The Collegian - Published May 10, 2023

ADDRESSING THE TOLL OF MENSTRUATION

Menstruation disrupts roughly half of the world’s population, when will the other half begin to take it seriously?

BY ARIANNA JUÁREZ Editor-in-Chief

In February, Spain took a step towards health equity that the United States and other countries have failed to address.

The Spanish parliament passed legislation giving workers the right to take time off work for excessive menstrual pain, the first European country to pass legislation of this kind, according to NPR.

This monumental step in addressing a common health issue left me wishing the United States would pass something similar.

As someone who struggles monthly with severe menstrual pain, having this kind of support would make my life significantly easier. I would feel more supported and justified in seeking accommodation on the days I am struggling.

The reality is that my story of severe menstruation pain is not uncommon. People who menstruate often put up with symptoms like excessive bleeding, painful cramping, nausea, vomiting, and headaches to name a few.

On my worst days, the pain and discomfort I feel prevent me from getting out of bed. Painful cramps knock the wind out of me, making even the slightest of movement unbearable.

Excessive bleeding makes it so that I have to remain at home. An iron deficiency only exacerbates the effects of my excessive bleeding, making me feel light-headed, dizzy, and nauseous during most of my cycle.

While my symptoms might sound extreme, multiple reproductive health doctors have told me that they are normal. I’ve had countless exams, x-rays, and sonograms taken just to make sure my symptoms were not indicating any other problems with my overall reproductive health.

Every test has come back normal, and every x-ray and sonogram shows nothing but a healthy reproductive system, functioning exactly as it should.

What do these results mean, then?

They indicate that my pain is something I will have to live with for the rest of my child-bearing years.

They also indicate that the severity of these symptoms is within range of what medical professionals deem normal.

If this type of debilitating pain is normal in our society, why wouldn’t the U.S. include menstruation pain in its sick leave

See PERIOD, page 11

Assault leaves student shaken

BY JADA PORTILLO Opinion Editor

April 24 at 4 p.m., a sexual battery occurred at Cunningham North Path near Cunningham 2 parking lot. Later that evening, students and faculty were issued a Mustang alert.

On

Robert Andrew Marquez, 29, was arrested on April 25 by State Parole and was transported to San Joaquin County Jail by campus police after allegedly touching the buttocks of a female.

The female victim reported at 4:32 p.m. on April 24, the suspect started a conversation with her. The victim continued to walk toward her car in the parking lot and stopped talking to the suspect but he continued to follow her. The suspect stumbled and touched the victim’s buttocks with his hand.

“30 minutes is enough time for somebody to hop in a car and get way away from here or even walking, get to an area where we’ll never be able to find them,” Police Sergeant and Public Information Officer Jim Bock said, noting how State Parole saw the alert and was able to provide a name and an interview for the suspect.

“In this case, it just shows a great partnership with State Parole.”

See SUSPECT, page 11

National Library Week features author Sarah Lohman

BY ARIANNA JUÁREZ Editor-in-Chief

On Apr. 26, author Sarah Lohman held a virtual talk for Delta students to discuss her new book Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine.

The event was held in part to commemorate National Library Week at Delta. Delta hosted a variety of events meant to highlight the services provided by the Goleman Library. These events included raffles, workshops, and book sales.

Wednesday’s event was hosted by history professor Dr. Sarah Seekatz, who is also chairperson of the Cultural Awareness Program at Delta.

Seektaz is featured in Lohman’s upcoming book Endangered Eating: America’s Vanishing Foods, where she and Lohman teamed up to research date fruits in California’s Coachella Valley.

During the National Library Week event, Lohman spoke extensively about Ranji Smile, an Indian immigrant chef, known for introducing Indian cuisine to Americans in the early twentieth century.

See LOHMAN, page 11

Delta needs yearbooks to preserve memories

BY JADA PORTILLO Opinion Editor

Yearbooks are a way of remembering the school year and bonding with your peers when discussing your summer plans while signing each other’s yearbooks.

While yearbooks seem to be only for high schools, some universities and community colleges have them.

Delta College, once known as Stockton College, hasn’t had a yearbook since 1957 called the “El Recuerdo ‘’ according to the library’s online archives. Most of the yearbooks in Delta’s past are from the Stockton College period of its history.

Delta’s first yearbook was made in 1936 called the “Naranjado,” which lasted until 1949 under College of the

Pacific and Stockton College.

In the 1950s, Delta’s yearbook was called “Yearling” being the only year with that name for the book.

“El Recuerdo” lasted 7 years and was one of the last yearbooks to be made at Delta.

The books included pictures of the administration, faculty and students while showcasing the then campus. Activities and classes are also shown as well as the staff who created the yearbook which are the students.

Considering Delta has about more than 15,000 students compared to more than 60 years ago, I get why making a yearbook would be a hassle.

If Delta were to have a yearbook, it would be a great way for Delta College Alumni to show their kids their college or for a way for them to reflect on

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.

what once was.

“I would like Delta to have yearbooks,” Delta College Student, Michelle Rivero said. “It’s a good way to look back on the good memories of the school year and input photos from the events and help involve the students more.”

I think it would be a great idea for Delta to provide at least a custom yearbook made for individuals that includes their picture, name and major as well as those that are in the same major as they are. For example, you could group together the nursing majors or Journalism majors.

But who would make the yearbooks?

I imagine the yearbook making process either being student run and made

rather than faculty making the yearbook for students since other students have ideas on what students want to see in the yearbook.

Would ASDC produce the yearbook or would the newspaper staff produce the yearbook, or would they both share equal responsibility for the yearbook?

For now the newspaper, the Collegian acts as a record for events that happened on campus and other topics that bring in Delta students.

Though the newspaper isn’t the same as a yearbook since you can’t really have your friends sign the paper, it’s a great way to remember campus life.

Hopefully one day Delta will bring back yearbooks after almost 66 years, for now we have the newspaper to relive memories of our Delta experience.

Timeline of Delta College Yearbooks from 1936-1957

Delta’s first yearbook was made in 1936 called the “Narajando” which lasted until 1949 under College of the Pacific and Stockton College. “El Reccuerdo” lasted seven years and was one of the last yearbooks to be made at Delta.

Photos of the yearbooks are from Delta’s library online archive. Pictures of yearbooks are scanned pictures from “El Reccuerdo” 1956

Men’s men: showing emotion not sign of weakness

Gender roles prevent men from showing their true emotions instead they hide

BY CHRISTINA GOODMAN Photo Editor

Growingup if something would happen to my boy cousins as in hurting themselves while playing, I couldn’t ask them if they were okay. Instead, I would be told to leave him alone.

But when it came to my girl cousins, if they were okay after hurting themselves playing was okay to ask them.

Does doing this does this hinder him to hide his emotions as he gets older?

Why is it okay for girls to cry but not boys?

