Spring 2014, Issue 14

Volume 71, Issue 14

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East Los Angeles College

$1,000,000

One million MEMO:

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

MEGAN G. RAZZETTI Staff Writer

DOLLARS

Blanca F. Rios Scholarship Trust Fund

Blanca F. Rios Scholarship Trust

AUTHORIZATION

ELAC recieves donation for scholarships $1 million donated by Blanca Flanagan Rios JESUS FIGUEROA Staff Writer East Los Angeles College received more than $1 million last Thursday from the Blanca Flanagan Rios Irrevocable Trust.

Rios died March 25, 2012, leaving a trust of $1 million to establish the Blanca F. Rios Scholarship Trust at ELAC. The scholarship will benefit full-time students enrolled at ELAC and in a good academic standing with a 3.0 GPA or better.

Other eligibility requirements include the student’s knowledge, understanding and appreciation of Mexican culture and history, full-time enrollment and financial need.

ELAC’s resources and institutional development office looks to have the scholarship available for applicants sometime during the 2014 spring semester.

A campus-wide email will be sent by the ELAC Foundation notifying students of

the availability of the scholarship application.

The scholarship recipient will be awarded a credit toward tuition, books or other academic expenses.

A $15,000 cash donation to the Los Angeles Community College District will be deposited in a trust account to support the ELAC Helen Miller Bailey Library.

ELAC honored Rios as the Alumni and Philanthropist of the Year at the President’s Gala on June 8 at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel.

Rios established the Revocable Living Trust on May 8, 1991 and amended and restated on Feb. 16, 2009.

Upon her death, the trust became irrevocable and established two scholarship funds – one fund at ELAC and one at California State University at Los Angeles.

A ceremonial check of $1 million was presented to ELAC from the Trust Thursday outside the President’s Office at ELAC. Rios was a Monterey Park resident. She died at the age of 99.

Staff Writer Elans, from the late 1940s to the present, came from all over the nation to attend an athlete reunion to honor Husky athletes including an Olympian and Chief of Police alumni.

The East Los Angeles College Track and Field Hall of Fame 2014 inductees were announced at the Reunion of Champions banquet on January 7 at Ingalls Auditorium.

Ten inductees, former ELAC students and All-Americans, were given awards while four others were acknowledged because they couldn’t be located according to committee members.

The four acknowledged state champions were Joanna Harper, who still holds the long jump school record, Adrianna Cano and Francis Khachaturyan.

“He (Khachaturyan) was the first All-American in school history,” Assistant Head Track and Field

Coach David Loera said.

The award recipients, their events and the years they competed for ELAC include high hurdles sprinter Louis Augustine (1950), high jumper Floyd Jeter (195354), sprinter James Bates (195859), triple jumper James Butts (1970) and distance runner Sylvia Mosqueda (1987-88).

Also, Ray Smith who coached at ELAC from 1948-73 and the ELAC All-Americans from the 1968 state champion track and field.

Augustine was the first Elan to capture a national championship while at ELAC in any sport. He won the 120-yard high hurdles at the 1950 National Junior College meet held in Phoenix.

“His time and win brought national recognition to ELAC and its track and field program,” Loera said.

LINDSEY MAEDA Staff Writer

CHAMPIONS Continued on

page 4

CN/Tadzio Garcia

ONCE A HUSKY...—Former Elan and Santa Monica Chief of Police Jacqueline A. Seabrooks, wears her new Huskies jacket

presented to her as the guest speaker at the ELAC Track and Field Reunion of Champions Banquet at Ingalls Auditorium on Jan. 7.

News Briefs

Scholarship deadline quickly approaching

The final day for online scholarship applications for ELAC is this Friday at 11:59 p.m.

Apply for scholarships online at www.elac-foundation. org.

The bungalows located in the F9 section of East Los Angeles College were under immediate closure due to police activity on Floral Drive Feb. 26.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department blocked-off Floral Drive located along the north end of the ELAC Campus and all surrounding areas in the early afternoon. Crest Ridge was blocked a few yards from campus.

Dean of Academic Affairs Kerrin McMahan took no chances.

“We did not want anyone injured or traumatized by anything occurring across the street,” McMahan said.

Classes were canceled as McMahan went door to door at about 6 p.m. notifying teachers of the potential threa.

“LAPD SWAT team had surrounded an apartment which held the suspect, awaiting a search warrant,” McMahan said.

Students were not aware of what was actually occurring. They were just told to leave.

“I was confused as to what was going on,” ELAC student Miguel Ramirez said.

Head of campus security Sgt. Gary Novelich said the Los Angeles Police Department Hollenbeck Division is leading the ongoing investigation.

POLICE Continued on page 4

Financial aid office checks students’ transcripts

ELAC inducts Hall of Fame athletes TADZIO GARCIA

Police activity cancels classes

Book sale

The East Los Angeles College Financial Aid Office will require 149 students to pay back unearned funds after reviewing the transcripts from the Fall 2013 and Winter 2014 federal student aid recipients.

Federal regulations require ELAC to return $131,108 of unearned financial aid within 45 days.

Students who received financial aid but did not complete their courses will be required to pay back the money, or they will lose their eligibility from ELAC and every other school in the United States.

The Los Angeles College Community College District’s Return of Funds to Title IV (R2T4) policy was revised so that students who received all Fs, NPs, Ws or any combination of the three during the last two semesters, are considered unofficially withdrawn from the term.

The R2T4 revision surfaced after federal program reviews covering the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years at two LACCD colleges revealed that the entire district

ELAC’s English Department will be holding a booksale today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of the E-7 Technology Building.

Proceeds from the book sale will go to the Carol Lem Scholarship.

did not enforce an unofficial withdrawal policy.

With the revision, a total of 834 financial aid recipients from LACCD unofficially withdrew from classes during the last two semesters, costing the district $238,000.

ELAC Head of Financial Aid Lindy Fong, said that the new policy encourages students to continue attending classes after receiving their second stipend at the midterm of the payment period.

“I know each student has different circumstances.

Regardless of the circumstances, they receive federal funds. They need to be responsible,” Fong said.

Students who received an F or NP, but made an effort to attend class, complete assignments and take the final, are not considered unofficially withdrawn.

These students can ask the instructor to fill out a Course Attendance Verification Form.

This form will be used to prove that a student completed the course, but did not meet the instructor’s requirements for a passing grade.

