Volume 144 Spring 2026 Issue 3

Performing Arts Center reopens following death investigation

By Daisy Aguinada Editor-in-Chief

Hills resident and U.S. Army and Air Force veteran was found dead near the Performing Arts Building on campus on Monday, March 9.

He was later identified by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner as Morgan Dunne, 43.

According to the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, investigators determined that no foul play was involved and that the campus is safe.

Dunne served in the military as a combat medic, according to his mother Mi Dunne. He is remembered by his mother as a compassionate person who dedicated much of his life to helping others.

“He had a heart for helping people,” she said. “If someone needed help, he would stop and help them.”

She described her son as someone who often stepped in when others were struggling, including helping people find housing or connect with job opportunities.

His mother also said Dunne lived with post-traumatic stress disorder following his military service.

Pierce College officials said the entrance to Parking Lot 8 and the Performing Arts area remained closed Monday while authorities responded to the scene. Theater, music and art classes scheduled in the area were canceled for the day.

Pierce College President Ara Aguiar said the incident prompted the closure of the Performing Arts Building area

while authorities investigated.

“The emergency in the PAB area resulted in canceling all of the classes in PAB, music and art,” Aguiar said. “At no time was anyone on the campus at risk or at threat. There was no threat to the campus, but it triggered an investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.”

An email from the president’s office on Tuesday afternoon confirmed that Dunne was not a student or employee of the college.

The Performing Arts department reopened Tuesday morning, and classes in the

area resumed.

Pierce Student Health Center Director Houry Tanashian said counseling services are available for students who may be emotionally impacted by the incident.

“If you have any students who are in emotional distress or are impacted by this incident, please give them the Health Center phone number and let them come over,” Tanashian said. “We have two psychologists who will speak to them, and we can provide crisis intervention. Anyone who needs to be walked in

can come to the Health Center without an appointment.”

Tanashian also said students have access to additional virtual mental health support through the college’s TimelyCare service.

Veteran students can access the office in the Library Learning Resource Building, where staff help coordinate Veterans Affairs education benefits and connect students with academic counseling and other campus resources.

Students and community members seeking support can contact the Pierce College

Student Health Center for mental health resources. The national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is also available by calling or texting 988, which provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day.

For students and faculty seeking additional support, campus resources can be found on Page 4.

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Editor-in-Chief..............Daisy Aguinada

Managing Editor.........Abraham Elizalde

Opinion Editor...............Gabriella Carlos

News Editor..................Natalie Baharian

Photo Editor.......................Josue Aguilar

Photo Editor........................Calvin Henry

Photo Assistant.................Alissa Nguyen

Photo Assistant..................Sandra Mazas

Campus Life Editor...........Olivia Muñoz

Entertainment Editor.....Chris Rubinstein

Entertainment Assistant...........Joy Mellk

Sports Editor....................Bryce Edwards

Newsletter Editor................Emily Garcia

Online Editor....................Brianna Fuerte

Social Media Editor........Zamourad Iqbal

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Editorial: From the desk of the Roundup Student success starts with recharging and rest

Frequently

you can find college students napping on a desk using their backpack as a pillow in the library. Students can be found napping on a bench, on the lawn or even their car. Many students stay in the area of their college for hours a day due to multiple classes and waiting times in between.

Instead of these places, Pierce College should develop a designated napping room for students to recharge comfortably and without any distractions. The room should consist of couches, reclinable chairs, soothing music and yoga mats. It should be known as the quiet zone in consideration for anyone who uses it.

In 2015, California State University of Northridge (CSUN) developed their Oasis Wellness Center for students to destress. According to Nirsa, CSUN

administrators became aware of students’ poor sleep hygiene after a survey was conducted. Soon after, the Oasis became the new focus to bettering the mental health of their students.

Director of the Student Recreation Center Jimmy Francis told Nirsa, “Providing a space like the Oasis allows students to disconnect from both the physical stress of campus and also the technologybased distraction in their lives and is beneficial to their overall health.”

The Oasis provides resources such as nap pods, massage chairs, guided-meditation yoga and compression boots.

