Collegian DON’T “SKIP” DRONES, PAGE 5
CAMPUS SHOWS PRIDE, PAGE 5
Attendees Watch ‘Mankiller’
LOS ANGELES
SAGINAW CHIPPEWA MEMBER DAWN JACKSON PRESENTED HER FEATURE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE LIFE OF CHIEF WILMA MANKILLER OF THE CHEROKEE NATION BY LUVLEIGHAN CLARK Cinema Professor Dylan Shields moderated a documentary about Chief Wilma Mankiller on Native American Day which accord on Oct. 10, 2022. LACC student Lozano ‘Sal’ Yazhi opened the event with three Navajo ceremonial drum songs. Documentary Filmmaker Dawn Jackson’s 74-minute feature “Mankiller” followed. Chief Mankiller was born on the Cherokee reservation with no modern-day amenities such as indoor bathrooms or running water. In the documentary she said they never knew how poor they were because the Whites were just as bad off. She finally understood that they were poor when the United States government forced her family and many Native people off the reservations and into the inner cities. Chief Mankiller’s family ended up in one of the worst government housing projects in San Francisco. The neighborhood where they lived taught her to survive the harsh reality of life. It was never on Chief Mankiller’s mind to be an activist much less a politician. The long past traditions of Cherokee women with the final say of how the tribe did things ended with the migration of Europeans to the Americas, according to the documentary. On Nov. 20, 1969, California Native Americans (once referred to as American Indians) occupied Alcatraz Island reclaiming it as their property. This would be the start of Chief Mankillers journey as the first female Chief of the Cherokee Nation in modern day. It was a long tiring road, as many Cherokees and other Natives had adapted to the “White Man’s” idea that a female belonged in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant. The documentary shares an interview where Chief Mankiller said she faced more sexism than she did racial discrimination. “It’s like [Jackson was] shining such a bright light on [Mankiller] and it just opened my eyes to something just completely brand new,” LACC film student Marvin Todd said. Jackson honored Chief Mankiller by showcasing the fight for her people in the documentary. It was that fight that led to several terms as Cherokee Tribes Chief, a position equal to the United States President.
The Student Voice of Los Angeles City College Since 1929
Free Food Returns to Campus THE POP-UP FOOD PANTRY IS BACK JUST IN TIME FOR MIDTERMS.
PHOTO BY EDWARD LOCKE
LACC President Mary Gallagher
LACC President Set to Retire AFTER FIVE YEARS OF SERVING AS PRESIDENT, MARY GALLAGHER IS SET TO RETIRE AT THE END OF NEXT JUNE. BY TUPAC ZAPATA
Students eagerly await their turn to pick up free food from the pop-up pantry that occurred on Oct. 24, 2022.
BY RACHEL RODRIGUEZ Food will be distributed to students every Monday at LACC, thanks to the Food for Thought Pop-up Food Pantry. Gas and food prices soar higher than ever and bring added anxiety to an already stressful academic schedule. According to LACCD survey data, approximately 20% of LACC students are homeless and nearly 65% of LACC students are not able to reliably eat nutritious meals.
The Food for Thought program’s goal of reducing food insecurity as a barrier to student success is supported by the early data, which also suggests that students who use the program’s services are more successful. “After the first year of implementation, we have confirmed what we intuitively knew,” said Mary Gallagher, LACC president in a statement. “By feeding our students, we are helping them achieve academic success.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF LACC FOUNDATION
The pop-up food pantry resumed on Oct. 24, 2022 outside the LACC Student Union Building. The City Cares Network and Food for Thought program collaborated to bring back the program which had disappeared because of the COVID-19 pandemic. LACCD Board President Andra Hoffman supports LACC and the Foundation for its outstanding dedication and work efforts. “I am very grateful that Los Angeles City College and the Foundation are collaborating with other
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Resources
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organizations to help meet their students’ food needs so they can achieve their higher education goals,” Hoffman said in a statement. A student ID and a reusable food bag are all that’s required to shop for free food. Items at the pantry include dry food, beverages, snacks, fresh fruit, veggies and more. The Pop-up Food Pantry will be located outside the Student Union Building every Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. until Dec. 12, 2022.
Fallout After Racial Slurs at City Hall Continues THREE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WERE BUSTED WHILE DOING BUSINESS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AFTER A LEAKED CONVERSATION.
SEE “NATIVE” PAGE 6
Opinion & Editorial
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 Volume 189 Number 4
BY JUAN MENDOZA “Fuera! Fuera! Resign! Leave,” shouted angry protesters who disrupted the ongoing City Council meeting on Oct. 11, after listening to an audiotape first published by the Los Angeles Times.
