ELAC Campus News Spring 2023 Issue 14

ShannonLee,BruceLeeFoundationhelp students boost creativity and well-being

BY TERESA ACOSTA

with a huge sense of humor.

“He was pretty regimented, if you can imagine, and he was very direct,” Lee said.

The family would practice martial arts together at home. She listed her ever-changing favorite films of his including “Enter the Dragon” because it is the only movie that is not dubbed and includes her father’s

growing up with him calling him playful and energetic

voice.

Lee said she has a passion for her father’s teachings and ways of thinking. She reminded the audience that he was not perfect and that perfection is not what people should strive for. It is the continuous work of growing and self inquiry that should be the focus of the journey in life. She said her father spent as much

time and energy working on his mental health as he did his physical health.

Attendees were invited on stage to participate in some of the exercises. They were asked to do deep breathing, journaling and affirmations. Lee said these exercises may not work for everyone and encouraged participants to use what works for them.

She also said that although these exercises may not work now, perhaps in the future they may be useful when they are at different stages in their lives. The next workshop will be held on March 27 from 10:30 a.m. to noon and will focus on the tools and strategies for growth and wellness. For reservation deatils contact hansenjl@elac.edu

VPAM grant creates permanent curatorial position

BY TERESA ACOSTA Staff Writer

The Vincent Price Art Museum received a $500,000 grant to support a curatorial position that will focus on collecting artwork from and promoting artists of Latin American or Caribbean descent.

reside.

Aquaponics Garden gives dead tilapia to Life Sciences Department

BY S. HENNESSY MACAHDO-HILDAGO Staff Writer

The

January 23rd.

The tilapia died when a power shutdown interrupted the

aquaponics garden’s operations on January 21.

Jimmy Lee, adjunct professor of life sciences, said the specimens will be used in student laboratory exercises in April.

Lee said Aquaponics Garden Coordinator Mark Swicegood was, “working with undergraduates on a bioassay project… testing different

substrates for the garden to grow plants.”

A bioassay is a method of determining the concentration or potency of a substance through its effects on living organisms. In an aquaponics garden the organisms would be plants and fish.

A substrate is the substance or material on or from which an

organism grows.

Carlos Figueroa, MESA Coordinator, said there are tentative plans to replenish the tilapia population in the garden once summer comes. Once the tilapia are replenished, student activities at the Aquaponics Garden can return to normal.

The grant was provided by Advancing Latinx Art in Museums (ALAM), a collaborative funding initiative from the Mellon, Ford, Getty and Terra Foundations. The grants purpose is to increase representation.

The money will be paid out over the next five years. It will assist in paying the cost of the new permanent curator position, professional development, travel, research and acquisitions to diversify and build the permanent collection.

The new permanent curator Joseph Valencia, previously employed by the VPAM foundation to oversee exhibitions and programs, is the new permanent author.

The grant moved him to ELAC employment where his focus will be on diversifying exhibitions and the collection at the museum.

VPAM was one of 48 organizations from across the nation invited to apply for the grant. After applicants were reviewed by a panel of five experts in Latinx visual art

and museums, they were one of 10 awarded the money.

“They wanted applicants to demonstrate a strong commitment to building and expanding the curatorial focus of Latinx art,” Steven Wong, VPAM Director said.

Wong said the museum already had a history of creating shows and exhibitions that were reflective of East Los Angeles College’s student body which is predominantly Latin American. The museum’s established history in Latin art gave the museum a favorable chance for the grant.

Currently, Valencia is working on exhibitions that will highlight the cultural intersections of the surrounding communities of Monterey Park and East LA. He is also curating a show from the permanent collection focusing on Black and Indigenous People of Color.

Wong said the museum is honored to receive a grant that recognizes its work to elevate artists that often go unrecognized. Diversity representation is core to the work of the museum.

“Bringing in these artists so our students here at ELAC but also the rest of the district and also our local communities can learn more about the stories, the struggles [and] the issues that our Lantix and BIPOC communities face,” Wong said.

