Which Easter candy holds its own?
Star Mustangs forge friendship at Delta
The Collegian FEATURE, PAGE 5
Issue 9 • Friday, April 15, 2022 202 •
SPORTS, PAGE 7
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deltacollegian.net
TRANS STUDENTS NOT TRANSPARENT BY JAHDAI SPIKES Feature Editor
The Delta Pride center recently held a Trans Visibility day event on March 29, during which they handed out free food and educated people on various important topics regarding the LGBTQ+ community. Although the event was small, it was informative. They handed out pamphlets about heavy topics such as what being transgender means, the different sexual orientations, pronoun usage, and more. LGBTQ+ representation has been a big topic of conversation on the Delta campus for a while now, and this conversation seemed to be stalling these past few years with there not even being a GSA club this semester.
But the Trans Visibility day event shows Delta’s continued effort to further this conversation, despite the challenges they’ve faced. The Delta Pride Center has been fighting to further this conversation and continue to make the campus a friendly place for people of every orientation, but they have faced many hurdles of their own, the biggest of these being a move-in location. “Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the biggest obstacles the Pride Center had to overcome was getting a new space on campus. When we were located in the Shima building, the center would often exceed capacity and students wouldn’t come in because there was nowhere to sit or stand,” said student program specialist Jasmin Arroyo. “Ironically, our current
challenge is rebuilding the Pride Center community to what it used to be. We’ve struggled to get students into our space or attend our events but we’re hopeful with the return to our new normal, more folks will join us.” The event highlighted both the achievements of trans people, as well as health and safety tips. “The Delta Pride Center aims to acknowledge the struggles that trans people can go through,” said Arroyo. This event is tangible evidence of the Delta Pride Center’s drive to deepen its connection with students again. More information about the pride center can be found online at deltacollege.edu/department/ delta-pride-center.
Delta eyes placing ASDC hosts campus blood drive $450 million bond measure on ballot BY ARIANA MALLERY News Editor
Top left: Jarvis Alcantara lays down while having blood drawn during a campus blood drive on April 7. Top right: Associated Students of Delta College Secretary Ingrid Rodriguez checks people in. Bottom left: Blood donor worker Rey Segura draws blood from Amy Do. Bottom right: Supplies for the blood drive are kept on a table at the event. PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA GOODMAN
San Joaquin County taxpayers began receiving mailers in recent weeks to gauge priorities for a potential $450 million bond measure to be placed on the November 2022 ballot. “A potential measure might cost homeowners approximately $15 annually per $100,000 of assessed (not market) value, generating $450 million in locally controlled funding ...,” according to the tri-fold mailer, which include a survey to mail in or the option to fill out the short survey online. Among the cited needs: repairing gas, electrical and sewer lines, improving access for disabled students, replacing outdated technology, fixing leaky roofs and deteriorating bathrooms and plumbing, expanding educational and career resources for veterans and upgrading nursing and healthcare training labs and classrooms. The survey is “an attempt to reach out to voters and learn more about what they think the priorities should be for a potential bond measure,” said Alex Breitler, Directing of Marketing and Communications at Delta College. “We are already beginning to collect some of the submitted responses. Ultimately, the Board of Trustees will need to decide later this spring whether to proceed with putting the measure on the ballot in November 2022.” If passed, the bond will be the first since the 2004 passing of the $250 million Measure L bond, which funded the development of a Mountain House satellite campus, the Science and Math Center and DeRicco Building on the Stockton Main Campus, an addition to the Shima Center, as well as upgrades and renovation to the Goleman Library. “While Measure L has accomplished some important projects (the new Science and Math Building and DeRicco, for example), we still have many aging facilities that need upgrading. In addition to that, we need to further build up the South Campus at Mountain House and establish a presence in the north county. So, there is much work to be done,” said Breitler.