City Councilmembers Kevin de Leon and Gil Cedillo experienced moments of embarrassment at the council meeting. Nury Martinez who was the first Latina City Council president submitted a request for leave of absence an hour before the meeting and was not present at the time. There was chaos and rebellion inside the chamber. Protesters were angry and disappointed. “It’s the most outrageous and disgusting remarks done by the most
SEE “FALLOUT” PAGE 7
Mary Gallagher received the call, she was offered the position of college President on the eve of her 60th birthday. On Jan. 2, 2018, she began serving as LACC’s interim president before she took over as president in June of 2018. Gallagher refers to her time as president of LACC as “the best job she has ever had.” Retirement will allow Gallagher to spend more time with her loved ones and to face upcoming challenges. Four decades of work would make anyone want slow down, and that is precisely what Gallagher is ready to do. The 64-year-old is ready to start a new chapter in her life, a chapter in which her passport will fill up with visa stamps from all over the world. In a heartfelt letter announcing her retirement, she opened up about some of the curveballs that life has thrown at her, especially the last couple of years. Serving as LACC president during a pandemic has not been an easy task for Gallagher, as the campus shut down for most of 2020, leaving students with the only alternative of online classes. Then in 2021, the pandemic struck too close when her husband contracted a near fatal case of COVID that left long haul effects. In the letter, Dr. Gallagher shared that her 91-year-old mother has fallen three times in three months. For the last 10 years, her older sister has suffered from Alzheimers and lost her cognitive ability, but she is always happy when she sees Gallagher. “Family is very important to me and I think my management team will attest to that,” Gallagher said in a Zoom Town Hall meeting. “These circumstances contributed to my decision to retire at this time as well.” For over 40 years, Gallagher’s vacations did not last over a week, which may seem as too little time for relaxation to some folks, but for her it was all that she needed to SEE “LACC PRESIDENT”
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OPINION & EDITORIAL
Los Angeles Collegian - Wednesday, November 2, 2022
EDITORIAL
Collegian
Best Little Green Corner Welcomes Everyone BY ANA TALOAS
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ne new community on campus is a green spot where everyone is welcome. The creation is organically grown food for the community that is loved and cared for by students and faculty. The City’s Garden is located to the left of the MLK Jr. Library. Professor Sean Phommasaysy started the garden with students before the pandemic hit. He stresses that it is “everyone’s garden.” Many faculty and students volunteer there every Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. It’s a busy place where they build planters and complete other gardening tasks.
It’s a welcoming space, too. The LACC Director of Upward Bound, Michael Lopez said high school students heading for college have their own plot in the garden. His students also tended their own garden at Manual Arts High School called Chicas Verdes. Members of the Forever Jung Psychology Club also discovered the garden. They became involved last year. Several studies support the idea that gardening reduces stress. There are even mental health benefits associated with the process of planting seeds and helping them grow, according to the Newport Academy, a treatment center that helps teens and their families with mental health issues. There are other benefits too. A Columbia University study in 2017 from the Tisch Center for Food Education found that at schools that provide frequent, high-quality opportunities for
Free Public Transportation Benefits People, Environment BY ALONDRA LEMUS Public transportation should be free in Los Angeles to everyone, no matter their race, income or citizenship. Free public transport benefits the people in the community and our climate. At the beginning of the pandemic, the Los Angeles public transit agency Metro stopped charging bus fares from March 2020 to January 2022. This made public transportation accessible to everyone. According to statistics from the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, by September 2020, bus ridership was down by 15.2%, with rail rides dropping to 44.9%. While bus fare was free, people preferred to commute on a bus rather than ride the rail line, which was still charging. Keeping bus fares free will have a huge impact on our climate by limiting greenhouse-gas emissions. Metro expanded its public transport system to help the climate and clear up smog over the last few years but did not see the change in numbers they were hoping for. The city observed an increase in riders during the nocharge period. Even though it was the middle of the pandemic, more peo-
ple chose public transport. With fewer miles being driven on the road, it decreased pollution in the air. Metro estimated that free bus fare would reduce 28,190,786 tons of CO2 a year, not including holidays and special events that usually bring in more riders. Data from the American Public Transportation Association shows that half of the bus riders are low-income individuals who make $18,000 a year or less. Metro discounted weekly and monthly passes for those who are disadvantaged. According to Metro’s daily bus-ridership figure, only one-fifth of low-income riders are enrolled in the program. The problem with these types of programs is that they require paperwork to be filled out and sometimes have extra administrative costs. This makes the programs less accessible to low-income minorities, students and the elderly, who make up most of the bus riders. Metro is the nation’s second-largest mass transit system coming in right after New York City. Metro already provided free bus fares for 22 months, showing the people of Los Angeles that if it has been done once, it can be done again. Free public transportation is key to a real impact on climate change and the start of becoming an eco-friendlier city. It would be a huge win for the people of the community who have asked the city for years to make a change.
Fascism Could Return to Italy BY FRANCESCO DI MAIO I was on a plane leaving behind my hometown of Palermo, Sicily, in 2012. I was 13 years old. I sat next to my father, who took the greatest risk of his life in hopes to take me away from the same streets that raised him. So, while I observed and adapted to a culture entirely different from my own, Giorgia Meloni co-found-
ed the most conservative political party in my home country, Fratelli D’Italia. Today, over 10 years later, Meloni and Fratelli D’Italia (Brothers of Italy) have won the government elections, which can only mean one thing: Fascism has returned. “Italy and Italians first!” That’s all Meloni said to earn her victory. Though she claimed not to be a fascist, her very own words remind people of a previous Italian dictator who had a frighteningly similar infatuation with nationalism. Words like “God, country, family,” are what she uses to emotionally manipulate the feelings of people who seek change.
SEE “FASCISM” PAGE 3
Los Angeles City College Visual & Media Arts Department 855 N. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90029 323.953.4000 ext. 2832 losangeles.collegian@gmail.com Editor-in-Chief RACHEL RODRIGUEZ Graphics Layout Editor BEATRICE ALCALA Layout Assistance EDWARD LOCKE Copy Editors RACHEL RODRIGUEZ LOUIS PRIMAVERA KATHARINE FORD TUPAC ZAPATA ILLUSTRATION BY MICHAEL SITAR
hands-on nutrition learning, students eat up to three times more fruits and vegetables at school lunch. The finding applies regardless of whether that food was grown in the garden. The garden is a common ground where folks of different backgrounds and majors can come together and contribute.
