Fall 2015 Issue 1

Rampage THE

September 9, 2015

Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College

ISSUE 1

Vol. CXXVI

AZARI REVEALS PRIORITIES IN SECOND TENURE

Cynthia Azari, interim president of Fresno City College, faced the student media staff in a news conference in the Rampage office on Aug. 31. Azari gave updates on campus developments and addressed several issues, including budget; parking and construction. See Azari Q & A on Page 4. Photo/David Chavez

DISTRICT INVESTIGATING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST DEAN OF COUNSELING

BY CRESENCIO RODRIGUEZ DELGADO Editor-in-Chief crodriguezdelgado@therampageonline.com

Monica Cuevas, Dean of Counseling. Photo/Facebook

POLLS VIDEOS

The State Center Community College District is investigating a student complaint against a Fresno City College administrator.

Diane Clerou, Vice Chancellor of Human Resources, said a private investigator has been hired to investigate allegations against Monica Cuevas, dean of counseling, but would not provide further details about the investigation.

“We just made connection with him [investigator] last week,” Clerou said.

Clerou also confirmed that Bill Stewart, the SCCCD interim chancellor, has knowledge of the complaint submitted to the district. Cynthia Azari, interim president of Fresno City College, also acknowledges she’s aware of the investigation.

In the “Unlawful Discrimination Complaint Form” filed with the State Chancellor of the California Com-

munity Colleges’ office on July 21, Carolina Ramirez, an undocumented student, claims Monica Cuevas discriminated against her, based on “ancestry,” “ethnic group identification” and “national origin.”

In an interview on Aug. 28, 2015, Cuevas told the Rampage that she had no knowledge of any recent complaint filed against her. She said she had never discriminated against any student in her 18 years as an SCCCD employee.

Cuevas stated on Sept. 8 that she cannot comment until the investigation is over.

Laura De Santiago-Gomez, a counselor, formerly assigned in the International Students office, also filed a complaint with the State Chancellor’s Office, alleging that she has been targeted by her supervisors in the student services office for bringing Ramirez’s allegations to the attention of college administrators.

Ramirez’s and De Santiago-Gomez’s complaints were filed on July 21 with with copies circulated to the SCCCD chancellor’s office; the members of board of trustees as well as the president’s office at FCC. According to SCCCD administrative regulations, “If harassment and/ or discrimination [and or] retaliation occurred in violation of the policy or procedure, the district shall take disciplinary action against the perpetrator and any other remedial action it determines to be appropriate.”

Azari said in an Aug. 31 interview that the administrator could face penalties, ranging from a written reprimand to termination of her appointment, depending on the findings of the investigator.

l SEE INVESTIGATION ON PAGE 3

www.theramapageonline.com

PHOTOS STORIES

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NEWS

Rampage Staff

Editor-in-Chief Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado News Editor Chueyee Yang Copy Chief David Chavez Arts & Entertainment Editor Jasmine Yoro Bowles Opinion Editor Albertina Rodriguez Delgado

9.9.2015 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

Female Student Attacked Near Campus

BY CRESENCIO RODRIGUEZ DELGADO Editor-in-Chief crodriguezdelgado@therampageonline.com

A female student was the subject of a violent attack in broad daylight near campus, according to the State Center Community College District Police.

Police say at about 2:45 p.m. on Aug. 26, a female student was walking to her car, stationed a block away from campus, in the area of Maroa and Cambridge, when a white male grabbed her.

According to a notification bulletin sent out by district police, the man had been following the female when suddenly, he grabbed her as she opened the door to her car.

“She managed to break free from his grasp and was able to get into her vehicle,” the bulletin states.

According to the police, the man was able to grab the student’s legs and tried to pull her out.

The student, kicking and fighting, managed to strike the man on the face, causing him to run away.

The Rampage shared the bulletin on social media, and it has been shared more than 1,000 times and more than 70 students have commented, some offering their own tips and advice for safety while others tagged their own friends to alert them of the incident. The post in general has reached nearly 90,000 people on social media.

Jan Lee, a Facebook user wrote, “If someone is following you, get to a place you can run towards people. Don’t try to get in your car. They are too fast.”

Bao Vang, another Facebook user stated plain and simple, “Pay attention to your surroundings.”

Sports Editor Keaundrey Clark Photo Editor Daisy Rodriguez Multimedia Editor David Chavez Production Consultant Patrick Forrest Reporters Caleb Owens-Garrett Kageanna Garza Tylisha Riley Michael Mendez Marshaie Morgan Viviana Valdez Rudy Perez Roman Espinoza Hanna Wechter Spencer Cyrel Mallory Caleb Owens-Garrett Michael Ford Jasmine Yoro Larry Valenzuela Lakenya Foster Ryan Holquin Andrea Briseno Vianey Cobian Alexa Leyva Martinez Rampage Advisor/Instructor Dympna Ugwu-Oju dympna.ugwu-oju@fresnocitycollege.edu

A female student was attacked as she walked to her off campus on Aug. 26. She fought off her attacker who tried to drag her out of her car. Illustration/Daisy Rodriguez

New Program Helps Student Make Educational Plan

BY LAKENYA FOSTER

Reporter lfoster@therampageonline.com

A new pilot program at Fresno City College is aiming to enhance the way students plan their college education.

The Education Planning Initiative [EPI] is a project from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office being piloted at eight other colleges across the state.

The new technology will help students identify academic goals, develop plans for success and make informed educational choices on a digital platform that is accessible from anywhere.

As a part of the system-wide Student Success Initiative, the EPI’s mission is to increase student completion rates by providing centralized technological tools for student services and education planning that customize information and activities for individual student needs.

The Education Planning tool was initially targeted at colleges participating in the Completion by Design Initiative.

Based on the colleges’ experiences and feedback, the planning tool will be revised and augmented to capture and disseminate information about improving student completion rates.

According to Nancy Moua, a Fresno City College student, “Students will be better prepared for succeeding and will be granted with easier access due to the student educational plan going digital.”

Hobson, developer of the technology platform selected for the project, and team members from

the EPI are working together with college IT personnel and student service representatives to discuss technology planning and implementation for the software to launch.

“The education planning and degree audit platform now being deployed will help increase student completion rates by providing centralized technology tools for customized student services and education planning. This represents another big step forward for our drive to improve student success,” California Community Colleges Chancellor Brice W. Harris said at a press release conference in 2015.

The platform will guide students in the right direction for mapping out multi-year course plans as well as help us balance out our educational goals, work and childcare schedules, financial concerns and other challenges.

“Our goal is to make it more efficient for both the counselor and the student while also providing easier interaction with our registration system,” said Renee Craig Marius, a FCC counselor.

In addition, this new technology will help community colleges support student success and raise completion rates by allowing instructors, academic counselors, tutors and others to quickly connect with the student and with each other to keep students on track toward graduation.

Craig-Marius says the new program is expected to be fully launched in the spring after undergoing testing with small groups at the college.

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 9.9.2015

Investigation

NEWS

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l CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The Conflict The conflict between Carolina Ramirez and Monica Cuevas started in March 2013, according to a statement attached to Ramirez’s complaint form.

Ramirez alleges that she loaned $500 to Cuevas in March 2013 for a “work-related” trip to Washington D.C. She had previously made loans to Cuevas, who always paid back, so had no concerns about advancing Cuevas the money she needed.

“I have known Monica for a very long time and I trusted her,” Ramirez wrote in the complaint. “I never asked when she would pay me back. I just trusted that she would pay me the following month,” because that was the arrangement in the past.

Ramirez claims that later that month, she and Cuevas had an exchange of texts during which Cuevas asked her to pay her water bill. Her water supply had been cut because of unpaid bills; Ramirez maintains that Cuevas stated in a text that she will pay the student the next night, upon returning from Washington D.C. “I called Clovis City to turn on the water; it cost me $250,” Ramirez wrote in her complaint.

Ramirez states that she waited for Cuevas to call or text her about paying her back. She needed the money to pay her rent.

According to Ramirez’s statement, three days went by, and there was no communication from Cuevas.

“April passed and still no response from Monica, and so in May I texted her frequently that I needed the $750 because I need to pay some bills,” Ramirez stated. “May turned into June and still the same excuse; ‘I will pay you the first month’, and nothing.”

Ramirez finally got a response from Cuevas in June. Cuevas assured her that she would pay her back. But according to the complaint, Cuevas’ excuses continued, and at one point, she sent Ramirez a text that stated, “I cannot give you what I do not have. The IRS took all my money.”

Unsure of what to do, Ramirez said she finally called Cuevas’ office at the Madera Community College Center and spoke with her secretary, referred to only as “Peggy”.

Ramirez claims “Peggy” knew her because she had done volunteer work

at Cuevas’s office to get “office experience”. She only left a message with “Peggy” requesting for Cuevas to make out a check for her and leave it for her at the front desk.

Nothing came, and Ramirez then went to Cuevas’s cousin, only known as “Ben” to tell him about her struggle in getting her loan to Cuevas repaid and that she might call Cuevas’ boss.

Ramirez’s Persistence Infuriates Cuevas

Everything changed after that.

