ELAC Campus News Spring 2023 Issue 17

Family Day at Child Development Center

BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer

Parents were welcomed Saturday by the East Los Angeles College Child Development Center and PBS SoCal for Family Day.

The event, organized by students of the ELAC Child Development 7 class and members of the ELAC Child Development Club, featured activities inspired by PBS Kids television shows. This event shared the kinds of activities offered to the children and families at the Child Development Center with the neighborhood.

television show “Molly of Denali,” who also inspired the morning’s event activities.

Sandra Cruz, early learning program manager at PBS SoCal | KCET, said that students at the center were assisting the PBS team members with the various activities in front of the center.

“Our goal through the curriculum is to create playful learning experiences for the family unit.”

“All the PBS Kids shows are created with an educational concept, ‘Molly of Denali’s’ focus is really literacy, informational texts and how we use words, print, all in our everyday life,” Cruz said.

Nancy Duran, teacher at the ELAC Child Development Center and adjunct professor for the Child, Family and Education Study department, said the students gain experience through supporting community events like this, such as working with local organizations and families.

The event featured the main character of the animated PBS Kids

Many of the activities focused on science, such as Earth and environmental sciences, using toy cars on ramps set up at varying heights.

Some art activities were also set up for families, including sections for painting and molding mazes with clay.

CDC teacher Jennifer Jarman said that the activity helps build fine motor skills in the children.

Duran met Cruz at last year’s City of STEM conference in Downey,

LET US DEMONSTRATE— Elizabeth and Jennifer Felipe, Guadalupe Aquino and Angie Zuloaga --- students with the Child Development Club and CD7 class, demonstrate magnets for their activity during Saturday’s Family Day at the ELAC Child Development Center.

where they learned that they shared similar goals with their work in the community; leading to the Family Day events at the CDC.

The event began virtually, but as

LAUSD schools closed due to strike for better contracts

Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics that make up the “STEAM”acronym.

“Our goal through the curriculum, is to create playful learning experiences for the family unit,” said Cruz.

Cruz specified that the activities offered are available to all members of the family, including siblings, cousins, caregivers or an adult role model in the child’s life. “We welcome the entire family, it doesn’t

have to be just a nuclear mom, dad,” Cruz said.

Yin Mo Tse, CD23 practicum student at ELAC, said the children were excited to work on these activities along with their families.

“Since it’s windy outdoors, sometimes the wind would blow down the whole structure,” Tse said, “many parents were especially interested in how to play with the cups in different ways and how to explain if the structure falls.”

UNION POWER— SEIU Local 99 strikes for better contracts and better working conditions outside of Miramonte Elementary School. East Los Angeles College teachers who are teaching dual enrollment courses for LAUSD were advised to pause courses. ELAC teachers with children enrolled

LAUSD were given paid leave to care for their children if needed.

Covid restrictions eased, in-person events started again last semester. Each of these events has a focus around a PBS Kids show, many of which focus on subjects like

Afro-Black Latina speaks on Hip-Hop and African American figures and third-party politics

BY LEONARDO CERVANTES Staff Writer

The first Town Hall series on racial equity and social justice led by Rosa Clemente, focused on influential Hip-Hop and African American figures.

She is an award-winning organizer, scholar and activist. She’s been sought out for her insight and commentary on Afro-Black, Latino and Latinx identity. She has spoken about liberation movements and colonial police violence in Puerto Rico, Hip-Hop feminism and thirdparty politics.

“I had to truly begin to decolonize my mind. As our lands are colonized, our minds are the first ones to colonize us back,” Clemente said.

In 2008, Clemente became the first Afro-Black Latina to run for vice president of the United States on the green party ticket. She and her running mate, Cynthia Mckinney, are the only women of color to have been on the green party ticket in U.S. presidential history.

As an independent journalist, Clemente provided on-theground coverage of the U.S. Navy withdrawal from Vieques Puerto Rico after 67 years of military control.

Student commits suicide on overpass

BY SOLEIL CARDENAS Staff Writer

East Los Angeles College student

Abel Ruiz was pronounced dead after commiting suicide this past

Sunday.

Ruiz was found hanging from a chain link fence off the 10 freeway on the north side of the overpass near West Saxon and Jackson Avenue.

