Los Angeles Collegian

Call of the Wild

Q: What Career are You Pursuing?

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The Voice of Los Angeles City College Since 1929

Wednesday | December 7, 2011

Volume 165 | Number 6

ALUMNI SHINE FOR AGE OF INSPIRATION

Alumna Receives White House Honors By Tanya Flowers

Photo by Pete Souza, official White House photographer. Dr. Margaret Martin shakes President Obama’s hand as she is presented with the 2011 Presidential Citizens Medal award at the White House in October for her work with her non-profit organization Harmony Project.

The power of music has led a former L. A. City College student from homelessness and personal challenge to one of the highest civilian honors in the United States. Dr. Margaret Martin says she has wanted to help people since she was eight years old. Now her journey to making her dreams come true has taken her from City College to the White House. In October, Martin received the 2011 Presidential Citizens Medal award, the second highest civilian honor for her organization, Harmony Project. In the summer of 1965 at the beginning of the Civil Rights movement, her mother took her to a protest. Although she was only a child, she realized that the demonstration was a significant life changing experience, one that shaped her ambition and would eventually lead her from City College to the White House. She was only 8 years old. “It’s so cool that the President and First Lady are personal contributors of the non-profit organization that I started,” Martin said. “I never would have started if I hadn’t gone back to school at the age of 33 to L.A. City

College.” The Nixon Administration established the Citizens Medal in 1969 to recognize American citizens who have performed “exemplary deeds of service for the nation.” Martin was one of 13 recipients to receive the honor. Harmony Project provides young people in the inner city with access to free musical instruments and training. “This year’s recipients of the Citizens Medal come from different backgrounds, but they share a commitment to a cause greater than themselves,” Obama said in a written statement. “They exemplify the best of what it means to be an American, and I am honored to be able to offer them a small token of our appreciation.” Martin’s journey took her from homelessness, back to college and eventually leads her to prosperity. The 33-year-old mother of three realized the importance of education. “City College was an amazing experience for me. It was exactly the right place for me to start,” Martin said as she recalls her days at City College.

She recalls supportive professors who helped guide her to success. One in particular was counselor Bennie Padilla, who is now retired. She recalls an important conversation with him. Padilla would agree to help her, but only if she made him a promise. Padilla said that he will help her on one condition: make your education count, make it matter. See Honors Page 4

Scan with your smartphone to see Dr. Margaret Martin talk about how she started Harmony Project.

Primate Expert and JUSTICE FOR KENJI Former City College Student Dead at 60

FROM ENEMY-ALIEN TO GOLD MEDAL HONOREE

By Amy Lieu

“I led a very interesting life. Right after war, I was classified as ‘4C’, which is enemy-alien … and at the end of this period to receive one of the highest gold medals issued by the United States government seems to be just the opposite of how I started out in life.” Kenji “Ken” Sayama LACC Alumnus

By Tanya Flowers

He was considered one of the leading authorities on the gibbon—a small, tree-dwelling endangered ape from Southeast Asia. Alan Mootnick, the self-taught primatologist who was passionate about his work with Gibbons, died last month at Cedars Sinai Hospital from complications following heart surgery. The former L.A. City College student was 60 years old. When he was 9 years old, the sounds of gibbons filled his ears during a trip to the zoo. After his first encounter with the primates, Mootnick knew his call in life. Mootnick wrote many scholarly research papers for publications that were peer-reviewed, according to the Washington Post. He received his only formal education at LACC where he was only just two units shy of an A.A. degree in dental technology. In 1979, Mootnick founded the Gibbon Conservation Center, a non-profit organization located in Santa Clarita. The refuge is the largest center for primates in America with 44 Gibbons on 10 acres of land with 17 enclosures that house the primates. “I’ve put 35 years of my life into this place and I just knew I wanted to help save gibbons however I could,”

INDEX OPINION & EDITORIAL / 2-3 FEATURES / 4 ELECTION 2012 / 5 NEWS / 6

Mootnick told KPCC’s Jennifer Sharpe during one of his last radio interviews. “Didn’t know how I was going to do it, I just knew this is why I am on this planet.” Mootnick worked to protect the species, and he shared his knowledge with others. “He was this amazing person with a vision and completely did it on his own,” said Gerri- Ann Galanti, an anthropologist, cousin and President of the Board of Directors for the Gibbon Conservation Center. “At some point he just focused all his energy on taking care of these animals and he made himself into the worlds leading expert.” Mootnick did not allow that to hold him back. Colleague Craig Standford, professor of biological sciences and anthropology at the University of Southern California said that although Mootnick held no titles or academic degrees, his work with gibbons was unparalleled. “He filled a niche that no one else in the world occupied in his work with gibbons,” Standford told the Collegian. Native to Southeast Asia, gibbons are considered amongst the most endangered apes on the planet. See Primate Expert Page 8

Success Briefs

Compiled by Richard Martinez

President Appointed to Student Aid Commission Gov. Jerry Brown has appointed Dr.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT/ 7 Jamillah Moore, president of LACC to the California Student Aid Commission. NEWS/ 8 Moore has worked as president of the SPORTS / 9

College since June 2008, after she served as interim president in 2007.

Alan Mootnick

Scan with your smartphone to view a slideshow featuring primatologist Alan Mootnick.

It has been more than 60 years since WWII, when Kenji “Ken” Sayama served in the United States Army. He is only now receiving the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal for his service. 0ne of the highest honors bestowed by the U.S. government seemed unattainable to Sayama one year ago. Now, he sits on his white living room sofa and reflects on a tumultuous yet fulfilled life. His eyes sparkle and he smiles with the shiny gold medal in hand. The medallion is a symbol of justice denied and honor restored for the former Los Angeles City College student who enrolled in 1938. Now, at the age of 90, it is time. The ceremony on Nov. 2, 2011 at the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., honored three units: the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). Sayama, along with 771 other WWII Veterans received the Congressional Gold Medal. More than 23,000 people were involved in the infantry. Although many of them have died, their relatives accepted the awards.

Librarian-Student Writes Winning Column

The Journalism Association of Community Colleges awarded guest columnists Liz Gnerre the Second Place award for an Opinion Article published in the Collegian Times Magazine. Gnerre, who has been taking classes at LACC and working at the Martin Luther King Jr. Library for more than a year now, wrote an article exploring how librarians learn alongside the students they assist.

The medal is awarded to an individual or unit that performs an outstanding deed or act of service for the security, prosperity, and national interest of the United States, according to the National Veterans Network. George Washington was the first to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. Sayama says he was pleasantly surprised to learn he would be honored. He first heard about it in the Japanese newspaper, Rafu Shimpo. After one year, everything materialized. Sayama then waited patiently, wondering what it would all look like. “It was a big event because we invited all my children and their children to come along with me,” he said. “And so they were all there with me to watch this ceremony … It was a very exciting experience for me to be going to Washington D.C. and receive the gold medal.” Sayama was one of thousands of Japanese Americans evicted from their homes and relocated to internment camps during the Second World War. Decades later, he says he is not bitter.

Kenji “Ken” Sayama holds his U.S. Mint Congressional Gold Medal for the first time after the ceremony in Washington D.C. last month. He was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army.

Photo By R.J. Sakai

“No, I never had that kind of a feeling,” Sayama said. “I just thought it was my duty to do it and I did it … it [was] voluntarily … I was happy to do what I was doing. So I had no other reason for being bitter or backward for doing what I did … At the time, the old Japanese community on the West Coast were under the same classification, so I didn’t feel any different.” See Medal Page 6

Forensics Students Win at Regional Competition LACC’s Forensics Speech and Debate Team competed in the Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association’s Fall Championship Tournament. Team members Shamey Cramer and Jesse Quintanilla won finalist trophies in Persuasive Speech and Programmed Oral Interpretation respectively.

