2022 Fall Los Angeles Collegian Issue 5

BY JUAN MENDOZA

Traditional Mexican songs from live mariachis serenaded people as the sun went down in the Main Quad on Nov. 1, 2022 in honor of El Dia de los Muertos.

The hot and delectable traditional tamales, champurrado, nachos and aguas frescas were offered to students and families from the community who came to the festivities of El Dia de los Muertos, also known as All Souls’ Day, at Los Angeles City College.

Dia de los Muertos, which translates in English to The Day of the Dead, is a Mexican tradition where families and friends gather to celebrate and remember loved ones who have passed.

The flor de cempasuchil is an original Mexican flower representative to honor the deceased in Mexico and Central America. This flower beautifies the atmosphere with its natural golden, sunny, yellow color and unique aroma. The name comes from the Nahuatl “Cempohualxochitl” meaning 20 flowers.

The impressive display of the altar was built in collaboration with faculty and students from different academic departments. The altar grabbed the attention and curiosity of people as they passed. The Mexican tradition was in full display and was embraced by a multicultural student audience on campus.

The festivities began with the altar celebration accompanied with music, Aztec dancers, arts and crafts. The altar was located at the north side of the Quad surrounded with tables and chairs decorated with traditional papel picado. Black fabric tablecloths enhanced the beauty of the altar.

“We’ve been doing it for some years,” said Carlos Reyes Guerrero, department chair of social science. “But this year I’m part of the Race Equity and Social Justice Center and I was invited to put all this together with a team [to] do this big event.”

Sean Phommasaysy, professor of biological science and director of the City Garden, made a display of retablos at the garden in collaboration with Tetsuji Aono, professor of 3D design and ceramics for visual media arts.

BY JUAN MENDOZA

A person died in the afternoon of Nov. 7, at L.A. City College after a fight transpired at the south end of campus in Parking Lot 3 which led to an emergency lockdown. The victim who was stabbed is believed to be a former student who attended LACC in 2014. The suspect is on the run.

The incident unraveled around 2 p.m. after the Sheriff’s office received a call that informed them of a fight in Parking Lot 3. The Sheriffs responded immediately to the scene.

The suspect was seen headed southbound of Heliotrope Drive toward Melrose Avenue away from the campus.

The suspect was a dark-skinned male around 5-foot-7 and approximately 160 pounds. He was said to have worn a black shirt, white shorts, black jacket and blue shoes.

“On Monday I was getting out of Franklin Hall and I was talking to my professor af-

ter class and all of a sudden someone out of breath told us there was a murder,” said Dalton Gamboa, a theater major. “And then we asked him again because we thought we misheard him.”

Gamboa and the others on campus were locked up nearly two and half hours. While he was there, he could see through the window students outside who were just “chilling and treating the lockdown as a joke.”

A campuswide lockdown was a directive by the Sheriff’s Department in coordination with the Emergency Operations Center at Los Angeles City College. Notifications were sent out by email and on social media to get the word out to the students, staff and faculty of LACC around 3:26 p.m.

“Active emergency on campus. DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS. If you are not here, stay away. Do not come for classes until further notice,” was stated in the message sent out via email from the admissions department of LACC.

A team of several people from different departments, which included custodians, were deployed to lock doors, buildings and make sure everyone understood that the college was on a lockdown. The team was able to ver-

ify that all the buildings were secured even as some folks made way to campus while the incident was in progress.

The campus remained in lockdown until 5:22 p.m., when they began to allow people to leave. The campus was closed and in-person classes were canceled for the rest of the day after the incident happened.

Early in the evening, police were still at the scene finalizing their investigation. Local news station crews NBC, CBS and Telemundo waited for more information to come in regards to the incident. The night was cold and there was silence everywhere around the campus. A few custodial personnel were seen on site.

A townhall meeting was hosted by the Safety and Security Team on Zoom for the LACC community on Nov. 8.

James Lancaster, vice president of academic affairs and acting president at the time of the incident, led the meeting. Jose Dominguez, vice president of the administrative services, and Captain John Gannon, director of sheriff’s department, were also in attendance at the virtual meeting.

BY EDWARD LOCKE

The TRIO Student Support Services (TRIO/SSS) at Los Angeles City College is a federally funded program designed to help academically and economically disadvantaged students to succeed in undergraduate studies.

Students in the program need to set up goals to complete an AA degree or to transfer. Counselors will give advice to students and offer workshops to provide relevant training and other services.

The main focus is to help students to transfer to four-year universities. However, some students

will just take an AA Track, trying to complete an AA degree and enter the workforce.

“The main target of the program is to help students with no previously completed degree to obtain Associate of Arts (AA) degrees at Los Angeles City College, and to get them ready to transfer to four-year universities,” said Terry Wooten, SFP program specialist of the TRIO/SSS program.

“The number of students in the program completing an AA degree and transferring to four-year universities are used to measure the success of the program.”

The program helps students

BY ABEL HABTEGEORGIS

Measure LA, the largest college facilities bond in Los Angeles history won the approval of Angelenos who agreed to help pay for major renovations across LACCD’s nine community college programs for the next 12 years.

