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Volume 75, Issue 6

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Wednesday, october 18, 2017

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LGBTQ students celebrate National Coming Out day BY JULIO SANCHEZ Staff Writer The Dream Resource Center and East Los Angeles College’s Safe Zone Coalition hosted National Coming Out Day by presenting students with activities and opportunities to express themselves without fear of judgement. National Coming Out Day is held on Oct.11 as an annual civil awareness day in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual and Queer community and its civil

rights movement. National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 by Jean O’Leary and Robert Eichberg. It is celebrated every Oct.11 because it is the anniversary date of the National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987. Jacia Cortez, a studentworker in the Dream Resource Center, planned and organized the event to raise awareness of National Coming Out Day and what it represents to the ELAC community. Cortez, who identifies as

a lesbian, came out when she was 19 years old and her foster family who she was living with at the time decided to kick her out not long after. “People who come out lose family and friends and it is so hard to figure out because you’re still figuring yourself out,” Cortez said. The event also offered to those that attended free snacks and beverages as well as a card that gives the individual a chance to express who or what they identify themselves as. There were students and faculty

that attended the event carried cards that read “I’m gay,” I’m a lesbian,” “I’m trans” and “I’m an ally.” Fernando Mejia, a History and Social Science instructor, attended and participated in the event by holding up a card that read “I’m gay.” Mejia said he moved to the U.S. from Mexico when he was a teenage and in his 20s decided to openly come out as a gay man. Mejia said that he is open about his sexual orientation with his students. “Yes. I always introduce myself and I let the

students know who I am,” Mejia said. Student Brenda Ayala was also part of the event and she was holding a card that read “I’m an ally.” “It makes me happy to be an ally and to be able to support who I can,” Ayala said. The event also had a giant poster on the wall with questions that read “What is an ally to you?” and “What are you proud of?” Students were encouraged to write down a response to these questions as a way to show

appreciation and show what they are grateful for in their lives. National Coming Out Day is seen as a day that celebrates anybody that identifies themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or an ally to the LGBTQ community. “It’s pride…It’s something we’re proud of. Be proud to be you,” Cortez said The motto for the event was “Come as You,” and Cortez said, as well as those who contributed and attended the event, said they hope to spread awareness of the day and the message it conveys.

One Book, One College program to engage students BY KEVIN CAMARGO Staff Writer One Book, One College is a program that English instructors Dina Szklarek and Grace Lee decided to bring to East Los Angeles College so the whole campus can engage in one same book. On Thursday, the English department hosted a flash-mob reading, which is a large public gathering to introduce the book, of “Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide” by Nicholas

D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. “We thought that during college hours, when students are out and about and walking, (that) they would notice (the event) and listen. Maybe a phrase would get them interested so they would sit down, check it out and enter the raffle,” said Szklarek. ELAC is one of the few colleges in the district that does not have One Book,One College, said Szklarek. She said she hopes that the program promotes literacy on campus because many students usually do not finish reading a

book for class. “We want students to read and generate conversation and educate our community,” said Szklarek. When it came to choosing the book, faculty and staff had three to choose from. When they all voted, “Half the Sky” won easily. Nancy Ramirez, an English instructor who has read and taught the book in her class, was among those who nominated the book. “These are sobering issues that, at times, we try not to discuss or talk (about). Sometimes we simply ignore (them) because we

think, ‘this is happening in China, this is happening in Vietnam, so it doesn’t effect me’ but it does,” said Ramirez. “The book raises that issue. As educated citizens, we need to know about these issues in order to create changes.” Ramirez believes that these events will capture people’s attention and raise awareness. “It gives them a quick glimpse at some of these heart-wrenching stories. One Book, One College is a window into the book and hopefully that will encourage the students and faculty members to

read it,” said Ramirez. Lee also said that this program can connect everyone at ELAC that participates in the program. “You can just reach out to the person standing in line next to you at the cafeteria, and you can have a conversation with that person. You can talk to faculty because you’re both readers of (the) book and it’s not part of a hierarchy,” said Lee. With One Book, One College being an innovation for ELAC, the intention is for the program to focus on students, rather than faculty and staff, being the pilots

of the program. “I would like to see students really be an active part of this program. We would like to consider having students be part of the voting process [and] the nomination process. We want them to be a critical component throughout the stages,” said Lee. ELAC will have future events for One Book, One College, said Szklarek. “I hope students are at least now aware [that] One Book, One College exists [and] we’re trying to develop it at ELAC,’’ said Szklarek.

