Spring Issue 4

June 11, 2014 l Vol 85 Issue 4

A student run newspaper of the Mt. SAC Journalism Program l mountiewire.com

SIX STUDENTS SLAIN CRAZED COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT’S KILLING SPREE P.4

Grad issue P.9

#FOODPORN P.14

Military life P.3

Hip Hop School P.17

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

News

2

The cost of beauty: deceptions of perfections Cynthia Schroeder Annalise De Leon Amanda Recio Staff Writers In a woman’s life there are different rites of passage – getting her first doll, learning how to apply makeup, getting married and being faced with the harsh reality of having to fight aging. According to a poll taken of 100 female students at Mt. SAC, women feel the pressure to spend more than ever in order to reach society’s standard of beauty.

“It is expected of you, I guess. You start getting older and people tell you, ‘put a little color in your face,’” said Natalie Mejia, 19, sociology major.

Natalie added that she spends roughly $100 on makeup every month. Lupe Navarro, 30, sociology major said she wears makeup to feel good. We want to look good and feel good. We want great skin and we want to cover up impurities, like pimples, red spots, and freckles,” said Navarro. To put it into perspective, the average cost of tuition at a state university is $6,185; if a student were to save $100 for beauty products a month for five years, it would amount to $6,000.

When going out to run errands or simply to attend a class, some women feel the pressure to wear make-up regardless of practicality.

“I kind of do it because I feel self conscious about it,” said Brianna Villajin, 19, sociology major. Carolina Diaz, 19, sociology major, added that she thinks using makeup makes a woman look more presentable and that she wears it to feel more confident. A random sample of 40 Mt. SAC students was conducted asking students if they feel women need makeup in order to feel beautiful and 85 percent said yes.

“When I do not put on makeup, I do really look like a kid, so most people kind of underestimate me, especially in any stores, offices, in school or any other places.”

Women particularly feel the pressure to look more appealing to men when going out in public so they put makeup on, regardless of not being practical for running a mundane errand. “[With] going

Rapper Lil Kim has gone through various extensive cosmetic procedures throughout the last 11 years.

2003 ‘all natural’ you don’t really get as much attention from boys as you would with make up and people don’t really acknowledge you in general,” said Genisse Aguilar, 19, kinesiology major. Several male Mt. SAC students said that they preferred when a woman has on makeup and that they judge a woman heavily based on how “presentable” they look. “I think it is a must for girls to keep up with [makeup and grooming], I mean it shows you are not lazy and care about yourself,” said Luis Juarez, 20, photography major.

In a recent article from Beauty World News, a study from thousands of women from three different countries gave their views on body hair removal. 82 percent of women interviewed said removing their hair makes them feel good. 83 percent consider hair removal essential.

Additionally, only one out of 20 men

Musician Lorde tweeted a picture (left) of herself in her Paris hotel room with no makeup and acne cream on Monday, Feb. 10, 2014.

2014 find body hair sexy to boost the argument for hair removal even more.

Female students said they feel so uncomfortable without makeup that they wait months, even up to a year before they go bare faced in front of their boyfriends. Diaz said she would wait until she was with her boyfriend a year before wearing no makeup around him.

“I’m really self-conscious about it, because I wear makeup all the time.

I feel really weird without it. I’d feel uncomfortable,” she said. Mani Tonga, 23, kinesiology major, added that he prefers a girl that wears makeup and that it took his current girlfriend around a month to feel comfortable enough to be without makeup around him.

Women feel the pressure to live up to the unrealistic images of celebrities seen in magazines and plastered all over social media.

“The media has advertised what they perceive a beautiful person looks like, so women try to look like that,” said Monica Chavez, 19, sociology major. Cindy Crawford famously said that she wished she looked like “Cindy Crawford.” Most recently, stars like Zooey Deschanel, Demi Lovato and Lorde have posted selfies on social media sans makeup in an effort to squash the public’s false idea of them.

Aside from wearing makeup, women go through extensive and expensive cosmetic procedures in order to fight the effects of aging and start as early as their early 20s.

Kendra Cruz, owner of Blown Away Hair Lounge in San Dimas, began doing cosmetic procedures for the purpose of anti-aging at 21. Now 41, she recently had an injection of Radiesse that went awry. As a result of the faulty procedure, which cost roughly $2500, she experiences side effects so painful that her ability to work is affected.

“I ended up being really swollen, it decreased the lack of blood flow

and all my hair fell out from that side of my face and there was major bruising going on because there was no blood flow to the skin,” Cruz said. “[The pain] feels like electric shocks, in my head, my eye, my jaw and my cheek feels all tingly and numb.

That can last two or three times in a row or it can go on for weeks at a time,” she added. The FDA has no say in the cosmetics industry, which enables many harmful ingredients to be put in the makeup and products we use on a daily basis.

Cruz added that because of her terrible experience, she will never get another injection again and that it simply was not worth it.

Celebrities like Julianne Moore and Diane Keaton have been very vocal about refusing Hollywood’s constant pressure to get plastic surgery. However, not all celebrities feel the same as they do and undergo what is considered to be “light” plastic surgery such as botox and other filler injections. Ayin Flores, 23, fire technology major, said he has no problem with women getting cosmetic procedures done and even prefers celebrities with light cosmetic surgery to those that have none at all. “I would consider celebrities with light plastic surgery like Kim Kardashian and Megan Fox to be beautiful. If they have the money for it, why not?,” Flores said. However, the same could not be said about celebrities that have had extensive plastic surgery done.

Jorge Montezorro, 19, undecided major, is not pleased with Lil Kim’s new look which makes her nearly unrecognizable. “Not to be mean, but she’s gross,” said Montezorro.

While many women are affected by the pressure of society’s standards of beauty at one point or another in their life, some women prefer to focus on internal beauty. “Stay good and feel good on the inside and that will penetrate to your outside. If you feel good then you will look good to everyone else,” said Navarro.

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

News

STAFF

Editor-in-Chief Albert Serna Mountiewire Editor-in-Chief Adolfo Tigerino Art Director Cynthia Schroeder News Editor Adolfo Tigerino Opinion Editor Adam Valenzuela Features Editor Christina Artmanni A&E Editors Jamie Rocha Tech Editor Damion Julien-Rohman College Life Editor Julian Muhr Multiculture Editor Manny Flores Sports Editor Jose De Castro Photo Editor Yunuen Bonaparte Cartoonists Adam Valenzuela, Karla Mejia Social Media Director Vanessa Osio Copyeditor Ebony Hardiman Staff Reporters Kathryn Banks, Michael Chavez, Sasha Chavez, Analisse De Leon, Monserrath Flores, Adrian Islas, Brittney Morales, Angelica Olivares, Amanda Recio, Samantha Romero, Cynthia Schroeder, Ana Silva, Esther Solis Staff Writers Joseph Anchondo, Rachelle Araghi, Christopher Ayala, Portia Blankson, Yunuen Bonaparte, Daney Casas, Darell Coleman, Fantashia Francis, Roldan Garcia, Ernesto Gonzales, Ebony Hardiman, Sabrina Hernandez, Michelle Jensen, April Jimenez, Angelica Loera, James Lommer, Valerie Roxas Amanda Rubio, Jennifer Sandy, Donna Solis, Sylvia Villanueva, Robert de Anda, Michael Tarronas, Nicole Taylor, Jillian Copeland, Zoher Yusufali Photographers Jose De Castro, Pablo Unzueta, Alex Aimaq, Albert Serna, Stephanie Hacha, Beatrice Alcala, Adolfo Tigerino, Hugo Avina, Alex Urquidez, Michael Tarronas Multimedia Neil Andersen, Freddy Carlos, Madeline Ealba, Ebony Hardiman, Batool Jaffer, Jose De Castro, Adolfo Tigerino, Mariela Marquez, Sebastian Santiago, Abrielle Simpson, Jonathan Surrey, Rebeca Villasenor Advertising Director Veronica Grant Adviser Toni Albertson Cover photo by Jose De Castro Goleta, Calif. - A group of UC Santa Barbara students gather, pray and mourn their fellow classmates in front of the I.V. Deli Mart on Monday, May 26, 2014. Elliot Rodger, 22, Santa Barbara City College student, went on a killing spree in Isla Vista fatally shooting Christopher MichaelsMartinez, 20, as he walked into the deli on Friday, May 23, 2014.

The Mountaineer is a college newspaper published by the students in the journalism classes at Mt. San Antonio College. The views expressed in this newspaper do not reflect the views of the adviser, administration or the Board of Trustees of the Mt. SAC district. The Mountaineer and mountiewire.com are First Amendment Publications.

Phone 909-594-5611 ext. 6123 FAX: 909-468-4106 1100 N. Grand Ave. Walnut, CA Bldg. 26D, 3220B Correction: In the last issue dated May 21, 2014, an article ran on page 11 titled, “Student wants voices heard, runs for state senate.” The reporter’s name was spelled incorrectly.

It was written by Zoher Yusufali. Also, the date for voting was Tues., June 3, not Thursday. Also, a story titled “Students pressured by a world of expectations written by staff reporter Brittney Morales incorrectly spelled the source’s name as Amanda Talley. Her name is Amandla Talley.

3 Soldiers battle with civilian life Angelica Olivares Esther Solis Staff Writers You are in an auditorium filled with 2,000 people, some as young as 17, who have just signed up to serve in one of the four branches of the military. Seated in a chair awaiting your fate, people are called up and asked to go through different doors based on the branch they enlisted in.

As the room becomes more and more empty you realize that you and the guy sitting next to you are alone, the only men that signed up to become U.S Marines. For Lee Becerra, 53, U.S. Marine veteran, this was the scenario 26 years ago.

Becerra said at 17 there was a certain glamorous appeal to the military and that at that time recruiters had a quota to meet so they told you exactly what you wanted to hear.

“You sign up and realize that it’s not what they said, but at that time it is too late,” Becerra said.

Becerra is not alone about the recruiting process.

Being deployed to Iraq was one of the biggest concerns for Mike Han, 35, U.S. Army Reserves, when he decided to apply for the military.

“My recruiter told me ‘The last time the Army deployed reservist was back in theVietnam War,’” Han said. “So I basically took his word and joined, thinking that I would not get deployed.”

James Milliken, 29, aircraft maintenance major and U.S Marine veteran, said when he talked to recruiters from all the branches, most of them gave vague responses on the reality of being deployed.

However, the Marine recruiter was upfront about the situation during the Iraq War and said he would be deployed. Milliken was looking to get out of his small hometown in Arkansas and decided that military service was his only way out.

“The options where I lived were either working at the steel mills, at the McDonald’s or selling drugs,” Milliken said. “It was a small town so I decided I was to leave.”

Sgt. Elijah Kim, 28, U.S Marine recruiter, said that recruitment is a long process. It involves several different aspects from background checks, drug testing, and a headto-toe physical. Kim said that it is important that Marine recruiters be honest with their information because it is not for everybody.

“We always give them straight forward information because we want the highest applicant to join,” Kim said. “We don’t want to disgrace the Marine Corps.”

Milliken’s first tour of duty was in Iraq from July 2004 to June 2005.

Milliken said although the sergeants were “assholes,” they trained him well and prepared him to the point that he could react quickly and efficiently during any situation.

His first deployment was very high risk. “I don’t think we went a week without somebody getting hit with an [Improvised Explosive Device] or someone getting into a firefight,” Milliken said.

Richard Payne, 26, U.S. Navy, joined after witnessing the attacks on 9/11. Payne, who’s father and grandfather served, came from a very supportive military family.

When he decided to join his parents were proud of him. “I’ve gone

Hugo Avina/Mountaineer Sgt. Jose Beltran is a recruiter for the Marines and was on campus on Thursday, May 29, 2014.

through a lot of stuff and it was always good to have that support system,” Payne said.

Although Payne’s family was supportive, he found it hard to leave his son, who stayed with his family for a year.

Some first time military families find it difficult to watch their sons and daughters leave, like Milliken’s mother. “I’m the baby of course she didn’t want me to go,” Milliken said.

