The Insider: The Magazine (Issue 11)

#Wash The Hate

Asian-American racism is spreading faster than the virus P. 7

The World of Clown Often misunderstood, clowns offer an alternative point of view P. 9

A Time of Hope

Finding the bright-side amid the Coronavirus Pandemic P. 18

Photo By Jenilee Borek

EOPS turns 50

Dancing in the spotlight

A Winery in L.a?

P. 6

P. 12

P. 16

Magazine Staff Publisher

Reut Cohen Schorr

Senior designer

Matthew Spencer

SENIOR EDITORS

Jenilee Borek Anthony Gharib

Staff Writers

Jenilee Borek Eian Gil A. Heimer Annie Otsuka Gabriel Ponce Tanya Ruiz Elone Safaryan

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jenilee Borek Belinda Oldrati Gabriel Ponce Matthew Spencer

ILLUSTRATOR

Matthew Spencer

Photo By Matthew Spencer

Photo By Belinda Oldrati

Letter from the Publisher Reut Cohen Schorr We did it! In the midst of a global pandemic and instruction moving to remote modalities, we managed to put out an exciting issue of The Insider. It’s our second issue in a calendar year.

Our Journalism students were very disappointed to get out just one physical newspaper this past Spring semester.

For students, the process of laying out stories and complementing them with art is an incredibly critical part of learning how to become newspaper designers. Journalism 103 and 104 students wanted to do something special, so we decided to put out an issue of The Insider with some of our best work from the semester that is evergreen enough to be relevant even now.

In this issue, you will see content about GCC’s teacher of the year, the EOPS program, student athletes’ new realities in the COVID-19 pandemic, pieces oriented toward art and entertainment, and so much more.

We are pleased to present The Insider.

Dr. Reut Cohen Schorr Journalism Instructor Photo By Matthew Spencer

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Contents News

sports

teacher of the year A. Heimer

dancing in the spotlight: tatiana beverly

06

Gabriel Ponce

05

eops 50th anniversary story Elone Safaryan

politics 07

wash the hate Annie Otsuka

12

14

kobe bryant: the legend who will never die Jenilee Borek

lifestyle 16

analysis

A Winery in L.A?

The Way of the Clown

17

08

A. Heimer

11

Gabriel Ponce

mind of the master: Michelangelo's work

There's room for field trips in college, too

Eian Gil

Reut Cohen Schorr

A time of hope

18

Tanya Ruiz

Photo By Matthew Spencer

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The Insider. All Rights Reserved. Issue 11, Fall 2020, Glendale Community College.

For general inquiries and story suggestions, contact El Vaquero at rcohen@glendale.edu.

College Honors Math Department Professor Andrew Young Instructor receives the Parker Award for Teacher of the Year

By A. Heimer

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ndrew Young of the math department was the recipient of the Parker Award for

Teacher of the Year at the Academic Senate Parker Luncheon on Faculty Institute Day, Sept. 13 at the Student Center. The award was presented by Arda Tcahakian, representative for Senator Portantino’s office, and Victoria Docheghlian, representative for Laura Friedman of the 43rd Assembly district. Professor Young was then presented with a pen and a check for $1,000

by Chris Hahn of the Glendale College Foundation.

The event was hosted by Academic Senate President, Piper Rooney, and organized by Frankie Strong.

Professor Young, who has a Master’s in Mathematics from UC San Diego, has been hired and tenured twice at GCC. The first time he joined the faculty full-time was in 1984 where he worked until he had to give up this position in 1989 due to heart problems. He then started a computer company with some friends and was the primary author of what became the de facto industry standard for CD- and DVD-file system extensions for Unix. He returned to GCC in 2003 for his second tenured stint. Calculus is one of Andrew Young’s great passions, and he tries to extend that to his students. He is now involved in printing 3D models of mathematical equations and has inspired students to create their own models of space-time curves and vectors. His campus office is reportedly full of many strange looking 3D models.

Photo by Matthew Spencer

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I love teaching late at night because any day that ends with Calculus is a good day.

He then offered these life lessons: Love your work “I love teaching late at night because any day that ends with Calculus is a good day.”

Planning your life “If you can’t think of a good reason to say no, consider saying yes.”

Relationships “Happy wife, happy life.”

Don’t overdo it After a bout with pneumonia and more heart issues he is building up his stamina and reducing his activities to those of a normal human.

Accompanied by his wife Sandy, his greatest passion, and other members of his family, He is also passionate about faculty involvement and Professor Young extended his thanks to the Senate, governance, and has served three times as President Liz Russell, and the math department, his family, and everyone who helped him when he had of the Academic Senate. He is currently active on health problems. He received a standing ovation. several GCCCommittees, “only three or four,” he said. Professor Young spoke about happiness and proceeded to demonstrate, using a bell A. Heimer can be reached curve, the gradations between happiness and unhapaheimer570@student.glendale.edu. piness, pointing out that the middle ground is contentment, and said he is basically content with that.

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EOPS Turns 50

Program seeks to help students attain academic success

Illustration by Matthew Spencer

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ntoinette Wright had just become a single mom

and didn’t have any plans of going back to school.

