Volume 78, Issue 21 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, May 4, 2022 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Mental health services are top priority BY JESUS HERNANDEZ Staff Writer Supporting and taking care of students with mental health issues is one of East Los Angeles College’s top goals. O n M o n d a y, t h e E L A C Student Health Center held a Zoom meeting regarding behavior health and mental health awareness. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and there are services the college offers to students. Behavioral Health Coordinator Maricela Madrigal presented and talked about some important factors that lead to the mental health issues college students may have. What can be done and the resources ELAC has to offer. ELAC has many resources available for free with the paid student health fee. Some of those services are first-aid care, treatment of minor illnesses, physical exams, emergency birth control, tampons and pads, pregnancy tests, women’s health, LGBTQ+ services, condoms, flu shots, COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, blood pressure screening and more. Additional services not
included with the paid student health fee include dental care, podiatry, pharmacy and prescriptions, case management, pediatrics, hepatitis-C testing and treatment. Common ELAC medical services are sport physicals, family planning services, TB shots for work or study, common colds and immunizations in general. Call the student health center or you can walk in. The front desk will contact and confirm with the fiscal office of the paid student health fee. An intake assessment is the initial session with the student for the therapist to gather information and obtain clear focus on the stress or students’ need for support. ELAC also offers short term treatment help which is a brief intervention of six individual therapy sessions that are 30-35 minutes long. When those sessions are completed, students can enroll in a group session where they will be placed in a group of other students that are experiencing some of the same symptoms and similar situations. These six sessions are per semester. “When it comes to our college
students, we are looking at eight out of 10 that deal with stress on a frequent basis,” said Madrigal. For 80% of students, some of that stress comes from financial issues, debt, lack of sleep, time pressures, lack of family support, work-related stress and medical conditions. Madrigal said the American College Health Association conducted an assessment in 2019 on 68,000 students, and they identified different factors that affected their academic performance. The factors included anxiety, sleep difficulties, depression and stress. Out of those 68,000 students, 27% reported anxiety, 34% said it was stress, 20% said it was depression and 22% said it was sleep difficulties. Madrigal said it’s important at ELAC help out because of the surrounding communities. She said they are aware of some of the challenges surrounding the college. The Student Health Center is there for every student at ELAC and offers many great services. For more information students can call them at 323-265-8651 or you can email them at shc@ elac.edu
CN/TERESA ACOSTA
FREE SPEECH, BUT IT’LL COST YOU—Professor Ken Chairprasert and professor Rog-
elio Garcia tell students that their speech may be protected from criminal prosecution, but it doesn’t shield them from cancel culture.
Education can save free speech
Knowledge is power when it comes to protecting the future of freedom of speech people the right to express their opinions. Staff Writer Defamation or libel, obscenity Faculty from the Social Science and threats that cause imminent Department on Thursday said lawless action are types of speech education and critical thinking is the that are not protected by the First key to protecting misinformation Amendment. The Supreme Court is tasked from spreading through freedom with applying the language of the of speech. They explained the origin, First Amendment to the challenges definition and current threats to brought forth by the public. Professor of Political Science Ken freedom of speech. Moderator Carlos Ramirez, Chairprasert recalled a case, Iancu professor of history, asked the panel v. Brunetti (2019) in which a T-shirt what freedom of speech means logo with the word “FUCT” was today, and what are the various protected by the First Amendment. Garcia said some of the biggest forms of speech that are protected. Do people resist speaking threats to freedom of speech today are American freely from fear oligarchs buying of retaliation? Is “The government p l a t f o r m s o f ‘cancel culture’ a speech, surveillance threat? is always going and permissive Professor of to try to do access to personal political science Rogelio Garcia something ... the information. When a private said it is the ability danger becomes e n t i t y o w n s a n of an individual influential speech to communicate if people don’t platform freedom of political thoughts push back on speech is susceptible without fear of to their singular persecution or them.” beliefs. prosecution by the Misinformation government. is having a divisive It has evolved from effect on what people the classic verbal ROGELIO GARCIA form of speech and Political Science Professor think freedom of speech is. now also includes The danger is not many different forms the speech itself, but the belief that of expression. The original intent of the First what is being said is true. Professor of political science, Amendment was to protect political freedom of speech from being Kelly Velasquez said critical criminalized. It is there to give thinking and research by individuals
BY TERESA ACOSTA
News Briefs
Showtime
can help spread perspective to others who may not be exposed to factual information. Having conversations and keeping an open dialogue may also help to reduce misinformation. “The more knowledge we have the more equipped we are to be able to tease out all of the misinformation that’s put out there,” said Velasquez. “Knowledge is power and sharing that knowledge within your household is a great place to start challenging the ways that people think,”said Velasquez. Every generation is tasked with defining and protecting freedom of speech, because it is an everevolving idea. There is a responsibility to stay informed and educated because knowledge is a powerful tool against the dangers of silencing and oppression. Cancel culture is not new, but it has become democratized, making it much easier for anyone to do it. Garcia said the government is trying to use cancel culture to silence marginalized groups. One example is the newly signed bill by Gov. Ron DeSantis, banning public school teachers in Florida from holding classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity. “The government is always going to try to do something … the danger becomes if people don’t push back on them,” said Garcia. The oppressors do not want to hear about their oppression, it decreases their power, he said.
