Volume 79, Issue 2 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, March 2, 2022 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Former ELAC dean fired after felony charge BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer
Dismissed East Los Angeles College Dean Paul De La Cerda, who is accused of felony embezzlement while working at ELAC, is now dismissed from Cabrillo College. De La Cerda was Vice President of Instruction at Cabrillo College before his dismissal. The governing board for Cabrillo College decided to no longer employ De La Cerda at its Feb. 7 meeting. On Feb. 17 the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office offered his defense team a resolution to his pending felony case. De La Cerda is accused of two counts of embezzlement by the district attorney’s office. The offenses occurred while he was dean at the ELAC Foundation. De La Cerda was under investigation by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s fraud and cyber crimes division. He was dismissed from the Los Angeles Community College District in March of last year. De La Cerda was hired at Cabrillo College after his dismissal from the LACCD. He was charged on Dec. 9 by the District Attorney’s office. De La Cerda’s defense attorney
appeared online for the hearing at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Downtown Los Angeles Feb. 17. Judge Kerry L. White set the preliminary hearing date for April 11. Matthew Wetstein, President of Cabrillo College, said De La Cerda will remain on leave until his contract expires at the end of June. He said the board acted on his recommendation to no longer employ De La Cerda. He said that was all he could comment on. “This is a personnel matter. I cannot provide any other comments,” Wetstein said. He said De La Cerda left the LACCD to take a position at Cabrillo College. De La Cerda was dismissed from the LACCD in March of last year. In a previous interview with Campus News, Wetstein said he and the board at Cabrillo College knew of De La Cerda’s situation. “The circumstances of Paul’s departure from East Los Angeles College were known to me and our board of trustees,” Wetstein said. Steve Trujillo said the governing board at Cabrillo College only hires for the position of college president. Trujillo, the board trustee from area seven which covers Monterey County, said the board does no other hiring. Trujillo said he abstained
from voting when the board voted on not offering further employment to De La Cerda. “I was the only trustee to do so. I felt I did not have enough info to make a decision,” Trujillo said. Deputy District Attorney Casey Higgins said De La Cerda was offered to resolve his case, but could not give the specifics of the offer. He said there is typically a back-andforth when it comes to accepting an offer like this and that offers don’t typically come with a set time for the defense to accept them. Higgins said some people will want to take responsibility, others use the time from when an offer is made to review evidence that is disclosed through discovery. He said there are many factors as to why an offer from the district attorney’s office is made. “An offer typically involves a consideration of the defendant’s criminal history or lack thereof. Whether the crime involved violence, involved a vulnerable victim, [or] involved a substantial loss. [Also taken into consideration is] the defendant’s likelihood of reoffending, the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility, the gravamen of the offense, and mitigation (if any),” Higgins said.
CN/ JUAN CALVILLO
JUSTICE—Paul De La Cerda did not appear at the Los Angeles Superior Court Clara Shortridge Foltz Courthouse for the date setting at his preliminary trial date. Date was set for April 11.
Mask mandates still enforced at LACCD BY BEATRIZ GARAY Staff Writer
Inter-Club had their monthly meeting, discussing various items between clubs and regarding events to be held on campus on Feb 25. Associated Student Union discussed the mask mandates for the Los Angeles Community College District. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a notice that businesses can ask for proof of vaccination in order to be without a mask. Even though the mask mandate was lifted for Los Angeles County, it doesn’t apply to LACCD. They
also discussed a few events that will be occuring in the next few days at East Los Angeles College and their South Gate campus. The ICC team will in each meeting if they will continue to hold their meetings hybridly or in person. The ASU executive vice president, Alondra Pacheco, about the East Los Angeles College ASU instagram page which is elac.asu. The ASU team posts information regarding events and plans for students on campus and online. Scholarships, dates and times to events, can also be found on their Instagram page. The due date is March 20 at 11:59p.m. This scholarship is for ASU members. Two elections coming up at
ELAC. One is for District Student Trustee and the other one for local government for next year’s race. Applications for District Student Trustee are now available and are due on March 15. Elections will begin on April 26. Applications for local government are also available and can be found on the ASU and Student activities webpages. Students can also ask for forms via email at studentact@elac.edu. All people of Los Angeles community colleges are still required to wear masks at all times. . The LACCD website has constant updates regarding COVID19 and mask mandates. A safe student travel ban been made against discrimination laws.
Clubs who want to travel are to submit permission a month and a half to two months in advance. It needs be placed on the district board agenda to be reviewed so they won’t break any AB-887 laws. It is due to several states having effective laws of discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, same sex couples, and same sex families, these states can athourize the discrimination. AB-887 was passed in 2011 aimed to protect and recognize gender expression and identity as protected classes of citizens. There are some exemptions but after 2017 none of them are valid for clubs. The district says if individuals go, they might be
prosecuted and there won’t be much Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. The ICC team is still in discussion help. for dates to host the The district Husky Bowl. The won’t be giving Husky Bowl is an funds if someone annual competition were to get the clubs. prosecuted, and Even though the between Those clubs who this also goes for register to join the employees. mask mandate ompetition will The travel was liftes for Los ccompete in games and ban states are: Alabama, Florida, Angeles County, win prizes. There will be Arkansa, Idaho, it doesn’t apply physical and mental Iowa, Kansas, challenges. This will Kentucky, to the LACCD . be an in-person event. Mississippi, There will be food and Montana, North and South drinks provided. Carolina, North ASU is planning and South Dakota, a series of movie Ohio, Oklahoma, events. Four of these movie events will be held at the Monterey Park campus and one at the Southgate campus. The Monterey Park campus dates are March 16, April 6, April 27, and May 11. The date for the South Gate campus event is still being decided. The event at Monterey Park will be held in the multipurpose room FI-201, March 16 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The other three date times will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The first 50 people to attend will receive a treat from ASU. ELAC will be hosting its first ever Pop-Up Career Closet. Starting on March 1, and all through the month of March, the Sociology Club will collect clothes and items for this event. They will collect women’s dresses, shoes, men’s shirts, slack pants, and anything else people are willing to donate. This event is to prepare students at ELAC by providing needed materials for job interviews or to look professional. The clothes drive is about collecting needed items and preparing the Sociology Club for their official launch of a Career Closet Pop-Up. The Sociology Club plans on this event happening in future semesters and asks for other clubs will extend their support by letting others know of the event and if they can donate clothes and items to the drive. CN/ ADONIA BURCIAGA
News Briefs
Spring 2022 Club Rush
ASU will hold Virtual Club Rush on March 3 at 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Zoom meeting ID is 918 4699 0828.
