WANNA WIN SOME FREE COFFEE ON US?
Burn beauty standards OPINION, PAGE 3
The Collegian FEATURE, PAGE 7
Issue 11 • Friday, April 12, 2019 •
FINDING A PLACE ON CAMPUS FOR STUDENTS
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Assembly Bill 302 looks to address nearly one in five homeless community college students in the system
deltacollegian.net
J.C. Penney hosts event for Stockton college students BYJASMINE GONZALEZ Senior Staff Writer
The word “sale” sounds incredible but how does 40 percent off an entire purchase with an already-discounted price sound? Extraordinary, especially for students on a budget. On April 7, J.C. Penney in Weberstown Mall, across the street from Delta College, held a Suit-Up Event for Delta and University of the Pacific students. The store was closed at 6 p.m. for regular customers, but remained open until 9 p.m. for students to shop with their families. “It’s a lot easier to shop without so many people plus it’s all 40 percent off,” said Brandon Jones. Besides the dress apparel and shoes the store also offered discounted head shots starting at $29.99 and free Sephora makeovers. “It’s helping save a lot of money especially when you’re a college student,” said Kassandra Angulo.
See SUIT UP, page 12
“From a police department standpoint, we are absolutely concerned with potential security issues. HomeRecently, a Palo Alto Assembly member has intro- lessness has become an epidemic and something must duced a bill aimed at making community college easier be done. The concerns that we do have though come to attend for students who are homeless by allowing into play with the safety of the individuals and the campus in general. Those students will become inherthem to sleep in their cars in campus parking lots. If passed, this Assembly Bill 302 would require Cal- ently more vulnerable. The reality is it’ll be difficult to ifornia community colleges to grant overnight access enforce if people don’t follow A, B and C.” Bock said if this were to pass, those students who to campus parking facilities for homeless students to sleep in their vehicles. The students must be enrolled would like to sleep in their cars on campus would have to sign liability forms. in coursework, has paid enrollment fees He is also concerned by the staffing isif not waived and is in good standing sues from a security standpoint and what with the community college. To read the text of it means for Delta’s campus police. A recent report released by the Cal- Assembly Bill 302 at this Colleges would have to address these ifornia Community Colleges Chancel- link: bit.ly/ab-302 issues before implementation: lor’s Office and The Hope Center for Would they have to hire more people College, Community and Justice found or switch some officers from the day shift that of 40,000 students surveyed at 57 community colleges, 19 percent experienced homeless- to the night shift to suffice? Would the redistribution of resources cause unexpected issues elsewhere in the ness in the previous year. “The reality is that students are sleeping in their long run? “I see community colleges as needing to serve the vehicles right now, and when we don’t provide a safe place for them to sleep, we force them into the shad- students that come to their campus and that means hoows,” said Assemblymember Marc Berman, who rep- listically,” said Vice President of Instruction Dr. James resents the 24th district. “We can no longer pretend Todd. “So we know we already have students that have that community college student homelessness isn’t a lived out of their vehicles, who could not afford housing or other things that are basic necessities. So, I’m crisis-we have the data that clearly says it is.” Berman is advocating for AB 302 because of student hopeful this could become something that could help testimonies he heard at state informational hearings the students that come to Delta. What I’m just as optiabout the struggles of homeless students, including mistic about, in terms of supporting students, is finanhaving to sleep in cars due to the high cost of housing. cial aid reform. Senate Bill 291 is about that which is “I do think this bill should pass and that’s my perSee AB 302, page 2 sonal opinion,” said Delta Police Sergeant John Bock.
BY CATLAN NGUYEN Editor in Chief
Summer 2019 schedule gives students options for class duration BY CATLAN NGUYEN Editor in Chief
Starting in the summer of 2019, Delta College will begin offering a new variety of summer class sessions. There will be three four-week sessions, three six-week sessions, one eight-week session and one 12-week session. “We had to plan for when UCs and CSUs get done with classes and when high schools are done so we created a ton of options so students have a better chance at fitting summer classes into their schedules and more options to meet their requirements quicker,” said Delta Vice President of Instruction Dr. James Todd. “Most of the system right now is trying to reduce the time it takes to get your degree or transfer, which means taking more units.” The new summer schedule allows students to knock out as many as nine units during the summer, and many students can mix and match the different sessions. Todd collaborated with Enrollment Manager Christina Snedd and all of the division deans to develop this new schedule in a way that would cater to students’ needs best. One of the overall goals of every instructional faculty at Delta is to create more platforms for students to voice what their needs are so Delta can implement changes that will
See SUMMER, page 2
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2 NEWS 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/news
SUMMER: Schedule includes multiple duration options for flexibility
4 Weeks
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
May 27-June 21 June 24-July 19 July 22 - Aug 16 May 27-July 5 June 21-August 2 July 8-August 16
June 24-August 16
Fall 2019 Semester
MAY
help students gain a degree or transfer within two years, according to Todd. “A student could take English 1A at the beginning of the summer and English 1B at the end, or really any class combination like that,” said Sheli Ayers, dean of Languages, Library and Learning Resources. “This is really consistent with all the changes that we’re making with the college right now under the Guided Pathways initiative and AB 705, because it allows students to get to their goal faster.” Under AB View the 705, incoming summer students to Delschedule at ta will now be bit.ly/sjdc placed into classsummer19 es based on their high school GPA versus a placement test because research found that it was a more accurate measure of how well they’ll do in a class, according to Ayers. Delta also made the decision to remove remedial English and math classes. “It’s a goal of the college, the Chancellor’s office and the state legislature is for students to pass transfer-level English and math within their first year at college so this summer sched-
Spring 2019 Semester
continued from PAGE 1
May 27-August 16
6 Weeks
ule will help towards that,” said Ayers. “Since everyone is eligible for English 1A right away, it also means they are also eligible for a lot of other gateway classes that aren’t English classes that would’ve otherwise had English 1A as a prerequisite.”
8 Weeks
12 Weeks
Earlier this year, the early retirement program was offered to staff that met certain criteria and many faculty have taken it. According to Todd, however, the early retirement program will not affect staffing for the summer classes.
“Other than the new summer schedule requiring me to play ‘Tetris’ with what classes I can offer and at what time, it wasn’t a lot of extra work to change the schedule,” says Dean of Arts and Communication Christopher Guptill.
