VOLUME 76, ISSUE 23 | WWW.ELACCAMPUSNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022 | SINGLE COPY FREE - ADDITIONAL COPIES 50 CENTS
Student Nurse Association club not suspended BY JESUS HERNANDEZ Staff Writer The East Los Angeles College Student Nurse Association Club charter was up for suspension during Friday’s Associated Student Union meeting. The club representative Michael Lingao said the reason for the club’s bad standing was that they were unaware they needed to attend ASU club meetings. He said many of the club’s students after graduating in December and finishing school. were not notified about attending the meetings. He said he knows it doesn’t look good for them but they were really misinformed.
Linago said he’s trying to fix the problem and talk to the next class so if the board decides to suspend them it will make it easier for the next class to reestablish the club. The club’s goal is to be mentors for the students in the next semester but if the club gets suspended he understands. “Someone has to pay for the consequences,” Linago said. He said he hopes to make it easier in the future for the next class to keep the club up to date. ASU Executive Vice President Alondra Pacheco said she wanted to clarify a comment that was made by another representative of the club in the last meeting. P a c h e c o s a i d t h e c l u b ’s representative said that ASU giving
the nursing club a suspension would mean ASU would be holding the club back from their mission statement and ability to reach out to other students. Pacheco said she wanted to clarify that a suspension by ASU does not stop anyone from reaching out to other students or holding meetings and being active. ASU Advisor Sonia Lopez said the board could not take action toward the club was because they need to go back to the Inter-Club Council by-laws. The only option in the case of the club is to suspend or revoke. She said that was the issue in the last meeting. She said the board approved those two options last meeting. She said
she wanted to be clear the board has not taken an action to vote either way on the club right now. so there are no changes.
The club representative Michael Lingao said the reason for the club’s bad standing was that they were unaware they needed to attend the meetings. Lopez said the board needed to go back and look at the ICC by-laws and the agenda that they approved
at the last meeting. Pacheco clarified to Lopez that the club is in bad standing and they went into bad standing after their second absence. They will continue in bad standing until ASU makes a decision. Lopez said the club is in bad standing but nothing changes for the club until the board addresses whether or not they are revoking, suspending or continuing the club’s position with ASU. ASU Vice President of Advocacy Steven Gallegos said the ASU members need to re-entertain the motion of the ICC by-laws. Pacheco said the club was given warnings previously and the ICC team put in a lot of work. It would be a slap in the face to let them go with a warning and it
makes them feel like their work is not valued. Pacheco said the ICC team encouraged the board to decline this warning and the ICC team is looking at a different way to approach this to be more student friendly. Linago said that he appreciated everyone and that with this vote, which ever side is decided on, he is going to try to make the club better for the future so it never has to get to this point again. After many debates back and forth, the board had one yes vote, and seven no votes on whether to suspend the nursing club. With seven no votes, no action was taken with the ELAC Student Nurse Association Club.
Judge says AB 705 delays student progress Council Chair says bill accomplishes opposite of intended purpose BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer
CN/MARTIN DELGADO
GET PSYCHED WITH PSYCHOLOGY—Students attend the Psychology Department presentation on Thursday to hear about the benefits of the courses and personal experiences from alumini.