The Department of Theater Arts presents “ELACtricity.” Evening shows are at 8 p.m. on Friday and May 13-14. Matinee shows will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and May 14-15.
CN/JUAN CALVILLO
TO YOUR FUTURE—Maria Quintero, political science professor, giving opening remarks to a mixture of high school seniors and ELAC students. She is one of the creators of the 4th Annual Student Success Conference.
Conference focuses on transfers BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer The Fourth Annual Student Success Conference focused on encouraging current and future East Los Angeles College students to prepare to transfer and to present for the details of their scholastic future. The conference had four distinct workshops, each dealing with various aspects of college student life including transferring, college preparation and higher education transition. Maria Quintero, political science professor, said the event gives students a chance to learn about how they can make their college experience a successful one. There was a lot of information and encouragement for student participation for each workshop provided. “The purpose of this event is for students to gain the information that they need to pursue their academic goals and to feel a sense that they are not alone in this journey,” Quintero said. The conference, held at ELAC’s South Gate Educational Center, had two workshops focused on transferring. Transferring has different systems in place that correlate with different four-year-schools. These schools are the California State and University of California college systems. Erica Burgos, a transfer mentor from the Transfer
Husky Bowl
Center, said the idea is to have 60 units in electives and major preparation. She said students have the opportunity to be a part of college summer programs which help prepare transferring students to become acquainted with the college they choose. Burgos said the Transfer Center is offering information for transfer students of their individual situations as well as information on college summer programs, like that of University of California, Irvine’s summer program and the University of California, Los Angeles program. Chely Gonzalez, the program director for the UCLA ELAC Program, said UCLA’s program prior to COVID-19 focused on hosting on campus. Currently, the summer program uses webinars to create a transfer process focused on creating a community. These webinars are broken up into groups for students that are first-generation, undocumented, Science, Technology, Engineering and Math students and many other types. Laura Jurado, transfer mentor at the Transfer Center, said there are a multitude of things to focus on when it comes to financial aid and going to a four-year-college. Sabrina Pan, transfer counselor at the Transfer Center, said there is a difference between the types of loans that students will be offered when they attend college, the difference is centered on interest. Subsidized loans accrue
Clubs will compete to win seed fund money of up to $1000 this Friday in the E3/E7 quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Power shift
interest after a student obtains a Bachelor’s degree. Unsubsidized loans start accruing interest from the time the when the student receives the loan. Jurado said grants are free money for students. She said students with questions on financial aid should make an appointment with the Transfer Center for help with going over how much and what type of monies students get from financial aid. Being an active part of this process is key. Jurado said students should check the type of system their school is using when it comes to financial aid disbursement. Some work on quarters, semester and whole- year funding. When students are deciding whether to accept certain allotments, Jurado said students should always accept their federal work study offers. She said even if students have jobs that pay well, the option to use this type of offer is something not to be dismissed. Due to COVID-19 many of the timelines have undergone changes for a variety of schools, Lisa Gomez, transfer mentor at the Transfer Center, said. She said accepting and rejecting school acceptances depends on when you receive the acceptance letters. Students should keep their eyes on their college’s student portals for important due dates.