ELAC journalists win in regional conference competition BY MELODY ORTIZ Staff Writer East Los Angeles College Campus News students won six awards from the Journalism Association of Community Colleges’ SoCal Conference on Oct. 14 at California State University, Fullerton. The winners included Steven Adamo, Stephanie Guevara, Diego Linares, Dorany Pineda, Julie Santiago and Russell Zazueta. Two were Publications Awards and four were On-the-Spot awards. The Publications Awards are for students’ published work throughout the year and the On-theSpot Awards are for students’ work completed during the convention. Publications Awards went to

News Briefs

Adamo, who won first place, for the Inside Page Layout. He also received an Honorable Mention award, along with former Campus News member Linares, in the Front Page Layout category. Each year, JACC sponsors contests and competitions during the NorCal and SoCal regional conferences. On-the-Spot winners included, Pineda, who took first place for News Writing and Santiago, who took second for News Photo. Honorable Mentions went to Guevara for News Photo and Zazueta for Copy Editing. Pineda said she participated in previous conventions but this was the first time she won an award. Those competing in the News Writing category listened to an

hour long lecture from a keynote speaker and were given another hour to complete a news article based on what they heard. Pineda chose to write her article on a course the speaker suggested be available to student journalists. The course would be on how to deal with stress during devastating events. She said she initially thought it was too short an article, but she did not want to add unimportant sentences just to make it longer because it may have distracted readers from the main point. Pineda said she was completely shocked when she won because she didn’t expect to win. “It’s nice to be recognized for your hard work and your progress,” said Pineda.

City Council Meeting A City Council Meeting will be held today in F5-201 at 7 p.m. Monterey Park is hosting the meeting at ELAC to expose students to local government.

Those competing in the News Photo category did so differently than in past conventions. Photographers would usually be asked to take pictures of the keynote speaker. However, this time they were asked to photograph the Alzheimer’s Walk held at CSU Fullerton. Unfortunately, the walk itself began around the time photographers had to turn in their pictures. Therefore, contestants had to work with any activity going on before the walk. Guevara won an Honorable Mention for her photograph of a flash mob. “It’s humorous because you see their facial expressions,” said Guevara. For the full story, visit elaccampusnew.com

/CAMPUS NEWS

WINNING—ELAC

Campus News winners show off their awards at JACC on Saturday.

Disability Awareness Day The Disability Awareness Day will be on Wednesday in the ELAC quad in front of the library from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Boom Festival ELAC’s inagural Boom Festival will be held tomorrow in the ELAC quad from noon to 7 p.m. RSVP at whoozin.com/ELACEvent.

Opinion

ATTN. solicitors: stop harassing students BY STEPHANIE GUEVARA Staff Writer

Solicitors at the free speech area must stop using their jobs as an excuse to flirt with women. On Wednesday, as I walked by the E3 building, I was approached by one of these so called solicitors who was selling Carl’s Jr. coupon pamphlets. He approached me incognito, but when I showed no interest in buying the pamphlet, he asked me a series of inappropriate questions, such as “Can I have your number?” He then asked me if I could give him my social media information so he could search for me online. I told him I was running late to class so he could leave me alone, but he followed me. I felt harassed because he didn’t take “no” for an answer. According to Marilyn Ladd, founder of the ELAC Sexual Assault Awareness Violence Education Team, (SAAVE) a person doesn’t have to physically abuse someone else for it to be considered harassment. Verbal abuse or unwelcome behavior can also be a form of harassment. UsLegal.com defines harassment as a course of conduct that annoys, intimidates and alarms a person. It can involve derogatory comments and unwanted behavior. That is what these solicitors are doing. Absolutely no one at East Los

Angeles College should have to go through that experience. Not all solicitors act in that manner, but those who do should be stopped. I’m sure I haven’t been the only one to experience this because I’ve seen other women get approached in this way. The person who was selling Carl’s Jr. pamphlets isn’t the only one doing this. Some men who ask for petitions approach women with those intentions. During my first semester at ELAC I was approached by a man asking for petition signatures in a flirtatious way. After he ask for a signature, he followed up with, “Do you have a boyfriend?” Now that this has happened to me twice, I cannot keep quiet because measures have to be taken. Everyone who has gone through this should speak out against it so the harassment can end. Ti t l e I X i s a n e d u c a t i o n amendment that says all campuses should be free of any sort of violence, which includes harassment. The amendment also says if such acts are found, disciplinary procedures should take place. These men should be held accountable for their wrongful actions. Students, staff or faculty at ELAC should report these types of actions to the Sheriff's Department on campus or speak to one of the members of the SAAVE team.

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

CAMPUS

VOICE

What should the consequences be for solicitors who harass students on campus? “Pictures of the

MANAGING EDITOR Stephanie Guevera

solicitors should be taken and posted on the bulletin boards like in E3 so that everyone can be more aware of who they are and what they do.”

ONLINE EDITORS Melody Ortiz Kevin Camargo ART DIRECTOR Julie Santiago

VALERIA RIOS

“I

think the sheriff department should do something about it. The solicitors should be taken off campus.”

FRONT EDITOR Gustavo Buenrostro

OPINION EDITOR Giselle Palomera NEWS EDITOR Frank Portillo ARTS EDITOR Steven Adamo SPORTS EDITORS Michael Dominguez Joe Dargan PHOTO EDITOR Eddie Garcia

KAI YANG

COPY EDITORS Russell Zazueta Anastasia Landeros

“The companies that the solicitors work for should be contacted so they know what is going on.”