Some of these military soldiers decided like Payne to pursue a degree while serving in the military. Payne was stationed close by and decided to continue his education at Mt. SAC, but found it difficult to attend college while working full time in the Navy.

“They don’t work around your schedule,” Payne said. “Whatever education you need to accomplish, you have to accomplish on your down time.”

Payne was starting the semester at Mt. SAC when he found out that he was being deployed to Cuba, which led to him dropping all his courses.

Other military veterans waited until their service time expired like Milliken and Vargas. However, transitioning from military to civilian life was not an easy feat for these students. Some constantly felt the need to watch their backs.

Milliken recalled being in his first college class at Mt. SAC, elementary Chinese, and taking the front row seat. He got an uneasy feeling sitting up front because he did not know the students who were sitting behind him.

“Even now, ever since that first semester of sitting in the front and having that feeling, I always sit in the

back of the class,” Milliken said.

Vargas said it was easy to come back to school at Mt. SAC after serving because there is a lot of support from the veterans. Although the support makes it easier, classes can still be difficult because Vargas suffers form Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Chronic Panic Attacks.

“I’ll go into a class and if I can’t sit by the door, or if I cannot see the door where I can leave like right away, then I won’t stay in class,” Vargas said “Or sometimes I’ll be in class and I’ll get [a] really bad panic attack and have to leave in the middle of class.”

Vargas said that school can get really difficult, but Mt. SAC has proven to have a very good support system from the teachers to the veteran’s resource center.

For those planning on joining the military, these soldiers have some advice. Not only do they recommend doing in depth research, but they also recommend talking to people who are doing well in the military, not soldiers who are going to give negative feedback.

Vargas added that the military is not only about being physically strong, but also mentally strong.

There are moments where a soldier will have to go long periods of time without talking to their families and cannot do the things they want.

“There are a lot of times when your sergeants or your higher ups tell you to do something which makes absolutely no sense to you but there is a method to the madness,” Vargas said.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

News

4

A history of violence Not just another school shooting Adolfo Tigerino, Albert Serna, and Jose De Castro News Editor, Editor-in-Chief, and Sports Editor The bullet-ridden windowpane stands ominously as people gather to lay flowers and candles on the sidewalk in front of the deli that has now become a memorial site for the victims. Throughout the small town, the lingering shock and sadness permeates through the streets as people walk briskly from one destination to the next. Although it may seem like an ordinary day, it is clear that not all is right in Isla Vista.

The mass killing spree that took the lives of seven people, including the gunman, and injured 13 has left many people questioning gun control, mental illness, and America’s misogyny as the top three reasons for the tragedy on Friday, May 23.

Law enforcement officials named the gunman as 22-year-old Santa Barbara City College student Elliot Rodger, the son of filmmaker Peter Rodger. Authorities said Rodger had no history of any major problems with the law or psychological disorders; however, he had several Youtube videos that expressed discontent, anger, frustration and alienation.

The videos concerned his parents to the point where they called the authorities on previous occasions; however, they did not suspect he had any psychological problems. He had uploaded a video several hours before the rampage entitled “Elliot Rodger’s Retribution” where he said, “On the day before the Day of Retribution, I will start the First Phase of my vengeance: Silently killing as many people as I can around Isla Vista by luring them into my apartment through some form of trickery.”

Additionally, officials found a 141-page manifesto where Rodger wrote that he would “wage war on women.”

“I will attack the very girls who represent everything I hate in the female gender: The hottest sorority of UCSB,” he wrote.

Rodger began the rampage at his apartment where he fatally stabbed his three roommates David Wang, 20, James Hong, 20, and George Chen, 19. He then proceeded to the Alpha Phi sorority house where he banged at the door, and when no one answered he fired at three women nearby, killing two; Kathleen Cooper, 22, of Chino Hills and Veronika Weiss, 19, of Westlake Village.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bob Brown said during a press

conference that Rodger continued by heading to a local deli where he opened fire and killed a UC Santa Barbara student inside, Christopher Michaels-Martinez, 20. Shortly after, he started driving in his black BMW firing at pedestrians and a gun battle with deputies ensued.

According to authorities he was injured in the process, but continued to drive until he was found dead by what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He had three legally registered 9mm semiautomatic handguns, with a total of 400 rounds of unused ammunition.

“I’m angry with the leadership of the [National Rifle Association] who always want to characterize this as if it’s a lone madman. That it’s an act of nature we have to tolerate,” said father of MichaelsMartinez, Richard Martinez to the Washington Post on May 27. “I am angered by how they have worked to normalize this.”

The NRA has been silent since the event has occurred, despite multiple attempts by the media for a comment.

Martinez has been outspoken since the tragedy, and has also been relaying messages from the other victims’ families such as the Wang and Hong families during the memorial service on May 27.

“It’s time to stop the gun violence. Our children deserve a land free from fear. Let us pray for all the people who lost their loved ones, including the family of the killer,” said Martinez in statement on behalf of the Wang family at the service.

The continued debate of gun control has spilled over into the tragedy with many people, including Martinez, arguing that stricter gun laws could have possibly prevented the shootings.

Martinez led students and faculty in a chant of “not one more” during the memorial service at UCSB, and asked people to stand and shout “so loud they will hear you in Washington.”

Martinez said in a press conference that even after the tragedy at Sandy Hook nothing has changed to prevent gun violence or to regulate gun laws.

“To have a kid die, because in this kind of a situation, what has changed? Have we learned nothing?

These things are going to continue until somebody does something, so where the hell is the leadership?”

Martinez said. “My kid died because nobody responded to what occurred in Sandy Hook.”

In response, parents of the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre wrote that Martinez and the parents of the other victims are “not alone.”

“We have not met, but you are now part of our extended family.

It is not a family we chose, but a family born from the horrible circumstance of losing a child to gun violence—one that’s only growing each day,” wrote Mark Barden via Facebook, the father of a 7-yearold Sandy Hook victim. “My heart breaks for you because I know just a little about the long road ahead of you.”

Despite pleas from Martinez to regulate gun laws more closely, some

Adolfo Tigerino/Mountaineer Goleta, Calif. - A rose is placed inside one of the two bullet holes on the window of the I.V. Deli Mart in Isla Vista in honor of those that were killed during Elliot Rodger’s killing spree on Friday, May 23, 2014. The 22-year-old Santa Barbara College student killed seven, including himself, and injured 13.

still believe nothing will change and that stricter laws should not be imposed.

Jamison Spolar, 28, network administration major at Mt. SAC, said that society needs more education about guns.

“There were three people who were stabbed to death, so how would stricter gun control laws help that,” said Spolar. “The bigger thing is educating people and also having a background check. People who are going to do something illegal are going to do it illegally regardless.

It doesn’t help people who are following the laws, it only hurts them.”

UCSB alumni Catherine Wagner, 23, said that the whole tragedy made it real for her and others that there is an issue with gun violence in America.

“It just brings it home. It’s like it wasn’t real before, you hear about Sandy Hook, I remember hearing about Columbine when I was 8-years-old, and then now it’s real,” Wagner said. “It’s here and suddenly this whole gun debate is not a abstract thing any more, it’s right in your face.”

The discussion over gun laws has also brought up the question of whether or not there should be a mental stability check when purchasing firearms. Rep. Peter T. King (R-N.Y.) said in an interview with the Washington Post that people with mental illnesses should not be allowed to possess firearms.

“This tragedy demonstrates once again the need to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill,” King said.

Some students felt if Rodger had gotten proper psychiatric treatment the whole incident could have been avoided. That is why students like Jason Dan, 19, a sophomore at USCB, are advocating for psychological care for people in need.

“Yeah guns were involved but I don’t think it’s the main root, I think it’s that he needed psychological support, because he stabbed people in his home before he went out, he planned on running people over,” Dan said. “I don’t think the method of violence is what we need to go after, I think it’s the reason, the why.”

Dan added that he believes that although Rodgers may have been receiving some form of treatment for mental illness, he may have been embarrassed or looked down on because of his disorder.

“I would imagine he was either looked down upon for getting help or was ashamed of it, and probably didn’t get as much help as he needed,” Dan said.

In an interview with USA Today on May 27, Doris Fuller, executive director of the Treatment Advocacy Center, said changing laws that would allow people to be institutionalized against their will could help provide treatment for people like Rodgers.“We cannot

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

News

predict who will be violent, and we will never prevent all violence,” Fuller said to USA Today. “But nobody knows better than family members when a loved one is unstable and dangerous.”

Spolar said that the U.S. misunderstands mental illness and there is not an immense emphasis on it.

“You have such a push for physical well-being and physical health, but mental health is just as important if not more important because it’s not something you can wait out and fix,” Spolar said. “You need someone to help you through that because the only way you can do that is to have someone who thinks properly and who has a different view than you do.”

Some people said that they have friends and family that have mental illnesses, but would never harm another person. Catherine Wagner, 23, alumni of UCSB, said that her father and good friends have Aspergers and it is often difficult to communicate with them to the point where she was angry with God. “I have to admit some people are hard to be friends with because of their mental illness,” Wagner said.

“I said of course Rodger is lonely because of that, but at the end of the day, my dad, my friends, who have Aspergers might be nerdy and social outcasts, but they would never hurt anybody. They would never hurt a soul, so you can’t completely use that as an excuse.”

Although mental illness has been tossed around to try and piece together what exactly happened on that Friday some are saying misogyny is the true reason behind it, and mental illness is just a scapegoat.

“I don’t want to stigmatize people with mental illness,” said Ariana Richmond, 20, sophomore at UCSB. “I just want to mention that it’s important to get to the heart of this, and it is misogyny that we should be focusing on not his mental state.”

Additionally, other students felt that mental illness gets used inaccurately to defend gunmen and ignore the hatred of women. “[Rodgers] said it with his own words, he hated women and he wanted to kill them, it is deeper,” Lisa Kiston, 20, sophomore at UCSB, said. “Misogyny. That was the reason because of this, even if he did have a mental illness. I don’t want to stigmatize people with mental illness because not everybody with mental illness

5 thinks these things and would do such a thing.” Some women growing up in the U.S. said they often fear going out alone because they may experience an act of violence.

“As a woman it’s just scary to exist in general,” Wagner said. “This weekend makes it feel like there’s hate in the world against women, and anything could happen, just at random for rejecting somebody and that’s not anybody’s fault, it’s just how life is.”

The 141-page manifesto and the Youtube videos that Rodger posted prior to the massacre showed an intense hatred of women that not only upset the community of Isla Vista, but women and men nationwide. The hashtag #YesAllWomen began trending with people sharing their opinions, experience and thoughts on misogyny in American society.

Twitter user Ashley Hallett known as @XAshleySuzanna tweeted: “Because if you’re tired of reading our stories, imagine how tired we are of living them. #YesAllWomen.”

This hashtag has gained a large following and support to the point where a new hashtag, #AllMenCan, has tweets that say men can treat women respectfully with pictures of men holding signs that read, “Women’s empowerment is not a threat.”

Twitter user Enrico Bianco known as @EnricoBianco tweeted: “#AllMenCan see women as PEOPLE, the protagonists of their own stories just as we all are, not as trophies to be won for doing good things.”

Although some agree that Rodger was a misogynist, they argue that it is not because of society’s view of women.

Time reporter Chris Ferguson wrote on May 25 that it was sexual frustration that led to the attacks on the 19 people in Isla Vista.

“Rodger appears to have indeed been a misogynist, but this misogyny appears to have raged from within, a product of his anger, sexual frustrations and despondency rather than anything ‘taught’ to him by society,” Ferguson wrote. “Had he not been so focused on his own sexual inadequacies, his focus might simply have moved to mall-goers rather than sorority sisters.”

With all the violence that has occurred recently, has safety at Mt. SAC increased?

A threat was found on the wall in the women’s restroom

Adolfo Tigerino/Mountaineer Goleta, Calif. - One of several memorial sites around Isla Vista that honor those who were killed during 22-year-old Elliot Rodger’s rampage on Friday, May 23, 2014. The site has pictures that commemorate Kathleen Cooper, 22, of Chino Hills who was fatally shot in front of the Alpha Phi sorority house by Rodger.

