Vol. 86 No. 9-April 21, 2017

LMC abuzz for Earth Day

‘Shapeless’ full of bite

Shootout ends with win

College comes together to discuss climate change, sustainability — page 3

Student-led project discusses the way society treats body image — page 4

The Los Medanos College baseball team picked up another win with a final score of 13-12 — page 5

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F.Y.I. Important Dates April is Autism Awareness Month April 28

Last day to withdraw from full-term classes with a “W”

May 19

Last day of regular classes prior to finals

STEM work displayed The Los Medanos College STEM program will host a research symposium to present to the community what current students and alumni have learned through research experiences, internships, honors projects, volunteer opportunites and summer employment in the Science building Friday, May 5 from 12:30 to 4 p.m.

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Chávez legacy celebrated

Awards honor dedication

By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ

bhernandez@lmcexperience.com

Members of the community gathered in the Recital Hall to celebrate legacy and distribution of the César Chávez Celebration Awards Friday night, April 14.

Recipients were acknowledged for their dedication to advocacy, social justice and the overall image César Chávez represented.

Prior to the awards, a reception was set up in the indoor quad so community members could mingle and chat before the ceremony.

President Bob Kratochvil welcomed people as the crowd began to pour into the Recital Hall. He took the moment to recognize a few members of the crowd for their presence and hard

work put into organizing the event.

LMC counseling faculty member Marco Godinez, Professor of World Languages Laurie Huffman, and past East County Educator Award recipients, took on the role of co-Emcees.

“It’s a true honor to have you all here this evening. We’re in our 22nd year of the Cesar Chavez Awards,” said Huffman. “We are family, we built a legacy as a latino community that helps and supports each other.”

Community member and past award recipient Paul Ramirez gave background on the history of why we celebrate César Chávez Day and why it is important.

Experience • Beatriz Hernandez “This one summer when I was 10-years-old … we were sitting under LMCAS President Israel Castro recieves the Chávez Spirit Award See CHÁVEZ, page 6 at the César Chávez Celebration Friday, April 14.

Theater roof to be fixed

Kiss the Frog fundraiser

Contractor ready to go

The annual Honors Club Kiss the Frog contest contestants are out including Rachel Anicetti, President Bob Kratochvil, Honors Director Jennifer Saito, Student Life Coordinator John Nguyen and Andrew Murphy from the LMC Bookstore. People can vote for their favorite candidate by placing their money in the jars in the outdoor quad between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m until the event. The contestant with the most money in their jar will kiss the frog Wednesday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m.

By SARAH GONZALES

Sgonzales@lmcExperience.com

Experience • Perry Continente

Christopher Fabbri embraces his mom Kelly DeSoto during his Osher Scholarship presentation.

Student gets a big surprise Finals week upcoming May 22 marks the start of finals week for the spring semester. A reminder: classes that start at 4 p.m. and into the evening will hold finals at normal time. Confirm with your instructor for the specific times for your finals.

Chef Sharkes talks food Chef Nader Sharkes from Contra Costa College will be at Los Medanos College Friday, April 28 to discuss healthy eating and food shopping.

The discussion will be held in Room CC2-221 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

All LMC faculty and staff are invited. Light refreshments will be served.

Fabbri honored with prestigious Osher Scholarship

By PERRY CONTINENTE

pcontinente@lmcexpereienc.com

Los Medanos College student Christopher Fabbri got quite the surprise last Thursday when friends and family gathered on campus to award him with the Osher Scholarship, a $40,000 a year scholarship for STEM majors up to three years.

Fabbri, a STEM student and tutor at LMC, is one of the thousands of applicants who received this prestigious scholarship. His father Carl Fabbri was

ecstatic with his son’s victory.

“I got the good news for Chris two days ago,” said Fabbri, adding a “hell yeah,” for good measure.

Chris Fabbri served in The Navy after high school before coming to LMC and finding his passion in the sciences. Carl Fabbri expanded on his son’s journey and the role that LMC played in the younger Fabbri’s love of learning.

“It’s like a light bulb went on in his head,” said Fabbri, saying that LMC sparked something in his son making

research something “he is passionate about.”

Chris’ stepmother Jeanne Fabbri also praised LMC’s involvement in her stepson’s journey in education, “He got really motivated after coming to school here,” said Fabbri. “He discovered he is really into math and chemistry.”

Fabbri, who wants to be a researcher, is focusing on pioneering alternative, natural uses for plants and algae in medicine.

See AWARD, page 6

Construction for the roof of the Los Medanos Colleges’ Little Theater has been put on hold once more due to the recent bouts of wet weather.

The Little Theater’s roof repair has been a long time coming after regular leaking has left the department with damaged equipment and troublesome puddles.

“The leaks are really, really, bad — we probably have 10 to 12 huge leaks,” said Nick Garcia, Drama Department Chair and instructor, “We’ve had them roughly for as long as I’ve been here- but they seem to have gotten worse over the years.”

Garcia stated that the department has been handling the situation by setting multiple containers around the area to prevent the pesky drops of water from cause further harm, but hopes to see it resolved soon.

“It’s really important that it gets done- but at the same time, we want it done right so we’re just waiting until conditions are appropriate for them to do that.” Added Garcia Originally, the roofs renovation was set to start sometime last October, but it was further pushed back until November.

“The theater roof did not go to bid until November,” stated Chief Facilities Manager Ray Pyle, “The Holidays slowed down getting all the contract documents in order. The See ROOF, page 6

Panel examines topic of privilege

By ANDREW GONZALEZ

agonzalez@lmcexperience.com

In an effort to spread a discussion about the ways people have privilege and how it can be used to aid marginalized groups and communities, Los Medanos College held A Panel Discussion Tuesday, April 18, The event, led by Honors Student Marcelo Clark took place from noon to 2 p.m. in the Library room L-109, and was open to everyone.