CARTOONISTS Jorge Vazquez

HAN LU CN/GISELLE PALOMERA

Charles Bukowski revolutionizes modern poetry

STAFF WRITERS Noe Ortega Julio Sanchez STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Kevin Gonzalez Jorge Aldaco ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Stephanie Guevara Anastasia Landeros Dorany Pineda

BY GISELLE PALOMERA Staff Writer Henry Charles Bukowski was a German poet who revolutionized poetry in Los Angeles. Bukowski developed a way of using simplicity to paint a vivid image for readers and his critics. Now, many authors like Rapi Kaur, Christopher Poindexter and Lang Leav use similar forms of simplicity and realism to arrange their words into poems. Many of these authors write about the same gutters and buildings that Bukowski once wrote about when he lived in Los Angeles. Authors now sit at bars and see what poor damned souls inspired them to write about their own lives the same way Bukowski did. Bukowski opened the door for authors to use common LA destinations and problems to create the illusion of a struggling writer. He was known as Heinrich Karl Bukowski but changed to Henry Charles Bukowski when he came to LA to write about his daily struggles with alcoholism, women, minimumwage-paying jobs and friends who only seemed to drag him down further into the depths of depression. These experiences taught him what he needed to know to survive his life in Los Angeles as a struggling writer. Alcoholism turned his attention from traditional, institutional learning to reading classic books and focusing his attention on dealing with the realities of his damned life as a writer and a madman. He read and learned from, the works of the greats like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Mark Twain. Bukowski realized that his teachers and professors just offered him their opinions and perceptions of the world rather than making him critically think about his own. The revolution in his writing began with how he experienced a situation or how he dealt with the pain of what he was left with. Authors and poets like Jose Chavez and Christopher Poindexter copy the same style Bukowski pioneered. They use the old-fashioned

EDITOR IN CHIEF Dorany Pineda

ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez

Campus News encourages letters to the editor relating to campus issues. Letters must be typed and double spaced. Submitted material becomes the proper ty of Campus News and cannot be returned. Letters should be limited to 250 words or less. Campus News reserves the right to edit letters for grammatical errors or libelous content. A n o ny m o u s l e t te r s w i l l n o t be printed. Writer s must sign submissions and print their names and a phone number where they can be reached. Letters should be addressed to the editor of Campus News. Submissions can be made at the mailroom in building E1 or the Journalism department office in the Technology Center in E7-303. East Los Angeles College Campus News 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez E7-303 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (323) 265-8819, Ads (323) 265-8821 Fax (323) 415-4910

typewriter and write about realism and do so in a very simple form just like Bukoswki. “Income tax, sickness, servility, broken arms, broken heads- all the stuffing come like an old pillow, we have everything and we have nothing. Some do it well enough for a while and then give it away. Fame gets to them or disgust or age or lack of proper diet or ink across the eyes or children in college or new cars or broken backs while skiing in Switzerland or new politics

or new wives or just natural change and decay,” Bukowski used examples of what he saw in his life, like a day working for Macy’s as a stockroom boy to say that sickness will strike no matter what and people will still suffer. Many poets and writers now use their domestic lives and experiences to paint a picture of their struggles. The life of Bukowski is now an aesthetic to poets and writers in LA. Readers and poets want to be wise

and streetsmart like Bukowski. Los Angeles became the canvas of Bukowski’s life and he often wrote about the people he passed on the street and the problems he encountered with other writers and madmen. Just as Bukowski became successful through experience and the pain of living in the city, most people who struggle must realize that pain can be used to push through struggles. Bukowski revolutionized the way

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common objects or situations are thrown together in a poem. His books, publications, short stories and poems can be found surrounded by similar books by similar authors in Los Angeles bookstores and around the world. The way Bukowski wrote about his pain is how many authors choose to write about their own lives and struggles. Bukowski opened the door to the simplicity of poetry in common pitfalls and problems.

The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, of fered under the East Los Angeles College Journalism program. The editorial and advertising materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The opinions expressed are exclusively those of the writer. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, East Los Angeles College, or any officer or employee thereof. PRINTING BY NEWS PUBLISHERS PRESS

News

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

Financial Aid Awareness event informs students of resources BY MELODY ORTIZ Staff Writer Students learned about the financial aid process during the Financial Aid Awareness Day event Thursday at noon in front of the E3 building. The event was hosted by Financial Aid Office Assistant Gladys Rodriguez and she explained the purpose of the event. Financial Aid Awareness Day is used to inform students of the main topics of the Financial Aid process and to answer frequently asked questions. Participating students received a questionnaire in the

form of a scavenger hunt. table of a few grants that financial Rodriguez said that students aid offers including Pell grants, would be given the answers by Cal grants, and the Governor’s Fee visiting each Waiver. table at the event Rodriguez said and asking the (Sonny) Martinez said that the fee waiver scavenger hunt covers only the students’ maximum questions to the cost of a student's Pell Grant Lifetime assistants, who classes. are usually the Eligibility Used is six Students who ones behind the have forgotten their years for a full-time windows in the login information student. Financial Aid can call 1-800-433Office. 3243 to reset their Each table focused on a different passwords or recover their IDs. topic pertaining to Financial Aid. Other topics included the SIS Rodriguez answered questions at Portal, BankMobile and Financial table one, which focused on what Aid Services. Though different they refer to as “the basics.” assistants managed different She informed students at her tables, all of them could help