Jose De Castro/Mountaineer Goleta, Calif. - A couple of UC Santa Barbara students mourn in front of the Alpha Phi sorority house on Monday, May 26, 2014. The site was where two students were killed; Kathleen Cooper, 22, of Chino Hills and Veronika Weiss, 19, of Westlake Village, by Elliot Rodger on Friday, May 23, 2014.

in Building 26D on May 27 that read, “Mt. SAC prepare to die on 6/15/2014.”

Joe Carl, public safety officer of investigations said that public safety has done “some research on it,” but is unable to comment because the investigation is still ongoing.

Despite the threat, Sgt. Anthony Kelly said the campus is not on high alert. He added that there is a system in place to alert students in case of an emergency, which is a text alert. However, because some professors do not allow students to use their phones during class, some students may not receive the warning in time and Kelly suggested to keep their phones on vibrate.

He added that it is the professor’s job to inform the students of an emergency. This however does not solve the problem of students being forbidden to use their phones during class.

Kelly said that whatever the case, public safety will be there to alert students in some way.

“We are also going to have public safety officers in that area with a bullhorn or they will address from their vehicles letting people know that there is something going on on campus,” Kelly said. “Whether there is an active shooter, intruder, or if there is a fire, flood, or earthquake they are going to give instructions on what to do.”

Because of the recent shootings, public safety has been working hand-in-hand with Associated Students by screening “Shooter on Campus,” which is also available on MyPortal. After the screening public safety held a Q & A for students.

Kelly added that there will be more screenings to keep students alert on how to stay safe. Even with the rise of shootings on campuses, students on campus feel safe overall. In a random sample of 41

students 93 percent said they felt safe.

No matter the steps taken, the loss that was felt in Isla Vista still lingers even after media coverage begins to fade. “[The community] is responding very well, but I think it’s too much press. It’s not giving people time to take a minute outside and pray or put a candle, it’s just too much,” said Sam Hassam, 60, I.V. Deli Mart owner’s father.

Hassam said that it was hard for him because he viewed each regular student customer as his own children.

Despite the shootings, 21-yearold UCSB student Kevin Tym decided to play around with his legally owned gun accidentally firing through his neighbor’s wall hours before the scheduled memorial on May 28 leaving students even more scared.

“I didn’t feel safe going to the vigil,” said Yiselle Juarez, 22, senior at UCSB. “Imagine somebody was working with him and they all came out. This is the perfect opportunity when everyone’s out [to stage another attack].”

When all the news media leaves people will still struggle to return to normalcy.

“The news cameras will be gone in a week or so, “ said Allina Mojarro, 29, community education outreach coordinator for A.S. “The community is still going to have a lot of processing to do for sure.”

Students, families, and neighbors will continue to be haunted by the tragedy throughout the graduation and perhaps longer.

“I tear up all the time thinking these families lost their children and there were seniors that were about to graduate,” Juarez said.

“Their parents have to come over here to mourn for their children, instead of seeing them graduate or seeing them get an award. It has just been difficult.”

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

News

6

Corporate takeover threatens Internet Jamie Rocha Samantha Romero Adam Valenzuela Staff Writers The temperature just reached 100 degrees on campus, you are dying of thirst and just as your crave for liquid worsens, you finally spot a public water fountain at the corner of your eye. You reach for the handle, and a man suddenly stops and tells you to wait 20 minutes before you can have a drop of the precious pure water unless you can fork up some cash to go into the faster line.

Imagine the uproar this scenario would cause on campus to pay for faster access to something that was created as an open and fair entity.

How would people react in a similar situation with something else that they relied on - like th e beloved Internet?

The battle is raging in Congress over the fate of an open and free Internet. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed a new plan that could dramatically change the way the U.S. knows the web and some fear that internet freedom will be six feet under.

A random sample of 53 students was conducted on campus.

According to the sample, 94 percent said they were not familiar with net neutrality or what was going on with the FCC. Chris Curtis, 25, fine arts major and student technician, said that he did not hear about net neutrality until he heard it from his mother.

“I knew nothing about it,” Curtis said. “But they were talking about basically charging more for certain websites and data so that you can get through various consumers.”

“

I think people should aware because it affects them and it affects the future generations. If the population doesn’t care, then bad things will happen and society will be grey.

Information will not be spread freely.

—Chris Curtis, 25, fine arts major

Net Neutrality is the reason why you are free to access any website at any given time. For example, the rate of speed for you to open YouTube is the same speed for you to open an independent, smaller video-hosting alternative like Vimeo.

According to The Nation, it provides consumers an even playing field in which they do not have to pay more just for better speed and online content. Companies and content providers are not required to pay Internet Service Providers (ISP), like Verizon and Comcast, extra cash to give their users access to their content.

Back in 2010, the FCC implemented an Open Internet Order, which inhibits ISPs from preventing user access to certain websites and information and arrange faster connections to certain content providing an even platform for internet users.

Verizon like many major ISPs were not happy. Verizon slapped the FCC with a lawsuit, claiming that the agency overstepped the boundaries and was not allowed to regulate the ISPs since they are considered “informative services,” therefore regulation is not required regarding content discrimination and price.

According to The Nation, in January 2014 the D.C. Court of Appeals sided with the ISPs that the FCC “can’t stop Internet Service Providers from blocking or discriminating against websites or any other traffic unless the Internet is reclassified as a public utility.”

This resulted in the FCC drafting a new net neutrality proposal. However, activists like the Free Press and SavetheInternet. com argue that it leaves a bunch of loopholes and an open door to a two-tiered discriminated internet, allowing ISPs to charge companies (I.E. Google, YouTube, Facebook) for “a fast lane,” higher quality internet connection for the company’s users to access their content. For example, if Google pays their ISP but Bing does not, internet users’ connection to Google will be a much stronger and faster, while the connection to Bing will be distorted and slow.

By losing net neutrality ISPs would have to the power to regulate users’ connections, block websites and slow down the loading of certain content as they see fit. Fees for higher connection speeds can trickle down to users making them compensate for those additional fees adding onto the general Internet access. Internet activists and some students argue that this will put rich companies at an unfair advantage.

“I think it’s unfair and it really gives the leg up to those who already have lots of money,” Curtis said. “I feel like it is really a corruption of capitalism and the free market.”

According to an article on Slate on Jan. 14 reported that it could impede on the user’s first amendment rights and only allow pre-selected content that the customer can access.

“Without network neutrality, cable and phone companies can stifle innovation,” Slate reported.

“Imagine, if years ago, Myspace or AltaVista had cut deals with cable companies to block Facebook and Google. Without network neutrality, telecom and cable companies could also stifle free expression.”

Curtis said that user’s freedom of knowledge can be restricted due to company discriminating what the costumer can and cannot see.

“I think people should aware because it affects them and it affects the future generations,” Curtis said.

“If the population doesn’t care, then bad things will happen and society will be grey. Information will not be spread freely. For instance,

Illustration by Karla Mejia

WikiLeaks, bad things are going on in other countries…in the future, maybe because of the lack of net neutrality, we won’t even know about this stuff.”

According to Save the Internet, the ISPs “would have the power to pick winners and losers online and discriminate against online content and applications. And no one would be able to do anything about it. “ On top of extra charges and discrimination of service, activists argue that the new bill has roots in the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and additionally ISPs can also have the power to penalize users if users access certain websites or download certain content that are against the ISPs policies. With the new power ISPs might have they would be able to track and record the user’s every move thanks to being able to regulate how they use the Internet, subsequently, allowing them to censor the Internet.

On May 7, nearly 150 Internet companies, including Google, Twitter, Facebook, eBay, and Amazon, sent a signed letter to FCC chairman Tom Wheeler and the commissioners to express their concerns over the new proposed bill.

They argued that a free and open Internet allows for new innovations that contributes to economic growth and provides Internet companies to become major global leaders.

The letter said that if companies are able to buy priority it becomes unfair and does not leave the customer with a choice.

William Austin Rawlings, a computer facilities coordinator

who has been with Mt. SAC for 15 years, said that the demise of net neutrality will put richer companies at the unfair advantage, leaving small businesses and startup companies who depend on the internet for survival dead in the water.

“You’ve got folks that can afford to make sure that you as a student see their advertising or services before others,” Rawlings said.

“Your experience on the internet is going to be diminished because one company just happened to have more money than another.”

Rawlings said that impressions of a company would be biased since their information gets to the user faster than their competitors.

The proposal is now open for public comment until Sept. 10, which means Internet users can voice their opinions on whether they support or oppose the bill by going to FCC.gov, file their comments on their e-filing system or by sending mail to the commission’s secretary at the FCC. Activists are urging internet users to user their voice since the FCC is suppose to consider all comments made during this time. The Nation reported that the FCC should be making their final decision by the end of the year.

Curtis said that the people should take a stand and as taxpayers we should be able to access information on something that was created to be an open entity “Whether it is corporation or the government, we shouldn’t be afraid to take a stand when we need to.

That’s how we get what we want.”

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

News

7

Part-time professors always on the go Adrian Islas Ana Silva Layla Jasco Staff Writers “Freeway Flyers” – a term bestowed upon part-time, or adjunct, professors used to highlight their daily trek from one campus to another. Their days are arduous, time-consuming and often without gratitude. They perform their craft with virtually little to no job security or benefits. Yet according to a recent report from the Center for Community College Student Engagement, part-time instructors teach 58 percent of community college classes and 53 percent of the community college student population.

One of the daunting challenges adjunct professors face every term is the uncertainty of obtaining courses to teach. The inconsistent work flow is usually the strongest contributor to a part-time instructor’s decision to teach at multiple colleges.

English professor Edgar Muniz, who has been teaching at Mt. SAC for five years and also currently teaches at Santa Ana College, knows the struggle all too well. “From semester to semester, you might get a class rescinded. As long as you are not full-time, you are always going to be kind of wondering,” Muniz said.

Yunuen Bonaparte/MOUNTAINEER One of the many adjunct professors on campus teaching a night class on Thursday May 29, 2014.

Professor Jose Perez Gonzales is also no stranger to the long commutes and frequent trips to the gas station. Gonzales currently teaches a wide range of courses at the University of La Verne and

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Cerritos College, in addition to Mt. SAC. “I spend about three to four hours a day just commuting. I have no life, during the weekdays,” Gonzales said.

The long hours spent on the road traveling from class to class takes a heavy toll not only on the professors themselves, but also on the students they instruct. The report from the Center for Community College Student Engagement found that full-time faculty as more capable of allotting time to student feedback and advisement, whereas part-time faculty simply cannot due to their hectic work schedules and lack of amenities. For example, the report indicated that 77 percent of fulltime faculty spend more than five hours a week preparing for a class, compared to just 57 percent of part-time instructors. The report also notes the majority of adjunct faculty is not accommodated with essential resources. “Their access to orientation, professional development, administrative and technology support, office space and accommodations for meeting with students typically is limited, unclear or inconsistent. Moreover, part-time faculty has infrequent opportunities to interact with peers about teaching and learning,” the report said.

First-year Mt. SAC sociology professor Jessica Moss understands how aggravating this ordeal can be for students who want or expect more from their instructors. “If students want to just ‘pop-in’ to ask a question, we are not always around and I am sure that can be frustrating for a student,” Moss said.

Professor Susan Obarski, a 14year part-time instructor at Mt. SAC, also admits the lack of simple amenities can hinder involvement with students.

“A mail room is not really conducive to having private conversations with students. It would be really nice to have a place that I could call an office here, so that students would feel more comfortable communicating with me,” Obarski said.

A light does exist at the end of the proverbial tunnel, albeit a very faint one. Amidst the difficulties

adjuncts encounter in performing their jobs, the ultimate goal is simple: to become a tenured professor. Most part-time instructors will never realize this dream, though through no fault of their own. Universities and community colleges from coast to coast have gradually marginalized adjunct faculty over the last 45 years. According to a report by the Service Employees International Union, in 1969 over 78 percent of United States college and university faculty members were either tenured or on a tenured track. Today, the rate is down to under 35 percent.

