Issue 6 Spring 2018

THE

RAMPAGE Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College

Living In the Margins of Society A

Spring 2018 Issue 6 April 18, 2018

Paulina Rodríguez Ruiz & Loren Daniels | Reporters pruiz@therampageonline.com | lmarcotte@therampageonline.com

t age 14, Kaede Acuña became homeless and spent December’s chilly nights in the playground of a public park.

A week beforehand, Acuña’s mother had outed Acuña for choosing to identify as a lesbian, forcing Acuña to find shelter elsewhere.

“She was so angry with me that she brought that into the argument [being LGBT], where she forcibly took my identity and used it against me,” Acuña said. “I was really hurt that she was telling me that she didn’t want to deal with me, and she didn’t love me, because at that time, I was identifying as a lesbian; she wasn’t accepting at all.”

Acuña would crash at a friend’s house for a week’s time. This continued until the friend’s mother, a meth addict, became paranoid and kicked Acuña out of the house on accusation of theft.

1 in 5

respondents in a survey of transgedner people in the U.S. have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives

Gender Neutral Restrooms are Coming

02

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Source: Williams Institute

65%

Transgender people are four times as likely to have a household income

Under $10k

of transgender adults who have experienced homelessness have been sexually assaulted in their lifetime

Source: Williams Institute

OPINION

Should the government regulate Facebook?

The RAMPAGE

individuals in the United States identify as transgender

Source: Williams Institute

Continued on Page 4, TRANSGENDER

NEWS

1.4 million

@FCCRAMPAGE

09

Source: National Transgender Discrimination Survey

Entertainment

Asian American History Month Continues at FCC

@RAMPAGENEWS

12

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2 NEWS 4.18.18

THE RAMPAGE

The student-run newspaper of Fresno City College

EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Ashleigh Panoo News/Multimedia Editor Larry Valenzuela Art Director Ramuel Reyes Sports Editor Anthony De Leon Enterainment Editor Noah Villaverde Social Media Editor Omari Bell Opinion Editor Tommy Tribble REPORTERS Claudia Chavez Anjanae Freitas Andrew Leal Loren Marcotte Jamila McCarty Gabbi Micheli Paulina Rodríguez Ruiz Sasha Saunders Stefanie Verdugo-Tholen Jose Serrano Tasha Turner

Business Manager Maria Aguilar Adviser/Instructor Dympna Ugwu-Oju

Contact Us Tip Line 559-422-8262 Letters to the Editor editorial@therampageonline.com Corrections media@therampageonline.com Any correction needed for an article should be brought to the attention of the staff of The Rampage. The Rampage is committed to accuracy and should be made aware of any mistake in an article that appears in this paper.

Views expressed in the opinion pages are those of the individual writer and not of the newspaper.

The Rampage is produced by students of the Journalism 11 A, B, C, D class.

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Gender Neutral Restrooms Coming to FCC Gabbi Micheli | Reporter jmicheli@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College will soon be including gender neutral restrooms on campus, according to Shannon Robertson, construction services manager.

While Robertson did not give an exact date when the restrooms will be available, she said the restrooms were originally single-use but now will be switched to gender neutral.

Robertson has also not revealed the location of the restrooms, but she described how people on campus can identify the restrooms for use by their new sign.

“The sign is a triangle superimposed on a circle and has the traditional figure of a male and a female separated by a line,” said Robertson.

Cheryl Sullivan, vice president of administrative services, said she believes the gender neutral bathrooms will benefit the campus.

“This will allow students that don’t identify as male/female to have a safer school environment,” Sullivan said.

ALL GENDER RESTROOM

“

This will allow students that don’t identify as male/female have a safer school environment.”

Others who will benefit from gender neutral restrooms include those who do not conform to gender, people with small children, caregivers of the opposite gender, and those who feel unsafe or uncomfortable in gendered restrooms.

Laws that require one to use a particular restroom in conjunction with their gender identity, “effectively bar trans individuals who have not been able to obtain the documentation necessary to change their gender marker from using the facilities that fit their gender identity,” according to Goodtherapy.com.

Trans people who have not legally changed their gender marker must therefore break the law, incurring fines and/or imprisonment—every time they use the restroom.

-Cheryl Sullivan

vice president of adminstrative services

Culinary Students’ Creations to Be Featured at Ampersand

Natural Gas Leak Shuts Down Tech Buildings at FCC

Ashleigh Panoo | Editor-in-Chief

Larry Valenzuela | News Editor

apanoo@therampageonline.com

Several Fresno City College culinary arts students will soon have their ice cream flavors featured at Ampersand Ice Cream for sale to the public, according to Kathy Bonilla, FCC’s public information officer.

For the third year in a row, the owners of Ampersand judged the student-created ice cream in Chef Jonathan Davey’s advanced food preparation class.

The finalists were Mojito Sorbet, made by Cherish Clark; Cherry Bomb, made by Angelina Bonilla; Caramel Corn, made

by Magdiel Rivera-Dominguez;

and After Cereal Milk, made by Nicholas Rivas.

All four will be sold at Ampersand on April 28 and 29, and the top-selling flavor will be featured as the flavor of the month beginning May 3, Bonilla said.

Judging took place on April 17 in the Art Home Economics Building, room 110. Students made the ice cream using an ice cream maker gifted to the program by Ampersand, Bonilla said.

Ampersand Ice Cream is located at 1940 N. Echo Avenue.

lvalenzuela@therampageonline.com

All Applied Technology buildings at Fresno City College were evacuated the afternoon of April 13 after a natural gas leak was reported, according to college spokeswoman Cris Monahan Bremer.

The campus was informed of the leak and that the T-buildings were being evacuated due to a gas leak via the intercom around 3 p.m. In addition, college faculty and staff received text messages about the leak, Bremer said.

Students were advised to stay away from the area.

Bremer said in an email that the source of the gas leak had been found in a building services storage area that stored propane tanks for a forklift and turned off.

Bremer said that the campus police had declared the incident all cleared after 45 minutes.

One HVAC class was dismissed early due to the incident.

Veterans Services Coordinator Mary Alfieris Remembered As Caring and Devoted Sasha Saunders | Reporter ssaunders@therampageonline.com

Mary Pappas Alfieris, coordinator of Veterans & International Student Services at Fresno City College, died on April 1 at the age of 77 after a cancer diagnosis.

Alfieris earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of San Francisco at the age of 51 and was employed at FCC for 31 years.

Alfieris worked closely with local veteran groups to coordinate events such as FCC’s Veterans Day Remembrance.

She also worked with the student services division.

“She was a caring and devoted

employee of the college and is also held in high esteem in the veterans community in Fresno,” said Carole Goldsmith, president of FCC. Her son Steven Alfieris said his mother had no immediate plans to retire, and her stomach cancer diagnosis came by surprise.

“There is no history of cancer in the family at all,” he said. “The diagnosis was given in February, and by the time further tests had been completed in March, it was discovered that the cancer had spread.”

Mary Pappas Alfieris was born to Greek immigrants, John and Titika Pappas, on March 13, 1941 in Fort Duchesne, Utah. She was

raised in Modesto, California.