Wright had dreams and through a path of self-discovery, eventually pursued them by returning to college. Wright has received an A.A. in both Social Science and Visual Arts-Photography. She is currently working toward getting her B.A. at Summit College online. She hopes to get her Masters in global leadership and start a nonprofit advocating for holistic health.

None of that would even be possible if it would not have been for EOPS, more commonly known as Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, and CARE, or Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education. This month marks the 50th anniversary of the program at Glendale Community College.

On Sept. 12, EOPS hosted an open house to celebrate 50 years of serving and assisting the students within the community who may have been affected by language, economic, or social barriers. EOPS is a state-wide program that offers services to students who have the potential to achieve in higher education. The program provides specific assistance to students who are more likely to be disenfranchised or face language barriers. It also serves as a counseling program and provides help in making sure students are on a solid graduation path. Some of these services include tutoring, academic counseling, student progress monitoring, career planning, and more.

Not only does EOPS serve as a counseling program, but they also provide financial services such as book vouchers, meal cards, and emergency loans. Within the EOPS, there also lies another program, CARE. CARE is a support service aimed at students who are single parents and qualify for EOPS services. CARE was founded in 1977 at Imperial Valley College. Since then, it has continued to grow. In several years after its formation, it had already spread through 13 campuses. By 1982, CARE was established in all California colleges. Today, CARE still operates on all 114 campuses in the state.

By Elone Safaryan EOPS was created in 1969 when Senate Bill 164 passed and established the program for all of the state’s community colleges. Following this, in 1975, Glendale Community College introduced the EOPS program. The statewide initiative has been a positive influence for other programs within the college and has statistically proven that students in EOPS, despite setbacks in their life, will achieve at the same or higher rates compared to non-EOPS students.

The program’s staff is particularly loyal to the initiative.

Osheen Keshishian has worked in EOPS for over 30 years.

A plaque dedicated to his passion for helping students was placed in the student waiting area in the EOPS office.

For staff like Keshishian, the success of students is everything. Kasan Butcher, like Wright, attributes his success to EOPS. He’s a father and found it difficult to juggle his personal responsibilities with school. He credits EOPS with helping. Since 2016, Butcher has received six scholarships and was awarded the Jeanne Cunningham Award, which is given to a student transferring to a four year university, has homemaker responsibilities, and finished over 50 units while maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher. During his time at GCC, Butcher received an A.A. in Health Sciences and is now a second semester nursing program student.

During a meeting on Sept. 10, the Board of Trustees approved to recognize the month of September as EOPS month and encouraged other colleges to spread awareness of EOPS to advocate for prosperity among students who may not know about the program. Program organizers also said they were grateful to the GCC Foundation for designating funds to purchase caps and gowns for students. In order for people to qualify for EOPS, they have to meet certain criteria for eligibility.

That information can be found online at: http://bit.ly/EOPSatGCC Elone Safaryan can be reached at esafary181@student.glendale.edu.

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#Wash The Hate

Anti-Asian racism is spreading faster than the virus.

By Annie Otsuka

“Coronavirus” by danielfoster437 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

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oronavirus-related racism towards Asians and Asian Americans is still spreading, While COVID-19 has gradually subsided in much of the world. People with Asian features have been undergoing discrimination and harassment that stems from ignorance, fear, and misunderstanding.

Over 1,100 cases of anti-Asian harassment have been reported since late March in the U.S., according to the South China Morning Post. It is certain that these numbers are only a small part of the whole, and that such discriminatory acts will continue to occur as the FBI reportedly warned of a rise in hate crimes against Asian-Americans.

Hate comments on Asian residents’ cars can be seen along the streets. In Northern California, an Asian family was the victim of racial abuse while they were out celebrating a birthday in July, reported ABC7. The same network in San Francisco covered a story about an od Asian man who was collecting cans who got beaten with a stick until he cried. Actress Olivia Cheng claimed on Instagram that she witnessed a woman, who was walking to her car in a grocery store’s parking lot, get trash thrown on her back from a car yelling, “It’s your fault.”

Racism assault continues to occur not only in the United States but all over the world. A Singaporean student who was studying in London was suddenly attacked on the street by a group of four that shouted, “We don’t want your coronavirus in our country.” His self-portraits, which show bruises and a bone fracture that requires surgery on his face are memorably shocking. Racist acts like these terrify Asians and Asian-Americans so much that some wear not only masks but also sunglasses and hats to hide Asian features when they go out— some only go to Asian markets for groceries. Many Asian students and workers who are temporarily living abroad feel uncomfortable staying there, but returning to their home country is not always the best solution either.

People who return to their homes might be looked at scornfully because people think that they could be carrying the virus with them. When a Japanese YouTuber, who had been living in the U.S. and introducing American culture on YouTube, returned to her hometown in Japan a lot of slander and critical comments filled the comment section.