RETURN Continued on page 4

Black History Continuum

Free admission to ELAC’s Black History Project 2014 on Thursday starting at 12:10 p.m. in the S2 Recital Hall.

2

Opinion

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014

Drops lead to class cancelations Diego olivares Staff Writer East Los Angeles College students do not all attend classes that they enroll into.

Students enroll into classes at the beginning of every semester, filling up the required class space.

In some-cases, these students don’t attend the first day.

If a class has few students as a result of this, then the class is in danger of being cancelled.

This could cause problems for both instructors and the students who attend the classes.

If a class were to get cancelled, then the instructor is obiviously out of the job. This could be their only job in some cases.

Attending students could end up losing a class that they need, be it for financial aid or aiding in their educational goals.

Why should these teachers and students lose a class just because non-attending students decide not to show up?

Why should they even enroll into the class in the first place? This is a

huge waste of students time, it could affect others in a bad way.

This is something that caused a huge issue for me since I started attending ELAC. Back in Spring 2013, I was enrolled into a class that was supposed to have 15 or more students. Instead, only eight students attended on the first day.

This was a scare for myself as there was talk about the class being dropped. If the class was dropped, then I would have a part of my financial aid cut.

I was relying on it at the time.

Luckily, it was decided that the class would continue for the semester and this wasn’t the last time something like this occurred during my time at ELAC. Some of my classes would be in danger of being cancelled two more times in the following semesters.

Though why do students even enroll into classes they have no interest to attend? Getting enough units for them to apply for financial aid could be one reason.

The idea of getting easy money by enrolling into classes is a simple

motive. However, the students only do more harm to themselves by doing this.

The deal with financial aid is to attend and complete classes to earn money.

If the classes are not completed, there is a chance that the student would have to pay that money back.

Other reasons include students changing their minds at the last minute.

They enroll into a class, and then something happens to them not to attend.

It’s the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor about leaving a class.

If they can not inform the instructor, they should drop the class before school begins.

Not attending a class while enrolling in one could have a serious effect on the student.

Not only to the student, but also to the instructors and other students as well.

Students should think about what classes they’re going to keep when enrolling. Once they’re enrolled, they should stay and complete it.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Danny Vasquez MANAGING EDITOR Liliana Marquez ONLINE EDITOR Megan G. Razzetti ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR Daniella Molina ART DIRECTOR Lindsey Maeda FRONT EDITOR Jesus Figueroa OPINION EDITOR Jazmin Tellez NEWS EDITOR Sergio Berrueta FEATURE EDITOR

Social networking disrupts everyday life russell zazueta Staff Writer With the increasing distraction brought on by the internet, it’s surprising the human race hasn’t grown antennas for brains.

With the way this generation heeds texting, social networking and online dating as prime communication, kids are going to grow up missing the point of face to face.

It’s killing the human spirit, as well as how we interact with each other and our imagination.

Even worse, a group of students will now hang out at a table looking like mindless drones with their faces shoved into a cell phone.

It started as emails and chats and then progressed into social networking. Now, people have the ability to share anything, for better or worse.

The tool that exponentially connects everybody around the world is also dampening human emotion.

It seems people prefer a text to a call, and online dating is the way to go for human contact.

The internet makes a mockery of dating. The human spirit thrives on whim in front of body language, not some square filled with emotionless words.

To all those love-seekers, there is nothing like going out someplace and having a conversation in person for the first time with somebody you completely connect with.

Social networking has further given birth to Twitter feeds, Facebook and those god-awful selfies.

Twitter was originally made to communicate news updates and thoughts to friends everywhere, but it’s become a rat’s nest of gossip.

Youtube, particularly in music, produces lots of fail-seekers who never understood the musician culture. These people live vicariously through cover songs in front of a camera playing for ghosts, hoping to break out like Justin Beiber. Any serious musician will tell you the Internet has nothing to do with creating great music.

According to Statisiticsbrain. com, the average persons attention span dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight seconds in 2013.

Is the Internet to blame?

With copious amounts of online media at our disposal, distractions are everywhere to sidetrack what’s important.

The ridiculous amount of garbage on Facebook and Reddit.com are enough to do it.

How does this mindlessness spare time for imagination?

More and more people are being influenced by the mediocrity floating around on the Internet.

Lets face it, imagination can not be conceived when cell phones are more important than your original thoughts and ideas.

More recently, music and film have proved to be great examples of contemporary lack of imagination.

It’s no wonder why Johnny-comelately-vocal-artists now choose renditions over original music convenience as the new imagination.

Film remakes are becoming astoundingly popular yet convenient for film studio executives to pass off as new films because technically a new cast and scenes is being creative.

There is now an entire subculture that thrives on attitudes of selfishness, entitlement and bragging rights. The Internet wins.

Women’s history month: a radical idea Elans need MAEGAN ORTIZ

ARTS EDITOR Jade Inglada SPORTS EDITORS Carlos Alvarez Marcus Camacho PHOTO EDITOR Cynthia Laguna COPY EDITORS Tadzio Garcia Erik Luna Augustine Ugalde CARTOONISTS Kien Ha Bryan Pedroza Anthony Tran STAFF WRITERS Terry Bui, Cesar Carbajal, Douglas Cuevas, Brenda Diaz, Damien Guzman, William Hernandez, Diego Linares, Luis Marquez, Manny Miguel, Diego Olivares, Maegan Ortiz, Laura Parral, Bonnie Regalado, Amanda Rodarte, Luis Vasquez, Brian Villalba, Russell Zazueta PODCAST TEAM Jesus Figueroa, Diego Linares, Desiree Lopez, Manny Miguel, Megan Razzetti ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT Stefanie Arocha DISTRIBUTION Manny Miguel Augustine Ugalde ADVISERS Jean Stapleton Sylvia Rico-Sanchez 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 250 words or less. Campus News reserves the right to edit letters for grammatical errors or libelous content.

Anonymous letter s 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.

Staff Writer It is time to get radical about Women’s History Month, this March.

Radical, by definition, means going to the root or origin of something.

The roots of Women’s History Month are planted in International Working Women’s Day, which is Saturday.

When Women’s Day was first celebrated, before it had formal recognition from any government, it was a protest movement.

In the early 20th century women working in the garment factories in cities like New York and Chicago held strikes to protest long hours and unsafe working conditions that threatened their health and lives.

In Russia and parts of Europe women protested against the violence of the Russian Revolution and World War I. Last Monday marked the centennial anniversary since suffragists marched on Washington D.C. demanding women’s right to vote.