In 1962, she married Emanuel “Mike” Alfieris and lived in Los Angeles before moving to Fresno in 1984.

“She had a passion for cooking and was known for her hospitality,” Steven Alfieris posted on farewell.com.

“What made her special was her caring, generous heart and whenever we’d go over for house parties she’d always make you feel at home,” said her great grandaughter Mira Angelos. “Her cooking was out of this world.”

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her brothers Pete and Mike Pappas.

She is survived by her three children, Katina M. Alfieris,

Georgianne Aretakis and Steven E. Alfieris, each of Fresno, son-in-law, Alex J. Aretakis, daughter-in-law Fotini P. Alfieris, and granddaughter, Giovanna Aretakis, along with granddaughter Maria (Mary), who’s expected in September.

Other surviving relatives include her brother Harry J. Pappas (Stella) of Reno, Nevada, sisters-in-law Deloris K. Alfieris of Coronado, California, Noula Pappas and Bessie (Steve) Grillos, both of Modesto, California.

Services were held at St. Greek Orthodox Church at 2219 N. Orchard in Fresno, and an interment service followed at El Camino Memorial Park in San Diego, California.

Mary Alfieris. Photo courtesy of the family of Mary Alfieris

4.18.18 NEWS 3

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FCC Hosts Safety Panel for Gun Violence Prevention Noah Villaverde | Entertainment Editor nvillaverde@therampageonline.com

Dozens of Fresno City College students packed the forum hall for a panel discussion on school shootings and campus safety on the evening of April 11.

The panel, dubbed “Keeping Our Schools Safe” was moderated by EMLS/linguistics instructor Jean Carroll and was composed of four panelists, including Fresno Unified School District and SCCCD trustee Miguel Arias, district police Chief Jose Flores, FCC student Armani Martinez and psychology instructor Mary Ann Valentino.

Each of the four panelists had individual presentations on numerous topics, including safety precautions to take during a school shooting and means to prevent more gun violence following recent mass shootings.

The panelists all discussed numerous reasons as to why mass shootings occur in the U.S., highlighting topics such as toxic masculinity, and criticizing proposals such as President Donald Trump’s support for arming

Panelists at a gun violence prevention workshop at Fresno City College on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 discussed how to prevent mass shootings. Photo/Noah Villaverde

teachers.

“We cannot ignore that men and boys are responsible for over 95 percent of school shootings,” Valentino said.

Flores spoke as a representative of law enforcement, calling the delayed response of Florida officer Scott Peterson in the Parkland, Florida shooting misguided.

“That officer should have entered that school immediately,”

said Flores. “Since Columbine, officers have been trained to enter schools immediately. That is 20 years ago.”

Flores referenced how officers intervened during both the Maryland school shooting and the San Bruno shooting at YouTube Headquarters, helping prevent more injuries and deaths.

During the discussion, Martinez spoke as a student representative to which he shared

a personal anecdote where he witnessed an old classmate of his bring an Uzi to school.

“He had no intention of shooting it, but he still brought it on campus to show all his friends,” said Martinez.

Arias stated that since the expiration of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban in 2004, mass shootings have significantly increased.

“My generation failed you by

not keeping that ban in place,” said Arias. “The generation before me failed me by not keeping that ban in place.”

Arias said he believes in an assault weapons ban, referencing how the idea that minors having access to such weapons is dangerous.

“A 16-year-old boy is a boy.

They should never have access to assault weapons. They should not have access to a weapon, period.”

Design Science Student Headed to MIT Anjanae Freitas | Reporter afreitas@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College dual enrollment student recently found out he was accepted into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Issak Hernandez, 17, who is finishing up his senior year at Design Science High School, is also a math and physics tutor at FCC. Hernandez has had aspirations of attending MIT and working in the field of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from as young as eighth grade, he said.

“After a college research project in the eighth grade, and being someone that likes math and science, I decided to look into what schools are good for math and science,” Hernandez said. “Really quickly, I came across MIT as being the premiere institution for anything stem related.”

Hernandez said he became aware of how rigorous the college acceptance process is and how prestigious the programs at MIT are. MIT has an acceptance rate of 7.9 percent, according to mitadmissions.org.

“I had a posterboard; I researched MIT, the campus, the dorms, the programs, and I had a really deep understanding of the rigor and prestige the school holds,” Hernandez said. “That

was my first introduction to the campus and really wanting to get there.”

Hernandez said although he worked hard toward his dream, there were times when he wasn’t sure it would come true.

“Truth be told, there are times where you feel like it is going to be out of reach and definitely those times had come,” he said.

“But I still was very passionate about the school, so when

“

It is an opportunity that would be crazy to pass up.”

-Issak Hernandez FCC Student

application season came last semester, I decided to be brave and apply.”

Hernandez was born and raised in Fresno, in a MexicanAmerican household. Growing up in the public education system in Fresno, Hernandez decided to further his education at Design Science, which offers a dual enrollment with FCC during senior year, making Hernandez a

full-time FCC student.

Hernandez is currently undecided on his major at MIT, but is leaning towards mechanical engineering, and minoring in physics.

“It’s going to be incredibly academically rigorous, just by the research online and talking to people who have gone,” Hernandez said. “It is very clear to me that is an entire different level of academics.”

He is putting all of his time and focus into being a straight-A student, but still finds time to be actively involved as secretary of the student body at his high school.

Hernandez also dedicates some time to his church, Christian Fellowship. He runs the soundboard, audio and video systems every Thursday and Sunday night.

Hernandez said he understands he has an amazing opportunity, but moving 3,000 miles away and being on his own at 18 is something he has reservations about.

“It feels very surreal to me, even just talking about it,” Hernandez said. “I am terrified in the most true sense of the word, but I am also really excited. It is scary, but it is an opportunity that would be crazy to pass up.”

Fresno City College and Design Science High School dual enrollee Issak Hernandez, 17, recently found out he was accepted into the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Photo/Larry Valenzuela

4 NEWS 4.18.18

TRANSGENDER, FROM PAGE 1

Research conducted at the UCLA Williams Institute found that in 2012, LGBT youth represented between 30 and 43 percent of clients utilizing housing resources.

“When I was out on the street, sitting in a dark park where a lot of people use drugs, it was... frightening, but it was pretty scary because I didn’t know if somebody was going to hurt me, or if I was going to be picked up by the police,” Acuna recalls.

“Because curfew laws [sic], I thought that was the worst thing that could happen to me, that I could be kidnapped.”

As a 14 year old with no resources, Acuña called Vinland Park, a park near Fresno State and known for drug users, home for five days.

Acuña would imagine themselves in a warm place in order to escape from the bitter December cold. Mornings became Acuña’s saving grace; they found safety in the air conditioned school bus, where they were provided warmth after a night of being exposed to the harsh elements.

“I just remember feeling very sad, very helpless, and feeling like there was no hope,” Acuña said.

During those five days that they were homeless, Acuña continued to attend school, surviving off of school lunches.

Only close friends were aware of Acuña’s situation, they were hesitant to tell their teachers after a bad experience with the foster care system a few years back.

Soon, Acuña came to a realization that their mother couldn’t legally kick them out.