In 2018, Yale University created The Good Life Center due to psychology professor Laurie Santos. Santos’ new class Psychology and the Good Life had more than 1,000 students,, it’s the most popular class in Yale history. The course aimed to answer

the question, ‘What is the good life?’ to which Santos educated the students on wellness building blocks..

The Nap Room at Yale is a safe space for students to take a break and rest with a short nap. The walls are painted lavender to promote sleep and the room is filled with cozy bean bag chairs, ear plugs and sleep masks.

The space is tech-free, which means students must leave their phones and laptops in their backpack while in the room.

Yale holds a variety of other wellness rooms, such as the game room, the green room, the music room and the offline oasis. Each room aims to support the mental and emotional health of students to better their education and wellness.

Naps are essential for a positive mental health in students. According to the study, Causes and consequences of sleepiness

Editorial: From the desk of the Roundup

among college students by the National Library of Medicine, 50% of students reported daytime sleepiness and 70% reported insufficient sleep. Sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness is an issue for college students because it can result in lower grades, academic failure, impaired mood and increase the risk of car accidents.

An article by BBC, mentioned that even a 15-minute nap can immediately improve mental performance. Resources such as the napping room or oasis center provide a safe and comfortable space for Pierce students to recharge. The rooms would encourage a positive atmosphere for the mental and physical health of students, and it would help maintain their grades in school.

Online gambling is targeting college students

Nearly20 million Americans report experiencing problematic gambling behavior several times within a year, according to a nationwide survey conducted by the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).

Of the many problematic gambling behaviors identified by NCPG, online gambling is one of the most prevalent.

In the survey, NCPG found that online gambling participation increased significantly from 15% in 2018 to 22% in 2024, while many Americans downplay the issue of gambling disorder.

One of the most vulnerable groups susceptible to online gambling addiction is college students, because of their access to student loans, financial aid and scholarship funds. Source

A 2025 study conducted by the University of Mississippi discovered that 39% of college students gambled in some way throughout the past year. 10% of students were at risk for a gambling disorder.

Students also have more leisure time compared to older adults with full-time jobs. This can lead to irresponsible betting, especially for students with parents who cover their rent, bills and insurance. According to Sally M. Gainsbury in her 2015 research article, “The use of digital forms of money (e.g., credit cards, electronic bank transfers and e-wallets) appears to lead to increased gambling and losses, particularly for problem gamblers, as people feel that they are not spending ‘real’ money.”

A 2024 NBC news article on gambling addiction hotlines reports that problem gambling centers are experiencing an increase in calls, typically from young men in their 20s and 30s. The Problem Gambling Network of Ohio alone experienced a 55% increase in call volume in 2023.

If these gambling behaviors are not addressed, students can end up in debt. This can be devastating for students who have yet to start their professional careers and build a steady income.

During a Zoom panel

conducted by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to discuss online gambling, Director of the Center for Gambling Studies Lia Nower stated that gambling companies, especially sports betting, are avoiding age restrictions and targeting young adults by reframing gambling as “sweepstakes.”

Nower also stated that other addiction behaviors and mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, amplify gambling.

Researchers Bilal Kalkan and Christine Suniti Bhat discovered a positive correlation between online gambling and depression among college students in a 2020 International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research article.

One of the ways Pierce could address online gambling is to host group therapy sessions for students to have a judgmentfree space where they can talk about their gambling issues and how to tackle these habits. These group discussions could be held once a week in a library study room or in a vacant classroom.

According to a research article

on group psychotherapy by J. Scott Rutan, the benefits of group therapy are the opportunities for feedback, building relationship skills and experiencing a sense of commonality.

The article states that “unhealthy relationships or a lack of relationships have as much impact on health as smoking and alcohol consumption.”

Another method to address online gambling is for Pierce counselors to provide selfhelp guides on how to deal with online gambling, and they could promote resources such as the National Problem Gambling Hotline and rehab programs.

The Associated Student Organization could book guest speakers, such as gambling addiction victims, addiction counselors or public health researchers, to raise awareness.

Online gambling is available 24 hours a day and is easily accessible. The sooner Pierce acts, the sooner it can prevent students from falling victim to the deceitful promotional practices of gambling companies and financial ruin.

Is cancel culture doing more harm than good?