with any of the questions. Sonny Martinez answered students’ questions on the subject of Pell Grants. Martinez said students’ maximum Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) is six years for a full-time student. “If you are half-time for two years, that’s one whole year,” he said, meaning if a student took half the units of a full-time student for two years, that would count as one year of LEU. Martinez said students stay up-to-date because the rules and qualifications can change. The Financial Aid Lab offers assistance with checking students’ financial aid statuses and helping

them complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid applications. The FAFSA takes six to eight weeks to be completed after being submitted to the Financial Aid Office. Students can also sign up for Federal Work Study Financial Aid office. Assistant Sandy Cornejo said the event was a good way for students to get a one-on-one with those who know all about the process. The assistants answered any questions students had that were not on the questionnaire. Students were given a folder of useful pamphlets and flyers on financial aid as well as a goodie bag. After completing the scavenger

hunt, students spun a wheel to determine their prizes. Prizes included piggy banks and t-shirts. Students who would like to check how much of their Pell Grant they have used up, can visit the webiste www.nslds.ed.gov. Students can check their financial aid status at the Fiscal Office or by visiting fafsa.ed.gov. The Financial Aid Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, but closes at 3 p.m. on Fridays. Applications for the 20182019 FASFA are now open for applications as of October 1. “We recommend you do it now,” said Martinez. “If you apply earlier, students usually qualify for more.”

Speaker of sexual trafficking workshop opens up about personal experience BY GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO Staff Writer Targets of human trafficking and tactics that human traffickers use was the topic of discussion at the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking workshop on Thursday in F5-211. The speaker of the workshop, Lisa Vargas, said human traffickers target physically vulnerable groups of people so that they can overpower them. She said they mostly target runaways, homeless youth and foreigners, but some do go after people who have been displaced because of natural disaster. It’s not only women who are targeted but men and transgendered individuals too. Vargas said that traffickers use multiple methods to get the victims to do what they want including emotionally abusing them, isolating t h e m a n d , m o r e c o m m o n l y, threatening them. They don’t only threaten the victim directly, but also threaten the victim’s family, she said. She also said that many of the traffickers stalk and research the victim so they can emotionally manipulate them by taking them out and giving them gifts to make them feel special. Vargas said that traffickers also isolate victims from their family, making them dependent on them. Once they are dependent, the

trafficker will make the victim do what they want, whether it be sex or labor. According to Vargas, human trafficking could be happening in someone’s own neighborhood.

“You never know who it could be happening to, whether it’s your neighbor or it could even be to the person right next to you. You don’t know,” said Vargas. Vargas said labor trafficking

can be found in agriculture, textile industries and the food services industry. Sex trafficking can be found in hotels, motels, commercial-front brothels and internet ads.

Vargas spoke about her experience being a victim of sex trafficking. She was trafficked by her father at the age of 12 and was in it for 20 years. She said that he would abuse her

and make her sleep with people. At the age of 17, she became pregnant and he would threaten to use her daughter as a way to get her to do what he wanted. She was able to get out of it and told police about him and his trafficking because he had 27 other victims that he was abusing. Most victims do not tell the police who the trafficker or pimp is because they are either scared of them, or they love them. Vargas said, like in domestic abuse, human trafficking falls into a cycle of violence. The tension building phase, the active abuse phase and the honeymoon phase are all different stages in the cycle of violence. Vargas said victims tend to suffer from Stockholm syndrome, which is when the victim falls in love with their captor. This is why some of the victims won’t tell the police about the traffickers. The ELAWC offers a service called Project Las Muchachas, which is a circle of support for women and girls who are survivors of sexual exploitation, human trafficking or prostitution. They also provide a hotline for rape and battering, which is (800) 585-6231. “My hope is to bring awareness so (people) can see the signs. Many women can be in that situation and not realize what is being done,” said Vargas.

Retired psychology professor Edward Serrano dies in sleep BY DORANY PINEDA Staff Writer Edward “Ed” Serrano, an alumnus and retired Psychology professor at East Los Angeles College, took a nap after breakfast and died in his sleep of a heart attack on Sept. 30. He was 65. Serrano’s wife of 31 years, Joan, remembers that he always wore shorts. “It had to snow before he put pants on,” she said. She said he was dearly loved by students and was known as the “James Brown of teachers because he was a performer.” Serrano was the first Latino to be hired in ELAC’s Psychology department, a fact that he was always proud of. Joan said he loved making wine and liked to cook, and was always making things and giving them to people. “I loved Ed, he was one of my favorite people,” Maria Mayoryk, an ELAC psychology professor, said. “He was very humorous, compassionate and helpful.”

Serrano and Mayoryk met when she was hired as an adjunct professor in 1994. A year later, when she got a full-time position, he became her mentor. “Ed was my mentor at the time, so we became really close. He was very helpful,” Mayoryk said. When he was working at ELAC, Serrano took over the multimedia equipment in the Psychology office, Mayoryk said. She remembered how Serrano made a giant binder on how to use all the multimedia equipment, like cameras and computers. “That must have taken him hours,” Mayoryk said. “He was very high tech, very interested in technology.” In an email, Mayoryk remembered how beautifully Serrano played the guitar. “It was also lovely to hear his classical guitar in our office. He was always creating and mastering something. I remember when he retired, he must have gifted at least 25 people with exquisite boxes he made from beautiful types of wood,” she wrote.