It would be nice if different departments around campus collaborated with each other in the same way. It would offer a more inclusive culture for all of us. When Professor Phommasaysy wondered if the garden would happen, Siege L.A. reminded him about available funds to start the garden.
“Yeah, we still have a lot of work to do,” the professor said. He invites everyone with an interest in gardening to go to the City’s Garden and help create it. All over Los Angeles, more and more organic gardens are attracting people. Let’s make the City’s Garden our best little green corner.
South L.A. Students Deserve More Resources, Now BY ANDREA VEGA In the past two years, high school students in South Los Angeles have been affected by the disruptions of their schooling because of the pandemic. Students had to temporarily attend school remotely. In addition, students on sports teams had to pause their extracurricular activities when classes transitioned to remote learning. When the new school year started, they transitioned back to in-person classes. The changes have been difficult for most of the students. The schools in low-income communities have been affected the most because they
lack resources. It is a serious problem for many high schools that serve low-income areas. Students should not have to worry about how they will afford uniforms or equipment needed to participate in sports. They should focus on good grades. However, as they resume school activities, they must organize fundraisers after school to raise money for uniforms and equipment to participate in sports. During this challenging time, communities should help the students with the fundraisers or make donations to Manual Arts High School, Jefferson High School, and Santee High School. Students need support from the community they grew up in the most. The community should also encourage students not involved in sports to participate in soccer, basketball, football,
softball or volleyball. Sports encourage students to seek a safe environment and offer social and academic benefits. South Central Los Angeles consists mostly of Hispanic and Black communities. Growing up in the area means one must overcome obstacles. When students are involved in sports, they become a part of a team, which helps them develop constructive relationships with their peers. It also motivates students to maintain a higher GPA and attend college. Students in South Central are more likely to drop out of high school compared to students in other areas. Students will also learn how to stay together as a community. These students are the future. Someday, they can give back to the community they grew up in, the same community that invested in them as students.
Opinions & Editorial Editor KATHARINE FORD Broadcast LARA BARNEY Photo Editor BEATRICE ALCALA EDWARD LOCKE Photographers BEATRICE ALCALA LARA BARNEY TUPAC ZAPATA LUVLEIGHAN CLARK EDWARD LOCKE JUAN MENDOZA Illustrator JONATHAN VALDOVINOS MICHAEL SITAR Reporters ANA TALOAS, JUAN MENDOZA LUVLEIGHAN CLARK LOUIS PRIMAVERA TUPAC ZAPATA, LARA BARNEY ANDREA VEGA FRANCESCO DI MAIO ABEL HABTEGEORGIS ALONDRA LEMUS Faculty Adviser RHONDA GUESS For all submissions including letters to the editor and publicity releases, send materials to Collegian offices located in Chemistry Building, Room 207, or email: losangeles.collegian@ gmail.com. To advertise in the Collegian, direct all insertion orders and questions to: pr.collegian@gmail. com. Issues of our award-winning newspaper and magazine are instantly available to our readers on issuu.com/collegianwired.
Build Roundabouts to Increase Traffic Safety BY ABEL HABTEGEORGIS On rare occasions, you drove through a modern American housing development or cute suburban community and encountered something unique: a roundabout. Unfortunately, this circular intersection is a rarity in the United States. Instead, longstanding commitments to signalized traffic lights are unwavering, and car accidents are consistent. Nowhere is this truth more real than in car-congested Los Angeles. There was a short-lived one at Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue named Rosy in the 1920s. It was later removed even though it dramatically reduced traffic accidents. However, it wouldn’t be until almost 100 years later that Los Angeles would see another, the Riverside roundabout in Cypress Park. The roundabout even features a remarkable public art
installation that celebrates the local community and natural flora with massive granite egg sculptures. Roundabouts, also called rotaries, keep traffic moving safely and steadily. This makes crash safety the most significant benefit of a roundabout. Collisions at perpendicular, four-way intersections are statistically far more deadly than those at roundabouts. These 90-degree crossways are prime settings for high-speed, direct T-bone impacts when a driver misses a stop sign. In contrast, roundabouts are entered at lower speeds. You can’t drive straight through a roundabout in a direct line like you can at a perpendicular intersection. It is also much harder not to see what is coming. Crash severity is also reduced in a roundabout, as any impacts are rarely head-on but typically at acute, indirect angles. Even an official at the Federal Highway Administration told the New York Times in 2015 that roundabouts reduce crashes that result in serious injuries or death by 82% compared to a SEE “ROUNDABOUTS” PAGE 3
two-way stop. When compared to an intersection with traffic signals, the reduction was 78%. Roundabouts are indeed a safer alternative to traffic signals and stop signs. The tight circle of a roundabout forces drivers to slow down. The most severe types of intersection crashes, right-angle, left turn and headon collisions, are unlikely. According to research by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, all this leads to a reduction in crashes by 38%, injuries by 76% and fatal injuries by 90% (as observed in certain U.S. intersections converted to roundabouts). Though all the recognized benefits and examples in Europe where roundabouts are established fixtures on European roads, you would think they are a viable option for such a congested city like ours. That is not the case even though in 2021, using data provided by the Transportation Injury Mapping System, Los Angeles County experienced 40,669 reported motor vehicle crashes. Furthermore, L.A. saw the highest death rate in almost two decades, with 294 deaths in traffic
Next Issue: November 16, 2022 Editorial Deadline: November 9, 2022
OPINION & EDITORIAL
Los Angeles Collegian - Wednesday, November 2, 2022
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CITY VIEWS
What are your thoughts on LACC President Mary Gallagher retiring? COMPILED BY RACHEL RODRIGUEZ AND LOUIS PRIMAVERA PHOTOS BY BEATRICE ALCALA
ALANA KYLE Health Major
JONATHAN VASQUEZ Spanish Major
I guess I wonder who is coming in and what is going to change in the Los Angeles community colleges.