Ruiz was 19 years old and a Rosemead local. He was the third oldest out of five siblings.

Ruiz’s sister Sasha describes him as a dorky kid growing up.

“Abel was your typical little brother, goofy and stubborn but adored dearly, ” Sasha said.

She said that Abel loved the “Harry Potter” and “Percy Jackson & the Olympians” series while growing up.

He attended San Gabriel High School where he played football for four years. Ruiz was passionate about football.

“His golden years were when he was playing football. We watched him go from just starting out playing for the pee-wee division to playing an awesome defense in high school,” Sasha said.

At ELAC, Ruiz was initially majoring in Psychology but switched his major to Mechanical Engineering.

Ruiz’s family was shocked by the news and never saw this coming.

“As a family nobody saw this coming. He was bright and doing big things for himself. He was working, going to school and even moved in with his girlfriend’s family. We thought he was making his way, we never thought it would end like this,” Sasha said.

If you or anyone you know may be suffering call 988, Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. For friends or loved ones who have expeirenced suicide loss visit https://www.soslsd.org for suuport.

“Please cherish and hug your loved ones for us. Life is too short. Long live Abel,” Ruiz said.

“When they tell us one immigrant is more important than another one for citizenship, we must demand amnesty for all undocumented people,” Clemente said.

In Clemente’s early years, she wasn’t familiar with politics as she wasn’t taught them in school. It wasn’t until college that she read the words of Fidel Castro, Harriet Tubman, Lolita Lebrón and Sojourner Truth. During this time, the Hip-Hop movement was growing and becoming relevant in society.

She listened to it and drew inspiration from Digable Planets, Lauryn Hill, Chuck D, Public Enemy, KRS-one, The Welfare Poets, La Bruja and Dead Prez. Hip-hop was created specifically by African Americans, Jamaicans and Puerto Ricans.

“In 2023, (academia) shouldn’t be a predominantly white institution. There shouldn’t be micro or macro aggressions. Students of color shouldn’t have to fight for what they need not only to survive but to thrive.

“Right now academia is failing millions of students. It’s putting millions of students in debt that they will never get out of. We have to question why we fight to have

people in power that look like us that have sold us out,” Clemente said.

The college educational system takes advantage of students, especially people of color.

“When they say free college is a pie-in-the-sky dream you say-no, this country has sent more money to Ukraine and is making more weapons rather than canceling every student’s loan debt,” Clemente said. Clemente saw and read the work of strong activists and organizers who were able to make beneficial changes to society. Figures, such as Martin Luther King Jr., inspired her to try to spark interest in younger generations, as they once did with her.

“All my life and my work in this movement have also been dedicated to freedom for our United States political prisoners,” Clemente said. In the last seven years, over 12 political prisoners from the1960s have been freed. A quote by well-known political philosopher Frantz Fanon, always stuck with Clemente.

“Each generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill it, or betray it,” Fanon said.

CN/STEVEN ADAMO

CN/LUIS DIAZ

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COURTESTY OF NANCY DURAN

GO HAVE FUN KIDS—Gisselle (left) works with bubbles while Bodhi (right) works at the engineering activity at the ELAC Child Development Center Saturday during Family Day.

SANDRA CRUZ PBS SoCal early learning program manager

ALL STAR—Abel Ruiz in High School playing for the San Gabriel Matadors.

Abel Ruiz

Puppy helps students with managing stress, provides emotional support

BY KIMBERLY CHINCHILLA Staff Writer

Located on the E3 building second floor in the Learning Center is a new furry staff member that provides students with emotional support.

Luca is a 12 week old terrier who is training to become a certified Emotional Support Animal (ESA).

ESAs are pets that are prescribed by mental health professionals to those who need extra support for their mental health in the form of emotional support and comfort.

According to the Americans Disabilities Act National Network, “emotional support animals provide companionship, relieve loneliness, and sometimes help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Emotional support animals are not limited to dogs.”

The ADA National Network states that the difference between a service dog and an ESA is that “individuals with a disability may use and interact with working animals for a variety of reasons.

But only dogs who have received specialized training to perform a specific task or tasks for an individual with a disability are considered service animals.

This is the key difference between a service animal and all other types

of working animals, including therapy, comfort animals, and emotional support animals.”