Fueled with anger, they returned to their home, planning to threaten their mother with police intervention if she didn’t let Acuña come home. Threats they said they would never carry out.

“I walked in and my voice was gone, and I couldn’t say anything to her. She looked at me and she just left because she had to go to work; she didn’t even want to deal with me.

She didn’t say anything to me for an entire week,” Acuña said.

Now 18, and a student at Fresno City College, Acuña identifies as both nonbinary and transgender, which falls under the LGBTQ umbrella; this means that as a transgender person, they no longer identify as male or female, and prefer the use of they/them pronouns instead.

Acuña continues to experience housing instability, finding shelter with friends when their mother kicks them out.

“I feel like its not permanent [living situation], I feel like I always have one foot out the door, and I have my things ready,” Acuña said.

Homelessness in the Transgender Community

With very limited medical and mental health resources available for transgender youth to turn to for assistance, the transgender community remains especially vulnerable to harassment and discrimination.

Discrimination in the workplace and at school, coupled with constant exposures to violence makes it difficult to transcend the cycle of poverty those in the LGBTQ community find themselves in.

The Williams Institute reports that around 0.6 percent of adults, or 1.4 million

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“ I just remember feeling very sad, very helpless, and feeling like there was no hope.”

- Kaede Acuña individuals in the United States, identify as transgender. Transgender people are four times more likely to have a household income under $10,000, with one in five reporting experiencing homelessness at some point in their lives.

Zoyer Zyndel is the chair of Trans-EMotion, which is a community benefit organization that works to improve the lives of transgender people through education, outreach, advocacy, and support.

Zyndel, says a lack of access to public resources prevents members of the transgender community from reestablishing a footing in society once they find themselves homeless.

“If no one will hire you because of the way you look, it’s hard to have a sustainable income, and therefore it can be hard to sustain housing,” he said.

According to a 2015 National Transgender Discrimination survey, transgender people of color have an unemployment rate three times the national average (15 percent).

“I’ve heard about situations where people are compromised in that there is no confidentiality clause. Pretty soon the workplace entirely knows about a person’s transgender status,” Zyndel said. “I’m talking about when it’s disclosed and it’s not their wishes. So that can create a hostile environment because what if it gets into the wrong ears.”

30-43% of clients using homeless youth organizations identify as LGBT Source: National Transgender Discrimination Survey

Trans-E-Motion protested the Unhealthy and Hazardous Camping Act that was passed by the Fresno City Council in August 17, 2017. Known as the “No Camping Ordinance,” the act allows the Fresno Police Department to apprehend and fine those found camping on public or private property.

Acuña said those with a criminal history could be jailed at length, possibly risking opportunities for gainful employment in the future.

“It furthers their issue, because if they have a history of being jailed, of being imprisoned, and incarcerated, it’s less likely for them to be able to get a job, because employers look down upon people with criminal histories,” Acuña said.

“I am really devastated that the ‘No Camping’ ordinance was passed by the Fresno City Council,” Zyndel says. “The logic behind giving someone who’s homeless an additional fine is almost like insanity to me.”

Since shelters and community outreach programs are generally fixed to accommodate male and female genders, there remains a lack of resources available to trans youth who find themselves ousted from their homes.

“I get asked, about once a week, do I know a place either a transgender person, or LGBT person or somebody can stay, and I don’t have an answer for them, and it bothers me.” Zyndel added.

Barriers to Escaping Poverty

For members of the homeless transgender community, systemic barriers have impeded their socio-economic mobility in society.

Shelter, a basic necessity for human survival comes at a cost for the trans community.

According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, seven out of ten who stayed in a shelter reported being harassed, sexually or physically assaulted, or kicked out because they were transgender, 44 percent decided to leave because of unsafe or poor treatment, and 25 percent decided to present in a different gender in

4.18.18 NEWS 5

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Kaede Acuña, 18. Photo/Anjanae Freitas

“ I’ve seen folks sell drugs, or sell themselves. In my understanding, from statements made on their end, is that it’s an act of desperation.”

- Zoyer Zyndel chair of Trans-E-Motion

order to feel safe.

The fear of being in an environment where they weren’t accepted is what kept Acuña from turning to shelters: some were either too religious in nature, or were too far away to access.

“Shelter wise, why I didn’t go to a place was because there’s only one shelter that I knew of that was LGBT friendly, but it was on the other side of town,” Acuña said.

“I wasn’t familiar with the bus system yet, so I didn’t know how to get over there, I didn’t know anybody with a car, so I didn’t have the resources, I didn’t have access to that place, like a shelter.”

The combination of discrimination in shelters and jobs causes many transgender people to turn towards other means of income in order to sustain themselves.

“I’ve seen folks sell drugs, or sell themselves. In my understanding, from statements made on their end, is that it’s an act of desperation,” Zyndel said.

“They dream for the day where they can be taken seriously enough to be on actual payroll rather than going to work every day and not knowing if they’ll come back because they don’t know how stable their customers will be who pick them off the street.”

According to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey, 65 percent of those who have have been homeless have been sexually assaulted, and 72 percent of those who have participated in sex work.

Living with constant discrimination and harassment can result in mental health issues.

“A lot of trans people I see are dealing with some sort of diagnosis, beyond their transgender status,” Zyndel said. “I see a lot of people struggle to manage their own life or be stable emotionally, mentally, physically, financially, and so because of all that exertion to survive, it’s difficult to get involved in organizations like ours...so that gives rise to more feelings of isolation because you’re cut off from your community.”

Creating Safe Spaces

Jerry Thurston, coordinator of the Fresno City College Safe Space Ally program, understands the challenges members of the LGBT community, especially the transgender community, face outside of school.

Thurston implemented the Safe Space Ally program in 2015 to train staff to be able to identify, address, and assist students with issues of discrimination, harassment, intolerance and insensitivity on campus. It also establishes safe zones on campus for LGBT staff and students to connect with trained allies who are sensitive to their needs.

Thurston said the transgender community is at an especially high risk of attempting and committing suicide than the general population, adding that “LGBT students have a much greater risk of simply dropping out of school because they don’t feel safe or welcome here.”

For many LGBT people, fair and equal access to the same services as their peers can be the difference between beating the odds, and becoming a statistic.

In 2017, researchers at The Williams Institute of UCLA found that transgender adults were 14 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts, and 22 times more likely to attempt suicide than rates found in the general population.

Safe Space allies are trained to effectively support students on a range of issues, from effectively reporting abuse to connecting students to wellness resources, such as psychological services and community outreach programs.

Guadalupe Vazquez, coordinator of psychological services at FCC, said that to be certified as safe space allies, all licensed faculty and staff clinicians are required to undergo the Safe Space training.

“We’re trying to create an environment that is all inclusive of all students, regardless of race, gender, SES [socio-economic status], and their cultural barriers.” Vazquez said.

Though the psychological services department offers 4 to 6 free therapy sessions for students, it is limited to treating students experiencing educational issues, or depression/ anxiety. For homeless students who require extensive treatment, clinicians on campus work closely with resources in the neighborhood for a more focused treatment model.

“If someone comes in with something that needs extensive mental health treatment, we refer them out to the community, but we also see them on a regular basis to try to make sure they do get those services.” Vazquez said.

