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VOLUME 101 ISSUE 4 May 4, 2017
COMMENTARY
IN THIS
Finished!
The light at the end of the tunnel is finally upon us: the end of the semester. Finals are just around the corner, the weather is turning beautiful and procrastination is in full effect. I am, like most of you, in full scramble mode. Digging, scraping and begging for a few more extra credit assignments to get us to that grade that is within our grasp. We are so close, we can taste it! But lost in the excitement of being so close to being done is the reflection of how much we have accomplished and learned this semester. I am one of those students who enters a semester with a goal and a regimen in place to set me up to succeed. And like every semester, it comes unraveled, and I end up in a tangled mess just trying to cross the finish line. Although it may not be pretty, it is when I learn the most about myself. City College isn’t just a place to learn about arithmetic, science and English. City College is a place to learn who you are and how to succeed in life, as well. My last year as the editor in chief of the Express newspaper has taught me more than I ever thought I could retain in a year. I’d like to share my Top 5 learning experiences with you in hopes that I can impart some wisdom so you don’t make the same mistakes I did. 1. Ask for help. Trust me, I know this is difficult. I struggle with the mindset that asking for help shows weakness. But in fact, it’s the opposite. The ability to know yourself well enough to know to ask for help shows a much stronger recognition of yourself and your limitations. I have never met a teacher who didn’t want to help a student succeed. NEVER EVER. Every teacher I’ve had the pleasure of meeting on this campus has openly provided the help I needed. But this goes beyond teachers too. Give your classmates the opportunity to help you. And show them the same respect. If they need help, help them if you can. 2. Effort is the real skill to be judged. I know this sounds cliche… but it’s true. We are all here to learn. NONE of us
Editor in Chief Neill Little Photo Editors Vanessa S. Nelson, Jason Pierce Photographers Ella Morgan, Sonora Rairdon, Ulysses Ruiz, Pedro Santander Writers Yvette Aghassi, Roland Armstrong, Casandra Garcia, Geoffrey Kindell, Jason Pierce, Sonora Rairdon, Ellyssa Rodriguez, Kip Roegiers, Rose Vega, Vincent Ybarra
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EDITION Page 3 - People’s Day is set to bring music, fashion, and art to campus. Staff writer Rose Vega gets the rundown on this all-day event.
knows what we are doing. We are all going to make mistakes — and probably more than once. I know in my case, I’m batting about .500 in terms of mistakes. (For those non-sports people, it means I make about as many mistakes as I do things correctly.) But that’s OK. That’s why we are here. We are here to learn from our mistakes. Being the child of two teachers, I have heard this sentiment many times growing up. Teachers and professors would much rather work with a student who is willing to try and make mistakes than just play it safe and do the minimal amount. 3. Get to know your professors. Believe it or not, professors are people, too. They like to have a drink on their night off, they have pets, they enjoy going out with their friends. Who else does that sound like? Us! I know the age gap can seem difficult, but it’s really not. They are just like us. I have had the opportunity to meet and get to know two of the most influential people in my life while working on the newspaper. And like I mentioned before, they have gone above and beyond to help me more times than I can even count. And not just for school. They’ve helped me through the rigors of life inside and out of school. They have also inspired me. I let them in and let them get to know me, and they, in turn, learned how to get the best out of me. I can’t thank them enough for that. Give your professors the opportunity to influence your life and who knows where it will take you. 4. Communicate! I know, I’m starting to sound like a parent. So annoying. But you know what’s more annoying? They’re right. We all have a lot going on. Work, family, relationships, mental and physical health. We all can get
Design Adviser Michele Lee Assistant Design Editor Trevon Norton Cover Photo Vanessa S. Nelson Cover Poster Design Sam Liff Cover Design Michele Lee, Vanessa S. Nelson Advisers Randy Allen, Dianne Heimer EDITORIAL POLICIES Views published in the Express do not reflect those of the Los Rios Community College District Board of Trustees, the Associate Student Government, City College, Journalism department, administration, student body, or faculty; unless otherwise stated.
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wrapped up in our own little worlds. But guess what? The world doesn’t revolve around you. Or me. We all need each other to succeed in life, we can’t do it alone. But none of us can read minds. Let the people around you know what’s going on and follow through on your word. 5. Remember to breathe. Sometimes, you need a break. I like to think I can just put my head down and complete anything I put my mind to. That could not be farther from the truth. Life loves to throw you a curveball when you least expect it. When you get to a certain point, no more progress can be made. Working with your mind at 25 percent isn’t going to get you very far. But giving yourself a chance to breath, and take a break. Give yourself a chance to reset and get back on track. Never underestimate the power of a good nap. These are just some of the lessons I’ve learned this semester. As much as I’d like to share more with you, that might defeat the purpose of the reason we are at City College. We are here to learn and these are my lessons. I’m sure the rest of you have many other lessons you’ve learned that I still need to learn. An old Chinese proverb describes this best. “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” It has been a pleasure being your editor in chief on the Express newspaper and saccityexpress.com. I hope you enjoyed our newspapers as much as I enjoyed making them. Catch you on the flip side. Neill Little
Editor in Chief · nlittle03@gmail.com
MEMBERSHIPS Journalism Association of Community Colleges California Newspaper Publishers Association CONTACT US Let the Express know what you think. Letters should be 300 words or less. Please include contact information. No anonymous letters will be printed. The Express reserves the right to edit or reject any article, advertisement or illustration deemed inappropriate, including letters to the editor. Sacramento City College 3835 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95822 Website saccityexpress.com SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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Page 4 - City College receives grant to offer new collaborative space. Staff writer Kip Roegiers reports on this hands on hacker lab and what to expect. Page 5 - Poet and City College English professor Jeff Knorr won a West Sacramento public art contest. Staff writer Casandra Garcia gets the details on the contest’s exciting outcome. Page 6 - College student by day and actor by night, Brian Bohlender shares with guest writer Anastasia Sher-Jones how he got his start in this exciting career. Page 7 - Dedicated photography teaching assistant Penelope Kahn sits down with guest writer Julie Jorgensen to talk about her determination to guide students, and the lengths she will go to do just that. Page 8 - Jane-of-all-trades Mary Sand explains to guest writer Jovonny Devicente how she turned her passion for art and design into extra income. Page 9 - City College student and comedian Parker Newman shares with guest writer John Casino the story of a job offer of a lifetime, and it all started with a tweet! Page 10 - Relatable psychology professor Blair Lynch sits down with staff writer Yvette Aghassi to talk about her popularity with students, as well as her expectations. Page 11 - Guest writer Marilyn Franco reports on how a boy heading in the wrong direction is now a young man on his way to helping others, thanks to two high school teachers who encouraged him to turn his life around. Page 12 - A City College Muslim student explains to guest writer Julia Macay the struggles she encounters after she decides to wear her hijab to college. Page 13 - An international City College student reflects on her life in the U.S. after a childhood spent in Japan. Guest writer Bryce Wallace tells Yuria Kai’s story. Page 14 - Outgoing student Senate Vice President Raymond Concha talks about why he serves in the public interest. Guest writer and former Express features editor Maxfield Morris tells his story. Page 15 - The learning platform Canvas is set to take the place of D2L by spring 2018. Staff writer Casandra Garcia finds out what Canvas will offer students and professors. Page 16 - A City College students and marathon runner talks with guest writer Victoria Lockwood about finding motivation to keep running. · · ·
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NEWS
People s Day brings music, fashion & arts
Free pancakes at 7:30 a.m. on campus, other events until 7 p.m. on the day of the event Rose Vega
Staff Writer · rvega.express@gmail.com