Three guests were present

to tackle questions: Nicole Deane of Planting Justice, Ndidi Okwelogu of the Afrikan Black Coalition and Tarah Fleming, director of education of Our Family Coalition.

An issue Deane chose to focus on was white people who come from wealthy families and large, powerful networks who instead choose to ignore certain things to not be seen as part of an oppressive group.

“You have to find away to

Experience • Kimberly Stelly

See CHECK, page 6 Tarah Fleming and Ndidi Okwelogu talk privilege at the panel Tuesday, April 18.

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“There is no remedy for love but to love more.”

— Henry David Thoreau

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DEFEATED IDEALIST

GUEST COLUMNIST

Missile attacks not the answer

We must fight for our rights

In stark contrast to his America first pledge, President Trump authorized a 59 Tomahawk cruise missile attack on the Syrian Shayrat airbase April 6. Rather than being perceived as the latest blunder in an inauspicious presidency, this act of political posturing has somehow elevated the double speaker to legitimacy in the eyes of some of his harshest critics.

“I think Donald Trump became the President of the United States,” said Fareed Zakaria of CNN after the bombing. What is surprising is not just the turnaround of liberal and often critical voices of the current President but that it was a show of force which compelled the change in tone.

The latest Gallup poll results show that Donald Trump has earned a five percent boost in favorability ratings, now at a tremendous 40 percent, since the missile strike which was performed without approval from Congress.

And how has the President Trump cajoled this newfound support? By “seriously degrading or destroying” the Syrian airbase, except he didn’t, by defending the “beautiful babies” of Syria, whom are predominately Muslim, and by flexing America’s military muscles which has historically proven to be ratings coup for American Presidents.

Secretary of Defense James Mattis and the Pentagon claim significant damage had occurred to the Syrian airbase destroying 20 planes in the process however the Russian Defense Ministry has stated that only 23 of the missiles made it to the base and only six planes were destroyed. In addition to the conflicting reports, Syrian TV and Russian aerial footage show the damage sustained from the strike to be nominal and not enough to keep the airbase out of commission for more than 24 hours.

President Trump’s Alt-Right support is flailing in the aftermath of the Syria missile strike, a group of voters with whom he allied himself early on. Trump ostensibly cherished this support so much that he appointed Steve Bannon as his chief strategist who is also credited as the chief architect of the Muslim Ban. Press Secretary Sean Spicer echoed the obvious buzzwords of “gas” and “babies” at a press briefing after the strike but unlike the rest of bleeding-heart Americans the alt-right wanted and were promised an “America First” approach from President Trump.

Instead, Trump has involved himself and America yet again in the budgetary sinkhole that is the Middle East by fighting a proxy war on Russia who backs the Bashar al-Asaad Regime.

George W. Bush saw a record high approval rating of 90% after declaring a war a terror, and even Bill Clinton saw a favorability increase after launching a missile strike on Iraq in 1998 during the midst of his impeachment proceedings.

Is it coincidence or is it possible that Americans at large enjoy a display of dominance in the geopolitical landscape and if so, at what cost?

Donald Trump has proven himself the quintessential politician. He stands for everything and nothing whenever it suits him and when he speaks he is so incoherent and irreverent that what he says or does and what he means are somehow not one and the same. President Donald Trump doesn’t hate Mexicans, he hates rapists and drug dealers, he doesn’t hate Muslims, he hates terrorists, and he isn’t friends with Putin, he just attacked the Russian backed Asaad regime.

To quote the Donald in a 2013 tweet criticizing President Barrack Obama, “What will we get for bombing Syria besides more debt and a possible long term conflict?” So sad.

About 2,921 miles away in Gloucester, Virginia transgender teen Gavin Grimm is fighting for the rights of transgender students everywhere.

Grimm’s story first began in 2014, when he stood in front of his schoolboard advocating for his right to use the men’s restroom at his school. The schoolboard came to a 6-1 vote, concluding he would not be allowed to use that restroom. But Grimm refused let it end that way, responding by suing the schoolboard as well as filing a federal complaint.

His lawyers contended that the schoolboard was violating Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. The law states “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance,” so in October it was decided the case was to be brought to the supreme court.

The case was set to appear this month, but due to Trump’s recent repeal of the policies designed to prevent anti-transgender discrimination in schools, Grimm’s case has been bumped down to lower courts. The policies were put in place in the form of a “Dear Colleague Letter”.

The letter contained federal guidelines on civil rights protections for transgender students, including federal guidelines for transgender student’s use of bathrooms. It also defined the terms gender transition, sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and of course, transgender.

According to the Department of Justice and Department of Education, the repeal is necessary because they need to “further and more completely consider the legal issues involved.” Attorney General Jeff Sessions claimed that President Obama’s directive failed to “explain how the interpretation was consistent with the language of Title IX”.

The White House press secretary stated that the Trump administration still has not decided if they want to “continue that track that the Obama administration was on”.

They believe that it is up to the individual courts to decide what the scope of Title IX should be.

The reversal of these guidelines is likely to impact court cases like Grimm’s from dozens of states. Although with all of the condescending comments of the guidelines put in place by President Obama going on, the Trump administration has seemingly failed to announce a new view on the law, or come up with a new policy.

Education Secretary Devos said she believes protecting the rights of all students, including LGBT students is “not only a key priority for the Department, but for every school in America”, but she still thinks that the protection of LGBT and transgender students “is an issue best solved at the state and local level”.

She claimed that “many cases have found – solutions that protect all students”, but how are students supposed to “learn and thrive” in an environment in which they aren’t even accepted for who they are?

In the case of Gavin Grimm, there was an attempt for his issue to be resolved at the local level, but very clearly the solution did not protect all students.