See BOND, page 8
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2 OPINION 041522
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion
RATING WEBSITE PROVIDES USEFUL TOOL Rate My Professors used by students, but also staff as assessment for classes BY ANI GUTIERREZ
Entertainment Editor
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ummer class registration is now open and that means one thing is certain, many students are once again going to be flocking over to one specific website: Rate My Professors. This site serves as a place where students can leave reviews on professors they have taken a class with at pretty much any college or university in the country, while also allowing unsure students to read those reviews in order to help decide which classes to sign up for. As a third-year college student, I have heavily relied on this website when picking my classes for every single semester I have participated in. When deciding who the “best” professor was for me, I often looked at two main things in each review: How difficult their class is and what their personality is like. Did every student review answer my two prioritized questions? For the most part, yes. A majority of student’s reviews tend to reflect on how the workload is and if the professor is cool or not. Many students alike have grown great appreciation for this website because it helps us get a good idea of the vibes that each professor provides. “I have found Rate My Professor very useful and I believe that it is a good way to find out more about
the professors of various colleges,’’ said Delta student Andrew Paolo Solbjor. “It serves as a way to get the opinions from students who have had first hand experience in the professor’s class, giving the person who is unaware of what to expect a good breakdown of who’s class they should register for,” said Solbjor. Some other college students, such as Areli Rojas, also think the site provides accurate and beneficial information for students. “Rate My Professor tends to have all sorts of feedback,” said Rojas. “From the classes and semesters I’ve been here at Delta, the reviews I have read off of my past professors have been 80 percent accurate.” Although this site is nothing but beneficial for students, it also affects the professors. Not all reviews are positive, with some being very honest and sometimes harsh. Getting low ratings (out of five stars), some professors find themselves reading their own reviews. “When I read some, I question if they are actually talking about my course because they make statements that are not accurate,” said Angela Beyer, a professor in the Child Development department at Delta. It’s not uncommon to see a student leave a harsh review on a professor, mainly due to not passing the class or because they did not get along with the instructor. “I think as a reflective practitioner, you take all
reviews, the good and bad ones, with a grain of salt. I know that when I read them, I go back to my courses and check on what they were talking about to make sure something overall wasn’t missed on my end,” said Beyer. “I too am continuing to grow and learn.” Jessica Cardoso, a professor in the Agriculture department at Delta, has also come across such reviews. “In my experience, those students either failed to communicate their issues with the professor before grading deadlines or are in the habit of finding fault in others rather than taking responsibility for their own learning,” said Cardoso. However, feedback, whether positive or negative, is often valuable to professors and Rate My Professors allows them to reflect on their teaching styles. Cardoso said she appreciates the reviews students leave on her because it helps her do just that. “I strongly support constructive feedback for professors from students,” said Cardoso. “We should always be striving to improve our student interactions and course practices to increase student learning.” With students finding favor in this website since 1999, Rate My Professors has been a shoulder to lean on when unsure or curious students, like me, need a helping hand in deciding what classes to enroll in to make their college experience as best as possible. Between all the good and the bad reviews, this website has done just that for 23 years.
Stretch that body to jump right into the groove BY ANNABEL LOCK Staff Writer
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tretch that body! Whether it be when you wake up in the morning or after a nap, one of the first things people usually do; mostly subconsciously, is that quick full-body stretch. After all, it does feel refreshing to stretch out those limbs after being in such a relaxed state for so long. That shouldn’t be the only time you stretch. Some might think stretching is only for when you exercise, but it isn’t. You can do it anywhere at any time and treat it as a little break from what you are doing. “Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage,” according to a Harvard Health Publishing article published on March 14. As we continue to age, it’s important to incorporate some daily stretches especially if you are on the less active side. That lack of stretching is going to limit your range of motion over time. We all felt that pain of muscle stiffness in the neck or aches in the
lower back at some point in time and that’s due to inflexibility. It doesn’t matter what your daily routine looks like — stretching will benefit you one way or another. Some might think you have to do a bunch of different poses for an extended amount of time but it really all comes down to you and your needs. If you’re sitting at a desk, like me, try to extend your arms to the sky and lean back as this stretches your spine out. Maybe implement some neck circles here and there so it doesn’t feel stiff after a long day of stillness. Get up every now and then and release your back of tension by reaching for your feet and just hanging. Develop a list of simple stretches like these that fit you and your lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate routine that you must follow religiously at a certain time but something you can do whenever you feel stressed and tense. It’s important to remember not to stretch to the point of pain and discomfort. Overall, simple things like this every day can improve your body and mind. Again, don’t think of it as a task you have to complete every day but as a break. So while you’re stretching just take a breath, unwind, and empty your mind of the things around you.
BENEFITS TO STRETCHING •
Improved flexibility
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Reduced chances of
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injury
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.