AB 302: Bill to provide a place on campus for students to sleep in cars continued from PAGE 1 making sure that we take into account the true cost for a California Community College student. If you go to a UC or a CSU, you’re guaranteed different kinds of financial aid packages which sometimes makes the true cost at a CSU or UC cheaper than at a community college. I am in full support of it.” Todd is in favor of AB 302 passing — however he would like to help students gain housing before resorting to them having to live out of their cars. “AB 302 was first proposed by students through the Student Senate of California Community Colleges,” said ASDC Senator of Legislative Affairs Colm Fitzgerald. “The help AB 302
and impact it’ll have will be ultimately more profound than any dangers that could come from it. It’s by no means a permanent solution. (Senate Bill) SB 291 is a more permanent solution.” Senate Bill 291, which was also introduced recently, calls for a reformulation of how financial aid is distributed to students at community colleges. It would consider the true cost of going to a community college and grant financial aid for not just tuition but also food, housing, transportation and more. Delta also just recently opened a food pantry on campus for students which grants students who are enrolled a certain amount of points every semester which they can redeem to get food.
MEMORIES 8 a.m. April 26, 27 • Muller Studio Theatre Free Admission • Donations Welcome Seating is first come, first served.
3 OPINION 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion
Hannah Lewis (left), Diana Martinez (right), burn bras in support of a feminist movement, and against bra wearing standard. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TAYTON MCCORSTIN
VICTORIA’S SECRET TOXIC BODY IMAGE BY AMIRAH AMENHOTEP Social Media Editor
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ictoria Secret has been ‘the’ brand for underwear and lingerie for around 40 years ever since it’s opening in the late 1970s. Every company of course has its competition, but the competition shows how Victoria’s Secret only caters to one figure. The biggest size is extra large which is the equivalent to a size 16. The brand believes that a size two is plus size compared
to the usual ‘model thin’, when in reality — and common knowledge — plus size is actually size 16 and up. “That’s extra small, it’s not even a healthy size that most people can have. It’s unrealistic,” said Delta student Eveline Cruz. Although they sell this size in the store, there has never been a size 16 model to walk the runway, and that’s where much criticism of the brand comes from. Recently the company is under fire for the attempting what they call
diversity, which to the brand is a ginger with wider hips. If the company wanted variety, they would listen to the ideas being put out there. “That’s ridiculous that’s why I stopped shopping there because I heard about the company scandal,” said Delta student Crystal Cruz. It’s not a new trend for the company either, Victoria Secret representatives have been very transparent with their views progressing as a company. Last year, it was asked why there isn’t opportunity
for transgender models, the answer by the CEO was upsetting to all. His answer was that it’s “a 42-minute fantasy show”, that’s telling consumers that the brand doesn’t cater to women of a bigger size nor are they ready to progress to include transgender models. Statements like this are what the younger generation hears every day. Now, when that same generation wants to shop, they can’t because the company they want shop at doesn’t cater to their figure or they feel like they are treated
unequally. There are other stores that can cater to different sizes but those other stores cater to all sizes just not size 00- 16. “I think that’s crazy backwards in a way and is dehumanizing for people who have a different body type,” said Delta student Eryn Reed. “Having plus size models and bigger underwear sizes would help. Representation matters because many would want to purchase from a brand that makes them feel comfortable and included.
If you’re not a feminist, you’re a sexist BY AYIA RASHID
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Staff Writer
eminism is the belief women and men should be treated as equals. If you don’t identify as a feminist then you are a sexist, the belief that one gender is better than the other. There is no grey area here, you’re either a feminist or just a really crappy person. Feminism isn’t just a movement for women although that’s how it started but it has evolved into much more. Whether you’re a man or woman you should be a feminist. Telling a male he “kicks like a girl” or telling a female she “runs fast for a girl.”
The Collegian The Collegian is the student newspaper of San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, Calif. The paper is published six times a semester. As a First Amendment newspaper we pride ourselves on a commitment to the students of Delta College while maintaining independence. We reinvigorate the credo that the newspaper speaks for the students, checks abuses of power and stands vigilant in the protection of democracy and free speech. The Collegian is a member of the California Newspaper Publisher’s Association and the Journalism Association of Community Colleges.
These are sexist statements. When asked: “Do you identify as a feminist?” student Aasiea Sadiq responded: “Yes, I consider myself a feminist. I want all women to have the same right as men socially, economically and politically.” So you may ask if feminism promotes equal rights why is it always turned into a heated subject? Many people when hearing the word feminism tend to imagine a group of naked angry women burning bras in the street or think of it as an anti-men movement. “I don’t consider myself a feminist because I don’t think being equal to men should be a women’s purpose when we’re
EDITORS CATLAN NGUYEN
Editor in Chief/Feature
TYRA GREEN Feature
VIVIENNE AGUILAR News
AYAANA WILLIAMS Opinion
JOSEPH MUNOZ Entertainment
PAUL MUYSKENS Sports
AMIRAH AMENHOTEP Social Media
CONTACT US:
SENIOR STAFF JASMINE GONZALEZ
STAFF MARIA ABUGARADE RAYO JUSTINE CHAHAL CHRISTOPHER ESCAMILLA CHRISTINA IMERI ISAIAH JOHNSON NICOLETTE LUNA MAISY MACATO YGRAINE MONTGOMERY
capable of so much more,” said student Huma Ahmad. The misuse of the word “feminist” is common. People tend to blame feminism for a small percentage of women who call themselves feminist as an excuse for lack of hygiene, walking around naked or acting out. Let’s take for example shaving armpits, it’s not a feminist statement to not shave your underarms, it’s just nasty. Whether you are a man or woman I have two words for you: shave it. So let’s take back the true meaning of feminism and educate ourselves of what it really means to be a feminist.
STAFF JOSEPH PETHOUD AYIA RASHID TAN TRAN TAMIA VIDES-ARAYA
ADVISER TARA CUSLIDGE-STAIANO
MULTIMEDIA TECH MATTHEW WILSON
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shima 203/204, (209) 954-5156 or deltacollegian@gmail.com For information about advertising, letters to the editor and editorial standards visit deltacollegian.net
4 OPINION 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion
Fast food advertisements not visually truthful to us BY MARIA ABUGARADE RAYO Staff Writer
Pick up a trash bag, take on the #TrashTag challenge BY TAMIA VIDES-ARAYA Staff Writer
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challenge that began as a small social media tag has expanded, becoming a widely known trend across all platforms. The #TrashTag challenge became popular back in 2012 after a Reddit post was made, compelling the public to go out and find an outdoor area with trash and take two photos: one before, and one after. In 2015, clothing company UCO, launched the #TrashTag making it a viral hashtag everyone could use. “I see small pieces of plastic everywhere littering the streets...people really don’t see the gravity of how serious small quantities of trash affect our ecosystems,” said science major Brianna Serrato. Within the past few months the #TrashTag has become viral again, encouraging participants anywhere from Berlin, to Russia, India and the U.S. to post progress of their small clean-ups. This challenge became popular once more in the beginning of March after a photoset was posted on Facebook, displaying ecologist, Drici Tani Younes and his clean up of a forest in Algeria. The post was captioned with a
call to action which gave the campaign new life. “If each of us start small, trying to make an impact on the world, it’ll eventually start making a greater effect, it’s common sense. There are parks here in Stockton that need to be cleaned up … like Oak Park,” said Serrato. A small effort can go a long way to help maintain the already struggling ecosystems. Lakes are polluted, coasts are littered with trash, Stockton has one of the biggest inland ports that also fills with trash along the shorelines. Delta has several gardens that are open to the students, however, the campus must stay clean in order to keep the ecosystems properly working. If trash is seen, students must make the effort to dispose of it properly. It’s encouraged to use the #TrashTag when going out within the community in order to show the progress and spread awareness. It only takes a few friends, a few trash bags, gloves, and caution when picking up trash. The #TrashTag challenge is here to stay because the changes we have made in the environment are becoming more evident and need to be fixed by those who have caused it.
