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Volume 73, Issue 15
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
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but the band must also stage their performance for the Coachella Staff Writer crowd. Rojas says the band is known to On a Wednesday afternoon, in a have wild live shows. garage tucked away near Garfield They feature a hot pink dancing High School located in East Los gorilla named Chilla Gorilla, and Angeles, cumbia-punk band Thee a friend or two going home with a Commons rehearse their set list for bloody nose as seen on the band’s their biggest show yet, the 2017 facebook page. Coachella Valley Music and Arts “We don’t want to come across festival. as a gimmicky-circus band,” David The band is set to play both says. weekends, April 15 and April 22, “We want to be like Salt taking the stage just moments Bae: just a little sprinkle of before headliners like Lady Gaga, the carnivalesque aspect of the Future, Gucci Mane and Bon Iver. psychedelic elements.” “Its our first time playing,” The band was taken by surprise bassist and East Los Angeles when their manager Gil Gastelum College student Jose Rojas says. told them they would be playing “My friends are always inviting the festival. me or asking ‘When are you going “I was slightly confused because to go to Coachella?’ and I tell when we came back from the West them, I’m not going to go unless I Coast tour last December, we had am playing.” already done a full U.S. tour, but Recently, Thee Commons our goal has definitely been to play ranked number 28 out of the 161 festivals,” David says. acts in L.A. Weekly’s Coachella “We weren’t anticipating it to 2017 ranked bands list. be this soon, so that took me by Despite recognition, there are surprise. Actually, the festival we still challenges they face leading were going to be playing at was a up to the festival. shock.” According to guitarist and To the band, the opportunity singer David Pacheco, not only to accomplish a goal like this must they shorten their usual means much more to them and hour-long set to 40 minutes,
BY MEGAN G. RAZZETTI
those they represent. David says that although Thee Commons has yet to make it to the point of appealing to mainstream audiences, the band has room to experiment with its sociological and political expression. “We are in a very turbulent time in which certain demographics have been scapegoated and highlighted for the wrong reasons,” David says. People such as people of color, different sexual orientations and various religious backgrounds who have been targeted by the Trump administration. “However, this has created a spotlight for people like us to thrive in, which was a very unintended consequence by Donald Trump.” The formation of the band began in 2012 with brothers David on vocals and Rene Pacheco on drums. Thee Commons have dealt with a rotation of bassists, one after another since its beginning. It was not until a random meeting at ELAC in the S2 Performing Arts complex quad that current Thee Commons bassist and ELAC student Jose Rojas meet David, who was also attending the school at the time.
COMMONS Continued on page 4
PHOTOS BY DIEGO LINARES • PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY STEVEN ADAMO
Suicide awareness represented with backpacks BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer Eleven hundred backpacks were on display on campus Tuesday to help visualize the number of college-aged students who die each year from suicide. Rob Schicker of Send Silence Packing, the program in charge of the backpack display, said the number of backpacks on display represent the 1,300-1,500 collegeaged suicides that happen every year. Volunteers weaved through the sea of backpacks and provided observers with suicide facts and information. “Most of the backpacks are donated by the families. Some of them that are heavily decorated are
News Briefs
the actual backpacks from students who have taken their own life,” Vanessa Guerrero, a psychology major and volunteer for the event, said. Active Minds, a non-profit group that created the Send Silence Packing program, has over 400 chapters on college campuses nationwide. Active Minds serve as a liaison between students and mental health professionals. The Send Silence Packing program was created to bring awareness to these issues using visual aids. “This event is to bring awareness of mental health because a lot of times people don’t want to talk about it, and you don’t see the impact until you see the numbers,”
Guerrero said. Half of the backpacks had stories attached to them. Some of them were written by family members, friends or people who were in relationships with the victims. A common thread among most of them was the desire to have done something more to help. John Raasch, a mental health counselor at the Student Health Center, helped bring the backpack display to campus. Raasch provides personal counseling for students who are experiencing life crises. They provide free coverage Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and close at 2 p.m. on Fridays. Other on-campus resources include the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI),
Child center now enrolling
The ELAC Child Development Center is now accepting applications for child services like all-day toddler, pre-school, kindergarten and transitional kindergarten for the 2017-2018 school year. For more information, call (323) 265-8788.
Psychology Club and Students Against Substance Abuse (SASA). “An Active Minds chapter on campus would address some of these needs more specifically and make these issues more visible,” Raasch said. Anyone interested in starting an Active Minds chapter at ELAC can contact chapter manager Laura Horne from Active Minds at www. activeminds.org. Their site provides information on what signs to look for and how to reach out. If you or someone you know is in crisis, the national suicide prevention lifeline is 1-800-2738255 (TALK). The number is available 24 hours a day, and there is always somebody available to answer the call.
Consent and assault workshop
CN/IVAN CAZARES
REMEMBERING—Student Daniela Rosales stops to read the stories of people that have committed suicide. The 1,100 backpacks laid on the floor by Send Silence Packing represent the number of suicides in the U.S. each year.
The first of two “Healthy Consent and Sexual Assault” workshops is taking place today from 11 a.m. to noon in C2-106. The event is sponsored by ELAC’s SAAVE Team and is being facilitated by Dr. Eileen Le. The next workshop will take place April 20.
Social sciences open ouse
The Social Sciences Department is hosting its spring open house on Thursday at G3 Auditorium Foyer from noon to 1:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served.