The National Women’s History Project successfully lobbied the U.S. Congress to first designate March 8 as International Women’s Day in 1980 and in 1987 designate March as Women’s History Month.

The current ways of celebrating Women’s History Month are a far cry from these roots.

The day now is one to remember the actions of women leaders of the past as if there is no current work to do.

Countries around the world

Desiree Lopez

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

celebrate International Women’s Day today and today, yet poor conditions for women continue.

Whether working to get good grades in college, working to raise a family or working outside the home, there is still discrimination and inequality.

Women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts.

The wage gap is even larger for women of color.

There are actual military interventions around the world where rape is used as a weapon.

There are economic wars threatening safety net programs like food stamps, so that women cannot feed themselves or their children.

While it’s important to know history in order to not repeat past mistakes and build upon the past, Women’s History Month should be a call for individuals to take action.

It means moving beyond reflection and acknowledging that the personal is the political.

This means expanding the idea of what makes something a women’s issue.

It means thinking about how the label “woman” is defined and currently used to dismiss women of color and transgender women like author Janet Mock who recently released her book “Redefining Realness.”

It means looking at the work of organizations such as Incite!, a network of radical feminists of color working to end violence against women, gender non-conforming, and transgender people of color.

It means defining violence against women beyond sexual assault

www.ELACCampusNews.com

and thinking about how prison expansion, immigration policies, and war harm families.

The theme of this year’s National Wo m e n ’s H i s t o r y M o n t h i s “Celebrating Women of Character, Courage, and Commitment.”

The best way to celebrate the character and courage of the past is to stand on the shoulders that have come before and commit to taking action.

That way the next generation of women do not have to stand on anything except their own two feet.

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

The opinions expressed are exclusively those of the writer.

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

PRINTING BY NEWS PUBLISHERS PRESS

News

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014

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Campus News garners three awards at statewide competition Designs, Opinion gain recognition among California colleges, universities Jesus figueroa Staff Writer East Los Angeles College Campus News won three awards in competion against community colleges and universities at the California College Media Association’s 30th National College Journalism Convention.

The awards ceremony took place at the Kon Tiki Ballroom of the Catamaran Resort in San Diego last Saturday.

Campus News art director Lindsey Maeda took first place for her “It’s more than a hat” Campus News ad.

Editor-in-chief Danny Vasquez and Maeda won second place for the front page layout of issue nine “Don’t Panic” from Fall 2013.

Former Editor-in-Chief Megan Perry won third place for her opinion “Gustavo Arellano upsets ELAC’s graduating class of 2013,” published online June 12 of last year.

Campus News competed with California universities such as the University of California at Santa Cruz, University of California at Irvine and Loyola Marymount University.

The California College Media Association is an organization that works to create communication, organization and leadership with California’s media students and advisers at community colleges and universities.

The organization was founded in

RETURN: Financial aid investigates students Continued from page 1 To represent an unofficial withdrawal on transcripts, the financial aid office recommended the use of a new grading symbol, “FW.” The new grading policy will distinguish students who stop attending classes after the last

drop date with a W from those who earned an F due to inadequate academic performance.

If ELAC is not in compliance with the revisions to RT24, the DOE has the option to remove financial aid from the school.

“Fourteen thousand one-hundred forty-four students from (ELAC) got financial aid last school year.

We don’t want to jeopardize it for everyone,” Fong said.

The financial aid office will notify students about the revisions to R2T4 through the LACCD email accounts.

“It’s going to be a total shock to students. We’re willing to work with them, and we’ll try to see how we can help them,” Fong said.

Champion: Alumni reunite for the Track and Field Hall of Fame Continued from page 1

Jeter was the first two-time state champion at ELAC. “He even left everyone in the dust at USC and as a result was selected to the Goodwill Games on the U.S. team,” Loera said.

“At USC, I was part of the first track and field team that had Negroes, which the team embraced,” Jeter said.

USC’s first away NCAA nonconference meet with AfricanAmerican men on their team was in Dallas against Southern Methodist and Texas Christian universities according to Jeter.

“We experienced Negro attitude everywhere we went. We had to change our hotel to a black and white hotel,” Jeter said.

“We had to take the black bus.

Our white teammates would sit in the back seats with us, to the shock of everyone. We did all of this to show Texas we weren’t going to pay attention to their rules.”

The USC team made headlines as a result of their diversity.

When the team arrived to the meet on the bus, “black people came in crowds holding black newspapers while cheering for us,” Jeter said.

Butts was the triple jump silver medalist in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He was the first American to win a medal in the event since 1928.

“I made it to three Olympic (teams), in 1972 held in Munich where I took 4th place, in 1976 and in 1980,” Butts said. The USA Olympic Team boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

“For me, I am an ELAC athlete for life.”

Butts went to Fremont High School in Los Angeles in the

late 1960s. “When I saw a kid practicing the triple jump it spoke to me. Something inside of me knew this is what I was going to do,” Butts said.

Mosqueda was the CCCAA Female-Athlete-of-the-Year (198788), as a freshman as a result of winning trifecta state champion titles and then some. She was the track and field state champion in the 800, 1,500, and 5,000-meter runs as well as being the cross country state champion.

“Her records in the 1,500 and 5,000 runs are still national records,” Loera said.

“I live for running, I dream it.

I will always run. I currently run a 6:40 minute pace in a 12-mile run, but only because I’m getting older. I now get tired after about three hours,” Mosqueda said at the reunion banquet as the crowd burst out laughing.

Bates ran the sprints undefeated for two years in the Metro Conference as well as state meets, according to Loera.

“He was one of the first great sprinters at ELAC to come on the national scene,” Loera said.

Smith won state titles as both a coach and student. He was also an NCAA champion while at UCLA. He coached and taught for 40 years, 25 at ELAC. He developed 29 All-Americans and 11 individual state champions.

The 1968 All-Americans from the 1968 ELAC state champion track and field team included James Bates, Steve Lang, Loera, Art Martinez, Daniel Moore, Chris Watkins and Clarence Davis..

At the 1968 state finals the Huskies recorded several ELAC records that are still intact after 45 years.

Lang was also a trifecta winner as the 1969 high jump champion in conference, SoCal and the state

finals. At one time he was No. 1-ranked in the USA according to Loera.

Lang coached two-time Olympic medalist Michael Powell.