At the community college level, the percentage plummets to five percent.

Faced with this harsh reality, it is not surprising that many parttime instructors would consider accepting a full-time position at another campus, including offers from out-of-state. Five of six Mt. SAC professors interviewed would ‘definitely’ take a job in a different part of the country, if given the opportunity.

“I’d take a full-time job elsewhere in a heartbeat,” Gonzales said.

Moss echoed this sentiment.

“Of course I would love a fulltime position. The stability is a huge blessing,” Moss said.

In addition to the benefits afforded to an adjunct turned fulltime professor, which include health insurance and pension plans, the pay increase is staggering.

According to a report filed in January 2014 by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Democratic Staff, a fulltime professor’s salary can average from $72,000 to $160,000; adjuncts average $25,000 to $27,000 a year.

In an interview with Inside Higher Ed, head of the University of Southern California’s Delphi Project Adrianna Kezar suggested that community colleges can do more to help part-time faculty members be more efficient in their jobs. “So many changes cost little or marginal amounts of money. But they do require priority-setting and making this a goal for departments or institutions,” Kezar said.

Delphi Project research assistant Dan Maxey added, “Non-tenure-track faculty are committed educators and should be provided proper support and fair compensation.”

Despite their ordeal, many adjuncts maintain an optimistic outlook fueled by a genuine passion to teach. Radio-Television program professor Jason Shiff has been a part-time instructor at Mt. SAC for eight years, and continues to find his job extremely satisfying.

“To be able to take what I learned in the radio industry and things I learned myself in school, and use that knowledge to help try to mold students, I think that’s the rewarding part,” Shiff said.

Shiff also said that many adjunct faculty members just starting their careers may feel discouraged by the lack of actual opportunities to teach, but maintains that perseverance is vital to success.

“The first semester or so can be difficult, especially if you’ve never taught before. Do not expect it to be easy. But do not get discouraged right away. Give it some time,” Shiff said.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Mountaineer

Mt. San Antonio College

Opinion

8

Hey bikini season, up yours!

Letter from the editor “Do not cry because it is over, smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss said these words and I cannot help but to agree. The past year at the Mountaineer has been wrought with anger, frustration, hope, success, and most importantly growth. In our first issue during the Fall of 2013, I wrote about the importance of second chances, and how sometimes that is all we need.

I will never be able to describe in words what my second chance has meant to me, however I hope it is evident in the eight issues we published. The shift in news delivery has been a challenge the staff has risen to; we know that you are using your iPhones and iPads to get your news and thus we are doing our best to adapt.

I do not know what lies ahead for the Mountaineer, but what I do know however is that regardless of the method of delivery, online or on your phones, the student journalists at Mt. SAC will continue to fight for their readers, and bring to them what matters most in news: heart.

Before I say farewell, I would like to say what an honor it has been to serve you the reader, and how meaningful my time here has been. Also, I could not have done my job if it were not for the dedicated and talented staff of reporters, photographers, and designers.

You may not know their names or see their faces, but they are the backbone of this newspaper.

And to someone who has pushed me past my limits in attempts at finding the talent she knew was inside, thank you to our adviser Toni Albertson. No one has been more passionate than her in making sure we have something of value to hand our readers. It is because of her that the newspaper was resurrected, and because of her that the journalism program is taking the next step in journalism.

Finally, no job in the world could ever outshine my experience in college journalism, and for that I thank you. Some of us will graduate, some will transfer, and still some will return in the fall eager to learn and reach the goals they have set for themselves. Whatever the case, if nothing else, please take these words as a token of your time here, and enjoy this semester’s final issue of the Mountaineer.

Albert Serna Editor-in-Chief

Cynthia Schroeder Art Director It is that time of year again. It is physically impossible to walk into a store without seeing every magazine cover scream at me that I am fat in bold, yellow, 70-point font. Only they do not outright say I am fat, they tell me that bikini season is around the corner and I need to get my body ready for it.

The magazines promise us that if we follow their innovative diet and exercise tips, we will spare everyone the horror of looking at our ghastly gams and saggy stomachs. Getting a “bikini body” is an idea that I have an immense issue with. We live in a society that shames women with stretch marks, acne, and hair anywhere else but on their head and teaches us to scrutinize every detail about each other. It is shocking that we even have the courage to step foot outside, let alone wear a swimsuit for the purpose of swimming.

As a young woman, I am the target for such advertising and body shaming propaganda. They slap the terms “fitness” and “health” on it but all it contributes to is the opposite: unhealthy habits. Anybody slightly into fitness can tell you that results do not happen overnight and short-term goals never work. This is something that the magazines do not tell you. At the age of 16, I fell victim to this nonsense. It was the summer before my senior year of high school. I remember being so anxious for the senior beach trip because I was worried that I did not look good in a bikini even though I could not have weighed more than 115 pounds. Two months prior to the trip, I bought about five or six different magazines that advertised weight loss tips on the cover in preparation for the big day. While reading the weight loss articles, I realized that every celebrity that lost 30 pounds in a month had a personal trainer and pre-portioned, gourmet meals delivered to their homes three to five times a day.

I thought to myself, “how can I ever lose weight if I can not afford these services?” The only piece of advice that I took from the article is that a very attractive starlet ate 1100 calories a day to maintain a svelte figure. 1100 calories a day is starving your self even by a nutritionist’s standards.

I was too young and naïve to know any better and began counting calories manically. What makes my adolescent swimsuit anxiety even sadder to me is that I was so focused on an item of clothing that should have represented a day of fun and bonding with my classmates. I remember being at the senior beach trip gazing enviously at my peers having fun,

Photo Illustration by Yunuen Bonaparte

particularly, I was looking at a group of my girlfriends frolicking in the ocean, when I had a moment of clarity – who cares what I look like in a bikini?

In all honesty, I have had the “bikini body” throughout different parts of my life. This is only apparent to me in hindsight because at the time I did not feel good in my bikini, even after going to the gym five times a week and practically starving myself. In other words, after doing what the magazines and advertisements told me to do, I was still not comfortable with myself. The standards I set for myself were so impossibly high that it is probable that the Victoria’s Secret Angels who do have the ideal body truly do not without a little help from Photoshop and a visit to Dr. 90210.

With that said, chances are you and I will never look like a Victoria’s

Secret model. Instead of investing time and money into a personal trainer, pre-portioned low-calorie gourmet meals and state-of-the art cosmetic procedures for the rest of the stubborn fat, a la Beyonce and Kim Kardashian, a reasonable alternative is working on changing your view of yourself and your body.

Your mind is the most powerful weapon against the aforementioned body-shaming propaganda put out by the media, so use it! All a woman needs to have a perfect “bikini body” is to purchase a bikini that they think is perfectly cute and nothing more. Our lives are way too short to spend them stressing over whether or not our thighs are perfectly smooth and our stomach is flat enough to wear a bikini. Do not let body anxiety – much of which is artificially generated to sell us crap – keep you from enjoying your life.

GET YOUR NEWS ALL SUMMER AT MOUNTIEWIRE.COM

THE

grad

ISSUE

Yunuen Bonaparte CAL STATE FULLERTON

Ivan Aguirre SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY

Sylvia Villanueva Staff Writer t 24, Yunuen Bonaparte, a photography major, has overcome many obstacles on her journey to achieve the American dream.

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When Bonaparte was 15, her parents’ constant fights became violent. Frightened for everyone’s safety, Bonaparte made a decision she would regret for years. She got the police involved and Bonapartes’ parents were deemed unfit to care for their children. She was informed by a social worker that she would be placed in a foster home; something she did not even know existed before that night because she had only lived in the U.S. for a few years.

“At 15 years of age I was carrying the future of my loved ones on my shoulder. That night, I regretted everything and I regretted nothing. I was in a cloud of confusion and didn’t know how to deal with it,” she said. To this day her mother blames Bonaparte for ruining her family.

After spending a few months in foster care, Bonaparte was reunited with her father, and channeled all of her energy into school, eventually graduating high school. She was accepted to several Cal States but knew she could not afford any. She wanted to continue with school because she did not want her parents’ sacrifices of moving to the United States to be worth nothing. She applied to Mt. SAC and took her first college course with Professor Neil Chapman, which is what really sparked her interest in photography. She thought it would

be nice to be a photographer, but knew that for someone who was undocumented it would be difficult, so she pushed the idea to the back of her mind.

In 2012, President Obama passed the DREAM Act and gave Bonaparte hope for a brighter future.

“You don’t know what this means for someone like me. I know I can do so many things if I put my mind to it, and this has opened a door that had been shut. I knew that without that door being open for me I couldn’t do anything... [Now] I could accomplish my dreams. I could actually take charge of my life and become somebody better,” Bonaparte said.

This semester Bonaparte became the photo editor for Mt. SAC’s journalism program.Toni Albertson, professor of journalism and adviser of student media, said, “She turned everything around and has done an exceptional job.

She does everything the absolute best that she can do.”

She will be transferring to Cal State Fullerton in the fall with a 3.83 GPA where she plans to major in photojournalism. Bonaparte doesn’t like to think too far ahead in the future because she knows things could change any day as new legislation is passed.

“I’m living one day at a time,” she said.

She ultimately wants to help people by sharing their stories with the world.

“That’s why I wake up in the morning, thinking one day I’ll change somebody’s life or at least try.”

Zoher Yusufali Staff Writer van Aguirre was in a dark place. His heart was pumping ferociously.

He could not think and his mind was racing.

He was standing on his backyard porch with a hangman noose around his neck, attempting to take his life, now for the second time.

Aguirre, 20, an only child, was born in Fontana into a first generation, low-income family.

After graduating from Summit High School in Fontana and continuing his studies at MT. SAC, Aguirre will now transfer to San Jose State University with plans to major in psychology; however, attending a four-year college did not always seem promising for Aguirre.

Aguirre’s troubles started at a young age. As a child, he would come home to an empty house; his parents were always working and were hardly ever home.

“I was one of those latchkey kids, given the keys to my own home and told to make my own dinner,” Aguirre said. “In the long run that just gets to you.”

These early days of isolation and lack of interaction with his family triggered major depression and the development of his suicidal tendencies. “They weren’t around for a lot of me growing up. That was kind of hard to deal with,” he said.

Aguirre’s depression got worse as he grew older. His first attempt at suicide happened during middle school, as he tried to overdose on sleeping pills. Fortunately, Aguirre survived the ordeal but still felt like life his life lacked joy. Upholding

I

the responsibilities of an honor roll student grew troublesome for Aguirre as his depression grew worse. His third attempt at suicide was at the age of 16, mixing a lethal combination of sleeping pills and alcohol. This is when Aguirre realized he needed help. With his grades declining rapidly Aguirre said, “I was slowly fucking up. I could care less. I hit rock bottom.”

The decision to finally seek help led him to call to a suicide hotline where he spoke to Ian, a volunteer at the suicide hotline center, for almost six hours.

“His advice really helped out, because nobody ever took the time to do that with me,” Aguirre said.

Ian suggested that Aguirre seek a hobby so he took an art class in high school, and with the help with his art teacher Ms. Flores, he managed to bring something positive into his life.

“The fact that you have to sit still and focus on [that], you start noticing all the beauties,” he said.

Mario Ramirez, a close friend of Aguirre, stressed Aguirre’s remarkable improvement in life.

“I really think that Ivan has made grand improvements in his life. The Ivan I know today is a complete turnaround from the Ivan I met back in the 8th grade.

He is confident, loud and proud,” Ramirez said.

Lisa Camberos, another close friend of Aguirre, said that his artwork has “given him a purpose to live on.”

Aguirre hopes to become a successful psychologist someday and help others who face the troubles that he dealt with.