CONFERENCE, Cont. on page 3
A panel discussion about how Latinos in California Transformed Politics in Amercia will be held this Thursday in the Multipurpose Room, F5-201 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
OPINION Californians to reject water restrictions 2
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
BY RAYMOND NAVA Staff Writer Asking California residents to cut back on water usage is a request that isn’t going to receive positive reactions. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California called on residents to cut back on their water usage due to a shortage of water this year. Metropolitan called on Southern California residents to cut back on water consumption by 35%, otherwise a full ban on watering would be put into effect by this summer. A main restriction the Metropolitan Water District seeks to implement is on outdoor watering to one day a week starting on June 1. If the restriction doesn’t work, then an all out ban on outdoor watering would be in effect in September. The main problem with this is that it hasn’t been working so far. Being told or given a restriction by the
CN/MAX MIRANDA
government on something as natural as water isn’t going to go over well. Instances of being asked to reduce water usage by doing things such as reducing the time used taking a shower or having a limit put on watering a garden isn’t something that is liked. Calls like this aren’t new for California residents. Rolling
blackouts and calls to reduce electricity use have been made during extreme heat waves in the state. During periods of extreme heat, Californians were asked to lower their consumption of electricity on air conditioning so as to not overload the power grid. Rolling blackouts were also used
in order to cut power consumption. However, the water shortage situation is different. Unlike with the calls for electricity reduction, the water shortage wasn’t a situation that was out of the state’s control. In fact, the issue of water was a topic brought up during last year’s governor recall election. Democratic
WEDNESDAY, MAY 04, 2022
recall candidate Kevin Paffrath proposed building a pipeline from California to the Mississippi river to pump water to the state as a way to tackle the crisis. While his proposal may have seemed advantageous, it was at least a plan. The water crisis has been a long running issue for years in California and it doesn’t appear that the state has spent time trying to tackle the issue. While conserving water in a shortage is important, the state shouldn’t assume the coming restrictions will go over well with residents, nor should they expect easy compliance. The government has had years to tackle this issue. Residents shouldn’t be burdened with the results of inaction, at least not without being compensated in some way. California isn’t new to droughts, so this scenario of a water shortage should have been for seen and with the surplus of the California budget, plans should have been made for a moment like this.
Staff Writer Climate activist Wynn Bruce set himself on fire to protest climate change in front of the Supreme Court building and I completely support his actions. Bruce committed self immolation on Earth Day to protest climate change. I believe what he did was the ultimate act of heroism. He sacrificed himself to bring awareness to a serious issue of the world. Many people will think what he did was foolish, but that is what is needed in the state the world is in right now. People have to go to extreme lengths just to get attention on serious issues. Most of the world is too focused
on other things that they lose focus on pressing matters. It wasn’t that long ago that the war in Ukraine was all over the news. People coming together to show their support by donating money, or even going over there to assist the people of Ukraine. It felt like all of that was forgotten when people started talking about what Will Smith did to Chris Rock at the Oscars. Even now, people are more focused on what is happening with Johnny Depp and Amber heard that Bruce committing self immolation was completely overlooked. I don’t know who to blame, the people or the media. Bruce’s story was covered, but I believe people just don’t want to read about it. I believe it’s due to all of the deaths and crises that have happened this year. African Americans still
face injustice even after all the protests. Women’s rights are being taken away. It’s become too much. The world is starting to look like it’s ending. It has to take some sort of extremity to make a change. We need people like Bruce, people who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good. Of course, if it doesn’t involve hurting others. it’s hard to say if Bruce didn’t cause any pain to others. I’m sure his family is distraught, but I don’t think Bruce hurt them on purpose. He had a goal. He also had love for the world. He saw that it was dying and he wanted to save it. That is what makes Bruce different from other protestors. He did this act out of passion, not anger. That’s what makes all the difference. That’s what makes him a hero.