The annual celebration People’s Day kicks off May 4 in City College’s Main Quad with a free pancake breakfast, followed by a full day of activities. Beginning at 7:30 a.m., a free pancake breakfast will be served to students. Arts and crafts vendors will also have booths with reasonably priced merchandise for the campus community. Campus clubs and departments will sponsor fundraisers and informational booths. Student Leadership and Development will host the event. “It’s always been a successful event,” says Jenny Davison, Student Leadership and Development clerk. “It fills the Quad up with arts and crafts and other fun-filled events.” Throughout the day there will be live musical performances and food. A marching fashion show will be held by the fashion and cosmetology departments. Multiple fundraisers hosted by many of the clubs and departments will be going on throughout the day. The event will end at 7 p.m. People’s Day has been organized by City College’s Latrice Cole for several years. “She is really an essential person in making this event happen,” says Davison. For those who would like to volunteer, all you have to do is fill out the volunteer application. To learn more information about this event, contact Latrice Cole at (916) 5582381 or email at colel@scc.losrios.edu. ♦
City College students Monica Sepulveda and Luis Jimenez, both political science majors. Face off in the pancake-eating contest during City College s 2016 People s Day. May 5, 2016. ¦ File photo by Sonora Rairdon · srairdon.express@gmail.com
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NEWS
City College makerspace to provide open lab Weld, print 3-D objects, make art or music in collaborative space Kip Roegiers
Staff Writer · kroegiers.express@gmail.com
City College has received a $20,000 minigrant to design a makerspace, a creative hands-on lab for many disciplines on campus that mimics the energy and collaboration of high-tech companies. The grant will help a group of campus professors, staff and students begin to plan, organize, and educate the public about the makerspace, as well as shop for the right space for the lab space. California community colleges are aiming toward sprouting a network of makerspaces through the CCC Maker Project and the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, which awarded the grant to City College. Modeled after hacker spaces like Hacker Lab in Midtown, Sacramento and Rocklin, makerspaces are open, community-operated labs that provide access to machinery and equipment--ranging from pottery kilns to 3-D printers--incorporating aspects of machine shops, workshops and studios. “It’s kind of like throwing a hand grenade into traditional constructs like semesters,” said Tom Cappelletti, the graphic communication professor piloting the project at City College. “It’s an open resource for people to come and learn. People can come together to knit or throw clay or create campaigns that are subversive or change the world.” As technology shifts toward computer-driven manufacturing and robotics, educators are discovering that traditional classrooms lack the hands-on learning necessary for today’s jobs market, Cappelletti said. “There’s like thousands of jobs going unfilled,” said Cappelletti. “While traditional learning’s fine, they find out that there are a lot of sectors like advanced manufacturing and digital manufacturing where they can’t hire people, and these jobs pay $50,000 to $150,000 a year. In Sacramento alone there’s 15-16,000 jobs like this.” Cappelletti wants local businesses to work with the City College’s makerspace to develop programs that can prepare students for internships in these fields, but he stresses this space isn’t just for “tech geeks.” “It’s not just technological,” Cappelletti said. “We want this to be a place where everybody’s welcome. It should be conceived of [like a] library. We should have really powerful scheduled events where you can learn how to sew, learn how to 3-D print, learn how to weld, learn how to make an app. We’d also like to get faculty to bring in their classes so that they can have projects incorporated into their lesson plans. That’s our dream.”
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Graphic communication professor Tom Cappelletti speaks at a planning meeting for City College s makerspace in the LRC at City College. Photo by Jason Pierce · jpierce.xpress@gmail.com
Typically nonprofit and community-operated, there are over 1,300 active hacker spaces around the world, according to a list compiled by Hackerspaces.org. Cappelletti believes these spaces are a necessary response to today’s technology and job market. “I think over the last 20 years, education has gotten to the point where everyone’s stuck behind a computer, and you’re just told to do your stuff,” Cappelletti said. Based in Sacramento, the CCCCO oversees California community colleges and is investing $17 million for eligible campuses statewide to develop makerspaces. Cappelletti believes the CCCCO’s proximity to Hacker Lab, both located in Midtown Sacramento, may have inspired the statewide project. “I wonder if any of this would have happened if there had been no Hacker Lab, since the chancellor’s office is in Sacramento,” Cappelletti said. After submitting an intention to participate, City College received its first mini-grant. City College must present an implementation plan at the Makerspace Fair and Symposium on May 20-21 in San Francisco to receive its next mini-grant. · · ·
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“They don’t just want to give us a blank check,” Cappelletti said. “This is a competitive grant so we need to meet their needs. We need to submit a lot of reports and things just to get okayed for the money.” The CCC Maker Project has set a goal to have these spaces operating by January 2018. Cappelletti said he hopes to have a “bare-bones one” by then. “Maybe 1,500-square feet, some cool tools,” he said. “This school is seriously impacted for space. The state has said you need to come up with 3-4,000-square feet. Well, we’re a 100-year old campus. We’re going to find some place to have a first-phase [makerspace] for two or three years. Then we’re going to partner with Hacker Lab in Midtown and make it super cheap for students.” “We had a student from a few years ago who was in our program in GCOM who was kind of frustrated by the slow pace of learning and went and hung out at the Hacker Lab,” Cappelletti said. “He started his own company already, and it’s super successful, and he’s like 25, so we realize there needs to be places like that instead of traditional classroom models. I think the chancellor’s office has figured that out, too.” SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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Also known as fab labs, or fabrication labs, Cappelletti said at least 20 schools in California currently have spaces like these. “I had this 30 years ago,” said Cappelletti, who attended the University of California, Los Angeles, as a graduate student. “UCLA had an incredible design lab. It was pre-digital. MIT has these, Cornell has these, Stanford has these, UC Davis has these, but do you guys have them at community college? Coming soon, I guess.” The Midtown Hacker Lab is located at 1715 I St. Open weekdays until 6 p.m., it currently offers basic membership for about $75 per month. The lab also offers classes ranging from welding to patent law, with varied prices up to $50. Sierra College students have a access to a 15,000-square foot space at their Rocklin location for $12.50 per month. Learn more about Hacker Lab at HackerLab.org. Email Tom Cappelletti at CapaleT@scc. losrios.edu to learn how to get involved at City College in planning the campus makerspace. Learn more about the SCC Maker Project at TomCappelletti.com or CCCMaker.com. ♦ · · ·
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FEATURES
English prof wins public art contest Jeff Knorr s poem will grace Downtown river walk
Professor Jeff Knorr is the former poet laureate of the city and county of Sacramento serving from 2012‒2016. ¦ Photo by Jason Pierce · jpierce.express@gmail.com
Casandra Garcia
Staff Writer · czgarcia.express@gmail.com
City College English professor and former poet laureate for the City of Sacramento made history once again. Jeff Knorr’s poem, “The Sacramento,” won among a field of contestants in a public contest held by the city of West Sacramento. Knorr’s poem will be inlaid into two blocks of the sidewalk on Washington Way between 5th Street and the Sacramento River in the historic Washington Neighborhood, as part of a public art project. The city held the contest in January encouraging poets to submit poems with a river theme. “It is exciting that the city of West Sacramento appreciates poetry as an art,” says Knorr. “Usually public art consists of sculptures and fountains.” Knorr’s poem was chosen as a part of a renovation project occurring in the Washing-
ton District in the city of West Sacramento. The project seeks to improve infrastructure and provide maintenance to the city. The poem chosen was inspired by one of Knorr’s previous poems. “The American River Parkway Foundation asked me to write a poem as a tribute to the rivers of the region,” says Knorr. “I went back to look at that poem and took some pieces but also added new parts.” Knorr is the former poet laureate of the city and county of Sacramento. He was named poet laureate in August 2012 by the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and served until 2016. Knorr has written three poetry books and co-edited two books and an anthology. His works include “The Third Body,” “Keeper,” and “Standing Up to the Day.” He awaits the publication of his fourth poetry book, “The Color of a New Country.” Knorr has also edited, judged and served as a visiting writer for several confer-
ences and festivals. He teaches English and creative writing on campus and directs the River City Writers Series at City College. Knorr, who received $5,000 prize money for the poem, says he feels honored to have a poem of his on display that will be available for generations to come.