These subtle nudges that seemingly removed feeling from male roles are now something I question, particularly when considering conditioning of children into gender roles. Does crying equate to weakness? That was the indication.

Dr. Melissa Neal, a Professor of Psychology at San Joaquin Delta College, answered questions via email who works in the Social Science and Education and public services department at Delta and teaches psychology.

“Men and boys are told not to cry for a variety of reasons,” she said. “There are both sex roles (innate differences between biological males and biological females) and gender roles.”

While there is indication that there are not as many differences in these roles as we’d think, society still socializes based on those perceptions.

“Studies have found that there are actually very few differences in sex roles and there are way more similarities between biological males and females. However, when it comes to gender roles, we have conditioned children differently,” Neal said.

Is this a culture difference or do all cultures do this?

Neal said that cultures around the world expect men to be strong, specifically as “hunters” or “providers.” The idea is to “not show weakness.”

“An example of this early conditioning, or teaching of behaviors, is that we say things to little boys like, ‘Wow! Look how strong you are!,’ whereas we say things to little girls like, ‘Wow! Look how sweet

you are!,” she wrote.

When boys are told not to cry, Neal said it is because the message is that “that shows weakness isn’t congruent with the gender role of a man. We can see these gender roles in society, the media and passed down generationally.”

That’s not a good thing.

Neal continues to say “ Those types of statements teach the children how to behave, or in what ways they are expected to behave.

It teaches boys from a young age that they should be tough and strong. Part of that message is to not cry, because that shows weakness and isn’t congruent with the gender role of a man.

We can see these gender roles in society, the me dia, and passed down generationally.

“Psychologists would generally agree that teaching boys and men NOT to cry or express emotion is very detrimental. As humans, we a full range of emotions. Being told to not express a natural feeling of sadness or being scared, in turn can lead to other acting out behaviors or further the sadness.”

The gender roles also may stop men from accept ing or seeking help because it, too, could be seen as a weakness, said Neal.

“We see that men don’t seek out mental health care as much as women, often because of these gen der roles. They may believe it shows weakness or it’s not “manly” to go to therapy. When in reality it’s the complete opposite,” Neal said.

“Crying is a natural expression of emotion. For men/boys to be told to not cry teaches them that their feelings aren’t valid and they are wrong to have those feelings,” said Neal.“Rather than allow men/ boys to express their feelings, many have been told that they need to hide them.”

Not all males are conditioned to believe crying or showing emotion is bad. Student Davis Dotson said those actions can be beneficial for development. “It will help them feel out their emotions and be a better man later in life no matter what situation that they are going through,” said Dotson.

Waleed Abdullahraul noted the perception of

weakness in showing too much emotion. “I think men can’t show too much emotion because people will judge a man as someone who’s weak,” said Abdullahraul “Even though times have changed I think biologically we are still wired to see men as leaders who need to be strong enough to carry their own weight.”

Views can be different when it comes to young boys and how they are able to express themselves. Some say yes, some say no, but there is more here to think about when it comes to impact in the longrun.

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COLLEGIAN CRITIQUES THE END OF SPRING SEMESTER or

• The semester coming to an end

• Campus police hiding in plain site along the roads: we see you

• Art gallery getting a new floor after flooding

• Financial aid finally being paid out

• Danner Hall is bustling again

• Graduation at the Stockton Arena

• Multiple graduation events on campus celebrating Delta students

• Professional Clothes Closet available for free work clothing

• Wine connoisseur classes now offered on campus

• Food grown on campus by students going to the food pantry for students

• Trees that have fallen during the semester - RIP

• Art gallery construction that had made the Shima building noisy

• Bipolar weather

• Finals

• Limited tickets for graduation

• Having to buy your cap and gown to walk at graduation

• Limited food options continue on campus (bring back food trucks!)

• Lack of a comprehensive events calendar at Delta College

• Counseling still unavailable due to lack of appointments

• Teachers who are checked out from answering messages or communicating

Colleges finding students through media

BY GRACIELA GABRIEL Staff Writer

The benefits for colleges to be active in social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Tiktok has its advantages.

“In terms of how helpful this has been for students, we certainly hope it has been! During COVID-19 in particular, I think students were thankful to receive frequent updates on social media since they weren’t on campus and some of them felt a bit disconnected at the time, they’re often very generous about thanking us when they’ve gotten a tidbit of information that they needed.” said Alex Breitler, director of Marketing and Communication of Delta.

Delta will also be reaching their 10 year anniversary on Facebook in July 2023 and is going on more than 5 years on Twitter and Instagram.

However, the Delta facebook page is not an official website. Breitler is a frequent user on Delta’s Facebook page by posting questions there asking students how their week is going and engaging with the audience for that group page.

Delta also runs paid ads on Snapchat, and joined Tiktok three years ago.

Victoria Gonzalez, Delta’s Digital Communications Coordinator, runs Delta’s social media accounts.

These pros are good for colleges because they are able to notify upcoming events and promote the college on these platforms especially when social media apps are used by global users.

For example when visiting Delta’s Instagram page, @sjdeltacollege’s bio lets people know that they offer up 200 degrees and certificates.

This also helps Delta to keep students informative besides relying on the deltacollege.edu

Delta also not only wants to focus on making their social media pages informative but also fun for the audience as they are aware they can be reaching different audiences.

“Student expectations about the frequency and timeliness of information have evolved over

time so we need to evolve too. This is challenging because there are many types of audiences, so I think we have to put a lot more thought and strategy into which platforms we’re using and how we use them. We try to make it not just informative but also a fun place to build a sense of community and belonging,” said Breitler.

So how is Delta making these platforms more fun?

By engaging with students by not only being an informative page but also listening to students on social media so they can learn how to make Delta College a better place for students.

However, Delta’s social media not only has its pros for the college but also for the students.

For example, the San Joaquin Delta College Facebook page has been beneficial for me.

In Fall 2021 when first starting Delta, I was able to purchase a book for a class for a lower

price than the Student/Bookstore while messaging with another student by meeting them on the San Joaquin Delta College Facebook group page.

The Facebook group allows students to communicate by allowing students to post on the group page, comment and share.

So students can create questionnaires for a class, sell books, promote business, a recommendation for who and what class to take besides using ratemyprofessor.com and just opinions from other students.

I myself have used the San Joaquin Delta College as a resource for a class and freely communicate with other students.

I am also able to find out about in campus events by checking their Instagram page.

Delta college’s official social media platforms are reliable and accurate information for students according to Breitler and are always corrected when needed.

Digital ease vs. film aesthetics: The joy of photos

BY BRYAN RAMOS Sports Editor

Photography has been around since the 19th century and has evolved drastically as time went by. Film photography was introduced in 1888 while digital photography was introduced in the 1950s.