Moore was also a NCAA track and field national champion at CSU, Long Beach.

Davis, also a football player, was instrumental in the Raiders 32-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. The Master of Ceremonies at the reunion banquet was Lonnie Teper, editor of Iron Man Magazine.

He was a previous ELAC Campus News sports editor.

He teaches at ELAC and taught journalism at CSU, Los Angeles.

“What’s important to ELAC of the (alumni) here was that academics was emphasized so students could be as successful as they could,” Jacqueline Seabrooks, reunion banquet guest speaker, said.

“Jackie was a state qualifier for ELAC in cross country and a member of the record setting 4x400 relay team in both in 1980 and 1981,” Loera said.

Committee members included Rick Gamboa, who teaches at ELAC and was a member of the ELAC 1974 football CCCAA state championship team, and Marilyn Ladd, former ELAC athletic director from 1987-2003.

Also, Louis Ramirez who heads two sports programs (four teams) at ELAC, Hrair Shekersian, an ELAC counselor, ELAC Wrestling Coach Ralph Valle, Mario Villegas a former ELAC Campus News photo editor, and committee chair Loera.

Loera researched every Campus News issue from 1946-1998 to present the committee with even more information than they already had.

2003 by a group of media advisers.

CCMA hosts an annual training workshop to provide students with the latest innovations in media and a yearly excellence in student media competition showcasing the best in the California.

The mission statement of the CCMA says the organization looks to unite the news media in colleges in California to address problems and issues that college newspapers face.

In doing so, the CCMA helps by showing support, nurture and provide resources to editors, advisors and journalists in news media.

POLICE: Incident causes confusion Continued from page 1

Students were also not notified of the police activity through the emergency notification alerts.

“The purpose of the emergency text alerts is to notify students of an immediate threat on campus,” ELAC’s College Event and Venue coordinator Ernest Burnett said,

“from my understanding the LAPD informed us out of courtesy about the situation off campus.”

“Both the Sheriff and I thought only to get those in the classrooms immediately cleared out,’ McMahan said.

McMahan said she wanted to prevent any panic or a campus wide evacuation.

The situation cleared up after 8 p.m. however, whether or not the

suspect had been taken into police custody is still unknown.

“Dean McMahan has gone through training for these situations,” Burnett said. “She acted on what would help the LAPD.” The LAPD were unable to be reached to give a statement regarding the incident or to confirm the status of the investigation.

For more updates on this news

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Feature

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014

Feminist majority club urge Elans to get involved Maegan Ortiz Staff Writer

In time for Women’s History Month, the East Los Angeles Feminist Majority Club wants to teach students on campus that feminism is not a scary word.

Re-chartered last spring after an academic year of inactivity, FMC President Tiffany Guo decided to to renew the club. The club meets on Tuesdays at 12:10 p.m. room 111, in F7.

“Feminism is a word that has so many negative connotations. One of our goals is to redefine the word,” Guo said.

Guo’s definition of feminism goes beyond the male/female binary.

She defines feminism personally as, “General equality for every gender, every sex in all sectors of society through legislation, education, sports and in everything.”

Louise Leftoff, a student and FMC member said that for her feminism was also about “political, economic, and social equality.”

ELAC’s Feminist Majority Club has a relationship with the National Feminist Majority Foundation, that works for social, political and economic equality for women by using research and education to improve womens’ lives.

The national organization, with its local office in Beverly Hills, has

campaigns they want their college affiliates to participate in.

Guo updates them with what is going on with the club and is planning on inviting them to a future panel to discuss feminism, its definitions and goals.

While the spring semester just began there are already a few things planned including panels, a vigil for Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.

Also, Denim Day, a campaign that started after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction because the judges justices felt that a rape victim’s wearing tight jeans equaled consent.

The group also plans to participate in the Los Angeles Slutwalk, a march that aims, according to the event’s Facebook page, to protest against rape culture.

Alma Maldonado, FMC member and Elan, acknowledges the history of the word “slut” as a tool of misogyny, and hatred towards women and girls.

“Words have been used to attack a certain group but then the group uses it to empower themselves instead,” Maldonado said.

Feminism was passed onto Guo from her older sister who was taking a women’s studies class at Pasadena City College.

“I started reading some of her books and they pointed out a lot of things that I never realized. I got really interested and decided I

wanted to major in gender studies,” Guo said.

She also saw family dynamics inside her own home that she wanted to change.

“Growing up I’ve always seen my mom really dependent on my dad and his income and I didn’t want that for myself. I wanted to pave my own path,” Guo said.

Inspiration for members of the Feminist Majority Club reflect the generational diversity within the club.

Maldonado looks to Democrat Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Leftoff looks to Gloria Steinem, founder of the feminist magazine Ms. Magazine and the Women’s Media Center.

Guo admires Jessica Valenti, author and founder of the feminist website Feministing.

Guo, however sees the club’s physical existence outside of cyberspace as important.

“When you go online you can read and empower yourself and tell your loved ones about feminism.

When you join this club you actually participate in events are actually active. Instead of just telling people, you actually show the action. You do it,” Guo said.

“We are doing work in the community. We raised money last year,” Leftoff said.

Club president Guo acknowledges some of the criticisms railed against younger feminists.

CN/Maegan ortiz

New logo— ELAC’s Feminist Majority Club President Tiffany Guo and Vice President Alma Maldonado ask for votes on the club’s logo during a FMC meeting.

“We are criticized for taking for granted the strides that have been made by the first two waves of feminism. I don’t think that’s necessarily true. I know that much of the third wave has been about sexuality and taking it back, racism, equality for different sexual orientations,” Guo said.

Guo also questions the label of “true feminist.” “I don’t think there is a degree of measuring how much

of a feminist you are. You believe in equality. That’s it,” said Guo. So far the club is off to a positive start.

According the club president this is a change from last semester.

“At fundraisers last semester some men and women would come up and ask, “What’s the point? You hate men?” Guo said.

“Some men would come up and say, I’m not allowed to

come, right?”

“They thought we were all lesbians,” Elan Priscilla Solis said.

“I was suggesting we put up a sign saying we love men. We love everybody. That way they wouldn’t be intimidated by the word feminism. Our club’s responsibility is to educate students what feminism is. That way they walk away with knowledge,” Solis said in the hopes for men to be part of the club.

Basketball standout moves from coast to coast William hernandez Staff Writer

CN/Cynthia Laguna

learning — A couple of children from the Child Development Center show Director Marcia

Cagigas their pet tarantula while reading along to a book.