“I appreciate that they see poetry and literary arts as an art display,” says Knorr, “and to have it be a poem inlaid on the sidewalk gives public value to the literary arts.” The installation is expected to be finished by summer of this year. ♦
The Sacramento By Jeff Knorr The river is pressing itself into banks drifting against light and stones. The wind is flittering just a little brushing grasses and shifting against the oaks and cottonwood trees. A few swallows dive sharply for insects and a heron hides in the reeds while the red tailed hawk circles above on a distant cyclone of air. They search the tall grass for the secrets that hold us together. Cyclists hum along the hot asphalt of the bike trail then out past parks where families picnic, where children learn the mysteries of minnows and of mud. The salmon and stripers nose up the current, find the slow eddies to hold them tonight. Geese head in from the rice fields honking; the moon begins to climb the pathways of night only the air knows. It lights the surface of this ribbon of river. Let us come, let us be guided by the wandering of the water. Let us look in and see our reflections, hold them. Let this water make us do right.
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PROFILE
BLAIR LYNCH
Youth doesn’t mean inexperience for psychology professor Yvette Aghassi
Staff Writer · yaghassi.express@gmail.com Photos by Jason Pierce · jpierce.express@gmail.com
At a quick glance, you would never guess you were looking at a City College professor. Young, hair pulled away from her face in an effortless bun. Blue jeans and a University of Oregon sweater. She exudes both confidence and approachability. Even the location she suggests for the interview is unlike what you might expect from another professor. Local restaurant Meet & Eats it is, then. Blair Lynch isn’t your typical psychology professor. She’s a “cool” psychology professor. Lynch has taught part time at City College for the past five years. She boasts a respectable 4.3 overall average on the popular online professor rating site RateMyProfessor.com. “I think it’s because I’m young and relatable,” says Lynch about her popularity with students. “I haven’t quite lost touch with students yet. I stay approachable and I don’t mind embarrassing myself in front of them.” Despite the high online ratings, Lynch declares that she refuses to search her name
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and read the mostly positive comments. Instead, she says she focuses her attention on thoughtfully crafted curriculum and the time she has in class with her students. At 31, Lynch is a highly accomplished woman. She finished her undergraduate studies at Southern Oregon University and completed the psychology graduate program at Sacramento State. Lynch recently began teaching at Folsom Lake College too. Although she is currently a part-time professor, becoming a full-time educator is her primary goal.
... there is no right or wrong answer, I just want to make sure you understand the topic.
Blair Lynch
City College Psychology professor
In addition to teaching college, she works at an education tech company based in Davis. She trains K-12 grade school teachers how to be more proficient in incorporating technology in the class· · ·
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room. This includes teaching them the proper use of iPads, ChromeBook and Google Classroom. Lynch understands that being a good teacher makes all the difference in a student’s college experience because she too was inspired by her own high school and college professors to go into teaching. Lynch cares deeply for her students and will go the extra mile to help her students succeed. “I can’t have my students not write, that’s doing them a disservice,” says Lynch, “but I want to walk you through how to be a better writer and how to be proficient in the subject matter. I am going to take you through this class, which may be your very first semester in college, and you will use these skills I teach you throughout your entire collegiate career.” Lynch says that teaching social psychology is her favorite course. She teaches students concepts and terms that are applicable in their everyday lives. Ernesto Benetiz, one of Lynch’s psychology students, says that her genuine interest in teaching her students and making sure they understand the material is apparent. SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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“Sometimes students are nervous to respond to questions,” says Benetiz, “and all she says is, ‘there is no right or wrong answer, I just want to make sure you understand the topic.’” For her, the most fulfilling part of teaching comes at the end of the semester when her students present their final social application presentation. She says she is able to witness how her students are able to effectively and appropriately apply everything she has taught them throughout the year on specific issues that have directly impacted their lives. “What I like most about Miss Lynch is her excitement for psychology and the material she is teaching,” says Benetiz. “She has a passion for what she knows and wants to share that with her students.” The professor puts herself out there for her students in ways very few other instructors would. Once Lynch made a physical clay model of a molecular structure she was discussing in class so a blind student could feel and better understand what she was discussing. “I try to be more helpful,” Lynch says of the way she views her relationship with students. “I don’t like to talk at, I like to talk with them.” ♦ · · ·
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PROFILE
PENELOPE KAHN
Dedicated photography TA goes the distance to guide students Julie Jorgensen
Former Express Staff Photographer juliejorgensenexpress@gmail.com
Photos by Jason Pierce · jpierce.express@gmail.com
Walking up the stairs of City College’s Student Services building, you will see the Russ Solomon Gallery. Photographs display the talent that students and professional photographers have with a camera. If you wander further down the hall, photography studios are tucked away on the left, where students put together assignments. What’s also noticeable is a tall, dark curly-haired mother figure, running around and watching over photography students, giving them advice to improve their work. Penelope Kahn, City College photography tutor, is devoted to helping students bring forward their full potential. “I am dedicated to our students and will do what I can to help them to achieve successful results,” she says. “Helping students makes their day a little less stressful, which ultimately makes me happy. I am happiest when I can be part of a solution.” Kahn has been a photography tutor since 2013. Her goal is to become a
professional photographer and a photography professor. “Photography is an interesting subject,” Kahn says. “Photography takes you on a journey.”
I have helped many students, both as a student and as a tutor. It s very natural for me to help people whenever I can, and in any way I am capable.
Penelope Kahn
City College Photography tutor
Kahn journey started as a photography student in 2008. She says she was scared, excited, and unsure of what to expect. She says she was ready to run out the door when she found Photoshop was required in the class, until City College photography professor Paul Estabrook assured her, “Don’t worry, you are going to be fine. Trust me.” That was Kahn’s moment.
