Vol. 86 No. 3-Feb. 24, 2017

‘Focus’ on the future

JoJo shows ‘Mad Love’

Stangs show potential

High schoolers and prospective LMC students from the local community visit the Pittsburg campus— page 3

Singer JoJo performs a concert as part of her “Mad Love” tour in San Francisco — page 4

Despite some losses in the season, there is a silver lining for the women’s basketball team — page 5

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F.Y.I. Important Dates February is Black History Month March 1

Last day to apply for spring 2017 graduations

April 3-8

Spring break: Campus closed

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L M C E X P E R I E N C E . C O M

Remodel in full ‘swing’ Project to be completed by summer

By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ

bhernandez@lmcexperience.com

From the moment the clock strikes 10 p.m. and most other community members are either preparing for bed or cramming for an exam, W.A. Thomas Company employees and constructors are coming into work on the swing space on Level Two of the College Complex.

According to the official project description located on the Los Medanos College website, the project has a budget of $4,300,000 and is funded by Measure A, Measure E and the Redevelopment Agency Fund.

On opening day Friday, Jan. 20, Vice President Kevin Horan gave a facilities update where he discussed plans for this project

and future plans.

“Our facilities have an impact on the success of our students and the quality of our working environment,” said Horan. “This has been a long time coming.”

The project will take the swing space on in the College Complex and do a complete remodel to the Business Department creating nine new classrooms, two of which with the ability to be computer labs, eight faculty offices and two conference rooms.

Construction began in early February and will continue to run through July 2017.

Experience • Beatriz Hernandez “We’re here every night 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Constructors with W.A. Thomas Company work to as to not interrupt the school session,” said Superintendent of the project Mike Gutierrez renovate the old swing space on the second level of See CC2, page 6 the College Complex.

Safe Space program a go LMC hold Safe Space trainings twice a semester for faculty, staff and students so they are better educated on how to deal with issues facing the LGBTQ+ community. In addition to these workshops, the program will encourage the LMC community to mark their classrooms, backpacks, etc. to indicate their support.

Blood Drive on campus Student Life and the Blood Centers of the Pacific will host the Cesar Chavez Blood Drive Challenge on campus Tuesday, March 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in L-109.

To schedule your donation appointment visit www.bloodheroes.com and enter sponsor code losMC. For additonal information contact the Office of Student Life at 473-7554.

Professor to talk history As part of Black History Month, the Umoja Scholars Program is sponsoring a talk featuring Professor Evan Wade on “Black Wall Street and the Power of Ownership” Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 5 to 7 p.m. in L-109.

Experience • Tyler Courchane

Project Truth member Brother Joseph preaches the group’s message while LMC students arrange an anti-protest.

Pro-life protest sparks discussion

By PERRY CONTINENTE

pcontinente@lmcexperience.com

Few topics are as divisive, or as likely to provoke, as abortion. So when Project Truth, a pro-life group — who routinely display large bloody banners of aborted fetuses — arrived on the Los Medanos College campus, and a group of pro-choice students staged a counter protest complete with free condoms and lube, there was tension in the air.

However, despite the provocative material and delicate subject matter, the debate was largely civil.

Project Truth is a Christian organization not affiliated with a specific church that tours college campuses up and down the west coast demonstrating against abortion and disseminating slickly produced literature against the practice.

The leader of the LMC excursion who goes by the pseudonym William Wilberforce explained the group’s use of inflammatory imagery.

“How many students have never seen what an abortion looks like?” said Wilberforce. “Words enough are not enough to describe and clarify

the issue.”

LMC student and protester Frankey Hernandez was less than enthused

by Wilberforce’s group. Displaying a stark white sign with a coat hanger stapled to it and the words “Never again” written in bold red inside, Hernandez stood opposite the Project Truth demonstration.

Supporting Planned Parenthood and the pro-choice side of the debate, Hernandez stood armed with condoms, lube and dental dams of all colors.

Hernandez decried Wilberforce’s position.

LMC falls in love with social justice

Planning for the summer The Los Medanos College Summer 2017 Class Schedule is now available for students who plan to register for classes this coming summer and can be viewed online at losmedanos.edu/.

kstelly@lmcexperience.com

While some Los Medanos College students were spending their Valentine’s Day doing romantic activities, going on dates or cuddling their loved ones, a small group of LMC community members were in Library Room L-109 being educated about the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Fall in Love with Social Justice: A Black Lives Matter Panel” was co-sponsored by Honors and the newly enacted CAWS club and led by CAWS President Marcel Clark. Among the panelists were LMC Instructor Michael Yeong, Civil Rights Lawyer Dan Siegel and activist

Ndidi Okwelogu.

One of the first questions asked had to do with how one would go about helping someone who was being attacked. Yeong intercepted the question telling an anecdote about a recent trip to Starbucks in which a white man told him “You had your president, we have ours.”

Instead of engaging in a discussion with the man, he paid for the man’s coffee, advocating the “kill ‘em with kindeness” route.

The next question dealt with the more subtle ways in which black people are oppressed.

Okwelogu talked about colorism and how self-hate is instilled in See BLM, page 6

See ISSUE, page 6

Food Pantry combats hunger on campus

By TERESA GAINES and JORDAN NEEL

Panel talks Black Lives Matter

By KIMBERLY STELLY

“I don’t think that they advocate for safe sex, it’s just a ploy to stop people from having sex,” she said.

The use of media by Project Truth is varied. They employ everything from banners, pamphlets and videos on iPads to spread their message. It is these pieces of media that really demonstrate the moral and political stances of the organization.

Project Truth believes in avoiding abortion except when the pregnancy would result in the death of the mother and child. The pamphlet even con-

Staff Writers

“I was the black life that mattered that night. My life and each and every black life on the bus that night.”

— Michael Yeong

Across the country, schools are par tnering with local restaurants, supermarkets and food banks to battle hunger.

That growing list now includes Los Medanos College. The LMC Food Pantry officially opened Monday, Feb. 6 and is fully stocked thanks to fundraising efforts, donations and grants.

The goal of the pantry is to assist students who may not have the income to afford both the expensive books needed to pass classes and the day-to-day necessity of fueling oneself for those classes.

Student Life Coordinator John Nguyen said even though the Office of Student Life now

runs it, it wasn’t their original idea to establish a source of food for students.

“The Food Pantry idea was originally started as the student run Cuisine Club whose members were concerned about food insecurity that LMC students experienced.

After much thought and consideration between the student club and the Office of Student Life, the student club felt it was best to have it housed under the Office of Student Life,” he said.

Students and the Student Life Office now staff it. Adrian Montemayor, LMC student and employee of the food pantry, has enjoyed working at the pantry so far.

“It’s been very calm and See FOOD, page 6

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Perspectives

FRIDAY,

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“Without music, life would be a mistake.”