One Zone Mixer
One Zone is hosting a virtual mixer on March 9 at noon. To r egister in advance for this meeting go to https://bit.ly/OneZoneMixer
CAP Day
ELAC Guided Pathways will have an event for students to learn about career and academic pathways. To attend join zoom meeting ID 996 8066 0888.
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NEWS
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2022
MESA gives instruction for student internships BY EDUARDO SANCHEZ Staff Writer The Math Engineering Science Achievement program hosted a livestream on Monday to present a guide students can use when applying for internships. Along with an explanation of what is needed when applying for internships, tips were given to make sure students can be more prepared to submit their application. The meeting was hosted by MESA member, Elizabeth Reyna. The layout was created for Science Technology Engineering and Math related internships, but he information can be used to prepare for other types of internships. Tips were shared to make sure you qualify for the internship before setting out to do the work it comes with. If rejected, it is best to continue searching until you find an internship that you do qualify for. It is important to check deadlines so you can start early and can plan to pace yourself. It is helpful to already have the materials required organized, so you can update them for future use. One of the first documents often asked for when applying is a resume or curriculum vitae. Usually, only one of either is needed for submission. A resume consists of a person’s relevant experience whether it be paid or unpaid. Awards and other previous research internships can be included as well. Meanwhile, a CV is more academically related and consists of previous presentations and publications. They must be formatted in chronological order.
Education and awards can also be included. Both a cover letter and a statement of intent are “essentially a piece of writing where you’re saying why you want the position, why you’re qualified for it, what you bring to the table,” Reyna said. Cover letters are used to introduce yourself and can include how you heard about the internship as well as your own personal information. Meanwhile, a statement of intent is not as freeing. Here you are being asked specific questions by the company. Often they ask you to write about what subjects you are interested in researching and possibly what your research question is. The next item on the checklist was the essay prompt. Frequently used prompts ask students to write about their education barriers, background history, career goals, and to discuss research or ask for a student’s interest in specific projects. A few tips given for writing essays were to reread the prompt in order to make sure everything asked is answered. “It’s important that the first presentation you have on paper– They don’t know you but will get to know you on paper first before anything else, that you give them a document you’ve edited and proofread,” Reyna said. Even optional questions should be answered, as it shows you are putting in the effort. This is often viewed when choosing candidates. Making sure the paper is in the correct format, often PDF is just as important. References and letters of recommendation were the next topic.
”You want somebody that can really vouch for you, that can talk about your abilities with academics in that particular major or field,” Reyna said. Academic advisors and tutors or supervisors are also recommended. The importance of asking for references early was important. Six weeks or a month is a good time frame to give your reference a good amount of time to write your recommendation. At the very least, two to three weeks should be provided. It is also important to provide them with documents such as a copy of your letter of intent to further assist them write. A tip given was to have a back up in mind in case the first is unable to complete the letter. After they
write it, it is important to thank them and keep them updated with the progress of your internship. MESA stem coaches and East Los Angeles College career and student services can look over your application and give feedback. It is very important to have someone give you feedback before submitting an application. Getting feedback from a fellow studentis better than none at all. Internships can be found in various ELAC related services from the MESA newsletter to the ELAC career and job services center. Professional networking can be a good place as well, from other classmates and even professors. Internet searches are also a great source.
Networking is important as you can find someone already in the program and ask them for their experience. It is important that once you have submitted, you check your emails for any possible follow up requirements. You can also use this time to prepare for interviews and to give thanks for your letter of recommendation if one was given. MESA is a program on campus that helps educationally and financially disadvantaged students to transfer to four year universities. This presentation was just one of the various helpful resources they provide. You can reach Elizabeth Reyna at reynae@laccd.edu.
OPINION EDITORS Luis Diaz Eduardo Sanchez NEWS EDITOR Breanna Fierro FEATURE EDITOR Alma Lizarraga ARTS EDITOR Gabriela Gutierrez
WHERE TO SEARCH—The Math Engineering Science Achievement slideshow gives instructions needed when applying for internships.