She has been amazing. She’s been good. She’s been a role model for faculty and staff for the last 5 years.
MARIA SCHNEIDER Physics Major
MARIO CONTRERAS Health Major
I honestly didn’t know we had a president. I think it’s probably questionable that I don’t know that, I should know that. If we do have a next president, I think it would be good for everyone to know that.
She has made an impact on the community and has definitely increased access to education and has given so many students an opportunity to rise above. I can certainly say for a fact that she definitely helped me get to LACC to get my prereqs done.
INK STYLE
BAILE DEL DIA DE LOS MUERTOS ILLUSTRATION BY JONATHAN VALDOVINOS
FROM “ROUNDABOUTS” PAGE 2 accidents in 2021, a nearly 22% increase from 2020. What would it take? In several cases, public sentiment has affected the decision-making process and resulted in signalized intersections chosen over roundabout designs. But maybe the truth is more profound, centered around who we are and how we operate. “We have grown used to (and feel comfortable with) binary, onoff traffic control …. Roundabouts
require drivers to make their own decisions and assess others’ actions, rather than relying on third-party signals,” Tom Vanderbilt said in a Slate article. Vanderbilt is saying we Americans are just too stubborn, passive, and imperceptive in our driving to be able to make our own decisions. So, for us ever to realize a Roundabout future, we would have to “yield” and respect other drivers. Good luck with that in L.A.
FROM “FASCISM” PAGE 2 Today, I’m 23 years old. I’m writing this piece on Italian politics for a class in Los Angeles, from my parents’ house in Pennsylvania. I am a product of cultural diversity. Cultural diversity is a necessity for progress but can only be beneficial if accepted. How are we to take a step forward by electing a leader who campaigns against LGBTQ+ rights, views abortion as a “tragedy” and opposes immigration? This is only moving us backward, back to a very dark period in Italian his-
tory. As an Immigrant myself, it’s easy to see why Meloni and I do not come to an agreement. As an Italian, it should be just as easy. Though she is over 20 years my senior, she takes the freedom to speak for people of my generation. Meloni claims she will end the necessity for young people to leave Italy in order to have a future. Her plans to do so are to revert the country to a fascist mentality that has previously seen Italy in one of its worst
economic depressions. It comes as no surprise that when the votes from Italians living outside the country were counted, the results showed the PD (Democratic Party) having the majority by over 75,000 votes. People who want progress and benefits for themselves as well as for their country recognize that the answer is not being an overly prideful nationalist. This may be a surprise to Meloni, but the world is globally connected; people need diversity to make change, and change is needed for progress.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ‘Wendell & Wild’ Premiers at Film Festival
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Los Angeles Collegian - Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Academy Award-winner Jordan Peele crosses over into anime with an exhilarating horror-comedy film.
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BY LOU PRIMAVERA
ordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key can now check off anime in their already diverse body of work. “Wendell & Wild” premiered at the “Animation Is Film Festival” on Oct. 21 at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood. The film is directed and co-written by the legendary anime director Henry Sellick (“Caroline,” “A Nightmare Before Christmas”) along with Jordan Peele (“Get Out”) and is based on Clay McLeod Chapman’s unpublished book of the same name. “I do think the film will set a precedent in a way, because just take a person of color and tell their story, and sometimes the color doesn’t matter,” Key said. “Just treat this person as a human and let’s go through this adventure with this person or this ordeal and it allows you to see the humanity underneath anything else.” The plot centers around Wendell (Peele) and Wild (Key) who play demon brothers who endlessly apply hair cream to their evil dad, Buffalo Bezier (voiced by Ving Rhames).
The main character Kat (voiced by Lyric Ross, “This Is Us”) lost her parents in a tragic car accident and blames herself for the incident. When she returns to her hometown after being in Juvenile Hall, she realizes in her new Catholic school, that not only is her hometown falling apart, but she also has supernatural powers to summon demons. These plots crisscross when Kat appears to the demon brothers in a vision, and they conjure up a plan and promise to resurrect Kat’s parents. Their motive is to break free from their father and venture out onto their own and carry out their evil twisted agenda. They depend on the building of a private prison and the money it will generate to fund their crazy endeavors. If it seems like there is a lot going on this film, it is because there is. The insane premise is convoluted, ambitious and is very fast paced. This could be good or bad, depending on who you ask. Even with its flaws, the mixed comedy and horror combined with Sellick’s visual mastery, the filmmakers pull off an entertaining feature. “When the ‘Key & Peele’ show came on in 2012, I was so inspired
by them that after three years of watching the show, I reached out to them,” Sellick said. “The collaboration with both, especially with Jordan who came on as a co-writer and producer makes it the most interesting and best collaboration in my life. To find a creative partner that’s completely different but fits so well.” Getting the film produced and onto the big screen was also a tedious task given the circumstances and timing. “Animation in itself is a laborious, time-consuming process, but when you throw in pandemics, heat bubbles and forest fires at one point you have to ask yourself, was this production cursed,” said Chapman, co-writer of the film. “I don’t know but we survived it, we made it through.” When the silliness and insanity of the plot is pushed aside, the film does have a subtle yet serious undertone. It touches on serious matters such as childhood trauma, corrupt politicians and prison reform, but the filmmakers do not shove those elements in the face of the viewer. The humor, great cast and endless sub-plots mixed with Sellick’s craftsmanship make this a must watch on Netflix.
