EL VAQUERO G L E N D A L E C O M M U N I T Y C O L L E G E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R April 5, 2017
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Volume 109 | Number 3
Masiela Lusha
GCC alumna, actress, author and humanitarian talks to El Vaquero See page 5
NEWS
FEATURES
SPORTS
ONLINE
Glendale Mayor Paula Devine visited GCC for Women’s History Month Page 2
“Bang$kott” went from nobody to somebody Page 7
Men’s tennis team headed for the State Championships Page 10
Look for City Council and Board of Trustees election results on www.elvaq.com
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EL V EDITOR IN CHIEF Melody Shahsavarani REPORTERS Alex LaFosta Carolina Diaz Nicole House Nareg Atteukenian Mark Nassim Elena Jacobson Ken Allard Johnny Ruiz Nicholas Martinez Ricardo Nuño PRODUCTION TEAM Sal Polcino Jayne Pojawa Rich Kontas faculty adviser Michael Fleeman mfleeman@glendale.edu (818) 551-5214 advertising Jeff Smith jsmith@glendale.edu (818) 240-1000, ext. 5493 Letters to the Editor El Vaquero accepts story ideas in news, features, profiles, sports and entertainment from the public. Send an idea or article to the editor at melody.elvaq@gmail.com or call (818) 240-1000, ext. 5349.
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NEWS
Glendale Mayor Inspires Women Leaders Paula Devine Closes Out Women’s History Month By Carolina Diaz
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ayor of Glendale Paula Devine visited the campus on March 28 as part of the celebration of Women’s History Month. Devine, a guest for the “Women and Politics” discussion moderated by history professor Michelle Stonis, spoke about how she started in government. Before Devine was involved in politics, she was a teacher and coach for San Gabriel High School in Alhambra for 32 years. She was the first girl’s athletic director under Title IX. Once she retired, she decided to get involved in her community. “Doors will open, life will
change,” Devine said. Devine started Commission Project Rescue, which provides the Glendale Police Department with funds for temporary housing for domestic violence victims. “I hear from the police department that we are saving lives,” Devine said. She was past chair of the Glendale Commission on the Status of Women for eight years. When she was ready to retire someone asked her, “Why are you stepping down? Why don’t you step up to policy making?” There was an interim position on the ballot for City Council, and Devine decided to go for it. “I got on the ballot, there were six men and me,” Devine said. Then she ran again after the
City Council and GCC Board of Trustees Local Elections Held Tuesday By Alex LaFosta, Ken Allard and Rachel Valasquez
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hree candidates vied Tuesday for the Glendale Community College Board of Trustees District 4 seat, while two members ran unopposed. In the competitive race, Yvette Davis called for keeping the college affordable and providing an equitable balance to the needs of students, faculty and staff; Victor Garcia, 21, said his “intimate connection to the student experience and mindset” would make him more in tune with what students really need; Rondi Werner, vice president of the Glendale Homeowners Coordinating Council Executive Board, said she was committed to increasing enrollment and student success at GCC. Running unopposed were Ann H. Ransford, Board of Trustees clerk for District 2, who was first elected in 2009, and District 3 member and board Vice President Dr. Armine Hacopian, a member since 2001. This was the first election in
which board members were elected by area rather than at large. Areas 2, 3 and 4 held elections on Tuesday. Areas 1 and 5 will hold elections in April 2019. Glendale residents also voted in the City Council election with 10 candidates contending for three open spots. Ara Najarian and Zareh Sinanyan were the two incumbents seeking reelection. The lack of working-class representation on the City Council was the major issue for Mike Van Gorder. “Rent stabilization ordinance comes first,” Van Gorder said. Slowing luxury development in Glendale was Mark MacCarley’s top priority. “I want Glendale to be a place where people can afford to live,” said MacCarley. The other candidates included Mike Mohill, Vrej Agajanian, Rick Dinger, Onnik Mehrabian, Grant Michals, and Susan Wolfson. Alex LaFosta can be reached at AlexLaFosta@gmail.com Ken Allard can be reached at Kenallard4@gmail.com
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eight months passed for a permanent position. There were two seats. “I am the sixth woman on the Glendale City Council in 117 years,” Devine said. Devine became mayor of Glendale City in July 2014. “Whether it is politics, whether it is life, male or female, it doesn’t matter. Don’t be afraid of challenges,” said Devine. Glendale College held month long events commemorating Women’s History Month. From the leaders of Womens March LA to the Mayor of Glendale, celebrating women was at large. Photo courtesy of Glendale.gov
Mayor Paula Devine
Carolina Diaz can be reached at itscarodiaz@gmail.com
They Want Your Blood
Photo by Elena Jacobson BLOOD DONOR: Hamid Vaalivand gives blood Tuesday while nurses work to process donations at the blood drive in Plaza Vaquero. The blood drive will end at 3:30 p.m. today.
On the Cover:
IN THIS ISSUE:
Glendale College alumna Masiela Lusha, actress poet and humanitarian, outside the San Gabriel building after an interview with El Vaquero. Lusha is best known for her role as Carmen on “George Lopez.”