Both types of photography have the same foun dation, which is using a camera to capture moments, landscapes, etc. But both of these methods are pro foundly different. .

Film photography is when you capture photos using a film camera. When you capture an image, light is let into the camera and burns a piece of the film, which leaves you with the image on the film as a negative. Digital photography is when you capture photos but instantly get to see the image through a screen and the photo is saved in a memory card.

According to guidetofilmphotography.com, the estimated cost of film photography, including the basics like the 35 mm camera, film, etc. is roughly $800 if the darkroom equipment is included, but these prices vary depending on the equipment and where you find the items since they’re a bit harder to find nowadays with the emergence of digital photog raphy. If you were to get just the camera along with a couple of rolls of film, along with photopaper, it’ll cost roughly $250.

There is no clear answer on how much digital photography costs but based on the prices of a tri pod, a digital camera such as the Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR camera with a memory card, and a pos sible extra lens, all bought from Walmart or another retail, would cost roughly around $650 but prices can vary depending on whether you find these things on apps like OfferUp or eBay. The total cost can de crease to about $300-400 if you get a point and shoot camera as they’re significantly cheaper. It comes down on what you can afford. I’ve done both types of photography this semester.

I’ve done film photography for my photography class, digital photography for the Collegian and I’ve seen they’re distinct

differences with each other.

What’s better? It all comes down to preference. Digital photography is really useful for things like instant access and using it for things like covering

Take Care Fair puts focus on de-stressing

BY ANDREA RIVERA Staff Writer

On May 2, Delta College Office of Student Activities hosted the Take Care Fair in celebration of Mental Health Awareness month.

Student Life Coordinator Cassie Findlay helped host and said the primary focus was for students to “feel a sense of belonging, that they are supported. We held a de-stress fest last year and it was a big hit. That had the therapy dogs, painting and fleece blanket making so we wanted to add a few more activities this year that students actually suggested.”

Those activities included painting rocks and clay pots, coloring intricate pictures, building flower bouquets, puzzles and fun swag giveaways.

Although the forecast had other plans (rain was present the entire week) and stopped the advertised therapy dogs from coming, this did not stop Findlay from making sure the event still went on.

“With student event activities and event planning you have to be flexible,” she said. “So with that you have to have a Plan B and we ended up with our Plan C.”

Student Fernanda Tapia attended the Take Care Fair in support of Mental Health Awareness Month.

“School can be so stressful sometimes and it’s nice to be able to take a deep breath and just be able to reset,” Tapia said.

Tapia named her favorite part of the event.

“Definitely enjoy the food. Free food is always a plus. And the flower bou-

quets is a cool opportunity to be creative with something so nice,” she said.

The Community Medical Center was also in attendance with medical assistant Cynthia Ramos who spoke to students about the programs offered to low income students and their children.

“We want to bring awareness to the students that we are here to help. Anything that involves the medical area from refills of medication to behavioral issues,” said Ramos.

To access these benefits simply walk in or call ahead to the health center located in the Locke building open Monday through Friday. For more information about the services, coverages and costs check out the Health Center online at deltacollege.edu/healthcenter.

Coping mechanisms alleviate daily strains

BY CHRISTINA GOODMAN Photo Editor

Coping mechanism: “Any conscious or nonconscious adjustment or adaptation that decreases tension and anxiety in a stressful experience or situation. Modifying maladaptive coping mechanisms is often the focus of psychological interventions.”

American Psychological Association Dictionary

When you’re stressed out from having too much on your plate, what do you do to take your mind off of it?.

With life you never know what’s going to happen and when it will happen as well. Some might take a walk, listen to music or vent to someone.

“Problem-Focused Coping: refers to an actionable way to handle a stressful situation, much like the behavioral approach to coping we just talked about.

This technique allows us to focus on tackling the problem itself. Typically, this coping technique is employed when we have control over a situation (Baker & Berenbaum, 2007).” according to www. berkeley wellbeing.com. And here are some suggestions listed on the website.

• Feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities? Try creating a schedule or to-do list.

• Dealing with loneliness after a break-up? Try reaching out to some close friends or family members for social support.

• Struggling with work-life balance? Try talking to your employer about how to set up a more flexible schedule or healthy boundaries.

• Stressed out about failing a class? Try delegating more hours of study time or forming a study group.

• Feeling extra sluggish due to a less nutritious

diet? Try meeting with a nutritionist or primary care provider for meals that are both easy to make and healthy.

“Personally what I do when mine has me in a chokehold is trying to figure out what is triggering it.” stated Camery Turner. Turner continues “I acknowledge it, validate “why” I’m feeling it, and then talk myself down from the ledge”

Turner continues “A lot of times for me my stress, depression and anxiety comes from overworking myself, insecurities or putting an excessive amount of pressure on myself.”

“When school stress gets to me, I like to turn my attention to things that bring me joy. I love to spend time in the kitchen and cook comfort foods. I also love to use coloring books to pass time and be creative,” said Arianna Juarez, editor in chief at The Collegian.

Top: Students receive food at the Take Care Fair.

Bottom: Students could participate in painting and crafts.

PHOTOS BY ANDREA RIVERA

ENTREPRENEUR CRAFTS CUSTOM RUGS

Stockton business owner Erik Sandoval works on creating custom rugs through his online brand, “Rugsbyless.” The rugs often feature designs inspired by popular culture.

MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

The stories on Pages 6-7 were reported in Delta College’s MCOM 10 Multimedia Storytelling class.

Students worked over the course of the Spring 2023 semester to pitch, report, edit, and publish stories told through, video, audio, photography and other multimedia elements.

More stories can be viewed online at deltacollegian.net/multimedia

Textile artist can spend up to three weeks on a designed piece, depending on size

BY SAMMY JIMENEZ Special to The Collegian

Erik Sandoval, a 23-year-old entrepreneur, is Stockton’s most experienced custom rug designer, and most local residents aren’t aware of the creativity lying right in their own neighborhood. The spark of his lucrative journey started when he was a small kid.

“I wanna say I was six at least, I had a desktop computer in my own room,” said Sandoval.

“I remember the little kid feeling in me and the feeling of euphoria and wow, people can do this. Can I learn from this?”

Sandoval began his artsy adventure by simply making rugs he and his friend Scott Lariosa were interested in, for themselves to keep. This gave Sandoval the skills to break ground when he was ready to go pro and make a business for himself. A big inspiration for the idea was social media, such as Tiktok and Instagram. As the platforms shot up in popularity during the pandemic, he became increasingly interested in combining his artistic designs with the skills he could learn along the way.

”It was Covid and I just saw a bunch of videos in the summer of 2020. I just kept seeing these other people making rugs, and I’d never ever seen that before. I kinda just literally envisioned myself doing it as

well; like I could see them in me.”

With his own website selling rugs and other branded merchandise, Sandoval’s uses his original artist name “less”, as part of his online brand known as “Rugsbyless.”