Psychology Department rallies current, former students to cover possible majors BY MARTIN DELGADO Staff Writer The East Los Angeles College Psychology Department had former students tell their stories about having continued in their chosen major. The event focused on Psychology with presenters speaking about
the their department. A total of 90 college students attended. An open house was hosted and introduced by the Psychology Department on Thursday. The department is very proud of the program. The speakers provided information for those interested in a psychology major as well. College students, both new and old, who are majoring in Psychology
talked about their schoolastic experiences. Psychology majors said specific schoolastic paths lead to different benefits when it comes to students choosing a major. They said students and teachers alike can accomplish their dreams and goals. The presenters, who had previously received degrees are successful in their careers
Sexual assault prevented by increasing awareness BY SOLEIL CARDENAS Staff Writer The Sexual Assault Awareness Violence Education team provides information to East Los Angeles College students focusing on both precaution and intervention of sexual violence in student’s lives. As a measure to prevent sexual assault, awareness is being brought to students by the Sexual Assault Awareness Violence Educatiin Team. S A AV E i s s e a r c h i n g f o r members. They had a meeting over Zoom that welcomed anyone who wanted to join the team. The team consists of faculty, staff, administrators, students, and community professionals. The team dedicates themselves to violence prevention and intervention. They want to spread
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awareness and provide resources to individuals. SAAVE also educates the campus community on the different forms that violence can take. SAAVE specializies in taking part in activities during April for Sexual Assault Awarness Month. They also prepare things for October for Domestic Violence Awarness Month. A main event they take part in during Fall is “Mujeres de Paz,” which is a march and vigil against domestic violence. Another main event they take part in during Spring is “Take Back the Night,” a march against sexual assault. S A AV E h a s h e l d m a n y workshops and events that provide resources and valuable information to the campus community. In 2018, they held several Self Defense Workshops on campus that were made available to everyone. In 2020 and 2021, they held several meetings discussing sexual and reproductive
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health, human trafficing, trauma and healing and healthy relationships. There are plans for additional events that will take place in the fall. On the East Los Angeles College website, SAAVE has many educational tabs. These include relationship violence, family violence, sexual assault, stalking and more for the campus community. For students who have questions or concerns as to what SAAVE can provide they can contact: Eileen Le, ieef@elac.edu, or Andrea Owens, owensas@elac.edu. Students can also ask them for more information on joining the team. SAAVE is not a crisis support team and urges anyone in a crisis to contact an emergency line. The following lines are available: The East LA Women’s Center 24/7 hotline: 800-585-6231 or National Sexual Assualt Hotline: 800-656-4673.
The Art Department will host a screening of short films from Iran on Thursday at noon. Free admission with food provided. E7 building on the second floor.
Data shows growing inequality across Los Angeles Community College District schools due to the implementation of AB 705 by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. Daniel Judge, LACCD Math C o u n ci l C h a i r, e x p l a i n e d the data on the bill during a Thursday workshop titled “Critically Examining the Data on Equitable Placement.” The initial intent of AB 705, according to Judge, was to “maximize probability that students complete transfer-level English and Math in one year, or English in three years for ESL students.” Judge said the series of charts showed declining success rates and increasing equity gaps at most of LACCD’s nine colleges. “There are no white students here, so you see widening equity gaps between Asian and Hispanic students,” Judge said. “Something AB705 didn’t fix.” ELAC was the only college in the presentation to receive a “non-applicable” for African-American students in mathematics. “You gotta be careful with this one because zero AfricanAmericans got access because you started with 16 (pre-AB705)
and went to 16 (post-AB705). So that’s zero,” said Judge, “but it looks like they had four successes so I put non-applicable again for the ratio.” From Fall 2018 to Fall 2019, Judge said that 539 additional Hispanic students took a transfer level Mathematics course. Though the data shows 116 additional Hispanic students succeeded, 423 students did not get through—even though they were considered the best prepared.” “For every success, [there were] 3.6 non-successes at ELAC for Hispanic students in mathematics,” Judge said. Judge said the data represents the best prepared students under AB705 and does not include drops before census. Angela Echeverri, LACCD Academic Senate President, said the data doesn’t paint a complete picture because of some missing factors like using pre-Covid data and the fact that many ELAC students attend part-time so they may take longer than a year to finish their courses. As part of the Academic Senate’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workshop Series, ELAC Academic Senate President Jeffrey Hernandez said the aim of the workshop series is to examine how institutional and systemic racism touches on sectors of society, including education.
Hernandez said in order for the college to uphold its mission, an amendment the newly proposed AB1705. is required. If there is no amendment, AB 1705 will remove pre-transfer English and Math.,This will ultimately shrink the college’s mission and enrollment.
The initial intent of AB 705, according to Judge, was to “maximize probability that students complete transfer-level English and Math in one year.”