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Opinion & Editorial

Wednesday December 7, 2011

EDITORIAL

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Los Angeles

No Child Left Behind: Community College Edition

Editor-in-Chief: Tanya Flowers Managing Editor: Luis Rivas Opinions and Editorials: Hyun Chung Arts and Entertainment: Lauren Arevalo Sports: Richard Martinez Distribution Manager: Erleen Barrett Advertising: Richard Martinez Marketing: Lauren Arevalo Graphic Designer: Josue Hernandez Copy Writer: Stephen Clements Reporters: Amy Lieu Byron Umana Christopher Jorge Emanuel Bergmann Erleen Barrett Hyun Chung Lauren Arevalo Luis Ponce Matthew Mullins Richard Martinez Hayden Velasquez Patrick Chong Photographers: Luis Rivas Matthew Mullins Patrick Chong Illustrators: Cesar Anzora

Illustration by Jose Tobar /Collegian

Jose Ramon Tobar Faculty Adviser: Rhonda Guess

Sound Off: Tell these political figures that you don’t want California Community College to become “ transfer machines.” Governer Jerry Brown P 916 445 2841 E. govnews.ca.gov/gove39mail. mail California Community College Chancellor Jack Scott P 916 445 8752 Read the task force report California Community Colleges cccco.edu/policyactionstudent successtaskforce

The figures of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for LACC are dismal. In 2010, only 10 percent of entering students were counted as full time. The retention rate for full-time students was 61 percent, but 35 percent for part-time students, LACC has a transfer rate of 12 percent, and 15 percent graduate from degree or certificate programs. In order to boost the numbers, a statewide organization known as the California Community Colleges Student Success Task Force is gearing up for reform to boost graduation and transfer rates. How do you boost numbers? Get rid of the weakest link. Those weakest links would be part-time students who struggle with work and family duties. They have obligations that compete with school. The Task Force could prioritize fee waivers for full-time students to ensure that their degrees are completed within “normal” time. For an associate degree, three years is the maximum period of “normal” to complete that study. What about learning for the sake of learning? The community college system in California is the largest in the nation. But every student who tries to apply for federal financial aid has to look at the small completion and graduation rates at City College. Proponents of the task force have described their goals as ensuring accountability.

In a financial crisis, how can the state continue to invest in “lazy” students who don’t bother with their classes? The state should allocate its funds to the more “motivated” full-time students. Community colleges have been known for their access. Registration at City College takes seconds, whereas getting into UCLA takes months of preparation. Should higher education be available to everyone who desires it? Resources at community colleges are bleeding. Now the Task Force argues that resources must be “rationed.” The safe investments are the ones who are progressing at “normal” time, whereas, students who are progressing slower would be considered riskier investments. Full-time students would receive fee waivers and priority registration. Vigorous opponents from San Francisco City College have argued that getting rid of non-credit courses and a prioritization for full-time students is privatization. The retention and graduation figures don’t tell the full story. It doesn’t reveal City students who are here to learn for the sake of learning, dabble into a new field, or to retrain. When degrees are not achieved in “normal” time, the figures make City College look like a campus of idiots and dilettantes. But, the government likes numbers. The percentages are too low. So make ‘em higher at the expense of part-time students? We think not.

GUEST COLUMNIST Rosalyn Kahn

Education Opens Doors for the Disadvantaged

Sen. Kevin De Leon speaks to a class of students at Franklin High School last Monday.

Here on campus, I teach two sections of Conversational English, speech 71 and 72. The students in these classes often are greeted with the harsh realities that life can present. Many of them are immigrants and are learning English for the first time. Each day along with my curriculum, I aspire to share valuable life lessons. Never before has it been more important to share stories of inspiration with my students. Let me tell you about our latest inspiration. Recently, I had guest speaker Sen. Kevin De Leon who came out to speak to my class at Franklin High School. During his brief presentation he shared his struggles. He explained his path to becoming a senator. De Leon came from a single mother who only had a third grade education. He lived in one of San Diego’s poorest neighborhoods. He informed us that he was never an “academic brain,” but through perseverance he ended up at University of California, Santa Barbara. Because he didn’t have passing grades, after three quarters, he decided to drop out rather than be

kicked out. He then began to teach English classes in Santa Barbara. There was a push to increase enrollment. He made it his job to recruit other Latinos to a place where they could learn from a person like himself. He then persuaded his friends to get involved. Once he established these connections, he became their go-to person for their various needs. He eventually led the immigration rights group One Stop Immigration. He later returned to college receiving his degree from Claremont College. By this time he had filled in the gaps and his real world experiences made learning that much easier. During his talk he stressed to the students that “going to college opens up a number of doors [that might otherwise not have been opened].” His path had quite a few more steps beginning with the Teacher’s Association, National Educator’s Association, a labor organizer and currently the State Senator in the 22nd District. Summing up all of these experiences he said, “There are two keys to success; hard work and creativity.” He told my students that

with these two things the world would open up to them. Amazing as his story is he also became an inspiration to me. I also grew up in San Diego and attended UCSB. In my 13 years teaching I have covered a wide diversity of students from all sorts of backgrounds. My longest stretch of teaching has been with the students of L.A. City College during the last 10 years. This is my favorite place to work. Creativity and hard work are two of my greatest assets. I may have the same core requirements each semester but there is something new I added. I have my students do volunteer work known as Service Learning. From working with the Aids Projects Los Angeles, The Red Cross, Los Angeles City Childcare Center to tutoring children by working with 826LA program, my students are inspiring others and making a difference in the world. Sen. De Leon’s speech motivated me and my students and should motivate you as well because you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.

Los Angeles

Deadline Schedule NEXT ISSUE: Febuary 29, 2012 Editorial deadline: February 22, 2012 For all submissions including letters to the editor and publicity releases. Advertising deadline: February 29, 2012 Send materials to Collegian office: Chemistry 207 losangeles.collegian@gmail.com The college newspaper is published as a learning experience, offered under the college journalism instructional program. The editorial and advertising materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, are the responsibility of the student newspaper staff. Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by virtue of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the Los Angeles Community College District, Los Angeles City College, or any officer or employee thereof. © 2003 Collegian. No material may be reprinted without the express written permission of the Collegian.

Opinion & Editorial

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Wednesday December 7, 2011

03

Compiled by Patrick Chong

FUTURE GENERATION

Q: What career are you pursuing?

Joseph Mastriacovo Major - Cinema

Ulisses Urrutia Major – Graphic Design

Beverly Johnson Major - Art

“Right now, I’m writing and directing short movies, just trying to get myself ready for my first feature, which I have already written the first draft for. I’m rewriting that right now. I pretty much know what my first 10 features are gonna be. I have done a lot of writing and a lot of thinking. I know this is the path I want. There’s no plan B, just plan A.”

“Most likely graphic design, painting murals, or about art. For my future career, I want to do graffiti art mixed with cartoons, and also graphic design because [it] will help me [draw] my characters and also my writing skills [will become] better. I want to draw actual cartoons, not like the cartoons you see on Cartoon Network and Channel Five. I want to make real old-school cartoons.”

“I want to pursue a career in illustration and character design because I love how characters are illustrated and how they are expressed. I also want to become a character illustrator because I don’t see that many characters that have my skin color or of other ethnicities. So if I want to make that change, I can.”

OBAMA, THE HONEYMOON IS OVER

Marcy Alvarez Major - Undecided

Jennifer Barreda Major - Psychology

“I’m undecided right now but it’s between fashion marketing and sociology: fashion marketing because I love fashion and I can market and advertise very well; sociology because I love understanding why we are the way we are.”

“I’m interested in working with special-needs children because I work in an elementary school and I love children. They are our future. I [have] had great teachers in the past and I remember them. They weren’t necessarily heroes but they were people who taught me a lot, and I learned a lot from them.”

DREAMS LOST IN BITTERSWEETS

Illustration by Cesar Anzora/Collegian

By Melissa Leon President Obama must have had better days. Though he once boasted a sky- high Gallup poll job approval rating of 69 percent, his most recent ratings have tanked, leaving him floundering with only 43 percent of Americans’ approval. Over the past three years, Obama-hating has become a national pastime. Get any group of people, young or old, talking about Obama and you’re bound to hear things like, “He’s done nothing while in office! The economy’s still in the sewer! No, not the gutter, it fell into the sewer, I saw it. Yes it did, it rained last week, don’t you remember?” Or, “Bush Jr., ol’ boy, he worked eight hard years at destroying this country’s finances, how dare this Barack Hussein Obama not clean it up and solve all our problems in less than half that time! Ugh, service around here, I tell you. Garçon! We require more braaaandy!” One strong-willed group of Americans has even fashioned a political movement out of Obamahating. Now, here, you’ve really got to watch out. These people are fierce. They’re organized. They’ve even

named themselves after either A) The fellows with pointy hats who threw a lot of tea fresh off a boat one time or B) The favorite imaginary game of six-year-old girls. The Tee Potty or something. Frankly, I don’t understand it. It could be so much worse! We could have a president whose cronies forgot to remind him before he got up to the podium what the legal voting age is in America (I feel you, Rick Perry. 18 to vote, 21 to drink, you clearly remembered the more momentous of the two). We could have a president who has decried The Lion King as gay propaganda (Michele Bachmann at the November 2004 EdWatch National Education Conference— Google it). Or, we could have a president convinced he can run the country because he likes pizza and can maintain a thirteen year-long extramarital affair with (at least) one woman. Herman Cain, not cool, dawg. Not cool. If that’s your cup of tea, though, you’re totally welcome to say so during the upcoming Republican primary election. I’m just saying, I

TRAGEDY LEADS TO TRIUMPH

prefer a leader with a non- psychotic plan. From day one, the Republican seizure of Congress childishly opposed every initiative the President tried to put through, just to be annoying. Obama, at least, slammed the brakes on the country’s precipitous fall into financial ruin. In just his first two years in office, he brought us economic stimulus, saved two automakers, trailblazed to national healthcare and capped monthly student loan repayment balances. Granted, even these milestones leave a lot to be desired. The Occupyers would tell you that Obama simply stood by and let Wall Street continue to sabotage the economy. The Tee Pottiers would say that government still has too big a say in the personal lives of Americans (they’d also tell you that God hates gays and global warming is a myth, but, whatever). One says the president does too little, the other claims he does too much. I simply claim that it could be a lot worse.