Tiffany Rice, professor of Psychology at ELAC, wrote in an email that Serrano helped shape her as not only a professor, but a person as well. Professor Randy Ludwig wrote that he loved how much he cared about others, especially his students. “His students really seemed to adore him. The way he taught was definitely student-centered. He saw things from their perspective. “He wasn't arrogant or rude. He really seemed to care about students in ways that I think is often missing in college instruction,” Ludwig wrote. “Ed was devoted to his family and his church,” wrote Serrano’s colleague Barbara Moore. “He was well-appreciated and well-respected by his students. He will be missed.” Serrano is survived by his wife Joan; sons Joshua, Daniel and Gabriel; sister Erlinda; and daughter-in-law Jamie. His funeral will take place at St. Thomas Aquinas, located at 1501 S. Atlantic Blvd. in Monterey Park, Saturday at 10 a.m.

EDWARD “ED” SERRANO

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOAN SERRANO

Adelante talent show auditions take place this week BY GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO Staff Writer T h e A d e l a n t e F i r s t Ye a r Experience program is hosting its second annual talent show and will be holding auditions today and tomorrow from 3 to 7 p.m. in the G3 foyer. This year if the first year Adelante

FYE will be holding auditions for the show. “I think so many students have so much talent. I think (the talent show) is a good way to showcase the type of work that they do and for them to get some recognition for their talent,” said Francia Cruz, student ambassador for Adelante FYE “It would be beneficial for them

to show (their talent). Not just to the students here at ELAC, but to the world. This can be a stepping stone for them to audition. It could possibly open doors for the students,” said Cruz. “To have people come out of their shells and show their full potential. I think that is what the main purpose of the talent show is,” said Cruz.

Last year, Adelante had about 15 to 20 students perform in the talent show, said Cruz. One of the reasons they are hosting auditions this year is so they don’t get as many singers. “We want to have an even amount of different categories. A lot of the talents were singers. “We want to get dancers and we even want students who do artwork

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to showcase them at the talent show. We want to diversify,” said Cruz. The talent show will be hosted on Nov. 17 in the multi purpose room in F5 from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission will be two dollars. A dance will also take place from 8 to 10 p.m. “It’s just something the students can do after the talent show to just have some fun,” Cruz said.

“Give yourself a chance to show people your talent. It will be a great way to come out of your shell,” Cruz said. Cruz said that students have nothing to lose if they just come and audition. For more information go to FYE offices in E7-210 or call (323) 415- 5376.

Arts

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

Jason lives in new multiplayer game FRANK PORTILLO Staff Writer

PHOTO COLLAGE BY STEVEN ADAMO

Art flows through movements STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer

Art, science and philosophy are woven through history in the mural titled “Education Suite: Arte, Ciencia, y Filosofia” located inside the Helen Miller Bailey Library. Erika Montenegro, instruction librarian at the Helen Miller Bailey Library, put together a research guide last month on the ELAC website out of demand for information about the mural from students and professors. Montenegro teaches a library science class and uses the mural to teach research methods. “I would have students research a piece or individual image, and they have to interpret what it means,” Montenegro said. “The whole point is using ELAC resources and article databases to find sources.” In 2012, the library held its grand reopening after completing its renovation. The mural, which was painted on canvas in panels and later installed, remained in the stairwell while the fixtures were updated and a skylight was installed. “The mural is about education, but ‘suite’ is also a musical term referring to a set of movements in music,” Montenegro said. “Thinking of education as a movement toward enlightenment through art, science and philosophy.” From the bottom of the stairs to the second floor, the mural begins by telling a story of art. From Edward James Olmos’ character in Luis Valdez’ “Zoot Suit” to spiraling piano keys above a series of Pablo Picasso heads, there’s a lot of information contained in these painted images. One of Montenegro’s favorite parts of the mural is its reference to the opening scene of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” inside the film strip. “What I like about it is that they use it to weave the

narrative from the first panel to the second panel,” Montenegro said. The second panel focuses on science, but has a touch of science fiction. The space shuttle can be seen flying above a giant satellite dish. A smaller satellite can be seen orbiting a planet where a giant nude woman stands. On the right wall, the subject matter turns to philosophy, which is demonstrated by Martin Luther King Jr. conversing with Emiliano Zapata. “I think it’s supposed to represent the differences in revolutionary tactics,” Montenegro said, as she described the different mannerisms of the two men. Above the images of King Jr. and Zapata, a home setting is painted containing framed images of John Lennon and John F. Kennedy with ELAC’s own Helen Miller Bailey, former ELAC teacher, in the middle. The last image at the top of the stairs is of the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland standing near a backwards exit sign. The painting opens up to reveal the other side of the wall - which is a view of the front of the ELAC campus as it was in 1981. This mural was completed in 1981 by the East Los Streetscrapers— an artist collective consisting of, at the time of the mural, Wayne Healy, George Yepes and David Botello, with the assistance of David Morin. Healy and Botello founded the Los Dos Streetscrapers in 1977, but changed the name to the East Los Streetscrapers after collaborating with artists like Yepes. The Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles’ website says that Healy and Botello first collaborated in the third grade when the pair painted a mural about dinosaurs. The “Education Suite” mural can be seen inside the stairwell at the Helen Miller Bailey Library Monday through Sunday at certain hours. For more information about the mural, visit http://researchguides. elac.edu/librarymural.