PRO: Holding public figures accountable is the right thing to do.

By Mia Greer Reporter

Intoday’s modern age, when people are constantly connected online, public accountability can move faster than many of us are used to. When people speak out online about offensive remarks made by a company, the response is often labeled cancel culture. Critics frequently describe it as a form of mob mentality, but others argue it can be an important way to challenge harmful behavior, promote accountability and push for higher standards in society. Cancel culture, in its simplest form, is the act of calling out a behavior that harms others. Through boycotts and public pressure,

as Harvey Weinstein would not have been charged with sexual assault, and Bill Cosby wouldn’t have been sent to prison.

In an article by the Harvard Business Review about marketing, they speak about how to appropriately practice responsibility as a company, considering the politically and socially conscious consumers. Social media activism has shifted the power dynamic so much that companies must actually take action instead of just saying the right things. Before information could go this widespread on these platforms, many victims of harassment or discrimination had no way to share their experiences or seek justice. Now, a single post can ignite a larger conversation that pushes society to confront uncomfortable truths. These public callouts can make organizations look over their actions and reconsider the messages they put out.

everyday people can challenge these powerful figures that would otherwise avoid consequences.

According to the Pew Research Center, it is the consensus among Americans that cancel culture is a way for people to be held accountable for their actions, especially when those actions hurt certain groups. When asked to explain in their own words what they think cancel culture means, the most common answer was centered around accountability.

Public pressure like this has helped bring attention to many issues like racism, discrimination and harassment. Movements like the Me Too Movement gained momentum mostly because survivors shared their stories online and demanded accountability from these powerful individuals at fault. Had this movement not been widespread, figures such

CON: Cancel culture is ruining peoples lives.

By Abraham Elizalde Managing Editor

Inthis age of social media, one video, message or view can change a person’s life overnight. What is often portrayed as accountability, the practice of cancel culture has intensified to the point where a public figure might receive death threats, suffer from misinformation or lose their reputation.

People have been obtaining their news from social media apps like TikTok, Instagram and Reddit at increasing rates since the advent of the internet. The problem with getting news from these apps, however, is in most cases, the app’s users often post small snippets or little information with almost no context.

Sun-kyun died in December 2023 while the investigation was still ongoing.

His drug test came back negative, and it is said that it was the backlash of the investigation that caused him to commit suicide.

Psychiatrist Peter Jong-ho told BBC News it was the “abundance of shame, social pressure and constant finger pointing.”

While Sun-kyun’s incident involved the possibility of drug use, cancel culture can target mistakes on a smaller scale.

For example, movie director James Gunn had a good relationship with Disney after directing all three

What celebrity deserves to be canceled?

““I think we should cancel Clavicular because he promotes toxic wellbeing for young people, bad imagery and negative body image.”

SanaiSamuels—PublicHealthMajor

According to Reason, 45% of people under the age of 30 were afraid of losing their jobs because of a

misunderstanding about something they had said or done in the past. But, even if people fear their mistakes being pointed out, by a 48-27 margin, those same respondents agree that their fear means nothing in contrast to protecting historically disadvantaged groups. Debates about fairness in cancel culture will continue, but dismissing it entirely ignores the role it plays in empowering people who previously had little to no influence over public conversations. By calling out injustice and demanding accountability through cancel culture, communities can push society closer to higher standards of respect and responsibility.

According to NBC News, actor Johnny Depp sued actress Amber Heard for defamation after Heard filed a restraining order against Depp following their divorce filing in 2016. When the trial began in 2022, testimony and courtroom moments quickly spread across social media.

As the case gained traction online, many viewers relied on short clips and edited videos circulating on social media.

Instead of encouraging thoughtful discussion, the trial became a source of online ridicule directed at Heard. The trial subsequently changed the course of Heard’s life. After the trial, she quit acting and moved to Spain, according to Yahoo.

While Heard’s life did take a turn, the same can’t be said for actor Lee Sun-kyun, who died by suicide following an investigation for alleged drug abuse.

According to the BBC News, Sun-kyun was accused of taking drugs like marijuana and ketamine by a hostess at a bar in Seoul, South Korea, in October 2023. With 90% of the country using social media, there was a quick backlash against the actor due to the strict drug laws in South Korea.