THE

grad

ISSUE

Ebony Hardiman

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE Jillian Copeland Staff Writer Ebony Hardiman grew up the youngest of eight sisters to crack addicted parents, but vows to remain drug free. Hardiman, 22, holds down five part time jobs and runs a popular beauty blog.

She was born in Pasadena but never stayed in one place too long due to the dysfunctional and often violent home environment. When high, Hardiman witnessed her parent’s fight and often become violent towards each other. Her mother would leave, pack them up, and move to a different place until reconciling with her father. Despite the constant instability at home, school was also a torment.

“I felt more alone at school, then I did at home,” Hardiman said.

The schools Ebony attended were predominantly white and she felt like an outcast. “I was a fish out of water, darker then the white girls and lighter then the black girls,” Hardiman said.

Hardiman could not understand why the others girls bullied her. It wasn’t until after high school that she started to stand up for herself and fight for what she wanted.

“I’m the one who’s going to rescue myself,” Hardiman said.

Hardiman will transfer to Cal State Northridge in the fall and is already a writer for the Los Angeles Wave with published articles under her belt. The Aspire Program has been a constant stability in a world of uncertainty for Hardiman. Her mentor Tyee Griffith, 33, outreach specialist in the Aspire Program, has seen great growth and progress in Hardiman and strongly believes she can and will achieve her dreams. “I have seen Ebony have that step back moment and say ‘wow, I am worthy, I am amazing,’” said Griffith.

Hardiman, who said she takes advantage of all he things Mt. SAC has to offer, also serves as president of the Black Student Union. She plans to pursue her academic dreams and become a spanish broadcast journalist. “There are times I wanna give up, but I know I can’t,” said Hardiman said.

Ignacio De Luna CAL STATE LOS ANGELES Rachelle Araghi Staff Writer

V

isualize a life without fear, doubt, or obstacles that prevent you from achieving your most prized goal: a college degree. That was Ignacio De Luna’s dream, but it ended when the single father dropped out of college work and support his family. De Luna, a 42-year-old mathematics major, put his life on hold for 20 years to give his child a good life, but realized it was time to make a change. He enrolled at Mt. SAC to pursue a civil engineering degree to be like “MacGyver” from the 80s television show, but had a change of heart. He now knows that he is destined to help students in math.

“Students in class always say they hate math and I go, ‘why do these kids hate math? Is it because they don’t understand it? Or the teacher doesn’t explain what’s going on?” De Luna said. “I don’t want people to hate math. They should enjoy it.”

Like many students, seeing

a counselor often helps paint the way for the academic year.

He was anxious to speak to his counselor and pumped with drive However, meeting his counselor was everything but encouraging. De Luna was shooting for a 4.0 GPA, but during his previous academic years at Cal Poly Pomona, dropped out with a GPA below a 2.0. He knew he had some making up to do.

He told the counselor his goal is to receive an A in every class.

“I’m sure he looked at my GPA from 20 years ago, and I said ‘Yeah, that’s 20 years ago’, but he kind of smirked and laughed, like saying you can’t do that.”

De Luna chose to look on the brighter side. Without a doubt in his voice, he told the counselor, “No, I’m going to do it.” From that moment forward he was more determined than ever to reach this goal. He was reassured that he was meant to be a math teacher when he took pre-calculus.

De Luna’s classmate, Eunice Briet, a public health major, said, “On test days, Ignacio knew the

material so well he could complete it with his eyes closed. He would offer his help to anyone who needed it. He loved helping and teaching us the material, and truly wanted us all to succeed,” said Briet.

De Luna will be graduating this semester with a 4.0 GPA and attending Cal State LA in the fall to pursue his mathematics major.

“I feel accomplished and excited to be walking with other graduates who have worked very hard to get this far. It’s been 25 years since I began my journey and I can’t wait to walk in a few years when I earn my bachelor’s in mathematics at Cal State LA,” De Luna said.

my job thinking I had one set up, and that didn’t work out. Nothing went how it was supposed to go,” said Robertson. Feeling stuck, he had given up everything, with no plan if things did not work out.

“I never felt like I was depressed about anything, but that depressed me.

I didn’t want to go back to school. I just wanted it to go back how it was,” said Robertson.

However, in 2010 Robertson enrolled back into school, this time at Mt. SAC. Along with taking other courses, he worked as tech support for school plays. Robertson met Ralph Eastman, speech and theatre arts professor, who he views as a mentor.

“I’d go to him and be like ‘I don’t get why I’m not being casted in shows.’ He would tell me it’s not necessarily me. He would say you’re one of the good ones here don’t worry about that,” said Robertson.

Jessie Robertson COLLEGE NEEDED

Fantashia Francis Staff Writer t the age of 6, Jessie Robertson knew he was destined to act.

Robertson, a 26-year-old theatre arts major, came from a Nigerian household where doctors, engineers or accountants are expected as future job titles, and with the pressure and little support from his parents, Robertson entered college as an accountant major to appease his family.

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Robertson attended Chaffey College in 2005 to pursue accounting, but was redirected once he sat with a counselor in 2007. A counselor suggested he try theatre.

She said, “You have a nice smile and a look for acting. I think you will like it.”

In 2009, Robertson attended Playhouse West, a school and repertory theatre in Burbank.

Robertson planned to move to Burbank when everything fell apart. “I couldn’t find a job. I quit

Fortunately, Robertson would go on to act in six of the school plays.

In “Nothing To Be Done,” directed

by Eastman, Robertson played a mute who used knocking sounds for communication. “I was delighted Jessie took that part. He worked very well on it and even given such little to do, he did it very well, Eastman said. “He was able to convey emotion.”

Outside of school, Robertson works with his friends who write and act in skits that are posted on social media sites. Christopher Pritchett, 25, friend of Robertson said, “He takes his craft seriously.

He’s constantly working on his monologues; learning things beyond acting that will help him with his acting.”

Before graduating this semester, Robertson will act in one more play, “Fool for Love,” directed

by Eastman. After graduation, Robertson plans to transfer to a four-year college to continue practicing theatre, work on his craft, and audition for plays.

Fanelly Millan CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE

Portia Blankson Staff Writer

F

amily is foundation through which most people rely on to grow into unique individuals. We learn to take pride in our family and cultural backgrounds.

For Fanelly Millan, a 30-year-old radio broadcasting major, accepting her culture as something of value was distasteful.

Unlike many immigrants, Millan’s family did not come to the U.S. in hopes of receiving a better education and job opportunities.

Millan left Puerto Vallarta in 1994 with her mother and brother to escape her abusive, violently ill, alcoholic father. Millan went from being pampered and sheltered in Mexico, to being an undocumented immigrant and raised by her well-intentioned but racist great grandmother in Pomona.

Millan’s great grandmother not only taught her great life values like being independent and hardworking, but to also resent herself for being Mexican. “She was racist towards her own people and she taught me, despite my skin color, to alienate myself from my true ancestry,” Millan said. She added that most of the elders past their 80s disliked their Mestizo background, a term referring to a person of European and Native American decent, and identified more with their Spanish roots instead. “I was very confused. I looked more like [them] than I did my great grandma.”

Amongst all the confusion, it’s not surprising that Millan soon ended up with conflicting feelings toward accepting her cultural background.

In the beginning stages of her new life in the United States, Millan did not have many friends so she immersed herself in books. Having to adapt to a new environment and learn English, Millan did not have the chance to make new friends so she turned to books, where she learned more about her cultural background. “At first I identified myself as Mexican,” Millan said.

However, as she explored different identities, she concluded that the best thing would be to “blend in” and call herself Hispanic.

Further down the road, Millan started exploring different religious text and it was at this point that she decided to identify herself as human. “I’m not your ordinary Mexican,” Millan said. “I wasn’t born here, so I’m not Chicana, Hispanic, or Latina. It’s just too exotic for me.”

Millan immediately enrolled at Mt. SAC after graduating from high school in 2001. By the time Millan was 20, she had moved out of her grandparents house and was working as a debt collector for 10 years using a fake social security.

“I worked anywhere I could because I didn’t have a social and it was really bad, but I’m not embarrassed to tell people because even though I am aware that I was breaking the law. I was just surviving,” she added.

Yesenia Sanchez, friend of Millan for over 10 years, describes Millan as a warrior. “She doesn’t stop. She keeps going and she’s had a lot of obstacles in her life that she’s been able to overcome.”

Now 13 years later, Millan completed her associate of arts degree in communications and will now be transferring to Cal

State Northridge in the fall with hopes of entering the Spanish radiobroadcasting field in news and traffic. “Hopefully, somebody reading this who thinks they have it really hard, will get inspired and that they’ll continue because it’s never late to finish your education,”

Manny Flores Multiculture Editor

S

Samantha Romero Annenberg School of Journalism UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

All photos by Yunuen Boneparte/ Mountaineer

piritual, passionate, intelligent, insanely friendly, and fascinated with sloths are several words to describe 19-year-old Samantha Romero, who will be transferring this fall.

Throughout her time at Mt. SAC, Romero accumulated numerous accolades, such as president of the National Honors Society, Green Earth Organization, and the French club.

Most recently, she was accepted to the University of Southern California.

Despite her success and accomplishments, Romero has managed to stay humble. Her longtime friend Kassidy Yu Wen Wang, 19, English major, shared her perspective on Romero’s down to earth manners.

“I think because she is humble, people may not realize how incredible she is,” Wang said.

The joy of being accepted to USC was an emotional moment for Romero.

“I was completely ecstatic,” Romero said. “I was a ball of emotions. I literally tore the envelope apart and clenched onto the admission package sobbing for about ten minutes straight.”

Romero plans to enter USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism where she hopes to major in

Millan said. “Education is the only thing we have. We could lose everything but that’s the only way out of poverty and that’s the only way out of the bad life.”

multimedia journalism. She said she chose to major in journalism because it is a constant adventure where one can find themselves in the most unexpected places.

“From attending the Newport Beach Film Festival to covering the Associated Student elections, it has been a constant learning experience,” Romero said.

Adolfo Tigerino, 27, journalism and political science major and a friend and peer of Romero, shared some of her strongest qualities as a journalist.

“She is able to humanize every story,” Tigerino said. “She finds that story that really captivates and catches the reader. She normally only picks stories she is passionate about, so each story she tells has no dull moment.”

Wang said that being a people person is one of Romero’s strongest qualities as a journalist.

“She makes them comfortable and reaches out to diverse groups,” said Wang. Wang said that Romero is one her closest friends and a positive influence in her life. “I am extremely proud and blessed to know her,” Wang said.

Romero said that attending Mt. SAC has been the best decision she could have made for her academic career. “My time at Mt. SAC has been amazing,” Romero said. “It has allowed me to grow as an individual and really establish a solid foundation for my future.”

Christopher Ayala Staff Writer

THE

grad

ISSUE

Nicole Villanueva UC SANTA BARBARA

Valerie Roxas Staff Writer Former female wrestler, Harry Potter fanatic, extremely spontaneous and an expert conversationalist are just some components of what make up Nicole Villanueva, 22, biopsychology major. Growing up with a father who suffered a gambling addiction that left her and her family homeless at one point, Villanueva is the ideal representation of how an individuals’ trails and tribulations can truly lead someone to a significant and massive breakthrough.

An injury from wrestling during her senior year of high school, put Villanueva in the hospital where she became intrigued by the scans of her brain.“Right after I came out of the machine, the doctor was showing me pictures of my own brain and I asked for a copy of it,” said Villanueva. It was this moment that helped Villanueva decide that she wanted to pursue a career in biological psychology After only attending the University of California Santa Barbara, UCSB, for one quarter straight out of high school, Villanueva finds herself back in her hometown of Chino Hills. For Villanueva, the transition to check back into reality and attend a local community college after coming from a university that has the reputation of being one of the best party schools was difficult.

“Mt. SAC and Santa Barbara have two totally different cultures,” said Villanueva. With all of her distractions Villanueva added, “I was definitely not prepared to be on my own, take my own initiative and not party all the time. This is why coming back home to Mt. SAC really helped me get into the college mentality.”