Even though each country is welcoming its citizens using thorough measures, such as testing and requiring two weeks of isolation, people in Asian countries are afraid of those who have been in the U.S. or other countries. There is a possibility of the virus traveling, and it is unfair for those who have to move between countries to be criticized . However, more understanding is needed because many people are caught in a dilemma: either they stay and face discrimination or they go home feeling unwelcomed.

The people who are subjected to discrimination are not the coronavirus itself, which is the true enemy.

If they have the virus the reason is the same as when other people have it, not because they are descendants of China. The trigger of racism is fear, anxiety, and anger towards the invisible virus. #WashTheHate is a campaign that is aiming to raise awareness about discrimination and unite people, helping some overcome their fear by sharing stories and thoughts about hate incidents in videos. American actor, with roots in Hong Kong, Tzi Ma, is one of the supporters of #WashTheHate. He posted a video on twitter washing his hands while talking to the camera.

He revealed that he encountered a discriminatory act and said, “Acts of violence against Asian-Americans will not stop the spread of this virus. So, next time you wash your hands, wash out the hate you may have for your fellow Americans. Hate will get you sick, even if the virus doesn’t.”

Annie Otsuka can be reached at aotsuka136@student.glendale.edu.

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The World of Clown Often misunderstood, clowns offer an alternative viewpoint

By A. Heimer

Photo courtesy of Jango Edwards

DISCLAIMER: Writing about comedy is never funny. As the old saw goes, “you can dissect a frog, but you wind up killing it in the process.”

I

was going about my business in Madrid, playing jazz gigs and teaching in the early 90s, when I got a call from the notorious clown Jango Edwards who needed a pianist for some shows. It was a total surprise; I knew who he was from my years in Amsterdam, where he was a legend. I had seen a couple of his shows and had a couple of buddies that played in his band. One of them had played him a few of my wackier demos, which led him to contact me. We made the arrangements to meet in Switzerland for the gigs. He sent me a videocassette one of his performances to learn the pieces and I met him some weeks later at a casino in Zurich at the soundcheck an hour before the first show. I asked him if we could run over some of the cues, especially for his convoluted pet piece “The Weezer,” and he said, “Nah, I don’t rehearse. What I want to know is what are you going to do to fill the five minutes that it takes me to go backstage and change into my fat suit?” Unaware I was supposed to do a comedy routine, I was caught short. I had nothing prepared and started to sweat bullets. I had worked with other comedy and theater groups but my place was usually behind the piano; I was thoroughly petrified to leave that security to step up to the microphone at center stage where the spotlights blazed and everyone would be staring at me. The first night I stayed at the piano playing tunes during those five minutes and could sense the momentum of the show slipping away fast. It was a disaster and afterwards Jango yelled at me for fucking up “The Weezer.” I knew he was questioning his decision to call me just as much as I was dreading the next show. The next night I filled those five minutes attempting a trick Jango gave me known as the “Bullet Catch,” which involved firing a gun in the air and catching the bullet with one’s teeth. It went over even worse than the night before.

It takes serious chops to sell a stupid bit. As the shows went on, though, I tried some gags out of sheer desperation from not wanting to die on stage every night, got some notes from the Boss and his manager Tony M. and started getting a few laughs.

The great comedian Lenny Bruce said his first laugh on stage was like the rush from a shot of morphine. Once I began getting yuks, I was hooked and from those grim beginnings my clown education had begun. During the many years I wound up working with Jango, I developed various other bits, as he gave me more and more stage time so that he could disappear backstage to change costumes, smoke cigarettes and “work on his lines.” I would randomly get utterly priceless tips, stage directions and advice from him and Tony M. about my humble “act,” usually at a soundcheck before a show, in the van driving from one gig to the next, or at the hotel breakfast buffet the next morning .

“A few notes about last night…”

Many people hate clowns for the same reason many people hate jazz; they probably heard a soft-core-pornosound-track-sounding tune by Kenny G and someone told them it was jazz. One could hardly blame them for thinking, “Man, if that’s what jazz is, I hate it.” They might have an entirely different reaction if they were exposed to the real deal, like Bird, Duke or Monk.

Clowns have a similar problem. The very word “clown” has unflattering connotations. They are sadly misunderstood, unfairly treated and under-appreciated. Many people hate clowns because they associate them with Ronald McDonald, or a drunk in bad makeup at a children’s party, or Steven King’s killer clowns. The world’s greatest clown acts are largely unknown to the general public. There are even people who experience coulrophobia (fear of clowns), a relatively recent syndrome resulting from comic book characters, horror movies, stereotyping and the general fear of freedom of thought. Yet, clowns exist in many forms in all human cultures and are, almost without exception, anything but evil. The sacred clowns of the Hopis, for example, perform essential rituals for their tribe.

Clowns inhabit an alternate reality in which the natural laws of physics may be suspended and everything is open to re-interpretation. They reflect the world around them from a different, sometimes subversive perspective and provoke us to reconsider our belief systems.

Playwright, award-winning performer and founding artistic director of the acclaimed Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre Joan Schirle told El Vaquero that “clowns represent what is ridiculous, vulnerable and sometimes innocent and fragile; they see the world through a kind of logic-but not the same kind of logic that exists in our everyday encounters and established systems. It is an absurd logic, more spontaneous and liberated. Clowns do have a point of view, they are not just grinning manic jokers.”