News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Photo by Ken Allard
Lifestyle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Opinion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
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OPINION
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
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Trump’s Punitive Budget Proposal
Threatening Arts and Humanities Program Funding By Ken Allard
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he first budget proposal for the Trump administration has been released, and it is nightmare fuel for those who find importance in climate change solutions and funding for smaller federal agencies, such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The proposal calls for steep cuts to these departments, among many others, while increasing defense funding to the tune of $574 billion. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is facing the most extensive cuts. The EPA is looking at a $2.6 billion budget slash, a 31 percent change from last year’s funding. The proposal calls for the elimination of about 3,200 staff positions, which makes up roughly 20 percent of the total work force of the agency. Funding for international climate change programs and climate change research is being scrapped entirely. Furthermore, on March 28 President Trump signed an executive order that instructs federal regulators to begin nullifying key regulations that would curb U.S. fossil fuel emissions. Included in this order is the dismantling of the Clean Power Plan, which was enacted by the Obama administration with the aim of vastly reducing emissions from coal-fired power plants — one of the largest contributors to anthropogenic climate change. “We’re ending the theft of American prosperity and reviving our beloved economy,” Trump said during a press conference detailing his executive order. “The miners told me about the attacks on their jobs. I made them this promise. We will put our miners back to work.” Trump’s idea that the coal industry can be saved by extensive deregulation ignores the broader economic trends in the energy sector that have been going on for some time now. It’s not regulation killing coal; coal jobs have been declining for decades. The decline of the coal industry is by way of the
free market’s “invisible hand.” According to Ben Hasselman of FiveThirtyEight, the shift towards cheaper and cleaner natural gas, the rise of automation, and the rapid decrease in the price of solar technology are why coal is becoming irrelevant, not government overreach. To many, Trump’s assault on meaningful climate legislation hardly comes as a surprise. Trump has often tweeted deepseated skepticism of climate change, going so far as to call it a conspiracy theory created by the Chinese meant to undermine the American manufacturing sector, despite climate scientists from around the world vehemently claiming otherwise. The irony of Donald Trump’s conspiracy claim is that it is actually his administration imperiling America’s foothold in the manufacturing and energy sectors. The future of energy is in the form of renewables, which is why China is vowing to invest at
least $ 3 6 0 billion in renewable energy by 2020, according to the New York Times. Trump’s insistence that we need to help save the antiquated and dying coal industry while neglecting renewable energy sources opens the door for China to secure its place atop the emerging cleanenergy marketplace for years to come. Also in line to face the guillotine of Trump’s proposed budget cuts is the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). The NEA and NEH are federal grant-making agencies. They play similar roles, but to whom they give grants differs slightly. Grantees for the NEH primarily consist of schools,
colleges, libraries and museums. Recipients for NEA, on the other hand, include theaters, art museums, community groups and schools with strong arts programs.
“We haven’t currently received any grants from the NEA at GCC,” said Dr. Peter Green, division chair of visual and performing arts at Glendale Community College. “But I’m sure some of our feeder schools have, and cuts to these grants would mean less prepared students entering from the high schools. Also, students who haven’t had the opportunity to take classes may not understand how important arts and music education is.” The attempted assault on these organizations isn’t much of an eyebrow-raiser, as they have long been in the crosshairs of conservative politicians. The
reasoning for abolishing funding is purported cost savings, an interesting proposition since they make up comparatively little government spending. The combined funding for both is roughly $298 million, or about a fraction of a percent of the total government budget. This source of funds is crucial for many people. Grants reach people in all 50 states, whether they are rich or poor, urban or rural, Democrat or Republican. This money supports
community programs, extracurricular art and dance events for schools, and makes art accessible to those who aren’t particularly wealthy. The NEH also provides programs for veterans returning to the States, like the Warrior-Scholar Project. “Art and music education is so important to help develop the ‘whole’ person, they are important for our emotional education.” Green said. “I feel it is very important to have a life balance — not just math, science, but we need some art and music as well.” The importance of such programs is, of course, lost on an administration neck-deep in antiintellectual sentiments and which harbors such deep resentment for fact and truth. Trump’s pick for the EPA thinks carbon dioxide plays a minor role in climate change (it is the major contributor); his appointee for Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, doesn’t understand the difference between growth and proficiency; and Rick Perry, Secretary of Energy, did not even understand the role of the agency until
joining. Trump doesn’t seem to be one to appreciate culture much, either. This is a man who has an unusually light craving for reading — a stark difference from his presidential predecessor. He claims he would like to read, but he “has so little time.” That’s an intriguing claim, coming from the man who has found the time to send, on average, 11 tweets per day over his Twitter career and who reportedly loves to indulge in the excess of unabashedly partisan “news” shows found on Fox News and MSNBC. According to the Washington Post, Trump once purchased an oil sketch painting for $20,000 at a fundraiser auction held at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. It would have been a nice gesture in support of the arts, had it not been a 6-foot-tall portrait of himself. This is the apparent fundamental problem with this administration. The actions seem to be all about the narcissistic self-interests of a select few without concern for the collateral damage inflicted on the ones they are supposed to help. The budget cuts disregard care for a fragile climate system that could have wide-ranging effects across the globe and ignores the incredible importance that the arts and humanities play in American culture. The administration is shifting money from the beautiful, creative side of America and moving it to the ugly, bloated side: the unbridled American military-industrial complex. With this in mind, the question to ask is: With all of this military spending, if we are not attempting to maintain our culture, our arts, and our environment, what exactly is it that we are defending? Ken Allard can be reached at Kenallard4@gmail.com
Illustration by Aida Ohadi SHREDDING: Donald Trump has proposed a budget with severe cuts to arts, humanities and environmental protection while shifting funds to the millitary.