The approved measure is the fifth construction bond measure voters approved for the community college district since 2001. The previous four totaled more than $9.5 billion.

The LACCD is the country’s largest community college district but has seen enrollment decline about 20% from pre-pandemic levels. Supporters of Measure LA say the funds would help create the environment needed for a more conducive in-person learning experience which experts say is a critical factor for enrollment.

“We acknowledge the issue of declining enrollments,” said James McKeever, faculty guild president of AFT 1521. “But better learning environments ensure our current student body gets the best experiences possible and help(s) us grow in the future.”

Not everyone is in favor. A $3.3 billion 2016 bond issued by LACCD was cited as poorly managed.

The Los Angeles Times reported mismanagement, waste, and cronyism were front and center following an investigation of the construction of Los Angeles Valley College’s Academic and Cultural Center. Lawsuits around the project are currently being resolved.

However, the district took another reputational hit around the management of finances.

The average age of many LACCD campus buildings is 64 years. Revenues from previous bonds have yet to be fully collected. Proponents of the measure argue the time is now for desperately needed infrastructure overhauls.

BY LUVLEIGHAN CLARK

When people age out of foster care or come from low-income families, they often are not taught the resources to nd food and housing which makes it hard for them to navigate into adulthood.

Most people learn the hard way, which can take years, but now there are great resources that can help eliminate the footwork to nd the basic necessities. A three-dig-

PHOTO BY EDWARD LOCKE

A number of TRIO information booklets are available on the second floor of Student Services building.

STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF ARE UNDER DISTRESS AFTER AN EMERGENCY “SHELTER IN PLACE” WAS ACTIVATED AT LACC.

LARA BARNEY REPORTS

PHOTO BY JUAN MENDOZA

Police cars from the homicide team blocking the entrance of parking lot 3 located on the south side of LACC campus on Nov. 7. Detectives working at the crime scene late in the evening.

Day of the Dead altar set at the main quad on Nov. 1, by faculty and students at L.A.

City College in honor to the dead children and adults. People believe that the souls of their loved ones came back on these days during the festivities.

The ofrenda or altar is customized according to the likes of your loved ones who have passed. But some key elements must be at the altar like portraits, candies, copal incense, cempasuchi flowers, pan de muerto, sugar skulls, favorites foods and a glass of fresh water for the spirits can quench their thirst after their long journey.

OPINION &

Make Mental Health Services a Priority

All students face similar educational stressors, including anxiety related to tests, timely submission of assignments, and the fast pace of college.

College students, like other adults, also face additional life stressors from family, relationships, and employment, for example.

In recent years, community college students have faced additional stressors, but their college mental health professionals struggle to meet service demands. Students cannot succeed in their education if they struggle with mental health problems. Community colleges must prioritize funding for mental health services to meet the demands.

While all college students face educational and life stressors, community college students experience additional stressors unique to this population.

“The Growing Mental Health Crisis in Community Colleges,” an article in newamerica.org, a website for a non-partisan thinktank focused on public policy issues, indicates that these students face additional stressors as they are frequently “first-generation college students and single parents.” In addition to those stressors, they must manage stress related to inequities in education for minority and low-income students.

Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. According to Chris Geary at newamerica.org, college students faced significantly increased “levels of isolation, anxiety, and stress” in addition to the academic stress already present before the pandemic. While this is true for all college students, community college students suffer additional stressors already mentioned.

Not all college students fall

into the age range of 18 to 29, but many college students of this age experienced stressors specific to young adulthood related to the pandemic.

“Young [adults] stand out … exhibiting higher levels of psychological distress than other age groups,” according to the Pew Research Center. This non-partisan think tank provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends.

“The shutdowns have disrupted job opportunities, college experiences, and the mixing and mingling that marks the tran-

Stop the Cyberbullies

BY MOHAMMED RAKIB MONOWAR

We live in an age of social media and technology, in which we constantly check messages and feeds and read about what’s happening around us. But what we don’t talk about as frequently is how social media is used to commit cyberbullying. Cyberbullying has been a significant factor for teens, young adults, and adults, which is one of the leading causes of depression and suicide. Cyberbullying needs to stop, and more awareness must be raised.

An increase in cyberbullying started at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as more people used social media to communicate with their friends and peers online or to post pictures and stories on social media hubs.

These hubs are where people bully others via mean comments or hateful messages, which can cause depression and suicidal thoughts for the victims.

According to Sam Cook, a data journalist, in studies conducted between March to April of 2018, 20,793 people were interviewed, including adults from the U.S. aged 18 to 64 and individuals from other countries aged 16 to 64. The studies found that these adults faced a large amount of cyberbullying, which had only started to grow since the last time the survey was conducted in 2011. This shows that cyberbullying did not stop but instead grew. There have been 41 suicide deaths since 2002 because of cyberbullying in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United

Kingdom, as indicated in a study published in the Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Another study shows that since 2002, 25,000 people were surveyed from elementary, middle school, and high school, which found that 10% of them faced cyberbullying in 30 days, and 16% of them have been bullied at some point in their life. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, these numbers would only grow in 2015.