“We don’t just send them out and say go ahead and get the treatment that you need. We try to provide that bridge in order for them to be able to be seen.”

Achieving Higher Education Accessing higher education is paramount to Acuña, being able to better serve their community is what drives their motivation to complete college.

“My education is important, not only to me, but specifically for trans people, because I want to go into a field of gynecology that explores more of trans options,” Acuña said.

“I really want to change bedside manner, especially regarding being trans, the way that we are treated in the medical field, as if we’re abnormal, rather than something that’s totally natural.”

Acuña volunteers with Trans-E-Motion, and hosts a support group called Queer Peers, a bimonthly youth group for ages 12 to 20 hosted

by MY LGBT PLUS, a Common Space program focused on connecting and supporting the LGBT community in the Central Valley.

“I want [others] to grow up in a world where they don’t have to feel uncomfortable saying, ‘this is who I am.’ I’m coming out because I want to and not because I’m forced to, or because somebody forced me to.” Acuña said. “My determination mostly comes from the fact that I don’t want other people to have to experience the same things that I’ve gone through.”to experience the same things that I’ve gone through.”

A study found that transgender adults are 14 times more likely to have suicidal thoughts and 22 times more likely to attempt suicide than rates found in the general population.

Source: Williams Institute

6 SPORTS 4.18.18

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Designated hitter Ian Ross puts the ball in play, reaching first on an error at third base on April, 15 2018. Photo/Anthony De Leon

Rams Finish Off Lowly Falcons For Series Sweep Anthony De Leon | Sports Editor adeleon@therampageonline.com

The Fresno City College men’s baseball team (22-11) were looking to sweep West Hills Coalinga (1-25) in the final game of a three game series on April 14. The final game was more of the same for Rams’ baseball by continuing their scoring onslaught defeating West Hills 7-3.

After scoring a total of 28 runs in the first two outings,

FCC wasted no time getting to West Hills’ pitcher Gehrig Taylor earlier in the bottom of the first by getting on base with numerous singles.

While on base, the Rams baserunners’ game plan was to test the arm strength of the West Hills’ catcher, being able to steal second four times in the first, having three of those stolen bases materialize into runs. First baseman Rickie Garcia got the scoring started by bringing home second baseman Fernando

Guevara with a single.

A few batters later, after drawing a walk, left fielder Nick Sheehan came around to score with the help of right fielder Chet Allison with an RBI single.

Allison then proceeded to steal second and score on an RBI single himself off the bat of third baseman Jacob Paradine.

On the mound for the Rams was left-hander Zac Whitaker who was looking to improve his record to 4-3 after coming off a loss in his last start against

Reedley College.

Whitaker found himself in trouble in the top of the second.

After coming off a 1-2-3 first West Hills was able to get to Whitaker before he could settle down, bringing two runs across while allowing three hits.

Whitaker was able to find his way out of a bases loaded situation by getting a force out to third.

With both squads adding a run in each half inning, the Rams were able to gain control of the game as Garcia added another

RBI to his afternoon, finishing 3 for 5, with two RBI and Sheehan added another for good measure in the fourth.

After adding one more run in the seventh, the Rams’ lead was too insurmountable for the lowly one-win Falcons, and the bats of the Rams are heating up just at the right time as they improve to (23-11). FCC now sits tied for first with College of the Sequoias in the Central Valley Conference with half a month left before the playoffs start.

Former NFL Star Lorenzo Neal Hosts Youth Camp at FCC Omari Bell | Social Media Editor obell@therampageonline.com

Former NFL fullback Lorenzo Neal and the Fresno Police Department held a youth football camp at Ratcliffe Stadium on March 24 to motivate kids with positive messages about life goals and achieving them through football.

The event started with a speech

by Chris Milton, one of Neal’s friends.

“As a young man, you should not walk around with your hands in your pockets,” Milton told the participant. “It’s like going to school without your books and not ready to work.”

About 269 of the 441 children who registered showed up; they did not realize at first that the men coaching them were Fresno police officers.

“Now these young men can play with officers and when they see them in the streets,” Neal said. “They don’t just see them by their color – they’ll know who they are.”

As the camp came to an end, participants gathered at the 50 yard line to listen to former Fresno State standout, Charlie Jones, former NFL player Mark McMillan and Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer.

Neal said he wanted the children to focus not on just

getting to the NFL, but on CDC -- Choices, Decisions and Consequences. Dyer told a personal story about what CDC really means.

The police chief said that at one time, his nephew was on his way to a great college to play the sport he enjoyed, but he made a choice to get into drugs which had consequences, and was not able to attend college.

After Dyer’s speech, a few of the youngsters were rewarded for their behavior, work ethic, and focus during the camp and received some special prizes -Beats headphones, GoPros, and HP laptops donated by the labor union.

Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer and Lorenzo Neal speak to everyone who attended the youth football camp at Ratcliffe Stadium on Saturday, March 24, 2018. Photo/Omari Bell

5

4.18.18 SPORTS 7

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Teams You Can Adopt This Postseason

Anthony De Leon | Sports Editor adeleon@therampageonline.com

A

s the NBA playoffs started this past Saturday there are currently 16 teams vying for the Larry O’Brien trophy. As a fan of an NBA team that had one of the worst records in the league, (thanks another year of disappointment Chicago), I now find myself in need of a team to root for this postseason. As basketball fans, we have a plethora of personalities, exciting teams and just all around fun at our disposal for this postseason, giving us something to cheer about.

Minnesota Timberwolves Hey! Are you a fan of the 2011-2012 Chicago Bulls?! Because we have tried our best to recreate that experience for you seven years later! We got all your favorites: Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose, all in the same uniform. And who did we get to coach them? Tom Thibodeau! Sign me up! All jokes aside, if there is a team that you want

Oklahoma City Thunder This past offseason saw former Fresno State star Paul George join forces with the 2017 league MVP Russell Westbrook and former bathrobe wearing, bodega browsing New York Knick star Carmelo Anthony join forc-

Philadelphia 76ers In the past year, the “City of Brotherly Love” has taken the mantra of “Title Town USA” after seeing their beloved Eagles win the Super Bowl and the Villanova Wildcats winning the NCAA men’s basketball national championship. Everyone in Philadelphia is now “trusting the process.” And now Philly has become a playoff after years of being plagued with numerous injuries to first-round picks, instances where those picks might look to

to get in on the ground floor, it would be this team. Although just an eighth-seed, this is a team that is two or three seasons away from competing for a championship if everything goes as planned, really reminiscent of those 2011 Bulls. Although that team did not have the likes of Andrew Wiggins and a phenomenal big-man like Karl Anthony-Towns.

es to create the trio of OK3. Now it is time for “Playoff P,” “Hoodie Melo” and “Brodie” to take hold of that win now state of mind as the window of opportunity may be closing for various reasons. A first round series win could have them set to face the Houston Rockets in a matchup that will produce high octane playoff basketball.

be busts and always living in a bygone era marred by the shadow of Allen Iverson. Joel Embiid (24), Ben Simmons (21) and Markelle Fultz (19) have become the faces of the “Process Era” where all have dealt with their own setbacks, but like the city of Philadelphia, they have kept fighting and now find themselves in a great position to be ahead of schedule after leading the league in scoring with 116.5 point per game. A team that may also be two or three years away from a title might mess around and win one this season.