The Director of the Learning Center, Amanda Ryan-Romo, has brought Luca to campus with her since the end of winter semester, where Luca was running around and being friendly to a group of anatomy students preparing for a final.

“They just provide this level of calm. They can bring a sense of joy and they help us relax. We are living in a stressful ever-changing world that I think having animals on campus is important. Even if it’s just a little bit, a student can come into my office and see him when they are having a bad day,” said Ryan-Romo.

Many campuses across the country provide students with ESA during finals week.

However, others believe they should be able to seek this service when needed.

ELAC student Melina Cruz met Luca at the start of the school year. She has a dog of her own who is 10 years old, but when she visited the center and saw Luca, it brightened her day.

“I love having Luca around because it does help. It is just a joy when you see a puppy. Or when you are having a stressful day you just feel lighter after interacting with them for a bit. Even a couple cuddles here and there just bring a

smile to my face,” said Cruz.

College can be stressful for many students with writing papers, working on projects, quizzes or just dealing with everyday life problems, ESA’s can help.

Psychology professor, Maria Mayoryk is also a huge advocate for dogs as support animals.

“They offer so many services to those of various needs, from calming those with anxiety issues, obtaining items to those with physical disabilities to alerting those with diabetes that they need medication,” she said.

Though she would like a more transparent certification process, she has experienced her friend of 35 years, who is blind, needing assistance from her service dog.

Another Learning Center staff member mentioned how a student walked in looking for Luca the other day.

The student said that he had just lost his own pet and that seeing Luca brought him comfort.

Though Luca is still a puppy and still learning, Ryan-Romo would like to ultimately get him certified.

As of now, you will find him running around, providing lots of licks and cuddles to anyone looking for emotional support on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Latinx representation, casting process discussed at workshop

BY MARISSA VALLES

Staff Writer

Actor Christian Barillas and casting director Nicole Arbusto interviewed each other and took questions from the audience during the “Casting and Latinx Representation” workshop held on Monday in the Proscenium Theatre.

Barillas said Latinx people make up 20% of the United States population, but only make up 8% of all leading roles in movies and television.

Behind the scenes, Latinx people only account for 7% of writers and directors. Although Latinx actors such as Pedro Pascal, Jenna Ortega

and Oscar Isaac are some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry right now, they are considered outliers.

Despite Arbusto not being Latinx herself, Barillas said it’s important to include people of all backgrounds when it comes to tackling the issue of diversity to avoid creating an echo chamber.

Centering Latinx voices and entertainers is the main priority, but it’s also important to have allies who are willing to help.

“We can have these conversations with people that are like us but if we’re looking to solve some of these challenges, we really have to bring in people from the whole spectrum,”

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Barillas said.

Arbusto said that since 2020, there has been a rise in understanding the need for diversity and for its authenticity.

One of the problems with casting Latinx people is that Latinx is very broad. Directors and producers aren’t really specific about what they’re looking for most of the time.

“For example, [directors and producers] will ask for someone who is Mexican, but they won’t specify if they’re looking for someone who is from the country Mexico or someone who is Mexican-American.

“When they say they’re looking for someone who is Latinx, they

don’t really know if they’re looking for someone who is Guatemalan or Dominican,” Arbusto said.

Arbusto said the main job of a casting director is to help bring the vision that writers and directors have in mind to life.

However, Arbusto said there is a business aspect to casting in addition to the artistic aspect. Networks are required to approve casting decisions, which can impact the way actors are chosen.

“Most of the time it’s a balancing act because at the end of the day you want the network to be happy,” Arbusto said.

Another difficulty with casting Latinx people is that casting

directors aren’t allowed to ask actors about their ethnicity.

“Not being able to ask that sort of question is challenging because as a white person, I’m not as tuned in on different accents.

“That’s one of those instances where it would be helpful to be able to ask about someone’s background,” Arbusto said.

One piece of advice given to Latinx actors was to highlight their background during casting.

“Your ethnicity and cultural background is a special skill because it’s something unique that you can bring to a role that another actor might not be able to,” Arbusto said.

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More must be done to combat climate change

BY ADONIA BURCIAGA

Staff Writer

Climate change is impacting our future and we need elected officials to find eco-friendly ways to source oil without damaging our planet.

