A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION Woodland Hills, California Volume 138 - Issue 1
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Wednesday, March 1, 2023
All in this together
New Multicultural Center gives students space for cultural freedom BY NATHALIE MIRANDA
L
Reporter
os Angeles Pierce College strives to uplift students from all kinds of cultural backgrounds, and now there is a space on campus that not only represents those students but celebrates them. The Multicultural Centers' grand opening was on Tuesday, February 28 where it welcomed all students to come together and meet peers from their own and other cultures. The center will host a variety of events and activities in hopes of teaching students about their differences and similarities and how to appreciate both. Multicultural Center Coordinator Tatevik Melkumyan finds that there is unity in the diversity of experiences we share. The Multicultural center is a place where Pierce can help facilitate that unity. “The main goal of the center is to give voices to the marginalized populations and marginalized groups on campus to give them a
space where they belong, but at the same time promote intercultural learning,” Melkumyan said. “We all know about ourselves, but I think it's also really important for us to learn about others because then that allows for more tolerance and acceptability.” Located in the Library and Learning Crossroads courtyard, the Multicultural Center is in the same area as the Brahma Bodega and Umoja program. While no dates have been set, the center plans on hosting many celebrations in March for Women’s History Month, Transgender Day of Visibility and the Persian New Year. There will also be a collaboration between the center and Brahma Bodega in April where students will get to learn how to cook meals from other cultures. “Students can learn different things about the way that foods are prepared to see that even though it's different, we're similar,” Geremy Mason
who runs the Brahma Bodega said. Students on campus have been asking for a space like this for a long time and in the fall of 2021, many students filled out surveys from the administration about what they would like to see in such a center. The resolution to create the Multicultural Center was passed last spring. Since then, Melkumyan has been working closely with students and faculty to make the center a place that everyone can appreciate. “I've been working with LGBTQ students, some of our other groups of students to get their input on what they want out of the center, how they want to be represented from the center,” Melkumyan said. “So the student, staff and faculty input have been
a big part of creating the center because it's supposed to represent them, and you can't represent them without their involvement.” The Multicultural Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The center will be bustling with activities for the rest of the semester, and students are encouraged to come and celebrate all cultures. “I hope (the center) creates a space where students feel like they belong at Pierce no matter what,” ASO counselor Lara Conrady said. “I think the ‘we're all in this together’ mentality is where I hope it goes. I just really want every student to feel like they have a place at Pierce because they do.”
Los Angeles Community Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez speaks at the opening of the Multicultural Center at Pierce College, in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Feb. 28, 2023. Photo by Daniela Raymundo
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Preview: Three Strikes…and they’re back
JENNIFER TANZIL Pierce softball team looks forward to its first season since 2019 BY Reporter
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ierce College Softball is back in full swing this February after a nearly four-year hiatus. With the Joe Kelly Field renovated and a new coach, the program is looking for a fresh start to get the bats swinging and the balls spinning again. Leading the way is newly appointed Head Coach Brett Marschall, whose resume boasts four years of assistant coaching at El Camino College as well as four years of lead assistant coaching at Marymount California University. Marschall is also in his fourth year of teaching economics at Pierce. Given his extensive coaching history, availability as a full-time faculty member, and dedication to the excellence of student-athletes, he was deemed a great fit by the administration. Marschall feels strongly about sports at Pierce and saw the job as a chance to share that conviction with students. “I wanted to give our female studentathletes at Pierce the opportunity to represent the school and play college softball,” Marschall said. Having been a collegiate athlete himself, Marschall wanted to give that same support to those wanting to experience playing at the college
level. He sees it as a unique, once-in-alifetime opportunity. He’s looking forward to coaching a team of talented players, most of whom are playing their first year of college softball. “Collectively, as a group, I’m looking forward to seeing them all continue to grow and develop in their roles,” Marschall said. “(Fans) will see the players really giving it their all.” The last time softball was played at Pierce College was nearly four years ago. The year before that, the season was canceled due to not having enough players to field the team. Player eligibility not only depends on playing ability, but a GPA requirement has to be met by each student as well. These factors, along with overall participation, can make it hard to fill a roster of dedicated players. Just as softball was gearing up for its return in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and forced all sports to a halt. Things are looking better now as the softball team has a roster of 16 eligible players, an increase from previous years that have sometimes seen only eight to ten players sign up. But Marschall doesn’t want to ponder on the past and the whys of it
all. He’s only looking in one direction– forward. He knows it’ll take some time to get to a comfortable pace but he’s excited to make that trek with the team. “Anytime you’re starting up a new venture, there’s always going to be challenges and growing pains,” Marshall said. For one, Marschall sees the prospect of traveling hours to games as far away as San Luis Obispo to be quite daunting, given that most players are also full-time students with regular obligations like classes and homework He credits the resilience of studentathletes as a factor that fuels the players when things get challenging. Marschall’s goals for the young team don’t just include winning games, he’s prioritizing the little victories and milestones in watching the team do better in each matchup. He’s already seen significant improvement since the team’s season opener on February 16 against Allan Hancock College, which resulted in a loss. “This is going to be a process of improvement every game so that’s what we’re focusing on right now,” Marschall said. “Our goal is to go out and compete in each game and continue to get better.”
Pitcher, first baseman, and outfielder, Andrea Roldan, is excited to be playing but admits she feels the pressure of being part of a budding softball team. “The team we have is great, but there is a bit of pressure because we want to give Pierce a good name in the softball world,” Roldan said. “My personal goal for the season is to help build a solid team through camaraderie and dedication.” Meanwhile, her teammate, center fielder Olivia Vasquez looks to work on her approach at the plate. “Because softball is such a test of mental strength, I’d love to bolster my confidence and execute at the plate when I’m needed,” Vasquez said. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 6)
Photo by Hunter Hammerot
Andrea Roldan pitches at a home softball game vs. Cuesta at Pierce College, in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Feb. 21 2023.
Theater student earns praise [see Arts & Entertainment on pg. 5 ]
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Opinions....................................2 News..........................................3 Campus Life..............................4 Arts & Entertainment................5 Sports........................................6