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FEATURES
Engineering Student Interns at NASA By Nicholas Martinez
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hen Enrique Cernas first walked the halls of the GCC engineering department in fall 2015, he felt overwhelmed and intimidated by what he thought was how much smarter and more experienced other students were. But with the help of his professors, the support of his classmates, and a tremendous amount of hard work, Cernas is making strides to brighten his future and make himself a competitive force in the world of engineering. In fall 2016, Cernas was selected to be a part of the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars program. The purpose of this program is to give STEM students at community colleges an allencompassing NASA experience. To start the process, students have to complete a five-week online NASA course. Cernas is a first generation Latino student who never really felt like he had the skills and resources to study engineering. Only 22 percent
of Latinos graduate with an engineering degree within five years, according to the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA. “I started out in collegelevel algebra at GCC and in high school, math and science were not my strongest subjects,” Cernas said. “I did not think that engineering was something that I had a future in. This course’s theme was centered around NASA’s “Mission to Mars.” Participants learn about the history of space travel and the different mechanisms in building a Mars Rover. After successfully completing the five-week course, there is a competition of sorts. The instructors of the program challenge the students to plan a mission to Mars. From all the material that they learned during the course, Cernas had to put together all of his course material and think of ideas as to what an expedition to Mars would look like. “It was a lot of hard work and did not know what to expect,” Cernas admitted. After all this hard work, it finally paid off.
Photo Courtesy of Enrique Cernas
MISSION TO MARS : Enrique Cernas is putting his engineering skills to work at a NASA internship.
Cernas was chosen to participate in the next phase of the program-
the “on-site experience.” This experience includes four days at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena. At JPL, Cernas and his cohort received private tours and met with engineers and staff members who discussed life at JPL and what it takes to make it in this industry. There was also a robotics competition. The competition was the focus of the on-site experience. Cernas and the group were split up into different teams of about 40 people. The task was to design and build a miniature rover that would be sent to traverse the Mars landscape. “I learned new skills and how to work in a team,” Cernas said “My team did not win, but I was awarded the MVP award for my performance in the competition.” This program was one of the most rewarding experiences for Cernas. He made great friendships with people in his cohort, built relationships with the staff at JPL, and has been pursuing future internships. Cernas is also working hard to continue this momentum and his future looks bright. Professor Christopher Herwerth discussed Cernas’
work ethic and dedication to the engineering program will make him a strong applicant for future programs. “Enrique gets to the lab early and works on homework until late. He is willing to put in the work and and struggle and fail,” Herwerth said. “These are the keys to success in the engineering field.” Cernas is working on getting an internship with JPL this summer and planning to transfer next year. He plans on studying engineering and eventually wants to pursue a master’s or doctorate degree. “I am passionate about space and space exploration. I hope to eventually be working on projects that will bring humans to become an interplanetary species,” Cernas said. Nicholas Martinez can be reached at nrmartin2016@gmail.com
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FEATURES
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
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Masiela Lusha: ‘Not Just an Actress’ By Melody Shahsavarani
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or Masiela Lusha the road to success began in Albania, led to Glendale Community College, then onto an award-winning writer and actress, to a global humanitarian. With a total of eight published works, honing four languages, and an ambassador for Prince Harry’s charity, Lusha keeps busy. From her big break on “George Lopez,” she recently filmed a Lifetime movie “Forgotten Evil” and just wrapped her second “Sharknado.” It may seem like a lot to keep track of, but it all makes sense to Lusha, just like her outlook on “Sharknado,” a fan favorite that also has endured jokes. “That’s the beauty of Sharknado, produced and directed in a way that’s serious, but doesn’t take itself seriously,” Lusha told El Vaquero during a recent visit to campus. “When people make fun of it, that’s the byproduct we embrace. It’s a weird dichotomy.” It’s this diverse experience that makes Lusha stand out as a GCC alumna, said Lisa Brooks, executive director of the Glendale College Foundation, an organization that works to support facilities and programs. “I was impressed by this young woman by all her accomplishments not just as an actress but as a poet and humanitarian,” Brooks
said. “We contact alumni who have gone on and done wonderful things in the world, and Masiela was one of those people.” Lusha migrated to the states as an Albanian refugee at the age of 7, coming to Michigan via Hungary and Austria. She was sponsored in the United States by her great uncle. One of her earliest memories is of the bus ride out of Albania, where the government at the time was under communist rule. While riding with her mother to Budapest for freedom, she noticed the American Red Cross volunteers who had been informed of a possible bomb on the bus, and vowed to protect everyone. “To sense that ability of completely unique culture, and expectations and people who you’ve never and don’t look like you, who put themselves on the line for you, because of a human cause that’s overarching any culture, that defines you,” Lusha said. She credits her long journey from Albania, with stops in Budapest and Vienna, as her roadmap for both her humanitarian and creative work. “I have been helped in so many ways,” Lusha said. “I’m not going to do a project that implodes society, or produce a piece of writing that will impact in a negative way. I think I’ve been given too much, and am always striving to make up for it.”
She moved to California and at age 15 enrolled in Glendale College, later transferring to UCLA, majoring in creative writing. “GCC has a sense of roots I can hold onto that I didn’t have as a kid,” Lusha said. “I have to say it did open all the opportunities for me. I was able to go to UCLA, pursue my love for literature.” Recently, she became an Ambassador for Prince Harry’s charity, Sentebale. She went to Africa to visit orphans to experience their daily struggles. “That was life-changing,” Lusha said. As a poet Lusha got an early start, publishing two books before graduating from high school. She has been awarded as one of the top ten talented poets of North America and received public recognition from former President Bill Clinton. Poetry became her universal outlet for her feelings and experiences. Her mother recited literature as bedtime stories, and with a celebrated Albanian poet as an aunt, “I feel that was the fabric of my existence before I even spoke my first word,” Lusha said. At 12 years old she dedicated her first poetry book to her seventh grade English teacher, whoencouraged Lusha to embrace the English language and to recite the poetry in front of the class. “I was mortified, but when I tried it, the embrace I received
Photo by Ken Allard
BACK TO HER ROOTS: Masiela Lusha visited her alma mater and spoke with the El Vaquero staff on March 23.
