041625

Utilizing the First Amendment since 1956

Volume 69 | Issue 7

www.TalonMarks.com

April 16, 2025

Staff wins annual kickball game Claudia Arias Staff Writer

Students and employees came together for the second annual kickball game at the Nancy Kelly Softball Field on April 11.

Many attendants were sitting in the stands with umbrellas as the sun was strong and hot.

As people entered the field they would sign in and receive a ticket for food. Both teams took a few practice kicks before the actual game began.

Donnie Hawkins, facilities crew, coached the staff team.

Hawkins said, this was the second time that he has coached being close to the student’s activity director and manager they collaborated.

Hawkins said, “Win or lose we just basically come out here to have fun, we’re older so of course it’s a little extra to say we got it still, but it’s really about having fun.”

There were five innings played in the game of kickball.

Staff won the coin toss and chose to be the home team.

CLAUDIA ARIAS

Crritos College staff team celebrating their win against students at the kickball game on April 11, 2025.

Jamie Quiroz, an employee who has worked in the financial aid office for 28 years said, she chose to participate because she loves sports and also played in last

year’s kickball game.

Quiroz also enjoys being able to meet people you don’t meet every day on campus.

Quiroz said, “Anytime there

is something that involves the students I know it’s going to be good for engaging with them and getting them excited about coming to school so I love to

participate.” The crowd seemed to be having a great time and cheering for both teams.

Jaritzy, the veterans specialist for the Veterans Resource Center said, she’s been here for a little over two years, but this was her first time coming to the game.

Jaritzy was here supporting some of the guys from VRC, one of which was one of the game announcers.

Andrew a first semester here at Cerritos College studying Pharmacy Tech, said, “This is the first I’m watching and it’s a fun experience maybe next year I will participate.”

Everybody was having a good time watching the game and listening to music that was being played in the background.

The game ended with the staff team winning the game with a score of 11 to 7 against the students team.

After the game, both teams lined up for the customary handshake.

The staff team was presented with a trophy at the end of the game.

Cerritos College saving lives one donation at a time Angie Campos Staff Writer

The American Red Cross held a two-day blood drive on April 6th and 7th located at Cerritos College’s conference center which received a strong response from students.

“This is my first time here at Cerritos, and we did about 28 units the first day,” Kelsey Newman, a representative from the American Red Cross said.

“The goal is 22 units for day two. Every donation matters because it could save three lives or more.” She pointed out that college campuses generally have a strong turnout for blood drives.

“As far as colleges go, this is a fairly good response,” Kelsey remarked.

Newman believes college students are uniquely positioned to make a difference.

“I think it teaches our younger students the importance of giving

Sports

back to the community,” she explained.

She also highlighted how donating blood can help multiple people — up to three with a whole blood donation and up to six with a power red donation.

“The blood collected could be shipped anywhere in the U.S., and the need is critical. Every two seconds, someone needs blood,” Kelsey added.

Participating in blood drives also gives students a sense of purpose. By donating, they can directly impact those in need and potentially save lives.

For many young people, it becomes a meaningful way to contribute to their communities while making a real difference.

Many people are unsure about the blood donation process, and Kelsey clarified some common misconceptions, “A lot of people think we use the same needles and kits for everyone, but that’s not true. Each person gets their full story on page 7

Falcons beat Tartars in late game domination

Arts

ANGIE CAMPOS

Kelsey Newman preps student for a power red donation during the American Red Cross blood drive on April 7, 2025.

own kit to ensure safety and cleanliness.”

The blood is also thoroughly tested by the lab before being sent to hospitals. “Testing takes about one to two weeks, and if something shows up in the blood, we contact the donor,” Kelsey

Channeling your inner punk

explained.

First-year Cerritos college student Joshua Cruz said, “I was nervous about donating blood, but I think the thing that got to me the most was the needle.

They’re very soft with their hands so I don’t even feel the prick, so

full story on page 4

Opinion

now that I donate blood, I have no fear when it comes to it.

“The process takes about 30 minutes depending on how many people there are, but it is fairly fast. And you’re lying down most of the time, so it’s very relaxing as well,” Cruz said. full story on page 6

You shouldn’t be able to buy citezenship

2 - NEWS

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Campus life get involved in upcoming events on campus

Class of 2025 Free Professional Headshots At the Library Shade Structure April 23 : 11 a.m. - 1p.m.

Soar Into Finals Pop Up Market, Finals Survival Kits and Games & Resources at Falcon Square CLAUDIA ARIAS

The Student Veterans Club washing cars in Bellflower Moose Lodge parking lot on April 12, 2025.

April 23 : 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Support veterans with a carwash

Spring Carnival

Claudia Arias Staff Writer

Students and staff with the Students Veterans Club took part in a car wash on April 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The car wash took place at the Bellflower Moose Lodge parking lot located at 9320 Alondra Blvd., Bellflower.

The Student Veterans Club supports veterans and the military community.

The donation for the car wash was $10 but there were also presale tickets.

Supplies used for the car wash were soap, towels that were mainly purchased from the funds raised at fundraisers and water which the SVC deposited $50 for

the use of.

The line of cars started on the side of the lodge and then moved to the back of the building to get it washed.

The car then would be driven a little further back where the drying team would dry the car.

There were a few staff members from Cerritos College coming in to get their car washed.

Janet Harrington is student at Cerritos College and member of SVC, a General Office major, who served in the Army back in the 1980s.

Harrington said, the money that is raised at fundraisers is used for many of the activities the members do together and also for scholarships.

Harrington said the members of the SVC participate in a lot

of activities together they have bonfires and go to the movies.

Some of the members understand each other as they have served in the military.

President of the Student Veterans Club, Adrian Gonzalez said, he has been very involved in the club in the past.

