Volume 75, Issue 20
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Wednesday, april 25, 2018 DJ ICY ICE
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Hip Hop Summit comes to ELAC BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer
Wildfires impact drinking water CN/STEVEN ADAMO
BY GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO Staff Writer Wildfires can change the water quality of rivers according to Fernando Rosario-Ortiz during the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Science festival on Monday. Wildfires can change the amount of nutrients and pH levels. It can also increase the turbidity, which is the cloudiness or smokiness in the water. The amount of carbon in water is also increased. Ortiz, an associate professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, was the keynote speaker of the event. Ortiz along with other researchers at the University of
Colorado did a case study on wildfires in Colorado, specifically one that happened in Fort Collins. Fort Collins has two main sources of water and a wildfire affected one of them, the water source being Cache la Poudre river. Ortiz said that he gather soil samples and water samples of the CLP river as the burned water quality and went to an area that wasn’t affected by the fire as unburned water quality. He and the researchers found that a wildfire had a higher concentration of nutrients, turbidity and organic carbon. The water can be filter and changed so that it can be drinkable, but it would cost more money to do. Ortiz said that intensity is also
a factor in the water quality. The higher the intensity of a fire, the higher concentration of organic
“We always ask what causes (wildfires) but we never really ask what the impact of them are.” MELISSA ROBLES
SFP Technician for Mesa STEM
carbon and turbidity and the more costly it would be to treat the water. Ortiz said the purpose of
The lecture is not only to bring awareness to the impact of wildfires to water sources but also to water utilities. He said people should be consciences of how water is purified and understand what the process really entails. Melissa Robles, an SFP technician for Mesa STEM program, said that this not only impacts students and community, but also californians. “Students, community and californians don’t really have a point of comparison. We always ask what causes (wildfires) but we never really ask what the impact of them are. It not something we really think about,” Robles said. Amy Cao, a biology major, said that the lecture was interesting and informative. “I think it was interesting. No
one thinks about the correlation between wildfires and water and how it would affect water. It is something to look into. He showed other ways to purify water and make it clean that I wasn’t aware of,” Cao said. The event was the start of a week wide event that involves STEM related events. Robles, who is the organizer of these events, is excited to have people participate. Yesterday they showed the film WALL-E and tomorrow they will show the film “Earth” at 7 p.m. at the E7 quad area. Robles said she hopes that not only students come, but children show up as well. She said there is not much of a push for STEM and hopes these events will get them inspired.
Analyzing Hip Hop as a tool of change, Adelante FYE’s “Hip Hop Summit” will feature guest speakers and live performances at the G3 Auditorium on May 12. The Emcee and facilitator of the event is Tyson Amir, educator and author of “Black Boy Poems.” The summit will also include a Hip Hop Empowerment panel. Turntablism will also be featured at the event with live performances from DJ Icy Ice and DJ Eliza May. Icy Ice is an original member of Orange County’s World Famous Beat Junkies, which was founded by J. Rocc in 1992. Icy Ice became interested in performing music as a child where he played piano, violin and saxophone until he discovered turntablism at the age of 13. “When I saw the DJ playing the turntable as an instrument, I fell in love,’ Ice said in a TEDx talk he gave back in 2014. DJ Eliza May is a Russian-born turntablist currently based in Los Angeles. May, a classically trained pianist, shifted her musical focus to Hip Hop and Trap music. May was a student at DJ Qbert’s Online Skratch University, but when she visited the United States for a few months, DJ Qbert and the Thud Rumble crew agreed to give May lessons. In a male-dominated industry, May believes there’s a lot of support in the United States. “I think it’s not about being a man or a woman but it’s all about personality, talent and passion. I am sure that it is equally possible for both men and women to be a good DJ,” May said in a 2016 interview. Keynote speaker Dr. David Stovall is a professor from the University of Illinois. A Chicago native, Stovall will discuss Hip Hop as a tool of empowerment and community building. Adelante FYE’s Hip Hop Summit will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
LGBTQ and Ally Resource Fair kicks off ELAC Pride Week BY ROGELIO ALVAREZ Staff Writer Guest speaker Carmen Carrera spoke about her experiences and challenges she faced as a transgender woman at the LGBTQ and Ally resource fair on Monday. The fair is part of the first annual East Los Angeles College Pride Week, hosted by Adelante FirstYear Experience Program. “I’m glad that alot of students showed, even classes showed up to the event. The keynote speaker was amazing,” Adelante scholar ambassador Joe Gama said. Carrera, a model and former participant on RuPaul’s Drag Race, said how it was important for people to not feel defined by what other people think about
News Briefs
them. She shared how she sought validation through herself and not other people and encouraged the audience to take advantage of the resources available. “I feel like it’s very empowering because being a latina is very hard because I get judged by the color of my skin. I can imagine how hard it is for people who identify as a different sexual orientation,” ELAC student Ingrid Rodriguez said. The resource fair gave off a welcoming environment by having attendees write their names and preferred gender pronoun on nametag stickers provided by the Human Rights Campaign. Many people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transexual and queer community preferred to be referred by a different pronoun.