“It was that moment that made the difference,” she says. Kahn drives 180 miles round trip each day from home in Blue Canyon in the Sierra Nevada to get to City College. She decided from the beginning to not let the drive get in her way. She calculated the miles and found she travels roughly 12,000 miles a semester just to get to City College and back. “It (City College) had to be incredibly dynamic to get me up at 3 a.m. and drive down here before traffic would hit,” says Kahn. “Pure determination is what keeps me going.” Being a tutor, Kahn learned how to deal with different people and learn to adjust to different learning styles. “I have helped many students, both as a student and as a tutor,” Kahn says. “It’s very natural for me to help people whenever I can, and in any way I am capable.” Photography students are grateful for Kahn’s presence in the photography lab. “She’s great,” says City College photography major Jerry McNabb. “She gave me words of advice to see things that I don’t see.” City College tutors are required to take at least six units and have knowledge · · ·
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of the subject they will be tutoring. “Tutors are an extended reach of my ability to get around to students and to answer questions,” says Estabrook. “Being able to have someone who has high energy like Penelope, who can go from computer to computer, is a real big help. That’s my favorite thing about her.” And Kahn shines in the photography lab. “Penelope is amazing at her job because she has great interaction with students and her understanding of photography,” says City College adjunct photography professor Ryan Meza. “She’s been here for many years,” he says, “and has a good grip on the technical aspect of photography.” Kahn credits the people on campus for bringing her back every semester. “City College is the best community college because it provides a campus that welcomes all people from all cultures,” she says. “I enjoy the diversity of students that attend City College. I very much appreciate City College’s previous and current leaders who put forth an energetic and positive tone that creates a positive atmosphere on campus.” ♦ May 4, 2017 · Express
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PROFILE
MARY SAND
Jane-of-all-trades conquers the artistic side of Sacramento Jovonny Devicente
Guest Writer · jovonnyd@yahoo.com Photos by Ella Morgan · emorgan.express@gmail.com
There’s something about Mary. This artist does it all. Mary Sand, a 22-year-old entrepreneur and multimedia artist, creates innovative art. The City College student has designed the campus newspaper and magazine, and makes money on the side by freelancing as a graphic designer. She owns an artistic wedding décor business that recycles flowers from past weddings into new artistic pieces. She also creates other design elements for weddings. There is no surprise in learning she comes from a creative family, which was her main artistic influence when she was growing up. “My mom’s an artist, so I grew up being trained as an artist,” Sand says, “and she is an entrepreneur, also. So I saw her go through many, many phases of trying to make money selling her work. That’s what I think made me want to get into graphic design, because it’s like art, but it’s more of a modern way where you can make money.” Sand is also a musical artist, who plays a variety of instruments, including the guitar and her favorite, hand drums. You can catch her performing and hosting at the oldest bar in Sacramento, rightly named the Old Ironsides, every Wednesday at 8 p.m. In a politically charged city such as the capital city, many Sacramentans dedicate
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themselves to 9-to-5 lives inside an office, cooped up until retirement. Living in the state capital makes it easier to find people who are more politically conscious and conservative, worrying about conformity, comfort and security. It’s especially hard to find creative people who create in a variety of forms, such as music, sculptures and graphic design. One might even call Sand a jane of all trades in arts. She says she got her innovational, entrepreneurial spirit from her family, as well. Aside from her mom selling art for a living, her dad has his own business. “My dad’s also an entrepreneur,” Sand says. “He owns a business in Sacramento. He is a mechanic, a jeep mechanic, so you could say it came from both sides. He is also a musician, too, so I guess I got my musicality from both my parents.”
I think Mary Sand is one of the most talented graphic designers we ve had in the journalism department.
Jan Haag
Journalism Professor
Sand also mentions that her “very artistic” brother was instrumental in encouraging her to play the guitar more often. “He was a musician before I was, and he was the one always telling me · · ·
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to get into it and start playing the guitar more,” says Sand. Sand is not originally from Sacramento. She was born in Redwood City in the Bay Area on Cinco De Mayo in 1994. Specifically, she grew up in the Delta, growing up in several different small towns in that area. “My whole family and my whole close family have been a huge inspiration in my life,” she says. Mark Gonzales, also known as Gonzo inside Old Ironsides where Sand performs and hosts a weekly open mic, is a close associate. Gonzo is the night manager and bartender who hired Sand after the previous host personally chose her to be the successor after she left her hosting duties. He has also witnessed Sand and her creative family perform at the bar several times. “She is talented, too,” Gonzo says. “Her family, they all play music, which is kind of interesting to me too because her mother comes in sometimes and plays, and her brother plays,” Gonzo says. “It’s kind of interesting to see that kind of talent in the family. It’s pretty cool.” Gonzo has noticed Sand’s knack for creativity, ambition and talent, especially in her graphic arts. “She is a go-getter, she has a lot of energy, and I think she has a lot of good ideas,” he says. “You can probably see that in some of her graphic arts work that she does. I think you can see her creativity.” Sand’s major at City College is graphic arts, and she has been contributing to SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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the school magazine, Mainline, since fall 2016. The faculty adviser to the magazine, journalism professor Jan Haag, praised Sand’s talent as a graphic designer. “I think Mary Sand is one of the most talented graphic designers we’ve had in the journalism department,” says Haag, who worked with Sand on the magazine in the fall, and more recently, this spring. “Her pages are always readable, that is, she doesn’t design just for the sake of being fancy.” You can see Sand’s work online at her business site, Mary Contrary, Design & Décor, where she has built a foundation for her work to be sold. She has bigger-than-life goals for her art and business, hoping to inspire humanity all over the world. “I’ve always wanted my work to appeal to a really broad range of people, instead of just art lovers, so that I can inspire people that dont think creatively,” says Sand. “Most people in the world aren’t creative, and I think it’s because they’re not exposed to it. My goal is to find something that inspires people of all ages, all cultures, something that is really universal.” An attitude that is quite contrary from the dull office life of Sacramento. The most recent Mainline magazine will be on campus newsstands May 2017. Go to https://marysand.myportfolio.com/ art-garden to view Mary Sand’s wedding creations. ♦ · · ·
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PROFILE
PARKER NEWMAN
Parker Newman’s ‘licence to kill’ slays the comedy scene Johnny Casino
Staff Writer · johncasino3@gmail.com Photos by Jason Pierce · jpierce.express@gmail.com
An unassuming 20-year-old college student wields the First Amendment’s right to free speech in a very witty way — on the nights he’s not making pizzas. Meet the comedian who former Howard Stern sidekick Artie Lange described in a tweet as, “Smart. Funny. Might be my kid!” Parker Newman, a City College theater arts major. Newman talks about how exactly the connection between Lange and him was made. “Well, we look alike, so I tweeted at him, ‘How’s it going, Dad?’” to which Lange replied in the aforementioned tweet. A kinship of humorous minds was made. “He retweeted my joke and said if I DMed him my number, he’d call me.” Newman is smiling and bright-eyed at the memory. “We talked like the next day,” he says. “I was on the phone with him for about 17 minutes, 20 seconds.” Newman stops to chuckle at his fanboy moment before mentioning the big boy moment in his conversation with Lange. “He offered to fly me out to New York over the summer to do a show. I just have to give him the date,” says Newman, shaking his head before he utters his final words on his brush with celebrity. “I just got lucky, honestly.”
High praise from Artie Lange, one of the industry’s longest standing funny men, but also from Newman’s friends. Newman has been doing stand-up comedy for over a year now and has made quite an impression on his fellow comedians in the region. All of them seem to have a similar opinion of his talent, but a unique perspective on the man. Joey Stults, 33, a Sacramento native, stand-up comedian and former City College student, shared his first impression of Newman: “I thought he was retarded.” Comedians are not politically correct. They give answers like this. Newman is not mentally disabled, of course, but witty insensitivity is part of the craft. And Stults has a point. The first time people see Newman perform, it is hard to pinpoint the nature of what you are seeing and hearing come out of his mouth. “He was bumbling and stumbling onstage and around his jokes and premises, but it was all hilarious,” says local comedian David Shapiro when he first time watched Newman’s stand-up. “He has a license to be offensive and somehow he gets away with it.” Therein lies the shared conundrum of Newman’s persona for his friends and fans. “I thought it was a brilliant act. It was just Parker being Parker,” Shapiro says. Robert Berry, headlining comedian, hosts the traveling Moxie Crush Comedy and Burlesque Show and is a beloved open-mike host in the Sacramento region.