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Boosts muscle blood
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Improve posture
flow
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Fewer aches, pains
Increase in mobility
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Less stress
EDITORS JAHDAI SPIKES Editor-in-Chief
ARIANA MALLERY News
JASON DIEZ
STAFF GAVIN CARDOZA GRACIELA GABRIEL CHRISTINA GOODMAN MELLY LEWIS ANNABEL LOCK
MULTIMEDIA TECH MATTHEW WILSON
ADVISER TARA CUSLIDGE-STAIANO
Opinion
ANI GUTIERREZ Entertainment
DAVID VICTOR Sports
CONTACT US:
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
3 OPINION 041522
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/opinion
SPRING FEVER ISN’T SO BAD AFTER ALL
Springtime in NorCal BO P
BY GAVIN CARDOZA Staff Writer
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hen it came to the original idea for this article, I planned to destroy the very name of Spring and what it represents, while ostracizing the Springtime stereotypes of flowers blooming and birds chirping and all of that other nonsense that seems to be associated with the season. I’ve always been a person who has enjoyed the dark gloomy aura that seasons like Winter and Fall bring during the year, feeling almost nothing for the likes of Summer and Spring. It turns out that I was looking at everything the wrong way when it came to how I wanted to voice my opinion on the idea that Spring is meant to be some sort of gateway to refresh yourself. When in reality, it is, and I was just very late to realize it. Spring titles itself as the time of year when everything is supposed to bloom, such as flowers, among other things. The weather, or even the air, will feel different to some. I never understood the phenomena because the motions of going through the seasons of a year have always felt stagnant, at least for myself. It wasn’t until something like the Covid-19 Pandemic gave me some perspective. My appreciation for Spring didn’t exist preCovid, and it was hard to tell the difference between a lot (days of the week, months, weather) during those prolonged periods of isolation. Two years into an ongoing global pandemic, and the world has more ground to stand on when it comes to people being safe or cautious. The most notable thing that has grown in this world since the pandemic started, however, has been a growing open disdain and hate people seem to be growing for each other. Political feuds, beliefs, life values. Conversations about race, violence, masks (chin diapers for those with preference), vaccines (microchips for those with preference), and the entire mess of this world with an established “new normal.” Spring is supposed to be the time where everything “blooms” or brings on new life. It has become an excellent gateway of escape from the world’s problems. In time, after growing sick of the digital world’s constant turmoil, it was time to stop looking down at the minefield of media, and appreciate the ground beneath me and the life that grows back into form during this time. Spring is rebirth, and rebirth is part of life. Life is beauty, and beauty can become peace for the soul. I’ve gone from never acknowledging the season to appreciating the blessing that Spring brings.
FLO P
or
BY ARIANA MALLERY AND JASON DIEZ Collegian Staff
• • • • • • • • •
Pretty Flowers Fresh Fruits Almost the end of school Sun dresses Spring cleaning Rain Birds Graduation Longer, breezy days
• • • • • • • • •
Allergies Mosquitoes Post-grad plans Sunburns Shaving legs Heatwaves Tax season Finals Wedding season
Easter celebrations aren’t always religious in nature Sunday holiday perfect time to grill, hang out at the park for some families BY GRACIELA GABRIEL Staff Writer
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aster is a sunny, fun, memorable, and chocolatey day with family for me. Since I can remember, growing up and until this day my family and I have been celebrating Easter at a park where we can grill. Every year my family and I gather with my aunts, uncles and cousins to have a get together and cook Mexican meals. For example, we grill carne asada at the park with rice, beans, tortillas and a delicious sauce on the side. The adults always make sure to bring desserts or sides to accompany the food. However, the most important thing that we can’t miss are the plastic fillable eggs, delicious chocolates and the empty eggs to toss one another. Easter has been a religious holiday celebration since the resurrection of
Jesus. This year Easter falls on April 17. Despite being a religious holiday, today in America, Easter has transformed into a celebration culture of bunnies, chocolates, egg hunting and great store deals. For these reasons, store companies have not hesitated to take advantage of advertising Easter Day celebrations to create great shopping deals. So is Easter a religious day or has it become secular? As Easter approaches, when walking into big box stores, like Walmart or Target, the first thing you seem to come across would be Easter deals and accessories you can use for the day. For example, plastic eggs , baskets, candy and chocolates. If you are a person like me who’s family likes to grill on holidays like these, you can also factor the prices for ice and charcoal briquettes that can be pricer if you buy on the holiday.
Therefore, can we argue that for this reason many aren’t celebrating Easter as a holiday, but as a day to celebrate with family or to take advantage of the store deals. I’m not surprised that many company stores are using this holiday to advertise holiday deals because we are a country that has a day, Black Friday, where stores celebrate to have online and in store deals. If you are a person like me that subscribes to your favorite stores to get the latest deal, then you can relate that few stores have started their deals since the beginning of April. After April 1, due to April Fools’ Day, stores did not delay to move on to their next holiday deals as I began to receive advertising emails from my favorite stores like Coach, Nordstrom Rack, Ulta and many more to take advantage of the Easter deals. Growing up I really thought Easter was a celebration to gather with my family and never really viewed it as a religious holiday. Hence, in my opinion, I’m glad Easter is not only a celebration that is seen as a religious holiday in this country, but also a family gathering because Easter has great activities for kids. Growing up hunting eggs was always something fun for me and my cousins because seeing who gets the most eggs or what is inside the eggs excited all of us. Today, I enjoy seeing the youngest of my cousins, nieces and nephews enjoy the Easter hunt.