Opinion Raising minimum wage will damage the economy 2
BY GIL MILANES Staff Writer
Increasing minimum wage sounds appealing to most people earning low wages, but it actually harms more than it helps. There is no point of increasing minimum wage when everything will go up. The illusion of earning more money is facetious. Most people agree that minimum wage should be raised. The idea of earning more money and having extra money on the side sounds very fascinating. What people fail to think about are the consequences that increasing minimum wage brings. Companies are forced to raise the prices of their products landlords put up rent, gas prices go up, goods cost more, everything goes up and the poor continue to be poor. The rich continue to be rich. Some companies lay off workers, and double the work for employees, while other companies opt to replace workers with machinery. Increasing the minimum wage too much can even be dangerous. In a study title Effects of the Minimum Wage on Employment Dynamics by Jonathan Meer and Jeremy West, they concluded that “minimum wage increase of ten percent reduces job growth in the state by around 0.5 percentage points... a ten percent increase to the minimum wage results in a reduction of approximately onequarter of the net job growth rate.” Robots in the long run are cheaper and employers don’t have to provide breaks, vacation, medical insurance, pay overtime or provide any benefits. We live in a world where technology is taking over labor work and it’s matter of time before robots
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017
leaves many of us unemployed. During elections politicians use minimum wage as a tactic to gain votes. If politicians really cared about voters, they would create laws or policies that prevent companies from increasing prices on products or at least balance the economy somehow. At the end of the day most politicians are in it for the money they gain from donors during office and not to serve the American people. Even those politicians with good intentions end up hurting the working class because they don’t think of the effects of increasing minimum wage. Increasing the minimum wage also affects those employees earning a little more than the minimum wage. When lawmakers force an increase in the minimum wage, companies have no option but to comply with the laws. Companies do have the option to keep everyone else earning above the minimum wage at the same pay rate. In that case, the company's ends up saving money because most likely they will increase prices on the product to compensate the increase on the minimum wage but those employees who were earning more will now have less money incoming. In any way, shape or form is this article meant to sound like I’m against minimum wage. I do believe that before we support an increase in minimum wage, we should do our research and take in account all the disadvantages the increase will bring to our lives. Minimum wage should give people enough to get by in life. Surpassing the limit disrupts the economy and it makes it more competitive for people to maintain jobs.
EDITOR IN CHIEF Megan G. Razzetti MANAGING EDITOR Stephanie Guevara ONLINE EDITORS Dan Gudino ART DIRECTOR Steven Adamo Anastasia Landeros FRONT EDITOR Dorany Pineda
OPINION EDITOR Felipe Rodriguez NEWS EDITOR Gustavo Buenrostro FEATURE EDITOR Maria Isabel Cubillo Roslin Ojeda ARTS EDITOR Ivan Cazares SPORTS EDITOR Tiana Hunter Noe Ortega COPY EDITORS Rogelio Alvarez Diego Linares CARTOONISTS Jose Guillen Steven Adamo Felipe Rodriguez
Parking negligence affects students BY ROSALIN OJEDA Staff Writer Taking a few seconds to make sure your vehicle is properly parked takes little effort but can make all the difference. Pulling into the parking structure, the clock on the dashboard reads 7p.m. Class has already begun and finding available parking is going to be a nightmare. As you proceed through each level of the parking structure, the frustration begins to grow. After rising a few levels through the structure, you spot an available space close by. As you begin an attempt to park the realization that the car next to you is overlapping its space begins to get in the way. No attempt would allow someone to park properly without the consequence of denting a door. A long sigh of frustration escapes as the never-ending parking struggle continues. Students who drive to school are all too familiar with the previous scenario. Every semester the struggle for parking is seen in student’s faces as one makes there way through the parking structures. The East Los Angeles College website states that it had a student population of more than 25,000 students in 2015. Although not all students are on campus at all times of the day, there are still a significant number of vehicles present in the parking structures. Getting in and out of the parking structures is already a nightmare. Using all the spaces appropriately makes it easier for everyone to find room in these crowded structures . Individuals need to realize that they are not the only ones in a hurry to get to class. If people took the time to park properly, they would reduce the amount of frustration over the fight for a parking spot. When students park improperly,it www.ELACCampusNews.com
creates more traffic within the structure, causing students to lose patience and begin to drive erratically. The last thing anyone wants when they return from class is to realize they cannot open their door because the car next to them has greatly crossed the parking boundary. Even worse would be to see a dent on the door because a driver was being careless. It may not seem like a big deal to cause a small dent on someone else’s door, but it is considered property damage. Property damage is defined as an injury to real or personal property through another's negligence, willful destruction or by some act of nature. The party at fault is financially responsible for any costs brought on by their negligence. Although some people may think they can simply walk away, they run the risk of someone witnessing the incident and informing the owner of the damaged vehicle. If damage has been done to personal property and the party at fault walks away without identifying themselves, it is considered a misdemeanor. The person is in direct violation of California Vehicle Code Section 20002. In the end, it all appears to be one big headache that can be avoided. Now, there could be a simple solution to help put a stop to those that believe they can park however they wish. Why not put a small fine on students who do not take the time to properly park? I’m not talking something irrational, more along the lines of $20. Once students begin to see that the school is in fact trying to help make a change, perhaps they will finally start to be more considerate of others. It is easy to overlook something that can be seen as no big deal, but people must realize that it can also be done to them.