Even through all of these setbacks, Gavin Grimm has not stopped fighting for his rights, and in turn is also fighting for the rights of transgender teens all across America.

In a phone interview with the Associated Press, he said: “We’re going to keep fighting like we have been and keep fighting for the right thing”.

The Supreme Court won’t hear Grimm’s case this term, but nevertheless he still is an inspiration to all of us.

Experience • Lissette Urbina

Editorial

Harassment not a joke

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wenty-first Century Fox saw its sexual harassment tab climb to $85 million as the now-ex Fox News anchor Bill O’Reilly secured a $25 million exit package. The former host of the “The O’Reilly Factor,” who caused $12 million in harassment settlements over the last 15 years, was fired after social pressure caused an exodus of advertisers from the ratings titan.

While it’s devilishly fun to note the irony of O’Reilly releasing a book mourning the death of family values less than a month ago, it’s important to resist the societal tendency to point and laugh at the cartoonish right wing villain while ignoring those who sexually harass less flagrantly. UC Berkeley law dean Sujit Choudhry was the subject of a harassment suit — the claims of which had been substantiated by an internal investigation — and yet it appears Choudhry will be keeping his job. While no formal complaints have been filed against him, liberals have made a meme out of one man known to touch women inappropriately — former Vice President Joe Biden. In a Jan. 4 episode, “The Daily Show” played a montage of Biden placing his hands on the women and girls of numerous Congressional family members.

“Look at that woman’s face,” said host Trevor Noah as the camera pushed in on a clearly uncomfortable woman whose hips Biden had his hands on, the crowd laughing. Likewise, former President Bill Clinton has had more than a few allegations leveled in his direction.

Though it’s been some 26 years since Anita Hill was raked over the coals for daring to accuse Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment — a sorry event a certain Sen. Biden did little to prevent — Americans everywhere on the political spectrum still have trouble believing in allegations made against men they like.

Work and school are burdensome enough as it is, women shouldn’t be subject to unwanted innuendos, inappropriate touching or worse. Help foster an environment where they won’t be made into villains for naming actual bad guys.

Letter to the Editor

LMC has been a trip of a lifetime

DEAR EDITOR; I am retiring from Los Medanos College at the end of May this year. I have been a public school educator for over 30 years. Having an institutional home at LMC enabled me to grow as a human being in ways I did not even know were part of me. The development of a drama program, the writing of GE courses in Ethnic Studies and American Cultures, the few strong connections I made that lasted, deaths of beloved colleagues and most importantly the awakening in me of a political voice, passionate, slightly mad, but always sincere were granted to me by an institution and a faculty that believed in human freedom and the protection of tenure.

If it had not been for tenure and a group of people who understood the word tolerance, I might have been shown the door a long time ago for my unconventional ways and my outspoken critique of the US government but I wasn’t.

I see now in 2017 how public education is under attack. Mr. Steve Bannon via President Trump has declared his intentions openly to rid us all of any kind of “government control”. It terrifies me and deeply saddens me but I know it WILL NOT HAPPEN because of all of you students in particular. You have too much at

stake in the game and too much passion and love for yourselves to allow it to happen. And for that reason It’s been my honor to have known all of you in the last 25 plus years either within my actual classroom or online and to have guided you through some serious work we have done together.

This is my thank you to LMC, Nick Garcia, Nancy Ybarra, Laurie Huffman, Cindy McGrath, Jeff Mitchell-Mathews, good and supportive friends one and all and to the past and present connections this college has allowed me to make. It’s been a trip of a lifetime so anyone out there with even a slight opportunity to work for public schools at ANY level, I hope you pursue it. You won’t get wealthy but you’ll become a richer and more fulfilled human being. And in the end, trust me...that’s all that matters.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the memories and the opportunities Los Medanos College has afforded me, a scared young woman from a working class town on the East Coast of Massachusetts, the first in her immigrant family to get a college education.

It’s been real because without a doubt, LMC is the BEST. — Professor Joanna Perry-Folino

Reader Opinion Policy

The Experience welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Columns. All members of the Los Medanos College community — students, faculty and staff — are encouraged to write.

If you are interested in expressing your opinions on campus, national or world issues, bring your submissions to room CC3-301 and put them in the Perspectives Editor’s mailbox or mail them to Experience c/o Los Medanos College, 2700 E Leland Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565. You may also send them electronically through the Experience online newsite lmcexperience.com.

Letters and columns must be typed, signed and include a phone number for verification. They may be edited for clarity, content taste and length at the editor’s discretion.

Voices

If you could have one super power, what would it be and why?

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“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

“I wish I had multiple hands so I can multitask, since I’m a mother of three.”

— Akiela Moore

“Control time so I can fix parts of life that I messed up.”

— Kody Johnson

“Photographic memory so I don’t have to study.”

— Maika Jimenez

“Flying because you have freedom to do anything.”

— Nichols Pollmeyer

“Reading minds, because that’s the coolest super power — stay ahead of the game.”

— Tamika Huey

“Flying, because I enjoy flying.”

— Faraz Ahmad

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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“The earth is what we all have in common.”

— Wendell Berry

HBCU trip is big hit Post-LMC doors open

By JORDAN NEEL Staff Writer

Experience • Chris Ruiz

An LMC visitor observes the bee exhibit in the outdoor quad Wednesday afternoon as part of Los Medanos College’s annual Earth Day observance. Numerous clubs and community groups showed up for the event.

Earth Day creates buzz LMC clubs table for green causes

By CARLOS RUIZ and VANESSA FLORES Staff Writers

Los Medanos College had an eventful Wednesday April 19, as they hosted an Earth Day festival in the outdoor quad.

There were many tables set up throughout the quad, with different clubs from both LMC and local green organizations and vendors.