4 FEATURE 041522
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature
ASDC BRINGS RHYTHM TO COLLEGE HOUR
Top left: Craig Miller from the Bay Area-based Drummm performs. Top right: Students partaking in the drum circle event. Bottom left and right: Bowls sold by the Ceramics Department to raise money for the Student Food Pantry. PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA GOODMAN
Delta makes it easy for students to eat healthy CalFresh program gives students options to apply to earn up to $234 in groceries every month BY JAHDAI SPIKES Editor-in-Chief
College students are notorious for their terrible eating habits. Whether that be eating some unbearably sugar-filled cereal or boiling top ramen which contains too much sodium to consume on a regular basis. Sadly, food options like these are often seen as the only reasonable option in many students’ eyes because they are cheap and easy compared to buying groceries and cooking
on your own. But Delta does have a few programs designed to help students eat healthily for very little cost. The Student Food Pantry, located in Shima 101, provides food to those who are in need of it and are currently enrolled. On top of the food pantry, Delta also offers the CalFresh program to students, in which students must apply and meet the requirements to be eligible to earn up to $234 a month for groceries.
“CalFresh is designed to help anyone eligible receive money to purchase healthy and nutritious food,” said Delainey Bright, CalFresh ambassador and student body representative. “Students should take advantage of helping combat food insecurity and have peace of mind when it comes to the basic necessities of life.” Now the only difficulty is actually getting yourself to cook something, which is embarrassing to say but for some, cooking is a daunting and ter-
rifying task. Luckily there are a few simple and almost foolproof meal ideas out there. Eggs are a simple and versatile breakfast food, but the FDA recommends only eating one a day as they are high in fat and cholesterol. For breakfast, the FDA recommends Greek yogurt with fruits and nuts, which is extremely simple as there is very little prep or clean up. A simple food to make is pasta, as the process of mak-
ing it is straightforward and yet it’s still versatile and can be made into many different meals. Make pasta with Alfredo sauce and chicken and it’s chicken Alfredo, but make that same pasta with a tomato based sauce and sausage and it’s spaghetti. More info about the food pantry and CalFresh program can be found on Delta’s website at https://deltacollege.edu/student-life/office-student-activities/ student-food-pantry
5 FEATURE 041522 BY ARIANA MALLERY News Editor
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/feature
Rating Easter candy favorites E aster as a child is a time of fun. Easter Baskets, cute outfits, egg hunts and of course the candy. We’ve tried some classic Easter candies and some newer modern additions.
Will you revisit your childhood in a nostalgic blissful candy induced coma or be sadly disappointed with your candy picks? For whatever you end up choosing, we’re here to help you out.
Candy: Peeps Sparkly Wild Berry Flavor: Marshmallow berry Texture: Gritty Best paired with: Berry punch with oranges Rating: 3/10
Candy: Chocolate Bunny Flavor: Milk chocolate Texture: Like chocolate Best paired with: Hot chocolate Rating: 7/10 Candy: Lemon KitKat Flavor: Lemon Wafer Texture: Smooth with a snap Best paired with: Earl Grey tea Rating: 9/10
Candy: Haribo Happy Chicks Flavor: Mildly fruity Texture: Chewy Best paired with: Juice Rating: 4/10
Candy: Bunnies Chicks & Eggs Flavor: Extra sugary Texture: Smooth chewy Best paired with: Mouthwash, gives Circus Peanut vibes Rating: 2/10
Candy: Starburst Jellybeans Flavor: Concentrated fake fruitiness Texture: smooth, chewy Best paired with: Sprite Rating: 7/10
Candy: Robin Eggs Flavor: Whoppers Texture: Crunchy, chocolatey Best paired with: A milk shake Rating: 8/10 Candy: Cadbury Creme Eggs Flavor: Chocolately creme Texture: Cloyingly sweet and sticky Best paired with: A toothbrush Rating: 2/10
Actions to protect Earth can’t be limited to a single day BY ANI GUTIERREZ
Entertainment Editor
Earth Day is April 22, allowing us to take a day to demonstrate support for environmental problems, like pollution and deforestation. It’s also a day to appreciate everything Mother Nature has provided for us. This global holiday has been ongoing since 1970, but do people really take the time to celebrate it on this specific day every year? When discussing if and how Earth Day is commonly celebrated, many people and students admitted to not celebrating it, pretty much ever. “I’d like to say it’s important, but I mean obviously most people don’t really care to celebrate it,” said Jarvis Alcantara, the student representative on Delta’s board of trustees. “And you know, it could always use more recognition.” Perhaps if Earth Day wasn’t just limited to a single day, more people would take it seriously and our environment would be in better condition. “I think it should be more than a day, honestly. There should be something like a green awareness month because no one really knows about it sometimes,” Alcantara said. At this point in time, it is no secret that our Earth is slowly deteriorating due to environmental issues such as air pollution. It is not always obvious, but every day there are small factors that humans partake in which contribute to environmental problems. Driving cars, not recycling, littering, using electricity, and even simple things like using paper, brushing your teeth or showering, are some basic examples of