Gonzalez said he decided to join because, “Honestly, I want to say that the guys are really friendly; they are really welcoming and then I just enjoy hanging out with them.”

“Then I got the opportunity to you know be the president representing them and if they need something I want to be able to help them out as much as they helped me out coming into Cerritos,” Gonzalez shared.

One thing in common with

every member of the SVC is they say they like hanging out with one another and get along well.

Vice President of SVC, Jose Mancillas, a former marine, says he joined the club in the summer of 2024 after he had gotten out of the military and feels there is a strong sense of community within the SVC. Mancillas was part of the team washing the cars and also in charge of the music, which was very lively.

According to Erik Duane, coadvisor for the SVC club said, they try to have a carwash in the Fall and one in the Spring.

Duane said the car washes have been successful in the past and have been able to raise thousands of dollars.

Free entry, Free food, Prizes and Carnival games at the Falcon Square April 29 : 3 p.m.

Calm Cafe Coffee, Cookies and cute puppies in the Falcon Square May 13 : 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Scan QR code for campus calendar

Cerritos College hosts job fair with over 40 employers Duran Ventura Community Editor

Cerritos College students packed the Student Center for the job fair on April 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Disney, Los Angeles Airport Security, Panda Restaurant Group Inc, WSS, Golf N Stuff, Cerritos College jobs were present and many more.

Ben Madrid and Matthew Medina employees for Golf N Stuff in the city of Norwalk gave information on the work availability for students.

Madrid said, “It’s minimum wage it’s $16.50 the job is very flexible in terms of hours. The only thing that we are very strict on is that your weekends have to be open.”

Lizette Gonzalez is a student employment specialist at the college.

Gonzalez said, “So we started our registration process with our employees back in January so it’s been quite a couple of months to get employers to sign up and coordinate them to attend.”

“We did work hard on advertisements, so I’m glad it paid

off and I’m glad we see a lot of students and community coming in today,” said Gonzalez.

Kathy Le whose major is in Psychology, was at the fair looking for a new job.

“I applied to the ABA which is a behavior technician and it is associated with my major So I’m pretty excited to start,” Le said.

Some of the school districts like Downey Unified, La Mirada Unified, and Bellflower were there.

Mathematics major, Danielle Diaz, is almost done at Cerritos College and is looking for a job in school districts and said, “I was able to talk to somebody at the Bellflower School District for a teacher aid assistant job.”

Some law enforcement officers were there to talk about joining the police force to serve and protect their community as well as the U.S. Army.

Like LAX Police, LAX security Los Angeles Sheriff ’s Department and Long Beach Police Department.

Officer Daniel Haas who has served the Long Beach Police Department for 22 years was present.

DURAN VENTURA

Cerritos College students gather at the Job Fair in the Student Center on April 3, 2025.

Haas said, “There are a lot of jobs that the police department offers that college students actually qualify for and they don’t know about so we love coming out here and sharing that info.”

“If you’re 20 and a half years old you can apply to be a police recruit for us right now, I want to touch on some hiring incentives that we have if you want to be a police officer with us, if you

choose to live in the city of Long Beach when we hire you, we’ll give you up to a thousand dollars a month for housing if you come live in the city of Long Beach,” said Haas.

COMMUNITY - 3

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Orange County celebrates Japanese festival Duran Ventura Community Editor

In Costa Mesa residents gather at the OC Japan Fair at the OC Fair and Event Center grounds from April 4 through the 6.

Stephanie Yoshida, one of the Organizers of the fair, shared that the fair had over 260 vendors who were selling products of their business and food.

“The theme for this fair is Cherry Blossom. It is about the springs and also like a world peace together so we coordinate about Japan culture to introduce in the United States,” Yoshida added.

Hong Anh Nguyen and Darian Yu came to see what the event was about.

“I just saw it on social media, so it’s just kind of something to have fun with,” Nguyen said.

People crowded around the Smelly Panda’s business booth as Vina Vong was selling food and snacks all over from Asia.

“Japanese lifestyle, like food, drinks, Kit Kat, pretty much anything imported from Japan,” Vong said.

Vong’s bestsellers were Mint green Japanese Kit Kat and Chinese Lay’s potato chips.

Veronica Vee sold hats, vinyl stickers, and art designs at the Kino Kreations booth.

Vee said, “I started in 2017 legally speaking and from there it’s always been an upward battle through COVID and post-COVID and here I am still existing and still fighting.”

Around the fair DJ Maiko Maikog and DJ Nagucus Nagi were making good beats on the turntable.

DURAN VENTURA

Massive crowd for Japan Fair at the OC Fair and Event Center on April 4, 2025.

Michael Stafford who likes Japanese culture brought his girlfriend Alina to the event and said, “He wanted to move to Japan For a while so I was like okay Let’s not move there but this is like a good middle ground.”

Stafford bought two Labubu’s for his girlfriend at the event.

Kei and Miki Nishida run a business called Dream of Japan, They have been running for the last 10 years.

Customers gathered around the booth as Miki was sampling drinks for people.

Kei said, “We sell premium Japanese tea, Japanese coffee, and Japanese knives.”

Emmy Creations is the company who have a special Emmy Eats variation for all of our pop-up shows run by Emily Chiang.

They sell inspired Japanese food like Onigiri, Nigiri Sushi, Sushi Rolls, Instant Ramen Noodles, Instant Spicy Noodles, and Boba Tea into keychains.

Chiang said, ” I think it’s great because we specifically have a lot of Asian-inspired art and foodie-

themed stuff and then we’re also carrying that into our booth concept.”

Danny Trang who for Warner Brothers for a couple of years, started his own business called D Trang Art. “I sell art prints, original art, painted miniatures, I sell books as well, comics, sketch covers, commissions, anything art related, you name it,” said Trang.