AB1705 is backed by corporations Sallie Mae, Lumina Foundation, Walton Family and the Gates Foundation. “Obviously new opportunities on the horizon for for-profit institutions, and the reality is the likelihood of a larger underclass,” Hernandez said.
CN/STEVEN ADAMO
DECLINING SUCCESS RATE NOT GETTING BETTER—Fall 2018 last term (pre-AB705) vs
Fall 2019 first term under AB705.
Summer Session Enrollment Day
Students can receive assistance enrolling for summer session courses on campus on May 19 from 9 a.m to noon and again from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Pup Edition
This week’s issue of Campus News was written, produced, edited and photographed by the Journalism 101 class.
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OPINION
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
More safety measures, less vaccination requirements BY BEATRIZ GARAY Staff Writer
GRAPHIC BY SOLEIL CARDENAS
Stricter laws less gun violence BY LEONARDO CERVANTES Staff Writer
There have to be stricter gun laws along with deep background checks on individuals purchasing lethal firearms. The government continues to disregard Americans’ deadly infatuation with gun culture. A United States appeals court ruled that California’s ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to adults under 21 is unconstitutional. The fact that there aren’t harsher restrictions on assault rifles is mind boggling. Governors can continue to use all the right words and say they want to stop gun violence, but until they do something about the gun pandemic in the U.S. mass shootings and homicides will continue to happen. Second Amendment proponents continue to argue that owning guns will keep them safe from dangers. While it’s true that guns offer a way of self-defense against life threatening situations there is no rational reason to own a fully automatic rifle and high capacity magazines. No person has any need for a fully automatic assault rifle. A civilian doesn’t need an automatic gun as
if they’re in the army or in a movie. A high magazine size gives the shooter a higher chance of inaccuracy but the bullets give them higher chances to land on their target. Mass shootings aren’t the norm across the world, except in the United States. They shouldn’t be normal but U.S citizens have become desensitized to them as they seem to happen frequently. Just this weekend there were two deadly shootings that happened in the U.S. One in Buffalo New York, and one in Orange County, California. The United States has a higher percentage of gun related homicides than Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia combined. Many times guns aren’t even used for self-defense. This is the excuse that pro-gun owners always have. They often talk about how they want to own their own firearm for protection and to hunt wild animals. “In 2022, there were 289 incidents in which a gun was used in self defense,” data found by Heritage Foundation research. There are currently only 21 states that require background checks or permits to purchase handguns. People who care less about gun laws can exploit the loop hole where people can purchase guns at gun shows or online.
“Current federal law doesn’t require background checks on sales between unlicensed parties,” Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund said. Of course, even with background checks nobody ever knows what an individual’s true motives are. An increase in restrictions will likely bring the mass shooting numbers down. “States that go beyond federal law and require background checks for unlicensed gun sales are associated with 10 percent lower homicide rates, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund said. An underlooked aspect of gun control is saving the lives of those that are suicidal. “For every 10-20 removal orders issued, one suicide is prevented,” The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence (EFSGV) said. A person that wants to kill themselves would likely use a gun instead of a knife. “Females are more likely than males to attempt suicide but males are four times more likely to die by suicide,” EFSGV said. If they’re in a state that has strict gun laws this might sway them from committing the act. “In the past decade more than 200,000 people were lost to firearm suicide,” EFSGV said.