Director aids kids, brings awareness to breast cancer Cynthia Laguna Staff Writer

Marcia Cagigas, the new director of the Child Development Center, is not just passionate about children but also about bringing awareness of breast cancer.

Coming from a large family, Cagigas recalls growing up playing games with her twin sister and using her imagination to make anything she could get her hands on to try to keep herself active.

She hopes to be able to make learning a fun activity and she believes that children learn by playing and allowing them to create their own experiences.

She was very fortunate to have a supportive family who helped her advance in her career.

Cagigas remembers her mother playing an important role as a supporter of her teaching career.

But she faced a setback when her mother passed away from breast cancer, making it a bit difficult for Cagigas to concentrate on her duties while trying to get her master’s degree.

On her free time Cagigas likes to spend quality time with her family and she devotes her time to fundraise at the Breast Cancer Walk.

Being a fan of the Los Anegeles Dodgers, Cagigas enjoys attending baseball games with friends and family.

Cagigas is an alumna of Sacred

Heart High School, a private are to bring back the evening Catholic all-girls school in her program and be able to provide hometown of Lincoln Heights. childcare for students or parents She graduated from East Los who attend night classes.

Angeles College in 1984 and She hopes to be able to acquire expanded her education attending different funds for the program and California State University, Los start the process to be accredited by Angeles from 1984-1987 and the the state National Association for University of La Verne from 2005- the Education of Young Children.

2007.

Instructor at the Child The beginning of her career began Development Center, Deborah just after high Glickman school when describes Cagigas began C a g i g a s working as as always a t e a c h e r I love what I do. There is p r o v i d i n g a s s i s t a n t a t never a dull moment. There help, “being is always something going on. times when she ELAC. Her interest will walk into in children the classroom Marcia Cagigas and see a need, developed into Child Development Center for example a a passion for Director child needing the way they learn, and extra help to what the children say. “I love what figure out how to play with another I do. There is never a dull moment, child.” there is always something going The Child Development Center on,” Cagigas said. in the ELAC provides its service for Her job as the director of the student parents and low income Child Development Center was not families. easy to obtain, according to Cagigas, The services include day care. she had to wait until a position Fees are based on each student’s opened. status which they try to keep Cagigas duties include working affordable. with the budget for the program.

They also provide free breakfast, As well as working with the lunch snacks. Free service funded children, parents and the instructors by the Child and Adult Care Food of the facility.

Program.

She is seen as the ultimate The Child Development Center disciplinarian and helps parents is located at the southeast corner understand the services provided of campus, building A1. Contact by the program. the Child Development Center at Most importantly, Cagigas goals (323) 265-8788.

“

Originally from Brooklyn, New York, guard Marcus Romain of the men’s basketball team arrived just in time to help push East Los Angeles College to its first conference title in 42 years.

Before he committed to ELAC in 2013, Romain was offered a full-ride scholarship to play for the nation’s most successful junior college, Odessa College, National Junior College Athletic Association champion.

“Odessa is a good school and their Head Coach Tra Arnold is a good coach and they’re doing good.

But personally, I felt like East Los Angeles College would be a better opportunity,” Romain said.

When ELAC Head Coach John Mosley picked up Romain from the airport last August, Mosley explained to Romain the big picture,.“What to look forward to, the players I’d be playing with, and the school I’d be attending,” Romain said.

The decision to move west was made easy for Romain, thanks to the support of his family.

His grandmother lives in Oceanside, Calif., where Romain stayed for a year before he enrolled at ELAC. “It was an easy transition to let Marcus go play at ELAC. I have my mother who stays in Oceanside and my brother lives in Pasadena.

So for the holidays, we can all spend it together,” Phil Romain, Marcus’ father said..

Romain’s older brother Brandon, played at the University of Detroit Mercy.

According their father, Brandon is very close to signing a contract to play overseas.

Separated by two years, Marcus competed against and looked up to Brandon as a player, “because he received a lot of attention and notoriety,” Phil Romain said.

Another factor that contributed to Romain’s decision was financial independence. “I’m one that believes that kids need to explore and go outside the box.”

“That’s what I liked about Marcus

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going to California. Odessa was going to pay for everything, but at ELAC he was going to have to work hard and earn everything on his own,” Phil Romain said.

Because he didn’t qualify for financial aid, Romain was offered employment from ELAC’s Athletic Director Al Cone.

“He’s our only student worker we have because of budget cuts.

Marcus is a great individual. He’s a prototype of our student athletes, Cone said. All they have to do is go to class, come to practice, and be respectful...Marcus does all of that, and he’s very respectful.”

Though he didn’t start this season, Romain played a major role for the Huskies.

He came off the bench, and averaged 14.4 points per game.

“He accepted his role, didn’t argue about not starting or not getting the ball enough. That’s what made us so good, everybody on this team accepted their Marcus role,” Mosley said.

Despite his success this season, basketball wasn’t always the center of attention for Romain.

Instead, he was more focused in school.

“He always excelled in school, and just didn’t have the size or length to compete like his older brother Brandon did,” Phil Romain said.

Marcus Romain stretched out a couple inches in the summer after his sophomore year of high school, one in which his father decided to hold him back a grade due to his performance in the classroom.

“Earlier in my career, I got off to a slow start because I was always shorter and slim. But my father always motivated me to keep going,” Marcus Romain said.

He now measures at a solid 6 feet 2 inches tall.

Marcus Romain always cherished

his father’s advice such as, “it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.”

On the court, he is a dynamic point guard that plays to win by scoring, rebounding and getting his teammates involved.

Marcus Romain drove into the paint and made a clean behind-theback move, and finished with a lefthanded layup against Los Angeles Trade Tech College February 14.

“You’ve got to entertain a little.

That’s the N.Y. style of play, having fun and amusing the crowd a bit,” Romain said.

Similar to the fast-paced and busy lifestyle of New York City, Marcus Romain keeps a stacked regimen filled with work, practice, and game day routines, plus the six classes (18 units) he’s taking this semester.

“I like to move around a lot and I’m just trying to accumulate as many as classes as I can. On Mondays and We d n e s d a y s I go to class from 7:35 a.m.

Romain until 1:35 p.m.

Then I go to work for the athletic director until practice starts,” Marcus Romain said.

Marcus Romain said he’s adapted to the west coast lifestyle, thanks to the help and advice from his coaches, teachers and teammates.