Tai Tran started his own clothing business called Asian Never Die which specializes in t-shirts and hoodies

Tran said ” So we do Asian Humor Apparel, When I saw the movie Crazy Rich Asians, I was like, man, I didn’t grow up rich, I grew up broke. So I created a shirt called Crazy Broke Asians.

The next major event at the OC Fair and Event Center will be Fight Club OC on April 17 and Discovery Day at the farm on May 15.

A night of beats with Theekidspex & DJ Got A Lot Karina Soriano Staff Writer

KARINA SORIANO

Theekidspex at a photoshoot for his up and coming project

Up-and-coming artist and Los Angeles native Theekidspex is pushing the boundaries of what we can expect from an artist, not just a rap artist and producer but co-host of the podcast Nue Life Radio.

Now he has a monthly at The Queensberry in Downtown Los Angeles with DJ Got A Lot. Together, they are trying to change up club nights with their event Beats per Moment (BPM).

The Los Angeles nightlife scene is an eclectic blend of sounds and styles. Club nights continue to serve as melting pots of culture, history, and creativity.

At the forefront of this everchanging space, there is a new event known as BPM, where the artistry of Theekidspex and DJ Got A Lot transforms the typical club experience into something new.

Theekidspex and DJ Got A Lot are not your everyday artists.

They are creatives who are steadily pushing the boundaries of what we can expect from modern music.

Now, with a monthly residency at The Queensberry in Downtown LA, Theekidspex is making an indelible mark on the local scene,

inviting audiences to witness an immersive blend of soundscapes.

Partnering with Theekidspex is DJ Got A Lot, who is a powerhouse in her own right with her mixes and accomplishments like being the opening DJ for Doechii for one of her tour dates, her style complements the vision of BPM. Together, their collaboration changes up traditional club nights.

By focusing on two Black creatives, BPM offers a fresh narrative amidst a nightlife scene that often leans heavily on trends without paying homage to its roots.

While preparing for the debut of their monthly residency on April 10, 2024 Thekidspexs has been working on an EP that is packing a punch with a bit of everything from Rap, R&B, and alternative feel.

It is a release to look out for, his years working with artists like guapdad4000, T’Nava from The Free Nationals, Symba and Solace.

Have found a way to shape his solo project with all of these fusions of sound.

All the while focusing on getting better at not just production but as a DJ who brings an energy and captivating aura to any stage,

Thekidspexs is really fine-tuning his live performance skills for his upcoming residency.

Los Angeles is known for being vibrant and diverse, rich with musical influences. While Latin and house music have taken center stage in many venues, the essence of dance music originates from black house music.

This residency is set to become a space for creators who are eager to embrace something new while simultaneously pushing its boundaries.

The energy at BPM is amplified by its commitment to authenticity, inviting a diverse audience to find common ground in a shared love for transformative soundscapes.

As LA continues to evolve musically, BPM stands resilient as a vibrant testament to innovation, collaboration, and the enduring spirit of artistic expression.

At its core, BPM is not just about showcasing music, it’s a celebration of history and identity.

The event acts as a homage to the pioneers of black house music, affirming that the origins of dance music are inseparable from the black creative experience.

4 - ARTS

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Channeling your inner punk Isaac Cordon Editor in Chief

ASCC and the Department of Theatre Arts are presenting “Little Red” a punk-style play based on the Little Red Riding Hood folklore with a Latino lens of the story at the Performing Arts Center at Cerritos College starting on May 9.

This musical is directed

by Sylvia Cervantes Blush, a Mexican-American artist and an alumni of Cerritos College.

The story centers around the protagonist Red and her wanting to see her favorite punk band perform live but has to carry on a family tradition that interferes with her being able to go to the concert.

Red deals with the issues mainly in the form of issues that Latinos deal with when it comes to self-expression and having to listen to what her family wants out of her in comparison to what she wants.

Though the story is seen through a Latino lens it still allows for anyone to get the message of the story.

“It’s a universal story because it’s about what do you do when you’re stuck between choosing something that really matters to you versus family tradition because those things don’t always line up, especially when you’re 16 years old,” Blush stated.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN SUMIDA

A flyer of the musical Little Red.

Blush also added that even though Red is a teenager her struggles are still ones that the audience and actors can relate to.

“Maybe it’s that they have to work or they’re bringing in money to help support the family as well and having to deal with that. I’ve got this obligation, but I really want to go do this thing right,” Blush expressed.

This would be the first time Little Red will be performed at Cerritos College and it’s

considered a new-age play as it was written in 2015 according to Blush.

This is also the first time Blush has directed a musical in about eight years as she was meant to direct one in 2020 but the issues of the pandemic and some personal health issues prevented her from doing so.

Even though Blush was an alumni it was never at the front of her mind that she would come back to the college and get to

direct a play such as this one.

“What was important to me was bringing stories that haven’t been done. Doing stories that resonate more with the actual demographic of our students,” Blush said.

She added, “I value the classics.

I value the modern contemporary plays and everything that’s within the American theater canon.

I value all of those things, but what we don’t teach our students enough is what is on the outside

of that canon.”

The students who she’s directed through this play have been from a wide range of alumni to people who haven’t taken acting classes.

Blush commented as to why that is the case, “It’s what you have in your spirit, in your ability to pick up choreography, to learn the story, to research the story, and then to just be a good storyteller.

“That’s what we’re looking for when we’re doing auditions, where it’s less about, um, how long you’ve been doing it, and it’s more about, um, can we recruit the heart and then train the brain,” Blush stated.

Blush also added that the connection between actors has gotten stronger through that process as the veterans get to teach the rookies and the rookies get to learn.

Overall Blush wants the audience to walk away with the message of the play which is to, “Channel your inner punk.”

“To channel your energy, your emotions, and to reach out to your communities when you need help, and to be able to see themselves on stage as a representation, that they’re not alone, in navigating hard emotions,” Blush stated.