from the class transformed my trajectory as a poet,” Lusha said. “That was the moment I thought this might be good, and it was the only validation I needed.” She pursued theater at a young age in Michigan, but never thought beyond those amateur roles. Then one day a talent agent searching the Midwest for new faces came across a young Lusha. After searching from 600 hopefuls, Lusha and three other girls were on their way to Los Angeles. She never looked back. The day of her audition for “George Lopez,” Lusha fell ill and her mother contemplated if she should attend. With no hesitation Lusha persisted, went through the audition, and received a callback. “It was the first time ever I auditioned for a sitcom,” she said. “It was different because people would laugh in the middle of my lines, but yet I felt intuitive. And it felt this was the right thing. I didn’t know how I sensed it, but I knew this was the direction I needed to go.” After getting the life changing Photo courtesy of Masiela Lusha role of Carmen THAT’S A WRAP: Masiela Lusha, left, George Lopez and Constance Marie reunite at TV Land’s “Lopez” wrap party held March 27.
Lopez on the syndicated series, the writers crafted her character towards Lusha’s real-life personality and passions. Carmen became a poet on the show and certain love interests reflected on her own life. “We were the original autobiographical sitcom,” she said. The actress has recently wrapped another Sharknado, portraying Gemini, the cousin of Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) and niece of Gilbert Grayson Shepard (David Hasselhoff). Stepping away from the film’s outrageous concept Lusha describes the dynamic of family and dedication on set. “What compelled me to accept this, is that it’s a family unit and does elevate society in a way that encourages certain dynamics within family,” Lusha said. Lusha currently stars in the international Lifetime film “Forgotten Evil,” a psychological thriller written, directed, and produced by Anthony C. Ferrante from the “Sharknado” franchise. She plays a woman who awakes with amnesia. From the struggles of fleeing her homeland to accomplishing the wildest dreams, she recollected about her second home, GCC. Lusha embodies the advice she tends to always give about the college. “Embrace every single opportunity you have here, there are so many prospects here,” she said. “ GCC gives you the advice ‘you can do it.” Melody Shahsavarani can be reached at melody.elvaq@gmail.com
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FEATURES
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
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Local DJ Makes a Mark on the Music Scene By Melody Shahsavarani
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arely a year under his belt of mixing and producing tracks, Scott Yzarnotegui -- known in the music scene as “Bang$kott” -has toured the nation and worked in the studio with rap artists such as Kash Prez, ATL Smook, Famous Dex, UnoTheActivist, to name a few. “Bang$kott is loyal and not fake, everybody wants to do what’s best for them, but he has a team mindset always,” childhood friend and collaborator Nar said. “He’s really good at engineering, he has an ear for sound. He handles most of the business, relates to people more and more.” The 19-year-old from Glendale started off just like any other new high school graduate: He went to Pasadena City College (because he was forced to by his parents), finished his general education requirements, and saw what life has to offer. As his star rose as an audio engineer/music producer, he dropped out last fall to pursue his career goals. He’s now on his way to the top. Yzarnotegui was the youngest member on A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s TBA tour this year. During the Philadelphia show he met special guests and hometown heroes Meek Mill and PnB Rock. “He has a crazy work ethic. It’s never a day where he’s not working, he’s super dedicated,” said rapper ATL Smook, one of the first to be introduced to Bang$kott. Their first track was titled “No Worries;” from there the ball started to roll. “My friend Ricky would always talk about him and he fi-
nally set up a studio session and introduced us,” Smook said. Smook called Yzarnotegui and suggested to work with an act Thouxanbanfauni, an artist with over 1 million plays on SoundCloud. On a weekly basis this studio is cycled through rappers creating
Photo by Abstract
tracks and albums. In that same studio Yzarnotegui met rapper Kash Prez, an artist set to go on a nationwide tour with A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie. Hearing Bang$kott’s skill as an audio engineer, Prez next wanted to record. After spending the night creating a track he asked Yzarnotegui to be his disc jockey for the tour. “It’s been magic ever since,” Prez said. “From the first show Boogie’s people helped him out, but the last show Scott knew how to do everything and made it happen with ease.” Yzarnotegui fell in love with music and the programming mechanisms at a young age. His dad was an artist and the inspiration spiraled from there. He noticed all the different programs
the computer was filled with, and just by fooling around he realized this was something for which he had a talent. “I started producing young, with Logic Pro-9, a program my dad already had and I messed with it to see what I can do,” he said. He was persistent to learn the craft of audio engineering after no one was open to editing his vocals or his friends who featured on tracks. “I’m reading books to learn, I’m practically self-taught, and then next thing you know you’re in the studio with your favorite rappers,” he said. The stage name came along during a time of randomly searching the web. “I was looking at the city name Bangkok and had an epiphany and got the name, and thought it was sick,” Yzarnotegui said. What catapulted Yzarnotegui was his history with Nar. The two were inseparable when in elementary school, but as Nar moved away in the fifth grade the connection was lost. Nar contacted Yzarnotegui through Twitter direct messages. “We both talked about making music, we said let’s just do it and see what happens,” Nar said. “In a short amount of time we took off.” Nar enjoyed creating clothes. and from working with upcoming artists, he met fashion phenomenon Gianni Mora. Through Mora, he met Playboi Carti, who is signed with Interscope Records and knows the notable A$AP Mob. The doors then opened for Yzarnotegui.
Photo by Ryan Loughlin DYANMIC DUO : Nar (left) and Scott Yzarnotegui “Bang$kott” are on a mission to dominate airwaves and the charts.