MUSTANG VOICE
“I think they’re good if you need something to keep you busy and if you have the time then it’s good to take advantage of that.”
Jesus Acevedo
A
t some point in our life, we realize what you order at a fast food place is never what you see on billboards or tv ads. The photo manipulation of fast food to make it look so luxurious, colorful and nutritional vs the sloppy, bland and half sized Big Mac you get is just not right. In general, any type of photo nowadays can have so much photoshopping done to it, yet fast food photography does not rely on Photoshop as much as using non edible products to get the perfect picture. To make such photographs impeccable, here are some tricks photographers use: • Using eye-liner to give grill marks • Covering vegetables with deodorant to give them a shine • Replacing vegetable shortening for ice cream to prevent from melting • Spraying hairspray to make dry ingredients look moist • Using motor oil in place of a sauce Imagine putting all these non-edible products on your food.
Try lovin’ that. Kitchen Manager Andy Tam from Taste in Plymouth, Calif., said, “making such false advertisements and knowing the potential of what food could really look like is a shame, especially being in the food industry myself, I know there are natural ways to make food appealing.” All of the editing and manipulation makes one think, what is the food industry trying to do to our brains. Can one believe anything they see? Aaron Cutler, current Culinary Arts major at Delta said, “I understand the need for a perfect picture, however not showing the real final product is disappointing and question what are we really getting.” Next time you order fast food, look up a billboard or tv ad and compare the two, sideby-side to see the difference first hand.
April Fools is a joke; and not a funny one BY JOSEPH MUNOZ Entertainment Editor
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nother year, another April Fools’ Day goes by, where every big company rushes to social media to make a fake product announcement or clever brand change to coincide with the holiday. From the famous Google Maps Pacman game to the infamous left-handed Whopper, companies will pull every trick in the book to generate those sweet social media clicks. Gone are the days of April Fools being full of gag pies and shock buzzers, instead, we turn to our twitter feeds to look at companies’ product reveals only to type “OMG I WISH THIS WASN’T AN
APRIL FOOLS’ JOKE!!!” For kids, April Fools’ Day seems like it would be a great holiday — until they’re told that any pranks at school will result in them getting detention and any pranks towards their siblings will result in them getting grounded. Everyone likes the idea of hilarious practical jokes, just so long as the joke doesn’t affect them personally. The underlying problems with practical jokes doesn’t get to the core problem with April Fools’ Day though — it’s contradictory. Pulling pranks is supposed to be a surprise. It’s your chance to catch someone off guard and get them to make a fool of themselves. So why on earth would
you attempt a hilarious prank on the one day that everyone expects to be pranked? The existence of April Fools’ Day prevents any meaningful pranks from happening because everyone is on edge about pranks. April Fools’ is a double-edged sword however, as any attempt to criticize or bemoan the holiday will result in you being branded as a “buzzkill” or “party pooper.” I would love to see practical jokes make a return, but more importantly, when no one expects them, not because a date on a calendar told you that it’s time to be funny. The next time you want to prank someone hard, do it on Christmas, because at least then it won’t be expected.
‘How do you feel about summer sessions at Delta College?’
“It’s important because I work and I go to school so I can’t be full time during the year so I can make up the classes I can’t take.”
Tytianna Page
“Students in general who work and stuff, they can be helpful in a way, but also it could take students out of their rhythm, I could see that as well.”
Enrique Cardona
“If someone wants to get a head start on their classes then they should go right ahead and take them.”
“To be honest I’ve never taken a summer class, but for people who wanna get out of here quick, yeah I think they’re important.”
Alondrha Jimenez
Armando Martinez
5 OPINION 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion
MENTAL HEALTH COURSE SHOULD BE Past Year Prevalence of Any Mental Illness Among U.S. Adults (2017) OFFERED TO COLLEGE STUDENTS Data Courtesy of SAMHSA
30
Past year prevalence of any mental illness among adults in 2017 25.8
25 25
Percent Percent
20 20
28.6
22.3
22.2
20.4
18.9 15.1
15 15
13.8
19.4 16.2
15.2
18.9
14.5
10 10 55 0 0
Overall Overall
Female Female
Male Male
18-25 18-25
Sex Sex
26-49 26-49
50+ 50+
þÿ H i s p a nWhite i&
Age Age
Black
Asian
NH/OPI** AI/AN*** 2 or More
Race/Ethnicity
illness and tend to self-diagnot being fulfilled. us that come here don’t come annoying, taboo or nobody’s nose through friends, family Delta has recently taken from homes that are educated business, etc., and/or social media, rather part in the establishment of about mental health.” For these reasons, young ollege can be one of the than figuring out what’s wrong one of its newer clubs, Active If more people receive people have a hard time most stressful*All times in groups and getting help if needed. Minds.| **NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian thorough/education on mental discussing mental health other are real non-Hispanic or Latino Other Pacific Islander a young person’s life. Some may have symptoms This club is part of a nationhealth as a sociology or psybecause either they are scared ***AI/AN = American Indian / Alaskan Native Mental health challenges of a mental illness and brush it al organization that advocates chology course, it will poof judgment based on these are on the rise among teens off as “I’m just really emotion- for mental health awareness tentially help cure the stigma misconceptions, or they feel and young adults, but just al” or “I’m just a little anxious.” and provides resources for of mental health as well as like they don’t know enough knowing that is not enough. While others will do the students who think they may debunk any false accusations to speak on it. There are a plethora of facexact opposite where they have mental health problems. about mental challenges and We are missing a large area tors contributing to the overall may have strong emotions or Now that Delta is steadily illnesses. This is a very gray of study that goes beyond growth of these statistics, feelings and assume they have encouraging talking about area in the sense that there are standard psychology courses. however a lot of it has to do depression, etc. mental health, I think it is a lot of different misconcepThis is about creating an enwith miseducation about the The problem is not so much time to think about what it tions about mental health. vironment where more people subject of mental health. that depression and anxiety is can do to teach students about For instance, miseducated can be aware of specific mental Terms used to describe on the rise, but that schools the subject from an education- people tend to go label people health disorders, without feelmental challenges, such as and society are not pushing to al standpoint. who are diagnosed with ing like it’s a taboo subject to depression and anxiety, get advocate educating teens and “I think if Delta College mental challenges as “psycho”; talk about more in-depth. thrown around a lot more young adults on mental health. were to have a course about many people believe that if It is just as important for frequently and casually than Bottom line is the duty mental health it would be you have money and a good people to be educated about necessary. of properly educating young really beneficial,” said Celine life, that you can’t possibly the subject as it is to talk about Many young people have people on mental health and Pham, president of Delta’s Ac- have mental health issues; it in a designated club or mistaken emotion with mental symptoms of mental illness is tive Minds chapter. “A lot of talking about mental health is amongst peers.