Ramirez states that barely 30 min-

“I couldn’t sleep for many nights, and I still continue to have nightmares,” Ramirez states.

“I was afraid to stay in my apartment and afraid for my daughter and mother too. I was truly afraid and always on edge waiting for a knock on the door, afraid it might be [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] ready to take me home.”

-Carolina Ramirez

utes after her conversation with “Ben”, she received a threatening text from Cuevas.

According to the written statement, “Monica starting texting me messages threatening me that she knew where I lived, knew my social security number, and that I wanted to get married to her cousin for business and that she can deport me.”

“I felt so frightened and started crying,” Ramirez wrote in the statement.

“I talked with my mom and daughter; we all started crying knowing that [Cuevas] would call immigration and deport me.”

Ramirez claims the threatening texts continued.

“Who do you think you are?” another text from Cuevas allegedly asked the complainant.

Ramirez states that she had admitted to Cuevas that she had overstayed her visa and was afraid of being deported.

At that point, Ramirez who claims she had been dating Cuevas’s cousin “Ben”, ended that relationship. She claims “Ben” would frequently ask her for money and that the “romance” had gotten old and soon he proposed to marry her but only if she paid him $5,000.

According to the statement, “Ben” had told Ramirez he owed Cuevas money and needed to pay her back.

Interventions on Behalf of Ramirez

Monica Cuevas, dean of counseling, is being investigated for discriminating against a student who filed a complaint on July 21 with the State Chancellor’s office in Sacramento.

Photo/Facebook

According to the statement, Ramirez showed Smith the threatening texts from Cuevas. Ramirez states that Smith was in shocked by the tone of the texts.

“He [Smith] was in disbelief,” Ramirez wrote. “He could not fathom that Monica Cuevas, an administrator, could threaten a student and write defamatory texts.”

Smith’s assistant, Rita Garcia was brought in to assist Ramirez with her English; Garcia also saw the threatening messages Cuevas had sent Ramirez, according to the statement.

Ramirez stated that she was later referred to an immigration attorney.

In June 2013, Ramirez went to her counselor, De Santiago-Gomez.

Ramirez states that she told her counselor of her frustrating situation of having loaned money to a college administrator at the Madera Community College Center who has refused to pay her back.

She then revealed the name of the administrator to her counselor, Santiago-Gomez who suggested that Ramirez see an attorney.

Santiago-Gomez referred Ramirez to Willie Smith, an attorney and a former member of the SCCCD board of trustees.

“I couldn’t sleep for many nights, and I still continue to have nightmares,” Ramirez states. “I was afraid to stay in my apartment and afraid for my daughter and mother too. I was truly afraid and always on edge waiting for a knock on the door, afraid it might be [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] ready to take me home.”

Smith allegedly contacted Cuevas on several occasions, according to the written statement. He had requested for Cuevas to pay Ramirez back.

Smith then told Ramirez he could only help her if she filed a complaint

and sought help, also filed a similar complaint but, alleges retaliation from Cuevas because of her knowledge of the incident.

Santiago-Gomez states, “My problems started after I reported the incident with [Ramirez] and [Cuevas] to [Smith] and [Cantu].”

According to a written statement attached to De Santiago-Gomez’s complaint form, she brought up the incident to her supervisor, Farley, but did not bring up any names in her conversation. She alleges that her supervisor, Lee Farley, has placed her on a “right of assignment” because of her involvement in this case.

De Santiago-Gomez said that after some feedback from Farley, and a recommendation to report the incident from Brian Olowude, former director of Psychological Services, she, along with a colleague in the counseling department, took the matter to former FCC president, Tony Cantu, who died last spring, “At first, I was reluctant to give the names of the student and the administrator but [former] president Cantu insisted on names,” Santiago-Gomez states. “In the meeting, I explained to [Cantu] about the threat made by [Cuevas] toward [Ramirez].”

De Santiago-Gomez claims that Cantu responded to her by saying that she had “done her part” and that she was “done with this issue”.

She further states that Villa was directed by Cantu to “follow up” on the incident. She knew this because she was called into a meeting toward the end of spring 2014 with Farley, her supervisor, Villa and her union representative, Thom Gaxiola.

Chris Villa, vice-president of student services, called Ramirez in the spring of 2014, to tell her that he needed to speak with Smith, who at the time was her attorney, according to the complaint.

De Santiago-Gomez also claims that her colleague, Geri Santos met with the SCCCD Chancellor, Bill Stewart but that she does not know the outcome of the meeting.

De Santiago-Gomez says she was

“I was so afraid, I just did not know what to do.”

-Carolina Ramirez

against Cuevas.

“I was so afraid,” Ramirez stated. “I just did not know what to do.”

According to Ramirez’s statement, Cuevas admitted to Smith that she owed Ramirez money and agreed to meet with him to arrange a payment plan.

Nothing happened.

Smith reportedly told Ramirez he did not know what else to do because Cuevas was refusing to comply with their arrangement.

Smith died in late July 2015.

“I am extremely sad that Willie Smith died,” Ramirez wrote, but that there are others in Mr. Smith’s office who were privy to everything about the case.

Counselor De Santiago-Gomez Alleges Retaliation

A counselor at FCC, Laura De Santiago-Gomez, who learned about the incident when Ramirez confided in her

advised to file a formal complaint with the state chancellor and request an investigation.

“I no longer feel comfortable at work; [Farley] talks to me about ‘right of assignment’ and now he said his colleagues feel it would be in the best interest of the counseling center that I not work under [Cuevas],” De Santiago-Gomez stated in her written statement.

De Santiago-Gomez alleges that Cuevas brought up her “low numbers” in a meeting and after she emailed Farley about reassignment, Cuevas made it clear she does not want her working in the counseling center under her supervision.

Carolina Ramirez continues her studies at FCC while Laura De Santiago-Gomez is presently on a sick leave.

Clerou says the investigation into these allegations could take up to a month because the investigator will interview all parties involved in the complaint.

Clerou said, “It’s a lengthy process.”

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9.9.2015 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

AZARI DISCUSSES COLLEGE CONCERNS

BY CHUEYEE YANG

News Editor cyang@therampageonline.com

Q: A:

Are there any particular FCC issues you are most concerned about resolving?

You know I’m interim, and I came in with a contract through next March. That’s public information and or till a president gets hired. I was really tasked with looking at communication and morale.

This district has gone through some tough times and especially Fresno City College, we’ve lost a very important person, someone who’s been integral to the college community for many years. I knew Tony Cantu, he was a good friend of mine and his loss was significant so the morale had taken a dive and so my job really was to really help build a solid team, improve communication channels and help improve morale, and that’s really what I’m working on.

On opening day, I shared information from a climate survey that was done last year. A climate survey, if you’re not familiar with that, it’s basically asking if the faculty and staff, what are your thoughts about certain issues, not only governance, but about working conditions and those things, and we found that communications was lacking and we found that we needed to do something to boost morale and you can do that in many ways.

One thing we’re trying to do is to try to get more people to have a college spirit so we wear Fresno City College shirts on Fridays; we’re setting up a tailgate for Sept. 12 which is a football game, and we want people to be more involved in college activities.

That’s what I’m working on.

Q:

What are your priorities for Fresno City College?

A:

The priority this year is always to ensure that our students have the best possible education and services; that’s always been my priority, students have to come first, that we’re providing the best possible education and services that we possibly can because it’s not only a growing institution, but it’s retaining students, helping students to meet their goal, and whether that would be to transfer or a career technical education program.

Whatever it is, we want to help students achieve their goals, I’d like to see an increase in transfer because I think that a lot of students want to transfer to other institutions. I want to make sure that we have a pathway to that. I’d like to ensure that our honors program is meeting the needs of the students in the honor program, but it’s basically all about students. That’s why I’m here.

the tutoring lab, actually I think that it needs to be expanded, I think that it’s too small.

I was so surprised when I walked in there on my first day back, I was like oh my gosh, this hasn’t changed, so I’d like to expand the writing lab and expand the tutoring lab because students are learning that using those services really does help and our studies have shown that students who take advantage of those supplemental instructions activity really do benefit from that.

Q: A:

In what ways does FCC separate itself from other community colleges in the state?

First of all, we are the premiere; we were the first com-

munity college in California, actually that was contested, and we finally proved that we were the first.

In 2010, we had our centennial and we were the second in the U.S. Joliet, Illinois was the first. So no one can ever beat that; plus we have some outstanding programs, and it’s really up to us to make sure that we showcase those programs. We have probably the most diverse community college in the state, and I think that’s something that we’re all very proud of -- the diversity and the fact that we recognize that diversity. We appreciate that diversity and it makes us all strong.

For video go to www.therampageonline.com

Q: A:

What are some of the most important plans you have to better our college experience?

Now that we five more custodians, that’s important. I had lunch with the day custodians and I had dinner with the night custodians, and I said, ‘Your contribution, you’re a part of this institution because an effective learning environment is a clean environment.’ If you walk into a classroom, and there’s garbage everywhere, you’re going to look at that, nobody wants that.