— Friedrich Nietzsche

Kimberly Stelly

Tyler Mortimore

SOCIALLY UNWELL

NO RHYTHM, ALL BLUES

Grammys get it wrong again

Bill Maher is a wretched hack

The music industry has always catered to white audiences over culturally relevant art. One of the most notable examples of this came about when the Grammys Ceremony aired last Saturday and graced us with criminally unsatisfying results once again, particularly in the categories in which hip-hop or R&B were involved.

Perhaps one of the greatest offenses of the night was Drake winning Rap Song of the year for “Hotline Bling.” Not only were there songs superior in lyrical content and production, but the song isn’t even remotely related to the genre or category it was nominated for. Drake himself agreed, saying in an interview on the Apple Beats 1 radio show “I’m apparently a rapper, even though ‘Hotline Bling’ is not a rap song.”

It’s no surprise the track got as much acclaim as it did though, considering Drake makes the type of hip-hop that can be understood by white people, therefore making it far more marketable than hip-hop albums that talk about the black experience.

Put yourself in the shoes of a power player in the music industry and ponder this: In the eyes of the masses, what’s going to earn you more respect and accolades? An elegant ballad about nostalgia and young love (Adele’s “Hello”), or a pro-black anthem celebrating pride in things like “negro noses” and natural hair (Beyoncé’s “Formation”)?”

Though both songs were rewarded, “Hello” beat out “Formation” in both the Song and Record of the Year categories. Every song on “Lemonade” was far too ethnic to be considered for an award in any major category.

One of the most important elementts of hip-hop, soul and R&B music is storytelling.

The stories told often touch on racially significant events and experiences, but because they aren’t relatable enough to the masses, they’re often brushed aside.

In 2013, Mumford and Sons beat out Frank Ocean for Album of the Year despite Channel Orange’s significance to the black and LGBTQ communities. To rub salt in the wounds of many hip-hopheads, three years later, Taylor Swift’s “1989” beat out Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” for Album of the Year. In fact, only ten black artists have been given this award in the lengthy history of the Grammys.

In reference to this year’s awards, some will have you believe race wasn’t considered when deciding the winners of certain categories because of the love shown for Chance the Rapper’s album “Coloring Book.” However, the awards Chance won were because of the novelty of not being signed to a label and the success of having a stream-only album rather than any artistic and cultural symbolism.

Something the Grammys did get right were the nominees in the R&B categories, recognizing artists like Solange, Anderson .Paak, and Gallant – though Solange’s “A Seat at the Table” and .Paak’s “Malibu” were both disgustingly under-acknowledged.

Unfortunately, people are apathetic toward this genre of music unless Sam Smith is involved. These might as well be throwaway categories because only the people who have a penchant for this particular style of music are going to care about who wins.

It’s not realistic to expect any better from the Grammys – outside of the Oscars and maybe the Tonys, people have learned not to put faith in awards shows. However, it’s important that these issues are addressed in regards to the music industry because representation is important. Social politics and marketing shouldn’t have such a huge hand in artistic recognition. Music is such an important part of people’s lives, it would be a shame to see the art form continue to be tainted by any sort of racial bias, overt or subtle.

“Pride goeth before destruction,” says the Good Book. “And an haughty spirit before a fall.”

Bill Maher might not believe in the holy texts, but it has some good lines.

Maher made headlines last week when he decided to have right-wing “provocateur” Milo Yiannopoulos on “Real Time.” Maher and the then-Breitbart editor chatted about how “weird” transgendered people are — less than a week before the Trump administration would strip trans children of federal protections — and how liberals need to learn “how to take a joke.”

Yiannopoulos was once again the only one laughing Monday when Simon & Schuster pulled his $250,000 book deal after video of him promoting statutory rape went viral.

Like clockwork, Maher came to collect the credit Wednesday, saying, “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”

Having a virulent racist — though Yiannopoulos denies he’s racist, as he only has sex with Black men — on his show and yukking it up like they were oldfriends is only the most recent link in the long chain of despicable acts that make up his career.

The talk show host has spent two decades calling Muslims every synonym of savage.

As one of the poster boys of New Atheism, Maher, along with Sam Harris, has gleefully shrugged off the dogmatic chains of religion, answering only to reason, or so they say.

Instead, they’ve taken up the flag of Crusader Christians, adding a false intellectual gloss to the Islamophobia of the West.

“Dealing w/ Hamas is like dealing w/ a crazy woman who’s trying to kill u - u can only hold her wrists so long before you have to slap her,” Maher tweeted in the midst of the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict, which killed over 2,000 Palestinians. Maher has regularly commented on the misogyny of all Arab men, but doesn’t mind slapping a woman around in a bad metaphor.

Muslims aren’t the only ones who draw the ire of the man who resembles an albino weasel dunked in Vaseline. When a South Carolina police officer ripped a 16 year-old Black student out of her desk and threw her, Maher lamented the state of parenting in America, parroting a conservative talking point that blames black people for the state violence visited upon them.

When a Black Lives Matter protester challenged Hillary Clinton over her “super predator” remarks, Maher called her a “fucking idiot.” As Maher said last year, it’s not racist when Democrats are racist.

Even when you get past his rampant bigotry, Maher simply isn’t good at his job.

As a political commentator, he’s limited to a Democrat-Republican dichotomy that had him praising President Obama’s vast surveillance state while shuddering at the thought of a President Ted Cruz being in charge of it. (Luckily, this nightmare network has fallen into steady, if small, hands.)

As a comedian, he’s an utter hack, a more-racist Jay Leno. Norm MacDonald called him “maybe the unfunniest [comedian] I’ve ever encountered.”

Worst of all, he allows dumpster-dwellers like Milo and Dinesh D’Souza on. Despite that magical liberal thinking that debating racists will vanquish them, their hatred keeps on chugging along, unless they happen to defend the very bogeyman conservatives have used to justify homophobia for a long time.

Maher is nearly everything wrong with the mainstream white male liberal — centrist but full of retrograde ideas when it comes to race and gender and oh-so-willing to hold up Republicans to prove he’s Not That Bad. Maher was quick to take credit for a happening he actively defended against.

Let’s hope that pride precedes him falling down a well.

Experience • Jose Alfonso Camus

Editorial

Safe abortion is a right

T

he pro-lifers are at it again. At least once a year, Project Truth, an anti-abortion organization advocating against Planned Parenthood comes to Los Medanos College, bringing with them extremely graphic 20 ft. posters of aborted fetuses and poorly written literature. Last week, they appeared on campus, to the annoyance of many, preaching to anyone walking past about the supposed medical and moral dangers of abortion.

Though many ignored the demonstration, if the United States is split about the pro-life vs. pro-choice argument, then why?

In the world of politics, the Trump administration is severely anti-choice, and according to the Pew Research Center, more than 4 in 10 U.S. citizens think abortion is morally wrong.