BY AYAANA WILLIAMS
C
Opinion Editor
Easter is destroying the planet BY VIVIENNE AGUILAR News Editor
T
raditional American Easter traditions are horrible for the planet. If you are Eco-conscious like I am, the sight of plastic eggs, toys, and GRASS makes you cringe. Aisles of colorful, single-use decorations aren’t practical. Who buys 500 packs of eggs only to buy 500 more the next year? I miss the simplicity of bright vinegar. Whether or not you celebrate Easter, the point is rebirth. Spring is the time of new life.
The earth is fighting for life as we speak thanks to all the plastic amassing in the ocean. Plastic grass is the most hypocritical and spiteful holiday decoration ever to be sold. For a holiday focused around spring and regrowth this all this plastic pollution ensures there will be less green in the coming years. The tradition of Easter baskets can be a joyous memory for children, unfortunately this furthers corporate agenda to associate holidays with spending money. If you love the planet, give your loved ones actual grass with their chocolate bunnies.
Homeless students live on campus, spark conversation BY TYRA GREEN Feature Editor
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he cost of college has recently gone up significantly and continues to grow year after year. For some community college students, living at home is an option and financial aid may be given. But, for many students whether at a community or four year university, those resources are not an option. There is no denying that there are many college students who are homeless. Many of these students sleep in their cars or even on benches around campus. In the state of California a reported one in five community college students are homeless, surveyed from 40,000
students around 57 out of 115 community colleges. There is also an estimated twenty percent of 2.1 million community college students that have experienced homelessness at one point. The number only grows higher as many community colleges around California do not have any housing. On April 2, a bill was introduced in the state legislature, aimed at allowing homeless college students to sleep in their cars on campus due to housing crisis. This is a step closer for those struggling to find a place to sleep at night. There are still many issues that need to be handled in the case of long term living situations.
But making changes can be difficult if many of the students facing homeless insecurities won’t speak on being a homeless college student. Many times colleges tend to not speak on the topic of homeless students on campus, which can make these students feel ashamed of their situation, when in many cases it isn’t anything they can fix on their own. If homeless students were given more resources, if any at all, from their schools it could help lower the rate of homelessness on campus. Making the campus as a whole more aware of these situations could help in a tremendous way and could make these students feel like they are not alone.
6 FEATURE 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature
Invertebrates swarm Oak Grove Regional Park
(Top Left) The scorpions are part of the Arachnid family. All scorpions can glow under a UV light. (Top Right) Dr. Kathy Schick gave us the oppurtunity to hold the delecate Phasmid. (Bottom Left) “Stick bugs” are actually called Phasmids. Phasmids are slow and graceful while they walk. (Bottom Right) Parker Spurlin (right) shows Frederick McAroy how to properly pet the hissing cockroach. The Madagascar hissing cockroach only hiss when they feel threatened. They are actually very gentle creatures. PHOTOS BY JAELYN MORALES
Library Week brings archivists’ work to light BY CHRISTINA IMERI Staff Writer
A researcher from Karume, Japan recently made a trip to Delta College’s Goleman Library looking for information on George Shima. Shima came to America from Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan and became one of the most successful businessmen in the history of California agriculture. Delta’s Goleman Library played a key role in the visitor’s research, taking him through the archives and ultimately helping him in his quest for information about a local hero. Sunday, April 7 marked the start of National Library Week. Libraries and the people who work within them provide valuable assistance and resources to the communities they operate within. One such group of people who play key roles in aiding the public’s quests for information include archivists. Mary Weppler-Van Diver is a certified archivist for the Goleman Library, working as one at U.C. Merced prior to arriving here. She currently works as a public services librarian and is an associate professor on campus. This semester she is also teaching an online art history class. While she isn’t a full-time archivist here, she enjoys every moment she’s able to spend archiving the school’s records. One such task she enjoys is cataloguing and describing documents, along with making them easily accessible online for the public. “When I first came on board, we didn’t have an archivist. So I had to inventory the collection to see
what we had,” said Weppler-Van Diver. Since arriving at Delta she has been able to create a system for digitizing and managing documents from Delta’s past, dating back to the Stockton College years. Many documents she works with are more than half a century old, some even around 100 years. Such records include: faculty, geographic descriptions, building plans, board meetings and yearbooks. “Digitization is very important to me because it’s a way to share out what we have in the archives rather than keeping it hidden away. People like to have a lot of information immediately … The more we can make available online, the better we can serve the needs of people who want information on the campus’ history.” Campus history is an important topic for libraries and the public alike but archives hold more than that. The McHenry Library at the University of California, Santa Cruz is one of such with unique works and collections in archives. The most well-known collection on the school’s campus is of the Grateful Dead. “...Over 45,000 digitized items from the Grateful Dead Archive at UC Santa Cruz are shared alongside digital content submitted by the worldwide community of Grateful Dead fans,” according to the university library’s online site. In late 2018, the school became the new home of another unique and expansive collection. Eric C. Shoaf, after finishing and publishing his bibliography on prolific writer and journalist Hunter S. Thompson, gave the university his extensive collection of the author’s works and paraphernalia. Thompson is most well-known for the creation of Gonzo-style journalism.
Gonzo journalism is a type of writing style where the author becomes involved with the story and tells it through a first-person account. “The reason we were on his radar to begin with was because of The Grateful Dead...He [Shoaf ] saw a lot of correlation between those two figures...in terms of the concepts of counterculture,” said Teresa Mora, the school’s Head of Special Collections and Archives. Mora is responsible for tasks such as acquiring new materials, providing descriptions of said material, and making them available for research. Originally a pre-veterinary student, she became interested in history during her college years. However, as the head, she has not done much archiving but has been on hand to see all of the pieces coming through. “I had seen an inventory of what we would be getting, but it wasn’t until I started unpacking the boxes. That’s when I really realized the breadth of what we had … It really hit me how prolific Thompson was in his lifetime.” Mora, along with the library’s Special Collections & Archives, still have much work to do in cataloging the extensive works. The amount of periodicals donated that featured Thompson’s writings, Mora estimated, could be in the thousands and are currently open on campus for the public to view. Copies of books by the author are still in the process of being catalogued and range from first editions to publications in many different languages. She even reported pirated copies in the donated works.