Cyberbullying can also result in depression. People start to doubt themselves and have hateful thoughts about themselves because of the hateful messages or comments people send, which judge their lifestyle and looks. People have negative thoughts about their appearance and lifestyle, which leads to a comparison between themselves and others and eventually to depression.

Because of this, people will tend to self-harm or worse, which needs to stop. Cyberbullying needs to stop, and awareness needs to increase. There are many ways we can prevent cyberbullying and raise awareness.

What matters first is to ask someone you see if they are okay and need to talk. Cases of cyberbullying can be reported to government organizations that work specifically on cyberbullying cases.

In cases of cyberbullying where you are the victim, reach out to your school or someone for help, and they will try to help you feel better.

There are many campaigns and organizations that spread their message to help prevent cyberbullying. Reach out and spread the word so that one day we can finally beat cyberbullying and put an end to it.

sition to adulthood,” Scott Keeter of the Pew Research Center wrote. “Among adults ages 18 to 29, women (36%) and those with lower incomes (39%) are especially likely to be in the high distress group.”

Compared with University of California and California State University campuses, California community colleges have fewer services available to students.

The Legislative Analyst’s Office indicates that all UC and CSU campuses offer mental health services to students. However, not all CCC campuses provide mental

health services, with about 90 of 116 campuses offering services.

Geary points out that community colleges “struggled to afford costs of providing necessary mental health services” before enrollment significantly declined because of the pandemic.

“Now, COVID-19 has both exacerbated community college students’ mental health needs and has left community colleges with even fewer resources to address those needs,” Geary wrote. While the pandemic lingers, community college students must face the additional stress-

ors related to the recent upheavals in the economy. Many classes remain online, but some students returned to in-person courses. The high cost of gasoline, housing, and groceries make it difficult for many students to manage these stressors and attend college simultaneously.

To meet the increasing mental health needs of community college students, services at twoyear colleges must expand. Funding concerns are always an issue, but students cannot academically succeed if they are overwhelmed with their mental health needs.

We Need to Talk About Ye We Need to Talk About Ye

BY LARA BARNEY

Now more than ever, mental health is at the forefront of conversations. We see it pop up in places where it didn’t exist before.

Mental health days are a valid reason to stay home from work, and schools have enacted policies to take mental health seriously in classrooms.

We also see headlines that address mental health on TV, in the news, and in tabloids.

Kanye West recently made headlines for his public hate speech and erratic behavior. West, or ‘Ye’ as he lately prefers to be called, debuted ‘White Lives Matter’ shirts at his Paris Fashion Show for his own fashion brand Yeezy.

In the weeks after, Ye tweeted a string of antisemitic comments and personal text messages that shocked the world with explosive, rambling interviews with Piers Morgan and Tucker Carlson, along with others.

Ye stated in the past that he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and struggled with manic episodes, which he included in his Netflix documentary Jeen-Yuhs. With all that he has said and done since Paris Fashion Week, it is safe to say that he is the in the midst of another very public episode.

This time Ye did not just embarrass himself and strain his close relationships. He spread antisemitic hate speech and lost brand partnerships, including Adidas, Gap and Balenciaga, that he worked hard to nurture since his foray

into the fashion world.

When we see this behavior, it is hard to have any sympathy for a billionaire who spews every violent thought that comes into his head, but then we are reminded that he is a man who struggles with a serious disorder.

Bipolar Disorder is a mental health condition that can cause feelings of extreme euphoria followed by depression. People who have bipolar disorder usually suffer through two to three bad manic episodes before they seek help, according to Robert Hirshfeld, a physician and professor of clinical psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine.

“Having that disorder does not make you a racist, it does not make you antisemitic, it does not make you do harmful things to people,” said Bedford Palmer, who has a doctorate in psychology. He is also the founder of the counseling group Deeper Than Color.

Ye’s hate speech and inflammatory fashion designs hurt people in a tangible way. Just because he has a disorder that can cause him to act erratically, it does not mean he gets a pass for flying off the handle.

Accountability for one’s actions and acknowledgment of one’s effect on other people’s lives is an important step for people with mental health struggles towards mending relationships and regaining self-respect. If the people who suffer can do this successfully, they may gain a sense of self-control and build trust with other people to reestablish credibility in partnerships.

Mental health disorders, while they can be debilitating, are still something that one must take care of and manage themselves with help from mental health professionals.

Collegian

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

ILLUSTRATION BY CASSANDRA MUÑOZ

CITY VIEWS

COMPILED BY ABEL HABTEGEORGIS

Pretend Suicide Does Not

BY TIA SHIPMAN

Exist

It’s not every day you see college students leaping off a building to their death, but suicide is the norm in California.

Daily walks through downtown Los Angeles send chills up my spine on the warmest day. Most people never search the peak of a building before they stroll past it until a traumatic experience ensues. That was once my story. I witnessed a college student dive off the 12th floor at the Freehand Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles three months ago.

Calm police officers arrived at the scene. Pedestrians clustered the streets with cameras, some whispering, “Third time this month on this block.”