He believes the sound he creates is something that sets him apart. “My style is influenced from the Beat Plugs [a group of producers consisting of members MexikoDro, StoopidXool and Polo Boy Shawty],” Yzarnotegui said. “I’m trying to make my sound more mainstream to appeal to a wider audience.” Still, he worries that his hometown doesn’t understand the music he creates and the influence it brings. “They’re used to the generic sounds created over the airwaves,” he said. For the upcoming year he cannot say too much, but insists more performances and new music are on the way. The goal is to go back to producing and refining the sound to make it more
distinct to Bang$kott. But there are among hundreds of prospects vying for the same goals and thrill Bang$kott wants to accomplish on platforms such as SoundCloud. But he’s adamant that he is one to scope out. “I do a lot more,” he said. “Not only do I produce, I do a lot of audio engineering work, mix vocals. That’s how I came up. I can do it all,” Yzarnotegui said. “I think that’s why they can keep me around.” To check out current tracks or follow Bang$kott visit: soundcloud.com/bxngsxxtt, twitter.com/bxngsxxxt, instagram. com/scottayzar
Melody Shahsavarani can be reached at melody.elvaq@gmail.com
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Enduring Vietnam: An American Generation and Its War Author James Wright to be Featured at Buena Vista Library Book Signing
By Nicholas Martinez
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ames Wright will be at the Buena Vista Branch Library in Burbank at 7 p.m. on Thursday to discuss his book “Enduring Vietnam: An American Generation and Its War.” Attendees have the opportunity to get their books signed with purchase. The author will talk about his book, his experience in combat and how he is giving back to the veterans who risked their lives. In “Enduring Vietnam,” Wright presents a complicated and ambivalent view of the nature of war and the young people who participated in it: Who they were, what they did in battle and what their sacrifices meant. “It is reduced to something very human,” Wright said. The book consists of 160 interviews with veterans and their families.. When he retired, Wright got involved in a number ways to remind Americans of the face of the Vietnam War. He has helped bring educational counseling programs for wounded veterans, paid countless visits to military hospitals and has written numerous op-ed pieces on the current American wars. Wright wants people to understand that this war affected countless lives and the damaging effects of this violent war. In the beginning chapters of the book, he illustrates the transition in the spring of 1969 in the
United States and Vietnam. The American people of post-World War II encouraged their children to perform their patriotic duty. Wright explores how Americans grappled with the meaning of the war while trying to understand the reasons as to why young soldiers were fighting and being killed on Hamburger Hill. “You can’t think about the morality of it. You just have to do it,” Wright said, noting that the war in Vietnam was a war largely without front lines, made of small-unit actions looking to surprise or ambush the enemy, and battles that were often postponed and then never won. This form of combat was aimed at dissuading the enemy from continuing the war. In turn, “if you have absent tangible military goals, it is hard to produce tangible military results,” said Wright. This caused countless lives to be lost and families to be torn apart from going into battle. Wright’s book recounts these stories and ensures the reader that this book is not about politics of memory, but more specifically, a work of history. “This book is not a compendium of memories. It is a work of history. It is a work of history that seeks to understand why America in the 1960s sent its young to war, to remember who the Vietnam generation was,” Wright said. “How they had grown up,
Photo courtesy Buena Vista Library
Author James Wright to reflect on why this generation served and sacrificed in a war that drifted in purpose and declined in public support.” Nicholas Martinez can be reached at nrmartin2016@gmail.com
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Author and Creative Writing Teacher Wins PEN Award By Nicholas Martinez
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Photo by Univ. of New Mexico Press
GCC English Professor Angela Morales
nglish professor Angela Morales has been awarded the prestigious PEN/DiamonsteinSpielvogel Award for “The Girls in My Town,” a collection of autobiographical essays about her Mexican-American family in Los Angeles. The award comes with a $10,000 prize. “The elegantly structured essays in ‘The Girls in My Town’ illuminate the politics of everyday life with quiet wit and real humanity. Angela Morales writes with nuance, humility, and bold feminism,” the judges said.
The Pasadena-based Morales writes about growing up in Southern California, her father’s store, joining a bowling team, teaching writing and other experiences. The stories center around the “girls in her town,” who include her sister, mother, grandmother, school friends, and her own daughter. “The Girls in My Town” has been praised as a striking portrait of a family, as well as a comingof-age story and an exploration of how a writer discovers her voice. “The job of the essayist, like any storyteller, is to chase a rabbit down a rabbit hole and see where it goes,” Morales said. “When I
started writing these essays, each piece began with a single image that appeared distinctly in my mind: a bowling ball, a stack of school lunch trays, my father’s gun, a dying rat, a burrito, a lost dog, a pregnant teenager, my grandmother on her deathbed. For the longest time, these images haunted me, until I had no choice but to sit down and write about them.” Nicholas Martinez can be reached at nrmartin2016@gmail.com
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Film Offers a Different Look at Genocide By Ken Allard
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n April of 2016, director and writer Nare Mkrtchyan released her year-long documentary project titled “On the Other Side of Home.” “On the Other Side of Home” is a short documentary that takes an alternative look at the Armenian Genocide. The film delves into the story of a Turkish woman named Maya who discovers that her grandmother was a survivor of the genocide. Mkrtchyan will be coming to GCC’s campus on Thursday to show a screening of her film and host a discussion. Check the school website for additional information. Mkrtchyan captures the experiences of Maya as she decides to travel to Armenia for the 100th commemoration of the horrific events that killed an estimated 1.5 million Armenians. Mkrtchyan sat down with El Vaquero to discuss her film.