The Human Rights Campaign and the Translatina Coalition. provided stickers, candy and a “It’s important to teach people postcard signup with facts about that we’re also human beings, the dangers transexual teenagers that we’re also loving and have and children face in their daily big hearts. We all breathe the lives. same air. We all Among the other live on the same organizations Translatina “We all breathe planet,” present were Coalition volunteer the same air. California State Gladys Trujillo University Fullerton said translated from We all live on the LGBT Resource spanish. same planet.” Center, Southern Trujillo also California Alcohol shared her advice GLADYS TRUJILLO and Drugs Program, for students who are Translatina Coalition Volunteer E m b r a c i n g struggling to come Identities Program out to their friends Services, Sunrise and family. Community Counseling Center, “My biggest advice to them Los Angeles LGBT Center would be to believe in themselves, LifeWorks, Angel Step UP to fight for the person they want Domestic Violence Services, to be and to study and be able to ELAC Dream Resource Center identify as the person they want to
Queer People of Color Platica ELAC Pride Week continues tomorrow at F5-201 with the Queer People of Color Platica. Keynote by Dr. Aguilar-Hernandez from noon to 1:45 p.m.
be. From there they’ll see that they belong to this world,” Trujillo said. Translatina Coalition and other organizations offered counseling services, food distribution, safe sex education, job placement and other services. Gama and other members of the Adelante FYE recruited the organizations to participate in the resource fair. “We would call them, email them and for some of the resources we actually went to the actual place to get more information, and to see if they can dedicate some of their time to come on campus,” Gama said. ELAC Pride week continues until tomorrow. A Trans Awareness Luncheon is today from noon to 1:45 p.m. and a presentation on
Boys & Men To End Domestic Violence ELAC Student Health Center and the Women’s and Men’s Support Center presents “Boys & Men to End Domestic Violence” discussion at F3-Library room 103 tomorrow from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
domestic violence in the LGBTQ community hosted by Angel Step UP Domestic Violence Services. Gama said he’s excited for the rest of the activities being offered by ELAC Pride Week. “I was shocked when I found out ELAC didn’t have a pride week, but it’s always good to be the first one because this is what’s going to lead the way for our campus to keep holding these events for LGBTQ students and also allies on campus,” Gama said. ELAC Pride Week concludes tomorrow with a Queer People of Color Platica presented by Dr. Aguilar-Hernandez, from noon to 1:45 p.m. A Pride Week Drag Show and Closing Dances will also take place from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.All events are being held in the F5-201 Multipurpose Room.
Movie Night featuring ‘Earth’ In celebration of Earth Week, the ELAC and City of Stem will present a screening of the film ‘Earth’ tomorrow at 7 p.m. at the E7 Quad Area.
Opinion Slasher horror films becoming outdated 2
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
BY GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO Staff Writer
John Carpenter’s “Halloween” was one of the first films to be considered a slasher and set trends that caused the genre’s downfall. Many of the horror tropes and clichés stem from “Halloween” that most horror film since then still exessive use. One of the most annoying clichés that came from “Halloween” is the jump scare. The scene starts off with a character going into a creepy house. There is no background music and suddenly something appears that frightens the character. Only it's not the killer or monster, it’s something mundane. “Halloween” began this trend when Dr. Loomis, played by Donald Pleasence, went into the Michael Myers house and was frightened by a falling gutter. The difference between “Halloween’s” jumpscares and horror films that followed is that “Halloween” didn’t have a loud, piercing sound when the gutter fell. For some reason, sound editors in horror films like using those sounds to emphasis the scares. But it really doesn’t make it scary.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Gustavo Buenrostro MANAGING EDITOR Rogelio Alvarez ONLINE EDITORS Melody Ortiz Kevin Camargo FRONT EDITOR Steven Adamo
If anything, it makes the scene annoying. But horror films have done better with its jumpscares even if they still don’t let the scary thing be scary on its own without using annoying sounds. Myers is a character that is designed for one purpose: to kill people who get in his way. He is a one-note type character but not without reason. Jason Voorhees from “Friday the 13th” kills teenagers because the audience likes when Voorhees
killed people. The filmmakers just made the deaths more creative and entertaining. No real rhyme or reason for him to do it. B u t i t ’s b e c a u s e o f w h a t “Halloween” did with Myers that propelled characters like Jason to exist in slasher films and became staples in them. The only time it ever changed was with Wes Craven’s film “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Scream”, but those films were
designed to turn the slasher genre upside down. “Halloween” also made the trope of the good girl virgin surviving the killer. It wasn’t until “Scream” where the trope was broken. But that never stuck and some films today still have that character type survive the killings. Some may not see these clichés as bad and would argue that they give the slasher genre it’s charm. However, there aren’t any more new slasher films.
It’s because of those tropes that slasher films became stale. The only reason anyone gets excited for slasher films is if they are remade from an original. Horror films today are becoming something new, and while they still use some of the old same tricks that began with “Halloween,” films like “Get Out” and “A Quiet Place” have more meaning than the slasher films. “Halloween” started the slasher trend, but it can be argued that it was also the death of it.
Video game developers confuse innovation for imitation BY JORGE VAZQUEZ Staff Writer Game developers are copying previously published games. Though it’s annoying for gamers, it is necessary for innovation. There are video games in development and on shelves that resemble games within the same genre, and that’s because game companies see their successes and hope to emulate them. They’ll use the same in-game assets and engine as the more popular titles, but add new mechanics so they can be marketed as new games. Once in a blue moon, these “copycat” games will bring something new to the table that change the game industry. “Fortnite: Battle Royale,” for example, was just another game in the battle royale copycat bandwagon. It has however, seen mainstream success due to ease-of-access, lower hardware requirements and fort building mechanics.
Previously, it was “Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds” (PUBG) that reigned supreme over battle royale games like “The Culling”, “DayZ”, and “H1Z1”, but these games all looked and played the same. However, “Fortnite: Battle
“Once in a blue moon, these ‘copycat’ games will bring something new to the table that changes the games industry.” Royale” is free, with the exception of micro-transactions, it has smooth gameplay and it has a building mechanic that allows for three dimensional movement; all of which appealed more broadly to gamers. In February, “Fortnite” generated $126 million despite being free
and PUBG earned $103 million with $30 per copy, according to Forbes. This shows the exponential popularity of the game. “Fortnite” has turned into a household name and into a staple of the genre because its developers, Epic Game and People Can Fly, took ideas from other games and put their own twist on it. Then comes along a blatant “Fortnite” clone, “Radical Heights”, that tries to piggyback off their success. Though it is commendable that another developer wants to add to the plethora of battle royale games already out there, they went about it the wrong way. “Radical Heights” is a free-toplay early-access title, which means it has not been officially released. It adds dodge-rolling, biking and zip lining to the battle royale template. That might sound new and innovative, but the game is unpolished, choppy and empty. The $15 founder’s pack available for purchase makes the game feel
like a money grab. These types of plagiaristic titles that prioritize profit over gameplay are insulting, and players notice these things as shown by the 7,574 mixed reviews left on the Steam page of the game. Although “Radical Heights” brings new elements to battle royale that are enjoyable, it is overshadowed by poor execution and bad reception. This isn’t limited only to battle royales. This happens in role playing games (RPGs), multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs), first person shooters (FPSs) and especially in mobile phone game apps. Two games that have been copied the most are “Wolfenstein 3D” (1992) and “Doom” (1993) by id Software. These classic and somewhat ancient titles were among the first of the online FPS genre. Back before we had the internet, they were played through the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET).