Staff Writer
ELAC Umoja Program introduces mental health short films East Los Angeles College’s Umoja Program partnered with Art With Impact to guide students about how mental health should be discussed during Black History month. Marlene Padron asked attendees to introduce themselves and explain What does self-care looks like for each person these days. Padron said mental health and its affects on those people are handled differently in different communities. Communities deal with the topic in their manor. Even media portrays it in their own way. Three short movies were shown during the meeting about mental health. Each film encouraged an open conversation about mental illness and the stigma around it. Throughout the meeting, Padron said attendees could leave the meeting to gain their bearings. Stepping out for a short while was alright and she said that there were Mental Health Support people in the chat who were willing to talk and listen to those affected. The first film, “The Blind Stigma,” by filmmaker Stacy-Ann Buchanan, is a short documentary featuring various people in the African-American community who struggle with mental health. The stigma on mental health results in the withdrawal of individuals actively looking for help and support. This happens until they realize that their struggles were
bigger than the stigma. The second film, “Still We Thrive,” directed by Campbell X, illustrates the history of AfricanAmerican culture. The flim takes the audience through the trading of Black slaves, to the times of segregation Jim Crow laws and up to the protests of the 21st Century. Tied into the film is the history of mental health and illness in AfricanAmerican culture. As the title suggests, the film focused on how the community has risen through its struggles and resilience to thrive. It did so even after several attempts were made to slander the Black community with false stereotypes. The final film, “Esther and Sai,” directed by Rosie Choo daughter of Sai Choo, and Anaisa Visser, depicted two women who find themselves facing the same struggles. Both are immigrants, Esther from Nigeria and Sai from China, who are constantly racially profiled. They find comfort and support in each other when they find they share their struggles and a class in university. After every short film, Padron encouraged attendees to participate in voluntary activities. The activities included controlled breathing, a body scan—a short break that had participants become aware of their own bodies and the sensations they felt. The attendees could answer polls that focused on how they were feeling. The polls also focused on feelings the short films brought outof those watching. With the first half of the meeting
ONLINE EDITOR Raymond Nava
FRONT EDITORS Erica Cortez Adonia Burciaga
BY TERESA ACOSTA
Staff Writer
MANAGING EDITORS Zasha Hayes Daniella Molina
ART DIRECTOR Steven Adamo
Food Pantry funding becomes main topic at ASU meeting BY ZASHA HAYES
CO-EDITORS IN CHIEF Annette Quijada Brenda De La Cruz
finished, Padron introduced the panelists. ELAC student Rachel Ballard, 39, said how difficult it had been growing up because of her depression. Ballard wanted the participants to understand the importantance of self-care. “I wouldn’t be where I am right now without finding the proper support,” Ballard said. After Ballard, Jessica Olivas, a coordinator at ELACs Student Health Center, said how it was important to take advantage of the Student Health Center. She gave information on where to find help and how to get it. The last panelist, Ann Marie Smith, a volunteer at National Alliance on Mental Health, NAMI, told the participants how much NAMI had helped with her mental health experience. She said that the support groups in NAMI have assisted her in her times of need. An open-ended Q&A lead to further information on where to find help and services for those experiencing mental health struggles. ELAC’s Student Health Center can be found at http://bit.ly/elachealth-center. The information for National Alliance for Health for San Gabriel Valley can be found at https://namisangabrielvalley.org and mental health resources can be found at http://bit.ly/sgv-mhresources. Suicide prevention hotline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
The Associated Student Union board approveda reduction of funds for the food pantry February 24. Executive Vice President Alondra Pacheco encouraged the board to deny the funding, saying there is currently enough supplies to meet demands. She reminded the board that they needed to take into consideration the dwindling budget, and that if more supplies are needed in the future they should submit a petition for more funds at that time. Vice President of Advocacy, Steven Gallegos, clarified that this additional funding has already been approved by BAC and should move forward. Vice President of South Gate, Evelyn Romero, confirmed that they currently have supplies, but late start classes in April may increase demand. The vote resulted in a passing of the proposal by a 4-3 vote. Secretary Luis Beade petitioned the board to re-entertain the passing of the food pantry proposal. His yes vote allowed for his petition to succeed. He now believed that $5,000 was too much and he moved to reduce the amount to $3,000. Pacheco again appealed to the board to deny the motion, restating the lack of need for more funds at this time. Gallegos advocated for the passing of the new reduced amount citing the need to support the wellbeing of ELAC students. The board approved the reduction of funds from $5,000 to $3,000, and then later passed the new amended proposal with a 5-2 vote. Funding for new maintenance supplies, community funding of movie nights for both campus locations, filling of vacant positions on the board and senator stipends were also decided on. During the public forum section
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of the meeting Jenn Galinato, a representative from the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, spoke about the openings available in the SSCCC. She said that East Los Angeles College is not currently represented in the senate. She stressed the importance of having a representative on the senate to provide a voice and advocacy during decision making votes that may affect ELAC. Senator Wenjin Zhao resigned from her senator position, and later applied for the Vice Presidency of Public Relations position. She was approved for the position. Jaime De Haro, a communications major, who was previously a senator during the fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021, applied for a senator position, and was approved. After receiving approval from the Budgetary Associate Committee, the union needed to approve funds in the amount of $5,000 for the food pantry. The food pantry works to support students with basic food and beverage options to get them through the day and is available at both campuses. Inter-board funding was requested in the amount of $550 to purchase maintenance supplies, cleaning and disinfecting products, Scotch Tape and a cord protector. This was unanimously approved by the board. An ASU funded movie night was proposed, requesting $1050 in funds. VPA Gallegos moved to amend the wording of the petition to add a movie event at the South Gate campus. The item with the new amendment was passed. In order for senators to receive stipend the board has to vote. The board unanimously voted yes to approve senator stipends. The Advocacy Committee will hold a voter-registration event Tuesday during club rush. The next ASU meeting will be held March 11 at 1 p.m.