Aquaponics Garden donated its dead tilapia population to the Life Sciences department for use as specimens on

NOBODY’S PERFECT—Students listen to Shannon Lee as she talks about how being messy is a strength because she does not get caught up on perfectionism

LET ME SHOW YOU—Shannon Lee demostrates a stance from the martial arts style of Jeet Kune.

EMPTY HOME—The fish tank where tilapia popultions would

CN/S. HENNESSY MACHADO-HILDAGO

CN/S. HENNESSY MACHADO-HILDAGO

CN/S. HENNESSY MACHADO-HILDAGO

NO MORE GROWING—The grow bed that would aerate water to the fish tank.

NOWHERE TO PUMP—A grow bed with pumps

“They wanted applicants to demonstrate a strong commitment to building and expanding

the

curatorial focus of Latinx art.”

STEVEN WONG VPAM Director

CN/TERESA ACOSTA

CN/TERESA ACOSTA

Donation drive aids Syria, Turkey

BY MARISSA VALLES Staff Writer

A donation drive gathered supplies to help those in Syria and Turkey following the earthquake on February 6.

East Los Angeles College hosted a donation drive for supplies such as medicine, clothing, first aid kits and baby items were collected. The donations will help those affected by the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred on February 6.

The drive was organized by Khetam Dahi, an ESL professor.

“I knew I had the position and resources on our campus, since people have been very generous regarding good causes,” Dahi said. Dahi previously raised money to help those affected by the Syrian war. With the help of students and faculty, approximately $4,000 was donated to the United Nations World Food Program.

As a native from Syria, the current crisis is personal to Dahi.

“I was born and raised [in Syria] until I was 13. I also have many relatives and friends in Turkey who fled from Syria because of the war. I felt I needed to do something in any way that I could,” Dahi said.

Although students and faculty were notified of humanitarian organizations they could donate money to, this personal connection is why Dahi felt it was more important to collect medical supplies and other essential items.

Overall, Dahi has been satisfied with the turnout. Dahi said the amount of supplies that have been donated is overwhelming.

“My office, my car, and my living room are filled with medical supplies, such as bottles of Tylenol and Advil and baby items such as baby formula and diapers. Faculty have delivered items such as sleeping bags and other essential

items for women and babies to my office,” Dahi said.

After collecting items, the focus will be on transporting them overseas to the affected areas. The supplies will be transported free of charge through Turkish Airlines, which Dahi found through social media.

“Once the items are shipped to Turkey, an organization called ‘Mercy Without Limits’ will be in charge of delivering half of the items to Turkey and the other half to Northern Syria,” Dahi said.

Dahi is thankful for the overwhelming support this cause has received from faculty and students.

“I would like to thank everyone who has been part of this much needed effort. I am grateful to be surrounded by generous and humane colleagues and students,” Dahi said.

Students offered tips on avoiding sophomore slump

BY MARISSA VALLES Staff Writer

The First Year Experience program offered tips on organization, planning and communication to help students avoid burnout during last Wednesday’s workshop. The workshop was held by Leslie Arciniega and co-host Rafael Sanchez. Arciniega and Sanchez are success coaches for the FYE program.

“During the second year of college, students tend to get comfortable and don’t always do so well because they think they can get away with slacking off,” Arciniega said.

One of the biggest ways students can prevent this is to organize a system to stay on top of their deadlines and other important responsibilities.

“Organization is really important

and it doesn’t always mean it has to be extravagant. Make sure you have a planner. Having a planner can help you plan out your week, and creating to-do lists can help with organizing daily tasks. You just want to find out what works best for you,” Arciniega said.

Students should make a schedule that helps them balance not just school, but work and their personal life too. Having a balance can prevent students from feeling overwhelmed by one area of life.

“Make sure you have enough time to get things done for school, but make sure you have enough time for other areas of your life too,” Arciniega said.

Setting goals is also important, but make sure they are achievable.

“Having goals is great, but make sure they’re realistic. When setting goals, focus on your strengths and reach out for support when it comes

to your weaknesses,” Sanchez said. One way to make sure goals are realistic is to set small goals on a daily basis.

Setting daily goals goes hand in hand with creating a routine, which the workshop also encouraged students to do.