However, 59 percent of adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases. In fact, a number of individuals have shelled out money to help fund the continuation of institutions like Planned Parenthood that don’t just provide safe abortions, but a myriad of important medical tests, procedures and affordable birth control.

The pro-choice stance isn’t pro-murder or even pro-abortion necessarily, it’s the idea that women should be able to have complete autonomy over their own bodies, whether or not you agree with what they choose to do with their bodies. Shuttering institutions like Planned Parenthood does little to save lives, and as abortion rates actually decline, reducing the amount of easily available birth control will only make it go back up, safe and legal or otherwise.

Ultimately, being pro-life endangers more people than it helps, which is something we hope people who share views like the ones our friends over at Project Truth will eventually realize.

Beyoncé is bigger than Grammys I like to tell people I’ve been a Beyoncé Enthusiast since the age of five.

Destiny’s Child’s “Writings on the Wall” is the first album I remember completely indulging myself in. But it wasn’t until I was 13 that I truly understood how much of an impact Beyoncé had on my life.

Her music came to me at one of the hardest times in my life. Songs from some of her most iconic albums such as “I Am ... Sasha Fierce,” “4” and “Beyoncé” not only became my safety net, but helped me gain the confidence I have today.

Seeing a black woman prevail in an industry not necessarily designed for her to have the dominance she currently has, is an inspiration to me when it comes to my own dreams, goals and aspirations.

Because of the personal connections I’ve made with her music, I understood where Adele was coming from the night of the 2017 Grammys when she nearly devoted her entire thank you speech to Beyoncé.

If there’s one thing people should have taken away from that moment it would be how much the singer has not only had an enormous impact on people within the industry but outside of it as well.

Within the two decades she’s been making music, we’ve witnessed the influence Beyoncé has held continue to grow and reach out to people around the world. But the reaction that followed the release of “Lemonade” — and the vast amount of proudness that came from Black women across social media — was like no other.

Disappointment is one word that could be used to sum up Beyoncé, once again, being snubbed for Album of the Year at this years Grammy’s. This should’ve been her year but to see people recognize how significant “Lemonade” was to 2016, Black culture and how

Voices

Adria Watson BEYONCÉ ENTHUSIAST

passionate people were about her loss was a bigger win for Beyoncé than the award itself.

People recognized “Lemonade” as being unlike anything else she’s released, acknowledging that Beyoncé not only brought the artistic integrity critics claimed she lacked in 2015 — when Beck won AOTY over her — but, more importantly, realizing she gave fans a visual project that embodied the strength and unity that lives within Black women. She created something for my generation to feel empowered by.

“My intention for the film and album was to create a body of work that will give a voice to our pain, our struggles, our darkness and our history, to confront issues that make us uncomfortable,” she expressed during her acceptance speech for best Urban Contemporary album during the year’s biggest night in music.

Hearing Beyoncé recognize her influence and the importance for her to provide images to young black women — as well as every child of every race — that “reflect their beauty so they can grow up in a world where they look in the mirror, first through their own families, as well as the news, the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the White House, and the Grammys, and see themselves. And have no doubt that they’re beautiful, intelligent and capable,” is why I like to remind people she means more to me, and many others out there, than just being a powerhouse vocalist and performer.

LOS MEDANOS COLLEGE

Experience

Spring semester 2017!

How’s it going so far?

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L M C e x p e r i e n c e . c o m

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California Newspaper Publishers Association

“Were it left for me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.”

— Thomas Jefferson

“Good! Almost late a few times but that’s it.”

— Bradley McClelland

“Taking a PathCal class.

First test may or may not have gone well.”

— Gerardo Gutierrez

“Good! But I almost slipped in the rain today.”

— Ashley Knight

“Good!

Everyone has been helpful.

2017 is my year!”

— Madeline Henderson

“Good! No complaints.

Classes are cool. Teachers are cool.”

— Howard Berry

“Good so far!

Found all my classes right away.”

— Trevor Harris

Editors-in-Chief ...........BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ and KIMBERLY STELLY Managing Editor.....................ADRIA WATSON Perspectives Editor............VANESSA FLORES Campus Editor ......................TERESA GAINES Features Editor ................SARAH GONZALES Sports Editor ....................... GARRETT BELME Graphics Editor...................LISSETTE URBINA Photo Editor ..........................CHRISTIAN RUIZ Copy Chief ...................... TYLER MORTIMORE The LMC Experience is published Fridays by students in the Journalism Program. The newspaper serves both as a laboratory for journalism classes and as a First Amendment forum for campus communication. Opinions expressed in the Experience are solely those of the students and do not represent the views of the college.

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Campus Newswatch

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“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

— Confucius

Flashy fish form

Career Services holds events

Come find out what employers want to hear at the two Career Services hour long workshops on interviewing.

They will be held Wednesday, March 8 from noon to 1 p.m. and Thursday March 9 from 5 to 6 p.m. in Room SS4-12 of the Student Services Center.

Students who need additional help figuring out their career path can talk to Career Counselor Kristin Conner.

Schedule an appointment by calling 473-7444. Conner is available Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Counselors ready to assist

Looking to make an educational plan, or review your current one? LMC offers general counseling at both campuses. Drop-in hours are offered and students must have a student ID number and a photo ID to meet with a counselor. Appointments at Pittsburg can be made in person or by calling the Counseling Department at 473-7449.

Daily cancellations online

The LMC website offers a daily class cancellation page for students to see if their class has been canceled. For the list of daily cancellations, visit www.losmedanos.edu/ classcancel.

The LMC Experience Facebook page also posts class cancellations as well as other campus updates. Visit www. facebook.com/lmcexperience.

RSVP to Latino Speaker Series

The Undergraduate Success Center at John F. Kennedy University is holding a Latino Speaker Series featuring Mara Parez, Ph.D Thursday March 9. Parez’s talk will cover education, economic development, philanthropy, immigration and Latinos in the United States.

Lunch will be served and is open to the public at the JFK Pleasant Hill campus on the second floor in room 209 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Employment help is available

Students who are interested in work should check out LMC’s College Central Network database. Any employer that connects with LMC is directed to post in this database.

To learn more, log onto CCN and search for Volunteer Crisis Line Counselor, Child Activities Provider or Speaker’s Bureau Advocate.

HBCU campus tours available

Students and staff will be traveling by airplane departing from the Oakland Airport on Sunday, April 9 and returning Saturday April 15 to historically black colleges and universities on the east coast. The tour application is available on the LMC website.

— compiled from press releases and staff reports

Experience • Kyle Davis

LMC student Taylor Deas, hidden behind her artwork, finishes the final touches on her sculpted fish in the ceramics lab. The Fine Arts major said she wanted to create a piece that looked like it was floating in space and did so by using slab building and texturing techniques.

Students focus on the future

By JORDAN NEEL

jneel@lmcexperience.com

Students from Freedom, Liber ty, Deer Valley, Pittsburg and Dozier-Libbey Medical high schools visited Los Medanos College for the third annual Career Focus Friday.