BY LUIS DIAZ Staff Writer Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has acquired the social media giant Twitter for $44bn. On April 14, Musk had made an offer to buy Twitter for $43bn. After negotiations, the deal went through on April 25. Musk buying Twitter can be something that is in his favor, but not for everyone who is not the app. Freedom of Speech is something that is his top priority, but not in a way people think. Freedom of Speech is something that hasn’t always been there for these giant social media apps. Comments or posts have been censored or taken down as a result of being too offensive. Now that Musk has acquired Twitter, he plans to push for “free speech.” The way he is approaching “free speech” is protecting himself and his companies. Free speech is a right everyone in this nation has, but that’s not the issue. The real issue is that “hate speech” and “attacks” get mixed up by society. Free speech comes with more problems than solutions. By giving access to freedom of speech for everyone on the platform, the “hate www.ELACCampusNews.com
speech” and “attacks” will just get worse on Twitter. Malicious organizations such as terrorist groups or extremists will be able to harm people more than they already do. Twitter is a double edged sword. This platform, if given too much freedom, can really cause some serious damage. Twitter is too dangerous in its current state. Unnecessary comments consisiting of attacks toward certain groups can be found on the platform already. Having too much freedom gives users the ability to ruin someone’s life. Having freedom of speech also comes with misinformation being spread and people actually believing it without having credibility behind it. For instance, Ex-President Donald Trump was spreading false information about winning the second term against President Joe Biden. Many people, especially his supporters, actually fell for it and believed him. Having things like that on the platform isn’t the best thing for Twitter. The right thing to do for Twitter is to implement a system like Facebook’s where “hate speech” is taken down because it affects
everyone around. Nowadays, society has a voice and in recent years, that voice has been heard more. Movements like Me Too, Black Lives Matter and the LGBTQ community have really made people aware that they won’t let themselves be harassed or mistreated, especially not on a platform where 217 million people are active. The change of ownership can be good for Twitter, but can fail when trying to force freedom of speech because it has a negative outcome. Getting rid of bots can be a huge step in the right direction and making changes to the interface for a more friendly and easy experience. Many changes including a stronger policy on hate and attack would be very helpful and make everyone feel safe when using the app. If Musk allows all these lies and hate to take over the platform, Twitter will just get messier and start losing people as a result of not having a type of security to use the platform. Having freedom of speech is good when setting boundaries or limitations for those people who abuse it. If it’s implemented as a no holds barred for every user, that’s where the problems start.
OPINION EDITORS Luis Diaz Eduardo Sanchez NEWS EDITOR Breanna Fierro FEATURE EDITOR Alma Lizarraga
COPY EDITORS Juan Calvillo Luis Castilla CARTOONIST Max Miranda STAFF WRITERS Jonathan Bermudez Leonardo Cervantes Jesus Hernandez Beatriz Garay Miguel Dominguez Adonia Burciaga Ricardo Martir CN/MAX MIRANDA
Newsom to give overdue assistance to homeless Staff Writer
Elon Musk’s free speech push will make Twitter unsafe
FRONT EDITOR Teresa Acosta
SPORTS EDITOR Nick Tercero
BY LEONARDO CERVANTES
CN/EDUARDO SANCHEZ
MANAGING EDITORS Zasha Hayes Daniella Molina
ARTS EDITOR Gabriela Guitierrez
Climate change activist sets himself on fire for greater good BY JONATHAN BERMUDEZ
EDITORS IN CHIEF Annette Quijada Brenda De La Cruz
Governor Newsom’s ambitious plan to force mentally-ill homeless into CARE Court is attainable. Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Court is a new framework to get people with mental health and substance use disorders the support and care they need. CARE Court is aimed at helping the thousands of Californians who are suffering from untreated mental health and substance use disorders leading to homelessness, incarceration or worse. The potential of homeless people suffering from mental illness having housing and special care is something that has been long overdue. Governor Newsom said he plans to sign Senate Bill 1338 into law in July. Housing for the mentally ill homeless will reduce the amount of deaths in the streets. They die for a multitude of reasons like illnesses and lack of nutrition. They will also have medical assistance if needed. If homeless people with severe mental health and addiction disorders get the proper treatment it can accelerate the process of them bettering their lives. Providing a home for them will also reduce the amount of time they are wandering off in the streets. Unfortunately some mentally ill homeless people might get preyed upon by others because they might not be able to defend themselves. Sadly, homeless people don’t have the option of showering daily. They will finally have hot water provided to them as some of these people may have gone weeks or months without being able to take a proper bath. Frequent showers will reduce the amount of diseases. Many haven’t felt the warmth of their own bed, but housing will provide them a bed to sleep in. This is an upgrade to the cold pieces of cardboard and blankets on the floor used on the street. Many homeless people are forced to live under tents and cardboard boxes. For those that are fortunate enough to have a house and bed, they will mention how comforting their own bed is as opposed to sleeping on an unfamiliar bed or couch.