“A routine is filled with things you prioritize on a daily basis. When you build time to study into your routine, you are making it a habit and you’ll be less likely to slack,” Arciniega said.

Students should also make it a habit to interact with their peers and instructors so they can avoid feeling isolated.

“It can be difficult to be social in college because your classmates change every semester. Make sure you’re connected with other students, either through email or discussion forums or by phone. Reach out to your professors too,

so you can build a professional relationship. This can help with any letters of recommendation you may need in the future,” Arciniega said. Although schoolwork is important, students should step away from technology every once in a while.

“Take some time to relax because looking at a computer screen can be

exhausting and it can lead to you not doing your best on assignments.

Step away from your computer for at least 45 minutes and do something that doesn’t involve technology,” Arciniega said.

Students should also reward themselves for their accomplishments and take breaks.

“You want to make sure you’re

not constantly working. Making time for yourself can help you avoid burnout. When you’re burnt out, it can affect your physical and mental health. Make sure you’re in a positive mindset and don’t forget to take care of yourself,” Arciniega said.

Workshop urges students to learn time management

BY BEATRIZ GARAY Staff Writer

The First Year Experience encouraged students to manage their time in their Time Management workshop and introduced techniques to help balance their time.

Leslie Arciniega, a student at East Los Angeles College, hosted the FYE event.

Arciniega has been through what many students deal with when it comes to learning how to properly manage time on things, ranging from home life to student life.

Arciniega knows well that sometimes one can’t always manage all things in life in the way one wants, but there are methods that can lessen the stress that comes with it and make life easier.

The methods Arciniega described were quite basic but enlightening. Not many are informed about these when entering and attending a higher education institution, as they are left to their own devices.

Some may not have the resources that others do with handling how

time consuming college can be when they first enter.

Arciniega also gave some ideas for students who want to try something new when it comes to preparing for exams.

She wants to ensure that students do not overexert themselves when studying, as stress during school time can greatly affect their learning.

Arciniega presented a number of practices, including using a basic regular planner to keep track of all the things one needs to get done and not feel overwhelmed. A technique called the pomodoro technique was also introduced. The pomodoro technique involves studying for a certain amount of time and taking a break for about five minutes to prevent mental exhaustion.

Arciniega encouraged students to take breaks from school and studies. It’s important to avoid mental and physical exhaustion from sitting on a chair in front of the computer.

During the workshop, Arciniega mentioned a few methods she’s

heard about from students at different colleges. One she finds to be quite effective is called the “active recall method.”

This method is where students quiz themselves using flashcards that summarizes information they gained.

This method helps students quiz themselves to see if they are able to become familiar with the information they learned. She mentioned that if students use this method over and over it will help them.

The idea Arciniega wants to convey the most to students is that it is important to be aware of how time can be something that many can’t control.

They should adapt in a way where they are not overwhelming themselves. She also spoke on how one needs to find a balance for themselves.

They can enjoy the time they want with their families while pursuing something that can give them a better life that they want.

SHARING IS CARING—Essential items such as first aid kits and baby formula that will be sent to Syria and Turkey collected in front of the E3 building.

CN/MARISSA VALLES

Coach Mosley offers words of wisdom in discussion panel

BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer

Before screening a portion of Netflix’s “Last Chance U,” East Los Angeles College basketball Coach John Mosley and other stars of the show met earlier this month in a panel discussion.

The panel also featured Tyrelle Hunt, Demetrius Calip, Jon Sanders and JT Langston; who are in the 2021-22 ELAC Basketball team and also on the series.

“Live in your gift, not in your curse,” one of many words of encouragement Mosley shared with the audience.

A recurring theme of Mosley’s was “paying it forward.” He said that if all he ever did was pour energy into “me time,” only he would benefit from that, not his students.

Recalling a time when he was “a screwup” and “in the gutter,” Mosley said that people still gave him a chance and offered new opportunities, which helped him turn his life around.

Because of the opportunities and guidance he received during this time, Mosley applies this to the students he coaches who may also be acting out similarly. “Those who deserve love the least, need it the most,” Mosley said.