Throughout the past few decades climate change has gotten progressively worse, and it has not been talked about enough.

Climate change discussions are focused on the change of temperature in a global dimension.

During President Joe Biden’s election, he always made sure to say that he would try to solve the climate crisis we are facing once his presidency begins. In Biden’s

election campaign it reads, “Rally the rest of the world to meet the threat of climate change.

“Climate change is a global challenge that requires decisive action from every country around the world. Joe Biden knows how to stand with America’s allies, stand up to adversaries, and level with any world leader about what must be done.”

This past week, Biden approved the Willow Project, which is an oil project that will take place in Alaska.

This project would release immense amounts of Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. Carbon Dioxide is a fossil fuel that is causing our climate crisis.

Professor Stephen Koletty Ph.D, Chairperson of Geography, Geology and Anthropology shared, “We are creating a Jurassic World. There should be an eco-friendly way to get oil without making climate change worse.”

Koletty continues, “The climate change is not something only one person could fix. There has to be a change of the trajectory and changing the social value of climate change.”

The United Nations said hotter temperatures, more severe storms, increased droughts, a warming rising ocean, loss of species, not enough food, more health risks, poverty and displacement are social impacts caused by climate change.

Last summer California experienced extreme drought conditions, and over the last two months the state has experienced torrential storms.

The storms caused landslides, power outages and caused California to reach cold temperatures that have not occurred since 2005.

Professor Koletty shared that it is unlikely for 11 atmospheric rivers to happen in such a short amount of time, especially and during the springtime.

Greta Thunberg, a Swedish environmental activist, gained popularity for using her voice to speak against the climate crisis.

At 20 years old she’s been able to gain a huge audience of 14.8 million

followers on Instagram.

Greta Thungberg is very important because she is advocating for the future and setting an example for Gen Z to care more about the environment because their future depends on it.

There are ways we can reduce the climate crisis by cutting down plastic, reducing waste, limiting the amount of fuel, and raising awareness about the issue.

To learn more about what the United States Environmental Protection Agency is doing to solve the climate crisis, visit https://www. epa.gov/climate-change/what-epadoing-about-climate-change

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MAN’S BEST FRIEND— Luca, the 12 week old terrier training to be an Emotional Support Animal can be found in the Learning Center located in the E3 building on Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m-2 p.m.

CN/KIMBERLY CHINCHILLA

Student lounge helps students take a breather

BY KIMBERLY CHINCHILLA Staff Writer

South Gate center recently opened a new center inside the campus called the Student Lounge in room 118 next to the main entrance.

The Student Lounge offers an open space for students to gather, relax, study in between classes, in groups or if you simply want to grab a coffee and play a board game.

Students are greeted by pops of wonderful colors as they enter the spacious room. They have access to school essentials such as white boards, markers, pens, pencils, highlighters.

Many deans, faculty and staff voiced support for the creation of a casual space for students.

Students also championed the lounge, especially South Gate campus alum Jennifer Estrada. Estrada directly participated in the lounge’s completion. She said she always felt that the campus needed a dedicated space for student activities and kicking back.

“We want [students] to come to South Gate, we want them to be comfortable, to not only have their academics met, but also their student activities met” Estrada said. The set-up of the room was

Performance East Club hosts Disney trivia tonight

BY JUAN CALVILLO Staff Writer

Performance East Club and the Theater Department are challenging students to a Disney Trivia Night today from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in P2-201. This is the club’s first fundraising event this semester and is focused on giving East Los Angeles College students a chance to sit back and have fun.

Marina Chavez, Performance East Club president, said her idea for the event was inspired by an online trivia game. The online game, Jeopardy Labs, allows players to customize questions used for each round. There will be two rounds of questions and the program allows for these main game questions to look like a round of “Jeopardy.”

The event will have two interactive trivia challenges going on. Students who reserve tickets early will have their names picked for the “Jeopardy” type trivia questions on stage. Those that buy tickets at the door will participate in a series of Kahoot trivia questions. Kahoot is a free game that is used

for learning purposes and is being used for students who don’t get to be a part of the on stage event. Chavez said despite there being a difference in what type of game students will participate in, everyone will walk away with prizes the day of the event.