He sticks to the optimism he learned in his N.Y. upbringing.

“The key mindset is to remain positive and keep the winning attitude. At the end of the day, that’s what’s matters the most,” Marcus Romain said.

Now that the season has finished, his top priority is to finish the semester strong.

“It’s all about going to class and taking care of business,” Marcus Romain said.

Off to a good start for his first year playing at ELAC, Marcus Romain will return to play his sophomore season next year.

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014

Arts 5 Victims of abuse reveal stories in ‘Dear Sister’ maegan ortiz Staff Writer

CN/brian villalba

insight—Macha Suzuki shares his process of using geometric

shapes to provide an undisclosed identity to his art with attendees during his walkthrough at the Vincent Price Art Museum on Saturday.

Failure prompts creativity brian villalba Staff Writer The art exhibit of Macha Suzuki embraces failure as a primary ingredient of success. In the artist’s walkthrough of “This is the End,” Saturday, Suzuki led attendees through the inspiration and artistic process of his entire collection at the Vincent Price Art Museum.

Suzuki’s work is thoughtful and complex as he combines seemingly disparate parts into a single work to tell a story.

Suzuki includes failure as a necessary ingredient in success. It’s included either explicitly or implicitly in the titles of his work, such as “Nice try,” and “Permission to Fail.”

“Every time you fail, you are that much closer to success,” said Suzuki.

“Nice try,” is an archery target where all the arrows are as far away from the center of the target as possible without being off the target entirely.

“All that failure is perhaps more

beautiful than if the arrow was in the bull’s-eye,” said Suzuki.

Suzuki includes humor to lighten his work. Some of the messages on their surface seem to have a negative sentiment, but the story is told in lighter color and context.

“It reflects my personality to be light hearted with a serious message,” said Suzuki.

Suzuki uses personal experiences as the inspiration for his work. He lists his children as being a new focal point in his work. In one piece he has 11 life-sized mannequins gathered around a drawing made by his daughter. The geometric, anonymous heads combined with the realistic proportions has an ominous presence.

“His work has a sense of humor but it is also haunting,” said Grace Kook-Anderson, the Curator of Contemporary art at the Laguna Art Museum.

“This is the End,” has been on display since Feb 8 and will be at the museum through April 25. Two new upcoming VPAM walkthroughs are scheduled for March 15 and 19.

“Dear Sister: Letters from Survivors of Sexual Violence”

by Lisa Factora-Borchers, is a testament of survival. Released in January by AK press, the book challenges the idea that there is a right way for survivors to process rape.

It does this through a diverse selection of traditional-style letters, poetry, essays, and interviews.

This issue is important to collegeaged students since, according the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) at the U.S. Department of Justice, a college with 10,000 students could experience as many as 350 rapes per year.

Some of the selections are attributed, while others are written by anonymous authors. The idea is that the book is meant to be a conversation.

“Survival is testament to someone’s strength, Healing is a testament to the community surrounding her,” Lisa FactoraBourchers writes.

The readers are brought into a community of survivors and allies through the idea of sisterhood. We are all responsible for discussing and challenging rape culture in the United States because we have all been touched by it.

Factora-Bourchers, who worked as a legal and medical advocate for survivors of sexual violence and is a published author, received most of the submissions online.

This demonstrates the power and potential of technology and crowdsourcing when it comes to tackling difficult issues about sexual violence.

The book is broken down into six chapters highlighting survival and remembering the traumas of incest and other forms of sexual violence.

“Dear Sister” challenges readers

to redefine sexual violence and acceptable responses to it.

Aishah Shadhidah Simmons, an award-winning African-American media maker, compels readers to question the definition of rape and notions of deserving or inviting sexual violence in her introduction.

The book also highlights how rape experiences are complicated and do not often fit into a neat narrative as presented in the mainstream media via television shows like “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

Each chapter is organized around a theme. “What Every Survivor needs to Know” could easily be a book unto itself.

Many survivors’ recollections of the violence inflicted upon them are downplayed, manipulated and questioned. In this section a survivor remembers being told by her attacker that the sex was

consensual, even though she did not consent. “I believe you. And I believe it was as bad as you say it was. I don’t know what happened to you, but I believe you,” contributor V.E. writes.

“Dear Sister” is not an easy book to read. It features graphic and potentially triggering details about sexual assault, especially the chapter “A Child Re-members”.

This is one of the book’s strongest features however.

It does not shy away from the graphic reality that is sexual violence through euphemisms. The reader is made to feel uncomfortable because everyone should be uncomfortable and moved to do something about sexual violence.

In the introduction of the book the editor advises readers to engage in self-care when reading. Perhaps this book is best read with a support

network of others or makes a good choice for a reading group for Women’s History Month.

The book takes a very nonjudgemental approach to decisions made by survivors. It supports those who choose not to report their assaults to law enforcement.

The editor also made a clear choice to feature voices of survivors not often heard from like women of color and queer people of color struggling with their abuse and the abuse of the criminal justice system that is supposed to help them.

For example, Kate Ahern shares her experience of being forced into child prostitution and another anonymous writer shares how sex work after sexual assault is empowering for her. There is even a letter signed by a child born out of rape.

Another key message of the book is how sexual violence works and intersects with other forms of violence like racism and homophobia.

Sexual violence has the power to impact life experiences in ways often not thought of like how people give birth or parent their children.

While the primary audience of the book is women and most of the writers identify as women, “Dear Sister” does feature one letter from a man who was sexually abused by his father. In the anonymous letter, he talks of the need for all, survivors and perpetrators, to learn accountability.

“It would be a lie to say I know what you are going through. All I really know is my own story,” writes Mary Zelinka. This is essentially the core message of the book, that survivors know their truth and that truth needs to be believed and released from shame.

In today’s society everyone is impacted by rape. A reader may not be a survivor but likely knows someone else who is. “Dear Sister” is a book for everyone.

A smarter phone deserves a smarter plan.

courtesy of WB Publicity

COmManding—The menacing Persian naval Commander Artemisia, played by Eva Green, leads the masked warriors of the special forces into Greece in “300: Rise of an Empire.”

‘300’ sequel packs a punch JESUS FIGUEROA Staff Writer With the battle underway “300: Rise of an empire” keeps the same graphic novel cinematic style of the prequel “300” but is bloodier and leaves audiences wanting more.

The storyline is simple and continues with the mythology of the 300 Spartans with strong fight scenes and new characters.