Sanders, of the ELAC basketball team, said that Mosley’s selflessness is part of what helps him deal with his toughness as a coach.

“His expectations are really high, almost unrealistic at times, but it’s coming from a good place.” ELAC basketball’s Langston said that Mosley not only wants the players to succeed in basketball, but also in their academic studies at ELAC.

OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED—Coach John Mosley and Basketball players answer questions before the screening of Netflix’s “Last Chance U:

One quote of Mosley’s that stuck with Langston is “live in your gift, not in your curse.” Mosley said that regardless of personal or generational curses, “You have a gift, so live in that.” Langston also shared the differences between pressure of being on the series versus a regular season. “We had to live up to the hype,” Langston said.

Black History Month on campus over the years

TIMELINE BY STEVEN ADAMO

1976 -

Students of East Los Angeles College have celebrated Black History Month in a variety of different ways throughout its over 40 year history. The very first celebration of Black History Month occurred in 1976 and featured the west coast premiere of “Bayou Legend,” an Opera by William Grant Still at Ingall’s Auditorium. The event was sponsored by all the Black Studies departments of the nine Los Angeles Community College District colleges. The president of ELAC at the time, Armando Rodriguez, said “with this program, we hope to bring public attention to the contributions of Black American composers in the field of classical music. Too often when people recall a Black composer, the immediate response is to associate him with popular music, thus perpetuating a false image.”

Also in 1976, poet William White was featured and shared some of his poems and stories with ELAC students. ELAC Campus News writer Mary Simpson wrote that “if you just listen to White’s poetry, you only get half the meaning,” explaining that the use of his hands, eye movements and rhythm made up the other half.

White released a novel titled “The Soul and Uncle Sam” about his time in military service and a book of poetry titled “Moods of a Black Man” which focused on dealing with racial problems and other problems of the day.

1984 -

Black History Theater Arts class provided entertainment for two 45-minute shows for Black History Month in 1984. Instructor Dave Wells planned the show with students and student Curtis Taylor wrote the narratives.

In Taylor’s narrative, ELAC Campus News staff writer Vicki Chong said that Taylor’s emotional narration featured past and present Black History, brushing on stories about slavery, the Harlem Renaissance and closing with a description of events at the time.

Taylor used music to accompany his words for his performance. “We wanted to inform the public about Black history and about all my people’s plights in the past and also about recent accomplishments,” Taylor said in 1984.

2014 -

The Black History

Continuum arranged a mixture of arts at the S2 Recital Hall in 2014, focusing on themes of love and unity. ELAC Campus News staff writer Cynthia Laguna reported that the event featured the song “Samba no Pé” that included live music and dancers.

The JazzAntiqua Dance and Music Ensemble blended jazz and blues during their performance.

CN/JESUS FIGUEROA

CATCHY BEATS—Viver Brazil dancers, including Nagode Simpson, perform on beat to “Sambo no Pe” at “The Black History Continuum” March 6, 2014.

Wanda-Lee Evans was the ELAC Dance instructor at the time and MC of the event. Evans said “we are all mirrors that reflect each other and all cultures melting together.” Kent Long, a volunteer at the event, said “the purpose and goal is to show how the African influence is very strong.”

With more people in the stands now, Langston said he can spend more time having fun.

A dream of Calip’s is to be in the NBA like his father, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers. “It’s been a dream of mine since I was 4,” Calip said.

Aside from the many accomplishments of his players, Mosley said he was also proud

that the team made it through the season with the added stress of being filmed. According to Mosley, the expectations from others also had an impact on the players, from their playing to also having to live up to the previous seasons of Last Chance U. Mosley said that even though he has received offers that triple his

salary, his time at ELAC allows him to spend time with his family and “the freedom to pour into lives.” He recalled a time when he was traveling a lot and his six-year-old daughter at the time was excited that he was able to sleep at home. “She was six and she said ‘You’re staying at our house…’ I never want that,” Mosley said.

New Umoja office assists African American students

BY STEVEN ADAMO Staff Writer

Black History Month at East Los Angeles College began this year with an open house of the ELAC Umoja Community office, designed to assist African-American and Black students with resources available on campus.