“Guardians of the Galaxy” movies, with all making Marvel’s top 25 movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes.

Disney soon fired Gunn after old posts he made on X were publicized, which made jokes about 9/11, rape, the Holocaust and pedophilia from 2008-2009, according to The Guardian. Gunn took accountability for his words, but he was still let go from directing any movies for Disney. Despite this, he was still able to make a fanfavorite film, “Superman” in 2025, which made over $354 million, according to Box Office Mojo.

While cancel culture can be useful to call out public figures for serious offenses and abusing their power, it has gotten to the point where some people fear for what they can or cannot say online or in public.

“Nicki Minaj, because she has said some crazy things about trans people, saying they are really not trans. She used to support the community, and now she switched up on them.”

Giselle Hernandez — Environmental EngineeringMajor

“I would cancel Drake. I just don’t think his music represents a community that really wants to change and break generational curses like Kendrick Lamar. I feel like there’s a lot more meaning behind his lyrics.”

LauraLopez— MusicMajor

Board of Trustees seeks to offset homelessness amongst students

LACCD proposes resolution to reserve 20% of student housing for foster youth

Gisele Donan Reporter

TheBoard of Trustees discussed student housing for foster youth and student support programs on Wednesday, March 4.

In February 2025, the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) proposed a resolution dedicating 20% of student housing to foster youth. Different foster youth programs supported the resolution and celebrated the decision.

Case Manager at Changing The Faces of Homeless Ober Ramirez acknowledged the importance of setting aside housing and how it promotes student success. Ramirez also raised concern about the 1,400 foster students who make up community college enrollment, and how 22-30% of those students experience homelessness within two years of leaving foster care.

“Those numbers are not abstract. They represent students sitting in classrooms today,” Ramirez said. “Setting aside the 20% of district housing for students who have experienced foster care is not

simply an allocation decision, it is a structural intervention.”

Recognizing Women’s History Month as well as International Women’s Day, members of the resource table were invited to comment before the board.

Dean of Art, Media and Design Carmen Dominguez commented on the importance of female-led roles in our lives.

“Many of us carry with us the memory of a woman who changed the course of our lives, a teacher who saw potential in us before we saw it in ourselves,” Dominguez said. “The future we’re building together, one student at a time, is a legacy greater than we may ever fully know. When we lift a student, we lift their family, and when we lift a family, we lift our community.”

District Academic Senate member Angela Shabery discussed topics such as AB 1705 reform and the impact of AI, but emphasized the importance of dual enrollment.

“I think that we can be more intentional, especially now that almost 20% of our enrollment is dual

enrollment,” Shabery said. “ It’s important that students have a positive experience, because if they don’t have a positive experience, that’s gonna hurt our persistence and retention.”

LACCD Chancellor Dr. Alberto J. Román provided a monthly report regarding enrollment updates and emphasized noncredit enrollment.

“We continue to see significant gains in noncredit enrollment, and that is a really good thing.

You’ll see a 10% increase from last spring. I’m seeing the impact that the leadership of the teens out there has” Román said. “Why is that important? Because non-credit is serving segments of our community who historically have not had access to higher education.”

West Los Angeles College President Matt Jordan introduced Dr. Edna Shivari and Genesis Romero to present a holistic basic needs program called The Wildcats Den, where students are offered housing assistance, food security and essential resources.

Shivari said that she and

Romero lead the Wildcat team and are on track to outdo the amount of work they did last year.

“We had 10,666 student contacts, which meant that we impacted 31,000 LACCD families,” Shivari said. “That work is what my colleague referred to as lifting a family through a student.”

During public comment, Luis Vaya brought forward serious allegations against Chancellor Román, detailing that before the meeting, Román’s legal team had executed a termination for cause against Vaya’s company, as well as withheld pay application for three months, along with a slew of other accusations.

“You used my small business as an interest-free loan for a multi-billion-dollar bond program,” Vaya said. “From one immigrant success story to another, accountability is not a slogan.

It’s paying people for their labor. It is protecting witnesses.”

The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 8.