STAFF WRITERS Ivan Cazares Hector Gomez Jose Guillen Christian Horta Christina Rodriguez Francisco Portillo Jordan Elias STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Jorge Aldaco Christopher Reynoso ADVERTISING Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Augustine Ugalde ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez
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EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017
ASU to focus on student protection
School district releases guidelines for undocumented BY DORANY PINEDA Staff Writer The Los Angeles Community College District released a set of guidelines for students, staff and faculty in the event that federal immigration officials are seen on campus or request student information. The “Know Your Rights” web page is comprised of a set of do’s and dont’s if one encounters an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, details on the district’s protocol if officials request access to the campus and links to community resources. “The constant training and workshops to educate faculty, staff and students, like the ‘Know Your Rights’ guidelines, is empowering,” program coordinator for the Dream Resource Center Reyna Hernandez said. We’re supporting each other. There’s a lot of misinformation out there, and by providing factual information and resources, we’re empowering our community.” A wallet-sized card that contains phone numbers and links students can refer to was also created. The resources include a hotline number where questions and concerns can be directed, the contact information for the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and others. The Blue Card, as it’s being called, has details about an
individual’s rights should he or she be approached by an ICE agent. One half of the card has a “do’s and dont’s” guideline and is for the student to keep. The other half is meant to be torn off and given to an ICE officer. It states the person’s rights to remain silent, refuse to sign or show any documents and deny an agent entry into their home or search their belongings.
“The constant training and workshops to educate faculty, staff and students, like the ‘Know Your Rights’ guidelines is empowering.” REYNA HERNANDEZ
Dream Resource Center Coordinator
Hernandez said that ELAC is working on a Blue Card of its own that will soon be mass produced and be available all over campus. According to the web page, federal immigration officials generally avoid “enforcement actions at sensitive locations.” These locations include learning programs and institutions such as pre-schools, primary and secondary schools, colleges and universities. Furthermore, the website
specifies that “an enforcement action under this policy guidance includes any action taken by ICE.” This includes any interactions with students, faculty or staff, for any purposes. T h e “ K n o w Yo u r R i g h t s ” guidelines come as a direct response to President Donald Trump’s tightened immigration policies that targets millions of undocumented in the country. The Trump Administration specified that ICE raids would only target immigrants with criminal and misdemeanor records. So the chances of seeing ICE agents on campus, Hernandez said, is slim. Hernandez also spoke about the ELAC Safe Zone coalition, whose objective is to create safe space on campus for undocumented and LGBTQ people. “We are a group of over 100 allies who wear a lanyard that has a safe zone butterfly,” Hernandez said. “This indicates to students that they are safe with us, that they can find information and resources from us and we’ll help in any way possible.” Paredes said it’s really important that students feel welcome and comfortable on campus. She encourages students to use the resources the school offers to become self advocates. For the “Know Your Rights” guidelines, visit: http://services. laccd.edu/districtsite/kyr/index. html.
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BY HECTOR GOMEZ Staff Writer East Los Angeles Colleges Associated Student Union has made it a main focus this semester to protect students from any issues or concerns when dealing with Federal Immigration on or off campus. ASU is committed to advocate students for their well being at ELAC and help them on their path to receive a higher education. One of the main goals for Associated Student Union board this semester has been to have a full understanding with all information processed to students, professors and faculty . “We want all our students at ELAC to have that sense of belonging because it’s really important. We want everyone to feel comfortable attending school. We want everyone to gain whatever skills they choose to learn, want students to become involved, and mainly be aware of all the resources ELAC can provide for them to become a self advocate,”ASU President Aurora Paredes said. ASU board and all school clubs have been in communication regarding events that have taken place and questions on how students should act upon throughout this Spring semester. The Los Angeles Community College District has created a group named Dreamers Task Force,
which is represented by four faculty members and students from each campus. Once a month, members attend a district meeting to discuss student needs and the information that should be passed on to them. Under the political climate students have encountered with our new president, LACCD has created an article in English and Spanish titled "Know Your Rights" which is posted on the LACCD webpage.
“I’ve noticed in our students that these types of situations don’t bring them down and they keep going and they keep pursuing higher education.” AURORA PAREDES ASU President
The guidelines provide students with information on how to protect themselves and their families in the event of federal immigration officials requesting information from students, regardless of one's immigration status. Information has also been established on the website in case any ICE officials are seen on campus. In case any issue occurs, LACCD wants all students to feel safe
attending school and continue their education. “I've noticed in our students that these type of situations don't bring them down and they keep going and they want to keep pursuing a higher education. That's exactly what we want from everyone, to feel comfortable coming to school." said Paredes. It has been a focus not just at ELAC, but at all nine community colleges in the LACCD. "Our professors are there to support all of us students and we have really seen it. It's something we admire and thankfully everyone we work with really cares about the students. Many professors have taken time and offered their help to students and it's something we have to acknowledge. We have that at ELAC and students feel that support." said Paredes. This helps out all students protect themselves whether they are undocumented or not and has shown the care and support toward all students. With nearly 40,000 students at ELAC, it also services the largest number of undocumented students in the district. LACCD has taken action to help all students continue their education without any worries or interruptions. ELAC Dream Resource Center on campus is available for all students. It provides them with an opportunity to present issues and problems in order to receive information and advice.