factors that feed into the deterioration of this planet we call home. “With time our planet is getting polluted and it’s irreversible at this point, so I really think that everyone should participate on this day to get an idea of things we can do to prevent environmental issues,” said Osiel Najera, Delta student and Earth Day advocate. So what are some ways in which we can start caring for Earth everyday? WALK, RIDE A BIKE, CARPOOL, ETC. Avoid driving your car around as much as possible! Go for any natural alternatives instead like walking or skateboarding. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), motor vehicles burn and release carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) when in use. The buildup of such gasses going into the air is causing the Earth’s atmosphere to slowly become warmer everyday, thus resulting in climate change. PICK UP ANY TRASH Littering is an obvious environmental offense, yet some people still carelessly do it. If you see trash laying around, do Mother Nature a favor and pick it up! Trash can easily be blown by the wind into bodies of water like oceans, rivers and lakes, eventually causing pollution to waterway environments. Najera partakes in this helpful action. “During the morning on Earth Day I like to go around my block and collect any trash that I see,” said Najera. RECYCLE This might be one of the more obvious ways in
which people lend a helping hand to the environment. If you don’t already recycle, it’s never too late to start! According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a 2021 Recycling Economic Information Report, some environmental benefits of recycling include reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills, conserving natural resources and preventing pollution by reducing the need to collect new raw materials. Here are a couple upcoming local events highlighting Earth Day: EARTH DAY FESTIVAL AT VICTORY PARK, STOCKTON SUNDAY, APRIL 24 Sponsored by the Organizing Committee of Earth Day Festival Stockton, this is the 33rd annual festival celebration of Earth Day. This festival will include yoga on the park, entertainment with music and dance and a march for science. For more information and the full schedule visit earthdaystockton.com TRACY EARTH DAY 2022 AT DOWNTOWN TRACY FARMERS MARKET SATURDAY, APRIL 23 Presented by Tracy Earth Project, INC and the City of Tracy, join the celebration of Earth Day at this educational, informative and fun filled family event. It will include a Bike Rodeo, tree planting, sidewalk chalk art and much more. For more information visit www.allevents.in/tracy/tracy-earth-day-2022-comelearn-how-we-can-help-our-planet-earth
6 ENTERTAINMENT 041522
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/entertainment
Mei Lee in red panda form in the new Pixar film, “Turning Red.” STILLS COURTESY PIXAR
‘Turning Red’ highlights real family issues BY JASON DIEZ
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Opinion Editor
urning Red is a Pixar film about Mei Lee, a 13-year-old who undergoes the transitions of her teenage years while being obedient to her mother and, of course, balancing the discourse of transformations of being a red panda. The film digs deeper at generational trauma, identity and navigation with adulthood. “I believe that the message was to understand the generational trauma that comes from a family’s history,” said Joseph Salvador, an undecided major. “It takes love and adaptation to deal with the trauma or beliefs that are imposed by parents and traditions.” The animated film showcases Ming Lee, Mei’s mother, and Mei Lee’s relationship. Ming’s projection of Mei’s perfected life was due to Ming’s strained relationship with her own mom. Although
not thoroughly stated, those who grew up with so-called “tiger parents” can acknowledge the struggle of being perfect and seeking parents’ approval. Ming and her own mother had a strained relationship due to Ming lashing out towards her mom. Throughout the film, it’s evident that Ming never healed from this, and goes through lengths of avoiding her mom. “The message was very clear to me since I related to it really well, breaking the boundaries of Asian American young adults like me and even younger to fight i guess the “suppression” of who we are supposed to be instead of who we want to be,” said Charisse Dumlao, a biology major. Coming from an Asian American household, one bears the weight and responsibilities to carry the hopes and dreams of what our parents sacrificed. This film illustrates that
concept fairly well, from the idea of Mei embracing her “panda” which is symbolism of breaking out the idea of perfection and to Ming’s panda looking evidently large. The panda displays the idea of how much weight and emotions are held inside them. “Kids need to be kids and can also have some responsibilities to get them ready for adulthood but they shouldn’t be pushed too hard,” said Rose Perez, a Geology major. While many young adults are preparing for college, it highlights the fact that the transition from childhood to the high school experience and then off to college feels more like a rush instead of gentle push. On a lighter note, this film does a great job at portraying the early 2000s and the appreciation for boy bands. The characters showcased are Mei Lee, her mother Ming Lee and Mei’s group of friends Priya, Miriam, and Abby.