Schirle explained that in the tradition of commedia dell’arte, there was a hierarchy of clowns and there are certain classic clown types, particularly the trickster and the fool. These clown archetypes have persisted through time; in vaudeville, they were sometimes known as top banana and second banana. The circus was another main source of employment for clowns. Many started as an apprentice in a circus or sometimes an aging acrobat might switch careers and become a clown.

Since the days of Moliere and commedia dell’arte, clowns have mutated into many diverse types, from the stereo-typical Ringling Brothers circus model to the great ensemble acts like Slava and his Snow Show, the Columbiani Brothers, Les Clowns Macloma, El Tricicle, Les Luthiers and the many solo acts which include the legendary musical clown Grock, Lou Jacobs, Charlie Rivel, George Carl, Emmett Kelly, Bill Irwin, Geoff Hoyle, Leo Bassi, Mooky

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Cornish, Gilda Radner, Avner the Eccentric and Jango Edwards. Jango was first influenced by the TV clowns Red Skelton, Lucille Ball and Danny Kaye. Un-inspired by the traditional clown style taught at the Ringling Brothers Clown School, he moved to Europe where he found others breaking away from the circus style.

After years touring Europe with the wild and crazy Friends Roadshow, he began working with a full band of his own and became hugely successful as the first rock and roll clown, playing to packed houses in rock clubs, theaters and festivals. Jango is a powerhouse performer and despite his rude, crude and lewd act, he never once failed to get a standing ovation at any of the countless number of gigs I played with him while touring as his musical director and sometimes second banana.

“The clown is the greatest actor of all,” Jango told El Vaquero in a Whatsapp interview, “because he can do anything. A clown is a modern journalist. Every clown is a warrior to help the world. Once you become a real clown, you can’t go back-you know too much. A clown can do anything anywhere for anyone in any situation. Behind everything they do there is something profound.”

Jango, who teaches clown workshops and an annual master class at Nouveau Clown Institute, further explained, “Clown is innocence, pure, no jealousy, no competition.

You start to surrender, reclaiming the freedoms that we are all equal to. There is no one style. You find your own style. It’s about your heart and mind. Use all teachings.”

As a director, he has worked with hundreds of variety, cabaret and theater performers, helping each one to find and perfect their individual voice, whether they are lightbulb eaters, silly musicians, stumblebum acrobats, human radios or clown nuns.

He doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk, which is a commitment many people are not prepared to make.

Jango lives the clown life 24/7. He was once pulled over for speeding on the autostrada in Italy by a carabinieri official, who he somehow talked into not only not giving him a ticket but into quitting her job to become a clown.

“The best clowns today are all women,” Jango stated, pointing out that women are often more intuitive and find it easier to assimilate the clown philosophy. Some female clowns currently working around the world include Mooky Cornish, Iryna Ivanytska, Pepa Plana, Angela de Castro, Cristi Garbo, Claudia Cantone and Laura Herts.

The all-encompassing use of the term clown today includes hard to define performers like the great Leo Bassi, who was born into an Italian circus family and began performing at the age of 4. I have personally witnessed him demonstrating some of his mad circus skills by juggling three basketballs with his feet.

In one of Bassi’s classic pieces of clown social commentary, he would end his show by talking about the sorry state of the world, how depressed he was and how humorists are all depressives while he picked up a big red gas can and began to splash the curtains, the props and the stage. As the audience got increasingly anxious, he would casually sit down and prepare to light a cigarette.

The Nobel prize-winning playwright-performer Dario Fo was another monster of the theater who used clown as a medium for social commentary and scathing political satire, often performing with his wife, Franca Rame. One of his most famous plays is the wildly funny farce Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Some great performers who were clowns or used elements of clown were: Robin Williams, Jonathan Winters, Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball,

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“

The clown is the greatest actor of all, because he can do anything. A clown is a modern journalist. Every clown is a warrior to help the world. Once you become a real clown, you can’t go back-you know too much.

A clown can do anything anywhere for anyone in any situation. Behind everything they do there is something profound.”

Rowan Atkinson, Monty Python, Jaques Tati, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, Dick Van Dyke, Tim Conway, John Belushi, Cheech and Chong, Steve Martin, and many many others.

The life of a clown is not easy, but there are those who embrace it. There is a classic story about a young boy who ran away from home to join the circus and after a year, when the circus came back to his hometown, his Pa came looking for him. After searching all over the circus, he finally found his son behind the elephant tent, hip-deep in elephant shit, shoveling away. After a joyful reunion, his Pa said he had come to take him home.”What?”, the son replied, “Quit showbiz?”

People interested in studying the art of clown can find more information at: https://dellarte.com/ https://www.facebook.com/nouveauclowninstitute/

A. Heimer may be reached at aheimer570@glendale.student.edu.

There's Room For Field Trips at the College Level, Too From the L.A. Times to the Norton Simon Museum, we’re increasing opportunities for enriched learning

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By Reut Cohen Schorr

OVID-19 has thrown a wrench in my curriculum.