ELAC child development student dies unexpectedly BY DORANY PINEDA Staff Writer Damien Benson, a student studying child development at East Los Angeles College, died of a heart attack due to undiagnosed coronary heart disease in his home the night of March 19. Raeanna Gleason, assistant English professor, remembers her fall semester’s class as one of the best she’s ever taught, and it was largely because of Benson. “[Damien] was a wonderful, amazing student,” Gleason said. “He always brought up many deep and important questions, was very humble and hardworking. He was very positive and always deeply engaged in class.” There was one moment that semester that really stood out to Gleason and spoke volumes about the kind of person Benson was. The day after the election, people on campus were scared, Gleason recalled. An undocumented student walked into class that day crying,
worried about the promises the academically or emotionally, new administration had made about Benson strived everyday to be the deporting people without legal best version of himself, ELAC student Billy Torbey said. status. “On the court is where his true Benson, who hardly knew her, hugged and thanked her for being passion came out,” Torbey wrote in a text. “He would always talk about brave. being the ‘goat’ That is how or the greatest Deanna Ductoc, of all time in B e n s o n ’s “He always brought basketball, and girlfriend of oneup many deep and there is no doubt and-a-half years, remembers him important questions, in my mind that too: as a positive was very hunble and heBwas.” and caring e n s o n hardworking. He was worked at an person. “[Damien] was elementary very positive...” a super loving school as person. He was a physical RAEANNA GLEASON education always smiling, Assisstant English Professor instruction always had a assistant, a job genuine smile Ductoc said he on his face no matter what he was going through. enjoyed immensely. He dreamed of He worked for everything he had, being a speech pathologist. When talking to his friends, they and always made sure he challenged all expressed how amazing Benson himself and others,” Ductoc said. Whether it was physically, was and the grand scale of his heart
and soul. Always looking to inspire others, Benson started a YouTube channel about a year ago called Dame Zero where he posted creative, thought-provoking, insightful and motivational videos. Celeste Sanchez, an ELAC student and friend of Benson’s, said that he had very unique perspectives about the world. “Damien just had one of the purest souls. He wanted everyone to be better than what they could be,” Sanchez said. His charisma and openmindedness always caught the attention of others, Sanchez said. He always brought attention to himself without even trying. “Damien was really well-loved, very intelligent, thoughtful and pleasant. I think it’s a big loss for our campus. He will be dearly missed,” Gleason said. Born Nov. 15, 1990 in Sacramento, California, Benson is survived by four siblings: Joey, Adrianna and Julian Limon, and Kahlia Williams.
DAMIEN BENSON
LACCD updates student portal to help inform students BY GIL MILANES Staff Writer The Los Angeles Community College District upgraded its student portal April 3. The portal provides different tools all on the same page. To access the new portal, students can find the link at www. elac.com under “Current Students,” then by clicking Financial Aid or by going directly to https:// mycollege.laccd.edu. The portal will allow students to view the status of their financial aid. The financial aid office will
be able to keep students informed in real time, saving students the trip, hassle and waiting time at the financial aid office. Information such as the Board of Governors Fee Waiver status will also be available through the portal. Financial aid information is not the only benefit that the new portal will bring, according to East Los Angeles College’s financial aid director Lindy Fong. “The portal will provide students with easy access to all the information they need all on the same page. Course information, messages from the campus,
financial aid information, holds and much more,” Fong said. Although the portal has not gone fully live, students are able to access the portal now. Once inside the portal, there is a link to access the school’s email on the top left side of the screen. When clicked, the page will redirect to Office 365, where applications such as OneNote, Mail, Calendar, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneDrive and other applications are available for students to use. “The system is scheduled to go live in different phases. Currently,
admission for fall 2017 is being processed in the new system. In April, financial aid students will be able to see their financial aid status or outstanding checklist online in the student portal. In late May, the award information for Fall 2017 will be available in the student portal,” Fong said. Staff from the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office attended training to learn the new system. “There are many new functionalities that are different than our current system. It will take time for all of us to adjust and learn to use the new system. We
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ask students to be patient as we move to this new environment. We will do everything we can to ensure timely processing of the financial aid application process,” Fong said. LACCD sent an email the second week of March to students from all nine community colleges in the district to announce the release of the new and improved student portal. The login information will slightly change to what students are accustomed. The user name will remain the student’s identification number. Password will change 88@, plus
the first character of student’s last name capitalized, plus the month in two digit numbers and day of student’s day of birth. Once logged in, students will have to change their old password to a new, personalized password with some minor requirements. Fong encourages students to register and familiarize with the new portal. “Apply early and work with us as we learn this environment together,” Fong said. For questions, visit the Financial Aid Office in E1-135. A computer lab for financial aid related purposes is also available in the same place.
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Feature
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017
Thee Commons prepare for festival COMMONS Continued from page 1
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIELA ARTEAGA
GETTING IT RIGHT—Peter Mendoza rehearsing for the role of Henry Reyna at the Mark Taper Forum.