7 FEATURE 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature
Young aspiring reporter starts local news station BY TYRA GREEN Feature Editor
Unlike many high school juniors, Gabriel Porras, a 17-year old Lincoln High School junior, has found a passion and turned it into a reliable news source for Stockton and San Joaquin County. Porras reports and anchors for the YouTube channel SCW News, broadcasting on local news and events happening in Stockton, as well as reporting for Lincoln High School’s newspaper The Lincolnian. For about four years, Porras has been reporting on events and has been passionate about journalism for the last five years. “I watched news as a kid and became fascinated with it,” said Porras. He said after everything seemed to snowball, he started to take journalism seriously. “Some of Gabe’s best qualities are his dogged dertermination to be truthful and pursue news every single day,” said Jay Rivera, Porras’ newspaper adviser. He has been reporting on various issues around the community for about two years on a more serious level, by anchoring for SCW News and sharing his stories on Twitter. Porras works hard to make sure that the residents of Stockton receive reliable news from an online source. “My goal in news is to get real information out and stop the spread of false information,” said Porras. Although he’s a teenager, that doesn’t stop Porras from being on the scene and going out to get his best sources. He makes sure that his work is credible and that people can rely on him for their daily news. “We spend a lot of time texting and talking about news coverage, and at his young age he already has a
High school jounalist Gabe Porras interviews protester at the Stockton Slutwalk on his channel SCW News. PHOTO BY AYAANA WILLIAMS
finely tuned sense of what is newsworthy and why,” effort. said Rivera. “I hope to be able to impact Stockton in a positive Porras sets the perfect example that you can do any- way and report on the good things in Stockton,” said thing you set your mind to, if you put in the time and Porras.
Get your 'peep’-ers ready!
Find the hidden Peeps to win one of five Starbucks gift cards
In spirit of the spring season, The Collegian is publishing a special edition where 12 Peeps are hidden, some in plain sight, throughout this issue. Find them and prove it by bringing up an issue to The Collegian newsroom and showing someone on staff where they all are. The first five people to come up and show a Collegian staffer in Shima 204 will win a $10 Starbucks gift card. In the spirit of the season, we’re only accepting one entry per person. Drawing your own Peeps in doesn’t count, so don’t try it. Staff, students and faculty are eligible as long as you let us post a photo of you on social media. We’ll put a sign on the door to the newsroom once all the cards have been given away. We’ll also update our social media channels at instagram.com/deltacollegian, facebook.com/deltacollegian and twitter.com/deltacollegian with results.
Art, public transportation blend together with ‘Van Go’ Staff Writer
In late March through early April, the Haggin Museum and the San Joaquin Regional Transit District announced a collaboration on a project called RTD Van Go. Director of Marketing and Customer Engagement Terry Williams is in charge of promoting it to the community as a new alternative of transportation and a benefit to those in need. RTD Van Go is a new type of transportation taking a group of people on a one-way trip without any stops like a bus does. On top of bringing more joy to riders, it will also reduce traffic in the city. By having this as a form of transportation, it reduces the hassle of having time wasted. Haggin’s involvement to this was helping RTD with the displays of art for the bus and to hire artists to draw on the bus. This is also to get people to enjoy and know more about Vincent Van Gogh and his art.
The name of their bus service Van Go is a reference to the famous painter’s last name ‘Van Gogh.’ Why it’s called Van Go is during the process it was brought up how his last name sounds similar to saying ‘Van’ and ‘Go’ which they found funny and decided to go with the play on words. The artwork on the buses are replicas of famous paintings done by Van Gogh. It’s also a fun way to promote the new project. “Instead of going to art, art comes to you,” said Williams. Riders can also transfer from the Van Go bus to a regular bus for free with a pre-purchased pass. There are four zones for the on-demand service: Stockton, Manteca, Lodi and Tracy. A ride costs $4 per person or you and three friends for the same price. For seniors they receive discounts to $3. Traveling from one zone to the other will cost an additional $4. RTD held a grand opening for the Van Go route on April 10 at the Haggin Museum.
The idea of this originated when RTD wanted to make transportation easier for riders and make it enjoyable, leading to the idea of having painted artwork on their new buses. RTD contacted the museum and agreed to it and hired an artist to replicate famous artwork of Van Gogh as the bus design. Nothing is going to change in the bus system. This is just to help out those who don’t want to deal with all the stops. “It’s designed to not get rid of the bus but to supplement it,” said Williams. This benefits the community by providing a faster way if you need to go to work, school, or home. The line also serves the rural areas of San Joaquin County. “It’s accessible and safer option for them and will have the driver trained and ready to help them in need,” said Williams. William points out that this benefits students as a way to go to school saying, “teens aren’t going to drive and take the bus to school and this benefits them.”
LEARN TODAY. CHANGE TOMORROW.
P L E A S A N TO N
BY CHRISTOPHER ESCAMILLA
University of San Francisco
PROGRAMS IN: MANAGEMENT | NURSING
(925) 867-2711 | usfca.edu/pleasanton 6120 Stoneridge Mall Rd., Ste. 150, Pleasanton, CA CHANGE THE WORLD FROM HE RE
8 ENTERTAINMENT 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/entertainment
THE ENDGAME IS UPON US Here’s our guide to catch up on the MCU
CAPTAIN AMERICA
The Nazis have taken me!
The first Avenger is created through Steve Rogers. Captain America is Born. The tesseract is uncovered.
THOR: DARK WORLD
Captain America and Black Widow uncover a HYDRA conspiracy. Knowledge of more super soldiers like Cap are uncovered.
Sike.
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR
Thanos completes his quest to gather the inifnity stones, kills half of the entire population. Spiderman, Strange, Black Panther are among those who perish.
I got swallowed by a cat.
Captain Marvel unlocks the full extent of her powers. S.H.E.I.L.D gets possesion of the tesseract.
IRON MAN
IRON MAN 2
Billionare Tony Stark ceases weapons production, creates the first Iron Man suit. Stark reveals himself as Iron Man.
Tony Stark finds a permanent solution to his heart diesease. Stark realizes the responsibility of being a hero.
Loki used me to get to earth.
Thor proves himself to be the true hero of Asgard. Loki continues to impersonate Thor’s father Odin
CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER
CAPTAIN MARVEL
THE AVENGERS
IRON MAN 3
Stark comes to grip with the dangers of being Iron Man. Begins to understand what his role as Iron Man really is.
Thor is banished to earth, learns the plight of the human species. Regains his power over lightning.
The first gathering of the original Avengers occurs to defeat the trickster Loki. A new age of superhero protection is ushered in.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 2
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Starlord and his crew learn of the infinity stones. Thanos makes himself known to the universe. The Power Stone is uncovered.
THOR
AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON
Starlord confronts his father’s evil past. Thanos begins his quest to collect all 5 infinity stones.