In the first part of the movie, Mei and Ming’s duties together are maintaining their family’s shrine’s, displaying their close-knit relationship. Mei and her mother display their appreciation for soap-opera shows, acknowledging the appreciation for their ancestors, and doing their best in every category from academics to home-maintenance. However, at school Mei obsesses over boy-groups and is much more lively with her friends versus at home, where Mei has to hide away her secret obsessions. One of them being all-time favorite boy band 4Town. “It was a really cute movie! I loved the different characters in Mei’s friend group, they reminded me a lot of my friends when I was younger,” said Shelby Innerst, a media planner. “I feel like it did a great job of capturing that age group.” It’s a film that invites viewers to be entertained by
the light-hearted early cheesy jokes while tackling the serious issues. Many of the issues highlighted to generational trauma aren’t drowned out but rather stylized. The film symbolizes generational trauma as a form of suppressing those emotions in a way that a person can seal it in a physical object. The resolution is that Mei comes to accept their trauma, their experience is part of the journey of their life. In the film, Ming and her mother came to accept each other, they both acknowledge the past and understand the first hurdle was acceptance of each other’s mistakes. “My first impression was that it was extremely cute and that I knew it was going to tackle issues as far as maybe parenting/ strictness in the Asian community. And how much pressure they may be putting on their children to fit an ideal,” said Angelique Baniaga, a psychology major.
Stockton Symphony pays tribute to Ruth Bader Ginsburg BY JASON DIEZ Opinion Editor
Peace, tranquility, silence, and harmonies. It’s everything and anything to allow people to quietly slip away into a dream-like state. The Stockton Symphony held an orchestra performance on April 2 at Delta College’s Warren Atherton Auditorium. At 2:30 p.m. conductor Peter Jaffe began leading the musicians with movements and gestures. The symphony had an itinerary that included Wolfgang Amadè Mozart’s
“Overture to “The Marriage of Figaro,” K. 942 and Victoria Bond’s “Ruth Bader Ginsburg: In Tune” with Justice, which included Stockton Poet Laureate Tama Brisbane as the narrator for the first half of the performance. “The process was involved. We had the music from the creator Victoria Bond first, we involved Tama Brisbane to help with the spoken word and involve students to make it a broader production,” said Lisa Blount, one of the members of Stockton Symphony’s board of directors. In the first part, the symphony included messages about female
empowerment and fighting like a girl. To not allow society’s injustice hinder one’s ability to pursue their dream. “When the kids came out, and gave out their quotes and plays, that was my favorite,” said Kayla Horne, a life enrichment coordinator. The second half involved Pietro Mascagni’s piece Intermezzo from “Cavalleria Rusticana” and Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird Suite.” Cavalleria Rusticana was a perfect opening number for the second half, it soothed the crowd after the intermission. It was a melody that was pleasing to the ears, similar to flower petals
scattering as one lays alone in a green pasture coated with a nice breezy wind. Right after was the Firebird Suite that had a series of mini-numbers from: the introduction, round dance of the princesses, infernal dance of King Kastchei, Berceuse, and the Finale. “It was such a creative program to have the spoken word piece to sort of warm us up with ‘Marriage of Figaro,’ only to find out it was one of Ginsburg’s favorite pieces,” said Melissa Tidwell, one of the attendees. READ THE FULL STORY AT DELTACOLLEGIAN.NET
7 SPORTS 041522
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/sports
Star Mustangs Payne and Jones forge friendship through basketball at Delta
Left: Donja Payne attempts a shot against Sierra College during the March 13 CCCAA State Championship game. Right: Alicia Jones searches for open teammates as she dribbles the ball during the March 12 CCCAA State Championship semifinal against Irvine Valley College in Lemoore. COURTESY PHOTOS BY PAUL MUYSKENS
BY DAVID VICTOR Sports Editor
Delta’s women’s basketball team had a season to remember after placing runner-up at the CCCAA State Championship tournament, but sophomores Donja Payne and Alicia Jones will remember a lot more than just coming close to conquering a state title with the Mustangs. Jones and Payne were arguably the Mustangs’ top two players this season. Payne was the team’s top scorer, netting an average 14.7 points per game and finished in the Big 8 as the conference’s leader in rebounds (11.3 per game) and field goal percentage (57.8). Jones followed Payne in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game and was the only one to start in all of Delta’s games. Both players were also named to the CCCAA’s All-State team, putting them among the best players in California. Despite their accomplishments together on the court, however, the most valuable thing these two will take away from their experience at Delta is the friendship they’ve developed. “It is very special, now it’s like a full circle moment. We have played against each other since freshmen in high school and played on an all-star