Not because we now have to meet on Zoom or record our lectures for self-paced education, but because I’ve had to curtail my classroom field trips.

As my current and former students can attest, our GCC journalism students have had an opportunity to visit the Los Angeles Times printing facilities in Downtown Los Angeles nearly every semester, where they are exposed to the moving pieces that lead to a print product a subscriber can read and synthesize as they drink their morning coffee. The trip always makes quite an impression. It also opens doors for students and inspires them. In 2019, one of my students went on to write for the Glendale News-Press, which had previously been owned by the L.A. Times, as a freelancer following a trip to the facility’s editorial offices. She wasn’t the first or last, but she earned a name for herself and a positive reputation ahead of completing her four-year education. Undoubtedly, this will help her when she enters the workforce in earnest.

When it was still in operation, I would take my students to the L.A. Times historic headquarters. The previous owner, Tribune Media, sold off assets, including the historic building which it rented back to the newspaper at an exorbitant cost. That prompted the paper’s new owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, to move the newsroom to El Segundo, Calif. “It’s one of the most incredible buildings ever,” said Darrell Kunitomi, a veteran employee of the Times, about the old headquarters. “[It was] built the same year as the Observatory.” The problem was that the newspaper was paying $1 million a month to rent it and the cost was going up. So, in the near future, we may have to drive down a bit further to get a taste of the Times’ editorial offices. Kunitomi, who has guided many Glendale Community College classes around the newspaper facilities, plans to set up an El Segundo tour and then retire.

“I’ve been around a long time. I’ve met the world,” he said during our last tour.

Photo By Ruth Cohen

I’m a proponent of field trips, as I’ve had many students at the college tell me they’ve never even set foot in a museum or can’t recall whether or not they did in grade school. That inspired me to incorporate art restitution feature writing examples into our curriculum and schedule a trip to the Norton Simon Museum in one. It’s a wonderful enhancement to our curriculum, touching the important area of feature writing. It also serves to help students think more critically about the many shifts in art – from the School of Caravaggio to Impressionistic art to Cubism.

“More-advantaged families may take their children to these cultural institutions outside of school hours, but less-advantaged students are less likely to have these experiences if schools do not provide them,” according to Education Next. “With field trips, public schools viewed themselves as the great equalizer in terms of access to our cultural heritage.” However, despite the clear advantages of field trips, the same study notes that they are becoming obsolete. “Today, culturally enriching field trips are in decline.” The report cites figures showing a “steep drop in school tours.” College-level trips, moreover, are rare, but I have noted a trend of higher student success when there are more opportunities for hands-on learning and getting out of the classroom.

While we can’t go back in time to provide these opportunities for enriched learning community colleges can foster an atmosphere of enhancing education with a couple of trips per semester. It enhances our curriculum, provides an atmosphere of immersive learning, and gives many community college students an opportunity they never had before. I can’t wait to explore Los Angeles with my students when it’s safe to do so again.

To view a time-lapse of our museum trip, visit: http://bit. ly/NortonSimonGCC Dr. Reut Cohen Schorr can be reached at rcohen@glendale.edu.

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Dancing in the Spotlight: Tatiana Beverly GCC ballerina proves that dance is more demanding than any sport

By Gabriel Ponce

Photo by Gabriel Ponce

T

hink about what separates a performer from an athlete. Would you consider someone’s way of art to be seen the same way as an athlete’s? If I told you that ballerinas weren’t so different than soccer players or football players, you would probably think I was insane. As I sat with Tatiana Beverly, I see a really cool, laid-back person who enjoys going to Disneyland during her free time. But as she speaks more oaboutn what she does here on campus, I realize how intense being a part of ballet can be.

We view athletes as these people who have endurance, strength, and usually are part of some type of team..

The first picture that comes to people’s minds of ballerinas are these beautiful humans that are gentle, but with that comes the same work as any so-called athlete. Here at GCC, Beverly shows us how being a ballerina is just as tough, if not tougher, than sports played here on campus. She achieves that and more to be the best she could be in what she does.

At a young age, Beverly started training in gymnastics. It took a couple of years before she crossed paths with ballet. She was good at it and was moving up in techniques and skills fast. It wasn’t till the age of 10 when she started taking it seriously.

“Eventually ballet became an escape from reality,” Beverly saidstated.

She has pursued ballet all her life, but in between has also done choir and performed in musicals in high school. She attended John Burroughs High School.

Teamwork in every sport is the key to being successful, this is the same with ballet. In “Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake” there is a part called “Dance of the Little Swans” where the women link arms and dance exactly the same.

“We have to trust each other and have good coordination to be successful together,” Beverly saidstated. “Miscalculate a step in a performance, you can cause an injury to self or your partner.”

There are physical dangers, however. In her time practicing ballet, Beverly has experienced a small knee injury but was able to recover from it quickly. If you try to compare a ballerina to another athlete you might ask yourself how a beautiful young lady can come close to matching up the strengths of these other athletes. But ballet performers need to have core and leg strength.. They aren’t injury prone. Think about being en pointe, which is when the dancer stands and balances on the tips of their toes.