Homeless people are forced to sleep out in the streets no matter the weather condition year-round. Homeless people don’t have an alternative even if it’s raining or if there is a heatwave. On cold fall and winter nights, homeless people don’t have the option of turning on a heater to get warm. They just have to use extra blankets to keep warm. On hot and sunny spring and summer days, they have no option to stay cool with a fan or air conditioner. Rainy days must feel like some of the worst days of the year for homeless people because even if they use larger tents or extra cardboard, the chances that it can actually hold off water from leaking in are slim.
The court-ordered treatment could potentially help the Black, Hispanic and other minority groups. We a t h e r c o n d i t i o n s a ff e c t homeless people year-round. Fortunately, if this bill passes they will finally be able to sleep under a roof. An individual with psychotic disorder and impared judgment could appear before a superior court judge, who could then order the county to provide services to that person. The care plan lasts up to 12 months, with the possibility to extend for an additional 12 months. One of the potential downsides would be for participants who are unable to complete the plan. If a participant cannot successfully complete a care plan, the individual may be referred by the court for a conservatorship, consistent with current law. The court-ordered treatment could potentially help the Black, Hispanic and other minority groups the most. “About 38% of Black people and 32% of Hispanic people are homeless in the city of Los Angeles,” Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority said. It’s a necessary risk in order to provide care for the homeless in California.
ONLINE EDITOR Raymond Nava ART DIRECTOR Steven Adamo ADVERTISING Stefanie De La Torre ADVISER 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 300 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
News Conference focuses on transfers 3
Continued from page 1 Due to COVID-19, many of the timelines have undergone changes for a variety of schools, Lisa Gomez, transfer mentor at the Transfer Center, said. She said accepting and rejecting school acceptances depends on when you receive the acceptance letters. Students should keep their eyes on their college’s student portals for important due dates.
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
Jurado said one of the more important things when it comes to getting ready for a four-year-school is orientation day. Orientation is the portal for students to get to the many facets of whichever university a college student will attend. She said it is crucial for time at California State University, Los Angeles. “ Yo u h a v e t o g o t h r o u g h orientation before you can meet with an advisor,” Jurado said. Gomez said housing can be broken up into three types:
• Campus housing • Off-campus housing • Living alone/with parents She said students who really want to experience what it is like going to college should look into campus housing. Walking on campus and being near events occuring on campus forges a connection between students and the university. She said despite it being great, students should always take into account their financial situation. The application for housing is separate from applying for classes and should be done as soon as
possible to reserve the correct housing accommodations. Emilio Flores, adjunct instructor and counselor at ELAC, was a part of a workshop meant to inform high school students about how to succeed at ELAC. He said his purpose was to give students an overview of what it means to attend college as opposed to being in high school. He said students should know what type of programs there are for degrees and transferring. “Transfer really begins the moment you start taking classes,” Flores said.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 04, 2022
He said when high school students make the move to college, there is a lot of responsibility given to them for their schooling. He said one important thing is making a connection with high school students and encouraging them to ask for help. Quintero said the idea for the Student Success Conference started in her first year as a tenured professor. She was in the South Gate Educational Center and noticed that there were not as many programs for student outreach. She said she and other faculty
and staff, history professor Leonard Melchor and former dean Evelyn Escatiola and South Gate counseling staff, put in the time and effort to create this event to help students participate and learn about their college futures. She said the event’s workshops and purpose are centered entirely on student success. “The benefits of these workshops is that students will gain information about their academic goal. They can ask questions directly to the counselors who are presenting and get the answers on the spot,” Quintero said.