Illustration by Cesar Anzora/Collegian

By Amy Lieu My friend ordered a Hershey’s chocolate chip cheesecake for my birthday. I left some in the fridge, eager to eat it. As my mouth waters to finish my dessert, topped with chocolate chips, rich chocolate rum-colored cheesecake, and moist chocolate cake, I bit into the chocolate and tasted a sharp bitterness—perhaps, because of what I had recently learned about Hershey’s. One of my (and arguably America’s) favorite chocolate brands had mistreated student workers who were hired to work in the U.S. through the Department of State’s J-1 visa cultural exchange program. The students hailed from various countries: Turkey, China, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Romania, Mongolia, Moldova, Poland and Ghana. The international scholars had come to America expecting to improve their English, earn wages, and learn about the American culture. With idealized hopes of the American dream, little did they know that their hopes would be dashed. The students were expected to work backbreaking labor for 40 hours

a week, with wages that calculated out to be less than minimum wage. Students had to stand all day packing chocolates, resulting in strained hands, arms, and backs. Fees for housing, $400 per week, were automatically deducted in their paychecks, which left their net earnings at $200 per week. Their rents in company-designated housing were charged higher than market value. Furthermore, they had paid $3,000-$6,000 for the program. So, who is responsible for these unfair and exploitative work conditions? According to the New York Times, the finger-pointing never ends. “A spokesman for Hershey’s, Kirk Saville, said the chocolate company did not directly operate the Palmyra packing plant, which is managed by a company called Exel. A spokeswoman for Exel said it had found the student workers through another staffing company.” Hundreds of enraged, fed-up, yet determined student workers had protested in front of Hershey’s packing plant in Palmyra, Pennsylvania. Now, 400 international students

are working with the National Guestworker Alliance to stop the exploitation of student workers, give the jobs to local workers for living wages and refund of the thousands of dollars each paid. There is nothing wrong with holding a cultural exchange program in a chocolate packing plant, but at least the wages and treatment should be fair. It is a human right to be treated with humanity and dignity in any workplace, regardless of country of origin or status of position. A Hershey’s Cookies N’ Cream bar sits on my kitchen table waiting for me to just dig my craving teeth in… but I hesitate, thinking about the oppression this chocolate might have been the product of.

prolonged my habitual consumption of drugs. It took another year of weaning myself off drugs until one day before Thanksgiving 2008 I had a fight with my boyfriend and we both made a deal to quit meth. I realized that our relationship was more important than the emptiness that my life had become. I never touched the stuff again after that day! No rehab, no 12-steps—just one leap forward. Now, I see life differently.I am building my future by going to City

College and doing everything I can to achieve what I want to be when I “grow up.” Keep in mind that I am 31. I do not regret my mistakes and I am open to anyone who wants to know what I have been through. My past created the person I am now. I learned the power of change through my experience. Journalism spurred an inspiration to take the first step to my metamorphosis. Journalism has given me the gift of being able to connect with people, change minds, and motivate people

to think and change the world in ways that I never thought possible. We all have that power, it’s up to you to create that change. Whatever you want to be IS possible. We have more strength buried deep inside us than any of us realize. Go out and seize the day. Seize the opportunities that are awaiting you. Carpe Diem.

By Matthew Mullins One day, I came home to find my roommate dead. He was using meth by injecting it into his arm to get high. Somehow I was smart enough to never put a needle in my arm. Finding his corpse visualized my own mortality and scared the shit out of me. I never used to wake up in the morning. I was a drug addict and lived each day with no clarity.Those days, usually about three in a row without sleep, would go by without a thought of what was to become of me. My obsessive grip on the past only

04

News

Wednesday December 7, 2011

Questions Raised about Tutors, Basic Skills Funds

By Emanuel Bergmann

A string of recent emails obtained by the Collegian questions use of monies from the Basic Skills Initiative. The emails were written by members of the English/ESL department and addressed to the English/ ESL faculty, as well as administrators within the college and the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD). The Basic Skills Initiative (BSI) is a grant-funded initiative by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO). It began in 2006 as part of the strategic planning process. The goal of the BSI was to improve student access and success. As part of the initiative, this plan allocated colleges supplemental funding to specifically address basic skills needs. This funding was guided by locally developed action plans documenting use of the funding. However, the interdepartmental emails from last summer suggest, “money was transferred to cover up some debts from other Basic Skills call centers” and that “project managers were not required to document the spending of funds.” The emails further state that “on Dec. 07, 2010 the Student Success

Committee held a meeting to decide on allocating Basic Skills funds to a project entitled ESL Tutor Labs.” Former English Chair and project manager Dr. Tammy Robinson headed the project. She was placed on administrative leave on Oct. 31, 2011 in connection with an investigation into the implementation of the EducoSoft “Watch Your Language” software. For the Spring 2011 semester, the ESL tutoring project received $26,000 for the off-campus ESL lab near Wilshire Boulevard and Vermont Avenue. This amount is equivalent to more than 2,000 hours of tutoring. However, on June 7, 2011 an email from the LACC Accounting Office advised that the Basic Skills account had a negative balance of $3,500 and that the project had gone beyond its expenditure limit. One month later, by July 11, 2011, the negative balance had risen to $12,000. Additionally, there was confusion as to the tutors who had been paid from this fund. English faculty members had been given a list of names that differed from the list of the Fund Account 10410-C6134249000. More names had been added to

that list, including at least one alias. Only five days later, on July 12, 2011, the negative balance had ballooned to $30,000. However, in an email dated July 12, 2011, Robinson mentioned that she had requested, and was about to receive, “the ASO check for $25,000” from ASO. The check was cut on July 15, 2011, even though it is unclear whether or not Basic Skills is allowed to receive outside checks. The ASO is the Associated Student Organization at LACC. According to the Basic Skills budget, the president and chairman of the student senate received $532.43 for the Spring 2011 semester for student tutoring. The subject of tutoring came up in an email dated Sept. 20, 2010 about tutoring openings in the Writing Center. Robinson wrote “Not yet. I received 25K for tutoring from ASO. I have an obligation to hire some of there folks. So we’ll have to find something. I’ll keep you posted.” According to the 10411 Basic Skills budget for the fiscal year 2009/2010, at least $12,196.67 had been spent on up to 11 student tutors whose positions and purpose remain unclear.

Photo by Pete Souza, official White House photographer. Doctor Margaret Martin is greeted by President Obama as she receives the 2011 Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian honor, in the East Room on Oct. 20, 2011.

Alumna Honored Honors From Page 1

Martin took his advice and after receiving her degree in general science and communications from City College, she was awarded $1,200 from the Snyder Scholarship from Alpha Mu Gamma National Foreign Language Honor Society. After graduating from City College she attended Antioch University where she was class valedictorian and received her B.A degree. She then received her Doctorate in Public Health from UCLA in Community Health Science, and holds advanced degrees in Behavioral Science, Health Education, and Population and Family Health. “The main reason I went back to school was because I realized that if I have the ability to inspire people to do cool things,” Martin said, “I also had the responsibility to think about a way to raise the money and not have them compromised in the process.” The birth of Harmony Project started from Martin’s drive and passion. It is a result in her determination to help others. Her youngest son started playing the violin when he was 3- yearsold. By the age of 5, he was playing violin concertos. She took him to the farmers market to perform, recalling the moment she knew she had to start the program. It began with a unexpected encounter.