The play will start on May 9 and will go on until the 18.

Make sure to secure a ticket to see this play by going to www. cerritos.edu/pac.

Suno AI and the future of music creation Karina Soriano Staff Writer

When you think of music and AI, what comes to mind?

Something like DJ R-3X, the Droid DJ in Oga’s Cantina at Disneyland.

AI doesn’t really look like that exactly but when you see the capabilities that a program like Suno AI can do, it will leave you with a lasting impression.

Suno AI is a controversial new website that generates songs in full from lyrics that are text prompts with melodies in a matter of seconds.

There are arguments over AI’s role in art.

Suno has been the epicenter of a revolution that’s equal parts thrilling and unsettling.

Suno, which means (Hindi for “listen”) was launched in 2022 by former OpenAI engineers and uses neural networks that have been trained on millions of songs across all genres.

It was created in the sense that, “people don’t enjoy making music anymore.”

According to CEO, Mikey Shulman, “It’s not really enjoyable to make music now,” he told host Harry Stebbings.

“It takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of practice, you need to get really good at an instrument or really good at a piece of production software,” he said.

You provide it with labels like

1970s funk ballad about climate change or pop song with a chant and the AI creates absolutely everything from guitar riffs to vocal harmonies.

Where Suno really shines, has to be in customization.

Maya Chen, a user of Suno from Toronto stated on Reddit, “I created a lullaby in my deceased mother’s voice from old home videos,” she said.

Ethically questionable no doubt but you can’t deny AI’s emotional possibilities that also comes with a Pandora’s box of issues.

First hearing about Suno from Iconic producer Timbaland on his Twitch stream he has emerged as AI music’s biggest evangelist, hailing Suno as a real divine tool for creators.

“God introduced me to this amazing tool,” he said to Rolling Stone, casting Suno as a heavenly collaborator, not a destroyer of human creativity.

While a handful of critics view AI-generated music as soulless, Timbaland differs saying, “AI has a clean soul it doesn’t carry ego or baggage, just pure creativity,” he said.

He has already employed Suno to produce experimental singles, blending AI-generated vocals with his signature bass line rhythms.

Timbaland has stated in his Twitch stream that this new technology can help up-and-

PHOTO GENERATED BY SUNO AI

Suno AI creates music from scratch based on the written instructions given.

coming creators, “A kid in a basement can now match up with studios.”

Universal Music Group and other labels sued Suno in 2024 for allegedly scraping copyrighted music from its training data.

But Timbaland is not apologizing for that one bit his stance has split the industry, with some praising his futurism and others accusing him of normalizing theft.

At the center of Timbaland’s vision is Suno’s “deconstruction” feature, which pulls out and reworks elements of other songs.

His new AI remix contest challenges producers to remix

his 2007 hit, “Give It to Me,” with prizes such as mentorship. “It’s not to replace us,” he said, “it’s to take what a producer can be to the next level.”

Timbaland’s partnership with Suno points to a larger issue.

Can AI exist alongside human creativity?

Will it devalue music’s cultural worth?

Suno is really a fork in the road for music a tool that’s either empowering or exploitative, depending on whom you ask.

According to Vice, “Suno AI runs on generative AI tools trained on copyrighted music created by people who are actually

talented, people who did not provide consent for their work to be used to train AI models and are now suing Suno because of it.”

While Suno AI may have people looking towards the upside, it is difficult to have such a program that would exist with no flaws.

While it’s not likely to take our chart-topping pop stars off the top of the charts just yet, its rapid evolution gets us thinking about creativity itself.

In this new world of music, the longest-running song could just end up being the conversation between what’s human and what’s not.

AMPED - 5

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

the

UNDER RATED

the best of what you have(n’t) heard

..

ing. c u d intro

Joe Kay If Not Now, Then When?

The Founder of Soulection is giving us something unexpected and that is him actually stepping out of the DJ booth and placing himself in front of the mic.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BENJAMIN FARREN

People walking along the Coachella festival grounds.

on

ge... r e v the KOKOROKO Sweetie They are known for a blend of jazz, afrobeat, and soul. This new track continues to make you want to hear more from them.

Lets bring back the music

Ripple Good Neighbours Giving us some Indie-pop us Good Neighbours, this track is upbeat but has a blend of this exploration of sound.

Melanie Salguero A & E Editor

When people think of Coachella they think about fashion trends, brands and influencers.

It’s gotten to the point that fashion and brand activations are more often prioritized over the music.

It’s a pretty safe assumption because the online discourse over the music festivals relies heavily on those topics.

That’s not to say that there’s anything wrong with the extravagant outfits and fun content, but what happened to music festivals being all about music?

Obviously, Coachella is one of the biggest festivals of the year and since it’s in season everyone has seen all the influencers and brands taking over their screens.

Brands especially look towards Coachella as a marketing opportunity, wanting to showcase their products and reach these large audiences.

What has been the talk of the town on social media has been the disappointment in people’s outfits or that people aren’t doing enough.

It’s almost sad how upset and disappointed people are at what

other people choose to wear to a festival.

There has hardly been much talk about the artists and the performances.

The only artists that are being talked about are Lady Gaga’s, Clairo’s and Green Day’s performances.

Even with that, it still does not remotely compare to the heavy amount of online discourse over people’s outfits.

Of course, a majority of people’s algorithms are very different and some may see more music-based content.

However, that does not mean that influencers aren’t talking over the internet.

That’s not to say that there is anything wrong about it but what happened to music festivals being all about music?

Coachella seems to be one of the only music festivals that revolve more around fashion and brands than the music.

“Coachella is the ‘It Place’ for influencers,” says Mariah Espada from Time Magazine.

Coachella seems to have been taken over by influencers wanting likes and views, hungry for any chance at fame.