The Los Angeles Community College District has changed it’s masking and vaccination policy in which new and continuing students would no longer have to submit proof of vaccination when enrolling for classes. For the last two years and a half, colleges and universities have gone through a difficult time to switch to a computer-based classroom that made it even more tough for students to get the education they want. It was something that most would not expect would happen as they thought their leaders would handle the problems and find solutions before it got worse. As it turns out, they didn’t handle the issues and a substantial number of students lost the experience that they had learned from in-person learning. As we managed to get a handle on this pandemic, nearly all educational institutions made it their policy to have students show proof that they have received the COVID-19 vaccine before returning to school, but this may no longer be a requirement. As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations significantly reduce, it has enabled these schools to take certain steps to return all students back to the classroom and are considering dropping the vaccination proof to ease the load off students. This can be seen as a first step in returning to normalcy that many students want after spending nearly two full years sitting behind a computer and holding up within their homes without having to worry about getting the virus. While some can say that this might be a good thing to do, it may also be a bad thing to remove as it is the only other form of protection that can keep students safe from those who disregard the safety of others and the importance of the vaccine. If we remove this method without testing it first, then there can be a huge surge of COVID-19 that would make students return back to learning from a computer. This may seem to be an unnecessary step to have that could invade someone’s privacy but it is a form of assurance that can keep the safety and accountability of everyone who is either on-campus and in a classroom. , it is essential that they can see the bigger picture of how one small step can determine the health and safety of others who may not be so lucky to fight against something like COVID-19. If the Los Angeles Community College District has plans on dropping the proof of vaccination policy within their colleges, they need to take drastic measures to ensure that they are able to handle something like an unexpected COVID-19 surge as it could put a lot of people in danger. It may seem excessive but if you saw how the United States was during the first few months of the pandemic, then you can really understand why it is smart to have plans in place if things go bad. Some will agree or disagree on this action, but if you know what it is like to lose a friend, a family member or someone close, then you can understand the importance of having a policy like this in place to ensure that lives are not lost by not having all of the facts.
MANAGING EDITORS Zasha Hayes Daniella Molina FRONT EDITOR Sofia Martinez OPINION EDITOR Soleil Cardenas NEWS EDITOR Martin Delgado ARTS EDITOR S. Hennessy Machado-Hidalgo COPY EDITORS Juan Calvillo Luis Castilla ART DIRECTOR Steven Adamo ADVERTISING Stefanie De La Torre ADVISER Jean Stapleton
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Nap rooms on campus would help students focus BY SOFIA MARTINEZ
www.ELACCampusNews.com
EDITORS IN CHIEF Annette Quijada Brenda De La Cruz
GRAPHIC BY SOLEIL CARDENAS
Sleep is key for success
on their education. Sometimes things happen that Staff Writer don’t allow students to have a good night sleep at home and College campuses should because of this the day at school have a nap room available for can be very difficult. students to enjoy and get some Feeling tired or overwhelmed rest throughout the day. at school can result in having College life can be difficult for students in the classrooms that anyone. Some college students are not mentally prepared to are usually older-aged and day- understand and learn the lecture by-day have more material. responsibilities Having a nap aside from being a room at East Los Lack of sleep college student. Angeles College M a n y would make such a increases students have great difference in responsibilities students’ anxiety the success of the such as looking students. and can make it after sick relatives, Many have at others are married least a 45-minute and have to take hard for them to gap between classes care of a house and concentrate on that could be used kids. to take a nap and be their education, prepared for the next Many more are full-time Naps can also class. workers and fullNapping can help time students reduce grogginess improve mental simultaneously. and give a burst of These all cause clarity and motor fresh energy to the stress that could body and mind. skills. lower significantly Naps can also with a nap room. improve mental A reason to clarity and motor have nap room on skills. campus is as simple as having a Taking one prior to class rest during a bad day. Another can help students pay attention could simply be a chance to take better, and will make them more a nap between classes would likely to be involved in class and recharge the batteries. understand the lesson better. Lack of sleep increases College is a time where many students’ anxiety and can make people feel overloaded with it hard for them to concentrate stress and emotions.
PUP EDITOR IN CHIEF Teresa Acosta
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
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Students who find themselves easily irritated or snapping at classmates, it may well be that the cause is a lack of sleep. While 20 minutes in the afternoon may not seem like enough to make up for missing hours at night, it can really make a difference. One of the side effects of lack of sleep is to try to compensate
for the lack of energy by eating. After the initial energy rush wears off, students are likely to be just as tired as they were before. They can also feel bloated or nauseous after a meal. Getting enough sleep when you need it makes it much less likely someone would reach for an unhealthy, sugary or fatty snack.