This of course requires great leg strength. Now imagine doing a pirouette, which is a spin while en pointe.

“We have to train our bodies everyday … We train our bodies everyday and make it do things it is not naturally supposed to do,.” she said.

Also while doing this they don’t have much to protect them, shoes hardly have any padding to protect their feet.

Beverly has worked on pieces where she has had to dance continuously for ten minutes. It seems pretty insane, but as she says:, “Sometimes we have pieces that go for ten minutes, and right after we go on stage again … We have to make sure [the] next piece is even stronger.”

This really shows the amount of endurance her body has.

A ballet dancer like her has to spend almost 45 minutes to an hour on just stretching. From there on she has to go through a list of movements including plie, tendu, and Rond de Jambe. As she moves onto the bar, she then goes through Grand Battement which is a movement done at

“ It’s a lifestyle.

It is difficult when you have other things going on in life.”

the bar where both legs are kept straight and one leg is kicked outward from the body.

“No days off for us during the year, if we skip a week you lose so much movement,” she noted.

Roughly every day for Beverly starts around the same time. Waking up at around 6 a.m., the first thing she does is get ready and then eats breakfast. Early in the morning she first arrives tato a modern dance class, which ends around 1 p.m. She then moves onto production which is where she meets with others to choreograph pieces for next events. She later gets a break from 5 to 6:45p.m. where she gets to eat and work on other assignments for school. Salsa class begins in the evening at 66:45 p.m:45p.m. By 8 p.m., when class is over, she goes back into the studio and continues more rehearsal until about 10:30 p.m. I was astonished by the amount of work she does on an average day.

“It’s a lifestyle. It is difficult when you have other things going on in life,” she told me by way of explanation.

The dedication Beverly has for what she does is amazing.

When asked why ballet, she answered:, “It is one form people underestimate the most, people view us as weak and soft.”

Like any other sport, it takes a toll on your body. But the hard work pays off. “We love criticism, we want to become better at what we do.” As a ballerina, she just wants to have a perfect turn out each and every time.

Beverly plans on transferring to either California State University Long Beach or UC Irvine by the end of this school year pursuing to major in dance. Her goal is to become a professional dancer or become a dance instructor.

At the end of this semester, you can catch her at the Faculty/Alumni dance concert 2019, which is completely free and runs from Dec. 13 to 15. “I’m super happy as a dancer,” she said, stressing that she loves working hard “for the art.” Dancers are both artists and athletes, we just show it in our art.,” Beverly said.

Gabriel Ponce can be reached at poncegabriel23@yahoo.com.

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Kobe Bryant:

Photo by Jenilee Borek

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n Sunday, Jan. 26, Los Angeles, California changed forever and time seemed to stand still.

The news that NBA star and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant had died in a fatal helicopter crash swarmed the internet. Shock, sadness, and disbelief raced through people’s minds all over the city, and the world, as they rushed to their phones to try to gather information. Many fans reported that they thought the news was just an evil prank that the internet was playing on everyone.

As the dust settled and more news stations broadcasted all of the details that they learned throughout the day, the reality set in that not only the Black Mamba was gone, but that eight other people perished in the horrific accident as well.

The overwhelming sensation of heartbreak came over the world as we learned that Kobe’s daughter, Gianna Bryant, had also died in the accident. The mourning immediately began for all the victims, which included John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Sarah Chester, Payton Chester, and the pilot, Ara Zobayan. Outside of Staples Center, a makeshift memorial was developing as people gathered to try to make sense of the news that they were hearing. Artists all over the world began

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The Legend Who Will Never Die

By Jenilee Borek

painting murals of Kobe and Gianna to show their love and support, as well as to give people a place to go grieve.

The days that followed were filled with an outpouring of support and condolences for all of the families involved, along with confusion about what had really happened.

Celebrities, along with people who were close to Kobe and Gianna, shared their memories and spoke about what they had meant to their lives. Some people, like LeBron James, didn’t have the words immediately after because it was too much to process, reports suggested, but it seemed like everyone was willing to be there for others and to listen to each other’s feelings.

It was obvious that a man, who was only 41-years old when he died, had changed the world while he lived, and even in his death brought people together.

It’s impossible to mention Kobe Bryant without mentioning basketball. Even though many people learned more about Kobe the man, husband, and father after his death, everyone knew about Kobe, the Black Mamba on the basketball court. He accomplished more in his 41-years than most people do in a much longer lifetime, and his drive was fueled by his biggest passion: basketball.

“...And that’s OK. I’m ready to let you go.

I want you to know now So we both can savor every moment we have left together.

The good and the bad.

We have given each other All that we have.”

- Kobe Bryant, Dear Basketball.

Bryant was born on Aug. 23, 1978, in Philadelphia and was the son of former NBA player Joe Bryant. It was obvious from a young age that he had a gift that only a few people possess. After graduating high school, he declared for the 1996 NBA draft. Bryant was selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick, but was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on draft day, where he would play his entire 20-season career.