Two years ago, a college student committed suicide with an inflicted gunshot wound to the head in downtown Los Angeles. His parents arrived two days later to retrieve his belongings. Their faces were bleeding with guilt.

“Gina and Steven Meyer’s 22-year-old daughter was a soccer goalie at Stanford University in California, where she studied international relations and history,” USA Today reported on March 3, after Katie Meyer committed suicide.

So, why should we not discuss suicide? Although no one has said this, suicide has been a taboo topic.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 34.” Statistics suggest that California college students need to talk about suicide, and colleges lack mental health funding to help combat the issue.

The pandemic only furthers the inefficiency.

“We’re bombarded,” said Belinda Barragan, an L.A. Unified School District counselor. “And the community agencies are also overwhelmed.”

Mental health counselors remain stressed and understaffed while loved ones swim in guilt.

According to the L.A. Times, Gov. Gavin Newsom has announced the state is investing $4.7 billion to improve mental health support for young people after what he called “decades of neglect.”

The mental health budget increase may sound similar to the homeless $3.75 billion budget increase awarded for two years that failed to assist the homeless.

PsychAlive reports, “Warning Signs for Suicide can include; disturbed sleep patterns, anxiety, agitation, pulling away from friends and family, past attempts, extremely self-hating thoughts, feeling like they don’t belong, hopelessness, rage and irritability, feeling trapped, increased use of alcohol or drugs, feeling that they are a burden to others, and loss of interest in favorite activities.”

Exercise helps combat depression. Students need open-minded counselors and parents ready to discuss difficult conversations.

The more we remove the cloak from suicide, maybe those who suffer will feel comfortable revealing their inner secrets. These last two years added strain for everyone, but the extraction of the word, suicide, from our vocabulary, fails to improve the problem.

Talk about suicide.

If you or anyone you know is suffering, please call 988, the suicide and crisis line.

INK STYLE

DAVID MORLAS Undeclared Major

ANTONIO GARCIA Real Estate Major

JEFFERY RELF Cinematography Major

TOBIAS GOODLIFFE Undeclared Major

BY LOU PRIMAVERA

The LACC Theatre Academy presented “The Flood,” on Nov. 16 through Nov. 19.

The piece was written by Richard Alger and directed by Tina Kronis. In contrast to presenting classical pieces, which the Theatre Academy does every year, “Flood” is an original piece created by Theatre Movement Bazaar.

The Collegian was fortunate to catch up with Director Tina Kronis to ask some questions about the new, original drama.

Collegian: Can you tell us the synopsis or plot for “The Flood?”

Kronis: “The Flood” is a climate drama. It takes place in a coffee bar in Memphis, Tennessee, during a catastrophic storm. Eight people are trapped, forced to face the rising waters, but in doing so must also face themselves. The characters balance on the thin edge between the real and surreal, in a world where the fantastic and absurd merge with the everyday.

Collegian: Who are the main cast and stars in the play?

BY ROBERT COOMBS

alented young actors and actresses regularly seek out professional training at LACC’s Theatre Academy. So what would Nobuko Miyamoto, veteran artist and guest speaker at the Academy’s September introduction, advise?

Moto gaman shite iko—“Be Patient.”

This advice, taught by Miyamoto’s grandmother and included on her song “Gaman,” is apt enough in her case.

Yet this advice was drawn from quite a different experience, one in which success is measured in suffering. Miyamoto speaks of her time as a child in Japanese internment camps during World War II.

“I was born where I didn’t belong,” Miyamoto said. “At two, I became the enemy.”

Miyamoto’s formative experiences as an internee shaped her notions of freedom, both personal and expressive. Her family managed to secure voluntary work in the U.S. interior in order to leave camp.

Only the excitement of music and dance made Miyamoto feel she had found a clue to who she was. As a highly trained dancer, she appeared in movies like “The King and I” and “Westside Story.”

Miyamoto had to scale the high walls of Hollywood and Broadway with a dance-scholarship and an unbendable sense of commitment.

“Athletes need physical rigor to win,” Miyamoto said. “Students need mental rigor to learn. Yogis need spiritual rigor to reach nirvana. I think a good dancer needs all three to be able to express emotions, physicalize ideas, and tell stories with their entire being.”

Miyamoto’s confrontation with the oppressive powers of prejudice was only beginning. She was told she would have to adjust.

Miyamoto was told in order to make a living as a dancer she would have to work

twice as hard as anyone else. After she performed in shows and musicals with derogatory Asian stereotypes, she felt she had enough.

She wanted to leap off the stage and shout.

“This is not me, lady. I’m not your chop suey,” Miyamoto said. “I’m a third generation, American-born Japanese from LA.”

Miyamoto then fell into the political currents of the 1960s. She worked with director Antonello Branca on the film “Seize the Time,” a docudrama about the Black Panthers.

Miyamoto traveled to New York to interview members. There she also encountered groups of Japanese and Asian-American activists.

After meeting folk-singer Chris Iijima, she rediscovered her love of music and came to understand its transformative power.