Stark creates Ultron who teams up with newcomers Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver to destroy humanity. Quicksilver dies to defeat Ultron.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
Due to the realization that Captain Americas best friend killed Tony’s parents, the Avengers split into two
I got horribly destroyed with Asgard...
THOR: RAGNAROK
Thor learns of how his powers are connected to him. He forgoes the need of a hammer to win his battles. Asgard is saved, for now.
DOCTOR STRANGE
World-Class surgeon Stephen Strange harnesses the power of ancient magic. He becomes Dr.Strange and becomes the protector of the Time Stone.
BLACK PANTHER
T’Challa, the new king of Wakanda, defends his throne and brings the super-metal Vibranium to the world.
ILLUSTRATION BY JOSEPH MUNOZ
9 ENTERTAINMENT 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/entertainment
DELTA DRAMA BRINGS ‘1984’ TO TODAY BY CATLAN NGUYEN Editor in Chief
Worried about history repeating itself ? So is Delta’s drama department by their spring play choice. Delta’s Drama department will be putting on a play adaptation of George Orwell’s novel “1984” through the end of April to beginning the of May. The dystopian play follows protagonist Winston Smith in the year 1984, when most of the world’s population have become victims of a constant war, omnipresent government surveillance and propaganda. Winston decides to defy the ban on individuality and explores his thoughts and a personal relationship with Julia, a strong-headed, rebellious young woman. The overall message is totalitarian governments such as Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia are harmful in the long run. When Orwell wrote “1984” in 1949, he was concerned
governments were moving more toward totalitarianism. He worried these governments would limit individualism and freedom of speech. “We chose ‘1984’ because we find it important at Delta College to work on material that will not only challenge students in their study of drama, but to also address current social issues with which the students and community are wrestling,” said Associate Professor of Drama and Acting Greg Foro. “After the election in 2016, the novel ‘1984’ returned to the New York Times bestseller list with a 9,500 percent increase in sales. That alone tells us that the story is relevant again after all this time and that our society as a whole is still wrestling with these issues.” Currently, the student actors are undergoing rehearsal and blocking different parts of each scene. They also found connections to each of their characters. “Julia’s very passionate about her beliefs and what she
thinks about the world around her and issues that she thinks needs to be changed and I feel like I’m also very much like that,” said student Daniela Santiuste-Loera ( Julia). “I know what I believe in and I know what I stand for and I like to advocate for things to be changed if I can find a way.” During rehearsal, the cast and everyone involved in the production found themselves discussing similarities between the play and the current political climate. Daniela Santiuste-Loera (Julie) and Mike Sicari (Winston Smith) rehearsing a “My favorite part of secretive scene for 1984. PHOTO BY CATLAN NGUYEN being in ‘1984’ is really getting to dig deep into the pursuing acting as their main makes it more fun.” core issues and what we careers. Sincari is also interest“1984” will run at 7 p.m. on want the audience to leave the ed in directing. April 26 and 27 as well as on show thinking about and getting “My favorite part is I get to May 3 and 4. There are also people’s minds thinking that if rehearse with my friends, who showings on April 28 and we don’t change some stuff, evI consider family,” said Sincari. May 5 at 2 p.m. in the Tillie erything could very much end up “I love rehearsing with these Lewis Theatre. Reserve tickets like ‘1984,’” said Santiuste-Loera. people. Rehearsing and being via box office or over the Santiuste-Loera and Mike around people who want to act phone at (209) 954-5110. Sincari (Winston Smith) are
Polynesian Dancers Entertain at Delta
‘Batman’ presents casting problems BYJASMINE GONZALEZ Senior Staff Writer
Dancers of all ages perform to traditional Polynesian music for the main event. PHOTOS BY WILLIAM MITCHELL II
What sparkles in the light and has a melodramatic complex? How about if you add in a whiny and obsessive love interest? What if you also tossed in a guy who seems to have lost his shirt in every scene? If you guessed “Vampire Diaries,” then you can leave now. “Twilight” is the answer. Since the last movie in the “Twilight” franchise was released in 2012 girls have let go of vampires and werewolves are moving on to a man who was a thing for bats No more Team Edward or Team Jacob. Speaking about Edward Cullen or by his day name Robert Pattinson, there have been reports that Pattison will be taking on the role of the Batman — which isn’t a welcome change for Caped Crusader fans. “I don’t feel Robert Pattinson is the best choice for the new Batman. If you look at his history of acting roles, he doesn’t exactly exude the qualities that make up Batman ... he is too skinny which is the total opposite of Batman, too pale, and doesn’t talk or act like he has ever hurt a fly in his life. He would be great for a romantic movie but for an action film, especially on starring such an iconic and admired superhero along with the streak of poorly scripted DC movies Warner Bros. have released, I don’t think Pattinson is worth the risk of adding another disappointment to the list. ” said Zachary Darrow.
Darrow, like other fans picture Batman as this man who is the living embodiment of darkness, grief and overwhelming pain. Bruce Wayne’s story isn’t the most cheerful, being that his parents are gunned down in front of him at a very young age and that is something that stuck with him leaving behind these deep emotional scars that have never truly mended. He battles all of these villains to quench his sense of justice in hopes of one day satisfying his sense of guilt and loss and one day restoring his faith in humanity.The role of Batman has gone through actors left and right but each time we see a distinct Batman. The ‘Batman & Robin’ Batman played by George Clooney Batman is different from ‘The Dark Knight’ Batman played by Christian Bale. Clooney had portrayed the sweet talking playboy well. ‘The Dark Knight’ Batman had shown a vulnerability not seen before and the life or death portrayal very openingly. Darrow said that the best voice actor of Batman is Kevin Conroy and as far as a live action depiction of the Dark Knight goes, Ben Affleck has done the best representation of how Batman should truly be. As much as Robert Pattinson would like to get away from his Twilight days he will forever be known as a vampire that shines bright like a diamond. “He’s too thin. All I would be thinking is ‘Twilight’ and ‘Where’s Bella?’,” said Jenny Vang, Delta College student.
10 SPORTS 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/sports
LUCCHETTIS TAKE OVER THE DIAMOND BY PAUL MUYSKENS Sports Editor
As the weather warms up the Lucchettis have made their names known on the diamonds around Stockton with Anthony playing baseball at Delta and his younger sister Carly playing softball at the University of the Pacific. “We were always pretty close,” said Anthony about his relationship with his younger sister, who is a freshman at the University of the Pacific. He is a sophomore at Delta, and redshirted a year before being part of last year’s state championship-winning team. “They were extremely close,” said mother Melissa Lucchetti. “They both played softball and baseball since they were five. She wasn’t really annoying but things did have to go her way. Her brother pretty much just gave her what she wanted, so there were no problems.” Born into a baseball family, Anthony has spent most of this season batting in the heart of the order and is hitting .300 with 30 runs batted in, after hitting .339 with 34 runs batted in last season when he was named to the Big 8 All-Conference second team.