The event is designed to bring high school students from the East County area — whether they’re part of an academic decathlon, Regional Occupational Program class or any kind of course sequencing at their high school — to LMC. It gives them an opportunity to tour the campus, learn about the school’s programs, meet the instructors and explore their options for the future.

“We want to bring them over on a career clustered focus day,” said Community and Educational Partnership Liaison Kelly Green, who took part in running the event for the third time this school year.

In October, LMC hosted Health and Public Safety Day. This semester, they’ve held Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA).

Next week it’s Early Childhood and Education careers, with an Industrial Tech event in March and a STEM event in April.

The goal is to have the teachers and faculty at the high school help these students to identify these classes and programs. When they come to campus, they have a much more focused career cluster to consider for their future options.

“It’s much more focused and hopefully hitting the mark with student’s interests,” said Green.

Last week’s VAPA day, professors Rick Shiner of Recording Arts, Kyle Chuah of Music Production, Nick Garcia of Theatre, Lucy Snow of Ceramics and Sculpture, Curtis Corlew of Photography, Cindy

Experience • Chris Ruiz

Drama instructor Nick Garcia informs high schoolers at Career Focus Friday about various opportunities at LMC. McGrath of Journalism, Luis Zuniga of can you do with this Major?’ fliers. For Music all participated in presenting their VAPA Day we put in the LMC Honor subjects to high school students. Student Band application in there. Anything that’s enthusiasm typically runs high. very specific for that career, we’re going “We do surveys at the end. We ask to put in.” them for their opinion on the different As for whether or not this most reprograms that they’ve seen. I usually follow cent Career Focus Friday was the best a group around at one so far, Green the stops to kind admitted there is of see how things “It’s a great experience always room for are going, how not just for high school improvement. are students are “Just small little interacting, what students but for anyone tweaks that we did they learn,” who’s a part of it.” learned about timsaid Green. “It’s a — Kelly Green ing. One of our great experience challenges is busnot just for high es. It takes longer school students but for anyone who’s a for schools like Heritage to arrive, so we’ll part of it.” have buffer time in the beginning of the Students also have a way to plan out event that we utilize Shenanigans[LMC’s their degree. improv comedy group]. I have to say that “We have LMC folders we give to each our faculty has been above and beyond student as they walk in,” said Green. “We outstanding.”

See TOUR, page 6 fill it with degree checklists, with ‘What

Barcelona study promises culture

By CARLOS RUIZ

cruiz@lmcexperience.com

A once in a lifetime opportunity of studying abroad in Barcelona this upcoming fall is being offered to the students at Los Medanos College.

Barcelona has a number of attractions that may draw students to this study abroad program, including a city center which retains its medieval street plan with modernist architecture including several buildings by Gaudí - Spain’s most famous architect, FC Barcelona soccer matches at the Camp Nou Stadium and the city’s Mediterranean climate.

Traveling will begin Sept. 8 and run through Dec. 8. The trip will cost $7,545 which covers accommodation, activities and travel but not meals.

There is also the Shared Homestay fee which is $8,345 which covers all the same items but exclusively has a twin-bedded room in a family homestay and has daily breakfast and dinner five nights a week.

Financial aid and scholarships are available as well but the program fees do not include the round trip airfare

to San Francisco and Barcelona , textbooks or personal expenses.

To participate in the Barcelona Study Abroad Program students must at least be 18 years or older, must have a GPA of 2.25 or higher and have completed 12 or more units.

Course requirements include two Diablo Valley College courses and must include NTD 100: Spanish Life, Language and Culture. The courses of the trip include HUM 105: Introduction to Humanities -Arts & Ideas, MATH 124: Mathematics for Liberal Arts, specifically designed for students majoring in a non-STEM/ non-statistics based fields and PHIL 130: Logic and Critical Thinking.

Students can study many events such as Gaudi’s Park Güell, the roots of the Catalan Movement and the impact of the Spanish Civil War. There will be many field trips and potentially a trip to Paris.

Honors Director and Barcelona trip advisor Jennifer Saito advises students who haven’t studied abroad before, “They See SPAIN, page 6

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Features

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“We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.”

— Joseph Campbell

Trax invites artists Pitt. hosts art festival

By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ

bhernandez@lmcexperience.com

LMC Drama Department Chair Nick Garcia leads his students through an exercise during his DRAMA-021

Pittsburg’s creative ar ts community is looking for artists for the debut of its monthly art walk festival, Art Trax, opening Thursday, April 20.

According to the flier and guidelines found on their website, Art Trax’s monthly shows will consist of a plethora of art displayed in local businesses throughout Old Town Pittsburg.

The Pittsburg City of ComExperience • Adria Watson merce and the Pittsburg Arts class. and Community Foundation sponsor the program. They currently have 17 locations that will have showings the third Thursday of each month from 5 to 8 p.m.

Retired social worker and artist Sheila Smith has been working since last fall to bring her ideas of Ar t Trax and Creative Pittsburg to fruition.

“I began talking to businesses and civic groups about it. Everyone liked the ideas, and now we’re ready to accept submissions for display at the first event,” said Smith.

For the first showing and future shows, the businesses at “Follow your which the artwork is displayed heart and will host a small reception with the artists present to talk to follow the attendees about their pieces. dream which Although there are no jurors you know or entry fees required, each individual business will chose you’re good the art to be displayed in their at.” store based on which pieces — NIck Garcia

Garcia directs his own story

By SAMANTHA HERNANDEZ Staff Writer

Originally planning to major in business, Drama Professor Nick Garcia has been teaching at LMC for eight years and has traveled many roads since his beginnings in a small divided town in Colorado.

Although Garcia has some early Southern California roots, he mainly grew up in Colorado, where the biggest nearby city was four hours away and was the size of Half Moon Bay. The town he grew up in was a mix of Hispanic and white residents with “A lot of respect,” but ultimately an “underlying distrust,” he said adding that there was “bad blood” but people wouldn’t acknowledge it.

As a result, he said, “My grandma wouldn’t teach us Spanish because when she was growing up, you would be beaten up and jumped if you spoke Spanish.” He explained this was to protect him because

of the way she grew up.

“If you were called a Mexican, that was the worst possible thing they can call you,” he said. “It makes you devalue your culture in a way.”

His parents divorced when he was a toddler, and when his mother remarried, Garcia formed a good relationship with his stepfather, who was a football coach and teacher. When he was young, his stepfather got a job offer in Southern California, where his family relocated for about 10 years before returning to Colorado.

Garcia’s life as a teacher brought him to California, although he loves his job and new home, “I miss a lot about Colorado,” he said. “Especially where I grew up related to a lot of [people] and they are just wonderful people who really care about family and community. When you’re there you never feel like you have to go through something alone.”