This sparked a whole industry of online multiplayer games and inspired the creation of franchises such as “Halo,” “Call of Duty” and “Half-Life,” many of which are still industry powerhouses three decades later. Most game developers copied id Software’s format and changed it to create completely new games that could appeal to either sci-fi lovers, history fanatics, technology enthusiasts, and others. The copying of games back then was necessary to have more variety, but in modern times, the gaming library is just ending up saturated with all these look-alikes. When was the last time a “League of Legends,” “Overwatch,” or “Candy Crush” clone was developed? Trick question. They’re will always be game clones, but we as gamers and consumers should be able to tell the difference between something that was quickly put together and something that took thought and effort.
Starbucks should have different policies for different locations of Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson. He apologized and called the Staff Writer situation “reprehensible” and is promising “unconscious bias” Starbucks has recently been training for all store team members. under fire for treating customers Lack of training is what caused differently. these situations to occur. Every On April 12, two African- location has its customers and American males were asked to leave a Starbucks in Philadelphia after being asked to make a purchase. The former manager called 911 to report trespassing and told the dispatcher “I have two gentlemen at my cafe that are refusing to make a purchase or leave," according to an audio recording that was released by police. When police arrived, they requested an additional officer and a supervisor. The men were arrested and taken to police headquarters. According to local media, the men were waiting for a friend. Another incident occurred at a Starbucks in Torrance after an African-American man asked a Starbucks employee for a restroom code, after the same employee gave it to a white male. James Sanchez, a Starbucks employee from Alhambra, said that he and his colleagues give the restroom code to anyone who asks for it, whether not they bought something. “Some people only come to use the restroom and that’s fine. I believe that everyone should have the right of having access to a bathroom,” said Sanchez. This incident caught the attention
BY CHRISTIAN HORTA
employees do not know who may vandalize their bathroom or make a mess. Starbucks should pick up habits from other restaurants and fast food chains. Chick-Fil-A restaurants have a restroom code that is printed on the
customer’s receipt. If customers ask for the code, employees can refer them to the receipt. This is especially true when the Starbucks is located in crime-ridden neighborhoods. Employees need to be aware of
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who is entering the store, but if they aren’t doing anything that disrupts other customers, then they should be left alone. Areas of improvements are necessary, but each store should make adjustments depending on its location. Sanchez also said they are lenient when people sit in without buying anything, unless a paying customer can’t find where to sit. “If a person is taking up a seat of a paying customer, then, yes, they have to give it up,” said Sanchez. As for the two African-American men who were waiting for their friend to arrive, perhaps that former manager was being racist. If that’s the case, it’s an isolated incident and should be handled differently. However, this became a national headline and prompted widespread protests over something that is irrelevant to most of us who have nothing to do with it. The character and personality of one Starbucks employee should not reflect the image of them all so it is a great idea that Johnson is promising proper training. Whether it is racial profiling or not, it is a step in recognizing that racial bias is wrong and humiliating to those affected. Regardless of what companies try to do to address the issue, there will still be people who say that racism exists. Starbucks will be closing all of its stores for a few hours on May 29 to observe the issue.
OPINION EDITOR Jorge Vazquez FEATURE EDITOR Frank Portillo NEWS EDITOR Giselle Palomera SPORTS EDITOR Noe Ortega ARTS EDITORS Andrew Ayala Maria Monroy PHOTO EDITOR Julie Santiago COPY EDITORS Stephanie Guevara Joshua Inglada Rogelio Alvarez CARTOONISTS Allison Beatty Jorge Vazquez STAFF WRITERS Vicky Nguyen Jerry Flores Cristal Gomez Michael Dominguez Christian Horta STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Noe Ortega Vicky Nguyen ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Stephanie Guevara ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez
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EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
Political awareness club champions social justice BY FRANK PORTILLO Staff Writer The East Los Angeles College Students for Political Awareness club aims to promote political literacy for students. Vice president of the club Golden Sheard said that the clubs presence on campus is important in order to try to “demystify” what people’s perceptions of politics are. She said that trying to have conversations with different people about current politics outside of school, usually results in the other person not wanting to discuss the topics because of a lack of knowledge. Sheard said she hopes to have a better informed community in order to make better political decisions. “People lose sight of the importance of having their voices heard. We get so bogged down with living our everyday lives and trying to survive, that we forget that we may not be actively participating in voting, legislation or other politics. Those things are actively working for us or against us regardless of our action. We have a social contact and with that, comes politics,” Sheard said. She said that the club has fought for longer library hours and has been successful in getting the library to be open longer on weekends. The club was also responsible for the organization of the walkout that occured on March 14, as ELAC students took part in the national walkouts, which were a response to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school shooting. ESPA was started in 2008 by faculty member Natalina Monteiro, who felt that there should be a club on campus that promotes social
justice. Monteiro spoke to students in her Political Science 2 course and they liked her idea, so they started the club. Monteiro, who has been the advisor for the club since its inception, said that ESPA trains its members to be activists and how to properly engage with the government when it comes legislation. “It benefits everybody because it teaches (students) how to stand up for themselves because social justice is not just something that political science people do. It should involve (everyone),” Monteiro said. Sheard credits Monteiro’s passion for political science as the reason for joining the club after taking her Women in Politics Honors course and refers to it as a happy accident. Monteiro took seven students, including Sheard from the club, to Sacramento last month to teach them how to lobby during a threeday weekend and followed that up by practicing what they learned. Club members spoke with Eloy Oakley, chancellor of the California Community Colleges, to inquire about the recent change to the funding formula of the community colleges. Aside from being the club advisor, Monteiro is also the political director for the American Federation of Teachers 1521. She said that AFT has a paid internship program that a lot of the students from the club get. Workshops in topics such as civil disobedience and professional organization for protests are available to students through the internship. Sheard interned with AFT after being exposed to it as a club member. Through the internship, she won a writing contest that sent
