2017 los angeles collegian volume 179 number 1

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Collegian sparks on championship Track

laCC

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los angeles

weather ForeCast WEDNESDAY

77/66

THURSDAY

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FRIDAY

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SATURDAY

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SUNDAY

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wednesday, september 20, 2017 volume 179 number 1

the voice of los angeles city college since 1929

Indigenous Peoples Day Gets Stamp of Approval

NEWS BRIEFS coMPiLed By reBecca Grazier

theatre academy Presents: ‘Freddy’ Ballet dancer and pal of Andy Warhol, Freddie Herko is the subject of the first presentation of the Theatre Academy for the fall semester. The play is directed by Frances Loy, which is set in Greenwich Village in 1964, and fuses theatre, music, dance, and video to capture the explosive spirit of Herko during a turbulent era. The play opens Thursday Sept. 28 at 3 p.m. at the Caminito Theatre. General admission is $15 and $10 for students.

behind the scenes look at ‘hamilton’ Can’t get tickets to “Hamilton?” Consider seeing “Hamilton’s America” which is a behind the scenes look at Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical “Hamilton.” The documentary examines law, history, psychology, sociology, art, music and theater. The first 100 attendees will receive U.S. Constitution booklets, and will also have the chance to win one or two Alexander Hamilton bobble heads. Refreshments will be provided during the screening on Friday Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. in the Holmes Hall Lecture Hall.

James a. ditch scholarship ending soon The James A. Ditch Annual Scholarship will be providing $12,000 to students, and will be announced at the Eagle Glen Golf Course on Nov. 7 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Corona, CA. Applications for scholarships for a career in public transportation are due by Sept. 29 at 5 p.m.

late start courses to begin Short-term courses begin on Oct. 23, 2017. If you were not able to enroll during the beginning of the fall semester, you have another opportunity. Students may now sign up for courses within the new Student Information System (SIS) located in the “For Students” section on the LACC website. There is no current deadline to sign up for short-term fall courses.

An altar with offerings of copal incense, ears of corn directed to the east, a tambourine, a conch shell and crystals sit on the ground in the center of the Los Angeles City Hall courtyard. Smoke from burning sage fills the air as members of Mexica, Apache and other tribes in traditional dress dance and drum in a sacred circle. They use the sound and movement to “charge the space” and call on their ancestors for a victory. By ande richards Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, who is also a member of the Wyandotte Nation Tribe, led a cross-cultural coalition to change what many believe is a historical wrong. On Aug. 30, the Los Angeles City Council upended events of 1492 with a 14-1 vote to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day. Indigenous Peoples Day supporters maintain that Christopher Columbus was directly responsible for the annihilation of the Taino and Arawak tribes, the subjugation of the indigenous who survived colonization and the inauguration of the African slave trade to the Americas. “When you look at the historical record it just goes deeper and deeper and gets worse and worse and worse and worse,” O’Farrell said. “There was no discovery. Millions of people were here already - he [Columbus] never even made it to the United States.” President Roosevelt created Columbus Day as a federal holiday in 1937 largely as a result of intense lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, an influential Catholic fraternal benefits organization.

photo by ande rIChards/CollegIan

Mexica tribe member Raul Herrera leads a drum circle around an altar in support of the Indigenous Peoples Day vote at Los Angeles City Hall on Aug, 30. “When I think about Columbus Day - we’re celebrating hate crimes,” Herrera said. “We’re celebrating murder, we’re celebrating rape, we’re celebrating genocide.” A report released last year by the Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department revealed that a majority of L.A. voters support replacing Columbus Day. However, L.A. City Councilman Joe Buscaino pushed back on behalf of the Italian-American community and the memory of Columbus. He was the lone vote of opposi-

tion to Indigenous Peoples Day. “My friend and colleague Joe Buscaino who is of Italian-American heritage was opposed to this from the very beginning,” O’Farrell said. “He had a few allies on the council that tried at the last minute to replace Indigenous Peoples Day with Diversity Day – it didn’t fly, and that … would have completely bypassed a two-year

By LaVieLLe hiBBerT

photo by CurtIs sabIr/CollegIan

Two actors rehearse for a play that is part of the Freedom Festival on Sept. 12. The L.A. Mission, Los Angeles City College and three non-profit organizations have teamed up to create pathways for formerly incarcerated youth to achieve higher education.