Despite growing up in a divided town Garcia said his community was family orientated so he was able to create wonderful memories especially working his first job at his grandfather’s turquoise mine company.

“My family owns a mine in Colorado where I grew up, so my cousins and I would all work for him,” he said. “We would work with dynamite or drills and we would drill into the side of this mountain,” to find the different types of turquoise.

Garcia said that he greatly enjoyed the work because it was also an environment where he could spend time with family and his cousins came to be his best friends.

He worked in the family business until college and originally planned to major in business as a result. But he always had a soft spot in his heart for theater.

“I knew I always wanted to go into that I just never had opportunity. My local See NICK, page 6

See ART, page 6

University of San Francisco

P L E A S A N TO N Experience • Adria Watson

JoJo on her Mad Love Tour Feb. 19 at the Regency Ballroom in San Francisco.

Crowd gets ‘Mad Love’

LEARN TODAY. CHANGE TOMORROW. PROGRAMS IN: MANAGEMENT | NURSING Call to make an advising appointment today (925) 867-2711 pleasantoncampus@usfca.edu usfca.edu/pleasanton 6120 Stoneridge Mall Rd., Ste. 150, Pleasanton, CA CHANGE THE WORLD FROM HERE

JoJo: soulful, vulnerable, unforgettable

By ADRIA WATSON

awatson@lmcexperience.com

JoJo ended an impossibly magical night in the most down-to-earth way, by greeting fans with a simple “thank you.”

A rainy two-hour wait did not deter devotees — some of whom still buzzing with energy, serenading her with her songs — to get to meet the singer following her concert in San Francisco Sunday, Feb. 19.

Returning from an extended hiatus since her last full-length album, 2006’s “The High Road,” JoJo brought down the house at the fourth stop on her headlining tour — titled after her 2016 album “Mad Love” — boldly making a statement that she’s back and better than ever.

The night began with newcomer Stanaj dominating the stage at the Regency Ballroom with his powerful vocals and infectious stage presence.

He brought the crowd to life and set the tone for the rest of the night with songs such

as “Ain’t Love Strange” and “Goddess,” slowing it down with panty-dropper “Romantic,” among others.

The sequined jumpsuit JoJo donned was not the only thing shining throughout the night.

Her entire performance from start to finish kept the audience engaged and alive.

No matter if the songstress performed older hits from “The High Road” and her eponymous album “JoJo” or tunes from “Mad Love,” fans were singing along to every song as if they wrote the lyrics themselves.

Three songs into the show, JoJo brought the majority of the audience back to their younger years by performing “Leave (Get Out)” — the anthem of many 10-year-olds singing into their microphone-brush.

But she didn’t stop there, the singer continued to hit the crowd right in their feelings with a short rendition of “Baby It’s You” and a mash-up of my 6th grade anthem “Like That”

with a more recent number, “Like This.”

Although the reminiscing was one of the many highlights of the night, the most resonant moment came with her performance of “I Am” — which she declared was dedicated to her fans. The song talks about self-worth and self-doubt, which most 20-year-olds who are still trying to figure out their identity, can relate to.

The live version cuts deeper than it’s studio counterpart when you personally hear JoJo’s angelic vocal stylings as well as being in that moment and realizing you’ve been in the same mentality the song touches on.

Aside from the personal connections during her “I Am.” performance, one of the more emotional moments of the night was when she sang “Music,” a song dedicated to her late father, which she performed next to an empty seat.

See JOJO, page 6

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Quotable

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FRIDAY,

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24,

2017

5

“A trophy carries dust. Memories last forever.”

— Mary Lou Retton

Jonathan Little A LITTLE LOVE

Oakland A’s start to rebuild

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Los Medanos College’s Fatima Talag weaves through the Mendocino defenders and drives toward the basket.

Stangs flash potential Futures bright for young core

By CARLOS RUIZ

cruiz@lmcexperience.com

The 2016-17 women’s basketball season has been a rough and tough dusty trail for the Mustangs.

Although their 2-20 overall record put the team in 7th out of 8th place in the Bay Valley Conference, this year’s campaign for the hoopers has gone fairly well compared last season.

When you examine the previous season with the current one, you’ll find that they both shared a winless November and December, yet the comparison stops there as the team of today picked up their first victory Jan. 5 with a smooth sailing score of 78-50 away against The College of Marin.

In comparison, the 2015-2016 team was left to forfeit on Jan. 12 through the remainder of the season due to having an insufficient amount of players.

The College of Marin, whose team currently sits at the bottom of the division, is also responsible for handing the Mustangs their only other win on Feb. 1. Although there was a different degree of difficulty to the second contest, they won 62-57 at home where freshman guard from Liberty High School Olivia Sanbria and sophomore guard out of Pittsburg High School Margot Vrana combined for 51 points.

“This was a rebuilding season that needed readjustments with the challenge of the team taking last year off,” says sophomore forward Carrie Oliver.

The experienced basketball player has suffered two broken noses and a concussion,

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Margot Vrana sets up for a free throw against Mendocino on Sophomore Night. but regret and disappointment isn’t what she experienced this season. She describes her last season as an amusing one and a learning experience with a fantastic group of women.

“I’ve always had fun on and off the court with the team I played with this season and the chemistry we had, I will always take that over better results” said Oliver.

Even though there are more losses than wins this season, there are still some silver linings for the squad of women such as the new batch of nine freshmen.

Notable members include all around team player Sanbria, who is ranked 6th in The Bay Valley Conference for points per game with 17.1. In her company also from Liberty High

LMC dominates DVC

is freshman forward Jayden Tolentino who blocked the ball 21 times this season and rookie forward from Pitt High School Brianna Headly who had 140 rebounds this season.

The freshman players soon to become sophomores are expected to make a huge impact in next year’s campaign.

“Expect them to win the league, the new players we had this year and new people coming in next season should have everyone expecting them as Bay Valley champs,” said Vrana Head coach Richard Villegas had no comment, but according to the LMC women’s basketball website “his primary objective is to build a strong competitive team using athletes from the local area.”

The Oakland Athletics in 2016 were at the bottom of the majors in the win department and are predicted to do the same in 2017. The A’s are just a few years removed of being in the playoffs and having a roster that could compare to the top teams in the league.

Looking back at 2014, that team had the likes of Josh Donaldson, now on the Toronto Blue Jays, Yoenis Cespedes, now with the New York Mets, Jeff Samardzija, now with Bay Area rivals the Giants, and Jon Lester, now on the defending champions Chicago Cubs. The one thing they all have in common is each is now on a team that made the playoffs, or have won a World Series.

It’s crazy to think that the A’s had the looks of a super-team, but in 2015 and 2016 the fans of the swingin’ A’s had to sit through two dreadful seasons.

In 2016, the season started with Sonny Grey being bitten by the injury bug and went down with several injuries for a good portion of the season, and once he came back, he wasn’t the same.