It comes across as camping grounds for influencers looking to take a good Instagram post rather than a music festival.

That is not to say that every single influencer taking over Coachella does it in such a famehungry way.

TikToker, Ysabelle Wallace, is popular for her annual Coachella series named “Ourchella.”

She vlogs her weekend at Coachella and it’s almost as if the viewers are just a FaceTime call away from the festival.

Her festival content really draws people and it makes them want more of her content.

Influencers like Ysabelle do Coachella in a way where it doesn’t come off as if she’s there for money and views.

She’s there to enjoy herself and allow her followers to tag along from afar.

A good number of people would love to see Coachella appreciated for what it is.

Which would be the music.

It’s time to start coming back to its core and to stop prioritizing everything but the music.

As well as reminding influencers that you can have fun and not take things so seriously.

LOCAL COLOR shows • concerts • exhibits • performances • etc.

•MUSIC• DUCKWRTH @ ECHOPLEX APRIL 25

•EXHIBITS• AFRO UNIDAD FEST @ HYPERION AVE APRIL 26

BEYONCE @ SOFI STADIUM APRIL 28

OLAFUR ELIASSON: OPEN@ MOCA SEP. 15 – JULY 6

SMINO @ SHRINE EXPO HALL MAY 1

SONIC PLAYGROUND@ GRAMMY MUSEUM FEB. 25 - NOW

•ART• ART: FESTIVAL @ SANTA FE APRIL 26

•THEATER• LEGALLY BLONDE @ LA MIRADA APRIL 25 - MAY 18

Calling all Cerritos College artists, actors, musicians, photographers, performers, etc.

Do you have an upcoming exhibit?

Show? Concert? Album release party?

aMPeD

Get listed on:

You can contact us by e-mailing us at editor@talonmarks.com by calling us at (562) 860-2451 x2618 or by visiting us at Talon Marks Newsroom in the Fine Arts building FA245 (2nd floor)

...

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alm

Eyedress Stoner Stoner is a 21-track album inspired by punk, hardcore, new wave, lo-fi, and more. It features many collaberations with artists such as Mac DeMarco and The Marias

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Leon Bridges and Khruangbin Texas Sun It gives you this feeling of driving down the highway with no worries ready to enjoy where the day takes you.

Fleetwood Mac Rumors Rumors is Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album known for its raw exploration of love, betrayal and heartbreak.

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Halloween (2018) starring Jamie Lee Curtis Halloween (2018) follows Laurie Strode facing Michael Myers 40 years after his original killing spree. When he escapes, she ready to face him.

The Hunger Games starring Jennifer Lawrence The film follows Katniss Everdeen as she fights to surive a deadly televised battle and becomes a symbol of rebellion.

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

6 - OPINION •Editorial• Talon Marks is a First Amendment publication.

Editorials express the views of the Editorial Board.

Other opinions express the view of the author & are not to be considered opinions of the publication’s staff, the Editorial Board, the advisers, the Cerritos College Associated Students, the college administration or the Board of Trustees.

Production & printing of Talon Marks is funded by the Associated Students of Cerritos College (ASCC).

The Talon Marks Newsroom and journalism offices are located in the Fine Arts & Communications Building, Second Floor Room FA245.

Cerritos College is located at 11110 Alondra Blvd., Norwalk, CA 90650 Newsroom Telephone number: (562) 860-2451, ext. 2618 Talon Marks Advertising Telephone number: (562) 860-2451, ext. 2617 Vol. 69 © 2025 Talon Marks Spring 2025 Editors Editor in Chief Isaac Cordon News Editor Natalie Gonzalez Community Editor Duran Ventura Arts & Entertainment Editor Melanie Salguero Sports Editor Jonathan Diaz Staff Writers Claudia Arias Angie Campos Brenden Gonzales Ivan Llata Felix Palencia Karina Soriano Faculty Adviser Christian Brown Instructional Lab Tech I Alicia Edquist Cerritos College Talon Marks are collegiate and professional members of Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) California College Media Association (CCMA) California News Publishers Association (CNPA) College Media Association (CMA)

You shouldn’t be able to buy citizenship Pablo Escobar, the notorious Colombian drug kingpin, once said, “Everyone has a price, the important thing is to find out what it is.” Today, the United States seems to have embraced this logic – particularly when it comes to citizenship.

Citizenship should not be something that can be bought; it should be earned through time, contribution, and commitment.

Yet in a nation that prides itself on fairness, hard work and the American Dream, it is alarming that wealthy individuals can simply buy their way in, while millions of others must wait, struggle, and even face rejection.

On Feb. 25, 2025, President Donald Trump announced plans to introduce a “$5 million Gold Card” visa program.

The program would provide wealthy foreign nationals with U.S. residency and a pathway to citizenship in exchange for substantial investment – it would replace the existing EB-5 visa program.

While the exact launch date remains unclear sales are anticipated to commence in

MOSES LOPEZ

late April of 2025, according to the independent.

Trump’s “Art of the Deal” philosophy has long been flawed, in part because it fails to consider the longterm consequences of such decisions.

How can the U.S. open its doors to outsiders while millions of people already contributing to American

society are denied the opportunity to call themselves citizens?

It can take 20 years or longer for someone from countries like Mexico or the Philippines to obtain a green card, due to massive backlogs according to the Boundless article Visa Bulletin for May 2025.

Even people with close

family ties to U.S. citizens often face decades-long waits before they can begin the path to citizenship.

This amounts to textbook corruption. It is a practice that the U.S. used to at least hide and feel ashamed of – however, now it appears the country is advertising that it can be bought for the right price.

Several other countries around the world, including Spain, Greece, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have implemented similar Golden Visa programs.

In Spain, individuals can obtain residency by investing at least €500,000 in real estate.