Clubs like Honors, PUENTE, Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), Sierra Club, First Generation Farmers and the Mt. Diablo Beekeepers Association were all in attendance to share ways students could help the environment.

The LMC Sustainability Committee, who is dedicated in informing students and staff about campus sustainability activities, hosted the event. According to the LMC website, the committee researches effective practices of sustainability which are replicable at LMC and they develop, implement and assess sustainability activities on campus.

The committee put together environmental games and activities —Nature Preserve guided walks and a Native Plant sale.

“Our message is to have everyone learn about the Earth and it’s resources. Part of what we want everyone to understand about our Earth could be impacted not only by environmental injustice but how it can be prevented,” said Co-Chair of the Sustainability

Committee, Briana McCarthy.

“Earth day is a great way to know what’s good for the earth and to prevent global warming from happening,” said Puente President, Brianna Orozco. “It is also a cool way to learn cool information about the earth and also gives you something to think about.”

Gerardo Lopez, a SACNAS member, brought his 2016 Tesla to the event to promote the importance of using a clean air car.

“I wanted to inspire people to drive electric cars because it will bring more clean energy for the earth,” said Lopez. “Climate change isn’t going to get any better so to do something would help.”

Justin Okodogbe, a Biology student at LMC, had a table with information on the importance of recycling and a beer pong-esque game to show how plants work.

“The ping pong balls represent nitrogen and phosphorus and the cups are the soil, because both gases are needed to grow plants.

Contamination sometimes goes in the soil and kills off the plants,” said Okodogbe.

Celena Lozana, member of the Sustainability Committee, said the significance of the event was to bring awareness about environmental issues and to teach students how to be “more sustainable and help make our everyday lives more environmentally stable.”

Experience • Chris Ruiz Earth Day will be celebrated on First Generation Farmers Executive Director Alli Cecchini holds a goat at April 22nd across the country with marches, events and activities. the Earth Day Festival Wednesday, April 19.

Los Medanos College students got the opportunity to travel across the country to visit Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU).

Schools included in the tour were Bowie State University, Lincoln University, Morgan State, Hampton University, Nor folk University, Nor th Carolina A&T and Howard University April 9 to April 15.

“I love Morgan State,” said LMC Student Gisela Solis.

“This tour helped me determine whether or not I wanted to go there, and I will be applying there this coming fall. I truly felt as if I was at home.”

Students were informed about what the HBCUs offered, including tuition fees, campus tours and opportunities for internships.

In addition to the more academic aspect of education, the tour touched on campus life, including their homecoming that featured performances from rap stars Future, Meek Mill and Rick Ross.

Many students were mesmerized at the sight of these schools that took pride in African-American culture.

Some knew once they stepped foot on campus that it would be their future home.

“I love North Carolina A&T,” said LMC Student Jessye Powell. “The reason is not only because of the atmosphere, but also because they have internships and there is a possibility of the CPA exam being paid for either by the school, scholarships or a company that you would intern for. It actually made me feel a little bit better about the college because the CPA is pretty costly.”

While the tour gave students a look at the universities, they were also given tours of other places, including museums like the National Museum of African American History & Culture and North Carolina Civil Rights Institute, and a tour Washington D.C. where students could see the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

“Everything about the North Carolina Civil Rights Institute was so shocking,” said LMC Student Da’Mesha Grayson.

“It just gave me the realization that I need to own my culture.

For me, being in California, we don’t really own our culture, but out here you just feel so proud to be who you are with your ethnicity, so it impacted me so much I’m more in touch with my culture now than I ever was before.”

With this tour community, college students found they have many choices to choose from when it comes to transferring. From visiting states Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina, students from California truly got to experience schools on the East Coast.

See HBCU, page 6

Colleges woo transfers

Uni reps show off class sizes, low tutition

By KIMBERLY STELLY

kstelly@lmcexperience.com

Tables filled with university representatives from across the country greeted Los Medanos students for another Transfer Day event Thursday, April 13. Institutions chatted with students with the goal of getting would-be transfers to consider their universities for the continuance of their education.

Tabling for Historically Black Colleges and Universities was Michelle Williams, who said going to HBCU’s is particularly beneficial.

“They tend to care more about their students,” said Williams, explaining that the learning at these schools is better formatted for students to get the help they need because of their smaller class sizes.

She highlighted Tuskegee University for its reputation in the agricultural field as well as other HCBU’s for their historical presence.

Jill Naughton, admissions representative for Johnson and Wales University, echoed similar sentiments, saying that the decision to attend her university would mean students would get more hands-on experience because of the smaller class sizes.

Throughout the event, representatives said many of the same things. As they chatted with students, a few themes were clear: affordability and class size.

Naughton — who’d been to several other transfer day events — said the importance of attending such events was that students looking for universities to transfer would “have a chance to personally connect to a school representative.”

Williams also discussed the positives of Experience • Adria Watson attending a transfer fair.

“It gives the students an idea of where they Sacramento State Admissions Counselor Leo Sun gives information to Raphael want to take their next step,” she said.

Antunez about the university.

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“Self-image sets the boundaries of individual accomplishment.”

— Maxwell Maltz

‘Gum’ is fun and cringy

By ADRIA WATSON

awatson@lmcexperience.com

Sex scenes that will make you cringe the moment it comes on and oddly relatable quirky commentar y, ar e two of the many hilarious features that returned to “Chewing Gum’s” second season.

Episode three has a scene in it where Tracey — played by series creator and writer Michaela Coel — stands up in front of a crowd of people at a sex party she was invited to by her cousin, declaring that they all deserve to be seen for more than what they have to offer on the outside.

Other than obviously being the wrong place and time to make a speech about loving yourself, there isn’t a scene that describes “Chewing Gum’s” entirety more perfectly than that one.