Elan lands role in ‘Zoot Suit’ revival BY GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO Staff Writer East Los Angeles College alumnus Peter Mendoza went from understudy of another person to a role of his own in the revival of the stage play “Zoot suit,” where he portrayed Sergeant Smith. The play “Zoot suit” ran from January 31 through April 2 at the Mark Taper Forum, in downtown Los Angeles. Mendoza was the understudy for the character of Henry Reyna, played by Jeremy Ray Valdez. Toward the end of the play run, Mendoza got to play the role of Sgt. Smith because the original actor, Bradford Tatum, “bowed out.” “Bowed out” is when an actor leaves a role he doesn’t feel is right for them. Mendoza said he was given little time, but took the lines and choreography for Sgt. Smith seriously. Mendoza said while playing the role of Sergeant Smith, he added a different tone and inflection to the character that was not present before, as Mendoza is of Latino origin, and Sgt. Smith is traditionally
a white character. He said the role challenged him because it took him a while to understand the character. At first he was scared but the second time he felt more confident. “It was definitely out of my comfort zone in a good way. It was a challenge for me. I prepare to perform but when I’m performing the energy is different and the atmosphere is so different. But it was fun once I got out there,”Mendoza said. He said Smith, as he played him, thought of himself, and above the Latino culture, above wearing zoot suits. The character took pride in who he was as a person. Mendoza said that while Sgt. Smith was all about the establishment, the character of Henry Reyna was anti establishment. He said he related to that character more and it came easier for him to understand Henry because he sees a lot of Henry in himself. “He (Henry) is the everyman. He doesn’t just speak for the latinos but speaks for everyone. It is especially prevalent right now in this political climate. It’s a story about a man who wants to survive in a world that doesn’t want him, that is out to get him,” said Mendoza. Mendoza grew up in East Los
Angeles and attended ELAC, where he started as an English major. He said he always wanted to be an actor and his influence to do so was Jean-Claude Van Damme. When he came to ELAC, he decided to take a few classes in acting and he fell in love with the dynamics of characters. “Not everything is black and white. Each character has motivation behind them. There is a gray area that characters fall into,” said Mendoza. He said the theater department is helpful and is on par with a lot of other schools that he attended. It prepared him for when he moved on from ELAC and started pursuing acting professionally. Mendoza’s first theater professor was ELAC theater arts professor Tom Atha. “He was happy-go-lucky, and I thought he had some talent and pushed him to become better. Every semester he got better, until I told him to start auditioning professionally. It scared him at first, but he became stronger and tougher in his auditions and began to get some good roles,” said Atha. According to Atha. Mendoza was always self improving and wanted to challenge himself. He would
“I bumped into David at ELAC and I thought: ‘is this the singer, guitar player of Thee Commons?’I wasn’t too sure, so I took out my phone,” Rojas said. “I pulled up an Instagram photo of him, and I just stopped him like, ‘Hey is this you?’shoving my phone in his face.” The two introduced themselves and talked about their music. Rojas says that during this interaction,he mentioned that the band had gone through a few bass players and pitched his own talents to David. “I told him that I’m a bass player, and if you’re interested, hit me up, let me know. I’m really good with my bass playing skills,” Rojas said. When they met, Rojas was playing in a hip hop indie band. However, when they had their first practice Rojas told the others he played in a norteño band called Konsequensia. “My first show with the band was at a burlesque show,” Rojas said. “A month or two into the band, they began to travel around and I had never been in a band that would travel.” With a background playing multiple genres of music like hardcore and norteño. “The music so far feels more like a summation of the genres I’ve already been performing,” Rojas said.
He said that he was attracted to Thee Commons because they had booked gigs, had notoriety and played cumbia. More importantly, Rojas was attracted to the personalities of David and Rene. “The brothers Pacheco have very strong personalities and are incredibly motivated,” Rojas said. “I realized that I wanted to surround myself with more people like that, and to be in a band like that definitely means that I will have better success with these guys than in my past bands.” Rene and David started playing music at an early age by playing an out -of- tune guitar and banging on pots and pans in their grandparent’s garage. Thee Commons have a show on April 20 at the Teragram Ballroom in downtown, which was scheduled in between the two Coachella weekends for those that can’t make it; Rene feels optimistic that the band can reach music lovers on another level. “I want the Coachella audience to leave with a restoration in their faith in live music,” Rene said. “Live music is something that can be easily ignored when you go to a show, unless the performers really grab your attention. I just want to give them that feeling that they’re alive and right there with us.”
tell himself he can make it in the business. Mendoza said during the production of “Zoot suit,” he learned about being patient. This production reinvigorated his passion for acting, learning about the characters he plays reminded him why he loves doing it. Mendoza said “Zoot suit” opened doors for him. After he appeared in the show, he got a manager and auditioned for Independent Shakespeare, a company that does free Shakespeare plays at Griffith Park, and he got a call back. He also auditioned for a pilot episode for Verizon’s new streaming service on Go90, as well as for the show “The Shooter.” He said he will also have a role in the upcoming FX series “Snowfall.” He is also in a film called “Dead Bullet” and “Parasites.” Mendoza’s brother Kevin Reyes said of his brother’s new found fame, “I was shocked and thrilled for him. I was bragging about it to the family. I told my father and he was excited for him. He told me he had actually gone to the ‘Zoot suit’ play when Edward James Olmos played Henry Reyna and it all came full circle.”
Rios elected in South Gate city council BY IVAN CAZARES Staff Writer Dean Of Academic Affairs and Workforce Development, Alfonso Rios has been an influential member of the East Los Angeles College community for 17 years. He worked as dean of ELAC’s South Gate Educational Center for 16 years and plays a major role in the campus’ development as an advocate for higher education in the Southeast region of Los Angeles. His work at the South Gate campus inspired him to successfully campaign for a seat on South Gate’s city council this year. “I’m excited for this new journey. I look forward to serving the residents of the community of South Gate and the (southeast) region,” Rios said. Rios said public safety is always a concern, and he plans to support projects to insure it. He also said he plans on developing youth programs that will help keep the youth off the streets. “ We ’ r e ( S o u t h e a s t L o s Angeles is) lacking in non-profits (organizations),” Rios said. He said adolescents who get into trouble
with the law have to travel outside of the community for counseling. He plans on providing youth with a community center for them to receive guidance. Rios also plans on continuing his support for the development of the South Gate campus. He said the new facility has the potential of becoming Los Angeles Community College District’s tenth college. “I’m going to champion that. I’m loyal to ELAC. However, I believe every community deserves it’s own community college,” Rios said. Rios called the future South Gate facility a diamond in the rough that will help the city in its efforts to revitalize the surrounding area. The campus is currently a building leased by the LACCD. It’s small and is funded by ELAC’s budget. However, ELAC has planned to replace the facility since 2003. In an 2014 interview with Campus News, President Marvin Martinez said ELAC is working to achieve satellite center status for the South Gate campus, which will grant it its own funding when it opens the new facility.