Sandoval uses what’s called a tufting gun to shoot the yarn through a standing canvas. Before that however, he must wind up the yarn using a special tool called a yarn winder. This ensures that the yarn used to create the rugs is well organized and will not become tangled during the tufting process, preventing hours of potential stoppage. Afterwards, a thick rubber backing is added for nonslip precaution.

Customers can choose to purchase one of Sandoval’s own designs, or can opt for a customized rug by sending in a design of their own. Examples of these designs are Pokeballs which follow a more traditional circle shape, celebrities like Post Malone, which use many different colors in an unconventional shape, and psychedelic rugs that pop out and have a splatter-like look. One customer states that “his work speaks for himself” and that Sandoval’s online presence promotes himself as “hardworking, professional, and reliable.”

A local artist known as @freshbiscuits_ on Instagram, who makes “art for emotionally sensitive peo-

ple”, spoke up about Sandoval’s art and how it visually is making fast headway. “He likes to push his creativity and explore innovative ways to display the rug medium.”

He has also created rugs which start as mirrors, by using their border as a canvas for the design, creating a modern style home decor piece.

A smaller rug depicting a Batman logo on Sandoval’s website is listed as $80, while the larger and more time consuming projects cost up to $450. Any custom orders’ price will depend on the size and sometimes color palette.

The limits of what Sandoval can do don’t leave much to be desired, with the occasional rug being 5 feet in length. The entire process from start to finish takes about two to three weeks, depending on how many orders are active and the rugs’ size.

“He’s grown across the board. I wanna say his biggest thing now is consistency, he’s on it every day. Self Improvement, practicing, he’s on his iPad drawing something at least a couple hours a day,” said Scott Lariosa, friend of Sandoval.

With sturdy grounds in his business and a steady rise in the popularity of custom rugs, it’s only a matter of time before we all have our favorite designs in our homes.

PHOTOS BY SAMMY JIMENEZ

COFFEE + COMMUNITY

Downtown Stockton shop serves as a hub for gathering, training, and mentorship

BY ASHLEY HALLINAN Special to The Collegian

The smell of roasting coffee while driving down Center Street, near Downtown Stockton, draws patrons into The Well.

The establishment offers a place to gather, learn and collaborate. David and Raegan Cicileo’s coffee shop, eatery, venue and collab center is a staple for the Stockton patrons that have discovered the community gem.

The space provides a cozy environment, delicious food and tantalizing coffee.

Natalie Seals of Stockton comes to The Well every Saturday with her knitting group.

“They really provide a place for people to connect and an environment where connections can be made. They have a place where people can create downstairs, they have classrooms, collaborating with the community, they provide outreach and scholarships for the community,” said Seals about what she enjoys most.

Seals compliments the food and craft coffee as another reason the group enjoys meeting at the location.

“This is an all-inclusive place. They don’t care what background you come from, they just want people to get together, find each other, make new friendships, eat good food and just continue to grow in size and outreach,” Seals added.

Donté Miller has been frequenting The Well for the past several months on Saturdays to work on his dissertation for his PhD in higher education at Indiana State University.

Miller serves as the Executive Director of Campus Life at University of the Pacific, overseeing student organizations and recreation.

He stated, “My main thing is to come here, get some coffee, get some food at

times, get some of Mama’s good, delicious cookies and get my writing done.”

Raegan is known as “Mama Rae” according to an article on The Well’s website. When the Cicileo’s first moved to the neighborhood, Raegan would sit out on a picnic blanket and offer homemade chocolate chip cookies to the kids passing by.

The Well boasts a menu of various food selections and decadent beverage offerings with coffee beans that have been roasted in-house, a rarity among similar cafes.

Ben Kenoyer is part of the roasting collaborative and a barista at The Well.

He started roasting coffee in his parent’s laundry room when he was just 18. With the roasting space at The Well, encouragement from the Cicileo’s, Kenoyer’s passion for coffee roasting led him to start his business, Revive Roasters, in 2020.

“The roasting collaborative, right now, is two coffee roasters roasting in our space and our goal is just to provide the best coffee in Stockton,” said Kenoyer about the roasting collaborative.

Brianna Rojas is a barista that was recently promoted to manager at The Well. She originally found the establishment through her love for coffee shops and started as a volunteer in 2022.

“We have so many different events varying from having a baby shower to having birthdays to a knitting club that gathers here every Saturday to different groups that just like to meet here,” said Rojas of the events held at The Well. “We also have our office space meeting room and our great room that hosts many different events.”

The Well offers vocational education classes including music, vocals, recording, graphic design, art and performing arts. It also offers opportunities for or-

ganic youth mentorship including options of training and mentorship in the roastery, coffee shop, screen printing or food service.

As a venue for community events, The Well has hosted poetry readings, fundraising banquets, art shows, birthday parties and meetings.

The Cicileos are dedicated members of the Stockton community, with roots going back 13 years.

“We created a non-profit over the years called Restore Stockton, where we were mentoring youth in the neighborhood because the youth just started coming to our house,” said Raegan Cicileo. “It grew into a mentor program and then all those kids were growing up and needed skills. We started dreaming up what a public place would look like where we could bring people in to do vocational training and find their gifts and talents.”

Bowling leagues bring good times with good friends

BY DYLAN JAEKEL Feature Editor

Bowling is an occasional night out with friends for some, a small hobby for others. For a select group however, bowling is more than something for spare time, it is a passion and a time to bond with friends.

At the West Valley Bowl in Tracy, CA, the teams that encompass their local bowling league are dedicated. They spend a night competing with one another, and many spend multiple nights a week practicing for competition. Nights re filled with drinks, laughter and a common love for the sport of bowling.

“So, we start off on Tuesday mornings. Tuesday mornings are strictly our seniors, so if you’re not fifty-plus, you can't bowl. Tuesday nights are for everybody. Then, Wednesdays are more for the professionals, people who are really good. We set out PBA patterns, which are a lot harder than what you see on a normal dayto-day. So that's where you're going to see your professionals, and they're going to struggle a bit; it's supposed to challenge them,” said West Valley Bowl employee Eric Boscacci. “Then, Thursday mornings, we have a no-tap league which is if you knock nine, you don't

get all ten, nine counts as a strike. So, I like that one, it's a good little ego boost. And then on Thursdays, that's our wild and reckless league, that's full house, slam packed, and everybody’s drinking, having a good time. And Fridays, which a few of my friends bowl on, that's more like you’re there, you’re getting drunk, you’re having a good time. That's most of the leagues we have. The seniors, for fun, and then really hardcore for the professionals.”