Nicole Flores of ELAC Umoja said the Umoja Scholars program offers students an opportunity to develop leadership skills as well as participate in cultural activities as a community.

Umoja offers basic needs such as a food pantry, career and academic counseling, transfer assistance to Historically Black College Universities and four-year institutions, as well as Umojasponsored events, workshops and conferences.

The Umoja office, located at F5-323, is called the “Village Space.”

Students involved with ELAC Umoja are encouraged to use the provided computers, or to converse with other students.

Dwayne Walton is a student who just joined Umoja this semester. He said that it’s helpful to have a place like Umoja on campus to learn more about and be a part of African culture.

ELAC Umoja follows 18 principles and practices as guidance in the classroom and larger

community:

• Awareness of connectedness to African Diaspora

• Community: building communal intelligence

• Acceleration-English, Math, ESL and counseling

• Occupy study spaces on campus

• Mentoring

• Mattering

• Umoja as a power base

• Encircling diversity

• Gifting

• Everybody’s business

• Raising “intentional and deliberate.”

• Ethic of love: the affective domain

• Manifesting

• Umoja counseling: affirming, integrated, intentional

• The porch

• Live learning

• Language as power

• Tapping African-American intellectual, spiritual and artistic voices

• Awareness of connectedness to African diaspora

Students interested in participating with ELAC Umoja

Community are encouraged to contact an Umoja coordinator by filling out an online form at bit. ly/3p9n0id.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Soleil Cardenas

MANAGING EDITOR

Teresa Acosta

FRONT EDITOR

Max Miranda

OPINION EDITOR

Beatriz Garay

NEWS EDITOR Marissa Valles

FEATURE EDITOR Luis Diaz

ARTS EDITOR S. Hennessy Machado-Hidalgo

SPORTS EDITOR Oscar Martines

COPY EDITORS

Juan Calvillo

Brenda De La Cruz

STAFF WRITERS

Leonardo Cervantes

Adonia Burciaga

Janet Guerca

Nicholas Jimenez

Jonathan Bermudez

Kimberly Chinchilla

Yaneira Rodriguez

Steven Adamo

SOCIAL MEDIA

Adonia Burciaga

CARTOONIST

Angelina Viramontes

ONLINE EDITOR

Annette Quijada

ADVERTISING

Stefanie De La Torre

ADVISER

Jean Stapleton

Campus News encourages letters to the editor relating to campus issues. Letters must be typed and double spaced. Submitted material becomes the property of Campus News and cannot be returned. Letters should be limited to 300 words or less. Campus News reserves the right to edit letters for grammatical errors or libelous content. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers must sign submissions and print their names and a phone number where they can be reached. Letters should be addressed to the editor of Campus News. Submissions can be made at the mailroom in building E1 or the Journalism department office in the Technology Center in E7-303. East Los Angeles College

Campus News

1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez E7-303 Monterey Park, CA 91754 (323) 265-8819, Ads (323) 265-8821 Fax (323) 415-4910

The East Los Angeles College Campus News is published as a learning experience, offered under the East Los Angeles College Journalism program. The editorial and advertising materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The opinions expressed are exclusively those of the writer. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, East Los Angeles College, or any officer or employee thereof.

CN/STEVEN ADAMO

CN/STEVEN ADAMO

Basketball.”

UMOJA VILLAGE—From left, students Michael Monette, Dwayne Walton and Priest Townes at the Umoja office, F5-323.

Baseball team swings, misses against Pasadena

BY OSCAR MARTINES Staff Writer

The baseball team was dealt another tough defeat, falling against Pasadena City College in a 4-1 losing effort.

Huskies’ pitchers David Morales and Isaiah Ayala both had a rough evening, despite striking out a combined nine players throughout the game.

The pitchers performed almost evenly for a combined 11 hits allowed, and each pitcher gave up two runs.

The first four innings of the game ended scoreless; Morales struck out five Pasadena batters and only allowed three hits.

When Pasadena seemed to start picking up momentum, the Huskies prevented them from scoring any runs.

The Huskies batting was a completely different story.

They managed to only get one hit from a combined 13 players a bat.