SPORTS EDITORS Miguel Dominguez Nick Tercero SOCIAL MEDIA Teresa Acosta COPY EDITORS Luis Castilla Juan Calvillo CARTOONIST Max Miranda STAFF WRITER Jonathan Bermudez Leonardo Cervantez Beatriz Garay ADVISERS Jean Stapleton
Campus News encourages letters to the editor relating to campus issues. Letters must be typed and double spaced. Submitted material becomes the property 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. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers 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 The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, offered 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
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, March 2, 2022
Student in army reserves chronicles her story BY JONATHAN BERMUDEZ Staff Writer Josselin Badilla is an East Los Angeles College student who joined the U.S. Army reserves officially on Feb. 2. Since she was a child, she always wanted to join the army. She was in the Junior Reserve Officer Corp in high school and Reserve Officer Corp at the University
of California, Santa Barbara. When Badilla went to UCSB, she said she felt like a minority. She said it was the ROTC where she gained a sense of belonging. She had to drop out of UCSB because tuition became too expensive, and being the first in her family to become a college student, she had no financial support. She didn’t want to stop going to college so she looked into the community colleges around
her and ELAC caught her eye. S h e e n r o l l e d i n Wi n t e r classes and joined the reserves. She remembers approaching them and asking to join. They told her about the opportunities that come with joining the reserves like free tuition and bonuses to incomes when she finds a job. She signed a six-year contract with the Army Reserves. The contract allows her to go to school and pursue a career while serving her country, which she is proud to do. She chose to join the airborne division and is learning how to become a parachute rigger. Badilla said,“I wanted to try something out of my comfort zone and because jumping out of planes is something I’ve never done, I felt like it would be a fun and unique experience since I am still young and would be able to do that.” While she trains, she is attending ELAC and majoring in nursing. Her goal is to become a military nurse practitioner. “I’ve always had a passion for medicine, and as a military nurse I
get to help others while I still am able to travel around the world, doing a job I will enjoy,” Badilla said. While getting to go to school is great for her career, Badilla wants to use the military t o t a k e c a r e o f h e r f a m i l y. She wants to be able to buy her mom a house and provide citizenship for her stepmom. She is the oldest of three siblings and wants to be a role-model for them. She doesn’t want them to not go anywhere in life. She wants them to take all the opportunities they can. “I don’t want my siblings to settle for less,” she said. She said her decisions have inspired her 17-year old sister to consider joining the reserves for aid in her career. Badilla said that with everything happening in Ukraine, her sister became reluctant. Badilla admits to being afraid to tell her mom that she joined because she doesn’t want her to worry about her getting hurt when she has to deploy. Badilla isn’t afraid and is willing to die for her country as long as it means she protects the ones she loves.
Features
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Since she was a child, she always wanted to join the army.
COURTESY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY
COURTESY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
DOCUMENTED—Cover page for the Fall 2020 journal that preserved the work of students through their essays.
Journals used Club rush comes to ELAC to preserve past essays
IN SERVICE—ELAC student Josselin Badilla has enlisted in the United States Army.
BY DANIELLA MOLINA Staff Writer Los Angeles Community College District students can showcase their research papers with the ELAC History Circle Journal. The ELAC history department invites all students within the Los Angeles College District to submit their research papers that cover important community issues and more. The idea was introduced to ELAC’s campus by history professor Rafael Mazon. “When I went to Cal State L.A, I had been part of their journal there. What I wanted to do is pass on the opportunity and pass on the experience of being part of that process.” The first journal was published in Fall of 2020. I t w a s dedicated to all the people of 2020, for their losses and their triumphs. O v e r a 16-week period, students choose topics that are important to them on a personal level and local and abroad. The topics range from education, Chicana feminism, international feminism, espionage in the U.S., racial bias, the war on drugs, U.S. diplomatic relations in Latin America and cultural representations of the aristocracy. Juliet Beglaryan provides a personal account that compares the school system in Armenia with education in the U.S. Beglaryan also examines how Russian espionage during the Cold War influenced domestic surveillance in the U.S. Another student writes about the role that Chicana Feminists played in the 1970s. And the effects that it had on political, media and academic discourses in the U.S. Darlene Garcia’s paper takes a deep dive into the structure of racism responses by the U.S. government and media outlets to the crack and opioid epidemics.
Brittany Lizaola contributes to the discussion on international feminism by showing the impact women had through activism during the Civil War in Guatemala. In a special feature Melany Bennett offers a review of the films “War and Peace” and “Dr. Zhivago” that explore the changing roles of the aristocracy. At the end of the 16-week course students felt what it was like to be part of the bigger team and what it felt like to have their work officially published. The History Circle Journal is available in print and online. For print version it can be read in the Social Science Department F7-307 and is available online at https:// researchguides. elac.edu The Journal is open to any student in the LACCD and also to high school students who are interested in taking classes at any of the district’s colleges. “Requirements are that it is at least 10 pages, and we want it to be original research. Original research can mean different things to different people because of different disciplines but you are not just pulling from existing books,” said Mazon. “They [students] can do it. That is the biggest thing. That they can do it and that we try to communicate this is not an intimidating process, this is not a judgmental process because I think that’s the biggest barrier. The biggest thing I see is the hesitation and that is what I am trying to break through,” Mazon said. The Journal is currently expected to be published at the end of each Fall semester. With submission date currently being Oct. 1. Once COVID-19 restrictions lift, the department hopes to have in-person event celebrations for new edition releases. For more information about the History Circle Journal students can email professor Mazon at mazonr@ elac.edu.
The ELAC history department invites all students within the Los Angeles College District to submit their research papers that cover important community issues and more.
CN/ZASHA HAYES
WHAT A RUSH—ELAC mascot, Avalanche (left), with a forensic pathology student posing for a picture during club rush.
CN/ZASHA HAYES
FULL BELLIES—ASU provides free food during club rush
as they pull out the grills.