People may be skeptical about students wasting the extra time they have at school taking a nap when they could be studying or doing homework. When students are tired they cannot concentrate as well as if they had rested. Taking a nap may improve students’ concentration and ability to be successful.
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.
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News/Features
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
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Workshop spreads awareness on sexual assault in Greek life BY ANTHONY DELGADO Staff Writer East Los Angeles Women’s Center had students to learn more about issues that can affect students’ lives. The was about how Greek life is linked to sexual violence, how it starts, how it is a problem and how it can be avoided. The speakers were Gabby Orozco and Madelin Melara. T h e y explained the issues of sexual violence. The speakers has talked about the influences for sexual violence. T h e y mentioned ways it can or occurred, such as experiences of childhood trauma, peer pressure, social media,and dating apps. While they talked about the influences, they stopped occasionally to ask if anyone in the meeting had any questions. They would also answer questions that were left in the chat and provided answers with suggestions. The speakers took turns and shared their thoughts as they made
it all feel very comforting and incredibly open for everyone in the meeting. They were kind and respectful toward the situation and those who experienced it. They gave helpful information, and left students feeling more comfortable as they now knew how to try to avoid the sexual violence that can occur. The topic they mentioned the most for sexual violence was that Greek life was unsafe and a problem for women. The speakers shared slides with signs that guys will put for women to welcome them with sexual intentions. T h e y explained how men were only there to take advantage of women forcefully around the campuses that have fraternities. The students said they did not like that they cannot fully go out to have fun without having to worry about things like their drinks being spiked. The meeting soon shifted to ways students can help and reminded them that they are not alone. They said the campus Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Therapist
Students are free to discuss anything relating to relationship abuse, domestic violence, gender-based harrasment and stalking.
CN/ZASHA HAYES
can support survivors no matter when the incident occurred. They made sure students understood the DV/SA Therapist was willing to help in person on campus or over the phone. Students are free to discuss anything relating to relationship
abuse, domestic violence, sexual violence, gender-based harassment and stalking. The students even suggested their own tips, to avoid drinking and partying on campus to begin with. It is challenging as a student
to try and only focus on what the campus is there for, which is to receive an education. The speakers shared resources with links for the students to get help and learn even more on their own. As well as a link for the
domestic shelter’s website and a phone number to call or text for help. The speakers shared the location for the center, with their emails just in case a student wants to personally ask them a question or wants to learn more.
Pandemic creates life-changing graduation BY SOFIA MARTINEZ Staff Writer Walking down the stage with a certificate that shows all of the hard work is the moment that every student waits for. Paola Alfato graduated last year from East Los Angeles College where she had to be part of the generation which had to graduate in the pandemic. It was something new to her and sad at the same time because it is the moment when she celebrates her accomplishments. For her, it was something sad and at the same time a more accomplished goal. During her two years at ELAC, her classes were online due to the pandemic. She said it was difficult to learn and understand most of the classes. As a student, she had to learn how to navigate t h r o u g h the online platform in order to be successful in the classes. This was because the teachers, not all, but most of them, were also exper ien cing something new. She mentioned that there were many difficulties not only for the students, but for the teachers as well. They had to look for the best alternative to grade, to teach and to make sure that everyone was engaged in the class. “This last part was kind of difficult,” Alfato said because being at home in students own space where in some of the classes students did not have to turn their camera on can be very difficult to concentrate. An example of how difficult it was to graduate during the pandemic was the fact
that because most of the students couldn’t focus and some teachers were new to technology. Not everyone knew how to use modern apps, turn in assignments on time or connect to class. Students had to explore the topics in a different way that they could understand themselves. Not only was it something new that they had to learn, but the lack of resources was something that affected the students as well. Not having a computer or internet during the pandemic makes it a real challenge for every student and teacher. Graduating during the pandemic also made Alfato feel proud of herself. It was a very difficult time having to do everything from home without being present in a classroom learning in the same way or with the same help and resources that students would have on campus. T h e pandemic not only had n e g a t i v e t h i n g s , s t u d e n t s learned that by working as a team and helping others through the tools that teachers gave them from home, they were still able to graduate during these difficult times. Alfato said, “I felt nervous when that time came, but also sad since it was an online graduation without being able to celebrate that great moment with my classmates and family.” Not only did Alfato have a difficult time during the online graduation, but after difficult times everything is coming back to normal and the graduating class of 2022 will celebrate the graduation on campus June 7.