Season one ended with Tracey and then boyfriend Connor being kicked out of their homes and struggling to find a place to live. By season two, fans of the couple discover they not only broke up, but that Connor moved on with a much older Emma.

This ignites a persistent Tracey to replace her ex-beau, which leads to one interesting experience after another.

In episode two, she meets a white guy named Ash who fetishizes black women and the episode ends with Tracey cussing him out in front of his biracial children while dotting a tribal-esque print bikini.

But after the unfortunate encounter, Tracey does not spend the entire season as sex-obsessed as she was in season one.

Coel explained in an April interview with TIME she wants Tracey’s character to embody a woman who could care less about the way society expects women to present themselves sexually, but it seems like she took it and did so much more with that unencumbered behavior this season.

By the last episode, viewers begin to see a new Tracey who is not only free sexually but internally as well — we star t to see Tracey accept the circumstances that led to where she is by the end of the season, which is a turnaround from the constant lies and ridiculous plans she’d create to alter her life from the last season and the start of the current one.

Coel also incorporates more progressive subjects into her writing that touch on race, masculinity and colorism,

REVIEW

Experience • Adria Watson

LMC drama students Austin Trenholm, Cierra Nelson, Valerie Naranjo and Beatriz Hernandez during “Shapeless” dress rehearsal.

‘Shapeless’ a sharp critique Play on self-image uncomfortably good

By TYLER MORTIMORE

tmortimore@lmcexperience.com

There’s a scene in “Shapeless” in which Carol (Cierra Nelson) is having her flaws pointed out to her by three rude folks, presumably representing channels of her own inner monologue.

She needs to lose 10 pounds, or perhaps 40, one says. She’ll never be desirable looking like that says another. Her hair looks terrible.

Carol sits there, silent, taking it all on the chin. Soon — but not soon enough — the three exit, leaving Carol by herself.

Another enters and attempts to comfort her. “What are you doing?” Carol snaps before storming off.

“Shapeless” is a play about confronting those voices — internal and external — that tell you you’re inadequate, or even unlovable.

REVIEW

Set as a group of actors rehearsing scenes for a play opening in a few days, the framing allows for more direct commentar y on society’s anti-fat views and the inner str uggle to overcome the anxieties they cause.

The play’s central drama comes from the conflict between Donna (Beatriz Hernandez) and Peggy (Valerie Naranjo), whose hair trigger temper often finds Donna’s body in its crosshairs. Add in a no-good boyfriend, Mike (a despicable Austin Trenholm), and you’ve got a cast with chemistr y more suited for a weapons R&D lab than a stage play.

“Shapeless” features yet another well-rounded cast from the Los Medanos Drama Department.

Trenholm is both a talented comic relief — defusing the show’s numerous conflicts — and a dirtbag, all-too-willing

Experience • Adria Watson

Beatriz Hernandez and Austin Trenholm reenact a scene for “Shapeless.” to bail on his girlfriend when another woman gives him a modicum of attention.

Hernandez (editorial disclosure: Hernandez is co-editorin-chief at the Experience) brings a righteous fury to the constantly maligned Donna, and her monologue is the show’s dramatic high point.

Nelson and Naranjo are also

good in their less developed roles — Peggy is a bit one-note as an antagonist, and I would have liked to see what made her tick rather than her causing conflict in every scene.

Prior to the show, director Du’Praiseja Smith spoke to the audience, underlining the importance of our being aware of eating disorders and their

many forms.

It may make you uncomfortable, but it’s a satire, she said, and it’s okay to laugh.

And though the writing was sometimes uneven, “Shapeless” is a well-performed play whose sharpest critiques do what great satires do — leave the audience stunned and uncomfortable.

See GUM, page 6

‘13 Reasons’asks the right questions

By BEATRIZ HERNANDEZ

bhernandez@lmcexperience.com

Netflix’s latest original series “13 Reasons Why” will leave you feeling thoroughly drained and heartbroken for the way society treats suicide and mental illness.

The stor y follows Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) as he listens through the tapes Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford) left behind on the 13 reasons why she took her own life. Like many other fans of “13 Reasons Why” I had read the novel

by Jay Asher a few years before it was eventually picked up as a Netflix series. Having gone through many phases throughout the years before hitting the big screen, executive producer Selena Gomez was originally meant to be play Baker.

Initially Gomez’s association with the show made me a bit skeptical at first. I was afraid the ex-Disney star’s influence would water down the important message, but it was her passion to share Baker’s story that pushed the project forward.

Since the show’s release, people have been split down the middle about whether or not its depiction

REVIEW

of suicide was appropriate.

While I agree that the trigger warnings before the more graphic episodes, particularly the last episode, were not specific enough, I do agree that the decision to represent the realities behind sexual assault were necessary.

The point of this show is to send a message and rather than look at Baker’s story as a glorification of suicide, it should be seen as just one of the many consequences of society’s lack of awareness.

The characters and viewers of the show are being subjected to Baker’s truth and it’s made clear throughout the show that her role as a narrator is not always reliable.

Unlike the book, the writing in the show allows for each character of the series to be developed. When you watch the show it can be hard to fully like any character because of how flawed they all are, but that’s exactly what makes it realistic.

As bad as you feel for Baker, her decision to blame others and to send her message through these tapes is cold and uncomfortable, but the show never firmly states whether or not any of the characters are right

Photo courtesy of Imdb.com

Dylan Minnette as Clay Jensen in a scene in the new Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.” in their actions.

For instance, in the original book, Jensen was written as the typical “nice boy.” There was absolutely no indication of him possessing a negative quality.

However, the series does a good job of depicting his own internal struggles with Baker’s death without making him seem flawless.

His inclusion on the tapes as one of the reasons why is less confusing than it was in the book. In the series it makes the more serious point that people, like Jensen, not doing something when someone is struggling is a part of the problem with the way people treat mental illness.