Martin remembers a sight of gang members with “shaved heads, tear drop tattoos and attitude so thick you can cut it with a knife” who stopped dead in their tracks to watch her son play music. It was then that she realized the power of music. “I lost it. It was like the heavens opened and God spoke,” Martin said. “It was then that I knew I had to try, because frankly I knew how far away and impossible it would be for them to have the same opportunities that my boy had. I knew that that was wrong. I knew I had to do something about it or at least try.” What started with a $9,000 check from the Rotary Club in Hollywood in April 2001 and 36 kids has grown to a 1.8 million dollar annual budget that provides music to more than 1,400 lower income kids. Over the past four years the graduation rate reached 100 percent and students in the program have gone on to pursue a college education. Harmony Project provides students $5,000 scholarship, distributed over a period of four years. The project has formed 13 youth orchestras. Until recent construction began in Clausen Hall’s music department, Los Angeles City College hosted the program. Martin says LACC president Jamillah Moore has promised to have the group

back on campus once renovations are complete. “The idea is to create a banner that reads ‘Music Academy for Children’ [to show our] full partnership with City,” Martin said. Some of the students from program attend L.A. City College. L.A. City College students need to treat their education like the investment that it is and not give up, according to Martin. “My advice to City College students is invest in your own education,” Martin said. “It’s something that no one can ever take away from you. Don’t stop and follow the path to your dreams … Yes, it’s hard to go back to school but it’s the kind of hard that gets you somewhere that actually changes that equation. It empowers you to be a positive resource for yourself and others.”

What does music mean to you? Scan with your smartphone to view a video of students and staff sound off on music.

For the Record In the Oct. 19 issue of the Collegian, an article entitled “Bring Back the Cubs, School Pride,” was published in the Sports Bin crediting Sherly De Brosse. The opinion piece was actually written by Jenniffer Jennings, a Collegian reporter. We regret the error.

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

CALL OF THE WILD Photos by Tanya Flowers/Collegian

A coyote spotted near the construction site in front of the Chemistry Building looks over, unfazed by people in the vicinity at approximately 10:45 p.m. on Dec. 5. Some residents on Heliotrope have complained of coyotes attacking their cats. Sheriffs say the coyotes, who have come from Griffith Park, tend to travel in a pack of three. Contact Animal Control at (213) 485-8855 should you spot one.

Alumnus Shares in Kennedy Center Meritorious Awards By Amy Lieu

LACC alumnus Lance Brittan was a part of the joint multimedia theatre production, “Medea” held at St. Gregory’s University (SGU) in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The former film student turned director collaborated with the cast and crew that won recognition for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival (KCACTF). SGU entered their production of the classic Greek tragedy in the KCACTF. Fabrice Conte, Chairperson of SGU’s Fine Arts Department, received The Meritorious Achievement Award for Excellence in Directing, while Olivia Bicknell won the Meritorious Achievement Award for Excellence in Acting for her main role as “Medea.” The unique theatre performance

incorporated a multimedia film component playing in the background with live on-stage performers. Brittan produced the multimedia package for the theatrical play. He graduated in 1991 with an A.A. degree in cinema. The filmmaker says multimedia provided another dimension to the performance. “The video segments added a cinematic element … and also accentuated themes in the play through moving images,” Brittan said. He also says he was honored to be a part of the show. KCACTF is a national organization that celebrates the creative process of student theatre productions and bridges the academic and professional worlds, according to Fabrice Conte.

Photo Courtesy: Br. George Hubl Multimedia video, produced by LACC Alumnus Lance Brittan plays in the background while actress Olivia Bicknell performs the main role Medea in St. Gregory University’s theatre production “Medea.”

Election 2012

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

POLITICAL 411

Wednesday December 7, 2011

05

Students weigh in on Election 2012

By Emanuel Bergmann In less than a year, students will join the rest of America at the polls and elect a new president, or perhaps re-elect the incumbent, Barack Obama. According to polls, Obama appears to be vulnerable, due to a high unemployment rate and a stagnant economy. Presumably, the economy will be the driving issue in the upcoming election cycle. According to a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in November 2011, 36 states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment decreases, five states posted increases, and nine states had no change. And yet, 2010 alone saw the creation of 863,000 private sector jobs, exceeding the total of the previous administration. The lack of a clear economic trajectory allows each party to interpret the data, and to create a narrative that resonates with voters. Many of Obama’s core supporters appear disillusioned, albeit for different reasons. Some hoped for more far-reaching political and economic change, while others felt that the current White House Administration had overreached. Jessica Schneider, a political science and sociology major, remembers the important role that students and young people played in the movement to elect Obama in 2008. “As a student I feel really dismayed [but] not entirely hopeless,“ Snyder said. “I feel betrayed because the student base is really what rallied

behind Obama in the grassroots movement to begin with and he really capitalized on their momentum. And once he got to office it was like ‘okay, you guys got me here but these are the guys I will be doing business with.’ It’s like taking a date to the dance and you don’t dance with her. He represented so many of the ideas of the young people today but once he got into office he didn’t create policies to harness any of the momentum and ideology of the students. One of his first acts was appointing Lawrence Summers as economic advisor [which] was really offensive to the general population… He is too embedded in Wall street.” Although disappointed by the Obama administration and the Democratic Party, Schneider will continue to vote Democrat. “There is a shift in Obama’s priorities since he got into office. I always vote Democrat because I can’t vote Republican. I just won’t do it, but he is not my first choice.” Holman Jenkins wrote on Nov. 22, 2011 in the Wall Street Journal: “Has a president ever arrived freer to choose his own course, to devise his own response to the economic crisis that greeted him in office? Candidate Obama landed with no explicit ideological commitments (at least that he cared to share). He was an icon of something else altogether, and his followers were ready to follow wherever he led.” Among liberal voters, there is a general consensus that the Obama presidency has not brought about

the changes they had wished for. This suggests that the 2012 election will be fought with much less enthusiasm, which might prove problematic for Obama, who had previously expanded the electoral map to include more minority and young voters. Should these voters abandon Obama, he will face serious challenges. Although many supporters feel that Obama has not lived up to the vaulted promises of “hope” and “change”, there have been no major ideological digressions from the vision laid out in 2008. For example, Obama has always expressed support for continued military engagement in Afghanistan, which was subsequently reflected in his policies – much to the chagrin of many liberal voters. In 2008, Obama had quickly become a media darling. Many voters had readily embraced a largely inexperienced and inscrutable candidate. Now, the trend is reversing. Much of the media and many voters have soured on Obama. Still, his administration can point to a significant number of promises kept. Examples include the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009, a $789 billion economic stimulus plan, the new START nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia, a $1.4 billion funding bill and jobs bill for veterans, the Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act which provides health care to 11 million children, four million of whom were previously uninsured, tax credits for students, eliminating subsidies to

private lenders of student loans and protecting student borrowers and significantly expanding Pell grants. Most notable is the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act which allows for greater consumer protection, and prohibits banks from engaging in proprietary trading and Obama’s much-maligned Health Care Reform Bill prevents insurance companies from denying insurance because of a pre-existing condition and allows children to remain covered by their parents’ insurance until the age of 26. The Health Care Reform Bill includes an expansion of Medicaid to all individuals under age 65 with incomes up to 133 percent of the federal poverty level and requires health insurance providers to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient care. Columnist Thomas Friedman wrote in the New York Times: “I voted for Barack Obama, and I don’t want my money back. He’s never gotten the credit he deserves for bringing the economy he inherited back from the brink of a depression. … He’s making health care possible for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions, and he saved the auto industry. This is big stuff.” Still, the president has failed to significantly address the national deficit. He has continuously called for tax increases for “the rich,” alienating many independent voters and prohibiting constructive debate with the Republican opposition.

The Contenders

Thomas Comstock, currently without a declared major at LACC, feels that the American public has a misconception as to what the president’s role actually is. This, Comstock argues, is where the dissatisfaction among many Americans begins. “I mean, I guess I’d give him a “C” but it’s not really telling the whole story,” Comstock said. “It’s not a fair way to label an entire presidency. I think if I had to really give a grade, I’d give an “F” on what the American citizens think their politicians are supposed to be doing for them. And I think … he’s the president, so what? He can’t do anything. It’s just funny because the same people that wouldn’t give him the “F” are the same people who argue against socialism, that’s what they’re arguing for, that’s why they want a better grade because they don’t have their houses bailed out. They want all these programs. All these things he’s supposed to do. Well, you know, that’s not what he’s supposed to do. He’s basically there to appoint Supreme Court people, give speeches to China to help bring companies over here.” His own debt commission, the Simpson-Bowles Commission, went ignored. During the 2008 election cycle, Obama decided to seek the counsel of Timothy Geithner, the former president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, whose decision not to rescue Lehman Brothers from bankruptcy was a major contributing factor to the current financial crisis.

After the election, Obama appointed Geithner to the post of treasury secretary, a move, which seemed inexplicable to many. Obama appointed Larry Summers his chief economic adviser. Summers played a prominent role in the deregulation of the financial markets in 1999, saying “the American financial system takes a major step forward toward the 21st Century.” Less than 10 years later, the system collapsed. Brenden Hantges has not decided on a major, but he knows how he would grade the president. The grade would be lower than Obama’s own self-appointed “B+” from 2009. “He deserves much less than that because of everything going on,” Hantges said. “And a lot has to do with the people he surrounds himself with in this administration … He’s almost a puppet for their agenda, which is as he says in his own words ‘to fundamentally transform America.’ How that’s defined, he never says. What it is that is actually going on [in his administration] isn’t transparent to the public. I think a lot of people are starting to see that, that he’s good with words, good at speeches. That deceives a lot of the public. Obama is in the pocket of Wall Street. He ran on the idea of change and hope and uniting the people of America, but it’s more divided than it has ever been right now.”