Not having a computer or internet during the pandemic makes it a real challenge for every student and teacher.
CN/HENNESSY MACHADO-HIDALGO
HIGH QUALITY FOOD AVAILABLE—Student worker, Peter Pantaleon sits at window waiting for potential students to seek purchasing snacks from the food pantry.
ASU food pantry revamped for ELAC students BY SOLEIL CARDENAS Staff Writer
The Associated Student Union’s food pantry is open to all students. It has been revamped and is filled with all-new snacks. According to the ASU, any student enrolled in classes this spring semester can be served at the pantry. They are not requiring students to be paid ASU members, although they are asking that students fill out a consent form. The food pantry is one of many resources on campus. Many students have struggled with food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The food pantry can benefit not only those students, but also hungry students who aren’t able to bring lunch to school. There are many different types of snacks available. The pantry includes items that need to be heated up such as mac and cheese, oatmeal and Cup o’ Noodles. They also have smaller snacks such as nutritional bars, fruit and granola, Oreos, chips and Nutella sticks. They also provide beverages such as Gatorade, Capri-Sun and water. Originally, the pantry was giving four items per student and recently they switched to three items per student. The pantry has been experiencing high demand and
now will be giving out one large item, one small item, and one beverage to each student who visits the pantry. Switching from four items to three may help to increase the amount of students they can provide snacks for. It may also prolong the supply of snacks between restocks. ELAC ASU plans to keep this resource on campus for years to come. Although the pandemic is affecting everyone as much as when it first started, students are still struggling and need these resources. ASU food pantry worker Rosa Mendoza, said the food pantry program is going great, 109 students, (non-credit and credited students) have registered so far.
It can be a struggle for students to remember to bring food or eat a big meal before heading to campus. The pantry can help students, who just need a little snack to get through the day. The food pantry is located in F5-214 and will be there for the rest of the spring semester. As of right the pantry hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. Friday. Although, hours are subject to change as the pantry is shorts t a ff e d . N e w h o u r s w i l l b e released on the ELAC ASU Instagram. For updates on this and other ASU resources and activities, visit their Instagram @elac.asu.
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Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MAY 18, 2022
ELACtricity, cultural reset for Latinos Another acto was “Latins Anonymous” by Latins Anonymous, Staff Writer a Latino comedy troupe based in Los Angeles from the ’90s. “ELACtricity” is an anthology The characters Diane, Rick of actos and dramatic scenes and Armando played by Vargas, that explores, deconstructs and Andres Ortega and Armenta make reclaims narratives surrounding the admissions to being Latino in the experiences of Latino people in the same way one admits to being an United States. alcoholic- with great shame. Their “An acto is a short, usually newest member Nicolette played comical sketch, often created by Maia Ratiani carries the most through improvisation, designed to shame, not at all admitting to her be performed anywhere,” as defined Latin heritage. by Jorge A. Huerta in his American Nicolette makes her SpanishTheatre article “El Teatro’s Living speaking accent sound French Legacy.” instead. Each scene of “ELACtricity” She praises European culture c a l l s f r o m t h e c o l l e c t i v e claiming she was raised and unconscious of Latino Americans educated in France, yet there through examining the inherent she is attending her first Latins identity crisis of immigrants and Anonymous meeting. their descendants. Nicolette represents a subset The acto “Los Vendidos” by of Latino Americans who prefer L u i s Va l d e z to advertise uses humor to the European point out how aspects of their “As a