Wednesday, March 11, 2026

Notes within nature: Music department hosts ASO Concert

By Joy Mellk Assisting Entertainment Editor

Rather than gathering to witness a live concert, students gathered in the Performing Arts Building on Tuesday, March 3, to hear composer Carolyn Chen’s naturalistic approach to composition.

She is one of the performers who have inspired students in these Associated Students Organization (ASO) Concerts. Nearly every Tuesday from 1to 2 p.m. in the Performing Arts Building, a new sphere of music is unlocked by each performer.

Carolyn Chen, an experimental composer from California, presented a showcase of her various works dating back to 2009 to prospective music students, emphasizing her focus on using composition to simulate sound, movement and other elements that define nature.

From staging her compositions in grand concert halls to urban cities to serene parks, Chen describes her own works as music made “for supermarket, demolition district and the dark.” Regardless of setting, she emphasized to students

that her work focuses on using composition to reflect what nature means to her in Southern California, where she is based.

“I’ve done work both in concert halls and outside environments,” Chen said.

“I curated a evening of pieces that were based on the idea of the supermarket as a kind of artificial nature in Southern California, as a kind of self-contained world.”

One of her sound-focused compositions includes “Supermarket Music,” a collection of scores that Chen created from 2005 to 2014.

long-running series of compositions that spanned from 2009 to 2018. In this series,she arranged discarded material, such as plastic bags and newspapers.

“Threads” is another composition of hers from 2014, where an American Sign Language interpreter was strung to chimes as he interpreted a story that was also playing in the background to represent simultaneous translation through movement, sound and words.

transcriptions.

The pieces consisted of text scores that guided performers through the supermarket, sonic scores and written

Chen explained to students that she used composition represent movement, such as in “Human Windchimes,” a

The range of these works demonstrates how Chen pushes the boundaries of contemporary composition in unconventional ways.

Music major and jazz

vocalist Harmony Arevalo was one of many students whose perception of composition broadened following Chen’s presentation.

“I usually viewed the process of composition as pretty strict, but I think after her presentation, that kind of allowed me to be more openminded,” Arevalo said.

Slide by slide, Chen displayed her representation of each snapshot of nature with each composition she was involved in. She reminded students of the power of music when elaborating on each work of hers, sharing with them that it has the power to connect people to specific places, experiences and emotions.

Kevin Good, a percussion professor and the ASO Concert series director, believes that the range of performers is what makes these concert experiences so valuable, not only for music students, but for any student.

“I know it seems like it’s geared towards the music students, and it tends to just happen that way, but it is really open to everyone,” Good said. “My hope is that you just find a world or explore something you might not have previously seen.”

Art Department sparks creativity with conversations of art

By Anthony Adams Reporter

TheArt Department hosted the first monthly Conversations in Art with Drawing Professor Justin Dahlberg, where he shared his artistic journey, creative process and what inspires him as an artist with students and faculty on Thursday, March 5, in the Art Auditorium at Pierce College.

Dahlberg expressed during his lecture the importance of students attending art lectures and the impact it had on him artistically.

“It’s all about selfexpression, and to see other people and how they express themselves has always been inspiring to me,” Dahlberg said. “When I hear artists talk about their work, it helps me. It guides me to give me ideas on different approaches for my own stuff.”

Dahlberg said that Conversations in Art is essential and beneficial to the students at Pierce because it provides them with positive engagement and support.

The event was organized by Art History Professor Ramela Abbamontian, who shared the importance of facilitating this event.

“I believe, and I tell my students, that art changes life,” Abbamontian said. “I think we need to linger a little longer in front of works of art and actually with each other. I think art builds community, art builds a better, more rich lived experience, and we want to do that as a gift to our students, our faculty, and also our community. So, we’re hoping this event will go big each month.”

Dahlberg said he was influenced by 20th century artists like Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and Jean-Michel Basquiat, and his love for Neo Expression in the 1980s and 1990s.

were major inspirations to him.

Art History Professor Lyndsay Phillips shared why it was important for her to be in attendance at Conversations in Art.

“Professor Dahlberg is one of my colleagues, and I haven’t been able to see his work before,” Phillips said. “It was the first opportunity for me to see it and to hear him talk about his work.”

Graphic design major Sakoour Falian shared why it was important to support Conversations in Art.