So part of the educational experience is everything that we do, and it’s ensuring that we have facilities that are pleasing, that are clean, that are current, we want to make sure that we have computer labs that have current software, we want to make sure that

Cynthia Azari, FCC interim president. Photo/Daisy Rodriguez

College Establishes ‘Safe Zones’ for LGBTQ Students

BY CHUEYEE YANG

News Editor cyang@therampageonline.com

After years of planning, Fresno City College can now be counted as one of the colleges with safe zones for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer students.

Communication instructor, Jerry Thurston, spearheaded the establishment of these spaces and on Aug. 14 held workshops for college employees who wanted to be involved in the program.

Thurston said he believes that establishing safe zones will make this campus a safer place for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.

“A safe zone [LGBTQ Safe Space Ally program] isn’t one place on campus where it’s safe for people to be gay,” Thurston said. “The entire campus is considered as a safe place for LGBTQ people.”

The Safe Zone will allow FCC to be a place where students and employees who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer to able to talk to trained allies such as instructors, administrators, students and more when needed.

Trained allies participate in a re-

quired two hour training course taught by Thurston where he instructs them on how to understand the LGBTQ community.

Thurston said he provides some basics and the allies “learn further how to be a supportive knowledgeable ally to the LGBTQ community on campus.”

Once the proper training and paperwork is complete, an ally will receive a pamphlet with resources, as well as a sticker which will allow students and employees to recognize that this ally has been trained to give advice and assistance to the LGBTQ community.

Thurston has already provided a training session for 19 faculty members and will provide training for students who participate in leadership on Sept. 25 and for classified employees on Nov. 11. He will have a training for administrators and an additional training for faculty later this year.

Tiffany Sanderson, 19, said she was glad to find out that there is a place for the LGBTQ students to go.

“It is a good idea,” Sanderson said.

“There are those ones who don’t feel comfortable going, so knowing they

have a place to go to, that would be really good for them.”

Maritza Quiroz, 25, said she feels good about the Safe Zone.

“A lot of people don’t feel safe at home so they can feel safe coming to

school and talk someone,” Quiroz said.

“Ultimately,” Thurston said, “I’d like for LGBTQ people in the valley to know that Fresno City College is a safe place to send their kid.”

LGBT Safe Space Logo. Photo/Jerry Thurston

NEWS

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM 9.9.2015

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District Ponders Temporary and Permanent Fix to Parking

BY ALEXA LEYVA MARTINEZ

Reporter aleyvamartinez@therampageonline.com

“You can learn at Fresno City College, you just can’t park,” Dr. Cynthia Azari, interim president, joked during an interview with the Rampage on Aug. 31 about the parking situation at the college.

Azari said that parking has always been a problem at FCC, information that anyone associated with the college knows too well.

“I’ve tried to come an hour before class and I’m still late,” said Breann Esber, geology major.

To alleviate the parking situation, a temporary parking lot is currently in place behind the gymnasium north of campus, according to Christine Miktarian, associate vice chancellor of Business and Operations for the State Center Community College District.

Miktarian said that before any pavement for an official parking lot can begin behind the gym, an environ-

mental impact report must be completed and cleared as well and neighbors notified, a process that could be quite lengthy.

The district received approximately $600,000 in funding to renovate parking lots at the different district colleges, including FCC. Miktarian said the renovations work will include fixing or replacing day permit dispensers and parking meters.

A small renovation project is even planned for the parking lots in the area of the police academy and a later project is one that could possibly widen the narrow, congested roadway between the T-400 building and the tennis courts.

Though the district may have shortterm plans to ease parking, it is not expected to make a significant impact for students.

Temporary parking available behind the gymnasium.

Fresno City College Parking Lot D fills up early on Aug. 25.

Photo/Cyrel Mallory

‘Dot the Can Lady’ Moves out of Area for Health Reasons

BY GEORGE GARNICA

Reporter ggarnica@therampageonline.com

Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corp collects recyclables at FCC. Photo/ George Garnica

Dorothy Sedley, who is known around campus as “Dot the Can Lady”, has moved to Redding, California, because of health complications, according to multiple staff members at Technical Support on campus.

Sedley was a daily fixture around campus for 16 years, voluntarily collecting recyclables to raise money to fund scholarships for Fresno City College students.

As reported last semester, Sedley said she could no longer do the job because of her ailing health.

It was also because the college did not want to provide her a cart for the recycling duties, according to Sedley.

The Rampage has now learned, according to staff at Technical support on campus, that Sedley left two weeks ago to Redding, California to live with her daughter because of her health.

Friends of Sedley such as FCC Wrestling coach Paul Keysaw thought he would see her on campus at the beginning of the fall semester where she was supposed to tutor in “the Zone”, the athletic departments tutorial center.

Learning of Sedley’s departure, coach Keysaw said he was sad that he would no longer be seeing his friend of six-years.

“I am bummed,” Keysaw said. “I wish I would have had a chance to say goodbye to her and give her a hug.”

He added that he was grateful for all the support she gave all the different departments at FCC with her recycling money, which included his wrestling program.

“She’s just an absolutely wonderful woman,” he said. “We need more people in the world like her for sure.”

The recycling duties that “Dot the Can Lady”, used to do have now been handed over to the Fresno EOC Local Conservation Corp, which is handled

by Jennifer Duran, interim recycling program manager.

Duran said two years ago they began a collaboration with Sedley and that they are thankful to have taken over the program fully.

“It is an honor to be trusted with that and carry on the legacy of providing educational opportunities,” said Duran.

She said that “Dot” really appreciated the opportunities the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission Corp. was giving their young people, and that was inspiring to her.

The Go-Green Scholarships, which Sedley founded, will continue to be awarded, but it is still unknown what the process is now that Sedley will not be making the designations herself.

For video go to www.therampageonline.com

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9.9.2015 Las Vegas Band Rocks Crowd at Strummer’s

BY DAISY RODRIGUEZ

Photo Editor drodriguez@therampageonline.com

It was hardly an early bird line and doors open 20 minutes past opening, this show seemed like it was doomed from the beginning.

The hour long wait for the first band was even more awkward than standing outside with whatever few that did show up.

Finally the first band sets up and a small crowd slowly emerges from the booths and bar. Eidola, made up of vocalist Andrew Wells, guitarists Brandon Bascom and Matt Dommer, drummer Matt Hansen, and bassist James Johnson, is an experimental post-hardcore band from Salt Lake City, Utah.

They start off with “Contra: Second Temple”. Tying people in with the beat of the drums, vocal build up, to the strong guitar, into the enticing melody. The crowd now intrigued, Eidola continues their short setlist and leave the people pleased.

Next up was Artifex Pereo. The Louisville, Kentucky, six piece band is comprised of vocalist Lucas Worley, guitarists Jamie Davis and Jordan Haynes, drummer Cory Eaves, bassist Eugene Baker, and keyboardist Jeremiah Brinkworth. This posthardcore and experimental rock band

played songs like “Laugh & The World Laughs With You” and “Tied to the Sunset”.

Soulful in performance and humble, Artifex Pereo spoke of this tour being a sentimental one and that they would miss their touring days. Being the last tour day of the Allomaterial Tour, the guys gave it their all and rocked the crowd away.

The crowd was left with the thrill and excitement of a whole tour as they waited for the last band of the night.

Headlining this night was Stolas, the rock/progressive band from Las Vegas, Nevada. The four piece had brought the last wave of excitement and even though there was a small crowd, there was so much energy flowing they seemed larger.

Stolas is comprised of guitarist/ volcalists Jason Weiche and Sergio Medina, RJ Reynolds as bassist and drummer Carlo Marquez.

Stolas played songs like “Circuit Theory”, “Thief and the Hourglass”, and “Captured Light” and spoke to the crowd making this a close and intimate experience for the few that showed Thursday night, Aug. 27, 2015.

Stolas’ vocalists and guitarists Jason Weiche and Sergio Medina at Strummer’s, Fresno, Aug. 27. Photo/Ryan Holquin

“WE SUPPORT

EECU,

BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.” – Derek & David Carr “One of the things we’ve always loved about the Central Valley is the way we help each other. The spirit of teamwork flows through the entire region, and no one embodies that spirit like EECU. Because for EECU, working together to support the community isn’t just a nice thing to do, it’s who they are. So thanks, EECU members, for joining together and supporting the community that has always supported us!”

EECU is a proud supporter of Bulldog Athletics.

9.9.2015

Throwing a Classic Spin on Current Styles

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Instructor’s thrifty style thrives

BY ALBERTINA RODRIGUEZ DELGADO Reporter arodriguezdelgado@therampageonline.com

Do you ever wonder or get curious about what type of trends your professors like to wear?

English professor Zay Logan says “My style I think is classic, and it’s got a bit of a ‘cha-cha’ to it.” Logan explains that she likes to follow the classic trend, “If it’s changed just a little bit to match the fashion that’s cool...I like a little bit of change, because it keeps me current.”

Logan goes on to say that this style is appropriate since she is a role model to many students that she is teaching.

Logan says not all English professors have to wear Birkenstocks, but says to dress as a teacher you have to be clean, and well put together and always be aware of what’s going with your outfit.

“Because there’s always a problem, like the zipper being down, so you just gotta look at yourself in the mirror and make sure that you’re looking good.”

Logan said.

