Campus News Fall 17 Issue 6

Page 1

Volume 75, Issue 6

Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents

Wednesday, october 18, 2017

www.elaccampusnews.com

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.


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