Indiana Pacers

Sabonis, EVERYONE stated the Pacers were robbed blind. Now as we all know, hindsight is 20/20 and both Oladipo and Sabonis are now trying to prove the media wrong about everything that has been written about that trade. If a vengeance tour is not your thing, the Pacers still have the ear whistling, over-exaggerated flopping and all-around kooky Lance Stephenson trying to get under the skin of King James himself.

Houston Rockets

shooter Eric Gordon and the emergence of center Clint Capela at his side they look to do damage in this year playoffs. Under the watchful eye of Coach Mike D’Antoni, whose offenses used to be coined as “seven seconds or less” while in Phoenix, now has a team that has evolved that style into a much more sound pace, but still exciting nonetheless and capable of taking knocking off the defending champions.

Watch the Pacers-Cavaliers series while you can! I am choosing the Indiana Pacers as a team to root for solely on their first round matchup with LeBron James, and with all honesty, they might not make it past the first round. But as of writing this article, they pulled out the win in game 1 in Cleveland.

After trading away All-Star forward Paul George in the offseason for bargain basement pieces Victor Oladipo and Domantas

I know most front-runners and bandwagon fans will be cheering for the Golden State Warriors this postseason, which is as predictable as waking up to asinine Trump tweets every morning. So let me spend my time talking about the no. 1 seeded, franchise record setting 65 win Houston Rockets. With MVP front-runner James Harden at the helm and the supporting cast of the playoff anemic Chris Paul, sharp-

8 SPORTS 4.18.18

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Rams Softball Sitting in First Place in Conference Omari Bell | Social Media Editor obell@therampageonline.com

With the Fresno City College softball team losing one of their top sophmores, Anisah Navarro, in the beginning of the 2018 conference campaign, Mayra Mendez and Melanie Morales have had to step up to the plate to feel that pitching role.

“Our freshman Melanie Morales threw a no-hitter, actually the first no-hitter we’ve had here in a while,” Coach Rhonda Williams said.

Even with Navarro being out for the remainder of the season, she still leads the other pitchers with a 2.37 earned run average, and is also one of the leading batters with a .429 average.Ever since the beginning of March, even after losing Navarro, the Rams started off strong with a 6 game winning streak.

With Mendez and Morales in the circle for the remainder of the season, the right-handers are on pace to finish the season on paper with a combined 3.09 ERA, which leaves them ranked No. 3 in their conference if all the pitchers are combined. Merced would lead with a 2.35 ERA, followed by Reedley in second with a 2.55 ERA. As good as Mendez has been, Morales on paper seems determined to match her counterpart, Navarro’s performance and has actually out pitched her teammate Mendez by .67 points, finding herself among the top pitchers in the Central Valley as freshman.

The Rams’ faced a two game defeat on the road up in San Jose on April 7 against two outstanding teams outside of

their conference, No. 1 Solano College from the Bay Valley conference and No. 2 San Jose Community College from the Coast-South conference.

The Rams lost by one run against No. 1 Solano with the final score being 6-5 and trailed 3-0 against No. 2 San Jose Community College.

Neither Mendes nor Morales’s season has been conventional.

The two pitchers are increasing their pitching level each and every game, making sure the Rams stay at the top in their conference.

The Rams took three of three on the road last week against No. 6 West Hills Coalinga on April 12 and against No. 8 Cerro Coso in a doubleheader on April 14.

The stretch goes to show how good Mendez and Morales have been since their non-conference loss in the first week of April.

The Rams take on No. 7 Taft College Tuesday, April 17 on the road again for the second to last time of the season and then face No. 8 Cerro Coso for the last time at home Thursday, April 19.

The Rams are currently sitting in first place in conference with College of The Sequoias (COS) behind by one game. Reedley is behind COS one game and a tie (22-20-1), they are tied with the Rams in their series 1-1. The Rams will be facing them the very last game of the season on the road to determine who wins the CVC Championship.

“We are in first place right now, but it’s about us coming out strong every game for the rest of the season, because any team can knock us off,” Williams said.

Rams Freshman Melanie Morales on the mount against Merced College at the bottom of the fourth on Thursday, April 5, 2018. Photo/ Omari Bell

Statistics for Anisah Navarro as of March 8. Courtesy of FCCRams.com

Ram Athletes Sign Letters of Intent Anthony De Leon | Sports Editor adeleon@therampageonline.com

This past week has been productive for Fresno City College student-athletes Tyus Millhollin, Jasmine Garibay, Makayla Cervantes and Sydney Rigby, all of whom signed letters of intent to continue their athletic careers at four-year universities.

All-American soccer standout Jasmine Garibay, who was a focal point in helping FCC win the 2017 state and national championship, is continuing her winning ways as she will be attending two-time Division I national champion University of Portland next year.

The idea of being able to continue her playing and having her education paid for is something Garibay said she thought would never become possible, but she is happy her hard work made it possible.

“I’ve always dreamed of an offer like this since I was younger and although I always told myself I needed to work for it,

I never thought I would get this amazing opportunity to attend this amazing university.”

One person who knew that Garibay would make it to through to the next level was head soccer coach Oliver Germond, who has witnessed firsthand the growth of Garibay as a player and student.

“I’m so excited for her because Jasmine had a huge impact on our team not just through her play, but as a leader,” Germond said. “Jasmine has the commitment level, work rate and leadership to be an impact player in Portland.”

Also continuing his athletic career is star guard Tyus Millhollin, who averaged 13.8 points per game last season. He signed his letter of intent to attend Missouri Western State University.

Millhollin feels his experience at FCC has prepared him for the next level as he makes the transition to the midwest.

“The transition should be smooth, I don’t know much about the midwest, but I’ll be in the gym most of the time” Millhollin said. “I’ve been training my whole life to get my education paid for and try to go pro, so here is my opportunity.”

Former volleyball star Sydney Rigby, setter from the 2016 state championship team, will also continue her playing career after signing a letter of intent to attend Fresno Pacific University, and All-State outside hitter Makayla Cervantes, who was also a part of that state championship, will be attending Humboldt State Jasmine Garibay signs her letter of intent. Photo courtesy of FCC Public University.

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OPINION 9

Mental Health Care Needs to Be a Norm Tasha Turner | Reporter tturner@therampageonline.com

Many students deal with depression and anxiety on a daily basis. Despite that, they are expected to go to class and pretend everything is fine. If a student can miss school due to the flu, they should be able to miss due to depression or anxiety.

Mental health problems are very common in the United States, with an estimated 50 percent of all Americans diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If over half of Americans will suffer from a mental illness at least once in their lifetime, how come many students hide the fact that they have a mental illness?

I’ve dealt with depression since I was in middle school, so I understand how sometimes you just need a break from school.

Mental health is just as important as physical health, according to Audrey Taylor Aparicio, a 22-year-old manager and entrepreneur from Fresno.

Courtesy of Flickr.

“As someone who has struggled with mental health, I know how strong you have to be when dealing with relationships, family and school,” Aparicio said.