One of the biggest take always of the show is that mental illness is not

always evident, but it’s important to be aware of the signs.

Although flawed in some aspects of its portrayal, “13 Reasons Why” finds an honest way to bring the story to life, adding relatable elements that made the story realistic and is able to generate discussion on a serious topic many people may not be fully aware of.

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“If you can’t outplay them, outwork them.”

— Ben Hogan

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Los Medanos College’s Deon White, Jonathan Allen and Jason Ochoa observe the play from the outfield involving third basemen Antone Self and the Laney runner.

Stangs win offensive battle Busy bats drive in 25 runs

By CARLOS RUIZ

cruiz@lmcexperience.com

Baseball hall of famer Yogi Berra famously said, “It ain’t over till it’s over,” and such was the case for the Los Medanos College baseball team’s 13-12 victory against Laney College Tuesday.

The back-and-forth battle between the Mustangs and Eagles displayed offensive assaults and showed determination on both sides. With five games left in the Bay Valley Conference, the second place Stangs continue their pursuit of advancing to the playoffs.

After the team’s traditional huddle and B.O.F. (balls on fire) chant, utility player Riley Cleary awaited his sixth start on the pitchers mound having never pitched against Laney. That wasn’t an issue, as Cleary quickly retired Laney’s top half of the order in the first with ground outs caught by shortstop Jason Ochoa and second baseman Jonathan Pluth.

Cleary, in his usual spot as the lead off hitter and immediately got on base with a single.

Catcher Jason Hare advanced to first on a walk and third baseman Antone Self hit the ball to left field— and suddenly the bases were loaded with no outs. Center fielder Jonathan Allen’s hit just missed extra bases but the diving Laney right fielder made an astounding catch, but LMC got a quick 1-0 lead thanks to the sacrifice fly by Allen. Right fielder Gabe Taylor upped the advantage with a two-run base hit that sneaked by from the third baseman, and put the Mustangs in the driver’s seat 3-0 at the end of the first.

The Laney Eagles found their first scoring opportunity at the top of the third inning with

an RBI triple and found their rhythm in the fourth. Three runs scored off a sacrifice fly and an infield error, gave Laney the momentum to put the game in their control, 4-3. The Stangs immediately responded, when first baseman Jason Kreske and Jonathan Pluth singled and left fielder Deon White dropped a perfect bunt to fill the bases with no outs. Cleary grabbed his first RBI of the game with a tying double play, as both teams stood tied with four runs.

However, Laney continued to show relentless offense, posting another run with a deep sacrifice fly to right field in the next inning making it 5-4. Cleary finished the fifth, as he struck out the last two batters and kept the game one run from tying it for the time being. But the Eagles began an offensive rally at the top of the sixth with several base hits and suddenly, the Mustangs were down 7-4.

LMC responded again as Kreske got on base via hit by pitch and then made a smart move sprinting from first to third base after a Pluth single. Deon White dropped another a bunt and stayed on base thanks to his speed, scoring Kreske and moving Pluth to third.

Cleary got another run home with sacrifice bunt and got the team a run closer to catching up, 7-6. Then a moment of brilliance arrived when White successfully stole third and instantly stood back up to sprint to home plate after the Laney catcher mistakenly threw the ball way over the third baseman’s head, tying the game again, 7-7.

Cleary’s pitching efforts ended in the seventh inning, and in came side-arm reliever Nick Marcelli for the third time this season.

Marcelli, pitched a masterful inning taking

Experience • Cathie Lawrence

Pitcher Garrett Nichols rocks out in between innings to “Magic Carpet Ride.” down the Eagles 1,2,3, and it looked as if the game was over for the Eagles, as five runs were brought home with RBI singles from Pluth, Ochoa, Cleary and a two-run triple by Hare, putting LMC on top 12-7.

Yet Laney still had something in their tank, and wanted to put the Stangs in a difficult position to counter. In the top of the eighth, with the bases loaded, two outs and LMC

brought in Llewelyn Slone for Nick Marcelli, and the game’s dramatics resumed, as the five-run lead suddenly turned to one. Allen’s inning-ending centerfield save prevented it from being a tied ball game making it 12-11 in the eighth inning.

With the offense not getting any runs in the bottom half of the eighth, the home team’s See BASE, page 6

Beast mode needed For many professional athletes in the world, their hometown is a sacred place to them. A place which helped shape them into the person they’ve become, despite the fame and fortune they may have now acquired.

A place they cannot forget, and a place where it would be hard for them to deny it had no impact on them. Oakland, California is no dif ferent.

Sure, countless people think primarily of the notorious city as a harsh, rugged and violent environment, or so that is the reputation it has garnered, its production of athletes does not cease to flow.

Hall of fame left fielder Rickey Henderson, likely soon to be hall of fame point guard Jason Kidd, one of the best current pound for pound boxers Andre Ward, to name a few, all have ties to Oakland. For some athletes, they consider being from ‘the town’ a blessing, and rep it as badge of honor.

Portland Trailblazer’s star point guard Damian Lillard wears the number 0 as an equivalent for the letter ‘O’ for Oakland. Each athlete may pay homage to the city in their

Andrew Gonzalez ANDREW’S ANGLES

own different ways, but there is only one who fully embodies, and embraces Oakland like no other.

Retired NFL running back Marshawn L ynch did not wear number 0 on the field, but he does wear Oakland on his chest, only in the form of a tattoo spelling out the city.

One of the most prolific and aggressive running backs in league history, Lynch etched his mark into football lore with a hard-nosed running style which almost seemed to welcome contact on the field.

Mainly because it was difficult for anyone to actually bring him down, an assertive style yet appropriate for the man who reigned from Oakland. But as dynamic as he was on the field, he said little off the field.