Greece offers a similar program starting at €250,000 in real estate – the UAE allows investors to secure renewable 5 or 10-year residency permits by making large investments in property or business.

Such a system would only serve to further build an oligarchical society in the United States by deepening the divide between the wealthy 1% and the working class.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, an advocate for immigration reform, said, “It is time to bring our neighbors out of the shadows. It is time to give them legal status. It is time to create a reasonable path to citizenship.”

The people are not blind to the consequences of these policies, nor are they gullible enough to ignore the longterm impact and they deserve to have their voices heard.

Stop asking kids what they want to be Felix Palencia Staff Writer

I get it, you’re curious and maybe even excited by the thought of a child’s future career.

Still, that curiosity often leads to one wellmeaning, but potentially harmful question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Although it may seem like a lighthearted question, it begs the question, “Am I doing what I envisioned when I was 5, 10, or 15 years old?”

According to a 2019 article on The Ladders, a survey conducted by TollFreeForwarding found that only 10% of people are currently in their childhood dream job. That means most of us end up on completely different paths – and that’s OK. But what’s not OK is pressuring kids to grow up too fast or chase a dream they’ve outgrown.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, people born between 1957 and 1964 held an average of 12.7 jobs between the ages of 18 and 56. Even in their mid-30s to mid-40s, about 25% of the jobs they started ended in less than a year.

This shows that adults tend to switch careers, grow out of roles and constantly refine their sense of purpose.

So, why expect children to have it all figured out?

They have their whole lives to explore, learn and mature.

Instead of asking, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” try asking, “What do you enjoy doing?”

It opens up the conversation in a way that encourages curiosity and exploration without putting pressure on kids to have their future all figured out.

This also helps them develop a sense of selfawareness – helping them see that their value isn’t

tied to a specific career, but rather to their interests and passions.

When people ask kids what they want to be, it can often be less about genuine curiosity and more about making disparaging remarks.

“You want to be an astronaut? Space is scary.” This approach doesn’t encourage exploration of interests – instead, it can dampen a child’s enthusiasm and discourage them from thinking big.

When kids are encouraged to talk about what they enjoy, they begin to understand their interests, strengths, and passions – not just what sounds impressive to adults.

This kind of open-ended curiosity helps build confidence because it shows them that who they are matters more than who they’re expected to become.

In our culture, people are defined by their jobs, but kids see the world through possibilities, not job titles.

This difference between how adults and children view themselves is why the question can be harmful, as it pressures kids to define themselves by a job they may not fully understand, limiting their imagination and growth.

In a world filled with societal pressures and expectations, why not be someone these children can look to as a beacon of light?

Guide them to a future where they’re free to chase what excites them, rather than being trapped in a game of “pick your dream job” before they’ve even had a chance to figure out what it is they like.

How do you feel about the negative side of social media?

Compiled by: Claudia Arias “There’s lot of negative effects with social media. One of the negative effects I find at times is where I prioritize going on my phone and feel like I can’t do anything without my phone in general.

Ashley Luna Psychology major “It’s definitely addicting and before I go to bed I always got to use social media. so I see why it can have a big, a bad impact.”

Alex Zaragoza Dental Hygienist

“There’s a lot of ways that people can get brainwashed from social media and they are not fully educated on a topic because social media tends to not give the full perspective on something the whole story so I think that’s why the dependency is really negative.”

Shadn Dental Hygienist

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS are welcome. They may be submitted both onlin and in person. In all cases, letters must be signed with real names before they will be considered for publication, either online or in print. Campus related issues are given priority. Talon Marks attempts to publish every letter it receives except those judged to be an invasion of privacy, libelous, obscene, or plagarized. Letters may be edited due to space and clarity. You may deliver letters to Fine Arts & Communications Building - second floor - room FA245 Talon Marks newsroom or contact the editor by email at editor@talonmarks.com

SPORTS - 7

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Falcons beat Tartars in late game domination Duran Ventura Community Editor

Brenden Gonzales Staff Writer

Falcon's prevail after a four inning stalemate with Compton for their fifth consecutive win.

The Cerritos College softball team beat Compton College on April 1, after a four-inning stalemate.

The wind was the story of the day as it pushed at speeds of nearly 20 mph west against the pitcher but behind the batter.

Falcon’s pitcher Tatyana Cortez rated the wind an eight out of ten before talking about the challenges the wind presented, “I feel like I don’t get that full push when I push off the mound when I throw the ball."

The early innings of the game saw both teams struggling to find any advantage over each other.

Both teams had managed to get players on base, but neither could complete a run.

Cerritos came close during the bottom of the third as Savannah Gonzalez made a slide for home which caused her to suffer an ankle injury as she stated that she got cleated.

By the bottom of the fourth, both teams failed to reach their

BRENDEN GONZALES

Amarie Encarnacion completes the run as teammate Carissa Amaya cheers her on during the Cerritos vs. Compton softball game on April 1, 2025.

fourth batters to head into the fifth inning with the score still at 0-0.

Compton had three immediate outs, giving Cerritos the plate.

Morgan Fontela opened the inning with a double, followed

by Vicky Najera also hitting a double, with Fontela scoring the first point of the day.

The following three batters loaded the bases as Najera scored

the second point of the game.

As Sienna Contreras made it to first, Briana Zarate was called out on third, the first of the inning.

Carissa Amaya walked which loaded the bases, Amarie Encarnacion walked as Ayiana Cardenas scored while the bases remained loaded.

Compton called a timeout to make strategic changes to their defense.

NASCAR path to the playoffs nine races in

The new NFL rule changes make no sense Ivan Llata Staff Writer

Brenden Gonzales Staff Writer

After 9 of 26 races in the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, five drivers have locked themselves into the 2025 playoffs.

Seventeen races remain as some teams may have already lost their chance to qualify, with others a moment away from locking in.