her to Memphis, TN to visit the Civil Rights Museum during Spring Break. “The club has been training students how to active activists in the community. When they see something they don’t like, they know who to go to and how to proceed,” Monteiro said. Monteiro said that students in the club have gone on to develop professional careers in the political field. “I’ve seen a lot of students who have gotten jobs working for other unions. They (are working) for politicians. I have a lot of students who have become staffers and all that comes from the club. That's our mission. That's our goal: to develop students and teach them how, (since) most of them are political science majors, to work with (these entities),” Monteiro said. She said that the club also trains students on how to become good leaders since she noticed that a lot of the Associated Students Union presidents were once members of the club. Club meetings consist of discussing current events, discussing future ambitions of the members and the club and discussing the club’s active involvement in politics. Currently, the club is actively supporting the Poor People’s Campaign, which is a call to action in defiance of systemic racism. ESPA also has scholarships to offer students in the club. “Every Spring, we have between two and three scholarships. Last year, we had two scholarships. One student got $1000 and the other one got $500,” Monteiro said. She said that the plans are to have three scholarships this time, with each being for $500.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN SHEARD
FISTS UP—Regina Vazquez (left), Erendira Zamudio, Genesys Sanchez, Juanita Chavez, Golden Sheard, Daniel Ortiz and Oscar Martinez of the East Los Angeles College Students for Political Awareness Club learned how to lobby in Sacramento last month. “For the students that are transferring, it will be like a sendoff,” Monteiro said. Sheard said that she hopes for more diversity when it comes to students’ majors in the club to get differing opinions and wants students to learn from each other. “I think it’s important that not just political science majors join a club like ESPA, but every student because that’s going to give us a platform to talk about the things that are affecting us. For students who are not political science majors,
it may be the only opportunity to demystify politics,” Sheard said. She said that the club has had a huge impact on her life because it keeps her mind on her prize, which is social justice for everyone, and keeps her grounded. “In wanting to be able to add to discussions at the club meetings, I keep informed about what’s going on in the world. Through that, I feel continually inspired to serve others,” Sheard said. Despite how she feels about the current state of political knowledge,
Sheard is hopeful that the future generation will become more involved and aware. “I see that a lot more students are interested in politics. I really love the energy that’s happening right now, especially the energy from the students at Marjory Stoneman who are really buzzing out there,” Sheard said. ESPA meets weekly on Thursdays in F7-217 at 12:15 p.m.. Students interested in joining the club can email Sheard at goldensheard@ yahoo.com.
Club offers religious connection for like-minded students BY JOSHUA INGLADA Staff Writer Mind Above Ministries is a club on campus that promotes the message of faith from God. The club is affiliated with the City of Angels International Christian Church. “When we meet up, we usually have our Bible discussions. Sometimes we sit around and play some games, like board games,” club president Jorge Alberto Jr. said, “It helps people get to know each other and get more comfortable.” The club sometimes gets together to perform acts like visiting homeless shelters to help out and doing community service by picking up litter. “We’re trying to do more (community service). We’re trying
to plan with another club so we can do more charity events,” Alberto said. At every meeting, club members discuss the different stories in the Bible and talk about how they can apply the verses to their everyday life. “It’s all for those who seek God. It’s entirely based off of what the Bible says. We have talks on what’s said in the Bible and apply it to a modern context,” club member Marvin Alcantara said, “We hold discussions where people can come in and discuss how the Bible supplies these lessons to our lives.” The club members meet in the cafeteria Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. They also meet there on any day around 1 p.m. if they have any questions, or wish to talk. “If they want to talk or join, anyone can come in. We’re here to offer help. We encourage
anyone to come and visit the club if they want to better their relationship with God,” Alcantara said. Free food and snacks are served to club members during meetings. Although the club usually meets indoors, sometimes the members gather outdoors to sit on the grass in front of the E3 building. Alberto wants the club members to feel comfortable in spending time with each other during discussions. “Our goal is to spread the message of God’s love. That’s why it’s important that we show others kindness,” Alberto said. “If someone wants to join us, I’d tell them that we’d accept them, you know? They can join if they find us interesting or if they want something that’s going to be faithbuilding and family-building.” While Alberto was the club president before spring break,
club member Fernando Hernandez is set to take the role of club president soon. The club has to meet with their advisor later this week to
decide on new club roles. So far, the club consists of five members. Alberto said he hopes that more students will take an interest in joining the club and hearing
what they have to offer. For more information on the club and their upcoming events, visit their website at http://mindabove. org.
Nursing professor receives award BY CRISTAL GOMEZ Staff Writer
Alumna, now professor, Brenda Chan received the Hayward Award from the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges in Sacramento. The Hayward Award is awarded to an outstanding community college faculty members who have an excellent record in both teaching and demonstrating a commitment to their students, college and profession. Chan, who is one of the nursing professors on campus received her Associates Degree of Science in Nursing from East Los Angeles College in 1991. After receiving her Associates Degree, Chan began to attend Azusa Pacific University to obtain her Masters and Doctorate Degrees. When she came from Shanghai, she began to attend ELAC and volunteered at White Memorial Hospital for seven years. The experience of helping the nurses and doctors allowed her to see what the career is like. “I felt fortunate to help others in need. Giving back to the community by helping them made it all worth it,” Chan said. She was inspired to become a nurse after her grandfather died when she was 17 years old. She would care for him during that summer. Two of her aunts took turns in making sure he was comfortable.