Now with a clearer vision and less distraction, Villanueva will be transferrin back to UCSB where she will complete her studies.

F

rom pianist to scholar, from homeless to stable, Parris Greenwood, a 22-year-old political science major, will be attending UC Berkeley to study law this upcoming fall. Going from chemistry major to computer science to finally a political science major, Greenwood has faced challenges trying to balance his personal life as well as his academic life. After a dispute with his mother that forced him to go off on his own, he stayed with various friends from place to place and keeping up with school was a challenge.

“It was hard to manage my classes and I didn’t have a place to live. Mt. SAC has a lot of resources,” Greenwood said. “I just took advantage of those, even though I didn’t have a place to go, I was still able to do my homework.”

He joined Alpha Gamma Sigma in 2012, meeting various people with different backgrounds and learning that each individual has their own issues but continue to thrive in school. This encouraged him to keep up with school. He participated in various community service events such as feeding the homeless, cleaning houses, help at pet shelters, and building homes. He has even been involved in marathons for many causes such as cancer and children with multiple sclerosis.

“The most influential thing Parris has shown me is that helping doesn’t require anything in return,” Aaron Cervantes, 22, a computer science major and longtime friend to Greenwood said. “He is willing to talk to anyone around school and even out in the streets.”

After he completes his studies at UC Berkley, he hopes to continue his education at Harvard law school.

“I want to be a lawyer, maybe do cooperate law that way I can network with businesses and

Parris Greenwood UC BERKELEY

eventually I want to run for office, doesn’t necessarily have be anything big like senate or house of representative,” he said.

Through hard work and commitment, Greenwood is able to show promise and ability to move forward when times are difficult.

“The kinds of struggles and challenges he’s faced, many people would just be broken by that experience,” said Curtis Simon,

45, political science professor. “His overcoming these struggles and these adversaries has really made him a stronger person and more successful, and better able to deal with challenges in the future.”

Greenwood not only wants to become a success in life.

“I just want to be in a position where I can benefit people. I want to be able to help people in a bigger scale.”

Adolfo Tigerino SAN FRANCISCO STATE

Yunuen Bonaparte Staff Writer e has driven hours to distant cities to photograph and follow a story. He has blown off work to cover a story about a fire. He has won numerous awards for his writing and photography. He has opened for The Adicts, a popular punk rock band. Only a man driven by his passion would be able to endure the avalanche of challenges the newsroom sends his way. This man is Adolfo Tigerino, 27, a political science and journalism major.

Any person is capable to go to work and do only the bare minimum to earn their position, but not Tigerino. His curiosity and tenacity pushes him to go the extra mile in order to get the story. Tigerino goes above and beyond his responsibilities as the news editor for The Mountaineer and as the editor-inchief for the Mountiewire.

Tigerino is passionate about helping people. He hopes to study law one day and to help those around him. His journalism background allows Tigerino to tell the stories of those in need.“I love writing, telling

H

stories and giving a voice to the voiceless,” Tigerino said.

Tigerino has always intended to go to law school; however, he became interested on journalism after taking one class with Professor Toni Albertson. He said it was the way Albertson would talk about journalism the first day of class that made him realize that journalism was the medium he would use to tell his stories.

“I knew I was in love with journalism when I realized its power to keep the system in check. Without reporters watching, the system would be more corrupt and depraved,” said Tigerino.

Tigerino has won numerous awards for his writing and photography, including a Maggie Award for an article about women’s reproductive rights, which came with a $250 price and is only awarded to one college student, and as editor-inchief, he earned general excellence for mountiewire from JACC. “None of my awards could have been won without the guidance and lessons I’ve learned from Toni. I’m so grateful to have had her as an adviser and mentor,” Tigerino said.

Tigerino hopes to become a writer and photographer for a magazine or newspaper and write about music, politics and nutrition in the future.

He hopes to start a series of little documentaries this summer with his friend about the characters that frequent Venice Beach.

“The reason I wake up is just to tell a story, just to go out and tell the story; something people will be interested in and see that you are not alone, get inspired, get hope, show the good side of humanity,” Tigerino said. “I like capturing the emotion of anything I see, and I’m always obsessed with that, so I’m always trying to capture the moment.”

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Features

13

Student overcomes disability Brittney Morales Staff Writer Having cerebral palsy and autism has not prevented 21-yearold Gabrielle Shulman from being optimistic in life.

Shulman, theater arts major, was diagnosed with a mild case of cerebral palsy as a child, which has affected the muscles in her feet and has caused her to walk on the balls of her feet, or her ‘tippy toes’, for the last 21 years of her life.

Some might relate her style of walking to that of a ballerina.

“Doctors told me I was going to walk on my toes for the rest of my life and I believed them,” she said.

“When I tried to walk normally my whole legs would start to burn.”

However, with the help of a Mt. SAC yoga instructor, Shulman has been able to prove her doubters wrong.

At the beginning of this spring semester Shulman enrolled herself in a yoga class, and in 15 short weeks she has been able to perfect a skill which most people do without giving it a second thought – walking with her feet flat on the ground.

Yoga instructor Jeff Hendrix was the one to teach Shulman how

Jose De Castro/MOUNTAINEER Gabrielle Shulman, 21, theater arts major, has perfected the skill that most people do without giving a second thought - walking with her feet flat on the ground. Shulman enrolled in a yoga class to walk because she was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy as a child.

to focus and stretch her muscles enough to walk with her heels finally touching the ground.

“I didn’t notice right away but after a class or two, I noticed that Gabrielle was always on the balls of her feet,” he said. “Even the best dancers cannot do all of these poses on the balls of their feet maintaining balance,” he added.

Hendrix said that it was the “chair pose” that helped Shulman to walk with her feet flat. The chair pose is a yoga position in which your knees are bent and you hold your body in the shape of a chair.

“One day she was able to maintain all these poses. When I realized what was happening for

Gabby I was kind of blown away,” Hendrix said.

While Shulman’s yoga instructor attributes her success to her willingness to continue, her mother, Hamsy Shulman, is thankful for the instruction and help Hendrix has been given her.

Hamsy said that when her daughter was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she taught her to never feel ashamed. “I told her that she has to be honest with those she meets and tell them [she is] autistic and [she has] disabilities that way they can accept you for yourself,” said Hamsy.

Shulman’s friend Anna Silva, 21, journalism major, knows that

Shulman is anything but ordinary.

“Some people with disabilities are just upset about their condition and don’t make the best of it but she does and that’s one of the most inspiring things about her,” Silva said. “Her optimism shines on through.”

Shulman was told that she would never walk normally in her life, but she persevered and she now can walk with her feet completely flat on the ground. She hopes to inspire people to be positive and to push through whatever challenges may arise.

“It’s better to focus on being positive than to focus on things that happened in the past,” said Shulman.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Mountaineer

Mt. San Antonio College

College Life

14

Rich Yaps!

Bye Felicia, C U Next Tuesday!

#FOODPORN Photos by Adolfo Tigerino

Adolfo Tigerino News Editor s summer rolls around there are places you should definitely hit during the break that will satisfy your random food cravings.

If you have never traveled to Chicago, you have not had the delicious taste of their deep-dish pizzas, but there is an answer, Masa of Echo Park Bakery & Cafe. The joint contains both heavy meat options like their Lots of Meat pizza and vegan selections like the California Veggie shown above.

These tasty pizzas are savory and two inches deep of pure delight, but order in advance because great things require time, these pizzas take 40 minutes to make.

When you want something sweet

A

get a cookie ice cream sandwich that will leave you full and satisfied.

These delicious desserts at Diddy Riese give you the option to pick any two types of cookies that sandwich any flavor ice cream of your choosing in Westwood, Calif.

The ice cream sandwich pictured to the right has two oatmeal raisin and walnut cookies with a soft creamy mint chocolate chip ice cream filler.

For those night owls, party animals, show goers and people leaving clubs there is a safe refuge for food available until 4 a.m. The L.A. Cafe provides a vast variety of food, including vegan options, between sandwiches, tacos, paninis and waffles to name a few in downtown L.A. The Salmon Tacos with Mango Salsa to the right are a flavorful punch that leaves patrons craving more.

College chicks had me like...

DUDE! COLLEGE IS AWESOME!

Cartoon by Adam Valenzuela

Rich Yap Staff Writer It’s hard to say how our friendship dissolved. At the root of it, Felicia had a problem with the person I was growing into, which completely shattered this image she had created of me through her years of knowing me from middle through high school, and then college. And who was I becoming?

Myself. Felicia knew me prior to my coming out as queer. After I came out to her, it seemed as though everything would be fine, but with a caveat: she would be fine with it as long as I did not become “too gay.” That should have been a red flag to me.

Before I knew it, she started policing my behavior, oftentimes making comments about my masculinity or her perceived lack thereof. Felicia would not like how I said or did something, citing that my actions or way of speaking were “too gay,” or too “flamboyant.”

I reassured her that this was not the case; this was always who I was, the only difference was that now she knew. My efforts to quell her “concerns” were futile—it got to be that I felt like I could no longer be myself in front of her because I got tired of her picking me apart for things that were not really problems to begin with. Gradually, I stopped answering her calls, stopped responding to her messages and emails, and before I knew it, so much time had passed that it would have been awkward to make contact and pick up where we had left off. And honestly, I did not want to—I felt a weight lifted off my chest when the friendship ended; I was now truly free to be myself.

But the truth is, I was always free to be myself. Why did I feel that I needed Felicia’s approval in order to do so? I remember thinking, ‘we’ve been friends for so long. I should try and do what I can to salvage the friendship.’ I had to recognize and accept that we were becoming different people, and that it was okay to part ways. I was just upset I had put up with it longer than I had to.

In life, sometimes a friend who has known you for long time gains a sense of entitlement over you. Sometimes, a friend will unknowingly grow jealous of you and your successes because they see life as a race and will compare their successes with yours. Sometimes, you may be one of these shitty friends. And that’s okay too. We’re not perfect.

In my short years of life I have had to say “see you later” to more than a few friends who could no longer keep up with me on my journey.

I say “see you later” instead of “goodbye” because in my growth as a person, I have learned that though I cannot fathom how right now, I may be friends with these people again should they enter my life somewhere down the line.

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Features

15

Student optimistic after life trials Monsserath Flores Staff Writer The sudden onset of blindness would leave anyone in a panic, and most people in such a situation would crumble. However, for Candace Cal, the struggle is one of many that she has overcome to be a successful woman today.

You will never see Cal, a 52-yearold communications major, with a frown on her face, but behind her optimistic character and smile, there have been challenges throughout her life that have shaped her into who she is today.

Cal’s father began a business on his own which later failed. As a result, her father developed a drinking problem and eventually started to physically abuse her mother.

“My brother ended up taking karate to defend my mother’” Cal said.

At 14, Cal became a Christian and began her music career at 15 when she joined a gospel group called Praise Through Music, which ultimately broke up. Before the band parted ways, while touring, Cal met her first soon-to-be husband.

At 22, she married him.

They had two sons together and dealt with a disintegrating marriage strained by moving from home to home. Cal later left her husband after having an affair with a man named Luciano Cal. She eventually married Luciano Cal. As the due date of their unborn son approached, Luciano became open about smoking weed and began being abusive.

“The first day we moved in together he choked me,” Cal said.

Though many see that being abused is not normal, Cal seemed to think otherwise. Being raised in an abusive environment with a father who physically abused her mother, being abused by a man seemed quite normal.

“All the years my mother got hit by my father …she never explained to me [why],” Cal said. She added that for some reason, she was curious to be in her mother’s shoes.

Not only did her new husband deteriorate her well-being; he also stripped her away her musical inspiration.

While her first husband was musically oriented, her second husband knew nothing about music.

Cal was needy and had low self-esteem at the time. She added that she did not love herself. Her infatuation with Luciano allowed her to put up with him treating her badly.

“I thought it was a privilege to be with him,” Cal said.

She sent her first two sons back with their father when they were teens. Cal was relieved she did not have to put them in a position where they would feel the need to protect her.