Not many films have a theatrical release with an R rating these days, but the menacing villains of this film could not have been portrayed well without the over the top gore and bloodshed.

The film intertwines the story of “300” with the new tale of the Greeks going up against Xerxes, played by Rodrigo Santoro.

Santoro continues strong with his portrayal of the God king Xerxes. The performance matched the intensity of the first film but added a more human element to the character.

The Greek Themistocles, played

by Sullivan Stapleton, gathers his troops and tries to unite Greece in hopes of facing Xerxes, who with his massive army has come

to Greece to conquer and enslave them.

Stapleton is good at matching up to the Persian warriors. His demeanor gives him a feel of wisdom and intelligence.

Themistocles asks the aid of Spartan Queen Gorgo, played by Lena Heady, who refuses because she believe her husband Leonidas would triumph against the GodKing.

Heady is a fierce match for Stapleton’s wits as her beauty adds to the charisma of her character. Her prestigious look and voice gives the feel of royalty to her character.

Xerxes recruits the help of the vengeful Greek Artemisia to command his massive naval forces aginst the small Greek Navy Themistocles gathers in hopes of saving Athens.

Green is a conniving fierce beauty that matches wits and mettle with any opponent in her way.

The determination in her eyes and embodiment of the character make her sexy, seductive but frightful as well.

While the beginning of the film incorporates cut scenes from the battle of the Spartans from the first film, the inclusion of naval battles

brings forth a new element to the already magnificent style.

The violence is intense, as blood seems to be splattering everywhere constantly.

The story is left at a minimum as the battle scenes take up most of the screen time. The action drives the film with not much context other than it being a massive war.

The battles are creative and combine elements, which make them fun to watch. The onslaught of troop after troop being pummeled, tossed around and bloodily killed will have audiences glued to their seat.

Creativity brings upon fun battle scenes that catch the audience off guard.

The ending comes with a less than satisfying conclusion that leaves audiences wanting more, which is the intended reaction as audiences will be left wanting a third installment to the “300” franchise.

“300: Rise of an empire” releases in 3D and 2D in select theaters and IMAX this Friday. The film is rated R for strong sustained sequences of stylized bloody violence throughout, a sex scene, nudity and some language.

The Next Big Thing is at MetroPCS. Now you can have the bigger screen, better camera and easier sharing that only the Samsung Galaxy S III® can offer. All without the contract. It’s groundbreaking technology powered by the best value anywhere—totally unlimited.

Limited time offer. Offer subject to change without notice. Restrictions apply. MetroPCS $60 per month 4GLTE service plan includes unlimited data at MetroPCS 4GLTE speeds when in a MetroPCS 4GLTE coverage area. MetroPCS 4GLTE service available only in a MetroPCS 4GLTE coverage area. MetroPCS 4GLTE and CDMA coverage and services not available everywhere. Nationwide long distance available only to continental U.S. and Puerto Rico. Rates, services and features subject to change. MetroPCS services for personal use only. Abnormal Usage: Service may be slowed, suspended, terminated, or restricted for misuse, abnormal use, interference with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users, or roaming usage predominance. See store or metropcs.com for details, restrictions and Terms and Conditions of Service (including arbitration provision). MetroPCS related trademarks and service marks are the exclusive properties of MetroPCS Wireless, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. ©2013 MetroPCS Wireless, Inc.

www.ELACCampusNews.com

6

SPORTS

EAST LOS ANGELES COLLEGE CAMPUS NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014

Huskies upset in double overtime CarLOS ALVAREZ Staff Writer

CN/Megan Razzetti

FIGHT ON—Carmen Portillo races to the finish in the women’s butterfly during the opening of the South Coast Conference swim season against Cerritos and Chaffey College at East Los Angeles College Swim Stadium on Friday.

Swim and Dive loses two meets TADZIO Garcia Staff Writer The women’s swim and dive team was down their top swimmer, Yingfei “Alice” Zhang, who did not compete against Chaffey or Cerritos colleges in a double dual meet last Friday at home.

Zhang won all six individual races she competed in February 21 and 22 in the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational against top state competition.

Zhang may not return to the team.

Without Zhang, ELAC lost to Chaffey 83-55 and Cerritos 91-47.

With Zhang, ELAC outscored Chaffey 246-114 at Mt. SAC. The team should know next week if she decides to stay on the team

according to ELAC Head Coach “Alice was probably going to Erik Matheson. finish on or near the top of her “Alice will (advance) to state races (also) with depth as the key (finals) as a member of the team,” to ELAC winning,” Matheson said.

With Zhang the helm, that depth Matheson said. helped ELAC Zhang won an upset six teams unprecedented at Mt. SAC, six races at Mt. SAC, and was Alice was probably going to including Los Angeles Valley responsible finish on or near the top of C o l l e g e b y for more than half of the 246 her race (also) with depth two points and points ELAC as the key to ELAC winning. S o u t h C o a s t scored from her Head Coach C o n f e r e n c e rivals, El individual and Erik Matheson C a m i n o , relay events.

Chaffey and She beat Long sophomores that ELAC finished seventh place out advanced to that years state finals Mt. SAC. including top swimmers from Sierra of 16 teams at At ELAC last week, Wenning College, who placed sixth in last year’s state championships.

Shen, Irene Young and Daisy

“

Gomez were the top swimmers for the Huskies.

Shen placed second place in all of the nine individual races she swam.

“I did not get nervous, I just (focused) for each race and always want better times,” Shen said.

Young placed second in five individual events and third in four others.

Young returned to the team last week off an injury and is a top swimmer for the Huskies Gomez, the lone woman’s diver at ELAC, placed first. “(Gomez) improved at the meet today (Friday). She made all of her dives to score points for the team,” Dive Coach Elias Rocha said.

At Mt. SAC Gomez failed to complete one dive and as a result did not place.

Men’s basketball forward Aaron Cheatum could only sit and watch as Citrus College forward Chris Reyes grabbed the final rebound and began the celebration for the Owls.

“It hurts to lose, man. It hurts to lose at home. It was a good run, I wish I could’ve done more,” South Coast Conference North Division Player-of-the-Year, Cheatum said.

Citrus, the No. 11-seed, defeated the Huskies, the No. 6-seed, leaving with an 86-81 double overtime thriller.

It was a back and forth battle between two of the best players in their conferences, Cheatum and Western State Conference South Division Most Valuable Player Reyes, but in the end it was the best team that won.