“We became a tool to actually raise consciousness up,” said Miyamoto. “What we were about [and] what we wanted was a way, instead of speech, we would sing it in song. We were expressing it through music, so you could actually feel what we were singing about.”

After touring and collaborating across the country, Miyamoto moved back to Los Angeles. She began working with Reverend Masao Kodani at the Senshin Buddhist Temple.

While teaching dance, she continued to make music and came to explore the many struggles that were afflicting other L.A. communities during the ’70s and ’80s.

Miyamoto founded the performing arts organization Great Leap, with an eye for developing works that give voice to Asian-Americans and to the city’s many underserved people.

So what is her message to those who she would advise to be patient, to students?

“You are the culture leaders of today and tomorrow,” Miyamoto said. “You’re the ones that are going to shape the cultural landscape.”

BY RAKIB MONOWAR

fter being revealed in 2020, the movie that all comic book heroes had been waiting for finally came out on October 21, 2022.

Dwyane Johnson, Noah Centino, Pierce Brosnan and others star in the production, which is being directed by Jaume Collet-Serra. Johnson’s casting as the iconic anti-villain in “Shazam!”, which came out in 2019, was greatly anticipated by fans as a scene in the credits. However, it received a negative review and rating from critics. Audiences regardless gave it high marks upon release, making it a film with two types of criticism.

After watching the movie, my impression was that I was actually excited to see Johnson play the anti-hero who was awakened from a deep slumber and the appearance of the Justice Society of America. The movie started strong with Black Adam’s origin story, which is taken from the comic book.

We then see the modern-day of his hometown of Kahndaq where he is awakened by Adrianna Tomaz (played by Sarah Shahi).

Black Adam realizes that his town has changed and as he poses a threat. The JSA are sent to stop him, eventually, they discover who the real bad guy is and go about working together to stop him, through which Black Adam learns what it’s like not to be a bad guy.

Now that I’ve briefly summarized the plot, here’s my opinion: I thought the movie was excellent, with a lot of action and humor in the characters’ dialogue. Dark Adam certainly appeared to be extremely overwhelmed among the individuals he battled.

During the sequences, the music was also absolutely stunning. After staying through the credits, the audience got a big reveal that I really enjoyed. I believe that the film was very well made and is worth watching.

However, critics were extremely judgmental; for instance, the most popular site for movie reviews, Rotten Tomatoes, received ratings of 40% from critics and 90% from audience members.

“’Black Adam’ may end up pointing the way to an exciting future for DC films, but as a standalone experience, it’s a wildly uneven letdown,” says Rotten Tomatoes. “With lots of action, solid effects, and a story you don’t have to be a comics fan to follow. ‘Black Adam’ is one of the best DC movies to date.”

With the announcement of James Gunn and Peter Safran to take over DC Studios and the future, it has after multiple unsuccessfully establishing their own timeline from the releases of “Batman V Superman” (2016), “The Justice League” (2017), and the two “Wonder Women” movies, the question is, will they be able to re-establish a timeline for future DC titles?

Nobuko Miyamoto shares a laugh with instructor Chie Saito at LACC’s Camino

PHOTO BY LUVLEIGHAN CLARK

BY LARA BARNEY

uests pause for their moment to shine on the red carpet as they arrived to the Skirball Cultural Center on the evening of Oct. 27 in honor of the annual LACC Foundation Gala.

This year’s star-studded gala was gathered to help support of foster and former foster youth who want to achieve their college goals. On the night of the gala there was also the Guardian Scholarship Challenge, where every dollar up to $50,000 was, matched to establish a $1 million endowment to support students in perpetuity.

LACC is one of the largest and most diverse community college networks and for over 90 years, they helped students and adult learners alike achieve their academic and career dreams. The LACC Foundation goes one step further to provide funds for students to have their basic and educational needs met while enrolled at Los Angeles City College.

“That financial help assured me that I could put food on the table for my children and focus on my studies rather than delay graduation to juggle full-time work, school and motherhood,” said Yvonne Blair, a student and recipient of the Guardian Scholarship.

In the past five years, the Foundation has given $10 million in aid with $1.9 million worth of aid being doled out in 2021 alone. The money awarded to students goes toward scholarships, food and housing stipends and book vouchers along with campus improvements when deemed appropriate.

The event kicked off with a cocktail hour before dinner was served. Spirits at the gala were lively, a band played and plenty of comedians were in attendance to keep the laughs going all night long.

Maggie Lin, founder of charity Foster Nation was presented the Visionary Award while national poverty and child welfare advocate David Ambroz was presented the Impact Award. Philanthropists Milt and Debbie Valera received the Humanitarian Award.

Melissa Rivers, daughter of Joan Rivers, was in attendance to present the Rodney Respect Award to comedian Whitney Cummings. Rivers gave a lively speech where she detailed conversations to her late mother before she brought on Cummings to receive the award.

The award is bestowed upon individuals whose creativity has left a unique mark on the history of comedy and is named after comedian Rodney Dangerfield, known for his outrageous personality and catchphrase “I don’t get no respect.” The award comes to Cummings during her Touch Me Tour and after her fifth stand-up special on Netflix.