Can you tell us why you wanted to make this film?
“It [the Armenian Genocide] has always been a part of me. April 24 was coming up, the 100year anniversary of the genocide. So I thought it would be amazing to do something about it. But then I realized I didn’t want to make another Armenian genocide film about 1915, I wanted to make a different story, a current story in 2015 and how we’re affected by something that happened 100 years ago. I was trying to show the conflict of one human being. And I think my character symbolizes that conflict very well.”
With the 100-year anniversary, and there being such
similar situations in Syria and Iraq, do you feel this is a perfect time for this film to come out so that it could resonate with a lot more people?
“Yeah, absolutely. I have different cuts of film, different endings, and one of the endings had a montage of what was happening in 2015. So I had photographs of different portrayals with sayings like ‘Syria 2015’ and ‘Sudan 2015,’ what I was trying to show is that genocides continue still and what’s tragic about it is genocide does not end the moment the killing stops, but it continues for generations, like the way it’s affecting me right now.” How was the shift coming from Armenia to here, how did that affect you into your adulthood and discovering your love for making a documentary like this? “So as a child, back in Armenia, I always wanted to make movies, because my dad was a documentary director and my mother was a journalist. So I kind of always grew up in that environment and always wanted to
do this. As a little child, when my friends would go out and play, I would actually stay home and watch movies obsessively. “When I came here it was very difficult. We didn’t plan to come and stay here; we were just here visiting relatives. But then my mom — she’s a journalist — she had an offer to stay and work at a TV station here. But at that moment my life forever changed on that day, I didn’t even say bye to my friends. I was 15 and it was a difficult age already. It was a complete culture shock being here. I felt like the first year I was so depressed. I felt like I didn’t want to have new friends because I would be betraying my old friends in Armenia. “I went to school, then to USC film school. And I think going to USC film school was the changing point for me because that was the place that I actually found home and that I felt home outside of Armenia. Pretty much it was filming that saved me from my difficult days.”
key yet, because I’m afraid about the safety of my character. That’s the only reason why I haven’t screened there.”
What was your favorite moment filming?
“That’s hard. The whole thing was a very emotional experience for me. It’s hard to say favorite because it was heavy. So looking back it was like emotional torture, that’s why I’m having a hard time finding a favorite because emotionally it was very challenging. Going to Turkey for the first time and feeling the fear and feeling like we’re enemies and they’re looking at me like I’m Armenian and that I’m prey. But in reality it was not true. “Just realizing that they’re
just human, they’re human too. When the whole time growing up there was this division between Armenians and Turks. And then growing up and learning we’re the same. “I could tell my worst moment but I don’t think I should talk about it because then the surprise of the film would be ruined. But there’s a twist in the film, and it’s not my favorite moment. That was the moment that I actually wanted to stop making this movie. It happened to be the treasure… the worst thing that happened also happened to be the best thing for the film.” Ken Allard can be reached at Kenallard4@gmail.com
Job Fair Challenge
What has been the response in the Armenian and Turkish communities, or in general, towards your film?
“Within the Armenian community the film has been received very well. And honestly I was very pleasantly surprised. It’s a very different Armenian genocide film. They’re not used to seeing the other side. And it’s not like a propaganda [film] or ‘they killed us and they’re monsters.’ It’s not one of those films at all. It’s actually a human story, a human conflict, trying to tell the story through a human being. “I have not screened in Tur-
Photo by Ken Allard
DO YOU MEASURE UP?: GCC students Hovhannes Sakiasyan, far left, and David Markeim, far right, do push-ups with full firefighter gear (90+ lbs.) as Fire Academy trainees George Alijijian, middle left, and Marcos Esperiqueta watch, middle right, and encourage them during the Job Fair held on March 30 in Plaza Vaquero.
Campus Celebrates 200-Year Anniversary of ASL By Elena Jacobson
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isa Chahayed, a professor of American Sign Language [ASL] at GCC, grew up without knowing sign language. She credits learning ASL as the key skill that helped her come out of her shell. “I most certainly blossomed into the person I never believed I could become,” Chahayed said. Celebrations for the creation of American Sign Language will be taking place all over the
country on April 15, including here at the college. Sign language is an important part of life for many, both deaf and hearing, today. It is the fifth most used language in America, according to Gallaudet University, a liberal arts university for the deaf and hard of hearing in Washington D.C. Originally brought over from France, ASL has grown and evolved into it’s own, differentiating from other countries’ sign language, making
it unique. Two hundred years ago, American Sign Language was created by Rev. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc, a deaf Frenchman who was a teacher at the Institut de Jeunes Sourds de Paris, a school for the deaf in Paris that emphasized gestures instead of sound to communicate language. Together they raised funds to start the first school for the deaf in America. This anniversary marks the opening of this school, The
Connecticut Asylum for the Education of Deaf and Dumb Persons, now called the American School for the Deaf, located in Hartford, Connecticut. “So, now when you see people using ASL, keep in mind this wonderful history,” Chahayed said. “And the combination of other signed languages from where it was created.” An on-campus event to celebrate the anniversary and where people can come and grasp a bit of the language and its
history will be in CR125 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on April 12, with food and drinks provided. “There is no better time than now take a moment to learn a sign or two. Don’t be shy. “ Chahayed said. “Let’s do this in honor and celebration of the 200th Anniversary of American Sign Language.”
Elena Jacobson can be reached at laneyjacobson520@gmail.com
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S P O R TS Men’s Golf April 10 Oakmont CC 10 a.m.
Track& Field April 8 Glendale Track Meet
11 a.m.