“When I was in school, I couldn’t get enough art talk,” Dahlberg said. “It didn’t matter if they were painters or drawers or sculptors or whatever. I would always stop and listen to anybody that was

on campus. Especially when professors talk about their work because they’ve been there, done that. They know what it feels like to be in school, and they’re there to support.”

As an artist, Dahlberg said he learned to be less detailoriented and appreciate imperfections as an artist. His love for hip hop music, folk music, graphic design, in particular album covers by artists like Kate Gibb, and nature-based iconography

“I think it’s important to support the teachers and art because not everyone values art or thinks art is an important subject,” Falian said. “ I think it’s important to show up, to show that we care about these sorts of events and we care about this subject. It’s important to keep having these events.”

This event is one of many in a planned series of talks hosted by the Department of Art and Architecture on campus, featuring various professors and artists.

‘Nothing’s About to Happen to Me’: Mitski’s mania takes the wheel

By Joy Mellk Assisting Entertainment Editor

In the comfort of her eclectically cluttered home, singer-songwriter Mitski uncovers, unwinds and unravels for all listeners to bear witness to.

“Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” is Mitski’s eighth studio album, and is a concept album where listeners are immersed into the pure chaos of a reclusive woman’s life in her decaying home.

This 11-song project successfully wraps these consistently unhinged moments together into a 34-minute package to represent the constant frustration that Mitski holds within her. It holds itself together with prickly twine representing the motifs that this album highlights, which are cats, isolation and death. What has happened: Mitski has trapped herself in her home as her way of isolation.

She has let her mania take the wheel and has separated from her romantic partner in an unrequited manner.

In the introductory track “In a Lake,” she reinforces her desire to isolate herself by expressing her wish to remain somewhere where her every manic move can’t be traced. In between the interconnectedness of a small town and the impersonality of a big city, Mitski resorts to the metaphor of a lake, which represents her own company, accompanied by the sonic portrayal of her peace with calm folk instrumentals.

Toward the body of the album, she hones in on the withdrawals she faces from no longer being in contact with the only person that she allowed in. In “Cats,” she resorts to the comfort of her cats when in need of the company that her partner once gave her.

What is happening: She

faces these varying levels of withdrawals head-on… or at least attempts to, while feeling the presence of death crawling around her.

The folk strings wistfully guide the humming of the pedalsteel as she realizes that now that she doesn’t mean much to anyone, she should further isolate herself, as she sulks about in “Instead of Here.” She finally begins interacting with death herself, expressing how “[death] knew I would call again, so she’d mosey on back in case next time’s really the end.”

The album showcases her alternating between the withdrawals and the inklings of death as she continues to dwell in both “I’ll Change for You” and “Rules,” but she begins to grow even more out of control as displayed by her shrill and unstable voice in “That White Cat,” bringing up the cat once more as the only thing she lives for and is indebted to serving despite

the care being unreturned. What will happen: She will allow death to consume her.

In “Lightning,” the folk themes are interrupted by one final crescendo that symbolizes the lightning that she wishes would strike her and take her out, romanticizing her death with a naturalistic approach as she wishes to be born again through the rain.

“Polo,” she calls out to the lightning, which concludes the album.

The primarily folk rhythm paired with jarring lyrics and unexpected fluctuations in sound immerse listeners into the chaos and despair that Mitski faces as she spiraled into a frenzy of isolation, delusion and paranoia that ultimately found its way in conquering her.

Gorillaz process grief in new album charting trip throughout India

By Chris Rubinstein Entertainment Editor

Grief, reincarnation, corrupt governments, dictators, gods and self-discovery. These are the ingredients that Gorillaz cocreators Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett put into their new India-centric album “The Mountain,” which came out on Feb. 27.

Despite being known for changing their style from album to album, “The Mountain” is by far one of the band’s most ambitious works that manages to stick the landing almost every time they make a big creative swing.

The idea for the album was created after Albarn and Hewlett lost their fathers within 10 days of each other, with each death prompting a

trip to India to cope with the grief. As a result of this, grief is one of the main focuses of this album.