‘Blood Wedding’ debuts Friday FRANK PORTILLO Staff Writer

The first play of the semester, “Blood Wedding,” is set to debut Friday. The play is based on a story by Federico Garcia Lorca from the ‘30s and is meant to be a commentary on society at the time of its inception. “Blood Wedding” focuses on Leonardo, played by Michael Herrera, who falls in love with The Bride, played by Miriam Menendez, despite the fact that she is being married off to someone else. On the night of her marriage, the two flee and are subsequently chased by the townspeople, who want to murder them. The two are forced to fight for their lives as they choose passion

over tradition. The co-director, Tom Atha, can’t wait for audience members to see the conclusion of the dramatic tale. “There’s a big fight and, well, I’ll let (them) find out who dies,” Atha said. While the story is set in the 1930s, the Atha wants the experience to be an abstract production. He was pleased with the “young actors” that auditioned for the play and found roles for all of them. “We have a deep pool of talent at East Los Angeles College theater. I’m impressed that all 21 have stuck through the play to the end. They’re really dedicated and I think it’s going to be a really fun performance,” Atha said. He said the costume department

went crazy when they found out the size of the cast, but went on to praise the crew. “We have a wonderful student designer in costumes and a wonderful student designer in set. They are really excellent. The tech department, lighting, sound, everything that we have, is as professional as we can get in Los Angeles. I get out there and see professional shows all the time and I know we have an excellent tech department,” Atha said. Like the story, the set is also meant to be abstract. With five different locations, Atha said that the set makes it easy for members of the audience to distinguish the different locations in the play. “That’s what I’m always after

when I’m on a set. Can the audience tell that we’re in another place?” Atha said. Atha collaborated on the production with longtime co-director Laura Rhi. “Laura and I have directed for years together. I always bring her in on all of my projects because I like her way of directing. Her and I see eye to eye, sometimes we don’t, but it’s always fun to work with her,” Atha said. “Blood Wedding” debuts Friday and will run until Oct. 29 in the P2 Black Box Theater. Evening and matinee shows are available on different days at 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. Pre-sale tickets are $10, ASU members receive a $2 discount and tickets are $12 at the door. Tickets can be purchased in P2, or on the ELAC website under the events tab.

The extremely violent and entertaining “Friday the 13th” was released Friday, which happened to be the thirteenth. The game gives players the ability to control the machete-wielding Jason Vorhees and hapless camp counselors. “Friday the 13th” is currently only playable online and requires an internet connection and Xbox Live account. Having a headset can sometimes be the difference between winning and losing matches. Being able to communicate with the other players goes a long way as opposed to trying to communicate via flashlight and emotes. The goal of the game is simple. As Jason, players must hunt down all seven camp counselors as they work together, or sometimes even against each other, to escape. Players will spend most of the time as counselors and will be tasked with exploring different maps, containing locations from the films, to set up an escape plan. The counselors each have different skill sets and specialties. The best attributes a character can have in this game are stealth, stamina and luck, which are crucial when getting chased by Jason. What is most interesting about the game is the ability to work with counselors to overcome the killer, or to work against one another. The only time this works against a player’s advantage is when joining a party session. Players within the party will give themselves more time by divulging the location of the other players, creating an unfair advantage. In each of the maps, there are four ways of escaping. Finding parts for a car, repairing the phone to call the police or repairing a boat are some of the different ways to escape Jason and win as a counselor. Being chased by Jason can be a terrifying experience if playing late at night. While focused on completing the objectives, players will hear fear-inducing music indicating that Jason is in the area. Not seeking shelter can result in a quick death. It becomes especially scary when characters escape in a car and Jason suddenly appears in front of the car using his teleportation ability to stop the vehicle in its tracks. The players in the car must exit the vehicle to escape before Jason pulls them out and executes one of the many murder sequences. The fear of running from Jason is

beautifully realized in the use of music. Playing as Jason is, by far, the most entertaining and stressful aspect of the game. Chasing counselors can be rewarding when players get to use the many different kill animations, which can be unlocked using experience points. Gouging out counselors’ eyes, decapitations, tossing them out of windows, throwing pick axes through their heads are some of the many options that players can use when customizing their Jason. Like the counselors, there are different forms of Jason from the various movies, each with their own attributes depending on the player’s style of play. The forms are variations of costumes from the different movies. When counselors are hidden in cabins, Jason enters the building by breaking down the door. Breaking down doors is a slow process that gives counselors the opportunity to flee. Jason has different abilities at his disposal, which add interesting kinks to his hunt. While it may take some time to get used to, it gives players more tools when hunting counselors. The morph ability allows Jason to teleport anywhere on the map. It is mostly used to spawn at car locations, where counselors usually congregate. The sense ability gives Jason heightened senses and highlights the houses which contain counselors and even single counselors running from shelter to shelter. When Jason enters rage mode, it becomes easier for Jason to enter buildings. He can walk through doors that normally take at least 15 seconds for players to break down. While the game is currently multiplayer only, the game developers have announced a singleplayer option to be released for download later down the line. Also announced were new maps, characters, variations on Jason’s costume and kill sequences, which will be released through the next year. Some of the only issues the game has stem from connectivity issues. At times, it feels like it can take up to 15 minutes to find a game to join, and sometimes games get glitchy. When connected with a great party, the game can easily be played for hours, as new ways to win are discovered. “Friday the 13th” is rated M for Mature and should definitely be on Christmas lists this holiday season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLFONIC/GUN MEDIA