“Anxiety will distract you and depression essentially makes you not care at all about how you’re doing in school.”

Without taking care of your mental health, It’s hard to function like a normal human being, says Sarah Hanifin, an early childhood education and development major at Fresno City College.

“I believe having a multi-faceted approach to treating mental health is important,” Hanifin added. “Medication therapy can be a great tool, but psychotherapy and proper nutrition and exercise can also be great tools to help improve mental and physical health overall.”

As for myself, I take anti-depressants and there is nothing wrong with that.

If mental health was more widely accepted as an illness, more students would be comfortable enough to be open and honest about what they are going through and seek help.

I know how hard it can be to openly admit you couldn’t get the assignment done because, well, you slept all day due to depression.

In my experience, teachers don’t respond well to that truth, but if teachers were more understanding then I would’ve been more open about my depression.

Hanifin once lied to her teachers about missing so much class due to being ashamed of her depression.

“I would have been more forthcoming with my condition to my department leader had mental health been viewed as a normal illness,” Hanifin said.

“I don’t think I would have disclosed how severe the condition, but I feel I wouldn’t have blamed it on something else entirely if mental illness was normalized in this culture.”

Fresno City College students can visit the Psychological Services office in the Student Center, Room 216, located above bookstore, to get assistance with any mental health issues.

The Case for Regulating Facebook The Editorial Board

editorial@therampageonline.com

On April 10 and 11, Mark Zuckerberg stood before a congressional panel and testified on behalf of his company Facebook, the social media giant.

The stakes of the hearing were high. What Zuckerberg said here would determine Facebook’s future, and decide just how much or how little the federal government would interfere.

The charge? The mismanagement of 87 million Facebook users’ data, a veritable swarm of Russian bots and fake ads, and inadequate responses to both breaches.

The nature of this mismanagement is storied and complicated, not only involving a political research firm called Cambridge Analytica and a researcher named Aleksandr Kogan, but also the separate issue of the efforts of the Russian government to undermine the

2016 election, and a social media monopoly.

After four hours of softball questions, Kamala Harris (DCA) addressed Zuckerberg. “You personally, as CEO, became aware in December of 2015 that Dr. Kogan and Cambridge Analytica misappropriated data from 87 million Facebook users.

That’s 27 months ago.”

That is the heart of the issue.

Facebook knew about the breach in 2015, and before the New York Times broke the story Facebook repeatedly downplayed the scope of the breach to reporters, until it was too late, finally releasing a statement.

But nothing was done to close such a breach in 2015. Nothing was done about Russian adbuys in the 2016 election, and Zuckerberg himself made his media rounds and described the idea that Russia could influence the election as “crazy.”

Facebook later admitted in written testimony to congress

that Russian operatives published 80,000 posts to their platform between 2015 and 2017 in an effort to influence the election.

The pattern is simple. When did they know? Early. What did they do? Nothing. Until they were exposed, and then they did the bare minimum. They banned Cambridge Analytica, they released a statement, they testified before congress.

“I actually am not sure we shouldn’t be regulated,” Zuckerberg told CNN’s Laurie Segall, before pivoting to talking about Facebook’s self regulation tools: more transparency about ads.

But it is not enough.

Big business can’t be trusted to self-regulate. We trust the government to enforce antimonopoly laws, to test paint for lead levels, to regulate emission, to enforce OSHA compliance.

The same should be true of the tech industry, as new and unexplored as that territory is.

That is why it’s truly worrisome to see 80-year-old congressmen fumbling their opportunities to get answers from Zuckerberg. Imagining these senior politicians as all that stands between us and a world where our information is free to be exploited by social media firms is a frightening thought, but ultimately a reality.

The government should act decisively to leash social media companies.

Last October, Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), and John McCain (R-AZ) introduced the Honest Ads Act, which would see online advertising regulated in the same way print and television are. Social media companies would have to disclose which groups are running political ads and work hard to keep foreign agents from taking advantage of their systems.

Zuckerberg came out in support of this measure, which

raises suspicions that it’s exactly the sort of half-measure that Facebook wants. Not enough.

By contrast, a California ballot initiative up this November called The California Privacy Act would require tech firms to disclose whom they share users’ information with, how they sell it, and empower customers to refuse to allow their information to be shared in those ways.

Facebook, as well as AT&T, Comcast and others, sharply oppose this measure.

But Facebook had its chance to decide what was done. That chance was in 2015 when these problems first showed themselves. When capitalism fails to self-regulate, it becomes the government’s responsibility to safeguard the world. It is now necessary to protect our private information, and shackle Facebook with the responsibility of safeguarding that information-and making them liable for their failures.

Terryll L. Woods

Eegie Yang

Mark Ward

Michael B. Spector

“The decade I’d like to live in is the 90s, because I feel like the 90s was a lot more culture bent and it seemed like it had a lot more fun going on.”

“The decade I would love to live in is the 20s, because that’s when jazz was around, and I would like to see all of the dancing.”

“The decade I would want to go into would be the future, because technology would be so more advanced then. It just would be amazing what our society would be like by then.”

“I would want to live in the zero decade, because I want to know how time was created.”

CAMPUS VOICES:

If you could live in any decade, which would it be?

Sasha Saunders | Reporter ssaunders@therampageonline.com

Communications

English

Film

Liberal Arts

10 ENTERTAINMENT

4.18.18

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Young Artists Redefining Fresno Culture Gabbi Micheli | Reporter jmicheli@therampageonline.com

The evening sun is starting to set in downtown Fresno on a recent Thursday, and the fluorescent array of neon lights begins to light up the night. As the noise of cars dies down, the eruption of music and voices of the old and young rise.

It is that time of month again -- Art Hop. Art Hop continuously sweeps the valley and the downtown Fresno area by a host of outdoor attractions. From vendors, exhibits, film, artists, designers, DJs, pop-up shops, food trucks and dance classes, it’s hard to find something that doesn’t put a smile on your face. Its technique and system is one step closer to putting Fresno on the map.

This outlet of expression has lead young artists today to make strides in shaping Art Hop to include them and their works.

Long time host DJ Ark Anghell has been entertaining the Central Valley and the youth since he and close friends formed the collective group, The Pleasure Pack, in 2014. You’ve probably seen them on logos, shirts,

Local art enthusiasts flock to the biweekly Art Hop in downtown Fresno, offering art exhibits, films, pop-up shops, dance classes, street food, music and more on Thursday April 5, 2018.

Photo/Gabbi Micheli

stickers, at youth functions, or possibly at Art Hop, where they have been blasting beats for two years.

“We just want to keep bringing cool people together to have a good time, whatever that might be,” Ark Anghell said.

There are also first time booths at Art Hop wishing to get their name out.

Clovis Community College student Jasmine Pulido said she began her passion for painting through cake decorating and taking art classes her freshman year of high school. After that, she was hooked.

Pulido said her work consists of plants, cacti, succulents and flowers, and she hopes to incorporate those things into a unique style.

“My biggest motivation is seeing people who are from the

Fresno area who have made a name and brand for themselves and succeeded at it,” Pulido said, “just by not being afraid to put themselves out there.”