When it comes down to inspiration Logan always goes with Attitude and Virginia Woolf.

“Virginia Woolf says what we wear changes our view of the world and I think that’s true. If you’re wearing something you’re not comfortable in,

you’re not the same person.”

But says she’ll go for discomfort, especially when it comes down to cute shoes.

When Logan is not teaching or at school she likes to wear comfortable dresses like sundresses, and says when she is at school she can add some leggings and some cute shoes to those dresses to make it school appropriate.

Logan likes the classics like “The trousers, the button-up or button-down shirts, sweater and that kind of stuff you put a little bit of a kick to it, you can always stay stylish with the classics.”

The two things Logan says are her go-to clothing items are her plaid slacks, even though the plaid is barely noticeable, and her Oxford shirt.

When shopping, Logan says she likes to shop at family-owned, female owned or thrift shops “that have some really interesting clothes, because when I go off the classic I wear interesting clothes when I’m not working--sometimes when I’m working.”

Logan’s favorite fashion icons are “Katherine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn--Audrey Hepburn especially.”

Logan also thinks some of the clothes English professor Zay Logan enjoys affordable but fashionable thrift store people wear are interesting. bargains. Photo/Albertina Rodriguez Delgado

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A&E

FCC’S LEE HERRICK RECOGNIZED AS POET LAUREATE

9.9.2015 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

BY ANDREA BRISENO

Reporter abriseno@therampageonline.com

English instructor, Lee Herrick, said becoming Fresno’s Poet Laureate is not anything he set out to achieve.

“It was definitely not planned. It was definitely not a goal,” he said.

A Poet Laureate is a poet who is recognized by the major, congress, and or governor, and chosen to represent the city, state or nation.

“I am extremely grateful,” Herrick said. “But I would’ve been working hard and writing poems even if I wasn’t appointed.”

Herrick was appointed to a twoyear term on April 30 by Mayor Ashley Swearengin. He will serve from 20152017.

Herrick is planning several events as poet laureate.

He will read at the Fresno Arts Council on Sept. 10. He also plans to have readings with a variety of poets every two months. In November, he will read alongside of Juan Felipe Herrera, U.S. poet laureate, at the Fresno Art Museum.

Currently, Herrick is working on making plaques from poets that will be permanently planted in Fresno.

The poet laureate appointment comes with some rewards, including a stipend which Herrick said will “compensate me well for my time.” Herrick said he will use the money to purchase poetry books which he would donate to students at a local middle school or high school.

Herrick said he appreciates that he was nominated by at least eight authors and believes he was nominated because many see his dedication to education and diversity.

His involvement in organizations that promote literacy, his 20-year

teaching experience and his strong efforts to organize readings throughout the area contributed to earn him the position of poet laureate.

In addition to serving as poet laureate, Herrick has been an English instructor at FCC since 1997.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more rewarding career,” Herrick said.

During the summer, he teaches in a master’s program at Sierra Nevada College near Lake Tahoe.

“One thing I love about Fresno, and Fresno City College is,” he said, “so many students striving for better things.”

Herrick admits that becoming an English major was not always plan A. In college, he changed his major three times.

He says, “I started off as business [major.] I just wanted to be rich. Then I switched to law, and then I settled on English.” However, he always loved poetry. “I loved writing little raps songs,” Lee Herrick speaks about his recent appointment as Fresno Poet Laureate from Herrick said.

2015-2017. Photo/Cresencio Rodriguez Delgado Herrick says his inspiration to write comes from “family, music and the

As a writer, Herrick has trav- than a year old, he was flown from beauty and struggle of other people’s eled to various parts of Latin America South Korea to San Francisco. lives.” and Asia. He reflects on how says, “They made my home, 5-13_Distribution_final.pdf 1 he used 2/3/15 Herrick 9:46 AM He said he has a passion for live to write outdoors, in the many plazas our home, a place that was safe. And a music. of Latin America. place where we could talk about race “I grew up listening to a lot of rap His advice to fellow writers who or racism, or education and any chaland punk,” he said. “So, I would see wish to travel and write as well is, lenges that I was having.” bands like Public Enemy and Fugazzi.” “pack a bag and go,” he said. “Realize

Herrick says he has not met Herrick wrote his first poem in the that it is possible. Realize that it may his birth parents but would love to. third grade. change your life and world in in un- In contrast, he has met some distant “The poem was called “Football.” It imaginable ways” cousins and stays in touch with them was a short poem about how much I

Herrick was born in Daejeon, through Facebook. loved football,” he said.

South Korea. He and his sister were In 2008, he flew to South Korea to When he was younger, he enjoyed adopted by a caucasian couple. He and do a birth search but was unsuccessful reading Sports Illustrated and played his sister were raised in the East Bay in finding his parents. “ Very emotional soccer throughout high school and area of San Francisco, California. and very difficult,” Herrick said. “But I college. Herrick said he is still a big His father was a banker and his am extremely glad I went through that sports fan. mother a painter. When he was less process.”

Yik Yak: An Effective Tool for Community Building

BY VIVIANA VALDEZ

Reporter vvaldez@therampageonline.com

Every college student has to at least have heard about Yik Yak. For those who have not, it’s a social media app available on Android and iOS. The app enables college students to share whatever is on their mind. Here’s the catch – it’s anonymous; no profiles, no usernames, and no pictures.

Not only do users get to share their innermost thoughts, they are entitled to see what fellow users within a 10-mile radius have posted. Each post can be commented on and be voted up or voted down. Posts with the most up-votes show up in the popular section, resulting in more users being able to see your posts.

Posts with a certain amount of downvotes are then removed from the feed.

Yik Yak can be an effective tool for anyone looking to catch up on local buzz around campus. At Fresno City College, the Yik Yak feed has a variety of different topics ranging from students posting about parking, textbooks, food, or the best places to sleep on campus.

“It sounds like it could be a good idea,” FCC student Alayna Clarno said. “It seems like it could be helpful with going out, getting coffee with friends, meeting up for studies.”

Hero Yuy, a student, said, “It can improve the Fresno community because people can vent about it. Maybe some-

one higher up could see it and make a change.”

C “I like the idea of the Yik Yak app.

Once in a while, I’ll scroll through to see what’s new,” a student who prefers to reM main anonymous said. “Most posts can be hilarious, but it’s easy to say things Y to people that you would never have the guts to say if they realized it was you.”

CM A major flaw of the popular app is the potential to lead to cyberbullying and/ or hateMYspeech. It’s important for users to take advantage of voting down to remove the comment. Yik Yak also comes CY with a report feature, letting users flag inappropriate posts.

CMY A few FCC students offer these suggestions to make Yik Yak a great app to K use: “I would say really try to consider what you’re saying first. Think about it before you actually post so you don’t hurt people. Also, if you have something useful, make sure that it’s presented in a way where it won’t insult anyone else. Or offensive images, stuff like that,” Clarno said.

“Go on there – read it, post your thoughts. As long as it’s not offensive to someone else,” Sen Vang said.

Joanna Arguelles suggests, “I would say try it, and anything you post – make it positive.”

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THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

A&E

9.9.2015

9

UPCOMING FCC ARTS EVENTS Art Faculty Biennial Aug. 31- Sept. 24 Art Space Gallery Free admission FCC Music Faculty Recital Sept. 12 3 p.m.

OAB Auditorium Admission to be announced (proceeds are to benefit Music Deptartment scholarships) Scott Shaver Print Making and Photography Oct. 1- 22 Art Space Gallery Detroit

FCC Community Orchestra Oct. 6 & Nov. 24 7:30 p.m.

OAB Auditorium $8 general, $6 students/seniors Fresno Community Concert Band Oct. 18 -3 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Theatre Free admission (requires a ticket Dec. 6 3 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Shaghoian Concert Hall $10 general, $5 kids Opera Workshop: Pirates of Penzance

Oct. 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 4, 9, 10 2 p.m.

Theatre

Oct. 30 & 31 7:30 Nov. 1 2 p.m.

Theatre

$14 general, $12 students/ seniors/staff, $8 group rate

$10 general, $6 students/ seniors

10 FCC Freshmen Facts

Caleb Henderson Drawing Nov. 2- Dec. 3 Art Space Gallery

City Dance Fall Workshop

High School Choral Invitational Nov. 4 & 5 9 a.m.- 3 p.m.

OAB Auditorium

Nov. 20 & 21 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 22 2 p.m.

Theatre FCC Choral Ensemble: Home for the Holidays

Free admission Bad Jews Nov. 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 15, 20, 21 2 p.m.

Studio 105 Theatre

Dec. 4 7:30 p.m.

OAB Auditorium $8 general, $6 students/seniors Piano Majors Recital

$14 general, $12 students/ seniors/staff, $8 group rate Ram’s Jams

Dec. 7 7:30 p.m.

Recital Hall $5 suggested donation

Nov. 19 7:30 p.m.

OAB Auditorium $5 donation

What Music Do FCC Students Listen To?

BY VIVIANA VALDEZ

Reporter vvaldez@therampageonline.com

1.

2.

Fall 2015’s freshmen range in age from 17 to 40 years old.