team together. Then we go to the same college together and end up roommates. It’s crazy to think how everything worked out and came together,” said Alicia. Throughout their time at Delta, it’s hard not to see them separated from each other. “We are usually really goofy and love finding new things to watch on the fire stick. We get along very well and are able to get over disagreements. We pretty much do everything together,” said Payne. Despite having been opponents in high school — Jones playing for Beyer High and Payne for East Union — it wasn’t until they got to Delta that they truly started getting to know each other. “Me and Donja first got to know each other through both having to apply for work study. We had to do a few things off campus to get approved, so during that time we got to hang out a little more and our friendship developed from there,” said Jones. Whether or not Jones is playing basketball, she is always seen as a team player who wants to succeed together. “Alicia is reliable both on and off the court, whether it has to do with scoring or helping others. When she puts her mind to something she will accomplish it. She puts others’ needs before her own because she’s very loving and caring. She also has
great listening skills with great advice to give,” said Payne. Jones perceives Payne as approachable when meeting new people and a great new friend anyone could make. “I would describe Donja as genuine and welcoming, she is very sincere and honest. You can talk to her about anything and she’s super friendly and can get along with anyone,” said Jones. There is a possibility this duo can continue beyond Delta. In February, Payne and Jones visited Cal Poly Pomona together with the purpose of checking out the school as a potential institution for transfer. Jones later decided to commit earlier this month, but Payne is still undecided about where she will go this fall. While Jones would enjoy continuing to play alongside Payne, she isn’t fond about the idea of having her as an opponent once more. “Of course it would be great if Donja decided to commit to Cal Poly. I think that would be another fun ride, and we can do a lot of good together at this next level as we continue to improve our game,” said Jones. “But I would also understand her decision to play somewhere else, which would also be fun because we have done it before and we are super competitive against each other.”
Baseball fights to stay on top in Big 8 Conference BY DAVID VICTOR Sports Editor
Delta College baseball is battling to stay at the top of the Big 8 Conference. The Mustangs’ primary focus during the preseason was to shake off rust after not competing in a full season since 2019. Now with Big 8 play past the halfway mark, Head Coach Reed Peters is more confident about the performance of his team on the field. However, he said that he is still not fully satisfied as he aims to put finishing touches to the team to be as highly competitive as possible, especially when it comes to defending. Particularly, the Mustangs head coach wants to get the most out of the pitchers at the team’s disposal. “We need to clean up our defense a little bit … and find a couple more guys on the mound,” said Peters. Connor Semone and Seth Tomczak are the team’s leading openers, but Peters has seen in Nate Morris and Andrew Morones much needed pitching relief, and hopes the rest of the pitchers on the team follow. “Morris has been carrying us a little bit. Morones has stepped it up, but we’re going
to need to find one or two more arms that are going to be able to pitch out of the bullpen for us and get more out of our starters,” Peters said. Compared to the preseason, players now feel better about themselves reaching their peak performance. “We’re definitely locked in. We’re really stepping it up and the whole team is coming together,” outfielder Jack Tomlinson said. Delta has shown to have its best game on offense throughout the season. With a total 135 runs added to the scoreboard, the Mustangs are currently the second highest scoring team in the Big 8 Conference behind Consumnes River College with 153. Conceding 81 runs, Delta is also defensively the second best team in league play behind Folsom Lake, who has conceded 73. Tomlinson carries a big load of the Mustang offense as the player who has most made it to home plate (36) and hit six home runs (stats as of April 14). As the player who has contributed most to Delta’s offense, he also seeks to be the one whose teammates will rally behind.