“Parker already has an identity, which is something that new comedians struggle hard to get,” says Berry, who believes that Newman comes into his own in front of an audience by embodying the loveable-loser personality. “His material is rough, perverted, clever, full of great misdirection and insight that I’d expect to hear from a more seasoned comedian.” Standing close to 5 ½ feet tall with short, dark curly hair, Newman is hanging out by the campus fountain one day in April, workshopping a new joke about being stuck in an elevator. He has a genuine smile on his face and wears a Dead Kennedys T-shirt. He’s a stand-up comedian, but he’s also a college student and a part-time pizza parlor worker. Until recently, Newman was a member of local metal band 20K Pounds of Roadkill. “Some opportunities in comedy came up so I’m trying to write a lot more,” he says of quitting the band. “I was trying to do vocals, and it hurt my throat too much.” School might get in the way of these comedic opportunities, too, so Newman knows he has to take a sabbatical from academia. After all, a career in comedy is calling. Luck is part of it, but certainly talent is too. Newman’s comedy consumption has been a mix of excellent talents. “I grew up watching Chris Rock a lot, also Jim Jefferies, Matt Braunger,” he says. “I love Bill Burr, Doug Stanhope and Artie Lange, of course. Oh yeah, and Kyle Kinane for sure.” · · ·
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But those aren’t the only influences in Newman’s life. “My mom’s actually really funny, so just joking around with her and the friends I grew up with, I love making them laugh,” says Newman, who was raised in Sacramento. “Up until the fifth grade I never did anything, pretty much I just watched TV,” says Newman, “until I turned 10 or 11. Then I started getting more friends and just sort of played wall ball.” Newman pauses before continuing. “I don’t know if that’s a real game,” he says through laughter. Humor is one of those qualities that make people attractive, but like any muscle, you have to work on it. That sometimes means sacrificing today for tomorrow — in all things. “I’ve kinda given up on romance, which is the sad part actually,” laments Newman, who has a plan for solving that. “I don’t think I’ll find love or a girlfriend unless I get super good at comedy. But then it’s going to be for my money, which is cool.” Parker Newman displays a charming personality and thoughtfulness that is rare in most men his age. He exudes a creative work ethic that seems to flow freely from whatever comedic well spring he pulls. Before Newman left for a writing session with friends, he offered up what his catch phrase might be: “Probably just me stuttering just, ‘Uh, uh, juh, uh.’”♦ May 4, 2017 · Express
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PROFILE
BRIAN BOHLENDER
City College student wears many pants for many roles on-stage Anastasia Sher-Jones
Guest Writer · AnastasiaSherJones@gmail.com Photos by Jason Pierce · jpierce.express@gmail.com
He has been the introverted best friend. The dashing, young bachelor. A highly intelligent monkey. Brian Bohlender has lived many lives. His closet holds everything from shimmering hot pants to period-era dress. During the day he’s a normal City College student, but as the sun dissipates into the evening, Bohlender is taking his acting career to center stage. “I just auditioned for show after show,” says Bohlender. “I kept getting community and supporting roles, and then a lead in ‘Trevor.’ [That] was my first lead in Sacramento.” Bohlender portrayed an 11-year-old chimpanzee for the starring role in the subversive comedy “Trevor” at Big Idea Theater in the fall of 2016. He says he enjoys roles that challenge norms and embraced the chance to play this unusual character. He says parts such as Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast” would be an easy fit, but would not be as interesting. Since his role in “Trevor,” theater has consumed his life. He wouldn’t have it any other way. “It just feels right,” Bohlender says, talking about how he found his passion for theater. “It’s like putting on a really comfy pair of pants. When I was doing
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music, the [pants] fit fine, but it wasn’t like a dream. Theater was this one thing in my life that just filled a hole where God is. There’s a lot of empathy involved, too. You have to express many different lives that you haven’t lived. No other profession in the world lets you do that.” Like any profession, theater can be, well, dramatic. Bohlender says each show has its difficulties. Along with 8 ½-hour long rehearsals and only one day off a week, the theater crew can make or break a show. “A good way to describe acting is like when you have a conversation,” he says. “It should be like throwing a ball back and forth to each other. That’s what acting is. But sometimes you have people only throwing balls to themselves, and it can be very frustrating.” Bohlender started acting in his hometown of Turlock. Junior high musicals and youth community theater gave way to a passion for acting. After moving to the Sacramento theater scene, Bohlender tested the waters with dozens of auditions, and even worked on an independent web series. At 21 years old, Bohlender made his debut with Green Valley Theater Company in the fall of 2015. He played the supporting role of Rocky in “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” which was a big success. With Sacramento’s eyes on him and his glittering shorts, Bohlender continued to audition for shows that would help him grow as an actor. · · ·
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He has made many connections with co-actors through the years. Chloe King has worked with him as a peer, and later as a director, at Big Idea Theater. “I think that one of his traits as an actor is that he can play very diverse roles well,” says King. “Not just comedic versus dramatic, but he can go from being one person to being an entirely different person really well, which is really cool.” Bohlender met one of his closest friends, Brandon Lancaster, through acting. The two have worked together since Bohlender’s start in Sacramento. “Brian is someone who has had his sights set on becoming a fully professional actor since I’ve met him,” says Lancaster. “He has made theater the top priority in his life and it shows [by] the quality of work he has under his belt now. I have no doubt we’ll be seeing him on Broadway within the next 10 years.” Last fall, Bohlender started an independent theater company with other local actors named Hungry Moth Players. They put on their first production, “Much Ado About Nothing,” at the beginning of this year. Bohlender played Benedick, the lead role. On the night of their show, they did not expect to fill the 30-or-so seats at Kupros Craft House, a bar and grill in Midtown. There was a raging storm that night. Trees were knocked down in the streets, SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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and power outages affected entire blocks. Within the first half-hour of the play’s opening, the entire room was packed with eager viewers, like a well-lit can of soaked, ragged sardines. With the success Bohlender has found in acting, his parents couldn’t be more proud. His mom, Julie Bohlender, smiles when boasting about his accomplishments. “I was all for it,” says Julie, when talking about the beginning of her son’s interest in acting. “I’m a true believer that if there’s something that you enjoy doing, then you need to pursue it.” Julie remarked that her favorite performance by her son was his role in “Trevor,” but she especially enjoyed seeing him “all dressed in blue” during his seventh-grade role as Genie in “Aladdin.” Bohlender was recently accepted into one of the most prestigious performing arts schools in California: the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Santa Maria, California. With plans to move in the summer, Bohlender will soon give his last bow as a local Sacramento performer. “Once I go out there, I can take on L.A. or New York, something like that,” he says. Bohlender says one of his dream roles is to play Shakespeare’s Hamlet. With the stage set for success, he may no longer need to ask the question that the well-known prince Hamlet posed: “What dreams may come?” ♦ · · ·
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PROFILE
PAUL GUTIERREZ
City College student prepares to be the model he never had Marilyn Franco
Guest Writer · mailynfranco5@gmail.com Photos by Ulysses Ruiz · Uruiz.express@gmail.com
He only wanted to sleep. The court had filed an order that staff members were allowed to restrain the teenager if he left the building. The walls where he was staying were too thin and the screaming voices too loud. He grabbed his blanket and walked to a nearby church in hope of getting some rest. A staff member found him and yanked him by the shirt, slamming him against a wall. Face smashed and tired, the teenager threw out his arms and started swinging at the staff member. As soon as his fist pounded the staff member’s face, he knew he would have to move to another group home again. He only wanted to sleep. City College student Paul Gutierrez, 19, has lived an inconsistent life since the age of 2. Everyone assumed the young troublemaker would follow the same path as others close to him− into a life of drugs. Going in and out of group homes and dealing with addictive traits, Gutierrez was born a fighter. Eventually, this Winters’ resident dramatically changed his life. With the help of two Winters High School teachers, he turned everything around. Now he uses his past as motivation to become a social worker, so he can help kids who are in the situations he was once in.