Chan always wondered what she could do to help. She began to consider a career as a nurse through the influence of her mother and sister, her mother being a pediatrician and her sister being a nurse. Chan had received her Masters of Science in Nursing and Family Practitioner in ’97 and in her
Brenda Chan Doctorate from Azusa Pacific University in ‘17. “When I was getting my Doctorate, it was a challenging three years since I have a family and a job. After I got my doctorate, I tell my students, don’t wait keep going and finish all your schooling,” Chan said. While she was obtaining her Masters and Doctorate she continued to work full time at White Memorial and ELAC.
“A doctorate in nursing is about research. I felt fortunate to have a great adviser and mentor” With her doctorate degree, she began to see how she can provide comfort for someone toward the end of their life. She hopes to educate the nurses and students to become more knowledgeable in this area. Chan worked at White Memorial from 1992 to 1999, shortly after, she had received her Associates in Science from ELAC. “I was lucky to find my job at White Memorial. I had a lot of great training when I was at (ELAC), being able to have hands-on experience with the surrounding community,” Chan said. When Chan received the Hayward Award, she was in shock about the news. Once she travelled to Sacramento, she realized it was real. “I couldn't believe that I got the award. This is such a prestigious award that not a lot of colleges get. I felt honored since I’m sure there are more people who have more experience with teaching,” Chan said. Apart from teaching, Chan has been involved in various committees on campus. Some of the committees include curriculum, hiring and distance learning. She is also the adviser for the international students club. She advises all students to ask questions during their time of study. “It is always good to ask questions, collaborate and be curious. Have a study buddy. Share your knowledge with others. Reach out to faculty it is our job to give you the guidance to be the best,” Chan said.
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Arts ‘God Of War’ strikes a milestone in series 4
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
BY ANDREW AYALA Staff Writer “God of War” is Sony’s Santa Monica Studio’s latest and greatest PlayStation exclusive which tells the story of a familiar hero in a new light. This is the newest addition to the series and follows the infamous protagonist Kratos along with his son Atreus on the biggest journey of their lives. The main purpose of the story is to fulfill his departed wife’s wish of taking her ashes to the highest point in the realm and releasing them. Those who are familiar with the series will see that the setting has changed from the usual Greek mythology to a new Norse mythological location. Now that Kratos is a father he is trying to guide and show his son a righteous path as opposed to the violent one he once chose. One of the biggest shocks is that his newest weapon of choice is the Leviathan Axe and not the Blades of Chaos that fans are familiar with. Along the journey, gamers get to see how Kratos must cope with his past, which haunts and torments his mind no matter how far he gets from Sparta and those who defied him. Memories serve as nightmares to Kratos and never allow him to keep his guard down or trust a god even though he is one himself. Fans who have played the previous titles will have a deeper understanding toward this new take on the story and Kratos, but there is not any prior knowledge necessary
to gain a deep appreciation for the game. Thanks to a new chapter he is trying to form in his life, the story doesn’t carry off directly from one of the previous seven titles. “God of War” strays far from the usual slash-and-dash style that the series is known for and allows an open-world gaming experience with mechanics that stem back to its original roots of fighting and solving puzzles. The combat is satisfying and will keep players wanting more combos or devastating finishing moves. From beginning to end, the game plays out like a movie since there are no loading screens or long pauses in between unless a cut scene takes place or the player dies. The graphics and attention to detail Santa Monica Studios put into the game show that it truly is a masterpiece and takes video games back to a time where a good story and fun single-player gameplay is all that is needed. From the tracks left in the snow to the texture of the grass, gamers get a photo-realistic setting that adds to the overall beauty of the game. Nowadays most companies focus on multiplayer or microtransactions which allow players to obtain levels or gear that would take hours of gameplay to reach, but “God of War” doesn’t rely on any of those things and that’s one of the reasons why it’s so refreshing. With a number of favors and side quests to complete, players will find themselves fully immersed in a mythological setting with
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HEADS UP—Kratos holds Mimir’s head up to the World Serpent at the Lake of the Nine in order to get a proper translation of the Jötnar language while Atreus watches the amazing feat. creatures such as giants, elves, dwarves, dragons, trolls and ogres. The supporting characters serve a deeper purpose to the story than adding humor or witty remarks and remain relevant. The fact that this game is openworld as opposed to the usual mission driven style, shows how innovative and open to new ideas the creators are. T h e r e a r e m a n y d i ff e r e n t enchantments and runes that can be used to raise levels in traits such as strength or defense, which is nice
because not everybody will have their characters looking or playing the same. The musical score used in the background adds to the feeling of being in a Norse setting and activate at the perfect moments to keep the momentum up or slow the pace down. The dialogue used between Kratos and Atreus shows a true bond between father and son and keep gamers entertained throughout the story. It is captivating to see just how
deep and realistic the bond between the two characters grows throughout the game. At first they seem to be uncertain of one another but a long quest to fulfill the dream of someone they both loved brings them closer than ever. Since players are used to only controlling Kratos, it is interesting to see puzzles that implement Atreus and his abilities in order to complete them. “God of War” not only lived up to but possibly even exceeded its hype
and expectations, since it did receive some of the highest ratings that have been given to any game this year. This game gives players a rich story, full customization, a beautiful setting and a new take on a classic character, which makes it a definite candidate for receiving many awards. No mention of downloadable content has been made but the game itself has been available since Friday. To read the full article go to elaccampusnews.com.