PHOTO BY LOU PRIMAVERA
From left to right, character designer Pablo Lobato, actor Keegen-Michael-Key, actress Tamara Smart, director Henry Sellick, and actor-producer Jordon Peele pose on the red carpet at the TCL Chinese Theater on Oct. 21, 2022.
‘Melancholia’ Amazes Downtown Audience
‘Melancholia’ Made an Astonishing Impression on Audience as LACC students performed at the Los Angeles Latino Theater Company.
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BY JUAN MENDOZA
PHOTOS BY JUAN MENDOZA
Scenes from “Melancholia” illustrate the ugly downside of war and the consequences of the post-traumatic stress disorder that soldiers experienced upon their return from the war in Iraq. Play directed by Jose Luis Valenzuela and performed by LACC students.
remarkable production occurred at The Los Angeles Theater Company in DTLA on Oct. 16. Professor Jose Luis Valenzuela directed the production which features students from the LACC Theatre Academy. The play explores the traumas of war within the Latino community and the consequences of post traumatic stress disorder that soldiers experience upon their return from the Iraq War. The play centers around a young marine Mario Gonzales who shares three different outcomes of war. The depiction of war casualties enthrall the audience. The spectators were captivated by the realistic events portrayed in the performance. “Tonight is the last performance of ‘Melancholia’ and I feel very emotional and proud,” Valenzuela said. “They are fantastic and phenomenal people [also] great collaborators.” The project was produced as part of the Latino Theater Company’s Impact Initiative, a program that involves all nine community colleges within LACCD. The goal is to provide a platform for community college students to engage in cultural dialogue with their community through performing arts. “This new project started in March of this year,” Valenzuela said. “The LATC is able to work with the LACCD, and for the students to experience what it is like to be in a professional theater.” Through
this
partnership
the
LATC opens their door to a well deserved student body. Students can engage with works that reflect and empower them to contribute to the artistic and social conversation of the city.
“This is a very important partnership between the District and the LATC,” Valenzuela said. “We need to work together. Most of the minorities and communities of color attend these colleges. The importance of collaboration is essential.” Rosa Mendez came to the theater with her family. Her children, Melissa and Angel, are both high school students. The audience was filled with mixed emotions. Mendez couldn’t hide her tears. “I liked [it] very much,” Mendez said in regard to the show. “ I came to support my daughter, and the show was beautiful. It touched me deeply when I saw the funeral of Mario.” The production crew received a standing ovation at the end of the performance for their amazing job. All of the musicians, stagehands, and actors were LACC students. “I learned to be a better actor,” said Isaish Noriega, a member of the cast. “This performance is about listening and being in the moment. I love to be a part of this show, which is antiwar, and I don’t like wars.” Professor Valenzuela personally invited all the students to come experience the shows and see for themselves the possibilities of the stage. Fall productions are free for all LACCD students. The theater is in downtown Los Angeles just a short stroll away from “The Last Bookstore.” For more information about the productions on stage go to latinotheaterco.org
FEATURES
Los Angeles Collegian - Wednesday, November 2, 2022
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Colors Fly on Campus
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LACC Celebrates National Coming Out Day with vendors, a career advice panel and a drag show.
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BY LUVLEIGHAN CLARK
tudents celebrated National Coming Out Day (NCOD) on Oct. 11, 2022, with vendors from The Queer Mercado. LGBTQ+ career advice panel was hosted by LACC Career Center and a drag show closed out the event, hosted by Lauren Banall. College President Mary Gallagher addressed the crowd, welcomed students back to campus for this inclusive event. She reminded them of the college’s first NCOD event, which occurred on the rainbow-colored track and field. Cinema professor Krystle Klein headed LACC’s Racial Equity and Social Justice Center who hosted the NCOD celebration. “We have one of the largest LGBTQ+ populations in the whole district, let alone the whole state and country,” Klein said. “I want them to know we see you; we love you; we celebrate you.” LACC kicked off NCOD with career advice that encompasses the LGBTQ+ community. Students had the option of attending the educational panel in person in Holmes Hall or via Zoom from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. The real party started at 1 p.m. Klein handed out Subway lunch boxes and water to students that attended the event. Students mingled with “The Queer Mercado” vendors selling bright and colorful items ranged from stuffed toys, collectibles and T-shirts with slogans proclaiming, ‘Gay Pride.’ Follow them on Instagram @thequeermercado. The drag queen Lauren Banall, the host of the event entertained students with her witty personality. Banall did an amateur drag show with the students. They happily strutted their stuff for the audience to cheer, making it too hard to pick a winner. The drag queen show wrapped up the event with Isadora Spreads who performed to a dinosaur song. Serena Infiniti danced in an orange dress and Charles Galin entertained to authentic Mexican music. The student body welcomed the drag queens with applause and acceptance. The Collegian caught up with students enjoying the show. “[It’s] very important,” said a psychology major who identified herself as Selena. “It’s also good for us to just get out and be able to be ourselves around other students as well.” NCOD is a day of celebration and visibility for LGBTQ+ people all over our nation. The movement is possible because of the people who stood up on June 28, 1969 and paved the way at the Stonewall Riots in New York, according to History.com.
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PHOTO 1. BY LUVLEIGHAN CLARK
Cinema professor Krystle Klein, LACC President Mary Gallagher and drag queen host Lauren Banall pause for a group photo on Coming Out Day on the Main Quad on Oct. 11, 2022.