returninG CitiZens to eXhibit art For Freedom Fest By BeaTrice anoh

INDEX opinion & editorial

2-3

photo focus

4

arts & entertainment

5

news

6

campus life

7

sports

8

of La Banda de Tlayacapan echoed around her. The child slept as Herrera talked about what Indigenous Peoples Day means to her. “We’re here because we want people to acknowledge the indigenous people that are still here,” she SEE INDIGENOUS PAGE 6

daCa reversal Creates Unease in immigrant Community

daca Fund announced to save dreamers Mission Asset Fund (MAF) announced it will provide $1,000,000 in scholarships to over 2,000 Dreamers to pay for DACA renewals by the Oct. 5, 2017. The Trump administration announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program is ending. DACA has provided security, safety, and the opportunity for a livelihood for 800,000 young people commonly known as “Dreamers.” People who already have DACA and whose work permits expire between now and March 5, 2018 will be able to apply for a two-year renewal if they apply by Oct. 5, 2017. DACA recipients with expiring permits are encouraged to visit LC4DACA.org and apply immediately.

process that led to today’s vote.” In contrast to Buscaino, Councilman Mike Bonin who is of Italian ancestry, called the move a “very small step in apologizing and making amends” to Native Americans, the L.A. Times reported on Aug. 30. Lilia Herrera of the Mexica tribe held her baby in her arms as celebratory ululations and the music

Images of broken bodies, minds, and souls are visible in paintings created by returning citizens. They are some of the beautiful sights students and prominent guests such as California Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gipson will see and enjoy at the Freedom Festival at L.A. City College next week in a two-day event beginning Sept. 28. Freedom Festival is brought to LACC by “Break it to Make it,” a

program aimed at assisting the formerly incarcerated as they transition into society. The Freedom Festival begins next Thursday at noon in the Quad and continues until 5 p.m. It continues Friday morning in the Student Union Building at 10 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. “It is really a partnership between … the L.A. Mission and LACC, three giants, non-profit organizations, which are transforming the community,” said Michael Bierman, executive director at the

Strindberg Laboratory, a theater company that produces workshops and plays for former prisoners and other disadvantaged populations Forty-five formerly incarcerated students have enrolled at L.A. City College since spring semester 2017. They served their time in prison and are now readjusting and integrating into society and the campus as students. Marshall May is a talented artist SEE BREAK IT TO MAKE IT PAGE 6

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ announcement that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) had been revoked brought a reaction from Dr. Francisco C. Rodriguez, the chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) on Sept. 5. Rodriguez encouraged DACA enrollees to stay in school and do nothing to jeopardize their status. The message is posted on the Los Angeles City College website and other district colleges. President Donald Trump also came out with a statement addressing the issue. The president at first wanted to end the program that shielded young undocumented immigrants from deportation, then he seemed to change his mind. Former president Barack Obama started the program while he was in office. Before his flip-flop, President Trump said he wanted to begin phasing out the DACA program within six months. However, those that are currently enrolled in the DACA program can continue to work until their permits expire. LACC students are very skeptical of the president’s actions. Even though he now says he will not end the DACA program, some students do not trust him. Psychology major Kathy Rios says she is not completely comfortable with President Trump’s

position on DACA. She says he is inconsistent and unpredictable. “It is really a heartless decision coming from him, even though he has this hatred for undocumented people. I feel like he could have taken a different approach toward people in DACA,” Rios said. “He could have given more options instead of taking it completely away. People can lose their jobs, schooling and most importantly their families.” Samantha Mya is a child development major and is disgusted about the whole situation and where it might be headed. “It is really unfair,” Mya said. “He really doesn’t like undocumented people and it is not our fault. I do not believe anything he says. You just can’t believe anyone who is very inconsistent, especially someone who is in such high power. He has to take into consideration … all the backlash that can happen from this.” A lot of students on the LACC campus say they feel the same about President Trump and his actions. They say he cannot be trusted. Former President Barack Obama recently posted a short statement through social media on what he thinks about the DACA ordeal. He is totally against it. “Whatever concerns or complaints Americans may have about immigration in general, we shouldn’t threaten the future of SEE DACA PAGE 6


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