She said the club went through some different ideas for the event, and eventually the club decided on doing a trivia night. Deciding on trivia questions was easy for Chavez to decide on.

“I’m a big Disney nerd, so I know a lot of things about Disney,”

Chavez said.

She said questions will run the rather large library of Disney properties. Everything from the classic, Pixar and live action movies will be a part of the trivia questions.

Chavez said she is hoping for attendees to come out to the event in Disney attire. She said that she will be hosting the event in full Snow White costume. Board members of the club will come out dressed up as Disney characters as well.

Chavez said Lisa Hashimoto Stone, the Theater Department

chair, thought the idea was great. The department is very busy right now, but Stone helped the club figure out a good time to hold the event and was fully supportive of the club’s activity.

Vanessa Mizzone Pellegrini, Theater Arts faculty and co-advisor of Performance East Club, said the department is very busy with two different productions coming in April and May. She said both faculty and students love being busy in the department and being creative. It was during an early club meeting where members proposed having the trivia night.

“As advisors, we just let them go with it, you know. We were like, ‘awesome, we can give you this space and this time,’” Pellegrini said.

She said club members are great at running events like this. They already know how to create questions, run equipment and so much more.

Students can get tickets using the QR code on the event flier. Chaves said students can also stop by the P2 building and walk into the Theater

Department offices and pick up tickets there.

Tickets are $3 with reservation and $5 at the door. More event information is on the club’s Instagram @performanceeastclub. The Performance East Club meets every other Tuesday in P2 building.

intricately designed. If you want to study with a group then you will find round tables. There are round tables for study groups, comfortable chairs with attached desks students working on their own and couches welcome those wanting a power nap. Both Estrada and a colleague were behind the design layout of the lounge.

Estrada said the furniture was donated from different campus offices. “At some point we are hoping to get new furniture [added] for the students,” she said.

Estrada said the coffee table was purposely chosen because it feels more comforting. “We want to make sure that students feel at home in some way,” she said.

The thoughtful details are important to her goal of building a community.

“In [the lounge] students will also see two particular burgundy chairs, they’re more comfortable and face each other. Sometimes, you just want to share a cafecito [a cup of coffee],” Estrada said.

Evelin Valladares, a current student, was visiting the lounge for the first time. She was intrigued and also utilized the white board for her Anthropology work.

Valladares said that while she usually goes to the Writing Center or Library to study, she prefers the greater privacy available at the newly opened lounge.

“I will be coming here more often,” she said. While the space can be used for relaxing and studying, the Student Lounge will also host activities. On March 21 from noon-1pm, they will stream “The Mandalorian” season three, episode one, Followed by episode two on March 28 from noon-1pm.

On Thursdays, they will stream “The Last of Us” starting with season one, episode one on March 29 from 2:30pm-3:30pm. Each show is less than an hour long, so it is perfect to watch while you are waiting for your next class to start.

They also have a bulletin board with lots of community events happening in the South Gate area inside the lounge.

While the South Gate campus might be far away from the main campus, the campus shuttle offers students rides to and from each campus.

“We are working toward hearing what students would like to add to the room and, if it’s within our means, then we can do that, too” said Estrada.

Faculty and staff along with ASU are planning a hard opening which will include snacks and a “dope layout” said Estrada. However everything is still in the works.

As of now, they are open Monday through Thursday from 8:30am-7:00pm and on Fridays, the hours vary.

BY YANIERA RODRIGUEZ

Staff Writer

“Scream VI” follows the Carpenter sisters and their friends from the suburbs of Woodsboro to New York. In this latest installment, Tara Carpenter, played by Jenna Ortega, Sam Carpenter, played by Melissa Barrera, Mindy MeeksMartin, played by Jasmin Savoy Brown and Chad Meeks-Martin, played by Mason Gooding, find themselves facing a new Ghostface in New York. They are joined by Scream veteran and survivor Gale Weathers played by Courtney Cox, as well as Kirby Reed played by Hayden Panettiere.