PHOTOS 2,3 BY LARA BARNEY
2. A vendor from @sir.maam. mix shares their pottery at the Queer Mercado on Oct. 11, 2022 during the National Coming Out Day event at LACC. 3. Mariah Sut displays their handmade pride bears at the Queer Mercado on National Coming Out Day, on Oct. 11, 2022.
Drone Academy Takes Flight During Fall Semester for Future Pilots BY ABEL HABTEGEORGIS This fall, 40 LACC students are taking their first steps toward unmanned flight through a new drone academy launched at LACC taught by some of the drone industry’s most recognized names. Drone cinematographer and Federal Aviation Administration certified flight Instructor Skip Fredricks teaches the academy. Every week, students are taught the many public and private sector applications of drones. This includes how to confidently operate a drone and how to perform visual inspections using drones, all free of charge. Fredricks is recognized by many in the field as an industry pioneer having produced content and programming for projects at FOX Sports, HBO, Universal Pictures, Google, Apple and USA Networks. Outside of LACC’s Drone Academy, he has also taught at the Unmanned Vehicle University, LATTC and Grossmont College. “In 2013, I put down all my other camera gear to focus specifically on drones, “ Fredericks said. “Every time I fly a drone, I find something new since there are so many variables to consider
when you have an object in 3D space. It’s like flying a video game.” The use of drones has grown considerably in recent years, and it is projected to become a multi-billion dollar industry over the next decade. According to Research and Markets, the demand for drone pilots is expected to grow by 51% over the next five years, with sales projected to reach over $16 billion by 2030. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International predicts that by the year 2025, at least 100,000 jobs will be created for drone pilots. The class began on Oct. 3, with the lecture portion of the program on Monday nights. The classes are weekly from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. until Dec. 5. The flight training portion occurs on campus in the North East Quad in front of the Library every Sunday through Dec. 18. Students are required to attend at least 90% of classroom sessions and 90% of those flight training sessions to receive a voucher for the FAA exam. This means a student cannot miss more than one lecture or flight training session. “What excites me most is flying the drone in a group,” said LACC student Ana Taloas. “Flying it alone would not
have been the same. I am very nervous about crashing, but following everyone in the group gives me confidence.” The program is offered through LACC Extension with funding from the Strong Workforce Program. Armando Rivera-Figueroa, dean of economic development and workforce education helped secure the program. Figueroa explains the goal behind the project is to provide current students with skills that will allow them to be competitive for jobs that can benefit from the knowledge of using drones. “We had a very high number of applicants, but the program was limited due to the number of machines available,” Figueroa said. “We hope to continue the program in the future.” Fredericks hopes future LACC course offerings will include remote pilot certification and an introduction to cinematography and photography for advanced learning. “In 10 years of doing this, I’ve seen no slowdown at all,” Fredericks said. “With the advancement of technologies every six months, drones are only getting better and the opportunities to apply to those upgrades and updates across different verticals and businesses will continue.”
PHOTO BY ABEL HABTEGEORGIS
Students listen to Instructor Skip Fredricks during an in-person drone flight training session, Oct. 2022 at LACC campus.
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NEWS
Los Angeles Collegian - Wednesday, November 2, 2022
FROM “NATIVE” PAGE 1
PHOTO BY LUVLEIGHAN CLARK
Native Community Elected Commissioner Dawn Jackson of the Saginaw Chippewa and LACC President Mary Gallagher take a photo outside the Morgan Freeman Theatre on Oct. 10, 2022 for Native American Day.
Viewers Watch Native American Documentary PHOTO BY TERRE DI CANNABIS ON UNSPLASH
Cannabis laws have changed at state levels, but laws remain strict at federal levels.
Biden Keeps Blunt Promise BY LARA BARNEY
In the largest act of clemency for our generation, President Biden pardoned all simple cannabis convictions at the federal level on Oct. 6 2022. While this mass pardon sounds hopeful, it will not actually release anyone from prison. This is because the federal government is usually not tasked to enforce simple drug possessions. There were 6,500 simple possession convictions between 1992 and 2021 with the average sentence being six months. The pardon will restore civic rights like voting or serving on juries to those eligible if cannabis was the only felony on their record.
Biden’s hope for the pardon was to urge local government to begin to grant clemency for simple cannabis possession and help level the playing field for people of color. Most incarcerations for drug possession happen at the local level. “Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit,” Biden said in a statement. The reality is that most governors that are sympathetic to the president’s pardon have already put measures in place to begin reform for those convicted of simple cannabis possession. Pardons at the state level have bureaucratic limits in place so that mass par-
dons are hard to enact. There are 19 states that have legalized cannabis for recreational consumptions, while 38 states have provisions for medical use. Additionally, five other states have cannabis legislature on their ballots. Biden also called on Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to consider rescheduling cannabis. It is currently a Schedule 1 drug, on the same level as heroin and LSD. When announcing the pardon Biden spoke about how Black Americans are disproportionally charged and sentenced for cannabis related charges. “And while white and Black and brown people use marijua-
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na at similar rates,” said Biden in a statement. “Black and brown people have been arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates.” Members of the NAACP praised this pardon for its restorative justice while remarking that the work is far from over. They also remember all the black and brown Americans that have been affected by harsh drug laws that many police use to target people of color. Biden’s pardon marks a pivotal change of heart for the president, who passed many laws that encouraged mass incarceration in his 36-year senate career. This pardon comes right before the important midterm elections and fulfills a campaign promise from Biden.