Schumer’s newest movie defies society’s ‘Pretty’ standards BY ALLISON BEATTY Staff Writer “I Feel Pretty” is a comedy rollercoaster that stops right before it jumps the shark and stays true to its message. The film stars stand-up comedian and producer of the film Amy Schumer as Renee Bennett, a woman struggling with insecurities over her weight and appearance, who suffers a head injury and believes she has become the most beautiful woman on the planet. She even compares her looks to a Kardashian, “from the Jenner side.” Following her trauma and new outlook on life, she begins living like the entirely new person she thinks she is. Her posture changes, her wardrobe changes, and she does things that were unthinkable to her days before, such as when applying for the
receptionists job at the multimillion dollar cosmetics company, Lily LeClaire. Bennett meets with the sheltered fashionista company CEO, Avery LeClaire, played by Michelle Williams. It’s her self-confidence that ultimately wins LeClaire over and she gets the job. The film’s best moments are the comedy. The entire audience laughs so much it was sometimes hard to hear what the characters were saying. The jokes are hilarious, Schumer is the perfect adorably-dorky woman, and the supporting cast makes everything she does even funnier with how confused they are that this average-looking woman is touting herself as a supermodel, especially when she’s surrounded by actual supermodels. Renee Bennett is a relatable character with the all-too-human
issues of inadequacy and low-selfimage. The change in how she carried herself once she saw who she always imagined she could be is a testament to the old adage; “When we feel beautiful, we are beautiful.” Moviegoers will empathize with Bennett and see themselves in her. “I Feel Pretty” is not only focused on the struggles of plus-sized women to conform, it also briefly delves into the insecurities and issues of who society typically portrays as beautiful women. Avery LeClaire struggles with inadequacy because she’s constantly under criticism of her grandmother Lily played by Lauren Hutton, the founder of Lily LeClaire, and is self-conscious about her extremely high-pitched voice. Bennett also interacts with a supermodel-thin woman at the gym, who’s very attractive and gets hit on
often but still gets broken up with. The film shows that even the people who seem to “have it all” are exactly the same as anyone else, human. The movie does come close to
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CHEERS!—Vivian (Aidy Bryant), Jane (Busy Philipps) and Renee (Amy Schumer) put their all into their group date photo.
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falling into the tired old cliche of “successful person starts alienating their friends and becoming the selfabsorbed jerk they used to hate,” but it thankfully never reaches its breaking point.
There is no actual nudity, but it does come close during the only sex scene the movie has. The film is rated PG-13 for language and some suggestive themes.
arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
2 5
Skyward offers unique perspective
now exists on Earth. Cars float everywhere while Nate’s wife holds onto a light pole, clinging on for safety. Her expression of sheer fear and Nate’s expression of desperation as
he tries to reach her before she floats off into space is delicately drawn by Garbett. His artwork puts emphasis on the family tragedy and delivers an emotional experience.
The early tragedy sets the tone for the rest of the story as it flashes forward twenty years. Newborn Willa is now an adult and her adventurous attitude prompts the need to travel and see
the world despite objection from her father who sees the world as a dangerous place. It’s going to be interesting, going forward, to see where Willa’s character goes. Given the universe that she inhabits, her adventurous attitude and quick-wittedness, it makes her an intriguing protagonist. An interesting aspect of the book is the way that people live their lives in this world. People fly around everywhere and walking seems alien to the new generation of people. When Willa comes across a crosswalk sign, she doesn’t understand what it means. Handicapped people, who were once in wheelchairs, are now able to travel without the assistance of their chairs. Guns are rendered useless. The best thing about “Skyward” is the endless possibilities of stories that can be told in this world. “Skyward” is an ongoing series that can be purchased at a local comic book store or online at midtowncomics.com for $3.99. Future issues will be released on the third Wednesday of every month.
in “Fortnite,” is in the name. a huge advantage over those who Although the games are won don’t. “Fortnite” had its early release by eliminating opponents with last September w e a p o n s , ,with a full building forts game release and coverage be scheduled is what helps “‘Fortnite,’ is a single to sometime this players win the and multiplayer survival year. The game game. was developed S i n c e game where the by Epic Games “Fortnite” is objective is to be the and People Can a game where Fly. players get shot last one standing by is from different eliminating other players a “Fortnite” free-to-play angles, players with weapons and online game for build forts Playstation 4, to protect explosives.” Xbox One, and themselves and PC. heal up and try Although to get a height the game is advantage on free, “Fortnite” their opponent. Gamers have headsets that allow makes its money by selling them to hear in-game sounds, like V-bucks which range from $9.99 shooting, footsteps and trees being to $99.99. broken. With buying V-bucks, it allows Players who have headsets have players to purchase battle passes,
emotes, in game tools like pickaxes and gliders. “Fortnite” is widely popular not only for the action that it comes with, but because the game also appeals to a younger generation due to its colorful graphics and gameplay. The game came out last September but with its constant updates, the game is always coming out with new weapons and items to purchase. It also comes out with holiday themed items to purchase. In October, there was a skeleton outfit that was available for purchase.
In December, there was a Santa Claus, gingerbread and elf outfit. In addition to the outfits, there was also tools shaped as candy canes and jack-o-lantern rockets that were temporary in the game. Since the early access to Fortnite came out, its rival game “PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds” was released on March 2017. PUBG exceeded PC and Xbox One players expectations when it came out by selling 30 million copies from its release to January according to SuperData. Since the early access release of Fortnite came out, it surpassed
“PUBG” with $126 million in sales in the month of February compared to the $103 million that “PUBG” made that same month. . “Fortnite” has also been involved in the sports world with professional athletes mimicking the emotes that are put in the game. Red Sox player Xander Bogaerts did the emote called “Taking the L” after getting a base hit on opening day of the major league baseball. French soccer star Antoine Griezmann also did the same emote after scoring a goal against rivals Real Madrid.