“He was an insecure, impulsive, self-destructive kid and now he’s someone I’m proud to call my surrogate son,” says WHS teacher Raena Lavelle.
I used all my negativity to turn it into a positive thing in my life.
Paul Gutierrez
City College Student
His life wasn’t easy. As a toddler, Gutierrez was stripped from his parents’ custody and sent to live with his grandparents in Winters. But as a teen, he was forced to leave. His grandparents kicked him out for getting into too much trouble. At the time, Gutierrez says he was experimenting with alcohol, marijuana, ’shrooms, Ecstasy and opiates. When he was 12 years old and in the sixth grade, he was arrested for breaking and entering, and one week later, for being drunk in public, says Gutierrez. “I was transferred to a group home for my next 2 ½ years of life,” says Gutierrez. The group home was life-changing for Gutierrez. Aside from being alone and away from family, Gutierrez also had to protect himself. “You always had to keep your guard up,” says Gutierrez. “The kids didn’t have any hope in the group homes. Behavior
was so bad because there was no hope.” If the kids in the group homes thought they could benefit from stealing or ratting on each other, they would do it just to get by with their lives, says Gutierrez. Even staff members couldn’t be trusted. “They would also steal and blame it on another kid,” says Gutierrez. “If you tried to say something, you’d get beat up.” Moving among three different group homes in the Sacramento area and being told he wouldn’t amount to any good, Gutierrez frequently ran away from group homes because of the stressful environment. “It was probably the toughest time of my life,” says Gutierrez. However, Gutierrez is a natural fighter. He didn’t let the negative environment take control. Now, he doesn’t let his history affect him. “I used all my negativity to turn it into a positive thing in my life,” says Gutierrez. He was able to get out of the group home if he promised to stop running away for a month and a half. His grandparents agreed to the deal and Gutierrez went back home when he was 15 years old. By that time, he was already a freshman at Winters High School. He admitted that things didn’t really change much after he got out. That was until he met teachers Raena Lavelle and Andrea Hurst. “He had the focus and the drive that · · ·
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got himself off the destructive path he was on and onto one with a solid future,” says Lavelle. Lavelle and Hurst understood what he was going through and encouraged him to participate in sports, says Gutierrez. Joining football and track taught him how to work with people and to show respect. He also learned the rewards of hard work and dedication. Today, he is a hard-working college student who wants to make a difference. He is going to school for a degree in social work and wants to make a change to the way group homes are run. Even now, Gutierrez has little contact with his parents, but he says he is thankful for his grandparents and the people who motivate him to become a better person. Even more, Gutierrez is a loyal friend. “Paul’s a big-hearted fool who is on the path to success,” says City College student Christian Cushman. “He has always been there for me.” People who knew Gutierrez assumed he would live up to his reputation as a troublemaker. But he is a tough fighter, who doesn’t worry about getting enough sleep anymore. Instead, he focuses on how he is going to reach his highest dream. “I don’t think anyone thought I would accomplish anything or change my life around for the better,” says Gutierrez. “I changed everything.” ♦ May 4, 2017 · Express
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PROFILE
ANNUM AHMAD
Hijab isn’t just what you’re wearing, it’s also what you say and do Julia Macay
Guest Writer · juliamacay@gmail.com Photos by Casandra Garcia · czgarcia.express@gmail.com
Hijabs are not a fashion statement. Annum Ahmad is a 23-year-old Pakistani, born and raised in the Sacramento area. She knew she wanted to start wearing a hijab in high school, as she became more familiar with the Islam religion. The religious headwear is important to women who are practicing the religion, and although they may come in different colors and prints, there is more to a hijab than fashion. “It’s to show modesty, which is a big part of our religious beliefs,” the City College student says. “It shows our connection with God, as well.” Ahmad was hesitant to wear a hijab in high school because she felt as though her peers would judge or make fun of her decision to start wearing one randomly out of the blue. She finally made the decision to start wearing a hijab her first day of college at the City College Davis Center back in 2012. “I felt like all eyes were on me,” Ahmad says. “I tried to tell myself it was all in my head, too.” Her friends had no comments on her choice at first, but they ended up support-
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ing her decision to become closer to her religion as time went on. Ahmad, however, has been in the middle of multiple incidents when people did not understand what the hijab was supposed to represent, and she felt discriminated against. “I felt discriminated, but not to the extreme,” she says. “I grew up here my whole life, which makes me question, ‘Why do people still discriminate against me just by the hijab I wear?’” A year ago, Ahmad went to her cousin’s graduation in Fresno. As she walked through the bleachers to find a seat before the ceremony, she spotted one seat that wasn’t taken. She asked the man sitting next to the open spot if the place was taken. He did not respond. Other people sitting in the bleachers began to look over at Ahmad and the man, wondering if he would respond to her. “I tried asking him three times, and he still did not respond,” she says. She decided to sit in the seat despite his lack of response. As the ceremony began to start, she dropped the graduation pamphlet, which had fallen between her and the man. She waited to see if he would pick it up for her. He didn’t. When she reached down to pick it up, the man · · ·
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moved over to the side quickly, acting as if Ahmad was going to touch him. “I thought to myself: ‘Calm down, dude. Just because I’m wearing a hijab doesn’t make me different from everyone else.’” Ahmad’s parents were very proud of her decision to wear a hijab. When she first told them, Ahmad’s father, Naseer Ahmad, bought a bag filled with hijabs of different prints and colors.
I grew up here my whole life, which makes me question, Why do people still discriminate against me just by the hijab I wear?
Annum Ahmad
City College student
“I was so ecstatic when she had told her mother and I,” Naseer says. “Now that she’s older I think she realizes the importance of our religion.” Just because Ahmad wears a hijab does not make her different from everyone SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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else. She has goals to transfer to university, just like any other college student. She aspires to be a psychologist who works with children. In her free time, she enjoys doing the complex body art known as henna and loves watching Netflix. “I like to think that I’m just like my peers,” Ahmad says. “Just because I wear a hijab it doesn’t make me different from everyone else. It just identifies with what I believe in.” Ahmad stays positive and wears her hijab proudly as she goes about her busy day. “I believe Ahmad is an inspiration to her siblings and family members,” Ahmad’s mother, Shahida Ahmad says. “The hijab shows she is proud of her religion and heritage, and it makes me feel blessed.” Ahmad feels as though she made the right decision to start wearing a hijab because of how it makes her feel when she wears one. She says she not only feels confident and closer to her religion, she’s also proud to be a Pakistani growing up in California. If you ever run into Ahmad around campus, be sure to approach her. She is just like any other friendly college student, but she will no doubt leave a lasting impression on you. ♦ · · ·
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PROFILE
YURIA KAI
City College student reflects on life in U.S .after childhood in Japan Bryce Wallace
Guest Writer · btwallace91@gmail.com Photos by Valerie Espinoza · valerie7espinoza@gmail.com
Yuria Kai was sleeping late one weekend when she woke up to someone humming in her living room. It was her apartment complex’s maintenance worker, whom she had called three days previously. She wondered, “Did he let himself in? Why did he not come three days ago, and why is he wearing shoes on the carpet?” As Americans, these might seem like silly questions, but to someone from another country, wearing shoes on the carpet is totally weird. A City College student and a native of Tokyo, Kai finished high school in Japan and decided she wanted to change things up. So she decided to study communication studies in the U.S.A. After being here for three years, Kai has formed a charmingly complex personality from her new bicultural lifestyle. Kai has adapted to American culture so well, that it would be hard to tell that she isn’t American on first glance. She’s an average built 21-year-old woman, complete with all the hip fashion accessories of American women. In particular, she seems very fond of large sunglasses.