Seventy-six percent of the freshmen who participated in a Rampage survey applied for financial aid and various student loans. Community colleges are typically less expensive than a four-year university, but a majority of college students need some financial assistance to finish their education.

3.

Twenty-two percent of students work full-time and carry full-time academic loads. In the U.S., the average full-time employee works 40 hours a week.

4.

5.

Forty-three percent of students are enrolled part-time and work full-time.

Sixty-three percent of the students interviewed are planning to transfer to a four-year college.

6.

Fifty percent of those who wish to transfer are planning attend Fresno State in 2016.

to

7.

8.

FCC Students listening to music while waiting for classes. Friday, Aug. 28, 2015. Photo/Larry Valenzuela

Sixteen percent are planning to attend college out of the Fresno area.

Forty-three percent of the freshmen interviewed plan to major in Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies while 36 percent say they will major in Business Administration and Management.

9.

Thirteen percent of FCC freshmen reported they are single parents.

Being a single parent is associated with obstacles, and being a parent while simultaneously enrolled in college can be extremely challenging.

10.

Thirty-seven percent of students expect to use tutors.

BY RUDY PEREZ

Reporter rperez@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College students showcase their individual taste through their choice of music. Their playlists reflect this diversity, according to a number of students interviewed during the first weeks of the fall semester.

Students told different stories of how they developed interest in their respective genre of music as well as the specific inspirations that motivate them to pay attention to the music that they listen to.

Most students like popular contemporary radio hits of today, includ-

ing top billboard artists such as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, and One Direction. Some students enjoy popular rappers such as Dr. Dre, Eminem, Chris Brown, and Drake. Others enjoy the old school soul and rock hits such as Stevie Wonder, Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles.

“I like hip-hop and R&B”, said Tiffany Sanderson, a 19-year-old medical clinician major. “Beyoncé, Selena Gomez, I like E:40.”

Andrew Zavala and C. J. Williams, two 18-year-old FCC students, said they liked hip-hop and rap. They both

listen to artists like J-Cole and Hopsin.

Zavala said he sometimes listens to rock and country as well.

While new music and artists are quite popular, the classics are never forgotten. Gustav Rojas, a 21-year-old English major, said he definitely enjoys the today’s music but also appreciates the greats in music history.

“Hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and a little bit of rock,” Rojas named as the music he’s most interested in but admits he also likes “the Beatles, Trey Songz, and Stevie Wonder.”

10

OPINION

9.9.2015 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

Listening to Foreign Music Can Broaden Your World

(Left to Right) Jeb Bush, Rep., Donald Trump, Rep., Bernie Sanders, Dem., Hilary Clinton, Dem./Campaign Photos

Vote and Make Your Voice Heard

BY ALEXA MARTINEZ

Reporter amartinez@therampageonline.com

The next U.S. presidential election -- the 58th quadrennial U.S. presidential election -- is scheduled for Nov.8, 2016. Everyone from Ted Cruz(Rep) to Martin O’Malley(Dem) are candidates, and there are more than a handful of candidates to choose from.

The current race to the presidency has become somewhat of a circus because of the outrageous and unbelievable antics by none other than the toupee-donned, self-proclaimed best hope for America, Donald Trump.

Unlike Trump, democratic underdog Bernie Sanders is showing genuine glimpses of humanity through his righteous campaign.

The importance of the election has been growing week by week due to increasing social and economical issues.

It has become abundantly clear that whoever is to be the next president will have more than their work cut out for them.

Times are changing, as is our country. The Women’s Rights movement is stronger than it has ever been before.

Transgenders are breaking barriers, and the Black Lives Matter movement is an incredible force to be reckoned with. All of these and more deserve attention from the next president of the U.S. Something that immediately needs to change before a president is even

elected is the decline of young voters.

It has become an extremely crucial issue. According to www.idea.int, only 20,539 of people from ages 18-29 voted in the last election. In order for us to change our future into one that we will be happy with, the youth has to get serious about voting.

A poll of Fresno City College students on who they are going to vote for and why shows most had no clear understanding of what is at stake. Not to my surprise, but much to my dismay, I ran into quite a few students who had no idea of who was running for president, other than Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. They had no awareness of how their choices or lack of it directly affect their lives.

Voting may seem like a miniscule effort in the grand scheme of things, but in no which way does your vote NOT matter. Your one vote is as important as 100,000 votes. Your quiet voice is in fact loud and incredibly effective. Nonetheless, a good amount of students did have a clear idea of who they are going to vote for, which was enough to spark hope that our future does have a chance.

For video go to www.therampageonline.com

BY CHUEYEE YANG

Reporter cyang@therampageonline.com

Boring, annoying, useless and weird, that’s how I used to view foreign music.

While growing up, I rarely came across foreign music, and even if I did, I never gave it chance; the only type of foreign music that was appealing to me was the occasional Spanish tracks that would air on the radio.

For many years, others tried to encourage me to listen to music in Korean, but the more they pressed, the more I gravitated away from such music.

I didn’t understand why anyone liked music in a language they neither spoke nor understood. Isn’t the whole point of music that it moves you?

Fast forward to 2012, and I finally took a chance on K-pop [Korean pop] after watching an episode of a Korean drama; watching that production actually motivated me to search for K-pop music videos.

It only took me a few music videos to discover that K-pop is enjoyable.

Understanding Korean is not essential to understand the concept of the song. Most K-pop music videos actually tell a story with definite storylines and plots.

And while listening to the audio of a Korean song, I was able to completely focus on the instrumental aspect of the song as well as the vocals, without focusing on the meaning of the lyrics.

Then, I started to branch out to other foreign music, including Danish.

Similar to songs which are created by artists in the U.S., Danish songs have a comfortable vibe to it and seem familiar.

I found that listening to foreign music made me more open-minded and less judgmental as well as more welcoming to different ideas.

Being exposed to K-pop taught me other things, including that it’s ok to be different. I used to be judgmental of guys who wore makeup. However, K-pop helped me realize that it’s fine for anyone to wear makeup and express themselves through an art form.

I was also able to expand my knowledge of the Korean and Danish cultures by simply immersing myself into their music.

Previously, I didn’t know anything about the Koreans or Danes.

I never knew that things like your age and career dictated how others treat you in South Korea. I have since gained so much knowledge about their cultures. And to think I hadn’t even known Danish music existed.

I can truly say that music, yes foreign, has opened my eyes.

South Korean male group, Big Bang in their music video ‘Loser’/Youtube

Safety Should Be Top Priority on Campus

BY RAMPAGE EDITORIAL BOARD editorial@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College students should feel safe on and off campus, period.

Yes, ours is an open campus, and yes, we are acquiring our education literally in the heart of Fresno. But the college and the district are responsible for our safety and must step up their game to ensure that all students feel safe, especially those enrolled in night classes and leave their classes at 9:00 p.m. and walk two blocks to their vehicles.

A couple of weeks ago, a female student was violently attacked and nearly dragged out of her vehicle around 2:45 p.m in broad daylight.

Events like this can be prevented.

The State Center Community College District and Fresno City College should invest in more on-campus parking -- say a parking structure maybe? -- so students do not have to park blocks and blocks away.

Yes, the district is considering several ways to resolve the parking issue, but the matter is now urgent. We

cannot afford to have another student accosted or injured or too terrified to come back to FCC. The college and/or district should spike their online presence.

Currently the district police has a Twitter account, which according to a Sept. 3, 2014 article in The Rampage is intended to quickly disseminate information to students should an attack or assault take place.

That account only has 80 followers as of Sept. 7, 2015. How could that be on a campus with about 25,000 students? What is the college doing to get students to sign up for that potentially life-saving Twitter account?

Each student is given a college email for the purpose of uniformly communicating with their instructors and peers. However, Gmail and Yahoo seem to be popular domains and the college uses Microsoft.

The 1st2know emergency alert system has failed in the past and has left students in the dark about what has happened on campus.

The Oct. 14, 2013 shooting that took place on the campus parking lots had a miniscule section of the college on alert. But what if the terror of bullets flying had moved directly on campus? Would students know, immediately after a shot was fired and police were alerted, to run to safety or grab their friends?

If the college switched to an emergency email alert system that gave way for students to receive an alert minutes - not hours or weeks - after something has happened, it would improve our security and sense of safety.

All in all, there needs to be a greater sense of security on campus other than a police car roaming around every few hours or so or a police officer riding his bike around campus a few days a week.

The fact is, this college has grown and is likely to continue to grow. With that growth comes loads of new and returning students. The question is, with so many students, will the col-

lege be able to manage an incident which requires police intervention?

More importantly, can the college handle an event that requires an immediate notification of students?

An even more important question is, given the large number of students on this campus, is the college itself, not necessarily the police, communicating effectively with students?

If they can use a domain that we are all familiar and comfortable with, then maybe this is where campus police can chime in and set up their own process for sending emails and timely reports of incidents.

If we go by the current processes -- Twitter and the 1st2know system -the college still has a lot of work to do to make students confident that their safety and well being is top priority.

Students should not be fearful to get from their classes to their cars or anywhere else in the FCC area.

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

9.9.2015

OPINION

11

BLACKS MUST START WITH SELF LOVE

BY TYLISHA RILEY

Reporter triley@therampageonline.com

I fear everyday for my black people.