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Delta outfielder Kenny DeCelle swings at the ball for a hit during the March 29, 2022 game against Folsom Lake at the Nick Cecchetti Baseball Field in Stockton. PHOTO BY DAVID VICTOR
8 NEWS 041522
The Collegian • deltacollegian.net/news NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK
Lawrenson reads to children at Delta Acting President/Superintendent Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson reads The Rainbow Fish to students from the Delta College Child Development Center as part of the Goleman Library celebration of National Library Week from April 4 to April 7. Events for the week include a virtual craft making, a Zoom session on how to make Vietnamese Egg Rolls, and interactive virtual events on reading. A silent auction was also held to raise money for Friends of the Delta College Library. PHOTO BY JAHDAI SPIKES
‘Don’t Say Gay’ signed into law in Florida to notable objection to introduce the topic,” said Chris Sprowls, speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. The new law gives parents the abiliOn March 28, Gov. Ron DeSantis ty to sue schools when feeling that the (R-Florida) signed a bill into law prohibiting school instructors from ad- policy has been violated. In addition, the bill gives parents dressing subjects of gender identity and access to be notified first and be able sexual orientation, specifically in kinto make the decision to reject any ofdergarten through third grade classes. “The Parental Rights in Education” fer on behalf of the child on any health was a law that was created because of or supported services that is given to the belief that the topic may not be them in school. How is it going to work? age-appropriate. According to the Florida Department The bill’s verbiage gives parents the freedom on when and how they want of Education website, in the beginning to introduce the topic of sexual orien- of the school year the school will provide the parents information about the health tation to their children. “We’re taking a firm stand in Flori- services that will be provided. However, some feel these decisions da for parents when we say instruction can harm the kids more than actually on gender identity and sexual orientahelp them. tion and does not belong in the class“This can lead to kids not even room where they are 5- and 6-yearsold children are learning. It should be wanting to have the conversation with up to the parent to decide if and when their parents about it. Kids are going BY GRACIELA GABRIEL Staff Writer
to grow up confused because they are going to feel what they feel is wrong. Which is going to affect them more than it is going to help them, '' said Krystal Garibay, a freshman at Delta. Nationwide the bill has been called the “Don’t Say Gay” bill and has received backlash for its exclusionary focus. Others think the bill is pointless because these subjects are not even touched in the classroom on that grade level and the focus. “I think kids that age already know about all that so banning kids from it is unnecessary and plus that is something that is not even taught in school it just seems that there’s no point of the bill,” said Marisabella Mena, a student at Delta. These decisions could also give kids an identity crisis and make them feel left out. “If a kid is familiar with the topic (LGBTQ) or identity they can feel left
out or not accepted,” said Mena. According to The Trevor Project, a mental health advocacy nonprofit that supports LGBTQ youth, young LGBTQ people are at a higher risk of suicide than others and this bill can increase the risk. The Trevor Project has not hesitated to speak about the new bill. It believes that students feel safer and less at risk of suicide when they affirm at school that they are accepted regardless of their gender identity. This bill can erase all the rights students feel. According to the Trevor Project website “Youth who learn about LGBTQ issues or people in classes at school had 23 percent lower odds of reporting attempts in the past year. This bill will erase young LGBTQ students across Florida, forcing many back into the closet,” said Sam Ames, Director of Advocacy and Government Affairs at the Trevor Project.
BOND: Taxpayers currently being surveyed to prioritize campus needs continued from PAGE 1 The Measure L bond was the first taxpayer initiative passed since 1969. The survey sent to taxpayers is meant to give indication as to what Delta might pursue in terms of renovation, fixes, or builds. It lists 11 specific priority areas, asking voters to prioritize “high,” “medium,” or “low.” A bond would also go to renovations to the more than 50-year-old main campus. Such revisions include a rework of the deteriorating plumbing, as seen with the Shima flooding in early 2021. Insurance covered the cost of flood repairs that hit just over $1 million, according to documents presented to the Board of Trustees. The 2017 Comprehensive Master Plan may also inform the projects, specifically the replacement of portable structures with permanent buildings in
Mountain House. “The new potential bond would fund permanent structures at Mountain House,” said Breitler. “We really need to make improvements to better serve that area and the bond would also help fund a Delta College presence in the north county, but the exact location for that has not yet been determined.” The 2017 plan also addresses building a North Campus site on Liberty Road in Galt, but those plans never materialized despite Delta College owning 140 acres of land there, according to Collegian reporting between 2015 and 2020 and master plan documents. The bond was a noted priority for President/Superintendent Dr. Omid Pourzanjani, who requested a leave of absence from the board in September 2021 and remains on leave through the end of his contract in June. “My hope is that we would get at least
two buildings in Mountain House. My hope is that the Manteca farm becomes the Manteca center so we actually have full programs there. My hope is that we get at least one if not two buildings in the Lodi/Galt area and my hope is that we get a couple of buildings here on this campus,” Pourzanjani told The Collegian in February 2020. The bond wasn’t pursued at the time. “It wasn’t really a delay per se, but we did some surveying back then and decided that 2020 wasn’t the right time to go to voters,” said Breitler. “It was right at the start of the pandemic of course, and there was a lot of uncertainty about jobs and the economy, etc. So we waited, and spent the last year or so laying the groundwork for a possible 2022 bond.” Read more about future proposed projects and take the survey at deltacollege.edu/OurFuture.
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