In her acceptance speech, Cummings attributes her comedy career to her father, who often quoted Dangerfield. Dangerfield’s brazen attitude and quick wit made her feel more at peace with her own big personality.

“I was considered weird crazy and a lot, but after watching Rodney and how much everyone loved him I realized that I wasn’t the only person that thought really quickly and talked even quicker,” Cummings said. “So just seeing him in movies and watching everyone’s reaction to him made me think that I didn’t need to change who I was, I just need to find my audience.”

Cummings recounts how she used humor to deflect bullying she received from her peers, ultimately to bring everyone in on the joke with her. She realized that she could diffuse any tense situation with laughter.

Finally, Cummings thanked Joan Dangerfield, Rodney’s wife and LACCF Board Member, for her abundant love and respect that kept Rodney going.

Jay Leno, Jim Carrey, Chelsea Handler and Bob Saget are all past winners of the Rodney Respect Award. LACC is home to the Rodney Dangerfield Institute. A center where students can take classes in improv, joke writing, stand-up and film comedy.

The LACC Foundation was founded in 1968 and currently has net assets over $42 million. It is not only the largest foundation in the Los Angeles Community College District, but also one of the largest community college foundations in the nation.

Gala

27, 2022.

27, 2022.

27, 2022.

PHOTOS BY LOUIS WHITE

awards await their new owners at the LACC Foundation Gala on Oct.

LACC Foundation honoree David Ambroz jumps for joy on the red carpet as he arrives for the gala on Oct.

Gala Co-chairs Robert Schwartz and Debbie Schwartz gather for a red carpet photo as they arrive at the LACC Foundation Gala on Oct. 27, 2022.

Outgoing Mayor Eric Garcetti, LACC President Mary Gallagher and LACC Foundation Board chair Robert Schwartz share a moment of happiness during the gala that occurred at the Skirball Center on Oct.

“DAY OF

FROM

“Each artwork is specific with the student expressing their experiences, their perspectives and reflection of their ancestors,” Aono said. “Now they really know about the meaning of the Day of the Dead.”

Students brought photographs of their loved ones, ceramic objects, personal objects, souvenirs and pan de muerto to honor the memory of their loved ones.

Families and students walked around the garden to appreciate the altars while they enjoyed a warm cup of champurrado and cheese tamales.

Diane Bradberry, an art student, made an altar that showed her interpretation of The Day of the Dead. She explains her idea behind the altar.

“I built mine with many little scenes happening and with memories of people and things that I had lost and I wanted to mourn,” Bradberry said. “The ashtray and cigarettes are handmade and one is my sister’s cigarettes [and] one is my father’s. I lost both, so it’s like as if they were sitting there at the table just having a cigarette.”

She continues.

“The bottom, is more like a self-piece. I’m going through a lot of changes, and I really want to open-up and so is something cracking. It’s like something opening and releasing, like my old life and wanting to move into something different,” Bradberry said.

As nightfall began, families and students enjoyed an outdoor movie experience where they watched “Coco.”

it number, 211, can help a person find resources they need to survive. People can also visit the website 211.org.

“211 is a free telephone number providing access to local community services,” according to a statement from the Public Utilities Commission. “211 is available in multiple languages, allowing those in need to access information and obtain referrals to physical and mental health resources; housing, utility, food, and employment assistance; and suicide and crisis interventions.”

211 covers Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and all 50 states. To utilize this service, people must answer demographic questions for data collection that is used toward funds.

Food pantries are other resources for low-income people to supplement meals. Los Angeles City College offers Food for Thought, the campus food pantry, which is open now until Dec. 12, 2022.

Distribution is every Monday and starts at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or while supplies last. It is located in front of the Student Union building or inside during bad weather. Lines get long, so early arrival is recommended.

Early data also suggest that students who utilize the program’s services are more successful, supporting the goal of the Food for Thought program to reduce food insecurity as a barrier to student success.

“TRIO” PAGE 6 FROM “ADULTS” PAGE 1

SEE

“It would be so helpful to not have to worry about what to eat at school because so many people rely on food stamps,” said Rosalynda Goodliffe, a student at LACC.

Some pantries require people to be locals. Proof of lease is one way to show and meet this requirement. This document can also be helpful for people who wish to apply for CalFresh and cash assistance, also known as General Relief (GR), at the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS).

To qualify for GR, applicants must have less than $50 to their name, property values must be under $34,000 and applicant must agree to sign a lien allowing to the city to recover GR benefits paid out. Household income must be less than $221 – which is also the maximum amount GR gives.

GR requirements are more strict than CalFresh. More restrictions are listed on the DPSS website.

People can be more compassionate when helping others. The students and staff at Los Angeles City College are an example of this.

PHOTOS BY EDWARD LOCKE, L.A. COLLEGIAN

“Inventing the Supernatural Art Show: Bringing Horror from Script to Screen,” an exhibit of terrifying multimedia artworks created by Hollywood artists associated with the Art Directors Guild closed at the Art Gallery, Da Vinci Hall, on Nov. 10, after a monthlong run. It displayed an entire series of works that

include script writing, character design, storyboards, scaled-down 3D models and digital animated videos. The art show demonstrates how the Hollywood artists “take an idea that is so shocking and strange that it’s almost impossible to imagine and manifest it in front of our eyes,” for television shows, feature films, or commercials, according to the VAMA poster that publicized the exhibit.