CN/ZASHA HAYES
ELAC UNITY—ELAC students show unity through
collectively putting their signatures on symbolic beach ball. www.ELACCampusNews.com
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Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022
Leatherface returns in merciless new sequel BY JESUS HERNANDEZ Staff Writer If you like gore and guts this is your film to watch. The legendary killer is back in a direct sequel to the original film “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” The film definitely has 2022 vibes all over. The movie is packed with moments that scream “Really?” The movie includes “Influencers” that want to make a difference. Unknowingly these “Influencers'' are hanging out in Leatherface’s back yard. Leatherface is back and ready to hunt and find his newest human skin mask. This sequel just dropped on Netflix. The film starts off showing how the original massacre has become an infamous murder mystery covered by the orginal movie narrator, John Larroquette. Leatherface played by Mark Burnham was a decent Leatherface. He did a great job with his killings. Without saying too much of how he chose to kill, there was a scene on a bus where he was “Leatherface!” how everyone remembers him to be, gory and nasty. Director David Blue Garcia did really well with keeping the killings how everyone expects them to be: gore and guts. The gore may be a bit much in this film, but they did a fabulous job with it. Fans can praise the director for not making it soft and making it more how a movie like this is supposed to be. One surprising part in this film was the appearance of Sally Hardesty. Sally was played by a different actress in the sequel named Olwen Fouéré. Sally Hardesty was one of the original characters from the 1974
COURTESY OF IMBD
HUNTING SEASON—Leatherface played by Mark Burnham is ready for his next victim. movie. Her character was actually the only survivor in the original film. The plot of the movie really doesn't make sense. Fans of the original movie might feel the same way after watching this film.
Influencers are looking to bring new life into a Texas ghost town decades after the original film. They go in without knowing they were hanging out in the massacre’s back yard. As a fan of the original and the remakes in the early 2000s, this film
needed to bring more story into the character of Leatherface instead of going into the newer characters. This is the ninth film of the Texas chainsaw massacre and all nine films did an amazing job with the killings. Some of the
film's plots might be questionable especially since a few of the films were remakes of the original movie. This new movie, which is out now, should be given a chance and watched because it's Leatherface. Sometimes Hollywood should learn
to stop creating more movies and ruining well known franchises. Leatherface is definitely on the Mount Rushmore of horror movie franchises, so if they keep creating more films focusing on Leatherface people will keep watching.
‘Fistful of Vengeance’ gets brownie points for action, lacks depth BY LEONARDO CERVANTES Staff Writer
COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
MISSING KEY—Drake (Tom Holland) examines an ancient artifact that can lead to treasure gold.
Film brings video game to life, fails to captivate BY TERESA ACOSTA Staff Writer “Uncharted”, based on the video game of the same name, is the cut and paste version of every cliche action movie out there. It has all the elements necessary for suspense inducing thrills, yet it somehow still lacks the right formula. Jumping right into the action the first scene shows an unconscious Nathan Drake, played by Tom Holland, tethered to cargo that is still attached to a plane in mid flight. This is a flash forward into the story that doesn’t reveal the outcome until further into the movie. The spectacular action that opens the movie seems promising, but it just doesn’t ever get to the next level. The story is about an orphan named Drake and his older brother. The brother vanishes after getting caught trying to steal a map that may lead to a legendary treasure. Drake grows up not knowing what happened to his brother but is still connected to him through www.ELACCampusNews.com
postcards Drake receives over the years. He is later approached by Mark Wahlberg’s character, the treasurehunting Sully, looking for help finding the treasure.
Holland, however, adds a bit more depth to his acting in this role. In some of the more serious scenes, the audience vicariously feels his heartbreak and angusih.
No one is to be trusted and everyone seems to be out for themselves. The acting from Wahlberg is the
usual role he plays of a tough guy who cracks jokes. He plays the same character he has played in other action/adventure movies. It works, but it’s just nothing special. Holland, however, adds a bit more depth to his acting in this role. In some of the more serious scenes, the audience vicariously feels his heartbreak and anguish. Still, he recycles acting skills from his other movies, playing the clueless, clumsy twenty-somethingtype that he does so well. The most exciting and standout feature of the film is the choreography of the battle scene between all of the treasure seekers. It is everything expected from a high-risk adventure, including explosions, helicopter crashes, hand-to-hand combat and plenty of death-defying stunts. It even drops a teaser at the very end, leaving so many questions unanswered, the mystery of which suggests a sequel is necessary to continue the story.
It's usually best to watch prequels in order to understand the story but Fistful of Vegenace's plot is bland and doesn't require much to understand the storyline. “Fistful of Vengeance” is an action movie and sequel of the series Wu Assassins. The film is a 90-minute action sequence. It doesn't have much depth. Just about every scene contains action and while the fighting styles and scenes are well executed it becomes dull after a while. The stand-out actors include Kai Jin, played by Iko Uwais, Zama Zulu, played by Pearl Thusi, Tommy Wah, played by Lawrence Kao and William Pan, played by Jason Tobin. The opening scene sets a nice mood. It shows the beautiful Bangkok skyscrapers with "In The Air Tonight" by Nonpoint as background music. Jin, Lee and Tommy are in Bangkok seeking revenge for the murder of a friend and are set to fight off against the Chinese Triads. The film has a suspenseful start but sadly this was the strong point of the film as
it quickly goes downhill after this. The movie does work in some laughs in its run-time. One example that is when Lee breaks the fourth wall and compares him and his friend's magic abilities to those of the Avengers. "We are like the Avengers, but Asian," Lee said, as well as a mention of Baby Yoda. The film contains a lot of characters with magic abilities that make the fights interesting. One character is able to stop time and control others' bodies allowing him to interact with anybody even if he isn’t physically in the same room. The fighting style that Jin uses imitates attacking his opponent's chakra points leaving them unable to move. This allows him to deliver a final blow that evaporates his opponents into dust particles. There are a lot of creative fighting styles used with and without magic. Although the film is overdone with action scenes, most if not all are enjoyable. Machetes, axes, metal chains, batons, guns and explosives are among the many items used in the film during fighting scenes. The combination of martial arts and magical abilities makes for the perfect blend of nonstop action. Since the film contains so
many action scenes, expect a lot of blood on screen, especially killings containing knives. There is one intensely gruesome scene that might leave viewers disgusted. A few people are killed and their intestines are across the table filled with blood. One memorable scene involves Jin and his friends being chased around Bangkok. This chase ends in a massive shootout and giant explosion while civilians run to safety. The way the film transitions from fighting on foot, to a vehicle and on a boat is outstanding. The choreography is truly masterful. The film has a lot of nice uptempo beats and music along with some fast rap music like Eminem that fit the scenes well. The build-up to the final act is predictable, but the final battle actually has a nice surprise and expands upon the Wu lore. If viewers want to enjoy some amazing fight sequences, an average storyline, average character development and world-building, this is the perfect movie to watch. Rated TV-MA, the film runs one hour 36 minutes and is available to watch on Netflix
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ASIAN AVENGERS—From left, Tommy Wah, Kai Jin, Zama Zulu and Lu Xin Lee escape a deadly shootout as they make their way to a temple.