P!nk defies genre labels with new album ANASTASIA LANDEROS Staff Writer

After years of lifting the spirits of her listeners with strong messages of empowerment, P!nk reflects on life, love and motherhood on her seventh studio album “Beautiful Trauma.” The album showcases her beautiful vocals, wonderfully expressive songwriting skills and a knack for matching hopeful rhythms with sobering lyrics. “Barbies” opens reminiscent of a classic folk song, with smooth vocals lamenting over not being a kid anymore to a slow acoustic guitar and violin. It gradually crescendos into a steady drumbeat and harmonizing backup vocals, leaving the listener in a dream-like state as she bemoans “I wish that I could go back/Back to playing Barbies in my room.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF RCA RECORDS

The lead single off the album, “What About Us,” does a great job showing off P!nk’s dancey side, contrasting soulful lyrics with upbeat dance rhythms and silky vocals. “Where We Go” is a nice middle ground on the album as it skips across thoughtful lyrics and a rhythm for open-air car rides rather

than sweaty dance floors. The upbeat, gospel-esque “Better Life” is a smooth, head-bopping track with lyrics that don’t match its tone. She belts, “But I can’t shake the feeling/That you picture a better life, better wife, better nights, better high” while a choir claps along to the rhythm.

This contrast between solemn lyrics and upbeat sounds is what makes “Beautiful Trauma” a unique listening experience, as a majority of the songs on the album play with this approach. “Secrets” showcases a more conventional tone-to-lyric structure with an aggressive drumbeat and equally aggressive lyrics chanting “I got some things to say (Everybody’s got a secret)/’Cause there’s a lot that you don’t know.” Although there are stellar examples of P!nk’s musical and lyrical talents, songs like “You Get My Love,” “But We Lost It” and, the title track, “Beautiful Trauma,” hinder the overall rhythm of the album. “But We Lost It” has P!nk fighting with the piano track for attention, making it hard to fully understand the thoughtfulness behind the lyrics “I’m still the girl that you chased all

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around the world/I haven’t changed, I’ve just replaced all the chains with pearls/I want the same things we did back then/I know we had it but we lost it.” The title track opens the album on a boring note with “Beautiful Trauma.” It’s a not-quite-dance, not-quiteslow jam, expletive-filled snooze that doesn’t introduce the album in a creative or thoughtful way. P!nk fans are no strangers to the colorful language and imagery in her songs, but “Beautiful Trauma” smacks the ear rather than finesses it into submission. The chorus, however, begs for listeners to chant along, but it requires getting past more than a full minute of boring vocals and piano. The track to skip completely is “Revenge” featuring Eminem. Although right at home on an

Eminem album, “Revenge” is a bit too crude and out of character for P!nk. It follows a couple who cheats on each other, then plots revenge for their misdeeds. Though not a completely offlimits subject for P!nk, the Eminem rap may be too much for young listeners who don’t need to hear the rapper proclaim “Just remember, you cheated on me first/You’re a whore, you’re a whore/This is war.” Overall, “Beautiful Trauma” fits nicely into P!nk’s catalogue, though only a few songs have the markings for long-lasting appeal. Her vocal skills take center stage and, having co-written all 13 songs on the album, it’s easy to see where her inspiration comes from-- a rare commodity in today’s cookiecutter-pop landscape. Naturally, the album comes with an “Explicit Lyrics” warning.

SPORTS

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

CN/MICHAEL DOMINGUEZ

CONTRAST OF EMOTIONS— Sophomore defender Jorge Mejia (4) screams in agony after scoring an own-goal midway through the game, while Cerritos College freshman forward Chris Perez (13) celebrates.

Huskies come up short to top-ranked Cerritos College BY STEPHANIE GUEVARA Staff Writer In an aggravated clash where men’s soccer saw three red cards, East Los Angeles College lost 3-1 to Cerritos College yesterday at the Weingart Stadium. In minute 86 of the game, ELAC sophomore fullback Jorge Mejia committed a foul on Cerritos freshman midfielder Alberto Carrillo when both fought for the ball in the air in the keeper’s area. The foul resulted in a penalty kick that angered ELAC players. Mejia received a red card for the foul.