“He came into Delta at just 17 years old and he felt like it would be better for him to grow and develop a little more,” said Melissa about her son sitting out a season. “He has done nothing but grow and succeed at everything they’ve asked him to do.” Anthony recently committed to play baseball next season at UC San Diego which is a perennial Division II power that is transitioning to become a Division I school in two years. That would put Anthony as a senior in the school’s first year playing as a Division I program. “It’s really interesting because I’ll be going from high school to juco and then I’m going to get a D2 experience and D1 so it’s going to be different than most,” said Anthony. Nearly joining her older brother at Delta, Carly is currently a freshman at the University of the Pacific and is second on the team with a .289 batting average while leading the team with nine stolen bases. “That kid is just an allaround athlete,” said Melissa about her daughter. “We figured she would end up at a Division I college. She loves (Pacific Head Coach Brian) Kol-
Anthony Lucchetti lines a base hit during a home game against Folsom Lake. PHOTO BY PAUL MUYSKENS
ze. She was like I really want to go to UOP and she got her wish.” Andrew’s family is a near-constant presence at games. Not only are his mother and father at nearly every game, but they are often joined by his grandma and great-grandma. The group is hard to miss in their self-made front row seats — as close to the
Delta dugout as you can get. “It’s good for them as they can pretty much catch every game,” said Anthony about his family that is able to make the short drive to Stockton from Linden — not only for his games, but his sister’s as well. While Anthony had a tough time deciding between his uncle John
and his father Anthony when asked who was the best athlete in his family he did give himself the nod over his younger sister. “That’s a tough one,” said Anthony. “She’s super athletic and faster than me but overall I would go with myself.” “We are so excited and happy for them,” said Melissa. “They are both
great students and doing exactly what they wanted to do and we can’t be more proud of them.” Before Stockton loses one Lucchetti to San Diego the Delta Mustangs’ baseball team will be looking to defend its state championship as they are currently 25-6 on the season and in a battle for the top spot in the Big 8 Conference.
Stockton Ports open 2019 season with a win Regular season BY NICOLETTE LUNA Staff Writer
The Stockton Ports jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and held on for a 4-1 win on opening night at Stockton Ballpark in front of 3,006 fans. Alfonso Rivas hit a two run double to the give the Ports a 2-0 lead and then Jeremy Eierman followed with a two run home run to make it 4-0. “I look forward to baseball season because my four-year old Abel Garcia has so much fun at the Ports games,” said Jalyne Dickson. “ It seems like it’s a whole new team this season and it’s nice to see them win.” Sitting in one of the luxury boxes with his girlfriend Vee Kitiev, Bradley Gallion said he was excited for Chris Bassitt throws a pitch during the season opener. PHOTO the game and how it was a perfect night for the season BY NICOLETTE LUNA opener. The game day staff kept the crowd entertained and it to every game, he does go to a few during the year. involved in the game. Volpe said. “It’s better in the summer, all of the games “This is my second season working for the Ports, I are fun although Friday and Saturday tend to be bigger love baseball, I have been around it forever, it’s been cra- crowds.” zy working here but it looks like it’s going to be a good The Stockton Ports team has two new and improved season,” said Ashley Apel. slides for the children and some more table tops and Another returning employee echoed the sentiment. chairs. “It feels amazing working behind the scenes, the fans Ports Manager Webster Garrison said the game was are so pumped and it’s really good to see all the season a good start to the season. ticket holders again,” said Michelle Poser. “As a team we swung bats very well, pretty well Stockton Ports mascot Splash helps keep the childefense and pitchers kept us in all night,” said third dren entertained and the kids love him. baseman Jonah Bride. With opening night being such an important night In Stockton on a Major League rehab assignment for the team and the community, Tom Volpe, owner pitcher Chris Bassitt pitched three perfect innings with of the Ports team for 16 years, said he always felt great seven strikeouts. about opening night. Daulton Jefferies picked up the win as he pitched “We got some good players,” he said. three innings and allowed just one hit. Volpe called Banner Island Ballpark the “nicest ballThe Stockton Ports play 70 home games from April park in the north California league.” - September and the schedule of its remaining home While he is from San Francisco and doesn’t make games can be found on stocktonports.com.
nears end for Delta baseball, softball BY PAUL MUYSKENS Sports Editor
Baseball
Currently on a four-game winning streak the Mustangs are now 26-6 on the season after a 10-7 win over American River in extra innings on Tuesday. During the winning streak they have scored at least ten runs in all four games and they have now scored in double figures in 15 of the 26 wins this season. Averaging 9.7 runs per game the defending state champions are led on offense by Vinny Bologna who leads the team in multiple offensive categories including batting average hitting .413, runs batted in with 46 and home runs with nine. With eight games left in the regular season the Mustangs are currently in first place of the Big 8 Conference.
Softball
Recently dropping back-to-back games for the first time this season the Mustangs are currently 26-5 and tied for first place in the Big 8 Conference with six games left in the regular season. Recently named as a Player of the Week by the California Community College Fastpitch Coaches Association Mikaela Ferreira leads the offense hitting .553 with 36 runs batted in and nine home runs.
11 SPORTS 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/sports
Philpot crashes his way into victory lane
Joey Stearns crashes into the wall during a race at Stockton 99 speedway minutes before Justin Philpot goes airborn and wrecks his car. PHOTO BY CATLAN NGUYEN
BY CATLAN NGUYEN Editor in Chief
Rubber met the road at the Stockton 99 speedway last weekend as the season’s second race got underway. The sweet smell of kettle corn hugged the hectic race track and thick clouds of smoke surrounded the speedy cars that spun out of control. Usually when a car wrecks in an early race, it means they’re out for the rest of the night. However, some wrecks and literal bumps in the road fueled
racers such as Justin Philpot, to get back on the track for the last race of the night. The event included various models of race cars including minis, B4 cylinders, Stockton Late Models and Stockton Grand American Modifieds. First, each division held qualifying races, which consisted of four laps with a single car. These races are to determine who’s fastest and slowest so they can be positioned accordingly at the beginning of heat races, trophy dashes and the
main event races. During the heat races for the Stockton Late Models, Joey Stearns car malfunctioned and spun out in a cloud of smoke. An ambulance and tow truck rushed to the racer, who appeared to sustain minor injuries and Stearns was out of the race midway. In the same race, race car no. 50, with racer Justin Philpot, turned too quickly and one side of his car went in the air and another car bumped him and sent his car into the air.
