survive.”

After the drop in ticket sales caused by Covid-19 closures, it’s easy to understand why Hollywood sticks to a formula — but it also destroys the movie-going experience, making each film predictable and familiar. The silver screen now fails to provide a sense of wonder and amusement.

A constant cycle of the same mold and relying on a name to hold an entire industry is not sustainable. This safety net makes taking risks on new faces both in front and behind the screen a rarity.

“What I’ve talked about a lot with like union friends of mine and with non union friends from L.A. to wherever is in the U.S. there’s like not a lot of work for established film makers even. Like other assistant directors that I know, they’re taking the heads of departments abroad to avoid paying union fees and the seconds or like the rest of the department is left here without work” said 23-yearold Sydney Strange, an independent director and producer based in Sacramento notable for her short

“I Thought of You.” The piece won Best Short Under 3 Minutes at the Sactown Movie Buff Film Festival in 2024.

The concern for the industry is not just cheap ideas but also outsourced labor.

“…Like can we make our money back from this big investment that is filmed and so not trusting new upcoming film makers not even trusting established people that aren’t the heads of departments because you want to be cheap and avoiding union fees they, they all go

Women want respect not power

BY ELIJAH PROSSER Senior Staff Writer

Womenhave been fighting, especially in the Women’s Suffrage movement, where it was a decades-long struggle to finally get them the right to vote and run for office.

A lot of women nowadays have to work as twice as hard just to earn less money than their male counterparts while still working the same jobs as them.

“I feel as if maybe finally equal pay and equal rights,” said Delta student Brittany Hernandez. “Because if you were to see a woman working construction, you would probably give her the easiest job, right? Because her as a woman, she wouldn’t be able to lift heavier or do what a man can do, but if you guys were giving her a chance then in her succeeding in that then a man would say ‘OK she’s able to do it’ and maybe hire more women to take on that role as well — with equal pay of course.”

I agree with her on that statement, but not every man would think that way.

On Feb. 22, both the USA women’s and men’s hockey teams both won gold, marking an important milestone as the first time both women’s and men’s sweeps at the same games.

together,” said Strange.

Those wanting to enter the film industry are no longer just battling a competitive job market but also battling the bigger names of the past.

“...now I think they’re more evidently afraid of making newer content with newer people because it’s a risk and they don’t wanna spend a couple million dollars on somebody that might not make money because there’s already existing fans and existing IP,” said Strange.

These existing names are fun for a second, a little hit of nostalgia here and there but they should not diminish the work of newer creatives who seek to keep the film rolling for the long run. Strange noted that the industry would eventually burn themselves on the reliance of a nostalgic past. But eventually a series must die and the industry has to take a risk and that is where the Independent film industry can fill the void.

New ideas, new creative minds, and new talents dawning the big screen is what the industry needs.

Soon after, the men’s hockey team was seen on the phone with President Donald J.Trump while he made this comment towards the women’s hockey team.

“I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that? I do believe I probably would be impeached,” said Trump

Many people viewed it as a distasteful remark by Trump, and the whole men’s hockey team, who laughed, faced significant backlash.

Soon after, musician Flavor Flav offered to host the women’s hockey team in Las Vegas for a chance at real respect and celebrations.

This could’ve have gone better for the men hockey team if they would’ve have not laugh at Trump’s comment and didn’t knowledge it.

“I think it’s just sexism, it’s plain sexism because they both do the same sport they both work hard, it’s not just like ‘oh we’re men so we’re just going to be better,’ it’s not about that you’re playing the same sport you should be on the same team you’re playing for the same person so I don’t think gender really should be a thing that splits somebody,” said Delta student Chloe Ente.

SCMA: A building by any other name is just as sweet

BY ZACKARY KIRK-NEWTON Editor-at-Large

Perhapsyou’ve seen it — someone in the courtyard of the Shima building muttering under their breath as they look around glaring at room numbers — if you’re a particularly good Samaritan, you might have even walked up and struck up a conversation. Turns out they’re looking for room 161 which… does not exist.

After you briefly consider that you’ve spontaneously swapped universes, you ask to see their schedule, they hand over their phone and you find the source of the confusion, what they read as Shima was actually SCMA.

The SCMA, or Science and Math Building, is the odd building out on campus. Of the buildings at the Stockton campus that are currently standing, it’s the one of the few not dedicated to someone. Its name, a purely utilitarian one that describes its purpose, is a source of confusion for some students especially around the start of the semester.

“It’s constant during the first few weeks back from break, we’ll have students who are looking for a class in SCMA come in asking us where it is,” said Sarah Maimone, who works in the Career Technical Education and Workforce Development Division Office which is located at Shima 217.

Questions from students looking for the SCMA building were so common in fact that signs had been placed by members of the CTE staff in the courtyard of Shima that attempted to point students in the right direction.

“It’s super frequent, especially when we were doing mustang week,” said Maimone, who tabled in the courtyard during mustang week “It was one of the most commonly asked questions besides ‘where’s the food pantry?’”

All this confusion begs the question, How do you fix it?

The most direct way to address it would be to rename one of the buildings, which is allowed by board policy.

According to board policy AP6620, “Any current employee or student of the San Joaquin Delta College community may request to name or remove the current name of a campus facility, planting, or tree, or install or remove a memorial plaque or other monument.”

