A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION
Woodland Hills, California Volume 138 - Issue 8
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
In a flash!
One copy free, each additional copy $1.00
Photo by Ashley Shellmire
Jenny Moses and student performers sing a song from the upcoming play "Rent" during a flash mob in middle of Mall at Pierce College Woodland Hills Calif., on April 19, 2023.
Activism: turquoise warrior-style
NATHALIE MIRANDA Reporter
A
ctivism, advocacy and awareness seem to be very important to a lot of college students. The Multicultural Day keynote presentation gave Pierce College students the opportunity to hear from someone who has been participating in all three for most of his life. Activist and hip-hop artist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez was the keynote speaker during Multicultural Day on Thursday, where he spoke to students and faculty about his experience as an activist and why it’s so important to him. He shared personal anecdotes
about growing up indigenous and how it connects to his activism today. Martinez emphasized the importance of bringing awareness to many different social justice issues, from the climate crisis to people of color (POC) solidarity, and urged the students to use their voice and become active participants in bringing awareness to these issues. “Each of us, in our own way, with our own voice has a very specific and important point to make,” Martinez said. “We’re counting on people around us who share our vision. And everybody who showed up here today, that’s a beautiful first step.” Before Martinez’s presentation started, chair
of the Diversity Committee Michael Habata briefly spoke to the audience about Multicultural Day and how the events strive to highlight and nurture the diverse Pierce campus. The keynote presentation specifically aimed to encourage students to become advocates themselves. “I encourage you all to have a sense of curiosity to know who your neighbors are and to embrace the differences that you have,” Habata said. Habata also stated they wanted Martinez as the keynote speaker because they knew that he was someone who could really connect with the students. The purpose of the event was
to make students understand As a student herself, that they are capable of King-Sing was able to reflect making a difference. on how the contents of the “Xiuhtezcatl is someone presentation landed with the who’s younger, he’s a hip-hop students. She shared how musician, he’s an activist and hearing the speech could we thought that combination have really impacted the would be someone that audience. students could be excited “I think it’s important that about,” Habata said. “Young he spoke to college students people today, especially because in college you’re still college students, really care learning who you are,” Kingabout making a difference Sing said. “Maybe somebody and they want to be able to who wasn’t sure about who feel like they can.” they want to be or what they Student Alexandra King- want to do would have found Sing shared her thoughts on inspiration in his speech and the presentation. think that they want to go “I found the speech really into activism.” inspiring,” King-Sing said. “I really liked that he spoke about indigenous activism. nm.miranda.roundupnews@gmail.com I feel like it was really enlightening.”
Photo by Owen Meza
Hip-hop artist and environmental activist Xiuhtezcatl Martinez talks as the keynote speaker of Multicultural Day at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 20, 2023.
THIS WEEK: 108th Commemoration of the Armenian genocide Photos by Daniela Raymundo.
Left: Music professor Garineh Avakian sings at the commemoration of the Armenian genocide hosted at the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 25, 2023.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Opinions..............................................................2 News.....................................................................3 Campus Life........................................................4 Photo Essay/Multicultural Day...........................5 Sports & Health...................................................6
Right: Dancers from the Armenian Berd Ensemble Studio Tina Hovhannisyan and Gagik Tadevosyan perform at the Multicultural Center at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on April 25, 2023.
Health, wellness & petting zoos on page 6