To achieve satellite center status the South Gate campus needs to provide more of the reassurances provided at the main campus. ELAC would have to submit an application that would then have to be approved by the LACCD’s board of trustees. The current time line on the project puts the time of completion in 2019. “He (Rios) is the solutions guy. He’s flexible. He adapts. When issues arise, he just goes with it and address them,” Armida Ornelas, Vice President of Continuing Education and Workforce Development said. Ornelas has worked with Rios for more than 15 years. She said he is student-centered and communitycentered. Ornelas said that Rios seeking elected office is an extension of his activism. “I don’t think (campaigning) it was about him, or advancing his career. It’s about how dedicated he is to his community,” Ornelas said. Rios said the South Gate campus has improved the quality of life in the surrounding community. He plans on continuing to support the campus’ development. He’s an advocate for providing South Gate with the same resources the main
campus has. He said it’s important that students can complete all their required courses without commuting to the main campus. Rios said people are encouraged to take higher education courses because of the proximity of the campus to their homes. He said that taking college courses automatically makes people more employable, even if they don’t graduate. Rios said his new position at ELAC and on South Gate’s city council will allow him to work with private industries that are always looking for employees with technical skills and some higher education. The Southeast region has one of the youngest demographics in Los Angeles. There have been several K-12 schools built recently. However, the South Gate campus is the only higher education option in the area. Though Rios and ELAC have made efforts to provide South Gate with the same resources as the main campus, it still lacks some resources due to budgetary constraints and lack of space. Rios said the free shuttle to and from the main campus is an effort to compensate for that; it’s not enough.
www.ELACCampusNews.com
CN/DIEGO LINARES
NOT YOUR PARENTS’ CUMBIA—David Pacheco, guitarist and singer for Thee Commons, practices for the band’s upcoming shows. The band will play the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for the first time this year and will include theatrics.
Arts
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12, 2017
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Theater to present women centered war drama BY ROSLIN OJEDA Staff Writer "The Accrington Pals," written by Peter Whelan in 1981 abd based on a battalion during World War I, will be showcased by the Theater Department. The battalion was also from the town of Accrington which is located in Lancashire, England. The play will be directed by Kelly Hogan, who is an Intro to Theater professor and has directed other plays on campus. Hogan said the reason she picked the play was because the women are the central figures, which is not often seen in theater. She said what fascinated her most was that it is interpreted from the perspective of women when most plays about war are all about the men. The play not only focuses on the men at the front lines of WWI, but on the women they left behind as well. It explores their relationships as the war carries on and how the women had to adjust to life without husbands, fathers, or brothers around. Hogan also wanted to commemorate the 100-yearanniversary of the war. The play deals with issues such as fake news, propaganda and inequality toward women. Hogan said she thought it was important for her students to learn how to act with accents which is something they will have to do as professionals . “The accents, I think, are going to be a challenge for the audience at times to
understand everything. Once you get used to the accents then it gets easier to follow along,” Hogan said. She will be having the actors speak a bit slower during the first scene so the audience can get used to the accents. “I think people will get caught up in the truth of the young characters. "The love stories are very much something that college students can identify with because they are all people like them,” Hogan said. She said she hopes the audience gains food for thought when leaving the play. Hogan said the play is sprinkled with humor that she hopes helps keep the audience interested throughout the play. ”It is still a drama. It looks at a serious subject in a serious way,” Hogan said. It is the only drama the theater department will be doing this year. The actors have been rehearsing since January, putting in 20 to 30 hours of rehearsal a week. The play will run April 14 and 15 and 20-22 in the Black Box Theater. Night performances begin at 8 p.m. Matinee showtimes on April 15, 22 and 23 will begin at 2pm. It runs for approximately 120 minutes with a 20 minute intermission. Due to Easter Sunday, there will be a special performance Thursday April 20. This is the first time the department has put on a performance on a Thursday. Tickets are $8 with ASU discount, $10 presale and $12 at the door. They can also be purchased P2-101A and at elac.edu under the Events tab.
CN/IVAN CAZARES
LEFT BEHIND — Garrett Wiltzl as Ralph, Samantha Atilano as Eva and Andrea Limón as May rehearse their roles in the play “The Accrington Pals” in the Black Box Theater on Monday. Ralph introduces Eva to May the day before he and the rest of the men in the town leave to fight World War I.