I live with constant worry of where, when and who will be the next young black person to die needlessly and whether the death will result from a black-on-black crime or police brutality.

I look at African-Americans of my generation and can’t help but be saddened by how far we’ve drifted in comparison to our ancestors, who held on to each other realizing that only by doing so they would survive.

Now I wonder, how did we become this broken?

We have hatred towards our own people; we would rather kill another black person for being too successful,

fight and spread malicious lies about one another because of the self-hate.

We despise each other, refuse to patronize black businesses or encourage others in our communities.

According to Tampa Bay Times, there has been a 2 percent increase of black-on-black crime since 2008, for 2010-13 about 92 percent of blacks who were murdered were killed by other blacks.

I’m not talking about standing up for our people only when someone has died. I’m talking about always being there; I want our people to have that unconditional love for one another again.

I’m not saying we do not love each other at all, but we could definitely love our race more than we do. There are not any stats I came across that show we don’t love ourselves, but it’s quite evident from the way we communicate, dress, products we buy, who we support etc.

I want that old school classic love,

I want us to support black businesses.

I want us to encourage our youth and give them those values that we onced lived by. But most of all, I want us to stop killing each other over senseless things like jealousy, envy or hate.

“Black equals bad and we must kill them.” Whites trained us to be our own worst enemies and kill our own people. So far we’ve been doing a great job at showing others that our lives do not matter.

I recently watched a documentary called “Hidden Colors” by Tariq Nasheed that exposes how we have become ignorant and what we thought was true about our history. We have been brainwashed by the media and the white man that being black is bad. We are trained early on how we should classify ourselves in society. To them we have no place in this world. They tried to rewrite and wipeout our history of who we really are; we are the original kings and queens of this world.

How can we change our minds about ourselves after being taught for so long that we are thugs, criminals, uneducated, unwanted, unlovable, lazy and so much more? For one, we can look at our history and see how united and dependent we were of one another in order to get through slavery.

Even through the pain they had to endure, our people still found joy and laughter and fought for each other, not against one another. We can take that as an example of unity and apply it to our generation.

Remember that we are the original kings and queens of this world; our ancestors built pyramids; we are imitated by our full plump lips, our natural curvaceous bodies, and other races even get tans to have our beautiful melanin skin color but our race is still the most hated, at the same time.

Can we wake up, my people? Can we care about one another again?

Transgender Community in Fear of Attacks

BY CALEB OWENS-GARRETT

Reporter cowensgarret@therampageonline.com

Why are transgender folks forced to walk in fear for their lives?

Since the beginning of 2015, there have been 18 murders of transgender women, across the United States, but it will continue to rise until we can put a stop to the oppression they face in society while being transgender.

For most of us, it is hard to believe that something of this nature would hit so close to home, but it is happening all around us. On July 23, KC Haggard was murdered in very close to Fresno City College, by the intersection of Shields and Blackstone. Haggard’s murder marked number 11 nationwide.

A surveillance camera in the Most Wanted Tattoo Shop captured the murder -- a film of Haggard being brutally attacked with a knife by someone in an SUV. Haggard’s murder is a hate crime, and this needs to stop here and everywhere else because what is even more scary is that it is right here in the middle of Fresno.

After Haggard’s murder, the transgender community in Fresno put everyone on high alert, and on on Aug. 25, the Trans Liberation Tuesday -- a group of trans folks and allies protesting on behalf of these folks -- held an event in honor of Haggard and the other trans women who have been killed due to hate crimes.

This became a huge concern for the folks here in the transgender community and whether or not they are going to be safe, stepping out and participating in an event such as this one.

Across the country, intolerants are perpetrating attacks against transgendered folks using various ways, leaving people across the country dumbfounded as to why.

A majority of the attackers have either stabbed or shot the victims. Other folks in this state of hate, haven’t been so fortunate. Some cases have no leads to how the murder came about.

The victims were just attacked brutally with vehicles or they were not found until weeks later.

Many concerned people around the country are wondering how this hate

can be stopped. The truth is-- it can’t be stopped. But there are ways that the trans community can protect themselves.

It is smart to stay within groups of people when walking around, especially in the late hours of the night. You must always have a support system filled with other trans folks as well as other allies who will be there to help you stay safe.

If you, or anyone you know, notice suspicious behavior around a trans person, report it. Be alert at all times especially in not-so-familiar areas. It is good to have options of self defense because if you get into a situation where your life is being threatened at all, it allows you to protect yourself.

In no way whatsoever do I condone violence, but when someone’s life is in danger, he or she must do whatever they need to stay alive and unharmed.

Be kind to folks if they are different and/or the same as you in one way or another. No one is the same as anyone else. So, we should all be valued in the same way.

Illustration by Bobby Brown

12

OPINION

9.9.2015 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

Rap Music Reflects Reality for Many

BY CYREL MALLORY

Reporter cmallory@therampageonline.com

Growing up, my parents would listen to Niggas With Attitude (N.W.A), and I was excited when I saw that it was going to come out in theaters. It’s clear that N.W.A. music has touched many lives all around the world, some may say their music glamorized violence to our youth but I believe they gave a voice to those mistreated by the police.

Throughout the film we see several scenes that are disturbing about police abuse in the streets of Compton, California.

For example in the scene where Ice Cube leaves the house where Dr. Dre is staying at, we see cops invading the neighborhood arresting people who broke the law but also harassing people that look like trouble. And a cop immediately approaches Ice Cube and tells him, “What the f*** you doing? Put

your hands behind your back.”

The scene represents the abuse of police power, just because someone looks or dresses differently doesn’t mean they should be judged.

Personally, I can relate to this scene because I’ve been harassed by a police officer just by sitting in a car waiting to pick up a friend. The officer thought my friend and I were selling drugs just because he noticed a ziplock bag hanging out of his pocket. The officer assumed it was drugs when it was really change.

One scene that I like is when Ice Cube is on a school bus going to school and a couple of teens see a nice car driving by and decide to throw up the Crip sign. The guy from the car stops the bus and talks to the kids about the gang life and he tells the teens, “You need to gang bang those books.”

I really like that quote because it brought me back to a memory of my cousin, who was always in trouble with the law, told me to never be someone I’m not.

The director did a great job on focusing the movie on the group N.W.A, rather than each individual member in the group.

In the scene with the group in a press conference, they answer questions about their behavior. A reporter from the press conference says, “Your songs glamorize violence…” and Ice Cube responds, “Our art reflects our reality.”

Quotes like these make each character in the film believable. The group’s music speaks for their lifestyle and others living in Compton.

‘Straight Outta Compton’ movie poster.

5 Sexpectations m A woman’s perspective

First Love Relationships Shape Your Future

BY VICTORIA VALENTINE

It always starts with that one--you know, the one--tall, handsome, smart.

Then you start dating, and it feels like you’ve known each other forever.

You’re going to move in together because you think you’re probably going to be together forever and get married and have kids. This is my first “adult” relationship and we were so “pass-the-puke-bucket” in love: It had all started in a grocery store; imagine a love-at-first-sight scenario; although these days, I reserve that term for things like pizza.

I had seen him around town before, but we’d never spoken in person.

“I eventually became more comfortable with him and with myself on a level I didn’t think existed at the time.”

We were friends on Facebook and, sadly, the most contact we’d had was exchanging “likes” and an in-depth conversation on Messenger about a mild dislike of a mutual acquaintance.

We bumped into each other at said store and and just sort of awkwardly stared at each other; he looked like he was going to say something but just smiled. Alas, the moment was finally over. Naturally I was mortified, turned around and ran back to my friend.

I’d like to think that the habits of 17-year-old me withered away with my teenage years, but at 20-something, I still get nervous and leave if a cutie

tries talking to me.

Much to my disbelief, that awkward endeavor actually got us somewhere.

The time to make it an official thing had come; he was too shy to ask me, settling for just “claiming” me; I was more than happy to oblige.

We were best friends and did the dorkiest crap together every day. This was still new territory; I eventually became more comfortable with him and with myself on a level I didn’t think existed at the time. He built up my confidence in many ways. I was the happiest I’d ever been in a long time.

You encourage each other to be the best you can be because of a solid bond through trust, but also eventually unintentionally bring out the worst in each other.

This love was intoxicating and we couldn’t possibly fathom a world without each other, but it turned out to be toxic as many relationships become after some time; most importantly, this kind of relationship changes, builds and shapes you into a much better person.

It could sometimes be terrifying and you feel you’ve lost all control in your first adult relationship, but don’t let the scary parts deter you. The most heartbreaking thing would be denying yourself this learning opportunity and gaining the experience. Even if it doesn’t work out in the long run, you learn so much about yourself, your likes, dislikes and how to deal with certain situations.

Looking for New Romance, First Verify You’re on Same Page

BY ELYNORE INFINITY RAE

New semester, new fish in the pond.

If you’re single and ready to mingle, you must already be on the lookout for those potential “hottie bodies” roaming around campus or sitting just a few seats down from you in your English class.

Be warned. Not everyone is who they seem to be...and so on and so forth, as your parents would say.