After surviving the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors begin a new chapter in the highly popular horror franchise. The Carpenter sisters cannot seem to escape their terrible past, no matter how far they move. Living

in a big city gives the younger of the Carpenter sisters, Tara, a sense of a new beginning, while Sam worries that Tara has not dealt with the trauma they endured. Slasher films are a genre of horror films involving a killer stalking and murdering a group of people. Slasher films are known to follow a specific formula and set of rules. “Scream VI” acknowledges these sets of rules throughout the franchise. The characters try to break down what kind of film they are in as an attempt to predict what will happen next. “Scream VI” has makes nods of its films in every chapter and while adapting the rules to acknowledge the changing times. In this latest installment, the rules have changed. No one, not even legacy characters, are safe and everyone is a suspect.

Using their knowledge of all the past Ghostfaces, the survivors attempt to outsmart this latest

copycat killer. Murder is no longer enough, Ghostface wants to destroy reputations.

“Scream VI” is a satisfying continuation to the story of the Ghostface murders. Fans of the franchise can rest assured that the film does not sway too far from what makes the films so popular. Although the film does not bring back the film’s original final girl , Sydney Prescot, the film does a good job at capitalizing on that fact and allows a reinvention of a sort.

“Scream VI” does not fall short on brutality and gruesomeness, something that devoted fans expect from the franchise.

This latest installment has officially evolves into its own version through a whole new set of characters, but continues nodding to the original. The franchise always leaves the story open for more and fans can always expect a new Ghostface from Woodsboro.

CN/SOLEIL CARDENAS

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‘Scream VI’ reinvests the slasher genre

Softball loses to LA Harbor in close encounter

BY OSCAR MARTINES Staff Writer

The Huskies’ softball team’s efforts came up short against Los Angeles Harbor College ending with a 4-3 loss.

The Huskies were off to a good start in the first inning.

Center fielder Nathalie Cordova led the charge with a single to left field, putting the Huskies on bases.

Following a strikeout and a bunt that helped Cordova move to second base, she would take advantage of a pitching error that flew over the catcher’s glove.

This allowed her to reach home plate and score the first run for the Huskies.

The Huskies’ inning would end with a strikeout.

The next innings saw both teams play very good defense, preventing any runs from the opposing team and rewarding each pitcher with a couple of strikeouts.

At the top of the third inning, Cordova continued to show a strong display at bat as she hit a double to midfield.

Following her double, she took the opportunity to steal a base and put the Huskies in a position to increase the lead.

LA Harbor pitcher Natalie Quezada would respond to the play by striking out and walking her next two opponents at bat.

Alexis Alvarez, third baseman for the Huskies, would then hit an RBI single to left field, leaving one Husky to be sacrificed for an out.

The play gave Cordova enough time to score again for the Huskies, giving them a 2-0 lead to end the top of the inning.

LA Harbor would not go away quietly, however, as they looked to overcome the two-run disadvantage.

At the bottom of the third, LA Harbor’s batters would finally

respond as catcher Ashley Parra began the inning with a single to left field.

Husky pitcher Eliana Rocha would strike out her next opponent. LA Harbor’s first baseman Rosalie Alvarado took to bat next and hit a single to middle field, giving LA Harbor a much needed confidence boost.

This confidence would be seen in the next play as left fielder Haley Veazie would also hit a single to left field, moving the players at base closer to home.

Unfortunately, Parra would be caught out at third base, with the Huskies slowing down any potential momentum from LA Harbor.

On the next play, shortstop Angela Gerber hit the ball to far midfield, allowing Alvarado to score the first run for LA Harbor.

As LA Harbor attempted to score their second run, Gerber tried to advance to second base but was caught out at second base, ending the inning and preventing LA Harbor from tying the game.

With a 2-1 score at the top of the fourth inning, the Huskies had pressure to score again to increase their lead over LA Harbor.

With an out on hand, designated player Arianna Cobian was allowed to walk.

On the next play, Cobian would steal a base to move herself closer to increasing the Huskies’ lead.

With one out remaining, the next Husky hit a double to left field, opening the way for Cobian to score.

The game became a two-run game. The bottom of the fourth saw LA Harbor’s comeback.

Designated player Asia Bryant began the bottom of the inning with a double to midfield, followed by third baseman Dajhay Norton’s fly out.

Women’s Wrestling takes second overall

This allowed Bryant to move to third base.

With an open opportunity to score, second baseman Alexis Mena would strike a double to left field which moved Bryant to home.