Later the A’s traded away star pitcher Rich Hill and longtime Athletic Josh Reddick to the Dodgers, which pulled the heart of fans right out of their chest. Then the clubhouse chemistry dipped to an all-time low, as teammates were fighting in the locker room. At that point, it was safe to say the season was all but over.

However, by the end of the 2016 season the A’s had gotten rid of the players who caused trouble in the clubhouse and those who were not helping in the development of the team, and began having a “rookie revolution.”

Suddenly the team was fun to watch again, with young prospects such as Ryon Healy, Jharel Cotton, Sean Manea, Daniel Mengden and many more hitting the scene, eager to get their careers started. And not to be forgotten was outfielder Khris Davis, who hit 42 homers, good enough for 3rd in all of baseball.

Rookie third basemen Healy was in consideration for the AL Rookie of the Year award, and finished the year with a .305 batting average with 13 homers and 37 RBIs in only 72 games.

The A’s youngsters are fun watch, from the raw power of Healy to the handlebar moustache of Mengden, the team was able to end the year on a bright spot with many of their young prospects finding success in the majors.

The 2017 season officially began for Major League front offices as soon as the World Series was over, and the A’s were quick in making a difference this off-season.

They immediately went out and signed players who have had positive impact on clubhouses and team chemistry. Oakland signed Rajai Davis, an outfielder from the Cleveland Indians who played for the A’s before in 2010. They also went out and signed 2011all-star Matt Joyce who is looking to rejuvenate his career with the Green and Gold. They also added some heat to the bullpen with 3-time World Series champ and See OAK, page 6

SPORTS MEDICINE

Team cruises to fifth straight victory

By CARLOS RUIZ

cruiz@lmcexperience.com

“Boom…….boom………BOOM” yelled the whole men’s baseball team, which cued Young Jeezy’s song “Put on” and from there the Mustangs were focused from the first pitch to the last as they won their fifth straight game with an 8-3 stomping of the DVC Vikings.

The final regular season meeting between these teams saw LMC ace pitcher, Gabe Taylor, starting on the mound for the Stangs, successfully throwing with an ERA of 0.00 and with 19 scoreless innings to start the year.

It was a shaky start to the game for the Mustangs with the first two batters getting on base off first pitch hitting and the bases loaded with only one out. Yet Taylor finished strong, getting out of the jam after a groundout and a great diving catch by third basemen Antone Self leaving the first half of the inning scoreless.

Although the Vikings drew first blood at the top of the second inning, the Mustangs came back brilliantly with a sacrifice bunt by second baseman Jonathan Pluth at the bottom of the second and a RBI single by catcher Jason Hare in the bottom of the third inning giving LMC a 2-1 lead.

That would be the score for the next three innings until DVC got back on the board tying with a single and lead after a wild pitch. That inning ended when Taylor got his first strikeout of the game, and a groundout which also ended his solid day on the mound.

In the bottom of the sixth the Mustangs once again showed whose boss responding to DVC’s two runs by putting two runs of their own after a cluster of mishaps in the infield.

Then first baseman Jason Kreske’s powerful triple to right field gave the Stangs the lead with the score becoming 4-3.

more teamwork Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Gabe Taylor pitches against DVC. Left handed pitcher David Quintero took Taylors spot, and struck out the first two batters he faced and ending it quickly with a groundout, and picking up two more strikeouts in the next inning.

LMCs offensive machine wasn’t done yet, with Antone Self doubling and Pluth hitting into a fielder’s choice with a run coming in, extending the Stangs lead to 7-3 at the end of the seventh inning.

But the bat’s didn’t stop swinging in the bottom of the eighth. Two runs by two RBI doubles put the game in favor for the Stangs . Adding to the effort was great relief pitching courtesy of Quintero. He finished the game with four innings and four strikeouts and allowing no runs with the final score of 8-3. “ We had chances early on in the game but we put up 13 hits and 8 runs and I’m very pleased with that,” said head coach Anthony D’Albora. “Sometimes we have two hits and sometimes we have 13 but we did well earning the victory against Diablo Valley.”

Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, you deserve excellent care. Our talented team of sports medicine physicians, orthopedic surgeons, and physical therapists can help you stay on top of your game.* To learn more, visit kp.org/diablo.

*By referral only.

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Back Talk

NICK From page 4

school couldn’t afford a theater program, couldn’t even afford a music or art program. I had to wait until college to see if I even liked it,” he said. “So I took my first theater class in college.”

It was the patriarch of the family business who taught him to follow what he loved.

“I had really great examples of people in my life. One person I really looked up to a lot and I still look up to, is my grandfather. He never finished high school and he loves working with turquoise, and because he loves working with turquoise he is extremely good and is one of the best.

Most of the people who work with turquoise worked for him at one time,” he said. “He was really good at showing and being an example of doing what you love and knowing the money will come if you work good enough. Money doesn’t come from you chasing it, it’s hard work, you have to work and invest in being the best you can be.”

But Garcia’s parents had their concerns when he informed them of his new passion.

“My parents did the quite scared thing,” he said. “They were always supportive, they would always come to see my shows, so they knew there was talent there. They were proud of me, but they definitely didn’t think that I would make any money or create a career out of it.”

He advises students who have a similar issue to, “Follow your heart and follow the dream which you know you’re good at. Know that when your happy and you are confident in yourself, your family will see that and that’s what they support.”

Garcia went on to major in theater in college, but not right away. He had originally told his high school counselor he wanted to major in business.

He participated in a summer business internship at the University of Colorado Boulder.

“I ended up being accepted into the business school and getting enough scholarships where I think I had to take out $1,000 in loans.”

He then received educational funding and was able to earn a living teaching drama at his old high school. He then returned to graduate school for acting.

When working toward his theater degree he had many people who inspired him and helped him out but the catalyst in his life was his former Professor Mollie Mook.

“She graduated from Iowa and gave me my first acting job. She also gave me my first teaching job and then told me about the University of Iowa,” said Garcia who went to Iowa for graduate school.

“Mollie helped me work on my monologues, get auditions for graduates schools and helped mentor me along the way. She was one of the most incredible people that I’ve ever

OAK From page 5

former Giants closer Santiago Casilla, who as well played for the A’s when he was rookie.

All together the offseason wasn’t a bad one for the team, but these were very low-profile signings that can be hit or miss.

Yet all the players signed have the ability of being potential all-stars and leading the young team to a winning season.

In addition to the signings, A’s fans got a new breath of life as longtime owner Lew Wolff stepped down from baseball operations, and handed them to now-team president and part-owner David Kaval, who has experience in rebuilding sports teams. Kaval recently moved the San Jose Earthquakes into a new stadium and created a winning culture by signing key players.

With a new man in charge, there is a new urgency in Oakland. If they are going to have success this season and years to come, they must be active in signing top free agents.