William Byron, Christopher Bell, Josh Berry, Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin have all locked in by securing at least one race win.

The 31 remaining full-time drivers continue to compete for 11 remaining spots.

By race 9 in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season, 9 of the 10 drivers 10th or higher in the standings made the playoffs, Bubba Wallace was the lone exception.

After 9 races in 2025, the top 10 in points are William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace, Joey Logano and Alex Bowman.

Winning guarantees a spot in the playoffs but drivers can point their way in if not all 16 spots are filled by race winners.

Winning means everything in the quest for a playoff spot, 2024 saw 14 drivers lock in into the playoffs with a win, eight of those 14 only won once during the regular season.

However the remaining races

When the game resumed Contreras took advantage of a pitch gone wrong scoring the fourth run of the day.

Encarnacion and Amaya remained on second and third, as a ground ball by Marley Cortez became the second out of the inning.

Savannah Gonzalez responded with a single, getting Encarnacion and Amaya home scoring the fifth

and sixth points of the game.

Irma Gonzalez then pinch-ran for Savannah due to the injury sustained during the third inning.

Fontela returned to the plate with a single that put Gonzalez onto second.

Najera walked and loaded the bases once again, giving Zarate a chance to end the game as she stepped up to the plate.

In a stunning play, Zarate hit a grand slam taking the score from 6-0 to 10-0, forcing the mercy rule into effect.

Zarate discussed her approach during the final play, "That last at bat I wasn’t thinking at all, coach and I talked about it. I do better when I don’t think."

A 10-0 win reads domination, but according to Falcons head coach Kodee Murray it wasn’t, "We did not blow out the competition" she said, while adding that she saw improvement from Compton.

Players still enjoyed the win, Fontela, who scored during the grand slam said, “ I was jumping on the way home, that was awesome”.

Najera said, “It’s a good team win, everyone did their part and I’m very proud of the girls for coming through at the end.”

BRENDEN GONZALES

NASCAR Cup Series drivers from (left to right) Justin Haley, Carson Hocevar, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Alex Bowman, Noah Gragson, Zane Smith, Josh Berry, Martin Truex Jr and Cole Custer during driver introductions at the 2025 Daytona 500 on February 16, 2025.

in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series for its inaugural race in Mexico regular season are not one-to-one City on June 15, 2025. copies of the 2024 schedule.

The last time NASCAR added Autodromo Hermanos a road course to the schedule in Rodriguez, Homestead Miami 2023 Trackhouse’s Shane Van Speedway, Atlanta Motor Gisbergen stole the show at Speedway and Watkins Glen Chicago and hopes to do it again International Raceway were to lock himself into the 2025 added to the regular season. playoffs.

Meanwhile, WWT Raceway, Superspeedways and Road Darlington Raceway and New Courses remain the biggest Hampshire Motor Speedway were wild cards of the regular season, removed from the regular season since the NASCAR Cup Series and added to the playoffs. switched to the Next Gen car In 2024 Austin Cindric won in 2022, there have been eight at WWT Raceway while Chase instances of a driver locking into Briscoe won at Darlington the playoffs solely by winning Raceway, neither driver would one Superspeedway or Road have made the playoffs without Course race. those wins.

Of the 10 tracks that make up Alternatively, Chris Buescher the 2025 playoffs, seven appear missed the 2024 playoffs but in the regular season, giving stole a win at Watkins Glen teams a chance to fine-tune their International Raceway during setups before the playoffs. the playoffs, winning at The Glen The NASCAR Cup Series in 2025 would lock him into the enters its lone off week, but 2025 playoffs. teams will continue preparation Autodromo Hermanos for the next race scheduled at Rodriguez remains a wild card as Talladega Superspeedway on the NASCAR Cup Series prepares April 27, 2025.

The NFL has just implemented new rule changes some of them being the overtime rule and the kickoff which has fans confused and they should be.

New overtime rule The new overtime rules give both teams a chance to score and if both teams fail to score after their first possession then the game continues and if neither team can’t score by the end of the10 minute period (15 for playoffs) then the game ends in a tie.

The problem here is that the point of overtime is to determine a winner not to prolong the game and this rule does exactly that.

From the 1980s to 2010s the NFL overtime rule was that if the team who starts with the first possession in overtime scores a field goal the game would be over.

The rule changed over time after 2010 and gave the opposing team a chance to score a touchdown which already changed how the culture of the game used to be.

Now with this new rule of allowing each team to get a possession no matter if a touchdown or field goal is scored, there will be more ties which can make the playoff scenarios more confusing.

Most fans argue that today’s rule makes things more fair for the defense but it’s extremely rare the defensive team did make big plays such as fumbles and interceptions returned for a touchdown.

Also, the old sudden death rule intensified the drama while this new rule minimized it.

Though it may seem exciting

that we get more of the game with this overtime rule it can increase the risk of injury.

NFL players already have to deal with a long 17-game season and having the possibility for longer games as well is a risk that shouldn’t be taken.

Fans of the NFL want to see players at their very best and football is a rough sport but, if a lot of big-name players get hurt fans will lose interest in the product even if the NFL is the most popular sport in the United States.

New kickoff rule In addition to the overtime rule, the NFL also changed the kickoff rule with the rule being that if a touchback occurs on kickoff then it will be placed on the 35-yard line.

This puts defenses at a great disadvantage no matter how great the defense is as the opposing team’s offense will only need two first downs and they would already be in field goal range.

This once again shows the NFL’s bias toward offenses which doesn’t make sense because that will make fewer fans interested in the sport as fans have already had their issues with the favoring of offenses.

If a team such as the Kansas Chiefs have such a great offense, it shouldn’t matter where the ball is placed after a touchback, they should be able to score a touchdown on their first drive of the game anyway.