Throughout the record, Albarn and other artists lament about the struggles that come with loss on songs like “Orange County,” “The Sweet Prince,” and “The Empty Dream Machine,” and ponder questions like “Where do we go after we die?” on tracks like “The Manifesto.”

Gorillaz are known for being a collaboration-heavy band and this album fairs no differently than any of their other musical endouvars. However, what makes this a more creative and unique than previous albums is just how diverse of a group they’re pulling from.

The album has more than 20 features, from the posthumous performances of Bobby Womack, Proof. and David Jolicoeur to the various

multicultural performances from Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash. With these features, Gorillaz gives this record a strong sense of identity that wears its influences on its sleeve as English, Spanish, Hindi, Arabic, and Yoruba lyrics can be heard across its duration. The album is at its best when all of these cultures fuse and connect with each other as this “The Mountain’s” uniqueness really shines through. A track that really highlights this is “Damascus” featuring Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey where the lyrics are half-arabic/half-english as Souleyman sings about clinging on to a loved one in a troubling time while Bey raps about the Syrian refugee experience. This fusion of cultures peaks on “The Manifesto” featuring Argentine Rapper Trueno

and American rapper Proof. Every ingredient that makes this album work can be found on this 7-minute behemoth of a track. Trueno sings and raps in Spanish and ponders the meaning of life and what destinies will be after we die, while Proof gives a posthumous performance about the people that hold us down, and some of the violence he has encountered in his life. Most of all, the track is a showcase of how well all of these collaborations flow with each other. An argentinian raps in spanish for an english band over an indian beat. The length and various beat switches only strengthen the track by making it feel as though you are climbing up a mountain yourself, with each beat switch feeling like a new checkpoint in that climb. Overall, “The Mountian” proves to be one Gorillaz’s most

impressive records post“Humanz”. Although it starts to lose some steam towards the end, through its diverse collaborations, its clear stances on life, death, war, love, AI, rebirth, religion and a strong sound that’s brimming with personality, “The Mountain” proves that Gorillaz still has plenty of creativity to spare. If “Cracker Island” made me stop and wonder if Gorillaz was starting to lose their edge, than I happily accept “The Mountain” as their way of responding.

Chabad Club celebrates Purim

By Nick Crabtree Photographer

TOP:(Left to right) Chabad Club President Sarah Sabzanova, a Political Science major, Dennis Levin, a Computer Information Technology major and Jordan Youssefi, a Business Major, follow along and spin their graggers (metal ratchet) to drown out the names in memory of those who are evil at the Chabad Club Purim event, in the Great Hall at Pierce College in the Woodland Hills, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

LEFT AND BOTTOM LEFT: Rabbi Aaron Greene reads scripture from The Book Of Esther to participants in the Chabad Club Purim event, in the Great Hall at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. March 3, 2026.

BOTTOM RIGHT: (Left to right) Child Development major Ariel Hanina, Political Science major Adam Naim and Business Administration major Armon Sanders listen to Rabbi Aaron Greene read scripture from The Book Of Esther at the Chabad Club Purim event in the Great Hall at Pierce College in the Woodland Hills, Calif., on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

Brahma baseball lobbies major comeback against Lancers

By Lesa Greenfield Photographer

The Pierce College Brahmas defeated the Pasadena City College Lancers with a score of 9-5 on Wednesday, March 5, at the Joe Kelly Field.

Pitcher Julius Haim took the first win of his college career, after going in to relieve starting pitcher Hunter Zanki in the six innings.

Haim voiced his delight about the Brahmas win after recently coming off of a fourgame losing streak.

“I’m feeling good,” Haim said. “We came into this game with momentum. Those four games were pretty tough, especially back-toback, so I think the team was very determined to use that momentum and we did a job, came out with the win.”

Haim completed his first career collegiate win with one inning pitched, two hits and two earned runs, which reflected on the Brahmas mindset coming into the game.

“I think we all collectively, our energy was up, our hitting was good, our fielding was good and that’s pretty much

Pierce College Utility Micah Klotz (#12) bats against Pasadena City

Woodland Hills, Calif., on Wednesday, March 4, 2026.

it,” Haim said.” Even coming into the game, we wanted to win. Started from warm-ups, started from when you woke up in the morning.”