“It's just a fun thing to do. I started in high school; I got a few of my friends out here, and they haven't stopped bowling since. Once you start doing it, you see that it's pretty fun. You want to strive to get a high-

er score. Once you bowl one time, it's like Oh man, I got to break 200, I got to go for the 300. It keeps you going,” said Boscacci. “It's a passion of mine, so I think everyone should try it.”

For the team No Sleep ‘Till Brooklyn, their love for bowling started after a friend worked at the bowling alley and told them about the league. “My best friend Justin was working here at the bowling alley, and he was telling me about the leagues and how fun they are. He needed an extra person and asked me to join, and I had nothing better to do on Friday nights, so I said, why not,” said team member Tyler Christensen. Their bowling team started

as something to do in their free time but has grown to more. “I started bowling in 2019. I came with one of my friends, Jesse; we just came randomly, and we just consistently started going. I first started off just throwing the ball, and then I started finding out more about bowling, and after I found out more about it, I was just hooked,” said team member Sebastian Arroyo.

Through the formation of their bowling team, the four members of No Sleep ‘Till Brooklyn have not only become better bowlers, but they have become better friends as well. “The camaraderie is great on my team. We’ve known each other for so long. We get along so well, so it’s always fun with them,” said team member Justin Russo.

Though No Sleep ‘Till Brooklyn’s team members are all in their early twenties, making them a younger team, this does not affect their love of the game or the relationships they have formed with other teams. “We’re one of those teams that likes to have a little bit of banter going throughout the night, especially as more drinks go in,” said Christensen. “I would say most teams are easy to talk to and get along with, especially since we’re sharing a past time and hanging out.”

League members are at the alley each Friday night for a good time, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t take their bowling seriously. Bowler Jesse Roy said his competitiveness is a 9 out of 10. “I like to beat my teammates. We kind of have a rivalry to see who does better per game,” he said.

Friendly rivalries have also grown between teams but winning is not the ultimate goal. “There are definitely teams that are close in the brackets with us, and while it can go both ways, it can go our way one night and their way another night, ultimately having fun is more important than actively trying to win the brackets against most of the teams,” said Christensen.

No Sleep ‘Till Brooklyn is going to continue to be a team well into the future, as the members have no plans of stopping anytime soon. “I’m going to be bowling for quite a while. I’ll give it as long as I can continue to come here (West Valley Bowl). I do work, so as long as I have spare time, I’ll always come back,” said Arroyo.

Their found passion for bowling and their bonds with one another is what fuels the team No Sleep Till Brooklyn; the bowling alley bar may also have a hand in their good times.

Baristas making coffee for customers.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY HALLINAN

West Valley Bowl lanes being oiled before league begins. PHOTO BY DYLAN JAEKEL

Student Art Exhibit highlights accomplishment

BY DYLAN JAEKEL Feature Editor

The 2023 Student Art Exhibition reception and Awards celebration was held May 4. The exhibition contained 57 works from 36 Delta College students.

The 24th annual Student Art Exhibition was unfortunately not held in the L.H. Horton Art Gallery, as renovations of the gallery due to damage from previous flooding are still underway. Gallery goers will however have an opportunity to see the student artworks in person when the pieces are put on display in the Fall 2023 semester.

This year artworks were chosen by juror and sculpture professor at San Francisco State Michael Arcega.

The event began with food and refreshments outside before moving to the Tony Fitch Forum, formerly the North Forum.

L.H. Horton Gallery Coordinator Jan Marlese first read a land acknowledgment, followed by a slideshow of all of the student art selected for the show.

After the slide show awards were given to students in different categories. The awards included the Frank W Clancy Memorial Foundation award, the Horton Gallery Foundation award, the student art club award, and five merit awards. Six portfolio awards one for each in ceramics, sculpture, drawing, painting, graphic arts and photography. President Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson and Vice president of Instruction and Planning Charles “Kale” Braden.

“Selecting work out of all of the artwork which was the best was extremely hard for me. I mean every single artist has talent, voice, something to say that was amazing, interesting, thought provoking and I just want to congratulate all of the artists,” said Lawrenson.

Highlighting student art and having accessible art on campus is extremely important for Delta’s student population. “The arts run through everything. The thing about the arts is it's not just about those that want to go off and be artists, but it's often the way that many students on this campus find their voice. It's the way that they’re able to share their truth and to share the way that they see the world,” said Braden.

“To me the arts are important on so many levels,

first to our humanity, but educationally, the arts can talk about politics, talk about love, talk about beauty. Arts can express anything and everything in any subject. There’s a lot of educational components to art that people don't really think about and it can integrate into any subject. So, that's why I think it's really important,” said Marlese. “Then two, I think also for healing. I think that the arts are very healing, meditative , it's something that you can always turn to at your darkest times and feel some relief. And I think that's really important to have something that makes you feel good.”

Delta’s art program provides students like those highlighted in this year’s Student Art Exhibit an ability to see art as a possible future path.

“Don't worry about what you’re going to do for a job, just do your art anyway,” said Marlese.

“There’s always something that you can do on the side to complement your art. For me it was arts management that complimented my art because I get to be around it all of the time and I'm good at management, so I married those two,” said Marlese. “For my husband, who is an artist, he can't be behind a desk, he has to do something with his hands, so he did furniture restoration So, there's always something. There's teaching too. There's always something that can complement, but that doesn't mean you ever have to stop making art.”

The exhibit can be seen as an example of creativity, hope and a glimpse at the future. Art is something that people need and having a place to display that art can be vital.

“It is important. It's important to you. It's important to the people around you. Don't forget that there's an artist inside of all of us and there’s an opportunity to speak through your art, and art shows its form in many many different ways,” said Braden.

“I would say definitely pursue your passions and when you're ready let your art be seen because those voices are really needed. I believe art saves lives and makes a difference, and having it out there is just the best way to I think change the world in many respects, in many ways change our communities,” said Law-

renson.

Top Left: Garret Mandujar performs solo. Top Middle: Patrick Naylor sings. Top Right: Miniya Brisbane performs “Body and Soul.” Middle Left: Delta Jazz Ensemble’s Guitar section after performing “Wipe out.” Bottom Left: Trumpeter Abraham Villarreal. Bottom Right: Delta Jazz ensemble takes a bow. PHOTOS BY DYLAN JAEKEL

Top: “Delta Landscape” by Al Francis Majia, recipient of SJDC Art Club Award. Bottom: Alexis Paneda recieves award from Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawrenson.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAN MARLESE

REPRESENTATION ON SCREEN VARIES

BY ZANIEL WALDO Staff Writer

Cinco de Mayo. The date is among America’s most popular Mexican celebrations, with celebrities, programs and organizations participating.

At its core it is celebrating the victory against the French and declaring independence against them. We celebrate it now in various methods of celebration for the culture itself, including on the big and small screens.

Delta College Hispanics/Latino staff and students note a consensus in the positive reputation in Hollywood projects showcasing the culture. Several new and older movies were recommended to watch to get insight into the people and culture, though some offer stereotypical references.