There is this saying fans say about the NFL The NFL is consistent with their inconsistency.

8 - SPORTS

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Where is our home court on campus at?

Duran Ventura Community Editor

The Falcons Beach Volleyball team plays without a home court on campus.

As the 2025 Cerritos College beach volleyball regular season comes to an end and the Falcons head into the playoffs one thing comes to mind, where is their home court?

They've played and practiced at Rosie's Dog Beach in Long Beach all season.

In their conference this season the Falcons face Mt. San Antonio, El Camino, and Long Beach City who have a court advantage by having their own facility on campus.

Falcons players Josie Navarro and Brisa Cortez shared their thoughts on their opposing conference teams having a home court.

"Definitely every home team has their advantage, but especially when they have their facility, they have more of a comfortability knowing that they practice every day, they go to school there every day, and it's that familiarity that allows them to play to their best ability," Navarro said.

Cortez added, "Their facilities are really nice and honestly, it'd be nice to have something like that at our school."

The team practices on Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10

DURAN VENTURA

The Falcons at Rosie's dog beach as they faced College of the Desert and El Camino on April 11, 2025.

a.m., after the players have one hour to rush to Cerritos for their classes.

Leeya Rubio shared the struggle with having to rush to the court, "There is a lot more of a rush, especially when it comes to class.

"There are a lot of girls that do have class during practice times, so it's a lot more, it's a lot more difficult for them just because they kind of have to rush, and it's not as easy for them to kind of get to school and get ready for class,"

Rubio said.

Taylor Winters and Zoe Lekan who play for El Camino have their own faculty right on campus.

"It's very nice we're very fortunate and it's a very nice facility and kind of stops the wind from coming in too," said Lekan.

Winters said, "I mean personally my classes are all around the courts so like If I have a class after I kind of just walk straight to class."

Kari Hemmerling who is the head coach for Cerritos College

volleyball during the fall semester started the Beach Volleyball in 2016 to have full-time volleyball year round.

"To get it started here, I told my athletic director when it was Maria Castro at the time, I told her, I said, listen, I'm gonna call you every single time I lose a recruit because they wanna play both indoor and beach," Hemmerling said.

"All the schools around us, Long Beach, Cypress, Golden West, Rio Hondo, Mount Sac,

all these schools that are around us that we're competing with the most, all have beach volleyball and so the girls get to play indoor and beach and they're getting better," Hemmerling stated.

Hemmerling has had conversations with administrators to turn the tennis courts into beach volleyball courts, Falcons men's and women's tennis teams have been discontinued since 2021.

The tennis courts will be converted into 20 pickleball courts, but Hemmerling would like to have seven turn into Beach Volleyball courts.

"If we had the ability to do that, and we had some money for that, that would be ideal because if you could make at least five courts is the minimum, pretty much, of what you want, but eight courts, you could host regional, states, whatever, and things would go so fast," Hemmerling shared.

Hemmerling stores all the beach volleyball equipment in her garage at her house from January to the end of May. Jeff Miera said, "I would not know the answer to that. I haven't been here to comment on that."

The Falcons won their last conference game 5-0 over College of the Desert and now wait for a first-round opponent in the South Coast Conference Pairs Championships and Southern California Team Regional Playoffs.

Falcons win series after a hot sixth inning Isaac Cordon Editor in Chief

Cerritos College Falcons baseball team took the series 2-1 vs the ELAC Huskies after an 8-1 win on April 12, after dominant pitching and the offense getting hot in the sixth inning.

Throughout the first half of the game, neither offense was clicking as both pitchers from each team didn't allow a single run through five innings.

Falcons Pitcher, Derek Valdez, shared how he felt throughout the game with his pitching, "I felt good up there. I knew right from the first inning, throwing the first pitch fastball strike it was going to be a good day."

Valdez was the first to allow hits in the first inning but had a three-inning stretch of no hits to recover from that.

"During the game, you don't really know, how the game is going until afterwards. I was like, oh, like that was by a couple of the stretch right there where I didn't get a hit," Valdez shared.

Though Valdez's pitching was well the offense couldn't get a score as ELAC's starting pitcher, Jacob Ramos was doing just as good as Valdez.

Head Coach for the Falcons, Nate Fernley, shared what his offense's approach was against Ramos, "Every time we know who's starting, the day before, we talk about what the game plan is before happens, on what the pitcher, can do.

"But it's a tough game so even if you know what you're expecting sometimes the execution of the pitch rules on that end and so I thought we were prepared, I just think he did a good job of throwing his pitch especially early," Fernley said.

The Falcons offense was finally able to get things rolling in the sixth starting to get on base and score the first runs of the game.

He started to leave a couple of pitches over the plate," Fernley said as to what got his offense started in the sixth.

"He did really good throwing side to side there but he left a couple of pitches up and luckily we took advantage of it and were able to put a couple on the board," Fernley added.

Falcons first baseman, Wyatt Ormonde, was the first to get on the board in the sixth with an RBI

ISAAC CORDON

Owen Martin scoring after a Wyatt Ormonde double during the Cerritos College vs ELAC baseball game on April 12, 2025.

double as he continues to have a great hitting season as he went three for five on his at-bats.

"It's all about just seeing the pitches and, I mean, I've seen everything really well, right now.

Just staying in the strike zone not chasing," Ormonde stated as to why he's had great success this season.

Ormonde wasn't the only one to contribute RBIs in the sixth as Ryan Reyes was able to get an RBI single and had a great day hitting, going three for three and a hitby-pitch for his first start of the

season.

"I was just trying not to do too much. Just looking for a base hit," Reyes shared to as what his thought process was during his at-bats.

The Falcons look to replicate this performance heading for the rest of the season as Ormonde stated, "We need to play to our level and honestly, we should be, I think the number one team in California, if we can do that."