LACC President Gallagher helped bring this event to the campus. “We wanted to do this to start to have a conversation to raise the level of awareness of the importance of recognition for the In-
digenous populations,” Gallagher said. “Not even just here in Los Angeles, across the United States, but all over the world really. Indigenous populations have been colonized and lost so much that it’s just indescribable.”
FROM “LACC PRESIDENT” PAGE 1
LACC President Announces Retirement rest and hit that reset button. However, this summer was different when a two-week vacation was enough to convince Gallagher to finally slow down. “A week is just a tease but now she is really going to savor those long trips and I hope she goes on many adventures,” said Ingrid Ramirez, a business administration major. Students and professors expressed kind words upon hearing of Gallagher’s retirement announcement. Some say her leadership during the start of the shutdown in
March 2020 was crucial when it came down to the unprecedented move to offer remote classes instead. “The move to online learning revealed the lack of resources for so many students and families at LACC and elsewhere was a true awakening,” said Linda Okamura, a professor of photography. “I admire how President Gallagher stepped up and navigated us through this frightening and confusing time, while keeping our students and their education a priority.”
NEWS
Los Angeles Collegian - Wednesday, November 2, 2022
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FROM “FALLOUT” PAGE 1
Protesters Disrupt City Hall Meetings prominent Latino leaders in Los Angeles,” said a protester who did not want to be identified. “Nury Martinez, Kevin de León, Gil Cedillo Resign now, Out, Fuera, you don’t belong here.” Hostile shouts of protesters reverberated off the walls of City Hall. A few hundred protesters outside of City Hall marched and expressed their discontent and demanded the resignation of the three City Councilmembers. A leaked recording revealed an hourlong conversation that occurred in October of 2021 at the headquarters of the L.A. County Federation of Labor. Ron Herrera was the leader of the Federation of Labor, the most powerful and influential labor group in Los Angeles. Three City Councilmembers, Martinez, De León and Cedillo were secretly recorded. The discussion at the meeting was the sensitive process of redrawing the political council district maps in favor of their political power at the expense of other minority groups in other districts. During the negotiations, they uttered racial slurs and derogatory remarks that targeted City Councilmember Mike Bonin’s son, an African American child, the L.A. County District Attorney George Gascon and the indigenous people from Oaxaca. At one point during the conversation, Nury Martinez is overheard saying offensive racial comments, “Parece changuito,” in reference to
PHOTOS BY JUAN MENDOZA
Protesters outside L.A. City Hall demand the resignations of Gil Cedillo and Kevin de Leon, members of the City Council on Oct. 11, 2022.
Mike Bonin’s son, and De León added more prejudiced remarks to Martinez comments. When the discussion moved to District 1, Martinez and Cedillo made another racist comment that diminished the Oaxacan community living in Koreatown. “Puro Oaxacans, puro Oaxacan Korean. Not even like Kevin, little ones,” said Cedillo. Martinez laughed. “I don’t know where these people are from, I don’t know what village they came from [inaudible sound] ‘tan feos,’” Martinez said. Early on the evening of Oct. 10, Herrera stepped down from his post at L.A. County Federation of Labor. The White House and prominent leaders got involved. By Tuesday afternoon, President Biden who was visiting the Golden State joined local leaders and called on the three Los Angeles City Councilmembers to resign. “He believes that they all should resign,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters. “The language that was used and tolerated during that conversation was unacceptable and it was appalling. They should all step down.”
PEOPLE EXPRESS CONCERN By Wednesday morning, former Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez resigned from her
post, after mounting pressure. During the public comments at the meeting, Eloisa Galindo, an Indigenous person from Oaxaca took the podium and delivered a strong public comment. “Good afternoon everyone who’s here today,” Galindo said. “I want you to lift your ears and pay attention to what I’m going to say. Today I’m here on behalf of the Oaxacan Indigenous community here in Los Angeles and I would like to have Nury Martinez tell me to my face that we are the ugly Mexicans, but it’s a shame that she is not here.” At the same time Galindo spoke, protesters outside shouted: “Resign, resign.” Galindo continued. “I need them to leave because they are the ones who have the power to discriminate against the African Americans and Mexican community.” The City Council was under mounting pressure and not able to continue their council meeting in person. Mitch O’Farrell the acting City Council President said in a press conference on Oct. 13, that Friday’s council meeting was canceled and asked the City Councilmembers to take the day to connect with their constituents in their districts.