One of such people is Shawn Rojas, an entrepreneur who was introduced to art through music at the age of eight. Not long after, he realized art would continue to play a major role in his life.

Rojas’ style blends 50s and 60s culture with the focal point of his shots primarily being on the models, instead of backgrounds, scenery or landscapes.

“I focus more on the people that I have around me,” Rojas said. “These people I feel are like characters and the more I capture them, the more people are interested in who they are and their stories.”

To Rojas, displaying his works at Art Hop back in 2016 was his

biggest accomplishment.

Despite the hardships that came with it, mainly funding, Rojas said he opened up a room at the recently closed ArtHouse in downtown Fresno with his friend, artist and photographer Samuel Karl.

“Every month we had to come up with something new, so things never got stale,” Rojas said. “We had tons of people that we knew or didn’t know about us coming into our room and checking out what we had to offer.”

Now two years later, Rojas runs all design for Illegal Civilization, a skateboard brand based out of North Hollywood that works and tours with models and actors such as Jonah Hill, artists and musicians like Aminé, Tyler the Creator, Frank Ocean, Kali Uchis, Denzel Curry, Trash Talk, and film directors like Spike Jonze

and Eli Bush.

Despite working in SoCal, Rojas made it clear that he hasn’t forgotten his roots in Fresno.

Most of the projects and brands he has been apart of and worked with, such as Borkner Park, KI55, Experiment, Varsity Team and music artists Sagey and Beige, are all based in Fresno.

He is currently working with local photographers Mocha Freeman, Landon Gerrits and Jared Thelander on a project called Sleepwalk. Also expect an upcoming film from his project Varsity Team with writer Yafate Shifraw.

Art Hop is held every first and third Thursday of the month in downtown Fresno at the Cultural Arts District, and expect even more young artists to emerge from the crowd.

Third Annual LitHop Lights up Tower District and FCC Tommy Tribble | Opinion Editor ttribble@therampageonline.com

LitHop 2018, the third annual literary festival, is returning to Fresno’s Tower District and Fresno City College on April 21.

Founded in 2016 by FCC instructor and former Fresno poet laureate Lee Herrick, LitHop 2018 boasts 140 writers at over 40 different events. The festival is a Fresno Poet Laureate Initiative and fundraiser for the Fresno Arts Council. LitHop runs from 1 to 8 p.m. and is free to the public.

“LitHop is an exciting day full of poets, writers, and lovers of literature and the written word,” Herrick says. “I dreamed about it for many years, and I'm thrilled we're in our third year.

LitHop is intentionally as diverse as can be -- all ages, all levels of publication, various genres and subject matter are represented.”

LitHop 2018 will be headlined by “An Evening with Randa Jarrar,” at 7 p.m. in the OAB Auditorium at Fresno City

College. Jarrar is a PalestinianAmerican writer, and associate professor of English at Fresno State, where she teaches in the MFA Program. Her novel “Him, Me, Muhammad Ali” won an American Book Award and her writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Sun, and many others.

Featuring numerous other events, LitHop promises to feature diverse talent from all over the valley. Some of these events include: -Hysteria? Women Shattering the Silence on Mental Illness, at 1 p.m. in the Brass Unicorn, featuring Chris Roup, Courtney Lizbeth Potts, Isabel Olivias Heau.

-Plastic Pollution Poetry, at 1 p.m. in Cindy’s Frozen Yogurt and Desserts. Students from Cooper Academy will present original poetry on the effects of plastic on the environment.

-A New Land for Our Ghosts, at 1 p.m. in The Revue. Joseph Rios, Sara Borjas, Alana de Hinojosa

and Rocio Carlos will read poetry about memory and death.

-Women Who Smell Like Where They Work, at 2 p.m. in Hart’s Haven Used Bookstore.

Featuring Tara Williams, Christine Weidenbach, Meredith Booey Sandrik, and Bethany Hazen, four of Fresno State’s MFA Creative Writing program candidates, will read work addressing class, privilege, and the odors of dirty jobs. Mature audiences only.

-Bridging Chaos: Navigating Love in the Hmongscape, at 2 p.m. in The Revue. Nou Her, Andre Yang, Ying Thao, and HAUNTIE will sit on a panel about love through the lens of the Hmong experience. Mature audiences only.

-Clock Talk: Stopping to Chat with the Second Hand, at 2 p.m. in the Hi-Top Coffee. Brianne Vogt, Marcello Ayers, Kassandra Gonzalez and Julia Baker will talk making time for writing and poetry.

-CWAA Presents: A Blast from the Past, a Fresno State MFA

Alumni Reading, at 2 p.m. in the Spectrum Art Gallery. Four writers from Fresno State’s MFA program, Nancy Hernandez, Jessica R. Santillan, Ronald Dzerigian, and Juan Luis Guzman, will share their work and what it means to be a writer in the valley. Presented by the Chicano Writers and Artists Association at Fresno State.

Brothers in Arms, at 3 p.m. in the Spectrum Art Gallery. “Four Fresno writers sharing original works about life living in the San Joaquin Valley.”

-Carrying Ghosts, at 3 p.m. in the Shredworthy. Jamie Moore, Brenda Venezia, Steven Sanchez, and Monique Quintana will do readings about “the ghosts of our ancestors, the ghost of myth, and the ghosts of memory.”

-Chicanx Gothic, at 4 p.m. in Goldstein’s Mortuary & Delicatessen. Patrick Fontes, Nicole Henares, Carribean Fragoza, and Monique Quintana will explore everything from Catholicism to the occult in these multi-genre readings.

-Cat Poems and Other Beasts, at 5 p.m. in Goldstein’s Mortuary & Delicatessen. Featuring Steven Church, Liz Scheid, Courtney Hughes, and Jacob Kelly.

-Tell Me About It: Writing About Memory and Reclamation, at 6 p.m. in The Revue. Lee Herrick, Tim Z. Hernandez, Brynn Saito, and Lisa Lee Herrick will do readings that grapple with culture and trauma, including “a novel about deceased Mexican deportees” and “the nature and aftermath of hidden violence on Hmong refugee families.”

“LitHop attendees will hear some of Fresno's finest writers, discover brave new voices, and perhaps be inspired to write something of your own,” Herrick says. “Venues fill quickly, so arrive early. Plan your day, soak up as much as you can, and have a good time.”

4.18.18 ENTERTAINMENT 11

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Weekly Mixer Pushes Fresno’s Arts Scene Paulina Rodríguez Ruiz | Reporter pruiz@therampageonline.com

Every Monday night, the Tower District bar and music venue Strummer’s comes alive with the bustling sounds of local artists and musicians, and casual bar attendees are treated to a front row seat of Fresno’s underground music and art scene.

The Monday Night Mixers event, created by Johnny Quiroz through his media company Love the Captive, is a free event that offers a space for artists to network, gain exposure, and share their art.

“I wanted to find a way to continually connect people in the arts, music,” Quiroz said, “Whether you do photo, or video, or graphic design, anything with a creative side or none, just to get them in the same room on a weekly basis.”

The mixers are from 7 to 10 p.m., and the first hour is dedicated to networking, while the last two are composed of performances by local musicians.