However, do take this into account, because there was one semester where I had an eye for someone who sat a few seats down from me in my English class.

For the first couple of months, I’d glance in his direction just to see if he was glancing in mine, because who doesn’t do that, right? Not much luck for the first half of the semester until one day, I got the courage to ask if he wanted to hang out, and holy fudge-nuggets was I nervous.

To my surprise, he said yes and wanted to meet up with some of his friends down by McDonald’s. So we just spent the whole car ride there talking about my car.

At some point, I asked if he was with someone romantically. A short pause and a smile from him, and then he responds by saying he has a boyfriend.

Yes, that’s right, I was head over heels for a handsome gay man.

So take this lesson to heart, and don’t have your mind set on someone until you know more about them.

Who knows what their romantic status is at this very moment? Someone could be coming out of a breakup

and not be ready. They could be gay or may not want to get into something romantic.

This goes for all wants in romance; short or long-term.

Some of you may be in the shortterm stage right now. Roaming around, looking for someone to keep you feeling alive and young. However, this isn’t a stage you want to be in for too long.

Yes, you may say you don’t want to be tied down by one person or don’t want your nights to be filled with homework and/or late night shifts.

You want things to go your way. You may want to have a drink in one hand and a hottie body on the other. Don’t try to live up to the college fantasy and waste your life away through one of the most important and crucial times of your life.

If you really feel the want for a short term “buddy” or “buddies”, even though it is advised to be extremely cautious for health reasons, find someone who is willing.

Which leads to the ever embarrassing question of asking if they have any type of STD and vice versa. Please save each other the pain of finding out after the fact.

Get to know a little bit about them and their likes and dislikes of their sexual pleasures as neither of you would want much to do with each other emotionally. Therefore, do not get attached because it is likely that this person may have this same causal relationship with other people.

Like what you read? If so, send us your questions for our next topic at the email provided below.

SEXPECTATIONS@THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

9.9.2015

SPORTS

13

WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM MOTIVATED TO WIN THIS SEASON

Mel Harris defends against Cosumnes River, at the Fresno City College soccer field on Friday, Sept. 4, 2015. Photo/Larry Valenzuela

BY KAGEANNA GARZA

Reporter kgarza@therampageonline.com

The Fresno City women’s soccer team are back and looking to dominate the competition this year.

After going undefeated last year and losing in the final four, the team is ready to make another stand and blow away the competition.

The FCC women’s soccer team are starting off with 12 returning players and 16 new players.

“It’s like you’re starting off new every year, but I feel good, our returning players are really focused and doing a good job at being leaders to our new

freshmen,” head coach Oliver Germond said.

“We all lead as one to show the freshmen an example that we’re a united front and the only way we’re going to get anywhere is if we’re all together,” said Jessica Robles, returning player.

The team tied with the number one women’s soccer team in the country who had defeated the Rams in playoffs last year. The FCC players and coaches are determined more than ever to make this their season.

“We worked really hard throughout the summer. We’re starting to get into what the coaches want us to be for the

team,” returning player, Mel Harris, said.

“We still have a long ways to go, we just need to keep getting better every game,” Germond said. “It’s going good so far.”

Having a team with a majority of new players can seem tough, but for FCC, it’s just another opportunity for the women to step it up.

“They got like a big opportunity thrown at them [last year],” returning player Alyssa Lugo, said.

“We have some freshmen already starting,” Germond said. “They’re fighting to get minutes on the field, and it makes it good for us because it

makes it really competitive.”

As a team, the players are ready to overcome any obstacles that stand in their way. They are ready to take this season as far as they can.

“We really put it all in the field,” sophomore Melody Harris said.

The goal for this season is to take each game, game by game and to be motivated to dominate each team and make it to the final four.

“It’s great to be excited about that first game,” Germond said. “But we have to keep this going for 21 games.”

Rams Look for First Title in School History

BY KAGEANNA GARZA

Reporter kgarza@therampageonline.com

The Fresno City men’s soccer are starving to have this season be one for the books and be the first FCC men’s soccer team to win state.

Head Coach Eric Solberg mentions that this is one of his youngest teams yet. Although this is true, this concern does not bother the players on the team nor the coaches.

“I think the new players are good.

M

S O C C E R

Sept.10 at Mendocino

W

S O C C E R

As long as they’re having fun, but fun can only go so far,” head coach Eric Solberg said.

“I think that if we become a brotherhood and we stick to the system, we could come out on top,” returning player and captain Jonny Navarro said.

Even though the team is fairly new, the returning players seem to already have a bond with the incoming freshmen. Communication is key for the FCC men’s soccer team and they’ve already connected from having already traveled for their season.

Sept.11 at Sierra

Sept.10 at Mendocino

“We don’t have a lot of guys returning but leadership is important,” Solberg said.

“I think the new players are adjusting but they’ll get used to it,” returning player Sergio Segre said.

The energy from the players and coaches are exciting. The team is hungry and motivated to take this season as far as they can. This year’s team has confidence on the upcoming season.

“We’re taking it all, we’re one of the talented teams in the state,” Navarro said.

Sept.12 vs Sierra

“I think they’re motivated to play and they know as a group that we’re pretty good. I think we are pretty good,” Solberg said.

The main goal for this upcoming season is to win the state championship. For that to become a reality, work ethic and talking to one another is important. The men’s team are driven and desperately want to achieve that goal for this year.

“My only goal from a winning standpoint is to win it all,” Solberg said.

Sept.19 - Sac City Tournament

Sept.11 - 2015 Fresno CC Invitational

14

SPORTS

9.9.2015 THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

FIVE INDUCTED TO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME Former President Cantu Posthumously Honored

Former FCC football players (from left to right)) Tracey Hunt, Sean Soares, Matt Giordano, and Earl Charles stand with (Middle) Head Coach Tony Caviglia as they are honored at the 26th annual Wall of Fame. Photo/Andrea Briseno

BY MICHAEL FORD

Reporter mford@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College’s football program hosted its 26th annual Wall of Fame Dinner on Aug. 30 at Pardini’s on West Shaw Avenue in Fresno. The dinner is a celebration of those being inducted into the Wall of Fame at Ratcliffe Stadium.

Defensive back Matt Giordano, linebackers Tracey Hunt and Carlos Cox, running back Earl Charles, and running back and kick returner Sean Soares were inducted in this class.

Each player was called up to the podium and given the opportunity to speak and answer some questions

from the host.

Earl Charles, the first to speak, expressed much gratitude to all those who supported the team, while also playfully poking a little bit of fun at his head coach, Tony Caviglia.

“Coach C. took a chance on a kid from New York City, Charles said. “He never knew that guys from New York could play football.”

Matt Giordano, the next inductee to speak, played for the Rams from 20012002. He shared a brief story of how he first came to FCC and his experience there.

“I remember meeting coach C. and he told me to come home to Fresno City,” Giordano said.

Giordano is from Fresno and attended Buchanan High. He reminisced about being able to become a part of a team of kids from all areas of the state.

“It was an awesome experience. All those teams and all those regions that we all came from, we formed a team, and that’s the beauty of City College,” he said. “We all did not like each other in high school and were forced to come together and win, under coach C(Caviglia).”

Tracey Hunt and Carlos Cox played linebacker together in the middle of the defense in ’97 and in ’99. Cox was unable to attend the event due to a family emergency back in Alabama where he is originally from.

Hunt shared some of his thoughts about his relationship with Cox both on and off of the field.

“We hung around each other; we had a good relationship and I think that is what made us deeper on the field and we understood each other,” Hunt said. “I had his back, and he had my back.”

Former President Tony Cantu. Cantu who died unexpectedly on last Easter was posthumously inducted into the Wall of Fame class.

The hosts took time to acknowledge the terrible tragedy of star athlete Deondre Howard’s death. Howard was killed in a shooting outside of his home in northwest Fresno on Aug. 30.

Rams search for their ninth consecutive league championship

BY MICHAEL MENDEZ

Reporter mmendez@therampageonline.com

It’s that time of year again as it’s the beginning of the fall semester, meaning the lineup of fall sports are back in full swing. Out of all the sports that will be featured this semester, none has been looked at with more anticipation than the Fresno City College Women’s Volleyball team.

The Women’s Volleyball team have a lot to live up to this season as they finished the 2014 season with a 21-6 overall record and went 14-0 in the CVC (Central Valley Conference).

This added to the Lady Rams winning their eighth straight conference championship and getting as far as the second round of the Northern California Regional playoffs. The Lady Rams are set to start their 2015 campaign in the Delta Classic on Sept. 11-12.

Leading the charge for the Rams is none other than head coach Tracy Ainger-Schulte. Ainger-Schulte has been the coach since 2009, and since then she has completely turned this program around winning eight conference titles in her first eight years.

Under Ainger-Schulte the team has racked up over 300 wins making the team a force to be reckoned with.

When it comes to the team the season, Ainger-Schulte feels that this team is talented enough to do some great things. There are four veteran players returning from the previous season. She hopes that the new players will break out in their own right.

“They are all very talented, what I need to see is their mental tough-

ness and coming together as a team,” Ainger-Schulte said.