PHOTO BY EDWARD LOCKE

FROM

event.

LACC President Mary Gallagher was away from campus on a special convening of community colleges in New York. Lancaster was the acting president at the time of the incident.

County Department of Mental Health came on board to provide mental health counseling for employees and students after the traumatic

The Collegian tried to contact the Sheriff’s office, Deputy Pastrano and Juliet Hidalgo, the interim director of communications and external relations at the LACCD. Multiple attempts to get comments by phone, email and in person by the Collegian staff were unsuccessful.

FROM “MEASURE LA” PAGE 1

McKeever explained the dual benefit of the measure with a reminder.

“Students’ learning environments are the working environments for faculty and administrators,” McKeever said. “LACCD students and faculty should be equipped with the same sort of resources and experience students at the CSUs and UCs enjoy.”

According to the L.A. Chamber of Commerce, the measure would be paid for via a property tax assessment, estimated between $88 and $157 per year with some higher-income households paying more. It is estimated that the measure would raise $345 million annually over the life of the bond.

TRIO/SSS Program is also connected with the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, a public agency under California state government, which provides notifications on hiring events and opportunities for job sheltering.

The TRIO/SSS Program also provides students with information on scholarships and internships through workshops. It organizes transfer tours to fouryear university campuses and cultural activities such as visits to museums.

“The best thing is personalized one-on-one advisory sessions with TRIO counselors, on the required courses to take, the time needed to complete them and the sequence to take them,” said Beni Salazar, a student assistant working with TRIO/SSS office.

“The second good thing is tours to four-year universities such as California State University Fullerton on comfortable air-conditioned shuttles. This gave students experience with campus

life at four-year universities.”

The TRIO office provides many booklets with detailed information on how to succeed in college education using a variety of resources, tips and strategies, tools and materials, through group or student-professor interactions. These booklets cover a variety of topics, with titles such as “Doing Research,” “Managing Your Time,” “Doing Group Work,” “Writing Papers,” “Staying Motivated,” “Studying Smart,” “Getting Organized,” “Staying Engaged,” “Scheduling Wisely,” “Being Mindful,” “Showing Up,” “Taking Tests,” “Preparing for Tests,” “Preparing Presentations,” “Memorizing Information,” “Reading Textbooks,” and “Taking Notes.”

Details of these services are available at the website of Los Angeles City College. The program is currently accepting applications online at https://rb.gy/n7cruu.

Join Trio/SSS for an upcoming event:

Game Night

De-Stress and Mental Health Activity by Joe Exnowski (Life Skills - in preparation for finals).

Refreshments will be provided.

The L.A.

“LOCKDOWN” PAGE 1

A scaled-down 3D model of a church built for a movie attracts attention during the monthlong “inventing the Supernatural” exhibit at the VAMA Gallery, Oct. 10 through Nov. 10, 2022.

PHOTO BY JUAN MENDOZA

Mini altar at City Garden. Students display personal altars by embracing the idea of the dead and expressing their own experience, perspectives and reflection of their ancestors on Nov. 1.

US Lead Network Annual Scholarship

Deadline: Dec. 31, 2022 Amount: $1,500

At US Lead Network, it is our great privilege to announce a new annual scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded to a student who demonstrates scholastic commitment and academic success.

Contact: usleadnetwork.net/ scholarship/

Universal APK Scholarship Deadline: Nov. 30 2022

Amount: $5,000

UniversalApk is o ering an annual Universal Apk Scholarship to 3 eligible candidates interested in higher studies.

Contact: www.universalapk.com/ universal-apk-scholarship/

Neon Direct Scholaship

Deadline: Dec. 31, 2022 Amount: $1,000

Neon Direct is offering a Neon Direct Scholarship of $1000 for educational expenses Contact: neondirect.co/scholarships/

Doan Foundation Arts Scholarship

Deadline: March 1, 2023 Amount: $2500

Any low-income high school senior in California who has at least a 2.5 GPA and is pursuing the arts may apply for this scholarship.

Contact: https://bold.org/ scholarships/doan-foundation-arts-scholarship/

HEEF Scholarship Fund

Deadline: Dec. 31 2022

Amount: $2500

Must be first generation college student, OC high school/ Community College transfers and Hispanic.

Contact: oc-cf.org/scholarship

Heinlein Society Scholarship

Deadline: April 1, 2023

Amount: $4,000

This year we will be awarding four scholarships to undergraduate students of accredited 4-year colleges and universities. The “Virginia Heinlein Memorial Scholarship” is dedicated to a female candidate majoring in engineering, math, or biological or physical sciences. The Robert A. Heinlein, Dr. Yoji Kondo, and Dr. Jerry Pournelle scholarships may be awarded to a candidate of any gender. Winners will be announced on July 7th.