ELAC freshman midfielder Edwin Vazquez received a second yellow card after insulting the referee for a call he didn’t agree on, and Edward Robles did the same but received a red card. “When you have players let certain plays or certain aggressions dictate the way they will feel, the become hot heads. They look for the next battle or next collision to try to prove something when there is nothing to prove,” ELAC assistant coach Ricardo Raygoza said. “Unnecessary fail hurt the team today.” Mejia is out for the remainder of season after receiving his second red

card of the season. According to a California Community College Athletic Association rule, a player who gets two red cards during the season will be suspended for the remainder of the it. “The three red cards on their behalf (ELAC) shows that we were able to keep our composure. We were organized and structured,” Cerritos head coach Benny Artiaga said. “We took advantage of their (ELAC) wings and we knew that coming here because they have like five or six former Cerritos players.” ELAC was out of control in

the last few minutes, reflecting a different Husky team than the one that had been playing strong offensively and defensively. “We made things too personal. We didn’t have a bad game, but we made thing personal and we made stupid decisions,” ELAC sophomore goalkeeper Joshua Moreno said. In minute 54 of the game, Robles took the ball in the right wing, passing all of Cerritos’ defenders. He then passed the ball to sophomore forward Valentine Mercado to shoot a goal, but freshman goalkeeper Jordan Aldama blocked the shot.

“The score doesn’t dictated the way the game was. Our team played an extremely good game. We had about three easy chances to score but we didn’t capitalize. “The report we have of them (Cerritos) says if we don’t score on them first, they will make you pay and that’s exactly what happened,” Raygoza said. After ELAC failed to score on two opportunities in the first half, Cerritos scored twice on ELAC. Cerritos’ second goal came from a shot from freshman forward Christian Perez that Mejia tried to kick away, but ended in goal. “We lacked character today. It

was not a good day for us,” ELAC goalkeeper coach Andy Gutierrez said. After ELAC was left with seven men on the field, sophomore midfielder Jerson Maravilla took the ball from half field, passed through all of Cerritos’ defense, and scored ELAC’s goal. Cerritos is ranked No.1 in the nation and in the South Coast-South Conference. ELAC now stands 2-1-1 in the South Coast-North Conference and 7-2-5 overall on the season. The Huskies’ next game is on the road against El Camino College on Friday at 2 p.m.

Volleyball cruises to victory, wins all three sets BY NOE ORTEGA Staff Writer

CN/STEPHANIE GUEVARA

DIG THIS—ELAC No.20 freshman outside hitter Makkena Ryan spikes the ball against Rio Hondo College.

Sports Briefs

With a clean sweep, East Los Angeles College defeated Rio Hondo College in consecutive set wins, 25-19, 25-22, and 25-16 at home on Friday. This was the Huskies first win in the South-Coast ConferenceNorth play with a record of 1-2. The Huskies were persistent throughout each set. After taking the lead, they made it difficult for Rio Hondo to get back in the game ELAC had moments during the game where the set was their’s to win. Rio Hondo would gain momentum, but fell short to the Huskies. “That’s where we struggle. We struggle when we’re up we get a

Football The football team demolished Los Angeles Southwest College 71-13 to win its second straight game. During the win-streak, the team has outscored its opponents 120-20. The next game will be against West Los Angeles College on Oct. 28, 6 p.m. at Weingart Stadium.

little comfortable, we say ‘ok there’s a lot of game left’ and then we let the opponent back in,” said assistant coach Lisa Fierro. “I feel great. Personally I feel good for them because they have been working on certain level skills that we need in order to be a conference competitor, today they executed all those skills on top of being home and putting on a good show for our crowd.”

ELLIOT WALKER Head Coach

“Sometimes we get a little stuck because the other team has momentum and it’s hard to bring it

back our way regardless of the score.” Wa l k e r s a i d i t w a s important for his players to be consistent and focused when it came to having a lead. “We have to learn that a timeout is not a party. It’s about understanding. You have to learn what’s next in the game plan and they have to prepare themselves on what the other team is going to do,” said Walker. In its third set the Huskies showed they wanted to sweep Rio Hondo by going up 21-11 before a timeout was called. “It was a change from how the season has been going so far,” freshman outside hitter Makkena Ryan said.

Cross country Woman’s cross country’s best finisher was Sylvia Calvache at the Mount San Antonio Invite, coming in 41 of 125 runners with a finishing time of 21:06. Men’s best finisher was Nathan Rangal, coming in a 100 of 180 runners. The next event is the California State University of Fullerton Invitational. It will be held on Oct. 20

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“We definitely did so much better, played as a team tonight and we couldn’t be more happy.” Ryan has 54 sets played, 133 kills, and averages 2.46 kills per set. This was ELACs first win over Rio Hondo since joining the SCCNorth play last year “Rio Hondo is always a talented team. I think they were aggressive in their comeback and their play. They were relentless,” said Walker. They never gave up, she’s a great coach (Rio Hondo Head Coach Teddi Esko) and I really enjoyed playing against them.” ELAC was on a three-game losing streak before Friday’s win. They now sit in the third spot in the SCC-North The Huskies next game is today, 6 p.m. at Chaffey College in another SCC-North play match.

Women’s soccer Women’s soccer, 4-7-2, was shutout in a 6-0 loss to Cerritos College on Tuesday. Cerritos College came into the game with a five-game win streak. The Huskies’ next game is at El Camino College, which is also on a five-game winstreak, on Friday at 4 p.m.

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017

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