Baseball
Softball
April 6 vs. Barstow 2:30 p.m.
April 6
@ LA Mission 2:30 p.m.
Men’s Tennis Heads for the Playoffs By Johnny Ruiz
Regular season play has wrapped up and it’s now time for playoffs. The Vaqueros men’s tennis team ended up going 12-4 overall and 6-2 in conference. “We had a great season and the team really came together well. We rooted for each other and put their ego aside,” said acting head coach Jason Bender. “The team was about ‘we’ and not about ‘I.’ This year’s team really came together and supported each other.” The Western State conference championship begins April 7. This is individual matches and not team based. Whoever makes it moves on to the next round April 14. In the final matchup of the season on March 28, the Vaqs blew out LA Pierce College, winning all the matches in both singles and doubles. All the Vaqs who played single’s won the matches in two sets.
Chris Pope, John Robertson, and Stephen Sandoval won their matches, where both sets were won 6-0. Glendale dominated its matches, not even allowing Pierce to build any momentum going into the next set. “We finished a strong second place with an 8-2 conference record,” Bender said. “We’re a really strong team. We’re hoping they give us a wild card team spot to go to the Ojai state meet.” That meet begins April 26 and runs through April 30. As well as the team has done on the court, Bender stresses other priorities. “Our goal is to always have our players head on. Academics is first, tennis is secondary. All our players will be moving on and transferring to four-year schools. We have one of the highest GPA of the sports team.”
Hundreds of track-and-field Glendale’ s least Annual athletes from at a dozen community colleges conTrack Event verge at Glendale Community College this weekend for By Johnny Ruiz the El Vaquero Classic
Hour home meet. We want “Its
undreds of track-and-field athletes from at least a dozen colleges converge at Glendale to put a good meet and Community College thisonweekbe said head track endefficient,” for the El Vaquero Classic “Its Eddie our home meet. “It’s We want coach Lopez. imto put a good meet on and be effiportant to have a home meet cient,” said head track coach Edso the athletes can run in die Lopez. “It’s important to have front of meet theirsofamily.” a home the athletes can run in front of their family.” This meet is is aayoung tradition, This meet young tradionly in its second consecutive tion, only in its second conyear, and it’s the only meet held secutive year, and it’s the at the school.
only meet held at the school.
Photo by Ken Allard
Johnny Ruiz can be reached at jruiz106@student.glendale.edu
SINGLES STAR: Christian Hess in a pickup game against the New Mexico Military academy at GCC on March 15.
Vaqueros Keep on Dominating
Photo by Ken Allard
HE’S SAFE! Vaquero Zach Mausserslides safely into second base after a steal in the bottom of the 6th inning against Victor Valley at Stengel Field on March 30.
By Ricardo Nuño
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lendale College trampled Barstow 28-5 on Tuesday in an impressive start to a three-game serious after a red-hot March. The Vaqs go on the road for the second game against Barstow Thursday and finish the series at home Friday. The huge win came after GCC’s men’s baseball team rolled over Victor Valley College on Saturday, 16-5. The Vaqueros also beat Victor Valley on March 30 by a score of 5-2. The Vaqs were able to strike first with an RBI double by catcher Cristian Montes in the bottom of the first but Victor Valley re-
Johnny Ruizcan be reached at jruiz106@student.glendale.edu
taliated with a run of its own in the top of the second. Glendale scored two more runs in the bottom of the third and one in the bottom of the fourth inning. Starting Pitcher John Vergara pitched a gem, only allowing one run in seven-and-a-third innings. Max DeAmicis replaced Vergara in the game. Glendale scored again in the sixth inning followed by Victor Valley’s final run of the game in the eight. The Vaqueros only lost one game in the month of March and tied once. Now the Vaqs look to continue the hot streak for the rest of the season. Ricardo Nuño can be reached at rickynuno818@gmail.com
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Wednesday, April 5, 2017
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SPOTLIGHT on campus LECTURES Author — The Los Angeles Writers Reading Series at Glendale Community College presents a reading by author and Editor-in-Chief of the Los Angeles Review of Book, Tom Lutz, from 12:20 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on April 10 in the Student Center. The ongoing Los Angeles Writers Reading Series is coordinated by GCC English instructor Claire Phillips to celebrate local writers and to give students access to literary events where they can meet and talk with authors who wrote some of the material used in their English classes. Book Review — One Book/One GCC presents “Orhan’s Inheritance” by Aline Ohanesian. The
THEATER Comedy — GF Bayona Productions Presents Coco Martin & Friends at 5 p.m. on April 15 at the Alex Theater. It is a wonderful Filipino variety show including top comedians in the Philippine entertainment industry. Premiere — Artsakh Arts and Cultural Foundation Presents “The Last Inhabitant” Los Angeles Premiere at 8:30 p.m. this Friday at the Alex Theater. Inspired by true events, The Last Inhabitant is an Art House film with English subtitles filmed in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh). It was considered for the 2017 Golden Globe Awards. For more information call 818-243-2539 or visit www.alextheatre.org. Film --- The Alex Theatre Film Society presents “The Big Sleep,” 1946 film noir directed by Howard Hawks starring Humphrey
discussion will be moderated by Fatema Balidwala. The lecture will be held from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on April 11 in LB 200. Everyone is welcome and flex credit is available. Several other lectures will be offered through May 8. For more information please contact Lara Kartalian at larak@ glendale.edu or call ext. 5793. Incarceration Lecture --- GCC invites students who have been incarcerated, or who have family members who were incarcerated, to a meeting to develop programs, workdshops and services. The meeting runs from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. on April 13 in Sierra Madre 267. Free lunch will be served. GCC students must RSVP by contacting ext. 5789.