Youth Vote

Voted Did not Vote

19.3% Political Specialists Moderately high levels of political partcipation and relatively low levels of service participation

17.9% Only Voted Vote but are otherwise disengaged in civic activity

19% Broadly Engaged Likely to engage in all types of civic behaviors

13.3% Politically Marginalized Most arre active in political discussions and groups, and may donate to causes, but none are registered to vote

14.4% Engaged Non-Voters Moderately engaged in community activities, but do not vote

16.1% Civically Alienated Almost completely disengaged from civic and political life Graphics by Josue Hernandez /Collegian Illustration by Jose Tobar /Collegian

Compiled by Emanuel Bergmann

Michele Bachmann

Newt Gingrich

The three-term Minnesota Congresswoman, is the current chair of the Congressional Tea Party Caucus. Her highly charged political rhetoric stands in contrast to her more humble legislative accomplishments. (Perhaps her most significant bill was the 2011 “Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act”, which died in Congress.) Bachmann is running on a platform of conservative fiscal demands, such as lowering the corporate tax rate and cutting government spending, combined with ideological fringe views on religion and gay rights. She advocates for the repeal of “Obamacare”, the 2010 Health Care Reform Act, which she calls “cancerous.”

is a former history professor, and from 1995 to 1999 served as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. His uncompromising stance led to a government shutdown. Facing allegations of misappropriating charitable donations, Gingrich gave false information to the House Ethics Committee and was subsequently fined $300,000. At the same time, he was one of the leading voices for government accountability and personal responsibility. His current positions as presidential candidate include “nominating conservative judges”, “ending taxpayer subsidies for abortion” and overturning existing child labor laws.

Rick Perry is the current governor of Texas, and is hailed as a staunch conservative. A charismatic campaigner, Perry has recently slid in the polls, following awkward debate performances and moments of forgetfulness. He is credited with reviving the Texas economy and substantially boosting job creation in his home state. He has called the Federal Reserve “treasonous”. He is a strong supporter of the death penalty, and has expressed a desire to prohibit abortion and same-sex marriage. According to the Washington Post, Perry and his family are currently leasing a private hunting camp in Texas that, until recently, bore the name “N*****head”.

Jon Huntsman is perhaps the most centrist of the current Republican candidates and the most experienced. Huntsman served as Governor of Utah from January 2005 until August 2009. He resigned as Governor during the first year of his second term to serve as United States Ambassador to China. He is a moderate fiscal conservative in favor of low tax rates. His views on social issues are remarkably moderate when compared to some of the other candidates. However, his approval rating among Republicans is in the single digits. Like Mitt Romney, Huntsman is a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints, which places him at odds with many traditional Republican voters.

Mitt Romney As governor of Massachusetts, he worked with both Democrats and Republicans to institute statewide health care reform, which has proven popular in the state. However, Republican opposition to any kind of health care reform forced Romney to renounce this legislative achievement and to run on a stricter anti-government platform. His frequent reversals on policy issues have earned him the reputation of a “flip-flopper”. In recent polls, many voters claim to be troubled by Romney’s religious identity as a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints. As the former CEO of the highly profitable Wall Street investment firm Bain & Company, Romney oversaw the rise of companies like Staples, but is also charged with eliminating thousands of jobs in rust belt states, including 1,600 in Illinois alone.

06

Features

Wednesday December 7, 2011

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

: k o o b e t o N Reporter’s

re of “I would like to promote mo ns of City Hall, crude sense law a t , ess wes usn and scio th con sou th, ive nor lect a col More than 400 tents on the ttered on every free space says. phlets and beer cans are sca of unity and humanity,” Joe for en tak mis is t tha protest signs, political pam of art se et sen stre a re’s ng lizi The . rea und ple gro peo of wet “And and drum art et stre for y en the tak ple mis peo is h t trash, trash tha commonality wit ll has never looked like h.” circles: Los Angeles City Ha might otherwise disagree wit re the ts, ten Outside of the this. y Hall tomorrow. I was told to meet him at Cit disturbance. One man is a is do. ing time would aming at another man, talk Nowhere else and no other scre will meet me there,” s bag his o ont ing tch clu , “If you want the story, you rapidly he said. and threatening to assault the uld wo I be, ded nee if I wanted the story and other much bigger man. The ard be there. to ow orr tom for bigger man slowly walks tow had I ns break all pla e and tells me to call him s nam fall l n rea ma r his nie me e skin giv to The . him Initially, he refuses . I don’t ask uts confesses his first name as Joe what I can down, quickly jumps up, sho e Star Walker. Eventually, he tak I’ll g; hin not ally jor, tinu ma ic con y, dem awa aca ks d wal lare and for a last name, a dec . shouting and provoking him just 6, t. get, piece by piece. Oc e sinc ll Ha y nta fro con or Joe has been at Cit hts Fig onstrators officially five days after a group of dem of City Hall in tions are now a regular ns law the began camping out on occurrence at City Hall. You protest against wealth Downtown Los Angeles in are hard-pressed to find a financial corruption inequality, the political and person that is willing to t for New York’s in the country and in suppor quell tension and fights. n, Occupy Wall Street. People are left on their ow asking around r afte and ive arr -so I not day t the The nex egalitarians and grouping of tents I am promptly directed to a egalitarian. ts ten six tely . There’s approxima eet Str ing Spr Nonetheless, Joe on ll Ha y Cit on the west lawn of nects them all. At the con and ers cov goodness tarp e blu e iev s that make up the group. A larg table and bel es in the B y L u is R iv a ing tent, which has a small lly in com ecia wel esp , the ple is peo tion of ma for t the beginning of the ten h a red Anarchist ‘A’ in wit flag like ck ing bla sett big a nal is t mu ten a com a chair. On the outside of the geles. An e. Los y Trib r cup Sta Oc the as e wn win d smoke and old center. This is kno by the lingering smell of wee Overall, the entire Upon entering, I am struck trapped, humid air. the to ks stic and sk mu of ll sme the Occupy Los Angeles sks ma y e that almost entirel asleep. I leave a not he’s s say up gro t ten the de operates on a barter I ask for Joe. Someone insi ep. I decide on going home. asle l stil is Joe r. system, with little late r hou and come back an ll Ha y Cit reliance on money. Sharing and Living at Joe and I bump into each other at the nightly ng skinny crimson glass Joe picks up a long, foot-lo k. en weed bac e com I The next day, a nugget of ash and dark gre re’s e from the ground. The s. pip ale inh jaw and it his ts s bly. em ligh line , t ass l lips tha genera and a skinny beard l. He raises it to his he bow stac the mu in d ked me inside his lungs. He pac ke trim tlysmo nea the He has a small, ck beanie. He’s slightly he says, while holding bla e,” a h her eat live ern we und way e ped “Th trap is t almost h other. We’ll trade.” bone, long curly hair which dly bring our money to eac jacket with heavy sleeves tha d har e yle “W y-st s. arm ale an Occupy Los Angeles, exh ring wea , above five feet tall g are controversial issues for idity of my words and kin val the drin e, and fac d s the my wee s, ng eye oki my , Sm me pology specifically on how to addres cover his hands. He studies eral assemblies being held Serrano, a 24-year-old anthro ted gen eph hea ed Jos eat into is e rep ned h nam tur l wit rea ion uss his me disc gives in. He tells e was addressed, the issu the e st tim mo h s Eac . one use the g ng ks by his dru ians usually bei major at LACC. . A young, pretty women stic e-calling, hippies and libertar d and ple wee nam peo ke ng and smo you ate ly of deb free up gro iers e a cup ng Joe is with a larg d. He admits to bei other tent groups, Oc his hand and a baggie of wee upset. But at Star Tribe and start smoking up gro side. Joe has a small pipe in the m fro ple peo l as high. A few get drunk. iding if he should say what little drunk off wine, as wel says. He looks around, dec Joe dy,” bud they gave my ke “Li ple, I gave someone a gram and and passing around a bong. ent is made up of young peo . “[He] wanted this pipe so say vem to mo ut y abo cup Oc he’s the of ll ty Ha The vast majori s for being at City ped into gh Joe knows this, his reason me this pipe.” r Tribe, a fellow Occupier step trade traditional student particularly students. Althou the h wit do e littl rviewing Joe inside the Sta y to inte ver ted was has I wan es As gel one An any if Los ed y lack ask cup in support of Oc n purple bong and ks, student loans and t of tuition, fees and text boo the welcoming tent with a neo said thanks but no. issues such as the rising cos weed or another pipe. Joe e som ybe . ma tion it, dua for gra ing r eth afte som ties s. “People actually trade uni say ort Joe of employment opp and bongs and drugs,” interaction amongst the es and pip nity just mu om, a not com it’s the nd , “A ogy atever you need, like a bro As a student of anthropol Joe. g. And supplies like tarps. Wh in thin ws clo dra y and d edl foo and le-h sing re Occupiers is what pology so it’s mo ,” Joe says. “I study anthro shovel.” y LA? “It’s more about community Eviction: the End of Occup ing com ic.” Up am e dyn Th t tha Villaraigosa announced , io ect ton asp ns An al about the cultur nce last Friday Mayor south, west and north law fere The con ll. ss Ha y pre a Cit at ring ts Du ten There are more than 400 t groups, or what the Angeles at City Hall. covered by these tents. Ten an end date for Occupy Los se on Monday, Nov. 28, ce spa g pin cam of have all been almost solidly lack that City Hall Park will clo the g to cin se oun pon ann to res in am I g min day for “To an the Occupy LA encampment ongings Occupiers call “Tribes,” beg ve without fear of their bel ’re asking the participants in nner,” lea We ma . and erly a.m e 1 ord com 12:0 an ly at in k free ld Par ll cou Ha and theft. People s and to leave City near it, and room was ing or t ong ten bel ir the at the k be pac ays to alw in uld beg being stolen—someone wo , was a necessity. press conference. re tents. Sharing, eventually Villaraigosa said during the city’s decision to you and y ver quickly running out for mo thie e expressed dismay over the id hav ny demonstrators ple together, you avo Ma peo of after City Council lot lly a se, e ecia sen hav esp n , you ow ent ir hen pm the am “W within every tribe, in clearing out the enc h So . wit h nity oug mu thr com go of t for Occupy Los se por sen sup a actually promote sed a resolution in s everyone really nity. That whole aspect get lically and unanimously pas mu pub com of se sen a e vid pro they Angeles on Oct. 12. similar brutality exercised comfortable.” rried that the city will show wo are iers d, cup Oc e s Som be Davis, UC Berkeley, Portlan A Community of Tri tribes number City Hall’s lawns, some include the the country, such as at UC oss acr ice pol re by mo or 10 ly Approximate Star Tribe. in ck Hole, Love Tribe and the Oakland and New York. it,” Odara said. “Once there Music center, Mix tribe, Bla get along well,” Joe we and t— ten n holding back from doing h Because bee eac ve dly. s— ey’ mil ent it “Th rtm do to apa i m the min e for “These are littl there is no reason n’t.” de— did mo we ion if act ors ghb de— nei mo er’s bat oth com says. “We wouldn’t be each the tribe refers to as the e.” by Ricky, the leader, which they’re there to get a job don demonstrators remain ply sim was it s say Star Tribe began on Oct. 6 Joe e, think it will get violent if the nam y e’s aril trib ess the nec of sn’t ional scale in doe orig Joe the stars to Occupy protestors on a nat Star Keeper. When asked for though the vast majority of a parachute with a design of n d eve ate ul, don e cef . eon pea zed som tali e aus bru ss decided upon bec and were nonethele have remained non-violent has said that the lawns ’s cousin is Star Joe r. Ricky. lke safety concerns, the mayor Wa and r Sta lth is hea Joe to . n me itio kna add nic In a has ification for the need for e just trib the the as Everyone in are in need of repairs r real name is Odara. She ll He . Ha y een Cit Qu of r s Sta und is t gro ten ’s and te student at USC in Fox. The women inside Joe e but admits in being a gradua the encampment to end. says they’re staying. declined to state her last nam ll. Star Tribe will be doing, Joe Ha y the Cit at at wh t g our ed me y ask en The . Wh tion is t we’re thinking of just movin the Rossier School of Educa h any political ideology, he we ortant for us to stay here tha wit as imp g self so lon s him as n “It’ for t alig tha not g s yin doe rian pla Although Joe the sidewalk, and just hopes for a more egalita to . nd p.m —a 0 are 10:3 iers ore cup bef Oc ts ten the anti-capitalist—as most of the current global community need instead of can,” Joe said. society based on human and capitalist market system.