The very first mixer was held April 24, 2017, at Kockey’s, a Bar and Grill in downtown Fresno.

The mixers moved to Strummer’s after Kockey’s double booked two separate events the following Monday.

Quiroz said starting the mixers wasn’t too difficult because he has been a part of Fresno’s arts and entertainment scene since 2005, through Love the Captive.

Fresno artist, James Gearlds says one of the benefits of the mixers is the connections made with other attendees.

“Someone like me who’s an artist, or maybe like a musician can come out and meet a fashion designer and say, ‘hey you do clothes well, you can design your clothing for my video’ and that way people can network,” Gearlds said. “Or if someone maybe needs an album cover, then an artist can do that. It’s just a good way for people who are creative to mix and mingle.”

Tables inside Strummer’s are converted into mini popup shops for artists and local clothing companies to sell their work.

Ernest Smith, a regular mixer attendee and local musician, says in order to become a part of the mixers, interested parties just

need to show up.

“Literally, that’s all you have to do, show up connect with people,” Smith said. “After you connect with people, share your information.”

Smith says spaces like these are important in Fresno because they offer a medium through which they are able to express themselves.

“The reason why it’s important to have this is for those that don’t know where to go, don’t think they have [any]where to belong to, we open this up for them,” Smith said. “So they can understand, you do have a home, this can be your home.

Share that God given talent and gift you have, don’t hide it dont bury it, because you’re creating a uniqueness and you have a lot to offer.”

Quiroz said the mixers are only a start -- he wants to be able to leave a legacy in Fresno.

“I’d love to have that name Love the Captive associated with helping birth a true music industry here,” Quiroz said.

“We have a music scene, but an industry.”

Central Valley Guitar Summit Gets Students Strumming Noah Villaverde | Entertainment Editor performed two compositions nvillaverde@therampageonline.com

Dozens of students from local junior high and high schools attended the third annual Central Valley Guitar Summit at Fresno City College on April 13.

The day-long event was sponsored by KSEE24, Gottschalk Music, Valley Remnants and Rolls, D’Addario, Los Angeles Classical Guitars, and the FCC Music Department.

From 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., student guitarists from middle school and high school participated in the guitar competition and exhibition to showcase their skills in the Old Administration Building.

Following the the guitar competition and exhibition, a special performance was held that included a performance by the FCC Guitar Ensemble, followed by the feature concert with the José Antonio Rodríguez Flamenco Trio.

The FCC Guitar Ensemble

by FCC Jazz Studies Director Mike Dana that were arranged by the ensemble’s director Kevin Cooper. Those songs were “Not My Problem” and “El Burrito Picante and Chamber of Doom.”

Rodríguez then took the stage and the packed OAB was fully engaged in the Flamenco guitarist’s presence on stage as he performed his set of 10 songs; all composed by Rodríguez himself.

Rodríguez was accompanied on numerous songs with Patricio “Pachi” Cámara on percussion and vocals, and Paco Peña on the bass.

The trio performed “Guad El Kebir,” “Farruca Del Desconsuelo,” “Por La Ribera Del Tiempo,” “Casablanca,” “Nana Para Un Niño Grande,” “Guadalcazar (Solea),” “Danza Del Amanecer,” “Athena,” “Paisaje” and “Manhattan De La Frontera.”

When the trio’s performance

concluded, the entire crowd in the OAB greeted them with a standing ovation.

Following his performance, Rodríguez stated that he had much gratitude for all the students who attended the summit.

“I have explored and played in Fresno for years,” Rodríguez said in Spanish. “I think programs like this at other colleges are good, and if you are interested in it, go for it and remember to practice every day to get better.”

Cooper believes that the third annual Central Valley Guitar Summit was a success.

“I just want students to be excited and inspired about playing guitar music just like I am,” he said. “That’s what drives me every day when I teach classes here at Fresno City College, and if I can get a couple of these young high school students to attend here, then mission accomplished because I think we’re doing a great thing.”

Flamenco guitarist José Antonio Rodríguez performs a solo at the third annual Central Valley Guitar Summit in the Fresno City College Old Administration Building on Friday, April 13, 2018. Photo/Noah Villaverde

AJ Best, a local musician, performs at Strummer’s during the Monday Night Mixers on Monday March 26, 2018. Photo/Paulina Rodríguez Ruiz

DIVISION OF FINE, PERFORMING AND COMMUNICATION ARTS PRESENTS A THEATRE AND DANCE DEPARTMENT PRODUCTION

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF

City Dance SPRING CONCERT 2018 Artistic Director: Jimmy Hao

April 19, 20, 21 at 7:30 pm 22 at 2:00 pm Tickets: $14 General • $12 Students/Seniors/Staff $8 Group Rate (10 or more) Theatre Box Office: (559) 442-8221 Hours: Mon–Fri, 9:00am–3:00pm and one hour before each performance www.fresnocitycollege.edu/boxofficetickets If you need an accommodation per the Americans with Disabilities Act please contact the FCC Box Office two weeks before the event.

State Center Community College District

12 ENTERTAINMENT

4.18.18

Celebration Night Show Kicks Off Asian American History Month Anjanae Freitas | Reporter afreitas@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College continued commemorating its annual Asian American History Month on April 6 with Celebration Night Show, which included skits and performances.

Celebration night kicked off with an introduction from Michael Takeda, an instructor at FCC, and along with his partner Jessica Takeda.

The Takedas introduced John Cho, Asian American studies instructor, who organized the event along with the many other events scheduled during the Asian American month.

The 15th annual event was held at the FCC Theater and consisted of multiple performances, with a short 10-minute intermission during the show.

The Clovis Heiwa Taiko, a percussion group, started the evening. Then came the John Cho Kung Fu School who performed with a variety of chinese weapons. Kaosheng Van, a musician and music therapist who aspires to help heal those with disabilities through a music, played the flute.

The show continued with a performance by Halau Hula, a Hawaiian dance team which shared the values, stories and history of Hawaiian people and the legend behind Pele, Hawaii’s goddess of fire.

The Academic Senate skit was performed by five instructors on campus. psychology instructor Mary Ann Valentino, criminology instructor and academic senate president Bruce Hill, English instructor Kenneth Chacon, retired food

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Asian American History Month kicks off at Fresno City College with the Celebration Night Show in the theatre on Friday, April 6, 2018, including a performance from the Clovis Heiwa Taiko drum group (top). The John Cho Kung Fu School performs with various Chinese weapons (above). Halau Hula performs a Hawaiian dance sharing values, stories and history of Hawaiian people and the legend behind Pele, Hawaii’s goddess of fire (below). Photos/Larry Valenzuela

and nutrition instructor Ricarda Cerda and reading instructor Michael Takeda. The skit shows a comedic look at the academic senate and the dream of a blooming young person’s self actualization.

Following the skits, a raffle gave away this year’s Asian Festival shirt, bearing the ‘year of the dog’ inscription.

After the show, audience members were offered complimentary water and fortune cookies, courtesy of Panda Express.

Asian American History Month at FCC will continue through April 28. A variety of Asian American culture events, from roundtable discussions, poetry readings, films and martial arts workshops will take place on campus.