Latina, as a Mexican American mestizo ancestry p o l i t i c s American and Chicana, my rather than the objectifies indigenous. mission really is to tell the the Mexican “Immaculate stories of our community, to immigrant Conception” by celebrate the rich tradition of Latina Theater worker. Even a White teatro Latino and amplify the Lab with Ric House secretary stories of our cultura. That is Salinas examines with the surname my call to action now that I’m t h e c o m m o n Jimenez, or as the tropes of Latinas here on the ELAC campus.” assimilated Ms. perpetuated by Jimenez prefers, their cultures of CRISTINA FRÍAS “JIH-men-ez,” Director of “ELACtricity” origin as well as participates in popular media in the ridiculous the United States. objectification La Virgen de of her own ethnic group. Guadalupe, played by Lopez, asks The Secretary played by Maribel what happened to her crown of Chavez plans to purchase a model skulls and her snakeskin skirt. Mexican for the White House to It is revealed La Virgen is use as a prop. referring to the ancient Aztec Honest Sancha played by goddess Coatlicue, which can be Julia Chavez pitches the amiable translated as serpent skirt. Farmworker, the urban Johnny Coatlicue is a goddess from Pachuco and the traditional the Aztec culture that is a revered Revolucionaria. symbol of earth, fertility and war. The Secretary is not sold on any This references the model of of them, but Honest Sancha has one Mexican womanhood that has last model up her sleeve- the white- changed and survived through the collar Mexican-American. colonist conversion of indigenous The models are played by beliefs to Christianity. Michelle Lopez, Urubey Armenta, La Virgen embodies a pure vision Noemi Avalos Vargas and Yair of motherhood while Coatlicue Olvidares. embodies complex vision of While the audience laughed motherhood. and found familiarity in the tropes The matriarchal strength of portrayed, by the end of the acto it women is the legacy the Aztec’s is clear how the objectification of Coatlicue passes onto the Mexicans’ Mexican immigrant workers in the revered Virgen. American political sphere denies However, the patriarchal lens them their humanity. through which the Spanish practiced
S. HENNESSY MACHADO-HIDALGO
COURTESY OF ELAC THEATER DEPARTMENT
POWER ENSEMBLE—Maribel Chavez from left, Michelle Lopez, Andres Ortega, Maia Ratiani, Noemi Avalos Vargas, Urubey Armenta, Julia Chavez, Cori Franco and Yair Olivares, the entire ensemble in their costumes for the first act and taught Christianity traded a woman’s nuanced nature for an unrealistic simplicity. This dramatic scene reclaims all aspects of Mexican womanhood, both creator and destroyer. She is not subservient to the world, rather she plays an influential role in shaping and deconstructing it. In “Identity/Passion Rant” an Original by the Ensemble, the actors walk on stage not as characters, but as themselves. From experiences of one’s own family rejecting them for not being a real Mexican to experiences of leaving a war-torn country at the age of six, each performer reveals a formative experience that has contributed to how they walk through the world today. This scene is the most simple among the rest of the anthology. Each performer sits across from each other on the staircase in the middle of the stage. The usually stimulating
background of the technological theater calms to a still monochrome. Each performer only stands when it is their turn to monologue. After scenes filled with metaphors and specific cultural references, this performance speaks directly to the audience through the real-life experiences of its actors. This piece reminds the audience of the real-life stakes of ELACtricity. The art fights to have a melting pot like the United States understand and accept an already racially and culturally mixed people- the Latino people, the mestizos. In “Dance/Song” an original by Julia Chavez and Albert Suarez, the dancer Chavez takes on the stage with elegance. The musician Suarez plays a steady tune to go with the measured, passionate moves of the dancer. Chavez glides across the stage in simple all-black dancer’s attire against a plain backdrop putting the whole focus on her movements and the emotions they evoke.