BIOGRAPHIC PORTRAYALS

“La Bamba,” “Selena,” “Stand and Deliver,” & “McFarland, USA”

These films depict the real-life stories of people and their struggles.

“La Bamba” focuses on Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens becoming an overnight rock ‘n’ roll success in 1958. As his fame rises, Valens has conflicts with his jealous brother and his trauma of a haunting nightmare of the plane crash that killed his best friend.

“Selena” tells the life story of performer Selena Quintanilla and how she was born into a musical Mexican-American family in Texas. She finds success in mainstream stardom and begins recording her Spanish-language albums. The life story of Quintanilla has film and series adaptations, so viewers can choose which format to watch based on their preferences.

“Stand and Deliver” focuses on Los Angeles high school teacher Jaime Escalante being hassled by challenging

students. He opts to immerse his students in higher math through intensive study to ace California’s calculus test, only to learn the education system is questioning their scores.

“McFarland, USA” tells the story of struggling coach and teacher Jim White moving to the Central Valley. There he discovers buried potential in several players, and slowly turns them into championship runners.

STEREOTYPICAL PORTRAYALS

“Blood In Blood Out,” “American Me,” “Boulevard Nights,” & “Mi Vida Loca”

These films present more stereotypically as they lean into gang violence within Chicano communities.

“Blood In Blood Out” focuses on two step-brothers and their biracial cousins and how a violent crime and the influence of narcotics alter their lives. One is incarcerated and sent to San Quentin, another becomes a heroin addict overcoming tragic results, and the other becomes a cop leading to conflicting issues with his relatives.

“American Me” depicts 30 years of Chicano gang life in Los Angeles. It focuses on three teens getting into trouble and soon arrested for a breakin. They go from reform school to prison, spending eighteen years there and becoming leaders of a powerful gang inside and outside the prison.

“Boulevard Nights” is the story of a young Mexican-American trying to resist the lure of street gangs in East Los Angeles, unlike his older brother. He struggles to take steps toward building himself a future with his girlfriend as he finds a sense of belonging in a gang.

“Mi Vida Loca” shows childhood best friends in a contemporary Los Angeles poor Hispanic neighborhood, later becoming bitter enemies. While their dispute escalates towards violence, violence

around them also impacts their lives.

EXAGGERATED REALISTIC PORTRAYALS

“End of Watch,” “Apocalypto,” “Machete,” “Mayans MC,” “Narcos: Mexico,” & “On My Block”

These projects take inspiration and influence from realistic events but take it to an extreme with action and drama to make for attention catchers.

“End of Watch” shows longtime LAPD partners and friends patrolling one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Their honor and dedication are unmatched as they always have each other’s back, but all hell breaks loose for the officers when they run afoul of a vicious Mexican cartel.

“Apocalypto” takes influence from indigenous ancestry by depicting the story of a peaceful hunter in a remote tribe captured and scheduled for a ritual sacrifice until he makes a daring escape from the Mayan Kingdom as he tries to make it back to his pregnant wife and son.

“Machete” tells the story of a former Mexican Federale hitman set up for failure at a job. After recovering, he is out for revenge on his former employers.

“Mayans M.C.” follows a motorcycle club charter on the California/ Mexico border. We see a former golden boy, fresh out of prison, as a prospect in the charter who must carve out his new outlaw identity.

“Narcos: Mexico” explores when the Mexican trafficking world was a loose, disorganized confederation in the 1980s, showing traffickers unifying to build an empire, as the DEA agent assigned to the case learns his assignment is more challenging than he imagined.

“On My Block” is a comedy show about four street-savvy friends nav-

Taylor Evans Patrick Eley

A Turlock-raised comic who began performing stand-up comedy in 2014.

“How I got started in comedy, nothing really drew me to it. You ever tell a lie then have to live a lie?” Evans asked half-jokingly which was immediately followed by laughter. Taylor Evans shares with the Collegian how he began working as a comic, as well as his greatest success and his hardest failure within his stand-up career.

Comedian and martial artist.

igating through the triumph, pain, and newness of high-school set in the rough inner city.

REALISTIC PORTRAYAL

“My Family” traces three generations of an immigrant family’s trials, tribulations, tragedies, and triumphs. Each generation contends with political and social hardships, ranging from illegal deportations in the 1930s to gang fights in the 1950s to familial tensions in the 1970s.

EASY-GOING & LIGHT-HEARTED “Coco,” “The Book of Life,” “Maya and the Three,” & “George Lopez”

“Coco” is a Disney-animated film that focuses on a boy who dreams of becoming a musician like his idol despite his family’s disapproval. He finds himself on an afterlife adventure, depicted with influence from traditional Mexican beliefs.

“The Book of Life” is an animated film about three childhood friends from a small Mexican town. Their lives take different paths as they grow older, but the love triangle remains. They’re unaware two death deities have made a high-stakes wager based on the outcome of the love triangle.

“Maya and the Three” is an animated miniseries that takes influences from indigenous culture. It portrays a Mesoamerican warrior princess embarking on a quest to recruit three legendary fighters to fulfill an ancient prophecy and save humanity from the wrath of vengeful gods.

“George Lopez” is a sitcom TV show starring the Mexican stand-up comic as a husband devoted to his wife and their children while having a complicated relationship with his live-in, insensitive, difficult mother.

Eley lived in many places before calling the 209 area his home, including Florida where he was introduced to boxing during his undergraduate. “I stopped all of that and [left] to get the regular 9 to 5 education and job. And then I really hated my life,” Eley said. Patrick Eley shares how he began combat sports and how he found himself performing comedy.

Read the stories online at www.DeltaCollegian.net

BY DYLAN JAEKEL Feature Editor

May 5th kicked off the NorCal regional playoff games for Delta’s softball team.

Delta played against Fresno City College. This was their first time playing this season, as a game scheduled for March 11 was postponed.

The May 5th game was close, but Delta came out on top with eight runs to Fresno’s seven.

Delta and Fresno then played their second game May 6. Another close game, but once again Delta beat Fresno 6-5.

The Mustangs worked hard to pull two wins for Delta, and plan to keep it up.

“I’m super excited. If we play how we are known to play, then we’ll definitely come out with a win,” said pitcher Madison Nelson. “I’m just super excited. I really love all of the girls and I’m just happy to be here with this team.”

The 2022-23 season began roughly with a combination of weather, Covid outbreaks, and even a bus breaking down. Despite the challenges the team persevered, and became closer as a group.

“We started off getting a lot of our games delayed. Our bus broke down, we had a lot of technical difficulties in the beginning of the season and then at the end of the season we really came together and we started winning games. I feel like we’re all just one big happy family now,” said Nelson.