ELAC CAMPUS NEWS ARCHIVE
EXTREME RIGHT—quotes taken from a review of Extreme’s 1988 debut album by staff writer Robert Martinez, printed in the November 15, 1989 issue of ELAC Campus News.
Campus News looks back at Roe v. Wade the conditions of women in prison and their return to society, as Staff Writer well as child care centers and education programs for women,” then president of the Los Angeles NOW chapter and ELAC journalism Politico reported Monday that it instructor Jean Stapleton said. obtained a copy of the draft majority On March 27, 1982, a three-hour opinion, written by Supreme Court play titled “The Great White Throne Justice Samuel Alito, effectively Judgement” was performed at overturning Roe v. Wade. Ingall’s Auditorium. The play was A c c o r d i n g t o t h e a r t i c l e , performed for four years at Los the opinion is a “full-throated, Angeles City College, Pasadena unflinching repudiation” of the College and Trade Tech before landmark 1973 Supreme Court debuting at ELAC. The article said decision. the play dealt with “moral issues Throughout East Los Angeles like abortion, homosexuality, drug College Campus News’ 75 years abuse and teenage problems.” as a newspaper, abortion rights and In 1989, former Grand Wizard the Roe v. Wade decision has been of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke mostly reported on and discussed was elected to Louisiana State since the early 1970s. Legislature, which prompted the The first mention of abortion publishing of an ELAC Campus in ELAC Campus News appears News editorial on March of that in the November year. In the article, the 17, 1971 issue. writer says Duke’s Staff writer Myrna election “sets an Johnson writes ominous precedent in The first mention about Debbie that it may act as a signal Jones, a woman of abortion in to other politicians that encouraging other it is acceptable to be ELAC Campus ELAC women to discriminatory.” start a Women’s The editorial said that News appears Studies club. it is a dangerous concept in the November at a time when someone The purpose of the group, the 17, 1971 issue. like Dick Thornburgh, article said, “would Attorney General not only discuss under then President male chauvinism, Ronald Reagan, “feels but also to help promote necessary comfortable confidently telling the reforms… abortion laws and equal press that he expects the Supreme pay for equal work.” Court to overturn the Roe v. Wade Though the group’s initial turnout decision.” was slow, she encouraged ELAC In May of that same year, staff women to attend “the first national writer Rebecca A. Davis shared women’s march since women won an opinion titled “We need Roe v. the right to vote,” Jones said. Wade.” The article said in the 1950s, The Supreme Court began around a million illegal abortions a rg u m e n t s o n R o e v. Wa d e were performed in the U.S. December 13, 1971 and made their “Then, as now, making abortion decision on January 22, 1973. After illegal neither eliminated the need the Supreme Court’s decision was for abortion, nor prevented the made, the first ELAC Campus News practice,” Davis said in her article. article to mention it was a piece “A woman who is determined not by then Managing Editor Melinda to carry an unwanted pregnancy Reyes titled “Male Abortion Rights will seek out some way to have an Facts and Opinions.” abortion.” On May 9, 1974, the Women The article ends with Davis Employees Association met in the saying “the issue is the fact that faculty dining room to establish a women who are forced to seek out National Organization for Women illegal abortions face substantial risk chapter on campus. and trauma. It is crucial that we keep “Most of the NOW chapters abortion safe, legal, and available to are involved in civil rights work all women.” stressing equal rights, better abortion counseling, upgrading
BY STEVEN ADAMO
CN/BLACK STUDENT SUCCESS WEEK
Black faculty members address inequality in college classrooms BY ZASHA HAYES Staff Writer
Black Faculty and staff o f C a l i f o r n i a ’s c o m m u n i t y colleges focused on the need for safe spaces in classroom settings for students and staff. T h e s t a f f a t B l a c k Ta b l e Talk April 29, also said that the racial battle fatigue they face is starting to overflow the community. Abdimalik Buul said there are major issues to being a black person in the predominantly white space that is California’s Community Colleges. An important, recurring topic was the root of anti-Blackness and the result of it. The most common and destructive results of antiBlackness, as well as the lack of safe spaces for the Black community, were the Black tax and racial battle fatigue. The Black tax, as said by professor Ty Simpson, is the need to prove to others that a Black person deserves to be in a place of authority while in a predominantly White space. More specifically this is reflected in the workplace. This includes the racial