Though, seemingly American on the outside, Kai hasn’t quite given in to American influence. Although she makes trips to the movie theater here and there, she still prefers Japanese TV shows, and even follows Japanese politics rather than American. “I don’t care about American politics, because I’m Japanese,” says Kai. Three years is plenty of time to learn American ways and meet new friends, and Kai has done just that. Through experience, she has found that she prefers the company of men over women in America. This wasn’t the case in Japan. She blames it on one thing that she has had to learn to get used to after moving here: gossip. “Friendship with girls,” says Kai, referring to one of the hardest things about living in America. “They are not nice at all.” She explains her opinion by comparing Japanese with American culture. Apparently in Japan, it is not appropriate to use honesty in certain situations. “Here in America, if you had a crazy night out, the next morning your friends would say, ‘What happened to you? You look like you got wasted,” Kai says. “In Japan they would say, ‘Oh, you look so pretty today!’” That’s not the only thing she says she has had to get used to here in the States.
According to Kai, America is very “dirty” and “infested with homeless.” To her, this is unusual. She claims that a homeless person is a rare sight in Tokyo. Though she has a few complaints about her time living here, she also has some good observations. Apparently there is no such thing as Mexican cuisine in Japan. This has quickly become Kai’s favorite thing about America. “Avocados and guacamole,” she says. “So good!”
I don t care about American politics, because I m Japanese.
Yuria Kai
City College student
Kai mentions that learning English was hard to do while she was trying to complete her classes. Today, though, you wouldn’t be able to tell. She has a Japanese accent, but she speaks English fluently and even understands American slang. “We have no problems with communicating,” says Timothy Buth, who was assigned to a group presentation with Kai in their Communication Experience class. · · ·
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“It’s really cool to have her in our class. Her culture adds a different point of view.” Kai hasn’t just transitioned well into the language, though. She has moved her favorite pastime — dancing — from Japan to Sacramento. She has been practicing dance since she was 3. She started dancing jazz style, but has since moved on to hip-hop style. “Dance styles are pretty similar globally,” says friend and fellow dancer Heather Ochoa. “She knew how to dance hip-hop in Japan, so she can dance hiphop in America.” Because American media, like dance, is popular in other countries, the people who live in other countries learn about the U.S.A. by watching American media. The problem is most Americans don’t really look and act like people on TV. Kai, like many other travelers, says she was absolutely floored to realize that not all Americans look like Brad Pitt. All together, Kai seems neutral about her time here in California. It isn’t horrible but it isn’t great, either. She does love to travel, though, and hopes to move around the world for the rest of her life. Her time in America will end when she finishes her education plan here. After that, her next stop is Germany. ♦ May 4, 2017 · Express
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PROFILE
RAYMOND CONCHA
Just a kid from Sacramento, who must represent the people of City College Maxfield Morris
Guest Writer · MaxfieldMorris@gmail.com Photos by Sonora Rairdon · srairdon.express@gmail.com
The Student Senate meeting is tense. Proverbial sweat is beading on foreheads as the docket is pulled up. With a drawling grind, the meeting is called to order. Suddenly, the tension is released like a bowstring. There’s a presence here that is confident, pleasant and even a little humorous. That’s Raymond Concha. Concha, 20, is the vice president of the Student Senate. He served as a senator during the spring 2016 semester, and he comes across as a very approachable fellow. This will be Concha’s sixth and final semester at City College. He’s received UC transfer acceptances to Davis and San Diego, where he plans to study international relations. As he describes his future, his voice rises excitedly, but there are bittersweet emotions there. “The hardest thing to say goodbye to?” Concha pauses. “Everyone, I guess. I can walk down campus and see people I know. I won’t be able to do that any more.” City College might not know it, but they’re losing an invaluable resource as Concha exits. He describes his time on the Student Senate with immense respect for the student governing process, and with utter transparency, Concha explains how governing is helping people.
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“This is the job. I get to put myself out there on the line,” Concha says. “I like to represent people. It isn’t just 12 people in a room, it’s supposed to be all 23,000 people at City College in a room.” Ansel Chan is the former Student Senate vice president, and one of Concha’s good friends. Over their time working together, they discovered a shared interest in Marvel Comics. Concha’s father had introduced him to the graphic novels, and Chan is purportedly the biggest fan of Captain America in the entire Western Hemisphere. Together, Chan and Concha unknowingly started an online mystery, centered on their love for comics. A copy of the Student Senate minutes from 2016 had been posted online. The content was largely benign, typical procedure and discussion, until the very end of the document. There, in a solitary paragraph, was the two-word phrase “Hail Hydra.” This was deeply unsettling. For those unfamiliar with Marvel Comics, “Hail Hydra” was the greeting sign of the covert, sleeper cell, fictional shadow organization tasked with subverting America: Hydra. Had the group made the jump from the comics into City College? How deep did this go? What business did Hydra have in student government at a community college? As it turns out, the culprits behind the phrase were none other than Chan and · · ·
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Concha. It was a game they played, hiding the phrase in each other’s school essays, forms and minutes. This was the first time it hadn’t been caught, and it made its way into the World Wide Web. “There’s probably three people that know about that,” Concha laughs. “No one ever checks the minutes.” All jokes aside, Concha has clearly put a lot of thought into his role as a leader. “That’s the hardest thing to do. Have fun, and represent 23,000 students,” he says. “I can’t just say, ‘Hey, what’s up guys? Let’s go party!’ I’m representing Sacramento City College.”
This is the job. I get to put myself out there on the line.