When the myriad of reporters came to his locker after games hoping to pry out words from him, you could count the See BEAST, page 6

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CHÁVEZ From page 1

the very hot July morning,” said Ramirez of his experience growing up near farm labor camps. “We watched as they drove into the field and started picking corn.”

He explained how he noticed these men working for hours straight with no breaks.

Around noon a bus came by to the field and all 60 men came running for the food being distributed. People pushed and stumbled for their turn, but only half got food before they ran out.

Ramirez’s mother encouraged him to pass out some food they had at home. Despite the struggles and long days they faced, one man too proud refused to take his offering. The next man he asked couldn’t even look him in the eye as he took the corn from Ramirez’s hands.

“There’s something wrong with this picture. There’s something wrong here,” said Ramirez. “There was only one man that stood up and said we cannot treat human beings like this, and that was César Chávez.”

He led the crowd in the power clap many of the farm workers used, starting slow and ending in a loud and powerful cheer.

With this story, he thanked and congratulated the recipients and attendees for upholding Chávez’s message.

La Raza club president Vanessa Martinez and La Raza club member Erika Lopez took the moment to discuss their role in the LMC community as Latino students.

“We come together as a community and by doing so we create a familia. When we speak we are speaking not only for ourselves but we are also speaking for other Latino students,” said Martinez.

Lopez expressed similar sentiments of unity before presenting a clip on the legacy of Chávez.

“Today was made possible by the action of one man and we’re here to lift each other up,” said Lopez.

The first César Chávez Spirit Award was presented to LMCAS President Israel Castro Cortez.

In addition to the speech presented by Huf fman on Castro Cortez’s accomplishments, his fellow peers and community members he worked with joined him on stage to share a few words about their experiences working with him.

“Just like Cesar Chavez gave voice to the farm workers, he is giving voice to the community and the students,” said governing board member Gary Walker-Roberts.

Castro Cortez shared his journey of how he ended up at LMC and how the experience he has had here changed his life.

“Frankly, I thought there was somehow a discrepancy in how education is given at a 4-year versus at a community college,” said Castro Cortez.

“We have to bring to an end the stigma around such a critical institution.”

Current LMC student Spirit award winner Glenda Hernan-

dez also shared her appreciation for her community.

In addition to two LMC students being presented the Spirit Award Freedom High School student Simon Mendez joined them.

“It is an honor to be mentioned in the same name as César Chávez,” said Mendez.

“If we learn nothing else from César Chávez it is that change is not achieved through one person, rather a group of committed individuals.”

East County Educator awards were given to Byron Union School District Counselor Sara Madrigal and Pittsburg High School World Languages Instructor Eugenia Rodriguez.

Although former Los Medanos College and Diablo Valley College Peter Garcia could not be in attendance Godinez and Huffman accepted his award for Exemplary Community Service on his behalf.

In addition to awards presented during the evening, La Raza students took the time to honor last year’s LMC Educator Award recipient Laura Subia, who tragically passed away last fall.

“Last year she was in this room with us and it’s sad that we lost her,” said Huffman. “It has been a great loss to our campus community, but we will always cherish Laura, her memory, her work.”

To close the event, previous Cesar Chavez Award recipient Tony Jimenez invited students to the front of the room to sing “De Colores,” a song used as the unofficial anthem of the Farm Workers Movement.

Okwelogu was hoping to spark more action among people, after being disappointed by lack of action when the time calls for it.

“You have to be able to speak up for somebody,” she said. “If you see something and you don’t act, that is trifling and that is on you.”

Okwelogu would also like to move the discussion of race relations and privilege into the classroom setting, despite the fact some teachers would be reluctant to do so.

“Let’s have teachers practice being uncomfortable. You can’t learn if you’re not safe.

You can’t learn if your teacher hates you.”

The only way she believes progress will be made is if people accept being put into uncomfortable situations, as only then will we make those situations comfortable.

The final member of the panel was Tarah Fleming, whose group focuses on the advancement of equity for LGBTQ families with children.

During the panel she spoke of her life experiences and what her goal to “dismantle white supremacy in any way shape or form.”

Fleming mentioned she is a regular attendee of the White Privilege Conference, a yearly

conference focused on the issue of white privilege and how it can be used to make a more equitable world.

“It’s really precious work, it’s one of the biggest anti-racism and progressive movements in the country.”

Fleming is white, but grew up listening to many black artists and identified more with the black community around her, leading her to where she is today.

When she referenced her family, she mentioned her son who is half white and half Jamaican and her job to “make sure I raise a conscious white man. That is a big job.”

She is driven to focus on this by her own siblings.

“My brothers are unconscious. My sisters are unconscious,” Fleming said.

However she feels those who are conscious have the privilege, but more importantly the ability to help those who do not have the same luxury.

Deane, Okwelogu and Fleming started an important conversation at LMC. Now it is ultimately up to the community to continue, expand and express it, and carry it into the future.

CHECK From page 1

shift those networks and resources,” Deane said. “What do you have to turn and use for your community?”

She didn’t want white people to try and separate themselves from what they are connected to — it is only problematic to do so, when instead their privilege could be used to benefit others.

Deane was inspired to use her privilege, as a white woman, when she moved to Oakland a few years back and noticed the immense homeless problem in the city, recognizing it was prominent among black people.

“I felt spiritually sick,” she said when she saw the issue firsthand. She noted her job mainly employed white people, and she could not comprehend how they could ignore the issue right beside them.

Deane’s organization is dedicated to providing access to affordable and nutritious food to urban residents by giving them the resources and knowledge they need.

Sitting to her right was Ndidi Okwelogu, whose organization was created by black students within the University of California system, after they could not tolerate the low admittance and retention rates of black students.

Photo courtesy of ew.com

Chewing Gum creator and writer Michaela Coel as Tracey in season two.