Arts
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‘Peacemaker’ packed with fun violence BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer “Peacemaker” on HBOMAX is one of the best comic book series to date, mixing comedy, action and drama all in one hard to beat first season. This series is a spinoff from the 2021 action comedy “The Suicide Squad” which told the story of a group of super villains who save the world. “Peacemaker” is eight episodes of a story that is focused on the titular super villain trying to make up for some of his more sordid past by once again trying to save the world. The series starts sometime after the events of “The Suicide Squad” with Christopher Smith AKA Peacemaker, played by John Cena, being recruited once again by a team under the oversight of Amanda Waller’s secret government group. From there, the team fights crazed kung fu fighters, Ku Klux Klan members and each other, all while trying to stop an imminent end for humanity. There are explosions, comedy bits and of course, tons of over-the-top deaths and vulgarity. All of this makes for a fun first season outing. While Cena is the main character of the series, the rest of the team is made up of a great group. Part of the team is made up by two characters returning from “The Suicide Squad,” Emilia Harcourt, played by Jennifer Holland, and John Economos, played by Steve Agee. Clemson Murn, played by Chukwudi Iwuji, Leota Adebayo, played by Danielle Brooks, and Adrian Chase who is the secret identity of the anti-hero Vigilante, played by Freddie Stroma, round out Peacemaker’s secret team. While the villains of “Peacemaker” are a diverse set of big bads, there is one that needs to be mentioned. Peacemaker’s
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ACTION PACKED—Peacemaker prepares himself for a battle in the factory. The stainless steel helmet is a signature piece of his costume. In this series he has access to multiple versions, each with special abilities. All of them were created by his father. father, Auggie Smith, played by an intimidating and intense Robert Patrick, is the highlight of the bad guys. Smith, who’s super villain name is White Dragon, is the de facto leader of a group made up of white supremacists and KKK members. Both Patrick’s and Cena’s characters get a ton of backstory in
the series. The interaction between the two characters is tense and fraught with a love-hate feeling. There’s also an interesting thread that was not resolved at the end of the season that begs for further exploration. Watching Cena act in this is surprising and quite fulfilling. While he has always been good at
showing his comedic chops, it’s the moments he takes a dramatic turn that are impressive. The character of Peacemaker in “The Suicide Squad” was a bit one-note, but in this series writer director James Gunn really shows the psychology and psycho that inhabit the main character. The big draw of course is the action in this series. There’s tons
of fist fights and shootings. The mix of action with small moments of both drama or comedy are all part of Gunn’s style. A great example is toward the end of a larger fight where Peacemaker decides to use an explosive instead of guns. It’s the reaction of the characters around him that make the moment so very fun.
All eight episodes of the first season of “Peacemaker” are streaming now on HBOMAX. Season two has already been greenlit for filming. “Peacemaker” is rated TV-MA for sex and nudity, violence and gore, profanity, alcohol, drugs and smoking, frightening and intense scenes.
‘Dog’ emphasizes
miltary trauma, anxiety
A road trip begins from Oregan to Arizona. Along the way we see Riggs having a difficult time with Lulu. Lulu isn’t the dog he remembered “Dog,” a heart-felt movie, gives that fought alongside him and his new light onto sensitive topics such friend Riley. as trauma and post traumatic stress. She can be a handful, a menace, Riggs, played by Channing and trouble, but she also has her Tatum, who also co-directed this trauma. film, is a retired Army Ranger. She gets scared at the sound Lulu is a retired Ranger dog that of gunshots, doesn’t like to fly in fought in the war alongside Riggs’ airplanes, gets anxious by staying in friend Riley Rodriguez, who now the car, and doesn’t like the sound suffers from mental trauma herself. of thunder. Lulu, after losing her handler, We also see Riggs is now considered dealing with his PTSD unfit to continue on and trauma from his being a war service brain injury. The film dog. We s e e h i m S h e h a s constantly hearing a illustrates that developed anxiety ringing noise, suffers with time and and sensitivity to from migraines, and almost everything has a seizure episode help, people ranging from all due to his brain going through people to sounds, injury. like gunshots. trauma, PTSD, or After spending She also became time with Lulu, Riggs both can learn extremely violent comes to realize that to the point that to cope with it maybe he isn’t meant she has to wear a go back to the Army. and start making to He muzzle all the time. develops a bond Riggs is trying changes to better with Lulu. to get back into Once he gets back to military duty, but their lives. Oregan, he finds that due to having he can’t leave Lulu a brain injury, it behind. has left him unfit He tries to drive to continue as an away, but stops and Army Ranger. takes Lulu back with him and starts Riggs tries to convince his highera change in his life. ups to let him back into the military, He joins PTSD and trauma groups but it doesn’t seem to work. with fellow veterans and reconnects Soon after, he gets a phone call with his family. from his officer to meet at a military Seeing this in the film makes it base to discuss an opportunity to surreal for someone who has served join the Army again. in the Army going through the same His higher up cuts him a deal. situation. If he drives Lulu down to Arizona The injuries, the trauma, and to her handler’s funeral and brings everything else can be triggering. her back to get put down, he will The film illustrates that with time make the call to let him join the and help, people going through military again. trauma, PTSD, or both can learn Riggs agrees to drive Lulu to to cope with it and start making Arizona as long as the phone call changes to better their lives. from his higher ups gets made.