Bogart as private detective Philip Marlowe and Lauren Bacall as Vivian Rutledge. The movie will begin at 7:30 p.m. on April 27. For tickets and information visit www.alextheatre.org or call (818) 243-2539.
MUSIC Noon Concerts — Free Admission Glendale Noon Concerts will feature the Calico Winds performing works for woodwind quintet by Darius Milhaud and Claude Arrieu. The concert will be from 12:10 p.m. to 12:40 p.m. at the Sanctuary of Glendale City Church. For more information call (818) 244 -7241. Choir — The FAME Hollywood Show Choir Competition returns to the Alex Theatre this Saturday. The event features talented show choirs from around the country. Each group will perform a 20-25 minute unique show that features outstanding vocals and concise
ART GALLERY Leaving Home — “Future Without Borders: Arts and Ideas About Boundaries” in collobartion with GCC Cultural Diversity, an art exhibition in the GCC Art Gallery through April 13. Gallery hours are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Free admission. The gallery is located in the Library Building. For more information, go to www.glendale.edu/ artgallery. See exclusive video at www.elvaq.com.
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EVENTS Health Fair — Glendale Community College will be holding its Spring Into Wellness Heath Fair from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday at Plaza Vaquero. It offers health education and prevention as well as screenings, blood pressure and more. It is sponsored by the GCC Health Center. Prevention & Awareness --Glendale Community College presents “Biodegradable Seagulls” and “Fledgling” at 8 p.m. on April 9 and April 11. In “Biodegradable Seagulls,” two seagulls discuss the meaning of life and the human impact on the natural environment.
MISCELLANEOUS The GCC Food Pantry — Now open in SR 134. Hours are noon to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday and Tuesday; and 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday. The Food Pantry is open to any currently enrolled GCC student who completes a short Food Pantry application. Donations are welcome. More info at www.glendale.edu/ foodpantry. Math Review Free math review sessions will be offered Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon on April 8, April 29 and May 6. They will be offered in AS 104. The sessions are designed to prepare students for the Math Assessment Test.
around town choreography. The event takes place at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Alex Theatre.
EVENTS Art and Music Festival — DTLA Arts Festival will feature stage talent, vendors, food trucks, art and various other event offerings. It will run from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on April 16. Admission is free. Free ticket registration, special bundles and VIP packages can be bought at eventbrite.com. The location is yet to be determined. Easter — The last day to take Easter Bunny photos at the Glendale Galleria will be on April 15. Convenient online reservations make it easy to enjoy this annual family tradition. Hours for April 15 are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Call (818) 246-6737 for more information or visit www.glendalegal-
leria.com. Beer Fest — The 2017 L.A. Beer Fest will feature dozens of international and domestic beers, over a dozen food trucks (food sold separately) as well as live entertainment. It will be held from noon to 3 p.m. and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday at LA Center Studios. Tickets include unlimited beer tastings with food sold seperately. The event is strictly 21 and over. For more information visit www.drinkeatplay.com/labeerfest. Downtown — Glendale Arts in association with Glendale Healthy Kids presents the 16th Annual Taste of Downtown Glendale. Stroll in and out of more than 30 of Downtown Glendale’s top restaurants while enjoying food, wine, and live music in several locations along Brand Boulevard. The outing will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on April 26 at 216 N. Brand Blvd. Ticket Prices Adult: VIP $75 /
Food + Wine & Beer $45 / Food Only $35 Child: Age 6-9 $15 / 5 and are free. For tickets and more information visit www.TasteOfDowntownGlendale.com.
MISCELLANEOUS Open Mic — Pierre Garden Restaurant will be holding an open mic night at 7 p.m. on Thursdays and at midnight on Fridays. It is a new Open Mic on the circuit, but has received a wonderful and eclectic group of musicians, singers, comedians & writers. Every Thursday performers show up and share their talents and artistry together. They connect, mingle, eat and drink and support each other in the name of appreciating the arts. Sign-ups are at 7 p.m. and the first performance begins at 8 p.m. Admission is free. For more information visit www.pierregarden.com or call (818) 551-5455.
Compiled by Alice Ganian
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LIFESTYLE
Campus Comments: GCC Students Voice Their Opinions What are Students Doing During Spring Break?
By Nicole House
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pring break runs April 17 to 23, and El Vaquero suggests a couple of affordable yet fun activities. Start off with a suspenseful $36 trip to The Virus Escape Room where participants are locked in a room with clues while trying to solve the puzzles in hopes to escape in time. Ever wanted to know what it feels like to go skydiving but too afraid to do the real thing? iFly in Holly-
wood for $59 gives the chance to skydive indoors. Visit iflyworld. com for more information. Or just enjoy a “staycation.” What better way to enjoy spring break with a couple of friends by buying a hotel room by the beach and enjoy the sun. Not only will you save money, you can wake up and go home for breakfast. Here are your suggestions:
Complied by Carolina Diaz
Kelly Saldivar “Going to Oregon with my family. My cousin will probably take us around town since she recently moved into a new home.”
Gabriel Cervantes “Working and going out with friends, sleeping and making that money.”
Edward Cida “I am flying to Salem, Oregon to explore the city, probably get a tattoo and look for job opportunities around Salem.”
Sulmy Mojica “I have to work on my midterm and research paper. I’m also working. I guess going to the beach and going to The Grove”
Laila Elmashharawi “I have work, but also I am going to San Francisco with my boyfriend for three days and probably going to the beach.” Nicole House can be reached at nhouse707@student.glendale.edu Carolina Diaz can be reached at itscarodiaz@gmail.com