Community within Communities

occupy lA Photos by Luis Rivas/Collegian Joseph Serrano, known as Star Walker, stands in front of the Star Tribe tent, a grouping of tents at Occupy Los Angeles on the west lawn of City Hall.

Medal From Page 1

Congressional Gold Medal Brings Fairytale Ending

Photo By Robert Sayama Kenji Sayama’s father Robert Sayama took his son’s portrait in his U.S. Army uniform before he headed to Japan in 1945.

Sayama was born in Los Angeles and graduated from Roosevelt High School. He then enrolled at Los Angeles City College. He says he remembers taking a streetcar in those days, walked the block to Vermont Avenue, where back then, there was only lawn with green grass. “I lived in Boyle Heights so I took a streetcar all the way to City College,” he said. Sayama enrolled in LACC where he took math and science courses for a year. Then one of his friends suggested he would be better off at Cal Berkeley, so he transferred there to finish his undergraduate education. The U.S. Government forced him into internment camps toward the end of his undergraduate career at Cal. The university mailed his diploma to him while he was held captive. Sayama and others considered the Japanese American internment, under Executive Order 9066, an act of racial discrimination. The former detainee recounted the period when about 120,000 Japanese on the West

Coast were forced to get rid of their belongings and report to designated points to be transported to camps. Sayama says he carried all of his suitcases by hand, because in those days there were no wheels attached to luggage. The WWII Veteran says he was never despondent while he was in camp. During low points, however, he says he wondered how much longer he would remain there. “I was taken to Santa Anita Racetrack first for about half a year, and then from there I was taken to [an] internment camp called Rohwer in Arkansas,” Sayama said. “And there I spent about a year and half. When the government realized that putting us in camp was a big mistake, and they started a program of releasing people to go out and work…I [then] had an opportunity to volunteer for the Army.” The idea to enlist actually came from friends. When he was in college, he had Caucasian roommates who were all in the service; so Sayama

thought that was “the logical thing to do, to join the Army and get involved.” Joining the Army was one way to get out of internment. At the time, friends of Sayama’s mother would make fun of her, saying that her son joined the same Army that put them all in camps. However, this did not stop Sayama from serving his nation. When he was inducted in 1944, he was sent to Fort Snelling, Minnesota to study military intelligence language for one year. He first met his wife, Hatsuko “Sue” Sayama, in Minneapolis. “It was love at first sight on my end,” said Sayama of his life partner. While Sayama was in the United States Army in Minneapolis, his friend had asked him to go “pick up chicks.” That’s when Cupid’s arrow struck. They had dated from only April to December that year and married on Dec. 8, 1945. After the war ended, he was sent to Japan to work for the occupation force. He served there

for two years. Sayama and his wife Sue had spent the first two years of their marriage apart. Sayama says they had written letters to each other every single day. Fate may have brought them together. However, daughter Jo Sayama Sakai says that her father always maintains a positive attitude and believes that internment led him to join the army, which ultimately brought him to his future wife. After returning from the army, he continued to study at Cal where he earned his masters degree and later, a Ph.D. in zoology. Eventually, he and a friend formed a company called Central Analytical Laboratory. He worked there for 40 years. The husband and wife are now retired. They had formed a large family together, with three daughters, four grandsons, and even three great grandchildren. He credits his wife that the children take after their mom and her happy-go-lucky attitude. Sue will turn 89 on her upcoming birthday. “There is nothing I could do to

change it so I just let it not bother me at all,” Sayama said about his secret to a long life, “I [also] have a wife who never argues with me. We never had one fight during our 66 years of marriage.” Recognition for Sayama and the WWII Nisei Veterans would not have come without the efforts of Sen. Barbara Boxer among others. Sayama says the senator was the one who first initiated the petition in the Senate to honor the Japanese American Veterans. “She got the bill in Senate to give us the medal award,” Sayama said. The bill’s official title is “The Gold Medal Bill S 1055.” U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff also introduced and helped pass the bill in the House of Representatives. On Oct. 5, 2010, President Barrack Obama signed the bill into law. “The story ends up beautifully, from enemy-alien to Congressional Gold Star recipient,” he said. “I think I’ve gone from bottom to top during my lifetime. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Arts&Entertainment