GUM From page 4

which connect with the secondary characters development as well.

Throughout season two, Tracey’s longtime friend Candice continuously makes comments about her being light-skinned with long hair as a way to remind people of her beauty.

Although it’s reminded that she’s seen as beautiful because of those specific features, the show doesn’t let that cloud the fact Candice has said extremely horrible things about Tracey’s appearance and continues to

pressure her boyfriend, Aaron, to be someone he’s not.

Aaron hears that he needs to “drop his balls” and be more of a “man” from Candice but by the end of episode five and in episode six, he stops putting up with her toxic behavior, cuts her hair — after she mockingly stated he wouldn’t — and leaves.

The most significant aspect of the show is its ability to be relatable.

Seeing a black woman being portrayed as awkward, carefree, sexually liberated

and confident — all while knowing she’s unconventional to society standards — is something women of color in this generation need.

I personally find myself growing with Tracey’s character each episode.

Whether it be saving a dog from a pornography photographer or cutting her hair off to make her best friend feel beautiful again, Tracey represents a character that was nonexistent for women of color and Coel continues to outdo herself each episode.

game in early February.

Reports had been surfacing in March and April the man dubbed “Beastmode” was ready to return to the game of football, but only as a member of the Oakland Raiders, with of course the goal being to bring a super bowl title to his hometown.

The whispers have indicated Lynch has told the Raiders he intends to un-retire, and it was made known he had visited the team’s facility and spoke with management.

No deal is in place yet, but it is in the works, with many steps left until he would officially be on the team, but the NFL insiders all expect the deal to come to fruition. My heart, along with the rest of Raider Nation, was shattered as news broke of the franchise announcing its move to Las Vegas in a few years, but for at least a year or two, we still have the Raiders. I have had

the misfortune of being born into the era of watching terrible Raider teams my whole life, and it was the most beautiful sight to actually see them become competitive in 2016.

They are close to competing for a super bowl, the NFL, the writers, the fans know it. They may just be Marshawn Lynch away from bringing home the Vince Lombardi trophy.

Lynch in the silver and black isn’t something that should happen, it is something that needs to happen.

Oakland deserves this, the city deserves to be able to cheer on Lynch in their backyard once again along with the rest of the team.

He has done more than what was asked of him already, but he wants play for his hometown now and do even more, and the franchise owes it to the fans at this point.

It is the best match made in heaven ever, the sto

BEAST From page 5

different words he spoke on one hand, literally. He was known to answer questions with the same response over and over and over again, such as: “Yeah,” “I’m thankful,” “You know why I’m here,” “Thanks for asking.” Despite haunting every reporter’s’ dreams, he did talk a few times, but only about what he wanted to talk about. L ynch liked to talk about events and fundraisers he was holding in Oakland, many of which are aimed at helping the inner city youth.

If asked about the events, he would gladly talk about them, but nothing else.

Lynch knew what was important for him to actually verbalize. He has been in the media’s eye less now since retiring in early 2016, which has left him more time to help out in his community. Yet Oakland’s favorite son may be ready to do more, but this time it involves cleats, and a football

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“I want to go for my PhD,” said Fabbri, who was still shocked about the arrival of his family and his receiving of such a huge scholarship. “I had no clue this would happen.”

Chris, who believed that he was being called for an interview about the MESA program, was ecstatic and overwhelmed by the sea of — Kimberly Stelly suppor t from friends and contributed to this report family as he hugged and thanked all of those who got him there.

One person who was instru-

mental in Fabbri’s education and development of love for the sciences is Dr. Nicole Trager, director of the MESA program.

Trager was elated that Fabbri had won this prize, stating that “he will blossom with it, Chris is definitely deserving of the award.”

Trager heard the good news on Monday and had a hard time keeping it a secret for so long as the award represents to Trager good news “not just for Chris, but for society.”

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dugout had all coaches and players provide each other with the message of finishing with a clean inning to grab another win. David Quintero was the new pitcher in the ninth, hoping to get his third save of the season by putting this offensive contest to rest.

But, the Eagles still found a way to load all bases with one out, and tied the game in the ninth with a sacrifice fly. More runs could’ve crossed home plate, but Quintero made an incredible play that caught the runner at second base and kept the team equal on the scoreboard, 12-12.

The Mustangs had to find a way to break the tie for the third time in this game. White collected his third hit in the game with a double and advanced to third after another throwing error by the Laney catcher. As the game began with Cleary on the pitchers

mound, it ended with him hitting a walk-off single and giving the Stangs their 12th victory of the season.

“There were some free hits early in the game that we could’ve done better, but we always play hard and had a lot of momentum to win this game,” said Cleary.

Head Coach Anthony D’Albora was pleased with the win yet believed the team could’ve won without the dramatics.

“We got to play a little bit cleaner,” he said. “There were opportunities for better pitches and plays but in the end it’s an important win.”

With five games remaining and the team sitting at second in the Bay Valley conference with a 12-4 record just a game behind Marin. It looks as if the Mustangs will continue to make a push for a spot in the playoffs if this game against Laney College is any indication.

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Notice to Proceed was issued following approval of the site plan, and actual start is now waiting on the weather” This semester, actual construction was set for March, but with the on/off rainy weather, all construction on the Little Theater is on hold once again.

“We had to delay the work until we have a consistent dry weather pattern,” added Kevin Horan, Vice President of Instruction & Student Services, “The contractor is ready to go and the work — demolition and installation — should only take 3-4 weeks to complete once they start.”

With construction fixed to happen once the weather corporates, the little theater will fortunately not have to worry about leaking for the next couple of years.

HBCU From page 3

“I would absolutely recommend students attend this tour,” said LMC Director, Transfer & Career Services Kristin Conner. “It provides a wonderful overview of the East Coast and the variety of HBCUs that a student can attend.”