Dark, well written Netflix drama focuses on teen suicide
Upcoming:
BY GUSTAVO BUENROSTRO
Music Department Events
Staff Writer Netflix original content hits another homerun with “13 Reasons why,” a dark, brilliante, told adaptation with fantastic performances. The show is about the aftermath of the suicide of high school student Hannah Baker, played by Katherine Langford. The story follows Clay Jensen, played by Dylan Minnette, who had feelings for Hannah and discovers that she left cassette tapes behind explaining why she decided to commit suicide. The 13 reasons are tapes highlights each person Hannah believes contributed to her decision. There are many shows set in a high school but they usually don’t feel in touch with what’s going on in high school. It always feels cliche. As the show progresses more, “13 Reasons Why” not only feels accurate to high school but genuine with it’s portrayal of it. It needs it for the show to work as well as it does. It introduces several characters that the audience can see as typical in a high school setting, but with each episode and each person being in the spotlight, the layers of these characters start to show more. The characters that are mean and hurtful have a reason to behave that way. The show not only relies on the setting, but also the narrator is Hannah Baker. Langford does an amazing job at portraying her feelings not only through the voice over narration, but the flashback sequences as well. She portrays the pain of being targeted by her peers extraordinarily well not only through the dialogue but through her facial expressions. The character is easy to sympathize with because it is her
Student Recitals:
Students in voice and piano classes, and the Applied Music Program will perform April 19 and May 3 from noon to 1 p.m. in the S2 Recital Hall. Admission is free
ELAC Choral Concert:
The East Los Angeles College Chorus will perform in the S2 Recital Hall May 8 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission fee is not listed yet. COURTESY OF NETFLIX
TEEN DRAMA— Hannah Baker (Katherine Lang-ford) asks her parents to help her rent a limousine and Hannah’s mother (Kate Walsh) doesn’t want to help her pay for it. story, but what the show is not afraid to do is make Hannah an unreliable narrator. There is something she describes that happens, and is later proved not to have happened the way she described it, that makes the audience wonder what else she lies about in the tapes. Many of the transitions between the present and flashbacks are done smoothly, with visuals and lightening contributing to it. Minnette also does a fantastic job portraying an antisocial teen who is trying to better himself. The best thing about this show is the message that it is trying to send. The things that Hannah latches on to range from small actions to large actions that are done to her by other
characters. What the show is saying is that actions have consequences and people should be more empathetic of the people around them. This is the point of the whole show and what the audience sees is the results of that lack of empathy and the fall-out of it. The show not only focuses on the teens in school, but also the adults. Hannah’s parents are dealing with death of their daughter and a subplot involving them and the school that does not really get resolved by the end of the season. But we see their feelings and the unresolved issues between each other the boils up to the surface. The tone of the show is very dark and there are three episodes in the
season where is becomes difficult to watch. There are even warnings at the start of the episode that say that this episode is not for the faint of heart. The scene that was the most difficult to watch was the suicide scene where Hannah kills herself. The camera does not cut away. Hannah is the center of the screen. In the end, the show surprisingly well thought-out and well executed. The show is relatable because most people that have gone through high school will see that many of the characters in the show remind them of someone they knew. It sends a good message to anyone who watches it and it will shed light on something they thought they understood.
www.ELACCampusNews.com
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SPORTS
EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2017
Swim and Dive East Los Angeles College stayed in the top ten last weekend in the 17th Annual Pasadena Invitational. Sophomore Irene Young placed eighth in the individual medley with a time of 2:28.08. While freshman Sophia Gonzalez placed tenth in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 57.43. She also tenth place in the 1650 -yard freestyle with a time of 19:47.60. ELAC will visit El Camino College ComptonCenter for the South Coast Conference Diving Championship on Friday at 12pm.
Track and Field CN/Dan Gudino
Bring Us Together- Players from the Chicago Police Department Enforcers and Los Angeles Police Department Centurions gather midfield at ELAC’s Weingart Stadium for a post-game prayer on Saturday, where game proceeds benefitted Huskies football and the Blind Children’s Center.
Football assists LAPD for good cause BY DAN GUDINO Staff Writer East Los Angeles College football and the Los Angeles Police Department’s football team, the Centurians have paired up to host three games this spring at Weingart Stadium. The contributions from the game will go to the Blind Children’s Center as part of the National Public Safety Football League. Their goal is tackling all the difficulties blind children go through. Providing programs for infants, toddlers and grade school kids, through sponsored events that raise money for the Children’s Blind Center. The center is a nonprofit organization that provides services for free. It was founded in 1938 by Delta Gamma Alumnae of Southern California. The center will celebrate its 80th anniversary next year and continue to provide help to kids. “One of the unique things about our school is it is inclusive to all. Families who have one child with a visual problem can bring their brother or sister along with for the
program, to keep the family together help transition the visually impaired kid up to the third grade,” said Scott Kassel the director of programming and communications at the center. Its yearly $3.3 million budget is continuously met through private donors like the Centurions. “Seeing them (the Centurions) reminds me why I got involved too. Working with these kids is rewarding and interesting and they have all our attention,” occupational therapist Jackie Huerta said. The Centurions are the official team of the LAPD. They are a charitable organization consisting of several police departments, who play with a purpose for the NPSFL. The Centurions have history with ELAC. During the late 1970s to mid ‘80s Centurion football was played at Weingart Stadium. Bobby Godinez, head coach of the ELAC football team, was approached with the idea of having the Centurions on campus by his new wide receiver coach Marlon Burnett. “We made sure we went through all the proper channels to see if the stadium was even available, or if
it was even possible to have the Centurions here,” Godinez said. Weingart Stadium doesn’t typically see a full contact game until August, when ELAC hosts a scrimmage game. This spring, full contact games are being played at ELAC and it’s not the Huskies. During spring, football practices usually consists of weight training and footwork drills. It’s a classroom setting for playbook and film study. The Centurions are not new to the football scene. Since its inaugural season in 1979 the LAPD’s squad has out-lasted three leagues that have come and gone and is one of the two original teams of the NPSFL. The NPSFL now has 22 teams across the country. The Centurions are currently undefeated at 3-0, behind the leadership of former head coach of Dorsey High School, Paul Knox. Knox has produced countless college and National Football League talent at Dorsey, where he won four Los Angeles City Section Championships. “I’m really proud to help out. I got time now,” Knox said while
laughing. He’s retired from coaching and teaching in the Los Angeles Unified School District. “We have a core of guys on this team that do it all for the love of the game, and in the process of putting the pads on, we help out,” said Knox. The lessons Knox teach to the police officers are mostly football technique and strategy, but he serves as a vocal leader of life lessons to men who protect and serve. “We’re gonna let the season unfold for us. Our goal is obviously to catch the championship, but we do it in our own way the best we can. Some of these guys come out with no sleep,” Knox said. Overtime and night shifts prevent many officers from attending practices. The last of three homes games at Weingart Stadium will be against their rival the San Diego Enforcers on May 6, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $5. Proceeds from the food and snack tent will be donated to ELAC football. The BCC will have a “Beeping Egg Hunt” for its students and friends Friday, between 9 a.m. to noon at the center.