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The wreck also caused Philpot to drop out of the race early. However, this didn’t discourage Philpot, a third generation racer. In the last race of the night, the Stockton Late Models Main Event, Philpot made a miraculous comeback, finishing first despite having damaged his car in the heat race. The last race had numerous spin outs and dangerous crashes and Philpot stayed in about fifth or sixth place for a majority of the race. He slipped into first during the last three laps of the 35-lap main event race while crew members tended to other cars that spun out and lost control. While the yellow flag was flown, which signal racers to slow down until damaged cars are off the track or back in the race, Philpot inched into second and then made an epic move into first when the racers were given the green flag again. “I kind of just let that one go and moved onto the next one and it happened to be this one,” says Philpot. “We were the fastest car in qualifying and we got screwed up in a little accident during the 33-car heat race and it set us back. We actually had to go home and pull this whole car apart because the front suspension was all destroyed. I don’t know how
we’re here but we’re here.” Stockton 99 Speedway was first established in 1947, according to main announcer Wayne Pierce. When it opened, it had about 8,000 people in attendance. “World War II was over and race tracks were built all over the country in celebration,” said Pierce. A Delta alumnus, Pierce also worked at Delta for 36 years in landscaping and transportation management. He also used to race for 11 years in the Late Model category and raced at the very track he announces at now. “They were faster back then,” said Pierce. Pierce won a racing championship in 1991 and took his current announcing job in 1999. Everyone in attendance felt like a big family as everyone greeted each other with hugs and a warm familiarity. “It’s a racing family,” said Jessica McAnelly, Stockton 99 Speedway’s official track photographer and Pierce’s daughter. “Everyone takes care of each other.” McAnelly has been the official track photographer since 2011. The next race is at the Asparagus Festival on April 12 and 13 at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds.
REMAINING HOME GAMES To book a trip:
•
Baseball — Thursday, Apr. 18 vs. Cosumnes River 2:30 p.m. ,Tuesday Apr. 23 vs. Modesto 2:30 p.m., Friday Apr. 26 vs. Modesto 2:30 p.m.
•
Softball — Saturday Apr. 13 vs. Folsom Lake 12:00 p.m. (DH), Tuesday Apr. 16 vs. Sierra 3:00 p.m.
Use the RTD Van Go! app on your smartphone or call 1-800-FOR-RIDE (800) 367-7433
7 days a week Weekdays: 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Weekends: 6:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
sjRTD.com/VanGo
12 NEWS 041219
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/news
Stockton faces firefighter shortage BY AYAANA WILLIAMS
CLOTHING CHOICES ARE NOT CONSENT
Opinion Editor
A Slutwalk event was held in Stockton on Saturday April 6 from 11 to 3 p.m. put on by End Rape Culture. The event highlighted the liberation of the word “slut.” The event included an art show, sales booths, live entertainment, pole dancing lessons, and more. (Top) The Soaring Sisters preparing to show off their step skills. Other performers were present. Dancers, poets, singers, and more provided entertainment throughout the afternoon. (Middle) Instructor Esteban Medina assists Matthew Santiago on the pole during his free lesson during the Slutwalk event. Bystanders watch as Santiago learns about poledancing. (Bottom) A dancer took up pole dancing 2 1/2 years ago and since has competed in competitions. She performed to intrigue the crowd and offered free lessons for the event. On April 6, 2019 during the Slutwalk event here in Stockton she demonstrates her skills. PHOTOS BY DAWN BASNETT
In 2012, Stockton declared bankruptcy making large cuts in the city’s fire services. Seven years later, the city has yet to recover from this fiscal emergency and over that period fire staffing has been cut to as low as 30 percent of where it needs to be. Local average response time is as high as six minutes, according to Stockton Fire Department 2018 statistics. There are 12 engines that cover all 64.75 square miles of Stockton and its more than 310,000 residents. “We’re the busiest 12-station department in the nation. Nobody runs anywhere near the amount of calls that we do,” said Amario Gardea, President of Stockton Professional Firefighters Local 456. Having small numbers in Stockton’s Fire Department means not only potential safety concerns but may be affecting quality of service as well. “What happens is we run so many calls, that there are a lot of things we miss out on such as fire prevention activities and other things we could probably be better at; and based on the amount of call volume, there’s no time,” said Gardea. According to Union President Gardea, Stockton currently doesn’t have plans to resolve this issue and much of the fiscal attention is being shown to its police departments. However, the department’s
concerns stem from not only being short-handed in day-today staffing, but also the rarity of local qualified applicants. It’s almost impossible to pursue a career as a firefighter in Stockton without traveling outside the city to the closest fire academy which is located in Modesto. “I was a student at Delta College I took my EMT and all my fire science classes through Delta and did the fire academy though Delta, and there’s no longer that ability for people to take those classes here,” said Gardea. “It really kind of holds back the residents of San Joaquin County or people that come down here to go to college.” The EMT and fire science programs at Delta College were shuttered in Summer 2013 due to budget cuts. Delta College currently offers both day and night Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) academies. The day-to-day staffing shortages come from applicants from outside of Stockton who are likely to end up returning to where they are from once a job opens up there. “My first introduction into the Stockton Fire Department was because of a guest speaker (Stockton Firefighter) at one of my fire science classes at Delta. Eliminating the fire science and EMT programs has made it difficult for local students to have a pathway to give back to their community on a greater scale,” said Richard Diaz of the Stockton Fire Department.
SUIT UP: After-hours event offers discounted prices on professional wear continued from PAGE 1 Students were asked to confirm online if they were attending but there were those that showed at last-minute hearing about the event from friends and such. All that was necessary to enter was a student identification or a class schedule. Booths were set up outside to check in. There was on booth for each college where names were taken down and coupons were given, as well as a raffle tickets where students could either win a gift card of a Sephora gift basket. Inside students were welcomed in by J.C. Penney and college employees while offered snacks to munch on while looking around. There wasn’t a spot that wasn’t free to roam and students didn’t waste time, browsing suits to ties for the men and dress or slacks for the woman. “I think it’s good … I am a business major and am hopefully starting intern-
ships this summer,” said Naureet Kaur. Shayla Walker, director of student services, it was the J.C. Penney corporate office that reached out to Delta. J.C. Penney had done a similar event for other schools and decided to offer it to both schools. “When they reached out ,of course we were on board to offer an event like this to our students,” said Walker. She also said it couldn’t have come at a better time being that graduation is around the corner and students are transferring. J.C. Penney facilitated the event for not only students but for the student’s families as well. Walker had also talked about how besides planning events on campus her job also includes creating partnerships off campus. Working in cohesion with those corporate partnerships opens up more opportunities for the students such like this event. If the Suit-Up has high interest by the students she is says there is a possi-
A group of Stockton college students ask about ties at a late night J.C. Penny’s Suit Up Event on Sun. April 7. The sale was dedicated to college students at University of the Pacific and Delta College to find business wear. PHOTO BY JASMINE GONZALEZ
bility it could be offered next year. “Take advantage because this is an
opportunity that not a lot of schools have,” said Angulo.