One of the highlights from the game was in the bottom of the second inning.

A hit from second baseman Moises Nolasco was swiftly

recovered and led to a double play that closed out the inning.

At the top of the fifth inning, Pasadena looked to score the first runs of the game after Morales allowed two players on bases.

Pasadena catcher Matthew Delgado struck first with a 2 RBI single to left center field, opening the score in the game and giving Pasadena a 2-0 lead.

After the play, Morales retired from the game; he played 4.1 innings with five strikeouts, five hits and two allowed runs.

Pasadena right fielder Jakob Guardado arrived on the seventh inning to bat with bases loaded and an opportunity to claim a grand slam.

Although Guardado was unable to hit a grand slam, he still connected with an RBI single to left field. This increased the Pasadena lead to 3-0.

The Huskies finally showed some signs of life by scoring their first run during the bottom of the seventh.

Huskies left fielder Alex Mendez took advantage of a player on base to hit an RBI triple to center field, which put

BATTER UP— ELAC men’s baseball player prepares for a pitch from Pasadena player Kyle Noell.

the Huskies on the scoreboard and gave them their only run of the game with the score changing to 3-1.

Pasadena pitcher Kyle Noell’s game ended after this play. Noell played 6.1 innings, with two

Men’s basketball dominates, advances to SoCal Regional Final

BY MIGUEL DOMINGUEZ Staff Writer

The men’s basketball team won against Riverside City College 94-77. Constant pressure gave the Huskies dominance in the game. This forced Riverside turnovers and missed shots. Riverside had a total of 19 turnovers, which resulted in 25 points for the Huskies. They also made 10 fastbreak points.

It was a fast-paced game in the first half. The Huskies got it going as they made their shots and got back on the defense quickly. This made Riverside use up most of the shot clock as they passed the ball around. Riverside looked to drive in the ball, but the Huskies double teamed players. This forced shots and led to missed passes.

These tactics led to the Huskies committing many team fouls. Coach John Mosley had to sub in players to avoid fouling out.

The bench did its part, as they outscored Riverside 37 to 16. The Huskies led in the first half 44-30, then Riverside got close as they caught up to the Huskies 48-46, early in the second half. But, the Huskies got back into the rhythm they had earlier in the first half.

For the rest of the half, the Huskies continued their dominance and used up the clock by passing and holding on to the ball. This also made the crowd quiet, but guard

Demetrius Calip got the crowd cheering when he did a reverse dunk. Calip was surrounded by a couple of his teammates and fans as they cheered him on. That was the last shot in the game. Riverside only led once, and it came early in the game. The score was 3-2.

The Huskies took the lead when guard Jon Sanders shot a two pointer and gave the Huskies a 4-3 lead. From that moment on, the Huskies never trailed in the game.

strikeouts, three hits and only one allowed run.

The top of the ninth inning continued to demonstrate Pasadena’s dominance at bat. Pasadena first baseman Jake Trabbie—with the bases

loaded—landed a hit to secure an RBI sacrifice to right field and increased Pasadena’s lead over the Huskies to 4-1.

Pasadena pitcher Rider Gardner, who came in for Noell during the bottom of the

seventh, closed out the game only allowing one hit despite striking out one player. The Huskies fall to a 2-10 record in the season.

ELAC had 32 points from the paint. From the field, the Huskies made 55% going 30-54. The Huskies made 7-13 three-pointers. Riverside made 75% from the free throw line, The Huskies made 69% of their shots.

Sanders led the Huskies in scoring with 26 points. Sanders was nearly perfect in shooting, as Sanders went 8-8 from the field and 4-4 from the three-point line. He went 6-8 from the free throw line. Sanders also led the team with five assists.

J.T. Langston struggled in scoring points as he had a total of seven points for the Huskies. He did contribute to the team with four rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. Langston went 5-8 from the free throw line.

Mosley and the Huskies will go on to the next round and face LA Harbor in the SoCal Regional Final.

The game will be played on March 4 and starts at 7 p.m. and will be played at ELAC.

CN/OSCAR MARTINES

CN/SOLEIL CARDENAS