She ultimately got tired of Luciano’s smoking habit and desire

to be intimate at the same time.

Luciano noticed differences in her approach toward him. As a result, he threw Cal out.

While looking for jobs and places to stay, Cal met a man who led her to the beginning of her ministry.

This man wanted her to be a speaker at a women’s conference.

Because of this acquaintance, she decided to continue her education in pursuit of achieving a major in communications. This man brought back the confidence she had lost.

Going to school while being a full time mother was a challenge but not something Cal could not handle.

Brian Laing, 29, her eldest son, who is a seemingly positive person, addresses his mother’s optimistic attitude. He said, “She’s super positive.”

Cal attended school despite her separation, battling through court, and caring for her and Luciano’s son.

Getting frequent phone calls from the schools her son attended and repetitively arguing with him, made school even more challenging for Cal. “I think that was the roughest challenge in her life; raising my little brother,” her 28-year-old son, Dominique Laing said.

Cal later moved in with her nieces, who benefited from the move just as much as Cal did. “She has mentored us, and shared her story about the things that happened in her life,” Lashey Henderson, 35, a niece who Cal is living with.

Cal later joined a singles group at the Abundant Living Family Church, where she met a man named Michael Ray, who she never envisioned dating.

“He became the absolute best boyfriend I ever had,” she said. Ray remained by her side throughout several bleak moments and supported her education.

Cal was eventually diagnosed with fibroids and had to get a half hysterectomy. “I had to learn to walk again,” Cal said. “He helped me walk.”

Cal developed sensitivity to light while attending a business seminar.

The light hurt her eyes to the point where she could no longer look at her phone to make a call because of the irritation. She developed Iritis and needed prescription eye drops; however, overusing the eye drops caused Cal to develop cataracts.

“I took math …not being able to see the chalkboard,” Cal said.

“I just listened.” Disabled Student Programs and Services, DSPS, assisted with a magnifying glass and a note taker to take notes for Cal. While being a full time student earning good grades, Cal suffered from constant headaches and high stress all while battling with her son London, and dealing with her health issues. The misfortune for

Samantha Romero/MOUNTAINEER Candace Cal, 52, communications major, has preservered through school despite multiple obstacles.

Cal did not end there. Rey and Cal eventually broke-up leaving her broken-hearted and too distracted to concentrate in class.

However, Cal’s unfortunate experiences helped build her character.

“The lord was training me; I had to keep putting one foot over the other everyday [while] going to

school feeling miserable,” Cal said.

Despite being in an abusive relationship, being a single mother, obtaining cataracts and dealing with heartbreak, Cal is happy to finally graduate from Mt. SAC with an associate degree in communications at the end of the spring semester.

“I know she is going to do great things.” Cal’s friend, Mays 35, said.

MOUNT ST. MARY’S COLLEGE

Transfer Applications Being Accepted for Fall 2014 Fall classes are open in a wide range of majors covering the sciences, education, business, pre-nursing, and the humanities.

A Catholic women’s college, you are invited to visit our beautiful hilltop Brentwood location to

explore the Mount for yourself!

::

HAVEN’T EARNED 60 CREDIT HOURS? NOT A PROBLEM. Unlike UC and CSU campuses, we don’t require you to have 60 units to transfer to the Mount.

::

CONVENIENT APPLICATION AND TRANSFER PROCESS. Our dedicated staff will work with you through the application and registration process to ensure an easy transfer.

::

UP TO $16,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS. Once admitted, all transfer students are considered for up to $16,000 a year.

admissions@msmc.la.edu 800.999.9893 www.msmc.la.edu/Transfer2014

Mt. SAC.indd 1

5/1/14 11:02 AM

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Mountaineer

16

Mt. San Antonio College

Tech

The Quiet Storm Review: Transistor (PC) Damion Julien-Rohman Tech Editor Transistor puts you in the torn dress of Red, a famous singer in the futuristic city of Cloudbank. After being attacked, she wakes up with no voice, and finds a man who had been killed a few feet away - a large sword called the Transistor in his body. Somehow he is able to talk to her through the blade, and together the two head into the city to find answers and stop the dangerous change that has swept Cloudbank.

Cloudbank, to say the least, is beautiful. The 1920s art deco style crafted by Jen Zee gives an idea of what the era could have looked like in the distant future, and it’s a bit of a shame that there is not much incentive to explore the areas, despite certain points of view spots and info terminals. The vibrant colors, creepy shadows, and subtle hints of movement with fog and lighting draw you in, and the more story-based set pieces are haunting enough to make you focus. Truth is, if the place was real and less… dangerous, I would be up to take an evening stroll to see the sights.

Transistor takes a few cues from its predecessor, Bastion paticularly with narration. Logan Cunningham returns as the Transistor’s voice, providing commentary and close company for Red. Where he took a more direct approach as

Rucks in Bastion, his range opens up here. Not to say that he was not believable in Bastion, but the emotions portrayed through the sword is true to the act, and Cunningham is great in making us listen when it talks.

The combat in Transistor splits between both an action and turnbased role playing game-style, fitted with active time. Red can take attack direct with abilities called Functions, or she can freeze time and plan moves. Called Turn, this lets you move about the map and plan attacks in advance within the constraints of an action meter.

Push a button, and the plan starts in sped-up real time.

What I dug about the Functions was how they could be arranged and combined with one another to

create a personal fighting style for Red. A Function called Crash, on its own, can be used as an active stun attack or a defense-raising passive buff. When combined with other Functions Spark and Bounce, Crash can turn into stunning electrical attack that hits multiple enemies. All of the 13 Functions can be used this way, so mapping them out to fit my preference was a fun distraction on its own.

Transistor gives the notion of theming itself around “show don’t tell,” or “show but tell when necessary.” The Transistor is one of the few characters that talk in the game, save for the few grunts uttered by Red. She can still hum though, and it is eerily beautiful to hear her hum to the tune playing in the background. She even gets

a spotlight to go with it for star power.

These themes bleed into the combat as well. There’s no tutorial, which is frankly a bit welcome. It forced me to learn how to watch for the nuances of each Process and plan my moves based on what they do without a hand to hold. The tension gets ramped up a bit with each new enemy type as only brief hints about them are revealed.

Limiters, similar to Bastion’s Idols, provide varying challenges based on what you pick. Each one has a different negative effect when activated, ranging from tougher enemies to spawned clones upon defeat.

Unfortunately, these themes also bleed into the world as well. The game can be finished in about five hours, especially if you find a set of Functions that deal heavy damage.

There is a New Game + option that carries your level and Functions into a new mode with new enemy scenarios. While it is fun to dive back in, NG+ doesn’t necessarily mean increased difficulty - I found myself tearing through the game even faster there.

----------------------------------To read the full review, check out Mountiewire.com. And for my final thoughts on Transistor, visit the Mountaineer’s game blog: Mountiegames.blogspot.com

Iphoneography: More than just selfies Rich Yap Staff Writer The iPhone has come a long way since it debuted in 2007 and today, its camera practically replaces a point and shoot digital camera. Unfortunately, the sheer number of poorly taken photos and videos give the camera a bad rep. With the following tips and tricks you can expect to see an improvement in the quality of the photos and videos you take on your phone.

Lighting Unless it is a deliberate choice to have your subject covered in shadows and darkness, find a good light source! If you are inside, take note of how much sunlight fills a space, and what kind of light sources you are working with (CFL or LED). Depending on the source, the way your subject looks will vary. Unless it is an artistic choice, do not light your subject from behind, lest you want to create a silhouette.

You can avoid this by simply turning your subject towards the light. When shooting outdoors, avoid shooting when the sun is high because the light will be very harsh and unf lattering. It is best to shoot shortly after dawn to about midmorning, and in the late afternoon particularly in the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset. Natural light is softest at these times and is referred to as “golden hour” in photography.

Cropping Now that you have your subject perfectly lit, how will they be cropped in the shot? This is where it helps to turn on the grid in your camera (go to “Settings” then

scroll down to “Photos & Camera” and turn on Grid). It can help line your subject perfectly vertical or horizontal, and give you a sense of what pulls your attention in the actual picture. And what’s going on in the background? This is important to consider because a busy background can pull focus from your subject.

Use the Auto Focus and Auto Exposure Lock Once you your subject is lit and positioned in the shot, make sure they are in focus. That little orange square you see before you take a picture? That’s your iPhone’s auto focus and auto exposure at work. By default it focuses on the center of the image, but you can change the focal point by tapping on where you want the focus to be, and even lock it by pressing and holding on your desired focal point.

Shoot Video in Landscape Mode Only This only applies to the video function of your iPhone camera.

Unless you are shooting a Vine, Instagram, or Snapchat video, always turn your phone to the left before you shoot. Otherwise, your beautifully lit, well-framed and well focused video will have these huge black bars on the side when you upload it to YouTube or Facebook.

Once you have these steps down, don’t be afraid to experiment with lighting and framing to achieve certain effects.

Have fun!

------------------------------------Rich Yap has taken photographs for the Mountaineer and made short films with his iPhone 5.

Mountaineer

Mt. San Antonio College

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

A&E

17

Hip Hop School of Arts provides positive beats for the youth Jamie Rocha A&E Editor As you walk into the building located on 499 North Garey Ave., the very first thing that catches your eye is a gigantic, functional, old school style boom box that is bigger than a 60” inch flat screen. All of a sudden, you feel hairs on your skin start to tingle with the vibrations of the bass coming from the other side of wall. You make your way through the double doors and find three young men popping, locking, and manipulating their bodies to

the sounds of a old school hip hop beat. This is what breathes life into the walls of this former bank in Pomona, Calif.

This is the Hip Hop School of Arts.

The Hip Hop School of Arts (HHSA) is a non-profit organization that teaches the fundamentals in all areas of hip hop culture in order to promote a positive outlet for creativity and talent of the community’s youth.

The first school of its kind, the HHSA not only teaches dance

and music, both performance and production, but also trade and technical skills, entrepreneur skills, and urban art.

HHSA’s founder, B-boy dancer pioneer and legend Julio “Lil’ Cesar” Rivas, founded the school after being inspired by attending events where countries like Korea were giving millions to put on dance competitions for the youth.

He developed a vision for a dream center that would pass down the history of hip hop and house all elements of hip hop under one roof.

“We’ve been creating this project way back in 1997 when the idea came about,” Rivas said. “And in 2007, I really got so inspired and moved again when I was in Korea. I came and said we need to do something about it. And in 2008, we started the process and it took about six years to develop this entire project.”

After escaping from his warinfested homeland of El Salvador, Rivas became engulfed in gang life on the streets of Los Angeles. But after he was exposed to a upcoming style of dance that eventually became “break dancing,” Rivas found salvation in dance and now wants to bring his experience and knowledge to help other kids out of similar situations.

After listening to his wife’s suggestions, Rivas choose Pomona as their location because of the crime and drop out statistics, which reminded him of a “mini-L.A.” After many battles against the negative stereotype of hip hop, the school finally rallied some of Pomona’s key leaders and politicians to give support.

Saul Ochoa, 24, is one of the top B-boys in the world who goes by the name of B-Boy Starvin’ SaEwl”, also teaches at the HHSA and said that the school is nothing but positive.

“When you come in, you get really inspired,” Ochoa said. “It’s a good vibe. It’s positive. I think this what’s sets it apart from other organizations. A lot of people come in and are amazed.”

“I identify with the vision here.” said dance instructor Saúl “Conker” Palma. “They are looking to provide for every kid that steps into this building. Building their confidence, giving them a clear view about life and how they [achieve]. That’s why it really makes me believe in what’s going on here.”

Left Photo: Hip Hop School of Arts dance instructor and renowned B-Boy Saul “Starvin SaEwl” Ochoa dances with his crew in the school’s main B-boy room.

Right Photo: The Hip Hop School of Arts founder, Julio“Lil’ Cesar” Rivas, and his wife, Associate Executive Director Norma Umana, stand in the lobby of the school.