Her face is serene as her limbs slowly stretch away from her and her face contorts as her limbs abruptly curl inward. Chavez’s dance is the release from social expectation to the social being’s inevitable conformity to it. The dance is the fight between individual authenticity versus the necessity to conform in order to move through the world. “Raspados” by Noemi Avalos Vargas ends the final act of the show. “Raspados” is a charming scene between two Latino students, Mateo and Maya played by Ortega and Vargas. It takes place at local venues familiar to the audience, from the East Los Angeles College campus in Monterey Park to Don Manuel’s Raspados restaurant in Boyle Heights. Maya and Mateo explore ELAC’s Vincent Price Art Museum and discuss their interpretations of the art displayed. This opens up a conversation regarding how they feel their backgrounds impact their
world views. The scene ends with Mateo and Maya sharing raspados. He thanks her for teaching him more about their shared culture and appreciating his perspective. The scene showcases the diverse experiences and rich culture of the Latino community in East Los Angeles, opening the door for the audience to have those conversations themselves and encouraging them to explore Latino culture through the local resources available. This is the most immediate goal of ELACtricity- to engage and empower the local communtiy. Cristina Frías, performance faculty and director of ELACtricity, said, “As a Latina, as a Mexican American and Chicana, my mission really is to tell the stories of our community, to celebrate the rich tradition of teatro Latino and amplify the stories of our cultura. That is my call to action now that I’m here on the ELAC campus.”
Vincent Price Art Museum presents Latinx art BY SOLEIL CARDENAS Staff Writer
CENTER PIECE—This art piece is in the middle of the exhibit.
CN/SOLEIL CARDENAS
CN/SOLEIL CARDENAS
BIRD SOUNDS—Tarcata Trabaja by Jimena Sarno in collaboration with Axel Krygier. The piece is a sculpture and sound instalation. www.ELACCampusNews.com
The Vincent Price Art Museum opened a new exhibit on April 30 called “Sonic Terrains in Latinx Art”. The museum exhibits the art of 30 trailblazing Latinx sound artists. The exhibit displays several visual art pieces, some paired with audio. The pieces in the exhibit combine old and new art. The exhibit’s art pieces share Latinx culture through their powerful messages and sounds. As soon as one enters the exhibit, one of the first artists introduced is Pauline Oliveros. O l i v e r o s i s a c o m p o s e r, accordionist and humanitarian. Her section of the exhibit displays pictures of herself, her compositions, and her CDs. An iPad propped up on the wall is connected to headphones playing a Spotify playlist of Oliveros’ music. She focuses on deep listening and consciousness in her music. Deep listening is her main focus. It is a unique, meditiave and improvisatory approach to music. Next, walking through the exhibit, one comes across a display of Rubén Funkahuatl Guevara. Guevara had a 50-year-career in which he practiced music, performance theater and film. He created a rock band called Rubén and the Jets that released two albums. The display contains several flyers from his concerts and cutouts from newspaper articles about him. To the left of Guevara’s display there is a short documentary playing. It discusses Latinx music culture and its progression throughout the years. A stand-out piece from the exhibit is “Tarcatá Trabaja” by visual artist
Jimena Sarno and musician Axel Krygier. The piece is a sculpture and sound installation that captures attention upon entry. The sculpture consists of 34 porcelain plates laid out on a stand. At first glance from a distance, one cannot tell what is on the plates. As one walks closer, one can begin to notice the plates are covered in musical compositions and several plates have a beautiful bird drawn on them. The bird drawn on the plates is the hornero. The hornero is Argentina's national bird. The hornero serially procreates and is known for being hard-working. The sounds focus around the bird and the labor it puts into building its home. The musical composition laid out on the plates are from two onomatopoeias in Argentinian folk songs. The first is called “Mambo del Hornerito: Tarcatá,” which focuses on sounds of labor being completed. The second is “Chapalea” which is a verb that comes from the sound of squelching in mud. The hornero on the plates paired with the musical compositions embodies hardworking and laborious times, but is also a reminder not to forget to relax like the birds do as they lay on the plates. The exhibit is small, but it boasts many amazing art pieces. As spectators walk into the exhibit ,several sounds flood into their eyes from many of the art pieces. Although many different sounds collide and clash, the exhibit can still be enjoyed. “Sonic Terrains in Latinx Art” is an exhibit worth attending. “Sonic Terrains in the Latinx Art” is open Wednesday through Saturday noon - 4 p.m. at VPAM. The exhibit is open until July 30.