Artist Spotlight

Wednesday December 7, 2011

07

Object of Art

Robert LaChapelle By Lauren Arevalo and Byron Umana

The visual arts was something LACC student Robert LaChapelle found solace in later in life. His first passion was music. “I had a recording deal with Warner Brothers in the late 90’s with a group called Step Brothers, which you can Google if you want.” The experience was pivotal to him in more ways than one, finding many things he’d learned on his path relevant to his budding art career. One of his mentors was Quincy Jones, Grammy Award-winning producer and musician who worked with such acts as Michael Jackson, Duke Ellington and Ray Charles. “He taught me his philosophy about music – people don’t buy records, they buy the artist,” said Robert. “Usually with art people want you to tell a story that they don’t usually have the context to – what the story is about or what it’s built on.” Robert finds his inspiration and lessons in his upbringing and the variety of open and accepting people Los Angeles has to offer. Growing up in South Central, Robert did not know of anyone who did art as a profession. He thinks of his art as narrative in form. “I like graffiti; I do a lot of writing in my paintings […] Even if the painting was a specific thing as a hill and bush, people will find their own connection with it.” Looking forward, Robert wants to continue his education in at UCLA or Cal State LA. “Hopefully in five years I’ll be finished with my MFA, showing my work, and getting some opportunities to expand my execution and the criteria of my work.” To him, the sociopolitical aspects of art are just as important as the images they portray. “If you’re a writer, engineer, or mathematician, your job is to take into account the social paradigm. Art can be a part of that and I like to be a part of that.”

“Elroxo,” a self-portrait of LaChapelle and “The Bird” Photos by Patrick Chong/Collegian

By Lauren Arevalo

Reflecting on Transparency

REVIEW

Photos by Patrick Chong/Collegian Sculpture by artist Jameson Carter on display at the Da Vinci Art Gallery. By Matthew Mullins

The art of Jameson Carter, featured in the DaVinci Gallery beginning Nov., displayed sculptures and prints to provoke and inspire. Hand cut silicone rubber and glass sculptures took on the form of some gelatinous sea creature on draped a slab of glass. Tendrils of rubber hang elegantly around the base of glass, looking like something internal. The glass part of these sculpture acts as a bone structure and the rubber is like tissue framing the base as a rib cage in fascinating and abstract ways. You want to touch it to understand the material but you cannot. In his own words he describes this as, “Pattern based three dimensional amorphic and spherical forms presenting microcosmic and microscopic imagery on a large scale.” Indeed, it is. The prints lining the walls of DaVinci Gallery are almost three dimensional and appear as though they are coming off of the wall. As amorphic and look like figures from a microbiology textbook with swirls of blue and green colors that are truly different. He describes them as “natural form like cells or and biological growths [sic].” The titles of these beautiful creations are almost satirical, such as “Given to flights of inspiration but impatient with the requirements of landing” or “And the reason that there’s the added piece of information that you’ve recognized it, and by recognizing it you’ve changed the character of information.” These titles do change your interpretation of the art and one could guess is that Mr. Carter doesn’t like titling his work, only because many were dubbed “Untitled.” Untitled or titled, they are excellent works. These pieces exude the same maturity and charisma that many works of art in places like LACMA or MOCA do. Carter displays great potential in this auspicious showing to hold the attention of gallery patrons in his own exhibition. By using such pedestrian materials as glass and silicone, he surpasses the expectations for the typical uses of his materials and gives them fluidity.

Right now I’m sitting in my garage and waging a battle with myself-- not very different from any other night – right when it’s apparent I am sleep-deprived and having all sorts of crises. As much as I like “doing things” I have very little evidence to account for the things I do. Like writing, for example. Having an audience absolutely terrifies me. I remember there was a time I was a prolific blogger, and I wrote about plenty of stuff that upon re-reading is very trivial and angsty, but that these graveyards of Internet-space exist and house my former selves, a sort of ecdysis – snake skins – is a comfort to me. It was the only journal-like I kept, which in retrospect, is sort of angering. I then enjoyed the social aspects of blogging and would post things that were – to quote 15-year-old Lauren, “[in] no way a chronicle of my life...but rather, teeny weeny snapshots of what I think wouldn’t be too alarming to a passing stranger.” My present self is now very interested in what was going on in my former self’s brain. There are occasions when, if I had the rare volition to figure out old user names and passwords, I might have deleted them. I am glad I haven’t. There are gems, moments of enlightenment that I would not delete for anything. It’s a strange modern problem – curating what parts of yourself you expose to the Internet. Twenty years from now, what sort of person will I be then? Would my future-self want me to say this? It’s all so much easier on paper-- it’s biodegradable, the ink lifts easily with water, it’s flammable. When posting things on the Internet, even after removal there is an impression left behind. If the Library of Congress really does catalog tweets, the ones you posted in compromising situations or out of anger aren’t really gone at all. Is any of it really gone at all? I have bouts of wanting to delete myself from the Internet entirely, but it would be a time-consuming process. All of those old passwords I’d have to remember, the full history of the sites I’ve visited, and in a few cases, editors I’d have to bother. I admit to committing socialnetwork suicide countless times. Currently, I have three different blogs under pseudonyms for fear that whatever I’m writing will follow me home one day and murder me in cold blood. I always imagine a situation where, when older, and I’ve acquired that distinctive writerly persona that comes with age, like a fine scotch, that I’ll want nothing more than to cover up the fact I once wrote about the local music scene. Our forefathers seem to have had the advantage of anonymity if they wanted it. We have no choice but to live our lives in full disclosure.

08

News

Wednesday December 7, 2011

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Fall 2011 Final Exam Schedule Monday, Dec. 12 – Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011

Primate Expert From Page 1

TIME 7:00-9:00 a.m.

9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Monday December

Classes starting between 7:00 – 7:55 a.m. MTWTh, or Mon/Wed, or starting between 7:00-8:55 a.m. Monday only

Classes starting between 10:00 – 10:55 a.m. MTWTh, or Mon/Wed, or starting between 9:00-10:55 a.m. Monday only

Classes starting between 11:00 – 11:55 p.m.. MTWTh, Mon/ Wed, or starting between 11:00 a.m.-12:55 p.m. Monday only

Classes starting between 1:00 – 2:55 p.m.. MTWTh, Mon/Wed, or starting between 1:00-3:15 p.m. Monday only

Classes starting between 3:20-4:55 MTWTh, or Mon/ Wed, 3:20 – 4:55 p.m. or 3:20-5:55 Monday only

Classes starting between 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. MTWTh, or Mon/Wed, or Monday only

Tuesday December

Classes starting between 7:00 – 7:55 a.m. Tue/Thurs or starting between 7:00-8:55 a.m. Tuesday only

Classes starting between 10:00 – 10:55 a.m. Tue/ Thurs or starting between 9:00-10:55 a.m. Tuesday only

Classes starting between 11:00 – 11:55 p.m. Tue/ Thurs or starting between 11:00 a.m.-12:55 p.m. Tuesday only

Classes starting between 1:00 – 2:55 p.m. Tue/Thurs or starting between 1:00-3:15 p.m. Tuesday only

Classes starting between 3:20 – 4:55 p.m. Tue/Thur or 3:20-5:55 Tuesday only

Classes starting between 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Tue/Thur or Tuesday only

Classes starting between 8:00 – 8:55 a.m. MTWTh, Mon/Wed, Wed/Fri, or starting between 7:00-8:55 a.m. Wednesday only

Classes starting between 9:00 – 9:55 a.m. . MTWTh, Mon/Wed, Wed./Fri, or starting between 9:00-10:55 a.m. Wednesday only

Classes starting between 12:00 – 12:55 p.m. MTWTh, Mon/Wed, Wed./Fri, or starting between 11:00 a.m.-12:55 p.m. Wednesday only

Classes starting between 1:00 – 2:55 p.m. Wed./Fri, or starting between 1:00-3:15 p.m. Wednesday only

Classes starting between 5:00-5:55 Mon/Wed or Wed Fri, or 3:20 – 5:55 p.m. Wednesday only

Classes starting between 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Wed/Fri or Wednesday only

Classes starting between 8:00 – 8:55 a.m. Tue/Thurs, or starting between 7:00-8:55 a.m. Thursday only

Classes starting between 9:00 – 9:55 a.m Tue/Thurs, or starting between 9:00-10:55 a.m. Thursday only

Classes starting between 12:00 – 12:55 p.m. Tue/ Thurs, or starting between 11:00 a.m.-12:55 p.m. Thursday only

Classes starting between 1:00-3:15 p.m. Thursday only

Classes starting between 5:00-5:55 Tue/Thurs or 3:20 – 5:55 p.m. Thursday only

Classes starting between 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Thursday only

Classes starting between 7:00 – 7:55 a.m. Wed/Fri or starting between 7:00 – 8:55 a.m. Fri/ Sat or Friday only

Classes starting between 10:00 – 10:55 a.m. Wed/Fri or starting between 9:00 – 11:55 a.m Fri/Sat or Friday only

Classes starting between 11:00 – 11:55 p.m. Wed/Fri or starting between 12:00 – 2:55 p.m. Fri/Sat or Friday only

Classes starting between 1:00 – 2:55 p.m. Fri/Sat, or starting between 3:00 – 4:55 p.m. Fri/ Sat or Friday only

Classes starting between 5:00 – 5:55 p.m. Fri/Sat or Friday only

Classes starting between 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Fri/Sat or Friday only

Classes starting between 12:00 – 2:55 p.m. Saturday only

Classes starting between 3:00 – 4:55 p.m. Saturday only

DAY

12 13

Wednesday December

14

Thursday December

15

Friday December

16

Saturday December

17

Classes starting between 7:00 – 8:55 a.m. Saturday only

Public Service Announcement Produced by Stuart Murphy

Classes starting between 9:00 – 11:55 a.m Saturday only

12:00 – 2:00 p.m.