Raymond Concha
Student Senate Vice President
Student Senate President Melody Jimenez worked closely with Concha, and thinks he strikes a good balance between work and fun. “I feel like he’s sort of like an anchor in our meetings,” Jimenez says. “He provides a nice balance of lightheartedness and also, like, a strict business side of him.” Georgia Sherman, secretary of the Club and Events Board, also sings SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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Concha’s praises. “Overall, Raymond is one of the most supportive people you would meet,” says Sherman. “He’s always there, trying to be a voice for all the students.” That Concha ended up at City College was a bit of a journey. Born in Southern California, Concha has been in the area for the past 11 years. He went to high school in Davis, amid a very competitive academic environment. When he graduated, and he was faced with the choice of where to go, he thought of his younger brother. “Personally, I thought he had a better chance of getting into college than I did,” Concha says. “I decided to save money with community college.” It was a difficult choice for Concha to make. His friends were headed to four-year colleges, UCs and other schools across the country. He decided to stick around and attend City College. “If I had to choose, I’m most proud of making the decision to come here,” Concha says. “I believe it has shaped the person I am today.” As he enjoys the remainder of his time on campus, Concha has a piece of advice for the students of City College before he leaves. “Enjoy it,” he says. “Just try to find something that you love. Learn about it as much as you can here.” ♦ · · ·
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FEATURES
Canvas to take the place of D2L by spring 2018 New learning platforms will offer students, faculty more flexibility
Most recently, the Los Rios Community has been in transition from D2L (Desire to Learn) to the new Canvas website. Within the next six weeks professors are taking a course to learn about the program and help their students transition into the new curriculum. ¦ Photo by Ella Morgan · emorgan.express@gmail.com
Casandra Garcia
Staff Writer · czgarcia.express@gmail.com
City College is transitioning from using Desire to Learn or D2L, to exclusively using Canvas by spring 2018. This semester, Canvas, an alternative learning platform to D2L, was made available to professors, who could choose to use either platform. Learning platforms like D2L and Canvas allow professors and students to interact online through shared content, grades, announcements and discussions in a course. Students have expressed their preference for Canvas. Hoi Luc, a City College student, has used Canvas in three of his classes. “It takes a while to get used to Canvas,” says Luc of the Canvas interface. “There’s a lot more that you can do, like check your grades. There’s a to-do list, so you know what is coming up in your
classes. It’s pretty good once you get used to it.” Brian Pogue, the campus’ Instructional Development coordinator, has been organizing workshops to assist faculty with the transition. “I think it is a better program and students will find it easy to navigate,” says Pogue. “If you can navigate through the Internet, you will be able to navigate through Canvas well. It really is just a better program and a better experience.” Workshops are available to help professors transition from D2L to Canvas. Pogue holds four-five workshops weekly, as well as training for each individual department. Online workshops are also available. Jake Rodriguez, a City College student, agrees Canvas is better than D2L. “Canvas is way more organized,” says Rodriguez. “It is easier to find information for your classes.” One of the reasons for the switch
from D2L to Canvas is the cost, according to Pogue. Switching to Canvas will be cheaper for the district in the future. Canvas will also bring more advantages than disadvantages, Pogue says. When a college joins the Online Education Initiative Consortium, its students have the opportunity to participate in a course exchange. City College is seeking to join the consortium, which would allow students from partnering colleges to attend classes in any of the other colleges in the consortium. Likewise, the City College campus would then be able to offer classes to students from other campuses. These classes would include general education classes that are in high demand and difficult to enroll in, but are necessary for students to graduate. Canvas was launched in 2011 by Instructure, an educational technology company based in Salt Lake City. Canvas
is used by more than 2,000 school districts and universities around the world. Pogue hopes professors will utilize the summer and fall 2017 semesters to fully transition to Canvas. “Some professors planning to use Canvas for online classes will have to do more work to transition all resources,” says Pogue, who pointed out that some professors are taking the lead to help other professors in their department transition to Canvas. Pogue says Canvas, overall, seems to be well-liked by faculty. “Many people say that Canvas is better,” Pogue says. “The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Instructors who are tech-savvy are doing pretty good with the transition.” D2L will be available as a learning platform through Dec. 31, 2017. Canvas will be the only option beginning in spring 2018. ♦
WRITE. SHOOT. PUBLISH. GET CREDIT. GET WORK EXPERIENCE. GET PUBLISHED. JOUR 410/430 MW 3-4:20PM | PHOTO 350 10:30-2:50PM · · ·
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SPORTS
Marathoner finds running mates in family Jasmine Bermudez practices for long runs with sister, uncle Victoria Lockwood
Guest Writer · Vmorgan14@gmail.com
It’s hot, your lungs are on fire, there’s a blister on your heel the size of your big toe, and you finally understand the term “sweating bullets.” Is this hell, or are you about to finish your first marathon? It’s the latter, at least told from the perspective of Jasmine Bermudez. Bermudez, 21, is a student at City College. However, unlike most college students, she spends her free time training for marathons, not beer pong. “Growing up I never really liked running,” says Bermudez. “But now if I don’t run at least two miles a day I feel off.” Working full time at Starbucks, and taking four classes a semester, Bermudez has a very limited amount of free time, and even less excess energy. But she believes any goal is possible to achieve as long as you make it a priority. “Of course, there are days when I get home and want nothing more than to stay in bed for the night,” Bermudez says with a laugh. “But there’s nothing to be accomplished from my mattress.” Bermudez also comes from a large, combined family and is often seen driving around with at least one of her younger siblings in tow. Some of them even join her on runs. “I like running with my sister,” says Ally Bermudez, 17. “We usually go along the Sacramento River at sunset when the weather has cooled down a bit. It’s pretty, and we get to spend time together in a way different than the rest of our family.”
It took me a little while to convince her, but once she was on board her determination was unparallelled.
Ed Fong
Jasmine Bermudez s uncle
After moving out to live on her own earlier this year, Jasmine doesn’t get to see her family as much as she used to. She runs with her sister, a perfect way for them to spend quality time together. Their mother, Michelle Bermudez, also thinks it’s sweet her daughters run together. “I couldn’t be prouder of Jazzy,” says Michelle. “She is inspiring to her younger siblings, and as a parent there’s really not much more you can ask for.”
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Express · May 4, 2017
Jasmine Bermudez, a student of City College, enjoys running along the Sacramento River. She says an additional perk of running is that it has made her closer to her family. ¦ Photos by Pedro Santander · psantander.express@gmail.com
Jasmine didn’t start running marathons until after her uncle convinced her to do a mud run with him. A mud run is a running obstacle that, as you might have guessed it, involves a substantial amount of mud. “I knew both me and Jasmine were new at this running thing,” says Ed Fong, with a nervous smile playing across his face. “It took me a little while to convince her, but once she was on board her determination was unparallelled. She eventually became my encouragement to run.” Fong says his niece would show up at his house every morning at 6 a.m. so they could run together before he went to work. He even ended up losing 15 pounds. After they completed the mud run, Jasmine started signing up for more runs. After a year of working her way up to half marathons, she finally signed up for her first marathon. “Even just signing up for it was terrifying,” says Jasmine. “But I knew my family was going to be there to support me and that made me believe in myself.” The Bermudez family stood at the finish line, clutching their signs reading, “Run, Jazzy, Run!” and, “We Love You!” They had been there since 8 a.m. When the marathon started, it was hot and crowded. But it was all worth it once they saw her getting closer to the finish line. · · ·
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“We couldn’t stop screaming,” laughed Michelle. “We probably looked like crazy people. We just couldn’t control ourselves. It was such a climactic, emotional moment. I would be lying if I said tears weren’t shed.” Despite countless blisters, pulled muscles and even a missing toenail, Jasmine couldn’t be happier. Few things are as satisfying as accomplishing your goals, but completing this marathon was more than that to Jasmine. “Running is a big part of who I am,” says Jasmine. “Through this process I have found one of my passions. An additional perk is that it’s also made me closer with my family. Whenever I don’t feel like running alone, I can call my sister or my uncle to join me. It’s become a really personal, bonding experience. I hope one day I’ll be able to call anyone in my family to go on a run with me.” To the average person, running 26.2 miles may sound like an impossible feat. However, Jasmine Bermudez is anything but average. ♦ SCCEXPRESSNEWS
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Jasmine Bermudez runs marathons when school and work permits it. She has been at City College for four years and is hoping to transfer to Sacramento State University.
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