According to Richard Martinez, HHSA’s program director who is writing the curriculum that will implemented once the school is fully running, the HHSA will not only teach about the culture and history of hip hop but also how to succeed in life, health, and nurture their wellbeing.

“When the student comes in, we are going to equip them in every way,” Martinez said. “And really give them purpose and empower them to through what they love, through their passions.”

Malachi Almada, 12, a dancer and emcee who has been with the school even before it opened. credits the school with helping with his selfconfidence.

“The school has taught me a lot,” Almada said. “It’s telling me you can do anything you want. Because Cesar had a dream of a hip hop school and it came true! I have a place to dance and come when I want to, but I love the people here. It’s like a family.”

The Hip Hop School of Arts wants to show the community that there are many elements that contribute to hip hop culture, and that it is a movement and a call for social change. Spreading love, unity, peace, and good time is what Rivas wants students to experience when they step inside 499 North Garvey.

“It’s not another dance studio, music studio, or art studio,” Palma said. It has a mission and a vision.”

Even though the school’s doors have been open for over a year, it’s not fully up and running and still has a long way to go to be a fulloperating school. Legendary band War even donated thousands of dollars of equipment to the school’s recording after being extremely impressed with the vision that Rivas had.

But Rivas hopes funding will come to really reach the school’s full potential to offer students an incredible experience.

Riva’s goals include having one thousand students, full-functioning programs, and to employ the volunteers so they can have their dream job. Rivas hopes that key figures and organizations will see how important the school is.

“We already know the impact we are going have and what we already started making here in Pomona,” Rivas said. “And this is just with the little programs we have. Imagine what all of them can do.”

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Mountaineer

Mt. San Antonio College

Multiculture

18 What can we say?

WE LOVE L.A.

Samantha Romero/MOUNTAINEER The skyline of downtown Los Angeles.

Esther Solis Staff Writer Nearly 35 miles west of Mt. SAC a city exists with high standing palm trees and skyscrapers. Not only is this city known for its interesting history and lively urban life, but also for its racial divisions, crime and deceit.

Some Mt. SAC students call Los Angeles their home, and its streets are their childhood playgrounds.

Today, Los Angeles is home to people of various different cultures and nationalities.

Przemyslaw Sosnowski, 24, business administration major, emigrated from Poland to California. For his family, moving from their country of origin was not the easiest thing to do. His mother put her name into a lottery system for a visa. “[She] didn’t expect to win anything,” Sosnowski said. “…The chances are really slim, and she got it.” After leaving Europe, the Sosnowski family lived in Hollywood for 10 years.

As seen with the natives who lived in the west, Spanish settlers, Mexican people who stayed after the Mexican-American war, and the Americans who came shortly after, California was always a place that housed people of various cultures and beliefs.

Mt. SAC professor and history department chair, Harlan Hoffman, discussed the diversity in Los Angeles.

“L.A. continues to be diverse and that means all of the good things that go with it and all of the bad things that go with it,” Hoffman said. “It means people with different ideas and backgrounds living in closed proximity to each other, and that is not always going to be friendly or good news.”

Kimberly Maldonado, 21, music major, lived in South Gate during her youth, and she would continue to live in cities around the outskirts of Los Angeles. In an

attempt to provide a better life and opportunities for their daughters, her parents emigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala when her three younger sisters where children.

Maldonado said she remembers her new community was mostly Hispanic, but there were also Black, Indian, and Caucasian residents.

“You grew up and your next door neighbors are different than you are,” Maldonado said.

Leslie Rodriguez, 19, fashion merchandizing major, was raised in East Los Angeles, and said she also grew up amongst diversity.

“It was mostly AfricanAmericans and Mexicans that I grew up with when I lived with my aunt in East L.A.,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez added that her grandfather would talk to her about the history of the many cultures that were prominent in her community.

“We all knew there [were] different people around us,” Rodriguez said. “But he wanted us to be knowledgeable of other cultures rather than just our own.”

For Maldonado, it was interesting when she compared her Guatemalan culture to American culture.

“Manners are different,” Maldonado said. “To [Guatemalans] if you do not [greet] with a kiss and hug, it is kind of rude.”

Sosnowski said he also noticed that American culture was different than what his parents where accustomed to.

“I suppose it would be more business oriented,” Sosnowski said.

“I guess [American culture is] more capitalistic.”

Sosnowski said he remembers the advice that his mother would give him.

“My mother would say ‘you’ve got to watch out, people are tricky out here,’” Sosnowski said. “’You’ve got to use your head. You’ve got to have some street smarts.’”

Being one of the largest cities in

the nation, Los Angeles flourishes with positivity but it also has its negative aspects.

“Whether it is distributed or earned, it seems that when things grow and prosperity hits, there are parts of the population that would benefit and others that would not,” Hoffman said.

The disparity that exists within these communities can be alarming to some. Sosnowski said that Los Angeles is

“

There’s art, there’s strange people, funny people, and there are buildings that speak to you without any words.”

- Kimberly Maldonado, 21, music major

not dangerous, but it can be if you are at the wrong part of town.

Similarly, Rodriguez knew that she could only explore certain blocks of her neighborhood.

“There are boundaries [and] once you pass them, you hear gun shots and all of that,” Rodriquez said.

Although she remembers living on the safer side of East Los Angeles, Rodriguez was curious about what happened on other blocks but would obey her parents’ orders in order to remain safe.

“I just didn’t want to get shot so I stayed on my side of the city,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez was not the only person who experienced crime at a close proximity. Maldonado also experienced crime nearby. He said that his house got robbed about four or five times.

Rodriguez did not fully understand the dangers until she got older.

“It was not until I was older that I realized, other people’s houses did not get broken into as often as mine,” Rodriguez said. “It all depends on the neighborhood you live in.”

Regardless of the crime or criticism that the city carries, these students are still fond of the neighborhood that holds all of their childhood memories.

Maldonado feels that her current community is not as close knit as the neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

She describes Los Angeles as a mini world. “You get to explore so many cultures without even having to leave,” Maldonado said.

“All these cultures come to you, all these people come to you. There’s art, there’s strange people, funny people, and there are buildings that speak to you without words.”

Rodriguez happily reminisced the things that she misses from her previous neighborhood. “I miss, running down the street and chasing the ice-cream [truck],” Rodriguez said. She added that she misses the sounds of the paletoro [popsicle] man and the elote [corn] man strolling through the neighborhood.

“Now I live in Montebello, and I don’t hear any of that,” Rodriguez said.

To Sosnowski, the city is a beautiful mess. “Not the cleanest of places at all, but it is really rich in diversity and people,” Sosnowski said.

Hoffman shared his views toward the city.

“There are tons of opportunities here but nobody is going to knock on your door and hand it to you.

You have to walk out the door and get it yourself,” he said. “You can make L.A. what ever you want L.A. to be. It’s fantastic, it’s depressing, it’s exciting. It’s L.A.”

Mountaineer Mt. San Antonio College

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Sports

19

Bojay battles back in silver and black Jose De Castro Sports Editor It only takes one step to change someone’s life in one direction or another. For former Mt. SAC football player Bojay Filimoeatu, that step took an unsuspected turn.

Having played all 13 games in his senior season with a partially torn ligament, Filimoeatu’s knee finally gave out after a bad turn during practice for the Casino Del Sol College all-star game, which ultimately cost him a chance to be drafted in to the National Football League.

Filimoeatu was very disappointed with the outcome.

“I was sitting in the hospital tears starting to come down my cheeks because I was upset I was asking God ‘Why me, why now.’” Filimoeatu said.

“I was questioning a lot of stuff.”

Filimoeatu was initially out for six months but ended up taking a year off, missing the possibility of being drafted with his draft class. He became a free agent this year and although he is considered a rookie he looks at it as a blessing.

“I look back, I just feel like he humbled me and I’m grateful for that experience to go through,” Filimoeatu said.

Coming out of Utah State with 71 tackles, nine tackles for loss and five sacks in his final season in 2012, Filimoeatu was on the radar of the

NFL scouts and was being scouted during the all star game. The injury was a bump in the road for him but knew it was a life lesson.

“It taught me to never give up and I never did,” Filimoeatu said.

When the doctors gave him the okay to train, Filimoeatu dedicated his time in returning to his competitive athletic ways.

“You have to have that mentally that you got to work because someone’s working harder than you,” Filimoeatu said. “I always have to put that in my mind. I always want to work hard every day and to get back where I want to be and have a chance in this league. “ After a long grueling recovery rehabbing his knee, Filimoeatu got a call from his agent that would set the stage for his dream to play in the NFL. “I got a call from my agent saying that the general manager of the Oakland Raiders, Reggie McKenzie wanted bring me in to tryout,” Filimoeatu said.

With the opportunity to tryout, the chances of joining the team were slim.

“The percentage of me getting singed after the tryouts was very low,” Filimoeatu said. “ They say it’s one percent out of 100 your most likely of getting signed. The odds were against me.”

A few NFL teams had doubts

Photo courtesy of James Choy Boojay Filimoeatu suffered from a knee injury that was almost the end of his footbal career, however, he bounced back and is now playing for the Oakland Raiders.

about Filimoeatu because of his knee injury, but the Raiders took a gamble on him and his talents.

Emotions were running high for Filimoeatu when all the hard work and suffering paid off in the end.

“They called me up, I met Reggie in person, they told me that they wanted to sign me, and that I was going to be an Oakland Raider,”

Filimoeatu said. “My emotions was that I was humbled and that I was still shocked and I couldn’t believe that, day in and day out, it paid off. I finally reached my goal of becoming an NFL player. “ He said becoming a Raider has made him happy.

“It’s my dads’ favorite team so I’m playing for his favorite team.”

Track star McCully is the comeback king Michael Chavez Staff Writer The comeback is perhaps the greatest feat in sports. Whether it is a halftime or a late game comeback or one from a player everyone wrote off, sports fans embrace the idea of defying the odds. Toure McCully knows more than most about beating long odds.

McCully, a 20-year-old sophomore has not had to return from injury once, but twice in his time as a hurdler on the Mt. SAC track team.

“This year it was a Meniscus tear on both sides of my left knee. It was my ankle last year but the same leg,” McCully said.

A freak accident in 2013 cost McCully the first half of his season but when he recovered, he returned to win 2013 South Coast Conference Champion as a hurdler as well as the 2013 SCC running event athlete of the year. That type of success helped McCully see the light at the end of the tunnel this year as he recovered from his injury.

“I knew if I came back and trained really hard the season wouldn’t be a problem. I guess if I wouldn’t have had that ankle injury I would have been more skeptical about this season,” said McCully.

Not only has McCully returned to the field, he has almost replicated his success from last year. Even after being able to compete for only half of the season, McCully is already the 2014 South Coast

Conference Champion and has run a career best 14.36 in the 110 meter high hurdles. This year’s comeback was more than unexpected, even to teammates who had seen McCully return to form in 2013.

“When he got injured, we all knew he was going to be one of the main guys on the team so we knew we lost someone key to our success,” sprinter Kyree King.

“We were there for him through his rehab, motivating him and trying to get his season right. He really shocked a lot of people including us so that was exciting to see.”

The concept of team is dear in the heart of McCully and he demonstrated his willingness to battle through injury even with the possibility of reinjuring himself.

“Hurting myself again was never in my head. It was just more of a winning aspect of it when it came to my knee. [Hurdling} is ten points for state, if we would have lost by ten points and I would have redshirted that would have been heavy on my heart so I came back for the team,” McCully said.

That type of dedication to his craft and his team has helped McCully become noticed by UC Berkeley as the sophomore looks to move on in his athletic career. As he continues to demonstrate not just his athletic ability but also his character as a teammate, there is no obstacle McCully cannot hurdle.

Alex Aimaq/MOUNTAINEER Hurdler Touree McCully, 20, trains daily for his upcoming competitions. McCully suffered two injuries throughout the 2014 season, but was able to rejoin and become the 2014 South Coast Conference champion with a career best of 14.36 seconds in the 110-meter high hurdles.