BY FRANK PORTILLO Staff Writer The latest release from Image Comics, “Skyward,” offers a unique look at a world in which gravity on Earth is at such a low level, people float as if they’re on a space station. In this world, twenty years have passed since the loss of gravity and a new generation of people grew up their entire lives not knowing what the past was like. The first issue of the series, titled “My Low-G Life,” does a fantastic job at building the world in 27 pages and making the reader care about the characters who inhabit the story. Writer Joe Henderson, who was the showrunner for Fox’s “Lucifer,” crafts an intriguing and mysterious story that is complemented by artwork from artist Lee Garbett. The issue begins on the date of the incident when everything seems normal until Nate, a husband and father to a newborn baby, spills his favorite coffee mug during breakfast. Instead of crashing to the floor, Nate notices that the mug is suspended mid-air along with his coffee before realizing that his wife Lilly had just gone out for a run. In a panic, he tries to rush outside
COURTESY OF IMAGE COMICS
FALLING WITH STYLE— Protagonist Willa shows her adventurous attitude and love for the new low-gravity levels by embracing the new mode of transportation: floating. but is held back by the low gravity which is keeping his feet from touching the ground. Garbett draws a beautiful splash page where he shows readers the ramifications of lower gravity that
Epic survival game takes off worldwide BY NOE ORTEGA Staff Writer
Survival games have never felt so epic with “Fortnite: Battle Royale’s” early access taking off worldwide after almost a year after its release. “Fortnite” is a single and multiplayer survival video game where the objective is to be the last one standing by eliminating other online players with weapons and explosives. Some weapons include assault rifles, sniper rifles, shotguns, handguns, grenades, machine guns, grenade launchers and rocket propelled grenades. “Fortnite” is played out with 100 players, whether it’s single player or multiplayer. Each player lands on the same island and players quickly look for weapons to defend themselves from other players. The way to win games
COURTESY OF RAFAEL CARDENAS
BACKYARD TABLEAUX —A vignette photo from Rafael Cardenas’ Backyard Tableaux,’ shows the backyard of an East-side home while a celebration takes place.
Photographer shows insight on East-side neighborhood culture BY EDDIE MIKE GARCIA Staff Writer A visual look at backyard scenes across the East-side neighborhoods of Los Angeles will be on display at the Vincent Price Art Museum with the opening reception on Saturday at 7 p.m. Rafael Cardenas, known for his fascinating street style of photography, will present a collection of new works that capture the backyard activities of parties, social gatherings and get togethers and the people that put them together. The director of VPAM, Pilar Tompkins Rivas said Cardenas titled the exhibit “Backyard Tableaux.” “This exhibit will be (Rafael Cardenas) first solo exhibit at ELAC,” Tompkins Rivas said. The exhibit will feature vivid and colorful images that give
viewers an intimate look at the moments of private and social spaces of the MexicanAmerican Angelino culture. Backyard Tableaux, is a
“Rafael Cardenas, known for his fascinating streetstyle photography, will present...” collection of photos that span a range of scenes from portraits and videos, to still life. Nine laminated photographs will be featured. These lively compositions will show a quick look at a backyard music event, or the aftermath of a piñata swing. Collectively, these images engage in the storytelling of a
moment, which gives students an opportunity to view the people and places where they occur. Some of his work has been presented in solo exhibitions like Eastside Luv and Espacio 1839, and in group exhibitions at Avenue 50 Studio, La Bodega Gallery and Self-Help Graphics and Art. Cardenas was born in Jalisco, Mexico and raised in East Los Angeles. He now lives in Boyle Heights. Cardenas is a selftaught photographer who has been practicing his craft since 2010. The exhibit will be at VPAM April 28 through July 28, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m.; and on Friday from noon until 7 p.m. Admission is free. www.ELACCampusNews.com
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SPORTS
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2018
Husky baseball aims for playoffs BY JERRY FLORES Staff Writer Husky baseball won its second consecutive game against El Camino College last Thursday at home with a final score of 8-4. Losing by two runs, the Huskies offense started to work in the bottom of the fifth inning when sophomore infielder Matthew Sosa smashed the ball to the rightfield allowing Freshmen outfielder Brandon Acosta to score the run for East Los Angeles College. Freshman designated hitter Grant Victor connected the ball to the left field and Sosa completed the run and tied the game 3-3. “We had to make adjustments, the guys concentrated and did very well. That helped us a lot to recover from those early runs,” ELAC head coach James Hines said. In the bottom of the sixth inning, with a player on third base, ELAC sophomore outfielder Logan Gibbons hit to leftfield and sophomore outfielder Elias Maldonado scored the fourth run for ELAC. An error by El Camino freshmen second baseman Spencer Long, let the ball slide through his arms, allowed Gibbons to score for ELAC. “We allowed too many runs [in the sixth inning], we need to improve in our pitches, they made us pay for that,” El Camino head coach Nate Fernley said. The Huskies offense continued
in the sixth inning when Sosa connected a strong hit to the right field and increased the score by two runs for ELAC, one made by Acosta and the other by sophomore catcher Matthew Shults. “Getting guys on the bases and getting the job done as we needed to do was the key for winning the game,” Acosta said. In the bottom of the seventh inning, with another error from
“Getting guys on the bases and getting the job done as we needed to dowas the key for winning the game.” BRANDON ACOSTA
ELAC freshman outfielder
Long, pass the ball quick enough to the catcher, which allowed sophomore designated hitter Zech Jarrard to score the eighth run for ELAC. Jarrard completed the game making six strikeouts and a run. “Making good hits, trusting the game plan of the coaches, and trusting my pitches was the key for getting this win,” Jarrard said. In the top of the eighth inning,Hines changed pitchers and brought on Freshmen pitcher Josh Jorgensen who took the hill and allowed El Camino to walk two bases.
Later in the eighth inning, Jorgensen was subbed off and freshmen utility player Troy Maxi took the hill allowing the fourth run for El Camino scored by freshmen first baseman Spencer Palmer. The Huskies started losing the game in the top of the first inning and allowed two runs scored by sophomore catcher Jose Ruiz and freshmen first baseman Palmer. In the bottom of the first inning the Huskies tried to get back in the game. With a player on first and third base, Jarrard connected with the ball to the center field and Victor reached home plate. Unfortunately for the Huskies, in the top of the second inning, freshman designated hitter Matthew Beserra connected a home run to the left field and gave El Camino a two run lead. ELAC is now 12-7 in the South Coast Conference-North play and 22-15 overall. ELAC visited Mount San Antonio College yesterday and lost 11-7 in the first game of another three game series in the South Coast Conference-North. The Huskies were trailing throughout the entire game and were on the verge of making a comeback but a strong sixth inning from Mt. Sac gave them the win. ELAC will face Mt. Sac in the second match of a three game series game at home tomorrow at 6 p.m.