His career ended with him accomplishing things most people would only dream of. He was a five-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time NBA Finals MVP, NBA Most Valuable Player, 18-time NBA All-Star, and a day before his death had been passed up by LeBron James on the NBA All-Time Scoring list, holding the fourth spot in history. He even won an Oscar for his work on the animated short film “Dear Basketball” after his playing career was over.

Not everyone liked Kobe, but no one could deny his work ethic. “Winning takes precedence overall. There’s no gray area. No almost,” he said. It was this type of mindset which allowed him to conquer goals throughout his lifetime that many people would give up on. Gianna Bryant seemed to have a drive similar to his and was gifted at basketball as well. Many described her as having a great sense of humor and a fiery spirit. Her goal was to play college basketball at the University of Connecticut, and many people around her thought that she’d not only make it to the WNBA but that she would change women’s basketball altogether.

Even though Kobe Bryant was one of the best basketball players of all time, it was who he was as a person that those close to him seemed to focus on as they told personal stories about him through social media and during

the Celebration of Life ceremony on Feb. 24 at Staples Center. Fans from all over the world connected about what he meant to their lives and the inspiration that he was to them, even if they had never met him. This is not to say that he was perfect, as none of us are. However, it is clear that he touched many people’s lives deeply throughout the world. Sometimes the inspiration that we get from others can change our lives, and he was someone who was a role model for many.

His wife, Vanessa Bryant, shared how loving and caring he was. She shared that he was obsessed with details in their marriage similarly as he was on the basketball court.

He strived to be a great husband and father, and helping others brought him joy. Even though the nine lives lost that day may never make sense to anyone, they are a reminder to cherish what you have at this moment. When we give the world the best we have, we can change things for future generations, and it’s clear that the Black Mamba changed our world.

Jenilee Borek can be reached at jborek028@student.glendale.edu.

Photo from Dear Basketball. Trademarked Kobe Inc.

15

A Winery in L.A.?

Yes, it’s an actual thing

By Gabriel Ponce

Photo by Gabriel Ponce

F

or many winemakers, the time of harvest is

the busiest of the year. This is the time when the maker goes out and sorts different grapes for the wines they are going to make for the year. Here in Los Angeles, fellow winemaker Jasper Dickson has started his harvest and is executing the whole process here in Los Angeles in his small winery.

That’s right – in Los Angeles. If I told you that winemaking was a thing here you would probably think I was crazy. But, in fact, Los Angeles was the key start to winemaking in California. Some might say that places like Orange County were the beginning, but in reality, farmers started settling on that side of the city because of the lack of space to put their own vineyards in Los Angeles. Crazy to say that here in the Montrose area, 10 minutes from GCC, you can still find a small vineyard called Stone Barn Vineyard. Many claim that the wine country is in Northern California. Places like Paso Robles or Santa Barbara, which areis more central in the state, are key places to winemaking (which they are these days). Yet, as Angeleno Wine Co. presents, Wine Country used to be Southern California and this is what Dickson is trying to bring back. It has been more than a hundred years since L.A. had its own winery.

This summer, Dickson, and his business partner, Amy Luftig, celebrated their inaugural of their winery. Hosting a party that welcomed about 600 visitors from all over the city to celebrate the grand opening, they poured four wines that were made from grapes grown

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here in Los Angeles County. “After working for so many years in the wine industry, the passion grew on me,” Dickson said in an interview. “You meet so many great winemakers with small wineries that all chase the same dream of providing the best product for the people.” When asked what his vision was for the next couple of years he answered: “I’m trying to grow a brand for Angeleno Wine Co. Maybe expand our spot here and eventually sell the product out of state.” Angeleno Wine Co. hosts tastings throughout the weekend. As of right now, they’re only open to the public during the weekends as they spend most of the week making wine or hosting private events that they get hired to do.

“You can always find us on our Instagram, which is where we post most of our information like pop-ups we do,” Dickson said. “Also, we encourage everyone to come here to Angeleno Wine Company. Our winery is your winery.”

Gabriel Ponce can be reached at poncegabriel23@yahoo.com.

For more wine-related content, scan the QR code!

Mind of The Ph ot o by Ei an Gi l

Master

The Getty Museum unveils some of history’s rarest remnants of a Renaissance master

I

By Eian Gil

n the late 15th and 16th centuries, Florence, Italy became a major cultural capital in Europe.

The birth of the Italian Renaissance led to artists of the time embracing some of the major shifts in ideals of the period, to the benefit of their art. The major influx of wealth in the area allowed for the indulgences of fine art by the wealthy, and with an increased curiosity for the blending of religion and scientific exploration, artists were given the perfect platform to impact the world around them. Of the monumental artists that emerged in this period of trailblazing, Michelangelo stands out as the most influential to our lives today.