This cut the Huskies’ lead to just one run.

Another out in the inning put LA Harbor’s backs against the wall.

They needed to score to keep themselves in the game.

Parra responded with a single to left field that was just far enough for Mena to score and tie the game at 3-3.

The Huskies would be unable to respond in the next inning and leave LA Harbor with potential room to score and lead the game.

At the bottom of the fifth inning, Veazie led the way for LA Harbor with a single to midfield, followed by stealing second base.

LA Harbor were now in position to take the lead, and Gerber took advantage of that by hitting an RBI double to midfield giving LA Harbor the 4-3 lead.

The Huskies would close out the inning and halt any more scoring opportunities for LA Harbor.

“We let them back in the game and we should’ve had a better pitching performance, and also our at bats kind of went dead, too,” Erika Blanco, Huskies head coach, said.

The Huskies were unable to respond in the final two innings, ending the game with a tough loss.

“I think our defense did great. They’ve been doing really well and there were some plays where outfielders were throwing some runners out and the infield did really well. I thought they did great by scoring early, but you gotta keep on scoring throughout the game and we just did not do that,” Blanco said.

Pitcher Amaya Zaldivar examines her perfect game

BY BRENDA DE LA CRUZ Staff Writer

Softball starting pitcher Amaya

Zaldivar shined as she completed a perfect five-inning game against Compton College on March 8. The final score was 10-0.

The 19-year-old freshman has been playing softball since the age of 11-and-a-half. She credits both her parents for providing her with the chance to play.

Her mother was her coach and the one to sign her up for softball. Her father financed her softball travels and coaching for pitching. She said he told her, “Wherever you want to go, I’ll provide it for you.”

Shortly before the fall season began, Zaldivar’s father passed away. At first, had doubts in herself and did not know if she could go on playing.

She contemplated taking the year off, but her mom pushed her. Zaldivar knew her father would be proud of her for continuing to play while also continuing her classes. She decided she wanted to keep playing for him.

Zaldivar said she felt more nervous than usual before the game against Compton, despite having previously going up against number one teams. She thanks her teammates for helping her get through the nerves.

She was so focused on each of her next pitches during the game. She didn’t even notice she was pitching a perfect game. Her friend was the one who helped her realize how well she did.

Her favorite pitch is the change-up since she can throw it at any time and throw off hitters with the mix of speed she uses.

Despite this, she didn’t throw a single change-up during the Compton game.

One of her favorite pitchers is former Dodger pitcher Trevor Bauer. She admires the pitcher’s work ethic and everything he does for baseball.

As for softball pitchers, her favorites include University of Alabama’s Montana Fouts, UCLA’s Rachel Garcia, former University of Michigan pitcher Megan Betsa,

and former Cerritos pitching coach Ashley Belmontes. Belmontes is currently Zaldivar’s pitching coach. Zaldivar used to play as an outfielder, but found it boring with no action. She also played at third base but felt she wasn’t very good then, compared to now. She instead prefers and gravitates toward pitching. When she shared her interest in pitching with her parents, Zaldivar thought it was too late, but her dad said, “She wants to do pitching, I’ll get her lessons,” and took her to her first lessons.

She said she had a rough start at the beginning of the season, but her teammates always saw how hard she worked outside of practice.

They told her to not get in her own head, and reminded her that she knew what she was capable of.

“It’s great to have that support in people that believe in you and know how much work and time you put into your craft,” Zaldivar said.

She said the team’s chemistry is great and the team feels like a family.

When she first decided which school to attend, she was undecided between Cerritos College and ELAC, but something told her ELAC was where she needed to be.

She is currently studying to be a firefighter as a fire tech major, and plans to play for an additional two years after ELAC. Her dream is to work on wildland firefighting.

LEADER OF THE PACK— Women’s wrestling tied with Mount San Antonio, placing second overall. Isabella Calle placed first in her weight class (220). Galilea Garcia-Salazar placed third in her weight class (160). Ariana Valdivia-Camacho placed second in her weight class (128). Delilah Felix-Lopez placed first in her weight class(123). Miya Galvan placed third in her weight class (116). Ten teams particpated in the meet.

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HUSKY PRIDE—Amaya Zaldivar stands in front of the softball field where she threw a perfect game.

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