BY BEATRIZ GARAY Staff Writer
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REMINISCING—Kanye and his mother Donda taking a moment to think about their old home and how Donda would struggle to make ends meet.
‘Jeen-yuhs’ reveals Kanye’s early struggle BY ADONIA BURCIAGA Staff Writer Kanye West’s new series on Netflix shares the struggle of West trying to go from a well-known producer to a well-known rapper. The first episode of the documentary is very motivational, it shows just how far West has come as an artist and a producer. This documentary was directed by West’s best friend Clarence Simmons Jr. credited in the movie as Coodie. “You might say you miss the old Kanye. Well, I first put the camera on him back in 1998 when he was just an up-and-coming producer. I had no idea that this short interview would be the beginning of a brotherhood that would last for more than 20 years,” Simmons said. Coodie does a good job as a director. The story of West’s life comes off very dramatic, which can
be a bit aggravating. One example that clip to show how far he has is from the previous quote about come as a rapper, producer, and missing the old Kanye. He uses a creative individual. spotlight on West’s face and has After, that Simmons showed a sunrise music to add dramatic fast-paced glimpse of West’s life effect. focused only on what the media Simmons Jr. sets aside his showed in the hopes that people ambitions to can really see how direct Kanye’s h a r d We s t h a s life with hopes worked to be that he’d grown The first episode of the where he is today. into huge fame. The music in documentary was very the first episode Simmons d i d a g r e a t motivational, it showed really set the tone job narrating for each particular just how far West has part of the show. the start of Kanye’s career. The fast-paced come as an artist and a glimpses The insight of West’s producer. he shares life set to the music showed that sounds chaotic and he knew West fast which shows was driven to how his life is. success. Simmons said Simmons he started working starts off the first episode with West for a TV show which covered rapping in 2020 and two people just rappers who were just starting, admiring his talent. Simmons uses including West.
Simmons’ narration focused on putting West in a positive light to make the audience develop sympathy for West as no one saw how talented he really was. Simmons said Kanye’s mom was rooting for him no matter what. Simmons had people react to a song that West not only produced, but also performed. He recorded the reaction of two different people to the music. People had only seen him as a producer and not a rapper. This series is definitely for viewers who feel like they need motivation. The series shows that no one will believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself. West’s documentary series will release episodes weekly. Each episode will cover different times in West’s life. The moments will include events that changed his life such as his mother’s passing, his car crash, and his first big break producing for Jay-Z.
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Sports
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022
BUTTERFINGERS—Husky third baseman, Lily Stell can’t get the out as El Camino runner, Haile Toress, is called safe.
Back-to-Back losses for the Huskies BY MIGUEL DOMINGUEZ Staff Writer The Husky softball team lost against El Camino College 10-2. This is the second straight loss for the Huskies. The Huskies defense played a huge factor in their loss against El Camino; eight errors were made in the game. El Camino pitcher Clarissa Lockett pitched a complete game recording two strikeouts, two walks, five hits, and allowing two earned runs in seven innings.
It was a scoreless first inning for both teams, until El Camino scored the first run in the second. El Camino right fielder Leah Madden got a single to start off the inning. She then stole second and third base. Madden scored on an error by third baseman Lily Stell. El Camino led 1-0. The Huskies scored in the second inning on a single by Eliza Flores driving in Arianna Cobain to tie the game. In the same inning, Husky batter Nathalie Cordava grounded out to
third and scored in Dani Varela to take the lead 2-1. The next inning, El Camino got two singles and had a runner reach first base on an error from second baseman Irene Dorado. With the bases loaded and two outs, El Camino’s Jamelah Lewis hit a grounder to Huskies’ shortstop Eliza Flores who was unable to get the out at first. This allowed El Camino two runs to take the lead 3-2. El Camino added another run in the same inning. With Lewis at first and a runner on third, Lewis attempted to steal second base.
Lewis was caught, but not before the runner on third scored the third run in the inning. El Camino took the lead 4-2. In the fourth inning, starting pitcher Serena Lopez would be replaced by Chasity Martinez. Martinez had two scoreless innings. In the sixth inning the Huskies defense struggled to get the outs. Lewis started the inning with a double to center field and scored a run after El Camino hitter Sarah Leyba drove in the run on a single to centerfield. El Camino led 5-2. An error by
the Huskies allowed El Camino to score and extend their lead 6-2. El Camino shortstop Kayla Inzunza drove three more runs after hitting a three-run homer to left field and extended their lead 9-2. With the huge lead, Locket finished the game for El Camino getting six straight outs. El Camino scored the last run in the seventh inning and ended the game with a score of 10-2. The Huskies started off with the errors in the second inning and it continued through the end of the game. The Huskies had eight errors in
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EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
the game. El Camino had no errors. The Huskies finished off with five hits. Two of the five hits came from first baseman Priscilla Hernandez. The Huskies left five runners on base. Lockett had four 1-2-3 innings and only struggled in the second inning. The inning was the only one where runs were scored for the Huskies. The Huskies have six wins and seven losses in the season and have two wins and three loses in their conference. The Huskies will face LA Mission College tomorrow. Game starts at 6.