The A’s did just that, as they went after all-star Edwin Encarnacion and were willing to offer him a contract over 120 million dollars, though he opted to sign with Cleveland

instead.

Although Oakland missed out, the team’s strong effort to pursue displays the A’s are willing to spend money to keep or get the players they want, which should bring hope for the future of the franchise.

For the new upcoming season, the A’s can be a sleeper team in a very competitive AL West. Although the other teams in the competitive division are very talented.

The Angels have AL MVP Mike Trout, the Houston Astros are young and ready, current division champs the Texas Rangers had another solid year with one of the better records in baseball, and the Seattle Mariners have a great lineup that can match up with every team in the Majors.

All in all, the race for the AL West title will be wild and the A’s shouldn’t be ignored.

Their roster may not have a superstar or the next big rookie, but Oakland is young, competitive and hungry.

With veterans to look out for the young prospects, the A’s can make some noise this year, and show that the Green and Gold are here and ready.

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ISSUE

BLM

ART

African-Americans from a young age.

Speaking from the perspective of a self-proclaimed queer black woman she added that she was appreciative of BLM because of its inclusivity. She described the organization as a “non-cisgendered, non-patriarchal, non-heteronormative movement.” She said nonblack people might have a hard time grasping these concepts because, “If you aren’t living it, you don’t know what it’s like.”

During the discussion both Siegal and Yeong got the chance to explain how they “fell in love” with social justice.

Siegal told a story about the time he was roughed up by members of the Ku Klux Klan.

As a Jewish man, he has faced discrimination but his father told him though he was going to struggle, they didn’t have it nearly as bad as the black people he grew up around. He initially wanted to be a journalist, but thought he could do more by being a lawyer.

In fall 1989, the Stuart family murders took place in Boston.

Charles Stuart, a white male murdered his wife and unborn child and blamed it on a black male. One night, Yeong was on a bus with about 20 other black men. “I was the black life that mattered that night. My life and each and every black life on that bus the night.” The bus was pulled over and all of the men of color were carted of to jail and questioned.

Though the crowd was small, a slew of questions regarding both BLM and the black community in general, came up during the discussion.

Throughout the panel, one of the things constantly being discussed was how to be a good ally.

“Don’t speak for or be the face of the movement,” advised Okwelogu.

When asked if the movement would be less controversial if the name of the organization were changed to “Black Live Matter Too,” Okwelogu responded saying that she doesn’t subscribe to respectability polices, explaining that people need to be able to accept, “If you cannot say ‘black lives matter,’ then I cannot roll with you.”

One of the last questions dealt with how draining it is for African-Americans to have to explain the various ways in which they face discrimination to people outside of the culture.

Okwelogu fielded this question. “You don’t have to educate people on your str uggle —we’ve already taught society enough.” She then went on to explain it’s up to the representatives of the other ethnic or racial groups to explain to their communities why black lives matter.

She said at the end of the day, white people are going to go home “with their privilege and institutional wealth and you’ll go home with all your marginalization … life is hard enough, don’t take on educating white people.”

The panel ended with the showing of a TedTalks video conducted with the three founders of Black Lives Matter.

Clark thanked ever yone for coming and expressed his gratitude for the humble but engaged audience.

they feel best fit the environ- tains testimonials from rape ment. victims and minors about how “We expect to have a map avoiding pregnancy is the right of locations offering displays, thing to do in all situations.

While Wilberforce’s continand visitors can go from one to gent and Hernandez’s protest another at no charge. Restaurants will be open, and the regarded each other coldly, but venues may offer refreshments indirectly, Student and activist as well,” said Smith. “I hope it Randy Utz was more direct. will be a fun and family-friendly Utz called Wilberforce’s group “assholes” and condemned event.” their use of such bloody Art for this event is not re- imagery and their black and stricted to only visual artists, white view of morality. but a sample of work should “A student here could have be submitted for the different made a very hard decision that businesses’ consideration. maybe she doesn’t feel great Deadline to submit a piece for about,” said Utz. “Its not ok the first art show ends Friday, for them to put up something March 3. like that.”

“I 100 percent understand “There is no limit on the number of submissions, or their point of view,” said an on the type of art - visual, exasperated Utz. Utz went on performance, music - that can to explain that groups like Project Truth do not leave room be offered,” said Smith. for nuance. “I am personally This festival is just one of the against abortion … however many ideas brainstormed at the I am also for a woman’s right Creative Pittsburg community to choose, as a man it’s not meetings. my choice to make.”

Other events they have Wilberforce dismissed the planned for the future include a idea that the issue of abortion Santa Crawl during Christmas, was purely political and asa community pool party and serted that it was a matter of other art and performances morality. He proclaimed that planned. “when abortion is illegal,” the For additional information country would be back on the about Ar t Trax, ar tist and right track.

Despite the contentious host guidelines or future Creative Pittsburg meetings nature of the protest and visit creativepittsburg.org or counter-protest, and how tense email Smith at sheila.smith@ some of the interactions were, positive and collaborative becreativepittsburg.org. tween people of vastly different viewpoints. Chief among them was the interaction between Trumpet playing Project Truth From page 1 member Brother Joseph and positive,” said Montemayor. a member of the Mongols “People who I usually see go Motorcycle Club.

Brother Joseph, a truma day without a meal come in here and they finally can get pet-playing preacher in a some food and actually feed suit and tie, and the tattooed Mongols member had an themselves.” extended conversation about On average, the pantry only religion, politics, morality and serves five to six students a the future that was based in day. Yet even with it not being love and respect. the busiest, Montemayor While the Mongols memstill praises the resource for ber had a previous negative students. interaction with Project Truth, “I don’t see any r eal they told him he was going to bad things about it,” said “burn in hell,” he and Brother Montemayor, “The main Joseph were extremely polite reason it should stay is to and respectful of each other’s give back to the community. opinions.

A lot of students go [to LMC] The Mongols member’s because they can afford it, politics were fairly moderate. and even though they can “I can see both sides,” he afford an education, some of said. While Brother Jonathan’s them struggle to buy food. So stance on abortion was as most definitely I think this is hardline as Wilberforce’s, a good thing to have for years his tone was less confrontato come.” tional. He even emphasized Rubbaka Irshad, LMC his commitment to pre-natal student and employee of the care stating that anyone in food pantr y, also strongly need could come to him and believed this food pantr y he would help provide care was the right thing for LMC and adoption services.

With such controversial to have for their students. “I subject matter there was a feel happy,” said Irshad. sizable police presence. Other “A lot of students that than small incidents of raised can’t afford the meals in the voices and some tempers cafeteria come to us and ask flaring, there was no large for food. Some are shy; some conflict, much to the relief of are like, ‘tell me what the food LMC police Lieutenant Chad pantry is’, but most of them Wehrmeister. actually feel good about what “I thought it was for the they receive. I feel this pantry most part a healthy debate,” is really important.” said Wehrmeister. “Everyone The pantry has partnered was civil.” with the Food Bank of Contra Costa County and Solano to provide a steady supply of food each week. But a student can’t simply walk in and grab From page 3 a can of soup when they are Orchestra and Band director hungry.