“Number one I’m proud of the group. If you look back at our season we started out with a halted game that we scheduled three or four times that we didn’t finish. Our first home game was postponed again, so we couldn’t play. Then we got going for about a week and a half and then we had a C ovid breakout where we had to sit for seven days, so it was tough for us to get

on a roll,” said head coach Jim Fisher. “We knew we were a very athletic group, we just couldn’t get things going. And then as soon as the weather cleared up and we started to get on a roll,we started playing better and better.”

The team has worked hard this season, getting themselves to where they are now.

“The team’s bond and compatibility with each other has likely been a large contributor to their success. “We practice every day of the week, and we just work hard through our two hour slot,” said catcher Sydney Featherston. “We just grind everything out in hopes of bringing it out on the field the next game.”

The bonds and compatibility of the team has also contributed to their success and hopes for future games.

“We definitely have learned to trust each other more. You’ll see girls will have little smiles and stuff because I feel like we all bring out each other’s good qualities. I feel like we’re very close knit and we have a really good bond on this team,” said Nelson.

“I would definitely say our team has a stronger bond than last year, its weird to say because last year we were really good together but this year is special. There’s a different chemistry out here and I think that’s what’s going to take us the farthest,” sad Featherston.

The team has grown over the season in their athleticism and it is bound to show during their post season.

“Our goal is, at the end of every week, are we better than we were last week. If the answer is yes then we’re going the right direction and that is definitely happening here,” said Fisher. “At the end of every week we’re better than we were before. So, the team that we were at the beginning of the season is not even close to the team we are now. That’s what I’m most proud of.”

Fitness courts near Holt Center open to public

BY BRYAN RAMOS Sports Editor

The idea of the fitness court was presented by the Black Faculty Task Force as a way to combat mental illness and to promote healthy living post-pandemic.

According to the presentation at the June 7, 2022, Board of Trustees meeting, the total funding requirement is $202,850.

Eighty percent of that comes from the strong workforce funds and the other 20 percent comes from CARES Act or other funding.

Roughly a year later, the fitness courts have been installed and are finally open to the public. The fitness court is located in front of the Holt building.

POST academy coordinator Jeff Coon looks forward to the flexibility of training. “It’s close to our classroom, it’s convenient,” Coon said. “We can incorporate that with other certain types of training.”

Jeff Coon sees a way to make the use of the courts flexible for the POST students and for the other students that want to use the courts.

“We would typically go one to three

times a week for about an hour, usually during that time it might not be convenient for other people to use it because of course we have close to 40 students,” Jeff Coon said. “That’s basically three to five hours a week where it might not be available for other students, but other than that time it would be all to the public.”

The fitness courts will be a huge benefit for the POST academy students and the community

“It gives us a convenient place to work out as opposed to trying to get

into the gyms or the track because of all the other athletic programs,” said Coon when asked about the benefits for the POST students.

There are also QR codes there to download the app and helps with the seven minute workouts.

“You can go out as an employee here on a coffee break and get a seven minute workout in every day,” Coon said. “Younger high school kids that are here, they’re using it already, so it seems to be a big benefit just bringing the community and the students together.”

Left, instructions on how the fitness court works is shown. Above, the fitness court is installed and open to the public. PHOTOS BY BRYAN RAMOS

Above: Utility Player Morgan Grupe goes for the hit and manages to get the hit. Below: RHP/Utility Player Madison Nelson goes for the pitch from the pitcher’s plate. PHOTOS BY DYLAN JAEKEL

Okta, MyDelta to merge

BY JOE DEMASI Staff Writer

Have you ever found it annoying that MyDelta and Okta are in two different places?

Delta wants to change that, by renaming Okta to My Delta Dashboard, a place where students can quickly access the services they need at Delta. You will still be able to go to your MyDelta account and access your student email Delta just wants to make it easier to have everything in one place.

Around May 22, students and teachers will no longer be able to access MyDelta the old way and will have to go through My Delta Dashboard (Okta) to log in. Delta’s Director of Marketing and Communication Alex Breitler is in charge of communicating these changes. These changes will affect new and current students drastically, according to Breitler.

Campus Clothes Closet here to serve students

BY NICHOLAS MICHELSEN Entertainment Editor

A campus Clothes Closet is open through the end of the semester for students in need of attire for business and interviews.

Overseen by Delta’s Career Technical Education and Workforce Development Division (CTE), the Clothes Closet opened to serve the student population just before the Spring Job Fair on April 27.

Laura Magallanes, Resource Specialist for CTE and DARTE (Directing Adults on the Right TrAC for Employment), oversees the operations in the closet alongside DARTE Learning Community interns.

Students in need of professional, interview attire can come to the Clothes Closet located in SCMA 234 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

There, students can browse a selection of coats, pants, shirts, and ties. A small fitting area and a bathroom nearby are used to try on the apparel at their discretion. All students have to do is scan a QRcode near the front door to receive their selected items which updates a CTE newsletter.

CTE was present during the job fair.

“We had big turn out. We were there running the event from start to end and it was nice seeing the clothes put to use. About 67 [potential] employers showed up that day, which was one more than we planned for,” Magallanes said.

Job scouts offered positive feedback to CTE.

“They mentioned great interns and part time work,” Magallanes recalled.

This job fair was CTE’s first time

back in person since 2019 and according to staff it was a success. Various student candidates are following-up with potential employers for interviews in the second week of May.

“We had students do a field trip into Niagara Bottling, and they do all of their own engineering, manufacturing and machine-tech,” Magallanes said.

A variety of companies were present at the job fair.

“The IRS was also present looking for accountants and auditors, offering bay area pay and work from home options,” Magallanes said.

Despite the job fair being over, the clothes closet is still open through the end of the semester. The closet will be closed for Summer, but Magallanes said there are plans for a grand re-opening in Fall when they return to continue serving students in need.

The Clothes Closet program runs entirely off of donations. If anyone has excess professional clothing that does not fit or is not used, CTE welcomes your potential donation. They’re specifically in need of professional attire for males, gently worn (tags preferred).

At the time of writing this, the current largest size available for male attire in the Clothes Closet is XL, which will not fit most plus size men. The options are better for female attire at this time, however, donations are still welcome in the same regard. To make a donation, come to the Clothes Closet during operational hours.

CTE plans to serve students ahead of time for the following job fair in Spring 2024.

SUSPECT: 29-year old arrested

continued from PAGE 1

In 2019, Marquez was convicted of an assault with an intent to commit a specified sex offense and was released in 2021.

The victim is not seeking prosecution, instead, she wanted to make others aware of the incident according to Bock.

“We were able to make the entire campus community aware of it through our alert,” Bock said, noting how campus police are looking to the District Attorney’s office to find charges.

Marquez is currently in San Joaquin County Jail with no bail after a parole officer decided to revoke his parole leaving him booked into custody according to Bock.