Huskies make it 14 wins in a row BY MIGUEL DOMINGUEZ Staff Writer The Husky men’s basketball team won their 14th game in a row, beating Pasadena City College 10947. The Huskies are now 22-4 on the season. The Huskies remain undefeated in the conference 7-0. The Huskies are also undefeated at home with seven wins. Cory Colfield and Bryan PennJohnson led the Huskies with 21 points each. Colfield made seven of ten from the field and seven of eight from the free-throw line. Penn-Johnson made 10 of 12 from the field. Most of Penn-Johnson’s points came in the second half. The Huskies outscored Pasadena College in the first half of the game with a score of 57-21. The Huskies made 22 of 39 points from the field in the first half. From the three-point range, the Huskies made six of 12. The Huskies made seven of 10 freethrows. Cory Cofield led the first half with 16 points shooting five of
six from the field. Colfield had the most points in the half with 16. It was the Penn-Johnson show in the second half. Penn-Johnson played a few minutes in the first half, but took over the second half of the game. Penn-Johnson used his size against Pasadena, dunking on the defense and energizing the crowd. The Huskies bench got on their feet a few times reacting to his dunks. Penn-Johnson finished the second half with 17 points for the Huskies Pasadena was hard pressed to compete against the Huskies. The Huskies led the game both offensively and defensively throughout the entire time. Pasadena was shooting 65% from the free-throw line making 13 of 20. The Huskies shot 61% from the free-throw line making 11 of 18. Offensively, the Huskies had wide open shots and used their size to take over in the paint. The Huskies shot 52% from the three-point line making 10 of 19 and shot 58% from the field making 44 of 75.
The Huskies’ defense pressured Pasadena’s offense the entire game. The Huskies forced Pasadena to use their entire shot clock throughout the game. This forced Pasadena to take shots and lose the ball. The Huskies took advantage of Pasadena’s turnovers, turning them into 2 on 1 fastbreak points. Pasadena had 20 turnovers. 15 came in the first half. The Huskies scored 28 points off turnovers. Most of the points came from the paint with a total of 64 points for the Huskies. The Huskies had the tallest players in the game and out-rebounded Pasadena. The Huskies had a total of 53 rebounds. 18 offensive rebounds and 35 defensive rebounds. The Huskies had a total of 12 steals and six blocks in the game. The Huskies made 21 secondchance points. The Huskies start the playoffs tomorrow and will host Cerritos College. The game starts at 7 p.m.
Huskies going on three-game win streak BY MIGUEL DOMINGUEZ Staff Writer The Husky Women’s basketball team win their third straight game against Pasadena City College winning 69-59. The Huskies are 18-6 in the season. The Huskies are 6-1 in the conference and are 5-2 at home this season. Destyni Heard led the team with 15 points in the game. She had five rebounds and six assists in the game. Aliya Contreras had a season high with 13 points in the game. Delilah Kimble Gray had three points but led the team in assists with nine. The Huskies were down the first quarter with a score of 12-13. The Huskies missed a lot of second-chance points causing them to trail Pasadena. The Huskies turned it around in the second quarter. In the first quarter, Sydney
Patterson had the most points for the Huskies with eight points. The Huskies made five of the 25 shots from the field in the first quarter. The team improved in the second quarter making 10 of 20 from the field. The Huskies had only three turnovers in the second quarter after giving up seven turnovers in the first quarter. The Huskies outscored Pasadena in the second quarter with 25 points for the Huskies and Pasadena with 12 points. The Huskies led Pasadena at the half 37-25. In the third quarter, Contreras and Heard scored a combined 13 points. Sydney Patterson scored two points for the Huskies. The Huskies had the most points in the quarter with 15 points. The Huskies led the third quarter 52-37. Lupe Vasquez had the only points in the quarter for Pasadena with 12. She made four of 11 from the field and made one out of five from the three-point line.
Pasadena had only five players active for the game, as the rest of the team were on the injured list. The Huskies bench would play the majority of the fourth quarter. By the fourth quarter the whole team had scored points in the game. Pasadena outscored the Huskies in the final quarter 22-17. The Huskies would win the game 69-59. The Huskies started slow, but once they took the lead they seemed confident in their game and played good defense. Contreras had five steals in the game. Four of them came in the first half, two in each quarter. The Huskies forced 21 turnovers and made 27 points. The Huskies made 10 fastbreak points. Pasadena had no fastbreak points. Pasadena had the most second-chance points with 28 and the Huskies only had 13 secondchance points. The Huskies will host Ventura College to start the playoffs tomorrow. The game starts at 5 p.m.
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EASY LAYUP—#25 Idrissa Sow is unguarded as he attempts the layup.
H U S K Y
B A S E B A L L
March Schedule
Thursday March 3 at Cerritos
Saturday March 19 at Pasadena City
Saturday March 5 vs Cerritos
Tuesday March 22 at Compton
Tuesday March 8 at LA Harbor
Thursday March 24 vs Compton
Thursday March 10 vs LA Harbor
Saturday March 26 at Compton
Saturday March 12 at LA Harbor
Tuesday March 29 vs El Camino
Tuesday March 15 at Pasadena City
Thursday March 31 at El Camino
Thursday March 17 vs Pasadena City
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