2:30-4:30 p.m.

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

7:30 – 9:30 p.m.

“The establishment of the Gibbon Conservation Center in Santa Clarita to breed rare and endangered gibbon species gave him the opportunity to refine the husbandry of captive gibbons, knowledge which he shared with zoos in the United States and facilities throughout much of Southeast Asia, and to make significant contributions...,” said Ardith Eudey of Asian Section, IUCN Primate Specialist Group. “At the same time, he made his facility available to others doing non-invasive studies and encouraged their work, especially that of students.” Volunteer Coordinator for the Gibbon Conservation Center, Chris Roderick recalls the moment she first met Mootnick. During the 2007 Santa Clarita brush fires after driving down a dirt road looking for neighbors in need, she spotted a “skinny bearded guy, wearing suspenders and dragging a rake.” Mootnick informed her that he and his assistant had been working all night fighting the fire to protect the center with a garden hose. Seeing his passion and dedication for the center and gibbons, Roderick quickly found herself involved in the center. “Alan taught me the valuable lesson that anything worth doing is worth doing right the first time. Stubborn, comical, stoic and passionate ---- that was Alan,” Roderick said. “He worked harder than anyone and created a true sanctuary for his gibbons.” Mootnick was born on Jan.23, 1951 in the San Fernando Valley. He is survived by his sister Ronnie Weinberger.

NEWS BRIEFS Compiled by Richard Martinez

Classes starting between 5:00 – 6:55 p.m. Saturday only

No exams scheduled

Free Dance Recital at the Camino Theatre Modern dance, jazz, hip-hop and other styles of dance will be performed by students and faculty for audiences at the Camino Theatre on Dec. 7 at noon and on Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. Admission to the first performance is free. Tickets are available for the second performance for $7 online and $10 at the door. Seating is limited and there is no will call.

Career Center Offers Interviewing Help Scan with your smartphone to view a message about campus safety.

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

®

NOW OPEN AT NORTHRIDGE FASHION CENTER - A nonprofit, WASC-accredited university - Online and on-campus associate’s, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs

Job search help is available to students through the Career & Job Development Center. The Center has scheduled “mock interview sessions” on Dec. 12 from 5-6 p.m., and Dec. 15 from 1-2 p.m. in Admissions Building, Room 109. Individual sessions last for about 10 minutes and are designed to help students develop their interviewing skills. Sign up before the event is not required. For more information, call (323) 953-4000 ext. 2210.

Ceramic Goods on Sale to Support Art Scholarships Ceramic pieces crafted by City students and alumni will be on sale in front of Da Vinci Hall, Dec. 7 and 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4- 6 p.m. Art materials will also be on sale. All proceeds from the event will go to art scholarships.

- Talk with an advisor and create the right education plan to meet your goals

Book Buyback, iPad Giveaway Begins

- Experience the flexibility of taking an online class

Books N’ More, the College Bookstore has scheduled its end of semester book buyback for Dec. 12-15 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 3-7 p.m. and on Dec. 19 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. The Bookstore is looking to buy all supplemental equipment purchased alongside textbooks regardless of where they were purchased. Ask a store employee for information on how to participate in Books N’ More iPad giveaway.

- Learn about financial aid options and transfer scholarships

© 2011 National University 10228

Primatologist Expert Dies at 60

Learn more at the National University Online Information Center in Northridge

Budget Cuts into Restroom Supplies

Northridge Fashion Center on level one 9301 Tampa Avenue 818.718.3140

City College finds itself running low on basic restroom supplies. From Da Vinci Hall, Jefferson Hall and the Science and Technology Building students have complained of an absence of paper towels.

www.nu.edu

The University of Values An Affiliate of The National University System

Sports

Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

Wednesday December 7, 2011

Basketball Draws Crowds; Fans Show Little Love for Volleyball

SPORTS

BIN College Overlooks Student Athletes; Encourages ‘Academics’

Tumba Aristote serves the ball at the Intramural Volleyball game in the Women’s Gym, on Friday, Oct. 7, 2011.

While collegiate sports fans cheer for their fellow student athletes in the intramural basketball league, the same cannot be said for the volleyball league.

By Luis Ponce

that would really pump us up even more.” Compared to last semester, the co-ed volleyball program has seen an increase of both players and teams. Teams like Exotic, Mathology and Revenge of Rock Bottom are just a few of the teams that take it to the court. Players like Kimberly Moran, a nursing major who plays for team Exotic, harbor mixed emotions about the program. She feels that the volleyball program is more for recreational purposes than an actual competition. Having played in both high school and college, she yearns for a gym filled with fans cheering for intercollegiate athletes. “I kind of feel bad sometimes. It makes me want to transfer to another school,” Moran said. “It would feel much better [with fans] … you would feel the hype.” Nonetheless, Moran is still hopeful that before she transfers to a

It is no secret to anyone that basketball has a stronger following than volleyball. When LACC decided to pull the plug on its athletic program in the fall of 2008, the volleyball program was the last to go; getting spiked the following semester. Even then, the program suffered from an inadequate fan base. Karmina Garcia, sports coordinator and member of basketball team Revenge of Rock Bottom says that having the games take place on a day the campus is completely deserted is one of the reasons fans are missing in action. She says basketball’s popularity causes it to overshadow the volleyball program. Still, she remains optimistic about the program’s future. “We put the same amount of effort into both [programs], it’s just that basketball has always been more popular,” Garcia said. “We’re definitely working on that, because

university, she can represent the Cubs in an actual competition against other schools in the district. She says that there is ample talent in the program to put a competitive team together. Nursing major and member of both leagues, Aristote Tumba knows that a vital part of a successful program has to do with a solid fan base. Tumba said that volleyball has come a long way from last semester when very few students signed up to play. Still, Tumba says the fans have yet to show up. “I guess they [the fans] just don’t care about volleyball,” Tumba said, “I wish there would be fans supporting us.” While a number of volleyball players remain indifferent, others hope to play in a gym full of cheers to match those of the basketball league. Fans are an integral part of any sports program; their presence and support will undoubtedly aid in bringing sports back to LACC.

Sports Schedule BASKETBALL FOOTBALL SOCCER

GOLF L ALBADMINTON LED L E C CAN

ALL ED LL E C CAN

09

By Byron Umana

Photo by Patrick Chong/Collegian

Intramural Basketball Stats

LEAGUE STANDINGS 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8)

W6 L 0 1 5 2 4 2 4 4 2 4 2 5 1 6 0

Team Elite SNL TPLDU HAM Old School New Skool Snappbacc Swagg KB 8

Complete your dream.

When I was a little kid, I remember looking forward to coming to school with my mom. She attended LACC and every weekend we would come and watch the soccer and basketball matches. Watching the college students engage in their respective sport was exciting, and it was in high school that I came to realize that sports were not just something to do; they were a way of life. My blood boiled when I discovered that sports had been cancelled at LACC. It is ridiculous that a school would cancel an activity that encourages discipline and brings students a sense of pride in their school. I find it outrageous that East Los Angeles Community College and Santa Monica College still have sports while at the same time dealing with the same fiscal problems as L.A. City College. I know that many students who used to play for the LACC teams have gone to other schools to pursue their passion and careers. On the college website it states that cancelling sports “was a difficult decision, but our primary mission is education of our community.” If that were truly the case, art and music education should have been cut as well, for they enhance the mind just as much as sports. Cooperation, communication and commitment are things that we learn through playing sports. These are all qualities that will serve us well in our future careers. An institution of learning should clearly encourage activities that promote healthy living and personal development. The administration must try to meet the needs of all students, and not overlook athletes looking for an education.

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Encino, West LA, and Irvine Graduate Campuses

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10

Wednesday December 7, 2011

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Los Angeles | COLLEGIAN

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