From his paintings on the Sistine Chapel to his iconic sculpture “David,” Michelangelo typically began his masterpieces with a simple drawing. Despite having created an estimated 28,000 drawings over the course of his lifetime however, only around 600 of these artistic and architectural sketches remain in the world. His medium of choice, red or black chalk, did little to help with preservation. But through the efforts of art enthusiasts and historians, these remaining drawings are shared around the world for those who seek to observe the work of the master. Thanks to the efforts made by the Getty Museum and its curator, a rare opportunity to experience some of Michelangelo’s greatest works has presented itself. On Feb. 25, The Getty Museum opened its doors to its “Mind of The Master Exhibit,” a display of 29 of Michelangelo’s drawings that have been kept in amazing condition since their drafting in the 1500s by the man himself.

“The Mind of The Master” very clearly documents the legacy of Michelangelo’s impact, doing justice to one of the most prominent and acknowledged human form artists of the time (aside from his rival Leonardo da Vinci). Michelangelo held himself to an incredible standard, raising the bar for those who would learn from him higher than ever before, and creating what we now know as the fundamental stepping stones for the study of anatomy and art through his life’s work.

Separated by three rooms, the exhibit guides visitors through the Italian renaissance, detailing some of Michelangelo’s greatest achievements and strides he made in the art world. Drawings are displayed freestanding pedestals scattered throughout the exhibit’s dim rooms, allowing for a full view of the often completely covered page. The exhibit also has an incredible inclusion of interactive displays that dive deeper into one of Michelangelo’s most famous works, “The Creation of Adam,”

along with other recreations of the legendary works the sketches on display would go on to become. The drawings displayed are hundreds of years old, and began their extensive journey to becoming a part of the historical works we all know and love the day they were spared from Michelangelo’s habit of burning his work; making the remaining pieces all the more valuable. Such drawings shown include the reference drawing for God’s hand in the work mentioned above, along with his human figure studies and designs for the Dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Italy. Their first time in the United States as a group, multiple drawings of his on display come from the Teylers Museum—, the oldest museum in the Netherlands where a much larger collection of Michelangelo’s work is currently held.

With an introductory film about the artist, “The Mind of The Master” makes a huge effort to remind visitors that this is unlike any art exhibit they may have seen before. Blending a history museum with an art show, this exhibit allows an intimate experience with some of the most fundamental foundations of modern art that are still being taught today, through the eyes of their original creator. The truly once in a lifetime exhibit will be showing at The Getty through June 7, with free admission as always.

Now more than ever, with all the blows to our normal lives we’ve had to endure, it’s important to inspect and take away valuable lessons in the power of perception. Through the appreciation of artwork, whether from one of the masters, or your local artists, our minds can be put to use to spread a greater sense of self and connectedness to all of those around us.

The Getty Center is located at 1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, 90049. Due to COVID-19, the museum is currently closed. Visit getty.edu for updates.

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Photo By Matthew Spencer

A Time of Hope

Finding the bright side amid the coronavirus pandemic

L

iving during a time of uncertainty can bring about unwanted stress and anxiety for us all.

The coronavirus pandemic that the world is currently battling is one that has made a massive impact on our lives and has undoubtedly left us shaking. Many are not only battling for their own lives, but are also mourning the loss of their loved ones. Workers are losing their jobs daily and this has caused the unemployment rate to rise tremendously, likely to hit the highest unemployment rate on record.

In March, everyone was told to stay at home, avoid public places and close contact with friends and family. Graduations, weddings, and all events are being canceled or postponed on a daily basis. In the blink of an eye, our lives changed and it’s no wonder many are fearful and skeptical of what lies ahead. However, in the midst of this crisis, we can choose to stay positive and hopeful that there are brighter days ahead. For many of us pre-coronavirus, our lives were often in high-gear, rushing from one place to the next, and by the time we got home to our families, we were too tired to even enjoy quality time with them. Although we can’t say that this crisis was for the better, we can say that this crisis has caused a time of change and perhaps, a time of hope.

This increased time we all have been given in absence of our usual routines seems to have opened our eyes to the most important things we’ve been neglecting for quite some time. Now more than ever we’re seeing children playing out in their yards, taking a break from technology, and opting to enjoy the sun and fresh air.

Adults are spending a great deal of one-on-one time with their partners and families, and have even

By Tanya Ruiz

become imaginative in the kitchen with their newly found home-cooked meals. This postponement of our lives has shown us that we now have the time to do the small or even large undertakings we’ve been putting off for so long. From learning new skills or resuming long lost hobbies, we’ve become the bakers, painters, writers, and even carpenters we never knew we were capable of. Many have found that taking on these new hobbies has been enlightening and almost therapeutic in nature.

Not only has this epidemic allowed us to discover our inner-selves, but it has also given Mother Nature a much-needed rest. With less noise from crowding moving vehicles bustling through cities, the sounds of singing and chirping birds are now ever so distinct. Less car smog has made the sky bluer, the grass greener, and the views much more breathtaking. The beautiful scenery and cleaner air we seem to have been living without, has taught us to pause for a moment and appreciate its beauty. Although it’s inevitable that our lives will one day resume to our busy on-the-go selves, hopefully when that time comes, we can all look back to reflect and appreciate that this time in our life changed us for the better.

Tanya Ruiz can be reached at truiz656@student.glendale.edu.

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