profiling Black people would go through once they h a d p r o v e n t h e y w e r e n ’t a s disposable as the next worker. “ We ( B l a c k f a c u l t y ) h a v e to always prove that we are capable and qualified to be in that seat (of authority) or have that responsibility, and then we’re given so much more. Anything that has to do with Black students...it always seems like we’re the first to be asked to perform. It’s just a s s u m e d because we’re Black that this is a task that we can complete,” Simpson said. Racial battle fatigue was also a topic that the panel touched on. It is the result of years of carrying the responsibility of having to explain to others why for example, a racial stereotype of Black people might be
wrong and could be detrimental to the community. “(Racial battle fatigue is) the psychological weight that we put on ourselves because of our Blackness and how the dominant culture, the white folks, think of us in our Blackness. They (nonBlack people) see Blackness as a deficit. They view it from a lens of deficiency. “How that Blackness is defined for us in that d o m i n a n t culture and because of all the unjust treatment and racism that we for our lifetimes’ experience, it leads to this psychological burden that we call a black tax,” Professor Robert L. Stewart Jr said. Racial battle fatigue was said to be the reason so many people in the Black community
The most common and destructive results of antiBlackness and the lack of safe spaces for the Black community, were the Black tax and racial battle fatigue.
feel as though they are solely and individually responsible for the correcting of Black stereotypes in a predominately non-Black space. H o w e v e r, i t w a s s a i d t h a t there was only so much one person can do for the greater good of the many. This is why the need for safe spaces for Black students and faculty is steadily increasing. The panelists, said a space needs to be created for Blackness and the success of Black students. This space would be free of microaggressions, stereotypes and racism. The co-director of the Community College Equity A s s e s s m e n t L a b D r. L u k e Woods, spoke about strategic cluster highering of people of color. The panelists felt it was important to let the audience know that just because they were passionate about the creation of Black safe spaces, it did not mean they were against any other race. As said by Professor Janue Johnson, “I don’t have to hate you to love me.”
Features Sociology club sets up Husky Career Pop-up closet 4
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2022
Pop-Up offers students work attire for job, interviews CN/GABRIELA GUTIERREZ
BY BEATRIZ GARAY
TRANSFER STUDENTS—East Los Angeles College’s
Staff Writer The Husky Closet Pop-Up provides East Los Angeles students with basic necessities for upcoming job interviews. This was set up by the sociology club. Their goal is providing the basic necessities students can’t afford. The club also prepares students with the mentality and preparation of looking for jobs or starting careers. Students at ELAC that are struggling to find the basic necessities to help them succeed are given help. Services are provided that are quite expansive as it gives basic but essential necessities to students who can’t find them due to their own personal circumstances. These services are available to students that are struggling. . Even if students don’t find these necessary, they should still take advantage of this opportunity since the pop-up event provides anything a person might need when going to an interview for a new job. An exciting feature includes an array of formal wear for those that need it but are unable to afford them due to financial issues students might have. The event also provides fitting rooms for students to try on clothes before making a decision. The pop-up will also provide students with other materials such as hair supplies shaving kits and other basic items. Students do not realize they might need these types of items. Getting these items makes them available anytime for anyone who needs them. The Husky Career Pop-Up also plans to team up with the Career Center to provide short workshops
Business Club Spring 2022 Speaker Series held an “ELAC Transfer Alumni Panel” where alumni Luis Alvazer and Claudia Buenfil gave advice.