‘OPERATION RESIGNATION’ AND 25 BLACK PEOPLE YELLING Black Lives Matter Los Angeles launched the “Operation Resig-
nation,” a 24/7 stakeout in front of Kevin de León’s house in Highland Park, with 25 people yelling until he resigns from his post. “It’s incredible how the first amendment is being violated in order to protect people in power,” said one of the protesters who identified himself as Lester. The encampment encountered Latinos who are pro-Kevin de León supporters and have anti-black sentiment. The Latinos tried to intimidate and provoke the BLMLA group. “We are not here because we are anti-Latinos, we are here because we are anti-racist,” said Melina Abdullah, a former CSULA professor of Kevin de León. “We ain’t going nowhere Kevin. Kevin de León is going somewhere, that’s right.” Lizette Hernandez grew up in South Central, and she identified herself as Indigenous. She joined the group in solidarity and to represent the Indigenous community in support of the black community. “Kevin de Leén and Gil Cedillo are trying to divide our communities,” Hernandez said while holding a sign that read “Black, Brown Unity.” “We have been working in our communities for decades to bridge any sort of divides that have come our way either created by the system or by individuals that simply refuse to understand our communities,” she said. COUNCIL MEETINGS GO
VIRTUAL Los Angeles City Council Acting President Mitch O’Farrell announced on a press released that due to a COVID-19 exposure within Council chambers and in anticipation of possible infections the meeting will be held virtually on zoom on Oct. 18. Also, he requests to his fellow’s council member Cedillo and De León to step down from their post. At 9:30 a.m., on Oct. 18, hundreds of protesters from different organizations marched around the block of City Hall. Black Lives Matter, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment, SEIU Local 721, Jews for Blacks and others were demanding the resignation of Gil Cedillo and Kevin de León and to stop the continuation of meetings until they resigned. City Councilmember O’Farrell was the only person in the chamber that day. At one point during the rally, protesters tried to enter City Hall and were denied entrance by LAPD security. At that time the temperature of the protesters was high and the police in riot gear clashed with protesters beating some of them with a baton. Melina Abdullah calls for change, solidarity Melina Abdullah is the co-founder of Black Lives Matter in Los Angeles. “I’m a mother, and I teach my children that when you violate something there must be a consequence,” Abdullah said. “Kevin de
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León your consequence is that you must go, we’re demanding that you resign now, no racists at LA City Council.” She continued. “We’ve witnessed a crisis in leadership, this is a crisis we need to understand what’s come to light, this is not just a matter of people using inappropriate language or rhetoric. This is about real harm that was intended and brought to black community. They had a backroom meeting, firing on diminishing black power and those policies went into place.” Melina Abdullah is a former chair of the department of Pan-African studies at California State University, Los Angeles. “We must remember that every crisis brings opportunity and so this is an opportunity for us to double down on solidarity, for us to remember that when we say black lives matter, that makes every other life matter,” Abdullah said. “When we say we want justice for black people we bring justice for everyone else.” Abdullah continues. “So, this is an opportunity for brown folks, for asian folks, for white folks, for indigenous folks who are experiencing oppression to stand with us and to demand a better Los Angeles. To demand a better world, to demand genuine and authentic leadership that bring our cities together, not to divided us, and so that’s what we’re here to do and we’re here to stay, we’re going to camp out until Kevin gets out.”
reachla.org
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SPORTS
Los Angeles Collegian - Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Week Review of Men’s, Women’s Cubs Soccer
PHOTOS BY JUAN MENDOZA (L) LACC Men’s
Soccer team members confront the East Los Angeles College Huskies on Oct. 11, 2022.
The Women’s Cubs come up short in the regular fall season, but the Men might qualify for the second-round tournament.
(R) The LACC Women’s Soccer Mid-forward Audrie Becerra is in the zone against ELAC Husky Forward Fernanda Romero on Oct. 11, 2022.
BY JUAN MENDOZA
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Men’s Cubs Soccer
he Men’s Cubs hosted the Tartars from Compton Community College on Oct. 25 in a match where both teams hoped to move up in the conference to qualify for the second round. The first six teams in the full standings are the ones who qualify for the next tournament. The Cubs had a great chance to score during the first half of the game. They put pressure on the Tartars by keeping the ball most of the time. The Tartars reacted to the pressure of the Cubs with a surprise counter attack. The first half of the game ended in a tie. During the second half, the Cubs changed their game strategy. At 60-minutes, Midfielder Juan Muñoz scored with the assistance of Midfielder Felipe Alvarez. The Cubs were at an advantage with the score, but the Tartars did not give up.
Tartars scored at 75-minutes to tie the game. On many occasions, the emotions and the adrenaline ran high during the game. Four Cubs were penalized with a yellow card for their reckless misconduct in the game. After a day of rest, the Cubs traveled to visit the Mounties from Mt. San Antonio on Oct. 28, a team that ranks number 10 at the national level. It was a tough match, but the Cubs were prepared to play against the tough rival. Both teams moved the ball, and opportunities to score were created for both sides. The game was full of intensity, but the LACC defense did not allow any opportunity for the Mounties to score. The Mounties were stopped at the defensive zone. The game ended 0-0. On Nov. 1, the Cubs returned home and played against the Vikings from Long Beach Community College. In the final game of the regular season, the score ended in a 2-2 tie.
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Women’s Cubs Soccer
he Women’s Cubs soccer team beat the Tartars from Compton Community College 5-0 on Oct. 25. The Women’s Cubs proved on the field to be a strong and organized team. Just at the beginning of the game, around 12-minutes, Midfielder Isabella Velazco surprised the Tartars from a distance and scored the first goal of the chilly October evening. Before the end of the first half, Forward Andrea Martin scored a second goal and put the Cubs ahead in the game. With the score in their favor, the Women’s Cubs felt empowered for the second half. At 52-minutes, the Women’s Cubs Captain Isabella Velazco scored her second goal.
A minute later, Andrea Martin did it too. LACC crushed the Tartars. The game was fair for both teams. Each of them had many chances to score, but the Women’s Cubs did not waste their opportunities. At the final minute (89:23), Midfielder Anissa Mejia finished the Tartars with another goal and a final score 5-0. On Oct. 28, the Women’s Cubs visited the Mounties of Mt. San Antonio. The Mounties currently stand at number one in the conference. The Women’s Cubs were defeated 9-0. The joy of the previous game victory did not last. On Nov. 1, the Women’s Cubs returned home to play against the Vikings from Long Beach Community College, a tough match opponent for LACC. The Vikings won 7-0. They are in second place in the conference.
January 3 -21, 2023
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