Ainger-Schulte feels that the team chemistry is still in its early phases and there is still time to develop.

Returning sophomore Malerie Crenshaw gave insight of where she feels her team is at.

“We have a lot of potential but we haven’t peaked yet,” Crenshaw said.

The first year players are quickly getting in the swing of how things are supposed to go and what coaches and teammates expect out of them.

First year player Sydney Molander referred to how preseason scrimmages and tournaments helped her settle into the team’s system and how she feels the team will do into the season going forward.

“I think we will do great. It’s still preseason but I think it will be great,” Molander said.

Both the coaches and players have personal goals that they want to reach this season individually and as a unit, but there’s one goal that they have in common: winning the Central Valley Conference for the ninth consecutive time.

“It would be awesome, but as long as we are doing all we can that’s all that matters,” sophomore Nicole Linman said.

“It would be a dream come true,” Molander said.

“It would mean a lot, and keeping the streak alive for our coach,” Crenshaw said.

“Nine straight always sounds good to me,” Ainger-Schulte said.

Players practice spiking over the net for harder and more precise hits, at FCC Gymnasium on Monday, Aug. 31, 2015.

Photo/Daisy Rodriguez

THERAMPAGEONLINE.COM

SPORTS

9.9.2015

15

FOOTBALL TEAM GEARED FOR A WINNING SEASON

The Fresno City College football team huddles for support before their practice. Monday, Sept. 7, 2015. Photo/Daisy Rodriguez

BY MICHAEL FORD

Reporter mford@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College football season is right around the corner, and the Rams are raring to get out there and take the field for some real regular season action.

Christian Rossi is returning for his sophomore year as quarterback of the Rams, and he looks to build on the success he had last year.

“Christian is a very athletic quarterback. He has a strong arm, he can make plays with his feet also,” Tony Cavigli, head football coach, said. “He is great outside of the pocket, and we have just seen tremendous improvement in his leadership this year.”

Caviglia is not bothered that this year’s team is going to be quite young.

“[Our recruiting class is] real strong,” Caviglia said. “We have a number of players who will play as freshmen.”

“We have six returning starters on offense and six returning starters on defense,” he also said. “So we have to fill in with freshmen, and I think we have some good quality kids to do that.”

One huge hole that will have to be filled is the one left by Jeremy Smith who led all of California in rushing yards in the conference. Smith transferred to the University of Louisville to play the rest of his collegiate career.

“Replacing him is something we’re concerned about,” Caviglia said. “We also have the ability with a returning quarterback to do more things in the

passing game.”

Caviglia said the Rams will do “running back by committee -- probably play three or four running backs for these first four of five games.”

The Rams will feature a balanced offense with elements of the spread offense and also elements of the prostyle offense where the quarterback is under center to begin the play and there are two backs in the backfield, similar to what universities such as Alabama and Oregon do offensively.

Chris Woolbright, an outside linebacker returning for his sophomore season, has definitely earned respect from his head coach.

“Chris Woolbright is a big, fast, talented linebacker. He’s a year better and I think he has a tremendous upside,”

Caviglia said. “We’re expecting him to have a phenomenal year this year. He’s had a great camp and a really great offseason, so I think he is primed to let it all hang out.”

The Rams will end the season at home on Nov. 14 against their biggest rival, the College of the Sequoias. Given the strength of the two teams, the game could decide who wins the conference.

Steven Exavier, a guard on the offensive line, said the team’s goals this year, is simple, “Get a ring.”

“Our team goal is to win our conference,” Caviglia said. “Our second is to win our bowl game, and our third goal is to make and win the state championship.”

New Athletic Director Brings Years of Experience

BY KEAUNDREY CLARK

Sports Editor kclark@therampageonline.com

Athletic Director Eric Swain. Photo/Hanna Wechter

The new athletic director at Fresno City College began his duties on June 22 after his appointment was approved by the State Center Community College District Board of Trustees.

Eric Swain, 50, worked in Clovis Unified for a decade. “In my 10 years, I got a chance to meet most of the coaches here through administrations and teaching,” Swain said.

Swain has built a trust with the athletic staff through his time in California. Head football coach Tony Caviglia’s children attended Buchanan High, and Ed Madec, the head basketball coach had coached his son.

“At first I didn’t think I was qualified,” Swain said. “So I’m happily surprised and excited that I’m the guy for this position.”

Swain brings more than 20 years of coaching and teaching experience to a position that has been in flux since the retirement of long-time athletic director Susan Yates.

Swain also wants to maintain the family atmosphere that’s widely associated with the FCC athletic program.

“I think it’s easy because that’s what I‘ve always believed in especially as a head coach,” Swain said. “I think relationships and communication is key with not only the coaches but the players.”

Swain knows it’s an awfully challenging goal,

with 23 sports and more than 500 athletes.

Swain has set a few goals this year, and with hard work and communication, he knows he can succeed.

“I think the No. 1 goal is to support the coaches and athletes. I think to do that is with banners and curb appeal,” Swain said. “I would love to get some color here, pictures of former athletes.

That’s a huge goal of mine, to celebrate the tradition we have.”

Swain and his wife, Kelly, live in Clovis and have two children, Ryan, 21 and Sienna, 17.

“My wife and family have always been huge supporters, from moving here from Reno to Clovis,” Swain said. “The first day we moved here was the first day we had ever been to Clovis.”

Swain was born in Wellsville, New York and graduated from Carson High School in Carson City, Nevada.

He spent the last 10 years at Buchanan High School as the director of the boys basketball team, as well as the learning and athletic director. He was also the deputy principal.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in general studies from the University of Nevada, Reno and a master’s degree in education, administrative and supervision option from California State University, Fresno.

16

PORTS 9.9.2015 Football and Baseball Team to Honor Murdered Teammate Family and Friends Remember Howard

Fresno City College’s Interim President Dr. Cynthia Azari and Vice President of Student Services, Dr. Chris Villa pay respect to Deondre Howard on Friday, Sept. 4, 2015. Photo/Larry Valenzuela

BY KEAUNDREY CLARK

Sports Editor kclark@therampageonline.com

The Fresno City College football team will dedicate this season to a fallen teammate, Deondre Howard, and honor him by wearing his name and number on their helmets this season. Fresno Police are still investigating the deadly shooting of the athlete who was gunned down on Aug. 29 on the 4600 block of Charles Avenue, near Shaw and Valentine Avenues in Northwest Fresno.

His team remembers the smile on his face, and the easy going personality.

“He was the type of person that would make everyone around him better. He had the biggest heart and a passion for both football and baseball,” Christian Rossi, the starting quarterback, said. “It’s a tragedy; he was an all-around great person, and I’m glad I got the chance to be close with him this past year.”

“I lost a brother.”

- Christian Rossi.

Off the field, Howard stood 5 feet 7 inches tall. On the field he had the biggest heart and played with a passion that made him an all-around great

player and person. Many see his death as a tragedy for his stricken family, friends and the City of Fresno, especially West Side Fresno where he was most known.

Howard excelled at both football and baseball; baseball head coach Ron Scott said he would’ve started in the outfield for FCC this spring.

Over the summer, Howard had decided to stick with baseball because he felt it provided him his best chance of getting out of Fresno.

His dream of playing Division 1 baseball was within reach.

“Day Day was always in a good mood and just enjoyed his time out there on the field with everybody,” Shane Desmond, a member of last year’s Rams baseball team said. “He will definitely be missed by everyone; prayers go out to him and his family.”

The baseball team will honor him in the spring.

“He was an infectious kid, always smiling, having fun,” Scott said.

Meanwhile, teammates of Howard have come out in support of him and his family.

“He was outgoing, funny, always dancing at practice, just a great person and an amazing athlete,” Rashaun Davis of the Football team, said.

“He always was smiling and trying to do good; I can’t believe he is gone.”

Rams coaches Caviglia and Scott said they will work to get Deondre Howard a posthumous degree from Fresno

City College.

According to police, 21-year-old Deondre Howard and his 16-year-old brother were talking to a woman when another man walked towards them, pointed a firearm, and opened fire. Howard was shot in front of his mother’s condo.

He was shot and his brother was grazed by a bullet, according to reports. Both were taken to Community Regional Medical Center where Howard was pronounced dead. His brother was later released.

A Sept. 5 article by Marek Warszawski of the Fresno Bee quotes Fresno police Lt. Mark Salazar that detectives have interviewed 83 people, including a potential suspect who matched the gunman’s physical description and had voluntarily submitted himself for questioning.

Detectives and the Fresno Police Department have been working around the clock to find the killer. Many in the victim’s family say that the young woman involved knows more than she is letting on.

A visitation was held on Sept. 4 at Sterling & Smith Funeral Chapel located in Fresno, and a celebration of his life was held at The Worship Centre in Fowler. Interim President Cynthia E. Azari and Vice President of Student Services, Christopher Villa, were in attendance to pay their respects.

“I lost a brother,” Rossi said. “‘Day Day’ was always the smallest kid on the field, but in his mind, he was the biggest, and that’s how he played.”

Deondre Howard was remembered as a “Beloved son, brother, & friend” on Friday, Sept. 4, 2015.

Photo/Larry Valenzuela