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SWING AND A MISS —East Los Angeles College designated hitter Zech Jarrad pitches at a El Camino College batter on Thursday’s 8-4 home win at home.
Softball loss threatens ELAC athletic trainer earns Doctorate playoff hopes BY NOE ORTEGA Staff Writer Lack of hits caused East Los Angeles College softball’s second consecutive loss,2-1, against Pasadena City College at Robinson Park on Monday. Prior to Monday’s loss, the Huskies lost their last home game of the season on Friday against Cerritos College 10-4. PCC dominated ELAC the last time they collided but the Huskies came into this game knowing that they needed a win to make it to playoffs. In the top of the first inning, sophomore centerfielder Monne’t Manning smashed lead-off home run toward left field. This marked Manning’s 10th home run of the season which is the most in the South Coast
Conference-North. Manning also leads in the SCCNorth with the best batting average, which is .505 and passed Chaffey College’s freshman third baseman Veronica Macias who has 37 runs batted in by one. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h i s w a s ELAC’s last run of the game as PCC sophomore pitcher Angel Wintercorn shut out the Huskies for six out of the eight innings played. After Manning’s home run, the only player who managed to get a hit was sophomore outfielder Sara Serrano in the top of the eighth inning. Wintercorn finished the game with eight innings pitched, 26 batters faced, allowed two hits, one run and eight strikeouts. “She (Wintercorn) shut us out. We only had two hits today,” said head coach Erika Blanco.
In the bottom of the eighth inning with bases loaded, freshman first baseman Amanda Flores hit a run batted in single. ELAC sophomore second baseman Samantha Alvarado threw herself to try to catch the ball but just missed the ball and sophomore left fielder Brianna Hernandez scored the winning run for PCC. Throughout the game, PCC had three instances where they had bases loaded and were in a position to score. The Huskies were able to neutralize the first two but took the loss in the eighth inning. “We didn’t hit very well today. We’re better than that. I think we’re better than one run,” said Blanco. Freshman pitcher Angelita Villalvazo was taken out in the eighth inning after facing 38 batters with six hits, two runs, nine walks
and three strikeouts. Freshman pitcher Majisty Shomo entered in the eighth inning and faced two batters with one walk and an unearned run. “Our pitchers did well. I thought both of our pitchers did really well today,” said Blanco. The Huskies were up by one run until the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore third baseman Angelica Lopez hit a ground ball toward center field so that sophomore catcher Jeneve Medrano can run in and tie the game for PCC. The Huskies played their last game of the season yesterday at Rio Hondo College and won 15-5. With this win, ELAC is now 21-17 overall and will have to wait for today’s results to see if they get a spot in the playoffs.
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BOMBS AWAY—East Los Angeles College sophomore catcher Destiny Avena swings at a Pasadena City College pitcher on Monday’s 2-1 loss at Robinson Park.
Upcoming games
Baseball and softball East Los Angeles College will host a pep rally for both Baseball and softball today from noon to 1 p.m. at the E3 quad.
BY SUSAN LORENZANA Staff Writer East Los Angeles College athletic trainer Diane Stankevitz earned her Doctorate degree in athletic training from the University of Idaho, last year. Stankevitz received her Bachelor’s Degree in physiological science from the University of California, Los Angeles and her Master’s Degree in kinesiology from California State University, Long Beach. Stankevitz said that she could not pass the opportunity to receive her doctorate in two years. She went to a two-year hybrid program that required attendence during the summer. Stankevitz takes care of the injuries, participation physicals, and rehabilitation for athletes. “I’m a Kings fan. I saw someone get hurt from the Kings twenty something years ago and somebody came out to help them and I was like,”Hey, that’s what I want to do,” said Stankevitz. Stankevitz sent emails to the Los Angeles Kings athletic trainer. She got to meet the head athletic trainer at the time, watch the Kings games and that’s what pushed her to become an athletic trainer. When meeting with the athletic trainer, she was already in college and she still didn’t know what she wanted to do. “One of the reasons why I went to school to get my doctorate was for the exact same reason I asked you if you know what an athletic trainer was,” Stankevitz said. She said that throughout her career people don’t really understand what athletic trainers do, so athletic trainers get treated like they are the waterboy or watergirl. Athletic trainers are medical professionals and they perform medical treatment.
Badminton East Los Angeles College Badminton plays today as it visits Compton College in a doubleheader match that was postponed on March 30 at 3 p.m.
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Stankevitz said that at ELAC there are people that don’t know what athletic trainers do. Stankevitz said that her job is important because without an athletic trainer schools can’t have sports on campus present because they are the medical team. “For instance let’s just say I got sick, Dr. Lopez got sick and there was nobody here to work a football game. President Martinez couldn’t come and supervise the game because he’s not a medical professional,” Stankevitz said. Stankevitz stressed that athletic trainers are the ones who provide
Diane Stankevitz health care and patient care and people must let them do that. “I blame the profession. We are just misnamed,” Stankevitz said. Athletic trainers are not people who train athletes. Stankevitz is a strength and conditioning specialist and an emergency medical technician. She isn’t a paid emergency medical technician, but she is certified and gets recertified every two years. “Athletic trainers do more than EMT’s. If ever there is an incident I am required to stop and make sure that everybody is OK and ask if anybody needs help,” Stankevitz said. For the full version got to elaccampusnews.com.
Track and Field Track and Field competitors will compete in the South Coast Conference finals on Friday all day with the location still to be announced.