Alumni reveal Transfer Center is underused CN/JUAN CAVILLO
TIPS FOR WORK—The Sociology Club held a “Pop-up” closet which offered support to students who struggle to get jobs. BY GABRIELA GUTIERREZ for students to prepare them for interviews. The sociology club and the Career Center are working on the details to see if they can agree on providing the workshops. Workshops that focus on getting jobs or basic interview skills would benefit students. Students would have in mind what to expect in the job interviews. This information brings students one step closer to their careers. This organization is a one stop for anything a student might need. Students will be able to find accessories such as clothing, shoes and kits. The Husky Career Pop-Up Event also helps reduce, reuse and recycle
items instead of having items go to landfill. It’s important to the club that they help the environment. Clothing waste ends up in landfills instead of being donated to organizations or programs like the Husky Career Closet Pop-Up. If students or professors have items in their home that aren’t needed, the Husky Career Closet Pop-Up will gladly take any donations. They are trying to have different options available to students. They will be in front of the E-3 building entry pathway from 11a.m. to 2p.m. It will be set up three days a week in the month of May. The Sociology club has plans to
ensure this kind of event is becomes recurring and available to ELAC students that need basic necessities. They’d be available without having to worry about the cost impacting their budget or if they simply can’t afford them. Even though the club’s president is graduating soon, he still wants to be part of this organization. It was his idea and he’s very passionate about it. It’s important to him that an event like the Husky Career Pop-Up Closet can help students, especially those in need. Sometimes a student can’t make ends meet and this pop-up is meant to take that stress off of students.
2022 Los Angeles College Faculty Guild election results
Staff Writer
Alumni Luis Alvarez and Claudia Buenfil break the transfer process stigma by talking with students about their personal transfer experiences. Buenfil, who works at the Transfer Center at ELAC, told students that it is never too early or too late to start going to the Transfer Center. “Come visit us as early as you can. There is always the misconception that the transfer process should start on your last semester at ELAC, or even your last year, but no, it starts the first day you step onto ELAC. We want to make sure that you are taking those classes. We want to make sure that you know about those requirements and [that] you are on the right path to transfer out,” Buenfil said. In retrospect, Buenfil said that it is never too late either. She said the ELAC Transfer Center is a resource that has already been paid for and students should not hesitate to use that resource regardless of where they stand. A l v a r e z echoed Buenfil’s advice. He said although the application process was difficult for him, he had friends who had already undergone the transfer process and they helped him through it. He said he knows not everyone may know someone who has transferred, but that is where the ELAC transfer center can step in. Buenfil said she agreed with Alvarez on the difficulty and complexity of the filling out the transfer application. “The transfer application is very complex. Let’s say you make a little mistake, it can cost you. Don’t do the application on your own. That’s why we are here as mentors, to really guide you through the application. Remember you don’t have to do it alone,” Buenfil said. Buenfil said the Transfer Center helps students with the step-by-step process of the application, including the essay portions. They also help with scholarship applications. The transfer process entails the application, but it also entails the transition process from community college to a UC or California State University. After transferring, Buenfil joined a sorority at the University of California, Irvine.
This helped her feel more at home. She built connections and was able to meet people who are now her best friends while attending UCI. Alvarez said he did not have the privilege to do much to assimilate to the University of California, Los Angeles because he attended during the pandemic. He said he commuted, which also made it tough for him to feel at home at UCLA. Alvarez chose his major in political science because he wasn’t able to take a necessary course at ELAC for a major in economics. Economics was his first choice. The economics major is an impacted major at UCLA. An impacted major is when universities get more candidates than they have room for, so they have to be more selective. Because of this, Alvarez said he got in with political science instead. “UC’s are very strict when it comes to competitive majors or impacted majors. You have to take a specific class by a specific semester at ELAC. For UCLA I had to finish up to calculus two prior to transferring. I knew I was not going to meet that goal,” Alvarez said. One of the reasons Alvarez chose UCLA was because of how close to home it was for him. He said he wanted to save money by commuting, and advised students to apply for scholarships because a lot of that money goes unused if not enough students apply. “For anyone who is planning to transfer, I strongly suggest you apply for scholarships. There is a lot of money, especially for scholarships, that goes unused. Just go for it. I applied [for] a scholarship and I got a $5,000 scholarship,” Alvarez said. Through the Transfer Center, Buenfil said students can compare their financial aid awards with different schools to see where they can receive the most money. They can make a pros and cons list, evaluate housing options or simply talk out their choices as well. “Sometimes, what I find is that students just need someone to support [them] and talk to [them] or really just get advice. That is one way that we can help as well,” Buenfil said. Alvarez and Buenfil both transferred to the University of California after attending ELAC. Having gone through the transfer process themselves, they gave advice to students on what to expect when transferring.
Having gone into the transfer process themselves, they gave advice to students on what to expect when transferring.
www.ELACCampusNews.com