Playoffs threatened after three-game losing streak BY DAN GUDINO Staff Writer Baseball was swept in a threegame series against Mount San Antonio College ending in the worst loss of the season, 15-6, on Saturday at home. Chances for the playoffs are slim, Head coach James Hines says he is not sure if a late season push is even possible because the attitude of players who do not appear to be competitive. “I seriously don’t know what our players minds are going through. Who knows what they’re thinking. I couldn’t tell you if they’ve quit on the season, but it’s up to them. We as coaches won’t,” Hines said. The Huskies will compete at the Allan Hancock Spring Tournament this week at Santa Ana. These games will not affect their chances of getting into the playoffs. The three game losing streak puts ELAC close to being eliminated from the playoffs. ELAC must now win the last five games of the season against rivals Cerritos and Pasadena City College. “We can come out here and compete every day, and come to
practice, but at the end of the day watched the ball sail over the fence you have to want it. Either you do and onto the protective net, making or you don’t,” Hines said. the score 12-0 in the fifth inning. On Saturday, ELAC used nine Things got worse in the seventh pitchers in nine innings, the most its inning when Mt. SAC added two used in a game all season. more runs. ELAC made the score The nine pitchers surrendered 14 respectable with four runs of its hits, the second most given up in a own, off four singles. game this season, and conceded the ELAC’s designated hitter, most runs in a game this season. freshman Juan Castillo, had the best It was ELAC’s worst loss since day of any Husky with two hits, two allowing nine runs to Riverside in a runs batted in, and a walk. Freshman, scoreless game on Feb. 10. shortstop Gabriel Figueroa finished a “If you fall good individual back as much erformance “We can come out pwith as we did, it’s four hits nearly impossible here and compete and two runs. t o c a t c h u p , every day and come H u s k y especially when freshman you allow five to practice, but at the starting pitcher, runs, make two end of the day you Adrian Cardenas errors and hit two not last the have to want it. Either did batters, all in the first inning. first inning. It’s you do or you don’t” He went JAMES HINES not going to work two-thirds of Head Coach out in our favor. I an inning, after can only hope that facing eight these guys want hitters, gave up to come out to compete as much five runs on three hits, that included as I like coming out to compete,” hitting batter, a wild pitch that Hines said. scored a run and gave up a double. ELAC freshman pitcher Angel “They (Mt. SAC) put the bat to Torres let go a towering grand slam the ball hard today. I felt like I was to right field, outfielder Kyle Francis hitting all my spots with my pitches,
but they came to play. Wherever I put it, they put the bat on ball and found holes. It was my worst game ever. All I can do is bounce back,” Cardenas said. Cardenas’s season record goes to 2-6. The Huskies overall are 14-17. Last Thursday in game two of the series at Mt. SAC, ELAC took its only lead of the series in the third inning when Francis and sophomore center fielder Matthew Sosa each singled in a run to give the Huskies a 2-1 advantage, but relinquished a run in each of the fourth inning, fifth and sixth. Sophomore pitcher, Alex Carrillo received his fifth loss of the season on Thursday, conceding four runs on eight hits, and striking out six. Last Tuesday, ELAC failed to score a run with a bat, however it did manage to score off a pitcher’s error in the fourth that brought in the only run of the game for the Huskies. ELAC won their first game at the AHC Spring Tournament 11-10 yesterday. The Huskies came back from a 10-5 deficit after scoring six runs in the eighth inning. ELAC return on Friday to face Santa Ana College.
East Los Angeles College had a few athletes shine at the Cerritos Invitational last weekend. Both women and men had someone placed top 10 in an event. For the men’s side, freshman Cristian Flores placed fifth in the 3000 meter steeplechase and sixth placed in the 800m run. Sophomore Justin Torres placed ninth overall in the 1500m run. The women did well sophomore Viridiana Hernandez placed fourth place in the 800m run. In the 1500m run, sophomores Ruby Padilla placed fifth with a time of 5:14.15 and Viridiana Hernandez placed eighth overall. In the 3000m steeplechase sophomore Luz Badillo placed sixth, while sophomore Melissa Preciado came in seventh place. ELAC will go to Azusa Pacific University for the Bryan Clay invite this Friday.
Softball East Los Angeles College lost four consecutive games and are 16-20 overall and 1-7 in the South Coast Conference-North. Three of the last four games were conference matches against Chaffey, Rio Hondo, and Pasadena City College. The Huskies were up 11-5 in the bottom of the seventh when Chaffey scored seven runs and the Huskies lost 12-11. The Huskies lost an exhibition match against El Camino Compton Center last Wednesday 11-3 at home. ELAC was down by seven runs in the second inning after sophomore pitcher Griselda Vasquez made seven errors and allowed seven runs. ELAC was defeated by Rio Hondo in the 10th inning 5-4. Both teams ended up drawing in the seventh inning with three runs and were forced to go to extra innings. ELAC lost 5-4 yesterday at Pasadena City College and are now on a six-game losing streak.
Computer technology major Stephanie Morales interns with Avery Dennison to help protect the company from cyber threats.
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