Luis Zuniga had a full band You must be a currently registered LMC student and performance in the Recital have an LMC student I.D. card. Hall, along with a performance from Drama Department Chair There is a process in which Nick Garcia and a couple of students fill out an intake form theatre students. in order to be verified as a Matt Sutton, music major at student and the form must be LMC, acted as a tour guide and approved. Once the student even sung while playing piano. has been approved, Nguyen “I believe that by giving the will notify them that they may students a chance to see fine access the pantry. arts at the college level,” says Students may then collect Sutton, “It’ll show them that up to five items a day but it’s actually an option. The arts that amount may change in need all the help they can get as the future with the growth far as higher education goes.”

For Sutton, speaking to the of the pantry. Although the pantry just opened, students high school students was the have already begun using its highlight of his day.

“I had a few students come services. up to me and ask me questions.

The Food Pantry is open Overall, they seemed fairly Mondays from 10 a.m. to 3 interested, which was really p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., cool to see. I remember being Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 a high school student being p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and terrified of asking questions, Fridays 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. so it was nice to see that wasn’t The pantr y is located in the case,” said Sutton.

SS3-817 by the cafeteria and “It’s very important to show Veteran’s Resource Center. all these kids all of the options For more information visit they have. You never know, losmedanos.edu/foodpantry some might find their calling or email Nguyen at knguyen@ in whatever field they’re being losmedanos.edu. shown.”

From page 1 met. I wouldn’t have become a teacher if it wasn’t for her, and I wouldn’t have gone to school in Iowa if I hadn’t met her, which also means I wouldn’t have met my wife and have my kids,” said Garcia.

After graduate school he was lucky enough to get a job with Mook’s help. And that job in turn, brought other opportunities.

“Every job that I have had has opened doors to my career,” said Garcia. “You learn so much about how to deal with people, how to deal with yourself, how to organize, and be successful, achieve things in every job, but the biggest part about a job is making friendships that open doors for you later.”

Garcia’s passion for the dramatic arts consumes much of his free time.

“My hobby, my job and my art are all intertwined,” Garcia said. “I get to walk into a classroom and teach people about something I love to do and would do for free, and I get to teach young artists and help the people who don’t come from money who are eager to learn.”

He said he loves being able to create, act out and direct his art with them. It is important to Garcia that his students “Achieve their dreams or start their journey.”

Garcia said despite his love for drama, he values his wife and children above all else.

“The hardest part is having to balance time at work and home life,” said Garcia. “There is nothing like getting a hug from your kid at the end of a day especially if it’s a hard day.”

As a teacher Garcia said his biggest accomplishments aren’t necessarily all the awards he has received, which include two awards from Congress and UC Irvine and being on the cover of Theater Bay Area.

Instead, his greatest source of motivation comes from the heartwarming feeling of helping students become who they are.

Garcia describes the metamorphosis of some of his most cherished drama students who began either hiding or disliking themselves and later grew to trust themselves.

“The students who have made the biggest leaps are the ones I carry around me,” said Garcia.

His advice to students, “Find the thing you’re good at and work relentlessly to be the best at it,” he added, “All of the success you want to have is going to rely exclusively on relationships, so make sure you value and treat everyone you work with, with respect because you can’t accomplish anything by yourself. You and your skill are a business.”

Much of Professor Garcia undeniable success as a drama teacher, family man and mentor to his students has come from following his own advice.

Garcia’s mantra is, “Hard work always beats talent.”

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SPAIN From page 3

must understand this a well structured opportunity and will be well taken with care every step of the way.”

LMC student Marcelo Clark has studied in Barcelona and explained how the expereience can help push an individuals boundaries.

“I think it is important to study in another countr y because it forces you out of your comfort zone and makes you realize that what we would consider a norm in American society is not a norm in another country.”

He best describes his experience by saying “I didn’t want to leave. Ever ything about the city was beautiful, I fell in love with the white sandy beaches, the art museums, and the tapas– don’t even get me started.”

From page 4

From page 1

FOOD

TOUR

Follow the LMC Experience online at lmcexperience.com

CC2 From page 1

As workers walk in and out of the construction zone you can see partially torn down walls and hear the sound of power tools ringing in your ears.

Gutierrez explained that in addition to providing safety for the workers, the hardhats and orange and green vests they wear also alert other members of the campus community as to who is and is not associated with the project if they are not wearing those colors.

While classrooms and offices are being rebuilt, all four bathrooms located on that level are also being renovated with a new design and better ADA accessibility in mind to make sure they are up to current standards.

“Before some walkways weren’t wide enough. [Now,] they’ll be more handicap friendly and they’ll be up to code,” said Gutierrez.

According to an email sent to all LMC employees, the Contra Costa Community College District Chief Facilities Planner, one wrench thrown into the project is the asbestos found in the certain sections, deriving from materials used prior to the 1980s, where the construction is taking place.

“As long as these materials are not disturbed, there is little to no potential health hazard for our students and employees,” said Pyle.

Those areas have now been blocked off during construction. Efforts are currently being made to contain the problem.

“The District is committed to a policy of safely and effectively managing asbestos on campus,” said Pyle. “If our project plans to disturb any of these materials, qualified abatement firms and abatement inspectors will be hired to comply with all laws and regulations regarding working with, and monitoring the work on, hazardous materials.”

Other projects set for future constr uction include the Campus Safety Building, PE complex and Student Union, the new Brentwood Center and renovation to the Little Theater roof, which according to Buildings and Grounds Facilitator Russ Holt should be taking place this semester when the weather clears up.

JOJO From page 4

What makes JoJo special is how soulful her voice is and how unbelievable the runs she produces are when she’s giving her all in a song.

But what made her performance of “Music” standout was how the audience could feel the vulnerability in her voice and sense that she wasn’t just singing another song on the setlist.

She took the time to humbly introduce her phenomenal band members during a show stopping performance of “Mad Love” — mashed-up with Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love,” and followed with an encore performance of “Good Things.”

As the finale came to a close, the crowd excitedly expressed to one another how astounding the shows entirety was.

JoJo not only brought her extremely underappreciated vocal talent to this show, but also a lively presence that I’ve only witnessed in-person from Beyoncé — a feat I didn’t think any artist in my generation could match.

If you tell people you’re going to a JoJo concert, some of the main reactions you’ll get are “she’s still making music?” or “I didn’t know she was still in the game.” But lo-and-behold, her live performance not only showed how much heart and dedication she puts into her art but also how she is still very much apart of this industry and she’s not here to play.

Definitely keep your eye on what has yet to come from this powerhouse. The bar is set, and it’s high.