The application to name a facility on campus is also present in board policy AP6620.01.

Any application that is put through is reviewed by the Heritage Committee, a committee that meets as needed to address the issue of naming buildings on campus.

Even with these rules being present, buildings being renamed on campus are extremely rare, especially buildings already dedicated to someone.

“I will say that it’s pretty rare to have buildings renamed, the original buildings all have their original names, with the exception of a couple,” said Sarah Seekatz, a history professor at Delta College, who did a sabbatical report on building names and their history in 2024.

The Goleman library, Budd building, Cunningham building, Shima building, Holt building and the Locke buildings were all named in 1971 before the buildings were even constructed. Of these buildings, none have been renamed in the intervening years, though the Cunningham building was demolished.

However, a few buildings from this era have been renamed.

“Those that are renamed are the same type that we have with SCMA,” said Seekatz. “The buildings were originally named after what they do instead of for a person.”

Seekatz cited the forums, which were initially named after cardinal directions but were renamed in 2023, as an example of a building that started with non-dedicated names that were later changed.

“It’s a little bit easier, I think, to

rename something that doesn’t have a name already but it still is a pretty rare process,” said Seekatz

While the SCMA building fits the mold of having a more utilitarian name, costs remain a limiting factor.

“The campus is slow to make changes in building names because it is costly, it does take a lot of time and energy to fix the maps and fix the signage,” said Seekatz.

When the forums were renamed in 2023, the total cost to change the signage for all of the forms was over $6,000.

Another factor that Seekatz believes is working against renaming SCMA is the

fact that across the college systems a lot of buildings are named after donors. So as long as SCMA remains unnamed it leaves the door open for it to be claimed by a donor.

“There is a hope that we are able to have community members to donate to support our campus,” said Seekatz “I think for a long time since SCMA was the newest building that was the hope”

Seekatz, who spearheaded the process to name the Dolores Huerta Plaza alongside professor Lynn Hawley, argued that while the work would be difficult it was also possible and that anyone could start it.

Delta basketball takes first 3C2A championship

BY LEVI GOERZEN Editor-in-Chief

On March 16, the Delta College Women’s basketball team won the 3C2A State Championship over MiraCosta College 76-71.

This was Delta’s 15th appearance at state and fourth finals appearance in the last 30 years.

“This is our fourth time getting to the championship game, and we’ve been to the final four multiple times, and been to the state tournament elite eight 16 times,” said head coach Gina Johnson. “So we’ve been there, but being able to make it to the very end and then come up on top is surreal.”

Delta College went 28-5 in regular season play, including 14-2 in conference, going undefeated through regional playoffs as well as the state championship tournament, beating out Cypress and Laney colleges.

“We played the toughest schedule in the state, we played the number one team in the state twice and we played so many other good teams,” said Johnson.

Delta was outscored 30-43 in the first half, and didn’t have a lead in the game until 2:55 in the 4th. In the second half, Delta outscored MiraCosta 46-28.

“They were shooting 70 to

80 percent from the three and that’s unheard of in basketball,” said Johnson.

Aaliyah Youngblood led scoring for the Mustangs with 20 points shooting 7 for 20 from the field and 6 for

6 from the free throw line. Youngblood also won tournament MVP scoring 45 points during the tournament, going 15 for 46 from the field and going 14 for 16 from the free throw line.

“[Youngblood is] tenth leading in the state in scoring and third in steals,” said Johnson.

Youngblood is also 10th in state for free throws taken and 57th in assists.

Delta’s successful season has been fueled by an impressive defensive performance averaging 25.9 opponent turnovers, 15.6 steals and 23.9 defensive rebounds per game.

Baseball beats Sacramento City Panthers 4-2

BY ELIJAH PROSSER Senior Staff Writer

On March 12, the Mustangs faced off against the Sacramento City Panthers during a home game at Nick Cecchetti Field and ended up winning 4-2 in the second game of a three-game series. Both teams started the game scoreless until the sixth inning, when Delta was down 2-1 with little to no energy left. But in the eighth inning, they scored three runs to rally and beat the Panthers.

No. 44, Freshman player Alex Es-

calante, explained how the team addressed their struggles and overcame that hurdle.

“Right now, I mean, Sac City is obviously one of the better teams in our conference,” said Escalante. “Today, a big thing is we’re able to back each other up no matter what position we are on the field. We could be down by 5 in the ninth inning and we’re still going to give it all we have ... Our coaches, you know, they give us confidence, courage on what we need to do and they put trust in us.”

The game could have ended early, but

the amazing defense by Delta made this game a bit closer at the end to capture the victory over Sacramento.

With the 3-0 run from the Mustangs, the pitching, both No. 10 Pitcher Justin Jones and No. 19 Jace Johnson, delivered solid performances that helped spark the run.

The whole pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts and allowed only two runs.

The main MVP of the game was Jones, who pitched six innings while allowing two earned runs on five hits.

On March 10, Delta lost to Sac State 8-1, meaning that this game was huge to be able to regain that momentum back from the Panthers.

“I think it’s a good bounce back for us,” said Associate Head Coach Anthony D’albora. “We obviously lost for the first game of the series, and we haven’t done that yet. We haven’t had to deal with that yet so it was good for us to be able to bounce back and do enough to win today but also still a good reminder that there's still a lot that we can execute to be better.”