“To be honest they outplayed us today. They beat us. Nothing you can do,” a dazed and confused Cheatum said, after the game.

“Cheatum will go down as one of the best in ELAC basketball history. He carried this team today,” ELAC Head Coach John Mosley said.

“It was a great game. Our confidence is high right now. We came in here and pulled off a great win,” Reyes said.

Cheatum fouled out of the game with 30.8 seconds left in the second overtime with ELAC down 80-78.

Citrus pounded the ball inside, getting fouled while converting four straight free-throws to seal the game.

Citrus lead at halftime, 41-33, behind the tandem of Reyes and shooting guard Daniel Cheek.

Reyes was a force inside, scoring 26 total points (12 first-half points) against the smaller interior ELAC defense of Cheatum and forward Zach Hinton.

Cheek was effective from the outside adding 12 points in the first half of the game.

“He (Reyes) is a great player.

He is one of the best players in Southern California. We tried to keep him off the post, but he came to play,” Mosley said.

ELAC was lead by Cheatum who took it upon himself to keep the Huskies close. Cheatum scored a season-high 27 points adding 17 rebounds (six offensive), and five blocks.

“We didn’t want to lose, man.

We knew that we had to come out fighting in the second half. Our defense improved as the game went on,” Hinton said.

The difference in the game was missed free-throws and turnovers

by ELAC in crucial moments of regulation and overtime.

ELAC had 22 turnovers that resulted in 19 points for Citrus.

ELAC shot 61.5 percent from the charity-strike in the second half and overtime, after shooting and efficient 85.7 percent during the first half.

“We had a chance to win, but we don’t play the what if game. We fought to the end and that’s all we can do,” Cheatum said.

With the game heading into the second overtime, tied at 70, Citrus began to move the ball around.

“ELAC tried to take away our inside game, but we have great shooters from the outside. We had some open shots and we made them (ELAC) pay,” Cheek said.

The big shot came by Citrus guard Steven Polee Jr., who hit a three-point shot that gave Citrus an 82-78 lead with 15 seconds left in the game.

“It was a big shot. He missed one earlier, but he made a clutch shot, gave us some breathing room,” Citrus Head Coach Chris Victor said.

A week after capturing their first conference title in 42 years, ELAC’s quick exit from the playoffs leaves an empty feeling.

“It was a great season capturing a conference title, but I felt that we could have gone a little deeper (in the playoffs),” Mosley said.

Women’s basketball upset falls short Tadzio garcia Staff Writer

Baseball ELAC is the No. 9-ranked team in the Southern California Community College Coaches Association with an 8-5 overall record.

The Huskies have defeated three ranked teams during their non-conference schedule: No. 2-ranked Santa Barbara City College, No. 19-ranked Los Angeles Pierce College, and No. 20-ranked Riverside City Collge.

ELAC began South Coast Conference play yesterday against Pasadena City College, who has a 3-8 record. ELAC kicked off their three-game series against Pasadena, yesterday at Husky Park, with a 15-1 victory.

The same two teams will meet at Jackie Robinson Memorial Stadium, in Pasadena March 6 and return to Husky Park for the finale on March 8.

Softball ELAC kicked off South Coast Conference play yesterday against Pasadena City College with a 1-0 victory. ELAC’s sophmore Alanshanee Medina and PCC’s sophmore Casey Ramirez were involved in a pitching duel.

Medina pitched 10 scoreless innings, striking out 21 out of 35 batters she faced while allowing only three hits. Ramirez pitched 10 innings, allowing one run off of five hits. The lone run came when ELAC freshman Breanna Takanaka scored on a fielders choice.

The teams will play at Long Beach City College on Thursday at 3 p.m. The team will make up two games that were rained out against Antelope Valley College and Santa Ana College.

The games will be rescheduled im two weeks, to be announced

Badminton The badminton team look to get the season started with a South Coast Conference match-up against their rival El Camino College at 3 p.m.

The Huskies are the defending SCC co-champions along with Pasadena City College.

The first SCC showdown against Pasadena will be at ELAC March 19 at 3 p.m. in the Women’s Gym.

The Huskies stunned the state’s No. 7-ranked Los Angeles Valley College with a comeback that sent their California Community College Athletic Association second round playoff game into overtime, but eventually lost 92-88.

ELAC, No. 14-ranked in the final South Region poll, fell just short of an upset at Valley even being down two players.

Starting freshman guard Jasmine Gates sat on the bench due to an injury.

Gates had 91 defensive rebounds this season, 17th best in the state, and connected on 37.4 percent of her three-point shot attempts.

Her replacement, forward Kimberly Perez who started for the first time this season, did not score against Valley.

“Sitting on the bench watching my team struggle was by far the hardest thing ever. It was like watching someone mess with my sisters and I couldn’t do anything about it,” Gates said.

“I cheered my team on and made sure they knew I may not have been on the court physically, but I wanted them to feel my presence.”

ELAC, starter and sophomore forward Stephanie Rodriguez also did not play.

Rodriguez averaged 9.4 points per every 40 minutes played this season, 18th best in the state.

She has not played since late January. ELAC Head Coach Bruce Turner did not comment.

Valley built a 75-57 lead with 6:09 left in the game in a secondhalf yawn fest as displayed by the quiet Valley home crowd.

ELAC went on a 26-8 run that ended with sophomore guard Dioseline Lopez three-point swish just before the final buzzer, followed by a screaming, jumping uproar of the ELAC contingent.

CN/TADZIO GARCIA

HUSKY SQUEEZES BY TREES— Dioseline Lopez, center, drives in the paint against Jecenia Trinidad and Julissa Aguirre, No. 33,of Los Angeles Valley College in a 92-88 loss in the second round of the playoffs.

Valley fans stood in disbelief, many with their hands on their head.

“We never stopped playing and believed we would win,” ELAC center Karina Ortiz said.

Ortiz was named to the CCCAA All-State Academic team.

www.ELACCampusNews.com

Lopez scored a two-season game high 33 points against Valley.

ELAC freshman forward Jocelyn Diaz had a double-double against Valley, her third this season, with 10 rebounds and 10 points.

Lopez was named the 2013-14 SCC North Division Player-of-the-

Year and to the CCCAA Southern California All-State Third Team.

Huskies named to the AllSCC North Division First Team include Ortiz and freshman guard Taylor Smith.

ELAC ended their season 17-12 overall.