“I just want to thank the victim for coming forward, because a lot of times in a situation like this when somebody is victimized they’re embarrassed and they would rather just have the situation go away,” Bock said.

“She took the brave step of coming forward.”

“We are trying to improve the experience for students now that MyDelta is on there and all your Microsoft Office products,” Breitler said. “Getting all that stuff into one place and establishing a true single sign-on system for the

college is a big deal.”

In a Zoom interview, Breitler also said the goal is to reduce student confusion.

“It was confusing to have multiple logins, in this day and age with all the different services we subscribe to I’m always trying to figure out what password goes where,” he said. “Minimizing those kinds of frustrations I think is really important for new and current students at Delta”.”

Next week, Delta will send emails to students notifying them of the name change and the login changes to MyDelta.

Jesus Martinez is a new student registering for Delta in Fall 2023 with plans to major in Nursing.

Martinez feels these changes will help new students trying to register.

“Having everything in one place makes it a lot easier to register and know what is going on at Delta,” Martinez said. “Having two different logins always confused me, so I’m happy Delta is trying to make it easier for students to register and I hope they succeed in all their changes.”

PERIOD: Pains disrupt daily life

continued from PAGE 1

policies? Why aren’t people who menstruate advocated for in this way?

The truth is, menstruation is seen as a taboo subject. We don’t discuss it in polite conversation.

People who menstruate are often forced to toil in their misery in private. The pain associated with this completely normal bodily function is kept in the shadows.

When an entire group of people is relegated to suffering in silence in order to participate in everyday society, we fail them.

By not accounting for menstruating people’s struggles with monthly pain, we allow them to fall between the cracks.

In my own experience, I have had

to miss multiple classes when my cycle arrives every month. Every time that this happens, I risk falling behind in my courses.

If the U.S. had widely accepted the fact that people with a uterus need additional accommodations to account for their unique struggles with menstruation pain, I wouldn’t feel so isolated in mine.

I wouldn’t feel a sense of shame when I contact professors and ask for their understanding as I miss out on learning and participating in class.

If the U.S. followed in Spain’s footsteps by openly acknowledging the effects of chronic menstrual pain, the stigma associated with talking about menstrual pain would hold less weight on people that are already struggling.

LOHMAN: Culinary historian featured as part of a week of library events

continued from PAGE 1

“Writing Eight Flavors was an honor,” said Lohman about her work shining a new light on the often disregarded roles people of color played in forming America’s overall culinary history.

Lohman’s book focuses each chapter on distinct flavors, like black pepper, curry, and garlic, among others, and how these flavors became a part of the greater American palate.

Ranji Smile’s role in American culinary history is prominently featured in Lohman’s chapter about curry.

According to Lohman, Smile is known widely as the first chef to reach celebrity status.

He became well known during his time working in the kitchen of Sherry’s, a high-end restaurant that operated in Manhattan during the early 1900s.

At the height of his career, Smile applied for citizenship in the U.S. but is denied. Citizenship laws at the time only allowed Caucasian men or black men to gain citizenship.

“In this case, it seems that Smile wasn’t white enough in appearance to become a citizen,” said Lohman.

After making a splash in the New

York culinary scene, Smile trekked across America and continued to introduce Americans to the flavors of his home country in high-end restaurants and hotels.

Census records show Smile working in kitchens in Philadelphia, hosting a high tea for wealthy diners, and introducing them to traditional Indian dishes.

As his fame faded, his life as an undocumented immigrant navigating the hostile and anti-immigrant landscape that permeated American society at the time became more complicated.

After a string of failed marriages to three different women, a failed business venture, and the landmark Supreme Court case United States v. Bhagat Singh Thind of 1923, which denied the right of Indians to citizenship, Smile left the United States.

“At this point, we don’t know what happens to Smile in the end,” said Lohman about the historical figure. “But it’s really exciting to have his legacy back out there.”

Students who are curious to learn more about America’s first celebrity chef can access a free copy of Lohman’s Eight Flavors at the Goleman Library, or they can buy a copy on Amazon.

From left to right, Alonda Shock, Janet Cuevas, Laura Magallanes, and Sarah Maimone at Delta’s Clothes Closet in SCMA 234. PHOTO BY NICHOLAS MICHELSEN

YOUTH LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE RETURNS

BY JELISSA KING Staff Writer

Delta College hosted the Youth Leadership Conference at the Dolores Huerta Plaza on April 28. The event was to welcome all San Joaquin County students from 8th grade to 12th grade.

Most high schools from San Joaquin County attended the conference. Over 375 high school students came to Delta’s campus, and 197 of those students enrolled at Delta for Fall 2023. Resource Specialist for the Dreamers Success Center Tina Leal explained the importance of the event. Letting new students know that Delta offers great benefits and opportunities.

“Basically, we just let them know that this community college should be their number one. We want to plant the seed and let them know that Delta is here, and we have an assortment of resources that go from basic needs to pride centers, the Dream Center, to career transfer, and I can go on and on. The reason why I do it is because I was born and raised in Stockton. And a lot of people don’t understand that we have this gold mine here with Delta College. Because when you come from the south side of Stockton, what you wanna do is leave Stockton right? But I want to change that for students and help give back to the community,” said Leal.

New and current students can take advantage of the services that Delta offers. Even though this event is pitched to young undergrad students, some Delta students also attended the event to find some kind of guidance or career ideas.

Edison High School graduate Stef Maldonado is in her first semester at Delta, studying to become a teacher’s aide for students with special needs.

“I am trying to receive the help that I do need. I’m trying to see more things I can be interested in. If the medical field doesn’t work out for me, I want to have a second option,” said Maldonado.

Delta has been hosting the Youth Leadership Conference for more than 10 years. Once a year, this event is to give new students access to free student healthcare services, career guidance, academic support, and community support. Some professors were also present for the students who are interested in career-based courses.

There were 43 booths in attendance to help students access support. The booths in attendance were the Career Technical Education (CTE) and

Workforce Development, San Joaquin Public Health Services, Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOPS), Puente Project, AFFIRM Program, Disability Support Programs & Services (DSPS), and many other programs and services.

Delta’s Career Technical Education (CTE) and Workforce Development program were ushering young students to their table. The program trains and helps students to obtain certificates in technical career paths. Receiving certificates in accounting, architecture, engineering, POST academy, real estate, and many other programs. The CTE booth was handing out candy, different brochures for employment, and Delta school supplies.

San Joaquin Public Health Services came to the campus to educate students on community safety and health improvements. They have different support programs for STD/ HIV patients, safety programs for low-income families, and support for people without medical insurance. Free COVID-19 tests and brochures about the PHS programs provided in San Joaquin County were also available for students.

Stockton high school students at Delta College’s Youth Leadership Conference on Apr. 28. PHOTOS BY CHRISTINA GOODMAN AND JELISSA KING