Contact: Scholarship Committee

3553 Atlantic Ave. #341 Long Beach, CA 90807-5606 scholarships@heinleinsociety. org

Medicalfieldcareers.com

Healthcare Scholarship

Deadline: Oct. 1, 2023 Amount: $1,500

The Healthcare Scholarship is offered to one lucky applicant who is interested in studying for a career in the medical field. The

contribution will be paid towards tuition at the winner’s healthcare school of choice.

Contact: MEDICALFIELDCAREERS.COM 1940 Thibodo Rd., #203 Vista, CA 92081 951-287-4420

Future Attorneys of America Merit Scholarship Deadline: Nov. 30, 2022 Amount: $5,000

Future Attorneys of America Scholarship is dedicated in choosing one law student, of academic excellence, every year and awarding them with the FAAS merit scholarship. We consider it a great honor to be able to support law students who show ambition, perseverance, and of course, merit in their studies, in the legal community and in their lives. Answering Legal’s Future Attorneys of America Scholarship of $5000 is open to dedicated law students.

Contact: Answering Legal 120 Lake Ave South, Suite 12 Nesconset, NY 11767 nick@answeringlegal.com 631-400-8888

HTTPS://WWW.ANSWERINGLEGAL.COM/ANSWERING-LEGAL-LAW-SCHOLARSHIP/

Horst Rechelbacher Sustainable Beginnings- Cosmetology/ Barbering Scholarship

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2022 Amount: $3,500

The Horst Rechelbacher Sustainable Beginnings- Cosmetology/Barbering Scholarship is for new or currently enrolled students in a cosmetology/barbering program that leads to licensure at an accredited school in the U.S. The applicant must be eighteen years of age or older by the start date of the program at the accredited school/institution. In addition to completing the online application, applicants must also submit a three-minute maximum YouTube video answering certain questions.

Contact: Beauty Changes Lives P.O. Box 7174 Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 760-733-8383

HTTPS://BEAUTYCHANGESLIVES.SUBMITTABLE. COM/SUBMIT#FACEBOOK

Peter K. New Award

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2022

Amount: $3,000

The Society for Applied Anthropology (SfAA) announces an annual student research competition in the applied social and behavioral sciences. The first place winner of the Competition will receive a cash prize of $3,000 as well as $350 to partially offset the cost of transportation and two nights lodging at the annual meeting of the Society. In addition, the winner receives an engraved crystal trophy. Cash prizes of $1,500 to second place and $750 to third place will also be awarded, as well as a $350 travel stipend and two nights lodging.

Contact: Scholarship Committee P.O. Box 2436

Oklahoma City , OK 73101 info@appliedanthro.org 405-843-5113

APPLIEDANTHRO.ORG

Sage Michaela Lucas Timing is Everything Scholarship

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2022 Amount: $5,000

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must: identify as a person of color; be new or currently enrolled students in an esthetics program that leads to licensure in the U.S. or Canada; be eighteen years of age or older by the start date of the program at the accredited school or institution; and provide proof of enrollment and/or proof of attendance in an esthetics program at an accredited school or institution.

Contact: Beauty Changes Lives P.O. Box 7174 Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 760-733-8383

BEAUTYCHANGESLIVES.ORG

SmithGroup Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship Program

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2022

Amount: $6,000

The SmithGroup Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship Program supports and mentors students from historically underrepresented demographics in architecture, interior design, planning, landscape architecture and engineering. Applicants must be current undergraduate (at least a junior level standing) or graduate students in an accredited architecture, interior design, planning, landscape architecture or engineering program in the United States. Applicants must also: have a 3.0 GPA; and, be Black/African American, Hispanic, Alaskan Native or American Indian, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S

Contact: smithgroup.com

The John Galt Scholarship for Future Supply Chain Leaders

Deadline: Nov. 30, 2022 Amount: $10,000

To help support the next generation of supply chain leaders, each year John Galt Solutions awards two US$10,000 scholarships to individuals seeking undergraduate education in business forecasting or supply chain management. An eligible applicant must be a current student at an accredited higher education institution in the United States for the current academic year, and be enrolled full-time in a supply management, supply chain management or similar/related program with the intention of seeking a career in the supply chain field. The scholarship will be given in the form of a check made out to the educational institution that you’re enrolled in. Citizenship of the US or Canada isn’t required as long as they are attending school in one of those countries.

COMPILED BY LARA BARNEY & RACHEL RODRIGUEZ

PHOTOS BY EDWARD LOCKE

Character concepts created by Donna Cline for Hocus Pocus are displayed during the “inventing the Supernatural” exhibit at the VAMA Gallery, Oct. 10 through Nov. 10, 2022.

A character concept created by Harry Klins is displayed during the “inventing the Supernatural” exhibit at the VAMA Gallery, Oct. 10 through Nov. 10, 2022.

Dinosaurs create chaos in a scene from the Jurassic Park series, shown on a computer screen during the “inventing the Supernatural” exhibit at the VAMA Gallery, Oct. 10 through Nov. 10, 2022.

PHOTO BY JUAN MENDOZA

Cubs players take a break after the first half of the game vs. Vikings from Long Beach City College.

LACC played