Designated hitter Carlos Macias and shortstop JJ Fagfoomsintu also had moments in the game that bolstered the Brahmas’ score to help clinch the game. Macias hit two for two,

brought in two runs and one runs batted in (RBI) and Fagfoomsintu brought in two RBI’s.

After Wednesday’s win, starting pitcher Zanki conveyed a positive outlook on the rest of the Brahmas season.

“Definitely a lot of improvement, it’s good to get on a winning streak now. Still

a lot of stuff we can improve,” Zanki said. “We’re making steps in the right direction so hopefully we can bring it up for the next few weeks, bring it into conference next week and we’ll be in a good spot”.

Zanki finished his time on the mound with five innings pitched, six hits, two earned runs and two strikeouts.

Head coach Bill Picketts

expressed his satisfaction with the Brahmas win.

“You know, at this level, things go up and down, and you’re trying to find your way,” Picketts said. “But I trust this team, and I just told them right now, like, we still haven’t played that perfect game. And that’s what we’re striving to do. So just because we won doesn’t mean we’re quite there yet. And that’s okay. Like I said, we’re 19 games into this. We’ve got 21 more. And as long as we’re moving toward getting better, then I’m completely satisfied.”

With the Brahmas being halfway through their season, Picketts relayed his thoughts on the team’s performance so far.

“We’ve got some ups and downs,” Picketts said. “We’ve got some guys that are new to this level, so they’re trying to figure their way out. And then we’ve got some guys that probably are pushing it a little too hard or putting a little pressure on themselves that had a good year last season. And I’m pretty sure they’re going to find their way.”

The Brahma’s next home game is Tuesday, March 10, 2 p.m. against Moorpark College.

No pool, no problem: Swim team sets sights on spring season

By Olivia Muñoz Campus Life Editor

Asthe gloomy days of winter melt under the warmth of the sun and give way to spring, the Pierce College Athletics Department prepares for a new season of sports.

One of these sports is the men’s swim team. Despite being unable to use the campus pool to practice, due to renovations and maintenance, the team has persevered and found a new training center at Crespi Carmelite High School. There, they have been pushing hard to prepare for a slew of competitions in the coming months.

The team’s first competition took place on Feb. 7 at Ventura College, where they ranked sixth overall. The second occurred at Cuesta College on Feb. 20, where they rose to third place, and the team captain, Jhan Loninia, took home one gold and two silver medals. Besides that, Loninia broke the previously held 100-meter Individual Medley (IM) record by 6.19 seconds.

Assistant coach Mircea Pitariu said that their placement at the Feb. 20

competition is a significant achievement for the team.

“This was the first year since 2000 that our men’s team beat Ventura College in swimming, so that was a very big accomplishment,”

Pitariu said. “They are a very heavy hitter in the world of community college athletics, and are always high scorers at stake.”

Team member Alexey Ischenko was first introduced to Pierce when he trained on campus for a club team in middle school. Ischenko said that he is looking forward to having more freedom as a swimmer this season.

“I am really excited for this season, especially now that I can actually do a lot of the fun races I want to do, because in the club, I couldn’t really race what I wanted to race,” Ischenko said. “But here, I’m free to choose. I’m doing the really hard races, for me at least. I’m not doing the mile like [Loninia] is, but I’m doing a lot of butterfly. I want to go break his record.”

Head coach Judi Terhar said that she wants the team to continue to improve, not only for this upcoming season, but for future ones as well.

“The most important thing

is that they all better their times,” Terhar said. “We want to make sure that the team is united and has a strong front for next year, because we have a lot of swimmers coming back for next year. We just want to continue to build a strong swim team.”

The team has plenty of time to prepare, with events extending until the State Championships in May. They have a long road to championships ahead of them, but their recent success and accomplishments are an indicator of how the team will face any challenges they have.

Part of making such a strong team and bond is the enthusiasm each member brings to practices and competitions. Loninia said that the people around him push him to reach higher and do better.

“The thing that makes me passionate about it is my teammates and the racing that I get to do,” Loninia said. “I get to represent the school, my name, my teammates and everyone that I train with.”

Their next competition will take place at Los Angeles Valley College on March 14 for their second Western State Conference meet.